Sweden’s latest offering of death comes from the mysterious Vampire, a three-piece that recently released its debut self-titled demo tape via Ljudkassett (which sold out in a matter of days). For a band that had no presence prior to the month of September, vocalist/drummer Hand of Doom sheds some light.

“[Guitarist] Black String and I started making music around 2009 with no idea of what we wanted to achieve. After a year or two downing beers and switching instruments, [bassist] Command came along.

“We pre-loaded for the Slayer/Metallica gig at my place and listened to Necrophagia’s impossibly ugly ‘Young Burial’ off New Renaissance’s sampler, ‘Thrash Metal Attack’, which made us agree: this is it. We soon wrote the songs on the demo, which were recorded in April, and hooked up with Ljudkassett during the beginning of summer.”

On their first assault, you will find Possessed-like riffing and Celtic Frost-y grooves, but don’t discredit this three-track tape as a mere tribute.

“Death metal is another form of metal that must be aware of its origin and not strive too far away in order to keep its appeal,” explains the frontman. “However, there’s a difference between influence and inspiration.”

“During the sessions, I was heavily into this … Read More

“Sometimes melodies arrive while I’m sleeping so when I wake I’m really stressed trying to remember the melody. Some of the ideas come from dreams and nightmares, or in that time just before I fall asleep,” says Posthum‘s Jon (guitar/bass/vocals). Hailing from Akershus, Norway, an area tipped by many as the new Bergen (“Akershus is both the old and new Bergen!” say the band), Posthum, rounded out by Morten (drums) and Martin (guitar/bass) are set to smash through the black metal glass ceiling with their sophomore full-length ‘Lights Out’. Signed to Indie Recordings, ‘Lights Out’ builds on the foundations of 2009’s ‘.Posthum’ and their 2005 demo, showcasing a tighter, scalpel-sharp approach. So what have the trio been doing with themselves in the interim? “After finishing touring with Dark Fortress, Shining and Satyricon in 2009 we began to think about a second album,” remembers Jon. “The process has been long and darker than before. The album has really got into our heads and has been exhausting at times. It’s been a time of many experiences and different feelings towards life, love and existence in general.”

He’s understating just how dark of a record ‘Lights Out’ truly is. Bleaker than infant death, ‘Lights … Read More

“After my old grindcore band split in 2006 (which featured our bassist Necroskull on guitar), I soon tired of not making music and decided in late 2010 to redress the balance with my own take on thrashy, song-based black metal.” Rob Belial of UK-based decrepit black thrash purveyors Cultfinder, who feature two members of British doomers Witchsorrow, has recently followed up his cassette demo onslaught with a CD-release, the EP ‘Black Thrashing Terror’ on Eldritch Lunar Miasma. One of the most exciting EPs to hail from these shores of late, Cultfinder slot right in with the current network of nasty blackened death and thrash in Southern England (Grave Miasma, Craven Idol, Salute etc). Rob says of the growing scene, “It’s definitely got its own momentum, and slowly but surely, it’s own infrastructure and support network in terms of labels. Pretty soon we’ll once again be completely self-sufficient in totally vicious heavy metal, which is nice for those of us too young to remember the last time! I was barely born when Bathory’s debut came out, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise!”

Norway’s Black Magic are one of the best kept secrets in the metal underground. The exceptional three-piece was formed in 2006 after drummer Cato Stormoen (also of Deathhammer) approached singer/guitarist Jon Henriksen to form a new act (they later added Daniel Salsten on bass duty). Their first self-released demo ‘Raise The Dead’ showed they had a real talent for raw Hellhammer’ing but it was the 2010 ‘Reap Of Evil’ demo that caught many a tuned-in metaller’s ear. This three-track affair added more straight-ahead heavy metal elements into their evil attack, mixing a variety of styles into one of the best heavy metal tracks released in the last ten years. The key weapon in the bands arsenal is Jon’s fantastic vocals and incredible axe-work; the naturally charismatic Ralph Macchio-looking frontman has a mean set of warm heavy rock pipes and a loose way of both singing and playing guitar that is rare in the modern age. His natural charisma and ability results in that rare mix which comes along only so often, while the live show is highly entertaining, unpredictable and punctuated by fantastic covers of Rush, Uriah Heep and Quartz. The band have done no interviews and you shouldn’t expect … Read More

Norway’s Töxik Death was formed in 2003 by “two metalheads starting a band,” exclaims guitarist and founding member Anders. “It was nothing more original than that. Morbid thrash was our thing, and we wanted to create something ourselves.” Even with such enthusiasm, it took four years for the limited EP, ‘Happy Fukking Holocaust’ (Misantrof ANTIRecords), to appear. “I don’t know really,” replies Anders when asked why it took so long to release their debut. “Lack of everything I guess! I wanted to do something, but the rest of the band wasn’t that interested. The lack of a decent drummer in the area didn’t make things easier either.” Another five years would pass before ‘Demo 2012’ became a reality. “The same story started over again,” says Anders. “It didn’t turn out quite as good as hoped, and after the EP the vocalist and the bassist moved away so it was impossible to keep that line-up. Then in late 2011, I decided to start looking for new members. Bjarte was brought in as an additional guitarist and he was joined by new drummer, Robin, bassist, Robert, and Eirik on vocals. All the riffs for the demo were ready so we just started rehearsing and writing … Read More

The first time Iron Fist laid eyes on Hekz, back in 2005, they were playing a sports centre in the arse-end of Middle England, and despite being school age were churning out Maiden-friendly riffs with a progressive edge a la Fate’s Warning that completely belied their youth. Four EPs later and we’ve been keeping an eye on this Bedford mob. Recently released debut full-length ‘Tabula Rasa’ proves how far they’ve come. “The current line-up is very different from when we started,” Matt explains of how they’ve grown since inception. “Kirk [drums] and Al [guitars] came on board in late 2008, Tom [guitars] joined us in May last year and was plunged headfirst into the pre-production for our album. Career highlights thus far have got to be playing Bloodstock Open Air.” Playing traditional heavy metal at such a young age must have had something to do with great parenting, is that true, Matt? “My dad’s got a lot of obscure, eclectic stuff like the Groundhogs and Black Widow, which caught my interest, as well as stuff like Uriah Heep and The Edgar Winter Group. I remember him doing me a copy of Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’ by burning the audio from his vinyl onto a … Read More

Bastard Sapling could easily be described as the best American black metal band you’ve never heard, but this would be selling them short, they’re the best black metal band from anywhere that you’ve never heard of. Formed in 2007 by ex-Cannabis Corpse guitarist Drew, who was in need of a new direction to channel his energy and aggression after being left without a band and living in squalor, He was joined by drummer Elway (ex-Celebrity Murders, ex-Murdock and ex-War Torn), guitarist Steven (Inter Arma), vocalist Mike (Inter Arma, ex-Dick Butkis) and bassist Peter (Battlemaster). The quintet plays brutal black metal in the truest of senses, stripping away all pretence, gimmicks and other nonsense that gets in the way. The raw beauty of Drudkh, Immortal and early Enslaved pulses through their veins, but these Yanks they have their own voice, and it’s fucking loud. They’ve spared no time in tearing the scene apart since they made their first unholy appearance at 2008’s Heart Of Winter festival in Richmond, Virginia. Here they made available a raw rehearsal demo and this exposure saw them head off on a nationwide tour, to conquer new turf and corrupt the minds of the innocent. They quickly followed … Read More

It’s rare to find one-man projects in the death metal scene, especially one as technical as Willowtip’s latest protégé Sophicide. The German lone ranger Adam Lazslo was just 19 when he formed the project, with EP ‘The Art Of Atrocity’ only showcasing half his potential. With Sophicide meaning “murder of wisdom”, it’s clear what the themes are. “It’s about failures of modern society and the misery it brings, value systems that try to impose their ridiculous ideas, like religion and in general things that one should worry about nowadays. [This is] my humble attempt at musically executing these ideas”, explains Adam.

To go solo so young is a brave move; however debut ‘Perdition Of The Sublime’ proves Adam’s technicality and songwriting is close to challenging already credited artists. “I didn’t have fitting band members at that time, so I decided to start on my own.” he says. “I also found it easier to realise my musical ideas without having to make compromises.”

Adam’s influences are prominent throughout – the brutality of Bloodbath, the technicality of fellow countrymen Necrophagist and the even the guitar wankery of Animals As Leaders. ‘Perdition …’ challenges both your brain and brawn and despite the isolation, a live … Read More