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Album Review – Eteritus / Odium et Irae dei Super Vos (2025)

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This Polish Black and Death Metal horde returns with their fourth studio opus, overflowing a dark and heavy atmosphere while still presenting their share of brutality and melody.

Musically directed towards Black Metal, but still showcasing the band’s trademark Death Metal core, Odium et Irae dei Super Vos, or “the hatred and wrath of God be upon you” from Latin, marks a new era for Toruń, Kujawy-Pomerania, Poland-based Black/Death Metal entity Eteritus. Recorded at Slav Sound Studios (guitars) and at Sala Prób Toruń (vocals, bass, drums), mixed and mastered by Mariusz Konieczny at Heavy Gear Studio, and displaying a sinister artwork by Moon Ring Design, the new album by vocalist Oz, guitarist Slav, bassist Kinio, and drummer Nitro overflows a dark and heavy atmosphere while still presenting their share of brutality and melody, being therefore tailored for admirers of the music by Entombed, Dismember, Gorefest, and Vader, among several other servants of total darkness.

The piercing, devilish guitars by Slav are suddenly joined by Nitro’s blast beats in the opening tune Mystic Trifixion, a solid, no shenanigans fusion of Black and Death Metal, whereas an atmospheric and melancholic start to the acoustic guitars by Slav morphs into a Doom Metal-infused aria entitled Semper Fidelis, with Oz darkly vociferating the song’s caustic words. Call of the Rising Darkness carries a poetic name for an overdose of Blackened Death Metal led by Nitro’s intricate yet violent beats and fills; and Slav and Kinio keep blasting their stringed weapons in Ashes over the Fire, offering more of the band’s sulfurous blend of Death Metal. Then the menacing bass by Kinio kicks off the infernal Celebration ov Wolves, bringing forward a demented hybrid of Black, Death and Doom Metal where Oz gnarls like a demonic entity; while Dark Crusader, the second to last song of the album, keeps darkening the ambience with Nitro once again taking the lead with his classic drumming. And last but not least, the quartet will crush our damned souls one final time with In the Arms of Endless Night, a multi-layered aria from the underworld showcasing an overdose of vile riffs and roaring vocals for our total delight.

Following up on the releases of their 2014 debut EP Tales of Death, their 2016 first full-length Following the Ancient Path, their 2018 sophomore opus Order of Death, and their third installment Rotten Transition, released in 2021, Odium et Irae dei Super Vos represents another solid step in the career of Eteritus, who are by the way waiting for you on Facebook with news, tour dates, and more of their demented music. You can also stream all of their excellent albums on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of their sulfurous new album from their own BandCamp or from Via Nocturna’s BandCamp, keeping the fires of Polish extreme music burning as bright as possible, once again proving that if Black and Death Metal are your true passion, you must move to Poland.

Best moments of the album: Semper Fidelis, Celebration ov Wolves and In the Arms of Endless Night.

Worst moments of the album: Ashes over the Fire.

Released in 2025 Via Nocturna

Track listing
1. Mystic Trifixion 5:04
2. Semper Fidelis 5:03
3. Call of the Rising Darkness 5:29
4. Ashes over the Fire 3:07
5. Celebration ov Wolves 6:16
6. Dark Crusader 4:24
7. In the Arms of Endless Night 7:58

Band members
Oz – vocals
Slav – guitars
Kinio – bass, backing vocals
Nitro – drums

Interview – Moloch (ZØRORMR)

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Enter the Stygian realm of Moloch and his ZØRORMR in this exclusive interview where we talk about his latest offer The Monolith and a lot more.

Moloch (ZØRORMR)

The Headbanging Moose: Thanks a lot for taking time to answer some of our questions, Moloch. Could you please start by introducing yourself and ZØRORMR to our readers?

Moloch: As Fernando Pessoa would put it: “I am nothing. I’ll never be anything. I couldn’t want to be something. Apart from that, I have in me all the dreams in the world.”

THM: I read in another one of your interviews that ZØRORMR means “The Serpent of the South”, a play on the Old Norse words sør (south) and ormr (serpent). How relevant do you think the name ZØRORMR still is compared to when you started the band back in 2010?

M:  That’s a good question. A lot has changed since I started Zorormr around 2010, and I think the “Norwegian vibes” are not so much present on the new record. Zorormr has outgrown its initial influences and is an abomination in its own right. I would have thought of a different name for the project now, but I don’t know if it would make a difference to the music.

THM: Now let’s talk about your awesome new album The Monolith. What are the main differences you see in your new album versus your previous releases, and do you think the album is exactly how you were expecting it to be, or is there something that still bothers you in it? I personally think the sound in it is a step forward from The Aftermath.

M: I think that “The Monolith” sounds the way it should. It’s a different album than “Corpus Hermeticum“. It has more darkness in it, and the sound design reflects that. Arek Jablonski (the sound engineer) has done a terrific job on the record. His mixing corresponds with my older recording and “Corpus…” so the result is very aggressive but still has all the qualities of contemporary production. Everything is in place, and in a way, it’s like a monolith.

THM: Although ZØRORMR is considered a one-man project, you’ve been working with guest or session musicians since your 2010 debut album Kval, more specifically with guitarist Quazarre and drummer Icanraz. What’s your relationship or connection with those two musicians, and why have you selected them to be a regular part of ZØRORMR?

M: We’ve known each other for twenty years. We’ve collaborated artistically on so many levels that it’s hard to mention here all our ventures. We’re also good friends. Quazarre has been helping me out with every Zorormr record. He is a skilled guitarist and vocalist. You could say that he helped me become a better artist myself. As for Icanraz, he’s an excellent drummer whose style fits perfectly into what you can hear in Zorormr. So far, every time we’ve worked together, we had something special going on. They’re both “regular members” of Zorormr, even if they don’t admit it. (laugh)

Album Review – ZØRORMR / The Monolith (2023)

THM: How were the recordings of The Monolith? Did everything occur as planned, or did you have to change the way you were doing things due to an unforeseen situation?

M: Frankly, it was a long and painful process. I had the music written back in 2016. I started recording in 2017 and finished it at the end of 2021. Meanwhile, I had many “tough times” along the way, so I couldn’t focus on recording “The Monolith”. I thought about ending Zororormr, and not only that… But I fought for myself. I started making darksynth, performing live, and slowly wanting to return to the latest Zorormr album. I owed that to myself, my friends, and those few fans that follow my musical journey. I’m glad I went through with it because the end result is something I can be proud of. Maybe one of the most important records of my life…

THM: Now that The Monolith has already seen the light of day, what’s next for ZØRORMR? Are you going to take the music from The Monolith to the stages anywhere, or will the focus be on creating more music in the coming months or years?

M: After “Corpus Hermeticum” I was ready to hit the road. I even looked for musicians to accompany me. But I couldn’t find the right people whose commitment to the band would allow us to perform Zorormr’s music. In 2016 I was on a downward spiral, and I stopped looking for musicians for Zorormr. Two years later, I was already performing with my darksynth project. I could have used some hired musicians, but it didn’t feel right. Nowadays, I’m focusing on different things. But I think that “The Monolith” is not the last thing you’ve heard from Zorormr…

THM: Who are your biggest idols and influences in music and in life in general? Although the music by ZØRORMR is Black Metal, do you draw inspiration from any non-metal artists to compose your music?

M: This a tricky question to answer since, in postmodernity, the influences create an endless whirlpool from which we can choose. It would be easier to answer this question when I was younger. Nowadays, I think it’s better to leave it to the listener to try and find the sources of inspiration for Zorormr. If you listen carefully, you will find some of them. And there are some hints in the lyrics too!

Album Review – ZØRORMR / The Aftermath EP (2016)

THM: I’m a huge fan of the Polish underground. There are so many amazing bands there from different styles including Sarmat, Hellfuck, Hyl, Chimera, Chainsword and Odraza, just to name a few, but all amazing. Are you proud of the current metal scene in Poland, or do you think it could be even better?

M: I wouldn’t consider myself an expert on the scene. Nor do I find pleasure in reviewing other bands’ work. But objectively, Polish extreme metal bands have a lot to offer, and I’m glad that we have so many great bands around here.

THM: Do you have any hobbies you would like to share with us, like collecting anything specific, playing a sport, anything that’s outside of music but that helps you relax and focus on your work as a musician?

M: There is never enough time to do what I want to do. I try to focus on making music as my main activity. But I do read, for example, Bukowski or Ellis, or some fantasy novels. I have a passion for B-movies. I bought a bunch of VHS tapes recently, so I suppose I’m starting to collect these. I’m an escapist. So whatever allows me to escape from the problems of this dreadful world is good enough for me. Sometimes it’s just a hike in the mountains or sitting by the seaside. Watching Star Trek TNG is also a comforting experience… I also like going to the forest. It always makes my demons go away (laugh).

THM: Once again, thank you very much for your time! Please feel free to send your final message to our readers, and any other comments you would like to make!

M: Thanks for having me! Stay heavy my friends!

Links
ZØRORMR Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | BandCamp

Album Review – ZØRORMR / The Monolith (2023)

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The unstoppable Polish vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Moloch returns with an incendiary new album, offering us all 46 minutes of raw intensity, embodying nihilism, misanthropy and disdain for an indifferent world.

Prepare to be embraced by absolute darkness, as Opole, Poland’s own Black Metal/Dark Ambient institution ZØRORMR is back from the underworld with its latest offering, entitled The Monolith, following up on its highly acclaimed 2016 EP The Aftermath. Recorded at Red Dragon Studio, Dobra 12 Studio and Via Nocturna Studio, produced by Arkadiusz “Aro” Jabłoński at Monroe Sound Studio, and displaying a wicked cover art by Paweł Kuranda, The Monolith spans over 46 minutes of raw intensity, embodying nihilism, misanthropy and disdain for an indifferent world, all masterfully brought into being by vocalist and multi-insturmentalist Moloch (with the support of guests Quazarre on lead guitars and Icanraz on drums), making it the most personal and formidable ZØRORMR release to date.

Kicking things off in style, the title-track The Monolith is eerie and sinister from the very first second, growing in intensity and obscurity to the Doom Metal beats by Icanraz while Moloch extracts sheer evil form his guitar and bass, exploding into a massive, visceral Black Metal feast with Moloch gnarling majestically. Downward Spiral is another devilish, multi-layered Black Metal aria crafted by Moloch showcasing beautiful guitar solos by Quazarre while Moloch makes sure the atmosphere remains as Stygian as it can be; whereas the sharp, piercing guitars by Moloch supported by the fulminating blast beats by Icanraz will darken the skies in Hollow, the perfect depiction of how brutal yet melodic and mesmerizing the music by ZØRORMR can be, followed by I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, showcasing a very peculiar name to a breathtaking, demonic creation by Moloch that lives up to the legacy of Melodic Black Metal, feeling simply infernal from start to finish with Moloch’s growls sounding truly haunting.

The second half of the album begins with the sulfurous The Pentagram, with Moloch being on fire with his enraged vocals, flammable riffs and thunderous bass accompanied by the always vicious drums by Icanraz in a tribute to pure evil; and slowing thing down a bit and beginning in a serene manner we have Return to Nothingness, while of course always sounding macabre. It’s not a bad song, but far from being as strong as the rest of the album, though. Then back to his more demonic mode, Moloch will hammer our heads mercilessly in Per aspera, ad astra (“through difficulties, to the stars” from Latin), where his diabolical vocals sound awesome until the very end while he also fires ass-kicking riffs supported by more of Quazarre’s classy solos; and the album’s last onrush of obscurity, entitled Enter the Void, begins in a somber way to the dirty riffage by Moloch, alternating between doom-ish moments and absolute heaviness, therefore putting a vile and dark ending to an opus not recommended for the lighthearted.

The new installment in the career of Moloch and his ZØRORMR is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you’re a true servant of the dark arts of heavy music you can purchase a copy of the album by clicking HERE (CD) or HERE (digital), and don’t forget to also start following ZØRORMR on Facebook and on Instagram. As aforementioned, The Monolith is Moloch’s most personal album since he started ZØRORMR over a decade ago, bringing forward his past and present sounds while always thinking forward, opening countless roads for him to keep growing as a musician while remaining loyal to the foundations of Black Metal with all of his upcoming releases.

Best moments of the album: The Monolith, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream and Per aspera, ad astra.

Worst moments of the album: Return to Nothingness.

Released in 2023 Via Nocturna

Track listing
1. The Monolith 7:39
2. Downward Spiral 5:52
3. Hollow 6:26
4. I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream 5:03
5. The Pentagram 3:55
6. Return to Nothingness 6:29
7. Per aspera, ad astra 5:32
8. Enter the Void 5:24

Band members
Moloch – vocals, guitar, bass

Guest musicians
Quazarre – lead guitars
Icanraz – drums

Album Review – Lectern / Precept Of Delator (2016)

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It doesn’t matter what happens to the world of music, these Italian metallers will never back off, always blasting our ears with their high-quality brutal Death Metal.

Rating5

lectern_precept-of-delatorIf there’s an underground Death Metal band that deserves our utmost respect for never giving up on extreme music, remaining always loyal to their foundations and beliefs despite all the hurdles faced during their entire career, it’s Italian death metallers Lectern. Since their inception in 1999 in the Italian capital city of Rome, the band led by lead singer and bassist Fabio Bava has been through several lineup changes, enduring an increasing lack of support from record labels and even the general public to any type of Extreme Metal, which ended up hampering the band from producing music for many years. But if you think that all those issues would cease their inner fire to craft old school brutal Death Metal, you’re absolutely wrong.

Inspired by all Death Metal bands from the United States from the 90’s, especially the ones based in Tampa, Florida, Lectern have always delivered excellent music to fans of the genre, starting with their debut EP Bisbetical in 1999, followed by a series of albums released after a huge hiatus, those being the EP Salvific Of Perhaps Lambent (2010) and the self-titled EP Lectern (2014), and their first full-length album Fratricidal Concelebration (2015). Now in 2016 it’s time for Lectern to haunt the world once again with Precept Of Delator, their brand new beastly album which features a Satanic old school artwork by Indonesian musician and artist Adi Dechristianize and an unbounded amount of sheer aggressiveness.

The opening track Gergal Profaner offers brutal devastation from the very first second, with drummer Marco Valentine being that rhythmic annihilator we all enjoy in technical Death Metal, while the band’s mastermind Fabio keeps growling like a beast. In short, this is awesome straightforward Death Metal for lovers of extreme music, period. Singing about the Catholic Church and their issues with pedophilia (“Palpation of sacramentarian / Sworn with fratricidal scars / Molested flesh / Eluded truth”), Palpation of Sacramentarian feels like old school Cannibal Corpse with a Thrash Metal vibe, with guitarist Pietro Sabato and Gabriele Cruz firing those traditional kick-ass riffs that always inspire us to slam into the pit; followed by the Satanic Fluent Bilocation, a brutal metallic massacre with Fabio and Marco dictating the rhythm with their respective gnarls and boisterous beats. In addition to that, the insanely good neck-breaking riff in the middle of the song keeps up with the basis of the Death Metal institution, proving how much those guys love that type of music.

lectern-2016Distil Shambles is a metal storm bursting aggressive growls and beats upon the listener, with all its tempo changes adding tons of ferocity and electricity to the musicality, as well as an excellent solo to close the song in an apocalyptic way. Then we have some ominous voices kicking off the obscure and putrid chant Pellucid, tailored for fans of pure pugnacity in music, with the guitars by both Pietro and Gabriele sounding truly menacing during the song’s five minutes of the most violent Death Metal you can think of. And Lectern continue their path of doom in Diptych of Perked Oblation, blasting brutal music with guitars and drums smashing your brain while Fabio roars each word of the song manically, turning this into a beyond excellent composition for their live performances.

Garn for Debitors brings forward two minutes of crushing riffs and drums, another song that sounds like the early days of Cannibal Corpse, and if you survive this hurricane of metal music you’re definitely a true badass headbanger ready for the title-track Precept of Delator and its pure Satanic lyrics (“With blasphemy reasons burn / Infamous scriptures / Devotional calvary / Precept of delator / Evil truth”). It might not be as fast-paced as its predecessors, but it’s dark and thrilling, with highlights to the furious riffage and solos by Pietro and Gabriele. Closing this brutal album we have another shot of traditional Death Metal titled Discorporation with Feral, showcasing a good pace and the deranged, deep growls by Fabio as its main ingredients.

All the exciting history, the metallic victories and the inspiring losses of such amazing underground band can be better appreciated at their Facebook page, and you can enjoy their extreme and technical music at their YouTube channel, ReverbNation and SoundCloud. Precept Of Delator, available for purchasing at the Via Nocturna’s BandCamp page and at the band’s Big Cartel page, is a solid and uproarious declaration by Lectern which confirms that it doesn’t matter what happens to the world of music, these Italian metallers will never back off, continuing to blast our ears with their belligerent Death Metal for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Gergal Profaner, Fluent Bilocation and Diptych of Perked Oblation.

Worst moments of the album: Discorporation with Feral.

Released in 2016 Via Nocturna

Track listing
1. Gergal Profaner 3:50
2. Palpation of Sacramentarian 5:13
3. Fluent Bilocation 3:45
4. Distil Shambles 3:35
5. Pellucid 5:05
6. Diptych of Perked Oblation 3:55
7. Garn for Debitors 2:15
8. Precept of Delator 4:34
9. Discorporation with Feral 4:43

Band members
Fabio Bava – vocals, bass
Pietro Sabato – guitar
Gabriele Cruz – guitar
Marco Valentine – drums

Album Review – ZØRORMR / The Aftermath EP (2016)

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Enjoy these six powerful and distinct Black Metal chants that together bring to a conclusion the first era in the history of this excellent extreme project from Poland. Arise ZØRORMR, Arise!

Rating5

coverAs today is June 6, 2016 (or 6/6/16), the eleventh edition of the world-famous International Day of Slayer, there’s nothing better than relishing this date with a good dosage of dark and heavy music, and the chosen soundtrack for such a distinct celebration this year by The Headbanging Moose is the six-track diabolical EP entitled The Aftermath, meticulously crafted in the dark shadows of Opole, a city located in southern Poland, by Black Metal one-man army ZØRORMR. Born on the ruins of a dark ambient project named I.A. Serpentor in the beginning of 2010, ZØRORMR already released the albums Kval (2010), HIS (2013) and Corpus Hermeticum (2015), with The Aftermath closing the first era in the history of this excellent project led by Polish artist and multi-instrumentalist Moloch.

Featuring a hellish artwork by Russian artist Timur Khabirov and with the support of guest musicians Przemysław “Quazarre” Olbryt on lead guitar and Icanraz on drums (both from Polish Symphonic Black/Death Metal act Devilish Impressions), The Aftermath consists of four tracks recorded during the Corpus Hermeticum session (with 3 of them never heard before), produced by Arek “Malta” Malczewski (a longtime producer for Blackened Death Metal titans Behemoth), as well as two bonus tracks from the HIS and Kval sessions. The music itself is a hybrid of the works by bands like Rotting Christ, Naglfar and other important names fom extreme music, being also heavily inspired by Heavy Metal from the 80’s.

A heavy storm announces darkness has arrived in The Last Judgement, a classy Black Metal composition with hints of Doom Metal and symphonic elements that kicks off the EP on a high note. Moloch vigorously leads this black mass with his demonic growls and riffs, while Icanraz displays all his skills by blending an occult and tribal drumming with traditional Black Metal blast beats. The Crawling Chaos presents another smooth intro that evolves to lugubrious Black Metal, enhanced by an additional layer of intricacy comprised of interesting Blackened Doom elements, which help the band craft a disturbing and demonic ambience. In addition to that, the infernal screams by Moloch will torture your soul, whereas Quazarre does an outstanding job with his precise guitar solos.

molochThe Adversary is yet again a solid and dense composition offered to the listener by this incredible Polish project, with the sick drumming by Icanraz generating an amazing uproar for Moloch to spill his somber vociferations upon us. And there’s no place to hide from ZØRORMR, as all that heaviness and vileness goes on in the title-track, the grim The Aftermath. Moloch definitely knows how to craft gripping intros to his creations, with the song’s obscure rhythm together with its beautiful piano notes resembling a dark funeral march. In other words, this is an instrumental song that could easily be used as the soundtrack of a demented horror movie.

The first bonus tack, entitled Arise Cthulhu, Arise!, goes full Black Metal, presenting a disquieting musicality perfect for fans of old school extreme music. Every single moment of the song is filled with malevolence and causticity, which is obviously a good thing in Black Metal and, consequently, turns this chant into the best of all six tracks in The Aftermath. Lastly, the second bonus track Zørormr, which carries the name of the band, brings forward sharper riffs and a cutting sonority, concluding the EP in a thrilling way. Despite being another instrumental track by ZØRORMR, it’s fairly different from “The Aftermath” due to the Thrash and Death Metal hints added to it, showcasing the wide musical range Moloch is capable of reaching with his music.

In summary, not only the music found in The Aftermath keeps up with the creations of the biggest Extreme Metal icons from Poland, but it also provides an accurate and outright epitome of everything ZØRORMR have already provided to the world of heavy music, as well as what to expect from this striking project by Moloch in the future. In case you want to follow the “evilution” of ZØRORMR, go check their Facebook page, YouTube channel and SoundCloud page, and if you want to buy a copy of The Aftermath you can find it for sale at the Via Nocturna’s webstore or BandCamp page. Arise ZØRORMR, Arise!

Best moments of the album: The Adversary and Arise Cthulhu, Arise!

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Via Nocturna

Track listing
1. The Last Judgement 6:29
2. The Crawling Chaos 5:15
3. The Adversary 2:54
4. The Aftermath 3:53

Bonus tracks
5. Arise Cthulhu, Arise! 3:27
6. Zørormr 3:01

Band members
Moloch – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards

Guest musicians
Przemysław “Quazarre” Olbryt – lead guitar
Icanraz  – drums