To parrot part of the esteemed Mr Averill’s excellent column this issue, 2018 really has flown by – sure, this could be symptomatic of getting older and feeling like time’s slipping away, but it really is quite staggering to think that as I write this, we’re already getting ready to rock around the Christmas tree! By the time you read this, it’ll probably be 2019 already, and I’ll be daydreaming about daffodils as I crack on with the March/April edition. Crikey!
We’ve all felt it though, haven’t we: the past year has been pretty intense in so many ways, I mean, what a time to be alive? If it’s not Brexit (will we, won’t we…. or should that be can we, can’t we?) filling our ears, it’s Trump and his Trumpisms working some people into a frenzy…. But – and this is echoed here in the office by me, repeatedly – it’s been heartening to see that it’s echoed in a number of interviews in this issue too, that life’s short – it’s really short; we’re here for the shortest time, making our mark in various ways, so how’s about remembering that life is for living and, dare I utter it – for having some fun! So how’s about just enjoying some escapsim for a bit? Take the time to lose yourself in some music, and indeed, the magazine you’re holding in your hands right now.
On the subject of making a mark, it’s true to say that some make more of a mark than others; even though it’s all subjective and is ‘just a bit of fun’ (yes, FUN), we’re pleased to publish our writers’ individual Top 20 Releases Of 2018 this issue. You’ll find these gems lurking near this issue’s rather large review section; we’ll also be publishing a readers’ version on our website – probably during the first week of January to give end of December releases a chance – so keep your eye on that. But before I click ‘save’, and close this editorial document so I can continue listening to Marduk – loudly – as we count down the last few hours of our print deadline, I should really mention what you can’t have failed to notice already, and that’s the fact that Greece’s Rotting Christ have joined us (for the second time) cover artists – we hope you enjoy Calum Harvie’s interview with mainman Sakis Tolis, and the rest of the issue too. And on that note, I’ll bid you a Happy New Year – our next edition hits the newsstand in late-February.
I’ll be back…
Lisa Macey
editor
ISSUE 088 CONTENTS
Propaganda News
Cover Feature Rotting Christ
REGULAR FEATURES
Venom | Metal Church | Nattravnen | Phlebotomized | Deceased | Legion Of The Damned | Downfall Of Gaia | Swallow The Sun | Dirge | Conan | Sulphur Aeon | Veilburner | Cantique Lepreux | Ohhms | Shining [NO]
REGULAR SECTIONS
Altars Of Madness | Underground Death Metal section
Vile Apparition | Nyktophobia | Festerday | Lividity | Chapel Of Disease | Grimoire De Occulte
A Funeral Inquest | The Doom Repository
Woven Man | Fordomth | Goliathan
Rapid Fire | Short Sharp Shocks!
Perverticon | Witching Hour | Abduction | Beast In Black | Outre-Tombe | Voodus | Sönambula | Vouna | Ithaca | Night Vapor | Hundred Year Old Man | Yeruselem | Aera | Weight Of The Tide | The Crawling
Sentencing
Reviews
Moving Targets
Live Reviews
Inside Information | Behind The Scenes
Moving Pictures Slave To The Grind film
Label Profile Terror From Hell
On The Rack Soilwork
Call From The Grave Tiamat
View From The Bunker Alan ‘Nemtheanga’ Averill’s column
