Na všech stolech leží mrtvola. Každá je v jiném stádiu rozkladu a zemřela odlišnou krutou smrtí. Zabití nožem, zastřelení, utopení, oběšení. Všechny měly jedno společné, byly před svojí smrtí hnusně a ošklivě mučeny. Slyším jejich nářek, šeptají děsivá slova o činech, kterých snad ani není člověk schopen. Jenže realita je horší, než moje pochmurné představy. Červi se smějí do ticha a mě nezbývá nic jiného, než začít pitvat. Ještě než tak ale učiním, zapínám na svém přehrávači play a pouštím si stále dokola nové album britských surovců CRYPTWORM.
S touhle smečkou jsme měli u nás na stránkách co do činění již několikrát. Také by se dalo napsat, že pečlivě sleduji jejich morbidní práci od počátků. Napsal jsem několik recenzí a máme i rozhovor (vše je odkazováno dole pod dnešním článkem). Britové jsou i letos jako nějací šílení patologové, kteří se rozhodli nás svým death metalem totálně zničit. Nutno rovnou dodat, že se jim to opět daří na výbornou.
Tento styl se dá hrát mnoha způsoby a CRYPTWORM si zvolili jeho ohavnější, mokvající, syrovou a hnisavou podobu. Při poslechu budete opravdu exhumovat staré hroby, navštěvovat prokletá pohřebiště, budete pitvat zohavená těla, brodit se po kolena v krvi, ve shnilých močálech děsivých lidských představ a nočních můr. Britové mají opět masivní, špinavý, surový zvuk, který se vám ihned zadře pod kůži, stylový obal, který ve mě evokuje spoustu hororových představ (autorem je Skaðvaldur). Co se týká hudby samotné, tak ta je samozřejmě inspirována v devadesátých letech minulého století. Kapela vzala staré, tradiční a klasické postupy, osvěžila je svými morbidními nápady a invencí. Výsledkem je nahrávka, u které opravdu ucítíte v dlaních zkaženou krev. Budete mít ruce po lokty ponořené do zohavených těl, budete nasávat hnilobný zápach rozkládajících se tkání. Každá pitevna je opředena podivnou aurou strachu z umírání, ale vy moc dobře víte, že smrt není to nejhorší. Kývám se spokojeně do rytmu, řvu do tmy spolu s kapelou, potkávám své vlastní démony, užívám si zápach formaldehydu, takový ten hnusný chlad, který se vám dostane při poslechu až do morku kostí. "Infectious Pathological Waste" je poctivým, opravdovým, ryzím, autentickým albem, které osloví všechny pravověrné fanoušky. Má v sobě potřebný drive, sílu, touhu ničit a zabíjet hudbou. Na všech stolech leží mrtvola. Každá je v jiném stádiu rozkladu a zemřela odlišnou krutou smrtí. Zabití nožem, zastřelení, utopení, oběšení. Všechny měly jedno společné, byly před svojí smrtí hnusně a ošklivě mučeny. Slyším jejich nářek, šeptají děsivá slova o činech, kterých snad ani není člověk schopen. Hnilobné procesy byly znovu zahájeny! Surový, temný a morbidní death metal, u kterého se rozpadnete v prach!
Asphyx says:
There is a corpse on every table. Each is in a different stage of decomposition and died a different, cruel death: stabbed, shot, drowned, hanged. They all had one thing in common: they were horribly and viciously tortured before their deaths. I hear their wails; they whisper terrifying words about acts that perhaps no human is even capable of. But reality is worse than my grim imaginings. The worms laugh in the silence, and I have no choice but to begin the autopsy. But before I do so, I press play on my music player and listen to the new album by the British brutalists CRYPTWORM on repeat.
We’ve covered this band several times on our site. One could also say that I’ve been closely following their morbid work since the beginning. I’ve written several reviews, and we even have an interview (all linked below today’s article). This year, the Brits are once again like some mad pathologists who’ve decided to utterly destroy us with their death metal. It must be said right away that they’re succeeding brilliantly once again.
This style can be played in many ways, and CRYPTWORM have chosen its most hideous, oozing, raw, and festering form. As you listen, you’ll truly be exhuming old graves, visiting cursed burial grounds, dissecting mutilated bodies, wading knee-deep in blood, and trudging through the rotten swamps of terrifying human imaginings and nightmares. The British band once again delivers a massive, dirty, raw sound that immediately gets under your skin, along with stylish artwork that evokes a host of horror imagery in me (created by Skaðvaldur). As for the music itself, it is, of course, inspired by the 1990s. The band took old, traditional, and classic approaches and refreshed them with their morbid ideas and ingenuity. The result is a recording where you can truly feel the rotten blood in your palms. You’ll have your hands submerged up to your elbows in mutilated bodies, inhaling the putrid stench of decaying flesh. Every morgue is shrouded in a strange aura of fear of dying, but you know very well that death isn’t the worst thing. I nod contentedly to the beat, scream into the darkness along with the band, face my own demons, and revel in the smell of formaldehyde that nasty chill that seeps into your very marrow when you listen. "Infectious Pathological Waste" is a sincere, genuine, pure, authentic album that will appeal to all true fans. It has the necessary drive, power, and desire to destroy and kill with music. There’s a corpse on every table. Each is in a different stage of decomposition and died a different cruel death. Stabbed, shot, drowned, hanged. They all had one thing in common: they were horribly and viciously tortured before their deaths. I hear their wails; they whisper terrifying words about acts that perhaps no human is even capable of. The processes of decay have begun anew! Raw, dark, and morbid death metal that will reduce you to dust!
HELL TREPANNER - The Consecration of Eternal Impurity
CD 2026, Awakening Records
for english please scroll down
Většina mrtvol byla prohlášena za oběti sebevražd. Jsou pochováni stranou, daleko od místního hřbitova, protože jsou považovány za nečisté. Mají odděleny hlavy od těla a dodnes, když půjdete kolem, tak uslyšíte jejich děsivý nářek. Zažily kdysi dávno krutý život a ještě hnusnější smrt. Nikdo z nich se totiž nezabil sám, ale staly se obětmi pradávných, krvavých rituálů. Peruánská smečka HELL TREPANNER jejich ohavné příběhy exhumovala a vypálila do svých skladeb jako hnisavá stigmata.
Základem hudby těchto tmářů je surovost, tlak, ostré riffy, divoké bicí a řev bestie. Všechno se pohybuje někde na pomezí našeho a onoho světa. V drsném death metalu zazní i lehké odkazy na klasický thrash a vy najednou při poslechu nejste doma ve svém pokoji, ale někde vysoko v horách, ve starém prokletém kostele, ve kterém se právě pořádá jedna z krvavých černých mší pro vyvolávání temných sil. Nová nahrávka se mi ihned dostala pod kůži i do podvědomí.
Nové album je plné odkazů na nahrávky surových tmářů jako jsou INCANTATION, DRAWN AND QUARTERED, DEICIDE, SADISM, CENOTAPH, SADISTIC INTENT. To ale není zase tak důležité, dnes je každá kapela někomu podobná a osobně mi to vůbec nevadí. Peruánci navíc přidávají spoustu svých nápadů a zmiňované smečky jsou spíše inspirací. Pro mě osobně je nejdůležitější, že mě baví nové album "The Consecration of Eternal Impurity" poslouchat, rád a často se k němu vracím a rvu si ho do hlavy pod tlakem. Má takovou zvláštní, děsivě podmanivou atmosféru, obsahuje v sobě naprostou tmu a nahrubo nasekané zlo. Ne, tohle opravdu není jen obyčejná nahrávka, ale spíše pradávný obřad. Během každého poslechu sestupuji po špinavých schodech dolů, do podsvětí. Oltář je již připraven a padlí kněží stojí v kruhu. Pozvedají své ostré nože a zahaleni v kápích přednášejí obrácené modlitby. Oběť, která byla pečlivě vybrána, je skoro mrtvá strachy. Za zvuků téhle nahrávky je jí proříznuto hrdlo a vy alespoň na chvilku spatříte pána pekel. U nové desky oceňuji hlavně to, že je opravdová, reálná, uvěřitelná, ryzí a naprosto autentická. Do nečisté hry vás uvede již velmi povedený motiv na obalu, jehož autorem je Artem Astaroth. Pokud bychom se měli bavit o zvuku, tak ten je náležitě surový, špinavý a řeže tou správnou stranou nože. HELL TREPANNER jsem dosud neznal a pokud jste na tom stejně jako já, tak si schválně poslechněte i jejich předchozí záseky, stojí rozhodně za to. Starý, temný, prašivý death metal, u kterého se vám objeví shnilá stigmata! Pradávný rituál pro vyvolávání děsivých sil!
Asphyx says:
Most of the corpses were ruled suicides. They are buried off to the side, far from the local cemetery, because they are considered unclean. Their heads are severed from their bodies, and even today, if you walk by, you can hear their terrifying wails. Long ago, they endured a cruel life and an even more gruesome death. None of them killed themselves; instead, they fell victim to ancient, bloody rituals. The Peruvian band HELL TREPANNER has unearthed their hideous stories and burned them into their songs like festering stigmata.
The foundation of these dark masters’ music is rawness, pressure, sharp riffs, wild drums, and the roar of a beast. Everything moves somewhere on the border between this world and the next. Amidst the harsh death metal, there are also subtle references to classic thrash, and suddenly, while listening, you’re no longer at home in your room, but somewhere high in the mountains, in an old cursed church where one of those bloody black masses to summon dark forces is currently being held. The new recording immediately got under my skin and into my subconscious.
The new album is full of references to the raw, dark sounds of bands like INCANTATION, DRAWN AND QUARTERED, DEICIDE, SADISM, CENOTAPH, and SADISTIC INTENT. But that’s not really that important; these days, every band sounds like someone else, and personally, I don’t mind that at all. Plus, the Peruvians bring a lot of their own ideas to the table, and the bands mentioned above are more of an inspiration. For me personally, the most important thing is that I enjoy listening to the new album "The Consecration of Eternal Impurity"; I gladly and often return to it and blast it into my head. It has this strange, terrifyingly captivating atmosphere, containing utter darkness and brutally chopped-up evil. No, this really isn’t just an ordinary recording, but rather an ancient ritual. With every listen, I descend the filthy stairs into the underworld. The altar is already prepared, and the fallen priests stand in a circle. They raise their sharp knives and, cloaked in hoods, recite inverted prayers. The carefully chosen victim is nearly dead with fear. As this recording plays, her throat is slit, and you get a glimpse of the Lord of Hell if only for a moment. What I appreciate most about this new album is that it’s genuine, realistic, believable, raw, and completely authentic. The already very well-done cover art by Artem Astaroth will introduce you to this dark world. As for the sound, it’s appropriately raw, dirty, and cuts deep. I hadn’t heard of HELL TREPANNER before, and if you’re in the same boat as me, be sure to check out their previous releases they’re definitely worth it. Old, dark, filthy death metal that’ll leave you with rotten stigmata! An ancient ritual for summoning terrifying forces!
Představy o tom, jak vypadá opravdové peklo, se velmi různí. Někteří z nás stále věří v hořící kotle a utrpení nevěřících. Možná ale jenom shnijeme ve studené zemi a zůstane po nás jenom potrava pro červy. Osobně si myslím, že ďábel a zlo se ukrývají v každém z nás. Záleží jen na příležitosti, na okolnostech a výchově. Jak jinak byste mi vysvětlili zástupy věřících, kteří byli, jsou a stále budou mučeny, znásilňovány, ponižovány. Studený kostel některým nedává rozhřešení, ale jenom bolest. Už jsem si jednu dobu myslel, že se proti tomu nemusí bojovat, lidstvo je přeci ve své podstatě chytré, vzdělané, empatické. Jenže v mnohých případech tomu tak stále není.
Antikřesťanství, jako nosné téma textů a názorů, se tak víceméně samo nabízí. Záleží jen, jak jej která kapela uchopí. BLASART z Chile, kteří hrají jak surový death metal, tak i propracovaný a chladný black metal, na to jdou chytře, inteligentně. Skladby jsou jako ostré nože, jako čepele, které vždycky najdou to nejbolestivější místo. Stejně jako kněz, ke kterému jste se chodili dlouhá léta svěřovat se svými hříchy, aby vás nakonec zasáhl přesně do srdce i do vědomí.
Jednotlivé motivy v sobě obsahují starodávnou vášeň a touhu ničit hudbou, jsou velmi dobře a zajímavě napsány. Chilané sice staví na základech, které kdysi vybudovaly kapely typu MORBID ANGEL, MISÞYRMING, SATYRICON, DEAD CONGREGATION, IGNIVOMOUS, DISMA, ale zároveň mají svůj vlastní rukopis a výraz. Zazní i chvilky ambientu. Jako celek se potom druhé dlouhohrající album velmi dobře poslouchá, má v sobě potřebný drive, sílu, energii a tlak. Antikřesťanství se prolíná celou nahrávkou jako jedovatý břečťan. Skladby jsou důrazné, velmi drásavé, nebál bych se napsat osobní a když mi po nějaké době pronikly do žil i do podvědomí, tak jsem se k nim velmi rád a často vracel. Je něco magického, rituálního, podmanivého, co z hudby těchto tmářů cítím a vnímám. Omluvte mě za delší úvod dnešní recenze, ale snažil jsem se v něm vyjádřit své niterné pocity, které mě pokaždé provází celým poslechem. Víte, hudbu už dávno neposlouchám ušima, ale spíše srdcem. Musí dojít ke vzájemnému přenosu emocí. Tohle všechno BLASART umí na výbornou. Hodně k tomu přispívá i ostrý, divoký a velmi dobře čitelný zvuk (Carlos Fuentes - mixing, mastering). Líbí se mi i motiv na obalu, který vytvořila skvělá rumunská malířka a ilustrátorka Luciana Nedelea. Možná jsme si naivně mysleli, že boj proti slepé víře je již zcela zbytečný, ale jak je všeobecně známo, tak zlo a peklo se opravdu ukrývá v každém z nás. Dokud tomu tak bude, tak se vyplatí proti tomu postavit. Důkazem budiž i album "Depravatus Christianis Sacris", které já osobně považuji za vynikající po všech stránkách. Surové i chladné black death metalové album, které vás rozdrásá zevnitř! Krvavé zrcadlo, nastavené slepé víře!
Asphyx says:
Ideas about what true hell looks like vary greatly. Some of us still believe in burning pits and the suffering of unbelievers. But perhaps we will just rot in the cold ground and be left as food for worms. Personally, I think that the devil and evil lurk within each of us. It just depends on opportunity, circumstances, and upbringing. How else would you explain the multitudes of believers who have been, are, and will continue to be tortured, raped, and humiliated? For some, a cold church offers no absolution, only pain. For a while, I thought that there was no need to fight against this, because humanity is essentially intelligent, educated, and empathetic. However, in many cases, this is still not the case.
Anti-Christianity, as a central theme of lyrics and opinions, more or less presents itself. It just depends on how each band approaches it. BLASART from Chile, who play both raw death metal and sophisticated and cold black metal, approach it cleverly and intelligently. The songs are like sharp knives, like blades that always find the most painful spot. Just like a priest you went to for years to confess your sins, only to have him strike you right in the heart and conscience.
The individual motifs contain an ancient passion and desire to destroy through music, and are very well and interestingly written. Although the Chileans build on the foundations once laid by bands such as MORBID ANGEL, MISÞYRMING, SATYRICON, DEAD CONGREGATION, IGNIVOMOUS, and DISMA, they also have their own style and expression. There are also moments of ambient music. As a whole, the second full-length album is very listenable, with the necessary drive, power, energy, and pressure. Anti-Christianity permeates the entire recording like poisonous ivy. The songs are emphatic, very harrowing, I would even dare to say personal, and when they penetrated my veins and subconscious after a while, I returned to them very gladly and often. There is something magical, ritualistic, captivating that I feel and perceive in the music of these obscurantists. Please excuse the lengthy introduction to today's review, but I was trying to express my inner feelings, which accompany me every time I listen to this album. You see, I no longer listen to music with my ears, but rather with my heart. There must be a mutual transfer of emotions. BLASART excels at all of this. The sharp, wild, and very clear sound (Carlos Fuentes - mixing, mastering) also contributes greatly to this. I also like the cover art, created by the wonderful Romanian painter and illustrator Luciana Nedelea. Perhaps we naively thought that the fight against blind faith was completely unnecessary, but as is well known, evil and hell really lurk within each of us. As long as this is the case, it is worth fighting against it. Proof of this is the album "Depravatus Christianis Sacris", which I personally consider to be excellent in every way. A raw and cold black death metal album that will tear you apart from the inside! A bloody mirror held up to blind faith!
"Na shledanou, drahý, na shledanou, zůstaneš v mém srdci navěky. Spočten osud, není na vybranou Svede nás až zítřek daleký. Umírat – na tom nic nového není. Ani žít však není novější". Tohle napsal údajně vlastní krví ruský básník a spisovatel Sergej Alexandrovič Jesenin, než spáchal sebevraždu oběšením. Některé prameny ale tvrdí, že jej odstranily tajné služby, protože byl nepohodlný. Měl těžký život, plný depresí, alkoholu, ale také složil skvělé básně. Jeho mrtvé tělo je vyfoceno na obalu nového alba rumunských funeral doom metalistů IN RUINS.
Tenhle metalový styl je dle mého velmi těžkou disciplínou. V pomalosti a smutku vždy vyniknou všechny drobnosti, nuance a vybudovat depresivní, těžkou a nekonečně smutnou atmosféru jen tak někdo neumí. Téhle kapele se to povedlo na výbornou. Když jsem si poprvé novinku na svém přehrávači pustil, ztratil jsem se ve vzpomínkách, v krvavé mlze. Padla na mě tíseň a nekonečné chmury. Dlouhá řada šedivých domů, výkřiky bolesti, utrpení, vykoupeni nikdy nebudete. Procházím se ulicemi našeho města.
Jedná se o první dlouhohrající album kapely (ještě bylo vydáno v roce 2022 EP "Ruthless Portrait", které si také určitě poslechněte). Pokud se rádi a často procházíte opuštěnou krajinou za zvuků hudby napsané třeba takovými AHAB, EYE OF SOLITUDE, CONVOCATION, SLOW, UN, ESOTERIC, potom mi můžete věřit, že se vám bude líbit i novinka od těchto rumunských tmářů. Dlouhé táhlé motivy, zastavení se, zklidnění, tohle jsou všechno věci, které se zdánlivě do dnešního chaotického světa příliš nehodí. Možná ale právě proto si nové album neskutečně užívám. Pánové sice využívají převážně tradiční, klasické a již někde slyšené postupy a motivy, ale když se soustředíte na album, jako na celek, tak se trefují přímo do živého. Nahrávku jsem slyšel poprvé, když jsem měl zlomenou nohu a byl jsem nekonečné dny zavřený ve svém pokoji, přesto jsem se toulal lesem, který se rozprostírá kousek za naším domem. Nekonečné stezky, plné chladu, temnoty a vzpomínek. Ožívaly přede mnou duše prokletých, četl jsem staré básníky, umíral a znovu se rodil. "We Are All to Perish" je přesně tím druhem alba, které mě zasáhlo zevnitř, přesně a přesto mlhavě. Pokaždé na mě padl smutek a chvílemi jsem nevěděl, jestli sním a nebo bdím. Celou nahrávkou se potom vine jako jedovatý břečťan těžko definovatelná melancholie, kterou v sobě my, kdo jsme se narodili za socialismu ve východním bloku, stále máme. IN RUINS si dali velký pozor i na zvuk, který považuji za hodně povedený. Zkrátka a dobře, dostanete desku, kterou budete poslouchat spíše srdcem, než ušima. Až jednou budete ležet v otevřené rakvi, na moje slova si určitě vzpomenete. Nekonečně smutný, drásavý, bolestivý funeral doom metal, který vás převede do země temných stínů! Album, které řeže zevnitř!
Asphyx says:
"Farewell, my dear, farewell; you will remain in my heart forever. Fate has decided; there is no choice. Only the distant tomorrow will part us. To die - there is nothing new in that. Nor is living any newer". Russian poet and writer Sergei Alexandrovich Yesenin allegedly wrote these words in his own blood before committing suicide by hanging. Some sources, however, claim that the secret services eliminated him because he was a nuisance. He had a difficult life, full of depression and alcohol, but he also wrote wonderful poems. His dead body is pictured on the cover of the new album by the Romanian funeral doom metal band IN RUINS.
In my opinion, this metal style is a very difficult discipline. In slowness and sadness, every little detail and nuance always stands out, and not just anyone can create a depressive, heavy, and endlessly sad atmosphere. This band has succeeded brilliantly. When I first played the new album on my player, I got lost in memories, in a bloody fog. A sense of oppression and endless gloom fell over me. A long row of gray houses, screams of pain, suffering - you will never be redeemed. I walk through the streets of our city.
This is the band’s first full-length album (they also released the EP “Ruthless Portrait” in 2022, which you should definitely check out). If you enjoy wandering through desolate landscapes to the sounds of music by bands like AHAB, EYE OF SOLITUDE, CONVOCATION, SLOW, UN, or ESOTERIC, then you can trust me when I say you’ll love this new release from these Romanian dark metal masters. Long, drawn-out motifs, moments of pause, a sense of calm—these are all things that seemingly don’t fit very well into today’s chaotic world. But perhaps that’s precisely why I’m enjoying the new album so much. While the guys mostly use traditional, classic, and familiar techniques and motifs, when you focus on the album as a whole, they hit the mark perfectly. I first heard the album when I had a broken leg and was stuck in my room for endless days; yet I still wandered through the forest that stretches just beyond our house. Endless trails, full of cold, darkness, and memories. The souls of the damned came to life before me; I read the old poets, died, and was reborn. "We Are All to Perish" is exactly the kind of album that struck me from within, precisely and yet vaguely. A sense of sadness would wash over me every time, and at times I didn’t know if I was dreaming or awake. A hard-to-define melancholy, which we who were born under socialism in the Eastern Bloc still carry within us, winds through the entire recording like poisonous ivy. IN RUINS also paid close attention to the sound, which I consider very well done. In short, you’re getting an album that you’ll listen to with your heart rather than your ears. One day, when you’re lying in an open coffin, you’ll surely remember my words. Endlessly sad, harrowing, painful funeral doom metal that will transport you to the land of dark shadows! An album that cuts deep from within!
Není to tak dlouho, co jsem se jednou ocitl v lese, který shořel na popel. Našlapoval jsem opatrně, cítil jsme ze země bolest, vnímal jsem seškvařenou kůži mrtvol, díval se na pahýly stromů, na ožehlé kameny. Mezi popelem už ale začínal další život, síla, energie. Poslouchal jsem zrovna nové album norských VREID a zase jednou se ztrácel v pochmurných myšlenkách. Slunce zapadalo za horou a do kostí se mi pomalu vkrádal chlad. Tak nějak podvědomě jsem věděl, že dnes se domů asi už nevrátím.
Melodický black metal není zrovna mým hlavním proudem, ve kterém bych plul příliš často. Poslouchám většinou těžší, extrémnější muziku, ale i já si potřebuji občas odpočinout, zastavit se, jen tak se toulat v lesích, nasávat atmosféru umírajících stromů, sledovat zvířata, jen tak být, existovat, jít po stopách svých vlastních krvavých kořenů. Máme u nás kousek za městem jedno starodávné pohřebiště. Je plné podivných, tajemných symbolů i atmosféry. Nové album norských tmářů zde vyniklo nejvíce.
Jakoby byla ve skladbách taková podivná melancholie, zvláštní odér, nálady, které nejdou příliš popsat, ale tuhle smečku definují. Pánové ke mě promlouvají velmi srozumitelným jazykem, jsme na stejné vlně a já nemohu jinak, než znovu a znovu za sebou zavírat dveře svého pokoje a nechávat se unášet jejich muzikou. Zažíváme spolu tajemno, jakousi magii, kterou znají všichni, kdo se rádi toulají v lesích, spávají u studených řek a milují, když jsou sami v chrámu, kterému se říká příroda. VREID ale dokáží být i surovější, drsnější. Nová nahrávka je tak velmi pestrá, opravdu dobře se poslouchá a má v sobě takovou tu poctivou, uvěřitelnou a autentickou jiskru, která vždy odlišovala dobré kapely od těch ostatních. Norové měli vždy svůj vlastní rukopis, originální otisk, který si užívám i letos. Určitě jste někdy navštívili nějaké staré pohřebiště. Jsou na něm pochováni prokletí, oběti válek, násilných činů. Když poslouchám "The Skies Turn Black", tak jsou mraky opravdu nízko a slyším šepot nemrtvých. Vyprávějí mi svoje příběhy o nekonečné bolesti, utrpení, o strachu. Nové album se pro mě tak stalo velmi podmanivým dílem, nebál bych se napsat, že se mi postupně dostalo do krve i do podvědomí. Je pro mě velmi příjemné, i když uhrančivé a v magické, jen tak se toulat, ztrácet se v mlhavých snech, chodit ulicemi, nasávat pach zetlelého listí i bolestivých vzpomínek. Nesmím ale zapomenout i na formální věci, jako je zvuk a motiv na obalu. Obojí je v tom nejlepším pořádku. A teď už mě prosím nechte, nastal zase čas. Nasazuji sluchátka, venku zrovna prší a setmělo se. Aspoň v lese nikdo nebude. Nová deska je nádherná takovým tím severských drásavým způsobem. Díky moc za ní. Chladná, majestátní, nespoutaná melodická black metalová nahrávka, která vás spálí zevnitř!
Asphyx says:
Not long ago, I found myself in a forest that had been reduced to ashes. I treaded carefully, feeling the pain emanating from the ground, sensing the charred skin of the corpses, gazing at the stumps of trees and the scorched stones. But amidst the ashes, new life was already beginning-strength, energy. I was listening to the new album by the Norwegian band VREID and, once again, getting lost in gloomy thoughts. The sun was setting behind the mountain, and a chill was slowly creeping into my bones. Somehow, subconsciously, I knew that I probably wouldn’t be going home today.
Melodic black metal isn’t exactly my main genre, one I’d dive into too often. I mostly listen to heavier, more extreme music, but even I need to rest sometimes, to stop, just wander through the woods, soak in the atmosphere of dying trees, watch the animals, just be, exist, follow in the footsteps of my own bloody roots. We have an ancient burial ground just outside our town. It’s full of strange, mysterious symbols and atmosphere. The new album by these Norwegian dark masters stood out the most here.
It’s as if there’s a strange melancholy in their songs, a peculiar atmosphere, moods that are hard to describe but define this band. These guys speak to me in a very clear language; we’re on the same wavelength, and I can’t help but close the door to my room again and again and let myself be carried away by their music. Together, we experience a mystery, a kind of magic known to all who love to wander through the woods, sleep by cold rivers, and cherish being alone in the temple called nature. But VREID can also be rawer, harsher. The new album is thus very diverse, a real pleasure to listen to, and possesses that honest, believable, and authentic spark that has always set good bands apart from the rest. The Norwegians have always had their own signature style, an original imprint that I’m enjoying once again this year. You’ve surely visited an old graveyard at some point. The damned, victims of wars, and acts of violence are buried there. When I listen to "The Skies Turn Black", the clouds really do hang low, and I hear the whispers of the undead. They tell me their stories of endless pain, suffering, and fear. For me, this new album has become a truly captivating work; I wouldn’t hesitate to say that it has gradually seeped into my blood and my subconscious. It’s very pleasant for me—though mesmerizing and magical - to just wander, lose myself in misty dreams, walk the streets, and soak in the scent of decaying leaves and painful memories. But I mustn’t forget the formal aspects, such as the sound and the cover art. Both are in the best possible order. And now, please leave me be - it’s time again. I’m putting on my headphones; it’s raining outside and it’s gotten dark. At least there won’t be anyone in the woods. The new album is beautiful in that raw, Nordic way. Thank you so much for it. A cold, majestic, unbridled melodic black metal recording that will burn you from the inside out!
Až jednou z hrobů vylezou všechny mrtvoly, tak už bude pozdě se ptát, co jsme udělali špatně. Půjdou nám po krku a budou toužit po čerstvé krvi. Potkáte své známé se zohavenými tvářemi. Někteří budou hovořit o pomstě z vesmíru, jiní se budou modlit k dávno padlému bohu, akorát vy budete vědět, že apokalypsa dávno začala. Pustíte si nové album španělských DEIMLER, které bude velmi vkusnou a elegantní kulisou k právě probíhajícím vraždám, trhání masa od kostí a žraní zkažených mozků.
Koneckonců, říkáme si o to již po staletí tím, jak se chováme k sobě i ostatním. Jak ničíme přírodu i celý svět. Ještě, že jsou zde kapely jako DEIMLER, které nám dávají alespoň na chvilku zapomenout na marast, který jsme sami způsobili. Války, mučení, násilí, zlo má tolik podob, kolik si jen představíte. Jsme divný druh, s morbidně samozničujícími myšlenkami. Raději znovu zapínám play na svém přehrávači a jsem rád, že jsme zase ve své plesnivé hrobce. Pohřbený zaživa.
Španělští maniaci pokračují tam, kde minule přestali. Na starých, prokletých pohřebištích, na kterých jsou pochováni obětí násilných činů. I z nového alba je cítit naprostá oddanost tradičnímu death metalu. Nutno rovno dodat, že i když se kapela volně stále inspiruje u smeček jako DEMILICH, CARNAGE, ADREMELECH, DISMEMBER, AVULSED, FUNEBRE, NECROPHILIAC, ENTOMBED, CARTILAGE, DEATH, OBITUARY, GRAVE, má svůj vlastní výraz, nápady i krvavý ksicht. DEIMLER na to jdou velmi ostře, surově, divoce a živočišně, ale nezapomínají ani na temnotu a chlad, které jsou součástí jejich muziky, jako rakev pro mrtvého. Mám při poslechu pocit, že některé zombie nejsou z našeho světa, jsou až příliš děsivé, hororové, stejně jako muzika, kterou nám pánové i letos předkládají s elegancí starých mistrů. "Darkness Falls" se stalo na dlouhý čas mým průvodcem v záhrobí a už teď vím, že se k letošnímu albu budu rád a často vracet. Je totiž opravdové, ryzí, uvěřitelné, ohlodané na kost a naprosto autentické. Pokud máte rádi starý, prašivý kov smrti a dokážete ocenit nejen dobře odvedené řemeslo, ale i spoustu morbidních nuancí, potom jste zde správně. Tohle je opravdu hudba ze starých márnic, z děsivých patologických sálů a jatek, na kterých je stále do zdí otištěna bolest. Možná nás jednou napadnou vetřelci z vesmíru nebo se zničíme sami svojí sobeckostí, ale než se tak stane, budu tuhle nahrávku poslouchat stále dál. Až do skonání světa. Zadřela se mi totiž pod kůži, dostala se mi do podvědomí. Oceňuji i skvělý masakrující zvuk a motiv na obalu (José Antonio Vives). Poslouchejte pozorně a pořádně nahlas! Až jednou z hrobů vylezou všechny mrtvoly, tak už bude pozdě se ptát, co jsme udělali špatně. Půjdou nám po krku a budou toužit po čerstvé krvi. Morbidní, prašivý, surový death metal ze starých pohřebišť, u kterého vám popraskají všechny kosti v těle!
Asphyx says:
Once all the corpses crawl out of their graves, it will be too late to ask what we did wrong. They’ll be after our throats, craving fresh blood. You’ll run into people you know with their faces mutilated. Some will speak of revenge from the cosmos, others will pray to a long-fallen god, but only you will know that the apocalypse began long ago. You’ll put on the new album by the Spanish band DEIMLER, which will serve as a very tasteful and elegant backdrop to the murders currently taking place, the tearing of flesh from bones, and the devouring of rotten brains.
After all, we’ve been asking for this for centuries with the way we treat each other and others. How we destroy nature and the entire world. Thank goodness there are bands like DEIMLER, which let us forget, at least for a moment, the mess we’ve caused ourselves. Wars, torture, violence - evil takes as many forms as you can imagine. We are a strange species, with morbidly self-destructive thoughts. I’d rather hit play on my player again and am glad we’re back in our moldy tomb. Buried alive.
These Spanish maniacs pick up right where they left off. In the old, cursed graveyards where victims of violent crimes are buried. Their new album also exudes a total devotion to traditional death metal. It must be noted that even though the band continues to draw inspiration from the likes of DEMILICH, CARNAGE, ADREMELECH, DISMEMBER, AVULSED, FUNEBRE, NECROPHILIAC, ENTOMBED, CARTILAGE, DEATH, OBITUARY, and GRAVE, they have their own distinct style, ideas, and bloody face. DEIMLER approach this with great intensity, rawness, wildness, and animalistic energy, yet they don’t forget the darkness and coldness that are integral to their music, like a coffin for the dead. When listening, I get the feeling that some of these zombies aren’t from our world; they’re far too terrifying, too horror - like - just like the music these gentlemen present to us this year with the elegance of old masters. "Darkness Falls" has become my guide to the afterlife for a long time, and I already know that I will gladly and often return to this year’s album. It is, after all, genuine, pure, believable, stripped down to the bone, and utterly authentic. If you love old, grimy death metal and can appreciate not only solid craftsmanship but also plenty of morbid nuances, then you’ve come to the right place. This is truly music from old morgues, from terrifying pathology labs and slaughterhouses where pain is still etched into the walls. Maybe one day we’ll be invaded by aliens from space or destroy ourselves with our own selfishness, but until that happens, I’ll keep listening to this recording. Until the end of the world. It’s gotten under my skin, seeped into my subconscious. I also appreciate the excellent, brutal sound and the cover art (José Antonio Vives). Listen closely and turn it up loud! Once all the corpses rise from their graves, it will be too late to ask what we did wrong. They’ll be after our throats, craving fresh blood. Morbid, filthy, raw death metal from ancient burial grounds that will make every bone in your body crack!
Už dávno nevím, co je realita a co děsivý sen. Uprostřed noci za mnou přichází dáma s kosou a usmívá se. Stává u mé postele, brousí kosu a natahuje ke mě svoji kostnatou ruku. Obejme mě, jako nějaké pevné pavučiny mráz smíchaný s pestrou paletou strachu. Sestupujeme dolů po schodech, po stěnách stéká hnis a pod nohami nám tančí krysy. Ztrácíme se v mlze. Ne, z téhle noční můry se již nikdy neprobudím, poslouchám totiž nové album kanadských maniaků GUTVOID.
Pánové opět přicházejí s propracovaným death metalem s takou zvláštní, pochmurnou a bolestivou atmosférou. Jako bych se opravdu ocitl uprostřed knih H. P. Lovercrafta. Pokaždé, když zapnu play, tak mě přepadne podivný, drásavý neklid. Tahle smečka má rozhodně svůj vlastní rukopis, výraz, schopnost do mě zaseknou svůj ostrý dráp.
"Liminal Shrines" je přesně tím druhem nahrávky, u které se ztratíte v ranní krvavé mlze na hřbitově. Usednete ke svému vlastnímu hrobu a oceníte perfektně ošetřený zvuk, zajímavý motiv na obalu, ale hlavně hudbu samotnou, která vám otevře všechny staré rány v těle i podvědomí. Hudba je zde spíše rituálem, pradávným obřadem pro vyvolávání temných sil, které rozhodně nejsou z tohoto světa. Stylově se potom kapela pohybuje v oblastech, které prozkoumávají kapely typu DEMILICH, BLOOD INCANTATION, TOMB MOLD, CHTHE’ILIST. K poslechu jsem potřeboval vždy absolutní klid, nejlépe tmu a otevřené okno. Jako bych pokaždé nasával jakousi hrubou, surovou energii. Vnímal jsem všemi póry svého těla, nové album mnou rezonovalo, stávalo se postupně mojí součástí. Zpočátku pro mě byla nová nahrávka trošku nepřístupné, ale pokud se vám to také stane, dejte ji čas, jednotlivé nuance vylezou na povrch až po nějaké době. Jako utopenec, který ležel dlouhé dny u dna, aby nakonec vyplaval na povrch. GUTVOID i letos pokračují ve své trnité a náročné cestě. Nutno rovnou dodat, že směr, kterým se kapela vydala, je pro mě až osobní. Znáte to, určitě jste také zažili, že jste si nějakou desku jen tak pustili a nechali ji na sebe působit. U mě došlo ke vzájemnému přenosu pochmurných emocí mezi mnou a kapelou a začal jsem jejich hudbu poslouchat spíše srdcem. Zajímavé nápady, postupy, které jinde nenajdete, setkání s vlastními démony, bolest, strach, neklid, tohle všechno zde naleznete. Za me osobně nelze jinak, než novinku doporučit všem, kteří u muziky rádi přemýšlejí a mají rádi nekonečné stíny v záhrobí. Už dávno nevím, co je realita a co děsivý sen. Uprostřed noci za mnou přichází dáma s kosou a usmívá se. Stává u mé postele, brousí kosu a natahuje ke mě svoji kostnatou ruku. Obejme mě, jako nějaké pevné pavučiny mráz smíchaný s pestrou paletou strachu. Bolestivé, neklidné, uhrančivé death metalové album, které vás strhne do hlubiny vlastních temných myšlenek!
Asphyx says:
I haven’t known for a long time what is reality and what is a terrifying dream. In the middle of the night, a lady with a scythe comes to me, smiling. She stands by my bed, sharpens her scythe, and reaches out her bony hand toward me. She embraces me like a sturdy spiderweb-a chill mixed with a kaleidoscope of fear. We descend the stairs, pus runs down the walls, and rats dance beneath our feet. We lose ourselves in the fog. No, I will never wake up from this nightmare, for I am listening to the new album by the Canadian maniacs GUTVOID.
The guys are back with sophisticated death metal and such a strange, gloomy, and painful atmosphere. It’s as if I’ve truly found myself in the middle of H. P. Lovecraft’s books. Every time I hit play, a strange, gnawing unease overtakes me. This pack definitely has its own signature style, its own voice, and the ability to sink its sharp claws into me.
"Liminal Shrines" is exactly the kind of album that will make you lose yourself in the bloody morning mist of a cemetery. You’ll sit down by your own grave and appreciate the impeccably crafted sound, the intriguing cover art, but above all the music itself, which will reopen all the old wounds in your body and subconscious. Here, the music is more of a ritual, an ancient ceremony for summoning dark forces that are definitely not of this world. Stylistically, the band moves in the realms explored by bands like DEMILICH, BLOOD INCANTATION, TOMB MOLD, and CHTHE’ILIST. To listen to it, I always needed absolute silence, preferably darkness and an open window. It was as if I were absorbing some kind of raw, unrefined energy each time. I felt it with every pore of my body; the new album resonated within me, gradually becoming a part of me. At first, the new recording felt a bit inaccessible to me, but if that happens to you as well, give it time-the individual nuances will surface only after a while. Like a drowning man who lay at the bottom for many days before finally surfacing. GUTVOID continues on its thorny and demanding path this year as well. I must add right away that the direction the band has taken is, for me, quite personal. You know how it is-I’m sure you’ve had that experience too, where you just put on an album and let it wash over you. For me, there was a mutual exchange of somber emotions between me and the band, and I started listening to their music more with my heart. Interesting ideas, approaches you won’t find anywhere else, encounters with your own demons, pain, fear, restlessness-you’ll find all of this here. Personally, I can’t help but recommend this new release to everyone who likes to think while listening to music and loves the endless shadows of the afterlife. I haven’t known for a long time what’s reality and what’s a terrifying dream. In the middle of the night, a lady with a scythe comes to me, smiling. She stands by my bed, sharpens her scythe, and reaches out her bony hand toward me. She embraces me like some sturdy spiderweb-a chill mixed with a colorful palette of fear. A painful, restless, mesmerizing death metal album that will drag you into the depths of your own dark thoughts!
Ave KADAVEREICH! I'm listening to your new album "Perversa Mysteria" right now, and I have this nagging feeling that I'm at an evil black mass. You play black death metal, and this is your first full-length album. Can you tell us how the new record came about and what direction you wanted to take after your excellent previous EP "Radiance of Doom"? Did you want to be even faster, darker, more devilish?
Hello, and thank you very much for your interest. It’s great that you’re feeling this way. It means our message has gotten through. All the material was ready by 2022, and at the beginning of the year we were already planning to go into the studio and considering our options. The start of the war stunned us all, and my family and I decided to leave Russia. At first, things got a little strained between me and the guys, but later I realized that we didn’t actually disagree on how to view the events. So after some time, the idea of finishing the album, on which so much time and effort had been spent, resurfaced. Actually, at the very beginning, I envisioned KADAVEREICH as a more primitive and straightforward war-bestial metal. I tried to write riffs that were as primitive as possible, deliberately simplifying them. But during the writing process—and to a large extent during the recording process as well—I gave up on self-imposed limitations and constantly worrying about how well the music fit the style, and just started creating however I felt. If I wanted to slow things down right there and use a doom riff, I just went for it. Same goes for the keyboard samples. Usually that’s not really encouraged in this genre, but I figured, “What the hell.” When I wrote “Tauroctony,” I initially wanted to offer it to GROND—the band where I was the bassist at the time. It seemed to me that it was too slow for KADAVEREICH and kind of stood out from the rest of the material. But GROND already had a full set of songs for their upcoming album at the time, and besides, I thought this track would serve as a sort of “epilogue” to the album, much like “Perversion Of The Mysteries” is a semi-intro.
You know what immediately hit me in the face? The sound on the new record. It's organic, raw, the album has a black spark to it. In today's world of over-compressed formats, it's literally refreshing. In my opinion, this is what true hell sounds like! Please tell me where and how you recorded it? How did you achieve such a sound?
Overall, we’re very happy with the result. Sasha Borovykh from TsunTsun Productions handled the mixing and sound design. He’s simply an excellent sound engineer and professional; we didn’t have any misunderstandings at all—he immediately grasped the vision for how our album should sound. We wanted the sound to be as natural and “raw” as possible—in a good way. We barely straightened out the drums on the grid, as is common practice these days, so you can hear some imperfections and rough edges. Although I have to admit that during the mixing process, when the sound engineer sent me the mixed tracks as MP3s, I was totally fine with that raw and dirty sound. But when I got the master files in WAV format, the sound seemed too clean to me, haha. So there’s still room to go in terms of that “dirty” sound.
I'm exactly the kind of old-school fan who approaches music in such a way that if he likes an album, he buys both the CD and the T-shirt. I must say that the cover art for this year's album is really well done. This is how I imagine real hell. Can you tell us how you chose the motif and how it relates to the music? Daemorph did a great job as always, but I feel like the motif is a little unusual for him, different.
Yes, it was a difficult task for me; designing my own album is, for some reason, much harder than it is for anyone else. Probably because I lack that sense of distance and an outside perspective. I made six or seven “drafts,” but none of them satisfied me; I kept wondering if that was really what should be on the cover. Finally, on the eighth try, I came up with what you see on the cover. The main idea was to convey a sense of madness and a dark ritual. Later, I used some elements from the failed cover designs as parts of the digipak and booklet artwork. In general, the theme of madness has always fascinated me in my work; you can see this in some of my covers, where it’s unclear exactly what’s happening and how one thing flows into another. Unfortunately, since the advent of AI, I can’t compete with it in this area. I can only say that I was trying to do this long before it became AI technology.
It is written about KADAVEREICH that Daemorph was behind the band's inception and that the band was originally Ukrainian, but due to Russia's invasion of the country, it moved to Germany, Turkey? Can you please tell us more about the history of your band? I follow the war in Ukraine regularly and for me, as a Czech, it is something terrible that affects me personally. How has the war influenced your work? I can't help but feel a strange darkness in your new album.
There’s no doubt we’re going through difficult times right now. I’m Ukrainian; I was born in Kharkiv. After graduating from Kharkiv University, I married a Russian woman and moved to Moscow, though I still visited Kharkiv several times a year. So you could say I’ve spent half my life in Russia with a Ukrainian passport. I never “became Russian” and always felt Ukrainian. In 2012, I joined the old-school death metal band GROND as a bassist. Around 2018, the band began to experience a period of stagnation, creative stagnation, and lineup changes. Due to various internal reasons, I was unable to realize my creative potential within the band, so that’s when the idea arose to form my own band, but with a more aggressive and extreme direction. I found the guitarist Panzer through an ad, and we were very lucky with him; he turned out to be an excellent musician, although it took him some time to get into the style. The hardest part was finding a drummer. After a long and unsuccessful search, I asked Kist—the former vocalist and drummer from GROND who had since become just a vocalist—to help out on drums, at least for the recording. When he agreed, we recorded the Radiation Of Doom demo, which was released as an EP on Godz Ov War in 2021. At the time, we saw ourselves as a full-fledged band with the potential to perform live. That’s why the lineup included two guitarists and a vocalist. On the day Russia bombed my hometown of Kharkiv, my family and I decided to leave Russia. That same day, we bought tickets for an evening flight to Kazakhstan—at the time, it was the only available flight. We had only two suitcases of belongings with us. We were in Kazakhstan for just a week, but we didn’t know how the Kazakh government would act in a war situation, since they were part of the CSTO—a military alliance with Russia. So we left Kazakhstan for Turkey and lived there for over a year—fourteen months. There I worked drawing cover art—my only remaining source of income. It became a salvation for me, even if only psychologically; I threw myself into my work and escaped the terrible reality for a while. My wife, an employee and curator at the Tretyakov Gallery, naturally quit her previous job and was looking for opportunities to further her career. After some time, she received an offer from a museum in Berlin, and so we have been living in Germany since May 2023. While I was still living in Turkey, the idea resurfaced to finally finish the album we’d put so much effort into. We scaled the lineup down to the bare minimum. The drums were recorded sometime in mid-2022. Kist recorded them on his own; I couldn’t be there for the session to oversee anything. But since the material was already more or less polished, everything went well. The guitars were recorded about a year later; I participated online for that, and we consulted and made minor changes as we went along. Later, we recorded the vocals, and in the fall of 2024, I recorded the bass. We spent the rest of 2024 mixing the album. In early 2025, I asked Greg from Godz Ov War to release our album, and he immediately agreed. However, the label already had plans for the next six months, so the release was scheduled for the fall. But in the fall, we had to change plans again due to some issues with the label and postpone it to February 2026. It’s been a long and difficult journey.
When I look at your lineup, you are a band made up of experienced musicians. How do you actually create new music? How does the process of creating new material work? Do you have any problems agreeing on things? After all, experience can sometimes be an obstacle. You know how it is, egos and all that.
I usually write riffs on the bass, often at the same time as the drum part, and sometimes with ideas for what the guitar might play. When the composition feels more or less ready to me, I send it to the guitarist, and he records the guitar track over it. I listen to the result and make adjustments to the structure or the riffs themselves, because there’s a difference between how a riff sounds on bass and how it sounds on guitar. Then I send it back to the guitarist with the changes. And so on until the composition is finished. So you could say Panzer is a full-fledged co-author. He often suggests interesting arrangement ideas, as was the case, for example, with the composition “Radiation Of Doom.” But if the ideas conflict with the main concept of the composition, then I either reject them or we rework them.
I'm curious about what it's like in Ukraine in terms of music. How did you get into music and who was your role model? What about your scene, clubs, fans?
Before the war, the music scene in Ukraine was much the same as in any other European country, with a few minor differences. For example, in Germany, as a musician, you need to own absolutely all your own equipment—an amplifier, a cabinet, a drum kit if you’re a drummer—and rehearsal spaces are rented on a long-term basis like housing, whereas in Ukraine the system is a bit different. All you need is an instrument and some pedals, and rehearsal rooms are rented by the hour with all the necessary equipment. In every other respect, the music scene is the same. Since the war began and the borders closed, Ukrainian bands have had a hard time going on European tours—I mean those who’ve kept their bands going. Otherwise, the whole music routine is exactly the same. That’s exactly why it was easy for me to fit into Berlin’s music scene. I started my musical career a long time ago, back when I was a student, as a vocalist. It was the early nineties, the golden age of extreme metal. We played some kind of death-doom. Later, when I moved to Moscow and continued my musical career, we couldn’t find a suitable bassist, and it just so happened that I had to pick up the bass. My favorite bassists are Steve DiGiorgio and Timmy Hansen (Mercyful Fate/King Diamond); I also really like the bass parts on the early albums by Rainbow and Ozzy Osbourne.
Your lyrics are also very dark. Of course, that's part of death metal and black metal, and I like it, but I'd be interested in the origin and creation of the lyrics. How did the lyrics for the new album come about? What are they about?
Our overall conceptual theme is sort of a post-nuclear Roman Empire. I forwarded your question to Kist, our singer and drummer who writes the lyrics, and here’s what he wrote: "During the work on the album, I became fascinated with literature about Mithraism — a mystical religious cult that was widespread in the Roman army during the 1st to 4th centuries AD. This influenced the lyrics to a significant extent, some of which contain direct references to the cult of Mithras (for example, "Perversion of the Mysteries," "Sun-Horned God," and "Tauroctony"). Some of the songs are dark, perverted fantasies on the theme of antiquity. For instance, "Panzercletian" tells the story of how, after his death, Emperor Diocletian ends up in a kind of hell, where, for his lifelong "achievements," he is transformed into a tank-like, perfect killing machine. "Arrows of Ahriman" deals with Angra Mainyu — the deity and embodiment of evil in Mazdaism and later Zoroastrianism. In general, the essence of KADAVEREICH's lyrics is dark tales that we pulled from the abyss of the past using the hooks of fantasy and pain."
In the history of metal, there have been many instances of bands being banned because they shocked people or had opinions that differed from those of the majority. Have you ever had any problems? In today's internet age, it's very easy to immediately condemn someone, spread rumors, and destroy them. How is extreme metal perceived by the Ukrainian public, media, etc.?
The metal scene has always operated in the realm of provocation and rebellion against conventional norms. And current trends—especially those coming from the younger generation—to make “metal safe,” acceptable for social media, and subject to self-censorship—all of this is, of course, disgusting and worthy of contempt. They can find a reason to accuse you of being a “fascist” and start canceling you. For example, I was never a big fan of BURZUM; Varg isn’t the brightest guy, and I remember when his ridiculous texts were published in the late ’90s and early 2000s—they elicited nothing but a condescending, ironic smile. But what they’ve made of him now—almost a “second Hitler,” with even the name itself being censored—is just idiocy. I don’t like “antifa” because they use aggressive methods against anyone they don’t like for whatever reason. Back in Russia, there were (or are there still?) “Antifa” groups that “fought the Nazis.” And now Russia has a totalitarian fascist regime that is waging war not only against Ukraine, but already against the rest of Europe (it’s just that the “hot” phase hasn’t started yet). And where are all these clowns, the “Russian Antifa”? Generally speaking, I don’t like either the far right or the far left. History shows us that both sides ultimately end up with concentration camps and mass executions. By the way, there’s much more freedom of speech in Ukraine than there is in Europe right now. At least that was the case before the war. I don’t like that suddenly your gender has become the most important thing, and genitals have become the dominant, defining theme of the new reality. It feels like humanity is rapidly getting dumber. It’s a good thing I’m already old enough, and it won’t be me reaping the fruits of this “brave new world.”
How are KADAVEREICH doing with concerts? Do you perform live at all? Wouldn't you like to tour Europe? I could imagine you alongside bands like POSSESSED or DEICIDE, who come to us quite often.
There are no plans for concerts yet, simply because the band members are scattered across the country. I don't know if I'll be able to get the band together in Germany, but if I do, then we can start talking about live concerts.
Daemorph, I have to ask you about your work as an illustrator and graphic designer. Do you have any favorite techniques? Where do you get inspiration for your paintings? How did you get into painting? Please walk us through your career and tell us where we can find your paintings. If I wanted a motif for a new album cover, where would I contact you? Do you choose bands based on your taste?
I graduated from university with a degree in architecture, so technically, according to my diploma, I’m an architect. But I’ve always hated architecture—I don’t even have that “engineering and design” mindset. The main benefit of the program was that it included painting and drawing classes. So even while I was still in college, I knew I wouldn’t work as an architect—I’d be an illustrator. At first, I worked in web design, then went freelance as an artist. Mostly, I did storyboards for commercials and feature films. I especially liked the latter since I’m a cinephile. Drawing album covers was more of an extra “cherry on top.” As for comics, my success there was fairly limited. I once dreamed of becoming a professional comic artist, but all my attempts to break into the comic industry were unsuccessful, and over time I simply lost interest in that career path. After the war began and I left Russia, I naturally lost my job as a storyboard artist, and right now my only source of income is metal album covers. I create only digital illustrations, but lately my interest in classical painting has been reawakened—we’ll see what comes of it. You can contact me any way you like—via email, Instagram Messenger, or Facebook.
What does death metal and black metal mean to you? How would you define it and how do you perceive these styles as an experienced musician? I don't want you to describe the playing technique, I'm more interested in your perspective, feelings, the energy you convey, and so on. Try to be a philosopher for a moment.
I discovered metal in my early youth because I became interested in Satanism and all things occult. So black and death metal (as well as dark ambient) have always served as a gateway to another, otherworldly reality for me. At first, I even went out of my way to shield myself from information about the musicians themselves, so that the music would remain as abstract as possible and not tied to earthly affairs. That’s why I still don’t really like social themes, let alone political ones. And by the way, I don’t like gore themes in music either, even though I practically specialize in them as a metal illustrator. And although I haven’t considered myself a Satanist for a long time—I’ve come a long way spiritually since then, and we all change with age—I still have a soft spot for this aesthetic.
What does KADAVEREICH have planned for the coming months? If you have something on your mind that you would like to say to fans, labels, promoters, here's your chance..
It's hard to say anything for sure at this point. I have a few riffs, but no finished songs. And it's unclear whether the project will continue—with the same lineup or a different one. Only time will tell. For now, we're just happy that the album is finally out.
Thank you very much for the interview. I really appreciate you taking the time for our website. I wish your whole band a lot of hellish inspiration, sold albums, and enthusiastic fans. May you also be successful in your personal lives. I hope to see you live sometime.
Thanks for the interview! We're all looking forward to future live shows! Stay brutal!
