BLAZON RITE - Wild Rites and Ancient Songs review

 

BLAZON RITE - Wild Rites and Ancient Songs

Gates of Hell Records

Pennsylvania has always been a breeding ground for really good true sounding metal bands. I'm talking about acts who push the epic sounds with one foot in the classic 80's era and the other in the 2000's. BLAZON RITE, a five piece act who hail from Philadelphia, have made a name for themselves in the past few years for following in that vein. 

This is the band's second album. Their debut Endless Halls of Golden Totem, which came out in 2021, garnered the band much praise from underground US power metal/traditional metal fans. Then again so did their self released debut four song EP, Dulce Bellum Inexpertis, from 2020. So will this one be a sophmore jinx or a continuing improvement.

Well given that listening to the opener "Autumn Fear Brings Winter Doom" and the CD cover art depicting a cold Winter scene. I felt March was the wrong month to listen to this one. But my overall answer to the question made is yes BLAZON RITE have progressed in a great way. Musically this album is like GATES OF SLUMBER meet IRON MAIDEN at an online fantasy adventure game conference with MANOWAR in the upper wings whispering "I think I heard em say steel".

You've got seven songs in the traditional metal realm. The riffs/song structures are very MAIDEN-equse. The guitar lead work by Pierson Roe is damm good. And of course I like the vocals by Johnny Halladay. He has this clean baritone vocal style which is a kick back to so many cool sounding singers from the past. Hey people you don't all have to be screamers.  

The more I listen to this album the more I think it's kinda amazing. The production is pitch perfect in that it reminds you of the past. Plus the songs carry you along as if this were a concept album or a great saga as opposed to a patch work of cuts. BLAZON RITE has earned the right to be heralded as modern day fighters for true fuckin metal.

http://www.gatesofhellrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://blazonrite.bandcamp.com/album/wild-rites-and-ancient-songs-2

HORRIBLE EARTH - Weakened by Civilization review

 

HORRIBLE EARTH - Weakened by Civilization

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Since this is the MARCH ov GRIND I was just listening to HORRIBLE EARTH's 2016 full length Typical Human Behavior. A damm good album under fourteen minutes in length. A perfect release when you've gotta get ready for work and you wanna blast it out. Kinda like a grudge fuck but it's grind. But ya know the grudge fuck would be better.

So now we have the newest full length by these grindcore Massholes. Yes they hail from Boston, Massachusetts aka: Massholes. Be that as it may HORRIBLE EARTH are a great modern day grindcore act. I mean their song structures are interesting whether their ripping your head apart or dragging you into a pit. This latest one has seventeen of em.

The riffs are mostly psychotic, the drum work is phenomenal, the vocals are full on aggro and the bass sound actually punches through. Ya know I first learned about this band via a compilation that Horror Pain Gore Death Productions put out a few years ago aka: Discography 2013 - 2019. I liked their mix of grind and power-violence. Like an east coast version of NAILS.

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/weakened-by-civilization

KRULLUR - Dead Live! review

 

KRULLUR - Dead Live!

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

This release brings back cool memories from my past. Not that it's about this particular band. Instead it's the live format which brings back times when I'd blast tapes of live shows which were either from locals or bands from other places. The key part is the band are playing to locals and the crowd appreciation is obviously noted. 

So who we have here is KRULLUR a death grind band who hail from Texas and started out back in 1990. Career wise during the 1990's they put out a handful of short form releases (some demos and a split release). In 2001 they finally put out a full length, Open Ass Surgery, which came out on Facepeel Records. Unfortunately that would be the last sounds from these Texans for a while.

In 2013 the band did make a comeback with a six song EP, Grounds for Termination. Once again some time would pass till 2016 when Horror Pain Gore Death Productions released their seven song Failure To Comply EP. So here we are with a live album from the band. Actually it's original members Jay Langston on drums and Marty Langston who's their lead guitarist. They're joined by bassist Brian Lowden who joined the band in 2015. Finally there's Kirk who joined the band in 2019 and handles guitar and vocals. 

This album was recorded in the band's home town of Houston Texas. Musically it's 1990's nostalgia death grind at it's best. The vocals have that snarling punk rock aesthetic while the riffs, heavy as fuck bass lines and drums are ripping metal. The guitar leads are dive bomb lighting bolts. They also include some covers in their set. There's "Musclehead" by NAPALM DEATH which I can see. But they also cover "Kill Ugly Pop" by LIP CREAM which was a surprise.

In the end this is a damm great release. I mean I wanna see this band kick ass in a small local club. I'm too fuckin old for the slam pit action which should commence. I'll just be the old guy on the side with a evil smile on his face. Yeah this fuckin rules!

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/dead-live

IMPERIAL DEMONIC - Beneath the Crimson Eclipse EP review

IMPERIAL DEMONIC - Beneath the Crimson Eclipse EP

Black Lion Records

CELTACHOR is this cool Irish blackened folk metal act from Ireland who I've been a fan of ever since hearing their In the Halls of Our Ancient Fathers demo from 2010. Since then I picked up their following three full lengths and liked em all. But the last thing I heard from em was in 2018. Now I know why. 

IMPERIAL DEMONIC is a five piece act from Ireland which contains two CELTACHOR members. I'm talking about vocalist Andy Ennis and drummer Cameron Glass. The band is rounded out with Gareth Murdock on bass who's also in the pirate metal act ALESTORM. The twin guitar attack consists of Daniel Dempster and Kacper Lewandowski.

Now if you're a fan of CELTACHOR (and I've drowned my friends on social media with their music ever since Irish week) then listening to IMPERIAL DEMONIC debut release is gonna shock ya. This is far from blackened folk. When I was listening to the opening track "The Furnace" it was obvious that this band was copying late 1990's era Scandinavian melodic black metal. 

Let me get more to the point. Listening to this five song EP is like pulling out some old DARK FUNERAL or DIMMU BORGIR releases and blasting em. The PR info say's that the band are "paying homage to the more polished black metal sound of the late 90’s and early 2000’s." OK I'll go with that idea. Frankly I haven't listened to DARK FUNERAL or DIMMU BORGIR in around a decade.

In all honesty IMPERIAL DEMONIC recapture the sound perfectly. Does it make me wanna pull out some old releases? Ah no actually because I like the sound which they're doing on this EP. And it's been thirty fuckin years so bring it on.

 

https://blacklion.nu/

LISTEN HERE:

https://imperialdemonicblacklion.bandcamp.com/album/beneath-the-crimson-eclipse

 

ISOLE - Anesidora review

 

ISOLE - Anesidora

Hammerheart Records

ISOLE are another one of those bands which I liked early on but over the years I lost touch with. Honestly I think their second album, Throne of Void, from 2006 is amazing. Their third album, Bliss of Solitude, from 2008 is an epic masterpiece. I mean it was melancholy doom at it's best. Born from Shadows, from 2011, is the last full length I have by em. So I've missed some releases over the years. 

But now we have here this Swedish epic doom act's eighth studio album and according to the great PR people, "their best album ever". Hmmm? Well first off Anesidora is not far from where I left off with this band. You've still got the cool clean vocals by Daniel Bryntse who can also throw in a bear growl here and there. 

The guitar work is a mix of drudging riffs, out of no where atmospheric leads and chimed out touches of forever like ending experiences. "Epic" is not a word I'd use automatically when it comes to this latest album. It does have a gloomy melancholic charm to it. I chalk it up there as late night music to mellow out with.

https://www.hammerheart.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://isolehhr.bandcamp.com/album/anesidora

RUNEMAGICK - Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind review

 

RUNEMAGICK - Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind

Hammerheart Records

RUNEMAGICK are not just a old death doom band from Sweden. They are a fucking institution. This band started out in the early 1990's and in 1998 finally came out with their amazing debut, The Supreme Force of Eternity. A year later they followed that up with another killer album, Enter the Realm of Death. Those two albums are fuckin classics in my not so humble opinion. 2000's Resurrection in Blood was also good but it would be their last album for Century Media Records. 

No problem because the band kept going with still some good albums from 2002 to 2007. Seven albums in all in that time span and then it got quiet. That's probably when RUNEMAGICK became dead to fans outside of Sweden. I'm talking so dead that no one knew they put out an album in 2018 aptly titled Evoked from Abysmal Sleep. I did know about 2019's Into Desolate Realms and was not thrilled by it. 

So here we are a few years later and RUNEMAGICK is now on Hammerheart Records which is a cool label that some how resurrects old bands. And this new one by the band is pretty damm good. RUNEMAGICK has this fresh and exciting sound on this their thirteenth full length. Fuck they open with an eleven plus minute opus titled "Archaic Magick" which drags you across jagged razors. I mean this whole album with just six cuts is a cross of being early stuff combined with their latter doom epicness. 

Of course you've still got a band that's been together since 2000. Original member, guitar and vocalist Nicklas Rudolfsson has become like a bear out of hibernation sounding singer. His strained riffs ooze of horrific terror. Add to that you've still got the rhythm section of Emma Rudolfsson on thunderous bass and Daniel Moilanen on funeral marching drums. Plus former drummer and now guitarist Jonas Blom sets forth some timely chimes which push forth the eerie. 

In the end this is the band's best album they've done in decades. To a point they still adhere to some early DM touches. But for the rest of the way it's a horrific atmosphere of hellish sounds which many modern bands learned from RUNEMAGICK's previous works. Right now these Swedes have come back to show the kids how it's really done. Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind is easily one of my favorite releases of 2023. 

https://www.hammerheart.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://runemagick.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-cenotaph-of-mankind-2

TULUS - Fandens kall review

 

TULUS - Fandens kall

Soulseller Records

So the truth is that I came in late to the music of TULUS. Now I did know about em but never picked up anything by em. I am a fan of the band member's other acts aka: KHOLD and SARKE. The latter is definitely a favorite. My introduction to TULUS came with me getting the reissue of their 1996 debut full length Pure Black Energy. That one also came out on Soulseller Records in 2019 and has extra tracks. And if you want more older TULUS then Soulseller Records is your go to label. 

 

So some history for ya. Yes TULUS are originally from the 90's era of Norwegian black metal. I hate using the term underrated when in comes to bands. In all honestly TULUS have pretty much been ignored. Every time you see some black metal retrospect in the media. TULUS are completely forgotten in lieu of some truly shit acts. But hey that's just my not so humble opinion. Anyways all told the band put out three albums in the 1990's then stopped to work on other projects. In 2007 they came back with a new album. Since then they've sporadically released a few more with this now counting as number seven.

Fandens kall is not a second coming of Pure Black Energy or Norwegian BM of old. Musically the three piece act, four if you count Blodstrup's wife Hildr who writes all lyrics, are following the same mold as KHOLD and SARKE. Part of the sound on here comes across as gloom and doom with some melodic passages. That's signature KHOLD. While at other times the band will launch into a blackened rockin groove ala SARKE.

Fandens kall is an album that grows on ya in appreciation. There's greatness in Blodstrup's sickly vocals plus mixture of mechanical and dissonance guitar tones. Crowbel, who joined in 2008, contributes a rumbling bass sound which gives it a doom appeal. Plus Sarke has always been a solid drummer, regardless of what band he's in. All in all it's a great album especially if you're a huge KHOLD and SARKE fan. 

http://www.soulsellerrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://soulsellerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/fandens-kall

LURK - Aegis review

 

LURK - Aegis

Transcending Obscurity Records

I've been bored with sludge metal for over a decade now. Mainly it's been the stuff I hear/heard from where I live in the states. I mean seriously I walked out of an EYEHATEGOD show a few years ago in the middle of their set. It was just fucking boring. Also I've seen em a bunch of times before. Recently there's been a show featuring a local Southern sludge act who I've also seen before and I passed on it because I don't want to be bored.

Yes people I'm a proud American but our sludge scene, which we created, is boring. The whole Southern/NOLA is done with. Also the hippie, proggy sludge thing has been played out and isn't worth your time. In fact the last time I heard a cool sounding sludge band, they were from Europe. And here's another one. LURK is a four piece sludgey doom act from Finland. The first time I heard em was back in 2016 with their third full length Fringe. Here we are seven years later with their fourth one.

What makes LURK so fuckin great? Well first off they don't just pummel the listener with repetitive heavy handed riffs and a time signature split per song. LURK create a foreboding atmosphere similar to a black metal style sound. Then they toss in the sludge dirge or on other cuts bring in some death doom. Add to that are the horrific vocals whether it's some harsh screams or deep bear like singing. 

There's this non pigeon-hole perspective about their sound. It's like the soundtrack to the climatic chapter to a horror novel. LURK hold you in a cold handed grip. Sound-wise there's these great tones of despair mixed with painful ventures into punishment. Each of these seven cuts are like new wounds being opened and explored. Yes this is amazing.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://lurkdoom.bandcamp.com/album/aegis-sludge-doom-metal

DEAD SUN - Soul Diseased review

DEAD SUN - Soul Diseased

Xtreem Music

For those of you who are regular readers of this blog (and frankly who isn't) you know for years now I've touted the greatness of Sweden's Rogga Johansson. In my not so humble opinion he is the most prolific death metal artist from that nation. You know him from bands like PAGANIZER, REVOLTING, RIBSPREADER, DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN as well as a whole bunch of other bands & side projects. In the mid 90's Rogga started DEAD SUN which was a side project where Rogga (guitars, bass, keyboards and vocals) took a side step away from the traditional old school Swedish DM mold. I've got a couple of those releases and they're damm good. 

Fast forward to the present and here we have the eigth studio album by DEAD SUN and it's pretty damm amazing. Sure I'm bias but fuck it. On this one Rogga pairs up with drummer Jon Rudin from HEADS FOR THE DEAD. On Soul Diseased the duo create a tour de force of melodic death metal which is catchy, adds atmospheric touches and even hints at some power metal bravado.

 

Every song on here, from the opening track "Sjuk Sjal" to closer "Premature Burial" is damm good. With a running time of just over thirty six minutes there's no wasted moment with these ten songs. Rogga has that rough baritone vocal which is cool as fuck. Add to that his amazing solo work whether he's ripping it or generating a melodic rhythmic tone that carries on in an epic fashion. The keys of course add that symphonic touch here and there. Great job Rogga!

http://shop.xtreemmusic.com/english.main.index.php

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/soul-diseased