Miscarriage Interview

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



Miscarriage: We are in the process of releasing our new album, “Imminent Horror”, through Sentient Ruin on physical media. Along with that we are beginning the writing for our next album which we believe will be quite the experience once completed. Hopefully we will be able to have it finished and released this year.



2.At the end of 2018 you had released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?



Miscarriage: We would say the most noticeable difference is that it is much slower than what we have previously created. We wanted to embark on something much more atmospheric and monstrous.



3.On the new album you went for more of a sludge/doom metal direction while previous releases where more grindcore orientated, what was the decision behind going into this musical direction?



Miscarriag: Ultimately the decision came to mind that we wanted to have music that resembled a nightmarish embodiment, a creature devouring civilizations if you will. As it started to take shape, we believe it became much more than that.



4.Since 2017 there has been 5 different releases, do you spend a great amount of time writing and creating music?



Miscarriage: We are very focused on writing and creating new music for Miscarriage. We aim to release one new album every year if not more. Currently we easily have over five albums we plan to pursue over the next several years.



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



Jon - Lyrically in the beginning Miscarriage was quite personal. More or less I bled the words onto a page in many ways. I think the lyrics have started to become much more conceptual and much more about what perpetuates through our sound. Our future works will become much more about the imagery, feelings, and thoughts that come to mind from the music.





6.One member lives in the United States while another lives in Sweden, how does this work out in the recording process?



Miscarriage: We discuss very heavily and thoroughly what we are wanting to accomplish prior to the writing process. From there Ulf will write and record drums to have sent over to Jon to record guitars, bass, and vocals to. Sometimes lyrics are already ready to be implemented and sometimes lyrics come together after the music is completed.





7.Would the band be open to doing any live shows if the opportunity came?



Miscarriage: We wouldn’t mind to play shows together if the opportunity ever presented itself, but it is unlikely due to the far distance in which we live apart. Creating music is what is most important to us so even then we would rather focus on creating as much as we can.



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



Miscarriage: We are not necessarily looking to be signed, but if an offer were to be made that was right for us we may take that route in the future.



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



Miscarriage: Overall we would say the reaction has been quite positive and even more so with our upcoming album. It’s actually been somewhat surprising to see how much support we have received to be honest.



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



Miscarriage: We plan to venture into all kinds of different territories for future releases. Nothing is off limits when it comes to what we will create.



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?



Jon - Last Days of Humanity, Circle of Dead Children, Hexis, Primitive Man, Vermin Womb, Daughters, See You Next Tuesday, and probably more... kind of an endless amount of sources of inspiration and influences really. I listen to anything from synthwave to ambient instrumental music to the most vile music obtainable recently.



Ulf – In regards to what bands that have had an influence in our sound, Jon has more or less covered it. Its pretty rare that I check out newer bands that much these days in all honesty. These days I listen to music that I listened to growing up and that I listened to during my mid mid 20s – early 30s. But if I would have to mention what I’ve been listen to recently would be Jesus Piece, Full of hell, Vein, Reverorum Ib Malacht, Demonomancy, Texas Murder Crew etc.



12.What are some of your non musical interests?



Jon - I am very involved with extreme and horror movies. I can’t seem to get enough of them.

Ulf – More or less anything related to horror be it in terms of movies, books, art etc. Apart from that: history, psychology, mythology, nature (exploring and hiking), painting, writing etc.



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



Jon - Thank you for this opportunity and for those reading we hope you dig what you hear!



Ulf – Thanks for the support.

Asphodelus Interview

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

After we finished recording the album we had some problems with getting a scan of the painting which we used as an album cover so the release date was delayed a bit. We have just been rehearsing the album since then and we are hoping to get some gigs abroad after the release.

2. In February you have your first full length coming out, musically how does it differ from your previous ep's, demos and the stuff you recorded as 'Cemetery Fog'?

When the band was formed in 2012 our intention was to play stuff like early Katatonia but because we were young and inexperienced, we didn’t know how to write songs like that. The band has developed a lot in these 7 years. Cemetery Fog demos were crude and primitive death doom with some black metal influences. “Towards the Gates” was a step towards our current sound but the song writing is still quite primitive on it when you listen to it now. On the first release under Asphodelus name, “Dying Beauty & the Silent Sky” EP we had still some fast death metal parts in our songs but it was never really our thing and didn’t work so naturally so we stopped writing songs like that. With the new material on “The Veil Between the Worlds” and “Stygian Dreams” we have achieved our own style and sound in my opinion.

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

JV: The lyrics I usually write are inspired by mythologies and folklore, literature, poetry, my own experiences etc. I have written lyrics only to one song on the album, Stygian Dreaming, but I’m going to write more material for the band in the future.

JF: Most of the lyrics on our debut album has been inspired by different feelings in life, like depression, stupidity of living creatures, delusions and paranoia. I try to add metaphors and from mythologies and literature.. One theme that you can also see on our album is time, in many ways.

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

JV: I have been interested in Greek mythology since I saw a documentary of King Minos of Crete and Minotaur when I was a kid. I find it as one of the most interesting mythologies with a lot of gods, deities, heroes and the underworld etc. The mythology also fits well to our music style in my opinion. There’s also some influence from the Roman mythology in our lyrics like on “Scent of Venus”. The main gods of them were basically the same as Greek with changed names.

JF: My brother has a big collection of Greek and Roman mythology books and I started to browsing them at a young age.



5. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover


The painting is Les Océanides (Les Naiades de la mer) by Gustave Doré. Here’s a description from the site of The Leicester Galleries who kindly scanned the painting for us.

“Les Oceanides is a haunting interpretation of a scene from Prometheus Bound, a play by Aeschylus, written between 460 and 450 BC. The water nymphs, daughters of the Titan deities Oceanus and Thetis, cling to the rock where Prometheus is chained. His fate was a punishment from Zeus for both stealing back a spark of fire from the Gods and restoring it to man and for holding the secret of the Oracle's prophecy: how the Oceanides mother, Thetis, would bear a child greater and more powerful than Zeus himself. As further punishment, Zeus ordered the creation of Pandora, the first woman, who released from her box all the evils of the world.

Dramatically lit, Les Oceanides, swept by the sea's current onto Prometheus's rock, reveal not only Dore's understanding of chiaroscuro, a talent which can be traced back to his prolific work as an engraver and illustrator, but also the artist's restless meditation on mythology and its relationship to life and death. Dore's oeuvre is a crucial link between French Romanticism and European Symbolism. “


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

JV: Some gigs in our East European tour last year with Kuilu were great like in Budapest (Hungary), Zemun (Serbia) and Tuzla (Bosnia & Herzegovina) where the venues had big stages etc. Too bad the Bosnian venue which was otherwise great had only squat toilets which were quite unpleasant to us westeners haha... The tour was interesting experience overall.

Our stage clothes are influenced by a British band Sabbat a bit. We have had candles and lanterns on stage in some of our shows. We are probably going to improve our stage performance a bit for the future shows if we get some good ideas.

JF: One of our best shows have been in Lepakkomies, Helsinki and Finnish Death Metal Maniacs fest in Pori. Also we played good shows in Tuzla, Bosnia and Budapest, Hungary.

On the stage I try to express and spread the same feeling to the audience which I get from playing our music.

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

We don’t have anything confirmed yet but we are probably going to play some gigs or do a tour abroad.

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

There have been a lot of people who have liked and praised our music and I hope that we will reach new people with our full-length. It would be great to play in the US some day for example.

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

We are trying to progress and get better with our instruments and composing on every release. We can't say for sure yet if the music is going to change in the future. We are getting more and more influences from other genres than metal for our melodies for example but the main roots will stay the same I guess.

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?

JV: The riffs and melodies I have wrote have been mostly influenced by Greek black metal bands like Varathron and Rotting Christ etc. I listen to a lot of different genres and bands/artists, mostly metal, rock and punk though.

JF: I have been influenced by the mighty HELLENIC METAL as well, and My Dying Bride, Katatonia, Black Sabbath, Anathema etc. has been the biggest influence to our music. My musical taste nowadays is very wide. One of my favorite artists ever is Kate Bush.

11. What are some of your non musical interests?


JV: Movies and reading. I have a collection of about 500 DVD/Blu-ray films, mostly horror. I read mostly classic novels, horror, history and mythology & folklore books etc. I also work at a library. I'm also interested in other countries and their culture and would like to visit many places I haven't been yet.

JF: I love watching movies and I have a large collection too. But otherwise my life is almost only around music and especially playing it.



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


Thanks to everyone who read the interview. Go listen to our new album "Stygian Dreams" and support the label & us by buying it if you liked what you heard. And thanks for the interview!

Siempre Guerras Interview

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



SIEMPRE GUERRAS is a new Argentine band, with members that come from remarkable projects in the region since the 90s, and have met in 2017 to form this new formation. See the following link for more information, in the "members" section.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Siempre_Guerras/3540447541 



2. So far away that you have released an album, can you tell us a little more about the musical style that you were to give in the recording?



The style we choose is broad, with influences from metal / thrash / hardcore originating in the 70s, 90s and fundamentally the most current Doom / Death styles. We chose this reflective and powerful style that accompanies the theme of our lyrics. We also have influences from other non-metal musical styles, which enrich our compositions.



3. What are some of the lyrical themes and what the band explores with music?



We work with real and subjective themes in our lyrics. On the one hand we approach a position of criticism to modern society, the middle class, the predominant politics in the world, trying to mark some way to change reality from our small place, invoking reflection and action of people on their own reality from a political stance against global neoliberalism. On the other hand we cover existentialist themes, of intimate experiences that are also related to the way of life of the human being in modernity.



4.Who knows that the name of the band means 'always Wars' in Spanish, how does this name fit with the musical style that is played?



SIEMPRE GUERRAS, means the spirit of daily struggle as the main engine for the change of society and our own social and individual conscience. We refer to the social struggle, and the internal struggle of each individual to prevail in the system, and also to try to change it.

5. Can you tell us a little more about the work that is presented on the cover of the album?



It is an old painting made by Gustavo Mateo (Guitarist of the band). From the year 1995. We saw in it a representation of what we want to transmit with BROKEN CHRIST (CRISTO QUEBRADO). We hope you can relate visually to what inspires to listen in detail to the music of this SIEMPRE GUERRAS album.



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



With the name of SIEMPRE GUERRAS, we have had only 3 local performances so far. In the previous projects of the members, we have made national and international tours. We are thinking about making the official presentation of the album from March 2019 if we get enough support. We hope to have the physical edition on CD / Vinyl by then. We are now seeking support in this regard.



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



Yes of course. We are interested in presenting our album in Latin America, Asia and Europe mainly, and also where there is more interest from the fans.



8. The album was released on 'Loneravn Records', can you tell us a little more about how you got in touch with this label?



We met LONERAVN Records after having published our band in bandcamp, and immediately received several offers of independent labels. A few days later we received your offer, we saw it convenient, and we accepted it. Only for promotion, distribution and sale of the digital disc for the moment, and globally. We hope for this label good results, and be able to make our physical edition soon.



9. On a worldwide level, how has the reaction to your music been by extreme metal fans?



We still do not have the first official statistics of the label, but because of the publications that we make on our own in social networks, we see that there is an interesting repercussion towards the proposal of the band. Mainly in Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. We also saw interest in other continents, but not in a massive way. It is to be hoped for us that the LONERAVN promotion of good results in Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and some Central European countries



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



The projects that are currently in force are Carillion (Metal) and Magia Negra (Blues), both projects of the bass player. Garcha and Petardo (Hardcore / Metal) are projects that involve the singer and a guitarist. All these projects already have several productions and are presenting them live, except Garcha which is conceptually a band that only exists for broadcast and does not make live presentations. The singer also has a project called Tango Engrampado, which is in the stage of diffusion.



11.Where do you see the band starting in musically in the future?



We see the band being part of any professional international circuit, semiprof, or undergroud as well. The experience of the SIEMPRE GUERRAS musicians is at the height of any of these possibilities, provided that the proposal is suitable to the needs of each party.



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



There is a strong influence from the music of the 70s, 90s, and also from the scene of the last 15 years. We like bands like Napam Death, Faith No More, Black Sabbath, Carcass, The Polla Records, Dead Cross, Anathema, Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, among many others.



13. What are some of your non-musical interests?



Mauro Gentile and Gustavo Mateo (Vocals and guitars) are excellent painters and writers as well, with several publications to their credit. The rest of the members are involved in the creative aspect contributing musical compositions, lyrics and work proposals for the project.



14.Before We have finished this interview, do you have any last words or thoughts?



We believe that it is important that the fans and those interested in SIEMPRE WARS, pay attention to what we are saying in our lyrics, which are an invitation to reflection and action before this reality that oppresses the world through the economy and the ideological bias neoliberal and individualist. That they give us their opinions, because we need them and they strengthen us, that they help us to spread our music and ideas, and that if they immerse themselves in the artistic world of CHRIST BROKEN, they will discover new interesting and valuable things in each listening.

Finally, I would like to thank you very much for your publication for your interest in spreading the band, and invite them to be part of our project in the networks and scenarios, whenever they want and feel it.



Daniel Kalbermatten (Guitarrista y compositor en SIEMPRE GUERRAS)

ONO Interview

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

T: At the very moment we are finishing the production of two songs for a split tape with a German band called Owl. Both songs are older 0N0 compositions which have received a new solid sound, vocals and each has been rearranged and upgraded to a certain extent. At the same time we are starting to track guitars for our next full-length which will come out in 2020.

2.In 2019 you have a new ep coming out, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

A: The material on the EP could be considered somewhat more accessible, songs also needed to be shorter than usual due to physical limitations of 7" vinyl format. We definitely wanted the EP to have a heavier sound compared to our previous release.

T: Listen to our previous 2016 full-length record Reconstruction and Synthesis. We usually produce songs that are way longer and complicated. We almost never use basic song structures, so motifs rarely repeat themselves and the development of our songs is like a stream of consciousness, moves towards the unpredictable and unknown. We also revel in more extreme forms of expression, blast beats, dissonance and ultra slow doom.
We experiment with a slightly different approach on this EP, more accessible structure, limited song length and a more organic sound. Yet characteristic attributes of our music, for instance heaviness, otherworldly vibe and depth, you name it, are still present.

3.Your lyrics deal with Transcendence and Hallucinations, can you tell us a little bit more about your interests in those topics?

T:  These two words are a different way how to express our inspiration that stems from antediluvian yet timeless wisdom and understanding of the world combined with surrealist methods like dream narrative, free association and absurdity. Even then, everything is deliberately cloaked and concealed. We want people to scratch their heads.

S: I've always been fascinated by human brain and the images it is capable of creating. With my lyrics, I try to build landscapes that revolve around certain ideas, colours or even sounds. Every word has a visual representation in my mind, in a way it's like painting a mental fresco.

A: If you set apart everything around us the human culture has created, what you're left with are the rawest emanations of mind, primitive, chaotic, illegible. We are trying to work with these forms and display them within the music.

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

T: The word 'ono' /ɒnɒ/ is written as zeroNzero and it is the personal pronoun ‘it‘ in Slovak. It's a binary code fragment 0110 and the word represents consciousness free from duality.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?

A: Contrary to our previous release, this time around the three of us had some pretty diverse ideas about a suitable visual representation for the material, both stylistically and considering what to actually express in the front cover. We also wanted the artwork to make an interesting T-shirt design. It took some deciding before we settled on Viral Graphics, but it was the right choice as the guys did a great job in capturing the essence of the record.

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?

S: Definitely Pohoda 2018 which is the biggest festival in Slovakia annually attended by 30000 visitors with bands from all around the world and from almost any genre you can think of. The organisation in general was amazing and the sound was superb and totally crushing. Also, my favorite moment was when I saw this little boy dancing furiously to one of our songs. Made my day. Sadly his parents were not amused, so he didn't see the whole show. Stage performance in one word: desolation. 

A: There's an element of meditative, almost transformative experience when things fall into place on stage, not just musical performance but a sort of dissolution..

T: We want to present the idea that experience with extreme metal is an extraordinary form of initiation.

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

A: We are of course open to any interesting opportunities when it comes to shows. As for the forseeable future however, the plan is to focus on composing and releasing new music.

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

T: Different. We’ve submerged into a very niche type of production, but there seem to be people who enjoy it.

S: When I talk to people that enjoy 0N0, they all usually agree on one thing: they don't know exactly what happens in our music, but they can't stop listening. It's like the charm of the unknown which is something I also prefer when listening to music.

9.What can we expect musically during the future?

T: Crushing and unearthly experience.

A: Our next full length album is going to be a logical successor to the past efforts, there's an apparent connection. After that, who knows..

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?

S: I've always liked epicness in metal music. Not the heavy or power metal sort, but the Nile, Type of Negative or Neurosis epicness, without pathetic and theatrical elements. Nowadays I listen to Caucasian and Persian folk music.

T: All kinds of metal and rock. Electronic music, mostly experimental. Pioneering, unconventional and boundless forms of music primarily. Nowadays, I often listen to various 20th century genres to understand the roots, development and interconnectedness better.

A: I find myself intrigued by all sorts of traditional music from around the world, field recordings, experimental production. Authenticity and element of surprise are some of the important factors in my listening selection these days. Occasionally I might still enjoy some metal, rock, electronic or even pop music, but it is a rare treat to find something fresh within the boundaries of any established genre.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

S: I do comedy. Mainly stand up, but also some other projects. Need to balance out all the heaviness of our music.

T: Art in general. Literature, movies, painting, etc.

A: Very slowly getting into DIY electronics for the last couple of years, enjoying different art forms, in general being away from people whenever possible.

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

Thank you for this interview. Let the mind walk the stars. Those who crave will swallow their own eyes.

Official Bandcamp - https://ono0110.bandcamp.com
Transcending Obscurity Records – http://tometal.com

Asphodelus/Stygian Dreams/Terror From Hell Records/2019 CD Review

  Asphodelus  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  goth, doom  and  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019 album  "Stygian  Dreams"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Terror  From  Hell  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  sounding  keyboards  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  doom  metal  elements  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  some  black  and  goth  influences  can  also  be  heard  and  the  music  sticks  to  mostly  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Asphodelus  plays  a  music  style  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  era  of  atmospheric  doom/death  and  goth  metal  and  mixes  them  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  death,  sorrow  and  occult  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Asphodelus  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  goth,  doom  and  death  metal  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lamentation  of  The  Lost  Souls"  "Stygian  Dreaming"  and  "Where  Freezing  Spirits  Fall".  8  out  of  10.

Miscarriage/Imminent Horror/2018 Full Length Review

  Miscarriage  are  an  international  band  with  members  from  Sweden  and  the  united  States  that  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental,  sludge,  doom  and death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  album  "Imminent  Horror".

  Demonic  voices  start  off  the  album  before going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  deep  and  guttural  death  metal  growls  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  elements.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  experimental while  elements  of  harsh  noise  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  dissonant  structures  also  being  added  into  the  heavier  riffing  as  well  as  some  screams  being  utilized  more  as  the  album  progresses,  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing and  when  the  drums  get  more  aggressive  they  also  add  in  a  touch  of  grindcore.

  Miscarriage  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  sludge,  doom,  death  metal,  experimental  and  noise  and  mixes  them  together to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Miscarriage  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  doom,  death  metal,  noise  and  experimental  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I"  "IV"  "VII".  8  out  of  10.