Gatecreeper – ‘An Unexpected Reality’ Ep (Closed Casket Activities)
Well this is a nice surprise! Not a whisper about this ep was heard, then bang its here! And in traditional Gatecreeper style this is utterly brutal, setting their HM-2 pedals to destroy, the likes of ‘Starved’, ‘Imposter Syndrome’ or the furious ‘Sick Of Being Sober’ hurtle past in the bands unique brand of fury. Chase H Mason and Eric Wagner (no not that one!) combine to form a huge wall of distorted guitar, so thick and heavy it physically moves you, making you nauseous, their stinking riffs tumble out like molten lava as Metal Matt absolutely hammers his drums. His blasting is unbelievable, powering everything forward at a ferocious pace, never letting up. That is until we reach the 11 minute closing dirge ‘Emptiness’ where the trio combine to craft a wondrous atmospheric doom epic, it crawls along in a menacing manner, almost Tomb Mold in its creepiness. Mason’s booming vocals throughout the ep seem to get deeper, heavier as it goes, giving everything an horrific edge as he spews forth his disturbing utterances. Gatecreeper have once again in their short career delivered a magnificent death metal release, an unexpected one but a damn welcome one. You truly need this band in your life.
Tau Cross – ‘Messengers Of Deception’ (Heretical Music)
We all know the back-story behind this long-anticipated album, Relapse dropping the band, 3 members leaving, over a name in the thanks list, so I will leave it there. After that long wait, ‘Messengers Of Deception’ is finally here and has literally floored me with its classy, heavy, crust-infused metal, the bands previous work has always entertained me but this new release takes their music to whole different, new levels. The intensity has been ramped up, Rob Miller’s vocals spitting venom while his rampant bass locks in with Talamh’s drums wonderfully to create adventurous and intense rhythms. Millers vocals are an acquired taste but if you’ve been following his work from the Amebix days they will cause no worries, he is seriously on top form here. I personally think he has such a unique tone, part dictator, part prisoner pleading for his life. This is definitely Tau Cross’ most aggressive work to date, the title track erupts into an Amebix-like groove, The Kurgan’s guitar laying down enlightening riffs and emotive solo’s that accentuate Millers more depressive style of vocals. As this stands ‘Messengers Of Deception’ is easily Tau Cross’ best album of the trio released, its a tour-de-force of angry angst, subversion and glorious music. I am proud to say I am a Tau Cross fan and this new album only reaffirms that statement.
Wombbath – ‘Tales Of Madness’ (Transcending Obscurity Records)
To celebrate 30 years of creating death metal Swedish legends Wombbath decided to re-record some old classics for our delight, also throwing in a few new numbers to show where the future lies. Brutal death metal rumbles over you as the first few tracks (taken from the bands debut demo ‘Brutal Night’ from way back in 1992) explode in a raw manner, the guitars of Hakan Stuvemark and the irrepressible Jonny Pettersson lash out with a vicious, caustic growl, harsh riffs rain down like shards of broken glass that slice at your skin, tearing you apart. Jon Rudin does a magnificent job behind the kit, either pummeling you to death with ferocious blasts of pure death metal or bringing it down to an Autopsy groove. His double kick work is truly spectacular. The new tracks pretty much follow the Wombbath way of raw riffs, brutal vocals and that wonderful groove that Swedish death metal invented, all combined to a nasty, brutal whole. My particular favorite bit of this album is the re-recorded ‘Lavatory’ ep track ‘Lavatory Suicide Remains’, the crisp new sound really showing how these tracks should have sounded, bringing a new freshness to some old classics. The newer tracks show a maturity in Wombbath’s work, the guitars are just as feral as before but with a crisper, classier sound that makes the death metal ever so silky and flowing. Pettersson’s deep growl adds a huge depth to proceedings, turning the death metal into something far more epic, more colourful. Not exactly a new album but one that ticks all the death metal boxes for old and new fans alike, a solid release that shows the old boys can learn new tricks.
Fractal Generator – ‘Macrocosmos’ (Everlasting Spew Records)
In 13 years of existence this is only the bands 2nd album, they seem to have a sporadic release schedule at best! I have to say that this is my first encounter with the Canadian bands experimental ultra-death metal, its one I will not forget in a hurry either. The chaotic maelstrom the trio create is like a black hole imploding, sucking everything into its jet black vacuum crushing you under the extreme pressure the likes of ‘Shadows Of Infinity’ produces. Everything about Fractal Generator is calculated, from the pseudonyms of each member (random numbers) to the extreme pin-point controlled chaos they create, everything is spot on. The opening title track sets the tone with a furious attack not too far from modern day Portal with more experimental spurts, the deep but understandable vocals adding another level to the whirlwind being created, ending up not as suffocating as the Aussie nutters. No Fractal Generator have a more technical edge to their utter chaos, the insane guitar runs are breath taking, as are the inhuman drums who’s ability to switch directions at will is astounding, mesmerizing in the extreme. ‘Macrocosmos’ is an album that not only brings the intensity and wall of sound approach, it also has the technical chops to entrance and bewilder regardless of your metal tastes. Fractal Generator are a force to be reckoned with already and this album only reinforces that, just don’t wait another 6 years for the follow up!
Shroud Of Despondency – ‘Brumation’ (Self-Released)
What starts as something akin to what may be in the pop charts soon descends into a dark barrage of harsh guitar and furious programmed drums. What is different here is the use of synth and piano, they add so much colour to the bitter darkness giving Shroud Of Despondency an air of Katatonia-like progressiveness. Let’s take the opening title track, at 29 minutes its an epic of post-isms that mutate into a raw old-school black metal, combining both disparate sounds wonderfully. The main-man Rory Heikkila, who does everything from the harsh tremolo abuse to the angelic clean singing, has created a disorientating barrage of black metal and epic post-blackness that swirls around you, confusing in the utmost. His guitar work is spectacular, his progressive flourishes enriching the pitch black darkness. Ron Blemberg supply’s the harsh, raw screams that send chills racing through your very marrow with his inhuman shrieking, combining with the black metal to produce a progressive (that word again!) old-school-tainted album. With those forward-thinking tendencies Shroud Of Despondency create a unique black metal that burrows its way into your very being, not letting go until it is finished with you. Highly impressive.
Morne – ‘Live At Roadburn’ (Armageddon Label)
There is no better place to record a live album than the mighty Roadburn Festival, every single one done there has an enormous sound that captures the magic created on that night. The night in question was Morne’s debut at the iconic festival, so they came, they saw and they conquered with classic after classic. The set list is incredible; ‘Not Our Flame’, ‘I Will See You’ or ‘Shadowed Road’ ooze an overwhelming intenseness that swarms all over you, covering you in a thick sludge that borders on Bolt Thrower’s intensity. Imagine if Bolt Thrower and Neurosis got together to create a doomy sludge-infested death metal, then you might be close to how heavy this impeccable live set is. Milosz Gassan and Paul Rajpal lay down an impenetrable wall of guitars that slam into you with immense power, but also with glorious post-sludge excursions that mesmerize as much as it brutalizes. Bassist (and creator of the wonderful samples littered throughout) Morgan Coe levels worlds with a huge bottom-end complemented by Billy Knockenhauer’s precise pounding, beating you into sublime unconsciousness. If your already familiar with Morne’s Neurosis-like transcendence then this only reinforces your love, new people? You seriously need to start here then go back and obtain their previous release, ‘Live At Roadburn’ is a best of so far and is a wonderful addition to their glorious catalogue.
Isolert – ‘World In Ruins’ (Nihilistische KlangKunst)
Greek black metal is having a huge resurgence lately, quality albums seem to be dropping on a weekly basis. This week its Isolert with their 2nd album of blackness that seriously blasts the cobwebs away, its true Greek black metal explodes in a Gra-like ferocity with opening blast ‘Fire, Ash, Blood’. When your ranks are made up of members from Dodsferd and Sorgelig you had better live up to your reputation, which Isolert certainly do. Apostalos unleashes not only feral riffs and delightfully squealing solo’s he also soaks the whole thing in waves of harmonious blackness, giving the likes of ‘Staring At A Path Towards Nowhere’ an altogether classy sheen. The clash of beauty and fury is quite spectacular, the trio truly understanding how to be melodious and furious without compromise. Panagiotis croaks and shrieks with the best of them, putting in a raw, compelling display, as Nick lays down some furious blast-beats that destroy your sanity. Yes there are touches of the protagonists other bands but Isolert have crafted their own path through the Greek black metal land with a nasty charm all their own. Superbly furious as much as it is sumptuously harmonic. Utterly glorious!
Elephant Tree – ‘Live At Day Of Doom’ (Magnetic Eye Records)
As there is not much a musician can do during lock-down, no touring so labels are reluctant to put out new studio albums, this is the reason why we are seeing a plethora of live albums being released, from all sorts of genres. Now its time for the sublime Elephant Tree to put their first one out and by fuck is it glorious! Recorded at the Day Of Doom festival in the St. Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, and by God does it rock! The bands Khemmis-meets-Pallbearer doom is a glorious sound, each member doing their bit perfectly so the whole is this magnificent. Check out Peter Holland’s Geezer Butler-like bass lines in ‘Down’ or the sheer intensity of ‘Suma’ where Holland’s vocals reign supreme, Jack Townley laying down a thick wall of fuzz that cloaks you in majestic stoner doom. The superb pace helps, never getting too maudlin nor too hyper, executing the songs perfectly, oozing a life all their own as these stoned mantras unfold. Things get extremely doomy, as well as chilled, when the wondrous ‘Attack Of The Altaica’ begins life, the massive riff in the middle section is truly devastating in this live arena. Spectacular! Tagged onto the end of this magical live set is a live-in-the-studio version of the mesmerising ‘Circles’, the trio of vocalists locking into a harmonic tone of sheer wonder. Elephant Tree haven’t put a foot wrong during their short career, this live album carry’s on in exactly that way. One of the best bands of the moment without any doubt, question or argument.
Autumnblaze – ‘Welkin Shores Burning’ (Argonauta Records)
Sweet, lush tones abound on Autumnblaze’s 8th album (their first in 7 years) from all directions, the self-described Trip Rock living up to its name. It shows what this album is all about when the first harsh guitar tone isn’t heard until track 5 ‘The Burning Sea’ where it does add the smallest amount of dirt on an otherwise clean, bright, uplifting album. The duo responsible Arisjel and Eldron have crafted an absolutely sublime piece of art, their dual vocals being full of emotion and pain but the soothing tones truly calm you to the point where you travel to Autumnblaze’s luscious, huge vistas of emotional post-gothic rock. There is a wonderful melody shot through ‘Leaders’, Eldron’s guitar shimmering beautifully among the sumptuous post-rock to huge effect, mesmerising as it goes. The album ends on a high point in the shape of ‘Shore’ with its hypnotic beat and awe-inspiring vocal harmonies, showing once and for all Autumnblaze to be at the very top of their game. The duo have created an album that soars high with heartfelt emotion and a palpable energy. Utterly marvelous.
Elegiac/Zebulon Kosted – ‘Earth Mother, Sky Father’ Split (Sacrificial Sounds)
As I have said before, I love split releases! And when that release contains one of my favorite newer black metal outfits is always a bonus. Elegiac are that band (well it is just Zane Young) and their punishing schedule means this is part of 4 releases over the same amount of months, the quality not dropping one iota in the process. The 3 tracks on offer are completely different from each other, ‘Autumn Breaks The Silence’ is a ferocious 12 minutes of Elegiac’s trademark fury as the epic lurches from a unique rawness to an early Darkthrone groove without hesitation. The other 2 are ritualistic acoustic numbers that show Young’s fascination with his Heathen heritage, bringing a touch of Blood Of The Black Owl to proceedings. Next is my first encounter with the Montana-based Zebulon Kosted and their experimental black metal. ‘Dark Matter Dematerialization’ starts off his (yes another one-man band) side of the split with a huge throb of disorientating electronics before ‘Herding Moon’ erupts in an ultra-raw attack, guitar buzzing, drums clattering, vocals horrific. The harsh hum of raw electrics does makes this hard to listen to as its all high-end with zero bass anywhere. The likes of the appalling Jute Gyte springs to mind, even if Zebulon Kosted are less ridiculous. Zebulon Kosted are definitely not for me, the only thing worth your attention (and money) is the Elegiac side. The rest is piss-poor.
Kabbalah – ‘The Omen’ (Ripple Music/Stoner Witch Records)
Ah, that old 1970’s musty atmosphere that brings back so many memories oozes from the grooves the moment the needle hits the vinyl. Spanish trio Kabbalah’s second album owes its origins to that wonderful heavy rock/proto-metal scene of the early 1970’s. And by fuck do they do it spectacularly! The trio effortlessly combine the menacing atmosphere of prime Black Sabbath with the Occult mystery of Coven, the end results being glorious proto-metal numbers like ‘Night Comes Near’ where the fat bass lines of Marga Malaria thump you deep in the gut. Carmen Espejo does a superb job behind the kit, making the likes of ‘Labyrinth’ cruise along at a gloriously doomy pace, all the while Alta DDU peels off simple but effective riffs all covered in that old 8″ tape aura of realness. All 3 sing providing a splendid harmony of darkness, it entices you in and before you know it you are under Kabbalah’s spell, the intoxicating aroma of those early days flowing freely through each of the girls veins. The band lead you through sublime dark melody’s that you are only too willing to follow, wherever you may end up is immaterial as long as these witchy tones keep playing. ‘The Omen’ is a gloriously old-school album, from the musty crackles to the retro tones that ooze forth, Kabbalah have created a fantastic album, one you should definitely look into.
Diocletian – ‘Darkness Swallows All’ Ep (Regain Records)
The howling beast that is Diocletian have deemed us worthy of new material, which is always a welcome event around here. The bands brand of ultra-blackened death metal might take its cue’s from Blasphemy but the New Zealand horde have pushed the style to almost breaking point, the rampant drums of C.S. are thunderously intense as their unrelenting battery beats the fuck out of you but so are the uncontrollable guitars from B.S. and L.M.. They scream and wail as if in agonizing pain, eviscerating you where you stand while L.M. does his best impression of an unstable individual while spewing up his black bile to utterly glorious effect. I have always loved a band covering their heroes and with the choice of Bathory’s ‘Possessed’ Diocletian honor the original spectacularly, especially guest vocalist Impurath (from the equally unstable Black Witchery) who adds his own barbaric insanity to proceedings. Yet another Diocletian release that beats the living shit out of you, their unbridled feral attack causing serious damage to your hearing, health and sanity. The sheer ferocity of every single moment is palpable but closing instrumental ‘To The Death’ is off the chart! A stunning way to end a superb, and very intense, ep. Long live Diocletian!
Asphyx – ‘Necroceros’ (Century Media Records)
Dutch legends Asphyx return with their first album in 5 years and by fuck does it kick your ass! Until you hear the opening strains of ‘The Sole Cure Is Death’ you didn’t realize how much you’ve missed the bands classy brutal death metal. You soon get lost in the hefty groove, Paul Baayens (also from the mighty Thanatos) guitar oozes raw riffs that savage you with pure ferocity, his solo’s are works of art as they weave their harmonious magic as you get swept away by the glorious guitar runs. The Bolt Thrower intensity is coupled with a Hail Of Bullets groove and pace, some of these bruisers are the fastest the band has ever been with ‘Botox Explosion’ being the pick of the bunch. But its the slower numbers where Asphyx really excel, the title track rumbles over you like a tank battalion, crushing, maiming with a supreme intensity not truly seen since Bolt Thrower left us. ‘Necroceros’ is one of the Dutch bands best albums, showing the young ‘uns how its really done! I urge you all to bathe in the intense death metal of a truly great band.
Yoth Iria – ‘As The Flame Withers’ (Pagan Records)
This was one album I was eagerly awaiting as the bands debut ep was exceptional, laying the foundation for the duo of Jim Mutilator and The Magus to produce a truly unsettling album shot through with a true Satanic might. These guys aren’t messing around as the spiritual ‘The Mantis’ shows with its deity-like aura and horns heralding the end of time producing shivers that rush through your very soul. The harmonious darkness is sublime, combining gorgeously evil melody’s with the darkest of hearts that pounds with that unique Greek black metal beat, ably highlighted by the majestic ‘Unbound, Undead, Eternal’, the sumptuous keyboards adding a warmth to the icy proceedings. Throughout the whole album Jim Mutilator shows his spectacular talents, his guitar shimmers with a harmonious blackness that smothers you in a shroud of darkness, his solo runs being things of wonder! The Magus lets loose a set of vocals that strip flesh from bone, creating a glorious juxtaposition between the harsh utterances and the melody-laden guitar/keyboard combo. This results in masterpieces such as ‘The Red Crown Turns Black’ where the fury is tempered with these wondrous melodies. An utter glorious album that caters for everyone, there is something here to sate the darkest of hearts while also appealing to the melody-lovers out there. Glorious.
StarGazer – ‘Psychic Secretions’ (Nuclear War Now! Productions)
Australia-based trio StarGazer are an anomaly in the death metal world, they may take influence from the said scene but by fuck have they mutated it into something highly unique. Their experimental urges are captured here superbly with The Great Righteous Destroyer’s fret-less bass mesmerizing as it weaves its jazz-infused glory, you really have to hear how amazing (and extremely strange) it is. He truly embellishes every part of every song, turning them into some of the most original pieces of music I have ever experienced. Just listen in awe as he and guitarist The Serpent Inquisitor trade-off mind-bending runs during the almost black metal rant of ‘The Occidental Scourge’, where the bands love of a Deathspell Omega-like experimentation comes to the fore. Khronomancer weighs in with some furious blast-beats that simply annihilate, his avantgarde jazz-like fills accentuate the strangeness of StarGazer’s original death metal. Yes you will be reminded of Atheist and Cynic but StarGazer take that original sound and twist it way out of shape into something truly menacing as well as mesmerising. When you put a band together that includes people who have been involved with; Cauldron Black Ram, Mournful Congregation, VoidCeremony and Denouncement Pyre you expect that band to be something special. And that is exactly what you’ve got with StarGazer and their 5th studio album. Be prepared to lose control of your mind!
Wrong – ‘Snapping The Bones To Make The Limbs Bend’ (Blind Idiot Recordings)
As if the title didn’t give it away, this is one violent fucker that takes no prisoners. Right from the off the album goes for the throat with a raw grindcore attack, ‘Towering Hills’ is a 52 second blast of pure fury while the epic by comparison ‘The Man In The Bomb’ throws in some intense sludge to compliment the grind wonderfully. How this duo get this much chaos out of just a bass and drums combo is beyond me! Tim’s bass playing is immense, reminding me of the old Australian Relapse Records band Halo only much faster! Crispin ably supports his band mates chaos with some thunderous drums, adding his own chaotic battering to the already ferocious maelstrom created. One minute blast-beating like the best powerviolence bands, the next bringing it down to a perverted doom crawl with ‘Exhumed Living’ a prime example of how to combine both styles seamlessly. These quick blasts of grind originate in the Total Fucking Destruction school of quirkiness with a touch of Noothgrush’s level of fury. Closing track ‘Desecrate’ is the pick of this furious bunch, its off-kilter grind reminding a little of Lightning Bolt or Hella, the unhinged chaos is breath taking in the extreme. ‘Snapping The Bones To Make The Limbs Bend’ is a furious album with a few jarring surprises along the way, its also an album I urge you all to locate if you need a filthy grindcore fix.
Bhleg – ‘Odhin’ (Nordvis Produktion)
The folk-infused black metal Bhleg play is a throw-back to simpler times, where a duo goes into a studio and just hammers out their nature-obsessed blackness. ‘Vyss’ opens things up with a furious early Ulver sound, that stripped-down bare-bones attack of years gone by, with L. screeching demonically over S. and his raw tremolo abuse, creating a maelstrom of pure black metal which sucks you in to its pitch-black vortex. This is where the folk elements introduce themselves through sublime keyboards and an aura of Mother Earth, elevating the black metal to great heights of realness. This time she is pissed-off and is taking no prisoners, the duo locking into an early Norwegian raucous sound that brings back memories of Grieghallen Studios and teenage reprobates about to change the face of extreme music. Then they go and throw in the likes of ‘Gyllene Gal’ with its cockerel crowing through an ambient sound-scape that rivals Darkthrone’s Fenris solo project Neptune Towers, it lulls beautifully before album centre-piece ‘Slukad Sol’ unfolds majestically, drawing you in to its cosmic brutality. It must be said that ‘Odhin’ is a stunning album of raw black metal covered in a folk aura to die for with an altogether enrapturing atmosphere. Whether you like old-school raw black metal or a more polished modern version, Bhleg will enthrall you completely. Quality album.
Tar Hag – ‘Bestial’ (Self-Released)
Tar Hag certainly know how to make an entrance, ‘Frozen Prayer’ opens up with a howling wind chilling you to the bone before a truly stinking guitar shatters the cold. Then everything crashes in with immense intensity and we’re off into the South Carolina-based bands 2nd album of raw stoner doom that’s covered with a hefty sludge slime. Colin and Dano destroy their guitars as the filthy tone and intense grooves steamroller over you, leaving you seriously crushed under the extreme weight. Kyle (drums) and Zoltan (bass) form a massive bottom-end that will destroy planets, their intense power overwhelms you in the best, most suffocating fashion. That leaves Beeg and his deep, raw bellowing, turning what may have been just another stoner doom album into so much more. What it all adds up to is an old-school proto-death metal crunch coupled with a stoner groove of immense power. Just listen to ‘Cu Sith’ with its The Obsessed groove combined with a grim Celtic Frost crawl (if a part of this track doesn’t remind you of ‘Procreation (Of The Wicked)’ then your clearly deaf!) that ends up creating a whole new sound; stoner death metal! A superb album from a band that deserves to be heard by far more than ultimately will.
Grima – ‘Rotten Garden’ (Naturmacht Productions)
This 4th album from Russian atmospheric black metal horde Grima may well have redefined the entire scene, the album is truly breath taking in the extreme. ‘Cedar & Owls’ sets the tone with a sumptuous, almost Agalloch at their darkest atmosphere interwoven through a certain British-like black metal fury, a Wode, Wodensthrone, Winterfylleth-like class. The duo responsible Morbius and Vilhelm (both also part of the engrossing Ultar) have created an album that transcends black metal, the combination of harshness and beauty is mind-blowing as both mingle effortlessly together with neither out of place, nor does it feel forced, the darkness simply comes naturally. That is one of Grima’s best assets; how easy this flows. Take the title track for example, gorgeous synth work cloaks the harsh guitar in a layer of beauty before the rawness breaks free to ravage the land with exemplary blast-beats that rain down like putrid sulfur from the rotten sky. ‘Rotten Garden’ is a breath-taking album that truly deserves your attention. Whether by harsh black metal or beautiful ambience, Grima devastate.
WeedWizard – ‘Closed Eyes…Open Mind’ (Self-Released)
Germany’s WeedWizard have dropped one almighty slab of immense stoner doom in the shape of this debut album. From the intense opening of ‘The Weed Wizard’ to the closing monolithic epic dirge of ‘Battlesmoke’, ‘Closed Eyes…Open Mind’ never lets up from its intense groove. Part Weedeater part Acrimony, the likes of the title track powers over you with Frank Von Boldt and The Dude’s guitars enveloping you in a gorgeous fuzz-drenched aroma of high quality product, the bottom-end thumping intensely thanks to Flecko and Hamdi locking into a massive groove of humongous proportions! Von Boldt’s vocals are from the Dixie Dave school of weed-parched howling, highly effective too as his creepy performance during ‘No Soul To Sell’ sends shivers rushing through your body, The guys also have a sense of humour too as ‘They Peed On Your Fuckin’ Rug’, with its rock & roll groove and classic refrain of “Eat shit die!”, shows with you humming it for hours on end! The piece-de-resistance though is ‘Battlesmoke’ who’s 10 minutes are transcendental, the glorious keyboards really adding to the songs ultra-hefty doom. For a debut album this is mind-blowing, just imagine what the future will bring once the band truly find their feet?! For now anyone who enjoys a little (or a lot) of greenary in their life, WeedWizard and ‘Closed Eyes… Open Mind’ is for you, as well as anyone who craves heavy entertaining music.
Batushka – ‘Black Liturgy – Live’ (Witching Hour Productions)
Not exactly a live album recorded in front of an audience, but a live stream online that was available for free (good on the band!). Now Witching Hour Productions have decided to release it on various formats ranging from cassette, vinyl and an exquisite wooden box that contains a CD and DVD of the performance. With the name dispute seemingly over with this version of the band continuing to use the moniker while releasing utterly spectacular black metal, with this performance only reinforcing that point. Song titles are irrelevant as its the whole “thing” that counts, the sounds, the rituals, the image/look of the band all equally combine to create this spiritual entity. Pawel’s drums as always are pin-point, creating the trance-inducing rhythms for P’s guitar to wreak its chaos, a chaos tempered with an Occult spirituality that mesmerizes before brutalizing through furious black metal, when they lock into a blackened maelstrom, as on ‘Irmos III’, everything changes as reality becomes incredibly dark and utterly foreboding. Bart puts in a truly spectacular display, his vocals ranging from harsh shrieks to love-lorn howls as he adds spectacularly to the overall atmosphere of fear and dread. Like I said earlier, this isn’t a “real” live album but a document of where the troubled band are now, showing the world that Batushka are still alive and creating devastating music. A glorious performance from a truly glorious band.
Indica Blues – ‘We Are Doomed’ (APF Records)
The return of Indica Blues is a glorious one, their psychedelic stoner doom has grown and matured rapidly in the 3 years between albums and ended up as this magnificent beast we have before us. The bands doom has gotten even heavier than before as ‘The End Is Calling’ shows but it also has a beautiful melody, Tom Pilsworth’s singing soars high above the catchy stoner doom combining to form a heady brew of gorgeous stoned grooves. Pilsworth and John Slaymaker’s guitars are truly magical, locking into huge grooves the likes of Acrimony would be proud of and mesmerizing solo runs that wrap around you with effortless ease, guiding your subconscious into whole new reality’s. Rich Walker (drums) and Andrew Haines Villata (bass) combine to form a seriously heavy bottom-end, Villata showing his chops on the brooding ‘Cosmic Nihilism’. If you haven’t already guessed there is a theme running through the album, a theme of hopelessness, despair, the end is nigh! vibe, but its a “we don’t care, we’re having fun!” attitude as opener ‘Inhale’ shows with its fuzzed-up groove and harmonious singing screaming “we are stoned and we don’t fucking care!” But so is the title track with its chilling, real doom, from the BBC TV warning (I am sure its from the horrifying show Threads) to the foreboding, intense groove, we are indeed all doomed. ‘We Are Doomed’ is a fabulous stoner doom album that drips a psychedelic secretion all over the damn place! Definitely one of the albums of the year!
Cult Of Luna – ‘The Raging River’ Ep (Red Creek)
The irrepressible Cult Of Luna return with yet another piece of art that astounds as much as it opens new doors in the extreme music scene. This time the employment of Mark Lanegan on the eerily brooding tones of ‘Inside Of A Dream’ is the curve-ball the Swedish sextet throw our way. The track stands out as its mournful rhythm is enhanced by Lanegan’s heart-felt voice, making it one of Cult Of Luna’s most engaging songs. The rest of this near 40 minute ep (its longer than most albums!) is prime Cult Of Luna, their dark, intense post-sludge simply crushes the breath from your body slowly, while at the same time caressing you with sumptuous melody’s. ‘Three Bridges’ beats you down to your knees where the raw intensity of ‘I Remember’ finishes you off, each drum beat burrowing deeper into your psyche so Magnus Lindberg, Johannes Persson and Fredrick Kihlberg’s triple guitar attack swarms around you, suffocating the very life from you. Persson’s feral bark has never sounded so menacing, so angry as he spews his despair up for all to see. Cult Of Luna have produced some of the most forward-thinking atmospheric sludge there has ever been, their 23 year career shows no signs in slowing down, nor changing from its progressive attitude. Glorious once again.
Blurr Thrower – ‘Les Voutes’ (Les Acteurs De L’Ombre Productions)
If your thinking this is some sort of grindcore Bolt Thrower parody, think again. These mysterious Parisians play an enrapturing atmospheric black metal who, along with Russia’s Grima, are changing the face of the style. The lengthy songs unfurl huge vistas of blackened dread, endless bouts of harsh guitar crash all around as the unbridled drums beat you down to total submission. The vocals shriek in an echo-drenched feral-ness, only adding to the ice cold, almost Akhlys-like beautiful chaos. Add to this blackened maelstrom a certain unique French black metal atmosphere of reverence and the end result is a chaotic beauty that engulfs you completely. The raw pain oozes forth through these black odes to torment, coming to a head with the Mesarthim-like foreboding ambience of ‘Fanes’ that bleeds into the utterly distraught, heart-breaking near 13 minutes of ‘Amnios’. This seamless concoction of beauty and darkness is breath taking, the whole album oozing a feral blackness tainted by gorgeous atmospheres and auras. The atmospheric black metal scene has truly come of age, what with this and Grima’s new album redefining the whole sound. Truly spectacular.
Ehnahre – ‘Quatrain’ Ep (Painted Throat Music)
Never ones to play by the book, Ehnahre are in a field all alone with their experimental post-electronic doom! Yes I know its a ridiculous term with which to describe the Boston-based 4-piece, but there truly is no comparison to what Ehnahre create. This time each member has written, recorded and mixed a track all on their own, the results being utterly mind-blowing. First up we have guitarist Richard Chowenhill with ‘Warriors, Columns Of Infantry, Warships’ that pierces your ear drums with a harsh guitar drone that simply confounds and disorientates. Perfect start. Next is drummer Joshua Carro and ‘The Shadowy Earth’s Most Glorious Visions’, the deep hum sends bouts of nausea, desperate to escape from your body, rushing through your very being as the creepy percussion brings Coil to mind. Thirdly is bassist Ryan McGuire’s ‘But I Say -‘ that has the most experimental double bass playing I have ever heard! Mind-blowing! Last but by no means least is keyboardist Jared Redmond’s ‘The One I Desire’, all vicious stabs of piano coupled with and avant-garde jazz insanity to produce the most intense track of the four on offer. Each one has its own identity, its own story, but still all unmistakably Ehnahre. I wonder what it would sound like if these 4 pieces were played at the same time? Interesting.
Samsara Blues Experiment – ‘End Of Forever’ (Electric Magic Records)
With the trio officially on-hold, this may well be the last Samsara Blues Experiment album! Which would be incredibly sad as the German band have been frying brains with their psychedelic acid doom for the past 13 years. The progressive rock flourishes that are shot through the likes of ‘Second Birth’ are sublime, the gorgeous Hammond organ and synth work of Christian Peters is breath taking as he garnishes the psychedelic doom superbly, plus his guitar also adds another layer of space rock to the already cosmic aura. ‘Southern Sunset’ has a gorgeous rock & roll melody, once again Peters coming to the fore with some exquisite guitar work, while ‘End Of Forever’ is an enormous doom epic of huge highs and crashing lows. What Samsara Blues Experiment do so well is keep it heavy but also add in a certain Hawkwind-like space rock groove that when put together, as on the glorious ‘Massive Passive’, worlds collide causing a cosmic disruption of untold colours, textures, tastes. If this is to be the bands last album it certainly leaves a mark, the sublime psychedelic doom the trio create is outstanding and this 5th studio record only reinforces that. Sheer brilliance.
Ahab – ‘Live Prey’ (Napalm Records/Low Fidelity Assaults)
Continuing the theme of releasing live albums, Germany’s legendary funeral doom merchants Ahab throw their one in the ring, and by fuck is it stunning! The track listing is unbelievable as the band chose to play the most part of debut album ‘The Call Of The Wretched Sea’, the thunderous odes to a masterful ocean swamp you much like huge tidal waves crashing into you. Let ‘Below The Sun’ crush your soul or ‘Old Thunder’ destroy your hearing, then allow ‘The Hunt’ to finish the job in a massive fashion, literally devastating you like a slow, grinding tsunami. Even if these panes to the sea, and a certain white whale, are soul-crushingly intense, the dark melodies are sumptuous. Christian Hector and Daniel Droste’s misery-soaked guitars not only pierce your heart with stabs of profound doom, they drip an emotion that is palpable as they lock into humongous riffs and harmony-drenched solo runs. Ahab have simply destroyed everything in their path with this magnificent live album, all we need now is a new studio album!
Deeds Of Flesh – ‘Nucleus’ (Unique Leader Records)
I still own the original CD of this Californian bands debut album ‘Trading Pieces’, Dave Rotten then head of Repulse Records sent it to me for review way back in 1996!!! Still stands up to this day as well. Over the course of 25 years and 8 studio albums Deeds Of Flesh have flayed flesh from bone with their caustic technical slamming death metal. Now we get the ninth album and main-man Craig Peters has surrounded himself with a plethora of vocal legends to celebrate the bands silver jubilee. These include George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher (Cannibal Corpse), Suffocation’s Frank Mullen and Luc Lemay of the equally baffling Gorguts, all do a bang-up job as each brings their own unique death grunt to the highly technical blasting of each song. The virtuoso guitar playing from Peters is unbelievable, he fly’s around the fret board with a controlled abandon unleashing astonishing runs and brutal riffs. Backed-up superbly by the rhythm section of drummer Darren Cesca (also of Goratory) and bassist extraordinaire Ivan Munguia who lay down the complex and intense beat so Peters can weave his guitar magic freely. The title track is a glorious bout of unbridled insanity, Peters once again unleashing spectacular guitar histrionics that astound and bewilder equally. I must say that ‘Nucleus’ has reignited my love of ultra-death metal, Deeds Of Flesh have celebrated a quarter of a century of life in spectacular fashion.
Heretical Sect – ‘Rapturous Flesh Consumed’ (Gilead Media/Redefining Darkness Records)
The burgeoning modern death metal scene can add another name to its ever growing list, Heretical Sect have released a debut album to rival Gatecreeper, Tomb Mold, Witch Vomit the lot, its that fucking good! After repeated listening sessions, what separates Heretical Sect from their peers is they lean more into a modern day black metal sound a touch, not enough to swamp the death metal but just the right amount to enhance the likes of ‘Baptismal Rot & Ash’ and create the best evil death metal racket since the legendary Dissection. Coffin Beast’s guitar has the deathly tone of Blasphemy channeled through an Ulthar-like gauze leaving the residue sounding like Hell on earth. Warg’s drums are barbarous beyond sanity, one moment blasting as if the end of the world is near, the next dragging the intense death metal into slower, almost Blood Incantation territory. Warg’s deep and brutal howl is as raw as the music, complimenting the almost war metal stomp of ‘The Depths Of Weeping Infinity’ superbly. There is a wonderful musicianship going on here, not just furious blasts but a real depth to the likes of the massive ‘Degradation Temple’, its slow and beguiling opening giving way to a ferocious explosion of discordance. After just the one ep Heretical Sect have delivered an album that exceeded my expectations, ‘Rapturous Flesh Consumed’ has laid down a marker in the blackened death metal world with this furious album. Anyone brave enough to top it?
Varathron – ‘Glorification Under A Latin Moon – Live In Brasil’ (Agonia Records)
Yet another live album released in the last 12 months, seeing as a lot of bands aren’t doing new albums these live ones are like gold dust! This time its Greek veterans Varathron captured live in Sao Paulo, Brasil in 2019 playing their debut album ‘His Majesty From The Swamp’ in its entirety, with a few other classics thrown in. And to be honest these old songs stand up superbly well all these years later, proving that the old Greek scene was on a par with their Scandinavian brothers. Sole original member Stefan Necroabyssious has kept the black flame burning since 1988 with sporadic album releases, honing his dark art into what we have today; a slick black metal outfit that oozes a Satanic majesty not heard/felt for many a year. As was mentioned a big chunk of this album is the bands debut but the other tracks are as important, just listen in awe as, after an intro, ‘Ouroboros Dweller’ kicks this monstrous set off in spectacular fashion, oozing that Satanic might through haunting synths and a bestial darkness that swallows you whole. The magical guitars of Sotiris and Achilles entwine to form a harmonious but harsh barrage for Necroabyssious to infect you with his dark, evil utterances that chill you to the bone. The main part is that debut album and when the title track rings out shivers race through your being, bringing back memories of long ago, preparing you for the enormous battering ‘Son Of The Moon’ dishes out. These classic tracks are given a new lease of life here, just listen to how urgent ‘Lustful Father’ is and revel in its glorious-ness. Varathron were always a damn good band that somehow got overlooked back in the day in favour of Rotting Christ and Necromantia, now is the time for them to shine and if these live renditions are anything to go by, the band are firing on all cylinders. Now, how about a new studio album?
Dopelord – ‘Reality Dagger’ Ep (Green Plague Records)
As soon as you seen the Suspiria-influenced cover art you know your in for something special, and Dopelord don’t let you down. Their stoner doom has always been vibrant, not just plowing through re-hashed Black Sabbath riffs. No these Poles have always pushed themselves and the boundaries of the scene, culminating in this glorious little release. ‘Dark Coils’ and ‘Your Blood’ are classic Dopelord numbers, a beautifully trundling rhythm, fuzzed-out guitars and a set of wonderfully fucked-up vocals that once put together ends up with this sort of Acid Mammoth level of doom. The closing title track is the stand-out here, its near 11 minute duration mesmerizing beyond belief, Gregorz Pawlowski and Pawel Mioduchowski’s guitars weave their stoned magic over a wonderful bottom-end provided powerfully by Piotr Zin (bass) and drummer Piotr Ochocinski. Also, Pawel’s vocals switch from their transcendental tones to a feral beast intent on ripping your face off! Damn fine record that serves well while we await a new album.
Goat The Head – ‘Strictly Physical’ (Stickman Recordings)
The trend of older bands putting new albums out continues with Norway’s Goat The Head finally releasing their 3rd album after an 11 year gap. For those that have never experienced any of the bands past albums, be prepared to be shocked, the unique brand of death metal produced is self-described as “cave metal” and that pretty much sums up the bands old-school origins. The likes of ‘The Cosmoclast’ sound huge, like an endless cave, the booming death metal surrounding you with its vastness, never letting up from its Memoriam paced grind. What makes Goat The Head stand out even more is the glorious use of keyboards, Per Spjotvoid truly adds a new dimension to the uniquely Norwegian death metal. The atmosphere, the aura of Ved Buens Ende wafts through the whole album, but there is also a Dodheimsghard-like austere-ness to ‘Fit For Swine’ or the galloping ‘A Three Krater Symposium’ that gives Goat The Head a certain level of class. The singing saw that haunts the album is spectacular, giving the brash music an experimental edge, it truly is one of the best uses of the instrument I have ever heard. It must be said that ‘Strictly Physical’ is a fabulous album of unique death metal that grabs the attention and doesn’t let go until its over. Highly recommended, especially if you want more from your death metal.
Nervosa – ‘Perpetual Chaos’ (Napalm Records/Del Imaginario Discos/Ward Records/Dynamo Records)
Lesser bands would have folded if 2 out of the 3 members quit, but not Brazilian thrashers Nervosa! Sole remaining member Prika Amaral never gave up and put a whole new band together, this time a 4-piece instead of the trio they had operated under for the last decade. This birth of the band has been cemented by this new, 4th album of feral thrash, in fact I believe its the bands most ferocious yet. Those new members have given Nervosa a new lease of life, driving the ‘Beneath The Remains’-era Sepultura-esque thrash on at break-neck speeds, opener ‘Venomous’ is just that as following number ‘Guided By Evil’ finishes you off with impunity. Eleni Nota puts in an incredible performance behind the kit, her ferocious fills brutalize to the extreme as the double-kick work pummels you into oblivion. Add to this the mercurial bass talents of Mia Wallace (ex-Triumph Of Death, ex-Abbath) and you not only have a furious bottom-end, but there is a level of filthy grit seldom seen in modern day thrash. Amaral has delivered her best performance thus far, her guitar tearing at your flesh savagely as vocalist Diva Satanica growls and shrieks her apocalyptic visions for all to hear, see and feel. A highly impressive, brutal thrash album, ‘Perpetual Chaos’ shows Nervosa are far from over.
Void Commander – ‘River Lord’ (Ozium Records)
Sweden’s Void Commander come storming back with their sophomore album full of gloriously laconic psychedelic doom rock, stoned rhythms abound as the upbeat opening title track sets the tone for the next 35 minutes or so. The glorious groove brings a huge smile to your face as the bouncing proto-metal riffs gallop along likes its 1980 once again, Bobby K’s simplistic, but damn effective, guitar and higher range vocals combine to bring a kind of Satan’s Satyrs jamming an early Black Sabbath vibe to the silky doom rock. There’s a beautiful hint of country rock shot through ‘Worship Midnight’, Bobby effortlessly peeling off glorious lead guitar runs as Jimmy J (drums) and bass lord Linus O lock into a fabulous groove of massive proportions. Also, just wait until the harmonica hits! Then there is the over-driven pure rock of ‘AGN’ that, to me, steals the show with its immense heaviness and sublime groove. Void Commander have grown up spectacularly and this album is proof of this, their early proto-doom has been dragged up to date and has an end result that is this glorious album. ‘River Lord’ is the album to propel Void Commander into the spotlight, you all really need to get this in your life. For fans of; Creedence Clearwater Revival, Black Sabbath, Grand Funk Railroad.
Warwound – ‘WWIII’ (Sanctus Propaganda/Vile Records)
If your band has to end for reasons that cannot be avoided, I would imagine the last output you released needs to be extra special as there is to be no more music. Warwound’s 2nd and last album is exactly that, a very special hardcore punked-up thrashing album! The rip-roaring, beautifully named ‘Bastards’ opens things up, powering out in a classic brit-core attack, Damian Thompson (also of the legendary Sacrilege) pours out a thrash-infused punk grind with his solo runs being things of old-school punk-metal thrashing magic. Backed up superbly by drummer Steve Wingrove (ex-Hellbastard) and the irrepressible Ian Glasper who lock into a sometimes Discharge-like fury, then at others bring a beat-down that Broken Bones/English Dogs would be proud of. That leaves The Varukers vocalist Rat to spew his angry vocals forth in his usual caustic fashion, listen as he attacks the human race on ‘People Are Shit’ or even questioning himself on the introspective ‘Is This Me?’. ‘WWIII’ is a raging album musically and lyrically, highlighting how shit humans can be to a ferocious punk rock fury. Fabulous album from a band that will be sorely missed.
Crepuscule d’Hiver – ‘Par-Dela Noireglaciers Et Brumes-Sinistres’ (Les Acteurs De L’Ombre Productions)
After a lone demo in 2018 nothing has been heard of French atmospheric black metal outfit Crepuscule d’Hiver, until now. Solo member Stuurm has assembled a rogues gallery of underground musicians to help him create this magnificent album, the atmospheres dripping in emotion as the long songs unfold with an uncontrollable fury. The drums of K.L.S. are barely kept in check as he puts together some highly complicated runs that are tempered with an almost naive simplicity. But this is Stuurm’s baby and he stamps his authority over every moment, the bombastic keyboards overwhelm with their The Soil Bleeds Black-like medieval ambience, as his guitar scythes through your flesh and bone with consummate ease. ‘Le Sang Sur Ma Lame’ howls out like Summoning on steroids literally turning you to dust where you stand, but its the 21 minute title track that takes the honours here. Containing a furiosity that’s palpable and an atmosphere of pure beauty, Stuurm has crafted a huge piece of art that will transfix as much as it brutalizes. Crepuscule d’Hiver’s debut album is a vicious beauty that enraptures like no other.
Tombs – ‘Under Sullen Skies’ (Season Of Mist)
What might have started out as post-black metal has certainly moved on from that tag, Tombs have created something all their own. Forget genre limitations, the New Yorkers have taken elements from black and death metal and woven them together with a technicality that Castevet or Cobalt would kill you for, to form something that leaves any genre tag worthless. This is quite simply furious, classy and above all engrossing metal, the likes of the insanely heavy (not to mention grooving) ‘The Hunger’ proving this point wonderfully. Main-man and sole original member Mike Hill’s furious riffs mingle with Matt Medeiros’ sublime solo work to create a very intense barrage with Hill’s sporadic electronics only adding to the wall of noise. ‘Mordum’ has a wonderfully filthy Celtic Frost vibe to it while closing epic ‘Plague Years’ has a touch of Altar Of Plagues‘ atmospherics about it, with a touch of Darkthrone’s early naivety, making ‘Under Sullen Skies’ an album of varying degrees of brutality. A fabulous return for one of the USA’s unsung blackened metal acts, Tombs have certainly come of age here!
(Paranoid) – ‘Out Raising Hell’ (Black Konflick/D-Takt & Rapunk Records)
As you can see from the cover art the actual band name is in Chinese but translates into (Paranoid), but the band actually hail from Sweden! Strange, but isn’t all the best hardcore d-beat punk from Sweden anyway? This bunch of reprobates have taken that early raw style “perfected” by G.I.S.M., Outo and S.O.B. and thrown in a Swedish-ness that gives these short blasts of punk a certain death metal vibe, and that’s what separates (Paranoid) from the multitude of other d-beat speed-core bands. That feral heaviness beats you down as the simple barrage cascades all around you with short blasts of hardcore power. The trio are relentless, not letting up from the unbridled fury the likes of ‘Yogoneta Shihaisya’ or ‘Kaimei Seiryoku’ dish out ferociously. Jocke, Emil and Henrik lock into the simple punk groove with glorious results, powering through the album at lightening pace, satisfying even the most jaded of punk old-timers. (Paranoid) carry on the Discharge style superbly, adding that Asian uniqueness with their Swedish roots spectacularly. Two fingers in the air punk fucking rock!
Cardinal Wyrm – ‘Devotionals’ (Self-Released)
The return of Cardinal Wyrm is a glorious one, their pretty damn unique doom never fails to engross and entertain. The trio’s 4th album sees a more intense groove introduced to the bands reverential doom metal, the powerful rhythms of opener ‘Gannet’ sets the tone wonderfully as Nathan Verrill’s chunky guitar lays hefty slabs of doom at will, his mesmerizing solo runs being straight out of the 1970’s as they freak-out beautifully. Leila Abdul-Rauf (bass) and Pranjal Tiwani (drums) lock into a stunning backbone, Leila’s gorgeous Geezer Butler-esque bass lines hypnotizing beyond belief. To top this off is Tiwani’s haunted, desperate howl, he unleashes a set of vocals that hang heavy in the air as their admonishing tones intimidate much like a preacher’s do. This all comes together superbly on ‘Imposter’ where the vocals ooze desperation while the trio lock into an old-school doom workout of huge proportions. It has to be said I am hugely impressed with ‘Devotionals’ and Cardinal Wyrm’s doom. If you like doom metal with an extra hook, in the same vein as the likes of The Lamp Of Thoth, then you need this now!
Zeal & Ardor – ‘Wake Of A Nation’ Ep (MVKA)
This is the first time I have truly listened to Zeal & Ardor, I had heard them before but never really let them weave their magic on me. And that’s exactly what they do; conjure up a heady concoction of spiritual gospels with a black metal aesthetic. It is a strange brew but one that grabs hold of your very soul, seeping into your consciousness with their hard-hitting, brutally honest songs. Take the highly emotional opener ‘Vigil’ with its gunshots ringing out and the pleading refrains of “I can’t breath” and “please don’t shoot” meaning more than ever. Zeal & Ardor certainly do not pull any punches. It does get heavier (musically that is) with the collective combining those spiritual tones with an almost 2nd wave rawness, check out the jaw-dropping furious beauty of ‘Tuskegee’ and not be seriously impressed. I have been truly blown away by Zeal & Ardor and their blackened gospels. I most definitely will pay far more attention to them in the future, and if you want something truly different then Zeal & Ardor are for you.
Last Days Of Humanity – ‘Horrific Compositions Of Decomposition’ (Rotten Roll Rex)
Forming way back in 1989, Last Days Of Humanity have been making people sick through their brutal goregrind, and this newest release shows no signs of changing. Thirty-three songs howl past in a blink of an eye, incorporating very early Carcass/Napalm Death into the ’90’s style whirlwind grind of the likes of Gore Beyond Necropsy to produce this furious filth. Having reformed the band in 2010 vocalist Hans Smits leads the band through incessant grindcore and guts-fucking goregrind, with all 33 stabs of violence attacking you with gleeful impunity. Bas Von Geffen unleashes furious blasts of coruscating grind, his guitar wreaking havoc as his bulldozer bass and Paul Nielssen’s apocalyptic drums combine to create a thick, horrific grind that eviscerates you where you stand in seconds. One of the underrated grind bands back in the day, Last Days Of Humanity are making up for lost time with this new violent album, an album that tears at your face while viciously kicking you in the balls! Yes its a brutal experience, but also a satisfying one.
Black Sheep Wall – ‘Songs For The Enamel Queen’ (Sludgelord Records/Silent Pendulum Records)
Six years ago I experienced Black Sheep Wall’s previous album ‘I’m Going To Kill Myself’, it left me confused, dumbfounded as to what had just turned my brain and body to mush! Now the Californian 5-piece are back to pick up where they left off and continue to destroy anything in its way. Oh how I have missed you! ‘Human Shaped Hole’ is like Converge on a very bad day, while ‘Ballad Of A Flawed Animal has a more Oathbreaker vibe about it. Don’t worry as the eclectic outfits penchant for long songs is still prevalent, ‘New Measures Of Failure’ is nearly 14 minutes of total Thou abuse, while ‘Ren’ pounds along wonderfully in their usual on-the-edge-of-collapse style that creates real excitement, complete with moody trumpet, a feeling only Black Sheep Wall can create. The off-kilter lunatics are back to ruin your day in the best possible way, their post-sludge-doom-core is in a field of its own as it oozes outwards possessing anything it comes into contact with. Utterly mind-blowing yet again.
Conan – ‘Live At Freak Valley’ (Napalm Records)
What can you say about Conan? Ever since their inception in 2007 they have produced monolithic slabs of doom heavy enough to split worlds, each new release heavier, more intense than the last. Out of squealing feedback ‘Gravity Chasm’ erupts with a huge wall of distortion, John Paul Davies’ guitar slung low emanating monstrous riffs that simply crush. Then there is Chris Fielding and his bowel-rattling bass that thumps you hard in the gut while stand-in drummer Dan Mullins finishes you off with huge, bombastic drums of sheer death. The sludgy doom gets a bit Celtic Frost at times, a gruelling intensity grinds you down with simple but effective rhythms, beats, riffs. The set list is impeccable; ‘Throne Of Fire’, ‘Hawk As A Weapon’, ‘Foehammer’ and closing behemoth ‘Revengeance’ all slam into you brutally, oozing a thick doom that actually hurts! The end result is one huge sounding live album that truly highlights just how intense Conan are. I cannot wait to see this live!
Acid Mammoth – ‘Caravan’ (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Greek stoners Acid Mammoth return very quickly with their 3rd album of sublime proto-doom metal straight from the early 1970’s, a luscious amalgamation of classic Black Sabbath doom-groove and a certain Count Raven-like despair permeates through these stoner classics in the making. ‘Psychedelic Wasteland’ shows this in spades, the laconic doom rhythm coupled with that 1970’s groove and Chris Babalis Jr’s Ozzy drawl swarms you, enveloping you in a despairing but wonderful blanket of doom. The gorgeous guitar work of Babalis Jr and his father Chris Sr is spectacular, just listen as they duel away in the hefty doom epic title track, with Babalis Sr peeling off gloriously psychedelic solo runs. Truly spectacular. The rhythm section of drummer Marios Louvaris and bassist Dimosthenis Varikos lock into massive grooves that border on the majesty of Sleep. ‘Caravan’ is a magnificent album of psychedelic doom metal, an album that deserves more attention than it will ultimately get. Shame. Be sensible and get this, you will not regret it.
Anatomia/Shambles – ‘Abyssal Doom Oriental’ Split (Witching Hour Productions/Fucking Kill Records)
Now this is a nasty piece of work, utterly filthy, menacing and massive sounding. The sound these bands have achieved here is nothing short of cavernous, a huge thick sound that engulfs you in a slime-infested cloak of pure darkness. First up is ‘Hollowed Cadaver’ from Japanese duo Anatomia (Jun Tonosaki and Takashi Tanaka), it is a suffocating barrage of filthy blackened noise, a sound Undergang would be proud of, that covers you in a relentless aura of utter filth. Second and final track is a live version of ‘Total Darkness’ who’s near 12 minute duration flattens you with a hefty performance that defies sense! But I do expect nothing more from people who have done time in legends Transgressor and Waco Jesus. Next up are Thai nationals Shambles who are far from what their name implies. These brutal doom/death metallers have returned with easily their darkest, most intense release yet. The harsh down-tuned roar of ‘Blackwater Adoration’ physically hurts, Shambles being a more in-your-face proposition than Anatomia as their Incantation-meets-Autopsy racket seriously assaults you. Just as with Anatomia the 2nd song is a live rendition of an old classic, this time ‘Bitter Abysmal Depths’ from the bands debut album, the harsh suffocating ultra-death/doom metal battering at you viciously. I have always loved split releases and this one has only reinforced my love of the format. Anatomia and Shambles have combined to form one nasty piece of work!
Spelljammer – ‘Abyssal Trip’ (RidingEasy Records)
Sweden certainly knows how to produce quality music, from ABBA to Entombed the country has a rich musical history. Returning with their 2nd album, Stockholm’s Spelljammer may well have released the album of the year! The majestic stoner doom washes over you in waves of psychedelic guitar, dreamy spaced-out vocals and an overall aura of organic heaviness, ‘Abyssal Trip’ is a glorious album that takes you away to that glorious riff-filled land. There is a wonderful early Ozzy twang to Niklas Olsson’s echo-drenched voice, trippy while strangely enticing. Robert Sorling’s guitar oozes a creepy doom crawl, check out the title track, but also unleashes gloriously grooving riffs that mesmerise in the extreme. There are touches of Om’s transcendence throughout the album, best heard/felt on monolithic closing track ‘Silent Rift’, but there is also a wonderful bluesy vibe infecting the doom. From the start to finish, ‘Abyssal Trip’ has an abundance of stoned riffs cascading all over you, bright colourful shards of pure THC tumble from the speakers as each riff strikes home. Utterly magnificent.
Age Of Woe – ‘Envenom’ (Lifeforce Records)
Age Of Woe may be little known outside of the underground, their simplistic death metal always delivering the heavy goods. With third album ‘Envenom’, that is about to change as each and every song on this album oozes a classy brutality, a sound Entombed were always after but never quite found has been achieved here, a thick heavy grooving death metal that can only come from one country; Sweden! The guitars of Bjorn Pettersson and newest recruit Rotten Sound’s Keijo Niinimaa scythe a path through the brutal metal, slashing at your skin with a sadistic glee as the sharp and highly harmonious solo’s ring out. There is a wonderful groove to ‘Ghosts Who Haunt Alone’ where drummer Sven Winsten and bassist Andre Robsahm lock into a menacing, hefty groove but also blast for the Devil himself as ‘A Feral Swarm’ attests to, a gloriously brutal romp with Sonny Stark really showing his brutal growl in all its stinking glory. Listen, if you like no-frills (and that is not meant as a criticism) death metal then Age Of Woe are for you, they simply blow your head off with a brutal groove their Motherland would be proud of.
Lamp Of Murmuur – ‘Heir Of Ecliptical Romanticism’ (Death Kvlt Productions)
In the last chapter of this very blog, I reviewed this one-man black metal outfit’s split with Revenant Marquis, describing it as “depraved black metal” and “relentless in its pursuit of pure darkness”. Now its time for their (his) debut album, an album of real rawness that holds a power over you embedding itself in the deepest, darkest places of your mind. M is one unstable individual, listen to the chaotic maelstrom ‘Bathing In Cascades Of Caustic Hypnotism’ conjures up, bewildering as it attacks with severe high-end tremolo abuse. Don’t forget those barely controlled clattering drums from before, they are even more chaotic here as M lets out unrelenting blast-beats of pure blackness. The hiss between tracks, the sound of plugs grating against inputs only gives ‘Heir Of Ecliptical Romanticism’ a real old-school sheen, a darkness so alive you can feel it, taste it as the album unfolds, its black heart beats more furiously which ‘The Scent Of Torture, Conquering All’ shows with its almost Pa Vesh En-meets-Black Cilice fury. ‘Heir Of Ecliptical Romanticism’ is a pure black metal album that simply destroys, whether through glorious use of eerie keyboards or an all-out fury that defies logic. Lamp Of Murmuur deliver the darkness.
Heavy Trip – ‘Heavy Trip’ (Burning World Records)
Thank whatever deity you like for Burning World Records! If it wasn’t for Jurgen reissuing this little gem I may never have heard Heavy Trip’s sublime instrumental stoner space rock. Originally released last year by the band, Burning World has picked it up for a better release and by fuck have they done us all a service as ‘Heavy Trip’ is a glorious album full of freak-out guitar, pounding drums and a 1970’s jam-band groove. ‘Hand Of Shroom’ sets the tone, a thick guitar wafts around you with tripped-out riffs and solo’s that take you away to another universe full of vibrant smells, taste, colours. ‘Mind Leaf’ is a bit of a stomper, the drums beating heavy mesmerising rhythms for the guitar and bass to duel, producing some mind-fucking interplay. Breath taking. ‘Heavy Trip’ is one of those rare instrumental albums that is so full, has such hooks, you never notice there is no vocals, and that is remarkable in the instrumental scene as most bands lack anything to hook onto, not Heavy Trip. I haven’t even mentioned the monolithic acid-fried doom of closing tune ‘Treespinner’, its near 14 minutes being truly mesmerising with its hypnotic stoner groove. ‘Heavy Trip’ is a marvellous album full of psychedelic licks and stoner doom grooves, I highly recommend this to anyone at all!
Rotten Brain/Casket Slime – ‘Split’ Ep (Self-Released)
French death metal duo Rotten Brain are busy boys, releasing 5 products in under a year of their stinking doom-tinged, gore-splattered death metal. ‘Crypt Keeper’ blasts for Satan while ‘Intro/Living Dead’ has a more doom aura around it, like Hooded Menace on a really brutal trip. Darkness Prevails does everything here bar the barbaric drums, his booming deep growl instilling a nauseous feeling deep in your gut as he spews his bile forth through inhuman sounds. Raw and primitive but damn good! Flip the record over and its Canadian duo Casket Slime with their harsher, more thrashy death metal. Think a primitive Macabre at their first jam session, its all very chaotic but ultimately ends up as a harsh noise that doesn’t really go anywhere. Rotten Brain are easily the better of the two with their far more brutal death metal. As for Casket Slime, back to the drawing board I’m afraid.
Marianas Rest – ‘Fata Morgana’ (Napalm Records)
I am ashamed to say that this is my first encounter with Finnish melodic doom/death outfit Marianas Rest. Just a single listen to the bands 3rd album was enough to make me realise I had missed out on some classy, epic doom/death that’s on a par with the likes of Swallow The Sun, Ghost Brigade and Insomnium, its seriously that good. Opening number ‘Sacrificial’ bounds forth on a dark groove early Amorphis would have been proud of, but by the time you hit centre piece ‘The Weight’ you are transfixed by the bands brooding beauty. Jaakko Mantymaa has a raw howl not that far from Johannes Persson from Cult Of Luna, part fury and part despair as the band combine to create foreboding darkness with a glimmer of light far off in the distance. The keyboard work of Aapo Koivisto is spectacular, not only adding stabs of harmony amongst the brooding darkness but also leading the majestic epic ‘Horrokseen’ gloriously. Both Marianas Rest and ‘Fata Morgana’ have blown me away with their gloriously melodic death/doom, very much in the vein of their country’s heritage in said scene. Do yourself a favour and get this, you won’t be disappointed.
Pupil Slicer – ‘Mirrors’ (Prosthetic Records)
To say I was excited to receive this debut album is a huge understatement! Four years ago I came across an online ep from the wonderfully named Pupil Slicer, it was furious, it was sludgy, it certainly caught my ear. Now we have the trio’s debut album of utterly chaotic sludge core, part The Dillinger Escape Plan and part Iron Monkey, the Londoners have created a bewildering maelstrom of jarring time changes and utterly filthy sludge! Kate Davies unleashes a furious guitar attack, from crunching sludge riffs to perplexing Botch-like runs, she lets loose fucking Hell. Then slap on top of this her coruscating, feral vocals and you have an end result of something akin to Iron Monkey beating the fuck out of Dystopia with Dillinger egging them on! ‘Collective Unconscious’ is a brooding, grinding number where Davis’ guitar playing comes to the fore with some wonderfully emotion-filled precision, with Josh Andrews (drums) and Luke Fabian (bass) supplying the filthy, thick, suffocating back-bone for Davies’ histrionics. ‘Panic Defence’ is a furious little grindcore number not that far from Total Fucking Destruction territory while ‘Vilified’ just takes your face clean off! Pupil Slicer have created something beyond mere words, the controlled chaos they create is astounding, a ferocious noise that just doesn’t let up. Stunning way to fuck up your day.
Wolvennest – ‘Temple’ (Van Records)
Deha is a man in demand at the moment, not content with releasing 4 records in 2021 under the Deha name, it’s also time for Wolvennest’s 2nd full length. The experimental psychedelic blackened metal is sublime, oozing around you like the bubonic plague, infecting with it’s engrossing sounds, smells, colours. This is more than just music, just a record. It transforms everything around you into an area occupied by the likes of Urfaust and (Dolch), a place where genre doesn’t matter as long as your transcendental wares entrance. You may not see the connection between Wolvennest and Urfaust but listen to ‘Alecto’ and not be reminded of a cleaner, less distorted Urfaust. The guitars of Marc De Backer (ex-Mucky Pup!), Michel Kirby and Corvus Von Burtle entwine to produce a sublime blanket of transcendental perfection, the lead work is truly exceptional, weaving its hypnotic majesty seemingly at will. ‘Temple’ is an utterly breath taking album, one I urge you all to experience for yourselves. Definitely in the running for album of the year.
Gruesome Stuff Relish – ‘Kill Baby Grind’ (Base Record Production)
Goregrind legends Gruesome Stuff Relish return with only their 4th full album in 20 years! There have been a ton of ep’s and splits to keep us salivating, but there’s nothing quite like a full album of this filth! ‘Kill Baby Grind’ is littered with gore movie samples that add a further touch of menace to the already scary grind that’s chock full of early Carcass-isms which are brought up to date via a great sound. The guitars grind mercilessly, the drums blast like there’s no tomorrow as the triple vocal attack swarm around you, telling tales of deviant acts, gore and horror. Can’t ask for much more than that! When they slow down a bit, as on closer ‘Kill Baby Kill’, an Impetigo-like grind appears, making these wonderful slow sections even more filthy and intense. Celebrating your 20th anniversary with this monstrous goregrind album, Gruesome Stuff Relish are here to fuck you up and spoil your day. Marvellous!
The Crown – ‘Royal Destroyer’ (Metal Blade Records)
After changing name in 1998 The Crown have gone from strength to strength, culminating in this brutal and melodic banger. ‘Baptised In Violence’ blasts to life on an enormous wall of guitars, Robin Sorqvist and Marko Tervonen combine to create a hefty barrage of raucous riffs with Sorqvist peeling off gorgeously melodic solo runs. The rhythm section of Magnus Olsfelt (bass) and drummer Henrik Axelsson blast out a thick, intense bottom-end, really slamming into you viciously. Over this is ex-One Man Army & The Undead singer Johan Lindstrand expelling his fury through some coarse vocals, only adding to the overall ferocity already created. There really are some fucking bangers on here, ‘Let The Hammering Begin’ speaks for itself, but ‘Glorious Hades’ is a more restrained number as its wonderfully harmonious barrage rumbles over you in a sort of rawer The Haunted groove. ‘Royal Destroyer’ is one damn heavy death metal album shot through with a harsh melody only Swedish bands can create. Top quality.
Dark Buddha Rising – ‘Mathreyata’ (Svart Records)
The enigmatic Dark Buddha Rising return with yet another album drenched in a dark mysticism, creeping atmospheres combine with the deepest of drones to create this foreboding Occult ritual. From their very first demo in 2007 the Finnish band have bewildered as much as they have crushed, and by their own high standards ‘Mathreyata’ is pretty straight forward, even if that is still far from “normal”. ‘Nagathma’ is a tortuous journey, harsh blasts of guitar surround you menacingly, drums hypnotically pound as shrieking voices combine to disorientate you on a molecular level, literally altering your DNA. The overwhelming effect Dark Buddha Rising create is wondrous if frightening! The massive sound-scapes they create transcend simple doom/drone, the levels of spirituality that pour from these grooves is huge, a dark spirituality remember. ‘Uni’ is a wonderfully soothing experience in psychedelia, it sets up closing monolith ‘Mahathgata III’ superbly. This monstrous track unfolds its beautifully sinister wares over the course of 15 gruelling minutes. An almost perfect album, one that disturbs and soothes, as well as crushing completely. Stunning.
Harakiri For The Sky – ‘Maere’ (AOP Records)
For any band to release a double studio album is a risk. Will it be too long? Will it keep your attention over its lengthy (in this case 85 minutes) running time? For any band it must be hard work to tick those 2 boxes, but for a band that is primarily black metal to attempt it is madness! Without any doubt at all the duo succeed, not only in keeping your attention with some gripping music, but you end up thinking that you missed some out as it surely wasn’t 85 minutes long? But it is. The story unfolds through harsh blasts of pure pain and sublime post-passages of great emotion, ‘I, Pallbearer’ opens up this mammoth journey in spectacular fashion, the duo of M.S. and J.J. creating an emotional rollercoaster of supreme highs and devastating lows. Interspersing these bouts of unbridled, almost Woods Of Desolation-like, black metal that rips your face off with gloriously harmonic guitar and brutalising thunderous blast-beating drums courtesy of guest musician Kerim “Krimk” Lechner (also of Septic Flesh). Easily the stand-out here is the utterly devastating but beguiling ‘Silver Needle//Golden Dawn’, its sublime pop melodies wash over you in a glorious fashion while J.J. screams his lungs out to give everything a dark aura. Finishing the album off with a Placebo cover may seem strange but it works so well it doesn’t feel out of place next to the rest of the album. ‘Maere’ is an astounding post-black metal (it is so much more than just that lazy genre tag though) that will change the face of the scene. Maybe even album of 2021?
Haxmastaren – ‘Sol I Exil’ (Self-Released)
The return of Swedish stoner doom lords Haxmastaren is a glorious one, their dirty doom has been ramped up severely to create this behemoth of the modern stoner scene. The bands take on an old sound is pretty breath taking, the groove of Red Fang combined with the doom-ness of Goatsnake is what you get here, especially Niklas Ekwall’s Pete Stahl-like drawl. His vocals are an acquired taste so give them time as once you do they become wondrous. ‘Growing Horns’ is a mid-paced banger while the title track grooves like a muthafucker, exuding a supreme soulful slinkiness that is truly sublime. The ever so warm guitars of Andreas Petersson and Fredrik Edvardsson envelope you in a silky cloak of beautiful stoned licks, unleashing some crushingly groovy riffs along the way. If you love your doom stoned then Haxmastaren are for you, you seriously won’t be disappointed. I find this goes well with damn good hefty indica.
Fawn Limbs – ‘Sleeper Vessels’ (Self-Released)
Well fuck me this is a nasty piece of work! From the pulsing opening to the cataclysmic ending, ‘Sleeper Vessels’ dismantles itself repeatedly, putting sections of grindcore, power violence and math-core together to create this immense, if bewildering, cacophony. Fawn Limbs have created an album many will find unlistenable and be rightly chuffed with that, but for those raised on Converge, Botch, Crossed-Out or any that were on the hallowed Hydra Head Records, this is a glorious trip of truly brutal proportions. The on-purpose glitches cause fits of disorientation, then the likes of ‘Corruption Aperture’ explodes on a mission to seriously fuck you up, which it does spectacularly. How drummer Lee Fisher manages to be this fast is beyond reason, then throw in his convoluted fills/runs/beats and your brain will start to leak out of your ears and nose. Spectacularly insane! Eeli Helin weighs in with some scything guitar that is gloriously obtuse, his ultra-raw vocals adding a further layer of filth to the already filthy proceedings. Laying down a hefty bottom-end is bassist Samuel Smith, his throbbing hum rattling your insides violently, which truly does top this manic, chaotic album off. I have been completely blown away by Fawn Limbs and ‘Sleeper Vessels’, it’s an album that lets more of its intricate nature out the more you immerse yourself in it, a glorious bloody album. Someone please put these on tour with Pupil Slicer, that would be fucking armageddon!
Eyehategod – ‘A History Of Nomadic Behaviour’ (Century Media Records)
Every time you think Eyehategod are done they spring back up with an album that redefines the scene they helped invent. The bands 6th album (their first in 7 years and first without Joey LaCaze on the drums) is another wake up call to everyone who thought they had nothing left to offer, from opening tirade ‘Built Beneath The Lies’ the 4-piece are on fucking fire, grinding out the sludgecore superbly, keeping everything as stinking as ever. The sound is enormous, the bottom-end of Gary Mader (bass) and Aaron Hill (drums) is thunderous (check out their jazz odyssey during ‘Smoker’s Piece’), driving these gloriously pissed-off odes to nihihlism onwards. Then there is Mr. James Bower who’s riffs tear at your skin, his down-tuned guitar laying feral barbs all over the place as his screaming feedback pierces your brain violently. Mike IX Williams puts in the performance of his singing career, never sounding so downright angry, spilling his guts furiously as he vents his real anger at drug addiction, homelessness, the US of fucking A and all its filthy corruption. Eyehategod have returned at the right time, the world needs these New Orleans locals to wreak their glorious havoc. Another album that is a contender for album of the year.
Verbal Aggression 