Glora Nexus is my own project. Glora Nexus meant to be minimalistic and unpredictable. After doing some experiment, Glora Nexus focused on the Black Metal sound, as it was where our hearts lay. The major challenge I guess is to make something characteristic in a black metal genre that has been very much explored already.

2.So far you have released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

In terms of genre, Death Metal and Black Metal had on me. Being nihilistic was the inspiration behind the themes and attitude in my approach to black metal. There was never any attempt to swing our style from one influence towards another. Merely to migrate towards our own sound. I can’t speak for anyone else but myself, but for me, it’s just an urge to express oneself through music. but it certainly makes ideas pop up easier.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with the music?

My influences remain the same really through all these years. I was always fascinated by philosophy and literature.  basically, I grew up with the Heavy Metal that many metal fans will come to recognize. Since my twenties, I started to develop an interest in philosophy and literature with a existential dimension to it (Kierkegaard, Kant, Baudrillard, M. Ponty, Paul Tillich, Sartre, Camus, Dostoyevsky and F.H. Jacobi, Richard Rorty for example) and started reading voraciously on both disciplines. On a personal level, I do find value in other people, I share some of his misanthropic and asociality attitude towards humanity. I find non-musical inspiration from points of view, the interpretative and renewing process and history. Some easily noticeable traces of these are visible in the lyrical concepts of Glora Nexus, Some experiences of everyday life do influence song-writing.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Glora Nexus'?

Glora Nexus is not a “real” word so its meaning is more in the feel of it than an actual description. I think of it as something that lies hidden not yet revealed. I decided upon the name thinking about the concept of Man combines influences from melodic black metal, nihilism, and the energetic melodies of traditional musical instruments to develop strong themes.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?

The first way to reject the existential condition is to claim Illustration of Erebos can reply that she is giving depicted only which ties into the lyrics. I believe that darkness, existentialism, and art will always be. I hold those words closely till today. The cover art was made by our good friend Johnny Prayogi (https://www.facebook.com/johnyprayogiart/).

6.With the exception of a few session musicians you work mostly as a solo project, are you open to working with a full band?

I never had any plans to make the Glora Nexus work with a full band.

7.On the new ep you also have a few quests, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contradictions to the recording?

The world today is more boring than ever, people overcome themselves with each passing day. I found more individuals have a possibility to find something great by their selves regardless of their connections. Guest musicians such as Ragnar Sverrisson (Helfro), Teguh Permana (Tarawangsawelas), Lexy Alexander (Blodwen), and Ardian Nuril Anwar (Devoured) are some of the musicians with the capacity I want to give a musical style. Fortunate to work with dedicated people and contribute to the scenes I love.

8.The ep was released through both 'Bhumidhuka' and 'Harsh Productions', can you tell us a little bit more about these labels?

Not many words, The music itself carries a spirit, yes, but where different fits into the music, is an answer best put to someone else. I can only speak for what I and Bhumidhuka Productions and Harsh Productions did together. these two labels are real manifestations of the DIY spirit that still exists today. I have to thank the two label owners who have made this physical release possible to spread to several regions in Indonesia and in several countries.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?

So far, I have received a positive response, thanks to all who bought so far and for the support.

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

I had no idea where the journey would take us and we are pleased with our results regarding this “EP” proposal. Metal is overtly realistic in its outlook, thus it transcends mere politics. Underground metal is an honest form of music and a way to express yourself. Not the crap you stumble across every day. I also do admire bands that have been around since the beginning.  I think friends, as well as other acquaintances, have been quite supportive. I don’t speak much of my views or interests with my listener though, I’m not really interested if they support them or not. 

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on  your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I listen to a lot of black/death bands from Sweden, Greece, Icelandic, Poland and Germany.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?  

Life is war choose your side, stand for the underground.

  1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the solo project?

Defod is the Welsh word for 'ritual' or 'ceremony' and it's something I created as an outlet for me to explore musical ideas and themes without being contained within the limitations and tastes of others. Playing in a band is amazing, and I've had lots of good times in the past performing, rehearsing ect, however it's also restricting; sometimes you have to be the driving force, to organise and to enthuse others, and this can become very tiresome. One aspect of starting Defod that really appealed to me was the ability to sit and create something, then immediately be able to move it on to recording a demo or working on lyrics at a pace that suited me. It's obviously much more work when you're playing every instruments, writing lyrics, recording and producing, creating artwork and layouts ect, however ultimately it's good to have total creative control and freedom.

    2.Recently you have released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that yuo went for on the recording?

When I recorded the first single 'Defod Un' I wanted to create something atmospheric and ritualistic, with no lyrics. At that point I felt like this would be where I'd take future work, so I started off using the descriptor 'Atmospheric Black Metal', however as the EP progressed I felt like I didn't want to try and write to a given style, and my natural creativity came through, which resulted in more of a blend of mostly black with some death metal elements, and little hints of other styles mixed in. 

    3.A lot of your lyrics are inspired by the landscapes and ancient Monuments of Wales, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

We're very lucky here in North Wales to have the massive range and variation in landscapes and environments. You can find wild and undeveloped places with dramatic mountains, glacial lakes, and deep cut valleys, all the way to long sandy beaches or hidden coves with tidal caves, and it's no wonder that our ancestors made their homes here. There is a wealth of remnants of human activity, from early prehistory right through to the present, and through my own research and visits to many of these sites, such as the many neolithic burial chambers or iron age hut circles on Anglsey for example, I feel a deep connection to our shared past and am inspired to use this in my creative output. I also feel that it's of huge importance to educate ourselves so we are able to embrace  and preserve our culture and heritage in a progressively more and more homogenised and sterile existence.

    4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Defod'?

Defod is the Welsh word for 'ritual' or 'ceremony' and it captures the intention of the project. When I began writing music for this I envisioned more atmospheric black metal, however it's developed into something a bit more broader in scope, but still true to the nature of the ritualistic concept.

    5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?

I took that picture at a neolithic burial chamber in a place called Capel Garmon. It's a beautiful area with views over the mountain ranges of Snowdonia, so it's not hard to see why this it was chosen as a sacred place to bury their ancestors. It's actually a bit of a mystery in terms of its construction, as it reflects a different style (Cotswold-Severn) than that which is usually found in this area. It's definitely worth a visit!

    6.With this project you record everything by yourself but have experience working with a full line up, how would you compare the two?

Working on a solo project is entirely a different beast to playing in a band. With a band there's the jamming, rehearsing and playing live that is fundamentally why most people play or write music in the first place. There's also the friendships that form and develop as a result of playing gigs and traveling around. Comparatively, working on a solo project, you definitely feel the absence of those things, however it's also easier, for me at least, to focus on the work and be able to form and shape the music and creative vision much faster and with less compromise.

    7.So far you have worked with 'Cavernous Records and 'F.H.E.D'. do you feel these labels have been very helpful when it comes to getting your music out there heard?

Cavernous were the first label to get in touch, and they've been really good to work with so far. We worked out a deal for the next album, so we've yet to see how that goes, but the label themselves have been great.

FHED were in touch shortly after and we were both keen to work together, so we arranged a re release of the EP as it had sold out on CD. We're doing a digipak CD and cassette tape release, with the single as a bonus track, so it's got a little something extra to differentiate it from the original CD release. As far as how they've been to work with, all I can say about them is massively positive things! We're in regular contact, with ideas and artwork flowing between, and honestly I can't wait to see how they turn out. I'd definitely be up for working with FHED again in future. 

    8.On a worldwide l evel how has the reaction been to your music by fans of atmospheric black metal?

It's been good, I've sent CDs out as far as Australia, which is literally the other side of the Earth, so it's gone as far as it could! There have been a few to mainland Europe too, but the majority of buyers are UK based, with a large proportion of those from Wales.

    9.What is going on with 'Emissaries Of Syn' these days?

The pandemic has pretty much halted progress with that at the moment. We all live spread out across the full width of North Wales, so it's sometimes difficult to get together even before restrictions on travel ect. We've had national lockdowns, and also county lockdowns, so there have been times when some of us could travel but not all. There is a full length album in the works, and we're undecided yet wether to record ourselves or go to a studio for that, but you should see some activity towards the end of summer with gigs hopefully starting up again.

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

There's a full length album in progress at the moment; I've got a few completed tracks, which I'm really happy with how they're sounding, and there are several in different states of completion. I've said I'm aiming for a summer release, which gives a little bit of room either way depending on how long it takes to complete, get artwork sorted ect.

As far as where do I see myself going as a musician, I think I'll enjoy starting up playing live again with EoS, and Defod will continue to be my more personal outlet. I'd like to maybe do a few gigs as Defod, and see how that goes, but it would definitely have to be with the right people and at the right time.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Some of my favourite bands, that I still listen to on a regular basis are Marduk, Nile, Mayhem, Gorgoroth, Deicide, Meads of Asphodel, Taake, to name just a few. It's impossible to not be influenced by anything you hear, so all those bands have had some kind of impression on my creativity.

In terms of what I'm listening to right now it's been a heavy rotation of Celtic Frost, Akercocke and Watain. I also listen to a podcast called Into the Necrosphere. It's well worth checking out, and I've discovered a ton of bands on there, and it keeps my music taste from becoming stagnant.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Yes; keep supporting artists! It's been a difficult and crazy time for everyone, and it's easy to become complacent or apathetic, but for so many of us, music and art is our escape.

Thanks for the interview!

Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

Unfortunately, we finished the album just before the pandemic so there hasn’t been much in the way of live shows and such, but we have since been practicing with a new line up and working on some new stuff.

2.You have a new album coming out in July, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

We definitely took more time to write it than any of the previous material, so it’s a bit more focused and sinister.

3.The band has been around since 2010 but so far you have only released an ep, split and a full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the gaps in between releases?

Technically, nothing really happened with Mannveira until 2013-2014 when I started working on the ‘Von er Eitur’ EP and then in 2015 we had a full line up to play live and record the split shortly after. After that, we dragged our feet quite a bit to start recording something else, as well as focusing on live shows and members also working on numerous other projects. So it’s safe to say that we haven’t really been rushing into anything for the last 3-4 years.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

The lyrics and theme of ‘Vítahringur’ is sort of centered around the idea of digging yourself into a hole with no possible way of returning, i.e. accepting defeat of your own making. As for songwriting, I’d say we’ve slowly but surely learned to collaborate a lot better, rather than just me writing riffs and the other members just learning them note for note.

5.the band is also from Iceland a country that has put  out a good amount of black metal over the past 10 years, musically how do you feel you stand out among other Icelandic bands?

Hard to say, really. I’d like to say that we’re a bit more unpolished and miserable than a lot of local bands, but I might be a bit too close to it to see the real differences. Ultimately, that’s for listeners to decide.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Mannveira'?

Mannveira roughly translates to ‘Human virus’ (definitely fitting for the current times!). It’s been a long time since I thought of it, but the original idea stems from some pretty misanthropic ideas that I felt would fit the music well.

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

The album cover was made by our good friend Þ. Indriði (https://www.facebook.com/Indisulta.art).

The idea was just to have something figurative feeding a swirling chaos, which ties into a  lot of the lyrics.

8.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

We’ve definitely had some good ones, but the one that comes to mind was a show we played in Freiburg in 2019. Just one of those shows where everything goes the way it’s supposed to and there’s almost a tangible atmosphere. We’ve always tried to capture the sort of raw, intense energy of the music at shows and really put some effort into it.

9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

As it is with any Icelandic band, all the members are involved in various other bands. The ones that have released something recently (in the last couple of years, that is) are Núll, World Narcosis, Andavald and Örmagna.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

I think we’ll definitely try and keep finding our balance between melancholy and aggression but ultimately, we’ll strive to keep making dirty, heavy and uncompromising black metal.

11.What are you listening to nowadays?

Devil Master, Slowthai, Nyredolk, Spectral Wound, Maenad Veyl and Tragedy, to name a few.

It’s been all over the place, really, but those come to mind.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Yes, burn down your local police precinct and build a guillotine outside your local parliament, just to keep those bastards on their toes.

Also, we’re excited to get the ball rolling again as soon as this Covid bullshit starts to fade out a bit so we can get back to playing live and continue working on new music to follow up our album, hopefully sooner than later.

  Concilium  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  very  raw,  atmospheric  and  depressive  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Desecration"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album   while  the  music  also  captures  a  very  lo-fi  atmosphere  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  bestial  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats,  tremolo  picking  and  war  metal  metal  can  also  be  heard  which  also gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  The  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  show  a  good  amount  of  depressive  black  metal  influences  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  Whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  songs  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  ritualistic  moments,  one  of  the  tracks  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  album  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Rituals  and  Necromancy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Concilium  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  atmospheric  and  depressive  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shadow  Gospels"  and  "Blood  Candles".  8  out  of  10.

 BANDCAMP RELEASE         

  Naurrakar  are  a  band  from  Czechia  that  plays  a  nuclear  and  misanthropic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Uranfaust"  which  was  released  by  HellStorm  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  angry  sounding  shouts  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  and  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  when  they  are  finally  utilized  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  semi  melodic  tone  on  one  of  the  tracks  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Naurrakar  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  modern  and  misanthropic  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Czech  and  cover  Satanism,  Misanthropy  and  a  Post  Nuclear  Apocalyptic  World.

  In  my  opinion  Naurrakar  are  a  very  great  sounding  nuclear  and  misanthropic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mota-Natas"  "Mrtvý  Vítěz"  and  "Uranfaust".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/onQlv1Jocn8

  In  my  opinion  Naurrakar