The scene from New Zealand isn’t that known in our countries, and that’s a pity for there seems to be quite a vivid and interesting scene out there. 8 Foot Saliva, Ulcerate, Dawn Of Azazel and maybe a (child’s) hand full of others; everybody knows these, but there are plenty of superb bands and projects dwelling at the other side of Mater Terra (down under and then to the right…).
HellHate are a Ukrainian act that were formed in 2008, but despite five years of career, they didn’t release but one EP / MCD, called retsonretap (got the meaning? does it reek of blasphemy? Look at the artwork and indeed, the Horned One must be a close friend of this trio). Noxious (b), Ugrum (v, g) and Bloodsucker (d) recorded this material in very early 2013 at the P.A. Studio, and the five tracks last for fifteen minutes and a half.
Italian duo Australasia returns with their second album, one year after the highly acclaimed Sin4tr4-EP (which was released by Golden Morning Sounds). But probably you might know this act from their interpretation of Thin Peaks Theme, originally written and composed by Angelo Badalamenti. In mean time the project signed to Belgian label Immortal Frost, and the result is the release of Vertebra.
Dutch horde Weltschmerz was formed in 2009. Shortly after, the band recorded and self-released the EP Cry For War, and in 2011 they appeared on the four-way split Dutch And Canadian Annihilation (released via Zwaertgevegt).
Dead Becomes The Sun are a solo-outfit by Frenchman Nahash, brought to life in 2012. His sole creation (until now) under this project-moniker is The Last Eclipse, an EP / MCD with a total running time of nineteen minutes. It was released via one of Belgium’s most notorious (Black Metal) labels, Immortal Frost Productions, and it is limited to an edition of three hundred copies only.
Italian trio Sterbenzeit (little confusing, for their moniker is German; it means ‘moment of dying’ or ‘time to die’) returns with their sophomore full length, this time on Belgium’s Underground-label Immortal Frost Productions.
That’s one of the things I do like about Belgian label Immortal Frost Productions. They do mainly focus on Black Metal in a rather general approach (from melancholic Ambient-laden doomy stuff to thrashing Old School madness, and everything in between), but they do sign bands and projects too that do not perform ‘Black Metal’ in its literal definition, but which atmosphere or spirit is related within the same obscure, grim and bleak regions.
Evil Palace hail from Ukraine and are a side-project of Doom / Death / Black act Dusk Of Eternity (multi-instrumentalist / music composer Wolfheart, lyricist / vocalist Sid and session bass player Astaroth are part of Dusk Of Eternity).
Atra Vetosus are a Tasmanian band that are on Immortal Frost’s roster for a couple of years. In 2011 this collaboration resulted in the release of the demonstrational recording A Palace Shrouded In Emptiness (the tracks from that demo, by the way, have been re-arranged for this debut full length) (back then, by the way, Atra Vetosus were a duo, i.e.
After two self-released EPs and a split (with Hiisi), the Finnish duo Oath finally signed a contract with a professional label, Belgium-based Immortal Frost Productions, in order to release their debut full length. The project consists of two experienced musicians: Ville ‘V-Khaoz’ Pallonen, who you might know from Azaghal, Hin Onde, Wyrd, Druadan Forest or Hellkult, amongst others, and A.
