Doom] (2015)

Self Released | 8-4-15

Horns of Domination is a three piece combo from Germany who seems to have bucked that silly trend of having a bassist in their band. With two guitarists and a drummer, the band has appeared as an unsigned entity now with one self titled demo to their name. I have seen this before. Additionally, with a name like Horns of Domination, I was expecting something I have heard before. It was certainly not this. Sometimes the short format of a demo works in the band’s favor if the music can be so violent that the listener is left with a feeling of horror and surprise.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Veiled – Omniscient Veil [US, Black] (2015)

Iron Bonehead | 9-13-15

I am going to take you back to a time when a band called Gnosis of the Witch tore up the universe with their second EP Dauðr Burðr Þrysvar. This was back in the halcyon days of mid 2014. I only bring this up because Veiled is Gnosis up the Witch just…well…shrouded in a different name. I have no idea why this duo decided to jump ship on a name which did not have that many roots in terms of recognition but we can all assume that Veiled is just going to be as terrifying as the previous entity.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Human Bodies – Demo MMXV [US, Black / Punk] (2015)

Self Released | 7-14-15

Oh this is horrible — in the best way possible. From an area that isn’t super well known for caustic black metal infused with punk comes a demo which has been out for a few months lying in wait for unsuspecting passerbys. I am wondering how I missed this the first time around but the subsequent playing made me never forget the violent images and sounds. Human Bodies is terrifying from the fact their pictures have them in masks to the guttural deathcry on this short 12 minutes.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Barghest – Into Weeping Firmament [US, Black / Death] (2015)

Self Released | 7-3-15

Hot damn, its another release by the wonderfully disturbed act named Barghest. It is always wonderful to see acts which show tremendous promise in the past only to continue doing exactly what they are capable of. I believe I made many mentions of the band’s name and related Dungeons and Dragons imagery as being a goblin like creature hailing from the realm of Gehenna. Since this is the second review, I will refrain from making parallels between such a bad ass creature despite my best wishes.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Arche – Undercurrents [Finland, Funeral Doom] (2015)

Self Released | 7-11-15

Hooray. A band that is not on the Metal Archives so I have no idea what this is or how it is related to anything. It also appears that this Finnish funeral doom band has either just started or is hiding in the thick of obscurity. Undercurrents is probably the first EP from the Finnish three piece which makes the most use from the lack of members. All that is needed is a fresh view on doom and the weight of eternity at your side.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Brånd – Demo 2015 [Austria, Raw Black] (2015)

Voidland Shelter | 7-15-15

Woah. My goodness. There are many things that weigh n the 2015 demo by Brånd. First of all is the realization that a raw black demo from austria made it way through so many obstacles to be appreciated by a modicum of people. Secondly come from the fact that Brånd’s music is cosmetically inaccessible from its photocopied cassette cover to its low fidelity which sounds like a swirling cloud of noise. If one is familiar with black metal as a style, it takes only a few second to realize more things which are happening beneath the surface. I still do not know how this demo made it so high on the Bandcamp list but I am guessing it has something to do with its veiled accessibility.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Uškumgallu – Uškumgallu [US, Black] (2015)

Vrasubatlat | 6-12-15

Just what in the Sam Hill is going on in Portland..specifically with two guys from Ash Borer running around making a bunch of noise and releasing cassette demos with abandon. These two gentleman have been responsible for the release of some really decent black, death, and black/death demos int he past couple of years. Urzeit, Triumvir Foul, Serum Dreg, and now the near unpronounceable Uškumgallu is added to the duo’s idiosyncratic list. The interesting part about all of this is that despite Ash Borer being somewhat of a high profile name in the atmospheric black metal crowd and having their last full length sponsored by Profound Lore, these demos come and go without much of any fanfare or even mention. To what end do these two weirdos from the midwest strive for? Whatever it is, I would like to know as I have completely fallen under the spell of un-publicized black metal.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Funeste – MMXV [Canada, Black] (2015)

Self Released | 5-15-15

There is a joke here about not being able to spell Funeste without “Fun.” It works but I feel that it doesn’t make much sense as much as I want it to. Though listening to this recent Canadian black metal demo is quite enjoyable, “Fun” would not be the first which comes to mind. Perhaps “seething,” “wretched” or “hallow with bitter remorse,” would be the first descriptions I would reach for. MMXV is the very expected title from a black metal demo which does more than its fair share of introducing a band’s potential to a greater audience. Hello. This is your ultimate destruction.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Vacivus – Rite of Ascension [United Kingdom, Death] (2015)

Goatprayer Records | 7-3-15

UKDM! UKDM! UKDM! Alright, United Kingdom Death Metal isn’t really a thing. In fact, I tried to get a tag going on this site but there were just not enough bands to warrant it. There is death metal from the United Kingdom and a lot of it is really good. In the second age of death metal, there are a few truths and one of them is that good music can be almost anywhere and most likely fucking dangerous.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Scorched – Scorched [US, Death] (2015)

Unspeakable Axe Records | 6-2-15

Oh, Jesus. Look at that album art. It is so silly and awesome.

Scorched does not have a metal archives page as of yet. This is okay since the band has already has a substantial amount of press in Decibel, No Clean Singing, and other blogs regarding their debut self titled demo. Death metal has been growing for the past 10 years with newer bands building on the initial flowing of a traditional death metal sound. There have been few bands in recent memory which sound like they could have been released in 1992. For the most part, newer death is a mix of old, new, and mixtures which make a horrid and gruesome wall. Scorched, from logo, album title, to presentation, sounds like it could have been released in 1992. For all I know this Delaware based band could be time travelers sent forward to release their record in 2015. If not for the sheer excitement and entertainment contained in this demo, I would be be more wary. For now, it is just full of old fun riffs and festering ghouls and I have no complaints.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.