#23 Inside the Darkness

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Editor’s brief Editor’s brief

Helmuth Lehner (Belphegor) for his TOTAL support

...and especially to these people for the interviews

Thulus (Asgard)/ Askvader (Hetroertzen)

Marvin Lawrence (Old Pagan)

Amanda (Kirth Roth)/ Witege (Withdraw)

Angiel Romero (Oreb Zarak)

Isabel (Mysterium Vacui)/ Draugr (Howling)

Richard (Bloodrust) / Yaotizin (Blaspherion)

Tomas and Demonen (Fini)

Geoff (Primordial Serpent)

Namtar (Namtaru)/ Roanoke (Till)

Hail everyone!

Just keep this webzine in your mind as it is now, cause lots of changes are coming. Positive ones of course. Soon we’re turning 4 years, and it’s time to get on some new level.

And as always, we want to pay our gratitude to each of you folks. The horde is growing, and it strongly motivates us to change for the best and keep creating content for you. But while we’re working... Enjoy this one.

In Metal, Schneider

Wvlfgar and Tyler (Isataii)

Riccardo and Emanuele (The Ace Drops)

Martin and Natalia (Sisters Memon)

Carolina Perez (Castrator)

Halfden (Moor)/ 6o66y (Progoat)

Mort’loch Graves (Nebulous Of Blood)

Jose (The Scum)/ Necroar (Pervertor)

Mike and Morgan (Poontickler)

Jay Parker - Editor, Interviewer, Reviewer

Lorena Delgado - Interviewer, Reviewer Richard Keenahan - Interviewer// Kim Kjole - Reviewer Namtar - Interviewer// Patrick Schroeder - Reviewer

Asgard

Interview with Thulus...................10

Hetroertzen

Interview with Askvader..............14

Old Pagan

Interview with Marvin Lawrence.........16

Kirth Roth

Interview with Amanda..........................18

Oreb Zarak

Interview with Angiel Romero......20

Withdraw

Interview with Witege..................24

Bloodrust

Interview with Richard Keenahan...............32

Fini

Interview with Tomas and Demonen...............36

Mysterium Vacui

Interview with Isabel Andujar.........40

Blaspherion

Interview with Yaotizin....................42

News from hell.....................................6

Namtaru

Interview with Namtar..........................50

Isataii. Interview with Wvlfgar and Tyler.........54

The Ace Drops

Interview with Riccardo and Emanuele.............56

Sisters Memon

Interview with Martin and Natalia........58

Till. Interview with Roanoke.............62

Castrator

Interview with Carolina Perez..........64

Howling. Interview with Draugr......66

Moor. Interview with Halfden Svarti....70

Nebulous Of Blood

Interview with Mort’loch Graves..........72

Progoat. Interview with 6o66y.........74

Pervertor. Interview with Necroar..........76

The Scum.

Interview with Jose Ospina.......80

Poontickler

Interview with Mike and Morgan.................82

Best Metal releases..............84

Stories about Metal bands....................110

Metalheads are waiting for it...128

ATTENTION! AN EDITOR NEEDED. SINcE OuR EDITION IS AcTIvEly gROwINg, wE hAvE REAlIzED ThAT wE NEED mORE pEOplE TO OuR bOARD.

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wE’RE puRE ENThuSIASTS, AND ThE pAymENT IS STRONg ExpERIENcE Of cOllAbORATION wITh mASSIvE ExTREmE mETAl bANDS AND lOTS Of NEw kIllER cONTAcTS IN gENERAl.

Inside the Darkness issues

World Metal News

Festival lineup:

avslut

Barshasketh

Benediction

BirdFlesh

corpsessed

craFt

creative Waste

damim

decrepid

decrepit

deitus

Birth

desecration

devangelic

die choking entrails

gets Worse

grey Brain

inFest

interment

kjeld lik

liquid sht

malthusian

martyrdöd

states massacre

meat spreader

necrosy

nuclear assault

putrid oFFal

sacramentum

scordatura

thanatos

the Funeral

orchestra

vacivus

WolFBrigade

The concept of Deathfests is simple: to bring to the world the best and most extreme bands the underground has to offer. Never conforming to trends, or being limited by genre restrictions, organisers want to showcase what extreme music, both new and old, is capable of. With an emphasis on diversity, their festivals bring together the very best death metal, grindcore, doom, thrash, hardcore, black metal, and experimental bands from all around the world.

Meh Suff! Metal-Festival 2022

Friday 9 September -

Saturday 10 September 2022

Zurich, Switzerland

metal Festival each year in hüttikon, sWitzerland. this Festival is the oFFicial Battleground For the most hardcore metal Fans out there. don’t expect a major carnival-like Festival scene here. at meh suFF!, it’s all... ... death metal, Black metal, trash metal and more grace the stage at the meh suFF! at meh suFF!, it’s all aBout the music. the intimate and local Feel add to the authenticity oF the heavy metal community.

lineup

Friday 9 September

18:00 | Doors

18:30 – 19:00 | Heathen

Heretic

19:20 – 19:50 |

Megaton Sword

20:20 – 21:05 | Bølzer

21:35 – 22:30 |

Melechesh

23:00 – 00:00 |

Ensiferum

Saturday 10 September

15:00 | Doors

15:50 – 16:20 |

Calarook

16:50 – 17:20 | Lotrify

17:50 – 18:35 | Malphas

19:05 – 19:55 | Desaster

20:25 – 21:15 | God

Dethroned

21:45 – 22:45 | Korpiklaani

23:15 – 00:00 | Rectal

Depravity

Headliners

Naglfar

Necrophobic

World Metal News

Raise Your Horns 2022

Friday 9 September - Saturday 10 September 2022

Region Hovedstaden, Denmark

demonical heidra

helslave

hideous divinity

manticora

mork gryning

noctem

raven throne

shadoWspaWn

urkraFt

headliners: Benediction marduk

Belenos, Benighted, destinity, hysteria, inhumate, loudBlast, misanthrope, ritualization, Worms eat her.

Muscadeath 2022

Friday 30 September - Saturday 1 October 2022

Pays de la Loire, France

Hi, this is Jay reporting from Bogota Colombia... Today I’m lucky enough to speak to Thulus from the fast-rising Swiss band Asgard...

Hey man, thanks for taking the time to speak to our readers despite your busy schedule...

Thank you for your interest in Asgard. The band was founded in 2005

Helmuth von Belphegor influences my vocals. I like the game between Screams and Crowls.Helmuthisthemasterforme!

1) Tell us when/where/why Asgard was formed...

Thulus: Hail Jay!

in Switzerland, more precisely Lucerne. Asgard is a tribute to the Scandinavian black met-

al scene of the 90s. Hence the name. We have the demos Var en gang, Screams from the Abyss, the EPs War at Last and Leviathan a split with Transzendenz and the album Leuchtenstadt.

2) Who is currently in the band?

Abaddon - Drums

Thulus - Vocals

Interview by Jay Parker

Interview with Thulus

J - Guitars

Lector-Bass

Aravan – Guitars live Nero - composer

3) Your latest release, Leuchtenstadt, is a smashing release... fast, frenetic, dark and melodic in its moments... tell us when and where it was recorded, and walk us through the tracks, and tell our readers, where to buy them. I understand that it is available on CD and cassette?

Thulus: Thank you for your positive feedback!

The album was recorded in our Hellvete Studio in Lucerne by our drummer Abaddon. Except for the drums. These were recorded at the Iguana Studios in Germany, where the mixing and mastering was also done by Christoph Brandes. We released the album as a CD version in cooperation with Wolfmond Productions (DE). As I know, you can only find the CD with the band itself. If you want, get in touch on Facebook at:

hordesofasgard or Instagram: asgard_bm_official. The homepage is under construction but you can also write to us there: asgard-blackmetal.ch The tape will follow in August via Masters Of Kaos Production. We are

4) What is the inspiration behind the lyrics?

Tell us about the lyrics you compose...

Thulus: The city of lights (Lucerne) used to be disreputable in Switzerland. The inhabitants were bad Christians. Too much partying, booze, food and whores. As punishment, they were tortured on the water tower. The water tower is a symbol of the city of Lucerne. A really nice place you should visit. The other texts were decorated around the city of lights. It’s about war, death, myths and the dark side of life.

5) Tell us about the music... who writes the guitar and bass parts? Who plays the drums? The album has some fucking sick riffs...

very happy about that. The vinyl version will also be available soon via TeufelsZeug Records (DE).

Thulus: Most of the album was written by our founder Skygge. We are still in close contact with him. The latest tracks are from the whole band. Nero makes a big part. This will also be the case in the future.

6) I know you’ve been playing festivals this summer... tell us how they went...

Thulus: Yes, we were at the Forest Fest Open Air! That didn’t quite go as planned. Among other things, we didn’t have time for the corpse paint. haha But what is it?! We have shared the stage with the mighty Urgehal!!!

The next festival is in September. The Meh Suff Open Air in Switzerland. We are there with bands like Dark Funeral, Necrophobic, Unleashed, Borknagar, Boloodbath and Abbath’s Bömbers. That will be cool.

7) Tell us about your musical influences... What did you listen to as a kid? What bands are you listening to now?

Thulus: I started with bands like Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Megadeth and more. After that came bands like Sepultura, Morbid Angel, Obituary, Deicide, Dismember and many more. What I still hear today. I came to Black Metal with old Samael and Moonspell. After that I quickly got to know Scandinavian Black Metal. I took it all in. I don’t think I need to mention any band names.

We all know them. Like I said, I still listen to it to this day. My musical influences are definitely 90’s Black Metal. Helmuth von Belphegor influences my vocals. I like the game between Screams and Crowls. In this discipline, Helmuth is the master for me!

8) Recommend some good new bands from Switzerland.

Thulus: Of course I would like to recommend my other band Ghörnt which I have with J. Malphas, Causam, Aara, Han, Ungfell and Chotzä are a few more to try.

9) What are your expectations for the future? What are your long term goals as a band?

Thulus: We are already working on new tracks. A new album is definitely a goal. We hope to play some more gigs in the future and meet the people who support us.

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

Thulus: Of course the best experiences are releases like albums and cool gigs with bands you like. The worst are gigs where things don’t go as you wish.

11) How do you think BM will develop over the next few years? Do

you see it as a healthy scene at the moment?

Thulus: It’s not like there are a lot of good albums like there were in the 90’s anymore if you ask me.

But there are always cool new bands. I don’t want to get involved in these true / not true discussions. I’m too old for that. In the black metal area, CDs, LPs, tapes and shirts are bought. That’s a healthy thing. This is how it should go on!

12) What advice would you give to young musicians reading this who might be trying to follow in your footsteps and go down the left hand path to Black Metal Darkness?

Thulus: I wouldn’t advise anyone to follow in my footsteps. hahaha!

You never stop learning. Do what you think is right and also support other bands.

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

Thulus: Thanks for the attention. Visit us on Facebook and Instagram if you want and listen to Leuchtenstadt.

A huge thank you Thulus... Hail to the Helvetic Hordes!!! Hail 666

26 Bands, 13 Countries, 4 Labels, 2 CDS, 1 Zine... and 1 Truly Diabolical Compilation... The Very Best Of International Black Metal!!!

Hello and welcome to Inside the Darkness...

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

Hetroertzen was formed back in 1997 in southern Chile by Deacon D. as his solo band. I joined him two years later as guitarist. We recorded our debut album in 2002, and two more albums a few years later in

Chile. Then in 2009 we relocated to Sweden and found a stable line up and we continue stronger than ever.

- What bands did

you like growing up?

I started to like the hardest sort of music when I was a

kid. Before I even listened to Black Metal I was a big fan of Death Metal, Alternative Rock and Punk. Bands like Sepultura, Cannibal Corpse, Green Day, Misfits, Marylin Manson, Metallica where my favorite during my early years, then I discovered Black Metal through Marduk and Emperor and it became my favorite music style, it kind

Interview by Andrew Stanton

I love when bands use other sorts of lesserknown languages / dialects to write their poetry.

of reshaped my world views since it fitted the kind of personality I had back then.

- What does Hetroertzen mean?

Hetroertzen represents everything we are passionate for, everything we love and everything we believe in. It is a name/ concept Deacon D. created, so there is no meaning if you try to find it on a dictionary. I think it is very powerful to create something from nothing, like an entity that you feed through the years, something very personal that means a lot to you and that you know nobody else will use it.

- What are your lyrics about?

The lyric themes enclose Occult matters such, Luciferianism, Alchemy, Gnosticism and the like. They are made both philosophically and poetically. So that they symbolize our spiritual path in its highest as well as our personal experience of the Light.

- Why do you choose to sing in English?

There are some benefits to have your lyrics and message written in English, first of all, it is the largest language in the world, and it sounds quite ok in connection with

own interpretation of the inner alchemy of the album.

There is symbolism that represent our band and there are colors like purple that represents the magical realm. The triangle is also a very important symbol for us (triumvirate) and all eyes I had there can be seen as awareness. As an illustrator I hope for the viewer to observe my artwork and reflect on it.

- What other Chilean bands should I readers check out?

Chile got an excellent extreme Metal scene in my opinion. I personally enjoy bands like Godless, Defaced, LvxCaelis, Dark Horde, to name a few!

the music. But of course, I love when bands use other sorts of lesser-known languages / dialects to write their poetry, that gives an extra mystical aura to their art.

- What is on the cover of Phosphorus Vol 1?

The cover was created by yours truly and it is my

- Do you have a message for our readers?

Our new album Phosphorus Vol I will be out in September 16th, and we are very much looking forward to unleash it to the world. For more info check www.hetroertzen.se and www.listenable.eu

Thank you for your time.

1.) What made you start the band Old Pagan and what year did the band start?

M: I founded Old Pagan in 1996 as I was influenced by bands like Celtic Frost, Darkthrone, Gorgoroth, Marduk, Alte Sodom, Destruction, Profanatica.

2.) What are your plans for Old Pagan in the future?

M: Just keep going as long as I can.

3.) You just released the new album “She Loves The Pain”, in my opinion it was one of the best re-

Interview by Namtar

leases in years, what was the driving force behind the writing for this album?

M: Actually, I wanted to make another album that reminds me of the black metal of the

nowadays there are hardly any good new bands where it is worth listening to.

4.) Who writes all the songs and lyrics for Old Pagan?

M: I write everything from time to time there are guest mudikers who contribute with a song or lyrics but usually I write everything music and lyrics.

90s and what I think black metal should be like, because I can’t do anything with modern BM and

Old Pagan has always been a solo project of mine and I have guest musicians for live performances.

Interview with Marvin Lawrence

Due to the worldwide corona shit, a lot was destroyed that black metallers should actually fight.

5.) I know you’ve been in the scene as long as I have, what changes have you seen in black metal from the early days to today?

M: In the end you can only rely on the old bands, although there were also some old bands that broke the style. And there are a lot of the new ones that are just ridiculous like vegan, natural, Ghent Black Metal, what’s the point of this rubbish. Black Metal was and is just mean, ruthless, brutal, perverted. Everything else is a joke.

6.) Do you have any plans to play shows or tours in your home country Germany or elsewhere this year?

M: No, there won’t be any live shows in the near future, first a new live line up has to be found. And due to the worldwide corona shit, a lot was destroyed that black metallers should actually fight because the society we live in is mostly minus people, I’m not a misanthrope for no reason.

7.) You are involved in many bands, would you name them and what each band means to you?

M: Main band is Old Pagan. Then comes goatthornsskullbonechrusher, my death metal band, which is also important to me because I like old death metal a lot too. Then there’s Birkaein, a project Black Metal band by B.s.o.d/ Cruelty and me, the site ex-

ists in 1999 but rarely anything new comes, but there’s also something planned with B.s.o.d on keyboards and vocals. Otherwise many solo studio projects like I AM WAR (War black) SlowFlyingBullet (S.F.B.)

Doom Metal, Hellsquad (Old school Thrashing Black Metal) with international studio line up from Norway, Australia, Japan and Germany. And my current band

ly working on a new EP, what will the title be and when will it be ready for release?

M: Yes, I’m currently working on a maxi EP entitled “Broken Horns” I’m still working on the songs, I’m planning to go to the studio in autumn/winter. 10.) You also have your own cassette label, what’s the name of your label and when did it start M: Steel Shellac Rec. it’s been around for a few years, but I’m not someone who produces a lot of tapes, even if it’s mostly my own music. 11.) Which bands influenced Old Pagan?

M: Darkthrone, Darkthrone, Darkthrone, 12.) Is there anything you would like to say to your fans, friends or readers of the Inside The Darkness zine?

Gates of calamity Experimental Death/Black

8.) You’ve made many amazing releases with Old Pagan over the years, actually how many releases have you made since the band started?

M: five albums, four EPs and maxi EPs. seven tapes. Not counting the new editions. 9.) You are also current-

M: Don’t take any shit on you just because it’s super limited and the band has a shitty name. Because bands with shitty names make shitty music. I want to say that you are one of the many favorite bands that Plague Demon Records has had the pleasure of working with and I can’t wait for this new release to come out as all readers of this zine should check out She Loves The Pain and all the great releases from Old Pagan, I would also like to add that you are a true brother and friend, let the great releases come, war brother, hail mighty Old Pagan!

1. Hails!!! Introduce yourself to the readers. Hello I’m Amanda and I am the one-wom an black metal band KirthRoth from USA.

2. When did you get into black metal and what in spired you to start a band? I got into black metal when

I was about 13 years old my

anyone to play black metal so I did it myself

3. As the only member of the band what instruments do you play?

Guitars, Drums, vocals and keyboards

sette of Mayhem and that was it. I got tried of not finding

4. As a female artist in the black metal underground scene.

Interview by Namtar

Interview with Amanda

Satanism I am a firm believer in believing yourself and you’re the only person who can make shit happen.

Have you had any struggles to get where you are now as a one-woman black metal band?

No I have had no struggles everyone within the black metal community has been very supportive. Kinda blown away when you say that you’re a female that plays all instruments.

5. You are the only member of the band Kirth Roth. Have you had any other members before?

If not are you looking to add new members?

When I started KirthRoth I was in a blackened death metal band and we didn’t go anywhere we had some struggles. So I was the only member of Kirthroth till one of the guitar players was like damn I like your music, and not to long after that found a vocalist. And Kirthroth is now becoming a live band.

6. Are you looking to do any live shows in the future?

Yes, absolutely.

7. Who are your personal and musical influences that inspire Kirth Roth?

Asagraum and Inquisition.

8. Who or what inspires the lyrical writing for the band?

Satanism I am a firm believer in believing yourself and you’re the only person who

can make shit happen.

9. Personally who is your favorite vocalist and which vocalist inspires the demonic screams of Kirth Roth?

Dagon from inquisition for the lows for sure!! amazing skill and the haunting demonic sound from Obscura from Asagraum.

But I think that the scene is big and stronger than ever, there is a lot of black metal bands that are surfacing which are just wow amazing. I believe it will just continue on growing in the future.

11. What releases are available for the readers to check out and what do they have to look forward to in the future?

My first album is released on Bandcamp: Summoning Of Our Lord Lucifer: working on a new album and having drops of tracks to keep the audience interested. Plus, KirthRoth is going live to do some amazing musicians and great friends.

10. In your opinion how do you feel about the direction of the USBM scene and black metal scene worldwide? It’s much different than it was back in the early 90s for sure.

12. I want to thank you for taking the time for this interview. For anyone who has not heard of Kirth Roth and the talent of a one-woman black metal band you are missing out. HAILS!!!! Hails

- What bands did you like growing up?

“At the age of maybe 11 or 12, the first Extreme Metal band I remember listening to was Cradle of Filth, more precisely their 1998 album “Cruelty and the Beast”, I think from that moment I fell in love with Extreme Metal, then came bands like Dimmu Borgir, Evol, Opera XI, Ancient, Astarte, Therion, Darkened Slaughter Cult, Mortician, Arch Enemy, among others, feeding my musical ear.”

- Can the Colombian scene get big in Europe?

Well I think that some Metal bands in Colombia manage to reach the international market thanks to their effort, struggle and constant creativity, something that several bands have called “self-management”, also the support of several national media and some of them with international alliances that help promote the work of countless very talented bands.”

- Are you planning to tour Europe?

“Regarding the issue of both national and international tours, on many occasions it turns out to be a bit complicated, either because the work done by the bands is not well known in that part of the world, or because of the lack of work of the bands. Likewise, there is the issue that the work of the bands is

its lyrics to the different deaths that we can experience throughout our existence, being these physical, material, emotional or spiritual.

The society that repudiates the unknown, the falsehood that surrounds our environment, the daily battle that exists within and around us. False and true love.

In this way Oreb Zarak also transmits a message of rebirth through death, a return strengthened, free, without ties, without bandages, without vain attachments and without fear.

not well rewarded or seen by the promoters of the tours, all this being a set for the lack, interest or opportunities for these tours to be carried out in the right way.”

- What are your lyrics and themes about?

“Oreb Zarak is a death cult band, this first album being an evocation through

The name of the band alludes to the seventh qlifa of the tree of death “Arab Zaraq”, being there where all the lies that we adopt as truth are annihilated.”

- Can Black Metal continue to grow with the help of Metal magazines?

“Well, if we take a look at the past, bands like Darkthrone, Mayhem, Burzum, back then they didn’t have much sup-

port, let’s say, from the media, and they have managed to maintain themselves to this day, however with the issue of social networks and the different media, nowadays it is easier for the Black Metal market to continue to maintain itself and continue to grow.”

Thank you for your time.

“Before saying goodbye, I want to take advantage of this space to first thank my entities who protect, watch over and care for me, guiding my steps every day of my life, they, who have been my inspiration and my strength to create every word and paragraph included in the lyrics of Oreb Zarak, also to all those people who in one way or another have supported this path and “dream” called Oreb Zarak, who have given me, their friendship, respect and affection, to my closest friends, to my family, to the different media outlets who have contacted me to publicize this work that is so important to me, to Viuda Negra Music for her great support and such excellent work in giving a physical light to this first

work, to Manuel Contreras, for such beautiful art embodied in every nook and cranny.

To my friends and bandmates, Rubén Restrepo, Diego Rosero, Holman Sánchez,

those whom I forgot to mention without downplaying it, thank you very much for your dedication, creativity, and beautiful friendship during this journey.

To the readers I extend a cordial greeting, a strong fraternal hug from Bogota – Colombia and I take advantage of this great space to invite you to join our different social networks.

YouTube: Official Oreb Zarak

Our page on facebook: Orebzarak

On Instagram you can find us as: OrebzarakColombia

And on our various virtual platforms Spotify & Deezer like Oreb Zarak

I am Lamia Inferorum and I say goodbye not without first thanking you for this pleasant space provided, May chaos reign within all of you and around you. Until the next opportunity. Hail Hosts of Death.”

Raimundo, Miguel Diego and

Hail too.

It’s about finding and accepting yourself an say “Yes” to your faults and inner demons who are there, everytime and everywhere. “anima smorzando” was produces in a small numbered digifile edition by Running Wild Productions which is available on witege. bandcamp.com and runningwildproductions.bandcamp.com

anima smorzando was released physically in two versions, one digifile version with the official cover and another “promo” version with the cover which was originalls intended by me, well, we took the other one, hahahahaha...

After “anima smorzando” still in march 2022 I had the absolute willing to push something out. So i decided to start the second attempt for a “one day album” and I recorded “Stimmung300322” at the – YES, YOU ARE RIGHT – at the 30th of march in 2022, hahahaha. Same idea like the last year, creating everything in one day, released at the same day, the one day album “Stimmung300322”. Time goes by and I remebered the meet and greet

with Burkard from “Winter’Breath” - https://wintersbreath.bandcamp.com/, after both of us had a song on the “Amen Vol 1” Sampler from

Running Wild Productions. Winter’s Breath is an black metal artist, also settled in vienna. We met each other for fun and talked about music and our future plans. We came togehter and fixed to realize a split album which happened in April 2022, where our Split Album “Zwei Stimmen” was releaed. All togehter there are two full lenght songs and ad-

ditional 2 Songs intro and outro. The plot concerns “voices” which is the english word for “Stimmen” which have influences on our lifes in so different forms. The last released Album by Withdraw was “Histriogram”, which is about the the phenomenom of the „histrionic personality disorder“, whose symptoms are a high amount of emotionality, very ego oriented. People who are affected are very interested to be in the focus of others, artistlike behaviour, funny, loud, charming, flirt with people to be admired by others. Their language is very ambitious and dramatic but on the other side they are very superficial persons, even if they think or act like they are very deeply involved in things, their target is the immediate satisfation of their own needs. In conversation i.e., their mood can change in seconds from good to bad. If they are listening somehow to what another person is saying, they are thinking in the next moment about what they will do next week with their bike, for example.

Histriogram describes the up an downs, the ambivalent behaviour and moods of a person who is affected by this disorder.

So the intro is followed by the fast entrance song „Der Auftritt“ which describes the „appear“ of the histrionics. „Lebenstraum“ is a deep dreamly song about dreams and needs you are afraid or too blind to see them. The fast „mood changes“ – which are part of histrionics – are announced in „Intermezzo uno“. This mood change is manifested in the following more fast song „Musenkuss“, which is – untypically for the „black metal mood“ – arranged in „major“. So the sound is very „positive“ but the vocals are still hard screaming which creates some sort of contradiction. This template of emotions materialized in the music in form of very variatising sounds is the red line through the album, which culminates in the song „Was du bist“, which describes the moment a person is „detecting“ your „histrionic disorder“ and is „convicting“ and „seeing“ your true nature and essence. So Histriogram is – again – a journey, through deep abysses and dark corners of human nature or just a way through a declaration of true existence and honesty.

All my music is available on witege.bandcamp.com and some specials on runningwildproductions.bandcamp.com .

3) What is the inspiration behind your sound? I’ve been

listening to your albums over the last 3 weeks,Histriogram is my favourite, but they’re all great. You create a very unique atmosphere. The inspiration behind the sound is I would say the true norwegian sound with big reverbs and a high treble peak amount, but this is or was just the inspiration. Now I am far away from true black metal sounds, but this was just happening. I think the best thing ist to just play, make music and see were it will take you. The mind is free and art doesn’t know rules. Each person – so me – has a flew, an inner river which is flowing all the time, the delta or the end of this river is different from person to person. Your individual inner light or darkness – or the mixture of these – brings you to your individual river delta, which will maybe never be reached. But the way to get there, is your individual creative journey where nobody has the right to take it away from you. If you do something and something comes out, it’s you – as real as it is. Don’t let anybody take this from you. So for me the inspiration were the words of Teloch from Mayhem (Freedom – Satan) and some bands I was listening to, but now I made big steps, a lot of kilometers in the search of myself and my music, my

individual creative output. So the atmosphere somebody is creating is as real as she or he is bringing himself honestly in. Stay for yourself, with all the darkness and lights...

4) Tell us about the songwriting... how do does that come together? What inspires your lyrics? Well, thats funny, I think this is something which is not heard often, hahaha. My music is very often just “happening”. Most of the time I just start playing drums. I was a drummer first way in my hobby musicians life, so i played in a few Rock bands in my youth. I play drums with some mood with a melody in the backyard, but not always, sometimes i just want to „make“ some music, sometimes without a conrete goal, and I record this. Then I start adding guitars, sometimes I got some „guitar feeling“ when i record drums, I try to add this afterwords, but its not always like I thought about it before, hahaha…

Ok for real I never „write“ songs. I write lyrics, sometimes. But I am also just start singing and improvising lyrics. When I start singing/screaming to a song, it’s the feeling which generates the words. I am good with rhyming spontanically, so this is finally how my lyrics are working. The music is „happening“, and then I’m adding or removing things, it’s some sort of growing by doing.

A part I really like in this „creative process“ are my „one day projects“, I talked of them before, I really like the idea of this creative process, as it responses so many moods, feelings and spectrums of this one day it was recorded…..It is like an „musical diary“, a relict of one day.

The lyrics in my music sometimes are very personally, I think sometimes they are funny and on the other day they are just anything comes to my mind. In „Abgründig“ it’s a mixture of these elements, but hey...if you want to know something about the lyrics, listen to them, hahaha…

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

Well, Metal – and also Black Metal – was the music I was listening to my whole life, mostly in youth. When I started to make music as a hobby, it was more pop music, maybe with brit pop or austro pop elements, but it was kinda soft an relaxed pop stuff, with some dark/depressive lyrics, but yeah, different.

The decision to start with making black metal was because of the mood of corona pandemic, the mentioned before video of Teloch from Mayhem and maybe just because I wanted to try how it would sound, how I would be able to do that. So it was a “jump in the cold water” and I just tried.

The goal was...I don’t know,

to be creative, to sound in a way cool or dirty, lo fi, trying a new way of creative output and trying to make music I always loved but never had the selfconfidence zu try it because of...whatever. So there was just the “fun aspect” of doing something creative in a way I never did it before.

6) Tell us about your genius idea of writing recording producing an album in one day.... where did that come from?? And how the unholy fuck did you get such cracking albums together in 24 hours?

One day I started recording drums in the morning just for fun, it was more „brainstroming“, hahaha… and I had no clue what i want. It was just happening and i raised the idea of making a whole album in this moment while recording. So it just started with some jamming alone in a room and became an album, hahaha

It happened the first time at 13th of Octobre in 2021 where the album „Vorfall13102021“ was recorded in one day. After recording the vocals – which were also recorded „spontanically“ just out of the mood in the moment, maybe a second take when i had to sneeze, hahaha, I realized that the content and the meaning of the lyrics where mostly things which make my think about in the mood of this day ot things which concerning

my emotional environment for a long time but didn’t get the „room“ to talk about them or to deal with them.

I liked the output, because such a thing is nothing you can „plan“, you could, but it won’t fit the spirit oft he idea or the thing itself. Catching music in the moment of raising, of evolving is a very nice thing because it’s a picture of one moment, you will never do it again like this. You would do it better different, you would mix a guitar louder a synth region more silent, you wuld play another accord, and so on…. . It’s the complete difference of producing a tight, well sounding, well-thought and planned album, and maybe this is what I like so much about it. Most drums were just recorded first take and it was done. Immediately I recorded guitars, just playing what comes to mind, most of them first take, bass directly after guitars. Vocals were added the rest oft he day – with breaks caused by allday duties – and in the evening I mixed very short, some keys, sytnhs, bouncing, cover shooting 15 Minutes artwork – Release. So it is an album „founded, recorded, released“ in „one day“. So there were no ideas or lyrics or harmonies before in conrete, everything „emerged“ in one day.

The results are cool – I think (!!) hahaha – as I like the fact that this two albums – „Vorfall13102021“ and „Vorfall30032022“ are „wittnesses“ oft he day. All the mood and the spirit of a one day feeling is treasured in one music effusion. So ist some sort of a „sound diary“, listening to them today revive the feeling of these days.

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

Music inspirations are/ were (didnt care for order): Blind Guardian, Queen, Mayhem, Vallendusk, Magoth, Dimmu Borgir, Tom Waits, Cra dle of Filth, Dark Funeral (Where Shadows Forever Reign…..masterpiece), An amnesi, Gorgoroth, God Seed, Sorgelig, Dissection, Elderblood, Christoph und Lollo……..and – what ev erybody has – „our“ LIFE.

Nowaday I listen a lot to symphonic Black Metal, or Black MEtal with a lot of additional instruments like Elderblood, Winter’s Breath (an great austrian Black Metal artist I am working together now and then) and other not too famous – more underground – bands, I really like underground sound...

But what drives me and keeps me going is just the human beeing with all his depth and abysses. Bringing light

in the dark and motivate individuals to honesty and reflexion of their own presence.

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

Puh....as I have no real social interaction relating to music, as i am doing ev

er”, hahahaha....... “WORST”?

The best experience in my musician life was, when Rainer Wild from Running Wild Productions - https://runningwildproductions.bandcamp. com/ - an austrian non profit label, contacted me, asked me if I want to be part of his “AMEN” Project (Austrian MEtal News Vol. 1 – a metal sampler) an bought my music. It was the first time in my life I “sell” music, I didn’t even have a pay pal account installed, hahaha, because I never thought somebody would buy my music. This was the beginnning of this little “upgraded” hobby doing Black Metal.

9 )What are your plans for the future? Are you planning to go live?

Are you writing new material?

erything alone and making no live performances.....there’s nothing “bad” or worst which comes to my mind...not now. But when I was young, around 17, my band an me – a “psychadelic grunge” band, hahaha – played at a bandcontest and we were late cause of the traffic, so for fining us because we were late they set us as last band for the contest.....so we were fined with beeing “headlin-

As a solo artist playing live is not possible that easy, even if I found musicians for a live gig, I dont have the time ressources for countinous practising together. But never say never…

The plans fort he future is to keep going producing music, beeing creative and open for new things, maybe different things. If I listen to my metal from March 2021 till today it’s a very interesting progress and a very variatising range of music in style and sound.

It’s sometimes different, but you still here Withdraw in every song, even if it’s in a completely different approach. I will keep the sticks clashing, the guitars crying and sounding. I am aiming on a new „split project“ with Winter’s Breath – we had a great Split Release, „Zwei Stimmen“ together you find in my Diskography –, I have an idea of producing a song in a cooperation with a german female singer, but this is only future music now. In a short time schedule, maybe I will head for something different, maybe another „one day album“, maybe a completely different thing in a side project concerning „minimal dirt sound“, i dont know. I dont know what will hit me the next month, but my head is always establishing things, i have always ants in my pants, so something will happen. I already habe a new „Withdraw – album“ in my head, a cover, an idea, what it should be about – BUT – easy going…. There is time… sometimes too less…hahaha For now, I will give „Histriogram“ the time it needs to settle down. Maybe sometimes ist good to lean back, look what you’ve done and think: „There’s so much more I could do“, hahahahaha…

10) Tell us about teh scene there in Austria at the moment..recommend some new bands... I am sad to say, I dont have real connections points with our local scene in austria/vienna. But after the Release of my Song „Falsche Zeit“ on the Sampler „Austrian Metal News Vol. 1“ I connected with „Winter’s Breath“ https:// wintersbreath.bandcamp.com

ta, Colombia agreed to realize „Zwei Stimmen“ on CD, soon available on https://mastersofkaos.bandcamp.com/ . For a qualified comment about a local austrian scene, I am sad to say I am not deep enough in it to give a real feedback.

11) Lets get technical for the musicians out there... tell us about your instruments and equipment, favourite tunings, pedals. where do you record? What do you use?

Ok....I will try. I use an iMac mini from 2013 I think which was a gift of an informatic guy. I record with the Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 as interface. From there i go direct in the Mac, recording software is Logic. So far with the computer shit, hahaha... (I am not the biggest fan of those computer things)

Together we realized our Split Release „Zwei Stimmen“ BL from Winter’s Breath became a friend and we are aiming for further „split projects“ in the future. In June 2022, Masters of Kaos Productions, an underground metal label, recording studio and video production unit based in Bogo-

My guitar is an Ibanez in black, i knew the product name in the past, i forgot it, i dont wanna look now, but it was around 600€, so not too much, beginning auf the middle class i would say.

As Amp i use a Line6 Modelling Amp, i really like it because of the big spectrum of options which can be chosen very fast and uncomplicated. (this is great because I am very lazy and unpatient all the time)

Bass i a Harley Benton Bass for 149€......yes.

Drums, there are two – or three – options: an accoustic MAPEX drum set which is most of the time not available (kids are also studying music) an e drums set – which I use most – a Roland KV17 KVX (I think) and at lest programming them with MIDI in Logic (which I never did since making Metal, but it also worked in the Pop things).

Vocals are recorded with a Focusrite Kondenser Microphone (was part of the Focurite Scarlet “Bundle”) and/or an Shure SM58.

I record everything at home in my own family flat in the childrens room of my middle son. He has the biggest room, and because they are all three learning/studying music he has the music equipment in the room, hahaha...

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

No, I am not wise, but I have some creeds I try to follow. My footsteps are describing my way, it’s ok to “follow” them (who do this? Following ME???? hahaha) but soon, I hope you will leave the prepared path and try your own way through the very deep crooked universe of beeing......you. Do what you like and do it from the heart. Don’t think about what anybody wants to hear or what somebody expect-

ing from you. This makes what you do wrong, it’s not honest, it’s not your pure idea. Follow yourself, go inside, search and find yourself and say yes to all your darkness, to all your mistakes and characteristics and deal with them. Say it, shout them out, let them know. This makes you free, this cleans your inner dungeons and you accept yourself and you will be more ok with your environment. Your music is what represents YOU, nobody can take it. Do what you want, do what you are, see yourself. – ART IS TO CONSOLE THOSE WHO SEE THEMSELVES –13) What’s your favourite album of all time and why?

I don’t have one, sorry.

What I like at the moment very much is

“Where Shadows Forever Reign”, by Dark Funeral , One of the greatest sounding, arranged and “balanced” Black Metal Albums. Really nice, as I like Nils “Dominator”s drumming so much, this guy is a clockwork.....a fast clockwork.

I also like “Cruelty and the Beast” by Cradle of Filth, for me because of the questioning and long discussed sound, which is very thin, but I like the atmorphere in the album and the concept.

What is also very gret is “Grand Declaration of War” by Mayhem, I love the album because of the very spe-

cial additional sounds and the whole construct of the album.

...and the list is longer and longer......... so take this three, hahahaha.....

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

Be creative, make output, do what you like, don’t care what anybody says, make music, be loud!!!

Thanks Jay and Masters of Kaos Productions for the interview, thank you very much for your support and for publishing my music. Stay Black!

Best Regards from Vienna!

A massive thanks to the Withdraw. Hail the Austrian Hordes!!!

Bloodrust is a cool Death Metal solo project from The Falklands. Andrew Stanton talked to him about his new album A Legacy of Vengeance. - Can you tell our readers a bit about your history, please?

“My name Rich I am the person behind the band Bloodrust, currently based in the Falkland Islands. I write all the music and lyrics for the band as well as play all the instruments, programs the drums. Only thing I can’t take credit

for are the guitar solos, only two songs have my solos on. I grew up in various places in Germany and the UK following the army around and found music and books to be a constant companion. I first started out on bass back when I was 14 but when I realized I couldn’t sound like Steve

Harris straight away I gave up. Picked up a guitar at 16, had a few lessons but again put it away and it wasn’t until about 2006 that I picked up a guitar again and played in a covers band called Hollowpoint. My first original band was back in 2009 called Dead Trails where I played bass and I left in 2010 to move to Germany and that is where Bloodrust started back in 2010.

Interview by Andrew Stanton

Interview with Richard Keenahan

Listen to what you want in private but not through your support for these bands out there by actively promoting them.

After putting the project to one side due to family commitments and playing in a few small cover bands I found time and the desire to start writing again which is where 2020s album Burning of Aeons came from.”

- What bands did you like growing up?

“Growing up I think the first band I got into would have been Queen as my uncle was a big fan and after that it would have been Maiden. That was the first Metal band I really got into after that it was the usual Metallica, Guns and Roses and Megadeth. I moved back to the UK from Germany and a friend gave me copies of Sepultura’s Chaos AD, Xentrix for Whose Advantage and Bolt Throwers Realm of Chaos album and it was all downhill from there. His old bands got pushed to one side as I got heavier bands, Testament, Paradise Lost, Therion and Obituary.”

- Why the name Bloodrust? It sounds like a Cyber Metal band.

“The song comes from I think the he Penultimate track on the Haunted’s debut album. I’m a big At the Gates and The Haunted fan and I loved the song and thought that no one else would use that song title as a band name so I used that back in 2010 and put my first few demo

songs out in 2011 on song cloud as Bloodrust. Little did I know that last year I’d come up against another UK band with the name and we managed to sort it out and they changed their name and I didn’t.”

- What are your lyrics about?

“My lyrics are either based around Warhammer 40k either in themes or characters but these are just ways of telling stories. Once called brother despite being about a character is also about betrayal. Those we’ve left behind is about the waste of war. I do touch on other themes with Novichok Death Squad being about the assassination attempt in Salisbury by the Russians. When I’m in the UK I live in Salisbury so that was something I wanted to write about. A Legacy of vengeance follows this with similar themes of war but also of people not standing for what you believe in and when you do say something you’re the only one left as the others have been taken away or silenced.

The next album will have a song called Vermin which is about the far extremes of society, people that are happy to pit hatred out there either through political views, social views and those that push those extreme agendas out through their music. I’ve had issues where I’ve called people out for promoting Na-

tional Socialist bands through radio stations or websites. Listen to what you want in private but not through your support for these bands out there by actively promoting them.”

- Tell us about The Falklands scene, please?

“That’s an easy one, there isn’t. Not many Metal heads in a country with less than 5 thousand people. There are a few Metal heads there but not many.”

- What other Falklands bands should our readers check out?

“I’m the only one.”

- When you live in a small country, is it easier to get noticed?

“I’ve had some good publicity over being from the Falklands but I think that was more of a ‘Wow there is band from there’, than anything else and to be honest I’d rather be recognized for putting out good music over where I’m living. I’m not an islander I’m there for work and have the fortunate position to have time to put into making music.

I am very much looking forward to returning to the UK and getting other people involved. I’ve had great support via social media platforms and I think doing what I do the region you come from doesn’t matter, it’s getting your music out there, which when you are behind the social media curve is easier said than done.

UKEM have been great at putting my debit on their YouTube channel which I think from my own simple look it’s got one of the highest views for a band of my size. Jay at Masters of Kaos in Colombia has been a great support and pushing me. There are many others as well into the Combine podcast and their Discord group have supported me as well putting my 2nd album out on cassette through one of the hosts labels Desolate Sound Productions.”

- Are you planning a tour anywhere?

“At present Bloodrust is a one-man band but going forward once I’m back in the UK I’d love to play some shows and see how the music goes over in a live context.”

- Does singing in English alienate you from the rest of South America?

“English tends to be the default language used in

Metal so no issues as of yet. I’ve always tried to have my vocals decipherable but it’s Death Metal so most people think it’s just grunting.

- Do you have a message for our readers?

“Thank you for your support, go check the first two albums out online at the usual Platforms. Album 3 is being written with 6 fairly done with the aim of having 8 tracks on the album. I think the songs are some of the best written and show a progression in my songwriting ability, but we all say that though don’t we. The album should be ready for release at some point next year. I’ll be looking to shop it to labels maybe at the end of this year so yeah stay tuned.”

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1. Perventor (Colombia) - Alas De Papel

2. Namtaru (USA) - Hymn To The Ancient One

Nebulous Of Blood (USA) - In League With Demons

Old Pagan (Germany) - She Loves The Pain

Osy Mainty (Madagascar) - Flashing Lights

Valadier (Italy) - Stronghold Of The Everlasting Pyre

Progoat (USA) - Rapture Celebration

Remorseless Winter (USA) - Anticathexis

Kirth Roth (USA) - A Drink From The Serpent’s Chalice

Angrboda’s Curse (Puerto Rico) - Blessing Of The Ironwood

Dreams In Darkness (Argentina) - Carrion For The Vultures

Ihllus (Thailand) - Through My Eyes

Isataii (USA) - Ghost Warrior

Hi this is Jay reporting from Bogota Colombia for INSIDE THE DARKNESS magazine...

Today I’m lucky enough to be talking to the brightest star of Maldivian Black Metal… The mighty Fini... With the debut gem of an EP, Cold In OUr Hearts, now in circulation, we cannot wait to see what the future holds for this Maldivian BM monster...

Welcome, thanks for taking the time to talk to our readers.

1) Tell us about the band? When / Where

/ Why was Fini formed? Tomas: We started this black metal project as a two-piece. And we still remain as it is, just the two of us. It’s easier to manage it that way. We started jamming and

writing music back in 2012/2013. We used to live in Sri Lanka and we named the project Absa. We wrote lots of music in our early days. It be-

came sort of a platform to let our ideas out there. So writing became very easy. We didn’t care what genre we were in. All of our influences generated some sort of shit in our heads and we just played it out. Since then, we’ve been trying to fine tune everything and get hold of the sound which the band is known for today. If I can remember correctly, track II in Cold In Our Hearts is a track we wrote in our early years. Track I was written around 2018 when I lived in South Australia. We decided to

Interview by Jay Parker

Interview with Tomas and Demonen

All of our influences generated some sort of shit in our heads and we just played it out.

change the name right after I returned to the Maldives in 2020. This was mainly due to the sound that we were going after.

“Fini” means cold in ‘Dhivehi’ which is the Maldivian official language. The lyrics have no connection to the Maldives whatsoever.

2) Who is in the current line up?

Tomas – Guitar, Vocals, Bass

Demonen – Drums

3) Describe your sound in 5 words.

Demonen: We wouldn’t be able to categorize our sound into 5 exact words due to the multitude of layers that makes up most of our tracks. The sound consists of what the lead and rhythm guitar produce as s whole rather than what it outputs individually. It may go against what is usually considered as normal among the vastness of music.

4) Run us through your EP, Cold In Our Hearts... when and where did you record it and where can our readers get their hands on it? Run us through each and every track please...

Demonen: The EP was conjured inside the home studio of Tomas, most of the record-

ings took place during the first lockdown that hit everyone. We had to communicate between emails and mostly through text based chat between sending the tracks back and forth, making adjustments as needed and other arrangements were done through this way as well. Neither of us were present “physically” to do the recordings and it was a bit of a challenge that we had to overcome. We had our minds set on using live instruments despite the limited gear we had especially with the drums. We decided to record the drums through an Electronic Kit, Tomas had his gear as well and we

made the best of what we had. The EP can be heard (insert links) through these channels. With Cold in Our Hearts Part I – we decided that the track would show glimpses of what our initial sound would be without overwhelming the listener. For us, it was a great opening track which sets the mood for what the listener can expect from Fini. Cold in Our Hearts Part II –is where you can say that we went all in with our sound. The multilayered melodic yet atmospherically driven guitar track which I think will be a staple for us going forward with the accent based drumming to the said guitar riffs really made it a standout track and hopefully will grasp the listeners in immediately.

5) What is the lyrical theme behind Fini? Who writes the lyrics and the music? Do you have a song writing process or does it just come together?

Demonen: The lyrical themes for Cold in our Hearts can be generalized into being somewhat Nihilistic. The weight of modern day nuisances combined with the bleak future that we see was an inspiration to say

the least. However, it was not something intentional but derived from our current state of mind during the initial writing process. Tomas wrote the lyrics and outlined the themes for both the tracks on our EP. The majority of the music will be written by Tomas as well with some exceptions here and there with the band working as a collaborative group in regards to writing music. All in all, it’s a combined effort in the end with both member’s ideas making it whole.

6) What inspired you to play Black Metal?

Demonen: I think for us; it was always the early Scandanavian Black Metal scene that really inspired us to start playing Black Metal. It will always remain as one of the purest forms of art for us with an endless stream of inspiration to do what we want and convey our sound through a channel like Black Metal.

7) Tell us about your plans for the future?’ are you recording new material? are you planning to tour?

Demonen: We are currently working on writing some new tracks, tweaking some older tracks to be more in line with our sound. Our current focus is to do a split with another internationally established act.

Tomas: Performing live has definitely come up in our conversations. But noth-

ing is planned yet. We will most likely attempt to tour next year. Or if anything comes up, perhaps later this wouldn’t be so bad either. Let’s see. Fini will definitely perform live. That’s all I know.

8) Tell us about Black Metal in The Maldives... recommend some new up and coming bands from the Maldivian scene for our readers...

Demonen: There is currently no active Black Metal scene or a band here in the Maldives apart from Fini with great emphasis on the active bit.

9) What is your favourite black metal album of all time and why?

Demonen: For both of us, it would be hard to pick a single album or even a band but some of our inspirations include albums by Taake, Immortal, Burzum, Gorgoroth and Mgla just to name a few.

10) What is your own personal opinion of the BM scene at the moment, and how do you imagine it will develop over the next decade?

Demonen: The scene has changed drastically compared to what we had when we were growing up. Maybe for the better and some definitely for the worse. We don’t usually keep track of specific say country related scenes but we find the time to checkout big names coming from each corner of

the world. So it’s hard to say where the scene will go moving forward but hopefully, more bands will break the boundaries on what can be done.

11) For the musicians reading... tell us about your instruments and equipment... what tunings do you use?

Tomas: I used an ESP LTD ECBlack Metal to record all guitar tracks. It goes direct into a Focusrite Scarlett Solo connected to my computer. The amp sound is from a Peavey 6505. I had a TS808 in front of the amp. I also used a delay pedal which I can’t remember the name, and that’s all. My guitar is tuned to D standard.

Demonen: For drums for the recording of the EP, I used a standard electric kit. We are attempting to do the next release on full acoustic drums.

12) Tell us your best and worst experiences as a band so far..

Demonen: Best experience was the chance to get our music out and getting people to listen to something we made. We haven’t had any notable worst experiences thus far. The closest would the general lack of support from our local scene but that’s hardly an issue for us.

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

Please checkout our EP and stay tuned for more.

Thanks Fini Hails 666 from Colombia!!! J

Mysterium Vacui are a great Black Doom band from Colombia. Andrew Stanton talked to singer Isabel Andújar about this great new band. Hello and welcome to Inside the Darkness.

“Hello, and thank you for giving us the space to share a few words about our music. “

“Mysterium Vacui started to take form around 2016, when a few melodies came forth to me. Af-

added to the band, becoming a quartet, and we recorded The Faithless Departed in 2020.”

Mysterium Vacui literally means the mystery of the void in Latin.

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

ter composing, I found a drummer with whom we recorded our demo, Jahiliyyah. Later, more musicians were

- What bands did you like growing up?

“As a small child, I was into classical music. When I first heard Metal, it was as though I found something that I had lost and didn’t remember till then, and the bands I listened to growing up included Tiamat,

Interview by Andrew Stanton

Interview with Isabel Andujar

Unleashed, Anathema, Theatre of Tragedy, Slayer, and Testament, among others.”

- What does Mysterium Vacui mean?

“Mysterium Vacui literally means the mystery of the void in Latin. The name reflects the idea that nothingness is at the center of everything, and it is completely beyond our comprehension, hence a mystery.”

- What are your lyrics about?

“Death is the most prevalent theme in our lyrics. The longing for death, the celebration of death, being awestruck by the concept of death, experiencing the death of someone close, etc. Then, there is also a bit of fantasy and poetry as a lens through which the lyrics try to embellish harrowing reality.”

- How would you personally describe the main difference between Black Doom Metal and DSBM?

“The two genres sound quite different to me. There are many DSBM bands, while Black Doom seems a bit scarce, so the latter stands out. I find

Black Doom to have stronger changes in pace and atmosphere, and very slow solos which I don’t hear much in DSBM. Also, DSBM vocals usually include wailing, which Black Doom does not. Aside from the music itself, I think that Black Doom can touch on a variety of subjects that are not necessarily related to depression and suicidal ideation.”

so it sounds more natural to me, so to speak. Also, the metrics in Spanish are a bit tricky for this kind of music. Aside from that, of course I want our lyrics to be understood by the largest number of people possible, and English is the most common language internationally. We do have many North American friends, and even our current bass player is from the United States. “

- What is the symbol on the cover of The Faithless Departed?

“The symbol on the cover is our band’s logo, which is an anagram that spells Mysterium Vacui. “

- Do you have a message for our readers?

- Is Doom Metal a big influence on you?

“Very much so.”

- Do you write songs in English to appeal to North American fans?

“There are a few reasons why I write lyrics in English. I am used to listening to Metal in this language, from bands that can be native speakers or not,

“I hope that you will check out our music and maybe you will find something that resonates with your inner self. “

Thank you for your time.

“We really appreciate your work. Till next time!”

Hail’s Yaotzin, I would like to start by saying thank you brother for sticking by me since before Plague Demon Records was even established, you were part of the blueprints that formed our mighty label and have many bands that I have released on the label as well , you are a true metal tyrant!

1.) Can you tell everyone when Blaspherion started and what drove you to start this band?

Blaspherion began in 2001

As a solo project I did all the instruments and vocals, used a drum machine for a 3 song cassette demo entitled

“Desecration of The Holy” it was spread throughout the underground through tape trading circuits.

I started the band when I lived in Philadelphia PA as an homage to old school, raw, Blasphemous black metal. As I was not hearing much of it at the time besides the old masters and I wanted to create and release my own music in this style it was calling to me as I always heard it in my head. Some influences at the start were Profantica, Beherit, Impaled Nazarene, Darkthrone, Celtic Frost, Demoncy... to name a few.

Interview by Namtar

Interview with Yaotizin

Black metal was and will always be a Dangerous, Intolerant and Underground genre and scene that does not cater to the mainstream. Black metal is NOT for everyone.

2.) What other bands do you play in and what is the difference between each band for you personally?

Currently I play rhythm Guitar in the death metal band (a full 5-piece live band) Cranial impalement from Tennessee who Started in 2011 released an ep in 2013 And played NUMEROUS live shows from 2012 to 2013. Currently Cranial Impalement has a brand new line up and is working on new music and returning to the stage. Other projects I have done over the years are: Ritual possession: a two man Studio project of raw Black metal which released a single full length album in 2015 on cassette limited run. Than rereleased on cd in 2020 On Plague Demon Records. After the release of “Solitude” on cassette Ritual possession ended.

Moribundus christus: a twoman Studio project of Raw hateful barbaric black grind Which has released a 4 song ep and a full length album. The cassette “The Morbid Cult” came out in 2019 on Our Ancient Future records as a limited run release.

In 2020 “Hostile” the full length album on cd available through Plague Demon Records.

Moribundus christus is currently Still active and working on music for a future release.

3.) I know you have had many lineups over the years for Blaspherion, what is your personal favorite timeframe for the band and why?

My favorite timeframe of the band

has been recently since 2019 when I started working with Inaz Videl (Drums) and Imperator Mortum (Vocals). In 2019 we joined forces and rehearsed and recorded the single song “Misanthropic Catharsis” as a raw rehearsal track which was added to the rerelease of “Path of Fire” in 2019 on Plague Demon Records. After that rehearsal recording we went out separate ways due to logistical and distance issues. After a time, I reached out to Inaz Videl and we spoke about working together again via long distance. After a few talks and some planning in early 2022 I started sending him guitar tracks/ drum idea demos for what would become the upcoming Blaspherion album “Where The Devil’s Dwell”. So far this union with Inaz Videl and Imperator Mortum has produced the title track for the upcoming album “Where Devils Dwell” which is to be featured on a 2022. Compilation cd to be released by Plague Demon Records. These two are die hard black metal musicians with vast knowledge of the genre And are very talented/skilled musicians as well. They have great ideas of how to create our music For Blaspherion.

4.) What do you think of today’s black metal scene across the world compared to the scene we had years ago, and throughout the years since then?

Today’s scene... that’s a good question.

There still is a seething underground In today’s scene

which is producing great bands and some of the old guard bands are still producing great music.

Then there are those bands and individuals Who are trying to destroy the Black Metal scene and its music, meaning and culture Through social media and other mass outlets. With their weak minded herd mentalities, inclusive and “safe space” mentalities or even out right bullshit witch hunts and “cancel culture” against certain bands and artist which have no place in the scene or culture or music of black metal. These bands, media and individuals need to be rooted out and exposed for the filth they are and expelled from the scene and life. Black metal was and will always be a DANGEROUS, INTOLERANT and UNDERGROUND genre and scene that does not cater to the mainstream. Black metal is NOT for everyone. Never will be.

5.) I know as of now you are not a band that plays live, do you see Blaspherion playing shows or touring in the future?

Possibly if the right musicians were involved and it was the right opportunity for Blaspherion to hit the stage. As of right now there are no plans to perform live as Blaspherion.

6.) What is the lyrical content in your songs about, do you see a change in your lyrics/ music over the years or have you stayed on the same path?

Early on the lyrical content was straight up satanic anti-Christian messages and Blasphemy.

The lyrical content is now in my opinion still satanic and anti-religious but with a darker more obscure twist. Not everything is Spelled out simply there is more room for personal interpretation of the lyrics meaning by the listener.

7.) I have released all of your demo’s on the CD “Path of fire” which was a lot of material that spanned over many years, if you could change anything on this release what would it be? Or would you keep it the same?

If I could change one thing on the release, I would have liked the opportunity to remaster the songs as their overall levels where Inconsistent and some songs playing volumes are lower than others.

Besides that, I am pleased with the release and the songs on it. They represent the years of Blaspherion which the material was created and the compilation cd “Path of Fire”, is the best version released.

8.) How do you feel about the other bands that have used the same band name as you? I know there’s quite a few out there in other countries and do you feel that you were the original Blaspherion?

I feel as far as my knowledge goes that with this spelling and grammar. Blaspherion which I started In 2000 than released a demo in 2001 was the first US Band using this name and releasing music publicly.

On a worldwide scale at the time of creation I had no idea or care about any other band with the same name. Nor do I care now about any other band with the

same name or a trying to claim it. This Blaspherion my creation had a storied past since 2001 of demo and ep releases most were DIY until 2019.

9.) Being that you are from the USBM scene, what are your thoughts on the scene as a whole these days? I personally see a lot of talent out there coming from the USA, would you agree or disagree with that statement and why?

In my opinion a lot of the bands In today’s scene the most visible ones are not In step with the USBM Scene or its history Or even musically black metal at all.

I am not going to name names and give out free promotion on that subject.

On the other hand, there are A LOT of talented and creative black metal bands in USBM currently who are going in the right direction Musically, Ideological, and keeping the REAL underground alive.

The fans and the scene know who they are.

10.) You have been on my label since the start of Plague Demon Records, how do you feel about our label and also how do you feel about being on our partner label Blasphemous Creations Of Hell Records? What changes have you seen with both labels over time and why do you feel that way?

I feel Plague Demon Records is a great hard working label which has done nothing but Great things for Blaspherion and the other bands of mine the label has released.

Since the start the output and promotional opportunities for my bands on the label especially Blaspherion has been very professional and wide reaching around the world.

As for the partner label Blasphemous Creations Of Hell, they have been nothing but a good professional partner in this endeavor.

Both labels labels work hard to bring evil underground black metal bands to the world.

11.) What are some of your biggest influence’s musically?

Emperor, Darkthrone, Masters Hammer, Beherit, Judas Iscariot, Morbid Angel, Marduk, Bathory, Celtic Frost, Sarcofago, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Kreator, Profantica, Mercyful Fate, Enthroned, Mayhem, Noctuary, Gorgoroth, Sarcophagus, Judas priest, Vital Remains, Vukodlak. Just to name a few that made a last impression on me.

12.) Is there anything else you would like to say about Blaspherion, to your fans, or to the readers of this mighty zine?

Keep the REAL black metal underground alive.

It’s up to the bands, fans, labels to fight the incursion of filth in our scene and genre.

Black metal is cult ALWAYS

Thank you for your time Yaotzin and also thank you for sticking by Plague Demon Records since the very start of the label, You are a true war brother and a chaotic force of tyranny in today’s Black Metal scene, Hail’s to you my great friend!!!

CD 2

1. Howling (USA) - Ornate Rites Of Ruination

2. Amock (Puerto Rico) - Obscured Diabolum

3. Dragsholm (USA) - Thorns For Mina

4. Moor (Norway) - Beneath The Graven Totem III

5. Blaspherion (USA) - Where Devils Dwell

6. Void (Colombia) - Into The Void

7. Primordial Serpent (Canada) - Bringer Of Light

8. Caligula (Paraguay) - Imperio De Satanas

9. Till (USA) - The Galloping Hessian

10. Hand Of Flauros (USA) - Blackstone

11. Sisters Memon (Uk/Poland) - Venemous Darts Fired Into The Goddess Of Good

12. Awicha (Thailand) - Sleep Now Frozen One

13. Niohoggr (Puerto Rico) - Draconis Invictis

1.) When was the creation of Primordial Serpent and what does this project mean to you?

Primordial Serpent was created during the first wave of the Covid pandemic when the restrictions in Manitoba were very tight. This project, like any other music project to me, means the world to me. It’s my lifesaver, a companion, and something that I can escape to.

2.) You have put out many amazing releases in such a

short time over the last few years, how do you come up with these albums? Do you have to put a lot of thought into these songs and re-

leases

or does it just come naturally to you?

They come very naturally to

me. I think it’s due to playing guitar for nearly 20 years of my life and been doing cover songs as a means to help progress my guitar playing abilities as well as to practice my mixing and recording skills. Plus, when I have an idea in mind, there’s no blueprints for them, they just come out right there and then. But I would say I would have to work hard at harnessing my ideas

Interview by Namtar

Interview with Geoff Coran

I think it’s great that Black Metal going back to its underground roots and I also love how supportive it is.

just because I feel sometimes when these ideas come to me, it’s like a floodgate being opened and I have to wait for everything to settle in order to work out the ideas.

3.) Where did you come up with the name Primordial Serpent and what does it mean to you?

Primordial Serpent was actually from a video game series I played called Dark Souls which is heavily relished in occultism and dark fantasy. Primordial Serpents were creatures that intended on luring the character in leading an age of darkness. So because that, I also interpreted the intentions of the primordial serpents in the game to be similar to the biblical serpent swaying those into luciferianism, in a way. Plus, it’s just a cool name.

4.) What is the lyrical content of your many great songs, do you stick with the same style lyrically for each release or does each album have a different path or story?

Initially, it was to be themed around dark souls but I didn’t really want to fall into that trap of having it entirely based around a video game series. So I made it about things that reflect me as a person

and things that I’ve become interested in over the years. So that could be pagan mythology, my own personal struggles, video games (though I’m sorta straying away from that), and recently anti-Christian/ Satanic themes. So, yeah the

of being an active black metal artist as well. I’d say it’s maybe gone little bit too political but I try to remain apolitical as much as possible in this scene

6.) Will you continue to be a one-man project or do you see yourself working with other musicians in the future?

I think it will remain a one-man band. Maybe down the road, it may become a full on band. But who knows. The future is unwritten, as they say.

7.) Do you ever see yourself playing shows or tours in the future?

That would be cool to do that and just experience even if it was for one time, but again, only if this ever turns into a band and if everyone involved is interested in touring.

concept of every release so far has a different path or story but still carrying the same feeling throughout different albums.

5.) What is your opinion of today’s Black Metal scene as a whole?

I think it’s great that it’s going back to its underground roots and I also love how supportive it is. I’ve met many great people during my time

8.) Being that you are from Canada, what is the current state of the Black Metal scene there? Are there a lot of good Black Metal bands emerging in your country?

Well got some great black metal bands. Aside from myself, here in Winnipeg we have Nocturnal Departure and Hellmoon, Wilt, and Cell. But in the rest of Canada, you Blasphemy being one, Revenge being another. Also from Quebec, we had/have

Gris, Forteresse and Akitsa. As far as current, I believe Apparitional Glare, Erythrite Throne, Panzerwar, and Panzerfaust to name a few.

9.) Do you feel that Primordial Serpent will continue to put out albums at such a fast pace or do you think you will slow it down in the future?

I think I’m going to be slowing down in the future, or at least try too. I’ve said in the past sometimes that I would be going on a break but then release something a few months later. But as of right now, I’m going to be taking a break from it and work on something in the new year.

10.) You are one of the most well know projects at the moment in my opinion, your growth across the world is amazing, how do you feel about this, and do you feel that the response you have been given globally is beyond anything you have ever expected?

Oh it’s absolutely beyond anything I expected. To me, I still view this as a basement project and I always probably. But I’m glad to see that it has gotten this much attention and still continues to harness high levels of attention

and praise from many. The impact that my music has had on people throughout many parts of the world makes me want to continue doing more and maybe that’s why I can’t stop making music or have trouble from taking time away from it.

11.) Is Primordial Serpent the only project you

a retro/horror synth project called NeuroNet which I haven’t touched in about 3 years but I’m trying to work on it.

12.) What are some of your main influences musically?

For Primordial Serpent, I’d say Sargeist, Immortal, Darkthrone, Warmoon Lord, Bathory, Armagedda, and various other Scandinavian black metal bands as well as thrash bands like early Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, Nuclear Assault and tons more.

13.) Is there anything you would like to add or say to your many fans, friends or readers of Inside the darkness zine?

Hails to all!! The Serpent thanks you for undying support for these last few years and The Serpent hopes you all continue to support for the years to come!

are currently doing?

At the moment yes. I do have three other music projects. One is called Dojo Kobra which is a drone metal project featuring my friend Tim Cleaver, and Cavan (Hellmoon and Nocturnal Departure), a dungeon synth project called Kalameet and

I would like to say everything you have released is amazing, you are a true metal tyrant, and we all are beyond proud of having the pleasure of releasing your albums! Hail the Serpent!!!

Hails, dude! Thanks for reaching out for doing this interview and thanks so much for releasing my material. It means a lot.

Hi this is jay reporting from Bogota Colombia Today I’m fortunate enough to be talking to my dear friend Namtar from the mighty monster of US Black Metal, Namtaru Hails my brother, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us...

1) Tell us about Namtaru? Who is in the current line-up? When, where and why was the band formed?

Namtaru was formed in 1995 by myself and ex-singer Azael

(R.I.P.) in the early years I started writing a lot of the songs that were on my EP The Plagues Of Namtar which I wrote all music and Azael and I wrote the

lyrics, I wrote these songs as a teenager and started with lyrics about hatred of the human race and

Satan, as my occult studies grew I later changed the lyrical content towards the Necromicon, The works of Kenneth Grant, Alester Crowley, The Ancient alien books of Zachariah Sitchin, Chaos magick, Enochian magick and dug as deep into the occult as possible, by 1996 I was introduced to Blood Storm which I later joined starting on bass guitar and later Lead guitar,

Interview by Jay Parker

Interview with Namtar

Our music is Chaos and built on hatred, death and the occult in one way or another, so to the panzie generation all I can say is fuck off and grow some balls fuckers!

all of the members of Blood Storm minus Mezzadurus joined me in Namtaru and later that year also all of the same members started doing Perverseraph which was another one of my bands created by me and Shaitan originally, Azael left Namtaru and later died and I eliminated his vocal track and became the lead singer of Namtaru as well. The Plagues Of Namtar EP was released in 1997 by Gothic Records based in California and later a remastered split with Namtaru and Perverseraph on the same release together by WW3 Records. As of now we have my drummer of 16 years now Ben “Damon” Fahy and will be joining up with the singer/guitarist Necrodermous Hammerhord of Deceiverion and also his bassist Chris Chamberlin, this will be the first full lineup in many years as myself and Ben have done the last few releases together, after all of the egos of some members who were later eliminated, and one I wish death on in the most gruesome manner as possible so I can piss on his grave for betrayal that is far past forgiveness!

2) Give us a quick run through your discography (some real gems there mate), from first to last, and please tell our readers where than can buy them...

I started with The Plagues Of

Namtar EP, then toured with Blood Storm and Perverseraph for many years and since we were doing 2 bands with the same members, we decided to make both bands one and being the bigger man, I chose to put the name Namtaru to rest for a long while and all of our songs became Perverseraph songs from that day forward, we restarted Namtaru in 2019 when we recorded the Ancient Serpent 7 inch which was 2 songs I had written many years before and felt they should be released, we also recorded a 3rd song Precognitive Sentient intelligence which would not fit on the 7 inch and is available on the CD version of Ancient Serpent and The King Of Black compilation between USBM and Indonesia. In 2020 we did a split with the mighty Legio Inferi from Colombia, we tried something new and wrote these songs as we went along and added more and more until we had our 4 tracks for the split titled “ That is not dead which can eternal lie “ , this was something we just had fun with and consider it to be an experiment in writing and it’s probably the most Low Fi recording we ever did, after that we did a USBM tribute to Darkthrone and did the song ‘Beholding the throne of might” followed by this song that was on our own compilation this year “Blasphemous Plagues of the under-

ground volume 1” between my label Plague Demon Records and our partner label Blasphemous Creations Of Hell Records, This song which I did a remix of will also be on this compilation for Inside the darkness titled “ Hymn To The Ancient Ones” and was written and recorded by myself and Wvlfgar of Isataii/ Kvlt Of Odium/Neckrium, this was an unexpected but amazing collaboration between Wvlfgar and myself. Now I am writing songs for our first full length album coming later this year. All of the releases are available through my label Plague Demon Records.

3) Describe your music in 5 words.

Occultism, Nihilism, Hatred, Death and Chaos.

4) Whats brewing at the moment with Namtaru man?

I understand you’re working on some new stuff?

Yes, as I said in the above question, we have some new blood in the band returning to a full lineup, this will be our first full length album and will be released later this year. I will not reveal the name of the album yet, but it’s all in the works right now.

5) What are your plans for the future? are you planning to tour again?

It’s not something I would be opposed to especially with the new lineup, I’ll definitely be doing a few full length albums and can see us at least doing some shows here and there,

if not tours we’ll see what the cards hold as we progress.

6) what is the inspiration behind the music and lyrics? who writes what? How do you get the songs together?

I write everything so far lyrically and musically then bring what i got to Ben for the drums, the inspiration of my lyrics are occultism in many directions and my hate of the human race, the songs come very easy and naturally to me as I have been at this for a long time now.

7) Tell us about your equipment... what instruments do you use? and what kind of recording gear? Where do you record? What guitar tunings do you use?

I use my Marshall JCM 900 amp with my 3 favorite guitars my Ibanez RG 6 string, Ibanez RG 7 string and LTD viper.

I use a fender bass, and Ben has an amazing Sonar - Phonics drum set, most of our recordings are done in Bens house 2 and a half hours away from me in the mountains of Pennsylvania and I also record my parts in my own home studio using the Cakewalk DAW and also my older 16 track digital recorder which I have used for the split with Legio Inferi and Beholding the throne of might on the USBM tribute to Darkthrone. I now tune in D standard, The Plagues Of Namtar EP was done in E standard, but I will continue using both in my re-

cordings depending on the song.

8) You have been around for a while Mr. Namtar, and travelled around a bit too... tell us about the best and worst experiences you’ve had as a band. That’s a really hard question, I got to meet and tour with almost every band I have ever listened to, so I would say that was awesome for me and then later just became normal, but I had some really great times with a lot of amazing bands, the worst but also one of the best times I had ever had was when we toured the USA with Enthroned, and Sol Evil in my time with Blood Storm, the reason I’m saying it was one of the worst times is the guy who put the tour together didn’t know what the hell he was doing and we had either slept in the tour vans or an awesome amount of friends reached out to other friends who put us up in their homes in almost every state we went to, also we had to eat McDonald’s shit food 3 times a day which had us all sick and I cannot eat to this day or we stole food from many places and were supposed to be driven back to Philadelphia at the end of the tour in California and wound up taking a bus back to Philly which took 3 and a half days , so on one hand it was one of the best times and on another one of the worst times I have ever had.

9) What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you on tour?

Shit this one is hard as well, we were all jokers and many of the bands we played with were as well, so a lot of funny things happened over the years, but I won’t say any names, but I once depants someone from quite a big band while he was on stage and in his spikes and corpse paint he was standing there in his heart boxers, which he was a good sport about and laughed himself, but it was hilarious!

10) What’s the Black Metal scene like in Philly USA? Recommend some bands, old and new.

Old bands mostly man a lot of people moved out of Philadelphia due to its crime rate and murder sprees, but i know Blood Storm is still in Philadelphia, my ex guitarist did the death metal band Necrotion, Perverseraph, Namtaru, then the bands that live on the outskirts of Philly Deceiverion, Crucifier, Serpent Ov Old, in the old days we always hung out with Alex Boulks now with immolation as well as original drummer Craig Smilowski of Immolation, Goreaphobia, these days I don’t really know of any other Black Metal bands in Philly other than Namtaru and Blood Storm.

11) How do think this big old oak that we call Black Metal will grow and evolve over the next decade? Do you think the scene is doing well at the moment?

I see a lot of talented bands these days emerging from everywhere around the world, it’s really inspiring, I get to release some of the most awesome bands of today’s scene with Plague Demon Records ,but it’s a whole new scene compared to the old days man, I also hear of these Black Metal hipster bands, all I can say is take your man bun out of your hair and do us all a favor and kill yourselves, all these people now days want you to not say this or that or you will be labeled horribly in some way, let’s be real our music is Chaos and built on hatred , death and the occult in one way or another, so to the panzie generation all I can say is fuck off and grow some balls fuckers!

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

Aww man your throwing some hard questions at me hahaha

I can tell you this much some of my all-time favorite albums are Celtic Frost- To Mega Therion, Kreator- Pleasure to kill, Sodom - Sodomy and lust, Darkthrone- A blaze in the nothern sky and Goatlord, Enslaved - Bloodheim, Impaled Nazarene- Tol corpt norz norz norz just to name a few. There’s many more but I really don’t think I can pick just

one album especially in Black Metal there has been so many amazing bands over the years.

13) Do you have any wise words of wisdom for new bands and musicians that are reading? All I can tell you is in the begin-

for our bands, but when you have so many as we do now, there’s only so much time in a day for us to get things done, and we all have real life issues to deal with as well, whether its work or family or both. But be imaginative, there is a lot more bands today then when I started out and to be heard you have to stand out. Also don’t be a pussy, speak your mind and fuck the normal folk, they’re all sheeple, you will always be hated by someone, so fuck it speak your mind and stand for what you believe in!

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

ning for me and all of my career bands, we went as extreme and over the top as possible and approached things like we invented it, we owned that shit, that may sound a little egotistical, but if you want it bad enough own it like you invented it, if you’re playing out live make it as extreme and out of this world as possible, and don’t be a dick, respect your fans and supporters in every way possible, without them you are nothing, and do as much footwork as possible, even when you’re on a label, work as hard as you can to get your music out there, us labels work very hard

I would like to thank all of my supporters for Namtaru and my label Plague Demon Records you all rule! I would also like to thank all of the bands I represent, and all the labels, zines, distros and friends I have made along the way especially my partner label Blasphemous Creations Of Hell Records, and Masters of Kaos Productions, also Black Metal is not a fashion show, it’s a way of life, if you want to play in the underground please get a noose and rid the world of the weak!!!

Hail to all you true Black Metal tyrants out there!!!!

Thanks to the mighty master of darkness and desecration, Namtar

Hail The US Metal Hordes 666

1.) Where did the band Isataii start for you and what are your future plans for the band?

Wvlfgar- Hail, the band started when the Pandemic hit, writing riffs and making songs was all one could do in the time of the virus. Future plans mainly just keep creating music and trying to reach a fan base worldwide.

A lot of these pointless extensions and categories of genres of Black Metal come from this new age of «Hipsters» coming into

2.) You also play in Kvlt Of Odium

and Neckrium which are also band’s released by Plague Demon Records and Blasphemous Creations Of Hell Re-

cords, What are the differences between those bands for you, and what are your roles in each band?

Wvlfgar- I currently play guitar for Kvlt of Odium which is my live project. Nekcrium has been broken up for quite some time now but I’d say Isataii and Kvlt are both extensions of the band.

3.) Do you feel as though Isataii has

Interview by Namtar

Interview with Wvlfgar and Tyler

thescenethataretryingtochangethings.

grown since you first started the band, I personally feel you are one of the best bands we have released along with your other bands and have grown greatly since the start of Isataii, how do you feel about that personally?

Wvlfgar- Most definitely have seen a huge growth in both fan base and musically. We appreciate your honoring words. Personally I feel very appreciative and blessed with the responses we have been getting.

4.) You have also collaborated with me on a song for my personal band Namtaru for the song “Hymn To The Ancient One’s”, how do you feel about the outcome of this experience, and would you like to do more song’s together in the future?

Wvlfgar- I was very excited to work with such a legend in the scene and was greatly pleased with the outcome of the song. Would live to work with you again.

5.) Being that you are part of the USBM scene, what is your opinion on the scene here, do you feel there is a lot of talent coming out these days? What is your personal opinion?

Wvlfgar- I definitely see a rise in the scene out here. I feel there’s a lot of the old school trying to comeback with all the new talent and energy. looking forward to seeing the future of USBM.

6.) What is your opinion on the Black Metal scene as a whole across the world right now and where are you seeing the most talent coming from? What bands do you feel are bringing the best Black Metal to the world at the moment?

Wvlfgar- I personally feel that Black Metal is a powerful force. and happy to see more of world taking part. At the moment would have to be Black Braid,

Winterfylleth, Gaerea, and Sargeist.

7.) What do you think about all of the genres in the Black Metal scene these days, I personally feel it’s unnecessary for all of these genres, Black Metal is just Black Metal to me, what is your take on that?

Wvlfgar- Personally I feel that a lot of these pointless extensions and categories of genres of Black Metal come from this new age of “Hipsters” coming into the scene that are trying to change things. I am against this new generation trying to over complicate the art that is True Black. metal. At the end of the day it’s all Black Metal and the simplicity is the beauty of it.

8.) What is the basis of your lyrical content with Isataii?

Tyler- The basis of the lyrical content varies. sometimes I write stories based about video games I like or new concepts of brand new stories in my head. I like horror films so it’s always an easy writing process for me. if it’s not a concept? the lyrics are based around feelings such as hatred, disgust of mankind and occultism or how I see the world ending. If you listen to devastation sequence that is a song, based on how I see the world ending.

9.) I know the only band you are playing live with is Kvlt Of Odium at the moment, do you have any future plans for Isataii to play show’s or tours?

Wvlfgar- This is a question we are continuously being asked. but unfortunately Isataii will remain away from the stage to preserve its obscurity and spirit.

10.) I know you have had a few lineup changes since the start of

Isataii, do you feel this is the best lineup you have had yet? What are your thoughts on this matter?

Wvlfgar- To this point Tyler Lopez definitely resonates the sound and spirit of Isataii with his diverse and haunting Vocals.

11.) What are some of your main influences?

Wvlfgar- Satanic Warmaster, Sargeist, Nyktalgia.

Tyler- Deathspell Omega, Marduk, Sargeist.

12.) Is there anything you would like to add or say to your fans, friends or the readers of Inside The Darkness?

Wvlfgar- Just want to thank you all for the continued support and dedication to the Isataii tribe. To all old and new Warriors. Without you we would be nothing.

I would just like to say, I am proud to have released many of your albums and bands, I know we will be working together in the future in one way or another, thanks for your time Wvlfgar, all of your bands are full of chaos and destruction in the vein of the original Black Metal scene and for anyone unfamiliar with Isataii check out their releases, you will not be disappointed, Hails!!!

Wvlfgar- Hail! thank you for having us we will definitely conquer all and destroy all that stands in our way. We need to preserve the spirit and keep the black flame burning.

Wana shoutout:

Adirondack blackmass Records. Staring into Darkness records. Rat coven Records.

Jems Label. Wulfhere Productions. Charon Kruk.

The Ace Drops are a new Thrash band from Sicily. Andrew Stanton talked to them about their new album.

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

Riccardo: We have known each other since our early teenage years, back when we were living in Sicily, and we were part of a huge local Metal scene. After we both moved to London, during the pandemic we started recording some ideas which organically lead to produce and releasing our music.

- What bands did you like growing up?

Emanuele: We grew up mainly listening to NWOBHM and Thrash Metal, we’re particularly fond of Annihilator, Venom & Testament, some odd favorites are

Death Metal or Thrash Metal?

Riccardo: We are definitely more oriented to Thrash Metal, although we draw heavy influence from our NWOBHM upbringing.

- What does The Ace Drops mean?

Emanuele:

Alestorm for Riccardo and Intervals for Emanuele.

- Do you consider yourself

It’s a word play on a Sicilian joke well known in our region, saying “the ace drops” in Sicilian: “l’assu cari” sound identical to “you must suck it”, the “ace” we refer to is the ace of clubs in traditional Sicilian cards, you’ll

Interview by Andrew Stanton

Interview with Riccardo and Emanuele

We have a very free-flow creative process, our inspirations range from 80s b-movie violence/imagerytobarbecue/drinking/partying.

see it included in the logo as a reminder of our origins.

- What are your lyrics and themes about?

Riccardo: We don’t have a specific theme; we have a very free-flow creative process And we cover in our lyrics everything that catches our attention as long as it tells a story, our inspirations range from 80s b-movie violence/imagery to barbecue/drinking/partying.

- There doesn’t seem to be much about you on the internet. Is that something you’re trying to change?

Emanuele: Due to how we compose and record songs, we opted for releasing our songs fairly slowly, aiming to produce a music or lyric video for each track. We’ll steadily grow our internet presence with time with every release on all major streaming platforms.

- Are you touring anywhere?

Riccardo: Not at the moment, we’re focusing more on songwriting/recording and preparing for our

us, Inside the Hole, Cadaver Mutilator, Crimson Wind.

- Why did you move to the UK?

Riccardo: We moved to the UK independently from each other but coincidentally in the same summer of 2014, like many other young Italians we were both looking for a more stable life and job security, with the dream to, one day, be able to use that security as a base to create and release music with no restrictions.

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

Emanuele: If you like Thrash metal, please give us an honest shot, we’re 200% sure you’ll get a kick from our music! Search us on Facebook, Spotify & Youtube, we’ll be releasing new songs soon!

first couple of live shows.

- What other Sicilian bands should our readers check out?

Emanuele: There are a lot of extremely valid historic bands, the first that come to our minds are Trinakri-

1.) So you have a new release “I The Witch” which has just been released by Plague Demon Records and Blasphemous Creations Of Hell Records, personally I think its brilliant and is a step up from the first release if that’s even possible! But there are some more obscure songs on this one and some that are in the same vein as the first album, how do you personally feel about the outcome of this album?

M: I feel it’s very different from our debut and definitely moves

Interview by Namtar

into new territories, incorporating African drumming, Middle Eastern strings etc. Some severely intense blast beats, power electronics, Hawkwind and Pink Floyd inspired guitar solos and the whole atmosphere is far

thing new and more extreme. I mean, we mix so many types of music and instrument. You can find there bells, tambourine, various kinds of drums and voice between scream and growl. We use contrast of many genres in music.

more out there in terms of our progression. Natalia: I think this is great album, because we create some-

2.) For those that don’t know, what does Sisters Memon stand for and where do you see the band going in the future?

M:-It’s loosely based on 2 Middle Eastern Terrorist sisters Natalia: We will keep going.

Interview with Martin and Natalia

I can’t listen to Burzum all the time. We need something more. More hate and brutal things but in old way.

We can’t stop. Of course I have no idea what we will create in the future but we like work hard, so... We can be only better and better.

3.) We have been great friends for some time now, you are one of my favorite bands on the label and 2 of my favorite people in this shit world, how do you feel about being on Plague Demon Records and Blasphemous Creations Of Hell Records and why?

M: We feel honored to be on the labels and your superb and very switched on people with a very specific idea of what you want on the label and your willing to think outside of the box and we just do our own thing and black metal is more our inspiration than us being a huge player in it.

Natalia: I feel safe and comfortable here. I know that the publishing house understands our needs and preferences. You understand that I want creating dark shit for Satanic head haha.

4.) Do you ever see Sisters Memon becoming a full lineup and doing some shows or tours in the future?

M: Definitely not no, we will always be a studio band.

Natalia: we can create more album on tape, cd and LP. Even music video but without shows or tours in the future.

5.) What is your lyrical

content based on in these bestial songs? Who writes the lyrics and the music for Sisters Memon?

M: We both used to write lyrics but Natalia writes them all now, she is for me one of the greatest ever black metal vocalists, her range is incredible and one of my friends could not listen to her voice as he feared he would go into a panic attack as her voice is so disembodied and intense.

Natalia: Music is created by Daniels. He’s the greatest artist in the world. He’s the head of the band. I create lyrics. Most of them are about nature and my feelings about death and rotting body. Also I like talk about spirit and soul between mothers of earth and hell or universe. There’s no God. Okay, I use a God but only as a death person like everyone else.

6.) In your opinion do you think the Black Metal scene is thriving these days, what is your opinion of the newer bands coming out compared to the old days?

M: It seems to be and rightly so too, it’s phenomenal music and but don’t keep up with anything new, maybe a couple of bands here and there. For me personally it’s all about the old days from when I first bought Venom - Black Metal when I was 12 in 1982. Natalia: I’m happy. I mean, everything has to change. It’s

a pure evolution. Of course I love Hellhammer, Immortal and Mutillation but new bands also can be good. Not all of theme, but we have some good black metal news band that can give me new breath. I can’t listen to Burzum all the time hahaha. We need something more. More hate and brutal things but in old way. We can’t be boring old metalheads.

7.) Martin - I know you also do a lot of films and magazines as well as Sisters Memon, do you feel there is any connection between all of your great works with the band, and the films and magazines you have created?

M: Yes, the creative connection of myself in there is extremely prominent throughout all the works. With Sisters Memon I can explore lots of different ideas and bring them into our ever evolution sound. Our third album I’ve just started working on and it’s completely different to the first 2 albums. The music, films and magazine I write for is all under the flag of personal passionate creation, it all has some self-connection running thought it all.

8.) Where and how did you find Natalia, being that you are based in the UK and she lives in Poland, did you feel the connection between the both of you immediately or was it more of a trial run in the beginning?

M: I found Natalia on Instagram and she immediately impressed me with her phenomenal vocals, we’ve never met but our connection is extremely strong. I thought of a trial run as I’d not really heard her vocals properly but when we did our birthing Sisters Memon track that was it, our satanic baby was born and we are very proud parents.

9.) How do you feel about the genres of Black Metal today?

For me personally I feel it’s absurd, Black Metal is just Black Metal and we all have the same goal, to write dark and hateful music.

What is your opinion on this subject?

M: Yes I agree it’s black metal and it can move in many different places musically but it will always have that unique underpinning atmosphere bringing it back to black metal.

10.) What are some of the main influences for the 2 of you musically?

M: The first 4 Venoms, Celtic

Frost especially Into the Tandemonium, Bathory especially the return, Hellhammer, Portal, early Swans, Hawkwind, Pink Floyd, Oum kalthoum, Motorhead, discharge, Mercyful Fate, Throbbing Gristle, Leviathan and Xasthur.

Natalia: For me it’s a nature, darkness, smell of old churches, a little bit of fear and existential pain.

11.) Do you have anything you would like to say to your fans, friends or readers of In-

side the darkness zine?

M: Whoever is listening to our music and supporting us we want to say a huge thank you, we really appreciate it. Natalia: thank you so much for listening our Satanic baby. Sisters Memon is like my second soul. I’m so glad that someone want to see how brutal we are (Martin and I) inside body. I would like to thank Sisters Memon! You both have stood by me with my label Plague Demon Records and have given me so much support in my own band Namtaru, you are 2 of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with and great friends of mine, Hails to you both!

1. Hails brother!! Introduce yourself to the readers. Greetings. I am Roanoke, a member of projects such as Till, Xirgan and Darkest Bethlehem among others.

2. When you started the band Till, how did you come up with the name and were you the only member or were there others?

I had always had the name Till in my head for a Black Metal project and when I started the band in 2020, there was no question of what the name would be. I

always felt it encompasses all of the themes of the project. Initially I was the only member, but as time has gone on, Croatoan has contributed to some of the guitars and Palisade has taken over drumming duties.

fluences for the band?

3. Listening to your music. You have a mix of melodic raw black metal. Who are your in-

There’s an endless list of bands/projects that I take influence from, and it’s ever changing. But I’d say at its core Till has always been inspired most by early Summoning recordings, the whole Quebecois scene (Forteresse,Departure Chandelier, Serment, etc), Darkthrone, Drowning the Light and Satanic Warmaster.

4. Who or what inspires you and the lyrics of your songs?

Interview by Namtar

Interview with Roanoke

There’s some really great projects both in the US and around the world that really stay true to the essence of what I love about Black Metal.

I try to take influence lyrically from not only your typical black metal themes but also from real historical events, folklore and nature. Particularly I felt like early American history was something that had a lot to draw from. However, for the next Till full length, the lyrics will be much more based on nature and folklore.

5. What bands are your biggest influences personally and musically?

Drowning the Light is probably what I’d consider my favorite band and the biggest influence in my starting of my own projects.

6. I, Blasphemous Creations Of Hell Records have released “Manifest Destiny” and “Oyer And Terminer”. Both are brutal as hell. What other releases can the readers check out?

We recently put out a compilation of Till split tracks entitled “Grand Mysticism on the Great Plains”. This would probably be the best place to start for any newcomers as it’s more indicative of the current sound of Till. There’s cassettes available from several different distros, and the comp has been uploaded to youtube.

7. Other than Till what other bands are you in and is Till on hold for now or will there be other releases?

I’ve done quite a few projects in the down time

between Till releases. Xirgan, Darkest Bethlehem, Death Be With Thee, Tome of Alsiare, Gloria’s Garden, Thy Heart Thine Kingdom to name a few. There will certainly be new Till material in the near future. Given that it’s no longer a one-man band, the project has certainly reduced its output, but it’s not going anywhere.

8. Have you done any live shows in the past? If not do you plan on doing any?

Till has not played any live shows. Given the distance between the members it’s not likely that Till will ever become a live band, however, under the right circumstances, I would not say no to playing live.

9. There are many genres of black metal. Personally do you feel there should be so many? What is your opinon on the USBM scene and the black metal scene across the world? I’m not particularly bothered by the amount of subgenres of Black Metal. I just personally choose not to listen to the ones I don’t like. I definitely think the term “Blackened” is overused. Overall, I feel like there’s some really great projects both in the US and around the world that really stay true to the essence of what I love about Black Metal. However, with the ease of access to home recording and the ability to easily upload music to the internet, and in the age of

Social Media, there’s definitely a large amount of subpar music being spewed out day to day.

10. Do you feel the scene is getting back to where it use to be?

I definitely feel like there was a boom in bands/labels putting out music/physical releases and people supporting it during the pandemic. But now that everyone has gone back to their normal day to day, the amount of support/bands seems to be waning. I doubt with social media being around the scene will ever truly be like it was back in the early days of zines and tape trading. But I definitely think it is falling off in popularity from where it was a few years ago.

11. I appreciate you taking the time to do this interview. Is there anything else you would like to say about Till for the readers and fans?

Just to give my gratitude to you and all those who have supported Till in any way over its existence. I am honored to have worked with you on releasing two brutal albums. I hope we can work together in the future. For anyone who has not heard of Till you need to check out their releases. HAILS!!!

fans for the support and stay tuned for some awesome news coming up about more shows!”

1. Hails Draugr!! Can you introduce yourself to the readers? Hails! I’m Draugr the sole entity behind the auditory vessel of destruction known as Howling.

2. When did you get into black metal and what gave you the idea to start a band?

I got into black metal sometime during High School when the internet was starting to really ramp up, even in the 00’s not a lot of people used it (wished it stayed that way) but through that I was able to discover all kinds of bands and genres that led me down the path towards starting my own project which

Interview by Namtar

was born out of the frustration of trying to find like-minded people who wanted to create something much more abrasive and deep than what was going around at the time.

3. You are the only member of the band Howling. Where did the name come from and do you plan on adding any other members? The name Howling came to me

Keep supporting the underground and never stop the madness!

through a random thought one late night when I started writing music for this project and I’m not sure exactly why but it just stuck to the front of my brain until the 1st demo was finished and it ended up being the name for the project. In a way there’s many different reasons why it resonated with me but I’m glad I picked it. Howling though is my personal project and I doubt anyone else will come into the fold either soon or ever.

4. You have a unique sound. Do you do all the mixing and mastering and who are your influences for the band?

Interview with Draugr

I try to do all of my own stuff as far as production goes (keyword try haha) but I am open to having someone else at some point come in and help out with that but that will be at a later time. I’m influenced by so many things musically and personally but my biggest ones for sure would have to be Bathory, Leviathan, Funeral Mist, Bestial Warlust, Deathspell Omega, the entire Norwegian scene and various other bands that I can’t think up of now but always find myself listening to.

5. What inspires you or influences you to write the lyrics for Howling?

Life as a whole has been a whirlwind of an experience and my lyrics deal with the various aspects of this. I have been fortunate and unfortunate as anyone else on planet earth in many different ways and the lyrics I write are diatribes of these experiences I’ve had or things I’ve observed good or bad. I leave the interpretation up to the listener since I believe there is plenty of ground for people to find their own personal meaning through the lyrics.

6. Who are your favorite vocalist that inspires the madning shrieks of hell vocals for Howling?

Oh man there’s several, Quorthon first and foremost, Mortuus/Arioch, Wrest, Daemon, Werwolf, etc.

7. So far you have released “The Aesthetics Of Rot” CD by Blasphemous Creations Of Hell Records and “Altar Of Depravity” CD by Blasphemous Creations

Of Hell Records and Plague Demon Records. How did you guys get in contact and are you satisfied with the labels? Also what can our readers look forward to?

I was first contacted by Chuck of BCH Records and from then on there was a partnership developed between them and Plague Demon Records and I couldn’t be happier with the relationship and exposure they’ve given me. They’re 2 incredibly driven guys who have the upmost love for this type of music and that’s what a lot of people seem to lose grasp of especially in this day and age of catty internet drama and bullshit labeling. As far as new material I will be releasing a short EP on vinyl hopefully towards the end of the summer and I do have material shelved and ready to go to begin writing a second full length. I’m busy in my personal life but I always make time for this regardless of how tired I am.

8. In my opinion you are one of the best underground black metal band in the U.S. How do you feel about the USBM scene?

Thank you for that, I think the USBM scene has a lot to offer. There’s a TON of great bands of many different styles whether it be raw, symphonic, low production or high production that always deliver great music and never disappoint. I wished there were a lot more but theres enough to keep you busy and that’s always great to see.

9. Do you feel the bands out today are as talented as the old school black metal bands? What is your personal opinion on black metal as a whole?

I think it depends on the individual artists personally. Too often people get caught up in a generational struggle and try to either do better

than their counterparts or try to disregard younger efforts in an attempt to hold onto the torch and whatever vision you have can get lost through that but as a whole this music for me never gets old and there’s always new shit to complement it, doesn’t matter if it’s from 1992 or 2022 if it has that cold and punishing feel to it then damnit I’m gonna listen to it.

10. There is another band with the same name. Have you heard them and do you have any contact with them?

I have heard of them but well after I had already named my project and I haven’t had any contact with them.

11. I appreciate you taking the time for this interview. Is there anything you would like to add or say to the fans, friends or the readers of Inside The Darkness? I am extremely grateful for your trust in us to release the madness of Howling. I look forward to everything you put out and look forward to working with you in the future. Anyone that hasnt heard of Howling you need to check out their releases. Be ready to have your soul ripped out!!!! HAILS!!!!

First and foremost, Hails to all who have supported Howling these past few years but for those who want to check me out go to howling1.bandcamp.com for my EP and full-length, also follow me on there or on facebook at Howling - Official and instagram @ howlingdraugr for updates and when I release new material, also check out Blasphemous Creations Of Hell Records and Plague Demon Records. Keep supporting the underground and never stop the madness!

1) Tell when / where / why Moor was formed... Moor offically was formed I guess in August 2021.

2) Who is currently in the band?

It is a one-man project so I am the only member.

3) Your Ep, A forest ritual is a cracking debut release... vibrantly evil and with an 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 u! I am glad u enjoyed it. Well, all my music is recorded in my home and in a small room I like to call “black shrine studios” or something like that haha.

The first track was the first BM song I ever made really...or try to make hehe. ...anyway I was lucky enough to get a great drummer to play

drums for me on that track+he plays on my entire UPCOMMING debut album, a guy called Arne Østensen Gandrud. I owe him a lot in my project. He has really helped me and given me a lot of tips as I was fresh in the BM business coming from more of a thrash metal scene when it came to metal. Anyway, the song was inspired by me moving to a new location that has a forest right behind the house and so I started walking in the woods everyday listening to metal...

Interview by Jay Parker

Interview with Halfden Svarti

My goal is to just keep going and produce music and try to grow as a musician and develope my own sound.

Then a cool guy named Ole Morten sent me some Mayhem songs from the Chimeira (don’t know how u spell it :p) album and I just started liking it more and more and from there I just went nuts really and started listening to whatever BM I could find and I just started leaning more and more towards the underground raw BM bands really...and I just had to make something to capture the feeling I got when I walked in the forest listening to that stuff...bcuz like I said I was not heavily into that stuff back in the days...I listened a lot to Dimmu’s early albums and also Emperor was one of my fav bands but besides that I didn’t listen much to BM. second track “nighthag” was just me wanting to make a scary kind of horrormovie type song haha... I was watching some movie, don’t remember which one but they said the words night hag and I thought it was a cool title and tried to make a song about it... 3rd and 4th tracks were both originally part of a 2 track DEMO called “worthless abominations” (also available on my bandcamp) ...and they were really not planned and just came about bcuz of me being angry about something stupid one day and wanting to pour some hatred “on wax”... so I did and the CD release was made possible by the guy run-

ning

ColdNorthernbreezeRecords. He approached me and said he like my demos on bandcamp and asked if he could put together a compilation CD. So I said yes off course and everything was done professional and he was a stand-up guy and I am hoping to be able to work with him again on future releases.

4) You live on a tiny island in Norway... are your lyrics inspired by Nordic themes? Tell us about the lyrics you compose...

No, the part of Norway that is in my lyrics is the dark atmosphere of the Norwegian nature where I live, forests and the sea. My lyrics (up until this point) mostly has dealt with just fantasy stuff...

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

Well, like I mentioned, it is a one-man project so I play everything. Except drums which I have to get help to do.

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

Yeah, we’ll c about splits...got a few lined up but no dates for those yet…as for my full-length DEBUT album, I have been holding it for the right time and I believe the right time will be Halloween 2022...mark the date!

7) Tell us about your musical

influences...What did you listen to growing up? What bands do you listen to now?

Well, I like a lot of different types of music and genres. But when it comes to the heavier stuff... first albums I ever bought with my own money was Motorhead - Iron Fist and Megadeth - So far so good so what? But actually it was The Offspring’s first 4 albums that made me want to start playing guitar when I was 14 years old. I was into that kind of punk first...

Something about the lyrics from NOFX and Bad Religion and early Offspring that caught my attention... so I used to write lyrics and stuff way before I ever started with music... I played football until I was 14…then I switched to guitar... and Iron Maiden, Metallica and all the usual suspects became my teachers for many years… but today the list of fav bands is pretty different... Megadeth would still be on there and Blind Guardian from my early days but the rest probably only BM bands hehe.

8) Recommend some good new bands from Norway...

Well, there are always good Norwegian extreme metal bands to choose from...

I would mention Hordagaard, Geitefolket, Ulvhedner, Andakt, Avertia and off course my sideproject band Phantom Castle. The guy in Andakt was also the guy who did the cool layout for the “forest rituals” CD.

9) What are your expectations for the future? What are your long term goals as a musician?

Well, I don’t have many expectations...but my goal is to just keep going and produce music and try to grow as a musician and develope my own sound. After many years of feeling like never getting anywhere with the music I finally feel like I atleast have a project I can keep doing that I enjoy doing and so to not make all the years seem wasted I will just keep doing it and see where it will take me. As long as I am doing what I enjoy on more than just a hobby basis, personally it is a success for me. I am in competition with no man or woman and only care about reaching my own goals really.

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

Best experience is easy... that is to discover that the underground scene is more alive than ever and how much bands and labels help each other out. And also getting so much positive response on my music... that’s always a bonus.

Worst experience... I am not really sure... maybe seeing how some other smaller bands don’t support u back like u support them, but that’s not really something I think too much about and does not have anything to do with BM

they like that music... I mean it’s not exactly easy listening if u don’t even enjoy it xD

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?

Hehe… I have no idea...I’m too fresh in the game to give any advice ha-ha.

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

Just remember my debut album on Halloween 2022! and go get a copy of “forest rituals” and get a copy of “beneath the graven totem” as well!

as a genre. So guess I haven’t really experienced any really bad things...yet…

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

Pretty healthy I guess… it’s more mainstream as in more accepted these days but I still don’t think people who listen to BM do it for any other reason than that

Support the underground and preserve nature always!

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https://mastersofkaos.bandcamp.com/album/inside-the-darkness-black-metal-hellfire-compilation-cd1 https://mastersofkaos.bandcamp.com/album/inside-the-darkness-black-metal-hellfire-compilation-cd2 https://plaguedemonrecords.bandcamp.com/album/inside-the-darkness-compilation-black-metal-hellfire-volume-1-disks-1-2 https://bchrecords.storenvy.com/products/36032953-inside-the-darkness-black-metal-hellfire-vol-1

1. Hails brother!!! Introduce yourself to the readers. Hails my brother. I am Mort’loch Graves, the reincarnation of Ulric Graves.

2. When did you get into black metal and what inspired you to form a band?

I have been a metalhead all my life, but I got into black metal specifically around 2016 or so. I have always wanted to be a one-man band since I started making music, but what finally got my ass in gear was watching the documentary “One Man

Metal”. I remember thinking to myself “Hey these people are just like me, outcasts that want to make their music on their own terms and by their own rules, if they can do it so can I.” So I studied their gear that I could

what instruments do you play?

My main instrument has always been drums, but I love bass the most. I play everything in all my projects drums, bass, guitars, keyboards, vocals, all the production and recording. Everything is just me.

see in the video and got to work.

3. As the only member of the band Nebulous Of Blood

4. Are you looking to add new members and any plans for live shows in the future?

Not for Nebulous of Blood no. I have toyed with the idea for CaveGhoul if I could book a cool

Interview by Chuck Manganiello

Interview with Mort ’ loch Graves

I can’t fucking stand posers and genre tourists who are trying to morph the genre into something that it isn’t. That sucks big time.

tour or something just to say I’ve done it. But Nebulous of Blood can’t be replicated live at a level I would be happy with.

5. Who or what inspires the lyrical writing for the band? Depression, melancholy, sorrow, dark thoughts, the call of the Void. Etc.

6. What bands are your biggist influences personally and musically? Striborg, Xasthur, Burzum, Darkthrone, Drowning the Light, Bathory, Immortal, Judas Iscariot, Satanic Warmaster, and Mutiilation are all the main musical influences for Nebulous of Blood, but the only bm artists I would say are influences on my personality would be Fenriz of Darkthrone and his takes on writing music and what metal should be, and Quarthon of Bathory and his approach to what the music itself is to him.

7. Where you in any other bands before or do you have any other bands that you are in now? Shit man too many to name, the big ones would be CaveG-

houl, Servant of Ulvaar, Gölgaräh, everything on Hammer & Flail Records is me as well.

8. There are many genres of black metal. Personally do you feel there should be so many? What is your opinion on the USBM scene and the black

music you enjoy for yourself and your tight circle. I think musically speaking the modern USBM scene is the strongest voice in black metal today. Lots of great black metal is coming out all over the world, but the USBM scene has just been steadily pumping out heavy hitters since the early 2000s and i think we’re just now seeing that coming into full effect.

9. Do you feel the scene is getting back to where it use to be?

In a way yes, but the only thing that could take it back to where the genre should be would be the loss of the internet and if all the people who shouldn’t be here would fuck off!

metal scene across the world? I do think people get a little too carried away with the subgenres and shit. I also can’t fucking stand posers and genre tourists who are trying to morph the genre into something that it isn’t. That sucks big time. But oh well, all you can do about that is just keep to yourself and make

10. I appreciate you taking the time to do this interview. Is there anything else you would like to say about Nebulous Of Blood for the readers and fans?

Posers and Trendies fuck off and die slow. Nebulous of Blood isn’t for you. For anyone who has not heard of Nebulous Of Blood they are definitely worth checking out. HAILS!!!

1. Hails brother!!! Introduce yourself to the readers.

6o66y... I’m 6o66y from PROGOAT.

2. When did you get into black metal and what inspired you to start a band?

6o66y... I’ve been into black/death metal for as long as I can remember… bands like VENOM, MERCYFUL FATE, CELTIC FROST/ HELLHAMMER, SODOM, PROFANATICA, SARCOFAGO, BEHERIT, BLASPHEMY, is probably my biggest influences with PROGOAT for sure. Plus, PROGOAT is just myself getting out all the demons bottled up inside, and set loose on those who ac-

tually believe in those sorta things...

3. Listening to your music you can definitely hear Beherit and old Celtic Frost. What other bands have influenced you?

6o66y... Ur absolutely correct about that my friend! I’m a slave to the riffing

PROGOAT, but the guitar solos are all myself paying homage to MERCYFUL FATE, not that I even come close to being as good as Mike Denner and Hank Sherman, it’s an attempted dedication to early Black Metal from the 80’s for sure... Trying to bring back that old school Evil metal sound from way back, ya know?!?

4. What is the driving force to your lyrics and vocals?

of early CELTIC FROST/HELLHAMMER, so you will probably hear that bigtime in my riffing style with

6o66y... To be a wrecking ball smashing down the lies of the Christian faith, and conjure something ugly in the minds of the listener, especially when the listener is Christian...

Interview by Chuck Manganiello

Ifurafan of PROGOAT, don’t be a pussy, find you a Christian and kick they’re ass!!! If not, you need to check out their releases.

Satan is always a good way to start the lyric process I guess, that and absolute Desecration!! About half of the songs are ritual ceremony incantations, and passages spoken in Latin backwards, so the most dark and dreadful feeling comes over the people who are not familiar with this kind of music, will always remember the fear they felt when first listening to PROGOATs music…

5. What bands are your personal favorites and what is your opinion on the USBM scene today?

6o66y... MERCYFUL FATE’S “don’t break the oath” is the best record of all time, hands down, no one else comes close... but, like I said beforehand, CELTIC FROST/HELLHAMMER, SODOM, PROFANATICA, early MYSTIFIER, SARCOFAGO, BEHERIT, BLASPHEMY, PROCLAMATION from Spain are absolutely fucking incredible, and I proudly own everything they’ve ever released on vinyl! What a fucking band they were huh?!? They have the perfect Black/Death metal sound in my opinion... But the good U.S black metal bands are few and far between in my opinion. PROFANATICA, CRURIFRAGIUM, WEREGOAT, BLACK WITCHERY, DEMONCY, BLACK FUNERAL, APOCRYPHAL REVELATION, RTNGJHVH, are all great bands from AMERICA!!

6. How did you go about or why did you pick the label that you are working with now to release your music?

6o66y... Well, I searched for labels at first and came upon BLASPHEMOUS CREATIONS OF HELL RECORDS, threw myself ordering a MORBOSIDAD shirt unknowingly from the la-

bels webstore, I think... but Chuck, the head of the label, showed a great interest in my work with PROGOAT from the very start, and had remained so to this day! I know I can count on him to get things done for this project and that he would never release my shit alongside something fake as fuck, and mostly, he keeps his word, and takes great care of the demons under his infernal banner!!!

7. So far you have released “Satanico Sint Obscura Metallum” CD, “Antichristus Mortem Cultus” CD, “Desicration Ceremony” Demo and a new demo that just came out. Do you have any plans for future releases for the readers?

6o66y... Everything is coming along nicely with PROGOAT hear lately, but I’d rather not say too much about future endeavors with PROGOAT, because Satanism is about working and doing things in secrecy, it’s also what makes PROGOAT so much more authentic than the rest of the weak shit being put out lately... this music has been made in the chambers of Black Ceremony, and those involved are dead now... I’ll say no more...

8. How many members are in Progoat and do you have any plans on doing live shows? Are you in or have been in any other bands?

6o66y... PROGOAT is myself only... and no, I have no other bands I’m playing with at the time being...

9. How do you feel about the USBM scene and the black metal scene as a whole?

6o66y... I think 99%of it all is fake as fuck, and there are very few newer bands that are carrying the true spirit

of this kinda music anymore, like the way the early bands did! so I keep my old school black/death metal records close.

10. I appreciate you taking the time to do this interview. Is there anything else you would like to say about Progoat to your fans or to the readers of Inside The Darkness?

If ur a fan of PROGOAT, don’t be a pussy, find you a Christian and kick they’re ass!!! That entire faith needs to be stamped out! So we can better evolve as a species!!! Ave Satanas...

I am proud to be working with you and releasing one of the most extremely raw primitive black metal bands in the scene today. For anyone who hasn’t heard of Progoat you need to check out their releases. Hails to you Warbrother!!!

Bio:

PROGOAT is dedicated to everything Satanic, old School Black, Death, Doom, Thrash, Speed, Heavy metal!! CELTIC FROST/HELLHAMMER BEHERIT, BLASPHEMY, MERCYFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND, PROCLAMATION to just name a few that have great influence on my work with PROGOAT... Much love for CHARLIE MANSON R.I.P “gone but never forgotten!!! His legacy lives threw all METAL,ROCK-N-ROLL” HAIL SATAN, and look forward to the next PROGOAT release coming soon!! Its only getting better!!! Hails from Wilmore KY!!

6o66y Contact: progoat6o66y@gmail.com

Pervertor are one of the best New Zealand bands I have ever heard. Andrew Stanton talked to frontman Necroar about their new album.

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

“Pervertor was originally formed as a Black Metal side project in 2001 under the monicker “Cereberus”. The lineup consisted of 3 quarters of Christian Combustion, with myself - vocals, Carnage - bass, Solrack - drums. We only recorded 4 tracks on a primitive 4

track, Solrack was ejected from the band and we ceased activity not long after. In 2008 Pervertor was born with myself on vocals, Carnage - bass, InebriatorGuitar & Rots - drums. In 2009 We started playing shows and decided from our second show onwards to go for a slightly filthier image to compliment the band

name. All but Rots started wearing panties on our heads at our shows, Carnage and Inebriator continue this practice to this day!! That year we unleashed our first demo “Metallic Possession” and the following year recorded our debut album “Into the Alcoholic Abyss”. This release wasn’t mixed for a couple of years, due to 2 of us venturing back overseas to live for a time and finally saw the light of day in 2013. We recorded our 2nd album

Interview by Andrew Stanton

Interview with Necroar

Lyrically I prefer mine to be dripping with perversion, Death, Metal and alcohol amongst other themes!!”

“Perverted Tales of Depravity” throughout 2014 and this one finally spewed forth in 2017 (so at this point, it basically took 3 years from the infancy of our recordings to mixing/mastering for our albums to finally materi- alize haha). However, our latest album “Putrid Dominion was recorded throughout 2020 and was unleashed in 2021. COVID slowed things down a bit with this one, but we still managed to get it released in half the time. All of our recordings have been self-recorded with Inebriator taking care of recording and mixing.”

- What bands did you like growing up?

“I first started getting into Metal when I was 14 and the earliest Metal bands I listened to were Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer etc. and not long afterwards became possessed by late 80’s/ early 90’s Death Metal Obituary, Suffocation, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Carcass etc. It wasn’t long be-

fore I was introduced to Black Metal through the Necropolis Records compilation “Tribute to Euronymous” which introduced me to the likes of Mayhem, Enslaved, Emperor, Dissection etc. and was completely obsessed with Black Metal for a number of years before branching out deeper into further metallic realms.”

- Your lyrics don’t seem to be stereotypically Black Metal. Is Satanism not something that interests you?

“Satanism isn’t really something that the band is influenced by. Certainly, Satanism was of more interest to me when I was younger but I am

more inspired by Satanic imagery and aesthetics than ideology these days. Lyrically I prefer mine to be dripping with perversion, death, Metal and alcohol amongst other themes!!”

- When I first heard Putrid Dominion, it was very much Black Thrash meets Black Grind. How do you describe your sound?

“I must say I have never heard anyone define our sound as Black Grind, so that is interesting to hear. However, I agree with Black Thrash, we are oozing with both those genres!! I would say our music consists of 3 quarters Black Metal, 1 quarter Thrash Metal. I feel more Black Metal riffage has seeped into our music with “Putrid Dominion” and has continued to with our newest material. I tend to come up with a lot more Black Metal riffs and Inebriator conjures up a lot of our thrashier riffs!!”

- Whenever I hear Black Thrash, I always feel it’s targeted at older Metalheads. Is this intentional?

“I had never thought of it that way. I can’t really say we are targeting a particular age group; however, it is always a bonus if older Metalheads like it!! Can’t speak for what other Black Thrash bands are targeting though!! As an older Metalhead myself I am definitely drawn to Black Thrash and some of my favourite bands are masters of this style!! We have been lucky enough on this remote rock to have been able to support the likes of Sabbat (Jap), Destroyer 666 and Aura Noir!!”

- What can fans expect from Putrid Dominion?

“A relentless barrage of frantic riffing and a bombardment of blitzkrieg drumming. A full-on assault on the aural senses!! Putrid Dominion is by far our strongest album to date, with by far our best mix and was mastered by Enormous Door, who has mastered albums by the likes of Darkthrone, Isengard, Antichrist, Aura Noir, Mork etc.”

- Are you touring anywhere?

“Not currently. We start-

ed a couple of dates to promote “Putrid Dominion” and planned on some more dates, however then the country got shut down once again with more bullshit

Hopefully better luck when album number 4 is released. We are on the bill for a show out of town in 2023 that has not yet been announced but otherwise nothing lined up currently. “

- What other New Zealand bands should our readers check out?

“Execrate (Inebriator & Carnage’s other band), Exordium Mors, Winter Deluge (RIP), Methchrist, Stalker, Exaltation, Stormforge & Forsaken Age. A couple of new local bands that have recently put out demos and played debut shows i would recommend are Total Violation & Gutter Killer.”

- Do you have a message for our readers?

COVID governmental restrictions. We have since been busy working on material for the new album and haven’t lined anything else up yet, so as far as promoting Putrid Dominion, probably missed the mark there!!

“Pervertor are currently close to finishing writing album number 4 and hopefully this will be unleashed sometime in 2023. Also Inebriator is currently remixing our debut “Into the Alcoholic Abyss”, so expect to see a re-release of this at some time in some capacity in the near future!!”

Here can be your ads.

Just contact us and we discuss it.

The Scum are an old school Death Metal band from Colombia. Andrew Stanton talked to front man José Ospina about this great new band.

Hello and welcome to Inside the Darkness.

“Hi Andrew. So many thanks to you and Inside the Darkness for invite us to this interview.”

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

“The Scum was founded in 2013 by the guitarist Santiago de los Rios a little later The drummer Mauricio Aristizabal joined the

band and in 2015 I José Ospina entered in the band to do the vocals we had some bassists and lead guitarists but we found in 20020 a lead guitarist (Mateo Tabares) and two months ago joined us the bassist Mateo Gonzalez. We have

Hateworks and a few months ago

The European label Satanath records released in coproduction with Colombian Label Wild Noise Productions the second full length THE HUNGER with a great response in the Colombian underground and several good reviews in the underground metal media in Europe and USA.”

recorded two EPs and two albums The first album ASHEN and was released by the Colombian label

- What bands did you like growing up?

“I began listening to traditional Heavy Metal back in the eighties

Interview by Andrew Stanton

Interview with Jos é Ospina

I think that during the time that a scene of Death Metal exists in the world the classic scene of Florida’s Death Metal will be important and hugely relevant.»

a little later I was introduced to Thrash Metal and fell in love with bands as Slayer, Sacrifice, Necrophagia, Holy Terror, Rigor Mortis, Dark Angel, Coroner, Sodom, Destruction and a ton more!!!! Later at the end of the 80s I began to listen to Death

Metal bands as Entombed, Grave, Dismember, Unleashed, Bolt Thrower, Deicide, Obituary, Morbid Angel, Benediction, Asphyx, Gorefest , Pestilence…… though in the end of the eighties

I was already listening the first Death Metal and proto Death Metal bands as Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Death, Possessed, Sadus, Slaughter and Grind bands as Napalm Death, Carcass, Repulsion, Extreme Noise Terror, Unseen Terror, etc.”

- Why do Colombian bands never get known internationally?

“I think that the main reason is that the Colombian bands generally don’t invest the sufficient money and time in the promotion of the band outside Colombia if you don’t have the possibility to hire a management and a PR companies then you can try to do it for yourself but this means to spend long time in the internet making contacts and have a decent level of use of English. I think that is very important too to have a material that can be competitive within the worldwide underground in sound and writing abilities with the tons of bands that already exists.”

- Is the Florida Death Metal scene still important today?

“I have to admit that I don’t know if there are many or just a few new Death Metal bands in Florida but the principal legendary bands are active touring and editing new music with the obvious exception of Death of course. Band as Deicide, Obituary, Cannibal Corpse (They have lived a long time in Florida, we can count them as a Florida band I think), Morbid Angel, Massacre, Malevolent Creation, Atheist, Brutality, etc. I think that during the time that a scene of Death Metal exists in the world the classic scene of Florida’s Death Metal will be important and hugely relevant.”

- What are your lyrics about?

“The lyrics that I make are normally inspired in horror cinema with a huge influence of the horror movies of the 60s, 70s and 80es of the 20th century although some new movies inspired me too. I think that in the last 10 years has been a resurgence of the horror cinema with the emergence of young directors that are releasing extraordinary movies like Ti West, Robert Eggers, Adam Wingard, Mike Flanagan, etc. Besides still the Asian horror cinema still make some excellent movies and here in South America begins to come out great movies in countries as Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, etc. All this cinematographical context give me more and more ideas for Death Metal lyrics.”

- Does Metal get played on the radio in Colombia?

“Yes, here in Colombia are working a lot of Metal radio shows. In the capitol city Bogota, I think that could be more than 50 Metal shows in traditional and cultural radio stations and in in only internet stations too. All of the biggest cities in Colombia have metal radio shows that covers all the sub genres of Metal music and some of this programs have 15 or 20 years of existence.”

- Do you have tour dates?

“The next September 17 we will play alongside the legendary US bands Incantation and Suffocation in Bogota. And our managers in Wild Noise productions are making some negotiations for other important gigs her in Colombia. Wild Noise is trying to make the arrangements to do a Mexican tour in the first semester of 2023 and we have the purpose to make a European tour in two or three years.”

- Do you have a message for our readers?

“Please support the underground metal band of all the world and please listen and, if you can buy, our music in the band camps of Satanath records and The Scum. Listen to our discography in the principal streaming platforms as Spotify, You tube music and Deezer and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!!! Stay metal and true to the Old School!!!! Horns Up!!!!”

Poontickler are a very cool new Porno Grind Metal band from Florida. Andrew Stanton talked to them about the new album.

- What bands did you like growing up?

Mike: “Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Anal Blast, Deicide, Napalm Death... The typical OSDM and Grind stuff.”

- Are you associated with

any of the legendary Florida Death Metal bands?

Morgan: “Mike has played in Masticator, a band he formed in high school for 15 years.

We are also good friends with a lot of the OS Florida Death Metal guys such as Malevolent Creation, Atheist, Massacre, and Monstrosity. We’re also collaborating with Derek Roddy (former hate Eternal Drummer) for a massive project curated by Jim Ross called

Interview by Andrew Stanton

Interview with Mike and Morgan

We love laughing, fucking, and sick shit and we know other people do too.

BandWhore. The Death Metal scene is pretty small so everyone knows everyone.”

- Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think you both have been active in Metal for a very long time. Was Poontickler an idea you both had for a long time?

Morgan: “It was my dream to have a partner to make Pornogrind with. The style of music is so free, silly, expressive, seductive, and gorey. It pretty much encompasses some of my favorite things in life and knowing that Mike was such a talented guitarist and songwriter, I knew the possibility was there as soon as he and I got close.”

- Is your intention to shock people or to make them laugh?

“Our intention is neither. Our intention is to make music that we enjoy with themes that we find amusing in hopes that others will be entertained and have as much fun as we’re having. We love laughing, fucking, and sick shit and we know other people do too.”

- Will Poontickler still

be active when Morgehenna joins Emasculator?

“PoonTickler is our baby and it is here to stay. We both have multiple music endeavors as it’s what we love to do.”

- Are you touring anywhere?

“We are focused on playing

- How have fans reacted to your music?

“People have been humored, disgusted, the whole nine. Some people love it and some people hate it - and that’s kind of the point. It’s not for everybody, just for those few people that love sex gore and bouncy riffage.”

- Do you have a message for our readers?

“Blast fast, eat ass, and thanks for the interview.”

festivals at the moment. We are hoping to play some European festivals in 2023.”

Omenfilth

Black Metal band from Philippines released the fourth Full-length album Possessed by the Pentacle Spell on July 8, 2022. Spawned out of the abyssal crypts of the Philippines, OMEN FILTH spew forth some violent, nasty black metal terror. Reminding fiends of the killer late 80s Greek era by ROTTING CHRIST, VARATHRON, NECROMANTIA and the ancient SAMAEL way. This is for true black metal maniacs!

Taking their traditional Hellenic influences (Varathron, Rotting Christ) and adding more aggression, hearkening back to the early Immortal sound!

Tracklist

1. Messor Omnem Tenebris Potestatum Universum

2. Terroritual Genocide

3. Possessed by the Pentacle Spell

4. The Wine of Victory Has Turned Into Poison

5. Visions of Apocalypse

6. Evocation Within the Circled Five Points

7. Goat of the Sabbath

8. Monarchia Daemonium

9. Cursed Into the Writhing Flames

Lineup

Guiller - Bass

Emil the Dragon - Drums

Von Necroticus - Guitars

Deathfiend - Guitars, Vocals

Belphegor

Death/Black Metal band from Austria released the twelfth Full-length album The Devils on July 29, 2022. Belphegor comes from the biblical name Baal-Peor, who is the God of the Moabites. The story is that when Israel owned the northeast corner of the plains of Moab, the Israelites would have illicit relations with the Moabite women and would sacrifice them to their god. Moses punished by death the Israelites who had sacrificed to Baal-Peor. The slaughter amounted to 24,000 deaths. 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.

Lineup

Helmuth - Guitars, Vocals (lead), Songwriting, Lyrics

Serpenth - Bass, Vocals (backing)

Tracklist

1. The Devils

2. Totentanz - Dance Macabre

3. Glorifizierung des Teufels

4. Damnation - Hollensturz

5. Virtus Asinaria - Prayer

6. Kingdom of Cold Flesh

7. Ritus Incendium Diabolus

8. Creature of Fire

Grima

Atmospheric Black Metal band from Russia released the fifth Fulllength album Frostbitten on July 29, 2022.

Grima is two-person endeavor (Vilhelm and Morbius) that has existed since 2014 as a studioonly project, with a pagan ethos “based on the worship of the elder forest, its power and magic, where the Grima is a supreme god… a powerful spirit, who protects only those who live in a forest, and punishes everyone who does not respect nature”.

This conceptual epic will introduce listeners to the transformation of human consciousness that only becomes possible through long detachment from the fruits of modern civilization. Grima will take you to the depth of hidden trails of human nature, right to the point of no return where the primordial spirit awaits, prophesied to lead the mad and lost humankind to its ancient destiny.

Lineup

Morbius - Guitars

Vilhelm - Vocals, Guitars

Tracklist

1. Gloomy Heart of the Coldest Land

2. Giant’s Eternal Sleep

3. Into the Twilight

4. Hunger God

5. Moonspell and

Soulfly

Groove/Thrash/Death

Metal band from the United States released the twelfth Full-length album Totem on August 5, 2022. Max Cavalera is without a doubt a busy man, being active with bands like CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, KILLER BE KILLED, GO AHEAD AND DIE, and additionally touring live with his brother Igor to celebrate anniversaries of various SEPULTURA classics. At the dawn of the new millennium, Rolling Stone declared, “Soulfly seem built to last.” More than two decades, countless worldwide tours, and a dozen albums later, that prophecy rings true. Underground icon, extreme metal trailblazer, third world warrior, and leader of a diverse and dedicated tribe, Max Cavalera not only survives but thrives, blasting out riff after killer riff.

The same voice, body, and spirit which launched Soulfly in 1997 summons impossibly heavy noise to this day, throwing down ten slabs of monstrous music on Soulfly’s twelfth album, 2022’s „Totem“.

Tracklist

Lineup

Max CavaleraVocals, Guitars

Zyon Cavalera - Drums

Mike Leon - Bass

1. Superstition

2. Scouring the Vile

3. Filth upon Filth

4. Rot in Pain

5. The Damage Done

6. Totem

7. Ancestors

8. Ecstasy of Gold

9. Soulfly XII

10. Spirit Animal

The Halo Effect

Melodic Death Metal band from Sweden released the first Full-length album Days of the Lost on August 12, 2022.

The Halo Effect was founded by five former members of the Swedish metal band In Flames. Jesper Strömblad was a founding member of In Flames in 1990, and in 1993 Mikael Stanne (who founded the band Dark Tranquility and remains its sole founding member today) worked as a session vocalist on In Flames’ demo tape and debut album. Niclas Engelin and Peter Iwers joined In Flames in 1997, and Daniel Svensson joined In Flames in 1998 after Niclas Engelin quit. Subsequently, Strömblad, Iwers, and Svensson played together in In Flames for over 10 years by the time Strömblad quit that

band in 2010.

The initial thought behind The Halo Effect - to go back to the roots and explore what the groundbreaking metal sounded like then. And add the experience and skills of what the members could bring to the table now. The result is an exceptional album and real tour de force to fans of melodeath where the echoes of the Gothenburg Sound is evident. The Halo Effect delivers the goods in a brutally efficient display of heart pounding beats, melodic mayhem and furious growling at its best. Raw, yet melodic, and in your melted face.

Tracklist

1. Shadowminds

2. Days of the Lost

3. The Needless End

4. Conditional

5. In Broken Trust

6. Gateways

7. A Truth Worth Lying For

8. Feel What I Believe

9. Last of Our Kind

10. The Most Alone Lineup

Peter Iwers - Bass

Daniel Svensson - Drums

Jesper Strömblad - Guitars

Niclas Engelin - Guitars

Mikael Stanne - Vocals

Latest releases

Vong

Raw Black Metal band from Vietnam released the first Fulllength album A Wander in Liminality on July 1, 2022. Originally recorded as a demo back in 2019, Indigo Tongue, the creative force behind the project has refined these songs and reshape them in their most complete form to date. This Definitive Edition is Vong’s first official full length of authentic Vietnamese tragedy, a dark gallery that portrayed the ugly, painful side of the history of Vietnam.

Each song is a small piece in the mosaic of Vietnam’s history and culture, from tragedies, bloodshed, mythology to war time stories.

Tracklist

1. A Wander in Liminality

2. Lệ Chi Viên

3. Ất Dậu

4. Storm Over the South Sea

5. The Birds Shall Carry My Bones Home

6. Ghost of Long Forgotten Trails

Lineup

Indigo Tongue - Everything

Devils Tail

Melodic Black Metal band from Sweden released the first Fulllength album Desolation on July 1, 2022.

Tracklist

1. Intro / Infinity

2. Eternal Life

3. Creeping Terror

4. At the Crossroads

5. I Am the Wolf

6. Master of Salvation

7. Power from the Dead

Lineup

Erik Bäck - Guitars

Jimmy Nilsson - Vocals

Godflesh Deformed

Melodic Black Metal band from Finland released the second Full-length album Plague Upon the Earth on July 9, 2022. 8 years have passed but now they are gathering their troops. This Finnish symphonic black metal band

GODFLESH DEFORMED is releasing their second album. It is raw, fiery and hellish.

Tracklist

1. Reflection of My Dark Self

2. The Shallow Grave

3. Haudankaunis

4. Glass Womb Erotica

5. In Silence We Burn

6. Inheritance

7. Grotesque Human Abstract

8. Outro Lineup

Mika Kalmisto - Drums

Juha Korsumäki - Guitars

Saku Moilanen - Keyboards

Jiri Alanko - Vocals

Pahatela - Drums

Tommi Saari - Guitars

Karl Sanders

Middle Eastern/Egyptian Ambient Metal band from the United States released the third Full-length album Saurian Apocalypse on July 22, 2022. Karl Sanders began this side project because he had a bunch of unused instrumentals and experimental ideas left over that were supposed to be used for his current band Nile, but ended up never being utilized.

Tracklist

1. The Sun Has Set on the Age of Man

2. The Disembodied Yet Slither Among Us

3. The Evil Inherent in Us All

4. Skull Fuck Ritual (Skull Breach Edition)

5. Nada Zaag

6. An Altered Saurian Theta State

7. Nihil Emplexus

8. Divergence: The Long Awaited Third Primordial Ascension

9. Mask of Immutable Self Delusion

10. No Creature More Deserving of Cataclysmic Annihilation Lineup

Karl Sanders - Guitars, Bass, Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Bağlama, Sistrum, Dumbek, Glissentar, Gongs

Mike Breazeale - Vocals, Chants

Ceremonial Worship

Black Metal band from Greece released the second Full-length album Seven Gateways to Eternal Misanthropy on July 22, 2022. Either way you cut it, Seven Gateways to Eternal Misanthropy is a grim and challenging excursion into the darkest depths of misanthropy. Whereas prior CEREMONIAL WORSHIP recordings exhibited the hallmarks of classic Hellenic black metal - thick, pulsing walls of dread and doom, with simple ‘n’ straightforward songwriting driving the point home - with Seven Gateways to Eternal Misanthropy, mainman High Priest C.W. goes a more abstracted route.

Tracklist

1. Intro

2. True Evil in Me

3. Death from Mountain Hills

4. Opus Blood

5. Orders Beyond Horizon

6. Vomitous Moon

7. Path of Burning Ambition

8. Vanishing Heaven

Lineup

High Priest C.W. - Vocals, Guitars

Source of Rage

Melodic Death Metal band from Germany released the second Full-length album

Witness the Mess on July 22, 2022.

Tracklist

1. Witness the Mess

2. The Eyes of the Restless

3. Purify Me

4. My Silent Hollow Self

5. Construe the Last Word

6. The Louder, the More Right

7. Path Ways

8. Aware

9. Solitude:Fortitude

10. Dark Project Lineup

Thilo Krause - Bass

Riko Krause - Drums

Marko Krause - Vocals

Oliver Roffmann - Guitars

Katakomba

Death Metal band from Sweden released the first Full-length album Katakomba on July 29, 2022.

Combining later era Entombed with the menacing technicallity of acts such as Morbid Angel, Katakomba look to add something exciting and catchy to the extreme underground metal scene.

Tracklist

1. Damnatio ad Bestias

2. Katakomba

3. Tomb of the Desecrated

4. Sacrifice

5. Skärseld

6. Worship Death

7. Embalmed in Concrete

8. Death Opus

9. Left for the Vultures to Feed

Lineup

Fabian Brodén - Vocals (lead), Bass

Ernst Eklund - Drums

Anton Bryvall - Guitars (lead)

Leo Kulle Häll - Guitars (rhythm)

Rotting Empire

Death Metal band from Germany released the second Full-length album Buried in the Past on July 31, 2022.

Tracklist

1. So I

2. Mirror of Society

3. No Regrets

4. Years Without Sunlight

5. Depression

6. Buried in the Past

7. Last Chapter

8. Alive

9. Kill to Survive

10. Journey in to the Past

Lineup

Josef Landauer - Bass

Sebastian SchabenbergerDrums

Moritz Czingon - Guitars (lead)

Ronny Wendler - Guitars (rhythm)

Danny Burns - Vocals

Wampyric Rites

Raw Black Metal band from Ecuador released the second Full-length album The Wolves Howl to the Moon on August 5, 2022.

WAMPYRIC RITES hail from the ever-rising Ecuadorian black metal underground, and have had a major hand in shaping its prominence and notoriety across countless short-length releases since 2019. However, it was last year’s full-length The Eternal Melancholy of the Wampyre where WAMPYRIC RITES displayed the full gait of their potential: classic (and unapologetic) vampiric black metal deeply rooted in the idiom’s earliest days whilst evincing a spectral aura all their own. The band may belong to the Pure Raw Underground Black Metal Plague, which includes nowlabelmates WINTERSTORM and RÜNDGARD, but WAMPYRIC RITES truly had found the cosmic keys to their creations and times.

Durhaka

Symphonic/Melodic Black Metal band from Indonesia released the fifth Full-length album Ad Majorem Satanae Gloriam on August 25, 2022.

Tracklist

1. Mahazael

2. Happy Die Sweet

3. Iblis

4. Hel

5. Durhaka

6. Soulbender

7. Batarakala

8. Manupitu (Praise Ye the Almighty)

9. GodBless Blasphemus Part I

10. Tales of the Blackened Horde (Enthroned cover)

Lineup

Buddy - Drums

Leo - Vocals

Billy - Bass

Witho - Guitars

Aji - Keyboards

Erwin - Guitars

Lustre

Atmospheric Black Metal band from Sweden released the eighth Full-length album A Thirst for Summer Rain on August 26, 2022.

Lustre was founded in 2008 by Swedish musician Nachtzeit. After garnering increasing underground renown with his first three albums, Nachtzeit signed with Nordvis in 2012 - a collaboration now celebrating its tenth anniversary, making Lustre one of the longestrunning partnerships in the label’s history.

Nachtzeit has since made a name for himself with his masterful use of musical minimalism: slow, heavily textured, and keyboardladen dirges driven forward by monotonous percussion, occasionally broken up by swarms of guitar distortion. The doomy and droning riffs are repeated at length, but always embedded in an ever-changing soundscape that never gets dull. The keyboards, guitars, and drums often bleed into each other to the extent where it occasionally sounds more ambient than metal.

Forgeus

Black Metal band from Indonesia released the second Full-length album Village on August 31, 2022. Where people live in peace in village until the witch has come and make a chaos...

Tracklist

1. Winter Wonderland

2. The Beauty

3. Rural Roten Air

4. Our Homeland That Burned

5. Against the Witch

6. When the Dawn Comes...

Lineup

Naufal Forgeus - Vocals, Guitars, Drums, Piano

Pale Horseman’s - Bass

without the keyboards is a pretty good description. Overall I would say it only really appeals to those people who live and breathe Black Metal. If you’re looking for something a bit new and original, just forget it. But as I said early, it does have some nice touches in here at times.

It’s okay I guess.

Review by Andrew Stanton

Review by Patrick Schroeder

of classic sounding and performed death metal. The music is not as chaotic as the previous songs but is still played with classic death metal. Salvation Denied is the final song on the release and is a fast paced song. With crazed, fast drum passages. The guitars are played with some very well played guitar structures that are fast and punishing in the delivery. Eternal Misanthropy is my first encounter with Philadelphia’s Blasphemous and this is a great release to have if you are a fan of traditional and well executed death metal.

Review by Patrick Schroeder

the band. Cruel Spirit plays a primitive, raw form of black metal that should please fans of the lo-fi sound and style.

Review by Patrick Schroeder

Review by Andrew Stanton

If I’m allowed to honest, I would have loved this so much more if I never heard Kimarea’s Imperivm. It’s of course very good, but as I listen, I just keep thinking about Kimaera. If I was scoring this out of ten, I might have given it a 7 or an 8. It is very good.

Review by Andrew Stanton

Review by Andrew Stanton

DSBM, but

musically it’s pretty awesome. I even love the cover, but maybe that’s just me being weird. If Hautajaisyö were around with the early 1990’s Florida Death Metal scene, I honestly think they would have been huge (huge by Death Metal standards). If you’re like me and you only know Finland for Black Metal, 100% check this out. You will be VERY surprised.

Review by Andrew Stanton

Review by Andrew Stanton

Review by Andrew Stanton

English. I’m not too familiar with the Austrian scene, but I’m starting to think I should start being. I’m not exactly in tears listening to this, but I reckon they could really benefit from some nice keyboards to give it that extra something. It’s almost like the really nice version of Deicide. It sounds like Glen Benton having a bit of a down mood. It definitely needs to be heard by people. It might not be everyone’s thing, but there are some who will love and appreciate this. You know who you are.

Upcoming albums

Thrash Metal pioneers and metal icon MEGADETH will cap a summer of successful global touring with the release of their highly anticipated 16th studio album, The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!

The album consolidates a furious return to form that began with the Grammy winning-Dystopia, while pushing forward musically and marking Mustaine’s recent triumph over throat cancer.

The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! melds the ultrafrenetic riffing, fiercely intricate solos, and adventurous spirit the quartet are known for, all laced with signature virtuosity and precision and Mustaine’s singular sardonic snarl. This album combines all the crushing musical motifs that have made MEGADETH both repeat metal disruptors and revered genre flagbearers.«The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!» will be released on September 2, 2022.

It’s time for another deep dive into the horrors of mortality and the foul side of the supernatural. It’s time for Survival Of The Sickest, the sixth full-length album from BLOODBATH, Sweden’s undisputed masters of old school death metal.

Fast forward to 2022 – the world is in flames, and Survival Of The Sickest offers no respite from the horrors of reality. Instead, with the addition of new guitarist Tomas ‘Plytet’ Akvik (Lik) onboard, BLOODBATH’s latest and greatest album gleefully confronts the slavering ghoul lurking in the shadows, and treats him to ten songs of ripping death metal frenzy. From the thuggish brain-smash of opener “Zombie Inferno”, to the bleak, obsidian ooze of the closing “No God Before Me”, this is the sound of a great band in blistering form.

Survival Of The Sickest will be released on September 9, 2022.

In the annals of metal there is no band more synonymous with an unswerving commitment to the single-minded defiance of expectation than BEHEMOTH.

Now world-renowned and yet exuberantly underground in their convictions, BEHEMOTH are perhaps the unlikeliest of success stories, but if their stratospheric ascent and hardwon commercial achievement can be attributed to anything, it’s a castiron unwillingness to compromise. As Opvs Contra Natvram, their 12th studio release heralds from the rooftops – their longevity is down to a resolute commitment to find new ways to enthrall and inspire their evergrowing legion of latter-day heretics, a determination which shows no signs of erosion. It’s changing times and new battles to fight to which Nergal attributes BEHEMOTH’s unique ability to sound fresh despite their incredible tenure. Therein lies the inspiration for the album’s title and striking cover artwork.

Opvs Contra Natvram will be released on September 16, 2022.

Finnish frontrunners WOLFHEART have proven themselves to be one of metal’s most captivating acts of northern heritage and one of the fastest rising bands in the international melodic death metal scene. Over the course of the last two years alone, the band has remained relentless with the release of their highly acclaimed fulllength, Wolves of Karelia (2020) and Skull Soldiers EP (2021), gaining massive praise from fans and press alike with their icy tales of battle and triumph. The new album, King Of The North (out September 16, 2022 via Napalm Records), picks up right where WOLFHEART left off - taking every aspect of their trademark sound of colossal melodies, growling vocals and driving drum rhythms to searing new levels. Each song on King Of The North is dedicated to a different story of Finnish mythology - underlined by WOLFHEART’s grand, crushing songwriting and production. ‘King of the North’ will be released on September 16, 2022.

Conceptually, Nordjevel evolves further and ventures into even more sinister territories.

Gnavhol is driven by war, destruction and hellish esoteric beliefs, they have created an album that is even darker and more brutal than their previous releases.

About the album Nordjevel states: “Gnavhol is darker, more dynamic and tecnhically on another level than before. This is how we want Nordjevel to sound.”

Nordjevel`s brutal and true take on black metal impressed. The band’s atmospheric and committed sound paired with high technical finesse, unique interplay and raw, unfiltered imagery, has the power to give any black metal fan the chills. Gnavhol will be released on August 5, 2022.

Since first bursting onto the death metal scene with the now genre classic ‘Severed Survival’ back in 1989, and following up with the equally revered ‘Mental Funeral’ album, the influential US quartet has carved an unwavering legacy over three decades as masters and purveyors of the vile sides of the extreme metal spectrum. And now, Autopsy marks its reinvigorated return, presenting the new opus ‘Morbidity Triumphant’; a savage offering of brutal death, showing the US legends still have an unbridled hunger for the sadistic, never reluctant to step beyond the threshold of decency.

‘Morbidity Triumphant’, the band’s eighth album, is truly a dark delight for seasoned and new listeners alike, with a raw organic sound perfectly encapsulating what makes Autopsy so distinguishable among its peers, for what could easily be considered one of its strongest offerings to date.

“Morbidity Triumphant” will be released on September 30, 2022.

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