Burial Gift/MMXXV/Eihwaz Recordings/2025 EP Review

 

  Burial  Gift  are  a  band  from  New  Orelans,  Louisiana  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  ep  ""MMXXV"  which  will b e  released  in  December  by  Eihwaz  Recordings.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  ep  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era  of  the  genre,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  some  post  rock  and  shoegaze  touches  at  times.

  Burial  Gift  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  modern,  aggressive  and  atmospheric  sounding  with  some  touches  of  blackgaze  and  post  rock.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Burial  Gift  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  post  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Elegy  Azure".  8  out  of  10.

  https://burialgift1.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/burialgift/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5cJdRj7wwk7Hip0360NG1B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6QVpHo19GA&list=RDJ6QVpHo19GA&start_radio=1  

Asira Interview

 

1. Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

Since recording, we’ve been hard at work crafting the visuals for the release. We worked closely with Freya - Martin and Ethan’s bandmate in Cairiss - to create the excellent artwork for the singles. Ever since the music started releasing, we’ve just been trying to keep on top of the love and the messages.

2. Recently you’ve released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

It’s a darker experience than our debut, and it pays even less attention to genre convention. What I particularly love about it is that, despite being born from a very difficult and painful period for us, it still has a core of unmissable, burning hope.

3.This is also your first album in 8 years, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait?

We’ve never been able to just sit down and turn on the songwriting. Our music has always been an unplanned and organic response to our own experiences, whether those are personal or or reaction to what is happening in the world. The last 8 years, for better or worse, are what was needed to create this particular record.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new album and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

All of our music has the philosophy of humanism at its heart. It’s a reverence for human reason, welfare, ethics, justice. Some of our songs are reactionary and those take quite a sonically extreme shape, sometimes our music is a quietly hopeful listening experience. The underlying drive and belief system is always the same.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Asira'?

We really wanted a single word that captured the colour and character of our music. We started with the colour ‘azure’ and that eventually morphed into ‘asura’ and then finally ‘Asira’.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

We returned to the fantastic Scottish painter Scott Naismith, whose artwork we’d previously used on our debut album ‘Efference’. I think this piece reflects the journey we’ve all been on. The colours and the tone are familiar, but the scene has developed. What was once a vibrant sea is now a cracked frozen lake - it’s calmer, but also more dangerous.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

My favourite was Warhorns Festival, because of the incredible atmosphere. A room full of people who are there to enjoy themselves, soak in the music, and make friends. It’s exactly the right environment for an Asira set, because it lets us be very authentic and communicative with our performance. We’re at our best when we can really savour the push and pull with an open-minded audience.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

We’ll never say never, but right now we see ourselves staying off the road. We want to focus on this album release, and on building a connection and community with those who really hear and love it.

9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

We had some interest, but we decided it was important to us that we remain in independent control of this album, and our future. There are plenty of excellent reasons to sign a record contract, but the more we thought about it, the more we realised that we’re not a conventional band and those reasons could never outweigh our independence.

10.On a worldwide level, how has the reaction been to your music by fans of extreme and progressive metal?

This is something we always find so difficult to predict. Metal has its fair share of purists, and some of them see our music as an injury against what they stand for. For every purist out there, we also get messages of love and appreciation. There will always be people in any scene who are looking for something unfamiliar and real; those are the people who our music truly resonates with, and we’re very grateful for them.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

It is just impossible to say. Coming back to our writing process (or lack of one), this all depends on how our lives play out from here. I’m hopeful that the next 8 years will prove to be a safer time for everyone who most needs safety right now, so who knows? Maybe our next album will be a celebratory soul record.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Way more than this but the first that come to mind are Eric Whitacre, Stevie Wonder, Steven Wilson, Opeth, Gareth Coker, Strapping Young Lad, Alcest, Daft Punk, Leprous and iamthemorning. Those are all on pretty permanent rotation for us. More recently, I’ve really been enjoying the new One of Nine album, and have been diving back into Blackbraid.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Just a huge thank you to everyone who listens to our record. It could be called many things, but not “conventional”. We have a deep respect and appreciation for anyone who takes time to understand and digest art that they’re not familiar with.

• Website: www.asira-band.com
• Bandcamp: asira.bandcamp.com
• Spotify: Asira on Spotify
• YouTube: youtube.com/@asiraband
• Facebook: @asirauk
• Instagram: @asira_band

Asira/As Ink In Water/2025 Full length Review

 

  Asira  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  post  black  metal  with  elements  of  shoegaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  album  "As  Ink  In  Water"  which  will  be  released  on  November  14th.

  

  Electronic  sounds  and  programmed  beats  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  which  also  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction.  Clear  singing  and  synths  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  which  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.   

  

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  harsh  vocals  being  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  along  with  the  album  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  shoegaze  elements.  The  recording  also  adds  in  touches  of  progressive  rock,  blues  and  choral  music  at  times  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  synths, when  the  music  finally  speeds  up a   small  amount  of  raw  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  human  experience.

  

  In  mu  opinion  Asira  are  a  very  decent  sounding  progressive  post  black  metal  band  with  elements  of  shoegaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Clarity"  and  "In  Sunrise".  7/5  out  of  10.

  

• Website: www.asira-band.com
• Bandcamp: asira.bandcamp.com
• Spotify: Asira on Spotify
• YouTube: youtube.com/@asiraband
• Facebook: @asirauk
• Instagram: @asira_band

Murmur Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

Recording and publishing a new album is a long process with lots of things to take into consideration. It's not just about going into the studio and recording your part. We are constantly keeping busy excitedly looking for collabs, concerts, interviews... whatever can help push the release of the new album. We continue to add shows to present the album in Spain and also to the upcoming European tour.

 2.In November you have a  new album coming out, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

We think this work is more mature and you can hear it in the sound, the overall quality is much better. We've improved a lot since our first experience in the studio. We believe all these things definitely make the new album more attractive to the general listener.

On the other hand, every member has participated much more in each song and in every decision. This helps to enrich the new material but, to be honest the concept hasn't changed very much from Pvtrefactio, our first album. We think the spirit of the band keeps true to itself. 

 3.The lyrics on the new recording are a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the story you covered with this release?

This time we chose to talk about our hometown places and the stories behind them. It's just a small city but everything we talk about could be extrapolated from our country's history and culture. The name Red Hill comes from the Spanish name 'Cerro Rojo', which is suposed to be the geographical centre of Spain. This is a place with a long and rich history that gained a lot of importance during the civil war.

But this album doesn't just focus about this chapter, it also covers what this land was before, and what it means for us in present times. History and personal experience joins in one concept, this is how Red Hill was born, an amicable place for us, full of feelings like grief or resentment.

 4.A lot of your lyrics also cover occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Well, we are curious people, we are always investigating and learning new things. Our interest in politics and history made us further our knowledge on these topics. In fact, our past album was very occultist, all the concept focused around alchemy. We find it beautiful and it's the kind of knowledge that only resonates with a handful of people, because the masses don't care for these ancient and exclusive things.

These themes are also very useful to create an intimate live atmosphere. Of course, we like to make everything to make sense, not just adopting or displaying occult sybolism just because it's nice. We perform a ritual at every live show, and everything responds to a real meaning for us and our songs.

 5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Murmur'/

 

There are a lot of meanings around our band name. We could tell you about a joke, a role game we used to play when we were teenagers, but we finally opted for the demon listed on the ancient grimoire Ars Goetia. What it says about the demon Murmur is that he is a duke who taught philosophy. We want to somehow imitate him, to try to teach aspects of philosophy through our music.

 6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

This album cover is full of meaning. It's actually the real reference to Red Hill, you can see the monument which overlooks the hill and which was built by catholic church under dictatorship collaboration. However, on our cover it appears inverted. This is the point of view we are trying to show in Red Hill, a different perspective on the civil war and the following history.

It also follows the concept of the previous album Pvtrefactio, where we introduced deep content about alchemy. With that cover we kept the essence alive under the Hermetic knowledge "as above so below".

 7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

We've been lucky to play at some very cool festivals around Spain: Arcanxo Festival, Palacio Metal Fest, Rock en Femenino Festival... along with many venues sharing the stage with amazing bands.

As I mentioned before, our show is based on a ritual. Of course, the concept has changed from Pvtrefactio to Red Hill. But our intention is not only to perform our songs for the audience, we also try to offer something else. We think this captures the audience's attention much more, and contributes to building the atmosphere we look for. We usually display an altar and Beatriz, our singer, takes the initiative to express a lot of feelings and hidden meaning through her performance.

Everything is worked on previously through research and reading a lot. Here is another part of this "occultism" you were asking about before. But I hope people don't misinterpret us after reading this, we are far from many clichés like blood, corpsepaint and sacrifices.

 8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

Yes, we do. We're currently negotiating shows for the European tour and we're looking to add some more shows in Spain if possible. As it stands we will be premiering the new album at Menhir Fest in Barcelona. For next year we'll be playing some shows with the Italian band Ponte del Diavolo and we are very excited to be able to announce soon our first European tour dates. For the time being, we continue to work hard on adding more dates, in Spain or wherever it may be. We are certain that 2026 is going to be a very important year for us.

 9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

We did receive some interest but coordinating dates and conditions resulted nearly impossible so that's why decided to continue unsigned, but we don't discard it for the future. At this moment in time we are closing some co-edition and collaborations.

It's also necessary to say that most labels make loads of requests and sometimes it's very hard to reach their expectations or schedule the dates for working together. 

 10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?

Even though we take influence from black metal, in our music we mix a lot of other genres, so we think our fans are probably more diverse. Black metal has evolved a lot since the boom in the 90s. We come from a modern variant with others genres like doom metal, stoner metal or even proggresive music, we think this is our place.

We still haven't experience any rejection from "true blackers" for not being true enough.

 11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We have a lot of ideas and material for new music. There always has to be an evolution, but we hope we can keep our identity and our intentions of creating something original. We don't care too much if people will understand or like our music, we just do what we feel we want to do.

For the near future we have some clear ideas and if everything keeps going well we want to keep growing and explore new horizons, then we will see, nobody knows.

 12.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

We have very different tastes of music in the band, and not everything we listen to is metal. Some members are closer to gothic style (Tribulation, Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy...) others more modern and alternative (Deftones, Nine Inch Nails...), and some more experimental (Imperial Trimphant, Deathspell Omega...).

Of course we have some common artists such as Deafheaven, Gaerea or Amenra. Lately we're also keeping an eye on the eruption of Far East Asian artists and bands too.

 13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

First of all, we're incredibly thankful to Occult Black Metal Zine for dedicating this space to us. It's important to have collaborations that help to expand and understand our music better. And of course congratulate you for your work. I hope we can both keep growing and transmitting our passion that is music. 

We want to take this opportunity to recommend all metal fans to listen to our upcoming album -  Red Hill, to support us and comment with us every aspect about the album or the band they are interested in. Thank you very much.  

Thanks, cheers.

1. nstagram
2. Facebook

APRS/Radio Nocturna Vol.2: Voices del Pasado/Flowing Downward/2025 Full Length Review

 

  APRS  are  a  solo  project  from  Russia  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "Radio  Nocturna  Vol.  2:  Voices  del  pasado"  which  will  be  released  on  November  28th  by  Flowing  Downward.

  A  very  atmospheric  shoegaze  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Synths  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Clean  playing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.

  Melodies  are  also  added  in  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  a  later  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples,  a  couple  of  tracks  are  also  instrumentals.. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  fear,  pain,  disappointment  and  regret  themes.

  In  my  opinion  APRS  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  post  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "2.025  MHz  In  All  Times"  and  "6.024  MHz  Never  Forget  You".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/APRS/3540532186

https://aprs.bandcamp.com/

Adorn/Self Titled/Northern Silence Productions/2025 Full length Review

 

  Adorn  are  a  band  from  the  united  kingdom  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  post  black  metal  and  blackgaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2025  album  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Northern  Silence  Productions.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  brings  in  elements  of  shoegaze.  Violins  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  while  the  heavier  riffing  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  while  pianos  are  also  added  into  certain  parts  of  the  recording.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  album  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  when  they  are  utilized.  Choir  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  romantic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Adorn  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  post  black  metal  and  blackgaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Secrets  Of  The  Heart"  and  "Your  Majesty".  8  out  of  10.

https://adornmusic.bandcamp.com
https://adorn-northernsilence.bandcamp.com/album/adorn
https://instagram.com/adornmusicuk

  

Murmur/Red Hill/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Murmur  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  doom  metal  and  blackgaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  album  "Red  Hill"  which  will  be  released  in  November.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  album  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  album  also  going  into  a  progressive  direction  at  times  and  also  mixing  in  elements  of  shoegaze.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times,  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  whispers  are  also  utilized  briefly.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  samples  and  choir  vocals  are  also  added  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occult  and  ritualistic  metaphors  that  addresses  social  issues.

  In  my  opinion  Murmur  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  doom  metal  and  blackgaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Calling".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/TENwSy2ygf0     

Anomie/Virtus Pereundi/Underworld Echoes/2025 EP Review

 

  Anomie  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  progressive  mixture  of  post  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  ep  "Virtus  Pereundi"  which  was  released  by  Underworld  Echoes.

  Synths  and  clean  playing  start  off  the  album  while  also  bringing  in  elements  of  shoegaze  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  some  death  metal  growls.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  progressive  and  atmospheric  moments.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style,  on  some  of  the  tracks  the  music  goes  into  more  of  an  experimental  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophy,  life,  death  and  abstract  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Anomie  are  a  very  great  atmospheric  and  progressive  sounding  mixture  of  post  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fata  Morgana"  and  "Silencer".  8  out  of  10.

  https://anomieblackmetal.bandcamp.com/album/virtus-pereundi-2

A Somber Funeral/Since You Left These Shores/Silent Watcher Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  A  Somber  Funeral  are  a  duo  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in t his  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Since  You  Left  These  Shores"  which  will  be  released  in  2026  by  Silent  Watcher  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  synths  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  when  they  are  utilzied.  Clear  singing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  the  clean  playing  also  adding  in  touches  of  shoegaze  when  it  is  utilized.

  a  good  portion  of  the  tracks are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  a  later  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  words  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  session work  from  members  of  Waldgefluster,  Uada,  Vorga  and  Faidra.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  lost  friendship,  unspoken  love  and  the  shadow  life  leaves  behind.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  A  Somber  Funeral  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "You  Left  Me  In  My  Hardest  Time"  "An  Eternal  Traveler"  "Light  Of  Big  Cities"  and  "Since  i  left  These  Shores".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://asomberfuneral.bandcamp.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/1VRxaRCI5iqSnYffcKe0Yw

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asomberfuneral

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_somber_funeral_official/

      

Heretoir/Solastalgia/AOP Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  Heretoir  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  post  black  metal  and  blackgaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Solastagia"  which  will  be  released  on  September  19th  by  AOP  Records.

  Distorted  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  shoegaze  elements  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a   decent  amount  of  melody.  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  When  synths  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  album  more  of  an  atmospheric  touch  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style,  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental.  and  a  few  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  emotional  or  existential  collapse  caused  by  a  negatively  perceived  environment  change.     

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Heretori  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  post  black  metal  and  blackgaze,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Ashen  Falls"  "Dreamgather"  "Solastalgia"  and  "Metaphor".  8  out  of  10.

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Echoes Of Gloom Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the solo project?

 

Echoes of gloom is an Australian One Man Atmospheric Black Metal project formed at the start of this year (2025). Debut release “The Mind’s Eternal Storm” was released in July.

 

2.Recently you have released a full length with this project, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

 

The musical style I tried going for is one that both captures the feel of old school black metal while simultaneously being unafraid of venturing into new territories. I wanted to capture a variety of different emotions in each track. For example the track Throes of Bereavement quickly shifts from quiet optimism to feeling like you are sucked deep into a black hole. Too many bands have albums where every song sounds the same so I wanted to avoid that as much as possible.   

 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far musically with this project?

 

The tracks are tales channelling the melancholy of mystical landscapes that have been long forgotten. The mind is portrayed as a labyrinth with an exit (clarity) , some people reside close to the gateway while others are lost deep in the sunken halls of the labyrinth.

 

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Echoes of Gloom'?

 

I’m not going to lie and say it has some big grand meaning that I thought about for months and months, the name just sounds cool and fits with the vibe of the band. There is nothing more to it than that. I guess it could mean that lingering thoughts of gloom always reside in the mind as echoes that we try to keep at bay.  

 

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

 

I have spoken about it before but it is by the brilliant Brazilian artist Marcio Blasphemator. It wasn’t a commission painting, I just saw it on his page and loved it so much I decided to buy it. My interpretation of it is that the hazy surreal backdrop represents the disorienting dream of existence while the more focused clear image of death represents something that is understood and fated for us all.  

 

6.You also have another project called 'Stellar Remains', musically and lyrically how do both of your projects differ from each other?

 

Stellar Remains is more technical and progressive in nature. The lyrics dwell more on science fiction related topics but there is still a bit of overlap between the two bands lyrically with the abstract inward mythology and musically with the heavy use of atmosphere and keyboards. Each band still has a clear definable sound to me however which makes it easy to choose what riff works for each band.

 

7.With both of your projects you record by yourself, are you open to working with a full bands?

 

Definitely, Stellar Remains I record the parts by myself and have friends who play it live and I wouldn’t be opposed to doing the same thing with Echoes down the line. It has just always turned out that by default I always seem to be the main writer of the bands I am in and could play drums too so it just seemed natural to do a project where I self-record everything. It can be a double-edged sword when you are the only song writer but I can do exactly what I want to without the vision becoming distorted.  

 

8.'ATMF' are re-issuing your current album, how did you get in contact with this label?

 

They reached out to me kindly enough after listening to the stream on bandcamp. I love so many other albums they have put out and they have been great and easy to work with.

 

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?

 

It has been largely surprising, the record was written very quickly but I think that is part of the charm. Even though it was written quickly it’s not as if I woke up one day and decided to write black metal, it has always been something I’ve done since I was in like the 10th grade so I’ve had plenty of time to work on and refine my craft. It seems the record has reached a large amount of countries so I am forever grateful to BMP for believing in it and exposing it to a wide range of people. I think a lot of great Australian Metal stays in Australia but if anything for this record, it is more popular in Europe etc than Australia.

 

10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

 

Just keep doing what I’ve been doing. I have more Echoes of Gloom and Stellar Remains music written but honestly, I don’t like to think too far ahead I would rather be surprised by what the future will bring, I’m always keen to experiment and evolve over time and I can’t predict how that will be. I think the new Echoes of Gloom is going to get a little bit weirder for sure.

 

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

 

There is obviously a heavy inspiration from black metal bands such as Wolves in the Throne Room, Stormkeep, Leviathan etc but also I think quite a lot of the old school metal influences I listen to have creeped in quite heavy on the record such as King Diamond, Iron Maiden and Fates Warning as well as shoegaze and post punk bands. Black metal has been going on for nearly four decades and metal as a whole even longer so I think it is important for bands to experiment more while still retaining what made the classics so great. As for what I am listening to nowadays I listen to almost everything under the sun, there is no such thing as a guilty pleasure but I have been pretty obsessed with Blind Guardian the past year or so, they never fail to lift my mood up. I feel like I am more inspired by Movies or Books than music in a way as well, part of what really inspires me to do a new song is when I read something I really love or watch a really thought provoking movie, I try to channel the feeling into music. I think more and more bands these days who have found success have opted for more of an old school production style which is great, I don’t like things too polished and manufactured sounding.

 

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts? 

Thanks for the interview and for giving Australian Black Metal some more exposure, there’s plenty of great bands to be heard this side of the globe. 

https://echoesofgloom.bandcamp.com/album/the-minds-eternal-storm

Corridoré Interview

 

Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

We started recording Abandon two years ago! We’re almost done writing a new album so we’re looking forward to getting back into the studio. We’ve been playing more shows with our current lineup and hope to do a lot more of that. We still get together every week in our cramped, dirty, uncomfortably hot practice space and play old songs, write new ones, give each other unmitigated shit, and share dumb memes.

You have a new album coming out in August, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Abandon is much more expansive and personal than our self-titled album. We have a different drummer (with a death-metal background) and an additional guitarist/vocalist who brings a noise-rock sensibility. As a unit we’ve been veering into more melodic, experimental, proggy, and shoe-gazey territories while still leaning heavily on blast beats, tremolo picking and screamy vocals.

This is also your first release in 6 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Well the pandemic fucked us up, as it did everyone. We also had a lineup change and took two years to record and release the record. Plus, you know, all the normal-life bullshit that being in a band part-time entails.

What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Eric is the primary vocalist and lyricist of the band: ‘In the past, I’ve generally written songs from a third-person point of view, but with this album, although the lyrics and themes still aim to be abstract, it’s the most personal I’ve gotten with lyrics. I wanted the record to convey those feelings of isolation, loneliness, and grief — “abandonment”; but also to look at it from the perspective of things “to abandon” — to break free from that which torments us.’

What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Corridoré'?

Corridoré is Italian for ‘runner.’ It conjures up the feeling of always chasing; longing for a completion to a race that is never over.

Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

The artwork for Abandon was done by an Indonesian artist, who goes by the nom d'artiste Sick of  Realism. We discovered them on Instagram and their art perfectly captures the record’s themes of abandoning and abandonment. 

What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Every time we’re out on the road, it’s magical. Even the shitty shows, breakdowns, equipment malfunctions, and small crowds. It’s all about making connections with like-minded people. We just love playing. On stage, we all enter a bit of a trance: Eric sways, singing with his eyes shut. Guitarists Matt and Russell whirl and head bang while Nick pounds his drums with a concentration that seems almost spiteful.

Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

We’re playing some record-release shows around the Midwest and eyeing an east-coast tour in the fall/winter. Since Hypaethral is based in Toronto, we’re also hoping to do some shows in Canada, eh? Europe would be cool too (hint hint).

The new album is going to be released on 'Hypaethral Records', how did you get in contact with this label?

Ha! Therein lies a tale. We were doing some shows with our friends, the amazing Minneapolis band Eudaemon. They were promoting our shows together and used one of the songs from our first album as the music for an Instagram post. One of their fans mentioned that the song had a “Hypaethral vibe.” We checked out the label and realized that we were familiar with several of their bands including label head Chris’ band Titan. We responded to the post saying “we love Hypaethral. Call us!” A few hours later, Chris messaged us and asked if we had any new material. We sent him the completed album and he agreed to put it out. Phew! Innerwebz, amirite? Also, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that the cassette version of Abandon will be released on Jems Label from Iowa. We met label head Jorge when we played with his band White Batzzz in 2019. He’s been bugging us to release a cassette ever since.

On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of post black metal?

Obviously we’re a small band but we’ve been pleasantly surprised over the years that we’ve gotten support (and merch orders!) from all over the world. Hoping that our association with Hypaethral and Jems will help push us to new listeners everywhere – the preorders are selling well so it seems like early reactions to the new material has been positive!

Where do you see the band heading musically during the future?

The new material we’re writing has been more indebted to musical styles such as post-rock and noise-rock as well as the ever-present undercurrent of black metal. We’re excited to just let the music lead us where it wants to go, not adhering to any labels or constructs – but it’s still going to be heavy and emotionally intense, whatever we do.  

What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

As a band we cite bands like Falls of Rauros, Nothing, Inter Arma, and Deafheaven as musical touchstones. Heavy rotation lately?

Russell: FACS, Deafheaven, krautrock

Eric: Agriculture, chat pile, blood incantation 

Matt: Metal, same as above.  Non-metal: Ryan Davis, Jeff Parker, Cameron Winter, Nala Sinephro, Have A Nice Life!

Nick: Svalbard, Thrown, Christopher Cross

Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Listen to music actively. Think about the things bands stand for. Support your local scene. Fuck fascism.

https://www.facebook.com/corridoremadison

https://www.instagram.com/corridoreband

https://www.youtube.com/@corridore3014

https://www.tiktok.com/@corridoreband

https://bsky.app/profile/corridoreband.bsky.social

Wander Lust Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?

I started Wander Lust as a personal project that was initially meant to help me cope with the severe anxiety and depression stemming from a series of traumatic events. The agony, isolation, and a deeply unsettling reality, in the midst of the pandemic, was beginning to consume me and I made a choice to instead take the opportunity to transmute these feelings. I was able to do that by writing music.

Wander Lust then became about a transformative journey of self discovery, with the understanding that it would be a long and treacherous path. The only way to achieve a new paradigm would be by embracing the harsh and cold reality of the truth, so that I may transcend. 

2.In August you released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

My style of guitar playing takes inspiration from different forms of extreme metal such as death, thrash, black, melodic, doom, heavy metal and often balanced by the soothing sounds of folk/timeless acoustic instrumental stuff and even classical works by Chopin. My singing style is ethereal, haunting and eerie. When I sing, I like to imagine myself as a melancholy entity wandering the lost parts of the woods singing of mournful sorrows while bathing in the river under a waterfall. 

3.You refer to your music as being 'ethereal black metal', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?

I struggled to put a genre to the music that came out of this. I couldn’t really categorize it into a subgenre that already existed. I started calling it Melodic Blackgaze at first but it didn't feel quite right to me. Close to the day of the release I showed my music to a client of mine at work and she said to me “I am convinced you are an ethereal metal goddess!” and when she said that I knew that ethereal metal would have to be a way to describe it, but when I looked into it, ethereal metal was too broad. Being that a lot of my music’s core sound comes from the guitar melodies and it shares a main overall semblance to black metal through the gritty texture of the tremolo and it's mournful tragic essence that was where I came up with Ethereal Black Metal to describe it. It felt closest to home, but my music doesn’t fit into a neat package.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

I use a lot of symbolism to describe lived experiences, exploring the psyche and the shadow self.

-Burning Wood is about becoming enlightened and finding the courage within to go forth on the destined path to self discovery. It's purpose was meant to be self empowering.

-Solace of a Dream is about making the realization that I had been unfulfilled and that I needed to let go of the people and situations that were hurting me and holding me back from finding my purpose.

-Spiders is about being lured into a trap and being emotionally cannibalized and sucked dry of every ounce of hope and joy until all that was left is a lifeless hopeless shell of a person.

-Call Me Crazy is about emotional and physical abuse and how it causes destruction on an epidemic level

-The Portal is about becoming so broken that seemingly the only escape is to give up and to wither away.

-Stuck in a Reverie is about being so heartbroken and beat down that it makes you angry.

-Fractals is an introspection and self reflection of the shadow and how these experiences led me to madness, but regaining my power by rediscovering my profound connection to nature and to the all.

-Darkness’s Wrath is me calling upon the power of the moon and asking for strength and guidance to escape this darkness

-and finally concluding the album with the haunting and ever present concept of death. Questioning an eternal loop or cycle and begging, imploring for answers.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Wander Lust'?

I've always found that no matter what was ever going on in my life, wandering around isolated places has always brought me comfort. It became like a craving, I would lust for exploration and discovery. I am a wanderer, I have always known this moving fluidly through change and adapting easily to new environments. That is how I came up with the name.

6.Can you tell us a little bi more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

The figure is me standing in the chaos of the ocean, The hand to the left of the image is connecting with the boundless energy of the moon and the hand to the right is meant to represent a connection to the wisdom derived from the element of water(because I am a water sign). The artwork was don't by Stan Ivan, for the main streaming and CD album cover. The second artwork was done by Dash of blood for the Cassettes and Vinyl artwork(two separate album covers both the same concept, different approach) the hooded figure represents the human experience the hand is piercing through the veil of reality and releasing the “fluid of knowledge” and sending the wisdom up to the universe for the collective unconscious.

7.Originally the band started out as a solo project, what was the decision behind expanding into a duo?

I met channeler when I was in the middle of mixing my DIY recording of Fractals which was going to be my second official single as a solo artist. I reached out to him asking for some advice on the mixing process, and he asked if I could send over a sample of the song, so I sent it over. “When I first saw Luna’s message, the first thought on my mind was ‘who is this girl?’ and then when she sent over the sample of Fractals and I first heard her sing I was just mesmerized.” said Channeler. At that point Channeler asked me if he could mix the song. After I heard the first mix for Fractals, I was in awe and seeing how well we worked together, I asked Channeler to join as a permanent member of Wander Lust and he accepted right away and that was that. After we released Fractals we went straight to recording the album.  

8.The new album was released on 'Portal Studios', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Portal Studios was created by Channeler to be a recording studio specifically for extreme metal and avant-garde variants of it. Originally intended on just being a recording studio- it eventually became an interest in everyone involved to expand it into a simple independent label for those who want to release their albums in a safe risk free environment without having to sign any rights away to their music that they poured hard work into. Having previously released a handful of other band’s Demo’s and EP’s, Portal Studios has sought out to always improve the quality of their recordings over the past 5 years and continues to do so. Solace of a Dream was the first official full length album released through Portal Studios. There are many albums in the process of finalization featuring bands like Ethos, Sahmaataha, Enshrouded, Declension and Spectre, that are projected to be released towards the end of 2025-Early 2026. There is soon to be a website for Portal Studios announced along with a series of services being announced such as recording, mixing, 4K professional live video and audio for band’s performances, studio music videos and a long list of other services but for now Portal Studios can be found at

 www.instagram.com/portalstudiosmetal

www.facebook.com/PortalStudiosMetal

www.youtube.com/@PortalStudiosMetal

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?

Occult Black Metal Zine did a review on Wander Lust and gave the album an 8 out of 10, so far I have only heard people say good things about it. I am very thankful for that, I did prepare my mind in case there was negative feedback but so far only good reactions.

10.Where do you see the project heading into musically during the future?

I hope to grow our fan base. doing stuff on YouTube, we want to release another single soon, we are already working on the next album. We have plans for going live sometime in the next year. I would love to organize some forest shows, but I want to just take it as far as it can go.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

A bit of influence on my vocals must have come from my song obsessions with artists like Mazzy Star “Fade into You”, Cat Power “Werewolf”, a little bit of Amy Lee from my teen years, Bambi Baker “Derealization”, Elita “Introvert” even in small ways Serj Tankien plays a part with the harmonies, and romantic vintage Jazz vocals. Guitar influences are bands like Dissection, Satyricon, Death, Dio, Judas Priest, early Megadeth, Opeth(benighted), Sentenced “Hallucinations”, guitar players like Yngwie Malmsteen and Jason Becker, acoustic folk artist Valì, Agalloch, Lord Belial, Sacramentum, a little bit influence from, Spanish Classical too and Chopin.

Recently I been listening to a lot of Worm, Netherbird, Agalloch, King Woman, Darkher, Myrkur, Chelsea Wolf, Obscura, Wode, Beyond Creation and just sounds of rain, thunder, the ocean and the river and Ethos, Channelers band haha because it's amazing.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Check out Wander Lust on 

LInk IG  - https://www.instagram.com/wander.lust.band

Link FB - https://www.facebook.com/people/Wander-Lust-Ethereal-Black-Metal/61579742848560/

Link YT - https://www.youtube.com/@WanderLust-band

Official Website - https://www.wanderlustmetal.com/

Wander Lust/Solace of A Dream/Portal Studios/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Wander  Lust  are  a  duo  from  San  Jose,  California  that  plays  an  ethereal  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  Solace  Of  A  Dream"  which  was  released  by  Portal  Studios.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  clear  singing  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Clean  playing  is  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  while  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  Elements  of  post  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  touch  of  shoegaze.

  Wander  Lust  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is very  atmospheric  and  ethereal  sounding  as  well  as  adding  in  elements  of  post  metal  and  shoegaze  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  solitude,  transformation  and  the  search  for  solace  within  the  Vastness  of  dreams. 

  In  my  opinion  Wander  Lust  are  a  very  great  sounding  ethereal  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Burning  Wood"  "Spiders"  "Stuck  in  A  Reverie"  and  "44".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.wanderlustmetal.com/

https://www.instagram.com/wander.lust.band/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579742848560&mibextid=JRoKGi

https://wanderlustmetal.bandcamp.com/album/solace-of-a-dream 

Panopticon/Songs Of Hireath/Nordvis Produktion/2025 Compilation Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  compilation  from  Minnesota's  Panopticon  which  shows  the  music  being  in  more  of  an atmospheric  black  metal  and  the  album  was  released  in  2025  by  Nordvis  Produktion  and  called  "Songs  of  Hireath"  which  consists  of  unreleased  songs  recorded  between  2009  and  2011.

  A  very  heavy  and  atmospheric  sound  starts  off  the  compilation  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic post  metal  style  as  well  as  some  synths  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Whispered  vocals  and  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  compilation  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Harsh  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.  A  couple  of  songs  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  words  as  well  as  some  folk  instruments  also  being  utilized briefly  and  one  track  also  adds  in  t  ouch  of  blackgaze,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  indigenous  history,  green  anarchism  and  the  consequences  of  industrialization. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collection  from  Panopticon  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Road  To  Bergen"  "Haunted  America  II"  and  "The  Eulogy".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/ie/artist/panopticon/381121839

https://www.facebook.com/TheTruePanopticon

https://www.instagram.com/thetruepanopticon/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Mz5qpR3WxbcBwZBsmraWE?si=SBGty_m2TGGRWJDPSXjX1w&nd=1&dlsi=f9dc763bc4834583