WAXING LYRICAL: DĀMIM

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Nov 232019
 

 

(Andy Synn returns with another episode in his series on metal lyrics, and today we have answers from Nathanael Underwood, lyricist/vocalist/guitarist of the UK death metal band Dāmim, whose latest album was released in June of this year.)

To quote my own review, the new record from Progressive Death Metal maestros Dāmim is “an album that doesn’t just stand on the shoulders of giants, but is more than capable of standing right alongside them.”

And since I’m such a fan of their new album, not to mention the fact that I’m going to be playing a short run of shows alongside them next month, I thought it was high time we heard from frontman Nathanael Underwood about what exactly it is that makes the band’s difference engine tick. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: ANATOMIA (TAKASHI TANAKA)

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Nov 222019
 

 

(Comrade Aleks has brought us this very interesting and informative interview with Takashi Tanaka, drummer and vocalist of the formidable Japanese death-doom band Anatomia.)

There’s a sort of niche genre – something between crude, quite extreme death metal and death doom. It was set by Asphyx and Autopsy back in the early ’90s, and a good amount of bands carry on this tradition of mixing these sonic elements with brutal lyrics and straightforward delivery. Japan has two main bands of that kind – Coffins and Anatomia. You could see interview with Coffins here in November 2018, and now it’s Anatomia’s turn. Why?

Well, this band always has a new release. Yes, there are only three full-lengths in their discography, but just add to this score 14 split releases and 5-7 releases of other formats and you get a full picture.

Takashi Tanaka (drums, vocals) runs three more bands at the same time, so I believed it was wise to focus only on his Anatomia achievements. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: FAÇADE

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Nov 182019
 

(In this new interview Comrade Aleks presents a discussion with Pim van Dijk, bassist of the Dutch band Façade, whose new concept album The Eternal Dance will be released on November 29th.)

Dordrecht, South Holland, seems to be a nice place: a lot of ancient buildings, museums, and a National Park alongside swamps in the vicinity… Façade was founded there in 2011, and since then the guys have performed their depressive and quite intricate doom/death metal. At least we could tell that in 2017 when they released their debut full-length Loathe, and now the gents have new material, and things turn to be even more complex.

Façade’s forthcoming album The Eternal Dance not only shows development of the ideas they represented two years ago, but this album also has a thoughtful concept and a more varied sonic palette, as these compositions sound richer and naturally deeper than Loathe. The band grows, it’s good…

Why not discuss these topics with one of its members? Pim van Dijk (bass) is on duty today. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: THE DROWNING

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Nov 152019
 

 

(In this new interview Comrade Aleks presents a conversation with members of The Drowning, whose new album was released on November 8th by Transcending Obscurity Records.)

Over a sixteen-year career the Wales-based doom death crew The Drowning have recorded five full-length albums, and their most up-to-date work The Radiant Dark has been released by the now-famous Indian label Transcending Obscurity Records. The gentlemen honed their skills for years, and logically the new material demonstrates highly effective songwriting and powerful expressive delivery. The songs balance on a verge of old school doom death (leaning to the Paradise Lost doom sound) and more modern meaty and melodic death doom, so the album has already got its portion of praise.

I hope that the collaboration with Transcending Obscurity, and this interview with Mike Hitchen (guitars), Dicky (bass), and Matt Small (vocals), will help The Drowning reach a wider audience. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: MORTEM (STEINAR SVERD JOHNSEN)

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Nov 062019
 


photo by Irene Vold

 

(Norway-based NCS contributor Karina Noctum had the chance to interview Steinar Sverd Johnsen, co-founder of the legendary Norwegian black metal band Mortem (as well as Arcturus), about the genesis and the resurrection of Mortem (whose new album Ravnsvart was released by Peaceville this past September) and other related subjects, and we present that discussion below.)

Mortem was formed back in 1989 by Marius Vold (Thorns, Arcturus) and Steinar Sverd Johnsen (Arcturus, Covenant, Satyricon). They released a demo whose artwork was made by Dead (Pelle Ohlin) and had Euronymous (Øystein Aarseth) as its producer. After the demo the artists devoted their time to other endeavors and nothing else was made.

Now they have reunited and produced a skillfully crafted album named Ravnsvart that counts the talents of Hellhammer (Mayhem, Arcturus) and Tor R. Stavenes (1349, Svart Lotus), making it one of the best BM releases this year.

In this interview with Steinar you will find all the information about things past, present, and future of this Black Metal supergroup. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: MORTE

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Oct 292019
 

 

(With pleasure, we present Comrade Aleks‘ interview of Nicolás Ballarini, drummer and co-founder of the Argentinian death metal band Morte, along with excerpts of their music.)

You know – I’m always greedy for almost everything with a “doom” tag upon it. Thus I’ve found Morte from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and it was quite an awkward situation ‘cause, listening to their violent and bloody album Miasma, I started to calculate how much doom they really have in their death.

Yes, it’s the same controversial situation as with Cianide or Autopsy, when death metal influences certainly dominate over everything, but so what? Here we have this interview with Morte’s drummer Nicolás Ballarini, and as you will get, this band absolutely fits the “no clean singing” tag. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: DOLD VORDE ENS NAVN

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Oct 232019
 

 

(Karina Noctum brings us this interview of Håvard Jørgensen and Cerberus, members of the Norwegian band Dold Vorde Ens Navn, whose debut EP Gjengangere i hjertets mørke was released on September 13th by Soulseller Records.)

This year has seen a much welcomed ’90s revival in the Norwegian scene. Old bands have been resurrected, new albums bringing back the much-cherished old vibes have been spawned, and so on. It’s probably for the best, I think, to go back and bring back forward what lots of people have been missing.

In the midst of this revival period we have Dold Vorde Ens Navn, a band that gathers the long musical experience of Håvard Jørgensen (co-founding member of Satyricon and early Ulver member), Vicotnik (Dødheimsgard, Ved Buens Ende), Cerberus (ex-Dødheimsgard), and Myrvoll (Nidingr). Together, they concocted something that in spite of having roots in the past has a unique touch and stands on its own. This interview offers lots of information about how this musical endeavour came about to be, as well as the current situation and future plans. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: CONVOCATION

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Oct 222019
 

 

(In this new interview Comrade Aleks spoke with the two members of the Finnish band Convocation, whose tremendous debut album was released last year by Everlasting Spew Records and whose second one is nearing completion.)

Helsinki-based torturous funeral / doom death duet Convocation were a nice discovery for me. I missed the initial release of their crushing debut Scars Across, which happened in March 2018, but why not approach it today? It’s grim, it’s massive, it’s an out-of-this world thing.

One of the band’s founders, Lauri Laaksonen (all instruments), takes part in the prolific death metal act Desolate Shrine, and Marko Neuman (vocals) spent his time in avant-garde outfit Candy Cane, and besides that he sings in the well-known band Dark Buddha Rising. So Convocation didn’t jump out from nowhere — this is quite a successful collaboration between two active underground artists. And both of them are here today. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: SUFFERING DUSKS

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Oct 212019
 

 

(We present Comrade Aleks‘ interview of Mauricio Figueroa, vocalist of the Chilean band Suffering Dusks, whose debut album was released earlier this year.)

This doom-death metal band from Santiago appeared seven years ago, and though a self-titled demo was already done in 2015, they managed to finish a debut full-length only in early 2019. While We Cross The Sunset saw the light of day in a CD edition on September 2nd through Sun Empire Productions, after a digital release last spring.

This decent material demonstrates rich instrumentals alongside expressive vocals lines performed in a vein of modern doom-death, with respect to classic bands. We searched for more in Suffering Dusks’ dark realm with the band’s vocalist Mauricio Figueroa. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: CADAVER (ANDERS ODDEN)

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Oct 182019
 

 

Editor’s Note:  Our Norway-based contributor Karina Noctum had the opportunity last month to talk with Anders Odden, co-founder of the Norwegian death metal band Cadaver (and also founder of the black metal band Order and the industrial rock band Magenta, and a live member of Satyricon). After the submission of this interview, the following announcement appeared on the Facebook page of Order:

“Anders Odden has been hit by illness, which require active treatment. For the time being, he will therefore not be able to perform on stage. Cadaver and Order regret to have to cancel upcoming concerts and thank everyone for the understanding.”

We wish Anders a speedy and complete recovery.

 

Karina Noctum: I had the chance to see Cadaver in September. They are a Norwegian Death Metal band who have been around since the late ’80s. It was a pretty special show at Hellbotn Festival in the suburbs outside Oslo where Fenriz from Darkthrone lives. I hope the American audience will also have a chance to experience this pretty special comeback at both Decibel Fest near L.A. in December and at Maryland Deathfest next year.

I was lucky enough to get to talk to Anders Odden, who founded the band. This interview covers pretty much everything you need to know about Cadaver and their place in metal history, and includes some information about the new release to come. Continue reading »

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