ESKAPISM - Tales of Elder Forest review

ESKAPISM - Tales of Elder Forest 

Folkvangr Records 




Once again the amazing Folkvangr Records puts out another superb release of black metal for your cold and grim listening pleasure. This time around it's the debut full length by ESKAPISM from the Ukraine. The band is a two piece act featuring Zymobor performing vocals, guitars, bass as well as programing (I'm guessing that's the drums). The second member is Dyvozor who performs the keyboard work as well as bass duties.

Originally the nine song Tales of Elder Forest release came out late last year. But by standard operating procedure, Folkvangr Records gave it the cassette treatment and re-issued it in 2017. I've spent the better part of a week listening to this. Obviously trying to find words that fit in order to describe it but mainly from the sheer enjoyment of the music. I have to say this year I've heard plenty of bands from the Ukraine especially black metal bands and ESKAPISM is definitely the finest one.

Musically they're not what you would call a traditional Ukrainian black metal sounding band (aka: lots of atmosphere, rolling tremolo picked riffs that carry you on waves, songs dealing with nature or how bout I just say DRUDKH) On the contrary ESKAPISM are all about symphonic black metal and in a fierce way or better yet think Norway's take on symphonic black metal. We're talking icy tremolo picked melodic riffs, harsh and tormented vocals, keyboards that act as glue to songs and of course savage drumming (albeit programmed drums).

There are times on Tales of Elder Forest when you think ESKAPISM are channeling EMPEROR. Songs like "The Sun Is Falling Into Autumn Embrace" or "The Sad Moon Is Rising In The Sky" convey that well. At other times they're like, dare I say it, a more symphonic version of HATE FOREST. All in all I'd say this duo have recaptured the early 90's symphonic black metal sound without sounding retro or pushing the cheesy grandiosity which plenty of others have done to my disgust.

https://folkvangrrecords.bandcamp.com/album/tales-of-elder-forest

https://www.facebook.com/eskapismofficial

BRUME - Rooster review

BRUME - Rooster

Doom Stew Records




On paper this band could be a total cliche. They are a three piece (guitar, bass and drums) act that hails from San Francisco. Their bassist/vocalist is a woman and they perform traditional doom in the SABBATH-ian way. The kicker in their favor is that their songs are damm good and their vocalist adds so much feeling to their songs that it's as if she reaches out and touches you while this recording plays.


Rooster is the second release by BRUME. They also have an EP titled Donkey from 2015. I never heard their EP but I'll say this, BRUME's debut full length is a captivating release and one of the best of 2017. Musically the songs (there's six of em) have a slow methodical pace (provided by guitarist/riff-lord  Jamie McCathie and drummer Jordan Perkins-Lewis) which adds perfectly to bassist/vocalist Susie McMullin. She has a vocal style that switches from soulful touches, airy melodic-ness to folk-ness. In a lot of ways this reminds me of JEX THOTH, which is a compliment. 

https://www.doomstew.com/

https://brumesf.bandcamp.com/album/rooster

https://www.facebook.com/brumeband/

INCANTATION - Profane Nexus review

INCANTATION - Profane Nexus 

Relapse Records




Before I say a fuckin word about INCANTATION's tenth full length I need to make a few things clear. First off in my not so humble opinion INCANTATION are one of the greatest American death metal bands. As far as consistency goes they nail it. Next up INCANTATION literally created death doom as we know it today. It's their fuckin sound, period. Add to that over the past decade more young bands choose them as an influence over the rest of America's death metal past elite. And lets make this evident, all their releases rule.

So yeah I set the bar high for INCANTATION so listening to Profane Nexus was a surprise to say the least. The overall feel of this release is one of brooding and crushing. It's probably the most deathly doomish release that John McEntee has ever vomited out onto the public. His vocals this time around seem more foul then ever before. What's also cool is that he's still got returning band members (aka: drummer Kyle Severn and bassist Chuck Sherwood, only guitarist Sonny Lombardozzi is the new factor.

Profane Nexus starts out slow and then to a crawl before the mid period takes off and it's mid paced death and destruction. That's a total twist from past efforts. Although it has mixed moments for example "Xipe Totec" is one minute of past greatness. "Lus Sepulcri" follows suit with being average. The opening build up with "Muse" and "Rites of the Locust" is death gloom and doom at it's finest. But whatafuck is "Stormgate Convulsions from the Thunderous Shores of Infernal Realms Beyond the Grace of God" other than a waste of time. Filler will be more like it. The final track "Ancients Arise" is a perfect example of funeral doom at it's best.

A few weeks ago I was reviewing a band who had a huge INCANTATION influence and wondered if they would be better than this, the original. My answer is yeah they would. Profane Nexus just lacks excitement. I was expecting a growing momentum that never appeared within the massive sound being conveyed. Sadly this is going to be the one INCANTATION album I'll never come back to.


https://store.relapse.com/

https://incantation666.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/IncantationOfficial

Floating in the Mainstream

Floating in the Mainstream
Short takes on what the mainstream thinks is cool, LAUGHS!!!!!

PRIMITIVE MAN - Caustic

Relapse Records

This is the most boring piece of over-hyped horseshit I've heard this year. It's basically a more sludgey version of SUNN O))) (who are just as boring by the way) with blackened death vocals. Or better yet, put on a PORTAL album and play it with a quarter on top of the needle. PRIMITIVE MAN are a three piece act from denver and have been around for a few years now. In 2013 they released their debut full length, Scorn, which got em notoriety, why I'll never know. This is their second full length but hey first on Relapse. A waste of seventy five minutes.

https://store.relapse.com/


DYING FETUS - Wrong One to Fuck With

Relapse Records

Full disclosure, I never was a huge fan of tech death but honestly over the years I've heard some incredible bands that fully deserve honor. DYING FETUS ain't one of em. Except for the various staccato turrets freak-outs they're basically MORTICIAN on coke. And ya know that's not brutal, that's stupid.

https://store.relapse.com/

WARBRINGER - Woe to the Vanquished

Napalm Records

I've said it so many times but I'll repeat it. When the thrash revival came about in the late 80s I was on board at the beggining. Like any other musical revival it was simply a younger generation recreating something from the past because they loved it as well as rejecting the modern norms. Unfortunately the modern norms (aka: the mainstream metal media) were against it at first until major labels started signing these bands and then (because of advertising dollars) they suddenly liked it. 
Be that truth as it may, I liked WARBRINGER on the Speed Kills Again comp. I saw em twice and liked their debut full length, War Without End. But then the decline happened. Seriously you can only do so much with recycled Bay Area thrash riffs and song structures. Since this is on Napalm Records then obviously their three album deal with Century Media came to an end. As far as this goes hey when they recycle SLAYER stuff I'm kinda offended because it's worse than new SLAYER.

http://label.napalmrecords.com/


EXHUMED - Death Revenge

Relapse Records

At this point in the game do you really think there's gonna be something different or better yet explosive in this band's sound? Duh? Seriously I thought 2011's All Guts, No Glory and 2013's Necrocracy were decent but they don't hold a candle to Slaughtercult or Gore Metal for obvious reasons. We're use to that death grind sound by now and EXHUMED's status as being America's CARCASS is set in stone.
This album is boring tripe. EXHUMED does better at selling t-shirts at shows because they're a nostalgic act for kids who were not around years ago but certainly have cash today, to buy t-shirts. Yeah the band is great live but......and there you go.

https://store.relapse.com/


ENTRAILS - World Inferno 

Metal Blade Records


Ya know that feeling when a band you like gets too repetitive? I was an early fan of ENTRAILS. They were part of cadre of acts who revived the old school Swedish death metal sound. Albeit the band originally started out in 1990 with no avail. In fact I called their The Tomb Awaits release one of the best albums of 2011. Since signing up with Metal Blade their sound has matured to a more modern DM sound which is fine. They put out two decent albums in the past couple of years. But with a new line-up, leaving just Jimmy Lundqvist as the sole remaining original, this new one seems average. There's a few good cuts but the rest sounds like 2013's Raging Death Part Three. 


http://www.metalblade.com/us/

GOD ROOT - Salt and Rot review

GOD ROOT - Salt and Rot

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions




So I'm home from work, it's 1 am and I put on something new from Horror Pain Gore Death Productions which came in for review. Now knowing what this great label puts out I'm thinking OK this will rip the work scum right off of me. But ah no since this release right here is like Pink Sludge Floyd. It gets better since they hail from Hostile City, USA. Now for you others not in the know that's Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Now since I use to live up that way a while back I can tell you this. I've heard a lot of extreme music acts outta Philly but never something like GOD ROOT. Oh yeah that's a good thing.

So I'm thinking these five Philadelphians, who play sludge metal by trade, went down to South Street one night to get inspired and scored some liquid acid. Back at the recording studio they put out their hands and each got puddled (aka: a big drop of liquid acid in the palm). Just for truth's sake I was a double dipper. But anyways ya lick up the liquid and then rub your hands over your face. So twenty or so minutes later these guys are like "Dude I'm inspired! Let's fuckin record!" And here's what we got.

OK I'm probably wrong but just being nostalgic made me feel good. Any way GOD ROOT have been around since 2015 and this is their second EP. Their first, a self titled four song outing, came out in 2016. This latest is also four cuts that indulge in a lot of psych, tribal drumming, plus some ghostly sludge sounds that are more hypnotic then over the top. I like this a lot especially after playing it for three hours straight.  The sun is gonna be up soon but GOD ROOT keep this trip going. 

http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/indexmain.html

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/salt-and-rot

https://www.facebook.com/godrootband

FREEZING BLOOD - Baal review

FREEZING BLOOD - Baal

Old Temple




Here's a Polish band into Satanism, Goat Worshipping and has no Facebook page. I'd say that's a plus. Looking back this band's first demo from 2013 was titled Altar of Goat so there you go. This is FREEZING BLOOD's first official release. Prior to this they have the demo and a three band split from 2014. 

Musically this four song EP is blackened death on the scale of old school sounds from somewhere other than Poland. Thoughtfully I'd be going to South America but hey nowadays it doesn't matter. Brutality is universal, death metal and blackened ferocity is tethered to a few. Readers of SFM666 know I love my share of Polish death metal. I always look at it as a brutal finger to the rest of Europe. 

FREEZING BLOOD are the band underneath VADER's practice space pummeling away. Of the four cuts on this EP three are full on brutal punch you in the face cuts. One, "Seven Gates Of Chaos & Destruction" actually brings in some change via choir singing. It's so fucking nice until "Sheep Slaughterer-Worshiper Of Goat" kicks in and all hope is lossed. This release is beautifully executed, beautifully concise and totally brutal. Yeah that's a good thing.

http://www.oldtemple.com/

https://oldtemple.bandcamp.com/album/freezing-blood-baal

WITCHFUCK - Disgusting Rock’n’Roll review

WITCHFUCK - Disgusting Rock’n’Roll
Old Temple




OK I'm giving these fuckers a chance because they do a cover of "Violence Now" by GG ALLIN & ANTISEEN which is props in my scum book. Then again with a name like WITCHFUCK it's gotta be scummy and similar to NUNSLAUGHTER. This is scumpunk metal at it lowest. That's not a slag on these Poles at all in fact they're my heroes.

Actually, and I've said it many times, it's bands like WITCHFUCK that got my good friend Andy Miller and I to start the original Scumfeast zine back in the late 90s. This is the band's debut four song EP and it's a masterpiece of filth ridden metal with a huge up-chuck of punk attitude. Hell when you can hear the singer spit then you know it's good. When's the full length coming out?

http://www.oldtemple.com/

https://oldtemple.bandcamp.com/album/witchfuck-disgusting-rock-n-roll

PATHOGEN - Ashes of Eternity review

PATHOGEN - Ashes of Eternity

Old Temple




Here's another one of those releases where you think it could be some long lost recording. In this case we're talking death metal circa 1988 from Sweden. But know this is brand new from PATHOGEN who hail from the Philippines. Actually this band has been around for a long fuckin time. 2001 to be excact and over the years they've put together an impressive larder of releases, both full lengths and short form stuff. 


I'll make this easy for you fuckers. When it comes to death metal, if you're the type that worships at the altar of GRAVE, NIHILIST and DISMEMBER then this one is right up your alley. Mine too since I love bands like this that keep things under a strict old school line. First off the vocals are maniacal whether it's the standard grunt growls or screams. Either way it's cool as fuck. Next up is that traditional thick guitar tone via a Boss HM-2 pedal. 

Officially there's nine tracks on here but the opener is a short intro. I don't have a favorite or a bunch of tracks I like. This whole album is fantastic. "Apocryphal Visions" is a good ripper to get things rolling. "Deathvomit" is definitely a crap beaten out of ya number. Both "A Graven Frost" and "Into The Endless Grey" are punishing. Hey what more can I say than this is a fuckin favorite.


http://www.oldtemple.com/

https://oldtemple.bandcamp.com/album/pathogen-ashes-of-eternity

https://www.facebook.com/Pathogen-PH-177645992334222/

GOD DETHRONED - The World Ablaze review

GOD DETHRONED - The World Ablaze

Metal Blade Records




Full disclosure here people, I've been a fan of this band for a while. So when main-man Henri Sattler decided to call it quits a few years ago I thought it sucked. Of course it wasn't a bad way to walk out considering a damm good twenty year career left behind. I still consider early works like Bloody Blasphemy, The Lair of the White Worm and The Toxic Touch to be good melodic death metal. But when he decided to do a concept album in 2009 based on World War One that's when I thought he reached greatness. 2009's Passiondale is a release that stands tall along side any other death metal album. A year later he followed it up equally with Under the Sign of the Iron Cross.

So now after a few years hiatus Henri Sattler (guitar/vocals) returns with former drummer Michiel van der Plicht and newcomers Mike Ferguson on guitar and Jeroen Pomper on bass. The World Ablaze is the final release in the WW1 trilogy by GOD DETHRONED. Thankfully this final chapter is equal to it's predecessors. There's the militaristic riffs mixed well with melodic counterparts. Sattler's vocals sound far more vicious this time out. The song structures are never out right attacks but like before are a mixed bag of recognized war violence and solemn sadness. The World Ablaze is a fitting final chapter of a death metal rendering of the supposed war to end all wars.


http://www.metalblade.com/us/

https://goddethroned.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/goddethronedofficial

POISON BLOOD - Self Titled EP review

POISON BLOOD - Self Titled EP

Relapse Records




Honestly if this was recorded by two guys from Bumfuck, Montana then Relapse wouldn't give a flying fuck about it. But since there are two people involved with some sort of "name recognition" then hey the label puts it out in order to gets some side cash to buy the kids some new shoes. The people involved are Neil Jameson, the moral compass writer of metal (?) at Decibal, constant collaborator in various other bands and oh yes he's in KRIEG. The second person is Jenks Miller of HORSEBACK, also in an alt country act and is only known here in NC by a few hipsters in the media. Seriously most people in the North Carolina metal scene either laugh at his band or go "Who?" Supposedly these two guys hooked up on social media because they both liked BEHERIT's Drawing Down the Moon LP. 


Musically this is minimalist black metal on a few cuts, the rest is a bag of influences whether it's psych or 70's rock. Jameson's vocals are always good but this is less than twenty minutes worth. I mean according to the promo this is Jenk's "desire to write music that was an outlet for a more straightforward kind of aggression". Yeah sure you wanna play metalhead for a month. Meanwhile there's plenty of other artists out in the metal community who are actually dedicated to their craft and release their music on their own or through small independent labels. I write about em all the time. And their music is far better than this. 


Lets be honest here. I'm sure other people in the metal media will give this a decent pass not because it deserves one. Advertising dollars fuels opinions and you know exactly what I'm referring to.  But since that doesn't matter to me that fuck this shit. The cover artwork is decent. Too bad it was wasted on this.

https://store.relapse.com/

https://poisonblood.bandcamp.com/

SOLBRUD - Vemod review

SOLBRUD - Vemod

Indisciplinarian






So I was expecting some new Scandinavian black metal from a Danish foursome who are tagged as "epic and atmospheric". What I hear on this one is post DRUDKH. SOLBRUD are new to me but have been around for seven years now. They have two previous full lengths prior to this new one. I'm sure someone thinks they're lovely but this four song release is boring.

I have finally reached that point where black metal can be boring even when the artists are at the top of their game. Make no mistake SOLBRUD are very good. They put forth a wall of duel tremolo picked riffs either violent or melodic. Although its a wall of sound that is generic. The vocals are typical raspy. And the soundscapes generally follow that harsh and slow pattern. There's some keyboards added to enhance the atmosphere during the dead parts. But overall this is fucking generic and boring.

http://indisciplinarian.com/indiscsite/

https://solbrud.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Solbrud

UFOMAMMUT – 8 review

UFOMAMMUT – 8

Neurot Recordings




Full disclosure, I was not a fan of UFOMAMMUT early on. It was around a decade ago when I first listened to them and my thoughts were oh alright it's post sludge, experimental whatever the fuck you wanna call it. Imagine NEUROSIS getting more over indulgent then they already were and dedicating an album to HAWKWIND. I'm pretty sure the album I'm referring to was 2008's Idolum. Of course this was long before these Italians were on the collected conscious of the mainstream music media. 

Now as time moved on I kept hearing stuff by these guys (UFOMAMMUT are a three piece by the way). They put out a one song album, Eve, which I gave the finger to. Then in 2012 they released Oro: Opus Primum which came out on Neurot Records, a label I pretty much hated because of their pathetic cadre of what many people called NEU-ISIS acts. But the release was interesting. It really opened my eyes and ears not only to their great music but how for years so many US acts (hipsters) had stolen from them. Seriously UFOMAMMUT, who have been around for seventeen years, have been ripped off by bunches of hiptard losers. 

Now be that as it may here we have their eighth full length technically because Oro from 2012 was a two part-er ( Oro: Opus Primum and Opus Alter). This album here is definitely my favorite UFOMAMMUT release. And I will say this, thanks to Neurot Records for doing this band justice because by putting out their releases over the past few years you've screwed over the posers and poachers. But getting back to this release, yeah this is NEUROSIS and SLEEP (or OM) doing a HAWKWIND tribute. Toss in plenty of psych damaged sludge and stoner rock, spaced out reality plus some death doom and you've got their most accessible album ever.

8 is a smorgasbord of everything UFOMAMMUT has done all of these years in eight songs which last slightly less then forty five minutes. A feat for them compared to past releases. Calling this more accessible than past releases is not a slag against the band at all. 8 has a layered texture of stoner/sludge/psych sounds with low key vocals which is more inviting than say overwhelming or punishing. Supposedly this was recorded live in studio, hmmmm?   

https://www.neurotrecordings.com/

https://ufomammut.bandcamp.com/album/8-2

https://www.facebook.com/ufomammutband/

It Was A Very Metal Wedding

It was a very metal wedding indeed. I am proud to have been involved in my friend's wedding recently. Angela and Yance got hitched and it was cool as fuck. Here's the video:



Yeah I know it was so VH-1, I was expecting Eddie Trump to show up. Yance, the groom, was funny and cheesy in his vows. Angela's poem brought a tear to my eye. In the end I* loved every minute of it. A METAL WEDDING Prepare the sacrifice!

DEATH YELL - Descent Into Hell review

DEATH YELL - Descent Into Hell

Hells Headbangers Records




Unless you're a connoisseur of extreme metal from South America than the name DEATH YELL will not be so familiar. Although if you're into collecting Finnish black metal than you just might. I'll explain that weird connection in a few but first here's this. Basically DEATH YELL were a short lived band from Chile back in the late 80's whose sound was a mix of thrash metal as well as adding more eclectic doom nuance to their overall fury. To their credit the band released a six song cassette demo in 1989 titled Vengeance from Darkness. To this day that release in it's original form has become a highly collectible item when it comes to South American metal. Maybe more so for the band's sound and style than for just being a collector scum treasure.


The band was unlike their fellow countryman in PENTAGRAM as well as their better known brethren from Brazil. Maybe that's why in 1991 they were on a split 7"er with Finland's BEHERIT. Now since I am a BEHERIT fan and their song on that 7"er was the classic "Werewolf Semen and Blood", of course I checked out DEATH YELL as well. The band split up in 1991 but because I'm a poor metal fan I did pick up a copy of Morbid Rites which is a compilation put out by Nuclear War Now! Productions in 2007 which has DEATH YELL's early songs on it plus some worthless live cuts. 


Which brings us to the present, in 2012 DEATH YELL reunited after all those years (with a new drummer) and in 2013 released a split 7” with ATOMIC AGGRESSOR on Hells Headbangers Records. That garnered them modern day interest with a whole new audience and a few years later (2016 to be exact) they put out a second split with Peru's MORBOSATAN on Doomentia Records. So now we have the band's first official and proper full length. After like thirty years what would you expect?


Well I am proud to say that Descent Into Hell is one of the best extreme releases of 2017. And ya know history be dammed this fucker is incredible and I say that while one of their songs, "Macabre Fuckfeast" is still surging in my head. Instead of just repeating the past the band has gone modern with a furious thrash attack with touches of their black and death metal past influences. I'm talking about hammy bar dive-bombs, blast-beats galore and some actual melody in-between down right brutality. Vocalist Galleta is probably the only style retainer from their past and his venomous hiss style singing is far more formidable than ever. 


Old bands who reunite are like ghosts from the past. When they haunt you its kinda like a remembrance of past greatness which is cool for a short time. Then again they could come out with something totally strange and scare ya to death. DEATH YELL combine their past with the new and of course modern production takes them to a greater level. This blows away bands half their age and makes contemporaries look like pathetic nostalgia acts. For a quarter of the price you paid to see SLAYER this year you could have this. 

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

https://deathyell.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/deathyell/

NEXUL - Paradigm of Chaos review

NEXUL -  Paradigm of Chaos

Hells Headbangers Records




NEXUL hail from Texas, is a side project which features band members of NYOGTHAEBLISZ and HELLVETRON (two past faves of mine), are also members of the Ordo Satanae Imperium collective and with this their full length debut have released blackened death hell on the populace. For reality's sake I won't say it's more devastating then that hurricane which hit Texas weeks ago but for the extreme music public then yeah it's a burner.


Musically the sound on Paradigm of Chaos by this four piece is not far from what these guys do in their primary bands. Basically it's bringing blackened raw produced chaos in the vein of SARCOFAGO, BEHERIT and BLASPHEMY up to somewhat modern standard's pandemonium. After the lackluster and confusing intro, songs burst out with heated hatred like Satan spitting in your face. The cuts on here vary in time signatures from nothing over six minutes to short grind bursts. In fact there's nothing much on here that pitifully bored hipster types would call atmospheric. Then again for me necro drenched hell spawned filth is a good atmosphere. Yeah it's a matter of taste and for me right now that flavor is brimstone.


https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

https://nexul.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Nexul-364297183771475/

CRACKHOUSE - Still Alive review

CRACKHOUSE - Still Alive 

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions




One the fall outs of the modern metal scene is the encroaching lack of a sense of humor amongst listeners. I blame that on hipsters and weak shit over serious liberal types afraid to laugh less they look offensive to others. Oh sure it's easy to shoot typical fish in the barrel for an easy laugh (ie: politicians and religious types). But for me anything is a target of opportunity because extreme music is suppose to be fun as well as dangerous. 


CRACK HOUSE from Philadelphia (aka: Hostile City USA or Filthadelphia) are pure fuckin scum punk/metal in their approach to their craft and crack is their muse.This is pretty much a fake live album and it's great as well as funny. Yes being insulting is funny and bands from Philly (a place I know well) have always had a knack for it. RANCID VAT comes to mind although these guys (ok, their promo) cite GG ALLIN as well as THE DWARVES, MIDNIGHT and NEKROFILTH as influences. Speaking of Philly bands I just saw old friends THORAZINE last weekend.


But getting back to this, CRACK HOUSE are a four piece act who mix old hardcore with grind and some thrash into what they call Crack Rock n Roll. It's an easy shtick to follow. On here they let loose with eleven cuts some old and a few newer ones all recorded in what they say was "an abandoned building in north Philadelphia". Then the recording was engineered at the studio which added the audience sounds like a classic 70's live album. Years ago when my friend Andy & I started Scumfeast Zine, this is the type of band we use to love promoting. Total fuckin scum, ya gotta love it and it's strictly limited to 100 copies.

http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CRACKHOUSEROCK/

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/still-alive-limited-edition-of-100-copies

HELLRIPPER - Coagulating Darkness review

HELLRIPPER - Coagulating Darkness

Self Released




HELLRIPPER is a one man blackened thrash act from Aberdeen, Scotland and sound-wise this sounds like a ton of other bands out in the genre but most notably TOXIC HOLOCAUST because of the similarity that's it's a one man band. The one man in question is James McBain who started HELLRIPPER back in 2014. Over his short career prior to this James has released an EP and three splits. Interested parties should check out his Complete and Total Fucking Mayhem compilation which has all of his music from those releases mentioned. I'll probably be one to check that out.


Coagulating Darkness is James' first full length, eight song's worth, and it's a decent blackened thrash release but it's just generic as it's gets. Is it good, sure but it's paint by the numbers and there's so much out there equal to it. Hells Headbangers has a dozen or so bands on their roster right now. Welcome to the big pond James, although I do like this one. Nothing wrong with putting out something tried and definitely true. You do get props on the cover artwork though.


https://hellripper.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Hellripper1

BLACKEST - Dawning Of The Black review

BLACKEST - Dawning Of The Black

Blood and Brutality Records




Well this one has some variety be it the Bach inspired organ interlude on the eleven minute opus "Remembrance" to the instrumental title track that needed opening movie credits running down a screen in a theater near you. Oh yeah and melodic black metal being the main ingredient. Seeing that this act is from Birmingham, Alabama the only thing missing would be a southern accent to the harsh vocals alas there was none. It would've of been cool if there was though.


This is the debut full length by BLACKEST, a two piece act consisting of Arant (performing all instruments) and Seior (vocals). Aside from the outside additions the band are a steady second wave black metal influenced duo. They do mix things up in their song structures enough by giving room for slower moments to gradually break from the fast tempos. "As The Sun Sets" being a perfect example. While musically this is a decent piece, it's the vocals that seem out of place. Seior has a rough sandpaper coated blood vomit type of singing voice. 

By far my favorite cut on here is the previously mentioned eleven minute “Remembrance”. It's an instrumental that starts off with the Gothic organ intro which leads into crushing guitars along with melodic soloing and a basic blastbeating of drums. The song is well crafted since it changes tempos throughout and without revisiting previous passages. There's even some classic death metal riffs. I'm not saying I'd like a whole album of this type of Gothic infused instrumental black metal but it is an amazing track. Obviously Arant is the artist here to take a notice to for future endeavors of brilliance.

http://www.bloodandbrutality.com/

https://blackestofficial.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/blackestofficial/

CANNABIS CORPSE - Left Hand Pass review

CANNABIS CORPSE - Left Hand Pass

Season of Mist




I'm a fan of this band by the way but not at first. Years ago a friend of mine turned me onto them because they were a side project of MUNICIPAL WASTE's bassist Phil "Landphil" Hall. So at first I didn't care for their pot parody of CANNIBAL CORPSE. But as with many things in music, if you keep listening then you not only get it but end up loving it. So that was me because CANNABIS CORPSE are just cool as fuck and better than their parody icons at least of late and in my not so humble opinion.
So here we have CANNABIS CORPSE's fifth full length and dammit it's good. I'll have you know that I liked their last one, 2014's From Wisdom to Baked. Some people in the metal media did not which is fine but I saw something which they refused to see. Sure the pot parody of Chris Barnes era CANNIBAL CORPSE was still going on and the artwork was not as comical but they were branching away. On this new one you can hear it.

I remember hearing an early post of one of their tracks, "Papyrus Containing the Spell to Protect Its Possessor Against Attacks From He Who Is In the Bong Water", and I'm like "duh that's NILE". Hell this album just rips your fuckin guts out and then spends time twirling it in the air like a pizza at a Italian restaurant, run by Armenians, and serving it to you on a platter of Chris Barne's fallen out hair as a garnish. This is great death metal that's not technical or progressive. This is thick bludgeoning riffs, balanced drum work and vocals of a beast. The album title threw me off. I almost thought they were gonna go the Swedish DM route. Yeah that would be interesting but hey why fuck up a good thing.


http://www.season-of-mist.com/

https://cannabiscorpseofficial.bandcamp.com/album/left-hand-pass

https://www.facebook.com/Cannabis-Corpse-Official-104903899597371/

OBITUS – Slaves Of The Vast Machine review

OBITUS – Slaves Of The Vast Machine

Hypnotic Dirge Records




So who's up for a forty five minute one song black metal album? Oh you the hipster dude in the back of the room with the beard and glasses? OK but before I get into this album there's more to the story. First off OBITUS are a two piece act from Sweden. The band consists of Anders Ahlback who performs all the instruments and Johan Huldtgren who does vocals. This is my first time hearing them which is not a negative on either of our parts. But anyways the band has been around since 2000 but their releases have been few and far between. This is their second full length and it's an adventurous one.


Slaves Of The Vast Machine is definitely a grandiose undertaking by OBITUS and that's just by viewing their previous output which really doesn't show a progression to this point in their career. I mean after listening to this a few times, which has taken up plenty of my time this week, I come away with thinking "What if MARDUK did a one song album?" When this band is in total brutal mode, add to that chaotic as well, they do remind me of their fellow blackened countrymen which I do like. 


Now of course there are tempo changes within the forty five minute time that give the listener a quick break. I look upon those moments as bastions of rhythmic dirge, kinda like BERGRAVEN. But frankly I like when the assault carries onward and the harsh vocals are sung in a way that consumes you. Slaves of the Vast Machine is a black metal opus and probably the epitome of greatness when it comes to Swedish black metal in 2017.


https://www.hypnoticdirgerecords.com/

https://hypnoticdirgerecords.bandcamp.com/album/slaves-of-the-vast-machine