Monday, December 31, 2012

Misery - Miséricordes (2012)




Genre: Funeral Black Metal
Country: France


Funeral black metal project led by a French musician and poet named Tomas Bél. Misericordes is an interesting offering that eloquently amalgamates the misanthropic qualities of black metal with slow, soul-crushing requiems of funeral doom -- Not to mention. // Both of these are heavily supported by a nil ambient firmament that manages to sustain the melancholic pillars of sorrowful feedback that touch us while listening to the grievous journey that is Tomas' mournful music. Bél's fourth record is a monument of depression and despair that should not be missed by any fan of pensive, introspective music. Lament - In Pain - Absent Minded - Wistful Musical Cemetery.



Sunday, December 30, 2012

Wizard's Top 20 Metal of 2012


I can’t believe 2012 has come and gone already and this is all I have to show for it.  And I’m not about to give you some cliché, end-of-the-year list summary so here it is in all its raw glory. Enjoy!

 1. Inverloch – Dusk/ Subside

 It’s been a fairly disappointing year for doom and death metal, nothing really noteworthy or groundbreaking to really speak of beyond “Sweet throwback, old school sound”.  To say the least, Dusk/ Subside kicked me square in the balls upon its release and it should to you too.  We’re talking about half of the members of dISEMBOWELMENT’s sticking to their murky death/ doom roots and it’s done to perfection with this debut E.P.  Can’t wait for a full length!

 2. Wizard Rifle – Speak Loud Say Nothing

 Dillinger Escape Plan signed to Sumerian Records this year and made bigger news then this debut from math/ sludge/ stoner metals new kings.  Why do I bring up Dillinger Escape Plan?  Because they sound like what Dillinger Escape Plan should sound like without all the filler eccentricities and absolutely abysmal songwriting skill.  Wizard Rifle know how to mathematically hammer it down and write catchy tunes with all the zany fixin’ that even Mike Patton would be proud of (if he wasn’t endorsing that silly DEP band).  The most overlooked album of 2012.    

3. Bosse-de-Nage – III

Words can’t describe how much I loathe most post-black metal and it’s for one obvious reason, none of these bands know how to successfully merge the sound together where I can’t tell the difference between the genres.  Of all the conundrums that have befell me this year, Profound Lore once again escaped the clutches of painting themselves into a corner with a strict doom/ black/ death metal roster (they did this last year by releasing KEN Mode’s metalcore/ noise rock genre definer) and proved why they’re the greatest metal label on the face of this earth by signing this band.  And my word does this band do so much with their raw instrumentation without the use of modern perks in production and tweeking.  Bosse-de-Nage not only blur the lines both genres but do it with such conviction that there might be hope for the genre yet.

4. Nadja & Vampillia – The Primitive World

Nadja’s latest album this year failed in so many ways and it was truly the first time I didn’t enjoy something in their huge catalogue to date.  Vampillia must have done something right to kick Nadja into shape because Nadja sounds like the thunderous, mountain hollowing shoegaze doom of past albums and Vampillia is there to add the enchanting melancholy moments that litter every nook and cranny of this beastly album.  Plus ‘Icelight’ is the best thing to have Nadja’s name on it; a slow moving romp through doom and shoegaze succinctly utilized within its twenty-three minute plus run-time. 

5. Torche – Harmonicraft

Torche is like my comfort metal; you know exactly what you’re getting when you’ve had a taste before.  I for one dove right into their cake and made a mess of myself after I heard the wonderfully catchy Meanderthal.  No band on this earth can write hooks as big as these guys and the term “thunderpop” is like the icing on the cake.  Call me fat for indulging in too much of their irresistible tiny slices of doom encrusted pop, but I don’t care if I wheel around Disney world the rest of my life in a motorized wheel chair.  Torche are an addictive recipe for comforting metal that is neither angry or macho – just fatty Mcfat-fat bliss.   

6. Neurosis – Honor Found in Decay

It goes without saying that if this album doesn’t land on your ‘best of metal’ list, you need to re-evaluate your mentality.  Neurosis haven’t really changed too much besides dropping a bit the of heaviness from Given to the Rising and embarking on a folkier quest into the post-metal unknown.  Steve Von Till and Scott Kelly really open up on some rawer moments too, giving their epic song lengths an almost exposed, vulnerable approach as if they’re baring their souls to a fireside ritual ceremony.  It’s moving to say the least and it’s great to finally have another Neurosis album to absorb for the next five years.       

7. Rahu – The Quest for the Vajra of Shadows

My number one straight-up black metal honour goes to Finland’s Rahu for carrying so many of the genres best qualities on its shoulders without the requisite need to hump the leg of the master.  All five songs are masterfully created here using a variety of genre staples and technique including Bergtatt neo-folk melodies and the droning awesomeness of Arizmenda’s signature tremolo riffs.

 8. Ash Borer – Cold of Ages

 Cascadian black metal isn’t exactly my favourite movement in black metal and it all points to most of these bands incessant need to draw out atmospheric tremolo riffs that would have most people pushing stop midway through songs.  One thing I’ve always loved about Ash Borer is their love of dynamics and while they do drive their atmospheric flurries into their structures, they’ve always managed to rein the song into other territory.  Cold of Ages explores this wonderfully and I find myself loving the doomier passages on here more and more with each listen.  And that production, finally they’ve cleaned it up to show the metal world they have the black metal chops (this is also me calling you a retard if you complained once about this aspect).

9. Tempest – Solace E.P.

Metalcore is an effigy of everything wrong with metal but metallic hardcore still shines through in the underground.  Take for example Canada’s Tempest two track 7” E.P. crushes everything and anything released within the genre this year.  They also manage to do this in less than ten minutes without ever letting up on the chaotic gas pedal that drives through each ear drum.  This is the album Converge should have released this year. 

10. Gojira – L’enfant Sauvage

 I will always have a soft spot for these guys considering they write catchy metal with mammoth sized grooves and captivating melodies that most mainstream metal bands should take note of.  Regardless of how out of place this looks on this list, I for one need a break from kvlt and tr00 bands.

11. Enslaved – RIITIIR

Enslaved hit their masterful stride with Axioma Ethica Odini, a furious and tightly wound progressive black metal masterpiece that pretty much took their ongoing ideas throughout the past six albums to the ultimate peak.  I guess I was left wondering where the band was going next and I was bang on with my predictions.  RIITIIR is a way more dynamic album that embraces their proggier senses while leaving black metal high and dry for the most part.  Some fans will be disappointed by this move seeing as the cohesion of past albums is also left behind but it still feels like Enslaved throughout their glorious wonder years.  A new chapter for Enslaved has been started.
 
12. Flourishing – Intersubjectivity

I’ve been looking forward to this since its announcement and it doesn’t disappoint.  Flourishing is, in my mind, the most unique thing happening to death metal today.  With this E.P., the band is stepping outside their tumbling structured approach and injecting a whole hell of a lot more racket into their already dense sound.  Some fans might be turned off by this but you can never be too overbearing when you play like these guys do.  

13. Dysrhythmia – Test of Submission

I have to be honest, tech metal has no appeal to me whatsoever.  Mechanical instrumentation hurts my ears (unless it’s industrial) and for the most part, wank is just stupid.  It’s like trying to impress that cute girl at school by doing something that everyone else is doing; it ain’t working so you feel you must one up the other guy and begin a machoistic battle to no end.  Test of Submission is the album Dysrhythmia has been wanting to write their entire career.  It sounds natural, it sounds like it was written by people, but mostly, it sounds like a bunch of interesting songs that are indeed songs and not “watch me bench-press this nerd”. 

14. Evoken – Atra Mors

 One of my favourite depressive death doom bands is back after a fairly long wait time between albums and they haven`t lost a step in the process.  My only complaint about this album is the production and clipping methods used in the final product but if you can sink your teeth through this, Evoken`s sound has only become more crushing and claustrophobic over time.  

 15. Atriarch – Ritual of Passing

I would hope as a metal listener, you’ve tuned into Celtic Frost’s Morbid Visions and To Mega Therion a few times.  If you have, you will absolutely love Ritual of Passing, Atriarch’s much anticipated sophomore album after last year’s soul crushing Forever the End.  If you know anything about Celtic Frost’s murky take on black metal and thrash, ignore the thrash part and add in a sledgehammer to the head industrial/ doom mash-up and you can kind of get the picture of what Ritual of Passing comes plowing into your ears as. 

16. Philm – Harmonic

Despite mediocre reviews for this gem, I’m going to put this out there and take heat for it:  THIS IS DAVE LOMBARDO’S MOST INTERESTING PIECE OF MUSIC TO DATE.  Sure, you can lie to yourself and go jerk-off to his influential hyper speed drumming in Slayer or you can be honest and give into his new alt-noise rock project that is signed to Mike Patton’s label Ipecac Records.  I wouldn’t exactly call this “prog” by any stretch but it certainly pushes conventional boundaries with it’s weird guitar effects, weird time signatures, weird sense of dynamics...it’s just plain weird and I love it.

 17. Horrendous – The Chills

I can’t tell you enough how much I love old school Swedish death metal and The Chills click on everything I love about the genre.   But that guitar tone, holy shit it hurts when this band starts shredding away as if they were living in the early 90s again.  Entombed, Dismember, Grave and older At the Gates fans, give this a spin.

18. Dawnbringer – Into the Lair of the Sun God
 
To me, there’s only a handful of bands that can do no wrong playing NWOBHM.  Iron Maiden is just gay and while they’re still the hot-breathed influence of the genre, I never understood the appeal of those horrible falsettos and repetitive, galloping melodic guitar lines.  It’s time for them to step the fuck down.  To these ears, Into the Lair of the Sun God abolishes all of those irritating traits and lets the entire song be its own thing without the proverbial stand-alone vocals and guitars.  Dawnbringer, along with the mighty Slough Feg, own this genre through and through and all you douche bags pinching your Iron Maiden thongs out of your ass crack need to hear this shit. 

19. Shining – Redefining Darkness

Shining have been rather disappointing with their last few releases and it’s either their experimental ventures have failed or that they’ve simply opted for a more straight-forward, alternative lean on their brand of black metal.  Redefining Darkness makes up for lost time and delivers (not quite on all songs but close enough to warrant my top 20).  If you don’t believe me, listen to the depressively satisfying ‘The Ghastly Silence’ and you will see what I mean.  Probably my favourite song by the band and Kvarforth’s best vocal performance of his career.

20. Agalloch – Faustian Echoes

Slow-burner Marrow of the Spirit took its sweet time creeping into my skull with its full-on take of raw black metal and electronic flourishes.  Nevertheless, I went from hate to love instantly with it while some fans are having a harder time digesting their new direction.  Faustian Echoes feels like a cut removed from Marrow and it makes a better E.P. rather than cramming it onto a full length where the potential for this would be lost.  This was a great idea for the band as they most likely needed to channel a bit of excess aggression left over from the Marrow sessions into a nearly twenty-two minute song and leave the gate wide open for their next full length.


Honourable Mentions

1.       Cattle Decapitation – Monolith of Inhumanity
2.       Horseback – Halfblood
3.       Wodensthrone – Curse
4.       Vaura – Selenelion
5.       Addaura – Burning for the Ancient
6.       Abyssal – Denouement
7.       Gaza – No Absolutes in Human Suffering
8.       JK Flesh – Posthuman
9.       Katatonia – Dead End Kings
10.   Lord Mantis – Pervertor
11.   Nachtmystium – Silencing Machine
12.   Swans – The Seer
13.   Krallice – Years Past Matter
14.   Ignivomous – Contragenesis
15.   Author & Punisher – Ursus Americanus
16.   Lurk – Lurk
17.   Samothrace – Reverance to Stone
18.   Wintersun – Time 1
19.   Menace Ruine – Alight in Ashes
20.   Torture Chain – Time is But a Doorway to the Incinerator
21. Pallbearer – Sorrow and Extinction
22. Cornigr – Relics of Inner War


Chthe'ilist - Amechth'ntaas'm'rriachth (2012)


Genre: Death Metal
Country: Canada

I hope I spelled the title right. In any case, this band right here is a promising new act out of the realms of Demilich, Adramelech and Convulse...er...no wait it is actually from Quebec...anyway...it actually holds similarities to all three of those bands, especially the former two vocally (Not to mention Demilich in the ridiculous song titles department). Excited now? Yeah, I thought so. A full length from this band would certainly be interesting and welcomed (at least in my eyes).

Friday, December 21, 2012

Evil Army - Evil Army (2006)




Genre: Thrash/Hardcore
Country: United States

Evil Army is a crossover thrash band from the depths and sludge of Memphis that plays blitzkrieging and razor-sharp crunch with more balls than a marble factory...but not glass balls, those fucking steel ones that hurt like fuck if you throw them at someone...oh yeah...I guess those are called ball-bearings. Whatever, arguing semantics is pointless, fuck you and get this.

Morgoth - Resurrection Absurd/The Eternal Fall ('89 - '90)


Genre: Death Metal
Country: Germany

Morgoth is one of those forgotten bands no one ever really talks about but generally deserves more discussion than they get.  Maybe their problem is that their best material was only on EP's and demos but its not like that's stopped anyone before.  Their riffs and songs had this sort of gloomy tinge to them that's more characteristic of the Finnish scene and that's probably why i like them as much as i do.  Not to mention the vox are like a mixed bag of Chuck Schuldiner, John Tardy, and Martin Van Drunen, which is awesome.  Here's their two best works, the 1989 EP Resurrection Absurd and the 1990 EP The Eternal Fall.  Of the two The Eternal Fall is the better and more unique but they both are essential listens for a promising band that was prematurely killed by the greatest plague death metal ever experienced: groove.

nothing is more metal than tolkien

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Garden of Silence - Behold the Cross / A Kingdom in Ruins (1993)



Genre: Progressive Death/Doom
Country: France

This album is sort of a mindfuck, but in a weird way. However that may sound, I can assure you the result is good. Saw this browsing BreadGodHoard a few weeks ago and I am still a bit perplexed yet awed over it. Think of it like death/doom, with a progressive structure, lots of melodic riffing, a mix of harsh and clean vocals, a really dark atmosphere, a bit of technicality, a hint of thrash, and you have something that may sound a bit close to this. I've really never heard anything quite like it, but this 2-song offering is pretty astounding. The band has long since dissolved, but what it has left behind is one of the more interesting and enjoyable pieces of music I've ever heard.

Download

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Mournful Congregation – The Monad of Creation (2005)



Genre: Funeral Doom
Country: Australia

Subgenres are so addictive for periods of time, especially when you’ve discovered a few jewels within them. As you might have guessed, Funeral Doom has been my passion as of lately and every metal/ doom blog on the net wouldn’t be complete without The Monad of Creation – Mournful Congregation’s debut masterpiece. What I love most about this album (as with the rest of the discography) is that they never draw out anything into extremely tedious passages as they’re always finding new ways to snake into another new idea while bombarding the listener with an ample amount of crushing doom. Whether you enjoy these guys with a song at a time or as a proper album listen, you can’t get much better funeral doom than this. Bonus, you can find their entire back catalogue reissued on 20 Buck Spin for $10 each!

Get or pay up!

Monday, November 19, 2012

Necroven - Worship of Humiliation (2012)


Genre: Death Metal
Country: Spain

Fuck, Spain is putting out some good death metal records lately, this is just another exemplary showing full of macabre musicianship and toilet-bowel growls, and should be high on my death metal album of the year list (along with Ataraxy's latest offering). Fans of Backyard Mortuary's Lure of the Occult, Undergang, Ascended, Krypts, Funebrarum, Blaspherian and such should get on this shit immediately. Damn, I love when I find stuff like this without even meaning to...

Damnation - Rebel Souls (1996)


Genre: Death Metal
Country: Poland

Riffs, riffs and more riffs. They come pouring out of the speaker like the lava on the cover of this album. This is a really overlooked death metal gem from Poland that rips, pillages, sodomizes and shreds and any other synonym of those four words that you could possibly come up with.

Skepticism – Lead and Aether (1998)


Genre: Funeral Doom
Country: Finland

I would like to sincerely thank my good buddy Crysis for allowing me the privilege of adding to the elite ways (haha) of metalling on the internet via blog. As a token of my gratitude, I would like to grace this blog with a pioneer of the funeral doom genre. Recently acquired out of a random find at a nearby record store, I would strongly hold this up as Skepticism’s finest moment of their career. Everything after this is almost equally awesome but there’s something about Lead and Aether that adds more gloom to my doom than knowing that everyone around you is going to die a slow, agonizing death. Whatever your choice is in checking out this amazing bands discography, you can’t go wrong!

For a slow recession to your grave, click here

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Spells and curses and shit




Some guy named Wizard wanted to become a contributor on the blog so I said yes.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Worship - Terranean Wake (2012)


Genre: Funeral Doom
Country: Germany

Can't wait to listen to this thing. Worship is known for playing some seriously monolithic and bottomless funeral doom and if the cover art is any indication, this should be no exception. First full length in five years, give it a listen to see if it's worth the wait.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Weapon - Embers and Revelations (2012)


Genre: Black/Death Metal
Country: Canada

Ah yes, Weapon is back with their third full length. On this release, they infuse even more blackened influences into their veritable recipe of calculated and at times, atmospheric, songwriting. Mid-ranged raspy vocals accent hallowed riffs that also exhibit a strong sense of melody (not the shitty kind, either). To add on to this, a strong rhythm section composed of The Disciple (who has been in multiple black/death metal bands, including playing live with Incantation) and bassist Kha Tumos can be heard pounding away at their instruments to help support the riffage over top.

Download

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Dira Mortis - Euphoric Convulsions (2012)


Genre: Death Metal
Country: Poland

More destructive death metal to drill holes into your ear sockets. Euphoric Convulsions is a trampling offering, whose three actual songs (the rest are creepy noise samples) are full of terrific drumming and repulsive instrumentation that should make any fan of Dead Congregation or Cruciamentum wet themselves with joy. Kind of a shame there isn't more actual death metal on this album, considering what is there slays faces off. They also have an EP that they put out recently that I will look for.

Download

Forsete - Demo (2012)


Genre: Crust/D-Beat/Black Metal
Country: Denmark

I found this little demo fucking around on the internet this morning.  Usually when someone posts their solo project on soundcloud it's like shitty VST distortion guitars and Fruityloops drum tracks, but this is none of the above.  The genre tags pretty much describe exactly what it sounds like, d-beat focused crust with a bit of black metal mixed in there for good measure.  The kicker here is that it's actually really fucking awesome. I was especially surprised at how good the production was, you know considering the track record of Soundcloud solo projects.  You can listen to it and download it from the soundcloud page.

Soundcloud

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Ataraxy - Revelations of the Ethereal (2012)


Genre: Death Metal
Country: Spain

Look at the album art.

LOOK AT IT.

Yeah now if you don't want to download this by now you probably shouldn't be browsing this blog.  But just in case you need some extra enticement, Ataraxy sounds like Asphyx (including Drunen) had a blasphemous lovechild in a graveyard with Incantation's first 2 albums.  Yeah, now you wanna download it don't you.  Thought so.

IN THE ETHEREAL CAVERNS OF ALIEN TOMBS


Saturday, November 3, 2012

Veil - Sombre (2008)



Genre: Depressive Black Metal
Country: United States

As many of you know, depressive black metal really isn't my thing. Sure, I'll listen to Shining (see below this post) or Woods of Desolation, but for the most part the genre really isn't that interesting to me. It might be the fact that the unique screeching vocals the style is known for really aren't to my taste, or that the riffs usually aren't very interesting, but the fact is I've never had the inclination to accumulate large numbers of dsmb albums. Still, though, there is the occasional release that has that special something that catches my attention. With Veil, the vocals are reminiscent of Woods of Desolation while the fuzzy riffing is destitute but definitely melodic in a sort of sorrowful, hopeless way that really helps wrap the atmosphere up quite tightly. Maybe my attitude is changing (I mean how can I say I don't really care for dsbm when the two latest posts on my blog are dsbm) or maybe Veil just have something the others don't.

Download

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Shining - Redefining Darkness (2012)



Genre: Depressive Black Metal
Country: Sweden

Kvarforth is back with another LP to follow up last year's VII: Född Förlorare, an album that is the first in ten years to not have roman numerals in the title. To be honest I had absolutely no idea that this was coming out, but knowing Shining's record this will be quality.

Download

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Aldebaran - Buried Beneath Aeons (2011)



Genre: Doom Metal
Country: United States

Aldebaran is one of the brightest stars in the nighttime sky. It is large, slow, and lumbering, but burns with a radiant luminosity. In a way, Aldebaran's music shares many qualities with its namesake star. They are one of my personal favorite acts in the doom genre, with deep, bellowing growls and massive, celestial movements that serve as riffs. Their 2011 EP Buried Beneath Aeons is a 28-minute lesson in doom metal physics: low velocity and massive.

The incessant motion of the cosmos

Monday, October 22, 2012

Dead River Runs Dry - Winter 2012 (2012)

Genre: Black Metal
Country: Australia

This was an album that was brought to my attention by Byron, a member of the band who emailed me the link back on October 2nd. Yeah I'm a slow bitch at times, what can I say? Anyway, this EP offers up a hearty slab of solid black metal at times incorporating a style similar to Torture Chain and other bands of the like, particularly into the riffage, along with a mixture of burly growls and scratchy rasping on the vocal side of things. Sounds good, right? Find out for yourself.

Bandcamp
Download

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Monomakh - MMXII (2012)


Genre: Blackened Death Metal
Country: Australia

Sup everyone... holy crap, it's been a long time since I've done this. But getting right down to business, what we have here is some pretty fucking awesome blackened death metal from Australia. These past few years The Land Down Under has been serving up some pretty spectacular underground metal, and Monomakh are no exception. If fact, I would go as far to say that MMXII is probably my favorite black/death release this year. This 3 track EP (demo?) is definitely more in the death metal camp, and when it comes to riffs, these guys provide some absolutely crushing ones. They are the perfect mix of in your face brutality and eerie atmosphere something which I think also lends to replay value of this release. I can never listen to this just once, everytime time it gets played, it gets spun at least 3 times. When it comes to fucking awesome extreme metal from 2012, Monomakh is where it is at.


Thursday, October 18, 2012

Darkspace



Genre: Black Metal/Ambient
Country: Switzerland

In the deep void of space, all that can be heard in the vacuum is the swirling, abrasive whir of Darkspace. This Swiss band are about as crushing as a black hole, and are easily one of the most interesting black metal bands in the world, simply because there is no other act quite like them.




Dark Space I




Dark Space II




Dark Space III

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Encoffination - Elegant Funerals for the Unknown Dead (2012)

Genre: Death/Doom Metal
Country: United States

Well here's a grimy little surprise, a brand new five track EP from death/doom stalwarts, Elektrokutioner and Ghoat of other such bands as Father Befouled and Decrepitaph. Everything they have done with this project has been worthwhile listening and this looks to be no different. Prepare yourself to be krvshed.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Backyard Mortuary - Lure of the Occult (2012)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Australia

Septic as fuck old school death metal worship from Australia, and that description alone should have you getting all over this piece of work as fast as possible. This essentially has everything to make the death metal craving in all of us satisfied, in addition to a nasty production job. The vocals here, in particular, are disgusting, by the way.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Genocide Shrines - Devanation Monumentemples (2012)


Genre: Death Metal
Country: India

I've been waiting for a rip of this MCD to surface ever since i heard the first track a little while ago.  India isn't the first place i think of when someone mentions death metal, but this band just might change that.  Devanation Monumentemples is 4 tracks (and a few interludes) of filthy as fuck, cavernous, Shiva worshiping dark death sorcery that's sure to tingle you're balls in all the right places (i apologize to the ladies out there, i'm not sure exactly what death metal tingles for you).

BUY
GET

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Sorcery - Bloodchilling Tales (1991)



Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden

Sorcery really don't get a lot of attention, despite the fact that their 1991 LP Bloodchilling Tales is a riffing, growling piece of earlier Swedish death metal. Everything that makes the Swedish scene noteworthy is here, from putrid riffs to sepulchral vox to the lyrics and album art, which are all about alchemy, satan, death and sorcery (hur hur). It's far from being the most polished release to come out of Sweden but this was recorded in 1991 in what was most likely a basement. So have at it.

brewing potions and hiding corpses with that wizard on the album art

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Black Metal In the Cafeteria


And with that picture, it is my pleasure to welcome our bud TheIndomitableSpirit to the blog. Also known as the founder of the recently deceased blog Pervert the Church, I look forward to his contributions to the web page. Metal on my friend.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Obtained Enslavement



Genre: Black Metal
Country: Norway

So here we have former Gorgoroth vocalist Pest's original band, playing some grim black metal that has a slight symphonic touch that is just enough to create atmosphere but not so much that it ruins everything. Below are their first two LP's - 1994's Centuries of Sorrow and 1997's Witchcraft - to give you a taste of satan's mystic tunes. Centuries of Sorrow is a buzzing whirl of riffs and Pest's screeching vocals while Witchcraft ups the production values and sounds a lot more Norwegian, with trems and blasts and all that jazz all shrouded with themes of wintersorrow and alchemy and all that is necro.



Satan Cries over Norway




Withcraft ov Satan

Odium - The Sad Realm of the Stars (1998)


Genre: Symphonic Black Metal
Country: Norway

I can't believe i forgot about this album.  Luckily i saw it in my library as i was scrolling through, because it definitely deserves to be here.  Symphonic black metal gets a ton of hate in general, and usually rightfully so because most of it is god awful, but there are a few little gems floating around, and this is easily one of the best in the genre.  Think if Emperor, Burzum, and Mayhem all came together to make an album, this is probably what it would sound like.  Fast, meaty but raw, all with that wonderful Norwegian melancholy that made the scene what it was, this album is fucking good.  Even if you hate sympho bm give this a spin, i'm sure you'll find something to like about it.

satan lives in the cosmos

Abigor - Orkblut - The Retaliation (1995)


Genre: Black Metal
Country: Austria

Yeah i know this band is from Austria but they play Norwegian styled black metal better than a lot of the bands from Norway so i think they deserve a spot here today..  This and Nacthymnen are my favorite releases from this band.  Their style of trading off blasting black metal with keyboard interludes pretty frequently actually works well for them and gives rise to some evil black metal that channels the quintessence of satan pretty hard.  Plus Abigor is such a fucking good black metal band name it pisses me off that i can't use it now.

channeling the quintessence of satan through the vast darkened woods at midnight

Ragnarok - Diabolical Age (2000)


Genre:  Black Metal
Country: Norway

All in all i don't really think Ragnarok gets the attention they deserve when it comes to TNBM.  Their first few releases were just ok, and then in 1997 they released Arising Realm, which if you happen to enjoy Symphonic Black Metal is one of the better releases to come from that subgenre.  After that however, they dropped most of the keys and went for a more straightforward approach, which arguably after this album hasn't done them a great service (they're basically a Watain clone now which is dumbfounding because why would you ever want to sound like fucking Watain).  But luckily for us Diabolical Age hits the right spot and plays some kickass true Norwegian black metal for the glory of satan.  Not only that, but it has the best piano piece ever recorded for a black metal album.  Back in my high school years i spent almost a year learning Postludium on piano because it was so fucking good.  Not to mention that album art, fuck that's good.

satan lives in the haunted forests of norway

Taake - Over Bjoergvin Graater Himmerik (2002)



Genre: Black Metal
Country: Norway

Taake is probably the best example of Norwegian black metal post-second wave. They are arguably the riff kings of Norwegian bm and have crafted some of the most enthralling albums to come out of the country since the early 90's. While the quality of Hoest's releases have dipped as of late, Over Bjoergvin is Taake in its prime.

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Mayhem - Live in Leipzig (1993)



Genre: Black Metal
Country: Norway

WHEN IT'S COLD... AND WHEN IT'S DAAAAAAAAAARK, THE FREEZING MOON CAN OBSESS YOU

Probably my favorite black metal live album, and also my favorite Mayhem release.

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Norwegian Black Metal



I'm willing to say that at least 95% of the readers of this blog got into black metal through the musical exports of one country: Norway. Burzum, Satyricon, Mayhem, Gorgoroth, Darkthrone, Immortal, Emperor, Ulver - whoever, really. The fact is that at one point in time we all flew the "True Norwegian Black Metal" flag while we threw up the horns to some buzzing, awfully-produced riffs, laughed along with Immortal's "Call of the Wintermoon" video, or poured over books and articles about what happened in the early 90's that caused this scene to really be something exceptional.

Today there will be posts here of albums you may have heard many times before, and there may be some that you skipped over, but we all know know where it will be from.

Demilich - Nespithe (1993)

Genre: Awesome as Fuck Metal (Or Old School/Technical Death Metal for Genre Nazis)
Country: Finland

Because Hyperion's most recent post reminded me that no self-respecting metal blog should be without this death metal classic on it's index. Seriously if you haven't listened to this shit (In which case, where the hell have you been?), get on it faster than balls...and balls are fast...yeah. And don't complain about the vocals, otherwise I will personally arrive at your house and kick it where the sun don't shine...and you don't want me to kick it where the sun don't shine...

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Saturday, September 29, 2012

Diskord - Dystopics (2012)


Genre: Technical Death Metal / Progressive Death Metal
Country: Norway

First off, Crysis and Shadow will probably see this post and be like "what the fuck Hyperion is posting tech death something is wrong" and they would be right.  Fuck, most of you will probably see the tech death tag and run screaming, but hear me out.  Imagine if Autopsy, Carbonized, Morbus Chron, and Voivod got together and had a 4 way love child.  That, in essence, is what Diskord's newest album sounds like, and as a matter of fact it's pretty damn good.  Pure Autopsy worship riffs are somehow mangled into a twisting mass of discordant song structures all over some meaty and filthy production.  It rules and even if you hate tech death in general like me give it a spin, it's worth it.

coffinwank

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Drug Honkey - Ghost In the Fire (2012)

Genre: Doom/Sludge/Black/Death Metal
Country: United States

Alright this shit is just mentally insane. Putrid, creepy sludge from Chicago, IL that will have you on your knees begging for the light of day to rise over the horizon. It won't, it just won't...

Download Link Removed Upon Request

Friday, September 21, 2012

Putrevore - Macabre Kingdom (2012)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Spain/Sweden

Following the release of their debut album, Morphed from Deadbreath, in 2009, Putrevore has taken it up a step with this monstrosity. Featuring the ever productive Rogga Johansson (Ribspreader, Revolting, The Grotesquery, Paganizer, among others) sending riffage forward in his trademark style and Dave Rotten from Avulsed (who churns out some of the most toilet bowel churning gutturals this side of Craig Pillard and Tommi Sookari from Ascended), this album does not hold back in its assault on the aural cavity. It is crushing, dense and has that tinge of old school production value and fuzz that is always valued among diehard fans. A highly recommended album for anyone looking for solid 2012 death metal, which seems to have been at a relative premium at times.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Odz Manouk / Absum - Rotting Esophagus (2012)


Genre: Black Metal
Country: USA

What this year has been lacking in death metal it sure is making up for in black metal, and you bet your ass the Black Twilight Circle/Rhinocervs/Crepsculo Negro conglomerate are busy putting out a bunch of stuff for us to enjoy.  Probably their best output this year is this little split between the best BTC band and the most underrated BTC band.  The Odz Manouk side is on par with all the other great things they've put out so far, but the shining star of this split of this is Absum's side.  Absum is basically a blackened funeral doom band that do what they do extremely well.  Long, drawn out, mournful melodies over a thick plate of pleasently lo-fi production makes for a fucking good track. If you want some good quality black material from this year look no further than this split, it delivers on all fronts.

Worship Black Twilight

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Lurk - Lurk (2012)



Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Country: Finland

Heavy and brutal sludge/doom from the deepest depths of Finland. Riffs that will smash in your face at a crawling speed and atmosphere the weight of a planet. Hell, they even manage to slide some groove into their riffs that make this seem more than just displaced heaviness. As if there was any reason to not say that the Finns do almost everything better, we have this.

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Thursday, September 6, 2012

Hooded Menace - Effigies of Evil (2012)



Genre: Death Metal
Country: Finland

Are you even ready for the amount of filth this will bring? Are you?

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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Funcunt - Coldeaccol (1991)


Genre: Death/Rock/Metal/Jazz/Pretty Much Everything
Country:  Finland (of course)

I usually can't stand avant-garde metal.  It's mostly pointless theoretical wankery that is neither good nor as intelligent as the bands might think.  Funcunt is 100% absolutely pointless wankery.  There are some death metal riffs and some blasty parts, then some jazz breakdowns with saxophone and some slap bass and i think even in one part the vocalist starts rapping but I'm not totally sure.  Only Finland could produce something as insanely stupid and yet strangely enjoyable as this demo.  Plus they're called Funcunt, which just might be the best band name of all time.  If you are in the mood to listen to anything remotely serious avoid this at all costs.  That being said I think everyone who is into extreme metal in the slightest should give this a listen through at least once. It's worth it.

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Sunday, August 26, 2012

Prevalent Resistance - Eternal Return (2008)



Genre: Black Metal
Country: Finland

Prevalent Resistance play a more straight-up form of black metal, but they play it damn well. Anyone who has heard Dynamics of Creation will know that they may not be the most original band around, but they are very good at what they do. Their riffing is on the melodic side and the vox are great, plus they are Finnish. We all know being Finnish is the most important thing of all.

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