Playlist for the week

Mork - Det Svarte Juv
Mayhem - Esoteric Warfare
Negura Bunget - Zirnindu-Sa
Nastrond - Nastrond
Root - Hell Symphony
Marduk - Frontschwein
Watain - Casus Luciferi
Behexen - Rituale Satanum
Merrimack - The Falsified Son
Nightbringer - Terra Damnata

My Enchantment (PT), Journey Through Hell Tour 2019

How to contact Lachryma Christi? - UPDATED

Greetings!

So, if you (bands, labels, PR people, anyone related to Black Metal), would like to contact Lachryma Christi, you can always use the contact form on this page, or you can send an email to the address lachrymachristizine@gmail.com, or you can even send a message to the inbox of the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LachrymaChristiWebzine/

It's important to let you know also that Lachryma Christi works exclusively with Black Metal.

Also, if you like Lachryma Christi you're more than welcome to hit the Facebook page "like" button!

Thank you very much.

L

Playlist for the week

Late but not forgotten, here is the playlist for the week!

Daemonarch - Hermeticum
Moonreich - Fugue
Zohamah - Spread my Ashes
Astrophobos - Malice of Antiquity
Embryonic Cells - Horizon
Thron - Abysmal
Infera Bruo - Cerement
Behemoth - The Satanist
Craft - Darkness Falls
Glorior Belli - Split Tongues Won't Atone

Review: Stormlord upcoming album "Far"

Lachryma Christi hasn't heard of this band before. But they are actually cool. 

If you are into epic music with orchestrations and those Conanish atmospheres, then this is for you. 

So, Stormlord are relasing their 6th album on the 24th of May. It is called Far and will come out through Scarlet Records.

Reminds a bit of what Dimmu Borgir have been doing recently. Although in a more "happy" style.

Very fast, epic as in music for a battle with dragons, Far even has a song called Cimmeria, which is a tribute to some icons such as Robert E. Howard, the author of Conan The Barbarian.

So if you like this kind of adventure, not only literary or cinematographic but also in music, you'll love this album.

Orchestrations are indeed very imponent and strong, with those choirs with voices sounding like warriors. 

It is very full of energy and the concept is very good, since the lyrics are about traditions of the Mediterranean, as well as about myth and glory in ancient Rome.

The cover artwork is very explicit and was made by Gyula Havancsák (who has also worked with Accept, Stratovarius, Destruction, Wintersun).

So yes, although this isn't very much the cup of tea of Lachryma Christi, it couldn't stay behind and it is very good in it's genre. Extremely good quality. Not only in production, but the compositions as well. 

And for Lachryma Christi, the top track might be Cimmeria really.

Interview with Argesk (UK)

Argesk are a Black Metal band from Manchester, UK. Not many people outside UK have heard about them, and it is extremely difficult to find music of them online. Not because they want to remain unkown or very deep underground, but because of some bad luck with the making of their demo. However, there is a video on youtube of their song called Liberari in Tenebrae and the music is very good. 
You will be able to find the link on the bottom of this page.
It is a very raw traditional Black Metal but with very melodic riffs and so. Very pleasant to listen to. But, there is something on the making! Let's see what Matt has to say.

Before we continue to the interview, just so you know, all photos were taken off the band's facebook page as they are.

And still another note. They have a great logo, don't they? It was made by the magnificent Christophe Szpadjel.

Argesk is quite an uncommon name. What does it mean? What is the story behind this name? In Bram Stoker's Dracula, Vlad’s wife Elisabeta drowns herself in the river Arges, believing him to have been killed in battle. It is this tragedy that causes him to renounce Christ and pledge himself to the devil. This is the subject matter of our song “Drowned in Freezing Waters”, as well as the Ancient song “Sleeping Princess of the Arges”.

As to where the “K” came from, that was Leth's idea as there was already a death metal band called Arges!

What is the story of Argesk? How did it start? Argesk started in October 2017 after my previous band Glaramara split. I'd been writing a lot of melodic riffs on guitar and wanted to play them with a full band. Dillon and Leth offered to play bass and keyboard and I got in touch with Bob as I really enjoyed the Hecate Enthroned albums he played drums on. We came together for a practice and it all just clicked, both in terms of the music and personalities.

We also had another guitarist originally, Graywinter,  who recorded our demo song but had to leave for personal reasons. He's now in another band called Sepvlcralis. You have been doing some shows here and there, can we expect a release soon as well?

Yes, we're currently working on our debut EP, Realm of Eternal Night, which we're recording with Rik Simpson of Austerymn. We've recorded all of the drums for it and will be recording the guitars in the near future. We're hoping to release it this summer!

What are your biggest influences in music?

For me, early Cradle of Filth is one of my biggest influences both musically and vocally, especially the Dusk and Her Embrace album - I love that it combines a lush gothic atmosphere and eloquent lyrics with crushing heaviness. On guitar, I'm also influenced by Finnish black metal such as Sargeist, as well as melodic death metal such as Dark Tranquillity, and atmospheric black metal such as Woods of Desolation for the big chords and anguished vocals.

Dillon is an ex punk and I think that influence comes out in his bass playing - he's also into old school death metal like Obituary, and is a big supporter of the UK black metal scene.

Leth is into Burzum, dungeon synth like Mortiis, and Emperor, which all comes out in his keyboard playing. He and myself are also both into EBM, Futurepop and ‘goth electronic ‘, as you might call it. He has his own synthpop solo project, and we keep talking about starting an Aggrotech project together!

Bob often jokes that he only likes five bands, including Dissection, Samael and Septic Flesh. He's also into old school death metal though, and also plays drums in Austerymn who have a big Entombed influence. How does the writing process work for you? What comes first? Normally I'll come up with a series of riffs, which I'll bring to practice and the guys will work out their respective parts around them. Recently though, Dillon has been writing some riffs for us as he's better at writing thrashy, aggressive stuff than I am. Leth recently also wrote a keyboard piece that we've written a whole song around.

In terms of the lyrics, I tend to just scream random words over the music until I find a pattern that I feel works. I'll then write the lyrics to fit that pattern, usually based around a particular theme or idea.

What are your songs/lyrics about usually?

One of the biggest themes in my lyrics is the idea of self empowerment, and not being held back from your true potential because of religious or societal doctrine. This is especially relevant for me as I was raised Christian, questioned it as I got older and feel much happier and more liberated having rejected Christianity as an adult.

As well as this I’m really influenced by gothic and fantasy literature, as well as occult writers such as Aleister Crowley and Anton LaVey. My lyrics are pretty escapist and I tend to avoid anything too political or grounded in the everyday, but they are also a way for me to exorcise personal demons (or perhaps summon them). Do you guys follow any type of religion?

I don't follow any religion in particular, but Leth and Dillon are both pagan and Bob is a self confessed Satanist. My own philosophy takes influence from LaVey and Crowley, particularly the pursuit and realisation of one's True Will and the freedom of others to do the same. I'm not anti religion per se, but I am against it being forced on others, and it making people's lives a misery.

What was your favourite performance so far?

For me it was when we supported Akercocke last December. Great crowd response and an amazing band to share the stage with. Our performance in Lancaster over the weekend was a close second though, as it was our first gig outside of Manchester and we went down a storm, plus I enjoyed sharing the stage with our friends in Andracca and Thy Dying Light. What are your plans for the near future? What can we expect from Argesk? Top priority at the moment is getting our debut EP recorded. The drums are done and we'll be starting on the guitars shortly. I'm hoping for a summer release, but it depends how long everything takes to record, plus I plan to approach labels with the finished article. As well as that, we've got a steady set of gigs booked for 2019, and are already writing new material to follow on from the EP! It is a bit difficult to find and gather information of Argesk, online. Is this something you planned as a underground band or did it just happened to be this way?

This certainly isn't by design! Since we only announced the band in December 2017, and we don't have a release out apart from the Liberari in Tenebrae single, there isn't much info out there about us. We do have an ever growing following on social media though, and those who see us live seem to take to us!
Any words you'd like to leave to ofher metalheads that are planning to form a band? Enjoy yourself. Play music that you enjoy playing with people you get on with. Don't be disheartened if you don't think you're good enough to play certain songs or types of music - practice makes perfect and imperfections can often make the best music stand out. If you're passionate about it, don't give up even though it can be hard at times… And don't take shit from anyone!

Thanks for the support and the opportunity for the interview, and thank you to the fans who continue to support us.

If you wish to support the band live, they will have their next show in Manchester, UK, on the 14th of May.

Argesk are:

Matt IH - Guitar and Lead Vocals
Baba di Iarnă - Bass
Leth - Keyboards
Bob Kendrick - Drums

Read more about Argesk in:
https://www.facebook.com/argeskuk/

Tour: Marduk + Valkyrja + guests

Next stop will be to see Marduk in Lisbon (PT).

Vreid release new video for track "One Hundred Years"

Norwegian Black & Roll band Vreid just released the official lyric video for the song One Hundred Years, from the band's latest release, Lifehunger.

You may stream it here:

Vreid are:

Sture: Vocals & guitars
Strom: Guitars
Steingrim: Drums
Hváll- Bass and keys

Read more about Vreid in:
www.facebook.com/vreidofficial

Interview: My Enchantment (PT)

This time, Lachryma Christi had the pleasure of interviewing a Portuguese Black Metal band. My Enchantment have been around for almost 20 years. Their last release was a EP called The Death of Silence (which was one of the suggestions for you readers, in the playlist for this week!), and they are releasing a new album called Saligia, on the 13th of April. In fact, this album will be released on a show that they are playing, in Lisbon (PT), at RCA Club. You may find a photo of the cover of this album a bit further down.
They have a few gigs scheduled as well, so it might be interesting to all of you to read this fine interview.

What do you mean by My Enchantment as a name for the band? What's the idea behind it?

The idea we tried to convey was to somehow describe, as it were, the sound of the band. By the time the name came up, that sound was somewhere between goth, industrial and black metal, so we thought the name had definitely something to do with it.

How do you describe the style of music you play?

Being six elements in the band, there are various influences on our style of play, but we think that it can be described as Symphonic Black Metal.

What do you speak about on the lyrics? Is there a main idea you want to spread within the people that listen to your music?

Mainly our own day-to-day experiences, dreams or nightmares we may had, a subject or a problem that we have been through in life, it can be something like that. On our latest record, “Saligia”, for instance, we talk about a journey through the circles of Hell and the deadly sins and the way this affects us today. A concept album always gives you room to explore in more detail a specific theme or subject and have a story, characters and a guideline throughout the entire record and this was something that we really wanted to do.

My Enchantment have been around for a long time. There have been some line-up changes, which usually change stuff. However, the feel is very similar always. Is this a conscious thing? Or did it just happened this way?

Yes, it has been almost 20 years now and it has not been an easy journey. We had several line-up changes over the years and that tends not to give you the stability to progress as wanted. Nonetheless, as you pointed out, our sound and feel do remain similar. Although we believe we have evolved naturally in terms of song structures, of doing the sound we wanted to do and not be bound by genres or something like that, but actually, we also wanted to preserve as much as we could the identity of the band and its roots.

You have a new album coming up, do you want to talk about it and about what we can expect of it? 

Yes, we are very excited about this album! It has been long since we released a record, but we think it was worth the waiting. As we mentioned, “Saligia” is a concept album about a journey through the circles of Hell and the deadly sins portrayed on a main character. It is loosely based on Dante’s Inferno but is more about our own experiences on dealing with people’s behaviours that trigger an array of emotions that are almost primitive. On the music itself, we tried to connect the songs to these emotions so that the listeners could really sense that they are on a journey, with all the highs and lows of a hard journey through the darker corners of human behaviour. In that sense, we have moments of raw brutality, slower paced songs, more ambience keyboard-based moments and faster riff-based songs. We hope that everyone who listens can enjoy it as much as we had fun doing it.

What are your biggest influences musically? What makes you write such emotional powerful melodic Black Metal?  

Our influences are as vast as it can go in the metal genre. From black metal to power metal to djent tp prog, you name it. Bands like Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Slayer, Lamb of God, Metallica and Iron Maiden can be named as our biggest influences, we think mainly because you can feel them more evidently in our music. However, there are others like Opeth, Dream Theater, Helloween, Megadeth, Meshuggah, Immortal or Em peror that can build a strong case as well.

Are there any special artists you would like to share the stage with?  

We think most of the bands named as our biggest influences are in this category, really! Of course, some bands have a more similar sound to our own, so those would be the ones, realistically speaking, that we could imagine ourselves headlining with on a gig or tour.

Since your album is coming out now, I suppose you have some gigs coming too. Anything you would like to advertise? 

Fortunately, we already have some gigs lined up and we are always looking forward to play live, it is one of the main reasons of being in a band, just to go out there and leave it all on stage. After all the backstage preparations people usually do not see, of composing new songs, rehearsals and all that, it really gives us great joy to perform live. The live debut of “Saligia” will be on April 13 th , at RCA Club in Lisbon. After that, we will play on the 20 th of April at Milagre Metaleiro in Viseu and on the 27 th at Moita. On the 4 th of May in Leiria at Texas Bar, on June 29 th at Metalpoint in Porto. On October 26 th we will be in Cartaxo, on the 1 st of November in Portalegre Core Fest and on the 1 st of December in Cacém.

What was your most remarkable experience live? The show that gives you those special memories? 

We always have a lot of fun playing live, but the gig we did with Therion we believe will have a special place in our memories. The gig was awesome and hanging around with those guys was great! They are very humble, down-to-earth people and that made it that a great night indeed.

Lachryma Christi hopes to see you live many times still and wishes you all the best. Any last messageyou would like to leave for your fans and followers? 

Thank you! It was great talking with you and we really hope to see you as well out on the road more times! For all you metal heads out there, go listen to our new album and come see us live. Come chat with us at a gig and give us your thoughts on the music, we always appreciate to engage with anyone who attends at our shows and as we have one of the best metal crowds in the world, we like to give some of that energy back!

My Enchantment are:

Ricardo Oliveira - Drums
João "Grande" - Guitar
Fernando Campos - Guitar
Fernando Barroso - Bass
Rui Gonçalves - Keyboards
Alex Zander - Vocals

Read more about My Enchantment here:

https://www.facebook.com/My.Enchantment.PT/

Abbath release new track "Harvest Pyre"

So as you know, Abbath are releasing a new album on the 5th of July, through Season of Mist, which will be called Outstrider.

They just released a new track  of the upcoming album, called Harvest Pyre which you can stream here:

Also, if you'd like to see Abbath live, you can see them here:

27 Jul 19 Steenwijk (NL) Stonehenge Festival 2019
24 Aug 19 Bergen (NO)  Beyond the Gates Festival

Abbath are:

Abbath - Vocals & guitars
Ole Andre Farstad -Guitars
Ukri Suviletho – Drums
Mia Wallace – Bass

Read more in:

www.facebook.com/abbathband
www.abbath.net
www.instagram.com/abbath_official

Review to Posthum upcoming album "Like Wildfire"

Posthum, Norwegian Black Metal band, are releasing their 4th full-length in two days, through Indie Recordings. Yes, two days, the 12th of April. The album is called Like Wildfire.
This is actually very good. Quite an enjoyable piece.
This is not necessarily a traditional Black Metal album, but hey, these guys know what they are doing.
Like Wildfire is a bit experimental at times, with some ambience bits where you can tell they know how to their experimentations. And this all goes so well with the rest!
It is, anyway, a very powerful, strong, angry release, varied enough. It brings the Black Metal that the most traditional listeners like to listen, but also brings some fresh air, some actually different influence, which shows nothing more and nothing less, than the progression of Posthum as musicians.
Professionalism is all over this record, and the different elements on the songs are very welcome.
So yes, let's all go for it on the 12th of April, not long to wait anymore.

Review to Kull debut album "Exile"

Who are Kull? Kull are a Epic Symphonic Black Metal band from UK. There are four members of Bal-Sagoth in there (which shows, a lot), and the guitarist/composer of Tarkan, who is now vocals in Kull.
Kull are releasing their debut album Exile on the 30th of April, through Black Lion Records.
The album is quite long, has 11 tracks.
There is definitely a dark atmosphere on Exile, but the sound itself is more Epic and Symphonic than properly Black Metal. The voice is the most Black Metal element on it.
There are all those sweet keyboard sounds of our imaginary, that take us into the depths of some obscure journey. Good soundtrack for Elric of Melniboné and others of the sort.
In fact, this was originally planned to be the 7th album of Bal-Sagoth, so you see, if you like Bal-Sagoth, this is great for you. If you are into Epic soundtracks, as well.
If you are into traditional Black Metal, maybe not. However, Lachryma Christi always suggests to everyone to hear the albums for themselves. Because people might still like a certain thing even if it is not very much their cup of tea.
Either way, it is entertaining. And the cover is magnificent.

Review to Kampfar upcoming album "Ofidians Manifest"

Norwegian Black Metal band, Kampfar, are releasing a new album through Indie Recordings, on the 3rd of May. It is called Ofidians Manifest.
And what a great album it is.
Kampfar, with now around 25 years of existence, still has the thing. One of those bands that seems to have the thing forever.
Ofidians Manifest is quite an angry album, but with very emotional and strong melodies as well. There are very inspirational tracks, such as Eremitt.
There are such powerful bits in every and each song, and all songs are so complementing to each other, that when you finish listening to it you want more. Best thing is to listen to it in loop for a while ah!
This album comes from a difficult time, the band went through a health related rough time and almost ended. However that rough time gave origin to this amazing album. And these guys are stronger than ever.
There is a sort of different track, the song Dominans, with the participation of Agnete Kjølsrud. Her voice combined there made a different moment in the album, unique.
And on the last track, Det Sorte, there's the participation of Marianne Maria Moe, in a very introspective moment that will make you think. A lot. About what? Well, listen to it, and let yourself get into this very special moment with your inner self.
And look at that cover!
3rd of May, don't forget.

Playlist for the week!

And today is Monday. Which means, playlist for the week.

Decayed - In the Depths of Hell
Irae - Rites of Unholy Destruction
Empyrium - A Wintersunset...
Summoning - Old Mornings Dawn
Morbid - Year of the Goat
My Enchantment - The Death of Silence
King Diamond - Voodoo
Anaal Nathrakh - Passion
Dark Funeral - Where Shadows Forever Reign
Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse

R.I.P. Per Yngve Ohlin (1991)

PerYngveOhlin, aka Dead (Morbid, Mayhem) died on this day, in 1991.

Photo taken off the internet

Review to Handful of Hate upcoming album Adversus

So Italian Black Metal band Handful of Hate are releasing a new album called Adversus on the 10th of May, through Aural Music.
Handful of Hate have been around for quite some time. So much that they are celebrating 26 years of career and this is their 7th release.
What to say about Adversus? Is so good, it's even easy to be speechless.
Lachryma Christi has reviewed the previous album, To Perdition, and can guarantee that if you liked it, you will absolutely love Adversus.
Handful of Hate are a band who has been very loyal to their style, and they are popular exactly for doing such a traditional, pure, perfect Black Metal.
Adversus has 10 tracks, full of what these men know how to do so well: very aggressive and fast music, with some more melodic and catchy (for lack of a better word) riffs and choruses. Very much their thing, their signature.
Definitely an album not to miss. 10th of May, remember, go get it! It will be available in CD, digital, and limited edition gatefold vinyl.

Review to Hanormale latest album "Reborn in Butterfly"

Italian Industrial Black Metal Hanormale released a new album in last January. Lachryma Christi honestly didn't know this band, until they sent us an email with the album, very recently.
This album is called Reborn in Butterlfy and is as strange as surprising.
The first song is quite a goosebumpy song, as it is as a cover of the main theme of the popular Twin Peaks series, that was around some time in the 80's, and that most of you possibly remember. This series was around the murder of Laura Palmer, in this town called Twin Peaks. For those who don't know, the author of the series is David Lynch.
This is not only a random Industrial Black Metal band. They have very elaborate melodies, where the "noises" match well with the rest of the thing. In fact, it is not noisy at all, but very pleasant to listen to.
Has some spooky ambient sounds as well, which make the whole thing a lot more mysterious.
The voice is something extraordinary, goes from clean to growling in only a bit and the mix is perfect.
(Edit: There are two guys doing the voices. Still, the way they merge their clean and growling voices is amazing!)
There are some clear Doom and Jazz influences as well. It is in fact varied, without being unprofessional nor messy.
Very interesting record. 12 tracks of pure musicality, emotional experiments, instruments that you could never imagine that would go well together, such as piano or sax or even violin, but these guys did it. They put everything together perfectly, as we don't hear very often.

Do a favour to yourselves and listen to it here, as you won't regret:

https://dusktone.bandcamp.com/album/reborn-in-butterfly

Nihility release new video

Portuguese Blackened death metal band released a new video called Indulge Self Restraint, from the album Thus Spoke the Antichrist.

This album will be released on the 24th of May, through Black Lion Records.

You may watch the video here:

You may pre-order Thus Spoke the Antichrist here:

https://nihilityblacklion.bandcamp.com

https://www.indiemerchstore.com/b/black-lion-records