RECOMMENDED

Ad Baculum – Opening the Abyss [Brazil, Black] (2016)

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Hammer of Damnation | 3-15-16

Hammer of Damnation | 3-15-16

Oh Lord look at that cover. I wonder if Gustave Dore knew his legacy would be enshrined in the work of so many heavy metal album covers. What is on the cover of Ad Baculum’s third cover is a picture of “The Suicides” from Dore’s extensive illustration of Dante’s Divine Comedy. What was meant to be perhaps spiritually horrifying educating wayward Christians to a brighter path has turned into being an ominous cover for a cool as fuck metal band. Its a fair trade off.

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Ripper – Experiment Of Existence [Chile, Death / Thrash] (2016)

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Unspeakable Axe Records | 3-4-16

Unspeakable Axe Records | 3-4-16

All hail the era of new cool death. Finding good bands with cool sounds that also has an unflappable sense of style can be difficult. This goes especially true in the style of death, thrash, and death/ thrash. Death is currently undergoing a renaissance embracing a cavernous sound and occult outlook. Thrash, in general, has been under arrested development for quite sometimes save for a sparse output of innovation. This is certainly a lofty introduction for ripper and I wouldn’t want to infer anything aside from Experiment Of Existence being a wild ride through the catacombs of both styles just with a white knuckle sense of exhilaration.

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LVTHN – Eradication of Nescience [Belgium, Black] (2016)

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Fallen Empire | 6-6-16

Fallen Empire | 6-6-16

“It seems some citizens were so impatient for our new offering that it got leaked. As the leaked version is an unfinished version, we adjudged to release the final version officially at bandcamp as a ‘name your price’ download. This way, everyone is able to attain it there and give us some backing would they wish so. Zazas, Zazas, Nasatanada Zazas! So, it begins…”

It is difficult to keep anything a secret even at this level. What you just heard was the collected gasps of a few but a very excited few. One of those gasps was me as LVTHN represented one of the first Fallen Empire releases for me way back int he days of 2014. At the time their debut demo Adversarialism was a blistering step into clear mid fi black metal with the flirtation with raw lo fidelity but none of the morning after headache. Eradication of Nescience continues this work forged in the 11 minute demo and expanding it to a robust 47.

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Khanus – Rites of Fire [Finland, Death / Avant] (2016)

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Self Released | 2-11-16

Self Released | 2-11-16

I maybe way off base but this is fucking weird. Wait, that is not way off base. This is fucking weird. I hesitate stepping into this because this is so weird that it is bordering on exhilarating and terrifying. Khanus is from Finland and that is about the extent of my own knowledge as all searching on the internet brings people to the Bandcamp page. As of writing this review, there is only a Facebook and Bandcamp associated with the band. Sure this lack of inforamtion is not a stretch in terms of underground metal but by just listening to this short EP, it sounds like the band and has the world to say.

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Obduktio – Obduktio [Finland, Death] (2016)

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Caligari Records | 1-8-16

Caligari Records | 1-8-16

Look at that cover. Its so gross. I usually am turned off by covers with such a disregard for color scheme but Obduktio seems different. I could say the same thing about silly sound clips before songs but again, this death metal act is a unique case. By halfway through this release, you are going to just have to go with things becasue soon we will all be on the ceiling. Obduktio means “a dissection performed on a cadaver” in their native tongue and by the sound of their craft, this 4 piece is going batshit with their autopsy.

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Nyciene – Nyciene [US, Black] (2015)

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Defiled Light | 12-24-15

Defiled Light | 12-24-15

I am introducing a new tag call 2015/2016 which indicates a cusp period of time where music released in the late part of the previous year could be eligible for discussion in the current year and its relation to the year. December 24th is a hell of a time to release a record and while limiting discussions of an album because of a few days is sort of silly, the year end divide does negate a lot of records in most lists. Defiled Light even lists this release as apart of January as it is being re-released a few months later. Regardless, it is time to doscuss many things including a wonderful new black metal act as well as a formidable black metal label.

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Flesh of the Stars – Hosanna [US, Stoner Doom] (2016)

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Self Released | 1-19-16

Self Released | 1-19-16

I do not cover a lot of doom. I think I cover even less stoner doom. This is not becasue I feel the style is without merit rather the imagery does not grab me as much as black and death metal. It takes a certain angle on stoner doom to grab not just me but anyone that isn’t specifically looking for that style. I want to pay attention to more doom this year as I feel there are some great bands hiding behind dark columns of smoke. If 2016 is going as well as Flesh of the Stars second record, I may be more persuaded to stay.

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Cruda Sorte – Nekrolog [Germany, Black] (2016)

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Nihilistische KlangKunst | 1-1-16

Nihilistische KlangKunst | 1-1-16

Cruda Sorte is a German band with an Italian name. “Cruel Destiny is the moniker for this black metal band which seems to have come out of nowhere expect for the fact they have already had one full length and demos reaching back into 2006. Maybe out of nowhere but when the opening sounds of “Necrologia” begin playing, it is difficult not to excited or at least spams uncontrollably.

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