2017

BLK OPS / KRVSHR [US, Sludge / Doom / Hardcore] (2017)

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Self Released | 6-11-17

I think I have made mention of my aversion to doom. My hesitance for the genre doesn’t come from my disdain of the sound rather the glut of bands who play in the formula of the style. This isn’t an anomaly in metal as I gravitate towards anything black or death which plays in the genre. Doom and sludge do not interest me as much and aside from this personal preference, there are a few which break through my prejudice. If a band sounds like it was birthed in the bathroom of a shitty dive bar, I am there with outstretched hands.
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Cosmic Void Ritual – Gateways Through Septic Flesh [US, Death] (2017)

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Self Released | 6-7-17

This is it. My everything. Few times is there a corning of an aesthetic that works so perfectly that it is staggering to thing how a band arrived at it. Not only does the Us based Cosmic Void Ritual worship the idea mystic astronomy and Lovecraftian entities but the devotion to surgical autopsy of aliens. While this sounds bizarre and niche, the crawling otherworldly sounds of Cosmic Void Ritual make this short demo / EP more than worth the trip through the astral plane.
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Defecrator / Ritual Genocide – Anti-Human Deathcult/Death Exalted [US, Death / Black] (2017)

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Black Plague Records | 2-20-17

I mentioned before, somewhere on this blog about my love for splits and ultimately the reason why I cover so few. Even though splits are a fantastic way to experience multiple bands and cover a wade expanse of underground, splits are unwieldy when it comes to titling. Multiple bands combined with multiple titles and artwork lead to a cataloging nightmare when it comes to organization. The Defecrator / Ritual Genocide split is no different as it has two titles and is going to be difficult to neatly pack away. Perhaps this is how it is meant to be as it is beyond human with its sound and does not really belong, safe, anywhere. Continue reading

Chorazos – Demo [US, Raw Black] (2017)

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Self Released | 5-29-17

Album art is important ad it seems that the cover for this demo is the same image used on LVTHN’s 2013 demo. The image depicts a woodblock goat which does not seem to have a source material or if it did, it has been lost in a sea of appropriations. Albums covers to stickers, to social media pictures, this particular goat has become almost as synonymous with darkness as the black and white Baphomet image. Perhaps it is like a mantle which gets passed from one disgusting demo to another. Right now it is the dawn of Chorazos.
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Ühtceare – La Inexorable Amargura En La Existencia [Argentina, Black] (2017)

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Self Released | 05-15-17

I usually joke about finding bands that are nowhere to be found on the internet. When I found the La Inexorable Amargura En La Existencia demo, I thought I struck gold and could retire early. Here was a fantastic Argentinian atmospheric black metal demo that had two mentions on Facebook and no Metal Archives entry. If band discovery was investment stock, this has the potential to be gigantic.

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Draghkar – World Unraveled [US, Death] (2017)

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Self Released | 2-3-17

I am so late on this one. This release came out in February and was given to me by an acquaintance. Reviewing things from people I know personally is odd since I feel the need to either be brutally honest or exceedingly positive. From the few albums on this site that are from acquaintances, they are included since I actually enjoy it, with Draghkar’s demo being one of them.

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Totalitarian – De Arte Tragoediae Divinae [Italy, Black / Death] (2017)

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All hail the gloom of tomorrow! It seems odd for an underground band to begin their career with a full length. In a genre full of demos, splits, and EPs, starting with a 56 minute record feels novel in a style where most do not reach that length with their longest releases. Totalitarian is different in the fact they want nothing else than to slowly step on the necks of their listener.

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Abyssus / Death Courier / DreamLongDead / Slaughtered Priest – 7″ Split [Greece, Death / Thrash / Black] (2017)

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Screaming Victims Distro | 3-25-17

Holy shit. Alright so reviewing splits is sometimes difficult as the titles are long, the bands are from different places, and sometimes the styles presented are too many to discuss in a short period of time. This split is different for many reason. First of all, every band is from this 7″ split is from Greece which makes it easier, second and probably most importantly all of this music fucking rips.

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Nekrokult – Desecration of Blood [Brazil, Black / Thrash] (2017)

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Self Released | 4-26-17

Black thrash! Black thrash! Well, sort of. Black thrash is a strange genre where the sound can be a straight mix of music or just music that is wielding a broken bottle and radiates riffs. Nekrokult is like that and by the sound of their first full length (?) it sounds like this band is riding winged demon horses right into the grave.

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Ockultist – Present Day Neglect [Sweden, Black / Sludge] (2017)

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Self Released | 4-15-17

That is quite a sound. I have not been shy regarding my opinion on stoner doom and sludge as I feel the field is flooded with similar sounding bands and ideas. This is not unlike other styles such as black and death metal though stoner doom feels tired and worn unless completely onboard for the sound. This is why a band like Ockultist is intriguing as the shackeling between stoner sludge and black vocals works so well I am wondering why this hasn’t been more of a thing.

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