Sunday, November 18, 2018

TERRANAUT / CHAOSOPHY split review



TERRANAUT / CHAOSOPHY split

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions




Well it's 4 AM here where I'm at. I was just outside on the back deck having a smoke and yeah it's cold outside. Sure it's in the 30's which most people from up North would laugh at but hey down here in NC that's cold. Now remember I'm originally from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It gets cold up there. But I also spent two years in Alaska and dealt with 70 degrees below zero. Now that's fuckin cold as in ice sickles coming out of your nose cold. 


I mention cold because I'm listening to black metal here. American black metal that is. Here's a split release by TERRANAUT / CHAOSOPHY. Now a word or two about split releases before I move on. I've got a shitload of split releases. Actually more than most of your shaved headed psychopaths into extreme music. I'm talking all three types of vinyl, CDs and cassettes. Usually you get one side very good while the other is OK or shit. It's always unusual to get two equally good bands on a split.


Now as far as black metal band split releases go, the artists involved only do them as long as the music compliments one another with some sort of contrast. On this one those contrasts are huge. The first band, TERRANAUT, hails from Chi-Town aka: Chicago, Illinois. They're definitely typically fierce USBM but after a few listens I kept thinking Finland. Maybe it's their thrash and burn riffage or the savage animal like vocals. Then it could be that they just set their singer on fire.


TERRANAUT are in that wanna-be second wave black metal well. They sound a step above low-fi demo quality. The harsh screamed vocals are complimented by good tremolo riffs which are cold, methodical as well as melodic. TERRANAUT are reminiscent of certain depressive black metal acts I've heard over the years, of course the more quality misanthropic ones. 


The second band, CHAOSOPHY, hails from Madison, Wisconsin. Their contribution here is three cuts all over seven minutes in length. Sound-wise they're more third wave black metal in their approach. An obvious point is in the better production but their use of synths plays a big role in their sound. They're definitely influenced by Nordic BM from that era. Flip a coin and pick a country, either Norway or Sweden or both. The vocals are of the harsh variety but still human, good icy tremolo picked riffs and also a definite melodic blackened death style flowing in.


So here you have two decent bands who differ but compliment one another. Personally I like CHAOSOPHY more which is odd but TERRANAUT also with their six cuts turn in something cool. Both of these bands have previously released material which you and I should check out. But the bottom line here is that you've got a great split release of black metal which all true fans will find worthy.


http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/split-8


No comments: