Nefaria / Sylvan Frost [US, Black Metal / Ambient] (2014)

Standard
Self Released | 1-31-14

Self Released | 1-31-14

I feel my journey into lesser known metal is going to unearth some awesome and strange examples of artwork. Example — this fucking pencil drawing used on the cassette of the Nefaria / Sylvan Frost split. Perhaps the best part about this cover is the total disregard of any sort of graphic assistance. Nope, I am going to hand write the names. Fuck you guys and your use of “computers.” From a design perspective this is both insulting and completely charming. Who in the world is this meant for? The answer is everyone as this cassette has been famously xeroxed for anyone who got a chance to purchase it.

Continue reading

Cavern – Tales of Ruin [US, Sludge/Rock] (2014)

Standard

Grimorie Records | 3-4-14

Grimorie Records | 3-4-14

Alright, there are a couple of reasons how I ran across this. First of all Grimorie Records is a Baltimore based metal label which specializes in, well, a lot of things. The second reason is that this brightly colored illustration depicts a crying nun and, well, that is eye catching to say the least. I am already writing about a black metal band from Grimorie but Cavern’s Tales of Ruin was just too disaffecting to pass up. I am also a sucker for sludge.

Continue reading

Morgirion – None Left To Worship [US, Black] (2014)

Standard

NoVisible Scars | 1-3-14

NoVisible Scars | 1-3-14

That is totally a hand drawn cassette cover which has been photocopied. I know it. I love it. There is nothing much more to say about this cover as it fits perfectly the music inside. Morgirion is a Connecticut based black metal band who has already has a decently produced full length on 2012 called Infinite Retribution Upon Paradise. It was good. It is actually right here and for as much as you want to pay for it. None Left To Worship is a live album or live recording of four new songs. Whatever evenly paced production was present in the first record has been told to fuck off leaving water damaged wreckage with an echo of vile hatred. Imagine all of the damages.

Continue reading

Amaranthine Lament – Spirit Geist [UK, Black Metal / Ambient] (2014)

Standard

398114

Amaranthine Lament is a one man ambient black metal project from the UK who has been spending all of this time making either disaffected second wave black metal with heavy electronic overtones or disaffected electronic with black metal overtones. One of them. Spirit Geist is the third demo which continues the pursuit of black metal ambiance in the same way one wilds a machete wildly in the night. While previous works have split the cheap nba jerseys metal from electronics, Spirit Geist has them walk hand and hand down a road dans that is obviously filled with bats. It takes a few minutes into the opening track, “Pathways of Impotence” for the acid washed synth Hacked to kick in and for the demo to become unique or frighteningly infectious. One of them. From this moment on, the next 70 minutes are a wild ride that is as bizarre as it is entertaining.

Continue reading