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A Dead Poem is a relatively new band from Brazil, a duo made up by Martin Combate on lead guitar and bass, alongside Be Misanthropic on vocals, guitar, drums and keys. After releasing a few digital single songs, and an EP, they have now prepared and unleashed their debut full-length album via Personal Records. I have seen the term goth thrown around in connection with this band, but I do not hear it myself. Yes, they do play moody and emotionally deep music, but it is not like dark emo vampire melodramatic music at all to me. Because honestly, if it was, you probably would not being seeing a review of it in the pages of Canadian Assault. I suppose it could come down to individual definition, but no, for me no goth here. Maybe gothic in vibe, overall. For myself it is too heavy, dismal and introspective for it to be reduced to that term, but again that is my definition I suppose. A Dead Poem play blackened death doom metal in an older style that greatly appeals to me. It was a time where I was a fan of it, before a lot of these bands, back in the late ‘90s and beyond went soft. I mean that in every way they stripped away their brutality, their darkness, their extreme vocals and dived head first into more commercial melody and prettier softness. I am talking here about the early good works of bands like Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, Katatonia, Anathema and similar. This is the style, atmosphere and vibe of those bands earlier years where A Dead Poem resides. I hope this band does not follow their progressions and and stay in this mode, but time will tell on that. I do very much enjoy their crepuscular emotion, the somber gloom they inject into their eerie and heavy death doom. They have a great feel for it and let things breathe and meander, without losing grip of the tether of the song, and keep things moving at an even and slow pace. The shadowy, whisper-y and slightly rasping death growls of Be Misanthropic are a picture perfect compliment to the music here. Besides the rasping edge, his vocals remind me a lot to Nick Holmes on those classic Paradise Lost albums. He captures that same wonderful tight rope walk between the extreme and masterful conveyance of grim, sorrowful emotion. These two men that make up this band clearly worship that same time period I spoke of. They have reproduced it here faithfully, alongside their own touches on this classic and timeless musical movement. A worthy debut. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/adeadpoem.doom
https://personal-records.bandcamp.com/
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I remember hearing the name of this British band over the years, long ago, but until now had never sunk my teeth into their audio offerings. This may be in part due to the fact that while they started way back in 1994, they only managed to release two albums prior to this new offering in all that time. What’s more is their last album was nearly 15 years ago!! As you might imagine there would be some line up changes over that long a period with next to no output. So much so, that the only founding member is vocalist Jaded Lungs, followed by drummer D. Molestor who came on board back in 2001. The other three members are all more recent additions over the last several years, but does notably count in those ranks two members of the excellent band Grave Miasma. I am going to cut to the chase here, the wait has been an extremely long one, but the result of that lengthy delay is an amazing fucking album! Judging from what is listed on Encyclopedia Metallum, I assume their sound has morphed on the years. They are called in their bio extreme metal, not a term but as an all-encompassing genre. I am not that big of a fan of this term, but I have to admit it really is an apt one on here. I mean if I had to drill down on it a bit. I would call them an extremely violent heavy metal band that mixes in elements of speed metal, thrash, alongside black and death metal as accents that thread snaking throughout their heavy metal sound, start to finish.This album is truly an audio sight to behold on the ears man haha. I mean everything sounds familiar and heard it before, but I am not sure I have heard it all combined like it is here. They take those traditional sounds, shaping and sculpting them in a form that is quite unique in style and execution. The song construction / pacing on here is phenomenal, it is pure high energy, it is lightning quick yet continually shape shifting and speed shifting in different directions. At the same time it is somehow not too busy, not schizophrenic sounding as their is order within the chaos. The music can be utterly bludgeoning and savage while still having some fairly intricate and refined guitar work that always keeps things interesting and you guessing. The performance from all involved is impressive, but with vocalist Jaded Lungs, well she is a true charismatic force of nature. Just like the music her vocal style while always keeping that main thread, also strikes out in every direction with all kinds of wild vocal flourishes and influences. Whether it be heavy metal siren song, or gruff thrashing yells, or slight death growling and even wisps of black metal rasping. This woman does it all and it is all filled with attitude, everything is vicious, violent and utterly wild with yet again with order coming through the chaos. I feel like diehards of traditional heavy metal and thrash will enjoy this most. But as mentioned there is so much more thrown in here I think fans of the other genres I mentioned above will also find things to dig. It may have taken fifteen long years, but Adorior have returned with what I feel is at the very least a minor masterpiece. - Dale
https://adorior.bandcamp.com/
https://www.darkdescentrecords.com/ |
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Adversarial is a trio from Toronto, Canada. They have been releasing material as a band for some 17 years now! Having said that, you could certainly say the band is not a prolific one, as this album is only their third full-length album (alongside a few eps and two splits) in that long period of time. Quite often line-up changes cause this, but surprisingly they have had the same line up the entire time. I am sure they have their own reasons for that. But let’s move on to the music. Adversarial play very aggressive, hateful and speedy black / death metal that reminds me to bands like Blasphemy, Revenge, Tetragrammicide, Archgoat mixed with some early Incantation. This sound is underpinned with a gloomy atmosphere that reminds me slightly to Deathspell Omega. The pulsating riffs come at you in waves with a devastating performance of an order from chaos of carpet bombing on the drum kit. It is a cavernous cacophony of audio black blood that is truly enhanced by the sick roiling, gurgling, growling vocals that boil out of the vocalists mouth like the bubbling from breath of a gored human victim. This music is intense and maniacal, it may be too much for some listeners. But if you like some necrotic warring black death metal vitriol from time to time then you might want to give this one a try. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/AdversarialOfficial
https://www.darkdescentrecords.com |
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'Par-Dela Les Cimes' is the fifth full length from France's Aldaaron. This new release is a masterpiece of pagan black metal that combines both cold atmospheric music and some aggressive fast paced black metal. The first song is "Antediluvian Prophecies", which starts off with some mid paced guitar patterns that quickly speeds up. The vocals are grim black metal screams while the music is fast paced guitars and driving drum passages that are played with skillful writing. "Frozen Shadows Of The Exalted Sun" starts off with a somber acoustic guitar and winds blowing. The music does speed up to a faster pace with some well played guitars and gruff and grim black metal screams. Musically the song stays in the mid pace range, but it is still a great song. "Chant's d'Hiver Et De Solitude" is up next starting off with eerie chants and clean vocals. The song soon brings in some mid paced heavier guitars that are played with crushing riffs, but it's not long before the fast whirlwind guitar pace picks up. The drums are equally as well played with skillful writing and ability. "Under The Icy Sky, Memories Fade Away" is the final track and is a great song to end this release. The music is a mix of extremely fast paced guitars that are played with skill and power. The vocals are traditional black metal screams, but the music does slow to a more mid paced range showcasing the musicians ability to perform slower passages along with faster paced arrangements. 'Par-Dela Les Cimes' is quality black metal that mixes in extremely fast paced music with some slower melodic passages to create a masterpiece of black metal that should please fans of this band, whether they are long time fans or brand new fans. - Patrick
https://aldaaron.bandcamp.com/
https://www.paragonrecords.org/ |
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This Floridian band came out of left field for me and they punched me in the face with a spike leather fist. I tasted my own blood, spit out a tooth and hit play again and got ready for a wild ride. The band is a trio with the lone dude Mykl chained like a slave in the back on the drum kit, out front you have the two Tazmanian devil ladies Tzu Wei on bass and the Sarah on guitar/vocals bringing the violence up front. Their music is a mixture of classic old school heavy metal, speed metal and thrash with undercurrents of fast raunchy punk that surface from time to time. Musically, they keep things heavy, fast and catchy, while keeping things driving and exciting. Sarah has a ton of charisma, attitude and a great snotty, pissed off edge to her vocals that I love. The vocals are sung and shouted, clear and sometimes almost spoken word or conversational. They remind me at times a bit of The Cretin from Dayglo Abortions (great old Canadian band) mixed with some Cronos, Tom Warrior and Lips from Anvil or some similar variation of those vocal styles. Yeah, her vocals rule! They have some great song titles with raunchy, mean and wonderfully abrasive ‘n grimy metal lyrics. Let me give you a little sample from the song “Smoke Grass, Eat Ass”. ‘You got a real nice body, I like what I see, so why don’t you spread them open wide for me, I get a little closer and stick out my tongue, it’ll feel really good when were done, light up, bend down, looks good - smoke grass, eat ass!’ lol! Fuck I love this fucking band Hahaha! Some of the other songs have more classic metal titles like “In The Still Of The Night”, “Into The Fire”, “Antichrist” and “Speed Demon’s Spell”. Some of their influences they wear on their sleeves in a big way, like the track “Obsessed By Evil” sounds an awful lot a slightly sped up version of “Poison” from Venom. But I don’t care because their reworking of it with different lyrics still sounds awesome and you know I am a massive Venom fan (and have been since I bought “Black Metal” on cassette in the mid ‘80s). There are other things that sound very familiar, but Antoagonizor do such a good job incorporating them into their style, attitude and lyrics that I just can not help but love. I think fans of classic metal like Venom, Exciter, Tank, Bulldozer, Dark Angel, Saxon, Motorhead, and Celtic Frost mixed with some flashes of rapid fire punk like GBH, Cryptic Slaughter or The Exploited should have a blast listening to this one. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/Antagonizor
https://morbidandmiserable.bandcamp.com |
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I feel like I have my ear to the underground scene, but I must admit that up until now I had not heard of Avmakt. Well in my defense, they had only put out a demo prior to this debut full-length recording. This Norwegian two man band, who does have some experience in other bands like Black Magic, Dødskvad, Obliteration, Saprophage, Flight and Gouge. The only one of those which I know is the very good death metal band Obliteration. Avmakt however do not play death metal, not at all, they produce classic second wave, not just Scadinavian black metal, but unabashedly that of the Norwegian tradition. They capture that early to mid ‘90s Norge black metal style to a fucking T, so to speak. Avmakt capture that freezing, hateful, and deadly yet still flowing sinister aura. That sound utterly possessed me and made me a devout follower of the style, from the moment in 1992 when I got my hands on “A Blaze In The Northern Sky” and “Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism”. I was far from the only one back then, but I had to get my hands on nearly every Scadinavian black metal band releases for the next few years. Avmakt I think have captured this sound and style about as good as any contemporary band in the scene in recent times. This is not just a carbon copy however. No, these guys have put a lot of thought into the songwriting and construction that brings their own flavour and character into the mix. Both these demons contribute to the vocals with that classic, glorious black rasps that add that deadly acid dipped dagger to Norwegian black metal traditions. If you worship second wave Norge bm like I do in the traditions of Immortal, but chiefly and foremost of all is Darkthrone, their early period musical fingerprints are all over this killer album. What would Fenriz himself think of this? I am glad you asked, because here is a direct quote from the man himself commenting on Avmakt “UNDERGROUND METAL THE WAY IT SHOULD SOUND RETURNS TO KOLBOTN!”. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/Avmakt/
https://peaceville.com/ |
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I have been a fan of this Finnish black metal band Barathrum for a ridiculously long time now. If my memory does not fail me, I tape traded for a couple of their demo tapes in the early to mid ‘90s. I followed that up by ordering their debut album “Hailstorm” way back in 1995 from their record label Nazgul’s Eye Productions (which later changed names to Barbarian Wraith). I followed the band relatively closely until the start of the 2000’s, and then I must confess somewhat lost track of them after this time. Though looking at their history it would appear that is about the time the band starting going through long periods of inactivity between releases. I am guessing the constant line up changes played a big part in that. But to the bands credit, or probably more to vocalist Demonos Sova (the only founding member and only member left from the ‘90s versions of the band), who has managed to keep this band going for 35 years!! ‘Überkill’ is the bands tenth full-length album and seven years since their last. They may sound a little different than the early days, sharper and more honed in now, but in the overall picture not terribly different than say their 1997 album “Infernal”. Which you could probably argue that is when they had really found their sound and style. That style is, was and presumably always will be evil and sinister black metal that pulls a lot of it’s influences from both the first and second wave black metal movements. Their brand of freezing black metal tends to reside a little more in the middle pacing with flourishes of hate filled aggressive speed. As mentioned you can hear that old school heavy metal influence in riffing and heavy dark refined guitar work. Those great omnipresent trademark rasping vocals of Demonos Sova sound as viciously demonic and cruel as they ever have through the years. Also, it appears Sova’s hallmark lyrics are also as deep rooted in delicious blasphemy, death and occult sorcery as ever. If you have never heard Barathrum, now would be a good time, if you an old diehard goat fan of the band like me, you will not be disappointed in what you hear. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/BarathrumOfficial/
https://kvlt.fi/ |
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Barshasketh started out as a mostly one man band from New Zealand, and stayed that way for half a decade or so. There were a couple of demos released and a debut album between 2009 and 2010. Then that one man, named Krigeist moved to Scotland, where he pieced together a full band, and since has released a few split EPs and three full-length records. The line up seems to have stayed stable for some time now, and the members are quite busy being in other bands as well like Bron, Belliciste, Nadsvest, Ad Extripanda, Falloch, Emperage, Seal Of Beleth and more. Which brings us to "Antinomian Asceticism”, the bands fifth album, and second released by the World Terror Committee label out of Germany. This recording is filled with boiling, twisting and churning black metal that is a freezing cold and vicious attack. The other side of the coin from the band is flowing sections that sweep across the audio field like a creeping fog. Between the majesty and cruelty, there is melodicism that seeps through, infecting both sides of this black metal duality and sews them together, a snaking through line musical anchor. The songwriting on here is smooth and thoroughly mapped out, showing their attention to detail and skill in this area. I like that the majestic and melodic elements never run away with things, the harsh second wave icy hate, and extremity, always have a tight grip on things, whether it be in the forefront on simmering on the back burner. The classic yet highly energetic (at times with varied accents) rasping vocals are a highlight on this album all by itself, Mika has put on quite a performance here. If you love black metal coldheartedness, and evil savagery that is mixed with a flair of atmosphere and melody then you should give this a close listen. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/Barshasketh/
http://www.w-t-c.org/ |
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I always say I am fan of crossover thrash yet I am not huge fan, nor do I listen to a lot of it. But the more I think about it that it is only a half truth. I say that as I have been listening to this stuff since it first started really. I bought the early albums of D.R.I., Agnostic Front, Suicidal Tendencies, Prong, Cryptic Slaughter, Wehrmacht, The Accüsed, Nuclear Assault, The Exploited and others. Which is a lot when I think about it for not the most prolific of musical movements. I kind drifted away from that scene (and/or the amount of bands playing this style just fell off?) and only listened to those old albums periodically save for a few. This was partly due to me delving deeper and deeper into the UG scene of thrash/grindcore/death/black metal in a serious way. During recent years I find myself seeking out more crossover bands like Toxic Holocaust, Municipal Waste, Power Trip, Adrenicide, F.K.U., Children Of Technology, The Donner Party and so on. So I guess you could say the Crossover bug has infected me once again and I can not get enough now. Enter Belushi Speed Ball who encompass so much of what I love about this style and have heavy influences from those old classic bands I cut my teeth on. That is not to say these boys are Johnny come lately’s though, as they have been slugging it out releasing a whole slew of EPs and a now three albums since 2014. These guys rip it up with a killer mix stylistically of hardcore structured songs that are presented in a lightning fast and heavy thrash metal riffing fashion. This is the kind of music that will ramp up your adrenaline and create a wild raging mosh pit live, or even in your living room, your mileage may vary. They do it all with a lot of aggression and attitude, which I like. The vocals are pretty fantastic and to me are a half sung/half amalgamation of the vocals of D.R.I., Cryptic Slaughter, S.O.D/M.O.D., Cro-Mags, Uncle Slam etc… Yeah man vocalist Vince Castellano just kills it on the mic, hell just for fun every now and then he throws in a bit of death metal growl and Steve Souza era Exodus screeches that had me roaring. Okay, I am not going to deny some of the lyrics are a bit clunky and silly, but even those lyrics are fun, and are meant to be seriously unserious ha ha. They deliver them with such energy and conviction that it is hard not to just get swept up in the whole thing. If you love classic crossover thrash metal goodness, then you should look into this band posthaste. - Dale
https://belushispeedball.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/belushispeedballband/ |
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The old cult legend band Blood Feast are still going and fighting it out after all these years! A lot of music has played and been released over the many moons since this infamous band released their classic debut album way back in 1987! I should get it out of the way that there is only one member left from those early days of yore, which is guitarist (and starting with this album now vocalist as well) Adam Tranquilli. You see that happen unfortunately way too often when old bands get that long in the tooth. But also on the flip side of that props to Adam for still thrashing it out nearly 40 years later!! Anyway, maybe also unfortunately, or fortunately depending upon my view on that day I was around and in the scene since this bands beginning. As you probably know I was born and grew up in Canada for the first 20+ years of my life, so I did not see them live over the years. Well except for that one time, I used to go to the great New Jersey Metal Fest (put by the same promoter that did Milwaukee Metal Fest). That one in NJ would have one of the three stages at that fest that only old school metal bands ala Anvil, Raven, Nuclear Assault etc… So yes, I think Blood Feast reformed for that in like 1999 if memory serves, and it was great to finally see them live in person. Okay, yeah I like to ramble, I love metal history, but okay onward to the music on this new album. The songs on here may not quite as crushingly heavy or blindingly fast as the first couple albums from back in the day. That does not mean neither of those elements are not still alive and well here though. The Feast may have dialed both those areas back a cunt hair or two, but there is still lots of ripping thrash runs here, just maybe mixed with usually brief emotive and moody sequences in between the aggression and attitude. As mentioned above Adam has taken over the vocals and they do sound similar yet also quite different than in the past. There is some of that mean gruff quality in his vocals, but they are delivered a tick slower and have a slight half spoken, half sung quality to them (ala think of the vocals on the early albums from Meliah Rage, Dark Angel or Metal Church). It is a mix of those two styles and different than in the past, but I also enjoy them. Blood Feast while it has morphed a bit still plays classic ‘80s style thrash metal and this album even sounds like it could have been recorded in that decade. There is one thing they have not forgotten how to do, besides straight up thrash, they also still know how to make good heavy and interesting songs with memorable hooks and choruses. The type that warms the cockles of this old metalheads black hearts. Check it if you love classic thrash metal from the late ‘80s by old goats who were around back then and know what it was all about.
- Dale
https://www.facebook.com/bloodfeastlegions
https://www.hellsheadbangers.com/
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I am a fan of the band the band Vastum’s last couple of albums. I was a little bummed when I heard a long time integral member Shelby Larmo left Vastum, not so long ago. I now see he has been busy since then, popping up in Washington D.C.’s Blood Monolith! Upon reading up a little on them apparently Shelby formed this band and in fairly short order this new band has come up with this, their debut album. Not to even mention also a record deal from Profound Lore. Despite this being a new band, and their first recording, this is an experienced group of musicians. Their resumes include currently being in bands like Ulthar, Nails, Undeath, Human Corpse Abuse, Tomb Warden, Goetia, Genocide Pact etc… Needless to say, I was pretty stoked to get this album and expectations were pretty high. Blood Monolith make their intentions clear mere seconds into the opening song “Trepanation Worm”. This track comes bursting out of the gate with a violent musical whirlwind, resembling an unchained beast tearing through a crowd of it’s captors, creating a splatter cloud of blood, bone and sinew in all directions. The talents behind this group are undeniable as they all skillfully show veracious dominance over their individual instruments on this recording. Blood Monolith’s brand of death metal and grindcore infusion is exceptionally fast, brutal and violent. Yet, their bludgeoning music also displays a high level of technicality, and infectious flow to their finely crafted songwriting. The production and sound on here is beyond reproach, being razor clean while still being extremely heavy and bestial sounding in overall scope. The aforementioned Shelby Larmo, during his Vastum days only handled the guitar mainly, he does so again in this band, but has also added title of vocalist to his band duties. Speaking of which, his performance on the mic here is superb. His distinctive, magnetic roiling, gravelly, and commanding growls really flesh out their sound and set a cracking atmospheric tone. I love the immense pounding death metal and piston pummeling grindcore side in equal proportions, which is also how they are meted through out. This balance is extremely enjoyable as they transition back and forth with pinpoint execution. I mean damn man, Profound Lore has a tiger by the tail here. So, they better strap in and enjoy the ride as this band cuts a swath of destruction through the UG metal scene! - Dale
https://profoundlorerecords.bandcamp.com/
https://profoundlorerecords.com/ |
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The freezing hateful music on this record gripped me pretty quickly and refused to release that hold, as I listened throughout my first, and subsequent listens. Then I started to look a little further into this band new band, and my interest only deepened from there. Bloodmoon Eclipse is a duo made up of notable underground musicians K.C.H. from Lunar Spells and the prolific Ungod (Sad, Kvele, Necrohell, Slaughtered Priest, Steelwitch and more). Some good bands there in that list. I am a fan of Sad and Lunar Spells in particular, hence the extra layer of interest for me. You have probably surmised from the band name, visuals and record label that this band play black metal. It is a particularly sinister and chilling form of black metal that mixes up the dynamics speed wise. Between straight ahead blitzing and conversely some brief rhythmic neck wrenching heavy chainsaw gutfuck sequences. The music really is a nice mix of those elements above, seamlessly mixed with extended sweeping sequences for a well rounded record that is solidly constructed. These two Greek demons channel early to middle ‘90s classic second wave black metal in deliciously deadly fashion. I worship these times and they remind me of some of the best of that time period with the earlier material of bands like Darkthrone, Gorgoroth, Immortal, Manes and the like. The vocals on here from Ungod are among the best I have heard and rival those from those classic releases of the bands I mentioned above. He really puts on a truly amazing performance with his commanding, attacking acid rasping voice cutting through the musical mire like an electric hate dagger through flesh. If you are like me, one who worships the earlier days of Scandinavian black metal of the second wave and can not get enough. Then this was tailor made for you and your black heart. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/purity-through-fire
https://shop.purity-through-fire.com/ |
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This split album intrigued me and caught my interest. The first half of the record is filled with Italy’s Bottomless, the band is a triad that features members of Sleeping Dark, Assumption and death metal band Shrieking Demons (whose EP was reviewed elsewhere in these pages). I found it interesting looking at the band history, as I always do, that two of the members David Lucindo and Giorgio Trombino are also both in Assumption, Shrieking Death together. As well as in the past were in the bands Haemophagus and Undead Creep together. So, it is a long history for these two, a long collaboration and some of that history seems to be rooted in death metal in the past and present. But Bottomless are very far from that, as they play classic heavy metal doom. Their brand of which is very good with some killer riffs and they show a penchant for emotive and affecting songwriting. I can definitely hear some pleasing influences from old kings like Solitude Aeturnus, Trouble, Candlemass, Momento Mori and even a newer band or two like Smoulder and Crypt Sermon. I really enjoyed these first four tracks. Now onward to Witching Altar’s half of this tasty morsel of a split record. The band above was a trio, and the Brazilian Witching Altar is even more bare bones by being a duo of Peter Vitus on guitars and Thiago Witchlover on vocals / bass. What’s more, after a little digging I see these two are cousins. Like their fellow band on this split they play classic doom metal, but where as Bottomless’ influences tend to be more rooted in the later ‘80s and ‘90s doom. Witching tend to dwell more in the ‘70s and ‘80s doom stalwart bands and style. I would say think of bands like ‘70s Black Sabbath, early Pentagram, Saint Vitus, Witchfinder General, and Pagan Altar. W.A. also write very emotive and poignant doom, but I would say they craftily inject a little more of a depressive atmosphere and overall darkness into their form of doomy goodness. You can also find a little more slow headbang inducing elements in in their songwriting. Which I am fucking here for! This is my first time listening to both of these bands, but now I want more and need to wade backwards into their past releases, while keeping one eye on their future output. Traditional heavy metal doom maniacs need to have this one. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/thewitchingaltar
https://dyingvictims.com/ |
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I became a fan of this Belgian band a few years ago. When I reviewed their album “666 Goats Carry My Chariot” and thoroughly enjoyed it. Bütcher are old school to the bone! They play superb ‘80s American speed metal that is heavy and just exploding with energy. They augment that speed metal sound with early eighties classic twin guitar Brit style heavy metal (unmistakable Maiden and Priest influences), as well as accents of thrash and small dashes of first wave black metal. It is all done with supreme skill and always possesses a silky flow. The melodies are highly infectious as they interwoven with some pulsating heavy riffing that is wrapped in a dark encompassing atmosphere. These metal maniacs from Belgian know how to really write interesting, memorable songs that go for the kill on the listener and leave a mark on your brain. Vocalist Ruben Hellshrieker puts out a whirlwind performance that highlights his different influences from the same sources as mentioned above. He goes from clean heavy metal singing, to gruff yelled thrash vox, first wave black metal style singing like a mix of the vocals on early Venom, Bathory, Master’s Hammer with a skosh of non-operatic Mercyful Fate. You even have a track like “A Gypsy's Tale (Of Sex and Seance)”, where Hellshrieker goes nearly full death metal growl with a whispering and shadow-y undertone, spiked with sudden mainstay shrieking. Both vocally and musically this album is a fun yet deadly unforgettable ride of musical lightning. No, it is not overly original, but it is a diverse mixing of those styles and when it is done this well, this skillfully and full of this much attitude. Well then, who cares? I know I don’t, no need to over think it, just enjoy a killer listen and headbang! - Dale
https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Butcherspeedmetal/ |
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The productive and skillful Matthew Schott (Garden of Hesperides, Sxuperion, Oreamnos, Valdur, ex-Weverin) returns once again with his solo band third full-length record. I reviewed both this bands first two albums elsewhere, if you care to look around, the California denizen has also released a couple EPs for this entity, which I have not yet heard. I was a fan of the first two, so this was a welcome addition to my collection (I believe there is a CD version released as well). ‘Hydrolysated Ordination’ sees the band pick up where they previously left off, this album is maybe just be a little less experimental than the first two records. When I say things like experimental or progressive do not take this the wrong way, their music has always pushed the envelope on traditional styles. Yet it pushes extreme to even more extreme levels, in interesting and inventive ways. So, this may be largely a little more defined than in the past, but those elements are still there. Such as the eerie piano key accents occasionally pop up, the creepy, horror inducing sound effects, clips, and sound samples still create a gloriously grimy ‘n, sick atmosphere on here. The ambience is always thick, off-putting and sinister to the maximum. The main body of the music is rhythmic, almost ritualistic and hypnotic as those massive doom death metal riffs chug along in the musical version of an unrelenting Michael Myers stalk through the night. There is growling death vocals, and they are good, but they are so obscured and shadowy that they tend to melt right into the begrimed rumbling riffs, becoming part of the music, never standing out yet filling in the gaps in a satisfying way. The music as a whole just twists and turns, ever so slowly in serpentine streams of molten magma, liquefying all it comes in contact with. You have heard it before, but probably not quite like this, as any Cabinet recording is a experience you will not soon forget (the song titles are almost worth the admission alone! Haha). - Dale
https://bloodymountainrecords.bandcamp.com/
http://www.bloodymountainrecords.com/ |
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I was a little surprised to already receive a new Cabinet album. It does not seem like it has even been a year since the last full length. Also, keeping in mind this is the solo band of Matt Schott (aka Lord Sxuperion) who is a very busy man. He is also in bands like Garden of Hesperides, Sxuperion, Valdur, Spice Breather and Oreamnos (more on this band in a minute). I came to realize after a little poking around while listening to this, this is all unreleased material, presumably from throughout the bands history. So, it is new to us, but maybe not so new material. One thing though, if it is a bit of an odds and sods compilation, this material for me, surprisingly feels like a pretty cohesive collection of songs. Maybe it is more of an unreleased album, or possibly Cabinet’s overall style just remains that consistent that it all fits together like a musical jigsaw puzzle - time lines be damned. I have reviewed I think most of the bands releases in Canadian Assault. This project I feel is quite an eccentric, at times off-kilter, at times exceptionally creepy, even morbidly gross. But I find all of that mix quite interesting, even though the disparate elements are all familiar. Such as gloomy death doom, brooding guitar dissonance, sudden detuned dirgy driving death metal fury that sounds like a ritual echoing through underground ritual chambers. Matt is so good at mixing in audio samples, vague quiet synth, and movie clips into the music. All of which, only furthers how the tension, the eerie, arcane atmospheres he creates is a real mind fuck. It is his skills in these songwriting combinations, which are so unusual and even unique at times. Cabinet reminds me of a lot of bands, and styles, but also none of them in any clear, coherent way and I dig that. I have not really even mentioned the vocals, there is a reason for that, most of the time there is no traditional vocals. Any vocals are usually obscure, melting into the background, low rumbling groans, growls, whispers and all manner of unclear, mood setting vocal emanations. I love Cabinet, even though it is so maddeningly hard to describe! Haha! It deserves to be heard by a lot more people in my opinion.
Bloody Mountain blessed me with not one, but two releases in this package. So, let’s move to one of Lord Sxuperion’s other bands, which is a duo alongside Sam Black aka The Harp (Lord Loss, ex-Weverin) on bass & guitar, with Matt/Sxuperion on lead guitar, drums and vocals. These two men live on the opposite sides of the US, but technology has made this geographical gap less of a worry in recent times. What we get on their new EP is doomy blackened death metal with a excellent downtrodden, dismal atmosphere, which floats through your cerebral cortex like an infectious fog. It is both extremely heavy and also moody with a good energy to it. The track that brings the most doom is the opening song, the title track of this release, a song that stretches over a dozen minutes in length. It is a bit of an ambitious song that way, but I thought they pulled it off well and kept my interest. I do feel some slight thrash influences injecting themselves from time to time, during this roughly twenty-five minute run time. Especially so on the second track “Perpetual Ascension”, where the band pick up the pace and put on a ripping riff fest. If you like to headbang this is song to do it with. It is not as prevalent as the last Oreamnos release I reviewed, but I still hear hints of death metal Celtic Frost, but there is definitely a larger dose of early Entombed, old Grave and Obituary gong on here. All of which, I like a lot. Matt’s deep, echoing growled vocals are much more defined and traditional than Cabinet. But, the vocals here are excellent as well, they have a creepy element to them and fit the music very nicely. This is a very solid, entertaining EP that I feel deserves your attention. - Dale
https://bloodymountainrecords.bandcamp.com/
http://www.bloodymountainrecords.com/ |
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Now there is a band name I have not thought of for quite some time. I got into this UK band waaay back in the day, some time around 1991 or 1992, I bought their second album on cassette. Cancer have a long history, after forming in 1987, putting out their debut demo tape in 1988 and debut album in 1990. You can definitely throw them into the hallowed list of bands that helped pioneer the death metal genre. They even had the great James Murphy in the band, the man who was part of Death and Obituary (appearing on classics like “Cause Of Death” and “Spiritual Healing”!), which resulted in him being on that second album I mentioned buying above. I did not even mention Murphy went on to spend nearly half a decade in Testament, great guitarist. But back to Cancer, sorry I am a metal band history nerd and get sidetracked easily because of it haha. As happens too often, when bands like this are around for two, three or four fucking decades the original, or even near origin members part ways with the band. At this point guitarist and signature Cancer vocalist John Walker is the only member left from those embryonic days. Now having mentioned death metal earlier, this band is and always has been a death metal band. But they are one of those great early bands that spanned the bridge between the thrash and death metal scenes. So, Cancer had elements of both in their sound, and still do to this day. Even Walker’s charismatic death growls have a gruff, shouted thrash style undercurrent to them. I think you could say he has his own flavour vocally, but I can definitely hear hints of Tom Warrior, Chuck Schuldiner and John Tardy in his style, that is a real compliment in my books. The song construction itself and stylistically, as you might imagine, is very old school traditional death metal mixed with elements of late eighties thrash. I really enjoyed the songs on here, they are engaging, memorable and you can headbang along quite nicely. The riffing is heavy and driving, with some nice secondary fills and some tasty guitar solos mixed in. This is a really solid, damn good album that shows the old boys (especially songwriter John Walker) can still bring it and bring it good. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/goryend/
https://peaceville.com/ |
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Veteran Chicago stalwart death metal band Cardiac Arrest unleash no less than their eighth album ‘The Stench Of Eternity’. This band first came on my radar nearly twenty years ago with their debut album and I have been following them pretty closely since. The band has kept active in between full-lengths with a slew of EPs, split EPs and the odd demo along the way. Cardiac Arrest is a band that has a real charm for me, maybe it is due to their love of stripped down old school extreme metal. I mean I do quite dig technical and ultra fast death metal. But sometimes, possibly even often times, I just want to just hear straight up tasty traditional death without things getting busy and possessing too much extra window dressing for their own good. This simpler approach is something this band bring in spades, that great old feeling, and style that made me become obsessed with this glorious sub-genre in the first place. They hit the ground running on here in what has become their standard mid paced yet driving style that gets me pumped up. The second song “Victims Of Blasphemy” sounds like the early line-up of Slayer did a straight up death metal song, it is a pretty awesome hymn. Cardiac have that great ancient riffing style I love that reminds me of some of my all-time faves ala the old works of bands like Autopsy, Blood, Impetigo, Dead, Repulsion, Deicide, Master, and Cianide. This is good shit, and these guys know how to write memorable, heavy songs that keep it uncomplicated yet extremely effective. The vocals are those throaty, guttural and time-honoured septic death growled bellowing that I just find extremely infectious on repeated listening. These brutal old bastards keep bring it and deserve the attention of diehards of the embryonic ways of death metal yesteryear. - Dale
https://cardiacarrestdeathmetal.bandcamp.com/
https://www.hellsheadbangers.com/ |
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I am a huge fan of old school Swedish death metal. So, let that colour this review any way you want to take it. Firstly, this is my first encounter with Carnal Savagery, which is a bit surprising to me, as I tend to like a fair amount of Moribund bands (and I have been ordering from them off and on since maybe even before they started the label, and were just a distro - stuff like Infester, Darkness Enshroud etc…). But, nonetheless somehow I never turned my attention to Carnal Savagery, and this is fourth album in the last four years through Moribund. If the other albums are as good as this one, I have some catching up to do. “Into The Abysmal Void” is a great album of old school Swedish death metal that blends the early classic sounds of bands Dismember, Entombed, Grave, Carnage, Vomitory and the like (a little early Repulsion/Autopsy thrown in too, but most Sunlight bands has a dash of that in their sound). Carnal have this sound down to a model fucking T! Something I love about them is they are vicious too, like think of the faster, more aggressive moments of the above mentioned bands, but Carnal do that like ninety percent of this entire album, it is relentless! It is also relentlessly enjoyable for me. It is impressive, despite how brutal and battering their songs are, they do manage to slip in some tasty little guitar fills and solos, here and there, ultra brief but they are there. The one area they are similar yet different from those bands is probably the vocals, courtesy of Mattias Lilja. The vox take influence from those old bands vocals, but have a little more of a wild and maniacal edge to them that suits the ferocity and speed of these songs. I had a good fucking time headbanging to this, if you worship that old traditional Gothenburg sound and can not get enough, then you have to get this record. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/CarnalSavagery/
http://www.moribundcult.com/ |
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For the first eight years of this Slovokian bands existence, they were a two man band consisting of guitarist/bassist/vocalist Vilozof and drummer Svjatogor. But last year they decided to bring in a new full time member named Neplex to take over the vocal duties, starting with this new sophomore album. It seems Neplex would be a fairly seamless addition, as Neplex is also in the band Porenut, a band both Vilozof and Svjatogor were also part of in years past. Ceremony Of Silence is not the most prolific of bands, as they are closing in on a decade as band, and this second album is also only the second recording from them (i.e. - apparently no demos, splits or EPs along the way). That time spent developing the band does reflect well in the music on here, it shows a very confident, mature and skilled collective. Speaking of the music, Ceremony has a penchant for crafting emotionally charged and atmospherically stygian music. Their brand of dark death metal still brings the brutality and broodingly heavy riffing that busts out short speed bursts, alongside stabbing at you through with an ominous affecting gloomy aura. As mentioned this band may not be the most fruitful in overall music output, but listening carefully to this you can tell a lot of thought and rich layering went into the song construction, as did the careful yet smooth transitions.The sinister sounding whispered undertone of the slightly obscured yet still commanding growled vocals really fit and melt into the overall suffocating, foreboding feel to the excellent music on this record. I could see fans of old school death metal in the vein of Immolation, Gorguts, Ulcerate, Funebrarum, Incantation, Portal and the like loving this one. - Dale
https://ceremonyofsilence.bandcamp.com/
https://www.willowtip.com/ |
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The South American UG scene just keeps giving, seemingly endless amounts of quality bands, which in my view you can add Chile’s Coffin Curse to that long list. The band is a duo, both of whom have been active in the scene for a long time in bands like labelmates Inanna (both men come from this band), Throne Of Evil, Sol Sistere, ex-Trimegisto, ex-Nocturnal Blasphemy. They play darkened death metal of the vintage variety, invoking that glorious early ‘90s American death metal sound in wicked fashion. The riffing is a great driving tremolo attack that comes at you in rhythmic waves and it refuses to let up. I mean you should get ready to headbang! Like most great embryonic death metal from that time period their thrash roots inevitably show up, especially in some of the more refined guitar work, fills and brief classy solos. The music brings a lot of energy and even though it is furious, their songwriting skill shines through with some memorable songs that are heavily cloaked in a sinister, graveyard like aura. The deep growling of Max Niera are superb, and commanding, deliciously accented with higher pitched gurgling voices to top off his quality vocal arsenal. They have this old sound and style down perfectly, this album is sure to please and possess die in the wool fans of the early works of Morbid Angel, Immolation, Malevolent Creation, Monstrosity, Deicide, Vital Remains, Massacre and the like. You know the stuff from back when the scene was exploding out of it’s birth canal. The bio uses the description of a fresh breath of old air, that is a great line and sums up this solid album. - Dale
https://coffincurse.bandcamp.com/
http://www.memento-mori.es/ |
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Portland, Oregon’s Coffin Rot is a new band for me, though not a new band to the pages of Canadian Assault. As my metal brother Patrick reviewed their debut album in CA pages about five years ago. Despite that gap between albums, this band actually has a few demo tapes, a live cassette, an EP and a split EP in their seven year history. So, they have kept things steady and decidedly underground, which is great in my books. That brings us to this, their sophomore album, and their first release of new material for the respected and rising Maggot Stomp Records. This album is excellent brutal death metal that has a lot character to it, in between the driving heavy riffs and piston drumming is some refined and emotive guitar work. They manage to create a really good, sickly necro audio atmosphere throughout. This brings me back to a classic mixing of US death metal ala early Autopsy, Obituary, Cannibal Corpse, Monstrosity, Skeletal Remains along with some Benediction and Grave for good measure. They really capture that aura Grave had on their early works especially on here. It all combines to create a pretty killer melting pot of molten brutality. The growling vocals Hayden Johnson are fucking fantastic, my kind of charismatic, deep yet decipherable vox that remind a lot of a blending of the mighty Dave Ingram and Jørgen Sandström. This is a really solid album of traditional death metal for all the diehards out there that can never get enough. - Dale
https://linktr.ee/coffinrotofficial
https://maggotstomp.bandcamp.com/ |
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I am not going to lie, I was pretty stoked to get my claws on this album. For those who do not know Coffin Storm is a trio out of Norway, which features Apollyon (Aura Noir, Lamented Souls, Waklevören, ex-Cadaver, ex-Immortal) and Bestial Tormentor (Infernö, Lamented Souls, Waklevören) and Fenriz of Darkthrone. I think you can already tell why I was interested in this bands debut recording. Before you start thinking, oh fuck this has to be some kind of sick ‘n fast black metal madness, you will need to adjust your expectations. Coffin Storm play traditional heavy metal doom! Which is just aces for me, as I have been a fanatic of many forms of metal going all the way back to the early / mid 1980s (yes I am an old goat!). Despite my expectations, I am not sure I was prepared for “Arcana Rising” to be this good, and for it to be this faithful to the early days of metal. These three metal demons create some amazing heavy doom metal that is high on emotion, along with requisite strong songwriting that manipulates that emotion with all the skill, and command of an accomplished musical puppet master. The songs build things up slowly, stringing you along and usually crescendo in a very satisfying way. Despite the heavy doom influence, they do keep things moving along at a slow, but steady pace with some heavy (almost like molasses thrash style) riffing and some tasty supplemental guitar work. I was truly impressed with the vocals of Fenriz, he has that classic doom metal voice of old down to utter perfection. I was surprised by the range he displays, hitting multiple ranges and registers, his voice drips with an affecting emotion that matches the wonderful music just superbly. I mean who knew Fenriz could make his voice sound like guys singers such as Messiah Marcolin, Robert Lowe, John Cyriis, and Bobby Liebling? Well he does, and I simply can not get enough of it. This really is a highly enjoyable album for me. I can not imagine diehards like myself, if you love old heavy metal doom ala Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Candlemass, manilla Road, Solitude Aeturnus, Solstice, Pagan Altar or even some newer bands in this tradition like Smoulder, Crypt Sermon, Ecclesia. Then you will love this I am sure. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/coffinstorm
https://peaceville.com/ |
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The bad news for those that have not heard, Cerebral Rot, also on 20 Buck Spin, has disbanded. It did not take long to be followed with good news, as two members (guitarist Clyle Lindstrom and guitarist/vocalist Ian Schwab) of that excellent band went on and formed Corpus Offal. So, you get the same songwriting team, on the same instruments and vocals, in addition to a new rhythm section with bassist Jason Sachs (ex-Demoncy) and Jesse Shreibman (Bell Witch, Autophagy) on the drums. It is a strong foundation of experience and quality musicians to build up something new. As you will guess after that introduction, this is their debut album, after pushing out a demo recently. That was enough for 20 Buck to sign Schwab, Lindstrom (and company) right up again. It did not take me long to find out why, once I hit play on this killer coming out audio party. These guys produce some truly brutal and gloomy death metal that crawls up from the darkness and crushes all in it’s path. They do so with a superb mid pace rumbling, turbulent dirge that has more depth and refinement in the guitar and drum work. More so, than might expect from something so grimy and massively heavy. Yes they do often plod along at that middling pace, but there is frenzied speed bursts and they also break down into some truly doomy shit that adds a nice dark emotive flavour to their style. The low ‘n slow mainstay guttural growls feature a nice ability to stretch and contract, flow and intensify to support the musical horror so well. Schwab also accents those main vocals with some cool gurgles and boiling wretches, it is a nice flair to finish off a solid performance on the mic. The vocals are like a cross between the vox of Immolation, Disembowelment, Demilich and Disgorge or something along those lines. This is definitely old school death metal, I am old and came in with that original school, so this more than suits me just fine. Some musical influences from that style and time I hear is bands like Morpheus Descends, Incantation, Rottrevore, Baphomet, Infester, Monstrosity, and Convulse. The bio threw out Cianide and Goatlord as influences as well, both good names and I can definitely hear that in there too. This record is for the old goat (in age or spirit) diehards like me who simply can not get enough of this classic sound, when done well, and it is. - Dale
https://www.instagram.com/corpusoffalofficial
https://www.20buckspin.com/ |
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Coming hot on the heels of their searing split EP with fellow countrymen Feral. The Swedish horde Crawl, after a six year wait, now returns with their second album, once again through the mighty Transcending Obscurity label. Crawl play intense, and violent death metal that stomps and mauls the listener into submission. This is some intense, heavy music that immediately conjure up thoughts of the classic Swedish sound with bands like Dismember, Grave, Carnage, and some newer bands in this style like Kaamos, Bloodbath and Entrails. Think of the most deadly, intense aspects of those bands and you will have a mental picture of the sound of the music on this album. Another interesting and different quirk of theirs is they mix in influences of crust with that glorious Swede sound, which you can hear hints of across the board from the riffing to the song construction, and yes even in the vocals. Too many stylistic influences like this can muddy the waters, but not with this band, they mix it in so smoothly and skillfully that it enhances everything. It only serves to add a whole other edge, an extra layer of electric intensity that takes their crushingly heavy brutality to another place, an awesome place. This album, for me, it is just so infectiously delicious to listen to, I am having a hard time hitting stop after hours of the album playing on a loop. You should really give this stuff a try if you worship that old Swedish sound with a new yet still old extreme twist. - Dale
https://crawldeath.bandcamp.com/
https://tometal.com/ |
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This is the third album from the long running band from Chile, with all their albums courtesy of the cult label Unspeakable Axe (this time around with a collaboration on the vinyl version from Dying Victims). I am immediately struck by the blitzkrieg, lightning fast music on here that features blazing guitars that howl with the angry disgust and the rage of a caged beast that is thirsting for blood. The adrenaline laced energy on here is astounding, it does not let up for a second and will leave you battered and exhausted. The echo tinged vocals from Felipe Alvarado match every bit of the musical explosion, they are commanding, mean and dripping with acid and that classic ‘80s style edge gruff delivery. But rarely did you hear them this pissed off. Despite that freight train speed there is a lot going on with the guitars and some interesting songwriting histrionics that keep things interesting. If you love the enraged, fastest, and heaviest thrash stylings from the mid to late ‘80s ala Kreator, Slayer, Voivod, Dark Angel, Destruction, Exodus, Sadus that is made for today then you really should check this out. - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/criticaldefiance
https://unspeakableaxerecords.bandcamp.com |
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You know these legends have been around forever when I can say, as a fellow old metal goat myself, that I was not in the UG scene when they were releasing demo tapes in the mid to late ‘80s. I was around, I was into metal that whole time, but had no idea there was such a thing as the underground metal back then haha! No, I discovered this band on their debut album released in way back in 1991, which was around the time I was discovering said UG scene. Also impressively unlike most bands around a long time there is often if you are lucky one member from the early years going onward today. Deceased on the other hand have three of them that have been in the band for 30+ years or more! It goes without saying I have seen these guys live over the years and they are great. Hell, I was even right next to the whole band many years ago watching Anvil live as those same three members headbanging along and passing a flask of booze back and forth haha! Good memories. Here I go again rambling on history. ‘Children Of The Morgue’ marks their eighth album (alongside scores of demos, splits and EPs), once again on the mighty Hells Headbangers Records. Deceased may have become better musicians over the years, top flight musicians in fact, but they never forget their roots and never stray too far from them. This band has always taken their craft very seriously, they do not release music unless the songs are always damn good and even great. This album has all of their signatures, heavy riffs, memorable hook-y songs that have a supreme level of emotional builds, and corresponding crescendos that will effect you to the core. There is a fantastic high level of guitar work going on here and some smoking hot solos. The songs usually have this magic combination of rapid forward speeds with an all encompassing atmosphere running through it all. The almighty King Fowley’s drum work is always classic sounding, and always on point, never too much, nor too little. Then we come to King’s vocals, his voice is so charismatic, his timing on his delivery is always poignant and affecting. I just love his vocals so much, he does not just he make everything about his accents and is sure to support the music. A very different style of course, but in that way he reminds me of King Diamond, whose vocals are always as integral to the overall piece of music as much as any other instrument on the recording. I could listen to this thrashing death metal album on repeat all night, and I probably will do just that. The legends are still doing it, and still doing it better than most of the scene who are half their age!! - Dale
https://www.facebook.com/deceasedofficial/
https://www.hellsheadbangers.com/ |
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It was a good, old familiar feeling to see this new album from Destruktor, their third album and first release in nearly a decade! It is that good feeling because I have been into this band since the very start, so it is like visiting an old friend. I think I may have even been in touch briefly with the lone founding member, guitarist/vocalist Glenn Destruktor even before Destruktor’s first demo tape. Yeah, that long, we are talking probably 1996 when we first got in touch. Shortly afterward, a demo entitled “The Holy Trinity…Denied!” was reviewed in the pages of CA during the early days of the print version of Canadian Assault. I was in regular contact with Glenn for years, but we lost touch since then and I probably only talk to him when an increasingly rare Destruktor release comes out. So time to get in touch again Glenn! The black death metal music on here has a very traditional vibe, you can feel that this warrior was there right from the beginning, he lived the embryonic years of it’s birth and that classic sound bleeds out wonderfully through the music. The music may be straight forward, slightly stripped down yet it is not simple music either and keeps constantly moving forward on the musical march. I find the music on this album quite infectious, the repeat button rolls it all over again and again for me. The driving, dirty and organic sounding riffs really pound and the songwriting keeps a rhythmic slithering with slight yet heated pace shifting. Which is something that keeps me riveted, as it is propelled along with a commanding and tastefully forceful performance on the drum kit from Jahred Mawdsley. The vocals are tormented, guttural yelled growls that have a sinister rasping undertone. There is this dark aura that is wrapped around all of their music, alongside the great serpentine riffing. I think this is a large part of the formula that makes me like this album, as much as I do, and it is as mentioned imminently re-listenable. If you love old school black death metal and bands that uphold the hallowed tradition of Australian UG metal then you should get a copy of this record!
- Dale
https://destruktor.bandcamp.com/
https://www.hellsheadbangers.com/ |
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France’s Disfuneral is an outgrowth of Herpes, that is the band Herpes, which is what this band was originally called. They released a two demos under that name in 2010, and 2012, before changing their name to the current moniker. Three out of four of the current members of the band currently go all the back to those STD days of yore. Which is cool, it also means they have been making music together for fifteen years now and it shows in their musical progression and proficiency. This is Disfuneral’s second album, I reviewed their debut album elsewhere, if you care to search for it. They have really nailed down their sound by this point, that gloomy and grimy atmosphere is present, it is palpable and has never sounded better. Their songwriting is on point, they manage to pull out a suffocating performance that is also quite affecting and emotive. So, in that sense it is some strong song crafting here as they manipulate the listeners emotions in pretty glorious and exceptionally heavy musical ways. Their classic death metal roots are strong with superbly interpreted Swedish death influences ala Dismember, Grave and Carnage mixed with heavy doses of doomy death metal much like the earlier work of Autopsy (all hail “Mental Funeral”!) into a potent elixir. The vocals of Renaud Mann, which to me are a killer mixing of Jørgen Sandström, Matti Kärki and Chris Reifert on vocals. Those yowled ‘n growled intense vocals are so fucking good and add so much to the music and the overall atmosphere. This record from top to bottom, for me, has no weaknesses as every song delivers. So, if you love the bands mentioned above and worship doomy death metal then you really need to hear this album. It is on endless repeats for me. Check it out and use this as your soundtrack the next time you read some H.P. Lovecraft.
- Dale
https://www.facebook.com/Disfuneral/
https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.us/ |
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You may or may not remember I reviewed Diskord’s album “Degenerations”, a few years ago. This Norwegian band is a really interesting one, as I mentioned back then they take a lot of influences and stylistic components you have heard in extreme metal before. But they twist it, turn it and flip those sounds on their head resulting in a very interesting and different sound than what you usually will come across. Diskord mix, match and blend the various styles of styles of traditional dark death metal, brutal death metal, technical death metal with healthy dashes of thrash metal. They do so by constructing extremely unpredictable songs that keep you constantly guessing at what will come next. While it is a real hodge podge quilt of time changes, and direction shifts. They somehow manage to do it all in a way that the flow of the songs never suffer, or ever enter into being over indulgent, in my opinion. These four songs from them are highly entertaining and they bring all of the above mentioned elements whilst doing it. They bring atmosphere, technicality and brutality in a way that is their own cool eccentric stamp. Moving over to the United Kingdom’s ATVM you can see why these two bands were paired. While ATVM may not be quite as unpredictable and avant-garde as their counterparts on this release. They are also not all that dissimilar, as they also bring extremely technical, frenetic brutal death metal with song construction that is also quite acrobatic and fluctuating. You could probably throw the progressive tag on there even, though I think that tag does get abused a bit, but still it fits well enough. While all the adrenalized, consistently morphing sequences are running all around, they often do like to have an underlying catchy guitar fill threading through much of each song. ATVM’s final song for me maybe does meander, losing the plot and over stays it’s welcome a little at almost 12 minutes long, but this only a small criticism. Overall, everything is very well done, and both bands also stick with the more traditional raspy growled vocals, which only serves to root in the right things in place for me as a listener with all the other envelope pushing. It is impressive just how extreme both of these bands are while still having such inventive, unconventional and thoroughly engaging songs. Songs that never suffer rate of flow issues as is often the case when bands attempt to be this ambitious. If you love stuff like StarGazer, Atheist, Pungent Stench, Carbonized, Disharmonic Orchestra, later Gorguts, later Voivod and the like as a generalized reference then you need to get a copy of this
- Dale
https://diskordband.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/AtvmOfficial
https://tometal.com/ |
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I may not review a whole lot of hardcore related bands in CA, but make no mistake, I am a long time hardcore and punk fan. As for hardcore, I was already a metalhead, but I got into bands in the ‘80s like Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags, Sick Of It All, and Black Flag. But I was also a big thrash metal guy in the mid to late ‘80s, so it was a natural progression for me to take to Crossover thrash bands like Cryptic Slaughter, DRI, The Accüsed, Wehrmacht, Suicidal Tendencies and so forth. So yes, I do not review a lot of bands like Drugs Of Faith, but you can probably get that it is also not unusual for me to be drawn to a band like this, from time to time. Whether it be hardcore, punk or crossover it needs to be violent, aggressive and in your face and usually has metal influences to some small extent to entice my interest. This band has that, and more. They come off very angry, viciously emotive in an enjoyable way. Their base sound is hardcore for sure, in my view, but they also have heavy metallic guitars, thrash influences and they even mix in spices of grindcore to really juice me up. I very, very rarely comment on or bring up anything political in Canadian Assault despite having very strong political views and a loathing of the current state of country politically. But all the same I must say I got into a lot of lyrical content on this album, it is not a concept album, but all or most of the lyrics deal with politics. This trio also features, and this initially caught my attention to look into this band, the guitarist/vocalist Richard Johnson is in the bands Agoraphobic Nosebleed and Enemy Soil. Richard’s vocals on here are fucking phenomenal, he has an awesome hardcore voice mixed with hints of death growling yells at times. He sounds like a caged animal that has just been set free and is ready to go on an adrenaline fueled revenge rampage on his captors. Despite all the rage, these guys do know how inject emotional aspects to their guitar work and song construction provide some nice, albeit, brief emotive respites from the pummeling. If you dig all that I described above and references made then you need to hear this wild slab of music. My only complaint about a lot of hardcore, and hardcore adjacent scenes, is they try to pass off short recordings as albums. This is labeled as a “full-length” album, but truth be told we are talking about 21 minutes of music, that is an EP all day long for me, at most maybe you could call it a mini-album maybe, but even that is a real stretch IMO. Now, granted, it is an amazing twenty-one minutes and if you are okay with all of that (I mean it is fantastic listen played on repeat). Then I can not recommend this record highly enough! Just grab a copy and thank me later.
- Dale
https://www.facebook.com/drugsoffaith
https://selfmadegod.bandcamp.com/ |
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