Lies Interview

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

We're from the bay area, we're older, and we like playing Hardcore.



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

We don't go into it saying "let's write some Swedish d-beat", we just try to make fast, ugly music. ABUSE was the result, then we tried to make it uglier, and we got PLAGUE.



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

The end of the world, on a global and personal scale.



4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Lies'?

It's an ugly name. It fits the music.



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

We don't play often, so every show ends up being good. We played a punk house once where a woman gave birth behind my amp while we played. She named the baby Liester.



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

We'll play when we do. It's hard for us to make anything big happen but we'll find a way.



7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of d beat and hardcore punk?

An expected mix of indifference and positive.



8.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?

I think at the moment this is the primary band for each of us, everything else is in a state of pause.



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

Faster and uglier.



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?

See above. I'm pretty sure we've never referenced any specific band while writing, we're just trying to make unpleasant sounds.



11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Doing interviews.



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

Thanks for doing this, and thanks for reading it.

Black Wizard Interview

 All Questions awnserd by Danny except Question 3 is Adam.

    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?


 Hello there, since the recording and release of new waste Black Wizard has toured our beautiful home land Canada from coast to coast with our good pals Dead Quiet, will be hitting Europe with Joy in October and are almost half way through our U.S. Tour with Volbeat/Killswitch Engaged. We've also started writing new tunes, witch is my favourite part of this hole music thing. Actually tracked a couple demo's before we left too so we are stoked.


    2.In January 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?


 With new genres (from my knowledge) pretty much being made up every week, it seem's to be hard to describe you're group in words.
The newest record "New Waste" Is a collection of songs that make up an album. It's inspired by the heavy'er side's of rock and roll and heavy metal. Having the first LP laying out the sound of the group, and then young wisdom bringing a more solidified direction. New Waste turned out having a great balance of both but totally stood on its own just the same. Loud music being played loudly I think might some it up.


    3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
    We usually like to keep things pretty cryptic when it comes to lyrical interpretations. We're definitely touching on subjects we have in the past but this time around we're also writing less about personal experiences. Trying to take inspiration through books and stuff in the news now as well. We're living through some pretty crazy times.



    4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Black Wizard'?

 Black Wizard the name its self was a joke. Adam( Lead Vocals/Rythem Guitar) And Eugene "Russia" (Drums) have been playing together since high school and started the band with that name. Best part is, that name hadn't been taken yet. Now that the tunes and sound of Black Wizard are there, what better way to back it up with your own original name.

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


 I think I can speak for all of the boy's when are favourite stages and shows are the one's we can be closest to the crowd, shady bars with a good sound system never fails. It's the best being a part of the party. For this years U.S. Tour were opening for Volbeat and Killswitch, witch has a stacked touring schedule of theatre's, outdoor venues and stadiums. Let's not forget the massive crowds that are waiting for one of there favourite bands to come on stage but have to put up with us for a half hour before they get to see them. It's been an absolute blast so far.


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

 We're currently on the road with Volbeat and Killswitch Engaged, then we're hitting Europe in October with Joy.

    7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of stoner, doom and heavy metal?


So far so good, a lot of the people I get to talk to after gigs usually bring up at least 2 of those words if not all 3 when there talking about the groups sound. All seems to be positive too, witch is more then anyone could ask for. The best is when someone will bring up a certain tune or part in a song that reminds them of one of your favourite players or bands. It's always dope to hear someone else pick up on your Inspiration's through your music.


    8.Are any of the band members also involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?


Yea actually, Russia plays in a hardcore band called Hopeleus. Adam and Even both play in a Syc/Rock band Three Wolf Moon and Even also has a group of his own called The Best Revenge. I have a little death metal project called Klandestīn but the Wiz has been keeping me busy the past couple years witch is sweet, it's always dope to be able to focus on one thing and grow within that.


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


 Eug and Adam wanted to take it in a heavy'er direction with New Waste, so we're gana go off the momentum of that. Gana try some new ideas we got in the works, while keeping the sound of the band prominent. Me and Adam have a couple riffs that have yet to be brought to the table, so I hope they make the cut and we can get a song or to out of them.


    10.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?


Influences In no particular order!

Jeff Hanneman, Chuck Schuldiner, Andy Larocque, Randy Rhoads, John McLaughlin, John Petrucci, Glenn Tipton and then some more....

Albums listening to currently,

There Goes The Naiborhood - Joe Walsh
Back On The Streets - Gary More
Time - Merciful Fate
Undisputed Attitude - Slayer
Soul to Soul - Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble


    11.What are some of your non musical interests?


Riding Motorcycles
Skating

Dorre Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Adriaan (guitars): Well, we started out in 2008 with just me and Wolf (drummer) after drinking quite a bit of beer. We used to just do insanely long noise jams but we’ve moved from that to a more structured writing process. Erik (guitars) joined us in I think 2012 or 13 but we’ve only been really productive, in the sense of writing music and actively playing shows, since 2015. We took our time and it’s paying off, both musically and with the dynamics of the band.
Erik (guitars): I can't exactly remember when I first heard about Dorre. But I do remember them asking me to join them for a gig and after that asking me to stay which I was more than happy to do, because I liked the concept of jamming really heavy and noisy music. But I do like the fact that we decided on a more structured approached, and the song writing has been very productive since!

2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
Adriaan: It’s a bit of a mixed bag I’d say, doom leaning towards stoner, a bit of post-metal influences in there. It’s slow, atmospheric and dark but can suddenly burst out and grab you by the throat.
Erik: I think it's about creating the right atmosphere and a hypnotizing experience for the listener, and we were fortunate to record in a great studio as to capture the right sound. I feel it's kind of a nod to the past and the future of the band's venturing into music making.

3.So far all of the music has been instrumental, are there any plans to use any vocals in the future?
Adriaan: We might consider guest vocals, though not as a full-time band member. We’ll have to take a lot of factors into account if we do this though. Will the guest vocalist(s) be coming along on tour, how are we releasing those tracks, etc. Let’s just say that we’re thinking about it but there’s no plans so far.
Erik: Guest vocals are surely an option, and I think maybe female vocals would be a nice addition to our sound. I don't think we need a full time vocalist though, the music can speak for itself.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Dorre'?
Adriaan: This one’s pretty clean cut, Dorre is a Belgian beer. We were drinking it when we just started out and decided to call the band Dorre. That’s what 10,5% beer does to the mind I guess. We still bring along bottles of Dorre to give to the people that give us a stage and a place to sleep, we should get an endorsement or something from the brewery, hehe.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Adriaan: That’s a tough question, you know, are the best shows the ones with the most crowd or the most fun? Personally I think we had a massive amount of fun with those first shows where we just played 3 hour jam sessions, getting everybody drunk and having a party. But playing shows through the UK and especially London will always be special to me.
Erik: It depends from venue to venue and from crowd to crowd, and it's hard to say which were the 'best'. I love playing live so every gig is a good one in my opinion. For our stage performance I would like to cite a review of our show at the Black Heart from Kerrang! magazine: "Dorre create a colossally heavy doom abyss into which they try to suck everything - your ears, daylight, reality - to hypnotizing effect."

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Adriaan: Yeah we do, we’ll be playing some shows in the UK in November. We’ll share the stage with Serpent Venom in London on 25/11 and we’re headlining Somatic Festival in Wakefield on 27/11. We’re also looking into touring with Bethmoora in February next year

7.You have a split coming out with 'Bethmoora', what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?
Adriaan: I personally really dig what Bethmoora is doing. The atmosphere is excellent, the vocals, which are usually a difficult thing for me to get into if they are screaming, are very emotive. It also helps that Morten (guitars for Bethmoora) is a friend of mine, we met at Roadburn through a mutual friend a couple years back. He’s a great guy and we kind of just started talking about doing a split together and you know, we just followed through and did it.
Erik: The Dorre/Bethmoora split is a great combo, and I really like their side of the LP. They create a dark, intense mood with great musicianship and know-how! I'm looking forward to hitting the road with them.

8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Adriaan: We aren’t actively looking for a label, but if the right offer comes along we won’t ignore it either. There are some great hard-working labels out there but right now we are focusing on just doing what we need to do.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of doom metal and other forms of underground music?
Adriaan: I think we’ve gotten some good feedback, especially from the UK thanks to our gigs there in January. We’ve been picked up on blogs in other countries as well and I’d like to think people dig our music. I’m not really too occupied by it, of course I’d really like for people across the world to know us and dig what we do but it’s not like I’m on google every night seeing if somebody said anything about us. We’re a small band from a small country, we just like to play and record and we hope that works out as best as possible.
Erik: People seem to be digging what we do, and I hope the split will confirm that sentiment. Crowds have been really nice to us and the feedback very positive!

10.Are any of the band members also involved with any other bands or musical projects?
Adriaan: Erik is in a ton of bands, I’m sure he can drop some names, haha. The rest of us are currently only active in Dorre but we’ve all had other projects in the past.
Erik: I am currently active in Wheel of Smoke, Gloed, Rivercrest, Ivolve&Etherik and Barntree. I also operate solo and am also helping out other musicians and friends with recording their music.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Adriaan: No idea, we just keep writing tracks. Our music will evolve gradually I guess, we’re of course hoping for big stages, festivals and a full album in the coming years.
Erik: A full album in 2017 would be quite nice, and a lot of gigs of course!

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?
Adriaan: Our taste in music is… eclectic. I listen to a lot of heavy music like noise, drone and doom in the car, but I find myself putting on more big band, jazz and psychedelic rock at home. If I’d have to pick my favorite record to put on right now it’d probably be Kamasi Washington – The Epic.
Erik: I've been influenced by a very diverse range of bands and music, from Sun Ra to Nick Drake, High On Fire, Mahavishnu Orchestra,... These days I've been listening a lot to the El Paraiso Records bands like Causa Sui and Papir, great stuff!

13.What are some of your non musical interests?
Adriaan: Reading and video games, though there isn’t much time for that in between the band, my girlfriend and of course my job. I’m a big graphic novel fan, things like Hellboy, Transmetropolitan, the Walking dead, stuff like that, I try to get a couple of those in every month at least.
Erik: I'm a bit into old timer mopeds, love reading biographies of bands and artists and also do some basic guitar-maintenance for friends.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Adriaan: Well, first of all, thanks for taking an interest in Dorre, we appreciate it greatly! And then I guess we also hope that people will go check out our music, come to our shows, get in touch through social media or our website, maybe even pre-order an LP or something.
Erik: Thank you for reading this interview and I hope to see you all at one of our future gigs!

Heavy Baby Sea Slugs Interview

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

Sure. Heavy Baby Sea Slugs is less a band and more of a collective that ultimately opens up into the record label we all help run called Heavy Baby Records. We have a rotating lineup of musicians that participate in HBSS so the style and performances are always in flux, and the writing is centered around two core members, myself (Marc K) and Abbas Khorasani to maintain somewhat of a core theme or tone.

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

On our latest release (The Minotaur/Trout Fishin' Man 7") we channel two extremes of our music, and because of the band lineup changing often, frequently shifting between brutally slow sludge and doom to frantic get-ups of d-beat and thrash. Abbas and I push our favorite styles through the filter of a rotating group of minds so we end up with a wide horizon of sound rather than pigeonholing ourselves.

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

I primarily channel negative thoughts and attitudes when writing the lyrics. This project is a conduit for aggression, towards reality and other people in general.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Heavy Baby Sea Slugs'?

Primarily, euphony and imagery.

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

Our best shows have been inside small spaces, garages and basements, where our amps stack to the ceiling and the pit never stops. Our most memorable shows were when we toured Japan for two weeks winter 2015/2016.

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

Going back to Japan and Taiwan in January. Our hometown is undergoing a venue crisis currently so we're taking a step back and looking to concentrate on international travel.

7.So far the music has been released through your own label, are you also open to working with other labels?

Of course, just has to make sense.

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

We've only received positive feedback but also realize there's till a lot of work to do and ground to cover.

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

We try to toe the line between exploring the possibilities of tone and texture in heavy music along with developing psych-inducing walls of sound. Experimentality rather than accessibility is what we aim for.

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?

Classical music is what I primarily listen to nowadays, but we all listen to everything and enjoy a wide range of influences.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Reading, writing, travel.

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

Thanks for taking the time to check out the music. Cheers.

Heavy Baby Sea Slugs/The Minotaur/Trout Fishini Man/Heavy baby Records/2016 7 Inch Review

  Heavy  Baby  Sea  Slugs  are  a  band  from  Texas  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  metal  and  noise  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  7  inch  "The  Minotaur/Tout Fishin'  Man"  which  was  released  by  Heavy  Baby  Records.

  A  very  slow  and  heavy stoner/doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  and  after  a  few  seconds  screaming  style  sludge  vocals  are  added  onto  the  track  and  while  the  song  has  a  lot  of  retro  elements  it  still  sounds  very  modern  and  the  first  track  sticks  to  a  very  slow  musical  style.

  On  the  second  track  the  music  starts  out  with  a  very  fast  and  melodic  noise  rock  style  while  also  bringing  in  the  energy  of  punk  rock  and  the  song  is  also  all  instrumental  while  sticking  to  either  a  fast  or  mid  paced  direction.

  Heavy  Baby  Sea  Slugs  creates  2  very  diverse  songs  with  the  first  one  being  in  more  of  a  stoner,  doom  and  sludge  style  while  the  second  one  is  all  instrumental  and  done  in  a  melodic  noise  rock  style,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Heavy  Baby  Sea  Slugs  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  doom metal  and  noise  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Minotaur".  8  out  of  10.  

     

  

     

Serpent Crown/Incantations Of Violence/2016 Cassette Review

  Serpent  Crown  are  a  band  from  San  Francisco,  California  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  album  "Incantations  Of  Violence"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  after  awhile  the  music  speeds  up  bringing  in  more  of  a  thrash  style  along  with  some  aggressive  female  vocals  and  the  music  bring s in  a  lot  of  influences  form  both t he  80's  and  80's days  of  extreme  metal.

  While  the  music  has  its  old  school  roots  it  still  sounds  very  modern  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  expanding  on  the  classic  thrash  style  and  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  amount  of  melody in  the  bands  musical  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  sound  very  powerful  and  the last  track b rings  in a   brief  use  of  blast  beats.

  Serpent  Crown  creates  another  recording  that  takes  an  old  school  style  of  thrash  and  mixes  it  in  with  the  heaviness  of  sludge  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness, witchcraft  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Serpent  Crown  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  sludge,  doom  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vengeance  Of  The  Witch"  and  "Wings  Of  Retribution".  8  out  of 10. 

Moanaa/Passage/Arachnophobia Records/2016 CD Review

  Moanaa are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of post  metal  with  some  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Passage"  which  will  be  released  in  September by  Arachnophobia  Records.

  Atmospheric  synths  start  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  post rock  direction  and  you can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  clean  singing  and  the  heavy  guitars  also  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  metal  direction.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  throughout  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  distorted  style  and  after  awhile  the  vocals  start  getting  more  aggressive  while  also  bringing  in  a touch  of  hardcore and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  whispered vocals  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction.

  Moanaa  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  post  metal  while  also  bringing  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  personal  struggles  and  depression  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Moanaa  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  post  metal  band  with  some  elements  of sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Process  Part  1"  "Terra  Matter"  and  Grim  Encounter".  8  out  of  10.

Mindkult/Witch's Oath/Caligari Records/2016 CD Review

  Mindkult  are  a  solo  project  from  Virginia  that plays  a  mixture  of  doom  metal  and  stoner  rock  with  some  doomgaze  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2016  ep  "Witch's  oath"  which  was  released  by  Caligari  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  guitar  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  There  are  also  plenty  of  70's  influences  throughout  the  recording  while  the  music  still  sounds  very  modern  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  elements  of  retro  and  stoner  rock  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow  and  mid  paced  parts  along  with  some  shoegaze  and  alternative  influences  being  brought  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Mindkult  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in t he  70's  style  of  doom  metal  while  also  mixing  in  stoner,  alternative  and  shoegaze  elements  which  also  makes  the  music  stand  out  a  little  bit  more,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Witchcraft  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mindkult  are  a  very great  sounding  mixture  of  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Witch's  Oath"  and  "Chief  of  Devils".  8  out  of  10.     

Ayahausca/Yin/2016 Full Length Review

  Ayahausca  are  a  band  from  Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of grunge  and  sludge metal  and  this  is  a  review of  their  2016  album  "Yin"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  bringing  in  a  doom  metal  feeling  and  after  awhile  clean singing  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in  a 90's  grunge  feeling  and  the  music  also  speeds  up  at  times  and  also  brings in  more of  punk  feeling  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  very  melodic.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  some  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  while  the  music  has  a  lot  of  90's  influences  it  still  sounds  very  modern  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  psychedelic  elements  and  as  the album  progresses  aggressive  screams  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the recording  and  one  song  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples  and  the  last  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Ayahausca  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  prog,  grunge  and  sludge  metal  and  mixes  them together  to  create  something  very  original,  the production  sounds  very  professional for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ayahausca  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  grunge  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Dodged  Now"  "Dark  Matter  God"  "Left  Skull  Prison"  and  "White  Ship".  8  out  of  10.

Mountaineer/Coma Fever/Siren Song/battleground Records/2016 7 Inch Review

  Mountaineer  are  a band  from  Oakland,  California  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  shoegaze,  and  post  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  7  inch  "Coma  Fever/Siren  Song"  which  was  released  by  Battleground  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sludge  metal  sound  starts off  the  7  inch  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  that  are  in  more  of  a  post  rock  direction  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  dream  pop  and  shoegaze  elements  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording.

  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  both  of  the  tracks  remain  true  to  a  very  slow  yet  melodic  musical  direction.

  Mountaineer  creates  a  musical  style  that  takes  sludge  and doom  metal  and  mixes  it  with  shoegaze,  dream  pop  and  post  rock  to  create  something  very original, the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mountaineer  are  a  very  great sounding mixture of  sludge,  doom  metal,  shoegaze,  dream  pop  and post  rock  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED TRACK  "Siren  Song". 8  out  of 10.

Black Tar Prophet/Iron Gavel/Broken Limbs/2016 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Tennessee's  Black  Tar  Prophet  and  Pennsylvania's  Iron  Gavel  which  will  be  released  in  September  by Broken  Limbs  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Black  Tar  prophet  a band  that  plays an instrumental  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out with  amp  noises  and  spoken  word  samples  as  well  as  some  experimental  elements  which  leads  up  to  a  more  heavy  sludge  and  doom  metal  direction  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are present  on  their  side  of  the  recording  and all  of  their  tracks  remain  true  to  a  very slow  yet  heavy musical  direction  while  the  drums  do speed  upi  briefly,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  spoken  word  samples  focus  more on  negative  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Black  Tar  Prophet  are  a very  great sounding  instrumental  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of those  musical  genres, you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Malignant"  and  Sociopathic  Society".

  Next  up  is  Iron  Gavel  a  band  that plays  a  very  heavy form  of  noise  rock.

  There  side  of  the  split  starts  off  with  experimental  style  drum  beats  along  with  some  clean  guitars  a few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  up  to  a  heavier  musical  direction  which  is  more  rooted in the noise  rock direction  and  after  awhile  melodic  yet  distorted  guitar  leads can  be  heard at times  and  all  of  their  music  is  instrumental  and  sticks to  a very  slow  musical  direction  and  there is  also  a  brief use of power  electronics  and most of  their tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  production  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  Iron  Gavel  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  noise  rock  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre, you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Teeth/Thorn".

  In  conclusion  I feel this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and i  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans of  noise  rock,  sludge  and  doom  metal.  

Lies/Plague [ + Abuse EP]/Southern Lord Records/2016 CD Review

  Lies  are  a  band  from  San  Francisco,  California  that  plays  a mixture  of  crust,  d  beat  and  hardcore  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Plague"  which  will  be  released  on August  26th  by  SouthernLord  Records  and  also  has  their  2014  ep  "Abuse"  as  bonus  tracks.

  Drum  beats  and  an  aggressive  bass  guitar  sound  starts  off  the  album 7 and  after  a  few  seconds  angry  hardcore  style  vocals  along  with  d  beats  are  added  into  the  music  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  short  in  length  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  crustcore  elements that  are  mostly  in the Swedish  tradition.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized t hey  are d one  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  melodic  direction  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow, mid  paced  an  fast  parts  and  while  there  is  also  a  lot  of  old  school  influences  in  the  bands  musical  style  the  songs  still  have  a  modern  feeling  to  them  and  the  whole  album  also  remains  very  heavy  from  beginning  to  ending  of  the  recording.

  Lies  plays  a  very  aggressive  style that  mixes  crust,  d  beat  and  hardcore  punk  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent,  angry  and  political  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lies  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  crust,  d  beat  and  hardcore  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lifeless"  "Force  Fed"  "Class  War"  and  "Overdose".  8  out  of  10.

Obscura Insania Interview

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



Obscura Insania is a Stoner Doom Metal band from Caracas, Venezuela, with a very defined concept that tends to create dark environments, using the Spanish language as a medium.





2. In May you had released your first album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?



The sound of our debut álbum Sodoma is quite dense, with a somewhat sinister atmosphere from beginning to end. We achieve this by amping up our guitars and basses with lots of fuzz, powerful drumlines, and haunting vocal melodies.





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



Through the lyrics we touch on topics related to life and death, insurrection, revenge, oblivion, and fear. These themes reflect a fateful vision of humanity,  perhaps causing the listener to reflect on existentialism.





4. I know that the bands name means 'Dark insanity' in Spanish, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?



"Dark Insanity" would be the literal translation, but in Spanish, “Obscura Insania” is a way to express a concept using uncommon words. In fact, many people believe it comes from a phrase in Latin. However, the band name comes from the desire to communicate a more complex ideology about life and death. The word “Obscura” represents a somber and morbid global character that encompasses the message of our album Sodoma. “Insania”, is an allusive word to a disorder of reason, is a reference in this case to the erratic and self-destructive behavior that humanity has remained lifestyle for hundreds of years.





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



Our case is particular- we have been playing together for years in our previous band and we had a strong presence on stage, however we haven’t played live as Obscura Insania yet. We planned to have the album and video out first to commence with our marketing plan afterwards. The plan was to open social networks 15 days before the premiere of the promotional video, putting the album on iTunes and Spotify, and pre-producing our shows. We expect to come with great force along with a captivating audiovisual performance.





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



Indeed, we are planning our first show by mid-September in our native Venezuela, along with a multiple-city tour. Soon after we want to do a Latin America and Europe tour, as a start to a world tour.



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



Very good, so far we’ve received many positive reactions! And even as we sing in Spanish, it hasn’t been an alienating factor for many non-Spanish speakers who can enjoy and relate to our music. We  believe that the Stoner Doom community around the world is very faithful to the genre, and when there is a lot of fuzz and power to music, the feeling transmitted breaks language barriers and is accesible to all.



8. Are any of the band members also involved with any other bands or musical projects?



Currently, we are all fully dedicated to this project. In the past, however, we have all been involved in different bands playing various subgenres of metal.





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



For now we want to promote Sodoma by playing live and touring to many countries as we can. We will continue to generate interesting visual material to accompany our music. In addition to that, we will keep composing new songs, as we hope to return to the studio next year and continue our artistic development.





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?



That's a pretty broad topic for us, we could spend all day talking about it. I feel that our tastes can be categorized in stages of life and decades, but generally we can relate to Classic Rock like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, Heavy Metal like Black Sabbath and Pentagram, and 90s Stoner Rock like Sleep, Kyuss, or 2000’s High on fire. Right now we’re pretty into Monolord and Pallbearer.



11. What are some of your non musical interests?



Well, I work in film production and photography, in addition to being audio engineer. The work really stimulates my musical interests. Luis is an excellent painter, and Renzo loves the world of motorcycles and carpentry.





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



Listen to Sodoma, its awesome. Check out our music video for Universo Adverso, and stay tuned to our posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, as well as all the new material that we will continue generating. We’re planning to tour Europe, and we’ll be seeing you guys in the UK soon. Doom On!


Cheers!


Ivan Torres Barroyetta.

Miss Lava Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording since the recording of the new album?

A lot went down. We played a few shows in Portugal to warm up for the album release and unleashed two videos ("In the arms of the freaks" and "The silent ghost of doom"). Lots of rehearsal also.

2.In May you have a new album coming out 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?

I guess we explored more stuff this time. The whole creative process was different - everyone came in with ideas and the songs would only be finished with the four of us together in the rehearsal room. This led to more jamming, more psychy stuff and I believe our best effort to date. It's more stoner rock than our previous records, which were maybe more heavy rock.

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

Johnny writes about lots of different stuff. "In a sonic fire we shall burn" is about the end of a relationship, "I'm the asteroid" is a trippy one set out in space and "In the arms of the freaks" talks about facing your own personal demons. Lots of different subjects...

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Miss Lava'?

We were basically drinking wine in Lisbon's Bairro Alto and someone started talking about which name we should have. We liked lava as it had something stoner to it and it had obviously warmth. But it missed something. Then Johnny remembered a show he attended were he saw a new band. He thought the singer presented themselves as Miss Revolution and went to meet the guys after at backstage, where they told him it was Piss Revolution. Hehehe so he remembered that and really liked the Miss in the name. So there you go. I think it kinda represents our sound because it has that groovy feminine approach to the harder melting lava heaviness.

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

We played some great slots with Kyuss Lives!, Fu Manchu, Slash and Entombed  among others. But we really liked opening for QOTSA In Front of 40000 people. That's special. But it was not more special than playing to 5 people at 1am in the beginning of the band, in a day that we played 3 shows, and those 5 souls were so much with us that we had to repeat the set! We give it everything we have onstage, trying to have as much fun as possible.

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

Yeah we're gonna do lots of dates from August until the end of November - festivals mainly. Right now only in Portugal. We should go out to Europe from February onwards. Let's see how it rolls out.

7.The new album is coming out on 'Small Stone Recordings' are you happy with the support they have given you so far?

There great and the dialogue has been getting better and better. Things are going pretty good!

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

The feedback has been growing a lot with the new record and it's very positive actually. We have had contacts and mercy others from lots of different places. It's great to feel that people in Australia or Israel listen to your stuff and react to it!

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

Have no idea. As long as we're happy it its ok. I mean we're not gonna do a pop or a grind record, but we like to have the space to do whatever we want to.

10.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?

I think you hear a lot of Monster Magnet (dopes era) and COC (deliverance era) in this record. And that's ok, because we played those records over and over again when they came out. Right now, I've been listening to some black metal actually - really like the abbath album and discovered the Swedish Valkyrja. Going back to Sabbath and CCR also. But that's me, I'm sure the other guys have been listening to other stuff that has nothing to do with this.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Making babies!

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

Check out our record and share some words on our pages. If you have the chance, catch us live, you'll like it! Thanks!

Vlad In Tears Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

1. Well, we've been working on our new video "Burn Inside" first of all, it was an amazing experience. Then, we've been arranging our headliner tour, that means dates, the set list, rehearsals and so on... Then again, we already started talking about our second single and video clip because as it is, we love to keep our fans always focused! And there's so much more to come...


2. You have a new album coming out in August, 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?

2. This album has a totally different sound in comparison to the others. We've been working a lot on it and we're not afraid to say that Unbroken is our best record so far. It is the best and perfect combination between what we've been so far and what we could have become... more alternative rock, somehow heavier but still melodic... and less Goth.


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

3. We talk about life in all meanings... Love, pain, death, fights, defeats and victories. And it's all coming from our own life experiences.


4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Vlad In Tears'?

4. I was the one who took inspiration from the classic Dracula... I've always been a great fan of romantic horror stories, so I wanted to have a band with a name which could bring us into a dark/horror/romantic world... In fact, in the very beginning I used to write using metaphors to describe my feelings. Let's say "Vamp's metaphors" to say what we say today without using any of them no more. But I still love the meaning behind a "man who damned himself cause he lost love of his life" ... "To love forever you have to live forever..".


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

5. We loved and we still love all our shows. They've always been different and unforgettable and I can say we rock the shit everytime we jump on stage. We love what we do and people need to see and feel it.


6. Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

6. Of course we do, we gonna start touring starting from the 9th of September and we gonna tour the whole month. Then we take a short break and after that we will tour again!


7. The new album is coming out on 'NoCut  Entertainment', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

7. What can I say? We know who works there and we really liked each other from the first time we met, we can't be happier about working together!


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

8. We're really amazed too see everyday how many people from all around the world are following and want us to play in their countries. There's nothing more important than feeling welcome and loved by so many different kinds of "followers" starting from people who listen mostly to rock music, to people who listen pop/electro and so on!


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

9. Well, I think we gonna be more into the alternative rock scene than the classic Gothic scene because of course we like it but we also want to challenge ourselves and experiment a bit more but without ever loosing our soul.


10. 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?

10. Almost all the music we listen to... This is how it works when you're experimenting all the time. Of course we know what we do and what we like the most but listening to music is the first step to keep "learning" and always try to do different things...


11. What are some of your non musical interests?

11. I (Kris) love horrors movies. The old classic ones for example, I love to watch them when I need to "disappear" or for example I use to take some "walks of inspiration" when I just go out, destination anywhere, and see what happens and I write down my thoughts as soon as I see something which gets my attention.


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

12. Yes I do. Thanks so much for always being interested to what we do,. I know it could sound "cheesy" but I mean it. We work so hard every day to communicate to people about all we have to say and it's always a super pleasure to feel listened and "interesting".

You all make this possible and... "We won't fall down..." Promise... until next time: STAY VLAD!

Shadow Witch/Sun Killer/Snake Charmer Coalition/2016 CD Review

  Shadow  Witch  are  a  band  from  New  York  that  plays  a  mixture  of stoner,  doom  metal  and  grunge  and  this  is  a  review  of their  2016  album  "Sun  Killer"  which  was  released  by  Snake  Charmer  Coalition.

  A  very  distorted  amp  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  hard  yet  melodic  style  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  and  all  of  the musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads also  use  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while t he  riffs  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal.

  A  lot  of  90's  grunge  and  modern stoner  rock  elements  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  some  of  the  faster  riffs  bring  in  the  energy  of  punk  rock  and  traces  of  psychedelic music can  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast parts  and  one  of  the  tracks  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars.

  Shadow  Witch  plays  a musical  style  that  takes  70's  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  with  90's  grunge  and  modern  stoner  rock  along  with  a  touch  of  psychedelia  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Shadow  Witch  are  a  very  great sounding  mixture  of  stoner,  doom  metal  and  grunge  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sun  Killer"  "Blood  On  The  Vine"  "Headless  Army"  and  "Shadow  Witch".  8  out  of  10.

 

Obscura Insania/Sodoma/Sepulchral Silence Records/2016 Full Length Review

  Obscura  Insania  are  a  band  from  Venezuela  that  plays  a  mixture  of  stoner  and doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Sodoma"  which  was  released  by  Sepulchral  Silence  Records.

  Thunder  and  rain  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  dark  sounding  melodies  at  times  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  psychedelic  elements  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  stoner  rock  edge  along  with  a  small  amount  of  air  raid  sirens.

  Vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  clean  singing  fashion  while  also  having  their  aggressive  moments  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  bring  in  even  more  of  a  dark  and  melodic  doom  metal  style  and  all  of t he  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  the  last  track  is  very  long  and  epic in  length.

  Obscura  Insania  plays a  musical  style  that  takes  a  traditional  style  of  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  with  stoner  rock  to  create  some  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  music,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Obscuria  Insania  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Candelada"  "Mandragora"  and  "Una  Nueva  Maldad".  8  out  of  10. 

Magnitudo/Si Ves pacem/Sepulchral Silence Records/2016 EP Review

  Magnitudo  are  a band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  post  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  ep  "Si  Vis  Pacem"  which  was  released  by  Sepulchral  Silence  Records.

  A  very  distorted  yet heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  and  after  a  few  seconds  clean  playing  is  added  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  all  of  the  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Most  of  the  riffs  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal and  the  first  track  is  all  instrumental  and  after  awhile  more  post  metal  elements  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  vocals are  very  angry  and  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  hardcore  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  mid  paced  sections  while  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slow  direction  and  one  of  the t racks  brings  in a  brief  use  of  clean  singing.

  Magnitudo  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  sludge  and  post  metal  and  mixes  them  together  with  a  touch  of  hardcore  to  create  a  style  of t heir  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  science  fiction  and  dystopian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Magnitudo  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Marjane"  and  "T".  8  out  of 10.

Vlad In Tears/Unbroken/NoCut Entertainment/2016 CD Review

  Vlad  In  Tears  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  dark  mixture  of  gothic  rock  and  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Unbroken"  which  will  be  released  in  August by  NoCut  Entertainment.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  gothic  style  synths  and  clean  singing  vocals  while  you  can  also  hear  the  influence  of  metal  in  the  riffing  which  also  gets  very  melodic  at  times  and  the  music  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  modern  mainstream  rock   influences  along  with  the  energy  of  punk.

  Melodic  guitar  leads  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  along  with  some  whispers  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  sounds  like  it  would  be  a  perfect  fut  for  both  AOR  and  modern  rock  radio  stations  while  still  also  having  some  extreme  metal  elements  in  some  of  the  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  vocals  also  start  getting  more  aggressive  and  one  of  the  later  songs  also  introduces  acoustic  guitars  into  the music.

  Vlad  In  Tears  plays  a  music  style  that  takes  goth  and  mixes  it  with  modern  rock  and  the  heaviness  of  metal  to  create  a  style  that  is  a  little  bit  different,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vlad  In  Tears  are  a  very  decent  sounding  mixture  of  goth  rock  and  alternative  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blame  Yourself"  "Lies"  "Still  here"  and  "We're  Done".  7/5  out  of  10.  

 

Zed Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
Sure thing, we have been pretty busy getting ready for the release of the album most of this year. We did a small southwest US tour immediately after handing the album off to Ripple followed by the work into getting the album ready for release, such as album art, video shooting and editing etc. At the same time we've been writing riffs and parts that we want to return to when we start writing the next album.

2. You have a new album coming out in August, 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?
The new album coming in August, "Trouble In Eden", will be our third album that we'e put out and the first for Ripple Music. Every time you make a record, it's a snapshot of a band for that period of time, and when i look at all three albums, or snapshots, I see a definite progression and growth in songwriting, discipline and musicianship. We are known as a riff band and our default writing style is to find a riff and ride that riff to the fullest extent, and we'd approach writing from a riff perspective. Our earlier stuff had some songs where we just put riffs together not really thinking about coherency or song structure. Over time we've disciplined ourselves more and put time into thinking about song structures, making things flow more cohesively, and challenging ourselves as musicians to write parts that force us to step up our chops. What we have created for his album we think is a big sounding heavy groove that draws from various styles but that are unmistakeably ZED. Big, loud rock songs.

3. The band has been around since 2007 but so far has only put out 3 albums, can you tell us a little bit more about the gap in between releases?
I think the big reason is that we took alot of time to define our style as a band. When a band gets together for the first time, they usually need to time to find their own sonic identity, and since we were in no hurry, we took our time and let the sounds and grooves simmer until we felt that they were ready to share with others. This current album was written in a year and thats the fastest we've done it so far.  

4. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
This current album has a consistent theme running through it, which was done deliberately by our singer Peter Sattari. The lyrics deal with societal turbulence, environmental problems and even ones own mental and spiritual well being. there are alot of dark themes in the lyrics which help give the overall vibe a heavy feel.

5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Zed'?
One of the biggest influences the band has is Led Zeppelin, and the name ZED in my mind was a nice way to pay tribute to my all time favorite rock band, putting the Z from Zeppelin in place of the L from Led. Additionally, it conjures up images from Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction which all of us in the band love, so we liked the idea that the name could have that significance as well.

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?
wow we've played alot of shows, but my favorites are always ones where we are in close quarters to the crowd and they are actively along for the ride, participating, dancing and singing the lyrics back to us. I would describe our stage performance as energetic and engaged. We let the music flow through us and I think it comes out with the intensity of the song and in how we interact with each other and the audience. It's therapeutic for us to say the least.  

7. Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
yes we are planning a west coast US tour for October as well as working on going to Europe in 2017.

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of rock and metal?
The feedback has been very positive globally. Fans of rock and metal are always looking for something unique and good, and I think that they pick up on various things that they can relate to in our music. Collectively we come from various musical backgrounds from metal to punk to blue to funk, and we incorporate those elements in our sound, so even if you're an extreme metal fan, or just a blues fan, or a punk rocker, there is something intense and familiar enough there for you to like and pick up on.

9. Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
No idea really, we never know where the music will take us until we write it. If you ask me where i would like it to go, then i would say I want to write bigger and heavier grooves that make you bob your head. My favorite part of our songs are the big, bold riffs that make people automatically start moving their heads or hips.

10. 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?
I would say the biggest musical influences on ZED are 1. Led Zeppelin 2. Black Sabbath 3. Clutch 4. Soundgarden 5. Rage Against The Machine. As for me what I've been listening to alot lately are the latest albums from our labelmates Wo Fat and Gozu, as well as alot of old 60's and 70's proto metal, funk and reggae


11. What are some of your non musical interests?
I love reading and watching science fiction, I also love video/film making and editing and ancient history!

12. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks to all who have taken an interest in our music, we hope that you all like the next chapter in the ZEDstory, and we look forward to seeing you out on the road!

Season Of Arrows/Give It To The Mountain/Static Tension Recordings/2016 CD Review

  Season  Of  Arrows  are  a  band  from  Nashville,  Tennessee  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  post,  sludge,  doom  and  stoner  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Give  It  To  The  Mountain"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by Static  Tension  Recordings.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  percussion  beats  and  the  music  can  also  be  very  atmospheric  and  experimental  at  times  and  after  awhile  the  music  goes  into  a  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  musical  direction  as  well  as  adding  in  clean  singing  female  vocals  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  70's  doom  metal  feeling.

  At  times  the  music  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  while  some  of  the  retro  style  riffing  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  stoner  rock  vibe  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion while  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  post  metal  and  clean  playing  also  makes  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.

  Seasons  Of  Arrows  creates  another  recording  that  brings  in  a  very  retro  stoner  and  doom  metal  style  while  making  it sound  more  modern  by  adding  in  elements  of  sludge  and  post  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  darker  sides  of  life.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Seasons  Of  Arrows  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  post,  sludge,  stoner,  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Farewell  To  the  Horsemen"  "New  Sorcery"  and  "From  The  Wilderness  We  Return".  8  out  of  10. 

100 Years Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Basically we're a bunch of old guys who stopped playing to please others long ago. All the music we've played individually up to this point has lead to this band, and represents who we are now. We're scattered around Sweden, and although we live far from each other geographically, we come from the same city and have known each other since forever. Our goal is to just dig down, focus and make as much music as we can, because that's what we love.

2.Recently you have released your first album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
For me (Pontus), it can take a lot of effort just making a single riff or verse, because I can't bring myself to leaving even a single note to chance. Everything has to make sense to me, and I hope that comes across in the music. The sound is harsh, mellow, grinding. It's my outlet of every feeling.

3. All of the band members are veterans who have played in other bands, what are some of the things you bring into this group that you where not able to do with the other band?
This is a new arena, we have nothing to prove to anyone, and with no expectations you can do anything.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
The lyrics aren't story based, they lean more towards descriptions of emotions or situations. High and low, mostly low.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name '100 Years'?
Initially, the idea was to allow a certain amount of time in the beginning of a song for the listener to "get into" it before it actually kicked in. We thought about the concept of time, and we felt that 100 years is the maximum amount of time a person can grasp. Longer than that, and it just becomes vague.

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 an awesome gig at Klubben in Stockholm that really set the tone for how we want our stage performance to be. We want the music to be the focal point on stage rather than us, and we want the audience to experience something other than an average bang-your-head-metal-show. We try to set a mood and a vibe that speaks to your spine rather than your eyes.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
We're looking into some possibilities at the moment, and hopefully we'll be able to do some gigs this fall.

8.The new album came out on 'Give Praise Records' are you happy with the support they have given you so far?
As a Swedish band it's great to have a foreign platform to start from, it makes it a whole lot easier to spread your music beyond your backyard.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of metal?
According to some sources, we have a surprising number of fans in Indonesia, which is awesome. It's a bit too early to talk about fan bases, but we'd love to play in other parts of the world for sure.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Maybe a bit more violent, who knows. The essence will probably remain, though.

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?
Everything from Swans to Napalm Death, The Cure to Killing Joke, Voivod to Celtic Frost has inspired us. I (Pontus) listen to Norwegian bands Årabrot and Okkultokrati a lot right now. Motorpsycho (also Norwegian) is probably my biggest musical influence and my all time favorite band, and they're definitely responsible for the jazziness of 100 Years.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Food & beverage are huge interests for some, technical recording nerdy stuff, golf, weed, working on the house, visiting the in-laws, hanging out with the kids etcetera.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
If Donald Trump is your next president, we won't come.

Into The Storm Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
    We are already back to writing new music and suffocating in the tiny box we call a practice space. Expect a reasonably quick follow up release as a possible split with another Seattle band. In the mean time we are hoping 'Where the Merfalo Roam' is cool enough to keep us relevant for at least 3 months.

2.You have a new album coming out in November, 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?
    This album captures the most accurate representation of seeing us play live we have ever recorded. Derek Moree and Brad Boatright did an amazing job mixing and mastering the album to produce the highest fidelity version of our tones we have ever heard. Highly suggest cranking it and letting the low end hug you. 'Where the Merfalo Roam' is heavier, cleaner, and harder hitting than anything else we have ever released.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
    The lyrical concept is a journey through discontent, oppressive governments, dystopian eras, and the connection between the cycles societies go through.

    'Where the Merfalo Roam' is a call to a bygone era where great waters covered much of the open the plains and large aquatic mammals grazed, Merfalo. You can still see evidence of this time in the derelict buildings scattered beside the highways of America.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Into The Storm'?
    We all get into the storm. The storm is both a physical concept and a mental/emotional concept that happens in all of our day to day lives and in the turmoil that seems to be a constant in our societies. It's a weird wild world out there that you can't avoid being pulled into.  

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
    Playing Smooth Sailing's album release for XoXo was one of the most amazing shows we have played. Packed house. Close friends. Memories worth a fortune. It's hard to analyze your own stage performance so here is some stuff friends have said to us, "that was awesome, but it made me feel like my mom was yelling at me for some reason", "that was like watching Bob Ross paint but on guitar", "that would be really cool if there was less yelling and you guys weren't so loud"

6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
    Yes, but nothing set in stone yet.

7.The new album is coming out on 'Alive And Breathing Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
    It's great they have helped us with getting promotion and financing pretty much everything from this and every record we have ever put together as a band. We are obligated to put this quote in on their behalf, "two brothers in a van and then a meteor hits, and they ran as fast as they could from giant cat monsters and then a giant tornado came and that’s when things got knocked into 12th gear. A Mexican armada shows up with weapons made from tomatoes. And you better bet your bottom dollar that these two brothers know how to handle business. In: ALIEN INVASION TOMATO MONSTER MEXICAN ARMADA BROTHERS WHO ARE JUST REGULAR BROTHERS RUNNING IN A VAN FROM AN ASTEROID AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS THE MOVIE. Hold on, these’s more. Old women are comin’ and they’re also in the movie and they’re gonna come and cross attack these two brothers, but let’s get back to the brothers because they’re, they have a strong bond. You don’t want to know about it here, but I’ll tell you one thing: the moon, it comes crashing into earth and what do you do then? it’s two brothers and it…and..and they’re gonna…" - Rick and Morty

8.On a worldwide level how has the feed the feedback been to your recordings by fans of heavy music?
    Russia likes it.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
    More guitars, more amps, more punishing, and more beautiful. Basically more of everything.

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?
    CKY, Sublime, Oasis, Harvey Danger, Botch, Converge, Tombs, Tool, Mastodon, Baroness, Metallica, Queens of the Stone Age, Gospel, Gaza, Cult Leader, Yautja, The Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza, Gojira, Chelsea Wolfe, Rumors by Fleetwood Mac, Cloud Rat, Perturberator. Some of those are old influences but most of that list is still on a regular rotation.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
    Sleep depravation and pop culture. Some of us do the adult thing, not all of us.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
    Can't emphasize enough that this record sounds the best real loud. Derek Moree, who engineered and mixed it, did an incredible job making sure the hits hit and that everything is super full sounding. Turn it up!

Friend Or Foe/Foe/Flatspot Records/2016 EP Review

  Friend  Or  Foe  are  a  band  from  Richmond,  Virginia  that  plays  a  straight  edge  form  of  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  ep  "Foe"  which  will  be  released  in August  by  Flatspot  Records.

  Distorted  guitar  noises  and  spoken  word  samples  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  very  fast  hardcore  direction  along  with  some  shouting  style  vocals  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  the  energy  of  punk  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  80's  and  90's  NYHC  influences  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Back  up  gang  shouts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recordings  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  short  in  length  and  you  can  also hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording    and  all  of the  tracks  stick  to  a  heavy  musical  style   while  a  brief  use  of  clean  singing  can  be  heard.

  Friend  Or  Foe  plays  a  style  of  hardcore  that  goes  back  to  the  mid  80's  and  early  90's  era  of  the  east  coast  sound  while  also  mixing  in  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent,  angry  and  realistic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Friend  Or  Foe  are  a  very  great  sounding  straight  edge  hardcore  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Never  Loosen Your  Grip"  and  "True".  8  out  of  10. 

 

Mine Collapse/Self Titled/Nefarious Industries/2016 EP Review

  Mine  Collapse  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  metal  and  noise  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  titled  2016  ep  which  was  released  by  Nefarious  Industries.

  Natural  noises  start  off  the  ep  before  adding  in  heavy  riffing  and  melodic  guitar  leads  that  bring  back  some  of  the  early  90's  noise  rock  style  and  the  guitar  riffs  also use  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  shouting  style  that  also  gives  the  music  a  touch  of  post  hardcore.

  The  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  can  be  heard  in t he  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  at  times  also  brings  in  the  energy  of  punk  rock  and  one  of t he  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  pianos  and  the  tracks  also  stick  to  mostly  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  while  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  fast  playing  and  blast  beats.

  Mine  Collapse  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  noise  rock  and  post  hardcore  and  mixes  it  in  with  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mine  Collapse  are  a  very great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge  metal  and  noise  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres, you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mouthpiece"  and  "Coward".  8  out  of  10.

Carnage Inc/Fury Incarnate/Transcending Obscurity Distribtion/2016 EP Review

  Carnage  Inc  are  a  band  from  India  that  plays  a crossover  mixture  of  punk  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  ep  "Fury  Incarnate"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Transcending  Obscurity  Distribution.

  Classical  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  which  also  slowly  starts  evolving  into  a  heavier  sound  and  after  the  intro t here  is  a  brief  use  of radio  samples  before  going  into  more  of  an  old school  thrash  metal  style  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  very  aggressive  yet  melodic  at  the  same  time.

  When  guitar  solos  and leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  fashion  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  album  progresses  more  punk  and  hardcore  elements  are  added  into  the  songs  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  80's  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  growls  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  modern feeling  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  a brief  use  of  blast  beats.

  Carnage  Inc  plays  a  style  of  thrash  metal t hat  goes  back  to t he  mid  80's  style  and  also  adds  in  some  crossover  and  punk  touches  which  makes  the  music  stand  out  a  lot  more,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Carnage  Inc  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  crossover  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Defiled"  and  "Ungod".  8 out  of  10.