#21 Inside the Darkness

Edition for true metalfans

s21 of Tr

#21†30.04.2022

ve MetalZines

News•Reviews•Interviews•Exclusive

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CREW

Evgeny-Destroyer Editor-in-chief, design https://www.facebook.com/ evgeny.dubovskoy Mail: destroyerr78@mail.ru WhatsApp: +79181668693

Olga «Blackie» Schneider Editor, interviewer, text corrector, reviewer https://www.facebook.com/ olga.metalheart Mail: olgaschneider.1997@gmail.com Inst:https://www.instagram.com/blackie_metalheart/

Jay Parker - Editor, Interviewer, Reviewer Luc St-Clair - Editor, Reviewer of Melodeath albums Lorena Delgado - Interviewer, Reviewer Richard Keenahan - Interviewer https://destroyerr78.wixsite.com/insidethedarkness https://www.facebook.com/InsideTheDarknessMetalZine https://www.instagram.com/inside_the_darkness_webzine https://vk.com/insidethedarknessmetalwebzine https://twitter.com/metal_webzine

Andrew Stanton Editor, interviewer, text corrector corrector, reviewer https://www.facebook.com/ andrew.stanton.71216 WhatsApp: 0044 07527 362762

A special thanks to...

Helmuth Lehner (Belphegor) for his TOTAL support ...and especially to these people for the interviews

Gerry Joseph Buhl (Blasphemy) Desecrate (Desecrate) Coldnight (Coldnight) Geoff Coran (Primordial Serpent) Jay Parker (The Witch) Noire Perventor (Perventor) Almasy Gergely (Autumn Nostalgie) Ferran Moya (Blazemth) Val Barr (Razo) Hails to everyone reading this!

Lord Arian Inferno (Istidraj) So this is Walpurgisnacht and our #21 issue is out. We wish V. Cenobite (Agaurez) you a great one and hope you folks are 666% ready to the festival Angra (Angrbodas Curse) season after all this CV madness worldwide.

Spider God (Spider God) No words are needed, just enjoy this time and take everything from every damn second of life. And of course enjoy the content we’re releasing for you right now.

In Metal & awaken from slumber, Olga Schneider, editor

Editor’s brief

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CONTENT Blasphemy Interview with Gerry Joseph Buhl...............................10 Desecrate Interview with Desecrate.............16 Coldnight Interview with Coldnight.................20 Primordial Serpent Interview with Geoff Coran............22 The Witch Interview with Jay Parker..............26 Perventor Interview with Noire Perventor......................30 Autumn Nostalgie Interview with Almasy Gergely.....34 Blazemth Interview with Ferran Moya.............38 Razo Interview with Val Barr..................40

News from hell....................................6 Istidraj Interview with Lord Arian Inferno......................42 Agaurez Interview with V. Cenobite.........................44 Angrbodas Curse Interview with Angra.........48 Spider God Interview with Spider God.........52

Best Metal releases..............56

Stories about Metal bands....................88

Inside The Darkness reviews..............92

Metalheads are waiting for it..............112

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ATTENTION! AN EDITOR NEEDED. Since our edition is actively growing, we

have

realized that we need more people to our board.

We’re

looking for an editor for reviews, active

contact with bands and labels and for making interviews.

The main thing we demand is being a true Extreme Metal fan. If you’re really one of them, other things simply go by themselves.

If you’re open for such kind of work, feel free to contact us: https://www.facebook.com/InsideTheDarknessMetalZine https://www.instagram.com/inside_the_darkness_webzine https://twitter.com/metal_webzine

Also you can contact with all our editors personally on our personal pages.

IMPORTANT! We’re pure enthusiasts,

and the payment is

strong experience of collaboration with massive

Extreme Metal

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bands and lots of new killer

contacts in general.

Inside the Darkness issues

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World Metal News Festival

Steelfest Open Air 2022 Steelfest 2022 is 4-day celebration of devil`s 10 year path (12-15.05.2022).

50 bands in 4-Days full of un-compromised metal terror. 4-days with 50-bands bacchanal and celebaration of darkness and blasphemy.

Festival gates open 12.05 Thursday 16:00.

Festival begins with style as Azazel starts the madnezz!

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lineup:

Deicide Moonsorrow Primordial Satanic Warmaster Tsjuder Melechesh Taake Deströyer 666 Impaled Nazarene Vomitory Inquisition Nifelheim Horna Archgoat Graveland Hecate Enthroned Diocletian Shape of Despair Profanatica Seth Cadaver Denial Of God Havukruunu Borgne Kalmankantaja Akitsa Bonehunter Alfahanne Mörk Gryning Venom Inc. The Spirit Antimateria White Death Osculum Infame Blood Chalice Druadan Forest Totenwache Warmoon Lord Faustian Pact Azazel Commander Agares Doomcult

Dark Troll Festival lineup:

Dark Troll Festival 2022 Thursday 26 May Saturday 28 May 2022 Burg Bornstedt, Germany

Aera Agrypnie Barbarossa Pipes & Drums Baumbart Black Messiah Can Bardd Carach Angren Crom Dark Seal Ellende Empyrium Galar Grimner Helheim Helsott Khors Nocte Obducta Obscurity Ruadh Sojourner Syn Ze Sase Tri Thrudvangar Totenwache Uprising Vermilia Wolfchant

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World Metal News

Hellfest 2022 Hellfest Festival 17 - 26 June 2022 Clisson, France. Hellfest in Clisson, France is roaring back in 2022 with a seven-day, two-weekend event featuring a staggering 350 bands on six stages.

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Under The Black Sun lineup: Mgla Naglfar Demonical ...and Oceans Mystifier Psychonaut 4 Ancient Rites Pseudogod Borgne In Twilight’s Embrace SARKRISTA Endezzma Frostmoon Eclipse Moribund Oblivion ARKONA (PL) Sur Austru Goath Total Hate Whiskey Ritual Darkmoon Warrior lucifericon

Satan Worship Kâhld Illum Adora Liber Null

Under The Thursday Saturday F r e i l i Friesack,

Black Sun 2022 30 June 2 July 2022. c h t b ü h n e Germany.

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Blasphemy-Black Death Metal from Canada

Interview with Gerry Joseph Buhl

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Interview by Jay Parker

Hails evil hordes, this is Jay reporting from Bogota Colombia...

Today I’m lucky enough to be talking with Nocturnal Grave Desecrator and Black Winds, vocalist with one of the founding fathers of what we today call Black Metal, and

creators of the sub-genre war metal, Blasphemy. Thanks for

of dark wisdom and your experiences with our readers.

1 - Let’s start at the beginning.... why did you decide to form Blashemy?

Who was in the original line up? What made you decide to become a Black metal musician?

oing to g r e t f a n ia ic M mus B a tuff e s m o ly c r e a b e o o t t d e d I decid n I listene e h t s w wanted o h I s t k u n b u p , n w io e t af Destruc , m o usic... d o m S e , y iv r s o s e h r t g a g like B more a d n a r e t s to play fa t a k ing the time to talk with me, and for sharing your wealth

I decided to form Blasphemy So as Vancouver Canada could have a Black Metal band and to get some extra heavy music on the scene.

track you wrote and what was the inspiration behind it?

Whoooah!

Hard question... we kinda wrote a song each at the same time…

I decided to become a BM musician after going to a few punk shows then I listened to early stuff like Bathory, Genocide, Sodom, Destruction, Razor Onslaught (Power From Hell and their Punk stuff) but I wanted to play faster and more aggressive music... Our original line up was Caller Of The Storms (guitar), Black Priest Of The 7 Satanic Blood Rituals, 3 black Hearts Of Damnation and Impurity, and myself, Nocturnal Grave Desecrator and BLack Winds.

2 - What was the first

The first track I wrote was Ritual, inspired by our Black Metal lifestyle!

3 - You’re famous for your hyper speed shredding and blitzkrieg drums...what bands did you listen to growing up?

Where did that musical anger and aggression come from?

I listened to a of couple thousand more bands like Portal and Deathlord, Goatpenis, BGC and many more. Behemoth. Bestial Raids awesome band. To many more to list off the top of my head.

4 - Your first demo, Blood upon The Altar (which was

in my tape collection back in the day) was unleashed from Hell in 1989... It was something undeniably new at that time and was quite a shock to the scene… Tell us about that devastatingly aggressive, genre forming cassette... how, where and when did you record it? Tell us about that first recording experience...

That was our exact intention to shock the scene at least in our city... we recorded starting in late 88, finishing in 89 and a studio called ‘Fiasco Bros. Recording’. They were already known for recording such bands as Death Sentence and Witches Hammer, Antichrist and many more. We made 500 cassettes at first but they were flying out the door quickly so we made many more. I think 5000 in total.

5 -The first full album, from 1990 Fallen Angel Of Doom is a legend in Black Metal folklore...a frantic diabolic spin through the darkest realms... and was the first contact for most people with Blasphemy... where did you pull that album from? It’s a real black jewel. Tell us what it was like taking that step up? Where did you record FAOD? Who wrote those legendarily blasphemic tracks?

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Blasphemy-Black Death Metal from Canada 12

Well, like I mentioned we recorded at a great studio called... Fiasco Bros. A lot of songs were written by Caller of the Storms and myself.

6 - Gods Of War was released in 1993, another rip roaring slab of pure aggression and hatred, if not even more so than FOAD... ... It must have been hard to repeat the level you achieved on FAOD... Gods Of War is noted for a more polished sound, nowhere near as raw as FAOD, but without losing that frantic satanic energy... first, which is your favorite of the 2 first albums and why?

Where was Gods recorded? What was the reception

like compared to FOAD? Well, personally I prefer F.A.O.D. for the pictures and brutal art work but a lot prefer FAOD. Gods of War was also recorded at Fiasco Bros Studio.

7 - Now you’ve garnered quite a reputation for your live shows over the years, full of blood, beatings and all kind of abominations if stories are to be believed...

The Fuck Christ tour from 93 is, I think one of the most infamous in history haha...

Tell us about that legendary tour...what happened guys?

Haha spill the blood....

Well, it’ wasn’t as philthy as some of the bloody festivals.

Allthough it was a good tour I could only be around for 8 or 9 of the shows we had a hired bass player who didn’t work out to well, we told him here’s the box of artillery and spikes don’t show up to the airport with our it son! And he showed up without it ffffuuucking hell&damnation.

Can you believe that bullshit bro?! So as for the last half of the tour I showed him the lyrics and said learn fast son because I cannot be seen playing naked anymore without my bullet straps army helmet and spikes but anyway a lot of people definitely still liked it we tried to keep it dirty bloody and as desecrating as possible.

8 - You’ve released a few live albums and you have a load of live shows on YouTube... you obviously love playing live, and there is clearly a massive connection with the crowd. You have a heavy and command-

we practiced and drank beer by the flats and car loads.

Best shows...NWN Victoria B.C. with the Dayglow Abortions). Black flames of Blasphemy fest in Helsinki Finland.

Mexico City was a viscous and Victoria’s crowd. The very last

in a theater would have been with…Witches Hammer and O.O.C. 88 I think.

9 - You guys split up for a while (twice)... why? Did you stop everything? Writing/recording? Or were you just resting from the tours?

ing stage presence... Tell us about your first ever gig, and the best shows you’ve played around the world...

Wwhhooaa ahahaha... the first might be at 1 of our rehearsal places we didn’t charge people to get in just had a couple or a few parties in this warehouse where

show we played in Austria was pretty bloody and had countless great bands such as Mortuary Drape, Black Witchery and Bolzer. Another great show was with Nifelheim, Archgoat and Watain in Stockholm Sweden!

With a few other great bands on the Bill. Countless more.

1 of our very first shows

Pretty much just a rest waiting for more brute bands to hit the scene for us to charge forth with honor and victory.

10 - Since 2018 you’ve put out a killer rehearsal CD and some belting live shows from Brazil... well worthy of inclusion on another album... Is that on the cards?

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Blasphemy-Black Death Metal from Canada 14

Will we see a 3rd full length in the future? (it’s what we all want haha) What are you plans for the future?

If it was up to me and the others yes, there would be a 3rd full-length... however I put down the bass a few years back and storms and other guitarist don’t seem to want to write anything for Blasphemy so...Deathlord formed...Deathworship, as a recording and I did a little bit of vocals on it. Also I put out Blasphamagoatachrist with bass player and vox from Goatpenis and nuke metal guitars from the ugly (Goatpenis) Trevor nuclear drums explions and Blood drippings from Trevor (Antichrist) Vancouver. Me vocals Blasphemy so you can see where we get the name Blasphamagoatachrist...for those who haven’t already heard of Goatpenis from South Brazil I highly recommend getting some or all of their 16 LPs and splits... unfortunately 51-year-old Evandro from GP and BGC passed away last year RIP...

As you can see our ritualistic war names are at the bottom demo on nuclear war now is (black metal warfare) LP...Basterdising the purity.

11 - Tell us the best experience, and the worst experience you’ve had as a band over the years.

Best experiences playing in

our favorite countries such Australia with Vomitor and other countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Finland, Poland and New Zealand, Tasmania Italy, London, Berlin, Belgium, Holland, a couple in the U.S. Only were not allowed in the country...oh yyeeaahh, Sweden was brutal and Norway, Austria was nice and bloody and I’m sure I’m forgetting a few like France that was a killer fest.

Worst Experience? Putting down the bass or there would be a few more LPs out, as well as the long break we took.

12 -Which Blasphemy track is your own personal favourite and why? Who wrote it?

Hmm...hard question. Maybe Darkness Prevails written by Caller of the Storms. I like it for its pure raw fury it was always great to rehearse too. Lyrics written by me and Black Priest.

13 - Getting technical for the musicians that are reading... tell us about the instruments...

What guitars and basses and drums do you use? What amps/ heads/rigs do you prefer for gigs? What instruments did you start with back in 84?

Guitars: B.C Rich mostly and Ibanez and Mozer. Bass: B.C Rich, Mocking Bird&Iron Bird, Gibson. Drums: Mostly Sonor. Back in 84...guitars B.C Rich&Ibanez. Bass B.C. Rich Mockingbird. Drums Slingerland Amps Marshall.

14 - Tell us about the scene in Canada when you started out... What bands were around? What bands supported you and played live with Blasphemy?

Which bands are still around today?

Bands around today would be Witches Hammer and the last gig I saw...was Demonic Apparition they put out a split with Goatpenis a while ago. When the BM scene started we were the first Black Metal band we played with everything from punk and Death Metal, Speed Metal.

15 - What is the modern scene like in Vancouver today? How has it evolved over the years?

Well, since covid hit...it’s been shitty as fuck! Before that we were having gigs mostly out of town bands every couple of weeks at hmm usually the rickshaw...sometimes at the commodore...and yes, it’s evolved quite a bit since mid-80s now you can choose from hardcore punk to death metal or black metal. But now with covid there’s only been a few gigs on May 22 we have Exciter and Witches Hammer playing. Should be a great show. Last gigs we were playing in Italy we bumped into Jeff and the guys from Exciter playing 1 night before us in Rome at the same place we played the next night with Necromorbid. FFFFUUUCK. Those guys are great!!! Actually both bands are great!

16 What bands do you listen to today?

How have your own personal tastes changed over the years?

Recommend some new bands for our readers.

I listen to fuckload of music...

Necromorbid, Necrosounds Mausoleum, Beherit, Mystifer, Deathlord, Bathory, Hellhammer, Crude SS. Onslaught (Power from Hell), old Samael and Sarcofago mostly (inri) revenge. G.B.H. (City Baby Attacked by Rats), Watain and Possession, D666, Nifelheim, Archgoat, Goatpenis, Vomitory and Bestial, Warlust… ffffuuuck another great band from Queensland Australia why can’t I remember their name. FFFUUUCK! 17 - What’s your alltime favourite black metal album and why?

Hmmmm. Very hard question...maybe the very first Bathory because of the brute looking Goat on the cover and the maniac vocals on the first few LPs before he turned from Black Metal to Viking Metal.

I don’t mind the Viking Metal but I didn’t run out and by

them like in 84-85 with Bathory. Also Hellhammer Apocalyptic Raids and Sodom in the sign of evil where up there too. And of course Destruction “Sentence of Death”. I bought that cassette the same day as the first Bathory… first I seen Destruction “Sentence of Death” and looked at the cover and said wwhhooaa look at this nuke metal freaks. Then I was about to leave the store and out of the Corner of my eye I seen the Goathead of the first Bathory and I quickly grabbed it read the song titles and said sweet mother of fire. I better have enough for both cassettes and I did later I bought them on LP on put them on my wall.

18 - Do you have any advice for our younger readers

who may have ambitions of following in your footsteps?

Yyyeeaah... keep it true, keep it real brothers of the true ideology of Black Metal.

19 - Would you like to add anything for our readers?

20 yes I’d like to thank you for the interview. I hope the answers weren’t too boring and for you Black Metal maniacs that haven’t listened to the bands I’ve mentioned do it quickly you’ll thank yourself.

A massive thanks to Nocturnal Grave Desecrator and Black Winds for his time, wise words and the diabolically divine sense of nostalgia he has left me with...

Hail fucking Blasphemy!!!

666

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Desecrate-Melodic Death Metal from Italy

Interview with Desecrate

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Interview by Andrew Stanton

Hello and welcome to Inside the Darkness.

“Hello and thank you for the opportunity you gave us with this interview. Greetings also to your readers.”

- Can you tell our readers a bit about your history, please? “ D E S E CRATE formed in 1995! We started to bec o m e part of the Italian Underground Metal scene in 1998 with the release of our first

album, entitled “MOONSHINY TALES (THE TORMENT AND THE RAPTURE)” (Mephisto Rec.).

musical differences between the members of the band. In 2010 the band got together again and we released the new album, titled “XIII, THE DEATH” (Mephiso Rec./ Inverse Rec.), with this new line-up. With this new album, we also introduced our new sound, featuring Melodic Death Metal influences with constant use of the piano.”

, t r a s i c i o s s l u a M s i t i y l t conseqlueetnfor the soul.. . an out Although the record was very popular and allowed us to play in many important clubs, we disbanded in 2001 due to

“This new era of DESECRATE has also led to important live shows (including the opening of the Dark Tranquility tour in 2013) and numerous dates in Europe in support of as many imported bands of the international Metal scene.”

“In 2015 the release of a new album, “ORPHEUS” (House of Ashes).”

“Eventually, in 2019 we had an important lineup change and with these new members we released the singles “IN HIS IMAGE” (2019), “OBSCURE TIMES” (2020) and “BURNING BOOKS” (2022) which is now part of the “A Time Of Sorrow” compilation produced by Ocularis Infernum and Black Tears Label.”

What bands did you like growing up?

“It depends for every member of Desecrate. Talking about Metal bands, the older members grew up with more

old-school stuff, while the oth- members and new experiences, ers that joined the band more that took us also to a change recently started listening to of influences. The decision of having also a piano player in this new line-up also was important for this change.”

- What are your lyrics about?

“Our lyrics are inspired by events that we experienced in our everyday life, from which we extrapolate a general or philosophical concept.

Sometimes the starting point are also other works, like books or movies.”

- Can Metal live forever without Melodic Death Metal, Metal- support from magacore and Gothic Metal bands.” zines and radio stations?

- Why did you change “Absolutely not. Especialfrom Death Metal to Me- ly underground bands owe lodic Death Metal? A a great debt to magazines change of influences? and radio stations that play “It happened in a very natural our music to many peoway. After a long hiatus, the ple who otherwise would band reunited, but with new not have known our music.

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Desecrate-Melodic Death Metal from Italy 18

We say THANK YOU!” “And we also owe a lot to all those small agencies and promoters who take it upon themselves to divulge the underground simply out of passion like our “Ocularis Infernum” who does an excellent job of promotion.”

- What Italian bands do you recommend to our readers?

“We think that anyone who sets up a band and makes their own music to express their art deserves respect.

So, we don’t feel like saying that one band is better than another but we simply respect all bands from whatever country they come from and whatever genre they do because they do it with passion, sweat and sacrifice.”

- American bands seem to use controversy to sell records. Why is it so different for European bands?

“We don’t think there are differences due only to where a band comes from. There are many bands in Europe and many bands in America and everyone has a different way of selling records regardless

of where they come from. It is a question of choice and style.

The topics covered in the texts are always something personal. Music is art, consequently it is also an outlet for the soul. If an artist finds

it right to vent his anger or spread the thought of him in a song, it is right that he does it.

The more popular the topic is, the more it will have a chance to sell, but we don’t like to think this is done for money.”

- What can fans expect from your new album?

“We are working hard on new songs. We still don’t know if we are going to release them as singles or united in an album or EP. However, you can expect an evolution to the sound, but still rooted to our most

important influences.”

“In any case, by the end of the year there will certainly be new releases of DESECRATE.” - Do you have a message for our readers?

“We absolutely want to thank all the readers and you Andrew of “Inside The Darkness” that gave us the opportunity!

We only want to say to continue following us on our web channel Facebook (DESECRATE_ official), Youtube (DESECRATEMETAL), Instagram (Desecrate_official), Bandcamp (desecrateitaly.bandcamp. com), etc. because news are coming during this 2022!”

Thank you for your time.

“Thank you very much!”

Here can be your ads. Just contact us and we discuss it.

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Coldnight - Ambient Black/Metal from Colombia

Interview with Coldnight

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Interview by Andrew Stanton

Coldnight have been considered the best Colombian Metal for quite a while.

Andrew Stanton talked to the legend that is Coldnight.

Hello and welcome to Inside the Darkness.

“Hello, thanks for keeping me on mind for it Andrew.”

- Can you tell our readers a bit about your history, please?

“Sure, Coldnight is my own project of Ambient DSBM, inspired by desolate landscapes, paranormal ambientation and

piercing screams in a sad melody.”

What bands did you like growing up?

“From the very moment I started to listening to Metal music I’ve started from Evol, Abyss, Nokturnal Mortum.”

cused in this topic, bands like Silencer has a content very suicidal.”

- Do DSBM bands try to be controversial, or is there another reason for it?

“I think some are controversial, others touch on the s u b ject because it has become fashionable among bands.”

Now you and y o u r husband have both recovered from COVID-19, will this maybe change your future lyrics?

“Yes, everything has changed from Covid-19,

ame s e h t s i M I t h i n k D SoBl d g e n r e s l i k e of some tal. e M k c a l B Melodic - Do you think it’s fair to link DSBM to suicide?

“Yes, as itself name, some bands have their lyrics fo-

Journals are more long, health isn’t the same so always mental health and disposition will be first.”

- Why do DSBM bands never associate with any other kind of music?

It always seems very separate.

“I think DSBM is the same of some old genres like Melodic Black Metal or even we were listened this kind of music from many time ago with other names.”

- Why do you always sing in English?

“Because I had the support of labels of other countries, I sing in English to bring my music to other places.”

What will your next album be like?

“As I told you, after Covid-19 things have changed, I would like to keep the title of my last album split with Lifeblood and bring my favorite songs

of the past to this style.” com/coldnightcold.”

- Do you have a mes- Thank you for your time. sage for our readers?

“Thanks to you “To all the people who for this space.” have listened to Coldnight, thank you for being there, and to those who don’t know Coldnight, I invite

you to listen to my solo project Coldngiht https:// astralcoldnight.wixsite. com/coldnight in Bandcamp: https://coldnight. bandcamp.com and Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.

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Primordial Serpent - Black Metal From Canada

Interview with Geoff Coran

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Interview by Jay Parker

Hi, this is Jay from Inside The Darkness reporting from Bogota, Colombia...

Today I’m lucky enough to be talking to one of the most talented and most prolific musicians to have emerged over the last 2 years, Geoff from Primordial Serpent...

First , thanks for taking the time out of your busy writing /recoding schedule to talk to our readers S e c o n d , Hail The Fucking Serpent!

1) Describe Primordial

Serpent’s sound in 5 words I’d describe it as aggressive, raw, melodic, epic, and heavy.

2) Tell us about PS... when/ Where/How/why was this reptillian monster created?

Well Primordial Started in m y

project inspired by the Dark Souls video game series and also to help me get through the covid pandemic due to Manitoba having very strict restrictions in place. But the reception I received from people inspired me to continue creating music for primordial serpent.

3) Run us through your discography... first to latest...

Sure thing! Ascension of the Dark Age, Father of the Abyss (EP), Ancient Myths and Legends, The Winter Warrior, Under the Sign of the Bloodmoon,

ct e p s e r d s ha e they y a w l a er h I’ve w e l te p e l o e p p m o c r o f ave h o t t rt. a wan r i e h t f control o basement of my home in Winnipeg, Canada. Initally it was to a music

and Hail the Serpent (EP).

4) Where can people buy your Cds/Merch? What labels are they on? What formats?

Well I have my own Bandcamp page for people to buy merch from (primordialserpent.bandcamp.com) but you can find my stuff on labels such as B.C.H. Records, Plague Demon Records, Knekelput Recordings, Worship the Void, Jemslabel (soon), Wormmoon Productions, Narcoleptica Productions, but my Bandcamp is a good place to start.

5) Tell us what inspires you man, why did you decide to create The Serpent? Where do the lyrics come from?

Well like I said, It was initailly a project to help me get through the covid pandemic due to the tight restrictions my province Manitoba had.

Also I have friends of mine that play in black metal bands that really got me into the genre. As far as my inspirations go, they can come from anything. video games, occult themes, mythology, fantasy, and my own personal thoughts and interpretations.

6) What is your PS favourite album so far and why? And track?

Ancient Myths and Legends and Gnawing at the Roots of Yggdrasil. The reason being is because that was the album and song that earned my

status as being well known in the black metal scene.

7) Tell us what got you into Black Metal and Met-

al in general.... What bands did you listen to growing up? What newer bands do you recommend now?

Growing up, I was into a lot of music and not just metal. I listened bands like King Crimson, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Misfits, Suicidal Tendencies, Blind Guardian, Death, Immortal, and Darkwave music of any kind. I think drew me specifically to black metal was that a lot of the artists in the genre handle the production themselves which to me indicates that they are very commited to their work as not just a musician but as an artist as well.

I’ve always had respect for people where they want to have complete control of their art.

Plus the sound of it is really raw and cathartic compared to most metal genres which is something that I adore. Bands that have inspired me for this music project and I would also recommend would be Sargeist, Immortal, Darkthrone, Warmoon Lord, Mgla, 23

Primordial Serpent - Black Metal From Canada

Watain, Bathory, Gorgoroth and even bands like Mercyful Fate, Venom, early Slayer have provided me with inspiration as well.

8) You are a multi instrumentalist, a terrorfyingly talented and productive one...

What instruments do you use? Run us through your prized collection...

My equipment isn’t anything special. I use a Cort Custom HT guitar, SGR bass guitar which is a discount version of Schecter guitars, 60 watt delta amp, shure microphones (sm57 and sm7B), metalzone distortion pedal and sometimes my zoom effects pedal. but recently I’ve been trying different amp simulators such as the Bulldog amp sim from Audio Assault for future releases.

9) What is your recording process? How do you get from that riff stuck in your head to the sick and satanic finished track?

Well I usually just start with one riff and if it’s good, I record it and save it for future use. Then I just build upon it in a way that works well enough to be in a track just by playing whatever comes next in my head. Once I have a series of flowing riffs, I begin writing the rest from there.

10) Tell us about the scene there in Winnipeg and in Can-

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ada in general? Recommend some bands from Canada for our readers to listen to.

The scene in Canada has an excellent black metal scene.

Other than Primordial Ser-

pent, we also have Nocturnal Depature, Hellmoon, and Wilt from Winnipeg. But we also have groups like the legendary Blasphemy, Revenge, Spectral Wound, Panzerfaust, Panzerwar, Gris, and Forteresse.

11) Tell us about your plans for the future... The Serpent is flying high at the moment, in-

ternational radio play, your Cds are going out all over the globe too... What’s to come? Will we see a tour? More albums?

Right now I’m working on an album called Tales from the Northern Vastlands. As far as playing this live, Very hard to say. That would be great if it did, but I think it’s going to remain a one man project.

12) How do you think this great old oak that we call Black metal will grow in the future? Where will its twisted twigs and beast ridden branches reach?

Hahaha I don’t know about that but you never know haha. I think you’ll see this style of music thriving hard in the underground music scene with many artists in the genre becoming more one man based than being a full on bands. That’s something that I’ve noticed a lot.

13) Would you like to add anything for our readers?

Just want to say thanks to everyone who has followed me and supported me on my musical journey. For those who recently discovered me and want to hear more, you can support me and follow me on Bandcamp, Instagram, Facebook, and Spotify.

Thanks man, killer. Always a pleasure.

Hail The Serpent!

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25

The Witch-Black/Doom Metal from Colombia

Interview with Jay Parker

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Interview by Andrew Stanton

The Witch are a very cool new band from Colombia.

Andrew Stanton talked to his friend Jay Parker about their new album.

Hello and welcome to Inside the Darkness.

“Hi Andrew, thanks for interviewing us, it’s always an honour to talk to you.”

- Can you tell our readers a bit about your history, please?

“The Witch was formed in 2019 in Bogota, Colombia by Jay and Carlo...we were joined by Cynthia Ibarra to record

the demo, 5 tracks, which we did from Jan 2019-Feb 2019.

Then the pandemic arrived, and everything kinda went to shit, plan wise. We were fortunate enough to be able to continue re-

compilations. We were joined

by Ivette Fagua Laura Kurten on female vocals and they recorded most of the stuff with us during the quarantine.

Since 2022 we’ve been working on a new album with our new vocalist, Star Ruby.”

What bands did you like g r o w ing up?

“I grew up in the UK, and my father was an old Rocker... I grew up on Sabbath, The Doors, Deep Purple, Motorhead; Hendrix, The Stones...

, e n i r t c o d a s i e m m s a i s n a e t Sad causes th ce as an nd ignoranine. bli y other doctr an cording during the quarantines, and we wrote and recorded 2 3 EPs and and album, and other songs which are mainly going on splits and

As i grew, my musical tastes got heavier, and I got into Carcass, Bolt Thrower, Napalm, then Black Metal and Doom bands that were coming out of UK at that time, My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost etc.”

- Why do you release so many international collaborations?

“The international collaborations were a response to the pandemic... Many musicians the world over were locked down and frustrated and many were suffering psychological effects... So we decided to reach out, adapt to the new order, and use the technology available to unite musicians...

And the trend has continued... It’s always great fun to write and record with other bands and musicians, and we invite anyone who’s interested to contact us :) we’re always up for new ideas and collaborations.”

- Does that make it easier to get international recognition?

“Doing splits is a great way to get heard in new markets yes, and to introduce the fans to new international bands.”

- You seem to really churn out releases. Will this cause you to run out of ideas sooner?

“Hahaha. No, we’re a fucking Black Metal machine. We will keep writing and producing until the day we die.”

- What do you think of Black Metal bands who aren’t Satanic? Is it weird?

“We’re not Satanic, and I personally find that all a bit childish.

We are against indoctrination, whether you follow Satan or Jesus, it’s the same shit. By recognizing Satan, you must recognize Christianity, which is a cancer in our society. If you believe there’s a big man living in the sky or some demonic force that’s fighting against him then, frankly, you’re a very gullible dickhead. We are anti-religion. All religion.

All forms of indoctrination. Satanism is a doctrine, and causes the same blind ignorance as any other doctrine.

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The Witch-Black/Doom Metal from Colombia

We aim most of our music against Christianity and Catholicism, mainly because it’s a sick perverted pedophile cult that needs to be exterminated, but all religion is shit. Black Metal is about darkness, opposition, nihilism, not indoctrination.

We also write about depression, dark events and dark moments from history, witchcraft, occultism. Anyone who says a Black Metal band HAS to sing about Satan can suck my balls with hot sauce.

They need to grow up.”

Is it harder for Colombian bands who sing in English?

“I’d never really thought about it, good question Mr. Stanton. English is my native tongue, so obviously it’s easier for me to write in English. I would say it doesn’t matter... Colombian

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Do underground bands that sing in Spanish, really want to like Forense, Atanab, Oreb bands Zarak are doing well in stay underground?

“That would depend on the band and the definition of underground...

For me underground is about not selling out, not changing your style to fit the trend... We want people to hear our music, as musicians we seek recognition and to share or concepts and our journey with other like-minded people. Do we want to be on a big label mass produced and on TV? no, fuck that.

That’d be bollocks.”

- Do you have a message for our readers?

“First, thanks for taking the time to read this... Stay cult... Listen to the Witch... our music is available in Colombia from Masters Of Kaos Records and in USA from Plague Demon Records. and from our Bandcamp page or Facebook page... Listen to Colombian Black Asia at the moment, with- Metal, it’s fucking awesome... “ out changing from their Thank you for your time. after yourselves, native Spanish. I’m gonna “Look put it to the test and write 666. A massive thanks to Stanton, keepa track in Spanish haha.” Andrew Are you plan- ing the black flame burning my brother. Respects.” ning a tour anywhere?

“No, The Witch doesn’t play live.”

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29

Perventor - Black/Metal from Colombia

Interview with Noire Perventor

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Interview by Jay Parker

1. Tell us about Perventor? Where and when was it formed? Who are the members of the band?

A: Greetings, brother, to you and to the readers, thanks for the support and the space, the project was formed in mid2008, since the beginning of the band, I have been in charge of the recording and production because Barrancabermeja, unfortunately, was very diffi-

cult to do metal and above all everything to find people with whom, I tell you that there were not

had to lend things and houses to rehearse hahaha good time, but to do Black Metal the thing was different there were very few people interested and with respect for the genre to do something serious, so inspired by various characters out there and having the ability to play various instruments I decided to give shape to the project by setting up a small home studio

e m o s is l a t e s M y a k w c l a a l e B v a h I t a h t thinged with me. carri even rehearsals I remember that we had two Thrash bands I participated in one and another of Heavy and well we

reading here and there and over time I began to record by myself, the first demo came out until more or less half of 2010, the following years followed two more demos and an EP whose copies were very limited and rather thought to rotate between my circle of trust and sister bands until 2016 when the first full ‘’V in Abhorrence of light’’ came to light with the support of Depressive illusions Recs from Ukraine.

2. Tell us about your discography...

A: Well after the full in 2016 that same year I made an alliance with Deathwinter from Australia which resulted in a Split of 8 songs which was called ‘’Abysmal Infernal Allegiance’’ followed by that for 2017 the second full came out ‘’VI The dissolution of being’’ a quite personal album by the way and for 2018 it was followed by a Split with two other projects that I carried in parallel at the time, Rites of Death with Misth (Ultradeath and Barbarie) on drums, the which was also Black Metal and VII

a raw Death Metal project in which I participated taking charge of the recording of the first demo, that same year more or less for December Depressive Illusions also published the 3rd full lenght so far ‘’Satanic Exaltations of Corrosive Hate’’ which was followed in 2019 by a 4 track EP which I actually really like I must say called ‘’Worshiping Evil Presences’’.

3. describe your music in 5 words...

You know here between us, I always feel that I leave something of myself reflected when I produce a song, especially in the guitar riffs, sometimes if I pay attention I can remember things that I had even forgotten and remember what I was living or what I felt when I was com-

posing and yes I know I extended myself with a simple question hahaha but then answering, I would say that he has a lot of anger, remorse and sadness with blasphemy and resentment towards God. 4. What is the inspiration behind the sound and the lyrics?

Life dear brother, nothing more than that, the perception we have of ourselves in this existential plane, what we came for and where we are going, the rejection of the Judeo-Christian dogma, the thin line that delimits what is real, the fragility of being human not only before something as inevitable and ineffable as death, but also before the perception of concepts such as the ego, reason, madness and the psychological deterioration to which man can succumb when facing his reality.

5. Why did you decide to play Black Metal?

Black Metal is something that I have always carried with me, I would not say that it is something that I decided, if not something that was given to me, I do not know how to explain it, there was something in the message, in the sound in what it represented and represents today, that made me get into it so much, that when I realized it I noticed that my whole life revolved around it, 31

Perventor - Black/Metal from Colombia 32

perhaps feeling identified in the different aspects of what it is supposed to represent when it came into my life, in fact I remember that I was very young and I was already playing in one or another local weekend band and well, talking to the older ones, with people who were passing through for whatever reason, I met people who had respect for the genre and were already in the habit of buying music, that’s how I met Azaghal, Horna, Gorgoroth and Hellhammer, obviously Burzum and Mayhem, Immortal, Bathory, Dissection, Windir, Von, Beherit, Marduk and things like that and well from then on everything was a new world and a new and different way of seeing the Metal thing that I am very grateful to those cuchos hahaha greeting s to them by the way.

6. Tell us about the Black Metal scene in Colombia... recommend some Creole bands for our readers...

A: Guerrero where I am currently eradicated which is Giron, Santander, I can tell

you about Satanic Supremacy and the previous band of the guitarist Old Betrayer, from the south that is hitting hard right now Diabolical Moon, Caina, Niah and Dantalian, the old Misanthrope from Bogota, Necrario, Esbbat who started in Cali, from Valle Imprekator, Necrobutcher who chimba that shit, from

the paisas I like Maleficarum, Black Ceremony, Infernal, Oscuridad, Espectrum, what Kult of Eblis did too, I liked it when I saw them live, Lamentations of the coast I like to listen to Excommunication and Abaddon for example.

7. What plans do you have for the future with Perventor?

A: Well, right now I’m recording what would be the next full length, well actually I’ve been working on it since the beginning of 2020 I’m al-

ready finishing it, I think it’s been the one that has taken me the most time and difficulty, mostly because many things changed, in those days I moved, the shit of the pandemic, work etc. anyway, a lot of madness but well, the idea is that it be ready to be pressed and distributed next year I still don’t know what label I’ll do it with, too I’m considering the idea of doing it independently, I haven’t looked at the options yet, I’m also putting together material to play live with a couple of mates on drums and bass. In any case, I think I’ve reached a point where I already want to to focus is to move the band live more.

8. What is your favorite album of all time and why?

A: That’s hard, I couldn’t decide on just one, mmm I would say The Somberlain

by Dissection but also Those of the Unlight by Marduk and Satanic Black Devotion by Sargeist, I think if they gave me 3 albums to choose from to sit down and drink I would ask for those 3.

9. How do you see the new sub-genres of Black? How do you see its evolution in the coming years?

A: Anything less than Christian metal is going to be well received by me and has my full support hahaha, I’m not serious, I’m not very radical in that sense, in fact when listening to new things if I find influences from Black Metal I lend it more attention, the music changes you know? Evolve if you want to keep your old school and classic sound that is very good there are bands that work for them and that is their sound point for example Darkthrone which is one of my favorites, there are people who do metal because they like to do metal in x way y sound in x way, period and there is another one who likes to do metal and they are also good musicians and well that leads them to experiment, it is something normal, one simply buys and listens and plays, which moves one.

10. What bands did you listen to growing up in Colombia? What bands do you listen to today?

A: I grew up listening to Gorgoroth hahaha and Marduk but not everything was Black Metal so, I’m addicted to this Acid band from Belgium, I listen to a lot of Misfits and Maiden too, I

still usually listen to them, nowadays things haven’t changed much except the works new ones by Sargeist and Horna, Inquisition I guess, I still like to drink while listening to Thrash, but let’s say when it comes to looking for new things the truth is that I’m more aware today of national metal and things like that, Latin bands or the bands of my friends.

11. If you could play with a band or musician, alive or dead, who would you choose and why?

A: Alive, Mr. Roger Tiegs ‘’Infernus’’, Dead, Jon Nodveitd, the experience, the way of composing the guitars.

12- Do you have any advice for young musicians who are reading?

A: ehhh well yes, invest in a good guitar pedal, whether you like analog or multi-effects, that’s essential don’t skimp on that, for creatives who want to record, buy a good audio interface I use a Focusrite 2i2 but the Behringer are also good, if you are just starting out or you are alone, a simple one with one entrance will be enough, work hard and invest in the band that sooner or later it returns and more than that, let them be your own critics and do not live on what others think about their projects, both for better and for worse,

because flattery also makes one lose the north that the life of the metalhead is very cool, rehearsal and party every Saturday foto pa’ face on insta, but if they don’t go beyond being there always and they never record or produce, in the end they are not doing anything so they make themselves known in all the bars because of noise and appearances a band is not sustained and every day a bu band is born ena with a new proposal that if you are looking for and if you are interested in leaving a legacy on the scene, and finally, don’t let your asses damage your bands, or your events hahahaha, greetings!

13. Do you want to say something else to our readers?

I want to thank you for taking the time and getting to this point and I want to invite you to support National Metal, greetings and always firm!

Thank you Perventor!!! 666!!!

Thanks to you warrior for the support, greetings from Santander 666!

33

Autumn Nostalgie-Post-Black Metal from Slovakia

Interview with Almasy Gergely

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Interview by Jay Parker

This is Jay reporting from Bogota, Colombia...

Today I’m lucky enough to be talking with Gergely from the Slovakian band, Autumn Nostalgie. If you haven’t heard them, check them out NOW.. some of the best melodies and songwriting I’ve heard for many a year… beautiful music, beautifully made.

the town of Somorja as a one-man formation, from the ashes of the then ceasing Fekete Erdő (dark ambient). I write the songs alone, but on the stage there are

album came out only ten years after its formation. Previously only a few demo rehearsals were made, and since then they have been lost to time.

2) Run us through your releases...

The first album was released in 2020 under the name Esse Est Percipi. A label was found almost immediately, first Japan’s Zero Dimensional Records accepted to release it on CD, and then Northern Silence Production took over the entire release.

, l a t e m k ac l b f o s m In ter still motivated I am d nineties. by the ol

1) Tell us abou A N... four of us. My who’s in the band ? When and part in this is the rhythm guitar and where was the band formed? the vocals. Despite the band’s 10-12 The band was formed in 2010 in years old existence, the band’s first

The second album was released last year, which is called Ataraxia.

3) What is the inspiration behind your sound? I’ve been listening to your albums over the last week,Ataraxia is my favourite, but they’re all great. You create a very unique atmosphere that is almost hypnotic...

Various philosophical ideas inspire me during writing music. I try to put these into a musical form so that they can give back the mood I feel during reading them. I always strive to make the atmosphere of the music very “spiritual”. So a lot of bands motivated me who tried to create similar atmospheres.

Burzum or Nargaroth’s first albums had a huge impact on me. While I wouldn’t say my music is similar to their creations, they set me on a journey to unfold my ideas.

4) Tell us about the songwriting.. how do does that come together?

What inspires your lyrics?

For me, writing lyrics always comes after writing the music. I simply start listening to the finished song over and over, visualizing lyrics, which are always metaphysical in their theme. I am trying to bring something down from the elusive metaphysical spaces into the realm of tangibility. The lyrics are often really incomprehensible,

because their real meaning is only known to me. As much as it was possible, I tried to write the lyrics in my mother tongue, which is Hungarian, and tried to keep them here in the Carpathian Basin, without exposing it to the Anglo-Saxon world.

Of course, there have been very good translations into other languages, which authentically repro-

duce the original Hungarian lyrics.

5) Why did you decide to play black metal? What was your goal when you first started?

It was the music that really touched me from a very young age.

I was able to identify with it very well, often as a refuge and other times it meant discovery. It helped me get to know myself, to delve into things. I knew very early - before even playing any instrument - that I wanted to play music like that. I had definite ideas that would come true later in Autumn Nostal-

gie. But I had a black metal formation before that, even in 2008/2009, called Vinterskog, which was a very raw and cold black metal project.

6) Tell us about your influences... and which bands you listen to today...

In terms of black metal, I am still motivated by the old nineties. There are a lot of outstanding new bands, of course, but to be honest I don’t consider myself to be a great explorer. For me Mayhem, Burzum, Darkthrone, Bathory, Gorgoroth will always be dominant. In addition to these I really like the bands of Bethlehem, Urfaus, Urgehal, Verdunkeln, or Lifelover, Psychonaut 4, Happy Days and Coldworld.

7) What is the metal scene like in Slovakia?

Have you been able to play locally what with all the covid bullshit? how have you adapted to the madness? Recommend some good Slovakian bands.

Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to perform yet. We will have our first performance in March. Unluckily, due to Covid, this date was postponed because it was scheduled for November last year, but due to the closures this could not happen.

A very good Slovak black metal band is Malokarpatan, which for me is the Slovak Bathory. Stangarigel is connected to them who are just debuting. From dark ambient bands I would mention Strigor, one of the most unique Slovak bands.

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Autumn Nostalgie-Post-Black Metal from Slovakia 36

8) What have been your best and worst experiences as a band?

Perhaps among the worst ones is recording the vocals on Esse Est Percipi. I was still inexperienced, so I tried several home-made recordings, but none of them really worked.

There are things that unfortunately I can’t get away with, so I had to record the song at Gila Studio. Perhaps the best are the relationships because I got to know a lot of people through music. Very good cooperation has been and still are being born.

9) What are your plans for the future ? Will you be touring to promote Esse Est Percipi? Are you writing new material?

This year we have some performances in Germany, Austria and England.

Now we are mostly preparing for these. We are practicing whenever we can. No new full albums will be released this year. We are working on a split with another band, but this is not yet public. If all goes well, it is going to be released this year.

10) Lets get technical for the musicians out there.. tell us about your instruments and equipment, favourite tun-

ings, pedals. Where do you record? What do you use?

I don’t use any serious instruments. I have an Ibanez and an Epiphone guitar from the cheaper range. In addition to that, the guitar effects I use

are Boss, Digitech, Behringer effects and I have a Boss Katana. I record whatever I can at home, in my home studio, but if I get stuck in something I go to Gila Studio. I always record songs there as well.

In Ataraxia we also recorded the drums with them as well.

11) Do you have any wise words of advice for the youngsters that are reading and looking to follow in your footsteps?

I’m not even sure, perhaps I would say that if they have any distinct idea within the genre, they should definitely grab an instrument and make it happen no matter what.

12) What’s your favourite album of all time and why?

Bathory - Under The Sign of the Black Mark Burzum – Filosofem Strigor – Povstan rod strigorov Verdunkeln – Verdunkeln Darkthrone – Blaze in the Northern Sky Alcest – Le Secret (2005) 13) Would you like to add anything for our readers?

I hope one day we can perform in South America and meet in person!

A massive thanks to the master musicians of Autumn Nostalgie.

Hail the Slovakian Hordes!!!

Here can be your ads. Just contact us and we discuss it.

37

Blazemth - Black Metal from Spain

Interview with Ferran Moya

Interview by Andrew Stanton

Blazemth are a Black Metal band from I reactivated the band in 2017.”

Spain. Andrew Stanton talked to front - What bands did you man Ferran about their new album. like growing up?

“When I was a kid I was discov- Can you tell our readers a bit ering music with my faabout your history, please?

“Blazemth raised from the ashes of the Death Metal group formed in Barcelona in 1989 called Rotten Flesh. When this band broke up, me and one more member ther’s vinyl of Rotten Flesh we created the collection so I was listening Blazemth in 1994. It lasted only to Status Quo, Kiss, The Banfor a short time, until 1997 before gles, Scorpions, Emerson

38

Lake and Palmer, Nina Simone…”

- What does Blazemth mean?

“The word Blazemth consists of BLAZE - the bonfire and MTH the symbols that Sumerians were putting on the graves. I made it so it doesn’t match any band name at that time because all of my old bands names already existed like Decomposed, Rotten Flesh, Undivine and Daemonium.”

- You formed in 1994, why has it taken so long for this debut?

ZE A L B f o s sist n o e c h t h t m e H z T a l B nd M a e r i ns f a n i o r e b e m h u t S hat t s. s e l v o a b r g e sym h on t g n i t t u p were

“Well, in 1997, when the band aimed to be one of the important Black Metal groups in the scene, everything fell apart due to internal problems and I decided to get away from all extreme music.

In 2017 Abstract Emotions decided to reissue the two EPs and that’s when I thought Blazemth might do something more so I started the band again. But until 2020 I wasn’t able to gather the right musicians to record the LP. That is why it took it so long for the first LP. Even two weeks after recording the drummer and the bassist decided to leave the band... Fortunately, shortly I managed to rebuild the band with the great drummer Ricky Mena (ex Avulsed, Warmed...) and the great bassist Franklin (ex Lacrimal...).”

- Sometimes your lyrics seem Satanic and other times you seem like a Viking Metal band? Do you just like to write about different things?

“If you are referring to the lyrics of the 2 EPs, almost all the lyrics were written by Lord Erlick with the Viking thematic. The lyrics of the new album, there are 4 songs from 1997 and another 4 from 2020, and are written mostly by me. I like to write more Luciferian lyrics. But yes, it’s true I

like to write about many topics, especially Never ending story” - Do you think your early fans will be surprised by The Return Of Lucifer?

“I think the fans are going to be happy to hear a LP of Blazemth

that never came out in the ‘90s and that they were expecting so much. The long wait I think will be appreciated by them.”

- Why do we rarely hear of Spanish Black Metal bands? Why does Norway take all the credit?

“Well, somehow it’s normal because Black Metal originated in Norway and Sweden. But in spite of that I can tell you that in 1992 I was communicating via letters with Demonic 7 that then the group was doing Death Metal and was called Amputation. I even traded their demo with the Rotten Flesh’s demo “Morge of Souls”. I was also talking to John Nordveidt from Dissection and Varg Vikernes from Burzum and everybody was telling me that they were going to change to black metal. So basically, when we decided to change to black metal and created Blazemth from Rotten Flesh in 1993 at the same time the Immortal did it as well.”

- What Spanish bands do you recommend to our readers?

“I can recommend you some bands although I’m discovering interesting and good Spanish bands every day: Cauldron, Balmog, Foscor, Avulsed, Obscure, Necrofiliac, Unbounded terror, Golgotha etc.

- Do you have a message for our readers?

“Thank you very much and to everyone who reads this interview and who dedicates some time to listen to our music and above all, who likes our music, for us it is an honor!”

39

Razo-Death Thrash Metal from Colombia

Interview with Val Barr

40

Interview by Andrew Stanton

Razo are a cool new Death Metal band from Bogota, Colombia. Andrew Stanton found out about this cool band.

- Can you tell our readers a bit about your story, please?

“We are a Thrash Death Metal band founded in the middle of 2013, in Bogota, Colombia, by the vocalist JONATHAN CUARAN and the first guitarist of this band CAMILO DUARTE; both were completing their musical studies. Over time new members arrived, our current drummer Jhon Manzano and I

VAL BARR. In 2022 we started with new members in our crew such as Sebastian Gomez Guitarist, Jairo Rubiano Cellist, and Steven Murcia bass. The objective of the band is to influence, transmit, and inspire

entitled «DEATHLESS», which has 10 songs; nowadays we are working to release 6 new songs with their video clip. It is difficult, but we are doing it with a lot of love.

In addition, 3 singles that you can listen to on the main streaming platforms.”

What bands did you like growing up?

“I liked Iron Maiden when I was a child because my older brother listened to it a lot, I also liked the music of the 80’s like Journey, Kim Carnes, culture club, among others, over time when

e, g a u g n a l ance m o re R o a m s i e l t h t s i i l nd a Span u o se s o s h d t r o h s i w l e g so th ly while in En delicate ound more elegant. words s people, in addition to giving our contribution to national Metal, innovating and creating new trends. We have a record album

I was teenager I liked Six Feet Under, Carcass, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, and some Colombian’s bands such as Leishmaniasis and Massacre among others.”

- What are your lyrics about?

“We have many songs, some of them are about the displacement in Colombia due to violence, and real life situations in our country, also we are inspired by pieces of literature and write about it, for example “The art of war by sun Tzu or the portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, we play with Dadaist poems, we also like to explore.”

- Why do you choose to sing in English and Spanish?

“Jony Razo and I want to reach to different audiences around the world, so we think that we can achieve this singing in both languages; each language has its own peculiarities, for example Spanish is a Romance language, so the words sound a little more delicately while in English those words sound more elegant.”

- Your logo reminds me very much like that of a Punk band. Is this intentional?

“We wanted to go back to how logos were before, the designs now are minimalist and out of context, most of the bands are using this kind of designs, for that reason we wanted to break rules with this trend to make a dif-

ference, attract attention, make that people turned their faces to see it, and keep in their memory.”

- How far are you off your new EP? What can fans expect from it?

“Our EP is going to be full of powe r from

Razo Metal with energy to spare, it will be produced by Mitic re- cords from Norway, and we work with Alejandro Guido a bass guitarist from Mexico as a special guest; also we record a video clip to this song.”

- Is there a tour being planned?

“Of course, we had already be part of different festivals around Colombia, some years ago we have our own Metal festival in order to share our songs and help others

bands that were started at that moment. Now with our collaboration with Alejandro we want to start our international tour next year with dates in Colombia and Mexico, and then we will see which other countries we can add in this journey.”

- Are your members associated with any other bands?

“All the members are committed with Razo, because they know that responsibility with the band is very important.”

- Do you have a message for our readers?

“The truth is that a few people like Metal and those kinds musical genders, my message is that we cannot allow to lose this music style, we should support more between Metal bands to make this music gender be appreciated for new generations around the world. Also, don’t forget to explore Latin American metal bands, it is done with a lot of professionalism and a lot of heart.

I send a cordial greeting to all the readers of “Inside the Darkness, especially to you, Andrew, for allowing us to be in your magazine. You can also follow us on our web page www.razometal.com, on the main streaming platforms such as spotify, deezer, and itunes, our social networks, TWITTER: @Razometal INSTAGRAM @Razometal FACEBOOK: Razometal, e-mail: info@razometal.com.”

41

Istidraj - Black Metal from Singapore

Interview with Lord Arian Inferno

Interview by Jay Parker

Hi this is Jay reporting from Bogota Colombia.

I’m here with Arian, vocalist and founder of Singaporean Black Metal Legends , Istidraj Thanks for taking the time to talk to us man.

1.

Tell us about Istidraj, when/where/ why was the band formed?

Hail Jay! Saludos Hermanos! This is Lord Arian Inferno of Istidraj answering...

Istidraj was formed back in 1993 Anno Satanik in Eunos Crescent

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by Myself & Earl Aiman with the help of Sielluman (Idris) of ex-Castigate... Our visionary are similar to create Blasphemous Black Metal

2. Who is in the current line up?

The line-up consists of Lord Arian Inferno - Vocals, Petyr 696 Drums, Dille - Bass, & Ash - Guitars 3. Run us through your discography, first to last.

When and where it was recorded... and tell our readers where they can buy your stuff.

“Metafizika “was collectively our earliest materials evolved into our debut album which was recorded in year 1999.

h t i w k c u st s era l l i t s m ’ ... I middle 90’ e h t s i e h t ch i h w M . of B eriod for me. best p reigning on this filthy earth as the lineup evolved through those years, The mission is still the same.

“Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” ep was shortly recorded in year 2001. It has much grim & barbaric approach, by year 2005 we recorded our “Blasphemous Ritual” album which we inject much straight in your fist kinda Black Metal. as we got more materials some split releases to place with our sworn alliances. “Blasphemized Perversion” ep was recorded in year 2007 soon after the release we going through line up evolved.

Only the strong shall survive.

By year 2012 we recorded “Pandemonik Kaos” ep which those tracks being featured in our split with the mighty Thornspawn, by year 2016 we recorded our “Muerte Mundi Militia” album which show our recognition iron will power! All our materials were recorded & mixed at TNT studio Singapore which we trusted since we incepted. Some recent stuff may still available from me. Can contact me at istidraj666@ gmail.com for list… all older materials have been out of print for long time.

4. What is the inspiration behind the lyrics? Has that changed over the years?

I’m aspired by Alister Crowley, Friedrich Nietzsche, World war events & my own wisdom Black Metal ideology visionary of doom.

5. Who writes the songs? Do you have a set process or is it random?

The songs are collectively written as a band. We evolved to march to greater heights!

6. What are your plans for the future? Do you have any new releases planned? Any re-releases of old material?

Are you planning to play live?

So far we are works for new ep or mayb e

album.

As you can see we currently repressing the old momento as Master of Kaos Productions of Colombia will release our Debut album “Metafizika”.. that is just a beginning.

7. What have been the best and worst experiences as a musician over the last 30 years?

So far it’s been a long journey for us… death or glory is the motto!

8. What is your opinion on the way BM has evolved over the years? What do you see for the future of BM? The future for Black Met-

al is bleak... I’m still stuck with the middle 90’s era of B.M which is the best period for me.

9. What bands did you listen to back in the day, and which bands do you listen to today?

Old Mayhem, Sarcofago, old Rotting Christ, old Samael, Dissection, Thou art Lord, Impaled Nazarene, The Black, old Slayer is definitely the music worth listening.

10. Tell us about the metal scene in Singapore... recommend some bands for our readers...

We don’t dwell in the local scene.

11. What is your favourite album of all time and why?

INRI by Sarcofago, Storm of the lights bane by Dissection, Reign in Blood by Slayer & Urga karma by Impaled Nazarene, De Mysteriies Dom Satanas by Mayhem & December Moon by Morbid is the ultimate choice for my sixth all time fave album of mine.

12. Do you have any words of wisdom for any youngsters out there looking to follow that same laft hand path towards being a BM musician???

Do what thou wilt, let it be the whole of the law! Mankind is doom for destruction.

There’s no hope in humanity!

13. Would you like to add anything for our readers?

Saludos Hermanos Jay Parker for this interview. Contact the Istidraj horde @ istidraj666@gmail.com

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Agaurez - Black Metal from Brazil

Interview with V. Cenobite

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Interview by Andrew Stanton

Agaurez are a Black Metal band from Brazil. Andrew Stanton talked to frontman V. Cenobite to find out more.

- Can you tell our readers a bit about your history, please?

“Agaurez is a Black Metal band from Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

This city has a very strong Metal scene, breeding bands like Sepultura, Sarcofago, Mutilator and many others. We started our activ-

ities back in 1998 and in 2001 we released our first album, Un-Virtue Vitae, via Demise Records. Since then we had many changes in the

band, all which resulted in a break up around 2006.

Then, in 2013 some members of many stages of the band started to talk about a reunion and we finally were back to the stages in 2014.

Since then we were composing new stuff and then in 2018 we managed to get a deal with Cogumelo Records and released our latest album, “The Five Sigils”.

becomciunlgt It’s asingly diffianic incre ave a Sat. to hhere, in Brazil band formation and some turmoil involving members and decisions regarding the future of the

It was released in late 2019 and unfortunately we had time to play in only 1 gig before COVID-19 became a pandemic, and it postponed our activities indefinitely. Finally we’re back to rehearsals and we hope to release our new EP soon.”

- Who are the members of Agaurez?

“The current line-up is: V. Cenobite on vocals, C. Alok on the lead guitar, F. Impious on rhythm guitars, R. Necro on bass and E. Vil on the drums.”

- What bands did you like growing up?

“I was lucky to grew up in a house where both my parents were into Rock and Roll, so I’ve always listened to bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple as I was growing up.

But after a while I remember that I was always looking for heavier stuff, and I kinda found it when I discovered death and Black Metal. Bands like Cannibal Corpse, Dissection, Mayhem, Darkthrone, Carcass, Celtic Frost, Na-

palm Death, Satyricon were, among many others, maybe the foundations of my personal favorites. And still are.”

What are your lyrics about?

“As the lyricist of the band myself, the themes often connect to what I am reading or dealing with, when I am writing them. They can be about philosophy, occultism, nightmares, you know,

anything that emerges from my darkest side or from my inner demons. They can also be cathartic in a certain way. One of my latest lyrics was “Carcosa”, because I was reading the excellent book “The King In Yellow” by Robert Chambers, and it was surely a very good source of inspiration.”

- Is it difficult being a Satanic Band in Brazil?

“Well, I think that it is not very easy to be a Satanic band anywhere, but that’s precisely the point. Brazil has an image abroad that it seems to be a very liberal and progressive country (maybe because of our famous carnaval and culture that we export), but the truth is that it is a very conservative country. Too many religious and close-minded people here.

And on top of that, since the last elections we were pr sented to the fact that not even the country is conservative, but also fascist, as they elected Bolsonaro, which is hands down the worst president we’ve ever had. So it’s becoming increasingly difficult to have a Satanic band here, yes. But that’s even better, because we feel like we have a reason to fight for, and we have to fight even harder.”

- What does Agaurez mean?

“Agaurez is named after a demon of the Goetia called Agares (or also Agarat, Agaros, Agarus). “ - Have you toured much outside of Brazil? What are the best and worst places to play?

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Agaurez - Black Metal from Brazil 46

“Unfortunately we’ve only played within our borders yet, but we’re looking forward to playing abroad, as soon as we can! We think about some gigs in Latin America first, and then maybe we can schedule a European tour in the near future. Now that the pandemic is starting to fade out, we can start to plan those things again.”

- What can fans expect from your new album?

“We’re currently recording an EP that compiles a series of songs that we already composed but never were properly recorded. We decided to take a step back and record those songs that we think are great and deserve to be in an album, before moving forward to create new stuff.

What people can expect would be 3 killer songs that weren’t ever recorded and an old one from our first album that we’re doing a more extreme version of.”

- Do you have a

release date?

“Well, the pandemics messed out with our whole schedule, but now that we’re back at the studio, we will try to release it still in 2022 (maybe on the later months).”

- Do you have a message for our readers?

“We would like to thank everyone that support us, and if you want to know our material, please go to Spotify/Agaurez.

And thanks a lot to Inside the Darkness for the interview. Stay Brutal.”

Subscribe to our channel

https://www.youtube.com/InsideTheDarknessTV

Information for bands, labels and metal fans: If you have a video and want to see it in our channel, just send it to us and we will promote it and support you!!!

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Angrbodas Curse - Black Metal from Puerto Rico

Interview with Angra

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Interview by Jay Parker

Hi, this is Jay reporting from Bogota Colombia...

Today I’m lucky enough to be talking to The Mistress Of Evil Music... Angra from Angrbodas Curse...

Hi Angra, thanks for taking the time out from your busy schedule to talk to our readers...

say the least, after going through such a hard situation that only a mother can understand. Metal music has always been a very important part of my life and Black Metal was and is for me not only brutally awesome

ble. I always wanted to make a band but never had the chance until that moment, so I took the opportunity and started writing the lyrics to my songs and working on the music immediately with the help of my amazing partner and fellow musician Memphist.

My main goal with Angrbodas Curse was not only to express myself but to encourage whoever listened to my music to feel free and laugh at misfortune, show no weakness and grow from it with more power.

e h t o d c i s u e v e i l e Let youryom b t ’ n o d u f i , g n i . l talk l i w e n o o n in yourself

1) Tell when / where / why A C was formed…

Angrbodas Curse was formed in 2015 music that I in Puerto Rico. The reason be- can identify with, but an extreme hind it is, because I wanted to ex- way for me to express my emotions press myself in a healthy way to freely and in the rawest way possi-

2) Who is currently in the band?

Angra (vocals and lyrics) and Memphist (guitar, drums and music producer) 3) Your Ep, NECROMANTIC GRIMOIRE, is a cracking debut release... vibrantly evil and with a rich underlying 90s feel... tell us when and where it was recorded and run us through the tracks, and tell our readers where they can buy it.

-Thank you, Necromantic Grimoire definitely has a lot of sentimental value to me and is obviously my first EP ever, It is very raw being the fact that it is my first time recording and working on a black metal project, but definitely a lot of energy and passion went into this EP, I wanted to project my feelings through the lyrics and music as best as possible.

I wrote most of the lyrics in 2015 in Puerto Rico and started recording the EP in New Jersey in 2016 a few months after having my first and only son and finally fully released it in 2019 on Bandcamp.

Necromantic Grimoire has 5 tracks, The rite of demise (intro), Blessing of the ironwood, Voice of torment (The first song ever written), Sanctimonious immolation and Legions of the Nightbreed (A bonus song and collaboration with Memphist and his band Niohoggr).

4) Angrboda is the Nordic Goddess of sorrow... are your lyrics inspired by Nordic themes? Tell us about the lyrics you compose…

Glad you caught that, my band name and the EP Necromatic Grimoire is indeed inspired by Norse themes but mostly Angrboda, she is the main inspiration behind it all.

For those who don’t know who Angrboda is, she is a jötunn in Norse mythology, known as the mate of Loki and Mother to Fenrir, Hel and Jörmungandr.

As to my lyrics, like I said Angrboda is the main focus and inspiration, mixed in with a little bit of witchcraft, paganism and a lot of rage.

5) Tell us about the music… who writes the guitar and bass parts? Who plays the drums? The Ep has some outstanding riffs...

I do the lyrics and music composition, but there is definitely a lot of teamwork between Memphist and I, but when it comes to instrumental and music producing Memphist is the one who makes my compositions come to life, he is also the one who works with percussion.

6) What are your plans for the future? I understand we can expect a full album to be unleashed soon?

There will definitely be more from Angrbodas Curse, we are indeed working on a full album titled I Am King,

and a single. Unfortunately, I do not have a set date for release just yet but we are hoping to do it this year 2022.

As for plans for the future, at the moment we are focusing on working on our new music and the upcoming album.

7) Tell us about your musical influences...What did you listen to growing up? What bands do you listen to now?

I will definitely say that my influences are Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Nargaroth, Emperor, Celtic Frost, Angela Gossow from Arch Enemy, and Rockbitch. Growing up I listened to a lot of metal like, Metallica, Guns and Roses, Slayer, Pantera, Iron Maiden etc, and none metal bands as well. I come from very talented and musical family, but the one who got me started was my grandfather Carlos who I love and respect for showing me so much about music and showing me how to play guitar. Now my mother showed me about an amazing and powerful known Cuban female Latin soul singer called or known as La Lupe and as weird as this may sound she has influenced me a lot for my vocals on Angrbodas Curse.

As of now, I listen to Mayhem, Burzum, Dark Throne, the bands mentioned as my influences and something I like to do a lot is explore new black metal bands and their music as well, there is so much talent out there.

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Angrbodas Curse - Black Metal from Puerto Rico 50

8) I know you started out in Puerto Rico, now based in New York... how do the scenes compare?

Recommend some good bands from both scenes…

Some great bands I can recommend from Puerto Rico are, Necronomic (Black Metal), Carpathian Wrath (Vampiric Black Metal), Amock and Niohoggr (these two bands belongs to Memphist) (Black Metal), Serpenterium (Black metal), Sepulchral (Black Death Metal), Godless (Black Metal) and Organic (Death Metal), these are a few amazing and talented bands I personally like and recommended.

But Puerto Rico is full of very talented and awesome metal bands. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend any local black metal bands from New York because at the

moment I do not know of any, but I guess I have some homework to do for sure.

As for how the metal

scenes compare, in my personal opinion New York and Puerto Rico need no comparison apart from the fact that Puerto Rico’s metal scene is a bit more smaller and there aren’t many black metal bands at the moment, but the ones that exist are

brutal. The people and the support in NY and PR are overwhelmingly awesome, I’m very lucky to be able to have experienced them both.

9) What are your expectations for the future?

What are your long term goals as a musician?

My expectations for the future right now is to continue growing as a band and as a musician.

My goals are, like I mentioned to continue learning and making even more brutal and better music I would also like to sometime soon be able to do live shows and definitely release more albums.

10) What have been your best and worst experiences so far as a BM musician?

Honestly so far I have no complaints, everyone has been amazing and truth is that there will always be criticism and people that won’t like my music and I totally respect that.

11) How do think BM will evolve over the next few years? Do you see it as a healthy scene at the moment?

Honestly not to be rude but it is relative and meaningless to me to answer these questions, I just focus on making my music and making sure that I evolve as a musician and that I’m able to deliver good music to all those who listen to my band.

12) What advice would you give to any young musicians reading this that may be looking to follow in your footsteps down the left hand path to Black Metal Darkness?

Always be honest and keep going no matter what people say, people will always talk for good or bad. Just ignore and let your music do the talking, if you don’t believe in yourself no one will.

13) Would you like

to add anything for our readers?

We would like to say that we are absolutely grateful for all the support our

Lopez, who has always supported and believed in us and has worked on our album art, which is sick as hell.

Hails to all!

A massive thanks to the Mighty Mistress OF Darkness, ANGRA H a i l s 666

band has been getting since the start of it all, it’s been amazing truly and of course thank you very much for this awesome interview and opportunity.

Also I want to give out a huge shout-out to a great friend and artist, From Underground Florida, Julian 51

Spider God - Black Metal from The United Kingdom

Interview with Spider God

52

Interview by Jay Parker

come up with. I had some riffs for another project that I’d abandoned a few months before, and although they were quite melodic and positive sounding, I found they worked quite well when filtered through the raw bm aesthetic.

2) Run us through your dis1) Tell us covery, about Spifrom start der God… to finish... when/where/ (some seriously great BM why did you de- room projects - and I felt like there)... when and where cide to form the band?? experimenting with the genre did you record? Where can Spider God was conceived myself to see what I could our readers buy your music?

Hi this is Jay reporting from Bogota, Colombia...Today I’m talking to Spider God from UK...

A refreshingly melodic sound and with an abundance of material released since 2020, this band is certainly shining bright...

Thanks for taking the time to talk to our readers...

during October 2020 in the South West region of the UK. The raw black metal scene was experiencing a resurgence thanks in part to the pandemic, which enabled a lot of solo musicians to indulge in new b e d -

n e e b e v a h nt My rdeleasbeys differem inspisrethat have given. e film icular inspiration part

All of my releases so far (apart from one) have been inspired by different films that have given me particular inspiration. The first three EPs are based on Bergman’s Faith Trilogy, and each song of each EP tells the story of one of the films from a different character’s perspective. I recorded the first two EPs back-to-back over two weeks, while the third EP was recorded a few weeks later, towards the end of 2020. Conceptually they were always meant to be taken as one whole piece, although the music progresses in complexity and confidence as I grew into the Spider God persona. Then you have three splits, recorded between the end of 2020 and the start of 2021. The first is a split with Mnima, and the concept for my side was built around a photo Mnima found of a patient of Jean-Martin Charcot (which we used for the album cover). I was fascinated by the research I did into the most famous of his patients, Augustine Gleizes, and based my lyrics around the film version of her story, called Augustine. The second split was a four-way collaboration with Revenant Marquis, The Sun’s Journey Through the Night and The Oracle. We united through

a shared interest in movies, and while the concept behind this split (called the Four Winds of Revelation) will remain a secret, I can tell you that my song, The Master’s Malady, is based on Herzog’s Heart of Glass. Finally, we have the split with Altered Heresy, and my side was based on another story of female ‘madness’, the film Requiem, which is loosely based on the supposed possession and exorcism of Anneliese Michel. Then, at the end of last year, Repose Records and I had the mad idea of releasing a series of cover versions of pop songs from the 80s-present day, one a day during the twelve days of Christmas. It was a fun challenge to reinterpret and record these songs over the course of about a week, but we never thought the end result, Black Renditions, would be as popular as it has been…!

3) The last release, Ett främmande språk (A Foreign Tongue) is web weavingly wicked slice of spider infested magick... run us through it please, start to finish...

This EP is the culmination of the Faith Trilogy and is based on the film, The Silence. The first song, Horrible Forces, is from the perspective of a young woman who is dying in a foreign

hotel room on the way home with her sister and her sister’s son. In the song, she bemoans her illness while also reflecting on her fractious relationship with her sexually promiscuous sister. The song has multiple parts and is possibly the most ‘epic’ in the whole series of EPs. The second song, Eclipsed By Blood, is told from the sister’s perspective as she tries to break free from her dying sister’s oppressive, judging gaze. The chorus for this one is particularly upbeat!

The third song is called Strangers and Tears, and is from the perspective of the young son, so it is very naive and wide-eyed, lyrically. Finally, the fourth song is Embrace Despair, which, despite its name, is meant to instill some sense of hope at the end of a very dark set of EPs, and is told from the perspective of an elderly employee of the hotel. The song itself is probably the most anthemic one I have written so far, and I almost axed is for being too upbeat, but I’m glad I included it in the final tracklisting as it pushed the Spider God sound even further, I think.

4) Tell us about the inspiration behind your music and your lyrics... What instruments/ tunings do you use?

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Spider God - Black Metal from The United Kingdom 54

Well, I’ve already detailed the lyrical content, but the music is inspired by recent riff-heavy acts like Lamp of Murmuur and Véhémence, as well as bands from the hardcore and metalcore

me well, and I use Drop-D tuning on most songs, although sometimes I use standard tuning. I record everything myself, although I’ve recruited Patrick from The Oracle to record drums

scene of my youth in the early 2000s - bands like Poison the Well, Converge etc.

In terms of instruments and tunings, I just have a cheap Jackson Dinky that serves

on several of my releases.

5) What bands inspired you to play BM? What bands did you listen to growing up?

Definitely the two I mentioned above, along with

Revenant Marquis, for sure, and Kommodus, Nihil Invocation, Leviathan, Xasthur, Inquisition, Taake, Darkthrone, Profanatica, etc. etc.

Growing up, I was influenced more by hardcore and even pop-punk, so it wasn’t until university that I really got into the early black metal stuff, along with bands like Weakling, Twilight, Wolves in the Throne Room etc.

6) What does the future hold for Spider God? Will you be weaving that web of wonderful wickedness the world over? I understand some live shows are coming up?

We have big plans for 2022 and beyond.

Along with the long-delayed vinyl versions of all SG releases, there will be at least two brand new releases to come before the end of the year, as well as two live shows already confirmed.

The band has expanded into a four-piece, and we have been rehearsing for these shows for the last few months. The first show is the sold-out Lamp of Murmuur gig in London on 8th May, and the second is a slot at Darkness Over Cumbria in July. We’re hoping to set up some more shows before the year is out as well.

7) What are you working on musically at the moment?

Well, the debut full length is now complete, and I’ve been working on a split with an excellent new BM project from a well-established member of the community.

8) Tell us about the BM scene in UK... recommend some new bands for our readers to check out…

There’s definitely the beginnings of an emerging ‘scene’, although it’s still in its nascent stages and is spread across the UK in different pockets. Powerhouses like Heathen Deity, A Forest of Stars, Winterfylleth and Abduction are all acts I massively admire, while bands like Vegard, The Sun’s Journey Through the Night, Reign, Gate Master, Lungtoucher and Somaglia are also doing really interesting things within the genre. In Wales, the Pembrokeshire scene is exploding, with amazing projects

such as Revenant Marquis, Capel Beulah, Plaguehurst and Ogof really pushing the boundaries of black metal.

There are so many more, so it’s safe to say we’re building something diverse and exciting here at the moment.

9) What are your plans and ambitions as a musician long term?

I want to push Spider God as far as it will go, and I have projects in other genres that I want to develop further as well. I’m under no illusion that I’ll be able to make black metal a full-time job, but I do know I’ll always make music in some form - it’s always been a big part of my life and there’s not much point to life without it!

10) What is your favourite BM album of all time and why?

It’s probably Burzum’s Filosofem. The atmosphere of that album is unparalleled, and Varg absolutely nailed the true anguish and despair of the genre.

11) Why do you write your song titles in Swedish?

It’s a nod to the fact that those EPs were inspired

by Bergman’s films. I have to admit, I sometimes just write the English titles when promoting the songs/EPs, but that’s just laziness…!

12) any advice and wise words for upcom-

ing and coming musicians out there looking to emulate your success?

Don’t churn out the same old bargain bin BM with the same xeroxed artwork.

Try something different.

The genre needs it. Ignore the purists and gatekeepers they’re valid in their attempts to preserve the ‘true’ nature of the genre, but that doesn’t mean you can’t mess around with the formula. Also, if at all possible, get out of your bedroom and play with others in a live setting - that’s when the real fun starts!

13) Would you like to add anything for our readers?

It’s awesome that sites and magazines like this one continue to thrive, and the support of dedicated readers is invaluable both to the writers and the musicians, so cheers for keeping this genre alive!

A massive thanks to Spider GOd Sick as fuck, 666

55

Latest releases

Deserted Fear Melodic Death Metal band from Germany released the fifth Full-length album Doomsday on March 4, 2022.

Thuringian Melodic Death Metal trio DESERTED FEAR will release their brand-new full-length record “Doomsday” on March 4th 2022. Fans of the previous release “Drowned By Humanity”, which conquered the Top 20 of the official German album charts, may rightly expect the desired melodic death metal inferno we

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know from DESERTED FEAR. The album will be available as Ltd. CD Digipak, Ltd. Gatefold LP and Digital album. The Ltd. CD Digipak features two bonus tracks “Funeral Of The Earth” and a cover of In Flames entitled “Artifacts Of The Black Rain”, which is known as an absolute classic in the Melodic Death Metal scene.

Tracklist: 1. Intro 2. Part of the End 3. Idols of Triumph 4. Follow the Light That Blinds 5. Fall from Grace 6. At Its End 7. Reborn Paradise 8. The One Desire 9. Call 0f Emptiness 10. Voices of Fire 11. Doomsday 12. Funeral of the Earth 13. Artifacts of the Black Rain (In Flames cover)

Αχεροντας Black Metal band from Greece released the ninth Fulllength album Malocchio - The Seven Tongues of Δαημων on March 14, 2022.

The Αχεροντας Coven born in 1996 by V.P.Sorcerer and was ever since true to its internal tenets and traditions, which deemed the band as a «Magical Coven, dedicated to the Ancient Summerian Mysteries of Drakonian Blood» The Magickal Coven commences the Third and ultimate cycle of its manifestations, embodying its final reincarnation in the novel external form of ΑΧΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ. After a 15-year-long second period of

esoteric culmination, the Coven of ΑΧΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ now enters the next alchemical stage of its existence. The new Opus, bearing the fiery symbolic crown of The Seven Tongues of ΔΑΗΜΩΝ, unto the realms of matter. The sands of creation shall shift once again, as the new album of the Coven signifies the sail towards new horizons, fertilizing the grounds with blessed sonic resources to bear fruits on spiritual levels.

Tracklist 1. Lucifer - Breath of Fire 2. Leviathan - The Fervent Scales in Reverence 3. Belial - The Enn of Beliya’al 4. Satan - Exaltation of Unbeing 5. Choronzon - Webs of Alienation 6. Hecate - Queen of the Crossroads 7. Δρακων - Αpotheosis Lineup V.P.Sorcerer - Vocals, Guitars Hierophant - Bass Saevus H. - Guitars Indra - Guitars Marcello S. - Drums

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Latest releases

Blazemth Black Metal band from Spain released the first Full-length album The Return of Lucifer on March 15, 2022.

1st album by one of the pioneering Black Metal bands in Spain, a true masterpiece of pure Black Metal in the vintage style of the early 90’s whose essence is reminiscent of bands like IMMORTAL, DISSECTION, MAYHEM, NECROPHOBIC, CHRIST AGONY...

BLAZEMTH emerged in 1993 under the name DAEMONUM, arising from the ashes of ROTTEN FLESH. The return of the band after 20 years of silence in 2017

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led by Volkhaar, original guitarist/ vocalist and accompanied by three more members among which outstands Riky Mena, ex-drummer of AVULSED. «The Return of Lucifer» is an impressive work that will not only make waves, but will also put BLAZEMTH in a prominent place on the national scene.

Tracklist 1. Magik Invocation 2. The Return of Lucifer 3. Inferno 4. War 5. Hecate 6. Visions of My Dark Soul 7. In Fight I Die 8. A Passage of Unlight 9. The Grummer 10. Outro Lineup Volkhaar - Vocals, Guitars Kerberos - Bass Jorge Dragon - Didgeridoo Croma Lan Ro - Drums Shunh - Guitars

Kimaera Atmospheric Doom/Death Metal band from Lebanon released the fourth Full-length album Imperivm on March 15, 2022.

Kimaera is the Arab world’s trailblazing symphonic oriental death metal band, hailing from Lebanon in the heart of the Middle East. Atmospheric death/doom with a progressive touch collides with traditional Middle Eastern and orchestral instruments to produce a complex dark sound with a crossgeneric flair. Their transcending of musical boundaries is inspired

by Epica’s melodies, Dimmu Borgir’s

black symphonies, Behemoth’s aggression, Katatonia’s darkness and Middle Eastern oriental music.

Formed in 2000 by JP Haddad, Kimaera’s path has helped put Lebanese metal on the world map.

Their new album’s theme is inspired by Roman history, with Lebanon having been part of the Roman Empire with all its power, brutality and majesty. The Middle Eastern ethnic instruments whose sound infuses the album also have their origins in ancient

Rome, giving the album a distinct aural mark.

Tracklist 1. De Amare et Bellum 2. The Die is Cast 3. VVV 4. The Ides of March 5. Imperator 6. Vi Divina 7. Caput Mundi 8. Ya Beirut Lineup JP Haddad (R.I.P. 2022) Vocals, Guitars Pierre Najm - Guitars (lead) Charbel Abboud Keyboards Richard Basile - Bass Patrick Estephan - Drums

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Latest releases

Dark Funeral Black Metal band from Sweden released the seventh Full-length album We Are the Apocalypse on March 18, 2022.

Approaching nearly 30 years since the beginning of their journey as one of Swedish Black Metal’s most genuine and unvarnished exemplars, Dark Funeral continue to reach for new heights to bring audiences into its otherworldly & unholy visions on the band’s seventh full-length LP, ‘We Are The Apocalypse’.

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Tracklist The songs look more mature 1. Nightfall and speedier but here you can 2. Let the Devil In hear a stronger bond between 3. When Our Vengeance Is Done the band’s members.

4. Nosferatu 5. When I’m Gone 6. Beyond the Grave 7. A Beast to Praise 8. Leviathan 9. We Are the Apocalypse Lineup Lord Ahriman - Guitars Chaq Mol - Guitars Heljarmadr - Vocals Adra-Melek - Bass Jalomaah - Drums

Agathodaimon Melodic Black Metal band from Germany released the seventh Full-length album The Seven on March 18, 2022.

Rejoining forces after many years of silence, German dark metal frontrunners AGATHODAIMON set the stage for their long-awaited comeback – the bittersweet seventh studio album, The Seven. the gates of darkness have opened once again to reveal extreme soundscapes amid a captivating mélange of evil provoking, cutting dark metal and heroic symphonic black metal in the style of bands like Cradle of Filth and Carach Angren, but with a unique and very own multifaceted take.

The Seven as a whole, that showcases that AGATHODAIMON absolutely acing the balancing act of incorporating their past into a bright and exciting future.

Tracklist 1. La Haine 2. Ain’t Death Grand 3. Wolf Within 4. Ghosts of Greed 5. Mother of All Gods 6. Estrangement 7. In My Dreams (Part 1: Prelude) 8. In My Dreams (Part 2: In Bitterness) 9. Kyrie / Gloria 10. The Divine

Lineup Sathonys - Guitars, Vocals (clean) Ashtrael - Vocals Von Yanesh - Bass Mortos - Drums Nakhateth - Guitars

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Latest releases

Frostmoon Eclipse Black Metal band from Italy released the EP Rustworn on March 18, 2022.

Founded in the Autumn of 1994 by Claudio Alcara, Frostmoon Eclipse is one of the oldest established black metal bands on the Italian scene, mixing melodic acoustics with old school black metal.

On “Rustworn” the band present 2 new songs and 3 Live songs as a warm up for their upcoming 8th Full Length album. Just like the predecessor “Worse Weather To Come” does the new EP head in the same direction with a perfect balance between traditional Black

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Metal riffing and instrumental acoustic pieces. Magical guitar parts who elevates you in combination with a strong bass presence to a higher level. Tempo changing drums that go from mid phased to full on blast beats to slow tempo with break fillings to keep the songs interesting from start till end. And as last but certainly not least powerful raspy scream vocals in combination with haunting almost depressing clean singing that gives you the right chills.

Tracklist 1. Rustworn 2. Relentless, Circling 3. Hell Thousandfold (Live) 4. Devoured (Live) 5. Torn Apart By the Withering Voices of Deceit (Live) Lineup Claudio Alcara - Guitars Gionata Potenti - Drums Lorenzo Sassi - Vocals Davide Gorrini - Bass

Suffer in Silence Melodic Death/Black Metal band from Italy released the fourth Full-length album Obscurity on March 18, 2022.

Suffer In Silence was born in Rimini (Italy) in autumn 2002 when the guitarist/singer Patrick Amati after a few experiences in local bands decides to create a band for himself to express totally his ideas. From then a few live concerts started, among the songs covers of Deicide and Carcass. Everything was fine, many projects going on but unfortunately in spring 2004 the band split-up. After a long search of musicians finally S.I.S. are back at the end of 2005 but with a different line-up. In 2013 Suffer In Silence changes from quartet in a temporary one-man-band and live sessions for future concerts/tour.

Suffer in Silence, return with their latest album entitled “Obscurity”.

This time, the band’s sound was heavily influenced by the 90’s Swedish metal scene, resulting in an intriguing, melodic black metal output faithful to old school.

Lineup Patrick Amati - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Synthesizers Filippo Cicoria - Drums

Tracklist 1. Into the Darkness 2. Living in Eternity 3. Time Left 4. War for War 5. Fearless 6. Black Skies 7.

Death to Impostors 8. Never Born

the

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Latest releases

Nocturnal Prayer Black Metal band from Canada released the first Fulllength album Mutilation on the Bed of Winter on March 21, 2022.

Emerging into the night once more, after ‘Intercontinental Death Conspiracy,’ split LP, NOCTURNAL PRAYER brings forth a repulsive gathering of seven tracks of black cancerous sounds.

‘MUTILATION ON THE BED OF WINTER’ is a total departure from any remnants of light and purity, and serves as a ritual of absolute death and human agony. A devastating forthcoming of requiems that fulfill those with the desires of

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consuming black metal filth that conveys the remnant souls of old school black metal. It is eternally devoted to punishment, genocide, and depravity to all who exist on the mortal plane. NOCTURNAL PRAYER remains true to the exaltation of true darkness and suffering.

Tracklist 1. Murder 2. Mutilation on the Bed of Winter 3. Moonlit Paths to the Crystalline Throne 4. Forests Satined in Ritual 5. Slow Curse Pt. I (Spiritually Stalked) 6. Slow Curse Pt. II (Rife With Possession) 7. Lustrous As the First Star of the Night Lineup Murder - Guitars, Bass, Vocals, Drums

Order of Nosferat Black Metal band from Germany/Finland released the third Full-length album Nachtmusik on March 21, 2022.

ORDER OF NOSFERAT return with another new album, Nachtmusik.

Aptly titled, Nachtmusik is dedicated to lone night-wanderers and those who dwell in sleepless despair. At times more beautifully sad and more rabid than its two not-inconsiderable predecessors, Nachtmusik walks the fine line between fever dream and sublime paralysis; the black metal is filthier and more flaying while the oft-isolated segments of synth and/ or piano impart a wounded darkness to the album’s overall aspect.

Tracklist 1.

Tunes of Nocturnal Tragedies 2.

Strains for the Restless Nights 3.

Bloodlust Nightmares Raging Wild 4. For Those Who Dwell in Sleepless Despair 5.

As the Eternal Night Fell Upon Us 6. Floating on the Sea of Drowned Desires 7. My Final Breath 8. A Song for Lilien 9.

The Cruel Awakening 10. ...Of Mourning and Wintry Melancholy

Lineup Anzillu - Drums Count Revenant - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards

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Latest releases

Abbath Black Metal band from Norway released the third Full-length album Dread Reaver on March 25, 2022.

Riff-maestro Abbath Doom Occulta cements his place among the metal hierarchy with ‘Dread Reaver’, his third album with eponymous project ABBATH. His signature blend of blistering speed metal, traditional metal influences, and touch of ice cold black metal creates a sound and style that is distinctly his. Its spirited, balls-to-the-walls

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energy certifies ‘Dread Reaver’ as the quintessential anthem for total metal mayhem.

Lineup Abbath - Vocals, Guitars, Bass Ukri Suvilehto - Drums Mia Wallace - Bass (tracks 1, 2, 5, 9) Ole Andre Farstad - Guitars (lead), Guitars (acoustic)

Tracklist: 1. Acid Haze 2. Scarred Core 3. Dream Cull 4. Myrmidon 5. The Deep Unbound 6. Septentrion 7. Trapped Under Ice (Metallica cover) 8. The Book of Breath 9. Dread Reaver

Kvaen Black/Pagan/Viking Metal band from Sweden released the second Full-length album The Great Below on March 25, 2022.

KVAEN dominated the underground scene and had the audience in a firm grip, today still the album continues to hold a special place for many, with the new album titled «The Great Below» Kvaen has taken everything to the max and created a follow up even more grand than its debut, the blades are sharpened and the sound is bigger than ever. The Great below is a sophomore album you’ll only hear once your in life time.

Tracklist 1. Cauldron of Plagues 2. The Great Below 3. In Silence 4. Damnations Jaw 5. Sulphur Fire 6. Ensamvarg 7. Your Mighty Has Fallen 8. The Fire Within Him Burns Lineup Jakob Björnfot - Everything

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Latest releases

Grand Harvest Death/Doom Metal band from Sweden released the first Fulllength album Consummatum Est on March 25, 2022.

The band took a permanent shape as Grand Harvest in 2017. The musical style could be described as Blackened Death/Doom Metal. The lyrical themes reflect a deep contempt for, and the utter futility of, mankind’s existence.

The highly anticipated debut album by Sweden’s GRAND HARVEST has arrived. The album contains 9 tracks of versatile, yet focused, metal

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music. Moving freely between the borders of Death metal, Doom metal and Black metal, the band focuses on portaying atmospheric and ethereal sonic landscapes that, together with the lyrics, will summon emotions and profound thoughts to the mind of the listener.

Tracklist 1. Sol Maledictor 2. The Harrow 3. No Paler a Horse 4. As the Vultures Descend 5. Crowns to Ashes - Thrones to Dust 6. My Desolate Sea 7. Fatehammer 8. In Memoriam - Magnus Invictus 9. Consummatum Est Lineup N.N. - Bass R.M. - Drums F.S. - Guitars A.L. - Guitars Dr. Häll - Vocals

Mors Principium Est Melodic Death Metal band from Finland released the seventh Full-length album Liberate the Unborn Inhumanity on April 8, 2022.

The Finnish Melodic Death Metal band Mors Principium Est return with their new album “Liberate the Unborn Inhumanity”. The new album will be released on April 8th via AFM Records.

For Liberate the Unborn Inhumanity, vocalist Ville Viljanan brought together the original line-up, guitar players and MORS PRINCIPIUM EST co-founders Jori Haukio and Jarko Kokkoo, as well as bass player Teemu Heinola rejoining the band.

Tracklist 1. Cleansing Rain 2. Eternity’s Child 3. The Unborn 4.

The Lust Called Knowledge 5. Valley of Sacrifice, Part 1 6. Finality 7. Two Steps Away 8. Inhumanity 9. Pure 10. The Animal Within 11. Life in Black 12. Fragile Flesh 13. Valley of Sacrifice, Part 2

Lineup Jarkko Kokko - Guitars Jori Haukio - Guitars Ville Viljanen - Vocals Teemu Heinola - Bass Marko Tommila - Drums

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Latest releases

Heidra Folk/Viking Metal band from Denmark released the third Full-length album To Hell or Kingdom Come on April 8, 2022.

Heidra are a Copenhagen based metal band playing a mix of melodic, black and power metal with folk-themed undertones, powerful choruses and brutal growls. Heidra has a strong following in the Danish folk/metal scenes with an established yet growing fan base and a rich gigging history around Denmark and Europe.

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“To Hell Or Kingdom Come” – a record that complete the band’s trilogy of story-driven concept albums “The Dawn Trilogy”.

Lineup Martin W. Jensen - Guitars Morten Bryld - Vocals (lead), Guitars (acoustic), Keyboards Carlos G.R. - Guitars James Atkin - Bass, Vocals

Tracklist: 1. The Beginning and the End 2. Retribution’s Dawn 3. Dusk 4. The Rebirth 5. Wolfborn Rising 6. Fall of the Fey 7. To Hell or Kingdom Come 8. Ancient Gates 9. Cloaks and Daggers 10. Two Kings

Greve Symphonic Black Metal band from Sweden released the second Full-length album Föllo af svavel, lifvets dimridå on April 10, 2022.

In 2019, Greve burst from the void with two records.

Featuring a new lineup - Korgath on vocals and Juhos on drums, with Swartadauþuz still handling all guitars, bass, and keyboards Föllo af Svavel, Lifvets Dimridå bursts forth with beauty and menace, its denser and more aggressive sound betraying no small amount of shimmering atmosphere. Greve are handily creating their own niche within an already exclusive niche. Föllo

funnit i mitt grepp 8. Dödens tid, evigt de af Svavel, Lifvets Dimridå is their vila latest monument by which to launch journeys to the stars and/ Lineup Swartadauþuz - Guitars, Bass, or into the self.

Keyboards Tracklist 1. Bortom berget, svälttid Juhos - Drums Korgath - Vocals komma 2. Skapelse ur fiendeskapets mödrar 3.

Lögnarens gryning, svältföddas bestar 4. Åska i himmlavalvets förljugna 5. Föllo af svavel, lifvets dimridå 6. Träsktalets gåfva en rituell reflektion 7. Mördade stigar,

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Latest releases

Epitaphe Doom/Death Metal band from France released the second Fulllength album II on April 11, 2022.

EPITAPHE take the primordial funeral death foundations that were at the core of “I” and exquisitely hone and meld their unique sound and identity upon that. “II” is a beautiful work – an album that, firstly, needs to be consumed as a whole, to experience the full variation and journey therein.

It is clearly more than just a collection of tracks.

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This is a subtle and enigmatic journey, more progressive in its composition and craft, almost Floydian in its lighter atmospheric moments, yet never losing the notion that it is borne out of death metal. The composition, musicianship and tone are exceptional – all members attuned to the other creating a symbiosis and cohesion with the EPITAPHE sound.

Tracklist: 1. Sycomore 2. Celestial 3. Melancholia 4. Insignificant 5. Merging Within Nothingness Lineup DRZ - Bass, Vocals (additional) VLVR - Drums LBK - Guitars, Vocals (additional) PBFK - Vocals

Viande Black/Death Metal band from France released the first Full-length album L’abime dévore les âmes on April 15, 2022.

Emanating as if from the foulsmelling, poisoned swamps, the music of debutants Viande will make you claw at your throat, enveloping you in suffocating darkness, and before you know it, it will have on your knees gasping for air, with a blood-stained bag on your head. Soon enough the clobbering begins in pitch black darkness and amidst the mind-numbing cacophony, with eerie sounds ringing about, one thing becomes clear - there are stranger, darker forces involved here.

More than just

another dark death metal band, Viande are conjuring up different sounds and atmospheric elements to create a truly terrifying form of death metal, one that doesn’t wallow in misery for too long and is more content bashing skulls in.

Tracklist 1. Les dents du gouffre 2. Le ventre monde 3. La tombe avide 4. Miroir décharné 5. Le souffle des os 6. Traître à la vie 7. Lueurs de cendres 8. Langues de brume

Lineup J - Vocals B - Guitars, Soundscapes M - Drums

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Latest releases

Månegarm Viking/Black/Folk Metal band from Sweden released the tenth Full-length album Ynglingaättens öde on April 15, 2022.

In this multifaceted world of sound, MANEGARM incorporate Pagan inspired lyricism based on the old Norse poem Ynglingatal, that describes the fate of an old Norse dynasty - the house of Ynglinga. Ynglingaattens Ode offers balanced variety and atmosphere, breathing new life into ancient myths.

With Ynglingaattens Ode,

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MANEGARM underline their standing as spearheads of the world of Viking metal once more and keep Pagan traditions alive, even after 25 years of existence.

Lineup Erik Grawsiö - Vocals, Bass Markus Andé - Guitars Jacob Hallegren - Drums

Tracklist 1. Freyrs blod 2. Ulvhjärtat 3. Adils fall 4. En snara av guld 5. Stridsgalten 6. Auns söner 7. Vitta vettr 8. Hågkomst av ett liv 9. The Wolfheart (English version)

Ande Atmospheric Black Metal band from Belgium released the fifth Full-length album Vehemence on April 15, 2022.

The band name originates from an old Dutch word which stands for intense emotions like repent, passion and anger.

The concept of the album is the individual that goes through life dealing with emotions and surroundings.

It’s about hardship, despair, as well as beauty and gaining knowledge. The duality of everything.

Musically rooted in second wave atmospheric black metal with more contemporary influences, it’s the first Ande album with

all lyrics in English.

Tracklist 1. Coherence 2. Reverberations 3. Diligence 4. Projection 5. Density 6. Cycles 7. Unimosity Lineup Jim - Everything

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Latest releases

Circle of Chaos Melodic Death Metal band from Sweden released the third Full-length album Forlorn Reign on April 22, 2022.

The death metal band CIRCLE OF CHAOS from Sweden was created in 2008. After two well received full length albums and an EP, touring in Sweden and other European countries (Germany, Poland, Czech Republic), the band has taken some time to rebuild itself with the right line-up and a more straightforward musical approach. It is now back to spread the Chaos with their

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3rd album «Forlorn Reign».

«Forlorn Reign» marks a new musical direction for the band with a much more extreme and aggressive sound than the precedent opus and a main focus on Death Metal. It also contains some Black and Thrash Metal influences. 12 tracks of pure aggressive metal with fast and violent riffs for breaking your cervical, oppressive grooves, and a touch of Swedish sound.

Tracklist 1. Fires of Armageddon 2. Forlorn Reign 3. The Great Rite 4. Purgatory 5. Embracing Chaos 6. Spectral Disease 7. Blooded Soul 8. Förödelsens tid 9. Óveður 10. Make You Suffer 11. Age of Chaos 12. New Order

Deathcrush Death Metal band from Italy released the third Full-length album Under Serpents Reign on April 26, 2022.

«Under Serpents Reign» sums up the brutality of the first album (Collective Brain Infektion) and the blackened atmospheres of the second work (Hell).

The backbone topic of the lyrics is a strong anticlericalism that leads to blasphemy and ferocity depending on the sound of the song.

The genre expressed is therefore faithful to traditional old school Death Metal with Black influences, but the thread is an original fury in riffing and drumming which personalizes the sound of the band who calls themselves «Furious Death Musik».

Tracklist Apocalypse Of The Fallen Empire 2.

Beheading Jehovah Prophet 3. Under Serpents Reign 4. No Heaven Awaits 5.

Daemonology Symphonies Of The Devil 6. Thy Sovereign 7.

Deathmarch To Obscurity 8. Black Thelema 9. Wolfskull 10. From Servant to Warfare (Necrophagia cover)

11. Eyes Like Burning Catacombs Lineup Luigi Cara - Bass & Vocals Giampiero Serra - Drums Andrea Sechi - Guitars Luigi Porceddu - Live session Guitars

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Latest releases

Watain Black Metal band from Sweden released the seventh Full-length album The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain on April 29, 2022.

«The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain» is the group’s seventh album who continue to electrify their audience with an unmistakable brand of Black Metal Magic. Recorded inside an old church on the Swedish countryside, WATAIN take the listener closer to the innermost heart of a band that despite always being surrounded by rumors and controversy strives for the most sincere ways of expression.

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With 10 songs written by the founding trinity of WATAIN (E. Danielsson, H. Jonsson and P. Forsberg), it is also the band’s first album to be recorded with a full line up completed by A. Lillo, H. Eriksson and E. Forcas. The material is further enriched by noble contributions from Farida Lemouchi (Ex The Devil’s Blood, now in Molasses) and Gottfrid Ahman (ex In Solitude, now in Paga).

Tracklist 1. Ecstasies in Night Infinite 2. The Howling 3. Serimosa 4. Black Cunt 5. Leper’s Grace 6. Not Sun Nor Man Nor God 7. Before the Cataclysm 8. We Remain 9. Funeral Winter 10. Septentrion

Thorium Death Metal band from Denmark released the fifth Fulllength album Danmark on April 29, 2022.

Thorium - Scandinavian old school death metal band formed in 1997 in Copenhagen.

The Danish death metal veterans are nearing their silver jubilee as a band but are still as vibrant as ever on the new album “Danmark”. Vocalist Michael H. Andersen has once again gathered a new crew – well, besides mr. JP on leads who has survived from the last album to fight another round – and released an album that is as old school as ever. Even down to the recording which was done live at Angioni Studios with all rhythmic instruments present, recording as a band.

With small imperfections and all. And without a metronome to guide the

band members. Just like in the old days.

Tracklist 1. War is Coming 2.

A Crown Obscurity 3. Majesty 4. Semen of the Devil 5. My Decay 6. The Silent Suffering 7. Defiance 8. Reign the Abyss 9. Nine Lives 10. Into the Gods

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Lineup Jens Peter Storm Guitars Michael H. Andersen - Vocals Jesper Nielsen - Bass Daniel Preisler Larsen Drums Jose Cruz - Guitars

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Latest releases

Navalm Death Metal band from Russia released the ninth Fulllength album Abnormalities and Deviations on March 4, 2022.

NAVALM was founded in 2009 in the city of Sevastopol, Crimea.

Tracklist 1. Hell of Neglect 2. Deadly Doubts 3. Frozen Crypt of the Unholy Ones 4. Crude Oil Wars 5. Deliver Me from Evil 6. Mental Abnormalities 7. Lightbringer 8. Subdimensional Metaphysical Hornets Lineup Ilya Pechenyuk - Bass Andrey Gonchar - Guitars Alexander Timofeev - Guitars

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Gorebringer Melodic Death Metal band from the United Kingdom released the second Full-length album Terrified Beyond Measure on March 4, 2022.

In 2017 Gorebringer and Stench have come together to destroy all the goodness in the planet with a dirty melodeath sound.

Tracklist 1. The Bottomless Pit 2. Man to Beast 3. Terrified Beyond Measure 4. The Evil Ones 5. Moon Circle 6. A Blackened Circle 7. Necro Mess 8. Flesh Feast Lineup Carrion - Drums Stench - Guitars, Bass Blood Worm - Vocals

Izthmi Atmospheric/Progressive Black Metal band from the United States released the second Full-length album Leaving This World, Leaving It All Behind on March 4, 2022.

The group was founded in 2016 and released its debut album The Arrows of Our Ways in 2020.

Tracklist 1. Ever Beneath His Gaze (He Will Drown The World In His Tears) 2. The Shadows Of Our Disillusionment 3. To Know 4. The Laughable Semblance Of Freedom 5. I Bleed With The Wind 6. It’s As If It Were 7.

Leaving This World 8. Leaving It All Behind

Vampyric Tyrant Black Metal band from Germany released the first Full-length album Schwarze Schwingen on March 5, 2022.

The varied song structures, coupled with instrumental dungeon synth passages, capture the magic of what was once the Black Metal of the past. 6 songs with a playing time of nearly 40 minutes, combine this record into a total piece of art of long forgotten days.

Tracklist 1. Schwarze Schwingen 2. Rückkehr 3. Ich bin dein Tod 4. Tal der Finsternis 5. Blut fordert Blut 6. Die Saat der Nacht Lineup Graf Nekromant - Vocals, Guitars, Bass Akatash - Drums

Veriteras Melodic Death Metal band from the United States released the first Full-length album Shadow of Death on March 10, 2022.

«Shadow of Death» is Seattlebased melodic death metal band Veriteras’ debut full-length album.

The album follows up on Veriteras’ 2021 EP «Citadel» and 2020 EP «Banished», and blends together epic and blackened melodic death metal.

1. Forever Enslaved 2. Twilight 3. Dust to Dust 4. Endless Unknown 5. Suomela 6. Slave to Fear 7. As the Darkness Falls 8. Barren 9. Death Machine Lineup Jeff Smith - Bass, Vocals Jason Gooselaw - Drums Sean Osterberg Guitars, Vocals Santtu Winter Guitars, Vocals

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The Witch Black/Doom Metal band from Colombia released the first Full-length album Blasphemic Doctrine on March 14, 2022.

Tracklist 1.

Heretic Testimony 2. The Sinner 3. Deliverance 4. Pure and Pagan Lands 5. In the Shadow of the Dragon 6.

Blasphemic Indoctrination Lineup Danniel Fonseca - Bass Diego Rosero - Drums Carlo Quiceño - Guitars, Keyboards Jay Parker - Guitars, Strings, Vocals Ivette Fagua - Vocals

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Latest releases

Starer Symphonic Black Metal band from the United States released the second Full-length album The What It Is to Be on March 18, 2022.

Progressive riffing and synthladen passages mix and swirl within traditional black metal atmospheres to create the unique emotional sound that is Starer.

Tracklist 1. Blackness of the Bile 2. Pain of the World 3. Fire of the Son 4. What Became of Those Who Were Before Lineup Josh Hines - All instruments

Armum Brutal Death Metal band from Brazil released the second Fulllength album Legions of Chaos on March 20, 2022.

Tracklist 1. The Search For Chaos 2. Murder of the King 3. Blasphemy Ritual 4. God Genocidal 5. Religion That Kills 6. Rotten Mind 7. Celebrate the Death 8. Order to Kill (666) Lineup Camila Andrade - Bass, Vocals Gesiel Coelho - Drums Moyz Henrique - Guitars

Sakis Tolis Gothic Metal band from Greece released the first Full-length album Among the Fires of Hell on March 22, 2022.

This is the first SOLO album from the frontman of the Greek metal band ROTTING CHRIST-Sakis Tolis.

Tracklist 1. My Salvation 2. Among the Fires of Hell 3. The Dawn of a New Age 4. We the Fallen Angels 5. Ad Astra 6. Live with Passion - Die with Honour 7. I Name You Under Our Cult 8. The Silence 9. Nocturnal Hecate (Daemonia Nymphe cover) Lineup Sakis Tolis - Guitars, Bass, Vocals, Keyboards, Songwriting, Lyrics Fotis Benardo - drums

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Mortify

Death Metal band from Chile released the second Full-length album Fragments at the Edge of Sorrow on March 25, 2022.

Fragments at the Edge of Sorrow shows MORTIFY expanding their already-considerable arsenal: songwriting that’s slippery and surging in equal measure, disarmingly enunciated vocals and instrumental work – especially real, actual bass-playing – and a commitment to pushing progressive death metal into realms more mesmerizing and memorable.

Tracklist 1. Beneath the Emptiness 2. In the Amorphous Path 3. Ethereal Illusion of Psyche 4. Fragments 5.

Frayed Lunacy (Dying Sight) 6. Mindloss 7. The Accursed and the Throes 8. Edge 9. Astral Sphere from a Bleeding Soul 10. Process in a Secrecies of Thoughts 11. Contaminated Echoes 12. Sorrow

Cirkeln Melodic Black Metal band from Sweden released the second Full-length album A Song to Sorrow on March 25, 2022.

After a lengthy wait, from Sweden comes the second album of epic black assault Cirkeln.

Filled with northern heavy metal riffs, protoblackened screams and even doom deliberation, it proves worthy of the long anticipation.

Following up from Cirkeln’s 2020 debut, «A Song To Sorrow» is an intimate and personal tale of sole member Våndarr’s struggle with his own sanity.

Within these 8 tracks, he sheds the darkest truths and lies of his past in the hope that they may illuminate the path for those who wander without light to show them the way.

Tracklist 1. The March 2. A Song to Sorrow 3. Vaults Behind Vaults 4. Hills of Sorcery 5. Var blåser vinden 6. Natassja 7. Vandraren 8.

Thine Winter Realm Enthroned

Nöldr Black Metal band from Brazil released the second Full-length album Profane Eternity on March 26, 2022.

Handing over all the melodic elements, this second release from Nöldr is a serene contemplation of Misanthropy, Necromancy, Chaotic atmospheres and cult of the eternal void.

Along with melodies casting over ten long-form tracks, totaling one hour, includes a dark atmospheric dungeon synth, this Album will evoke the old school essence and aesthetics, making you feel lost in the wastes from an ancient crypt. «Profane Eternity» is a melancholic, heroic, raw and aggressive experience!

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Latest releases

Pagan Throne Pagan Black Metal band from Brazil released the fifth Fulllength album Imperatoris on March 28, 2022.

Pagan Throne is Pagan Black Metal band formed in 2004, in Rio de Janeiro. Their lyrical themes are about Paganism, Occultism, Evil, Darkness.

Tracklist 1. Marching to the Line of Fire 2. The Gladiator (The Martyr) 3. The Justice of Rome 4. The Fall of Spartacus 5. Battle for the North 6. The Serpent’s Kiss 7. Master of Conspiracy 8. Nightspirit 9. Inglorious Conqueror 10. First Emperor

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Blood Countess Black Metal band from the United Kingdom released the first Fulllength album Occulta Tenebris on April 1, 2022.

The band was formed in 2018 and inspired by the life and crimes of Countess Elizabeth Bathory.

Tracklist 1. Storms over Carpathia 2. Ad Altare Sanguinem 3. In Virgins Blood 4. Ululation of the Grief Stricken Peasants 5. Screams over Carpathia 6. Orgasm Leading to Death 7. Ferenc Nádasdy 8. 21-08-1614

Vimur Black Metal band from the United States released the third Full-length album Transcendental Violence on April 2, 2022.

This album is about spiritual warfare. It is a call to arms against the demiurgic oppressor. The light from the Sun Behind the Sun has been blocked by the false cosmic godhead. Vimur is the point of the spear aimed against the sworn spiritual enemy.

«Transcendental Violence» is the sound of cosmic struggle where all aspects are revealed.

Tracklist 1. Aeonic Upheaval 2. Transcendental Violence 3. Infallible Contra Animus 4. Emanations from the Sun Behind the Sun 5. The Greatest Dying 6.

Death Absolution 7.

The Warrior Seers

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Melodic Death/Folk Metal band from Germany released the second Full-length album Evolare on April 3, 2022.

Thrilling, multilingually sung tales from all over the world embedded in a massive metal sound will make your head bang and your ship’s planks tremble.

Tracklist 1. Marseille 2. Pythagoras’ Rache 3. Das tut man einfach nicht!

4. Vera Cruz 5. Malstrøm 6. Парус 7. Des Sirènes 8. Come What May 9. Ferðin Lineup Hirsch - Bass Kaja - Drums, Vocals Geric - Guitars, Vocals Joko - Keyboards, Vocals Sabrina - Vocals Seric - Vocals (Growling)

This White Mountain Atmospheric Black Metal band from the United States released the fourth Full-length album The Final Sorrow on April 8, 2022.

Tracklist 1. Pouring 2. Demise 3. Burden 4. Bleak Future 5. Death Take Me 6. The Final Sorrow

Fratura Black Metal band from Brazil released the second Full-length album Smells like Funeral Flowers on April 9, 2022.

Fratura is a one-man band from São Paulo, Brazil, created at the end of 2019.

Formed and founded by Corposeco.

Tracklist 1. Intro - Satanica Manifesto (Jex Blackmore Speech) Lineup 2. Satan Is Anarchist Kevin Narowski - Vocals, Guitars, 3. Smells like Funeral Bass, Lyrics, Arrangements Flowers Chris Bryan - Drums (tracks 3 4. Blasphemy, Heresy, & 6) Doom 5. Tormentor Desire 6. Covered with Branches 7. The Devil Son and the Holy Goat 8. Autosarcophagy 9. Death Sworn 10. If You See Me as Jesus, Then I’ll Be Jesus (JJ Death Tape) Lineup Corposeco

- Everything

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Latest releases

Bekëth Nexëhmü Black Metal band from Sweden released the fourth Full-length album De evigas gravrit on April 10, 2022.

Tracklist 1. Köldens storm (Intro) 2. Vid dödens rike 3. Blodskammets guld 4. Nordlandets tron 5. I frostens kyla 6. Vargens stig evigt vandra 7. Furstens evighet 8. Under ondskans tecken 9. Vision af hels prakt 10. Vinternattens dunkel (Outro) Lineup Swartadauþuz instruments, Vocals

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Baalzagoth Death Metal band from Poland released the first Full-length album Morbid Persecutions on April 15, 2022.

Tracklist 1. Desolation 2. Unholy War 3. Aborted 4. Suffering 5. Revenge 6. Reapers of Minds 7. Pagan’s Hell 8. Eternal Oblivion 9. In Nomine…

Lineup Mateus - Bass Miki - Drums Alexander - Guitars (lead) Mathi - Guitars (rhythm) Oktavius - Vocals

Saidan Melodic Black Metal band from the United States released the second Fulllength album Onryō II: Her Spirit Eternal on April 15, 2022.

Mixing various strains of malicious raw black metal with d-beats and euphoric energy of hardcore and effervescent j-rock, cut up with some savage breakdowns and inspired segues, along with the lyrical themes of Japanese horror, folklore and the supernatural, this has the potential to give some people an out of body experience (and bring the BM purists out in hives).

Tracklist 1. Kissed by Lunar’s Silvery Gleam 2. Queen of the Haunted Dell 3. Girl Hell 1999 4. Kate 5. Pale Imitation 6. Yuki Onna 7. I Am the Witch

Children Of The Void

Melodic Death Metal band from Norway released the EP Garden Of Bones on April 15, 2022.

Children Of The Void - NOR consists of 4 members +2 session guitarists, all from the metal scene of Bergen Norway. With inspirations from melodeath, thrash and black metal the guitars both swing and crush with their melodies and rhythms on a rock solid foundation of bass and drums while the vocals shred and tear telling of a dystopian universe a mirror to our own.

Tracklist 1. A Mirrored Dimension 2. We Light The Way 3. Dreamcrusher 4. Garden of Bones 5. Scream 6. The Next Chapter Lineup Eivind - Drums Even - guitar Jørgen - Bass Robin - backup vocals Runar - Vocal, guitar

Grafvitnir Melodic Black Metal band from Sweden released the eighth Fulllength album Tunes of Sitra Ahra on April 29, 2022.

Grafvitnir is a Nordic Occult Black Metal constellation from the dark forests of Sweden.

Grafvitnir was formed in MMVII and consists of active practitioners, adepts and occultists within the Luciferian tradition.

The main purpose of the band is to act as a herald for the Chaosophical tradition of dark, forbidden fruits.

Tracklist 1. Demon Wolf 2.

Urkaos Avgrundsdjupa Källa 3. Birth of Uncreation 4. Eitr of the Serpent 5. Nattens Nyckel 6. Funeral Chants 7. Whisperer of Strange Tales 8. Nattsidans Pilgrimsfärd

Beyond the Grave Black Metal band from Russia released the ninth Fulllength album Sin unto Death on April 30, 2022.

Band was founded in 1999 by Carnifex and Daemonium and shortly after recording Bringer of Light in autumn 2002, they split-up, but in 2007 Carnifex reformed the band and changed his pseudonym to Hater.

Tracklist 1. Lamashtu 2. Legion 3. Burnt Offering 4. False Prophet 5. Night of Primordial Evil 6. Ye Olde Grave Lineup Unholy Father - Drums Hater (aka Carnifex) Vocals, Guitars Hangover - Bass

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Lineup Modrius Niantiel

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Band Links https://www.facebook.com/crownofmadnessmetal https://crownofmadness.bandcamp.com https://open.spotify.com/artist/6O0Ij7ccnoQ4DZMVhSMi36

We would like to tell you about musicians and bands not so well known around the world. This is the story of Crown of Madness - Black Metal band from Canada.

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On a mission to bring beauty into dissonance, the duo of vocalist/guitarist Sunshine Schneider and drummer Connor Gordon formed Crown of Madness over the Covid pandemic. Writing their first EP “The Void”, they are now ready to give listeners a first taste of this forthcoming debut with a lyric video for the single “The Manipulated”.

Having met through World of Warcraft, having a lifelong love for heavy metal and fantasy games as well as citing interests in games such as Dark Souls and Bloodbourne, their music has been greatly influenced by the dark and fantastical. The single “The Manipulated” takes inspiration from the classic movie Donnie Darko, as they explain: “It was the second song we finished writing, the guitar work had a natural flow that made it easy to put together, however when we came to writing the lyrics it proved to be more difficult. Since Donnie Darko is a favourite between the two of us, we wanted to draw inspiration for the lyrics, r a t h e r t h a n have the lyrics be “officially” based on the film. We liked the idea of having a greater purpose achieved by a predetermined path.”

“The Manipulated” has unique interweaving guitar riffs, with chord heavy parts that portray the beauty in their dissonant sound. Crown of Madness stands out from other similar artists, offering a dramatic flair and raw emotion to the world of death metal.

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Band Links https://www.facebook.com/DeathcrushOfficialPage https://deathcrushofficial.bandcamp.com/album/under-serpents-reign https://www.instagram.com/deathcrush.official https://open.spotify.com/artist/17zqyVV1t46Opw5Mkd6NlL

We would like to tell you about musicians and bands not so well known around the world. This is the story of Deathcrush - Old School Death Metal band from Italy.

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Deathcrush is a trio formed in 2003 in Bessude, Sardinia (Italy). Their music is a furious old school death metal with blackned and brutal riffings. After demos, ep and live shows across sardinia and italy in 2013, the band signed the first deal with casket music for the worldwide release of their debut album «collective brain infektion» and started an intense live activity across Italy all Europe and play some show with Obituary, Hour of penance, Natron and many others. In 2017 the band signed a new deal with The spew rec. / Punishment18 for the release of the second full-lenght «Hell», evolving more obscurity on sound and lyrics. They played on two tour across all Europe and played at Las vegas deathfest in USA. In 2019 the band release the first live album recorded in Poland entitled «Spreading the pest - live in Poland» via Punishment18\hellbones rec. On April 26, 2022 the band released their 3th full-lenght studio album “Under Serpents Reign”.

Line up Luigi Cara - Bass & Vocals Giampiero Serra - Drums Andrea Sechi - Guitars

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https://www.facebook.com/vioofficialpage

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Vio-Lence - Let the World Burn.

Vio-Lence is an American thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. They have 3 full-length studio albums and 3 Eps, “Let the World Burn” is their new EP. Except for the 2020 remake of “California Uber Alles, it has been almost 30 years since new material has been created. For this metalhead, I have to say it’s about time. Back in the day, along with the Big Four, Testament & Exodus, Vio-Lence was right there in my melting pot of thrash metal masters. It was brutally fast, shredding guitar riffs, insane solos and with Sean Killian’s screaming vocals made Vio-Lence a force to be reckoned with, but unfortunately short-lived.

Only Killian remains from the original lineup, but he has new crew that are no strangers to the thrash universe. Musicians from Overkill, Machine Head and Fear Factory grace this new and modernized version of Vio-Lence. The EP is called “Let the World Burn” which is ironic given the situation in the Ukraine and the war that is waging as we speak. But this isn’t a commentary on world events, this is a metal review.

Like most or some Eps it has 5 tracks, but they’re all killers & shredders.

The EP kicks off with a doozy, a little tune called “Flesh from

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Review by Luc St-Clair Bone” and right away, the magic is back baby. It’s fast and furious and goes for the throat with wicked riffs and breaks. “Screaming Always” follows with the same gusto as the previous song and at the 2 minute and 57 seconds mark, all bets are off, an awesome guitar break that will give you whiplash. Next up is “Upon Their Cross” with a slower approach this time around, which is unusual for this band, but definitely a welcomed change and part of the more modernized Vio-Lence that I mentioned earlier. This is one terrific

song. “Gato Negro” translates to black cat, a typically fast song and my least favorite on the EP. Finally, we get “Let the World Burn”, a song that reflects the cover art, it’s about violent deaths & destruction, well after all, the band is called Vio-Lence, not Peace. It’s got a kick ass verse and beats; awesome bass and lead singer Sean Killian does this ominous narrative that just adds a layer of brutality to an already destructive song. This is also part of the modernized Vio-Lence I mentioned earlier.

So, there you have it, Vio-Lence is back in a big fucking way, the speed and precision is still prevalent and my only complaint is that I would’ve preferred a fulllength album, but I’ll take new Vio-Lence material in any format.

https://www.facebook.com/desertedfear

Deserted Fear Doomsday.

Some Melodic Death Metal from Germany.

Of course, Germany has a long history of great Death Metal bands, so obviously these guys have got a lot to live up to.

The vocals aren’t overly growled, but definitely Death Metal.

Maybe similar to some older Sepultura stuff.

There’s a definite Hardcore influence in here. So far the songs have remained quite good. I’m not exactly blown away by any means, but I like it.

Unusual for any Death Metal, I can almost make out nearly everything this singer says.

They seem to write songs about pretty much anything, everything from politics to Occultism (in English). I’m about halfway through now and I wish it had some

Review by Andrew Stanton much faster songs on it. The pace of the vocals does seem to stay the same throughout.

It is starting to sound a bit samey to me personally. It started good, but then just stayed the same. Obviously this isn’t gonna bother everyone. This is why Death Metal albums need really fast songs every once in a

while to avoid this issue.

It’s okay, I wouldn’t go mad over it, but it’s ok. Quite a long album too, just shy of 50 minutes. Needed to be much, much shorter.

However, I believe in this band, I have heard what they can do, and I’m quite excited about their next album, because these guys can do better, I know it.

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https://www.facebook.com/Navalm-675895632463824

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Navalm Abnormalities and Deviations.

Some brutal Death Metal, but the interludes are so strangely beautiful, they almost seem like two different bands.

I wouldn’t quite call it Melodic Death Metal, but maybe near enough. A lot of the time the growls are a bit slow, but it’s very good.

I admit I’ve never heard of these guys, but they have released a full-length album every year since

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Review by Andrew Stanton 2015. From what I can tell, this is a political band, but I might be wrong.

Sometimes they sound a bit like Deicide, but the guitar work is definitely more Kirk Hammet. They definitely know how to play. It seems to keep that stale Death Metal hallmark, but saying that, this is quite a

short album.

I’m not gonna say there is something for everyone here, but it’s definitely a great album. Some will love it, some WILL hate it. Old school Death Metalheads will worship it. Fans of the newer Deicide stuff should absolutely check it out. Well I love it, but it’s only for the die hard Death Metal fans.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

A four way, international split including bands from Thailand and Colombia.

Lots of different languages and attitudes. The intro on this album reminds me of the outro of Gehenna’s “Eyes of the Sun”.

The album starts off with two songs by Colombia’s Oreb Zarak.

Real high energy, brutal Blackened Death Metal, very fast and awesome.

And then two songs by

Colombia’s The Witch, and in my opinion, two of their best songs. And then on to Thailand. I admit this isn’t a scene I’m very familiar with, but it’s very good so far. Awicha almost reminds me of The Witch. I think it’s fair to say, after the first two songs, the album calms down a bit (or a lot). The Witch and Awicha aren’t exactly Black Gaze, but something along those lines. Now onto Thailand’s Satanic of Phuphan, my first time hearing this band.

This band seems faster like Oreb Zarak. The album

finishes with a nice little acoustic ballad just for good measure. The two Satanic of Phuphan songs sounds like two different bands.

As much as I love this, it has a very lopsided sound, but it’s really awesome though. If you’re someone who likes a lot of different kinds of Black Metal, this split is a must own. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t think there’s a bad song on here. Well I love it, but you can make your own mind up about it.

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https://www.facebook.com/orebzarak https://www.facebook.com/awichaofficial https://www.facebook.com/The-Witch-108091774126489 https://www.facebook.com/Satanic-Of-phuphan-102213848658582

Review by Andrew Stanton

https://www.facebook.com/The-Witch-108091774126489

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Review by Andrew Stanton The Witch - Satanic Panic.

From what I have been told, this is only available on vinyl. So for the record collectors out there, this is one for you. Colombian Black Metal is pretty much always amazing.

The Witch are quite a Doomy Black band. It’s all very slow and ghostly.

Every now and then, they start to sound a bit like Carcass, but maybe it’s just me.

Or maybe more like a heavier version of Gehenna’s First Spell. Not as keyboard dominant as First

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S p e l l , b u tv e r y similar. Some of this gets really psychotic and schizophrenic at times. Where there seems to be a lot of different growls at once (in a very cool way).

A little bit faster than Happy Days and definitely more evil. Definitely bordering on DSBM, but it never quite gets emotional. The album starts (at least I think) with the sound of a priest performing an exorcism on someone, and t h e rest of t h e EP

seems to stay around that sound. The entire EP seems like a possessed person calling out and making threats. And if you read Inside the Darkness, this is more than likely your thing.

This is a band I actually know very well, and this really is their best release to date. I absolutely love it. I would usually call out a band for being too slow, but these guys have really nailed it. I’m gonna say it, I do actually think this is perfect. Hopefully it gets a CD release - more people need to hear this.

Enjoy.

The Witch - Blasphemic Doctrine.

First of all, not nearly as good as Satanic Panic that I reviewed recently. The Witch are a Black Metal band with a lot of Doom influences. They have that same slowness as early Burzum. Some will love this band straight away.

It’s not quite Blazegaze, it never gets depressing. But they’re good at what they do.

If you haven’t been introduced to the Colombian scene yet, then maybe now it’s time you

did. But saying that, The Witch don’t sound like other Colombian bands ( they might disagree with me ).

Definitely the most laid back Black Metal band outside the DSBM scene. I would call it the mirror opposite of Black Thrash. Like with all slower Black Metal bands, it often starts to sound very ghostly at times. Fans of DSBM and

Blackgaze might love this band.

Halfway through the album we get like an acoustic ballad, it’s strangely beautiful. After hearing this song, I think I’m starting to understand this band a bit more. This band could write some great Atmospheric Black Metal in my opinion.

I can tell they understand it without creating it.

After lots of singles and EPs, this is their first proper album and it’s good. It’s definitely not for everyone, but The Witch are bloody good at what they do.

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https://www.facebook.com/The-Witch-108091774126489

Review by Andrew Stanton

https://www.facebook.com/breathoffire61

Review by Andrew Stanton Acherontas Malocchio The Seven Tongues of Δαημων.

I think most people will agree with me, the Greek Black Metal scene is the most important after Norway. It’s hard to disagree, some legendary bands - Astarte, Rotting Christ, Septic

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Flesh. So far, this album hasn’t been an easy listen.

It’s pretty extreme.

It’s one of those albums where the guitars play quite a high pitch.

Even I’m

struggling if I’m honest.

They seem to have directed all their focus on basically just being extreme.

However, the vocals are quite slow. Some of it reminds me of the early Emperor stuff.

Because of the slow vocals, I do find it a bit boring.

The distortion on the high pitch guitars are what makes this extreme.

It really blocks everything else out. You can barely hear the blast beats. It needs faster singing and it needs the drumlines to create a good beat. Instead we get distortion. Of course, some die hard Metalheads WILL love this and will probably say that I don’t know what I’m talking about. A super, super hard listen. I hate it personally, but check it out if you want. As I said, some WILL worship this, but it’s not for me.

Blazemth - The Return of Lucifer.

As unrealistic as it might seem, fans have had to wait since 1993 for this debut album.

Since then they have just released a few EPs. It was definitely worth the wait, but I suppose they have had a long, long, long time to prepare and practice for this. If you have been a fan since their first EP all those years ago, then now is your chance. I have to admit, I have never heard their early EPs, but The Return of Lucifer sounds like very modern Black Metal.

I’m guessing their older

stuff is VERY different from this.

Some of it reminds me of Emperor ( the Equilibrium era ), but I would say a bit more melodic. Some of the vocals sound quite fast on this. It’s certainly a very clean sound with a good production. But to be fair, they are super experienced. Despite its title, the lyrical subjects tend to be pretty m u c h j u s t

everything. There seems to be a tiny bit of dungeon synth between each track, not sure why, but it’s very cool. So okay, not the best Black Metal band on the planet, but a million miles from the worst. I like it.

Good energy and as I said before, some quite fast stuff on here. I like it.

If you prefer Black Metal with a cleaner, more professional sound, then this is for you… Enjoy.

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https://www.facebook.com/blazemthband

Review by Andrew Stanton

https://www.facebook.com/KimaeraOfficial

Review by Andrew Stanton Kimaera - Imperivm.

So far, I’m absolutely blown away by this.

Some VERY posh Symphonic Death Metal, but there’s a lot more to it than that.

When I first saw the cover, I wasn’t expecting this at all. In fact, I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting. But what I got instead was probably better. I knew it was gonna be posh though.

Sometimes the interludes remind me of Arcturus ( La Masquerade Infernale era ). It goes from

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deep growls to beautiful female Gothic Metal parts.

So far, I’m only on track 4, but I just know it’s gonna be perfect. The quality hasn’t dropped once. Certain parts are very much Blackened Death Metal ( really good Blackened Death Metal ). Just f**king wow. Even some of the guitar solos are very Yngwie Malmsteen.

Just buy it, stop wasting time. It really does have everything. It goes from Blackened Death Metal to Gothic Metal to little

piano pieces, but it never gets weird like Sigh.

From what I’m reading now, this singer actually died from a gas leak before this album was released.

But if this is what he leaves us to remember him by, then god bless you.

One of the best bands around as far as I’m concerned. If you can find fault in this or its production, you definitely know more about music than I do. One for the more upper class Death Metalhead.

Best album of the year.

Review by Andrew Stanton It’s almost like Blackgaze with much less emotion.

If you prefer slower Black Metal, then go for it. But for me, I need faster singing.

However, the musicianship is good and it’s shortish. If you’re a fan of these guys and you’re buying this just for the live

stuff, again, go for it. It’s probably a dream release for you.

Despite being fairly legendary in Italy, this is my first time hearing of this band. They’re almost like a more laid back version of Cadaver, if that’s your thing. With faster vocals, I know I would have loved this. But as it is, it’s just missing the important part.

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https://www.facebook.com/frostmooneclipse

Frostmoon Eclipse Rustworn.

This is one of the oldest Black Metal bands in Italy. But I think Death Metal plays a big influence here.

They remind me of Cadaver. They consider themselves Melodic old school Black Metal, but I don’t hear it personally. Vocals are quite slow and brutal with this band.

This is a short EP with some live songs. It’s way too slow for me personally.

The blast beats on the interludes tend to be the best parts of this in my opinion.

https://www.facebook.com/darkfuneral

Review by Olga Schneider Dark Funeral We Are the Apocalypse.

It’s been a while since Dark Funeral released their previous album «Where shadows forever reign», which, I must confess, still feels like listening to it for the first time each time I return to that.

So when I saw the announcement of «We are the Apocalypse», I don’t know why but that made me think it was gonne be some kind of continuation/ development of the previous opus.

Well, actually Dark

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Funeral have never made anything bad, and on the other hand, they haven’t made anything completely new for themselves lately, and that’s related to everything: sound, lyrics, atmosphere and all this stuff. So the new album hasn’t become any kind of unreal discovery so to say.

In my opinion, it sounds a bit calmer that t h e

previous one, but generally the oldies are just keeping doing what they have always been doing. No commercial experiments or any other adventures, but just rough, cold but at the same time moderately melodic Black Metal. You just recognize this manner from the first seconds of each track.

I just want to say that there is no point in waiting something completely new from such bands. They’re just keeping their music in their own frames, but they’re doing it killer, and the point is that they never split up with the years.

Agathodaimon - The Seven.

This is Black Metal, but it’s almost crazy how easy it is to listen to. It doesn’t seem to have the challenging parts that Black Metal is famous for. It’s not super heavy or extreme, it’s more relaxed maybe. A lot of clean vocals on this.

Of course, to serious, die hard Black Metalheads, I’m probably making this sound really bad. But give it a chance.

To me personally, it almost

sounds like My Dying Bride meets Emperor. It’s a good sound. More serious than Carach Angren and Notre Dame. This definitely has a target audience of beginner Black Metal fans. The more experienced Black Metal fan will probably

hate it. For the record, I have been a Black Metalhead since 1997, but I am enjoying this. The sound gets very posh at times. If it

was funny like Notre Dame, it might even be better, but that’s just opinion. It’s definitely not for everyone, but some will love this band (or this album at least).

All in all, it’s very good. If you’re new to Black Metal, this is one for you. If you’re an old school Mayhem/ Enslaved fan, seriously avoid it. Some of this I loved to bits, I absolutely couldn’t find fault. Just know what you’re buying here.

https://www.facebook.com/agathodaimon

Review by Andrew Stanton

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https://www.facebook.com/people/Sakis-Tolis/100011073065110

Sakis Tolis - Among the Fires of Hell.

Everything related to Greek Extreme Metal for me personally has always been related to incredibly hight quality in any aspects, and one of the most interesting releases of 2022 which has actually recently started has become the first album of Sakis Tolis named «Among the Fires Of Hell».

Actually, when he unexpectedly announced any activity which is not related to Rotting Christ, there was no doubts that even if it would be something completely

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Review by Olga Schneider different, we would feel any RC influence anyway.

You know, the decades couldn’t have passed without leaving a trace...

And it turned out exactly that way. I wouldn’t even say it’s something different from Rotting Christ. It feels like the most melancholic or rather atmospheric part of Rotting Christ detached from their whole content.

This is all about power, lots of emotions but at the same time - incredible calm woven into Black

Metal (but not only Black Metal) canvas. Within all the madness and the absurdity of everything that is happening in the world at the moment, it’s a strong piece of pure beauty. On the other hand, time is flying and none of us is getting younger, but I just wanna say that this kind of content is highly related rather to the maturity and nothing else.

https://www.facebook.com/abbathband

Abbath - Dread Reaver.

First of all, I admit I don’t know much about Immortal or Abbath. So far, the style reminds me a lot of the later Moterhead stuff. I can’t really explain why. It’s very good.

It’s Black Metal but it seems to have a sort of biker element to it, if that makes any sense.

If you’re a fan of Motorhead, Voivod, Celtic Frost, maybe even Endezzma, you need to check this out. They don’t really remind me of a Black Metal band. As a Black Metalhead who doesn’t follow the Norwegian

Review by Andrew Stanton scene (yeah, sad I know), I got into this right from track one. I’m on track 5 now and I don’t think there’s been a bad song yet. Just good songs. I know it’s only April, but this will take some beating for “best album of the year”. For a Metalhead, it’s very hard not to love. Apparently they write songs about war, but I admit I’m n o t

making any of it out so far, but it is all in English. We have a cover of Metallica’s ‘Trapped Under Ice’ that is also very good. Maybe the best cover of a Metallica song. The drums and the guitars are all very good on this album.

Pretty amazing as far as I’m concerned. The Metallica cover doesn’t sound out of place at all. And quite frankly, I think I need to check out some of their older albums and some old Immortal stuff. All of a sudden, I feel I have missed out.

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https://www.facebook.com/Order-of-Nosferat-101630385169968

Review by Andrew Stanton Order of Nosferat Nachtmusik.

This is some slightly better than average Black Metal from a German/Finish two piece band. We have a song followed by a nice instrumental track. So far, I think the instrumental parts are the best parts, but the rest isn’t totally shit. I like it at least, it’s just not truly amazing. But it’s okay.

The parts between the instrumental parts I would call Raw Black Metal, but the instrumental parts give it a good atmospheric

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quality. The album they released before this, Arrival of the Plague Bearer, was the same. A Black Metal song followed by a Dark Ambient instrumental. The more I listen, the more I am quite enjoying it to be honest.

Kind of like Murduk, but not as hard to get into.

The amount of pretty little instrumental songs definitely take the edge off and make it more enjoyable.

The instrumental songs are very much like The Elder Scrolls soundtrack. This is one album I feel grateful I was asked to review. I would probably never have heard it otherwise. I like this band.

I’m not gonna say it’s easy to listen to, but you can tell they have put a lot of effort into this. Some of the instrumental songs I might call mini masterpieces. Trust me when I say this band has earned a few minutes of your time.

Review by Andrew Stanton say it’s perfect, but who cares?

Just thrash out to it. Apparently it’s Viking Metal, but I can’t really tell. I think I can safely say, if you hate this, you’re NOT a Metalhead at all. Or at least not a Thrash fan. This is a Metalheads dream album. Kvaen released another album in 2020 which I’m now dying to hear. This is a solo artist

who deserves to be worshiped.

After all the noise, the album finishes off with a one and half minute piano solo, because he can. It’s the most out of place solo ever in the history of music, but who cares?

I reviewed it for free but I wouldn’t have regretted buying it. It’s amazing. You deserve to hear this.

Go and buy it, maybe at any price… Maybe.

I’m quite tired after hearing this. What more do you need to know?

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https://www.facebook.com/OFFICIALKVAEN

Kvaen - The Great Below.

This is one of those albums that just explodes.

High energy over the top.

Yes…!!!

As soon as the album began I was blown away by it. I have to admit I thought the album was gonna slow down after the opening track, but not with this band. It’s so fast, it’s almost Black Thrash. I fucking love it.

I was never properly introduced to Swedish Black Metal. I think this is only the third or fourth band I have heard. I’m not gonna

https://www.facebook.com/BloodCountessOfficial

Review by Andrew Stanton Blood Countess Occulta Tenebris.

Some Raw Black Metal from the UK. It’s not amazing, but it’s not shit.

It just tends to be just straight forward Black Metal - if that’s your thing. Not as good as Old Forest.

It’s an album for those die hard Black Metalheads.

The album starts off with very Raw Black Metal and pretty much just stays the same. For some people, this is exactly what they want, but most

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other people will need a bit more. This is a new band who released a demo a few years ago. I never heard it personally, but I’m guessing it’s like this.

T h e musicianship is great on

this, of course, Black Metal isn’t easy to create. There’s a million

bands who do it better and there’s a million bands who do it worse. Definitely not good for the Black Metal virgins, but it’s okay. It reminds me of the Black Metal from yesteryear, like the early Enslaved stuff.

It’s always nice to see bands staying true to Metal and not being dickheads ( especially with British bands ).

So okay, it’s fairly good. It’s just not amazing. I might never listen to it again, but it’s worth checking out.

Well done guys.

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https://www.facebook.com/andeblackmetal

Review by Andrew Stanton Ande - Vehemence.

I think we can all agree, Atmospheric Black Metal is definitely the hardest subgenre of Black Metal to listen to. I know for a fact it took me years getting into it. I can’t be dishonest enough to say any Atmospheric Black Metal album is an easy listen, it WILL take a lot of getting used to and understanding it.

Belgium’s solo guy Ande is no exception to this, it’s a super hard listen, but I recommend putting the time and effort in, because he’s definitely

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worth it.

Like with all Atmospheric Black Metal, you can expect the most horrible music combined with the most beautiful sounds you have ever heard in your life. I can fully understand why so many people hate it, it takes a serious amount of patience.

Ande is one of those guys who writes songs about nature and

sadness and despair. This time writing all in English for once.

He’s an artist I always wish well, because the amount of effort he puts into his albums is pretty amazing. Sometimes he reminds me of the very early days of Emperor, but with his own take on it.

If you ever wanted to test the Atmospheric Black Metal waters, I think Ande is one of the best places to start, but it won’t be that easy. It’s still gonna take a lot of patience.

This is very good, but just make sure you know what you’re buying. It takes the right sort of listener.

https://www.facebook.com/watainofficial

Review by Andrew Stanton Watain - The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain.

I wouldn’t exactly call it an easy listen, but it’s not bad. This is one of the bands we all know quite well. The album begins and pretty much just keeps it up. The energy stays really high on this.

I think all the Swedish Black Metal I have heard has all been in this kind of style.

About halfway through there is a little female vocal part that just reminded me of The Third and The Mortal.

I’ll be very honest, I’m

not really getting a lot of this - anti-cosmic and chaos gnosticism. Now maybe I’m just very stupid or these topics are just way too cool for me, I don’t know. It’s great, but it’s not amazing.

It’s not as good as the Abbath album I reviewed the other week, but it’s not shit at all.

I think it should have been a bit shorter, but it’s great as it is. It’s almost an hour

long and you know what I’m like. It’s a very good start to the year.

The first part of this year has been pretty amazing so far. One thing I love about Watain is they never give in to the trendy magazines.

It’s Black Metal - made

by Black Metal fans for Black Metal fans. If you’re expecting trendy shit, don’t even waste your time. Black Metal fans all over the world have been looking forward to this one and you WON’T be disappointed.

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Upcoming albums

Struck by a burst of inspiration, DEMONICAL indulged in a creative spree immediately after the release of their antecedent offering, «World Domination»; and with expertise worthy of death metal veterans, shaped it into «Mass Destroyer.»

Developed in less than two years, the album reflects the energy that spawned its creation, and keeps to the Swede’s HM2-beaten track, promising a few twists along the way. Adorned in an old fashioned attire, «Mass Destroyer» packs a gruesome punch, embodies organic sounding and delivers a truly fiendish experience from well-seasoned old-school death-dealers.

«Mass Destroyer» will be released on May 6, 2022.

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The Bitter End of Old» is the 9th full length album by the Portuguese Black Metal Legends Corpus Christii. On this opus the band have seem to find a way to surpass all their previous records in production as well on musical approach by a clear mile.

A combination of old school black metal tradition with new sought elements that create a blasphemous atmosphere filled with darkness and evil.

The guitars are mesmerizing, filled with heaviness and the right dose of melodies where the bass guitar underlines the heaviness and yet have a clear production together.

The drums have their own pattern and stand out by delivering the right punch on the snare and kick, finalized by the exact same punch on the fill sound. And last but not least, the vocals are harsh, hateful and preach pure torment and blasphemy.

The Bitter End of Old will be released on May 13, 2022.

“Modern Primitive” is the new album by SEPTICFLESH who present a stunning combination of symphonic and cinematic music with aggressive yet catchy Death Metal. Picking up on the group’s sonic evolution in the past decades, “Modern Primitive” proves to be more emotional, epic and heavy than ever.

Tracklist 1. The Collector 2. Hierophant 3. Self-Eater 4. Neuromancer 5. Coming Storm 6. A Desert Throne 7. Modern Primitives 8. Psychohistory 9. A Dreadful Muse ‘Modern Primitive’ will be released on May 20, 2022.

Lord Belial is a Swedish Black Metal band that was formed during the second wave of Black Metal in Europe in 1992.

Their first album “Kiss the Goat” came out in 1995, somewhat late during the second-wave, but they had already released a couple of demos before.

During the years following their debut album Lord Belial has released 8 more studio albums and has been both active and on hold for some of these 30 years of existence.

Their last studio album dates back to 2008, being “The Black Curse”, after which Lord Belial remained active as a live band, but was put on hold in 2015.

In 2020 Lord Belial decided to reform.

And now Lord Belial has matured to a powerhouse and delivered a convincing comeback album that will appeal to all fans of Swedish Black Metal, but also people has lean more towards Death Metal and kill for haunting melodies. The variation is the strongest point of “Rapture”, going from epic doomy atmospheric songs to fast and furious blackened attacks, making it a full album experience for sure.

Rapture will be released on May 27, 2022.

World renowned extreme Metal titans KREATOR are back! 5 Years after their incredibly successful “Gods Of Violence” album, the genre-defining band presents their most political effort to date. “Hate Über Alles” is a bold statement against hate and the division of society in today’s world.

«Hate Über Alles» features 11 tracks that once again show who’s boss in this game that many begin but only few ultimately last in. The crushing frenzy of the title track, the pounding “Strongest Of The Strong” featuring world famous vegan strongman Patrik Baboumian, the nostalgia of “Become Immortal” or the extravaganza of “Midnight Sun” make the band’s 14th album their most diverse and thrilling so far.

Tracklist: 1. Sergio Corbucci Is Dead 2. Hate Über Alles 3. Killer Of Jesus 4. Crush The Tyrants 5. Strongest Of The Strong 6. Become Immortal 7. Conquer And Destroy 8. Midnight Sun 9. Demonic Future 10. Pride Comes Before The Fall 11. Dying Planet “Hate Über Alles” will be released on June 3, 2022.

With “The Devils”, long-running Diabolical Death Metal titans BELPHEGOR unleash their twelfth studio album upon the masses, which proves to be one of the strongest and most elaborate records in the group’s career. Produced at renowned Fascination Studios with Jens Bogren (Kreator, Rotting Christ, At The Gates), “The Devils” sounds absolutely crushing and dynamic, sonically pushing the immense variety of the eight tracks to new heights.

Tracklist: 1. The Devils 2. Totentanz - Dance Macabre 3. Glorifizierung des Teufels 4. Damnation – Höllensturz 5. Virtus Asinaria – Prayer 6. Kingdom Of Cold Flesh 7. Ritus Incendium Diabolus 8. Creature Of Fire 9. Blackest Sabbath 1997 (Bonus Track) The Devils will be released on June 24, 2022.

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