Septekh/Apollion Eyes/Abyss Records/2013 EP Review

  Septekh  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  I  would  describe  as  being  old  school  death/thrash  with  some  black  metal  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  ep  "Apollion  Eyes"  which  was  released  by  Abyss  Records.

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

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  old  school  death/thrash  riffs  that  utilize  some  black  metal  influences  and  dark  sounding  melodies,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  old  school  sounding  death/thrash  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals are  all  death/thrash  metal  screams  and  growls  that  have  a  blackened  edge  to  them,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  heavy,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  while  you  can s till  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Septekh  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out t his  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Burn  It  To  The  Ground"  and  "Vlad  Tepes".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

In Utero Cannibalism Interview

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

Hello there, thanks for the opportunity. The band has reformed with some old and new members too and we’ve signed a contract with Sleaszy Rider Records. We are active and we’ve got our new album “Sick” coming out in a few days. Things are going pretty well so far and we’ve got plenty to catch up with in the near future.

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

I could describe the sound of the new album with one word, and that is “sick”. It’s much heavier, tighter, the songs are well-thought of and as an album it’s aggressive, dark, at times depressive and it has these deep, perverse melodies which give a new twist to the sound in general. The album as a whole is not full-speed and that was the intension, to give some space to some slow, heavy riffs to come in-between so that the proper atmosphere can be achieved. I think it’s brutal as it is without taking the speed to its limits. All these elements are new, what we wrote back then was more like “into-your-face” attitude than exploring darker sides of feelings and emotions, incorporated into a song. And that I think worked pretty well.

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

the world crisis is going on, we cannot be blind to the depression, the violence, the poverty, the social turmoil, the suffering and the oppression that we are all going through. “Sick” as an idea is a sad representation of our today’s degeneration. The whole concept focuses and explores the abjection of the human race as a family, community, country or nation and even more, it explores from a social point of view the dark side of a human being in relation to its context. And that is our own concrete societies and generally the world we live in. We are much more connected to the environment and all the other species than we think and we should respect and preserve the balance and not think of ourselves as of higher value. So far we destroy everything, we pollute the environment, animal species are being exterminated, we are in the verge of total collapse and we still don’t learn. We have to destroy more. Maybe someone should kick our asses instead and only then maybe we could appreciate life and realize that we are not here forever. If someone would be sincere enough, he should take a step back and ask himself this simple question: Why bring a child to this life? To suffer? To starve? To inherit all this pain and sorrow we endure? Why put a child in this psychotic, abnormal process in the first place? This is the general thesis of this album. The music, the lyrics and the cover is a reminder of the sick world we live in and the sickest of all is that we as a species, no matter the crisis, the wars and death that we create, still have a physical need to regenerate, to grow, to give birth and that’s what I think is even more scarier and sickening.

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

We wanted to have a real aggressive and horrific name to describe the human perversity and insanity that can be found in today’s life. The harm that a human being can do to others as well as itself as self-destructive individual is tremendous. If we look at it from a social point of view, there are millions of irresponsible people with irrational behaviors who apart from not respecting themselves, they end up devouring other innocent victims. For example there are countless mothers, and that is a fact, who although being pregnant, they drink alcohol or doing drugs, turning a blind eye to the impact that these actions will have on their unborn child. This maternal abuse leads to all sorts of abnormal and sick behaviors to the fetus. The name expresses all these extremities and it is used as a metaphor to show that instead of bringing a normal child to life, it can work backwards.“In Utero Cannibalism” incorporates all the insanity in the human race and how far a sick mind can go.

5. The band was on hiatus for awhile, what was the cause of the split and the decision to reform the band?

Things back then were starting to get a little bit hectic, there had to be some changes and that took us out of track for a little while. The bass player had to leave permanently overseas and the guitarists had some problems to deal with that could not follow the tough schedule of the band. So I had to postpone some things for a while until I felt the time was right to start over again. All this time, new material was being written because there was no plan for the band to give up. So here we are now, some of the old members together and some new ones and we are more than ready to move on.

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

Some of our best shows are when we supported bands like Nile, Pungent Stench, Massacre, Napalm Death and others. Our stage performance is simply “go out there, bang your head until it drops, interact with the audience, make them feel the impact and basically leave content and have a nice time”. One of our best shows although it wasn’t the best match musically and we didn’t know what to expect was when we supported Pain. We knew that the audience could be slightly indifferent to our music but to our big surprise, people started embracing us and made us feel like we were more than welcomed. We really appreciated that and apart from giving our 100%, as always, we also enjoyed playing in that gig and it will be something that we will never forget.

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

We haven’t talked these things through yet with our record label. Things went so fast and we are all focused to the release of our new album but what has been said in general terms is that, considering the economical crisis, the label whenever and wherever can cover any costs of touring, in our country or abroad or in a case of a music video clip, they will do so. All these things, they will be first talked through, programmed and scheduled and when the time is right, executed.

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

Generally things are going quite well I suppose. People have been embracing our music and now with our new album I think things will get much better. Basically the support of our fans is another reason that kept us going all these years, no matter the downfalls and we really appreciate that. I hope with our new album we will satisfy them to the most and fill the gap of our static period to the maximum.

9. Are there any other musical projects going on these days?

No, there are no projects in-between. In Utero Cannibalism will stay focused on spreading terror worldwide.. hahaha

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

For us the direction is one. Speed, aggression and violence. Raw aggressive death metal. That was always our way and that was the idea since the conception of the band. We will take it as far as we can remaining as brutal and extreme as possible. We will, if need to, incorporate some new ideas and elements but the plan is to stay brutal.

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

Our influences are bands like Deicide, Malevolent Creation, Suffocation, Death, Vader, Cannibal Corpse, Pestilence and many more. Nowadays we all listen to those great bands and to bands that introduced us to this music since we were kids such as Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Kreator, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, The Stooges, U.F.O, Rainbow and the list goes on. But furthermore we are open-minded and we can listen to any other different genre that sounds interesting.  Personally I don’t mind listening to artists like Leonard Cohen or Del Shannon, if we wanna go further back, or bands like Deine Lakaien and Rammstein. I think it’s a good thing to have a wide variety of influences because you can open new horizons to your mind, work on new elements and incorporate them to your music wisely. But what we all listen to and what we produce musically with the band in the end is a whole different story.

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

There are not many things going on since the crisis struck us down. We are trying to stay positive and not give up on some basic activities or interests. Some of us have athletic activities others are doing volunteer work, such as helping animal shelters, and pretty much all of us are movie enthusiasts. Personally I collect old movies, from Dracula with Christopher Lee to The Alamo with John Wayne and many more.

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

I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to answer all your interesting questions and I wish you the best. I would also like to thank all my band mates for all the hard work, we have a long way to go so buckle up. From all of us I would like to say a big hello and thank you to all our fans out there that supported us throughout the years. You have waited this long, I hope “Sick” will satisfy you the most. We are back, we have a lot to give and we will see you all on the battlefield.

Nervecide Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit more about this project for those that have never heard of you before?

Nervecide is something i've created with the purpose to find something new in the world of extreme music: from the music itself and how it is composed 

to the ways it is distibuted to the audience.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

I've been always fascinated with sounds and their shapes, how they can fit together even if they looks so differently.

Industrial Ambient and Death Meatl are a perfect example of that : if you listen to " fractal flood " you can find out how perfect can sound a Theremin solo

in a typical death metal mid-tempo.

So my purpose is to find something that can grow organically, it's not just to put some electronic fx in a song: 

the title track is divided in two parts, but the second, which a classic ambient mood, is the harmonic evolutions of the Pt.1 coda and so on.

I know it's an ambitious quest, but i don't have any label to deal with, so i can afford to make some mistakes eh eh 

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

Lyrics follow a concept : Impermanence is the absence of permanence, means that everything is in an everlasting change, that change is the only 

thing that never changes!

This topic, which is typical of buddhism, can be applied on how the perception we have of the world around us change on our inner perceptions, 

and how our perceptionscan change on the changing of the world.

It is a circle, where the only thing that never change is the changing and the cover image is a representation of this : fro the roots to the human form to 

the fog and to the roots once again, everything is state passage.

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

Nerves are the endings who establish the connection with the reality, thanks to nerves we feel pain,heat,cold,pleasure and the emotions that follow,

when a nerve dies is like losing a part of body, so killing all the nerves ( the nervecide ) represent a disconnection form the world around us.

It is a state of isolation that can be read in a negative or in a positive way, it depends, as always, by how and way we reach this state.

5. Currently there is only 1 member in the band, are you planning on expanding the line up in the future or do you choose to remain solo?

I really don't know, i created Nervecide as a need of expression, i'd like to bring the songs on the stage but i have to find the right people and the right

situation : i played for almost 10 yrs in a " traditional band " ( Cadaveric Crematorium ) and i made with them hundred of gigs, it has been really cool,

i miss the stage but,i need to be really sure of what i'm doing to envolve myself in something like this once again.

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

No chance in hell! As i said in the first question, i'm tying to do something new not in the music only, but in the way to reach the people also : 

the album is available in free downloading on bandcamp and reverbnation and this is possibile because of the absence of a phisycal cd, which

it hasn't to be distributed or printed or produced ecc ecc

Cd won't last any longer: music lives on the net and more often people doesn't even download music anymore, they just stream it.

This erase the barrier from the musician to the listener, without a label brokerage.

I'm not an utopist that think that music ( and generally, art ) should be for free, but i don't even claim of being the next biog thing, i jsut need to 

express myself and i like to do it this way. 

On the musical side, even in the smallest indipendent undergroung home-made labels there are some guidelines that has to be followed by the bands 

( in the music you do,in the name you have, in the artwork ecc ecc ), but i wanna do exactly what i want with this band so...no labels and no distros! 

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

It is quite early to look at the feedback: the record has been released 3 days ago and i'm reaching fans and contacts pratically door to door ( the dark side of the 

self made promotions ),but for now i can say i'm satisfied seeing that contacts, downloads, streaming are growing day by day.

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

I gave Nervecide every minute of free time in last 2 years, i'd like to start another project of pure industrial ambient music, but i also hope that promoting

Impermanence will take some more time in next months!

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

As we discussed before i think music is moving to a great fragmentation, a downshifting : there will be less Big Bands/Labels who will catalyze the traditional 

music business ( CD, Merch, Big Tour ecc ecc ) and will make more difficoult for the new ones to get a " normal career "  and will push them to new forms of distribution 

such as foundraising, self productions, mp3 ecc ecc

On the other hand this new technologies shortened the life of the bands:

if you focus on this now you can listen to hundred new albums every week,in this terabytes of music it's very hard to emerge and even if you 

write the " black album " of your generation you wont probably last a month in the 90% iPhones out there.

The positive thing is that litterally every band of the planet has the chance to spread their music worldwide.

a place 

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

I listen to everything, as you maybe imagine, i'd like a lot of electronic music and death metal, but i also love rap, classical, jazz...

i don't have any prejudice while i approach an album, it's just good or bad.

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

Muay Thai, weight lifting, reading, traveling, cooking...

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

Thanks very much for the chance you gave me to speak of Nervecide and promote it, support music made with passion!

Karma Zero/Architecture of Pain/2013 CD Review

  Karma  Zero  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  death metal,  deathcore  and  metalcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  self  released  "Architecture  Of  Pain".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  as  for  the  synths  and  sound  effects  when  they  are  utilized  they  bring  elements  of  electronic  music  to  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  melodic  death  metal,  deathcore  and  metalcore  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  along  with  a  brief  use  of  soft  and  clean  playing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they  are  only  used  on  the  last  song  and  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  bring  some  progressive  elements  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  range  from  deep  death  metal  growls,  high  pitched  screams,  metalcore  style  shouts,  and  clean  singing  hardcore  style  vocals  as  well  as  a  brief  spoken  word  part,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  for  being  a s elf  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Karma  Zero  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  melodic  death  metal,  deathcore,  metalcore,  and  electronic  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Architecture  Is A  Lie"  "No  Answers"  "Modern  Slavery"  and  "Ghosts". RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Nervecide/Impermance/2013 CD Review

  Nervecide  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  brutal  form  of  death/grind  with  elements  of  industrial  and  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  album  "Impermance".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  great  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  elements  of  industrial  and  ambient  to  the  recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  death  metal  riffs  that  are  very  heavy  and  brutal  sounding  with  some  grindcore  influences,  technical  parts  and  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  technical  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  which  are  only  used  briefly  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  add  a  dimension  of  darkness  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  range  from  deep  death  metal  growls  to  high  pitched  screams  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  being  utilized  on  the  last  song,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  brutal  and  professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Nervecide  are  a  very  great  and  original  sounding  hybrid  of  brutal  death  metal,  industrial  and  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fractal  Flood"  "The  Omnivore"  and  "The  Thirst  That  Never  Subsides".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Years Of Tyrants/Leading The Blind/Kaotoxin Records/2013 EP Review

  Years  Of  Tyrants  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  brutal  mixture  of  technical  death  metal  and deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  ep "Leading  The  Blind"  which  was  released  by  Kaotoxin  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  along  with  a  great  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording,  as  for  the  piano  they  are  only  used  on  one  song  and  they  bring  a  dark sound  to  the  recording.

 Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  brutal  sounding  technical  death  metal  with  deathcore  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  soft  and  clean  playing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  technical  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

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

  In  my  opinion  Years  Of  tyrant  are  a  very  great  sounding  heavy  and  brutal  hybrid  of  technical  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Stronger  Than  All"  "Infestation  Of  Larvae"  "This  World  Is  Ours"  and  "Of  Those  Who  Wasted  It  All".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Dark Salvation Interview

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

We are Dark Salvation, a melodic death metal Band from the heart of the Alps, a country called Liechtenstein. We were founded in 2008 because of the Lack of metal bands in our country and released our second record “Der letzte Weg” one month ago. Everybody who’s exited to listening diversified and melodic death metal with Swedish influence will definitely be satisfied with our latest record.


How would you describe your musical sound?
It’s the classic Göteborg sound, somewhere between the early In Flames and Dark Tranquility. We interpret the classic Swedish sound on our own style without drifting into the genre of the modern Metalcore.


What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Many Ideas come from Liechtenstein’s old Legends. But we express it in a way so that every listener itself can make his own interpretation of the lyrics. All the songs on our new record are telling a story; correctly a “love story” of a women concentrating on the changes of her feelings ending in her suicide.


What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
Back in 2008, we didn’t actually think about the meaning, or anything that would describe our music, it’s just that for german speaking people English names sound much cooler. We were collecting various ideas for our new band name and discussed heavily which name fits best. In the end we had a 100% voting for Dark Salvation.

What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
I have to say that the show at the MetalCamp in Slovenia was the best by far. The atmosphere was just amazing. I think the people like our stage performance because we are just trying to have a good time on stage, don’t worry about anything and just enjoy playing our music. It kinda brings a good vibe over to the audience.

Do you have any touring plans for the future?
We just got out of the whole recording and releasing stress and so far we only have 2 planned shows this year but of course we are in contact and negotiate with different organizers over Europe. We are all assured that the “big Highlight” of the year 2013 will be the show at the Metaldays Festival in Slovenia where we are honorably invited to rock on the main stage.


On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of melodic death metal?
We could receive many positive reviews and feedbacks for our first record. And so far “Der letzte Weg” could already earn some positive feedback from the whole world. We are grateful that there are many people who appreciate our work. We are also very impressed that a lot of English speaking people are interested in Dark Salvation and really do listen to our songs although they are written in German. This is showing that not every band has to write songs in English to receive attention.


Currently you are unsigned are you looking for a label and if so, what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for your music?
We are not looking for a label directly, but if we find one that fits our needs, maybe we are willing to “sign the contract” someday. It’s difficult to say which label perfect fits for our music but it should be an international label specialized in melodic death metal.

Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?
No, we don’t have time for other serious projects. We are putting our whole effort into the project “Dark Salvation” Also we are all working 1oo% beside the band.

What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
Actually we are creating a new concept for our next release and writing new songs. During the recording of “Der letzte Weg” we had a few very impressive ideas for a lot of new songs. We won’t define our style in a classic genre. It will be always kind of how it sounds now but probably there will be new influences in the future.


What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
All the Band members have different tastes in music, and so we landed on the göteborg sound. It’s hard to say what we are listening nowadays, I think it changes on a daily basis. My personal favorites are Amon Amarth, In Flames (the early ones), Arch Enemy and many more.


Outside of music what are some of your interests?
I basically spend most of my time for composing and practicing songs for our band. Also I am interested in photography and of course hanging out with my mates.

Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Thanks to all the metalheads who are, or will to listen to our music. Take a look at our Facebook-Page (www.facebook.com/dsliechtenstein) Also we have a video clip to the song “Eifersucht”. There are two really hot chicks and a lot of diversifying Melodic Death Metal ;) The clip is online on Youtube.

Simon, Dark Salvation Guitarist

Be'lakor/Of Breath And Bone/Kolony Records/Dismanic Distribution/2013 CD Review

  Be'lakor  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  progressive  sounding  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2013  album  "Of  Breath  And  Bone"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Kolony  Records  and  Dismanic  Distribution.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording,  as  for  the  synths  and  violins  which  are  only  used  briefly  they  bring  a  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sound  to  the  music.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  melodic  death  metal  riffs  with  some  clean  playing  that  bring  the  progressive  elements  into  the  music,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  and  classical  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  add  more  variety  to  the  music.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  with  some  high  pitched  screams  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times  as  well  as  a  brief  spoken  word  part,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  poetic  themes,  as  for  the  production   it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it  where  you  can hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.  

  In  my  opinion  Be'lakor  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic/progressive  death  metal  band  and  if  you are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Remnants"  "To  Stir  The  Sea"  and  "The  Drean  And  Waking".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Reign Of Vengeance/The Final Solution, The Final Rebellion/Synister Empire Records/2013 EP Review

  Reign  Of  Vengeance  are  a  band  from  Arizona  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  on  this  recording  that  I  would  describe  as  being  technical  death  metal  with  slam  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  ep  "The  Final  Solution,  The  Final  Rebellion"  which  was  released  by  Synister  Empire  Records.

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

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

  Vocals  range  from  groove  metal  type  singing  to  deep  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Egypt,  Atlantis,  Secret  Societies  and  Occultism,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Reign  Of  Vengeance  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Amassing  Towards  Truth"  and  "The  Grande  Hecatomb".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Intractable/Inner Decay/2012 CD Review

  Intractable  are  a  band  from  Switzerland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  groove,  modern day  thrash  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2012  album  "Inner  Decay".

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

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  groove,  modern  day  thrash  and  melodic  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  along with  some  hardcore  influences  being  thrown  into the  riffing  at  times  as  well  as  a  brief use  of  clean  playing,  while  the  lead  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  are  very  old  school  sounding  thrash  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals a re  mostly  groove  metal  style  vocals  with  some  deep  death  metal  growls,  high  pitched  screams  and  spoken  word  samples,  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent  and  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Intactable  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  groove,  modern  thrash  and  melodic  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Captured"  "Enslavement"  "Solve  The  Pain"  and  "Breaking  Strength  Of  the  Mind".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Deathember/Going Postal/2013 Cd Review

  Deathember  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  groove  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  album  "Gong  Postal".

  Drums  range  from  slow,mid  paced  playing  with  some  fast  drumming  and  blast  beats  being  utilized on  this  recording  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording,  as  for  the  synths  when  they  are  utilized  they  bring  in  symphonic  and  electronic  music  elements  to  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow, mid  paced to fast  riffs  that  combine  groove  and  melodic  death  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  while  also  adding  some  nu  metal  elements  to t he  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

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

  In  my  opinion  Deathember  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  groove  and  melodic  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Repeat  And  Remind"  "Quietly"  "Hailing  Down"  and  "Unending  Thirst".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

In Utero Canibalism/Sick/Sleazy Rider Records/2013 CD Review

  In  Utero  Canibalism  are  a  band  that  plays  a  very  heavy,  old  school  and  brutal  form  of  old  school  gore/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Sick"  which  was  released  by  Sleazy  Rider  Records.

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

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  old  school  gore/death  metal  riffs  that  are  very heavy  and  brutal  sounding  with  some  melody  and  clean  playing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  old school  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads  that  utilize  some  melody  at  times.

  Vocals  are  all  deep  death  metal  growls  in  the  old  school  tradition  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  samples,  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror,  gore  and  violent  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  brutal  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  In  Utero  Canibalism  are  a  very  great  sounding  heavy,  brutal  and  old  school  style  gore/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pieces  Of  Shit"  "No Return"  "Retribution  In  Gore"  and  "Sick".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Overoth Interview

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

Overoth is a four man death metal band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. We've been playing together for about 8 years now with a few releases in that time; our most recent was 'Kingdom of Shadows'. We've played with some of the biggest bands in the genre (Bolt Thrower, Napalm Death, Obituary) and had some crazy tours.


2. How would you describe your musical sound?

Our roots lie in the old school of Death Metal with a few nods to the darker side of it. We have a nice dynamic groove with our riffs, creating a sound guaranteed to have heads banging.


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

Good vs evil stories, dark arts and fantasy, hordes of depravity consuming earth ... Haha. You know the drill. A lot of our songs are based around one character, (Usually 'Overoth', our very own lord of darkness), his actions or the outcome of the circumscribed end of being. Haha. We like to keep it nasty.


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

The name came about by accident. We were working with a few ideas and a friend uttered it on a night out seeing Decapitated and Gorerotted. We liked the sound of it and it stuck. Since the names creation it has taken on a meaning of it's own. We've used it as a character in our songs and on the album art.


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

We've had the pleasure of sharing the stage with some amazing bands in our history. A stand out moment for me was a support slot we had playing on a festival with Hail of Bullets. We played a blinder of a set, which was the intention as we were on the bill with one of Death Metal's living legends, Martin van Drunen. It's great to see a band of such a status nodding their heads while we're blasting. As we finished we got a nod from the great man and he went on to mention us onstage. An important new fan I'd bet.


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

Right now we're almost finished writing our next album, so our current plans are to finish that and get it released then the touring can commence.
We have some gigs booked for the next year and we'll maybe do a few days here or there but our current plans are to get the new album out ASAP.  Playing live is a passion for each of us. It's why we started playing music. There's nothing quite like a loud audience.


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

We're fortunate to have some dedicated fans at home and on foreign soil. Most recently we toured the UK and before that a few tours in Switzerland and Scandinavia respectively. Luckily, we've been well received wherever we play and the album sales are good. We've actually had some recent interest in our first MCD 'Death Personified' so we're having some more printed.


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

I'm currently playing with a grindcore band The Obscene Machine. We've just released our first MCD 'The Obscenity Within' on Grind Scene Records a few months back.
Andrew & Jay have another death metal band Rex Shachath. They've also just released their first record with Hostile Media.
Jay being the busiest (or least lazy haha) has just recorded drums for a friend's Black Metal outfit Altus Astrum.


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

Our new material has taken a step further into the shadows with a darker feel throughout. There are a lot of big riffs and an almost anthemic feel in some of the songs. I feel that there's a further maturity in the music and we're very happy with the darkened sound of our new stuff.


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

My first memory of heavy music was at a party in my uncles house. He was blasting Slayer & Sepultura. I couldn't really understand the music (I was 7 years old) but I liked it & and that's where my influences started. Our more modern influences come from a wide range of heavy music, books and even some computer games have given us some ideas.

The albums I can put down at the moment are:

Watain - Lawless Darkness
Gojira - Enfant Sauvage
Strapping Young Lad - SYL.


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

I'm a lover of real ales and beers so I've recently started to brew my own. It hasn't poisoned me quite yet so I reckon it needs a few more weeks’ fermentation. I enjoy travelling; I try to get away a few times a year. I'd recommend the Edinburgh Fringe Festival if you enjoy cheap and sometimes extremely fucked up comedy.


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

If you don't know it yet, check out our music. Songs from 'Death Personified' & 'Kingdom of Shadows' are on our YouTube channel and on Facebook. So give us a spin and say hello.

Walk forever in the shadows my friends…


Andy Ennis Bass/Vocals

Deathember Flower/Architect/Metal Scrap Records/2013 CD Review

  Deathember  Flower  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  death  metal  and  thrash  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Architect"  which  was  released  by  Metal  Scrap  Records.

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

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  melodic  death  metal  with  thrash  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  along  with  some  more  modern  metal  elements  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  at  times  in  addition  there  is  a  brief  use  of  soft  and  clean  playing  being  utilized  on  the  last  song  which  adds  more  prog  elements  to  the  recording,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads  that  also  utilize  some  prog  elements.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  melodic  death  metal  screams  with  some  whispers  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  some  clean  singing  female  vocals  in  addition  there  is  a  brief  use  of  deep  growls,  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  and  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  I  my  opinion  Deathember  Flower  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  melodic  death  metal  and  thrash  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "My  True  Face"  "Chaos  Theory"  "See  No Future"  and  "The  End  Of  Everything".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

  

Zombie Inc/Resurrection Guaranteed/Massacre Records/2013 Single Review

  Zombie  Inc.  are  a  band  from  Austria  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  that  plays  a  very old  school  form  of  gore/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  single  "Resurrection  Guaranteed"  which  was  released  by  Massacre  Records.

  Drums  range  from s low,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  not  much  in  the  way  of  blast  beats,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  old  school  gore/death  metal  riffs  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  at  times,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  old  school  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos and  leads.

  Vocals a re  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  with  some  horror  movie  samples  being  used  at  times, while  the  lyrics  cover  gore  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Zombie  Inc.  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  single.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Resurrection  Guarnatedd".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Epitome Of Frail Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
 In April 2012 we released our forth album SOCIETY an currently we are busy with planning and playing shows, promotion activities and kicked off the songwriting for a possible future release.

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

In opposite to previous releases we increased the stake of death metal on the new album. On the foregoing outputs the focus layed more on rythmic hardcore riffing. An advantage to this progression was the engagement of a new shouter which brought a bigger diversity to our sound.

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

Until now we have no lyrical concept, it’s more between a way to process experiences and bring something up what keeps us busy. So there are many different issues of everyday topics such as music, death, despair and experience of individual band members, whether positive or negative

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

At the very beginning of the band when we had to choose a name EPITOME OF FRAIL was simply part of one of the first lyrics we had written. Nowadays the meaning of the bands name is to be meant as the complete opposite of our music which is neither frail nor weak. And this polarity is also found in our lyric topics which are mostly negative experiences but within a positive message.

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

There are many shows which were remarkable, especially because of the fact that playing live is one of the main reason we all keep doing this for years now. We all bring our whole energy on stage and to see how people respond to our performance and music weather they dance, headbang or play air-guitar, for example, is the best appreciation you can get as a band.
On the other hand, to part stage with some awesome bands we look up to like Hatebreed, Napalm Death, The Black Dahlia Murder and All Shall Perish, to name a few, was as well a great experience to us.

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

Yes, of course. We are always searching for shows and maybe we will be able to play a tour in the near or furthermore future. But in times like these were more and more bands apply for decreasingly shows it`s very hard to book shows on your own. But we keep working on that, promised. (



7. Currently you are signed to Gunn Records, how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support they have given you so far?

They got in touch with us during the recording process of SOCIETY. It was some coincidence that our sound engineer knew a guy which drew the attention of Gunn Records on us. So, everything after that came very quick. The support from Gunn Records is really great so far. Without their distribution network it has never been possible that SOCIETY would have hit the stores physically.

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to the new album by fans of extreme metal?

So far the reactions have been very positive. Of course, there will always be people who think that previous releases were better or criticise other things, but overall we are very happy with the comments and reviews we get with our new album.

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

The only thing we can say at this point is that it will be some kind of death metal. But if it will be more melodic, technical or aggressive, if it will contain more or less breakdowns, clean singing or whatever we cannot say at the moment.
We make music that we enjoy and what we have fun doing it. So we are very curious ourselves what the next output will sound like.

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

It´s hard to say because when five individuals form a band and everyone got their personal preference for music it’s difficult to point out what exactly has got an influence on the bands’ music. Maybe something, maybe nothing. But for sure we can say that music styles like (melodic) death metal and different variations of hardcore music are a big influence.

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

Besides music and our working and family life it is very hard to find time for more interests. Just the standard shit everybody does nowadays, complain about bands and their music on the internet. Just kidding xD

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

Exterminate! Exterminate!

Dethrone Interview

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

Dethrone is a thrash/death metal band formed in the summer 2011. We're influenced by bands such as The Crown, The Haunted, Defleshed, At The Gates and similar acts. Black metal and oldschool thrash is also an important influence.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

Thrashing riffs meets brutal death metal with a touch of classic metal melodies.

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

We have a very open mind to the lyrics but so far most of the songs are about the corruption of mankind and society in general. How life is for people without money or power.

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

Originally the name comes from another band that included some of Dethrones members. When we were talking about what name we should take for this band, Dethrone came up and everyone liked it. Thats about it haha! But i guess it can also be a symbol for what we state in our lyrics. To dethrone the tyrants of a sick world hehe. 

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

Metaltown 2012 was a huge moment for us! It was totally awesome. Denmark was a blast as well and our releaseparty was real good! We're satisfied with almost every show we have done actually. On stage we are very focused and try to give our audience a great experience. Our music is very intense and that affects us in a very powerful way when we perform live! 

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

We have some swedish shows planned this spring and we're also planning to go to Germany and England since the album will be released there. A tour in Europe to support the album is something we wanna do as well.

7. Currently you are signed to Hobo Records, how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support they have given you so far?

We have recorded in Hoborecs studio many times before, with precious band we have played with as well so we know the owner since many years back. When we recorded the album with Dethrone we were offered a deal with the label and we all felt that it was the right thing to do. The support has been amazing, Hobo set us up with Sound Pollution distribution and helped us financing the CD/vinyls and some PR and has also set us up with some great contacts and other bands we can work with! It's all good man! 

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

We have recieved a huge positive response for the stuff we have released so far and the reviews on the demo and the full-lenght have been very positive! 

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

We're sticking to our sound, but if we should point out something that will change it's probably that the songs well be even more intense! 

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

We come from different musical backgrounds and also listen to different kinds of metal, but the main influences in Dethrone are as mentioned above The Crown, Defleshed, At The Gates and stuff like that. The swedish extreme metal scene in general is a huge inspiration! 

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

Not much haha! This is our life and we dedicate as much time as we can to this. No time for anything else! Oh wait, beer of course! 

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

Buy the album, come see us live and support the metal scene! 

Dethrone/Humanity/Hobo Records/2013 CD Review

  Dethrone  are  a  band  from  Sweden that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  death  metal  and  thrash  and  this  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Humanity"  which  was  released  by  Hobo  Records.

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

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  melodic  death  metal  with  thrash  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  while  the  lead  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  are  very  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads, as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  which  are  only  used  briefly  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  add  a  dimension  of  darkness  to  the  music.

  Vocals  range  from  high  pitched  melodic death  metal  screams  to  deep  growls  as  well  as  some  thrash  style  vocals  along  with  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In my  opinion  Dethrone  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid of  melodic  death  metal  and  thrash  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dead  Eyes  Open"  "Deathwish"  "Towards  The  Abyss"  and  "Hell  Before  Hell".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.