Review: Abnabak's EP "Under The Mask Of Humanity"

For those who don't know, Abnabak is a Black Metal one man band from Morocco which has been around since 2009, and last year released their first EP called Under The Mask Of Humanity.
So, what to say about Under The Mask Of Humanity? It has 4 tracks and the total length is around 18 minutes.
It is a good one. Quite obscure and angry, sometimes getting very close to what Black Metal bands were doing in the 90's. It is really very dark, furious and melodic at the same time. The quality is OK, no noise, easy to understand, bit raw indeed, but good. Pleasant to hear and to hear again. Not boring, not repetitive, but on the opposite, full of good stuff, good riffs, good voice, good ambient sounds, scary stuff at times, but very good work in the end. It's a shame that it took such a long time for Lachryma Christi to listen to this.
Everyone should give a listen to this EP and also keep an eye on Abnabak in the future, because it can be quite big.

News: Eindhoven Metal Meeting

As you know, Eindhoven Metal Meeting festival is happening  on the 12th and 13th of December 2014 at the Effenaar, in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. There are already some bands confirmed and there will be more soon.
Here is the bill, so far:

ABORTED

AT THE GATES
ATTIC
BLASPHEMY
ENSIFERUM
EXHUMED

HOLY MOSES

MORBUS CHRON
ONSLAUGHT
ORIGIN
PRIMORDIAL
THYRFING
TRIPTYKON
URFAUST
WOLAND

Please check the official website for more info. Address below, on the flyer.

Review: Den Saakaldte's upcoming album "Kapitel II: Faen I Helvete"

Five years later, Norwegian Black Metal band Den Saakaldte are releasing a new album. It will be called Kapitel II: Faen I Helvete and is scheduled to come out on the 27th of May through Agonia Records.
Firt impression when Lachryma Christi heard the first songs of Faen i Helvete was: very good.
It is indeed a very good and aggressive album, very melodic, being similar to other stuff such as Mayhem on the heaviest and fastest bits, and Shinning on the doomish parts. This is not a bad point though, it is actually very nice.
Kapitel II: Faen I Helvete brings us seven tracks and so many emotions, so many introspective moments, such a good journey, it is impossible to not like it. It has really good quality regarding music and also regarding production. It is an album that you will want to hear over and over again. Really full of pleasant melodies, riffs, rhythms, voices. By the way, it includes present and past members of Gorgoroth, 1349, Koldbrann, Fortid and Nidingr.
So yeah, if you are a fan of bands like these, or even old Ulver and even Mayhem, you will enjoy it a lot.
So we can conclude that this is indeed a masterpiece.

News: Mayhem

Norwegian Black Metal band Mayhem are releasing a new track from the upcoming album which will be called Esoteric Warfare. The song is called Trinity and you can listen to it on the following places:

Metal.de (DE)
Rock Hard (IT)
Metal Sickness (FR)
Zware Metalen (NL)
Metal Hammer (NO)
Loud! (PT)
Zero Tolerance (UK)
Metal Insider (US)

As you know, Esoteric Warfare is scheduled to be released on June 6th (June 10th in North America). The album will be released in various formats, including a collector’s LP + CD box set limited to 1000 copies, a deluxe Digipak CD and exclusive coloured LPs for seven select countries. Please find details below.

The collector’s box set is a folder including blood red coloured double vinyl in gatefold sleeve with bonus track Into The Lifeless (record during the infamous 2012 Budapest Sessions), vinyl effect CD with bonus track, 10 posters, and numbered certificate of authenticity.

The Digipak edition is made of special board with booksleeve and a 24 page booklet of special paper.

Here is the list of vinyl double LPs, all coming in a gatefold sleeve:

• Transparent clear limited to 800 copies
• Transparent clear with red splatters limited to 450 copies
• Solid blue limited to 150 copies, exclusively sold in Italy through Audioglobe
• Transparent purple limited to 300 copies, exclusively sold in the UK through Plastic Head
• Solid yellow limited to 150 copies, exclusively sold in Australia through Rocket
• Solid red limited to 300 copies, exclusively sold in Sweden through Sound Pollution
• Solid grey limited to 300 copies, exclusively sold in Germany through Soulfood
• Solid orange limited to 250 copies, exclusively sold in Benelux and Spain through Bertus
• Transparent blue limited to 700 copies, exclusively sold in Norway through Indie
• Regular black

Cassette editions and various merchandising items will also be released. Except for the seven coloured LPs exclusive to the countries listed above, all formats are available for pre-order on Season of Mist e-shop

If you are in North America, please click here instead.

And don't forget the gigs!

You can also find a review for the recently released EP Psywar here:

http://lachrymachristizine.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/review-mayhems-upcoming-vinyl-single.html


Read more in:

https://www.facebook.com/mayhemofficial?fref=ts
http://www.season-of-mist.com/

News: Forgotten Tomb

Doom Black Metal band from Italy Forgotten Tomb just released (yesterday) a new live album. It was recorded during Kings Of Black Metal Festival in Germany in 2012. 
The audio has been professionally mixed and originally comes from Forgotten Tomb's new DVD, Darkness in Stereo: Eine Symphonie Des Todes - Live in Germany, which additionally contains a full video of the above-mentioned concert, as well as excerpts filmed at: Under The Black Sun Festival and K17 Club in Berlin in 2012.The DVD is available since yesterday in Europe and will be released on May 13th in North America through Agonia Records. You can now download the free audio album at Bandcamp:

https://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com/album/darkness-in-stereo-eine-symphonie-des-todes-live-in-germany

Audio tracklist:

01. Intro (Springtime Depression)

02. Reject Existence

03. Shutter

04. Solitude Ways

05. Todestrieb

06. Spectres Over Venice

07. Disheartenment/Alone/Steal My Corpse (medley)

The DVD Darkness in Stereo: Eine Symphonie Des Todes - Live in Germany is available in:
- a noble A5 digibook with a 8-page booklet,
- a limited to 200 copies exclusive digibook including a postcard with signatures of all band members and a live poster (limited edition is available only via Agonia Records Webshop

You can find an interview with Forgotten Tomb here:

http://lachrymachristizine.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/interview-with-forgotten-tomb-ita.html


Read more in:

https://www.facebook.com/Official.Forgotten.Tomb

News: Hades Almighty

Dark Essence Records have renewed their contract with Hades Almighty and a new album is expected to come out at some point.
Formed in 1992, originally under the name Hades, the band released four full-length albums, and everyone is now anxious for new stuff.
Let's just hope it won't take too long!

Read more in:

https://www.facebook.com/HADESHORDEN  
http://www.hades-almighty.com/
www.darkessencerecords.no

Review: Alfahanne's debut album "Alfapokalyps"

Alfahanne is a nice band from Sweden, very interesting music in fact. They manage to mix Black Metal with some Rock, some Punk and even some Goth.
Their debut album called Alfapokalyps came out in February through Dark Essence Records. It is indeed really good. Ten tracks of pure entertainment and very good music.
The voice is very original for the music they play. The music is aggressive enough, melodic enough, very full and strong.
Alfahanne is so peculiar and different and good, that they managed to have Taake’s Hoest, Shining’s Niklas Kvarforth, and Helheim’s V’gandr as guest vocalists, on one song each. So as you can see, it is really interesting and of really good quality.
Good fun, good music, very professional even though Alfapokalyps is still their debut album. Really impressive and catchy. Once you hear them, they won't leave your brain alone and you will keep singing or humming their songs.
This review is a bit delayed, which is a shame, but is still good to share such a masterpiece.

Review: GIG Gorgoroth + Vital Remains plus guests @ The Garage, London, UK, 6th April

Lachryma Christi went to see Gorgoroth recently in London. The Garage is quite a nice venue, kinda big, pleasant. Too bad it was raining when people were queuing outside.
First band, the British Ethereal. The music is good, their presence and look are good, just the sound was insanely loud. Which sadly made things a bit confusing. To the end it got much better. That's the problem with first bands, even if they do the sound check, it never comes out well in the beginning. Hopefully on Saturday at The Unicorn it will be better. It's a shame, such a nice band with such an unfair quality of sound.
Following band was Death Metal band also from Britain, Ageless Oblivion. Even though they play Death Metal, which isn't the thing of Lachryma Christi, it was a good gig. Has to be said, it was good. Their music is quite good and they had better luck with the sound. In fact, the only band having bad luck with the sound was the first band.
Third band was Vital Remains, Death Metal band from USA. People had high expectations about the gig, and it was a good one apparently. For Lachryma Christi it is just a bit more of the same.
Headliners Gorgoroth. This gig was much awaited. And looks like their performance pleased everyone. It did please Lachryma Christi for sure. The only problem was the lack of interactivity with the public. It was aggressive, strong, fiery, full of nails and corpsepaint, Hoest (vocals as guest) was great. He has loads of followers because of Taake, as you all know, and it was all great. Just in general a bit too "cold" towards the public.
Was a good night though, everyone was pleased in the end.
Lachryma Christi has no pics for this. If you have some, and if you wish to share them, you can always leave a comment with a link, or if you want to see them posted together with this article (they will be credited of course), you can e-mail lachrymachristizine@gmail.com

Saille!

Don't forget, next Saturday, Saille's gig in London (UK) at The Unicorn.
As you know, the latest album of Saille Ritu was the top 1 album of 2013 for Lachryma Christi.
You can read a review here:

http://lachrymachristizine.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/review-to-sailles-new-album-ritu.html

Lachryma Christi's playlist for the week

Saille - Ritu
Abgott - Godfather in Black
Anaal Nathrakh - Vanitas
Behemoth - The Satanist
Ragnarok - Malediction
Aborym - Dirty
Vreid - V
Nocturnal Depression - L'isolement
Gehenna - Unravel
Hate Meditation - Scars

GIG: Saille + Ethereal + Vehement + Premature Birth @ The Unicorn, London, UK, 19th April

Black Metal band from Belgium are touring and will be playing in London this weekend with Ethereal, Vehement and Premature Birth.
Great bands, on a four day weekend, and free entry, what's not to love?

News: Ragnarok

Black Metal band Ragnarok just announced parting of the ways with their vocals and frontman Hans Fyrste. Fyrste decided to leave the band due to job commitments that already affected his availability to tour with the band in the recent past.
His statement says the following:

"The decision to leave  RAGNAROK has been an extremely hard one to make.  Jontho and Brigge brought me in to the horde in 2005, and this still stands as my biggest achievement as a musician.  Personal circumstances have made it so that I will not be able to dedicate myself to RAGNAROK, as much as it requires.  It is with a heavy heart  that we have come  to an agreement, and I am pulling out of the band.

"All words fall short compared to how grateful I am for have taken part in this journey. Over the years we have experienced so many great achievements, and I would never have been without any of them. Being able to tour around the world, from Siberia to Rio de Janeiro, with supporting, passionate and faithful friends and fans in every city, has been a humbling experience. Every step of the way has also brought with it impressions, educating me to be a stronger person. Also learning so many new things, evolving to be the vocalist and human being I am today.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who has  made this journey possible. Without all my great friends and fans out there, nothing of this could have ever happened. Thank you!  And finally, of course, thank you Jontho, DezeptiCunt and Bolverk. Thank you for all the great times on and off the stage. Thank you for everything we have gone through together. Thank you for the brotherhood and support!  I leave RAGNAROK as a humble man, and wish my brothers all the best in the future.
Hans Fyrste…. "

Founder and drummer Jontho had this to say about Fyrste's departure  "After 20 years you come to expect these things as an inevitable part of being in a band.  Sooner  or later there comes a time when all musicians must take a hard look at their lives and take decisions based on family and work commitments. Hans Fyrste felt that he could not give the amount of dedication that RAGNAROK asks of its members, and that it would be fairer all round to call it a day, and that is very much to his credit.  He has been a real asset to the band. We have watched him grow over the years to become a great frontman and we wish him all the best for the future".

The band hasn't revealed yet the name of the new vocals, but they assure that they are looking at various options, and that some of them might even surprise Ragnarok's fans.

Read more in:

http://www.ragnarokhorde.com/

News: Mayhem

As you all know, Mayhem will be releasing a new album through Season of Mist on the 6th of June. It will be called Esoteric Warfare and they are now premiering a second song from the same, called VI.Sec. on the following links:

ROCK HARD (DE)
Kaaoszine (FI)
VS-Webzine (FR)
Rocking (GR)
Close-Up (SE)
Terrorizer (UK)

The album will be available in various formats including a limited vinyl collector's box and you can now pre-order the same from next week on, on the Season of Mist e-shop



You can have a look at the cover of Esoteric Warfare created by Polish artist and architect Zbigniew M. Bielak:

Esoteric Warfare tracklist:

01. Watchers
02. PsyWar
03. Trinity     
04. Pandaemon
05. MILAB
06. VI.Sec.
07. Throne of Time
08. Corpse of Care
09. Posthuman
10. Aion Suntelia


Mayhem also announced recently a first set of European shows to promote Esoteric Warfare. Lachryma Christi will be seeing them in London, and a review should come up shortly after.

14 May 14 Hamburg (DE) Markthalle
16 May 14 Bochum (DE) Matrix
17 May 14 Köln (DE) Essigfabrik
18 May 14 Eindhoven (NL) Effenaar
20 May 14 Bruxelles (BE) AB
21 May 14 London (GB) Electric Ballroom
22 May 14 Paris (FR) Le Divan du Monde
23 May 14 Winterthur (CH) Gaswerk
24 May 14 Milan (IT) Factory
26 May 14 Bratislava (SK) Randal
27 May 14 München (DE) Backstage Club
28 May 14 Berlin (DE) C-Club
29 May 14 Warsaw (PL) Proxima
30 May 14 Plzen (CZ) Metalfest Open Air Festival
31 May 14 København (DK) Pumpehuset

Additional festival shows have also been confirmed:
28 Jun 14 Lausanne (CH) Les Docks (Inferno Festival Swiss Edition)
08 Aug 14 Øya (NO) Tøyenparken (Øya Festival)


Before Esoteric Warfare comes out, Mayhem will be releasing a vinyl 7" single containing an alternative mix of the track Psywar on 6th of May. The limited single (500 copies of each version) is already sold out!
You can find a review for the same here:
http://lachrymachristizine.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/review-mayhems-upcoming-vinyl-single.html


Read more in:

www.facebook.com/mayhemofficial
www.thetruemayhem.com 
www.season-of-mist.com/

Lachryma Christi's playlist for the week

Strafk - Phaseshifting
Aborym - Dirty
Frigoris - Wind
Galaktik Cancer Squad - Ghost Light
Endstille - Kapitulation 2013
Saille - Ritu
Endezzma - Erotik Nekrosis
Enthroned - Sovereigns
Forgotten Tomb - ... And Don't Deliver Us From Evil
Mayhem - Psywar

Review: Strafk's upcoming EP "Phaseshifting "

Russian band Strafk are releasing on the 13th of May 2014 a EP called Phaseshifting through Wraith Productions. For those who don't know the band Strafk are a duo (Leegheid and Stof). A mysterious and strange duo, the music is quite experimental and strange. Strange doesn't mean bad, in this case it actually means very good.
"Phaseshifting" was actually a good choice for a name of a release like this. It is very introspective. When you listen to it there is a mix of feelings, emotions, thoughts, desires, sorrows. It is very difficult to describe in words, as it is so special and different.
Lachryma Christi suggests everyone to hear this. Not long before it comes out now, just another month or so, you'll see it's worth the wait.
The EP has four tracks and the cover is quite dark and death oriented as you can see in the image below.
So, yes, go for it. You won't regret.
Production is awesome, very good quality, no details come unnoticeable here, everything is so clear. There are loads of little sounds, apart from all the music itself, and everything is very together. Makes sense.

News: Dismemberment

On the 29th of April, Dismemberment will be releasing a album called Embrace the Dark through Tridroid Records.
You can now pre-order your copy of the same from both Tridroid Records and the band themselves, on the following links:

http://tridroid.bandcamp.com/album/embrace-the-dark
http://dismemberment.myminto.com/Default.aspx?pcv=MjMxNw%3D%3D

Before you do so, you can also listen to a sample (the song Anathema) here:

http://www.terrorizer.com/news/streams/listen-dismemberments-new-song-anathema-terrorizer/

Embrace the Dark is the band's first full-length album and will be available on cassette by Tridroid Records and on CD by Horror Pain Gore Death Productions.

Read more in:

https://www.facebook.com/TridroidRecords

GIG TOMORROW! Gorgoroth + Vital Remains @ The Garage, London, UK

Gorgoroth and Vital Remains (plus guests) are touring, Lachryma Christi will be seeing them tomorrow, in London, UK. There will be a review shortly after.

Interview with Scorned Deity (USA)

This time, Lachryma Christi had the pleasure to interview Brian "Batman" Sheehan from American band Scorned Deity. It was a good surprise when Brian e-mailed Lachryma Christi with info about the band, they make really good music, so an interview had to be done. Before we get to that though, you must know that Scorned Deity are now putting their latest album Adventum up for free as digital download via the band's bandcamp. Check it out here: scorneddeity.bandcamp.com
And you can also read a review for the same here: http://lachrymachristizine.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/review-scorned-deitys-latest-album.html
Now, enjoy the interview!

Why Scorned Deity? Where did that name come from?

The name was before my inception. Though the Lovecraftian boy in me relates it to a worshiped being of unfathomable form, conjured to carry out the will of those devout.   Another personal translation is that of every man and woman is his/ her own god, scorned for one's allegiance to a higher power or lesser evil that is not themselves..... However, a name is merely a  grouping of several letters of an alphabet to represent the identification of a person or an object. This is the name chosen to represent our craft, and we fly it's flag high.

What are your lyrics about? Where do you get inspiration?

We fancy ourselves as modern day storytellers. Raconteurs of our own folklore. The existing albums were a two part legend. The tales and trials of a man of nothing, ascending to become king. Most of my lyrical influences are from authors/ poets as opposed to traditional singers and songwriters. Poe, Lovecraft, Bukowski, Stoker... to name a few.  Inspiration is all around us, the trick is having your eyes open in time to see the flash before you. 

How does composing process work with Scorned Deity? What comes first?

We record as we write and write as we record. Polishing and expanding on each other's ideas as they're brought to the table. Eric is the adept one amongst us. His work ensues long before and after our contributions to the albums.  Freedom of experimentation is an understatement for us as it is for those who build their own canvas to paint on. 

How has been the reaction to your latest album Adventum? How satisfied are you?

For lack of a better word, grand. Especially for doing everything ourselves. Spreading our music and word of what were doing is a time consuming task. With the help of underground sites such as this, the task does have it rewards. 

What is in store for Scorned Deity? When can we hear a new release?

We are chin deep in production of our newest venture. Hoping to release by year's end/ early 2015 if not sooner. Still too early to reveal any details, but I can honestly say it is shaping to be our proudest work yet.

Lachryma Christi is based in Europe (UK), but funnily enough majority of visitors are from USA. How is the Black Metal scene/market in United States? 

Metal as a whole is on the incline. Speaking mostly of the Detroit/ mid west scene, the bands and music they're making is genuine and uncompromising. A kind of underground renaissance is underway, making way to the surface.

What about live shows? Anything happening lately? Any upcoming show you would like to advertise here?

Presently, our main priority is new music/ album. So nothing that we can confirm as of now. We have big plans up our sleeves for farther down the line.

Which artists/bands would you like to play or work with? Why?

I could go on for days but will keep the list short. Soilwork would probably be the majority consensus. Albums like "A Predator's Portrait" and "Natural Born Chaos" have a notable influence on our music. EMPEROR! Playing with Emperor would be my struggle in concealing fan boy syndrome. 

Since Scorned Deity already have 10 years of experience as a band, are there any ideas or advice you would like to give to bands that are now starting their journey?

Always be open and susceptible to advice and experiences of others. Just like any other craft, everyday is a learning endeavor for those cursed to better their work. Embrace the curse with unquenchable thirst.

Anything else you would like to say to Lachryma Christi and to everyone who is reading this interview?

Just some shameless name drops for our peers and comrades in Writhing, Konkeror, Isenblast, Traitor, Anagnorisis, Dark Winter, Three Parts Demon, Saprogenic, Cult of Apophis, Horde of The Eclipse, Nightkin, Boreworm.... 

Line up:

Eric Kempa : Guitars, Keys/ Samples, Vocals
Brian Sheehan : Vocals/ Lyrics
Jason Tountas : Guitars
Don Durr: Bass
Additional Vocals and Lyrics by Sarah Hall
Seeking a drummer

Latest release:

Adventum (2013)

You can find more information and music of Scorned Deity in:

https://www.facebook.com/ScornedDeity?fref=ts

News: Bloodthirst

Polish band Bloodthirst are celebrating 15 years this year, and will also be releasing a new album on the 14th of April through Pagan Records. It will be called Chalice of Contempt and you can stream it here:

http://www.musickmagazine.pl/material,bloodthirst---chalice-of-contempt,1469.html

Chalice of Contempt tracklist:

01. I Was The One Who Threw The First Stone
02. Yell Of Devotion
03. No Way Out Of Hell (Emptiness of Dying)
04. Break The Bounds Of Flesh And Blood
05. Chalice Of Contempt
06. Militant Nihilism
07. One With The Dark
08. Imaginary Reasons


Read more in:

https://www.facebook.com/bloodthirstpl