Ivan Tibos.

In our countries, we see Iran as an exotic area, far away from our (narrow-minded) (capitalistic) ideas and thoughts. But their musical scene, well, is not known. I do know some hands full of bands / projects (often anonymous, cf. religious fundamentalism – no further comment) that dwell within the (Black) Metal scene (and hey, there are some truly underestimated yet worthy and excellent recordings from Persian soil!), yet there is a small / vivid (delete as appropriate) Ambient / Experimental / Drone scene too.

This review deals, once more, with an older recording / re-release by Drone Records. This time I will not go to deep into the label, nor the band. When it comes to the label, I would like to refer to several other reviews I did for Concreteweb in the (recent) past for this label, and sister-labels Substantia Innominata and Transgredient Records. Just enter these names in the ‘search’ tab to find out more… I will not go to deep into the matter ‘Aidan Baker’ either.

VOID, or better: VƆID, are an act from the city of Nantes (in the West of France, not that far away from the Atlantic shores). They started jamming, yeah, at the very beginning of this decade, and in 2012 they released a demo (Hate & Roll, limited as compact disc) and a split with side-project Blacktyde. Then… silence…

Tyranno hail from Rio de Janeiro, BraZZil, and were formed in 2014. They recorded and released some EP’s / singles (one of them released as split with country-fellowmen Nightmare), and in 2017 the trio - original members Bitch Hünter (drums, production, mix, mastering, artwork) and Dyd Bastard (vocals and guitars) [both of them are known as well from e.g.

In 1997, after Maëror Tri split up, Stefan and Martin (aka Baraka[H] and Glit[s]ch) decided to continue their collaboration under the moniker of Troum. It was a sad thing to notice that Maëror Tri were no more, but I am so pleased – and I am sure this goes for a worldwide audience as well – that these two guys went on under their new moniker.

Hailing from Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, Fretting Obscurity is the solo-outfit of one Yaroslav Yakos.

The history of Grimoire De Occulte goes back to the very beginning of this decade. Bernd, the guy involved as drummer in bands like Nacht or Lost, and the same person who runs the Dunkelheit Produktionen label, created this outfit to focus more deeply on aspects like occultism, afterlife, dreamworlds and rituals.

I can easily sum up tens of Black Metal bands and projects from Australia, but when talking about the Southern island Tasmania, there are only three names that immediately come to mind: Astral Winter and Atra Vetosus, both projects with Josh Young (Immortal Frost Productions) and Striborg. The latter is a very, very, extremely very much very productive outfit by one Sin Nanna (real name: Russell Menzies).

Active since 2012, German act Pestlegion, originating from the city of Marl in Germany, not that far away from the border with the Netherlands, didn’t record that much. In early April 2014 they released the mini-CD March To War via Bret Hard Records, and early 2017 saw the light for the first full length (and sole full album to date), called Dominus Profundum via that very same German label.

Once in a while, you just get blown away by a (new) release that offers something unique, promising, magnificent. Well, did you have the opportunity to enjoy Tacent Semitae, the 2016 debut by international act Adaestuo? Indeed, that’s what I mean with getting blown away. It isn’t just Black Metal that this trio performs. This goes way beyond the ‘orthodox’ borders of that mighty muSICKal style called Black Metal!