SLAUGHTBBATH - Alchemical Warfare review

 

SLAUGHTBBATH - Alchemical Warfare

Old Temple (Europe) / Hells Headbangers Records (USA)

Well I missed out on this album's US release late last year so thankfully Old Temple has it out now. SLAUGHTBBATH are a three piece blackened thrash act out of Chile. This is my introduction to them even though they've been around for at least fifteen years. 

Unless you're a die-hard South American metal fan, which I am somewhat, then you probably didn't know this band has been pumping out short form releases for around a decade of their existence. If you wanna play catch up they do have a couple of compilation releases. But what we have here is their second proper full length. 

Like I mentioned earlier, SLAUGHTBBATH and this their second full length Alchemical Warfare, are full on blackened thrash. You will not hear any US production generic crap going on. This is straight up primitive, to a point, rip your fuckin face off stuff. Thankfully SLAUGHTBBATH are also devoted to old school black metal or blackened death which you'll hear on "Rejoined Into Chaos" as well as "Ascension To The Dragon's Throne". Which are my two favorite cuts on this dink.

On this release SLAUGHTBBATH are firing on all cylinders. You've got the filthy harsh vocals, decent riffs and a solid rhythm section. It's fucking amazing blackened thrash. And as I mentioned before, in an era of generic bullshit, this stands a top of most other acts doing the same thing. At least in my not so humble opinion.

http://www.oldtemple.com/

 

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://oldtemple.bandcamp.com/album/slaughtbbath-alchemical-warfare

CULTUS PROFANO - Accursed Possession review

CULTUS PROFANO - Accursed Possession

Debemur Morti Productions

It wasn't that long ago when if someone said "Black Metal from California" it would be followed up with screams of "FALSE" all across Metal social media websites. CULTUS PROFANO are a black metal duo act from Los Angeles, California. Since they're on Debemur Morti Productions you could be sure the "F-Word" does not apply if anyone still harbors anti California BM feelings. 

This is my first time checking out CULTUS PROFANO. They've been around since 2016 and this is their second full length. Now let's be honest here. Over the past 25 years here US black metal acts, I'll say 75%, take their influences from Scandinavian BM. This band does not nor are the one of those unique sounding brutal acts from the early days of the scene. If anything this band reminds me of old school Hellenic BM. 

For starters the whole album has this putrid ambiance as if recorded in an ancient cemetery of unworthy souls. With the guitars providing a tremolo picked eerie atmosphere. Add to that the sick tortured vocals which are unsettling. What you've got here is something which sounds like an unearthed item of the past to be worshiped. Completely traditional BM which I think is one of the best I've listened to in 2020. 

https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/

LISTEN HERE:

https://cultusprofano.bandcamp.com/releases

 

ROT GUT LIKKER - Uncle Satan's Hayride To Hell review

ROT GUT LIKKER - Uncle Satan's Hayride To Hell

Self Released

Some years ago I described North Carolina's ROT GUT LIKKER as being like a crazed drunken metal dude wielding a broken whiskey bottle in your face while screaming "Hail Fuckin Satan"! That was in 2009 and after all these years the band has reformed. Well basically main man Chris Daugherty (guitar & vocals) gathered some like minded musicians around himself and pushed the re-start button on the band. 

This new release does step right after their debut, Uncle Satan's Straight Whiskey, from eleven years ago. If you're familiar with their debut, which I am, then the connection is obvious. Nothing has changed at all as far as song structures, themes and vocals. Something of note which I think is cool, Chris Daugherty's singing style has not lost an ounce of harshness. 

Musically if CORROSION OF CONFORMITY are the South's version of SABBATH, then ROT GUT LIKKER are our Southern Fried Blackened Thrash minus the generic tropes of the genre. Now I was surprised to hear a couple of great cuts re-done from their debut. For example, "Southern Justice" which I previously considered to be a blackened BLACKFOOT style number. It still packs a punch. They also resurrect "Grudge Fuck" as well as their opening intro "Stars and Bars Forever".

Their debut full length ended with an ambient Black Metalish instrumental. On here it follows suit with a similar outro. The only real surprise for me on this sophomore release was the song "Swamp Witch". It's this massively heavy as fuck song that doesn't roam into Southern sludge territory full bore. There's a touch but basically it's like a fuckin Southern Metal anthem. If anything there's a cool doom edge to it. Aside from the classics redone from their first album, "Swamp Witch" is definitely my favorite cut on here. 

As far as the rest of the release goes it's territory similar to their first album, with similar riffs. "Whatever Suits You" is definitely a cool tune. There's also an instrumental as well as a song with a ZZ TOP riff, borrowed of course. In the end this is all about some Southern Shreditizations for Satan. The more I listen to the new stuff the more I'm loving this. I believe this is one of the better releases of 2020. 

HAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/Rot-Gut-Likker-133035350079462

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.reverbnation.com/rotgutlikker/songs

 

BEAR MACE - Charred Field of Slaughter review

 

BEAR MACE - Charred Field of Slaughter

Self Released

First off great band name and secondly why is this band not signed to a decent label? Now with that said I'll repeat myself by saying when it comes to knowledge of US death metal most people think of Florida or New York scenes. They forget or ignore the greatness which was death metal from Middle America. I harp on it because I'm older and remember when the Milwaukee Metal Fest was king before the Maryland Death Fest was even conceived. 

Which brings us to BEAR MACE a death metal act outta Chicago, Illinois.  This is their second full length and it's just a reminder of traditional Midwest American death metal. On here, the band's second full length, BEAR MACE cover all of the genre bases perfectly. You've got those crunchy rhythms as well as a heavy as fuck groove laden song structures. Then there's the incredible guitar soloing with sparks of melodic repertoire. That's out of the fuckin blue!

Finally the vocals sound like an awakened bear pissed off that his hibernation was interrupted. I'm not into influences name dropped on most releases and especially this one here. I'll just go on to say that BEAR MACE are a band that any death metal fan should check out, old or young. 

LISTEN HERE:

https://bearmace.bandcamp.com/

ENTARTUNG - Maleficae Artes review

 

ENTARTUNG - Maleficae Artes

Dunkelheit Produktionen

As someone who thought he knew the goings on in the German black metal scene, I apologize. Here's a band who escaped my attention. ENTARTUNG are a three piece German BM act who've been around since 2011. What we have here is their fourth full length. 

I guess the obvious fact for me in listening to this multiple times in the late hours of the evening/early morning is that ENTARTUNG are old school black metal influenced. But not influenced by their early countryman. German black metal had a brutal sense to it, toss in some atmospheric elements once in a while and there you go. Trust me I'm not even going down the road toward the hateful stuff.

ENTARTUNG has a sound which branches out to all of Europe and draws those influences into a very cool BM perspective. Yes their abrasive German sense is there but they also allow for some peaceful Eastern European style to creep in. Add to that is some devotion to Swedish BM icy tremolo picked arrogance. And those fuckin rhythmic grooves are like a slap to the fuckin head.

 

Maleficae Artes is a shock to the system with it's wall of sound. There's four good long songs with a short acoustic piece in between those entities. The guitar work shatters the conscience as well as late night after work moods. The accompanying drum work assists in the onslaught. The vocals are angry screams of anguish.

In the end it's a great fuckin album. ENTARTUNG have redefined German black metal, in my not so humble opinion, with this release.  

https://www.dunkelheit-produktionen.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dunkelheitprod.bandcamp.com/album/maleficae-artes

FLESHDRIVER - Leech EP review

 

FLESHDRIVER - Leech EP

Redefining Darkness Records

For regular readers of this blog, and frankly after the name change I'm thankful of ya'll keeping up, you know my thoughts on bands who recapture past sounds. I'm an older dude, I love my past faves and enjoy new bands who recreate that past as well as add some new flavor to all of it. 

With that said I think FLESHDRIVER's title of their debut EP is spot on. This Floridian act knows how to suck off of a sub genre from Sweden aka: Melodic death metal meets English DISCHARGE-core or DIS-core if you prefer. Imagine if you will DISFEAR's last bunch of crap being presented by a new batch of hellions. 

I'll give these Floridians props for a few things. First off their crunchy guitar tone. Add to that the dive bomb guitar soloing. And the amazing in your face violent vocals. Personally I think the Swedes do it better (there's more than DISFEAR) but hey if you're not aware of it then this will do for some people.

http://www.redefiningdarkness.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://fleshdriver-us.bandcamp.com/album/leech

WRITHING - Eternalised in Rot EP review

WRITHING - Eternalised in Rot EP

Redefining Darkness Records

The two major things I hate about this release are that you've got great cover art and the two songs here are great old school sounding death metal. Why would I hate that you ask? Because I wish this was a full length since this band is fucking incredible!

Ladies and gentlemen what we have here is an Australian band who are not following their nation's extreme metal cliche sounds. No cavernous blackened sludge or thrash tendencies. No this is straight up late 80's death metal which still excites yours truly as well as every other extreme metal music fan out there.

But it's just two heavy, violent and beat you down type songs. With howled in a cave vocals and crunchy Swede Death style rhythms. Oh yeah how could I not like it. WRITHING are a down under version of GRAVE and VOMITORY which to me is cool as fuck. I look forward to hearing a full length by em. 

http://www.redefiningdarkness.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://writhing-rdr.bandcamp.com/album/eternalised-in-rot

 

NECROWRETCH – The Ones From Hell review

 

NECROWRETCH – The Ones From Hell

Season of Mist

So years ago when I picked up one of this French black metal act's releases, their debut, I was like ah France's version of 1349? I remember that one was on a major metal label. I got it somewhere on the shelf but I'm not going to drag it out. A decent release for sure since at it's time NECROWRETCH were not following in the footsteps or their French BM peers. I ended by keeping up with em over the years.

Of course I'm more excited now by the fact that I'm listening to something from Season of Mist which is not boring the fuckin hell out of me. So with NECROWRETCH's fourth full length, and first since 2017, we are greeted to an out of character lite approach in an acoustic opening sequence of less than a minute. Then the triumphant vicious rampage runs you over.

The blackened beat-down, in a good way mind you, last for a couple of cuts. Midway through the band slows down into some blasphemous grooves. Bang your head and raise the horned fist salute time is my way of looking at it. From that point on things vary until the final eponymous cut which should be a future set closer (when live shows return that is).

Overall I ended up liking this new one over their past stuff, yeah even 2017's Satanic Slavery which is an unheralded gem of brutality. The band has expanded their cannon of sound selections. There's more death metal influence than before. Mainman guitarist/vocalist Vlad has a force going for em whether it's in his rasp or gravel singing style. It's not overwhelming but it's consistently good.

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://necrowretch.bandcamp.com/