Saturday, April 16, 2016

QUETZALCOATL 1 (1997)





1997, 64/A5, xeroxed, Polish, hand-numbered, interviews: INCARNATED, LUX OCCULTA, DEVILYN, DEMISE, CICATRIX, DECEMBER’S FIRE, KAT, VADER, HATE, TENEBRIS, BLAMEWORTHY WARLOCK, STONEHENGE, NOMAD, IMMEMORIAL AGES, TRAUMA, HERMH, SCREAM OF THE DARK, MORTUUM, MORSUN DIABOLI, QUO VADIS, UNKNOWN DIMENSIONS.

I bought this zine not only because I am trying to support the underground (press) scene, but mostly because of its name. For over thirty years I am familiar with the subject: pre-Colombian Mexican history, archeology and mythology. Unfortunately this Białystok based title didn’t bring anything on it. Keeping on, instead of Quetzalcoatl touch, I got very short tale called “Przeznaczenie” (in English: “Fate”) and three Sodom lyrics translated into Polish. Well, the first thing is a complete waste of my time, just like the latter, with even some translating mistakes. Although the start is neither good nor cheering, the rest is better. The editor duo informs that Quetzalcoatl is made just to support Polish scene only. And great they managed to collect both famous names (Vader, Kat, Trauma) and completely unknown crews. But this is the main task for zines, right?

Released in A5 format with nice front-cover and computer layout inside, it looks really gorgeous. The whole is easy to be read, pages pass pretty smoothly in spite of misprints and spelling errors. But if the interviews are concerned, it’s easy to observe it is made by the rookies. They are short, with standard kind of questions, sometimes it works, sometimes doesn’t, supported by bands pictures of rather poor quality. That’s true, Lux Occulta, Devilyn, Trauma (it’s a pity there are no more well-thought questions…), Tenebris or Hermh gave rather comprehensive informations, quite interesting live chat with Vader (Docent and Mauser), as opposed to Kat, where I read about 15 years of band’s activity only, bringing nothing special as a whole. Besides, I have mixed feelings about Quo Vadis, and still I don’t know why. Good questions, however answers should be kept in more ‘fluent’ and full way. But the worst in the Polish family is December’s Fire, mostly with really lame answers. What else? There are several short articles on bands (like Damnable, Yattering, Trivial Thorn, Nokturn or Sceptic to name a few), one live report from three-days’ Metal Monsters Festival ’97 in Białystok served in a really good form, some graphics. Then reviews. Decently written with only music stuff, but the number is rather poor (24). Yes, the review of Vader’s third album “Black to the Blind” is an exception, as it contains three words (of ecstasy though) merely. And that waste of space in this section, where paper clips and drawings of guitars are enclosed! Not a smart idea, indeed.

Anyway, as I remember it had mostly positive response. Amongst the pages I could see something promising, yet I can’t (couldn’t) give it more than average score. Ah, this Nahuatl name… With the issue Quetzalcoatl has been buried for ages finally, but another name took his place. More mundane I’d say… 

5,5/10
-Tlacaxipehualiztli

(written in April, 2016)

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