I recently wrote a review on the stunning debut album created by Regiment VX, an expression of disgust and hatred against modern society, politics and the human kind in general. This project is the brainchild of Martin W Daniels, an English gentleman with his roots in the Power Electronics scene. In case of interest, if you want to read that (amazing, of course) review, see link below.
First this: since both projects involved on this collaborative album have been reviewed several times before by undersigned, I’m not going to give a full history / biography / discography on either Iran-based act Alphaxone nor Ukraine’s ProtoU. Let’s just say that both Mehdi Saleh and Sasha ‘Cats’ Puzan are not a stranger to the magnificent Cryo Chamber label, and this isn’t their first mutual effort either.
Our sympathetic friends from Immortal Frost Productions will organize a second edition of their air market. The first one left me broke, but that wroth and infuriated look on my wife’s face made it all up, haha. It’s dedicated to Black Metal especially, as well as related underground genres (Death / Speed / Thrash Metal, and some Folk and Ambient stuff); compact disc, vinyl, tape, DVD from their own label and loads of other material. Free entrance.
Address: Reynsberg 24, B-3290 Diest, Flanders, Belgium
I know, a fourth one got compiled and released in the meantime, yet then again: so what? Indeed, this third compilation deserves all additional promotion and support too, just like the first and the second, and hopefully the fifth up till the 667th one!
Pus are an act from Peru. Okay, that’s enough for an introduction…
No, seriously, I did not know this band and I have about no further information about this act. I think they’re quite new, for this must be their first release (at least, when focusing on their BC-page). It’s a quartet consisting of Parasito, Nauseo, Porfi4do and FXTXZMX, hailing from the capital city of Lima.
Hecate or Hekate was a goddess originating from the Anatolian region, also divinized by the ancient Greeks. She was a goddess of magic, witchcraft, natural medicine knowledge, birth, spiritualism, you know, an important entity for sorcery, necromancy, health and death. This mythological figure has been a huge source of inspiration for several religious and artistic trends, and she appears a lot within the darker currents of the musical spectrum too.
Well, you know, I do not mind -not ever- to listen to stuff that lacks of originality. I just have a few conditions: please do not act like a cheap copycat, please respect the scene (which does not mean that you cannot reinterpret narrow-minded borders, of course), and please convince me.
And that’s exactly what this German act does: playing uncompromising, no-nonsense Death / Thrash material in the vein of ‘the old school’ (whatever this might mean this time), yet without becoming some cheap ‘tribute’ band whatever.
I have never hid my appreciation (I was about to call it ‘passion’, but that sounds way too, eh, friendly, does it not) for the Polish (Black Metal) label Lower Silesian Stronghold. This label might have a specific philosophy, but from sonic point of view – or better: point of listen – they do house some excellent bands on their roster; and therefore some great releases too.
Belgium in general (and Flanders more specific) might not be that ‘huge’ as, let’s say, Norway, the U.S., Poland, Sweden or Botswana when it comes to ‘true’ or ‘orthodox’ Black Metal. However, this country houses so many excellent acts for sure. That’s the case right now, as it was in the past. It would be a stupid thing to sum up all bands and projects that deserve to be mentioned, but as part of that (unlimited) list, Thronum Vrondor must be added for sure.
I do not have the intention to go way too deep into this release’s core, but still I will write down some ideas and thoughts on it, because of 1) the label behind it and 2) the material itself. Let’s start with the label. Dunkelheit Produktionen is a label that I do follow as from 1867 or so. Okay, that’s somehow exaggerated, but this label never disappointed me in the past.
