Lvcifyre/The Calling Depths/Pulverised Records/2012 CD Review

  Lvcifyre  are  a  band  that  consists  of  many  veterans  from  both  the  black  and  death  metal  scene  that  play  a  very  brutal  form  of  death  metal  with  a  blackened  edge  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "The  Calling  Depths"  which  will  be  released  by  Pulverised  Records.

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

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  mid  paced  to  fast  brutal  death  metal  riffs  that  have  somewhat  of  a  blackened  feel  to  them  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  chaotic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

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

  In  my  opinion  Lvcifyre  are  a  very  great  sounding  brutal  occult  death  metal  band  with  a  blackened edge  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECEMMONDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Succubi"  "LCF"  and  "Death's  Magnetic  Sleep".  RECEMMONDED  BUY. 

Kambrium/Shadowpath/Massacre Records/2011 CD Review

  Kambrium  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  epic  and progressive  form  of  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Shadowpath"  which  was  released  by  Massacre  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  being  thrown  in,  while  the  keyboards bring  a  very  epic,  symphonic  and  atmospheric  feeling  to the  music  mixed  in  with  70's  sounding  progressive  music  parts,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  is  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  melodic death  metal  riffs  that  are  very  epic  and  progressive  sounding,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  deep  death  metal  growls  and  high  pitched  melodic  death  metal  screams  with  a  brief  use  of  clean  singing  vocals,  while  the  lyrics  cover  epic  and  mythology  themes  with  one  song  being  written  in  German,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  heavy,  powerful  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Kambrium  are  a  very  good  epic  and  progressive  sounding  melodic  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out t his  band.  RECEMMONDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Among  The  Lost"  "Thanatos'  "The  Eye  Of  Horus"  and  "A  Sinner's  Remorse".  RECEMMO)NDED  BUY.

Dying Humanity Interview

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

This is our sixth year with the band and by now we have released three albums and a MCD.

The latest release “Living on the Razor’s Edge” is just out since 4^th of November. Beginning this year we have signed a new record contract with BASTZARDIZED and are very busy right now doing promotion for “Living on the Razor’s Edge”

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it

differs from previous releases?

Regarding the sound, we definitely kept being true to are principles! Melodic Death-Metal was always and is of course the kind of music we like to do. Just like the previous album, this one also has Trash-Parts and acoustic vibes. But this time it’s even more varied, more structured and better put together. Responsible for that is especially the fact, that the new album is our first concept album and that we very intensively dealt with the music and lyrics. “Living on the Razor’s Edge”, in our opinion, appears to be much more mature. However, if you listen to one of our previous albums, you will definitely recognize the new record as being DYING HUMANITY!

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

Just like other bands, we took quite a long time finding an adequate name. Really soon it was clear, that we didn’t want to write the songs about these typical stereotypes of Death-Metal. So we decided our band to be called DYING HUMANITY. That name brought us to think about certain things and offered plenty of stuff you can put in good songs. So our name actually reflects a lot. In short, it means that mankind definitely will go down! But that is its own fault, because only few people care about what’s happening to our world or what individuals struggle with.

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

with the music?

Our songs deal with upcoming threats for humanity, of course. They concern self-destruction and all the bad things happening every day. We often wrap those issues in stories that tell how individuals struggle with, for example, drug abuse and how those drawbacks destroy them. In fact, you can project this onto mankind itself.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and

how would you describe your stage performance?

True to our motto: always give 110%!

So of course we always try hard electrifying the audience. For ourselves, we definitely bring a lot of movement on stage, starting with plain walking around up to propeller head-banging! We also like to involve the audience by inviting them to stage-diving and other crazy stuff. In addition we try to bring that particular atmosphere to our fans by including samples in or between our songs. The coolest shows we performed at were those with NECROPHAGIST, BORN FROM PAIN and our self-booked weekender-tour “ANTI:TOUR”, where we shared the stage with CALIBAN, NEAREA and MAROON.

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

By now there are unfortunately not enough shows booked for a continuous tour, but we definitely will perform here and there, so people get the opportunity to live it up with us. Nevertheless we are trying hard realizing a short tour with the new album.

7.Currently you are singed to Bastardised Records, how did you get in

contact wit hthis label and how would you describe the support that they

have given you so far?

For several months now we are in contact with the A&R from BASTARDIZED and finally got an offer for two records. Of course it didn’t take us too long hooking up with them! The support at BASTARDIZED is just awesome! We are getting lot of feedback and great reviews to our album. They are also quickly responding to any request and are very open minded!

8. On a worldwide level how has your music been recieved by brutal and

melodic death metal fans worldwide?

Feedback from other countries is consistently positive. Reviews of the album come from Norway, Italy and Great Britain and the fans from Austria and Belgium, where we lately performed, gave us great feedback, too.

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

We definitely want to stick to our style of music and also want to improve it. For our future records we are thrilled to include new crazy ideas and are open for experiments. The surest thing is: we will deliver 100% DYING HUMANITY!

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your

music and also what are you listening to nowadays/

When we started, our musical taste was rather varied. We pretty much listened to everything starting from metal to hardcore, funk and classic. Of course, even today we differ in our tastes, but just that fact represents our music we perform!

We were and are influenced by bands like IRON MAIDEN and DEATH, but also by younger bands like THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, SYLOSIS and ALL SHALL PERISH.

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

Pretty common stuff. Hanging out with friends, playing soccer or just chilling out on the sofa. But actually those things are kind of secondary, unfortunately, because study, job and music take most of the time.

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

Of course we like to thank everybody who is supporting us! Without them we would never be where we currently are!

Ritual Necromancy/Oath Of The Abyss/DarkDescent Records/2011 CD Review

  Ritual  Necromancy  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays    avery  brutal,  filthy  and  dark  from  of  death  metal  that  has  somewhat  of  a  blackended  edge  at  times  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Oath  Of  The  Abyss"  which  was  released  by  Dark  Descent  Records.

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

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  death  metal  riffs  that  are  very  dark  and  brutal  sounding  with  somewhat  of  a  blackended  edge  to  them,  while  the  leads  guitars  are  very  chaotic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  guttural  death  metal  growls  mixed  in  with  a  brief  use  of  high  pitched  screams  and  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  occultism  and  myths,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  heavy,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Ritual  Necromancy  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  and  brutal  death  metal  band,  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check out  this  band  and  this  is  some  of  the  darkest  death  metal  that  I  have  heard  in  years.  RECEMMONDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cacaphonic  Dementia"  "The  Chasm"  and  "Consummating  Crypts  Of  Eternity".  RECEMMONDED  BUY.

Dying Humanity/Living On The Edge Of Humanity/Bastardised Recordings/2011 CD Review

  Dying  Humanity  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  mixes  melodic  death  metal  with  brutal  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Living  On  The  Edge  Of  Humanity"  which  was  released  by  Bastardised  Recordings.

  Drums  range  from  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  being  thrown  in,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  is  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  you  can  hear  the  instrument,  as  for  the  synths  which  are  only  utilized  briefly  on  one  song  they  bring  an  atmospheric  sound  to  the  music.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  mid  paced  to  fast  riffing  that  combines  the  melodic  side  of  death  metal  with  the  brutal  side,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  classical  guitars  when  they  are  used  beiefly  they  use  finger  picking  to  give  the  music  a  more  darker  edge.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  deep  death  metal  growls  and  high  pitched  melodic  death  metal  screams  in  addition  there  is  a  brief  spoken word  part,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Society,  Mankind  and  Downfall,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  powerful, professional  and  heavy  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Dying  Humanity  are  a  very  good  melodic  and  brutal  death  metal  hybrid  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECEMMONDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blinded"  "Till  The  End"  "Wlcome  To  The  Abyss"  and  "Revenge  And  Murder".  RECEMMONDED  BUY.

Descending Interview

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

Well, our new album has just hit the stores and we are keeping track
of the feedback. Now we are looking into any possibility for touring
to spread our music.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from previous releases?

I would describe it as Modern death metal and it has much more massive sound from our first album. It’s heavier and with a darker feeling in it.


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

It’s a concept album and the story revolves around the life of a very important person, a “celebrity”, and the different stages of it. Every song speaks about a state of mind, body and soul, from birth to death as seen through the eyes of the protagonist.

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

It’s just a name, there is no specific meaning behind it. We though that it sounded nice and it represents our music so we chose it.

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

We had the luck to share the stage with some really important bands of the metal scene such as Lamb of God, Heaven and Hell, Gojira, Shadows Fall, The Hunted, Septic Flesh and much more and so far the feedback from the crowd has been great, so we give our best every time, we try to pass the energy and every show is a great new experience.

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

Of course! We want to tour as much as we can to share our music with the people so we are looking into it right now. When we will have news on it we will spread the word.

7. On a worldwide level how has your music been received by melodic
death metal fans and thrash fans worldwide?

The feedback so far is good although it’s really soon to tell, but most fans seem to enjoy our music and that is something that really keeps us going. Also I would like to tell that our music is not likeable only by Death and Thrash fans but everyone who is into the modern extreme sound.

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

Everyone is giving 100% of ourselves to Descending but we have some members playing in other bands too. Constantine is the guitarist in German based Mystic Prophecy and is working also in solo instrumental stuff. Also Theo and Nick are members of the Volos based Hardcore band Die Without.

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

We couldn’t tell what our future sound would be like cause we like to let ourselves free and experiment. The sure thing is that with every release we will deliver a much more personalized sound.

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

Well I couldn’t say something specific. We have a lot of different taste in music from each other inside the band so almost everything could be an influence. Nowadays we are listening to everything from metal, rock, alternative to jazz and blues that might draw our attention.

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

Our everyday interests vary from movies to sports and everything most people do. One new interest though is working on music video clips. We have just finished filming our new video for the track The Energy from our new album and soon it will be ready. I believe the fans will find it very interesting.

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

Thank you for the opportunity to share our thoughts with the fans and I hope they will enjoy our new album!

Uncanny/MCMXCI-MCMXCIV/Dark Descent Records/2011 CD Re-Issue Review

Uncanny where a band from Sweden that played a Swedish form of death metal with a blackened edge and this is a review of teir whole discography "MCMXCI-MCMXCIV" which was re-issued by Dark Descent Records.

Drums range from slow, midpaced to fast with alot of brutal blast beats being thrown in at times and on one song there is an industrial feel, while the bass playing has a very dark and grinding tone which seems to follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars and at times they sound very powerful, as for the keyboards when they are used briefly they are only there to enhance the darkness and atmosphere of the music and at times they have a new age, medievel and epic feel to them.

Rhythm guitars are a mixture of slow, midpaced to fast Swedish style eath metal riffs and at times there is a punk feel to them, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding death metal guitar solos.

Vocals are mostly deep death metal growls with a blackened edge and at times they are high pitched screams being used at times, while the lyrics cover Occultism, Tolkien, Fantasy, Death and War, as for the production it has a very dark, heavy and raw feel to it.

In my opinion Uncanny where a very good classic Swedish death metal band, and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECEMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Brain Acess" "Ceased From Reality" "Elohim" and "Why My Intestines". RECEMMONDED BUY.

Panzerchrist/Regiment Ragnarock/Listenable Records/2011 CD Review

Panzerchrist  are  a  band  from  Denmark  that  plays  a  very  brutal  form  of  death  metal  with  a  blackened  edge  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Regiment  Ragnarock"  which  was  released  by  Listenable  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  midpaced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  is  coming  out  of  the  guitars,  as  for  the  keyboards  which  are  only  utilized  briefly  on  a  couple  of  songs  song  tey  sound  very  dark  and  haunting.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from   slow,  midpaced  to  fast  brutal  death  metal  riffs  that  have  a  black  metal  edgge  at  times  as  well  as  some  melodic  parts, while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  and  somewhat  technical sounding  metal  guitar  leads,  as  for  the  accoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  briefly  they  sound  very  dark  and  haunting.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  mixed  in  with  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  with  some  samples  being  used  on  the  songs,  while  the  lyrics  cover  war  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  sounds  very  powerful,  professional  and  heavy  sounding .

  In  my  opinion  Panzerchrist  are  a  very  good  brutal  death  metal  band  with  a  blackened  edge  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECEMMONDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Metal  Tribes"  "For  The  Iron  Cross"  "Ode  To  A  Cluster  Bomb"  and  "Trenches".  RECEMMONDED  BUY.

Hate Interview

ANSWERS: ATF SINNER ( GUIT. VOC)

1.Can you update us with is going on with the band these days?
We're working on the American version of „Erebos” album, which is going to have its premiere on 22nd February. We're also preparing ouselves for North American tours that start on 9th March. On first tour we'll be accompanying Rotting Christ and Melekesh; on the second we'll be supporting Belphegor, Sepultura and, in part, Nevermore.

2.How would you describe the musical sound of the new album, and how does it differ from the previous releases?
First of all, we feel very comfortable with this album, because it's a natural consequence of our previous works. „Erebos“ is like a highlight in our discography...beyond doubt, the darkest and best produced material we've recorded thus far. We wanted to record an album that would not be easily classified. Extreme, but innovative at the same time. We also wanted to broaden our perspective and enrich the music with some new elements. Still the core of our style is death/black metal, but on „Erebos“ you can hear influences from heavy metal, death core, some groovy stuff here and there, and also industrial and ambient sounds. I think it's quite a diverse album for extreme metal. We wanted to go further with experiments, but, honestly, we hadn't enough time in the studio to relize all ideas that came to our heads.

By the way, the American version of “Erebos” will contain 5 bonus tracks in the form of dark-ambient re-mixes of our songs made by a French artist known as Melek-tha, plus a few industrial compositions by a Polish composer Michal Staczkun. I believe, it's gonna be something fresh in death metal genre. I just heard the re-mixes a few days ago, and I'm absolutely blown away!



3.What are some of the lyrical topics and concepts the new release explores?
Erebos” is full of metaphors and assiciations with today's life, politics and condition of a human in general. This time I drew my inspiration from what I observe; especially when on tour in many different places, facing different people, situations, cultures etc. The title really means the dark part of a human soul. „Erebos“ is not based on any literature or mythology. It's a story about human living in today's world who is a slave to his anger, weaknesses and complexes... Existing in a fictitious, virtual world, he is a slave to his dreams and does not really live but dreams that he lives. It's the way many people actually live their lives....as if not in the real world, having no real identity. So “Erebos” is a story about looking for deeper identity, for enlightenment, so to speak. It's a pretty dark, apocalyptic vision of humanity. It's not a concept album in strict sense, but tit has its light-motives appearing in most of the tracks, such as: looking for enlightenment, looking for real „self“ that has been lost or manipulated to the point you cannot separate your „self“ from other stories and information that you've heard or seen. It's about looking for this one element that defines you as an unrepeatable individual. It's also about dealing with your weaknesses, frustration and anger...that very often leads you to perdition.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the band name Hate?
Hate is a symbolical name that means reaction or opposition against all captivating systems that supress human powers. By „systems“ I mean religions, traditions, politics etc. So Hate means becoming free, having free and critical mind. When it comes to symbols that we use, the main is Shining Omega – a symbol of cosmic infinity, energy that rules the universe. It's a symbol of strength on one hand, and the apocalypse (the end of the world) on the other. Creation and Destruction. Both sides of the nature of the universe. It's a part of luciferian ideology, but expressed in our own symbolism.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
Well, it's hard to point out some specific shows. Since the premiere of "Morphosis" in 2008, we have toured different parts of the world; Europe and America, but also countries like Mexico, Brazil and Russia. There were many shows that we liked. One that I remember so well, was Death Feast Open Air in Germany, where we went on stage without make-ups (one of very few). On the way to the festival we had a serious looking car crash, so we arrived just in time to take our instruments and go on stage. Fortunately, nobody was hurt in the accident. And I still remember the adrenaline I then felt on stage... this show was published on youtube. It sounds really good but looks quite different from our normal shows.

What is our performance like? It's just one outburst of brutality mixed with misticism... come and see yourself!

6.What are the touring plans for the new releases?
As I mentioned we're coming to the US/Canada on the 8th March and will be touring Ameican continent until first days of June. After that, we're comnig back to Europe to play a few summer festivals. In Amutumn we'll play a regular Euro tour and shoot a video for one of the songs from „Erebos” album. As you see, there's pretty much work ahead of us in the upcoming months!

7.In the past you had more of a pure death metal sound but have brought in different elements on the newer releases while retaining the brutal sound, what made you want to experiement with different elements?
Well, I think we made the biggest step in this respect between “Awakening of the Liar” (released in 2003, which was just brutal piece of direct in-your-face death metal) and industrial-influenced “Anaclasis” (2005). “Anaclasis” was both the biggest musical progress and change in our style over the years. With that album I set up some different standards, started exploring new areas and adding new elements (like black metal riffs, or industrial and ambient sounds) to the band's music that had been absent in the past. I just felt I the band needed some major change because the music we played back then was too obvious. I understood that being an extreme metal band we needed to develop our style, find some new ways of expression. I started to attach more importance to atmosphere and overall character of Hate's music changed quite a lot then.

8.On a worldwide level, how have your fans react to the musical sound that is present on your newer release?
The reactions are very positive so far. Thanks to „Erebos” many people discovered us, or re-discovered us again. The album got lots of good reviews so far and we're really happy about it!

9. What direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
I don't know yet, but for sure we'll be still developing our style. It won't stay the same on the next album, because all we want is to make progress, explore new areas playing extreme metal.

10.What are some bands or musical styles that have influeced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
I have always been into metal, but also in rock, industrial rock, alternative, and classical music too. Contemporary classical is the kind of music I like in particular. Composers like Shostakovich, Lutoslawski, Penderecki, Gorecki, Bartok sound in my ears like real avantgarde...they are always fresh in some way, even though their greatest pieces were written in the 60ties and earlier. I also like alternative artists such as Diamanda Galas or Sun o)). When it comes to metal, I can name a few bands that influenced me most when I was younger: Venom, Slayer, Destruction, Celtic Frost, AC/DC, and later Meyhem, Nine Inch Nails, Fear Factory, Emperor and many more.

11.How would you describe your views on Occultism and Satanism?
It depends on what you mean by „satanic“ or “occult”. These words are very often abused or wrongly interpreted. We are close to mysticism, occult or luciferian philosophy, but we're not worshippers of any of it. That's why we decided not to use any obvious symbols such as pentagram or inverted cross, cause their meanings became devaluated and abused in many ways. When we talk about religion, Satanism is not a religion in strict sense because it actually rejects the idea of god being above human. It is individual will that is in the centre of this philosophical system. So actually Satanism is about setting free all human powers that are supressed in people because they are afraid of “god” or “going to hell”. In this respect, we have something to do with this idea. As I mentioned, “Hate” is a symbolical name that means rebellion against all captivating systems that supress human powers. This view stands in opposition towards Christianity and other deistic religions.



12.Outside of music, what are some of your interests?
I watch a lot of films, read some psychological stuff (I've a degree in psychology). I'm also interested in history and politics. If I were not in the band, I'd try my luck in politics or science. I've some passion for both things.

13.Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Thanks a lot for this interview. I would like to send big greeting to our supporters and fans in America. We can't wait to be there and bring you some real madness again!

Hate/Erebos/Listenable Records/2011 CD Review

Hate are a band from Poland that started out as a brutal deth metal band then started incorporating black metal and industrial influences on later relleases and this is a review of their 2011 abum "Erebos" which was released by Listenable Records.

Drums are mostly to midpaced to fast drumming with alot of brual blast beats, while the bass playing has a ery powerful and heavy sound with btutal riffing.

Rhythm guitars re a mixture of midpaced to fast brutal death metal riffs that have a blackened death metal mixed in with a touch of melody and weird industrial style distortion, while the lead guitars are very distorted and melodic sounding death metal guitar solos, as for the accoustic guitars when they are utilized briefly, they use full chords to nhance the darkness of the music.

Vocal are mostly deep death metal growls, while the lyrics cover Occultism and Anti Christianity, as for the production it sounds very heavy and professional sounding.

In my opinion Hate are a very good brutal death metal band and if you are a fan of this style or their previous eleases you should check this one. RECEMMONDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Erebos" "TrinitMoons" "Transsubstance" and "Luminous Moons"..RECEMMONDD BUY.

Crucifyre Interview

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


Crucifyre was formed by me in 2006. Our purpose is to play pure and true death, black metal and heavy metal the way it was meant to be. All of the members in Crucifyre have a long history of extreme metal that goes back to the origins of the genres.



2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album?



The guitar sound is remniscient of early Bathory and also the really heavy Swedish sound of Entombed and Dismember. The drums have a definite attack. There are of course no triggers or any bullshit like that, just raw fucking aggression and hatred. There is a lot of midrange in the production. No fucking Pantera curve here. We wanted the sound to be hard like the production of Reign in Blood or Wolverine Blues. I think we succeeded fairly well.



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



A lot of the lyrics have occult and/or satanic subjects or overtones. We are not a religious band in any way. In fact I despise most religions, but Satan is a good vehicle for us to use to put a middle finger in the face of the values that infest our society. A lot of the lyrics are true accounts of satanic occurrences in history. Hellish Sacrifice is about the sacrifices of infants in Paris in the 17th century. Witch Hammer deals with the witch trials and the methods used and so on. These kinds of themes are the perfect setting for our music.



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



Cruci is from crucifix. Fyre is the old Scottish way of spelling fire. Hence the name could mean burning cross or cross of fire. I wanted the fyre spelling because it reminds me of old NWOBHM bands like Witchfynde.



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



We have only played something like five shows. The best were Kill Town Death Fest in Copenhagen, which was great and when we played at our release fest for the album at Debaser in Stockholm.



6. The band consists of veterans of the Swedish death metal scene, are any of the members still involved with other projects?



Yes, at the moment all are except for TG. I am engaged in a new project. It will be a fusion of electronic music and noise and acoustic drums, electric bass and/or guitar. It will sound like nothing you’ve heard before. At this stage we don’t have a name



7. How has your music been recieved by death metal fans worldwide?



We have had interest from around the world through our demos. The album has just been put out, but we have gotten great reviews so far, 9 out of 10 in Close Up for instance.



8. What direction do you see the band heading into on future releases?



We will continue playing riffs and songs in the vein of Slayer, Bathory etc. In some of the new songs there are some slower, really heavy passages, but basically it will be evil, aggressive auditory terror in the future aswell.



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



The bands that have influenced Crucifyre are 80’s bands like Slayer, Bathory, Possessed, Venom, Celtic Frost, Discharge and some non 80’s groups like Black Sabbath and Autopsy. I listen mostly to old stuff. The bands I mentioned, old punk and harcore, proto-punk, garage rock. I appreciate other types of music also as long as it has conviction, dynamics, meaning and appeals to my taste.

In metal some of the good newer bands that I can think of are Slutvomit, Morbus Chron, Stench/Tribulation, but they are also friends of ours so maybe I’m biased.



10. What role does Satanism or Occultism play in the music?



Satanism and occultism play quite a big role. The occult is a perfect backdrop to our music. All of our music is in minor keys. There are a lot of chromatic melody lines and of course the diminished fifth. Our music is satanic weather we have satanic contents in our lyrics or not.



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



I have no extravagant interests but I appreciate fine wines, a good IPA. Film, art, photography and literature are sources of interest and inspiration.



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



Thank you for your interest in Crucifyre and for your support of our band! You make this scene happen!

Crucifyre/infernal Earthly Divine/Pulverised Records/2010 CD Review

Crucifyre are a band from Sweden that plays a brutal form of satanic death metal and this is a review of their 2010 album "Infernal Earthly Divine" which was released by Pulverised Records.

Drums are mostly midpaced fast playing with alot of brutal blast beats, while the bass playing has a very dark tone which follows the riffing of the guitars, as for the synths when they are utilized they bring a very dark and ritualistic edge to the music.

Rhythm guitars are midpaced to very fast and brutal death metal riffs that also have a thrashy edge at times as well as a small amount of melody, while the lead guitars are very chaotic sounding death metal guitar solos that also contain some melodies that also have a NWOBHM feel to them.

Vocals are mostly deep and high pitched death metal growls that have a thrash edge to them with some ocassional clean singing female vocals, while the lyrics cover Satanic themes as well as some other occult topics, as for the production it has a very heavy and professional feel to it.

In my opinion Crucifyre are a very good brutal Satanic death metal band, and if you are a fan of this genre, you should check this band out. RECEMMONDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Born Again Satanist" "Hellish Sacrifice" "Thessalonian Death Cult" and "Hail Satan". RECEMMONDED BUY.

Caliber 666 Interview

1. Can you introduce the band for those that have never heard of you before?
Caliber 666 plays swedish-stockholm-style old school death metal, with some elements of the newer scene....



2. How would you describe the musical style of the new album?
Its a combination of all the death/thrash/blackmetal bands we listened, and still listen to, from the 90`s.
Mixed together and shaped through us.
3. What are some of the lyrical topics that you explore with the new release?
The darkside of life and nature of mankind. Genocide, murder, suicide, chaos, war and destruction!

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the band's name?
Great and lethal.

5. Have you had any oppurtunities to do any live shows yet, if so what are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
We have done some really nice gigs here in sweden. The response from the crowd has been fantastic. The favourites so long, its a gig with Desultory and the gig with Grave last year....!

6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?
Not for now. But lets see what the future has to offer!

7. What are your expectations for the new album when it is released?
I hope we can reach out to all of you old school death metal fans! All of you who likes music cause its good listening, not cause its technically excessive like most the band to day......

8. Do you have any side projects besides this band, or is this a full time group?
No. This is a full time group.

9. How has your music been recieved by death metal fans worldwide?
Very good. People from all around the world has recognized our music as pure quality swedish death metal!


10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music, any outside of death metal, and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Most influence come from death metal bands from the beginning and middle of the 90`s. Bands like Entombed, Deicide, Morbid angel,
Dismember, Bolt thrower, Carcass but also from bands like Slayer, Pantera and Sepultura..... And thats pretty much what we listen to today also...

11. Does Occultism or Satanism play any role in the music?
Of course it does. Its a big part of the metal world, and also a part in Caliber 666.

12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
Beer, fast cars, meat-eating-vegetables and movies.

13. Any final words or thoughts before we close this interview?
The future lies a head! Brutal enjoyment ....Caliber 666 -a force to be reckoned with!


//Tony Riggo -Caliber 666

Masada Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the new project and band?
MASADA was conceived in 2008 by myself, Chris Milewski, with the intention of not only creating aggressive music, but also something that involved a sort of uniqueness and actual thought. Shortly after, I was joined by renowned drummer Craig Smilowski (ex-IMMOLATION,  ex-GOREAPHOBIA, RELLIK,) bassist Matt Dwyer (RELLIK,) and vocalist Cazz “The Black Lourde of Crucifixion” Grant (CRUCIFIER, ex-GRAND BELIAL'S KEY.) In November 2010, about 6 years or so after being written, the recording of 2 tracks finally commenced. After numerous added delays, the "Suffer Mental Decay" demo was finally finished and released on Judgement Day, May 21, 2011. Believe it or not, even with the release of the demo, the world failed to end... and here we stand!



2. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the demo?
One could expect generally mid-paced old-school death metal with some bizarre riffs and structures thrown in! It's somewhat progressive, but not really (make sense?) I've seen it compared to Pestilence, Atheist, Destruction, Death, Obituary, and just old school death metal!



3. What are the lyrical topics that you explore ith the demo?
The general theme of the demo is exactly what the title implies, "mental decay." The title track describes how the majority of mankind is blissfully ignorant and blind to the world around them. "Toxic Unreality" is about how the blinded masses are brainwashed by the media and how their lives are ruled by the distorted false reality they see on TV.



4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
The band name of MASADA was chosen really for one reason. Masada is an ancient mountaintop fortress where hundreds of Jewish zealots committed mass suicide rather than becoming slaves to the Romans. It can be seen, rather hypocritically, as a great victory of pride... but we chose the name because it perfectly illustrates how brainwashed fools, in this case by religion, will ultimately come to an end, either mentally or physically, as a result of their stupidity.



5. Have you had the oppurtunity to do and live shows yet, if so what are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
We haven't played any shows yet so I can't really comment.  Time shall tell!



6. All of the band members have a history in the underground, what made all of you decide to go for the more old school sound?
We did not strive for nor did we deliberately go for an old-school sound, it just came out that way naturally I guess. Craig, Cazz, and Matt were all very much active in the "old-school days," so I suppose it's in their blood! We wrote the tunes and then recorded them. It's really as simple as that!



7. Currently the band is unsigned, are you looking for a label and if so, what kind of label do you feel that woul be a perfect fit for the band?
That's right, we're currently unsigned but we really haven't been actively seeking a label at this time -- meaning I haven't sent out any promo packs to labels as we've been focusing on spreading the name. If an interested label came along, than we'd be interested! Any label that can support MASADA is fine by me... we're not looking to become rockstars (which you can't if you play this music.)



8. On a worldwide level, how has your music been recieved by death metal fans?
The demo is circulating worldwide and people are really digging it! Much to my surprise, the most common complaint is that two songs aren't enough... people want more! It makes me happy that our work it appreciated and enjoyed. Anyone and everyone, spread the demo like the plague! We encourage you to copy it, download it, etc.



9. What direction do you see the music heading into during the futures?
We have started working on new material already actually. It's a little less simplistic than the demo and a little more technical, but it's still very similar in style. You'll know it's MASADA!



10. Do any of the band members currentl have any other projects going on besides this band?
Both Craig and Matt are currently in the process of recording some new tunes with the death / thrash band RELLIK. They've been in action since the 80s and are still thrashing! Cazz is still doing the blackened death behemoth, CRUCIFIER. He's in the process securing a lineup of some original members to work on a new full length album. I myself don't really do anything except MASADA.



11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music, and also what are you listening to nowadays?
I'm the youngest in the band... I grew up on the Death Metal of the early 90s. The other guys are more influenced by traditional Heavy Metal and 80s Thrash! Well, get ready for a long list of bands: Agent Steel, Atheist, Autopsy, Bathory, Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Carcass, Carnivore, Celtic Frost, Crumbsuckers, Cynic, Dark Angel, Death, Destruction, Entombed, Exodus, Gorguts, Heathen, Iron Maiden, King Diamond, Kreator, Krisiun, Led Zeppelin, Mercyful Fate, Misery Index, Morbid Angel, Morgoth, Napalm Death, Nocturnus, Obituary, Onslaught, Ozzy Osbourne, Paralysis, Pestilence, Possessed, Rush, Slayer, Sodom, Terrorizer, Twisted Sister, Vendetta, Venom.  That's just to name a few!



12. Does Occultism or Satanism play a role in the music?
No, MASADA itself has nothing to do with occultism or satanism. MASADA is about society, thoughts, and the mind.



13. outside of music, what are some of your interests?
I can't speak for the rest of the guys, but I personally am admittedly quite a nerd. Outside of all things related to music, I'm interested in local history, mid-century architecture & design, computer graphics, and 50s-70s US culture. I'm also heavily into Italian cinema of the 60s-70s (gialli, spaghetti westerns, poliziotteschi, exploitation, etc.) and classic cartoons (Betty Boop, Felix the Cat, etc.)



14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Firstly I'd like to say thanks to you for allowing MASADA to be part of your webzine... it is greatly appreciated! I'd also like to say hello and thanks to everyone who has helped MASADA and to everyone who enjoys our music! Download "Suffer Mental Decay" for free at http://masada.bandcamp.com/ and like us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/masadadasam!

Caliber 666/Blood Fueled Chaos/Ibex Moon Records/2010 CD Review

Caliber 666 are a band from Sweden that plays brutal death metal in the old tradition and this is a review of their 2010 album "Blood Fueled Chaos" which will be released by Ibex Moon Records.

Drums range from slow, midpaced to very fast with alot of brutal blast beats, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars and at times they sound very powerful.

Rhythm guitars mix brutal and fast death metal riffs to create a brutal sound without having to resort to modern elements and sticking to traditional death metal that ocassionaly brings a melody into the music, while the lead guitars are very dark and morbid sounding old school death metal guitar solos that utilize alot of talent.

Vocals are mostly deep death metal growls with some high pitched screams, while the lyrics cover darkness, murder and death in the classic death metal tradition with only a small amount of samples being used, as for the production it sounds very heavy and all of the musical instruments have a very brutal sound to them.

In my opinion Caliber 666 are a very good brutal death metal band that fans of this genre should enjoy, at least I know everytime that I hear an album from Ibex Moon that it is going to be true death metal instead of false. RECEMMONDED TRACKS INCLUDE "To The Killing Fields" "Let The Blood Flow" "Serpent's Walk" "Morphing". RECEMMONDED BUY.

Garoted Interview

1. Can you introduce the band to some of my readers that might of never heard of you before?
1. Garoted is a musical entity that began in late 2008 with the sole agenda of producing our vision of pure Death and Black metal. So far we have two released cds, our first being a promo/demo and the later our first full-length, "Praise Hate, Praise Murder, Praise The Beast". We currently reside in southeast Nebraska, which is a very unlikely place for underground metal to exist.

2. How would you describe the musical style that was presented on the new album?
2. The new album was compiled of all the material that we wrote between 2008 and 2010, so there was quite some time in between for us to progress and polish the music on the album. Many of the songs went through variations and we even originally planned on having a total of 10 tracks for the final album, however we scrapped those that didnt have the same feel as the rest of the tracks. As for musical style, those who listen will be able to tell what we're going for sound wise, but these tracks are just the first chapter in our discography so only the future will tell in how we sound and progress in time.

3. How would you describe the lyrical content and concepts of the songs?
3. The lyrics are just as important as the music we write. There we're no fillers and we made sure we put meaning into each and every lyrical piece. Our lyrics do jump from one concept to another as we feel expressing just one subject can become tiresome and uninteresting blabber. The lyrics range from stories or ideas about specific topics including Misanthropy, War, Creatures/Demons, Darkness, Death in all forms, and the evil in mankind.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the band's name?
4. When we were brainstorming on a name we wanted to think of something that would fit our sound and ideology, sounding disgusting or vile, and of course original. We agreed to use "Garroted" but after drawing out the initial logo it didnt look as good with the use of two r's so we took one out and it worked. For those who don't know the meaning or are too lazy to look it up, to "garrote" someone is to use some sort of wire, rope, etc. to strangle a being, causing them to suffocate and provoke hallucinogenic thoughts before their death.

5. What are some of the best live shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
5. The best show we have played so far was also our biggest show and that took place at The Riot Room in Kansas City Missouri. We played with many bands that night, far too many i cant remember at the moment but the headliners were Gravehill and Cardiac Arrest. Our stage performance must be as professional as possible, yet in a live setting that isnt going to be the case. We don't do anything crazy or stage props or anything like that, but one would see much hair headbanging and intense loud music in their faces. Most people I've looked at in the crowd are either enjoying the intensity, mesmerized by our performance, or I've even seen occasional fighting.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?
6. We don't have any plans yet for touring this year, but i won't say its not out of the question. There are some things in the works but the other members are busy with other projects or daily life so its hard to tell when something will happen. This downtime gives us an opportunity to work on new material and focus on progressing as a whole.

7. What is going on with the side projects these days?
7. Many of us are involved with different musical efforts. Myself and our drummer Nolan Weber are full members of the Black Metal band Typhon from Wichita. D. and I and another good friend of ours are in a noise grind band called Dr. Fvck.

8. Right now you are currently unsigned, are you looking for a label, if so what kind of label do you feel would be the best for your kind of music?
8. Yes and No. We would like to have the opportunity to release our album on tape and vinyl, which are respective formats to listen to metal on. Everything so far has been self-released by ourselves, which is very and i can't express it enough, VERY pricey even with 4 members. If a small underground label is interested in our music to be released we would definitely consider it, the only problem is that we want to be cautious and not be fucked over if we sign a contract. I've heard stories of bands splitting up due to having to pay ridiculous amounts of money to a label if they've signed a contract. I understand as a band grows there will be a business side to it, and being on a label is an excellent way of getting your music heard across the nations. If it happens, it will be a label coming to us wanting us to release it.

9. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your musical style and also what are you listening to nowadays?
9. We're all influenced by many of the same bands and genres but on the same hand each of us listen to something completely different than the other member. For myself i am influenced by what gives me the fuel to create my own music, albeit Death, Black, Thrash, whatever. For my musical style i am influenced by many different musicians and bands, notable and probably obvious mentions: Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Marduk, Infernal War, Behexen, Deathspell Omega, Napalm Death, and the list goes on...

10. How would you describe the extreme metal scene in your home state of Nebraska?
10. Ah there is not too much of a scene here. Any bands of worth or of interest of us remain in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois. or Colorado. Any bands from the Nebraska area are either core bands that started 4 weeks ago and already think they are top well known musicians playing in front of their friends or stuck up generic metal bands that have been playing in the same bars for years. These bands simply don't interest me nor have the same mind set or goals that Garoted has, hence one of the many reasons we disassociate with that region. Not much else to say about this question, but the bands and places that we play and surround ourselves with are what i guess a midwest scene would be.

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
11. Most of my time is taken up by work or classes at the university. However, i do spend leisure time by writing guitar and lyric parts, fixing computers, reading about WW2 and history, i also do a bit of gaming when time permits.

12. Any final words or thoughts before we close this interview?
12. Thank you for the interest in Garoted as well as taking the time to review our latest album. Those who are interested in us can contact us at garoted@live.com, we will be having an official website up in the following months.