OV SHADOWS - The Darkness Between Stars review

OV SHADOWS - The Darkness Between Stars 

Black Market Metal Label




Of late I've been reviewing a lot of re-issues and this could just as well be one although it's not. OV SHADOWS is a four piece black metal outfit from Gothenburg, Sweden. They started out in 2016 but after listening to this their full length debut you'd think it came out in the mid-90s. Now I'm not saying they're copycats. On the contrary they're just following along the lines of a traditionally great style of black metal. Plus they add something of a modern touch which makes em sound contemporary without running off the blackened template.


Musically OV SHADOWS lay down plenty of cold hearted and raw fury. That keeps things sitting in the old school frame. But then they add so much atmosphere to their songs in order for the rhythms to grow. It leads to a foreboding uneasy sense at times. Then it creates a very bleak look upon reality with the added grim and frosty elements. The guitar work on here is nothing short of icy. The basic riffs as well as a few tremolo picked savagery comes across like a thunder snow storm. I seen one of those when I lived in Alaska. That freaks you out. 


The vocals are for the most part traditional harsh venomous screams which are fantastic. Then there's this growing growl that ends with a scream. There are times when it all comes across sounding like someone with utter contempt for the whole damm world. Other times it comes across as the maniacal screams of a tortured soul. 


In the end The Darkness Between Stars (which by the way has a name. It's called space.) is a release stacked up in brutality, coldness, melancholy and ambiance. I got home the other night and saw this was next up for a listen as far as reviewing goes. I was like no I'm not in the fuckin mood for for this tonight but I played it anyway. I ended up listening to it six times before finally crashing out. I even had dreams filled with ice-picks. Whatever that means I believe this is one of the better black metal releases which you should get your cold hands on.


http://www.blackmarketmetal.net/

https://ovshadows.bandcamp.com/album/the-darkness-between-stars

https://www.facebook.com/ovshadowsofficial/

ABSENT - Towards The Void review

ABSENT - Towards The Void 

World War Now Records




It's very rare that I read "album of the year candidate" in a label's promo info. And they say I'm guilty of hyperbole? Be that as it may here we have the debut four song EP by the Brazilian psychedelic doom three piece ABSENT. After giving it a listen I'll say yes it's good, damm good. I'll also say it's nothing new under the black sun of doom. 

ABSENT's songs are part of that slow, heavy, psych, distortion laden-ed doom formula. Their overall sound falls in line with the music of YOB, HORSESKULL and WINDHAND, which ain't a bad thing. The vocals echo about conveying pain and sadness which works out perfectly with the crushing riffs as well as the wah wah guitar soloing. 

Like I mentioned earlier this is a four song EP but that's technically speaking. The songs on here are long leaving this release at slightly over forty minutes in playing time. In my book, as well as the book of stoner doom, that's a full length designation. Look at YOB's early releases for an example. I also believe it is fitting that as I write this, and listen to the release, it's a gloomy day awaiting the rain or sleet. 

It's only mid-March so designating ABSENT's Towards The Void as a best of year release, especially when we're talking doom, seems a bit too much. Still as I said before it's good, damm good. I won't forget about it, that's for sure. You won't either after one listen because you'll forget the past.

http://www.worldwarnowrecords.com/

https://ascendingvoid.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/worshipthevoid

MORMANT DE SNAGOV - Depths Below Space and Existence review

MORMANT DE SNAGOV - Depths Below Space and Existence

Pest Records




Of late I've been hit with plenty of Finnish black metal acts that are not at all like what I, a longtime fan of that great nation's black metal scene, consider traditional. For starters this band here, their name means Grave of Snagov. Snagov is a city in Romania and Pest Records is a Romanian label. That's about it for me because the music here is a sick treat.

MORMANT DE SNAGOV are a new band for me (what else is new?) but they've been around since 2008 and have kept a steady line-up except for their bass player. Over all of that time they've been kinda busy with a bunch of short form releases and two previous full lengths. Their last official release was in 2015 when they did a split release with a Moroccon band called ABNABAK.

So with all of that said and after plenty of listens to this I must say I'm bored. Yes bored like I was in 1996 -1998 when Norwegian bands started producing partially off the template black metal. Yes I know comparing Norway to Finland is/was an insult but hey so is this. MORMANT DE SNAGOV's cadre of blackness consists of harsh vocals, some blast-beats and tremolo runs that are not so frequent. The rest is a mix of thrash riffs, death metal riff runs and some atmospheric lurches into jazz territory. It all gave me a headache after the third listen. Be that as it may one would come away with liking all of that.

http://pestrecords.ucoz.com/

https://pestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/morm-nt-de-snagov-depths-below-space-and-existence

https://www.facebook.com/mormantdesnagov

CODERED - Dominions of Our Deceitful Beliefs reissue review

CODERED - Dominions of Our Deceitful Beliefs reissue

Loud Rage Music




Ya know that feeling when you believe something is obvious but it's not that simple and then later on reality hits you in the head like a fuckin hammer? Case in point here, CODERED are a Romainian death metal act that originally started out in 2004. Yeah I'm serious. After a split up, a re-grouping and a few line-up changes the band finally self released a full length, Dominions of Our Deceitful Beliefs in 2013. The band plans some new stuff coming (there's a new track added onto this). But for now here's this.


Musically this is early sounding technical death metal like VADER meets MORBID ANGEL. I was wondering about how that latter influence came to a Romanian band. Then I saw that this was mastered in Florida at a place called Mana Recording Studios. Maybe that has something to do with it. Anyways I stand behind those name drops and CODERED are not the first Eastern European death metal act I've checked out that had a VADER influence to their overall attack.


On a whole CODERED do a great job at producing death metal with punishment in mind thanks to their tech savvy drummer. The assemblage of choice riffs are basic to any long time listener of the genre. Still there's somewhat of a maelstrom formula going on that adds to the overall fury. Vocals are perfect and of course remind me of Piotr Wiwczarek of VADER. If there's something wrong here it's the soloing. The ones that have that acidic fluid attack are cool but some others are weak. Otherwise I'd like to hear their next newest release hopefully this year.

http://loudragemusic.com/

https://loudragemusic.bandcamp.com/album/codered-dominions-of-our-deceitful-beliefs-remastered

https://www.facebook.com/coderedro

INHIBITIONS - La Danse Macabre review

INHIBITIONS - La Danse Macabre

Satanath Records



For decades now when it came to symphonic black metal it usually took a band of four, five or six members (and sometimes with an orchestra) in order to create a full blown sound. This duo from Greece proves that it's really not the case anymore. With one foot planted in Hellenic black metal and the other in 1990's Norway for influences. INHIBITIONS brings symphonic black metal back into an interesting limelight.

The band consists of Pain on vocals and guitars plus Dimon's Night also on vocals along with guitars, bass, drums and keyboards. Believe it or not this pair have been at it since 2008, releasing three demos sporadically over the years. Then in 2016 they put out their debut full length, Flames of Desolation. As far as this new one is concerned, it's definitely second wave worship going on. The keyboard use is not grandiose nor held in the background. It's basically an integral part of their song craft on multiple cuts.

The same can be said with their use of acoustic guitar which I think is exquisite. Not simply an intro or segue tool, the acoustic guitar lays in on basic rhythms while being accompanied by your basic amplified tools of mayhem. Also INHIBITIONS don't stick to a symphonic black metal genre script. They add in plenty of outside touches like melodic death or gothic doom and gloom. All of which breaks the monotony and it's the same with the duel vocals which mix harsh with death like growls.

Obviously I could make subtle comparisons to past or present existing BM acts but why bother. INHIBITIONS have found a way to carve their own little niche in a sub genre that for years was corrupted by phony bandwagon jumpers or pompous blowhards riding the mainstream bus. Chalk this up to just talent and dedication to the craft which always leads to greatness.

http://www.satanath.com/

https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat185-inhibitions-la-danse-macabre-2018

https://www.facebook.com/INHIBITIONS-Hellenic-Black-Metal-1218975794812167

TWINGIANT - Mass Driver Reissue review

TWINGIANT - Mass Driver Reissue

Sludgelord Records




There are a variety of reasons for a label to reissue a band's previous work. The most obvious is it being a rare sought after item of musical importance. The second reason is trying to cash in on a band's modern popularity. The third is devotion and I believe that's where Sludgelord Records comes in with this one.


TWINGIANT hail from Phoenix, Arizona and they basically play a brand of Southern sludge/stoner rock in a vein that I think sounds like combining MASTODON with ALABAMA THUNDER PUSSY as well as a few other traditional Southern sludge acts. The vocals are more of the death doom metal monster variety. It's a cool pairing. So last year TWINGIANT put out a full length Blood Fued on Argonauta Records (a cool label by the way). The release is damm good. You've got those barked vocals combined with the typical sludge mud fest but with some sweet hypnotic grooves.


But even with that said it's still a connisuer of the genre release. It's like Nepalese black metal. Who really cares how good it is as long as it sits in the grass of the radar screen. Well diehards for the most part will be into it. Which brings us to this, TWINGIANT's debut full length which was self released and originally came out in 2012. Sludgelord Records, bonifide devotees to the genre and giving the worthy their due, have reissued it. Like I said earlier it's devotion, a rare quantity in extreme metal these days.

Even though there's five years separating Mass Driver from Blood Fued (along with an EP, a full length and a split) the needle hasn't moved too far from the starting point. Hey look if something works don't fuck with it, just improve a bit on it. On here the band had more touches of ambiance. There's a slight variety in the vocals. And there's definitely more MASTODON influence. But it's still a damm good sounding release but then the good people at Sludgelord Records already knew that.


As I'm writing this, WEEDEATER is playing forty minutes away from here. I had to work tonight but even so my friends were begging me to go. We've got an extra ticket Wolf, come on! Ya know what, I've seen WEEDEATER a half dozen times. But if this band rolled into town, hey I'd be there. Nuff Said.

http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/

https://twingiant.bandcamp.com/album/mass-driver

https://www.facebook.com/twingiant/

BLUTVIAL - Mysteries of Earth review

BLUTVIAL - Mysteries of Earth

Heidens Hart Records




I was definitely looking forward to hearing this one ever since I saw that Heidens Hart Records was releasing it. BLUTVIAL is an English black metal act that I first got into back in the late 2000s with their debut full length I Speak of the Devil. A few years later they came out with another one, Curses Thorns Blood. Both albums are incredible examples of the fusing of traditional raw black metal with, I guess you'd call it, more modern temperaments and non BM influences. All of which does not drive the music out of the genre.


So here we have Mysteries of Earth the band's first new release since 2013's Brythonic EP but still this is their first full length since 2011. As a whole all I can say after blasting this continuously for a week is that the basics of this band's past have not changed. That's a good thing because we're talking about that second wave rawness with intricately picked tremolo  runs, blast  beat brutality as well as some very high pitched and grim vocals. You couple all of that with the melodic portions that sweep in and around like ghostly swirls of atmospheric bodies.


Now with all of that I compare it with their two previous releases and it's easy to see how BLUTVIAL moved their own ways a notch more extreme. I was waiting for something in the bad progressive moves department to kick in but no. Their thrash and burn cuts rip flesh. The longer cuts push a more eloquent torture prospect. Feel the darkness.

http://www.heidenshart.nl/

https://heidenshart.bandcamp.com/album/mysteries-of-earth

https://www.facebook.com/Blutvial

TARASQUE - Innen Aussen review

TARASQUE - Innen Aussen

WOOAAARGH/Dedication Records




Sludge Metal is definitely a music genre created in America but has gone worldwide over the past few decades, just like Stoner Rock. It's with that said I'm always curious to hear a band from another part of the world put their take on it. Of course most of what I've heard always sounds like rehash of what I could hear at home, aka: Southern Sludge wannabe shit or worse. When I saw the list of "For Fans Of" bands list in the PR email info I cringed. There were a couple of cool bands and then some hipster acts from a decade ago. Ahhhhhhhh! 

TARASQUE are a three piece act from Munster, Germany. Along with their take on sludge they add plenty of ambient post-something or other atmosphere. Yeah that's where their "post-metal" tagline comes into play. So for the most part on this the band's debut EP, these Germans lay down the basic slow crushing power of the genre plus they let some groove seep in. The infusion of the previously mentioned ambiance gives the songs room to breath and extend some life to their compositions of which there are five, well ones an instrumental.

The first time I listened to Innen Aussen I thought it was recorded live. It's got that big production echo sound like they're playing a club. I like that emphasis on the loud because it automatically gives you the idea of their live performance. For the most part the band nails the basics or should I just say "hello NEUROSIS"? Then on the other hand they allow for that sludged out version of SONIC YOUTH or PAVEMENT stuff to corrupt what I'd otherwise call a decent release. Thankfully the vocals are sung in a caustic sore throat style that gives em some credit.


http://www.wooaaargh.com/tarasque

https://tarasque.bandcamp.com/album/innen-aussen

https://www.dedication-records.de/preorder-tarasque

https://www.facebook.com/Tarasqueofficial/

ILDRA - Eoelland Re-issue review

ILDRA - Eoelland Re-issue

Heidens Hart Records



As we all know, popular music goes through trends and metal is not free of all of that. A decade ago extreme metal had a few legitimate trends going on. I say legitimate because the hipster crap a joke and not worthy. But yeah ten years ago you had the thrash revival petering out. Old school death metal was making a come back and is still going strong today. You also had the rise of bands into pagan folk metal. 

These were bands who were influenced by the olden days, especially of their native lands or, in certain circumstances, wishful thinking. The hokey terms were battle metal or viking metal. Some act were truly into their nation's folk music heritage and used it into their sound. And of course there were the true pagan folk acts who had more of a black metal heritage. This is where ILDRA comes in. When I saw their name in the promo email I thought I recognized it. 

I've said it many times yes I am a fan of the whole pagan folk metal genre. I got hooked on it a decade ago when it was a trend. Of course I was already listening to bands playing that style of music prior to learning wow it's called pagan folk metal. Hell for years I just called it great music. Thank you unknown person who came up with a genre term. But anyways I went into the SFM666 archives to see if I had written about ILDRA before and the answer was no. I've got stacks of CDs on the shelf by pagan, folk, viking, battle metal bands and here's one I missed out on originally.

ILDRA's Eoelland originally came out in the Spring of 2011. It was their only full length release. Prior to it the band/artist (no one really knows other than they're/he's English) had a few demos starting out in 2004. So let's be clear they were not trendy. When I listen to this now my first thought is wow a lot of people followed along this band's pagan folk style. There's a huge amount of acoustic guitar usage. Theirs definitely some viking era Quorthon influence here. Basically post Hammerheart is what I'm referring to as well as the use of sound effects (aka: sounds of clashing battles and crashing waves).

On a whole Eoelland reminds me of GRAVELAND's latter work. I'm talking about when Rob Darken (who by the way was never into the shit he's been accused of by the pc police) went from straight up black metal to more pagan folk style. Musically everything is on the melodic scale with plenty of epicness as well as blackened room to breath. The whole release is slightly less then an hour of tremendous pagan folk music that will capture the true believers.

http://www.heidenshart.nl/

https://heidenshart.bandcamp.com/album/e-elland

HIIDENHAUTA - 1695 review

HIIDENHAUTA - 1695

Inverse Records




For years now I always considered myself to be fairly knowledgeable about the Finnish extreme metal scene. I'm a huge fan of their black metal bands/artists. As far as doom metal goes they rule. They have one of the best grindcore acts in the world, ROTTEN SOUND. Also my all time favorite folk metal act, KORPIKLAANI, calls Finland home. And let's not forget about NIGHTWISH. But of course I give this release a listen and class starts again.

Here we have the band HIIDENHAUTA, a four piece act from Satakunta, Finland. Musically HIIDENHAUTA are melodic black metal to a point plus they add some folk touches to their sound. This is their second full length and obviously the first time I've heard them. There are many things about this band as far as this release is concerned that pushes them beyond the norm as far as melodic black metal goes.


First and foremost are the duel gender vocals. The male vocals by Tuomas Keskimaki are screamed, yelled and of course are caustic. They're also sung in Finnish. I've said it before but it always bares repeating. The Finnish language sung in anger makes Germans singing in their own tongue sound like pussies. Now Tuomas is paired up with on vocals by Emma Keskimaki. Her vocals add a soft airiness touch. It's a perfect match.

Other points of interest are the use of keyboard interludes which gives a few songs an interesting dynamic as well as atmosphere. As far as the black metal melodies go guitarist Otto Hyvarinen keeps things partly savage with some basic tremolo thrash. Other times he's showing off some straight forward metal riffage and evens gets a bit technical. Drummer Eetu Ritakorpi follows everything up with pure organic aggressive power.

Just for the record 1695 is a concept album. According to the promo info (because I'm not an expert) the release's premise is the Great Famine in Finland from 1695 to 1697. It was during those years period that every third person of Finland died because of starvation or the accompanying diseases and epidemics. By the way at that time the country was under Swedish rule. Ouch, someone still has a grievance.

As sometimes it's history and it's remembrance which creates good music. HIIDENHAUTA's 1695 is an amazing piece of work. It falls in there with many other black metal acts who left their mark on our collective mindset when it comes to shedding light onto the past. This one just sparked my interest into learning more. 

http://www.inverse.fi/

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Hiidenhauta

https://hiidenhauta.bandcamp.com

GRAVECOVEN - Coughing Blood review

GRAVECOVEN - Coughing Blood

Godz ov War Productions




Here we have a two piece act from California (what again?) One member, Phillip Gallagher, is responsible for all the instruments while the other, James Rauh, takes on vocal duties. It's bands like this, aka: two members/huge sound, that you wish could actually perform live. Maybe they'll get some session players in the future.

GRAVECOVEN have been around since 2015 and this five song EP is a collection of everything they previously released on their two demos and a single of which they cover "Hades" by BATHORY. As far as their style and sound goes this two piece is blackened doom. That's a very under explored extreme metal genre to say the least and not to be confused with blackened death doom. Yeah I know all these sub-genres get confusing and can get a bit silly but there is a difference.

What GRAVECOVEN bring to the table is fast and loose. The riff package is varied and mired in filthy distortion. Vocals are either cavernous howls or secreted venomous screams. The rhythms vary from slow crawls, machine like pounding and of course mid paced tremolo runs. In the end it's the musical equivalent of getting hit with a hammer multiple times.

http://godzovwar.com/

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/coughing-blood

https://www.facebook.com/GraveCoven/

HYPNOS - The GBG Sessions review

HYPNOS - The GBG Sessions 

The Sign Records



I've said it many times but it always bares repeating. When doing SFM666 I'm actually excited every time I discover or better yet exposed to something new and cool as far as extreme music goes or in this case old sounds revived. For a while now The Sign Records has put out some decent enough releases by bands who revive the sounds of 70's Hard Rock and 80's NWOBHM. Some I've liked and some not so much. Here's one that just blows me away.


HYPNOS are a Swedish five piece act who for a few years now have garnered a lot of respect in their nation as being a great band recreating the hard rock and NWOBHM sounds of the past. They've put out two full lengths so far. One of which, Cold Winds, from 2016 I checked out after listening to this one and I was in that holy shit mode. What we have here is sort of a compilation of old and new cuts. Chalk it up as a precursor for their new album coming out later this year.


As far as the music goes well most of the older cuts are from the band's 2014 full length debut. There's also one cut from Cold Winds, two new cuts destined for their next album and (gasp) a cover of ABBA's "Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie". Soundwise it's a mix of MAIDEN, RAINBOW, DIAMOND HEAD and dare I say DEEP PURPLE minus the keyboards. Just fuckin incredible.

http://thesignrecords.com/

https://thesignrecords.bandcamp.com/album/hypnos-gbg-sessions

https://www.facebook.com/hypnosboogie/ 

PISSED REGARDLESS - Feed The Birds review

PISSED REGARDLESS - Feed The Birds 

Creator-Destructor




After so many years now listening to bands reviving the crossover / thrash era of the 80s I'm at that crossroads point of opinion. Either the bands are cool sounding and remind me of some good old times. Or they're just copying bullshit from the past thinking it had some shelf life when in fact it didn't at all. On this their five song EP, PISSED REGARDLESS captures both sides of my opinion.


Hailing from San Diego, California this five piece act has been around for a couple of years pushing their revival style to the masses. This is their second EP, I never heard their first one. On Feed The Birds this band combines some 1980's Southern California hardcore influences (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, DRI) with that NYHC / metalcore silliness.


Songs like "Empty", "No Reprieve" and "Trust No Pulse" are cool representations of an era of West Coast HC music which I remember well. I still have a lot of that stuff. Were as the other two cuts remind me of the breakdown days from NYC acts.   

http://www.creator-destructor.com 

http://www.creator-destructor.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/pissedregardlesshc/

SYNAPSE MISFIRE - Losing The War Against The Sands Of Time review

SYNAPSE MISFIRE - Losing The War Against The Sands Of Time

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions




When listening to this debut full length from Illinois' SYNAPSE MISFIRE. I got the idea that I had just bought a cassette from a band that just played someone's living-room at a house show. Yeah I know, basement shows are in the past. Still this does have that low fi feel like a DIY band in a van who'll play anywhere for anything. By the way synapse misfire is a real medical term. Think of it in laymen's terms as a brain freeze. But I digress.

The only info I have on SYNAPSE MISFIRE is, like I mentioned earlier, they're from Illinois. Also they're made up of members from various other bands most notably HELMSPLITTER who had a few releases on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions as well. As far as this goes musically it's definitely a grab bag of metal extremism. The base point is blackened thrash with touches of grind, some dirgey death tones and distorted hardcore of old. The only thing missing is a slam pit.


http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/losing-the-war-against-the-sands-of-time

MISANTHROPIC RAGE - Igne Natura Renovatur Integra review

MISANTHROPIC RAGE - Igne Natura Renovatur Integra

Godz ov War Productions




Imagine if you will WATAIN with a few flairs towards the more Avant-garde side of black metal. This is the second release and a very impressive one, to say the least, by this Polish duo. I never heard their 2016 debut, Gates No Longer Shut, but after listening to this one I might have to. Of course WATAIN is just one of many extreme BM acts from the European spectrum which come to mind while this two piece act invokes blackened fury. Then there's the other stuff.

First and foremost when BM fans think of the sub-genre Avant-garde black metal their answer is boring crap. I concur on that take. What constitutes the Avant-garde parts are fluid melodies, epic guitar solos (at times reminding me of Michael Schenker), the off worldly clean vocals at times. Mostly the vocals are vicious Polish language chops. Add to all of that MISANTHROPIC RAGE like some death doom sounds flow through a few cuts. 


I know with that last paragraph I've just been deleted by a half dozen guys shedding tears while wearing DARKTHRONE shirts bought online of course. Well whatever, this here is a perfect late night blackened release for those of us who like it all and forgo genre lines. Better yet, MISANTHROPIC RAGE might produce some raging music but as far as the way their songs are comprised. Well I'm sure there's quite a few passed Polish composers smiling right now thinking "fuck that deaf German".

Once again Godz ov War Productions puts out something I love listening to late at night, which because of my work schedule determines my music listening pleasure as well as writing. All I can say is illustrious as a sounding end.


http://godzovwar.com/

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/igne-natura-renovatur-integra

https://www.facebook.com/misanthropicrage/

NEST - Metempsychosis review

NEST - Metempsychosis 

Sludgelord Records




Well this is definitely meta something or other in a distorted way. With a filthy sludge metal factor of nine this Lexington, Kentucky two piece act (Kyle Keener on guitar and I believe he uses a theremin as well plus Corey Stringer on drums and vocals) release their debut upon a bored world. Aside from the typical harsh distorted riffage and overwhelmed reverb melodies, this band actually introduces enough spaced out qualities to keep you fixated.


The production on here, or lack of, gives the impression that Keener is poking a ground hornet's nest (via the namesake?). Most of the riffs and song structures are reminiscent of days past went punk neanderthals slowed down and fuzzed out with heavy bottom dropping bludgeoning.  Stringer's vocals are completely punk screeching which follows suit with the whole sound construct.


 While the drum work is adequate it's Keener's distortion insanity coupled with a bag of too fast for SUNN-O))) riffs and high on opioids trip sounds that keeps thing interesting for me at least. This is another release by The Sludgelord blog. I have to wonder if they review their own releases?


http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/

https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/metempsychosis

https://www.facebook.com/nestlexington

ATARAXY - Where All Hope Fades review

ATARAXY - Where All Hope Fades

Dark Descent Records



Some years ago, 2012 to be exact, this Spanish band came out with their full length debut Revelations of the Ethereal. It was a great release by the way of old school death doom influenced by ASPHYX and BOLT THROWER. Their singer even had that caustic tarnished throat-ed Van Drunen vocal style to top it off. This four piece act managed to pack in enough intensity paired with plenty of doom ambiance as well as melody. 

I was surprised Revelations of the Ethereal wasn't on anyone's end of year best of lists. And if you never read about ATARAXY before then you're not alone. Most people in the mainstream metal media (as well as the so-called independents) never heard Revelations of the Ethereal when it originally came out. Go check for yourselves and you'll find out that practically no one gave this band a shot back then as far as a review. Keep that thought in mind when you read a review elsewhere about this release.

Getting back to the business at hand, here we have ATARAXY's long over due follow up, Where All Hope Fades, which is out on Dark Descent Records. Now if there's a label with some recognition for putting out incredible extreme metal that gets noticed then Dark Descent is it. This band's sophomore release doesn't start where they left off six years ago. In fact this one is just better. The band has decided not to switch tempo, aka: from straight up old school death metal in one song while moving onto a more somber doom style with atmosphere on another. On here they incorporate everything in all six cuts. 

ATARAXY's strength on Where All Hope Fades is melody surrounded by an abundance of crushing doom sequences, synth enhancing atmosphere, tortured vocalizations and of course old school death metal run throughs. Now before you say you've heard it all before the fact is you haven't. The production on Where All Hope Fades is much cleaner sounding then what you would expect. It gives this release an air of elegance to the death, doom and impending gloom. A perfect album to play many times during the March ov Death.

http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/where-all-hope-fades

https://www.facebook.com/ATARAXY-281047751876/

AFFASIA - Adrift in Remorse review

AFFASIA - Adrift in Remorse

Transcending Records



Ya know I have to say that the US really hasn't produced any really good Doom metal over the past decade. Sure we have plenty of Sludge Rock and Stoner Doom but Doom in the traditional sense we're lacking. One of my favorites from not that long ago were DAYLIGHT DIES. So yeah that's the style I'm talking about. AFFASIA from Richmond, Virginia do a close enough job of it but not to the fullest extent.


Adrift in Remorse is this band's debut EP. There's four songs of varied aspects which fall under the doom shadow. The first two cuts, "Another Host" and "Dissolute" show promise with a melodic doom vein exposed. They have that mid-period PARADISE LOST thing going for them. Riffs are subtle with more emphasis on piano as well as clean vocals which also turn to the gruff grunts. Vocalist Noah Cabitto is a future treasure to the genre. 

And then comes "Brittle Sentiment" which starts out incredibly in a subtle savage way. Then it turns into (Choose One: Post Punk, Indie Rock or Crap). The latter part of the song is much better. Then there's "As You Never Were" which is pure mid-period PARADISE LOST worship. It's actually the best as well as the most intricate cut on here. 

AFFASIA is a band that's gone through a lot of line-up changes in their short life. With that I'm sure there's been plenty of influences tossed in and around. My suggestion to them is Pick One and run with it, preferably melodic doom. I look forward to hearing another release by this band. They do have the potential to becoming big. I mean that in the musical quality sense. And seriously I hope they do.


http://www.transcendingrecords.com/

https://affasia.bandcamp.com/album/adrift-in-remorse

https://www.facebook.com/affasiaband/

The Editor Speaks: Defending TAAKE and denouncing the losers and liars

BLACK METAL fans recently learned that Norwegian act TAAKE had to cancel their US tour because of the actions perpetrated by the fascist fringe group antifa. It was antifa who waged a campaign, obviously via email or phone, to pressure venues and promoters to cancel shows. Part of the pressure is said to have been threats of violence. As you may remember this happened last year to Swedish Black Metal act MARDUK. Here we are just starting out 2018 and the fascists of antifa have claimed another victim in their crusade to deny bands they do not like access to venues in America.

The band released an official statement on their Facebook page. You can read it below but first some music.


So here's the Facebook link:

https://www.facebook.com/taakeofficial/posts/1723116881088879


I'm also reposting the band's message as follows:

It is with great regret that we have to inform you that Taake's US Tour has been cancelled. Despite all those incredible people who stepped up and tried to help us save the tour, and to whom we are more grateful than we can express, time and logistics are just not on our side. It was not our wish to cancel, but the decision was forced on us by the illegal activities of Antifa and its supporters who applied pressure on venues and promoters to cancel shows. Pressure, it has to be said, that has frequently been accompanied with threats of violence both towards those involved in the organisation and towards any fans attending (not to mention the bands who would be playing). Why these threats are not reported to the police, we don't know.

We have explained on many, many occasions, the history behind what caused the problems, and there are plenty of articles in the unbiased press and on social media where you can read the truth of it, but just for the sake of clarity Taake is not now, has never been, and never will be a Nazi band. What we want to address here is the cancellation of the tour itself.

This cancellation is unfortunate in many ways, not just for the bands who were going to take part. Not just for the ordinary working Americans with families to support and bills to pay who have lost much needed income because of it. Not just for the fans who wanted to see the bands. Not just for music fans in general. But, also, and more importantly, for America as a whole.

Why? Because it is the ultimate demonstration of how, through the dissemination of lies, misinformation and unfounded accusations, along with credible threats of violence, a small minority of left wing agitators are able to force their agenda on the majority, and deprive music fans of their freedom to attend concerts and go about their day to day activities without the fear of reprisals and retaliation.

And these agitators won't stop once they have destroyed the soft targets from Europe and other parts of the world. Their next targets will be American music, American art, American literature, American theatre, American cinema. Anything, in fact, that does not adhere strictly to their views. And if this reminds you of the McCarthy witch hunts, it is because that is EXACTLY what it is like.

Whilst none of us blame venues for cancelling because they are afraid of violence, we do deplore the excuses presented by some of them. The desire to "protect" their audience and staff, to create "safe spaces" is not a need brought about by the bands involved, nor their fans. It is the masked thugs hiding behind the banner of Antifa and other organisations like them, who are doing all the threatening. And maybe we should also remind these venues that so many of the musical genres today exist due to those other small venues back in the day who dared stand up to threats and gave a voice to those musicians who brought us Blues and Jazz - the basis of so much of today's music.

We would also like to speak out about celebrities like Talib Kweli, who was unfortunate enough to have allowed himself to be played by the lies spread by Antifa and who, as a result, issued statements that are libellous and slanderous. His heart may have misguidedly been in the right place, but his brain, and his legal advisors, were not. Had he bothered to check the facts he would have realised that he had put himself in a position of looking like someone who doesn't know, or understand, or even care about, all the facts, and who is easily manipulated by others to dance to their tune.

We should also mention those members of the press who failed to fact check and did not bother to contact us, or anyone else for that matter, for our side of the story. They simply went right ahead and printed libellous statements. This is irresponsible journalism at its worst, and we can't just single out inexperienced editors of webzines. Complicit in this are long-established and (once) respected publications. Their actions show the utter contempt they have for facts and the disrespect they have for their readers.

Ending on a positive note, we really do need thank those who stood by us, and especially the venues who refused to be cowed, and those that stepped in offering us alternatives for cancelled shows. We have had messages from all over the world, and from people of all political and religious persuasions, offering not just their support, but also offering their help. And these are not just our fans. We have been contacted by people who admit that they had never heard of us, or that they hate black metal, or that they hate Taake, but have nevertheless felt compelled to let us know of the disgust they feel at the way Antifa, and their like, demand slavish adherence to their agenda, and punish anyone who defies them, riding roughshod over the freedoms of the American people to decide for themselves.

You, my friends, do not need to apologise for the lies and actions of a fringe group. You are the majority, you are the ones who refuse to bow your heads to those who would dictate how you live your lives, and who attempt to restrict your freedoms - you are the ones who can do something about it. 
Taake

And now a few things I'd like to say.

1) First off as a fan of this band I can say honestly that they are not nor have they ever been a NSBM band. Just listen to their music. In fact the only thing controversial about them is including some banjo playing on an album. And yet I saw one music site include the words "CONTROVERSIAL BAND" in their headline about TAAKE. Look assholes, Black Metal in general is controversial to all those in the lame mainstream. That's fine by me if you don't like it so go listen to boring hipster shit. 


2) Now for those shit stains in the liberal metal media who are going "but look he wore an anti-islam shirt on stage and an iron cross necklace." Yeah Hoest did and he also routinely comes on onstage with an inverted cross painted on his chest. Oh but you don't care about that because you in the liberal metal media are  pussies and hypocrites who believe certain people are part of protected classes. Well in that case you might not want to be listening to metal because most of it contains hateful bigoted lyrics and imagery against someone. We don't want to see you all butthurt.

3) Why would anyone in the metal media take the accusations from a fringe fascist group like antifa seriously unless they secretly agreed with them. Basically we live in a society based on the market place of ideas. We have freedom to pick and choose what we like or don't like. That's why we are constantly bombarded with advertising in order to get us to like something or someone. Fascist groups like antifa, but lets just say all those on the Left, hate freedom in general. The mere idea that people should have the ability if not an all out right to choose is abhorrent to them. That's why they try to ban things or demonize them because yes they disagree with anything that doesn't follow along their own line of thinking. But also because they can't compete. Their ideology only works by forced compliance.


4) Who the fuck is Talib Kweli and should we all care? Well a simple search told me that this guy is just a black rapper/activist who hipster scribes like. So who the fuck cares about him or what hipsters have to say. Actually it looks like Talib is just using this incident to get his name in print. I would check out his music but I hate rap. I wouldn't ban him from performing though.


5) Finally I would love to see the listings of past shows by all of the venues that caved in to antifa's bullshit. I just want to see if their past shows reflect their "desire to protect their audiences/staff and create safe spaces." 

The bottom line here people is that enough is enough. Sure we can all scream "Yeah if those antifa pussies show up at a show I'm at they're gonna get their asses kicked." But you see they're not showing up, they're calling or emailing the venues. Chances are they don't even live in the very cities that TAAKE was going to play in. They had knowledge of the tour dates and a handful of antifa pussies made threats. But hey you can prevent it.

I'm kinda lucky to live in a city where one the major metal show promoters hates people who try to censor bands. This person especially hates antifa as well as any self righteous piss ants. You might not be so lucky so if you hear that one of your favorite bands is coming to town but some fascist activists are out to close it down then fight back. Contact the promoters or venues and tell them how you feel about the freedom to choose. Tell them about the fascist as well as cowardly exploits of antifa. Explain to them what's more important, a crowd of show attendees with money or a butthurt asshole using a coffee house's free wifi to lodge a threat.

Nuff Said

Mr. Wolf