Thursday, November 30, 2017

Stercore/Eternal Sunlight/Slovak Metal Army/2017 EP Review


  Stercore  are  a  band  from  Slovakia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  death,  groove  metal,  grind  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep  "Eternal  Sunlight"  which  was  released  by Slovak Metal  Army.

  Electronic  music  elements  along  with  soem  heavy  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  high  pitched  screams  and  growls  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  some  groove  metal  and  deathcore  elements  being  added  into t he  mid  tempo  sections  of t he  songs.

  Elements  of  grindcore  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  music  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  both  the  riffs  and  solos  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  some  metalcore  influences  also  being  used  at  times  and  as  the  ep  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  can  also be  heard.

  Stercore  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  death,  groove  metal,  grind  and  deathcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Stercore  are a  very  decent  sounding  mixture  of  death,  groove  metal,  grind  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Flower  Of  The  Concrete"  "Aurora  Borealis"  and  "Breed".  7/5  out  of  10. 

  

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Torso Murder Interview


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

For those who haven't checked us out yet we're a brutal metal band from Cleveland Ohio formed by a group of people who are totally sick of all the usual bullshit watered down "metal" in our local area. We just figured let's try to create something original that sounds like us and our influences.

2.Recently you have released your first album, how would you describe the musical style that is presented on the recording?

 A mixture of death metal, djent, mathcore and a little bit of thrash and prog basically if you were to take our individual influences and throw them into a blender thats kinda what came out in the recording. I think the recording is a good representation of the band but it's nothing compared to what will come.

3.Both the band name and song lyrics have a concept to them involving a serial killer from the 1930's, can you tell s a little bit more about the story?

 In a nutshell the Cleveland torso murders took place between 1935 and 1938 during which time there were 12 murders with only 2 of the victims ever being positively identified making this one of the most gruesome yet interesting unsolved crimes in American history. It was one the only case that Elliot Ness never solved.

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

As a band we haven't been playing shows all that long; however, that being said I would say that our album release was one of our best shows in terms of performance and on stage presence. Also our first show was really cool it was so fun to get out and play these songs. On stage you can expect the typical metal stuff everyone Moving, headbanging and everything loud as Fuck.

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

Right we are staying in our region playing a few shows as in our A December To Dismember show in Youngstown Ohio Dec. 2nd and Our next show is in Cleveland at The Foundry January 13th. We will be hitting some tour action Summer/Fall 2018.

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

Currently we are not looking for a label. These days the music business in shambles and we believe no label would give us an offer that would be worth taking. That being said, we do plan on looking eventually, but on our terms. Till then, we will continue to run independently.

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

Feedback has been really good. I think most people are surprised once they get past the name and listen to the music. They are expecting some typical death metal band, and get slapped in the ear hole by Torso Murder.

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

Yes. Mark Moats is also a Bass player for the band Orwellian as well as vocals/keys for a symphonic project called Inherently Lost about to be released in 2018.
Aaron O'dell(Bass) is a very talented guitar player and is about to release a Solo album in 2018.
Justin Ricci(Guitar) Plays Bass in the the band Trephine.

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

We look to progress our sound and refine it moving forward. Fans can expect our sound to get far more diverse and technical compared to our 1st release. We don't want to take steps backwards or even lateral. We intend on becoming better and better as we move forward with our art.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Collectively we are all into very different music. Our inspirations have came anywhere from Mr. Bungle, Cradle of Filth, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, Meshuggah, Vision of Disorder, HateBreed, Opeth, Between the buried and me, Cannibal Corpse, Heaven Shall Burn, all the way to mozart, huey lewis and the news, After The Burial, prince, Pink Floyd, pig destroyer, Devin Townsend, wu tang, zao, White Chapel the list goes on but we listen to pretty much everything. Djent, black metal, death metal, jazz, r&b, fusion, Caribbean, rap, hip hop, country, industrial, rock, classical and so on

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Our non musical interest include graphic design, painting, video games, drinking beers, smoking, whiskey, horrible Cleveland Browns football, firearms, serial killers, cartoons and chicken wings.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
.
Our closing words would be this... we work really hard and spend a lot of our hard earned money to make our music and art. Almost all bands do. Especially in metal where the market is saturated. That being said, be it us or another band please support your local scene. Buy their merch, come out to their shows and share how you feel about the bands you love. We make our music for ourselves because we love it and hope to share it with as many willing to participate.

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Death On Fire/Witch Hunter/2018 Full Length Review


  Death  On  Fire  are  a  solo  project  from Wisconsin  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  album  plays  a  very  melodic  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  with  some  elements  of  classical  and  jazz  fusion  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "Witch  Hunter"  which  will  be  self  released  in  2018.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  growling  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  groove  metal  style  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to t hem.

  A  great  amount  of  modern  thrash elements  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  clean  guitars  bring  in  elements  of  jazz  fusion  and  classical  music  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  melodic  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Death  On  Fire  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  his  melodic  mixture  of  death,  groove  and  thrash  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  humorous  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Death  On  Fire  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  death,  groove  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Witch  Hunter"  "Betrayal"  and  "American  Scum".  8  out  of  10.      

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Frakasm/Century Of Decline/Great Dane Records/2017 CD review


  Frakasm  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  gore/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Century  Of  Decline"  which  was  released  by  Great  Dane  Records.

  Melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  a  few  screams  as  well  a s the  riffs  also  utilizing  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  A  lot  of  the  music  sounds  like  it  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released  more  than  20  years  ago  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  always  remains  heavy.

  Frakasm  plays  a  style  of  gore/death  metal  that  goes  back  to  the  early  90's  era  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  religion,  hatred,  war,  extinction,  death  and  despotism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Frakasm  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  gore/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cerebral  Torture"  "Inferni  Gloria"  and  "In  The  Womb".  8  out  of  10.     

Burial Chamber/Ripping The Dead/2017 Full Length Review


  Burial  Chamber  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  very  brutal  form  of  gore/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  album  "Ripping  The  Dead".

  A  very  heavy  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly deep  death  metal  growls  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to them  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  as  well  as  the  music  being  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  fashion  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  mix  in  elements  of  east  coast  death  metal  as  well  as  the  music  always  remaining  very  heavy  and  brutal  and  they  close  the  album  with  an  instrumental.

  Burial  Chamber  plays  a  style  of  gore/death  metal  that  is  very  brutal  and  old  school,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  gore  and  torture  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Burial  Chamber  are  a  very  great  sounding  brutal  gore/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Corpse  Mutilation"  "Lobotomize  Infected  Beings"  and  "Feed  on  The  Dead".  8  out  of  10.

The Last Of Lucy/Ashvattha/2017 Full Length Review


  The  Last  Of  Lucy  are  a  band  from Huntington  Beach,  California  that  plays  an  experimental  mixture  of  technical  death  metal,  grind  and  mathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  album  "Ashbattha".

  Ambient  style  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  brutal  direction  which  also  introduces  death  metal  growls  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  high pitched  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  solos and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  technical  fashion  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  both  the  atmospheric  and  heavy  parts  together  at  times.

  Clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  saxophones  when  they  are  utilized  bring  in  elements  of  jazz  music  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  at  times  they  music  gets  very  experimental  and  as  the album  progresses  influences  of  groove  metal,  mathcore  and  technical  grindcore  are  added  into  the  music. 

  The  Last  Of  Lucy  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  brutal  and  technical  form  of  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  elements  of  math,  grindcore,  groove  metal,  ambient,  jazz  and  experimental  music  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  scientific  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Last  Of  Lucy  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  technical  death  metal,  grind  and  mathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chapter  II  Odyssey"  "Obsidian  Archetype"  and  "Agarttha".  8  out  of  10.

Torso Murder/Self Titled/2017 Full Length Review


  Torso  Murder  are  a  band  from  Cleveland, Ohio  that  plays  a  mixture  of  djent,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2017  album.

  A  horror  movie  orientated  synth  intro  starts  off  the  album  and  spoken  word  samples  are  also  used  briefly  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls and  angry  screams.

  Elements  of  djent  and  deathcore  can  be  heard  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  guitars  can  be  heard  as  well  as  some  progressive  elements.

  Torso  Murder  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  djent,  deathcore  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sound s very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  based  upon  the  murders  in  the  1930's  done  by  a  serial  killer  that  was  also  known  as  the  Torso  Murder.

  In  my  opinion  Torso  Murder  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  djent,  deathcore  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Suspended  In  Mind"  "Lady  Of  The  Lake"  and  "Filling  The  Void  With  Corpses".  8  out  of  10.    

Friday, November 24, 2017

Mecalimb/XIII/WormHoleDeath Records/2017 CD Review


  Mecalimb  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  death,  thrash  and  groove  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "VIII"  which  was  released  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.

  Bell  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast,  heavy  and  melodic  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  grim  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  elements  of  modern  thrash  and  groove  metal.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard and  one  track  also  introduces  classical  guitars  onto  the  recording.

  Mecalimb  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  melodic  death  metal  while  also  mixing  in  elements  of  modern  thrash  and  groove  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  and  life  struggle  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mecalimb  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  melodic  death,  groove  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Headless  Existence"  "No  End"  "I  See  Dead  People"  ad  "Nothing".  8  out  of  10.

    

Myth Of A Life/Chimera/Sleaszy Rider Records/2017 EP Review


 
  Myth  Of  A  Life  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017 ep  "Chimera"  which  was  released  by  Sleaszy  Rider  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  ep  and  also  gives  the  recording  an  atmosphere  of  a  horror  movie  before  going  into  a  very  heavy  and  melodic  direction  which  is  also  very  heavily  influenced  by  the  Swedish  style  while  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly  before  adding  in  death  metal  growls  and  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  chaotic  fashion  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  at  times  the  music  adds  in  a  touch  of  modern  extreme  metal.

  Myth  Of  A  Life  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  melodic  death  metal  style  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  mythological  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Myth  Of  A  Life  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chimera"  and  "The  True  Face  Of  Death".  8  out  of  10.    

Drawn And Quartered/Feeding Hell's Furnace/Krucyator Productions/2017 Cassette Re-Issue Review


  Drawn  And  Quartered  are  a band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  dark  and  blasphemous  form  of  death  metal with a  blackened  edge  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Feeding  Hell's  Furnace"  which  will  be  re-issued  on  cassette  in  December  2017  by  Krucyator  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  along  with  a  few  screams  that  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  the  fast  riffs  also  bring  in a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking.

  When  guitar solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  chaotic  old  school death  metal  fashion  as  well  as  having  their  melodic  moments  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  morbid  sounding  melodies  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  and  always  remains  very  heavy  and  brutal.

  On  this  recording  Drawn  And  Quartered  remained  true  to  the  dark,  blasphemous  and  brutal  style  of  death  metal  that  they  are  known  for,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  murder,  torture  and  anti  Christianity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Drawn  And  Quartered  and  if  you  are a   fan  of  dark,  blasphemous  and  brutal  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Feeding  Hell's  Furnace"  "Horde  Of  Leviathan"  "Cryptic  Consecrations" and  "Seeds  Of  Insanity".  8  out  of  10. 

   

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Asphodelos Interview

Stephan: Vocals Adrian: Guitars

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

Stephan: No rest for the wicked. We’re continuing to write new stuff and have already started playing new songs on our shows.
Adrian: I want to add, that in „Black Sunset – a Division of MDD Records“ we found a reliable partner and label. Cooperation has been a real joy so far.

2. Recently you have released your first full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the ep's you have released in the past?
Stephan: I think as a band we all have grown over the past few years in what we do, and this is reflected in “The Five Rivers of Erebos”. One of our focuses is to make longer songs more diverse. Harmonious variety is in our eyes especially important when writing them. Looking back at the EP “To the Grounds of Everwhite” there’s more black metal influence in most of our songs now, making the themes of our songs more distinctive and deeper. Also the vocals have evolved over the past years.
Adrian: All in all the music became more dark and melancholic. For me as songwriter it reflects also my personal taste of music and its genesis. But besides all new influences Death Metal is still the essence of what we do.

3.This is your first release in 4 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?
Stephan: Well, we had a little break right in the middle being caused by work and studies in different cities. As to the rest, we wrote a few more songs but we couldn’t really get to like them as much as we’ve hoped. So we rewrote some of them or dropped them entirely – maybe not forever but for now at least. Our main focus was to find out what we want to do as a band and to play a few shows.
Adrian: One problem was that I studied in Leipzig and the band is situated in Jena. It's not a big deal to get there but social environment changes when you live in different cities. And there were also times when we had to ask each other if it's still a good idea to keep the band alive. But after I moved back we lit the spark again and now here we are.

4.Some of your lyrics cover Greek Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?
Stephan: Polytheistic religions are overall interesting because believers have a wider range of entities they can cast blame on haha. The stories around the Greek mythology however often reflect issues or topics that can easily be transferred onto our everyday life and they are intrinsically exciting story-wise. The struggle and the tales we found ourselves confronted with are more often than not also described in the tales of gods and monsters. It makes a great and interesting canvas to write songs on.
Adrian: I think Greek mythology and philosophy and many aspects of antique, Hellenic culture build a basis in many ways for Europe and the world. And so it's really exciting to engage with their mythology, because that reflects how people though, felt and struggled. And it's even more exciting to see analogies in today’s life. But as you mentioned in the question, the mythological topic is just one of many topics we deal with in our songs.


5.Originally the band was known as 'Hatred Within', what was the cause of the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Asphodelos'?
Stephan: Before we re-named the band to Asphodelos back in 2010, we realized a change in songwriting and lyrics. They’ve become deeper and darker. There was a change from almostmetalcore-ish influences to death metal and black metal. Hence, we couldn’t identify us with the name “Hatred Within” anymore.
The name Asphodelos describes a part of the Greek underworld – the Asphodel Meadows. Its grounds are covered with Asphodels – a flower as pale as death – which was often used in Wreaths covering graves. It's where ordinary souls are sent after their death to relive their daily grind for all eternity. We found this to be a monument to make something out of your life and to try as hard as you can to surpass yourself. Otherwise you’re just caught in between all your possibilities.
Adrian: I found the word in an historic novella in 2010. When I read about its meaning and different facets, I recognized that it's a perfect description for something existing between life and death. It's kind of a medium that connects the dead and the living, as in mythology so in real life.

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
 Stephan: I think there’s something about all of them we could mention. But for me there are two I like to remember: The first one was Metal March in 2012. It was a free entry metal concert and we played as the headliner. The crowd was amazing and the sound was great. With roundabout 500 metalheads in front of us it was our first gig that big.
The second one was the recent Zwiebel Assault in Weimar this year where we played with Master. We had a blast with the people in front of us, the resonance from them was really great and the sound was good too.
Performance-wise I think the main theme is just to let loose from everything else and just go with the music.
Adrian: Every gig had its own story. Some more suitable to be remembered, some less. But Zwiebel Assault was really a nice experience to play in front of more than 1000 people, what we usually not do every weekend. I was told for years to be stiff like a tree on stage. But rumors said it changed a little. Of course performance is an aspect that can create a special atmosphere between band and audience but for me it's also very important to play the music on a good level – even drunk and shitfaced, haha.

7. Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
Adrian: We have some shows for 2018 and some more are in the making. We will see what the release of our debut will bring.

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of melodic death and thrash metal?
Stephan: Well “worldwide” would be great wouldn’t it hehe? Let’s just say after every gig we usually stay to drink something and to watch the other bands. And while doing so we come to talk to a few of the guests. And so far the feedback was cool.
Adrian: I have friends all around the globe that like our music but I wouldn't call that „worldwide level“, haha. But as Stephan mentioned the feedback after shows is usually positive. Nevertheless, we appreciate all kinds of feedback.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Stephan: We continue to watch for diversity in our songs – for us and for the listeners. If something you hear keeps on exciting you, it can go on forever.
Adrian: I wrote most of the riffs except the guitar solos. And our music is always a reflection of what I'm listening to. I don't have concrete plans to develop our music in a special direction. The most important thing is that music is authentic and helps us to express ourselves where words fail.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Stephan: Regarding the vocals I have no idea. Writing Lyrics is something that is mostly influenced by books I read. In my youth I read many Books by Scott McGough and something about how he wrote I might have adapted in how I write the songs. The content of the lyrics is produced by current events, everyday life, something that moves you, you know?

Nowadays, as of right now, I mostly listen to Corroded, Diablo, Dissection, Disbelief and from time to time some Frank Sinatra.
Adrian: For me it's not only Metal that influenced or still influences me. Inspiration can be found in so many other kinds of music. It's not about a specific style it's about sharing something, an idea, a feeling, a dream, a fear. But for my personal genesis bands like Dismember, Immortal, Dissection, Grave, Dark Funeral but also Iron Maiden and Metallica inspired me to make music.

11. What are some of your non-musical interests?
Stephan: I like to socialize, more often than not that involves a certain amount of booze haha. I like to hang out with friends and be with my family. But I also cherish solitude. Reading books, writing lyrics, playing some computer games ... I used to do sports but can’t remember when I stopped. Soo…..Pizza?
Adrian: Talking crap, getting wasted sometimes, playing playstation and yeah... just common things, you know?

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Stephan: Hey Mom! I’m in an interview!
Adrian: Support the Underground! Go to local concerts and support the scene! And Hails to all our friends in Rogash and Infest (Serbia)!

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Anarcheon/Stratusfear/2017 EP Review


  Anarcheon  are  a  band  from  Vancouver  B.C,  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  death and  modern  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  ep  "Stratusfear".

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  ep  while  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  along  with  the  riffs  also  bring  in    great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  brief  use  of  wolves  howling  and  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  style  screams.

  A  great  amount  of  modern  thrash  metal  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  while  melodic  guitar  leads  are  also used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  clean  vocals  and  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  they  close  the  ep  with  a  metal  cover  of  "Kiss  A  Girl".

  Anarcheon  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  death  and  modern  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Anarcheon  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  melodic  death and  modern  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Kill  Milk  (Calcium  Stab)"  and  "Etherous  Claw".  8 out  of  10.      

Bloodshot Dawn/Reanimation/Hostile Media/2018 CD Review


  Bloodshot  Dawn  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  technical  and  melodic  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their album  "Reanimation"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Hostile  Media.

  Blast  beats  along  with  some  mellodic  yet  technical  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  follow  the  same  pattern  while  also  taking  it  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  and  some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  more  modern  thrash  style.

  High  pitched  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  synths  along  with  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording and  there  is  also  a  brief  instrumental  track.

  On  this  recording  Bloodshot  Dawn  goes  for  more  of  a  technical  and  modern  style  of  melodic  death  metal, the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  violence,  war,  death,  science  fiction  and  metaphysical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Bloodshot  Dawn  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  technical  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Seared  Earth"  "Upon  The  Throne  Of  Fear"  "The  Omniverse"  and  "Reanimated".  8  out  of  10.  

Friday, November 17, 2017

Atoll Interview


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



We added a 3rd guitarist (Spencer Ferguson) as well as been focused on planning out our march tour and getting our third album ready for the studio



2. You have a new album coming out in November, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?



The new album has a more focused and well-rounded sound that incorporates all of our influences, the new album differs from our previous material in many ways, we've added a new vocalist in Wade Taylor who is an absolute monster behind the microphone, we have fine-tuned the tones of each instrument on the recording. We kept the tracking, edits and mixing all in house. Making it much easier to shape it the way we wanted it.



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



Most of the lyrical content that we have is based on human extinction or crazy sci-fi Concepts that we thought of ourselves as well as a little bit of humor peppered in there.



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



The meaning and inspiration for the name atoll comes from some of the hydrogen bomb testing they did over Bikini Atoll creating mutated monsters and disgusting beasts. We go over a lot of these Concepts in our song Bikini Atoll Fallout Frenzy.



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



The two best shows that we played so far have definitely been Las Vegas deathfest and Los Angeles extermination Fest. Both promoters treated us very professionally and we got to meet a ton of awesome bands. In describing our stage performance, one could possibly use the adjectives chaotic energetic and insanely Savage. We like to put on the best show we can for our fans and for the people who come to see us they deserve the best show possible and we want to deliver that.



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



We're playing December 9th in Long Beach California and January 13th in Albuquerque New Mexico. We are currently planning a West Coast tour in the spring, a one-off show in Las Vegas with some homies and booking a few festivals happening in the summer



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



The response has been amazing we've been getting awesome feedback from everybody they really like the production and the new vocals on this album. Most people have been saying that this album is a step up from the last one which is exactly what we wanted. we've also been getting a lot of great feedback about the artwork.



8. The new album is coming out on 'Gore House Productions', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?



Gore House Productions is an independent label from California they mostly represent brutal death metal and slam bands. We have a great relationship with lots of the other bands on that label and the owner treats every band with the respect and attention that they deserve. We're very happy to be signed with them.



9. What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that the band members are a part of?



Most of our other members have other projects that they are working on. At this time our vocalist wade and guitarist Spencer have a band called avarice that was just signed to transcending records They are going to be releasing their EP sometimes in the winter of 2018. Our drummer Andy and bass player cam also are in another band called Aiwass. they play mostly Punk and alternative crazy sounding music they will be releasing their full-length album on within the Mind records we're not exactly sure when, but it should be sometime in 2018.



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



We want to take this band as far as we can go we're definitely going to explore our influences in these next coming albums we have a few awesome Concepts and original ideas that we think will Peak most brutal death metal fans interest. You're going to have to keep us on your radar if you want to find out what's going to happen next.





11. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?



We get a lot of our influence from classic death metal bands like Suffocation and internal bleeding, but some of the newer bands we draw influence from are abominable putridity pathology maggot colony cerebral incubation party Cannon methwitch stages of decomposition and acranius



12. What are some of your nonmusical interests?



We all have a lot of interest in sci-fi and horror movies. A couple of us are comic book nerds. A few of us like to play video games and most of us like to dabble in the THC variety of things.



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



Go to gorehouseproductions.com and buy our album or a piece of merch. Even if it's not our album or merch buy something and support all the killer bands on this awesome label. "This is the end of humanity. In a pineapple under the sea"

Internal Chaos Interview


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

Warmest greetings from Tehran. I am Alireza Shafiei, Former & leader of the "Internal Chaos" and I am going to answer your questions on behalf of the band.
I started Recording songs as a one-man band. After 4 years I decided to release two of the songs I’ve recorded before. Then, I realized that I had to put up a little speed and find some talented individuals to form Internal Chaos as an actual band. We are Symphonic Fusion Metal Band from Iran.

2.How would you describe your musical sound?
We combine the modern musical elements with the traditional oriental elements that represent somehow the culture. I prefer not to describe our music from my own subjective point of view, instead to know the opinion of others.

3.The band has been around since 2011 but waited until 2017 to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the first 6 years?
Internal Chaos was established in 2012, by me as a one-man band, until 2016 I recorded and released three single tracks with the help of guest artists/musicians. Later in 2016, we shaped the band together with the current members and we managed to release our EP shortly after. Unfortunately, there are some restrictions and limitation for artists who work in the so-called Western genres, that affect the flow of our work directly, but the good news is that these limitations are decreased since 2016 and that’s the reason we can put up the pace. Now we are working on our full-length album.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Human deed, morality, society.
We try to bring up social issues and limitations into attention and we find it easier to talk about them in form of lyrics.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Internal Chaos'?
All of the songs I have written are inspired by my own Internal emotional instabilities that are caused somehow by our society. That’s why I named the band after the constant Chaos that I have inside.

6.Has the band been able to do any live shows yet?
We have performed 12 songs in a gig 4 months after we formed the band (2016). We also had a concert to introduce our band to Iranian metalheads and we performed full power so to say.


7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Sure we are looking for a record label and we received some offers…but we are pretty sure we’re going to receive a deserving offer soon.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of symphonic and melodic death metal?
Actually most of the feedbacks were from Iranian metalheads, so many compliments and encouraging words. But we are not yet satisfied by the feedbacks we've received, since we have just recently introduced our music to the international Metal communities and music platforms, we are hoping to receive more and more feedbacks.

9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
There are limited number of professional players in Iran, and a lot of new ideas. That’s why an individual may play for and work with various bands. The ones that we work with are also very gifted and have huge potential to introduce themselves to the international audience. It’s good to note that we spend our time on other projects as far as they don’t take much time so that we can focus on our own.

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
I guess the next album is going to be released in the beginning of 2018

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
I am inspired by Slipknot, Symphony X, Nightwish, Infected mushroom, Beethoven, Mozart, Michael McCann, Hans Zimmer. But these days I don’t listen to any songs because I don’t want them to interfere my musical ideas. I just listen to modern songs to know about new styles of mix & mastering, sound design.


12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Learning second & third language, Gym, Sound Design.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Most important of all, I intend to create a brand new musical genre, hopefully creating my own style/genre. I have been working on it for a long time. We are looking forward to perform many more concert in the next couple of months and also we wish to reach our goals in the context of music making soon. Great news coming soon!
Last but not least, I thank you deeply for this opportunity and for the review on us. 

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Asphodelos/The Five Rivers Of Erebos/Black Sunset/MDD Records/2017 CD Review


  Asphodelos  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  an  old  school  and  melodic  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "The  Five  Rivers  Of  Erebos"  which  will  be  released  on  November  24th  as  a  joint  effort  between  Black  Sunset  and  MDD  Records.

  Ocean  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  a  few  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  some  elements  of  thrash  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  riffing  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Asphodelos  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  melodic  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  some  elements  of  thrash  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  everyday  problems  Greek  Mythology  themes.

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

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Mask Of Satan Interview


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

We are a trio emerging from Finland. Our musical style is somewhat described as Horror-Death metal. We move around the genre of H. P. Lovecraft though our name is from Italian old-school movie "Mask of Satan" (translated to english). We salute such bands as Six Feet Under and Necrophagia in our musical efforts. Our journey as trio began few years back as we all played in the same band during that time and we decided to summon up this act of Death.

2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings that you have released so far?
Old-school and very natural sounding madness and despair that lurks in the event horizon of deep space. Even brutal at some points. We definitely are evolving as we speak


3.A lot of the lyrics on the new album are based upon the writings of H.P Lovecraft, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this authors and also are there any other writers the band members have an interest in?
Lovecraft is a great influence to us and we also like old horror movies and stories. Vincent Price is also a huge influence when it comes to horror theme. Lovecraft theme came naturally and perhaps we continue with that genre into our future.

4.I know that the band name came from a 60's horror movie, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in horror films?
Fucking love'em. Night of the creeps, Lucio Fulci etc. all great stuff and I must say that the 80's was a truly golden era of horror.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We did a good horror ritual with Arch Goat. We use cloaks while playing and in live we are more of a foreign entity than a Death metal act. We tend to play at least one Necrophagia cover song per gig. I't truly is awesome band.


6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
We do few German gigs in spring 2018. You can find info at our website that lies within facebook.

7.The album was released on 'Star Spawn Society', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
They contacted us after a promo and seemed to have a good connection and similar thoughts about music. Small label suited for us at this point perfectly.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death metal?
Many comment say that they like it. Specially the atmosphere on this record gets gratitude. Not for everyone though.

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

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Like said before. Necrophagia and old Six Feet Under are our main influences but bands like the Grotesquery are great too and definitely helped us develop our own style. Nowadays I tend to listen old death metal acts instead of new material. Bolt Thrower, SFU, Deicide, Cruciamentum etc.

11.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for the interview.
Keep supporting Death!
-M/MoS-

Friday, November 10, 2017

Mask Of Satan/Silent Servants - Chants Of Lovecraftian Horror/Star Spawn Society/2017 CD Review


  Mask  Of  Satan  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays a  horror  themed orientated  form  of  death  metal  with  a  slight  black  metal  touch  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Silent  Servants  -  Chants  of  Lovecraftain  Horror"  which  was  released  by  Star  Spawn  Society.

  A  classic  horror  movie  style  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  keyboards  and  spoken  word  parts  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  that  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  and  when  screams  are  utilized  they  add  in  touches  of  black  metal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  spoken  word  parts  when  they  are  utilized give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  along  with  both  the  riffs  and  guitar  leads  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  as  the  album  progresses  another  horror  interlude  can  also  be  heard before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Mask  Of  Satan  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  mostly  mid  tempo  and  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  while  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  black  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  movies  and  the  writings  of  H.P Lovecraft.

  In  my  opinion  Mask  Of  Satan  are  a  very  great  sounding  horror  themes  death  metal  band  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dreadspell  Ov  Azathoth"  "Death  Lives  In  The  Cellar  Of  Mr.  West"  and  "Silent  Servants".  8  out  of  10.

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

SphereDemonis Interview

SPHEREDEMONIS
Interview with Vadim Morwran

For those who never heard of you, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Hello world! SPHEREDEMONIS is a Moscow based band formed in 2013 by members of NORTH DIAMOND, DOMINIONS and NECROPOLIS PARK. Today our band has played a lot of shows in the cities of Russia, released a full length album, made some concert videos and singles. Our music combines such styles as death metal, deathcore, symphonic metal and technical death metal.

How would you describe your musical sound?
Our music will appeal to those bored with Death Metal and Deathcore standards. We experiment with fast guitar riffs and odd timing, extensively use groovy breakdowns, low male growling and clean vocals. Some of our tracks also have symphonic inserts.

The band has been around since 2013 but waited until 2017 to release their first full length. Can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years?
Until 2013 each member of our band already had extensive experience in other musical projects. We have known each other for a long time, because we crossed paths in other projects. By 2013, Vadim Morwran accumulated a lot of new music that did not fit stylistically into his current projects. Therefore he decided to create SphereDemonis. The same year the band recorded their first single “The Priest”. The single received many positive reviews and we ventured upon a bold and ambitious step – the recording of a full-length album. In the beginning of 2014 we presented another welcomed song “I Choose You” which was supported by studio footage. During the recording process Evgeniy Gortsovskiy (vocals) quit SPHEREDEMONIS due to him relocating. After a while a talented musician and poet, Nephilim (the front-man of SACRUM FRAUS) joined the band. He wrote the lyrics for the remaining songs and recorded vocals. In the middle of 2015 the album was recorded and Nephilim quit the band to focus on his main project SACRUM FRAUS. In 2016 thanks to the masterful work of Georgiy Shchelbanin (DEVIANT NATION STUDIO) the album was finally mixed and mastered. That year a new vocalist Alexander Spartanskiy joined the band. We recorded another song with his vocals, commenced concert activity and started looking for a label. In April 2017 the debut album “The Revelation Of The Pyramids” was released by More Hate Productions.

Your lyrics cover 'Sumerian and Akkadian Mythology', can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
The history of ancient civilizations and their mythology always seemed an interesting topic. Sumerian civilization is one of the first developed civilizations on Earth, which mysteriously appeared and mysteriously disappeared. Their ancient texts describe amazing things about the creation of the world and man. All this seems interesting and gives us many opportunities to write lyrics.

What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name SphereDemonis?
SphereDemonis consists of two words in two languages and means the sphere of demons. The sphere of demons is the area around us where the dark forces are concentrated. Actually, it's just a word that does not mean anything.

What are some of the best shows you have played so far, and how would you describe your performances?
This summer we had a tour of the Crimea. In every city of the tour we tried to make a grand show. In general, we spend a lot of time on staging movements. Therefore, each show is very important for us. Even in the smallest club with a minimum number of people on the dance floor, we make a great show and lay ourselves out 100%.

Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
We plan a winter tour of Russia. We hope this year and next year we will have many great shows.

On a worldwide level, how has feedback for your music been from deathcore, symphonic metal and death metal fans?
Our release received many positive reviews in various zines and social networks. Based on statistics from YouTube, social networks and Bandcamp, our release received a lot of comments, likes and replays. And I think this is a very good result for a debut release.

What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects that some of the band members are a part of?
They are trying to develop their musical projects. But everyone has to spend most of their time on SphereDemonis.

Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We hope in the future we will have more than one release, have more great shows, tours, and fans in different parts of the world. We have already started writing new material for the next album. I don’t know how long it will take to create it, but we will try to record it as soon as possible. For the new release we are focusing more on technicality but there is also a melodic component. The sound will be more aggressive and there will be less symphonic inserts. So, there will be a lot of interesting things!

What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
We all have diverse musical tastes. We can’t say these bands influenced our music, but we would like to specify the following bands whose music is close to us: Behemoth, Kataklysm, Abiotic, Rose Funeral, Meshuggah, The Black Dahlia Murder, Septicflesh, Betraying The Martyrs, Vesania, and many others.

What are some of your non musical interests?
Sports, traveling and partying with friends.

Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
First of all, thank you for the interview! We invoke everyone to listen to more metal, watch musical videos and support your favorite bands. A lot of your favorite bands exist only thanks to the activity of fans. Many thanks to all! Stay strong, stay true, stay metal.

https://vk.com/spheredemonis
https://www.facebook.com/SphereDemonis/
https://spheredemonis.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/Morwran666

-Loki Astaroth

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Retrace My Fragments Interview


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

After we the relase show of Tidal Lock, we went straight back to our practice room to start writing on more new stuff. We won’t be touring the EP or play many shows during the next months, but we progress extremely quick with new stuff, so we will be able to release a new Retrace My Fragments LP in the near future. We also spend some evenings with Marti, our former singer, in order to celebrate his 11 years with Retrace My Fragments. Our release show was also his farewell show.

2.Recently you have released a new ep. how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

I think we would call it Progressive Metal. We will not try to find some niche description, because Prog Metal is what it is. Most of the Death Metal elements are gone, because there are no more vocals. Obviously you can imagine vocals on the record, so you can transform it into a Death Metal, Metalcore or Thrash Metal album with your fantasy. The music is dominated by heavy riffs paired with melodic guitars,and a tricky, yet groovy drum and bass section.

3.All  of the music on the new recording is instrumental, what was the decision behind going into this direction and also will vocals make a return on future releases?

When our singer Marti told us that he would leave the band to pursue his personal dreams and adventures (in which he greatly succeeded 😊), we tried out several new singers. But in the end, it never worked out. We grew tired of this and decided that the best replacement for Marti, was no replacement at all. The songs work well instrumentally and so does the new stuff. Concerning vocals on future releases, I’ll keep it vague and just say: never say never, haha.

4.When you still had vocals what where some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explored with the music?

The last album was a sci-fi concept story, so science fiction was our main inspiration. Our singer Marti had even started to write a whole sci-fi novella, unfortunately he did not manage to finish it (maybe he’ll find some time now). The vocals on Ethereal Flux make little sense if you don’t know the background story, as they are merely excerpts from Marti’s sci-fi novella. So our lyrics were our own sci-fi story.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Retrace my Fragments’?

I wish that I could tell you a great story now about the name, but the fact is that we just thought that it sounded very cool, when we came up with it. That’s it, haha.

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

The best shows were the Ethereal Flux release, the Tidal Lock release, the opening slot at Metal Days on the main stage and to be the first band to have played the Luxembourgish Philharmonic Concert Hall. We try to deliver an energetic stage performance, which was largely due to Marti’s presence on stage: he’d climb stuff, throw stuff around, act like crazy. Obviously, we’re in a different situation now and we still have to figure out a way to become entertaining as an instrumental 4-piece now.

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

No, our main objective now is to finish the next album and start recording it. We are obviously always interested in playing shows, especially abroad, but right now our priority is songwriting.

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

We are not actively looking for one as we can record ourselves with a very low budget, we work with a good PR campaign and can manage social media and internet presence ourselves. But if any booker is reading this and wants to work with us for serious touring, feel free to contact us.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of progressive and extreme metal?

We get good feedback in general, although it is not that much because we lack exposure. Hopefully this will change soon. Our music can be hard to digest so the reactions are mixed: Prog Metal is not everyone’s cup of tea. But we always receive very good feedback from people who are into all kinds of Prog Metal, from Rush,Opeth, Between The Buried and Me or The Facless.

10.What is going on with 'Abstract Rupture' these days, a band that shares a couple of the same members?

As far as I know, they are also writing on new stuff and have been to the studio to record some new songs. They also play shows regularly. Both bands coexist very well, although we share the bassist and one guitarist. We also practice in the same place.

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

When is hard to tell, but maybe in a year or two. Right now, I’d say that the new stuff sounds more tricky and groovy than Ethereal Flux. Laserbrain from Tidal Lock is a good example of how new RMF music will sound like. But we are very openminded when it comes to songwriting and incorporating maybe some odd sounding parts to our songs, so there is never a masterplan we follow. But we stay heavy and proggy!

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Major influences are Between The Buried And Me, Obscura, Nile, The Red Chord, Cephalic Carnage, Opeth, The Dillinger Escape Plan, but also a lot of 80s and 90s stuff, what you could call the classics. Bands we all listen to these days are Leprous, Agent Fresco, Cannibal Corpse, Animals As Leaders, Cult of Luna; that’s bands we all dig. Individually, everyone has loads of stuff he listens to. The musical panoply is huge in Retrace My Fragments.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

We all have different hobbies. Marc likes bicycling and is a big sci fi geek. Maks does several sports and is also very much into arts and travelling. Alex is into old US cars which he is restoring and is also co-organising Luxembourg’s biggest oldtimer festival. Claude is into video games and weightlifting and is also a history student, so he’s quite a geek about history and languages. And we’re all big foodies, so we regularly meet for band dinners in our favourite restaurants.

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

Not really, we just wanted to thank you for your interest and the interview. And for those who haven’t heard Tidal Lock yet, go download it for free on bandcamp. See you out there!

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Retrace My Fragments/Tidal Lock/2017 EP Review


  Retrace  My  Fragments  are  a  band  from  Luxembourg  that  plays  a  very  progressive,  experimental  and  instrumental mixture  of  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  ep  "Tidal  Lock".

  Electronic  music  elements  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  first  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  technical  fashion  while  all  of  the  songs  are  instrumental  along  with  clean  guitars  also  being  used  briefly  and  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  as  well  as  bringing  in  the  heaviness  of  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  influences  of  thrash  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  spoken  word  parts  and  blast  beats  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Retrace  Fragments  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  progressive  and  experimental  while  also  mixing  in  elements  of  death  metal,  thrash  and  deathcore  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Retrace  my  Fragments  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental,  experimental  and  progressive  mixture  of  death  metal,  thrash  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Laserbrain".  8  out  of  10.