Tag Archives: misery

Album Review – Ciemra / The Tread of Darkness (2023)

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Behold the magnificent debut opus by this Belarusian Black Metal horde, based on the denial of the usual foundations of the world, on the darkest manifestations of human activity, and on energies hidden beyond the Dark Abyss.

Forged in the scorching fires of Minsk, Belarus in 2019, when five essences emerged from the abyss to the veils of night on the eve of the end times in order to reap the living, to satisfy the hunger of darkness and to nourish the wombs of the dark gods, the venomous Melodic Black Metal horde Ciemra (or Цемра, which means “darkness” in Belarusian) delivers fast-paced, cold and pure Black Metal which is looking at both the classic European sound and its more contemporary interpretations, which is exactly what you’ll find in their newborn opus titled The Tread of Darkness. Recorded at Alma Studio, mixed and mastered by Yaroslav Tseluyko at Jaro Sound, and displaying a demonic artwork by Nestor Povarnin, The Tread Of Darkness is based on the denial of the usual foundations of the world, on the darkest manifestations of human activity, and on energies hidden beyond the Dark Abyss, masterfully brought into being by the witch Malvain on vocals, Misery and Zima on the guitars, Kurz on bass, and Sønn on drums.

The acoustic guitars by Misery and Zima will mesmerize your soul accompanied by the slow and steady beast by Sønn in Ciemra, before the Belarusian sorceress Malvain begins gnarling in a dark and beautiful manner, with the music growing in intensity until becoming a sulfurous and grandiose feast of undisputed Black Metal. After such impactful start, the band continues to distill their blend of Melodic Black Metal with old school, raw Black Metal in Four Riders, with the band’s guitar duo cutting our skin deep with their evil riffage, followed by Vomiting Void, very melodious and bestial from the very first second while showcasing devilish lyrics growled by Malvain (“Burning the world / Building the temple / In the end of the night / There’s a Vomiting Void / So far material awake the gun”). And investing in a more cadenced, obscure sonority led by the classic drums by Sønn supported by the low-tuned bass by Kurz, Call of the Ancestors is an evil composition perfect for summoning evil spirits.

Then continuing to pave their path to pitch black darkness it’s time for War, again presenting the trademark roars by Malvain while Misery and Zima add elements from Death and Doom Metal to their riffs; and their piercing, strident guitars keep darkening the skies in A Night for the Death, where their Blackened Doom vein arises like a creature from the netherworld, with Kurz and Sønn once again hammering our heads with their demonic kitchen in a lecture in extreme music. The eerie vociferations by Malvain are the main ingredient in the Black Metal extravaganza Winter, where the caustic sound of their guitars will blacken your mind for all eternity, whereas in Serpent’s we face more of their infernal words (“The shaking Serpent / In the Abyss / The Raw materials / I’m on my knees…”) while the music is just as Stygian and heavy as the rest of the album, exploding into a gargantuan onrush of pure Black Metal at the end. Lastly, closing such somber album we have Where the Eyes Close, offering more of the band’s darkly melodic and grim Black Metal for our total delight, with its ethereal passages creating a stunning paradox with the band’s more visceral and violent side.

The bestial debut album by such promising Belarusian horde can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you consider yourself a true servant of darkness you can purchase your favorite version of the album from their own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave as a digipak CD, a black vinyl or a color vinyl, from Season of Mist also as a digipak CD or a color vinyl, from Record Shop X, or from Apple Music. Furthermore, don’t forget to start following Ciemra on Facebook, on Instagram and on VKontakte for news, tour dates and so on, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their wicked music and videos. Nature, in its primordial beauty and originality, also finds a place in The Tread Of Darkness, as there is where Ciemra find themselves at peace, but the exact opposite of that peace is what the quintet will offer you throughout the entire album, relentlessly dragging you toward endless darkness.

Best moments of the album: Ciemra, Vomiting Void, A Night for the Death and Where the Eyes Close.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Ciemra 7:09
2. Four Riders 4:41
3. Vomiting Void 3:52
4. Call of the Ancestors 4:59
5. War 5:49
6. A Night for the Death 5:43
7. Winter 4:48
8. Serpent’s 4:28
9. Where the Eyes Close 5:00

Band members
Malvain – vocals
Misery – guitar
Zima – guitar
Kurz – bass
Sønn – drums

Album Review – Dark Station / Down in The Dark (2019)

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Get ready for an overdose of heavy riffs, groovy sounds and soaring vocals by five talented guys who are among us to prove once and for all that modern rock music is alive and kicking.

In the spring of 2018, five Southern California musicians (Nathan Spades on vocals, Kyle Ort and David Bruno on the guitars, Eric Sinful on bass, and Dylan Roy on drums) came together to form a new band with the ability to seamlessly transition from crushingly heavy riffs to unforgettably haunting melodies and lyrics, leaving their respective project behind. That band is Hard Rock/Alternative Metal unity Dark Station, who are ready to unleash upon us their debut album entitled Down in the Dark, poised to cement the band’s name as a commendable force in the rock world. Put differently, get ready for an overdose of heavy riffs, groovy sounds, soaring vocals and electrifying passages by five talented guys who are among us to prove once and for all that modern rock music is alive and kicking.

A futuristic intro explodes into modern-day Alternative Metal in Ryse, where the groovy bass punches by Eric will make your head tremble while Nathan begins his enraged vocal attack amidst screeching guitar noises, resulting in a beyond solid welcome card by the band. Then drinking form the same fountain as icons like Nine Inch Nails, Marylin Manson and Korn, the quintet fires Heroes, a dark and melodic tune where Kyle and David once again pierce our ears with their riffs, not to mention its ominous aura, followed by New Age, with another wicked intro morphing into rumbling metal music, sounding very atmospheric and heavy. Moreover, Eric and his menacing bass are on fire throughout this headbanging song that perfectly depicts what modern American metal is all about. And Villain is even more alternative than all previous songs, showcasing a great job done by both Kyle and David on the guitars with their flammable riffs while Nathan’s vocals get more obscure and wicked, bringing an extra touch of lunacy to the overall musicality.

No Life sounds like the music from all bands from that period where we got Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace and so on, and although it might not be as vibrant as the other songs, its lyrics match perfectly with the music (“Summers eyes / Frienemies / Car exhaust  / I can’t believe / Something else was inside me / yeah  / You’ve gotta fight it alone now / It’s out of control”), whereas the born-to-be-a-radio-hit Obvious brings to our ears the utterly melodic bass punches by Eric while Nathan darkly declaims the song’s words (“We take the pain / Every day / Could we be the same / On the other side / I’ll try my luck again / Again / You know it’s not enough / For me”).After that awesome display of rock music we have Hollow, another somber, pensive creation by Dark Station where Nathan exhales melancholy from his vocals and with Dylan pounding his drums with tons of precision, also bringing crisp guitar solos and a huge dosage of anger for our total delight.

Leaning towards the most contemporary form of American Alternative Rock and Metal, Misery is a great option to be part of a soundtrack for hitting the road, with all instruments filling every single space in the air, therefore providing Nathan all he needs to thrive on vocals. Ghost keeps the album at a high level of adrenaline, flirting with Industrial Rock and Metal but keeping the band’s core essence intact. Not only that, Eric and Dylan make a very effective dynamic duo, bringing thunder to the music with their instruments; and modernized, metallic sounds keep permeating the air in Locked On, with its background futuristic touch helping enhance the impact of each instrument considerably, especially the guitars by Kyle and David alternating between more serene moments and razor-edged sounds. As their final blast of Alternative Metal, we’re treated to more of the band’s radio-ready rockin’ music in the form of Visions, where slashing riffs are powerfully complemented by the crushing bass by Eric and Dylan’s rhythmic beats, ending in a desperate and captivating way.

What are you waiting for to show those talented Southern Californians your support and appreciation? Go check what they’re up to on Facebook, subscribe to their YouTube channel, bang your head to their music on Spotify, and get ready to rock to the sound of Down in The Dark sooner than you think by pre-ordering your copy of the album from the band’s official website or from Apple Music. There’s a new age of American Alternative Rock and Metal coming, and based on the quality and electricity flowing from Dark Station’s debut album I’m more than certain we’ll see those guys spearheading that very welcome movement in the coming years.

Best moments of the album: Ryse, Hollow and Misery.

Worst moments of the album: No Life.

Released in 2019 Independent

Track listing
1. Ryse 3:37
2. Heroes 4:19
3. New Age 3:09
4. Villain 3:55
5. No Life 3:09
6. Obvious 4:01
7. Hollow 3:13
8. Misery 3:00
9. Ghost 4:20
10. Locked On 3:23
11. Visions 4:34

Band members
Nathan Spades – vocals
Kyle Ort – guitar
David Bruno – guitar
Eric Sinful – bass
Dylan Roy – drums

Album Review – Dormanth / IX Sins (2018)

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Succumb to the dark side with the well-crafted and entertaining collection of crushing, riff-oriented Doom and Death Metal tunes by an old school act hailing from Spain.

Born in Bilbao, Spain in January 1993 after various experiences of its components in different bands, such as Nopresion, Beer Mosh and Elbereth, Melodic Doom/Death Metal act Dormanth went on an almost 20-year hibernation period in 1996 after releasing their debut album Valley of Dreams, in 1995, breaking the silence in 2015 with the release of the EP Voice of the Soul… Under the Tears of Sun, followed by the full-length album Winter Comes, in 2016. And it looks like Dormanth are on a roll on this second phase of the band, as their brand new album, titled IX Sins, is an extremely well-crafted and entertaining collection of crushing, riff-oriented metal tunes that will certainly drag your soul into pitch black darkness.

Comprised of founding member Oscar del Val on vocals and guitar, Javi Prieto on lead guitar, newcomer Miguel A. Richart on bass and Victor Franquelo on drums, Dormanth are an unstoppable Extreme Metal machine in IX Sins, delivering nine pestilent, heavier-than-hell compositions (or maybe we should call them “sins”) that will please most fans of the darker and more lugubrious vibe of the fusion between Doom and Death Metal. Furthermore, Spanish artist Igor “Mugi” Mugerza (Abigor Artwork) is again the artist chosen for the cover art concept, with the nine knights (clearly inspired by the Nazgûl, from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings) representing all the heaviness and obscurity present in the music by Dormanth.

Oscar and Javi begin their Black Metal-riffage onrush in the opening track Human Claim, a pounding funeral march that tells us all darkness is about to take over our minds in a dense and potent hybrid of Doom and Death Metal with melodic influences. After such strong start, the strident sound of guitars keeps permeating the air in another atmospheric and melodic composition titled Lamb Or Wolf, with the band’s guitar duo accelerating their riffs until all hell breaks loose. Moreover, the vocals by Oscar get more putrid and devilish as the music progresses, while Victor becomes the band’s driving force with his potent beats. And in Let See The Wood, we’re treated to a frantic and furious Death Metal extravaganza with Thrash Metal and Hardcore influences where Victor and Miguel simply demolish their instruments. Hence, the nonstop violence contained in this gripping tune will certainly set the crowd on fire during their live performances.

Slowing things down considerably and venturing through the realms of modern Doom Metal, the band offers the listener Like Ice, keeping a solid pace and providing Oscar exactly what he needs to fire his deep, enraged growls; followed by Promised Land, where Dormanth get back to a more piercing mix of Death and Black Metal. During its almost five minutes, Victor delivers from blast beats to rhythmic, galloping moments, while the band’s guitarists keep the sound cohesive and gripping with their riffs and solos. And the sixth “sin” of the album, entitled Soul Shall Die, once again leans towards more old school, sluggish Doom Metal, with Oscar growls being in perfect sync with Victor’s steady beats.

Misery is a potent, galloping tune with tons of shredding and demented beats and fills, showcasing an almost-Black Metal sound mixed with old school Death Metal and, as a consequence, reminding me of some of the creations by Swedish masters Unleashed; whereas The Skin, the second to last display of blackened sounds by Dormanth, begins with an old school guitar solo before all instruments explode, generating a menacing atmosphere, while its second half is a feast of shredding and blast beats intertwined with an eerie female voice. And closing this obscure album we have another threatening tune named Sands Of Frozen Tears, yet again displaying the band’s solid instrumental and Oscar’s deep growls, albeit not as vibrant as the rest of the album.

The dark and sinister realm of Dormanth can be better explored by visiting their Facebook page, and if you want to put your hands on IX Sins simply go to the band’s BandCamp page, to the Necromance Records’ Big Cartel or webshop, to the Dead Sheep Productions’ webshop, or to Discogs. Dormanth are also beyond ready to hit the road and bring to the stage the same energy and darkness flowing from their music, with the only difference being that their live lineup has studio bassist Miguel on the lead guitar (instead of bass), Isma Fernandez on bass, and original member Javi Martinez on drums, but of course still spearheaded by Oscar on vocals and guitar. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t really matter if you prefer staying home to listen to their studio version of the songs or if seeing them live is what really excites you, as long as you succumb to their captivating fusion of Death and Doom Metal.

Best moments of the album: Lamb Or Wolf, Let See The Wood and Misery.

Worst moments of the album: Sands Of Frozen Tears.

Released in 2018 Necromance Records/Base Record Production/Dead Sheep Productions

Track listing  
1. Human Claim 4:02
2. Lamb Or Wolf 4:29
3. Let See The Wood 4:46
4. Like Ice 4:38
5. Promised Land 4:55
6. Soul Shall Die 4:08
7. Misery 4:26
8. The Skin 4:32
9. Sands Of Frozen Tears 5:02

Band members
Oscar del Val – vocals, guitar
Javi Prieto – lead guitar
Miguel A. Richart – bass
Victor Franquelo – drums

Live members
Oscar del Val – vocals, guitar
Miguel A. Richart – lead guitar
Isma Fernandez – bass
Javi Martinez – drums