Kingdom/Morbid Priest Of Supreme Blasphemy/Hellthrasher Productions 2013 CD Review

  Kingdom  are  a  band from  Poland  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  blasphemous  and  evil  sounding  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Morbid  Priest  Of  Supreme  Blasphemy"  which  was  released  by  Hellthrasher  Productions.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  being utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow, mid  paced  to  fast  old  school  style  death  metal  riffs  that  are  very dark,  heavy,  raw  and  primitive  sounding,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  dark  and  evil  sounding  death  metal  guitars  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep guttural  death  metal  growls  with  some  high  pitched  screams  being  used  at  times,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  evil  and  blasphemous  themes  with  a  couple  of  songs  being  written  in  Polish,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a very  dark,  heavy,  old  school,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Kingdom  are  a  very  great  sounding,  dark,  heavy,  old  school,  blasphemous,  evil  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Slaves  Of  Ruin"  "Morbid  Priest"  "Supreme  Blasphemy"  and  "Summoned  From  The  Dead".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Ara Interview

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

Sure! We are a death metal band from Milwaukee that plays a fairly technical style, but we try to make sure each song has its own identity. A lot of records these days don't feature songs that have individual character, but we try to cover as many dimensions as we can through varying tempos, melodies and attitudes.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

At first I wanted it to be as ugly as possible in a Portal/Ulcerate kind of way, but then a lot of melody started seeping in. I love those bands and I am enjoying the revival of the Incantation type of sound where death metal is trying to be scary again, but I didn't want to be an obvious throwback to a previous era or cop the sound of any act right now. As challenging as the music is, I want it to be memorable so there is an effort to keep the structures relatively simple while the riffs are complex. Also you'll hear a lot of more melodic lines clashing with harsh, ugly textures. So, we try to be fairly multidimensional within the death metal umbrella.

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

There is a lot of imagery that deals with death and depravity and such but not so much in vivid detail for shock value. Adam chooses to write from the perspectives of people who have lost their minds and to me, the breakdown of rational thought is more frightening than details about gore. From what I can decipher, there is a lot of topics on megalomania and disdain for human life. Also, he may or may not be influenced by a certain popular trading card game which will remain unnamed at the moment.

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

When we started the band we immediately felt the sound had an all-consuming vibe to it mainly due to the ridiculous speed and complexity of our drummer Erik. It was hard not to think of Origin when we heard what he brought to the table, and the imagery of things being obliterated in a vacuum kind of made sense with how we sounded, so the guys started researching stars and constellations. So I believe Jim (bass) was the one who found the name of the constellation Ara and we liked the contrast of the simple, brief name with the complex music. And according to what I just now read online, in ancient Greek mythology, Ara was identified as the altar where the gods first made offerings and formed an alliance before defeating the Titans. There are various interpretations of Ara throughout the centuries, and Jim, who does our graphic design as well, drew from those to come up with a pretty sick web presence and shirt design. There are still themes of space utilized in stuff we are working on now, and since we want to accompany our fairly dense sound with vast, oppressive imagery, that is most likely going to continue.

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

All of our shows so far have been in our hometown in Milwaukee, and we have played quite a bit at the newly renovated Quarters, which now is largely a metal venue. We always have a blast there but have also really enjoyed playing at DIY art collectives like The Borg Ward as well as higher profile places like Cactus Club. Since we are fairly new and the record just came out, people are still feeling the music out which is understandable given the complexity, so we aren't having people grab the mic to accompany Adam live or totally rage in the pit just yet, although we are hoping for it very soon! But every show so far has been really good and for a new band, we couldn't be happier with the crowds we are playing to and the reception. As far as stage performance, Adam usually dominates the stage with his presence which is good and allows us to keep the music as close to how it sounds on the record as possible. Our last show actually was filmed by a friend and you can check it out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqM2YLUN0xA

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

We want to tour really badly and definitely want to get out there this year. Erik and I also play in Northless who currently has a lot on its plate so the amount of time we have this year is a bit slim although we are trying to make it out for a few dates in hopefully June. Our schedules open up a bit next year so we hope to spend much more time on the road then. 

7. Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label and if so what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for the music?

As much as we love DIY and currently have what we feel to be a great record that we did ourselves, we definitely are looking for label support. I have two labels in mind that would be in my opinion amazing homes for the band. Deepsend records really seems to have their finger on the pulse of the greater bands in the current death metal movement, and Profound Lore has a diverse roster where every artist on there totally floors me.

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

We haven't quite had worldwide feedback, but since I feel our music is influenced far more by bands overseas, I hope people outside our country like what we are doing. The emphasis we have on melody is less a focus currently in stateside death metal bands, so I feel as the band gets more noticed, people outside of the United States will hopefully appreciate it.

9. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?

Northless is very busy getting songs together for a double LP we are recording in May. Everything is coming together really well and fairly quickly which I am a huge fan of, and when you hear how inspired the material is you may be surprised at the time frame everything was composed in. We also have a handful of shows coming up here and on the road. Concentric has been inactive since the departure of our drummer, which is unfortunate since we have an entire 3rd record written and essentially ready to record. I know we could do pretty much whatever we want with our sound in Ara since we already have a diverse style, but I'll always want to keep Concentric alive in some way, at least through recordings.

10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

A lot of songs are already written for a full length, and even more melody is being utilized. We may have to focus more on keeping the ugly in there. Some of the newer stuff is ridiculously fast, and some structures are very progressive while others are a bit stripped down but still have more than enough going on. That live show I linked you to above ends with a new song that I think accurately represents the mode of writing we are currently in.

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

We are all across the board although we all love good, interesting death metal. Most of my influences are as mentioned overseas, and we all like pretty diverse stuff. Jim has a wide palette of influences, and depending on when you get in his car you may hear metal or a jazz 3 piece. I think if it's well thought out and interesting, regardless of the genre we all will appreciate it. Like for me, I've been listening to the new My Bloody Valentine a lot as well as the new Suffocation. I think all of us are loving that most recent Pallbearer record. 

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

Eating, acting like idiots, sharing mutual disdain for humanity, horror movies, buffets, smorgasbords, all you can eat restaurants, appetizers, desserts, seconds.

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

Thanks for your time and stay tuned, you will be hearing a lot from us in the future!

Ara/The Blessed Sleep/2013 EP Review

  Ara  are  a  band  from  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin  that  plays  a  very  heavy,  brutal  and  progressive  form  of  technical  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  ep  "The  Blessed  Sleep".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  technical  riffs  that  are  very  heavy  and  brutal  sounding  with  some  progressive  elements  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while t he  lead  guitars  are  very  technical  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  deep  death  metal  growls  to  high  pitched  screams,  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Ara  are  a  very  great  sounding  heavy,  brutal  and  progressive  technical  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Demise  of  Reason"  and  "Despair  Personified".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Revel In Flesh/Manifested Darkness/FDA Rekotz/2013 CD Review

  Revel  In  Flesh  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  I  would  describe  as  being  old  school  Swedish  style  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Manifested  Darkness"  which  was  released  by  FDA  Rekotz.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars,  as  for the  keyboards  they  are  only  used  briefly  on  one  song  and  bring  a  very  dark  feeling  to  the  music.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  Swedish  death  metal  riffs  that  are  very  old  school,  raw  and  primitive  sounding  with  some  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  at  times,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they  are  only  used  briefly  and  use  finger  picking  to  add  some  dark  elements  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  with  some  high  pitched  screams  being  thrown  into t he  music  at  times,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  gore  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Revel  In  Flesh  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Revel  In  Flesh"  "Manifested  Darkness"  "The Maggot  Colony"  and  "Twisted  Mass  Of  Burnt  Decay".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Slaughterday Interview

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

Hi, Bernd from SLAUGHTERDAY here. The band was formed in 2010 by Jens and me with the intention to play raw old-school Death Metal inspired by the bands of the early 90s. Until 2012 we were busy rehearsing and writing songs and finally at the end of 2012 we entered the studio to record 4 songs that can be heard on our 1st demotape „Cosmic Horror“, which has just been released by FDA Rekotz.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

As I already said, the band is totally dedicated to the old school Death Metal of the early 90s. I would describe our sound as a mix of the Swedish and the American style and some creeping doom parts that remind a bit of horror movie soundtracks. In addition we try to keep the sound raw and natural without triggered drums, etc.

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

The lyrics deal with obscure and subliminal horror heavily inspired by the stories of H. P. Lovecraft. They are about demons, ghosts, ancient rituals and surreal places that provoke fear and which are incomprehensible to human minds. The intention is to create a dark atmosphere together with the music.

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

The band was named after the song “Slaughterday” by the band Autopsy. We think that the name sounds cool and catchy and Autopsy is one of our biggest musical influences. There is no direct meaning behind it. It could simply be the day you die or maybe a kind of doomsday when humankind gets slaughtered by an evil cosmic force.

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

As we have never played live so far, I can’t give you any exciting information on that topic, sorry.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

There are no concrete touring plans due to the fact that we are just a

two-piece and we are very tied to our jobs as well, but there are some plans and efforts to play some gigs at the end of 2013. At the moment we are talking to some friends about helping us out live.

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

Feedback has been cool considering the fact that we appeared on the “Death Metal map” just about a few months ago. There are people from all over the world who are interested in SLAUGHTERDAY and it’s still the beginning. Hopefully we can spread our name even more in the future with the release of our “cosmic Horror” demo and with our 1st full-length record of course.

8. Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?

There are no other projects besides SLAUGHTERDAY, so we completely concentrate on this band.

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

We don't have the intention to change our musical direction and we won't make up any plans about how the upcoming songs should sound like. We just go into the rehearsal room, start playing and see what happens.

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

As I already said, Autopsy is a huge influence, but there are also other bands like Entombed, Dismember, Massacre, old Death, Asphyx and some newer bands like Hooded Menace or Tormented that influence our sound. But I have to say that we don't only listen to Death Metal all day long as we are huge fans of old Heavy Metal, Thrash and 70s Rock. I also like a lot of progressive and experimental stuff while Jens is more the traditional type of guy, so we complement each other quite well.

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

We are usually very busy with our jobs, families and kids. But in our freetime we enjoy reading books (Lovecraft of course, ha, ha), watching 80s Horror movies, having some beers with good friends and watching soccer.

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

Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity for this interview and the possibility to spread our name and our music. If you are into old school Death Metal check us out! The cosmic horror has just begun...

Pest Online Compilation Vol. 13/2013 Compilations

  this  is  a  review  of  the  13th  volume  of  the  Pest  Online  Compilations  which  was  released  in  2013  and  we  will  review  the  songs  one  by  one.

  Starting  off  the  compilation  is  Killus  with  "Never  Something  Was  So  Real"  a  very  symphonic  song  that  combines  influences  from  black  metal  and  goth.

  Next  up  is  Inverticrux  with  "Cult  Crashers"  a  very  original  sounding  black/thrash  metal  song  which really  stands  out.

  Next  up  is  Secretpath  with  "The  Path"  a  very  melodic  sounding  death  metal  song t hat  utilizes  deep  growls  and  high  pitched  screams.

  Next  up  is  Dark  Desolation  with  "Dark  Desolation'  a  very  fast,  raw  and  primitive  sounding  black  metal  song  with  some  death  metal  influences.

  Next  up  is  Maqibar  with  "Qabr  13"  a  song  that  is  the  more  slow  and  melodic  direction  of  black  metal  with  no  vocals  being  present.

  Next  up  is  Garden  Of  Grief  with  "In  Dorso  Corvi  Divin"  a  very  long  and  epic  melodic  black  metal  song  with  raw  and  primitive  riffing.

  Next  up  is  Kephta with  "La  Notte  Delle  Streghe"  a  very  primitive  sounding  black/death  metal  song  with  some  grim  sounding  screams  and  growls.

  Next  up  is  Rohesfleisch  with  "Emperor  Of  The  Almighty  Black  Thorn"  a  very  grim  sounding  raw  and  primitive  atmospheric  song.

  Next  up  is  Dark  Confessions  with  "The  Voice  Of  The  Apocalypse"  a  very  dark,  heavy  and  brutal  sounding  death  metal  song.

  Next  up  is  Locus  Neminis  with  "Totes  Licht"  another  grim  sounding  atmospheric  black/death  metal  song  with  melodic  guitar  solos.

  Next  up  is  Funebria  with  "Enthroned  Luciferian  Kingdom"  a  very  raw  and  primitive  sounding  occult  black  metal.

  Next  up  is  Under  Destruction  with  "Declaration"  a  very  old s chool  sounding  death  metal  song.

  Next  up  is  Formless  Terror  with  "Feeding  The  Necrovoid"  a  very  heavy  and  brutal  sounding  death  metal  song.

  Next  up  is  Offensor  with  "The  Fall  Of  Deceiving"  a  very  dark  and  heavy  sounding  black/death  metal  song.

  Next  up  is  Bassookag  with  "Pig  Time  Rush"  a  very  heavy  and  brutal  sounding  industrial/grindcore  song.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  compilation  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  death,  grind  and  black  metal,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Slaughterday/Cosmic Horror/FDA Rekotz/2013 EP Review

  Slaughterday  are  a  band from  Greece  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  ep  "Cosmic  Horror"  which  was  released  by  FDA  Rekotz.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  being thrown  into  the  music  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  old  school  death  metal  riffs  that  are  very  heavy  and  dark  sounding  with  some  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  as  well  as  some  thrash  influences,  while  the  lead  guitars a re  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  with  some  high  pitched  screams  being  thrown  into t he  music  at  times,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  heavy,  powerful  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Slaughterday  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cult  Of  Dreaming  Dead"  and  "Cosmic  Horror".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.