VANHAVD - Lat kottet do Self Released So here we have a Swedish Doom Metal act that wants to sound like a combination of Finnish and classic English Doom. I'm not surprised since a month ago I was writing about a Finnish act who was copying KATATONIA. Of course it's all a subtle affair which is not at all copying. This is the debut EP by Stockholm's VANHAVD, a seven member band (that is not a mistake) who started out in 2011 (once again that is not a mistake). Lat kottet do, which translated in English is "Let The Flesh Die", is an introduction of sorts of what this band plans to do in the future. Sure let the slings go forth and the arrows fly, their target is so obvious. What we have here are three tracks running in around twenty six plus minutes. Add to that it's a compilation of modern doom sounds with plenty of synth. When not in melodic mode you can check off the styles. Crushing riffs? Check! Heavily growled vocals? Check! Spoken words? Check! Some slow atmospheric track that leads into a heavy melody riff? Check! I guess we know what to expect in their future. Check! https://vanhavd.bandcamp.com/releases https://www.facebook.com/Vanhavd/
OCCULTUM - In Nomine Rex Inferni Old Temple Hailing from the pagan vast-lands of Eastern Europe. OK that does sound over dramatic. Fact is OCCULTUM are the latest black metal act to step forward from their native Poland into the vast and crowded genre plain of existence. In Nomine Rex Inferni is their second full length since starting out in 2015. Their debut full length, Towards Eternal Chaos, came out in 2016 and was also on Old Temple records.
Some more history for you, the members of OCCULTUM were all in the band AMAROK from 2003 to 2015. Basically they just changed their band name so we're not talking about young people here blasting old sounds of yore. These are scene vets finally getting out and making a name for themselves, albeit a new name. As for myself I thought maybe I had written about their debut but no I didn't. Then again listening to their music it's kinda obvious why I think I've heard them before. OCCULTUM put forth seven long cuts lasting a little over forty five minutes. Musically the sound on here is like older DARKTHRONE with some atmospheric parts as well as melody leaking in and out. The most distinctive thing about this is their vocalist Gavron. He has this gruff style that sounds like he's trying to sing with food in his mouth. Well that's new as far as I'm concerned. It's a decent release overall. http://www.oldtemple.com/ https://oldtemple.bandcamp.com/album/occultum-in-nomine-rex-inferni https://www.facebook.com/Occultum-1503781133262749
MUTILATION RITES - Chasm Gilead Media I've been a fan of MUTILATION RITES ever since their first album dropped back in 2012. They were never a straight forward black metal act. In fact they've been blackened something or other for over two full lengths. Now bands have been stepping over the boundaries of black metal in order to create something different for over two decades. Some times new legitimate sub genres were created. Other times things came about which required scorn and humiliation.
MUTILATION RITES always had something in their favor and that's they are metalheads who meld their love of black metal with whatever influences they also wear on their sleeves or better yet, battle vests. Their first two albums (I don't own their various short form releases) displayed that in full. They've blackened death metal, grind as well as hardcore (or what you post 1990's kids call crust). Here we have this their third full length and it's obvious after a listen that MUTILATION RITES have moved more into the blackened death mode. Sure they still dabble with grind and hardcore but the lions share of Chasm is bathed in blackened death. Albeit compared to other acts, be they from Europe or here in the US, MUTILATION RITES are in the mode of blackened death lite. Enjoyable yeah but still lite on intensity. https://gileadmedia.net/ https://gileadmedia.bandcamp.com/album/chasm https://www.facebook.com/mutilationritesnyc
TONGUE EATING LOUSE - Voidwalker Sludgelord Records When I first listened to this it reminded me of my feelings of a employee at work who is slow and I have hateful thoughts toward. That was just the first song. But hey there's only three cuts on this full length albeit they're long. And at times it's headache drivin much like the employee I have to deal with. TONGUE EATING LOUSE hail from Ontario, Canada. They're a four piece act which mixes sludge rock with this post something or other screaming aggro vocals which touches on core. To be totally honest the screaming harpie on vocals can get annoying. Why is he so aggro? He's Canadian and they have free health care? Thankfully there's much more going on here. Musically the band has some prog influence which creates a big bold sound at times. Part of it is aggressive and other times it's tranquil on a razor's edge. As far as the music goes I like it a lot. This is the third release by TONGUE EATING LOUSE. Prior to this they've put out, since starting out in 2013, an EP and a split with HUNTER/GATHERER.
DECAYED - Of Fire and Evil Lusitanian Music A month or two ago I was writing about a newer black metal act from Portugal and I happened to mention the band DECAYED. I did so because, and if you're a fan of black metal then you know this, DECAYED are the godfathers of Portuguese black metal. They started out in 1990 and since then have released a plethora of releases, full lengths as well as short form releases, compilations, live stuff and yes splits.
Over the past couple of decades guitarist and original member J.A. (Jose Afonso) has kept DECAYED alive. Bringing in bassist Vulturius (Hugo Leal) in 2011 and drummer G.R. (Gabriele Rachello) in 2016. As far as my history of knowing DECAYED well I must admit I came late to the party. I first got into em with their 2003 full length The Beast Has Risen. Got a couple of splits as well as full lengths as well. So here we are at 2018 and DECAYED latest album is just as good as any other raw black metal album by some others in the genre. Old school 90's style second wave stuff with savage, harsh, blackened vocals. Also of course a buzzsaw style of tremolo riffing mixed with some thrash attacks. All in all it's an incredible release.
VERATRUM - Visioni Self Released The promo info states that this release/band is 'epic metal". Actually this is symphonic blackened death metal which is pretty epic sounding. The music here is explosive. The vocals are hateful and in a way attacking the listener. The riffs are basic power driven stuff but when a lead weaves it's way in then finally there's some beauty revealed. And that was just me describing the opening cut. VERATRUM are a four piece Italian symphonic black metal act with plenty of attitude to allow some death metal to ride along. Vocal wise it's either vicious venomous blackened rasps or deep throat-ed death metal vocals which at times come forth as a choir. Was this recorded in a church while it was burning to the ground?
What we have here, according to the promo, is VERATRUM's last release (?) Since forming in 2008 the band has put out two full lengths and two EPs, which this is one of em. How could a band like this call it quits? This is like blackened opera. And the guitar leads are fuckin fantastic, the choir vocals (which really sound like Gregorian chants) push it to a new level of epic. Hell if this is their swan song then I say Hell Yeah. Walk away with your heads held high. https://veratrum.bandcamp.com/album/visioni https://www.facebook.com/veratrumofficial/
KYTERION - Inferno II Subsound Records This is the second installment of the Inferno trilogy by Italy's KYTERION. They're a black metal four piece act who formed in 1995 and like to keep their identities secret. Of course I had to check out their debut Inferno I from 2016 because I hate walking into something a third of the way through.
Basically KYTERION have delivered a concept album trilogy based on Dante's The Divine Comedy. The band's dedication even goes as far as for the vocals being sung in the thirteenth century Italian vernacular. Although it's hard to know since the vocals are of a harsh screech variety for the most part. Other times there's some death metal growls applied.
Now while Inferno I is pure tremolo picked blackened fury, in your face blast beating with a military intensity. This second installment seems to be a fuller bodied structure. There's actually some melody, some nuance. But ya know after a few listens I couldn't help but come up with the term: Dante's Inferno Division MARDUK. But hey part III should be here in a couple of years. http://www.subsoundrecords.it/ https://kyterion.bandcamp.com/album/inferno-ii https://www.facebook.com/kyterion
HIGH COUNCIL - Held in Contempt Via Nocturna Power Metal from New Jersey and they're on a Polish record label. Gee could the hipster douche-bags in Brooklyn like em? I guess that would be answered by the band. HIGH COUNCIL, who are a South Jersey four piece act, have delivered probably the best power metal album I've heard in 2018. Now don't get yourselves in a wack out mode, OK. I rarely listen to this style of music because I find it boring as well as generic. Now with that said I like a few bands that do this style of metal. HIGH COUNCIL have risen to that level on this their debut full length. Amazing vocals, galloping riffs, sweet leads and a rhythm section that makes you break out the fist of metal pummeling. HIGH COUNCIL started out back in 2005. Since then they've put out four EPs. So this is something of a high water mark for this act. Good for them. https://vianocturna.com/ https://highcouncil.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/highcouncilband/
WITCHKISS - The Austere Curtains of Our Eyes Self Released Here is something I'd expect Sludgelord Records to hit me up with. I mean this band, who are three piece act from Beacon, New York which is up state technically but not a long drive from New York City, are obscure yet carry some generic doom sounds of present day acts. Argonauta Records, a great label in their own right, released a single of a song on here as well. WITCHKISS's brand of doom is a mix of controlled sonic power mixed with subtle engagement on a folk level. Their use of duel vocals (male & female) gives things a cool texture which easily draws you in on the quieter tunes as well as entry points to the heavy cuts. The band knows how to draw a fine line between the melodic and the pounding thud.
Now with that said I've heard this all before when indie rockers were going doom / sludge back in 2008/2009. It's non-offensive or extreme stuff. I'm surprised they're not opening for SLEEP at this year's Hipsterscotch in downtown Raleigh. Their drummer/female vocalist even pulls off some wispy Dorthia Cottrell (of WINDHAND) vocals. Toss in a lot of acoustic guitar which was also a staple of that last WINDHAND album. For those of you in the new then you'll probably love this because you were listening to hip hop ten years ago and are in denile. As for me I liked the start off of the release. Then as it went on I found so much generic structures to the genre that I got bored. It's easy listening music, as in AM, to a lot of beardo losers, whose girlfriends have better taste in doom. https://witchkiss.bandcamp.com/album/the-austere-curtains-of-our-eyes https://www.facebook.com/witchkissband/
VARGRAV - Netherstorm Werewolf Records Last month when I was writing about the latest DIMMU BORGIR release. I mentioned that, and this is paraphrasing it, that they as a band today are irrelevant considering the fact that there are some cool artists doing symphonic black metal again and they're damm good. Case in point, this is the debut full length by Finland's VARGRAV. It's a one man black metal project by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist V-Khaoz.
Now V-Khaoz is certainly not new to the blackened horizon. He's been part of many other bands within the Finnish scene but this one seems to be a labor of love and devotion in a blackened way of course. When it comes to symphonic black metal VARGRAV leans in the direction first explored by EMPEROR years ago during their classic period (aka: In the Nightside Eclipse and Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk). In other words V-Khaoz is mindful of not overwhelming the sound structure with synths and concentrating on aggressive riffs as well as bombastic approach to song craft. The only lacking here is that his harsh seething vocals are behind everything. Otherwise this is a fantastic sounding symphonic black metal release. V-Khaoz is not being a copy-cat. Instead he's taken an older style and relayed it through his own vision. https://werewolfrecords.bandcamp.com/album/netherstorm https://www.facebook.com/Vargravhatelust/
So when I first saw this I was thinking hmmm HUSH, I wonder if they're gonna sound like DEEP PURPLE? Of course when I played it ah no it was not. Instead I was greeted by slow music with a guy screaming as if he was caught in a bear trap behind my house. Hey I don't like strangers walking in the woods behind my house. But anyway after one listen I decided another pot of coffee was in order. HUSH is a five piece act outta Albany, New York. So while I'm listening to this I'm reminded of years ago when a lot of hardcore records were recorded at 45 rpm. But normally if it was a LP you played it at 33 1/3 speed. So you hear it slow and once in a while you'd be partying and play it slow for your friends at the house just for the hell of it. Then some asshole would show up and be like "Dude I love the MELVINS, I mean Gluey Porch Treatments rules. Ah hey can I get a beer?" HUSH is a band that I've seen many times over the decades albeit they had different names. In other words HUSH are slow as in dragging more ass than an alligator. The vocals are pain ridden, deep vocal cries from (choose one: a post apocalyptic nightmare, a hellish abyss of torture or my ex-wife's bedroom). Actually this is sludge from the early days which is cool and then the band hits up with a grandiose revival of explosiveness. HUSH reminds me of a time in 1989. I was at a local club and there was this band from Boston playing this same slow brand of music. Now like I said it was 1989 and the term sludge metal wasn't coined to the whole public lexicon. So this band was playing slow and the crowd of punks in the pit didn't know what to do. At times it was like they were high on ludes trudging through mud. This is HUSH's fourth release overall. They've put out two EPs and a full length prior to this one. Honestly anything that has a old school sound, is punishing in riffs and pounding bass plus pain ridden vocals is a winner in my book. https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/untitled-ii https://www.facebook.com/hushdoom
ELBOW DEEP / MENTORS - Trash Party Split Horror Pain Gore Death Productions Wanna talk about irony? The MENTORS just played around my area a few weeks ago. Here's the flyer.
I didn't go to the show because of work but also because no EL DUCE means no MENTORS in my not so humble opinion. I know people give me shit about it because I've seen the MURDER JUNKIES a dozen times since G.G.'s passing. And hey I'm glad that Sickie Wifebeater and Dr. Heathen Scum are still playing out under the MENTORS name but hey what else can they do. Look it was the Winter of 1996 that The MENTORS came to my town to do a show at a local club that I was a bouncer at and my friend Andy Miller booked shows. Andy and I also did Scumfeast Zine at the time. This was the last tour EL DUCE did with the MENTORS. They stayed at my house for the weekend. If you've seen a Youtube video, courtesy of Andy Miller, where DUCE is being interviewed well that was at my house. Here's a photo of us at the club. I gave DUCE a black shirt of mine to make his hood.
Fast forward to March of 1997, EL DUCE comes back to my town on his solo tour with the band GARDY LOO as his backing act. Another weekend with EL DUCE and if you have that CD, those are my photos on the back. Also if you've ever heard the EL DUCE prank phone calls well they were done in my living-room on my fucking phone, recorded by Andy Miller, on a Sunday morning. So yeah I knew him and respected him for his music (come on that stuff is genius) for years. But those weekends he hung out at my house are etched in my memory like carvings in stone. So when a few weeks later when Andy called me and told me DUCE was dead, it sucked. I really liked the guy. Which is why when this came in I immediately went to the MENTOS' tracks. Look the MENTORS would not have been one of the greatest power trios of the late 70s / early 80s if not for the great guitar work of Sickie Wifebeater and the pounding bass of Dr. Heathen Scum. As far as the this goes well the songs are OK but it's like a sound alike act. As far as ELBOW DEEP, they're a brutal death metal act from Chitown, that's Chicago by the way, who basically play it straight as far as the genre style goes. In the end they're below generic with their four cuts. The best songs are from The MENTORS ie: "Just Like El Duce" and "Operation Alcohol". But hey that's just me. http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/ https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/trash-party-split-album
WOLFBLOOD - Nightriders Reaper Metal Productions / Seeing Red Records Full disclosure here, I'm a huge fan of Heavy Metal Relics on Youtube. I can watch Reaper and Bridgette talk about extreme music for hours. I like them because they're not contrived / acting douche bags like some other people on YT. And yes I have watched every video they've posted so I knew about Reaper Metal Productions since there was a video posted about it's first release by CIST. I also saw a video for this band. Bass player sports a mullet and the singer sort of has one too. Be that as it may here we have the debut EP by Copenhagen's WOLFBLOOD, a four piece act that's all into the whole punk / metal style. There's five cuts on here, four originals and a TANK cover. Doing "Turn Your Head Around" is a damm good choice. According to the promo info we are treated with a new genre tag "motor-punk". Obviously that's a nod to a MOTORHEAD influence. Back in the nineties when Scumfeast was a print publication we called this Punk Fuckin Rock n Roll. Well regardless of what you wanna call it, this release is fast and furious with caustic rough vocals, straight up rocking riffs with decent solo action. Rhythm section pumps out the beats to get a crowd slamming. Good stuff here and it kinda brings back memories of buying 12"ers by bands with a handful of original cuts and of course a cover tune. Cool traditions never die out. https://reapermetalproductions.bandcamp.com/ https://wolfblood.bandcamp.com/releases https://www.facebook.com/W%C3%B6lfblood-1735635233341107/
So if you are a friend of mine on Facebook, and you're probably not for good reasons, then you would know that I've been getting nostalgic in August for 80's era metal. In fact on one Wednesday after I posted a song from WASP a friend coined the term "WASP for WEDNESDAYS". That lead to me listening to their first two albums as well as their infamous first single. Ironically enough it's August and I'm listening this, a thrash revival act. DEGRAVE hail from Jefferson City, Missouri a place I've never been to on all of my travels. It's the state's capital and is rumored to have a dive bar / club scene. After listening to this their second full length I'm guessing DEGRAVE has paid many dues in bars / clubs in their burg. The thing is do they realize the thrash revival (aka: new bands reprising carbon copy sounds from the past) is long over? Or hey maybe they just don't give a flying fuck? OK so lets go for the obvious, do you still like old METALLICA, MEGADETH or early VOIVOD? Yeah I know, who doesn't? Well for old fuckers like me nostalgia is a good thing because back when it was all going on we were getting fucked up, thrashing in the pit and looking to get laid. Oh yeah and we listened to extreme music. But I sporadically delve into the past that's why I was a huge fan of the thrash revival years ago. DEGRAVE might be eight years too late for that and their use of trigger drums is upsetting. Still when I listen to em I'm more impressed with their dedication to song craft. There's ten cuts on here and each one carries with it an approach that's part of reprising what one gets from opening a time capsule after decades. Hey lets do that too but lets do it as us in the now.
There's a hypocrisy going on in the mainstream metal media. Old school is cool if it applies to certain genres which are approved by the new school older hipsters (They're in their late thirties now which they consider to be old). A band like DEGRAVE, who do not hail from a "cool" burg, might not pass their muster. As for me well I will not be in the pit but if I were to be at one of this band's shows I'd be a guy in the back with the grey beard smiling. Yes this band is cool as fuck thrash. https://www.degraveofficial.com/ https://degrave.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/degravethrash/
KIELKROPF - Ignorance Is Bliss Sludgelord Records If there's one thing I can say about Sludgelord Records, whether or not I like their releases, is that they do not troll the typical musical havens of trendy-ness and bandwagon jumping. Instead they comb the world of obscurity for the acts they release stuff by. Now as far as this one goes, it's another unique act that begs for your attention. Here we have a four song EP by KIELKROPF an Austrian four piece who are not pushing boundaries, thank you very much. On the contrary they're touching on the past ready to kick your ass. Think of the second wave heydays of US sludge (that would be the late 90s for you kids) meets MOTORHEAD and KILLDOZER in a pub. Think of all the bands on those Southern Lord Records samplers (I've still got two of em).
KIELKROPF know how to give you some head banging groove as well as drag you slowly across a rip-rap covered ditch. Yeah "ouch, that's gonna leave a mark" is one way of putting it. This is heavy fuckin handed stuff by a band whose vocalist and guitarist were once in an Austrian metalcore act, FISCHHALLE, back in the 90s.Yes recognizing pain and misery does come with the retrospect of age. Trust me I know. Look people if what I've written does not in the least bit excite your Doom sensibilities then you're either dead or still listening to an Athens, Georgia sludge metal playlist on Last FM which by the way is one in the same. Yes it's been a decade but I still hate hipsters. Be that as it may so hey people if you're into something old school but not contrived (hell they're from fuckin Austria which means it's impossible for em to be contrived) then this is for you. Trust me it's one of the best things in this genre you'll hear in 2018. https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/ https://kielkropf.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/kielkropf/
WELCOME TO EXTREME METAL MANIAC OR WHAT i LIKE TO CALL THE HOME OF EXTREME METAL.
Attention
In Jan. 2020 some not so nice person(s), who obviously don't care for Metal, decided to complain to a social media platform about something I posted. That got me banned from posting links there under the former blog title Scumfeast Metal 666. Fine I just changed the name to what you see now. Hey I'm still here and, under our present day situation, will be more extreme then before.
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Extreme Metal or Music is generally a form which is accepted by 1% of all of the music loving public. It is elitist in every way and that's important to those of us who call ourselves fans. The 99% of people who will not like it are Not Supposed To. The music wasn't made for them, "the masses". It's music that's for those who take things to that "other" level. There is nothing hip or fad about it. In fact I treat those two notions very harshly.
