Necralant  are  a  duo  from  Worcester,  Massachusetts  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  occult  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Temples  Of  Ruin"  which  was  released  by  Upside  Underground  Productions.

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  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.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  old  school  death  metal  elements.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  as  well  as  the  music  also  being  heavily  rooted  in  the  second  wave  era

Growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also be  heard  along  with  one  of  the  later  songs  also  being  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Satanism,  Left  Hand  Path  and  Anti  Christianity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Necralant  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  occult  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cursed  Visions"  "Diabolic  Conception"  and  "Temples  Of  Ruin".  8  out  of  10.

  Luring  are  a  solo  project  from  Pennsylvania  that  plays  a  very  raw,  lo-fi,  dark  and  melancholic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Inimicitias  Veteres  Vulneribus  Desparatione"  which  will  be  released  in  the  summer  time  by  Inferna  Profundus  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  and  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  demonic  voices  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed   while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams..  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  depressive  and  melancholic  moments  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast b eats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  guitar  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  songs  also  capturing  a  very  lo-fi  atmosphere,  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  humanity,  religion,  cosmic  filth,  Satanism  and  blasphemy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Luring  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  lo-fi,  dark  and  melancholic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Deep  Festering  Wounds"  and  "Slit  the  Throat  Of  Every  Angel".  8/2  out  of  10.

https://luring.bandcamp.com

https://youtu.be/LGrwLw_iQ9c

Greetings to all, Inmar here from Hungary. Some of your readers may know me from Vorkuta. After several years of ‘silence’, I started to write music in late 2018 again. One day I decided to grab my guitar, and astonishingly, themes just started to flow out…

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

Concerning our musical style, the feedback we have received so far were rather diverse, with very different opinions and multifarious associations. This might be traced back to my approach of writing music; instead of conforming to the criteria of certain predefined genres, I simply let music come out of me. This is my sound, without any compromises. And then it’s up to the critics to ponder on what sort of music it is. Quite obviously, various genres of broadly understood metal music can be identified in our songs, since I clearly have these influences, too – even if these are not necessarily coming from the sources the audience might have assumed after listening to our demo. To put it bluntly, I only had one clear aim from the very beginning; to create magical metal music. Apart from that, we really don’t care about genres and their boundaries. We play what we feel like, and simply don’t deal with the (supposed) ‘rules’ of this or that style. Just imagine what if Pink Floyd cared about genres…

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores on the demo?

The first song is an eschatology based on Spengler, with Borghes-inspired literary insights. The most profound things are inexpressible. The lyrics of the short interlude, a curse, came from Kryptagonist. This is the only one in Hungarian, whereas all the other lyrics are in English. ‘Vox In Rama’ is a papal decree issued in 1233, dealing with the heresy of Luciferianism. The lyrics are about bloodshed that floods the globe from time to time.

4.The name translates to Moon Ladder in Hungarian after a Lovecraft story, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his works?

Yes, this term appears at the end of Lovecraft’s short story entitled ‘At the Mountains of Madness’. Moreover, the really apt and ingenious Hungarian translation uses an archaic form of the word ‘ladder’ (‘lajtorja’), which makes the entire expression even quainter. I do highly appreciate the oeuvre of H. P. Lovecraft, but I am also fully aware of his contested role in international literature; nonetheless, there aren’t any explicit relations between his works and our music. We simply needed a short and catchy name, which I think is harder and harder to come up with nowadays. In my youth I used to read him quite often, although recently I rarely have the time to do so, unfortunately.

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

It’s my work, I was trying to adapt the cover to the theme and the mood of our songs. Concerning the logo, I did not only want the composition of the letters to stand on its own visually, but also aimed at combining Western (medieval) typography and Eastern calligraphy. The aim was to create a particular kind of mystical, oriental atmosphere. It is a sort of Orientalism (without any social sciences connotations) that permeated the public sphere of the Romantic era. A naïve wondering at the unknown East and indulging into the charming influence of the Exotic.

6.Are any of the band members open to doing live shows once the pandemic ends?

It’s not completely impossible, albeit we haven’t really thought about it yet. Either way, this seems to be a long way off, since the most important thing for now is to finish the album. Nevertheless, even if circumstances turn out to be more fortunate, I’m still not sure whether we’d play live. As opposed to Richter’s view, I’m on Gould’s side on this one, and not because I’m disgusted by the audience. Quite simply, our music isn’t for skull-crushing headbanging, but more for listening to it at home, in a properly darkened room.

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

Yes, we aren’t signed to any labels yet, but we are actively working on finding an appropriate one. In a world of digital downloads, those who still insist on releasing physical formats deserve the utmost respect. Of course, we are also aware that everything is uncertain these days. What is more, there are myriads of bands, there’s a massive competition, and everyone is striving for attention. Hence, we have no other goal than to make sure that our music will find its audience.

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

Well, since the demo is relatively new, we haven’t received too much feedback or bumped into heaps of reviews yet. In fact, this is our very first interview – therefore, currently we’re keen to see how people will react to our music.

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?

Vorkuta recently released a 7” EP entitled ‘Wandering Alone in the Forest of Transcendence’, which will be followed by a split material.

Vorgrov: Following the latest Marblebog album ‘Aeon’, which is a dark ambient record, I am planning to finish the sixth Marblebog full-length in 2021. It’s going to be a black metal album again this time, but much more aggressive and faster than my last black metal album ‘Kietlen’. Several Marblebog 12" vinyl reissues are planned for 2021 as well, but I cannot reveal more details just now. My ambient/drone project Asattarn will do a split release in 2021 with Odvas, a Hungarian black ambient artist, the format is not decided yet.

Kryptagonist: An EP will be the next step in 2021 with both SIR and Leiru.

10.When can we expect the full length and also what can we expect musically once it is released?

We’d like to finish the recordings of the full-length album in 2021. Its title will be the same as that of the demo (‘Ab Orinte Ad Occidente’), with similar music, too.

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?

All of us are shaped by different musical influences. There might be several shared ones for sure, however, these aren’t fully explored to date either. Lots of great music was made from the ‘60s to the ‘90s that I regularly listen to. My influences are also among these, pretty much irrespective of genre. There must be valuable pieces released after the 2000s as well, but to be honest, I don’t have a comprehensive overview of any scenes following the turn of the millennia. In this regard, the others are perhaps more up to date than me. As for me, there are not too many acts that I listen to on a daily basis.

12.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

Occultism does not play any role in our music at all. Thus, there is no consciously concealed symbolism or numerology in our song structures, nor is there an intentionally controlled blend of musical notes that could give rise to such assumptions.

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

Thank you very much for your support, it is truly highly appreciated.

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

After the recording of "Lang Kald Natt" things have been quiet for some months. It is natural to let the instruments rest for a while after the recording and release of an album. Then after a while the needs start stirring again. So, right now I am in the early stages of preparing new songs. 

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

"Lang Kald Natt" is a metal album in my mind, and if you need to sharpen the genre definition any further, then I guess it is natural to tag it as Black Metal. It was important for me to get a really cold and harsh sound on the recording, and I believe I managed to get that. The original sound actually had to be smoothed out in  the mastering process, so it was probably a bit too cold and harsh, to be perfectly honest.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover dark forests, old folklore, destruction and spirituality themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interests in these topics?

These topics have always defined me and inspired me. The folklore and superstitions from old can be very descriptive of both human mentality and the elements that surround us. Both the darkness and the vast beauty of nature have always been a massive inspiration to me. With all this follow the philosophical issues concerning our place in nature and the world as such. I feel that the music and the lyrics on "Lang Kald Natt" work very well together, and for me it is extremely important to bring forth a dark and lonely atmosphere, both musically and lyrically.

4.The solo project is from Norway a country that has had some very well known black metal bands over the last 3 past decades, musically how do you feel you stand out from the other bands or musical projects of your home country?

Well, time will tell if, or in what way, ENE will stand out from all the rest. That is not the motivation behind it, anyway. I just do what i like to do.

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

I wanted the artwork to be simple and classic, and that it should visually describe the music as clearly as possible. There is nothing fancy going on here, just a logo on top of a photo. I am pleased with it, I think it works well will both the music an the lyrics. There is the same solitary, dark and cold essence in that image, as is found in the recording itself.

6.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

I am used to doing recordings on my own, and  I am comfortable working like this. There is no other philosophy or necessity behind this choice, only the satisfaction of having everything done my way. Still, I will always  be open to working with others.

7.The new album was released on 'Hellstain Productions', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Hellstain Productions is a newly started record label, established in 2020 by Paul,  an old friend of mine. The dedication from this label is admirable, and Hellstain is in my opinion a label that deserves to grow to be a recognized name in time.

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

The reactions so far has been good, both from reviewers and from people just picking up the music from somewhere. The challenge is getting a new name like ENE to make an impression in an already vast and overfilled market. We'll just have to see what happens. Ultimately I do this for my own pleasure, after all, but it is still motivating to know that other people also enjoy the music I make.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

In the future I see myself doing more of the same, in the same way I am doing things now. The ambition is solely to be able to work with  music in peace and quiet, and to get some good albums released.

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?

As with most other people,  I have a quite diverse taste in music. It's hard to pin down which bands have  influneced the music I make, but I have grown up with bands like Iron Maiden, Slayer, Metallica and all that. Later came Bathory, Darkthrone and Burzum, and many more of course. I guess the influences come from all over the place. These days I am listening to a lot of the old Norwegian Black Metal classics from the 90's, as well as a fair amount of conventional classical music.

11.Does Satanism play any role in your music?

There is no defined Satanism in my music, although there is the deep fascination with the dark aspects of life, death and everything in  between. 

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

Thanks for the interview and thanks for the support. Hope to hear from you again.

 https://www.facebook.com/ene.band.official/

  Eclipser  are  a  band  from  Ottawa,  Ontario,  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  dissonant  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  ep  "Pages"  which  will  be  released  in  May.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  fast  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  dissonant  structures.  Vocals  are  done  in  a  very  aggressive  style  that  mixes  black  and  death  metal  together  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffing.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also h ear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Elements  of  grindcore  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  short  in  length  as  well  as  all  of  the  music  also  sticking  to  a  heavier  direction,  guitar  leads  can  also  be  heard  briefly  towards  the  end.

  On  this  recording  Eclipser  takes  dissonant  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  takes  their  style  to  another  level.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  one's  existence  when  it  is  reduced  to  meaningless  suffering.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Eclipser  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  dissonant  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pages"  and  "Fathomless".  8  out  of  10.

Instagram.com/band_eclipser