R'LYEH 12 (2015)

September 2015, 124/A4 pages, printed, Polish, interviews: VON MORTEM, ZEMIAL, SADISTIK EXEKUTION, ETERNAL ROT, SINISTROUS DIABOLUS, ACHERON, JAMES MURPHY, HEADHUNTER D.C., SADISTIC INTENT, HAZAEL, MYSTIFIER, STURMTIGER, NOCTURNAL DAMNATION, DECEASED, MAYZEL, NECROPHOBIC, MORPHUS, VARATHRON, POSSESSION, INCANTATION, ANGELCORPSE / PERDITION TEMPLE, THE DEAD GOATS, EVIL MACHINE, PESTIFER, ILLDISPOSED, OUTRAGE (Ger), EQUINOX, IMPALED NAZARENE, ESOTERIC, NECROMANTICAL SCREAMS, KATECHON, MONSTRAAT, KHTHONIK CERVIIKS, VOCIFERIAN, ANTICHRIST HOOLIGANS, FANTHRASH.

Let me start the thing in such a way: this issue, however slightly, but beat the previous one. And unhesitatingly I can say that Adrian has infected the underground tissue with the bettermost venom (yes!) in his zine career so far. Though there are no any surprises, since the first letter I have been devoured by obscure slimy R’Lyeh might. Anyway, it’s not a secret that zine reviewing section is the first thing I embark reading paper issue upon. This time Adrian delivered 52 pieces of press, although one title made me wonder. Namely “Astronomia amatorska” bringing some cosmic dimensions on the table. Is it necessary here? I don’t think so… It would be definitely better to see “Nurkowanie amatorskie” with great pictures of R’Lyeh itself and heart-to-heart talk with Cthulhu. Sounds perfect, isn’t it? All right, then music section with 262 reviews (18 of them written by Von Mortem, Open Casket). The Adrian’s style didn’t change, that’s good for sure, but alphabetical order is missing unfortunately. The second novelty is displaying the best albums on almost each page with Polish Exorcist as a winner with the highest mark.

The reading black-white content is enormous, it gave me many fruitful hours and if the interviews are concerned, there’s no shameful defeat in Anal Vomit vein. Maybe two or three chats are with few short laconic answers, yet overwhelming majority is good or very good reading with the best Evil Machine (number one I guess!), Fanthrash, Von Mortem, Headhunter D.C. (did Sergio give shitty intie at any time?), The Dead Goats, Perdition Temple, Equinox, Zemial (good as always!), Incantation, Varathron, Illdisposed or Impaled Nazarene. So, if the reviews and interviews are the base of every zine, it’s good that the title has some added values. And R’Lyeh isn’t poor fellow in this regard. Just take a look on first pages where Artur Szokalski, like Mr. Kolonko, gives us reportage on Blake Judd. Interesting! Furthermore many live reports, mainly from abroad done by Artur again, however his memories from 1987 (Kat in Lublin) could crush the hardest rock. Applause! For sure this die-hard definitely improved his style as compared to #11. Continuing archeological subject, there’s a need to mention about Drrrama gigs. Then many articles: about metal conversions to Christianity, about rip-offs and cheaters, about money in Underground (“Biznes Metal”), report from the frontline (yes, Ukraine…), “Metal from the jail” with words coming from two sides of barricade, “Uważaj gdzie pijesz” which seems to be a some kind of warning to all nice drinking metallers, “Golden lips” (Entropia from Oleśnica fuckin’ rulezzzz!), interesting inquiry concerning xeroxing xeroxed paper zines, losing battle with daily paper Fakt. In turn in “Kawaii metal and tentacles” Adrian assures us that Empheris won’t be a part of world-wide tour with Baby Metal. Of course, the pages couldn’t get along without Northern Plague syndrome, this time War-saw is a hero with their blanket offer. Well, let’s allow my imagination run wild, I’m just closing my eyes and… I’m on my hometown square and see the stage. The names? Yeah, Northern Plague, War-Saw and Terror Tactics covering the whole “Reign in Blood”. The whole (?) should be propagated in the underground by Entropia (flyers, for zine’s sake!), recorded and released by Bloodwritten in tape format exclusively. Fuck, time to descend upon the ground…

Has R’Lyeh any drawbacks? I’m not going to stickle (fewness of misprints, typos), yet some spelling serious errors made my eyes open really wide. In addition, the orthography of nouns and adjectives concerning nationalities hasn’t been dissolved to date, showing a complete free choice. But changing into a totally different field, I have to admit that R’Lyeh starts to evolve: not only conflagration and death, not only horns and hooves or antennae, but a health and sanity. I’m not claiming the Adrian’s child becomes health-focused underground program, yet health-improving side is noticeable. Not being proofless, I invite you to catch a glimpse at Beer-o-metr with hangover as the main topic. To fight with this ‘the morning after the night before’ is more challenging task than giving some money on your local parish-priest’s tray. To the point, from quail’s eggs, fruits like Chinese gooseberries, peaches and melons to fluid replacements (even by alcohol according to some freaks). Then James Murphy goes with a handful of advices in the last his answer that should be taken into consideration. In aforementioned article about Japanese inventions Adrian shows deleterious influence of tentacle (?!) porno on our minds. And the last thing from that subject: there is a note about Rytmonorm, commonly used medicine to treat arrhythmia. Adrian gives us another really good and accurate (!) indication, yet he didn’t convince me about selling it without prescription. Although I wonder if all those advices have any sense in time of reading Korean Nocturnal Damnation prophecy that reveals the only truth: Mephistopheles and his earthly reigns by means of nuclear weapons. Anyway, I’d like to convince all of you to purchase this great title until is not too late and support Adrian’s undergroudish doings. Number #13 is more than welcome. Only in paper version. As always. 

ADRIAN

P. O. BOX 20

02-919 WARSZAWA

POLAND

hellishband@o2.pl

9,7/10

-Tlacaxipehualiztli

(written in September, 2015)                 

ENFORCER - From Beyond (2015)

The Beyond Comes to Town

Forgone holiday time became very memorable not only because of offensively high temperature here in Poland, but due to three heavy metal albums that conquered my senses. About “Popioły wiar” and “Dreamstealer” I wrote some days ago, now it’s time to praise “From Beyond” created by Swedish Enforcer. But, it wasn’t a quick enchantment or easy love. Hard to explain that, as it was shooting forth sluggishly, at first I was skipping the first track even, claiming that is not good enough and needless one (?!). Then tracks 2 – 6 made my day, making me forget the bloody rest. Some days passed, I tortured only “The Banshee” and “Hell Will Follow”. Finally, the opener convinced me, and now I worship the whole album building an altar for this. A total madness, isn’t it?

 

Strange and crazy moments indeed, as the Swedes don’t deliver difficult tunes. Again ten songs in the heavy and speedy sauce, and this time with the longest LP in their career. These 43 minutes run very quickly because “From Beyond” contains of ten fascinating compositions deeply rooted in the UK / US scenes of the mighty eighties. They base on well-known patterns and designs, yet Olof Wikstrand & company know how to bespice the entirety with their hot-tempered youth, talent and skills, avoiding becoming stupid retro clone. So I got really fresh dish, not an old rechauffe. And it is very hard to choose the leader amongst the unleashed crowd as each song has something to be another heavy metal pearl. No matter if I talk about speeding firecrackers like “Destroyer” (yes, after all!), “One with Fire” or smashing “The Banshee”, or the tracks with slower tempo “Undying Evil”, mysterious title piece or the ending “Mask of Red Death”. The miraculous ennead is split up by instrumental “Hungry They Will Come” with all the best Iron Maiden memories.

That’s true they look like and play their sounds definitely the old-school way, but the most important is they perfectly know how to vitalize into the well-known tunes. There’s no monotony, no time to yawn, the whole is put cunningly and all these elements make the surrounding world seems to keep still. The mind flows to the Beyond.

  

This album is definitely the best Enforcer’s performance to date, I give it very high mark and I’m not afraid to place “From Beyond” next to the heavy metal classic. And it is a perfect antidote for many, many modern sterile productions. Beware, it lives!

97/100

-Tlacaxipehualiztli

(written in September, 2015)

THE DEAD GOATS / REVEN IN FLESH - 7" split (2014)

Dead Goats Revel

And here I have another 7’ split in my collection with a by default affixed signature one hero only. Released by Selfmadegod Records and limited to 500 pieces was bought by me because of The Dead Goat. The split brother, German Revel in Flesh, wanted to conquer my soul with a song “Phlebotomy”, but they… failed. The first date with this Baden-Württemberg based combo showed the track to be mediocre and boring, the leading guitar theme didn’t convince me, possibly due to its banality. The whole seems to be straggled too much, leaving an unfavourable impression and being not a good invitation to the Revel in Flesh discography.    

Fortunately “From Hell He Comes” is a total reciprocal. Smartly divided into two slaughterous parts, the Poles didn’t turn their Swedish old-school (left hand) path off. They started to build a massive altar with dismemberish and entombedish bricks, and this almost seven minute track isn’t an exception. For sure it is one of the best children from the goat’s happy family: after short intro I immerse into the abyss once called Indecent and Obscene. Yes, the second Dismember album is a good determinant of all the things are about. Fast, furious guitar layers supported by frenzied rhythm section wreak havoc, in turn the second part is some kind of tribute to the opening whiles of mighty “Dreaming in Red”. It’s bloody delicious! Good that the production doesn’t vary as compared with the fungus children. So… forget about the Germans and don’t change the wax: The Dead Goats fuckin’ rules.   

60/100

-Tlacaxipehualiztli

(written in August, 2015)

ROADHOG - Dreamstealer (2015)

Roadhog Strike: Give Me My Dreams Back!

I can only be proud of Polish nowaday scene. I mean, the newborn crews that execute classic metal form: Thermit, Repulsor or Młot na Czarownice to name just a few, my beloved ones. And as of now, another group called Roadhog joins the team with a great impact. The first mention about the band has been noticed by me in the newest invaluable Pure Metal magazine. Thus I decided to check the thing out in short order. My copy has been released by Thrashing Madness, without a cover Salem’s Wych from the first version done by Stormspell Records, however three bonus tracks took their snuggery on the back of the machine luckily.

Before writing some wise words about musical offer, there’s a need to point out fantastic front-cover painted by J. Kurczak. This legendary person made a nice invitation to the kingdom of Roadhog. And the first song “Liar” doesn’t disillusion me, as it bursts me asunder without any mercy, bringing first-class heavy metal to the stage. Decorated by razor sharp riffs with super melodic lines in the chorus, it makes a demolishing opening! But “Dreamstealer” doesn’t contain of fast killers only. No, there are mid-paced compositions and two of them are the highlights here, and if you’re gonna wake me up at midnight, I will shout brazenly: “Poison Man” and “Dead of the Night”! Both are absolutely one of the best songs I have listened to in this year. And one digression, that’s true that the album has really powerful sound with such a desirable ancient touch produced by patronal hand of Olof Wikstrand from Swedish Enforcer. This band, widely known as one of the most promising crews in the genre, wouldn’t wait any longer to take these songs to their set-list. And with no fear I can put this splendid duo next to such Enforcer hits like “Katana” or “Undying Evil”. Pemo, who is responsible for music and lyrics, has a really astounding talent for creating such catchy parts, he smartly avoids creating banal sounds or making my pancreas to produce insulin. “Dreamstealer” has no fillers, no weak songs or redundant keyboards passages. The music is straight-forward and to the bone, to my heart, with a creed smelted in “Roadhog” song: “Hear the pounding metal sound / coming from the underground / feel the heavy guitar scream / it’s a nightmare it’s a dream!".  

Names, names… Yes, label sheet gives one direction to the Veto, Tyrant or Stormwitch areas, but I don’t entirely agree with that. For me it’s a far-fetched simplification. And to put it briefly Judas Priest (acceleration and sound motility), Heavy Load (melody lines) or archaic Running Wild come to my mind, bringing really gorgeous yet explosive mixture still kept in old heavy metal dimension. Because of they come from Poland and sing in English, there is an exigency to cock the ears towards Krzysiek ‘Lawless’ effort. When the band tortures in a fast way, Krzysiek spits the words absolutely implicitly and outright, the problem is when Roadhog started to reduce a gear, just take a listen to “On the Witches Path” and this too audible Polish accent. It sounds quadrate-like a bit, yet during many meetings with relentless bonnet I just got used to it. For sure his voice and the timbre are good and well-done for such sonic collision.

Thrashing Madness did a good job once again. The booklet looks really impressive with many pictures, one interview and a short bio of the band. But, as compared to such re-edition of Repulsor, some spelling errors and typos didn’t disappear unfortunately. But this edition contains of one real treasure and even if two tracks are known from the main schedule, “Cry Baby” kicks my heavy metal ass. It sounds like Pemo did an archeological work at Rolf Kasparek’s home and found a forgotten exchequer. This song sticks to my brain and cannot leave. And this paralyzing guitar lead… I’ve just been catapulted into the “Gates to Purgatory” magical times.

Summing all the things up, the case of band’s name should be explained. The musicians do not attach importance or any ideology to it. Road hog is a reckless driver who obstructs or intimidates others. So, can you feel it? With speed, take no prisoners and no mercy attitude they assassinate on your glandula suprarenalis. Follow them or be crashed. There’s no other way. But now I can’t imagine Zakopianka route. Is it possible to put there another machine, this machine? This may get messy. All drivers, you have to be warned…

And the last thing on the end: if I’m not wrong and my auditory meatus is free from cerumen, I can hear some similarities to some part of Rotting Christ song “King of a Stellar War” during 2:20-2:32 in “On the Witches Path”…  

92/100

-Tlacaxipehualiztli

(written in July, 2015)      

MŁOT NA CZAROWNICE - Popioły wiar (2015)

Of Burning Stakes and Freedom

The hammer felt steeply on my cranium. Totally unexpectedly, in spite of I’m not a witch at all. By a miracle I guess, I found the band’s profile and fired “Za złamany krzyż” song. And something has moved forward: a fast payment, not a fucking download, and modestly yet neatly done digipak with convincing cover art landed before my eyes. Released in an independent way (yes, sad and standard thing here in Poland…), this debut album isn’t a work of the rookies as the musicians have been torturing the instruments in the band called Fantasmagoria since 1999. Now with Polish name Młot na Czarownice (in English: ‘Hammer for the Witches’), they hope for a better future, even if the general concept isn’t anything new on the metal scene. The band’s name comes from Malleus Maleficarum written by Dominican Heinrich Kramer and published in 1487 for the first time. Maybe not every song is connected with this subject, although the verminous presence of the Holy Inquisition is perceptible almost all the time. Hence it is impossible to find any names of the local Pionki parish-priests that support the band on the back cover I guess…   

Anyway, the vocalist Dawid spits the venom in Polish on the whole. Indeed, the bold step. But for sure it is added value to the overall mark. Dawid sings in the middle range, he doesn’t irritate, and with success doses tension and intensity of the own lyrics, no matter if the softer sounds are concerned (“Horyzonty niespełnienia” or “Przedwiosenny świt”) or the harder stuff hits ears. Musically the band tries to explore the heavy metal area beyond the shadow of a doubt, however I can be burnt at the Kramer’s stake if there are not heard hard-rock and thrash influences, especially in “Młot na czarownice”, “Za złamany krzyż” or “Psy ogrodnika” with Polish Kat’s mark here and there. Howsoever the opening track may you mislead. It is not a fast and the shortest one in a family, but the main riff is a… pure melodic Sweden played a slower way. Fat chance? Not really, just take a listen to a fragment at 1:28 too. The thing good for “Slaughter of the Souls” album! Then the next one is a proof the musicians are pretty gifted to show some variety in the heavy structures: thrashing-like licks and acoustic calmness in the middle. Good that the band doesn’t let me yawn when they throw some sand into my face in oriental-like “Czas zastygłych istnień”, fast killers like “Fantasmagoria” or the title song are mixed with aforementioned quasi-ballads decorated by beautiful and as calm as a millpond beginnings…

Exactly, the “Przedwiosenny świt” track. It’s perfect, believe me, with its overall atmosphere, mind crushing bass lines and phenomenal ending. But! This track is the beginning of the most exciting part of the album. Next-to-last is “Psy ogrodnika” with a really good portion of Dawid’s lyrics, maintained mostly in not so fast pace, bursts out with killing riffs and catchy chorus parts. And the last one, called “Nija”. After all these fruitful meetings with “Popioły wiar” I must admit: this is the best song here. It contains of all the elements the band should be proud of. Spectacular, dreamy introduction blossomy (yes, this is the adequate word) by splendid melodies, like a ballad from the best well-known crews, it possess my senses and keep them tightly. Then it turns into fast heavy metal avalanche giving paralyzing guitar lead that splits the air after mysterious Dawid’s declamation. Yep, really fine closing shot that left me speechless.

And if this shapely conglomerate is served in a good and interesting way, lyrics are the salt of the main course. They are neither stupid nor about proud dragon warriors. And… it’s enough. All right, maybe the general band’s concept has been predetermined earlier, although the author isn’t going to take a short cut. To put it briefly, one searches in vain for such words like ‘inquisition’, ‘church’ or even Heinrich Kramer, yet it is very clear that Dawid doesn’t want to put a copy of Malleus Maleficarum on the bookshelf as essential reading for young seminarists. Mostly the lyrics are for individual insight, yet I have impression that for Dawid the human stainless freedom, both spiritual and carnal, is the most important.  

The releasing date isn’t random. The first of June couldn’t be better. My dear caring parents, leave the plastic shitty world you only know and buy your offsprings a real music, the age here is of no avail. Why can’t you start with this album? The Pionki district should be proud of this quintet that inculcates the only right musical form. Yes, it has been rooted deeply in the ancient times, yet the guys used vivacious nowaday colors to paint it all. Their foot-bridge between the epochs is very comfortable, without any holdbacks, making the final result nothing less than good. The future looks pretty promising for them, I hope they find finally a good label to promote MNC’s name and infect the minds of heavy metal worshippers. Ah, and one more thing on the end. I saw one review (probably the first one…) of this album and read about not so good and too raw production wise. What a nonsense! Raw? These sounds are complete contrary: they breathe organically, strongly with no any artificial moments, showing slashing Dominik’s bass parts as well. Demontażownia headquarters did a really good job!

And if the football team from Pionki has ‘powder’ in its name, then MNC is Schwerer Gustav. Maybe not with a nuclear flurry yet, but musicians made my mouth waters. As of now, I look forward to the hammer strike number two.

90/100

-Tlacaxipehualiztli

(written in July, 2015)