Saturday, November 25, 2023

Full Length Review: Vaultwraith "Decomposing Spells" (Hells Headbangers) by Dave Wolff

Band: Vaultwraith
Location: Springfield, Missouri
Country: USA
Genre: Blackened heavy metal
Full length: Decomposing Spells
Format: CD, digital
Release date: November 1, 2022
After finding a review posted at Metal Digest (the link was posted at the Facebook profile of Billy Nocera of Razorback Records and Evilspeak magazine) I was inspired to listen to this album and see what I thought of it.
Adam McCann of Metal Digest described Vaultwraith as taking a flamethrower to the template of underground/old school metal to blacken the edges. I see his point while listening to the band firsthand, and would also describe them as dousing the template in napalm and allowing it to settle for a time, so it’s exposed, inflamed and a little bloody.
If Witchery, Nifelheim and Deatwitch (along with Deceased and Toxic Holocaust) are commonly on your playlist, “Decomposing Spells” is something pulsing with horror, theatrics and a fondness for its craft. Unapologetically old school and brutal, unconcerned with toning anything down or pursuing anything in vogue, Vaultwraith is a blackened heavy metal band through and through.
The band has made impressions of channeling the music they matured with since their first demo in 2016 and their debut full length “Death Is Proof of Satan's Power” in 2017. “Decomposing Spells” epitomizes their adamancy at writing and recording to come across as raw, animated, explosive and in your face, it adds just enough harmony, keyboards and atmosphere to etch its own mark.
The cover art suggests a typical approach to dark power metal, but once you hear the songs you’ll perceive something far more profound. With lyrics reeking of occultic horror fantasy spewed by vocalist Esteban Walpurgis like a despoiler of vital life force from the most bottomless perdition, or Nosferatu awakened from his coffin, the band companionably escort you to crumbling, creaking manor dwellings, then lock you inside to observe the unsanctified occurrences within.
In the world Vaultwraith constructs there’s little light and more than enough mystery to compel your curiosity to stay. They also have a personalized process integrating heaviness, tunefulness, resonance, trepidation and alarm into a style that transforms their roots into something to distinguish as their own. “Decomposing Spells” is a seamless example of playing what you feel and spawning something honest and unspoiled. Support the band and their label; it's deserved. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:
Esteban Walpurgis (Billy Nocera): Vocals, lyrics
The Warlock (William Wardlaw): All instruments

Track list:
1. Wax Cylinder Apparition
2. The Devil's Dish Served Cold
3. Decomposing Spells
4. Carnivorous Coven
5. Church Burned
6. The Sinister Scythe
7. Full Circle Possession
8. Hearse Hauntress
9. The Mortuary Succubus
10. Of Skeletons and Metal

Vaultwraith at Bandcamp (full discography here)

Interview with Scott Rowe of Redrumed by Dave Wolff


Interview with Scott Rowe of Redrumed by Dave Wolff

Redrumed has existed for a long time and boasts a massive track record. Tell the readers about your biggest accomplishments to date and how much publicity the band is getting?
Redrumed started as my solo band, coming off my Alice Cooper tribute which I retired after thirty years. The band played our first gig with Scott Rowe (vocals) on November 10, 2018 at Chopper John's. Last year I decided we should be a band, being that Matthew Taylor (drums, vocals) and Rob Erwin (bass, vocals) have been with me for four years, and Anthony “Doc” Tarantino (lead guitar, vocals) for three, and the name is easier to say. This past year or so, we've been recording with Tommy Gibbons at KMS Studios and he really helped us achieve our sound and be the band we wanted to be! Tommy was definitely a game changer for us! Our biggest accomplishment.... now we’ll just see what the future brings us.

Which songs by Alice Cooper were you covering in the tribute band you had before Redrumed? How often did this band play out while you were together?
My Alice Cooper tribute show is a legacy here in Arizona. It lasted from October 1990 to October 2020. I've been called the valley's founding father of copycat rock by Get Out Magazine in 2000. I retired it on its thirtieth Anniversary. I worked with Michael Bruce who wrote and played in the original Alice Cooper band. He was everything to me in the beginning, but that's another story. There are too many songs to list.

Your bio mentions when you started working with Redrumed, you wanted to avoid cover bands and play original music. When did you decide this and for what reasons?
Too many people want to be somebody else nowadays. On one end of the spectrum, I'm sorry for creating the tribute band scene here in Arizona. After doing someone's music for thirty years on and off, it gets old, I mean really old. You have to be on the road constantly to make a living. Where does that get you in the end? Not a damn thing! I didn’t want to fall into that! On the other end of the spectrum, I had a great run; it was a lot of fun! Besides getting to work with Michael Bruce, I was hired by Alice Cooper himself a few times, and played his restaurant many times. I got to do gigs bands only wished they could do. But if I wanted to do anything serious in music, I had to drop the Alice Cooper tribute, period! Run as far as I could! I always loved the dark side of music! I even created my own character with makeup, Silver*Tongue*Devil* which I got rid of over two years ago! No makeup at all now, we want to be more like Pantera!

What was it like to work directly with Alice Cooper and perform at his restaurant? To your knowledge, is it true that he feeds the homeless each year, around Thanksgiving or Christmas?
At Alice Cooper's opening back in December 1998 they needed a bass player. Alice Cooper, Neil Smith and Michael Bruce were going to do a reunion, and I said I had my bass player from my Alice Cooper tribute band and I could do an opening set. It was a really good night. I did some other shows including the Glen Buxton memorial. I remember in October 1999 we played on the same bill with the original Alice Cooper band.
Actually Alice still opens his restaurant before Christmas. He has all the kids from the orphanage come down and has cartoons on TV screens. I got to help serve food with Alice through friends. I talked to one about what a mentor Alice was. That was back in 2003, I think.

Redrumed’s bio states you started playing heavy rock and moved towards playing metal. You describe yourselves as “unapologetic melodic death life metal”. Describe your transition from rock to metal and explain what the term means to the band.
In the beginning we wanted to be the band we are now, but it took time. A mere hard rock band wanting to be a semi death metal band. Death/life metal came to me recently to describe our music. We covered Slayer’s “Dead Skin Mask” to help us in the early years, along with The Damned’s “New Rose”, which we still do here and there. Also Megadeth’s “Symphony of Destruction” and Amon Amarth's “Pursuit of Vikings”. We basically combined metal with death metal and some punk and there you have it! You'll hear our influences, but we don't sound like anybody!

What bands has Tommy Gibbons of KMS Studios worked with before working with Redrumed, and how has his experience brought out the band’s qualities? Do you generally find his ideas compatible with yours?
We have each song recorded one by one. We now have nine songs and are recording the tenth on November 26, then our album will be finished. Tommy Gibbons was in Flaw and Tantric, then he decided to step away and produce bands. He is our Bob Ezrin and he knows metal.

What methods has Gibbons used to help the band develop their sound? What equipment does he have at his disposal?
We don't do anything really special. We just go in a hundred per cent and lay down our tracks in four to five hours, and Tommy does the rest. This will be our first album ever. We have eight songs out now, but no one will hear the other two, “In the Key of Me” and “Mortified Mortification”, till the album comes out.

You have also gained exposure by playing with L.A Guns and Soulfly. In what way did you obtain these opening slots and what was the size of the venues where you performed?
We opened for a few national bands at The Marquee Theatre here in Phoenix, with Scott Rowe and Redrum. It was five years ago when we played with L.A. Guns. And coming up on four years when we opened for Soulfly in January 2020. It was Doc's first gig, and debut of “The Boogie Man Will Get You”. From there we started to slowly morph into what we are now!

In what ways do you expect the album to be an improvement for the band?
Our music is maturing as we go. Our first three years together was my old material with my previous band “Twelve Inch Tacks” which fell apart. When Doc entered the picture, that's when it changed. This past year and a half working with Tommy Gibbons was the icing on the cake!

You mentioned that Tommy Gibbons sang on "Pursuit of Vikings" and his performance left an impression on you. Can you discuss the time when he asked to offer the band support that way?
It was just once for me. I just wanted to be a performer so Tommy Gibbons said he wanted to do a little back up on “Pursuit of Vikings”. He did a great job of producing and I can't wait for everybody to hear it.

Who in the band is the lyric writer, and by what process are the lyrics written?
I write the lyrics… they just come to me out of nowhere. Sometimes I find myself with a pen and I can't stop writing. I started on a song about being a vampire, and all of sudden out of left field I wrote entirely different song lyrics and had it halfway done. A few days later, the band was messing around and there it was! By the week after I had the lyrics finished. It's called “Death on Borrowed Time”. It's about the Grim Reaper taking time out to find true love, and no one can die until he does! Musically, it has a Ministry “feel”. We'll be debuting it at Too Broke for Pudding #8 on December 8.

Name some of the singles you released to preview the album before its release, and indicate in general how the response to them has been?
We just released “Shelter Skelter” which has been getting a positive response! It’s the first song I sing out of the gate after the instrumental intro! “The Boogie Man will Get You!” seems to be a staple in our set. It’s very entertaining to perform live! I just adore “Black Sunday Domination” for which I wrote the lyrics off the 1960 Italian horror movie “Black Sunday”. The second part of the song is an ode to Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Abbott [Pantera], and dedicated to our backup singer Rickie Broeker who passed away early last January.

What is the storyline of “Black Sunday” and what aspects of it did you wish to convey in “Black Sunday Domination”? You mentioned that storytelling plays an important role in your lyrics. What techniques do you use to convey a story?
I was watching the movie and the lyrics basically wrote themselves. I love the second part of Pantera's “Domination” and for some reason it slid its way in. It's also dedicated to Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Abbott, and Rickie Broker. We had Selene Shiloh come in and recreated her vocals for the track.

Selene Shiloh designed the artwork for the album. Tell the readers how you arranged for her to design for you. What arrangements did you make for her to sing backup on "Black Sunday Domination"?
Selene is the singer of Trixie & The Ego Machine. She took the word "redrum" and added the crooked –ed to redesign it. She recreated Rickie Broeker's vocal on “Black Sunday Domination” and did a few shows with us as our back singer/muse.

Your song “Exacerbated” is about Dorothy Kilgallen, the New York journalist who investigated John F. Kennedy’s assassination and mysteriously turned up dead. What intrigued you about her story and the conspiracy theories, if any, surrounding Kennedy’s death?
I stumbled upon Dorothy Kilgallen by accident. One Youtube video from Mark Shaw is really intriguing; I listened more and more to what he had to say as he talked about his books. I did some more research and found an article with the word ‘exacerbated’ in it. I figured it meant her death was brought on by alcohol and meds, like Marilyn Monroe. I actually started writing that song a few years ago when I used to work for Office Depot. I was just kind of sitting there and the lyrics started popping my head. I started writing it down right then and there. We first recorded it under Scott Rowe and Redrum, our first ever time working with Tommy Gibbons. I read a comment on Youtube asking why isn't "Exacerbated" on Metal Mainstream Radio?

How did you come to partner with SelfMadeRecordsLLC for publicity and promotion? Since you began contacting the label, how have they treated the band?
I do believe our name come across their desk with “Shelter Skelter”. When they heard “Pursuit of Vikings” he asked us if we wanted to sign.

SelfMadeRecordsLLC will distribute your album through Earache Digital Distribution when it is released by SelfMadeRecordsLLC. What is the expected extent of the band's fan base expansion?
As far as the release, hopefully it will have the Quiet Riot effect on the world. I've been telling that to my boys the last few months. Last night's gig, the soundman played Quiet Riot’s “Cum on Feel the Noize”, their cover of Slade, right before we went on. I was thinking the same thing Ken Howey said, “Maybe it's an omen.” The soundman had no clue.

Are there any additional plans for the band to make a name for themselves, anything you would like to tell your listeners?
On December 19 we are having a special listening party in honor of my late wife Ronda on the second anniversary of her passing.


-Dave Wolff


Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Film Review: Monster Force Zero (Uncork'd Entertainment, 2019) by Devin J. Meaney

Monster Force Zero
Directed by Nathan Letteer
Written by Tyson Kroening and Nathan Letteer
Created by Michele Pacitto
With Garrett Wang, Aeon Cruz, Heath C. Heine, Amanda Rhodes, Heidi Rowan, Greg Farinelli, Cali June, Dalena Nguyen
Produced by ETK Entertainment and The Gam3
Distributed by Uncork'd Entertainment
Released September 13, 2019 (KaPow Intergalactic Film Festival)
At the height of a very boring day I decided to watch a movie. As per usual I made my way to Tubi, and although I was feeling like something cheesy I wasn’t aiming for horror. After a brief search I made my way to “Monster Force Zero”, a low budget “sci-fi hero comedy” (that is the only way I can describe it).
First and foremost I will throw it out there that this was listed as PG, but it actually had loads of adult humor and cursing and stuff. Secondly, this was actually pretty damn rad! There were dinosaurs, aliens, super heroes, robots, and a slew of other things that can be described as “up my alley”! No, the script wasn’t uber professional and the acting was amateurish at best, but in the long run it was filmed pretty well! I find it hard to find movies that draw me in (the same as books) but this for sure is something I would watch again with friends!
I’d go into further detail but I feel as if a better way to consume the story would be to watch the movie yourself. If you have any interest in “well done” B- grade humorous stuff I’d say give it a go. I was never one for the more mainstream super hero movies, but this had loads to keep me entertained—and I’d make a stab that you might find it to be something that entertains as well! -Devin J. Meaney

Full Length Review: NothingNew "In This Together" (Independent) by Gene Olivarri

Band: NothingNew
Location: Alabama
Country: USA
Genre: Doom metal
Full length: In This Together
Format: Digital
Label: Independent
Release date: March 25, 2022
NothingNew’s album "In This Together" had lots of metal hardcore undertones in their music this is a pure metal band with a mix of genre and elements in their musical abilities in all of their songs. Each song takes you on a different path leading to so many different levels of emotions in every song; it was very unique. Some songs had a very old school death doom vibe, in some of the beginnings of their songs, and from there just got heavier. The singing reminds me of early Crowbar. If you have a unique tastebud this band is for you. –Gene Olivarri

Lineup:
Andrew C. Zinn: Vocals, lyrics
Sean Lyons: Lead guitars
Jerry Clayton: Guitars, bass, drum programming

Track list:
1. Amalgamation of Blood
2. Descend With Purpose
3. F.O.S.D.
4. Reject the Separation
5. Mankind is Transient
6. Mandatory Ignorance
7. Purge Unwanted Thinking


Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Full Length Review: Serpens Lvx "Hendecagramicon: Adversarial Ethos Exoterically Unlocking Shrines of Dissolution" (Satanath Records) by Gene Olivarri

Band: Serpens Lvx
Country: RussiaBand: Serpens Lvx
Country: Russia
Genre: Black metal
Format: Digital, jewel box CD (limited to 500 copies)
Label: Satanath Records (Georgia). Co-released with Australis Records (Chile), Pluton's Rising Productions (Poland), The End Of Time Records (Ireland)
Release date: June 30, 2023
Serpens Lvx is insanely impressive with this album. I was very taken back by the sound of the tone. The quality the writing of the songs was amazing. Serpens Lvx is indeed a Black/Death torturing machine from the very depths of hell. The sound produced by this band is breathtaking such epicness with every song throughout the album. The ideas of the drum beats were something to my ears, a new and very different approach. The bass as well was sharp as a demon's blade soaring through the music. The guitars were so amazingly done; lots of unique riffing and timings. The tone of the guitars was completely different and tasteful. –Gene Olivarri

Lineup:
Tzinacan: Vocals, lyrics
Vorronah: All instruments

Track list:
1. Raping the 7 Mothers ov Kaoz (Point of Ingress)
2. Tzinakankamazotz (Aztec Vampyrism)
3. I Am the Adversary (Impii Irreligiosi Carnivoribus Immortalibus)
4. Gnosis Cipactli Tiamat
5. Salve la muerte!
6. Anticosmic Eroticism (Sexual Black Light Magick)
7. Formulation of Qayin
8. Stabbing the Eye of the Sun
9. Set-Typhon in Apep (Quetzalcoatl Decapitated)
10. Dehexecrated Graveyard of Galaxies
11. Tlazolteotl Mantra (Point of Egress) (Instrumental)


Sunday, November 19, 2023

Split EP Review: Vomit Bath/Bulbous Ulcer "2-way split" (Gore Bubble Productions) by Devin J. Meaney

Band: Vomit Bath
Location: Brantford, Ontario
Country: Canada
Genre: Goregrind
Band: Bulbous Ulcer
Location: California
Country: USA
Genre: Cyber/gore/vomit/noise
Split EP: Vomit Bath/Bulbous Ulcer - 2-way split
Format: Digital, streaming
Release date: August 2022
I have found that a great way to find fresh new music is by typing “[genre] 2023” into the search bar of YouTube! The problem with this now is that I seem to have listened to most of what is available! So obviously, my next step was to type “gorenoise 2022” into the search bar to see what I could find from that sub-genre from the previous year!
Drawn in by the cover, I was brought to a split between Vomit Bath and Bulbous Ulcer! Vomit Bath is a pretty nifty little goregrind spew, and the last song “Daddy Never Understood (cover)” was pretty amusing to say the least. Bulbous Ulcer is some pretty headache inducing gorenoise, but with that said it was an intriguing listen! Oh! And hey! Vomit Bath is Canadian! It is always good to hear some DIY gore from my part of the globe!
Overall this was not the best split I have ever heard, but it was indeed enjoyable. Once again, the cover is sincerely rad, and I do hope to hear more from these guys (both projects). Overall, Vomit Bath is my favorite of the two! -Devin J. Meaney

Track list:
1. VxBx - Open Wound Gluttony
2. VxBx - Bring Forth The Chunks
3. VxBx - Impeccable Sliming
4. VxBx - Scab Flow Rodeo
5. VxBx - Daddy Never Understood (Deluxx Folk Implosion cover)
6. BxUx - 16 Untitled Tracks (Ft. NSOF)

Thursday, November 16, 2023

"Welcome to our November Dark Moon Ritual" by Liath Sahjaza

Welcome to our November Dark Moon Ritual.
By Liath Sahjaza of Temple House Sahjaza

This Dark Moon falls in Scorpio, so this elemental water sign's energy is expected to be prominent in our lives. Scorpio aligns with intimacy, sexuality, assets, control, power, money, sharing, and investments, things to think about as we take our inner journey.

Dark Moons can open a cosmic door that had been previously closed to us, depending on the ability to work through our own insecurities. It is important to strike a balance between what we give and receive, so practice self-care, find your center, and be aware of your emotions and surroundings. Even if you feel provoked, practice mindfulness and be compassionate to yourself and others. This is a thing I, personally, must constantly work on.

Scorpio energies favor working on our self-mastery skills. So, as we take time to go inside, maybe pinpoint those things that make us feel out of control, such as addictions and debts, and work on freeing ourselves of these emotional burdens.

This Dark Moon cycle is also opportune for exploring what is missing in our lives that leads us to engage in these self-destructive behaviors. This can be an opportunity to rid ourselves of junk in our live, both material and spiritual. With this potent Scorpio energy, we have the chance to make important changes in our lives.

Each sign’s energies can teach us valuable things if we are open to learning, and one of Scorpio’s lessons involves learning to dig deeper into the mysteries around us. Taking the time to understand others’ motives can enrich our feelings of intimacy, forgiveness, and meaning. My tendency has always been to react with, “How dare you do that to me!”, instead of trying to understand why, so this is where I have to work harder.

We might want to use this cycle to focus on and develop one special project or relationship to help add purposefulness and depth to our lives.

It can also be a time to seek ways to release our fear of confrontations and heavy emotional situations. I’ve learned that, although they may be uncomfortable, these situations can lead us toward psychological healing and much needed change.

I hope we all can take the energies of Scorpio and apply them to our personal needs and be ready for new beginnings energy of tomorrow’s New Moon.

Much love to you all,
HEOP Liath Sahjaza

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Full Length Review: Frost "Consecratus Ad Mortem" (Metal Ör Die Records) by Devin J. Meaney

Band: Frost
Location: Kazincbarcika
Country: Hungary
Genre: Black metal
Format: Digital, CD
Label: Metal Ör Die Records (Hungary)
Release date: November 15, 2023
I listened to a handful of bands today, but I have chosen to only review one. “Consecratus Ad Mortem” by Frost is the release I have chosen, and as my desire to type is only minimal today I will keep my review brief.
This is black metal of the melodic variety. The band hails from Hungary, and after listening I can state that this was actually quite the splendid blast of eerie and atmospheric blackness! As per usual with the BM that I like, the production and musicianship is very cold, and with a band name like “Frost” I’d say that makes a ton of sense. The vocals are great, and so are the drums, and along with the melodics and heaviness there are also lighter instrumental tones included!
This was uploaded to YouTube for free by the Black Metal Promotion account and features nine tracks in under 50 minutes. If you have interest you can also check the band out on Facebook, Bandcamp and the Metal Archives! If you wish to purchase a physical copy of this album (always a great thing, as it supports both the band and the label) you can snag a copy from Metal Or Die Records! Lastly, even though I kept the review brief I can state that this is some of the better BM I’ve heard recently. Check it out! -Devin J. Meaney

Lineup:
Deák Tamás: Vocals
Tátrai Csaba: Guitars
Komló György: Guitars
Ferenc Mocsnik: Bass
Lõrincz Dávid: Keyboards
Róbert Mester: Drums

Track list:
1. Ash in Face
2. In the Labyrinth of Musty Walls
3. The Thirtheenth of Them...
4. Frozen Spheres of the Deepness
5. Mirror
6. The Crown of Creation
7. Odium Vetus
8. Dead Light of Unknown Stars
9. The Echo of Night's Gold

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Single Review: Moonlight Lily "The Hollow" (Independent) by Dave Wolff


Band: Moonlight Lily
Location: New York, New Jersey
Country: USA
Genre: Alternative gothic metal
Single: The Hollow
Format: Digital track, promotional lyric video
Label: Independent
Release date: October 19, 2023
This is the first I heard from Moonlight Lily since their single and video “Masquerade” from 2021. When the band contacted me letting me know about the October premiere of “The Hollow” I figured I’d watch the lyric video.
I remember the former song was a mixture of goth metal, alt rock, groove and emo metal composed by musicians from a background as diverse as the influences they brought into it. It was also heavily emotionally driven, especially when it came to devotion, with mesmerizing poetics based in fantasy and reality. This is as much a part of their sound in “The Hollow”, which tones down the dark qualities I heard before and drives the vocals toward more melodic turf, but keeps the heavy, hypnotic and transcendental metaphysics I became familiar with before.
There are more keyboards than I remember, and they broaden those distinguishing qualities with atmosphere and ambience that enshrouds you in the universe created through the band’s writing. This transformation feels not only like something that hasn’t quite expired, but is growing and adapting to the corporeal with the passage of time. This feeling is made even more immersive with the lyrics, “Old gods changing names/old devils wearing new faces/shake them from the slumber/let us trade places/I don’t hurt when I fall/I don’t feel sorry/stitching back the pieces/stealing back my glory”.
The transformation captured in the lyrics and expressed through the instruments feels like a magical metamorphosis from a dead caterpillar to a living butterfly. The graphics made for the video, which appear to be AI generated but I could be wrong, help push this idea further. They’re really striking and give the impression of something hiding in the deep dark forest finally awaiting its moment of rebirth as the surrounding grayness starts to regain color and texture. The instant the sun returns, you see solitude give way to companionship and a feeling the dead forest is home again.
It’s a profound statement for a video that you have to witness firsthand to absorb the effect it means to have on you. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:
Iva: Vocals, synthesizers, lyrics
Ed: Guitars, bass
Vlad: Drums


Thursday, November 9, 2023

Full Length Review: Xoth "Exogalactic" (Dawnbreed Records) by Devin J. Meaney

Band: Xoth
Location: Seattle, Washington
Country: USA
Genre: Progressive black/death/power metal
Full length: Exogalactic
Format: Digital, CD
Label: Dawnbreed Records
Release date: November 3, 2023
In the wee hours of the morning my good friend Seagull (aka Bum Bum the Clown) sent me some tunes! I listened to part of the first track presented, but as I was on my way to bed I told him that I would listen to it in full when I wasn’t getting ready for snoozeville. The album he sent me was “Exogalactic” by Xoth! As I sit typing this I am doing exactly as I said I would do, and (obviously) I figured I would give it a review to boot! Here goes…
After listening to the first few tracks, the first thing I noticed is that it is really hard to pin point what genre to define this as. While searching the YouTube bio for clues as to what strain of metal these guys consider themselves, I noticed it stated right within the bio that Xoth “eludes catergorization”—and honestly I’ve never heard a deeper truth told. Mixing death, black and thrash along with atmospheric, symphonic and experimental elements it is plain to see (and hear) that Xoth are in a league all of their own!
The musicianship is quite fantastic to say the very least. The guitars are both chugging and intricate, with heavy rhythms and vibrant solo work. The vocals are harsh, unique and sporadically diverse, not to mention that the percussion is “more than just” tight and elegantly (yet forcefully) forward driving and pin-perfect. Everything else is pretty damn good too, and when everything is mixed together it makes for a listen that absolutely drips with talent and obvious effort!
It states in the bio that Xoth have existed since 2014. I did indeed hear of them, but I never really listened to them, or at least my memory did not retain that data. I’m sure I would remember it though, as this is something worth storing within my sometimes overloaded memory bank!
Taken from YouTube: “In partnership with Dawnbreed Records, their third triumph "Exogalactic" is an ambitious leap forward. It’s as if they've excavated musical relics from Earth's core and melded them with sounds from the far reaches of the universe. Each song is an event horizon, stirring subgenres into a timewarp of past and future sonic chaos.”
I think the bio sums it up well, so lastly, I will trim my word vomit and utter one simple suggestion:
“Check out this amazing friggin’ album!” -Devin J. Meaney

Lineup:
Tyler Sturgill: Guitar, vocals
Woody Adler: Guitar
Ben Bennett: Bass
Jeremy Salvo: Drums

Track list:
1. Reptilian Bloodsport
2. Manuscripts of Madness
3. Sporecraft Zero
4. The Parasitic Orchestra
5. Saga of the Blade
6. Reflective Nemesis
7. Battlesphere
8. Map to the Stars, Monument to the Ancients

EP Review: The Beatersband "52 Ways To Murder" (Independent) by Dave Wolff

Band: The Beatersband
Country: Italy
Genre: Punk, pop punk
Format: Digital, CD
Label: Independent
Release date: October 2, 2023
As a first impression, the Beatersband appeared to be a lighthearted band that covered classic songs from the fifties and sixties. However, this is not to imply that I disliked them, given the importance of the songs they were reworking.
After some time, I began to hear, or imagine hearing, something creepily noirish about their musicianship, which is unusual for most pop bands. Furthermore, I appreciate some pop punk music, but the majority of it seems too formulaic and repetitive to me. The question is also not one of receptivity to music genres other than metal (those who regularly read the zine will have an idea of this), but rather one of personal taste. Fortunately, the Beatersband's latest EP, “52 Ways To Murder”, was not subject to this restriction, which is why I could listen to it.
In retrospect, it seems an odd coincidence that I drew a comparison between their album “Vol Due” and the Misfits’ “Project 1950”. The Misfits always modeled their style on 50s rock, a connection shared with the Beatersband since “52 Ways To Murder” includes four Misfits originals that fit well, from their hardcore Danzig-fronted material to their newer and campier odes to horror. Fans of both traditional punk and pop punk should find something they like in the complete track listing, all of which performed with solid professionalism and vocals both melodious and indicative of the Misfits' dark appeal.
The Beatersband's renditions of "She", "Some Kinda Hate" and "Nightmare on Elm Street" give the originals the energy, heaviness, and rawness that they deserve. A few listens and I began getting the vibes of a street punk band practicing in a seedy recording studio on Avenue A. It made me want to listen to the punk bands I heard of in the 90s as well as some choice albums from the Misfits’ catalogue. The Beatersband really nailed it this time around. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:
Donatella Guida: Vocals, guitar
Leonardo Serrini: Bass
Enrico Vanni: Drums

Track list:
2. She
3. Nightmare On Elm Street (Remastered)
4. Some Kinda Hate (Remastered)


Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Full Length Review: Immortal "Sons of Northern Darkness" (Nuclear Blast) by Devin J. Meaney

Band: Immortal
Country: Norway
Genre: Black metal
Full length: Sons of Northern Darkness
Format: CD
Label: Nuclear Blast
Release date: February 4, 2002
Wanting to listen to some black metal, I made my way to YouTube to see what the underbelly of the interwebs had to offer. I scrolled through a handful of bands, and most of them I figured seemed “too dark” for my current mood and mindset. Eventually, I came to Immortal’s “Sons of Northern Darkness”! Even though I have been listening to black metal for years, I never did get into Immortal. I mean, I have listened to them a handful of times in the past, but I never “fan girled” for them, if you know what I mean. With that said, the cover art was appealing, and after listening I can state that the vibes were perfect, and overall this album was just what the doctor ordered!
The guitar work is cold and atmospheric, the percussion is stead-fast and pummeling, and the vocals have the perfect rasp. My only “regret” is that I didn’t pray for snow, as listening during a blizzard would have been perfect!
Again, I don’t know as much about Immortal as I probably should as a black metal fan, but this is their 2002 offering. I know they have loads more material, so after I listen to this album a few times I will for sure be looking into more from the band. If you haven’t listened to Immortal, if you are a fan of BM I think that you should. I have no reason/excuse for not getting into them sooner, and if I could go back in time—I wouldn’t change a thing, because if I did, this first “full” listen probably wouldn’t feel as damn epic! -Devin J. Meaney

Lineup:
Abbath: Vocals, guitars, bass
Iscariah: Bass (track 1)
Horgh: Drums
Demonaz: Lyrics

Track list:
1. One by One
2. Sons of Northern Darkness
3. Tyrants
4. Demonium
5. Within the Dark Mind
6. In My Kingdom Cold
7. Antarctica
8. Beyond the North Waves

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Full Length Review: Flax "Scraping The Rind" (Disturbed Mind Records) by Devin J. Meaney

Band: Flax
Location: Wales
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Goregrind
Full length: Scraping The Rind
Format: Digital album
Label: Disturbed Mind Records (England)
Release date: July 2. 2023
At just after 2 in the morning sleep was escaping me—so I made my way to YouTube to see what kind of gory delights I could find! After a quick search I found “Scraping the Rind” by the fresh one man gore slam act “Flax”! The YouTube bio just stated simply that this is a one man band from a guy named Tom from Wales, UK! The project was newly started in 2023 and this is Tom’s very first full length release!
The vocals are a mix of pitched gurgles and “slammy” gutturals (there are some high “shrieks” too!). The guitar work is tight—with deep chugs galore! Strangely enough for me personally I think it is the drum machine that makes this unique. Some very strange percussion can be heard while listening to this—and that paired with the guitar chugs and the vocals makes for a listen that is highly pleasant to the ear drums. I am reminded of some of the work done by CXRX’s Clay Lamanske!
You can check this out on YouTube or Flax’s Bandcamp page! If you want to acquire a physical copy you can do so by getting in touch with Disturbed Mind Records!
All in all this was a pretty good gory and entirely slam-tacular release! I have heard better—but not recently. I won’t rate this out of ten—but I can say one thing for sure…it is up there! -Devin J. Meaney
Note: Tom used one of the same samples as Impetigo used on their track “I Work for the Streetcleaner” from their “Horror of the Zombies” album!

Lineup:
Tom: Vocals, all instruments

Track list:
1. ADHD Insomniac
2. Flesh Peeler
3. Ass Is Ass
4. Shadow Banned
5. Scraping The Rind
6. Carcrash Facelift
7. The Mike Schank Clinic For Drug Rehabilitation
8. Coma Wish
9. Mainstream Metalheads At Download Festival Having A Pleasant Time
10. Bonecrusher
11. Bro Do You Need Artwork Bro
12. Deathcore Is For Wimps
13. Blunt Force Trauma
14. DSM-5

Monday, November 6, 2023

Interview with Decomposed Dave of Pale Fallen Dead by Dave Wolff

Interview with Decomposed Dave of Pale Fallen Dead by Dave Wolff

Prior to your current doom/sludge metal project Pale Fallen Dead, you were involved in a doom/sludge metal project called Life Has Soured. Explain how you become so involved with doom and sludge? Apart from Pale Fallen Dead, do you participate in any full bands?
I first found Grief’s “Come to Grief” in 1995 in a pawn shop and fell in love with it, and I've listened to sludge and doom since. My band is heavily influenced by Khanate and Grief. Life Has Soured and Pale Fallen Dead are just me. I have another band I share with my good friend Eric Crowe called Miserably Ever After which is heavily sludge, and Kaltsorg which is blackened sludge. I've had a few other doom bands over the years, and I've composed dark ambient horror scores for independent horror films since 2005.

What is the level of cooperation between you and Eric Crowe in Miserably Ever After? With the material you’ve released over the years, have you grown as a band?
Eric and I go back quite a long time. We had a project years ago that didn't really pan out but he and I wanted to work together pretty badly, so that door was never closed. Moving forward, I came up with another idea for a band. Basically it's just Grief worship; hell, the band is named after a Grief album. But everything's really seamless with Eric. Basically I write all the lyrics and program the drums, and I write all of the backing tracks. Eric comes in afterwards and he does his thing, then I do all of our production work. So no money goes out. We just get to make music we enjoy doing and that's it. We're not a touring band; we’re studio only so it makes it that much easier...

What is Eric's thing in Miserably Ever After? After you complete the songs, how do you proceed with producing? Is all MEA's work (and your solo work) being released independently?
Eric has free reign really. I write the lyrics but he changes and arranges them as needed. I don't do vocals in MEA other than backing. I throw down the drums and then create all rhythms with my bass then send it off to Eric. He adds his guitar and vocals, then I finish it up with the backing vocals. I produce everything, and all our music is released through Doomsayer Records which Eric owns. We also have material going out through Rotting Sun Records and Bastard Premonition, and both my solo projects are through those three labels.

Is Eric involved in any other projects besides those that you and he are involved in? Is it possible to locate them online?
Eric owns the record label all of my projects fall under, Doomsayer Records. I'm also associated with Rotting Sun Records and Bastard Premonition. Eric and I share MEA but that's it.

What was the reason behind your decision not to play live with Miserably Ever After? Does this provide you and Eric with more privacy and solitude when you compose and record?
I've just never had any interest in playing live. No other reason really, it just doesn't appeal to me.

Even though you don’t perform live with MEA, do you perform with your other bands? Do clubs where you do perform have sound systems allowing you to capture the sound of your recordings?
Eric and I have to date only worked on this album together. He lives in a different state than I so everything is done through file share. We are currently working on a six track album.

Is there anything you can reveal about the next recording you and Eric are working on? In what ways will recording with six tracks make it different from your previous recordings?
It's an EP and the songs are much shorter than either my solo projects. We are doing a cover of the chant from “The Burbs” on this EP, which I think is a nice step away from our usually negative lyrics. The chant is “I want to kill everyone, Satan is good, Satan is our pal”, haha.

Before discovering sludge and dark ambience, what were the first bands you listened to, and how did they motivate you to express yourself musically?
I was raised on the holy Trinity: Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath and Frank Zappa, but in 1990 I heard “Master of Puppets” for the first time then my whole world changed. In 1993 I found Morbid Angel with the “Covenant” album and Cannibal Corpse with the “Eaten Back to Life” album. I got really heavy into Norwegian black metal in 1995 when I first heard the split between Emperor and Enslaved titled “Hordanes Land”, and was also heavily into industrial. I got into bands like Coil, Skinny Puppy, Skrew, Malformed Earthborn, Thrill Kill Kult, Godflesh, Ministry, in 1994, and I first found sludge in 1995, Grief's “Come to Grief” album, I found it on cassette in a pawn shop along with Down “NOLA” and Crowbar’s “Broken Glass” album, Buzzoven and a few other sludge bands. As for dark ambience I fell in love with it being a lifelong horror fan at a very early age. My three favorite bands of all time, Neurosis, Type O Negative and Grief, two of those bands use quite a lot of dark ambience in their music which also was a huge influence on me finding the genre, and ultimately what led me to learning to compose my own years later...

In general, do you prefer to work as a solo musician or with other musicians with similar musical interests? Your compositions for Pale Fallen Dead are extremely long, like most doom, sludge, and stoner metal. Are you able to express your imagination more freely when working alone?
I love the freedom of solo, but I also love the bands I’m in that I work with. Kaltsorg is with my friend Raymond; it is blackened sludge with a very heavy Type O Negative vibe to it. It’s very synth heavy and has an early 90's Norwegian BM vibe to it as well. Within Death's Kingdom is with another Eric and my buddy John, WDK is what we call Grave Moss Doom. I love working with those two guys, and MEA. It’s always a blast working with Eric Crowe, but I love being able to program my drum track and sit in my room, smoke a fat bowl, plug my bass ov doom in and release some of the noise in my head, I write most of the music and all of the lyrics for every band I’m in, but with my solo projects I have complete control so it ends up being a more clear vision of my inner turmoil. I love dark ambience, so in my solo projects I have more freedom to turn the whole track into a horror movie type atmosphere...

Unlike many bands who experiment with other genres, Pale Fallen Dead appears to be heading in the other direction, digging deeper into melancholy and despair in search of a greater meaning. Do you think listeners would be able to relate to that? Did Life Has Soured follow a similar path?
Life Has Soured was born of pain. My wife died 12/20/21, and less than a year later my brother committed suicide 12/5/22, so LHS was how I dealt with those two losses. But what I didn’t intend on was LHS having such dark lyrical content. My lyrics and writing style are very heavily inspired by and influenced by Dax from Acid Bath, so they have always been naturally dark. But LHS took on a whole new level, even more far out than MEA's lyrics which at the time were the darkest I had ever written. LHS was touching on murder, suicide, mass shootings, necrophilia, cannibalism, and an absolute hatred of mankind and wishing death on everyone. I know that sounds dramatic but after losing my wife my brain changed. It also began to heal and I started feeling less and less of a need for LHS, but I love the idea of a bass only sludge band. Audie from Acid Bath (R.I.P) is a huge influence on my own playing and I was very heavily inspired by his side band Shrum; it was a bass only sludge band as well. I thought about it, and I decided that changing the lyric content after releasing so much material already made about as much sense as Cannibal Corpse changing their lyric content. So I decided to end that project and reimagine it. That’s where PFD comes in. The lyrics deal in death, mental illness and our world dying, so they are still dark but they are not vulgar like LHS. PFD deals a lot with the death of my wife and brother, and I make heavy use of my eighteen-plus years doing horror scores, so PFD all in all ended up being the collective of everything I’ve learned since 2005. It was all leading to this band...

PFD’s full length “Why Do I Feel Dead Inside?” is an extremely loud wall of sound, with harsh vocals and a dirty bass. Did you feel this formula would be more effective in conveying your thoughts than a cleaner sound?
I feel, at least with LHS, the darker and more misanthropic, the more nihilistic, the better. Not so much with PFD. I took the lyrics in a different direction, focusing mainly on the death process, but it's still very dark in nature, it just fits my personality. I hate most people, and I honestly am waiting on World War 3. Mankind needs to be eradicated; mankind is a cancer burning and devouring our world, worthless and completely unnecessary, the human race.

Would you say you’re opening new doors for doom and sludge metal, or would you think your work is too intense for most doom and sludge fans, at least for the time being?
Opening new doors? Nah, but with LHS and PFD I am taking a very limited genre and just adding to that. Bass sludge isn't very common with Shrum being the most well-known band, so I'm proud to be a small part of a small subgenre of sludge. As for my lyrics and the subject matter, it depends on the band. PFD's lyrics deal with death, suicide and the end of the world, so it doesn't get too far out. LHS's lyrics are quite vulgar at times, subjects dealing in necrophilia, cannibalism, murder, mass shootings, cults, serial killers, etc. MEA's lyrics are pretty much the same as LHS, so I don't think it's too intense, but it’s also not for everyone.

Since you began your solo work, have you received many zine and webzine reviews? In that case, how deeply have reviewers responded to the extreme nature of your writing?
I've just now really got into the whole realm of reviews and such with you. I never really thought about it much until another bandmate suggested trying to promote my material instead of just silently releasing everything and then forgetting about it which I tend to do...

What is your background in composing scores for indie horror films and how did you get started? Is there any film featuring your work you’d like to mention?
My background in dark ambience and horror is a lifelong thing. I’m a lifer in the horror scene, and I was born in 1980, so I grew up during the best era of horror in my opinion. What got me into composing dark ambience was purely anxiety. I found out I had anxiety and panic disorder in 2003, so I began looking for ways to deal with that, on top of the lifelong depression and OCD that I have, and the bane of my existence ADHD. Around 2005 I came across a program called Reason; a good buddy of mine had been using it for a few years to compose music and he suggested it to me. He gave me a six month crash course in composing and writing music, some basic music theory. He taught me how to arrange and build something from nothing and then taught me the basics of audio production using Adobe Audition. So other than those two crash courses I am completely self-taught. Same with my bass playing. I had a drone band from 2007 to 2011 but I wasn’t really playing my bass in that. I was just droning and trying to emulate Sunn O))). I picked the bass back up in 2016 and it hasn’t left my hands since. But to answer your question I did a lot of little pieces for random Youtube channels, Beta video games and a few websites but I never really got too serious about it. I did all of those pieces for free because I just wanted to be a part of something. Over the years my dark ambience got better and better until people started taking notice. In 2016 I got offered the score for a movie called “Son of the Saw”. It was a fan film loosely based on TCSM, and that ended up being my first credited piece. In 2019 I was offered the score for a TV series that’s in the works, I cannot say much about that publicly at this time but I am being paid for it and it will be the footstep in the door I’ve tried to get since 2005...

How have mainstream and independent horror films made an impression on you, and what appealed to you? Which soundtracks and/or composers do you most frequently listen to?
I'm a lifer in the metal scene and the horror scene, so from an early age both have been a part of my entire existence. I have the “Evil Dead 2” skull inked on my right forearm. I've done many dark ambient pieces based on horror movies; it has shaped who I am as a person. Danny Elfman is a hero of mine, all of his score work is top notch.

How would you rate Danny Elfman's extensive list of soundtracks? Which one stood out to you the most?
My favorite of his will always be anything he did with Tim Burton or Clive Barker. I'm a die-hard fan of both. My favorite score of his would be either “Batman” or “Batman Returns”. “Big Fish”, “Alice in Wonderland”, “Hellraiser”, “Nightbreed”, “Beetlejuice”, “Scrooged” and “The Frighteners” are amazing...

Do you know how the people involved with “Son of the Saw” and this TV series you mentioned heard about your work on the internet?
One of the directors for SOTS is a good friend of mine. He liked my dark ambience a lot, so he invited me to score the movie. It kind of happened the same way with Arcadia (the series) Victoria, the writer and director came across my ambient pieces and liked them a lot so she offered me the spot.

When you composed the soundtrack for "Son of the Saw", did you write the pieces so that they would fit specific features of the film?
The pieces for SOTS I made without seeing the movie. Once I had the test footage I shaped the tracks to fit the scenes. BPT and RSR have been within the last year, Doomsayer for a lot of years but I forget just how many, I'm not part of their labels as say personally, just my bands so I'm not sure on their signing procedures, I know RSR is mostly black metal and BPT is mostly doom and sludge, Doomsayer is a mix of a lot of different genres.

Have you viewed the final version of SOTS since it was released? Do you generally feel satisfied with the addition of your soundtrack music? Would you be interested in composing for more independent films if you were offered the opportunity?
I have a copy of it and yeah I love how everything turned out, it was a cool project to be tied to, and yes, it's a dream of mine to work in the horror business.

Where do you think the horror industry is going in the mainstream and the underground? What movies have you watched lately that spoke to you in the same way as classic horror movies?
Sadly the horror industry has sucked for the last thirty years, though there have been good movies the only good part of horror in my opinion, at least for the last ten to fifteen years, is independent horror. A few I've seen in the last ten years that I was impressed with were "Mercy", "Devil", "Pulse" 1-3 and "Leatherface" (2017).

Can you tell the readers about the Cliff Burton tribute you recently completed? What inspired you to write it and how much work went into the recording?
I’ve made that a few times since 2016. It started out as a couple of different solos I stitched together with samples of Cliff in interviews. Then I began on another version and it took a couple of years to get where I wanted it. It was pieced together with some drone pieces I did and some of my dark ambient. And then this recent one I did was a revision. I completely rewrote, restructured and reworked it and I’m much happier with this version. This one wasn’t pieced together like the other two were. It was a one take deal I wrapped up in dark ambience and added some cool Cliff samples. It’s a tribute to a hero of mine, the reason I decided to pick up a bass, Cliff Burton...

What inspired you to cover Type O Negative’s “Christian Woman”? How does the original speak to you and what aspects of it, if any, do you hope to recapture or expand upon?
That song is the second song I learned when I began playing bass, “Black No. 1” being the first. Regardless, there are certain parts of the song I think would sound better with a little more distortion, and letting notes drone out in places. Plus I’ll be playing it at 35bpm so it will be a lot slower. The original is 90bpm, and I’ll be using my vocal style instead of Pete's. TON is my favorite band of all time; in order my top three are TON, Neurosis and Grief.

Getting back to promoting, how do you intend to go about letting more people know about your work? Do you have any ideas in mind for future recordings?
I'm lazy when it comes to promotion. I mostly let the labels I'm associated with do that. I post about my music a few times a week but that's about as far as self-promotion goes. RSR and BPT are phenomenal promotional machines. They both promote my music constantly so I am lucky there...

With everything said, what sort of an impact do you want to have on underground metal as a whole? What kind of an impact would you want to have on listeners of doom and sludge metal?
My brother committed suicide on 12/5/22, and a lot of my lyrical content focuses on suicide and its impact on those left behind. 988; I promote the suicide prevention number a lot in my album art and in my music itself. My lyrics also focus heavily on mental illness since I suffer from it quite a lot. I guess my hope is that anyone hears my music and gets anything positive out of it despite how on the surface it is pretty negative music. If you pay attention to the lyrics and dig a little you'll see where it's not as negative as one may think.
Also, as a bass player my goal with LHS and PFD. since they both are bass driven bands with no guitar player, is that you don't have to have a band to be heavy as fuck. I do everything in both of those bands, not because I don't enjoy working with other people. I do, but having total control of the music gives a completely different dynamic, anyone can do what I do. I am self-taught on bass, writing lyrics, vocals, programming drums, dark ambient and all of my production work...


-Dave Wolff

Saturday, November 4, 2023

EP Review: Cosmic Jaguar "The Order of the Jaguar Knights" (Independent) by Dave Wolff

Band: Cosmic Jaguar
Location: Zhytomyr
Country: Ukraine
Genre: Avant garde/technical thrash metal
Format: Digital album
Label: Independent
Release date: October 12, 2023
Released earlier this year, Cosmic Jaguar's "The Legacy of the Aztecs" is a thrash/classic metal album featuring a distinctive interflow of blast, jazz fusion, progressive rock, blues, folk, and Latin. In 2022, Sergio "Metal Priest" Lunático from the technical thrash band Bestial Invasion and the thrash/funk band Lord Erektus formed this band. A deeper analysis of Aztec culture, legend and folklore is included in their EP "The Order of the Jaguar Knights", along with an extension of their previous method.
Cosmic Jaguar is tighter and more aggressive, having more of a prominent guitar sound and some hardcore influence, still retaining the tribal vibes their last album hinted at. In contrast to "Legacy", the songs don't contain as many additional instruments, but the bass is as prominent as the guitars, which is important when conveying their classic thrash elements and marking cadence transitions that often involve velocity changes. With greater emphasis on solid and compact time changes, there’s greater vocal range. Considering there’s a lot more going on with the verses, riffs, harmonies and solos, all this is essential for their desired growth.
Songs like “The Bleeding Tree of Tamoanchan” marks the experimentation Cosmic Jaguar is pursuing, delving into funk and classical metal as well as the expanded vocal range. That the band can write that many radical time changes while keeping their raw aggression consistent makes the track one of the mini-album’s finest moments. The song is as immersive as I mentioned “Legacy” was. I drew a comparison or two to the Japanese avant garde band Sigh when I reviewed it; I heard even stronger shades here.
I’ve been provided with background information from Metal Priest songs, and I ought to share some of it. "The Shorn Ones" describes an elite order of warriors in the Aztec army, known in ancient Nuahtal as the cuauhchicqueh. "The Bleeding Tree of Tamoanchan" describes the Xochitlicacan, also known as the "Flowering Tree," which was an integral part of the earthly paradise of the Tamoanchan. "The Obsidian Mirror" deals with the primary accessory of Tezcatlipoca, the supreme Aztec lord of the night and his creatures. The deity is typically depicted with an obsidian mirror on his chest, in his headdress, or replacing his right foot.
The final track is a cover of "Veil of Maya" by Cynic, who in the course of their career transcended their thrash roots and experimented with progressive death metal/fusion and progressive rock. They wrote "Veil of Maya" when they entered their prog-DM stage on their 1993 album "Focus". It sounded really groundbreaking for an album released in the early 90s. Cosmic Jaguar covered it to pay homage to one of the bands that had a massive influence on them. This made me want to hear more from Cynic after I listened to the original and the cover; the song generally suits the direction Cosmic Jaguar Is taking their own songwriting.
If you'd like to hear thrash with an extremely open-minded vision, I would recommend listening to this EP as well as anything Cosmic Jaguar has released beforehand. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:
Sergio "Metal Priest" Lunático: Vocals, bass
Juan Maestro: Rhythm and lead guitars
Alejo Bárbaro: Drums
Dionisio Oscuro: Session solo guitars (tracks 1,3,4)
Chimalma” Session female vocals (track 4)
V. Zadiev: Guest vocals (track 2)

Track list:
1. The Shorn Ones
2. The Bleeding Tree of Tamoanchan
3. Obsidian Mirror
4. Veil of Maya (Cynic cover)