“Rough Musick – Bad Blood” turns out to be a very interesting experiment, for The Tyrant of Manchester’s bold cross pollination of harsh scraping noisescapes and pure, digitally augmented black metal celebrates the free spirit of creating music without ANY restrictions. For this simple fact, I bow to the man behind this project for crushing the lines between noise and BM, but this doesn’t mean that this ambitious full-length is entirely listenable from start to finish. In fact, I’ve found myself enjoying this much more when I listened to the disc in shifts. One or 2 tracks at a time maximum. Any more exposure becomes tiring. Riffs are present beneath the heaving mash of electronics and drum work processed/soaked in distortion, but they tend to wander much like my attention span as I try to force myself deeper into this rather alien sounding body of work. The layers run deep, mainly due to the lo-fi, densely layered sound manipulation only, for the music itself seems rather singular. The drum machine and 1 guitar line stands out, then what appears to be a programmed bass/keyboard line, all draped with the noxious plume of burning electronics and sizzling wires. The songs just tend to drag on, with little direction, other than straight forward/completely linear. There’s little noticeable repetition, or hooks, which contributes to the fact that “Black Blood – Rough Musick” is a challenge to listen to in almost every aspect. Add multiple vocal layers, from random chatter, to pitch singing, to full on black metal screams and you are left with what can be simply described as an impressive art piece. I can be in the mood for high-brow experimentation such as this, and once again, I’m impressed, but I really feel too estranged by the sonic fray of this material to feel so compelled to sit down for a full-length worth of musical abuse. – Marty
Tyrant of Manchester, The – Rough Musick – Bad Blood
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a CommentStarshine – Demo 2005
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a CommentInstrumental black metal… full of diseased guitar lines and agonizing atmosphere dwells on this ambitious and definitely unique/bizarre, 4 song CDr demo from the 2 piece Starshine. Thankfully this project possesses an actual drummer, giving the whole of this material a very organic aura for acidic guitar lines to eat away the listeners sanity and notions about what black metal is “supposed” to be. It has taken me several very tranced out listens to be ok with the fact that there aren’t any vocals on this release, which was initially a big hurdle for me to get over before fully embracing this body of work. U Amtey’s playing style is completely non conventional and his riffs quickly demonstrate that fact as he weaves these vicious guitar rituals that sound as if they arose from the mind of the clinically deranged. Infinitely dissonant and dense guitar lines build an immense amount of tension and just as you think that “this cannot get any thicker or more fucked up”, Amtey somehow introduces gentle harmonies that eventually claw their way out of the writhing pile of coherent, but unnerving distortion, to offer a new avenue of haunting musical deconstruction for us to attempt to wrap our mind around. At first listen, the overall delivery struck me as a Xasthur level of black metal, for the fuzzed out suicidal feelings are certainly at the core of this musical nightmare, but Starshine really prove themselves as being far more tormented and unique in the way they layer this music. Such a completely huge and ugly fucking sound is on display here, yet the bands unique use of melody and layered torment sets them far and away in an elite class of thinking mans black metal, that your average bedroom warrior simply cannot even fathom, let alone hang with creatively. Yes… I will remain steadfast with the opinion that vocals could only make this already menacing project even more so, I still get what they are trying, and have completely accomplished. Even thought this material isn’t something that I’m going to spin daily due to the overwhelming claustrophobic density on display, every time I put on this demo, I’m amazed and disturbed at what I’m hearing and I applaud Starshine for their brave innovation in a genre filled with faceless sheep. – Marty
Web: http://myspace/777starshine
Email: uamtey@gmail.com
Skyforger – Kauja Pie Saules (Re-issue)
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
Not only is this hands down, the best release in Skyforger’s catalog, “Kauja Pie Saules” ranks right up there in my top 10 favorite black/pagan metal releases (along with their stellar “Semigall’s Warchant” demo). It’s that good. Strong songwriting. Harshly delivered and completely unique vocals. Lot’s of folk/traditional instrumentation both on its own, and worked into the dissonant black metal storm of Skyforger’s music. This CD truly has it all and is now made available again thanks to Paragon Records who have released it for the US market. Soaring harmonies are enveloped by a sharp black metal dissonance that seemingly empowers the attack of this material, continuing on in it’s capturing of your appreciation with overly catchy riffs, further made interesting by the inclusion of flutes, acoustic instruments and a flute. Truly advanced for it’s time, “Kauja Pie Saules” has been the monolith in Skyforger’s past… a monument so imposing, it’s hard to emerge from its shadow. As the band continued onward, opting to slightly simplify their songs and even adapt more of an Oi punk/metal aesthetic both in a more shouted vocal delivery and in the more upbeat nature of their compositions, that urgent spirit of old and bold creativity of this debut album has yet to be revisited by the band. I’m hoping they make this realization for their upcoming full-length and find that sense of creative urgency again. “Kaja Pie Saules” is worth every penny invested and precious moment of your time spent on enjoying this opus. Heathen/pagan metal at its best! -Marty
PARAGON RECORDS
Serpent Cult – Trident Nor Fore
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
Where fellow label mates Totem align themselves with the stoner side of doom, Belgium’s Serpent Cult are also female led in the vocal department, but strike out with more of a crushingly heavy death/doom attack. Trident Nor Fire sounds fantastic with an infinite amount of bottom end to fill in all the holes and the music keeps moving along with riff ideas that can be dissonant/tense and building in tempo, only to erode off into a throaty exhale of grooved out doom segments full of hooky movement. Michelle’s vocals are clean pitch singing and offset the distortion effectively. She actually reminds me a lot of Jex from Totem, though modeling her voice more after Messiah from old Candlemass rather than Jex’s Ozzy affinity. The music is engaging and full of life, and by focusing on a more encompassing sound that pulls influences from the death and doom genres has made this MCD a very open minded and mighty listening experience. Close this out with the bands rendition of Uriah Heep’s “Rainbow Demon” and you have a very powerful and eclectic mix of musical exploration. -Marty
I HATE
Secrets of the Moon – Antithesis
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
The amazing amount of progression Germany’s Secrets of the Moon has surmounted is to be celebrated, for this band is really pushing the boundaries of black metal. As they become more creatively aware, I cannot help but notice just how much S.O.T.M. have modeled their modern sound after Satyricon’s last 2 albums… “Now, Diabolical” in particular, for the tight guitar sound, focusing on higher strung riff ideas and even the dry vocal rasp/vocal phrasing heavily points to Satyr worship. Whether this was intentional or not, it’s there. BUT, if you were to stand both bands up next to each other, I’d have to side with Secrets of the Moon, for the overall fullness in their sound and obvious deep connection to the darker side of black metal is more evident. Their songs tend to feel more unfathomable and surprising, where Satyricon still has that ability, and I do like their latest album, the stuff Satyr is writing nowadays has more of a hooky/pop structured affinity. Standing proud on its own merit, “Antithesis” is an amazingly produced album. You can hear the bass guitar. The drums are booming and alive. The guitars are scathingly interesting and tight, but weave a colorful web of layers that are as dense as the whole of this music. Repeated listens open up even more avenues of spellbinding wonder as each song forges down a path that seems foreign to me; because I rarely hear the same musical phrase repeated other than a stray chorus here or there. The thing is…. The outcome is so well considered and just plain right sounding, I don’t care about the linear patterns and focus on remaining fully planted in the maelstrom, eager as to wherever the progressions take me. Vocally, the performance is just as diverse and thought provoking. The screams are completely discernable. The vocal placement is atypical and nearly perfect. Nothing spewing from the mouth of SG (also on guitars) seems out of place or dull and he bends his performance to greet the theatrical twists in the musical progressions. From your expected BM rasp, to spoken segments, shouting, whispers, even the occasional buried pitch chant…. The schizophrenic vocal performance contributes to the multidimensional layers lurking on this album. “Antithesis” has really taken me by surprise and I find myself not being able to separate this disc from my player for at least 3 days after the initial listen. It’s that good. The modernization of black metal… I’m typically filed under the classification of elitist old schooler when it comes to this genre, but honestly, I can get behind a technological revolution so to speak, if all the bands involved sunk even half as much though, passion and expansive creativity into their sound without losing sight of the old days like Secrets of the Moon have. – Marty
THE AJNA OFFENSIVE/LUPUS LOUNGE
Ruins of Beverast, The – Rain Upon the Impure
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
To be honest, I was initially taken aback by the blatant lo-fi nature of this album, especially after coming off the nicely produced and conceptually artistic nature of “Unlock the Shrine”. Once the shock had subsided, the wicked nature of “Rain Upon the Impure” unveiled itself upon a dark and gruesome landscape of uncompromising blackness. The drum sound strikes me as very thin, almost synthetic sounding, but I think it was done that way to allow the very troubled and murky guitar tone to dig in with it’s suffocating presence. I’m a huge fan of Nagelfar (members of that godly German entity went on to pour their blood into this project) but this album has really defined Beverast as a much more open minded and fundamentally evil expression of its member’s sinister creativity. The guitars are so down-tuned and gloomy on here, the sound further pollutes the riff work into an ugly creation that thrives in the shadows and plagues ones dreams. The Ruins of Beverast have elevated themselves onto a lofty plane of horror, similar to that of Blut Aus Nord, yet sound nothing like that band. The guitar riffs moan and churn as if tilling all the things you dread up from the surface of your psyche to so seamlessly flow between inspired tremolo harmonies and emotive/haunted mid-paced progressions that become even more empowered and possessed by this bands expert use of keyboards. The synth lines are ever so subtle and the sounds selected suit the dark nature of this music perfectly. The skillful inclusion of this instrument doesn’t detract your fears away from the guitar lines, rather the synth tones fortify the malevolence within the music to enrich the overall experience. From out of this seemingly impenetrable darkness, the vocalist screams an agonizing tale of dismay through reverb soaked effects… always varying his approach to mirror the nightmare being so beautifully sculpted by the music this band has unleashed. From full on blasting insanity, to quiet moments of music that makes you feel like your being watched, or something is creeping up behind you, the dynamics of “Rain Upon the Impure” are astounding and offer a 3 dimensional sound canvas for The Ruins of Beverast to combine years of their own musical development, with what feels like so many elements from other styles of dark music to arrive at pure artistic creativity. This is quite a feat taking into consideration just how bleak the production is on this album. “Rain Upon the Impure” is one of those albums that you are not going to get after 2 or 3 listens, for the magic of this release is based upon a challenging outpouring of layered sound, meant to fill the listener with woe and maybe even a hint of madness as you stumble into one of the darkest of mental dreamscapes through music, that I have personally experienced in a very long time. Amazing. It is mandatory to listen to this album on headphones. – Marty
VAN
Antique – Book One
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
The disc is divided into two chapters, each of four songs each. Chapter One opens with “Take This Sullen Timber.” It’s a mix of medieval synths, some folky and militaristic bits and a touch of dark wave, some metal influences…. The synths are really cheap sounding and don’t convey a lot of the power that they writing suggests they were going for, particularly in the march portion of the track. Vocally, it begins with a hint of David Tibet and evolves into an almost forced whisper, even though I suspect it’s supposed to be more imposing than that. Lyrically it’s melodramatic and tormented. “A Meadow To Die In” is similar musically in feel, there are numerous changes, but very little depth, each turn in the tracks are quite simplistic. A sneering Gollum-like screech, and effected but clean singing have been added to the vocal buffet. This is pretty much the formula throughout the disc, evolving but fairly linear tracks that incorporate the elements mentioned above, through thin electronics and vocals that with few exceptions are pretty bad. The sense of key and melody is lacking and rather than trying to ape Tibet or Carl McCoy or Death Metal vocalist 243a or whoever else, try finding your own voice and working within what ever strength you have. There are so many vocal approaches here and he just doesn’t have the pipes for it. There’s no liner notes maybe it’s supposed to be characters or something, but whatever the reason it fails. In some ways I hate to rag on Antique because I recognize the time and thought that had to have gone into this release, but it just has a very amateurish feel overall, the music seems to reveal some mistakes, the depth of composition is flat despite all of the different tributaries they take it down, and again the vocals are not engaging in anyway. It maybe be a case of trying to do too much at once. Perhaps after getting this out of their system they will be able to focus a bit more and tighten things up. I don’t know, I applaud the creative effort, but “Book One” just doesn’t work as a whole I don’t think. – Scott
TROSTLOS RECORDS
Richard Ramirez – Uncertain Pleasures
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a CommentApparently this is an old release, but it warrants a review anyway. This is refreshing – a full album of no-bullshit no-beats dirty noise. Other than the album art looking like a Christmas card, Uncertain Pleasures is a convincing opus of aural terror. A staple in the American noise scene, Richard Ramirez has been prolifically creating his brand of japnoise-influenced Texas terror since the 80’s. The best noise mixes control and chaos, and Ramirez is a master of the art. Both repetition and entropy are in full force within Uncertain Pleasures, ensuring that the 61-minute album doesn’t overstay its welcome…. much. The 26-minute track “Syndrome” could have easily warranted a separate release. But then, maybe my attention span is just lacking. Overall, this is a worthwhile listen. Good luck finding it, though. -Christine Lett
DEADLINE
Onslaught – Killing Peace
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
What do you know? Onsalught are back on the market, and they don’t completely suck! For me, “The Force” is the be all, end all Onslaught moment, for they nailed thrash, traditional metal, not to mention a definitely creeped out satanic metal vibrancy all at once, which to this day, stands alone in their brief catalog, not to mention the metal genre in general during the time it was released. Upon breaking up after the failed experiment that was Steve Grimmett (Grim Reaper), I really don’t think anyone cared that Onslaught called it a day. Leaving on such a sour note makes a reformation and actually good return album that much more surprising. “Killing Peace” really doesn’t sound like Onslaught of old, which is surprising since this is the bands original line-up, rather just a solid thrash band sporting a modern production (provided by Sabbat’s Andy Sneap). The thankful absence of blast beats does give the actual material a dated presence, but hey… I’m an old guy that just happens to like the era of metal this band arose from, so I’m completely in tune with what they are doing in 2007, by way of 1986 of course. I believe that a band should stand on the merit of the music they write and NOT the intense speed techniques of their drummer (1349 anyone?), so yes… sans blasting is quickly becoming the music of choice for me. Tight palm muted crunching gives way to some nice dueling harmonies and hook laden turns in the music to give each track a memorable identity. The chorus’ are also catchy, if not completely hokey, which we’ve come to expect from the lost years of thrash lore. Vocally, the singer is sufficiently diverse, being able to croon when the compositions call for a lighter touch, but for most of this album, he maintains a harshly shouted delivery that does remain melodious, almost on the verge of pitch singing… with an attitude of course. The discernable nature of his delivery allows some cheese to surface in the lyrical concepts, “dust to fuckin’ dust” and “Spitting blood in the face of god” inspired a chuckle or 2 to cross my lips. That and the fact that he tends to follow the musical progressions too closely with his vocal patterns, are the only 2 real nit-picky complaints I had with Onslaught’s non spectacular, but quite enjoyable return to making music again. If you like your metal old school, “Killing Peace” will not disappoint. – Marty
CANDLELIGHT
One Master – Forsaking a Dead World
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
One Master have moved away from clinging to the more weighty strands of death metal in their fuzzed out sound, to fully embrace the bitter cold of straight up black metal. Musically, “Forsaking a Dead World” strikes me as a very relaxing trip due to the simple lines in the music and One Master’s knack for writing dissonantly melodic guitar lines centering around the 6/8 time signature. It becomes very easy for the listener to fall deep into the hypnotic buzz of the guitars and the progressions. “Chill of the Grave” and “I, Magus” are both very well written songs that stand out as this bands best work to date due to the emotion and atmosphere on display. In fact I prefer One Master to keep the tempo loping along, for faster tracks like “The Test” and “Unholy Grimness” just feel a bit clunky and forced, although “Master of the Past and Present” digs in with some very twisted riffs that demonstrate this bands obvious love for deeply underground black metal. Other than the thin/sloppy production and equally sloppy playing at times, the only other real setback for this band is the vocals. Sufficiently harsh screams are on display, but Valder does lack the depth and diversity in his pipes needed to really break up this monotonous performance. Plus he’s playing guitar as well, so the vocal lines tend to become a bit predictable, but he gets the job done, being a suitable enough screamer to keep the band moving forward until someone with a more interesting set of hell pipes can step into the position. “Forsaking a Dead World” features some really promising music from a band that is paying their dues as they fight to find themselves. This CD is definitely worth a closer inspection should you feel like seeing what’s up-n-coming in the US black metal scene. – Marty
Web: http://www.one-master.net
Email: One.master@hotmail.com
Necrofog – Wherever our Deaths May Carry Us
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a CommentThe instrumentation found on “Wherever our Deaths May Carry Us” is really Necrofog’s saving grace, for sole proprietor Itay Keren really shouldn’t be singing. His vocals are painfully thin/weak sounding and it doesn’t help that he follows the guitar riffs exactly. I’ve really been bothered by this a lot lately when bands do this… highlight every syllable with the exact chord or beat… you can sit here and fake lip-synch along to the entire album and look like you know the words, because you know that a lyric will fall on every beat. This alone truly kills the depth and skill found in not only Necrofog’s music, but other bands as well that fall victim to their own lack of creative word placement. Having started out this review with the gloves (of metal) on, looking past the feeble vocals, Itay really has a good ear for writing theatrical songs that go in interesting directions. The equally thin production tries to sap away a lot of the power from this material, but the classical guitar, piano and synth accompaniment of the track, “Feral, Ferocious, and Unfettered” alone really points to a deeper understanding of composition and layering, not typically dealt with by your standard bedroom BM warrior. A sawing guitar tone and challenging riff ideas keep Necrofog’s music undeniably black metal in style and even though the synth work does begin to get a touch too flamboyant for my tastes, I would be interested in hearing this ambitious full-length demo re-recorded with the proper gear and most importantly, a different singer. Some obvious promise is on display here, but it is a demo after all and Itay Keren has a lot of work to do in ironing out all the bugs before taking his musical ideas to the next level. – Marty
Web: http://www.myspace.com/necrofog666
Email: e_tie10@yahoo.com
Necrophobic – Hrimthursum
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
I have always liked everything Necrophobic have done, and if they continue on their path of continually releasing solid Swedish death metal albums full of bludgeoning might and soaring guitar harmonies, I’m sure my opinions of this ever-impressive band will remain forever favorable. “Hrimthursum” continues where “Bloodhymns” left off and even though Tobias Sidegard’s vocals seem a bit less potent/deep this time around (not to mention a few moments of pitch singing), and Necrophobic are embracing more theatrical ideas to create a conceptual mental picture (as found on the tribal drumming and cinematic scope of “The Slaughter of Baby Jesus”), the songwriting remains true to this bands 1989 origin. Excellent tempo textures and hook bloated riffs/harmonies are once again the vibrant core of this bands obvious love for old styled death metal and such careful song/vocal arrangements gives “Hrimthursum” a lot of depth and skillful pacing. To continue on with the cinematic vision of this album, female opera background singers, occasional weeping and other tid-bits of artistic flair are positioned throughout this album, co-existing with the undeniably Swedish in composition and delivery, guitar harmonies and musical twists that have become synonymous with the country of Sweden. The talent and bond with excellent death metal is still very much a part of this country and the people that chose to pick up instruments and lash out at the heavens with such skilled and powerful death. Necrophobic have returned with 60 minutes of well-written and entertaining metal sure to instill the feelings of spiritual warfare in the hearts of those that have stood with the band since the beginning, all the while summoning new believers with the destructive and colorful craft found on “Hrimthursum” . – Marty
CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
Are You God? – O Ep Espelho De Carne
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
This is a 5 song MCD, one of which is just a extended sample to open the disc. After that a barrage of hi quality Brazilian Grind bursts forth and shakes you for the remainder. This is well written, energetic and ripe with power. The blasts are furious and well complimented by the gravely screams, slower moments add emotional balance and are dusted with growls. There are a couple more “head bobbing” groove parts as well, but they do seem to try and make the slower riffs useful beyond simply letting the drummer’s eye’s refocus, particularly on “Sentimentos (Help Yourself)”. Sentimentos… The Freshmaker now with aphrodisiac… This is just really solid and well done, and the enthusiasm and drive of the tracks sells the hell out of it. It’s got a raw production that sounds great but still has an edge that too many bands lack these days, and I like the presence of the bass in the mix. Well worth checking out. – Scott
2+2=5 RECORDS
Melechesh – Emissaries
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
With the exacting, machine like precision of new drummer Xul in tow, Melechesh emerge from what seems like a lengthy slumber, with yet another very vibrant strike of Mesopotamian black metal to add to the unfurled scroll that is their impressive catalog. “Emissaries” continues to manifest Middle Eastern time signatures and a very eclectic flow in the percussion/music, just like we’ve experienced on every one of their albums previously. Sumerian themes both lyrically and musically create a unique and cultural vibe for the body of this album to build and destroy with brilliant dynamics. One moment, the Egyptian sounding melodies and the back beat driven percussion inspire visions of a smoke filled palace where a dozen veiled dancers are fervently spinning and gyrating to the beat, only for pummeling blast beats and a turbo death inspired swarm of riff intricacy, hurls this music at the listener in a blinding assault of a sand storm raging across desolate plains the next. A snarled and torn screaming style leads the charge into battle for the majority of this album, but chanted background pitch vocals do step in on occasion for the chorus’ to further demonstrate Melechesh’s heart and musical influence lies in their Israeli home/culture. “Emissaries” is a very well produced and composed album that will appeal to fans of Absu and the like, due to this bands magical intensity and undeniable creative influence since Proscriptor was once a member of this band. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it I say, and Melechesh are simply one of those really good/tight bands that definitely have their own sound and are quite comfortable working within the seemingly open minded confines of said sound. – Marty
OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS
Keep of Kallesin – Armada
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
“Armada” a stunningly technical performance, spoiled by a lackluster vocalist. To me, the MCD “Reclaim” is Keep of Kalessin’s crowning achievement thus far. The songs were memorable. Atilla Cishar, the ever wicked frontman, elevated this firestorm to new heights of ear blazing uniqueness. Frost did what he does best… pushed the envelope of speed and technicality with his calculated precision drumming. K.O.K., post super group, is still an amazing force in the modern black metal world. In fact, remaining original member, Obsidian C (Satyricon touring member), is a virtuoso player to the highest caliber and the riffs he’s created on the tracks “Crown of the Kings” and amazing palm muted speed of “Vengeance Rising” stand alone as some of the most memorable, passionate and just plain killing stuff he’s yet composed. New drummer Vyl seems to be the perfect replacement for Frost, for he plays with a lot of character and can seemingly match Frost’s speed with ease. New vocalist Thebon however when he’s not trying to sound like Ihsahn, he resorts to what can only be considered as borderline hardcore shouting. Sometimes his performance takes on a slightly tuneful pitch quality underneath the shouting style, but it just seems like he lacks the power needed to match the intensity raging beneath his performance. Thebon is by far the weakest link in K.O.K.’s deadly armada. But the music… damn! Blazing with hellfire and wicked turns, Obsidian’s riff work is a stellar union of melody and searing quickness that soars with moments of melodious soloing, twin leads and lofty layering that piles on dimension and artistic flair, enveloped in a blackened thrash shell. In terms of working with actually meaningful musical content and blinding speed, no other band can really touch Keep Of Kalessin. Truly a band that has it all, other than a singer with the necessary hellpipes to accommodate the ferocity needed to continuously ignite this inferno. If Atilla had sang on “Armada”, this could have been one of my favorite albums of all time. As it stands… if you’re a fan of modern black metal, this album will undoubtedly blow you away. I’m just a picky old guy that likes his vocalist a lot more cancerous in the throat region. – Marty
CANDLELIGHT
Jotunspor – Gleipnirs Smeder
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
Featuring ex members of Gorgoroth, King ov Hell and drummer Kvitrafn, Jotunspor is a lesson in murky dungeon black metal that certainly borrows some atmospherics and overall unsettling push from this 2-pieces former band (especially since King ov Hell ended up being a main songwriter for said band). Jotunspor’s connection to Norway’s cult black metal past is evident, but the spirit of this project is deeply entrenched in the stripped down side of the genre, mixed with interesting militaristic BM marches as found on “Ginnungagalder” and other compositions that fall between the metal tracks and find a lot more in common with haunting dark ambient/noise industrial. The overall mix is sufficiently bleak, allowing the simplistic songs to burrow into the desired dark places. A fury of harsh screams and triggered/programmed to the hilt drum textures pile on that abandoned, bleeding and soon to be lifeless sense of desperation. The music is at times successfully hypnotic and even a bit creepy once the distortion gives way to mystical dark ambient passages, but the BM songs tend to fall into a rather 1 dimensional attack that can become boring. As “Gleipnirs Smeder” forged on, I noticed myself appreciating the overall idea of this CD a lot more than the actual content. The production is so non existent and purposely lo-fi, I think it becomes easy to miss out on the finer details and background layers that King ov Hell was undoubtedly attempting to make a bigger part of this album. For next time, more of a full sound and more attention to the actual riff ideas could only help Jotunspor’s cause, for I feel their sound is stable/intact… there just needs to be more interest structurally for this band to make an impact in my daily musical rotation. – Marty
CANDLELIGHT
Incantation – Primordial Domination
•January 3, 2009 • 3 Comments
The only thing that I was able to take away from the experience of spinning this promotional CD was the following.
Do you want more fucking metal? New Incantation “primordial domination” available September 2006 on Ibex Moon Records.
Just in case I was unable to retain that piece of information, it was repeated for me. Eight more times. Like this.
Do you want more fucking metal? New Incantation “primordial domination” available September 2006 on Ibex Moon Records.
Do you want more fucking metal? New Incantation “primordial domination” available September 2006 on Ibex Moon Records.
Do you want more fucking metal? New Incantation “primordial domination” available September 2006 on Ibex Moon Records.
Do you want more fucking metal? New Incantation “primordial domination” available September 2006 on Ibex Moon Records.
Do you want more fucking metal? New Incantation “primordial domination” available September 2006 on Ibex Moon Records.
Do you want more fucking metal? New Incantation “primordial domination” available September 2006 on Ibex Moon Records.
Do you want more fucking metal? New Incantation “primordial domination” available September 2006 on Ibex Moon Records.
Do you want more fucking metal? New Incantation “primordial domination” available September 2006 on Ibex Moon Records.
Nice. – Lance Rogers
IBEX MOON
Hell-Born – Cursed Infernal Steel
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
Hailing from Hell via Poland and rising from the remnants of the bands Behemoth and Damnation comes Hell-Born with “Cursed Infernal Steel” the much anticipated follow up to the outstanding “Legacy of the Nephilim”. Hell-Born is a band that “gets it” as far as metal is concerned. Every note, every growl and every beat spurts and sprays metalized blood across the divine stage. This feat is natural for them though because that is exactly what they have pumping through their veins and they are unafraid to rip them open in order to create such hellish hymns. Rarely are such memorable sing along type songs constructed this slickly, and this crushingly heavy. It took some time for me to adjust to the number of times the chorus is repeated in each song at first, but at the end of the day the overwhelming strength of the material outweighs this minor flaw and so I was able to move past it. This domestic version has vastly different cover art than the European version as well as what appear to be two CD-ROM bonus tracks, so if you were planning on getting the import you may wish to reconsider. If you are into heavy, classy riffs with pounding drums that perfectly complement those riffs performed in a very memorable way than I strongly urge you to give “Cursed Infernal Steel” a serious spin. – Lance Rogers
IBEX MOON
Arkham – Chapter III: The Madness From The Sea
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
This is a four song MCD that pays homage to H.P. Lovecraft in the form of dirgey Dark Metal. “The Call of Cthulhu” opens the disc, with a slow and somewhat droning melodic track that does incorporate bursts of speed once or twice. The riffs are some nice dissonant riffs, and the vocals are graveled rasps with a slightly tormented and exaggerated edge, but are still fairly direct in their approach. “Nemesis 1” uses speed a little more than the previous tracks, but alternates it with mid paced riffs before settling down. The last portion of the track has a more upbeat feel with simple guitar riffs, and elaborate bass lines that weaves a percussive noise element through it. “Dagon” is next and brings the deranged side of the vocals forward a bit more and while mixing some of the releases fastest moments with some slow hooks. It feels like the most wide open track of the bunch with the purest Black Metal influence. It works in some nice slow discord and melody along with some atmospheric samples. “Quelque Chose…” closes the releases out with an almost prog-like intro that turns into ambient textures and creature noises and screams that goes for a couple minutes and then rips into a blasting rage. This turns into some more melodic slow riffs and slightly upbeat mid paced ones. Some of the faster elements on “Chapter III…” sound a bit thin compared to the slower breaks most notably on the first two tracks, and the guitars as a whole almost seem too… crisp. There’s a real sharp quality to the distortion tone that for me is an awkward contrast to the murky nature of the theme. It’s not over produced, just very clean sounding, though does feel more atmospheric on the last two tracks. I wanted to really like this, and I do like it, but it has it holes as well. Arkham are at their best in the slow and dissonant gloomy moments, their blasting breaks are not bad, and then mid paced almost bouncy riffs seem completely out of place. There is a lot of potential here with a little more focus and a little more atmosphere in the production, but it’s still a pretty solid and enjoyable, with the first and third tracks being my favorites. – Scott
BATTLESK’RS
Graven – The Shadows Eternal Call
•January 3, 2009 • Leave a Comment
Traditional black metal to the core, but with a full production AND well written, verse/chorus/verse/chorus dominant material to back up the grimness… The simplistic structures are really the saving grace of this album, because if the songs weren’t there to stick in your head, “The Shadows Eternal Call” would have simply been faceless underground black metal album #666 on the month. Every instrument can be heard clearly and with a gritty power to really sell this material. Having a real drummer is a nice touch, for it keeps Graven out of the juvenile status and proves that they are a project that wants to be recognized on a wider platform when it comes to this genre. Beneath the harsh screams, every cliché known to black metal is discernable…. Ravens, never-ending darkness, hate, misanthrope, the moon, etc, and I’d have to say the cheesiness of Graven’s lyrical concepts are the worst, most predictable element found on this CD. Sure, “The Shadows Eternal Call” is standard black metal, done better in the past by Darkthrone and the like, but I like this CD enough to hang onto it and possibly even explore this bands back catalog further to hear if the quality in the songwriting has been there since the beginning. So if you’re in the mood for a dose of cult stuff, really, Graven never strays far from the rules and does so with style and a deep sound to back it all up. That’s more than I can say for so many other bands in this genre. – Marty
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