#vektor — Public Fediverse posts

Aliens offer to take you away and give you a perfect—albeit short—life: do you say yes? According to Italian cosmic prog metal band Vanderlust, many of you would. “So, a bunch of people everywhere on Earth gave themselves” to the Coelacanths for that same offer, so opens The Human Farm. Several generations later, a human uprising leads to an escape from slavery and the discovery that the Coelacanths were all along harvesting Humans for their emotions. This isn’t meant to be funny. Vanderlust were deadset on telling a compelling sci-fi adventure in The Human Farm, enlisting guest keyboardist Francesco Londino (S91) and vocalist Martina Barreca (Mass Excess) to play the role of the Coelacanths. But did Vanderlust give us a sci-fi adventure for the ages with The Human Farm?

The gooey earnestness with which Vanderlust spill their adventure on The Human Farm is often matched by skill and musical vision. Vanderlust tear through speed-demonic numbers like “Viral Escape” or “Golden Shackles” with acerbically hooky, Vektor-gone-power-metal riffage while creating respite between the narrative beats with moody clean guitars and skittering drums on “The Turning Point” and “Connection Failed.” Guitarist Francesco Romeggini solos like mad on The Human Farm, shredding Megadethly over Blind Guardian riffs on the almost-instrumental “From the Cave – Fuga” and imbuing “Drive” with a gravitas and refinement. Bassist David Cantina and drummer Giacomo Mezzetti hold down Vanderlust’s rhythms, both driving (“Reborn…Again”) and groovy (“Humanity 3.0 – The New Canaan”) and shine on the “Battlefield”‘s bass solo and underlying fills. Ricca Morello’s vocals can get a bit mush-mouthed in the softer moments, but his power metal-inclined range and delivery crush the big moments, and Barreca’s death growls hit consistently, recalling Ophelion’s vocal duo on 2025’s The Jaunt. The Human Farm isn’t groundbreaking conceptually, but Vanderlust have the chops to tell their tale.

The Human Farm thrives in its biggest moments. Morello sounds his best when he goes all in, like on the Blind Guardian-coded power bonanza “Battlefield”1 and emotionally charged bookends “Humanity 2.0 – The Human Farm” and “Humanity 3.0 – The New Canaan.” Barreca’s growls add tons of punch to Vanderlust’s sound. When she trades lines with the choir on “Connection Failed” or clean sings on “Reborn…Again” and brings Meat Loaf melodrama to Dream Theater balladry, it feels so right. However, The Human Farm lulls when Vanderlust take the pedal off the metal. Momentum from “Golden Shackles” dissipates in the slow-burning of “The Turning Point” and doesn’t return until halfway through “Connection Failed,” and the barn-burning energy of “Viral Escape” is utterly deflated by the narrative interlude “…Find Them!”. However, Vanderlust are at any given time never too far off from another soaring crescendo, making The Human Farm an exciting listen, if not consistently so.

Vanderlust’s conceptual ambitions ultimately hinder The Human Farm, I feel. Vanderlust frequently dumb down musical ideas to allow narration more sonic space. This issue is exacerbated by the uniformly bad acting performances across The Human Farm, which resembles those 90s PC games where they just threw some interns into the booth. But even if the line reads were good, interjected into songs like “From the Cave – Fuga” and “Connection Failed,” they come off as a tacked-on concession to the story rather than an integral part of the music, coming off as distracting or even detrimental to the music. Vanderlust can do interesting things musically to tell their story, like having Barreca clean sing in “Reborn…Again” after the Coelacanths are defeated, reflecting them at their most vulnerable, or reworking the “Humanity 2.0…” motif into the end of “Humanity 3.0…,” where humankind has escaped captivity but find new challenges in freedom and lead some to question their revolution altogether.2 But for the most part, the way Vanderlust tell the story of The Human Farm detracts from what they do well: thrashy prog-power anthems.

If Vanderlust could hone their storytelling as well as their songwriting on The Human Farm, we’d have a great record on our hands. As is, there are too many conflicting elements in The Human Farm for more than a lukewarm recommendation, though there are fantastic songs throughout. Fans of prog-power will find things to like here, and Vanderlust is a band to keep an eye on, and I certainly will try to catch their third album should they make one. I’m not sure if Vanderlust have a Terminal Redux or Access All Worlds in them, but I wouldn’t put it past them either.



Rating: Mixed
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: V0 VBR mp3
Label: Rockshots Records
Websites: facebook.com/vanderlustofficial | soundcloud.com/vanderlust-music
Releases Worldwide: April 17th, 2026

Icons sind gerade beim Drehen von Objekten super als kleine Gedächtnisstütze, in welcher Richtung man positive Winkel eingeben muss. Die Oberfläche von CorelDRAW wurde erneuert und der Pfeil vom Icon zeigt in die falsche Richtung, dabei hätten sie das einfach nur abzeichnen müssen.

#UI #UX #vektor #software #coreldraw

Icons sind gerade beim Drehen von Objekten super als kleine Gedächtnisstütze, in welcher Richtung man positive Winkel eingeben muss. Die Oberfläche von CorelDRAW wurde erneuert und der Pfeil vom Icon zeigt in die falsche Richtung, dabei hätten sie das einfach nur abzeichnen müssen.

#UI #UX #vektor #software #coreldraw

Icons sind gerade beim Drehen von Objekten super als kleine Gedächtnisstütze, in welcher Richtung man positive Winkel eingeben muss. Die Oberfläche von CorelDRAW wurde erneuert und der Pfeil vom Icon zeigt in die falsche Richtung, dabei hätten sie das einfach nur abzeichnen müssen.

#UI #UX #vektor #software #coreldraw

Icons sind gerade beim Drehen von Objekten super als kleine Gedächtnisstütze, in welcher Richtung man positive Winkel eingeben muss. Die Oberfläche von CorelDRAW wurde erneuert und der Pfeil vom Icon zeigt in die falsche Richtung, dabei hätten sie das einfach nur abzeichnen müssen.

#UI #UX #vektor #software #coreldraw

With the same swirling whammy lick opening “Moonbelt Immolator” gracing the opening minute of “Cryogenically Frozen,” Cryptic Shift have returned. Visitations from Enceladus was a monolithic record that rocked my world in 2020, taking me to the most vile reaches of the universe in a technical death/thrash expedition of cosmic horror. Six years later, the group from Leeds, UK aim to expand on their already expansive debut regarding both their sci-fi theming and musicality with their sophomore. They didn’t skimp out on us either: Overspace & Supertime is one track greater than Visitations and nearly twice as long, boasting two twenty-plus-minute epics.1 A feature film’s runtime of borderline avant-garde extreme metal is no small feat, but if designed and shaped with singular vision, patience and skill, then anything can happen. And in the strange aeons Cryptic Shift occupy, anything happens all the time.

An undertaking like Overspace & Supertime demands top-notch performances to survive: Cryptic Shift couldn’t have done much better. Keeping true to the mix of Atheistic death, Vektorian thrash, and King Crimsonian progressive sensibilities that made the debut a knockout, Cryptic Shift have opened another wormhole of technical death/thrash immensity. But if you’re imagining Visitations II: Eldritch Boogaloo, stop. Overspace takes what made Visitations great and kicks it into warp speed. The guitar duo of Xander Bradley and Joss Farrington (Cryptworm)2 tear through an embarrassment of mind-bending, neck-breaking riffs across Overspace, bending across their whole fretboards, soloing on “Stratocumulus Evergaol” and putting their entire asses behind the chugged-up “Hyperspace Topography.” Drummer Ryan Sheperson pummels his kit in time I can only guess at on “Overspace & Supertime” while bassist John Riley fretlessly glides over “Cryogenically Frozen” into solos traded off between the guitars, amounting to a finessed, yet relentless attack. Topped off with Bradley’s cavernous bellows, Overspace & Supertime is a tour de force of musical expertise.

Overspace & Supertime by Cryptic Shift

What carries Cryptic Shift’s longform songwriting is that their music is always in flux. Whenever the band seems lost in their own prog-sauce—like in the effect-heavy openings of “Hexagonal Eyes (Diverity Trepaphymphasyzm)” and “Cryogenically Frozen”—they always swing back with a bruiser riff that helps keep Overspace more approachable than it ought to be. Like on Visitations, Cryptic Shift employ clean guitar passages and eerie atmospheres to outline the heavy bits. But on Overspace, they are woven smoothly into the distorted parts to create dynamic passages, like the shimmering clean strums between monstrous death hits on “Stratocumulus Evergaol” or the blackened surf-rock tremolos of “Hyperspace Topography.” But Cryptic Shift’s greatest dynamic on Overspace is that of light vs. dark. While their debut was a pitch-black exploration of space-born horrors, Overspace injects a healthy dosage of awe into their mix, including strangely bright conclusions to “Cryogenically Frozen” and “Overspace & Supertime” and a passage at ~16 minutes into “Stratocumulus Evergaol” that’s so boppy that it could pass for Rise Against. It’s in the name: Cryptic Shift change in some strange ways over the course of Overspace & Supertime, and I’m here for it.

And this leads me to the true wonder of Overspace & Supertime and where its immensity is most benefited: the beauty of the off-kilter. This is an album of purely aggressive, dissonant, esoteric, and oddly-timed stuff; Cryptic Shift made no obvious move, and they’re clearly not gunning for radio play. So why is it so beautiful? Solos that effortlessly slide from Slayer-like chromatic bullshittery into soaring melodicism. Patient ambiances both tranquil and unsettling, belligerent thrashing as exhilarating as it is hostile. The brilliant production best described by Dolphin Whisperer as “tone porn,” where all cleans are crystalline, and everything dirty is disgusting. How easy it is to fall under Cryptic Shift’s spell and let the freeform journey take you on its many twists and turns. The fact that Overspace & Supertime gets weird and takes its precious time doing so allows the listener to immerse themselves in Cryptic Shift’s world, making for a simply sublime experience.

In retrospect, Visitations from Enceladus feels like Cryptic Shift’s proof-of-concept for Overspace & Supertime. Yes, this is an exhausting record. Trying to catch everything on it during your first listen could make you go blind. Maybe 80 minutes is too damn long. But Overspace & Supertime is a better record than my wildest expectations, six years in the making, ever dreamed up. Like Frank Zappa at his best, Cryptic Shift on Overspace left me frequently confused, sometimes just plain tickled, but never unmoved before their showcase of the bizarre and the otherwordly. In the stranger aeons Cryptic Shift occupy, anything has happened.

Rating: Excellent
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps MP3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: cryptic-shift.bandcamp | facebook.com/crypticshift
Releases Worldwide: February 27, 2026

Imperialist – Prime Review

By Owlswald

Crafting a great or excellent record is a remarkable feat. But it’s another challenge entirely to consistently churn out banger after banger. This kind of consistency is the not-so-secret sauce that can launch bands into the upper echelons. While examples are numerous, California’s Imperialist is poised to demonstrate their potential for genuine longevity with third LP, Prime. Having already broken the Score Safety Counter with 2018’s Cipher, the sci-fi black metal quartet returned to impress our Elitist on staff again in 2021 with follow-up, Zenith. Now, four years later and with an EP in between, Imperialist sets its crosshairs on Prime to deliver their third quality record in a row.

Longtime followers of Imperialist’s cosmic flight path will notice that the foursome has stayed true to its blackened foundation. Sergio Soto and Bryant Quinones’ trem-picked guitars and stylish shredding—á la Dissection and Immortal—fuse with Rod Quinones’ explosive blast beats and Soto’s callous snarls to power their apocalyptic and space-faring narrative. However, on Prime, Imperialist updates their design, discarding the “loose screws” of previous albums for a meaner, more streamlined edge. The quartet’s songwriting has become more refined, featuring fluid transitions, engaging leads and solos, and strong, memorable riffs that anchor their high-energy sound. Everything about Prime is bigger, better, and more powerful than before, from the intense and technical performances to Eliran Kantor’s stunning cover art and Dan “The Man” Swanö’s excellent mix. The result is a full-force attack that hits with all its might, making Prime Imperialist’s most impressive effort to date.

Through years of dedication, Imperialist has weaponized its proven blueprint, transforming into a razor-sharp cohesive assault. Soto and Quinones’ guitars lead the charge, delivering a terrestrial invasion of light-speed tremolo runs and hooky, head-banging riffs packed full of cataclysmic energy perfectly suited for Prime’s apocalyptic premise. Imperialist prominently evolved its sound by adding melodic leads and solos that are both tasteful and technical, prioritizing emotion and phrase over showmanship to give Prime’s nine tracks greater punch and charisma. Their solos—with harmonic fluency (“A Ghost Abandoned,” “Beneath the Sands of Titan”), wah accents (“Starstorm,” “A Ghost Abandoned”), and expressive feel (“Final Hours,” “Nocturnal Eon”)—balance technicality with musical intuition while also contributing to Imperialist’s saga. Serving as the main force behind Prime’s storytelling, Soto’s vocal performance immerses the listener into the album’s vast narrative, as his tone, delivery and lyrical content perfectly marry Prime’s musical aggression with their thematic vision. His delivery has a great thrashy snarl that is flat-out mean, sounding like a mix between David DiSanto (Vektor) and Abbath (Immortal) while still retaining sharp and clear enunciation.

Prime hits hard from the start with “Starstorm” and sustains that high-energy approach for most of its forty-five-minute runtime. Bolstering Prime’s sound, Swanö’s mix forgoes the sterile feel of past albums for a lively and organic one, allowing each instrument room to breathe while pushing Soto’s vocals to the forefront. Interlude, “Heavens Sunder,” fits into the album’s arc perfectly and makes the return to Prime’s aggressive final half feel even heavier. The decision to include an interlude at the album’s midpoint was a smart move, especially given that a lack of song variation has historically been Imperialist’s Achilles’ heel. And yet, the back half of Prime still falters as its momentum wanes. “Union of the Swarm” and “Nocturnal Eon” are solid but feel less compelling, lacking the memorability of the album’s stronger tracks. Prime could have improved its staying power with greater differentiation between these songs and the album’s other material or by trimming one altogether. Fortunately, the triumphant “A Ghost Abandoned” breaks this pattern. With its sauntering rhythm, it provides a welcome change of pace before its satisfying, drifting outro delivers a sense of a completed journey, from initial onslaught to a final, fading resolution.

While it just misses greatness, Prime is without a doubt Imperialist’s most cohesive and powerful album to date. The group has successfully addressed nearly all the lingering issues from their past work while adding new depth to their sound. With Prime, these Californians are operating near the apex of their craft, having now released three consecutive quality black metal albums that cement them as one of the genre’s premier acts. No one knows where Imperialist go from here, but Prime is a journey that deserves your attention.

Rating: Very Good!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Transcending Obscurity
Websites: imperialistus.bandcamp.com/music | imperialistofficial.com | facebook.com/Imperialistofficial
Releases Worldwide: September 5th, 2025

#2025 #35 #AmericanMetalMetal #BlackMetal #Dissection #Immortal #Imperialist #Prime #Review #Reviews #Sep25 #TranscendingObscurity #Vektor

Cryptosis – Celestial Death Review

By Iceberg

When it comes to evolving past its lean, mean beginnings, thrash has had a rough go of it. Modern iterations shoot for a return-to-roots approach, which feels doomed to fall short in the shadow of the genre’s titans or augment the style with increasingly odd bedfellows (I’m looking at you Demoniac). Dutch trio Cryptosis fell firmly in the latter camp with their 2021 debut, Bionic Swarm, and they’ve continued to march away from their Teutonic roots with follow-up Celestial Death. Bionic Swarm passed 4.0ldeneye’s questionably positioned bar for admittance to “Great” status, and being the scholar and gentleman that he is, he was gracious enough to allow little ol’ me to sink my teeth into Cryptosis’ sophomore effort. Sporting a spiffy new Kantor cover and promising a more “cinematic path” and “darker atmosphere,” I’m hoping Celestial Death will give me another reason to believe that thrash is still alive and well.

Thrash was a basis for Bionic Swarm, but here it’s used more as a color on Cryptosis’ palette. The boundary-pushing sounds of Vektor are still present here, but they’re joined by Gothenburg melodeath (“Ascending”) and expansive post-metal instrumentals (“The Silent Call,” “Coda-Wander Into The Light”). Even as they widen their stylistic pool, Cryptosis retain a high level of musicianship and execution. Marco Prij’s drumming is still blisteringly fast, and added creativity in the cymbal-work (“Static Horizon,” “Ascending”) and decidedly non-thrash blasting (“The Silent Call,” “Cryptosphere”) makes it a great listen for the rhythmically inclined. Frank te Riet’s synths are much more present this go-around, and paired with his mellotron work, they achieve a void-wrapped atmosphere worthy of the album’s title. Frontman Laurens Houvert reminds us this album is still rooted in furious thrash, though, and his gruff barks paired with maniacally dancing riffs make Celestial Death an entertaining and, at times, challenging record.

Thrash is known for burning hot and dying fast, but that’s not the case with Celestial Death. Although only 42 minutes, a perfectly adequate runtime, there’s lots of heady material packed into these 11 tracks. Bookended and bisected by instrumentals, there’s an erudite symmetry to Celestial Death’s structure. The front half features 4 experimental non-thrash compositions, while the back half’s 4 are more concerned with kicking ass and taking names. Though I applaud Cryptosis for their willingness to color outside the lines, not everything sticks its landing. Sweeping, half-time sections showcase te Riet’s droning synths but lose precious potential energy (“The Silent Call,” “Motionless Balance”). Tracks in this half are well performed, but the songwriting feels less focused, holding onto riffs and instrumental sections a bit too long (“Static Horizon”). With the exception of proper opener “Faceless Matter” which is a successful composite of Cryptosis’ past and future, the album’s front thoughtfully meanders when it should be gripping throats.

A trio of songs in the album’s B-side reminds us of why Cryptosis deserves to be in the conversation for compelling, modern thrash. Out of the transitory warblings of “Motionless Balance” comes an absolute ripper of a track in “Reign Of Infinite.” Houvert’s opening riff sets fire to his fretboard, and the double-kick battering is a welcome backing for the most headbangable moment on the album. The instrumental in the album’s bridge, including a beautiful rising lead melody in the guitars, gives just enough time away from the sturm und drang to clear the air before plunging earthward again. “In Between Realities” pairs the album’s sole sing-along chorus with choppy rhythms and extended tremolos, and closer “Cryptosphere” makes the case for Symphony X-style thrash. My attention snapped back into place in this section of Celestial Death, ending the album on a high note and earning the place of zoom-out closer “Coda-Wander Into The Light.”

Celestial Death doesn’t give up its astral secrets easily and will rebuff the casual listener. What at first feels like a wall of riffs and washy synths eventually finds definition and reveals a burgeoning voice in extreme metal. Even the instrumentals, which are so often shoehorned into “progressive” pieces, earn their keep after repeated listens. While I don’t share the enthusiasm gene of our dear Holden, I think Cryptosis have a solid addition to their discography here and are on the verge of synthesizing their own take on modern thrash. At times viciously thrash, twistingly prog, or tantalizingly atmospheric, Celestial Death has a little something for everybody and has successfully avoided, at least in this writer’s opinion, the modern thrash trap.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: STREAM | Format Reviewed: STREAM
Label: Century Media
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: March 7th, 2025

#2025 #30 #CelestialDeath #CenturyMedia #Cryptosis #DeathMetal #Demoniac #DutchMetal #Mar25 #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #SpaceMetal #SymphonyX #ThrashMetal #Vektor

Cryptosis – Celestial Death Review

By Iceberg

When it comes to evolving past its lean, mean beginnings, thrash has had a rough go of it. Modern iterations shoot for a return-to-roots approach, which feels doomed to fall short in the shadow of the genre’s titans or augment the style with increasingly odd bedfellows (I’m looking at you Demoniac). Dutch trio Cryptosis fell firmly in the latter camp with their 2021 debut, Bionic Swarm, and they’ve continued to march away from their Teutonic roots with follow-up Celestial Death. Bionic Swarm passed 4.0ldeneye’s questionably positioned bar for admittance to “Great” status, and being the scholar and gentleman that he is, he was gracious enough to allow little ol’ me to sink my teeth into Cryptosis’ sophomore effort. Sporting a spiffy new Kantor cover and promising a more “cinematic path” and “darker atmosphere,” I’m hoping Celestial Death will give me another reason to believe that thrash is still alive and well.

Thrash was a basis for Bionic Swarm, but here it’s used more as a color on Cryptosis’ palette. The boundary-pushing sounds of Vektor are still present here, but they’re joined by Gothenburg melodeath (“Ascending”) and expansive post-metal instrumentals (“The Silent Call,” “Coda-Wander Into The Light”). Even as they widen their stylistic pool, Cryptosis retain a high level of musicianship and execution. Marco Prij’s drumming is still blisteringly fast, and added creativity in the cymbal-work (“Static Horizon,” “Ascending”) and decidedly non-thrash blasting (“The Silent Call,” “Cryptosphere”) makes it a great listen for the rhythmically inclined. Frank te Riet’s synths are much more present this go-around, and paired with his mellotron work, they achieve a void-wrapped atmosphere worthy of the album’s title. Frontman Laurens Houvert reminds us this album is still rooted in furious thrash, though, and his gruff barks paired with maniacally dancing riffs make Celestial Death an entertaining and, at times, challenging record.

Thrash is known for burning hot and dying fast, but that’s not the case with Celestial Death. Although only 42 minutes, a perfectly adequate runtime, there’s lots of heady material packed into these 11 tracks. Bookended and bisected by instrumentals, there’s an erudite symmetry to Celestial Death’s structure. The front half features 4 experimental non-thrash compositions, while the back half’s 4 are more concerned with kicking ass and taking names. Though I applaud Cryptosis for their willingness to color outside the lines, not everything sticks its landing. Sweeping, half-time sections showcase te Riet’s droning synths but lose precious potential energy (“The Silent Call,” “Motionless Balance”). Tracks in this half are well performed, but the songwriting feels less focused, holding onto riffs and instrumental sections a bit too long (“Static Horizon”). With the exception of proper opener “Faceless Matter” which is a successful composite of Cryptosis’ past and future, the album’s front thoughtfully meanders when it should be gripping throats.

A trio of songs in the album’s B-side reminds us of why Cryptosis deserves to be in the conversation for compelling, modern thrash. Out of the transitory warblings of “Motionless Balance” comes an absolute ripper of a track in “Reign Of Infinite.” Houvert’s opening riff sets fire to his fretboard, and the double-kick battering is a welcome backing for the most headbangable moment on the album. The instrumental in the album’s bridge, including a beautiful rising lead melody in the guitars, gives just enough time away from the sturm und drang to clear the air before plunging earthward again. “In Between Realities” pairs the album’s sole sing-along chorus with choppy rhythms and extended tremolos, and closer “Cryptosphere” makes the case for Symphony X-style thrash. My attention snapped back into place in this section of Celestial Death, ending the album on a high note and earning the place of zoom-out closer “Coda-Wander Into The Light.”

Celestial Death doesn’t give up its astral secrets easily and will rebuff the casual listener. What at first feels like a wall of riffs and washy synths eventually finds definition and reveals a burgeoning voice in extreme metal. Even the instrumentals, which are so often shoehorned into “progressive” pieces, earn their keep after repeated listens. While I don’t share the enthusiasm gene of our dear Holden, I think Cryptosis have a solid addition to their discography here and are on the verge of synthesizing their own take on modern thrash. At times viciously thrash, twistingly prog, or tantalizingly atmospheric, Celestial Death has a little something for everybody and has successfully avoided, at least in this writer’s opinion, the modern thrash trap.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: STREAM | Format Reviewed: STREAM
Label: Century Media
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: March 7th, 2025

#2025 #30 #CelestialDeath #CenturyMedia #Cryptosis #DeathMetal #Demoniac #DutchMetal #Mar25 #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #SpaceMetal #SymphonyX #ThrashMetal #Vektor

Cryptosis – Celestial Death Review

By Iceberg

When it comes to evolving past its lean, mean beginnings, thrash has had a rough go of it. Modern iterations shoot for a return-to-roots approach, which feels doomed to fall short in the shadow of the genre’s titans or augment the style with increasingly odd bedfellows (I’m looking at you Demoniac). Dutch trio Cryptosis fell firmly in the latter camp with their 2021 debut, Bionic Swarm, and they’ve continued to march away from their Teutonic roots with follow-up Celestial Death. Bionic Swarm passed 4.0ldeneye’s questionably positioned bar for admittance to “Great” status, and being the scholar and gentleman that he is, he was gracious enough to allow little ol’ me to sink my teeth into Cryptosis’ sophomore effort. Sporting a spiffy new Kantor cover and promising a more “cinematic path” and “darker atmosphere,” I’m hoping Celestial Death will give me another reason to believe that thrash is still alive and well.

Thrash was a basis for Bionic Swarm, but here it’s used more as a color on Cryptosis’ palette. The boundary-pushing sounds of Vektor are still present here, but they’re joined by Gothenburg melodeath (“Ascending”) and expansive post-metal instrumentals (“The Silent Call,” “Coda-Wander Into The Light”). Even as they widen their stylistic pool, Cryptosis retain a high level of musicianship and execution. Marco Prij’s drumming is still blisteringly fast, and added creativity in the cymbal-work (“Static Horizon,” “Ascending”) and decidedly non-thrash blasting (“The Silent Call,” “Cryptosphere”) makes it a great listen for the rhythmically inclined. Frank te Riet’s synths are much more present this go-around, and paired with his mellotron work, they achieve a void-wrapped atmosphere worthy of the album’s title. Frontman Laurens Houvert reminds us this album is still rooted in furious thrash, though, and his gruff barks paired with maniacally dancing riffs make Celestial Death an entertaining and, at times, challenging record.

Thrash is known for burning hot and dying fast, but that’s not the case with Celestial Death. Although only 42 minutes, a perfectly adequate runtime, there’s lots of heady material packed into these 11 tracks. Bookended and bisected by instrumentals, there’s an erudite symmetry to Celestial Death’s structure. The front half features 4 experimental non-thrash compositions, while the back half’s 4 are more concerned with kicking ass and taking names. Though I applaud Cryptosis for their willingness to color outside the lines, not everything sticks its landing. Sweeping, half-time sections showcase te Riet’s droning synths but lose precious potential energy (“The Silent Call,” “Motionless Balance”). Tracks in this half are well performed, but the songwriting feels less focused, holding onto riffs and instrumental sections a bit too long (“Static Horizon”). With the exception of proper opener “Faceless Matter” which is a successful composite of Cryptosis’ past and future, the album’s front thoughtfully meanders when it should be gripping throats.

A trio of songs in the album’s B-side reminds us of why Cryptosis deserves to be in the conversation for compelling, modern thrash. Out of the transitory warblings of “Motionless Balance” comes an absolute ripper of a track in “Reign Of Infinite.” Houvert’s opening riff sets fire to his fretboard, and the double-kick battering is a welcome backing for the most headbangable moment on the album. The instrumental in the album’s bridge, including a beautiful rising lead melody in the guitars, gives just enough time away from the sturm und drang to clear the air before plunging earthward again. “In Between Realities” pairs the album’s sole sing-along chorus with choppy rhythms and extended tremolos, and closer “Cryptosphere” makes the case for Symphony X-style thrash. My attention snapped back into place in this section of Celestial Death, ending the album on a high note and earning the place of zoom-out closer “Coda-Wander Into The Light.”

Celestial Death doesn’t give up its astral secrets easily and will rebuff the casual listener. What at first feels like a wall of riffs and washy synths eventually finds definition and reveals a burgeoning voice in extreme metal. Even the instrumentals, which are so often shoehorned into “progressive” pieces, earn their keep after repeated listens. While I don’t share the enthusiasm gene of our dear Holden, I think Cryptosis have a solid addition to their discography here and are on the verge of synthesizing their own take on modern thrash. At times viciously thrash, twistingly prog, or tantalizingly atmospheric, Celestial Death has a little something for everybody and has successfully avoided, at least in this writer’s opinion, the modern thrash trap.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: STREAM | Format Reviewed: STREAM
Label: Century Media
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: March 7th, 2025

#2025 #30 #CelestialDeath #CenturyMedia #Cryptosis #DeathMetal #Demoniac #DutchMetal #Mar25 #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #SpaceMetal #SymphonyX #ThrashMetal #Vektor

Cryptosis – Celestial Death Review

By Iceberg

When it comes to evolving past its lean, mean beginnings, thrash has had a rough go of it. Modern iterations shoot for a return-to-roots approach, which feels doomed to fall short in the shadow of the genre’s titans or augment the style with increasingly odd bedfellows (I’m looking at you Demoniac). Dutch trio Cryptosis fell firmly in the latter camp with their 2021 debut, Bionic Swarm, and they’ve continued to march away from their Teutonic roots with follow-up Celestial Death. Bionic Swarm passed 4.0ldeneye’s questionably positioned bar for admittance to “Great” status, and being the scholar and gentleman that he is, he was gracious enough to allow little ol’ me to sink my teeth into Cryptosis’ sophomore effort. Sporting a spiffy new Kantor cover and promising a more “cinematic path” and “darker atmosphere,” I’m hoping Celestial Death will give me another reason to believe that thrash is still alive and well.

Thrash was a basis for Bionic Swarm, but here it’s used more as a color on Cryptosis’ palette. The boundary-pushing sounds of Vektor are still present here, but they’re joined by Gothenburg melodeath (“Ascending”) and expansive post-metal instrumentals (“The Silent Call,” “Coda-Wander Into The Light”). Even as they widen their stylistic pool, Cryptosis retain a high level of musicianship and execution. Marco Prij’s drumming is still blisteringly fast, and added creativity in the cymbal-work (“Static Horizon,” “Ascending”) and decidedly non-thrash blasting (“The Silent Call,” “Cryptosphere”) makes it a great listen for the rhythmically inclined. Frank te Riet’s synths are much more present this go-around, and paired with his mellotron work, they achieve a void-wrapped atmosphere worthy of the album’s title. Frontman Laurens Houvert reminds us this album is still rooted in furious thrash, though, and his gruff barks paired with maniacally dancing riffs make Celestial Death an entertaining and, at times, challenging record.

Thrash is known for burning hot and dying fast, but that’s not the case with Celestial Death. Although only 42 minutes, a perfectly adequate runtime, there’s lots of heady material packed into these 11 tracks. Bookended and bisected by instrumentals, there’s an erudite symmetry to Celestial Death’s structure. The front half features 4 experimental non-thrash compositions, while the back half’s 4 are more concerned with kicking ass and taking names. Though I applaud Cryptosis for their willingness to color outside the lines, not everything sticks its landing. Sweeping, half-time sections showcase te Riet’s droning synths but lose precious potential energy (“The Silent Call,” “Motionless Balance”). Tracks in this half are well performed, but the songwriting feels less focused, holding onto riffs and instrumental sections a bit too long (“Static Horizon”). With the exception of proper opener “Faceless Matter” which is a successful composite of Cryptosis’ past and future, the album’s front thoughtfully meanders when it should be gripping throats.

A trio of songs in the album’s B-side reminds us of why Cryptosis deserves to be in the conversation for compelling, modern thrash. Out of the transitory warblings of “Motionless Balance” comes an absolute ripper of a track in “Reign Of Infinite.” Houvert’s opening riff sets fire to his fretboard, and the double-kick battering is a welcome backing for the most headbangable moment on the album. The instrumental in the album’s bridge, including a beautiful rising lead melody in the guitars, gives just enough time away from the sturm und drang to clear the air before plunging earthward again. “In Between Realities” pairs the album’s sole sing-along chorus with choppy rhythms and extended tremolos, and closer “Cryptosphere” makes the case for Symphony X-style thrash. My attention snapped back into place in this section of Celestial Death, ending the album on a high note and earning the place of zoom-out closer “Coda-Wander Into The Light.”

Celestial Death doesn’t give up its astral secrets easily and will rebuff the casual listener. What at first feels like a wall of riffs and washy synths eventually finds definition and reveals a burgeoning voice in extreme metal. Even the instrumentals, which are so often shoehorned into “progressive” pieces, earn their keep after repeated listens. While I don’t share the enthusiasm gene of our dear Holden, I think Cryptosis have a solid addition to their discography here and are on the verge of synthesizing their own take on modern thrash. At times viciously thrash, twistingly prog, or tantalizingly atmospheric, Celestial Death has a little something for everybody and has successfully avoided, at least in this writer’s opinion, the modern thrash trap.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: STREAM | Format Reviewed: STREAM
Label: Century Media
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: March 7th, 2025

#2025 #30 #CelestialDeath #CenturyMedia #Cryptosis #DeathMetal #Demoniac #DutchMetal #Mar25 #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #SpaceMetal #SymphonyX #ThrashMetal #Vektor

@horst724 ... der zweite Tipp (https://www.lokjo.com/) bietet (für meine Region) die aktuelleren Luft- bzw. Satellitenbilder an.

Ansonsten gibt es für amtliche #Karten (#Vektor und #Raster noch dieses empfehlenswerte #Portal auf #Bundesebene in #Deutschland:

https://basemap.de/viewer/

Mehr Infos zum Projekt und zur Kartenauswahl:
https://basemap.de/

Fürs #Routing mit optional aktivierten #Verkehrsdaten taugt auch das Portal vom #ADAC unter https://maps.adac.de/ wirklich gut.

#basemap #de #map #unplugtrump

"handy arrows": #pfeil-#vektor-grafiken: https://handyarrows.com/ [via designer-in-action-newsletter]

So here are my top 25 albums of all time.

@BlackenedGreen @jake4480

#PinkFloyd #Radiohead #DireStraits #ArcadeFire #QueensOfTheStoneAge #TomWaits #Tool #Queen #Morcheeba #Muse #Morrissey #AndYouWillKnowUsByTheTrailOfDead #JudasPriest #Motörhead #Vektor #NickCave #Eels #Gojira #Rainbow

TIL: Es gibt #Musik, die speziell dafür ausgelegt ist, auf einem X/Y-#Oszilloskop sinnvolle #Vektor-#Animationen zu produzieren.

Die Darstellungsprobleme dürften aber eher an unzureichender DC-Kopplung und weniger an der Ausgabequalität an sich liegen.

"The return of OSCILLOSCOPE MUSIC with the N-Spheres EP"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqM84RJzGq4

#Techmoan #NSpheres #YouTube #OscilloscopeMusic #Oscilloscope #Scope #Music

TIL: Es gibt #Musik, die speziell dafür ausgelegt ist, auf einem X/Y-#Oszilloskop sinnvolle #Vektor-#Animationen zu produzieren.

Die Darstellungsprobleme dürften aber eher an unzureichender DC-Kopplung und weniger an der Ausgabequalität an sich liegen.

"The return of OSCILLOSCOPE MUSIC with the N-Spheres EP"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqM84RJzGq4

#Techmoan #NSpheres #YouTube #OscilloscopeMusic #Oscilloscope #Scope #Music

TIL: Es gibt #Musik, die speziell dafür ausgelegt ist, auf einem X/Y-#Oszilloskop sinnvolle #Vektor-#Animationen zu produzieren.

Die Darstellungsprobleme dürften aber eher an unzureichender DC-Kopplung und weniger an der Ausgabequalität an sich liegen.

"The return of OSCILLOSCOPE MUSIC with the N-Spheres EP"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqM84RJzGq4

#Techmoan #NSpheres #YouTube #OscilloscopeMusic #Oscilloscope #Scope #Music

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Zakula – White Forest Reign Lullabies

By Dolphin Whisperer

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”

It takes a bit of effort to assemble the fickle tastes of the Rodeö gang, as distinguished and willing as they may be. Now, I won’t say that the lure of a unsigned gem requires trickery, but with a band like Zakula, explaining their style straight doesn’t stand as an option. These Athenian speed demons slap the simplest of tags across their Bandcamp page: death metal, black metal, thrash metal. And frustratingly, that’s the truth too! But what does it mean? Chunky riffs that dance about flailing tempos with a dramatic vocal character? Kind of. How about sneaky lead melodies that tumble against bright synth crashes into whiplash thrash and manic shrieks? White Forest Reign Lullabies doesn’t make explanation easy, but Zakula does play metal with lots of twists. This is the kind of challenge for which the Rodeö crew—now with the recently demoted n00b Tyme in the mix—lives! And, also proof that they too are capable of enjoyment. – Dolphin Whisperer

Zakula // White Forest Reign Lullabies [October 25th, 2024]

GardensTale: Zakula was initially sold to me as weirdo black metal. Foul! This is clearly weirdo tech thrash, a niche I seldom dabble in. As such, I find myself more unmoored than usual, with my frame of reference limited to Stam1na and my meager exposure to Vektor, whose frontman I disliked for his vocals and dislike more for his abuse. But while a few comparisons can be drawn from Zakula to either, this is a different beast altogether. White Forest Reign Lullabies is fast as hell, frequently discordant, and seems designed to keep you off-balance. The guitars throw me off the least, somehow, though their rapid tremolos and triplets and trips up and down the scales require close attention. More unsettling are the hoarse histrionics that make up the vocals, which sound ragged and desperate and are played backward on at least one occasion, and the erratic drums that go from maddeningly consistent to plain mad. But it’s the electronics that send me over the edge. The dissonant slides and squeaks and blips have a panic-inducing effect that reminds me of VAK at about nine times the speed. Somehow, though, the Greeks pull it all together with some excellent songwriting, mixing manic melodic riffs and staccato drums in opposition without letting it all descend into nonsensical noise. Some of the tracks do swerve a bit much from one extreme to another and lose the cohesion, but more often than not this one’s one heck of a ride, full of surprises, technical wizardry, and all the drugs that are not good for you. 3.5/5.0

Felagund: I enjoy the Rodeö feature much more when I have something positive to say about the album we’re reviewing. And truly, how could I hate on the off-kilter package that Zakula has delivered? White Forest Rain Lullabies is the band’s sophomore outing, and they’ve embraced the well-trod kitchen sink approach. Sure, Zakula might arrive on a wave of thrash, but stick around and you’ll be accosted by an undertow of industrial, prog, black metal, and noise. As you struggle against the deluge, you may hear dashes of Coroner, Voivod, and even Oingo Boingo. There’s plenty of synths, light orchestration, squealing guitars, and highly augmented, blackened vocals that’ll pull you even further out past the breakers. Yet somehow, these zany Greeks pull it off. Whether you’re looking for crunchy thrash riffs (“Olethros,” “Children of Haze,”) frenzied, cacophonous noise (“Melancholy,” “White Forest Rain Lullabies”) or spacy synths (“Remains,” “Children of Haze”) Zakula delivers the goods both cohesively and effectively, something even well-seasoned musicians struggle to do. Unfortunately, in their zeal to cram more genres, instrumentation, and ideas into each song, Zakula has inadvertently delivered a record in dire need of some editing. On a six-song album, there are three tracks that clock in at or over eight minutes, and each would have been leaner, meaner, and more impactful with just two to three minutes shaved off. This certainly isn’t a deal breaker, but it does stifle the momentum of an otherwise promising album. Still, I’d recommend White Forest Rain Lullabies, especially to all you little freaks out there. 3.0/5.0

Iceberg: While I tend to follow the Germanic school of thought that order and structure rule supreme, I have a soft spot for unpredictable, chaotic music. Dolph has zeroed in on this personal weakness, and continues to poke and prod me with insanity I can’t help but love. Zakula barely manages to control their chaos across an impressive forty minutes of music with White Forest Reign Lullabies, throwing so many genres against the wall that I’d waste word count listing them here. From the deliriously quick, heaving chromatic leads of “Όλεθρος” to the relentless, across-the-bar ostinati of “Remains,” Zakula sinks their hooks into the listener and refuses to let go. Mid-album heavyweight “Melancholy” is a twisting nine minutes that feels much shorter than that, and it’s middle section is straight from a Twilight Zone soundtrack, successfully blended with speed metal bookends. Every time I’ve come back to this record I’ve found a new corner to explore, a new chromatic tremolo, a new electronic underpinning. The title track and “Ton 618” don’t hit quite as hard as their album-mates, and there could be a case for some more editing, but the amount of fat amongst these tracks is pretty minimal. White Forest Reign Lullabies marks a triumph for the Athenians, and I can easily see it increasing in score as it continues to worm its way into my brainstem. An absolute must for fans of extreme music that blows right past anything resembling a boundary. 3.5/5.0

Alekhines Gun: If metal were a snack, White Forest Reign Lullabies would be the chunkiest of trail mix. Zakula assembles a brand of blackened thrash, piano, clean vocals, interludes, and electronica in an absurd, bizarrely effective middle finger to our stance at AMG Inc. that less is more. Do you love synth shreddage? Zakula pack in enough to make His Statue Falls blush and Fail Emotions suggest toning it down a bit. Do you love blackened thrash? White Forest Reign Lullabies pack in the spirit of Urn with pained vocals pulled straight from modern Asphyx, seeking to kick arse with beer and steel-toed boot. The sincerity behind the more metal riffs serves as a surprising counterpart to the instrumental excess on display here, keeping Zakula from being mistaken for a mere gimmick band. Look no further than the opening minute of “Melancholy” to realize this band is in no way here to mess around, even if it seems like they can’t commit to a style for long enough to do anything but. Some people will cry that this album lacks cohesion, identity, and focus, and those are people who don’t like fun. Your tolerance for this album will certainly depend on your joy for madcap zany ADHD (positive) song structures. But for those looking for a walk on the wild side, come enjoy some sweet Lullabies. Or as Zakula would ask, “How can less be more? That’s impossible!” 3.0/5.0

Thyme: Three years after their 2021 eponymous debut, Greek thrashers Zakula return with White Forest Reign Lullabies. From the first swift, surgically precise riff and chaotic keyboard run of opener, “Όλεθρος,” it’s clear Zakula is no straight-line descendant of the (some say tragically Overkill-less) Big Four — no sir. Zakula’s brand of blackened thrash has an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink quality to it that not only belies its genre tags but makes drawing valid comparisons difficult. If Mr. Bungle and Xoth paid Titan to Tachyons for a threesome, you’d at least be in the ballpark, as every second of this six-song, forty-minute tornado is engaging as fook. The songwriting, especially on the lengthier tracks (“Melancholy,” “Children of Haze”), showcases what Zakula does best. And that’s providing a wealth of melt-in-your-mouth goodness chock full of visceral riffs, Xothically spacy synths, and Schuldiner by way of Van Drunen1 vocals that imbue a particular deathly black menace to each of these thrashtastically jazzy (thrazzy? thrazztastic?)2 compositions. Full of twists, turns, and surprises designed to keep the listener guessing but never letting them get lost in the woods, White Forest Reign Lullabies is an album I strongly suggest you check out. At this rate, Zakula won’t stay Rodeö bait for much longer. 3.5/5.0

#AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo2024 #Asphyx #BlackMetal #Coroner #Death #GreekMetal #IndependentRelease #MrBungle #OingoBoingo #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #Stam1na #TechnicalThrashMetal #ThrashMetal #TitanToTachyons #Vektor #Voivod #WhiteForestReignLullabies #Xoth #Zakula

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Zakula – White Forest Reign Lullabies

By Dolphin Whisperer

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”

It takes a bit of effort to assemble the fickle tastes of the Rodeö gang, as distinguished and willing as they may be. Now, I won’t say that the lure of a unsigned gem requires trickery, but with a band like Zakula, explaining their style straight doesn’t stand as an option. These Athenian speed demons slap the simplest of tags across their Bandcamp page: death metal, black metal, thrash metal. And frustratingly, that’s the truth too! But what does it mean? Chunky riffs that dance about flailing tempos with a dramatic vocal character? Kind of. How about sneaky lead melodies that tumble against bright synth crashes into whiplash thrash and manic shrieks? White Forest Reign Lullabies doesn’t make explanation easy, but Zakula does play metal with lots of twists. This is the kind of challenge for which the Rodeö crew—now with the recently demoted n00b Tyme in the mix—lives! And, also proof that they too are capable of enjoyment. – Dolphin Whisperer

Zakula // White Forest Reign Lullabies [October 25th, 2024]

GardensTale: Zakula was initially sold to me as weirdo black metal. Foul! This is clearly weirdo tech thrash, a niche I seldom dabble in. As such, I find myself more unmoored than usual, with my frame of reference limited to Stam1na and my meager exposure to Vektor, whose frontman I disliked for his vocals and dislike more for his abuse. But while a few comparisons can be drawn from Zakula to either, this is a different beast altogether. White Forest Reign Lullabies is fast as hell, frequently discordant, and seems designed to keep you off-balance. The guitars throw me off the least, somehow, though their rapid tremolos and triplets and trips up and down the scales require close attention. More unsettling are the hoarse histrionics that make up the vocals, which sound ragged and desperate and are played backward on at least one occasion, and the erratic drums that go from maddeningly consistent to plain mad. But it’s the electronics that send me over the edge. The dissonant slides and squeaks and blips have a panic-inducing effect that reminds me of VAK at about nine times the speed. Somehow, though, the Greeks pull it all together with some excellent songwriting, mixing manic melodic riffs and staccato drums in opposition without letting it all descend into nonsensical noise. Some of the tracks do swerve a bit much from one extreme to another and lose the cohesion, but more often than not this one’s one heck of a ride, full of surprises, technical wizardry, and all the drugs that are not good for you. 3.5/5.0

Felagund: I enjoy the Rodeö feature much more when I have something positive to say about the album we’re reviewing. And truly, how could I hate on the off-kilter package that Zakula has delivered? White Forest Rain Lullabies is the band’s sophomore outing, and they’ve embraced the well-trod kitchen sink approach. Sure, Zakula might arrive on a wave of thrash, but stick around and you’ll be accosted by an undertow of industrial, prog, black metal, and noise. As you struggle against the deluge, you may hear dashes of Coroner, Voivod, and even Oingo Boingo. There’s plenty of synths, light orchestration, squealing guitars, and highly augmented, blackened vocals that’ll pull you even further out past the breakers. Yet somehow, these zany Greeks pull it off. Whether you’re looking for crunchy thrash riffs (“Olethros,” “Children of Haze,”) frenzied, cacophonous noise (“Melancholy,” “White Forest Rain Lullabies”) or spacy synths (“Remains,” “Children of Haze”) Zakula delivers the goods both cohesively and effectively, something even well-seasoned musicians struggle to do. Unfortunately, in their zeal to cram more genres, instrumentation, and ideas into each song, Zakula has inadvertently delivered a record in dire need of some editing. On a six-song album, there are three tracks that clock in at or over eight minutes, and each would have been leaner, meaner, and more impactful with just two to three minutes shaved off. This certainly isn’t a deal breaker, but it does stifle the momentum of an otherwise promising album. Still, I’d recommend White Forest Rain Lullabies, especially to all you little freaks out there. 3.0/5.0

Iceberg: While I tend to follow the Germanic school of thought that order and structure rule supreme, I have a soft spot for unpredictable, chaotic music. Dolph has zeroed in on this personal weakness, and continues to poke and prod me with insanity I can’t help but love. Zakula barely manages to control their chaos across an impressive forty minutes of music with White Forest Reign Lullabies, throwing so many genres against the wall that I’d waste word count listing them here. From the deliriously quick, heaving chromatic leads of “Όλεθρος” to the relentless, across-the-bar ostinati of “Remains,” Zakula sinks their hooks into the listener and refuses to let go. Mid-album heavyweight “Melancholy” is a twisting nine minutes that feels much shorter than that, and it’s middle section is straight from a Twilight Zone soundtrack, successfully blended with speed metal bookends. Every time I’ve come back to this record I’ve found a new corner to explore, a new chromatic tremolo, a new electronic underpinning. The title track and “Ton 618” don’t hit quite as hard as their album-mates, and there could be a case for some more editing, but the amount of fat amongst these tracks is pretty minimal. White Forest Reign Lullabies marks a triumph for the Athenians, and I can easily see it increasing in score as it continues to worm its way into my brainstem. An absolute must for fans of extreme music that blows right past anything resembling a boundary. 3.5/5.0

Alekhines Gun: If metal were a snack, White Forest Reign Lullabies would be the chunkiest of trail mix. Zakula assembles a brand of blackened thrash, piano, clean vocals, interludes, and electronica in an absurd, bizarrely effective middle finger to our stance at AMG Inc. that less is more. Do you love synth shreddage? Zakula pack in enough to make His Statue Falls blush and Fail Emotions suggest toning it down a bit. Do you love blackened thrash? White Forest Reign Lullabies pack in the spirit of Urn with pained vocals pulled straight from modern Asphyx, seeking to kick arse with beer and steel-toed boot. The sincerity behind the more metal riffs serves as a surprising counterpart to the instrumental excess on display here, keeping Zakula from being mistaken for a mere gimmick band. Look no further than the opening minute of “Melancholy” to realize this band is in no way here to mess around, even if it seems like they can’t commit to a style for long enough to do anything but. Some people will cry that this album lacks cohesion, identity, and focus, and those are people who don’t like fun. Your tolerance for this album will certainly depend on your joy for madcap zany ADHD (positive) song structures. But for those looking for a walk on the wild side, come enjoy some sweet Lullabies. Or as Zakula would ask, “How can less be more? That’s impossible!” 3.0/5.0

Thyme: Three years after their 2021 eponymous debut, Greek thrashers Zakula return with White Forest Reign Lullabies. From the first swift, surgically precise riff and chaotic keyboard run of opener, “Όλεθρος,” it’s clear Zakula is no straight-line descendant of the (some say tragically Overkill-less) Big Four — no sir. Zakula’s brand of blackened thrash has an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink quality to it that not only belies its genre tags but makes drawing valid comparisons difficult. If Mr. Bungle and Xoth paid Titan to Tachyons for a threesome, you’d at least be in the ballpark, as every second of this six-song, forty-minute tornado is engaging as fook. The songwriting, especially on the lengthier tracks (“Melancholy,” “Children of Haze”), showcases what Zakula does best. And that’s providing a wealth of melt-in-your-mouth goodness chock full of visceral riffs, Xothically spacy synths, and Schuldiner by way of Van Drunen1 vocals that imbue a particular deathly black menace to each of these thrashtastically jazzy (thrazzy? thrazztastic?)2 compositions. Full of twists, turns, and surprises designed to keep the listener guessing but never letting them get lost in the woods, White Forest Reign Lullabies is an album I strongly suggest you check out. At this rate, Zakula won’t stay Rodeö bait for much longer. 3.5/5.0

#AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo2024 #Asphyx #BlackMetal #Coroner #Death #GreekMetal #IndependentRelease #MrBungle #OingoBoingo #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #Stam1na #TechnicalThrashMetal #ThrashMetal #TitanToTachyons #Vektor #Voivod #WhiteForestReignLullabies #Xoth #Zakula

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Zakula – White Forest Reign Lullabies

By Dolphin Whisperer

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”

It takes a bit of effort to assemble the fickle tastes of the Rodeö gang, as distinguished and willing as they may be. Now, I won’t say that the lure of a unsigned gem requires trickery, but with a band like Zakula, explaining their style straight doesn’t stand as an option. These Athenian speed demons slap the simplest of tags across their Bandcamp page: death metal, black metal, thrash metal. And frustratingly, that’s the truth too! But what does it mean? Chunky riffs that dance about flailing tempos with a dramatic vocal character? Kind of. How about sneaky lead melodies that tumble against bright synth crashes into whiplash thrash and manic shrieks? White Forest Reign Lullabies doesn’t make explanation easy, but Zakula does play metal with lots of twists. This is the kind of challenge for which the Rodeö crew—now with the recently demoted n00b Tyme in the mix—lives! And, also proof that they too are capable of enjoyment. – Dolphin Whisperer

Zakula // White Forest Reign Lullabies [October 25th, 2024]

GardensTale: Zakula was initially sold to me as weirdo black metal. Foul! This is clearly weirdo tech thrash, a niche I seldom dabble in. As such, I find myself more unmoored than usual, with my frame of reference limited to Stam1na and my meager exposure to Vektor, whose frontman I disliked for his vocals and dislike more for his abuse. But while a few comparisons can be drawn from Zakula to either, this is a different beast altogether. White Forest Reign Lullabies is fast as hell, frequently discordant, and seems designed to keep you off-balance. The guitars throw me off the least, somehow, though their rapid tremolos and triplets and trips up and down the scales require close attention. More unsettling are the hoarse histrionics that make up the vocals, which sound ragged and desperate and are played backward on at least one occasion, and the erratic drums that go from maddeningly consistent to plain mad. But it’s the electronics that send me over the edge. The dissonant slides and squeaks and blips have a panic-inducing effect that reminds me of VAK at about nine times the speed. Somehow, though, the Greeks pull it all together with some excellent songwriting, mixing manic melodic riffs and staccato drums in opposition without letting it all descend into nonsensical noise. Some of the tracks do swerve a bit much from one extreme to another and lose the cohesion, but more often than not this one’s one heck of a ride, full of surprises, technical wizardry, and all the drugs that are not good for you. 3.5/5.0

Felagund: I enjoy the Rodeö feature much more when I have something positive to say about the album we’re reviewing. And truly, how could I hate on the off-kilter package that Zakula has delivered? White Forest Rain Lullabies is the band’s sophomore outing, and they’ve embraced the well-trod kitchen sink approach. Sure, Zakula might arrive on a wave of thrash, but stick around and you’ll be accosted by an undertow of industrial, prog, black metal, and noise. As you struggle against the deluge, you may hear dashes of Coroner, Voivod, and even Oingo Boingo. There’s plenty of synths, light orchestration, squealing guitars, and highly augmented, blackened vocals that’ll pull you even further out past the breakers. Yet somehow, these zany Greeks pull it off. Whether you’re looking for crunchy thrash riffs (“Olethros,” “Children of Haze,”) frenzied, cacophonous noise (“Melancholy,” “White Forest Rain Lullabies”) or spacy synths (“Remains,” “Children of Haze”) Zakula delivers the goods both cohesively and effectively, something even well-seasoned musicians struggle to do. Unfortunately, in their zeal to cram more genres, instrumentation, and ideas into each song, Zakula has inadvertently delivered a record in dire need of some editing. On a six-song album, there are three tracks that clock in at or over eight minutes, and each would have been leaner, meaner, and more impactful with just two to three minutes shaved off. This certainly isn’t a deal breaker, but it does stifle the momentum of an otherwise promising album. Still, I’d recommend White Forest Rain Lullabies, especially to all you little freaks out there. 3.0/5.0

Iceberg: While I tend to follow the Germanic school of thought that order and structure rule supreme, I have a soft spot for unpredictable, chaotic music. Dolph has zeroed in on this personal weakness, and continues to poke and prod me with insanity I can’t help but love. Zakula barely manages to control their chaos across an impressive forty minutes of music with White Forest Reign Lullabies, throwing so many genres against the wall that I’d waste word count listing them here. From the deliriously quick, heaving chromatic leads of “Όλεθρος” to the relentless, across-the-bar ostinati of “Remains,” Zakula sinks their hooks into the listener and refuses to let go. Mid-album heavyweight “Melancholy” is a twisting nine minutes that feels much shorter than that, and it’s middle section is straight from a Twilight Zone soundtrack, successfully blended with speed metal bookends. Every time I’ve come back to this record I’ve found a new corner to explore, a new chromatic tremolo, a new electronic underpinning. The title track and “Ton 618” don’t hit quite as hard as their album-mates, and there could be a case for some more editing, but the amount of fat amongst these tracks is pretty minimal. White Forest Reign Lullabies marks a triumph for the Athenians, and I can easily see it increasing in score as it continues to worm its way into my brainstem. An absolute must for fans of extreme music that blows right past anything resembling a boundary. 3.5/5.0

Alekhines Gun: If metal were a snack, White Forest Reign Lullabies would be the chunkiest of trail mix. Zakula assembles a brand of blackened thrash, piano, clean vocals, interludes, and electronica in an absurd, bizarrely effective middle finger to our stance at AMG Inc. that less is more. Do you love synth shreddage? Zakula pack in enough to make His Statue Falls blush and Fail Emotions suggest toning it down a bit. Do you love blackened thrash? White Forest Reign Lullabies pack in the spirit of Urn with pained vocals pulled straight from modern Asphyx, seeking to kick arse with beer and steel-toed boot. The sincerity behind the more metal riffs serves as a surprising counterpart to the instrumental excess on display here, keeping Zakula from being mistaken for a mere gimmick band. Look no further than the opening minute of “Melancholy” to realize this band is in no way here to mess around, even if it seems like they can’t commit to a style for long enough to do anything but. Some people will cry that this album lacks cohesion, identity, and focus, and those are people who don’t like fun. Your tolerance for this album will certainly depend on your joy for madcap zany ADHD (positive) song structures. But for those looking for a walk on the wild side, come enjoy some sweet Lullabies. Or as Zakula would ask, “How can less be more? That’s impossible!” 3.0/5.0

Thyme: Three years after their 2021 eponymous debut, Greek thrashers Zakula return with White Forest Reign Lullabies. From the first swift, surgically precise riff and chaotic keyboard run of opener, “Όλεθρος,” it’s clear Zakula is no straight-line descendant of the (some say tragically Overkill-less) Big Four — no sir. Zakula’s brand of blackened thrash has an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink quality to it that not only belies its genre tags but makes drawing valid comparisons difficult. If Mr. Bungle and Xoth paid Titan to Tachyons for a threesome, you’d at least be in the ballpark, as every second of this six-song, forty-minute tornado is engaging as fook. The songwriting, especially on the lengthier tracks (“Melancholy,” “Children of Haze”), showcases what Zakula does best. And that’s providing a wealth of melt-in-your-mouth goodness chock full of visceral riffs, Xothically spacy synths, and Schuldiner by way of Van Drunen1 vocals that imbue a particular deathly black menace to each of these thrashtastically jazzy (thrazzy? thrazztastic?)2 compositions. Full of twists, turns, and surprises designed to keep the listener guessing but never letting them get lost in the woods, White Forest Reign Lullabies is an album I strongly suggest you check out. At this rate, Zakula won’t stay Rodeö bait for much longer. 3.5/5.0

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