Pharmacist – Forensic Pathology Jurisprudence [Japan, Death / Grind] (2020)

Self Released | 6-20-20

Holy shit this is messy. I love it. First of all that logo is so nasty I want it on a shirt or at least a backpatch with the album art. Pharmacist’s name and album title is almost as weird as the choice of music since nothing really fits together but in its haphazard chaos, there is momentum for a stellar release of death / grind that cares less about form and more about brute force. If one can get past the snare drum that beats on you with a tire iron, then you are in for a gross disaster that is beautiful in its attitude.

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.

Kyriss – Olden Ruins & Miry Depths [Germany, Atmospheric Black / Raw Black] (2020)

Self Released | 6-9-20

Kyriss, known also as Kyriss the Perverse, was a Keeper of Secrets, a Greater Daemon of Slaanesh, who was active during the Horus Heresy in the early years of the 31st Millennium. Alongside the infamous Bloodthirster Ka’Bandha, a Greater Daemon of the Blood God Khorne, Kyriss served as one of two daemon overlords or “generals” who helped orchestrate the Signus Campaign, in a coordinated effort to lure the Blood Angels Space Marine Legion to the Signus Sector and corrupt them to the worship of the Ruinous Powers.

I am not assuming the band’s name is after this Warhammer 40K lore but I am going to pretend it is since it is pretty cool to read. Now with the potential context of deep fantasy lore in front let us move to the music with is something you would NOT expect given the potential fantasy component. Within the world of Olden Ruins & Miry Depths, lies atmospheric black that is twisted and forgotten to the point of being fossilized. Here among the scarred landscape of where once tall trees stood, is the toiling of witches and oppressive synths. I love this so much and I believe it is the polarization of potential aesthetics that is fueling the greatness.

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.

Crypt Walk – Rot Gut Prophecies [US, Grind / Death] (2020)

Self Released | 6-5-20

I love this so much. It is so nasty and possibly out of the realm of heavy metal but it doesn’t matter one bit. Welcome Crypt Walk, a grind / death (?) three piece that wants nothing more than to dump cinder blocks on you from the top of an abandoned warehouse. Rot Gut Prophecies lies on the outskirts of punk / hardcore / grind / death metal and has been rolled up in a carpet and now is crawling with slugs. The gross imagery is part and parcel for a record that is short in its execution but leaves a stench lingering in your nostrils even after walking away from it.

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.

Meurtrières – Meurtrières [France, Heavy] (2020)

Self Released | 6-5-20

If you take a look at the whole of the records offered on this site it is half gross black/death and half dorky ass dungeon synth. Heavy/trad does not really fit into the scheme of this site. This is not for any other reason than there are more qualified people to discuss the recent trad revival. I say trad revival as a catch all term for anything that followed the boom of heavy metal that was tagged under the obnoxious “New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal” label. Since the mid 10’s however, heavy metal has fallen into a comfortable rhythm offering decent and exhilarating records as a digestible pace. Meurtrières continues this tradition with a stellar debut sing in the most romantic of tongues. For being a first offering, Meurtrières makes a bold declaration that is worth taking note and even staying put for a while.

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.

Cenobite – Soul Torn Apart [Russia, Death] (2020)

Self Released | 6-6-20

I think this is one of the few times I am 100% with the music even if I have some criticisms about the aesthetic. I do not think Soul Torn Apart fails in its aesthetic rather I feel a band devoted to Hellraiser could be more arcane with its song titles. I only mention this since the more generic album and song titles do not reflect the absolute monster of a release this is as Cenobite channels old school death like they were summoning devils in a lab. Riffs like spires and an attitude which drags across the floor, Soul Torn Apart is one of the nastiest demos in recent memory and I almost passed it over.

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.

Gravesend – Preparations for Human Disposal [US, Black / Grind] (2020)

Stygian Black Hand | 6-5-20

Gravesend maybe releasing at an opportune time as the world descends into bleaker futures. Preparations for Human Disposal is the debut (?) demo (?) for Brooklyn based black/grind/death(?) outfit that channels centuries of urban misery into a 14 minute release that is boiling with rage and riffs. The band’s Instagram sports photos of structural decay which is fitting as the music sounds like demolished buildings and the stress or claustrophobia. This is a ruinous release that could be a personal totem for uncertain times. Whatever you use it for, the force and effectiveness of the music comes at the listener like a cinder block dropped off of a burned out building.

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.

KRAAPIDES NAHKA – MANIFESTATION I [Canada, Raw Black / Punk / Dark Ambient] (2020)

Self Released | 5-26-20

From the cold lands of neverwhere, comes a cassette filled with icy black punk / dark ambient. Black / punk has always been a favorite of mine though the tone and style has always been scathing and alive. KRAAPIDES NAHKA takes the same idea of black / punk and buries it in a winter forest for a few decades before returning with a shovel. Through cracked ground and howling winds, Manifestation I is a haunted cassette of tortured memories and frozen emotions that hang motionless upon evergreens. This cassette just came out and it is currently limited to 2 per customer. I have no idea how popular this will be but I am in awe of its scope and effectiveness at being unreachable.

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.

Karst – Genesis of Nervous Decay [US, Death/Doom/Grind] (2020)

Self Released | 6-1-20

“A portion of the profits from this EP will be donated to Mental Health America of Los Angeles in an effort to aid those suffering from anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, and all struggles of mental health.” The small piece of text which accompanies this release is wholesome and shines a soft light on an otherwise obliterating release. If one has spent time with heavy metal, they will know the thoughts and escapist idealizations of the music is separate from the lifestyles of the musicians. This isnt to say the two do not cross over nor are musicians immune from the troubles of reality. This is why I find it interesting when musicians reach out beyond their own thematic veil and even though this is a small, and crushing, death/doom band from the US, little gestures like this make the whole of this release deeper than initially thought.

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.

Enucleacion – Adelanto Demo 2020 [Chile, Death] (2020)

Self Released | 5-20-23

This is absolutely 100% rotten. If the eye gouging yellow bordered Bandcamp gore profile picture is not enough to indicate this is the realm of dripping violence, then I do not know what will keep you safe. Since this band is not on Metal Archives yet, we are just sort of shooting from the hip and the tag of black/death could mean many things including slam/death or just a gross combination of everything vile in the metal world. Enucleacion seems to be less concerned with distinction than they do pushing chainsaws into the face of listeners. Gross.

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.

Dkharmakhaoz – Proclamation ov the Black Suns [Belarus, Black] (2020)

Iron Bonehead | 7-21-20

At this moment of writing, Dkharmakhaoz does not have a Metal Archives page and there is only one track available for streaming. The full album is not suppose to release for another few months and already I can feel the wave of hype building. This certainly comes with the support of Iron Bonehead as the label as well as the mastering by V. Kusabs who has lent his talent to numerous bands of high caliber both as a front man and as technical support. I can also foresee a time when I will have to copy and post this band name since I will 100% never be able to remember it. Add to that some cryptically dark album art and a more out of the way country like Belarus and you have a recipe for a wave of excitement.

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.