DEATH, THRASH, BLACK, HEAVY, DOOM AND ROCK METAL ZINE

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Zobrazují se příspěvky se štítkemmelodic death metal. Zobrazit všechny příspěvky
Zobrazují se příspěvky se štítkemmelodic death metal. Zobrazit všechny příspěvky

neděle 3. března 2024

News! - Očekávaná deska „In The Shadow of the Sun“ kapely INNERSPHERE je na prodejních pultech


Očekávaná deska „In The Shadow of the Sun“ kapely INNERSPHERE je na prodejních pultech

Dnes konečně vychází nové album plzeňských death melodiků INNERSPHERE s názvem „In The Shadow of the Sun“, které je nyní k dostání na CD, LP a také na všech digitálních platformách.

Merch INNERSPHERE můžete objednávat zde (https://www.sparkshop.cz/kapely/0/1/kapela:426)

Deska „In The Shadow of the Sun“ není jednoduchým poslechem. Je to hluboká filozofická sonda do duše každého z nás: „Ústředním motivem a symbolem je slunce, které provází vícero skladeb na naší desce. Slunce symbolizující sílu života i destrukci, světlo i vržený stín, vnitřní žár, sílu, naději, svoji vlastní i naši smrtelnost. Takovými hvězdami je pokrytá celá obloha a jejich záře postupně rozsvěcuje nebe. Jejich světlo cestuje skrze obrovské vzdálenosti a je možné, že některé teprve spatříme. U jiných, v době, kdy je spatříme, tak nemusí ani existovat, a nebo ne v podobě, kterou uvidíme… Slunce a jeho energie jako tvůrce světů, jeho teplo a zář dopadající na světy v kombinaci s jeho silou vše zničit buď žárem nebo vychladnutím. Ničí čas - ani čas obrů/velikánů, o kterých pějeme i v dalších skladbách, není nekonečný. Vše se jednou obrátí vniveč a promění se v něco jiného. Zároveň poukazuje na poznání, ke kterému dochází v průběhu naší životní cesty, věcem prožívaným a lidem, které potkáme,“ přibližuje téma zpěvák Míra.

Ač jsou INNERPHERE v tuzemsku koncertně přemíru aktivní, vydání desky tak úplně neoslaví doma, vyrážejí totiž na turné po Finsku: „V březnu jedeme na tour do Finska, přes Lotyšsko a Estonsko, takže na to se teď soustředíme více; logistika a organizace není otázka jednoho večera. Bylo nám nabídnuto jet do Finska na čtyři koncerty s AS THE SUN FALLS, kteří hrají melodicý death metal. Jsou věci, na které se neříká ne. Neváhali jsme a během pár minut jsme tour potvrzovali. Je to pro nás velká příležitost podívat se dál na sever, do evropské modly metalu a ještě s kapelou, se kterou by to mělo hudebně skvěle pasovat. Moc se na to těšíme, bude to skvělá zkušenost a rádi poznáme a zahrajeme pro místní publikum. Je super, že se nám po cestě povedlo sehnat ještě dva koncerty po vlastní ose v Rize (Lotyšsko) a Tallinnu (Estonsko),“ dodává s nadšením zpěvák Míra.



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pondělí 19. února 2024

Recenze/review - ETERNAL STORM - A Giant Bound to Fall (2024)


ETERNAL STORM - A Giant Bound to Fall
CD 2024, Transcending Obscurity Records

for english please scroll down

Celý život hledáš odpovědi na zásadní otázky. Následuješ slepé cesty, obdivuješ falešné proroky. Čteš krásné knihy, navštěvuješ galerie plné obrazů, které tě zasáhnou. Nakonec stejně zjistíš, že jediná spravedlnost a jistota, které existují, je smrt. Když na to přijdeš, jsi najednou pokorný a smířený se sebou i s celým světem. Posloucháš už jenom hudbu, která se ti líbí. Je to jako návštěva jiné dimenze, když se to stane. Když potkáš nahrávky, která se ti dostanou do žil, do podvědomí. 

V melodickém death metalu jsem již dlouhé roky hodně vybíravý. Většinou mi přijde obyčejný a nezajímavý. Jenže potom jsem potkal novou desku španělských ETERNAL STORM a najednou jsem si připadal, jako by mě kapela přikovala na zeď. Ostré riffy, temné melodické motivy, spousta zajímavých progresivních pasáží. Vznešenost, majestátnost, cit pro pochmurné nálady. Takové je jejich nové album "A Giant Bound to Fall".


Stylově se tahle smečka pohybuje mezi mantinely, které nastavily kapely jako INSOMNIUM, IN MOURNING, AT THE GATES, DARK TRANQUILLITY. A dělá to velmi elegantně, zkušeně. Líbí se mi jejich přístup, nadšení, energie, které jsou cítit ze všech skladeb. Jakoby kolem poletovalo listí ze stromů, jako bych se díval na tající řeku. Ano, nejvíce se mi osvědčil poslech v lesích, mezi stoletými stromy. Nachodil jsem s touto nahrávkou spoustu kilometrů zimní krajinou a pokaždé, když jsem se vrátil domů, tak jsem si sedl a otevřel nějakou dobrou knihu. Nějak se mi hudba Španělů vždy spojila s příběhem. Ne, nové album nebylo jen obyčejnou kulisou, ale spíše mi natolik proniklo do krve, že se stalo mojí součástí. Vznášel jsem se, padal do hlubiny, shořel jsem, abych nakonec pokaždé povstal z popela. Povedlo se vlastně všechno. Novinka má úderný a čitelný zvuk, mlhavý obal a hlavně spoustu neotřelých nápadů. Když mě nějaká deska hodně baví, tak ji raději poslouchám, než abych o ní psal.  Pokud dojde ke vzájemnému přenosu mezi mnou a kapelou, pokud naplno pochopím jejich umělecké vyjádření, bývám jako ztracený a nechce se mi dělat nic jiného, než jen poslouchat a užívat si. Jsem jako tulák po hvězdách, tanečník, našlapující na ostré střepy. Napadá mě spousta přirovnání, ale žádné z nich nedokáže přesně vyjádřit a definovat veškeré nálady, které obsahuje. Lepší je opravdu si poslechnout ukázky, postupně si udělat názor a potom uvidíte. Za sebe mohu napsat jediné. Už dlouho jsem neslyšel v tomto stylu tak dobrý počin. Nechte si chutnat. Naléhavý, majestátní melodický death metal! Budete se vznášet na vlnách věčnosti!


Asphyx says:

All your life you've been searching for answers to fundamental questions. You follow blind paths, admire false prophets. You read beautiful books, visit galleries full of paintings that strike you. In the end, you still find that the only justice and certainty that exist is death. When you figure that out, you're suddenly humble and at peace with yourself and the world. You only listen to music you like. It's like visiting another dimension when it happens. When you meet records that get into your veins, into your subconscious. 

I've been very picky about melodic death metal for many years. Mostly I find it ordinary and uninteresting. But then I came across the new record from Spain's ETERNAL STORM and suddenly I felt like the band had me pinned to the wall. Sharp riffs, dark melodic motifs, lots of interesting progressive passages. Grandeur, majesty, a sense of gloomy moods. That's what their new album "A Giant Bound to Fall" is.


Stylistically, this pack is between the boundaries set by bands like INSOMNIUM, IN MOURNING, AT THE GATES, DARK TRANQUILLITY. And they do it in a very elegant, experienced way. I like their attitude, their enthusiasm, the energy that can be felt in all the songs. It's like leaves from the trees are flying around, like I'm looking at a melting river. Yes, listening in the woods, among the hundred year old trees, was the most rewarding for me. I walked many miles through the winter landscape with this recording and every time I came home I would sit down and open a good book. Somehow the music of the Spanish always connected with the story. No, the new album wasn't just an ordinary backdrop, but rather it got into my blood enough to become a part of me. I floated, I fell into the depths, I burned, only to rise from the ashes each time. In fact, it all worked. The novelty has a punchy and clear sound, a foggy cover and, above all, a lot of novel ideas. If I like a record a lot, I prefer to listen to it rather than write about it. If there is a mutual transmission between me and the band, if I fully understand their artistic expression, I tend to be lost and not want to do anything but listen and enjoy. I'm like a star wanderer, a dancer, stepping on sharp shards. Many similes come to mind, but none of them can accurately express and define all the moods they contain. Better to really listen to the excerpts, gradually form an opinion, and then see. For myself, I can only write one thing. I have not heard such a good piece in this style for a long time. Let yourself enjoy. Urgent, majestic melodic death metal! You will float on the waves of eternity!



Track Listing -
1. An Abyss of Unreason
2. A Dim Illusion
3. There was a Wall
4. Last Refuge
5. Eclipse
6. Lone Tree Domain
7. The Sleepers
8. The Void
9. A Giant Bound to Fall

Line up -
Daniel R. Flys | Vocals (lead), guitars, keyboards, bass
Jaime Torres | Guitars, vocals, keyboards, bass, fretless bass
Daniel Maganto | Bass, guitars (additional), vocals (additional)

čtvrtek 9. listopadu 2023

News! - VANIR - Twisting The Knife - lyric video


VANIR - “Twisting The Knife” - lyric video


On the evening of 7 November, King Christian summoned many Swedish leaders to a private conference at the palace. At dusk on 8 November, Danish soldiers, with lanterns and torches, entered a great hall of the royal palace and imprisoned several noble guests. Later in the evening, even more of the king's guests were imprisoned. The following day, 9 November, a council, headed by Archbishop Trolle, sentenced the proscribed to death for being heretics. At noon, the anti-unionist bishops of Skara and Strängnäs were led out into the great square and beheaded. Fourteen noblemen, three burgomasters, fourteen town councilors and about twenty common citizens of Stockholm were then hanged or beheaded. The executions continued throughout the following day. According to the chief executioner, Jörgen Homuth, 82 people were executed.

These are the historical facts behind “Twisting The Knife”, the first VANIR single from the upcoming new album of the Danish band. An aggressive and heavy offering, fully reflecting the violent nature of the lyrics.


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Vanir is one of Denmark’s most prominent melodic death metal bands and has, since the band’s inception, released six full-length albums and has their seventh record ready to be out in early 2024.

Vanir has been around for more than ten years and has evolved a lot since the band's beginning. With the last three records and now with their upcoming offering, Vanir shows its hard edge and catchy melodic death metal.

A new Vanir album will be released in early 2024.

Lineup:
Martin Rubini - vocals
Kirk Backarach - guitar
Michael Lundquist - guitar
Mikael Christensen - bass
Jon Elmquist Schmidt - drums
Stefan Dujardin - keyboards

Digital single:

Web:



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pondělí 30. října 2023

Recenze/review - RAVENOIR - Cultus Inferi (2023)


RAVENOIR - Cultus Inferi
CD 2023, Black Barn Music

for english please scroll down

Někdy se probudíš uprostřed černé noci a máš strach. Občas přichází bolest z děsivých snů, může to být ale i předtucha. Nevíš ani proč, ale vstaneš, oblékneš se a jdeš ven. Chvilku bloudíš tmou, ale nakonec vždycky najdeš svůj cíl. Oheň už hoří a všichni jsou dávno zde. Odříkávají pradávné modlitby a jejich mysl už není na tomto světě. Každá víra je slepá a jak ukazují události posledních let, stále se pro ní zabíjí. Zahalte se do studené mlhy a poslouchejte. Moravští RAVENOIR přicházejí s novou deskou, která je plná dlouhých stínů a potkáte s ní i své vlastní přízraky.

Melodie, ano, jsou to právě černé, mrazivé a mocné melodie, které se mi na téhle smečce líbily vždy nejvíce. Alesh AD má talent na to, napsat skladby, které ve vás vyvolají velké množství emocí. Bylo velmi brzy ráno a nemohl jsem spát. Nasadil jsem sluchátka a vydal se do ulic. Město ještě spalo, ale stíny byly všude kolem mě. Mí vlastní démoni. 


Mám rád alba, nad kterými je nutné přemýšlet. U "Cultus Inferi" je opravdu nutné vnímat pozorně. Rohodně to není hudba na první poslech. Opravdu doporučuji dát novince čas, různou denní a nejlépe noční dobu a uvidíte, že postupně rozkryjete mnoho vrstev a zajímavých momentů. U minulých desek jsem si trošku stěžoval na zvuk, chtěl jsem syrovější a špinavější. Letos mi ale průzračnost a čitelnost vůbec nevadí. Připadá mi, že kapela dozrála, nastavila jasný směr - přímo do pekla. V některých klidnějších momentech dokáží být RAVENOIR až melancholičtí, doomoví. Základem je ale stále poctivý melodický death metal s prvky blacku. Líbí se mi, že má kapela svůj vlastní rukopis, takový ten krvavý otisk, který máme všichni fanoušci poctivé hudby tolik rádi. Je to právě temná energie, která mě vždy doslova uhrane. Vše ubíhá v klidnějším tempu, songy jsou pestré, stále se něco děje. Nezůstanete ani na chvilku v klidu. Je úplně jedno, jakého Boha uctíváte nebo jestli jste ateisté. Osobně věřím hlavně v dobrou hudbu a tu umí RAVENOIR výbornou. Letos jsou jako prach, ve který se jednou všichni obrátíme, jako převalující se řeka, plná špinavých vzpomínek. Na stěně visí Kristus a má na rukou krev. Stejně jako jeho následovníci. Není v tom sám, strhněte všechny modly. Abychom se nemuseli budit s děsem na tváři. "Cultus Inferi" je velmi podmanivým, nebál bych se napsat magickým albem. Dostane se vám pomalu do krve a stane se vaší součástí. Alespoň tak tomu bylo u mě. Vynikající pocta stínům! Tajemná, magická, hypnotická modlitba démonů! Oheň hoří uvnitř každého z nás! 



Asphyx says:

Sometimes you wake up in the middle of a black night and you're scared. Sometimes the pain comes from scary dreams, but it can also be a premonition. You don't even know why, but you get up, get dressed and go out. You wander in the dark for a while, but eventually you find your destination. The fire's already burning and everyone's long gone. They're saying ancient prayers and their minds are no longer in this world. Every faith is blind and as the events of the last few years show, they are still killing for it. Wrap yourself in a cold fog and listen. Moravian RAVENOIR come with a new record that is full of long shadows and you will meet your own ghosts.

The melodies, yes, it's the black, chilling and powerful melodies that I've always liked the most about this pack. Alesh AD has a knack for writing songs that evoke a lot of emotions in you. It was very early in the morning and I couldn't sleep. I put on my headphones and hit the streets. The city was still asleep, but the shadows were all around me. My own demons.

I like albums that you have to think about. With "Cultus Inferi" you really have to pay attention. It's definitely not music for the first listen. I really recommend giving the novelty time, different times of the day and preferably night, and you will see that you will gradually uncover many layers and interesting moments. I complained a bit about the sound on the previous albums, I wanted it to be more raw and dirty. But this year I don't mind the clarity and readability at all. It seems to me that the band has matured, set a clear direction - straight to hell. In some of the quieter moments RAVENOIR can be almost melancholic, doomy. But the basis is still honest melodic death metal with elements of black metal. I like that the band has its own signature, that bloody imprint that we all fans of honest music love so much. It is the dark energy that always literally captivates me. Everything goes at a calmer pace, the songs are varied, there is always something going on. You don't stay still for a moment. It doesn't matter what God you worship or if you're an atheist. Personally, I believe in good music, and RAVENOIR does that very well. This year they are like the dust we will all turn into one day, like a rolling river full of dirty memories. Christ is hanging on the wall with blood on his hands. Just like his followers. He's not alone in this, tear down all the idols. So we don't have to wake up with terror on our faces. "Cultus Inferi" is a very captivating, I wouldn't be afraid to write magical album. It will slowly get into your blood and become a part of you. At least that's how it was for me. An excellent tribute to the shadows! A mysterious, magical, hypnotic prayer of demons! The fire burns inside all of us!


about RAVENOIR on DEADLY STORM ZINE:




tracklist:
1. Glorification of Godlessness
2. Black Luna
3. Crows' Call
4. Confession to the Darkness
5. Requiem
6. Belial's Realm
7. Orgiastic Ceremony
8. Kingdom of Amnesia

band:
Alesh AD (kytara, zpěv, klávesy a orchestrace)
Igor Hubík (baskytara)
Jiří Háb (sólová kytara)
Zbyněk Husa (bicí)



sobota 11. března 2023

Recenze/review - ONTBORG - Following the Steps of Damnation (2023)


ONTBORG - Following the Steps of Damnation
CD 2023, Black Lion Records

for english please scroll down

Už nemohl dál. Nevěděl, co je sen a co skutečnost. Potácel se mezi naším a oním světem. Utekl do lesa, pryč, daleko od lidí, od zloby a nenávisti. Do tváře jej šlehal studený vítr, země byla studená a brzy přišla tma. Usedl na kámen a pohlédl k nebi. Několikrát se zeptal proč a pak splynul s okolím. Zemřel sám, stejně jako se narodil. Neustálý koloběh, který nelze přerušit. Zrovna jsem poslouchal druhé album italských démonů ONTBORG a chtěl být také sám. Hudbu si tak lépe vychutnám.

Melodický death metal poslouchám opravdu nejraději venku v lese. Tam nejlépe vynikne jeho síla. Italové se vrací a jsou silnější než kdy dřív. Na mrazivých melodiích postavené skladby se mi ihned dostaly do žil a nechaly po sobě malé částečky ledu v krvi. Ano, přesně takhle si představuji dobrou nahrávku. Stačí se podívat na skvělý obal (Juanjo Castellano) a hned se ocitnete v zemi nekonečných temných snů.


Stylově lze stále tvorbu kapely přirovnat k tomu, co tvořily a tvoří smečky typu DISMEMBER, ENTOMBED, BENEDICTION, NECROPHOBIC, EVOCATION, UNLEASHED, HYPOCRISY, AMORPHIS, OMNIUM GATHERUM. Hudba je typicky severská, studená a obsahuje v sobě velké množství nakumulované energie nasbírané na starých pohřebištích. Pro mě osobně je nedůležitější, že mě album opravdu baví poslouchat. Vstávám velmi brzy ráno, když je ještě tma. Nechám za sebou město a pokynu nemrtvým, kteří mě zdraví z nedalekého hřbitova. Se sluchátky na uších vstupuji do lesa a pod nohama mi křupe čerstvý sníh. Ano, sem, do ticha, pod klenbu stromů, patří "Following the Steps of Damnation" nejvíce. Zde vyniknou jednotlivé nuance, nápady, momenty, které se mi ihned vypálily do mozku. I cesta může být cílem. Vychutnávám si riffy, vokál, našlapuji tiše, abych neporušil atmosféru. Jenom já a hudba, promrzlý, unavený, ale spokojený. Ztrácím se mezi naším a oním světem, přidávám hlasitost. Nechce se mi vracet zpět. Chci se navěky rozplynout, stát se součástí lesa. Umírám a znovu se rodím, oceňuji skvělý zvuk, rytmus, chvění a jiskru, které z hudby cítím. Vracím se domů s úsměvem na tváři. Kdo nezažil, nepochopí. Je vám doufám jasné, že jsem si desku opravdu oblíbil. Stala se pro mě osobní. Nezbývá mi nic jiného, než vám ji doporučit. Svěžest, hravost, cit pro dobré melodie, tohle všechno dělá z nahrávky doslova gurmánský zážitek. Mrazivý, melodický death metalový sen! Melancholie!


Asphyx says:

He couldn't go on. He didn't know what was a dream and what was reality. He stumbled between our world and the other. He fled into the woods, away from people, away from anger and hatred. A cold wind whipped his face, the ground was cold, and soon darkness came. He sat down on a stone and looked up to the sky. He asked why several times and then blended into his surroundings. He died alone, just as he was born. A constant cycle that cannot be broken. I was just listening to the second album of Italian demons ONTBORG and wanted to be alone too. I'll enjoy the music better that way.

I really like listening to melodic death metal out in the woods. That's where its power comes out best. The Italians are back and stronger than ever. The songs, built on chilling melodies, immediately got into my veins and left small particles of ice in my blood. Yes, this is exactly how I imagine a good record. Just look at the great cover art (Juanjo Castellano) and you'll immediately find yourself in a land of endless dark dreams.


Stylistically, the band's work can still be compared to what was and is being created by the likes of DISMEMBER, ENTOMBED, BENEDICTION, NECROPHOBIC, EVOCATION, UNLEASHED, HYPOCRISY, AMORPHIS, OMNIUM GATHERUM. The music is typically Nordic, cold and contains a lot of accumulated energy gathered in old burial grounds. More importantly for me personally, I really enjoy listening to the album. I get up very early in the morning when it's still dark. I leave the city behind and beckon to the undead who greet me from a nearby cemetery. With my headphones on, I enter the woods and the fresh snow crunches under my feet. Yes, this is where "Following the Steps of Damnation" belongs most, in the silence, under the canopy of trees. This is where the nuances, the ideas, the moments that immediately burned themselves into my brain stand out. Even a journey can be a destination. I relish the riffs, the vocals, treading quietly so as not to break the atmosphere. Just me and the music, cold, tired, but happy. I lose myself between our world and the other, turning up the volume. I don't want to go back. I want to disappear forever, to become part of the forest. I die and am reborn, appreciating the great sound, the rhythm, the shiver and sparkle I feel from the music. I return home with a smile on my face. Those who have not experienced it will not understand. I hope it's clear to you that I really liked the record. It's become personal to me. I have no choice but to recommend it to you. The freshness, the playfulness, the feeling for good melodies, all this makes the record a literal gourmet experience. A frosty, melodic death metal dream! Melancholy!




about ONTBORG on DEADLY STORM ZINE:

Recenze/review - ONTBORG - Within The Depths Of Oblivion (2019)

čtvrtek 2. března 2023

News! - CHRONICLE - Where Chaos Thrives - official video


CHRONICLE “Where Chaos Thrives” official video



“Where Chaos Thrives”, the new single by the Danish tech melodeath band CHRONICLE, is the final statement and also the title-track of their upcoming album, to be released in May. It is the inevitable conclusion to the thematic concept that will be the backbone of the record and a final farewell for the human race.

“This is where our world is heading, if something fundamental doesn't change in the way we live on this planet”, the band comments on the song. “If we do not act, the Earth will become a place where no human life survives and only chaos thrives. Musically the song is complex with many twists and turns, as the song goes from crushing heaviness to the final passage of melancholic acoustic guitars”.



_______________________________________

2023 will be known for a lot of things. And among all of them, the slight “detail” that will be CHRONICLE's third full-length album, “Where Chaos Thrives”, will likely put melodic/technical death metal fans in a frenzy. The record elevates the young Danes’ sound to a new level of brutality and technicality, enhanced by the superior production, mixing and mastering done by Tue Madsen (Meshuggah, The Haunted, The Black Dahlia Murder). With artwork done by Samuel Nelson (Allegaeon, First Fragment, Vale Of Pnath), “Where Chaos Thrives” has all the right ingredients in the right quantities to be a pure death metal onslaught.

The sound of Chronicle is a ferocious combination of melodic death metal and technical thrash elements. Lightning-fast drums, soaring solos and catchy guitar harmonies are the key ingredients in this cocktail of heaviness. The band consists of competent players, who each have many years of experience performing in front of crowds of all sizes. The band’s energetic live shows reveal a true passion for performing and each member of the band is determined to make every performance unique and energetic. Chronicle has played all over Denmark including some of the best metal events and festivals the country has to offer and also ventured into German territory.

Prepare yourself for the death metal sweeping winds of “Where Chaos Thrives”, a true extreme metal masterpiece to be remembered for years to come.

“Where Chaos Thrives” will be released on LP (black vinyl, limited to 300 copies), CD and digital formats via Mighty Music on May 19th, 2023.


Lineup:
Lars Bo Nepper - guitar/vocals
Sebastian Skousgaard - guitar
Jacob Wammen - bass/vocals
Jari S. Holopainen - drums

Digital single:

Web:

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neděle 7. srpna 2022

Recenze/review - RAVENOIR - In the Womb of Sin (2022)


RAVENOIR - In the Womb of Sin
CD 2022, Gothoom Productions

for english please scroll down

Říká se a je to ověřeno, že krkavci předávají svým potomkům informace. Nevím, co se muselo kdysi stát, ale připadalo mi, že tenhle se usmívá. Nebyl to ale příjemný pohled. Jakoby se na mě díval posel temnoty. Naklonil hlavu na stranu a zasekl své drápy hlouběji do těla. Působil jako tvor z jiného světa. Přeběhl mi mráz po zádech. Nálada celého okamžiku byla velmi mlhavá, zastřená, chladná a krutá. Ve vzduchu byla cítit surovost a síra. Stejně jako z druhé dlouhohrající desky RAVENOIR. Ještě jednou se na mě podíval a roztáhl svá křídla k letu. Vracel se domů, do pekla. A v zobáku držel oko.

Na tuhle nahrávku jsem se opravdu těšil. Minulý počin The Darkest Flame Of Eternal Blasphemy (2021) byl totiž velmi častým hostem v mém přehrávači. Bylo na čase ochutnat i z nového alba. První poslech ve mě evokoval v úvodu zmiňovaný ošklivý sen. Mimochodem, cestou do práce ráno krkavce opravdu potkávám. Je to velmi zajímavý tvor. S uhrančivým pohledem a hlasem ďábla. Myslím, že kapela si svoje jméno zvolila opravdu dobře. 


RAVENOIR je skupina složená ze slavných muzikantů českého podsvětí. Člověk by očekával (jak v takových případech občas bývá) souboj o to, kdo do muziky vloží víc vlastního ega. Není to ale pravdou. Novinka působí velmi uceleně, vznešeně, pevně a jasně. Symfonické vsuvky doplňují už tak pochmurnou a záhadnou atmosféru. A jsou to právě nálady, které mě na téhle smečce baví nejvíce. Dokáží navodit pocity srovnatelné snad jen s procházkou po hřbitově prokletých. Ano, na náhrobcích sedí opět havrani nebo krkavci, chcete-li. Zvuk je nádherně čitelný, pánové odvedli opravdu dobrou práci. Osobně mám raději špinavější, syrovější produkci, ale tady tak nějak k hudbě krásně morbidně sedne. Kapela se opírá o základy, které kdysi položily legendy jako BEHEMOTH, HATE, ROTTING CHRIST, BATHORY, CELTIC FROST, IMMORTAL, ale i DEATH, POSSESSED, VENOM. Novinka mi připadá méně agresivnější, ale o to víc chladnější a podmanivější, než předchozí nahrávka. Dlouho jsem hledal, co bych vlastně vytkl, ale ono není moc co. Je cítit a slyšet, že se zde sešli lidé, které baví hrát, dělají hudbu s nadšením, radostí a srdcem. Zároveň mají nepopiratelný talent a nezapomínají ani na vkus. "In the Womb of Sin" není dílem, které by zamíchalo světovými dějinami metalu, ale to ani nebylo účelem. Vždycky jde nakonec o přenesené emoce, o obrazy, které ve vás deska probudí. Ty svoje jsem zmínil již v úvodu článku. Přidal bych ještě zvláštní, těžko popsatelné chvění, černou energii, vášeň a drive. Na pevných, klasických základech jsou vystavěny pestré a zajímavé kompozice. Navíc se album opravdu velmi dobře poslouchá. Satan se usmívá! Mystické, záhadné black death metalové ozvěny z onoho světa!


Asphyx says:

It is said and verified that ravens pass on information to their offspring. I don't know what must have happened at some point, but I thought this one was smiling. It was not a pleasant sight. It was as if a messenger of darkness was looking at me. He cocked his head to the side and dug his claws deeper into my body. He looked like a creature from another world. A chill ran down my spine. The mood of the whole moment was very hazy, clouded, cold, and cruel. The air was raw and sulphurous. Just like from the second long-playing album RAVENOIR. He looked at me once more and spread his wings to fly. He was going home to hell. And in its beak, it held an eye.

I was really looking forward to this record. The last release "The Darkest Flame Of Eternal Blasphemy" (2021) was a very frequent guest in my player. It was time to get a taste of the new album. The first listen evoked in me the bad dream mentioned in the introduction. By the way, I do meet ravens on my way to work in the morning. It's a very interesting creature. With a mesmerizing gaze and the voice of the devil. I think the band chose their name really well.


RAVENOIR is a band composed of famous musicians from the Czech underworld. One would expect (as it sometimes happens in such cases) a duel for who puts more of his own ego into the music. But it is not true. The novelty is very coherent, noble, solid, and clear. Symphonic interludes add to the already gloomy and mysterious atmosphere. And it's the moods that I enjoy most about this pack. They can evoke feelings comparable perhaps only to a walk through the cemetery of the damned. Yes, there are ravens again, or ravens, if you prefer. The sound is beautifully clear, the gentlemen have done a really good job. Personally, I prefer dirtier, rawer production, but here it somehow fits the music in a beautifully morbid way. The band builds on the foundations that were once laid by legends like BEHEMOTH, HATE, ROTTING CHRIST, BATHORY, CELTIC FROST, IMMORTAL, but also DEATH, POSSESSED, VENOM. I find the new record less aggressive, but all the more cool and captivating than the previous one. I searched for a long time for what I could actually criticize, but there is not much to criticize. You can feel and hear that people who enjoy playing and making music with passion, joy, and heart have come together here. At the same time, they have undeniable talent and they don't forget about taste. "In the Womb of Sin" is not a work that would shake the world history of metal, but that was not the purpose either. In the end, it's always about the emotions conveyed, the images the record awakens in you. I already mentioned mine at the beginning of this article. I would add a strange, hard-to-describe tremor, black energy, passion, and drive. On solid, classical foundations are built colorful and interesting compositions. Moreover, the album is really very easy to listen to. Satan is smiling! Mystical, mysterious black death metal echoes from the other world!



Recenze/review - RAVENOIR - The Darkest Flame Of Eternal Blasphemy (2021):


tracklist:
1. The Ecstasy of Desecration (Initiation)
2. In the Womb of Sin
3. The Cold of Casemates
4. The Scene of Obscene
5. Sinfonia of Vice (Interlude)
6. Stigma Infernoir
7. The Infinity of Temptation
8. Mother Storm
9. Excommunication
10. Lunar Choir
11. Labyrinth of Shadows


https://www.facebook.com/RavenoirOfficial

středa 30. března 2022

Recenze/review - GOREBRINGER - Terrified Beyond Measure (2022)


GOREBRINGER - Terrified Beyond Measure
CD 2022, Great Dane Records

for english please scroll down

Pokaždé to začínalo jako legrace. Jen tak zesměšnit, ukázat, že jsi něco víc. Jenže se to zvrtlo. V lov na odlišné, v lov na jiné. Je vlastně jedno, v čem jsou odlišní, důležité je ponížit, zničit. Jedovatá slina, která si žije vlastním životem. Lovec a jeho oběť. Svět nebyl a nikdy nebude spravedlivý. Možná snad jen hudba, tam je ještě vše v pořádku. Melodický death metal příliš nemusím, není vlastní mému naturelu, ale u britských GOREBRINGER jsem udělal výjimku.

Pokaždé, když jsem si totiž přečetl tvá hnusná slova a kroutil nad nimi hlavou, pomohla mi se srovnat, přenést do dimenze, kde ještě vše funguje v normálním stavu. Ledové melodie mě doslova uchvátily, black metalový vokál i nálada skladeb taktéž. Tohle je hudba pro lidi, kteří mají rádi mrazivou, temnou atmosféru. 


Neznám nic lepšího, než slyšet vznešenou kytaru. Relax a odpočinek, nejlépe u dobré knihy a "Terrified Beyond Measure". GOREBRINGER umí skládat, na což se v dnešní době dost zapomíná. Mají talent, umí mě přesvědčit a přiznám se, že jsem se po společných setkáních často usmíval. Daleko od zlých myšlenek, daleko od lidí, kteří umí jenom plivat kolem sebe. Britové na to jdou podobně jako třeba takoví AT THE GATES, MAYHEM, DEATH, DISSECTION. To ale není zase tak důležité. Hlavní je pro mě celkový dojem, těžko popsatelné pocity, které z poslechu mám. Je mi vcelku jedno, že je někomu kapela podobná, inspiruje se snad každý, nemám pravdu? Vždycky chci psát jen o muzice, která mě baví, něčím zaujme a "Terrified Beyond Measure" má v sobě něco magického, majestátního, tajemného. Možná trošku morbidního, ale je to spíše něco podobného, jako když otevřete dveře do zcela neznámého sklepa a naleznete tam hromadu vysušených mrtvol. Jste překvapeni a zvědaví zároveň. Kapela umí být hravá, pestrá a zajímavá přesně takovým způsobem. Zvukově je vše v pořádku, alespoň mému uchu nahrávka zcela lahodí. Obal se také povedl a ošklivá témata textů také dělají dobře mému uchu. Fanoušci odlehčeného smrtícího kovu a pravé černoty by mohli být spokojeni jako já. Krvavý, mrazivý, melodický black death metal s velkou porcí temnoty!


sumarizace:

"Terrified Beyond Measure" je skvělou kombinací starého poctivého death metalu s morbidním účinkem a studeného black metalu. GOREBRINGER letos na svém druhém albu ukázali, že v sobě mají velké množství temné energie. Skladby ve stylu AT THE GATES, MAYHEM, DEATH, DISSECTION mají spád, jsou šílené ze své podstaty, divoké a studené jako ruce nebožtíka. Ledové riffy, skvělý hlas mistra Serpent a atmosféra starých opuštěných hřbitovů. Poslouchám novinku stále dokola, jsem jí pokořen, rozleptán a pohřben zaživa. Letošní album připomíná mrazivý severský vítr, dlouhé stíny rozpadlých katedrál, hlasy ze záhrobí, vyprávějící temné příběhy plné smrti. Svět je při poslechu zahalen pláštěm temnoty, zimy, smutku a krutosti. "Terrified Beyond Measure" je doslova uhrančivou nahrávkou! Krvavý, mrazivý, melodický black death metal s velkou porcí temnoty!


Asphyx says:

"Terrified Beyond Measure" is a great combination of old honest death metal with a morbid effect and cold black metal. GOREBRINGER showed on their second album this year that they have a lot of dark energy in them. Their songs in the style of AT THE GATES, MAYHEM, DEATH, DISSECTION, have a great fall, are crazy from their nature and they are wild and cold like hands of a dead man. Cold riffs, great voice of Master Serpent and the atmosphere of old abandoned graveyards. I listen to this new album over and over again. I am humiliated, broke and buried alive. This year´s album reminds me a freezing Nordic winds, long shadows of decaying cathedrals and voices from dead people who tell dark stories full of death. When you listen to this album, the world is cover with a coat of darkness, coldness, sadness and cruelty. "Terrified Beyond Measure" is literally a gruesome album! Bloody, frosty, melodic black death metal with a large portion of darkness!


tracklist:
1. The Bottomless Pit
2. Man to Beast
3. Terrified Beyond Measure
4. The Evil Ones
5. Moon Circle
6. A Blackened Circle
7. Necro Mess
8. Flesh Feast

GOREBRINGER is:
Kaz “Stench”B (guitars/bass)
Serpent (Vocals)
Krzysztof Klingbein( drums) (guest)
Burak Ulugüney (keyboard& synth ) (guest)



pondělí 21. února 2022

Interview - SARCASM - Music means everything to me.

Interview with Swedish death metal band - SARCASM.

This interview is made by Heval Bozarslan, thank you!

Translated Duzl, thank you!

Questions prepared Jakub Asphyx.

SARCASM - Stellar Stream Obscured (2022):

Ave SARCASM! Before we begin the interview, let me say : „ thank you“. You know, I'm an old metal dog and I listen to music not only with my ears but also with my heart, and your new "Stellar Stream Obscured" literally charmed me. It was as if I were looking into the darkness far to the north. It's a very chilling and special album. How was this album created? What is SARCASM's recipe for so many emotions, moods?

Thank you very much. Yeah, it’s a special album, it has this apocalyptic atmosphere surrounding it, I think it’s the most epic and complete album we’ve done so far. The creation of it was actually much easier than some people think. We didn’t even thought of making a concept album before I heard all the songs. When I got all the songs from Peter, I listened to them a zillion times like I always do before I even have any ideas for the lyrics, but this time the songs were just perfect for a concept album, it just made sense, the mood, the variety, the choirs and eerie keyboards etc. I just divided all the 8 songs into two “chapters”, with 4 songs each, and came up with a story. Actually, a part of the story I had in mind years back, but I built upon it, and added sci-fi elements and a twist to it. Hard to believe perhaps, but this album is the easiest we’ve ever made, both the composition and the lyrics took perhaps one year to complete. We recorded and mixed it the spring of 2021 and it went very fast, compared to our past albums. The recipe is very easy, to create music from the heart without rules and boundaries, we’re fans of extreme metal, both slow or fast metal, and you can hear it clearly, to say “Let’s make 8 songs that are really fast” is not what this band would agree upon. Before making an album, the only thing that is said is “Let’s make another album that is just as dynamic as the one before”. We don’t discuss further than that.


To be honest, even though I'm a big fan of the classic Swedish death metal scene, I just like you that you're completely different. The basis of your music is also death metal, but you can also hear a good portion of black and this year even doom metal. At least that's how I hear it. It seems to me that you let the cold and darkness stand out even more on "Stellar Stream Obscured". I love the sound of the new record! I found out that Christian Wallgren was signed under the album. Tell him I praise him! Where and how did you record?

Ok, I’ll send your praises to Christian, although he didn’t record or mix it, he mastered the album. Alvaro did all the mixing together with the band. We recorded it in the same studio as our two previous albums, at HSH in Uppsala, the studio is run by our drummer Alvaro and our friend Philip, they both do all the recordings and mixings. Yes the album is varied in a healthy way, we’re fans of extreme metal in general, so we try to blend to create dynamic albums, variety has always been the most important thing for SARCASM. If we want to add a doom song on an album, we just do it without giving a rip what anyone else thinks. As long as it’s heavy as shit, interesting and memorable then it’s good for us. I have noticed some reactions toward our new doom song “Ancient Visitors”, some people seem surprised that we’ve included a doom song on this album. But we have doom songs on every album we’ve recorded, so I don’t understand why it’s a surpise, it’s nothing new to us. Although “Ancient Visitors” is a bit slower than those previous ones.

You are also loyal when it comes to cover and graphics. I really like Rául González's work. What was the assignment for the new album? Last time it was a frozen gate and this year a pile of the dead with one figure who probably won. How does the motif relate to music and lyrics? What is it really supposed to represent?

The concept of the album is basically the annihilation of our planet, although there’s more going on as the album evolves. I wanted something that represents that atmosphere on the cover, you know, lots of death and decay. I showed Raul the original artwork for one of our old demotapes, the one with the pile of bodies, and told him to do an new version of it, with even more corpses and decay, and also add our mascot “Sarcor” on top of the pile, so he did and we liked it a lot. It’a also very old-school looking. The pose of “Sarcor” symbolises a victorious conquest that is revealed at the end of the album, that’s why the gasmask is off his face.


I've always liked that you don't neglect lyrics. I don't have the original CD with me, but I'm already looking forward to "read it". Most death metal bands have such ordinary, classic lyrics. About what are those at "Stellar Stream Obscured"?

Thanks, that’s nice to hear. The lyrics are extremely important to this band. There is always a theme on each album we do. This new album is the first one with a cenceptual story telling unlike previous albums. And unlike previous albums this new one has nothing to do with my personal thoughts and views. Both previous albums were very metaphysical and philosophical in nature, expressed through channels of the non-physical part of me. I wanted to do something different this time and tell a simple sci-fi/post-apocalyptic story since I’m a big fan of the genre. The album has actually two stories, but both interweave at the end of the album, and you can see the whole picture and know why the first chapter ends so abrubtly. It’s a dark tragic tale about us as species, and how far we can go to survive. If you want a happy ending, don’t read the lyrics, go watch a hollywood movie or something. Yeah, I try to avoid all the clichés of death metal when I write lyrics for this band, we try to stay away from all that gore and horror stuff that has been done a million times anyway. Even if this story is very dark, I try to make it interesting and with a twist, without putting together tons of cool words from the dictionary of death metal.


As I wrote, you are an original band. The guitar signature is unmistakable and the pieces are composed with ease and elegance. Am I right? Was the process of creating new material easy? Will you please tell us something about the process of creating a new songs? How do SARCASM compose?

As I said earlier, it was easy. It’s Peter only who writes the music, everything comes from him, he’s extremely talented, one of a kind and one of best actually, and yes, he has his own signature. His solos are not only excellent, they’re also memorable. The process is very simple, he composes the songs, the riffs just comes to him while he’s working or doing other stuff, he memorizes everything till he gets home to record the stuff. It’s incredible. I have to write my shit immediately, otherwise I forget my stuff like minutes after. Peter has been very inspired the past seven years or so, he lets the gates of creativity always stay open. So this band don’t rehearse or jam or collect riffs from the others, or we don’t go back and re-arrange songs or discuss them, when they are written, they are written, it’s just as easy as that. Then, Peter records them and sends them to me. Then it’s up to me where and how I should put the vocals, I listen to them many times like I said until I hear everything with vocal patterns in my head. Then I just write the lyrics. When the lyrics are written, I listen to the songs many times with vocals in mind to make sure all the words and screams are where they should be. We don’t rehearse during this process and I don’t come up with new stuff or change stuff in the studio. Everything is ready and complete before I record the vocals, even the smallest scream are carefully detailed and planned, just like our guitar solos. Actually, the band has never rehearsed once before recording of an album. The other guys, like me, practice the songs at home until it’s time to go in and record them. I’m very lucky to have all these talanted people around me. And this is the third time we work like this. Rehearsing is unnecessary.

You are a band that dates back to the 1990s. It's been a long time and a lot of things have changed. SARCASM also suspended its activities for a long time (1994 - 2015). Wasn't there time or money? Or musicians? What happened?

We split up completely, it had nothing to do with time or money. We just got tired of the band, and went separate ways. We were also very unfocused as a band and very young, drunk and stupid most of the times and didn’t think forward like many other bands. We neglected a lot of things. And I was tired of the whole underground scene of that time. I didn’t play in bands for many years. But we recorded an album right before we broke up, the “Burial Dimensions” album, we didn’t even care to seriously send the album to labels, it was recorded and then nothing happened, it remained unheard, unseen and unknown for 17 years, gathering dust in my drawer. In 2011, it was finally released, and since then been released several times. But I don’t regret anything, I did a lot of other things that I needed to complete during those years. It was a good thing actually that the band broke up back then, the 2015 reformation wouldn’t have been that strong otherwise. I remember in 2007 we talked about getting back together again, but I said no way. The time wasn’t right.


When you returned in 2015, I was very happy. You know, I immediately went to the basement and spent almost the whole weekend there to find an old tape "A Touch of the Burning Red Sunset." No original, just an ordinary copy, but it was of great value to me at the time. How do you remember the old days? You were young, you had more time, sometimes I wonder if it was not better without the Internet and various new technologies. Although, life is maybe easier now, more comfortable? How do you see it and what has changed for you as a musician?

The old days were fun most of the times, partying and rehearsing a lot, especially 92-93 when the band was extremely creative, it was wild and crazy times, a lot of youthful hunger and anger. But I prefer this new age and its “new” technologies, everything goes faster and you reach people much faster. I don’t have to wait a month for a mail to reach me, and thousand times easier to promote my bands. I’m not the nostalgia guy who praises old days all the time, that’s stupid and pointless and waste of time, but mostly probably because I’ve experienced the old times. It’s done, and you can’t turn back! No matter how nostalgic you try to be in your words and feelings. The present now will also be the past in the future, so just focus here and now and feel the well-being of the now instead of the past which is just a memory. But sure, metal music was better in the past in my opinion, it was new and exciting, there were fewer bands and they all progressed rapidly, and most bands had their own sound and identity. But there are many good bands today also, you just have to find them in this huge metal jungle of today. Internet changed everything, some changes were very good and some really bad. But the good things always win.


When I interviewed Heval from DEATHSWARM, he wrote a beautiful sentence at the time, "Extreme metal generally means freedom and self-confidence to me, both musically and in a way of life." I thought about it a lot and found that I was just the same. I always take the band as a whole. How band works at concerts, in interviews, I have to trust their music. SARCASM really gives the impression that your music goes straight from the heart. No poses, just "pure art". Do you think that this can be learned? What does music actually mean to you?

I believe I wrote “For me, extreme metal in general means freedom and self-empowerment“. But yes, it is pure art and no posers are allowed haha.. You just have to be true to yourself, and don’t follow any rules or listen to anyone else. Just follow your heart and everything will manifest in the truest form. Music means everything to me. I can’t live without it, I’m addicted. The first thing I do when I get up every morning is putting a record on, before I even have my first coffee. Silence is not allowed in my home, I listen to music like 12 hours a day. When I don’t listen to music, I watch movies or I’m at sleep. But I sleep very little, it’s just a waste of time, why sleep when you can listen to more music or watch more movies or be more alive. Sleep is death every night, and I hate it!

Now, thanks to the pandemic is a strange situation, but when everything calms down, I would love to see you at the concert. Are you planning a tour of the old continent? Do you play a lot and do you like it? And how do you perceive a live presentation of your music?

No we haven’t planned any tours. No one knows how this year will turn out, but the plan is to record the next album the end of this year. We actually haven’t had many gigs after the re-formation, but sure, when we play those songs in front of people, it feels great, if everything works properly with the sound and stuff. We play songs from every album, songs that work really well in a live situation, like Through Tears Of Gold, From The Crimson Fog etc. From the new album we’d perhaps play 3 or 4 songs I think. Apocalyptic Serenity will work really well live I think.


Returning to the DEATHSWARM interview, Heval also wrote that you have cold weather and expensive beer in Sweden. You should come to visit us in Pilsen, we have Pilsner Urquell here, I live not far from the brewery:). I wonder if you have a regular beer meetings with SARCASM too? Are you a group of friends who will go for a few pints after the rehearsal? Seems to me you are a band when chemistry between members work well. Or am I wrong?

We drink beer every weekend here, that’s a ritual you just can’t break, that’s what unite us. The chemicals make the chemistry work I guess lol. Yeah, we go out to pubs sometimes or hang around at friends and band members places. Metal from the speakers and alcohol in the bottles, that’s what I have been doing almost every weekend for the past 35 years. Live fast die old! Yeah I know you have great beer in your country, I’ve been there, and it’s cheap too. It’s expensive in Sweden, but we have lots of beer from all around the world in our liquor stores. I’ll give you a call when I’m there next time so we can visit the brewery.


A classic question at the end. What are SARCASM planning in the upcoming months? Would you like to say something to the fans?

We will prepare for the next album these coming months. All the music is already written but I’ll be writing some lyrics and make sure all the songs work in my head. We have written 13 new songs, 8 of them will be on the next record. It’s going to be our strongest album with lots of variety, speed and heaviness. To our fans, yeah, hope you enjoy the new album as much as we do. And if you do, make sure to buy a copy.
Also expect another album next year.

You don't even know what this interview means to me. I really appreciate it. Both bands - SARCASM and DEATHSWARM are very frequent guests in my player. Thank you both for the answers and especially for your music. May you prosper as musicians and also in your personal lives! SARCASM rules!

Thank you very much man! It’s nice to know that we have fans like you, it means a lot to us too. We all co-create, us and our fans, this energy stream is always flowing in both directions.

about SARCASM on DEADLY STORM ZINE:



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