A bottomless ocean of emotions, worlds and experiences connected into something much larger, absorbing and liberating in the form of the debut album by an innovative trio from Russia.
Hailing from Moscow, Russia, the Black and Doom Metal trio known as Dunwich doesn’t limit themselves to just those two subgenres of heavy music, also adding to their music an array of distinguished elements from Darkwave, Post-Punk, Post-Rock and Progressive Rock, among others, resulting in a unique sound that frontwoman Margarita Dunwich has been crafting together with guitarist and keyboardist Anton Bronikov and drummer Mikhail Markelov since the band’s inception in 2018. Together, Dunwich are an attempt to dive into the bottomless ocean of your emotions, which is exactly what they’re offering us all in their debut effort entitled Tail-Tied Hearts, with each song from the album representing a separate world and a separate experience, but with all of those worlds and experiences being connected into something much larger, absorbing and liberating, showcasing the paradoxical beauty of the creations by those talented and passionate Russian musicians.
The phantasmagorical keys by Anton ignite the dark and sinister Glow, bringing forward elements from Atmospheric and Depressive Black Metal to their smoother sonority, setting the stage for Margarita to shine with her piercing vocals and roars in Through the Dense Woods, bringing forward doomed sounds perfect for Margarita to darkly declaim its cryptic lyrics (“Crawling bugs along the spine / You feel them, that’s what you’re think / Wolf howl in the ears and webs in hair / Slobbering mouth of fear exuding stink”), sounding cinematic, dense and Stygian from start to finish. And the gentle, acoustic guitar lines by Anton permeate the air in Solitude, with Margarita simply stealing the spotlight with her introspective and mesmerizing vocals while Mikhail delivers minimalist and at the same time tribal beats in this modern Darkwave composition, followed by Wooden Heart, where futuristic sounds and tones warm up our souls in one of the most progressive and groovier of all tracks, with Anton doing a superb job with both his riffs and keys, resulting in a lighter but still obscure version of modern-day Doom Metal.
Anton comes ripping once again with his Phantom of the Opera-inspired organs, generating a menacing ambience before the band ventures through more rockin’ and visceral lands in Mouth of Darkness, a lesson in Post-Metal where Mikhail dictates the rhythm with his classic beats in a fusion of the music by Cradle of Filth with Sisters of Mercy and Type O Negative, all spiced up by the witch-like roars by Margarita, whereas Fall is another grim and pensive creation where Margarita, Anton and Mikhail offer the listener a Post-Black Metal aria focusing on the serene vocal lines by our stunning frontwoman, growing in intensity until reaching a truly Stygian vibe. Sanctuary is a folk-ish song full of ethereal passages and an embracing atmosphere, with Anton alternating between gentle guitar lines and heavy-as-hell riffs while Mikhail brings sheer doom to the overall result with his sluggish beats, before The Sea concludes the album in the best possible way you can imagine. The song couldn’t have started in a more doomed and melancholic way, with Anton slashing his guitar in great fashion in over nine minutes of somber passages, classy beats and the always hypnotizing voice by Margarita, flowing smoothly and beautifully until its climatic finale.
If you have what it takes to dive into the dark and embracing world ruled by Dunwich, simply follow them on Instagram and on VKontakte for news and other nice-to-know details about the band, subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music and stunning videos, and of course purchase their newborn opus Tail-Tied Hearts from the Caligari Records’ BandCamp page or from Amazon. Margarita and her loyal bandmates might be a new face to the world of heavy music, but the high level of professionalism and the top-of-the-line production of their debut album make them look like true veterans to the scene, proving not only that they know exactly what they’re doing, but also that there’s nothing better than a wild and gripping fusion of dark music styles to flawlessly depict the never-ending rollercoaster of emotions we end up experiencing every single day of our lives.
Best moments of the album: Through the Dense Woods, Wooden Heart and Mouth of Darkness.
Worst moments of the album:Solitude.
Released in 2020 Caligari Records
Track listing 1. Glow 2:43
2. Through the Dense Woods 4:35
3. Solitude 5:46
4. Wooden Heart 5:47
5. Mouth of Darkness 6:39
6. Fall 5:28
7. Sanctuary 5:45
8. The Sea 9:13
Band members
Margarita Dunwich – vocal
Anton Bronikov – guitars, keyboards
Mikhail Markelov – drums
An infernal American duo is back with more of their sonic madness in their vicious new opus, instantly pulling you in with its killer mix of melodic and dissonant riffing.
Formed in 2015 in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the United States by vocalist and guitarist Andy Schoengrund (Coagulate, Empires, Wolvhammer) together with drummer Andrew Reesen (Censer), Feral Light are a mysterious enigma playing grim and sorrowful Black Metal entwined with savage and unyielding Crust Punk, resulting in what can be labeled as “Blackened Post-Metal”. After a demo, an EP and two full-length albums, this unyielding force of darkness returns in 2020 with their third full-length installment titled Life Vapor, building up on the foundations of its predecessor while increasing the intensity of the music displayed. Recorded and mixed by Kyle Kaliszewski, mastered by James Plotkin (Plotkinworks), and featuring a minimalist and obscure artwork by Unexpected Specter, Life Vapor instantly pulls you in with its killer mix of melodic and dissonant riffing, combining and incorporating various styles including elements of Post-Metal, Black N’ Roll, Doom Metal and Second-Wave Black Metal, materializing as a downcast howl of war-torn vocals funneled through a lyrical content dealing with mysticism and inner struggle.
Experimental and futuristic sounds kick off the scorching opening tune Blood in Sand, with Andrew blasting his drums with tons of rage and precision while Andy barks the song’s grim, austere lyrics rabidly (“A way forward scrawled on obscure hands / Scorched by the touch of the expanse / Grasp past the sun, tethers unravel / Pull from the dark and carry forth”). Then leaning towards classic Norwegian Black Metal we have the massive Assuage, with Andy not only vociferating like a demonic entity but also firing sharp and acid riffs accompanied by Andrew’s infernal drums, also bringing forward an amazing balance between Andy’s strident guitar and his low-tuned bass; and displaying a huge dosage of Doom Metal added to the band’s core sonority, we’re treated to the ominous and heavy-as-hell Walking Tomb, alternating between otherworldly, lugubrious moments and sheer savagery, with Andy’s guitar riffs once again cutting our skin deep without a single drop of mercy.
Exhaling progressiveness, obscurity and harmony, the duo jams in the lands of doom in Last Gasp Invocation, generating an enfolding atmosphere before all hell breaks loose, with the music gradually morphing into a visceral Black Metal onslaught, whereas modern-day Black Metal sounds and tones permeate the air in Hex of Inverses, where both Andy and Andrew sound at the same time venomous and very melodic with their respective weapons. Needless to say, their music will mercilessly penetrate deep inside your psyche and make your skull tremble. And finally, Andy’s slashing riffage and Andrew’s vicious beats will invite you to slam into the pit in the closing tune In Summation, presenting a sulfurous hybrid of old school Black Metal with more contemporary stiles the likes of Post-Metal and Melodic Black Metal, ending the album on a high and Stygian note.
If you want to give Life Vapor a shot, you can enjoy the album in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but as usual in order to truly support underground metal music I highly recommend you purchase a copy of the album from the band’s official BandCamp page, from the Hypnotic Dirge Records’ BandCamp page or webstore (in regular CD format or as a fantastic bundle including the CD, an exclusive T-shirt, a patch and a sticker), as well as from Apple Music and from Amazon. The infernal Minneapolis-based duo known as Feral Light, who are also waiting for you on Facebook, are definitely paving a very interesting path ahead of them with the constant evolution found in their music, with Life Vapor being undoubtedly their most cohesive and multi-layered work to date. Having said that, you might be asking yourself “what’s next for Feral Light?” Well, only darkness will tell.
Best moments of the album: Assuage and Last Gasp Invocation.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2020 Hypnotic Dirge Records
Track listing 1. Blood in Sand 7:32
2. Assuage 6:36
3. Walking Tomb 7:18
4. Last Gasp Invocation 7:26
5. Hex of Inverses 5:30
6. In Summation 5:03
Band members Andy Schoengrund – vocals, guitars, bass
Andrew Reesen – drums
Join those French metallers in the pitch-black streets of Paris to the sound of their new EP, filling the void and hatred that we bring to ourselves and to others.
A cryptic Paris, France-based Black Metal entity that goes by the stylish name of Acedia Mundi (which translates from Latin as “the world’s apathy”) is back in action three years after the release of their debut opus Speculum Humanae Salvationis with a brand new and exctinig EP entitled Selfhatred.Addiction, highly recommended for fans of what the band itself likes to call “Urban Black Metal”. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Nidstang Studio and featuring a Stygian artwork designed by the talented Faquin (Epectase, Imperial Triumphant), based on a shot from the 1995 film The Addiction by Abel Ferrara, Selfhatred.Addiction is a solid step in the career of the band currently comprised of vocalist and guitarist V., guitarist T., bassist W. and drummer A., pointing to a bright future ahead of them. Selfhatred.Addiction is S.H.S’ gnarly little brother. A turning point for us soundwise as our cold and surgical identity got warmer and passionate without abandoning our psychological trademark. This release deals with themes related to wandering, an aimless life, other than raw and bestial debauchery to fill the void and hatred that we bring to ourselves and to others. Three years have passed and a lot has happened for Acedia Mundi. We went from studio project to live band and a founding member was left behind. After a lot of line-up changes we are now working on a second album that will be released in 2021,” commented the band about their new EP.
The opening tune Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (I Will Kill You) couldn’t have started in a more obscure, crude and venomous way, with V. growling like a demonic entity while A. crushes and hammers his drums manically in an amazing display of contemporary Black Metal. Then we’re treated to almost six minutes of pulverizing German Black Metal with a vibrant French twist in their cover version for Katharsis’ 666 (Hohelied Der Wiedererweckung), featuring guest guitarist G. (Atavisma), where V. and T. are ruthless with their vile riffage accompanied by the low-tuned, eerie bass by W., living up to the epicness and sulfur from the original version from Katharsis’ 2000 album 666. After such demolishing tune it’s time for the second original track of the EP, Dic(k)hter, blending classic Black Metal with modern-day Post-Metal and Experimental Black Metal and sounding as wicked and austere as it can be. Moreover, the sick barks by V. are perfectly complemented by the infernal shredding and demonic beats blasted by his bandmates, making your head tremble throughout its four intense minutes. And lastly, featuring D. (Sanctuary) on the guitars, Acedia Mundi arise from the pits of the underworld with a grandiose tribute to The Stooges in I Wanna Be Your Dog, originally released in their 1969 self-titled debut album (check the original version HERE). I truly love Slayer’s cover version known as “I’m Gonna Be Your God” from their 1994 album Undisputed Attitude, but I must admit the guys from Acedia Mundi also nailed it with their scorching Black Metal vibe.
In case you’re curious to listen to the band’s new compositions and cover songs from Selfhatred.Addiction, you can take a full listen at the EP on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course to keep the band inspired to move forward and to keep delivering their extreme music for many years to come you should also purchase your desired version of the EP from their own BandCamp page, from MusikÖ_Eye’s webstore in CD, cassette or as a CD + cassette + poster special bundle, from Apple Music or from Amazon. In addition, don’t forget to follow those talented French metallers on Facebook and on Instagram to know more about their future projects, including their upcoming full-length album in 2021. Acedia Mundi definitely bring a breath of fresh (or maybe I should say sulfurous) air to the Extreme Metal scene with their new EP, leaving us eager for more of their music in the coming months and, consequently, more than ready to join them in their quest for heavy music in the pitch-black streets of Paris.
Best moments of the album: Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (I Will Kill You) and I Wanna Be Your Dog.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2020 MusikÖ_Eye
Track listing 1. Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (I Will Kill You) 5:41
2. 666 (Hohelied Der Wiedererweckung) (Katharsis cover) 5:55
3. Dic(k)hter 4:05
4. I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges cover) 3:27
Band members
V. – vocals, guitars
T. – guitars
W. – bass
A. – drums
Guest musicians D. – guitars on “I Wanna Be Your Dog”
G. – guitars on “666 (Hohelied Der Wiedererweckung)”
As summer is just around the corner in the Northern Hemisphere, let’s take a trip to a place known not for its hot and warm weather, but for its wet and cool climate, which by the way has led to the growth of extensive forests featuring some of the largest trees in the world. I’m talking about the region known as the Pacific Northwest, in the United States, more specifically the city of Corvallis, located in central western Oregon and around 120km from the state’s largest city Portland, where our metal chick of the month, the unrelenting Malaysian-born vocalist Avienne Low, frontwoman for Progressive/Melodic Death/Black Metal unity Vintersea, has been embellishing the Pacific Northwestern airwaves with her powerful voice since moving from Penang, a state in northwest Malaysia, to pursue her studies in American soil. As you’ll be able to see, you’ll be absolutely stunned by Avienne with both her clean, delicate vocals and her infernal roars, showcasing all her vocal range and talent as the lead singer for Vintersea.
Married to a guy called Nick Kiuttu in Keizer, a city located in Marion County, Oregon, in 2016, which led her to use the name Avienne Kiuttu for a while (and because she switched back to Avienne Low I have absolutely no idea if she’s still married), Avienne started her life and career in music when she found an acoustic guitar in a box under her parents’ bed when she was 11 years old, and after having the guitar dusted and tuned, she discovered her passion for singing and performing while playing covers and originals for her family and friends. During her college years, her love for performing grew bigger as she joined an all-ladies a capella group named Divine, a small group of singers hand-picked from Oregon State University’s Bella Voce that began in 2003, with whom she stayed for about a year and a half before fully directing her focus on being the vocalist for Vintersea. Avienne also stated that “I absolutely love fronting the band, and my past experiences have cultivated my ongoing passion for singing, screaming, and performing.”
Regarding her career with Vintersea, as you might already know they are a female-fronted metal band from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, from the aforementioned city of Corvallis, born in 2016 from the ashes of a previous incarnation of the band itself when it was called Asterion, combining the essential elements of metal’s most revered sub-genres with memorable and anthemic song-writing sensibility, therefore crafting a unique brand of crushing Blackened Progressive Metal inspired by the dark skies of the Pacific Northwest and leading the band to share the stage with renowned acts the likes of Jinjer, Ne Obliviscaris and Arkona, among others.
Shortly after entering the United States, Avienne found her home with Vintersea, with guitarists Riley Nix and Jorma Spaziano, drummer Jeremy Spencer and bassist Karl Whinnery rounding out their current lineup. The band was actually born in the summer of 2014 under its previous moniker Asterion when high school friends Riley and Jeremy put out an ad on Craigslist searching for the right musicians to form a new metal act, with Avienne and Jorma (who had moved to Oregon from the east coast, not even sure he was going to be in a band anymore) responding to their ad based on a few early demos. They quickly got together and started jamming out, and it felt like a really good fit right away, which led them to start working on music and playing a few shows as Asterion, which by the way was based on stars and constellations, leaning towards a modern and progressive side of music, almost to a Djent vibe, releasing that same year a five-track EP titled Constellations, which you can enjoy in its entirety HERE or HERE.
However, despite the high-quality of the music found in their debut EP, Riley, Avienne & Co. figured out pretty quick that the music by Asterion wasn’t exactly what they wanted to do. Heavily inspired by European Black Metal, Atmospheric Metal and Post-Metal, the band started playing a hybrid of Progressive and Melodic Metal types, making the collective decision to delve headfirst into that and develop their own sound and later changing their name to Vintersea, with “Vinter” being winter and “sea” because they are from the Pacific Northwest, as grey ocean waves are a heavy asthetic. After such significant changes, they released two official full-length albums, The Gravity of Fall, in 2017, and more recently Illuminated, in 2019, and you can enjoy several top-notch music videos for some of the best songs from both albums on YouTube, such as Illuminated, The Host, Skies Set Ablaze, Old Ones and Entities, as well as their official tour video for the song The Gravity of Fall, and you can also go to Spotify or BandCamp for more of their stylish creations. Furthermore, there are some great interviews with Avienne on YouTube where you can get to know more about her role with Vintersea, such as this one given to Metal Shop Steve where she talks about their 2019 album Illuminated and their music videos, and this one to Dani Zed Reviews where they talk about several topics including their albums, the feedback received on them and their live performances.
Avienne has already made it pretty clear in several interviews that she wants to be a great metal vocalist, not just ‘great for a female’ metal vocalist, as almost all of her main influences are male vocalists or bands with male vocalists, including Ghost Iris, Disentomb, Unprocessed, Logic, Devin Townsend, Ne Obliviscaris, Enslaved, Ihsahn, Between the Buried and Me, Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir, TesseracT and Skyharbor, to name a few, with her vocal idol being Chris Barretto, from bands such as Ever Forthright, Monuments, Periphery and Haunted Shores. In addition, when Avianne was asked about how she discovered metal music and which artists and bands caught her attention while she was growing up in Malaysia, our talented vocalist answered by saying that because she didn’t have access to online platforms like BandCamp almost all the music she listened to as a child was either from the radio or MTV, mentioning Linkin Park from their Hybrid Theory days as a huge influence when she was only around seven years old. During the following decade, she got obsessed with discovering new metal bands after listening to the 2010 album Long Live, by American Metalcore act The Chariot, with bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, Between the Buried and Me and Converge fueling her obsession. As she didn’t play any sports nor go to the beach at that time, she spent hours and hours developing her taste for metal and finding lesser-known bands online. Also, when questioned about which song by any artist she wishes she could have written, Avienne mentioned Celestial Violence, from the 2016 album Arktis. by Norway’s own Ihsahn, as Vintersea were all listening to Arktis. a lot during the recording of The Gravity of Fall, and that song in particular spoke to all band members with its severe changes in dynamics and epic conclusion.
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Regarding her vocal style, Avienne said that learning how to do harsh vocals and finding the perfect formula to combine them with her clean singing wasn’t an easy task at first. She complemented by saying that she started doing harsh vocals because she wanted to scream along to her favorite bands at that time, and there was a lot of trial and error while she was developing her style, also saying that one of her main techniques was to record herself, study those recordings, and look for areas of improvement, becoming familiar and comfortable with her own screams and playing around with different tones and styles to see what worked best. She also said that it is not only important to be aware of how your body feels when learning to scream, but to be patient throughout the process, complementing by mentioning that she takes care of her voice by doing vocal warm-ups and relaxing a little before hitting the stage, and avoiding spicy food prior to any concert because it’s not a good feeling to jump around the stage with a “ball of fire” burning inside her stomach.
Her view of the music industry is also quite interesting, as she said that in many ways she thinks the music industry has never been healthier, with the power being concentrated in the hands of the fans, the small labels, writers and so on, with the big, faceless corporations having lost most of the power they once had, letting truly innovative and independent bands to reach a much broader audience due to the evolution and changes to internet distribution. As long as fans keep listening to Vintersea’s music, buying their merchandise and supporting them at their live performances, Avienne said she’ll continue to write beautiful and meaningful music together with her bandmates, which is exactly what we all desire, don’t you agree? And talking about touring and live concerts, Avienne said one of Vintersea’s most memorable shows was when they shared the stage with the talented female-fronted Graveshadow, Mindmaze, Sirenia and Arkona at the Bossanova Ballroom downtown Portland in 2017, also saying that there are countless other bands they would love to play shows with or tour with, but as they’re all hugely fond of the guys in Ne Obliviscaris, she thinks it would be simply fantastic to have the opportunity to spend time on the road with that level of talent.
As it happens with pretty much all women who decide to venture through the realms of metal music, Avienne has also been asked countless times about how she sees the importance and influence of women in a music genre that’s still considered sexist by many, and her answers couldn’t have been more spot-on. “My advice is to acknowledge that misogynists and sexists are there, but don’t give them any fuel to their hateful fire. Don’t turn their hate into your hate. Focus on what makes you happy. If you focus on yourself, not only you will be happier in the long run, but your happiness and success will annoy the haters. It’s a win-win situation,” said our stunning vocalist, also saying that in her opinion the metal scene has never had so many badass, powerful and brutal women like nowadays, with more and more metal bands with women fronting them or slaying an instrument coming to light, which is a very inspiring situation for her personally. The metal scene has been exclusionary of women in metal for years, which is why she believes it’s important that there is more women in metal not only because they represents a significant portion of the listeners, but mainly because there is an endless amount of skill and talent that women in metal bring that should definitely be recognized. Moreover, when asked about who she considers the most influential women in metal today, Avienne cited the unstoppable Tatiana Shmaylyuk from Jinjer and Alissa White-Gluz from Arch Enemy, saying it’s impressive what they can do with their vocals, and that they both have showed many people for the first time that women can bring endless energy and fire through harsh vocals.
When asked about her writing process (and of the entire band), Avienne said that before starting it they discuss as a band what the theme of the album should be, followed by determining each song’s theme and message, writing the music prior to the vocal parts and making sure each of their songs can be interpreted on multiple levels, from deeply personal to globally conceptual, all within the same framework. There are songs that can come together in a matter of days, but most of them take shape over a period of months with a lot of intense work, consideration and debate, with their collective vision usually coming together after a couple of weeks. There’s a lot of trust among the band members, and they have found that this dynamic and exciting process helps them produce their best results. Avienne also said that since the band’s inception she has developed and grown in both skill and style, helping her explore different facets of her voice and making the band’s songwriting more cohesive, mentioning the moment they started receiving messages from fans saying they were inspired by Vintersea or that their music helped them through tough times was a breakthrough moment for the band, making they proud of what they’ve accomplished so far. In addition, as an up-and-coming metal artist, Avienne said that the best advice she can give to new bands and musicians is that they shouldn’t be afraid to be who they are, saying people should find their own voice to be able to craft timeless music, instead of being a “one-hit wonder” molded by the industry, also saying we should never stop learning and never close our minds to new ideas. Well, I guess we couldn’t agree more with Avienne, wishing her and her bandmates from Vintersea a bright and healthy future in the world of heavy music, taking the band to new and unexplored lands in the coming years for our total delight.
“I love singing about things that can make a person think about things differently, and I love exposing things that are poignant yet not talked about or thought of enough. I view music as another mode about storytelling, and I know I’m on the right path if I can feel the emotions rising from deep within my body.” – Avienne Low
A raw, multi-layered fusion of noise, sludge and grunge by three old men from Chicago who still like to play rock music.
Describing themselves as “three old men who still like to play rock music“, Chicago, Illinois-based three-piece outfit Escape Is Not Freedom definitely knows how to combine elements of rock, noise, sludge and grunge in their creations, resulting is a feast of catchy and melodic sounds reminiscent of Nirvana, Soundgarden and The Melvins, to name a few. After the releases of their debut EP The Truants, in 2015, and their first full-length albums Goldsmith, in 2017, it’s time for Mike Gussis on vocals and guitar, Josh Parlette (from Soul Attrition, whose album Vashon Rain was reviewed at The Headbanging Moose not a long time ago) also on vocals and on bass and Darrin Wolf on drums to blast more of their first-class Sludge and Noise with their sophomore full-length effort, titled Surrounded By The Great Nothing. Produced by Shane Hochstetler at Howl Street Recordings and mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering, Surrounded By The Great Nothing continues to blend the band’s personal experiences with their dark humor and, of course, with an endless amount of distortions and noise, cementing the trio as one of the most interesting names of the genre not only in their hometown but also in the international scene.
And eerie, distorted noises already permeate the air in the opening track Brick, a modern-day Sludge and Stoner Metal tune with Mike kicking ass with his enraged riffs and deranged vocals while Josh and Darrin keep the atmosphere as thunderous as possible with their rumbling instruments, resulting in a thrilling welcome card by the band for newcomers to their musical world. Their powerful exhibit of madness and distortions goes on in Boomslang, with Darrin dictating the pace with his classic beats, alternating between more obscure, heavier moments and serene and melancholic passages; followed by Freezer Burn, where the band ventures through more contemporary styles such as Post-Metal and Indie Rock. Moreover, Mike continues to bark and roar rabidly while Josh blasts sheer heaviness through his bass punches, getting darker and more piercing as the music progresses.
Portraying a truly austere name, Drinking Bleach is a slashing and crisp song where the insanity flowing from Mike’s screams is effectively complemented by his dirty riffs and Darrin’s crushing beats, turning it into one of the most incendiary songs of the album, whereas Leonard is another solid display of Sludge and Post-Metal featuring the scorching guitars by Mike and the ominous bass punches by Josh, recommended for fans of the most aggressive side of Nirvana and going on for over eight minutes with all band members putting us on some sort of grim trance. Then, as opposed to its predecessor, Ruined Ground brings a more serene and introspective vibe, with Josh darkly declaiming its lyrics while Darrin smashes his drums slowly and steadily, bringing a good amount of distress to our hearts.
Back to a more vicious sonority, the trio offers the melodic and mesmerizing Underwater Birth, where Mike and Josh are in absolute sync with their metallic strings, resulting in an amazing option for banging your head alone in the dark and letting their Sludge Metal penetrate deep inside your mind, while in Slowly Falling off a Cliff it’s time to slam into the circle pit to the crushing metal music blasted by those three rockers, again fluctuating between demented sounds and ethereal moments and, consequently, elevating the album’s aggressiveness and wickedness to a whole new level, all spiced up by Mike’s flammable riffs. The second to last song from the album, Acid Blood, sounds like a more obscure version of Alice In Chains infused with Sludge Metal nuances, with Josh adding tons of groove to the music with his bass, not to mention this is perhaps the song where he delivers his most personal vocal performance. And lastly acoustic guitars ignite the closing tune entitled Rhea, evolving into a dense and melancholic extravaganza where Josh and Darrin bring forward a precise balance between heaviness and finesse.
In a nutshell, although Escape Is Not Freedom might not be considered a pure metal band, I personally believe they have what it takes to conquer the hearts of most metalheads from all over the world with their heavier-than-usual rock and grunge, with Surrounded By The Great Nothing being the perfect depiction of what they’re capable of and what we can expect in their future releases. Hence, don’t forget to follow Mike, Josh and Darrin on Facebook, and to buy Surrounded By The Great Nothing from their own BandCamp page, where you can by the way find all of their previous albums for sale as well. As the name of the band states, escaping from someone or something doesn’t necessarily mean freedom, but at least the music found in Surrounded By The Great Nothing can provide you a very entertaining escape from your daily struggles.
Best moments of the album: Drinking Bleach, Underwater Birth and Slowly Falling off a Cliff.
Band members
Mike Gussis – vocals on “Brick”, “Freezer Burn”, “Drinking Bleach”, “Leonard” and “Underwater Birth”, guitar
Josh Parlette – vocals on “Boomslang”, “Ruined Ground”, “Slowly Falling off a Cliff”, “Acid Blood” and “Rhea”, bass
Darrin Wolf – drums
Combining the misery and madness of modern urban life with abrasive Black Metal, this British one-man band offers the perfect soundtrack to our harsh lives in the city.
Formed in 2014 in London, England, Urban Black Metal one-man project Kassad conveys an all-encompassing sense of existential terror and claustrophobic anxiety that hits you and builds to a crescendo before everything descends into dread and finally nothingness, combining the misery, futility, and madness of modern urban life with abrasive and gritty Black Metal and a hallucinatory ambience, being therefore highly recommended for fans of bands like Ihsahn, Darkspace, Burzum, Altar of Plagues, Nachtmystium and Downfall of Nur, among several others. After the releases of his debut EP Humans, in 2016, and his first full-length album Faces Turn Away, in 2017, an album that by the way explored themes of misery and claustrophobia in an urban setting, it’s time for Kassad to dive deep into this theme once again with his sophomore full-length opus, entitled London Orbital.
Recorded and mixed at Lusus Studios in London, mastered by Daniel Thabet at Liquid Studios, and featuring a gray and modern cover art by Brutal Colours, London Orbital centers around modern urban living and looks to a near future of megacities where the city itself is a personified, malevolent being where human empathy and culture have been replaced by artificial intelligence. “I wanted to create music for an imagined, future London – one where the city’s monoliths of glass and concrete have come alive to assert their malevolent control over the millions of people that live and toil amongst them. Workers travel in the vast shadows of these buildings, in the tunnels and transport systems that snake below or in the briefest snatches of sun that are yet to be blacked out. If you tilt your head and look at the city just right, you can already see the light starting to turn to darkness,” commented Kassad about his newborn spawn, an album that, besides its strong Black Metal root, also knows when to slow to a crawling funeral dirge to convey total despair and the loss of hope.
Ominous and melancholic sounds permeate the air from the very first second in The Boundary, where the serenity of Post-Metal is beautifully blasted by Kassad through his strident guitars and steady beats, exploding into high-end Urban Black Metal until its enfolding ending and with first-class poetry flowing from its introspective lyrics (“The city on the hill / Calls me for herself / Wants to own me / Like all her empty souls / That live inside her walls / A digital slave hoard / Eternal fires in code”). Then darker and heavier than the opening track, The Concrete is a gorgeous and captivating lesson in Atmospheric Black Metal where Kassad roars and gnarls in great fashion while at the same time he keeps pounding his drums and slashing his guitar strings nonstop, always focusing on extracting minimalist sounds and tones from all instruments.
And Kassad offers more of his Stygian and introspective sounds in The Hope, a song perfect for gazing at the sky on a cold winter night in the city, and as soon as you are absolutely mesmerized by his atmospheric and depressive music, Kassad brings forth a wall of blackened sounds that will crush your senses mercilessly. The Hopeless starts in a way that’s just as obscure and gray, working as a sequel to the previous song, showcasing Doom Metal-inspired sluggish beats intertwined with sounds of nature and eerie background elements before Kassad comes ripping with his anguishes growls in another top-tier Post-Black Metal extravaganza; and as Kassad’s grand finale to the album we have The Hollow, which begins in an even more melancholic and grim manner, with that bleak and ethereal vibe going on until the end of the song in a solid and vibrant display of austere, unadulterated and piercing Urban Black Metal.
As aforementioned, in London Orbital, which is available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, Kassad continues to delve into the claustrophobic, grim and lonely life in the city, resulting in a must-have album for admirers of the more modern side of Post-Black Metal and Atmospheric Black Metal. Hence, don’t forget to show your support to Kassad by following him on Facebook, and of course by purchasing your copy of London Orbital from the Hypnotic Dirge Records’ BandCamp or webstore in different formats, like the regular CD version or the “Faces Surveilled From Orbit” mega-bundle, as well as from Apple Music, from Amazon, from CD Baby or from Discogs. In a nutshell, Kassad managed to turn all the hopelessness, solitude and cold landscapes of his hometown into a majestic feast of grim and at the same time delicate sounds in London Orbital, proving Urban Black Metal is and will always be the perfect soundtrack for our harsh lives in the concrete jungles we live in.
Best moments of the album: The Concrete and The Hopeless.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2020 Hypnotic Dirge Records
Track listing
1. The Boundary 7:27
2. The Concrete 5:26
3. The Hope 8:14
4. The Hopeless 8:54
5. The Hollow 8:42
An excellent album of modern-day metal music made in Finland, representing the brutal meeting of the beautiful and technical melodies of Metalcore and Groove Metal.
Hailing from the always beautiful and charming city of Helsinki, Finland, the talented Modern Metal four-piece act that goes by the name of Resonance is ready to take the world of heavy music by storm with their first full-length album Out of the Silence, the follow-up to their 2016 debut four-track EP Day of Days. Comprised of vocalist Esa Salminen, guitarist Petteri Peltomäki, bassit David Forder and drummer Joni Huovila, Resonance’s music is all about the brutal meeting of beautiful and technical melodies, creating a unique approach to it in the current underground metal scene. Not only that, all four of the band members are experienced and hardworking musicians that have been associated with many bands and projects in the past, showcasing different musical influences which are essential for giving the distinguished and fresh taste to each one of the nine compositions found in Out of the Silence.
In the opening track Shattered Inside we already face the band’s modern-day Groove Metal with strong Metalcore influences led by Joni’s crushing drums and Esa’s demented growls. Not only that, we all have to admit the utterly metallic sound of the guitars and bass is beyond awesome, sounding very progressive and groovy from start to finish. Then drinking from the same fountain as their neighbors In Flames and Soilwork the band offers us Drained, exhibiting an amazing job done by both Petteri and David with their stringed weapons, especially the head-trembling bass punches by David, followed by Another World, where futuristic, minimalist sounds are quickly joined by more of Resonance’s thunderous Metalcore. Moreover, Esa continues to roar and sing with passion and anger in his heart, with the music flowing smoothly (but of course exhaling heaviness) throughout the song’s straightforward three minutes.
Featuring guest vocalist Sara Strömmer (from Fear Of Domination), The One presents another melodic and somber intro that morphs into a fresh and vibrant Metalcore tune, with both Esa and Sara kicking some serious ass with their enraged vocals while Petteri embellishes the airwaves with his sharp guitar solo; whereas in Faded Memory the band blasts more of their rumbling and electrifying sounds, with Joni yet again doing a great job on drums dictating the rhythm while his bandmates add tons of progressiveness to the musicality. In addition, it’s interesting how they can sound so harmonious and heavy at the same time, proving how versatile the band is. And classic Metalcore riffs, clean vocals and endless stamina flow from Wasteland, a very good choice for their live performances uniting their core essence with the intricacy of Progressive Metal and the enfolding waves of Post-Metal.
The last batch of songs in Out of the Silence begins with the title-track Out of the Silence, one more of their first-class breath of modern metal music presenting introspective clean vocals intertwined with angrier moments, with Petteri cutting our skin deep with his riffs while David keeps shaking the foundations of the earth with his bass. Then melancholic notes set the stage for the quartet to smash their instruments with tons of precision in Lie, a darker side of the band presenting hints of atmospheric and alternative music spearheaded by Petteri and his piercing riffs, before Final Exit closes the album bringing to our ears the most vicious and razor-edged riffs of all, with this metal feast being embraced by a catchy chorus and violent, rumbling bass and drums, resulting in what’s perhaps the most progressive song of the whole album.
After all is said and done, the excellent Out of the Silence, available for a full listen on Spotify and on sale from Apple Music, is an amazing statement from Resonance to the entire world proving that those four talented Finnish metallers are here to stay, and they will continue to unite the groove of Metalcore and more modern styles with the intricacy and rage of Progressive and Melodic Death Metal for our total delectation. Hence, don’t forget to support Resonance by following them on Facebook and knowing more about the band and their tour dates, joining the band in their healthy quest for heavy music. If there’s one thing I really enjoy about silence is that without it there’s no music, and we should always be glad that there are bands like Resonance out there ready to transform that silence and solitude into modern and vibrant metal music anytime, anywhere, no matter what.
Best moments of the album:Shattered Inside, The One and Final Exit.
Worst moments of the album:Another World.
Released in 2019 Inverse Records
Track listing 1. Shattered Inside 3:11
2. Drained 3:44
3. Another World 3:14
4. The One (feat. Sara Strömmer) 4:21
5. Faded Memory 3:50
6. Wasteland 3:45
7. Out of the Silence 3:39
8. Lie 3:34
9. Final Exit 3:22
Band members Esa Salminen – vocals
Petteri Peltomäki – guitar
David Forder – bass
Joni Huovila – drums
Guest musician Sara Strömmer – vocals on “The One”
Revolving around a diverse range of styles such as Post-Metal, Post-Rock, Atmospheric, Sludge and Doom Metal, the new EP by this Polish entity overflows sorrow, grief and heaviness.
Founded in the already distant year of 2008 in Bielsko-Biala, a city in southern Poland in the Cieszyn Silesia region, Post-Metal outfit Moanaa has been making a name for themselves in the underground scene with a consistent stream of high-quality albums, revolving around a diverse range of styles such as Post-Metal, Post-Rock, Atmospheric, Sludge and Doom Metal, always with a melancholic and psychedelic approach to obscure topics like personal struggles and depression, leading them to share the stage with renowned acts of the scene such as Blindead, Tides From Nebula, Jarboe, Nachtmystium and At The Soundawn. After the releases of their debut self-titled EP in 2010, followed by the full-length albums Descent, in 2014, and Passage, in 2016, it’s time for lead singer K-vass, guitarists Łukasz ‘cHooDy’ Kursa and Maciej Kosarz, bassist Łukasz Tomiczek and drummer Kamil Gębala to heighten our senses once again with their brand new EP Torches. Mixed and mastered by Haldor Grunberg (Satanic Audio) and featuring a somber artwork by Przemysław Duda (Pastor Graphics), Torches is a short and sweet display of what this Polish band is capable of, leaving you eager for more of their music after its 25 minutes of sorrow and grief are over.
Prepare you neck for a headbanging beast entitled Inflexion, with Kamil blasting sheer adrenaline and intricacy form his beats while K-vass exhales endless anguish and hatred from his raspy roars and the band’s stringed trio brings electricity and groove to their already dense musicality. Put differently, this is a beautiful and melancholic lesson in Post-Metal that will certainly please all fans of the genre. Then it’s time for their cover version for Placebo’s Without You I’m Nothing (take a listen at the original version HERE), featuring guest vocals by Polish singer and keyboardist Jakub Radomski, and let me tell you that Moanaa’s “extended” version of the song (around two minutes longer than the original one) begins in a charming and serene manner before it gradually evolves into a dark, more sinister sound led by the incendiary guitars by Łukasz ‘cHooDy’ Kursa and Maciej. And lastly, a tribal start warms up our senses for over 12 minutes of somber passages and Stygian notes in Red, with K-vass growling and screaming in a truly desperate and obscure way. Moreover, Kamil dictates the song’s lugubrious but fierce rhythm, exhaling progressiveness, obscurity and modernity, all united in sheer harmony, while Łukasz Tomiczek is vicious with his low-tuned bass, with the music flowing into an enfolding finale where K-vass’ clean vocals bring even more melancholy to the overall result.
The guys from Moanaa are eager to know your thoughts about their brand new EP Torches, and in order to do that simply go to their Facebook page and leave them a comment, like their page, check their tour dates and stay up-to-date about all things revolving around such interesting band hailing form Poland. Also, if Post-Metal is your cup of tea and you want to show your utmost support to the band, you can grab your copy of Torches from their BandCamp page or from Apple Music (without their cover for the song by Placebo, for a reason beyond my understanding). Post-Metal might not be among the easiest subgenres of heavy music to be listened to, but in the end that’s the beauty of it, and thanks to talented bands like Moanaa it’s a music style that’s growing and developing year after year, with Torches being indeed a very welcome addition to your collection of obscure and dense albums.
Best moments of the album:Inflexion.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2019 Independent
Track listing 1. Inflexion 7:00
2. Without You I’m Nothing (Placebo cover) 6:04
3. Red 12:39
Band members K-vass – vocals
Łukasz ‘cHooDy’ Kursa – guitar
Maciej Kosarz – guitar
Łukasz Tomiczek – bass
Kamil Gębala – drums
Gueat musician Jakub Radomski – vocals on “Without You I’m Nothing”
Never shy of venturing to the very edge of the extreme music terrain, this cult Experimental Black Metal unity from Sweden is back after 10 years with a brand new album dealing with memories, regret and despair.
Swedish Experimental Black Metal unity Bergraven is never shy of venturing to the very edge of the extreme music terrain and staring into the maddening abyss, delivering an always interesting and unique fusion of a wide range of styles such as Progressive Metal, Avantgarde/Atmospheric Black Metal and Post-Black Metal that penetrates deep inside our ears and minds. Now in 2019 the band formed in 2002 in the city of Hässleholm, but currently located in Malmö, is ready to take us on another vibrant journey beyond the boundaries of Black Metal with their brand new opus, entitled Det Framlidna Minnet, or “the lost memory” in English, ten years after the release of the excellent Till Makabert Väsen.
Carefully mastered by T. Stjerna at the renowned Necromorbus Studio (Watain, Armagedda, Mayhem, Shining) in Stockholm, Det Framlidna Minnet deals with memories, their fluid nature and how the healthy human spirit builds a wall around itself with adjusted memories, and yet sometimes the system corrupts and memories become ghosts that haunt their hosts with regret and despair. If these words are not enough to show you the true uniqueness and potency of the music by Bergraven, which by the way means “mountain black” in English, then let the triumvirate comprised of Pär Stille on vocals and guitar (also known for his work as guitarist and songwriter for Swedish Black Metal band Stilla), Andreas Johansson on bass and Johan Marklund on drums guide you on a one-way journey into the realms of experimental heavy music made in Scandinavia.
The intro Minnesgåva (“memory gift”) provides the listener a very good idea of how wicked and bizarre Bergraven’s music is, with all its eerie noises and beats permeating the air until Allt (“all”) comes to haunt our souls with its creepy atmosphere and piercing guitar lines, while Pär begins his growling attack barking like a demon, with the music flowing demonically and obscurely into an abrupt and vile ending. Den Följsamma Plågan (“the painful plague”) is even more eccentric and experimental, with Pär and Andreas making sure even the acoustic moments do not sound calm at all, always adding a touch of dementia to their musicality in seven minutes of Post-Black Metal not recommended for the lighthearted (not to mention how its ending reeks sheer melancholy and insanity). And the metallic bass punches by Andreas and the Doom Metal-inspired beats by Johan provide Pär all he needs to roar in Minnets Melankoli (“memory of melancholy”), a Mastodon-meets-Gojira-meets-Dream Theater-meets pitch black darkness tune where the music alternates between serene, somber passages and a disturbing havoc for our total delectation.
Swedish words flow disturbingly from Pär’s deranged vocals throughout the over eight minutes of modern, progressive and doom-ish Post-Metal in Leendet Av Hans Verk (“the smile of his work”), where Johan’s beats get more and more obscure as the music progresses, adding even more thunder to the song’s visceral riffs and menacing ambience, followed by Den Dödes Stigar (“the paths of death”), bringing elements from Folk Metal to Bergraven’s already distinguished musicality. Furthermore, Pär doesn’t stop vociferating deeply and with a lot of anguish while Johan smashes his drums beautifully, resulting in a very detailed song that’s full of breaks, variations and creepy passages, remaining dense and enfolding from start to finish. Then get ready to be dragged into the pits of hell with over ten minutes of disturbing Experimental Black Metal in Till Priset Av Vårt Liv (“for the price of our lives”), led by Pär’s sulfurous gnarls and slashing riffs. In addition, it’s interesting to see how the trio gradually reduces the song’s pace and speed, slowly attracting us to their sonic realm, capturing our souls and keeping us in darkness forever. And there’s still time for a beyond dissident outro similar to the album’s intro, this time entitled Eftermäle (“posthumous reputation”), as if the band wanted to close the circle offering us a feast of whimsical sounds and tones.
You can actually savor all of Bergraven’s eccentricity by listening to Det Framlidna Minnet in full on Spotify, but if you’re already convinced of the band’s undeniable talent and insanity, you can also follow them on Facebook and purchase your copy of the album from the Nordvis Produktion’s BandCamp or webstore (in Digipak or LP format), as well as from iTunes, Amazon or Discogs. It’s not everyday that we, mere mortals, have the pleasure of facing such peculiar, nonconformist music like the one blasted by Bergraven, so don’t waste your time and succumb to the most unconventional side of Swedish heavy music together with Mr. Pär Stille and his horde. It’s surely worth the ride.
Best moments of the album:Allt, Minnets Melankoli and Den Dödes Stigar.
Worst moments of the album:Den Följsamma Plågan.
Released in 2019 Nordvis Produktion
Track listing 1. Minnesgåva 2:25
2. Allt 5:56
3. Den Följsamma Plågan 7:20
4. Minnets Melankoli 8:03
5. Leendet Av Hans Verk 8:20
6. Den Dödes Stigar 8:34
7. Till Priset Av Vårt Liv 10:41
8. Eftermäle 2:58
Band members Pär Stille – vocals, guitar
Andreas Johansson – bass
Johan Marklund – drums
An amalgamation of metal and non-metal styles in the form of a concept album influenced by Greek philosopher Plato and his famous allegory of the cave, all carefully served in a cone.
Have you ever been served a “god in a cone”? If you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about, let me take you all the way to the charming Greece, where since 2016 vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Nick Marinos (lead singer for Greek Gothic/Industrial Metal act Slitherum) has been crafting a very fresh and unique amalgamation of styles such as Atmospheric Black Metal, Coldwave, Hard Rock, Industrial and Country Rock under the eccentric name of God in a Cone. And this Experimental Metal one-man army from Greece is ready to attack your senses once again with Passing, his seventh album and a concept album influenced by Greek philosopher Plato and his famous allegory of the cave, featuring a stylish artwork by Daniel Goudelis and produced, mixed and mastered by Dimitris Delis at Studio 222.
No one knows if the very atmospheric, ethereal and captivating title-track Passing is an intro to the album or if it’s a regular song, which in the end is the beauty of it, showcasing piercing vocalizations and a curious vibe that blends the strength of Black Metal with the innovative approach of Post-Metal. Then in Ξεψυχαω we’re treated to an eccentric fusion of Electronic and R&B with contemporary Hard Rock, with the raspy vocals by Nick giving an extra kick to the song’s Rap-like lyrics; whereas Νερο, one of the heaviest songs of the album, brings forward gripping guitar riffs, classic beats and a lot of potential for igniting some circle pits, also carrying several elements from the distinct music by metal acts like Pantera and Gojira, ending in a very serene manner. And it’s time for Nick to present his Grunge and Alternative Metal side with the semi-acoustic tune I Have to Pretend, with his Alice In Chains-inspired vocals being potentialized by the song’s Country-ish instrumental, proving God in a Cone truly have no boundaries in music.
Continuing with the same 90’s Seattle-based Grunge vibe, Iodine is a song perfect for being played at a badass Rock N’ Roll pub, with its rhythmic drums, soulful guitar solos and endless energy turning it into one of the best songs of the album. Then back to a more electronic musicality inspired by 80’s Gothic Rock the likes of Depeche Mode, Joy Division and Devo, Mr. Explode offers the listener cleaner vocal lines that match perfectly with all beeps and tones in the background, inspiring you to party together with Nick, while Deep Down sounds slightly darker than its predecessors, but also in the veins of Alice In Chains and Soundgarden in a well-balanced hybrid between Post-Metal and 90’s Grunge, flowing smoothly before Find Soul Brothers brings to our ears the weirdest version of God in a Cone. It’s a decent Country-inspired song, albeit it lacks the more obscure punch from the rest of the album.
Leaning towards a more rockin’ sonority, in special its slashing riffs and inebriate vocal lines, In And Out presents a vibrant rhythm perfect for banging your head nonstop, even displaying hints of progressiveness (which enhances the song’s impact considerably), followed by Will Of Diamonds, a very introspective, pensive tune with Nick’s somber vocal parts working as its core element, but with all background sounds also playing a very important part in keeping the entire song mournful and gloomy. And last but not least, Nick offers his fans a bonus track entitled Escape From the Cone, going back to the 80’s one more time to pay his own tribute to the music by all pop rock icons from that decade, making the investment in the deluxe edition of Passing totally worth it.
After you start following Nick and his God in a Cone on Facebook and after subscribing to the project’s YouTube channel, there’s no way back. You’ll be forever hypnotized by the wicked, idiosyncratic and utterly experimental sounds blasted by this talented Greek musician, with Passing being perhaps his boldest and most diverse album to date. Put differently, Passing is not only a very entertaining album of modern rock and metal music, but a solid statement that Nick will never stop trying new sounds and challenging our senses, serving us his wicked music “in a cone” for many years to come and always demonstrating his utmost passion for all things related to our good old Rock N’ Roll, no matter how weird it can be.
Best moments of the album:Νερο, Iodine and In And Out.
Worst moments of the album:Find Soul Brothers.
Released in 2019 Independent
Track listing 1. Passing 2:20
2. Ξεψυχαω 2:17
3. Νερο 4:21
4. I Have to Pretend 4:21
5. Iodine 3:30
6. Mr. Explode 5:12
7. Deep Down 3:39
8. Find Soul Brothers 3:53
9. In And Out 3:32
10. Will Of Diamonds 3:25
Deluxe Edition bonus track 11. Escape From the Cone 3:34
Band members
Nick Marinos – vocals, all insturments, programming
Hailing from Moscow, Russia, the Black and Doom Metal trio known as Dunwich doesn’t limit themselves to just those two subgenres of heavy music, also adding to their music an array of distinguished elements from Darkwave, Post-Punk, Post-Rock and Progressive Rock, among others, resulting in a unique sound that frontwoman Margarita Dunwich has been crafting together with guitarist and keyboardist Anton Bronikov and drummer Mikhail Markelov since the band’s inception in 2018. Together, Dunwich are an attempt to dive into the bottomless ocean of your emotions, which is exactly what they’re offering us all in their debut effort entitled Tail-Tied Hearts, with each song from the album representing a separate world and a separate experience, but with all of those worlds and experiences being connected into something much larger, absorbing and liberating, showcasing the paradoxical beauty of the creations by those talented and passionate Russian musicians.
Anton comes ripping once again with his Phantom of the Opera-inspired organs, generating a menacing ambience before the band ventures through more rockin’ and visceral lands in Mouth of Darkness, a lesson in Post-Metal where Mikhail dictates the rhythm with his classic beats in a fusion of the music by Cradle of Filth with Sisters of Mercy and Type O Negative, all spiced up by the witch-like roars by Margarita, whereas Fall is another grim and pensive creation where Margarita, Anton and Mikhail offer the listener a Post-Black Metal aria focusing on the serene vocal lines by our stunning frontwoman, growing in intensity until reaching a truly Stygian vibe. Sanctuary is a folk-ish song full of ethereal passages and an embracing atmosphere, with Anton alternating between gentle guitar lines and heavy-as-hell riffs while Mikhail brings sheer doom to the overall result with his sluggish beats, before The Sea concludes the album in the best possible way you can imagine. The song couldn’t have started in a more doomed and melancholic way, with Anton slashing his guitar in great fashion in over nine minutes of somber passages, classy beats and the always hypnotizing voice by Margarita, flowing smoothly and beautifully until its climatic finale.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 