I think it would be a waste of (my precious) time to introduce Pantheïst (or Pantheist, without the diaeresis on the ‘I’), for this is one of the most influential acts on our fabulous Planet within doomed and melancholic spheres. It’s the main act of Kostas Panagiotou, whom you might know as well from Sermones Ad Mortuos, Wijlen Wij (unfortunately defunct), Towards Atlantis Lights, Landskap or Aphonic Threnody (ex), amongst others.
I remember being positively surprised by Whisper A Red Voice, an experimental and obscure Industrial / Ambient / Noise release from early 2022. So, my enthusiasm was quite triggered when I read somewhere that the project behind that release, with the cool name She The Throne, did release some new material recently. In August 2023 there was the independently-released EP Orion, and shortly after it got followed by a lengthier album, called Nuntis.
Since I was quite impressed by Blood Oath and (especially) by With Hoof And Horn, I did look forward to listening to this newest album by the trio Rituals Of The Dead Hand. Well, after a couple of listens, my appreciation for this act has not disappeared; on the contrary.
Although their first album was released in 2013, followed by another album in 2019, I had never
before heard of this band, who hails from Portugal. And a rather pleasant surprise for me it was,
discovering this band.
How to classify their music ? Well, it’s got elements of progressive metal, but it’s far for what you’d
expect if your vision of progressive metal is bands like Dream Theater and Queensrÿche, to name but
two of the well known bands. Apotheus music is not as intricate as the beformentioned bands, but is
[review for a release that is more than two years of age, yet since it is never, ever, too late to focus on worthy stuff / and because of my appreciation for the label involved…]
Location: Medellin, Colombia
Members: Domos Aidaou (vocals & guitars), Maldito (bass), GoreRoman (guitars), Cadáver (drums)
Recorded: 11/2020-05/2021
Production, mix, mastering: Alvaro Alvarez (Nebuloza Producciones)
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Members: Harlow MacFarlane (Funerary Call, Grey Towers Stone Temples, Between Voices, Sistrenatus, A Thousand Plateaus etc.)
Production: Harlow MacFarlane
Mastering: James Plotkin
Artwork: Lindsey Roderick
Type: compact-disc (300 copies) in LP-like format
Duration: 35:53 minutes
Genre: Industrial Horror Ambient
Drifting into the sacred ocean of creation through the symbolic imagery of death…
Country (for what it’s worth): Russia (Ord) & U.S. (Demonologists)
Members: Ord Err (Ord), Cory Rowell (Demonologists), Evan Price (Demonologists)
Production: Ord & Demonologists
Mix: Andrey Volkov / Ord Err / Evan Price
Location: Sweden
Members: Marcus Lönebrink
Guest: Pär Boström (on Sanctum)
Mastering: Frederic Arbour
Artwork: Viktor Kvant
Type: 6-panel digipack compact-disc (300 copies)
Duration: 48:51 minutes
Genre: esoteric, mystic & ritual Dark Drone Ambient
Location: Kansas City, Missouri (U.S.A.)
Members: Allen Gingerich (strings [and drum-programming?]) & Skyler Nohrenberg (vocals & lyrics)
Mix & mastering: Allen Gingerich
Artwork: no idea who created it, yet the cover painting is just stunning!!!
Type: digipack-CD
Duration: 32:32
Genre: Brutal Technical Death Metal
[a short review (once again), yet dealing with another unique recording]
Country (for what it’s worth): Spain
Members: David Muñoz (everything; also known as keyboardist for Sun Of The Dying Sun and Arwen)
Type: jewel-case compact-disc
Duration: 46:21
Genre: Dark / Gothic / Doom-Death Metal
