Ratten  are  a  band  form  France  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  with  some  elements  of  punk,  crust  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Roi  De  Rats"  which  was  released  by  Negra  Nit  Distro.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  Influences  of  crust  punk  can  also  be  heard  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly angry  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  avant  garde  sounds.

  At  times  the  vocals  also  get  very  deep  sounding  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  at  times  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  noisy  style  when  they  are  utilized,  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  spoken  word  samples  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  song.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  French  and  English  and  cover  darkness  and  plague  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ratten  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  black  metal  group  with  elements  of  punk,  crust  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tumulte  Des  Ombres"  "Vipubakka"  and  "Catharsis".  8  out  of  10.

  Nordicwinter  are  a  solo  project  from  Quebec,  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Sorrow"  which  will  be  released  on  March  26th  by  Hypnotic  Dirge  Records.

  Clean  playing  and  synths  which  also  appear  on  the  later  songs  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  atmospheric  elements  are  also  utilized  at  times.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Melancholic  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  when  they  are  utilized.

  One  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  nature  orientated  soundscapes  along  with  all  of  the  music  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction,  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  the  closing  track  also  being  an  instrumental.  The  production  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  agony,  emptiness  and  death  themes.      

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nordicwinter  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  depressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sullen  Echoes"  and  "Dying  Winters".  8  out  of  10.

 "Sorrow" Pre-order Link

  Murmur  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  plays  a  very  experimental,  progressive  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2010  album  "Mainlining  The  Lugubrious"  which  will  be  re-issued  on  vinyl  in  May  2021  as  a  joint  effort  between  Repose  and  Inferna  Profundus  Records.

  A  very  distorted  and  avant  garde  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  All  of  the  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  mostyl  high  pitched  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  while  dissonant  structures  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  When  clean  playing  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  technical  style  as  well  as  one  of  the  tracks  also  being  an  instrumental,  the  music  also  has  its  experimental  moments  and  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  can  be  heard  on  the  closing  song.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression,  suicide  nihilism,  apocalyptic  and  opiate  abuse  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Murmur  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental,  progressive  and  depressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Fall"  and  "Die  Endlosung".  8  out  of  10.

  Cthonica  are  a  duo  from  Venezuela  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  and  ritualistic  mixture  of  war,  black,  death  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  ep  "The  Lesser  Incantations  Of  Chthonic  Lore"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories  and  Caligari  Records.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  doom/death  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to them.  Death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  war  metal  elements  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  chaotic  style  when  they  are  utilized.  Ritualistic  soundscapes  are  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  some  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times.

 Beastial  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  closing  track  also  adding  in  some  session  vocals  from  the  vocalist  of  Abstracter.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism.  Necromancy,  Darkness  and  Underworld  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Cthonica  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  ritualistic  war,  black,  death  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Bonds  Of  Infernal  Abhorrence".  8  out  of  10.

BANDCAMP RELEASE          

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

Agios O Satanas. 

Some other sessions have been held in the sect of ANGUIS DEI. 

As the devotees are always engaged in other missions and projects, however, they must also have produced the results there. 

In addition, a split and a tribute cover are scheduled and shall be out soon. 

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from your previous ep and demo?

Profundity and proficiency. 

This sort of session tends to have evolved results, just like chemical reaction, after intended repetition of trial, error and prayer. 

3.The band is also a part of the AAA Collective, how does your music differ from the other bands that are part of this collective?

A.:A.:A.:A.: is an esoteric order and the embodied sonic representation by each sects arises from their concepts. 

For exemple, ARKHA SVA was to propagate established procedures of hateful Satanik Curses and Spells, and ANGUIS DEI is to propagate dark prophecies channeled and mediated through Satanik Evocations and Enchantments. 

4.A lot of your lyrics cover Satanism, Demonology and Occultism themes. can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts? 

They simply stand for incontrovertible method. If you desire to live without being blinded by the muddy white lights unseemly scattered around the ground, you should penetrate the bright deception, dive into the darkness behind, the true essence of both of the presence and absence, and discover yourself as partial functions and your whole world as the opposition of yourself in there, by hearing the Voices calling you from the under. 

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Anguis Dei'? 

The bloodstream, and/ or the fact that the omnipotent god was rightfully able to impair its omnipotence, was able even to be killed by its own creation and thrown out of this world, as it was so mightily and perfectly omnipotent. 

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

As you can see they all have been and shall keep being quanta. 

They have been and shall be able to exist as the Gates, the Wings, the Baphomet, namely anything you intend. 

7.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea?

Not yet, however, some experimentations to gather certain amount of lifeforce can be reasonably held.

"Shows" seem always a superior tool in order to gather lifeforce to other dreamish sort of measures like internet. 

8.The new album was released on 'Drakkar Productions', how did you get in contact with this label? 

One of the devotees has kept in touch with them since the 90s. 

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

Angeist has come out with rather slow and circumspect start, yet is gradually spreading. 

Reactions have been filled with positive evaluation so far. 

10.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? 

With Adeptus Juno, new JUNO BLOODLUST is earnestly worked on. 

With Adeptus Summum Algor, new ADVERSAM is earnestly worked on. 

With Adeptus U.:È.:Œ.:, new ATMAN DREI, I'M RUINS and VÈRMIBDRÈB shall come soon. New AVSOLUTIZED... and some other new projects shall come later. 

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

Deeper into more supreme supremacy of Satanik Hellharmonik Darkestra, and texts might deal with more concrete and pragmatic solutions just as done in ARKHA SVA on the other hand, as far as they are mediated and required. 

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

From the ordinary point of view of ANGUIS DEI, and/ or A.:A.:A.:A.:, the "influence" on this sect has been and shall keep being the Voices, Vnra, Daemons and Satan. 

Recently listened to are music from XVIIth century and recordings from the scenes of practical rituals/ ceremonies/ prayers as usual, and some new VÈRMIBDRÈB, MORTIFERA and CELESTIA. 

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

Hear the Voices from the under, with your baphomets, in the name of Satan. Agios O Satanas.