Saturday, April 30, 2011

Burial Invocation/Rituals Of The Grotesque/Dark Descent Records/2010 CD Review

  Burial Invocation are a band from Turkey that plays death metal with a doom edge in the classic vein and this is a review of their 2010 cassette "Rituals Of The Grotesque" which was released by Dark Descent Records.

  Drums mix slow and midpaced drumming with alot of fast playing and brutal blast beats while the bass playing is all rhythm bass with alot of doom/death riffs that follow the guitars.

  Rhythm guitars mix alot of fast and brutal riffs with some of the slowest and heavy doom metal, while the lead guitars are distorted sounding solos that mix all of the darkest elements from the death metal era of the early 90's.

  Vocals are mostly deep death metal growls with some ocassional high pitched screams, while the lyrics cover gory themes with a touch of necromancy, as for the production it has a very raw and dark feel that makes all of the musical instruments sound very brutal.

  In my opinion Burial Invocation are a very good doom/death metal band that should appeal to all fans of that music genre, and if you look your death metal dark and brutal you need to hear this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Beyond" and "Desecrated Remains". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Decapitation/Dark Descent Records/Skeleton Plague Records/2010 Cassette Review

  Decapitation are a band from Sweden that plays Swedish death metal in the old vein mixed with doom/death and this is a review of their 2010 cassette "Undead Carnage" which was released as a joint effort between Dark Descent Records and Skeleton Plagur Records.

  Drums mix some slow to midpaced playing with some fast drumming and brutal blast beats, while the bass guitar has a dark sounding tone which follows the riffs coming mout of the guitars and on one of the songs they have a very powerful sound.

  Rhythm guitars mix some slow doom/death riffing with some fast death metal riffs that are influenced by the classic Swedish sound with some thrash influences and a small amount of melody, while the lead guitars are chaotic sounding old school death metal guitar solos.

  Vocals are deep death metal growls that have a thrashy edge to them and are very easy to understand, while the lyrics are gory in the classic death metal way, as for the production it has a very primitive sound that makes this sound like it was recorded in 1991, this really sounds like an old death metal demo tape and this was actually recorded recently, which is not a bad thing because death metal was actually still good back then,

  In my opinion Decapitation are a very good death/doom metal band and while there is nothing original about this cassette it still sounds very good and would be perfect to listen to when you are in a drunk phase reminicsing about this classic death metal days. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Undead Carnage" and "Cellar Of Incest". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Blaspherian Interview

1. Can you update us with what is going on with Blaspherian these days?
WES-AS FOR THE RECENT ACTIVITIES FOR THE UNHOLY HORDE OF BLASPHERIAN,MAINLY ITS CENTERED AROUND FINISHINING THE SONGWRITING FOR OUR UPCOMING FULL LENGTH,'INFERNAL WARRIORS OF DEATH',AT THIS POINT WE ONLY NEED TO FINISH LYRICS FOR 1 TRACK,AND AN INTRO.

2. DeathGasm is getty ready to re-issue your e.p's how has the support been from the label so far?
WES-I'VE KNOWN EVAN FOR YEARS,IT WAS A NATURAL CHOICE TO WORK WITH DEATHGASM,THEY HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE ROSTER,AND ITS AN HONOR TO BE A PART OF THE DEATHGASM HORDE.SUPPORT AS WELL AS EVERYTHING ELSE IS KILLER!

3. When I listen to your music it is in the doom/death category but the lyrics seem to be more in line with what satanic black metal bands write, is anyone in the band a fan of black metal?
WES-WELL WE ALL ARE.BUT IT COMES MORE FROM THE OLD SCHOOL SATANIC DEATH METAL BANDS,FOR INSTANCE POSSESSED,IMMOLATION,INCANTATION,DEICIDE,MORBID ANGEL.THOSE ARE THE BANDS THAT SPECIFICALLY INFLUENCED THE MUSIC,LYRICS AS WELL AS ARTWORK AND OVERALL METAL ETHICS OF BLASPHERIAN.BUT I CAN SAY NEW VOCALLIST LORD APOLLYON IS DEFINATELY INTO BLACK METAL,EVEN MORE THAN THE REST OF US...

4. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
WES-BLASPHERIAN HAVE PLAYED A VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF SHOWS.THIS IS BY DESIGN,WE HAVE NO INTEREST IN BEING THE LOCAL ROCK STARS.WE PLAY SHOWS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY INTERESTING TO US,MAINLY OUT OF THE CONFINES OF THE SHITHOLE KNOWN AS HOUSTON TEXAS.
BEST SHOW SO FAR....IT MAY SEEM STRANGE BUT WE PLAYED IN LITTLE ROCK ARKANSAS,WITH OUR BUDDIES IN VORE.KILLER SHOW,KILLER CROWD AND AN AWESOME TIME.
OUR STAGE SHOW,IN A WORD WOULD BE-CRUSHING.FULL OF HEAVY GUITARS,BLASTING DRUMS,DEEP DEATH METAL VOCALS,INVERTED CROSSES,SMOKE,BLOOD,BLASPHEMY.

5. DO you have any touring plans for the future?
WES-NOT AS OF NOW.WE WOULD LIKE TO PLAY MORE SHOWS,FOR SURE.HOWEVER IT MUST BE WITH THE RIGHT BANDS,AND PEFERABLY OUT OF TOWN,WE HAVE NO INTEREST IN PLAYING HERE.

6.How have doom/death metal fans worldwide react to your material?
WES-SO FAR VERY POSITIVE.WHICH IS A PLEASANT SURPRISE,AS I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE ALOT MORE NEGATIVITY,CONSIDERING WHEN WE BEGAN THIS UNHOLY ENDEVOR,NOT MANY BANDS WERE MIXING SATANIC DEATH METAL,DOOM,ETC.SO WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE RESPONSE.ITS GOOD TO SEE THE SCENE RETURN TO TRUE DEATH METAL,IN THE UNDERGROUND...WHERE IT BELONGS.HAILS TO THE LABELS AND METAL WARRIORS THAT SUPPORT TRUE DEATH METAL!

7. Out off all the releases the band has put out so far which one are you most satisfied with?
WES-ALL. BUT I THINK THE UPCOMING FULL LENGTH WITH BE OUR SHINING MOMENT.THE NEW TRACKS ARE FUCKIN HEAVY,DARK,SATANIK,AND I THINK IT WILL BE OUR PROUDEST MOMENT.

8. Are there any current side projects going on these days besides this band if so, who are they and what kind of music do they play?
WES-NONE TO SPEAK OF,WE'RE ALL OLD SCHOOL THRASH FANS,I'D LIKE TO GET A RIPPIN THRASH BAND TOGETHER,JUST FOR FUN....NOT TO RELEASE ANYHING,JUST TO JAM,I THINK THAT WOULD BE SICK...AND SPEAKING OF THRASH,CHECK OUT THIS NEW THRASH HORDE FROM GERMANY...CRUEL FORCE,FUCKIN AWESOME BAND.

9. How would you describe your musical progress over the years and what direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
WES-WELL ONE ELEMENT WE'VE ADDED IS MORE SPEED AND AGGRESSION.AND ITS A NATURAL PROGRESSION,WE HAVE'NT ADDED IT FOR TRENDY REASONS.WE WANT TO MIX OUR MUSIC UP A BIT,SO WHEN YOU LISTEN TO A BLASPHERIAN TRACK,YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHATS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.A DEMONIC MIXTURE OF SPEED,DOOM,AND ANYTHING ELSE OUR SICK MINDS COME UP WITH.....

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and what are you listening to nowadays?
WES-SATANIC DEATH METAL,BLACK METAL,EVIL THRASH,ALL ARE AN INFLUENCE.IMMOLATION,INCANTATION,DETERIOROT,M.ANGEL,SARCOFAGO,OLD DEICIDE,OLD SLAYER,POSSESSED...AMONG MANY OTHERS.
THESE DAYS WE LISTEN TO ALOT OF THE NEWER DEATH METAL BANDS,INCLUDING FUNEBRARUM,DISMA,GRAVE MIASMA,CRUCIAMENTUM,BLASPHEMOPHAGHER,BUTCHERED SAINT,I LIKE THE NEW DIABOLIC,ABOMINANT,NOMINON,FUCK SO MUCH IS COMING OUT THESE DAYS ITS HARD TO REMEMBER THEM ALL.SO A MIX OF THE ELDER GODS,AND THE NEWER UPCOMING BANDS.....

11. What are some Satanic or Occult philosphers, authors, orders or magickal practices that have had an impact on your views of Satanism?
WES-THE OBVIOUS....LAVEY,CROWLEY,THE NECRONOMICON.ALL CHANGED MY LIFE,AS WELL AS THE BOOK BY CAVENDISH,'THE BLACK ARTS'....AMONG MANY OTHERS.TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION...BUT I WILL SAY THIS TRUE SATANISTS ARE BORN,NOT MADE.YOU EITHER HAVE IT IN YOUR HEART OR YOU DO NOT.
MAN HAS EVERYTHING HE NEEDS FOR SURVIVAL AND HAPPINESS IN HIS MIND AND HEART,TO LOOK FURTHER IS NOT ONLY IGNORANT,BUT DANGEROUS.HAIL SATAN!

12. What are some of your interests outside of music?
WES- REALLY NOT MUCH.I'M INTO DARK,HORROR MOVIES,EVIL ARTWORK,SATANIC MUSIC,COLLECTING RECORDS,ALCOHOL AND PUSSY.THATS ABOUT IT!
13. Any final words or rhoughts?
WES-THANKSFOR THE INTERVIEW AND THE SUPPORT.HAIL ALL TRUE DEATH METAL WARRIORS!!!!!!!!!!
LOOK FOR OUR UPCOMING FULL LENGTH,'INFERNAL WARRIORS OF DEATH" ON DEATHGASM RECORDS!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Beyond Hell Interview

ALL QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY BEYOND HELL VOCALIST: SUPREME SICKO AND ELEKTROKUTIONER

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?

Beyond Hell actually originally formed way back in 2002. Me and our guitarist Tony & another
drummer did a demo (that was horrible!) and the band was dead for quite awhile. We both were
in various other bands over the years and in the summer of 2009 we both got together to do
some real death metal again. And released another demo which was much better, but was done
with just a drum machine, and still wasn't really the sound we were looking for. So towards
the end of 2009 we contacted Elektrokutioner, (as we are huge fans of his main band,Decrepitaph,)
and he agreed to do the drum work for us. His drums totally redesigned our sound as we were able
to do exactly what we wanted musically, due to his masterful drumming skills. Since then we
have released an ep: And Evil Crept Through...which recieved alot of praise. We have now signed
to Dark Descent and Skeleton Plague records for a full length album release which should be out
soon.
Elektrokutioner: Beyond Hell is Death/Doom with a bit more melody than is usually found in bands like this. We did a MCD early this year and soon the full length will be unleashed!

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

Raw, Morbid Death Metal with touches of Doom, & a goal to make memorable/catchy songs
rather than 10,000 riffs a track. With some of the best death metal leads ever from our
guitarist Tony P! True Death! with a strong old school feel.
Elektrokutioner: It is basic old school DM, but with some of the guitar playing of mid-era Death mixed in. There are also a good amount of slow doomy parts and some blasting as well. It doesn't sound like my other bands at all, so it is a cool thing to be involved in.


3. Have you had the oppurtunity to do live shows if so, what are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

No at the time we are a non-live band, mainly do to the distance between band members.
There might possibly be live shows in the future one day, but as of now we're concentrating
on our recorded music output only.
Elektrokutioner: Nope, we live thousands of miles apart, so we won't be playing live anytime soon!


4. What is it like working with both Dark Descent and Skeleton Plague records and how has the support from both labels been so far?

They've both been fucking great so far! Super-professional, extremely cool and huge metal
heads that know their shit! Big Horns up to both labels!
Elektrokutioner: The guitarist Tony pretty much handles all the label related stuff, but I have seen a lot of ads, reviews, and promo for the upcoming CD, so I would say they are on the ball with it. I think they offer good support, especially for a relatively unknown band.

5. What is going on with the other bands these days that the other members participate in?

Well as for me and Tony, we're focused on Beyond Hell totally. Although we have
a couple other projects that we may do in the future.
As for Elektrokutioner...shit check his myspace page! He has so many bands/projects, He is one
prolific busy fucker! when he sleeps i do not know! ha ha!
Elektrokutioner: You had to ask this one, didn't you? haha Well, here are the bands I'm currently involved in: Decrepitaph, Father Befouled, Skincrawler, Festered, Encoffination, Scaremaker, Tombstones, Loathsome, Wooden Stake, Bastard Cross, Black Pentagram Cult, and of course, Beyond Hell. I have 25 releases this year, so check any of those MySpace pages for more info!

6. According to your page the band is influenced by horror films and H.P Lovecraft, what are some of the more underground horror movies that the band is into and are you influenced by any other authors than Lovecraft?

Well i can't speak for everyone in the band, but i think our tastes in horror films are similar
I'm into films by Fulci,Argento, D'amato,Henelotter,Carpenter,
Romero,Stuart Gordon,Coscarelli,HG Lewis,
Hammer films...all the classic horrormeisters and i'm leaving out tons. As for horror literature: Poe,
Joe R. Lansdale, Jack Ketchum, Shirley Jackson, Ambrose Bierce, John Shirley, Brian Keene, Michael Laimo,
William F. Nolan, Edward Lee,Stephen King,Richard Laymon ect.
Elektrokutioner: Speaking for myself, some of my favorite movies are Basket Case, The Beyond, Black Roses, Maniac, Night of the Creeps, Videodrome, Frankenhooker, Wild Zero, Battlefield Baseball, Dead and Buried, Evil Dead Trap, and billions of others. I also like lots of authors, but I usually don't read horror related things. Some of my favorites are Moliere, Alexander Pope, Pablo Neruda, William Butler Years, Oscar Wilde, Robert Frost, and lots more.


7. How has the music been recieved so far by doom and death metal fans worldwide?

Our first ep release, got a great response and sold out quick. Still waiting to see
the response of the new album when it comes out, but all the response has been real positive so far!
Elektrokutioner: Good so far! I think once the full length album comes out, there will be more interest. The MCD was limited to 50 copies, so there's really not that many of them floating around out there.


8. How would you describe your musical progress over the years and what direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?

Well since our initial inception we've grow leaps & bounds musically and Thematically, and i forsee
us climbing farther into the abyss to bring an even darker & more horrific slab of death metal straight
from the underworld!
Elektrokutioner: Fuck progress. That's another term for making your music commercialized and not playing what comes natural to you. I've been playing drums the same way for 15 years and that is never going to change. We will just continue to write music we are proud of and if people are into it, then that is cool!

9. What is it that hope to accomplish with your music?

I think we've already achieved our main goal: creating dark horrific death metal OUR way that
we're proud of and getting it out there to like-minded damned souls. We hope to continue the
work of Beyond Hell FOREVER!
Elektrokutioner: I don't have any expectations for what I play. It's not about that. If I wanted to be famous, I wouldn't be playing this type of music. I just play what I like and whatever happens, happens.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and what are you listening to nowadays?

All the godfathers of Death...Incantation, Death, Obituary, Autopsy, Asphyx, Dismember,
Entombed, God Macabre, Immolation, Morbid Angel, Impetigo, Carcass, Grave, and many more.
New shit: Decrepitaph (of course) Hooded Menace, Coffins, Funebrarum, Necros Christos, Burial Invocation,
Wakedead Gathering, Father Befouled, Mortuous, Encoffination, Grave Ritual, Cosmic Atrophy, Anatomia, Cardiac Arrest, Claws, Kaiju, Spun in Darkness, Fondlecorpse, Revolting, Scaremaker, Disfigured dead....and many more.
Elektrokutioner: I like all the old metal styles and plenty of stuff outside metal as well. The only thing I don't like is this new wave of br00t/slam/guttural garbage and anything relating to metalcore. Real DM, BM, thrash, grind, doom, punk, crust, is all cool with me. I've been listening to the Affliction Gate album a bunch lately as well as my usual huge Sisters of Mercy kick. I've also been playing Burning Witch and the first Dropdead LP too.

11. What are some of your interests outside of music?

Tv,Guns,Knives,Booze ect.
Elektrokutioner: I love books and olden literature. I've been getting back into reading a bit more lately, like I used to do growing up... before the internet took over and possessed all of us. I'm also huge into cars and have been since I was a teenager. But usually, my time is spent working on music or something related to music.


12. Any final words or thoughts?

Thanks For the interview! Horns Up!
Thanks to anyone who supports real death & Doom
True Horror, True Death.....Beyond Hell
Check us out at: www.myspace.com/beyondhellmusic
beyondhellmusic.blogspot.com
http://www.darkdescent.net/
http://www.skeletonplaguerecords.com/
Elektrokutioner: Check out 'The Sleeper Awakens' when it is released and look for more Beyond Hell material in the future!!!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Blaspherian/Allegiance To The Will Of Damnation/Summoning Of The Infernal Hordes/DeathGasm Records/2010 CD Review

  Blaspherian are a band from Texas that play a style that I would describe as Satanic doom/death metal in this is a review of their e.p's "Allegiance To The Will Of Damnation" and "summoning Of The Infernal Hordes" which was re-issued by DeathGasm Records as a full lendth album.

  Drums are mostly slow on this album with some midpaced to fast drumming and brutal blast beats, while the bas playing follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars.

  Rhythm guitars are mostly slow doom/death metal riffs that are very heavy and skull crushing with some fast playing that bring back memories of alot of classic satanic death metal bands and there are little to no guitar leads present on this album.

  Vocals are all deep death metal growls while the lyrics are very satanic and anti christian, as for the production on these 2 e.p's that have a very heavy sound that makes all of the instruments sound very brutal.

  In my opinion Blaspherian are a very good brutal satanic doom/death metal band and I have not heard not many newer bands playing this style for a long time and if you are a fan of this genre you should check this band out. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Curse His Name" "Prayer Of Satanic Hate" and "Enthroned In Blasphemous Triumph". RECOMMENDED BUY

Beyond Hell/The Sleeper Awakens/Dark Descent Records/Skeleton Plague Records/2010 CD Review

  Beyond Hell is a band with members from both Texas and Missouri that are veterans of other bands which play a style that I would describe as a mixture of death and doom metal and this is a review of their 2010 album "The Sleeper Awakens" which is being released as a joint effort between Dark Descent and Skeleton Plague R3ecords.

  Drums use alot of variety with a good amount of slow to midpaced drumming along with alot of fast playing and brutal blast beats, while the bass playing follows the riffs coming out of the guitars, as far as the keyboards they are only used on the intros and they have the feel of a horror movie soundtrack and they use samples from these movies as well.

  Rhythm guitars are mostly slow doom/death riffs mixed in with alot of fast playing that is early 90's death metal influenced as well as a small amount of thrash with some melody being utilized while the lead guitars sound very talented with some solos that are very technical and melodic in the classic death metal way, and there is also a small amount of classical guitars which gives the music a very haunting sound.

  Vocals are all deep death metal growls with some high pitched screams being used at times while the lyrics are very gory and seem to be influenced by horror movies and the writings of H.P Lovecraft, as for the production it sounds very raw but professional and all of the instruments have a very brutal sound to them.

  In my opinion Beyond Hell are a very good doom/death metal band and if you are a fan of this style you should check this band out. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Approaching Doom" "Apopylitic Dreams" "The

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Spina Bifida/Ziyadah/Adipocere Records/1993 CD Review

 Spina Bifida where a doom/death metal band from the Netherlands and this is a review of their 1993 album "Ziyadah" which was released by Adipocere Records.

  Drums are all slow beats with no fast drumming or blast beats being used, while the bass playing has a very heavy tone which is easy to hear on this album and it dominates throughout the album with some bass leads and at times there are some noise effects being used.

v Rhythm guitars are tuned down very low and it is all slow and heavy doom metal riffing while the lead guitars are very distorted sounding solos that also contain a small amount of depressing sounding melodies with some piano effects being used at times.

  Vocals are mostly deep death metal growls that are very easy to understand with some clean singing as well as spoken word passages being used on ocassion while the lyrics cover topics such as witch burnings, philosophy and depressing themes as for the production on this recording which was recorded at Tapes Productions in Raamsdonksveer, Netherlands has a very dark and heavy feel with all of the instruments being easy to hear.

  In my personal opinion Spina Bifida where a very underrated doom/death band and if you are a fan of this style of music you should check this band out.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Witchfire" "Purest Queen" "Gotteerdammerung" And "Verdict". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Incantation/Dibolical Conquest/Relapse Records/1998 CD Review

  Incantation are a band from the east coast of the United States that plays a very brutal form of death metal mixed with doom metal and this is a review of their 1998 classic album "Diabolical Conquest" which was released by Relapse Records.

  Drums range from slow to midpaced drumming with alot of fast playing and brutal blast beats while the bass playing is tuned down really low and has a mixture of slow and fast rhythm bass riffing that follows the riffs from the guitars and at times it has a very powerful sound.

  Rhythm guitars are tuned down very low and ther is a mixture of some of the fastesat as well as brutal death metal riffs mixed with some of the darkest and evil sounding doom metal riffs with little or no lead guitars being utilized.

  Vocals are all deep death metal growls while the lyrics are very anti christain with a slight esoteric/satanic edge to them, as for the production on this album which was recorded at Mars Studio in Cleveland, Ohio during the months of November to Dec 1997 sounds very raw while retaining a professional sound that makes all of the instruments as well as vocals sound good.

  In my opinion Incantation are one of the best bands that play this style and this was a classic for that genre, if you are a fan of brutal death metal that has a heavy doom edge you shold already have this album in your collection. STANDOUT TRACKS INCLUDE "Impending Diabolical COnquest" "Shadows of the Ancient Empire" Ethereal Misery" and "Majesty of Infernal Damnation". RECOMMENDED BUY