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.   

100 Years/Self Titled/Give Praise Records/2016 CD Review

  100  Years  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  indie  metal  with  some  elements  of    punk  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self titled  2016  album  which  was  released  by  Give  Praise  Records.

  Distorted  yet  clean  indie  rock  style  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  adding  in  more  of  a  heavy  and melodic  sound  where  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on the  recording  and  the  vocals  are  done  in  somewhat  of  a  screaming  and  hardcore  style  of  aggressive  singing.

  A  lot  of  post  metal  and  hardcore  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  fashion  and  the  music  also  takes  a  great  amount  of  post  punk  influences  from  the  80's  and  mixes  it  in  with  a  more  modern  style  and  when  synths  are  utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric feeling  and  all  of  the  tracks  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  100  Years  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  post  metal  and  mixes it  in  with  indie  rock  and  post  punk  to  create  a  musical  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  100  Years  are  a  very  great  sounding  indie  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Medicine  Knows  My Name"  "Incedie"  "All  the  Fools  And  Me"  and  "Concrete  Eden".  8  out  of  10.

Acoustic Anomaly/Dominvs. Tinea/Symbol Of Domination Productions/2016 CD Review

  Acoustic  Anomaly  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Dominvs. Tinea"  which  was  released  by  Symbol  Of  Domination  Productions.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  guitar  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of   the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  after  awhile  clean  singing  vocals  make  their  presence  known  in  the  music  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  musical  direction.

  Elements of  goth  can  be  heard  in  the  vocals  and  the  songs  also  bring  in a  great  amount  of  atmospheric  synths  which  also  gives  the music  more  of  and  experimental  edge  along  with  the  guitar riffing  also  using  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  spoken  word  samples  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Traces  of  post  metal  can  be  heard  throughout  the  recording  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  tracks  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  guitar  playing  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  touches  of  alternative  and  indie  rock  as  well  as  some  shoegaze  elements  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  vocals  start  getting  more  aggressive  on  some  tracks  which  also  gives  the  music  a  touch  of  industrial  metal  while  also  introducing  a  brief  use  of  flutes  and  tribal  sounds.

  Acoustic  Anomaly  plays  a  style  of  post  metal  that  takes  a  great  amount  of  influences  from  a  variety  of  different  genres  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  Russian  and  cover  metaphysics,  dreams  and  surreal  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Acoustic  Anomaly  are  a  very  great  sounding  post  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Everything  Is  Passing"  "Into  The  Garden  Of  Grief (Lament)"  and  "Unity".  8  out  of  10.

   

   

Zed/Trouble In Eden/Ripple Music/2016 CD Review

  Zed  are  a  band  from  San  Jose,  California  that  plays  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Trouble  In  Eden"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Ripple  Music.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  stoner  rock  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  decent amount  of  melodic  riffing  and  clean  singing  vocals  and  the  music  also  mixes  in a  great  amount  of  retro influences  from  the  70's  up  to t he  90's  in  with  a  more  modern  approach  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  At  times  the  music  brings  in  a  desert  like  atmosphere  while t he  solos  and  leads  also  remain  very  true  to  a  retro  rock  style  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  mix  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  while  some  tracks  add  in  touches  of  blues  and  southern  rock  and  one  track  also  brings  in  country  style  steel  guitars  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  the  last track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Zed  plays  a  style  of  stoner  rock  that  also  brings  in  a  touch  of  doom  and  proto  metal  which  makes  their  songs  stand  out  a  bit  more,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  religious  fulled  tragedy,  societal  reflection,  struggles  with  mental  anguish,  loss  and  perseverance  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Zed  are  a  very  great  sounding  stoner  rock  band  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Royale"  "Today  Not  Tomorrow"  "So  Low"  and  "The  Mountain".  8  out  of  10.

 

Yidhra Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band since the recording and release of the new ep?

Well since the release of "Cult of Bathory" we did some touring, played a few really cool local gigs and started writing new material. We also hooked up with Jerome of Arts In Bloodshed Custom Effects to develop our signature FUZZ pedal the "Hexed Fuzz" which we are really stoked about. It's really versatile and has a killer tone. We go out on another tour starting 7/20/2016 and when we get back we're going to knuckle down on the new material and get in the studio as soon as we can.

2.In December you had released a new ep, 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'd say it's equal parts Heavy, Melodic, Raw, Organic, Somber and Angry. The biggest difference is that I played rhythm guitar on "Cult of Bathory" and we tracked it live. It has a bit of different vibe than Hexed but that's about it. When you play the songs shuffled around they all sound good together.

3.Your lyrics cover some occult and witchcraft topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these subjects?

Sure, we are all really into all things Horror and supernatural. Movies, comics, literature, art, what have you, we love it. But as for myself, the witchcraft and occult influences were instilled in me from the get go. My brother and I were raised in a very open minded and free thinking environment. We were exposed to many different multi cultural belief systems through our mother. She always encouraged us to find our own path and never forced hers on us. She did what she did and only discussed it in detail when we asked. In short, she was a witch. What I like to call, an Episcopagan. A multi-theist with an appreciation for the more  positive aspects of Christianity.

4.I know that the bands name came from the Cthulhu Mythos, does your interest in this also go past Lovecraft and into the other authors that had expanded on this universe after his death?

Of course, Walter DeBill in particular. We have become friends with him through the use of the name Yidhra and he has even commissioned some original art from our lead guitarist Dave K.

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've been fortunate to have played with some amazing bands. Bands like Conan, Crowbar, Bongripper, Weedeater, Windhand, Buzzov•en and more as well as kick ass locals like Behold! The Monolith, Destroy Judas, teeth, chrch, Hornns, Ancient Altar, Pendulous, Wovoka, Colombian Necktie, Trapped Within Burning Machinery, Deathkings, Temple Of Dagon and more. There are a lot of great bands out there and promoters like Daniel at Church of the 8th Day are putting together some seriously epic shows.
Our shows are loud, and intense. We like to keep the show moving you know, not a lot of stage banter with us.

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

Yeah, we're heading out on a 5 day jaunt starting 7/20/2016 and working on getting over to the east coast and Europe in 2017.

7.The ep was released on 'Black Voodoo Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Black Voodoo Records is the metal side of the punk rock label Irish Voodoo Records. They are putting out some of the best local So Cal bands right now. A lot of the bands I mentioned above have had there records released by BVR. Danny is a great guy and he genuinely cares about the scene and the bands in it.

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

So far we have been pretty humbled by the amount of positive feedback and reviews worldwide. Sometimes, even with how connected we are these days, it's easy to feel isolated you know? So when we get orders, reviews or messages from people on the other side of the planet it's honestly pretty great. We are fortunate in that way.

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

We're shooting for 2017. Maybe a split and a full length, we haven't decided for sure on that yet. As far as musical direction, we honestly let the songs dictate all of that. We don't sit back and plan it out like we need a slow song or a fast song etc. It's a fairly natural and organic process. Rest assured, it will be loud, heavy and wrought with riffs.

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?

As individuals our influences vary quite a bit but we all agree on some of the more obvious influences like, let's say Black Sabbath. Dave and I come from a Punk Rock and Hardcore background with bands like Black Flag, Ramones, Adolescents, SSD, Die Kreuzen, Discharge etc. Where Chris and Erik are much more into the Classic Rock stuff.
I've been listening to a lot of ethereal music lately. That and 30s and 40s stuff. But I mix it up pretty heavily. I'll jump from ABBA to Venom in a heartbeat.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

We touched on some of it above. Horror, Supernatural, Sci-Fi, creating art, collecting movie posters, vinyl, toys, comics, books, animal rights and watching the current social and political shit show unravel around us.

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

Thanks for your time and interest in what we do. We are very thankful for the support and exposure. It's sites like yours that help keep underground music alive.


Best,

Ted V
YIDHRA!

Dead Ranch/Antler Royal/No List Records/2014 Full Length Review

  Dead  Ranch  are  a  band  from  Winnipeg,  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,   post  metal,  punk  and  noise  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Antler  Royal"  which  was  released  by  No  List  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  melodic  guitar  riff  starts  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  style  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  takes  the music  into  more  of  a  sludge  metal  style  and  after  awhile  aggressive  screaming  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  a  touch  of  noise  rock.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  incorporates  a  lot  of  post  metal  elements  and  on  the later  tracks  some  riffs  start  incorporating  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  and  some  songs  also  add  in a   touch  of  alternative  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  the  last  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Dead  Ranch  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  sludge,  post  metal  and  noise  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  French  and  English  and  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dead  Ranch  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  post  metal  and  noise  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ice  Desert"  "Unipolar"  and  "Lenny  Beastman".  8  out  of  10.    

Mos Generator/Abyssinia/Listenable Records/2016 CD Review

  Mos  Generator  are  a  band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  plays  a  heavy  mixture  of  stoner  and  hard  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Abyssinia"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Listenable.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  cleaning  vocals  and all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  a  70's  hard  rock  and  proto  metal style  to the  music  while  the  songs  still  have  very  much  of  a  modern  day  feeling  to  them.

  Some  of  the  riffing  brings  back  the  90's  stoner  rock  style  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  doom  metal  in  some  of  the  heavier  riffs  while  some  songs  also  add  in  a  touch  of  grunge  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well as  a  brief  use  of  steel  and  slide   guitars  along  with  a  touch  of  psychedelia  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  the  last  track  is  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Mos  Generator  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  styles  proto  metal  and  hard  rock  styles  and  mixes  it  in  with  a  modern  stoner  sound  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  real  life  and  occult  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mos  Generator  are  a  very  great  sounding  heavy  mixture  of  stoner  and  hard  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Strangest  Times"  "Easy  Evil"  "As  Above,  So  Below"  and  "Outlander".  8  out  of  10. 

Into the Storm/Where The Merfalo Roam/Alive And Breathing Records/2016 Full Length Review

  Into  The  Storm  are  a band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  sludge  and  noise  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2016  album  "Where  The  Merfalo  Roam"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Alive  And  Breathing  Records.

  Dark  yet  melodic  guitar  riffing  starts  off  the  album  before going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  along  with  some  aggressive  screaming  sludge  style  vocals  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  lot  of  noise  rock  elements  and  all  of  the  musical instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  and  the  songs  also  take  a  lot  of  90's  influences  and  mixes  it  in  with  a  more  modern  style  while  also  getting  very  progressive  at  times  while  some  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal  while  some  of  the  vocals  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  singing and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow  and  mid  paced  parts  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  clean  guitars  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  a  couple  of  songs  also  bring  in  violins  and  trumpets.

  Into  The  Storm  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  sludge  and  noise  rock  and  takes  them  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction  to  create  a  sound  of  their own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  covers  a  journey  through  discontent,  oppressive  governments,  dystopian  eras  and  the  connection  between  the  cycles  societies  go  through.

  In  my  opinion  Into  The Storm  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  sludge  and  noise  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ghostmaker"  "Wellwisher"  "Fell  of  A  Horse"  and  "Where  The  Merfalo  Roam".  8  out  of  10.   

  

    

Howling Giant Interview

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

We're 3 dudes that write about space, mythical monsters, and whatever the hell else we feel like writing about.

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

We tend to pull influence from all over the place, so this EP has a bit of doom, fuzz, prog rock, thrash, and of course stoner rock all wrapped up in a space blanket.

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

With our debut EP, we wrote about space travel, doomed seafarers, and a sentient android hellbent for a camel killing death crusade. This time around, we are opening up a story about the last of the human race and their struggle against the Black Hole Space Wizard.
Most of the time we keep to sci-fi themes, but try to write lyrics that people can interpret however they like.

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

Howling Giant sounds a lot like a loud beast, which is what we strive to do musically. We aim to create a full sound that people might normally expect from a five-piece rather than a power-trio. The inspiration originally came from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

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 really love playing at the Springwater Supper Club in Nashville, TN. Its a tiny dive bar, but every show we've played has been very fun and you never know what will happen next at that place. We also like playing Asheville, NC because there are always enthusiastic show-goers and a lot of breweries to hit before the show.

Stage performance wise, we are very energetic. No one going to a rock show wants to see the band standing around and not feeling their own music, right?

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

We are playing a bunch locally over the next few months in Nashville and the surrounding area. We'll also get back on the weekend tour train within the next few months. Nashville is pretty central, so we can cover a bunch of ground in a weekend in our hearse.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

We aren't necessarily looking for a label right now because we've been able to do most of the booking/recording/everything else ourselves, though if the right offer comes along, we will certainly consider it!

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

The feedback has been great! We can't wait to get over to Europe because thats actually where we've seen the biggest positive response.

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

We'll continue to write whatever we're feeling. It will all stay within the confines of rock/metal, but we'll keep pulling influence from all over. The concept of the next few albums will really drive the overall mood of the music.

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?

We have such a wide range of influence between the 3 of us. We can always jam some Mastodon, Baroness, Truckfighters, and Red Fang, but don't think we won't get down to some Erykah Badu every once and a while.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Beer. Tom and Zach work at a local brewery, Tennessee Brew Works and Roger enjoys sitting and drinking said beer. Roger also tends to be a culinary genius every once and a while.

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

Just a huge thanks to everyone for the great response on the EP so far! Can't wait to release the future installments.
https://howlinggiant.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/howlinggiant/

 

Sonic Wolves/Before the End Comes/Taxi Driver Records/2016 CD Review

  Sonic  Wolves  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  blues  and  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2016  album  "Before  The  End  Comes"  which  was  released  by Taxi  Driver  Records.

  Marching  and  folk instruments  start  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  a  mixture  of  both  female  and  male  vocals  and  you  can  also  hear  a  lot of  90's  stoner  rock elements  in  the  music  along  with  the  heaviness  of  metal  and  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  70's  proto  metal  but  done  in  more  of  a  modern  fashion  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  of t he  riffs  and  guitar  leads  also  bring  in  elements  of  blues  rock  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks a re  long  and  epic  in  length. 

  Sonic  Wolves  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to the  blues  orientated  stoner  rock  style  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  occult  themes.

  In  my opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sonic  Wolves  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  stoner  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Geronimo"  "Wolfwitch"  and  "Freedom  Is  The  Devil".  8  out  of  10.

These Winds Are Not Hope Interview

*1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
These Winds Are Not Hope is a new band, a side project that I've started working on few years back while playing with my band, Timesand. We have released our debut album "Yesterday's Ghosts" a couple of months ago. Marc is on vocals, Miroslav on bass guitar and me on rhythm guitars.

*2.Recently you have released your first full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
I would say heavy metal with a lot of melodic doom metal guitar elements and clean vocals.We wanted to have an album with lots of harmonies, both instrumental and vocal, there are some parts where we have recorded more than five guitar lines. It is melodic, it is heavy and is full of emotion.

*3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?
Yesterday's Ghosts is a concept album, the subject is about the Kubler-Ross model, or the five stages of grief, each song representing one stage: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'These Winds Are Not Hope'?
With the name, we tried to be original as we can be. It is the perspective of anyone lost in the downward spiral of depression, apathy or lack of confidence. If we prolong the negative feelings and emotions, we will not think of, or see a way out. We have to focus on whatever lies within our power, and just let go of what is
beyond our control.

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


*6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
It would be awesome if we can have Marc fly to Macedonia so we can do few gigs.

*7.So far you have worked with 'Kran Records' and 'Sepulchral Silence Records' are you happy with the support both labels have given you so far?
We're totally satisfied with their support. Kran Records are distributing our music in a physical disc format, while Sepulchral Silence are doing the digital distribution worldwide, on Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, and more.

*8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of gothic and doom metal?
The feedback has been fantastic. We gained a lot of fans and people showing interest in our music. Although, some doom metal fans were expecting different kind of doom, and the heavy metal fans something more upbeat and with a faster tempo.

*9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a a part of?
My main band, Timesand is recording the material for our debut album, Marc, mostly is on tour with his bands, Miroslav is engaged with his other new local death metal band.

*10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We might try something more mellow, more vocals and keyboards, less accent on the guitar lines, as it is the case with "Yesterday's Ghosts".

*11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
I would say our music is influenced by bands that we have grown up with, Iron Maiden, My Dying Bride, Anathema.. Personally, most of the music that I listen to are older albums. Newly released stuff that I can mention is by Tesseract, Port Noir, Ihsahn..

*12.What are some of your non musical interests?
I love hiking and reading books.

*13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words orthoughts?
I would like to thank you for this interview and helping out promoting our band to the world. Stay heavy!

Howling Giant/Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 1/2016 EP Review

  Howling  Giant  are  a  band  from  Nashville,  Tennessee  that  plays  a progressive  form  of  stoner  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released 2016  ep  "Black  Hole  Space  Wizard:  Part  One"  which  will  be  released  in  August.

  A  very hard  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  and  also  introducing  psychedelic  elements  onto  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  clean  singing  style  while  the  riffs  add  in a   touch  of  doom  metal.

  While  the  music  does  have  a  great  amount  of  retro  60's,  70's  and  90's  elements  it  still  sounds  very  modern  at  the  same  time  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  there  are  also  synths  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  all of t he  tracks  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  one  song  adds  in  elements  of  punk  rock  and  thrash  and  the  last  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Howling  Giant  plays  a  style  of  stoner  rock  that  is  very  progressive  while  also  adding  in  psychedelic  touches  along  with  influences  of  punk,  thrash  and  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  science  fiction  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  Howling  Giant  are  a very  great  sounding  progressive  stoner  rock  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mothership"  and  "Ditmouth".  8  out  of  10.

Mortal Strike Interview

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

Greetings Mate! Sorry for the long time to answer, has been a busy Summer with Tours in Bosnia,Croatia,Hungary,Czech Republic,Austria and Germany.
After the Summer we will continue of work on our Second Album to be released as soon as it's finished! Probably beginning of 2017.

2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
Rough,Raw,Fast,Loud & Aggressive!

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
We're not big fans of our society so we like to dab in to Social Criticism. And we also like to explore Historic Events in our songs, like the fall of Julius Caesar in "Unleash the Hounds of War" or the landing in the Normandy in World War II in "MG42".

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Mortal Strike"?
In german we say "Name ist Programm", which roughly translates to "The name says it all" or "The name reflects it's program"
It should reflect the music. It's straight in your face! :)

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 would say, as many live reviews has pointed out, that we're very energetic, have an insane amount of power on stage and that you can really feel that we enjoy what we're doing and that, that musical enthusiasm is very contagious.
I think the Wacken Open Air Show in 2011 will always be very special to me. But the Metal Champ Final in Szene Wien was of the hook aswell. Same as our first gig with Tankard, first gig with Exodus. We loved every one of our shows, even if there were only 10 people there. Then we will play even louder for those 10!

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Still have quite alot planed this year with gigs on 2 Festivals in Hungary & Austria. We just came back from a tour of Bosnia,Croatia,Hungary,Czech Republic,Austria & Germany. And next year we're planing a new tour into the Eastern European countries.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
We are unsigned yes, and yes we are looking for a label. But not any label just to have a label.
We would really like a label who we could work well with. Not just someone who sells our merch and gets 20%, we can do that on our own. A nice partnership were we could both reap the benefits of cooperation.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of thrash metal?
Absolutely overwhelmingly positive! It's absolutely amazing to hear good stuff anywhere you go. It so awesome!

9.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?
It's just Dominique who plays in a second Band called Locracy. And they are still going strong! Good Technical Death Metal Band! Check them out.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We will try to maintain true to what we do, without getting boring :) We said it from the start and we will keep saying it:
"For the Loud and the Aggressive!"

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?
It has to be the Teutonic 4: Sodom,Destruction,Tankard and Kreator. And I am still listening to them to this day :)

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Haha, I'm very fond of cooking and reading.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
All good! Thank you very much for the Interview, it's been a pleasure!



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Tamoanchan/Tlamatinime/Sepulchral Silence Records/2016 Full Length Review

  Tamoanchan  are  a  solo  project  from  Mexico  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2016  album  "Tlamatinime"  which  was  released  by  Sepulchral  Silence  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  distorted  drone  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  ethnic  and  nature  sounds  a  few  seconds  later  as  well  as  some  acoustic  guitar  playing  which  also  evolved  into  a  heavier  style  while  also  mixing  in  the  ethnic  elements  in  with  a  doom  metal  style  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing.

  Elements  of  folk  music  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  and  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  amount  of  melody  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  sludge  style  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  at  times  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  stoner  influences.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  bring  in  even  more  of  a  melodic  style  to  the  songs and  some  tracks  also  add  in  touches  of  Native  American  music  along  with  some  ritualistic chanting  and  spoken  word  parts  being  utilized  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  some of  the  songs  start  incorporating  more  psychedelic  elements  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction. 

  Tamoanchan  plays  a  music  style  that  takes  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  together  with  the  tribal  Native  American  folk  music  of  his  home  country  to  create  something  very  original, t he  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  Olmec,  Aztec  and  Mayan  Mythology.

  In  my  opinion  Tamoanchan  are  a  very  great sounding  mixture  of  folk  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tezcatlanextia"  and  "Teohuatia".  8  out  of  10. 

Forsaken Peddlers Interview

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

Alexandre: After a year of hiatus between april 2014 and march 2015, we decided to bring back Forsaken Peddlers to life, with a revamp line-up, with my brother Christophe on drums (ex FatumElisum), still Hugo on guitars and me on bass guitar and singer. Since that time, we worked hard on brand new songs, three of them are almost finished. This process was quite long, but we decided to take care on more details and atmospheres. We played our first gig in our home town, Rouen, with this new line-up last April with Hell and Deveikuth, and we played once again in Rouen in June. We are still focus on the writing process for the next album.

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

It’s always hard to explain thyself our music, but I’d rather present it as epic doom metal, mainly influenced by the references of that style of doom metal, with some influences coming from heavy metal and traditional doom metal.

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

On Songs of Fate and Freedom, I decided to explore historical themes, the song “The Brave” is about William Wallace, and the song “The Conqueror” is about Guillaume le Conquérant. The idea was to have some epic themes on that record. But the others songs are focused on societal topics: for example, All Shall Fall is about the about the riot that happened in 2010 in London.

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

Since the Middle Age to the nineteenth century, the peddlers were the men who wandered from villages to villages bringing some news about the world to the villagers and selling some stuff. They talked about some historical heroes, and, in France during the second leg of the eighteenth century, they spread the ideals of French philosophers in the countryside, which was an important fact for the rise of the French Revolution. That was the main idea when bringing this name for the band, dealing with topics about historical facts and describing nowadays society. That will be the main topics for the news songs.

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 did not play so much gigs since the beginning of the band. But since our return on stage, I think the last two ones were the most enjoyable, because we played in front of friends, we played the new songs and to see the responses of the crowd was fine, and, we did a cover of Gates of Vallhala from Manowar, a song that is very fun to play. It’s hard to describe our stage performances, as its something very personal for the three of us. We try to enjoy our time on stage and to share our music with the crowd.

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

We haven’t yet any touring or show plans for the future; we are mostly focused on the writing process of the new songs. But we would like to play the more gigs we can.

7.Heathen Tribes are re-issuing your 2014 album on cassette, what are your thoughts on the final product?

As it is not released yet, I can’t tell you about the final product but I’m very confident about the result. Nicholas and Teo are very passionate and I’m sure they did the best for us. More over, HéloïseLaugier, a well talented person and a good friend of mine, did the artwork and her work was very good, as always.

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

We have little feedback about our music from foreign fans of doom metal, but the few one were quite good. I think the release of the cassette will help spreading our music, as Heathen Tribes are doing a good promoting job.

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

Christophe, Hugo and I used to play in FatumElisum, but the band split up two years ago.
Hugo plays guitar in Ataraxie, a well-known Frenchdoom death metal band since two years.
Hugo and I play in Malemort, with Nemery from Sordide, a brand new extreme doom metal band, since a year, we will record our first demo during this summer.
Christophe and I play together in a rock band called Ormesis.
I play in Mhönos, we’ve just recorded our second album, LXXXVII.

10.When can we expect new music and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

As said before, we worked on new songs since a year. Three songs are mostly finished, “The Rearguard of the Deposed”, “Ode to the Blind Citizens” and “Peerless”, and we have some new materials for more songs. We would like to take our time to be well satisfied with our work. I hope it will not take many years to record something new. It’s hard to describe something new, but you could expect something more epic and more powerful. You have to be patient.

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?

The main goal when founding the band six years ago was to play epic doom metal to play tribute to the old ones like Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, Solstice, Warning and Griftegard, to name a few, and also epic metal bands like Manowar (Ross the Boss era), Manilla Road, Primordial and Bathory. These are the main influences, and perhaps some Original Soundtrack like Basil Pouledoris’s Conan OST. As the years passed, we are proud to still play that kind of doom metal, heavily rooted in heavy metal, as it is not so well appreciated since many years.   

In Forsaken Peddlers, we listen to many things from metal, to rock and classical music. So it will be endless giving you a list of what we listen to. But I would notice that the demo “To Sol a Thane“from Solstice and the demo from Dautha, the new project Ola Blomkvist from Griftegard, are on heavy rotations since a month and are solid epic doom metal releases.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

I ‘m very found of literature, history and society’s topics. Watching the decay of post modern and neo liberal society is my main inspiration for Forsaken Peddlers.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I would like to thank you for this interview.
Doom or be doomed!

Stonewitch/The Cross of Doom/Terror From Hell Records/2016 CD Review

  Stonewitch  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  heavy  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "The  Cross  Of  Doom"  which  was  released  by  Terror  From  Hell  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  old  school  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  once  the  clean  singing  kicks  in  the  music  goes  for  more  of  a  doom  style  along  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  and  there  is  a  lot  of  70's  and  80's  influences  in  the  music.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  remain  true  to  a  melodic  and  old  school  style  of  doom  metal  and  all  of  the  songs  sound  like  they  could  of  been  recorded  and  released  30  years  ago  and  there  are  also  some  elements  of  blues  rock  also  being  utilized  at  times  while  some  songs  also  add  in  a  touch  of  NWOBHM.

   As  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  there  is  also  a  few  seconds  of  fast  playing  and  blast  beats  while t he  main  focus  remains  on  a  slower  style  and  they  also  do  a  cover  of  Pentagram's  "The  Sign  Of  The  Wolf".

  Stonewitch  plays  a  style  of  doom  metal  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  the  70's  and  80's  era  of  the  genre  while  also  mixing  in  some  traditional  metal  elements,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Stonewitch  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  heavy  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Eerie  Valley  Of  The  Crimson  Planet"  and  "The  Cross  Of  Doom".  8  out  of  10.