Měl to být obyčejný den jako každý jiný. Šel si po ulici a těšil ses na večer. Až si sedneš, otevřeš knihu, něco dobrého pití a pustíš si dobrou muziku. Jenže osud tomu chtěl jinak. Chytili tě, svázali a hodili do kufru od auta. Marně si volal o pomoc, marně si sliboval, že jim dáš peníze. Odvezli tě daleko za město. Teď tu sedíš na staré židli a přemýšlíš, jaký druh mučení na tobě ještě zkusí. Dívají se na tebe přes své masky a připravují si ostré nástroje. Kam až může dojít lidská temnota? Ptáš se do ticha. Studená klec, žádné světlo. Pomalu odcházíš na druhou stranu. Osamocený, bez víry, bez naděje.
Dostalo se mi do rukou první dlouhohrající album death doom metalových WRETKOMB. Kapely, která hraje velmi smutně, syrově, naléhavě. Stačilo několik prvních společných setkání a najednou jsem byl zavřený ve své chladné cele a čekal na smrt. Tahle deska se vám zadře pod kůži. Jako červ, který bude jednou rozkládat vaší mrtvolu.
Pomalé, magické melodie. Základem je klasický doom metal. Přidávána jsou potom různá deviantní gore témata. Pánové a dáma jdou až k samé podstatě lidských zvráceností. Jako bych opravdu během poslechu navštívil zchátralý dům za městem. Ve sklepě najdu spoustu krvavých stop. Stěny žalují a odráží se z nich nekonečná bolest a utrpení. Nacházíme další a další těla, zakopaná na zahradě. Běhá mi mráz po zádech, album má totiž velmi dobrý zvuk (mixed and mastered by Endarker Studio), který dodává všemu ještě na větší uvěřitelnosti. Zaujme i obal, pod kterým je podepsán Misanthropic-Art. "Bovine Mockeries of Human Posturing" je nahrávkou, ze které cítíte syrovost, uvěřitelnost, opravdovost. Vše je ohlodáno na kost, kapela sází na jasné a zřetelné melodie. Na motivy, které vás opravdu přenesou do míst, kde se stalo něco zlého. Možná jste to už také zažili. Potkáte člověka, který je navenek velmi milý, okouzlující, schopný a všichni ho mají rádi. Má jenom divný pohled a sklep plný obětí. Do hlavy lidem nevidíte. Myslím si, že se kapele podobná témata povedla zhudebnit opravdu velmi dobře. Novinka je jako starý, syrový hororový film, natočený podle skutečných událostí. Svírají se mi vnitřnosti, lekám se každého stínu. Padám do hlubin a poslouchám album jenom když je absolutní tma. Zahlédl jsem záblesk nože a oči, zářící do tmy. Připomínají šelmu na lovu. Měl to být obyčejný den jako vždycky. Šel jsem po ulici a těšil se na večer. Až si sednu, otevřu knihu, něco dobrého pití a pustím si dobrou muziku. Jenže osud tomu chtěl jinak. Chytili mě, svázali a hodili do kufru od auta. Marně jsem volal o pomoc, marně jsem sliboval, že jim dám peníze. Odvezli tě daleko za město. Jak to bylo dál, vám prozradí WRETKOMB. Temná, mrazivá doom death metalová návštěva ve starém krvavém sklepení! Hrob je připraven, stačí jen zemřít!
Asphyx says:
It was supposed to be an ordinary day like any other. You were walking down the street, looking forward to the evening. To sit down, open a book, have a good drink and listen to some good music. But fate would have it otherwise. You were caught, tied up and thrown in the trunk of a car. In vain did you cry for help, in vain did you promise to give them money. They took you far out of town. Now you're sitting here in an old chair wondering what kind of torture they'll try on you next. They're looking at you through their masks, preparing their sharp instruments. How far can human darkness go? You ask into the silence. A cold cage, no light. Slowly, you walk to the other side. Alone, without faith, without hope.
I got my hands on the first full-length album of death doom metal WRETKOMB. A band that plays very sad, raw, urgent. It took only the first few meetings together and suddenly I was locked in my cold cell, waiting for death. This record gets under your skin. Like a worm that will one day decompose your corpse.
Slow, magical melodies. Classic doom metal. Then various deviant gore themes are added. Gentlemen and lady go to the very heart of human depravity. It's like I'm actually visiting a rundown house outside the city while I'm listening. I find lots of bloody footprints in the basement. The walls grieve and reflect endless pain and suffering. We find more and more bodies buried in the garden. It gives me chills, because the album has a very good sound (mixed and mastered by Endarker Studio), which makes everything even more believable. The cover artwork, signed by Misanthropic-Art, is also impressive. "Bovine Mockeries of Human Posturing" is a record that makes you feel raw, believable, real. Everything is gnawed to the bone, the band relies on clear and distinct melodies. Themes that really transport you to places where something bad has happened. Maybe you've been there. You meet a man who is outwardly very nice, charming, capable and everybody likes him. He just has a strange look and a basement full of hugs. You can't see inside people's heads. I think the band has managed to set themes like that to music really well. The novelty is like an old, raw horror movie based on true events. It makes my insides clench, I'm scared of every shadow. I fall into the depths and listen to the album only when it's absolutely dark. I saw the flash of a knife and eyes glowing in the dark. They remind me of a beast on the hunt. It was supposed to be an ordinary day like always. I walked down the street, looking forward to the evening. To sit down, open a book, have a good drink and listen to some good music. But fate would have it otherwise. I was caught, tied up and thrown in the trunk of a car. In vain I cried for help, in vain I promised to give them money. They took you far out of town. WRETKOMB will tell you what happened next. A dark, freezing doom death metal visit to an old bloody dungeon! The grave is ready, all you have to do is die!
Mrtvolný zápach rozkládajících se mršin. Kosti, popraskané tlakem a bolestí, která nezmizela ani po smrti. Bdění nad mrtvými a kremace, která nás má očistit od všeho zlého. Jenže někdy to nebývá pravda. Zlý člověk často zůstává, jeho ohavné činy škodí ještě dlouho potom, co odejde do země stínů. Vstávám velmi brzy a zase vidím mezi stromy přízraky. Poslouchám novou desku japonských doom death metalistů COFFINS a připadám si, jako bych byl zahalený do černé, krvavé mlhy. Tohle je kapela, která má obrovský dar zabíjet svojí hudbou.
Mezi skladbami se šíří odporný zápach. Z vnitřností lezou červi a lebky mají prázdný pohled. Vzduchem se vznáší obžaloba všech, kteří zůstali ještě trošku naživu. Troufám si tvrdit, že i letos dostála tato legenda svému jménu. Je na ně spolehnutí. Kapela musela trávit těch dlouhých pět let, od vydání předchozí nahrávky, hluboko pod zemí. V nekonečných katakombách, ve kterých nasbírala inspiraci. Zlé a ošklivé myšlenky byly přeneseny pomocí vynikajícího, masivního a dunivého zvuku (který je pro tuhle smečku tolik typický) na hudební nosič. Výsledkem je mokvající koktejl, který když pozřete, tak zemřete v nekonečných křečích.
Album se mi otisklo do myšlenek jako nějaká zlá modlitba, jako cejch. Rád jsem se k jednotlivých skladbám vracel. Nejlépe, když se venku setmělo a dveře do záhrobí byly otevřené. COFFINS se příliš nemění a je to moc dobře. Můžete si být opět jistí, že pánové dodali svoje typické postupy. Jejich styl je vypilovaný k dokonalosti. Zavřeni v dávno opuštěných hrobkách se kýveme do rytmu pochmurných melodií. Už dávno jsme neviděli světlo. Kolem se plouží dlouhé stíny nemrtvých, jejich protáhlé obličeje, plné žalosti, smutku a utrpení. Sem, do starých rakví, mezi ztrouchnivělá těla, mezi prokleté deska "Sinister Oath" patří. Poslouchejte pozorně, nechte se ukolébat morbidním rytmem. Nová nahrávka se kolem vás bude nejdřív plazit jako klubko prudce jedovatých hadů Postupně, pomalu vás uhrane, aby vás nakonec uštkla. Tahle skupina má svůj zřetelný a neopakovatelný rukopis, originální výraz, který poznáte během několika prvních tónů. Na novince jsou pánové ve velmi dobré formě. Rád jsem s kapelou proséval mezi prsty prach svých předků. Drtil staré kosti, lámal je a vyřezával z nich rituální amulety. Zmínit musím i parádní motiv na obalu, pod kterým je podepsán mistr Axel Hermann. Troufám si tvrdit, že pokud jste starými, věrnými fanoušky kapely, budete určitě spokojeni jako já. Budete cítit fyzickou přítomnost smrti a budete se těšit na každé další společné setkání. Songy jsou napsány s jediným účelem. Zabít vás hudbou! Kosti, popraskané tlakem a bolestí, která nezmizela ani po smrti. Bdění nad mrtvými a kremace, která nás má očistit od všeho zlého. Mrtvolný zápach rozkládajících se mršin. Zkažený, drsný, surový, těžký, mokvající doom death metal, který do vás zasekne dráp a nikdy vás už nepustí!
Asphyx says:
The dead smell of decomposing carcasses. Bones, cracked by pressure and pain that hasn't gone away even after death. The vigil over the dead and the cremation to cleanse us of all evil. But sometimes that's not true. The evil man often remains, his heinous deeds damaging long after he's gone to the land of shadows. I wake up very early and see ghosts among the trees again. I'm listening to the new album by Japanese doom death metallers COFFINS and I feel like I'm enveloped in a black, bloody fog. This is a band that has a great gift for killing with their music.
There's a foul stench between the songs. Worms crawl out of their guts and skulls have a blank stare. The air is filled with the accusation of all those who are still a little bit alive. I dare say that this legend lived up to its name this year. They can be counted on. The band must have spent the five long years since the release of the previous record deep underground. In the endless catacombs where they've gathered inspiration. Bad and ugly thoughts were transferred by means of an excellent, massive and thunderous sound (which is so typical for this pack) to the music carrier. The result is a drenching cocktail that, if you devour it, you will die in endless convulsions.
The album imprinted itself on my thoughts like a bad prayer, like a mark. I liked going back to each song. Best when it was dark outside and the door to the afterlife was open. COFFINS doesn't change much and that's a very good thing. You can be sure again that the gentlemen have delivered their typical routines. Their style is honed to perfection. Locked in long abandoned tombs, we sway to the rhythm of sombre melodies. We haven't seen the light in a long time. The long shadows of the undead creep past, their elongated faces full of sorrow, sadness and suffering. This is where "Sinister Oath" belongs, in the old coffins, among the rotting bodies, among the damned. Listen carefully, be lulled by the morbid rhythm. The new record will crawl around you like a ball of violently venomous snakes at first. This band has a distinct and unique signature, an original expression that you will recognize within the first few notes. The gentlemen are in very good form on the new album. I enjoyed sifting the dust of my ancestors through my fingers with the band. Crushing old bones, breaking them and carving them into ritual amulets. I must also mention the cool motif on the cover, signed by master Axel Hermann. I dare to say that if you are an old, loyal fan of the band, you will definitely be as satisfied as I am. You'll feel the physical presence of death and look forward to every reunion. The songs are written with one purpose. To kill you with music! Bones, cracked by pressure and pain that hasn't gone away even after death. A vigil for the dead and a cremation to cleanse us of all evil. The dead smell of decaying carcasses. Corrupt, harsh, raw, heavy, swamping doom death metal that will sink its claw into you and never let go!
Někde hluboko v podvědomí, ve své hlavě, máme každý temnotu a zlo. Občas vypluje na povrch, jako mrtvola, jako utopenec v řece smrti. Každý máme své démony, svoje děsivé svědomí. Existují nahrávky, u kterých si připadám křehký, velmi zranitelný. U nového alba amerických death doom metalistů CIVEROUS jsem odhalený, ohlodaný na kost. Novinka je o smutku, o smrti, o utrpení. Sedím ve svém pokoji a zase jednou vím, že poslouchám hudbu, která mě dokáže zcela pohltit.
Jako bych se právě vrátil z hlubokých močálů. Stačil jeden krok a mohl jsem se propadnout do hlubin. Nové album "Maze Envy" je jako děsivý sen, ze kterého když se probudíte, tak zjistíte, že je krutou skutečností. Hudba si nejdříve plyne jen tak kolem, jako nějaká mocná kulisa. Postupně se dostává do mých žil, hluboko do hlavy. Mění mě k obrazu svému, stávám se její součástí.
Není to ale jenom klasický doom death metal ve stylu WORM, SPECTRAL VOICE, DISEMBOWELMENT, CEREMONIUM, MY DYING BRIDE, RIPPIKOULU, TZOMPANTLI, kterým se pánové inspirovali. Navíc přidávají ještě kus sebe samých i progresivních pasáží. Album je tak velmi neklidné, smutné, melancholické, ale i svým způsobem zničující. Když jej poslouchám, tak bývám rád sám. Zhasnu pokaždé všechna světla a nechám se unášet na zpěněných vodách řeky smrti. Je to spíše obřad, než jen obyčejná deska. Alespoň tak vnímám "Maze Envy" já. Někdy si připadám jako v labyrintu, jako bych byl součástí velmi povedeného obalu (autorem je Juanjo Castellano). Užívám si ale hlavně zvuk (Andrew Solis - engineering, mixing, producer, Nick Townsend - mastering), jednotlivé nápady, kterých je opravdu spousta. Jsou jiné, odlišné, svým způsobem originální a velmi dobře zahrané. Každý fanoušek tohoto stylu, ale nejen on, dostane pořádnou a poctivou porci extrémní muziky. Představte si, že ráno vstanete do krvavé mlhy. Budete se toulat ulicemi. Zdánlivě bez cíle, přesto nakonec dojdete na hřbitov. Už na vás čekají, vaši vlastní démoni. Kývají spokojeně hlavou. Není divu, hraje se zde i pro ně. Myslím si, jsem si s tím absolutně jistý, že k téhle nahrávce se budu rád a často vracet. Už teď, po spoustě společných setkání vím, že jsem ještě neobjevil všechna zákoutí, všechny pasáže a motivy. CIVEROUS se stali mým stínem, muzikou, která se dostala hluboko do mého podvědomí. Nedivím se, jednotlivé skladby jsou opravdu návykové, magické, přitažlivé takovým tím zvláštním, záhadným způsobem. Jsem chycený do sítě, jsem zničený, přesto cítím z téhle hudby velkou sílu. Stíny se prodlužují! Doom death metalový obřad! Budete bloudit v temnotě!
Asphyx says:
Somewhere deep in the subconscious, in our heads, we all have darkness and evil. Sometimes it comes to the surface, like a corpse, like a drowning man in the river of death. We all have our demons, our terrifying consciences. There are some records that make me feel fragile, very vulnerable. With the new album by American death doom metallers CIVEROUS I am exposed, gnawed to the bone. The new album is about sadness, about death, about suffering. I sit in my room and once again I know that I am listening to music that can completely engulf me.
It's like I've just come back from the deep swamps. One step and I could sink into the depths. The new album "Maze Envy" is like a terrifying dream that when you wake up from it, you find it is a harsh reality. At first the music just flows by, like some powerful backdrop. Gradually it gets into my veins, deep into my head. It changes me in its image, I become part of it.
But it's not just classic doom death metal in the style of WORM, SPECTRAL VOICE, DISEMBOWELMENT, CEREMONIUM, MY DYING BRIDE, RIPPIKOULU, TZOMPANTLI, which the gentlemen were inspired by. In addition, they add a piece of themselves and progressive passages. The album is thus very restless, sad, melancholic, but also devastating in its own way. When I listen to it, I like to be alone. I turn off all the lights every time and let myself drift on the foamy waters of the river of death. It's more of a ritual than a simple record. At least that's how I feel about "Maze Envy". Sometimes I feel like I'm in a labyrinth, like I'm part of a very hilarious cover (by Juanjo Castellano). But I mainly enjoy the sound (Andrew Solis - engineering, mixing, producer, Nick Townsend - mastering), the individual ideas, which are really many. They are different, different, original in their own way and very well played. Every fan of this style, but not only, gets a good and honest portion of extreme music. Imagine waking up in the morning to a bloody fog. You'll be wandering the streets. Seemingly without a destination, yet you eventually reach a cemetery. Waiting for you, your own demons. They nod their heads in satisfaction. No wonder, it's a game for them too. I think, I'm absolutely sure, that I will come back to this record often. Even now, after many sessions together, I know I haven't yet discovered all the nooks and crannies, all the passages and motifs. CIVEROUS has become my shadow, music that has gone deep into my subconscious. I'm not surprised, the individual tracks are really addictive, magical, appealing in that strange, mysterious way. I'm caught in a net, I'm destroyed, yet I feel a great power from this music. The shadows are lengthening! Doom death metal ceremony! You will wander in the dark!
TRACKLIST
1. The Azure Eye
2. Shrouded in Crystals
3. Endless Symmetry
4. Labyrinth Charm (featuring Derek Rydquist)
5. Levitation Tomb
6. Maze Envy
7. Geryon (The Plummet)
LINE-UP
Lord Foul - Vocals
Daniel Salinas - Guitars
Alonso Santana - Guitars
Drew Horton - Bass
Aidan Neuner - Drums
CREDITS
Recorded between Winter 2022 - Summer 2023. Engineered, mixed and produced by Andrew Solis at Deadstare Audio. Additional engineering by Kevin McCombs at The Steakhouse, North Hollywood. Mastered by Nick Townsend at Infrasonic Sound.
Už několik měsíců chodím prázdnými ulicemi. Nikde není živá duše. Ani v továrně, ve které pracuji celý svůj život. Na město padá šedý prach. Zbylo tu jen pár prašivých psů a přízraky, otištěné na zbořené zdi. Smutek a splín jsou mými jedinými společníky. A také hudba, kterou poslouchám stále dokola. Němečtí TRISTE jsou kapelou, složenou ze členů Moribund Mantras, Discommand, Vordt, Yonder, Sedhate. A také doom death metalem, který vás rozdrásá do krve.
Temnota opuštěných továren, smutek a beznaděj. Už se vám někdy stalo, že vás bolelo uprostřed vnitřností a neznali jste příčinu? Nové album "Scapegoats" se vám usadí ve vašem těle a začne v něm kousat a hnisat. Budete se dívat na zničené město a z očí vám poteče krev.
Je to klasický, syrový a mrazivý doom metal, ale také hudba, která v určitých momentech odkazuje na kapely jako BOLT THROWER, PRIMITIVE MAN. Zazní i sludgeové pasáže. Posluchač tak dostane velmi návykový, naléhavý materiál. Budete si připadat jako v močálech, které jsou hned kousek za městem. Budete se pomalu propadat do hlubin a ucítíte pach rozkládajícího masa. Toxicita lidské duše, schopnost sebezničení vlastního druhu, to nás odlišuje od zvířat. Netuším, co vlastně bylo příčinou zničení celé naší kdysi krásné země. Možná naše pýcha a neschopnost sebereflexe. Co ale vím jistě je, že tuhle nahrávku budu poslouchat stále dál, protože přesně vyjadřuje to, co se stane, až nastane apokalypsa. Hnis a špína, vše ohlodané na kost, zvuk, který vám způsobí zástavu srdce (recorded, mixed and mastered by Raph Hiebe). TRISTE na to jdou nekompromisně, vše je syrové a přesně takové, jako to mám rád. Líbí se mi jejich rukopis, přístup, s jakým přistupují k hudbě jako k celku. Vyprávějí nám své děsivé příběhy a vy jenom sedíte, jako věřící v kostele. Akorát s tím rozdílem, že vám žádná víra nepomůže. Nikdy nepřijdete do nebe. Budete spáleni na popel, jako celá země. Představte si, že se ráno probudíte a svět už dávno neexistuje. Alespoň ne v té podobě, v jaké jste jej znali. Je to hodně smutný pohled, na mrtvé stroje, na ulice bez lidí. Němcům se povedlo vytáhnou z lidských myšlenek všechno zlé a ošklivé, čeho je člověk schopen. Vypálili to jasným plamenem na hudební nosič a podávají spolu se syrovým masem. Už několik měsíců chodím prázdnými ulicemi. Nikde není živá duše. Ani v továrně, ve které pracuji celý svůj život. Na město padá šedý prach. Těžký, temný doom death metal s sludge crustovou příměsí! Pesimistická, pochmurná, dystopická vize!
Asphyx says:
I've been walking empty streets for months. Not a soul in sight. Not even in the factory where I've worked all my life. Grey dust falls on the city. All that's left are a few mangy dogs and ghosts printed on a ruined wall. Sadness and full moon are my only companions. And the music I listen to over and over again. German TRISTE is a band made up of members of Moribund Mantras, Discommand, Vordt, Yonder, Sedhate. And doom death metal that will rip your blood.
The darkness of abandoned factories, sadness and hopelessness. Has it ever happened to you that you had a pain in the middle of your gut and you didn't know the cause? The new album "Scapegoats" will settle in your body and start to bite and fester. You'll be looking at a destroyed city and blood will come out of your eyes.
It's classic, raw and chilling doom metal, but also music that in certain moments refers to bands like BOLT THROWER, PRIMITIVE MAN. There are also sludge passages. The listener gets very addictive, urgent material. You will feel like you are in the swamps just outside the city. You will slowly sink into the depths and smell the stench of decaying flesh. The toxicity of the human soul, the capacity for self-destruction of our own kind, that's what sets us apart from the animals. I have no idea what caused the destruction of our once beautiful country. Perhaps our pride and our inability to self-reflect. But what I do know is that I will continue to listen to this recording because it accurately describes what will happen when the apocalypse comes. Filth and filth, everything chewed to the bone, a sound that will make your heart stop (recorded, mixed and mastered by Raph Hiebe). TRISTE go at it uncompromisingly, everything is raw and just the way I like it. I like their handwriting, the way they approach the music as a whole. They tell us their scary stories and you just sit back, like a believer in church. Except that no amount of faith will help you. You'll never get to heaven. You'll be burned to ashes, like the whole earth. Imagine waking up in the morning and the world doesn't exist anymore. At least not as you knew it. It's a very sad sight, dead machines, streets without people. The Germans have managed to extract from human thought everything evil and ugly that man is capable of. They burned it out in a bright flame on a music carrier and served it with raw meat. I've been walking the empty streets for months. There's not a living soul anywhere. Not even in the factory where I've worked all my life. Grey dust falls on the city. Heavy, dark doom death metal with sludge crust mixed in! A pessimistic, gloomy, dystopian vision!
Když měsíc zalije svým světlem celý hřbitov, připadám si jako v jiném světě. Náhrobky září do tmy. Některé kříže jsou pokryté pavučinami, které se krásně třpytí. Je v tom něco magického, přitažlivého, tajemného. Z márnice se začnou ozývat podivné zvuky a když vstoupíte dovnitř, tak se někteří mrtví usmívají. Nejraději ale mám, když vše zasype sníh. To se potom rozprostře po celém hřbitově neskutečný klid. Mráz se mi dostane do kostí a mám neodbytnou touhu na nějakou smutnou, podmanivou hudbu.
MOON INCARNATE hrají přesně tím záhadně pochmurným způsobem, který mám tolik rád. Jedná se o debut zkušených muzikantů (Christian Kolf (Valborg) a Matin Vasari (Beyondition)), kteří se sešli, aby nám předali svědectví o děsivých hororových zážitcích z onoho světa. Nové album "Hymns to the Moon" je majestátní ozvěnou, která zní hřbitovem, když je úplněk.
"Hymns to the Moon" je nahrávkou, která se vám dostane do morku kostí. Odkazuje se v ní na kapely typu ANATHMEMA, PARADISE LOST, MY DYING BRIDE, AMORPHIS, KATATONIA, MOONSPELL, SAMAEL. Posluchač dostane pestrou směs melodií, které se kolem vás pomalu omotají jako jedovatí hadi. Je hrozně příjemné několikrát u skladeb zemřít a znovu se narodit. Připadám si jako poutník, který se vydal na poslední cestu. Pomocí téhle hudby naleznete vstup do záhrobí a když vstoupíte dovnitř a zaplatíte převozníkovi, potkáte děsivé přízraky. Dostanete od nich velkou porci nahrubo nasekané tmy, chladu a pradávné jiskry, která odjakživa oddělovala dobré kapely od špatných. MOON INCARNATE se pro mě stali na dlouhou dobu průvodci v říši mrtvých. Každé ráno jsem uléhal do své rakve, a těšil se, až se večer zase sejdeme. Novinka má totiž skvělý zvuk (mastering - Armin Ravea (Pavor)). Jsou chvíle, kdy jsem hrozně rád sám. Ponořím se do sebe a musím ven, na vzduch. Pokaždé mě mé kroky zavedou na nedaleký hřbitov. Samozřejmě se tak děje ve společnosti MOON INCARNATE. Připadám si jako vlkodlak ze starých legend. Měsíc mě fascinuje, přitahuje, drásá do krve. Stejně jako tahle nahrávka, která je po okraj narvaná zajímavými momenty. Jako bych byl zahalen během poslechu do ledové mlhy. Když měsíc zalije svým světlem celý hřbitov, připadám si jako v jiném světě. Náhrobky září do tmy. Některé kříže jsou pokryté pavučinami, které se krásně třpytí. Je v tom něco magického, přitažlivého, tajemného. Nezbývá nic jiného, než pokleknout a poklonit se před sílou přírody. Mrazivé, gotické ozvěny z onoho světa! Děsivá fáze doom death metalového měsíce!
Asphyx says:
When the moon bathes the whole cemetery in its light, I feel like I'm in another world. The tombstones glow in the dark. Some of the crosses are covered with cobwebs that shimmer beautifully. There's something magical, alluring, mysterious about it. Strange noises start coming from the morgue, and when you step inside, some of the dead are smiling. But my favorite part is when the snow covers everything. It makes the whole cemetery so quiet. The chill gets into my bones and I have an insistent desire for some sad, haunting music.
MOON INCARNATE play in that mysteriously sombre way that I love so much. This is the debut album from two seasoned musicians (Christian Kolf (Valborg) and Matin Vasari (Beyondition)) who have come together to give us a testament to the terrifying horror of the afterlife. The new album "Hymns to the Moon" is a majestic echo that sounds through the graveyard when the moon is full.
"Hymns to the Moon" is a record that will get you to the core. It references bands like ANATHMEMA, PARADISE LOST, MY DYING BRIDE, AMORPHIS, KATATONIA, MOONSPELL, SAMAEL. The listener gets a colourful mix of melodies that slowly wrap around you like poisonous snakes. It's terribly pleasant to die and be reborn several times at the songs. I feel like a pilgrim who has embarked on his last journey. With this music you find the entrance to the afterlife and when you enter and pay the ferryman, you meet terrifying phantoms. You'll get a big helping of the coarsely chopped darkness, cold and ancient spark that has always separated the good bands from the bad. MOON INCARNATE have been my guides in the realm of the dead for a long time. Every morning I would lie down in my coffin, looking forward to meeting them again in the evening. There are times when I'm very happy to be alone. I'm gonna dive in and get out for some air. Each time, my steps take me to a nearby cemetery. Of course, this is in the company of MOON INCARNATE. I feel like a werewolf from the old legends. The moon fascinates me, attracts me, tears my blood. Just like this record, which is packed to the brim with interesting moments. It's like being enveloped in an icy fog while listening. When the moon bathes the whole cemetery in its light, I feel like I'm in another world. The tombstones glow in the dark. Some of the crosses are covered with cobwebs that shimmer beautifully. There's something magical, alluring, mysterious about it. There is nothing to do but kneel and bow before the power of nature. Freezing, gothic echoes from the other world! The terrifying phase of the doom death metal moon!
Někdy na tebe padne těžký splín a hledáš inspiraci v temnotě. Čekáš až se setmí, abys mohl vyrazit do ulic. Sleduješ tváře démonů a pokaždé skončíš hluboko pod zemí. Kdysi dávno jsem navštívil Paříž a její katakomby. Dodnes si nesu tento tajemný a magický zážitek v sobě. Doomová kapela WITCHORIOUS je z Paříže. A předkládá smutný, bolestivý zážitek způsobem, že jsem si na nekonečné chodby podsvětí zase vzpomněl. Pánové a dáma hrají tak, že jsem si připadal rozdrásaný do krve.
Jedná se o dlouhohrající debut kapely, který si ale v ničem nezadá s o hodně slavnějšími kapelami. Nejsou to ale jenom formální věci, jako skvělý zvuk (Studio Sainte-Marthe by Francis Caste), starodávný obal a perfektní produkce, ale hlavně pochmurné nálady, které se vznáší kolem jako můry kolem lampy. Je to hodně návykový materiál, u kterého jsem se pokaždé zastavil a moje myšlenky byly smutné.
"Witchorious" je album, které je volně inspirováno kapelami jako BLACK SABBATH, ELECTRIC WIZARD, v intenzivnějších pasážích potom třeba MASTODON, AMENRA. To ale není zase tolik důležité, každý posluchač si stejně udělá nejlepší představu, když si poslechne ukázky. Slova nikdy nedokáží přesně vyjádřit veškeré emoce a sílu, které deska přináší. Líbí se mi, že je nahrávka velmi pestrou záležitostí. Dostanete nejen starou atmosféru, u které ucítíte v kostech chlad, ale také spoustu modernějších prvků. Album je tak nebývale pestré, skvěle napsané. Je to vlastně zvláštní a zároveň podivně krásné, když sedím ve svém pokoji a dívám se na usínající město. Šedivé ulice čekají na první přízraky, mraky jsou černé a skoro se dotýkají země. Píšu to často, doom metal je styl, který musí být zahraný od srdce, uvěřitelně. A to se povedlo Francouzům na výbornou. Naléhavé vokály, magické, záhadné melodie, pocit zmaru a beznaděje. Tohle vše zde najdete a ještě něco navíc. Mám rád staré hřbitovy, s chutí se procházím mezi náhrobky. Čtu si jména a přemýšlím, jaký asi měli život, kolik zažili dobrého i zlého. Ukrývám se ve stínu, navštěvuji podzemní chrámy a poslouchám u toho tuhle desku. Vám nelze jinak, než doporučit. Pokud máte tenhle styl rádi, neváhejte ani chvilku. Dostanete poctivě zahranou porci rozervaných skladeb, které vás časem zcela pohltí. Mě se to stalo. Padl na mě těžký splín a hledal jsem inspiraci v temnotě. Čekal jsem až se setmí, abych mohl vyrazit do ulic. Sledoval jsem tváře démonů a pokaždé skončil hluboko pod zemí. Drásavě bolestivý, pochmurně smutný doom metal, který vás uvrhne do temnoty vlastní duše! Smutná krása lidské existence!
Asphyx says:
Sometimes a heavy full moon falls on you and you look for inspiration in the darkness. Waiting for darkness to fall so you can hit the streets. You watch the faces of demons and each time you end up deep underground. Once upon a time, I visited Paris and its catacombs. I still carry that mysterious and magical experience with me. The doom band WITCHORIOUS is from Paris. And it presents a sad, painful experience in a way that made me think of the endless corridors of the underworld again. Gentlemen and lady play in a way that made me feel like I was being ripped to shreds.
This is the band's full-length debut, but it's no match for much more famous bands. But it's not just the formal stuff, like the great sound (Studio Sainte-Marthe by Francis Caste), the vintage cover art and the perfect production, it's the sombre moods that hover around like moths around a lamp. It's very addictive stuff, and I found myself stopping and my thoughts were sad every time.
"Witchorious" is an album that is loosely inspired by bands like BLACK SABBATH, ELECTRIC WIZARD, and in more intense passages by MASTODON, AMENRA. But that's not so important, every listener will get the best idea anyway when listening to the samples. Words can never accurately express all the emotions and power that the album brings. I like that the record is a very varied affair. Not only do you get the old school vibe where you can feel the chill in your bones, but you also get a lot of more modern elements. The album is so unprecedentedly varied, brilliantly written. It's actually strange and strangely beautiful at the same time, sitting in my room looking out over the city falling asleep. The grey streets are waiting for the first ghosts, the clouds are black and almost touching the ground. I write it often, doom metal is a style that has to be played from the heart, believably. And the French have done that to perfection. Urgent vocals, magical, mysterious melodies, a feeling of despair and hopelessness. You will find all that here and more. I like old cemeteries, I enjoy walking among the tombstones. I read the names and wonder what their lives were like, how much good and bad they experienced. I hide in the shadows, visit underground temples and listen to this record. I cannot but recommend it to you. If you like this style, don't hesitate a moment. You'll get an honestly played portion of ripping tracks that will completely consume you over time. It happened to me. A heavy full moon fell upon me and I sought inspiration in the darkness. I waited until it was dark to hit the streets. I watched the faces of the demons and each time ended up deep underground. Poignantly painful, bleakly sad doom metal that will plunge you into the darkness of your own soul! The sad beauty of human existence!
A few questions - interview with doom metal band from France - WITCHORIOUS.
Answered Antoine (guitars, vocals), thank you!
Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play etc.?
Hi Jakub! We are Witchorious from Paris (France) and we were found in late 2019. The band is composed of Antoine Auclair (guitar / vocals), Lucie Gaget (bass / vocals / theremin), and her brother Paul Gaget (drums / percussions). We play doom metal, mixing traditional heavy doom riffs with more post-metal structures, and blending clean vocals and screams. We released our first two singles in 2020, and we just released our first album on Argonauta Records on February 16th 2024.
Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?
We recorded our album in December 2022 at Studio Sainte-Marthe in Paris under the direction of Francis Caste (also producer for Hangman’s Chair, Necrowretch, My Diligence, etc.) It was a snowy winter in Paris, and we stayed locked up in the studio for around four weeks. It was a very cool experience, Francis had us try a lot of things for the sounds and arrangements. He also took care of the mixing and mastering, contributing so much to producing the occult atmosphere of the album.
How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?
300 vinyl copies, 100 of them being label-edition, were released, and we also produced 200 CD copies on our own. Don’t wait to get yours!
Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?
Antoine writes most of the lyrics, although Lucie also wrote on song (“Eternal Night”). In general, lyrics are written when the first steps of a song are created, starting with riffs that we jam and intend to turn into a song. But it also happens that I write down so lyrics I have in my head, simple reflections, or sudden punchlines… Half of the songs on this album are very personal and deal with depression, mental health, and my questions around what are we doing here on this earth, towards what end… And the other half speak of society, the relationship between humans, how we are able to destroy everything that surrounds us for power, all this narrated with metaphors around the elements of occultism.
Who created the logo of the band, and who took care of the graphics and the website? What about you and social networks? Do you consider these things important?
Our logo was created by Vaderetro Studio. We asked them to create something dark and evil to represent our sound. We also asked them to work on a picture of a sick medieval town ruled by the forces of evil to summarise what we wanted to talk about in the album, and they came up with the amazing front artwork. The additional drawings were made by Headbang Design based
on the first works of Vaderetro, and they definitely added an important touch of occultism to our imagery. Antoine and Lucie take care of our social media, in which we try to reflect our universe and current projects. We try to be as present as possible on social media, we are on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and we think it is very important. First of all, we love these media and use them to discover a lot of bands and keep abreast of their new music. Then it is definitely a very strong means to stay connected with your fan base, and more than that, build solid relationships with other bands and fans. When we started, we sometimes struggled finding interesting content to broadcast in these media, so we tried to publish things just when we felt like it, and now that we have more things to share, this is so funny to let people know of our news and interact with us, like asking them what song they would like to hear at our next gig… It is very rewarding when people answer you and show how enthusiastic they are!
Which label did you choose for releasing your album and why this label? Are you satisfied by how your label represents you and takes care about you?
We have chosen to partner with Argonauta Records and we do not regret it! We really hoped they would want to work with us when we sent them our album, because a lot of bands that we liked already worked with them. And look at their roster, it is gold! So many great bands, really in the stoner / doom / post-metal niche… Their boss, Gero, is really passionate about what he is doing and has an incredible know-how. From the first discussions with him and from the word-of-mouth, we knew we could rely on him for all our questions on the release. He’s done that so many times, he can really provide the mentorship we were looking for, with brilliant tips. And benefiting from Argonauta’s visibility and their many followers were a key asset when releasing the album.
Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?
Our main inspiration for this project, and in our playing in general, is Black Sabbath. They are really our gods in terms of songwriting and riff-making. On top that, we try to listen to as many bands as we can, and we are inspired by more modern doom bands like Electric Wizard, Monolord, or Lucifer, but also nu metal stuff like Korn and Deftones, metalcore bands like Parkway Drive and Jinjer… We try to incorporate elements from different genres to make our compositions richer. We are fascinated by bands who show an impressive mix of influences and sound both vintage and modern like Mastodon or Amenra.
Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?
Yes we sent our record to around fifteen labels and we got answers from 5 of them, for 2 deal propositions. In the end I feel that we have gotten propositions from labels that were the most relevant for us, and knowing that we really hoped Argonauta would say yes, this was beyond expectations. We are incredibly grateful to Gero for trusting us.
How many gigs have you played? Which type of gigs do you prefer, whether it's (clubs or festivals) and which of your performances would you consider as the best?
So far, we have played 16 shows. We have been lucky enough to play clubs, one festival, and small pubs. I’d say that our favorite place to play is small concert houses, because it is still small enough to feel very close to the audience, but big enough to have all the professional equipment and crew, which is really luxury haha. I think that one of our best shows was at Les Cuizines in
Chelles (our hometown) back in November 2023, because we had just done a series of gigs in different towns and it was very cool to play again at home before our families and friends with our newly gained experience. In my opinion, our best gig was actually our last gig at Supersonic in Paris, because it was very challenging: I was sick and worried that I might not be able to sing, and it was important for us because it was the release party of our album, so we hoped people would come… But eventually the two other bands performing (Margarita and Brusque) killed it, the room was crowded as F, and we did a very good performance. We had so much fun, it was really like a birthday party, everybody was there, and we gave the best of ourselves, it was the best night.
What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?
For 2024, the target is really to play as many shows as possible. We want to meet people and present our album live. Then I would say that we are going to try to play bigger and bigger venues. We’ll start working on songs for a second album very soon. We would really love to become a permanently active band in the niche, but above all we want to do acts that we will be proud of: good albums and killer shows. So we will gain as much experience as we can, try to show ourselves everywhere, and hopefully this will lead us to cool adventures!
How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?
Ave GRAVEHAMMER! Hello to the underground. I hope all is well with you. It should be, you have a great debut album. I have to admit, it literally drove me up the wall. It's dark, it's energetic, it cuts with a knife edge. It's very telling that you've done a great job, and a great deal of talent as well. How do you feel about the new record in relation to your previous EP? Where did you want to go and how do you think the recordings are different?
J.S.: Hails Deadly Storm Zine and thank you for your kind words. It was our aim to capture the energy of playing Death Metal as a band. “Bones to harvest” could be considered a next step in the band’s development. Writing an album and not just a demo or an EP was a new experience for us. It is more challenging since you have a higher amount of work as more material has to be written and rehearsed. Our goal was to come up with a conclusive songwriting. The record has received some positive feedback so far which we are very happy and grateful about.
„Bones to Harvest“ includes all attributes of good death/black and doom metal. For me personally, it represents the record, which I really like to listen to. How did you produce it? How look the writing process of new material in the case of GRAVEHAMMER?
Arillus: Wow, that is a pleasing comment! Our music is never a construction in one's head but something that evolves live during rehearsal. I guess this is one of our essential properties. No overthinking but doing what feels right, just then. Next, there is no gap between the first creation and taping the fragments of a song. Thus, we are able to keep the original feel of a song and stick to it when we take off for the studio later. Besides that, just put us into our rehearsal room. After a few beers and an average working day “Bones to harvest” is what you get.
Who's signed for the sound and mix? I have to confirm that they literally kill. It keeps making me turn up the volume on the hi-fi tower. You've got a sound that's harsh, raw and dark and animalistic at the same time. How did you achieve it? What studio did you record in and how did it all work?
Arillus: With the former records, recording, mixing/mastering and all the technical stuff was in my responsibility. Especially the last E.P. taught us to get a really raw and energetic sound since we recorded the instruments live in our rehearsal room. Now, with the new record we decided to separate the recording process and also the responsibility of the production. We recorded in my other band’s (Nosturaack) rehearsal room which is far from perfect but kind of optimized to make some heavy noise ;) So, there was no one else to pressure us but ourselves. We took the time we needed and enjoyed a familiar atmosphere to do the work. Then, we gave the material to Alex from Holodeckstudio. He really has the right touch for this kind of music, shares our vision of sound and made it real.
An important part and a kind of extra bonus for fans today is the physical CD. You released the new album at CD in El Rotting Misery Records, and it has a „morbid“ cover art. Who is the author? How did you choose the motif and how does it relate to the music at the record?
T.W.: The physical release is an important milestone. Since we are not very much into streaming and digital platforms, it’s way more than a bonus for us. We are happy that we found labels that support us. Rotting Misery indeed released the CD as a nice digipak. The tape version was done by Kellerassel Records and Fucking Kill! Records did the vinyl versions.
The Field Alchemist: Thanks for allowing me to pitch in! I very much prefer traditional over digital art - a rusty nib and ink on cold-pressed paper feels more alive, raw and expressive to me than any digital drawing ever could, all imperfections included. I hand-drew the cover design inspired by the lyrics and leitmotif of the album - an all-engulfing tyrant killed by a dozen weapons throwing up not blood but rusty chains and countless corpses including a dagger symbolizing ritualistic murder. I was going for something crude, guttural and rotten as I feel it matches Gravehammer's vibe. Some additional illustrations within the CD design were done by me as well and I enjoyed the contribution.
MB: The layout did indeed capture the essence of the lyrics perfectly. The common theme of all the lyrics on the album is the way humans treat each other. The main focus lies on the brutality and humiliation that always has and always will be found when conflict, greed and craving for power strike. I took a lot of inspiration from Roman antiquity this time, which is full of blood, violence, gore - everything that’s needed for good death metal lyrics.
I have been wandering the underground for over thirty years and I still go to Germany for music with certainty. I think we have a similar nature and taste when it comes to metal. I like your bands a lot and I monitor your scene carefully. Maybe I envy you a little, because we only have a few death/black doom metal bands that are worth it. How do you explain that underground metal is doing so well in your country? How do you perceive your scene, fans, labels?
J.S.: Germany has had a strong scene right from the beginning in the early eighties. I guess, we are also lucky because of its position right in the center of Europe. Hence many tours are routed through the country when going from west to east or vice versa. From a business perspective, the German market is still very important when it comes to sales of releases. So labels pay attention that their releases are available in Germany.
However, these days it is difficult for many venues and promoters to survive. Rising costs for touring and production on one side, less money among the fans for tickets on the other side. I hope that most of the Metal devotees will cope with this situation and survive these difficult times. “Take nothing for granted” as the saying goes.
You play doom death/black metal influenced by, among other things, the old school. Today, the band can't avoid comparisons, but I would like to know how the idea to start GRAVEHAMMER was born, who was and is your metal idol? Where do you want to move your band? Are you attracted to large foreign festivals, for example, are you willing to go on tour with a more famous band?
T.W.: I think the initial idea was to play old school Death Metal in the vein of bands like Nihilist, Grave, old Tiamat and Winter, without having had an elaborated concept or long term strategy for the band. We were (and still are) very much into that archaic sound and noticed that there were no bands in our area playing that kind of music. However, it turned out that we did not really know how to achieve that. We had some technical limitations and were biased by our individual backgrounds. Our first demo is probably closer to Hellhammer than to nineties Death Metal. Still, we noticed that there is the potential for a certain primitive energy, which I associate with the first waves of extreme metal.
Hence, we gave up the idea of being a pure Death Metal band and put more focus on finding our own identity. Although we still primarily identify as a Death Metal band, there is a lot of Doom Metal, Black Metal and War Metal in our current sound. By not limiting our music to a specific genre, we are maybe even closer to the essence of the early days of Extreme Metal - a time when it was more important to play energetic music than to find the right marketing tags. Look at - again - Hellhammer or early Sodom, Morbid, Master’s Hammer, Bathory, Sarcófago and the like. Although they sound very different, all of them have an incredible, primitive energy plus a dark, morbid aura. Yet, there is a certain lightheartedness in the chaos they embraced. Today, I can‘t name one specific band that influences us the most, but for sure we are inspired by those core aspects of the first waves of extreme metal.
For the second part of the question, we don’t really have a long term goal. I guess we will try to find a good balance of playing live and working on new material. There are for sure some stages we‘d like to enter, but yet I feel that smaller, shady venues fit our style of music better. I don’t think that our music is made for big stages and that‘s totally fine. Playing in front of 10 maniacs in a putrid garage can be a blast. Of course it would be also cool to share the stage with a bigger band we all like, but it’s not our biggest dream and definitely we would not pay to get a support slot. Yes, this happens, and it has nothing to do with Metal.
When I started my website seven years ago, I had a vision that I would try to support bands that are not so much popular, or they are lost in underground. To let the world knows about them. I think I'm doing quite well, at least according to the responses. How do you approach the promotion of your music? Do you rely upon the label or do you send the CDs for various reviews by yourself? For example, I buy albums that I really enjoy. What about you? Are you also fans who often support your colleagues? Do you go to concerts?
J.S.: Most of us attend shows on a regular basis. When we like the band we also hit the merch table since we like physical releases. And of course, shirts, too (who doesn’t?).
The promotion work of Gravehammer consists of several components. Our labels do promotion for their releases. Furthermore, we also do promotion on our own by using social media and getting word of mouth promotion going. Attending concerts and speaking to other fans is an important part of this, too.
On the one hand, today the new band has a lot of opportunities to make themselves more known, but on the other hand, there are a huge number of groups and the fans are getting lost in this big metal sea. A lot of people just download mp3s from the internet and instead of to visit the concert they prefer to spit poisonous saliva on Facebook. How do modern technologies affect you as GRAVEHAMMER? What do you think about downloading music, google metalists, streaming music, etc.?
MB: Well, the developments of the last decade or so are both a blessing and a curse. As it has become quite easy to record music on your own and release it, there is a huge flood of new demos each month or even week - yet, there are also many good releases among the many rubbish ones. But, even though we (this includes Gravehammer as well as Skardus, a band J.S. and I play in together) put our music on bandcamp, youtube and the like, we still see many people buying our stuff - both online and at our concerts. That said, I think that the attention span of people who listen to music via streaming exclusively has drastically shortened because that way music can be consumed everywhere and all the time. Thus, for many people, music has become a mere background noise which needs to be changed and skipped through as fast as possible. This, of course, leads to the problem that complete albums or demos do not get appreciated the way they should. But, on the other hand, I do feel that the people who rather live and support the underground do still buy the bands’ albums and merchandise to support them (and also support the bands on said pages like facebook etc.) and by that keep the flame burning, so to speak.
I like to ask the musicians what death metal means to them. How would they define it, whether it is more the philosophy and lifestyle thing for them or "just" relaxation? What does it mean for you? How do you perceive and experience it?
J.S.: Lifestyle is a strong word. On the other hand, Metal in general consumes much of my spare time. This includes rehearsing with my two bands (Skardus is the other one), attending concerts and listening to records.
Since this answer is not toooooo exciting, I may rephrase your question a bit to “What do you favour in Death Metal?” I personally like bands which capture a sinister atmosphere and not just playing “buddy Death Metal”. Records that evoke a similar feeling for me when visiting old churches and vaults or looking at medieval woodcuts. Teitanblood, Possession, Necros Christos, Beherit, Goat Molestör… you get the idea.
Finally, a classic but important question. What is GRAVEHAMMER planning in the upcoming months? Where can we see you at the stage and what about a tour of Europe?
T.W.: Yes, we do have some gigs in the pipeline, most of them in Germany. In March, we will hit the road with our friends Hallucinate and play in Mülheim (22.3.) and Göttingen (23.3.). Check them out, they released their debut last year, an incredible atmospheric yet old school Death Metal album. In April, we will play in Lübeck (27.4.) inside a freakin’ ship.
Most interesting for you and your readers and certainly one highlight for us will be the “United in Brutality” festival. On Saturday (21.9.) we’ll hit their stage in Jablonec Nad Nisou in the Czech Republic. All further announcements can be found on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Gravehammer
At the moment, we prefer weekenders with 2-3 dates since they are easier to organize. But who knows.
Thank you so much for the interview. I wish a lot of success to the new album and let the number of your fans expand as much as possible. I will look forward to seeing you somewhere live again. I wish you a lot of success both musically and personally. I'm going to push „Bones to Harvest“ into my head again!
J.S.: Thank you for featuring Gravehammer in your zine and also for your kind words! We hope to see many of you guys when we play at “United in Brutality” in September.
Recenze/review - GRAVEHAMMER - Bones to Harvest (2023):
