When it comes to the name ‘Gurthang’ in terms of Tolkien worship, I won’t go too deep into the matter this time. ‘Gurthang’ was a legendary sword owned by Túrin Turambar, hero and protagonist in a tragic story – but even-though I am a dedicated Tolkien-fan, this review does not deal with the great books of that writer.
Not that very long ago, I got in touch with the sympathetic guy behind the label Depressive Black Ambient Records. Chris is a dedicated guy when it comes to Underground Music, but this Polish label’s roster too does impress enormously. It has to do with both the highly-qualitative projects involved, as well as the open-minded approach, for it deals with a wide range from Ambient to Noise, as well as some Black Metal projects.
Last year, more exactly on April 25th 2021, the extremely fine Romania-based label Loud Rage Music did release the album Inert & Unerring by Genune, a band hailing from the North of Romania. It was a release on jewel-case compact-disc, deeply appreciated by undersigned. Evidently, you could (and still can) find the digital edition via various sources as well.
Das Zeit was originally released in 2018, so this review deals with a re-issue of an older recording. But both the kind Gates Of Hypnos chief P. Sadox and undersigned (it is I; almost as kind as Mister Sadox) agreed to promote the reissue; the first one via the digital re-release, the other one (it’s me again) via writing down and publishing my ideas, also known as ‘a review’.
Initially formed as Talvikuu, Havukruunu were formed somewhere in the middle of this century’s first decade. However, the earlier years were quite tranquil when it came to releasing material. The first demos by this coniferous crown (which is the English translation for ‘havukruunu’) were released in 2013/2014, the first full-length (Havulinnaan) in 2015. Two more albums did follow, i.e.
Julien Lacroix is the person behind the magisterial project Moloch Conspiracy, for which I did write several reviews in the (recent) past. This French guy is also active under several other monikers. Recently, for example, he did create and release a rather vampire-themed thing as Oupyr (probably I will write a review on this recording soon).
I am almost ashamed to admit, but I had not heard of Saarkoth before. However, this formation started more than five years ago (2016), being formed in the Staffordshire area (UK), initially as a trio. After a nameless demo, the band – back then still as a trio – recorded and independently released their debut Jera, and in early 2020 Saarkoth, now as duo since their bass player left, returned with a lengthy one-track hymn, called Follow The Cult (also without assistance of any label).
I did mention the name of Vladimir Prokofiev a couple of times before. However, this was linked to his visual art for cover paintings / drawings. Vladimir is the guy behind the famous Paint-It-Black Design, known for his works for albums by bands like A Thousand Sufferings, Taiga, Vehementor, Ethir Anduin, Istina and many more.
Our dear friends from Brahmastrika return with a new EP, easily called Abhabaniyastral Samsarimplication (if you can spit this title out for five times without hesitating, I’ll give you a well-deserved thumbs-up). Okay, we do not expect to have a new release with a simplistic title by this India-based act, seen their former one being called Excarnastrial Commencination (this demonstrational recording, by the way, has been re-released via the band’s current label and might be reviewed too by undersigned in some near future).
As you might know in the meantime, Moloch Conspiracy’s frontman Julien Lacroix runs the new label Ungaikyō Prod., which releases Electronic Music (from Dark Ambient to Dungeon Synth) that is inspired by the (ancient) Japanese culture. The label releases material from some of Julien’s own solo-outfits (like the one this review deals with), as well as from other artists. As said, there is one goal: dark-edged Music with a focus on old Japanese traditions.
