Hellbound readers, you know Natalie Zed, right? Natalie was our big grand prize winner way back in January, taking home more than 50 CDs + and shortly after she received her huge box ‘o CDs, Ms. Zed asked us over at Hellbound HQ if we’d be interested in running reviews of her winnings if she did postcard sized reviews of the albums. How could we say no?

She’s reviewed all the original CDs and is now reviewing newer things that have made their way to her. Here is part eight of her ongoing series which we like to call “Postcards With Natalie Zed”.

“The other reason is that people want to tag bands with some political name; especially if you don’t denounce the group they say you are a part of. I won’t denounce any political movements. One, I’m not a part of them and it’s not my place. And two, I believe in free speech and free expression. If someone wants to go out and be a part of a movement even if I don’t agree with it it’s not my place to step in. I’m not an activist, I’m not as politician. I have enough problems of my own and I don’t need to start a war with any specific movement.”

Justin M. Norton in conversation with Krieg founder and main man (and sometime Twilight collaborator) Imperial.

Calgary tech-metallers DIVINITY are currently on tour across our Canada so to celebrate we’ve arranged a neat contest!

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

Find out what HELLBOUND’s contributors have been listening to during the month of May. Almost every writer has submitted their Top 5 list and have an option to list a book and a film they are into right now too.

Live Inferno is nothing less than a send-off from the canonical Norwegian black metal band.

It’s not clear at this point whether this new offering has enough unique staying power to ensure that, once the dust of its release has settled, its cuts will stand out from the rest of the band’s music. It’s a great listen for the first few times, but then it begins to feel a little too familiar.

“I like the situation I’m in now with the solo thing. With this last album in the trilogy, it’s kind of a natural development from angL and The Adversary. I think they all kind of tie in together, but After is not the most logical step from the two other albums. It’s so different that it points in another direction and leaves the next one a little open ended.”

On the eve of the release of his new album After, Jonathan Smith speaks to former Emperor front man Ihsahn about his burgeoning solo career, the progressive nature it has taken and the surprising use of saxophone on his latest solo effort.

The good news if you’re a Defiance fan is The Prophecy is 100% Defiance and there should be no surprises or complaints. If you’re looking for aggression, innovation or even progression from the 80’s Bay Area thrash scene, The Prophecy will just to serve as a nostalgia piece.