söndag 22 december 2013

RAW WAR Issue 2 - Inprogress -

Yes the pain & hardships of doing the design & layout is in full swing.
The issue like the last one will be combined of interviews here and exclusive ones not published anywhere else before (and more), even some some nasty freebies will be included with the first sold copies. (more info on all the content will be added when it is finished) My goal is to have all done at the end of january.

Here is a small sample on four pages from the fourth Raw War.


torsdag 12 december 2013

Terrorsaw Interview!





1. Greetings! So how have this year been? Between dangerous vacations and work has there been time for working on new stuff?

- Yes,this year has been very caothic and a lot of things happened,bad or good...or simply normal,but that's life,you know? Work always takes a lot of time in our life,tiring our bodies and minds and our classic vacations are not very relaxing ahahaha! 
We have been to Partysan just to tell one,and I'm sure that you can understand! ahahaha! 
But We ALWAYS find time for Terrorsaw! All the lineup is involved in the band's activity and everyone believe a lot in It! And...yes: I can proudly say that We have A LOT of new material! 
The most is now complete and other 3 or 4 songs in the last phase of composition.

2.How many gigs have you slaughtered from the release of the debut demo that got out last year until now?

- From the demo's release? Wow,many time has passed,man and many live slaughter rites have been played! We really like to play live our hell and since the end of 2012 We never refused a live engage,also because We needed to improve and to practice our live potential (to the public and to ourselves). 
Since the beginning of 2013 We became more selective about live matters because We prefered to concentrate our energy in the composition of new songs,play them again and again in the rehearsals also to try different solutions. Another reason is that in Italy We have just a few places to play Metal live and We have played in the most of them A LOT of times,so We avoided to bore ourselves and the supporters playing always the same tracklist in the same places!

3. By looking through your concert posters (some colors on these posters makes my eyes bleed.AAAH!) one notices that you have played with many different bands, some bizarre ones some fitting and even a lot of black metal bands. Do you get along with most of this people or do you fuck each other up?


- Yes,the kind of gigs and festivals where We played were (and even ARE) various,but the most of the times for us it's ok...or,well: It's great! 
You see, in the band We listen ALL the kinds of Metal! Classic or extreme? We don't give a fuck! It's Heavy fucking Metal man! Our life reason! The only way to live 4 us! 
We also listen to Hardcore,Crust and punk! Do you remember the Darkthrone song "Raised on rock"? Well That is a great song and We totally agree with Fenriz and Nocturno about It! For exemple: We have played with the masters Sadistic Intent and it was an honor! But in the same gig there was a Death metal band from Brescia (Italy) called Voids of Vomit....and 4 us was an honor too because they're simply amazing! Kickn'ass italian death metal reality! In another gig (few weeks after) we were the "extreme" guests in a classic Heavy Metal festival with some excellent italian realities like Ruler from Milan and with the greek masters Dexter ward! But the most of the gig we played were Thrash Metal oriented! 
Thrash is the favourite kind of Metal for the 4/5 of the band and all the people that know us well say that Terrorsaw is an extreme band with a strong Thrash attitude! At the end: no,We have absolutely no problem to play with bands that play a totally different genre of Metal! It's always METAL! 
That's what matters! UH!

4. Who did the band logo? It is fittingly nasty and raw as a a turned on Chainsaw i might say.

- Well,the idea of the "letters disposition" was of our first bassplayer A.D. Cosmivourus,the forms of the letters and the concept art are mine (things like the blades,the hands holding the chainsaws,the evil,long-haired goat,the spears,etc...) and our friend Dave "gore" from the bands Unctoris and Necro perfectioned and get more "precise" and simmetrical the whole (putting a sort of disgusting "black something" shit flowing everywhere from the letters)

5. To get your sweet & chaotic sound what kind of equipment do you generally use?

- What? ahahahaha! We don't care! We prefer to enter studio with some mid-low quality instruments but spending A LOT of time to search the right equalization,the right distortion....and generally THE MOST OBSCURE,EVIL,FILTHY,DIABOLICAL,UNPURE AND SLAUGHTERING SOUND WE CAN FIND! ahahaha! 
But I must say that along the years someone of the band find good instruments to play (for exemple our lead guitarist Black Sodomagikkk now plays a excellent guitar...I don't remember... It's a flying V made by some famous mark...ah! now I remember! It's a BC Rich Warlock! bah,I'm a singer...I don't care! ahahahaha!),anyway: the most powerfull and obscure is our sound the better it is!

6. The label Supremacy Through Intolerance that released your demo is now defunct from what i understand... do you search a new label or do you already found one?

- The guy from the STI one day magically disappeared. He didn't advertise Us about anything! He didn't wrote a shit to us! We had some problems (the most with the german metalheads) because He is well known to be a nazi and some people thought that all the bands of his rooster were nazi too! 
WE ABSOLUTLY ARE NO FUCKING NAZIS! WE HATE NAZIS! FUCK POLITICS! JUST KHAOS, ALCHOOL, SATAN  AND FUCKING METAL! 
He knew that as We knew that He was a right winged asshole,but He declared that as His personal point of view and not required to enter in His rooster,at the beginning He worked well and has done a lot of trades in europe! But now He disappeared like a real piece of shit and we don't know how to do with the ones that ask our demo! 
Now We made some promos of the demo and selling 'em to some labels around! We're sure that someone of them will reprint It soon!

7. The cute pig heads i see on some of your live photos is that yours that you travel with from concert to concert? (if so hope you have like a freezer-box or such)

- ahahaha! No,our pigfriends were part of the stage of a gig with our friends Unctoris,with the spanish nukleardevils Wargoat cult and with our alcholbastards Masturbaciòn Cristiana from Ecuador (But they live in Milan from a lot of years actually). 
The guys from Masturbaciòn went to a butcher the morning before the show and toke the pig heads (I don't know how they do that,but I'd like to one day! ahahaha! I'll ask 'em and I'll let you know,ok?). 
That was a killer gig man! 
A REAL south american-style metal night! Seemed to be in the Sarcofago/Early sepultura times! After the show the guys from Wargoat cult asked us to do a split,so after a couple of weeks we recorded 2 new songs entitled "Swirled machete ritual" and "The deepest penetration" and send 'em to Necrotomb from Wargoat cult. The split will come as self release in the next months (in January or february I hope). Check It out! It's a total underground oldschool Khaosmetal devastation! 
You won't survive!


8.I also like to know a little from how you all got started and decided to join arms under the power of the chainsaw? And is it democracy in the band or is there one of you how runs the show with an iron fist? Is the line up the same now as it was in the start?

- Me and Black Sodomagikkk (lead guitar) started the band in 2010. I called Him and purposed to form a band taking the most rotten,satanic,fast,unpure and evil sides of Black,Thrash,Death an Speed metal! 

He was immediately excited by the idea and We immediately started to write riffs inspired by our hate,by our love for Metal,by our being alchool maniacs and by our town vandalic devastations! After that We recluted Okrim as drummer and A.D. as bassplayer and,after a year of composition we choose 4 tracks and recorded the demo. After a while we recluted Jex as rithm guitarist to enforce our metal Hell. 
Some months after we lost A.D. because of his loss of interest in playing tradiotional metal (He wanted to put himself into experimental shit) so he left the band. We replaced Him with our old friend Eros (Hellros),guitarist and founder of the Thrash/black band Extirpation from milan. 
Last year We fired our excellent drummer and friend Okrim because the time and the dedication to the band was no more enough 4 us! His new job obblied Him to work a lot of hours in the evening and He had too much bands (some of them just for work),so We quickly (and fortunately) found our old friend Pide Guts (from the death metal band Necro) as new drummer. 
Now I think We have THE BEST LINEUP WE EVER WISHED! 
Everyone have purposes and ideas and everyone cooperate with the others! There's a very good "feeling" among us like the perfect sabbath of Metal violence! Anyway,me and Black Sodomagikkk always let the other members to express their own ideas and to purpose their riffs since the band exists! I am the frontman and founder with Sodomagikkk,but not the leader! 
We decide and work together like a real band!

9. I hope to see you some day here in the cold Sweden! So what plans lies the closet for you now to conduct?

- WE REALLY REALLY WANT TO PLAY IN SWEDEN AND FREEZE OUR ASSES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! 
If You want you can serve the Terrorsaw demon spreading our Hell in your country and helping us to find some dates up there! Now We're working hard to finish a lot of new stuff because the idea is to record our first full-lenght album along the new year! 
About the gigs: Just two confirmed. In march we'll play in Milan with our evil thrash maniacs friends Evil Spell and with Warhammer from Germany! The other will be probabily in July with a REALLY huge name of Black/Thrash,but the details have yet to be confirmed...the rest is top secret! 
I'd like to tell you the name but the promoter asked me to not do it!

10. Thanks for the interview!
 - Oh,my answers are very long,sorry! Feel free to cut something if you need! 
Thanx to you a lot 4 the incredible support and to be a disciple of the chainsaw demon! Oh,by the way;if you see some of the guys from Bestial Mockery up there in Swedhell please worship 'em from us and try to make 'em listen to our stuff! They're absolutely one of our hugest influences since the beginning!

666 -G. Redeemer-

11. Thanks again and NO i wont cut anything out, this is sweet meat! 
Well if i fall up on them i will give ém hell with your demo!! (so please send it to me!!) hehe
 

Veligor - Veligor



I would call this Brooklyn based band Veligores sound more like black horror metal then pure black metal
due to their taste of old school horror ambience and melodies that runs right through this debut.

From the first song (also one of the best) when you encounter their "world" you will hear a
kind of wandering harmonic and melodic riffing flowing in and out in search for the perfect
flow...it feels. The drums follow along nicely just as the base. it feels quite nostalgic in a way.

The vocals do a good job in turning up the heat and sounds grim in the right way but sadly they use the singer in like half of the tracks! Beats me why because thats one of the ingredients that makes Veligore a little
spicer so to speak... and it almost sounds like he sings in finnish or something and thats just a good thing for me cuz that gives it an extra brutal edge! Their structures is a bit "cut & paste" which dont always works out in their favor but more then often they do with their specific flavor of epic transilvanian compositions. The production is well balanced and packs some punch but could be a lot more raw but thats just my taste.




With this sound i guess they will get their share of haters as well as lovers which is quite natural, i feel
engaged and entertained when they get things right like in the first four songs. i feel they will evolve
quite a bit from this point onwards because i there is a heart here that lusts for more satanic blood and less
cobweb i think.
I will keep my eye on them as this debut is promising in its own special way.

So if you have a hunger for some nicely smooth flowing darkness try this one out by all means.



tisdag 10 december 2013

Ofdrykkja Interview!


1. When and how were you formed? 

Drabbad: In autumn 2011. I was contacted by Obehag from Apati's page on MySpace, he wanted some help with getting Subutex and pills. Back then, I was - and I still am - living at an institution for the mentally ill, after an incident with Bödeln, and I had lost most contacts. So I couldn't help him, and when I replied his mail, C9H13N (Pessimisten) replied and told me Obehag had recently died. Somehow we started speaking about his band Apati and my old band Lepra, and after some months speaking, we decided to start a band. I contacted my old friend and brother The Associate and told him to join. He's a great musician and we have played together in the past, and known each other since childhood. Pessimisten contacted his old friend Arkomann who also joined, and after a while I also recruited my friend Bödeln who stole a drum-set right away. Me and Pessimisten chose the name Ofdrykkja, and so the band was formed. 

2. What band inspired you to make the kind of music that you do today? 

Drabbad: For me, personally, it's the old Norwegian black metal scene, with bands like Burzum, Ulver, Dödheimsgard, Mysticum and Mayhem. Even if we don't play black metal, this is my source of inspiration. Associate: Me and Drabbad have had our different black metal projects together for the last 15 years. Source of inspiration has always been the depressive black metal you could find during the mid 90's, when we started making music together (for example Burzum and Ved buens). I have broadened my inspiration register along the years, and I'm no longer as bound to a band or genre as before. Instead I'm attracted to and inspired by any dark or sad tones, no matter where they're from. 
Bödeln: For me it's DSBM, a genre I assume we all listen to. But also ambiance and other kinds of black metal. I'm also listening to bands unrelated to DSBM. 

3. How does the creation process look like? 

The Associate: Some kind of melancholic mood tends to help, and is almost necessary for the music not to feel completely forced. I also tend to compose alone with benzodiazepines, sometimes in combination with speed. Benzo makes you really creative. 
Drabbad: For lyrics, it's during the night I get my inspiration and ideas, and I write a few sentences from which I later make lyrics out of. What I write about is kinda dark things such as mental illness, homelessness, drugs, alcohol, misanthropy and hate against society. 
Bödeln: The Associate kind of writes all the music, and the recordings of the drums haven't really been as planned. We are all kinda free to write lyrics. I have rarely had any bad critics about what I've seen or heard. 

4. Describe your sound for those who haven't yet listened to you. 

Drabbad: It's depressive rock music with influences from black metal. The lyrics are poetic and personally I take some inspiration from Grioa when I write. We use speech in some songs and also clean vocals. We've found our own style which we feel comfortable with. The music is kinda easy to listen to, and depressive. 


5. Most bands usually have an annoying fuck who wish to control, in other words a band leader. Do you have a Hitler in the band? 

Drabbad: Hahaha! Pessimisten... yeah, if someone's a Hitler, it's him. He can say a song or a riff just completely sucks. Haha, but we never fight in, we go with democracy. We others thinks it's good he says what he thinks. I prefer that than some ass licker who agrees on everything and lies about what he thinks. We all go along well together, even though we all suffer from different mental illnesses. 
Pessimisten: Haha! I'm definitely our Hitler! I'm really a perfectionist and can't be easy to deal with all the time. But no one has more to say than anyone else in the band, and if we all disagree about something - we'll just vote. We never had any fights. The rest of the band members are really easy to deal with, and we mostly share the same view on things and are satisfied with the music we make. 
Bödeln: I don't think we have any Adolf at all, but I can feel it's sad I haven't been able to contribute much in the creation process. 

6. Tell us a bit about the purpose of your music! 

Drabbad: A part of the purpose is to enlighten people about the dark side of society. The mentally sick addicts who many people don't know. I think I speak for everyone here when I say I turned myself away from society. We aren't normal, we are affected. We do not function socially, and we fail to fit into society. We want to show you the asocial and sometimes depraved reality of ours. Personally, I'm pro suicide and I don't care if people die. 
Bödeln: I find it important to share my view of social exclusion and mental illness, in my lyrics. My purpose has so far been to play drums and contribute with lyrics about the life I live.

7. The video for 'Västerås' is nice and original, how important is the visual aspect for you? 


The Associate: What's important is that what we portray feels honest and right. If it ends up like shit, we can still rely on that we did what felt right for us. Of course everyone wants to public beautiful things, so it's an important aspect. What's difficult is to find your own touch to it, and I can now think that the 'Västerås' video is a bit out of Ofdrykkja's style, yet it has a message I still feel for. My idea to the concept with a stray dog in focus came after a conversation with Drabbad, when he described the situation when he was homeless. I can also relate to this distanced relation to what is seen as normal, but in a whole different level than someone with a home. 
The fact that the video was shot around the worthless ugly concrete which was built during the 60's includes some kind of love-hate relationship. 
Bödeln: Visual parts are good for the listeners. There is an unwritten rule that you can't have pretentious videos within black metal. I think that's sad, because I love videos in which people have put a lot of time and money, as long as there's a message and something mystical about it. 

8. We visited Västerås during a festival and afterwards we were forced to wait for hours before the night bus would arrive, and we don't feel like returning. How do you experience Västerås? You don't seem very happy about the place? 

Pessimisten: Västerås used to be a kinda big industrial town, some decades ago, but most of it has now been shut down, and the town consists of offsprings from the lower working class. There's nothing about this place that would make anyone want to go here. It was once called "powder city", and sure, amphetamine is still consumed a lot here on our grey streets, but quality is something that belongs from the past. These days it's more known as "MDPV city". No one is happy about this place. 

9. Not every city gets a bad nickname like that, but how comes Västerås is called MDPV city? Except the general dissatisfaction. Is it because you consume unusual amounts of MDPV in Västerås, or is the town unusually psychosis inducing compared to other cities you have had personal experience of? 

Pessimisten: Lately it has gotten better, but one or two years ago MDPV was consumed a lot, and it was mixed with amphetamine (you can mix out the amphetamine a lot and just add a tiny bit of MDPV to make it strong again). It really sucks when you expect an amphetamine rush and instead you get a psychosis. 
Bödeln: There are drugs in every city, small or big. I can't tell if there are more drugs in Västerås than in other cities. Here in Hudiksvall/Gävle we have a wide spread addiction of mostly amphetamine, prescribed opiates and benzo. Not much heroin, though. It's easier to see the addiction in smaller towns, than it is in bigger ones.

 10. Which band would you preferably do a split with? 

Drabbad: Ved Buens Ende, while they existed, or todays Virus would have been nice to have a split with. Abyssic hate as well. It would have been a big difference in music styles though. 
Pessimisten: If disbanded bands counts, I would definitely say Woods of Infinity. They have self distance and a humor I like, and they make it fit well together with the dark music they make. Other bands in the scene takes themselves too seriously. 

11. Do you have enough material to release a full length or EP through a label? 

Pessimisten: Yes, actually we do, but we want to make two more songs before we see the album as completed. 
The Associate: We already have contact with a few labels and things are looking bright. 

12. Except a CD release, we would like to see a DVD release with your music videos, and which maybe also could include some exciting bonus material. What are your thought about that? 

The Associate: Yeah, we've had discussions about this matter, and it's not impossible. We do like to express ourselves in different ways and it would absolutely be a possible alternative for us, if there is interest. 
Bödeln: About music videos, there are a lot to put energy on. A lot of spaced ideas I hope to express and talk about with the members. 

13. Thanks for your time, and for doing this interview. Now we're just curious about what will happen next?

 The Associate: I thank you too! What's remaining is the recording of two more songs, and we're working on it right now. 
We are looking forward to release our first album as soon as possible.
 

torsdag 5 december 2013

Werewolf Front - Wolves of the White North


These swedes has made an great debut with their demo "Wolves of the White North".





As you can read earlier here on RAW WAR in their interview this demo somewhat came
into existence by slump, the revelation of creating a wholeness was through the
creations of the Satanic Warmaster cover "The Chant of the Barbarian Wolves ".

And as you then may expect the sound and atmosphere is in that raw finnish coldness
many love (including me of cours), but despite this direct inspiration source they
dont fall into boring copycat worshipping but succeeds in concotting four well
composed songs that exhales lycanthropic fire through out, it is a good mix
of harsh but melodic riffings blends in just right into the icy winds and salty ghastings invigorate the old proud nordic blood.

After hearing this demo i cant really wait for the next release from Werewolf Front!

...as they hinted in their interview they are already working on new stuff...

onsdag 20 november 2013

Black Altar - Suicidal Salvation


With the starting alarming vibe thundering i feel  that this new Black Altar Ep is wearing a new epic black uniform and with an sharped poisoned  & levitated spirit underneath it.

Drums is hard & agitated and gives this new work an underlined awareness of the blood that runs through out "Suicidal Salvation", guitars is also on frontline with dissonance and ready to cut away the bad weeds.
Vocals is harsh & demanding you to realize that this a new "key" to the higher plane that Black Altar has now arrived to.


 I liked much the last album with its more old horror movie atmospheres and fat sound and then with the triple-split with Varathron and Thornspawn  Mr.Shadow showed that he was preparing a new phase....
....and i must say this is his most sophisticated and harrowing (and cleaner) music which leads unavoidable to a bigger craving not this Ep can muster.... but the ride is well worth the time and it should open up more humanoid ears around the world to Black Altars existence.

So yeah i think this is good but at the same time this would have deserved to be a full album but one cant have all in this damn world. hah
Then i dont know what future plans Shadow has for this? Maybe is this a part of something bigger?
Only time will tell.

All in all a solid and blacker release that should be enjoyed by a larger crowd with a hunger of  what i just described here.

 1.     The Sentence          
2.     Suicidal Salvation         
3.     Journey to the Astral Realm - instrumental
4.     Pulse ov the Universe         
5.     666 MegaBeast
        
 (an extra mention goes out to the great cover)

måndag 18 november 2013

Putrified - Sacrilegious Purification

Take another cut in your eardrum from this Swedish fiend!


With an fitting bleak church organ tune as a mood establisher this Ep begins.
Then straight of the bat the death metal frenzy strikes!
First song sets the standard that also stays constant and firm through out it all with a tasty mix of classic Swedish death metal with some "roll" in it & blackened auras that circulates and intertwines all music and lyrics. I say "Swedish death metal" but it should be underlined that one can hear many other death metal styles also but the Swedish ground is its breeding soil....
 One thing that i liked about the songs is that they a filled to the brim with a lot of neat compositions and don't solely rely much on repeated constructions, nasty bits fly in there and morbid chunks fly out there both in haste and linger!


 Even the emotions vary from somber, ecstatic, desperation and rage.... and it feels like as a whole this creation ask more then confirms something.... like an bleeding "?" carried on the skeletal wings of death metal.

It is both inspirational, engaging and headbanger friendly and the Ep grows well from each listening with the revelations of the many layers of music that lays deeper within....

Putrified has existed for around 3 years and has some albums , Ep´s & demos under its belt but this is my first real swan dive into their stuff so i cant really compare to their older work but i can say with confidence  that this Ep is a good way to start listening to Putrified.


Tracklist:

1.Sacrilegious Purification         
2.Pestilentialis          
3.Sacrificial Death Salvation   
     
4.This Poisoned Chalice (start and the end of this song has a sweet feeling of Slayers"angel of Death" scream  mixed with a smell of a rotten "shout at the devil" from Mötley Crüe !,did not see that coming.that was no critic only a strange compliment.)
      
5.Evocatio         
6.Sacred Putrefaction

Hellthrasher Productions






















































































































































































söndag 17 november 2013

Werewolf Front Interview!



From Sweden comes a new bloodthirsty beast!



1. Thanks for take time for this interview!

First i must say congrats for the release of your debut demo "Wolves of the White North"!
How has the reception been? Sorry if i flatter you but I must say i liked it much myself.

A: The reception has been quite good so far from my understanding.

O: You don´t have to excuse yourself; it is a pretty generic black metal album.

2. One thing one often wonders when i new band pops up and especially in this kind of bloodthirsty good fashion like this is who is behind this massacre and how & when did this had its start?

A: Our names or who exactly are behind Werewolf Front is something that will remain undisclosed in order to put a larger focus on the music as well as the lyrical content.

O: We (Werewolf Front) are behind Werewolf Front. We began writing this kind of music some weeks ago.

3. In regards of the demo how did the creative process go? Did it take some time constructing it or did it whent from clarity to clarity? And can you describe its lyrical content?

A: Lyrically, we are influenced by the current state of society, the loss of identity and the complete deconstruction of the Western world. The first lyrical ideas were first influenced by the writings of Karl Maria Wiligut as far as metaphors and symbolisms go, but later on, the writings of authors/thinkers such as John Järvenpää, Frithjof Schoun, Guillaume Faye, Oswald Spengler etc. has been of influence as of late.

O: Since I didn´t write any of the lyrics for the demo, I can only explain the musical construction. It began with the idea of recording a cover of a Satanic Warmaster song. After that I recorded some riffs in the same style and it resulted in some more tracks. All written in the span of four days. So, at the same time I wrote the guitars “A” wrote the drums, lyrics and recorded the vocals.

4. In the quest of ones ancestral heritage how complete do you feel your search have been?
Maybe it is a life long study but i get feeling you are at a stable point of knowledge.

A: I don’t think that it’s about ”searching” per say, but considering that most people are more or less sleepwalking through life some methods in order to ”rekindle the voice of the blood” to allow an archaic renaissance to take place, is in order. You can read how many books you like concerning things that touch upon your heritage, history etc., but that does not necessarily mean that you will ”wake up” from egalitarianism, rootlessness and consumerism. 
You will reach a point in life when you will have to either take action one way or another or bury yourself in unnecessary guilt and self-loathing. I’ve always been aware of my culture, history and tradition since it surges from my entire being as I am an extension of my ancestry, something that many people seem not (dare) to care about due to the fear of being socially exiled.

O: I don´t know where to begin on this question. Because I don´t know what answer you seek. I can´t say that I´m on a quest for my Ancestral Heritage, I could say that I´m rather a biological product of my ancestors. I don´t know how complete my search can be since I don’t know what it means to complete the search and what the completion of the search itself is. 
What I know is that I search for some kind of “completion” but whether I should call this my Ancestral Heritage I do not know. I would rather call it something else.

5. So is it correct to say that this first release happened a little out "accident"? Except of doing the SW cover did you have plans in starting this band anyway?
Either way i hope you have thoughts of continue and produce more Werewolf Front music.

A&O: To put it simple, yes, you could say that. However, although our first release was recorded under such a short time, I am still quite pleased with the outcome. 
We have started writing on new material and whilst it is somewhat similar to the first release, we have decided to elaborate both the music and the lyrics so it gives off a more focused impression.

6. I guess that one or both of you have some prior experience in some bands besides this, is there some you like to mention?

A: I have played (and still play these days) in a number of bands throughout the years, but they are of no real importance. It’s been many years since I last performed live and it’s nothing that I really miss in all honesty.

O: Yes. No.

7. Besides the great Satanic Warmaster what other bands do you respect and enjoy?

A: There are quite a couple, but to be perfectly honest, I do not listen to black metal that much these days. As of late I’ve been listening to martial industrial/neofolk bands such as Art Abscons, Atomtrakt, Leidungr, Solstorm and Triarii, just to mention a few. 

O: I pretty much enjoy everything from choral music, such as Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, to modern electronic music like Venetian Snares. But for metal I don´t have that many bands that I really respect and enjoy. There are however some really good bands which I listen to now and then. Skepticism and Portal (AUS) for example.

8. Is there some merchandise coming out from you in the close future maybe?

A: If you by merchandise mean t-shirts, patches etc, then no. 
Sword Productions and Blood and soil productions did however re-release our debut ”Wolves of the white north” not that long ago.


 9. Is there some bands out there that you would like to do a split with?

A&O: We have been discussing the possibility of putting out a split with some other band, but we have no specific “dream band” that we would like to collaborate with.

10. Thanks for your time and good luck with all of your endeavours.

A&O: Thanks.

tisdag 12 november 2013

Misanthropic Art Productions

Here is a recommendation, take your ass into Misanthropic Art Productions for some great and quality BM music and related products! Satan lives also in south Korea it seems. ;)



http://misanthropicart.dothome.co.kr/html/news.html

torsdag 31 oktober 2013

Death My Only Friend Artworks

Just a little reminder!

 I do cover, t-shirt, poster artworks etc. You name it!
Here is my facebook page where i take orders and show my stuff.


Link:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/JDW-Death-my-only-Friend-Artworks/566281510083228


Interview Update!


Valkyrja ....Inprogress

KULT ...Inprogress

 Ofdrykkja ....Inprogress

Grave Miasma

Demonicvlt

fredag 25 oktober 2013

Thorngoth Interview!


1. Hails! Would it be correct to say you could celebrate a decade of Thorngoth now?

-Yes, that’s correct! We started 10 years ago in 2013. But we got the name Thorngoth about a year later. 

2. Now when you have released your forth album "Schwarz-Karg-Kalt" how would you describe the bands growth from the start to now?


- In the very first days we were influenced by raw old school Black Metal and Thrash Metal. From album to album we developed our style and other extreme metal genres like death metal or doom metal got a larger part of our music. 

3. And as many bands that has existed this long (or even shorter) and been as active as you have use to run into creative draining or gets side tracked from their way, how has the ups and down been and how do you stay focused?

- We tried to do something different at every album but we did never get too far away from our roots. We always wanted to create that kind of music that we want to listen ourselves. That’s the only thing that matters. 

4.To get back to your latest album, where the goals set from the start here or did it change face from time to time? What would you say is the "red line" through all the songs?

- The red line is the lyrical concept and the atmosphere of the whole album. The album is about the universe and how it could end one day. At the beginning of the songwriting our goal was to create the music around this lyrical concept. 

5. Whats the motive behind the use of the pyramid on the cover?

- The pyramid is a symbol for everything that mankind stands for or creates is impermanent, also its very existence. The pyramid is a metaphor for the bygone. 

6. If you have done any gigs this year how did they go?

- Until now we did only gig this year, in September. It was great for us. And also for the audience, I guess. 

7. And about the gigs do you feel you can get your grand & massive sound as one get used from your records live? I guess it different from stage to stage.

- It’s always different when you’re playing live. The sound depends on the Equipment and the sound engineer who’s responsible at the show. To get the same sound as on the records is nearly impossible, except for the guitars. 

8. Is there any line-up with bands you would enjoy more then others to tour with?

- A line-up with Todgelichter or Dark Fortress would be great. We know these guys and get on well with them. 

9. Is there vinyl or/and tape versions of your releases?

- There are no plans to release our album on vinyl. We still got many copies of the CD and we don’t have the money to produce a vinyl version now. 

10. So how does the rest of Thorngoth year looks like?

- There are nearly two months left this year and we will play one gig in November in Innsbruck/Austria. Besides that nothing more will happen this year. 

11. Thanks for your time! Last howl is yours!

- Thanks for your support and the interview! 


Infuneral / The Last Knell split

Splits can be a tricky thing to make, either the bands can sound to alike or almost worlds apart but sometimes as in this case the both bands balances each other nicely and creates an interesting and meaty release!


Infuneral starts this hellbound party with three hymns of second wave black metal, what hits me early on is that
Infuneral has changed somewhat sure this is Infuneral alright but they have shifted a bit away from their bitter
cold shadow world to a more ancient sounding nordic warrior.
And with this almost medieval transcendence comes a even sharper and experienced song compositions and structures.
It all fits very well together and all parts boosts each other very good, it is clearly one of the strongest
Infuneral releases so far.
Their third track here (which is also sung in Swedish) "Inferno" sounds perhaps the most like the old Infuneral
and does not incorporate the sound of the old & proud northern heritage but leans more to the bleak and
anti cosmic void.

As good as these songs are i feel this is more teasing then fulfilling because now i like to have a new full
album from them! Goddamn i hope they have one underway soon!


The other and last part of this split is from The Last Knell and they serve up an dissonant witch soup of
blackened death metal and sounds like a bastard child of early Katharsis and Autopsy.
It feels fitting that this songs takes off after Infunerals "Inferno" due to the anti cosmic reverberance and
deep thuggin morbid riffs The Last Knell creates, they is also obviously a prominent horde and know what they are doing with their dynamic compositions and varied tempos and feels.

This is the first time i hear this band so i cant really compare this to anything other they done but after
hearing this i am more then eager to search for their back catalog and look out for their coming attractions.

All in all a engaging & solid good split and to top this beast off the artwork is obscure and great thanks to Sang Ho Moon from Misanthropic Art Productions who also releases this split together with Fallen Angels.

söndag 13 oktober 2013

Svartsorg - Agonie des Lichts

After the ancient & doomy keyboard intro the first song "Manic Schizophrenic Storm" blasts right in with aggressive and high pumping riffs!


The hateful depression attack!

One thing that hits me here and carries all the way to the lingering end is that Svartsorgs sound has the classical ground founding stones from the second wave of black metal but also influences of death metal can be heard here and there, it has also a evident sounding austrian blood heritage running right through it just as it should be. Keyboard is also used in all tracks and works well i think and the songs lengths is between 5- 9 minutes long but the compositions is varied enough.
The singing is harsh but hearable and emits all the mixed emotions from gloomy misanthropy to energetic disgust.


The whole album is quite a epic & meaty journey to sit through with all its ups and downs and ancient cold winds penetrating the soul, like an old warriors mental degeneration falling into a unknown void of darkness.... in search for the keys to his own freedom?

First i liked the first song best but after some spinns the record grows greatly and i fall also for the rest like the melodic track 5 and the dark dripping track 7.

The ending song works as a good closure to this second album from Svartsorg with its introspective self questioning & struggle with its own despair and hate for the surrounding world.


Track list:

1.     Introduction        
2.     Manic Shizophrenic Storm        
3.     Lost Cry in the Night        
4.     Baphomet Rising        
5.     Human Desaster        
6.     Agonie des Lichts        
7.     Cold Mountain of Torment        
8.     Burning Hatred


lördag 5 oktober 2013

Carthaun - Brachland

The black regiment attacks!


This third album from Carthaun hits the spot!

As they have grown from each demos and through the first two albums
they or i should say "him" (S.) because he composed most of it himself have
now arrived to a point of where Carthaun sounds fulfilled and enriched.

As S.says in the earlier interview here on RawWar "I wanted the audience to experience
the sound of war and battle but also the effects that war has on human life and landscape:
emptiness, loneliness, desolation. It’s up to you to decide if I managed."




I say he managed! and besides these well describing points i think the dramatic narrative
is important to focus on here because it is a driving force from start to finish.
It feels very much like a movie even with some acting lines, between songs and sometimes
cutting up songs comes atmospheric pieces that fits well into the storytelling as the sound of distant fires, raging horses and harsh winds blowing over the wastlands.

Even with all this cinematic compositions intertwining it all you still get the
great fierce black metal combat-tracks you are after and even some "post battle" mourning melancholic songs all sung with an highpitched orchish spite.



The only song thats on this good album that will really surprise you is track 8
"Lied vor der Schlacht" which is like an old folkish punk song that feels like one you
could hear in a pub under or after a war about some heroic but tragic fate of a soldier.
I like this song and it have the right "old" vibe to it, the only song i use to skip is
"Rezitativ II" which is just like the first one a on purpose repetitive song but i feel
it is a little to tedious for its own good.

Other then that a recommend this album for those who like experience their second waveish
black metal with a large taste of bloody cinematic war.






Track list:

1.     Initium Finis         
2.     Black Regiment         
3.     Allvater         
4.     Rezitativ I         
5.     Noch ist die Freiheit nicht verloren         
6.     Nicht betteln nicht bitten         
7.     Rezitativ II        
8.     Lied vor der Schlacht    
9.     Finis Initium


Released by Ewiges Eis Records

onsdag 2 oktober 2013

Sielunvihollinen Interview!

From Finland with hate!


1. HAILS! As you are a fairly new horde how has the response been for your intolerant and hatefull (& powerfull if you ask me) creations?
And what was the main intent for starting this band & what does its name stand for?

- Response so far has been good, we are slowly but surely crawling our way into the eyes and ears of the witnesses present. Sielunvihollinen was created to channel our devotion to the dark lord, the infinite mysticism and beauty of the surrounding nature, the dark side of the deadly path that is life and our hateful attitude towards the dirty swine of Islamic faith. It was intended to respect our roots, to follow tradition, yet walk our own path instead of simply retracing others steps. 
The name stands for "soul nemesis" and it is a name that has been used of our master by his enemies. We harness it to manifest the hateful adversary we represent. 

2. Your first 5-track demo "Musta Uni" that got out in 2012 is a brutal and firm debut, can you describe its lyrical content? And what kind of bands and musical genres has influenced Sielunvihollinen sound?

 
- As we mentioned before, the sound of Sielunvihollinen draws influence directly from the greats of finnish black metal while adding own characteristics to it. The lyrical content is as mentioned on the previous question.

3. And this year your second (also) 5-track demo "Ruttokieli" was released,is this a direct continuation from Musta Uni in terms of themes and audial hell?

 
- As for the music, I think it's much more mature than Musta Uni. It has it's own sound and it stands on it's own feet without having to be compared to other artists. The lyrical content deals more or less with the same subjects as the first demo and we intend to stay on that blackened path.

4. was this second demo a self-release? As i understand the first demo was released through Spread Evil Distribution?

- Incorrect. Spread Evil released it.

5. I see you used the master of macabre artist Maxime Taccardi for both covers, was these covers made specific for you and was he under some guidelines from you?

-We wanted the art to represent our message and our sound and Mr. Taccardi perfectly captured those with the artwork he provided us with.

6. Congrats for the demo compilation that Darker then Black will now construct and release! How did this come about and will this be a direct conversion to the cd or is some material remastered? (not that its needed though) And will Maxime stand for the artwork once again? And is there a release date ?

- Thank you. The compilation will be released by the end of this year. 
Our co-operation with DTB rex somehow evolved through mutual contacts and Mr. Möbus openly expressing his liking of the first demo. By the time the second demo came out we agreed to do the compilation when the time is right. We are truly honored to have the privilege to have our music released under his label. 
Taccardi did the artwork for the compilation as well.

7. Besides from this demos is there a "proper" Ep or album in the works? Or maby a split with some respectfull entity?

- We have talked about a possible split with a like-minded Finnish BM band, but that's not written in stone. We have been writing more music so eventually we will decide to release a full-length album, but currently we are in no hurry to do so. 
But as usual, our releases tend to shape up in short time periods so you never really know when its time to kill again.

8.Do you plan on playing live with Sielunvihollinen? If so is there any gigs booked?

- Most likely not. We would prefer to stay off stage. But never say never, I guess.

9. Thanks for your time.
 
- Thanks.

måndag 30 september 2013

ITSEMURHA Interview!




1. Greetings Kadotus!
How are you on this suffocating summers day? (the questions was written some month ago...)

- Greetings from the Finnish darkness. The summer here has come to pass again and the autumn gloom is upon us. Things for me however today are most positive as there are big changes in my personal life and also just got the drums recorded for the second ITSEMURHA demo.

2. Your debut demo "All My Life for Satan" is out of the forest for what i
understand, how has the process of creating this piece of bleak art been?


- The process from the ideas and visions to a complete demo was quite smooth. Writing the lyrics was like the words just poured out of my soul and the music accompanied them perfectly. The vocals were a painful process as the agony and despair of the lyrics really pushed me to scream my lungs out and throat sore. But it was all worth it. Still, the final complete demo leaves some space for improvement but I see ”All my life for Satan” as a decent debut release for ITSEMURHA.

3. How has the reception been also? How many copies was made and was it only
released on tape?

- The demo was also released as a professional digipack CD-R with altered artwork. Both tape and CD-R version were made 100 copies so far. Actually there hasn't been much comments about the demo yet. A few of my close contacts have praised the demo but haven't seen reactions from the bigger audience. ITSEMURHA is a young entity and yet quite unknown. I'm sure it will catch the attention of a bigger audience at some point. But then again if not I'm not bothered. I'm not exactly aiming for the stars with ITSEMURHA. If a few tortured souls can relate to the art I create I'm more satisfied than being listened to by the brainless masses.

  
4. As your bandname Itsemurha which means suicide in finnish i can assume that
the sweet topics in the lyrics is somewhat centered around this subject?
And is the "use" of Satan here a destructive force for you or empowering?
Maybe Both?

- I chose the name ITSEMURHA because it's perfectly fitting to sum up the melancholy of this entity. Suicide is the utter peak of despair. It's the hopeless cry for help, often left unheard. To choose to end your life, to break the natural cycle of life.. It's a taboo in all religions, the ultimate sin. Suicide is also a Finnish phenomena. 
We are on the top of the highest suicide rates along with Japan. There's a lot of depression, anxiety and other mental problems here in Finland because of the extreme climate. And by this I mean the Finnish Darkness. The summers here are bright but short. The rest of the year it's more or less suffocating darkness. Finnish people are introverts, shy and suffer from low self esteem. Suicide is very common here and I'm sure that every Finn knows someone who has ended their life.

The topics of ITSEMURHA deal with suicide, despair, sadness and melancholy. But there's also the aspect of examining the subject of suicide from the angle of a sort of cosmic view. I do believe in the soul and that the soul doesn't die when the physical body dies. What happens to the soul when you strip your own life yourself? When you deny to exist in this world of suffering. Birth, death, rebirth... The cycle of existence and then you choose to break it, skip to the death part. What will happen then? Is there a karmic consequence?

Satan is both destructive and empowering yes. 
Satan will tear your life down and bring you misery but then you will rebuild your life to something better, from a new foundation. I feel Satan as a dark force that drives me to improve myself. Satan challenges me to overcome myself. Unlike the deities of the religions for the masses Satan does not redeem you or help you because you're weak. Satan is the painful slash of the whip that hurts you so that you will accomplish something bigger. 
I feel Him as a guiding fallen angel who has been watching me all my life. The debut demo is about giving all my life for Satan; living by His code of honour and strenght but also the title track describes the final offering for Him, to give your life for Satan. Personally I have still much to learn about His mysteries in this current life not to end it but there have been inviduals who have been ready to close this chapter of existence and pass on to the next in praise of Satan. Like Jon Nödtveidt of DISSECTION.

5. Do you have any prior band experience or are you current active in some
other band one should know of?

- I consider ITSEMURHA as its own, separate entity and it's hard to discuss about my other activities when talking about it but yes, I have been creating Black Metal since approx. 1996 or so. The main bands people know me of are CALVARIUM, ANAL BLASPHEMY, MUSTA KAPPELI and BLACK PRIEST OF SATAN. I've been participating in others as well but I'd consider these worth mentioning here.

6. One of the songs is named "Finnish Darkness", how would you in just words
describe that darkness?

- Finnish Darkness, here up in the north, can be a suffocating thing as I mentioned earlier. We have really bright but short summers but when the autumn arrives its darkness is quite overwhelming. The Finnish Darkness is truly pitch black and crushing. During the darkest of winter we only have sunlight for like 4 hours and that ”sunlight” is actually just grey sky making the day like dusk so no real daylight in winter time. It has even physical effects on people because the lack of vitamin D etc..
I consider the Finnish darkness in ITSEMURHA's theme as this unique kind of dark here that exists also in the souls of northern people. I see it as a concept of ITSEMURHA, full of crushing unlight, insanity and bleak hopelessness.  It's also the Darkness of Satan, His leathery wings across the horizon and the heart of a man.

7. As i understand you live in a town called Tampere in Finland? Compared to other
Finnish towns like Kuopio & Lappeenranta that has some prominent hordes what has
Tampere to offer? I think Hornas "HQ" was or is placed in your city which is mighty...

- Yes I live in Tampere. 
At some point most of the Finnish ”scene” seemed to immigrate here. We have some great hordes residing in the Tampere area like BEHEXEN, BAPTISM, HORNA + some a bit lesser known like FLAME, URN, DIABOLI, SACRIFICIUM CARMEN, RIIVAUS, SATURNIAN MIST etc.. Tampere is one of the biggest cities in Finland after Helsinki and is located quite in the middle so it's a natural choice for people to move to. HORNA's ”HQ” indeed is located in Tampere now since Shatraug moved here so eventhough the other Horna guys except Vainaja don't live here I'd consider HORNA and other projects of Shatraug to have their HQ in Tampere. Lappeenranta is of course home to SATANIC WARMASTER and GOATMOON which both are very big names now and the origin of HORNA as well. Kuopio is an important town too since the ”old school” bands originally hailed from there like BARATHRUM and URN. Also Holocausto/BEHERIT lived there for a while at some point. Other important cities for Finnish Black Metal are Jyväskylä (WARLOGHE, ALGHAZANTH), Lahti (CLANDESTINE BLAZE, SACRILEGIOUS IMPALEMENT) and Turku. The capital Helsinki has its own scene but I don't consider any that important bands to come from there.

8. So now you have the debut behind you are you working on new music already?

- Yes definitely. I've already composed 4 new songs for the second demo and the drums have been recorded already. Can't wait to start working on the second demo as I have many things I wish to improve since the first creation. Would be great to do a theme 7” EP as well if I find a label to release it.. 
The second demo will most likely be released by Spread Evil too and released also as a CD-R. 
4 tracks full of utter despair, melancholic rage, suffering and praise of Satan, all blessed by Finnish Darkness.

9. I saw the good looking t-shirt you had for sale, i guess they are sold out?
Other plans for the rest of this year?

- The shirt is so far limited to only 10 copies and still some sizes left. If I sell them will do a reprint maybe. Other plans I have is to finish the second demo and possibly get it released even. But we'll see. Recording something is a long and rough process for me as I play everything myself except the drums. But there's no rush. Nothing waits for me but death in the end.

10.Thanks for this interview. 

The final mourning is yours.

- Thank you for the interesting interview and interest for ITSEMURHA. Supports to your zine. Witness the reality of death as the eye of Satan burns through your soul.. 
All my life for SATAN! 
In His darkness I shall dwell..




fredag 27 september 2013

INFESTUS Interview!


1. Now when you have been around the battlefield for ten years i thought it would be a good time to go back from the start! The first dark shimmering release was your demo "Of Ancient Splendour", how was that period in your life and whats there to tell about this demo?


-You really want to know? 
Well, this period of life wasn’t a good one at all. 
And this situation lasted a very long time. 
However, in 2003 we (Harbarth, Dagon and I) founded Infestus and released this demo in the same year. Back then, I played drums and bass. 
Nothing more to be said about it.

2. Then in 2004 you created the debut album "Worshiping Times of Old" and you released it all yourself in what I understand. Did some label later on release it? How does those nine songs feel nowadays for you?


-Yes, this one was the first full length album. We produced and released it ourselves. 
Within this period of time we were still trying to find our style. Harbarth and I were writing riffs independently and tried to blend them together. 
I never thought about re-releasing it via a label. Also, I don’t listen to those old records. In my eyes, they represent a band that doesn’t exist anymore. And that band has not much to do with the actual INFESTUS nowadays. 

3.Two years later a split with Lost Life was made and you contributed 4 tracks to that, it got an official release through Fullmoon Funeral Productions(Asag,Atopie etc). whats to say about this one?
Did you get some good connections?


- As for these four tracks, I took over most of the songwriting but holding back the really personal riffs for a potential solo-project that I already wanted to realize back then. Harbarth left after the release of the split in 2005 and I saw the opportunity to take over the whole songwriting without having to make compromises. Using INFESTUS for a far more personal expression was now evolving. I like to see the period from 2003-2005 as a period of shaping the entity INFESTUS, comparable to the situation of a foetus in the womb. 
I never cared about connections. Actually, I don’t have much to do with the scene. I am creating music primarily for my own purpose, as a valve for all those things that need to be processed somehow. All that comes with it in addition is secondary.

4. I guess you felt quite uplifted when Debemur Morti Productions signed you up? And they release your second full album "Chroniken des Ablebens" in 2008, did it become as you wanted it to be?

 
- When this album was completely recorded I was looking for a label that would fit to the ideology of INFESTUS. Debemur Morti was the only right choice. And I was quite happy to have this unique label releasing my album. In my eyes, “Chroniken des Ablebens” was the first real INFESTUS album. 
Only Dagon and I were left. I was responsible for all instruments and the songwriting, Dagon contributed 50 percent of the lyrics and did the vocals. This album showed me where I can take this and that I don’t need anyone else than myself to completely shape this musical demon. 
Yes, it became the way we wanted it. 

5. In 2011 you created the epic third album "E x | I s t", as it stands out a bit from your early works a conclusion for me was that both your technical skills and your emotional creativity had grown and become "sharper" & deeper in a sense.

 
- Yes. I wanted to dig even deeper into my spiritual abyss, trying to process very dark life periods. I worked out a very intense concept and put everything together piece by piece. 
This project became so personal that Dagon decided to leave the band. It was a logical step. 
Over the years I continuously took over more and more of INFESTUS until finally it became the very mirror of my soul. Although it is a very hard and demanding task to really doing everything yourself (the whole songwriting/concept, guitars, bass, vocals, drums, recording and mixing, graphic layout) it is also a way to personalize the music even more. 
This fact made “E x | I s t” an unbelievably intense album which stands for itself. Of course, over the years skills increase. And there will also be a noticeable progression in skills for the next album. This is something that comes naturally. 
I don’t force this to happen. 

6.And now in 2013 you are in hard work for your next release, please tell something about this and what we can come to expect of it?

 
- At this point of time I don’t want to tell too much about the new album. 
But what I can say is that it once more increased both compositionally and musically. It draws from a wider range of musical aspects united in its shape, but it is still a very dark and quite aggressive album, held together by its consuming hopeless atmosphere. 
This album is by far the most work-intense I ever have ever produced, talking of wrong decisions and numerous things that went wrong beyond my control which as a result literally forced me to give evidence of my indestructible devotion towards it. I think many people would have failed on this path. My dedication towards my music is unbreakable. The deep emotional connection I have with it makes it very authentic. And this is what people are feeling when they listen to my music. Pure authenticity, no stereotypes, no cliché, just the very pain of existence. 

INFESTUS is 100% the personification of my darkness. 

7.Whats on the planning table for the rest of this year?

- As I have established a live lineup I will make use of it for some shows. 
In October 12th we will play in Kaiserslautern, Germany and on December 1st we are performing live in Paris. Besides, I am busy mixing the upcoming album. 
Mastering will take place sometime in January. Further information will be shared on my page.

8. Good luck & Thanks for your time!

-Thanks for the interview.