2016

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

Standard
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.

Continue reading

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

Standard
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.

Continue reading

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

Standard
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.

Continue reading

Kalmankantaja – Waldeinsamkeit [Finland, Black] (2016)

Standard

a2315333598_10

Even though it is has only been a year since the release of Muinainen, it still feels like ages since Kalmankantaja put out a release. This feeling is due to the fact that in 2014, the Finnish one piece released four full lengths which were all pretty decent and racked with horror. Let us not forget the five splits and one EP also released in 2015. Perhaps 2016 is the year for ten demos from a a band that does not seem to be running out of grief to spill onto a record.

Continue reading

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

Standard
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.

Continue reading

Funerary Descent – Winds Of Dissonance [US, Black / Doom] (2016)

Standard
Self Released | 2-3-16

Self Released | 2-3-16

Listen to the howls and grief which ripples in sheets of frigid wind. Funerary Descent is from Baltimore Maryland which has been somewhat of an interest for me as I live close and am always interested in ground level heavy metal which I could possibly go travel and see in a small club. The black / doom combination is also something of note as it is note a style which has been explored. Funerary Descent took a little bit to release their second demo with their first one in 2013. By how effective Winds of Dissonance sounds, I only hope for a speedy production for another release. Far be it from me to tell a band what to do but this sound could bum a lot more people out with the right timing and luck. I know I will be here crawling along this swamp floor awaiting slow cold death.

Continue reading

Hairst – Bròn [Scotland, Black / Ambient] (2016)

Standard
Self Released | 2-6-16

Self Released | 2-6-16

Sometimes hitting an aesthetic is a wonderful thing. Hairst is a Scottish one man black metal act whose demos and EPs are being celebrated by the very few. All of the covers for this artist are black and white or lightly destaturated. The music is a shrilly approach to making bedroom black metal complete with atmospheric and battle effects wrapped around each of the songs. There is even an acoustic and ambient interlude/intro hiding in the very short EP. If that sort of thing does not interest you, then there are other things you can do with your time. If you enjoy everything I just said and wouldn’t mind the music to be interesting and exciting, then Hairst could be the coolest thing today.

Continue reading

决裂 (Rupture) – Death to Peace [China, Death / Thrash] (2014) [Reissue]

Standard
PolyWater Productions | 7-19-14

PolyWater Productions | 7-19-14

The Compilation/Reissue section of this site is important to lesser known heavy to the point that I feel bad for not reviewing more off year releases. This goes especially true for albums that saw a very limited release in their initial year and are now seeing another limited release by a marginally larger label. If you know this sites visual aesthetic by now, this album with bright reds and a cartoonish looking cover is not something that is normally seen. there has to be something special abut a 2014 brightly covered album to break the continuing set.

Continue reading

Nyciene – Nyciene [US, Black] (2015)

Standard
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.

Continue reading

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

Standard
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.

Continue reading