Since the first time I experienced, and truly “got” Burzum, I have been lost in its otherworldly void. The classics simply never grow old or fall victim to the strain of countless legions of bands that bled inspiration from Varg Vickernes. Other than several creatively luke warm synth releases, Burzum’s preservation is impressive and unbelievable. Perhaps a safety barrier was achieved due to the fact that this musical entity is often imitated, but never truly copied… a sad fate experienced by bands such as Suffocation and Cannibal Corpse who’s musical output was severely weakened over the years by blind (and accurate) musical idolators. Due to the inherently unique sound and vision Varg possesses and so effortlessly produces time and time again, Burzum remains pure and virtually unscathed by the passage of time and well documented years of hibernation. Such a long hiatus is often the death knell for any highly regarded artist as the allure of fan expectation pulls them back into writing music, and of course an all too common loss of inspiration finds them going though the motions. The day he entered prison, it was like he hit <> on the discman, only to return from where he left off all those years ago. The post prison releases “Belus” and “Fallen” have both been remarkable jewels in the Burzum pantheon of “essential” albums and sit quite comfortably alongside the greatness of “Hvis Lyset Tar Oss” and “Filosofem” respectively. Though his vocal stylings further drifted away from the despondent crying orc shrieks of his youth, the harsh throaty screams as first experienced on the song “Dunkelheit”, are further explored with success and perfectly uphold the melodious din of full chords and smart melodies that are the very trademark of pure Norwegian black metal.
After being thoroughly impressed by the expertly written and performed “Fallen”, I knew in the back of my mind that a change was coming. This was even more evident to me after Varg revisited tracks from the first few albums on the poorly received “From the Depths of Darkness”. Though many found the release pointless, I really connected with his vision for this album. Let’s face it… the source material is already great, why not take it for what it is and see what an older and (hopefully) wiser man can do with something forged in youthful fire. Surprisingly, the outcome was very reminiscent of the originals, other than the slight difference of a more scathing vocal performance. I found it interesting to hear that the years hadn’t changed him, or how he perceived his music. It all had come full circle. Enter “Umskiptar”…
My initial take on the album was poor. I greatly disliked it. Tracks 2-6 felt like out takes from “Fallen” of songs that had sound ideas, but just weren’t quite there yet to make the cut. Tracks 7-11 moved further away from the traditional black metal and Burzum aesthetic finding clean singing/spoken narrative dominating the crawl of this material and song structures that rarely fluctuated from a 2 riff maximum. No drums. No carefully planned ferocity. The songs just sat there, resembling a children’s bedtime story set to minimal music. Fighting through the disappointment, I kept at it in spite of Umskiptar’s seemingly benign persona. Then the switch in my head was turned on. There was enough of that Burzum spark there to keep me interested and about the 4th time through this album, I found myself calmer and more open minded to receive and enjoy the material. The metal tracks still feel almost transitional and a bit uncertain of themselves, but with a crushingly impressive scream in “Aera (Honour)” and crisp dissonance emitting from the predominantly mid paced nature of these songs, the imperfections melted away and I found myself connecting with Burzum again. Revisiting the 2nd half of Umskiptar, the absence of percussion and distortion unlocks what can only be described as a quiet and haunting loneliness. Especially on the excellent and hypnotic “Gullaldr (Golden Age)”. The sound is introspective and bleak. 1 or 2 clean guitar lines. 1 voice. Reverb. Repeat. The depression that has always been a part of Varg’s musical arsenal is still present, but that mystical woodland atmosphere and charm has been purposely avoided on Umskiptar which has definitely angered the general Burzum fanbase. And yes… that is fine. Varg doesn’t owe you anything.
“Umskiptar” is for lack of a better term, “weird”, but still undoubtedly Burzum. Is that good enough? Yes! I respect him for trying something different and presenting it to a demographic of music fans not exactly known for being very open minded.Though I may not grab for this often when I desire the escape from reality that only this musical entity can provide, “Umskiptar” is the perfect companion for a quiet, candle lit room and Norwegian guided meditation. Who knows what stylistic direction Burzum will take at this point, but one thing is for sure, Varg Vickernes isn’t writing this music with your feelings and desires in mind. -Marty
Bylobog Productions
Coffins – March of Despair
•September 30, 2012 • Leave a Comment
Japan’s grotesque sludge merchants Coffins are one of those bands that I’m elated with releasing the same material over and over again. It is a formula that I’m fine with and often find myself in the mood for. They so skillfully take a menacingly heavy death doom framework with predominantly deep and sick vocals, and mix it up with various tempo shifts and a higher register scream. “March of Despair” is their latest and a lengthy EP that may be staunchly set in its filthy ways, but Coffins possess a deft knack for breaking up their unapologetic hammer attack and detuned/on the verge of going out of tune sound canvas that lies thick in the air like blow flies descending on a hog carcass in summer. Powerchords dig like a shovel into sacred ground as on ‘Grotesque Messiah’ for a groove that is suffocatingly evil and dense, only to erode into a traditional doom/stoner, note based plod on the dank track ‘Carpet of Bones’. Every bend in the strings and crushing rhythm yearns for your victimized corpse to be buried and it is this union of concept (sound/lyrical content/tempo) and band name that makes Coffins the total package for those of you who like your death and doom to be dripping with a pungent organic material. Coffins end ‘March of Despair’ with a cover of Death’s “Corpsegrinder”, effortlessly taking this ancient building block of the death metal genre, and making it their own. Sick and entertaining. -Marty
Hammerheart Records
Decline of the I – Inhibitions
•September 30, 2012 • Leave a Comment
Artistic dark visions holding hands with doomy electronic French black metal. “Inhibitions” by Decline of the I is a dissonant affair that drones and bleeds into your consciousness with a thick tone and a subtle arsenal of electronic manipulation that sits comfortably within the bleak, at times Celtic Frost inspired riffs and framework of this album. Created by A.K. who is in many other projects, most notably Vorkreist and Merrimack, “Inhibitions” finds his own being thrown to the wind as he takes the listener into the dank recesses of his creativity. Minimalism is the vehicle for these twisting guitar lines and burnt out throaty screams to possess and hypnotize as the subtle eddies of rhythmic blackness replace thoughts with an empty/glazed over feeling. Each layer seems simplistic yet potent, allowing the pointed nature of the riffs to crawl over the soundwaves, along with interesting moments of synth/sequenced electronic music to meld with the metal side as on “Art or Cancer”. A.K. never goes too far into the electronic world, rather using a feverish mix of both styles to empower the hypnotic pull that makes “Inhibitions” such a peculiar beast. Decline of the I is one of those black metal fueled entities that feed on the depression in themselves and have given it an interesting voice. I can’t say “Inhibitions” will be a dominant force in my weekly playlists, but it did take me on an interesting journey where I got more out of it every time I spun it. This releases is geared towards those of you looking for a heady escape and want to take the time to stew in your own misery. -Marty
Agonia Records
Eye of Solitude – Sui Caedere
•September 30, 2012 • Leave a Comment
Looking for symphonic funeral doom? In the case of Eye Of Solitude, you should be. These Britons bring the sadness and terror in equal measure on their second offering Sui Caedere (‘to kill oneself’). Beginning track ‘Awoken by Crows’ opens expertly with engaging and clear throatwork riding parallel with guitars melancholic and melodious, bookended by keys that fill the rest of the aural space with an unyielding tension. The tempo in this song stays where it should for doom, but Eye Of Solitude aren’t afraid of incorporating, in this aria and others across the album, rolling double-bass between the spans of snare hits. In the closing minutes of ‘Totem of a Pagan Thought’, in fact, there is no ‘span’ at all – blastbeats emerge in a disEMBOWELMENT-nod, but as such aren’t jarring. And the riffs, while never leaving the arena of sorrow they inhabit, are also DM speed at times – unsurprisingly so, as main creative force Daniel Neagoe also helms London-based death metal band Unfathomable Rumination.
But it isn’t until track two that the intent of Sui Caedere is laid bare. In ‘The Haunting’, an ambient, yet menacing piano line signals that which is to come – a lamentation at its finest. Yearning guitar lines beg for mercy that will not be given, synths resign themselves to a fate unavoidable, while Neagoe’s low roar gives false promise:
There’s no one here…
There’s nothing to fear.
But the music tells the truth. No respite will be found amongst these sounds. Death will come.
In funeral doom, outside elements, especially those symphonic in nature, can twist power toward melodrama. No such failings accompany the classical embellishments made here. Eye Of Solitude stirs their cauldron of sound deftly, allowing hints of all its musicians’ technical abilities to be glimpsed but not dwelt upon. Ambient passages, often accompanied by frightening samples, add to the aura without distracting. As mentioned before, occasional death metal trappings materialize – and with little to no preamble – but such riffs always disappear as quickly as they come. The band’s ability to pull in the tropes of disparate genres in such a subtle but successful manner solidifies the release as a whole, and ensures an interesting listen all the way through to the final and aptly-named piece ‘Departure’. Hail to these doom brethren across the pond. Eye Of Solitude are certainly one to watch. -Jim
-Kaotoxin
Father Befouled – Revulsion of Seraphic Grace
•September 30, 2012 • Leave a Comment
No one can deny Incantation’s influence on extreme music. Likewise, no one can discuss Father Befouled without mentioning Incantation, as Father Befouled’s music presents itself as more or less an homage to the Golgotha-beseigers in a way that may – or may not – hinder their songs’ long-term staying power. But now that the obvious comparison/poignancy question has been dealt with, we can get to the grit. This album slays, like any great death metal album should, sharpening and refining that which has come before. From the blast-backed growl of ‘Indulgence of Abhorrent Prophecies’ onward (pun intended? you decide), FB do what their fathers did before them: construct an atmosphere of fear. And when, courtesy of these new DM masters, you find yourself trapped in an abomination’s entrails, you should be afraid. Memorable tremolo-picked riffs, dripping with delectable darkness, mate perfectly with slug-paced doom and guarantee a return to your teenage bedroom, when even before you pushed play on certain records, you knew you were about to listen to something that was just, well … wrong to the outside world. I commend Father Befouled for bringing the anxiety back to these atrophying ears, an anxiety that will carve tracks like ‘Irreverant Ascendancy’ into my battered brain, leaving scars that will remain long after the headphones come off. Revulsion of Seraphic Grace should not be experienced solely that way, however. I recommend getting somewhere, turning out the lights, and scourging yourself and anyone else around you by blaring this fantastic filth through large speakers, as befits the heft of this sound. Further augment this scenario with a tasty beverage and respectful head-nods when appropriate, and you will allow this record’s no-frills, genuine approach to relevant death metal consume you in the way it intends to. When the doom-soaked moan of J. Stubbs’ and D. Gould’s guitars drag you unwillingly toward the finality of ‘Triumvirate of Liturgical Descecration’, you will feel a twinge of sadness as you realize this great record is coming to an end. Thankfully you can just start the record over, hiding in your bedroom in joyous terror until (insert loved one’s name here) comes to reclaim you. -Jim
Dark Descent
Hellvetron – Death Scroll of Seven Hells and Its Infernal Majesties
•September 30, 2012 • Leave a Comment
Rise, alcolyte; rise, and ready your pointed ears for the accursed, belchy roar of Beelzebub. When he begins speaking, blood will course from your canals, but fear not, therein your guidance awaits. Of course, the Voice of Hell never reverberates throughout this particular corridor without the accompaniment of demonically distorted bass and doom-draped guitars, both droning with fearful blackened-tremolo riffs, or staccato drumwork and simple satanic synths. Therefore, it will be this particular take on Black Metal divinations we will utilize to pull you further downward in dark knowledge. Your guides on this differing BM path, Alal’Xhaasztur and X. Szaghulhaza, once hailing from El Paso, TX, have now been summoned below for their new profession: training you, demon-spawn, in the history of the “Qliphothic Tree of Death, (the) Seven Hells, and it’s infernal hierarchy.” Each of their seven tracks will lodge themselves in your skull, and that is as it should be. Now, do not allow the painfully raw production of their offering Death Scroll Of Seven Hells And Its Infernal Majesties to reduce the amount of respect you relinquish to our prosyletizing duo. Too often, scholars of their ilk will oft rely upon the wash of hyperspeed to lull adherents into a state of supplication. But this overused method of instruction can sometimes reduce its malefically-intended educational impact. So count yourself lucky that these pedagogues take a slower – and more terrifically agonizing – route. As with all things, including your own edification today, there are times to run, and times to walk. Here you will walk with glorious fear through persecuting percussion, cold and dank guitarscapes, and gaunt keyboard ornamentations as you are imbued with our Master’s words. And it will be through that drudgery, that-oh-so frozen march, that you will gain a Black enlightenment. Indeed, you may come out the other side of this sonic maelstrom with a far greater understanding of the workings of Hades than you would ever have wanted. Regardless, upon coming to the end of your lesson, I highly recommend you turn right around and walk through this chthonic cave again, as questions will linger long after you receive your infernal infusion. You will want to hear more. Oh, yes, my postulant, you will need to hearmore. -Jim
-Hells Headbangers
Hellwell – Beyond the Boundaries of Sin
•September 30, 2012 • 1 Comment
It seems like I’m always late to arrive at the party, but the last 6 years have found my eyes and ears being awoken to the greatness that is Mark “The Shark” Shelton’s incredible body of work, Manilla Road. I guess the name always made me want to avoid this band, but what a wealth of incredible metal I was missing. This year finds the amazing “Playground of the Damned” spinning endlessly on my turntable and what’s this? Hellwell? Yes! A new band featuring Mr. Shelton along with 2 other players. “Beyond the Boundaries of Sin” sounds a great deal like a new Manilla Road album, other than some of those emotive riffs and gilded metal scales are enveloped by Deep Purple reminiscent organ/keyboard lines. Much like MR, the verses feel so deep and triumphant. The solos are crafted by one of the finest players in the metal realm. The Shark never plays the wrong note and every lead is oozing with soul and passion for the instrument and style of music that has danced beneath his fingers longer than many of you have been alive. Mark’s vocals remain strong and uniquely dark, as his mid-ranged pitch singing style always empowers the riffs they soar above by never following the obvious rhythmic placement, or melody. I guess the main difference between Hellwell and Manilla Road, aside from the keyboards, is the more horror themed lyrics. He can call it whatever he wants… I’m hooked and will fall even further into the boundaries of sin the more I become accustomed to the superior song structures, deep songwriting, and punishingly technical drum performance of Johnny Benson. A damn fine album all the way around! -Marty
Shadow Kingdom Records
Lustre – They Awoke to the Scent of Spring
•September 30, 2012 • Leave a Comment
Ah, Lustre, how I’ve missed those circular-saw-on-anvil vocals, nigh endless progressions and bare, programmed drumwork. Yes, we’ve heard this bent on one-man BM before, but an air of sorrowful Swedish hypnosis infused with an oddly calm atmosphere brings those with ears to hear somewhere new; namely, a place of (prepare yourself) … peace. Extreme metal aficionados, you know what I say can be true. Our love of sounds emanating from the shadows, while always inspiring discomfort in others, can often stifle the demons in our hearts and minds, when said sounds are done with taste and and quiet passion.
You will find ample amounts of both here.
Part I (Lustre’s Nachtzeit has a habit of ‘naming’ songs in such a way) opens with a molten, mid-period Burzum-inspired riff, and you immediately sense you have stepped aboard an aged flatboat on its way down a great and somber river, headed where no god lies. Your only companion: a hooded wicht with a voice of a man both burning and freezing to death. The keyboards on the entirety of They Awoke the Scent of Spring (again, like the sparse riffing, reminiscent of Burzum’s best work in ways) remain unadorned and focused throughout, with haunting melodies anchoring the tracks. One-man dark ambient BM can often bury itself in trying to cram too much intricacy in, but Lustre never gives in to such a temptation. Here, simplicity and clarity are goals both sought and attained. Continuing this paradigm, in place of any distortion, a staccato-picked guitar dominates the soundscape of Part III, and though I at first felt it to be misplaced, repeated listens changed my perspective. While not very ‘black metal’, this quiet choice of tonality remains both brave and resolutely dark. Part IV closes this album with a somber rainfall rumination, whilst back on our flatboat, our terrible companion falls silent, letting the aforementioned shadow sounds bring what comfort they can as we curse -and praise- the cold. -Jim
-Nordvis Produktion
Midnight – Complete and Total Hell
•September 30, 2012 • Leave a Comment
As far back as the ’80s, Venom’s odes to the fairer sex (see Black Metal‘s ‘Teacher’s Pet’) would often foment a motivation in me to hit fast-forward … but not always. Such simplistic and often misogynistic lyrics feel lazily done at the worst of times, but at the best of times, often with beer in-hand, your intelligent mind will cling to the dark motivations that underlie such sonic scrawlings and allow your Id to gleefully grin. And at this place where socially-inscribed mores end and your adolescence resurfaces, and yes, where you allow yourself to snicker at your own animal longings, Midnight will find and ensnare you. These Cleveland OH-based, hooded Satan-sleaze-revivalists unabashedly instill the desire to rock with the Father Of Lies. Their latest, Complete and Total Hell, a comprehensive collection of splits and Eps that comprise the entirety of their pre-2011 output, keeps you chained to the ground beside the speakers with Devil-soaked party hymns, evoking the days of old for some listeners and (hopefully) the present for younger ears. As with the last year’s debut full-length Satanic Royalty, Complete and Total Hell‘s songs wonderfully reek of the like-Venom lyricism and less-like-Venom-than-Mötörhead riffage, and for those who may enjoy chanting ‘Turn Up The Hell’ while slipping an arm around your debauched other-half, this album will make a welcome addition to your Friday night playlist. Some of our higher-minded metal-seekers may scoff at that notion, and if Midnight’s slightly-refined mashup of First Wave BM/punk/rock ‘n roll didn’t grab you the first time these songs made their rounds in the underground, or when Satanic Royalty dropped last year, this re-release of said tracks won’t either. Still, I implore you to have an open-mind with these ‘Endless Slut’-obsessed non-simpletons; we are complex beings, and that complexity can become tiresome. Sometime you just need to yell ‘White Hot Fire’ , or cooperate in the gang-vocalizations of ‘Screams of Blasphemy’, and Midnight gives you the opportunity to do so. Black Metal, in many cases, provides us with the best examples of Metal as both high and dark art, but art isn’t always what you need. Every once in a while, one needs not just a discussion of sin, but the act of it, and Midnight are the act. Complete and Total Hell performs sin just as Satanic Royality invokesits selfishness, and honestly, if you really want to please Mephistopheles, what actions do you think could make him happier? -Jim
-Hells Headbangers
Necrovation – S/T
•September 30, 2012 • 3 Comments
Even though many folks may not have heard of it due to the underground nature of this band, “Breed Deadness Blood” was an excellent debt album from Sweden’s Necrovation. It was a scaly and filth covered neanderthal blast of death the old way, true to the style unearthed by their fellow countrymen and known the world over as a product of Sweden. That was 4 years ago and during this time, it seems the band has been rethinking their approach and striving to do something a bit different and more adventurous. “Necrovation” features a dark, yet far cleaner production which tidy’s up the guitar tone considerably, as well as bringing a dry/uninteresting death growl to the forefront of the mix. Some will like this minor adjustment, but I greatly prefer a murkier sound canvas when it comes to this style of music, especially when being consumed by overdriven guitars and a bloodthirsty onslaught. Make it angry and covered with grime. Infect the riffage with sonic sores! “Necrovation” sounds neutered compared to the debut and with more of a focus on slower material this time out that is obviously reaching toward more heavy metal ideas in the songwriting (ie: the far more complex solos), the end result seems awkward and not that good of a fit for the band. Tracks like “Pulse of Towering Madness” seem to go nowhere and lack any memorable hooks or direction in the song structure enough to keep the listener trained on where the ride is taking them. There’s just a lot going on here… a lot of “parts” to each song. There are some bands that can pull this off and temper their complexity with thoughtful riffs, or strong melodies that stick with the listener. Necrovation have shown that even though they are obviously talented and know what death metal is, writing a song worthy of comprehension eludes them.
Perhaps Necrovation have achieved a level of creativity that I have yet to comprehend and repeated listens will unlock the gates to my inhibitions with this album, but first I need to get to the point where I want to dig in and let that happen. As it stands, there are too many other albums out there that I really want to listen to over this failed experiment. -Marty
Agonia Records
Phobia – Remnants of Filth
•September 30, 2012 • Leave a Comment
Ever notice how you come across somebody once in a while you shouldn’t have fucked with?
That’s me.
Thirty-four seconds into grindcore grandfathers Phobia’s latest, this quote from Grand Torino couldn’t be more appropriate, as Walt Kowalski’s threatening wordsready you for the ear-bleeding onslaught you are about to experience. Grindcore enthusiasts need no introduction to these Orange County stalwarts, Phobia being one of the most important and prolific grind groups for the last twenty-odd years, and even if for some reason they are no longer on your radar, put them back on it right now; all that you love about grindcore checks off the list with this recording: gruff barks, suffering squeals, short songs, left-leaning socio-political statements, and humor (I dare you to not chuckle at the sermon sample preluding ‘Let it Go’). True, nothing new here, but Shane McClanahan’s authentic hardcore interpretation of grind’s tenets serve to rise Phobia, once again, above the fodder. You’ll take no notice upon the fact that founder Shane McClanahan for the first time chose not play guitar on the album, while songs such as ‘Assertion to Demean’ and ‘Dementia Having Overdose’ pummel what’s left of your senses right out of your head. While volcanic-flow riffs and a tiny smackerel of short six-string melody lines break up the blasts now and again for breathing room, make no mistake, this is pure grind, with no song longer than a minute-and-a-half (extra credit: find the super-quick single cowbell hit somewhere on ‘Filthy Fucking Punks’). Not that you’ll really take note of the brevity either, as the aggression spews forth from each track with such intensity you’ll be clamoring for the silent gaps dividing them. Scott Hull’s (Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed) Clorox-clean production serves Phobia well as his work has in the past, with every note unburied and force-fed. Grind honed to a fine edge, Remnants of Filth will demand a long-term lease in your audio player of choice. -Jim
-Hammerheart/Willowtip
Panopticon – Kentucky
•September 30, 2012 • 2 Comments
Home indeed is where the heart is. Even though sole member, Austin Lunn, of the ever prolific and creatively gifted Panopticon may no longer dwell on Kentuckian soil, his soul pines for it’s landscapes, it’s history and people every moment he’s away. “Kentucky” is the latest release in a long line of powerful albums; both musically and in terms of social/political content. It finds Austin taking in all the excellent moments and unique building blocks lurking in his back catalog and fine tuning them to further explore other musical avenues and assimilate them into Panopticon’s already colorful framework.
Having been previously classified as a “bluegrass” black metal album, the word on the street isn’t too far off the mark. Kentucky benefits greatly from a very “Country” sounding form of bluegrass that sits alongside the metal elements on this album without blinking an eye, or sounding out of place. Banjo, fiddle, mandolin, tin whistle, and acoustic guitar create an atmosphere unlike any other you have heard on an album from the BM genre. Even though both styles of music are often separate from each other, when they unite as found on the well written track, “Black Soot and Red Blood”, it feels like the circle is complete. The blue grass gives this album a very honest and human quality with songs like “Which Side are you On” and “Come all ye Coal Miners” offering a true feeling of suffering amidst a backdrop of technical drum work and erie black metal that soars with moving melodies and fierce musicianship. This is further accentuated by Lunn’s pitch singing as he becomes very reminiscent of a young Johnny Cash, before erupting into the throaty caustic screams that ravish the distorted guitars and coiling riff structures. Recorded by Lunn and mixed/mastered by Colin Marston, Kentucky is the best sounding release in Panopticons arsenal. Where the dense nature of this music used to occasionally become obfuscated, every note, beat and scream here can be felt, further allowing the listener to connect deeply with the content and feel the Appalachian atmosphere swirling and enveloping the vocal samples and poignant messages that speak of murder, injustice and struggle in face of true adversity.
Empowered with lyrical content that documents the plight of the downtrodden coal miners of old, with particular focus on their bloody fight for the right of representation of a Union as they combated poor pay and horrible working conditions at the hands of the rich Coal Barons, Kentucky also delves into the slaughter of Native Americans on “Bodies Under the Falls”. I have always respected this musical entity and Lunn for the time and care he puts into the concept of each album and lyrical content. The meaning behind the song is just as, if not more so important than the well considered riffs that give each message a vehicle to inform and guide the listener not only through the album, but to a way of thinking that recognizes there are more important, and yes… “scary” things in the world happening to good people, other than the god vs satan rhetoric infinitely rehashed in the metal community. This, along with the essay from Lunn accompanying every album, documenting what the meaning behind the album and the songs is, further shows Panopticon’s hand and gives us all a glimpse into the soul of it’s creator making it even that much more personal and important.
Kentucky is one of those albums that will stay with you and beg for repeated listens. With an open minded take on a bloated genre and obvious passion for everything that goes into the final product, Austin has indeed created a lot of great music leading to this point, but in so many ways, Kentucky will be one of those special albums people go back to and realize just how pivotal it is/was in kicking US black metal into more interesting realms of musical expression. -Marty
Pagan Flames/Handmade Birds
Pseudogod – Deathwomb Catechesis
•September 30, 2012 • 2 Comments
While it’s impossible for me to not feel disturbed upon hearing of musicians unjustly imprisoned in Russia for engaging in (what should be anywhere) the human right to express defiance, I’m also amazed that particularly Satanic/anti-Christian bands like Pseudogod are still able to (thankfully!) export their wares unmolested. Granted, ours is a peculiar and therefore most-likely-dismissed musical taste for most of the formerly-Soviet public, and yes, Pseudogod haven’t staged an impromptu anti-Putin show next to the altar of a Moscow cathedral, but knowing that at least some artists with an extreme viewpoint can still get their work through the rusted Iron Curtain in the face of such censorship, self-righteousness, and political maneuvering remains a fact to be admired and appreciated. I know, I know; on to the music.
Russia’s Pseudogod bring the blackened death metal the way I like it; more black/less death on the riffs, less black/more death on the drums. What’s more, as explosive and powerful songs such as ‘Malignant Spear’ can be in attack, the clean yet still moldy-warm production keeps the chaos of their latest opus Deathwomb Catechesis capped in an empty liter-of-Coke bottle sewn to your earlobe. Utterly shocked am I at the precision and atmosphere this mix creates; think a lower-toned version of the Inquisition sound from last year’s magnificent Ominous Doctrines … But don’t take that to mean they ape that band or, because I hear a very-slight Craig Pillard influence in the vocals, they sound like Northeastern USDM. Pseudogod’s influences on this album meld together in a subtle manner, where the cumulative effect can be at once mesmerizing and neck-cracking. By creating both kinds of experiences so successfully, this album does what few of its kind can: remain appropriate for any extreme metal mood that possesses you. And while the Pseudogod sound draws blood on this slab o’ Death ‘n Devil in its own way, often with razor-like riffs on one side and black-metal chording on the other, additional inspirations lurking beneath the skin surface just enough to happily harangue you even more, with songs like ‘Saturnalia (The Night Of the Return)’ complimenting an already potent formula with Asphyx-like doom/death structuring. Repeated listens of each song unearths new nuggets of curiosity to be enjoyed, further securing the album a home on my already unwieldy rotation… as it will on yours, if such stylings are to your taste. If they aren’t, listen anyway, if for no other reason than to give yourself the immensely satisfying image of Russian Orthodox Church leaders/Putin-lackies being forced to aurally ingest this expertly crafted work of Beelze-love. -Jim
Hells Headbangers/KVLT
Ramesses – Possessed by the Rise of Magik
•September 30, 2012 • Leave a Comment
Typically I tend to stay away from remix releases, believing an artist’s initial conveyance often remains his or her strongest, while a decision to tweak knobs and re-release an album can, at worst, amount to nothing more than second-guessing. But in the case of Ramesses’ Possessed by the Rise of Magik, remixed by the respected and mighty Justin Broadrick of Godflesh (and of course many, many others), I have chosen to abandon my usual disregard for such. Broadrick’s more distorted, yet still quieter and somehow cleaner take on Ramesses’ blackened-doom opus push the power and the nuance of the guitar notes to the forefront, allowing the drugged-out-Ozzy vocals to claw above and below, but never really through the Sabbath-isms. Adam Richardson’s tormented screech-roars and spoken-word refrains, complimenting Tim Bagshaw’s open-chorded, hauntingly slow black metal wails, prevent you from ever feeling like it’s total Sabbath-time, however. As can be heard on the original version, Ramesses steer their plodding, hellfire-fueled freighter of doom its own way, with music inspired by and for those of a be-deviled, mind-altering persuasion…which should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Bagshaw and drummer Mark Greening’s previous work in fellow UK-residents/-doomsters Electric Wizard, or Richardson’s earlier contributions to Lord of Putrefaction. The psychedelia present in songs such as ‘Sol Novico’ emphasize their past and present, seeping in via repeated tribal rhythyms and low-moaning guitar lines intent on stapling wings to the sides of your mind and forcing it to fly. And Broadrick’s effective mark melds the heavy and atmospheric passages more effectively than last year’s thicker, ‘louder’ production, utilizing overdriven, almost line-clipping distortion-auras, which add substantial heft to Ramesses’ subtle nods to Joy Division-esque gothicisms (like those found in closer/title-track ‘Possessed by the Rise of Magik’). All of these elements work as one churning, molten mass that needs to find its way onto your record player, and soon: only a thousand copies are to be pressed (800 black/200 clear red vinyl). If you missed this the first time around, or are curious to hear what the man behind Jesu/Napalm Death/ad infinitum can do with doom, this album is a must. -Jim
Ritual Productions
Waylander – Kindred Spirits
•September 30, 2012 • Leave a Comment
Pagan metal by way of Kreator? Huh. Strange bedfellows indeed. “Echoes of the Sidhe” fires off “Kindred Spirits” with its uptempo push and riffwork that centers around a palm muted, thrashy crunch. The Kreatorisms seep out of this delivery effortlessly/obviously and are further driven home by a vocal style that bares similarities to Drudkh meets Mille Petrozza mid ranged snarl with body. Add flute melodies to this union for a strange plot twist that somehow works. It doesn’t necessarily feel right, but its inclusion doesn’t detract from the song. “Lamh Dearg” thankfully finds Waylander stepping away from the obvious love of German thrash found lurking in their songwriting, to embrace more… for lack of a better made up word, “Pagany” stylistic traits like acoustic guitar, alternate percussion choices and more of a predominant, clunky sounding bass guitar. The tempo meter conforms as well between ¾ and 4/4 with a lot of swing for that light hearted sonic dance often found in the Pagan/folk metal genre. The flow in these songs begins to accent the more memorable hooks in Waylander’s songwriting. I do like the fact that the vocalist mostly sticks to his screamed vocal harshness. When it comes to this genre, “off” sounding pitch singing tends to be the norm and can be mostly responsible for the light hearted silliness that can all too quickly infect folk spun pagan black metal. Thankfully, Waylander never crosses the point of no return and keep their music influenced by thrash and blackened metal rather than take it all too far into the folk side of things.
With a 20 year anniversary looming on Waylander’s horizon, the years these guys have been sipping on the old ale horn has earned them a noticeable sense of professionalism, but the stylistic oddities found on “Kindred Spirits” could obscure peoples perception on where exactly this band resides most comfortably. Perhaps it’s too heavy for those into the folk side of metal, and a little too reliant on the flute and musically predictable for the black metal crowd to get excited about. “Kindred Spirits” is in no way a bad album, but it unfortunately lacks that essential and inspired fire that needs to be burning at the core of your guts when writing and performing for a new album. By the time the overbearing gang yells found on “Erdath” diminish and even more Kreator styled riffs surface again, I realize that in spite of it’s initial charm, the likelihood of me ever spinning this album again is slim. Probably not a good sign. -Marty
Listenable Records
Playlist 11/23/10 Marty Rytkonen
•November 23, 2010 • Leave a CommentAn eternally long delay this time. Life gets busy… especially when a child is born. Our son Parker is 7 months old now and kicking ass and as we continue to establish a routine, the reviews and eventual interviews will finally begin trickling back on this site. Thanks to all of you who keep checking and have been supporting Worm Gear since 1995. It is greatly appreciated.
Playlist:
Arcturus -Sideshow Symphony
Weapon – From the Devil’s Tomb
Zuul – Out of Time
Internment – WHere Death Will Increase 1991-1994
Wardruna – Runaljod – Gap Var Ginnunga
Skinny Puppy – Bites and Remission
Jumalhamara – Resignaatio
Grave – Into the Grave
Triptykon – Shatter EP
Forbidden – The Omega Wave
Megadeth – Rust in Peace Live DVD
Adversarial – All Idols Fall Before the Hammer
•November 23, 2010 • Leave a Comment
Did Adversarial’s drummer sneak into the studio at night and remix this album? The snare drum steps all over what sounds like some very deadly and technically charged death metal writhing within a pleasingly evil and old school atmosphere. The drum mix itself is all snare and toms. The kick drums are just as lost as the guitars and vocals. What seems like a solid and gutturally sick vocal performance, rarely do the screams peak through the suffocating hold the snare has on this release. In fact, it’s painful to listen to on headphones. What I can discern from the few riffs that surface in the rhythmic blunder that is the production of All Idols Fall Before the Hammer, the songwriting perfectly walks the line between malevolently dissonant riff ideas that snake through sinister atmosphere, before scorching the world with perplexing technicality. All this and Adversarial seem to not lose sight of memorable songwriting. The cover art and title of this release, along with the music herein strikes me as really good with a lot of potential to rank right up there as one of the few releases that embraces the ancient ways of death, AND the slicker teched out insanity of modern death metal that I actually like. Slower tracks like “In a Night of Endless Pain, War came to Flood his Heart” expertly build with intensity and excitement, while the slower tempo and less drumwork actually allows the listener to hear the music. In this respect, Adversarial teases us with what could have been and makes me eager to hear what they can accomplish in a proper studio. Just as long as they maintain that evil atmosphere… that’s all I ask. SO much potential here… pissed away on a crap mix.
Dark Descent
Denouncement Pyre – World Cremation
•November 23, 2010 • Leave a Comment
Featuring the attitude and vigorous blackened death antagonism worthy of their Australian homeland, Denouncement Pyre strike with their first full-length since their inception 6 years ago. EPs and split releases litter their wake, but it seems this building and sculpting their sound has strengthened the output found on “World Cremation”. 8 tracks of poison tongued and expertly paced music pulses with potent riff work and dignified song structures that keep the listener interested and on edge due to the tension in the attack. Decaylust’s (Also in Hunter’s Moon and Nocturnal Graves) vocals are a breathy and harsh hiss that injects the sickness into this other wise tight and smooth production. It’s almost surprising at how clean this album sounds, rather the grit and barbarity making its presence felt in the actual compositions and intensity in the performance. With well executed tempo changes fueling memorable and simplistic riffs that envelop a death metal edge with blackened thrash nuances, “World Cremation” stands as a genre spanning entity with an overall feel that is indicative of the Australian sound. Moments of this bare resemblance to Destroyer 666 in the verse riffs and firey attitude of tracks like “Purification” and “Engulfed Temples”. Some very anthemic and stately movement can be found on this release and the overall vibe begs for repeat listens. Be sure to check out Decaylust’s other band Hunters Moon for you’ll witness just as much conviction and well written music to immerse yourself in.
Hells Headbangers
Fir Bolg – Paganism
•November 23, 2010 • Leave a Comment
As we await the release of France’s Fir Bolg’s debut full-length for Schwarzdorn, the label has re-released this one man projects “Paganism” demo as an MCD. This is no frills black metal with obvious Scandinavian qualities and a very simplistic songwriting style that centers around very memorable riffs and powerful movement in the tempos for each song. Nothing on display here is new or necessarily that surprising, but it all somehow works well and clicks perfectly for me. In fact, I wish this was a full-length, for sole member Dagoth is a skilled performer with a unique screaming style that is coherent with often interesting lyrical phrasing. Acoustic guitars and subtle synth lines offer an effective “times of old” quality, and for a demo, the production is quite warm sounding which keeps the vibe of this material airy and full of life. I often slam on bands that do little to stay off the path cleaved by countless bands before them, mainly because it is easy to become bored of the same old mindless rehashing of Burzum and Darkthrone characteristics. Again, Fir Bolg may be wandering around on said path, but creates enough interest in sound and songwriting body to make me take notice and applaud such a nice blend of traditional black and pagan metal genres.
Schwarzdorn Productions
Godless Rising – Trumpet of Triumph
•November 23, 2010 • Leave a Comment
I have been out of the loop with excellent vocalist Jeff Gruslin since the Vital Remains days of old, but he’s still belting out the blasphemy with Godless Rising. “Trumpet of Triumph” is this 2 man projects 3rd full-length and it once again features the excellent songwriting skills of one Toby Knapp, who used to be in the sadly overlooked 2 man band, Darken. Toby’s influences obviously range in the Morbid Angel and Vital Remains realm of tastefully melodic when it needs to be, and brutal when the hammer has to come down style of songwriting. Built on ultra melodic layers where melodic riffs roam between soaring lead riffs, to more dense moments of technical aggression, “Trumpet of Triumph” is filled with memorable songs that beg for total immersion once they sink in. Even the inclusion of a drum machine/computer doesn’t hinder this material due to the care placed in programming lifelike patterns and the fact that the guitar work is powerful enough to overcome any moments of sterility that could potentially be offered by the drums. Gruslin’s vocals are also the perfect fit to Toby’s deathly exploration, for the man can still dig deep into guttural lows, and effortlessly praise the sacrilegious with his throaty higher register screams. Even though his performance may stick out a bit too much in the overall mix, and the overall recording of this album could use a touch of reverb to create a bit of atmosphere, “Trumpet of Triumph” is a well done slab of satanic death metal that fearlessly upholds the old school with powerful and destructive songsmithing.
Moribund Records
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