Tag Archives: black metal

Album Review – Krisiun / Forged In Fury (2015)

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These Brazilian veterans show us once again how good old school Death Metal sounds better when forged in sheer fury.

Rating5

Krisiun_Forged In FurySince the year of 1990, Brazil has become a synonym for fast, brutal and technical Death Metal due to the volcanic music engendered by Death Metal brothers Krisiun. And although there has been significant and obvious changes in their music from their 1995 debut album Black Force Domain to their brand new release entitled Forged In Fury, especially their move from that nonstop demonic carnage highly influenced by Black Metal from their early days to today’s melodic and metallic groove, they keep kicking ass and crushing our bones no matter what.

The professionalism and complexity of the artwork, designed by renowned American artist Joe Petagno, already gives the listener a good taste of what Forged In Fury is about: straightforward and deeply infuriated Death Metal. It might not be their best album to date (it doesn’t get close to that), with a couple of songs sounding like filler just to add extra time to the album, but it’s still a solid Krisiun release that will cause some serious damage to the spinal cord of fans of extreme music and admirers of the work of this talented Brazilian power trio.

Ready, set, go! Brothers Kolesne warm up the listener for a minute before the massacre starts in Scars of the Hatred, with drummer Max Kolesne being so precise and fast it’s hard to believe he’s only human. In addition, this song perfectly represents the evolution in their musicality, with the addition of lots of groove but always keeping their viciousness burning. And Max keeps sounding like a machine gun on drums in Ways of Barbarism, a brutish tune that makes it impossible not to slam into the pit. Their technique is impressive, with Alex Camargo and Moyses Kolesne giving a lesson in Death Metal with their powerful bass lines and guitar riffs and solos, respectively. Strident bass and riffs kick off the fuckin’ excellent Death Metal attack Dogma of Submission, where Alex sounds truly barbaric with his growls and Max continues his path of destruction with his unique fury and skills. If you love violence in music, this track is tailored for you.

KrisiunStrength Forged in Fury is very rhythmic and aggressive, offering everything modern Death Metal is comprised of, including sick guitar solos, harsh lyrics and a hellish atmosphere. It feels like a “special package” with three awesome songs in one thanks to the amazing job done by all band members. On the other hand, Soulless Impaler is way below the other songs in the album. The music itself never really takes off, as if something keeps holding it down, becoming quite disappointing after a while. Fortunately, in Burning of the Heretic it looks like the three brothers are mad at something or someone based on the level of devastation presented. I loved its riffs and how the vocals match flawlessly with all instruments, and what to say about the demented guitar solos delivered after four minutes?

If you want to do some sick headbanging, take a listen at The Isolated Truth to have your neck broken by its intensity. This is a good example of how they can sound clean and vicious at the same time, one of the main characteristics that took them to stardom. And like a squad marching to war, Krisiun deliver another Death Metal feast in Oracle of the Ungod, with highlights to the great work done by Moyses on the guitar, enhancing the song’s melody and flow, not to mention the metallic bass lines by Alex puncturing our ears. Following that sonic havoc, the groovy and progressive Timeless Starvation showcases the outstanding production of the album, with Alex mercilessly growling the story told in the song amidst a precise and intricate musicality. This great tune should sound amazing live, with highlights to its superb ending thanks to the flawless guitar lines by Moyses. I’m not sure what the short acoustic track Milonga de la Muerte is doing in the album, but it ends up being an interesting outro for its regular version. And if you grab a special version of it, you’ll be delighted with more of Krisiun’s unique destruction in Earth’s Cremation and with their brilliant tribute to Black Sabbath with their dark version for the classic Electric Funeral.

To sum up, as previously mentioned, Forged In Fury might not be masterpiece nor be among Krisiun’s best albums, but it’s still above average and a decent addition to the band’s belligerent discography. If you’re a longtime fan of the band and has been having fun witnessing their development through the years, you’ll have a good time listening to Forged In Fury. And if you’re new to Krisiun, go check out how Death Metal sounds a lot better when it’s forged in sheer fury.

Best moments of the album: Ways of Barbarism, Dogma of Submission and Electric Funeral.

Worst moments of the album: Soulless Impaler and The Isolated Truth.

Released in 2015 Century Media

Track listing
1. Scars of the Hatred 5:42
2. Ways of Barbarism 6:32
3. Dogma of Submission 4:55
4. Strength Forged in Fury 6:07
5. Soulless Impaler 6:11
6. Burning of the Heretic 6:21
7. The Isolated Truth 4:09
8. Oracle of the Ungod 4:43
9. Timeless Starvation 5:56
10. Milonga de la Muerte 0:53

Special Edition bonus tracks
11.Earth’s Cremation 3:49
12.Electric Funeral (Black Sabbath cover) 4:40

Band members
Alex Camargo – bass, vocals
Moyses Kolesne – guitar
Max Kolesne – drums

Album Review – Goat Torment / Sermons to Death (2015)

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A consecration of extreme music and the occult, not in the name of the Father, nor of the Son, nor of the Holy Spirit.

GT_sermons_to_death_HDForged in the fires of hell in the accursed year of 2008, with the intention to create music as a weapon of mass destruction and to annihilate everything which our so-called society stands for, Belgian Occult Black/Death Metal beasts Goat Torment are back and ready to haunt our souls with their brand new full-length album, the rapturous Sermons to Death. In other words, get ready to have your body and soul crushed by 40 minutes of the most deviant form of extreme music you can think of.

After the release of their debut album Dominande Tenebrae in 2013, and after touring with wicked names such as Enthroned and Black Crucifixion, including their first ever live appearance on American soil at Maryland Deathfest in 2014, this Ghent-based horde is following the steps of their fellow countrymen Enthroned in regards to the savagery stemming from their music and the profanity advocated through their lyrics. All that blasphemy might be an issue for people who are not really into Black Metal, but it’s indeed a dark delectation for diehard connoisseur of the genre.

When a Black Metal intro starts as dark as Opening the Gates, going on for over three minutes, you know there will be blood and torment through the rest of the album, which is confirmed as soon as the blackened storm entitled Bones Aligned comes ripping. The music is so intense and legitimate it doesn’t sound that only two musicians are generating it, with highlights to Kwel, the mastermind behind Goat Torment, for vociferating his vocal lines in a flammable way, and to the tempo changes that end up making the whole song even more memorable. Rising Dominion mixes the hardcore attitude from Slayer to the vileness of Black Metal, with the resonant bass lines and blast beats turning up the heat in this sonic devastation, while Hierarchy of Negligence, the first of their two epic songs, offers seven minutes of a Black, Death and Doom Metal extravaganza boosted by an astounding level of malignancy. Drummer Torturer (Mor Dagor, ex-Bethlehem, ex-Belphegor) lives up to his name and “tortures” the listener with his furious beats, supporting Kwel and his dark and blasphemous riffs and words.

goat tormentWhile some people hate short instrumental tracks like Within the Realm of Darkness, I think they’re essential for telling a good story in a Black Metal album, preparing the listener to what’s next, which in the case of Sermons to Death is the morbid Defloration of the Holy Cunt, one of the “cutest” names I’ve ever seen in my life for a song. You can imagine how nasty and grotesque this anthem is, full of growls, sick riffs and unstoppable drumming that will dilacerate your mortal soul. Do I need to say I loved it? Anyway, Death is Crowned makes it hard to believe Goat Torment are almost a one-man army so complex it is: Kwel is extremely talented, and just like most European musicians he can easily add tons of melody to extreme music, it doesn’t matter if it’s old school Black Metal or if it’s a blend of Blackened Doom and Thrash Metal like what happens in this song.

Showing absolutely no mercy for our souls, The Domineering Profane emanates despair through Kwel’s demonic vocals, perfect for some hellish headbanging, before their second epic song, Of Fire and Brimstone, closes this excellent album. This ode to hell starts as visceral as possible, and as the name of the song suggests, fire and sulphur impregnate the atmosphere, with highlights to the anger Kwel shows during its entirety, making your blood boil until the ominous last part of this sick tune drags us down to hell together with Kwel and Torturer. Or maybe you want to take another listen to the whole album, and another one after that, before joining them in the underworld?

Either way, whenever you’re ready to join the dark side with Goat Torment, simply visit their Facebook page, YouTube channel or SoundCloud page. And don’t forget to buy your copy of Sermons to Death at the Amor Fati Productions webshop or at their BandCamp page, an album that can be considered a consecration of Extreme Metal, not in the name of the Father, nor of the Son, nor of the Holy Spirit.

Best moments of the album: Bones Aligned, Hierarchy of Negligence and Defloration of the Holy Cunt.

Worst moments of the album: The Domineering Profane.

Released in 2015 Amor Fati Productions

Track listing
1. Opening the Gates 3:41
2. Bones Aligned 3:21
3. Rising Dominion 5:46
4. Hierarchy of Negligence 6:49
5. Within the Realm of Darkness 1:28
6. Defloration of the Holy Cunt 2:11
7. Death is Crowned 4:27
8. The Domineering Profane 3:58
9. Of Fire and Brimstone 7:12

Band members
Kwel – vocals, guitars, bass
Torturer – drums

Album Review – Sarpentra / Supernova (2015)

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Obscure and enigmatic, this impressive Blackened Death Metal band from Russia will break into your psyche and give you a unique sense of freedom with their thunderous music.

Rating4

Sarpentra - Supernova - coverLet me start by telling you how different this review is going to be, as for the first time ever I have absolutely no idea who the band members are for the band in question, Russian Blackened Death Metal entity Sarpentra, and according to different sources I’ve been in contact with they’re keeping their names in secret on purpose. The band itself states that Sarpentra are “more than a group of people who play music. It is an idea, symbiosis of spirit, music and mind, compounded in a single organism, which creates its own fate.” With that said, I guess the best option in this case is simply absorbing and enjoying their music without worrying about who’s playing it, don’t you agree?

And what Sarpentra have to offer us in their debut full-length album, entitled Supernova, definitely makes up for that lack of information on the band members. The entire album presents an incredible mix of extreme aggression and mystical instrumentation, following a similar music pattern from icons such as Nile and Behemoth, or as the band likes to say, it’s “an eleven-tracked hymn to domination of mind above stagnation, bigotry and imitation of life and freedom.” And in case you still don’t get it, just hit play and you’ll be taken into a music journey full of orchestrations, choirs, beautiful guitars and devastating drums that will make your metallic head spin around like a violent whirlwind.

Right after the quick sinister intro Archaios Ophios (Initiation), Sarpentra’s brutal and technical Death Metal comes crashing like a thunder storm in Iron Nails Run In, a modernized version of extreme music intensified by the addition of symphonic elements, where its Black Metal blast beats and evil progressiveness are truly outstanding. In the pure Blackened Death Metal tune Splendor Solis, the guttural vocals sound vile and ruthless in contrast to the eerie ambience generated by synths and backing vocals, with its guitar solos providing a good balance amidst all the sonic devastation; while the supernatural intro and Middle-Eastern guitar scale in the excellent Sempiternal transport the listener to a hopeless and deserted land. It’s a flawless blend of old school Death Metal and Symphonic Black Metal, reminding me of some classics by Behemoth due to its blackened vocals and intricate guitar riffs and solos.

sarpentraThe boisterous Odium (The Temple of the Sacred False) is a short and skilful exhibit of extreme music, an evil old school Death Metal song with demonic vociferations more than perfect for fans of Extreme Metal, followed by the imposing symphonic instrumental track V.V.V.V.V., or “vi veri veniversum vivus vici” (a Latin phrase meaning “by the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe”), and the amazing I Set the World on Fire, where its drums are absolutely on fire while its vocals are bursting with anger. Complex and electrifying, in special its razing guitar lines, this is the next step in the expedition to the deranged land created by this extremely sharp and talented band.

The War Anthem doesn’t have “war” in its name in vain: it’s yet another inhuman tune where it’s quite clear they’re trying to blacken their Progressive Death/Black Metal as much as possible. Furthermore, those guys love shredding and delivering fast guitar solos more than their own lives without a shadow of a doubt. Then we have the title-track, Supernova, where you can feel the solar power present in the album art through their mix of Death, Black, Symphonic and even Progressive Metal, a feast for music lovers. In addition, there’s something primeval and mysterious in this song that makes it so interesting it’s hard to describe, you have to listen to it carefully to understand what I’m trying to say.

Anyway, Omnia Vincam  (Latin for “I will conquer all”) is an eerie instrumental track impregnated with occult voices that opens the gates for the most epic song of the album, Prometheus Unbound, where its energy and intensity provide the listener the ultimate journey to Sarpendra’s godforsaken land. Showcasing a very cohesive and majestic instrumental from start to finish, all orchestrations and backing vocals perfectly support the depiction of an ancient civilization worshiping the demigod Prometheus, finally unleashed from his burdensome chains.

There are infinite ways to get in touch with Sarpentra and know more about their elaborate music, such as their official Facebook page, VKontakte and YouTube channel, and you can buy the striking Supernova at the band’s Big Cartel, Amazon, iTunes and Google Play. It doesn’t matter how enigmatic and obscure Sarpentra are, their music is all that’s needed for a unique experience of mind and soul, breaking into your psyche and giving you a sense of freedom in a way only sumptuous heavy music is capable of doing.

Best moments of the album: Iron Nails Run In, Sempiternal and Prometheus Unbound.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Archaios Ophios (Initiation) 0:20
2. Iron Nails Run In 4:34
3. Splendor Solis 3:04
4. Sempiternal 5:36
5. Odium (The Temple of the Sacred False) 2:58
6. V.V.V.V.V. 2:23
7. I Set the World on Fire 4:13
8. The War Anthem 3:11
9. Supernova 5:10
10. Omnia Vincam 2:02
11. Prometheus Unbound 7:17

Band members
*Information not available*

Album Review – Vacivus / Rite of Ascension EP (2015)

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Fill the void you feel within with the Blackened Death Metal crafted by this devilish British horde.

Rating5

Vacivus - Rite of Ascension - coverDealing with the occult, death and transcendence, here comes British Blackened Death Metal band Vacivus and their debut EP entitled Rite of Ascension, an album that has enough power to darken your mind and spirit despite being relatively short. If you are already aware of how impactful both the music and the message generated by other Blackened Death Metal bands in the world such as the iconic Behemoth, Belphegor and Goatwhore are, you might have a pretty good idea of what Vacivus have to offer. If not, you better get ready because things are about to get heavy and atrocious.

However, this promising horde is not emerging from the depths of the UK depending strictly upon the heaviness of their music, but they also rely on their undeniable capability to add feeling and intricacy to a vortex of wickedness, showing beyond doubt their skills as musicians. On a side note, Vacivus seem to be extremely attentive to all details involving their music, as for example what they did with the already sold-out special cassette edition of the EP, releasing it on a special “Noir Void Shell” and inked with the “blood of their enemies”. In other words, they’re another good example of how the fusion of hard work and talent always results in awesomeness.

When you start listening to the opening track, Dark Apotheosis, you’ll feel like you’re descending into the fires of hell, where a dark void of despair is forged through the demonic vocals by Nick Craggs and the sinister guitar lines by Dan Rochester and Ross Oliver. Although this song is primarily raw Death Metal, you can taste the venom brought forth by its Black Metal elements. In the title-track, Rite of Ascension, it’s time for drummer Ian Finley to guide the rhythm with his raw blast beats, helping the musicality flow from faster and harsher moments to primeval Blackened Doom. I don’t know if anyone will agree with me, but the “filthy” production of the EP ends up enhancing the obscurity of their music, and therefore the overall quality of the album.

VacivusAgeless, Nameless starts in a more melodic way before evil dominates the sounding again, with the suffocating growls by Nick reaching a whole new demonic level. It’s dense and ominous, with highlights to the way its last part morphs into melancholic and infernal Doom Metal. And there’s no sign of hope when Hostis Rei (which probably means “the accused enemies” or something similar to that in English) begins, sounding like this song was literally crafted in hell. The whole band keeps delivering darkness and evil in the form of heavy and constant guitar lines as well as reverberating bass lines, turning it into my favorite of all five tracks. And lastly, we have one more solid display of malignancy in Vacivus Aeternum, which are the Latin words for “eternally void” and also the name of the band if you haven’t noticed yet. A lot closer to Black Metal than the other tracks, its nice guitar solo works as a downward spiral back to the original den where the EP started in a somber and effective way.

As aforementioned, the special cassette version of the album (strictly limited to 100 copies) released through Goatprayer Records is already sold out, but you can still purchase a digital copy of Rite of Ascension at the Gotaprayer Records BandCamp page, or wait until later this year to grab your CD version of the album via Hellthrasher Productions. Vacivus can easily help you fill the void you feel within with their Blackened Death Metal, all you have to do is embrace their nocturnal and unearthly aria and let their poisonous and metallic words intoxicate your psyche.

Best moments of the album: Hostis Rei.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Goatprayer Records/Hellthrasher Productions

Track listing
1. Dark Apotheosis 3:51
2. Rite of Ascension 3:57
3. Ageless, Nameless 5:24
4. Hostis Rei 4:37
5. Vacivus Aeternum 5:31

Band members
Nick Craggs – vocals
Dan Rochester – guitars
Ross Oliver – guitars
Dan Jones – bass
Ian Finley – drums

Album Review – Cradle of Filth / Hammer Of The Witches (2015)

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The metallic coven instituted by one of the most important Extreme Metal bands of all time keeps haunting our world with their thrilling and malevolent music.

Rating3

CoF_Hammer of the WitchesI don’t understand why some people are so skeptical when British Extreme Metal behemoths Cradle of Filth are about to release a new album. Despite some very few letdowns, and I’m not talking about entire albums but just one or another song, Dani Filth and his sinful horde have always delivered first-class dark music, where the combination of symphony, heaviness, controversial themes and intricate and deranged lyrics goes beyond what almost all metal bands in the world can do. And now joining their collection of perversity, which includes masterpieces such as Cruelty and the Beast, Midian, Damnation and a Day and Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder, we have Hammer Of The Witches, the eleventh studio album in their distinguished career and, more important than that, another solid display of black magic by one of the most important extreme bands from the past decades.

The album is named after the Malleus Maleficarum, a medieval document of guidelines regarding the persecution and torture of witches, just for you to have an idea of how obscure Hammer Of The Witches is. In regards to the artwork, designed by Latvian artist Arthur Berzinsh, Dani mentioned in one of his interviews that it is “a lavish walk-through of the lyricism, drawing on rich renaissance themes and displaying them in beautiful-yet-unsettling scenarios. Half of the detailed pieces are totally original for the release, others are Berzinsh classics cunningly tailored to the themes of the album, which are themes rife with heady witchcraft, be it persecution, retribution or unfettered spiritual liberation. The female form is rampant throughout the artwork, unashamedly displayed in its classical rendition of beauty… and horror.” In my humble opinion, that stylish explanation summarizes not only the imagery, but also the music found in the album. You can also see Dani giving more details about it in this official interview on YouTube.

Is there a better way to start a Cradle of Filth album than with one of their traditional intros, like Walpurgis Eve? This is already a good sign that the album will be kick-ass, which is confirmed when the havoc begins in Yours Immortally…, a song that perfectly represents the mix of raw Black Metal and traditional Heavy Metal only Dani & Co. can provide us. In addition, while Dani delivers his trademark high-pitched demonic screams, Martin “Marthus” Škaroupka keeps improving his importance in the bestial sounding crafted by the band. Enshrined In Crematoria has its good and bad moments, the good ones happening when they speed up the rhythm and the guitar riffs by Richard Shaw and Marek “Ashok” Šmerda lead an awesome sonic attack, whereas its slow parts sound too bland and generic; followed by Deflowering The Maidenhead, Displeasuring The Goddess, with its musicality containing elements from Midian and The Manticore and Other Horrors boosted by some crazy guitar solos. Moreover, I guess I don’t need to say Dani is by far one of the best lyricists of all time (“Religion caw epistles / Twisted laws extend their thristles / A crown to justify / Our place atop this hellbound carriage”), and Lindsay Schoolcraft not only delivers some wicked keyboard notes but her smooth and powerful voice also adds a lot of passion to the song.

CoF 2015Blackest Magick In Practice showcases a beautiful and melancholic start, focusing on Symphonic Gothic Metal without losing the band’s characteristic ferociousness. Its guitar riffs couldn’t sound more amazing, and Dani’s vocals sound great during the entire track, it doesn’t matter if he’s simply screaming like a demon or delivering his deeper dark growls. Then the band offers us the calm but somber intro The Monstrous Sabbat (Summoning The Coven), right before the title-track Hammer Of The Witches comes ripping with its imposing sounding where the keyboards by Lindsay get a lot more focus. It’s the most symphonic of all tracks so far, an awesome feast of the Symphonic Black Metal that longtime fans of the band learned to love. I have to say the initial “electronic” seconds in Right Wing Of The Garden Triptych (check the uncensored version of the official video HERE, it’s much better than the censored one on YouTube) scared the hell out of me especially because this was the first single released, but fortunately that was just a quick intro as the music itself is simply outstanding, varying from sheer brutality to gentle piano passages. Dani is absolutely on fire with his diabolic screams as well as Marthus and his wicked blast beats, not to mention the band’s Stygian lyrics being a delight for fans of devilish music as always (“Unforgiving proof accrual begs this cruel rebirth / A living fuel for the blaze of renewal, razing the earth / Pariahs and Messiahs of the highest worth / Fodder for the denizens of risen, hissing Hell”).

It’s not a true Cradle of Filth release without a ghoulish song about vampires, and in Hammer Of The Witches that comes to light (or darkness) in The Vampyre At My Side, an old school Cradle of Filth tune where you can feel the music rising to its climax amidst rawer moments in which the guitar riffs get thrashier than usual. Do I need to say anything about yet another excellent performance by Dani and Marthus? Anyway, the organ intro in the next song, Onward Christian Soldiers, generates a somber atmosphere perfect for the dense and violent exhibit of modern Extreme Metal that follows. This is one of the best tracks of the album (if not the best), a stunning epic composition with lots of variations where its riffs remind me of some of their songs from the brilliant Dusk… and Her Embrace. And finally, Blooding The Hounds Of Hell is a more-than-suitable symphonic outro to close all the stories told throughout the album, transpiring sorrow and darkness.

You can choose your version of the album at the Nuclear Blast webstore, but if I were you I would definitely purchase one of the special editions that come with two bonus tracks, King Of The Woods and Misericord, as they’re both savage and erotic. Based on the magnificent witchcraft found in Hammer Of The Witches, it looks like the metallic coven instituted by Cradle of Filth, who are in their best shape of the past few years, will keep haunting our world with their thrilling music for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Yours Immortally…, Right Wing Of The Garden Triptych, The Vampyre At My Side and Onward Christian Soldiers.

Worst moments of the album: Enshrined in Crematoria.

Released in 2015 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Walpurgis Eve 1:29
2. Yours Immortally… 6:00
3. Enshrined In Crematoria 5:46
4. Deflowering The Maidenhead, Displeasuring The Goddess 6:59
5. Blackest Magick In Practice 6:50
6. The Monstrous Sabbat (Summoning The Coven) 1:51
7. Hammer Of The Witches 6:28
8. Right Wing Of The Garden Triptych 5:54
9. The Vampyre At My Side 5:45
10. Onward Christian Soldiers 6:59
11. Blooding The Hounds Of Hell 2:10

Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
12. King Of The Woods 6:17
13. Misericord 6:19

Band members
Dani Filth – lead vocals
Richard Shaw – guitars
Marek “Ashok” Šmerda – guitars
Daniel Firth – bass
Lindsay Schoolcraft – female vocals, keyboards
Martin “Marthus” Škaroupka – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Masha Scream

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masha01

Славься, Русь, Земля моя!

We all agree that pretty much any Russian girl could be one of Victoria’s Secret’s best top models. What some of us don’t know is that many of those сексуальная women are also very talented artists, such as our Heavy Metal babe this month, the awesome Masha Scream, the founder, vocalist and main songwriter of Russian Epic Pagan Metal band Arkona (or Аркона, in Russian).

Born on January 9, 1983 in the Russian capital Moscow, Masha Scream’s real name is Maria Arkhipova (or Мари́я Архипова, in Russian). Although her musical influences and background come mainly from Pagan Metal, Black Metal and Folk Metal, Masha has mentioned in many interviews that Arkona is not just a music band, especially in regards to her creative process. There’s a lot of experimentation and development in the music created by Masha, in order to present to people her view of the world and what is in her soul, which means that basically nothing limits her in this process. According to Masha herself, “I’m inspired by life and all depends on the situation around me. Every my song is an emotional flash or pain about something.”

To date, Masha has already recorded with Arkona seven full-length studio albums and one EP, which are Vozrozhdeniye (2004), Lepta (2004), Vo Slavu Velikim! (2005), Ot Serdtsa K Nebu (2007), Goi, Rode, Goi! (2009), Stenka Na Stenku EP (2011), Slovo (2011), and Yav (2014), as well as three live albums called Zhizn Vo Slavu (2006), Noch Velesova (2009) and Decade of Glory (2013). A very curious fact happened on March 11, 2010, when a short clip of the song Yarilo, from the album Goi, Rode, Goi!, was featured on the St. Patrick’s Day episode of the U.S. version of the TV series The Office. The scene shows three janitors, who are probably Russian, entering the office with the song playing while the workers were still there, forced to work late.

Apart from Arkona, Masha has also recorded one full-length album with Russian Black Metal band Nargathrond, named Inevitability (2004); and was also the lead singer for Russian Doom/Power Metal band Slavery, that time as Masha Arhipova, during the year of 2000.

Masha has also appeared as a guest musician in many different bands and projects, and that was not only in Russia. To name a few, her powerful voice can be enjoyed on Russian Folk Metal band Svarga‘s first two albums (Ogni na Kurganah, from 2005, and There, Where Woods Doze…, from 2007), on Slovakian Folk Black Metal band Ancestral Volkhves‘ second studio album Perun Do Vas!!!, from 2008, on Russian Folk/Pagan Metal band Alkonost’s album The Path We’ve Never Made, from 2006, and on Russian Folk/Black Metal band Rossomahaar’s album The Reign of Terror, from 2010, among others.

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All that creativity and passion for music is also represented in Masha’s life by the incredible amount of different music instruments she can play. She doesn’t only sing extremely well, but she also plays keyboards, percussion, tambourine, komuz, acoustic guitars, shaker, and since 2002 she’s been also playing the Shaman’s drum. Our Russian diva also mentioned in one of her interviews that despite not being into politics at all, she truly loves the long and very complicated history of her country, especially its nature. This can be seen in any of Arkona’s videos, such as Slavsia, Rus, Liki Bessmertnykh Bogov and Zov Pustyh Dereven, where she’s in total contact with the four classical elements of nature, and in her lyrics always full of passion for all Russian and nature things. In my opinion, these are the key points that make Masha and her music so unique and captivating in the world of Heavy Metal, and something very few people are able to imitate or replicate in such a sublime (and aggressive) way.

Thereat,  not even the fact that Arkona’s music is totally sung in Russian has stopped Masha and her bandmates from conquering the world: the band has already been to different parts of the world to show their mighty music, including countries such as Germany, Sweden, Belgium, USA, Canada, Brazil, England, Italy, Portugal and many others. Among all of their tours and concerts, Masha mentioned that one of Arkona’s craziest experiences happened in the beginning of 2013 when the band went on the amazing 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise to the Caribbean, as one of the 40 attractions playing during the four-day cruise. “There were 4,000 people on board, a buffet and so many interesting things! We had a cabin with access to the ocean, and I was even lucky enough to see flying fish through the window.”, she said.

Of course nothing is perfect: Masha is married to her fellow band member Sergei “Lazar” Atrashkevich, with whom she has two children, so you can already stop dreaming about winning her heart and be satisfied by just admiring her beauty and her stunning music.

Masha Scream’s Official Facebook page
Masha Scream’s Official Twitter
Masha Scream’s Official VKontakte
Arkona’s Official Facebook page

“You don’t need to regret about what you have done because it’s part of your life and also part of you. You just need to remember your mistakes and to not make them again in the future!” – Masha Scream

Album Review – Gorgoroth / Instinctus Bestialis (2015)

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One of the most controversial Black Metal bands in the world delivers some truly bestial instincts in the form of gruesome and elaborate extreme music.

Rating4

instinctus bestialisNorwegian Black Metal is more than just a subgenre of Heavy Metal: it’s a renowned and very respectable movement that has been helping redefine the scope of extreme music, expanding its boundaries to a whole new level that’s not comprised of just the music itself, but of a wide variety of contentious topics such as religion, murder and ideology. If you don’t know much about it, I strongly recommend you watch the amazing documentary entitled Until the Light Takes Us (2008) to better understand the importance of this infamous musical subculture to society. And it doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of Black Metal or not, you must listen to Norwegian black metallers Gorgoroth to understand how all that controversy and darkness translates into music.

Formed in 1992 by the only original member remaining, Infernus, and named after the dead plateau of evil and darkness in the land of Mordor, from J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings, Gorgoroth are releasing now in 2015 their ninth full-length studio album, the venomous Instinctus Bestialis. It’s important to say this is their first album to feature vocalist Atterigner and, more important than that, it’s indeed a solid addition to their polemic career, corroborating their status as one of the most influential Black Metal bands in history.

It’s simply amazing how violently the album starts with the opening track Radix Malorum, with its blast beats crushing our heads from the very first second while Atterigner shows why he was chosen by Infernus to be the new devilish voice of Gorgoroth. Following that ravage we have more infernal Black Metal in Dionysian Rite, with highlights to the great work on guitars by Infernus and to the demonic performances by Atterigner and Asklund with their vocals and drums, respectively. Moreover, I’m pretty sure most of the fans of the music by Gorgoroth will love the ominous Blackened Doom vibe present in the last part of the song.

gorgorothThe blasphemous and devastating Ad Omnipotens Aeterne Diabolus can be considered the most complete song of the album, showcasing a touch of melancholy, a beautiful melody, and of course that expected (but always awesome) visceral explosion of Black Metal. Asklund is kicking ass on drums once again, whilst Infernus keeps mastering the art of dark riffs and solos. And when the lyrics include screams such as “Hail Satan!”, you know you’re facing some good deranged music, right? Anyway, the short and direct Come Night is yet another melodic tune that doesn’t forget to be as satanic as Black Metal usually is, and despite not being the most creative song in the world it’s still very enjoyable; followed by Burn in His Light, where hints of Blackened Death Metal and even some progressiveness add a fresh taste to it. Besides, the robust background foundation by Bøddel and Asklund leave plenty of room for infernus to deliver more awesome riffs, increasing the song’s quality.

In one of the top moments of the album, Rage, its heavy guitar lines bring forth a wrathful Blackened Death Metal vibe, reminding me of the superb musicality found in The Satanist, the lasts masterpiece by Behemoth. This is a great addition to Gorgoroth’s weaponry and something they should be doing more in future releases, in my humble opinion. Kala Brahman, which has different meanings in Mithology depending on the culture but it’s usually a sea monster, an evil spirit or the supreme god to bring death and disease to mankind, presents a dense and obscure sonority enhanced by an atmosphere that couldn’t be more perverse and by an avalanche of traditional blast beats by Asklund. And the last track of the album, Awakening, doesn’t slow down at all, once again flirting with Blackened Death Metal and therefore resulting in a very rhythmic and imposing composition.

In summary, after all these years of controversy, depravity and radicalism, Gorgoroth prove they still got it, delivering a consistent work that sounds much more cohesive than many of their previous releases. To be fair, the addition of elements from genres such as Blackened Doom and Blackened Death Metal, rather than just sticking to raw old school Black Metal, was undoubtedly the right decision by Infernus and his horde in this album, truly expressing the most bestial instincts deeply entrenched inside the human being in the form of gruesome and elaborate Extreme Metal.

Best moments of the album: Dionysian Rite, Ad Omnipotens Aeterne Diabolus and Rage.

Worst moments of the album: Come Night.

Released in 2015 Soulseller Records

Track listing
1. Radix Malorum 3:14
2. Dionysian Rite 4:05
3. Ad Omnipotens Aeterne Diabolus 5:45
4. Come Night 2:41
5. Burn in His Light 4:02
6. Rage 4:03
7. Kala Brahman 5:23
8. Awakening 2:07

Band members
Atterigner – vocals
Infernus – guitars
Bøddel – bass
Asklund – drums

Album Review – Absconditus / Kατάβασις (2015)

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An obscure descent to the underworld in the form of extreme music by a talented Occult Black Metal act from France.

Rating5

IVR041 Absconditus_Katabasis_1600pxIn Greek mythology, Kατάβασις (pronounced “katabasis”) means a descent to the underworld, and that is exactly what you will feel while listening to the debut full-length album by French Occult Black Metal band Absconditus. By the way, the name of the band comes from Latin, meaning “occult” or “hidden”, which perfectly represents their musicality, lyrics and everything else. In other words, if you have the nerve to face such a cryptic band piercing your mind with their dark and deranged music, you may ultimately relish a distinct experience in Extreme Metal.

Founded in 2010 by guitarist/songwriter Loxias upon the ashes of French Cult Black/Death Metal band Borgia, Absconditus offer solid and dissonant melodies enhanced by hints of melancholy, drama and introspective tension, with Kατάβασις being the the initiatic path that one has to walk in order to gain freedom and mastery over existence in a demiurgic world, according to the band. Not only that, the whole album is sung entirely in French. Do you think this is already too much information to absorb? Well, wait until you read the rest of this review and, of course, listen to the entire album, and you’ll see this is just the beginning.

An intro that goes on for over three minutes like Prologue à l’Agonie (or “prologue to agony”, in English) gives you an idea of the obscure voyage that’s about to start. What begins in a slow and dark way suddenly becomes a massacre full of melancholy, setting the stage for the macabre Mystagogie des Limbes (“limbo mystagogy”), or the principles, doctrines, and practices of mysticism, powered by its beautiful lyrics (“L’effroi illumine ma voie, je perçois la ruine en eminence / Un oremus cristallin s’élève vers les cieux / La dualité de ma noblesse fait écho à la décadence des ages / Dans l’ascension vertigineuse de mon âme captive”) amidst an atmosphere generated by Blackened Doom. Is there a way vocalist Aliexagore could have sounded more desperate than this? Moreover, in my opinion its riffs somehow transport the listener to Norway due to their strong Black Metal-ish feeling.

3540396969_logoElegeía (Confession au Cénotaphe), or “elegy (confession at the cenotaph)”, which means an “empty tomb” or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere, brings forth a huge amount of darkness and disgrace, including a draconian invocation performed by Aliexagore, Loxias and Guillaume Pingard. Drummer Anderswo shows he’s an extremely technical musician whose skills contribute to add extra layers of violence and intricacy to the musicality, while Loxias seems to be hypnotized by the dark side, delivering truly demonic lines. And get ready for the ending climax of the song, it is outstanding. Darkening their sonority a bit more we have Exultet – L’Aurore Schismatique (“exultet – schismatic dawn”), the hymn of praise sung, ideally by a deacon, before the paschal candle during the Easter Vigil in the Roman Rite of Mass. It varies from atmospheric Doom Metal to pure Black Metal, with Aliexagore sounding even more satanic than in the previous tracks and with the addition of considerable dosages of progressiveness thanks to the talent of the musicians involved, as if Mastodon became a Black Metal act.

Hybris au Bord du Précipice (“hybris at the border of the precipice”), with the word “hybris” meaning extreme pride or self-confidence, is yet another exhibit of despair and chaos, and even if you don’t speak French you will love those lyrics (“Je partage le destin du fils de Prométhée / Sans assumer la puissance de l’affront / La semeuse d’étoiles attend mon retour / Nourrissant les espoirs de la vermine affamée”). The music itself is comprised of Occult and Progressive Black Metal professionally put together, where Loxias tries some new techniques that elevate the magnitude of the music, with highlights to the last part of the song being some kind of downward spiral to the depths of hell. And lastly, Le Nouvel Astre (“the new star”) is an instrumental outro as sinister as the intro, a dark but beautiful ending where the amazing guitar lines by Loxias are perfectly complemented by the complex beats by Anderswo.

Featuring an at the same time beautiful but eerie artwork by British artist Bethany White, Kατάβασις, which can be purchased at the I, Voidhanger Records BandCamp page, exhales darkness and complexity, making it a recommended choice for your extreme music collection. If a downward journey to the underworld is part of your plans, let this occult French act help you with the soundtrack.

Best moments of the album: Elegeía (Confession au Cénotaphe) and Hybris au Bord du Précipice.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing
1.Prologue à l’Agonie 3:30
2.Mystagogie des Limbes 8:46
3.Elegeía (Confession au Cénotaphe) 9:24
4.Exultet – L’Aurore Schismatique 8:39
5.Hybris au Bord du Précipice 7:56
6.Le Nouvel Astre 3:09

Band members
Aliexagore – session vocals
Loxias – guitars, bass
Anderswo – drums

Album Review – Down To Hell / V Zajatí Temnoty (2015)

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Let’s brave the world of Melodic and Symphonic Black Metal created by this talented Slovak six-piece band who sings entirely in their mother tongue.

Rating5

coverFounded in 2006 in the city of Malaciek (or Malacky), Slovakia, around 35 km north from the capital Bratislava, what Melodic/Symphonic Black Metal band Down To Hell have to offer the fan of heavy music goes beyond your usual symphonic and extreme elements. Their music relies heavily on contrasts, as in singing as well as their instrumental and lyrics written in the form of stories, providing a more complete experience to the listener. In addition, although they say they play Symphonic Black Metal, which instantly brings bands such as Dimmu Borgir to your mind, they sound rawer and more inclined to old school Black Metal than that.

However, the most noteworthy characteristic in the music by Down To Hell is the fact they did not “surrender” to the English language, singing their songs entirely in their mother tongue, Slovak, which adds an extra touch of darkness to their 2014/2015 debut full-length album V Zajatí Temnoty, or “Captive Darkness” in English. The only thing in English ends up being the band’s own name, which makes me wonder why they’re not called “Dole Do Pekla” instead. Anyway, let’s get down to business and see what V Zajatí Temnoty is made of.

Ticho Pred Búrkou, or “calm before the storm”, is exactly what this piano intro represents, and you can get a sense of how symphonic their music is before the actual storm begins in Pán Vetra, Búrky A Mrakov (“lord of wind, storms and clouds”), with the growls by singer/guitarist “Kani” Miroslav Gajdár matching perfectly with the musicality proposed while the keyboards by “Lubo” Ľubomír Müller complement the havoc created by the song’s guitar riffs and drums in a very interesting way. Slightly darker than the previous tune, Skazení (“wicked”) sounds almost like raw Black Metal in some instances but pure symphony in others, with the nice job done on guitars enhancing its overall quality. It’s the first song of the album to showcase the clean vocals by the gorgeous “Maťa” Martina Bilkovičová, who has a very good chemistry with Kani and his screams.

Keeping up with the previous songs, Bosorské Sólo is another great mix of extreme music and melodic instrumental, where it’s interesting to notice how drummer “Beňo” Dušan Šelc can easily change from a more rhythmic drumming to furious blast beats, providing more progressiveness to the music; followed by the “sudden attack” offered by the band in Krvavé Jazero (“bloody lake”). This song, which has a solid flow from start to finish, is how dark music should always be, with the smooth voice by Maťa being like a dream amidst its nightmare-ish beats. Unfortunately, the band disappoints a little in Prízrak (“phantom”), which despite starting differently than the other songs in a thrashier way, it doesn’t know if it’s Melodic Black Metal, Pop Metal or Symphonic Metal. It’s still an enjoyable tune, but below the album average especially as it’s not very clear what its final goal was.

dth_allThe final triade in V Zajatí Temnoty couldn’t have started in a better way than with Smrť (“death”), where not only the guitar lines by Kani and “Ťapo” Martin Matlovič sound amazing, but Kani also does an awesome job ranging from high-pitched roars to truly deep guttural. Besides, pay attention to how the band is able to sound cruel and harmonic at the same time, just like what Extreme Metal icons Cradle of Filth perfectly do, and you’ll understand why this is one of the top moments of the album. Then we have the dark ballad/waltz Nemŕtva Nevesta (“undead bride”), where the clean vocals by Maťa steal the show, achieving an even more pleasant performance due to the keyboard notes by Lubo; and finally the excellent Drak (“dragon”), a fast and metallic tune that has that amazing European touch to increase its quality and cohesiveness, including elements from genres such as Folk and Viking Metal, with Lubo and bassist “Miro” Miroslav Hulka being responsible for building the whole ambience for the rest of the band.

To sum up, if you want to brave the world of Symphonic Black Metal sung in its entirety in a language other than English, visit Down To Hell’s official Facebook page, YouTube channel, Bandzone.cz and, of course, buy their music at their BandCamp page. This six-piece Slovak band truly knows what they’re doing, and I’m sure their non-English words won’t restrain them from reaching new heights with their music so talented they are.

Best moments of the album: Pán Vetra, Búrky A Mrakov, Krvavé Jazero and Smrť.

Worst moments of the album: Prízrak.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Ticho Pred Búrkou 1:41
2. Pán Vetra, Búrky A Mrakov 5:26
3. Skazení 6:43
4. Bosorské Sólo 8:40
5. Krvavé Jazero 7:10
6. Prízrak 7:48
7. Smrť 6:39
8. Nemŕtva Nevesta 7:35
9. Drak 6:28

Band members
“Maťa” Martina Bilkovičová – clean vocals
“Kani” Miroslav Gajdár – guitar, screams, growls
“Ťapo” Martin Matlovič – guitar
“Miro” Miroslav Hulka – bass guitar
“Lubo” Ľubomír Müller – keyboards
“Beňo” Dušan Šelc – drums

Album Review – Dys Inbunden / One With Morbidity, The Opus Misanthropy (2015)

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Come worship the Other Side to the sound of the new demonic opus by this extremely talented and sinful Swedish cult.

Rating3

One-with-morbidity-the-opus-misanthrop_OmslagCall it “Deaosophic Metal”, Progressive Black Metal or simply Black Metal. The music disseminated by Dys Inbunden, one of the most nihilistic death obsessed bands in the world, in their masterfully chaotic new album One With Morbidity, The Opus Misanthropy, is going to hit you with an avalanche of depression, suicide, darkness and death beyond dispute. Even if you’re not a huge fan of extreme music, I strongly recommend you take a shot at this amazing album so intense it is.

Forged in the fires of Stockholm, Sweden in 2012 and after releasing their debut album (or their “first opus”, as the band refers to it) entitled Pandemonium Unchained in 2013, Dys Inbunden spent a dark period in 2014 recording their new opus with Honza Kapák at Hellsound Studio, in the Czech Republic. The result, as aforementioned, is awesomely professional and instigating, carving the band’s trademark on the global map of Extreme Metal. And now, after reading this quick intro about the hostile Dys Inbunden and their blasphemous creation One With Morbidity, The Opus Misanthropy, I dare you to hit play if you have the guts.

Well, if you were tough enough to do it, you’ll already face One With Morbidity, one half of the album title, which starts as the intro to some sort of occult ceremony that goes on for a while before a sonic apocalypse begins. What an outstanding production, where you can clearly listen to each instrument while at the same time it’s fuckin’ dark and heavy as hell. Not only that, Mr. Gefandi Ör Andlät knows how to desecrate our minds with his blustering screams. The second half of the album title, Opus Misanthropy, presents hints of Symphonic Black Metal in a poignant atmosphere, where even the clean cultic vocals sound intimidating, not to mention the spot-on orchestrations by Magister Nocturnal, which are not too portentous but adequate to the band’s purpose.

If you’re still alive and sane, the symphonic and devilish track Odious Worship Of Annihilation will mercilessly invade your soul, with Gefandi Ör Andlät sharpening his vocals to an even deeper satanic level while the instrumental keeps dense and extremely well-crafted. There’s not a single second of hope for over seven minutes of music in this tune, one of my favorites of the entire album hands down. Mischievous Paths Of Nocturnal Lust, the longest track of the album, doesn’t disappoint, with the duo of darkness offering us another Black Metal raid with extra layers of insanity, rhythmic variations and progressive passages. Its vocals and riffs are of course fiendish, and I’m sure you’ll feel your brain detaching from your skull to the sound of this evil feast. Then we have Through Demise and Decay, with its powerful riffs and harsh screams being its main ingredients, as well as those sick blast beats the way we love in Black Metal and a “chorus” that seems to incite a demonic worship; and The Illuminating Gaze Of Lucifer, where its Doom Metal vibe blended with the battering ram from Black Metal generate an interesting outcome. Moreover, as the name of the song contains the word “Lucifer”, it’s quite obvious the prince of darkness must be honored to be the inspiration for it.

dys inbundenDraconigena, a word that means “dragon-born” or “someone or something born of a dragon”, showcases Dys Inbunden spitting fire through their music. This is a very progressive and extreme tune, with highlights to the superb guitar lines by Gefandi Ör Andlät and its venomous ambience, sounding like three or four different songs in a combination of complexity and bestiality, and I guess I don’t need to say how solid the final result is. And continuing with the innovative names, Larva Pazuzu is the union of the words “larvae”, which in Roman mythology means a malevolent spirit of the dead or “a terrifying mask”, and “Pazuzu”, which in Assyrian and Babylonian mythology was the king of the demons of the wind and son of the god Hanbi, also representing the southwestern wind, the bearer of storms and drought. The music itself couldn’t be more direct, an awesome massacre where both Gefandi Ör Andlät and Magister Nocturnal sound deeply infuriated (and whoever is playing the drums is a beast).

Just when you think they’re going to take a break amidst so many wicked tunes, they continue their path of destruction with Nihilist Pariah, a raw old school Black Metal tune tailored for diehard black metallers, boosted by the deluxe production of the album, followed by Crown Of Carcosa, another masterful display of extreme music where the nuances of darkness brought forth by its symphonic elements sound really interesting. And what starts as a song by Opeth or Dream Theather evolves to a deranged but very melodic carnage in He Who Worships Death, with highlights to its high-end drumming and the uproar caused by the demonic voice of Gefandi Ör Andlät. Lastly, we have the frenetic Dimension Of Nihility, as vile as it can be, with the flawless support provided by Magister Nocturnal allowing Gefandi Ör Andlät to add more experimentations and a stronger taste to the music, and nothing is more suitable to end this Black Metal rite than a melancholic piano outro, named Without Life And Movement.

To be fair, it’s extremely difficult to summarize this Stygian masterpiece in just a few lines, so I deeply recommend you go like their Facebook page and check their music on YouTube, as well as buy One With Morbidity, The Opus Misanthropy at their official webstore, at the Liflätinn Productions webstore, on Amazon or at many other locations to really feel their music in your flesh. In other words, it’s time for us all to worship the Other Side to the sound of the new amazing opus by this talented and sinful Swedish cult.

Best moments of the album: Odious Worship Of Annihilation, Through Demise and Decay, Draconigena and Larva Pazuzu.

Worst moments of the album: Opus Misanthropy.

Released in 2015 Liflätinn Productions

Track listing
1. One With Morbidity 6:47
2. Opus Misanthropy 6:56
3. Odious Worship Of Annihilation 7:47
4. Mischievous Paths Of Nocturnal Lust 9:04
5. Through Demise and Decay 8:07
6. The Illuminating Gaze Of Lucifer 8:59
7. Draconigena 6:25
8. Larva Pazuzu 3:38
9. Nihilist Pariah 7:54
10. Crown Of Carcosa 5:35
11. He Who Worships Death 6:49
12. Dimension Of Nihility 6:07
13. Without Life And Movement 2:31

Band members
Gefandi Ör Andlät – vocals, lead guitar
Magister Nocturnal – bass, piano, orchestrations