ATHEIST is a great hungarian-written Death/Black 'zine. The editors of it are Gábor Szalay and Zoltán Nádudvari. They worked out a fantastic layout and content for their third issue. It specializes mainly on the eastern European scene and that is why there are interviews with slovakian ERYTROSY, ukrainian CASTRUM / CHAMOS / ENCOMIUM 'zine, hungarian VALE OF TEARS, czech MANIAC BUTCHER / NHAAVAH / PUSSY GOD Records, slovakian LUNATIC GODS / METAL AGE Productions, russian TALES OF DARKNORD and polish ESQARIAL. Also find enclosed scene reports of Ukraine and Poland plus articles about DARK CLOUDS, MYSTIC DEATH, WAYD, DOOMSDAY, DANGER, ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST, TRAUMA, VARATHRON and PAGAN Records. And that's not in the least everything, because there are tons of honestly-written reviews on underground products, a page dedicated to Hungary's new generation Black Metal bands and yet a section called black lyrical poetry.

The 6th issue of BAST comes on 38 A/4 pro-printed pages with excellent quality. You can read there interviews with BLOODTHORN, PIT Magazine, OTHELLO'S REVENGE, and BIG SHRIMP plus get articles about Seattle's Weirdness, Profiles in Sickness, and many other. The most interesting part of this issue I found in the well-written reviews on albums/shows and last but not least on 'zines. It features also some quite cool live pictures of MORBID ANGEL, INCANTATION and NILE along with short reports about these bands' killer achievements on the stage.

Wow, Martha does a fantastic issue again. The content improved a lot but the layout remained the same. The 7th issue includes great interviews with FLESHTIZED, CRADLE OF FILTH, SPEEDEALER, DESTINY'S END, IN RUINS, EX-GIRL, BORKNAGAR and THE QUIET ROOM. The show reviews are rules again and packed with such bands as CANNIBAL CORPSE, ANGEL CORPSE, SADUS, GORGUTS, CRYPTOPSY, SADISTIC INTENT, NILE to name a few. And as usual, you can find there tons of honestly written reviews on CDs/demos/'zines and the special sections of Profiles in Sickness along with a new one about Tales of the Sick! It has 38 A/4 pages.

Well, I think it's the best issue of BAST so far. Martha features a lot of cool stuff on the 38 A/4 pages of this issue. You can read interviews with GRIP INC., DARK FUNERAL, POISON IDEA, JOHN COBBETT, HAMMERFALL, ABSCESS, KRISIUN, REGURGITATION and also get a clear picture about the new releases of underground and above. Believe me, this one is full of better and better information. So don't be a fool and order your copy right now!

Hell, it's truly an informative one with 35 great interviews and tons of honest reviews on demos/CDs/vinyls/'zines. 44 A/4 pages packed with the quintessence of the underground are what BYLEC-TUM offers us this time. Among the rather underground bands such as FROST, CELESTE, FUNERAL RITES, SUIDAKRA, NOCTIS, SYNC, IKUINEN KAAMOS, HIMINBJORG, ARTHAME, LUNAR AURORA, ETERNAL DUSK, ASTARTE, PURITAS VIRGINUM, SADIUM, EXCESS OF CRUELTY, GAUDEBEC to name a few there are also interviews with some well-known acts as GEHENNA, FALL OF THE LEAFE, PROFANITY, SOLSTAFIR and NOMICON for example. It was great to read about such a big number of unknown bands to me as well as the fascinating sections of news and Scandinavian Cults.

CADLA's fifth incarnation impressed me a lot! It's a fantastic issue mainly dealing with the metal scene of Scandinavia. The layout is excellent and what's more you can find there a bunch of honestly written demo/CD/'zine reviews. As for the interviews, they're killer and mostly covered all the necessary information you should know about your favorites. Well, it's time to list you the names of interviewed bands. Here they go: MÅNEGARM, A CANOROUS QUINTET (their last interview before the split-up), EXMORTEM, THYRFING, MORIFADE, MAYHEM (6 pages of insanity), MENHIR, KING DIAMOND (a very good one!) and also find enclosed three more interviews with INVERTED, CENTINEX and IMPIOUS in the section of Death Metal Special. Overall, it's a great output and CADLA seems to me one of the best swedish mags I ever held in my hands. 68 A/5 pages with glossy color cover, it's more than enough.

Peter was cool enough and sent me his great debut issue of DISCORDIA. Interviews featured in this issue are with Australian Death/Grinders BLOOD DUSTER, Quebec's grind band DAHMER, the soulmachines called FEAR FACTORY, the mega brutal Death Metal band CRYPTOPSY, hardcore act GRIFT and the sickest Death band EXHUMED. Also, it includes reviews of demos/CDs/EPs/, a Death Metal Mainstream commentary (instructive one!), playlists of musicians and 'zine editors, an East German HC scene Report, list of web sites, a humorous "Draw Kyle of INCANTATION contest" and many more. All this comes with nice layout on 32 A/4 pages with xeroxed quality for just $2 (North America) / $3 (Overseas) or you can trade it for yourself.

Another strong issue was unleashed by ENSLAIN. On 32 A/4 professionally printed pages you can get acquainted with such great bands as MORBID ANGEL (Death Metal Masters!), CRADLE OF FILTH (Supreme Vampiric Art), FEAR FACTORY, KILGORE, etc. and read lots of demo/CD/concert reviews plus enjoy a killer report about Miwaukee Metalfest XII. Don't be a fool, order your copy right now by sending $5 to: c/o Lady Enslain, P.O.Box 822, Quakertown, PA 18951, USA. Meanwhile, issue #6 is out with the following interviews inside: HYPOCRISY, TESTAMENT, VADER, DEATH and ROTTING CHRIST.

There's no doubt FREEZING FLAMES has the most professional layout among the hungarian underground publications. In this issue you can read the following inties: DIVISION 187, NIGHTSKY BEQUEST, SIEBENBÜRGEN, FORSTH, ACHERON, INFERNÄL MÄJESTY, CASTRUM, FORGOTTEN SILENCE, ITN, WARHEAD Records, BENIGHTED LEAMS, FLEURETY, ENCHANTED, BURZUM, ABYSS Productions, WITHERING SURFACE, CANVASSER, EMANZIPATION Productions and TERRAE SOLE CALENTES. Well, besides the usual piles of demo/CD/'zine reviews you can find there a short EMPEROR concert review and the story behind the conception of BURZUM's "Daudi Baldrs". All is left to say, it has 52 A/4 pages full of excellent stuff with quality pictures and nice backgrounds.

This one is a newspaper managed by the ukrainian label called MOON Records. Inside of this issue you can bump into interviews of DARK TRANQUILLITY, ROTTING CHRIST, ABSCESS, THE HAUNTED (informative one!) and LORD BELIAL plus read a short article about INCANTATION and dozens of reviews on albums & tapes. Moreover, there are lots of news and ads on its professionally printed 20 A/4 pages. All this written in russian language. Contact: c/o Andrey Batura, P.O.Box 207, 03150 Kiev, Ukraine. By the way, Andrey recently started an extreme music magazine called LOBOTOMY ADDICTION!!! So bands of extreme music are welcomed to send their stuff in!

Here we have an excellent split issue of swedish most powerful underground 'zines, namely GOETIA & NEAR DARK. Let me begin with the content of GOETIA. Niclas its editor/mastermind, interviewed both famous & total underground acts there. They are the following PENTACLE (masters of ancient Death Metal), BIFROST (Pagan Metal band), REVELATION (American Doom Metal act at its best), THERION (the most underrated band of today's scene by the words of Niclas), TEMPERANCE (Sweden's Soul Metal Kings!), THE MARBLE ICON (Swedish Doom/Death band), THE MOANING (Black/Death horde, of course, from Sweden) and EVOKEN (another amazing Doom Metal band from the US). Also find enclosed two more interviews with Misanthropy Records and Putrefaction 'zine plus as usual tons of honest reviews on demos/7"s/CDs. O.K., let's analyse NEAR DARK. There are two maniacs involved behind it, namely Kim & Tobbe. As for its content, it's also combines bands from both previously mentioned categories. You can read there interviews with BATHORY, OPETH, THE DARKSEND, MEFISTO, A MIND CONFUSED, LAKE OF TEARS and UNGOD. There's some ads and humorous articles included as well as a bunch of demo/CD reviews. The quality is all the way professional, though the photos are more clear in GOETIA, for instance. Most of all, I liked the interviews with PENTACLE, EVOKEN, MEFISTO, THE MOANING and OPETH to name a few. If you want to enlarge your collection with a great issue (that has 52 A/4 pages), then go ahead and by this split one right now.

Another excellent issue was done by Niclas of GOETIA. His fourth issue features interviews with SOLITUDE AETURNUS (an in-depth 5-page interview!), CONCEPTION, TAD MOROSE, ABLAZE MY SORROW, KATATONIA, UNGOD, MORTUARY DRAPE, THEATRE OF TRAGEDY, NIGHT IN GALES, SOLSTICE, ETERNAL HATRED and BETHZAIDA. I would like to mention the thoughtful questions of Niclas that make these interviews interesting and informative. This time I've noted the presence of more demo & album reviews. It's great! As for the quality, it's again on professional level with crystal clear pictures and lots of band logos. Should I say more? Maybe, but this issue speaks for itself. Just try to get one and you won't be disappointed at all!

Well, it is the best and unfortunately the last issue of GOETIA. The reason is simple, because Niclas started his own label, called Stormbringer Productions, and he wants to concentrate more on it in the future. In this issue interviews featured are RAZOR (Canadian Thrash Cult!), NAEVUS, MAZE OF TORMENT, HAMMERFALL, MERCILESS, NOCTURNAL RITES, VARATHRON, TWISTED TOWER DIRE, KRABATHOR, SATAN/PARIAH, DROWNED, DERANGED, NECRONOMICON (German Thrash masters!) and IRON RAINBOW. It's really a thick and killer issue having 56 A/4 pages packed with tons of honest reviews and better and better interviews. Believe me, it was fantastic to read about the old warriors such as NECRONOMICON, RAZOR and PARIAH, while I've found interesting to read about KRABATHOR, DROWNED and DERANGED as well, for example. The lay-out remained the same professional as it was in #4. So, this is something you should order before it's too late.

Hungary's leading Death/Black magazine returned with its 10th issue. Jedo, its mastermind, has improved both the layout and content. Find enclosed interviews with FORGOTTEN SILENCE, ANCIENT CEREMONY, HOSTILE, VIOLATION, LATHEBRA, EBONY TEARS, METAL CORE 'zine, FALL OF THE LEAFE and DAYBREAK. There's also a plenty number of CD/demo/'zine reviews and of course some ads inside. The pictures are clear and what's count the interviews are enough interesting to read them again and again. All this comes on 28 A/4 format pages with two-colour glossy cover. I guess, it's worth to invest your $3.

Another remarkable LAMENTATION issue was born under the skies of Hungary. This is the best one so far. Having included interviews with such great bands as DARKSIDE, GODLESS TRUTH, VARATHRON, MAELSTROM, THE GREAT KAT, AURORA BOREALIS, GARDEN OF SHADOWS, ANATA, ANTIQUA, GROINCHURN, THIRDMOON, SCHOLOMANCE, CENTINEX, GHOLES, EPOCH OF UNLIGHT, TEMPTAMENTUM, VANAHEIM, RAIN FELL WITHIN, ABORTION, DARKFALL, MIDNIGHT SUN, DEMIMONDE and SPEERHEAD I can only recommend it and celebrate LAMENTATION's 6 years existence! Keep it in this way Jedo!

M.O.B. is a fantastic 'zine edited by a friend of mine, namely Ewald Provoost. The 40 A/4 pages of this issue are features interviews with MASTIC SCUM, C.U.M., AUTUMN LEAVES, ENTRAILS MASSACRE, FLESHCRAWL, PARRICIDE, C.S.S.O., ANASARCA, FORGOTTEN SILENCE, SQUASH BOWELS, NYCTOPHOBIC, ABUSO SONORO, LAST DAYS OF HUMANITY, SINISTER and ALGOL. These are rather detailed ones with clear pictures and some illustrations. It was also great to see such a big number of logos included in the review sections. Good idea, no doubt! Oh, and there's also an article about AGATHOCLES as well. I can only recommend it!

Well, the masters of brutality are back and ready to crush your head with their best issue so far. I'm sure, you'll find interesting to read interviews about such great bands as DEPRESSION, MORTEM, SANATORIUM, MALIGNANT TUMOUR, CRYPTOPSY, SUPPOSITORY, BESIEGED, CENOTAPH, AURORA BOREALIS, PLEURISY, CARNUCOPIA, MASSGROUND and MURDER CORPORATION. You see #9 has a strong content, which mainly deal with the most brutal and extreme forms of Metal. Fans of Death/Grind styles must check this out right now! Also you can get acquainted better with the scenes of Slovakia and Czech Republic as well as dive into the seas of reviews. There's again a lot of cool logos, crystal-clear pictures and ads were included. All this on 44 A/4 pages with excellent quality and glossy b/w cover. What are you waiting for? Get your copy for only $4.

Be long in doing such editions (to be exact from 1986) Chris Forbes improved METAL CORE up to free publication. This 25th issue comes on 44 A/4 pro-printed pages and features extra long interviews with THE GRIMOIRE OF EXALTED DEEDS 'zine, AGENT STEEL, THE CHASM, BLOODFEAST and METAL NIGHTMARE 'zine. For me, were interesting to read the sections of reviews, they're 100% honest! Furtherly, you can find there a plenty number of ads, contactlists of 'zines and news of LISTENABLE Records. Nevertheless, it's a pity that there are only a few pictures in it.

METAL FORCE magazine is an up and coming publication of the independent ukrainian label METAL FORCE Records. Its first issue has a surprisingly good quality along the 24 A/4 pro-printed glossy pages of it. As for the content it covers interviews, articles, news and lyrics from a wide range of styles. That's why you can read there about german rock stars SCORPIONS, ukrainian industrial band VIA DOLOROSA, german heavy metalists EDGUY as well as about swedish Black Metal blasphemers MARDUK, norwegian Blacksters BORKNAGAR, twin-guitar masters of swedish Death Metal ARCH ENEMY, and ukrainian Death Metal band CASTRUM. To all this, you can add the detailed concert review about METALLICA's first appearance in Kiev and keep in view it's a ukrainian-written magazine. The only defect of this issue I found in lack of review sections, though as a whole it looks pretty OK.

Well, this issue has a really exciting content and layout with professional printing on quality paper. It contains interviews with SLOGUN, BENÜMB, ARCH ENEMY, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, DEATH, SOILENT GREEN (a quite long 8-paged grind assault), SKINLAB, NEVERMORE and SOIL (band of ex-BROKEN HOPE bassist). Also, it includes sections of reviews, news and contact addresses plus some excellent A/4 pictures of such bands as DARK FUNERAL, ULTRASPANK, IN FLAMES and STUCK MOJO. To cut it short, you must to check out these 56 A/4 pages of great stuff for only $3 (US & Canada) / $4 (World).

Another decent 'zine risen from the land of our neighbours - Hungary. Its debut issue contains interviews only with norwegian bands as DARKTHRONE, AURA NOIR, MAYHEM, HELHEIM, HADES, ULVER and DIMMU BORGIR. These are quite long, in-depth interviews, but after a while I tired to read only about norwegians. It could be far better with the add of other cool bands of the world. I mean, there's no variety in this issue. Nevertheless, I would recommend this one for the fans of Norway's scene, 'coz there are really much interesting things about the beforehand mentioned bands. And of course, you'll find a few reviews on demos/CDs and an article about the Northern Mythology on its 32 A/4 pages.

The second issue of NIGHTWALK has lots of improvements. It goes to both the content and layout of it. So this time you can read interviews with BLOODTHORN, MYSTIC CIRCLE, ...AND OCEANS, LORD BELIAL, ARATHORN, AMORTIS, ENSLAVED (interesting one!), GORGOROTH, AHRIMAN, MALIGNANT ETERNAL, IN THE WOODS… plus you can dive into the usual demo/CD reviews and the continuation of Northern Mythology series. And what's more, there's a painting of famous Hieronymus Bosch on the front cover. Enough said, order this piece of art!

The debut issue of this Crimean 'zine comes on 52 A/4 pages with xeroxed quality. What can I say? The layout is too monotonous and the characters of the texts are too big for my taste, but since it's their first issue, I won't complain so much about that. From the content, you can read there interviews of famous bands such as TIAMAT, ANCIENT, MOONSPELL, METALLICA, PYOGENESIS, BEHEMOTH, EMPEROR, ENTHRONED and three more interviews with crimean bands as VELIAR, PATHOLOGY and ÏÐÎÊËßÒÛÉ ÏÐÎÐÎÊ. There's also articles about BURZUM, BOLT THROWER, TESTAMENT and of course some demo/CD/concert reviews, news, playlists, lyrics and a special section dedicated to "The Culture Of Evil". Well, one more important thing, it's written in russian language.

The second issue is still a xeroxed one, though its quality improved in some ways. Clear pictures, interesting interviews and tons of demo/CD/'zine reviews are waiting for you. I guess, all this due to the enriched editorial board, Alex got two metal warriors in the persons of Barbarossa and Nicks. Between the well-packed 58 A/4 pages of this issue you'll find interviews with AUTUMN TEARS, MENTAL HOME, CASTRUM, APRAXIA, ORCHESTRAL PIT'S CANNIBALS, KRABATHOR, CUMDEO, ANCIENT RITES, ROTTING CHRIST, S.C.A.L.P., ANGELKILL, TEMPLE OF OBLIVION, AGATHOCLES and VOODOO plus the usual sections of news, ads, Culture Of Evil and more. By the way, they used some explicit lyrics to describe the hatred & disgust they felt against some bands, labels, mags and so on... So be careful ordering this explosive issue and don't forget it's a russian-written one and limited to only 150 copies.

From the vineyards of Tokaj comes straight the debut issue of SHRUNKEN & MUMMIFIED. Get involved mainly in the Death/Grind scene of eastern Europe you will get a clear picture what's really happens there nowadays. Find the following interviews inside: INSEPULTUS, AMORBITAL, PERVERSITY, NOSTALGIA DREAMS, EREBOS Productions (they're all from Slovakia), DEATH SENTENCE (Doom/Death from Czech), DISEMBOWEL (Death/Grinders from Greece), NEURAL BOOSTER and THE ART OF DETHRONEMENT (of course, from Hungary). It's not on very high quality edited but the interviews and the reviews of this issue are great for reading.

TEMPEST is the best russian-written magazine I've seen till now. The layout is professional having lots of clear pictures and illustrations among the 72 A/4 pages of it. Interviewed bands are DARKSIDE, NIGHT IN GALES, SERMON, FLESHCRAWL, EN GARDE, INHUMATE, AGATHOCLES, MORTICITE, CONFESSIONS OF OBSCURITY, SKYFORGER, NEGLECTED FIELDS, HEAVEN GREY, SCABBARD, DESIRE, FORGOTTEN SILENCE, FALL OF THE LEAFE, ORTHANC, TRIDENT and AVALON HOUSE. As you might see there's a wide range of interviews in it. Furthermore, you can get articles about SANATORIUM, CEREBRAL TURBULENCY, MENTALITY, KRABATHOR, IMPERIAL FOETICIDE, LITTLE DEAD BERTHA, NOAH'S FLOOD and SORROWFUL GOD plus read tons of honest demo/CD/7" reviews and dive into a fantastic Latvian scene report as well. Enough said, buy or die!

Hailing from South Africa the CRUSADER stands purely for Metal in its well-packed 48 A/4 pages. HAMMERFALL, NILE, RETALLIATION, KRABATHOR, CRADLE OF FILTH, METAL ORISON and OMEN are presented with interviews inside. It was great to read about these great bands, especially I'd like to notice the in-depth KRABATHOR and C.O.F. interviews, they're rule. Nevertheless, the most essential part of the 'zine, in my opinion, lies in the reviews. You can find tons of useful information about the underground releases there. It's a pro-printed 'zine with nice layout, lots of ads and cool pictures. Go ahead and buy a copy.

Due to Lunatic (Ryan), I got the new metallic issue of the CRUSADER. As you might know, it is totally dedicated to all that is Metal. Very good! Let's see the content. There are interviews with WICKED ANGEL, GUTTED REMAINS, ORDAINED, THE GREAT KAT, STRYDER, ACHERON, MESSE NOIR, HATRED, ARCANA XXII, INVERTED and D.A.B. plus a short scene report including four great South African bands and also a cool article about GROINCHURN's view on their "Already Dead" stuff. If it's still not enough for you, then I can only recommend you to check out the big dose of demo/CD/7"/video/book reviews featured there. All this come on 64 A/4 pro-printed pages with a fantastic cover art painted by Chris Cooper again. Get this thick issue for only $3 and remember Metal is Life!!!