Via Vengeance/Harsh Conditions/Battleground Records/2016 CD Review

  Via  Vengeance  are  a  solo  project  from Arizona  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  sludge/doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2016  album  "Harsh  Conditions"  which  was  released by  Battleground  Records.

  A  very  heavy  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with some  growling  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  and  the  drums  also give  the  music  more  of  a  tribal feeling  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal.

  More  traditional  sludge  and  groove  metal  style  vocals  can  be  heard  at  times  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  along  with  a  few  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  later  on  during  the  recording  a  small  amount  of  pianos  and  female  vocals  are  used  briefly  on a  couple  of  songs  before  making  a  return  back  to  a  heavier  musical  direction  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  style.

  Via  Vengeance  creates  a  sludge/doom  metal  album  that  is  very  slow, dark,  heavy  and  atmospheric,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  the  season  of  winter.

  In  my  opinion  Via  Vengenace  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  sludge/doom  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Expired"  "Winter  Mourning"  "Solitary"  and "Instinct  To  Survive".  8  out  of  10.

Ides/Sun Of The Serpent's Tongue/Vic Records/2016 CD Review

  Ides  are  a  band  from the  Netherlands  that  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Sun  of  The  Serpents  Tongue"  which  will  be  released in  April  by  Vic  Records.

  Melodic  chanting  and  vocals  start  off  the  album  along  with  an  atmospheric  background  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction  that is  in  the  doom  metal  direction  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  death  metal  growls  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  they  also  mix  keyboards  in  with  the  heavier  sections  in  some  parts  of  the  songs  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound to  them along  with  some  violins  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  one  track  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  choirs  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  low  musical  direction.

  Ides  plays  a  style  of  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  dark,  slow  and  heavy  and  rooted  in  the  90's  style  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ides  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  "Erosion"  and "Survivors  Of  The  Rebellion".  8  out  of  10.  

 

Phlefonyaar Interview

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

Phlefonyaar started many years ago back in the dark times for metal known as the mid nineties. we were a two piece back then as well literally the only two metalheads in this backwater town. Just 2 scraggy kids listening to godflesh and autopsy and black metal. I won't lie, it was mainly an excuse to hang out, drink and cause trouble but we recorded a demo and had some good times this lead onto shows. until recently we have been happy to just release primitive, lo fi, ltd run tape demos for a number of years but it's time to get serious.

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

it's... slower. I imagine post apocalyptic arcane machinery springing into life. To me at least it's the logical progression from the sound we have been playing. there's always been a certain vibe, and that vibe has not changed. weather were playing primitive death sludge  stuff recorded on a 4 track or hooking up three big muffs and a phaser in a row to a antique amp to play over a drum machine the idea has stayed the same. To make the most dirty, vile and wretched sound possible phlefonyaar has a certain universe it lives in. if people aren't asking "what's wrong with that guy?" Or "what the hell is that?" Im not doing my job properly. He he.

3.This is the first recording to be released in 9 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?

Other than attempting to stay out of trouble ive been in a number of bands, some mine some others. we did actually release a demo in the intervening time which had a few of the songs you can hear on the Bandcamp that we did for the Nachtmystium and dark fortress tour we were on. they were very much in the vein of the old style stuff but I wasn't happy with them. They sounded too clean. so I approached this new recording much differently.

4.According to the Metal Archives page the band is listed as death metal or grindcor but the music I have heard is more in the doom or sludge metal style, what was the decision behind going into this musical direction?

I think that listing was pretty accurate for at least the 2nd demo. but bands evolve and metal archives can't update everything. Ive always enjoyed bands were it's just been one guy in the driving seat. I new that if I was going to do this I wanted the sound to be something that would and could be done live by 2 or even 1 person so I sat down and started writing. Also, without wanting to get too pretentious about it I had some personal stuff to work through and these songs let me drive the devils out.

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

I'm a big h.p. Lovecraft and Poe fan so I like my lyrics to be full of esoteric rhetoric and symbolism. I quite often fear for my sanity, so that subject is explored and the occasional sardonic nihilism that most functioning depressives soon learn as a coping mechanism is in there as well. It's not the most positive message but a bit of gallows humour helps to cut through the murk a bit. hell if you can't at least raise a laugh when the worlds crumbling down around your ears what's the point.

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

there is s river of fire in hell called the phlegathon describes it as "a stream of fire, which coils round the earth and flows into the depths of Tartarus." In some books in hell there are tribes that live upon its banks. One of which is the phlefonyaar.

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

I would say the first shows were the most vicious. we had various ideas about how a band should be back then and there was some pretty bad behaviour some of which I look back on with a bit of embarrassment. one of my favourites was on the Nachtmystium  tour in East Germany with dark fortress, we got told we had to leave the tour early after the next show... We were not happy, as is to be expected. so we decided we would have to make an example and we hit the stage like a nailbomb. I didn't even remove my patch vest and jacket just howled like a dog the whole way through. The front row took a big step back and I remember seeing my friend florian from dark fortress grinning at me from the back of the hall. it was a great night in the end.

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

I hope so, it's important to play live and to tour even if your just in a van or your car. I plan to play live. Although we are a 2 piece dave works at a job that means he can't always tour or play shows so then we're back to the one man band option.

I have played as a one man band before and people told me I shouldn't do it as keyboards etc weren't "cool" but anyone who knows me knows not to say that as like most sociopaths it will just make me keener to do it all the more. some guys just like to watch the world burn n'all that stuff I guess.

 Bottom line, im quite comfortable doing it but it does make touring very hard just on expense. and I will say some of the audience rely don't get it. Trust me, and if you don't mind me using an analogy, telling a guy in a black sabbath t shirt that your in a one man doom band and you do it with keyboards and samplers is like telling someone you write erotic fiction for pets... it's wildly unpopular. He he He he.

9.The new ep was self released, are you open toworking with another label again in the future?

actually we have literally just signed to a american label called "swamp metal records" and physical releases are on thee way. I just hope they know what there getting into.

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

actually as far as the release goes so far it's been rely good on the reaction front. occasionally I have to tell people to listen past the first 30 seconds (there's that black sabbath t shirt again)  as a few have had trouble with the ambient elements used but that's there bag and that's fine. this is extreme underground music. Not pop music. It's not for everyone y'know? that's kinda the point. but so far the reaction has been very positive and I'm very grateful.

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

Dave mainly does a grind band called gagging order and another called the wound man

Ex members, Abel is in criminal minds. Mike plays in zompok.

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

hopefully we can expand on the universe we've set up with this new sound. I'd like to push it more make it even more frightening, darker And oppressive but also experiment a bit more as well.  plus do a bigger show, hell.. I want video screens showing clips from mad max and morbidly obese dancing girls in gimp outfits. I wanna be the Mötley Crüe of Vaguely industrial Doom metal.

13.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?

This is Could be a long list if I'm not careful.., godflesh, early pitchshifter, thorns, ministry, sunn((o)), burning witch, nailbomb, dopethrone, buzxov'en, Abominable iron sloth, a perfect circle, pig destroyer, rameses, Leviathan/lurker of chalice, author and punisher, that's just on the top of my stack of CDs next to my stereo.

I also listen to alot of soundtrack music and also Tom waits and nick cave feature heavily.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?

It's a cliche, but films, rely bleak sci fi and westerns being my favourites.

I am not a people person. (Another cliche)  I live out in the sticks so mainly I play with my animals and work on my car, I'm a bit of a gear head and love machines, Lift some weights and box when I can.

 I write and read a LOT of books as well. also I should come clean... I'm a bit of a gamer with an obsession for robots which is rely counter productive for a musician.

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

only to thank you and anyone who's shown any interests in phlefonyaar and say this... people will tell you that you can't do things. They are lying to you. live your art, enjoy your life, learn to kick against the pricks.

Nervous Mothers/Art Of Burning Water/SuperFi Records/2016 Split 7 Inch Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  between  Belgium's  Nervous  Mothers  and  Art  Of  Burning  Water  which  was  released  by  Superfi  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Nervous  Mothers  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  emo,  crust,  grind  and  sludge.

  Their side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  guitar  sound  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  and  drum b eats  a  few  seconds  later  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the   recording  as  well  as  a  touch  of  emo  before  going  into  a  very  fast  grindcore  direction  that  uses  high  pitched  screams  and  brutal  blast  beats  and  the  slow  riffs  also  add  in  melodies  and  elements  of  sludge,  the  production sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nervous  Mothers  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  emo,  crust,  grind  and  sludge  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Born".

  Next  up  is  Art  Of  Burning  Water  a  band  that  plays  noise  rock.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  distorted amp  noises  along  with  some  drum  beats  and  bass  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction t hat  utilizes  high  pitched  screams  and  the  drums  also  speed  up a   little bit  at  times  and  the  music  goes  for more  of  a  noise  rock  and  hardcore  style  while  also  being  slow  and  heavy,  the  production  on  their  side  of t he  recording  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Art  of  Burning  Water  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of   nois  rock  and  hardcore  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,  grind,  crust,  noise  and  hardcore.  8  out  of  10.   

Birushanah/Makyo/SuperFi Records/2015 Vinyal Review

  Birushanah  are  a  band  from  Japan  that  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental,  tribal,  sludge,  doom  metal  and  post  hardcore  and  this is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Makyo"  which  was  released  by  SuperFi  Records.

 Japanese  folk  music  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  tribal  beats  a  few  seconds  later  before  adding  in  clean  yet  distorted  guitars  and  after  a  few  minutes  the  music  starts  getting  more  heavy and  melodic  along  with  some aggressive  yet  melodic  vocals   and  the  riffs  mix  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal.

  Most  of  the  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the solos  and  leads  bring  in  more  of  a  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  the  songs  also  mix  the  tribal  and  heavy  parts  together  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  an  experimental  and  avant  garde  feeling  and  there  is  also  a brief  use  of  blast  beats  and  the  music  also  speeds  up  on  the  last  track.

  Birushanah  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  experimental  and  tribal  and  mixes  it  with  doom  and  sludge  metal  along  with a  touch  of  post  hardcore  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are written  in Japanese  and  cover  Shintoism  and  Buddhism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Birushanah  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  tribal,  sludge,  doom  metal  and  post  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sharin"  and  "Kagami".  8  out  of  10.  

Soluthus/No King Reigns Eternal/Doomentia/2016 CD Review

  Solothus  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "No  King  Reigns Eternal"  which  was  released  by  Doomentia  Records.

  Bass  guitar  playing  starts off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  some  dark  sounding melodies  which  also  leads  up  to  growling  vocals  being  brought  onto  the  recording  which  also  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  doom/death  metal  direction  that  is  very  close  to  the  90's  era  of  the  genre.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  very  dark,  melodic  and  old  school  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  songs  also  add  in  mid  paced and  fast sections  along  with a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  very  heavy  sound  from  beginning  to  ending  of  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful.

  Soluthus  plays  a  style of  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  heavy  and  dark  in  the  90's  tradition,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  doom,  dark  fantasy,  occultism  and  sword  &  sorcery  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Soluthus  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "No  King  Reigns  Eternal"  and  "Towers  In  The  Mist".  8  out  of  10.    

   

Algoma/Chronobot/Dead Beat Media/2016 Split CD Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a split  album  between  Canada's  Algoma  and  Chronobot  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Dead  beat  Media  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Algoma  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  metal  and  noise  rock.

  Their  side  of  the split  starts  out  with  distorted  reverb's  along  with  some  tortured  voices  in  the  background  before going  into  a heavier  musical  direction  along  with  some  aggressive  vocals  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  their  side  of  the  recording  while  the  riffing  mixes  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  while  elements  of  noise  rock  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  songs  and  both  of  the  tracks  stick to  a  very  slow  musical  direction  and  the  last track  is  very  long  and epic  in  length,  the  production  on  their  side  of  the  recording  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  despair  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Alogma  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  metal  and  noise  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Pthisis".

  Next  up  is  Chronobot  a  band  that  plays  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  clean  laying  that  is  more  closer  to 70's  rock/metal  along  with  some  psychedelic  sounding  synths  before  adding  in  drums  which  then  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  sludge/doom  metal  direction  along  with  some  retro  melodies  and  growling  vocals  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  they  also  mix  in  a  lot  of  stoner  rock  elements  and  all  3  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  slow  musical  direction  and  the  last track  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  vocals,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Weed  and  Space  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Chronobot  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,doom/death  metal  and  stoner  rock  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Jerry  Can".

  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.