Origen: Suecia, Skåne
Formados: 2017
Estilo: Black
Temática: Desesperación, soledad y tragedia
Enlaces: Bandcamp, facebook, instagram y Jordfast
Miembros:
- Elis Todos los intrumentos y voces
- Olof Voces
- Hädanefter CD 2021
- Av stoft CD 2022
Origen: Suecia, Skåne
Formados: 2017
Estilo: Black
Temática: Desesperación, soledad y tragedia
Enlaces: Bandcamp, facebook, instagram y Jordfast
Miembros:
Origen: Irlanda, Dublín
Formados: 2015
Estilo: Black, death
Temática: Eventos históricos, muerte y violencia
Enlaces: Bandcamp, facebook e instagram
Miembros:
LABYRINTH OF WONDER (2021)
Nuevo Ep de cinco temas para el combo finlandés que vuelve a entregar un trabajo de gélido black metal escandinavo. La intro si que pude dejar un poco descolocado al oyente ya que en ella parece que se quieren colar elementos electrónicos como nueva influencia en el sonido de la banda, sin embargo cuando cobra protagonismo guitarra y batería el black de influencia escandinava más clásico se hace del todo patente. Sustentando en un sonido de guitarra gélido que va engarzando diferentes riff son un gusto en todos ellos de la crudeza y la aridez que forman un masa informe con la batería logrando un sonido que combina un ritmo comedido que ha ganado en atmósfera y definición con respecto al pasado sabiendo marcar mejor los tiempos entre la partes más descarnadas y directas en contrapunto con las generan una atmósfera y se refugian en una ambientación más etérea. Las voces siguen sonando del todo directas y crudas, tal vez uno de los apartados más logrados del álbum, con una perfecta simbiosis con la guitarra sonando precisas en una faceta repleta de rabia y desazón. No vamos a descubrir a estas alturas las virtudes de Phlegein, las cuales se vienen mostrando con cada nuevo lanzamiento que ofrecen el cual no es una excepción en este nuevo Ep, que si que por una parte muestra mayora amplittud de miras en su sonido, aunque no descuidan ni por un instante sus señas de identidad. (7,8).
Formados: 2006
Estilo: Black, folk
Temática: Folklores Breton y francés y leyendas
Miembros:
1. Wolves of Perdition was born in 2017, why did you decide to create the band? Why did you choose the name Wolves of Perdition and what does it refer to?
- The End: The band was created simply from the need to create music. Our music. The name refers to the hellforces.
- Varjo: We wanted to play extreme music and that's what we've always done. We chose the name Wolves Of Perdition, because not only does it sound aggressive, but there's also some violent symbolism within it; wolves as the enemy of man, and that inhuman force of nature has come to drag us all to Hell, and all that will be left is blood and pieces of shredded human flesh. That describes our music well enough. It's an extreme attitude.
2. How was the writing and recording process for “Ferocious Blasphemic Warfare”, your first album? What brands of instruments did you use to compose the album?
- The End: Writing happened naturally with guitars. Everyone had songs and ideas on the table, then we arranged them in rehearsals together. Very simple.
- Varjo: The songs on that album were written during some years. Some songs were actually made even before we were Wolves Of Perdition. The recording process was pretty swift, everything went as planned pretty fast when we got to it. We used a couple of brands in the making.
3. “Ferocious Blasphemic Warfare” is a direct and aggressive work, with hardly any concessions, where elements of death and black are present, as well as a melancholic aura. How would you describe the sound of the album for those who have not yet heard it? What bands and styles have helped shape the sound of this first album?
- The End: Everyone has their own influences: Deicide, Kreator, Immortal, Hypocrisy, Marduk, the list is endless.
- Varjo: Blackened death metal would be the best description for the sound of that album. As the songs got finished, we just knew the sound has to be strong, striking and clear. Otherwise it wouldn't have worked. Any low quality stuff would have been just an insult to the whole album.
4. Another surprising element of this “Ferocious Blasphemic Warfare” is the quality of the sound offered, as if it were not your debut album. Does the fact of spending three years working on the album have anything to do with this? to produce the album?
- The End: Three years was slowly writing and rehearsing weekly until we were ready to start recording.
- Varjo: After all the songs were ready, the making of this album didn't take that much time in total. We went in knowing what we wanted and what we'll do, so full preparedness made the recordings and the rest very straight forward. On the writing-side, taking our time and not rushing made the songs sound fully complete and we can stand behind them 100%. There's nothing we would change on that album.
5. Your lyrics deal with themes related to anti-religion or Satanism, war and violence, why did you decide to deal with these themes in your lyrics and where did the inspiration come from? Do the lyrics adapt to music or vice versa?
- Varjo: The lyrics and songs go hand in hand completely, so there's no separating them. There isn't any formula on which comes first, lyrics or the music, because they feed each other anyway. Those violent themes came naturally when playing this kind of music. And of course when you go extreme, you'll find some really dark corners you wouldn't want to look in. The world is filled with war, murder, rape, torture, mental and physical abuse and what not. Anything that falls within the concept of evil. We just take that evil and put it in a very understandable (not the same as acceptable) and non-mystical light. There's nothing mysterious about getting beheaded or stabbed in your face by a drug-fueled psychopath. This is the real world and anything can happen, even if you don't want to think about it. Even though these themes are nothing to be happy about, we think it is a more honest approach to primordial aspects and deep questions, than putting a topless woman on some pseudo-artistic music video and have a couple hooded guys drinking strawberry juice around some aroma-candles. Smoke and mirrors look cool, but things like Nanjing massacre (or The Rape of Nanking) really makes one think deeply about who and what we are, and can be. Those aspects are eternal and scarring. Humans are more than capable of building a very real Hell on earth with their bare hands.
6. Who was in charge of the album cover design and how does it relate to the musical content of the album?
- Varjo: Our logo and the Demon Wolf -sign was made by perkeles_art and the band photos and rest of the images were done by us. (We had a graphic designer, who put this all into the booklet etc, but I'm not sure if he wants to be mentioned by name, so instead I'll say it was well done and professional work!) The arts are very expressive about what the album is about. Nothing complicated or shady, just piles of skulls, barbed wire and an aggressive logo. That's a highway to destruction.
7. The album has been released by Folter Records in CD format, how did you come up with the possibility of being able to edit the album with them? Has the reaction of the fans to this first album surprised you a bit?
- Varjo: We got into talks with Folter Records with the finished album and it all went from there. We came prepared. The reactions have been surprisingly good, after all this is our debut album. Reviews have been good, fans have liked it, so can't complain at all.
- The End: Reaction was a positive surprise, but we also knew that we didn't put out shit.
8. This period of restrictions due to Covid-19 has meant for many bands, on the one hand, not being able to offer concerts, however many others have taken the opportunity to bring out new songs, how have you been affected by this situation?
- Varjo: We were making this album when the virus came up, so we just kept going as planned. A few understandable delays came here and there, but there wasn't anything drastical really. After the release of this album we started working on some new songs and proceed with the work, since the opportunities for gigs weren't there. We'll keep the machine rolling, so when it's time to play live again, it will be ferocious.
9. How were your beginnings in music: first concerts you attended, first albums you bought? What did you do in your lives that made you want to be musicians?
- The End: Music was always interesting and at some point had to start playing instruments. First big concert was AD/DC and the first album was Offspring Smash.
- Varjo: The first time I was really impacted was in Simerock 2010 Rovaniemi, when I saw Enochian Crescent performing. I count that as the first concert that mattered to me. The first album I had was the Funeral Album by Sentenced. Still works perfectly. My road to making music came pretty naturally, since I was already expressive with writing and some arts, so it eventually lead to this.
10. Which album represents for you the essence of black metal? What last albums have you bought?
- The End: Don't know about essence, but Immortal, Marduk, Dimmu Borgir usually find their way into the cd-player. Bought Hypocrisy's Arrival, Virus and Fourth Dimension last week.
- Varjo: For myself I'd say the album Antichrist by Gorgoroth. And specifically the song Gorgoroth in there. The last album I bought was Hugsjá.
11. What future plans do you have for Wolves of Perdition, in terms of concerts, upcoming releases or reissues?
- The End: The plan is to keep going strong, growing in every aspect. Conquer all.
- Varjo: We have some vinyls coming out via Folter Records and the rest will remain as a surprise.
12. Thank you very much for taking the time to answer these questions for Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something for the fans of Wolves of Perdition, this is the place. I hope the questions are to your liking.
- Varjo: Thanks for the interview, let's crush some skulls!
- The End: Keep listening to music, folks!
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Wyrms / Fhoi Myore - Les Limbes Pourpres/Mehxôhorr-Les IV Dimensions Cosmogoniques 13,99 €
Origen: Australia, Brisbane e Ipswich
Formados: ?
Estilo: Black
Temática:?
Miembros:
ES GRAUET (2021)
Tercer larga duración para los suizos que sin lugar a dudas será el de su consagración al ser capaz de ofrecer un sonido que se sustenta en el back más tradicional con algunas influencias melódicas al tiempo que ha sabido incorporar de forma perfecta sonidos de procedencia pagan/folk. Ungfell siempre se ha caracterizado por saber undir sus raíces en los sonidos más clásicos del black, sin embargo sus sonido tiene un toque muy personal a la hora de ser capaz de sonar un tanto inclasificable por la simple razón de prácticamente no ofrecer estructuras repetitivas que dejan un tanto desconcertado al oyente al no ofrecer puntos de sustento a los que amarrarse. La incorporación y mayor peso con el paso del tiempo de lo que podemos definir como elementos melódicos y sonidos que recuerdan por ejemplo al heavy clásico han ayudado a configurar un sonido que muchas veces cuando menos nos deja sorprendidos con giros inesperados al tiempo que ofrece un fuerte contraste entre las partes mas accesibles o clásicas enfrentadas con las podemos definir coma de black más puro. Las voces se muestra solidas en una faceta bastante agresiva y directa sin apenas fisuras y que logran completar el álbum de forma majestuosa cundo muestran todo su potencial al atreverse también con estructuras más limpias, casi que corales. "Es grauet" logra ofrecer un sonido que partiendo de elementos reconocibles dentro el sonido clásico dentro del black, sabe enriquecer su propuesta con distintos estilos e influencias que van desde rock clásico, al pagan o al folk, pero que sin embargo por alguna extraña sensación no acaba de manifestarse del todo en todo su potencial. (8).
Origen: Noruega, Bergen
Formados: 2010
Estilo: Black
Temática: ?
Enlaces: Deezer, facebook, instagram y spotify
Miembros:
1. Melkor has been active for about seventeen years, why did you decide to create Melkor in 2004? Why did you choose the name Melkor and what does it refer to?
I used to collaborate on a project with a friend before 2004, but then we kind of went separate ways and couldn’t carry on with it. But I wasn’t happy about not recording music anymore, so I decided to continue on my own. The name Melkor I chose mainly because I liked the sound of it. It is also the name of a Tolkien character, but that wasn’t really the reason. Also, the project has no connection to anything Tolkien-related besides the name and is not a fantasy-themed band. Sometimes people seem to think that it is, which I find a little strange, since they don’t seem to think of Tolkien so much when they hear the names Burzum, Gorgoroth or Morgoth.
2. Melkor has always spaced its pitches quite a bit since its inception, what is the reason for the long interludes between each Melkor pitch?
Many reasons. I can’t write music fast, and I write a lot before I choose what works best on an album. I try to change some elements each time I release something new, so I need to experiment. It’s also not easy for me to do everything myself, but in the end that seems to be the only way.
3. How has the composition and recording process of the new album “Brandmale” been? How has it been shaping the songs over the last six, seven years? What brands of instruments do you use for recording and composition? ? Is it very difficult for you to have to deal with the recording of all the instruments that are part of the album?
“Brandmale” contains very old songs written directly after “Irrlicht” as well as newer ones. So it definitely is not representative of any one time in my life. Usually coming up with the riffs and arranging them is relatively easy compared to the drum arrangements, writing the lyrics and all the technical aspects. As I said, I write many songs before an album sort of crystallizes among the pieces. So there is always a “trial and error” period between each release. I don’t really want to get into brands of instruments and so on, just to leave a little bit to the imagination of the listener. Spelling out every detail makes people listen as musicians, not as music fans. Or with their brain instead of their ears, if you will. Yes, it is difficult at times to record all the instruments.
4. Like the predecessor “Irrlicht” (2014), it has taken care of the recording and composition, let's say that in a homemade way, however in “Brandmale” we can appreciate a more defined sound, on the one hand less prominence of keyboards and a good Set apart between the dark and melancholic atmosphere that contrasts with the aggressiveness and forcefulness of the rest of the sound, what are your main sources of inspiration when composing and recording your music? How has the sound evolved between your last two albums and how Would you describe the sound of “Brandmale” to someone who hasn't heard it yet?
An inspiration for composing is simply everything that goes on around and inside me. The sound is inspired mostly by the music I grew up with, that means a lot of 90s norwegian black metal, or maybe just my memory of it. Between each release I learn a little more about recording and mixing, and I guess it is noticeable, even though I’m still far from satisfied with my sound. “Irrlicht” was, of course, softer, slower, more melancholic than “Brandmale”. The sound of the latter I would describe as either a weird pro sound from the early 90s or a weird amateur sound of the early 2010s.
5. Pain, nature and loneliness are references that appear in his lyrics in clear consonance with the sound of his music, however in “Brandmale” he has used some texts by German poets, why this decision to incorporate these texts? How can we find a direct relationship between his music and these poems? Are the lyrics of the contions written before the music or vice versa?
The lyrics are always done last, after finishing everything else. I wrote some myself, but at a certain point I simply couldn’t come up with anything useful anymore. So instead of going with anything unsatisfying, I decided to look for other sources. The poems I used all express things that are familiar to me on a certain level. Other than that, all the lyrics have to do is to reinforce what the music already does. I leave it to others to try to pinpoint what that is. For me, there is not supposed to be any one meaning that can be spelled out conclusively.
6. The Polish artist Paweł Czerwiński has been in charge of the album artwork, on the other hand we can intuit that it is an abstract concept. Why did you decide to work with Pawel for the cover of “Brandmale” and what do you intend to reflect with it?
Underwhelming answer: I found his works online and used them, with permission of course. He didn’t create them specifically for me. The artwork is how I would wish the lyrics to be. Not telling a story, not bringing a message. Just there to further amplify what the music makes me feel. The listener might feel something different, make different connections. That is how it’s supposed to be. You could call that an abstract approach, I guess, but that is how I view art in general and how I like to interact with it, also when I’m part of an audience.
7. For the first time you have decided to work with a record label, in this case Crawling Chaos, how did the contact with the label arise? Do you think it has achieved a greater impact in terms of sales and reviews thanks to this collaboration?
The contact came about through a friend of mine who knew another artist on the label. So far, sales haven’t improved much, but that’s not the only thing that matters. It’s more important to me to have a fair deal and a good collaboration.
8. “Brandmale” has been released in a difficult period for bands due to Covid-19, has this situation in any way been reflected in the album? How has Melkor been harmed by this situation?
Not at all.
9. How were your beginnings in music: first concerts you attend, first albums you buy? What did you do in your life that made you want to be a musician?
There weren’t many concerts where I lived and I was never a great fan of live gigs, so that didn’t happen very often, but I think one of the first ones were Moonspell who had just released “Irreligious”. The first albums I bought were tapes by AC/DC and Iron Maiden. Very first CD was Maiden’s “Piece of Mind”. I’m not sure if I’d call myself a musician, but I like to write and record songs, and that is one of the few things in life that seem to come naturally to me. I can’t say that about many things, and that is the only reason for me to do it. While also doing other stuff.
10. Which album represents to you the essence of black metal? What last albums have you bought?
The essence of the black metal that I grew up with and that left its mark on me is probably represented best by Emperor’s “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk”. It’s a perfect album for me, and if I had to pick only one, this is it. The last one I bought was probably “Biography Obscene” by Tulus. I was also very fascinated by the Escumergamënt album that came out this year.
11. What future plans do you have for Melkor in terms of upcoming releases, reissues, etc? Is there the possibility of incorporating other musicians to the Melkor line-up?
There is a split LP with a Swedish project in the making, which will contain a few re-mixed tracks from the album, but I can’t give you any details yet. Apart from that, nothing concrete yet. Yes, there is always a possibility for incorporating other musicians, but just in theory. It probably will not happen much anymore. Melkor is a solo project in its essence.
12. Thank you very much for taking the time to answer these questions for Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something for Melkor fans, this is the place. I hope the questions are to your liking.
Great questions, thanks for the interview! Check out my stuff at https://melkor.bandcamp.com/. You can get the album there or at https://thecrawlingchaos-records.de/MELKOR-BRANDMALE-CD. But only if you really want to. Bye!
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Blakk Old Blood, Black Devotion – Split 7,99 €
Origen: Holanda, Betuwe
Formados: ?
Estilo: Black
Temática:?
Enlaces: Bandcamp
Miembros: ?
Discografía:
MET ONOPRECHTE DEELNEMING (2021)
Tercer larga duración para esta enigmática banda holandesa que emplea un tono bastante crudo y disonante para dar forma a este álbum. Desde el inicio el oyente esta avisado de que no se va encontrar con un álbum al uso del black metal ya que como bien nos tienen acostumbrados la escuela holandesa Kwade Droes destaca por un sonido particular en donde el black más corrosivo y repleto de influencias como el noise o las disonancias tienen un especial protagonismo. Un álbum construido sobre un sonido de guitarras y batería que puede ser descrito como black pronto se ve superado por elementos chirriantes y retorcidos que hacen que el sonido se retuerza sobre si mismo llevando al álbum a terrenos llenos de disonancias y un ambientación muy enfermiza. Toda esta ambientación se consigue con sonidos que por momentos se acercan a terrenos industriales, noise o punk que se van entremezclando con los riffs, cuando parece que quieren comenzar a fluir estos se ven completados con un nutrido grupo de disonancias y riffs crudos de un efecto dañino que se ven muchas veces también acompañados por unas voces crudas, repletas de rabia y violencia, que se amoldan perfectamente a un paisaje lleno de un atmosfera asfixiante e insana que no ofrece apenas respiro y que se centra en el agobio y la inaccesibilidad dentro de una propuesta rica en matices y llena de contrastes, en donde el peso de la crudeza, las disonancias y la visceralidad ejercen un atractivo a tener en cuenta. (8,2).