REVIEW EMINENZ "DIABOLICAL WARFARE" (ENG)

Eminenz from Annaberg-Buchholz in Saxony have been active in the underground for ages, since 1989 to be exact. Not least their joint appearance with the then unknown Mayhem (still with Dead as singer, and if I'm not mistaken, announced as "Death Metal from Norway") in Germany also ensured a solidification of their status in black metal circles, especially in retrospect. Funnily enough, the legendary "Live in Leipzig" performance featured Manos, who later changed into a kind of comedy band, and whose part is often attributed to Eminenz. But more about that later in the interview with Eminenz here at Systematic Desensitization Zine. 

REVIEW EMINENZ "DIABOLICAL WARFARE" (GER)

Eminenz aus dem sächsischen Annaberg-Buchholz sind ja nun schon seit Ewigkeiten aktiv im Underground, genau genommen seit dem fernen Jahr 1989. Nicht zuletzt das gemeinsame Auftreten mit den damals noch unbekannten Mayhem (noch mit Dead als Sänger, und wenn ich mich nicht täusche, als "Death Metal from Norway" angekündigt) in Deutschland sorgte auch gerade im Nachhinein für eine Verfestigung ihres Status in Black Metal - Kreisen. Lustigerweise waren bei dem so legendären "Live in Leipzig"-Auftritt die später zu einer Art Comedy-Band verkommenen Manos am Start, deren Part oftmals Eminenz zugeschrieben wird. Dazu aber später mehr im Interview mit Eminenz hier beim Systematic Desensitization Zine. 

INTERVIEW AKERBELTZ

The release of the new strong album "Merciless", which should delight all fans of traditional black metal sounds, was a good occasion for an interview with the Spanish black metal institution Akerbeltz, which has been wreaking its havoc in the Spanish underground since the distant year 1996. I talked to the factotum behind the band, who also plays in Korgüll The Exterminator.

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Hey, how does it feel to finally have the new album out with "Merciless"? What have been the reactions to it so far?

Hell! I´m very pleased that after so many years I could release an album that´s worth to be the logical continuation of the predecessor. The reactions up to now are really positive, especially because with this type of band the promotion comes straight from the reviews of fanzines and the social media as I don’t have the possibility to play live.     

REVIEW AKERBELTZ "MERCILESS"

Spanish black metal institution Akerbeltz from the tourist town of Lloret de Mar, which has been doing its mischief since 1996, released its eighth album via Black Seed Productions these days. The factotum, the man for everything, in this band also wears the pseudonym Akerbeltz and is also active in Körgull the Exterminator, which have far surpassed his main field of activity in terms of fame. Akerbeltz have always been and still are deepest underground, although certainly legions of fans should have at least heard the name Akerbeltz since the explosion of black metal in the 90s.   

INTERVIEW ANDREAS PETTERSON (DE ARMA / NORDVIS / ARMAGEDDA)

"There are powers beyond this mortal life which are stronger than one’s own will – therefore, certain events will come to pass whether you want them to or not."

With their latest EP "Nightcall", Swedish gothic rock band De Arma has got rid of the last remnants that point to the metal background of their two protagonists. I spoke to Andreas Petterson, probably best known for black metal band Armagedda and his work as label owner of Nordvis Produktion, about De Arma's new release, Armaggeda and closeness to nature.

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Hello Andreas, how are you doing at the moment? De Arma's new EP "Nightcall" will be released soon. Tell me something about it, what I immediately notice is the emphasis on gothic rock, the metal parts have disappeared completely. Was that a natural process or were the metal parts supposed to disappear deliberately?

Hi – all good here, thanks. I'd say that "Nightcall" is the result of a natural process, during which we manifested music of a kind we've wanted to play for many years now. After our 2013 debut album "Lost, Alien & Forlorn" we started toying with the idea of writing songs which were more synth-driven, thereby making metal a smaller part of the totality. I think I can say with some confidence that the "Nightcall" EP reflects this approach. Since both of our albums were written in close succession, it feels great to now release music which is fully representative of De Arma of today.