martes, 30 de enero de 2018

MALOKARPATAN - INTERVIEW


1. The band was born in 2014, at that time you were three members, what led you to create the band and to choose the name Malokarpatan?
At first – and this lasted for a very short period only – I intended the whole Stridžie dni
album to be just a solo project of mine. I always loved classic 80s black metal (and 80s
metal in general) and after doing a very different kind of music in my previous band, I
longed for something that would take me back to simpler teenage years. But already during
the recording, I decided to include two old friends of mine – HV and Temnohor just to make
the album a bit more diverse and interesting. The band name is a tribute to the region where
we come from – Little Carpathians (Malé Karpaty in our language), so Malokarpatan means
an inhabitant of the Little Carpathians region. Very simple and very unlikely to be used by
any other band, so a good choice I guess.

2. I suppose one of the things that led you to create Malokarpatan is the black metal bands from Eastern Europe and more specifically from the Czechoslovak scene of the nineties, a scene that is not very well known outside of your borders, except for Master's Hammer, what can you tell us about all this extreme music that was released in the nineties in your country and that has not transcended?
I think it came out more naturally – we weren't really intending some kind of a tribute to the old Czechoslovakian scene, the idea was simply just to play (black) metal in its primordial form and the local touch somehow started to shine through it. But as the band evolved I started to realize our identity more clearly and now after two albums and a third one slowly in the making, I think I can safely say we are continuing in the tradition of old bands from this geographical area – Tormentor, Master's Hammer, Kat, etc. What those bands had in common was a background in classic heavy metal and a disregard for any norms. So I feel that is the spirit of early black metal from this region – a dark form of heavy metal with eccentric qualities. For less known bands from the old Czechoslovakian scene, you might check out Amon, Tudor, Moriorr, Dai, Toxic Trash and Cerberus (album called Trójska vojna).

3. The origin of the musicians that make up Malokarpatan is diverse, however I can recognize bands like Krolok or Algor, is it complicated to combine all the different bands you belong to and at the same time find time to work in Malokarpatan?
The biggest complication is for our drummer Miroslav, because his original band Algor is
also active live and he lives in a town one hour away from the rest of us. But so far we have
managed this pretty well in most cases. Sometimes we have to cancel gigs in one of the two
bands if the other one has a concert on the same day. Our other bands are not really active
live at the moment so it's far easier to manage. Malokarpatan is the fastest working one,
others take their time

4. In a short space of time came the release of your first album "Stridžie dni", how was the process of composition and recording of this album? I guess quite satisfied with the impact achieved by "Stridžie dni"?
Stridžie dni was a fairly easy album to compose, because a large part of the material were old songs I wrote when I was about 15-17 years old and I just re-arranged them and created new lyrics for them. Other ideas were new, but I've been slowly working on them when there was nothing going on with my previous band Remmirath. So in the end I had even more material than I was expecting. You can view Stridžie dni as a homage to old underground black metal and its oddities. We were extremely surprised about the amount of positive reactions it generated because there was no ambition for it to become a well-known or popular album.

5. Shortly after the incorporation of Miroslav and Peter, their incorporations are due to reasons of wanting to give a new dimension to your music or also to the fact of being able to offer concerts?
Both. I needed their help for practical reasons – live gigs, but of course since they are
talented musicians, they brought something extra to the bass and drum arrangements. I just
give them the basic song structures and they are free to come up with anything they see as
fitting – in 9 out of 10 cases I will keep it according to their wishes. 


6. The musical richness of your compositions and the atmosphere recreated in your albums I guess it will not be easy to perform, how is the process of composing and recording an album like "Nordkarpatenland"?
 Nordkarpatenland was definitely more difficult to compose and record than the debut, but still, most of it is quite simple music (intentionally), so there were no major complications. Drum arrangements took the longest time because our drummer is a perfectionist when it comes to this, otherwise it was mostly easy work. As for live versions of the songs, you of course always lose a part of the studio magic, but we try to come close to it by at least using samples for the parts with keyboards and so on. I think our music is both atmospheric and raw, so live gigs just emphasize the raw elements more.

7. Trying now to describe all the influences present in an album like "Nordkarpatenland" is something almost impossible, in it we can find elements of classic black metal, of the second wave, but also others such as rock and classical heavy , all this makes the sound of the band different, however for many people who do not delve into your music and just read some reviews, they will be left with the idea that you are another folk metal band. How would you describe the sound of Malokarpatan to someone who has not yet heard you? What is the reason for this amount of musical influences on you?
 Fortunately we only very rarely get misunderstood as a "folk metal" band – I mean it takes
just 3-5 minutes to listen to a random song from us and anyone can hear we have nothing to
do with that scene. The folk elements are very subtle in the music – mostly just
introductions and interludes, we don't play any happy violins over the riffs or so. For me,
our music is simply just black metal in its original form. There are no rules for black metal,
except to have a satanic/dark concept and play metal music. Mercyful Fate is as black metal to me as is Bathory, Venom, Sabbat, Burzum, Root, Necromantia, Ancient Rites or
Abruptum. None of those bands sound alike and that's the way it should be. Of course there
are tons of misinformed kids who think black metal originated on A Blaze in the Northern
Sky and that you have to play tremolo riffs over blastbeats and shrieking vocals, but their
opinnion is worth nothing. They should just read interviews with any of the early second
wave bands to understand where they were coming from and that they were building upon
an already existing tradition. All this aside, there is also absolutely nothing wrong if
someone calls our music simply Heavy Metal, because it is an actual fact. The reason for the wide amount on influences in Malokarpatan is simply that we listen to a lot of different
music and some of it comes through in our own songs. There's nothing worse than black
metal bands influenced by other black metal bands exclusively.

8. The letters of "Nordkarpatenland" are written in Slovak and the texts are inspired by tales and legends of Eastern Europe, how does the history of your region inspire you to write the texts of "Nordkarpatenland" and why do you consider it important to write about it?
It's the most natural influence you can have – to be inspired by your own history and culture. I grew up surrounded by these myths and stories, so it's very easy to write songs about them. I think it adds a certain originality and authenticity to your music. Before bands started to emulate each other, you could clearly hear the local influences in early black metal acts – Hellhammer were not necessarily writing songs about Swiss history and Mortuary Drape didn't necessarily sing in Italian, but they both had their own unique sound unlike bands from other countries, because simply their surroundings shaped them in a certain way

9. Scandinavian bands do not shy away from dealing with Nordic mythology in their lyrics, even bands from other countries use those same influences, however Malokarpatan uses a similar concept but focusing your own tradition such as Veles and Porum, is there much difference between Norse and Slavic mythology, what can you tell us about the Vedic age and how has it also influenced your concepts?
We are definitely not a pagan band and I don't want to be associated with such bands. Our look at the world of Slavic myths comes from a Left Hand Path perspective, which is in my opinion best personified in the figure of Veles – master of the underworld, of deep woods, patron of wanderers and magicians, trickster and challenger of Perun's order. I think his complex and mysterious character can be easily felt in our music. In the lyrics themselves, I prefer to write about lower beings and demons. I am attracted to primitive folk superstitions, fears of countryside peasants. I think it accurately reflects the character of Slovakia, which has historically been a predominantly agricultural land.

10. Many bands follow the path marked by the norm, that is, music has to sound this way because it is what is fashionable, which is the same as the band is Slovakian French black metal has to sound However, in your music, if there are influences and sounds that differentiate them from the music of other countries, even if they are black metal, we can also take the example of the Mexican band Xibalba. Is your country an influence when it comes to compose and how important is this influence?
Yes, I think ideally bands should sound like where they come from. And Xibalba is a great example of that – you could say the same about Tormentor from Hungary, Sigh from Japan, the old Greek bands or, of course, the early Norwegian scene. For me, it has been something I had to learn along the way. I definitely did a couple of songs in my older bands that were too derivative of the 90s Norwegian sound. Sins of youth, I guess. There isn't any "Slovakian way to play the guitar" because our country has never developed its own sound, but in a wider perspective, the early Eastern Bloc black metal has been typical for a strong influence of traditional heavy metal and a certain eccentricity – either in atypical production (caused by a lack of studios focused on this kind of music) or unusual ideas in the music itself (early Root has tons of that for example). I think this old and overlooked tradition can be heard in our music and of course our overall concept deals with our local culture too, so I hope we can say that we really sound like where we come from

11. If we look back in time, we see that the concept of fear has acted as a dynamic element of society, especially in the Middle Ages and religion, is the concept of fear also present in "Nordkarpatenland"?
Definitely, I write most of our lyrics from the perspective of a simple, godfearing villager who is terrified of the supernatural realities surrounding him, especially behind the borders of the village and its safety – in the woodlands, moors and mountains. A major inspiration in this for me have been lyrics of the legendary song "Black Sabbath" by Black Sabbath – their archaic atmosphere of dread, evoking the sabbathical visions of Goya and foreshadowing the birth of black metal. From current bands, I think Cultes des Ghoules are the best at keeping this feeling alive. Our adaptation of that is not as sinister and primal, it's more like a Hammer Horror vibe or a scary tale which you listen to in the comfort and warmth of your house while sipping wine.

12. Outstanding mention also for the cover of the last album, able to capture the theme of the album in a visual way, who was responsible for the design ?. Elements such as mushrooms, elves, fear of the unknown are represented on this cover, all this has to do with Slovak traditions and mythology?
Thank you! It was made by Dávid Glomba who is probably best known for his work for
Cult of Fire, but also for many other bands. He is of Slovakian origin too, so he knows
perfectly about all the cultural references we use and he has actually added most of the
elements on the artwork himself. I just gave him some basic references and themes and he
came up with the rest. There are some obvious references to Slovak folk culture in the 
central figure of the highwayman, however, he is portrayed in a state of drunken frenzy,
staggering with a bloodstained weapon and a bottle of alcohol in his hand. He is seen
entering the magical world of folktales, more specifically its darker corners – as he is
surrounded by čerti (Slavic devils) and female figures such as Morena – the goddess of
death and winter, the Noon Witch, etc. The mushrooms symbolize crossing the boundaries
of the magical world and add to another theme of the artwork, which is intoxication. So
overall, we see a figure in a half-insane state, intoxicated and entering the world of myth.
That is pretty much all the album is about.


13. How were your beginnings in music, first concerts attended, first CDs that you bought? What made you want to dedicate yourself to music and create a band?
My history with metal and heavy music goes a very long time back to my early childhood, because I had older family members influencing me. My father was an old 70s hardrocker who listened to bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple and I also have an older brother who got into metal as a kid in the early 90s – I was fascinated by that music, the strange feelings of horror it evoked in me – I was often scared by it, but at the same time attracted. And as you can see, I've remained with metal ever since, even though I had a few years when I was tired of it and searching for other kinds of music. The first album I ever bought was "Into Darkness" by Winter – no particular reason, I think I just liked the title and cover. My first concert was, I think, some shitty local grindcore in an open air venue sometime in the late 90s – I wanted to visit gigs before, but my parents were not very liberal about this aspect. We didn't really get a lot of interesting bands touring here so the first really memorable gig is from several years later – when Dissection arrived here during the Rebirth of Dissection tour, it was a small club and we were sitting right in front of Jon Nödtveidt at one point, which is kind of eerie in retrospective, given that he killed himself less than two years later. And what made me dedicate my life to music and form a band? It was always my goal since I was a kid – already before entering elementary school I was playing around with toy guitars from parents. Every day of the week is somehow connected with Malokarpatan for me – writing music, lyrics, thinking of new concepts, answering interviews, preparing administrative stuff for live gigs or just communicating with fans online. And I am quite happy with things being this way – the music stays after you are long gone, unlike having fancy jobs, kids, excessive material possessions, etc.

14. Despite being in 2018 I think the Slovak scene is not well known to the general public (Empyrion, Algor, Old Blood, Mora), what bands would you recommend us from Bratislava?
I think it is not very known for obvious reasons – we have a really small number of bands here and it just gets worse with each decade, with less and less people having interest in this kind of music. Another issue is originality – there are some exceptions, but most bands from here just lack any individual, unique vision and instead follow trends from abroad. I have a very selective taste when it comes to newer metal bands, so I'm not really the best person to ask about local acts, but from those we know personally I think you could check out Goatcraft, Radiation or Demolizer.

15. Your first album was like a bit unexpected, that's why at first it was self-edited, however with the passage of time it was edited in multiple formats, however for "Nordkarpatenland" you already counted from the beginning with the support of Invictus Prodcutions, how did you come up with the possibility of working with this label? Are you satisfied with the work done by Invictus? What format do you prefer when listening to your music: cd, tape, digital or vinyl?
If it was up to me, I'd be perfectly fine with just a regular CD and LP edition, but these days people request for all kinds of specific formats and limited editions, so I just get asked about this and say "sure, go with it, no problem". If they need it on limited tapes and different vinyl colours, let them be satisfied I guess. It's not important to me, I care about the music itself the most. I don't have a favourite music format either – LP is the best because of the big artworks and warmer sound, but I have no special fetish for it, CD is fine too. The most nostalgic format for me are tapes because I grew up listening to them but I haven't had a working tape deck for many years now anyway. Regarding our co-operation with Invictus Productions, I simply just got an e-mail from the label boss Darragh, he was the first foreign label contacting us and we basically agreed instantly knowing his history in the underground and the fact that he released a couple of amazing bands such as Negative Plane. We have a very informal, friendly contact without any written deals and bullshit and as you can see, we still remain under the wings of Invictus. The only change recently has been co-operating with The Ajna Offensive simultaneously, which makes the promotion and distribution in the USA much easier and of course I think I don't have to introduce the importance or history of the label itself. 

16. The incorporation of Miroslav and Peter brought the possibility of being able to offer concerts, is it very complicated to capture the music of an album like "Nordkarpatenland" live? How important is it for you to offer a good concert and get in contact with your followers?
You can never fully re-create the magic of a studio recording live. I am more of a studio type, so live gigs are a slowly acquired taste for me. I haven't been the greatest fan of them before, but since the music we play in Malokarpatan is far more fitting in a live setting than what I was musically doing before, I am now in the process of finally enjoying playing live. I try not to be too boring or stiff on stage, but we are different personalities in the band so everyone has his own approach to this. I think compared to the early gigs we are definitely evolving into a better live band now. And of course meeting people before/after gigs who often have a very deep connection with your music, that's a great feeling. We're definitely not one of those bands that just hide backstage all the time, even though I am an introverted type of person, I like to go out among the people and have some beer with them.

17. What future plans do you have for the band regarding concerts? Will there be a reissue of "Nordkarpatenland" in some other format? I guess you are not working on new compositions yet?
We just had a great gig in Slovenia some time ago, for the rest of this year we have two stops in Germany (Leipzig and Berlin), a small North American tour in the USA and Canada, Steelfest in Finland, Beyond the Gates in Norway, Linz-Austria and Old Grave fest in Romania. I am very much looking forward to those, because mostly they are countries we haven't visited yet. There will be a vinyl edition of Nordkarpatenland coming this year, probably during summer, along with a vinyl repress of Stridžie dni. I am already working on new compositions, in fact I started last year after having a few months break since finishing the Nordkarpatenland recording sessions. The plan so far is for the third record to be a concept album based on real happenings from the 17th century, which occured on the territory of what is today Slovakia. I think it will be darker than Nordkarpatenland, even though still keeping its classic heavy metal influence and a more layered songwriting compared to Stridžie dni. It might turn into the definitive form and indentity of Malokarpatan perhaps. Expect it probably sometime during 2019.

18. Thank you very much for taking the time to Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something for the followers of Malokarpatan, this is the place. I hope the questions are to your liking.
Thank you very much as well for your support and interest in us! For the fans or anyone reading this, I can just say: follow your hearts and never succumb to the modern world! 




Gatefold Double LP in black vinyl with UV Spot laque and one exclusive bonustrack

HAZTE CON ÉL EN : BLACK METAL SPIRIT STORE O DISCOGS

lunes, 22 de enero de 2018

PESTLEGION - INTERVIEW



1. But I'm wrong the band was created in 2012 by Caladrius and B. von Doom, however in a short period of time a couple of other musicians joined to shape the final line-up of Pestlegion, how was this initial period of the band and why it considered necessary the incorporation of these new members? Why chose the name Pestlegion for the band since it makes reference?
 Actually we chose the name Pestlegion because we wanted to express our dedication to the second wave of Black Metal and yes, Pestlegion initially started as a two-piece by Caladrius and myself (B. Von Doom). Once we presented our Songs to drummer Tyyn, he was interested how they would sound as a real Band. It sounded great and Pestlegion became a real band. Our songwriting is based on two guitars and that’s why we recruited J. as second guitarist. He left the Band in 2016 and was replaced by Tenebriz, who fits perfectly for our needs. Our Line-up is stable since then. 

2. In April of 2014 you edit your first Ep "March to War" that contains four themes that already gave an idea of your influences and themes. We are before an EP that already shows that taste for the riffs worked and for everything that has to do with the black of the nineties. How was the process of composition of this Ep and what it meant for the group to see the repercussion achieved by it?
The EP was written by Caladrius and myself as we are Black Metal Enthusiasts since the early Nineties. We wanted to write and record music in the vein that influenced us the most. Bands like Marduk, Darkthrone, Impaled Nazarene and Mayhem (just to name a few) had a big impact on us and our musical preference. It’s good to see that people like what we do…. on the other hand if they didn’t: We would still sound the same way because it is the music we like. We do not follow trends and do what we want to do.   

3. "Dominus Profundum" was released at the beginning of last year, an album that shows the maturity reached by the band, but without a doubt does not lose sight of the previous "March to War". How has the composition and recording process of this work been and how has the sound of the band evolved with respect to your previous EP? 
Well, “Dominus Profundum” was written by us as a four-piece in the rehearsal room and you hear the influences of all the members while the “March to War” EP was recorded more or less in Homerecording by two of us as already mentioned above. Nevertheless we tried to maintain that nineties Spirit in our Songs and it seems like we succeeded.

4. How long has it taken you to have the new album ready and how is your way of working on the new themes in the rehearsal room?
Since Caladrius and Tyyn are also active in a Death Metal Band called Sabiendas the songwriting took a little longer than expected. It took us about two years to write all the songs for the album. Nevertheless we are still very satisfied with the outcome. In general we collect ideas and when we are in the rehearsal room we start jamming. Often pretty cool songs evolve and if a riff is missing -  one of us comes up with an idea of how to continue or finish a song. 

5. Nobody can deny the influence of the second wave of black metal, not only in their music, but also in the theme of their lyrics (Nordic mythology, demonology, etc.) Where does this influence come from in their music? important at that time, mid-nineties, to feel totally influenced and translate these influences into his music? 
As already mentioned, Caladrius and myself were teenagers in the 90s and grew up with the second wave of Black Metal. We always loved the music and the sound of the BM albums of that time. Whenever we finish a song we start to write lyrics in the mood that the song transports. That can be Nordic Mythology, Misanthropy, Demonology or War. It really depends on the songs. 


6. Do you think that black metal is a genre that should not evolve and that everything that has come after the nineties does not deserve to be called black metal? What do you suggest new aspects within the genre such as post-black? or the progressive black? 
Black Metal has evolved whether we like it or not. Luckily it is still a matter of choice and you can listen to the style you want. I personally am not a fan of any Post-Black, Progressive Black or Blackgaze or whatever you like to call it. BM in my mind has something to do with attitude and also with appearance. Just because you scream and use certain riffing doesn’t make you a Black Metal band automatically. 

7. Undoubtedly, the fact that the second wave of black metal is so present in his concept has to have a referent, that is, which or which are the definitive and essential albums of the mid-nineties that have most influenced him?
There are actually a lot of records which influenced us from the second wave! Some important of them are: Mayhem – De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Immortal – Pure Holocaust & Battles in the North, Impaled Nazarene – Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz, Darkthrone – A Blaze in the northern Sky, Emperor – Emperor EP & In the Nightside Eclipse, Enslaved – Frost, Satyricon – The Shadowthrone, Marduk – Those of the Unlight, Dark Funeral – The secrets of the black Arts…. The list goes on and on. Not to forget the big influence from the first wave with albums from Bands like Venom or Bathory.

8. Are you satisfied with the work done by Bret Hard Records regarding the promotion of the album? Are you surprised by the repercussion achieved by "Dominus Profundum"? Are you considering reissuing the album in some other format? 
Bret Hard Records is a rather small DIY Label and because I know Thorsten (Owner of Bret Hard Records) personally I know that he does everything he can to promote the bands on his roster as good as possible. Of course it would be cool if we could a find a worldwide Distribution Channel but for now we get along with social Media or Bandcamp. At the moment there are no plans from our side to reissue our album in another format but if somebody is interested to do so… please contact us. 

9. Toni Merkel (mix) and Alex Schiborr (mastering) and Alemsahim in the design, also have their part of merit in the edition of this new work, can they be considered as a fundamental part of Pestlegion? and how did the collaboration of North Wind in this album?
Toni is a fundamental part - no doubt. He knows how the band wants to sound like and does an incredible job. Also, Alex Schiborr is a good friend of our band and he often visits and hangs out with us at our rehearsal room. Alemsahim did a great job regarding the artwork for “Dominus Profundum”. Every artwork is drawn by hand the old school way. Maybe we will work together again in the future. Who knows?
Northwind is also living in our hometown Marl and we know him for a very long time. Everybody who has listened to his former Band Tsatthoggua knows what a great vocalist he is. So, we were glad that he agreed to do some backing vocals on our debut. 

10. It has been clear from the beginning of this interview the taste for classic sound by the band, but what was the last album you bought that was worth it? How do you see the current black metal scene and what groups do you recommend? from your area?
The last albums I bought were Morbid Angel’s “Kingdoms Disdained” and “Sweet Death and Ecstasy” from Midnight. Both are great albums which I can recommend. In general I think that the Black Metal Scene has grown over the last few years. When we started Pestlegion back in the days it was a kind of Anti-Trend as Brutal Death Metal was the dominant style. I do not recommend any band because I think that one should support the Metal Underground in general. If you like what you see and hear support the bands and buy their music and merchandise . There are a lot of good bands out there. Just open your eyes and ears.

11. Although you have offered some concerts, you do not show much in that aspect, how important is your contact with the public at concerts? Do you prefer quality to quantity when it comes to performing live?
As already mentioned Caladrius and Tyyn also play in a Death Metal Band and are very active regarding live Shows. So, we have to plan our gigs very carefully. In general we like to play live and also like to have contact with the public after the show. It’s always nice to meet new people and have a beer with them. So, if someone wants to book us please contact us (via Facebook) and I’m shure we can figure something out.

12. Are you working on new themes to edit soon or do you still have nothing ready? What future plans do you have for the band?
Actually we have just finished the recordings for our first release on Vinyl. It will be out in the first half of 2018 so stay tuned for updates. We will try to keep the old-school flame burning and hail the cult of Blood and Death. 

13. Thank you very much for the time dedicated to Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something more for the followers of Pestlegion this is the place. I hope the questions have been to your liking.
Thanks for this interview! Stay Metal and support the underground. Visit the shows and support the local bands! All hail Black Metal!





- 350gsm Gatefold Jacket With UV Gloss Varnish 
And Inside Flooded In Black
- 180g Splatter Vinyl
- 250gsm Cardboard Insert
- A2 Poster On 150gsm Art Paper
- Die Hard Version With 29cm x 25cm Faux Leather Backpatch & 12cm x 12cm Sticker
- Limited to 100

HAZTE CON ÉL EN : BLACK METAL SPIRIT STORE O DISCOGS




jueves, 18 de enero de 2018

MALOKARPATAN


Origen: Eslovaquia, Bratislava
Formados: 2014
Estilo: Black
Temática: Brujeria, embriaguez, folclore y orgullo nacional.
Enlaces: Bandcamp y facebook
Miembros:
  • As Guitarra y voces
  • Axel Johansson Batería
  • HV Guitarras
  • Peter Bajo
Discografía:

  • Stridžie dni CD 2015
  • Samhain Celebration MMXVII Split 2017  
  • Nordkarpatenland CD 2017
  • Cesta podzemnými sálami Kovovlada Single 2018
  • Holbaard Dzírobrad / Kartanon herra Split 2018
  • Krupinské ohne CD 2020
  • Trilógia ludového desu Recopilatorio 2020
  • Vertumnus Caesar CD 2023
  • Delirium Split 2023  
  • Dæmon Zlatavých Nocí / Magickal Black Moon Split 2023



NORDKARPATENLAND (2017)
Estamos ante un grupo diferente que desde el inicio de este segundo álbum deja las cosas claras, bueno a lo mejor no mucho porque adentrarse en la escucha de un álbum como este "Nordkarpatenland" puede acabar por descolocar a más de uno. Cuando la banda se creo en 2014, prácticamente no perdieron el tiempo en editar su primer trabajo, el cual recibió bastantes buenas criticas, sino me equivoco recuerdo haberlo escuchado pero no guardo un recuerdo especial sobre él. Por eso el echo de afrontar la escucha de este nuevo trabajo tampoco es que me estusiasmara especialmente, sobre todo al informarte un tanto sobre la banda y ver que la incluyen en la tendencia del black con tintes folk, género que acaba sonando la mayoría de las veces saturado de instrumentos folk, creo que todo lo anterior hizo que la primera audición transcurriera sin pena ni gloria, o sea otra banda más del montón. El afrontar esta reseña me hizo darle otra oportunidad y sobre todo darme cuenta a mi mismo de lo equivocado que estaba en un primer momento. La madurez y el paso adelante dado en todas las composiciones con respecto a su anterior obra es mayúsculo, habrá que preguntarles que culpa de ello tiene la inclusión de  Mirsolav y Peter desde el 2016 como miembros de la banda. Si que es cierto que Malokarpatan lleva un componente folk en su música pero este no esta representado por la inclusión de instrumentos folk en su música, los que hay son meros testigos, su aporte folk esta en el ambiente que logran trasmitir con su música de manera que el oyente se transporta a un ambiente que podríamos situar en un bosque lleno de leyendas en una época remota. Lo complicado de explicar es como consiguen esto con una propuesta de metal extremo en toda regla, que no se ciñe a los parámetros del black metal, pero que tiene suficientes elementos del metal extremo y del heavy clásico para sonar diferente, Master´s Hammer tiene que ser una influencia que deben de tener muy presente. Su música esta repleta de guiños a bandas como Bathory, Iron Mainden, Mortuary Drape o Mercyful Fate, y escuchar un álbum como este "Nordkarpatenland" es poder disfrutar de una experiencia única, de la mano de temas que suenan diferentes en cada momento, gusto por los medios tiempos, partes más rápidas, inclusión de elementos ambientales (que si un ciervo, que si unos pájaros, que si unas trompetas, etc...). Todo ello realizado con cuidado, buenos riffs trabajados a la perfección y unas voces la mayoría de las veces limpias y agresivas que logran atrapar al oyente. Sin lugar a dudas un álbum destacado que recomiendo encarecidamente a todo amante del metal extremo. (8,1).




1. Nordkarpatenland 01:20
Pour the funeral wine into glasses in long waves, Drink to Death in their skulls, poets, To stifle in us the rage of tears! [Èmile Nelligan: Banquet macabre]  
2. V okresném rybníku hastrman už po stáročá vyčína 06:14
On the landmark between the village and a dense forest There lies the domain of the vicinal water goblin An old pond overgrown by bulrush Where young lovers come to fondle on summer nights, when moon shuffles the water line But many of them have paid for their boldness When the age-old nix drew them down into his manor in the waters Where two podgy catfishes guard the crystal residence A dangerous monarch he is: demolishing barriers and launching floods, when he rages in anger On such days, one needs to sacrifice to him a black duck or a black pig, get anointed with herbs from Palm Sunday, and then once again he leaves the cups with souls in peace for a while Smoking a pipe on the willow under the moon of Botto*. (*Ján Botto, 19th century Slovak romanticist poet)  
3. Ked starého Bartolína ze šenku na táčkach zvážali 02:45
 Grim was the fate of gaffer Bartolín When his old hag woman kicked the bucket one year even his hens have pegged out since they weren't taken care of He decided to drown his miseries in liquor No longer did he drudge in the vineyard after work But he was hand in glove with the innkeeper and knew all the cups by heart Round the nightfall he got pissed like an animal Forgot hils old Maruša in the fire-water The fellows in the tavern knew by then it is time to bring the wheelbarrow from the barnyard and load Bartolín back home As they passed the burial ground he had a vision of his spouse yelling from beyond the grave; Grubs crawling across her visage, only black holes for eyes: "Just you wait, sottish carrion, within a year you will lie down here with me!" Aghast in dread, the old gaffer has never again dared to get close to liquor.
4. Ked svetlonosi započnú v močariskách nazeleno svícit 05:18
When the days get shorter in the village and blackness spreads its fangs Wintry wind blows away the leaves of autumn and the chimneys emit dense smoke Within the swamplands, little green flames begin to shimmer in the bogs Crawling above beech roots through the cold earth up to the crossroads One can see them among the farmhouses and round the wayside shrine they float With silent moaning they lure the gullible into a treacherous death in mud and thorns Those are will-o'-the-wisps, souls of the unborn wandering the land and heralding the arrival of frost.
5. Nedlho po púlnoci opacha sa doplazila z dzíry 04:37
In Javorníky, where the Kátlina brook flows through and lynxes wander through foggy pine groves A monster serpent has nested once in a settlement spreading chagrin and perdition When the flockmaster began to count his sheep in the morning Each week there was one sheep less So once on a bright June night he lurked hidden behind the pinfold, with a pipe to kill time Not long after midnight the abomination has crawled out of the hole spreading its jaws quickly Just then the flockmaster proceeded to beat briskly with a huge spade Battering and banging in a frenzy until he chopped off the nob of the creature Therefore, to this day the settlement bears the flockmaster's name Hadoše, where the beast was slain in olden days.
6. V hustej hore na stračích nohách striga chalupu svoju ukrýva 05:29
 Amidst the dense woods, black as tar Where toadstools grow in a fairy ring A fence stands, built of human bones Begirding the hut upon magpie legs There the witch with a hideous beak and crooked teets boils the fat of newborns in a cauldron In a red gleam, somber companions observe her: a fat black cat, a toad and a raven Preserving the secret of living and dead water A mirror that gazes within human hearts At evenings she creeps out of the hut in the shape of an owl or a hailstorm When she rubs herself with ointment made of dead children upon a broom and in a mortar she flies up to the stars Misfortunate is the astray wanderer who discovers the witches den His bones will be crushed and he will be thrown into the furnace Only if he blows a horn amain The Firebird from far away lands beyond the sun will arrive to rescue him from trouble.
7. Ked gazdovi upeleší sa v chyži nezdoba zmok 04:37
 When a black hen lays an egg in the henhouse The farmer, if he wishes for a guardian of his household, has to carry the egg in his armpit for nine days Don't bathe, don't sleep, stay away from the church If he keeps silent, the kobold will hatch As long as he is fed in befitting care He will watch over the homestead and call in ducats into the pouch But one has to keep in mind, it is a devilish creature That requests souls for its service And if someone arouses its wrath, it strangles men in their sleep After the nightfall, it storms in through the chimney as a fiery chain Only through a most burdensome task might the farmer get rid of the beast Then it melts into axle grease in anger Or he can wrap the kobold in a red kerchief, put it on a carriage, so the waggoner can throw it down the ditch on his way.
8. V rujnovej samote pocichu dumá lovecký zámek zvlčilého grófa 05:56
In the leeward side of the fir woods, the hunting chateau resides The mists of autumn encircle its dormers and towers The count sits silently in the solitude of the salon Emblem of a castaway lineage on the tapestry Luteolous candlelights reveals the walls with antlers, while October spreads the silvery shroud of morrow over briar bushes and dreary moors With the matutinal cawing, the savage beast returns from the hunt The wolfish form fades away with the moon On some nights, wild animals appease his hunger But it is not advisable to stray near the demesne for a simple peasant or a rosy-cheeked maiden, who wants to pick herbs before daybreak Fangs of the furry beast will cut into them and towards the arch of firs a screech will rise, interrupting the early song of a wood grouse. 
9. Na horárni ve folvarku šafári rohatý jáger 03:38
 A horned jaeger governs the gamekeeper's lodge in the uplands In a green uniform, his horns hidden by the hat With unearthly forces he operates and the godfearing villagers from the downlands shun away from him Strange visitors come to him at nights Fiacres with dandified noblemen who vanish before the dawn Eerie lights flash over the grove during that time and mephistophelean squalls are to be heard Otherwile, harlots frolic at his place and indulge in debauchery with dragoons Orchestrating festivities and card-player carousals where cognac and kontušovka* flows A hotbed of occult operations and blasphemies is the isolated gamekeeper's lodge Keep away from these places, simpleton When infernal intelligences are invocated Nobody will save your soul, dirty slob!
(*Kontušovka: an anise-flavoured liquor popular during the era of Austro-Hungarian Empire, which modern day Slovakia was a part of during the 19th and early 20th century.)
10. Ve starém mlyne čerti po nocách mariáš hrávajú 05:40
  During lucent nights of May When frogs croak their chants in the ponds and moon fumbles the bulrush Outrageous shrieks of a sort are to be heard from the old water mill behind the village And a laughter, that sends chills through the bones Red at once, green at once, the mill glows Belching out fumes and turning around Those are devils playing whist with poor souls at stake A decoy on gullible youths for the promise of infernal aid for ducat purses and hearts of women stealthily they pull out aces from the sleeves Many a fool has swallowed the devilish bait And the furred Belzebub welcomed him with his whip When he tempted providence regrettably, in the game of cards.
  45:34






lunes, 15 de enero de 2018

VALHÖLL-DÛM



La historia de este proyecto comienza por 2014, por aquel entonces como dúo con la intención de crear un proyecto de metal extremo, al cual todavía le faltaban dos elementos importantes, un segundo guitarra y el vocalista. Desde sus inicios no perdieron el tiempo, y a pesar de no tener la formación todavía al completo se dedicaron a componer temas para cuando esta estuviera completa al fin. Fruto de todo este trabajo a través de estos últimos tres años es su primer larga duración " Under the Black Sun", ya como quinteto, que contiene diez temas que se podría encuadrar a groso modo dentro del black pagan metal. El álbum sigue la línea de la influencia de la mitología nórdica en cuanto a temática, sin embrago su música es bastante rica en cuanto a matices, quedarse sólo con su parte más black sería injusto, estamos ante un álbum de influencias variadas, en donde podemos descubrir elementos death, algunas partes más melódicas y una cierta épica, tal vez fruto de cierto aire power en algunas partes, en definitiva, todo ello huele a metal extremo de calidad. El álbum ha sido autoeditado por ellos mismos en formato digital y disponible en su página de bandcamp. En su página de facebook también tenemos cumplida información sobre la banda. 





The Norwegian horde which hails early black/death metal recorded 4 new tracks which constitute the A side and add a remastered version of their demo on B side.
black vinyl, poster, sticker, insert.

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lunes, 8 de enero de 2018

VOX MALORUM


Origen: E.E.U.U., Lexington, Kentucky
Formados:?
Estilo:
Black
Temática:?
Enlaces: Bandcamp y facebook
Miembros:

  • Shinigami Todos los instrumentos y voces
Discografía:
  • A Call to Arms Demo 2017
A CALL TO ARMS (2017)
Cuatro temas contiene esta primera demo de la one man band estadounidense Vox Malorum. En ella se ofrecen en apenas veinte minutos un black metal de clara vertiente tradicional en la linea del black escandinavo de mediados de los años noventa, a lo que se le añadido cierta melodía gracias a la inclusión de teclados que no resultan cargantes, sino que se han acoplado bastante bien a los riffs y cumplen una función de melodía y aportan sensaciones de oscuridad y frialdad; incluso hay cabida en la propuesta por algunas influencias death en algunas partes de voces y melodías. El conjunto suena bastante compacto, a destacar el buen hacer en las voces de Shinigami, sin excentricidades, pero cumpliendo correctamente en una faceta de black crudo con algunas dosis de brutalidad, los riffs son crudos y variados, el peso del bajo se deja sentir también en algunas secciones y tal vez la programación de la batería sea en algún lugar un aspecto mejorable, pero en líneas generales también cumple. Sin lugar a dudas esta demo presenta un repertorio bastante acorde con el black de mediados de los noventa y deja la puerta abierta a la llegada de futuras obras de calidad. (8,4).




1. The Beginning ov the End 04:46
In darkness, I illuminate. Now descending through the astral plane. This silver thread is guidance from a journey ov enlightenment. Glimpsing the sphere, glowing and covered in shimmering lines extending to others. My body within, tainted by morbid intent and transformed with the head ov a serpent. My eyes slowly open. The inner beast has been awoken. Death begets only death. The mortal circle ov pain is endless. Poisoned by empathy, ripe with confusion, they're spreading their filth as my hatred ov humans devours my heart, yearning for violent extinction ov all as She bathes in the silence. Deny their insanity. I turn my back on humanity. I have seen enough. Now I need to go to the gods above and the gods below. 
2. Summoning the Black Winds 04:53
Three days journey in the snow, climb up the mountain. High above, in the clouds, it is hidden. An altar fashioned out ov stone by the ancients. I am seeking that which is forbidden. Summoning the black winds. Possessing flesh and bone. Giving voice to darkness. Returning to the throne. Such clarity ov mind as the mighty gale burst forth from my lungs. All my hindrances replaced with perspective my rebirth has begun. Summoning the black winds. Possessing flesh and bone. Giving voice to darkness. Returning my throne. Summoning the black winds. Speaking through my tongue. Summoning the black winds. The voice ov evil comes.
3. A Call to Arms 04:38
This is a call to arms. We've readied the horses. Sharpened the swords. Through cover ov nightfall we're riding to war. The journey is quiet. Teeth fully clenched. Nothing is loud as the aura surrounding these men. Riding to dawn, we will finally have our revenge. Flashes ov men bearing crosses and swords at their side, bathed in blood of the pagans unwilling to change for a lie. Our families' homes set ablaze in the name ov the christ. On the graves ov the fallen, I swear they will pay for their crimes. This is a call to arms. Approaching at first light. The sun rises slow. Announcing our silent arrival with omens in tow. When they look to the heavens, a sky painted red. I give one final thought to the ones that they sent to their death. I won't be sated til all ov their blood has been shed. Flashes ov steel burning cold in the dead of the night, contrasting the heat from the flames as they lit up the sky. It was then that we all understood the true sacrifice. Not the blood ov the lamb, but the blood ov our whole way of life. This is a call to arms. 
4. Gaia's Disease, Humanity 05:42
 Spreading like a virus undeterred. Unaware ov the damage as the skies are burning. O, the cancer ov the world. And we are the cure. Patience has ceased. Misanthropy feeds on the thoughts ov deities across the ages. Gaia's disease, humanity reeks. Decomposing mentally, we should erase them. Human existence is a plague. We've long dreamed of extermination. Seeing their expressions ov pain as they beg to be saved. Chaos is king. Destroyer ov the weak. They can die with their beliefs, it doesn't faze us. Gaia's disease, humanity reeks. Decomposing mentally, we should erase them. Famine and pestilence for all ov the petulant mortals whose life is spent ignoring the truth. Whispers from shadows encourage the cattle to fight holy battles. Need only influence a few. Let's put their faith to good use. We'll show you just what they can do. Patience has ceased. Misanthropy feeds on the thoughts of deities across the ages. Gaia's disease, humanity reeks. Decomposing mentally, we should erase them.
  19:59








Canada's traditional Black Metal force MEGIDDO returns from exile with a brandnew album.

Expect nothig but epic, pure Black Metal in the band's typical style, incl. the raw, unique and grim vocals of Chorazaim.

For fans of old BATHORY, SODOM, DESTRÖYER 666, etc



BLACK VINYL

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