Absque  Cor  are  a  solo  project  from  Poland  that  plays  a  very  modern  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of his  2017  album  "Wedrowke  Haniebnie  Zakoncyzc"  which  was  released  by  Godz  Of  War  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  after  awhile  black  metal  screams a re  added  onto the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  having  its  progressive  moments.

  When  the  music  speeds up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  a  more  raw  feeling  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  atmospheric  synths.

  Absque  Cor  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  modern  and  atmospheric  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  nihilism,  suicide  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Absque  Cor  are  a  very  great  sounding  modern  and  atmospheric  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Jeden  księżyc  wciąż  wskazuje"  and  "Do niezbawienia".  8  out  of  10.

  

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Ivan: Hi there! Band takes its roots from local DIY community. We started playing together at 2010 after disbanding of local punk/hardcore act each current member were involved in. During the years of being parts of different acts, we collected the best from both metal music and punk ideas and decided to form a band that sounds dark, melancholic, atmospheric and at the same time somehow unique by adding the traditional folk (folkish) elements to the music leaving the lyrics mostly inspired by left ideas.

2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
Ivan: It is a bit hard to sum up and a find a common feature amongst each our record, especially as a member of the band. As the fan of old-styled black metal acts such as Emperor, Darkthrone, Ulver, Enslaved, Dissection and poisoned by the hardcore affected genres and subgenres like Amebix, Tragedy, Ictus, Axegrinder, the structure of the songs as well as the way of composing it were changing from one album to another. At the last record, as for me, we successfully combined the frosty mood of Siberia with its innocent beauty putting all musical experience gained over the years of playing and writing music.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored over the years with their music?
Ivan: Talking back about the years spent within DIY scene that taught and raised us in a left way in different spheres of life. Therefore, it has influence on the lyric topics as well. Most of the songs are written in Russian despite the fact that I am able to write English ones I prefer doing in native language, as I like how it sounds in whole mix. From song to song, I tried to put some archaic words to give some extra food for thought of native speakers as not anyone are aware of existence of such old and no longer used words. Lyrics are small stories or narratives where the despair rules the mind, the greed kills and frosts the people’ hearts in here and the desire to live amongst the embraces of long and frigid winters and winds. Some English translations are available via our bandcamp, feel free to check it.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Neverending Winter'?
Ivan: The band is named after the song “Never ending winter” by Axegrinder, UK based crusty thrash metal act. The idea belongs to our former drum player, for what we thank him. At the beginning, we were not putting that much meaning to the band’s name. Later the name somehow defined our further vector and drew the direct connection between our location and music. Nothing could express our senses here as a band more that this name, isn’t it?

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Ivan: During the time we were living in Tomsk city, we were not playing that much, one in a month or so. Most shows we have had were outside our region, in neighbor Siberian cities or when we were on tour. It is hard to point out and select the most memorable gig as we toured over Russia, Belarus, Ukraine,China and Europe for the past seven years. However, let it be a last year gig in Trondheim, Norway at February 2017. The country that invented black metal hosted us in such a great way and found our music interesting at the same time. Of course, it was great experience for us and we are looking forward to play there! As for stage performance – it is dark, mesmerizing performance accompanied by both fury of cold riffing and airy acoustic melodies. Hard to describe, easy to witness.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
Ivan: For sure. We tried to set up the tour as support for the last record “Хиус” that autumn but things went not that well. Therefore, we decided to make a new three song EP called “Сеногной” and already booked the European-Belarusian-Russian tour for February of 2018. If you are somewhere around Finland,Sweden,Norway,Denmark,Germany,Poland,Belarussia or Russia – catch us there or just spread the word if you’re able to. More info soon be announced on facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/neverendingwinter

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
Ivan: In our homeland not that much fans of BM discovered our music and not that much go to the shows. Mostly, the crowd consists of punk kinds or metal-punks, as we prefer to play for such communities/groups. Talking about worldwide feedbacks – we received number of great reviews, comments and just good words about new album “Хиус” from both small and respectable print and web resources. Tell the truth, I was not even expecting to receive a half of feedbacks we did. Currently it is clear for us as a band that our music is interesting for the listeners abroad more than in our country. So let see what will be the reaction of world metal community for the upcoming record then.

8.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?
Ivan: Besides composing songs and playing guitar in Neverending winter I am also taking part as a drummer in death punk/metal act called “Черное Брюхо Тарантула” (The Black Belly of Tarantula) named after Paolo Cavara movie. Musically it is like a combination of old-swedish-styled death metal met by punky trash with some black metal influences. We are currently preparing our first full-length record that is about to be released at 2018. If you are into some of the mentioned genres, you will most likely enjoy the album.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Ivan: Looking back to each year spent on playing in a band I still could not exactly tell where we were going from one record to another. There is always some organic flow inside the music, something that moves it to the higher ranges, that opens new horizons of atmosphere that could be added into the songs, there is always something inside each member involved in the process that transforms the music to a new, previously unknown form. For example, on a new record there’s a track in vein of punk/d-beat that then transforms into furious mid-tempo raging classis black metal and at the same time there’s 10 minute long progressive black metal song full of different riffs that closer to its end takes the shape of an acoustic outro with some ethnic/folk elements. Summing up all these I could hardly define the further direction as it goes organically itself.

10.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?
Ivan: Nowadays I am opening to myself more and more different artists of different genres. I like to listen to the old jazz and funk, not against of some trip hop, indie or ethnic music at all but of course, heavy stuff still takes place in playlist. As I mentioned I was grown up by Scandinavian metal school and some classical US and UK metal and rock acts, as well as many others in heavy scene. If talking about metal, for now, I could recommend to check Lake of blood (US band that is disbanded now), Drudkh (hails from Ukraine, the best one that ever come out of CIS countries), Elfsgedroch (experimental and very progressive Dutch metal act, highly recommended). If you look for something ethnically inspired and local Siberian Huun-Huur-Tu or Yat-Kha – these both tuvinian bands worth checking. I was born and raised between Tuva and Khakassia republics so I believe I had an influence on me that came from these cultures.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
Ivan: In ordinary life, I do some IT, so it takes from time to time when I am free of work, also try to read and find inspiration in classic literature, our nature and landscapes, try to spend more time with my family and friends try not to get depressed if I am not doing or busy by anything.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Ivan: Not that much. We are living in new dark ages, in the digital modern age where the same institutional schemes of social control are used. What left for us is to stay honest and opened for our friends and ourselves, remain open-minded and try to change not the world but at least yourself to a better side. Finally – As a patriot of Siberia, I recommend everyone who is looking for a unique place to visit – do not hesitate and choose Siberian lands, believe me, you will not regret.

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



Myrholt is simply a continuation of stuff I've been doing off and on since around 92'. It's rooted in the early so called second wave of black metal. It all began when I was 14 years old and Darkthrone released the milestone album called ''A Blaze in the Northern Sky''. From that moment on I was possessed. I was introduced to Burzum around the same time by my stepbrother. The insanity of it all just amazed me. I guess Myrholt reflects that.



2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?



I aimed for an organic and honest sound and I believe it has that coldness that I find essential in Black Metal. I guess it sounds the way I want Black Metal to sound.



3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the music?



The lyrics are very personal. They mostly deal with the search for a better life and a better way to live it. There are many references to ancient scandinavian lifecodes and I guess one could suggest it romanticizes being self-sufficient in both mind and material. You kids should focus a little less on Playstation and a little more on nature.



4.The musical project has been around on and off since 1992, has there also been music recorded and released in the other versions of the project?



Yes indeed. Some of the early material was spread through tapetrading back in the days. I won't suggest that any of the first recordings sounded even slightly good but it was hinting at something decent I believe. I used several names during those first years. Deceased, Tyrant, Eternal Eclipse, Acron and Celestial Evil was among the first ones. I was so young then. There were new ideas every day. I even flirted with Tlohrym, which is Myrholt spelled backwards. So I guess one could say it has come full circle now. I did several recording sessions that was never distributed under the ''I Was Flesh Once'' banner. Slightly inspired by Clive Barker on that one. I even planned and recorded an album with that tag but changed the name of the project in the last minute to Tremor. The Tremor album was released in 2007 I think. I also did an EP under the Tremor banner called ''The Lipsynced with Satan EP''. The Myrholt album ''The Poe Sessions'' was originally the swansong release of Tremor. It was released in 2011 with a slightly different tracklist. The rest of the songs on that album will be released as an EP in 2018, rerecorded along with some cover tracks. It will be called ''Moerketid''.



5.You have had plenty of name changes over the years, can you tell us a little bit more about the name changes and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Myrholt'?



The namechanges was a result of an overactive creativity I think. One thought just cloaked the other. Myrholt is my family name and it is also the name of the farm where my grandfather grew up. Since it is my surname I guess it reflects the fact that this a one man band and that these are all my thoughts and that it reflects my life.



6.In 2017 alone you have recorded and released a great amount of music, do you spend a great amount of your type writing and creating music?



I always create. I have so much material that has never been released. I had some years where I was occupied playing in different bands and collaborating with different people in different subgenres of metal. This, I think resulted in me not being focused on my own stuff. I wrote and recorded regularly but never found the time to promote it.



7.All of the music is recorded by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?



I have worked and still work with other musicians even though I've become somewhat eccentric when it comes to both writing and recording music. I'd rather do everything myself these days.

On the creative side I wrote the lyrics and sang in bands like Archon and Enslavement of Beauty and I've done drums for bands like Diabolical Breed and Gaia Epicus. The latter also kept me occupied traveling and gigging for some years.



8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?



I'm happily unsigned as of now. There's been some offers concerning physical releases. There will be a limited tape release in January of ''Med Samme Naal, Under Samme Maane'' on the Norwegian label Snake Oil Kassettforlag. More will follow but nothing I can reveal at this point.



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



The feedback so far has been very good. I started releasing as Myrholt in February so this ''project'' is less than a year old as a brand. This album is the first one I put a little effort in promoting.

Obviously a good move.



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



Well. Enslavement of Beauty is permanently put to sleep so I have been working on a spin off project called OAMP or the Ole Alexander Myrholt Project. We participated on a metal tribute to the Swedish pop band Roxette earlier this year. I'm working on some stuff these days and there will be a couple of singles I think and then an album sometime in 2018.

There's some new stuff going on with my death metal band Those Left Behind. We just released a split tape with another Norwegian death metal act called Faustian Dripfeed. Some copies left for those interested.

I'm also occupied working with lyrics and vocals on the debut of a band called The Flame Within with Lasse from the Norwegian prog metal band Oceans of Time.

Baard Kolstad of Borknagar etc plays drums on that one.

The first single will be released next year.



11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?



I guess I'll continue living a quiet life in the outskirts of the city, writing, participating, recording and releasing different forms of music.



12.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 grew up listening to AC/DC, W.A.S.P and such and continued the path via Metallica etc, through death metal and then came Norwegian Black Metal. The bands that influenced the stuff I do in Myrholt would be, among others, Burzum, Darkthrone, Gehenna and to some extent early Ulver.

I just wrapped up my 2017 Spotify year and it seems Wardruna, Nettlecarrier, Djevel, Burzum and Napalm Death was my most played bands.



13.Does Paganism play any role in your music?



Not paganism essentially. But I guess several religious institutions would easily label my thoughts as pagan. I simply glorify a way of thinking that was primary prior to christendom in Norway.



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



Strive to be self-sufficient and rebel against organized religion. Live, love and create.​

  Sacrilegious  Rite  are  a  band  with  members  from  France  and  Germany  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  bestial  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Summoned  From  Beyond"  which  was  released  by  Dunkelheit  Produktionen.

  A  very  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off t he  album  along  with  some  whispers  and  chants  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and r aw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  bestial  growls  as  well  as  some  black  metal  screams. 

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  ritualistic  elements  and  Gregorian  chants  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  material  along  with  the  tracks  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  Throughout  the  recording  a  lot  of  90's  influences  can  be  heard  but  also  maintaining  a  very  modern  atmosphere  and  when  guitar  solos and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  one  of  the  songs  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  one  song  bringing  in a  brief  use  of  operatic  female  vocals.

  Sacrilegious  Rite  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  dark,  old  school  and  bestial  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  religion,  death  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sacrilegious  Rite  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  bestial  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sacrilegious  Rite"  "Nocturnal  Blood  Consecration" and  "I  Believe".  8/5  out  of  10.

  Kapala  are  a  band  from  India  that  plays  a  bestial  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  meta  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep  "Infest  Cesspool"  which  was  released  by  Dunkelheit  Produktionen.

  Harsh  noise  elements  and  demonic  voices  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with t he  vocals  being  mostly  bestial  death  metal  growls  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  raw  tremolo  picking.

  Elements  of  war  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  sloe,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  only  a  small  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  briefly  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  fashion  and  the  music  always  remains  heavy.

  Kapala  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  war  and  bestial  black/death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while t he  lyrics  cover  death,  genocide  and  human  filth  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Kapala  are  a  very  great  sounding  bestial  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  "Homosapienannihilation"  and  "A.K.S".  8  out  of  10.