VARIOUS ARTISTS - Maywood Mayhem Vol. 11
Self Released
The Chinese virus lock downs have made a devastating impact upon all small businesses. One of the worst hit has been on live music venues. Extreme metal people are more likely to go out to see a band at a venue than your typical mainstream music fan. The lock downs have prevented these venues from opening to make a living and the ramifications have been horrible. I saw one article about how two long time music venues on the East Coast (USA) have announced their doors are closed forever. Unless something changes soon then we'll see many more.
So what we have here is something which I hope other people around the country and the world will do as well. This is a benefit compilation dedicated to The Maywood, a long time local music venue here in Raleigh, North Carolina. It use to be called Volume 11 years ago but changed the name not too long ago. I have seen many great shows there over time. The proceeds from it's sale will go to the club in order to help out a little during the shutdown. Remember people most of your local music venues are a labor of love as opposed to a big money maker business.
Not only is The Maywood a great club, because it's primarily a place for extreme music, but it also has a bunch of practice spaces in the back. Over the years there's been a ton of bands who've called it a sanctuary to perfect their craft. So on this compilation you've got twenty five extreme music bands from the Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina area. They all contribute one song each and run the table as far as genres go. You've got bands doing black metal, death metal, doom, thrash and a whole lot inbetween. To be honest I've previously seen/listened to about half of these bands, as well as writing about their past releases and there's definitely a few favorites of mine on here.
As far as those familiar acts to me go for starters you've got BEDOWYN who have an doomish edge to themselves and the band they share some members with CHAOSMIC. They take that edge and pour in some progressive metal elements which kicks their sound to epic levels. For the heshers there's some long time thrash demons BLATANT DISARRAY (think US thrash meets Euro power metal) and GROSS REALITY (harsh slam pit invoking thrash with a technical drive). Then there's the local death metal institution of ELDRITCH HORROR. Listening to them is akin to unearthing some ancient tomb only to unleash a Lovecraftian nightmare.
A few more familiar acts on here consist of the punk/metal sounds of KNOWLEDGE IS FOR FOOLS (aka: KIFF). Their contribution here is a cover tune, “Most Likely to Succeed”, by scum punk legends RANCID VAT. For classic sounding power metal fans you've got one of America's best on here with KNIGHTMARE and their cut “The Gods Are with Us Tonight". There's a triple band threat on here as well whose common thread is the amazing vocals of Brenna Leath. For starters you've got the melodic metal sounds of her mainstay act THE HELL NO. Add to that two other doom laden side projects like CRYSTAL SPIDERS and LIGHTNING BORN. Finally for a black metal fix there's MO'YNOQ whose sound makes you wanna scream Norway 1992 without being retro rehash. Yeah they're a great band with two former members of a local BM act from years ago that I thought was cool, FAITH IN ASHES.
Now as far as the acts new to me or I know in name only there's quite a few standouts. CROWLEY'S INQUISITION are standard death doom but I kinda like that stuff. Then there's three bands whose common thread is that they've all got a connection to / band member from the local blackened thrash act SUPPRESSIVE FIRE. You've got the really cool sounding WITCHTIT (traditional doom with female vocals), NOCTOMB who are basic blackened sludge and one man (Scott Schopler) depressive black metal act SARDONIC SMILES. His song contribution "Zaux" is from the debut 2018 full length Wraith.
Last but not least are some cool tracks by EYN which delves out cryptic depressive black metal with a touch melody/atmosphere in their arrangement. The band FEW GOOD THINGS are a throwback to 80's punk/hardcore. GOATCHOKER are raging blackened death and then there's NIGHTQUILL who are some decent black metal. So to me that's the absolute best on here. But on a whole this release shows some damm good extreme music diversity within a local music scene. I'm thankful that I don't live in a place where the bands sound as if they're all enclosed within one music genre. So no matter if this is a benefit release. It's one of the best extreme music compilations you'll hear in 2020.
LISTEN & ORDER IT HERE:
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