Metal Storm #2 (2007)

Metal Storm #2 (2007)

101 pg, full size, pro-printed, English

Interview

Destruction, Witchtrap, Avenger Of Blood, Nocturnal, At War, Trench Hell, Bestial warlust, Infinitum Obscure

Editor of Api zine text me about some zine he's going to order and I chipped in for some issues of Metal Storm and Snakepit. The zine is slightly larger than A4 and damn heavy.

I couldn't find the contact address of this great zine except email. Quite surprise to see some hand-written message on the last page. Not sure if the editor a.k.a Hellthrasher do this in all 250 copies.

The zine have table of content, the pages are numbered. The layout is in cut n paste style with lots of cool pictures on the background.

The article on Lost Angeles thrash metal, the editor used the alphabet from band logo for the text of the article. Example, the letter P is taken from P from Possessed Logo. Total of 10 pages on this article and with lots of picture. I like this a lot.

The editor put lots of pictures on the gig report. The gig reports are among the best one I've read. It tells about the journey to the venue, the crowd, the bands and the setlist and short interviews of the fans attending the gig. There are also pictures of metalheads buying issue #1.

The reviews are rated out of 10. There are only 4 reviews but they are the lengthiest review I ever seen. Some review are of small font size and 2 pages long.

My copy hand-numbered #214.

E-mail

metalstorm_200666(a)yahoo(.)com

Web

http://www.freewebs.com/metalstormzine/

Swedish Death Metal Book

Daniel Ekeroth's Swedish Death Metal

447 pg, 17cm x 24cm, English

My second big metal music book after Nicola's which I bought earlier. Unlike Nicola, this book looks 'academical'. The layout is like a normal book. A bit dull like school text book. You can't compare these two books (beside the layout) because they offer different content.

My copy is already the third print (2011).

The book cover the history from Punk to BM, the scene in Sweden (Upsala, Stockholm, etc), the labels supporting Swedish bands, A to Z list of death metal bands (writer's view on the band, info on line-up, discography).  Of course there are lots of pictures too as well as old flyers, demo covers. Beside these, the book also covers fanzine and 'cast of central characters', individuals which contribute or important in Swedish scene.

All these are cramped in 2 columns per page with small font size in hundreds of pages.

Is this book is important for a heavy metal fan? My answer is YES especially for death metal fans. I can just flip through the book and look just at the pictures if I don't want to read.

My next book will be Voices Of The Darkside. It will cost me nearly MYR500 a copy including registered postage. Oh my...

Web

http://www.bazillionpoints.com

Eternal #1 (2012)

 

Eternal #1 (2012)

60 pg, A4, laser xerox, Malay

Interview

Namsar, Noiratasya, Hellstorm, Mortuary Ancestor, Larrong, Immolate, Saktism, Horace Divinity, Kambing Sakti, Eastern Voice Production

Bio

Luk Tujuh, Mortuary Ancestor, Majestic East, Larrong, Immolate, Eastern Voice Production

This zine focussing on Borneo metal scene that includes not just Malaysia but will also include Brunei and Indonesia as well. That's a great concept. Some of the bio are at the first page before the interviews start. I think it's good reading them in Malay so I list them down on the bio list above. 

No specific style on the layout. Couple of pages with ads and gig flyers, no page number and no table of content. Mostly using background image with no column for the text. I dont like pictures on the middle of the page because it breaks the line (the text) which a bit annoying. The xerox quality are excellent. Don't be afraid to use dark background or use more graphics if using laser printing like this.

There is a special section on "Unholy Triangle" metal scene that consist of interviews of the bands from Sarawak 'unholy triangle' scene and opinion from metalhead on this scene.

The reviews has a section called "Classick Demo" that includes the demo '93 of the controversial Bruneian band, Tombcrusher. The reviews are not rated.

My copy numbered #92/100 which actually the second 100 printing. Not sure what's the difference between the first and this version but looking at the flyers, the first 100 might use different cover however the distro selling this said no difference between the two. New issue #2 have been released. Hope this zine can continue to support their scene.

Reading this zine featuring the bands you're in contact with during your high school years sometimes motivate you a bit. I guess they are reaching 40's year old with family and kids and permanent day job but still producing stuff with their bands. While some people like me on the other hand have become a "keyword warrior" :-)

E-mail

eternalzine(a)ymail(.)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.

Antichrist #12 (2011)

Antichrist #12 (2011)

44 pg, A4, pro-print, English

Interview

Obsessor, Demona, Teitanfyre, Denouncement Pyre, Vassafor, Pek, Moonreich, Blasphemous Noise Torment, Affliction Gate, Witchrist, Blasphemophager, Hellish Crossfire, Nunfuckritual, Tyranex, Proclamation, Pseudogod, Diehard, Vietah, Morbosidad, Nargaroth

The tradition stop at #11. They usually have this in couple of issues that I have. You need to read my review #11 to understand this.

The editor lamented that he don’t have time to read zine. I hope he has the money zine. So you buy and later you do clearance sales in your mailorder. I then buy them from you. How creative of me thinking that.

The content is pretty much the same including the audio reviews section (one section for current releases and the other for older releases). There is a special section called "Chinese Hell!". In here there are reviews on Chinese metal releases courtesy of Dying Legion Productions. All the reviews are rated. One thing I noticed long time ago that Chinese alphabets can make an extreme looking metal logo. Some bands using Chinese name as the logo (the name translated to English for marketing reason I think i.e. easier for you type or say them).

Another worth mentioning is Obituary 2011. Wow! I didn't realize so many people from the scene die in that year.

Antichrist #11 (2011)

Antichrist #11 (2011)

48 pg, A4, pro-print, English

Interview

Ares Kingdom, Anal Vomit, Sojaruun, Autumnal Reaper, Bloody Sign, Nalrage, October Falls, Incantation, Savage Machine, Deiphago, Ophis, Disfigured Dead, Dissidium, Asphyx, Inferno, Nuclear Hammer, Hell Torment, Desta Porcina, Adversarial, Grave Desecrator, Forgotten Path Zine, Scorhed Earth

I like metal magazine when you open the first pages, they 'greet' you with picture of topless ladies. #11 continues the tradition of having pictures of topless lady holding the magazine.

As usual, Antichrist present interviews with lots of band and fortunately in this issue all are in English. The layout pretty much the same like the previous issues. 3 columns per page computer layout with black or dark background. It lack of consistency of the font size but probably the editor would like all to fit in just 48 pages so you will see some interview having bigger or smaller font size to maximize or maximize the usage of space on the paper. Some interviews are short but enough for me as introduction to Ukrainian metal scene.

Reviews are plenty. All are alphabetically arranged and rated (with 100% as highest score). There is section on 'past year stuff reviews' for those released in 2010 or earlier and not to forget, the infamous 'last breath reviews' (as the editor named it). The zine reviews are not rated.

Web

http://deadcenter666.com/antichrist/

Burning Churches #9 (2012)

Burning Churches #9 (2012)

32pg, A4, xerox, English

Interview

Crown Ov Horns, Hekseri, Black Torment, Quintessence, Imperial Tyrants, Manzer, Wartillery, Sigh, Bestial Hordes

I miss out issue #8. I hope I can find one soon to fill the gap. This issue differs a bit because it starts with DVD reviews. The layouts are pretty much the same. The pages are not numbered but there is a table of content. The reviews are longer this time but they are still not rated.

This issue is called "The Cursed Issue" because some of the bands cancel the interview after they agree to be interviewed in the first place. I experienced this few times in the past but personally this is better than the bands that are keeping themselves in silence after getting the interview, not knowing whether they will reply or not. Even worse, not replying when we ask about the interview. Suddenly I remembered that 'Fuck Off' list that Sangwitok or Metalwarpage did. 

It is amazing to know Sigh still answer fanzine. I thought they are a bit mainstream lately. Can't remember how many times I saw Mirai & Dr. Mikannibal in Terrorizer or Metal Hammer. You know, the zine still keep it tradition by having the band's discography and Sigh is probably the longest one ever in the zine history.