Alfahanne's (Swe) debut 'Alfapokalyps' soon to be released by Dark Essence Recordings

Dark Essence Records Release: 10 February 2014

With a mix of Black Metal with Classic Rock and Punk, and topped off with some New Wave and Goth influences, Alfahanne has created a style of music that is powerful and beautiful, yet ugly at the same time. 

Alfahanne might be a fairly new name to a lot of people, but the band’s members, which include Pehr Skioldhammer on Vocals and Guitar, Fredrik Sööberg on Guitars, Niklas Åström on Drums and Jimmy Wiberg on Bass,  have been around the Black Metal scene since the early ‘90’s, playing in bands like Vinterland and early Maze Of Torment. Formed in 2010, Alfahanne’s debut release came in 2013 with the appearance of the “Grym” split 7” with Sweden’s Shining.

The Debut “Alfapokalyps”, contains 10 tracks that stands on their own, all sung in Swedish. There’s a lot of variation on the album, and the songs goes off in very different directions. The overall sound combines a unique mix of the dark and grim atmospheres of Black Metal, the attitude and energy of Punk and Classic Rock and the melodies and feeling of 80’s New Wave and Goth. The band have been able to attract the services of Taake’s Hoest, Shining’s Niklas Kvarforth, and Helheim’s V’gandr as guest vocalists, on one song each.

With Alfahanne, there is one way in and no way out!



 TRACKLIST 
 
1. Bättre Dar
2. Ormar Af Satan
3. Såld På Mörkret
4. Dödskult
5. Rocken Dör
6. Syndarnas Flod
7. Alfa Hordes
8. Indiehora
9. Där Drömmarna Dör
10. Alla Ska Mé


Band website: www.facebook.com/alfahanneofficial
Label website: www.darkessencerecords.no

Shining 8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd Dark Essence Records Release: 23 September 2013

 
I found this somewhat hard to review since I've heard all the tracks before,even though they are newly recorded versions and with different vocalists,read below for more info on that.

While listening to the first track I have to admit that the cold industrial sphere and the mean,ugly vocals is quite suitable and surely sets the mood quickly.

The first tracks give a pretty good impression on me.
That being said ,I was somewhat disappointed by a couple of the performances/tracks here ,not that they are weak or anything, it's rather a matter of personal taste.

What makes this release interesting is of course the fact that instead of just re recording the songs he has also decided to hire in different vocalists for the tracks ,which is not a bad idea.

The production is more cold.industrial and raw than on the previosu releases,
so even if one has heard the tracks before, the new production makes new life to them.

The keyboards have to be mentioned here as they have a huge impact on the final result and are a very good addition to the musical journey we are going through here.

It's for sure that Shining has the ability to take the listener on a long dark, yet beautiful journey through your inner nightmares.
And I would say they have succeed with this one ,as it's refreshing and nice to experience this.



Niklas Kvarforth and his band Shining has never done things the usual way, and presents a rather special album with “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd”. Dark Essence Records is proud to release an album with different Shining songs that hark back to an earlier era for the band.  Rather than simply re-issue the original tracks, Shining has decided not only to re-record the songs, but re-record them using a number of different vocalists.

The tracks on “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” dates back to the “Livets Ändhållplats” and “Angst” era in their original pre-production versions, with newly recorded bass and guitars on top and the malevolent brilliance of Lars Fredrik Fröslie’s keyboard magic. Six vocalists whom we all find both inspiring and “otherworldly” have blessed the album with their madness, some of them even in their native languages.


The vocalists are Famine, Attila Csihar, Pehr Larsson, Gaahl, Maniac and Kvarforth himself.

“8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” looks back, but at the same time, it also brings new life and new elements to these classic songs.

           Photos by Fabiola Santini

Band website: www.shiningasylum.com

Label website: www.darkessencerecords.no

Patronymicon 'All Daggers Towards The Sky' Promo 2013

Band :Patronymicon

Title 'All Daggers Towards The Sky'

Release Date : 2013-05-25

Label : Carnal Records

Style : Black Metal

Origin : Sweden

Well,here I am with Patronymicon's second album,and yes I had high expectations towards this album as I got my ears open for this black metal outfit after their debut album 'Prime Omega' witch I found to be a quite pleasant album for a debut that is… Also reviewed earlier in Skullfukker.

But let's get back to the new one witch seriously captured my attention ,as I've had a break from metal for a while due to several reasons.

But did I miss it? Nope.. 

Luckily this album bumped into my mail and it gave me a a lot more than the "Average Satan" bands out there compared to other albums I'd say that tho among several other Swedish acts.

Patronymicon has for my sake shown that they belong against the elite of what I consider Swedish black metal annno 2013.

It's fast furious & melodic in the traditional way like it's supposed to be and 'All Daggers Towards The Sky' gives me a pleasant ride into the dark realm of swedish madness kinda nostalgic like feeling when discovering Marduk & several acts and also with a touch of heavy metal influences now and then, a great feeling indeed.

This is way better than than the debut in many ways ,especially the sound and structure of the melodies captures me way more now.

A great release & reminder of why I still do what I do,and surely a name to keep im mind!

Highly Recommended!

Contact : Carnal Records,

               P.O. Box 5088,

               79105 Falun

               Sweden

https://www.facebook.com/carnalrecords.sweden

Carnalrecords@hotmail.com

Manifestor (Swe) Old Monster Demo 2012

Tracks :

1.Black Sabbath
2. Old Monster
3.Manifestor

I recived this promo along time ago,but for some reason didn't write about it until now.
This Swedish band has been rockin' basements and other moist places since 2008.
The creative masterminds behind this has played under various banners since their teenage year in the 90's.

Old Moster is their second demo released on pro printed tape on 100ex. during the summer of 2012.
This is thrash with the ugly stench of death with fast & furious riffs and aggresive vocals.
It's a cool demo no doubt,and it's not hard to hear where they have taken inspiration from,if you know bands like Grotesque,Aura Noir,Pestilence & Infernal Majesty you probably know what this demo is all about.
It contains 3 tracks of fast & aggresive thrash the ugly way and a bit chaotic (not in a bad way) 

Does it work as a piece of music?
Well ,to be honest it's nothing bad about this tape at all,but after several listens I still can't remember any tracks afterwards.
It all goes in a superfast tempo,maybe too fast at times.and it kinda sounds like they forgot that it's a good idea to maybe have some breaks & hooks in between 'cause this demo is over before it starts it feels.

Some will probably worship this,but I feel something is missing,not originality,'cause I'm pretty sure this band is not about that,but better melodies maybe?
So the overall conclusion is that it's not,bad,but I dosen't give me anything as a listener either.
There are many bands playing this old schoolish metal these days,but if you go for that style you better deliver and I don't think these guys deliver this time and it becoms boring at times.

3.5/6

Band Contact : manifestor@live.se

Manifestor on Myspace

Morbid - 1987 - Year Of The Goat

I got hold of this compilation some months ago.
It's nicely packaged in a cardboard box with cool artwork & pictures.
Inside you get a book which also is the cover of the 2 CD's inside.

Disc 1: - Contains the legendary December Moon" demo & 6 rehearsal tracks.

Disc 2: - Contains 19 Live tracks performed at Birkagården & Ultra

This is something everyone into metal should check out,cause the material on it especially the "December Moon" demo will stand forever as a piece of extreme music history. And it's great to have it all in one compilation instead of 50 bad bootlegs!
Also the material on "December Moon" is so great and timeless in my opinion that it easily chrush a lot of releases today,both music wise & same goes for the production.
I really enjoyed reading the book while listening to the music which is written from a totally different perspective than I've read or heard before.
It's more about how Dead's friends knew him before he joined Mayhem and how he developed as an artist & person in general.
There's of course some funny/classic stories and lots of pictures & stuff never seen before.
Personally I have to say that I prefer the things Dead recorded with Morbid rather than the stuff with Mayhem!
The sick "sing along" vocals on "Disgusting Semla" is absolute worth a listen if you haven't heard it before.

I'm glad I bought this & have it in my collection!!

Morbid Official

It's on CD & Vinyl.. The Vinyl version comes in at least 6-8 colors !

The green vinyl can be bought here : NuclearWarNow