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Author Pete Woods

Quickly discovering in formative years that I was never quite going to fit in anywhere, I spent time growing up listening to punk, futurist, goth, industrial, metal and psychedelic sounds ranging from Hawkwind to The Sex Gang Children via Japan through to Crass mangled in with Psychic TV and New Model Army. Catching my first band live by accident; The Poison Girls at a G.L.C. free festival, I never looked back. Musical tastes have developed accordingly and I now spend time writing for both Terrorizer and Dominion magazine as well as co-running www.avenoctum.com and pushing the boundaries of genre definition to mould around my own eclectic tastes. Not having the patience to play any instrument myself, I see my writing, to a certain degree as putting something back into the music I love. If I didn't spend time doing this I would be an alcoholic slumped without hope on the cold streets of London. Instead I can be found pint, camera and notepad in hand covering bands both old and new and will happily accept free cider without

Taake, Wode & The Infernal Sea – London Underworld 12/12/19

As the country and the weather goes to hell in a handcart it’s a relief to get into The Underworld this evening and take refuge from it all for a few hours. Taake are back and are one of the… Continue Reading →

Hell’s Coronation – Ritual Chalice Of Hateful Blood (Godz Ov War)

The Polish duo responsible for this “ceremony of black and rot supremacy” are Coffincrusher and Zepar ex members of Deadthorn, Mastiphal, Defekator and Nekrofukk (live). Having released a couple of demos, a split with Cadaveric Possession and a compilation they… Continue Reading →

Dodheimsgard, Bölzer, Blaze Of Perdition, Matterhorn – London Underworld 10/12/19

The Void Dancers MMXIX Tour swings into London on a cold, wet and miserable Tuesday night and I was not sure how well attended it was going to be with so much happening including Taake at this very venue in… Continue Reading →

Albums Of The Year 2019

Top 20 2019 Pete Woods (Editor) What a year 2019 has been musically, the sheer wealth of releases has made it a really difficult task choosing the albums that have made it special. The last few months have in particular… Continue Reading →

Undead – Existential Horror (Godz Ov War)

There’s no shortage of Undead bands in the metal graveyard, its an obvious name and there’s no less than 14 bunches of ghouls using the moniker according to Metal Archives. This is an international group whose members are largely made… Continue Reading →

Trup – Szmula (Godz Ov War)

I think Trup may translate to Corpse but anything else about this strange Polish trio is quite honestly not particularly up for interpretation in any sense of the word. V, P & B the mentalists behind this outfit come across… Continue Reading →

Pénitence Onirique – Vestige (LADLO Productions)

Looking up this French atmospheric black metal act online there are striking shots of them playing live wearing strange pagan like gold masks that are certainly interesting aesthetically. Far removed from the one-man solitary figure found in much of the… Continue Reading →

Tragediens Trone – S/T (Osmose)

Although it has been 13 years since this group released a demo they suddenly are signed to Osmose and are unleashing a debut album. Not bad really and there are reasons they are sitting comfortably on their throne of tragedy… Continue Reading →

Misery Loves Co – Zero (Black Lodge)

Happy? / Sad? Well you can be both now as these Swedish miserabilists are back and they are looking for company. Took them long enough though, 19 years since last album Your Vision Was Never Mine To Share back in… Continue Reading →

Obsequiae – The Palms Of Sorrowed Kings (20 Buck Spin)

Melding what initially sound like disparate strands of music together is nothing new and experimentation is something that can either keep things fresh or simply become a gimmick. It’s very much the former case as far as Obsiquiae, the vision… Continue Reading →

Jaz Coleman – Magna Invocatio (Spinefarm)

Or to give this its full title and let you know exactly what to expect Magna Invocatio – A Gnostic Mass for Choir And Orchestra Inspired by the Sublime Music of Killing Joke. And why not indeed? At the start… Continue Reading →

Qayin Regis – Doctrine (Blackseed Productions)

Well one thing is assured, Qayin Regis certainly have a doctrine and here be it. “QAYIN REGIS’ Black Metal is orthodox and consciously based in the spiritual gnostic syncretization of the Spanish black magic, the cult of Death and the… Continue Reading →

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