ANGELKILL
«Casket
Lullabies»
rating: 5,
5 of 6
After releasing
two albums through Wild Rags Records, ANGELKILL suddenly returned to demo-stage
and unleashed this tape. Layout and inner sleeve are more than poor but
music deserves some attention. Blakk and co. (by the way, now band consists
of only three members) almost didn’t change their style, and like before
ANGELKILL play unholy evil technical death / black with anti-christian
attitude and perfect musicianship (especially it goes for guitars) as well
as hysterical screams reminding me both of OBITUARY and early SORHIN. If
«Casket Lullabies» had better look design-wise, I’d confuse
it with self-released album because of excellent production and duration
of fifty minutes... I can only hope that this talented and original band
will find good and honest label in future and we’ll be able to hear new
compositions from ANGELKILL as great as these ones...
AUTUMNAL
DISCORD
«The
Quest»
rating: 4,
5 of 6
«The
Child», three-song debut demo from AUTUMNAL DISCORD was total shit
with clichesque music and horrible sound quality, so I wasn’t excited after
one of my pals told me that this band released second tape, much better
than the former one. But now, listening to «The Quest», I can
only feel pity that AUTUMNAL DISCORD doesn’t play this kind of music anymore
- basically, this band is non-existent now, at least the band which released
this demo. «The Quest» appears as very long release being just
a demonstration tape - it contains ten songs and lasts for more than fifty
minutes. Music featured on it appears as deeply melancholic and romantic
doom / death metal with keyboards and nice female vocals. Production became
much better, so did the music - it’s not so generic and much more impressive
and interesting. Let’s wish these guys to return to their previous style
one day, and while now you can order this recording in the shape of «official
album» from Hobgoblin Records: 107553, Russia, Moscow, P. O. Box
17
CATHARSIS
«Proles
Florum»
rating: 3
of 6
And again
melancholic doom / death from Moscow... I can’t say much about «Proles
Florum» and to get what this band is all about, you’ve got to read
AUTUMNAL DISCORD’s review - everything is the same here. However, we can’t
call CATHARSIS as «no future» band, simply because their music
(despite the utter absense of originality) is not bad, but changing name
and making attempts to find their own face as a band is necessary if CATHARSIS
want to reach anything in future...
Contact:
Russia, Moscow, Stromynka 23 / 26-45, Igor Polyakov
CONDEMNED
CELL
«The
Realm Of Stone»
rating: 1,
5 of 6
What the
fuck is this?! Some incomprehensible doom metal with disgusting vocals
and shitty lyrics in the vein of MORTICIAN, played by three brainless kids???
Indeed, human stupidity and lack of talent have no limits... I don’t need
this and never will.
P. S. I won’t
be surprised to see these assholes playing shitty BM in the near future...
Trend rules over such ‘individuals’, damn it.
Contact:
113452, Russia, Moscow, Balaklavsky prospekt 20-2-161, Konstanting «Extirpator»
Narchov
CRYPTHOWL
«Promo
tape 1997»
rating: 3
of 6
«Atmospheric
horror metal», eh? Ha ha! What a pretentious definition for such
a poor music! It’s just simple and ordinary melodic black metal with female
voice here and there... Nothing special at all.
Contact:
P. O. Box 340, Kaluga - 02, 248002, Russia
CUMDEO
«My
Angel»
R.I.P. Productions
rating: 5,
5 of 6
«My
Angel» is the first demo released by R.I.P. Productions I’ve heard
and it made me to believe that Vlad (label-owner) has very good taste in
music. This tape is excellent. Alexander Ivanov sings in three voices:
typical ANATHEMA-alike growling, harsh BM screaming and great low «clean»
voice. Musical accompaniment also seems to be lacking any shortcomings.
Production is far above average, while music featured on these four songs
(two instrumentals and two very long tracks with vocals) can be defined
as sorrowful doom metal, unoriginal but leaving extremely positive impressions...
Plenty of keyboards and acoustics, thick guitar sound packed with inexpressible
atmosphere of pure melancholy... supreme sadness... Tremendous stuff!
Contact:
c/o Alexander Ivanov, Komsomolskaya str. 11, Smolensk, 214033, Russia
DONAR’S KRIEG
«Donar’s
Krieg»
distributed
through Avondwake Productions
rating: 4,
5 of 6
BURZUM, GRAVELAND
and KOHORT-alike bands’ horde is now joined by Belgium’s DONAR’S KRIEG,
representing pure black metal in supreme northern vein lyrically referring
to the second Holocaust and total annihilation of jewish race... Despite
rather average sound quality, I liked this demo a lot, maybe due to Donarssen’s
(the only musician in the band) sincerity and inexpressible atmosphere
of darkness which he managed to capture on this demo... DONAR’S KRIEG is
one of the few «pure» black metal acts left, so it’s just stupid
if you won’t pay any attention to this really promising band! Highly recommended.
Label contact:
Avondwake Productions, Postbus 18, 9470 Denderleeuw, Vlaanderen / Belgie
EMBER
«Chapter
II: The Gate...»
rating: 5,
5 of 6
Strange,
but North America brings more and more excellent black metal acts - just
to mention YAMATU, EDENROT, SACRAMENTARY ABOLISHMENT, ANGEL CORPSE and
USURPER... And now this kohort is supplemented with EMBER. Unfortunately,
I haven’t heard first demo from these guys, so I can’t compare it and «The
Gate» to each other and say which one is better... Anyway, this tape
was done by undoubtedly talented, worthy and honest band, sincere in each
accord, each unholy sound captured here... It consists of only three (rather
short) songs and that’s too fucking bad, because I can’t stop listening
to «The Gate» and short running time turned out as the main
disappointment for me. In general, EMBER play quite simple (although not
primitive!) black metal, lacking any keyboards and suchlike stuff... It’s
not «old-fashioned» or anything, but influences from old legendary
bands, whose recordings became the classics of BM genre, can be heard quite
often. If you wonder about the strongest parts of EMBER, I’ll mention utterly
hateful vocals and good guitar passages. Of course, production is not «top-notch»,
but it’s great for only a demo tape... Check this out!
Contact:
Ember, P.O. Box 2177, Darien, IL 60561, USA
Email: pmlot@orion.luc.it.edu
FESTERGUTS
«Bloodsoaked»
rating: 1
of 6
It’s always
sad to see a demise of a good band, especially when it comes from Russia.
Unfortunately, I’m not talking about FESTERGUTS’ defunct - I mean musical
demise. I was disappointed by their contemporary direction already after
the DEATHRIDER fest, but this tape is even worse than I could expect. «Bloodsoaked»
feature fourty minutes of absolutely uninteresting, boring and pathetic
death / doom metal with some BM elements. The production is not bad, but
mix is awful and this fact didn’t made my impressions more positive...
Female voice sounds less irritating here, but can we call it as an advantage??...
Yes, I praised «Delicious Evisceration» (their previous demo,
released three years ago) and considered FESTERGUTS a worthy and promising
band, but now, after listening to this crap, I have to change my opinion
regarding them in more than drastical way. With such shitty music they
have no future at all.
FULLMOON
RISE
«Cold,
Darkness, Death... I Awake»
Stellar Winter
Records
rating: 5
of 6
FULLMOON
RISE are somewhat mysterious band - noone knows who they are and where
they played before (if they did), they (almost?) don’t appear in any kinds
of underground massmedia, and the fact that this tape fell into my hands
is really strange since I didn’t see «Cold, Darkness, Death...»
being sold or distributed anywhere... Yep, that’s weird for sure. However,
it’s up to the band and as an editor of this mag I don’t care about such
things - at least, music is what interests me in the first place. And it’s
truly great here! Everything, from the cover to the sound quality and performance,
is done on very good level which looks rather surprising, especially taking
into account the fact that «Cold...» is the first demo from
FULLMOON RISE. All the six songs on this cassette bring nothing new or
original, but pure black metal - dark, evil, grim and unholy. Sometimes
it reminds me of IMMORTAL, sometimes - of TRELLDOM or BLACK FUNERAL...
Nevermind it. At least, I didn’t try to compare this band to anything /
anyone (despite the evident lack of originality). Instead, I just felt
pleasure of listening to these a bit naive, but definitely sincere, cold
sounds created by three obscene souls... I think you’ll like it too.
Contact through
Stellar Winter Records: gorruth@hotmail.com
GONTYNA KRY
«Welowie»
Nocturnal
Silence Prod. / Moonshine Prod.
rating: 5
of 6
Good demo
from regular Polish band playing NS black metal. What? You disdain groups
with such kind of ideology? Then wouldn’t it be better if you move to Israel
- your jewish fatherland, eh? Personally I don’t give a damn about this
«ideology» thing, besides I have nothing against National -
Socialistic ideas, so... Ok, let’s get back to the music. «Welowie»
seems to be the best tape from Poland I’ve heard recently. Production sucks
a bit here, although great music makes us to forget about this sad shortcoming.
The best definition for what GONTYNA KRY plays is «true» black
metal... No, it’s nothing like typical Norwegian buzz, it’s just pure BM
at it’s best, however some keyboards and acoustics are also featured on
this demo. Despite poor sound quality, «Welowie» is excellent
material. I really mean it.
Label contact:
Nocturnal Silence, Dawid Witeszczak, Raclawicka 36 / 2, 42 200, Czestochowa,
Poland
Band contact:
c/o Gontyna Kry, Komes Kurhan, P. O. Box 20, 75 - 656 Koszalin 3, Poland
HATRED
"Promo tape
1998"
rating: 5,
5 of 6
This tape
brings two new songs from HATRED which will be included in
their upcoming
CD "The Offering"... Well, HATRED is still HATRED, and
this promo
features the same grindy, grim and hateful death metal with the wide range
of vocals. Maybe, more thoughtout and technical
this time...
And also more brutal... As to me, I'm awaiting "The
Offering"
CD impatiently...
Contact:
P. O. Box 10264, Alexandria, VA 22310 or (703) 960-HATE or online at <HATREDVA@aol.com>
HERESIARH
«Dragons
Of War»
Elven Witchcraft
rating: 5,
5 of 6
Erh, seems
like I overrated SKYFORGER a bit naming this band as «the best BM
act in Latvia», because HERESIARH, despite rather big musical difference,
rules hard over that guys from SKYFORGER! The only comparison which came
to my mind was DISMAL EUPHONY, however mostly due to vocal combination
- raw male BM screams and heavenly female singing. That’s the only point
where we can compare these two bands to each other. It’s quite hard to
describe HERESIARH’s music, and the only thing I can say for sure - it’s
ORIGINAL. This fact already has to make you to look for this tape, I guess.
All songs are professionally played while production is also good. Music
represented on «Dragons Of War» is melodic, romantic black
metal with memorable guitar passages and keyboard parts, sometimes harsh,
sometimes beautiful... And the last, «hidden» track will surely
surprise some of you! So don’t think twice and write to: janis.balodis@riga.mail.telia.com
INVAZIA
«Triumph
Of Spirit»
rating: 0
of 6
Loathsome
tape. This shitty band pretends to be doom metal or something like that,
incorporating violin (which sounds utterly disgusting) and weak keyboards,
but due to vocals INVAZIA strike as a sort of band playing in PANTERA-alike
style... I don’t know if they have any future or not, but vocalist should
stop singing right now and never do it again!
MISANTHROPIC
POETRY
"Inhaling
The Wind Of The Burning Grim Dreams"
rating: 1,
5 of 6
Shitty music
with weak guitars and idiotic lyrics in fucked-up English... Add "true"
attitude and you'll get one more poser band...
Contact:
dod@opennet.pskov.ru
MORANNON
«Behold
The Black Candles Light»
rating: 5
of 6
«We
play unholy black metal, no more, no less. No keyboards, no female vocals,
no happy melodies, no vampire-image, just pure fucking unholy, brutal,
primitive black METAL!» - such are the words of Ferocious, the band’s
leader, and I should say that I agree with each Henrik’s word, BUT with
an exception for ‘primitive’. Yes, MORANNON’s stuff doesn’t have anything
to do with complicated music, but it’s also not primitive at all! Production
is very pleasing for only a demo tape, performance’s quality also can’t
be criticized. «Behold The Black Candles Light» is pure black
metal tape, but it cannot be even compared to dozens of shitty bands playing
some childish crap and screaming that the more music is primitive and chaotic,
the more it is true. Bullshit! Listen to MORANNON - as I already said,
these guys don’t feature anything extraordinary or outstanding in their
compositions, but in spite of this, I think that «Behold The Black
Candles...» will appeal to all fans of unholy music. And the last
thing I’d like to mention goes for great «clean» vocals (performed
by Daniel of WINDWALKER, I believe) which sound rather strange here, among
dark landscapes of satanic BM, but what’s most strange - they don’t contrast
with music, appearing as it’s inalienable part! Just play the «Out
From The Dark» tune and you’ll have to agree with me... Excellent
stuff, one of the best of a kind from Sweden this year (among neophyte
bands, of course)...
Contact:
Henrik Lindenmo, Kallmursvagen 4, S - 804 29 Gavle, Sweden
Email: ferocious666@hotmail.com
MORANNON
/ MARTYRUM
Split-demo
rating: MORANNON
- 5 of 6
MARTYRUM - 4, 5 of 6
One more
demo from MORANNON, this time more old, I believe... It brings four songs
of hateful, obscene black metal; two of them («Behold The Black Candles
Light» and «Come Eternal Night») appear on «Behold...»
demo + we have «Midnatt» and «13 Candles», BATHORY’s
cover - highly intriguing and impressive one, with «clean»
voice featured here and there. Well, I think that I already said everything
I could regarding this project in the previous review, so let’s better
move to MARTYRUM. Just like MORANNON this band comes from Sweden, but their
music is rather different from both, typical Swedish black / death and
MORANNON’s style. Speaking generally, MARTYRUM’s creations could be defined
as «viking metal» in the vein of ENSLAVED and other «warrior
metal» bands. It’s not as great as first band on this tape, though
very pleasing. Recommended.
NEGLECTED
FIELDS
«Sansara»
rating: 5,
5 of 6
If I’m not
mistaken, NEGLECTED FIELDS’ debut album, «Synthinity», was
released shortly after this demo which is also dated by 1998. «Sansara»
includes four original songs («Sphere’s Rhapsody», «Eschatological»,
«Sansara» and «Living Structures»), all of them
were later included in «Synthinity», so to those who have NEGLECTED
FIELDS’ album this demo may appear of interest only because of the three
things. First, all songs represented here are rather different from their
(newer) versions on «Synthinity». Second - due to amazing female
vocals, which unfortunately sound less convincing on the «official»
album, and third - the cover says that «Sansara» is a «special
limited edition with two bonus tracks». Guess what kind of songs
are covered here? Confused? Ok, I’ll tell you - these are IRON MAIDEN’s
«Only The Good Die Young» and genius (yes, exactly ‘genius’!)
version of... PRODIGY’s «Breathe»! Of course, Finnish Tico
- Tico can’t be compared to Estonian Townhall Studio, so the sound quality
here is worse than on «Synthinity», although it’s nothing bad.
It even makes the whole demo sound more brutal than it could be... Highly
recommended.
Band management
and contact: Andrey Tihomirov, Nicgales iela 47-22, Riga, Latvia, LV 1035
Tel. (371)
2-588712 Andrey
(371) 7-183259 Sergey
POSTMORTEM
«Bloody
Justice Comes...»
rating: 2
of 6
This demo
did nothing for me. Estonia’s POSTMORTEM performs some kind of emotionless
mid-paced death metal, sometimes showing some doom influences... I wouldn’t
say it sucks, but I heard stuff of this kind for thousand times, so POSTMORTEM
appears as band which is of no interest to my soul and essense.
Contact:
c/o Sergei Shelepov, Karberi 47-101, Tallinn, Estonia, EE0038
ROSSOMAHAAR
«Grotesque»
rating: 5
of 6
This one-man
band is relatively new in Russian BM scene, however it’s already has something
to say. «Grotesque» consists of twelve compositions of something
which could be called as symphonic black metal with plenty of dark ambient
elements. It has some bad sides like weak guitars and rather average production,
although ROSSOMAHAAR’s («wolverine» in Russian) music is definitely
worth attention and I’m sure that this band has bright future. If Lazar
(the main force behind ROSSOMAHAAR) would make emphasis on guitars and
will efford better sound quality with further releases, his project will
become one of the best Moscow BM bands...
Contact (email):
rossomahaar@hotmail.com
S.C.A.L.P.
«Through
Eternity»
R.I.P. Productions
rating: 5
of 6
One more
demo from R.I.P. Productions and once again the brilliant stuff! S.C.A.L.P.
formerly played some stupid noisy grindcore but now their musical direction
changed in utterly radical way; basically bands which released «Madness
Cannibalism» and «Through Eternity» tapes are absolutely
different projects. Today’s S.C.A.L.P. play ethereal though brutal (hmmm...)
gothic doom metal with pleasant husky «clean» male vocals.
Music is nor dark neither depressive, it’s just smooth and... somewhat
even beautiful! «Through Eternity» brings seven ve-e-e-ery
long songs of celestial art which will appeal to all of those who saved
their souls living through this loathsome world...
Band contact:
c/o Rizhenok, Novosilskaya str. 10-39, Orel, 302030, Russia
Label contact:
c/o Vlad Korolenko, P. O. Box 72, Smolensk 04, 214004, Russia
SIEGED MIND
«Restless...»
rating: 3,
5 of 6
«Holy
fuck, these guys’ music is professional, but stinks with DEATH so much...!»
- reviews of this kind could be met VERY often after SIEGED MIND released
their debut album, «Emptiness», through Metal Agen Recs. Almost
three years passed before we were able to get their new recording and I
can’t say that with «Restless...» they found their own ‘face’
and style, but this promo is a bit more original, much more attractive
and less boring than «Emptiness». When I started to listen
to this tape and didn’t find anything special on the first side, bored
and almost sleeping, I prepared to write less positive review, but with
fifth tune I began to listen with greater interest and last slumber’s remains
disappeared... After instrumental tune, «Ocean», I was intrigued
enough, while SIEGED MIND’s music appealed to me more and more with great
«Edge Of Pain» song, but ah! after this one was over I discovered
that it was the last song on «Restless...», so I just didn’t
had enough time to get into this stuff and become a SIEGED MIND’s fan...
As a conclusion
-
«+»:
good production and decent guitar work with many intelligent leads, diverse
vocals varying from half-stranged voice (also reminding of Mr. Schuldiner)
to almost «clean» singing, which seems to be rather splendid
and original move for such kind of music.
«-»:
too «dry» sound, lack of brutality; besides all the songs on
side ‘A’ strike as quite boring.
SLOVISHA
«Skazki»
rating: 4,
5 of 6
«Skazki»
is the second demo tape from this one-man band and improvement since «Predanie
Volhva» appears as really huge! While SLOVISHA’s first recording
represented good, but somehow primitive and «unfinished» folk
/ pagan ambient, «Skazki» («Tales» in English)
is a great step ahead. It’s definitely more thoughtout and various, with
better arrangements and finally some songs with vocals (although I’d better
call it «declamations»). Every single thing is better here,
despite that musically and lyrically «Skazki» is a pure continuation
of «Predanie...» and the one who wills shall find enough shortcomings...
Contact:
Russia, 115580, Moscow, Orehoviy bulvar 47 / 33, apt. 223
Email: dablus@arstel.ru
SYMBOL
«Nothing
Comes Closely»
rating: -
I don’t know
what to say about this stuff. Production sucks, but I already got used
to such things. But as to music... Well, don’t get me wrong - it’s well
played (at least, SYMBOL’s lineup includes really good guitarists) and
melancholic with some keyboards here and there, but... You see, somehow
I considered this band as the doom metal one before, however now, with
these vocals and music lacking any brutality, they have nothing to do with
any kinds of extreme music. SYMBOL’s present direction is more close to
‘alternative’ way of doing things - and that’s just not my cup of tea.
Contact:
Russia, Moscow, 121019, P. O. Box 223, Ishenko A. V.
ÒÅÌÍÎÇÎÐÜ
(TEMNOZOR’)
«Promo
tracks»
Stellar Winter
Records
rating: 10
of 6
For one more
time this tape proves that Stellar Winter’s bosses surely have a good taste
in music - at least I consider TEMNOZOR’ as one of the best Russian bands
playing so-called «true pagan / folk black metal» and this
promo as the most exciting tape I received from Russia during this year!!!
«Promo tracks» consist of four compositions with vocals and
one instrumental tune (with emphasis on flute); as to music - it’s rather
slow, featuring plenty of acoustic moments, raw but quite pleasant guitar
sound (the band’s guitarist can handle his instrument properly for sure)
+ few background keyboards (very rare) and majestic choirs. But vocals
is what attracts me here most of all... TEMNOZOR’s vocalist often sings
in a «clean» voice and these moments make me to think of him
as the most skillful singer in a whole Russian BM scene (and perhaps, in
the whole Europe!). It’s useless to describe his vocals - you just have
to hear them to decide yourself if you agree with me or not. This guy’s
screams also leave extremely good impression, being sung in the infernal,
diabolical way... almost inhuman... Excellent band and excellent tape,
which should be obtained by you immediately!!!!!!!
Contact through
Stellar WInter Records: gorruth@hotmail.com
TODESKAMPF
«DCLXVI»
rating: 3,
5 of 6
Oh no! I
already got enough with NORGARD, ROD, WITCH DESIRE and alike bands, and
here I have one more tape with noisy black metal and non-existent production!
In general, TODESKAMPF offer some interesting ideas (like utterly insane
shrieks for example) and, consequently, their music is not so bad, however
I can’t escape the «childish black metal» definition which
fits «DCLXVI» perfectly...
VINDSVAL
«Of
Heathen Blood And Soil»
rating: 4
of 6
Hmmm, black
metal band from Luxembourg with lyrics devoted to Scandinavian myths? That’s
really strange, although Krig (vocalist) told me that they decided to quit
with Norse topics and further their lyrics will deal with various dark
fantasies and visions, which have nothing to do with Norway / Sweden at
all. Ok, let’s better talk about VINDSVAL’s music. It’s composed and performed
in typical Norwegian style (they even included IMMORTAL’s cover song here!),
but surprisingly «Of Heathen Blood...» appeared as something
that I really like. All tunes are quite simple, but in the same time memorable
and atmospheric. This tape was recorded during one of their rehearsals,
so don’t expect very good production, however it’s much better than many
BM rehearsal tapes nowadays. All in all, I find «Of Heathen Blood
And Soil» as more than just above-average demo, and hopefully their
future recordings will be more personal despite that VINDSVAL are already
a band, which is definitely worth our attention. Recommended.
Contact (email):
vindsval@hotmail.com