Νεκρονομικόν: Οι περιπλανήσεις του Αλχαζρέντ

Νεκρονομικόν: Οι περιπλανήσεις του Αλχαζρέντ by Donald Tyson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Είναι αδύνατον να έρθεις σε επαφή με τα διηγήματα του Λαβκραφτ και να μην τα λατρέψεις. Είναι η μαγεία του σκοτεινού μύθου που δημιούργησε για όντα τόσα αρχαία που η ύπαρξή τους χάνεται στις απαρχές του χρόνου. Ο Λαβκραφτ είναι δίκαια ο δημιουργός του κοσμικού τρόμου. Με τα διηγήματά του θέλησε να μετριάσει την υπεροψία του ανθρώπινου είδους που με τα επιτεύγματα της τεχνολογίας του θεωρεί ότι είναι κυρίαρχος του σύμπαντος. Η θεώρησή του ουσιαστικά είναι ότι αν η ανθρωπότητα δεν σεβαστεί τις δυνάμεις που είναι πάνω από αυτήν και τις μελετήσει δεν θα μπορέσει να επιβιώσει. Η μαγεία της μυθολογίας του Λάβκραφτ οφείλεται στο γεγονός ότι είναι μια μίξη υπερφυσικού τρόμου και επιστημονικής φαντασίας. Έχει σαφείς επιρροές για τον γράφοντα από την αρχαία μυθολογία των Ελλήνων, Αιγυπτίων, Περσών και Εβραίων, αλλά και από τον Χ. Τζ. Γουέλς όταν προσπαθεί να γίνει πιο επιστημονικός στην φαντασία του. Κεντρικό ρόλο στην μυθολογία του παίζουν το βιβλίο Νεκρονομικόν που είναι επινόηση του συγγραφέα (αν κι ακόμη και στις μέρες μας υπάρχουν άνθρωποι που πιστεύουν ότι είναι αληθινό) κι ο τρελός Άραβας Αμπντουλ Αλχαζρεντ. Επίσης είναι γεγονός ότι ο τρόπος που ανέπτυξε την μυθολογία του ο συγγραφέας μέσω των ιστοριών του είναι λίγο άναρχος. Ο Donald Tyson ανέλαβε, λοιπόν, ένα σπουδαίο και απαιτητικό επιχείρημα κι αυτό είναι να δώσει ύπαρξη στο καταραμένο βιβλίο και τον τρελό Άραβα. Και πραγματικά κάνει εξαιρετική δουλειά μιας και μας χαρίζει ένα βιβλίο που είναι σκοτεινό, σε στιγμές επικό και διανθισμένο με καλές δόσεις σκοτεινού χιούμορ. Είναι ένα βιβλίο που θα βοηθήσει τόσο τους έμπειρους αναγνώστες του Λαβκραφτ, όσο και τους νεώτερους γιατί δίνει μια συγκροτημένη και δομημένη εικόνα του σύμπαντος που δημιούργησε ο συγγραφέας. Επίσης μπορεί να αποτελέσει μια καλή αφορμή για να ασχοληθεί κάποιος με τις δημιουργίες του τεράστιου Λαβκραφτ.

EXHUMED - Death Revenge Review

EXHUMED - Death Revenge

Relapse Records

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Back after a 4 year hiatus, follow-up from the “Necroacy” (2013), EXHUMED seems to be a little stronger and more brutal than their predecessor. But! Not as convincing as their “All Guts, No Glory” (2011). However, this one takes a seat in the middle in my opinion as a well liked EXHUMED record. A different sort of production and now that they're on Relapse, that may explain a certain "dryness" in the making or sound to this one. What I mean by that is that it's a little bit flat in tone, especially the drums.

BROKEN HOPE - Mutilated and Assimilated Review

BROKEN HOPE - Mutilated and Assimilated

Century Media Records

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This is the most admirable (aside from 'Loathing') a release that BROKEN HOPE has come out with in years. Mind you, they did split in 2001 from the metal scene then came back with a new line-up (except for Jeremy Wagner) who has been with the band since they formed (1988). They write about not so colorful topics but it includes gore, death, sickness and Anti-religion. Upon reading the lyrics to this one, they're pretty brutal to say the least. But they have a lot of good music to show for on this album.

DESTRUCTION - Cracked Brain Review

DESTRUCTION - Cracked Brain

Steamhammer

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In retrospect, almost 30 years have gone by that this record has been in existence. The re-issue doesn't take away from the magic of this release minus Schmier from the lineup.  But the staple 3 members that appear on “Release from Agony” are featured on here (Mike, guitars Harry, guitars and Olly, drums). There was a session bassist by the name of Christian Engler that takes Schmier's bass duties. I've always felt that this would've been a much more solid release if their frontman wasn't on hiatus for this recording. However, it is what it is and Schmier's been back for a while now so that's not changing anytime soon. The older riffs on this album especially have been DESTRUCTION's finest. I don't think that anything but a few newer releases are as catchy as the old stuff, “Cracked Brain” included.

SIRIUS – Wings of Fire EP Review

SIRIUS – Wings of Fire EP

Independent

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In my opinion the Greek metal scene the last 10 years has shown a tremendous progress and it has offered us some really great bands and releases. It seems, though, that the Greek metal fans are still not totally convinced and they don’t support the scene as much as they can. Of course they have made a great progress on that as well. The reasons for this don’t entirely fall on the lack of belief in the local scene by the Greek fans, but it also has to do with the attitude of some musicians that with only one release (usually a demo) adopt a rock star attitude which really doesn’t help. On the other hand there are bands that work silently and are focused on what they do and I think that this effort works on their favor. I think that SIRIUS belong to that category.

PAOLA PELLEGRINI LEXROCK - Lady to Rock Review

PAOLA PELLEGRINI LEXROCK - Lady to Rock

Red Cat Records/7Hard

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I have already presented to you Paola and her band some time ago through my webzine and I am really glad to see that she remembered me and asked me to present her new album too under the title “Lady to Rock” which I have to say describes perfectly Paola and what she wants to achieve through her music.

FARSEER – Fall before the Dawn Review

FARSEER – Fall before the Dawn

Killer Metal Records

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The name of the band made me think they are fans of the fantasy literature since we meet the word “Farseer” either in the Warhammer 40,000 universe or in “The Farseer Trilogy” which is a series of novels written by fantasy author Robin Hobb. This is a good question for an interview for the band to tell me how they inspired their band name. Their name and of course the cover of their debut album makes you think that FARSEER are inspired by fantasy topics, but their lyrics have to do more with the real world of how it is and how we can survive it and forge our own path and live our life in our own way. Yep, cool lyrics and into the heavy metal philosophy I think.

SCIENCE OF DISORDER – Private Hell Review

SCIENCE OF DISORDER – Private Hell

Fastball Music

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SCIENCE OF DISORDER are from Switzerland and they might have released only two full length albums but they really have a long career in the metal scene of their country. The birth of the band was in 1989 under the name SOULLESS in 1989 which they kept until 2011. In 2011 they changed their name into SCIENCE OF DISORDER and they released their debut album entitled “Heart, Blood and Tears…” and 7 years later in 2018 they are back with their sophomore release entitled “Private Hell”.

EXILED – Ghost in the Winter Review

EXILED – Ghost in the Winter

Killer Metal Records

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This is an unexpected come back. I had the chance to purchase the last album of the band in 2007 under the title “Blood Sea” and after that I haven’t heard from them until now. So, it was kind of a good surprise for me that EXILED are back with a new release.

EMERALD SUN – Under the Curse of Silence Review

EMERALD SUN – Under the Curse of Silence

Fastball Music

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The story of EMERALD SUN goes back in 1998 when they started in Thessaloniki, Greece.  In 1999 they introduced themselves as a talented and full of passion power metal band which made me believe that these guys deserved to move on with their career. After all on stage they have always given very convincing performances. So, I am really happy to see that they still have the same passion for metal music and they still fight and create new songs. I think this warrior spirit they have resulted in the release of their fifth full length album from the German label Fastball Music which carries the title “Under the Curse of Silence”.

THE ORDER OF CHAOS – Night Terror EP Review

THE ORDER OF CHAOS – Night Terror EP

Killer Metal Records

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Canada is one of the countries that have a great metal scene. I think everyone who listens to metal music has at least one band from there he appreciates a lot. THE ORDER OF CHAOS is a female fronted metal band that hails from there and if you read our webzine then you will remember that we have presented here their previous albums as wel. This time the band decided to release a 3 track EP which consists of the following songs: 1. Night Terror, 2. False Security and 3. New World Order.

INNER CORE – Soultaker Review

INNER CORE – Soultaker

Echozone

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I am not a fan of symphonic metal music and especially of the most recent releases of this genre. You see for me modern symphonic metal is more symphonic or even pop and less metal. However, I still believe there are bands that still honor the metal part of their music and I think that this is the case of INNER CORE from Germany.