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Having taken Vivian and Risa with me to the loo for a few times now, I can easily say this is one of the best ZT issues out of the dozen or so I've fingered. This is mostly due to an unprecedented amount of interesting bands and artists featured. Primordial, Necros Christos, Hexvessel, Blood Ceremony, A Forest of Stars, Graveyard, Altar of Plagues, Demonaz, Moonsorrow, Septicflesh (nee Septic Flesh)... It'd be easier to name the stories not worth a read than the interesting ones. Mme Fortuna just pissed on my face I guess.

Off to something more constructive, eh? On a deeper level, if we wipe off the piddle of Lady Luck, this sudden increase in interest must have something to do with no individual theme taking over the issue. There being no main thread definitely allows some opportunities concerning coverage that couldn't be had otherwise. I think it'sa wise decision to let the cover theme procedure rest until some genuinely interesting overall theme comes about.

Many of the interviews are still irritatingly short and bouncy, though. Take Necros Christos or 40 Watt Sun for instance. As much as I appreciate the level of hard work and compression that goes into pushing so much text into such a small space, it'd be great if so many interviews didn't come across as introductory pieces or extended reviews as a fellow Finn put it elsewhere. Perhaps a few more stories could expand from one spread to another? There's already the Rapid Fire/UGBM/Power Lines sections so there could well be more of a distinction between the feature stories and the shorties.

If this is not possible, then it'd be great if the focus put on theme issues actually went into crafting theme interviews that focused on one or two interesting/revealing themes per story and didn't have so much of this random ricochet effect of haphazardly jumping from one standard-fare aspect to another.

Still, this issue is a clear winner. Hope you don't overshoot n' double-slaughter the messenger, he barely knows what he's talking about...

GOOD ISSUE.
I HAD A SHITLOAD OF FUCKING COMPLAINTS BUT I'VE FUCKING FORGOTTEN THEM ALL, YOU PRICKS.

APPROVE OF THE IDEA OF METAL ONLY RECORD SHOPS, BECAUSE I'M FUCKING SICK OF ROBBING NON-METAL RECORD SHOPS.

I really enjoyed the issue. After reading the Gallhammer interview, I went and picked up the End and thought it was amazing! I never would have checked these girls out if I hadn't read this issue.