Dehuman/Graveyard Of Eden/Kaotoxin Records/2015 CD Review

  Dehuman  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Graveyard  of  Eden"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Kaotoxin  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  a  few  seconds  alter  blast  beats,  growls  and  screams  start  becoming  a  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  some  riffs  that  also  add  in  melodies  at  times  and  after  awhile  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  certain  sections  of  the   recording  and  the  music  also  has  a  more  brutal  approach  this  time  around.

  On  the  later  tracks  the  band  starts  mixing  their  more  extreme  and  darker  side  of  old  school  thrash  in  with  their  brutal  death  metal  sound  and  the  music  on  the  recording  has  a  very  up  to  date  feeling  along  with  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  heavy  musical  direction  and  the  last  song  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Dehuman  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  on  this  recording  that  is  both  old  school  yet  brutal  at  the  same  time  and  also  mixes  in  a  touch  of  thrash  to  create  a  very  heavy  sounding  album,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dehuman  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Crypts  of  Blood"  "Temple  Of  Lust  And  Fire"  and  "Goddess  of  Sins".  8  out  of  10.

  

Godless Angel/Harvester Of Shadows/Inverse Records/2015 Full Length Review

  Godless  Angel  are  a  1  man  band  from  Kansas  that  plays  a  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2015  album  "Harvester  of  Shadows"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Inverse  Records.

  Clean  playing  which  is  also  used  on  some  of  the  other  tracks  as  well  starts  off  the  album  along  with  giving  the  recording  a  very  dark  atmosphere  and  a  few  seconds  later  guitar  leads  which  can  also  be  very  melodic  at  times  become  a  huge  part  off  the  songs  along  with  a  great  amount  of  heavy  riffing  that  is  very  heavily  influenced  by  thrash  metal  and  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  After  the  intro  the  music  starts  getting  a  lot  more  aggressive  and  also  adds  in  mid  80's  style  death  metal  growls  and  screams  that  are  also  easier  to  understand  a  lot  more  than  the  modern  bands  while  the  solos  really  start  demonstrating  a  great  amount  of  skill  and  talent  and  the  songs  also  use  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  being  utilized  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  elements  of  groove.

  Godless  Angel  plays  a  style  of  death  and  thrash  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  80's  and  early  90's  and  also  adds  in  a  good  amount  of  melody  and  darkness  into  his  musical  sound,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  and  also  makes  an  old  school  style  sound  more  modern  while  the  lyrics  cover  Horror,  Death  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Godless  Angel  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Contaminated  Breach  In  Sector  B"  "Suffering  the  Wrath  Of  the  Goddess"  and  "Disemboweling  The  Deranged".  8  out  of  10.    

Pulvis Et Umbra Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?
Sure!! I (Damy) got a couple of endorsement with NY clothing brand EXPLORE APPAREL and UK strings manufacture company.
DOVETAIL STRINGS; I also design new t shirts which are currently still on sale together with the album.
I also got in touch with RAN GUITARS (polish company who endorsed artists like Cannibal Corpse, Annihilator, Vader, Obscura etc) and the company will release a PULVIS ET UMBRA crusher 6 artist model during the end of 2015.
From January 2015 the band engaged 3 session live musician after deal a yearly cooperation with booking agency FULL METAL SERVICE

2.In 2014 you had released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
First of all I have to say it was it was an interesting challenge for me due that I record all instruments / vocals; that was the main difference between the previous release. The album is a mix of songs which I cannot succeed to release during my early years with the band due to lack of musical knowledge while other part of songs was written during the last month of the band itself so I added them new idea/arrangements and wrote all lyrics. I would like to describe PULVIS ET UMBRA music as a kind of turning circle due that our first release was a half acoustic EP ; I’m already writing some material for a couple of new EPs and the second one will be surely acoustic as well ☺

3.The band has been around since 2001 but so far has only released 2 demo's and 2 full length's, can you tell us a little bit more about the gap between releases?
Those gap were all due to line up changes … it’s a situation that suck because You waste a lot amount of time finding people really interested in a project who rehears with together for let them learn song and this point of course bring You to stop live activity and songwriting . It’s also funny to see the huge difference of time spent between recording a full length as a band instead of a one man act (second choice will works better)

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Well, 90% of the lyrics talk about life experience, moods, feelings, personal point of view etc. Being also a fan of space mission I decide to dedicate a couple of lyrics (“Kosmonaut” -  taken from album Reaching The end - and “Lost Moon”) to those spacemen hehehe

5.I know that the band name is latin 'for dust and shadow' and was a quotation of the Roman Poet Horace, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?
You’re right, PULVIS ET UMBRA stays per DUST AND SHADOW; I can’t deny that it probably could fits better for a black metal or doom band but I liked it and I decided to keep it in latin due that in my opinion sounds cool than the english form… that’s all ☺

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
It’s a hard to fill a kind of list but I surely report the Slovakian mini tour in 2009, the show with BLOOD TSUNAMI in 2008, our performance at BERGAMO METAL FEST and our first gigs at two great Italian venues (THUNDER ROAD  /and JCAFE )
The main word before go on stage in “have fun and let people enjoy the gig” but at the same time no one must have to play drunk, I hate those things….

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Yes!! PULVIS ET UMBRA will play in Russia from march 6 up to march 14 supporting Uk band BLOODSHOT DAWN then we’ll open a couple of gigs for Swedish groove metallers CHUGGER in may (Switzerland + Germany) .

8.Currently the band is signed to Pavement Entertainment, how did you get in contact with this label and also how would you describe the support they have given you so far?
I sent an email plus press kit and audio links to different label ‘til Mark Nawara from PAVEMENT got in touch with me and we deal a digital distribution for the album . Actually the 90% of the press and review contact are still manage by myself

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death and thrash metal?
Well, I consider PULVIS ET UMBRA as still an underground band but it’s nice to check that people from US, Russian, Spain, Uk are discovering us and like our stuff; it’s the best reward that an artist could receive ☺

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
I’m an open mind person but adding too much influences in extreme metal isn’t always the best choice; actually I’m writing new stuff mixing  crossover, polyrhythm and few black metal influences; it sound not bad even if arpeggio off course will be always a main element in my way of playing

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
I start play guitar after listening to METALLICA “Metallica”; 80’s thrash metal, hard rock and both Scandinavian/American death schools  will be of course my main roots. Actually I listen to almost each type of genre, from trance to industrial, from celtic music up to movie soundtracks etc… I listen to everything I like ☺

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Travelling, driving, reading books, movies, hang out at the pub with friends, conceptual works, sleeping, tattoo and mojito of course hahah

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Support us on FB at www.facebook.com/pulvisetumbraofficial and support TrueBringerOfDeath because metal blog/zine are actually better
than each famous webzine or magazine \m/ You rock.

Nervecell Interview

ALL ANSWERS BY JAMES KHAZAAL (Vocalist / Bassist).

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Ans:

A lot has been happening in the Nervecell camp;

Management signing (EMG), World Wide Multi Album record deal and signing (Unique Leader Records), Booking Agency signing (Tone Def USA), writing new material, and Touring.

Need to catch a breath haha… the band gladly has been busy none stop, we are confirming more shows and getting more deals on board which will be announced in due time.

2.So far you have released a demo, an ep and 2 full lengths, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings and also how do they differ from each other?

Ans:

Cutting this short and brief, the records have been a learning process for us. We developed and progressed maturely as a band throughout the years and the records are there to testify on this account.

Simply put, each single release can be viewed as a snapshot or a time frame the band went through while writing and recording the album. There will always be a “Nervecell Sound” yet the way its put and crafted might change in terms of song creation and composition. Keeping the thrash/death sound, external elements were always experimented like the addition of other musical instruments, percussions, even different musical moods.

3.Your last full length was released in 2011, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during the past 4 years?

Ans:

Due to great feedback and support from the genre the band was received internationally and nationally, Nervecell has been touring intensively. Territories ranging from Asia, Europe, UK, and the Middle East. We supported and toured with Metallica, Suffocation, Morbid Angel, and Decapitated to name a few.

Basically promoting the album in every given opportunity possible while growing and solidifying our fan base and network world-wide. I would also like to add that the writing process for a new album has already started and the band is stoked.

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

Ans:

That’s a very good question, as I am handling the lyrical aspect of Nervecell. The band since in its early days have been all about humanitarian issues, more over we touch base on factors that not only effect us but all humanity in society. Its clear we have always been going through hard times and when I say we I am talking about the whole world. Politics, Religion, and Wars do seem to be the cliché subjects spoken about in this genre. We don’t point fingers or focus completely on the above topics mentioned.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Nervecell'?

Ans: It really is a mix of two words put together, it was Barney (guitarist) who came up with it, basically trying to capture the state of mind of having no escape and being isolated. So the word “cell” (like a prison cell) seemed appropriate to depict that feeling of being locked up and feeling helpless. The expression of someone getting on your nerves and frustrating you is something we have all been through and so the word “nerve” came about and hence the band name.

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

Ans:

Nervecell has and always will be a live band. Our shows are energetic and crazy where ever we go. Never the less the band is grateful to have shared and toured with bands on the road. We have made friends with fans, idols, musicians etc. all which we are thankful for.

Few highlights clearly emerge here like supporting METALLICA in our region, touring with bands like Suffocation, Deicide, Morbid Angel, and Decapitated, all are times spent that we will always cherish and remember.

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

Ans:

The band has already announced a couple of festival shows in Europe for this year and the list will increase. We also intend to hit Europe again with a couple of tours in 2015. Along with touring Asia and playing some shows here in the Middle East. Hopefully the band will be touring the United States soon to support the release of Psychogenocide.

8.On your last album you has Karl Sanders of Nile play guitar on one of your tracks, do you feel this has helped get the band name out there heard?

Ans:

Correction: Karl Sander of Nile was featured on Shunq as a “Guest Vocalist”.
I have always wanted to create something that is fresh and original, by contributing to the metal genre globally.

Featuring someone famous as my brother Karl Sanders was not for publicity purposes alone. We always grown up listening to Nile, and clearly the name and music Nile plays, is magically inspired by this area we come from. It was a perfect match and the right thing to do for this song. The track involves Arabic and English lyrics to add more intensity. The feedback has been insane especially performing this song live.


9.Unique Leader are re-issuing your 2011 album this year, can you tell us a little bit more about the deal?

Ans:

By getting on board with Unique Leader, the album will be able to reach new territories, new markets, and further grow our fan base. When they heard our music they loved it, and also decided that Psychogenocide be rereleased mainly because it will and is a new product to be distributed in the States. We decided that Unique Leader is the next big step in our career and we are so happy about it.

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

Ans:

The feedback has been amazing since the release. Not only fans but also people involved in the creation of this music. From riffs, solos, to blast beats, we the band would not record something if we felt it was not something we like or believed in. Our gut feelings and respect to this music paid off with amazing response from everyone out there.

11.When can we expect another full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Ans:

People should be expecting another release late 2015 or early 2016. This is the strategy we are following since we signed this new record deal.

The band will continue to experiment with instruments and percussions that represent this region. The new music will definitely be brutal, fast, groovy, and thrashy, with a lot of catchy riffs.

Lyrically, people should expect more Arabic in the songs, and since I have been personally running through tough times for reasons I kindly wish to disclose, the theme will be very dark, twisted and spiritually evil.

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

Ans:

Clearly styles ranging from Pantera and Testament to Deicide and Suffocation. It’s this music that we have always been proud of and grown up listening to.

Nowadays I have been listening to Decapitated’s new crushing album “Blood Mantra”, along with Misery Index.
I am also a huge fan of this new exploding band Havok the thrashers from “Denver” and I have to say this they give old school thrash metal a good name.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Ans:

I love reading and writing poetry. I enjoy all sorts of sports especially MMA and Rugby. And to add a bit of personal glamour I love cooking.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Ans:
USA… I hope you enjoy the album, expect us to crash your stages very soon and see you all brothers and sisters in the pit. Hails and bless you all.
Thank you Bringer of Death, good job and stay brutal.

Cauldron Of Hate Interview

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

-We are a Finnish death metal group. Our homebase is at Espoo, although none of us live there.
We play brutal and technical death metal.
   
2.So far you have released 2 ep's, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings?

-Very fast, raw, dark, brutal and chaotic.


3.The band has been around since 2008 but waited 5 years to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the delay?

-The band was founded in 2008 under the name of Mictian. A former guitarist suggested a name change to Cauldron of Hate in 2011.
The formation changed in 2012 with a new drummer and one new guitarist. We found our sound in 2013 and headed straight to studio.


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

-We have some bits of finnish folklore "Kalevala" and the basic ingredients of death metal lyrics like slaughtering masses, blasphemy etc.
   
 5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Cauldron of Hate'?

-Although Cannibal Corpse has a song called "A cauldron of hate", our name has nothing to do with it. We just like to concentrate our hate to simple kitchen utensils.
   
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

-We had one gig ("Kuritushuone[=Torturechamber]XXIV")in a metal/rock bar in Helsinki called "PRKL". We aso performed with NOXA from indonesia
in a small underground gig ("miniTUSKA"). At the stage our performance is rugged and in your face with a HAMMMER!
   

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

-Of course.


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

-We have a steady fanbase in Australia (1 person) and nobody has had the guts to tell us we suck.


9.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

-Truthfully speaking in early 2016 or later because we're broke. No money. Nada. We're going to add a little bit of technicalities, a lot of brutality and going deeper into inferno of madness.
 

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

-Nile, Krisiun, Death, Slayer, Metallica, Morbid Angel, Behemoth, mostly american death metal anyway. Also classical music and a bit of progressive metal.
 
11.What are some of your non musical interests?

-Drinking and fucking around.
   
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

-Keep it brutal, support your local metal scene and remember to remember. If you don't, you might forget.

   

Apocrophex/Suspended From The Cosmic Altaar/Manicidic Records/2015 CD Review

  Apocrophex  are  a  band  from  New  jersey  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  technical  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Suspended  From  the  Cosmic  Altaar"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Manisidic  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  technical  death  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  blast  beats  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  good  balance  between  growls,  shouts  and  screams  along  with  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodic  riffing  can  be  heard  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  solos  bringing  in  more  of  a  technical  and  melodic  sound  to  the  bands  musical  style  and  at  times  the  music  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  brutality  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  mixture  of  old  school  and  modern  death  metal  influence s which  they  combine  together  on  this  album.

  Apocrophex  creates  another  death  metal  album  that  is  very  brutal  and  technical  sounding  while  also  displaying  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  as  musicians,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  unknown,  cryptic,  occult  and  hidden  topics.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Apocrophex  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  technical  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Evidence  of  A  Desolate  Planet"  "Suspended  From  The  Cosmic  Altaar"  "The  Nine  Patterns  Of  Annu"  and  "Exposed  organics".  8  out  of  10.  

Cauldron Of Hate/Emperor/Inverse Records/2015 EP Review

  Cauldron  Of  Hate  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  dark  and  heavy  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  ep  "Emperor"  which  was  released  by  Inverse  Records.

  Horror  movie  samples  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavy,  dark  and  brutal  death  metal  direction  along  with  some  fast  playing  and  blast  beats  which  leads  up  to  growling  vocals  making  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  good  portion  of  the  music  is  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  to  early  2000's  style  of  death  metal  and  you  can  also  hear  some  melody  in  the  bands  musical  style  at  times  and  the  solos  and  leads  they  use  also b ring  in  even  more  of  an  aggressive  and  chaotic  style  of  death  metal  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  on  the  last  track  a  small  amount  of  synths  are  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sound  and  make  the  music  a  lot  more  epic.

  Cauldron  Of  Hate  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  dark,  heavy  and  brutal  sounding  and  there  is  never  a  soft  or  weak  moment  to  be  heard  anywhere  on  the  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Cauldron  Of  Hate  are  a  very  great  sounding  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Slaughterfest"  and  "Empire  Of  Annihilation".  8  out  of  10.

  

Pulvis Et Umbra/Implosion Of Pain/Pavement Entertainment/2014 CD Review

  Pulvis  Et  Umbra  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  with  a  touch  of  metalcore  and  this  is  a  review  of their  2014  album "Implosion  Of  Pain"  which  was  released  by  Pavement  Entertainment.

  Electronic  music  sounds  and  spoken  word  samples  start off  the album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  going  into  a  modern  day  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  along  with  some  hardcore  style  vocals  that  also  mix  in  death  metal  growls  at  times    and  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  blast  beats  and  the  solos  and  leads  that  the  band  uses  bring  a  melodic sound  to  the  bands  musical  style  along  with  a  small  amount  of  clean  parts.

  Spoken  word  parts  do  make  their return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  you  can  also  hear  elements  of  groove  metal  in  the  bands  musical  style  along  with  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  of  the  tracks  bring  whispers  into  certain  sections  of  some  of  the  songs  along  with  a  slight middle  eastern  feeling  being  brought  in  on  one  of  the  tracks  and  the  blast  beats  also  bring  in  a  brutal  sound  at  times.

  Pulvis  Et  Umbra  plays  a  very  modern  style  of  extreme  metal  that  mixes  thrash,  metalcore  and  groove  with  the  heaviness  to  create  their  own  style,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Pulvis  Et  Umbra  are  a  very  decent  sounding  mixture  of  death  metal,  thrash  and  metalcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lost  Moon"  "Implosion  Of  Pain"  "Ordinary  Scars"  and  "Look  Through  The  Eyes".  7/5  out  of  10.

Russian Death Metal Vol. 2/Darknagar Records/2015 CD Compilation Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  death  metal  compilation  that  was  released  by  Darknagar  Records  and  consists  of  Russian  bands  and  we  will  review  the  songs  one  by  one.

  1.Endless  Gloom  brings  us  "Gooddie"  a  song  that goes  for  more  of  a  raw  and  brutal  style  of  death  metal  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats,  growling  vocals,  a  small  dose  of  high  pitched  screams  and  the  song  has  more  of  a  modern  take  on  the  genre.

2.Kraworath  brings  us  "Complete  Body  Disposal"  a  song  that  a  very  brutal  sounding  song  that mixes  death  metal  and  grindcore  together  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  a  decent  mixture  of  growls  and  screams.

3.Inderterminable  brings us  "Symbols  That  Disappeared"  a  song  that  continues  the  brutal  style  of  death  metal  that  has  dominated  the  compilation  so  far  and  the  music  is  in  the  more  modern  style  of  this  genre  along  with  some  slam  elements.

 4.Dennis  Schvarts  Project  brings  us  "Ancient  Room"  a  song  that  goes  for  more  of  a  darker  style  of  death  metal  while  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  adding  in  some  of  th e modern  and  technical  sound.

5.Deadpoint  brings  us  "Brutality"  a  song  that  goes for  more of  a  brutal  style  of  death  metal  while  also  mixing  in  elements  of  thrash  and  grindcore  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  high  pitched  screams  kicking  in.

6.Afterburner  brings  us  "Persecution"  a  song  that  has  a  very  brutal  approach  to  death  metal  and  grindcore  adding  in  guttural  growls  and  a  deathcore  style  of  growling  along  with  some  melody  and  high  pitched  screams.

7.Bloodshed  brings  us  "The  Symphony  Of  Agony"  a  song  that  starts  out  with  a  very  symphonic  and  epic  sound  before  going  into  more  of  a  brutal  death  metal  direction  and  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  a  slight  black  metal  feeling  in  the  track

8.Brainteasers  brings  us  "Bustwork"  a  song  that  starts  out  with  carnival  samples  before  going  into  more  of  a  brutal  death/grind  direction  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  very  guttural  sounding  growls.

9.Proteus  brings  us  "Masquerade"  a  song  that  goes for  more  of  an  old  school  style  of  slam  death  metal  while  still  being  very  brutal  and  modern  along  with  a  good  mixture  of  both  deep  growls  and  high  pitched  screams.

10.Detesting  brings  us  "In  A  Mad  World,  Only  the  Mad  Are  Sane"  a  song  that  brings  in  a  very  modern,  brutal  and  guttural  approach  to  death  metal  along  with  a  great  amount  of  fast  riffing  and  blast  beats.

11.Atra  Hora  brings  us  "Tenebris  Matrem"  a  song  that  goes  for  more  of  a  dark  and  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  while  also  still  being  very  heavy,  atmospheric  and  melodic  at  the  same  time.

12.Dissociative  Disorder  brings  us  "Digested  Alive"  a  song  that  goes  for  a  very  brutal  style  of  death  metal  while  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  grindcore  and  some  guttural  style  growls  along  with  a  touch  of  the  old  school  sound.

13.Putrefacation  brings  us  "To  Human Scum"  a  song  that  brings  in  a  very  heavy  style  of  death  metal  along  with  a  great  amount  of  growls  along  with  some  old  school  and  technical  elements  of  the  genre.

14.Gmork  brings  us  "Through  Her  Mirror"  a  song  that  brings  in  more  of  a  fast  and  melodic  style  of  death  metal  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  vocals  are  all  in  a  growling  tradition  and  the  song  also  brings  in  a  touch  of  thrash.

15.Miscreant  brings  us  "Wholly  Burned"  a  song  that  a  song  that  goes  for  a  death  metal  style  and  also  has  elements  of  thrash  in  the  song  and  the  music  also  has  a  90's  style  old  school  feeling  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

16.Zoebeast  brings  us  "Piggies"  a  song  that  goes for  more  of  a  brutal  style  of  grindcore  along  with  a  very  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  as  well  as  a  great  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  influences.

17.The  Mutilator  brings  us  "The  Demons  Here  Are  Those  Within  You"  a  song  that  goes  for  more  of  a  technical  style  of  death  metal  while  still  having a  great  amount  of  brutality,  growling  vocals  and  blast  beats.

18.Aborted  Fetus  brings  us  "Private  Judgement  Day"  a  song  that  goes  for  more  of  a  modern  take  on  brutal  and  death  metal  while  still  having  some  melody  while t he  vocals  bring  in  a  very  guttural  approach.

19.Warder  brings  us  "Eyes  Wide  Cleaved"  a  song  that  goes  for  a  very  brutal  style  of  death  metal  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  guttural  growls  as  well  as  a  very  powerful  sound  coming  out  of  the  bass  guitars.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  decent  sounding  compilation  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  death  metal  fans.

Abhoth/Self Titled/Darknagar Records/2014 EP Review

  Abhoth  are  a  band  from  Montenegro  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2014  ep  which  was  released  by  Darknagar  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  keyboard  sound  starts  off the  ep  and  a  few  seconds  later  it  starts  mixing  in  with  a  more  heavy  sound  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  and  the  music is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  style  while  the  keyboards  give  the  songs  more  of  an  up  to  date  feeling  and  the  band  also  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  bring  in  more  of  a  dark  and  melodic  atmosphere  to  the  bands musical  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  stick  to  mostly  a  slow  to  mid  paced  direction  while  the  songs  do  have  there  fast  moments  at  times.

  Abhoth  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  dark  and  old  school  sounding  while  the  keyboards  give  the  music  more  of  an  occult  and  epic,  atmospheric  sound,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  Cthulhu  Mythos.

  In  my  opinion  Abhoth  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Blood  Of  The  Ancients".  8  out  of  10.

      

Necroheresy/Divine Betrayal/Satanath Records/2014 EP Review

  Necroheresy  are  a  band  from  Slovakia  that  plays  a  heretical  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  ep  "Divine  Betrayal"  which  was  released  by  Satanath  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  evil  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  melodic  ritualistic  chants  which  also  return  on  the  last  track  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  for  more  of  an  old  school  death  metal  sound  along  with  some  growls  and  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  some  melody  being  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  parts  and  after  awhile  the  music  speeds  up  and  starts  incorporating  blast  beats.

  While  the  music  is  mostly  death  metal  you  can  still  hear  a  great  amount  of  thrash  elements  in  the  bands  musical  style  along  with  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  lot  of  the  more  raw  underground  metal  sound  of  the  80's  at  times  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  in  an  old  death  death/thrash  direction.

  Necroheresy  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  old  school  and  brutal  sounding  while  also  adding  in  influences  from  the  more  raw  side  of  thrash  to  create  some  very  blasphemous  sounding  music,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  their  native  tongue  and  cover  blasphemy,  heresy  and  death.

  In  my  opinion  Necroheresy  are  a  very  great  sounding  heretical  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "False  prophet"  and  "Temple  Of  The  Doomed".  8  out  of  10.    

Sepulchral CurseA Birth In Death/Chaos & Hell Productions/2014 EP Review

  Sepulchral  Curse  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  ep  "A  Birth  In  Death"  which  was  released  by  Chaos  &  Hell  Productions.

  A  very  heavy,  dark  and  raw  old  school  death  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  growls  and  blast  beats  a  few  seconds  later  and  the  music  combines  elements  from  the  American,  Swedish  and  Finnish  death  metal  scenes  of  the  early  90's  as  well  as  bringing  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  High  pitched  screams  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  brought  into t he  music  they  remain  true  to  the  old  school  death  metal  sound  of  the  bands  musical  style  which  also  bring s in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  at  times  and  none  of  the  tracks  have  a  modern  sound  and  could  easily  be  mistaken  for  a  death  metla  demo  that  was  released  in  the  early  90's.

  Sepulchral  Curse  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very,  dark  heavy  and  old  school  sounding  as  well  as  avoiding  all  modern  trends  and  there  is  never  a  soft  or  weak  moment  to  be  heard  anywhere  on  the  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw,  heavy  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  war  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sepulchral  Curse  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Demonic  Pestilence"  and  "Torn  To  Shreds".  8  out  of  10.

Ara/Devourer Of Words/2014 Full Length Review

  Ara  are  a  band  from  Wisconsin  that  plays  a  very  technical  and  brutal  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  album  "Devourer  Of  Words".

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  guitar  riffing  that  evolves  into  more  of  a  technical  death  metal  sound  along  with  some  growls,  melodies  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  getting  more  brutal  and  also  incorporates  more  blast  beats.

  There  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  present  throughout  the  recording  and  the  vocals  also  get  more  guttural  at  times  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  a  traditional  style  of  death  metal  growling  and  they  also  add  in  high  pitched  screams  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  more  of  a  melodic  and  technical  sound  to  the  recording  when  they  are  utilized  and  one  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  few  seconds  of  acoustic  guitars  while  the  rest  of  the  recording  sticks  to  mostly  a  brutal  and  technical  sound.

  Ara  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  technical  and  brutal  and  they  also  demonstrate  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  as  musicians,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  foe  being  a  self  release d recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ara  are  a  very  great  sounding  brutal  and  technical  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Obelisk"  "Cadaverlanche"  "Execution"  and  "Human  Garbage".  8  out  of  10.

    

Nervecell/Psychogenocide/Unique Leader Records/2015 CD Review

  Nervecell  are  a  band  from  the  United  Arab  Emirates  that  plays  a  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Psychogenocide"  which  will  be  released  on  January  27th  by  Unique  Leader  Records.

  Middle  Eastern  folk  music  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  for  more  of  an  old  school  death  metal  sound  which  leads  up  to  some  growls  and  brutal  blast  beats  along  with  a  great  amount  of  thrash  elements  being  added  into  the  bands  musical  style  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  A  decent  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  throughout  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  the  band  uses  are  in  a  90's  style  death/thrash  metal  vein  while  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  high  pitched  screams  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  band  also  mixes  modern  and  old  school  elements  of  thrash  and  death  metal  together  and  some  of  the  later  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  technical  playing  as  well  as  demonstrating  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  as  musicians  and  they  also  bring  an  instrumental  track  before  closing  the  album  with  2  songs  that  bring  back  vocals.

  Nervecell  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  mixes  in  both  modern  and  old  school  elements  as  well  as  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  influences  and  a  small  amount  of  Middle  Eastern  music  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  misery,  hate,  society  and  humanity  issues.

  In  my  opinion  Nervecell  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Upon  An  Epidemic  Scheme"  "Amok  Doctrine"  "The  Taste  of  Betrayal"  and  "Nation's  Plague".  8  out  of  10.

    

Xibalba/Tierra Y Libertad/Southern lord/2015 CD Review

  Xibalba  are  a  band  from  California  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  death  metal  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Tiera  Y  Libertad"  which  will  be  released  on  January  27th  by  Southern  Lord.

  Deep  death  metal  growls  and a  heavy  metal/hardcore  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  the  vocals  also  mixing  in  elements  of  the  later  mentioned  genre  and  the  music  also  brings  in  melody  as  well  as  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  which  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  onto  the  recording.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  bring  in  more  of  a  90's  influenced  death  metal  sound  to  the  bands  musical  style  and  some  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  element s of  groove  metal  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections of  the  songs  and  the  last  track  is  12  minutes  in   length  and  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  while  still  having  its  heavy  moments.

  Xibalba  remains  true  to  the  death  metal  and  hardcore  mixture  of  previous  recording  and  all  of  the  songs  are  heavily  rooted  in  90's  extreme  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  violent,  hateful  and  political  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Xibalba  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Enemigo"  "Pausa"  and  "El  Vacio".  8  out  of  10.

 

Terror Empire/The Empire Strikes Back/Nordavind Records/2015 CD Review

  Terror  Empire  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  modern  mixture  of  thrash  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "The  Empire  Strikes  Back"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Nordavind  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some.  clean  playing  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  returning  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  after  awhile  the  music  gets  a  lot  more  heavy  along  with  some  guitar  leads  that  are  a  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  also  add  more  melodies  into  the  songs  when  they  are utilized.

  After  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavier  thrash  direction  direction  along  with  some  aggressive  vocals,  blast  beats  and  some  death  metal  growls  and  you  can  also  hear  elements  of  hardcore  and  groove  metal  in  the  bands  musical  style  and  at  time s you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  in  some  of  the  tracks.

  At  times  some  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  hardcore  style  breakdowns  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  vocals  start  adding  in  more  melody  while  also  keeping  around  a  very  rough  edge  to  them  while  a  later  track  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  samples  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  

  Terror  Empire  plays  a  style  that  mixes  modern  thrash  with  groove  metal  and  the  heaviness  of  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  violent  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Terror  Empire  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  thrash,  groove  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Empire  Strikes"  "Skinned  Alive"  "Reality  Check"  and  "Break  the  Cycle".  8  out  of  10.  

Abscession Interview

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

Skaldir: We are a new old school death metal project from Sweden/Germany that formed in 2009. We released the demo tape "Death Incarnate" in 2010 and will release our first album "Grave Offerings" in February 2015.
Currently we have three members: Thomas (Vocals), Markus (Drums) and Skaldir (Guitars, Bass, Keys). We also have a guest lead guitar player called Niel that played most of the solos on "Grave Offerings".

2.You have a full length coming out in February, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the demo you had released in 2010?

Skaldir: We play death metal inspired by bands as Edge of Sanity, Entombed, At the Gates, early Death and Carcass. It's important to us to have riffs you can follow as a listener, and songs that you can remember, because they also have melodic elements. Still it should sound brutal. The biggest difference to the demo is probably that we now have a more technical drummer.

Thomas: I think we've sort of found our path. A three track cassette like Death Incarnate can't show the full range of a band's sound as well as an album. And Skaldir has worked a lot with the overall production so it all sounds great

3.This is the first release to be released in 5 years since the demo, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Thomas: We wrote most of the songs pretty quickly once we started working on the album. But for various reasons we ended up recording and re-recording them all a couple of times. And since we all have other bands, jobs and stuff outside of Abscession time went by, and once we were finished with the production we had to find a label that wanted to release the album. Eventually we decided to go with Final Gate Records and now we're just waiting for the albums to be pressed and shipped.


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

Thomas: Well, it's death metal so we explore themes close to the heart of this style. I always try to weave short stories or imageries with my lyrics. I never liked lyrics that were just a bunch of ”cool” words mashed together. To many bands make shit like that, stuff that doesn't mean anything. I grew up listening to bands like Iron Maiden and for me the lyrics were a big part of the experience. So that's what I try to bring with me when I write lyrics.

The subjects on Grave Offerings range from the Lovecraft-inspired ”Where sleeping gods dwell” to the track ”Cabin 13” which lyrically draws heavily on slasher films from the 80's. In fact, I think many of the lyrics read like short horror stories. Hopefully the listeners will get some gruesome images in their minds when they read along to the tracks, haha.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Abscession'?

Skaldir: We wanted to have a one-word name for the band, like a lot of the old bands had. Since most of words are already taken it was not an easy task. The name also should have a classy feel. Brutal and concise. We all liked "Abscession".

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

Thomas: Since we all live far apart we're actually a studio band so far. But there may be live shows in the future, although none are planned at the moment.

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

None as of yet.

8.The new album is coming out on Final Gate Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Skaldir: Marc of Suffer Production, who released our demo tape, actually gave us the tip with Final Gate Records. It's a german label and a sublabel from Rotten Roll Rex. What we liked was that they seem to make things not too complicated. Label owner Marco is a nice bloke who looks out for us. He even told me once that if we are ever unhappy about something we can visit him and beat him up. ;)

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death metal?

Skaldir: The promotion of "Grave Offerings" just started, but so far it has been very positive. With our demo the reactions totally blew our minds. We didn't even really make promotion, but the word spread all by itself, and we even got "Demo of the year" on some blogs. It was pretty insane for having just started with the band.


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

Thomas: For my part, I'm working with blackened death/thrash band Throne of Heresy to record and release a full length album during 2015. We've got all the songs written and are entering Endarker Studio (run by Marduk bassist Devo) in March. After that we'll likely go on to play as many gigs and shows as we can fit into our busy schedules!

Skaldir: I'm involved in a lot of projects with different musical styles. I played in the Pagan Metal Band Hel and I am also in Elane and Over The Hill.

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

Skaldir: We wanna continue with a more epic concept and break out of the 3 - 4 minute songs maybe. We have spoken about a lyrical concept and a lot of new music already has been written.

Thomas: Yeah, this ”epic” concept is something we all would like to explore and we will likely devote one album to it. Then I think we'll dive right back into making grisly death metal again, just to stir things up a bit. We like doing the stuff we like so I guess we'll see where it ends up though!

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

Thomas: Well, I find it intersting to mix things up a bit and I like lots of different music. My death metal influences are mainly from swedish style death like EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH etc but I also enjoy more progressive stuff like OPETH. I always like stuff that has hooks in it but which also grows on you with every listen. I think maybe that's where our death'n'roll-style influences come from, since I really like that kind of stuff when it's done in moderation. But then there's a whole range of bands outside the realm of death metal that influence me in different ways. Everything from classic IRON MAIDEN to FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM have had a huge impact on the way I write lyrics for example.

Skaldir: For me there are always some records that never get old. The first stuff I liked as a teenager, like DEATH, HELLOWEEN, EDGE OF SANITY. But I listen to a lot of different music from AOR, Progressive Rock to Death metal. And even if I have a lot of favs from the early 90s, there are gladly also some new albums that can excite me from time to time. Right now there is HAKEN - The Mountain in my CD player, I also enjoy DIRE STRAITS and classic heavy metal like IRON MAIDEN and MANOWAR.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Thomas: Haha, I've never been asked this in an interview before. Anyway, I do lots of stuff. Movies, gaming, reading, brewing beer, drinking beer... etc!

Skaldir: I like to do walks with my dog, and also like to watch TV series and movies. Mostly supernatural kind of stuff. I was never a big gamer in the past, but I found a game that I played a little bit too excessive and now found myself at rank 48 of all PS3 players in the world. :-P
Time to spend more time on playing guitar and becoming a world's top 50 death metal band rather...

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

Skaldir: The new year just started and we are very excited what the death metal fans will think of our new album. So far only the press got it, but next month hopefully the fans can also hear it. We wanna thank you for the interview and wish you and your zine all the best for 2015!