Slowly We Rot #13 / 2019

Issue 13 / 2019

Editorial

Here you have the 13th edition of Slowly We Rot, with a slight delay of about a month from what scheduled but hopefully that is acceptable. This time we have some serious changes especially in what concerns the Reviews section: given the fact there are usually more than 100 reviews published per issue on the one hand people have a hard time understanding this section takes almost half of the zine, and to be fair I don't think that's normal either, and on the other hand I also think (or better said hope) a shorter text will have people more interested in discovering what they are all about and actually want to listen to at least some of the reviewed materials, so I've decided to publish only part of the review text, the most relevant part so to say, and still keeping the remaining text, the complete review, in Pest Webzine (pestwebzine.com) where you can read them at any time, I don't plan on stopping any of the zines anytime soon.

Feedback to this decision and experiment would be highly appreciated and will weight a lot on the way we will present reviews from now on, so thanks in advance if you get in touch with your comments on this!

Also regarding reviews, I have decided to skip reviewing zines and books because I'm a fanatic collector and I honestly find something I love about each of them, so that's not helpful to the readers at all, so this time you have a list of zines I recently bought / traded and some info about publishing / distribution houses that support underground and extreme metal, hope you'll get in touch with them and support, that would mean a whole lot to everybody.

As you can see there are more and more of them and I feel like the zines "scene" is slowly picking up and getting bigger which is encouraging, so your support is deeply appreciated.

Reducing the reviews space also means we had more space for interviews and so we published more, hope you'll like this. Again I want to mention my happiness of having such reliable and passionate writers (Sonia, Chris, Elena, Marcin, Ally) joining Slowly We Rot because with their help and contribution we can deliver a diverse and interesting content as we all have our way of interviewing and presenting bands to the readers. Anyone interested in contributing with interviews to the upcoming issues, and feels capable of adding value, is more than welcome to get in touch.

Thank you for your support, enjoy Slowly We Rot #13 and see you next time, hopefully by the end of the year. (Adrian - July 2019)

Slowly We Rot #12 contents: 03. Editorial 04. Derketa 09. A Canorous Quintet 10. Vanhelga 11. Matterhorn 13. Devil's Force Ur Tid 14. Fallen Man 15. Blodhemn 16. Blasphemathory 17. Heathenspawn Viken 18. Suffering Souls 19. Reinfection 20. Pestlegion 22. Devourer Die Entweihung 24. Lynchpin 25. Black Sheets of Rain 26. Morar 27. Fatum Aeternum 28. A letter from the Dead 31. Hecate Enthroned 32. The Elysian Fields 33. Sear Bliss 34. Enthroned 37. Spider Gates 38. Blood and Brutality Nowhere 39. Death Kommander 40. FaithXtractor 41. Scyther 42. Magoth Vomit Angel 43. Bloody Invasion 45. Aftermath 49. Reviews 55. Zines / Books

Front cover: 145188 (Vanhelga) Compilation cover artwork by Wolven Claws (facebook.com/wolvenclaws666) All reviews and unsigned interviews by Adrian All (full version) reviews also published in Pest Webzine at www.pestwebzine.com Slowly We Rot Contact: facebook.com/swrzine swrzine@yahoo.com Slowly We Rot Team: Adrian (Romania) – editor – layout/interviews/reviews Sonia Fonseca (Portugal) – interviews Chris Forbes (USA) – interviews Marcin “Mariano” Wawok (Poland) - interviews Elena Silvia Popescu (Romania) - interviews Allyson "Ally" Kingsley (USA) - interviews Slowly We Rot Compilation CD #13 01. Black Sheets Of Rain - No Rest 02. Blasphemathory - Infraworld Assasins 03. Blood and Brutality - Slow and Painful 04. Bloody Invasion - We Need Extinction 05. Carrion - Urge 06. Death Kommander - Operation Eisenfaust 07. Devils Force - Unholy Night 08. Devourer - Conjuring the Cleansing Inferno 09. Die Entweihung - The Holy Land 10. Fatum Aeternum - Simple Pop Song 11. Heathenspawn - Casket Dreams 12. Lynchpin - Millennial Holocaust 13. Nowhere - I Hate 14. Scyther - Discrimination 15. Suffering Souls - The True Endless 16. The Elysian Fields - The Clavis Magna Doctrine 17. Ur Tid - Ur Tid 18. Viken - Defender 19. Vomit Angel - Vomit Angel

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Derketa extreme music. It was actually at a Motley Crue concert in 1985 that I was given a cassette tape with a sample of thrash and doom metal bands. I still have that tape. It had Slayer and Sacrifice on it and I became a huge fan of both.

Have you lived in Pittsburgh all your life? What sort of girl were you growing up? What did you want to be when you were growing up?

Yes, sir. I grew up in a suburb about 15 miles outside the city of Pittsburgh and am very content living here.

Pittsburgh is very laid back and the people here are polite for the most part. Growing up I would have been considered a “tomboy”, always trying to fit in with my older brother and his friends. I remember wanting to be a vet when I was little because of my love of animals but the thought of having to put an animal down was too horrible for me.

So what sort of girl were you in middle school? Did you like trendy things to try to fit in or did you just do things that you liked yourself?

I was really shy and got the giggles in the most inappropriate times; same as now really. I got in trouble a lot for laughing when things were supposed to be serious. I went to a Catholic School called Saint Ignatius up until 8th grade and I think that helped mold me into an individual. It was a really small school; 8 boys and 8 girls in each grade. We had to wear uniforms and the girls weren’t allowed to wear makeup so we didn’t have the pressures of being trendy. All of us looked the same.

It was a riot really; I remember having a lot of fun going there. A lot of the boys that went there were sent there because they had some sort of a behavioral issue, so it was truly comical with the nuns trying to keep law and order. We all listened to rock music. I remember Tom Sawyer from Rush coming out then and that was my favorite song. This was around the time when MTV was launched as well. Then in 8th grade my parents sent me and my brother to the public school because my brother wanted to graduate high school with his friends that he grew up with. It was a culture shock for me, girls were mean. They walked around with their vent brushes hanging out of their back pocket thinking they were hot shit. I was the new girl and the “tough vent brush girls” were threatening to beat me up. I met my best friend there though, we bonded over Iron Maiden and Ozzy and that is when I started going to arena rock concerts. This would have been about 1985 and also around the time that I started playing guitar.

So what were some of the 1st rock or metal bands that you heard and did you take right to the music or did it take a few listens? Are you a fan still of these bands even today?

Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jethro Tull, and Rush to name a few. Yes, I took to them right away and still love all of those bands. How can you not like Van Halen after hearing the first few notes of “And The Cradle Will Rock”? Black Sabbath “Sweet Leaf” was my jam when I was a kid; I was listening to these bands before I was 10 years old. This is the same music that my older brother and his friends listened to so it was normal to listen to this stuff and my mom is from Alabama so of course Skynyrds “Sweet Home Alabama” got cranked up when my brother would play that. She’s into the 50s and country music but Skynyrd has that country southern rock feel so we didn’t get in trouble for listening to this music.

So how did you get introduced to the heavy metal side of music and what were some the bands you heard besides Black Sabbath?

It was listening to our rock radio station here in Pittsburgh called WDVE as well as watching MTV. Both would play Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Ozzy, and Motley Crue. MTV also was playing thrash bands like Testament, Hallows Eve, Death Angel, and Metallica so I was getting exposure to what was then considered

So I hope you enjoyed Crue that night ha ha. So now that started hearing these bands did you go down to say Eide’s Records and buy any of their releases? I had read about this store from Dream Death and Doomwatch just how cool was this store?

I did enjoy Crue, ha. I was a huge Motley Crue fan, loved “Shout at the Devil” when it came out but they lost me with Theater of Pain. At that Crue concert, I had met people while hanging out in the arena parking lot that were into the local underground metal scene. We exchanged phone numbers and I found that I could relate with these people. Our routine was to take the bus to downtown Pittsburgh Friday after school and head down to Eides Records. Eides was our hangout, they had everything there. It was thee record store here to find underground albums and they would host in-store appearances, which is how we met a lot of the bands.

There was a sense of pride when you bought an album to show off to your friends. There were only a few albums of a band that would be in stock so it was kind of like you had bragging rights if you were able to snag up a copy of something cool. Then we would walk over to Ted Williams, the then bassist of Dream Death’s apartment and listen to underground records. He had a party pretty much every weekend and all of us would meet there and listen to music. Then we would return home on Sunday and go back to school on Monday.

Dereka is a legendary death metal band within the underground scene and they are back and I had a nice long chat with founding member guitarist/vocalist Sharon Bascovsky.

I agree I also like the first 2 Motley Crue releases. So now were you also buying and/or reading fanzines do find new bands? What did you think of Dream Death?

Yes, we all started off with buying Circus and Hit Parader music magazines to worship heavy metal music so it was the natural transition to move over to the underground fan zines to discover the underground bands. It’s just how it was all done. I’ve always loved Dream Death, we called them Sludge metal. That was the term back then, sludge. The term doom came later for us. We didn’t have any other band that played that Hellhammer style of music so Dream Death was a highlight for us. I still love Dream Death. I’ve always been disappointed though that the instrumental "Journey into Mystery" didn’t make the album. They didn’t have

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enough room on the vinyl apparently. If you’re not familiar with that instrumental, hunt down their demo.

It’s so heavy. This was 1986! I was 15 years old when this demo came out as my birthday isn’t until December.

So now your getting more involved with underground music at this time. At what point did you want to start playing an instrument, which for you ended up being the guitar. Any thoughts of ever playing bass or drums? Did you take lessons or were you self-taught?

I wanted to play a guitar since I was little. My parents had bought my brother an acoustic guitar but we were listening to rock music and wanted an electric guitar.

Since nobody was playing the acoustic then nobody was getting an electric guitar. I finally whined and threw enough tantrums that they bought me an electric guitar just to shut me up. I was around 15. I took a couple of non-eventful guitar lessons at our local music store but the guy creeped me out so I stopped going. The only thing I learned was a couple of scales. I decided that I was more comfortable figuring out stuff on my own so my playing nuances are self taught bad habits. I don’t consider myself a guitarist though.

There was a time period that I wanted to play drums but that was just from listening to Rush. Neil Pearts playing is so inspiring, it’s impossible not to get captured into his drum beats. Still to this day even.

Totally agree with you about Neil Peart. So how soon after you picked up the guitar did start to actually be able to figure out guitar riffs and even solos? Who are some of your favorite guitar players and this goes for any music genre?

I had to get past that blister stage and I remember that being an unexpected surprise for me. I can’t remember how long it took for it to be comfortable to play. I had bought a tablature heavy metal book that had songs like Judas Priest "You’ve Got Another Thing Coming" and other heavy metal hits of that time and I was working with figuring out tablature. I remember that I became bored with doing that though. Like, it was cool to play to a song that was playing on my stereo, but then what? I was sitting in my room playing along with an album.

Whoopty doo. The album always played it better. I still have a weird thing about playing a cover song, like I get guilt that I should be working on my own stuff and not somebody else’s stuff but it is a good practice tool.

Playing a note pattern that was created in somebody else’s mind is neat, like a different perspective.

Solos never really happened for me. Well, a couple of times I played some notes that could be considered a solo. My solos are very remedial but it’s what makes sense to me. Remember, I am not a guitarist. My guitar is just a song writing tool for me. I wrote a solo that’s in the intro of our song "Goddess of Death", and also wrote one for when we recorded a cover of Sepultura's "Troop of Doom" because their solo didn’t make sense to me. I had to write one that made sense to me. (You can check them out here: https://derketa.com/music) That is where I’m at with solos, and I don’t think every song needs a solo. I think it’s a strange expected song pattern. I’m not into the guitar shredder thing. I hope not to offend anyone reading this, but the guitar shredder is a little bit of a turn off to me. I admit there is talent when people can hit a shit load of notes accurately in a few seconds, but it seems more of a show off thing than a feel thing and that is where I get turned off. Those notes don’t make sense to me as a listener. Now, a good example for me of a "shredder" with feel is Alex Lifeson from Rush.

I’m on a Rush kick right now. I know he wouldn’t be considered a "shredder" but hear me out. If you listen to the song Freewill, his solo starts off very unassuming then he gradually increases the intensity which is so climactic and inspiring. That’s impressive to me, to be able to invoke a feeling of some sort to the listener with just notes.

My all time favorite guitar player is David Gilmour. He has so much feel to the notes he plays and to me that is what it’s all about. Whenever I have to write some sort of a solo I think to myself "what would Gilmour do" and I try my best to follow in his footsteps for inspiration. If you listen to my solo at the beginning of "Goddess of Death", Gilmour was my inspiration for it and I am very proud of myself for having the guts to attempt it on a recording. It doesn’t matter to me if anyone thinks its crap or not, it’s what I heard and my head and I was able to translate it on the guitar. For me that was a huge deal, mission accomplished kind of thing. There is something about the blues playing style that is so moving. Jimi Hendrix is another guitarist that captures me with his playing. Randy Rhoads is another that I admire, "Diary

Derketa of a Madman" is a such a masterpiece. I could go on and on but you get the idea.

I’m not where I want to be as a player though. I get too overwhelmed and consumed with life to the point of mental exhaustion but I’m working on that. I’ve changed some things around in my life recently and am putting myself first for once. I have the drive to practice again so that is good for me.

I had to get past that blister stage and I remember that being an unexpected surprise for me. I can’t remember how long it took for it to be comfortable to play. I had bought a tablature heavy metal book that had songs like Judas Priest "Youve Got Another Thing Coming" and other heavy metal hits of that time and i was working with figuring out tablature. I remember that I became bored with doing that though. Like, it was cool to play to a song that was playing on my stereo but then what? I was sitting in my room playing along with an album.

Whoopty doo. The album always played it better. I still have a weird thing about playing a cover song, like I get guilt that I should be working on my own stuff and not somebody else’s stuff but it is a good practice tool.

Playing a note pattern that was created in somebody else’s mind is neat, like a different perspective.

Solos never really happened for me. Well, a couple of times I played some notes that could be considered a solo. My solos are very remedial but it’s what makes sense to me. Remember, I am not a guitarist. My guitar is just a song writing tool for me. I wrote a solo that’s in the intro of our song "Goddess of Death", and also wrote one for when we recorded a cover of Sepultura's "Troops of Doom" because their solo didn’t make sense to me. I had to write one that made sense to me. That is where I’m at with solos, and I don’t think every song needs a solo. I think it’s a strange expected song pattern. I’m not into the guitar shredder thing. I hope not to offend anyone reading this but the guitar shredder is a little bit of a turn off to me. I admit there is talent when people can hit a shit load of notes accurately in a few seconds but it seems more of a show off thing than a feel thing. and that is where I get turned off. Those notes don’t make sense to me as a listener. Now, a good example for me of a "shredder" with feel is Alex Lifeson from Rush. I’m on a Rush kick right now. I know he wouldn’t be considered a "shredder" but hear me out. If you listen to the song Freewill, his solo starts off very unassuming then he gradually increases the intensity which is so climactic and inspiring.

Thats impressive to me, to be able to invoke a feeling of some sort to the listener with just notes.

My all time favorite guitar player is David Gilmour. He has so much feel to the notes he plays and to me that is what it’s all about. Whenever I have to write some sort of a solo I think to myself "what would Gilmour do" and I try my best to follow in his footsteps for inspiration. If you listen to my solo at the beginning of "Goddess of Death", Gilmour was my inspiration for it and I am very proud of myself for having the guts to attempt it on a recording. It doesn’t matter to me if anyone thinks its crap or not, it’s what I heard in my head and I was able to translate it on the guitar. For me that was a huge deal, mission accomplished kind of thing. There is something about the blues playing style that is so moving. Jimi Hendrix is another guitarist that captures me with his playing. Randy Rhoads is another that I admire, "Diary of a Madman" is a such a masterpiece. I could go on and on but you get the idea.

I’m not where I want to be as a player though. I get too overwhelmed and consumed with life to the point of mental exhaustion but I’m working on that. I’ve changed some things around in my life recently and am putting myself first for once. I have the drive to practice again so that is good for me.

Now taking this one step further at what point did the idea of joining or starting your own band begin to formulate?

It would have been in 1986, but not so much in a formulated thought. You see, when I would get bored or frustrated trying to learn a song I started stumbling on notes that I thought sounded cool. The ending of our song "Time of Awakening" was, I think, the first thing that I ever wrote. "Time of Awakening" was the first song that I ever wrote in 1986 but that ending that I refer to as "the funeral march" was something that I first

stumbled on and would always play. I remember thinking that sounded cool and then I wrote a song around it. I would think to myself that it would be cool to hear it with other instruments but I was too shy to really do anything about it. I kept getting these song ideas though and just wrote on my own. I didn’t think anything would really come of it. In 1988 is when I met Terri at one of Ted Williams parties, she was there with Don Crotsley from NunSlaughter. The 3 of us sat in the hallway just talking about the bands that were blowing us away at that moment and I just blurted out that I‘d like to start a band. Terri said she did too and so we swapped phone numbers. At that time she didn’t play any instruments and was interested in being the vocalist.

She wasn’t able to do death metal vocals though which is what I was looking for. That’s why I got stuck doing them. I just wanted to be the guitarist but what’s done is done. I became a death metal vocalist which has haunted me throughout my life. Terri said she always wanted to play the drums and so that was that. We would go over to Jeff Chereps house, he was the guitarist of DoomWatch, and he would teach Terri the basics of playing the drums. He is also the one that came up with our band name Derketa. He came across it from reading the Conan series and suggested it to us. It seemed fitting, she was the Goddess of Death, we were females doing death metal, so we went with it. Terri finally was able to buy her own drum set in March of 1989 and that is when we had our official rehearsal room in my parent’s basement. It was only natural that we wanted to record ourselves for our friends to check out and that’s kind of how it all started.

So how did you go about trying to find a bass player?

What were some of the early practices with you two?

Just through friends. Ross from Immolation knew Kim August (Ultimatum zine) and she played bass. He got us in contact and she flew in to record on our 89 rehearsal demo. It was complicated with her being in New York or New Jersey and it didn’t seem like we had chemistry. I ended up playing bass on "The Unholy Ground" demo and the "Premaure Burial" 7 inch. Don Crotsley was then going to play bass so we could start playing live but he had met Mary who was going to college for bass. All of our friends seemed to like the idea of keeping Derketa all female. Eventually Mary agreed to meet with us and give it a shot.

Our early rehearsals were Terri and I trying to learn our instruments as we were practicing the songs. Terri's drum beats were very tribal sounding at first. My parents and our neighbors used to joke that it sounded like an Indian rain dance was happening in the basement and when it would rain after our rehearsal it was like "ta da"!

I only had my little Dean Markley practice amp, no microphone or PA to do vocals, so it was just guitar and drums.

Now looking back did you like the idea of you all being female? Now obviously you knew about tape trading and fanzines did you send any of your early recordings to be reviewed? What were the reviews like?

In the beginning, I didn’t think anything of it really. I thought of it as just having friends/band mates that I could easily relate to. It’s all about chemistry and friendship in the end. I’ve had a few males in the lineup over the years but we'll always be known as the first all female death metal band. I no longer get upset or annoyed with the "female observation". If people want to make a big deal about it then ok. If people want to

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dismiss us because we are female, that’s OK too. I’m still going to do it regardless.

We did send our demos out for review. It was exciting when I would see a fanzine envelope sitting in my mailbox. We were waiting to see if people outside of our friend circle liked what we were doing, and if it was a fanzine from another country it was even more exciting.

From what I remember, the reviews were positive and supportive of us. Most would make a big deal because we were girls and that did get old. But whatever, I get it.

There was one review that still pisses me off a little. The reviewer said something like "Lori Bravo can accomplish more devastating vocals without using a vocal pedal". I’ve never used a vocal pedal and I’ll never forget reading that line in the review and my mouth dropping. It was printed and "out there", and he was calling me a fraud. All of my friends probably got a phone call from me bitching about it as it threw me in a rant. Then one of my friends said to me "that guy thinks your using a vocal pedal but your not. That’s actually impressive." That calmed me down but here I am almost 30 years later still bitching about it. I still have my fanzines and have the one with that review in it So in the early days did you try and rehearse and write songs as much as you could? How much time in any given week was spent doing band related stuff?

Did you do all the mail or was it divided? Did you make ads like most of the other bands and zines out there in the early days and have other bands and zines spread them out in their mail?

Yeah, once Terri bought her drum set she would spend the weekends at my parent’s house with me. The band then became our priority and we stopped going to parties like we used to. I would pick Terri up from work either Friday night or Saturday afternoon and we would practice in my parent’s basement until Sunday evening. We would rehearse as much as we could around my parents and my brother screaming down at us "enough"! My family got to hear the absolute worst of us, when we first started playing together. Well, our "best" would still be their worst but you know what I mean. Our 89 rehearsal tape can give you an idea, and that’s when we thought we were polished! I would work on writing at any time though, not really a schedule to it, just whenever I had ideas.

Back then it was all about the band and keeping up with what was going on in the scene with other bands. Like, what bands had releases coming out, which bands were touring and playing locally or in the surrounding states. It was a daily thing cause that was our interest so lots of time was spent on it all. It seemed like everybody knew everything that was going on with everyone. Not like now, too many bands and too many sub genres to keep up with it all.

Originally I did all of the mail but it became overwhelming for me. It was exciting at first, people from all over the world writing to us. It was a fun thing, going down to my local post office and shipping a bunch of mail to all over the world and the postal workers curious as to what I was up to. I started getting about 10 letters a day though, in addition to interviews, and I wasn’t getting any new material written. All I was doing was writing to people, it felt like homework after a while.

Postage was getting expensive but the international folks were clever, they would put a thin coat of wax over the stamp and ask that we send their stamps back in our reply letter to them. The wax prevented the postal ink from marking the stamp so it could be reglued to the envelope and reused. These were mainly the foreign people, so we couldn’t reuse them, they had to be reused in the country it originated from obviously. Some would send us those IRC coupons to pay for return postage to them. Anyway, I finally asked Terri if she could help out with mail and gave her a stack to do and then she became in the rotation. I do remember I just stopped writing back to people. I had enough. I remember getting some nasty letters from people because I didn’t respond back to them quick enough and so I said fuck it. Stopped responding to everyone and tried to get my focus back on writing.

Derketa Yes, we made ads and participated in circulating ads from others in the mail! I still have lots of ads from back then. I used to keep them in a shoe box so when i would write someone back I’d throw a bunch of ads in to keep it all going. That’s how we all did it back then. Everyone would create little ads and include a small stack in our letters to one another. Then they would send to their friends, and just like that 80's shampoo commerical....and so on and so on and so on! "Spread like a disease" was a common term in the letters referring to sending ads out in the mail. Those ads were almost as exciting as getting a zine in the mail because sometimes you would get real gem, like a Carnage ad and that was like WOAH! Do you remember the bright orange stickers that bands made back then?? I still have those too!

So in 1990 you released a demo called “The Unholy Ground”. How was it going into Alternative Studios for this 4 song release. I see you had covers made for this release. Does that mean you didn’t have to hand dub each copy one by one? How was the response to this release? What are your feelings on it today? Can you listen to it?

It was all cool. Bob from Alternative Studios went to high school with Jeff Cherep (DoomWatch) so he was aware of the underground punk and metal sound. He didn’t treat us weird or anything, it was a great recording experience. He was easy to work with and we had a lot of fun recording that demo. I recently found the receipt for it, it was $6/hour.

We made those covers ourselves at Kinkos (a print shop)!

I had typed them up and we cut and paste everything to fit as a cassette cover. I made up a template and we were able to fit 2 cassette covers on a sheet of card stock, front and back. It was tricky lining up the front and the back but we did it. Then we cut each cover out with those paper trimmer machines that they have there.

Some were cut a little crooked as we tried to do a few at a time and the paper stack would slip in that cutter. It was all handmade though. We hand dubbed each cassette too, one by one.

The response to that demo was really good! That was when we started getting a lot of mail. I actually like the vibe and the production of that recording, great memories with it. I haven’ t listened to it in some time but for me I hear it differently than others would. Meaning, I’m not overly critical of our playing or the songs but it takes me back to the fun we had back then. I like what we did though, proud of us both. It was only me and Terri at that time, I played guitar and bass on that recording.

Do you even entertain the thought of sending it to record labels or you felt the band wasn’ t ready yet? What was the line-up of the band at this time?

I don’t remember if we did or not. I don’t recall any rejection letters so I’m thinking we did not. We definitely weren’t ready for something on that level but I do remember somebody telling me Relapse had their eye on us and being nudged to get new songs recorded so Relapse could hear more. I’m pretty sure it was Relapse.

I was extremely skeptical of labels after hearing the horror stories from other bands, it just seemed like a hassle. I’m not saying they were horror stories about Relapse, I’m talking with labels in general. Lots of my friends were screwed over in the early days.

So did you try and get other members to join the band at this time? How serious, at least to you, were you taking the band at that point?

Yeah, we wanted to start playing shows. I wanted us to be a 4 piece band so that the guitars would sound fuller live. We had mentioned to our friends that we were looking for members and to let us know if they came across anyone that would be interested. I think we were both getting serious about the band because this was about the time Terri and I started arguing a lot with each other. I remember I wanted us to improve in the playing of our instruments as I did not have the confidence in us at that time.

So your next release was an EP/7” on the rip off label Seraphic Decay Records. When he contacted you did he seem like a cool guy? How soon after your release came out did the horror stories about him start? Did you pay for the recording or did he? I assume you

have no idea how many copies were pressed? Do you have an actual copy of it? How much does it go for these days?

Yeah, Steve seemed very cool and I was real happy that he was doing this underground label. I thought he was "one of us" and that we would be protected from the "real label bullshit". It was exciting that somebody wanted to put out a record of our music. I know having a record pressed is common these days but back then it was rare and it meant something. Like, you've made it past the crappy low quality home cassette operation!

Ironically people are going back to cassettes thinking it was this great old school nostalgia, that’s comical to me.

Those cassettes were a fucking pain in the ass! Anyway, I don’t think people realize the magnitude of how bands have been screwed over by some labels back then. We had various friends think that they had a good deal with the well-known labels out there, told one thing but only to later find that there was twisted terminology in their contract that essentially lost all of their rights to their music and any monies due to them for that recording until the end of time. That’s fucking evil. Steve came across very straight forward and spoke against that bullshit, simple math. I think we were promised either 10% or 20% of the total pressing in product for us to sell on our own. We had paid for our recording, which by the way was $6/hour, and he was going to pay for the vinyl, advertising, and distribution side of it all. There was no "ownership" of our material or anything like that. If it did well, then he would do another pressing and we would get that same percentage. It seemed like an honest casual friend/business deal; Our efforts to "keep the

underground alive".

Shortly after it came out, maybe a month or two later, Terri received a phone call from John McEntee from Incantation. It had gotten to him that Steve was pressing more than what was originally agreed upon behind all of our backs. He also pointed out the SCAM-000 labeling which threw salt into the wounds. All of us bands had been used to get our recording and our band name so he can make money off of us. I know lots of people that don’t understand why bands get upset with bootleggers.

Plain and simple, we were being used. It doesn’t matter if it was minimal sales, when someone has the INTENT to USE you, then there is a problem. That is being stabbed in the back. Who do you support, the band or the person backstabbing the band? Think about that.

Back then, Terri and I had the "good cop/bad cop" thing with us. I was the "good cop", meaning I was the shy quiet one. Terri was the "bad cop", meaning don’t fuck with her. Don’t get me wrong, Terri was/is sweet and nice but she had no problem getting into someone’s face and telling them off if need be. Up until this point I was the one dealing with Steve. Terri had called Steve and told him off, and told him to send our DAT tape back and he was no longer permitted to press any more of our stuff. After she called Steve is when she called me to fill me in on it all and I was speechless really. I trusted that guy on something that was very important to me. After this, I thought 'uh oh, the shit just hit the fan, Terri is on deck now!' I was a little upset with Terri at first that she handled it that way because I wanted to see if I could sort it out but Steve sent back that DAT tape with a nasty message addressed to me. I was even more furious.

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Obviously our vinyl plate still existed at that vinyl factory and it was all out of our hands anyway.

I have no idea how much was originally pressed but within the last year I learned of other color vinyl and colored covers that are out there from my friends on Facebook. They showed me that discog website and I nearly lost my mind. Yellow??? I’m very particular about the aesthetics of this band, of what I consider gloomy. Yellow is not gloomy. This is all a fucking scam for somebody to make money off of collectors. I do not recognize any of those as being "original" and I will forever consider them a bootleg. Even if it’s coming from the same original source. That original pressing contained 3 colors; black, clear purple, and he did this white with rainbow splatter which we were against but he did it anyway. Black and clear purple were the ONLY colors authorized and agreed upon by us, with the exception of that white rainbow one he did. The covers were only black with white print. Back in the early 90’s I saw red vinyl being circulated and thought that must have been from the pressing that should not have happened but apparently we have every primary color pressed. I never received any of those other colors and I’ve often wondered how many of my Cleveland friends may know the truths behind it all but have kept quiet.

Maybe even financially benefited from the sales of all of those releases? Remember, this isn’t just Derketa im talking about, there are other bands. From my understanding Steve exited the scene, and I had thought the whole 7" operation was done with him. Apparently not. I am aware the sales were probably minimal, but it is the principle behind this all. Yeah, sooo, a little bit of a rant there. I’m just tired of trusting people and being used in the end.

I still do have my copies. No idea how much they are selling for now. I could do a quick Google search and maybe find something on it but its best I don’t look, ha.

So how soon did the band break up after that shitty experience with the label? Did that have a lot to do with it or was it that you all weren’t getting along or a combo of both?

This is somewhat of a tricky question because it’s going to appear as if I’m talking shit on Terri, and I’m not nor would I. Anyone that knows us knows that we had a rocky history with the band, and this is just how it is. I can only tell my perspective of it all, where I was at with it.

Terri and I parted ways shortly after but it had nothing to do with this release. We just weren’t getting along. I felt she was developing an ego and I didn’t like the way she started talking to me. Basically I wanted to work in Mary on bass and find another guitarist before we did another recording and play live. I had no confidence in us as a band. Terri developed an attitude with me as if I was holding the band back. In a sense I was, but I was at each of our rehearsals and we never had a solid and consistent rehearsal. In my mind, why would we move forward when we can’t even play our existing stuff well? It was frustrating, the drum beats were never the same and we weren’t tight with each other. I wanted to feel confident as a band because people were looking at us a little more closely than the boy bands out there. I didn’t want to give people any reason to criticize us "because we were girls." For whatever reason, we got to a point where we couldn’t communicate well with each other about any of it. It wasn’t always like that but it became that once we became more known in the underground.

So after the break up of the band what did you do?

Did you want to keep the band going with different members? Join an already established band? Start up a new band with a different name or just get out of the band business for a bit?

Yes, I was working with other members, we just never recorded. Scott Phillips from the band Death Mass was playing drums with me and it was going really well. He had gotten back together with his girlfriend and she frowned on him rehearsing with me so that was that. (sigh) I later was talking to a guy named Bobby from North Carolina. He was going to move up here to play bass in the band but I didn’t have my own place yet. The timing was bad because I had just bought a house and needed to get it fixed up so the band had to go on the back burner for a few months. I regret not getting something recorded back then with Scott though. That would have laid to rest the mix up that Derketa and

Derketa Mythic were the same band. Had i known back then that was going to happen I would gotten something recorded.

I did take a few years off though. I had married Brian from Dream Death and we had a son in 1995. I started back with the band stuff in 1997 and tried to reform with Terri but it didn’t go well. I then got hooked up with Jim Konya from NunSlaughter and he took over on drums for a few recordings.

In 2002 I joined the band Eviscium with Mark Mastro of Rottrevore. I played bass and we did that for a couple of years. Then I put my focus back on Derketa.

So the band Eviscium. What sort of music was that?

How many releases did you play on and did you play many live shows?

Eviscium was death metal, created by Mark Mastro from Rottrevore. Eviscium had a similar sound to Rottrevore.

I played bass on 2 releases, demo and CD. They put out another recording about a year or so ago but I didn’t play on it. I had too much going on. We played a fair amount of live shows, I think New Jersey and Ohio were the only out of state shows though. That was around 2002 2004, according to Google. That was a fun band to be in!

So when did Derketa start back up and how did it come about and how different was the sound this time as opposed to the original band?

As time went on Terri and I would run into each other and our friendship slowly was repaired. I kept mentioning to her that I had songs written and I’d like for her to play drums to record again. She kept saying no as she was worried that it would interfere with our friendship again. I decided to just wait it out as it meant something to me to record with Terri and no other drummer. Kind of like her and I started the thing, lets end it together. My intention was to record one more time and just be done with it.

We both happened to be at a show, I think it was Obituary in 2008 and Robin was on tour with them selling merch. At one point during the show Terri came up to me and said lets do it. We went up to Robin and told her were going to record Derketa together again and Robin said something on the lines like...no, you are going to do more than that. Were going to reform Derketa with the line up that should have always been and play shows. Except this time I’ll play bass and Mary will play guitar. Terri and I just looked at each other and was like, ummm ok. Then we discussed who’s gonna inform Mary that she’s joining Derketa as a guitarist, ha We contacted Mary and she was up for it.

The difference with our sound now compared to the early days is that Mary adds harmonies and plays some of the parts slightly different than what I play on guitar.

The early recordings it was just me and Terri, so I played guitars and bass. I still write all of the music and lyrics but everyone contributes their own parts which adds another layer that enhances the songs. Robin is my lyrical muse. She'll text or email me lyrical ideas and that will get me thinking of something that I would not have thought of if she didn’t text me. For example, one day she texted me "Shadows of the Past", and I wrote a song based on her just texting me those 4 words. It’s just better now, more chemistry with more people So in 2012 a full length came out called “In Death We Meet’”. How did the recording for this go and thoughts on it these days?

Well, anything that could go wrong, did go wrong. This is a tricky one, I have to be careful on how I answer because I don’t want to upset anyone. Not my intention to do so. I’m not very good with communication and my blunt perspective causes problems sometimes. So, 3 different studios involved. We started recording it in 2010 but I had a fall out with the guy recording us and it was best to just walk away from that recording and start over. Basically disagreements because I was firm on how I wanted everything to sound. In the past I’ve had people take control over the recordings and I was never happy with the end result. I’m tired of people controlling me and my ideas, not taking me seriously or whatever is going on with it. I now speak up for myself and I don’t back down, and when 2 strong willed minds meet up, it doesn’t end well.

This is also when Terri and I started arguing again. I don’t think she understood where I was coming from and how attached I was to how I heard the songs in my head.

I was able to talk everyone into going to a different studio in 2011, but I wasn’t happy with the guitar sound so I went to a third studio to record my guitar. Then got into mixing madness because what I think is heavy is different than what others find heavy. There’s no

satisfaction in settling, but due to time restraints I had to settle a tiny bit. After the recording Terri decided to focus on other areas of her life, and that’s when Michael Laughlin (ex-Cattle Decaptation, Creation is Crucifixion) took over on drums. In 2015 I had Ola Lindgren from Grave remix "In Death We Meet" and he understood what I was looking for so I’m very happy with the recording now. It’s not anything against anyone, it’s just that I was chasing something that I had heard in my head for years and just wanted someone to get it translated to a recording for me. Once I get a focus on something, I get a little mental. I don’t get nasty, just stubborn.

Wow that sucks. So I assume not many live shows behind this release? Did the band break up at all during this time?

The band didn’t really break up, but there was uncertainty with what was going to happen. I was hoping that Terri would play some shows after the release but she wasn’t into it. Shortly after Terri quit I was introduced to Mike Laughlin. He and I started rehearsing together right away and all has been well since. We have played a lot of shows since Mike joined so it all worked out in the end.

So the last release you did was a 7” called “Darkness Fades Life”. Tell me a bit about this and when can we expect some new music?

Mindcure Records (local record store) was putting out a series of 7 inches featuring local bands, releasing a band a month for a year. The requirements for the release were to record an original song, and then a cover song for Side B. It was something fun to do and it also got us in the studio with Mike on drums. I wrote the song "Darkness Fades Life" for it and then chose Sepulturas "Troops of Doom", the Morbid Vision version, as our cover. The reason for the Sepultura cover was because the original recording wasn’t the greatest and figured we would have to sound somewhat OK with it. Plus the song length fit in the 7 inch time allotment. I’m not a fan of bands recording covers and really hate when bands even go near covering the classics, but we were required to do so if we wanted to participate. We kept it as close as the original as possible. I tried to do vocals with Max's broken lyrical phrasing, which was extremely hard to figure out. It was fun though.

I’m hoping to record Spring/Summer of 2019. I have 3 weeks off of work this December (2018) and am using that time to focus on the new songs.

So now the underground has changed since the band was formed with paper zines pretty much gone, writing actual letters and spreading flyers history.

Also only a handful of labels back then. Now social media is everywhere, tons more bands and labels.

What are your thoughts on the scene these days?

I see positives and negatives with it. There’s some new bands that I think are doing a great job and promoters have been outstanding in stepping up to put on some great shows.

I’m also disappointed with the current scene, too much social drama with this ridiculous political climate. I see so much narcissism and sociopath behavior, antagonizing and dismissing one another and they get pleasure from doing so. I’m talking about the behaviors from both sides of the political spectrum. People have turned ugly with one another. We need to start treating people the way that we want to be treated, versus talking down to everyone that doesn’t agree with you. People don’t know how to behave and be a part of a scene that contains so many different cultures. People want to control it to be what works for them. It’s not right. I feel fortunate that I was around when the scene was more pure and genuine with one another.

You were around back then, it wasn’t like this. (nope-chris) The song Subdivisions by Rush reminds me of all of us back then, "be cool or be cast out".

ALL We were from outcasts mainstream society and we all found

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each other from all over the world and created genuine bonds that are still there with the same people. It was about relating with one another and sharing music, most everyone was cool with one another. People need to take a step back and stop falling into these media propaganda traps.

In addition to that, the scene has been saturated with bands with a million different sub genres. It’s too hard to keep up with it all and to find what you would be into. I do get annoyed when some of the younger generations try to "be our generation", like some weird historical reenactment of us. It comes across so fake. YouTube is their life blood to brush up on bands that existed before they were born. Then they rattle off band names online like they're the cool kids. They all missed how we got there though, which is a vital point with it all. It’s one thing to truly be into it, but when your doing it to show off, it gets noticed.

So to your knowledge has any band ever done a Derketa cover tune?

No, I don’t think so.

So how much of your music is still for sale and the stuff that is sold out how much have you seen it going for and will any of it be re-released?

As for physical copies, I think it’s just the "In Death We Meet" album and maybe some "Goddess of Death" comp CDs are still out there. The 7"s have run their course, should have anyway. Right now our Premature Burial 7" is going for $80 on discogs. I saw our 1989 rehearsal tape sell for $150 on eBay a while back. Silly. MP3s are available out there officially by me or by the bottom feeders that offer downloads of bands for free as they rake in money from advertisers. That really fucking kills me that people would rather support these bottom feeders versus supporting bands they like. This is where people will demonstrate sociopathic behavior and turn on the band for standing up to that bullshit, but whatever.

It’s good for people to expose their character like that.

As far as a re-release, I do have plans for The Unholy Ground demo but don’t want to say too much about that just yet. No idea if any labels will re-release our old 7"s, most do that stuff without consulting or including the band....like what had happened with our Premature Burial 7", my most hated release. The scam that just kept on scamming.

So do you know who this piece of trash is that just reissued your Seraphic Decay release and is also reissuing other stuff from this label?

Some people are telling me that the reissues were done back in the early 90s by Steve O'Bannon from Seraphic Decay but I’m not buying it. Although I know he did press more than what he told the bands, it seems like he’s now a scapegoat for any of those old releases.

Blame it on the guy that already got caught doing it and who supposedly disappeared from the scene back in 1990. Others have mentioned names of some close friends of mine that were involved with the Seraphic Releases behind the scenes. At one time that 7" was hard to find but now I’m finding it in all colors of the rainbow.

Some have a different Side B sticker on the vinyl versus the original Seraphic release. Why would Steve change that? The vinyl sticker on Side A looks like a copy of the original because of the background image. Another friend of mine noticed the print on the cover looks digital.

I’m working on getting to the bottom of it. Something dodgy happened with it all and this bullshit needs to stop.

I totally agree. Now what do you think of You Tube

Derketa

and social media in general? It seems like it is harder to get people to come out to shows as they can just watch live video clips on You Tube and what annoys me is all the cell phone holding up when bands are playing, I mean didn't you come to see the show ha ha?

I do like You Tube for its convenience. It’s cool when you are sitting around thinking of a song and you can go on YouTube and listen to it on demand. Even if I own the album ill jump on YouTube for a convenient listen to something. Social media, that’s another story. I think social media started out as a cool thing but it sure brought out a lot of ugliness in one another. Some people really beg for attention with it. I love the funny Facebook memes though and its convenient to learn what your favorite bands are up to, and what shows are happening and what not. With everything, positives and negatives.

Ah, here's our first disagreement Chris, ha. I think it’s a great thing when people capture a live moment on video and I don’t understand when people make a fuss about doing so. (I more or less meant when you’re in the cheap seats at a concert and you post the entire concert on You Tube with horrible sound and all-chris) It’s free instant promotion for the band and should be looked at as a very high compliment to the performance. Whenever I pull out my phone to do a Facebook live video, I’m fucking impressed with what I’m seeing and am wanting others to get turned onto that band. I’m not going to video a

boring band. It is ONLY for the bands benefit, in hopes to recruit fans to go their next show. Just listen to this perspective, we are saturated with bands right now. In the old days, we used to rely on word of mouth. Back then "word of mouth" was a trusted thing. Like, if you told me to check out a band, I would check them out cause I knew you had good taste in music. Our scene was so concentrated back then, we had quality. Now, we have quantity. The scene is a bit broader and lots of strangers will tell you to check out some band. But we rarely do. I don’t know who that person is, I don’t know their taste in metal. Everyone is trying to sell something and with death metal now split into so many different categories, it’s hard to find bands that will grab my attention. A good way to get past that bullshit is for people to see your live energy, and then hopefully want to be a part of it. Even if your not totally into a band, they could still put on a high energy live show that would make it worth leaving your house to see. I still enjoy a show even if I’m holding up my camera to video, it’s only a short video clip anyway cause its tiring to hold your arm up for a full set. Imagine if nobody video recorded Jimi Hendrix back in the day?

It really should be an honor for a band that someone is inconveniencing themselves to capture your performance so their friends can get turned onto the band. Instant free promotion. My thoughts on it anyway.

Good point and I see your point. What are the future plans for the band for 2019 and beyond?

If our schedules allow we plan on recording a full length and an EP this year, and we have a few shows lined up.

As long as everyone has the time and health to do the band then we'll keep it going.

What are your thoughts of women in the metal scene these days?

This is a tough one to answer in fear of offending someone because of the huge generation gap that is in the scene right now. Some may not understand where

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I’m coming from because I grew up in a different time, when the metal genres were first forming. Back in those days the record companies always played up the groupie thing with women. Music videos would tend to portray women as the ditzy slut which made it difficult at times for us girls that genuinely enjoyed the music. Some guys would just assume that if a girl was at a metal show, they were up for grabs for the night. That was beyond annoying to have to deal with and that took some time to break that assumption. I can’t speak for all of the girls out there but I know the girls that were in the underground metal scene were against that bullshit. We didn’t believe in exploiting ourselves sexually and just wanted to blend in with the guys. And that is how it was for the underground scene. There never was a "feminist movement", it was just everyone being equal because we had a common interest. If you were cool, they were cool.

It didn’t matter what your gender was. Now I see women back to dressing provocatively which I feel undermines everything that we worked so hard to overcome. And that is disappointing to me. There are so many talented women in the industry that focus too much on their image and not so much on their music. Stop selling yourselves short and break away from that nasty stereotype. You all are better than that.

Sharon thanks for the great and most interesting interview any words to wrap this up?

Well, I want to thank you for taking the time to interview me and being considerate with my schedule. If people are interested in what were up to, you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram (@derketa_band), and our website.

Our next show were opening up for Immolation in Pittsburgh on Thursday, March 7th. Were scheduled to play the Northwest Terror Fest in Seattle on Friday, May 31st and I believe were playing New York in October.

That show hasn’t been announced yet so not sure of the details. And if anyone made it to the end of this interview, thanks for giving my thoughts/opinions your time. Take care everyone and be kind to one another.

Sometimes people are already having a bad day, ya know?

Interview by Chris Forbes - April 2019

A Canorous Quintet draw the crowds which came during the 90's. With the digital evolution a lot of the interaction between bands and fans have changed. There is also a big difference that almost anyone can produce a good sound with equipment most can afford. People no longer go out of their way to see shows it seems like, it has to be comfortable and easy to get to and from the shows.

Greetings A Marten, Canorous Quintet recently re-recorded the 1998 album The Only Pure Hate.

Why was there a need to re-record it and not just simply re-master it? Maybe because Linus owns Audiogrind Studio where it was re-recorded and so it was basically both a free venture and a long-time wish?

First of all we were never totally pleased with the production of the original album and had for a long time discussed to re-record it. We still think the songs are great and they did not sound the way we imagined them on the original recording. Some of the guitars got drowned in the original production and the power we wanted to achieve was simply not there. It's great that Linus has his studio but this was by far not something we did for free since the drums were recorded in studio Grรถndal and we used Dan Swanรถ to master the album, but sure we could keep the costs down a bit using Audiogrind. So not a free venture but a long time wish for sure. Now I would say that we are as pleased as we can be with the sound of the only pure hate. I hope everyone else into our music will enjoy it too.

What reactions have you had when you announced this "new" material, and what were the reactions so far regarding it, do people like it? Do you feel you have more die-hard fans from the '90's, or more "new blood", youngsters that have recently discovered your music?

The reactions have been overall positive and most of the old fans seems to enjoy the new treatment of the material.

I think that the lionshare of our fans is still the die-hard fans from the 90's but we also have new fans that enjoy what we do. Especially doing live shows seems to bring the attention of new fans to our music.

I know you weren't happy of the initial overcome of the album, although it was recorded at the famous Sunlight Studio. Who chose the studio and what went wrong back then?

The choice of studio was ours and it actually sounded great in the studio but something got messed up during mixing and mastering. I guess for us the obvious choice in retrospect would have been to return to abyss or we should have tried out studio Fredman. What we hoped to achieve was a different sound than most of the bands that played our style of music had. We for sure achieved that aspect but not in the way we would have liked.

Do you feel A Canorous Quintet to have been underrated back in the '90's, even though you were signed to a big name back then, No Fashion? I know the release of your debut album Silence of the World Beyond got delayed by the label a year, which made you lose momentum and maybe even enthusiasm (?).

What happened there?

I don't know if we have been underrated during the years but the lack of support back in the day made it hard for us to tour and do proper promotion. What stands out the most is that the old songs still hold up today so maybe you are right and we were underrated. The delay of Silence of the world beyond was of course also a problem since there were lots of bands adapting to this style of music and we would have been one of the first bands if the album would have been released earlier. I think No fashion never made A Canorous quintet a priority and wanted to do other releases before "silence of the world beyond".

All of you are part of This Ending, so was This Ending actually a continuation of A Canorous Quintet? Why was there the need for another moniker but with the same band? Is This Ending still active? Or should I better ask if A Canorous Quintet is an active band at the moment?

This Ending was not meant as a continuation of A Canorous Quintet. With This Ending we wanted to try out and see if we could do something a bit different that maybe our old fans would not appreciate as much. The first two This Ending albums are in my opinion quite different from the ACQ sound. Both This Ending and A Canorous Quintet are active bands at the moment.

You're one of those bands that didn't change their music style much over the years, or am I wrong? Is this the perfect genre for you? How would you describe it to someone who's not familiar with it?

As I mentioned above I think the 2 first This Ending albums are quite different from what we recorded during the 90's. However the last This Ending album Garden of death is more back to the roots. When we rediscovered the old A Canorous Quintet material in 2012 we came to realize that we really missed having these elements in our music. I would describe our music as melodic but with lots of aggression and attitude. It of course can remind you of other bands but I think we have our own sound and that we still do something that makes us differ from other bands. Maybe it's the rhythm changes,combined with thrashing riffs, some black metal elements, melodic elements and the aggressive vocals.

What were you enjoying most in your first years as a band, and what do you enjoy most nowadays? How much have you changed over the years and how do you feel the scene has changed over these years?

What I enjoyed most in our first years as a band was travelling around doing shows and getting to know people involved in the scene. This was a very interesting time since people travelled from near and far to party and go to shows. Nowadays the live shows are what I enjoy most, it's a great experience to play songs you really enjoy live. I still get a rush each time we perform live.

From my experience I think the scene has changed in a way that it's much harder to get people to show up at the shows. If you would do suburb shows it would never

Are you back at playing live, too? Do you still enjoy playing live as much as you first did? Any chance you'll also tour?

We are playing live once again, and it's always a pleasure.

I think maybe I enjoy playing live even more nowadays.

Back then playing live was not as serious as it is now but I truly enjoy the stage experience. For me it's important that we have some interaction with the fans watching and I think we achieve that. We would for sure tour if the right opportunity showed up.

The band split-up before the second album got released. How come? Do you think you could have gained reputation like other similar Swedish bands back then (In Flames, Amon Amarth, Edge of Sanity, Dissection, The Crown, Katatonia, etc) did if you'd avoid splitting up and maybe found another label to back you up?

Yes we disbanded A Canorous quintet shortly before the release of "the only pure hate". I can remember us sitting in a meeting with the label discussing eventual tour support and they turned us down even though we didn't ask for much. We were signed for 3 more albums and it felt more and more pointless to go on without proper support from the label. We also had issues in which musical direction we wanted to aim for. This in the end led to us disbanding A Canorous Quintet. It's hard to say how much reputation we would have gained, but I'm sure we would have gained a reputation if we would have been able to tour and continue to release high quality music.

On the new material you've also added an extra track that was written back in the '90's for the initial version, but never made it to the final cut. What was the problem with it back then? I know there were more such songs back then, do you plan on maybe

9

refreshing those songs and coming up with a new album soon, or maybe you're planning totally new compositions? And if so, how would the new album sound like?

The song you're talking about, "the plague that haunts me" was as far as I remember not finished when we did the recording of "the only pure hate". Some songs also felt like they didn't fit in with the rest of the material.

However we have already unearthed and recorded some of our songs we've found on rehearsal tapes. Several of them are available on the "quintessence" release. If we find any more songs that we still think hold great quality I can imagine we will record them. Personally I'm hoping for some more new songs in the vain of the old ACQ sound, it will of course sound a bit different and maybe more structured since we all have evolved as musicians.

It could possibly sound a bit more like the song "the plague that haunts me".

How hard is it for you to still do the growling vocals after two decades since you first did it? Are you satisfied of your vocal performance nowadays? Do you do anything in particular to stay fit for this "job"?

I think it's not that hard to the growling, it's actually even more fun now when I have been able to try out different styles of growling through the years. I think my vocal style is more diverse nowadays but I find myself not able to do the highest pitched vocals the way I did in the 90's.

But i would find it strange if the vocal chords didn't change a bit over the years. It was also a quite long hiatus when it came to sing the A Canorous Quintet style vocals. However I find that I'm overall with how the vocals sound on "the only pure hate MMXVIII". I'm also pleased with how the vocals go over nowadays especially since the recording of the last album, that got me back in the groove of things for real. What I tend to do before doing live shows is to rehearse vocals alone apart from doing it at our regular rehearsals. I need to do that to stay in the best possible shape before recording or doing live shows nowadays since we don't rehearse as much as I would like to.

Do you still follow the Metal scene nowadays? What bands/albums/songs impressed you this year?

Yes I try to follow the metal scene nowadays, listening to new interesting stuff as I find it. I still try to go to shows and festivals when possible. During 2019 I discovered the Swedish band Voodus which sounds quite cool. The new Wormwood album sounds promising as well as the new Netherbird album. Another nice album was the latest Sulphur Aeon. There's lots of good stuff being released you just have to find among all mediocre releases.

June 2019

Vanhelga good word to describe our music is 'schizophrenic'.

How's the composition process in Vanhelga nowadays, do you work more with file-sharing, or do you actually gather at rehearsals and brainstorm over an initial idea someone brought to the table? How often and where do you rehearse?

It depends if we have upcoming tours or if we are in the process of creating a new album. If we have nothing planned then we have rehearsals maybe four times per year.

If we have something going on it can be up to one time per week (or more). Usually we write songs individually at first. Then we share them with eachother and add or remove stuff, building on them. When we feel they are as good as possible, we start playing them together inte the rehearsals. In there we are still open for changes and ideas so the songs might change drastically during the rehearsals. Lastly we are open-minded during the recording of the tracks. Alot can happen in the studio, things like improvisations, trying out different ideas etc. Then we will listen to the recorded tracks for some time and brainstorm for more ideas & changes until we finally feel happy/pleased with what we have created.

If you don't mind, let's start with your stage name, 145188, where does it come from as you haven't used it before in your previous bands? Why is it important for you to use a pseudonym rather than your own name in Vanhelga?

The stage name is a blend of philosophy and occult numerology. It has a personal meaning to me but it's at the same time cryptic which means people can find their own meaning behind it. For me it stands for the END of EVERYTHING. It's important to use pseudonym rather than my own name because I want the listener to be focused on the music instead of the meaningless person(s) behind it. The music is the main focus for us, who we are as humans should not be relevant in any situation at all.

For quite some time now Vanhelga has been a full line-up band, but do the other members contribute to its lyrics and / or music, or is it still a one-man-show? How committed are the current members of the band, and do you think this is the best line-up you've had so far?

Up until our latest release 'Fredagsmys' I have created everything mostly by myself.

Now our guitarist is way more involved in the creative process compared with before. I would still say that I do most of the work for the band though. Because the amount of work is not even near to be evenly distributed amongst the bands members.

But it's not unusual, in almost every band there is one person who is the driving force and the mind behind everything. And as for the best line-up question it's hard to tell because at the moment we have a session drummer.

How close, or how far is the band to the initial aim you had when you first started it? Was it even an initial target, and if it was, is it constantly changing and adapting? What's the aim?

The aim right now is to find new ways to explore the darkness in the world. We don't want to repeat ourselves or copy what other artists already have done in the past. We always want to evolve and try to be as original & unique as possible with each step we take. I would say that we are not close to our initial aim yet but we are slowly getting there by each day. One positive sideeffect of the being a member of Vanhelga is that the band is slowly destroying us as individuals.

Fredagsmys, your latest album, was released on Osmose Production, a quite big step for your band I'd say, correct? How did the deal come to be, and is it a one album deal only, or you'll keep working with them? Have you gotten the promotion you hoped for?

Everything was smooth and fine working with Osmose Productions. For this album we are pleased with both their work and our own work. I actually sent an old demo to Osmose back in 2008 or something like that and the owner of the label really enjoyed it. Then we got some offer from them that was not good enough for us at that time. After some years we decided to send them our latest material and see what deal they could offer and this time everything was good for both sides so we decided to do this album together.

It seems Vanhelga pretty much appealed to the young generation as you maybe have more followers from the new "wave" of Rock/Metal fans than old-schoolers, do you agree? How do you stay in touch with the youngsters, with their mindset and expectations? Or you don't really care about these things?

We don't care. We just do our art the way we want it and put it out there for the world to enjoy (or hate). We have a great number of followers and fans that we interact with via social medias but we don't give a fuck if they are young, old or whatever.

Another sensible topic is your constant battle with drug addiction if I'm not mistaking. How do you feel now? Do drugs have a say in Vanhelga's music? Do drugs make you forget / get over certain things / thoughts, or rather make you feel good / better / more?

We all have our own mental problems and addictions in the band. Sometimes it is worse than usual and there is nothing we can do about it except for accepting the way things are. For me personally I use drugs sometimes to forget and sometimes to feel anything at all. One of my biggest problems is that I am total dead inside and rarely feel any feelings at all. And when I do feel anything I usually write music / lyrics but I also write when I am dead inside so it varies a bit from day to day (or week to week / month to month etc.).

What's next for Vanhelga, do you have any short-terms plans to fulfill?

We have many things going on. There will be a remastered re-release planned later this year. We are currently working on new material and we've already been in contact with the studio for recording new tracks. We want to do more liveshows & go on tour more.

And lastly, we have enough material for a new full-length. That is all that I am allowed to reveal at this point, hope it will make some people excited at least. Thanks for the interview and remember to fucking stay positive.

May 2019

Your lyrics are mostly in native language, yet there are many Vanhelga followers all over the World. What do you think makes them connect with the band and its music / message? By the way, what's the band main message?

I think our listeners can relate to the emotions that we portray in our songs.

It's familiar to them. We don't have any special agenda but one important thing that we always try to encourage is that you have to find yourself, who you truly are, and be true to yourself. Create the world that you want to be in and don't let yourself be controlled by others. Don't let anyone else limit you.

When we write music for example we don't give a fuck about what others think or what genre the songs are, we do what we feel is right & good for us and everything else does not matter at all. Remember that even in the darkest of times you can find things that are positive. There are no good or bad situations, everything is subjective.

As weird as it may sound I found some similarities between Vanhelga and your city-mates from Ghost. First the use of masks, of expressive clothing, then the Heavy Metal influence that seems to be bigger on your latest album than ever before. Do you agree?

Sure. We even used the same rehearsal room as Ghost back in the days. I remember when they were just a small demo band with 50 likes on their facebook page, look at them now, it's fucking insane how fast they have grown. I think they use masks for the same reasons as we do and about the Heavy Metal influences, we don't care what directions our songs take, the important part is that we, ourselves, like and feel content with them.

Your music sounds depressive / suicidal at times, aggressive at others, and even cheerful and shiny at others, is it intentional to have all these states of mind "portrayed" in your music, or it just happens this way?

Basically you can say that it just happens this way. That's the result at the end of our creative process. But we like to work with contrasts, both in the lyrics as well as in the music. Also in our imagery. Sarcasm, reversed psycohology and especially being cryptic with what we do is important to us. The listener should make their own interpretation of our art, which means that any opinions or mindsets should never have to be forced upon them. I think a

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Matterhorn At first let me congratulate you for one of the most original cover artworks I've seen in a long time, I'm talking about your debut album's cover.

Who came up with the idea and what's the story behind it?

Cool to be part of this Slowly We Rot issue, thanks!

Besides our own personal reading of the image, first and foremost this capture’s function in its original intent was to save something of the oblation, as I would cut my hair off completely the other day. Before we actually had anything of a real band, we knew that this eventually would have to become the cover. It resembles our fiery, freeing outbreak of energy and the sacrificial part of having this band and also on the other, more profane side it is what may must be the perfect content for a Metal record sleeve: Banging your head heavily. Like we do in rehearsal and on stage too. It just fitted immediately to our vision when starting the band, also this idea in all its simplicity has never been done before, as far as we know…

Besides this, it catches the album title in a perfect way on several layers: A cleansing fire.

to write a letter to the band) and Julien from the amazing Bestial Avenger comics in person. We have no further expectations besides to be supportive and for our own shows exceed every performance from day to day.

Presenting the band in its actual state and cut the biased sights on what we do, how they want us to see. It’s often hitting new ground, that’s exciting. We too are completely stoked by the fact that we were booked for this capital event in November/December, along with two long time heroes of us – totally surreal, we still cannot grasp it fully.

How come you're still unsigned? I have no doubt you had a fair share of interest from labels so far, so is it your decision to keep it DIY, or it's still that the right deal is still yet to come?

I think we’re getting more interesting with the upcoming second album, also we too get more interested in having label backup. What we’ve learned is that we do not need a label that just halfheartedly processes several bands a day and doesn’t really care or work hard for the band’s vision. Or they don’t even try to understand the band.

What is in planning right now is the second pressing of our debut on vinyl as we only have few left and want to carry an exclusive offer on tour so we use this opportunity to push it more towards the distinct way we appear live. So, it will be the first label issue that will be a special one for the US, too. We worked on the sound For our readers who haven't heard of the band before, and re-recorded part-wise before the tour. It didn’t take how would you describe your music, lyrics and too much time as we already play it live this way, we of attitude? How would you reply to those comparing course are more focused on writing the songs for the you with Celtic Frost, some even saying you're a CF sophomore album. With two bonus tracks and a new clone? design, it will be more of an enhanced new version of the Some say it’s hard to find a term for our music and I debut, rather than just a plain re-pressing. One should get guess not everyone’s equipped to get it from the start so it, despite you already got the band’s first self-release of easily… The band is reaching far beyond its members “Crass Cleansing”. and we now are making our only lives about it. We're answering this interview on the road from the van as we You're quite young guys, so where from did this are on tour with Deiphago (and some shows along fascination for more traditional sounding Metal come Insulter and Pyre!!!). What we get to see very often at from? What do you guys listen to at home? Are you our shows is that people who have been told that we are collectors of music on physical formats, or do you alike beforehand, are dissatisfied during the first notes as prefer the easier digital formats like Youtube or the expectations aren't quite as thought. They came to see audio streaming platforms? some rip-off. But their first disappointment isn’t long We did not begin within the traditional old-school Metal lasting at all, turns into surprised reactions and they too, but rather earlier. We were listening to all the heavy instantly become part of a thrilled audience. The bands like Witchfynde, Wicked Lady, Coven, Morgen, feedback on our shows and the new songs often went Blue Cheer, Fire (from Croatia), Black Widow, Zior, like that we show our capability to advance towards a Arthur Brown, Rush etc. that paved the way for Metal – much riper and more inventive group which outgrows from early on, and that’s a huge influence and surely this and expresses more personal and a broader variety of led to the part wise essential stylistics along our own emotions. Someone once interfered a concert repeatedly sound. A so-called Metal-DNA. Later we got into Metal as he wanted to hear us play a cover of the mentioned and also Dark Wave or for example Industrial or band, so I told the crowd that we are indeed Celtic Frost Hardcore Techno too. but only play Matterhorn covers tonight. Humor is a I listen the same conscious way no matter what medium, surviving strategy... at this time for example Hail Spirit Noir from Greece, Funereal Presence or Silent Circle…

How does your old-school, traditional attitude gets along with the modern social media and digital Your pics are like from the early '90's, do platforms for music? As a band you have to somehow you think it's important for a band to keep pace with the modern influences, or that is not "correlate" the music with the band's image? mandatory in order to get attention from the Yes, for sure. At the time the early press audience? photographs came into being, it fitted our You may refer to our appearance in the early stages of perception very well, now we would do more Matterhorn. We’re not using studs and spikes nor corpse real-life shootings. For us it's a fact that these paint anymore. All we do is to play heavy music the way two parts, the visual and the musical, are we feel we should. If the outside world interprets our inspiring and influencing each other ways as traditional, we guess it's a sign for our honesty continuously and simultaneously. We had a lot and sincerity that is attracting nowadays. We're all other of visual ideas and drafts before the music and than denying social media, we're just not interested to could often already imagine how it would or post frequently and annoyingly anything. Most often should sound set to music. useless and time stealing use of such technology sucks hard. We’re not using private social media profiles as we At the same time I feel there's a huge dose don’t need it. of professionalism in all you do, am I right?

Other than that, we are massively influenced by our time. Do you consider important to have We're thankful for all the music in the world – as much everything calculated and targeted? for the newer and older.

I would pick the word necessary way before important. What targets a band besides and This year seems to be your heaviest assault on the behind the music is of sheer unbelief and audience, with an almost a month long tour with massive in every sense... It appeals serious Deiphago starting in a few days after I'm writing this, because it really is, at least to us and we put all and another tour, in select company (Bölzer, the resources and soul we have into it.

Dødheimsgard and Blaze of Perdition) scheduled for November/December. What are your expectations Is a trio the perfect line-up for Matterhorn? from this tour?

I guess it's easier for both live shows and We expect to return to many loved ones and maybe meet composing music, but as a trio are you able some new lovers too?! At this point on the tour we’re to build and present your music exactly at extremely glad that we’ve made friends with all the the standards you want? bands, Deiphago, Insulter or Pyre. Having visited We found together as the three of us. This is Occvlta at their rehearsal for Muskelrock. Or for how it is and it would be impossible or just example finally met Dima from Tough Riffs zine, fake trying to change or recreate the chemistry Deathexecutioner from Hellfucking Metal zine (the first we have within our bond for someone new.

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Everyone in the band learned to play his instrument to be able to play in this band. We’re not like real musicians that would plan on a project or so. I guess with us it's just the true meaning of "band". And we are thankful for this coincidence to have found ourselves, and are aware of what huge gift this is.

Crass Cleansing, your debut album, was released in 2018. How happy are you of this debut, of how it sounds? Looking back would you change anything about it, or is it perfect the way it is?

It captures one short moment of the band. As stated above, we are eager to get the enhanced debut version as it shows a more distinct group, more adequate and fitting with our live performances.

How's the reaction from fans to your music? How about specialized press?

It’s fun to see some fans coming to the shows with our shirts on already. I mean you could say it’s not necessary to wear the shirt to the concert as we already know you like the band, as you’re here right now, haha. No just kidding, its fucking amazing to see the support we get.

Other than that, the opinions are always very polarizing and we’re hard to sort in for many opinionated Metal fans. We hear all possible variations of how one can perceive what we do. Live feedback is totally different and all other than the traditional sounding cover band stuff, it also represents the band better than our record...

Someone just stated two days ago, if he’d had to pick a band of the last 10 years, we would be it. And we’re not even active for 10 years, so it’s a mind-blowing compliment and hard to accept. We gave around 20 interviews so far where we explain about what we want and had many negative and very few positive reviews, what feels completely right to us. We get some more attention and acceptance from the scene though nowadays. It’s something that needs to be earned.

These 2019 will see the band promoting the debut album, or rather new material? Do you have in plan to come with a follow-up studio album soon?

We perform new songs to enrich our classic set-list and will finally have more than enough completed material to release a second one.

How's the scene in Switzerland nowadays? Any new bands you would recommend our readers?

As said before in several interviews, we’re not actually a part of the Swiss scene. There are interesting topical bands from our country in other music genres and few befriended Metal acts very much worth mentioning, like for example Kvelgeyst, Dakhma or Temple Ov Perversion, just to mention some of Zurich, our hometown.

June 2019

Devil's Force / Ur Tid

Devil's Force, such a simple name, yet such impressive and expressive at the same time. How did you come up with it?

Well, it´s quite simple actually. The name is taken from the mighty Nifelheim and the title of their second album ”Devil’s Force”. I wanted a powerful, 80’s style band name for this project and came to think of this album title which suited perfectly for the style of music I intended to write.

Pierre, you were and as far as I know still are member of many bands that most of them lived their fair share of glory within the underground, yet they were all kind of short lived. How come they all ended after short time?

I guess you are thinking about bands like The Moaning, Scheitan, The Everdawn etc. I can only speak for myself as there was also other members of the bands but we were all quite young and also very restless I guess. We live far away from the big cities so there were seldom opportunities for gigs or tours so we mainly focused on rehearsing and writing music, and usually did so for 2-3 recordings for each project before we got bored…I guess.

There was always an eagerness to explore other styles of music and usually when we did, we formed something new instead of continuing with the same band name.

Which was fair I guess, I never liked when bands changed style too much and kept their name.

Is Devil's Force your own project, one-man-project?

I'm asking this as I've seen you also perform live. Are the live musicians only guests, or do they also contribute to the compositions in some way?

Yes, Devil’s Force is my own project, I write and record everything myself except for some lead guitar stuff that is done by our live lead guitarist Jakob Björnfot. He is a monster guitar player and is capable of playing stuff that I would never be able to do which brings another dimension to the music. But apart from that the live musicians do not contribute to the song writing, which is the way I want it to be. My whole idea of this was that I should be able to write, record and publish music without having to involve a single person except for myself.

How do you pick live musicians? Are they all among your friends, or do you also invite musicians you like but without having a prior personal connection? Do you rehearse as well, or is it all done via file transfers online?

I did not really know these guys before we started playing together. Me and Jakob was just talking a bit online thanx to our mutual love for speed metal. And it is really thanx to Jakob that we are playing live, he insisted on getting a live line-up and was very active in the process of finding the right guys, getting set-up for rehearsals and so on. So far it has been a great experience to rehearse and play live music again, particularly guitar which I had not been playing live for over 20 years, so it was also a challenge to start doing both vocals and guitar on stage again. We rehearse quite frequently when we have live shows booked.

Your latest single is called Black Heavy Metal, is this what Devil's Force plays, I mean is this how you label your music style? What bands influenced your style the most?

Yes that is correct, ”Black Heavy Metal” is the words that describe our style of music. When I started this project I wanted to incorporate the elements of 80’s heavy - speed - black metal (influences like Accept, Kreator, Judas Priest, early Metallica, Bathory etc.) with the 90’s black - death metal that I played myself when I was younger (influences like Dissection, At the Gates etc.). So the intention was to build a bridge between all this when writing the Devil’s Force stuff.

How come you've only released singles so far? Do you think releasing singles is more effective than releasing full-length albums nowadays? Do you also plan on releasing a full album in the near future?

So far it has been the easiest thing to do to get some buzz going around the ”band”. Promotion wise I think the press is more interested in albums than singles though.

You get no reviews from singles and almost no interviews and stuff. But of course there can be attention online in forums like Facebook or YouTube from single releases. Mainly it is my own restlessness that is the reason for releasing singles, I just think it is boring and very unfair to the audience that people should have to wait for like 12 months before hearing the stuff. I just feel it is a great thing to be able to record shit and then people can hear it shortly after. But I did a 3-track tape together with Tomas from Iron Fist Productions and there has also been some talk from some minor labels about an album but nothing concrete has been decided yet though. Most labels seem to want to hear the whole album first before deciding anything, that is really not my way of working.

And speaking about this I guess you haven't released your music in physical format yet, correct? Do you think digital is enough for a band nowadays, is that as rewarding for a band than a CD, tape or vinyl?

As I mentioned earlier, we did a 3-track tape with Iron Fist (which probably is sold out by now). As a metal fan myself I like physical releases, I have absolutely nothing against it and I love to buy new vinyl records (which I do

Hi Johan! Ur Tid is a one man band, yet you've played and as far as I know continue to play in other bands that have full line-up, so finding musicians to complete a line-up should be a problem. I guess this is a personal decision, am I right? If so, why this decision?

Yes, it`s a decision I made for several reasons. First of all, the music and lyrics in Ur Tid is pretty personal to me and I want to be able to shape it as I please, without anyone telling me what I can or can not do.

And for the second, I just don`t work that well with other people, especially not when it comes to a project like this… So by keeping it to my self, there`s less frustration and distractions. And I can focus on the music. But of course I need help sometimes! Can`t do everything myself. ?

on a regular basis) but for Devil’s Force my prime interest has been to get the music out there as fast as possible so that people can listen to it. I am sure there will be physical releases sooner or later with my stuff, one way or the other, I might release it myself also.

And since we talked about your other bands as well, please tell us what happens with Helltrain at the moment, are you ready for a new album? Tell us some more.

Helltrain has been a bit slow-paced after the release of the two new singles in 2018, we also did a comeback-gig with a new drummer and new bass player during a summer festival. So there was a lot of work put into both the singles and the live performance, the inspiration kind of went down after that and I have been focusing on Devil’s Force to get the project going. But we will take care of things sooner or later, we have songs for a full album but I don’t know when we will record or release it.

We will have at least a new single done during 2019l, that is certain though.

May 2019

Yeah that`s true… But once in a while we need a push to reach the edge, and fall over it. So I thought I`ll do what I can to help out!

Talking about the current "state of things" how funny is that nowadays a totally anti-social person can appear to be popular by having X number of friends on social media, yet a guy that's constantly surrounded by friends in real life but has no social media account is considered as a recluse, an outcast? Isn't it ironic?

Haha, Yeah it really is. Should really be the other way around. Feels like a damn contest sometimes. But it`s a valuable tool for reaching new people and almost a necessity if you`re an artist. Especially for a new one that doesn’t play live.

Not sure why, but the band name makes me think of a Pagan Metal band, what does it mean? People are often comparing your music to Dissection or even Dimmu Borgir, how do you respond to such comparisons?

The name ”Ur Tid” is about death, or the moment of death you might say, sort of a Swedish translation of ”passing away”.

Well, Dissection and Dimmu Borgir are bands I frequently listen to and of course are inspired by. So I would be amazed if my music didn’t remind you of them.

The core topics of your lyrics seem to be profoundly anti-human, am I right?

Where from sources this deep hate for the human race? Don't you think we're heading towards self-extinction (now faster than ever) as an inevitable end so that should be enough to celebrate?

Yes! And religion! ? Hehe, people are surprisingly good at being ass-holes (including me) and it`s not hard at all to develop a deep healthy hate for humans, or religions for that matter.

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Ur Tid / Fallen Man Nowadays there are so many options around when it comes to new music, so don't you think choosing to play as a one man band, without live shows, limits your reach tremendously? Do you care about how many people your music reaches?

Yeap, it sure does!! And no, I don`t really care that it limits my reach. I make music because it fulfills my need to create. That`s about it. But I don`t think you need to play live to reach a wide audience, especially not in this genre.

If you have a good solid product, it will spread regardless of marketing and live shows.

But I most point out that I actually never thought of live shows as a ”no go zone”. It might happen, if I feel that it is the right decision for Ur Tid. There`s always live musicians to hire for those situations.

Talking about this, what's the aim with Ur Tid? Where do you hope to be with it in 5 years (damn, this sounds like straight from a job interview)?

When you first hear the name of your band you immediately think of war. And war seems to be one of the main topics of your lyrics, am I right? Why this topic, and what what else are your lyrics all about?

I would say yes I do discuss human conflict quite a bit...the culture wars, the wars for and against religions...the war against the environment, our health.

So yes :) It's one of my main topics of discussion lyrically. The name came from an interview from the early 90's with MTV VJ Kennedy..who asked a band...so what are you? like the Fallen Man? for some reason that stuck with me. I thought it captured what I was into musically.

I was quite surprised to find out Evil Deeds, the studio album you released last year, is your 11th to date. Wow, what a ride, do you remember all the tracks you recorded in these almost 20 years of activity with Fallen Man? Which one do you think is your best effort so far? Let me guess, the last one, right? But why?

Oh noooo..I constantly have to refer to the Heavy Metal Encyclopedia to remember particular albums and songs!

After almost 80 songs I have the curse or the blessing depending on how you to look at to be constantly writing new material. I record the song and move on...since Fallen Man doesn't play live...I just keep making new music rather than play it live nightly. Evil Deeds is the most consistent album to date, because I worked with the same drummer for all the songs. I think Mercenary is my favorite album...it's hard to choose because I have favorite songs on all the CD's.

Despite these 11 albums the band seems to be little known internationally, why do you think is that? Are you happy about your status within the Sacramento area, or do you plan on reaching out to new territories as well?

Actually our biggest fan base seems to be European! I have fans from all over that have contacted me ...the hard part is getting the shirts the Cd's out to everyone! The shipping is high ! plus the taxes and fees some people have to pay! Sacramento chooses to ignore Fallen Man...I live in an area where other kinds of music dominate the airwaves....Metal of any kind is not very popular...unless Megadeth comes to town ! I don't get angry anymore that Sacramento isn't a fan...I choose to be positive and reach out to the world! Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Germany, France...the UK..Romania! Slovenia, Russia! I'd like everyone to have a chance to listen.

You're all well passed over your teenage years, I guess you all have jobs, families, responsibilities of your own, so where does Fallen Man fits in? Would you have the time and resources (of any kind) to tour

Haha I'm afraid that I don`t have a 5 year plan. But if we`re still here then, I hopefully still spreading unhappy thoughts with my music, drinks beer, pissing of my neighbors with recording sessions and so on.

Your debut material, the Towards Dark Endless EP, was released half a year ago.

Have you worked a lot on it before releasing it? Did it come out as you expected?

What do you think is its best feature and what could have been improved on it?

Hehe, well the problem is that I`m never satisfied, it can always be better and there`s always room for improvement. When you mix that with some ADHD and access to a studio 24/7 you`ll be glad if you`re able to finish anything at all ( I should probably thank my girlfriend, without her it would never been done)… So yes, I worked on it quite much! ?

Are you preparing for a full-length release? Care to share some info on it? How important still are the albums for a band/artist, some say only singles matter these days?

Yes! My next release ”Withering Dead Life” has been ready for a while now, it`s a fulllength album containing around 50 minutes of pure anguish and self-hatred. Just need to be properly recorded. I hope to release it later this year.

Currently I`m working on a Concept Album (but will more likely be an EP) with a pretty unique story. I`m super excited about that one and aim for a release next spring.

Hm, it seems that releasing songs from upcoming albums on digital medias like spotify boosts the ”Buzz” at least, but I don`t know, perhaps a digital or limited special edition as a teaser for an upcoming album is a good idea? Can`t imagine that other than diehard fans would buy singles otherwise. They usually prefer full-Length album`s it seems (at least here in Sweden).

May 2019

the World for example in support of your band, or do you plan on keeping it as a hobby to burn energy?

Yes we are past the prime age for success :) but that's ok....Rich (the bass player) has his own band Recker and they still play live every few months. If I was able to pull it all together, I would rehearse for 6 months and maybe do a string of gigs..showcases..and play a show of my favorite songs with a killer stage show. Right now it's just a way for me to express myself and the band is self financed. Not being signed to a label allows me ultimate freedom, yet I would always listen to a label or management that might help me reach a wider audience.

Fallen Man combines genres like Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, Industrial Metal, Doom Metal and even Punk, but how would you describe your music in your own words? Is it important for a band to follow a certain path, or is it more important to experiment as much as possible?

I would say overall we are metal band that has a lot of Industrial influence (samples etc) Punk influence and some Thrash. One of my main points of emphasis is to have my vocals be understood..heavy but understood.

Some bands have incredible riffs, music, but I can't hear what they are singing. I want my words to be crystal clear even if the meaning of the song is up for interpretation.

Why is the band unsigned to date? Aren't you looking for a deal, or were the deals your were offered not convincing enough? Or do you find labels as redundant nowadays?

Being completely honest....not having a live band to support the releases is probably the number one reason.

When the band was getting started I was raising a family and still finding my distinct sound. In the early 2000's the internet gave me access to thousands of people worldwide.

So I started really working towards being heard worldwide also and really trying to nail down my sound.

Evil If Deeds was sung by a younger in guy corpse paint with long hair and a band behind

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him...Fallen Man would probably be signed. Honestly that's one of my next steps is really working on my image....

Since you released your albums independently, were they released digitally only, or on physical formats, too? Is physical format (CD, tape, vinyl) still important, or is it, as many announce since a long time now, a dying breed?

You've touched on of my biggest frustrations....having the music mutilated and tortured by streaming, compression and the MP3! I love the CD...it's the best way to hear music in my opinion other than a 24bit master file in the studio. It's a real battle to make the music sound good on everything but the CD. I never understood the fascination with Vinyl..though I admit it's a great showcase of an album's artwork.

What was the best experience with Fallen Man in these 20 years of existence? Were there any hopeless periods, too?

I think the worst period for Fallen Man was about 10 years ago....magazines were dying and we were taken advantage of a few times.

We paid money to be on compilation CD's with magazines etc...BIG Metal Magazines that bragged about thousands of issues etc..but they all died.

The Cd's were never made, the magazines folded etc.

The music business is still full of people who rip others off, steal etc. Even today I see bands signing up for promotion and 6 months later....finding out they lied to and tours cancelled etc. That's why it's great to be in a Zine that is for the fans and supports the bands and their efforts, no matter how big or small they are. Most of our fans come from Europe and I'm hoping to reach some new fans being with you today.

May 2019

Blodhemn Is the band name inspired by Enslaved's album? Is your music (also) inspired by Enslaved? By the way, how would you describe your music?

No, not at all actually.

A lot of people assume that there is a connection between Enslaved's album "Blodhemn" and my band. It's actually just a coincidence. When I chose the name back in 2004 I didn't even know that Enslaved had an album with the same name.

I guess I would describe Blodhemn as a black/thrash band with obvious inspirations from other genres like punk, heavy metal and even rock n' roll.

The band was founded back in 2004, but you released your first material, the Brenn alle bruer EP, only in 2010, how come it took you so much to get into the studio?

The first couple of years was spent gathering experience with song writing, playing the various instruments, recording and on how to get a "band" going.

I did record single demo tracks that I released digitally the first years which eventually led to recording the first proper demo "Logical Madness" released physically in early 2008.

Blodhemn is currently a one man band, but was it always like that? Is it your own decision to have you as the band's only permanent member, or is this dictated by other factors?

Yes, Blodhemn has always been a one man band. Back when I started the band I don't think I was hell bent on keeping myself as the only member, but the fact that I at the time lived on a tiny isolated island with a few hundred inhabitants put it's restrictions on recruiting other members. Eventually I just started playing all instruments myself, and I am very comfortable with that structure today. No need for compromises and colliding visions.

The band's logo indicate we're dealing with a Satanic band, or at least an anti-Christian band, am I right?

What topics do your lyrics cover? How come you've chosen native language to express yourself instead of the more universally used English?

I guess you can call the band anti-Christian, yes. But to me it's so much more than that. If I had to design a logo today I do not think I would want inverted crosses in it just because it seems so standard and "stock pile" to me. I would try to find something relevant to the Blodhemn concepts that is both iconic enough and not too common.

The lyrics vary very much. Through the back catalog there are lyrics that concern everything from violence, murder, WW2, mystical sites to drawing at sea in furious storms. I choose to use Norwegian because of the strong identity it offers.

earlier records those things sometimes may have been a bit rushed.

Have you recorded it all by yourself, or were there also some guests invited? Where was it recorded and who took care of the mix and master?

Yes, I recorded it myself mostly in my own studio. I had some guests; Eyvind Jolm Aardal and Jørn Stüle Norheim from the band Nifrost did some vocals and the guitar solo for the track "Dra Te' Helvete" and Vigdis Meidell did the female voice in the intro track "Ruin".

The mixing was handled by Ă˜ystein G. Brun (of Borknagar) and the mastering by Christian Indregard.

Norway and especially Bergen are most well-known for their Black Metal history, but how is the genre seen among the local fans and musicians? Do they support it as a mutual good, or are they rather bored or even worse, annoyed by it?

Yeah, I'd say the scene here is mostly supportive. We all have a fascination for the local black metal history and I think it's something that adds a mystical aura to the whole genre. That is a good basis for great bands to create, I think.

How many people usually turn out at Black Metal shows with underground bands? I've seen you also perform live with guest musicians, where have you played live so far and where was the best show?

We have always had decent attendance to our shows, luckily. We are very appreciative of our supportive fans!

We have played some shows in Europe through the years and we did a tour with Mayhem back in 2014. We have visited Denmark, England, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and probably more.

The one gig that really stands out is Stockholm in 2014.

Great crowd!

Do you think you're able to transmit the exact (or close) feeling to the audience like you do on your recordings? What do you enjoy mostly about playing live? Will you support this new album with gigs / tours?

Yes, personally I mostly feel I succeeded in transmitting the fierce expression of the band in live-shows too. It's very important to me to that Blodhemn appear aggressive and "hungry" when playing live. This is how I always intended it to be and is probably also what I enjoy the

You've just released your third full-length album, Mot ein evig ruin, was it intentional to release it on your 15th anniversary as a band, or it just happened?

What does the title means? Any connection between the cover artwork and the lyrics of this album?

The year of release was just coincidental .

The title means something like "towards an eternal ruin". The front cover is not directly linked to any of the themes of the record, but I find it pretty relevant to the band's expression over time. The booklet for the CD release contains custom illustrations for each track of the album.

Musically speaking Mot ein evig ruin is Black Metal with Punk and Thrash influences, correct? is it the perfect album you could have produced at the moment?

How satisfied are you on the final result?

Yes, I think that is an accurate description. I have to say I am very pleased with the result.

This time around I recorded everything except the drums in my own studio soI had the chance to spend time getting the sound and performances that I wanted. On the

15

most while playing live. We will do some festivals and single shows in support of the new album. No tour planned, yet. But it might happen later on...

This is your first collaboration with Soulseller Records, how come you ended the deal with Indie and how did the deal with Soulseller come to life? Are you satisfied of the move so far?

I was pretty eager to move on from Indie Recordings after six years. I think it's not always ideal to be a "small" band on a large label. So far the collaboration with Soulseller has been very good. I do not regret the move at all.

As a conclusion please tell us your opinion on the current state of Black Metal and also speculate on its future.

To me the old and original scene is dead and buried. The feeling is also gone. To try to copy these original bands today is to me just meaningless. I rather see bands try to go developing their own characteristics and distinct sound rather than copying something from the past. I think black metal always will exist on some level. But in the recent years it seems to me the genre is loosing popularity. If that trend continues maybe in some years we will have a more underground scene again?

June 2019

Heathenspawn / Viken Hi guys, the band is not very new (formed in 2015), yet you haven't released your debut album yet. How come?

How were these 4 years for the band in terms of activity, what was your main focus?

Quality over quantity. We begin the writing process for our debut this year.

Tell us about the band name, who came up with it and what does it mean?

The name took a while, but we got there. Chris came up with it, and it sounded great, just like the music.

Have you had any line-up changes since the beginning, or are the current members the founding members as well? Please present us the band.

Gaz, Aly, Skitz and Steve were in a band together previously, and started writing heavier, and more melodic music.

Chris joined during the writing process, and Heathenspawn was born.

In 2017 you signed with Iron, Blood and Death Corporation and already released an EP and a split with Paganizer, I guess you're happy of the collaboration so far, correct? Were you searching for any type of label, or IBDC was one of the main choices from the start? How important a label still is for a band nowadays?

Yes, Antonio and Chris have had a long-standing working relationship with his other band, and he sent him the music back in the early days, and he loved it.

Who came up with the split idea and who got the two bands together on the same vinyl? Are you in contact with Paganizer? What do you feel about their music? How about them, how do they like your music as far as you're aware of?

That would be Antonio, he came to us with the idea of the split. Being fans of Paganizer we agreed straightaway.

You used Dan Swano's services for the two tracks on this EP, how was the collaboration?

Is he a laid back guy, or more a professional cold guy that does his job perfectly but the human contact is minimal?

Dan Swano is amazing, he knows how to get the job done without any compromise.

You label your music as Melodic Death Metal, yet there are some very brutal parts in it, and the symbolism you use is extremely aggressive, so for a kid expecting some kind of In Flames or Soilwork this Melodic Death Metal label wouldn't be that accurate, correct? How would you describe your music in depth though?

We write aggressive death metal with melodic tones. So therefore, Melodic Death Metal.

What does Viken mean and who came up with this name for your band?

Viken was a place in Norway for over a thousand years. It no longer exists but it's said that this is partly where the work Viking derived from.

Today Viken is a city in Sweden. The three of us agreed to call the band Viken.

You described your band as a spirit of brotherhood among others, and since you're a trio that didn't change the line-up since the beginning made of two brothers and a long time friend, I guess forming the band came pretty natural, correct? How come you decided to start this band, were you previously involved with other projects or is this your first band?

It was pretty natural to us. We initially started the band as a project to really just record and release music. There was another person involved who lived out of state of Indiana that was going to be part of it but it never came to be. Chad had already asked Ben and Brent to be involved and that's really how the band formed. The three of us got together and talked about what we wanted to do and all of us were just on the same page musically. Also since we have all known each other for a number of years, we consider the three of us brothers and family so that helps the music in a big way.

This is our first band together for the three of us but Ben and Brent were both in a previous band called Maltese Cross. Also from Columbus Indiana from 2001 to 2012.

Both of your releases, the 2016 album Reduced To Ash and the 2018 EP Undead Rising are released under Hamarr Records. Is it your own label since I saw it only produced your band so far? If so, why the need to start your own label? Are the two releases only digital or on physical format too?

Well Reduced To Ash is considered our demo. It was done on a budget. We did everything ourselves with the help of some friends but it was not recorded in a studio.

Hamarr Records was thought up mainly just for our publishing purposes. We do not consider it a record label. The Reduced To Ash demo is only available from the band at our shows on CD and we also have a select number of download cards that you can only get from us. Our EP Undead Rising is available worldwide on all digital platforms and physical CD's can be purchased from our website, vikenmetal.com or from CD Baby.

Since your latest release is the Undead Rising EP, please present it to our readers both in terms of music and lyrics.

I know it was mixed and mastered by the legendary Bill Metoyer (Slayer, WASP, Sacred Reich, Six Feet Under) so I guess it was a serious investment from your side, which means you have tremendous faith in it correct? How was it to work with such a legend and how happy are you of the final result?

Yes we are very excited for this EP and have a lot of faith in the material. At the time it was recorded, all of the songs had just been written and that definitely added to the excitement. For the music of Undead Rising, the riffs were inspired by Black Sabbath. Wanted a dark, old school vibe

Our influences are Hypocrisy, Edge of Sanity, Bloodbath etc.

What's next for Heathenspawn? Any plans for touring outside Australia soon? By the way, do you consider being from Australia an impediment for the band in any way?

Writing/Releasing our debut full length album.

We are playing Metaldays Festival in Europe, this July with great bands like Impaled Nazarene, Akercocke, Hypocrisy and Dimmu Borgir etc.

Australia does have it’s limits, but we do our best. To all international promoters who are interested, book us and we will come.

May 2019

for it. The lyrics, Brent always wanted to write a song about zombies. And wanted to do it in a cool way. You see it from both perspectives, live and dead, through the course of the song. Also we like to call our fan base the Undead. So undead rising could mean our fan base is rising as well. It was so awesome to work with Bill. He is just as outstanding personally as he is seriously talented. We could not be happier with his end result. Bill took it to a totally different, higher level.

Undead Rising won Best Heavy Metal EP by Akademia Music Awards this year, please tell us more about this award and what it means to you.

Yes we are very proud and honored to have Undead Rising win this award. It is a great feeling when an artist is recognized by their peers and professionals in the industry.

We're mostly aware of Columbus Ohio but how's life in Columbus Indiana? How's the metal scine over there? Are there many possibilities to play live ( in the neighboring cities as well of course)? How's your live activity so far? Are you planning any abroad gigs/ festivals/ tours?

Columbus Indiana is just like any other town really. It is mostly famous for its architecture and the start of the diesel engine company, Cummins. It has grown significantly over the years but still has a small town feel. There is not really a metal scene in Columbus itself but Columbus has a lot of musicians with several local bands that play in the local bars/clubs. There is however a metal scene nearby in Indianapolis which is only about 40 miles North of Columbus. There is also a very well established metal scene in Louisville Kentucky. Which is about 75 miles South of Columbus. We are currently active in both metal scenes. There are several places for live music in our neighboring cities like Seymour, Bloomington, Franklin, North Vernon, Greenwood and of course Indianapolis. Yes we have some things in the works as far as possibly touring and we are always getting more and more shows booked. We have just been announced for playing Full Terror Assault in Illinois this year so we are very excited about that. As for playing abroad, we don't currently have any plans but we would very much like to play abroad. We want to play all the festivals in the U.S. and in Europe. Also would like to play the cruises like 70,000 Tons of Metal and any others.

Please tell us about Dethicus The Draug, your mascot. Is it only a mascot you sing about or is it a physical mascot you take with you on tours and maybe present on stage, something like Eddie?

Well Dethicus The Draug was thought up by Brent and Ben. Brent had thought up the name and Ben wrote the backstory about him, which you can read on our website vikenmetal.com. The track Defender was written about him which is on our EP Undead Rising. He is not a physical mascot that we take out with us at the moment but definitely a possibility in the future. We want to utilize him as much as we can plus he's just bad ass looking! Dethicus The Draug is a demigod.

Born son of a clairvoyant mother and of Thor, god of thunder and lightning. Draug means ghost. Dethicus was sent from Valhalla with special powers bestowed upon him from his mother and the Gods. Dethicus has enlisted Viken to help him defend the human race from all the evil, injustice, corruption and from the bullying, hatred and the political and religious tyranny of planet Earth.

May 2019

17

Suffering Souls

Greetings Lord Esgaroth, how are you?

How do you feel now, shortly after releasing your fourth album In Synergy Obscene, a full decade after the previous one?

Hail, I feel really good at the moment, I made it and the album is released. After a process that spans over 10 years, enormous pressure is building up and the media and above all, the expectation of the fans increases enormously.

The massive and worldwide response to the new album "In Synergy Obscene" is so overwhelming that it takes Suffering Souls to a new level in Black Metal. Above all, the reactions, ratings and sales figures have skyrocketed in North America, South America, Asia and Europe.

Inquiries from interviews and presentations in radio shows have increased so much that I am fully booked with my appointments.

The album teaser that Patrick from Schwarzorn Production then delivered, of course has done the rest.

Suffering Souls is a one man band at the moment, yet along the years there were many musicians help you.

What happened? Are you better off working by yourself?

Are you a difficult person/musician/composer to work with?

Since I was responsible for most of our riffs from the beginning, that is, since our founding in 1994, it has taken endless years from the first official demos, "In the Moonshadow of Dispair" and "When Silence Cries Eternally" MCD "Cries of Silence" from the first fulllength album "Twilight Ripping Souls Apart" to "Incarnated Perfection" the second long-player, forced to be a band.

Eternal discussions about riffs, length, structure and type of lyrics have limited me in all too much what I wanted to express with Suffering Souls.

Although "Incarnated Perfection" was already entirely of my pen, both musically and lyrically, I needed the then members only as extras and means to an end, to complete the album in the studio. Ultimately, my own studio and the advances in technology were the logical consequence of going it alone. It was also meant to be honest by me when I said to all the other members: Piss off, it was not nice with you, Fuck Off, Dictator Esgaroth is now sole ruler over the Suffering Souls. At first, they still thought it was a joke but of course I meant it dead serious! ... and the burden of having to endure other people was over.

I doubtless have answered that question completely, as well as to anyone else who has ever had anything to do with Suffering Souls. I would never even think it over, or even waste a thought about sharing my project musically or even lyrically, or making compromises.

Guest musicians, as heard on "In Synergy Obscene", with whom I really want to work together and fully integrate, are accepted. Everyone else, in terms of suffering souls, are annoying and superfluous people who should seek their own playground for self-fulfillment. I am not a catch basin for weak creatures!

In Synergy Obscene is your second album with Schwarzdorn Production, you seem to be getting along very well, am I right? What about the studio you used, how was the recording process?

Yes, you are absolutely right! Could not imagine for myself and especially Suffering Souls a better label than Schwarzdorn Production. I enjoy absolute artistic freedom, from the first note of an album to the layout, the booklet, the interviews and the reification of my person. At the end of 2009, after the release of "Sadistic GoatComplex" I`ve started to work on new songs right in

the middle of 2010, which I was working on until the end of 2014. After the pre-production in September 2015, which was created in my own studio, I decided to let the almost finished album rest. In November it was time, that I went to a longtime companion from Nuremberg in a very familiar studio, where I once again played all the instruments from scratch for months and reorganized the orchestral parts with him a little bit. Arrived in the fall of 2016, I then started with the vocals, but something was missing, right: Vocals are sometimes "clean". Like listening to "In Synergy Obscene" now, I also wanted to try the "normal" vocals, which I think I coped quite well with, in addition to bringing in Joe Jones, a guy from an Irish folk band, to help out, which is on the album now also isolated to hearing. Writing, arranging and recording the whole album took from January 2010 to autumn 2017.

Afterwards, the tracks were mixed and mastered by me for about nine months until mid-2018, in my hometown Amberg, in a local studio, the Musikomm.

Schwarzdorn Production advertises this album as "almost unchanged from the basic principle", yet "a bit more mature", what do you think they mean by this? What's your personal opinion, what differentiates In Synergy Obscene from Sadistic Goat Complex?

The approach is always the same. The only difference with this album is that the entire song structure is much more calculated compared to Sadistic Goat Complex, which was written completely nested and more complex.

Basically, the symphonic arrangements are always the basis of every Suffering Souls song. From the choir to the orchestra everything is planned down to the smallest detail and structured, just as if it were a real living orchestra of flesh and blood.

Time effort and financial effort are secondary.

Your music features plenty of symphonic elements, so by default that is quite a complex composition, correct? How do you manage to combine all these sonorities by yourself? How's your work process, how does a track come together for Suffering Souls?

Basically, the symphonic arrangements are always the basis of every Suffering Souls song. From the choir to the orchestra everything is planned down to the smallest detail and structured, just as if it were a real living orchestra of flesh and blood. Before I start with an idea, I already have the entire sequence of the song in my head, with all its guitar melodies, bars and sequences. However, in most cases, everything is completely overturned or even discarded, and in the end, a completely different song is created. Of course I can only work like that because I own my own studio and can lay track by track at a time and thus let the song grow. I mainly work with plug-ins, which in sum, as I use them are extremely expensive and expensive to deal with, but at the end but what the result is concerned, worthwhile. I live it and it lasts as long as it lasts and it's only done when I say it's done.

Do

you

plan on presenting this album in a live

format well (I

as

18

mean by playing gigs), or will it remain a studio album? Would it be even possible presenting it accurately live without a ton of musicians on stage?

Of course it was nice to play concerts in the early days, to play smaller tours and to enjoy the fans. However, always being on the go and getting drunk simply drove me to limit my creativity and that's why I decided to just drink and produce my music in the studio.

With guest musicians and the right offer, I do not mean a backyard concert with 500 people, I would definitely try again, to present the last 25 years of my work live on stage. After all, the last tour in the year 2000 is already 19 years old and I would like to be honest. But as I said, it must be big and by that I mean not only the venue, but also the musical realization of Suffering Souls.

Otherwise no interest!

It will remain so in the future, that I will do everything alone, except it should eventually be a big gig or a long tour pending, then of course I will have to work with some session musicians together.

I tried over several months, if it would be possible to play the album live and especially the older albums and songs. After a few weeks it turned out, with many technical means, especially when it comes to the orchestra parts, that the complete set would be very good and extremely punchy to implement to give concerts.

Oh yes, the Summerbreeze Festival was rejected this year because of lack of time on my part, unfortunately.

Tell us about the lyrical aspect of In Synergy Obscene, what are the topics you write about? What type of persons do you think would embrace your lyrics? Is there interest in lyrics anymore when it comes to fans?

Have you received any questions about your lyrics from fans so far?

As with all Suffering Souls albums, it's about inhumane themes, satanism, occultism, and the end of the human race throughout. Of course, death and the devil in their most beautiful and abominable form, as the world has earned.

I love it‌ Well, all those who buy an album from Suffering Souls, of course, are interested in the complete package and this includes not only the music, but also the lyrics, the booklet and above all the career from 1994 until now.

I have no stupid fans, they sat down with all my lyrics really profoundly and also understand what I would like to express in a nutshell.

What's your favorite track on this album and why? Is there any tracks that for some reason you cannot listen to anymore? Is there something else you would have like to add to the whole on this album and if so, why didn't you do it?

It would be like asking a mother with three children which one she loves the most. For me, that's impossible to answer because I'm so connected to my 9 new tracks for "In Synergy Obscene" and I've been constantly confronted with them the last ten years. If I doubted a song, or would not like it, it would not be on the current album. After this long period of development, I have nothing to add to the album, if it would be very sad if I had not made it in ten years.

What's next for Suffering Souls? For a full line-up band the next thing would be to get more and more concerts, festivals, but what's the next step for a one-man-band like yours, are you already thinking of a next album?

There is always something to do, including for me as a one man band.

Of course it will be very stressful in the next few months.

The appointment calendar is full of interviews, autograph sessions and radio interviews. We got a new merchandise stuff out, which will also be available at Schwarzdorn Production. Also at the beginning of next year a live track from 1996, unpublished material, the old demos, which were limited to 666 pieces in 1998 and already sold out in 1999 and the first MiniCD from 1999 were mastered, got a new layout designed and finally released with good sound. ...and do not forget Stop the Norwegian Incest !!!

May 2019

Reinfection Congratulations with your new record "Breeding Hate" - this is definitely the best we have heard from Reinfection to date. How have the reactions from the specialized press and fans been so far?

Hello. Thank you for kind words. The reactions so far are similar to yours. We were excited just to create new record. Getting good reviews and people liking our new album is definitely a bonus.

Tell us something about the concept and the meaning of the title from this new album, "Breeding Hate"?

How long was the process of putting the album together, as far as writing the music, the concept and arrangements is concerned?

The process took about two years. Some ideas stayed alive for much much longer and were still used on the record. The meaning of the title and lyrics simply describe self destructive and evil human nature. People live breeding hate by being racists, nazis and hating things that are different and things they don’t understand.

Not everybody is open-minded and passes their view throughout their live promoting hate. Pedophilia in church takes up big part in our lyrics as well.

What is most important to you at song writing? How much do you feel bound or free as for ideas you use?

What music wouldn't you want to play?

The most important in song writing is to write what you would want to hear. If you like your own songs then it doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks about it, really.

But if people also like it then that’s a bonus. I play the music I have always wanted to create and play.

What is most important for you at composing new riffs? Do you prefer to play already done riffs, or you are fascinated by composition, so that you create new things?

It depends. On new record we let loose a little and let the riffs and beats take over. That way we created a lot less controlled chaos. Songs sound better than we expected.

Musically, "Breeding Hate" contains a lot of diversity and the album is quite engaging. I like the balance that the band has between intensity and aggression but with an emphasis on technique and structural melody. How difficult is it to find that balance?

Well, it comes with time and experience and not rushing with finishing songs. We kept the ideas open to the last minute. There were no borders or rules that we enforced on ourselves while creating the album, we didn’t limit ourselves with staying within one genre of music while creating. That way we were able to deliver this little cocktail of brutality called „Breeding Hate”.

How would you say, since the early days, that your goals or your vision for the band have changed? In progressing from just sitting around the rehearsal room back then to sitting here, now, how has what Reinfection means changed for you?

We don't sit in rehearsal room at all. We all live in different parts of the world and create music over the internet. Everybody does their thing at home. Creating that way gives us time to reflect and see what we did and what we could do to improve the songs or riffs. The songs were evolving for months before they reached the final form.

The dizzying level of technicality and sense for adventure in the music is definitely something that sets you apart from the majority of your peers.

Which bands influenced you most, and are there any

bands today that can inspire you? Where is your inspiration source for writing music?

Thank you again for kind words. Back in a day that was definitely Brutal Truth, Napalm Death, Suffocation, Cryptopsy etc. Today we all listen to different kinds of music, in my case rarely death metal any more.

Sometimes I go back to old records from Napalm Death or Cannibal Corpse, but not often. Inspiration now comes from just anything. I generally know how the our songs should be arranged. I don’t listen to anything when creating beats. Just play what would sound good as Reinfection.

Your first release was "The Edge of Her Existence" demo in 1998. What were your impressions when the material was finally out and you have listened a tape home from the player? Was it exactly what you wanted to hear? Are you happy how the material sounds?

You know at that time recording the demo was already a big deal for us. How it sounds, maybe not perfect ,but I wouldn’t change a single thing. I would rather fail being myself than succeed trying to be someone else. The demo showed band’s potential, following recordings showed band’s evolution. I like where this band is headed.

Could you write how the demo has been recorded, under what conditions and what atmosphere reigned during recording? It is a classic underground work in all its aspects, including illustration artwork and b/w versions. Have you got good responses to "The Edge of Her Existence"?

Yes, that’s where it all started. We all recorded the instruments together, then Rudi recorded the vocals. It was November in Poland, it was cold, but we felt warm and excited. It was really happening.

About a year and half later you have released new material,debut full-length "They Die for Nothing” .

How would you compare it with the previous demo?

Seems that you didn't astray and your Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore knows no mercy!I have to admit that "They Die for Nothing" CD is already cult..

Thank you again for more kind words. The album was our continuation from what we started on the demo.

Came out pretty good. It shaked the death grind market a little. Now re-released on Deformeathing Productions.

We are very happy with that album.

You gained quite a lot of attention in the underground with your classic debut "They Die for Nothing”... What kind of memories do you have on its origin? How many copies (approx.) got spread around of it?

Yes it got us a little attention from promoters in different parts of the world. We played quite a bit of shows, successful ones. It was a great experience promoting that album. I think a little over 5,000 copies was sold before it got re-released, but who knows.

What were the reasons for shutting down the band after the release of "They Die for Nothing" in 2002?

Why have you broken up and who came up with idea to renew it?

We really never broke up. Just put little breaks on the band. You know everyone had to form their lives a little and we wanted to treat the band as a hobby and not as the job. I moved to Los Angeles, Rudi lives in Warszawa, Poland and Misiek lives in Rzeszow, Poland. That made things a little bit harder to keep the band going on the intense and busy level as we could if we lived next door to each other, you know. In 2005 we came back with „Secondary Damage” EP on From Beyond/Displesed Records from Holland and our Compilation „Peace Through Killing” on Goregiastic Records from New York, USA. We even played some shows in France, Germany and Slovakia. So we never really broke up, just took it a little slow.

Do you think that because of the rather tough times you went through as a band when you were still under contract with Ablated Records, this also made you stronger as a band?

We didn’t really have any written contract with Ablated Records. They just released the record and printed the shirts. So we were able to do whatever we wished with future recordings.

How would you compare overall metal scene in the period when you started and today scene? I mean

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even the trendy mainstream Metal which has nothing common with the original idea of Metal...

I don’t really listen do death metal anymore. Maybe some old records sometimes but not too often. I am sure that a lot of bands made the way to make the living of playing in the band, others did not. I am sure when we go back on the road I will be able to answer this question a lot better.

How did you hook up with Deformeathing Production, where there any other labels interested and what made you sign with them in the end? Have you noticed any differences between the labels so far? Are you happy the way Deformeathing Production handled the record, regarding promotion, distribution and marketing?

We recorded „Breeding Hate” and didn’t really look for a label. Misiek knew Wojtek from Deformeathing Production and that’s how they re-released „They Die For Nothing” and then followed with „Breeding Hate”.

They are doing great job so far, so thumbs up for sure.

Ok,let's go back to the new album. Give us some insight into the "Breeding Hate" lyrically. This is a super pissed off sounding record?Your lyrics are infused with heavy detail and raw emotion. What is it that normally gives you inspiration when writing lyrics and is there a theme or themes behind the writing of this record?

Lyrics to that record were written over some time. We wrote about anything that seemed wrong to us in the world, Just humans in general. You know bunch of nazi skinheads running around, priests raping children, people being indifferent to others suffering etc.

One thing that definitely stands out on the new album is the front artwork. Who is the person who created this amazing piece of art. What exactly does the cover represent and in what way is it tied to the album?

Anybody can have their own interpretation. The cover shows crying, scared boy with a priest standing behind him, holding his shoulders. It’s a strong statement that touches pedophilia currently happening in the false institution so called catholic church. We all worked on all aspects of the record together so we all should get credit for it, but the cover is a product of Rudi.

Staying with the new album, what was your intention when you began writing "Breeding Hate" - did you have a preconceived idea of what you wanted the record to sound like and what you wanted it to achieve, or did that come about naturally?

We all knew how our parts of participation were suppose to sound like. I knew from day one how I wanted the drums to sound, Misiek the same and Rudi, well that’s obvious. Everybody gave final setting for the mix and it was done. We just didn’t expect for it to sound so damn good.

Do you have any live activities scheduled for the coming months in support of this incredible new album?

Thank you again for kind words. We are planning shows for next year. Perhaps April 2019. Time will show.

As far as touring is concerned is Poland able to offer up a lot of local gigs, or are you more dependent from costly undertakings such as touring mainland Europe or the UK? We will play anywhere they want us to when time comes.

Yes Poland should be good to go in that aspect. I am really looking forward to play live again. Should be fun.

What are your feelings when standing on the stage?

Where is the best place to play and where you have biggest fan base? Have you already play live gig with total lack of interest of the fans?

You know, we haven't played live in quite some time. I think we haven’t been on stage in 13 years time. At this point its hard to say. Last show we played back then was Soul Grinding Festival in France, and that was an amazing show. Looking forward to visit Strasbourg again if possible.

To conclude, what can we expect from Reinfection in the next twelve to eighteen months?

I think concerts, new merchandise, maybe new 7”EP? Time will show. We will definitely let you know.

Interview by Marcin "Mariano" Wawok - November 2018

Pestlegion

I know your inspiration comes mainly from old school black metal bands. In a previous interview, you have stated that there are also new, modern black and death metal bands that you listen to. What are some of these new/ modern black metal bands that you like?

B von Doom: First of all: Thank you for this interview! We appreciate the "Slowly we rot" Magazine very much and feel honored to be a part of it now. To answer your question and just to mention a few: From the post-nineties era there are bands like Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Mare, Barshasketh, Mgla, Dodsfall, Possession or Spectral Wound that have released some crushing stuff in my opinion.

To some, black metal is much more than music. It’s ideology, spirit, ideal, freedom, aspiration, isolation, individuality, courage, curiosity, knowledge and progress. Those are the ingredients poured by the genius minds of its creators who had nothing to prove and wanted nothing more than to be themselves. In a modern world where these concepts seem to become mere words, in which the desperate search for form leaves no room for the actual content, where emotion and humanity are losing more and more ground in the face of consumerism and appearance, there are a few black metal bands who still believe in what black metal originally stood for (and still does) and who, putting themselves second, make no compromises. One of these bands is Pestlegion, a German black metal band from Marl, North-Rhine Westphalia, founded in 2012 by B. von Doom (vocals, bass) and Caladrius (guitars), both fans of black metal ever since the early nineties, when they were teenagers. Because like attracts like, their pure spirit and courage have been joined by Tenebriz as guitarist and Tynn as drummer. With a tremendous talent, worthy of their forerunners – bands they have always admired like Marduk, Gorgoroth, Mayhem, Immortal or Impaled Nazarene, they have released three groundbreaking materials: two EPs called March to War, in 2014, and Entsage Gott, in 2018, as well as a full length album: Dominus Profundum, in 2017. All of these are black masterpieces and, as it was expected, the band gained more and more popularity among the fans of the black arts, crushing stages around the world. Being one of the admirers of the band, I had the courage to ask them for an interview and I was very glad to see B. von Doom’s kind reply in which he agreed. I would like to thank him, and the band, very much, for their kindness in granting me this interview.

In a previous interview, you have named a few of the bands that have influenced you. What is your favourite band and album from the second wave of black metal? How about first wave?

B von Doom: Tough question. There were too many great bands and records back in the days which makes it impossible to name only one... "Pure Holocaust", "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas", "A Blaze in the Northern Sky", "In the Nightside Eclipse", "The Secrets of the Black Arts", "Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz"... and the list goes on...Sorry, I can't choose! Haha!

Of course there are also bands from the first Wave that we still admire today. Celtic Frost - "To Mega Therion", Venom - "Black Metal" or Bathory - "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" for example. All-time classics!

favourite material, each of the albums are his creations, part of his soul, of who he is. Do you think you could choose your favourite out of the three of your albums?

B von Doom: We are still satisfied with all our releases but if I have to choose I would pick our album "Dominus Profundum" out of the three. Simply because we have put the most blood, sweat and time into it as it is a fulllength.

All of your three albums are exceptional. I know it’s very hard for someone who creates music to choose a

How did you discover your passion for black metal?

B von Doom: As you already mentioned the so-called

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second Wave hit us when we were teenagers. At this point of time nobody ever released music with a similar sound and attitude ever before. Ignoring all trends and standards and pissing in the mainstream. That was something very striking to me and it still fascinates me to the present day.

Are all of you from the same natal town? How did you meet? Is there an extreme metal scene in your town?

B von Doom: Caladrius and myself are from Marl. Tenebriz and Tyyn are from Recklinghausen which is like 10 km away from Marl. Caladrius and me have known each other for nearly thirty years now, and as Caladrius also plays in a Death Metal band called Sabiendas together with Tyyn, it was kind of easy to get to know each other. Tenebriz joined our band later so the circle was complete.

The scene in our area is not as big as it used to be. A lot of metal bands have vanished from the scene. Nevertheless there is still a pulsating core that keeps the spirit alive. We try to support the local underground wherever we can.

Every place we spend more time in leaves a mark on us and maybe even changes our way of seeing life. This is especially true for children. Do you feel that the area you grew up in influenced you a lot? If so, in what way?

B von Doom: I definitely agree with what you say. You see, we grew up in the western part of Germany. The Ruhr Area or "Ruhrpott" as it is called over here. This area was very famous for coal mining in the past. Unfortunately, all mines are shut down by now. The Ruhrpott is an area where you have to work hard to earn some money. There is a lot of poverty around here and people are struggling to manage their everyday life. Therefore we are all very down to earth and appreciate what we have.

Black metal is much more than music. What makes a band black metal, to you?

Tenebriz: Of course the music itself is one of the most

Pestlegion important characteristics to judge a black metal band.

The individual sound of a band is its own way to tell a story. Everyone who listens to black metal may know that the music itself is more suitable to create a certain atmosphere than any words would be able to.

Anyway, I think the message behind a black metal track should contain the goal to destroy the illusion of an ideal world. When you open your eyes for those facts that most people don’t want to see. For example the transience of life, abominable sides of the human being, the misleading role of a monotheistic religion… but also to realize and celebrate the hidden beauty within the dark sides of our world. That’s what black metal means to me and likewise what makes an authentic black metal band in my opinion.

Where do you draw your inspiration from? Books, travels, music, meditation, or just everyday life?

Tenebriz: It’s nearly impossible to settle on a main source of inspiration and creativity. There is not that one thing where I draw my whole inspiration from. There are moments in our life which stand out from the rest of our experiences – both positive and negative. Beside those memories of crucial experiences, there are impressions within everyday life which lead to the right state of mind.

For me, among other things this would be the feeling that I get while listening to a great piece of music. This motivates me to create original songs.

You have stated that you write the lyrics after you compose the song, choosing what best fits that sound.

Can you please tell us how does the process of writing the lyrics take place?

B von Doom: As all our instruments are microphoneconnected, we have the advantage that we can record all rehearsals and new material we write in good quality. In most cases, I take the recordings of new material home with me and while enjoying a good glass of Whiskey I start composing the lyrics. As you already mentioned, the topics of the lyrics differ and I write them according to the atmosphere the music creates in my mind.

Besides classical, second wave black metal, do you have another favourite subgenre? Can you please tell us a few bands you admire from this subgenre?

Tenebriz: There are some black metal bands which impress me by using a more atmospheric or melodic type of sound. And I’m not talking about all this post-rock like wannabe black metal. Sure everybody has a personal opinion about where you can draw a line between true black metal and other stuff that’s not worthy of the term.

Anyway, some of the atmospheric black metal bands I would recommend are for example the all-time classic Summoning from Austria or ColdWorld from Germany.

Just to name two of them.

Besides black metal, what other genres are you listening to? Do you listen to classical music?

Tenebriz: I’m not a person who knows much about classical music. Only sometimes I randomly find a piece of classical music which impresses me. Just a few weeks ago I discovered Prelude Op. 23 No. 5 in G minor by Sergei Rachmaninov and I liked it immediately. But overall I’m not the guy you should ask about this topic.

Well, beside black metal I really like classic rock. One of my favourite songs from this genre is "Homesick" by Atlanta Rhythm Section.

B von Doom: Maybe Asia is a part of the World where we could see the next explosion as you called it. I have heard some good bands hailing from Singapore, Indonesia or Malaysia....who knows?

Which were the shows you remember most fondly, and why?

Tenebriz: Playing live at the Heavy Agger Festival in Denmark back in 2017 was a fantastic experience for all of us. Even when it’s not the biggest stage we played on so far, it was the overall atmosphere that made the festival special to us. We met many kind people and a very hospitable crew there. Also the surrounding location has its own charm.

Then there is the farewell show we played last autumn for our deceased friend Timo Knopf by Eternal Dirge. It took place in Marl, the founding city of Pestlegion and Eternal Dirge so it was something very personal for the band.

B von Doom: Also the Stonehenge Festival we played in the Netherlands in 2018 was a really good experience. It was very well organized, sold out and we had the chance to meet a lot of interesting people.

Do you have a favourite stage in the world? Knowing the bands you admire, I would dare to say Norway.

Am I correct? Could you also please tell us if there is a certain place you would like to play in, one day, but you haven’t got there, yet?

Tenebriz: Playing live in Norway where it all began would be an honor for us. But also to hit the stage on the American continent would be a stunning event to us.

Maybe one day, we will see.

Have you thought about a tour in Eastern Europe?

Would you like to play in Romania? At Rockstadt?

Tenebriz: It’s always special for us to visit a foreign country and get to know its local black metal scene. Even more so regarding my previous statement about the role of Eastern Europe in connection with Black Metal. We are always interested in adding new countries to our list.

B von Doom: Yes, we are always looking for shows. So, if anyone wants to book us, just get in contact with us.

All details can be found on our Facebook site (facebook.com/pestlegion)!

How about your future projects? Will they be in the same vein as these ones?

Tenebriz: We see Pestlegion as a band dedicated to the roots of traditional and rough second wave black metal.

So to answer your question: Yes we will keep this direction on our way.

I saw that Marl belonged to the Federal Germany.

Can a difference between the ex federal and democrat Germany be felt, regarding BM? B von Doom: After the Berlin Wall came done in 1989 I had the impression that people were desperate for Metal.

They had a lot to catch up as the regime they had to live in didn't allow Metal and many other things as it was considered a threat to society and the system. So, the second wave of BM took the former GDR Metalheads by storm. There were a lot of Black Metal bands arising from the east of Germany. Even more than in the western part of the country. Today I would say that it is equal now. One can speak of a very active German scene on the whole.

What are your hobbies?

Tenebriz: Except for my love for music, one of my other hobbies is to go outside for a ride on the motorcycle.

Sport is another great option to forget about your daily life for a while and focus more on yourself.

B von Doom: I started to work out in the local gym.

Apart from that I am a huge fan of football and ice hockey.

When are you going to release a new album?

Tenebriz: We just began writing new material for an upcoming album. So far there are just a few fragments of what is coming but there is definitely something in progress. Be prepared!

With the expansion of social media and easy access to the internet across the world, black metal becomes more and more popular with each day. In which part of the world do you see the next explosion of BM? Tenebriz: I would say nowadays especially Eastern Europe has many talented black metal bands to offer.

When I look at the rise of popularity when it comes to bands like for example Mgla from Poland or 1914, a very young band from Ukraine, I would say there is a notable contribution towards the global black metal scene going out from this area. Furthermore when you check out newcomer black metal artists on the internet you can watch countless bands from Eastern Europe springing up like mushrooms from the ground in a goddamn forest.

Your logo is very inspired and representative for your music. Who drew it? To me, there are some similarities to the logo of Mayhem. If so, was this done to show your respect towards them?

B von Doom: Our logo was drawn by a guy called Riaj Gragoth from Luciferium Wargraphics, located in the US. He also created the cover and layout of our "March to War" EP. We loved the logo immediately and used it ever since. We actually never really saw similarities to the Mayhem logo but ok....the reference could be worse,

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haha. We all love Mayhem! Especially their early works.

The covers of your albums are very original and inspired. How did you meet Agustin Romero Alemsahim, who did your cover for Dominus Profundum? Are you open to new collaborations with other fans?

B von Doom: I actually found him on Facebook when were looking for an artist to visualize our Cover artwork for "Dominus Profundum". We all liked the way Alemsahim was working. I sent him the tracks of the album and he listened very carefully and started working.

We are still very satisfied with the outcome and also received positive feedback from the fans and the press.

Regarding new collaborations: Yes, we are always open minded if a talented artist wants to work with us. If the style of the art matches our music… why not? Just get in contact with us.

Black metal is more and more accessible, in the sense of easy to get. Do you think that this will lead to the emergence of more talented bands and an increase in the quality of this music, or do you think it will become more and more commercial and it will lose its magic?

B von Doom: You could easily say that Black Metal has already come this way. When I think back to the early 90's there was no such thing as Social Media or Streaming Platforms. People were writing letters and were trading tapes with each other. Compared to those times, Black Metal has already become more accessible and therefore commercial. In the end I think it depends on what people make of it. If you continue to support the underground you can still keep the magic alive. I personally prefer to listen to underground bands from all over the planet and being able to contact them easily.

Apart from that, I really despise people who pay a lot of money to visit a concert or festival with big commercial bands but on the other hand are unwilling to support the local scene as they think it's too much to pay 10 Euros to see four bands play at a local club. All the "big" bands were local underground bands once. Support the underground and keep the flame burning!

And now, a question from Captain, from Louisiana, the leader of Black Metal Amino and one of your biggest fans: In your opinion, do you find that record labels are putting constrictions on modern black metal, or the element of freedom of modern music could still exist through the filter of record labels?

B von Doom: Hails Captain! To be honest we have never experienced something like that. All the record labels we have worked with so far really wanted to release our stuff without any constrictions. The element of freedom is a very important one for us! If a label wanted us to change something we simply would release our material somewhere else. Even if that means to release material on your own which has become much easier nowadays. Still, there are so many labels dedicated to true Black Metal and whom support the Black Arts.

Therefore we actually do not worry about any constrictions.

Interview by Elena Silvia Popescu - April 2019

Devourer / Die Entweihung

Dawn of Extinction, your third full-length album, was just released. How long have you been working on it and how are you satisfied of the final result? What would you say is its best feature, something that sets you apart from other bands?

We worked on the new album for about a year. We aimed at making a more gritty album than Across the Empty Plains with a bit more diverse songs and more focus on dynamics. We don't really think about setting ourselves apart from other bands and instead do what we like ourselves, it's more for other people to decide this.

Devourer is a duo, yet you have recently hinted there might be some live shows in the near future, can you tell us more about this? Is Devourer somehow becoming a more serious project than it previously was?

Devourer is a serious project whether or not we are playing live. We're discussing the possibility to play live in the future but we can't say more about that at the moment.

How important is for you to be signed to a label such as Iron, Blood and Death Corporation? Do you know and maybe like some other bands from their roster?

It's a means to an end and we get better reach, more people get to hear us. Paganizer is a good band on IBDC. Back to the album, where was it recorded and who mixed / mastered it? How is the community reacting to it so far?

Like everything we've released so far it's produced entirely but us ourselves. So far we've only heard good reactions from both fans and reviewers.

Who writes the lyrics and what are they about? How come you use such long lyrics, do you think you'll be able to handle them all live in a proper manner? Is there a message behind your lyrics?

Fredrik writes most of the lyrics and they revolve around death, the human psyche, a misanthropic view of the human collective along with occult and esoteric topics.

We took a little different approach for this album though.

The lyrics are more observant of the world around us, the profound ability mankind has to be the consequence of its own undoing. Of course, my voice is my instrument so it's like asking a guitar player to remember the songs.

The message is very nihilistic in nature, we take the standpoint to be the observants of human failures and to be an instrument to unveil our own futility.

You mentioned that after your second album, the 2017 Across the Empty Plains you put tremendous pressure on yourselves to come up with an even Die Entweihung to this day it you

better album next you time.

Did succeed? What were your and are aims/hopes with this album? it For Devourer would be pointless not to aim at a higher level of perfection for every album, and in our opinion we succeeded in doing so with Dawn of Extinction. We like challenge to ourselves.

In your past I found the track Addicted to Death with an story unusual behind it, care to share it with us? How come this track isn't featured on any of your official releases?

Do you have any other tracks that had a similar unusual story behind?

I, John, was locked up in rehab due to the Swedish law of mandatory treatment for abusers and alcoholics because I was a danger to myself and at risk of dying from drug abuse. The treatment place had a music room with basic equipment and a four channel recorder. There isn't much to do in a situation like that and I enjoy making music so I wrote and recorded three black metal songs. They're quite depressive, not in the same style as Devourer, because of how I felt at the time and that's also why they're not released under Devourer's name.

Reading the story of this track, about how you have recording facilities in the rehab center, reminded me of how sought of Sweden is among poorer countries.

Could you say you (the country population in general) have an easy life in Sweden? What the best thing about being a Swede living in Sweden and what's the worst? Is depression a wide spread illness among Swedes?

In depends how you define an easy life and what you compare it too. We have a good social security network due to a high tax rate and fairly low corruption so in that sense we have a decent standard. The best thing about Sweden is that it's a big country with a fairly low population to it's size, and of course the nature. The worst thing is probably the same, because of the vast distances traveling is a drag. Yes depression is wide spread in Sweden, we have a very high suicide rate and mental illness in general.

As well from your past, tell us what happened with the other founding member, Kvist. Why did he leave?

Is he still involved in Extreme Metal?

He probably lost interest, but also Devourer wasn't that active at the time and another project, Radioskugga, came in between. He's still around and we're still friends.

was started as a one man band back in 2007 and kept being a one man band. How come? Weren't interested in getting a full line-up together or you simply didn't find suitable musicians to help you out with this?

Right, it started in 2007, with my first riffs written for my very first song "Nightmares Castle"... Of course, I had a dream about a real Metal band, to be a member in cool looking and sounding band... but it was in my childhood, when I only started to enter this music and movement. I moved to Israel in 2004, and first years I didn't had any "musical" friends.

I didn't knew here any musicians. Soon after my moving, I opened for myself some Black Metal bands of the past, but of course, the biggest "revelation" (as for the most fans I guess!) for me became Burzum music. Later I found, that there are many one man projects around the world playing Metal music. As I remember that years (20062008) all this DSBM and Raw one man stuff was just starting, and almost every new project aroused interest. So, in short, I decided to try make the music by myself alone.

Beside of it, I always thought, that this music is not for the live shows, it's only for the private listening. Of course, first years I didn't had a real experience, and listening to some of my early music now, I hear some mistakes here and there, but I still love that stuff. But with the years, I moved on and on to the better production and musical performing and arrangements, that lead me to some other musical style... So even when I could invite additional musicians to my project, I didn't it, as I can make everything

You both play in a band called Panzerschreck. To be honest to me it sounds like a funny name, like a joke, so was it a serious band? How come it disbanded?

A Panzerschreck is a German anti tank rifle from the second world war so I guess the the tank commanders facing it didn't found it funny at the time. It was a serious band but also very dysfunctional. A lot of drug and alcohol abuse combined with a youthful mindset of self destruction did it's work and was also one of the reasons it disbanded.

You were also both part of a Grindcore band, Radioskugga, where you actually met. If we add to this your contribution to In Aeternum, Sordid Flesh and of course Sorcery, I'd say you are both maniacs in experimenting with sounds, with playing as different music as you can, correct?

Fredrik was never a part of Radioskugga, it was Panzerschreck that brought us together. Yes we are, one of the main reasons we started up Devourer again was to experiment with different sounds so we do not have any rules restricting what we do with the band. We have forged our own kind of sound in Devourer that we're sticking to at the moment, but we don't know how we will sound in the future, if we have one.

What's more important in Devourer: speed, brutality, atmosphere or the message? Do you aim at transmitting your ideas to the listeners, or is Devourer rather a form of personal repression?

The atmosphere and message both in music and written word is important. It's a symbioses between the two.

Devourer is the usurping beast that resides within us so you could say that we are the transmitters of the darkness that hides within all of us.

May 2019

all I need by myself. After 12 years of creativity, I have never regret that I don't have a real band. I am absolutely comfortable as it is. However I plan to have some guest musicians on my next album!

Do you remember how you came up with the band name and what were the hopes back then in 2007? To what degree have you reached your goals since then and what's still to achieve with Die Entweihung?

When I only started Die Entweihung, I was totally into Black Metal music, its Raw and Depressive forms and the first steps I did it was more like trying to copy that raw sound but possibly with adding some melodic parts. The main hope that time was to find my own sound, my own style, and I guess, some years after, that goal was reached, hehe.

The band name came to me just during the first days I decided to start a project, I thought, that "Desecration" would be just great title for my Black Metal music, that's the word that is a synonym for BM, as for me. Not just because the church burnings or stuff like that, but because this music was really free, it hasn't any standards, this music is kind of music standards desecration, you don't have to sound with "these and that riffs, or some special kind of vocals"... Anyway, very soon I have found that there are 3-4 bands with the same title around the world. So I just decided to find the same word in another language, and the simplest thing was to check the German words, as I was learning this language in school, during my life in Belarus... So I found Die Entweihung, I liked the writing of it... Beside of it, one of my favourite bands in BM was and is Russian project Der Gerwelt, that had the German title too. So this title is double tribute: to Der Gerwelt and to my previous life, hehehe!

What's still to achieve... hope to develop as an artist, musician, songwriter and continue what I do. If more people would like what I do - I would be happy.

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Die Entweihung You've released your 9th fulllength album last year, The Worst Is Yet To Come, one that sees the band part ways with Black Metal, how come? How would you describe your current style?

Hm, to be honest, the parting ways with BM started on the previous album "Neverending Terrorism" (2015), when the music became really more melodic and sounded different.

Basically, the pure "true" Black Metal was only in my earliest recordings, like first demos and the first album "Desecration" (2008), the next ~5 albums were in very experimental way, with Black Metal as a , let's say, musical skeleton, which was getting more and more different elements as a "skin". I started to use a lot the synth sounds, samples, etc., so album after album, I just came to the music I'm playing now, and the last two albums, in short, I'd like to call just Melodic Dark Metal. I know, it sounds indefinably but I guess, it describes the style the best.

However if we take it really hard, so it possible would be something like "Melodic heavy metal with elements of Black, Doom, Thrash, Folk styles, and active using of synths", hehehe. But who cares about such definitions, haha?!

Please tell us about the lyrical part of this album, I'm especially interested in the topics you wrote about in the tracks The Holy Land and The Plague of XXI. How do you see the actual state of the World, are we heading towards the end of humanity or is there still hope for a brighter future?

Since my previous album Neverending Terrorism I decided to turn to the things happening to this world here and now, I don't really remember, what was the cause for it, possible it was the war between Russia and Ukraine...I watched it in the news and couldn't believe that it's our reality today! The worst nightmare... The base topics in my new songs are, first of all, money (that's the one and only real god for the humanity, isn't it?), war, terrorism in Europe and other places. "The Plague of XXI" is about internet addiction, about that everything's for free, people, that work on the music, movies, games, no matter what, in the end they don't get what they deserve as all their work just flowing away right to the internet, for free downloading. "The Holy Land" is about Israel, the lyrics are full of criticism about this country I live in, all I can say is nothing's here that because of we could call this land "holy", as many people call it. It's just another piece of shit, full of racism, big mix of cultures and anti-cultures, and political bastards. But what I have to say - I'm not promoting anything, no propaganda in my music. I am just sharing my opinion and vision about different things in this world, hehe.

I'm sure, that we won't see any end of the world, the human lives will go on many many years...but I'm sure the life itself will just worse and worse year after year.

That's what we see every time. What we can talk about if in 21st century, with such "developing" medicine and other "progressive" things so many people are still dying from the things like cancer, or some other shit... I think, the human race will have the chance to live normal life only when "the highest" rulers of the world will put a real resources to the medicine, and not to stuff like football, Eurovision, new smartphone versions etc. But unfortunately it will never happen and we will continue to die young...with the smartphones in our hands, haha!

Is your composition process strictly a one man action, or do you usually ask for someone else's opinion and advises before a track is being all polished for the final shape?

Usually I write and compose it all by myself, when I just started the project, and didn't had the enough experience in writing/producing the music, I was asking for some opinions and offers from some people, usually 1-2 friends, which were supporting and helping me on some levels. I guess, last 2-3 albums I'm doing everything alone till the final mix/mastering, almost all the stuff I show to someone it's when it's completely or almost completely done. These days many advisers even don't listen to the music itself, but listen to the sound production and usually it comes down to "you'd better change your drums sound" or "too dirty", and not to something that concerns specifically the music or composing/arrangement. But it's a usual thing since everyone's starting his own project because it's so simple, just take the computer and the guitar, and everyone's imaging himself a "cool musician and sound engineer", hehe.

How are your ties with the Worldwide scene nowadays, do you keep in touch with other bands / labels / zines? How do you usually promote your music?

Sure, as for me, it's one of the best things in the underground music movement - it's not only about the music itself, but about the human relationship as well. I started to contact some people in the underground while living in Belarus yet (before moving to Israel) and with getting internet connection, it was continuing more and more with people around the world. Many nice memories connected with the people, which were helping me on the different levels of my music creativity, for example, making the artwork, some stuff was created just for free, without any money payment from my side, or guys from labels, who released my music, with some of them I am still in good contact during more than 10 years.. and what's surprising, with every new year the quantity of guys and girls I am familiar is only becoming bigger. In this point, the internet is a greatest thing ever made, it easily connects people, passionate by some one common thing...

I usually promote my music with sending some promo cds for a review, trying to make interview as more as I can, especially if it's some printed fanzine or magazine (I am oldschool in this point, as well, hehe). Trading is always good, too. What I don't really like is spamming some links in social network, like "here's my new shit, please, check it and give it a "like""... I prefer more traditional forms of promotion, to be honest.

What's the bast thing about being an Extreme Metal band/project from Israel, and what's the worst? Do you think you would have had a better chance if you were from let's say Germany?

It's difficult to tell something about "the best thing"... There was a period (something like 2009-2011) when I was visiting the shows a lot, had contacts with the local musicians, and there was a feeling that I was more or less a part of the Israeli metal scene, mostly as a fan, but in some way and as a musician, too, I shared my music with the local fans, there were even plans to release a split album and record a song with some of local bands (that's funny, I completely forgot about that plans, just remembered it now, during the answering, haha!). Yeah, but probably in 2012-2013 the underground scene started to change again, many bands I knew, were split-up, and the new ones weren't interesting for me. You know, the "trendy" wave of the groove, deathcore, shortly, the things I don't like at all. So now I am completely out of the local underground scene. The only band I really love here is Orphaned Land, it's really the band, that I am proud that I am walking the same ground as they are. However it's not really the underground band, in the way we usually mean it, right?

About the worst things it's probably I could to tell very much, but I will try to do it as short as I can. So... The geographical distance - the israeli band can't just to take some bus or car and to drive to European countries, playing in the tour. The same problem with bringing the foreign bands here - it's very expensive. What I really feel as a very strong minus - it's a lack of such underground movement things like fanzines/magazines, labels, rock/metal shops. The only great thing is about some "organizations", which bring here the foreign bands from different metal genres, and sell the metal stuff via internet or in the shows.

Of course, if I'd be living in Germany or some other favorable place - it would be really easier. Especially if we're talking about my earlier Black Metal albums. There is still the stereotype in the world, that Black Metal from Israel is nonsense. Israeli metalheads in the most cases are atheists, and if someone believes in some god, it's exactly not mr.

Jesus. For the Israeli people he is just the false prophet. Of course, there are Christians here, but the percent of them is not big at all. But sometimes I think, maybe it's even better to live here and make the Metal in probably the most (or one of the most) controversial hated country in the world, hahahaha?! Hate is a fuel, you know...

What's next for Die Entweihung? I saw The Worst Is Yet To Come was released in CDR, CD, tape and digital formats, do you plan on finding a label to release it on vinyl also? Do you feel people are still buying physical material? Do you buy it yourself?

Exactly, this is what I'm doing last months, actually there's a label from US that wants to release it on vinyl, but untill nothing's decided for 100%, I'd prefer to keep silence about it, hehe. There are the cassette reissues of 4 DE albums (among them "The Worst..." as well), that planned to be released in the end of summer/beginning of autumn by US label Akashic Envoy Records.

Beside of it, I'm just in recording process of the new album, the next steps are guitar and vocals recording. Would it be released this year? No idea. I guess, next year is more real date.

I am passionate music collector, and buy it every month. CDs, tapes, vinyls - I love them all. Mostly I am listening the music on CDs, but really in love with vinyl as well. The tapes are great too but only when they have good sound, hehe. And yes, unfortunately these times are far from the best for the physical editions. All that alternative ways "to pay for music", like Spotify or Itunes - I don't believe that's the right way, the musicians get almost any royalties from these companies, and as I know, the sound quality that these streaming sites offer - it's far from the highest.

Maybe I'm wrong, as I don't use streaming, but that's what I have read. What will be in the future - it's hard to guess, but I think, looking at this situation, the full line up bands will get their money only from the live shows, and the solo projects or studio bands will continue their music creativity just as hobby - I don't believe that it could happen anymore like it was with Quorthon, when he could live from his music, even not performing live, just because he released cool stuff and people supported him with buying LP's and CD's. The only good point of all this - only really passionate musicians will stay in the rock/metal movement, which are doing it all because they can't live without it! Thanks for your attention and all the best to SWR! And remember: The Worst is yet to come!

May 2019

23

Lynchpin Trinidad & Tobago is an exotic place (to say the least) for Metal followers, could you please tell us some things about the history of Metal music in your country?

It is small, but maybe the biggest in the Caribbean scene! Suriname has a lovely growing one also.

Still, in Trinidad, we have Soca and other local musical genres that is most dominant in this country.

Our rock/ metal scene has always have its ups and downs in terms of size, so its on the up...

But We always thing that this is the plateau of the rock scene here in terms of numbers... we want more... but unsure of its possibility.

Over the years, it has evolved a lot, from the thrash cover bands days, to more original bands pushing multiple genres of rock and metal. Very diverse... but small in comparison to the world.

spend whatever time we can dedicate. It normally seeps into our daily lives... on a lunchtime we are all conversing about something we need to do,or promote or market.

We are a very focused four! We are lucky to have each other, as each person has their strengths!

Currently touring is our major plan and seeking musical and promotional outreach, so that is a lot of our discussion. Up next is Cuba August 2019! Very excited!

How do local people see your band and how supported do you feel you are by your Metal scene?

In Trinidad and Tobago (and the Caribbean) we have a lot of support, oddly enough.

With our genre, if you told me that we would be a dominant 10 years ago, I would of laughed. Heavy bands have a tougher time here but it is good to strive. We always work on our live show also, to keep things fresh and up to date... to give the fans more.

How was Lynchpin formed and are you the same 4 members since the beginning or there were some line-up changes in the meantime, too?

LYNCHPiN is a Caribbean "Deathcore/ Death Metal/ Progressive Metal Band" from Trinidad and Tobago.

LYNCHPiN is: Gerard Ferreira - Guitars, Sievan Siewsarran - Vocals, Jignesh Khatri (Jiggy)- Bass, Aaron Maharaj - Drums.

In 2009, Sievan realized that there was a drop in the local rock scene in Trinidad. It felt like the rock scene had no bands pushing and fighting for a voice. He met with Aaron, who was previously in local death metal pioneers Necropollis along with him and Overdose (Nu Metal), to discuss the creation of a new Band... a band with an attitude.... something to be in the face and forefront of local media and lead the local rock scene to new heights. This was the Genesis of LYNCHPiN. Gerard was recruited soon after, coming of guitar duties for Vox Deus (another local mega band) and Jiggy, from Abbadon, for their technical abilities and unique personalities.

All members have known each other for multiple years, in their other bands, and now combined their talents to make this new Entity.... LYNCHPiN was born in 2009... a new era... a new direction A BAND, An Attitude.... Caribbean Brutality Your bio mentions Caricore as your music style, a combination of Death Metal, Groove and Deathcore, with influences from Reggae and Soca, is that still the case, do you still label your style as Caricore? How would you describe it to someone who has never heard your music before?

Our genre is not something that we can label really. We don't know what to call it.

When we played in Wacken (Germany), the response was insane. A group of new fans from Europe came to us and stated that they cannot define our genre. They said that it had influences of Death, deathcore, black, progressive and groove - a huge mix, just like the Caribbean. They said its like a Caribbean-core... Caricore.

So I guess it is not that we label it as such, it is just coined onto us and we liked it. It felt like our own genre that we made.

We would tell someone who never heard us that it is a mix of metal of all genres mixed with the grooves of the Caribbean; not quite Reggae or Soca though.

Probably your biggest achievement was winning the local Wacken Metal Battle and participating at the German festival, correct? How important was all this for the band back then and since then, and how did you find the whole experience?

What do you think of Europe's Metal scene (I know you played in Holland as well)?

Wacken made us open our eyes and realize that their is plenty of world to explore and conquer. It is the most important point in LYNCHPiN's evolution, but I think it was an opening gate for the Caribbean. It allowed us in the Caribbean to realize there is a way out if we want to find it and work hard towards it.

For LYNCHPiN, it made approach what we do professionally and focus on all aspects of the band - from the musical aspects to the business & marketing aspects. We began to see the world with new eyes and grow outwards, gaining recognition from all over the world.

Truly, a great moment in our history!

Wacken on the whole is an experience that all Metalheads have to experience at least once in their lives - the mecca of all metal!

Europe is metal! They live and breathe metal! It is so odd for us as Caribbean natives to see that, since we are the minority in our regions, it is refreshing to witness that and be apart of it. Yes, we played in "The CAVE" in Amsterdam.

Great rock/metal club, and such a wonderful city!

How important is for you to have a serious band image and a professional production for your music? By the way, are there any specialized studios over there where you usually record your music?

As civilians, each member of LYNCHPiN has a unique sense of humor and we believe that only we can share in each other's humor lol.

But, as a band... we have a very serious outlook at what we deliver - musically and marketing-wise. Our music MUST have a message, positive or negative (all based on perspective) but with that the images that come out must convey how we feel and what we believe - and for us it is no joke at all.

We always try to work with the best and push ourselves to do new unique experiences to learn more about our sound and the industry.

In Trinidad, we work very close to Random Design Studios, with whom we record with.

And this latest album (Millennial Holocaust) was produced and mixed at The Grid studios in Canada, with Christian Donaldson of Cryptopsy.

Your latest release is also your debut album, Millennial Holocaust, that came to life almost a decade after the band was born, so I guess it was one hell of a relief and joy finally tasting the final material. Please present it to our readers and tell us about its best features.

Actually, Millennial Holocaust is our 3 release. We have our "Six string Demo", "God Complex" Album and now "Millennial Holocaust".

With that said, yes, it was a relief to put is out as it was a step closer and upward. We believe that we as a band should evolve with our music and Millennial Holocaust attests to this.

This album we all stepped it up, from more "emotion" in our sound to new ways to express brutality rather than just blast beats. Sometimes I think we subconsciously do not do death blasts to prove a point to ourselves. Vocals range from growls to high screams but express the feeling of the song throughout. This is also the first time the band used some orchestrations and samples within the songs, from intros/ outros to "quips" within the song itself. The album felt so complete and let us explore our want to be technical with the need to have a groove!

One achievement you also mention in your bio is the signing with Dead Sea Records, yet both your EP and your LP were released by yourselves, so what's the deal?

I guess it is just a step towards networking and getting us to meet the right persons. We did do our own albums, but toured Mexico and Amsterdam due to Deadsea Records (both LA and Caribbean). The upcoming Cuba tour is really initialized by Jerry Orie (Suriname) of Deadsea Caribbean, making and establishing the links and we took it from their. We still have the DIY attitude, but are very grateful in every aspect of what is done to assist us.

You seem to be a very focused band, determined to make all efforts to make a name for itself, how often do you rehearse weekly, how much time do you spend on Lynchpin daily and on what aspects of the band?

This definitely is not what we should say I guess, but we practice once a week generally. As a band, all the members all have day jobs, from teacher to business owners, so time is a difficult thing.

Sometimes though, twice a week might happen. On LYNCHPiN's business, we

24

You're close to Venezuela, how has the recent evolution from your neighbor impacted Trinidad & Tobago in general and its especially Metal scene.

I don't think it's impact has been felt as of yet. With the current situation is Venezuela ( Economic Crisis), we know that Trinidad has attracted those who flee. In term of Metal and the scene over here... we have not felt it's impact just yet. Maybe in the future?

Is there any chance you'll go on a continent-wide tour soon (be it Europe, or the Americas, or even Asia)?

What's your strongest feature on live shows?

Oh YES! We want to badly. We are working on getting the right promotional company and booking agents in the countries of choice (if any are reading, fell free to drop us a line). Europe more though. For the US, it is a bit difficult to get the correct visas to perform there.

We spoke about China/ Japan a few times, but we are still waiting on the right tour to get onto!

Our live shows are energetic and full of movement... both crowd and us! We feel our music and that filters into the performance!

May 2019

Black Sheets of Rain Black Sheets of Rain (BSOR) is a pretty young band, yet you're all experienced musicians. Please tell us when, how and why was this band started as there are not many info online about it yet. Is the band name related with Bob Mould's album?

We formed in 2016. Dave and I (Rich) have known each other for about 20 years, and were in bands together in the past, and we were looking for a bassist in 2016 and found Matt. Matt's influences were similar to ours, and the direction of the music moved towards darker, heavier traditional metal, with some thrash and doom influences. We decided to start a new band focused on this sound, rather than to carry on with our old band, which was a mix of metal and AC/DC style hard rock, because the heavier sound was a more natural fit for us.

And yes, the band name comes from Bob Mould's album, well spotted!! Dave and I are both fans of Bob's music with Husker Du and as a solo artist, and I also really like his band Sugar. I've always found that looking at song titles is a good way to find band names, and it worked again this time! Bob's song is about getting through a difficult time when he was suffering with depression, and a lot of our songs are about getting through difficult times (Through The Storm, Weight Of Shadows, Still Spark Something), so it was appropriate. We also have a lighter side with songs like No Rest, which has a horror theme influenced by Edgar Allan Poe.

It was produced by famous Tony Wilson (Mercyful Fate, Joy Division, Diamond Head, etc), how come you chose him? Was it your first time working with him?

How was the whole process and how happy are you of the final result?

I used to do a radio show on a station that Tony runs called Total Rock. For many years, Tony was a producer on BBC radio 1, and produced hundreds of sessions for bands appearing on the shows, so he is used to getting a good sound in a short space of time. He's also taught sound engineering and has kept up to date with technology, and we chose him because of this - he was able to get a good sound for us in a relatively short time frame and was able to mix and master it so that it sounds like music that's been made today.

Tony Dolan is also a guest on No Rest, what's his opinion on your new band, and how come you decided to invite him as a narrator on this track?

Tony is an old friend of mine, I played in a reformed version of his band Atomkraft in 2011, we supported Helstar in London. He's also an actor, and appeared in the film Master And Commander with Russel Crowe. There's a spoken word section on No Rest, and we thought that with his acting experience and love of Metal Tony would be the perfect guy to do it! We asked him and he very kindly agreed, and did an amazing job!

What drives you to still play this music? What are your dreams and hopes with this new band?

We've stayed true to the music we love. Heavy Metal for me is about getting away from trendy music and playing from the heart. Even thought certain parts of the media don't cover it, bands like Maiden, Priest, Motorhead, Sabbath, etc, carried on keeping the music alive, and there are obviously thousands of smaller bands like us around the world trying to do the same! With regard to dreams and hopes, we play this music because we love it and because it's what comes naturally for us. We'd like to keep on making music and playing live as much as we can for as long as we can - it's so hard to predict how things will go in the music business today, but there's still an audience out there for this kind of music, and we'd like to connect with as many of them as we can find! It's not about being rich or famous, it's about doing what we love. In the long term, it would be amazing to play at metal festivals in other countries

Dave Nuttall might be known to our readers from his year with Toy Dolls, but he's also the CEO of Jalapeno Drums do you think this alone will shed some light on the band? What do Matt and Rich do beside playing in BSOR? It certainly sheds light on the drum sound! Dave makes all the drums himself by hand, and they sound very powerful. When we recorded, the studio engineer sampled the sound of Dave's drums to use with triggers for other bands. We all have day jobs, nothing really earth shattering, but in the long term we would like to be full-time musicians. It's a lot harder to do these days, but not impossible. I sometimes do stand up comedy as well as music.

How do you see the current music scene dominated mostly by digital rather than physical? Is it harder or easier for a band like yours to get noticed nowadays? Do you still follow the "scene", check out new bands and gigs?

I think there are still people who prefer physical copies of albums, all of us in the band still do. I like having the artwork and the lyrics while I listen to an album. It's harder because unfortunately some people just steal music from illegal download sites. I read an interview with King Diamond a while ago and he said so many people had downloaded one of his albums that it affected how much touring the band could do because they had lost so much money. For a smaller, up and coming band like us, it has a big impact - we've been ripped off by some of these sites, and for us, it means that it's going to be harder to record more music in the future, because the money we make from the EP goes into paying for the next project, apart from a small amount which goes to a charity. But real fans and people who support the scene will always support the bands, so it's better to just focus on those people and do our best for them.

We do follow the scene, I check out a lot of music websites, and we check out bands we play with there are some cool traditional metal bands at the moment like Seven Sisters, Eliminator, Conjuring Fate and Damaj. We also played with a band called Dogsflesh who are a mix of thrash and punk, they were excellent.

Is the trio a perfect line-up for BSOR? Do you or will you also use guest musicians on stage, or do you feel you're able to perfectly present your music live as a trio?

Yes, the trio format is perfect for us. I've previously played in a lot of twin guitar bands, and had to adapt a little to playing in a power trio again, but I think we all fit together well. Dave is a very musical drummer, his drum parts are structured and fit very closely with the songs, and Matt's bass lines are very melodic, adding counter melodies to the guitar riffs. We don't have any plans to use guest musicians, but there are a couple of songs that have some narration, so we may have guests to do this in future.

Your debut EP, In The Eye Of The Storm, is out recently on W.A.R. Productions, how come you chose this label to start your career with BSOR? Please present us this debut EP so our readers will know what to expect from it.

W.A.R. is run by Alex Wieser, who is a very good friend of Dave and I and has been running the label for many years. The main thing is that he's someone we can trust, which is hard to find in the music business! He also has a lot of knowledge on how to put releases together and how to make an impact with a release, and is very supportive of the band and our music, so W.A.R. is the perfect label for us. The EP has an instrumental from Hugin from our labelmates Uruk Hai, which sets the scene for the record, and the songs are, we hope, energetic, memorable heavy metal with lyrics that people will hopefully relate to. We're not trying to sound like a band from the past, we're taking the influence of older bands and trying to put our own on stamp on the sound so that it sounds like music that is being made today. Our influences include Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Accept, Dio, Anthrax, Suicidal Tendencies, Kings X and Iron Maiden.

What's the plan with BSOR? What should we expect from the band in the near future?

We'll be gigging as much as we can for the rest of the year and into 2020. We are also writing a new album, which we are hoping to record and release in 2020. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to do this interview, and thanks to everyone who's taken the time to read it. All the best, and keep it METAL! Rich May 2019

25

Morar

A dark, sophisticated enigma, "nationless", anonymous and "not interested to centre humans in Morar", asking for no praise, expecting no glory, leaving behind individual wishes, desires or political opinions, Morar "let the music do the talking".

With an extremely original sound described by the band as "sophisticated black metal" and "dark hymns with sophisticated lyrics", brimming with talent, spilling creativity from every pore, Morar paint new, vast and unexplored worlds through their ingenious compositions. A breath of fresh air to the entire scene, their music – evoking vast mountains, dark forests, cold creeks and eternally starry nights – is above any human individual desire or political affiliation. For, in their own words, "one must be accustomed to living on mountains - to seeing one wretched ephemeral chatter of politics and national egoism beneath one."

"Morar is everything and nothing. It’s all and none! For all...and none!"

The two albums they have released so far (Chants of Ossian, in 2013, and Wahlheim, in 2016), prove that Morar are capable of having their own original, individual, unique sound. The band’s name was inspired by Morar, a character from "Alpin’s lament of Morar", a poem found in Goethe’s "The Sorrows of Young Werther", because, according to the band, Morar’s personality reflects the complexity of the music (which is "raw", "grim", "atmospheric", "acoustic" BM).

It’s an honour for me to interview such

Everything about Morar is very original, from the band’s name to its sound and its entire ideology. The name of the band and the lyrics from Chants of Ossian were taken from Goethe’s "The Sorrows of Young Werther". Can you please tell us, in a few words, the story behind choosing Morar as the inspiration for the name of the band as well as for the debut album? Was the character of Morar the idea behind your logo?

The character of Morar is a warrior. The music is Black Metal. So the logo is in some way a combination of a tribute to Bathory, as all BM Bands do, if they chose the “old English” letters and a weapon of a warrior.

Morar is a character in “Alpin’s lament of Morar”. Those verses are recited in Goethe’s “The Sorrows of Young Werther. The Character of Morar has enough space to fill it with literature and philosophy. "Thy wrath was as the storm. Thy sword in battle as lightning in the field." This is the raw and grim face of Morar. On the other side you will find acoustic and very atmospheric parts in it. - "like the moon in the silence of night; calm as the breast of the lake when the loud wind is laid. So Morar is a perfect character to create raw and melodic Black Metal in the same time. And obviously the whole explanation of Morar is based on metaphors of nature. Furthermore the whole "Werther" shows the process of a dying nature.

The soul and mind of Werther is dying, like the nature around him. But unwaveringly he belongs to nature. And finally he shot himself - back into nature! Morar describes a journey - back to nature! As we all do.

In one of your interviews, you state that you find your inspiration in nature. Can you still afford to spend enough time in the middle of nature? What other hobbies do you have?

Circumstances changes. And yes, it is not always easy to spent enough time in nature. But it’s important to spent time outside, in the woods so long as possible. So the “hobbies” include this most important point.

Is there anything you do in order not to "lose" yourselves in the noise of the world?

Heidegger, also a “topic” in the future in Morar lyrics, term : builds a “be

addressed by being”. This could be a guard in the “noise of the world” as you said. You will find this practice in the way of Zen Buddhism: “Zazen”. Or listen to Epikur “Not the things that affect people, but the opinions and judgments about things.” So try to be a mirror of the things, not a commentary.

same direction Morar has went to so far, or will it be more experimental?

Yes, some new songs are in progress and we hope we will release this or the next year some new songs. But we will change the distribution. It’s time to change the traditional ways. We will find some new ways for distribute the music... Stay tuned for this.

Do you listen to other genres besides black metal? If so, can you please name some of your favourite bands from those genres? Surely there are some bands which influenced the music of Morar beside Black Metal.

Not a lot but a few important. The “old” In Flames, Crowbar, Over Kill; some DeathMetal Bands like Bolt Thrower, Deicide, Death, Edge Of Sanity, or the whole “work” of Sentenced; and some classical stuff as Mussorgsky, Rachmaninov and Grieg. Beside this there are a lot of inspiring musicians out there in any kind of music style.

But the colours Morar paint with is always black, is always Black Metal.

What are some of your favourite less known, even maybe more recent black metal bands? Besides second wave, do you have a certain subgenre of black To me, "Chants of Ossian" is an introduction to metal that you Morar, revealing the direction and general concept of like? the band as well as foreboding many more albums to Mgla for example. “Exercises Of Futility” is one the come. Do you see the band going in the same direction greatest albums in the last years. And the “hype” is or, maybe, experimenting more with the sound on the absolutely legitimate, but still a shame when this happens, future albums? because of less exclusivity as a result of this. And sadly The direction is set. The first albums and songs are what last but not least (privately) motivated by “the wretched the band want to say, practice and lives. This is a passion gabble of politics and nationalism” as Nietzsche wrote in and a life plan. It’s more than a concept how to sound his “Antchrist”. Kapala, Temple Of Koludra, Grafvitnir like this or that band, how to sell more shirts or whatever. or Dysangelium are some quit good black Metal Bands The band earns now money with this. Why should we nowadays. earn money with our life attitude? But surely, the music has to be recorded and so on. So money it’s a necessary Do you have a favorite scene in the world? evil.

No. Are the music and the message equally important to you? Are you passionate by history?

At first: the music. In every way. The topic could be equally important to someone, but it is not necessary.

This is an advantage of Black Metal. If you are not interested in the lyrics you are able to ignore them. If not, you will not be disappointed.

Given the fact that you already had part of the songs from "Chants of Ossian", how hard was the writing process for Wahlheim and how long did it last? Can you please tell us a bit its story?

The song writing starts right after the debut and the production of all ended right before the release date because everything is done by the band itself. There were no big changes in the working and writing process. First To me, keeping your anonymity as a black metal the guitars are recorded. Then arranged. The rest forms band is a very wise thing, because this allows you to around it. The only changes can be found in the have the freedom you need to send your pure message, equipment, in the room and certainly in the time itself, unaltered by an image, an individual. How do you see which always brings changes. Experiences in the a band’s anonymity in relation to black metal? Do recording process, but not least sensitivity and changes you think the BM artists should be "in the spotlight" of the soul, which flow into the music in the creative as little as possible, letting the music speak for itself, process. Music is craftsmanship and sensitivity at the letting people form their own opinions, uninfluenced same time. by someone’s image?

Everybody has to decide to cover their identities or not. Out of the two albums, which one is your favorite?

The recipient will decide to follow, listen or not. Most of As it is as in your own life. Is possible to say which time the people outside needs faces, needs heroes, needs was the best, the worst or whatever. But everything is a leaders... Morar will not be a part of this superficial piece of your character. It’s too early to give a attitude. And we don’t want to be more attractive. commentary on this. Both albums are important steps in Behind Morar there is nothing more than music. “Music the art- life of Morar - similarly the other bands which is as direct an objectification and copy of the whole will are connected to Morar. as the world itself.” So music is the art of all arts. No place for individuals and faces!

How do you see the BM scene in the nineties compared to the one today? Are you a bit nostalgic, In one of your interviews, you state that you grew up or do you like the way things are now regarding the listening to mostly second wave, classical black metal accessibility and popularity of black metal? bands. Are there any less popular black metal bands Morar could be a possibility to bring back the mystic, the that have influenced you?

Apollonian and Dionysian aspect of it. No-one knew the Some old less popular bands back in the nineties which faces behind this band. And the other Band gave a fuck influenced Morar are for example Syv de Bak Fjell, to everything and especially to this or that metal Draugsang, December Fog or Heidenreich. magazines. And today they are columnist of those magazines, or owns a YouTube channel where they show You have stated that a lot of the materials on Chants their instrumental skills. Build up to heroes - with faces. of Ossian were written during the ‘90s and early ‘00s. Their music is far away from their behavior. And their Judging by this, the band has probably existed – in music changes in same way, logically. But their lives one form or another – ever since then. Can you please changes and if this is their way to go, it’s their own tell us the story behind the birth of the band? How decision. But finally it’s not Black Metal anymore. was Chants of Ossian born?

As Heidegger said as an introduction to Aristoteles: “He Do you think that the advancement of social networks was born, studied and died.” The same can also be said and technology, in general, will leave less and less about Morar. Morar was founded, musically describe time for creativity, reflection, culture and ideals? nature, and will split up.

How do you see this?

It is a matter of the uses. It could be useful or not. It In a previous interview, you have stated that it’s could force a good progress for culture and vice-versa. It possible you will release a new album in 2019. Are depends on every individual. you working on new material now? If so, in what stage is this work? Should we expect it to be in the

26

Morar / Fatum Aeternum Do you think that one day – when the time comes – Morar will reveal their identities, or do you prefer to remain anonymous for as long as the band exists?

The answer can given at this point by yourself. Or another explanation by Goethe through the “Uncel” in Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship: “In this respect [...] they spoil us at the theatre; the music there is, as it were, subservient to the eye; it accompanies movements, not emotions. In oratorios and concerts, the form of the musician constantly disturbs us: true music is intended for the ear alone; a fine voice is the most universal thing that can be figured; and while the narrow individual that uses it presents himself before the eye, he cannot fail to trouble the effect of that pure universality. The person whom I am to speak with, I must see, because it is a solitary man, whose form and character gives worth or worthlessness to what he says: but, on the other hand, whoever sings to me must be invisible; his form must not confuse me, or corrupt my judgment. Here, it is but one human organ speaking to another; it is not spirit speaking to spirit, not a thousandfold world to the eye, not a heaven to the man.“ Captain, from Louisiana, Leader on Black Metal Amino and a very big fan of yours would also like to ask you a couple of questions: Writing musical hymns with themes including literature, philosophy, nature and paganism, do you feel the medium of Black Metal fully provides the

space needed for Morar to express the character of your collective thoughts? Has the band ever considered branching out into publishing written word?

Yes. Morar is a character in “Alpin’s lament of Morar”. Those verses are recited in Goethe’s “The Sorrows of Young Werther”. "Thy wrath was as the storm. Thy sword in battle as lightning in the field." This is the raw and grim face of Morar, of Black metal. On the other side you will find acoustic and very atmospheric parts in it. - "like the moon in the silence of night; calm as the breast of the lake when the loud wind is laid."

So Morar, and in the same way Black Metal, is a perfect character, is the fitting medium to create dark, raw, melodic, fast, slow, atmospheric and mystic hymns in the same time.

No. The Lyrics will always be mainly quotes and an altercation with a complete work, one poem, or whatever.

So all the words are already published.

Nature is chaotic, but fair in it’s existence. Your music feels very similar to this in a sense. Can you please elaborate a bit on the writing process?

Especially the slower atmospheric interludes that appear at the perfect moments during your musical offerings.

Hi Steve and welcome to the SWR pages. Fatum Aeternum is mainly a duo made

of you and your wife, but do you consider it a project, or a real band with fullline up? I've seen you're often helped by other musicians, so is Fatum Aeternum made of other musicians too at the moment?

Fatum Aeternum used to be a band, but at this time we're more likely to call it a project. Generally, It's a pretty long story, where the history of the band intertwines with my personal development on all levels. We started off as a sort of renaissancemedieval metal group. At that point, it really felt like a band. But with time I've become a bit bored with this type of music because I couldn't see myself evolving in this genre. As years went by, the style transformed many times, with the central guidelines remaining theatrics, dark atmosphere, and social themes. At some point in 2009, I've decided to record independently the songs I've created so far. I've always included female vocals and string instruments in my music, and I've invited a girl I met online to participate in the recording and possibly in future concerts. Her name was Evelyn, she was a singer and a violinist and as time went by - she became my wife, and we continued to work on the Fatum Aeternum adventure together, as we do to this very moment. Right now we took a break from live performances with our friends George Falkovich on guitar and Mark Muzykant on drums to create something musically sustainable. I must be honest, I do this thing for a long time now and I still haven't created anything I can consider as my Opus Magnum. So my main objective at this point is to create something that expresses me fully and live performances are second priority.

Weird enough one couldn't say your music is the most accessible around, yet I find it very catchy, how could you explain that? Or do you even agree with me?

How would you describe your music? Would you say the use of violin gives a Folk touch to the whole?

You got it pretty accurately - this thing is based on contradictions. We're classically trained musicians who fell in love with the rebel aspect of punk, gothic and overall weirdness. From Velvet Underground to Bootsy Collins, from Rachmaninoff to Cradle of Filth, from Aqua or Roxette to John Coltrane.

Regarding the violin, it is common in our genre to associate this instrument with folk music, but in our case it plays a more significant role, presenting many other aspects it has: the sentimental, romantic or heart-breaking. Sometimes the violin used to intensify bass or guitar lines. Anyhow, it's a side we're yet to explore in our current production.

Do you also play live, or the magic happens mostly in the studio? How's the live situation in Israel, can a band play live easily, are there many places where to play live, are there specialized festivals?

The main goal of the band was to play live as much as possible. But if we're talking about magic, it always happens while you practice. About the scene in Israel, it's much more vivid than you'd expect from a small country. There are small and medium venues to play. Usually, the bands prefer to arrange an evening with 3 groups or so. Plus, many known bands visit Israel in their tours, and local bands serve as opening acts. Many Israeli music lovers travel to European festivals, and many groups tour Europe. Also, Israel participates in W.O.A international contest, and our bands mostly get great results. For example, Walkways, who represented Israel a few years back, got signed with Nuclear Blast recently. And Orphaned Land who needs no introduction. Of course, it all takes a lot of work and full cooperation among all members, but everything is possible.

There is now plan in the beginning. Only one melody for one song. All ideas born out of this one idea. That's why the songs should have a unite feeling. The lyrics, the topics are chosen after the song is already instrumental finished.

Interview by Elena Silvia Popescu - May 2019

Luxury Overdose is your most recent album, released last year by yourselves. How come you decided to work on it without the help of a label? How have you promoted it and how are the reactions so far?

It's funny you mention this release since we've taken it down :) There are no concerns regarding the songs themselves, but the production was a compromise at best. Eventually, that's what made me decide to change the course of action and take it to a studio with a professional producer, which is what we do now.

And as you know, nowadays labels don't help you to create albums, they sign you when they're positive that your music will surely make a profit. As for the reactions, we have some crowd of people who find our creative process interesting to follow, and at some point, the Israeli underground music reviewers called us the darkest band in the scene, so the overall perception is positive and accepting, which we appreciate a lot.

Your lyrics have a powerful social (or should I say anti-social?) message, do you think it has the impact you would like it to have? Are lyrics still important for Rock / Metal listeners nowadays?

As a teenager, I didn't really listen to metal music, I was more rock & punk oriented. And I used to listen a lot to bands like the Doors, Clash, Sex Pistols, The Cure, etc. All of these bands have some kind of preaching in their music. And as for today, it's evident that people prefer music that refers to subjects that are close and important to them. So the role of lyrics is undeniable.

As for us, our lyrics explore social matters from the outside and the inside - some are about society as a whole and some about the experience of being an individual in this big picture. For instance, our digital release of "Simple Pop Song" includes 2 bonus tracks: "Castle of Silence" and "Age of Loneliness". While SPS is about social (or anti-social, as you said), the other 2 are highly personal.

What's the most important "thing" (anything) you got from music so far? Do you treat Fatum Aeternum solely as a hobby, or does it mean much more to you? What do you expect from the band in the near future and what should we expect from it?

Everything I have in my life - is thanks to music, including my "day job" that I love, and my family. What Fatum Aeternum to me is my whole life. Right now what I want from the band is wellproduced music that reflects what it really is. Songs are being created constantly, so my primary expectation is to continue following the path and see where it takes me.

Please tell us about Simple Pop Song, where does the name come from and what is it all about?

The title of the song is sarcastic, of course. Because it speaks about "trendy" subjects and how people react to this information.

Other than that, every listener can interpret the lyrics in a way that is relevant to him/her. You know, it's the best things about songs, when everyone understands them according to their own beliefs.

April 2019

27

A letter from the Dead

A letter from the Dead

Here's a letter from Per Yngve Ohlin "Dead" from Mayhem sent to Stan Boman from Missouri who back then was deeply involved in the underground scene and was spreading "the plague" in his area as much as he could, being also penpals with Dead among others. The letter is dated 30 years ago, in the beginning of 1990, and was never published before, so Stan decided to share it with us being from Transylvania / Romania, a place Dead so much fantasized about and longed to visit, actually he had a serious obsession about it, too, he used it as inspiration for many of his drawings, not to mention the shirt he was wearing when he committed suicide was a "I love Transylvania" shirt. It's nothing groundbreaking or sensational, but it's a first person documentation of those first years of Black Metal and especially of Mayhem, I hope you'll like reading it and I very much thank Stan for sharing this with us, hopefully we'll have some more such documents in the future issues.

For privacy I have removed some passages obviously as it is after all a private letter, and for better exposure of things related to the letter I have added pictures and drawings of Dead that were not part of it (just gathered from the net, most of them from darksideofhistory.com, no copyrights infringement intended!). I have also kept the wording exactly as it was written by Dead.

that we can impossibly come in that country with "our hair"... The guy that was supposed to set up that gig didn't reply. We thought also we should play in Poland in the 27th and 28th of December '89 in Stalowa Wola... A guy suddenly wrote and told of he should setup a festival there in the Southern Poland with 10 bands and we should headline that thing. We answered immediately with lots of questions that we necessary had to know of before we just could go there, like hoe to come there by car (we wanted to avoid to be just lost somewhere in a country that none of the population can speak English...) where and when shall we meet, where's the hotel and when do we as the latest had to be there... the reply came after a month, a week before we were supposed to play there and that letter said "Bring the amps + the drumkit, our equipment is crap, the whole Poland will come and the bands will be Imperator, Vader, Slashing Death + some lesser known bands". That was not what we wanted to know at all, we had to call him up immediately but that fucked up line was broken. Then the only thing left to do was to contact imperator, when they also were supposed to play there and we've known them for a long time. The problem with that was that the only one in Imperator who's got a telephone is the new drummer and he doesn't speak a single word in English... We found the number of a guy who knows Imperator well (but unfortunately lives really far away from them) but we called him and said he should contact them as fast as he could. He thought it all was a kinda Polish Christmas joke...

We called him up again after 2 days and he said Imperator had heard NOTHING of this festival that "the whole Poland was supposed to come to watch"...we were VERY near to go there and that really piss us off!

We have some pland of gigs abroad but I can't say the time of when that'll be... The tour agency in Russia wants us to wait till maybe Summer. A guy in Turkey wanted to set up some shows in their 3 or 4 main cities there in late Summer or Autumn. We can't go to South America till sometime in the far future when we can affod the ticket by airplane. Vulcano wanted us to come and some others too, but we can't afford it yet.

Maybe it'll be a festival in Greece but I don't believe much in it. That's all I can say of our plans of touring."

First Dead shared a promo tape with Stan where he recorded tracks from recent and upcoming releases on Deathlike Silence Productions, not sure if by Euronymous' asking (Euronymous owned DSP as you know), or by his own will, but this shows how supportive were they one to another back then: "I enclose here a tape with Merciless promo for The Awakening that by the way is out now, and on the other side some rehearsings of ours (with not the best sound) plus some songs of Tormentor (Hungary), it'll also be on D.S.P. In my opinion Merciless is a OK band but it's maybe a bit too much thrash in it."

Then Dead starts depicting a sad situation that happened back then: because of the slow and precarious communication means especially on international level, shows and festivals were often set through letters and rare phone calls so the security of those deals was often questionable and not few were the cases where bands would fly over to another country to play a gig that was never set properly or even at all. And here are those difficulties explained: "We have at last begun to play live after this long time of nothing happened. We've had many plans of playing abroad but they'd so far screwed up totally. First it was Singapore, we checked out with a travel agent how it would be to go there - He said

Then Dead talks about Mayhem's first gigs with him, a first hand confirmation of his will to take things to a totally new level with the band, of his abnormal dedication and of the fact that even if they as teenagers (well in their early 20s) used to have fun shocking the audiences, things were well thought and with a precise purpose.

"But we have at last begun playing live now but only here in Norway. First it was something that a wimpy local radio station had set up with 3 other total wimp bands + us, and we were the only Black Metal among disgusting speed "metal" bands.

Everything that could possibly fuck up did so... As example the guy who was supposed

28

A letter from the Dead

to drive and

us the

equipment there didn't show up, we found no cables for the pyro effects and no chainsaw for the impaled pigheads we should slaughter on stage. But we had a great time though, the crowd seems to enjoy the flesh party the same much as we did by the pigheads that flew all over that place. The speed-heavy wimps left as fast as the pig heads flew around there.

I hope we scared the sunlight outa them all. WIMPS! At the 2nd song (Necrolust) I did cut up my left arm with something that looked like a sacrificial knife from India, but it wasn't so sharp so it was a problem to cut so strongly with it but I could make it bleed. On the 2nd to the last song I slashed my right arm up with a crushed bottle, it went up to be deeper than expected and the people ahead of me seemed to love when I bled over them. Afterwards it was a hassle with the biggest wound, it's about 20 cm long and it did open more and more and when it went out to be 4 cm broad I knew something had to be done quickly... somebody did show me where the old fart that owns the place was. It was just a door inthere and we stepped right into their kitchen where a family was having supper and there I was bleeding as a pighead on the floor and my "corpse paint" in face. A woman stepped up and looked really corpse pale in the sight so she was ordered to go out while the 3 children finished their meal. I had to tape together the both sides of that wound and then it was ok. For a while I couldn't write any letters or draw anything... it's better now.

The same month (28th Feb) we had our second gig at the "Slayer Aid", a promotion concert for Metallion's mag that the bands were: Buttocks, Cadaver Equinox and So Much Hate. It was meant that Equinox should headline then but they were more into drinking so we did headline also then.

We had the 3rd gig in the early March, but it actually doesn't count as a gig, it was just a concert we did jump into cos the sound engineer told us there was time left for one more band if they did it short. We didn't even had corpse paint then and I felt like some stupid testament something.

Before these 3 gigs it has been a terrible long time of nothing done by us, the last time before that I stood on a stage was in Morbid 2 years ago. On that first show E's guitar speaker did trouble all the time, as the rest of everything we used, but suddenly it went completely out of order in the middle of a song. He did borrow one then from a poser band called Red Harvest that dared to play there. AAAH! You should have seen that guitar player afterwards when he should get back that speaker that was covered in pig brains, blood and very, very very small pieces of flesh!"

Dracula(s). One story says that Dracula is the son of Dracul, that's why that "A".

In Romanian it would be wrong to say Dracul-a...

There's also some different stories of actually what does Dracul mean, I've heard of "Dragon", Dragon's son, Devil, Son of Satan, Darkness and Vampire. I think we shall find out as much as only possible of all the legends and all the places and castles for that where everything happened.

The most likely story of Dracula I've heard of is that after his life as Tepes and Warlord and mass slayer Satan gave him eternal life he in exchange that continued the killing. He a must have been professional really. But he refused any further killings so that's why and how he became a vampire so he had no choice.

Before we can go we have to choose the destinations of our visit in advance. I'll try to go there first by myself and find out of our destinations and also how it will be fore us to live there.

Before, under Ceausescu, all hotels in RO had to be booked months before, I don't know how it is about that now. I know there's extreme problems there with the food, it can't be brought from regular supermarkets or any shops cos of the extreme queues in front of everything, so that has to be only in hotels or restaurants - if we don't bring some hated person we can feed of during the trip of course."

As you see, Dead planned to visit Romania and especially Transylvania by himself, but also accompanied by friends from around the World, Stan being one of them. He also mentions a guy from France (session drummer for Empty Grave and editor of Spikehead fanzine) and one from Australia whom all together were supposed to meet in the North of France and depart for Romania from there. Sadly this trip never happened‌

Even if he mistakes Romania with Transylvania associating all Romanian places with its Transylvania region (this was and still is a common mistake) and his info are not accurate most of the time, the amount of information Dead had about what back then was a hermetically closed country just opening its borders and its legends, history and news makes him a very passionate researcher. Keep in mind there was no internet back then and those who actually were able to visit Romania before the '89 revolution were very few. By understanding the level of passion Dead had for Transylvania and his dream that one day he will be able to visit and why not, even live in Transylvania and retreat from a World that doesn't understand him into a new World he thought was very morbid, dark and evil like him, one can assume or better said speculate that one of the reason of his depression was his failure of ever visiting these lands...

"And about Transylvania. As you surely know their dictator Ceausescu is executed (along with his wife, that's the spirit!), he made all the difficulties for the foreigners to enter the Romanian border and he did also destroy ancient Evil castles that hundreds of people had died in... As example he did vipe away 3 towns for the building of his "house" - rather castle. I have nothing left for new castles! I think we in this evil Carpathian touring trip shall swap all existing ancient info of (true) legends cos it's also hard to get some of it. There's really many different stories of all the Vlads and

29

Hecate Enthroned

Hecate Enthroned have been around for many years but it seems they were never given the credit they deserved. Six years after “Virulent Rapture”, these Brits came back in full force and kicked us off our feet with “Embrace of the Godless Aeon”. Slowly We Rot talked to Nige and Joe… Throughout the years the genre of Hecate Enthroned has changed and now you call it “brutal, epic, scornful metal”... what do you mean by this description exactly?

Nige: We basically mean that our music can hit hard with anger when it needs to as well as embrace & create an atmosphere/emotional response that can be moving, melancholic & euphoric for our listeners. The 'scornful' aspect is due to us not following or reacting to trends or what’s popular at a particular time when we write our music. We write how we want to, regardless of opinion or expectation.

You recently released your 6th album “Embrace of the Godless Aeon”… what can you tell us about it?

Joe: Lyrically, much of the album refers to the decline in organised theistic religion in an age in which people are more enlightened. The opening track “Revelations in Autumn Flame” really hits this theme head on and really sets the tone for the entire album. Even though this theme is evident throughout, each track has its own identity both musically and conceptually. When writing the lyrics, I was keen to maintain a focus on aspects of mythology, fantasy and even areas of history.

What inspired the songs in “Embrace of the Godless Aeon”?

Joe: My inspiration when writing the lyrics and doing the vocal arrangements was to vent my personal frustrations with organised theistic religion and irrational belief systems in general and how they affect humanity and progression. But we were all keen to make sure this album demonstrated a growth within the band while still remaining very recognisably Hecate Enthroned.

Do you think we are heading towards a godless aeon?

Why? One still sees many wars, attacks and conflicts because of religion…

Joe: I think we are potentially seeing the death throes of organised theistic religion as people become more enlightened and better educated in the realms of science and critical thinking. But as more people are abandoning such religions we are seeing a significant push back, everything from more aggressive evangelism, religion becoming more involved in politics, social and moral arguments to even things like fundamentalism and terrorism. Much of the world is waking up to this, but in doing so it stirs a wasps’ nest.

How different is this album compared to the others?

Joe: Each Hecate Enthroned album has its own identity and obviously there has been change over the years, moving from a symphonic black metal sound to a more death metal vibe. I believe “Embrace…” is a return to the symphonic black metal roots that still has a firm death metal influence. It’s essentially a combination of all the best elements of previous albums, refined.

This is the 1st album to feature Joe Stamps on vocals… how did his vocals “affect” the album?

Nige: We have known Joe for a long time, he actually stood in for Dean on a UK tour back around 2005 I think... Anyway, when things didn’t work out right with Elliot we contacted Joe to see if he was interested back in 2015... suffice to say he jumped at it!! Then we went straight into writing Aeons. Joe's voice adds yet another dimension to our music, his range of high screams to low growls fit perfectly into what we create which with Aeons was a mixture of wanting to retain our death metal roots whilst entwining more of the symphonic elements we are known for… especially on our earlier material.

Joe: We are extremely happy with the reception this album has received. It’s humbling to know that even after all this time both the media and the fans still appreciate what we do. We are truly thankful.

few of the new tracks in our set list & we will introduce more as the year goes on (dependent on how long a time slot we have & if Sarah is available). These new songs are so powerful live, we cannot wait to unleash them!!

This new album comes 6 years after “Virulent Rapture”… is it kind of a trademark of the band to release albums too far apart from each other?

Nige: We don’t plan such distances between releases.

“Aeons” has actually been recorded for a couple of years, we were just biding our time & waiting for the right label to release...which has been very frustrating but worth the wait I think.

We all work full time & have families, etc, so life does get a little busy sometimes when trying to write new material. One principal we have always stuck to is that we don’t rush our writing, it has to be right & everyone needs to be in the same mindset for what we want to achieve. We have rushed ourselves in the past & it hasn't always worked how we envisaged it so now we take our time.

What was the most intense show you have ever played?

Nige: There have been so many great shows that have been an emotional rollercoaster. To pick a couple, Metaldays last year & some of our London shows recently have been incredible & our show in Belgium last December was a special one for us due to the great reception we received.

Joe: A particular stand out for me has to be Belfast in Northern Ireland. It was quite a small venue, but it was full and the atmosphere was just brilliant.

The cover is sooo Hecate Enthroned… who designed it? What’s the concept behind it?

Nige: Nestor Avalos (Official Black Arts Site) is the master behind the cover. It is all hand painted in oils & looks amazing. We were blown away when we first saw it. It’s the best cover we have had, I think. His work is always to the highest standard, you should check his site out. The concept came from us, we wanted Hecate with her three headed dog set in a Temple... & that’s what Nestor created... simply incredible!!

You have released this new album through M-Theory Audio. Why change from Crank Music to them?

Nige: Our time with Crank basically came

mutually to an end both from sides a couple of years ago.

After many new label offers we could never find that we one which thought would do 'Aeons' justice until we met M-Theory.

They have been huge for us, the support, investment, knowledge of the music scene in general has been a massive help to us & we are working very well together.

Sarah Jezebel Deva is featured once again on album… how much do you enjoy her vocals? Do they add something extra to the songs?

Nige: To put it simply… Sarah is amazing. Her voice is incredible, we find it blends perfectly into the soundscape we are creating. She adds another dimension to the songs. Sarah will feature again on our next release... ;-) Joe: I was blown away to get to perform alongside Sarah.

Fantastic person and an incredible voice.

You have a few gigs lined up already. How excited are you to present the new material live?

Nige: We absolutely cannot wait!!! We already have a

After so many years, how do you keep the flame alive?

Do you still feel the same passion towards music as you did when you first started?

Nige: The passion is still very much alive. The difference now is that we have grown with experience & confidence in our musicianship & on personal levels. For us Hecate has always been about enjoying our art for ourselves & especially our fans.

How important is the feedback of your fans and the media in general? Do you pay any attention to it?

Joe: Obviously we hope that the music we produce is well received, but we are always receptive of constructive criticism and always take on board what it is that people do and do not like. But we always have to stay true to ourselves and music is so subjective that you can’t possibly please everyone.

What’s your opinion on today’s Black Metal scene?

And the British scene in general? How’s the relationship between the bands?

Joe: Today’s Black Metal scene is still strong, there are still many fantastic bands around both old and new. The British scene has had its peaks and valleys, but there are plenty of really good bands around, personal favourites of mine would be Old Corpse Road, Drakonis, Necronautical, Cairiss and Deadwood Lake. There tends to be a very good relationship between bands in the scene, we all mix quite well together and there are some very good festivals and promotions putting on excellent shows.

Have you watched the movie “Lords of Chaos”?

What’s your opinion about it? Do you think this kind of movies takes away all the mystery and intensity of the scene? Do you remember the events portrayed in it?

Nige: I haven't seen this film & I’m not sure if I want to.

As you say, I don’t want mystery & intensity of those times to be broken for me. I remember that time very well as it was during our early years & I do not want my perceptions/feelings about it all to be clouded.

Do you think it would be interesting to do a movie about the British underground scene, one that wouldn’t focus in one particular band but that gave an overall idea of what the scene was/is?

Nige: Yes, that would be an interesting idea. It would be good to see how it all developed, how the bands came together (past & present), inspirations, how the fans perceived it all now & when it all emerged.

Joe: It would be good to see one that maybe focused on several of the big cities just to make sure everyone was represented. I think it would be great for people outside of the UK to see how our scene functions compared to everywhere else.

Thanks for your time. Best of luck to Hecate Enthroned and “Embrace of the Godless Aeon”… Please share a message with our readers.

Nige: Thank you for the opportunity. I don’t do many interviews as I often struggle how to express my thoughts in words... hence me writing music instead.

What I do know is that we have an incredible fan base & it’s those special people that inspire us constantly to deliver something to them that brings us all together in this sometimes crazy world! HAILS TO YOU ALL!!!

Joe: Thank you to everyone. We truly appreciate all of you.

Interview by Sónia Fonseca - June 2019

Reviews have been awesome… how does it feel to still get awesome reviews after all these years?

31

The Elysian Fields and provide an abridged yet undimmed version of the facts without being accused of promoting christianity, was an intriguing factor that made us move forward with it.

How does it feel to have your comeback with a kick ass album that is getting awesome reviews?

Is it? I am not sure there are enough mags or zines that hosted our album so far. Would you guess it is due to lack of promotion or we should all wonder how the industry still operates? Anyhow, “unbiased” reactions have been overwhelming till now. I used that word because we have a past sounding very far from this, that is not easy to leave behind and one can get argumentative... The new stuff does not mean it is going to be everyone’s cup of tea of course!

The artistic director and designer of the cover is Dimitris Tzortzis. Does the cover portray his interpretation of the album or did you tell him exactly what you wanted? What’s the meaning of the cover?

We had a brief idea of how we wanted it to look. We set some defaults and then D.T. took over and let his morbid imagination do the trick. He’s a talented artist whose previous works matched our views. The cover represents an avatar of the christian God, the religions and the suppressors of the human race altogether.

In 2019 the band finally returned after a 14-year hiatus between albums. The Elysian Fields took a break in 2010 and then restarted in 2014… was the 2010 break supposed to be definitive? Why did you return?

It’s more like we put an end in 2008 and restarted in 2013, but that’s of no importance whatsoever. We kinda felt a fullness with the band while sick at the same time as the world was shifting towards the end times. Music became a secondary priority. I devoted myself into searching for the meaning of life. No, I did not find it (you were going to ask) but certain things revealed to me were horrifying. I felt deceived. This world is not what we were taught. I wanted to talk about it, in a way they could not lock me up in an asylum for the rest of my life. Although I could not find the way, that is what re-ignited the sparkle of creation in me. Mike one day called saying “I’ve got some riffs you need to hear” and in due time I realized there were more to be delivered… We were back at it, excited like it was the first album!

The band worked as a duo on the first two albums, then was a trio for another 2 albums and now you’re back as a duo… why? How easy or complicated is it being a 2-man band?

We never allowed the inner circle to grow and then suffer the consequences. One must do what it has to do to keep it simple and meaningful. Being a duo is as complicated as being a 6 or 7-member band. TEF have to deal with two opinions only.

I hate being a part of a team which is having a hard time taking a decision and allows things to get messy.

What have The Elysian Fields got to offer in terms of sound these days? What’s the main difference between The Elysian Fields 2005 and The Elysian Fields 2019?

Well, we got rid of all the groovy keyboard parts that headed the band to a direction none was very fond of... As rage and fury are the reigning emotions these dark days, the musical part gained many symphonic references in a more apocalyptic way. It is pitch black, it is haunting and it lacks melodies the way TEF used to deliver in the past.

The new album was initially supposed to be released in 2018. What caused the delay?

Hmmm, we never set a specific date. That probably bought us some time to experiment with our stuff. Even alter the guitar sound which meant a totally different production! One thing brought the other… We were changing things even at the finish line, polishing here and there a bit.

When it came to the label, there were other bands in priority at that time and when we got the green light, even the pressing plants fell behind.

The new album was released on the year that marks your 25th anniversary as a band. Was it premeditated? Are you planning anything special to celebrate this anniversary?

Nothing premeditated. You said it before. Delay upon delay led this to 2019. Nothing planned. No celebrations needed.

If you could start a new musical project and could have any musician (dead or alive or from other musical genres), who would you invite and why?

Jon Nodtveidt. Definitely. Although I could mention a couple of others, that man literally changed my life. I have so much admiration for his musical achievements and respect for the beliefs he stood for. A real legend. I still get goosebumps while spinning “The Somberlain”! The day of his departure was a sad one for me.

Do you agree that one gets wiser as one gets older? What’s the main lesson regarding the music industry that you have learned so far?

That is for sure. I get wiser in order to make the same mistakes over and over again! The lesson for the music industry I’d say is only one: It will get as shitty in the process as it was in your first thought!!!

Do you believe The Elysian Fields are underrated?

No, I don’t. If we’d chased the dream in the first place we would be having this conversation in different terms. I am just being honest here. We never flew any higher than we could. No regrets about it. Every step in our path was well thought-out. The Elysian Fields was and still is a form of expression and not our lives.

Being an European band, why have you signed a deal with a label that is located in Latin America? Was this your first option or didn’t bigger labels seem interested in your work?

Brazil has been our second home since birth. Brazilian fans have embraced TEF since 95.

We were always grateful for it. That fact has played a significant part when we took into consideration the offer from Hammer Of Damnation. Well, being a member of a big label requires commitments. We are not willing to, if you know what I mean!

Please share a final message with our readers. Keep on rocking!

Beware you psychos out there. The plan for the extinction of human race is under way and I am certain there are many of you who would agree with it. Only the enemy is not us this time… Open your eyes.

Thanks for the space given.

Interview by Sónia Fonseca - June 2019

The new album is titled “New World Misanthropia”. Why have you opted for this title? What’s the message behind it? is Everywhere you look there misanthropy. Among men, among religions, among rulers. It is going as planned thousands of years before. As a species either we are not capable of realizing the game played in front of our eyes or we just don’t want to admit it because it’s too painful to accept and deal with. We live in strange times, we are witnessing unorthodox behaviors…

What lyrical themes are approached in the new album?

“New World Misanthropia” is the timeline concerning the plagues, famine and destruction which will take place (or already have taken in the past) before the second coming, since we turned our backs on God. It is a collection of testimonies. Is it a purification process of a merciful creator or the acts of vengeful God? How we could manage to gather

32

Sear Bliss

Sear Bliss are an awesome Hungarian Black Metal band that has been around for the past 25 years and they promise to be around a lot more… Last year their 8th full-length “Letters from the edge” was released via Hammerheart and it granted them some great reviews.

András had an intense and lengthy conversation with us…

First off, many thanks for agreeing to the interview.

Hope all is fine with you!

Oh yeah, all is fine, sipping some delicious craft beer while Morbid Angel’s Covenant is spinning. What a perfect night. By the way, thank you for the interview.

I’m happy to share my thoughts.

How have these two decades and a half been for Sear Bliss? Did you ever think you’d last this long?

Well, it’s a pretty long time but to be honest I usually plan for a long time and I’m not into taking drastic changes, so I believed it would last long, even though I was pretty young when I formed the band. I grew up in an age when owning an instrument was something really great. As a kid, I was yearning for a guitar, so when I had my first one, it was like magic, really. This kind of attitude led to the long existence of the band.

Have you achieved the goals you set up when you formed the band?

I didn’t really have high expectations, so I achieved all the goals back in 96 when we released our first album and toured Europe with Marduk the year after. The rest after that is a bonus.

Last year you released your 8th full-length “Letters from the edge”, 6 years after “Eternal Recurrence”.

Why the 6-year gap? This is a common gap for the band… lack of creativity? Lack of time? Line-up problems?

This is the longest gap we ever had between two albums and this is not common for the band at all. The reason for that is that we had a complete line-up change meanwhile, plus I decided to focus on my solo album which later became the band Arkhē. So, all in all, we took a break for the first time in the existence of the band. Things are pretty much the opposite now, as we have already started working on the next album. We are in the writing process now and would like to record a new album at the end of this year.

How’s been the response to the new album?

The responses are fantastic. Plus, I have seen the album appearing among many top 10 and top 20 lists at the end of the year which shows “Letters from the Edge” made some impact and that is cool.

This new album includes 3 members that have joined forced with András, and Zoltán has returned with his trombone. How’s it adapting to new musicians after so many years? How does it affect the band and your state of mind? How confident are you on this new line-up?

Actually, these guys are not really new members, we have known each other for many, many years. As you mentioned Zoltán, our trombone player, he returned after a few years hiatus but he was with us between 2000 and 2010. Our guitarist Attila was already a member of Sear Bliss in 2008-2009. The other guitar player, Zoltá n has been with us for more than 6 years now and our drummer too and he is the youngest brother of original Sear Bliss members Zoltán and Csaba, so he had kind of a privilege by his origin to play in the band. I’m pretty confident that this is the best line-up we have ever had during our 25 years existence and I’m sure it will last long.

riffs and melodies at home but we finalized them together by adding lots of extra. It was a real team work and we enjoyed it very much. The lyrics were written by me during a long and lonesome trip in Australia. I already had the demos by then and I knew what I wanted to express. Isolation and distance always help me to create.

What lyrical themes are approached in “Letters from the edge”?

The lyrical themes I had for this album are absolutely atypical for a so-called black metal band. I decided to write about deeply personal things based on real events this time which was pretty challenging and risky in some ways but worked for me as a therapy. On the other hand, we were sick of the so many clichés you can see nowadays. You know, Latin song titles and shit.

Where does the title come from? It seems to be very emotional and intense.

Yeah, the whole album is very emotional and intense, so we looked for a title which fits perfectly the depths of the songs. As I said, most of the lyrics were written on a very far continent and to me they were like letters written from a distance. I was on the edge both mentally and geographically. This is how this title was born and this is the reason why we used my hand-writings in the whole booklet.

Who did the cover? It looks like a painting… it is completely different from all your previous covers with all the blurred colors! What’s its meaning?

The artwork was painted by our guitarist Attila. He is a very talented artist in many ways. It is actually a socalled body-print, which means he put different colors on his own body and rolled about on a canvas, leaving this unique print. Like I said, the songs are deeply personal, so having such a print on the artwork contributes well to the emotional atmosphere of the album.

The album production was done by Viktor Scheer again and Dan Swanö did the mastering. What impact did these 2 professionals have on the final result of the new album? Would it be different if the production and mastering were done by other people?

Yes, the album would have been pretty different without them, that’s for sure. They had a pretty intense impact on the result. Viktor is a very talented producer and professional musician with ears like bats have. He added a lot to the final result. If I’d show you the demos, you could hear what I mean. For the mastering we wanted someone who knows and understands this kind of music well, so Dan was an obvious choice for us. Plus, we are great fans of Pan-Thy-Monium, which was our main inspiration when we formed the band more than 25 years ago.

“Letters from the edge” was released by Hammerheart Records unlike your 2 previous albums which were released by Candlelight. Why have you opted for Hammerheart?

Candlelight have more or less ceased to exist, so it was obvious to look for another label for our new album. I contacted a few labels and Hammerheart showed interest which is cool because it is a label I always respected.

The relationship is very good with them, so I’m sure the next album will be released by them too.

There’s an official lyric video for “Shroud”. Any plans to do more videos? Why do you seem to like videos so much? Is it the best kind of promotion for a band?

Yes, there is a new video for the song called “Seven Springs” in the making and maybe one more in the future.

Our guitar player Attila makes them. I believe videos are pretty good kind of promotion today, however I’m not really into them. I mean, I don’t like typical music videos but since most people listen to music on Youtube, there must be some visual added.

On the 27th October the band played a concert in Budapest in order to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band… did you anything special in that concert?

Were you aware of the importance of the date? How did you feel about it?

Yeah, that was a great show and it was really special. It was not only the band’s 25th anniversary but also the 20th anniversary of our second album’s The Haunting, so we played a set with that line-up too and also it was kind of a release show for the new album. So, it was a really huge set and things turned out to be very well. It was a memorable night. It was great to look back on the entire 25-year long career. It feels good, I must say.

You have a few concert dates lined up already. Any plans to do a tour to promote the new album?

Actually, we had a lot of shows last year and there is a plan for a Hungarian and also a European tour to promote the new album. The first show of the year was in Switzerland a few weeks ago and it was awesome.

What’s the most exciting thing that ever happened to you as a member of Sear Bliss?

Well, it’s a difficult question but I would say nothing compares to the moment when I got the package from the Netherlands with our own copies of our first album Phantoms back in the summer of 96. That was all I ever dreamt of when I was a kid.

Does Sear Bliss work out as therapy for you?

Absolutely. Especially in “Letters from the Edge”.

Letting out those feelings were healing in many ways.

Both writing and performing those songs were painful but uplifting at the same time. Those are not just songs for me.

Do you think it is more complicated to be an extreme metal band in Hungary than it is in other countries?

Have things changed for band ever since you started?

Well, I don’t really know… Maybe it was more complicated in the past but many things changed. I’m OK with where we are now and I’m proud to be Hungarian. Not many bands succeeded in breaking out from here.

Arkhē is András’ solo project… why did you feel the need to create a project so different from Sear Bliss?

How are things working with Arkhē?

Arkhē is a completely different musical dimension compared to Sear Bliss. I have a pretty wide musical taste and I always felt some limitations in Sear Bliss. I wanted to express what I had inside for a long time. I started composing songs for this solo project many years ago but the time was not right to record them because I was so busy with Sear Bliss but when we finally took a break I immediately started to put things together and record the album. This is how Arkhē was born. It started as a solo project but soon became a band. We are playing live too and have a special visual setup on stage. It is very exciting. I like the freedom this band gives to me.

How important are Sear Bliss for you? For how long do you intend on keep on going? What do you get from Sear Bliss?

Sear Bliss has been around for more than 25 years. It means I spent more than half of my life with the band and I can’t imagine that without it. My perseverance is still strong and I believe with “Letters from the Edge” we started a new chapter. We still have a lot to express musically and we finally have a very strong line-up, so I’m sure we have many years ahead of us.

Social media is so huge these days and yet Sear Bliss only write in Hungarian in the official Facebook page. Why don’t do it in English so that everyone understands what you are writing about?

We write in both languages. We write in Hungarian only the news which are related to our national audience.

Now you’re back with “Letters from the edge” .

How was the writing/recording? Who wrote the lyrics? Who writes the riffs and all melodies?

The writing process was pretty different this time, as we came together in an abandoned castle which we rented for a few occasions and built the songs together in an old school way. This kind of writing method made the album more coherent. We wrote

Thanks for your time and for the great music!

Anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

Thank you very much for your questions. I appreciate your interest. Cheers.

Interview by Sónia Fonseca - April 2019

33

Enthroned

After a 5-year gap, Belgian Black Metallers Black Suns” released through their new label, these musicians was the main reason we exact day their album was released, Neraath

Enthroned present their latest album “Cold Season of Mist. The intensity and greatness of decided to have a chat with them. On the answered our questions. Read on…

First off, many thanks for the interview. There is a 5-year time gap between “Sovereigns” and “Cold Black Suns” and it is the biggest between albums. Is there a particular reason for this “delay”?

When the previous album ‘Sovereigns’ was released, we didn’t think that it would take 5 years to get the next one out. But there are a few reasons for it… After the promotional work, touring and gigs, I spent quite some time with former bass player Phorgath working on our other musical project. That album with Emptiness was a long writing process, and our creativity was deeply focused there for a while.

Then, Enthroned faced a line-up change, two members left the band, including Phorgath, who used to be quite involved in the song-writing and arrangements… When it felt a bit like slipping away, Menthor (drums), who was also busy with his other bands (Lvcifyre, Nightbringer), took the great initiative to get everyone on the same track. We decided then to recruit two musicians, get a deal with a new record company, work on demos for new material, a few studio sessions at different times, then mix and mastering. The sum of all this takes months to do.

The day of the release of a new album… how different is the release of new material when compared to the other days? Do you feel anxious?

Rather feeling excited than anxious. We’re confident about the album, exactly like we were for all previous releases. The difference today is that there’s somehow immediate feedback about it, and it feels also more challenging to please an audience that has instant access to numerous releases. It looks like there are generally more reactions to a single track than a whole conceptual album.

The new album is just out and the reviews are awesome… how happy are you?

It’s great to read or hear reviews of the ones who went and listened to the album in detail, the ones who noticed the few elements that were improved and marked an evolution to our music. It is satisfying to touch every individual who ‘gets it’.

The new album is quite intense and has the Enthroned “stamp” all over it… what else can you tell us about it?

Thanks. This is the most diverse album we’ve written, as there was a will to develop atmospheres further than we previously did, and add some kind of murky layer in the whole ambience. Our tuning changed, the drumming and rhythmic approach have been thought further, and later, during the arrangements, I worked on keyboard pads and drones and few ambient guitars to integrate them within the mix. Some of the tracks have more of an instrumental approach than proper «song structures». These shady details merge together to increase the album’s identity in its whole concept. We’ve always been driven to deliver obscure and aggressive tones – the music we play has to be conform to who we are now, thus our sound evolves with experience, taste, personal

input and also skill as musicians.

The album is filled with variations from song to song… how would you describe it?

When we started to gather to work on the composition, we were driven by the idea of more twisted and dissonant guitar licks, a different approach to the sound and composition, where a clash of intense fast parts and more atmospheric ones, yet catchy, would build the record.

Why the title “Cold Black Suns”?

After a few proposals, this one became the perfect title for this album to encapsulate the overall sound and atmosphere we created. It is simple and catchy, as we tried to aim the same way with our song-writing, and of course it is an ode to that cold cosmic feeling, together with the fury and violence of a star.

This time around, the lyrics have a more anthropological approach… how did you decide to take this approach and why?

Indeed, the concept behind “Cold Black Suns" is based on the different human approaches towards Satanism and the Occult in general, may it be through the ages or from the point of view of different civilizations and cultures. The overall topic wanders from ancient Greek philosophy upon the darker side of spirituality, to the modern ages, the inquisitional views of the Renaissance and the traditional, blasphemous scope of Victorian Satanism, amongst other sub-topics. Our singer, Nornagest, didn’t want to bring something conventional while remaining faithful to his own system of belief, and having a less cryptic approach to the occult.

According to you, Satanism and demonology have a place in our contemporary culture. Labour and careers are being worshiped... do you think today’s society lives only of appearances? Is money a god?

This question could warrant a long monologue in and of itself… so I’ll keep it short.

From a worldwide point of view, it seems that there is still enough diversity and traditions that make that fact still questionable, but for example looking at the predictions or forecasts of upcoming migration flows, it raises other questions. The world is moving faster, and the search for equality and chances through appearance and monetary reward might overwhelm modern societies in difficulty, with all the political consequences that this entails in the near future. Is traditional spirituality in decline there? It seems that the pursuit for uniformity and equal opportunities might be a sign of it. Here in Western countries, we clearly see how the will to frustrate citizens and push them to consume or always want ‘more’ became a whole trait of our civilization.

A lack of ontology makes other aspirations thrive. We’re facing a materialist concern at its best, and truly interesting times too. If Satanism can be considered a celebration of individuality without deceit or hypocrisy, someone who is genuinely worshiping their

34

Enthroned career as their highest purpose of realization feels quite legitimate.

Pagan Fire” and despite enjoying your other material and all, that album has a special place in my heart. If you had to suggest one of Enthroned’s albums to someone that doesn’t know the band at all, which one would you suggest and why?

Thanks for following the band for so long. I will suggest the last one ‘Cold Black Suns’, because it represents who we are today, and in a scene that is always obsessed with authenticity and integrity, the best suggestion to do is the one that is sincere and accurate. It is known that nostalgia brings back curious feelings, but for someone who has never heard the band, it feels fair to share the one with the best musician skills and the most mature songwriting.

The artwork was once again done by yourself… is this the way you make sure it turns out the best way possible?

Indeed, I’ve been fully in charge of cover artworks since the album « Pentagrammaton ».

From that time, we like to take care of every aspect of the albums ourselves. An album is very personal, if you want something done, do it yourself.

How did the new record deal with Season of Mist come up?

We received a few offers from various labels, and Season of Mist was one of them. Knowing them for so long and looking at the work they do, it felt like the perfect label for our music and its network of distribution. My other band Emptiness was also already signed with them, so we knew what to expect.

Now that you are on a new label, will the world have the pleasure of witnessing a tour to promote the new album?

Surely. Everything is being handled now, and a tour announcement will soon be out.

When did you realize “Cold Black Suns” was a masterpiece?

I didn’t, but I found enough satisfaction in it. Like on every album, there are always few elements that make you doubt or wonder. Nevertheless, I’m happy about the work and the effort and I’m already looking forward to the next chapter.

What is the best indicator that Enthroned are doing a great job?

To feel achievement in the moment and to enjoy playing these songs at rehearsals or live, when all conditions take place to make it sound right. Taste is a very personal asset, and I find myself doing a good job only when I can appreciate it.

Many fans are asking for Enthroned to return to this or that country… is it complicated setting up tours? What’s the main difficulty the band faces?

It mainly depends on the offers we receive and our booking agency and manager set up everything for us to go on.

It seems the Black Metal scene is very strong outside of Scandinavia… how are things in Belgium? What’s your opinion on today’s Black Metal scene?

I’m not up to date at all with what is going on in Belgium or internationally. I listen to very few black metal bands, mainly from France and the USA. I don’t think that the community has deeply changed today compared to earlier times, it’s all about the same codes, but the movement has become bigger and more lucrative.

More people, higher demand of shows and distribution, more internet platforms and blogs, but somehow it all remains the same. Metal music and solid sub-genres such as black metal look strongly set in stone.

If you were granted three wishes (related to anything you want) what would you ask for and why?

More time in good health, better social skills, and accurate intuition.

Many thanks for your time and patience. Please leave a message to the readers of Slowly We Rot Fanzine and your fans.

Thanks for the interview. I invite any initiate of black metal to give ‘Cold Black Suns’ a try. It is not a revolution in the style, but it was done with sincerity and has all the ingredients to fulfil the essence of what this genre stands for.

Interview by Sónia Fonseca - July 2019

There are already official videos for “Vapula Omega”, “ Silent Redemption” and Hosanna Satana”… why have you chosen these tracks in particular?

These were singles to announce the album and kick off the promotion. Only ‘Hosanna Satana ‘ has a videoclip. Choosing these tracks was also an intention from the label, but when we left the studio, we thought that ‘ Silent Redemption’ was a good track to present the artistic direction we chose. I believe this song has plenty of variation and a good dynamic.

What’s the biggest difference between Agonia Records and Season of Mist?

I would say their distribution network.

The band’s been around ever since 1993… for how long do you intend to keep on going? Has the idea of putting a stop to the band ever crossed your mind?

We never thought about quitting, and we’ll keep on going as long as we’ re creative and dedicated to playing this genre. 26 years is significant, and many things tend to evolve: writing skills, influences, personal achievement and definitely experience. This is the logical continuity and we have the will and honour to be sincere with the music we deliver.

If you had to describe Enthroned in just one word, which one would you use and why?

‘Grit’. The band has showed dedication and persistence since it the very beginning, throughout its many ups and downs.

Nornagest is the only founding member still in the band… how complicated has it been dealing with different line-ups and changes in the band? Do they affect your sound and mental sanity?

To be correct, none of the founding members are in the band anymore.

Cernunnos took his life in 1997; Sabathan departed the band in 2004, and Nornagest joined Enthroned on the second album. I have been playing guitar for Enthroned since 2000, and together we have faced many line-up changes. It does affect the sound live, but our aim is always to progress. All I can say is that it takes energy for everyone to adapt, to integrate and to deliver, but it does not affect mental sanity at all. It is also a chance to meet and work with great people.

All your members are involved in other projects as well… is Enthroned everyone’s top priority? How do you manage the different schedules of all the bands?

I don’t know how everyone in the band manage their own lives, but personally every one of my three musical projects is a top priority and I put an equal amount of work in all of them. It results in a busy agenda, but so far all has been going well. Every now and again we have to give a show offer a miss, but when you deal with five members, that is normal.

I’ve been a fan of Enthroned ever since your first album “Prophecies of

35

Spider Gates

Spider Gates is an American black metal band based out of the state of Connecticut and have recently released their self-titled studio album.

I'd

like to start with you

introducing yourself as well as everyone who added to the creation of Spider Gates.

How did your band name come about? Can you describe the picture on your album cover art?

In Spider Gates, I am known as Deathbeast. As the drummer, I started the band with Sardon Skullgrave on guitars and vocals in 2001. He named the band after Spider Gates Cemetery in Leicester, Massachusetts.

When we began writing music for what would become our self-titled release during the Summer and Fall of 2004, I became the vocalist. After we had finished writing, we began a long journey in an effort to selfproduce the record. When it was time to record guitars, Sardon left Spider Gates as he was dealing with personal issues that I won't discuss here. However, I was fortunate enough to have him come back to perform additional vocals on certain songs.

In 2011, Odium Extremis joined Spider Gates and performed all the guitars and bass on the record over the course of a few years. He provided additional vocals as well. When all recording and mixing was finished, Crassus Canden provided the mastering. He also offered some additional assistance in mixing as I needed a second opinion in certain areas. Blakkstar completed the photography for the album with the exception of Nestor’s photo, which he produced himself. Nestor Avalos created the artwork that serves as the album cover, which depicts Death sitting triumphantly while tending to a horned child that causes spirits beneath him to despair.

Now I may be wrong, but there is certainly not many black metal bands in the New England are that I am aware of. What led you to choose this genre? Were there specific bands/musicians or was it for other reasons?

Throughout my life, I have always been interested in evil in the context of art, music, and story-telling. As a teenager in the 1990s, I was introduced to a lot of great black metal records and I fell in love with the sound as well as the different ways the sound could be achieved.

Black metal is a very fascinating form of music and I still don’t think musicians are finished exploring what it is capable of. It is the only form of music that truly attempts to address the concept of evil and express it artistically. When you analyse different black metal bands, they may attempt this in different ways, such as with more technical playing or with the use of keyboards.

However, despite these stylistic differences, all black metal bands share the same goal, which is to know evil and express it through music.

Let's discuss your self-titled album for a bit. How well was it received in our area? Have you gotten positive reactions?

Spider Gates is a relatively unknown band. Still, reactions to the record have been generally positive. On that note, thank you for your review on Boston Rock Radio. Since its release in September, Spider Gates has been featured on the Black Metal Artists youtube channel, the Heavy Metal Over a Six Pack podcast, and The Pain Fucktory, which is an online radio stream. I’ve also declined requests from two independent labels that wanted to distribute the record.

Your album begins with “The Summoning”, a fascinating intro that leads into the equally impactful “Imminent Annihilation”. When I heard this, I felt it was a written description of the chaotic times we live in, whether sociopolitical, environmental or even personal social interactions.

Is this the theme underlying the song?

I would say that “Imminent Annihilation” goes even deeper than that. It addresses our very nature. You could certainly apply it to the times that we live in. However, you could also apply it to any other point in human history. You can look at any point in time and be sure to

find a war, murder, or some form of conflict happening somewhere in the world. The song does not condone this notion. In fact, it is from the perspective of victors that are certainly enjoying themselves.

Tell us about “Shallow Grave”. I hear a clear doom influence to the riffs for quite a way into the song until it literally bursts into that classic black metal intonation. Can you expand on this?

This refers back to where I mentioned that black metal can be achieved in different ways. Above all else, if one is going to create music, one needs to think as a songwriter and draw from as many different influences as possible so long as they coincide with a vision. When writing this album, Sardon and I certainly drew inspiration from the speed and brutality of black metal.

However, we also drew inspiration from more atmospheric black metal bands such as Burzum and Leviathan.

“Hunter's Moon” is my favorite on the album. When I sit back, close my eyes and listen, there is a feeling of being on a hunt, an adventure of sorts and yet there is an underlying ominous tone. What were you envisioning with the song?

Musically, Sardon and I originally wanted “Hunter’s Moon” to act as sort of false ending to the album. If you listen to it as such, you can hear all of the elements of the record revisited in one song before building up to a long outro that could serve as an appropriate ending. Lyrically, the song is about the natural order of living things eating each other to survive. A predator killing its prey, despite being very natural, can also be horrifying to witness.

“With Hooves” is also an insidious track. Did you do something different with it?

As “Hunter’s Moon” was conceived as a false ending, “With Hooves” was originally written as a sort of hidden track.

It is the only song on the record that is about Satanism and is mainly influenced by bluesbased metal such as Black Sabbath and Danzig. It was a great opportunity to experiment.

Even though we weren’t concerned how it would fit in context with the rest of the songs when it was written, it has proven itself to be a fitting ending to the album.

What inspires your writing? Do you do alot of reading? What have you been listening to as of late?

When I’m writing material, I’ll refer back to favorite albums and spend time thinking about what makes them special. It definitely helps me envision a project. As far as what I’ve been listening to, it’s hard for me to keep track of new releases as there is so much good music out there. Lately, I’ve been revisiting Nader Sadek’s “In the Flesh,” Kvelertak’s debut, Edge of Sanity’s “Crimson,” and Katatonia’s “Brave Murder Day.” Now we will get a little personal especially with regards to your relationship with black metal. What led you to your love for black metal? Were you ever a part of the overseas/international “tape-trading” scene?

While I was in high school, a friend sold me Emperor’s “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk” and Rotting Christ’s “A Dead Poem.” The latter contained the bonus compilation CD “Darkness We Fee,” which featured bands such as Old Man’s Child and Ulver. This friend was very dismissive of the records but I fell in love with them. Another friend gave me the “Firestarter” compilation as a gift, which featured many of the same bands from “Darkness We Feel.” Around this time, my brother was also working at his college’s radio station and he was constantly bringing home CDs, which gave me the opportunity to hear a lot of great music such as Mayhem’s “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas” and Covenant’s “Nexus Polaris.” My brother has always been an avid collector of music as well. He always burned me copies of CDs, which included various black metal bands as well as the “Blackened IV” compilation.

Besides the obvious and infamous influences of the Norwegian black metal scene, were there other personal influences?

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I always try to draw inspiration from as many different sources as I can, such as Renaissance art as well as pieces by Gustave Dore and H.R. Giger. Since black metal can be a very theatrical form of music, I also draw influence from great portrayals of villains in film. In my opinion, actors such as Tim Curry, Christopher Lee, and James Earl Jones are more important to black metal than one may realize.

In your view, what are some of the most evil things in this world? Do the thoughts of these things inspire your art?

I try to think of evil more in terms of what goes against social norms rather than in terms of morality. For example, I do consider Satanism to be evil while not considering it to be immoral. However, there are plenty of subjects that are both evil and immoral, such as the act of rape. When it comes to subjects such as these, I do feel that they should be explored musically even though they may go against my values. No subject should ever be taboo in black metal.

What are your views in regards to the New England metal scene? What would you change about it?

Odium and I also play in the death metal band Plea of Insanity, which performs often in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and has had the opportunity to play with a lot of great metal bands. It’s hard for me to say what could be changed about the scene because I only interact with it through playing these shows as well as attending them. I’m sure there are promoters and more seasoned bands that could give you a more accurate and possibly more cynical view of the scene. However, I urge anyone that has a such a view to use it as motivation to improve it.

What do you think of other metal scenes around the world? What genres or bands do you feel are going to make an impact in the near future?

I feel that the obvious scenes, such as those of Norway, Poland, Germany, Sweden, and Finland are still going strong. I also feel that bands from South America really have something to say. I’m predicting that we're going to be seeing more black metal bands with a predominant rock influence. I’m not sure if I agree with this direction.

However, I’ll never be one to stand in the way of another’s creativity.

I hear a lot of musicians claim that heavy metal is in and of itself their “religion”. There are others who proclaim some form of Satanist or paganism. What are your thoughts?

I have been a Laveyan Satanist for over 20 years and it is certainly a guiding force in my creativity. Freedom, individuality, and reason are values that I truly cherish. I usually only discuss Satanism when asked as I don’t wish to force my beliefs on anyone. But for those that may be critical of my beliefs, just remember that someday we will all be nothing. Whichever way you chose to spend your limited time is up to you. But I would rather enjoy it on my own terms.

Are you currently working on new material? What would you like to accomplish in the near future?

Last year, I did begin working on two new songs that I feel very strongly about. Unfortunately, they will need to be put on hold as I am currently pursuing a master’s degree. However, I intend to eventually continue writing as well as form a live band for Spider Gates. With the right people, I think the live performances of Spider Gates could be something special.

Is there anything else you would like to add as parting words to our international readers?

I would like to thank everyone that was involved in helping create this album. I definitely could not have done it on my own. I would also like to thank everyone that has listened to the record and given it a positive response. It’s been a long journey. But it's also the greatest thing I have ever done.

Interview by Ally - April 2019

Blood and Brutality / Nowhere Blood and Brutality is signed to Blood and Brutality Records, I think it's pretty obvious it is your own label, but how come you decided to sign and release other bands, too? What other bands are currently signed to your label?

Well I started Blood and Brutality because I wanted a band that did things like a real band and not just some local band. That meant trademarking the name along with all other things. Once the band name was Trademarked it only made sense that I start a label using that trademark. I guess the decision to sign other bands came around because I'm in most of the bands on the label and I wanted those bands to have an outlet and the label made that possible. I don't have any contracts to speak of when it comes to the label. It's more based on trust and individual releases. There's Blood and Brutality, Avavago, Blackest, Suicidal, Serrated, ect and I'm affiliated with Seid (Sweden), Retaliate (Brazil), and Black Warrior Metal (U.S.A.). The list goes on. Just check out bloodandbrutality.com How do you find the bands to sign, or do they find you instead? What's the criteria to get signed to Blood and Brutality Records?

Usually, me being a member of the band is an automatic "contract" with the label. But the bands that I'm not in usually find me through Metal Metallum and usually contact me through bloodandbrutalityrecords@gmail.com email. I think the criteria would be anything that is unique or interesting. It just needs to be good is all. I'm usually willing to help anyone out but a lot of times I run into bands that want me to do all kinds of CD production, cassettes, LP's.

They want the works and they want it all payed for by the label. I usually don't work with bands like that. I'm not the kind of label that has that kind of cash to dump into brand new bands or projects.

During a decade of existence you have released a fair share of materials, which one was the most successful in terms of sales and feedback and which one do you think would have deserved more attention than it got?

The most successful form the label in terms of sales would definitely be Blood and Brutality's second LP entitled, "Sick of It All". It had relatively no promotion and no touring support and yet somehow it seems to be the most sold and listened from the band. And the "one" I wanted to have done better as far as sales would be just about everything on the label. I don't think there is such a thing as being, "too successful" ya know.

full-length and the band Blood and Brutality's third full-length entitled "Fatal". "Tyrant" is being mastered at the moment and "Fatal" will probably be later this year. There may also be a single at some point from Serrated this year. As far as expanding, I'm just gonna keep making and releasing music and hope that it continues to keep growing and catching on.

Now about your band, Blood and Brutality, there's no more full-length albums since 2010, yet you kept releasing singles, EPs and splits in the meantime, so the band seems to have been active. How come?

I'm not quite sure what question 5. is asking but I'm gonna assume it's asking, "Why hasn't Blood and Brutality released an album since 2010?" well the answer is that albums take a long time and can be difficult to orchestrate. I actually started the third album "Fatal" at the tail end of 2013. But it's been "off and on" since. I've started other albums and bands since that time and it's ended up throwing that album into a halt. I was also transitioning the way I record albums at that time too so everything was changing with the way I record and mix.

There was a big learning curve as well. And for some reason all of that seemed to affect "Fatal" the most.

I'd say your genre is a combination of Thrash and Death Metal, mostly mid-tempo, but with a good dose of melody even melancholy thrown inthere, so contrary to what the band name suggests it's not all speed and brutality, do you agree? How would you advertise it to someone who has never heard your music so far?

I'd say "Yes", I agree with those statements. But I don't think there's too many bands out there that don't move around or go in different directions every now and then. I like a little bit of variety with things. I don't want everything I do to sound the exact same. I try to shake things up a bit and keep from falling into a "formula" type of routine. It keeps things interesting and fresh. I guess I'd advertise it as metal for sure. Probably death metal or thrash. Possibly compare it to other bands that have influenced me over the years.

How's the Extreme Metal scene in Alabama? Do you get the chance to play live a lot? How do you see your status among all the local bands, do you feel respected as you should be by the local audience?

I think the scene is definitely growing because there have been a lot of bands play here that I never thought would play here. But I don't think it's as big as I'd like it to be. I play every now and then but I kinda hold out for those bigger kinda shows. Blood and Brutality hasn't played a What releases do you have in plan for the near future? show in a while but things may change once the "Fatal" Where / how do you plan to expand the label (if you album is released. I try not to deem Blood and Brutality do, of course)? as a" local band". I try to look at everything on the larger I have a 3 full-length albums set for release this year. scale. Blood and Brutality has definitely out lived a lot of Seid has their third album mixed and mastered. The LP the bands that were around when it started though. I will be released through Urtod Void, Blood and Brutality think there is usually a fair amount of respect for Records will be handling the cd release and Dark Prod. everyone around. We're all metal brothers ya know. will be handling the digital release. Blood and Brutality Records will exclusively release Avavago's "Tyrant"

In 2017 you released the Decor Macabre EP, then last year the Excruciate single, so one would say they are announcing an upcoming studio album. Is that the case? If so, please tell us whatever info is available to the public at the moment, what should we expect from this new album?

As I mentioned earlier the third album "Fatal" will be released later this year. At the moment it will consist of 8 tracks and will run 38 minutes. The cover art was painted

by Bvllmetalart, a fantastic artist by the way. He's done some great artwork for a lot of bands. Two of the most notable would be Terrorizer and Monstrosity. It's certainly taking "Fatal" to another level. I'm eager to see what people will think of it. And people should expect it to sound like Blood and Brutality. It's heavy, fast, dark, intense, melodic,and has a lot of double bass drumming.

It will definitely sound a lot more mature compared to the first two albums considering the amount of time in between. There has been a lot of growth since then.

How's the band line-up at the moment, is it the same as when you first became a band? Were there many line-up changes along the years? Are you guys friends outside the band, too, do you hang out, or the band is where you all get together?

The band has always been primarily myself and my writings. The guitarist Max would probably be the second highest ranking member in the band. He has contributed material to the band and is still part of the band. All the guys in the band, including myself, were and still are friends even before the band was founded.

We all go way back but the other guitarist doesn't really play with B&B anymore. He moved on to another band he founded called "Passion of Death" which I play in.

We also have another band with play in here and there.

The bass player ?e? has his own things going on. When he started with B&B he had never really played bass before. He was a very quick learner and fit right in. At the moment no one has been replaced but if any shows were to come up I'd probably have to find at least one other person to fill in on something. But myself and Max would be there for sure, I'd like to mention that I thought these were great questions and I appreciate anyone who took the time to read through it. Thanks.

April 2019

There’s not a particular concept that links all the tracks. So they are a little pieces of a living life. Few experiences that I wanted to write on a piece of paper, and put on the music. Well, the music I like, therefore metal music!

Your debut album, was released last year only, 20 years after the band's foundation. Why so late? Were you busy playing live a lot, or were there many line-up changes, or simply releasing an album just wasn't a priority for the band?

We were ready to released our first album years ago. But some unexpected have slowed down our plans. We’ve recorded this album twice, for some problems we had to rerecording it. We’ve changed our line up, and so we’ve recreated the sound we wanted.

Why have you chosen English as language for your lyrics right from the start?

Don't you think singing in Italian would have given you a better reach in front of your local audience? Or the aim was bigger that that from the start, reaching international fans, too?

Italian language is beautiful , but I think it is unsuitable. There’s many Italian bands that use Italian language (I think firstly InSiDia & Distruzione, over all), and they make a beautiful work. But I think this kind of music is perfect with English language. So the opportunity to reach people outside Italy is the added value.

And since we're here, tell us about the lyrics on this debut album. Is it only fun and party, or are there also serious topics you approached on it? Where does the album title come from, and why this title?

What is the feature you're most proud of in Nowhere's music? What sets you apart from bands other this playing music? Why you would listen to your music if you a weren't member of the band?

Simply because our is most beautiful music in the world!!!

Jokes apart. I think presently too there’s music, much

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Nowhere / Death Kommander and most of it is very good. To product a good music is simply than before. What’s less than before are the ideas. We try to put some genders in our music, some influences that each of us have inside.

Ok. Charley is a song dedicated to one of my favorite writer of all: Charles Bukowski. I use the word Ballad to point some particular of Charley’s life. It’s like a tale, in music.

Once is a song that talk about a life when you are a child, the opportunity, the fear and the hopes that everyone of us, on this earth put in the future. Will they comes real?

Where was the album recorded and how happy are you of the final result? You're both a vocalist and a guitarist, how do you think you did on this recording? It's almost a year since it was released, what happened in the meantime, how was the feedback to it?

We’ve recorded at our friends studio. He is a little producer, but he’s works are great.

We are very happy for the final result. It’s sound very old style, but with something new inside. The final mix is very good, and it’s very closer to te result we would reach.

In this year we have played around Italy, in some clubs. We wanted to go outside Italy, but some engagements of each of us have precluded it. So far… We’re going to create some new songs, and we are working to write some new stuff. Maybe for the next 10 years we can work on it!!!! XD You have a song called Charley's Ballad, but that's far from a ballad in the standard sense, yet a track like Once You Were a Child can be rightfully considered as a ballad, correct? I'm curious about the lyrics of both tracks, please tell us more.

You're not kids anymore, I guess you have kids of your own, right? So how supportive are your families for Nowhere, putting up with someone's passion/hobby for 2 decades isn't an easy task I'd say.

So we don’t have kids, some of us have a women, and families but we can keep our times for music. Certainly it’s difficult than years ago, the engagements hare so much, but we try to go on with our stuff…

Greetings from the Pub! features mostly old tracks, so have you already started working on a next album? Are there any new tracks? Will you follow the same direction or will there be any major changes in your music in the near future?

As I told you before, we are working on some new songs. I don’t know if we complete an album or a EP. We try to do the best we can. The first thing we want to do is play live. It’s the real way to bring the music to the people. And it’s the amusing thing of the music!

April 2019

New band, new demo, Death Kommander might seem all about the new, yet it when comes to music it's old-school Death

Metal, and when it comes to the line-up we're dealing with experienced musicians, am I right? What other bands have you played, or are you still playing in?

Kruxator: You are correct! All of us have at least one ongoing band or project. In the beginning, Ben and George were writing riffs and soon decided to add members to complete the line-up.

At that time, Mark and Kruxator have previously joined the ranks of George´s originally one-man-band "Demonic Obedience" and Matt has been the drummer of "Am Basteir", which Kruxator joined in the beginning of 2018. In 2018, the Edinburghian Metal scene has started to grow and multiple projects are currently under development - notably "Vötary" (Ben) and "Krux Aega" (Mark, Kruxator). Since Kruxator has relocated to Estonia, he has started another band with experienced musicians called "Ziegenhorn", which might release its first demo already in the course of this year.

Mentioning all bands is a bit complex if you want to put it down in words, so let´s give you an overview of the bands worth mentioning: Ben (Death Kommander, Vötary), George (Death Kommander, Demonic Obedience, As I Suffer Silently, ex-Deceptive Incarnation, ex-Return to Litany, ex-The Deepest), Matt (Death Kommander, Am Basteir, Ex-Monheim), Mark (Death Kommander, Demonic Obedience, Krux Aega), Kruxator (Death Kommander, Demonic Obedience, Am Basteir, Ziegenhorn, Krux Aega) Death Kommander was formed as a Bolt Thrower tribute band, but are we talking about covering their music, or just writing your compositions in their honor? Why Bolt Thrower, who came up with the idea?

Ben: The idea was never to play Bolt Thrower covers but rather to write music in the style we love so much.

Death Kommander was born when George and me wrote some Bolt Thrower inspired songs just for the fun of it.

We definitely don't make a secret of our inspiration! Our friends - all very talented musicians - liked the music and so we became a full band playing our first live gig soon after. It's fantastic to play the music you love with your friends. I think we are very lucky in this regard!

Like the Ukrainian band 1914 (the first that comes to mind) your lyrics seems to be centered on World War I topics exclusively, but is this the case only for your debut demo, or do you plan to keep writing about WWI for the future as well? Why this topic? Are your lyrics about real facts, or about fictional stories?

Kruxator: It amuses me that you bring up 1914, because I personally really love their latest album although some of their lyrics were point of few internal discussions.

We had the idea to create a split to honour the end of the first world war but unfortunately did not manage to because of the short time-frame. 1914 was one of the bands we were considering to invite for this idea, despite

their music being rather different. But let´s see what the future brings.

the creation of Ziegenhorn and Krux Aega, although they are musically extremely different in comparison to DK.

Tell us about Operation Eisenfaust, I've googled it but only found it as a Wolfenstein (game) episode. Is it based on that?

Ben: I love that you took the time to research Operation Eisenfaust! Funny that you are asking about this song as it is indeed the only song with lyrics not directly inspired by period ww1 texts like trench poetry or diaries. But you are right about your assumption. Our lyrics do currently center around WW1, but we might change things up when we feel like it. The horrors of the Great War are so many that we wont run out of topics to write about any time soon though.

I saw you also released a new track, Play of Death, is it a teaser for the full-length album? Will you release the album this year? Are there any more tracks already composed for it? Will you feature the demo tracks, too?

Kruxator: As mentioned earlier, there is a high possibility of including the demo tracks to the upcoming full-length. Play of Death indeed is a teaser and the only reason why it was posted was to commemorate 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. One more song has been recorded and 2 more are on their way. It will depend on the label question of when we will finally release the album. But from the looks of it might sadly take until 2020. On this occasion I would like to quote one label: "No fillers, only killers!". I can totally relate to that.

Nowadays bands tend to label their debut materials EPs or even full-lengths from the start, yet you went for the good old Demo, is there any special reason?

The production is excellent, organic and punchy as it should be for this type of music, where have you recorded it and how happy are you of how it turned out?

Kruxator: Actually, it was the easiest way to release something. Finding a label, negotiating deals etc. is quite time-consuming and we just wanted to release something.

For us it´s not the fame or money that counts but rather releasing something that you truly can call "your own".

For the upcoming album, we have surprisingly already received multiple requests from labels and will look into the option. But if, we would go for one of the mediumsmaller sized ones that are keeping the spirit of metal instead of those flooding the scene with yet more commercialized generic bands.

Talking about the production, we are more than happy with the sound (especially for a demo) and can account this mainly to the excellent ability of Ben, who happens to be very talented in mixing.

For the full-length we might record drums and vocals more professionally, but as we have only limited financial means, we just might continue that way.

Have you had any offers to release this demo in physical format yet? Or are you plan it to do it yourselves? How was the response so far?

Kruxator: We have first printed 50 and then re-printed 50 gate-fold CDs, which we mainly gave to friends or people we like, and used some for promotion.

Actually, one label was very eager to re-print the demo but it might happen that we will re-record the songs and use them on the full length, so we put that idea on-hold. I personally wouldn´t like having two different CD´s in my shelf with basically the same songs on them.

As a matter of fact, we were extremely surprised by the huge positive response despite having released only 15 minutes of material! I believe that one of the reasons behind that is that most people are fed up with the modern plastic metal that seems to focus more on the self-promotion of its members than on the music.

Therefore, the philosophy of Death Kommander can be summed up as a straight fist in your face, no compromise! Being fed up with all the plastic metal actually lead to

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How about live sessions, do you plan tours as well, beside the occasional gigs and festival appearances?

Have you thought of some special effects for live shows, or do you think music is enough to make yourselves noted?

Kruxator: Unfortunately, life has become a bit more challenging for us since Ben moved to Switzerland and I myself to Estonia. Luckily direct flights exist between those countries and Edinburgh, so we try to get together every quarter year or so. All of us are experienced musicians, which makes us quite efficient and even with the few rehearses we have it seems as if we have been playing on weekly basis. A bigger problem is the financial situation as we are no rich people and having 2 gigs abroad in a year is all we can financially afford. If we were not having Ben doing the mixing, the situation would be even more dire. Actually, on this occasion I want to hail all those buying our demo on bandcamp!

You guys are ace! Even though £3 does not seem to be much, we had already quite a few people (some even paying a higher amount) and that is really supporting us!

Because of the aforementioned, we could only afford playing in London (10th May) and Barther Metal Festival (16th August). If working jobs allow it, we might do a small tour either in the Baltics or Germany (or maybe even the UK?). We might however perform again in Edinburgh or Glasgow. Of course I am dreaming, but playing some day at Lords of the Lands, Kilkim Žaibu or Zobens un Lemess would be really cool.

Regarding our show, we are using samples between songs. No stupid "hello town, how are you" or "thank you" after each song - just atmosphere. Whoever feels offended by not using those terms can gently fuck off.

Using that approach might be different compared to other OldSchool or DM bands. I know 1914 are wearing costumes and the singer has an old rifle as mic stand.

That´s quite cool but outside our financial possibilities. Nah, let the music speak for itself and encourage the visitors to rather use their neck muscles in motion than getting a stiff neck by watching some boringly dressed clowns jumping weirdly around on stage.

April 2019

FaithXtractor Faithxtractor are a great old school death metal band

and here is a interview with main band member Ash. Have you lived in the Cincinnati, Ohio area all your life? How is it there these days? Is it a good metal scene with many clubs, fans, etc?

Yes, I’ve lived here my whole life. Things are fine here at the moment... still surprisingly cheaper in the cost of living department compared to other cities. The scene is decent these days. More good bands than say 7-10 years ago, which is nice. Definitely had some trying shit times in the late 90s through the early 2000s. Much better now.

So early on how did you discover the underground metal scene and what were some of the first bands you heard? Did you take right to this kind of music or did it take a few listens before you really got into it?

As far as the tape trading scene, that would have been early 1991. But I was already into Death Metal heavily by this point with bands like Autopsy, Death, Morbid Angel, Grave, Entombed, Carcass, Obituary, etc. First demo bands I got into thru fanzines were Phantasm, Morta Skuld, & Mortal Dread. Great stuff!! I got into Death Metal right away from when I heard it in I would say 89. There was no ‘learning to like or understand it’ for me. I always gravitated to the next extremity, & to me it was naturally progression from say Kreator & Sodom who I also loved.

Also in 2008, you 2 released a full length on Aphotic Records called “Razing The World of Myth”. Who put together the killer cover for this release? How come this didn’t come out on Hells Headbangers?

How was it working with Aphotic Records?

A friend of mine Tony Koehl did the cover art based off a detailed concept I came up with. He also did the Estuary “Craft of Contradiction” cover art a year or so earlier. He’s a real standup, good dude. I don’t think the guys at HHR even heard Faithxtractor until the split LP with Crucified Mortals. Even though both the 1st full length & the split came out in 2008 the album was finished by late spring of 2007. It just didn’t surface until about a year later. Aphotic Records was ran by the same people who ran Blood & Guts Records. B & G had released some The Vladimirs material, but wanted to do a more Metal devoted label as well, so they started Aphotic. I sent them the demo, & they offered to put it out. They were really cool about everything, but things just kind of ended for the label suddenly and it was dissolved. The only 2 releases they did were the Faithxtractor “Razing... ” & TME (A Swedish Thrash band) records.

How easy did the songs come together for this release?

What are your thoughts on this release these days and is it still for sale? Did you start to feel that the Faithxtractor sound was starting to come together?

“Razing... ” was very easy to write. The idea was to make simple, hateful, catchy Death Metal songs, & that’s what it is. A ton of D-beat & head bangage, that was the sound & that’s what it is. The only limitation was my drumming ability at the time. I did just fine for what is was, but I’m light years from this album as a drummer

Ash your 1st release you did everything yourself. Why was this? Looking back what are your thoughts on your 2006 demo? Can you listen to it these days?

My main band at this time that I played guitar for was Estuary. This band had a full line up, & was pretty active during 2003 to 2009. However, I had a desire play some really stripped down, no frills Death Metal. Estuary musically was/is more technical & musically involved with heavy Thrash leanings mixed with Death Metal. I always played drums on the side & in other bands as well as guitar, & it seemed logical & fun to just write some songs & knock it out.

Yeah, I can still jam it from time to time. The tunes are essentially just more raw versions of the 1st album tunes.

Before I go on, Ash your in several other bands, Shed the Skin, The Vladimirs, and Crucified Mortals. How in the hell do you find time to rotate all 4 bands????

Well, I just love to play, & it’s not like all these bands are rehearsing all the time weekly. The Vladimirs is on hiatus, Crucified Mortals is still just a studio only band, & for Shed the Skin we all do our homework on our own & just come together for gigs usually doing a quick rehearsal day of show. Haha.

In 2008 you released a split on Hells Headbangers with one of your other bands your in, Crucified Mortals. You also added another band member, Marquis Thomas. Where did you find him from and how did the songs for this split release come together and are you happy with this split release and is it still for sale these days?

Well, I wasn’t in Crucified Mortals at the time of the split LP. Just good friends with Craig ‘Reaper’ Horval.

He was really into the Faithxtractor demo, & actually just wanted to use those songs for the split. We did use those songs, but also wrote 2 exclusive tunes for the split LP for a total of 4 songs. As for Marquis, he’s my younger brother, so I’ve known him basically my whole life minus 2 years hahaha. I asked if he wanted to get involved with writing some songs for the full length, which he did. As for the 2 exclusive split LP songs, I wrote them, but he did do some vocals & instrumentation.

Finally in 2013 we got a new full length from the band called “The Great Shadow Infiltrator” on Deathgasm Records. How did you end up on Deathgasm Records?

How was it working with them and had your sound changed at all from 2008 till 2013?

Well, Evan is a long time friend, & he was into putting it out. Another good old time friend of mine, Billy Nocera, was originally going to put it out on Razorback Records.

This didn’t end up happening, because Billy wasn’t into the original cover art at all. It was too modern & computer generated for him. No worries... it didn’t affect our friendship at all. But being as I had the cover art, I still wanted to use it, I hit up Evan, & he was down with putting it out. As for the sound, I think the songwriting is stepped up from “Razing... ”. “Razing... ” has zero guitar solos, where “The Great Shadow Infiltrator” has a bunch.

I definitely progressed as a drummer, & was able to do some better blasting & double bass stuff. I also recorded the whole thing at my house, which was a personal achievement. I definitely was living in a bubble & didn’t have a ton of contact with people during this album’s recording. Weird times...

How did you come up with the title for your album and again who came up with the killer cover for this release?

The great shadow to me is the veil that enshrouds our human existence. The illusions, the bullshit lies, etc. So, “The Great Shadow Infiltrator” is the Faithxtractor.

Basically, it sees through all the falsehoods. The original cover art was done once again by Tony Koehl. Has a very sci-fi, modern look to it. A lot of people really dislike this cover, but I’m cool with it. I should’ve had him remove the shooting scientist, but it reminded me of the old “Smash TV” arcade game... hahaha . I did have Mark Riddick do an alternate version of the cover art, & it’s just more fitting for our sound. Although, they look different they still portray the same concept more or less. Tony’s is just more modern whereas Mark’s version kind has an ancient meets future look. That’s more on point with the band’s philosophy I would say.

The cassette version of “Great Shadow... ” has the Riddick art. The CD, Koehl’s art.

This release marked the final release with singer/guitar player Marquis Thomas. What happened between the 2 of you and was the parting away from you 2 on cool terms? I mean obviously it is your band so did you just kinda wanna go in a different direction of sorts?

Oh yeah, we’re brothers, so we’re good for life... haha. Basically, he didn’t want to be part of the live stuff, & that’s the road the band was going to be heading down. I totally understand all that on his part. Up to late 2013 the band was strictly a studio project band.

In 2015 we got a 2 song Ep from you. Who played on this independent release?

This EP has myself on drums/vocals, Zdenka Prado on bass, & Cody Knarr on guitar

now.

How did you come up with your band name and logo?

Were a bunch of other names thrown around?

I thought of the name while at work one day. Just running my printing press, & trying to come up with something that encompassed what the band was to be about. Basically a “fuck your beliefs” motif... whatever they are. Going with the X as opposed EX kind of revolved the logo. I was just fucking around with logo ideas & using the X simply looked better & more symmetrical. It’s funny these days... People seem to have a problem with the X. Are people more retarded now than they used to be? Or maybe they relate it the ‘straight edge’ scene?...Something I couldn’t care less about. Hahaha I like X’s in Metal band names... .

Silenxce, X-creta , plus it has a starring role in tic-tactoe... You happy now you fucking X!!??!!

It took 5 years before we heard some new music from the band why was this?

Ah man, life was just happening. I was taking care of my aging Grandparents, working a shit ton, & just not sitting down & jamming that much. It just kind of happened that way. We did do a 3 song promo in 2011, but didn’t distribute it widely at all. All those songs ended up on “The Great Shadow Infiltrator” anyway.

40

In 2016 Austenitized Records put this out as a limited 7”. Is this release still for sale or is it sold out?

The 7” version is still available. You can still get it through Luke at Austenitized & Hells Headbangers carries it still as well I believe. I also have some copies that we sell at gigs, etc. The original cassette version is sold out though.

Before the recording of the bands latest album, “Proverbial Lambs to the Ultimate Slaughter”, Ash you got 2 new members. First off, how did you find bass player Zdenka? Did you think of her right away as you played in one of her bands (Estuary)? And then how did you find guitar player Cody Knarr?

Zdenka has been in the band since we decided to go live with the band in 2013. Cody joined in 2014 after the drummer & other guitarist decided it wasn’t for them & left the band. Zdenka actually helped generate the idea of taking the Faithxtractor material live. Estuary had gone on hiatus, & we both just wanted to do something & play live. We met Cody here in Cincy through his old band Unkured. He was a cool kid, & into much of the same stuff we are into. Zdenka asked if he wanted to join, & he was into the idea.

FaithXtractor / Scyther You stopped playing guitar and are just playing drums and singing. Is it hard to sing and play drums?

Did you ever give the thought of having Zdenka sing at all as she has sang in the band Estuary in years past?

I started playing drums live out of necessity originally, because drummers are always the hardest to find. I do enjoy it though... love it actually. Surprisingly, for me, playing drums & doing vocals isn’t that difficult... I actually find playing guitar & doing vocals more challenging at times. For whatever reason, the body to action separation is easier when playing drums & doing vocals.

How soon when you got the 3 of you together did you start to put material together for your newest and killer release on Hells Headbangers called “Proverbial Lambs to the Ultimate Slaughter”? Did any of them 2 help with any of the music or lyrics at all?

I had been writing “Proverbial... ” during the first incarnation of the live band, so I had a lot of material already. Most of the music & all the lyrics are my creation, but Cody did write the riffs to “The Slaughter Ultimate” & came up with a ton of killer guitar solos.

Everyone’s input was invaluable, & helped shape the album.

Speaking of lyrics, what are some of the things that you write about and are lyrics easy for you to write? How about music is music easy to come by and how do you decide what is a Faithxtractor song and not a song from one of your other 3 bands?

Faithxtractor lyrics reflect my life philosophy, my outlook on the world, my thoughts of loss & death, & good chunk of them are based on conspiracy theories that interest me. Whether you’re in to that sort of thing or not is one thing... regardless... I find many of the concepts behind conspiracy theories very interesting & song worthy. Lyrics sometimes are easy, & sometime take a bit longer for inspiration. It’s just depends on how I’m feeling at the time. Riffs are always coming, just from sitting down & playing guitar. Faithxtractor is the main

I tracked everything here at the house, which is Frequenscream. The deal was we would handle the entire recording, & HH would handle all the layout & manufacturing costs. We had a local friend named Luke Sackenheim do all the mixing & mastering for the album & that was a great choice. He was able to get such a way better result than I could have achieved with this release.

It’s nice sometimes to have someone else’s input to get a different/better vibe. In the case of “Proverbial... ” it was huge!

For those who have never heard of the band, what would you say the band sounds like? Who came up with that killer cover for your new album?

The band’s sound is dark & haunting Death fucking Metal. The cover art for “Proverbial... ” was done by Mark Riddick & dates back to 2014. I had him work this up, so long ago & we just recently were able to use it. I love it. band I write for these days, so there’s no question of whether to use a riff or not for this band anymore. My role in the other bands I’m in is to do a good job with my instrument & help convey the ideas of the main writers in those bands.

So was it easy to hook back up with Hells Headbangers after the band being away from them so long?

Craig Horval helped a lot with that, & the solid release that was the “Total Death Illumination” EP also got the rest of guys at HHR into putting out the “Proverbial... ” record. I love the label. They are great people.

Ash, are Zdenka and Cody full time members of the band now? If not what do you consider them then?

Yes, they are definitely full time members.

You recorded this at your own studio, Frequenscream. Did Hells Headbangers give you a budget or did the recording come out of your pocket?

How long were you in the studio and did anybody else produce it or did you produce it yourselves?

Hi guys, last year was a pretty important year for the band as you released your debut material, the Blinded EP, and right after the debut album with the same name (why the same title?). But what did you before that, what was the band activity since your formation in 2013?

The main activity since we joined was to create our songs combining all the different music influences we have. At the same time we had some live gigs, playing covers and original songs. All the time we spent writing and playing new songs made us to grow both as band and as friends.

Has the band played live much and do you hope to do any type of touring behind this release? Have you ever had 2 of your bands play on the same show in one night?

Yeah, we’ve played a lot of gigs since 2013. Definitely hope to do some kind of touring for this album even if it’s just small runs. And yes, I’ve definitely played shows were 2 of the bands I’m in play the same night. I’ve done that quite a bit actually.

Ash, thanks for putting out your amazing latest release. Horns up for the chat and any last words, the floor is yours?

Thanks for the interview!!! And thanks for the kind words on the new album!! To everyone else, check out our newest album “Proverbial Lambs To The Ultimate Slaughter”. If you’re into total death, you won’t be disappointed.

ONLY RIFFS ARE REAL... .

Interview by Chris Forbes - November 2018

deal with.

You released it at Heart of Steel Records, but was it only a digital release? No physical? Is it fulfilling for a band to release their work in digital format only without the possibility to look at a physical result of its work?

We first released the Ep physically but you can buy it only at our live gigs for now. We still believe in the strength of physical support, to have it in your hand, looking at the graphics and reading the lyrics while you're listening to the songs.

Do you have the same line-up since the beginning? Who's part of the band at the moment and how did you get together at the beginning?

The line-up is not the same as when we started. Since the beginning we had a constant problem in finding a stable line-up. We had three different bass players and every time one left us we needed to start over again. It was quite annoying but we didn't quit. It all started from Samuele, Elia and Fanti. We were looking for a guitarist and we met Giovanni (Gio) through Facebook. Immediately he liked the project and was thrilled to be part of the band. When the umpteenth bass player left us we had the fortune to meet Mich, a young guitar paladin ready to join us in this journey. Samuele left his role as solo guitarist to Mich, and became the definitive bass player, so we arrive to the current line-up: Elia: Voice, Samuele: Bass guitar, Mich: Lead Guitar, Gio: Rhythm Guitar, Fanti: Drums.

You guys are pretty young, so I guess your audience is mostly young, at least at a local level. How do they react to an old-school music like yours? How come you've decided to go for this type of music?

Yes, we're young and our fans are mostly our age but we manage to make even the oldest ones move their heads. Blinded has an old school metal mood that pleases the older fans, but has a big impact to the younger too, maybe because it's hard to find it in our territory. So when they listen to us live, they're immediately caught by the groove and the power, and it's something we developed in all these years of playing together and working on the songs.

Actually this genre has come naturally by putting together all our different influences.

Some epic and power metal from Samuele and Elia, then some thrash and groove metal from Gio and Fanti. We've been mostly inspired by Metallica, Pantera, Anthrax, Lamb of God, etc... but everyone has his own bands of reference so we can mix and create something unique and powerful.

Please tell us about your debut album, where was it recorded, and how did it turn out in the end, are you satisfied of it?

What are your lyrics all about?

Blinded is our first EP and is made of the definitive versions of the first songs we wrote. These songs have been modified many times, along with our growth as band and as single musicians. The album was recorded at Shiintu Studio by Elia De Toni,a good friend of us. We are really satisfied of the result, better than we expected!

Lyrics are usually about living as a metalhead in modern society, where we often are seen as people who's better not to

This year will mark your first European tour dates, correct? What do you expect from this tour? Do you look forward mostly to having a good time, or mostly to present your music to as many people possible?

This was a big surprise and opportunity for us. We were very skeptical at first but we decided to take the opportunity and jump into this little adventure. We are curious to see how is the music scene outside of Italy and bring our music to new people.

You know, we imagine it as the journey we've always wanted to do, just like the big bands did in their first days. All together on the road, then playing and watch people having fun with us. We expect to have party everyday, especially with the new fans we're going to meet in this tour. All in the name of metal... and beer!

May 2019

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Magoth / Vomit Angel Magoth really Metal by

took the Black world

storm with the debut album Anti Terrestrial Black Metal What do you think released in 2017. was the key to success with this album?

So flat I can not answer that but I would say it was both the title and the artwork, which has aroused the interest of the listener and then the song material. Sometimes you are just lucky and in the right place at the right time.

Did this over-night success surprise you in any way, or were you expecting something similar to happen?

We were very surprised by the success. There are a lot of great bands out there and everyone wants to get a piece of the cake - just as I said: sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time. But maybe this assessment is too modest because I think that "Anti Terrestrial Black Metal" has very strong songs and is simply a round work.

How come Anti Terrestrial Black Metal was selfreleased, and even after its success you haven't signed with any label? Is it your choice, or was it because the right offer hasn't come yet?

In the beginning, it was actually the case that we deliberately released ourselves for the full control of our material and Magoth. However, it quickly became a burden, as the CDs and our merch had sold very well and we had to do all this besides our jobs. That's why we started to think about cooperating with a label. There have been quite a few inquiries and offers, but so far there was none, which has made us a good and fair offer.

The labels we've contacted ourselves do not seem to show interest (presumably because there were no answers) for whatever reason. This will certainly prove to be a mistake in the future, as there will be more albums to follow, with or without a label behind them.

The 3rd album is already in the demo phase.

The four wraiths seem to be a theme for your cover artworks, am I right? What's the idea behind this?

Will you keep using this theme for the future, too?

Who takes care of your artworks?

The four ghosts are our own alter egos and, together with the album covers, represent our journey towards omnipotent knowledge. With "Anti Terrestrial Black Metal" we set off, so it represents the departure, while

we at "Zeitgeist: Dystopia" have already discovered on the basis of the "Triconicus" that life and death are an eternal cycle that takes place both at the molecular level and on a grand scale and chaos between them. The artist for the artworks is Riaj Gragoth of Luciferium War Graphics.

Along the years you had plenty of line-up problems, how come? You have just announced a new line-up will be revealed soon; at the time this magazine is out the new members won't be a secret anymore, so care to share this info with us?

From this point of view, we did not have any line-up problems at all but it is also part of a band's career to find the right members, and it can happen that a member proves to be incompatible over time. Finally, there was a big break, but it was necessary to keep Magoth fresh and alive, because over time insurmountable conflicts have arisen that have cost too much energy. But due too recent circumstances there's still a permanent drummer to be found so it wouldn't make any sense to reveal a new lineup when it's not complete yet.

Zeitgeist : Dystopia, your second album, hasn't reached that buzz yet like the previous material did, why do you think is that? What's different on this new album compared to your debut?

"Zeitgeist: Dystopia" is an album that requires a lot of attention from the listener over an hour and is not easy to digest because it is a concept album and tells a story. It is not only that the lyrics tell a circular story, but also the artwork contributes a large part of it. Who owns the CD should look at the artwork and the booklet again, because there are some messages hidden.

What about the lyrical side of it, how are the themes different on Zeitgeist then on Anti Terrestrial? How important are your lyrics among the whole material, I mean should a listener also read your lyrics while listening to your music? Why? The lyrics on "Anti Terrestrial Black Metal" were all about topics that have personally accompanied my entire life ... be it depression, melancholy, thoughts of death or simply nihilistic thoughts. "Zeitgeist: Dystopia", on the other hand, deals with relativizing existence in itself by describing everything as an endless cycle of life and death and basically repeating everything. So if you want to get to know me, if the lyrics of "Anti Terrestrial Black Metal" are the means of choice, but you want to deal with the existence and its meaninglessness, the lyrics of "Zeitgeist: Dystopia" are far better suited for it.

You guys are former founding members of Sadogoat / Sadomator, do you think that creates more pressure on Vomit Angel? I mean probably Sodomator fans are expecting something similar, yet you take things into a more Grind direction. By the way, how would you describe your music?

Necrodevil: In my experience Vomit Angel is not suffering at all. It seems like most people who liked Sadomator also like Vomit Angel and also people who didn't like Sadomator likes Vomit Angel.

I would describe our music as Sado Grind Metal, a mix between grindcore and death metal. Minimal song structure, short songs, great riffs...

Lord Titan: It hasn’t created any pressure. When Vomit Angel was created it was just to make simple, rough songs.

Is Sadogoat still alive? Can we consider Vomit Angel like a continuation of Sadogoat, or you totally dismiss this?

Necrodevil: Sadogoat is not alive, but we do play a few Sadogoat songs with Vomit Angel though. We have chosen a few of the old songs that we saw fit with our new style. Some songs fit in perfectly, others would be too far from what we do now. I don't feel Vomit Angel is a continuation of Sadogoat. We are the same band members, but even with some similarities in the music I really feel Vomit Angel is far from the Sadogoat, which we started more than 20 years ago now. If I felt we were doing the same, as back in the days, we would just have called ourselves Sadogoat again.

Lord Titan: Sadogoat stopped in around 2002, and no new material will be made.

Your debut EP, Sadomatic Evil, was released on a few different labels in tape, CD and vinyl formats, all in very limited quantities, is that something you aimed for,

You've taken full advantage of the digital World we live in nowadays, correct? I mean your band reached it's popularity mostly through the internet. Do you think there is still need for physical media like CDs, vinyl, or cassettes, or will they slowly disappear?

I think social media is not just since YouTube and Facebook a very good way for bands to attract attention in the world. I remember well times when there was Myspace, but I've just heard the days of tape tracking word of mouth was the Internet of today. In principle, one could speak of word of mouth 2.0 today. Since we sell a lot of CDs, vinyls, etc., I think that digital media have far less bad effects than the CD industry wants us to believe. The market is still there and we can not complain.

Germany has one of the biggest Metal scenes, do you feel it's easier or harder for a young band to make itself a name now compared to when you first started playing Metal? What's Magoth's main goal?

I can remember that a few months ago I had a very heated discussion about the German metal scene and how much it pisses me off. Yes, we have a lot of very good acts but the jealousy and resentment among each other is really brutal and at the same time extremely exhausting. We too have been attacked many times or many things have been told behind our back just to defame us. Because our metal scene is so huge and diverse, the mirror of society returns to us, revealing the worst aspects of each and destroying all idealism. That's why it's hard for a band to make their voice heard, and one of the main reasons why we draw attention less through word of mouth than through presence in social media, and above all through good and mature song material and engaging artworks and not giving a shit about others.

May 2019

or it just happened? Can you say at the moment you're signed to a label, or you're working independently accepting deals from whoever makes the best offer?

Necrodevil: We try to work with people we like and it has been deliberate that we had many small labels release our EP. That way it would be spread more, as distribution contacts, for each label, differs a lot. We also made the release both in Europe and USA, so people could buy locally and save money on postage.

We are currently signed with Iron Bonehead, but it is just a verbal agreement on a release to release basis. If Iron Bonehead wants us we are happy. At the same time I.B. Let's us do things on different other labels too, so we have worked with Headsplit Records, Ancient Darkness Productions, Deadbangers Records, Silver Key Records and more if we count merchandising too, and we have an upcoming EP on Blasphemous Art Records.

You announced your debut full-length from last year already, but it's not out yet, why is that? What should we expect from it and do you have any plans on releasing it this year?

Necrodevil: It is recorded, mixed, mastered and at the press as we speak. It will be a blast of an album. Everything has improved since the EP. Songwriting has improved, musicianship of both of us has improved, production has been improved. Best thing I have been involved in so far.

Lord Titan: Expect a crude, raw album.

On the other hand a split with US based Satanik Goat Ritual is soon to hit the streets, what will your part feature? Are your tracks exclusives for this release, or retakes?

Necrodevil: Our side consist of 3 tracks, 1 is a brand new song called Retard, which is exclusive for this release, 2 is a retake of Time of the Moon with the Lena Katina lyrics, 3 is a Puke Bath cover.

Lord Titan: No comments.

Iron Bonehead markets your EP with the "No hope, no fun, no sobriety" moniker.

I could agree with the first and the last, but no fun seems to be quite off topic

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Vomit Angel / Bloody Invasion and for the split EP with Satanik Goat Ritual. Sod Corpse put the bass on the EP tracks and a few guest appearances to the full length. Peter Hugorm recorded most of the bass for the full length and some lead guitar.

Most important features would be a that it is someone we like enough to work with and that he wants to play live and play bass solos.

Lord Titan: The new bassist needs a bass and pedal, and that’s that. NO retards though.

Talking about live shows, how's Denmark for a band like yours, are you too extreme for the fans over there? Have you played abroad, too, or do you plan to? I guess playing in South America would be a dream come true for Vomit Angel giving the fact this type of music has such a solid following in those lands, correct?

What bands would you love to share the stage with?

Necrodevil: So far we only played a single live show. We have had a bit of slow start on that part. But this year we are playing Heavy Agger Festival and at least one more show in support of the LP release.

Lord Titan: We are going to play a few concerts this year, but I think the biggest problem is to find the time. I think it would be great to play in the South America, but no one has asked us, so I don’t think that’ll ever happen.

looking at your Facebook page, but I guess they refer strictly to the music itself. So do you keep fun for when off stage / studio, and war when on live shows / recording?

Necrodevil: I don't really know what Iron Bonehead mean, but to me I consider it to mean that we are not a ”fun” band, not a joke band. But I always feel that you can mix humor and seriousness too, it doesn't have to be 100% this or 100% that. But since the EP our image and lyrics has totally taken a more humorous direction, but it doesn't mean we are not serious about the music and what we do. I blame it on the grindcore influences.

Lord Titan: 100% serious.

Bass player Sod Corpse will leave (or has already left?) the band this year, do you plan on replacing him? I'm curious what a new bassist needs in order to join the band, what the main feature he must have?

Necrodevil: Sod Corpse did already leave. He is replaced by Peter Hugorm (Würm's Tongue/Pustulation). When we were in the studio we recorded tracks for the full lenght

I guess you enjoy mostly traditional formats like vinyl or tape, but I'm curious to hear your opinion on digital as well, can it be helpful for a band like Vomit Angel?

Do you use digital streaming platforms to spread your music? Will physical formats die eventually, like in fanzines' case where only a very few are still alive?

Necrodevil: I prefer physical formats to listen to my music, but I find more and more often that I go to the internet, to check out something before buying. We use youtube to put out live clips and other crazy stuff. I also prefer zines to be physical, it more often makes me explore new bands through reviews and interviews, but online I mostly just look at the band I came to read about and then leave the site again.

Looking back at your experience with Sadogoat / Sadomator, what would you work on more, and what would you avoid further with Vomit Angel? Or better said, what have you learnt from those years?

Necrodevil: I don't know. I guess I've learnt nothing really. Since I am still doing the same shit and making absolutely no money from it. Hah. Lord Titan: Play more, practice more.

May 2019

be your biggest tour so far, or did you have some other biger moments like that?

Yes, this will be our first tour, we are looking forward to it, until now we only had club and festival performances.

Will this tour be in support of your debut album, or will you present more new tracks? By the way, have you begun to work on the second album since it's been a year since Zombie Society's out?

Can you disclose some information about your new stuff?

So first and foremost we want to promote our current album, but we already started to write new songs, 4 tracks are already finished, more in progress. We will see which songs finally end up in the live set.

Hello Atzek! Bloody Invasion has been around since 2012, a pretty long way to the year 2018, when you released your debut album, Zombie Society. Why did it take so long? Were you more focused on your live activity, or was it the setup problems you encountered in the meantime?

First of all Hello! And thanks for the invitation that we are allowed to have this interview together.

So we founded ourselves in July 2012 Christian and myself, we just wanted to do one project and bring our ideas together. In 2014 we released our eponymous EP "Bloody Invasion" on an Italian label "Worme Hole Death Rec.". We spent about two years doing it live before we started to work on new songs. Unfortunately, there were always lineup changes and we had to incorporate new musicians again and again, which took a lot of time. Since 2017 everything is stable. We spent a year recording, Mix, Mastering and Artwok all on our own for our debut album and so time goes by. ;) Your Bio (which, by the way, needs an update) Nominations Zombie Society released in the summer of 2018 by Bret Hart Records, but it was in fact Kernkraftritter records what happened there? Please give us a little bit about this label, Kernkraftritter

Records active since 2005, but it's the first time I hear about it. How come you stop signing up with them?

So I've just updated the Bio (Thanks for pointing out) In early 2017 we signed a record deal with Bret Hard Rec for our debut, but by the end of 2018 when we wanted to release the label went bankrupt and we had to look for something new , Kernkraftritter Rec. Helped us to release our album Digital World in January 2019 and we signed a new record deal with 7Hard Rec to release our album as Digi Pack CD and on vinyl.

When talking about your album lyrics, are they exclussively dealing with zombies and fictional stories, or is that actually a metaphor for some social issues you're talking about? Why choose to sing in English when many other German bands sing in their native language?

Yes, our texts are all socially critical but they are packed in our zombie theme. You should look behind you and look at the current events.

Why to sing in English is easy, so you can reach more fans internationally.

I've seen you scheduled for some shows with Gruesome in the Czech Republic this summer. Will it

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The German metal scene is probably the most active and thriving in the world, but is that making it easier or harder for an underground band like yours to make a name for yourself? Do you think you got a good exposure for your debut album, or it may have been much better?

By the way, how are the reactions of fans and press?

So our scene is big and there are just too many bands (even bad ones) and that's why it's hard to get by.

But we have a good concept and we play a lot of live and we enjoy what we do and reward the fans.

Old School Death Metal revival is in vogue right now, there are a ton of such bands our diving everywhere, if you think you'll end this and what impact does such a way on a band like Bloody Invasion have likely (hopefully) Death Metal continues to come after the way? How would you convince a Death Metal fan to give your band a chance, what is your best asset as a band?

We do not play pure old school death metal, we've tried from the beginning to combine modern elements with old school elements and to find our own Bloody Invasion sound and refine it more and more, so we always keep up with the times and it never gets boring.

So everyone has a good time and never forget ... Metal will never Die! Greetings Atzek of Bloody Invasion April 2019

Aftermath important beyond a way for a label to hear your music.

Instead, demos could reach thousands of fans just like a real release.

So, was there chemistry early on with some or all of So, we wanted to record right away, which we wouldn’t the band members and what were the early practices have done if it wasn’t for the zines and traders. We formed on October 31, 1985 and recorded our first demo like?

There was chemistry day one with Steve, Ray and me. in 1986. It was a simple four song live recording - like if The same chemistry we have today among the three of us. it was recorded in 1960s. It was a great first experience It felt totally natural for us from the first rehearsal. Our in the studio and aggravating at the same time. We first bass player Adam was a skinhead. He had the look wanted to sound pro, but it didn’t come out the way we and played that way also. What I mean is he had the wanted it to. I think we only made 100 copies and never punk vibe and playing ability. Therefore, in the early really sent it out back then. In 1987, we recorded Killing days he fit in because our style was way more basic – we the Future at Solid Sound Studios on 24 tracks and got started out as a crossover band and the four of us worked the sound we wanted. The production sounded like a well together. Rehearsals were a party back then, we real record not just a demo. usually rehearsed only once a week. There was a lot of The scene was so big that demos allowed the band to get drinking and smoking weed and really loud music. As fans around the world. All because people like you Chris the band progressed, we added John Lovette first on bass, that supported bands with zines not to make money, but then on as a guitarist. He wasn’t a bass player, but we to share great music. (you got that right-Chris) thought he was. That’s a different story for later. We have gone through a lot of bass players. Chris Waldron Thank you. Now moving past the 1st demo then, your played in the band longest and played bass on the Eyes 2nd demo, what were the reviews like back then and of Tomorrow record. We added George Lagis on bass, what were the live shows like for the band? and he is on the new record. We went back to a four- When we wrote Killing, we wanted to be the fastest band piece on this record and the vibe today as a four-piece is ever. I think we achieved our goal on it. The response great. Like the old days. Less of a party at rehearsal this was instant. People loved it from the beginning. Two tracks were selected by Bernardo Doe at Metal Forces to time around. But still smoking. be included on their compilation “Scream Your Brains So how early on did the band start to write original Out”. That was their first and only comp. It was so cool songs and what do you remember about this time to be picked to be one of only 5 bands from all over the world. Think about it, MF was huge at that time and period?

We started out writing our own songs. At first, Steve they got thousands of demos to pick from and they pick and I wrote our earliest material on my old acoustic two tracks from Killing - that really says something guitar. Those songs came easy. All I remember is that about how good that demo was. Other major zines at the we wanted to write the fastest songs ever. Our entire time raved about it also. The buzz it created led to some goal was to be faster than any other band. But we still label offers as well. The live shows were intense. The wanted it to be comprehensible. The early material was music was meant to get the crowd going and for the pits really catchy and straightforward compared to what we to be extreme. The energy from the shows was amazing.

The pits were violent. started writing later on.

We would write the song and play it for Ray at rehearsal.

He added the drums; he is such a great drummer and a I remember that comp release. Now did that lead to great writer. I call him a writer because his beats are so record interest at the time?

The comp led to a lot of attention from fans and labels. important to the sound of the band.

We got a lot of offers around that comp and demo release.

To backtrack a bit, how did you discover the whole We turned down all of them. When you are that young underground scene and back then was there many and get an offer you either jump at the first one or reject stores that stocked underground metal? How about them waiting for the better deal. We decided to wait. clubs, did most touring bands play Chicago back then?

Back then, it all started with Venom. I remember How long did it take to gather material for the hearing Venom and thinking what the fuck is this? Word “Words That Echo Fear” demo? What was the of mouth was the key. Then tape trading was the rage. morale of the band like then?

Zines were important in getting the word out. We had After we recorded Killing, we added John Lovette. We some great record stores back in the day. We also had a were changing as a band around that time and John’s few really cool clubs that supported underground bands. writing was completely different from Killing. He had The scene was amazing - new and totally creative. these amazing heavy riffs. He was dark and technical as Chicago is a huge metal market - every band toured here. a writer. The Words demo was a reflection of the changing style because of John’s writing, but also Those early days were the best. because we all wanted to slow it down and write slower, The band was familiar with the whole fanzine and darker and heavier songs. The crossover material was tape trading thing. How soon in did you as a band gone.

We had a lot of material for the Words demo, selecting decide to go in the studio to do a demo?

We were really into zines and tape trading even before the four songs was the hard part. We were excited at that the band formed. In a way, zines and trading made time about the songs we were writing. In the studio, we bands want to record a demo because we felt that we were blown away when those songs were being played could get it out to the fans. Without the zines and traders back over the studio speakers. The middle section of there would be way fewer bands recording demos Words that Echo Fear sounded epic. We couldn’t wait to because what would be the point if no one would hear release that demo. them. Demos were made to get record deals before the We were on the forefront of the technical/progressive thrash scene. With the birth of the thrash demos became thrash sound with that demo. and phrasing. (I assume he means David Lee Roth from Van Halen-cf).

Aftermath is an excellent 80’s thrash band that recently got back together with the original line up and recently released a brand-new concept album.

Here is an interview I did recently with singer Kyriakos “Charlie” Tsiolis.

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

I was born in Greece and then within 11 months of my birth, we moved to Chicago. I grew up and still live here.

What sort of kid were you growing up? Was your family a big family?

I don’t know what to say or how to answer this. I was a kid that never took shit from anyone. I remember hating school, going to sleep early, being told what to do – the list goes on and on. I got into a lot of fights when I was young – usually defending someone else. There was this kid named Freddy in grade school that was the school bully. He said something to me one day in class, I got so angry, I just punched him in the chest as hard as I could – he fell off his chair. He never tried that shit with me again. We actually became friends after that. I remember driving my parents crazy. I was always in some kind of trouble. At the age of 10 we derailed a train one time that was probably the worst thing I did. The stories can go on for days. But I also discovered music pretty early and knew what I wanted to do at a young age.

My immediate family was my parents and my brother.

Almost all my uncles and aunts and first cousins live in Greece. I have an uncle and two first cousins who live in New York City.

Were you big time into music say in your teenage years and if so, what bands did you get into.

Yeah big time into music is putting it mildly. I was obsessed, it was like nothing else matters and it started with Kiss at the ripe ole age of 7. The teen years were even more intense and the music I got into kept getting heavier and heavier. By the mid-80s I went completely underground and hated anything that was mainstream.

Like I said Kiss got the ball rolling, but then I discovered Van Halen. In the early 80s it was the NWOBHM, Motörhead etc.

Was there a healthy metal scene in Chicago? What stores stocked metal back then?

Chicago had a great metal scene back then. There were so many great bands playing their own style. None of us sounded the same. That made our scene unique - there was no CHICAGO sound.

We had great independent record stores. My favorite is still around - Rolling Stone was a great record store.

Glad it’s still around. Hopefully it won’t fall victim to what has happened to so many others.

When did you get the itch to join or to form a band?

I “got the itch” at around 7 years old. Like I said it all started with Kiss. Most kids that got into Kiss wanted to become rock stars. When I got a little older, it wasn’t about being a rock star. I wanted to be in a band not just hey I want to be famous. It was about being part of a great band. When I got into heavier bands, I went from wanting to be a guitarist to being a vocalist. I didn’ t have the patience be a guitarist.

Was the plan back then to spread this demo through the underground and get a record deal or did you still wish to wait before doing that?

The plan was to release the demo to the underground and build the buzz that would lead to the right record deal.

We had lots of offers like I said during the Killing days and we were still getting offers and interest while recording Words. We felt that Words would get the right deal on the right label. But we didn’t shop it to labels right away, we let the underground buzz grow. Then the labels noticed.

Did you ever take any singing lessons?

No, never took lessons.

How would you rate yourself as a singer and who are your favorite singers?

This is a very unique question. For me, my vocals and lyrics are like my hand, a tool to spread the truth. I never thought of rating it from a singing point of view. So rating my own voice is hard to do, especially when I don’t view it on a rating system. Freddie Mercury (Queen) is the greatest but I’ d never want to have sing like him.

Freddie is a favorite as is Tom Araya.

DLR is up there because of his tone

Before we go any further, please tell the story of how band member John Lovette joined as it’s kinda funny.

You can’t write this kind of stuff because no one would believe it. We

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Aftermath got rid of Adam after Killing. The band was writing more complicated material and Adam couldn’t keep up.

So, we started a search for a bass player.

We got the word out and a few dudes came by to tryout. A friend of Steve’s brought John down to the basement.

John plugs in and it was nuts. He was the fastest bass player ever. He played the bass like a guitar. I mean I never heard anyone play like that before.

So, we got the perfect technical bass player at least we thought we did. Our new bass player John Lazette. A few months went by and John said guys I’m moving to California.

We were shocked. At this point, we were a fourpiece. Looking for a second guitarist.

John knew we were looking to make the band a five-piece. He never said anything about being a guitar player during this search. I mean he never mentioned it. Instead, he says I’m moving. During that meeting, he said he was a guitarist and since we were looking for a second guitarist, it was time for him to leave. We flipped out. We said, dude what the fuck are you saying? You are really a guitar player and you have been playing bass never saying anything about not being a bass player?

He said when we were looking for a bass player, he wanted to be in the band, so he never said anything after he got the gig. We were blown away by this, I think anyone would be. The guy knew we wanted a guitarist and never bothered to say hey I’ll switch to what I really play. It explained why he played the bass the way he did.

He played it like he was playing guitar. All technical no feel or groove. We said John play guitar and we can find a new bass player. He said cool I’ll stay and by the way, my last name is Lovette not Lazette. So, about a year into the band we find out our bass player John Lazette was really a guitar player named John Lovette. Is that crazy?

Big time. Now you signed onto Roadracer who approached you for a demo deal that resulted in a live 4 track demo. Tell me a bit about all this.

We got a demo deal with Roadrunner. We went into a studio to record the demo quickly. That demo unlike the others was meant only for the label. That deal didn’t work out. Not really sure what happened with that, but someone at Roadrunner gave the demo to the owner of Big Chief Records. He loved it and offered the band a deal. Which we signed.

We never shopped it to any label. We decided that we would control it. We waited for years for the right deal and it was gone. We felt like fuck labels - we will release it on our own on our own terms. We did a pressing and distribution deal after the first pressing with Feedback Distribution and their in-house label Thermometer Sound Source to get it in stores. They also went bankrupt. We have reissued that record with Black Lotus Records in Greece in 1998.

Area Death Productions in China as part of the 25 Years of Chaos box set in 2010. Shadow Kingdom Records in 2015 reissued it on CD in partnership with Zoid Entertainment (our label). It’s my favorite version - remastered by Pail Logus and with an expanded booklet and we added the logo to the cover not block letters. It’s great. I think it’s the most reissued record in the history of music.

Before we go further what is the whole issue with you guys and Interscope Records and Dr. Dre over the ownership of the name at the time?

It’s a story I hate talking about because it still gets me angry. But I know it’s part of the band’s history and that it is unique. To understand the story and timeline I need to start in the beginning, I guess.

We decided to a get a state and federal trademark for name the

Did they give you a budget?

How many records was the deal for?

Big Chief was a new label that had major label distribution through WEA - Warners/ Elektra and Atlantic. The owner of the label was a rich kid whose dad was financing the label. I think his dad was a NY real estate developer. We got a two-album deal if I remember correctly. The budget to record was like $10k. Which wasn’t bad for an indie label back then.

The major label distribution is what sold us on the deal. We thought with a new label and WEA distribution that this was the right deal to sign.

Then all the problems began, and the label eventually folded while you were still recording it. It took 4 years to see the light of day am I correct? Why didn’t some other indie label pick you up?

Yeah, we start recording the record and we were half way done with it or something like that. The studio had received something like 25 to 50 percent of the cost by that point. Then we hear the label went bankrupt. What really happened is that the owner was overspending, and his father decided to pull the plug.

He wasn’t overspending on the bands - more like the office and shit like that. So, we are now stuck without any money and we need to convince the studio to let us finish the record.

They go along with us finishing the album but refused to give us the masters until they were totally paid. It was like 5k we still owed. Doesn’t seem like it was a lot of money now, but it was for us back then. It took years to pay it off.

Aftermath. Back then, no one did that.

Bands didn’t bother getting trademarks or didn’t have the money to do it.

Our lawyer at the time suggested we trademark it. It cost something like a grand to get it done. I remember thinking this was worth the money to protect us. Man, I was wrong. We got it sometime in the late 1980s. In 1996, I get a call from a lawyer named Pete Paterno. He said he wanted to license the name for his client a small R&B label. The story made no sense right from the start.

Paterno was Metallica and GnR’s (Guns n Roses-Chris) lawyer. He had no small clients. He lied. His client was Dr. Dre and the small label was Aftermath Entertainment.

We told him we weren’t interested in granting a license.

We uncovered the truth about who his client was and decided to sue them for a TRO and permanent injunction.

We figure the law would protect us. We have a damn trademark that we paid for just for this reason we figured it was a guaranteed. The hearing lasted 3 days and the

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judge decided to not grant the injunction. He said we could go to trial.

The trial required we post a bond that we couldn’t afford and legal bills we couldn’t pay.

Instead, my brother worked out a deal. We wouldn’t continue with the lawsuit (which we convinced them we would) and Interscope would give us a record deal.

They thought we wanted a deal to release an Aftermath record. Instead, we gave them a record under the name Mother God Moviestar. They freaked when they got it.

They didn’t understand why we didn’t record a follow up to Eyes of Tomorrow. They couldn’t comprehend we did it on principle.

That case made me feel that the judges and the system are rigged. There was no way we should have lost that injunction.

What the fuck is a trademark worth if it doesn’t protect you? It’s bullshit.

That case is taught in law schools and they agree with us.

Yes, that sucks. So, you finally released your album, Eyes of Tomorrow” on Zoid Recording. Now the thrash scene had changed by 1994. Gone was the speed and intensity of most thrash bands, replaced with groove and much more commercial oriented music. So how was your release received back then?

Chris, this question sums up part of the problem with the date of the release. Not only was thrash changing, but it was dead also in a way. Some bands released great records, but the golden era was gone by 1994. Some blame grunge, that’s part of the problem and the other part has nothing to do with grunge but with what you said. A lot of the bands had written their great records years before that and by 94, they were losing what made them great. The other problem was that we wrote a record between 1988 and 1990 that was a trailblazing technical/progressive thrash record and by the time it was released other bands had put out technical thrash records. What I am saying is that instead of it being considered by some as a pioneering record, some have compared us to Coroner or other bands.

When in reality we weren’t influenced by any of them.

Were sales of your release any good? How about reviews and live shows?

The sales of Eyes of Tomorrow were good considering when it was released and how it was released. We put it out on our own initially with no radio promotion or marketing behind it. We didn’t even have a tour to support the release. It was all based on word of mouth and the band’s fan base that we had established. When we partnered with Feedback to distribute the record, we got it in stores and some marketing through them.

But, nothing like you would want for a debut. It kept on selling with the reissue on Black Lotus in 1998. The reissue in 2015 was a limited run on Shadow Kingdom for CDs - I think that pressing sold out.

We still sell a good number through downloads on Apple Music, Amazon, etc.

That record would have done really well if it came out in 1989 with real label support and a tour behind it. The reason it has continued to sell is because the writers have praised it from the beginning. It is so cool to see it on top ten lists despite the limited copies that are out there.

How was the morale of the band during this time period and did anyone leave or did you keep the same line-up?

You know I think we were pissed more than anything.

The whole thing sucked. We get this deal that we thought was the one that would be the right fit. A label that loved the band with real distribution and out of nowhere they are gone. Taking four years to pay off the studio caused some stress. But we all knew the record was great and we needed to get it released. So that kept us going. The five of us that recorded the record Eyes were around until after the release. We broke up in 1996, so we stuck it out.

Aftermath Before you broke you did a demo in 96. What was the musical style on it, and did you get any label interest from it?

After we released Eyes, we record that four-song demo in 96, but never shopped it. We cranked it out quickly.

The music was extremely progressive & somewhat technical even beyond Eyes. After all, it was 8 years after we started writing the Eyes record, so the songs on the 96 demo naturally were different. This band went from a crossover band to a technical/progressive one pretty quickly when you think about it. It wouldn’t be like us to repeat the Eyes record. We never shopped it because the whole Dr. Dre lawsuit came at that time and we never got around to shopping it.

So now, we come to the name change. How did you come up with it and for those who don’t know what style of music was it?

Like I said earlier the deal was for Aftermath on Interscope, but we gave them a Mother God Moviestar record. The name was long and completely different and a name no one would ever use. I was sick of the confusion with the name Aftermath. There have been a lot of bands that tried to use Aftermath as a band name.

Even today, you see new bands using it all over the world, most are metal. I don't fucking get it; don't they use Google? Why the fuck would you want to start out using someone else's name. So, Mother God Moviestar I was sure no one would ever use it, because I made it up.

I gave it a meaning - like a hidden message - Chris you need to figure it out. The music was heavy but not thrash. It was progressive and different from anything we did before. We added a girl to for backing vocals a dj and we remixed our own songs on the same record.

It was a combination of electronica and metal - that would be the best description.

How was this release received? You were around with that band for 3 years what led to the breakup of that band?

We wrote this really out there record.

It really didn’t fit into any genre or category really. But we wrote a record we wanted to write and made a major label release it.

Ultimate creative control - how many bands can say that with major labels? We did one tour with the Genitorturers. Not the greatest match from a style perspective, but it was like 25 cities which was a great experience. We shot our first video ever - for a track called Subway. That was cool also. After we got home from the tour, we all kinda felt that it was time to end it. We weren’t going to write another MGMS record and we weren’t about to reform Aftermath. The time was right to end it.

What did you do after the band ended?

A few years went by where I did nothing in music except for the Black Lotus Records reissue of Eyes in 1998.

Then in early 2000 or so, John Lovette was working at Guitar Center with this dude Kevin Cherrello. They wanted to form a band and wanted me to sing. I wasn’t into doing it. But I went by to check out what they were playing. The music was nothing like Aftermath or MGMS. Kevin had written all these songs that were super catchy way more commercial or accessible than anything I had ever been involved in. But it was great.

Kevin and I shared vocal duties. He wasn’t a metal fan, which made the music standout from other bands. The first 3 song demo led to a ton of major label interest.

Matt Walker from the Smashing Pumpkins, Filter and Garbage played drums on it. Those three tracks were great. We later recorded another bunch of songs. At that point, Joe Nunez (Soulfly) was playing drums in the band. We almost got signed by Matt Pinfield to Columbia. Bad timing I guess because Matt was let go by the label before we could sign the deal. Eventually, we released a vinyl on Floga Records.

The band was called Stripping the Pistol.

Is that band still around?

No, it’s not. We do have a Facebook page and it’s kinda wild how many requests we get for a reunion.

Tell me how Aftermath got back together and how many are from the former line-up?

In 2010, we released 25 Years of Chaos a box set on Area Death Production (China). As part of the release, we spent a ton of time putting together the DVD. We also did an interview on the DVD. We talked about getting back together at that time, but we hadn’t talked to Steve in years. Four years go by and we got an offer to play Headbangers Open Air in Germany and one to do Ragnorakorr in Chicago. We were reissuing Killing the Future on Divebomb and Eyes of Tomorrow on Shadow Kingdom at that time. While working on Killing, I finally listened to that demo for the first time since it came out basically. I fell in love with those songs. The offers to play those fests were cool and especially with the 2 reissues that were coming out. I talked about it with my brother Peter who manages us, and we thought it would be the perfect time to get back together to do the shows, release the records and have some fun. No pressure. We weren’t thinking about writing a new album, it was a chance to play a gig in Germany. What a way to spend a weekend right?

We knew John would say yes. We called Ray and he was in. We got a hold of Steve and he said yes - we weren’t sure what he would say. But he was excited about it. Chris Waldron who played bass on Eyes wasn’t into playing music. So, we figured we should call Adam - our first bass player. He played on Killing and we planned on playing those songs for the first time since 1987. He was in. We got back together as a five-piece.

The original four members and John Lovette who joined the band after Killing but was on the Words demo and Eyes record.

We rehearsed for several weeks and realized Adam couldn’t do the Eyes material.

We needed

someone that could play all the material. We brought in Eric Alvarez on bass. And we did our first reunion show.

But before Germany, John had some personal issues and left the band. We went to Germany as a four-piece. It felt great being a four-piece again like in the beginning plus as a four-piece we had a different vibe live.

We decided to write one new track. It felt so natural, we kept writing.

Eric moved to Vegas and wanted to stay in the band. He wanted to be on the record, but that couldn’t work. We added George Lagis on bass. He is on the new record.

It’s a great fit and he does backup vocals along with Steve. We never had backup vocals like this before it adds a different dimension.

We have returned to the original lineup from 1985. The three of us Steve, Ray and I started Aftermath on October 31, 1985. We are all back and we added George on bass. So, the record has the 3 original members on it with a bass player change. We have joked over the years that we are like Spinal Tap we go through bass players like they went through drummers.

What was it like playing Germany?

Playing Germany was special in a few ways. It was our first show in Europe, which makes it special. But what makes it even better was that it got the band back together. We played our first gig in Europe in 2015 - we formed 1985 and broke up in 1996. So, playing in Germany in 2015 is crazy. The gig itself was great.

Having fans wearing Aftermath T-shirt’s from our demo

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days was so cool. They waited for 25 years to wear those shirts to a gig.

The location of the fest and the promoter and crew were all great also. We look forward to going back.

Did you meet many fans or bands that you wrote to back in the 80’s?

Yeah, we met fans at the fest that waited over 20 years to see us play live. There was also a meet and greet that we did as well and, on that topic, I feel bands especially the major bands - they should always be free after all it’s the fans that made them rich.

We hung with some of the bands that started out when we did, and we even did a after party gig the next day.

Does it amaze you all these re-issues on your material over the years?

It really does amazes me how many reissues there have been over the years. Like I said earlier Eyes of Tomorrow must be the most reissued album of all time.

It was released in 1994 reissued in 1995, 1998 and 2015.

It was also included in the “25 Years of Chaos” box set in 2010. Truly amazing. Killing the Future has been reissued on Cd, tape and vinyl as well. It says a lot about that old material and what it meant to a group of people.

As a matter of fact, there are more requests, we just got word from another label for tape reissues for the KTF & Words ... demos.

What gave you the itch so to speak to write new material? How hard was it coming up with new songs?

How would you compare the new material with the old material?

The “itch” really started when we decided to write one new song. We said let’s write a few more for an EP. Then we figure screw the EP we might as well do a record. The writing process went smoothly for the songs.

The hardest part was working the intro, interludes and outro for the record. It’s a concept record and like any concept record you need to tie the songs together.

That’s what all the extra stuff on the record does. I did it all on my iPhone. Trying to figure out what those extra parts were that would end up on the record was harder than the actual songs.

As far as the songs go, we wanted to mix the Killing crossover material or style with the technical progressive style of Eyes on this record. It’s different from the previous material because we never merged the styles before. Eyes had no crossover songs and killing wasn’t technical. This record has both, which I think is the first record to ever do that.

It’s combining the 2 eras to produce the 3rd and we even have a new logo doing the same we didn’t add it to album cover but are using it elsewhere. The music needed to have anger, rage and aggression ala the KTF demo. The message/concept is of crucial importance it’s the be all end all of topics. It explains and gives solutions to the freeing of humanity.

How was it going into the studio as Aftermath after so many years away from that?

It was different and yet the same. If that makes any sense? We recorded the MGMS record at the Chicago Recording Company - a huge studio with the walls filled with Platinum plaques due to the huge selling albums that were recorded there. We thought about going there because we wanted to work with Jeff Lane who we worked with before. But we decided to work with Chuck Macak. Way more laid back and his studio is at his house. It was great working there. It felt natural.

Working with the guys this time felt like the other times we recorded. Ray finished all his drum parts in a day.

Then we tracked the guitars and bass and finally the vocals.

Now obviously the scene has changed, some for the better, some for the worse. When your new record was done did you want to release it yourselves or on a label?

The scene has evolved from tape trading and paper fanzines to streaming and websites and other social media, but that concept is the same. It’s an underground movement just in a modern way. It is so much easier to get your music out there today, but there are way more

Aftermath bands today doing it. Back in the day, you needed to go to a studio to record a great demo or album. Today you can do that in a basement. You can record a song tonight and have it exposed to the masses tomorrow. That wasn’t possible back in the day. The scene from a music standpoint is different because we were creating a new genre back then. It was the beginning of a scene and style of music. Today, bands playing extreme music are derivative from the bands from the 1980s. The music is more extreme in some cases, but it’s part of a genre that was created in the early 80s. There are a ton of sub -genres today that all go back to death or thrash metal. It’s cool to see the scene is strong again with kids playing thrash metal. It was dying in the 1990s and early 2000s with all the Nu Metal bands and now it’s back.

When we decided to record the new album, we did it to please us first. We could have played it safe and released a follow up to Eyes of Tomorrow with 10 pure technical thrash songs. Instead, we wrote a record that isn’t a conventional follow up. It blends two totally different styles into a complex record. An album that people will either love or hate. There is no middle ground on this record. We knew that going in. We knew we were going to release the album on Zoid Entertainment - our label and management company. We weren’t looking to get a record deal. We wanted to control the process. We looked briefly for a distribution deal for the release. In the USA we decided to work with INgrooves and The Label Group for the world-wide digital release. We are selling the CD on our website and are finalizing the distribution to stores and online retailers now.

In Europe, we partnered with Sleaszy Rider Records to release the CD and vinyl in Europe. The CD was just released in Europe on March 15th. The world-wide digital release was on February 15th. The vinyl in Europe will be in stores soon. (so go get your copy-chris)

Final last words: I have a few that will touch on the answers earlier, but I figured why not do it again. The new record is more than just a band that wrote a record 25 years after its last record. We really wanted to mix the two styles of music that we are known for on this record.

The reason - like I said early is because I was blown away by our demo Killing the Future. I literally didn’t listen to it after the mixing session back in 1987, I mean not once. A year or so before the band reunited, I had someone give me a CD of it from a torrent site. So, I threw it in my car stereo and was blown away. I regretted ignoring it for 3 decades. I played it for a year straight (like I did with my fave albums: Van Halen’s “Women & Children First” or Slayer’s “Reign in Blood”). It actually got me excited to listen to music again. Because the years leading up to Since it is on your label, how do you plan on that, I had gone almost promoting it? Any possible mini-tours? music-less (is that a Actually, we are promoting it like any label would. We word) for the first time have our radio promotion team, our video promoter and in my life. I played our publicists - we have one in the US and one in Europe. that demo for a couple The plan was to release it and promote it like any label of years almost daily. would. The one difference is that we will promote for When the band got longer than any other label would. What I mean is we back together it was will continue to promote beyond the average label cycle. the only style I wanted We have released two lyric videos and one performance to play. The energy and vid so far. We have two more lyric videos coming. This aggression on that wouldn't be possible on any other label at this level. For demo really got me a band that hasn't released a record in 25 years, put aside going all these years the reissues, we need to make this a slow buildup. It's later. We wanted the not like we are the band Overkill, who are releasing our new record to capture 19th record. What I mean a band with that many records that same vibe. We and such a long career with a loyal following will get knew that some of the way more exposure on a new release right out of the gate.

Eyes of Tomorrow fans All the stations know them, and all the writers will wouldn’t like it or get review it. We need to introduce the band to them like it it. It is too basic for a is a brand-new band - to many of them. We would like lot of those fans. But, to play the festivals. A tour would have to be with the for the concept of this right bill at this stage.

We just got on the record, the aggression Warbringer/Enforcer gig in Chicago. and anger needed to be there, and a record Very smart. How long do you see the band sticking completely in the vein around this time as I am sure you guys have lots of of Eyes of Tomorrow other things going on beside the band? wouldn’t work for the You know I don’t think we have thought about it that concept behind it. The way. We are enjoying it this time around probably more crossover tracks are than back in the day. We aren’t kids worrying about essential to the record. getting signed or becoming famous. We are doing this We added the technical because we love it. We love the music and playing Eyes style tracks also together. How many guys our ages are doing what they during the writing love? We will keep doing it as long as it feels good. process.

There is no deadline or plan.

I have spent years The other guys in the band have wives and kids or stepand kids. They have work and the family thing going so for reading things them this is a release from the structured life. I don’t researching how world. have that part of it. I live as free as humanly possible work in this more caring less & less for material garbage and refusing to Reading led to reading and it took me enter the rat race filled with debt slaves. I live for the to places that I never moment. thought I would end up. religious I wasn’t Horns up and last words to wrap this up? person and I still don’t the believe in

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traditional church or bullshit they feed you. But I believe there is a battle between good and evil and evil is winning at the moment. The entire system is run by evil people that have deceived us. They have created all these institutions and stories to ensure they keep control. This record is about all of it from politics to religion to science to education. It is about "don’t believe it because they tell you it’s true." If you think it’s wrong look into it. Research it yourself. QUESTION EVERYTHING. I repeat a lot of words and phrases throughout the record for a reason. I am using their techniques against them. Some will claim it’s all conspiracy theory bullshit.

It isn’t. I am not saying believe me. I am saying believe your own instinct – look into it. Look into “the Fed”, the three city states, the countless satanic symbols on buildings and currency.

This isn’t a record that is political – it’s a record that goes way beyond that.

It isn’t specific to the USA. This shit is global. If you listen to the songs and the intro, interludes and outro you will understand that they can be defeated. They can’t beat the masses if we all wake up. KNOW YOUR ENEMY. Finally, Chris I wanted to say thanks for this really indepth interview and for all the support over the years. Its guy’s like you that allowed the underground to exist and grow in the beginning. The fanzines were as important as the bands back then Interview by Chris Forbes - April 2019

Reviews

REVIEWS - REVIEWS - REVIEWS (read the full reviews in www.pestwebzine.com) ALICE IN HELL (Japan) - Creation of the World STF - 2018 - Thrash Mostly fast paced Thrash Metal '80's fashion based on energetic drumming and powerful guitar riffs. Although following clear genre patterns and not being original, these guitar riffs are the best feature in Alice In Hell's music, very catchy and energetic, exactly what a Heavy Thrash maniac would love to hear I suppose. 6.5

ALICE IN HELL (Japan) - The Fall STF - 2018 - Thrash Not much else has changed except maybe a better production, and to tell you the truth the vocals seem to be better this time, too. The guitar work is excellent again delivering powerful, engaging, headbanging-friendly riffs, catchy leads and long solos. The bass lines most probably contributed to this improvement as well, filling out the dead spaces, so all in all a clear improvement compared to their debut album, but still the main feature here is Hamadie's guitar work. 7.5 ALKIMISTA (Portugal) - Entre a Emocao e a Razao Independent - 2018 - Doom Death A variation of Melodic Doom Death Metal, or better said multiple variations of it; at times we're getting a traditional Doom sound, at others the music becomes more aggressive, even Heavy Metal influenced here and there, but most of the times it's based on melodic guitar leads (like in Paradise Lost case) and the vocals are semi-growls, Alkimista's major link with Death Metal. 7.5

ALMOST HUMAN (Switzerland) XS2XTC Fastball - 2018 - Progressive Metal A very interesting combination of sounds and genres, from my point of view I'd say it's a fusion between Nu-Metal (Korn is their main influence on vocals and not only, some song structures are also heavily Korn influenced), Progressive Metal, Post Metal and even Extreme Metal, a very wide palette of genres combined together to offer an interesting journey through the band's world, open to both Rock and Metal followers, and actually they have this in one of their lyrics: "please free, switch on your mind", of course referring to something else, but it can be referred to their music offering, too. 8 ANGRRSTH (Poland) - Znikad Godz ov War 2018 Black Death 5 tracks clocking almost half an hour of playing time, a mix of Black and Death Metal with Polish lyrics sung by comprehensive vocals ranging from screams to shouts to growls. The instrumental part is very complex, with slow, mid-tempo and fast passages, it offers us all we need, and a major plus is the excellent production, too. 8

unique result, but I warn you again (like in any and all Astarium releases' cases) this is a heavily synthetic music, with guitars and bass lines that sound more like PC built and operated than real instruments, and of course drum-machine to close the circle. At least it's original stuff somehow on the Mysticum path but not as polished. 6.5

ANTIPATHIC

(International) Humanimals Despise the Sun 2019 Brutal Death Traditional Brutal Death Metal combining fast and aggressive parts with groovy mid-tempo passages and even slow, creepy parts to make things even more interesting. The production is good enough, nothing to complain, yet the drums sound too synthetic for my taste; the vocal parts are a combination of barks and gurgles with high-pitched hissing and screams, you wouldn't say they have real lyrics, yet the lyrical aspect of this album seems to be pretty interesting in case you're into sci-fi stuff; good fact is the cover artwork is in symbiosis with the album thematic, so we're dealing with a pretty well-thought material. 7.5

BA'A / VERFALLEN / HYRGAL (France) - Split Les Acteurs de l'Ombre - 2018 - Black Ba'a - very expressive and catchy music that surprises through the upfront bass lines and complex, story-telling guitar work. The vocals are a mix between growls and screams, but all quite comprehensive, especially if you know French. 8 Verfallen - somehow on the same path like Ba'a, but more aggressive, heavier and borrowing some influences from the Death Metal atmosphere and at the same time inserting some dreamy, semiacoustic passages to tone things down at some point. 9 Hyrgal - dirtier sounding than the 2 previous bands, Hyrgal sounds more fit for live shows and that makes perfect sense since they are probably a live band also. 7.5

ARKAID (Sweden) - Crematoria Art Gates - 2018 - Groove Metal Just imagine Viking Metal (or Humpaa Metal) tracks on the same album with Groove Metal tracks, on the same album with Symphonic Dark Metal tracks, on the same album with a Tom Jones' Sex Bomb cover version... How open-minded one must be to appreciate it all? 6 ASMODEE (France) Aequilanx Battlesk'rs - 2018 Black Death Mixing Black and Death Metal Asmodee impresses at first with the razor-sharp piercing vocals of Spica, then through the compositions that are mostly fast, brutal, and uncompromising, yet with good technical level to avoid being boring; the drums are frantic, even demented from start to finish, the guitars are blending Black and Death Metal patterns very well, and the bass line is very upfront, imposing, very influential on the whole music.

ASTARIUM (Russia) - Fragments of Nightmares NitroAtmosfericum - 2019 - Synthetic Black The same Symphonic Ambient kind of Black Metal (with a hint of Folk Metal at times, too) merging mid-tempo to (mostly) fast paced rhythms, with the trademark synthetic sound that make you think (and maybe it's even true after all...) it's all done on PC, except for the double vocals, of course. A short journey through fairytales and nightmares, something very different that you're used to, trust me, you'll either love it or hate it, but one thing is sure, it's original and keeps following the same path, so it's not like it was tried one time and was a mistake, this is the music Astarium does and wants to do. 7.5 ASTARIUM (Russia) - Mesmerizing Tentacles Independent 2018 Synthetic Black Raw and fast paced, even brutal passages are blending with this psychedelic like atmosphere creating a

BACK OUT (Holland) - Evilla Headbangers - 2018 - Heavy Speed Fun, energetic, powerful Heavy Speed Metal, a mix of early Judas Priest and Accept sonorities highlighted by catchy guitar riffs and an excellent vocalist right up Rob Halford's alley in tonality.

BASTARDOS (Argentina) - Bastardos Grimm / Morbid Skull - 2017 - Thrash 10 tracks for about 35 minutes of playing time, a mostly fast-paced old-school Thrash Metal that reminds me of old Metallica or Sodom or maybe even some old Sepultura at the same time, correctly executed, with a few hooks here and there to make it interesting, but definitely directed at die-hard Thrash maniacs, others will find it boring. 6.5

BESTIALORD (USA) - Law of the Burning Symbol of Domination / Cimmerian Shade - 2018 - Doom Based on a mix of traditional Doom with '80's Heavy, Thrash and Death Metal, so a primal take on Extreme Metal if you would, one that doesn't sound that extreme nowadays but one that uses patterns of the genre that were already tested and working, so this might just work as well. 9 tracks of organic sounding Doom Heavy Thrash Death Metal with plenty of moments to get involved and the right amount of variety and complexity to keep things interesting all the way, a good debut. 7 BLACK GOAT (Russia) - Magia Posthuma: The Inmost Darkness Second Phenomenon Iron, Blood and Death Corporation - 2018 - Black Think beginning of the '90's Black Death Metal and add a fine obscure melodic

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touch and you get the point, yet by melodic I mean a totally dark, raw, sinister melody, not something you'd impress your girlfriend with; when horror and Extreme Metal combine well together this happens. 9 BLACK SHEETS OF RAIN (UK) - In The Eye Of The Storm W.A.R. - 2019 - Heavy Metal A mix of Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy and Judas Priest, so a '70's meets '80's type of Heavy Doom Metal band with classy compositions and fine production that although it sounds polished to the max it still kept that rawness of those years so that things sound genuine (just listen to the drums and guitars on Force of Habit).

8.5 BLASPHEMATHORY (Mexico) Sadistic Blood Ceremony Iron, Blood and Death Corporation - 2018 - Death Midtempo to fast paced Death Metal highlighted by some excellent guitar work (fat guitar riffs supported by various types of solos at times), a fantastic drumming both in execution and sound, and a bulldozer like bass line, and all this lead by a mad, rabid growling vocal that sings in a very understandable manner, which is perfect for such a band, they can appeal to more than the regular Death Metal fans. 9.5 BURIED IN A WOMB (Germany) Epigenetic Vulnerabilities in Intrapersonal Failure Independent - 2018 - Crust Black Death Wow, this is some serious difference from BiaW's debut; if on the first album, Parental Suicide from 2017, Buried in a Womb walked on some Melodic Black Metal territories, this time everything became more aggressive, chunkier, fatter and much, much more abrasive yet keeping or even improving the diversity and complexity of its compositions, which is excellent in my books. 9.5 CALCINED (Switzerland) - Discipline Great Dane - 2018 - Death 9 tracks and plays for almost 40 minutes, a mix between Technical and Brutal Death Metal, the old-school way. The vocals are out of this world, I tell you, it's like a heavily schizophrenic madman screaming and growling non stop from start to finish.

The rhythm section is where the real discipline is, the bass is upfront and commanding, oppressive and fat ass to get your respect, and the drums are totally insane, very old-school playing but definitely pushing the brutality of this release to the max! On the guitar front there's serious diversity and complexity, a whirlwind of catchy riffs and intricate leads that leave no room for melody, only technical hell and punishment. 9

Reviews CORTEX IMPULSE (Russia) - Once in a Lifetime Grimm / Satanath - 2017 - Progressive Metal Their own take on Progressive Metal heavily guided by bands such as Fates Warning and Rush, but I can also spot influences from older ('70's) Prog Rock and even Prog Thrash (at times the band sounds like a lighter and Progressive oriented version of Megadethn mostly because of the vocals), so quite a sophisticated effort I'd say. Unfortunately after spinning the disc a few times already my impression has cemented to: throughout the 25 minutes I have the constant feeling they are not giving it all, like they are not convinced by what they are doing, so how could their music convince us? 6.5 CREDIC (Germany) - Agora Green Zone - 2018 Melodic Death 9 tracks and clocks a bit over 50 minutes of playing time and offers a Melodic Death Metal the Swedish (Gothenburg) way, with occasional Doom Metal influences a la Paradise Lost. Sounds interesting? It is, and it would have been even more if this blend would have been expanded, not only a rare bird here and there on the album. 8.5 CRYOSTASIUM (USA) - Starbound Grimm / Metropolitan State - 2017 - Dark Ambient Black The 5 tracks featured here (25 minutes of playing time) are a strange mix of Black Metal and Dark Ambient with the most eerie atmosphere you can imagine, and that's what sets Cryostasium apart from other projects, the dissonant guitars and completely ghoulish keyboard backgrounds are creating a terrifying yet mesmerizing atmosphere, and I haven't felt this since Burzum's Filosofem. The vocals sound like spectral sounds from another world, absolutely excellent! Yet this is not something the masses will enjoy, it's definitely a niche offering, abrasive, ugly, brutal and totally weird like some works of Hungarian Nagaarum.

10 CZARNA MAGIA (Poland) Inwokacja pierwotnej mocy The End of Time - 2019 - Black 5 tracks clocking a bit over half an hour of primitive Black Metal sung in Polish language. It sounds totally organic and the vocals are totally horrific (imagine the devil's voice from really old horror movies, mysterious, mesmerizing and menacing at the same time), but apart from that the compositions and instrumental execution are extremely primitive to say the least, repetitive and simple to the max. 4 DALKHU (Slovenia) - Lamentation and Ardent Fire Godz ov War - 2018 - Black

7 tracks clocking a bit over 40 minutes of playing time offering a melodic, quite technical, diversified, atmospheric Black Metal structured on a solid guitar skeleton, excellent drumming and highlighted by the solid vocals of Lucerus.

7.5

DARKSHIRE (Russia) - Legends Grimm - 2017 - Folk Black It has its good moments, a few guitar leads and solos are worth mentioning, and they seem to sound better when the rhythms are faster, but that's not enough to make this an interesting material, at least for me, I don't think I will revisit it again. 5 DEATHTALE (Austria) - The Origin of Hate Art Gates - 2018 - Thrash Death 11 tracks of Thrash Metal with serious shades of Melodeath and Groove Metal, a vibrant and energetic release with plenty of good moments to enjoy, plenty of variety and a balanced mix between melody and power / aggression. 8 DEUS VERMIN (UK) - Monument to Decay FHED - 2018 - Death 6 tracks (20 minutes of playing time) of absolutely crushing, obliterating I'd add, Death Metal with an extremely oppressive atmospheric side to it, with rhythms ranging from slow, excruciating to fast and pounding, I'd say a mostly faster and even more brutal Death Metal a la Dead Congregation. 9

DIABLERETS (Switzerland) - II: Scarborough Independent - 2019 - Drone Doom Ambient This Swiss duo uses only basses, vocals, effects and programming to create their soundscapes and the result is some sort of sinister doomy Drone Ambient terribly oppressive, claustrophobic at times, amazingly wide at others, torturous and horrifying, a dreadful result. What it reminded me was the sordid, squalid, industrial atmosphere of the Taboo or Penny Dreadful series, it made me feel like I was venturing those streets in those times witnessing those murders. Amazing release! 10 DIE ENTWEIHUNG (Israel) - The Worst Is Yet to Come More Hate / Wings of Destruction - 2018 Dark Metal 50 minutes of melodic Metal based on intense guitar work as backbone.

The compositions are based on a couple of layers of guitars, as intricate as possible, sometime too intricate and impersonal but most of the time very interesting in their own way bringing in coloured leads that sound almost Oriental I'd say, plus a synthetic drum machine that's nothing impressive but gets the job done. 6

DIG ME NO GRAVE (Russia) - The Valley of Serpents Grotesque Sounds / Cimmerian Shade / Wings of Destruction - 2018 - Death DMNG is old-school Death Metal or what we used to call Brutal Death Metal in the beginning of the '90's, with stripepd down raw yet crystal-clear production, in one take I guess as little mistakes in execution are obvious here and there. If you're into Bolt Thrower, Asphyx maybe even Incantation, check it out, you might like it. 6 DIRTY GRAVE (Brazil) - Evil Desire Grimm / Todestrieb 2018 - Doom The synthetic drums are awful, in total contrast with the oldschool ('70's like) vibe of vocals have an the band, the excellent timbre, but the guy sounds bored about his music, he seem to be constantly trying to joke around, again in contrast with the somehow spooky atmosphere of the compositions, and last but not least the guitar riffs on a couple of tracks are way too generic and simplistic even for a band hailing the primitive form of a genre. 6.5 DRUJ (USA) - Chants to Irkalla Godz ov War - 2018 - Doom Death Slow to mid-tempo Doom Death Metal extremely heavy and oppressive, lowtuned and obscure without any hint or trace of light or shiny melody in it, a totally underground and hideous form of musical soundscapes. An interesting debut, but strictly aimed to fanatics of the genre, others will be bored by it. 7.5 DRUKNROLL (Russia) - Unbalanced Metal Scrap - 2018 - Industrial Thrash Death Probably the band wanted to give a certain SF atmosphere to the whole, and that is understandable as the music certainly leads to such a medium, a journey through space and cosmos, but to be honest I don't like the final mix. The compositions on the other hand are top notch Prog Thrash Death a la '90's mixed with classy Industrial Metal, very well structured and expressive; there are plenty of interesting and surprising moments throughout the album. 9 EDREMERION (France) - Ambre Gris Symbol of Domination - 2018 - Black Depressive, melodic yet aggressive and fast paced Black Metal lead by desperate screams, or better said something between screams and growls yet comprehensive for French speaking audience. One of those albums you better listen to at home in the dark, with a glass of wine, rather than headbanging live. 9 ENOID (Switzerland) - Livssyklus & Dodssyklus Grimm / Final Gate - 2018 - Black A mostly fast paced and brutal Black Metal with occasional slow and midtempo passages, with plenty of atmospheric guitar riffs and leads that create a dark, chilling cold atmosphere.

The most interesting and enticing element in Enoid's music is the vocal timbre: hoarse, ghoulish, razor-sharp, ice-cold shrieks that will freeze your blood,

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supported by occasional clean vocals in the background. 7.5 ETERNAL ROT (International) Cadaverine Godz ov War - 2018 - Doom Death

-

An excellent

atmosphere, very putrid, slow and decaying, and that's its best feature, but when it comes to diversity, originality or even to keeping away from boredom, the instrumental part of Eternal Rot fails in my opinion. The vocals are ok, cavernous, inhuman, totally rotting away and complex / expressive enough to enhance the atmosphere, but the drums are way too simple, the guitar work is way too repetitive and there's simply not enough surprising moments to make this a valuable material. 6 EXCRUCIATION (Switzerland) [e]met Auric - 2019 - Doom Death Slow to mid-tempo Doom Death with melodies springing from the complex and very varied guitar work instead of keys of synths, so it all sounds simpler and organic, more honest I'd dare to say.

Because we're getting tracks from all periods of the band's history and plenty of covers on top of this the whole sounds varied, with serious differences between each track, but I'd say Eugenio's vocals somehow curdle the whole thing together so it sounds like a unified material, like a real album.

EXCRUCIATION / BABYLON ASLEEP (Switzerland / Germany) Split Auric - 2017 - Sludge Doom / Doom Death Excruciation's song (there's only one song per band here) is 5 minutes long and starts with a semi-acoustic guitar that then builds up into a mid-tempo catchy Doom Metal song with Doom Death touches on both guitars and drums at its peak and ending with a Sepultura-like guitar fuzzy tone that's quite surprising. 9 Babylon is some sort of sinister, apocalyptic sounding Sludge Doom with occasional soft, soothing moments but still keeping a raw, abrasive, shouting vocal as main position supported at times by a semi-whispering industrialized one, with a Death Metal inspired fast paced rhythm somewhere in the middle to spice things up. 7.5 EXPERIOR OBSCURA (Italy) - Iter in Nebula Third-I-Rex - 2019 - Black Although we're swimming in aggressive and straight-forward Black Metal waters here we get a wide palette of rhythms ranging from slow and rotten to fast and demented making this album an interested journey, but the real highlight are Nefastus' vocals: tortured cries meet desperate screams and horrifying moans with parts where multiple layers of vocals are thrown in one above the other, offering a quite expressive atmosphere of anger and despair (Mayhem comes to mind most of the time). 8 FADING BLISS (Belgium) - Journeys in Solitude Malpermesita - 2018 - Gothic Doom

Reviews Their brand of Gothic Doom seriously blends with Funeral Doom, so expect a slow, oppressive, crushing atmosphere enriched by a beauty and the beast type of vocal part, plenty of melodic guitar leads and a subtle but important keyboard background to enhance the feelings it transmits. 7.5 FARULN (Sweden) - The Black Hole of the Soul Battlesk'rs - 2019 - Black Blending traditional Black Metal with more modern sounding Black Metal (that swarm sounding guitar riffs type that's so usual nowadays) Faruln proves real potential, there's plenty to discover and enjoy here, yet there's nothing surprising or very catchy here, especially for Today's standards when there are so many other good releases out there, it's just a good material that deserves a stronger followup, maybe in form of a full-length with more diversity. 7 FERETRUM (Hungary) - Night of Pest Independent - 2017 - Black Some sort of early '90's Black Death Metal with Speed Thrash influences straight from the South of Hell, dirty, blasphemous and disrespectful, with demonic (old-school US Death Metal) guitar solos and primitive keyboard intros to spice things up; this really sounds like recorded back in those years. 7 FERRITERIUM (France) - Le dernier livre Epictural - 2019 - Black Damn, in my books this has to be one of the top Black Metal releases of the year, no doubt about it! It reminds me of Marduk, but a far more dramatic type of Marduk-like guitar-based Black Metal with vocals full of hatred and venom, a spot on rhythm section and occasional slower, melodic parts to enhance the overall brutality. 9.5 FINAL

CUT

(Switzerland) Jackhammer Art Gates - 2019 - Thrash Final Cut seem to enjoy throwing in all their influences and ideas so that the result is fast paced inspired by '80's German Thrash legends, or groovy inspired by American monsters, and all of this under a "feel-good" atmosphere like the cover artwork perfectly expresses. 7.5 GIGANTOMACHIA (Italy) - Atlas Agoge - 2018 - Melodic Death A mix between early 2000's Melodic Death Metal and early 2000's American Death Metal a la Lamb of God and the likes. Unfortunately in my case the band failed to convince; there are a few tracks where the guitar riffs are too repetitive and inexpressive, the drums pedal sounds really annoying, thin and synthetic and too upfront compared to the rest of the instruments, and the overall production is a bit too dry for an Epic Death Metal sound. 6

GRAVERED (Chile) - Non Iron, Blood and Death Corporation - 2018 - Death The Santiago based quartet seems to be playing what they were raised with (they all seem to be well passed their teen years), and that is old-school ugly, oppressive, demonic Death Metal, a combination between the Swedish and the South American schools of Death Metal with influences from the US too. 7

and as soon as that ends, a fast, uncompromising mix of Black, Speed, Thrash and Death Metal attacks and keeps tension high throughout the whole demo, even on the last track, which is an instrumental composition but it still keeps its fanatic attitude. 6.5 HORIZONS EDGE (Australia) - Let the Show Go On Fastball - 2019 - Power Metal Female fronted Horizons Edge offer us here 12 tracks clocking an hour of traditional Power Metal with occasional Progressive and Epic Metal influences. Speaking for myself the title track and the cover of '80's hit Holding Out for a Hero (Bonnie Tyler) were the highlights of this album, but if you're into Power Metal give this album a try, you might find something on your taste. 7

HAEREDIUM (France) - Ascension Art Gates - 2019 - Folk Power Metal Their style might be defined as a mix of Folk Metal, Alternative Rock, Post Punk or even straight Punk and even a touch of Symphonic Rock / Metal; to spice things up they've added multiple layers of keys and pianos, whistles, violin, even accordion if my hearing is not mistaking and lots of choirs to an extent that the compositions are stuffed with things to discover but at the same time they all have at least a hook to make them stand out from the crowd. 8.5

HUMANITY DELETE (Sweden) Werewolves in the Iron Sky Iron, Blood and Death Corporation - 2018 - Death Old-school simple mid-tempo Death Metal built on an endless series of guitar riffs, with occasional chaotic solos and rare melodic guitar leads. A mix of Six Feet Under, Obituary and maybe old Grave with a touch of midtempo Thrash, too, so expect infecting, headbanging-friendly riffs to make you at least bob your head during the audition but as time passes it all levels and becomes quite dull (probably also because the vocal section is quite simple as well), at least to me. 6

HAMVAK (Germany) - Hamvak Fekete Terror / Neverheard - 2017 Black Death A cavernous, low-tuned, totally obscure sounding mix of Black and Death Metal, extremely well-done, sometime in a doomy manner, and other times faster, more punkish sounding, but heavy and oppressive as fuck all the time; although sounding somehow linear, it's totally hypnotic and involving. 8 HARMDAUD (Sweden) - Skarvor Art Gates - 2019 - Symphonic Atmospheric Black Death A mix of Symphonic Black Metal with Atmospheric and Melodic Death Metal, with a hint of Folk Metal as well, the tracks sound heavy and majestic thanks to a good use of background keyboards, the vocals are also a mix, growling as main and screams as supporting, the drums sound is very good for what I assume are PC generated drums, and finally the guitar work is quite varied while offering some catchy riffs and leads to remember.

7

INFERNAL THORNS (Chile) Diabolical Goat Presence Independent - 2017 - Death Fast paced Death Metal with lots of various rhythms, patterns, complex and atmospheric at the same time, blasphemyfilled, technical, meaningful and traditional sounding without falling into the "raw and unpolished production" trap, this has actually an excellent production (apart for some times where the drums sound synthetic). Bottom line Infernal Thorns has produced an excellent album for fans of Traditional Death / Black Death Metal, brutal, oppressive and somber as it should be. 9

HELEVORN (Spain) - Aamamata BadMoodMan - 2019 - Melodic Doom Death

9 tracks in almost an hour of playing time, a mostly slow paced to mid-tempo Melodic Doom Metal with rare Death Metal residuals (semi-growling vocals and double-kick drumming), as usual influenced by the end '90's - early '00's scene, from my point of view a mix between Lake of Tears, Swallow the Sun, Paradise Lost, Draconian, maybe even Katatonia, a very diverse and wide palette of melodic and heavy sounds that will surely target fans of above-mentioned bands. 9

INHIBITIONS (Greece) - La Danse Macabre Satanath / Ira Aeterna - 2018 Symphonic Black Black Metal is the name of the game here, but not influenced by that traditional Greek Black Metal sound and pattern, but much more by the Scandinavian Black Metal, and indeed both the album and its production sound like a demo from the '90's freezing northern Black Metal scene; a good demo, indeed, but still a demo. 7

HELLBUTCHER (Chile) Condemnatus Tormentum Independent - 2016 - Thrash Black Death Although the first track starts with a keyboard intro, that is only to induce the listener into a dark, tenebrous atmosphere,

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IRON FLESH (France) Forged Faith Bleeding Epictural 2019 - Death

9 tracks in 37 minutes of old-school Death Metal, a mix between the Swedish scene (Grave, Dismember, old At The Gates) and the US scene (Autopsy, Immolation) plus a little hint of UK Grind spice (Carcass, Napalm Death), not an original feat, I know, but built and executed with obvious conviction and honesty, it's clear they love what they did here even though this is not their only band, and it is also clear they have experience, the technical level displayed here is something that will impress the listeners. 7.5 ISTINA (Russia) - Revelation Of Unknown Independent - 2018 - Depressive Black Slow to mid-tempo Depressive Black Metal with occasional fast passages, but there is not much complexity, nor much diversity between tracks so 70 minutes of playing time seems a bit too much. With a bit more variation Istina might build themselves a good name in this sub-genre, but good vocals and atmosphere aren't enough in this day and age. 6 JINX (Russia) - Darkness Is Worldwide Wings of Destruction - 2017 - Heavy Thrash Oldschool type of Heavy Thrash Metal a la '80's-'90's, that type of Metal a kid listens to when he/she first searches for something heavier that his generic Metallica, Nirvana and Guns'n'Roses CDs. 7 KATARI (Peru) - Ave, Rex Ivdaeorvm!

From Deepest - 2018 - Black A devastating discharge of bestial Black Metal, fast paced, incessant, organic and evil sounding made of simple, repetitive, headbanging-friendly guitar riffs, brutal live recorded drums, disgusting ghoulish shrieks and subtle bass lines, with an organic, unpolished production that's actually perfect for this type of music. 7 KODFOLT (Hungary) - Demo I Total Darkness Propaganda - 2018 Ambient Black 2 long tracks of Ambient Black Metal: mid-tempo rhythms with occasional fast paced ones where eerie and excellent mood-builder keyboards blend in with simple drums, melancholic and cold guitar riffs, upfront bass lines (maybe too upfront) and ghoulish screams in the background plunging into brutal and fast paced Black Metal passages at times. 7.5 KOMOR ROMOK (Hungary) Cryptoworm Fekete Terror - 2017 - Black This is pure, raw, hateful and primitive Black Metal, but unfortunately this is not enough for the band to make a name for themselves outside of Hungarian borders since there are countless other bands playing like this all over. 7 KROMORTH (Brazil) - Geodesic Beast Diabolicum - 2018 - Death Fast, unrelenting brutal Death Metal highlighted by the ultra-fast but unfortunately way too repetitive and

Reviews simple drumming, fast paced guitar work that again sounds too repetitive not only within the same track, but also among all the tracks which makes it feel like you're listening to the same track over and over again. 6 LOCUS TITANIC FUNUS (Russia) Never Pretend Another Side - 2018 - Gothic Doom Basically LTF are playing a '90's type Gothic Doom Metal with occasional Black Metal influences on vocals (raspy shrieks that is) and a hint on instruments too here and there; it's that type of ingenuous, wholehearted, passionate composition that mixes fantastic, extremely well done passages with some other that are either numb, either totally unsuccessful resulting in a puzzling impact on the listener. 7 MAESTRO (Holland) - On the Run Headbangers - 2019 - Melodic Heavy Metal The music on these 3 tracks is excellent, a Melodic Hard'n'Heavy mixed with straight up Heavy Metal presenting us a great singer with fantastic tone that range from '70's like Melodic Rock typr to raspy, rough Heavy Metal macho, an excellent guitar work, varied and at the same time hitting all patterns of the above-mentioned genres.

MASTEMEY (Poland) Obraz pozorny Independent - 2018 - Thrash Groove An array of guitar riffs combined with a groovy rhythm section and screaming vocals building an atmosphere that swings between Thrash and Hardcore, heavy and energetic, adrenaline pumping at times, angry and almost negative at others, with occasional hints at Post Metal, too, so it's quite far from oldschool patterns. 6.5 MAXXWELL (Switzerland) - Metalized Independent - 2018 - Groove Heavy Metal

A mix of Heavy Metal with Hard Rock and Groove Metal, with plenty of melody and loads of catchy moments to make it a tasty experience.

There's a high case of diversity here, each track has its own identity but at the same time the album sounds curdled and unified, basically you kind of know what to expect next but you'll always be surprised or impressed by a hook or something making it all interesting. 9 MURDERWORKER (Spain) - Where Scream Becomes Silence Base Record - 2018 - Death

Mostly influenced by the Swedish scene (Entombed, Grave, Dismember), but adding a serious and well thought out Brittish flavor (a la Bolt Thrower and Benediction) and even an Obituary maybe even a Six Feet Under horror-like touch to the whole, MurderWorker's sound is meaty and fat as fuck delivering plenty of blast-beats, catchy guitar riffs, memorable choruses and even some short but well done guitar solos here and there, spiced up with plenty of horror movie cuts to get you more into that murdersquad atmosphere. 8

technical, brutal and epic at times, but pure and straight-forward at all times. 8.5

NEED2DESTROY (Germany) - Show Fastball - 2019 - Groove Crossover Thrash Blending Groove Metal, Alternative Metal, Thrash Metal and Crossover, Need2Destroy's range is quite wide allowing them to offer variety and at the same time a certain liberty in composition that way the listener is glued to the album from start to finish although I feel like 13 tracks (3 of them are bonuses) are a bit too much for this album, 48 minutes seem a bit too much, I guess around 35 would have been just perfect. 7

NEVRICON (Greece) - Death Machine Independent - 2018 - Thrash

Mid-tempo to fast paced Thrash Metal that somehow remind of old Metallica, but they add a heavy dose of Crossover, Heavy Metal and plenty of grooves, funky grooves if I may, that make their music quite interesting. 7

NEKHRAH (Cyprus) Cosmic Apostasy Independent - 2017 - Groove Death 8 tracks of Groove Death Metal with serious Thrash and maybe Deathcore and Brutal Death influences, too; sounds quite modern, and speaking for myself I have enjoyed mostly the metallic, heavy and groovy at the same time guitar riffs and their overall mix within the whole, but the vocals (a mix between shrieks and modern cuffedmic Deathcore-like vocals) are far from my cup of tea, actually they prevented me from really enjoying the album. 8

NIRNAETH (France) - From Shadow to Flesh Malpermesita - 2018 - Black Death A mix of Death and Black Metal with melodic edges drawn by a clever guitars structure and composition, pounding drums, an upfront, metallic sounding bass lines and a vicious, evil vocal part that although only rarely supported by background vocals, doesn't sound boring at all, on the contrary, it manages to be expressive and involve the listener, paint an accurate portrait of what's happening on this disc, or better said of what the band is trying to transmit to the listener.

9.5 OLD BLACK (France) - Just Fucking Christ Independent - 2018 - Black Mid-tempo to fast paced Black Metal influenced by the straight-forward structures and simplicity of Rock'n'Roll and the militaristic touch of Industrial Metal, with a fair share of hooks here and there, especially offered by the guitar work, and a nice surprise: what seem to be live recorded drums (even though we're dealing with a one man band). 7

NEROCAPRA (Italy) - Decompozitione WarHell - 2018 - Death Raw, ugly as hell, visceral and totally disgusting Metal, so not everyone will have the guts to pass over the first track, but if you enjoy this type of straight to your face type of music, unpolished and demonic, Nerocapra's latest offering sounds like a musical expression of the bowels of hell, so it's totally recommended. 9 NERVOUS IMPULSE / ANUS / UNSU (Canada / Sweden / France) - The Daily Grind More Hate - 2019 - Grindcore Nervous Impulse - perfectly mixing furious Death and demented Grind, Nervous Impulse are churning your brains out from start to finish yet leaving plenty of space for groove and delivering well-thought, intelligent compositions. 9 Anus - a combination of Gore Grind and Slam Death Metal with funny inserts from comedies, but contrary to the expectations (my expectations at least), the band realy put some serious effort in coming up with clever compositions and varied structures for their tracks, not just simple riffs thrown inthere; 9 Unsu - hyperfast Grindcore with occasional rhythm changes (even some brutal mid-tempo Hardcore thrown in), good display of excellent guitar riffs, not over-repetitive to become boring, a Swiss-clock tight, (more than) energetic rhythm section that will make you feel you're on cocaine, and a totally crazy vocal section mixing high-pitched screams with pig squeals and deep growls.

9 NETER (Spain) - Inferus Satanath - 2018 - Death Inferus features 10 tracks in a bit over 45 minutes of playing time, and offers a serious taste of traditional Death Metal with influences from bands like Morbid Angel, Nile or Vader, a massive sounding,

OLDD WVRMS (Belgium) - Codex Tenebris Cursed Monk 2019 Blackened Sludge Doom An instrumental material (guitars, bass and drums only) the combines Sludge, Doom and Post Metal all with a blackened, occult atmosphere around it, hence the occult cover artwork and album / track titles, all blend well together into offering an enjoyable, meditative at times, oppressive at others, organic release fans of the genre will certainly appreciate. 8 OMEGA DIATRIBE (Hungary) Trinity Metal Scrap - 2018 - Groove Metal A modern, bombastic mix of Groove Metal with a ton of influences from wherever you can think of. 12 tracks, 53 minutes of playing time and Trinity sounds like a huge work, the compositions sound like they've been worked on for time after time, all seems like perfectly blended together; most probably the band's best work to date. 9.5 OMEGAVORTEX (Germany) - Promo 2018 Ancient Spirit Terror - 2018 - Blackened Death Their Blackened Death Metal works perfectly with this unpolished presentation and the combination is deadly. Brutal, dark, hypnotic, voracious,

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oppressive, this tape has it all, I hope the band don't screws things up with a fancy studio production for their debut album. 9 OPPRESSION (Canada) - Le coeur plein de rage Productions Haineuses - 2019 - Punk Black

Mixing Punk and Black Metal with a melancholic, urban touch, Oppression sounds organic, unpolished and unpretentious but at the same time deeply infectious and quite varied for this type of mix. 8 ORPHANED LAND (Israel) - Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs Satanath / Wings of Destruction / Kattran - 2018 - Middle Eastern Folk Metal

There's so much diversity and in the end the album sounds so natural, so easily flowing that you won't believe it. The addition of sax and bouzouki traditional instruments beside traditional percussion enhances this oriental feeling and takes you straight to the One Thousand and One Nights tales, and it would probably make the perfect soundtrack for any one of those stories. 10 PANTHEIST (Belgium) - Seeking Infinity Independent - 2018 - Progressive Doom Metal Pantheist is somehow spreading its wings all over the Doom Metal spectrum, even borrowing plenty of elements from other territories like Black Metal, Death Metal or even Symphonic Metal. Seeking Infinity, besides being a heavy, oppressive, massive wall of emotional Metal music, offers a lot of depth in song structures and compositions complexity, too, one can sense and is being transmitted there was a huge amount of work and careful planning in all details of this album, it feels overwhelming at times, but it's very satisfying for the listener. 10 PATHETIC / PUTRID (Canada / Peru) - Devorando Carne Divina Total Darkness Propaganda - 2018 Death / Black Death Pathetic - old-school primitive type of Death Metal, mainly slow to mid-tempo rhythms with occasional fast paced outbursts, seemingly recorded in one take to have things as organic as possible, but the sound quality, although dirty and unpolished is good enough to have you enjoy their 4 tracks, especially for a tape release like this one; on CD or vinyl it would have sounded like shit. 6 Putrid - their music is way faster, demented I'd say, a sick, uncompromising combination of Thrash, Black and Death Metal pounding your ears from start to finish, but to be honest I was expecting exactly that from an Extreme Metal band from Peru, this is the exact music I'm expecting to get from those lands when it comes to Extreme Metal, and that's probably because my first encounter with it was Goat Semen which is not the lightest of them. 7.5 PICTURE ANN (Denmark) - Its Wild Beauty Floodgate Moods - 2018 - Dark Ambient Dungeon Synth Picture Ann builds its soundscapes on a layer of Dungeon Synth in the background, topped with soothing Rock,

Reviews Blues and Psychedelic influenced guitars and a steady and heavily important bass line that acts like a backbone for the whole, it's experimental at first "sight" but you'll slowly be inducted into a story like atmosphere and realize nothing is (or at least seems) incidental here; at first it sounds like it's building up for something, but then you realize it's just a hypnotic dance that leads you to relax.

PORN (France) - The Darkest of Human Desires Les Disques Rubicon - 2018 - Industrial Gothic Metal A mix of Industrial Rock and Gothic Metal, just imagine a blend between NIN, Marlyn Manson, The Ministry, Type o Negative and a hint of Paradise Lost or (newer) Tiamat, too, a sound that's more melancholic than dark, very melodic compoisitions, with the industrial touch enhancing the overall mysterious atmosphere of their music. 7.5 PREZIR (USA) - As Rats Devour Lions Godz ov War 2018 Black Death Fast paced,

uncompromising, devastating Black Metal, but with serious influences from Death and Thrash Metal as well, and the result is stunning! There's not much melody here except for some melodic (maybe too strong a word for this) guitar leads and solos, but the rest is absolutely ferocious from start to finish. 9 PRISMERIA (France) - Lost Individual Thoughts Independent - 2018 - Hardcore Thrash

Death A combination of Thrash, Death and Hardcore that frankly takes my mind to the '90's when there was so much Funk thrown inthere to spice things up, and basically that's what Prismeria are doing, too. As a debut EP, from a debuting band, with debuting musicians Lost Individual Thoughts sounds damn convincing and promising for a bright future. 8 REFUSAL (Finland) - Epitome of Void Great Dane - 2019 - Death Grind Mid-tempo to fast paced Death Grind made of crunchy, crusty and catchy guitar riffs, upfront, metallic bass lines, groovy at times, incessant and pounding at others drumming and double vocals: angry and throaty mean vocals supported by screaming vocals, both types comprehensive so one can easily follow the lyrics line; think of Nasum meets Bolt Thrower with a crusty edge and you pretty much got the idea. 8 SANGUINARY MISANTHROPIA (Australia) - Blodison Total Darkness Propaganda - 2018 - War Black Devastating War Black Metal meets a few Thrash and Death Metal influences here and there and results into some of the most repetitive, incessant, diabolical sounds you'll hear in a while, this is fit for Bestial Metal followers (you know, the

Blasphemy / Revenge / Archgoat / Bestial Warlust type of demented Metal), others might stay away as it has no melody at all to offer, no soft passages or atmospheric backgrounds, just pure and simple brutal attacks on all senses. 7 SERPENT LORD (GR) (Greece) Towards the Damned Alcyone - 2018 - Heavy Metal

10 tracks running for a bit over 40 minutes, a good mix of American Heavy Metal and German Power Metal, powerful, epic, energetic to the bone and quite catchy too I'd say; think of a blend between Hammerfall, Primal Fear and Agent Steel, even Manowar at times, no keyboards, so all melody is based and made by guitars (and what a great job they do!). 8 STEORRAH (Germany) - The Altstadt Abyss Fastball - 2018 - Progressive Death

The instrumental part follows the patterns of this genre but there's plenty to enjoy in both composition and execution, we're treated with many rhythm changes, catchy riffs, tasteful solos, a powerful rhythm section and on top of that a vocal part that swings between epic clean chants as main and high pitched and melodic at the same time Heavy Metal screams in support here and there. 8 SIROLL (Spain) - Doble o res Blood Fire Death - 2018 - Thrash Death Mid-tempo to (mostly) fast paced Thrash Death Metal with plenty of Groove Metal and Melodic Death Metal influences throughout, with lyrics in native tongue, so a material that seems to be focused on territories speaking this language, but that's fair enough from my point of view.

8 SQUIDHEAD (Belgium) - Cult(ist) Independent - 2018 - Experimental Death 8 tracks presented as Industrial Death Metal, although I'd say they are some sort of Melodic and Modern Death Metal with influences from Groove Metal, Progressive Metal, a hint of Black Metal, a hint of Electro and even some Industrial indeed thrown inthere, that's why I'd label it as Experimental Death Metal, it's a mutation of this genre in various and uncontained directions that keep things fresh and interesting after all. 7.5 STAINED BLOOD Nyctosphere

(Spain)

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Bolld Fire Death 2019 Melodic Black Death Ok, I was expecting some sort of old-school Death Metal from this release after seeing its front cover, then after finding their Metal Archives page I was expecting some Melodic Death mixed with Deathcore, but here I am after three spins of this third album of theirs, when I can describe their music as Melodic Black Metal with serious Melodic Death Metal influences at least on some tracks, but the first seems to be the right label for what the band plays at the moment. 9 STARDUST (Germany) - Fragmente eines gebrochenen Lebens Independent - 2018 - Depressive Black Like (probably) most German Black Metal bands, Stardust uses native tongue lyrics so getting into the atmospheres they create here is not complete if you don't speak the language, and I think lyrics are a pretty serious aspect in Stardust's music. Talking about the compositions, Stardust offer a mix of mostly mid-tempo to fast paced Black Metal with plenty of acoustic inserts that induce a meditative / nostalgic feeling towards the listener. 8 STEEL FOX (Brazil) - Savagery STF - 2018 - Heavy Power Metal

The band has kept its insatiable appetite for exploring the various and infinite facets of Progressive Death Metal, yet at the same time their music tells a story, it grabs your imagination and takes it through a fantasy. Steorrah are a gem of German Underground Metal, give them a chance! 9 SUFFERING SOULS (Germany) - In Synergy Obscene Schwarzdorn - 2019 - Symphonic Black 9 excellent tracks in a bit over 50 minutes of playin time, a kind of Symphonic Black Metal that made me think of Dimmu Borgir and even more of The Kovenant (their Covenant years), with a high emphasis on the guitar work, the main attraction on this album. Excellent album, a highlight of the year in this genre, no doubt, I can find it no faults, except for some clean male vocals that may sound dissonant at first, but kind of give the album an original flavor. 10

SYKELIG ENGLEN (UK) - Hagall AHPN - 2018 - Black A mix of traditional (raw) Black Metal with Death Metal, with plenty of influences from the progressive and experimental side of Extreme Metal, especially on the occasional guitar solos that are weird and bold enough not to get unnoticed, probably the best part of this album, or at least my favorite. The band refers to their style as "Suicidal Misanthropic Art", but apart for some slower parts that can give a depressive / suicidal feeling, I'd say their music is Progressive Black Death Metal. 6.5 SYRENCE (Germany) - Freedom in Fire Fastball - 2019 - Heavy Metal Straight from their debut Syrence sounds like one of the greats of the genre, this album offers a bit of everything for the fans of both classic Heavy Metal and Melodic Hard Rock, from the epic ballads to the mid-tempo power tracks, in my opinion a mix between Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Savatage and even old Scorpions, sounding wall-solid all throughout the 54 minutes of this album. 9.5 THE ELYSIAN FIELDS (Greece) New World Misanthropia Hammer of Damnation - 2019 - Doom Death 9 tracks in 46 minutes of playing time, enough to drive the listeners into a turbulent, stormy, terrifying atmosphere, The Elysian Fields are back in style with probably their most epic output (not sure if it's their best, but certainly it's the most

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grandiose), and with its release Hammer of Damnation makes its way among the heaviest labels of the genre, although they were building and paving this way for a long time now. 9 THIS VOID INSIDE (Italy) - My Second Birth, My Only Death Agoge - 2018 - Gothic Rock Metal A 14 tracks effort clocking almost an hour of Gothic Rock combined with plenty of other styles from Love Metal to Power Metal and Hard Rock, even some Electro and Pop Rock influences being audible at times. Catchy, steady flowing, melodic to the bone, varied and quite energetic this album sounds really good, with many of the 14 tracks being suitable anytime for being hits. 8.5 TORTURER (Canada) - Die in Pain PRC - 2018 - Thrash Death The music, although still keeping that primal, unsophisticated, visceral approach and not being technical at all, is way better than the cover artwork, it's that sort of mix between Thrash and Death Metal that the end of the '80's used to bring us, that honest, naive, full throttle aggression brewed back in those years. 7 TRUMPETS OF THE APOCALYPSE (The Netherlands) - Stabbed to Death with a Pin Big Bad Wolf - 2018 - Hardcore Thrash FOTA are offering a varied mix between Hardcore, Punk, Thrash, Death and Grindcore (I've even spotted a Black Metal-like guitar riff), so fast, aggressive, angry music with a 100% anti-Trump message, like the whole album is centered around Trump, his campaign, promises and slogans, and what America has become electing this new president of their; the album title and even the band name are saying it all, the band brings an apocalyptic message, society kills itself with it's latest choices. 7 TULSADOOM (Austria) - Barbarian Steel / Storms Of The Netherworld Total Darkness Propaganda - 2018 Barbaric Metal This double tape release is limited to 200 copies and comes as professional tapes with fold out booklets featuring all lyrics and band photos, and as a bonus we're getting 6 live tracks never released before, 5 on the Barbarian Steel tape and 1 completing the Storms Of The Netherworld tape. The band is mixing Heavy, Thrash and Black Metal with a serious epic touch, and if the first album might seem a bit too barbaric for some (those into lighter Metal, of course), the second album is still barbaric sounding but way more polished and with more epic inserts for the listener to get into those mythical times Conan was kicking ass, and also the song-writing is way better, more complex and with more hooks to discover and enjoy.

UNHOLD (Switzerland) - Here Is the Blood Czar Of Bullets - 2018 - Progressive Sludge 8 tracks of Progressive Atmospheric Sludge Metal with Post Metal influences, made of mostly mid-tempo rhythms with occasional doomy slow rhythms as well.

Oppressive and massive guitar riffs are

Reviews supported by atmospheric, mesmerizing leads and occasional classy solos, a laid back but complex drumming, and an imperial bass line that sounds like a giant overlooking and protecting everything from harm. 9.5 VCID (France) Jettatura Les Acteurs de l'Ombre - 2018 Black'n'Roll Jettatura is a 35 minutes opus featuring 6 tracks of simplistic, headbanging-friendly, mostly engaging Black'n'Roll, or better said a combination of Black Metal and Punk Rock, mostly mid-tempo played, with occasional fast paced inserts. The material is quite catchy and energetic, but it tends to loose focus at times and becomes somehow monotonous without too much to surprise the listener. 7 VIDRES A LA SANG (Spain) - Set de sang Hecatombe / Blood Fire Death - 2018 Progressive Black Death This come-back album, Set de sang, is an impressive display of potential from all sides of it, it is so diverse, so surprising, so catchy and entertaining, so open-

made of upfront, aggressive bass lines and organic sounding pounding drums that sounds supportive and brutal but doesn't steal the show. 8.5

minded and at the same time so curdled that it can be considered among the best of this year, no doubts. 9.5 VORKUTA (Hungary) - ...Where Still Darkness Dwells Fekete Terror - 2018 - Black If you decide to get this tape (or CD for that matter, the CD version is out on Metal or Die Records) just give it a chance and listen to it in full, from start to finish, and you'll get into the atmosphere this band was able to produce and replicate back in the days; to be honest I was about to give up after a couple of tracks, but it started to grew on me and by the end I admit I've repeatedly played the last couple of tracks.

So yes, a well-worthy compilation here!

WARKUNT (France) - Of Ruins and Agony Great Dane - 2018 - Death 8 tracks, half an hour of playing time, and quite diverse compositions each with its own identity and hooks, I'd say I'm impressed by how these guys managed to come up with variety in a genre that usually doesn't leave much space for that. The addition of Punk and Grind influences here and there only sparked things up inhere; we're treated with a festival of headbanging, infectious riffs on a plateau

WARRIOR PATH (Greece) - Warrior Path Symmetric - 2019 - Epic Heavy Power Warrior Path is an album that has it all for fans of Heavy and Power Metal, from guitar driven melodies to the absolutely stunning Yannis' versatile vocals, from epic, almost viking-like atmospheres combined with fantasy-type lyrics, to the Hard-Rock/AOR influenced ballads (3 of them!), yet the tracks seem a bit too long ranging from almost 4 minutes to the 10 minutes mark. 9 WHITEMOUR (Finland) - The Devil Inherits the World Art Gates - 2018 - Death It seems the band comes from a Black Metal background, but at the moment their compositions could be labeled as Death Metal with Thrash and Black Metal influences. The instrumental part sounds like what was considered Modern Death Metal but at the beginning of the '00's, so at this moment it cannot be considered old-school nor modern, but something in between. The vocals on the other hand are straight up modern sounding, comprehensive, commanding and groovy when the song structures allows it, and that sounds interesting in combination with the instrumental part. 7 WOLF COUNSEL Destination Void

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(Switzerland)

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Endless Winter - 2019 - Doom The new material is made of 7 tracks and clocks close to 50 minutes of traditional Doom Metal a la Cathedral, Count Raven and the likes, so nothing touched by modern influences. To be honest I'm not into this type of vocal tone that sounds so monotone and bored although I understand why it sounds like that, so for me the most valuable feature in Wolf Counsel's music were / are the guitar solos that on the last track, the long Staring into Oblivion, are actually outstanding, long, captivating and expressive solos combined perfectly with a more varied vocal (there's even a semigrowling tone that appears here and there on this track), a simple but sinister guitar riffing and a more complex rhythm section where the drums and bass are trying their best to come up with ideas (and they succeed). 7

WRETCH (USA) - Man or Machine Pure Steel - 2019 - Heavy Power Traditional, melodic, epic Heavy Power Metal the American way with expressive vocals mixed upfront to lead the atmospheres, damn heavy guitar riffs, fantastic layers upon layers of guitar solos (probably the feature I love most about this album, it's tasty guitar solos), a bass line that's out of this World sounding like a bulldozer, and drumming that keeps things steady and energetic. 8.5

Zines / Books

ZINES - BOOKS - ZINES - BOOKS Atmosfear #22 / 2018 / Ukraine (A4, 152 pages, Russian) - extremely high quality Extreme Metal zine feat. Nargaroth, Soulfly, Venom Inc., Aeternus, Dark Tranquility, Exodus, Hate among many, many others, a ton of reviews, articles, mind-blowing! Hope they'll decide to release it in English, too! facebook.com/atmosfearzine Bardo Methodology #4 / 2018 / Sweden (A4, 72 pages, English) - hands down one of the best zines out there nowadays! Feat. Profanatica, Primordial, Solstice, Therion, Katatonia, Black Funeral, Countess, Stockholm Slaughter (featuring Marduk), Taake and others; in-depth and informative; bardomethodology.com Bestial Desecration Special Issue / 2018 / Germany (A5, 32 pages, English) about German Underground Black Metal feat. bios/articles/reviews about 54 different such bands; info@destruktionrecords.de

By This Axe I Rule #5 / 2019 / Germany (A5, 108 pages, English) feat. Embalmed Souls, Agatus, Dead Congregation, Crom, Execration, Druid Lord, Bodybag and others, Dutch Doom Death Metal report, reviews; facebook.com/bythisaxeirulefanzine Call From Beyond #2 / 2018 / USA (A4, 100 pages, English) another wow zine feat. interviews with Anatomia, Skelethal, Abysmal Grief, Skeletal Remains, Demonomancy, Demonic Christ and others, reviews and reports; tuonela78@yahoo.com Chronicles #2 / 2018 / Norway (A4, 48 pages, English) excellent Death Metal zine feat. Blood Red Throne, Execration, Phobia, Unspoken and others, news and zine reviews and contacts! chronicles.fanzine@gmail.com Chthonic Nexus #4 / 2018 / Belgium (A5, 32 pages, English limited to 200 copies) feat. interviews with Vapaudenristi, Aedh, Pox, Reptile Womb, Contortus, Vaal/Ravenzang, Charity Saints; ironscourge.blogspot.com Chthulu Anthology / 2019 / Brazil (A5, 108 pages, English) featuring all 3 issues of this zine, interviews with bands like Sadistik Exekution, Agathocles, Crucifier, Evil, Master's Hammer, Revenge, Possession, Spear of Longinus, Abigail, Beherit, Kill and many such others; cultneverdies.com Cult Never Dies Compendium / 2019 / UK (A5, 64 pages, English) feat. Satyricon, Kampfar, Xantotol, Hypothermia, Nahtrunar, Mystifier, Mgla, Tsjuder, Forgotten Tomb and Head Not Found; cultneverdies.com Cult Never Dies zine 2018/2019 / UK (A5, 24 pages, English) mini-zine / catalogue presenting the Cult Never Dies publications and distribution plus interview with Tom G. Warrior and an excerpt from the Rotting Christ bio book; cultneverdies.com Deadly Illness #5 / 2018 / Hungary (A5, 52 pages, English) feat. Opium Lord, Cadaveric Incubator, Church of Misery, Accidental Suicide, Necrolepsy and others; facebook.com/deadlyillness Explosion Cerebral #12 / 2018 / Peru (A4, 44 pages, English and Spanish) another long-running Extreme Metal zine feat. MX, Chakal, Aeternus Dominion, Genocidio, Blasphemy, Lobotomia, Devastation, Reencarnacion, Nuclear Death, Morbid Butcher, Disembowelment, Aurora Borealis and many more, plus a lot of reviews; cerebral777@hotmail.com Feel The Beast #1 / 2018 / Germany (A4, 32 pages, English) feat. 6 very interesting interviews with Dead Congregation, Pentacle, Coscradh, Antiversum, Jupiterian and Taphos; very cheap, well worth your money! FeedtheIpp@gmx.de Headbangers #9 / 2018 / The Netherlands (A5, 214 pages, English) - I love this zine, one of my all times

fave; Marco and his team are absolute maniacs! Feat. this time Vixen, Iron Reagan, Tytan, Impiety, Urn, Heavy load, Target and many others, plus reviews, articles and tops; headbangerszineandgigs.nl Heavy Metal Maniac #2 / 2019 / Italy (A4, 56 pages, Italian) - interviews with Methedras, Arcane Tales, Homicide Hagridden, Rabhas, Electrocution, Voices From The Darkside, and others, plus a ton of reviews; heavymetalmaniac1@libero.it Intermission #4 / 2018 / Romania (A4, 32 pages, Romanian) - unfortunately I think this was the last issue, there's no support for zines in Romania... professional zine about the underground and the mainstream, no boundaries; would have deserved a way better fate; theinterwission.ro Into the Tomb #3 / 2017 / Poland (A5, 92 pages, English) feat. Unholy War, Blood Worship, Matterhorn, Ovate, Cien and more; facebook.com/into.the.tomb.zine Metal Horde #24 / 2019 / UK (A5, 80 pages, English) feat. Wanderer, Satanic Tony, Genocide Beast, Warfield, Tiran, Necrot and many more + reviews; metalhordezine@gmail.com Metalegion #4 / 2019 / Portugal (A4, 92 pages, English) amazing professional magazine feat. a ton of stuff from interviews with Hate Eternal, Behemoth, Voivod, Satan, Dan Seagrave, and many others, to reviews, news, bios, articles, posters and free compilation CD; reminds me of good old Brutallica; metalegion.com Nachzehrer #1 / 2019 / Germany (A5, 26 pages, English) feat. bios and interviews of / with Black Metal bands + an 8 pages special ABSU special mini-photo-zine + Nebiros / Torr poster + free compilation CD! info@destruktionrecords.de Necroscope #33 / 2018 / Poland (A5, 156 pages, English) - 2 years anniversary issue!!! Need I say more? Probably the longest running Extreme Metal fanzine that's also been active along those years, too. Fantastic, congratulations Adam! If you know the zine you know exactly what to expect, if you don't know it, what are you waiting for? Go grab a copy immediately! necroscope1@wp.pl Necrosis #10 / 2017 / Brazil (A4, 42 pages, mostly English) - Bestial Metal and porn imagery meet in this zine feat. Lymphatic Phlegm, Malthusian, Iron Hammer zine, Necroccultus, and others, reviews and articles; not for the easily offendable! sadomaster69@hotmail.com No Help Came #1 / 2019 / Romania (A5, 100 pages, Romanian and English writte, limited to 100 handnumberes copies; first new Romanian zine in ages!) feat.

Ectovoid, Into Oblivion, Necronomicon, Sammath, articles and interviews with Romanian bands; looks excellent, support it! facebook.com/nohelpcame On Parole #1 / 2019 / Germany (A5, 76 pages, English) feat. Brats, Ashbury, Blind Fury, Viogilance, Iron Lamb, Spell, Whipstriker, Luzifer and more, plus reviews; mourning2002@hotmail.com Posthuman #10 / 2018 / Hungary (A5, 64 pages, English) - 10 years anniversary issue feat. Disfigured Human Mind, Detesto, Mixomatosis, articles and reviews; released also in pack influding a jubilee Retrospection 2008 - 2018 mini-zine and a CD with noise, M-Wave Destruction: Neuro-Schizmatik NoisemaSS; posthuman.hu - posthumanzine@gmail.com Repulsive Regurgitation #4 / 2017 / Malaysia (A5, 260 pages, English) - a behemoth of a zine feat. chats with Gore Beyond Necropsy, Ghoul, Blaspherian, Weird Truth Prod., Mark Riddick, Revulsion Records, Korruption and many, many others, plus interesting articles; facebook.com/repulsiveregurgitationzine

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Scream Bloody Metal #2 / 2018 / Mexico (A4, 40 pages, Spanish, hand-numbered) - old-school good looking zine feat. interviews with Cryptic Realms, ArtGore, Gilgamesh, Aiwass, Mutilador and others, reviews and articles; vriel_bolon@hotmail.com Sentinel #3 / 2018 / Sweden (A4, 30 pages, English) cut'n'paste old-school fanzine with big fonts feat. interviews with Vulture, Dreadful Fate, Mystik, Deathhammer, reviews and articles; facebook.com/sentinelfanzine Stay Heavy #7 / 2018 / Russia (A4, 80 pages, Russian) zine focusing mostly on Heavy and Power Metal feat.

Manilla Road, Grave Digger, Running Wild, Darkness and others, too bad I don't know the language; editor@stayheavyzine.ru Streetcleaner #28 / 2019 / Germany (A4, 92 pages, German) - just in between a fanzine and a magazine, in between the underground and the mainstream, Streetcleaner features anything from classic Metal to Extreme Metal, too bad I don't know German... feat.

Rose Tattoo, Atrocity, Dan Swano, Darkness and others; wolfgang.schmeer@gmx.de The Past Is Alive #1 / 2018 / France (A4, 56 pages, English) - English version of this French Black Metal zine, hopefully the editor will continue releasing it in English too; feat. Clandestine Blaze, Diaboli, Luciferian Rites, Inquisition, Rienaus, Blood Red Fog and many others; thepastisalive.free.fr Throne of Chaos #7 / 2019 / Portugal (A5, 44 pages, English) - featuring interviews only with bands like Raven Throne, Abhor, Gra, Selvans, Nachtlieder, Dakhma, Nocturn, Melan Selas or Nigredo Records; pgrave73@gmail.com Tutti Pazzi #23 / 2019 / Italy (A4, 42 pages, Italian) - a zine that's been around since 1986, amazing!!! From Punk to Death Metal, feat. a ton of interviews, reviews and reports; facebook.com/tuttipazzifanzine Widmo #5 / 2018 / Poland (A4, 32 pages, English, handnumbered) feat. interviews with Ancient Rites, Clandestine Blaze, Darker Than Black, Grand Belial's Key, Primordial and others; original zine, great comeback after 6 years of silence! zinewidmo@wp.pl Books publishing and distribution companies:

Schattenmann Publishings from Germany - also writer/editor of the mighty Witchcraft Magazine and now editor of the great Tough Riffs zine. Has a fantastic list of zines and books for sale, make sure you support it! schattenmanns.wordpress.com/ Cult Never Dies from UK and publisher distributor of excellent some Extreme Metal Black (mostly Metal that is) zines and books; probably many of you already heard of it, so more details aren’t needed; cultneverdies.myshopify.com Fryktos from Greece - just established as a publisher and distributor, but promises to be a very interesting print house; after Blasphemous book, now ButtFuck zine archive was just released‌ www.fryktos.com

TABLEAU MORT - Veil of Stigma. Book I Mark of Delusion

Debut studio album, 7 tracks Traditional Black Metal with influences from Doom Metal and Eastern Orthodox music Jewel-case CD & Digital / June 2019 / Loud Rage Music loudragemusic.com / loudragemusic.bandcamp.com

LEFT HAND PATH - Left Hand Path

Debut EP, 6 tracks Technical, melodic, complex and modern sounding Progressive Extreme Metal Jewel-case CD & Digital / June 2019 / Loud Rage Music loudragemusic.com / loudragemusic.bandcamp.com