AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: HAISSEM — “BLEAK HEAVEN ALOFT”

 Premieres  2 Responses »
Mar 112022
 

 

Embattled Donetsk in the Russian-controlled Donbas region of eastern Ukraine is home to Andrey V. Tollock, the man behind the genre-bending metal band Haissem (which is the inverse spelling of Messiah). It is easy to imagine that life there has been… difficult… over the last eight years, and especially now. But while continuing to devote himself to family and to paying work (he was employed as a miner at the time of what seems to be the most recent interview he gave in 2018), he has managed to be a prolific creator of heavy music.

Beginning with Maze of Perverted Fantasies in 2016, he has released five albums, and a sixth one — A Sleep of Primeval Ignorance — is now set for release by Satanath Records and Exhumed Records on April 14th. We’ve hosted premieres of music from some of Haissem‘s previous albums and today we do it again, as we present a lyric video for “Bleak Heaven Aloft” from the newest full-length. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: HAISSEM — “AN INSPIRATION FOR MY INNER CARNIFEX”

 Premieres  No Responses »
Feb 162021
 

 

Almost one year to the day after our last premiere for Haissem, we welcome the return of this Ukrainian project with yet another premiere, leading the way toward the release of Haissem‘s newest album, Philosofiend, on March 27th (by Satanath Records and Exhumed Records).

The solo work of Andrey V. Tollock, sometimes accompanied by session musicians, Haissem has been a prolific creator — Philosofiend is the fifth album since 2016. And along the way the band’s musical interests have evolved, now creating a hybrid of melodic black metal and melodic death metal, with elements of thrash occasionally in the mix. And whereas the immediately preceding album Kuhagahn Tyyn (which was the source of our 2020 premiere) used synthesizers and guest musicians to create an atmospheric experience, the new record is more sharp-edged and aggressive — but not without its appealing melodic accents. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: HAISSEM — “BLACK TIDE DOMINION”

 Exceptions to the Rule, Premieres  3 Responses »
Feb 102020
 

 

Haissem is a melodic black metal band started by Ukrainian musician and vocalist Andrey Tollock in Donetsk in 2014. With him working as the sole performer, Haissem released albums in 2016 (Maze of Perverted Fantasies), 2018 (Panacea for a Cursed Race), and 2019 (Demonotone), as well as a pair of EPs in 2017 and 2019. Over the course of those releases, Haissem’s creativity has expanded from a stylistic affinity for melodic black metal rooted in the ’90s into music of greater variety and more diverse stylistic influence.

Haissem’s newest output is an album named Kuhaghan Tyyn (which means “The Evil Spirit”) that will be released by the band’s new label Satanath Records on March 22nd. As compared to previous records, this one includes a greater use of synthesizers (though they are still subtle) as well as guest performers on specific tracks, including female vocalist Alyona Malytsa, harpist D. Vander, and cellist Alexandra Zima — the latter of whom makes an appearance on the song we’re premiering today , “Black Tide Dominion“. Continue reading »