I have to admit that I do not know that much bands from FYROM aka the Former Yugoslavian Republic Of Macedonia aka North Macedonia nowadays. Born For Slaughter, Aeon Arcanum, Maras or Tremula are a handful of bands that I do appreciate, but I have to thank Satanath Records’ Aleksey once more for introducing me to Vehementor.
This review deals with a release that is almost archetypically ancient, yet still… When I think that something is worth getting any additional support or attention, I’m yours…
I am not going to introduce this project anymore – I did it a couple of times in the (recent) past (links: see below). But let’s be sure that I am always somehow aroused when I notice that Alphaxone did release something new. Just in short, FYI: it is an outfit by Iran-born musician Mehdi Saleh, very closely related to the mighty Cryo Chamber label.
I was truly thrilled and aroused when I heard about the follow-up of 2019’s The Substance Of Perception, which I do consider one of that year’s highlights when it comes to the more ritualistic and darkened side of Ambient. That album was the official debut by Neraterræ, an outfit by Italian musician Alessio Antoni.
Hailing from Silesia, Poland, Severe Storm is an outfit by Kolan, whom you might know from bands and projects like Antisemitex, Odour Of Death or Defenders Of Europe, amongst some others.
Tolkien freaks will recognize the name ‘ohtar’ as being an esquire of King Isildur, who brought the broken pieces of the king’s legendary sword to the elfish city of Rivendell after some cowardly attack. But it is the name as well from a Polish band which was formed more than two decades ago. Ohtar, the band, recorded some demos and split contributions during the late Nineties and the early 2000’s, and in 2003, Supreme Art released the impressive debut full length album When I Cut The Throat (re-released afterwards on vinyl and tape).
Damn, this has taken quite some time… The last Saturnalia Temple recording was released five years ago. That one, called To The Other, saw the light via one of the oldest Metal labels from French soil, Listenable Records, and it is the very same label that takes care of Saturnalia Temple’s newest full-length studio album, Gravity. It’s available via the modern digital sources, as well as on vinyl (12”LP) and compact disc (digipack).
Finnish artist Juho Huuskola aka J.H. did form Shades Of Deep Water almost fifteen years ago as a solo-outfit to canalise his negative and isolationist ideas and thoughts about humanity, cosmos, reality and evolution. During the second half of last decade, he released some demonstrational recordings and one official EP, eventually followed by a first full length studio album, Waterways (independently released at the end of Summer 2013 on cassette).
The Mediterranean island(s) of Malta are not exactly a ‘big’ country within the international Extreme Metal scene. However, it houses some cool bands and projects. A quite productive musician from Malta is Mark Azzopardi, known from his activities in e.g. Martyrium (which he left a while ago), Khaospath and Draugûl. A couple of years ago, however, this artist moved over to Sweden. Recently, by the way, he also joined forces with some Swedish musicians to form the band Myronath.
Sometimes you have one or another label that signs a new band because they believe in that band’s craft. Well, that’s exactly what happened with Harvst. Harvst is a duo, consisting of vocalist / lyricist (and visual artist) Dornh and multi-instrumentalist / producer Wynthar (you might know him as well as the guy behind Frostreich). They did write and record a handful of tracks, of which six got eventually gathered under the moniker Narbenhein.
