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And nothing streaming yet, but on the death/doom side of things there's an excellent new one coming from INTO COFFIN. It's a bit gnarlier and less melodic than funeral doom, but the genres are more or less kissing cousins.
There's another good one coming in November from SLOW. Might make the cut for next month's column... https://slowdooom.bandcamp.com/album/vi-dantalion
Can confirm that Merauder record slays. Highly ridiculous band, great riffs, very tough. Their '90s shows were something to behold. Case in point: http://www.invisibleoranges.com/top-3-terrifying-shows/
Your reaction is the sane one, I think.
Fully agree with Black Antlers re: Encoffination. It's absurdly boring mush, and the band seems to take pride in their commitment to making absurdly boring mush. Not recommended if you like: excitement, sonic clarity, or quality riffs. But it serves a certain purpose, and the fact that it actually exists cracks me up.
Can confirm the Cannibal Corpse documentary is wonderful. I've seen it... more than a few times. https://youtu.be/aGPot3rP53o
whoever thought it was acceptable to subject At the Gates to an opening slot under Amon Amarth and Arch Enemy should be formally censured by Congress
Agh, I left off the most consequential bonus track of all! Darkthone - In line with the last few but somehow even older and colder (probably because they named the album Old Star), this rules, straight up and down. They’ll indubitably be featured in an upcoming TBM, mark my words. This one arrived a bit late for consideration is all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6h4b-Jm8iU
It’s been WAY TOO LONG, so how about some BONUS TRACKS? Here’s an epic list of stuff of recent interest: Esoctrilihum – third LP in three years! Presumably insane. https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-telluric-ashes-of-the-o-vrth-immemorial-gods Onkos – acoustic Voidhanger weirdness. https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/onkos Hyperdontia – 6 track compilation EP with one (sick) new track. Vicious Danish death. https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-vessel-forlorn Father Befouled – slow and low, cavern-dwelling, funerealism from Dark Descent. https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/holy-rotten-blood Nucleus – increasingly death-focused sci-fi death/thrash. Highly good. https://unspeakableaxerecords.bandcamp.com/album/entity Kaleidobolt – ripping psychedelic garage metal from Finland, with some tasty kraut vibes. Not my usual jam but I love this. https://kaleidobolt.bandcamp.com/ Suffering Hour – single track EP accompanied by a hilariously overwrought press release. “Literally a world unto itself.” Fortunately the song slays. https://bloodharvestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dwell Waldgefluster – some of the best post-Agalloch pagan black stuff going. This came so close to making the column so many times. Least we can do is bestow bonus track honors. https://blackmetalwaldgefluester.bandcamp.com/ Deiphago – in another timeline where these guys don’t punch women and rant about SJW infiltration, I would have happily covered this based on the absurdity of tones contained herein. Kurt Ballou production + epic war metal… is something. It’s not quite good so much as insane. As it stands I’m not gonna bother linking, but it’s out there if you’re so inclined. Pelican – still alive. Haven’t listened, can’t otherwise comment. https://pelicansl.bandcamp.com/album/nighttime-stories Tanith – LP drops on 5/24. For some reason they posted the exact same single (seemingly the same recording) as the 7”, which is lame but whatever. Go ahead and preorder now. https://tanithnyc.bandcamp.com/album/in-another-time Yellow Eyes – Described as “the coldest Yellow Eyes record to date, and . . . also the warmest”. Ok then. Sick band regardless. USBM. 1st of 3 sick Gilead releases coming this summer. https://yelloweyes.bandcamp.com/ Falls of Rauros – 2nd of 3 sick Gilead releases coming this summer. Nothing streaming yet. Still pumped. https://gileadmedia.bandcamp.com/album/patterns-in-mythology False – 3rd of 3 sick Gilead releases coming this summer. First streaming track went live earlier today via Revolver and it’s a monster. Can confirm track listing references goats. Still pumped. https://www.revolvermag.com/music/hear-black-metal-crew-falses-vicious-new-song-victual-our-dead-selves Midnight Odyssey – first sample of the new LP coming later this year. Lookin’ good. https://midnightodyssey.bandcamp.com/track/hidden-in-tartarus Arch / Matheos - !!!!! Long-awaited return from the Fates Warning guitarist and the original Fates Warning vocalist, as in the dude from the early prog power classics before FW became non-terrible Dream Theater. The 2011 Arch / Matheos record slays, and so does this one. This came an inch away from the column but I kept holding out hope they’d release one of the longer tracks as a single. Sadly, they just released another short one, so the wait continues. Excellent proggy heavy metal with ridiculous production and playing throughout. Just might cover this next month. https://archmatheos.bandcamp.com/ Queensryche – Surprisingly not terrible. I haven’t heard the whole thing yet but the singles do the trick. Geoff Tate and his oddly polished skull are not really missed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqI4OfolPuo Friisk – German atmospheric black stuff coming from Vendetta. Apparently self-released in November, getting the vinyl treatment this month. Excellent stuff. https://vendetta-records.bandcamp.com/album/de-doden-vant-waterkant Abbath – nowhere close to the last Immortal record, more or less on par with the last Abbath record, minus King ov Hell, apparently. Not bad, not awesome, but at least the video’s fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_qa-wNbC4w Sabbath Assembly – still need to dig into this, having loved the recent stuff featuring Jamie Myers, Kevin Hufnagel and the full expanded lineup. Early singles seems a bit further removed from metal, which is fine, almost like weird female Wovenhand or something, which is more than fine. https://sabbathassembly.bandcamp.com/album/a-letter-of-red Cave In – first single off the new record, which will be the last featuring late bassist Caleb Scofield. I have high hopes for this record even if it will probably be too unbearably sad to listen to, at least for a while. First single is great. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6pnX5A892k Possessed – Finally! Super stoked to finally have this in the world. Riffage slays throughout; this is dark death/thrash with a whiff of black thrash, which tends to crop up in a lot of proto extreme metal bands born of this era. Jeff continues to steer clear of true death growls, keeping this more squarely in the thrash realm, but I don’t mind. I do mind when he dips into awkward attempts at manly pseudo-singing about satan or whatever, which should just be banned from all death metal henceforth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixk00N1W78c Memoriam – first from the third album from the death metal “supergroup” featuring Benediction and Sacrilege guys plus Karl Willetts and Andy Whale of Bolt Thrower. First two albums were increasingly terrible, with some of the worst death metal production I’ve ever heard, while this first single seems shockingly competent by comparison. Looks like they got a decent producer to whip things into shape. Here’s hoping the rest of the album holds true. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2olgPmHY-84 Sunn O))) – I hear this is great, need to confirm. The first single was in fact reasonably cool. https://sunn.bandcamp.com/album/life-metal One final tease: Doug has a new record coming, from one of his many projects, which shall remain unidentified until he decides to make the announcement. I have heard it many times on repeat, and it rules hard.
If you wind up falling down the rabbit hole like I have, I highly, highly recommend getting the MyNoise mobile app and unlocking the full library of soundscapes. Costs $10 and you get every sound they add going forward. Pretty incredible for what it is.
In case you missed it above, I want to double down on Ian's casual recommendation for the Heavy Hole Podcast. From the guests to the production value to the fact that Will (of Artificial Brain) clearly does his homework, this is easily my favorite metal pod going. Check it: https://heavyhole.fireside.fm/
This one came a hairs-breadth away from inclusion this month. Definitely rips.
Can confirm that Possessed track slays. Almost made the cut this month, but Ian and I keep leaning towards less deathly things at the moment. Life is weird. Equally ripping: the new one from Nocturnus AD. Hopefully we get around to covering both in April.
I just had a fond flashback to Black Market: Year One, way back in 2013, when we used to get all sorts of comments / complaints from random commentators to the effect of "whyyyyy so much black metal???" This one's for you.
agh, I'm dumb and shared the wrong track for Witherfall. apologies to anyone hoping for the absurd power ballad I described. here she is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_LUai2NYMQ
For anyone looking for Aladdin Sane, it was ranked #6 and appears to have disappeared from the current iteration. Here it is in an earlier incarnation: https://web.archive.org/web/20150310111413/http://www.stereogum.com:80/1291641/david-bowie-albums-from-worst-to-best/franchises/counting-down/attachment/aladdin-sane/
Link fail: https://pyrrhonband.bandcamp.com/album/running-out-of-skin
Agreed re: Spirit Crusher. When I first heard the album, I held out hope it was a cover (like when Doug's band boldly covered Crystal Mountain, and it ruled: https://pyrrhonband.bandcamp.com/album/running-out-of-skin). But nope, nope, nope to lifting the name.
Oof re: Suffo. not so much a fan of that one I wouldn't say I "love" the new Deicide, but I do find them immensely entertaining for all the reasons I choose to make fun of them, plus reasonably solid riffs
For anyone looking for more reasons to listen to Deicide besides my longwinded blurb, I give you this unvarnished gem of an interview from 1996: https://music.avclub.com/the-onion-interviews-glen-benton-of-decide-1798207840
There's certainly been a rediscover, followed by a reevaluation / retcon. I became a BT fan before I liked other death metal purely by chance (and partly because I thought the band name was amazing and absurd). Over the past ten years or so, though, I think a handful of us kept the flame alive through BT appreciation posts (I know I was responsible for a few at Invisible Oranges way back when), some of which picked up steam after they made a few MDF appearances. When they eventually laid the band to rest (after Kiddie Kearns death at a painfully young age), interest in the band more or less exploded, perhaps in part because Memoriam reentered the metal consciousness (and also in part because Memoriam are such a feeble shadow of BT's greatness). Either way, it's good to see them getting some respect after all these years.
Grown-up life sadly conspired to keep me down this month. Also, my house caught fire. (True story) HAD I been able to more fully devote my vital energy to the dark arts, I would have written about the new Varathron (which utterly slays), the new Yob (which is interesting, not perfect, but plenty soothing to old man ears like mine; the first single is kinda butt anyway, so expect a revisit next month), and I would have covered Rocka Rollas (but Ian did a better job than I would have anyway). Whew. Life, man.
Haven't sat down for a direct comparison with the early stuff, but I'm enjoying the new TSH a lot. Definitely worth a spin or three.
The comments section could definitely use a monthly round of "SLAMMINGEST SLAMS, BY DOUG" lest the readers suffer withdrawals.
This is what happens when I repeatedly pester Ian into listening to dumb metal neither of us like. Kind of like feeding a mogwai after midnight. Pretty amazing / infinite hails.
Eh, I couldn't help myself. Behold: BONUS TRACKS Veiled https://veiledblackmetal.bandcamp.com/track/luminous Cool BM from Iron Bonehead, apparently meant to evoke the the untouchable HADES (who later rebranded as Hades Almighty and continued to rule). Good stuff, if not quite as sweet as Hades. Genocide Pact https://genocidepact.bandcamp.com/ Local DC death metal heroes emerge triumphant with a Relapse deal. Definitely a whiff of hardcore underneath the hood, but it serves these guys well. Not mindblowing, still good. Candle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdQGUh16gwA High sweet traditional heavy metal. Evokes King Diamond and Mercyful Fate in a good way, without falling prey to the vocal impersonation attempts you hear from Attic and a few others (who are still good but clearly in the tribute-band zone). Howling Sycamore https://howlingsycamore.bandcamp.com/ Bugeyed prog metal weirdness from the legendary Jason McMaster of Watchtower and Dangerous Toys (yes, that Dangerous Toys), so expect lunatic screechy clean vocals on top of everything. Also featuring dudes from Necrophagist and Ephel Duath, plus some choice guest spots for Bruce Lamont of Yakuza (who brings his trusty sax) and Kevin Hufnagel of Gorguts, Dysrhythmia, and Sabbath Assembly. Nortt https://avantgardemusic.bandcamp.com/album/endeligt Lo-fi black funeral doom from the semi-legendary master of this mostly nonexistent microgenre. Pretty sweet for what it is. Rapture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jobYBzg4SaE Excellent death/thrash from Greece. Highly good riffs. Highly recommendo, yo. Esoctrilihum https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pandaemorthium-forbidden-formulas-to-awaken-the-blind-sovereigns-of-nothingness I, Voidhanger Records describes their catalog as “obscure, unique, and uncompromising” which perfectly describes this one. Technically black/death, but much more experimental, with hints of black industrial stuff like Thorns and a weird approach to death metal riffing and even sporadic bursts of melody. Very cool record that needs and deserves repeated listens. Harms Way https://youtu.be/HfvmoNen3DE?list=PLy8LfIp6j3aJK0TspFvj01hIBkirbN5F2 I shouldn’t like this, but I definitely do. Metallic hardcore with occasional Soulfly-sounding bits alongside some really cool noise rock bits and plenty of beatdown riffs. I’m too much of a metalhead to properly describe hardcore anymore, but I like this one, for whatever reason. I assume they’re popular with younger people. Mammoth Grinder https://mammothgrinder.bandcamp.com/ The art looks like the first Pallbearer; the band sounds like nothing like Pallbearer. Similar to Genocide Pact, this is hardcore-inflected death metal with a decent pogo stomp. Not mindblowing, not bad, I’ll be curious to see if this grows on me. Agrimonia https://agrimoniasl.bandcamp.com/ I didn’t love this quite as much as all the commenters above, but it is definitely very good, and I look forward to spinning it throughout the year. Cutting down to 10 tracks means we miss some very worthy stuff, like this one. Machine Head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYeDJxWvA_I So bad it DEMANDS to be heard. Rob Flynn, apparently not content to be fairly popular off the back of not-terrible records like The Blackening, has fully re-embraced his true love of (money?) nu-metal and horrible rapping, emerging with an album I almost respect for its brazen absurdity. Every song has a chorus resembling Korn or something worse, except for the one track that sounds like horrible Social Distortion That said, I fully respect the anti-redneck sentiment of the entire album, so I dunno, you be the judge. These guys also took to facebook to retaliate against my buddy Jeff’s review in decibel, and that was also funny (as was his initial takedown). Lots to love here, folks. Panphage https://panphage.bandcamp.com/album/jord Apparently the final Panphage album, because apparently it’s hard to keep a one-man band together too. Probably ok, in the end, as there was always an element of sketchiness to this project, despite the high quality of the riffs. Feel free to research further than I have and make an appropriate determination. Eigenlicht https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/self-annihilating-consciousness Tasty black metal and post-whatever stuff mixed with early-Cure-inflected post-punk/gothy guitars, which makes for a fun fusion. Brought to you by I, Voidhanger and Gilead Media, so you know it’ll be interesting at least. Anguish https://anguishdoom.bandcamp.com/album/magna-est-vis-siugnah Tasty doom with some classic Celtic Frost vibes, this one doesn’t hit quite as hard as Mountain or Through the Archdemon’s Head, but we should all listen anyway cuz these guys rule and I’m hoping it’ll grow on us all and make me eat my words. Cianide https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-descent-into-hell Hey look, a Cianide reissue from Dark Descent. Sweet. Classic Chicago death metal. DO IT Primordial https://youtu.be/7qzzOYMng0k?list=PL0A9BC78E7541FC56 Love this band, highly, highly stoked to hear their new material, and almost covered this track but ultimately held off for a more full-band single. This is Primordial in quiet mode, and it’s a clear departure from most of their catalog, which is apparently why they used it as more of an appetizer. Gorgeous guitars, builds up nicely, but doesn’t give you the full-throated Primordial experience I’m dying for over here. Probably kills in the context of the album, though, which I cannot freakin wait to hear. Spectral Lore / Jute Gyte split https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/helian Not my favorite thing from either band, but still fun as hell. SL probably wins this round, with a significantly less melodic take on their usual sound. JG is cool too, but not quite up to what I’ve come to expect from him. Rotting Sky https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/sedation Technically this is a reissue of a record that barely saw the light of day (if I remember its history correctly), but it’s an awesome listen: from the almost always awesome Sentient Ruin Laboratories, Rotting Sky is the solo project from one of the guys from the phenomenal (and much Black Market lauded) Nux Vomica, though it sounds nothing like that band. Lots of droning noise mixed with black metal and something more expansive and awesome. It takes a while to open up, but when it does, it’s pretty magical. Pestilence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brrr5WT8vSA To paraphrase Doug, the new Pestilence sounds like a reasonably accurate simulacrum of old-school Pestilence, which… is kind of sweet? Not mindblowing, and the riffs never rise to Consuming Impulse levels of death metal perfection, but I def get some Testimony of the Ancient vibes, and def fewer gross djent vibes like we briefly saw on Doctrine. All in all, not bad? The Crown https://youtu.be/UTse2M2F3KE?list=PLy8LfIp6j3aKEcg0eVpLX7Jn0N6pPD452 One of the best melodeath bands ever (more indebted to thrash than most, also somewhat less melodic than most) are back with another album that doesn’t quite recapture past glories but still seems plenty fun. New album has insane artwork, at least. Knelt Rote https://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/alterity I remember these guys being a pretty good take on black/death viciousness, and that’s basically what this is too. Thought they broke up loudly, but who knows or cares at this point. Judas Priest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUzcxJNZKC4 Somehow these guys keep going… and this isn’t bad?! Not great or anything, but I thoroughly bobbed my head a few times, which is more than I can say for plenty of late-era JP tunes. Worth a spin before you go back and listen to some classic Priest material. Therion https://youtu.be/VcrZqSv2B-k No, I’m not serious with this. This is perhaps the worst thing I’ve heard in a few years, but it becomes poignantly hilarious when you look at what Therion’s new album actually is: THREE DISCS of terrible new music, clocking in at 3 hours and 3 minutes. Picture manly operatic vocals over terrible pseudo-metal, then multiply by 183 minutes, and just imagine the harm you could inflict on yourself with this. Yes, that’s a challenge. I only made it four songs. Should be up on Spotify next week. DO IT Tribulation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvJQGOFltSk Wyatt almost covered this one this month, just like I almost covered Watain. Personally, I need to hear the whole thing, but I have not been fully enamored with the full-on embrace of the goth rock / post-punk gone trad whatever it is they’re doing, although I really wanted to love each of the singles. Don’t get me wrong: it’s fine, just doesn’t grab hold the way I’ve come to expect from top-tier Trib. H Watain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLs8UjJpvjE However you feel about Watain in 2018, it’s pretty much undeniable this is MUCH, MUCH better than their (terrible) last album. This is actually really good overall, and I probably prefer this to Lawless Darkness or Sworn to the Dark. Pretty raw overall, with a nice mix of black/thrash and some seemingly Metallica-inspired NWOBHM/thrash moments. This came an inch away from coverage in the column. No One Knows What the Dead Think (Discordance Axis) https://www.dropbox.com/s/a91tue0b5klspyr/Autumn%20Flower%20-%20phoneix.mp3?dl=0 Don’t freak out when that link takes you to dropbox – this is a brand new demo from Jon Chang and Rob Marton of Discordance Axis. Sadly Dave Witte is not around to create the full reunion we would have hoped for, but this is still mighy promising, if not fully developed yet. The Clearing Path https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/watershed-between-firmament-and-the-realm-of-hyperborea Practically old by now, this dropped in early December, but it’s worth seeking out. Experimental death metal with fairly long songs, with comments from bandcamp purchasers describing it as “elusive cosmic dissonance,” which sounds right.
Standby for bonus tracks, gang. Prob no writeups due to time constraints, but at a minimum I will dump a list of stuff into a comment at some point in the near future. We picked a helluva month to cut back to 10.
Very sorry to hear that, and also particularly sorry for my callous phrasing.
In case anyone has interest in our individual lists that went into compiling this (aka the raw stuff of dreams), here are my top 15 albums in something resembling the actual order of bestness. Krallice does rule, though, and I should probably find room in here for it somewhere, but such is life 15. Undergang 14. Vacivus 13. Bell Witch 12. Palace of Worms / Ecferus (which clocked in at #41, and I had a blurb all ready to go) 11. Deletere 10. Morbid Angel 9. Sarcasm 8. Rope Sect 7. Necrot 6. Pallbearer 5. Artificial Brain 4. Sabbath Assembly 3. Elder 2. Paradise Lost 1. Locust Leaves
there was a minor contingent among the BM crew (me) arguing Morbid Angel should be #1 for no better reason than why not. I can't in good conscience say it's the best thing that came out in 2017, nor did it top my actual year-end list, but it's probably my lowbrow favorite thing and definitely the one i threw on most often
Fun fact: somewhere I have a promotional copy of the original 1995 "Accident Prone" cassingle, which was a grossly trimmed single edit that chopped the massive "Jawbreaker-part" breakdown and just slammed three choruses back to back, effectively ripping the guts out of the song. Not surprising it got even less traction than "Fireman".
BONUS TRAX: I neglected my blood oath to provide bonus tracks last month, so here’s an extra helping of metal to make up the difference. AKATHARTA — https://akatharta.bandcamp.com/ This month was already weighed down with more death/doom variants than usual, so it’s no surprise we overlooked this one, which is a bit older anyway, but it’s worth a spin if you like your riffs delivered in CRUSHING SLAB form. Weirdly, this is a Kam Lee project… as in the dude that once sang for Death and Massacre. He’s done a lot of random shit in recent years, most of it rather middling, but this one surprisingly rules. Per the bandcamp bio: “AKATHARTA is one of the first ever bands to use actual E.V.P.s (Electronic Voice Phenomena) in our recordings.” Which is kind of hilarious to include as a selling point, akin to saying your preamps were blessed with faerie dust, but I digress. ANTIVERSUM — https://invictusproductions666.bandcamp.com/album/cosmos-comedenti If you’re at all familiar with Invictus Productions, you won’t be entirely surprised by the hellish, gnashing, nihilistic black/death/doom concoction these guys trade in. Still, it goes pretty damn hard. Looking forward to hearing the whole record. ATRIARCH — https://atriarch.bandcamp.com/ The new Atriarch didn’t grab me quite as hard as past releases, but I suspect that’s on me, not the band as the sound hasn’t changed drastically. If anything, the ranting, ritualistic death rock vibes are even stronger, and the doom/sludge stuff is a bit dialed back from the earliest releases, but the overall combination is still rather pleasing to the ear. I’ll revisit this thing soon, hopefully fall in love all over again. ENSEPULCHER — https://bloodharvestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/no-sanctity-in-death-mc Probably the best 7 minute demo cassette I’ve heard. Take your traditional Swedish buzzsaw and apply traditional shitty cassette production, apply that sonic contradiction to short-ass but seriously groovin’ tunes, and you’ve got a recipe for 7 minutes in heaven (or hell, as it were). ENSLAVED — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRlhMyXmTYQ There was a time when I enthusiastically listened to new Enslaved releases. Those days are long gone, but I can’t help but listen to their new shit in the hopes that the lame clean vocals will miraculously vanish, or that the band will suddenly regain command of their meandering recent records and return to the sound of glories past. Sadly, the new single sounds exactly as lame to my ear as all other recent Enslaved records, but hey, taste is subjective and I’m an asshole anyway. If you ride hard for stuff like Vertebrae, Ruun, and Axioma Ethica Odini (ugh, that name), you will probably be happy with their latest. EXHUMED — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh5l9uwGqY0&feature=youtu.be It feels mildly unfair to casually eviscerate Matt Harvey’s seemingly well-intentioned argument above without mentioning his band’s latest single, so consider that (not-entirely-relevant) omission rectified. I’ve seen Exhumed probably 20 times live and they’re consistently incredible; I generally like their records a lot, in part because Harvey actually gives a shit about songcraft, and he’s significantly less dumb than a lot of folks in metal. The new single isn’t the most exciting thing they’ve done, but I’m still plenty pumped for the new album. HALLATAR — https://hallatar.bandcamp.com/ Here’s another flavor of death/doom; seriously, why so much of this stuff all at once? Not complaining, just curious. Hallatar has a pretty depressing backstory you’re welcome to google, but focusing purely on the sonics, this is a new project from the guitarist of Swallow the Sun and Trees of Eternity, with vocals by the singer of Amorphis. It’s a relatively softer variant of death/doom, but I’m enjoying what I’ve heard of the record, and Svart Records has a pretty incredible track record in 2017 thus far, so take that for what it’s worth. THE HAUNTED — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UePeYXK0ISY I keep talking about this record month after month because apparently I have a weird penchant for dated Swedish death/thrash. I can’t even put my finger on why I’m suddenly giving the Haunted a pass for a string of horrendous albums, but I like just about every song on the new one, especially this track. Might be something about the bright, jangly clean guitars they mix over the big chorus riffs. Sounds good, riffs hard, never bogs down, no complaints here. HIGH SPIRITS — https://highspiritsmetal.bandcamp.com/album/escape Do you like High Spirits? If so, this sounds like High Spirits, thus you will like it. For the uninitiated, this is Chris Black’s other band, kind of a semi-jokey retro throwback that’s meant to strike a positive, less staunchly serious than his work with Dawnbringer. He also plays drums for the untouchable power metal band Pharaoh, who might have a new release coming down the pipeline soon, hopefully, per a recent post (unless I dreamt that, which is possible). In the meantime, this is pretty fun for a 4 song EP. MIDNIGHT — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiHr-126ePA&feature=youtu.be For a reminder why Hells Headbangers presents discerning metalheads with such a frustrating moral conundrum, here’s a new track from one of HHB’s premier non-political, decidedly non-nazi bands. Yes, the track is called “Penetratal Ecstasy,” and yes, it’s exactly as good/bad/amazing as that sounds. MONGREL’S CROSS — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_T1HqBqaBo&feature=youtu.be Another HHB highlight: Mongrel’s Cross, a ripping black/thrash band from Australia. The new track doesn’t grab me quite as hard as the last LP did, but I’m still pretty damn eager to hear the new one in full. NECROVOROUS — https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/plains-of-decay Tasty Greek death joint from Dark Descent, featuring members of Sacral Rage (a speed/power metal Black Market favorite from years past), Embrace of Thorns, and others. Seems pretty solid, worthy of the DD seal. PAGAN ALTAR — https://paganaltarofficial.bandcamp.com/ I’m not especially knowledgeable on these guys, who have been around forever and combine NWOBHM, folk, and proto-doom vibes for a mystical heavy metal melange that lots of people love. But I have it on good faith from some of those super fans that this record delivers. Can’t say I’ve actually heard much of it beyond the single, but give it a whirl if it sounds neat. PRIMITIVE MAN — https://primitivemandoom.bandcamp.com/ If you’re looking for something slower and simpler to serve as a nice thematic counterpart to the (absurdly good, highly challenging) new Pyrrhon record, Primitive Man might fit the bill. This is pure nihilistic sludge, painful to listen to, unrelenting and hellish, so yeah, dive on in. SATYRICON — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcBjC7tZkd8 Amazingly, Satyricon were once one of the leading lights of the Norwegian black metal scene. You’d never know that to hear the newest track, which is kind of fun but mostly just hilariously bad. Don’t get me wrong: I like latter-day Satyricon fine, at least on records like Volcano, Now Diabolical, and Age of Nero. But something went seriously wrong on the last s/t record, and I’m not convinced they’ve fixed it on the new one if this track is any indication. Still, it is kinda fun for what it is, which is quasi-black-n-roll that never quite comes together. SEPTICFLESH — https://septicflesh.bandcamp.com/album/codex-omega Early Septic Flesh exists in its own world, morbid and haunting in a way I’ve never heard replicated. They used to play alongside the Hellenic black metal bands (Rotting Christ, Varathron, Necromantia, etc) even though they were doing something different. Since then, they’ve gone through some goth and nü iterations, then come back around to land at a symphonic black/death style all their own (kind of like a weirder-sounding Behemoth, but that’s not exactly accurate). I like the last few records, and this one has promise, too.
Thanks, Darren. The limitations of column space (not to mention those imposed by, like, time and space in the larger sense) always make me feel guilty about leaving out all the awesome stuff that hits my ears in a given month. So many of these bands work incredibly hard to make excellent shit, and so many labels and PR folk work hard to get the stuff to the right ears, it just seems unfair not to try and share it all with the world somehow, even if it's only in a comment posted a few days after the fact. Anyway, I'm glad you guys put these to good use!
Apologies for the bonus tracks delay. It's been one of those weeks/months/years, and unfortunately I don't have time to write about these individually. Regardless, here's the raw list of potentially decent stuff I've encountered in the past month. As in prior months where I don't have time to aggregate links, I recommend searching for bandcamp links first, then YouTube or SoundCloud, and metal archives is a good fallback resource when in doubt. The Haunted Less Art Entrench Progenie Terrestre Pura Temple of Void Solstafir Blood clot Jorn Slow Death Ursinne Goatwhore Perished (reissue) Evil Invaders Septicflesh Limbonic Art Invocation Spells Death Yell Integrity Sannhet Execration Der Weg Einer Freiheit Portrait Atriarch Samael Stallion Gravdal One Master
just a heads up—there will be a short delay on bonus tracks, but I'll try to get something up tonight.
Also see my follow-on version of the same thing, which is thoroughly derivative and decidedly non-definitive, not unlike my interests and life in general. http://www.invisibleoranges.com/leading-a-non-metal-friend-to-the-slaughter/
Correction: the Blind Guardian live thing is actually THREE DISCS. Triple yay. And, uh, I guess you can see that Weregoat cover without clicking through. My apologies.
BONUS TRACKS: Lots and lots and lots to unpack this month. Some incredible stuff, some notable but less good stuff. I can't help myself either way. Enjoy. Vesicant War metal from the land of the kiwi. Excellent riff articulation for this genre, which makes me an instant fan. Beyond the requisite blasting, these guys slow things down for some arpeggiated doom madness and it makes all the difference across an album length slab of black/death insanity like this. Doug is not a fan. - - -https://soundcloud.com/iron-bonehead-productions/vesicant-blood-miller Divine Element This one came really damn close to making the cut this month, but I insisted on doing Mutoid Man instead. Here’s a Greek take on melodeath from Ayloss of Spectral Lore, so you know the guitars are phenomenally pretty. You can hear some of that classic Hellenic splendor in the dorian-mode leads, ala Rotting Christ, Macabre Omen, and their descendants (like Obsequiae). Overall rather excellent. https://divineelement.bandcamp.com/ Walpyrgus What a weird, wonderful record from dudes from similarly excellent trad-ish/doomy bands like Twisted Tower Dire, Daylight Dies, October 31, and While Heaven Wept. The catch is that this isn’t quite metal. More like hard rock with a serious fixation on pop punk, but this thing goes all in on the hooks. https://walpyrgus.bandcamp.com/album/walpyrgus-nights ALSO SEE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdpXtGfyezY&feature=youtu.be Heresiarch Even more kiwi war metal that gives Doug chills of boredom. There’s not a lot to say about this style—these guys basically embody the tank on their album cover. Out on Dark Descent in July. https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/death-ordinance Father Befouled These guys were one of the first bands making Incantation worship a thing about a decade ago; they’re still here doing the dark work. I saw ‘em at MDF and they were solid, but the set really came to life when they busted out some of the new material. This is almost certainly their best album, with much better riffs and “hooks”, if you can call them that. 2 of these guys also play in the death/doom band Encoffination. http://decibelmagazine.com/blog/2017/5/19/track-premiere-father-befouled-desolate-gods Svartsyn Gloriously ripping black metal, as dark as they come. It’s basically one dude, but the sound is pretty goddamn huge. I’ve been listening to this for a few months now and it’s holding up surprisingly well. https://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com/album/in-death Weregoat Viciously thrashing black/death from these Portland perverts. I was shocked that these songs are actually pretty goddamn good. You’ll be shocked when you see the album cover. https://soundcloud.com/iron-bonehead-productions/weregoat-osculum Attic Do you like King Diamond? Good, because this sounds exactly like KD. It’s pretty damn good for what it is, but, you know, it is what it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAuNXL8yDqw Edguy Huh, there’s a new Edguy LP on the horizon and it’s not awful. Part of me (the lame part) liked their last LP for a few minutes, and this might be slightly, slightly better than that one (but it’s no Mandrake or anything). Not a bad take on hard rock-influenced power metal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzjxZ0JBasU Jorn Even MORE goofy trad / heavy metal with the absolute silliest cover art of the year (seek it out and ye shall be rewarded). If you like Striker, this is like a more authentic version of the same style, only with waaaay more epic cheese in the middle (not a bad thing). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8QOk3xLSvg Blind Guardian Apologies if I just got your hopes up for a new album—this is a live track (of one of their best songs, off one of their best albums), but it sounds fantastic with the enthusiastic crowd chants. The band sounds absurdly tight (even if the keyboards are as loud and corny as ever), and now I’m actually excited to buy a damn 2-disc live album, goddamn. And yes, there is a new Demons & Wizards album in the works with Jon Schaffer, which will probably slow down the production of the next BG album, but whatcha gonna do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVg8eP7KPNQ Iced Earth Speaking of Jon Schaffer… I’ve never liked Iced Earth all that much, but there’s a new one. Artwork isn’t bad, so there’s that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_VbMVwVuhw Vallenfyre The new Vallenfyre is… half amazing and half less so, but the amazing half is really damn good. These current Paradise Lost dudes plus ex-My Dying Bride dudes recorded with Kurt Ballou once again, so the production is essentially perfect; it’s just that the fast songs just feel a bit too tossed off, extremely punkish (seriously, it sounds like a heavier Discharge), and slightly odd up against the doom tracks. But the slow songs… it’s like the heaviest possible version of the slowest and heaviest Paradise Lost stuff (off Gothic and Lost Paradise) and it’s as good as anything either band has ever touched. Here’s one of the best tracks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k44yrZy2eUU Broken Hope I have a seriously weird level of affection for these guys. Semi-brutal death, but not quite to the level of the shit Ian and Doug usually write about, which means I can still listen to it without hating myself. I like this quite a bit even in spite of the absurd gore video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRZRRxLxCMM SEE ALSO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJuwGdZVB3E Suffocation I’m only tagging this because they were once an incredible band worthy of the deepest respect. Sadly the new one honks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiSvg6SVZvs Decrepit Birth Not really my style of tech death, but folks loved ‘em at MDF. This one sounds passably hellacious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nILVpu1R5kU Origin Yeah, it’s kinda like every death metal worth a damn decided to drop singles at the same time. I’ve always loved these guys, but I have yet to sit down with the new one. Sounds like… Origin, which is a good enough start. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmhcNVUa8Xs Entrails MORE DEATH, but at least this one’s Swedish. These guys always stride the line between generic Entombed worship and something interesting, but I like em just the same. Solid, reliable, still pretty sharp. They do write choruses better than most of their peers (like that absurd one off the last album: “MURDER… all I need is MURDER”). Good shit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7ppvoeEKK8 God Dethroned And here’s one last plug for the album I’ve been blabbing about forever but never got around to officially covering. I’ve always loved these guys, and their latest fully embraces the Bolt Thrower / Hail of Bullets vibe, filling the void that Memoriam just couldn’t fill earlier this year. Grim melodies abound, with kill riffs strewn like mortar fire, all that good war-inspired stuff you’d want from a band like this. You can stream the full album here. https://goddethroned.bandcamp.com/
Probably tied with Morbid Angel (in my mind) for best set of the fest. I love the records, and I agree with Doug: they were even better than the records.
In before anyone can dispute my claim: Morbid Angel with Steve Tucker, playing exclusively Steve Tucker material and precisely zero Morbid Angel "hits", was the best fucking thing ever.