Ivan Tibos.

Being a huge fan of Martial Industrial, no matter whether it’s political inspired or not, and no matter whether the focus lies of epic constructions, Dark Wave-oriented obscurity, militant war-propaganda or Neo-Folk / Neo-Classical inspired atmospheres, I was quite surprised that I didn’t cross the path of Ukrainian label Old Captain before. But that is about to gonna change as from now on – that’s a promise to myself! Reason is that this label did sign Die Weisse Rose (they’re named after a pacifistic resistance movement during WWII).

Sometimes it’s just incomprehensible that musicians can be enormously productive. Such an example is Damien Anton Ojeda aka Elisa aka E., born in Mexico and currently living in Oak Park, Illinois. He is active in several solo-projects, such as the new outfit Left Alone… or Born An Abomination, and used to release material under names such as Aevilian, A Nightlit Poesy, Iniquitous Depression and Evocative Atmosphere too.

Morkesagn are a relatively young quartet from Ukraine’s capital city Kiev, consisting of Heydvald (bass), Ekvil (vocals and guitars), Heisenbeard (drums), and Farn (guitars and backing vocals). Where The Darkness Never Ends is their first album, independently released the digital way and on CD via Farn Black Productions (I guess it’s owned by this band’s guitar player) with additional distribution assistance of Turkey’s Merdümgiriz.

It is not strange that hadn’t heard of Ande before, because it seems to be a new project by Jimmy Christiaens, from the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium (Flanders, somewhere…). With Light (which actually lasts for twenty two minutes), Ande bring three Black Metal tracks, accompanied by four very short untitled instrumental pieces (though, not totally untitled, for they are called I, II, III and, indeed, IV).

Eddy Soto is the name of the Colombian guy behind Desecrator Of Evil, a Black / Thrash outfit that actually started as a Noise-Punk project at the end of last decade (initially as Demon Destroyer, then acting under the moniker of Bestial Destructor, until the final change-of-moniker in 2011). The project is named after a composition by Witchtrap, for your information. Eddy Soto performs everything himself: vocals, guitars, basses and drums (no more drum programming, but ‘real’ drums).

The name of Simon Heath might ring a bell to many Industrial-fans, for this is the guy behind top-act Atrium Carceri. I also recollect his name from mighty Za Frûmi, and he’s involved with projects such as Sabled Sun, Abnocto or Knaprika too, if I’m not mistaken. Besides, Simon runs the Cryo Chamber label, which sort of came to the foreground after the painful, sad surcease of Cold Meat Industry.

The Spanish guys from Womb (a band that includes members from e.g. Winterstorm, Vikingore or Windblown) initially released their debut full length album Deception Through Your Lies at the end of May 2015 in its digital form. On November 30^th Doom-giant Solitude Productions release that material on CD, in a co-operation with Hypnotic Dirge Records, and this in an edition of 500 copies.

Harlowe are a Belgian project that includes some well-known names from the (Belgian) scene: Colin H.

French outfit Griffon, nowadays with current and former members of e.g. Moonreich, Neptrecus, Septentrion etc..., signed to the honest (Underground) label Hass Weg Productions in order to have their debut released the most decent way. In 2014 the band did also record and release an EP (crazily called Wig Ah Wag), but I did not have the opportunity (yet) to enjoy that material.

Our Lowlands have always been quite underestimated within the Black Metal scene, and actually it isn’t that strange, seen the glorious quality of so many acts from all over the world. Once in a while, a band from Belgium or Holland sort of ‘breaks through’, reaching an audience outside our artificial borders. Unfortunately, so many bands from our countries remains too ‘low’. Will The Shiva Hypothesis prove the opposite?