Thursday 22 September 2011

Profundis and Holocaustia interviews - Panzerfaust 5




Profundis is a black / death metal from Poland. Sadly since their 2005 demo, nothing else have been released, but I hope it will change one, as "Nokturn" was a great piece of music!!!!!!
And Holocaustia... well, I really thought they will do better with killer MLP "The Sacrament Seed", meanwhile they split up... shame! but the band was great, so get the CD if you have a chance

Terrorama interview - Panzerfaust zine 5


Brilliant Swedish band that takes influences equally from death thrash and black metal... they have two full lengths by now and I have both on vinyl, and they sound KILLER!!!!!!

Iconoclasm interview - Panzerfaust 5


Dead Congregation interview - Panzerfaust 5



Do I have to recommend this excellent band?? Really?? If you don't know them yet, then it's not worth. They're the best Incantation - like masters of massive death metal riffing ever! Well, maybe together with Father Befouled he he

Contagion Black interview - Panzerfast 5

Hmm, I don't really know why have I interviewed this band. Their music is nothing special and totally mediocre, and so is this interview... who cares

Gortal interview - Panzerfaust 5


Polish death metal??? Everyone knows it, Gortal is one of the best bands. Vicious, extreme and totally blasphemous... fuck yeah

Deathevokation interview - Panzerfaust 5



Really great US old school death metal band, Deathevokation. They're old school, but with own style, cool!

Inseminator and Amethyste interviews - Panzerfaust 5



Vidsyn interview - Panzerfaust 5


Holy Death interview - Panzerfaust 5



Holy Death... Great band, true legend of Polish BM underground... cool interview I think

Urt and Klabautaman interviews - Panzerfaust 5



Two interviews this time... and two totally underestimated and unknown underground black pagan metal acts

Thunderbolt interview - Panzerfaust 5


One of the best Polish black metal bands ever! Interview by my colleague, Skullcrsher, who helped me with this issue a bit.

Dissimulation interview - Panzerfaust 5


Man, can't believe I sent the questions for this interview already back in Nov 2003!!!! Such a long time ago!

Panzerfaust #5 Introduction

Next few posts will contain the scans from the fifth issue of Panzerfaust zine!!!!!!! Finally I managed to scan this shit and bring it to you. At the moment I have all interviews scaned, I'll leave the reviews for later. And I'm not going to paste the text as I did with the unreleased sixth issue, I'll just put the scanned pages, as I think you can easily read everything from those scans, right????????

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Nachzehrer - Pestilence Hungers In the Shadows


Nachzehrer - Pestilence Hungers In the Shadows (DEMONS GATE Records / TOMBS IN THE VALLEY Productions - MC 2011)
I must say that normally, when someone (label, band, etc) sends me a link for mediafire or rapidshare and says "please download the album and review it", I don't even bother to answer, I don't like such ways of promoting bands. I can understand that there are difficult times now and labels may lack money or whatever, but god damnit, do they have to be so cheap and even stop sending proper promotional copies? With this band I did against myself and actually downloaded this fuckin' album. Why? Well, I've listened to one song on Nachzehrer's myspace and liked it so much that I had to listen to the entire material. And I don't regret it, as it fuckin' crushes.
Nachzehrer (which is "vampire" from the German folklore, literally it translates to "afterwards-devourer" (nach-zehrer) and is a creature that consumes already dead bodies) is Boston, USA, based band and "Pestilence Hungers in the Shadows" is their second offering, first one being "Black Thrash Ritual" demo from 2010. The material consists six devastating tracks and each is like a beast, attacking with aggression, in rage and savage fury. Musically Nachzehrer plays totally extreme and uncompromising black metal, slightly in the Swedish vein, speaking of the neckbreaking fast tempos, brutality of the music and its unstoppable ferocity of the riffs and drumming (no keyboards, no melodies, no bullshit that would waste your time!), completed by furious screams of Hräsvelg. From the first seconds of opening song "The Awakening" through to the album's end, the band doesn't stop crushing, doesn't take any slaves, only slays them all mercilessly. And what's more, some riffs have also small thrash metal vibe, what makes them even cooler.
I think the music is awesome, maybe not much original or whatever, but that's not what such albums are about I think. This is more than solid or mediocre music, it's really totally worth recommending and listening to. I like all its aspects, with such tracks as "Black Order of the Goat" especially, also the production is just excellent for such music, so... Yeah, I think you must listen to it. There's a tape released of it in limited quantity, so you must be hurry! The hell was unleashed...
Final rate: 85 / 100
Check them out at http://www.facebook.com/nachzehrerblackmetal

Thursday 8 September 2011

Sinister - Cross the Styx

Sinister - Cross the Styx (NUCLEAR BLAST - LP 1992)
Here's an album I have so many great memories with, that I still feel it's one of my all time favorites and also it's actually one of the first death metal full lengths that I've heard in my life. I had a tape version of it years ago (when I was 12 or something, in about 1992!) and it was a masterpiece in my opinion. Nowadays I own a vinyl and this music still shreds me to dust. "Cross the Styx" is one of the best death metal albums in the history and one which doesn't get old at all. To some point it reminds me Vader's "The Ultimate Incantation" - not only musically, but also because I think both bands' debuts are the best albums in their long discographies, rivaled only by "Hate" on Sinister's side and "De Profundis" on Vader's. Never again neither Vader or Sinister managed to capture that dark and sinister (hehe) feeling ever again and never again the song writing was so magnificent and the riffs so slaughtering. To me, these two LPs are milestones of European death metal.
Already the opening intro of "Cross the Styx" (composed by Atrocity's Alex Krull) brings chills. This is one of the most creepy and dark intros I've heard in my life, one which you'll never forget, even years later you'll still be able to recognize it and make the quick connection with "Cross the Styx". And the music on this album was I think a little bit ahead of its time. There weren't that many bands - in Europe especially - at the time that were playing such ruthless, brutal and at the same time technical death metal. Sinister had technical riffs like Slayer (yeah!!!), was fast and brutal like Monstrosity and Malevolent Creation and had the satanic atmosphere and some riffs that were also reminding me the debut LPs of Deicide and Vader. Put all these influences together and you'll see that even nowadays such a deadly mixture is an ultimate winner. This album is simply fuckin AWESOME! No single song or riff here is out of place, there's nothing on "Cross the Styx" I wouldn't like, each track is like a torture from the Cenobites - skinning you alive with the razor sharp riffs, crushing your bones with the drums and accompanying these tortures with excellent, vicious screams of the vocalist. And Mike van Mastrigt is the best vocalist Sinister ever had. This guy was fantastic and it's a real shame he's not in the band anymore.
The songwriting on "Cross the Styx" is absolutely outstanding. If you listen to such songs as "Doomed" you'll know it's not the average, easily forgettable death metal. This song itself deserves to be praised as one of the best death metal anthems ever, its opening riffing is just excellent, a wonderful introduction to the strongest song on the album, which later turns into much faster riffing slaughter. But as I already said, every track on "Cross the Styx" is strong. "Spiritual Immolation", "Cross the Styx", "Corridors to the Abyss", "Epoch of Denial", "Compulsory Resignation"...Whatever you'll pick up, it's going to massacre you with a tornado of tormenting riffs, many of which are so incredibly fast and vicious that you'll feel an ecstasy when your head fill be chopped off during the maniacal headbanging. And the atmosphere on the album is truly obscure and creepy.
I can't imagine a death metal freak, who doesn't know "Cross the Styx". If you haven't got this album in your collection, then you missed one of the best European death metal LPs in the history. I can definitely advise you to get it on vinyl or first press CD, as the reprint (on digipack with "Diabolical Summoning" second album) looks just bad and cheap. So, join the torment!
Best songs: "Doomed", "Corridors to the Abyss", "Epoch of Denial", "Compulsory Resignation" and the rest of the album!


Final rate: 97 / 100

Eternal Darkness - Total Darkness


Eternal Darkness - Total Darkness (TEMPLE OF DARKNESS - LP 2006)
I must honestly say I've never heard about this band until I read somewhere that TEMPLE OF DARKNESS Records is about to release this album. The name Eternal Darkness was completely anonymous to me, but anyway I decided to buy this LP, hoping to get to know another great Swedish death metal band from the early 90's. And now I must say it was worth risking... The record comes in cool black / white gatefold, on white vinyl, with creepy front cover, lots of old band pictures inside, as well as short biography that will introduce you to Eternal Darkness even more.
"Total Darkness" is a compilation record, which contains previously unreleased and remastered songs, all recorded between 1990-92. From the very first track it became obvious to me that Eternal Darkness doesn't sound like other Swedish bands and their style is much more doomy, in the vein of the British legends, early Paradise Lost especially, but also Decomposed, Anathema and My Dying Bride. But it's not a minus to me, I also like such playing and I must say Eternal Darkness has recorded some crushing songs.
The album is opened by two stunning tracks from Eternal Darkness' "Doomed" EP from 1992. They're absolutely excellent, so brutal and massively sounding, slow, slightly melodic, but majestic to the bone. The band captured my attention instantly and I can honestly say they're some of the finest pieces of death / doom I've heard. So is also "Ceremony Of Doom" song, an alternate and unpublished version of the track... The similarities to Paradise Lost's debut LP or Anathema are easy to find, but that's not complain. Side A also includes one track from "Ceremony Of Doom" demo (1991) and one from "Suffering" demo (1991)... The production on these two songs is a bit rawer and dirtier, but the music still kicks ass. I think it's really a shame that TEMPLE OF DARKNESS Records didn't decide to include the entire demos on this LP, even if it would need to be released as a double LP. Without the whole demo materials, the story of Eternal Darkness is somehow incomplete, but those, who want to listen to all their materials I can recommend to buy "Total Darkness" CD version released by Necroharmonic Productions / Morbid Wrath Records.
Meanwhile side B of the LP has the entire, unreleased "Twilight In The Wilderness" MLP, which was recorded in August 1992 and was meant to be released by Necropolis Records. I honestly can't understand why this MLP hasn't been released for so many years, as it's just a fuckin crusher. It's opened by song titled "Psychopath" (which originally appeared on "Doomed" EP) and this track is excellent, but others like "Despair" aren't worse at all, especially the short instrumental "Twilight In The Wilderness", which reminds me also Amorphis on their first album. The band incorporated some great melodies into their music ("That Day Will Come" for instance), but the overall sound remained totally slow, brutal and crushing. I really love it.
To conclude, it's really a shame that such a cool band as Eternal Darkness never went any further with their music. Sadly they split up, even though they had some more songs composed and prepared, but Toni Pietila decided to leave in 1992 and the rest of the guys took a break. They were about to return in 1995 with new guitarist, but unfortunately Jarmo Kuurola was killed in June, the 12th and that led to the total decomposition of Eternal Darkness' corpse. Luckily here's this vinyl (and CD!) in front of me, playing loud, and "Total Darkness" may remind us what those Swedes were about. I'm more than happy that I had a chance to buy this LP and get to know such an excellent legendary act from my favourite death metal scene ever.


Final rate: 80 / 100

Gravehammer........ Swedish and morbid...


There are two interviews from the old Panzerfaust zine #6 left... Here's first of them. The band is called GRAVEHAMMER. The interview is rather shitty, as the answers are completely useless and short - I usually don't publish such interviews and bin them immediately, as they're worthless - but I decided to publish this one, despite the short answers from the band... Why?
It’s always nice to find young, unknown horde slaying with primitive, but killer old school metal shit! Many of them nowadays come from Sweden, what shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, since this country has always had loads of good stuff. But it's interesting to see that quite often the guys playing in such bands are very young, still in their teen age. Well, here's one such young, but morbid band! GRAVEHAMMER - at the time of doing this interview - hasn’t unleash anything except of primitively recorded demos, but they did crush me with nice thrash / death metal! I liked them, so here’s interview… Pity only that the guy, who’s answered it didn’t have much to say! What the fuck! Too much booze last night or maybe you’re so ignorant? You’ll be punished in hell, you lazy fucker ha, ha! GRAVEHAMMER!!!!


Hell-zzz!!! How are you, my Swedish comrade? Tell me what are you listening to at the present? Are these just old bands / recordings or maybe you also treat yourself with new albums and hordes?
Hell-o comrade. At the moment, KING DIAMOND. We listen to everything that we enjoy, we don’t really care if it’s old or new.

That’s good for you... I really like the name you gave for the band!!! Ha, it may suggest a mix of two potentially inspiring old bands - HELLHAMMER and GRAVE, but honestly there isn’t much from these acts in your music! I would rather suggest MERCILESS’ “The Awakening” for instance! But again, nice moniker!
Thank you. We just came up with it, its nothing special about it.

Yeah, and your short answers already start to annoy me man! When I look at GRAVEHAMMER pics, I see you all must be pretty young, am I right? Don’t think I have a problem with that, because I don’t!!! I’m just curious what has pushed you all to play such disgusting and morbid sounds?? Most of nowadays teenagers prefer to listen to MY BLOODY VALENTINE and such crap, not fuckin’ MORBID or NIFELHEIM ha, ha!! And you’re from Gothenburg! Do you want also to prove not every band from this city has to play so called “melodic death metal” ha, ha?? But seriously, how did you all start playing together as GRAVEHAMMER? What was your aim while forming the horde? Are you morbid??
Yes, we are between 15-17 years old. We play this shit because we understand what metal is about, and because we enjoy playing it. Yes, the scene here is bullshit, there are only a few bands who play real metal here. All the fake metal bands from here can fuck off and die (Avatar and Melek). We knew each other, we liked the same music, we formed a band, nothing more to say. We had no aims, just to play. We are beyond morbid.

Hmm, obviously you all have missed the good pioneering times of 80’s/90’s, when the Swedish cult death metal bands started to rise their flags of hate. But sometimes I have an impression that nowadays Sweden has so many very young acts, which together want to resuscitate the feeling of old scene! That would be the reason for existence of so many great old school acts, like NECROVATION, TRIBULATION, EVISCERATED and those, who’re dead now: REPUGNANT, KAAMOS… Your comment?
There was a time few years ago when no one has been interested in it! Yes, there is a couple of good new bands now its cool.

Damn you man! Want to feel my boot in your ass? Give me some better answers! That’s just ridiculous! OK., I love the extreme and raw sound / style of your “Morbid Obscurity” demo and also those rehearsal recordings you did. They all have quite awful, primitive production! Tell me, do you see GRAVEHAMMER to record in more professional conditions for future releases? Or maybe you prefer to keep it as morbid as possible? I think that nowadays too many bands start to record their first demos in too professional conditions; 6 months after starting the band they think of themselves as rock stars, want to record well produced album, without getting any demos or rehearsals like it should be and used to be a traditional way for starting band! Your comment?
We’re not really looking for any special sound as long as we like it. There rehearsal recordings were so obscure because we didn’t afford to record in a real studio, so we borrowed Deathripper’s dad’s old recorder from the 70’s. The next demo will be recorded in a studio as well.

Your songs are rather short, about 2 minutes long; why so? Not too many ideas or what? But they do THRASH like hell and could remind early MERCILESS and RAZOR for instance mixed together, only played much faster and with disgusting sound! So, how’s the songwriting looking like? Is it very spontaneous work, just at the rehearsals? What is the main focus for you then?
Because we don’t compromise with our music. We just put together a couple of riffs, and then we’re satisfied. Instead of making a song with 999999 super-awesome riffs we make 3 songs with 9999 awesome riffs.

Yeah, especially if your tracks are so simple with just maybe 3 riffs in each haha! How much do you care about the promotion of GRAVEHAMMER? I personally have been quite lucky to find your band in the internet (oh, so hypocrite I am haha), but never have seen really any reviews or interviews with the band. You also limit your tapes with very small numbers, like “Rehearsal of Death” was released in 10 copies only! What’s the point doing such small numbers of recordings available?
We do as much promo as we can. Yes, we only did a few demos because we didn’t think that many people would like it or listen to it, and we couldn’t afford to make anymore copies.


Now CEMETERY TAPES, which I think is your label (am I right with that??) is about to release “Morbid Obscurity” demo. What will be your next plans about this label and the demo then? Are maniacs showing a growing interest in GRAVEHAMMER already? And what stuff are you about to get for your distro?
CEMETERY TAPES is not the GRAVEHAMMER label. It’s just the singer Vic who has released the demo on tape because there was a demand for it. No more GRAVEHAMMER releases will be released on this. There are a few people who likes our shit, more then before, we have sold most of our demos now.

You all seem to be highly fascinated by old horror movies, like “Brain Dead”, “Zombie Holocaust”, “Evil Dead”. Tell me, what does interest you most in these pictures? Is it really just a fascination of gore and guts ha, ha? I guess these movies inspire your lyrics in some way? Oh, by the way, what’s your opinion about the newest horror movies, like new version of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and movies like “Saw”, “Hostel”, etc?
Yes, we all worship “Cannibal Holocaust” and “Braindead” and shit, but we’re not a gore metal band for that. But they are disgusting and great. New horror movies can be good to, but we like the old ones better. They are classics.

Fuck, thanx again for answering for all my questions. I’ve seen a poster announcing your gig with PAGAN RITES. Tell me, how often do you play live and how’s the feeling on stage? Do you play any covers as well? And what’s that place called The Crypt? It seems to be a cool place for underground metal concerts, am I right? Tell me something more about your local scene!
We’ve only played 2 real gigs, one with MORBID INSULTER, and the one with PAGAN RITES and EVISCERATED. We don’t play live very often, because there isn’t a big interest in real metal in Gothenburg at the moment. The Crypt is a okay place down town, it’s a okay place to play at. There isn’t really a local scene in Gothenburg, but a couple of bands that play real metal.

You wrote me about two new songs you just recorded. Have you also done (record) it at your rehearsal place? Any news about the split you would be interested to release? What local bands would you like to share a split with?
It’s recorded in a studio. We have no plans for a split yet. But there are some bands that are interested in doing splits, but no local bands.

Some of you play also in the band called CHERNOBYL. Tell me something more about this another unknown underground act!
Dave plays guitar and sings and Hugo plays the drums. We play like a mix between Grindcore and Death Metal. Influenced by bands like REPULSION, AUTOPSY, DEATHSTRIKE, SLAUGHTER (CAN),etc we’ve just found a bassist. Check the www.myspace.com/chernobylswe

Oh yeah, just see me going now to check the internet fuck! Ha, have you already listened to new NIFELHEIM album???
Yes we heard it. There are a few good songs, but its not as good as the others we think.

Go to hell!!! Thanx for you’re lousy answers, hopefully we’ll see your lazy asses here in Poland one day, playing some cruel tunes and drowning in litres of vodka!
Yes thank you, and fuck off. (Fuck off you too, bastard!!! No more such lazy assholes in this zine!)