Macabre – ‘Carnival Of Killers’ (Nuclear Blast)
2020 may have been the worst year most of us have lived through but it has delivered some of the best music in decades. Not only that but a number of re-activated bands have released incredible albums; Benediction, Sons Of Otis, Blood From The Soul (more on these later!) the list goes on. Even though their last album was only 5 years ago, Illinois’ favorite serial killers Macabre are back with a serious contender for album of the year. It is with joy in my twisted heart that I present the latest disturbing (and still as humorous as ever) album from these living legends, ‘Carnival Of Killers’ is one of the heaviest albums the still original trio have made, not only aurally but the lyrics once again trawl the history of killers for the most sadistic ones and turn them into almost thrash nursery rhymes! Macabre have always had a gloriously twisted sense of humor and once again it is no different, the likes of ‘The Wheels On The Bug’ (about Ted Bundy) and the old classic ‘Them Dry Bones’ are hilarious and ferocious, ripping your face off with their sharp wit and sharper thrash attack. Corporate Death is on top form unleashing hyper-speed thrashing riffs and squealing solo’s as he shrieks his way through those wonderfully disturbing lyrics. Nefarious and Dennis The Menace are their usual insane selves, laying down the eclectic and furious rhythms with fabulously over-the-top results. ‘Carnival Of Killers’ is a damn fine album that ranks up there with their past glory’s, its an album that goes without saying you should own. Now!
Ilsa – ‘Preyer’ (Relapse Records)
Following on from last album ‘Corpse Fortress’, Washington D.C. sludge crew Ilsa return with a new album even more intense than before, more angry, more of everything that makes Ilsa so damn good. Each release ups the ante and that trend continues here as ‘Preyer’ is a monstrous album full of the most intense, suffocating sludge known to mankind, the likes of ‘Scavengers’ and ‘Poor Devil’ show this as they simply crush the life out of you. It helps immensely you have 3 guitarists combining to create a huge wall of down-tuned bludgeon, wreaking havoc and destruction as they plow over you, not even mentioning Sharad’s bulldozer bass rumble! But its the intense vocals of Orion that gives Ilsa an edge over others, he bellows, shrieks and screams ferociously with a touch of Thou’s Bryan Funck about his brutal vocals as he unleashes one tirade after another to devastating effect. The usual suspects are influences for Ilsa, Eyehategod, Thou but there are touches of Vallenfyre about the likes of ‘Widdershins’, giving the extreme sludge a darker, crusty aura of sheer dread. Ilsa’s 6th album is a glorious display of hardcore sludge depravity and its one I urge you all to experience.
Horna – ‘Kuoleman Kirjo’ (World Terror Committee)
One of the most well known underground black metal bands still alive Horna formed just at the tail end of the 2nd wave, making them one of the first post-Varg/Euronymous outfits to carry on that early raw sound. After quite a few years and many releases the Finnish horde keep going from strength to strength, culminating with this sheer masterpiece of black metal purity, its triumphant call to arms is breath taking in the extreme, as you experience the pure majesty of ‘Sydankuoro’ with its beautifully ugly atmosphere and a Sargeist-meets-Darkthrone rumble that truly makes you want to join Horna’s army. Spellgoth puts in a performance that rivals any black metal vocalist, he spits his tirades venomously as Shatraug and Infection hack and slash at your feeble body with precise tremolo abuse. Then you have the thunderous bottom-end provided by LRH and UnoM that slams into your stomach so hard your almost sick as it steamrollers over you with impunity and glee. When the band really let loose, as on the furious ‘Mustat Vuodet’, they simply crush with a ferocity seldom seen since the height of the 2nd wave, the blast-beats smashing into you like bolts of black lightening as the band lock into a seriously dark groove. Seeing as the band are on their tenth studio album you would expect a certain level of quality above younger outfits and that is what you get with ‘Kuoleman Kirjo’, an album that is ferocious beyond belief but also contains a dark groove to latch on to. Truly spectacular from the veteran band.
Cloud Cruiser – ‘I: Capacity’ (Shuga Records)
Fuck me, this certainly grabs your attention as ‘Transmission’ kicks off the raucous stoner grunge barrage, slamming into you with a huge wall of desert rock-inspired noise. This is quickly followed by the immense ‘Glow’ that has a gorgeously intense groove, Ryan Ristucci and Brett Crawford’s distorted guitars peel off massive riffs of pure discordance while drummer Greg Godar hammers the hefty beat superbly, really driving these monstrous songs on. Add to this some glorious bass runs from Tim Ramirez and you have a sound that takes ‘Bleach’-era Nirvana, gets it higher than its ever been with the desert rock of early Kyuss and lets it loose on the world. To spectacular results I might add. The dual vocals of Ramirez and Ristucci gives the likes of ‘575’ a spaced-out aura, kind of like Monster Magnet when they were good, ending up with a contagious whole that engulfs you in wave after wave of spaced-out desert rock. For a short mini album ‘I: Capacity’ delivers a massive amount of groove, enough to make you want to hear more of their gloriously reckless stoner rock, plus the copy I have adds two live tracks on the end and both simply crush, sounding even more unhinged than the studio versions (especially the live rendition of ‘Gone’). A damn fine rock and roll party!
Blood From The Soul – ‘DSM-5’ (Deathwish)
And yet another outfit that has reformed and put out brand spanking new material long after everyone had thought they had been put to rest, albeit with a full line up this time. Back in the 1990’s Blood From The Soul released a very interesting album entitled ‘To Spite The Gland That Breeds’, featuring Shane Embury and Sick Of It All’s Lou Koller. It was a perplexing album of industrial rhythms dripping with a hardcore attitude, only a few people understood it and nothing more was said or heard. Now many years later Embury has re-activated the project with some rather famous names involved; Jacob Bannon, Dirk Verbuten and Jesper Liverod all add so much to Blood From The Soul’s hardcore industrialisms. Verbuten especially puts in a stellar performance, driving the likes of ‘Terminal Truth’ on at a gloriously punked-up pace, almost eclipsing his work on Brave The Cold’s debut. Bannon is his usual coruscating self, spitting his fury out with unbridled anger as Embury and Liverod lock into some wonderfully harsh musical sections combined with intense beat-downs of massive proportions. The main protagonists main bands (Napalm Death and Converge) sometimes bleed through but that is to be expected, adding a touch of familiarity to the harsh barrage Blood From The Soul have created here. A fabulous return for a very underrated outfit, ‘DSM-5’ is a glorious rant perfectly timed to be the soundtrack to the end of existence.
Akhlys – ‘Melinoe’ (Debemur Morti Productions)
Holy fuck! This completely blows you away as soon as the needle drops! The fury that explodes forth is palpable almost reaching out and grabbing you, forcing you to pay full attention as what is coming needs your complete attention. ‘Somniloquy’ hammers out and literally slams you hard in a sort of Deathspell Omega-meets-The Ruins Of Beverast fury, Naas Alcameth laying waste to civilization with a harsh guitar attack as his vicious vocals spew their black bile in your worthless face, all the while Eoghan batters your nearly lifeless body to pulp with some of the fastest, most ferocious drumming this year. He is simply a monster behind the kit. The sheer darkness is tempered by some Darkspace-esque blackened industrial noise and synth work the likes of In Slaughter Natives, or half of the outfits on the Cold Meat Industry label, would be proud of, unsettling in the extreme before the next bout of savagery rips your face off. Alcameth has composed a black metal masterpiece with ‘Melinoe’, its an album that has a real fury seldom seen these days, add to this a disorientating atmosphere that rivals any of their peers and you have an album that is very close to being complete. If you think you are a true black metal Kvultist and do not have this, or their previous 2 albums, you seriously need to rectify it immediately. ‘Melinoe’ might well be the black metal album of the year.
Draconian – ‘Under A Godless Veil’ (Napalm Records)
One of the leading lights in gothic doom metal Draconian always delivered the miserable goods, even if they seemed to be in the 2nd division which was a travesty in my opinion! Their lush and emotive music transcends mere genre tags, Draconian’s majestic epics unfold in their own unique ways of combining gorgeous gothic tones with bone-crushing heaviness, without compromising either. ‘Sorrow Of Sophia’ opens this dramatic album in a spectacular fashion, crashing harsh rhythms embrace with Heike Langhans ethereal whispers to form a beautiful juxtaposition between the disparate styles. But when Anders Jacobsson adds his death metal growl to proceedings things get extremely dark. An almost Swallow The Sun misery descends and what hope was left disappears as ‘Sleepwalkers’ entrances you completely, Jacobsson and Langhans combining spectacularly. After a 5 year wait we finally get the new Draconian album, an album that astounds with its gothic doom metal done almost to perfection. If you crave some darkness tinged with light and an emotional roller coaster, then you could do a lot worse than this gorgeously intense album.
Audn – ‘Vokudraumsins Fangi’ (Season Of Mist)
The atmospheric black metal of Audn has been enthralling since their debut self-titled album in 2014, with this 3rd effort the band have come of age spectacularly. The foreboding atmosphere has been ramped up, so has the gorgeous post-black metal aura that continues to amaze and mesmerize as they truly take control, listen to the title track as its distressing vibe is there to see, hear and feel. Experience the distraught guitars force their way directly into your heart, infecting it to the point you weep uncontrollably. Add to this beautifully ugly maelstrom Hjalti Sveinsson’s equally distraught shrieks and your left with a massive album of the blackest of atmospheric metal, an album that delivers on all fronts. That triple guitar attack is on another level, it sweeps you clean off your feet and proceeds to hammer you with a harsh-edged wall of guitars while also unleashing luscious solo runs of pure beauty. Its not surprising that Audn’s fury is not that dissimilar to Dynfari’s, seeing as 3 of the 6 members were in that underrated band at some point, but there are also touches of Mispyrming’s glorious vastness and atmospheres giving Audn a beautiful quality rarely seen in this particular style of black metal. ‘Vorkudraumsins Fangi’ is a superb album full of harshness and beauty entangled in a furious wonder. Magnificent.
Solstafir – ‘Endless Twilight Of Codependent Love’ (Season Of Mist)
The sumptuous Solstafir return with yet another album of windswept Icelandic post-metal of the grandest order. This 7th album does take a few spins to truly appreciate its magnificence but that’s always been the way with Solstafir’s forward-thinking melancholia. Lone original member Adalbjorn Tryggvason has guided the bands development from a more black metal origin into this glorious post-metal outfit we have today, ‘Endless Twilight Of Codependent Love’ while not being as soul-crushing as ‘Otta’ is the closest the band has come to matching that ground-breaking album. If you don’t compare them this stands very well on its own, the likes of the disjointed plea of ‘Rokkur’ searing into your soul with its thinly disguised misery. Solstafir don’t do just albums they create a life, a free-thinking entity with its own agenda that engulfs you in wave after wave of harmonious melancholia, here to mesmerize you beyond sanity with wondrous tales full of emotion, pain and depression. Which they do easily. I don’t think Solstafir will ever top ‘Otta’ (its their ‘Reign In Blood’) and its a shame that all their future work will be judged against that masterpiece, as it stands this 7th album is a fabulous journey full of Solstafir’s usual emotional post-metal, a sound that entrances as much as it disturbs. Another magnificent release from the Icelandic Gods.
Uncle Woe – ‘Phantomessence’ (Self-Released)
Last time out I said if Uncle Woe had a heavier production they might well split worlds in two, well here on their 2nd album they have that better sound. While it doesn’t quite split planets with its transcendental doom from the Yob school of music, it certainly makes everything feel so much heavier, better, dirtier with this less polished sound than their US counterparts. This gritty sound really suits Uncle Woe’s down-to-earth doom, Rain Fice has delivered another masterclass in doom metal ably supported by drummer Nicholas Wowk superbly. The duo drag us through some slow transfixing sounds as ‘Lucid Degrees Of Autoscopic Ruin’ displays, but they can also rock-out like a muthafucker as opening beauty ‘Become The Ghost’ attests to. If you can’t wait until the next Yob album Uncle Woe easily fill that gap with some cerebral transcendence. Another quality release from the duo who at this rate will conquer the world with their supreme doom.
My Dying Bride – ‘Macabre Cabaret’ Ep (Nuclear Blast)
I remember seeing these many times back in that mythical day, always a quality band on and off the stage, so its amazing to see them still releasing utter quality product, never letting you down. Now, the latest addition to their vast catalogue is here and it carry’s on the bands gloom in the best possible way. The title track opens it up in a true My Dying Bride grandiose fashion, Lena Abe’s bass mournfully starts before the band join in to form a lush gothic doom aura of complete misery. Shaun Macgowan showing his immense talent by littering his morose keyboards over Andrew Craighan’s misery-soaked guitar to perfection. Then we have one Aaron Stainthorpe and his pained vocals that simply chill you to the bone, interspersing these miserable tones with a bestial growl better than ever before. You simply cannot fault My Dying Bride. The other 2 tracks offer your typical doom fare and a lot more besides, especially ‘A Purse Of Gold & Stars’ where Macgowan really comes into his own wonderfully. If your already a fan of the band this just reinforces your faith, for those new to the Northern legends delights this is damn fine place to start, even if you should already know who these miserablists are!
Chained To The Bottom Of The Ocean – ‘The Vestige’ (Self-Released)
You know your day is ruined the moment ‘Confusion Hath Fuck His Masterpiece’ screams to life on a piercing bout of feedback before an almighty slab of hefty sludge erupts, like the bastard child of Thou and Iron Monkey! The discordant racket overpowers you forcing you to pay attention as its going to get damn violent, ‘Four Cubits & A Span’ (what is it with these titles!?) is a ferocious number with harsh guitar, crashing drums and some electronics right from the Cloud Rat school of noise manipulation, it smashes you violently in the face beating you down into a bloody mess. What seems like a one-man band with Anonymous being the lone protagonist, the overall effect is huge as if a full band were locking into this wonderful discordance, its that cohesive. The primary influence is definitely Thou, Anonymous has a Bryan Funck-type scream as well as an overall sound that originates at Thou’s feet. If you crave the heaviest sludge there is and worship at the altars of Iron Monkey, Thou and Primitive Man then this is for you. Splendidly spoiling your mood for the day with some of the most ferocious sludgecore to date.
Inquisition – ‘Black Mass For A Mass Grave’ (Agonia Records)
Putting their first ep out in 1990, Inquisition were right there at the start of the 2nd wave, albeit in Colombia, but nevertheless they were there. That shows here on the duo’s 8th studio album, the raw energy of early Immortal-like darkness pours through the likes of ‘Spirit Of The Black Star’ wonderfully, as does the old discordance of Mayhem but Inquisition only use these legends as a starting point to forge their own brand of true black metal. After 30 years of doing so the pair, Dagon and Incubus, lock into a furious groove that sweeps you up and takes you to some very dark, bleak and violent places, the level of violence in Inquisition’s music is palpable, extremely threatening. You really feel battered once the 65 minute assault is over, but your bruised, exhausted body is grateful for the harsh beating as ‘Black Mass For A Mass Grave’ is an album that wakes up true black metal, your honored to have been attacked by it. What separates Inquisition from the vast amount of black metal today is the way they combine gloriously melodic passages with a harsh, raw blackness. Check out the mournful ‘Necromancy Through A Buried Cosmos’ to understand, Dagon’s guitar work is nothing short of spectacular. Inquisition have returned stronger than ever with this new album and rightfully take their place at the very top of all modern-day black metal. Gloriously chaotic.
Lord Fist – ‘Wilderness Of Hearts’ (High Roller Records)
I discovered these Finns 5 years ago through a feature in Iron Fist, it intrigued me so much I bought their ‘Green Eyleen’ album. That was a smart move as the albums old-school NWOBHM groove entranced me, it completely astounded me that after all these years this style lives on and is flourishing in the hands of Hysteria, Haunt, Dead Lord. Add Lord Fist to the list as sophomore album ‘Wilderness Of Hearts’ is a stunner, taking the blueprint laid down by the debut these 4 Finnish metal warriors have expanded on it and have created an utterly wonderful pure heavy metal album, chock full of classic riffs and rhythms the likes of Elixir and Angel Witch invented. Plus with vocalist Perttu Koivunen they have a future star, his high-end Kevin Heybourne-esque tones perfectly suit the uplifting heavy metal, be in awe as he takes ‘Akrona Cross II’ to majestic heights. With the urgency of Saxon these heavy metal hymns power along wonderfully, each having its own glorious groove due to the outstanding, almost Iron Maiden-like dueling guitars of Koivunen and Niko Kolehmainen who compliment each other spectacularly. Lord Fist’s debut hinted at greatness but this good this soon? With ‘Wilderness Of Hearts’ the band have exceeded all expectations and delivered a fabulous album of nothing but quality heavy metal.
Bathe – ‘A Field Guide To Dead Birds’ (Sludgelord Records)
Absolutely nothing prepares you for the immense sludge that erupts when ‘Audubon Mass’ kicks in, its stinking down-tuned, almost Primitive Man, filth explodes into a ferocious grindcore attack. The manic drums of David Scott crash all around you not only in a seriously feral manner, but also of unbelievable technicality and dexterity. Quite breath taking. The guitar of Paul Huff is vicious beyond belief, his highly discordant assault slashes at you with angular riffs The Dillinger Escape Plan would be proud of, and with Alex Strickland’s inhuman bellow smashing you in the face, Bathe have created an all-encompassing album of pure unbridled fury. The grind sections that intersperse the titanic sludgecore is reminiscent of Nails at their most chaotic, the difference with Bathe is their slower sections are utterly monstrous and simply devastate, ending up being the best bits of this immense album. For every technical maelstrom like ‘Cloacal Kiss’ there is a more straight-forward brute in the shape of ‘Panic Flight’ that utterly crushes the life out of you. ‘A Field Guide To Dead Birds’ is an intense album full of pure hate, spewed forth through some truly stinking grinding sludgecore. You simply need this album in your life.
Sun Crow – ‘Quest For Oblivion’ (Self-Released)
From out of nowhere, well Seattle, comes Sun Crow’s debut release, an album rich in the history of stoner doom desert rock. The laid-back rhythms are covered in the sands of the Mojave with ‘Black It Out’ having a similar vibe to Unida at their prime, the guitar of Ben Nechanicky is sublime as it oozes classic riffs and beautifully non-urgent solo runs. That’s a major reason why Sun Crow are so good; the laid back attitude, which reminds of the early desert rock days when everyone was super stoned. Sun Crow have harnessed that era’s vibe and brought it up to date with a heavy, fuzzy and precise sound, ending up sounding so accomplished you forget this is their first ever release! While ‘Fell Across The Sky’ is a gnarly bruiser delivering the doom wonderfully, ‘Fear’ is a grooving behemoth of stoner doom done at its best with Nechanicky really pulling out some gloriously bouncing riffs to die for. No one has the right to be this good on a debut release! Sun Crow have blown the scene (and my mind!) wide open with this monstrous album. Truly glorious.
Anchorite – ‘Further From Eternity’ (GMR Music Group)
Somewhat of an underground “supergroup”, Anchorite contain members as far afield as Sweden, Denmark and Malta and play a classy epic doom metal that rattles your bones. And that doom stems from classic heavy metal the likes of Black Sabbath invented, only Anchorite delve deeper into the dark doom metal cave where Lord Vicar, Count Raven and Candlemass reside, taking their influence and changing it into some glorious epic doom metal. Leo Stivala (also of the mighty Forsaken) has a majestic voice, part young Ozzy and part Dan Fondelus (Count Raven) that leads you through the darkened landscapes that has been created by the other 3 members. The solid, uncomplicated rhythm section of Peter Svensson and Marcus Rosenqvist lay down the heaviness for guitar genius Martin Andersen to weave his magic through contagious and supremely musical passages while his solo work is breath takingly exquisite. He is a true guitar wizard, every time he goes into a solo your heart skips a beat as he unleashes wonderfully flowing harmonious leads. A glorious performance from the 4-piece who have delivered a debut of huge proportions, ‘Further From Eternity’ is an album that epitomizes true doom today and is utterly glorious.
Sodomized Cadaver – ‘Morbid Tales Of Mutilation’ (Self-Released)
Welsh death metal “legends” Sodomized Cadaver finally release their debut album full of ultra-slamming death metal, putrid rhythms and gloriously unintelligible bellows! After a worrying start (you will understand when you hear it) we slam into ‘Cave Of Despair’ at a ferocious pace, blast-beating for Satan himself with drummer Gavin Davies putting in a sterling performance. The other half of this duo is guitarist/”vocalist” Ryan Thomas Howes who peels off molten slabs of down-tuned, gore-soaked distorted-to-Hell filth, slicing through your feeble flesh with glorious Trey Azagthoth (Morbid Angel) inspired squealing solo runs. His bowel-shaking vocals really make you want to spew, your stomach churning as he vomits his bile forth, violently. There is an Immolation level of heaviness although Sodomized Cadaver are a tad more basic, which is definitely not meant as an insult as ‘Force Fed Razorwire’ and ‘Chapel Of Unrest’ have their own unique charms. After 2 banging ep releases South Wales’ Sodomized Cadaver have vomited up an album that will have their loyal legion of fans salivating furiously, ‘Morbid Tales Of Mutilation’ is a ferocious trip into gore-flecked death metal. And its a gloriously messy journey!
Celestial Season – ‘The Secret Teachings’ (Burning World Records)
Yet another band from back in the day re-activating and releasing new material, this time its Dutch doom/death legends Celestial Season and by fuck have they returned with a devastating album. Back in 1993 a young band emerged with a glorious debut album full of lush doom and extreme death that utterly astounded with its maturity and sublime music. Two years later ‘Solar Lovers’ was released and destroyed us with its gothic-tinged doom/death and a fabulous cover of the Ultravox classic ‘Vienna’, I still play this album today as it has stood the test of time. Later that year things went a bit array with the more upbeat stoner doom of ‘Sonic Orb’ which we really didn’t expect after the first 2 albums and, sorry to say, I gave up on the band at that point. Splitting in 2001 the band seemed to leave a decent legacy in the annals of doom metal. Until now. ‘The Secret Teachings’ explodes in Celestial Season’s old doom/death style with the bombastic ‘The Secret Teachings Of All Ages’ with Stefan Ruiters’ deep bellow rattling your rib cage violently, expelling his pent up anger and frustration. The My Dying Bride-esque pacing is beautiful as the melancholic guitars of Olly Smit and Pim Van Zanen not only lay down slabs of thick, hefty doom, they also intertwine with Jiska Ter Bals mouthwatering violin and Elianne Anemaat’s mesmerizing cello superbly, combining to form magical (if dark) tones. Celestial Season love cover versions and the one they have chosen this time is another beauty, the already sumptuous ‘Red Water’ from the sadly-missed Type O Negative gets the treatment and becomes an all-together different beast in the hands of the Dutch masters, giving the song a sheen of utter trauma. A fantastic album that cements Celestial Season’s worth today in the doom/death arena, ‘The Secret Teachings’ is a gloriously melancholic album that will pull at your heart strings before crushing that same heart with majestic heaviness. There may even be a tear or two as this contender for album of the year unfolds. Welcome back my friends!
Lie In Ruins – ‘Floating In Timeless Streams’ (Dark Descent Records)
Stinking death metal and Finland go together like, well, death and metal! And with their 3rd full length Lie In Ruins have staked a claim for one of the best death metal albums of the year, the sometimes brutally fast sometimes crushingly slow barrage these 4 fiends create is monstrous. For every time they slow it down as on ‘The Path’ there are 2 that erupt like a volcano viciously spewing molten death metal, ‘Earth Shall Mourn’ and ‘Descending Further’ are prime examples, giving off a foul stench as they tear your soul apart. There are tinges of Cruciamentum’s raw fury about Lie In Ruins but there is also an Incantation-like love of choking heaviness as well, combining to give us a truly suffocating atmosphere with sharp stabs of brutal precision. When they have a background in such underground luminaries as Corpsessed, Perdition Winds, Desolate Shrine and Sargeist you do expect a certain level of quality and that’s what you get with Lie In Ruins and their supremely intense death metal. Roni S raw and brutal vocals unsettle to the maximum while Roni A and Tuomas guitars combine to lay down a huge wall of distortion superbly, coating everything in a vicious slime. Not forgetting Jussi on the drums, his blast-beats are something else as is his crawling, grinding slooow rhythms that pound deep into your soul. Overall ‘Floating In Timeless Streams’ is a blistering death metal album that simply beats you into submission with its gloriously extreme perversions. Utterly marvelous!
Switchblade Jesus – ‘Death Hymns’ (Ripple Music)
Returning 7 years after their eponymous debut, Corpus Christi natives Switchblade Jesus are back with their desert metal, only this time with a few surprises along the way. One being how harsh this can get, not a death metal harsh but a more noise rock angular harshness that adds so much to the glorious Red Fang-like stoned desert rock. ‘Scorched’ starts it off with a beautiful drone before the trio crash in on one vicious rhythm that brings the likes of Helmet and Unsane to mind, Eric Calvert slashing at his guitar violently as his raw howl blurts forth in the vein of Chris Spencer ex member of the aforementioned Unsane, as it bellows its rotten bile, once again, viciously. Jim Elizondo beats the fuck out of his kit while partner in rhythm Chris Black lays down some funky and very intense bass lines, combining to form a formidable partnership. ‘Behind The Monolith’ is monstrous, a slow brooding number that shows off Calvert’s skills as he peels off gloriously harmonic solo runs, astounding as he does. Then there is ‘Behemoth’ which simply steamrollers right over you with a violent assault, the trio locking into a rough and ready barrage of wonderfully musical rhythms. At long last we have the new Switchblade Jesus album to salivate over, ‘Death Hymns’ is an album that brutalizes as much as it grooves. Absolutely superb.
Corrupt Moral Altar – ‘Patiently Waiting For Wonderful Things’ Ep (APF Records)
Ah how I have missed your wonderful punked-up grinding sludgecore! Corrupt Moral Altar are finally back after a 3 year gap and have unleashed one of the best and most ferocious records this year. As ‘Cathedral Of Porn’ erupts you know your in for a truly special time, the guitars of Adam Clarkson and John Cooke viciously attack you in a quasi-Napalm Death fury, ripping you to fucking shreds. The drums of Tom Dring batter you senseless with a crashing intensity, literally leveling everything in sight while Chris Reese howls and shrieks like someone who has come off their meds! Slap all this together and you have one intense whole, Corrupt Moral Altar not only beat you down with unbridled grindcore they also add a certain level of technicality that rivals the likes of Antigama, check out ‘Spirit Breaker’ with its sublime technicality before the absolute battering of ‘I Am An Ocean Of Wisdom’ finishes you off for good. ‘Patiently Waiting For Wonderful Things’ is a triumphant return for one of the UK’s unsung heroes. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who loves intense and head-fucking music. Top notch!
Black Pyre – ‘Winter Solstice’ (Self-Released)
Its always great to get local bands putting out their works, here in Wales we are pretty starved of any scene anymore so when one of our own releases their debut album, we take notice. This time Cardiff’s Black Pyre put out their debut studio album after an ep and split that showed immense promise with their version of black metal. And its damn fine too, if a little naive in places, their 2nd wave inspired fury fly’s out of the traps with drummer extraordinaire Dominus powering the darkness along at a glorious pace, while Asbjorn and Olthigor shave vicious slabs of tremolo abuse to perfection. The Taake-esque barrage of ‘Black Magic Heresy’ pounds out in a discordant manner, while the title track has a gorgeous sprinkling of synth that enhances the darkness wonderfully. Asbjorn has a typical black metal croak, but he spits his blasphemies out furiously, spilling his black bile and hatred as the 4-piece rattle out blistering black metal with the shape of an early Darkthrone-like blast of ‘Hellfire’ with utmost venom. An absolutely fantastic album from a local (ish) horde, ‘Winter Solstice’ is an ice cold album full of sharp, harsh and incisive blackness. You really should check Black Pyre out.
Las Historias – ‘Las Historias’ (Electric Valley Records)
Oh yes, this is the business alright! Slacker psychedelic space doom of the “highest” order oozes out as instrumental ‘Lord Of Poisons’ starts this monstrously grooving album in spectacular style. This gentle opening is soon broken as ‘Frankenstein’ erupts in a fuzzed-up garage rock fashion, the gloriously freaked-out guitar is mind-melting as it solo’s off into the cosmos, spiraling up and down, left and right as it enshrouds you in its cloak of psychedelics. The Argentinian trio lock into a sumptuous groove straight from the 1970’s, aping the likes of Blue Cheer, Mountain and, of course, Black Sabbath superbly, Tomas’ dreamy vocals complimenting the spaced-out vibe wonderfully. Each and every track is worth a mention as they each have their own identity, each telling its wondrous tale through some sublime space rock. ‘Ya Vendran’ is super-dreamy with its transcendental aura while ‘Mayhem & Sex’ explodes with a monstrous doom groove of the heaviest order. A highly impressive album that will appeal to wasters and groovers alike!
Brave The Cold – ‘Scarcity’ (Mission Two Entertainment)
The debut effort from Mitch Harris’ Brave The Cold is what’s known as a banger! Right from the coruscating opening assault of ‘Blind Eye’ to the cataclysmic closing of ‘Shame & Ridicule’, ‘Scarcity’ rips and snarls like the feral beast it is. Mitch handles all guitar, bass and vocals and does a marvelous job, unleashing brutally technical guitar with his screeching voice piercing your flesh with glorious abandon. Yes there are touches of Napalm Death and Righteous Pigs here and there, like the groove of ‘Hallmark Of Tyranny’ for one, but the crashing mechanical industrialisms adds a whole new level of intensity making Brave The Cold have a kind of Napalm Death-meets-Fear Factory barrage with Mitch only adding to that description as he alternates between raw growls and higher range clean singing. ‘Dead Feed’ is a 3 minute punk rock romp while ‘Upheaval’ cleans your face off with some brutal grind, always hammering along at a glorious pace. We have the mercurial Dirk Verbeuren to thank for the metronomic beats, once again putting in a stellar performance showing once and for all he is completely wasted in Megadeth! ‘Scarcity’ is a complete success on all levels, from its bleak cover art to its coruscating grind, the album delivers the goods without any doubt. Welcome back Mitch, its been quiet without you!
Aphonic Threnody – ‘The Great Hatred’ (Transcending Obscurity Records)
After a 3 year wait desolate funeral doom outfit Aphonic Threnody return with their 3rd album of truly depressing tones, massive weighty slabs of misery slam into you immediately infecting you with its darkness. This infection spreads through your very soul as the likes of opening monolith ‘Locura’ grumbles to life on the duo’s utterly despondent rhythms, dark and depressing these miserable tomes to pain churn all around you like Evoken at their darkest, with the added bleakness of Woe Unto Me just to top it off. The duo responsible Riccardo Veronese and Juan Escobar C. have poured their entire spirits into this utterly devastating project, with the end results being this cataclysmic album, with those spirits being felt through these highly emotive and pitch black tomes. Best of the bunch is ‘The Rise Of The Phoenix’ with its grandiose Type O Negative atmosphere surrounding its dark funeral heart ending up as a sheer monster of a track on an album chock full of them. A gloriously depressing album that acts in a cathartic way, you feel cleansed once its done with you. Truly beautifully ugly.
Almyrkvi/The Ruins Of Beverast – ‘Split’ (Van Records)
Two very unique black metal outfits team up for this unbelievable split album, a release that re-defines modern day black metal from each bands perspective. And its a glorious dark intense trip! Both outfits may be similar in many traits but they also wonderfully clash, Almyrkvi having a Blood Of The Black Owl-like tribal vibe while The Ruins Of Beverast are more experimental, with both crafting intense takes on that old black metal blueprint. First up is Icelandic duo Almyrkvi with 2 lengthy bouts of atmospheric darkness and while ‘Asomatus Grove’ is a Svartidaudi-like beast of foreboding blackness, ‘Managarmr’ has a darkened tribal aura as if Blood Of The Black Owl was covering Blut Aus Nord at their rawest. A fabulous start to a split I had been waiting for. Now its Germany’s The Ruins Of Beverast who entrance with their doom-inspired experiments in black metal with 2 contrasting epics of sheer blackness. ‘The Grand Nebula Pulse’ has a mechanical heartbeat that literally pulses hypnotically, dragging you into to sole member Alexander Von Meilenwald’s very dark psyche, through a very bleak opening piece that segues beautifully into the furious blast of ‘Hunters’ with its Portal level of discordance. Mesmerizing as it brutalizes. A fabulous split that highlights two ground-breaking black metal outfits, both pushing the boundaries constantly. Epic, dark, furious…This has it all!
Fuck The Facts – ‘Pleine Noirceur’ (Noise Salvation)
French-Canadian 5-piece Fuck The Facts have been hammering their point for quite a while now amassing a healthy back catalogue, but have been strangely quiet for the last 5 years. Now with their tenth album the band have not only created a ferociously grinding record but with the likes of the highly emotional ‘An Ending’, the band have created an emotive but vicious album, truly coming of age. I am not saying they haven’t released momentous albums in the past, ‘Stigmata High-Five’ is one of my favorite albums, but here it has all fallen into place superbly with the end result being an abrasive and emotional album. As ‘Doubt, Fear, Neglect’ blasts the album to life, Fuck The Facts are angry, very angry and have something important to say so you better pay attention to the punk-infused grind. Like I mentioned ‘Pleine Noirceur’ doesn’t only smash your face in with some Cloud Rat-esque fury, it also tugs at your heart strings with soul-crushing emotion that leaves you physically and mentally beaten at the end. The aforementioned ‘An Ending’ will have your heart aching with some palpable angst. A stunning album full of grind that has a purpose, a message to convey. A message for modern times.
Lorekeeper – ‘Lorekeeper’ (Self-Released)
“A tome was found in an ancient tomb, buried and forgotten. A history lost to time, its through these writings these legends live on, immortalized in song. The Lorekeeper lives on!” So sayeth the duo’s Bandcamp page, and who am I to disagree when the heavy, grooving stoner rock erupts when ‘Tusk Rider’ blasts forth. Having a sound in the region of Sargent Thunderhoof, the raucous heaviness cascades around you, smothering you with intoxicating riffs and a heavy groove that is sublime. Just listen to the stoned freak-out of ‘Copper Colossus’, John Dowling laying waste with his fuzzed-up guitar, dripping with pure THC droplets, plus his eccentric bass playing is something to behold! There is a huge 1970’s heavy rock vibe to this debut album, almost Blue Cheer at their grooviest, which is no bad thing. I have played this so much lately as it keeps adding little bits here and there that you miss in your stoned haze. ‘Lorekeeper’ is an album that grooves with sublime ease and is highly recommended. Ah time for another hit!
Cadaver – ‘Edder & Bile’ (Nuclear Blast)
After their 3-track taster a few months back, Norway’s Cadaver finally put out a new full album 16 years after the last. And by fuck does it rage! Right from the opening salvo of ‘Morgue Ritual’ and ‘Circle Of Morbidity’ (which happens to feature Jeff Becerra of the legendary Possessed) Cadaver mean furious business, the drums of the much in demand Dirk Verbeuren clatter and thrash like prime Aura Noir only much rougher, more death metal with Neddo his usual insane self scything off monstrous grinding riffs while his coruscating howl shreds your ear drums. Not only do Cadaver hammer it out like the best of them they also bring it down to an almost Autopsy pace, the title track being a prime example. There are also the usual Carcass-isms littered throughout but who cares? ‘Edder & Bile’ has its own rough, raw identity (and intensity) as this may well be the best sound and performance for the band thus far, not clean but not murky either ending up somewhere in the middle. The overall feel of this ferocious album is filth, pure filth, from the stinking sound and the duo’s penchant to take your face off, to the need to have a shower afterwards, Cadaver have seriously outdone themselves, and the death metal scene with ‘Edder & Bile’. Sheer filthy quality.
Desert Lord – ‘Symbols’ (Under A Serpent Sun Records)
Holy shit! What a start to the 2nd album from Finland’s Desert Lord, an album chock full of bombastic stoned metal with a certain 1970’s heavy rock swagger that gives it an essence of true-ness, an authentic vibe of quality. From the title tracks huge groove, through ‘Damage Dealt’ and its chilled vibes to the closing backwoods lament that is ‘Close The Curtains’, Desert Lord have crafted an album of supreme heavy metal. An album that deserves a lot more than it will ultimately get. Sampo has a massive vocal range, from atmospheric crooning to an all-out almost Kirk Windstein (Crowbar) roar, he nails it all superbly. Ably backed by some hefty rhythms courtesy of Mika and Roni, who lay down monstrous foundations for Janne to unleash his guitar wizardry. Each and every track stands on its own, each having its own unique story to tell but ‘Funeral’ is one brooding number that leaves you shivering with goose bumps, a truly touching song. What’s really good about ‘Symbols’ is it keeps getting better the more you play it, upping the ante that climaxes with the utterly astounding ‘Key To The Peace’, which simply blows you away with Janne once again putting in a marvelous performance. All in all, ‘Symbols’ is a magnificent album full of raucous rock & roll covered with a huge stoner aura. Sheer class!
Inner Void – ‘Cosmic Key To The Shining Trapezohedron’ (Self-Released)
I do believe this is the first band from the Dominican Republic to come across my review desk and with their debut release Inner Void are pretty decent! Their brand of black metal striking a chord inside me, as the semi-experimental album unfolds it reveals a touch of Botanist among its pitch-black darkness and I simply adore Botanist! Inner Void seem to only be Astaroth IV with his friends helping him out, his harmonious tremolo abuse is spectacular as he unleashes harsh riffs and beautifully ugly solo runs. Vocalist Marax Zepar puts in a raw performance as he shrieks and screeches his way through the likes of the truly blasphemous ‘Astral Reflections’, he unsettles to the extreme giving Inner Void an extra edge of foulness in today’s bloated scene. What truly makes the band stand out is the spectacular theremin playing of Astaroth IV that is sprinkled throughout the blackness, its bright stabs illuminating the darkness wonderfully. Apart from the odd naive moment, ‘Cosmic Key To The Shining Trapezohedron’ is a masterful black metal album that shows this music to be a truly worldwide epidemic. Inner Void have released a very interesting album, one I recommend if you want more from your blackness.
Come To Grief – ‘Pray For The End’ Ep (Grievance Records/Dense(s) Records)
One of the most underrated and unsung heroes back in the early days of sludge were Grief, their monumental catalogue is still revered to this day as ground-breaking. They introduced me to the delights of Noothgrush, Dystopia, Buzzov.en, 13, Corrupted and many more and I am eternally grateful, so when a couple of them decided business was unfinished and formed Come To Grief I was delighted beyond belief! The thing with Grief was how desolate, disturbing and down-right suicidal their doomcore was (I own a split 7″ of them with Dystopia and it came with a free razor blade!), it was truly a (worthwhile) struggle to get through their albums. Now all these years later Terry Savastano and Chuck Conlon have kind of resurrected the bands corpse as Come To Grief and basically carried on where the former band finished, unleashing crushing sludge workouts that burrow into your brain as it beats and batters your body viciously. Slowly. ‘Raping The Willing’ is sludgecore at its best, lurching from crushingly slow grooves to a pacy maelstrom of hardcore-inspired grind as the band literally devastate. If you miss that old scene as I do then Come To Grief are for you, their harsh doomcore is perfect for the times we live in. Dark, heavy, desolate. Perfect!
Urfaust – ‘Teufelgeist’ (Van Records)
The atmospheric black ambient metal Urfaust have been scaring us with for the last 16 years has come of age spectacularly here on the duo’s 6th studio album. ‘Teufelgeist’ literally chills the marrow from your bone with some ice cold blackened ambiance, but there is also an underlying viciousness to their hymns to darkness which gives the already frightening blackness an extra edge of true Satanic rituals, an Occult gathering of true believers of the black arts and this is the soundtrack to their blasphemies. As ‘Offerschaal Der Astrologische Mengvormen’ comes to life on swathes of majestic synths you are hit right in the heart as this emotional epic unfolds, the bass chords rattling your rib cage as those overwhelming (in a good way) synths transport you to strangely comforting but dark places. VRDRBR’s drums are epic beyond reason, massive beats of pure heaviness as IX lets his synths take control and proceed to astound with some truly heartfelt ritualistic tones, his scarce vocals are filled with pain and suffering as he howls and croons his death-infused laments. If your looking for straight-forward black metal then look elsewhere as Urfaust don’t do “normal”, they play by their own rules with the end result being an album full of menace, beauty and fear. Glorious beyond belief.
Opium Warlords – ‘Nembutal’ (Svart Records)
If you thought Sami Albert Hynninen (also known as Albert Witchfinder) was done with doom metal, think again. The opening track to Opium Warlords 5th album ‘A Heavy Heart’ dispels that immediately with its, and this has to be said, Reverend Bizarre-like morose groove coating you in a depressing filth as the tracks near 20 minutes trundles all over you. From ultra-slow rhythms to a Hellhammer groove, this is the way to open an album! Strap yourselves in though as what follows isn’t as straight-forward, following track ‘Threshold Of Your Womb’ is a harsh guitar drone with Hynninen speaking eerie tones which completely throws you off kilter, dragging you into Opium Warlords dark, disturbing world. From here the album slips into an avantgarde area occupied by people with serious mental issues, but you follow willingly wherever Hynninen and co take you, ending at the monstrous dirge that is ‘Xanadu’ that ends this monolithic album on a serious downer, leaving you spent and craving more of this hypnotizing doom. Opium Warlords new album is their best and bleakest, you really need to experience it for yourselves. You will not be disappointed, depressed, but not disappointed.
Orbiter – ‘The Deluge’ Ep (Self-Released)
Orbiter are an anomaly in the Finnish scene; their not a bleak black metal band! The Helsinki-based 5-piece play a 1970’s-influenced stoner rock that pretty much rocks like a muthafucker! After a split with Roadhog last year this is the bands first foray on their own and its chock full of heavy grooves and real, proper singing that combines to create banger’s like ‘Bone To Earth’. Then you have ‘In Echoes’ that trundles along in a glorious doom metal fashion, utterly heavy and completely engrossing. Caroline Koss has a wonderfully changeable voice, one moment screaming her lungs out and the next semi-speaking in a monastic manner, always sending shivers rushing through your very being. Opener ‘Bone To Earth’ might exhibit all of the stoner rock traits but it has this Tool-esque aura surrounding it, making the hefty rock emotive whilst having a glorious groove. Then there is the wondrous ‘Orchid’, starting off all funky before exploding into another heavy groove of monstrous proportions with drummer Sami and bassist Tuomas locking together to create a truly funky rhythm. Orbiter have a big future ahead of them with their The Tower-like grooves if this is anything to go by, its 1970’s heart beating gloriously.
Yhdarl – ‘Drone Nightmares – III -Immurement’ (Self-Released)
Main-man Deha has created one of his darkest albums from any of his projects, ‘Drone Nightmares – III – Immurement’ is a single 40 minute excursion into a blackened sound-scape of black hole proportions. From the first to the last second it drones on powerful electronics with an undercurrent of harsh guitar that keeps a black metal heart beating through the electronic harshness. The single track lumbers along on a Sunn0))) (obviously) vibe of total suffocation, squeezing the life from you as the intensity builds to a cataclysmic ending that truly leaves you a wreck, not knowing what just rolled slowly over you. Yhdarl have always been a foreboding proposition but this intense, this bleak? Never before has Deha created anything so distressing, not to mention intense and he will have trouble topping this in the future. For now slap this on and let the drone take you away to nightmarish places, dark eerie places of true dread. Utterly bleak, utterly marvelous.
Nothing – ‘The Great Dismal’ (Relapse Records)
“The great dismal refers to a swamp, a brilliant natural trap where survival is custom fit to its inhabitants. The nature of its beautiful, but taxing environment and harsh conditions can’t ever really be shaken or forgotten too easily.” So says guitarist/vocalist Domenic Palermo, maybe describing the world we live in with a wonderful metaphor? Either way Nothing’s new album is upon us and as all of its predecessors it ups the ante of their self-described dream-pop, ending up as one of the harshest and most complete records to date. The guitars of Palermo and Doyle Martin create massive waves of distortion clashing gloriously with Palermo’s dreamy, almost indie vocals to perfection. It must be said again but ‘The Great Dismal’ is one of the bands harshest outputs, with ‘Say Less’ burrowing into your psyche viciously. The bands use of supreme melody, from the same school as the sadly missed Cave In, then combine it with a My Bloody Valentine-like wall of guitars in spectacular fashion, ending up with a very dark heart, sumptuous melody’s and an old post-punk vibe that delights to the maximum while pulling at your emotions. Any of these songs could be mentioned as each has its own tale to tell vividly, the quality is that high. A glorious album that may not appeal to many metal fans but if you crave original music that is as intense as any metal, then Nothing are for you! Everyone else? Your seriously missing out on some fabulous music.
Bongfoot – ‘Bongfoot Lives!’ (Self-Released)
Hurtling out of Boone, North Carolina with their supernatural sludge comes Bongfoot and their debut album of raucous stoner sludge, that has a kind of Weedeater vibe to it with a raw and rough sludgy groove. The trio rock-out spectacularly, ‘Bongfoot’ exploding forth on a frantic High On Fire gallop with the dual vocals of Paris Lytle Jr. and Ryan Kovacs combining superbly, the end result being one raw muthafucking barrage of a weed ‘n whiskey-soaked drawl straight from the Appalachian mountains. While the splendidly named ‘Atomic Chupacabra’ is a rock & roll behemoth hewn from the classic Motorhead era, ‘Blood Orgy’ trundles in on an Acrimony groove. Maybe a little too close to the Welsh mushroom-munchers as the strung-out song is a dead ringer for the tripped-out ending of ‘Heavy Feather’. Overall there is a dirty rock & roll edge to the trio’s supernatural sludge, the aforementioned High On Fire are a definite influence, but so is the more trippy side to stoner rock; Acrimony, Sleep etc. I have fallen in love with Bongfoot and their raucous stoner sludge rock. All I need now is a shirt with that logo emblazoned on it and my life will be complete!
Repuked – ‘Dawn Of Reintoxication’ (Soulseller Records)
Sweden’s Repuked charge out of the gate at break-neck speed with their heavy HM-2 death metal, slamming into you viciously causing serious internal injuries. After a wonderfully Morbus Chron-like opening ‘Livers Bleed’ explodes in a somewhat Dismember fashion, riffs slashing at your skin, drums beating you to a bloody pulp and a set of vocals vomited up from the pits of Hell. Lurching from a feral attack Revolting would be proud of to an Autopsy sludgy grind Repuked are always vicious, over-driving their amps to destruction as Nicke Piss and Richard Rimjob combine to unleash scything riffs and Slayer-esque squealing solos. Mad Maxx beats his drums like they’ve just fucked his girlfriend, locking in with bassist Rob The Slob to create a massive bottom-end, one so heavy it makes you want to vomit as it smashes you in the gut. As you can tell from the names the band use things are not 100% serious in the lyrical department, the likes of ‘Shitfister’, ‘Vodka Til The Grave’ and my personal fave ‘Repulsive Erected & Anally Infected’ attest to. What is serious is the all-consuming death metal they churn out, vicious, intense and engrossing, ‘Dawn Of Reintoxication’ is a brutal album that carry’s on the Swedeath way superbly.
Boris & Merzbow – ‘2R0I2P0’ (Relapse Records)
If you’ve never experienced a Boris & Merzbow collaboration before you are in for one wild ride! Their past endeavors have caused earthquakes and tsunamis due to the monstrous, all-consuming heaviness they create together. Sometimes one outfit is the alpha and overpowers the other, more like Boris with a guest so to speak, but this time they are equal as they re-imagine some old Boris classics, turning the likes of ‘Love’ or the cataclysmic ‘Absolutego’ into harsher bouts of spaced-out sludge with a cloak of harsh electronics surrounding it, destroying you in the process. Wata, as always, is a high priestess of doom riffing as she once again splits planets with monstrously crushing guitar. Takeshi is on a world of his own, his tripped-out vocals drifting through the chaos superbly, while he and Atsuo combine to form an experimental and seriously heavy backbone. Merzbow, or Masami Akita, borders that line between genius and insanity and his display here is spectacular. Listen as he adds grating noise over the delightfully fluffy ‘Journey’ and not be drawn into his strange, violent world. As an avid fan of both artists this new collaboration was always going to delight me, which it has done without question, but this much? Their best effort so far.
Deep River Acolytes – ‘Alchemia Aeterna’ (Argonauta Records)
If you want the truth this wasn’t what I was expecting, the gloriously doomy heavy metal is an oddity on Argonauta but one that stands out gloriously. The 5 Finns have crafted an album equal parts pure heavy metal, ‘At The Crossroads’ is a damn fine example, and true doom metal of the heaviest order, as ‘Caught Somewhere Out Of Time’ attests to. JT has a wonderfully soaring voice that is also full of heavy metal grit, he truly puts in a magnificent performance. As do the other 4, TH & AR lock into some crushing riffs that seriously devastate, check out ‘Cemetery Earth’ and salivate over the glorious, melodious, intense guitar while the rhythm section of EK & PV churn out the intense heavy doom superbly, never straying from the path. What was initially a shock to my system turns out to be an absolutely stunning heavy metal album with an aura of real doom hanging over it menacingly. ‘Alchemia Aeterna’ is an album that grows on you, the more you experience its magical grooves the more it reveals, ending up with this mouth-watering album of classic styles. Highly recommended.
Sad – ‘Misty Breath Of Ancient Forests’ (Purity Through Fire)
Norway may have taken all the accolades for creating the 2nd wave of black metal, not to mention all the infamy that went with it, but Greece was just as important in forging the ethos of black metal. Legends such as Varathron, Rotting Christ, Necromantia were creating their own unique style back in those same days but never really got the recognition. Since those early ground-breaking days the scene has grown and developed into something special with Dodsferd, Insanity Cult, Necrohell and many others picking up the black flame and striding forward majestically. With their 7th album Athens-based Sad lay waste to anything in sight with some vicious black metal, dragging you along on some gloriously old-school savage rhythms. The duo of Ungod (everything!) and vocalist Nadir have created and album full of scything tremolo abuse, clattering drums and a set of shrieks that flay skin from bone. ‘Self Hatred’ fly’s out of the traps in a savage Sargeist manner, viciously attacking you with an unrelenting assault. That is exactly what this album is; unrelenting. It crashes from one devastating hymn to the next with supreme menace and utmost venom, ending up as one of the most coarse black metal albums of the year. Sad have released a bench mark in today’s Greek black metal scene, one that stands proud of its heritage while forging new paths of darkness.
Heads For The Dead – ‘Into The Red’ (Transcending Obscurity Records)
How the fuck does Jonny Pettersson find the time for all his bands!? Not content to destroy minds with Ashcloud, Cropsy Maniac, Henry Kane, Wombbath and many others, now is the time for the 2nd Heads For The Dead album. And what an album it is! Blasting forth on a wave of classic European death metal, the title track sets the (stinking) tone as it rips into you viciously and without remorse. But so do all the others, each one explodes into an almost Hail Of Bullets at their fastest barrage. Pettersson slicing down-tuned slabs of guitar off with impunity, his squealing solo’s things of vicious beauty. Ed Warby (ex-Gorefest among others) beats the life out of his drums, expelling ferocious blasts of intense death metal, just try and survive the beating ‘The Revenant’ gives you! Revel In Flesh vocalist Ralf Hauber puts in a gloriously depraved performance, lurching from bowel-shattering bellows to high-pitched shrieks of evil, constantly spewing his horror-infused bile. Pettersson has done it again. Not only does he have a lot of projects on the go but each one has released astounding product lately, culminating with this furious fucker! Pure unadulterated death fucking metal!
Death. Void. Terror. – ‘To The Great Monolith II’ (Repose Records)
As soon as the needle drops you are greeted with the darkest, most intense noise since this mysterious Swiss bands last outing, a noise so thick it feels almost backwards, an endless churning throb of complete darkness. ‘(- — -)’ opens this monstrous record in a nightmarish fashion, violent screams, pitch-black rhythms and an overall feeling of complete and utter dread combine to create a massive sounding whole. The all-encompassing wall of distorted blackness overwhelms you, making you look deep into the vast, churning void and willingly give yourself to its black maelstrom of chaos. There is zero information as to who is involved in Death. Void. Terror. and that does add to the dark mysticism these brutal drone hymns already create, there is a real edge of menace within these grooves and it only intensifies the further you travel into that chaotic void. With the intensity of Teitanblood and the ritualistic atmosphere of Blood Of The Black Owl, Death. Void. Terror. have crafted an album that transcends mere music into the realms of dark reality where everything has perished. Harshly. An utterly beguiling album, ‘To The Great Monolith II’ is a devastating piece of work of intense sounds and thick, choking atmospheres that also chill to the bone. Spectacular.
Hate Forest – ‘Hour Of The Centaur’ (Osmose Productions)
After a 15 year gap, where I thought the band had been laid to rest, Ukrainian black metal horde Hate Forest return with an album of majestic black metal. Not only tearing at your skin with some ice cold barbs of blackness but also creating a vivid atmosphere of pure darkness, especially on the more mid-paced numbers such as the emotional ‘Anxiously They Sleep In Tumuli’ where main-man Roman Saenko really comes into his own. His melodious but harsh guitar painting dark vistas of snow and ice while his deep bellow instills pure fear, freezing the blood in your veins. Also being part of the magnificent Drudkh, Rattenfanger and ex-member of Blood Of Kingu, its only natural some of those bands traits seep into Hate Forest, but its actually the other way around as this outfit was here first, spewing their barbaric blackness since 1999! The album gets so furious at times (‘Melanchlaeni’) that you forget the drums are programmed, their chaotic battering sounds human with the overall effect an all-encompassing tsunami of true chaos, slamming into you in a similar fashion to Blood Of Kingu or Ygg at their most fierce. Pure unadulterated black metal played at its best and most ferocious, with ‘Hour Of The Centaur’ utterly destroying anything in its path.
Yeti – ‘The Pact’ (Self-Released)
What starts out as a heavy rock album develops into something magikal, something that drips emotion and a certain Pagan atmosphere. These wondrous songs give off a Wicker Man aura, a vibe of the Summerisle locals dancing around the maypole, even if the likes of ‘Braveheart’ has crushing riffs and bombastic drums, it still retains that Pagan-esque jig. Antti puts in a glorious display, his guitar not only dropping huge slabs of stoner doom, but his solo work is exquisite as he weaves a magical tapestry of melody and wonder. Kaisa has a slightly weak voice at times but does come into her own with the likes of ‘U’ and ‘Eat Away’, showing that with a little more confidence she will fulfill her destiny. There is a The Oath-like vibe here, giving everything an Occult/Pagan edge, Kaisa having a slight resemblance to Johanna Sardonis (Lucifer, ex-The Oath) as she lets her true emotions out for all to see, feel and hear. I might have been a bit harsh on her earlier, her angelic tones actually being of a witchy nature, as if an angel had fallen into the dark. At first I wasn’t convinced by Yeti and their 2nd album, after many more listens the magical tones changed my mind with ‘The Pact’ ending up being a dreamy heavy rock stunner.
Perdition Sect – ‘End Times’ (Seeing Red Records)
Where would the punk scene be without Discharge? An entire genre of music is named after them and countless of bands take their simple but brutal punk anger and produce some furious d-beat. Perdition Sect are new on the scene and when you realize who is involved with this project, their resumes are impeccable; Keelhaul, Brain Tentacles, Ringworm, Incantation, you seriously take notice of the beautiful crusty punk that blasts forth.What we get here is complete Discharge worship, the furious songs (not one of them being over 3 and a half minutes) blast out on gloriously punked-up riffs, dual barked vocals cascade all around you and simple, but oh so effective, drums pound you down to a bloody mess, ‘Not If, But When’ hammering out with complete fury and a wonderful d-beat groove. Matt Sorg and Adrian Dallison grind out the classic riffs with Sorg adding some very metal solo runs, which gives the hardcore attitude a touch of extra class. The dual vocals of Sorg and bassist Mike Lare clash wonderfully to create a raw expulsion of anger. We must not forget the legendary Kyle Severen on drums who puts in a solid and simple performance, truly driving these ire-fueled rants onward, happy to just keep the beat which he does superbly. I hope Perdition Sect do more albums as this is far too good to leave here. Damn fine modern d-beat!
The Corona Lantern – ‘Certa Omnibus Hora’ (MetalGate)
Five years ago an unknown band unleashed their debut album of pitch-black doomed sludge, leveling worlds in its wake. Then nothing until a single track heralded the return of the Prague-based band, quickly followed by this monumental album that lays down one intense piece of seriously dark doom. Opener ‘As Wide Eyes Travel’ sets the tone with some thick blackened sludge, taking equal influence from post-doom and sludge to create a massive sounding album. The intensity cascades over you like a powerful waterfall smashing into your helpless body, while the sublime melodies soothe your battered brow before the next bout of heaviness crushes what’s left of your being. ‘Up The Last Hill’ is a prime example of this as Simon (drums) and Dima (bass) lock into a hefty groove, Igor and Seabeast then let their wonderful post-doom haunting guitars lull and crush in equal measure. Top this off with Dahlien’s coarse rabid roar and you are left with a monstrous whole, one that is as beautifully ugly as they get. ‘Certa Omnibus Hora’ (which translates into “there is an hour destined for everyone”) is an album of huge intensity that is shot through with some wonderful, dark harmonies that envelop you in their classy, silky, doomy, blackened sludge.
Graverape – ‘Exhuming Decay’ (Desert Wastelands Productions)
Forming barely 2 years, Detroit-based duo Graverape have released a debut that stinks beyond belief, it crawls out from a slime-infested swamp as ‘Corpsefucker’ creeps to life on a skin-crawling dirge before exploding in a HM-2 rage of death metal. The stench of Autopsy hangs heavy in the putrid air, especially the slower sections where Jay Clifton lets rip some scorching, squealing solo’s. His vocals have a Jeff Walker twang to them, harsh but clear as he spews forth sickening tales of death and mutilation, ‘Another Holocaust’ starts calmly enough with eerie chimes and a lone, clean guitar before erupting into a Sentient Horror-like deathly groove that consumes all. Things get rather disturbing when ‘After The Massacre’ comes to life with a spoken word manifesto from what seems to be a school shooter, truly unsettling and it leaves you shaken to the core before, once again, exploding into a death-doom fury of utmost intensity. Truly blown away by Graverape’s intense death/doom that erupts into bouts of pure violence. Marvelous!
Lichway – ‘Soul Torment’ (Morning Star Heathens Music Group)
After Black Pyre’s triumphant debut album comes more Welsh black metal, this time in the form of debut release from Cardiff’s Lichway. Featuring members from Sodomized Cadaver and Agrona, Lichway play a resolutely old-school, second wave black metal that hammers relentlessly from start to finish. From ‘Damned Echoes’ instrumental opening, through ‘Bound By Dusk’s ferocious early Darkthrone romp to the closing crawl of ‘Mourners’, Lichway never waver from their rigid, and it has to be said, classy black metal. George Shepard’s harsh guitar is vicious in its delivery, slashing at your skin violently while his rather unique vocals instill total horror. Gavin Davies does a stunning job behind the kit even if the drums are far too triggered in my opinion, but he does let loose a severe pounding and glorious blast beats. Apart from a couple of naivety’s, Lichway’s debut rages uncontrollably, steamrollering over you with sharp viciousness showing a massive amount of promise. When they iron out the kinks Lichway will be a massive force to be reckoned with, for now this is a superb start. ‘Soul Torment’ is an album full of all the black metal traits done wonderfully. I must see this live.
Nomadic Rituals – ‘Tides’ (Cursed Monk Records)
Four years ago Belfast-based outfit Nomadic Rituals released a monumental album in the shape of ‘Marking The Day’. It transcended sludge, creating its own, spiritual style, more than just battering you with thick riffs and monolithic drums. Oh yes, ‘Tides’ is full of those sludge traits but also has a maturity beyond belief, ‘Moving Towards Total Disorganization’ shows this with its transcendental aura combining with a crushing intensity Neurosis would be proud of. A truly wondrous track indeed. The rest of the album is just as good, the trio really coming of age with this 3rd album as their thick, dare I say it, progressive sludge rumbles on. The “progressive” word may make you shudder but its not what you may think, the progressiveness here only enhances the dark, heavy sludge, making everything much more interesting. Craig’s vocals are covered in echo as they boom out majestically over the wonderful sludge, his thick bass locking in with Mark’s massive drums to form a huge, intense bottom-end. Then you have Frodo who slathers layer after layer of thick down-tuned riff-age all over the intensity, making ‘Tides’ one heavy beast of an album. This is an album that entertains, intrigues and crushes. What more do you want?
Beelzeebubth – ‘Saeculum Obscurum’ Ep (Brazilian Ritual Records)
The self-named project from Mystifier guitarist Beelzeebubth is a scorching journey into a heavily black metal tainted death metal, the chaotic South American style shines through gloriously. The likes of ‘What Does Black Magic Mean?’ blasts forth on blistering rhythms and clattering, unbridled drums with Beelzeebubth himself tearing off scything riffs and old-school squealing solo’s Jeff Hanneman would have been proud of. The guest vocalists is a who’s who of real underground metal, ranging from Acheron’s Vincent Crowley to Dagon from Inquisition who both put in glorious performances bellowing from the very pits of Hell itself. While the first 3 tracks hurtle past in that chaotic South American fashion, the final number on this sadly too short ep ‘Mom Gaia’s Pandemic Revenge’ trundles along beautifully, more in line with his main band Mystifier, its a fabulous closing to an interesting release, leaving you shell-shocked wondering what just hit you. With Mystifier seemingly lost to time and dust, the time is right for Beelzeebubth to strike out, blazing a new trail for chaotic blackened death metal. If this ep is anything to go by the future releases will fucking destroy!
Battle Hag – ‘Celestial Tyrant’ (Transylvanian Tapes)
The wonderful cover art (and name) drew me to this album, one that lays down some heavy doom metal the likes of Lycus craft in the darkness, alone, depressed… Each of the 3 lengthy tracks exudes a dark atmosphere that enshrouds you in layer upon layer of suffocating sludgy doom. Don’t think epic doom as ‘Celestial Tyrant’ is certainly not that style, there is a huge sludge nastiness that permeates through the mesmerizing heaviness. ‘Eleusinian Sacrament’ opens things up and is the most straight-forward of the three numbers, a pure heavy dirty doom metal outing, but the following ‘Talus’ comes to life on Grey Cat’s monolithic drums while Neil Oliver adds some sublime bass lines, building up until Dan Aguilar and Danny Ensele crash in with some enormous guitar. The sheer intensity the 4-piece create is truly suffocating, thick slabs of sludge-infused doom crash all around, beating you down with huge slabs of intensity. The Sacramento band’s 2nd album is a massive slab of dirty doom and glorious sludge groove.
Revenant Marquis/Lamp Of Murmuur – ‘Split’ (Death Kvlt Productions)
Two underground one-man black metal outfits team up to produce a pitch-black release, one that opens gateways to the other side with their hypnotizing, brutalizing black metal. First up is Welsh entity Revenant Marquis who’s previous release was described by me as “pitch-black darkness that entices you in with bestial fury.” Not too much has changed except the better, meatier sound that gives his putrid hymns a deep throb that disturbs your bowels. The thing responsible S has a seriously disturbed mind, just listen to ‘Wye Is The Moon I’ and feel your skin crawl as “he” expels Satanic utterances through the most horrific screams since Burzum’s early days. Top quality start. Now we get to Lamp Of Murmuur from Olympia in Washington who after a delightful little intro blasts into ‘Intercourse Under The Ninth Spell’ on a glorious old-school, naive, raw riff, not to mention the gloriously clattering drums! M, for he is the lone protagonist, has created a wonderfully raw racket, a racket the likes of Pa Vesh En would relish, the depraved black noise is unrelenting as it supremely fucks you up. Yes, this gets utterly furious with some scything tremolo abuse and uncontrollable drums, all topped-off with some inhuman howls of hate. It does break down into some Sanguine Relic-like strangeness, the use of dramatic synths only adding to the chaos. If you crave true black metal that hasn’t been tainted by the “mainstream” then you must get this glorious split. Its also available on limited cassette through Les Fleurs Du Mal Productions, truly for the Kvltist!
Reign Of Erebus – ‘De Morte Aeterna’ (Infernum Records)
What started out as a more symphonic entity, Hampshire’s Reign Of Erebus have mutated into into this much rawer beast we have in front of us today. The trio all spend time in other bands and under pseudonyms here but I won’t spoil the surprise, but I will say this is a departure for all involved, Reign Of Erebus lurch from glorious blackened grooves (‘As The Clouds Gather’) to the utter fury of ‘And All Shall Fade With Time’, where V.Y.C.M. unleashes a caustic guitar attack that flays skin from bone. Xjort’s drums are relentless, smashing powerfully into your very essence so Cthonian can finish you off with his barbaric anti-religious black bile. The whole is quite spectacular if the truth be told. The subtle synth work is breath taking, adding so much depth and colour to the blackness. Some of the raw furiosity touches on early Destruction, that ultra-raw harsh blackened thrash filtered through an Axis Of Advance gauze with the black thick substance created being ‘De Morte Aeterna’. This is an album that not only destroy’s you with rampant black metal, it also seeps into your actual being infecting as it moves with its malignant blackness. Glorious album that any self-(un)respecting black metal fan needs.
Bogwife – ‘Halls Of Rebirth’ (Psychedelic Salad Records)
From seemingly out of nowhere (Aalborg, Denmark to be exact) comes the debut release of stoner doom quartet Bogwife, an album that takes hints from the old and new school of doom. Opener ‘Voidcruiser’ has a The Obsessed-like doom groove with a huge dollop of psychedelia, making the heavy stoner doom come alive, it bristles with hallucinogenic grooves that entice and envelope. Mikkel Iverson and Morten Nielsen combine to peel off enormous riffs that flatten you, Nielsen truly excelling with some wonderfully freaked-out solo’s that simply astound. Iverson’s distant vocals are glorious, low in the mix suits his echo-drenched drawl superbly only adding to the overall atmosphere of the entrancing stoned doom. The centre piece of this remarkable album is the near 12 minute ‘Orbit’ where the band chill out a bit and bring it down to a glorious bluesy doom, Nielsen once again showing his class with some truly enlightening solo work. For a laid-back album ‘Halls Of Rebirth’ doesn’t half rock out as its supreme doom nestles perfectly with the psychedelicness, ending up as an engrossing and hefty album. ‘Halls Of Rebirth’ is an album that is more than just music, it gets in your very being with glorious grooves and a laid-back intensity. Truly glorious.
Paysage D’Hiver – ‘Im Traum’ Ep (Kunsthall Produktionen)
Early last year Paysage D’Hiver released an album that changed the face of ambient black metal forever, ‘Im Wald’ was an enormous double album that simply astounded as it re-wrote the rule book. But for lone member Wintherr it wasn’t enough, hence these 2 tracks taken from that album have been re-imagined, extended and truly fucked with. First up we have ‘Dans Le Reve Lucide’ with swathes of synth layered over more synths to produce a kind of uplifting black ambience that gets right under your skin, crawling through your entire body at will. When 2nd and last track ‘Im Kaelteschauer’ oozes from the preceding track things get a lot darker, noisier and down-right disturbing as those synths are overwhelmed by a harsh electronic barrage that unsettles as much as it crushes. I do have to say there is no black metal as such here just a seriously dark ambience that smothers you with its overwhelming synth attack. I personally love this dark ambient evilness being a huge acolyte of Abruptum, but please don’t come here looking for furious black metal as there is none. But do venture here if you crave the darkest, most disturbing blackness mere man can create. Enjoy being chilled to the bone by such an overwhelming black ambience you can almost taste it, feel it pulsate in the darkness.
Briton Rites – ‘Occulte Fantastique’ (Echoes Of Crom Records)
Another new album from a band presumed dead, Briton Rites return after a 10 year gap with a monumental heavy metal album shrouded in a velvet cloak of pure doom. When any band contains a vocalist of the quality of Phil Swanson, that band immediately garners my attention, his work with Seamount, Hour Of 13 and Vestal Claret speaks for itself and its no different here. His unique warbling tones always induces goose bumps as he lets go a rip-roaring performance, as ‘The Masque Of Satan’ opens up in a gloriously rocking manner, Swanson’s soaring vocals taking the song to different, wondrous places. He puts in one of, if not the, best performances of his career, but the 3 other members are of equal talent and quality. John Leeson lays down enormous bass lines adding some funk groove to proceedings, while partner in rhythm Corbin King plays a solid roll in these heavy metal epics with some fabulous drum work. Then there is Howie Bentley the newest guitar hero on the block, his work is imaginative while having a seriously dark aura surrounding every riff. His solo work is spectacular as the glorious ‘The Witness’ proves, he simply lets go and something magical happens as he lets loose wondrous riffs and mesmerizing solo’s. From the almost Pagan Altar romp of ‘My Will Be Thine’ all the way to the closing title track with its Black Sabbath atmosphere hanging heavy over the majestic groove, ‘Occulte Fantastique’ is an utterly magnificent album of glorious heavy metal and epic doom, and one that comes highly recommended.
Dread Sovereign – ‘Alchemical Warfare’ (Metal Blade Records)
What may have started life a little too close to the protagonists main bands has developed into its own entity, a glorious being of epic doom metal with added nuances. With this 3rd album Dread Sovereign have come of age with their own sound, identity and have created easily one of the most emotive metal albums ever! Listen to ‘Her Master’s Voice’ and not be moved to almost tears, or ‘She Wolves Of The Savage Season’ that rips, snarls and tears like the feral beast it is and not be astounded by Dread Sovereign’s powerful metal. Nemtheanga puts in a spectacular performance, roaring majestically from mountain tops while his bass locks in with Con Ri’s drums to produce a huge, thick bottom-end for guitar wizard Bones to unleash massive slabs of hefty doom, the riffs raining down on you aggressively. But its his solo work that gives Dread Sovereign an altogether different vibe of classic heavy metal with tinges of, dare I say it, stoner flourishes, giving the doom metal a whole different meaning. A meaning that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go until after the closing Bathory cover ‘You Don’t Move Me (I Don’t Give A Fuck)’ has finished fucking you up. ‘Alchemical Warfare’ is an utter stunner of an album, from its wonderful dark groove to its almost pure heavy metal aura it succeeds on every level. One of the albums of 2021 for sure!
Verbal Aggression 