From Beyond #7 (2002)

From Beyond #7 (2002)
48 pg, A4, pro-printed, English

Interviews:
Abominator, Kaamos, Judas Iscariot, T.F.Mous, Mortem, Vomitor, Abhorrence, Deceased, Skitzo, Destroyer666

In issue #6 they mention about releasing 3 issues a year. That didn't happen, I guess. Now they focus more on extreme metal & horror movie. The easiest thing to notice when reading back-to-back 2 issues is the tremendous improvement on the layout. Well-done!

The editor apologizes for the lack of nudity in this issue. Is the editor suggesting the previous issue have more nudity than this issue? Well, I didn't pay much attention actually or even count the pages with nude chicks hah! As for this issue I only remember one in Necrophagia interview but that taken from some horror movie. Anyway, here you have some nudity from front covers of Japan horror DVD and on "Morbid Visions" section.

The pages are numbered and have table of content. The layout 2 column per page with small font size (the size I like).

About the interview, there is a very long chat with Deceased.

About the reviews, there are different section: demo & 7" in one section (not rated but alphabetically arranged), "Morbid Visions" (horror/gore movie reviews), "Full Metal Onslaught" (4 pages, rated, some with bands logo).

They also feature some articles on Jim Van Bebber's films, Eastern Evil (horror, sleaze, and gore movie by Jap. Shock) and a gig report; "Messengers of The Underground" (Wacken 2002).

Last but not least are comics by Tales From Uranus (2 pages) as well as Jake's (the artist for Tales From Uranus) artwork here and there.

Review of issue 6 is here:

https://bloodstainedvision.blogspot.com/2013/11/from-beyond-6-2000.html

Contact
From Beyond Zine
P.O.Box 1756,
N-7416 Trondheim,
Norway

Metalion The Slayer Mag Diaries

Metalion, The Slayer Mag Diaries (2011)

744 pg, A4, English

I wonder if these massive 700+ pages include everything being printed in all the issues of Slayer Magazine. Not able to verify this. I only have couple of issue including the issue with Impiety in it. 

This is the hard cover edition. There are forewords by Ian Christe, Tomas Lindberg, Chris Reifert, Fenriz, Stephen O'Malley and Tom G. Warrior. Pictures of Metalion @ Jon Kristiansen from childhood and till growing up and his stories during those times and how he got connected to metal are also nice to read. Then continues with "Live Wire", a publication he did before Slayer Magazine in 1983. Only after this starts with Slayer issues. In every issue he will starts with a foreword where he try to remember the memories during making that issue.

It is not 1 page of the zine = 1 page in this book. There are some pages are having 4 smaller pages of Slayer Mag issue. Basically there are thousand of pages to read. I still haven't finish reading it at the time of typing this review.

First issues is easy to read coz it is in Norwegian language. Not really reading, just looking at the pictures. After issue 3/4 written in English.

I am going to continue reading now. It might take months to complete.

Web

http://www.bazillionpoints.com

Nordic Vision 1-2010

Nordic Vision 1-2010

76 pg, pro-printed, English

Interview

Messer Chups, Horned Almighty, Ov Hell, Profound Lore Records, Sigh, Burzum, Damien Bash, Topper & Cadburry, Meshuggah, Ohlsdorf,

I can't resist myself from getting this issue with front cover like that. Yes, Sigh might be a litle bit 'mainstream' nowsdays but we can’t deny Sigh earlier material are kvlt and newer ones are avantgarde.

Not much has changed in layout. You can read my previous review on the 'mature' Nordic Vision.

Not all are metal bands being featured in the zine. You should have known this by now. Damien, I think the boss of the company that produce perfumes. Lucifer and Omen are some of its brands.

There are book review section. More music review this time (not rated) and horror movie review.

Weird though, stuff that did not get a good review but given a full page. 

Review of Hell and Gorgoroth are made like they are a football match. Hell won 3-1.

Imhotep #7

Imhotep #7

72pg, A4, pro-printed, English

Interview
Katatonia, Enslaved, Malevolence, Soledad, Nile, Rebaelliun, Agathodaimon, Rhapsody, Opera IX, The Black League

This is a quite well-known in the underground. Roy Kristensen, the editor and with co-editor Sauli Vuoti and 3 contributors made this issue possible. I remembered having flyers of one of Imhotep issue in the 90's. But back then I don’t have money to buy a copy. I also remembered in some reviews I read, about the small font size. This issue is called "Invitation". This is my first Imhotep, very sad to say that.

Before start reading the zine, I thought I'm going to fall asleep reading a zine with lots of small text, less graphic or not in cut and paste. Unfortunately, no. The questions are quite elaborated and the answers are quite interesting and very long too. Some interview supposed to be featured in Slayer Mag but somehow it did not materialize and was printed here.

The layout, beside the small fonts, they are in 2 columns per page in normal desktop publishing layout. Not anything fancy. The pages are numbered and have table of content. Rhapsody poster in centerfold and in full color.

The review covers demo (rated out of 5), Album (alphabetically arranged, rated out of 7 or 5 or in percentage), zine review (alphabetically arranged and also rated) and also reviews on Live show and on books.

I guess I am a bit lucky in having this old issue. Looking from their website, looks like instead of retiring, like they evolved into a webzine project and having some digital issues available.

Web
www.imhotep.no

From Beyond #6 (2000)

From Beyond #6 (2000)

32pg, fullsize, pro-printed, English

Interview
Necrophagia, Diabolic, Decayed, Darkthrone, Immolation, Morbid Angel, Vomitory, Nifelheim, Holocaust Cannibal, Machetazo, Macabre, Rebaelliun

Article
Jeffry Dahmer

A short review from me. This zine is printed (1000 copies) and distributed by Red Stream. The pages are numbered and have table of content.

The layout is in 3 columns per page and using different font size/type for the interviews and reviews.

The reviews cover both audio and zine format. The zine review section, entitled "Messenger of The Underground", the reviews are not rated. However for CD reviews (The Crypt), rated out of 6 points with 6 being the highest. If the stuff got a cross symbol it's a "If Jesus had a discman he'd listen to this album" which means either it’s a bad release or non-metal stuff. The reviews are quite short and also have different section for demo releases but they are not rated.

An old issue but I still saw this on sale in some Ebay store.

Prostata #7 (2012)

Prostata #7 (2012)

36 pg, A4, xerox, English

Interview
Nocturnal Breed/Conjuration, Skitsystem, Alcoholic Nightmare, Glob, Blaspherian, Agathocles, Evil Angel, Zoldier Noiz, Black Magic, Eat Pussy, Cliteater, Fondle Corpse, No Poser Please!, Tinner, Ironcunt, Mare, Stone Vengeance, TQB, Lobotomized, Obliteration, Cock ESP, Magrudergrind, Brutal Truth

Apologies for not putting the complete list of the bands here. There are few more bands which I'm not sure their name (Ukrainian bands). The zine is made in cut n paste style and use lots of pictures on the background. The editor puts humors in the interviews. Of course, that depends on how you interpret the questions. Some questions are not related with music (some bands get lots of questions like this). Black Magic & Eat Pussy consist of very short interview. The editor mentioned these are "crappy bands" but he still give them some space here for them.

The reviews are short and do not have specific section. Only half page of review times there which mean not many reviews. They are not rated and not alphabetically arranged.

Quite unusual 'intro' in the editorial (I am too, saddened after knowing the death of the frog. Another life is loss ;-) ).

Not bad really, I like it despite the short review. The zine is already 7 issues old so the editor knows what's good to give to the readers. I like it better if they don't put pictures of topless ugly women.

Contact
Hans Böymann

E-mail
zbamok at hotmail.com

Web
www.myspace.com/berlevaag
prostatarecords.blogspot.com

Slayer #20 (2010)

Slayer #20 (2010)

100 pg, A4, pro-printed, English

Interview

Watain, Whiplash, Bathory, Sadus, Kreator, Savage Thrust, Medieval, Invidious, Deathrash, Obscurity, Nocturnal Graves, Sadistik Exekution, Sun o))), Grostesque, Necromancer (Old Thrash Bastard), Master's Hammer, Destroyer 666, Pagan Altar, Jarboe, Funeral Mist, Nifelheim, Anita Hel Braten

"25 years of Witching Metal"! Mine is the soft cover edition. I missed out the first edition of 2000 copies which is printed with hardcover and with Morbid "12 LP.

The layout is cut n paste as usual. The pages are number and have table of content. 

This is the best issue I had and it got the support from NWN on printing and distribution. I got some issues in the past which uses 'glue bind' which I hated because after a while the pages easily comes off. I like #20 format better.

What do we have in #20 beside interviews... pin-up poster of Arne, 4 pages on Jon Nodtveidt, Articles on Slayer by Ravn or Strid, Quorthon and Bathory, pictures of Euronymous (makes me recall my memories on Norwegian BM when they was too extreme) and some artwork & comics (killer one from Eva Sanne). Almost forgot, bio on 666.

The reviews are separated by format. "Demon Demos" is demo reviews, not rated (4 only) and a mini interview with Jormundgand. "Darkness Descends" is album reviews. I think the reviews are longer than I remember if compare with older issues.

I also have the Slayer Diaries book but haven't finish reading it. I think in the next few weeks will be used to read that monsterous book.

Nordic Vision #1-2008 (2008)

Nordic Vision #1-2008 (2008)
80 page, A4, pro-print, English

Interview
Craft, Amok, Beastcraft, Strange Dolls (Beth Robinson), Leviathan, Enslaved, Kill, Tyrant syndicate, Aura Noir, Xploding Plastix, Satyricon, SunnO)))

Actually the size slightly bigger than A4. Anyway, this issue came out after 8 years since the last issue released. We certainly think that the editor quit the scene or stay "low profile". But they are back now.

For the old readers of this mag, you will surely be surprised with this new issue. Nordic Vision have changed (evolve?) to something different, that looks "un-metal" on the layout department. Also look at the front cover, Frost is smiling (normally metal would look fierce or macho on photoshoot haha).

This time, gone all the fancy looking layout which we usually see in a music magazine. What you can see here layout that looks like a journal, very clean and normal looking (or boring to some). Picture here will normally take a one full page and I thinks this is kind of good and original too.
Even the editor is using different name now (real name, I assume).

Old follower of this mag might be dissappointed. No more "Soundcheck" and "Sex and Satan" (honestly, "Sex and Satan" is not important at all but its just nice to look at the boobs).

There's an article entitle "Headhunting in the Nineties", complete with interview with a (real human) headcollector.

About reviews in this mag, if I count it right only 3 stuff being reviewed (how can people count it wrong?)

Despite the changes, I'm looking forward for the next issue. Its the content that really matters. Take a look at the cover story, Satyricon. It is very long and interesting chat and the same goes for the rest of the bands and people interviewed here.

And ofcourse, 80 pages printed on thick paper which mean this is a heavy mag and will cost some extra money for a copy due to the postage.

Web
http://www.nordicvisionmag.com

Nordic Vision #17 (2000)

Nordic Vision #17 (2000)
64 page, A4, pro-print, English

Interview
Incantation, Hypocrisy, Tormentor, Wolfen Society, Hammerheart Records, The Electric Hellfire Club, Morbid Angel, Mayhem, Dimmu Borgir, Zyklon

Another old issue that I bought together with other previous issues which I already reviewed before. If not mistaken, this is the last issue before Melankol-X "quit". This last issue has the best layout compare with all previous issues. It also looks like the same bands keep on apprearing in this mag. That's is not a bad thing because they are good anyway and worth reading their updates.

Other changes beside the layout is "Sexit" (previously know as "Sex & Satan"), and in addition to that to satisfy those perverts in the scene is the pull-out poster of naked ladies. Or if you dont like it, you can choose Maniac of Mayhem on the other side of the paper hehe. Oh yes, another hightlight is the picture collage of sexy girls partying and celebrating the 1st anniversary of "Sex & Satan", with Shagrath being massage by the girls. They made this in the center page for you to pull it out and put the wall if you want to.

"Fan mail" is back, and have 1 letter from Malaysia!

Regular columns such as "Soundcheck" & "Underground Avenue" is still here. "Underground Avenue" is a section where demo & vinyl is being reviewed (which I forgot to mention in my previous review).

In "Soundcheck", beside Fenriz, Frost, Samoth, Satyr & Shagrath, they invited a Finnish reader to rate the releases. Based on marks given, Guidance of Sin's "6106" is the worse release for this issue while Red Harvest's "Cold Dark Matter" is the best. Damn! Satyr is really hard to satisfy. 5 is the highest point he ever give out of 10.

Talking about Satyr (of Satyricon), he have his own column called "Megaphone Corners", which is new in Nordic Vision. In this issue Satyr gave his opinions on various subjects.

There are some live reports in Oslo (Cannible Corpse, Red Harvest, Iron Maiden). For some reason, not much fun reading them probably because I'm not into the bands.

But the last pages on the mag caught my attention is "World Domination". It has info on the print-run of Metallian, Close-up, S.O.D., Terrorizer, Metal Rules, Legacy & Nordic Vision and wanted to inform us they are dominating the metal press. Very big ambition. Most of the magazine still exist today but they probably dominate their local scene, not the world.

This is issue is for die-hard fans. Ludah Prod. probably have few copies left for sale.

Nordic Vision #14 (1998)

60 pages, magazine, English

Interview
Immolation, Darkthrone, Godflesh, Dodheimsgard, Infernal, Hades, Cadaver, Deathwitch, Nightmare Lodge

I missed out 2 issues after #11. What a loss! Interviews are interesting as I expected and so does the review. "If this is art, then my telephone is a go-cart". That was the review for Thy Majesty's "German Black Metal Art". That's a good to let people know you dont like the stuff hehe. Some of the interesting part in this issue are; Necropolis Records press statement and 'Declaration Of WAR' (As Blackmoon said "We Are War" is a bootleg, its good to hear the both side of the story but I couldn't make any conclusion. Both said they are "true"); SOUNDCHECK (some black metal "star" giving their points for some releases. Total up the points given by Shagrath, Satyr, Maniac, Frost and Fenriz, Burzum's "Hlidskjalf" if the worst release and When's "Psychedelic Wonderbaum" is the best release of the issue). Well, at first I thought the fan mail section have been removed. After reading further, I found the fan mail section in Sex and Satan (I havent informed you about this 'fan mail section'. As usual the readers give their bad (or good) comments but the reply for the editor are quite funny although the replied do have some sense). Oh, Sex and Satan? Now I'm really relieved this mag didn't go the custom check. If the officer see this, it will be confiscated. In this column the model (the same one you see on the front cover) will posse as to what the reader request (if I understand it right). So here you have Diva Demona possed as 'black widow', etc either nude or semi-nude. I'm sure male readers will rejoice over this but not female as we can see in the fan mail section hehe. Nothing else to add, just another good issue. And this issue already sold out but few copies is available from distro such as Ludah Prod.

Contact
Nordic Vision
P.O.Box 285,
1451 Nesoddtangen,
Norway

Email
nordic@oslo.online.no
order@ludahproduction.com

Web
http://www.nordicvisionmag.com
http://www.ludahproduction.com

Nordic Vision #11 (1997)

52 pages, magazine, English

Interview
Dark Funeral, War, Sadus, Willow Wisp, Satyricon, Cannible Corpse, Gorgoroth, Gehenna, Krabathor, Immortal

One day in the office I sat doing nothing, just staring at monitor, waiting time to pass by and go home. Suddenly some memories from my school years came in my mind. Then I remembered some of the earliest zine/mag which I bought via "well-hidden cash in letter". Haha. Some lonely fuxx I am. Then i googled for Nordic Vision. Fortunately they have a great website, with info and screen shot of the previous issues. The first issue I bought is issue #5, then 7,8 & 9. For the first time I confess, from this mag I get to know Sabbat (Japan) although it is just in the news section (with Gezol picture on it). That picture of Gezol with leather underwear hooked me into searching more info about them and become crazy on Sabbat. Enough for the nostalgic moment. Great to know Melankol-X still alive and have this mag running (he stop his activity for a while though). This is very old issue but still available from their official distro in Asia; Ludah Prod of Indonesia. Postage sucks. 1 issue is almost USD15 including postade. In this issue, the layout is not as fancy like most of pro-mag today but I have no problem with that. I know the band featured here are "superstar" and you can get to see them in most mainstream magazine. What I like the most with the mag is the interviews with the Norwegian bands are really interesting. The choice of bands are also varied, from black to death and Willow Wisp?? That's a weird band to be featured in here. There are also reviews on demos, album and zine. Some reviews are short and some just have title of the release. Maybe because the stuff is too boring and waste of time by typing the review. This issue is now sold out but few copies might still be available from Ludah Prod.

Contact
Nordic Vision
P.O.Box 285,
1451 Nesoddtangen,
Norway

Email
nordic@oslo.online.no
order@ludahproduction.com

Web
http://www.nordicvisionmag.com
http://www.ludahproduction.com