Step into The Zone — a cursed expanse where reality warps, nature mutates, and escape is impossible. The latest slab of sonic dread from Finnish sludge metal conjurors Abysmal Rites drags the listener deep into a grey, lifeless swamp of distortion, despair, and doom-soaked atmosphere.
With monolithic riffs, guttural invocations, and lyrics steeped in cosmic horror and ecological decay, “The Zone” stands as a warning: some thresholds are not meant to be crossed.
‘This is the second song written for this album, and it was the first one played live at the shows,’ says the band. ‘It provides an oppressive and threatening introduction to the chorus, which then digs into a nice, heavy atmosphere. The lyrics are inspired by Andrei Tarkovsky’s ‘The Stalker’ film, as well as to some extent the original ‘Predator’ world. In a way, the story is about a person on the run, who has no chance of getting out of the situation he has found himself in. Nevertheless, survival instincts force you to fight. It’s a natural way of acting.’
“It’s an amazing and slightly surreal feeling to finally have our album out. Last year things looked very uncertain, and for a while we had no idea if it would ever see the light of day, but after many trials and tribulations it’s finally here! We hope you find the time to check it out and that it enriches the lives of the people that it reaches.” –Viljami Jupiter Wenttola
Finland is known as the land of metal, but so far has yet to offer the world a breakthrough progressive metal act. Joviac has been working tirelessly since 2017 to change that. With the singular vision of combining the compositional freedom of progressive music, the full range of human emotion, addictive hooks and crafty arrangements, the end result is a versatile and deep marriage of catchy riffs and melodies with a conceptual and thoughtful twist. Joviac is a seasoned live band with countless shows under its belt and looking to branch out globally in a BIG way.
The band has released two albums to date with the latest full-length “Here And Now” reaching the #8 spot on the official Finnish charts for physical albums!
Celestial doom metal quintet Leonov have released their captivating new single ‘Auld Ashok’, taken from their newly-announced forthcoming EP Shape of Ash, due 4th July via Pelagic Records.
The band comment on the new single: “‘This song is a pulse we’ve followed for a long time without knowing. ‘Auld Ashok’ is a stoner meditation built around a single, mantric riff – less blues, more OM. Something old, coming into focus.
“‘Auld Ashok’ is about shifting perspectives – how the character moves between seeing herself as at fault, default, or a treasure vault. It circles questions of confidence, self-worth, and what we’re capable of carrying.
“Performance artist Gunhild Kilde anchors the music video with a physical intensity that mirrors the song’s emotional weight. Shot and edited by Simen Skari, the film unfolds like a ritual.”
For 15 years, Leonov have been honing their captivating brand of celestial doom metal. Named after Aleksej Leonov, the first human to take a walk in space, the Norwegians combine the melancholic slow burn of King Woman with the ethereal heaviness of Subrosa and an incredible voice that is undeniably reminiscent of Julie Christmas.
Shape of Ash showcases the refined sound of a band whose career has been a similar slow burn as their music. A band who have managed to stay together and create music throughout all these years, despite the odds of families and the real world.
Like staring into a purgatory bonfire, listening to Shape of Ash is a powerfully entrancing experience. Dealing with themes of helplessness, uncertainty, conflict and resolution, these four songs touch upon the many adversities of life.
“We envisioned the image of a holy woman in flames, peacefully smiling”, vocalist Tåran comments on the theme of the album. “It represents fire as a means of purification. We become better versions of ourselves through burning off our ego and through enduring the suffering of the human condition. To become truly human is partaking in a process of evolving, striving, being changed through love and adversity.”
From the swaying rhythm that introduces album opener ‘Samaritan’ to the heavenly ascension of the title track’s finale, Shape of Ash is an EP with many surprising facets and nuances. It is the first time the band recorded their instruments separately, as opposed to playing live as a band in the studio. “This really made a difference in the amount of time we were able to give each voice”, says Tåran about the recording process. Calling each instrument a voice is an unusual yet fitting way of describing the interplay of instruments on Shape of Ash.
These four songs come together to portray a strikingly human conversation that is both fiery and embracing. There is always an ebb and flow of intensity which leaves us to discover a mysterious tenderness, which finds its pinnacle in the duet between Tåran and Norwegian folk singer Syvert Feed (Jake Ziah). Structured as an argument between a couple, ‘Bygg en Menneskekropp’ features an incredible vocal performance filled with so much injustice and pain it will leave you longing for a resolution, which is provided gratuitously by the epic bridge. Channelling prime Led Zeppelin in a grand melodic theme (think ‘Kashmir’ or ‘No Quarter’) the song ends with a wonderful unison from both vocalists leading the way to the EP’s monumental finale. The ultimate title track functions as the final cleansing, the one end to all suffering and at the same time an experience of rapt ecstasy.
On Shape of Ash, Leonov create moments of primordial heaviness on which Tåran‘s unique voice floats atop, blends in effortlessly in some moments and takes reserved distance in others. With the four songs that make up this stunning EP, the band set the bar incredibly high for their upcoming full length album.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 