HAN - Breathing the Void review

HAN - Breathing the Void

Northern Silence Productions

Hearing some damm good black metal from Switzerland is usually few and far inbetween. This band here is another perfect example. HAN started out back in 2009 but did not release anything until 2016 with their debut, Facilis Descensus Averni. That one was released by Northern Silence Productions as well and I might say falls into the category of damm good. So after a five year this five piece act returns with their long awaited second full length.

As far as this new one goes it's different from their debut. Facilis Descensus Averni was pretty much old school atmospheric black metal. This new one moves into a more melodic genre style with some cool headbanging grooves to boot. After a typical atmospheric keyboard intro things get rockin.

What comes next is 90's era melodic yet very abrasive black metal. Plenty of times the guitar sounds are like burning sheet metal being ripped apart. The riffs are thrashy especially the tremolo picked intricate ones. The vocals are filth ridden barks mixed with harsh antagonistic screams. Rhythm section, can't hear any bass, is fine with either blast beat madness or basic rock delivery. 

All in all this is another damm great release by HAN. The vocals come over as having that necro feel which the Finnish bands of the 90's had. Most of the songs have a galloping rhythm like on "Lost Souls" or "Breathing the Void" which carries you away like you're on a blackened hell-ride. In the end you just don't want it to end.

https://store.northern-silence.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://han-northernsilence.bandcamp.com/album/breathing-the-void

 

DODSFERD - Skotos EP review

 

DODSFERD - Skotos EP

Transcending Obscurity Records

So for all of you people who read the things I post on this blog (and frankly who doesn't) you know I'm a big fan of DODSFERD from Greece. Just a quick overview, DODSFERD started out as a one man black metal act back in the early 2000's by Wrath. The early stuff was a mix of black n roll and atmospheric BM. Lyrical themes delved into subjects both suicidal as well as homicidal. Wrath pretty much despised the human race. I'm a huge fan of that first decade of DODSFERD.

The next batch of albums from 2010 to 2013 were decent and followed the same themes. The consistent black n roll material was exciting but everything else was not top notch in my not so humble opinion. So at a time when I expected Wrath to just repeat the same tired theme he surprises the hell out of me and the world of black metal with 2015's Wastes of Life. Wrath basically tweaks his repertoire to fit into the modern era of atmospheric BM. DODSFERD also is an actual band at this point with other musicians along with Wrath. It's truly an amazing release. 

Fast forward to 2018 with Diseased Remnants Of A Dying World which was a continuation of the blackened path Wrath had taken on the previous full length. This one reminded me of territory once trudged by the likes of DRUDKH and PRIMORDIAL. Again an amazing piece of work. So when I saw this new one I was like cool, some new DODSFERD. But technically it really isn't. 

Basically these are two new songs (or are they really?) tacked onto the Diseased Remnants Of A Dying World release. That's if you get it as a CD or digital download. These two cuts, "Skotadi" and "Cursed to Die at First Light", will also be available as a 7"er. Pretty much both tracks are the same as in a repetitive industrial blackened rhythm, some slight tremolo picked high notes, blast beated drums and Wrath laying down harsh filth ridden screamed lyrics. 

The only difference between the two cuts are the song titles. Which to me is disappointing to say the least. Musically it's of the style Wrath was producing years ago. After two great releases of moving into a new and more modern sounding direction you would figure he would continue experimenting along those avenues. If you look at it as one song then it's OK. But for me it's that Diseased Remnants Of A Dying World is on here as well. So the saving grace are those five tracks which you get a second chance at getting.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dodsferd.bandcamp.com/album/skotos-atmospheric-black-metal

THE RUINS OF BEVERAST - The Thule Grimoires review

 

THE RUINS OF BEVERAST - The Thule Grimoires

Van Records

I first got into this German one man band with the second album, Rain Upon The Impure, from 2006. Although I'm pretty sure it was a year later when I got it. I had known Alexander von Meilenwald played drums with another cool German BM act NAGELFAR. I have one of their releases as well. Just to make clear I still believe that Rain Upon The Impure is an amazing masterpiece in modern era black metal. I was just listening to it a few weeks ago and it still holds you in a menacing grip. If I were to compare it to a horror movie it would be an edge of your seat thriller.

Of course after that I kept picking up the full lengths. Never did pick up any of the short form releases (the splits) even though they're in abundance. Still haven't picked up the debut full length either. Yeah I know, fuck me. Now although I liked what followed, 2009's Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite is definitely a winner as far as atmospheric black metal goes. It was on Blood Vaults from 2013 and the last one 2017's Exuvia where my appreciation of the music started to wane a bit.

Don't get me wrong I do believe the last two THE RUINS OF BEVERAST releases have their merits but not enough to completely intrigue me as the listener. So now with The Thule Grimoires I still think there's too much space filled with boring atmosphere. But and this is important, the man's vision for a close to perfection blackened gothic doom release is here. 

First off writing about hour plus more releases are always a pain. With that said the more Alexander moves toward full on gothic doom the more I turn away. Just like on Exuvia, this one has elements which bring to mind KATATONIA and not the good stuff. There is just so much filler going on in the goth department that the blackened bits feel like saving graces. Opener "Ropes into Eden" is a good track which mixes the blackened and doom genres well. 

From that point onward you get some grandiose goth doom followed by 1980's Berlin underground discotheque influenced post punk. Add to that speak/sing clean vocals. Yeah I hate TYPE O NEGATIVE by the way. Personally I like the harsh vocals Alexander does but that's few and far between on here. I thought "Anchoress in Furs" was a highlight since it brings about the melodic elements in line with the harsh just like the opening track. "Polar Hiss Hysteria" is something which will keep you awake. But that was about it.

I spent two good weeks of my life listening to this one off and on. Yes this is an amazing album if you're into gothic doom with some blackened touches. Just for the record I have favorites from the past but not much to speak of in modern times. I knew THE RUINS OF BEVERAST were hanging off the atmospheric black metal template by their fingernails years ago. The Thule Grimoires is where Alexander fell off. I won't be coming back to this release but hey you might love it.

https://van-records.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://theruinsofbeverast.bandcamp.com/album/the-thule-grimoires

DOPELORD - Reality Dagger EP review

 

DOPELORD - Reality Dagger EP

Green Plague Records

OK I'll say the quiet part out loud. Years ago I got bored with the whole genre of stoner rock and you did to. I'm not going to name drop anyone but let's just say the heavy hitters were washed up. Worse yet is when SLEEP starts doing nostalgia tours for hipsters then you know it's over. Even worse is when the new bands all sound the same. Then years ago I heard DOPELORD and life was so much better.

That all came about in 2017 when I heard this Polish band's third full length, Children of the Haze, and I hailed that album as the greatest thing since SABBATH's Master of Reality. OK that's a bit of hyperbole on me but seriously DOPELORD fuckin rules. That album was in my end of year favorites. And so was their Sign of the Devil full length from last year. 

So here we have a new three song EP by this four piece act. There's just three tracks which according to the promo info are some song ideas that the band have been playing around with over the years. Basically it's DOPELORD's patented sound and style. You've got some heavy handed groove laden stoner rock with clean vocals. If anything these songs fall on the more melodic side. 

"Your Blood" kinda comes off as a pop number. The title cut is a ten plus minute opus a diabolical psych doom. But the winner of the small bunch is opener "Dark Coils". If all of this is throwaway tracks then let me just say what DOPELORD tosses out is way better than what copycat bands save. Sure I'm biased but hey I'm right. DOPELORD Rules

https://www.facebook.com/GreenPlagueRecords/

LISTEN HERE:

Oops Sorry there's no way, at the moment, for you to check out this EP unless I include a download link. And that ain't happening. So instead here's a DOPELORD Live Stream from 2020. Enjoy because you will.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQLYjXIQOm4

But hey here's DOPELORD's bandcamp site. Buy it all!

https://dopelord.bandcamp.com/music

PLASMODIUM - Towers of Silence review

 

PLASMODIUM - Towers of Silence 

Transcending Obscurity Records 

Here we have the second album by Australia's PLASMODIUM. I never heard their first one so while seeing the tagline on this to be 'Cosmic Black/Death Metal', I was intrigued to say the least. After spending the weekend listening to this on and off I was reminded of a very bad drug experience from my youth. Then again I could also equate it to a recent trip to a big box store on a Sunday afternoon.

Obviously this band has their practice space near the same cavernous spot fellow Aussies PORTAL uses. Now I don't know about the 'cosmic' part. I'm wondering if they're influenced in any way by aboriginal ideas. As far as blackened "I'm on fucking drugs" sounds go these guys pass that test. I mean the song "Translucinophobia" is a bad speeding acid trip to say the least. 

On this release PLASMODIUM like to stretch their sound around from atmospheric and psych influenced doom passages to full on speedy black metal. "Pseudocidal" is a perfect example in psychotic fear. I'd say all six tracks on here would fit perfectly on a soundtrack to a Lovecraftian animated horror movie. All of this is very unsettling to say the least. Do not play this while on medication or plan any naps for a few hours afterwards. You've been warned.

 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://plasmodiumdeath.bandcamp.com/album/towers-of-silence-cosmic-black-death-metal

COFFIN MULCH - Septic Funeral EP review

 

COFFIN MULCH - Septic Funeral EP

Redefining Darkness Records

Can we all give a hell fuckin yeah to this band's name? I mean COFFIN MULCH, come on that's cool. Strangely enough I'm writing about this band's debut EP on the night where the pub I work at had a wake for a regular who passed last week. Nice guy who've I've known for close to a decade. He was into classic rock but then again the guy was much older than me. Don't know who's getting his Harley but it ain't me. I don't think he'd like this band even though he'll be coffin mulch in a few years.

But anyways the first time I checked out this Scottish band's release I was like cool it's old school death metal. Then I wondered after all of these years, well decades now, why does this music still appeal to me. I mean seriously it's been done three times over. Sure there was a revival back in 2008 which I thought was cool especially since the mainstream metal media elites at first mocked it. But the fact is the sound lives forever no matter who is doing it.

To be honest COFFIN MULCH are not bringing anything new to the genre table and frankly that's a good thing. Musically their sound is part Swedish / part US as far as a death and doom delivery. The vocals are of that 'I drink from a cauldron of fire' variety. The riffs are heavy as fuck Boss HM-2 style thunder with an undercurrent of filth plus anger. The rhythm section lays waste when things speed up a bit. While keeping a powerful back drop when slow and heavy beats are required. 

Something else which this band includes, while some other new OSDM bands quit doing, are those surgeon scalpel solos. For me that's a must have. Even better is that this is a six song EP which is just two or three cuts short of a full length. So this release is COFFIN MULCH kicking your ass and demanding you throw up the horned fist for twenty plus minutes. The old ones have pasted on so celebrate their memory with music that reminds you of em. Cheers! 

http://www.redefiningdarkness.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://coffinmulch-uk.bandcamp.com/album/septic-funeral

WITCHSEEKER - Scene of the Wild review

 

WITCHSEEKER - Scene of the Wild

Dying Victims Productions

Someone in Singapore likes early 80's metal. Then again who doesn't? Ironically I was listening to RIOT the other day. So when I heard the opening cut / title track from this one I couldn't help but think of that old New York act was an influence. As for a modern reference I'd say ENFORCER early on in their career.

This is the second full length by WITCHSEEKER who originally started out as a one man band back in 2012. But over the years the band became a four piece act. Basically on here the band displays their love of speedy metal with a touch of melody with a bunch of anthem type songs. While on cuts like "Sin City" and "Candle in the Dark" they show their NWOBHM side.

All in all I think this is a cool release with thrashy riffs, damm good soloing (check out "Hellions of the Night"), the bass lines are in sync with the guitars on plenty of riffs. The crazy part is the vocals almost have a Paul Stanley of KISS quality to em. I guess that's what makes this one infectious to listen to.

https://shop.dying-victims.de/en/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/witchseeker-scene-of-the-wild

TERRORDOME - Straight Outta Smogtown review

 

TERRORDOME - Straight Outta Smogtown

Selfmadegod Records

At this point in time you have to be a super fan to enjoy some thrash that is similar to the likes of MUNICIPAL WASTE for a modern reference. Then again I've been on this road for a while so I'll also include some good o'l NUCLEAR ASSAULT or CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER. Since those two latter acts are gone except for their releases and you wanna hear some newer stuff then sure TERRORDOME fits the bill.

This Polish act has been around for a while now with a release catalog consisting of some full lengths, short form releases and even a compilation. So here they are with their third full length and over it's fourteen cuts you'd have to be a jaded ass not to be enticed to perform jerky motions. Choose your own jerky motions because I'm not here to provide dance move suggestions. Just as long as you're not doing that pathetic looking death core ballet bullshit.

But anyways musically expect plenty of unbridled speed for the most part. There's some groove to because it is thrash. But there's some cool riffs going on with some knife to the gut solos. The band's sound is well rounded giving the bass and fanatic drumming equal treatment with the guitar and caustic vocals. Speaking of the latter, there's a bunch of guests taking part in the singalongs. That seems to be a recipe being overused of late by many other thrash acts. Other than that this is top notch.  

https://selfmadegod.com/shop/en_US/index

LISTEN HERE:

https://selfmadegod.bandcamp.com/album/straight-outta-smogtown

NERVOSA - Perpetual Chaos review

 

NERVOSA - Perpetual Chaos

Napalm Records

OK a few things to mention here. I remember NERVOSA from a few years ago. They were a three piece all female thrash act from Brazil. Their Downfall of Mankind from 2018 was pretty damm good. They had a cool blackened thrash quality to em. But that was then and things have changed for this band. Since last time around the bassist/vocalist and drummer have left the band leaving guitarist Prika Amaral left to re-start things. 

Just for the record this band has gone through half a dozen band members. So NERVOSA are not a Brazilion band anymore. Instead they're now an international act with their three new members. Joining Prika Amaral is vocalist Diva Satanica from Spain. On drums there's Eleni Nota who hails from Greece. Finally there's Mia Wallace from Italy on bass. Wallace is the only one I know of since she played bass on ABBATH's last album. 

So as far as this, their fourth album, goes I'd say the change works well. First off Prika Amaral is a damm good guitarist. She brings forth some diabolical riffs throughout. Her lead work is decent overall. Musically things are less blackened and simplistic than before. This new NERVOSA is full on death thrash with a modern touch. New vocalist Diva Satanica adds a more diverse range of vocal styling be they brutal death grunts, blackened screeches or blatant screams. 

As far as the new rhythm section goes, they keep time with Prika Amaral fairly well. If anything is a miss it's the great drum work sounding like banging on Tupperware. All 13 songs are amazing and in your fuckin face. DESTRUCTION's Marcel Schirmer adds some vocals on one cut while Eric A.K. from FLOTSAM AND JETSAM sings along on another. 

In the end this is some damm good thrash for 2021. Hopefully Prika Amaral will keep this line-up going because it has that early SLAYER quality which has been missing from the genre for a long time. The only sad note here is that because of the Wuhan virus BS the chance for seeing em play these great songs is up in the air.  

https://napalmrecords.com/deutsch/?SID=rn2kr7fvmj20u99qjn0qc877r2

LISTEN HERE:

https://nervosa-brazil.bandcamp.com/

CELESTIAL SANCTUARY - Soul Diminished review

 

CELESTIAL SANCTUARY - Soul Diminished

Redefining Darkness Records (North America)

Church Road Records (Europe)

One of the things I saw in this band's promo bio was that they're being hailed as part of the New Wave Of British Death Metal. One thing you get with age, like me, is that you remember little tidbits of info in that grand storehouse of memories. So it was definitely over a decade ago that I remember Terrorizor magazine, now defunct, had an issue dedicated to The New Wave Of British Death Metal. Unfortunately the bands they included, which appeared on an accompanying free CD, were mostly all 'core' sounding. 

Fortunately CELESTIAL SANCTUARY are not a 'core' styled band. In fact they do fit nicely into Britain's death metal fold. Which brings me to another factor which comes with age. Just because something sounds similar to what you've heard before is not a bad thing. Especially if you liked it before a whole helluva lot. Yeah this English four piece act wears their influences like patches on a battle vest. But hey they're good quality influences to say the least. I mean come on, their name comes from a BOLT THROWER song from the The IVth Crusade album. 

So musically yeah it's like the offspring of BOLT THROWER starting a band and kicking some ass throughout. Of course that's not the only influence going on here but I'll refrain from any lists. The band's key style is providing some decent heavy handed riffs. I won't say it's crushing but they do land a few knockout punches here and there. It's death doom that's mostly mid-paced in speed. When they do push things into a higher gear it's fine as well. 

Soul Diminished is a good debut by a band that's playing by the genre rules. Personally I'd rather listen to something as solid as this then a release from a band that wants to give a middle finger to tradition. Hey if you wanna take risks and expand then fine do it on your future albums. But for now Britain needs you to play death doom for her. Nuff Said.

http://www.redefiningdarkness.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://celestialsanctuary-uk.bandcamp.com/album/soul-diminished

SIGNIFICANT POINT - Into the Storm review

 

SIGNIFICANT POINT - Into the Storm

Dying Victims Productions

Well this one shocked my senses like I had just jumped into a frozen lake and that was with the opening cut "Attacker". What we have here people is the debut album by Japan's SIGNIFICANT POINT. They're a five piece act who specialize in true heavy metal sounds from the 80's with a love for speed. I believe they're JUDAS PRIEST fans as well. 

First off this band has a heavy metal falsetto screamer as a vocalist. Half of the time he's perfect while other instances he can be over indulgent and off key. But overall I think he's amazing regardless. I'm a huge fan of heavy metal screamers. But that's not all which is great about this album. 

Musically this band has the twin guitar salvo part down to a science as if they've been doing it for decades. And of course that's where you get the more MAIDEN-esque galloping feel with leads and great rhythms. In fact of the ten cuts on here I think they're all good. SIGNIFICANT POINT does lean into power metal territory which I think is cool. 

All in all you've got some high octane metal touching on the melodic side of things for a good momentum. I just can't help but like this a lot. I grew up in metal with this stuff back in the 80's whether it was top of the bill bands or the second tier greats of the underground. Into the Storm is your get to release for a true metal fix in 2021 and beyond. 

https://www.dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/significant-point-into-the-storm