Cryptorn/Into The Grasp Of Suffering/Dark Descent Records/2011 CD Review

 Cryptborn  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  death  metal  in  the  classic  European  tradition  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Into  The  Grasp  Of  Suffering"  which  was  released  by  Dark  Descent  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  midpaced  to   fast  drumming  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  being  thrown  in  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  is  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  midpaced  to  fast  European  style  death  metal  riffs  that  are  very  dark  and  brutal  sounding,   while  the  lead  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  are  very  dark  sounding  death  metal  guitar  leads.

  Vocals  are  all  deep  death  metal  growls,  while  the  lyrics  touch  on  dark  and  gory  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  heavy  feel  to  it  without  trying  to  sound  like  a  more  modern  and  mainstream  death  metal  band.

  In  my  opinion  Cryptborn  are  a  very  good  old  school  sounding  dark  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECEMMONDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Gift  Of  Rotten  Flesh"  "Rotten  Gates  Of  Heaven"  and  "Attonement  Of  Hell".  RECEMMONDED  BUY

Entrenched Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard you before?

Charles: Well I like to consider us an old school death/thrash metal band.  We had the mindset of creating death metal but also draw heavy influences from thrash bands, the end result is a mix of both.  Me and Sean got together a few years back in 2009 with the goal of making a sick old school death metal album.  We got to writing and recording almost immediately after we created the band and ended up with our album "Preemptive Strike."

2. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the album?

Charles: Like a tank that mows you down with a mounted MG42, then rolls over your mutilated corpse and for good measure blasts it into dust with the main turret.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects these music explores?

Charles: The lyrics cover war plain and simple.  Some songs are more ridiculous than others, like Frenzied Amputation is about a man sawing off all his limbs, while others are more serious like Bred to Kill, which is about children being forced into warfare.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

Charles:  The band name comes from a Bolt Thrower song.  I mean we're heavily inspired by them, it's a sick song title and we thought perfect for a band name.  It fit the idea of the band that we evisioned which is an old school death metal band that creates music to depict war.

5. Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you planning on adding more members or are you going to remain a 2 peice?

Charles: Right now we're looking for anyone who'd be willing to play bass for us on some live shows, if it so happens we get along well and they want to join then we'd love to add another member.

6. Currently, you are unsinged are you looking for a label, if so what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit in the band.

Charles: I think any label that's willing to support us and understands our music would be a perfect fit.

7. Are there any side projects besides this band or is this a full time group?

Charles: Entrenched is a full scale operation.

8. On a worldwide level how has your album been recieved by fans of death and extreme metal?

Charles: Extremely well which is killer.  That's all we could ask for;  for people to enjoy the album as much as we do.  We wrote it as fans of metal wanting to create something any metalhead could enjoy, so hopefully the positive feedback keeps coming in.

9. What direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?

Charles:  Nothing too radically different.  The music will still be a symphony of war, if anything just more extreme, with more groove, and more moshing riffs.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Charles:  Slayer, Sodom, Entombed, Obituary, Hail of Bullets, Asphyx, Bolt Thrower, Ghoul, Impaled, Frightmare, Nunslaughter, Carcass, Venom, Napalm Death, Benediction...the list goes on and on.  Recently I've been listening to Horrific - Your Worst Nightmare, Impaled Nazarene - Suomi Finland Perkele, and Pestilence - Consuming Impulse.

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Charles:  Horror movies, Kurt Russell 80's films, the 80's in general, sports (mainly soccer), military history and weaponry...just to name a few.

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Charles: Just wanna say thanks for the interview we really appreciate it.  People can check us out at www.myspace.com/entrenchedusa and keep up with news at www.facebook.com/entrenchedband.

Entrenched/Preemptive Strike/2011 CD Review

Entrenched  are  a  band  from  New  Jersey  that  plays  a  very  brutal  form  of  old  school  death  metal  with  a  thrash  edge  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2011  album  "Preemptive  Strike".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  midpaced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats,while  the  bass  playing  haas  a  dark  tone  that  is  kind  of mixed  down  low  in  the  mix  and  seems  to  follow  the  riffing  that  is  coming  out  of  the  guitars,  as  for  the  pianos  which  are  only  utilized  breifly  as  an  intro  on  one  song  have  afeel  of  a  black  and  white  horror  film .

  Rhythm  guiars  range  from  slow,  midpaced  to  fast  death  metal  in  the  early  90's  vein  mixed  in  with  a  great  amount  of  thrash  influences  as  well  as  sme  morbid  sounding  melodies,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  chaotic  and  primal  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  in  the  early  90's  vein.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  high  pitched  gore/grind/death  high  pitched  screams  with some  sppoken  word  samles  about  the  war,  while  the  lyrics  cover  war  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  primal,  heavy  and  powerful  sounding  production.

  In  my  opinion  Entrenched  are  a  very  good  death  metal  band  that  goes  back  to  the  classic  sound  instead  of  following  modern  trends,  and  if  you  want  to  hear  some  classic  sounding  death  metal  with  a  modern  touch,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECEMMONDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Breed  To  Kill'  :Frenzied  Amputation"  and  "Dropping  The  Tsar  Bomb'.  RECEMMONDED  BUY.

Destroying Divinity Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard you you before?



The band was founded in January 2001, we started musical path with following members: Erik - vocal, Gassi - guitar, Nagard - guitar, Ommurtag - drums. We recorded first demo "Created" in this formation at the Šopa studio in June 2001. This demo was self-released and send to local labels. After releasing this demo, guitarist Mille was replaced by guitarist Nagard. At the beginning of 2002 Flagin joined us as a bass and guitar player. In this new formation, we played a few concerts and wrote some new songs, which were recorded in the Šopa studio in the spring 2002. Subsequently a czech label Grodhaisn offered us releasing a full lenght debut album, where all material from the the demo and the 4 new songs were used. The CD was released at the end of 2002 under name „...Created...“. After releasing the debut, we played some gigs and worked on new material. After guitarist Mille left the group, Flagin had to reduce his status from bass/guitar player to guitar only. Then, in spring 2004 the second full lenght album "Hell Unleashed" was recorded with this line-up: Erik - vocals, Gassi - guitar, Flagin - guitar, Ommurtag - drums. CD was released by Grodhaisn at the turn of the year (2004/2005). After some gigs a piece of work done we recorded our third album called "Dark Future" in December 2008 with the same line-up in the Šopa studio again. Then we spend almost two years by looking for the proper record label... The newest milestone in our history was signing a contract with Brutal Bands records (USA). BB released the CD "Dark Future" on the 25th June 2010. We are currently composing new material.. Hope this is enough :)



2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new release, and how it differs from previous albums?


Our musical sound? Well, we thnik south moravian dark death metal says everything. Compared to 'Hell Unleashed' 'Dark Future' is not so technical album but it's much more about the atmosphere. Maybe like the debut was.. The most important thing is that we (and our sound eingeneer) are much more experienced now and it's strognly seen on the last album.


3. What are some of the lyrical subjects and topics that the new release explores?


Bigotry and fanaticism, killing in the name of god. Insanity of man. The future of humankind which sure won't be nice. We don't like any kind of Church in the meaning of the assembly or association of followers of whoever or whatever. They're all the same parasitic venom preachers, mind torturing brainwashers and puppetters. However religious shit is not the only thing that's pissing us off so the lyrics are also about wars, exploitation, indolence..the inevitable fall of man.


4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?



Our guitar player Gassi came up with this. It follows Monstrosity song and it definitely describes our bearing to all the churches, sects, cults and all the similar institutions. What brought more wars, death, suffering and pain than these divine cults?

5. What are some of the best live shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?


The best were the gigs where we could play with bands like Dying Fetus, Natron, Misanthrope or Krisiun.. It was also great to play in Prague all the time. And we specialy enjoyed the show at world famous Obscene Extreme festival. Our performance is the death metal classicism, play fast the set with no poser bullshit or great speeches, the music has to say everything. The fans are the only who can judge our performance. Now we are thinking about some true metal proprieties like ammunition belts or some nails, haha.


6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?


We would like to do some gigs after quite long time we didn't perform at all but our singer Erik is off now because of serious sickness.. We are looking for somebody who will replace him until he gets well /if it is possible at all. However one vokiller you already interviewed is currently in center of our interest and we hope this alternate will succeed. It sure won't be a tour but several gigs, we can't tour because of our jobs.


7. Currently you are signed to Brutal Bands Records, how did you get in contact with this label, and how would you compare them to your old label?


We signed to Brutal Bands almost accidentaly, one of our fans named Johnny (we have no idea who it is) wrote us that he likes our music for a long time and that he would like to help us to a big label like Brutal Bands. He suggested us to Scott Ellingboe - the founder of Brutal Bands - who liked the stuff for which we just were looking a label for and wrote us at once. Unfortunately this was the only thing he did at once, it took whole year from first contact to the final releasing of the CD. Scott fullfiled the date and send us discs and promo discs in time but from that time we don't know almost anything from him. He doesn't reply our emails and when he by chance does it takes several months. We don't even know how many copies has he sold, he refused to say us to which media he send the promos and I'm quite sure it weren't much because we almost didn't see any reviews (and there should be 500 promos send to media and distributors), so now we please media to review 'Dark Future' ourself. There also should be merch, 500 promotional posters, 5000 promotional flyers and adverts in relevant media. Well we didn't see anything of that, we just don't know and Scott just doesn't communicate with us. We wanted some merch at least for us but he didn't reply as usual and removed our merch from the labels website.

Our previous label endeavoured at first but then it also weren't nothing special and now he doesn't even exist.


8. On a worldwide level how has your music been recieved by death metal fans?


As we stated before the are currently not many reviews but we think this is due to shitty work of our label because almost all the reviews that we found are very positive. In future we hope the situation will get better and then we will set the list of all reviews we find on our facebook page which is starting to breathe in these days. None of us is daily user of myspace or facebook as we don't have time for this due to giving a shit about bringing home the bacon so we are sorry for lack of communication there. However we are trying at least to get in this facebook thing with our band profile, just be patient with us please. We are plannig to give our previous albums to free download there.


The situation in our homeland is even worse, signing on american label would just be big thing there but this dark death metal doesn't have any medial support. There are a few very positive reviews but that's all, no reactions, no columns, 3 interviews in ten years. We are medialy nameless band.


9. Are there any side projects besides this band, or is this a full time line-up?


Only our guitarist Flagin has another band - Get Away - which is also death metal band. Ommurtag and Erik had one Satanfather project in which Erik did the guitars but this is also on hold now. It was gory mix of death-black-grind.


10. How would you describe your musical progress over the years and what direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?


We think that the fans must make the opinion on their own, we can only say it goes still directly from us. In the future we'll maybe try to have darker, more obscure sound.


11. What are some band or musical styles that have influenced your music, and also what are you listening to nowadays?


Biggest inspiration came probably from Morbid Angel, Immolation, Incantation and Nile.
We still listen to these bands but we have another beloved ones as like Gorguts, Immortal, Deicide, Mithras, Dark Funeral, Ghoul, Lord Gore, Nasum, Impaled etc.


12. I know that the band is very anti-christian but do you also have an interest in Satanism and Occultism?


Not deeply.


13. Outside of music, what are some of your interests?


PC games, internet, roller-skates, mouintain biking, forest walks, walking the dog and drinking of course :)


14. Any finaly ordsor thoughts before we wrapup this interview?


Thak you very much for the views and for this interview and also thank to all the fans who support underground bands. All the best to you.

Destroying Divinity/Dark Future/Brutal Bands Records/2010 CD Review

Destroying Divinity are a band from the Chezch Republic that plays a very brutal and blasphemous form of death metal, who also had their previous album reviewed in this zine and this is a review of their 2010 album "Dark Future" which was released by Brutal Bands Records.

Drums range from slow, midpced to fast drumming with alot of brutal blast beats and more variety than the previous releases, while the bass playing has a very dark tone which is mixed down low in the mix and seems to follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, midpaced to fast brutal death metal guitar riffs which show alot of progression from the previous release with alot of skillful riffing that utilize alot of skill, while the lead guitars are very dark and chaotic death metal guitar solos.

Vocals are mostly deep death metal growls with some high pitched screams being thrown in at times, while the lyrics cover Blasphemy, Darkness, Gore, Insanity of mankind with a strong- anti christian message with more references to demonology and rituals which where not mentioned as much on the previous releases, as for the production, it has a very heavy and powerful sound to it.

In my opinion this is another good release from Destroying Divinity, and if you where a fan of their previous albums you should enjoy this one as well. RECEMMONDED TRACKS INCLUDE "At War With Two Worlds" Cult" Prophecy" and "Undead In The Darkness". RECEMMONDED BUY.

Destroying Divinity/Hell Unleashed/Grodhain Productions/2004 CD Review

Destroying Divinity are a band from the Chezch Republic that plays a very brutal and blasphemous form of death metal and this is a review of their 2004 album "Hell Unleashed" which was released by Grodhain Productions.

Drums range from midpaced to fast drumming with alot of brutal blast beats, while the bass playing which is mixed down low in the mix seems to have a very dark tones with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars, as for the synths which are only utilized briefly as an intro to a song, they bring another dimension of darkness to the music.

Rhythm guitars range from midpaced to fast brutal death metal riffs that are very dark and heavy sounding with alot of talented riffing, while the lead guitars are very chaotic sounding death metal guitars that utilize alot of skill.

Vocals are mostly deep death metal growls with some high pitched screams being thrown in at times, while the lyrics cover Blasphemy,Darkness, Gore, Insanity of mankind with a very string anti-christian message, as for the production it is very heavy and professional sounding.

In my op-inion Destroying Divinity are a very good blasphemous and brutal sounding death metal band and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECEMMONDED TRACKS INCLUDE "God's Requiem" "Starting Point Is Massacre" and "More Dead Than Alive". RECEMMONDED BUY.

Brutally Deceased Interview

1. Can you give us an introduction to the band and what you are all about?
Unholy hails! This is Tomas, Brutally Deceased guitarist. What can I say about us? We are bunch of freaks playing some crushing death metal since 2007, although this was kinda side project for a long time. I think we played our first show as a support act for a Gamma Bomb in November 2009. Since then we are pretty active live band I guess. Core of the band is very much the same as it was in the beginning - I and our singer Zlababa, drummer Stefy joined us year later. Patrik joined on bass to complete band line-up in summer 2009, but he lost his interest in the band after studio recordings and left, so we have a brand new member - Burak, who also plays in Jig-Ai and Eardelete. Besides spreading death and violence on stage we are pretty ordinary people with our daily jobs, so I guess there is nothing exciting about it.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the newer album?
It´s raw, straightforward and crushing piece of death metal, for all fans of good real death metal sound of the early 90´s.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and concepts the new releases explores?
Most of the lyrics are my misanthropic views of a society. It ´s pretty tough to live in a city like Prague and to stay content and aware, cause you are daily attacked by hordes of hunters forcing you to sign something, without being asked, all so caring about your money, well-being, health care, etc... , in fact, fuck them! Then you have to face hundreds of stupid brainwashed corpses, talking some senseless shit. Narrow minded imbeciles without their own opinion, doing what they are told to do, expecting the same from you. Fuck no! Fuck you! And of course, some of the lyrics are about spreading esoteric lies, so popular these days. So in general my lyrics are about rising of stupidity and manipulation in society, all converted to death metal terminology and imagery

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Brutally Deceased?
Well, its track on Grave - You´ll Never See album and it sounds cool, am i right, nah?

5. I noticed that your sound has a more Swedish approach, what made you go for
this sound, as opposed to a more Eatern European death metal sound (I.e Vader,
Krabathor)?
There were no other choice. We are playing good old death metal very influenced by the early 90´s swedish scene, so we need the right sound. Sure I can use sound from my Messa Boogie Dual Amplifier, but it will suck, believe me.


6. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would
you describe your stage performance?
Our best show was probably the one in Slavonice, during our 2010 autumn minitour. All the crowd went crazy and so we did. In the end I was all so wet, sweating like a pig, but it was great. Our stage performance? Violent and intense death metal that will blow your brains out! No silly effects or childish face painting, we keep it simple and honest.

7. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?
Sure we would like to tour, but we have nothing confirmed at the moment as far as I know. We are supposed to play some summer festivals (one really great one), but its too soon to talk details.


8. The new album came out on Lavadome Productions, how did you come in contact
with this label and how has the support been so far?
Honza Fastner is a good friend of us and we knew, that he was interested to release it. So there were never talk about other labels and I can say that we did the right thing, cause he is doing great job, perhaps max that one man label can do for you

9. Are there any side projects besides this group, or is this a full time band?
It´s hard to call our other bands side projects, cause many or most of them are more known than Brutally Deceased so far. Stefy hammers drums for Psychotic Despair, I play guitar in Heaving Earth, Burak is throat and bass of Jig-Ai and Eardelete and drummer of DEOAG and our singer Zlababa has fun project Shampoo Killer.

10. how has the been to your music so far by death metal fans worldwide?
Pretty cool really. Our fan base is growing rapidly thanks to Honza and our singer, who is doing that unpopular dirty job of spending time in front of a computer screen, answering messages and other shit, hahah... and thanks to our killer live shows, of corpse!

11. What direction would you like to take the band into onf uture releases?
Good question, but always hard to answer. I have some few sketches, but not enough concrete to do any predictions. It might be some other interpretation of classic Swedish death metal sound, or maybe just another portion of raw crushing traditional Swedish death metal. Who knows? What I can tell you for sure, that we are not gonna stray from the left hand path.

12. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and
also what are you listening to nowadays?
Well, applying to Brutally Deceased, it must be Swedish scene (surprised anyone?) and bands like Entombed, Dismember, Grave, Crematory (Swedish of course, not that German piece of shit), Demonical and other acts. But if you are asking for my personal faves, than you must count in Morbid Angel, Suffocation, Immolation, Gorguts, Hate Eternal, Autopsy and shitload of others. And nowadays? I don´t think my taste have changed that much, so what I have in my player... Interment, Edge of Sanity, Dissection, Drawn and Quartered, Prion, Mass Infection...

13. how would you describe the metal scene in your home country of Chezch
Republic?
Honestly, I´m pretty sure that I don´t know more than 90% of metal bands from Czech rep. and I don´t regret it. From all the amount of bands from here are very few really good and that´s all that I like to say about czech metal scene. Sorry, this question is my personal dislike, hahah...

14. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
It´s pretty hard to manage to play in two bands while doing daily job, so I have not much space for other hobbies. I certainly prefer to take a trip into woods or mountains, when I´m released from my duties. There´s nothing more exciting than view of a landscape from a god abandoned place, specially landscape drowned in snow at dusk with a few penetrating house flashlights from somewhere far down under... basicly, when I have some spare time, I´m trying to get rid of all the fucking people I have to meet everyday, so I just relax.

15. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Ok. Thanks for the intie, much appreciated! Don´t stop listen to death metal and support all bands that deserve to be supported... and be sure to hear about Brutally Deceased again!