Callidice Interview

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

Hello! We are Callidice, melodic death metal band from Central-Finland. We have played together for 4 years, as we started in the end of 2014. During that time, we have released one demo, one EP and this year our first full length album. Our group is a combination of friends, brothers, assholes and bastards. 

2.In May you had released your first full length, what are some of the things you felt you have done different musically with this recording that you where not able to do with your 2 previous ep's/

On this latest album we took a step towards more professional direction, whereas the two EPs were totally self-produced and released. This time the production was done with professionals in a proper studio. As for the composition process, we were more patient and we tried to make the album more solid package. 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

Usually the lyrics come from real life and then they are transformed into story-like shape. The new album is actually a concept album and every song is a part of the same storyline. 

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

When we were thinking about a name for our band, we thought if there would be some interesting options in mythologies and we found Callidice from Greek mythology where she is a character. Our logo comes also from the name, since Callidice is also Latin name of certain butterfly species. 

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?

The artwork was painted by our singer Jarkko and each painting represent a song on the album. Thus they also make a visual aspect for each song. 

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

We did a short European tour last November and there was many goods shows, one in particular in Prague. In Finland some of the best shows have been for example in one small metal club in Seinäjoki and also our debut album release party in our home town Jyväskylä. Our stage performances are quite energetic and we attempt to interact with the audience as much as we can. 

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

At the moment we are searching for slots to various festivals and we have also been planning for our next tour abroad. 

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of industrial and melodic death metal?

Our new album has received really great reviews overall, as most of them have scored the album around 8/10. This has been very rewarding for us. Of course we are hoping for more visibility on worldwide scale, since at the moment we are mostly known in Finland. 

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?

At the moment three of us are involved in other bands too. Jarkko is also singer for a black metal band Mimorium. Tero plays keyboards in a cover band Remastered. Ville joined recently a hardcore/punk band called The Hayleys. 

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

No one knows about the future yet, as we are still enjoying Anthem for Resistance. We feel like we are still searching for more unique style. Even though AFR was a great album, next time we will do everything even better than on this album.

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?

One of the biggest influences is in Swedish “Gothenburg sound”, which includes the likes of Dark Tranquillity and In Flames. Additionally, we have taken influence from black metal, industrial metal and even pop music. Basically, what we listen always has an influence on our music and we listen music from very wide scale so it’s difficult to specify.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Movies, video games, BEER, food, tattoos, painted art, porn... sports among other things. 

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

Thank you for this interview! Come to our gigs and listen to our music. We hope to see you on the road. Stay pop.

Prophetic Scourge/Calvary/Klonosphere Records/Season Of Mist/2018 CD Review

  Prophetic  Scourge  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays a   very  progressive  and  brutal  form  of  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Calvary"  which  will  be  released  on  September  28th  as  a  joint  effort  between  Klonosphere  Records  and  Season  of  Mist.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  ritualistic  sounding  whispers  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  utilizing  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  growls and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  technical  style  along  with  the  songs  also bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  mixing  in  thrash  elements  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  starts  getting  more  progressive.

  Prophetic  Scourge  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  brutal,  progressive  and  technical  sounding  while  the  black  and  thrash  metal  elements  makes  the  music  stand  out  a  lot  more,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  phantasmagorical,  occult  and  ancestral  themes  along  with  some  inspiration  from  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft,  Frank  Herbert  and  Steven  Erikson. 

  In  my  opinion  Prophetic  Scourge  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  and  brutal  death  metal  group  with  some  elements  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Th Witchfinder-  Until  Your  Flesh  Departs"  "The  Medium  -  A  Spider  Goddess  Is  Revealed"  and  "The  Cultist  -  The  Rise  Of  The  Great  Lord  Cthulu".  8  out  of  10.

Creatures/II/Old Haunt Records/2018 EP Review

  Creatures  are  a  band  from  Toronto,  Ontario  Canada  that  plays  deathcore  with  some  touches  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  ep  "II"  which  was  released  by  Old  Haunt  Records. 

  Spoken  word  samples  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  while  the  vocals  are mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  elements  of  deathcore  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  technical  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to them,

  Creatures  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  deathcore  while  the  symphonic  and  black  metal  elements  makes  the  music  stand  out  a  lot  more,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent  and  humorous  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Creatures  are  a  very  great  sounding  deathcore  group  with  some  symphonic  and  black  metal  elements  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Old  Style  F.A"  and  "(Safe  Space)  Triggered".  8  out  of  10.    

Aesthetics Of A Loss Interview

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

The thought of it started somewhere about four years ago after a at the time very tragic and unexpected life event. While being in the depths of that event I started to feel that this just had to be put into musical terms. I kept thinking "what would the soundtrack of something like this sound like?". Apparently the sound of such events are melodic death metal I found out.



2.In March you had released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?

If I pick up a guitar and just strum randomly a melancholic melody of some kind always emerges. So I figured since this is my strength why not play on that strength? I've also during the last years worked a lot with my growling vocals - switching from a more high-pitched tone to a lower one and I wanted to get this on tape too. This in conjunction with always have been a fan of death metal lead to the natural conclusion of recording melodic death metal. The aim was to write songs that had lots of ambient parts, melancholic soaring melodies and hopefully well made compositions. Songs I personally liked - so if no one else found them interesting at least one individual enjoyed them.


3.I have also read that you worked on this ep for 3 years, can you tell us a little bit more about it?

This stems from a mix of an otherwise hectic life and perfectionism. It was written and recorded in bursts. I early settled on not putting out anything I did not like or thought was mediocre. Better to let things take time than to compromise. At first I wrote 5 songs which took about a year (with a huge number of outtakes or dead-ends). Then I had to research and get good at recording myself which took another year. Then realizing that 3 out of the 5 songs were sub-par and had to be completly redone which took about another year. Recording all instruments and everything that goes into it is in itself a very time-consuming process.



4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?

They are all connected to the feeling of loss that started this project in the first place. I didn't realize it at the time but I guess it's kind of a concept EP since things revolve around the same event and topic.


5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Aesthetics  of  A  Loss'?

The inspiration is partly me liking the word loss and the letter Æ which is so visually pleasing. The name also had to carry some meaning as to why I write music in the first place - it's largely driven by the feeling of loss and sorrow. So the songs are the literal æsthetic output or representation of a loss - hence the fitting name.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover/

It ties in with the lyrical theme and origins of the project.


7.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with a full band or do you prefer to remain solo?

I've been in several bands before and have written most of the music in those bands so this was actually a change to go solo. I like playing with others but for this project it probably wouldn't be possible or have come out the same way if it was done with others. The possibility to tinker, re-arrange and re-record when something didn't feel right would probably have driven others insane and the output would have to be more of a compromise. It's the quantity vs quality thing. Being all solo means things can take as long time as they have. So you trade some of the raw energy and creative input from playing with others for the possibility to wait until things come out right. I prefer to remain solo on this project but am open to doing other projects with others. It depends on the focus of the project at hand.


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

Not received any interest and haven't been on a label so far so I don't know what it means to be. A goal has been to make the music accessible to many - which labels can help, but also to make it as free (or cheap) as possible. I'm not doing this for any kind of money so I don't know what a label would think of that. If there's enough interest a kickstarter campaign of some kind would be an option.


9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of melodic death metal?

Tiny but mostly positive. My mom said she liked it.


10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

Well, good news is that the melodies keep pounding away in my thick skull so there's more material to write. The bad news is I tend to keep myself busy enough to find it hard to get time to record stuff (the same bursts that made it take 3 years to get the EP done). But I dunno, if there's enough interest it might be bumped higher on the prio-list.

As a musician I love to throw wrenches in the gears to mix songs up. Clean vocals were added to the last two songs two keep the writing interesting and not get into a rut. I recon this trend will continue with more experimental parts will be mixed in with the backdrop of the melancholic melodic death metal. Rest assured however that it will probably never be so experimental that saxophones will be added.


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 borrow ideas a lot from others and you can probably trace some influences on whatever I was listening to at the time when writing that particular song. I borrow a lot from Daylight Dies. I've also borrowed heavily from Rivers of Nihil, Misery Signals and Solace (Canada).

Nowadays I've just got a vinyl player set up at home so I'm rocking early 90-ies death metal on vinyl. On top of that the new Amorphis, Dimmu Borgir and Watain has gotten a lot of airplay.



12.What are some of your non musical interests?

I'm a part-time father of two children. I'm also into programming computers and doing improvisational theater.


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

To this day it still amazes me how genuine and authentic metal heads usually are. There is little to no money to be made and yet metal heads are some of the most loyal and engaged fans there is. This must stem from a pure love for the music and art in itself. It's just a very cool thing to witness and be part of. Makes you feel at home, y'know? So thanks for making this blog and thanks for reading this.

Also: you can find all of the songs on the EP for free at these streaming sites:Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/0xFF3nfOZrpymR0qQOrakm

Bandcamp:
https://aestheticsofaloss.bandcamp.com

Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/aestheticsofaloss/sets/legoisme

You can keep up with any news (at a galcial tempo at this time) or get in contact here:
https://www.facebook.com/aestheticsofaloss/

Hanzel Und Gretyl/Satanik Germanik/Metropolis Records/2018 CD Review

  Hanzel  Und  Gretyl  are  a  band  from  New York  that  plays  industrial  metal  with  some  elements  of  groove,  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Satanik  Germanik"  which  was  released  by  Metropolis  Records.

  Melodic  yet  ritualistic  chanting  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  soundscapes  while  programmed  beats  are  added  into  the  music  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  brings  in  elements  of  industrial  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,

  On  the  second  track  the  music  starts  getting  heavier  while  also  added  in  a  decent  amount  of  melodic  riffing  along  with  the  vocals  being  done  in  an  aggressive  industrial  style  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  utilizing  a  great  amount  of  melody,  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  groove,  black  and  death  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard.

  Hanzel  Und  Gretyl  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  industrial  metal  while  the  groove,  black  and  melodic  death  metal  elements  makes  the  music  stand  out  a  lot  more,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Left  hand  Path  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hanzel  Und  Gretyl  are  a  very  great  sounding  industrial  metal  group  with  elements  of  groove,  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "We  Rise  As  Demons"  "I  Am  Bad  Luck"  "Hellfire  Und  Grimstone"  and  "13  Moons".  8/5  out  of  10.

Callidice/Anthem For Resistence/Inverse Records/2018 CD Review

  Callidice  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  industrial  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Anthem  Foe  Resistance"  which  was  released  by  Inverse  Records.

  Clean  playing  and  atmospheric  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction  along  with  some  symphonic  and  industrial  elements  being  added  in  with  the  heavy  parts  of  the  music  as  well  as  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls  and all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while t he  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  whispers  and  spoken word  parts  as  well  as  some  progressive  elements  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  vocals and  acoustic  guitars  and  the  closing  track  is  very  logn  and  epic  in  length.

  Callidice  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  industrial,  symphonic  and  melodic  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  about  two  brothers,  their  bond,  friendship  and  fear  of  losing  everything  in  the  world.

  In  my  opinion  Callidice  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  industrial  and  melodic  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Colors  of  My  Life"  "Ypung  Blood"  and A"nthem  For  Resistance". 8  out  of  10.

Illusion Of Control Interview

Answers by Csiszár Gellért - guitar, founding member
1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
A: We are a metal band from Cluj (Romania), formed in late 2007. The decision to start a band (during one of our usual drunk weekends) was made by myself, Szabi – guitar and Huni – vocals. After some initial member changes, the band reached it’s current line-up with the arrival of Pista – bass and Csaba – drums . We were most active between 2008-2011, followed by a hiatus that lasted until late 2017. In January 2018 we officially reunited and now we continue from where we left.

2.In March you had released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on this recording?
The ‘Grim New World’ EP is a collection of the songs recorded (but never officially released) in the 2008-2011 period. Came the reunion, we wanted a proper closure for that era, hence the EP. The musical style on these songs contains multiple genres, the biggest influence perhaps being Opeth but the there are also traces of Nevermore, Dream Theater, Death, Evergrey and many other bands from which we knowingly (or unknowingly) drew inspiration from. If we were to define our music, we’d say ‘progressive-death-doom’.

3.The band has been around since 2007 and waited until 2018 to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years?
The band has three distinct periods so far: the early years (2007-2011), the hiatus (2012-2017) and the reunion (2018-). In the beginning we all lived in the same city, we hung out together almost every weekend, regardless if there was band related activity or not. We were more like a group of friends who also made music together. We didn’t have any clear direction or set goals. We didn’t really care if people like our music or not, as long as we were happy with the result. Things were good, even if not great, and we slowly progressed as a band. But various circumstances led to me moving away to another town and the 250km distance proved to be too much to go on and eventually in 2012 we ceased activating as a band. We remained good friends however through the hiatus years and I for one, never really could let go of the band.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores on the recording?
The way we do things is that first we write all the instrumental parts and then our singer Huni writes the lyrics. Sometimes we talk about what we were thinking about when we came up with a riff or a theme and often he’ll base the lyrics on that. The most common topic is misery, suffering, sadness, anger and such. We write about stuff that affect us, so the lyrics too are very personal even if it isn’t too obvious. It is our way of releasing the negativity in our lives.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Illusion Of Control'?
After a few months of rehearsal we eventually came to a point where we needed a name. There were a few ideas kicked around, some better others not so much. While trying to come up with a good name, I went to Wikipedia and started hitting the ‘random page’ button, and the 5th or 6th result was ‘illusion of control’. I liked the sound of it immediately, and it’s meaning too. It is about a certain human trait and how people need to feel in control of things even when they are not. I made a little research and didn’t find any other bands using the name, so I put it up to debate with the others and it went through.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the recording?
Needless to say, we paint a not so bright picture of the future and the artwork bears the same theme: a decaying, grim world, brought on by the greed of those in charge. We know we are not the first, nor the only people with this message, but we feel like this all the same. The picture itself is from around 2011, with a little artistic work by our bassist Pista. I have to admit though that it isn’t a very professional artwork, mainly because we aren’t professional graphic designers. Hopefully our next one will be better.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
One of our best shows was our very first one, perhaps because it was so unexpected for us. After we recorded our first song, we submitted it in a local talent contest hoping to get some fair reviews. To our biggest surprise we ended up on the 4th place from almost 50 bands, which meant a live gig in the semifinals. We didn’t win in the semis but the gig was awesome all the same, the place was packed, the crowd was cheering, it was awesome. There were some objectively better shows after that, but the first one is the one that stands out in my memory. Regarding our stage performance, we don’t really jump around the place, however we do some headbanging when the music calls for it, but all in all our playing style is pretty relaxed. Except for our bassist, he’s a freaking party animal.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
No, we don’t have any touring plans. Due to the distance between us, family obligations, jobs, other activities, we decided to take some time off from live shows. Also as we don’t have a manager, I took it upon myself to organize the past few gigs, but it proved to be a lot of work for very little payoff and it led to some tension between us. We agreed in the beginning that friendship comes first, the band second.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of melodic and progressive death metal?
I don’t think we have much fans worldwide, but the few reviews that we got were mostly good. Maybe because we are such an unknown band, I appreciate every positive feedback immensely. Perhaps we’d got some more reactions if we wouldn’t suck so bad at self-promotion. I personally have a very strong dislike for this new trend of ‘like-begging’ and shameless online advertising. I am aware that this is the new way to go, but I can’t bring myself to do the same.

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We already started writing new songs and now that we don’t have to prepare for live gigs anytime soon, hopefully we’ll be a little more productive than usual. In contrast with the past, now we have a very clear goal and that is to release a new material (EP, or even better an LP) in 2019. I don’t know yet what direction we’ll take musically but I’m pretty sure it will be of the heavy kind. Maybe we’ll shoot a video too, who knows.

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?
Wow, too many to count. There are some bands that we’re all fans of, but some bands are liked only by a few members. The two single biggest influences are: Opeth (the most major influence on our song structures, clean/harsh vocals) and Nevermore (they inspired the seven string Schecter guitars, the half-step downtuning). Beside them we are fans of death metal, power, doom, thrash, progressive, and we also like some stuff beside metal. The thing I like about metal is that there are so many different genres, and what I listen in any given moment depends mostly on my current mood.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Motorcycles, engineering, sci-fi movies. Most of the band members are medium-to-huge nerds, myself included. We can discuss movies for hours, on and on. And we are pretty big philosophers when the circumstances are right.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for the interest in our band and let’s hope you’ll hear from us in the near future.

House Of Atreus/From The Madness Of Ixion/Iron Bonehead Productions/2018 CD Review

  House  Of  Atreus  are  a  band  from  Minnesota  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "From  The  Madness  Of  Ixion"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Iron  Bonehead  Productions.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  screams  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  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  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  utilizing  a  lot  of  melody,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  fast  riffing  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  they  also  bring  in an  instrumental.

  House  Of  Atreus  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  melodic  death  metal  style  that  was  established  on  their  previous  album,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Greek  Tragedy,  War  and  Shakespeare  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  House  Of  Atreus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  death  metal,  you  should  check  out t his  album.  RECOMMENDED TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Zealous  Inequity"  "Call  To Thee,  Concubines"  and  "Bonded  beyond  Supremacy".  8  out  of  10.  

Aesthetics Of A Loss/I' Egoisme/2018 EP Review

  Aesthetics  Of  A  Loss  is  a  solo project  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  death metal  with  some  experimental  and  ambient  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2018  ep  "I' Egoisme".

  Heavy  yet  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  ep  while  clean  playing  is  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  using  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls  and  screams  and  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  when  the  music  speeds  up.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  experimental  and  ambient  elements  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  Swedish  tradition  of  the  genre  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Aesthetics  Of  Loss  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  melodic  while  the  experimental  and  ambient  elements  gives  the  music  more  originality,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aesthetics  Of  Loss  is  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  death  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Heritage  in  Ruins"  and  "An  Eulogy  For  Hope'.  8  out  of  10.      

Ominous Eclipse/Sinister/2018 Full Length Review

  Ominous  Eclipse  are  a  band  from  Ottawa,  Canada  that has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  with  some  elements  of  black  and  groove  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  album  "Sinister"  which  will  be  released  on  September  14th.

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off t he  album  before  going  into a   heavier  direction  while  the  screams  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  while  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  technical  style.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  elements  of  thrash  and  groove  metal  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Ominous  Eclipse  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  melodic  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  from  their  previous  release  while  still  having  influences  of  black  and  groove  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  war,  death  and  Armageddon  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ominous  Eclipse  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Death  By  Dissection"  "No  Redemption  FOr  The  Damned"  and "Eye  Of  The  Raven".  8  out  of  10.    

The Odious Construct Interview

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


A: We were formed back in early 2015.  Wes and I (KC) had departed from a thrash metal project that kinda just lost its spark overall.  Took some they had floating around and wrote Flatline, (last song of our self titled EP) and asphyxiation, which has currently been unreleased.  Shortly after writing a few tunes we got ahold of our buddy Ben, who actually played drums for a band called Legions Requiem, and was also someone that Wes and I grew up in the sacramento metal scene with for quite a number of years.  Having dabbled in guitar just a little, Ben picked up everything super fast, and quickly became proficient enough to help write.  You’ll hear a lot of his stuff on Shrine of the Obscene.  Sam and Casey were a bit tough to find, scouring craigslist and social media, we all got in contact with each other and it just worked perfectly.  We have great chemistry and I couldn’t imagine having other band mates honestly.  We’re all musically on the same page for the most part, so it’s nice to be able to work with like minded people. -KC 


2.You have an ep coming out in October, what are some of the things you have done different musically with this recording that you where not able to do on your previous ep and demos?


A:Our upcoming EP has more experimentation with different orchestra instruments. We used the harp alot for our last EP, but we expanded on that and used a koto, viola, choirs, and of course more harp to keep the songs more interesting and dynamic. Our next EP also has a lot more character to it since everyone had more input and was more involved in the song writing process. The last EP was mostly just me and KC since it was older songs we had written before we found the right band members. Our single, Shrine of the Obscene is a pretty good representation of everyone’s hand in the songwriting process, and musically it creates something more interesting. - Wes


3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?


A: The lyrical content on our upcoming EP addresses a range of issues concerning darker aspects of human suffering. More specifically the effect of what this suffering has on the individual or society experiencing it. Most of the songs, besides the title track, are from the first person perspective of someone who experiences a traumatic or damage inducing situation; mental illness, addiction, etc. The title track is more of an overall portrayal of how we as a modern society tend to relish in the pain of others, as a form of escape from our own suffering. The “shrine of the obscene” is a physical representation of this worshipping of others suffering. Our older lyrical material was also expressed from first person perspectives, just of various different topics concerning similar types of pain people experience. -Casey


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'The Odious Construct'?


A: Ben had originally came up with the name.  We were just shooting ideas back and forth and its actually super difficult nowadays to come up with something remotely creative.  But it actually works with the lyrical content Casey puts out.  Just kinda a general representation of humanity, and how shitty people can be.  -KC


5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?


A: The EP title, Shrine of the Obscene was a name that we had already come up with before finding the art. The song, Shrine of the Obscene, was originally titled Desolate Shrine as a working project title.  When Casey presented the lyrics, the song name had change to what it is now.  We actually just randomly stumbled across the art, and it happened to fit perfectly lyrically with the track. -KC


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


A:We’ve played quite a number of shows so far, some super good, some unfortunately not so good.  We’ve played with some pretty cool bands too.  Unearth, Lord of War, Decrepit Birth, Cattle Decapitation, Intronaut and Entheos.  Played to lots of people, and then maybe like 10 haha.  But it happens right?  Our stage presence is getting there.  Especially with these new songs, they require a lot more concentration and focus.  We currently in the process of setting up a light show though, which we think will be pretty cool. -KC


7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new ep is released?


A: We have our CD release show set up with Decrepit Birth right now, a good friend of ours, Gabe Seeber (The Kennedy Veil) is dragging them out to Sac to headline the show, so were pretty grateful about that.  As far as touring, nothing yet set in stone.  We’ve talked with some label mates and might set up a smaller west coast run next year, but yea, nothing for sure yet. -KC


8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of progressive, technical and melodic death metal?


A:The reaction to our music has been surprisingly well received from around the world. We had a guy from Norway buy our last EP and i think another one from Mexico, and several places outside of California. I really didn't think our music would reach outside northern california. I also saw some of our music posted on some weird russian website, so its getting out there. - Wes


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


A:  Absolutely!  We’ve already started writing for the full length.  We’ve learned a lot from the latest EP, and were all pretty excited to continue writing and see what comes out.  As far as i know we just want to keep writing and evolving our sound.  I think everyone is pretty happy with whats going on now, so hopefully its only up from here!  -KC


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?


A: We all have a pretty diverse range of metal music we personally listen to, ranging anywhere from numetal to prog to brutal death metal to synthwave! -Casey


A: I think originally black dahlia was a big musical influence on how we wrote.  But nowadays i dont think any of us really listen to stuff that has any influence on the way we write our music.  Maybe we might reference some stuff from other bands if were looking for ideas on how to structure, but from actual like, progressions and stuff like that, at least to my knowledge i dont think there is really any modern acts that help us with that stuff. 



11.What are some of your non musical interests?



A: Im obsessed with yoyo’s . Im always yoyoing at practice during setup or breaks in between songs. -Casey



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


A: Not really man, we just hope this EP does well and people give it a chance!  Everyone put in a pretty big effort to get this where its at right now, and were pretty proud of it!  And thanks for having us!  -KC

Sad Theory/Entropia Humana Final/Mindscrape Music/2017 CD Review

  Sad  Theory  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  melodic  and  progressive  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Entropia  Humana  Final"  which  was  released  by  Mindscrape  Music.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  screams.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  melodic  vocals  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  well  as  the  clean  playing  and  keyboards  also  giving  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  when  they  are  used,  one  track  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  blast  beats  are  added  in  some  parts  of  the  music  and  they  close  the  album  with  an  instrumental.

  On  this  recording  Sad  Theory  remains  true  to the  progressive,  technical  and  melodic  style  of  death  metal  from  their  previous  release,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Portuguese  and  cover  poetry,  madness,  disease,  war,  genocide,  introspection  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sad  Theory  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic,  technical  and  progressive  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Willard  Suitcases"  "Inanicao"  "Occipicio"  and  "Before  My  Turn,  Agonizing".  8  out  of  10.    

Foredoomed Interview

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

Most people would categorize us as Melodic Death Metal band. We also have Progressive influences in our music which can be seen in longer and more intricate song structures, for example.

2.A year ago, you had released your first full length, what are some of the things you have done differently musically on this recording that you were not able to do on your previous demos?

Similarly to our previous work, I’ve wrote most of the material but this time we also used a producer. We tried go as far as we could with the album during the pre-production phase.


This time the album had massive amount of small things to take care of, so the recording process had to be more systematic. Because we have no keyboard player this time, I feel it was liberating to work on the keyboards more from a “sound atmosphere” perspective.

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

I usually write lyrics about my life events. I don’t really describe in depth what happened, instead I tend to write about how it felt during the time. I like to use a lot of symbolism too.

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

I came up with the name when we started the band. I think I chose it because I like its mysteriousness.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?

I did the first photoshop draft of the cover in summer 2016 I think. We chose it because we thought it had a similar feel to the album’s theme and the soundscape.

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?

I think we’ve steadily improved our live performance after each gig we’ve played, so I really liked our latest show in Marks Rock Club. We tend to have a pretty energetic live show, we move around a lot. We have invested a great deal of effort in keeping our live shows energetic.

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

We’ve had many shows after Ordeal’s release. All of them in Finland; Turku, Helsinki, Joensuu… The next show we play is in Kerubi, Joensuu. It's our second time there, first time being with Ensiferum in late 2017.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of melodic and progressive death metal?

Actually the positive reaction took me by surprise! When we started working on the album, I never would’ve dreamed about the amount of fans we got. We have fans all over the world. On top of that, a lot of people have ordered our CDs and came to our shows!

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

We’ve had some talk with labels. Inverse Records published our music video ‘Dualism’, but we have no future plans set in stone at the moment.

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

We are currently in the songwriting phase of our next album. It’s still in super early stage so I can’t say a lot for certain. I’d say the recipe is fairly similar to the first album, but I think we’re going to push our most distinct musical elements even further.

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?

From metal bands I think my top 5 influences are (in no particular order) Opeth, Wintersun, Children of Bodom, Symphony X, and Edge of Sanity.


I tend to listen to different types of music. From Igorrr to The Prodigy to Aphex Twin to Bruno Mars to Hannah Diamond just to name a few. Sometimes I think it would be fun to create a public Spotify playlist of all the weird shit I like to listen to.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

I like all kinds of fantasy stories and video games. And I think some of those influences can be heard in some songs, for example, in lyrics and orchestral parts.

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

Keep listening metal! If you’re interested, give our debut album ‘Ordeal’ a listen. We are currently working on our second full length album so find us on our social media sites to keep up with the latest news.



-Atte / Foredoomed

The Odious Construct/Shrine Of The Obscene/The Artisan Era/2018 EP Review

  The  Odious  Construct  are  a  band  from  Sacramento,  California  that  plays  a  very  melodic,  technical  and  progressive  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  ep  "Shrine  Of  The  Obscene"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  The  Artisan  Era.

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  ep and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  some  melodic  and  technical  guitar  solos  and  leads  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  as w ell a s  the  vocals  being  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  screams.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,, mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  being  very  technical  at  the  same  time  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  at  times  the music  also  gets  very  progressive.

  The  Odious  Construct  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is very  melodic,  progressive  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  hallucinations, darkness  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Odious  Construct  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic,  progressive  and  technical  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vortex  of  Self"  and  S"hrine  Of  The  Obscene".  8  out  of  10.       

Chabtan Interview

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

Hey there ! First, we have had some nice reviews of our new album “Nine Levels” and a lot of support messages which means a lot for us. We also had the pleasure to play on stage for the first time some new songs. It was sick!


2.In April you had released a new album, what are some of the things the band did differently on this recording that you where not able to do with your previous releases?

The writing process of this album was actually close to what we did for the previous one. We always work the same way : Jean-Philippe and Dimitri (the guitar players) write the basis of the songs (the melodies and the guitar parts) then we do some musical arrangement during rehearsals. The only difference is that we have a new drummer (Charles Philly) who is a professional musician. He is very good in programming samples and creating atmospheres, so we took time to create music with a lot of samples. This guy wrote the music for the video game “Onirism” : it’s a crazy work.


3. Both the band name and lyrics are based upon Aztec, Mayan and Olmec Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about how you got interested in this topic and also do you have any interest in the mythologies of other culture?

Basically this topic was an idea of our former guitar player Jean-Phillipe. To be honest I didn’t know anything about these civilizations when I was recruited in the band. Today I’m reading some books or articles about Aztecs, Mayan and Olmec. I’m currently reading a book of Bartolomé de las Casas. He was one of the first Christian to strongly condemn the colonizers behavior.


4. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?

It’s a cover realized by Colin Marks. We are big fans of his job. On this album you can see the God of violent death Ah Puch. I like the way Colin designed him. He really reminds me the “Scarecrow” in Batman. It’s kind of a modern and dark interpretation.


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

To me our best show was the show we did in Barcelona in 2015. There was a lot of crazy people and the sound was huge. Now we are preparing a new show. We wear some special clothes, put some make-up. We are trying to create an atmosphere which is both very dark and still hardcore rooted.


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

Touring is too expensive for us. So we are planning some shows but we cannot do a real tour for now. Maybe in the future. We are open to all proposals !


7. The new album was released on 'DarkTunes Music Group', can you tell us a little bit more about how you get in contact with this label?

They gave us an interesting response. They are really behind us and push us to develop our aesthetic more and more. They have also allowed us to develop some new shirts and realized our lyrics videos for free. That’s really cool. Many labels ask you money to do things and Dark Tunes are not like this, we appreciate it.


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

Well. I  really don't know. Many reviews say that our music is cool so I think fans of extreme music like our stuff. We are not a famous band so many fans of extreme music still don’t know us. So spread the word !Everybody must know that a Mayan demonic war is coming to crush our world !


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

Musically we will continue to develop atmospheres and a conceptual approach. I would like to write a record from an historic point of view, about the meeting of Europeans colonizers with the people from what we nowadays call “South America”. We could make a metal album with traditional Mayan and Aztec instruments and instruments from the Europe on XV or XVI’s century.


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

In the band we are all fans of death metal and heavy metal. There are many bands that we like but I don’t know if they really are an audible influence for someone who is listening to our music. Obviously you can feel when you listen to our music that we are fans of In Flames, but I don’t think that you can imagine we are fans of The Faceless, Cryptopsy or Textures.


11. What are some of your non-musical interests?

Philosophy is definitely the thing I enjoy the most in my life. And I think that we will use some references to philosophers in our next album. A lot of them wrote about the meeting of Mayan and Aztec with colonizers. To John Lock they are barbarians without morality; to Montaigne they are no more barbarians than us; to the optimistic philosophy of Leibniz we live in the best of the possible worlds so Mayan and Aztec have an “instinct of morality”. When Europeans met Americans they really discovered a “New World” and discovering a New World begets many different views on it.


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

Thank you very much. I hope to see you on stage very soon.

Illusion Of Control/Grim New World/Loud Rage Music/2018 EP Review

  Illusion  Of  Control  are  a  band  from  Romania  that  plays  a  very  progressive  and  melodic  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  ep  "Grim  New  World"  which  was  released  by  Loud  Rage  Music.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  before  adding  in  death  metal  growls  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  acoustic  guitars  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  progressive  feeling.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  screams  and  whispers  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  when  guitar  leads a re  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Illusion  Of  Control  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  progressive  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  and  dystopian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Illusion  Of  Control  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  and  melodic  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Downtrodden"  and  "Dystopia".  8  out  of  10.  

Surgery 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 album?

Surgery:
Well, since the recording and release of the new album the band has been performing quite a bit and also  working on new songs.


2.In February you had released a new album, what are some of the things you have done differently with the newer music that you where notable to do with previous releases?

Surgery:
The previous album was less melodic than our new one. With the new album we wanted to preserve the energy, something from the 1990s and we feel like the songs sound even better than from our last album.
We also wanted to make it look good so the songs wouldn't blend into like just a pile of songs. Each song is different and unique.

3.This is your first album since 2012, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Surgery:
To put it simple, we released out first album in 2012 called Descent. We released this album at our own expense. It was financially demanding and time consuming. It is a pity that the album wasn't advertised as well as it could have been since we were only two members in th  band and at that time it was really hard for us.


4.From 2002 to 2010 the band was put on hold, what was the decision behind getting back together after all these years?

Surgery:
Since the year 2002 we have just been playing shows locally. In october 2005 we got a chance to play at a festival called The Slovak Death FEST II. , alongside bands such asVital Remains, Wasteform , Insidious Decrepancy, Flesh grinder, Sanatorium, Mental demise, Perversity… and so on. After this we took a short break due to some work, family issues and responsibilities.Until 2010 we were a band without a recording and then we released at our own expenses CD-R ( EP) Pullet by the rope.

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

Surgery:
Regarding the topics, we tell stories about brutality,death,life issues. Just some raw death metal texts. No crap about love or butterflies :-)


6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Surgery'?

Surgery:
When we came up with the name, we thought 'Surgery' sounded brutal and original for a death metal band you know. All we thought of when we heard the name was blood, dead bodies and stuff :-)
 With the arrival of the internet we found out that there are already bands with a similar name. But to this day there is only us and a Mexican band with a name 'Surgery'. They are much younger and play a different genre so there is no mistaking us with them.

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

Surgery:
The best shows are at home. A city where we grew up called Poprad. We have a strong fanbase in our hometown. Regarding the stage performance, I would just say you can expect a good music, a lot of fun and a sore throat if you know what I mean :-)

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

Surgery:
.No we don't have any touring or shows planned. We are over 40 years old in the band. Everyone has a family and a stable job. We are a humble band and selling merch, CDs or performing on weekends is all that matters and brings joy to us. We are really happy when our fans like our music that feeling can't top anything.
  With that said i don't think there will be any tours anytime soon.


9.The new album was released on 'Support Underground', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Surgery:
'Support Underground' is a small czech label which is managed by one individual. He is a huge death metal fan and does his maximum effort to advertise only czech and slovak bands. It is his hobby, advertising bands he likes without looking at the current trends and sales.

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

Surgery:
The reactions were fantastic so far. We get a lot of positive comments, reviews and we get played by foreign radio stations which we are really happy for.

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

Surgery:
We will be on the tour where we will make Morbid Angel and Deicide :-) No, now seriously.As I  said before we are a humble band , we don't think we will be doing any tours anytime soon. But you never know what the future holds.

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?

Surgery:
We got inspired by the bands from the 1990s that we grew up on. Here is a few examples Suffocation, Death, Slayer, Obituary, Bolt Thrower, Malevolent creation, Morta skuld, At the gates , Dismember, Entombed, Kataklysm.
  There is a lot of bands we like. I personally have quite a wide range of music i listen to. Genres such as Death metal , trash, doom anything that grabs my attention or I really like. There is a group called Morgoth that returned on the scene with an album Ungod that i have been listening to recently. There is so many bands I would like to mention.


13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Surgery:
We all got caught up in a cycle of family,work,family,work... That's what we are really focusing on. There isn't much time for anything else. We are happy when we get some free time to grab a beer together as a band.


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

Surgery:
In the name of our band we are thankful for your support. This is the first time we are doing an interview with someone from the United States.
   We are grateful for this opportunity.And to our fans if you want to buy some merch or CDs contact us via our producer Support Underground.

https://www.facebook.com/Surgery.Poprad/
http://www.supug.cz/

The questions were answered by our guitarist Rado Body.

Chabtan/Nine Levels/DarkTunes Music Group/2018 Full Length Review

 
  Chabtan  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  death  metal  and  deathcore  with  a  touch  of  Mayan  folk  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Nine  Levels"  which  was  released  by  Dark  Tunes  Music  Group.

  Mayan  folk  instruments  and  ritualistic  chanting  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  tribal  sounding  percussion  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style. 
 
  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  screams,  extreme  metal/hardcore  style  shouts  and  spoken  word  parts  being  utilized  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  folk  elements  also  being  mixed  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  When  synths  are  utilized  they  give  the  songs  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  feeling  feeling  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  closing  track  being  an  instrumental.

  Chabtan  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  death  metal,  deathcore  and  Mayan  folk  music  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Mayan  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Chabtan  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  melodic  death  metal,  deathcore  and  Mayan  folk  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  last  Mayan  King"  "Mayan  Messiahs"  "Nourished  by  Four  Gods"  and  "The  Last  Mayan  God".  8  out  of  10.
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Imperial Domain 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 album?
We have been recording a video for the song ”The Future Is Lost”, that you should check out on YouTube if you haven’t seen it! And we have started with rehearsals and doing promotion for the album. Hopefully we are gonna do some live shows. 

2.Recently you have released a new album what are some of the things you have done different with the newer music that you where not able to do with previous releases?
We have worked with the arrangements in a way that we couldn’t do before.  Nowadays its much easier to work with in digital platforms with synth arrangements and overall recording. We have our own recording studio where we can sit and work in our own pace.

3.The band was broken up for almost 10 years, what was the cause of the split and also the decision to reform?
Lazyness… well, it just kind of faded away. No specific reason. Everybody went on with different bands and projects. The motivation disappeared.  We have to give credits to Alvaro and Peter who came up with the idea to start the band again. Peter had talked to Philip numerous times over the years and then we bumped into each other at a metal festival and Alvaro said ”stop fooling around,  lets start NOW!” and a week later ”True face of war” was written.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
The lyrics are about total loss, betrayal, death and disasters. The song ”The Deluge” for example is about nature strikes back at mankind.  We try to write the lyrics so they got similar vibe and goes along with the music.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Imperial Domain'?
It´s just a cool name that our former singer Tobias came up with. After several different names, this was the one that we thought represents both the music and the band.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
Our idea was to have a big stormy sea with big waves and stuff, then we contacted Pete Alander at Bandmill who sent us different ideas for the cover. And we ended up with his vision of it. Pete also did our logo. He came up with a lot of amazing ideas. He is a great guy to work with. He also did the artwork for ”The True Face of War” single.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
The best show so far was the last show we did with our former singer Tobias at Fellini Rock Club in 2005. Lots of people and lots of beers! Our stage performance is based on hitting hard with a lot of energy.
8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
Yes, of course. We are on planning stage right now. Hopefully we are gonna be on the road some time soon.

 9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of melodic death metal?
Overall it´s has been really good, ever since the start.  So far the spreading and reviews on the new record has been very good.

10.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?
Peter and Alvaro are members of Sarcasm who are about to start the recording of a new album. Alvaro is also a member of a new band called DeathSwarm with a new album to be released some time soon, and also Thirdstorm´s new album with release in October. Andreas is working on a new Lou Siffer and the Howling Demons album as well. Philip produces and record different projects.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We are gonna write new songs and keep true to our sound. 

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?
It´s a hard question because we listen to a lot of different kind of music and got influenced by almost everything. 

13.What are some of your non musical interests?
We are family fathers nowadays so most of the time is doing family stuff. Peter would like to have a surfing career though. Andreas likes to play tennis. Philip is a zumba instructor. Alvaro loves fishing trips.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
We would like to take the opportunity to thank all our fans who likes and shares our posts and videos, and all the dedicated independent radio stations and webzines out there who really works hard spreading music around the world! Thanks!! That means a lot to us!