Nov 252015
 

Dread Sovereign - band

 

(Here we have another interview from our friend Comrade Aleks, and this time he talks with Alan Averill about Dread Sovereign.)

Dread Sovereign is known as a doom band formed by Alan Averill, frontman of legendary Irish band Primordial, Simon O’Laoghaire, who played drums in the Celtic black metal band Geasa (as well as in Primordial), and guitarist Bones, who gained experience in the sludge / crust band De Novissimis.

It’s said that Dread Sovereign was formed in 2013, and after the EP Pray to the Devil in Man was released in the same year, Ván Records put out full-length record All Hell’s Martyrs in 2014, which attracted attention from many listeners, and not only doom heads…

All has been said about this album, and I just needed a reason to get in contact with the band to hook out any plans… I was lucky enough ‘cause Alan found the time to answer my questions. Thanks Alan! Continue reading »

Nov 192015
 

Fungoid Stream - J and S

 

(Comrade Aleks brings us another interview, this time with Simon O. of the Argentinian funeral doom band Fungoid Stream.)

So what do we have here today? Another Italian doom outfit? Wrong answer! Fungoid Stream is a funeral doom duo from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Joseph C. and Simon O. are dedicated researchers of Howard Phillip Lovecraft nightmares and each of their three albums are based on his writings. Also it’s known that Simon O. has his solo project Qhwertt – an experimental funeral thing with a conception built around Clark Ashton Smith stories.

Indeed, the third Fungoid Stream work Prehuman Shapes was released a year ago (once more with the help of Furias Records), but something scratching and whispering in my dreams has made me think about Fungoid Stream more often than I’d like to. It seems that Simon O. was waiting for my answers because he answered even faster than I could expect. It is strange… Well, probably just a coincidence… Anyway, I need to thank Eduardo of Furias Records for organizing this interview. Continue reading »

Nov 182015
 

The Bottle Doom Lazy Band - 2

 

(Comrade Aleks brings us another entertaining interview, this time speaking with guitarist Guillaume of The Bottle Doom Lazy Band from France.)

Heavy as the worst hangover, dirty and frenzied as some medieval maddened crowd, desperate and rakish as a criminal on the scaffold — it is the essence of The Bottle Doom Lazy Band. They have a bloody heavy, crushing sound, impressive and insane hymn-like vocal lines, and a strong individuality and slow approach to recording sessions. The band was born in 2005, their remarkable first record was released in 2008, and  new album second album Lost N’ Drunk saw the light of day only in September 2015. Yes, they’re slow and they play their sinister doom! Why is The Bottle Doom Lazy Band so slow? I don’t know… Maybe their guitarist Guillaume will give us a hint.

******

Salute Guillaume! We were speaking with you about four years ago and it seems that you already told us then about the second The Bottle Doom Lazy Band album… So first of all, what did you do all this time, man?

Hi Aleks, I agree that’s a long time since Blood for the Bloodking. We recorded one split EP with Children of Doom and a split LP with Void Moon from Sweden and we’re here now with a new album called Lost N’ Drunk … We have had some line-up changes too. Emeric who helped us in the past is now a permanent member on the bass. Jerome (guitar) left the band, replaced by Pierre 2 years ago. Some of us have other bands (Mantras, Pulmonary Fibrosis…). It’s not easy for us to work quickly but we don’t care about that. We’re happy with this album. That’s most important. Continue reading »

Nov 172015
 

Abysmal Grief - Strange Rites of Evil

 

(If all works as planned today, we will have two “Seen and Heard” posts, and in this first one our frequent interviewer from Russia, Comrade Aleks, puts the spotlight on new music from four fine doom bands.)

Four Italian bands presenting four different aspects of Italian doom metal: Abysmal Grief brings the darkest and most sinister doom from decrepit and horrible crypts. Black Oath weaves baleful spells with twisted tunes of occult doom metal. Retro doom metal band Epitaph spreads tunes of evil in their own old school manner. And Night Gaunt reveals the anxiety and terror of our daily horrors with an ascetic and minimalistic doom sound. Accept the will of Mother Death and follow these dark rites, defending your soul only with your inner strength and spiritual tenacity.

Abysmal Grief

Who knows the most effective way to bury the dead? Who knows the most effective way to return them back to life? Who knows how to perform guitar sound as heavy as a coffin lid? Who knows how to transmit a creepy atmosphere of a forsaken cemetery with freshly dug graves? And who leads the procession? Of course it is the Genoa-based band Abysmal Grief. Continue reading »

Nov 042015
 

Hangmans Chair - 1
photo © Ony

(Comrade Aleks brings us another interview, this time with Julien Rour Chanut, guitarist of the French band Hangman’s Chair.)

This is one of the most nihilistic, dirty, and desperate doom outfits from France. Hangman’s Chair was born in 2005 and proved their skills with three full-length albums until now. These are hymns of outcasts, confessions of the addicted, a portrayal of crude reality from the backyard of a city’s daily life.

The reason for this interview with Julien Rour Chanut, the band’s guitarist, is the release of Hangman’s Chair’s new album This Is Not Supposed To Be Positive on Musicfearsatan Records. Another murky reflection in a cracked mirror of our lives… Another expressive art-work, another handful of depressive and realistic tunes from the underground of suburban Paris. Continue reading »

Oct 282015
 

Doomraiser - 1

 

(Here we have another doomy interview from our Russian friend Comrade Aleks, speaking this time with Nicola “Cynar” Rossi, vocalist for Italy’s Doomraiser.)

Sometimes I think: “Stop! Never again! That was my last interview with an Italian doom band. There are a lot of good bands in other countries!” I go to bed with this thought, but everything changes when I wake up in the morning and see the horse’s head next to my pillow.

Doomraiser is one of the most heavy, most straight-out, most active and prolific doom clans from the Apennine Peninsula. They released their fourth album Reverse (Passaggio inverso) in 2015 and they are already busy preparing new songs. Somehow their frontman Nicola “Cynar” Rossi found a few minutes to answer my questions. Continue reading »

Oct 262015
 

Locrian

 

(Comrade Aleks brings us this interview of André Foisy, one of the members of Chicago’s Locrian, whose latest album Infinite Dissolution was released this year on the Relapse label.)

It’s harder to speak about Locrian with every album they record. This trio from Chicago started with extravagant blackened doom / drone sessions, but over time they have just gone astray in labyrinths of sound researching and experiments. Their newer works keep a cinematographic and psychedelic touch; it’s subjective yet it’s close to the truth if you look for truth in extreme music…

What is Locrian? I have no univocal answer for you. Maybe André Foisy will give some hints in the interview we did with him because of Locrian’s release Infinite Dissolution. Continue reading »

Oct 232015
 

Kings Destroy-ST

 

(Comrade Aleks stepped forward for round-up duty today, bringing us videos and interview excerpts from four excellent bands.)

Yes, I already covered the mighty Kings Destroy and Pohjoinen in interviews with the bands’ members (here and here) at NCS, but these two bands are still in my player, so I want to say just a few more words about them, because amongst other things they have new official videos. As for Misty Morning and Plöw – it’s two very good bands with catchy tunes, proper riffs, paranoid atmosphere… and cool videos! Yes, it’s about videos and it’s about doom with balls.

KINGS DESTROY

Kings Destroy arose in Bronx, New York, on 2010. Being urban and graffiti fans, these five men decided to name their band after a local graffiti crew. Some of the band’s members gained experience in hardcore bands Breakdown and Killing Time, and both bands are still active despite the fact that Kings Destroy have three strong full-length albums for this period and a lot of shows and big tours. Continue reading »

Oct 222015
 

nagasaki-explosion

 

(This is Part III of a three-part article prepared by our Russian friend Comrade Aleks. Part I is here, Part II is here.)

This third part of an article that has mainly told the story of World War II’s Eastern Front was supposed to appear earlier, but for some reasons I couldn’t rush. Its structure isn’t so straight, but the main subjects of this part aren’t battles, but the dirtier side of War, War Crimes.

It’s impossible to believe that such things were done by human kind in the period from 1941 ’til 1945, yet these crimes in different forms continue to the present days. You’ll not find here my point of view – only facts from the internet which you can easily check, and mostly extreme and brutal musical points of view on the events of World War II.

Here we have tracks from KYPCK, 1349, Slayer, and Jucifer (again), and you’ll also find exclusive comments by such bands as Winterborn (with fierce and sudden audio help from Impaled Nazarene), The Committee, Cirith Gorgor, and Endstille — along with their music.

I have no quote of Erich Maria Remarque for this time. Just never forget. Continue reading »

Oct 202015
 

Return From The Grave - 2

 

(Comrade Aleks presents this interview with Jacopo Semenzato, vocalist of the Venician band Return From the Grave. All photos are by Maria Doglioni.)

Return From The Grave is a good name for a band performing any heavy music, and doom isn’t an exception. Darkness, raw soil beneath the tombstone, chill air, and the moan of the dead walking through graveyard… This name gives enough freedom for your imagination.

Same with this band from the amazing Italian city of Venice, one of the most bloody romantic places in the world. Return From The Grave play damned heavy stuff. They call it rock, I see there powerful doom rock. What will you see? The only thing that matters – if you dig it or do not.

You can check the second album Gates of Nowhere of this remarkable band, and it could be enough for you. But if you’d like to look deeper into the chemistry of Return From The Grave chemistry, then you’re welcome to dose — because here’s an interview with Jacopo Semenzato (vocals). Continue reading »