Russia's  Second  To  Sun  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  Scandinavian  inspired  style  of  modern  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  "Leviathan"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

  Record  player  noises  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the musical  instruments  also h ave  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  while  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  post  metal.

  Some  of  the  music  also  shows  from  inspirations  from  the  more  modern  Scandinavian  style  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  returning  on  some  of  the  later  tracks.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  ritualistic  soundscapes  can  also  be  heard  and  they  also add  in  a  short  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  on  the  remaining  songs.  The  production  sounds  very  professional while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Supernatural  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Second  To  Sun  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  Scandinavian  inspired  modern  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Eerie"  "Shaitan"  and  "Leviathan".  8  out  of  10.






        

  Todeskrieger  are  a  solo  project  from  Dallas,  Texas  that  plays  a  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2020 ep  "Beyond  The  Realm  Of  Frost".

  Classical  guitars  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  synths  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and r aw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking. Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  Swedish  style,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  song.

  Todeskrieger  plays  a  style  of  melodic  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  Swedish  tradition  but  with  a  sound  that  is  also  different  from  that  era.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  death  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Todeskrieger  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Enter  the  Nocturnal  Mist"  and  "Transylvanian  Solitude".  8 out  fo  10.

https://todeskrieger.bandcamp.com/releases

  Idolatria  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  modern  and  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Tetrabestiarchy"  which  will  be  released  in  September  bu  Signal  Rex.

  A  very  dark,  ritualistic  and  synth  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  Gregorian  chants  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  deep  black  metal  screams  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  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  along  with  some  demonic  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times,  one  track  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  synths  also  returning  on  later  songs  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and Animalistic  Myths.

  In  my  opinion  Idolatria  are  a  very  great  sounding  modern  and  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Serpent:  The  Father  Of  Darkness"  and  "Vulture:  The  God  Of  Last Rites".  8/5  out  of  10.

http://idolatria.bandcamp.com/album/tetrabestiarchy 

       

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Pinto: We are an extreme metal band from Slovakia, mixing harsh metal genres with melodic guitar lines to create long compositions. All of our lyrics are in our native tongue.

2.So far you have released an ep and a split, musically how do they both differ from each other?
Pinto: We feel the music and the direction is evolving all the time. We've only really gotten the 'post-black' metal label after having written the songs from the EP, and I think we've leaned slightly more towards that direction on the split. It also made sense to pick the songs better aligned with the Abyss' music this time.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?
Pinto: The common theme on the EP were the feelings of isolation and loneliness being experienced by the people of age, feeling out of place and lost in the world they were left in. This time (on the Abyss split), we've dug a bit more into the religious symbolism. But the aspect that brings together all of our lyrical endeavors is in how the narrative of the songs is being tied to the nature and folklore we've grown with.

4.Originally the band was known as 'Rotting Gutless Corpse' what was the cause of the name change?
Samo: Well actually the RGC is completely different project. It was a homestudio fun, which Samo wanted to make into a live band. However after the bandmates were found we've have realised that we want to make more serious music. Thank god...

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Besna'?
 Samo: Inspiration came from the slovak romantism ballad Margita a Besná, written by Ján Botto. Originally there wasn't really any lyrical connection to it, but presently it has even inspired one of the upcoming songs. Regardless of this ballad, Besna just sound great to us. It means "mad".

6.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea?
Pinto: So far we have played more than 20 show across Slovakia, mostly in our hometown of Bratislava. We've also played on a national radio earlier this year and on the online version of Pohoda festival just a couple weeks ago. That was a really cool concept by the way - with COVID-19 restrictions no audience was allowed, so each band played at a unique venue setup at different places around an empty airport - the recordings are still online so we can only recommend to watch a couple shows. (Here is ours https://youtu.be/vCshylgMu7s )

7.Recently you where a part of a split with 'Abyss', what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?
Samo: They are nice people in the first place, which we have got to know during their tour on our joint gig in Bratislava in April 2019. Moreover we are really enjoying their music, so after they have've asked us for collaboration, there was a definite Yes!

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of post black metal?
Samo: You tell me, haha. We are so far aiming mostly the slovak audience, and I guess based on the reactions from people, there are some fans that like our music. In January 2020 we got the opportunity to play live and speak in the only slovak heavymetal radio show Headbanger_FM. That was kinda motivational. Anyway, thanks everyone for support!

9.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Samo: We are now working on the material for full length album. Our goal is to record it this year. So maybe at the turn of years. Musically we will stay in similar tunes we had released so far, though maybe leaning in a more post/prog direction this time. But after that, who knows...

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?
Pinto: I personally feel the songs on the split were most influenced by having Harakiri for the Sky and Ne Obliviscaris on repeat at the time of writing. There are pieces of that I can hear coming through here and there, though the result is definitely much rawer (as in - less technically proficient :-) ) - more in line with the route our sound was already on.

11.What are some of your non musical interest
Samo: Depends. Every band member likes something else even in musical interests. Maybe sport climbing is something that at least three of us enjoy. For example Samo volunteers in community bicycle workshop Bike Kitchen Bratislava, Timo is in to LARP, Gabo likes video games and Pinto loves his job - IT developer and craft beer as well.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Pinto&Samo: Check out the Abyss/Besna split, out on September 12th 2020 and be nice!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BesnaBand/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6ObFKojgIwvXycbRH0lQhA
Bandcamp: https://besna.bandcamp.com/

  Lifvsleda  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Det  Besegrade  Lifvet"  which  will  be  released  in  September  as  a  joint  effort  between  Shadow  and  Regain  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  as  well  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  a  brief  use  of  melodic  yet  chaotic  sounding  guitar  leads  onto  the  album  and  spoken  word  parts  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  towards  the  end.

  On  this  recording  Lifvsleda  remains  true  to  the  raw  and  old  school  style  of  black  metal  that  was  established  ob  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swedish  and  cover  death  and  pestilence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Lifvsleda  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I  Fjarran  Jord  Begrafvid"  "Afvgrundsande"  and  "Vederkvickelse".  8  out  of  10.

www.lifvsleda.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/lifvsleda