PHASMA - Purgatory review

 

PHASMA - Purgatory

Transcending Obscurity Records

I'd file this one under the genre title Extreme Fuckin Metal. Yes I'm serious about that and no I don't want to create a new genre. There's just a hell of a lot to unpack here on this one. For starters this is a two piece act featuring Jason Athanasiadis and Luis Ferre. Jason Athanasiadis is from Greece and the composer of the band. Basically he creates the music which is a combination of Atmospheric Black Metal and all styles / sub genres of Death Metal. I give this guy props because half of these cuts are insanity while others are regiment ally stable. 

Which brings us to the vocalist Luis Ferre from the US who is an Extreme Metal singer to the hilt. He can do harsh blackened screams, cookie monster vocals and even Brutal DM pig squeals. So with this tag-team of the extreme they musically produce something akin to a beat-down with an added saws- saw cutting through your banging forehead. Yeah there's actually some groove to it all. 

This full length is six cuts long with Roman numerals as titles. Yeah I know why waste time with lyrics or song titles when it's all about musical destruction. Be that as it may, and it's just fuckin January damm it, there's something cool about this fuckin insanity. While the opening two cuts are out to tear you to ribbons. What comes next is where I find some cool touches. Midway into this album is where Jason Athanasiadis really excels on the song structures that more define what's going on in his deranged mind. 

In the end this is the most insane extreme music experience you'll hear this year, and it's just January. Or you'll walk away feeling I'm insane anyway and you'll blast this because you like noise for the sake of noise. All I know is that I need a drink and a smoke after listening to this nightmare. The final cut has the audacity to end it with Hammond organ sounding keyboards. That's the audio equivalent of giving you the middle finger. That's right we're done and fuck you. Yeah this release is a winner. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://phasmametal.bandcamp.com/album/purgatory

HEGEROTH - Disintegration review

 

HEGEROTH - Disintegration

Self Released

HEGEROTH are a two piece black metal act from the great nation of Poland. I learned about them last year with their fourth full length Sacra Doctrina. That one was definitely blackened perfection. So it seems they're on a creative role with this new one coming out a year later.

Musically HEGEROTH are all into early melodic black metal. But they add something interesting and unique to the mix which makes their music exceptional. First and foremost this comes across like a black metal version of Tales From The Crypt. HEGEROTH come across as eerie story tellers with this album.

Instead of being ripped apart with blackened fury the songs on here (all nine of em) are inviting sound-wise. Add to that the vocals draw you in as if an interesting story is being told by a ghoul. Yeah it's creepy and the riffs add a diabolical touch throughout. And holy shit there's bass playing which you can hear. 

Be that as it may HEGEROTH come away with another interesting album that's a massive melodic invite as well as an aggressive touch. It draws you in for a listen that you'll never forget and obviously want more. 

LISTEN AND BUY IT HERE:

https://hegeroth.bandcamp.com/album/disintegration

SARCOPTES - Prayers To Oblivion review

 

SARCOPTES - Prayers To Oblivion

Transcending Obscurity Records

A few decades ago it was one man black metal acts being touted for creating amazing arrangements. But after a while their limitations started to show. Nowadays it's the two piece acts which are the real mind blowing phenomenon. Case in point here we have this two piece black metal act from California. 

The band is made up of Sean Zimmerman who handles guitar, bass and keyboards. Then you have Garrett Garvey who is drummer and vocalist. Together this duo creates some ferocious sounding thrashy black metal with subtle symphonic touches. Now if I had to guess just from the releases' overall sound. I would've thought this was a five piece act. So it just goes to show never doubt the abilities to dedicated musicians.

Prayers to Oblivion is the second full length by SARCOPTES. They do have two EPs as well. The key to this dynamic duo's music is savage guitar riffs, maniacal precision drum work and violent raspy vocals. The added synths bring on the symphonic touches but as I mentioned earlier it's subtle in a timely manner. It all comes across well arranged and with some superior production.

 

This album contains five cuts with three of em going over the thirteen minute mark. When was the last time you heard a blackened thrash act do a thirteen minute opus? Next up is that all five cuts on here deal in the subject of war and tragedy in specific ways. Opener "Trenches" deals with World War 1. "Spanish Flu" obviously deals in the subject of that early 20th century disease outbreak. "Tet" and "Massacre at My Lai" both deal in Viet Nam War history. I haven't figured out what "Dead Silence" is about except for forgetfulness of those who perished under these tragedy's. It also contains the one great stand out guitar solo on the album.

All in all Prayers To Oblivion is a pretty amazing release. While listening to this multiple times I couldn't help but think of ABSU. Maybe I see them as an influence because of the drummer / vocalist thing as well as having a running theme to shape the album. And their previous releases also fall into that perspective. Add to that the overall impact of the song writing and the power in conveys upon the listener. I can't imagine how they can recreate this in a live setting. But either way it's a great listen.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://sarcoptesblack.bandcamp.com/album/prayers-to-oblivion-black-metal

UNIVERSAL DISORDER - Act II: Existential Glimpses of Chaos and Order in a Cosmic Womb EP review

UNIVERSAL DISORDER - Act II:  Existential Glimpses of Chaos and Order in a Cosmic Womb EP

Self Released




Ah there's nothing like listening to atmospheric black metal late at night. For me right now it's after 2 AM and I'm somewhat tired from work. Be that as it may it's better than writing about this on a sunny hot afternoon. UNIVERSAL DISORDER is a unique two piece act. They came about in 2019 and consist of Sweden's Daniel Seestrand who handles all the instrumentation. And on vocals you have Sovereign (aka: Joonas Juntunen) from Finland.


Obviously since I'm ignorant of this band's work (and how many times will you read a reviewer admit that?) I checked out their debut release which came out last year and was titled Act I: a Pilgrimage in the Chaotic Streams of Creation and Uncreation. Once I got the idea then tackling this one was easy to a point. I've been listening to black metal for a very long time. It's 2020 and sadly I have to say I know what I like and I know what bores me. So for me of late there has to be something interesting in order for me to even care about a new black metal act.


There a couple of things that I can say about UNIVERSAL DISORDER. Sound-wise what you have here is late 90's style atmospheric black metal. There are two cuts on this EP, like their debut, and the compositions have a doom side to them. The rawness is there to a nostalgia effect. The guitar tones of the tremolo picked riffs sound like grinding sheet metal or better yet a beehive being electrocuted. 


The rhythms feel well into a misery beat. The vocals by Sovereign run the gambit of harsh blood curdling screams to ghostly spoken verses. All in all this is late night music for creatures like myself. The band's influential motto seems to be "Chaos that Runs Through the Universe". Yeah well there's a lot of that going on of late. I have no doubt that these two individuals are gunning for some sort of mainstream musical acceptance. In fact I look at this as art and maybe you will as well.


https://universaldisorder.bandcamp.com/album/act-ii-existential-glimpses-of-chaos-and-order-in-a-cosmic-womb-ep

https://www.facebook.com/UniversalDisorder

WILCZYCA - Horda review

WILCZYCA - Horda

Godz Ov War Productions




Attention all true kvlt black metal fans, if there are any left, here's your release for 2020. Yeah I know leave it to the Poles to represent BM in it's rawest old school form this year. I am not fucking around here people. This release by this Polish two piece black metal act sounds like an unearthed demo from 1993. In my not so humble opinion that's a good thing.


This two piece act consists of Nidhogg on vocals and Louve as the multi-instrumentalist. On this, their second full length this year, you've got five tracks total. The first two cuts, "Wnyk" and the title track are just short fast abrasive and strangely enough rocking old school BM. Totally fuckin raw with venomous vocals by Nidhogg.


From there we get into a haunting instrumental "Echo" which is definitely a break from the tremolo picked rage. But next up is "Miecz na pomazańca" a track that has it's rocking BM traits along with some somber atmospheric movements. It's my favorite cut on here since it reminds me of some classic stuff from the past.


The final cut on here, "Demon" is a sixteen minute opus of fast tremolo picked anthem riffs, straight up blast beats and harsh tortured screams. Again it's familiar territory from the past by an artist I've always liked but name dropping is not needed here. This band's ode to that artist and their amazing piece itself is worthy of watching this band for years to come.


http://godzovwar.com/

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/horda

https://www.facebook.com/wilczyca.kult

ODRAZA - Rzeczom review

ODRAZA - Rzeczom

Godz Ov War Productions




Remember the days when you listened to a black metal act and could tell where they were from? The reason there were differences in sound and style was because there was no internet. What sounds from other places were known through tape trading and later on you had releases showing up. What bands in all these different places did was learn the blackened template and improvised with their own musical formula. 


Yeah not anymore and that's the case with this band here. ODRAZA are a two piece black metal act from Poland who've been around since 2009 but only started releasing material in 2014 with their debut full length, Esperalem tkane. This is their follow-up full length and it covers the blackened bases. It has your face ripping fast blasts of anger. There's plenty of chilling atmospheric moments. It also has the unconventional song craft of Sweden's SHINING.


Both members of ODRAZA are also in another Polish BM act, MASSMORD. Now that's a great fuckin band you all need to check out as far as explosive sounding Polish black metal. It's obvious by listening to Rzeczom that these guys have branched out away from that style. Personally I like this even though it reminds me a lot like SHINING who I have every full length release by. 


First off this is a release which I'd call hot and cold, that's in a good way. The hot part is when these blistering riff attacks commence. It's like some maniac attacks you with a kitchen knife he's has sitting on top of a stove burner for an hour. The colder parts are like brooding. Go ahead poke me with a stick because I'm a menace and just wait what happens next. In the end it all sounds great to me.


http://godzovwar.com/

https://odraza-official.bandcamp.com/album/rzeczom

HELLHOOKAH - The Curse review

HELLHOOKAH - The Curse

NoSlip Records




I should change the intro of my blog to "Give me something interesting or unique and I'll write about it." Seriously when I see a band's name is HELLHOOKAH you're damm right I wanna check em out. Obviously I'm glad I did but when I first gave this their second full length a blast. I was like OK it's cool but I put it on the back burner for a week or two. 


So now after two more listens I have a newfound appreciation for this release. First off HELLHOOKAH are a two piece doom act from Lithuanian. Trust me when I say that their nation has not provided me with many acts to write about. So there's why I find this one unique in that respect. The players here are Arnas on vocals, guitar and bass accompanied by Gintare on drums. 


Now the one thing that stands out here is Arnas' vocal style which is close to Messiah Marcolin's (formerly of CANDLEMASS for those of you who forgot). Uncanny as it may be he looks like a young version of the Mad Monk. Below is a band photo, he's the tall guy.

So it's with that in mind as well as the style of doom being put forth on this release that I can't help but think of this band as Messiah's children. Yes musically this sounds like a fuckin raw demo version of old CANDLEMASS. Or if you think about it, a Messiah solo album. I mean it has the killer riffs, the dynamic accompany style drum work and the power of explosive structured songs. 


Yeah this is epic old school doom that's infectious as hell. If there was one thing I'd subtract points to it would be that Arnas does not has the vocal range of Messiah. That's evident early on with the first two cuts of this seven song release. Otherwise The Curse is pretty damm good.


In an era where doom acts are pushing for a more plus more colossal sound. It's kinda cool to hear an act cut a damm good doom release based on the raw basics and good song writing. Plus it helps that the songs create a want to raise fists and bang yer head. This little o'l band from Lithuanian is the biggest surprise you'll get in 2020.  


https://hellhookah.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Hellhookah

UNENDLICH - Thanatophobia review

UNENDLICH - Thanatophobia

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions




Actually it was just a few weeks ago in December when I did a write up for this band's EP, Misanthropic Sedition. I liked their music and distinctly remember writing that I was looking forward to a new full length by them in 2019. Well all I can say is that was quick. By the way UNENDLICH is a two piece act out from Baltimore, Maryland. The band consists of multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Michael Connors and drummer Anthony Rouse.


Musically, this is pretty much where their last release left off.  UNENDLICH have a kinship with one part of their sound Swedish melodic blackened death meets Norway's symphonic black metal pedigree. Along with that they toss in plenty of atmospherics, acoustic elements, varied styles of vocalizations and strangely some doom laden melodies as well as full on thrash. 


Ya know I have to say Jon Nodtveidt's legacy is alive and well played in Baltimore, Maryland. By no means are UNENDLICH a DISSECTION copycat band. We already have plenty of those out there. Basically what this duo has done is take a legacy of influence and make it their own in 2019. Very few bands circulating amongst blackened circles are capable of pulling this dynamic off. If there is one downfall to this release it's that there's not enough depth to the production. It's not explosive enough but other than that it's a fantastic release.


http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/thanatophobia

https://www.facebook.com/Unendlich.us

BEKMONK - Incantations of the Frigid North EP review

BEKMONK - Incantations of the Frigid North EP

Self Released




Well here we are in the first days of 2019 in the month of the Wolf Moon (that's January for you losers) and we have some new black metal to check out. Albeit the band are new, the release is new but their sound is old. BEKMONK are a two piece black metal act hailing from Norway. I know you're shocked to learn there's new BM acts coming out of Norway. Yeah well why should all the veteran acts live off of reissue revenue.


Now when I say BEKMONK has a sound that's old I'm talking 1992/93. So for all of you people out in the cold hating that warm cozy atmospheric BM and are pining for the fjords well here you go. This band's five song EP will most likely turn off modern day listeners of BM. But hey I can listen to A Blaze in the Northern Sky or Under a Funeral Moon today and still feel grim, frosty and happy.


Yes BEKMONK do have a DARKTHRONE sensibility about them but I don't see it as deliberate. It's more like stumbling into it. Along with the obvious chaos borrowed from hearing early BATHORY you've got some death punk riffs and doom groove with actual bass being given a chance to be heard. Toss in the cliche cover art and there you go. Oh well I kinda thought it was cool.


https://bekmork.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/BekmorkMetal/