Space Witch – Space Witch [UK, Sludge / Doom] (2014)

Self Released | 7-3-14

I mean, come on. Why not? Space Witch’s debut full length begins with a shlocky sci fi clip of a maniacal overlord wishing destruction on earth. Afterwards, a slow deluge of stoner doom floods the landscape while effects dance in the air. By looking at the tracklist, Space Witch’s self titled release has two songs both coming in at 30 minutes. It does not take a genius to figure out what the next hour will be and smell like. With all of that said, this British band manages to make the best of expectations and give its listeners a wild ride through mind melting cosmic space.

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.

Aureole – Alunar [US, Black / Ambient] (2014)

Fallen Empire Records | 9-29-14

I count my blessings each day that I stumble across a label like Fallen Empire. Here is a label that has consistently been proven to put out, if at the very least, interesting black metal. Additionally, the releases from Fallen Empire are usually either lesser known or completely new talent. Take for example Markov Soroka, who goes by the name M.S. in the project Aureole. Here is a very young newcomer who has taken the past couple of years to seclude himself in a castle of solitude. If the brilliant cover was not enough indication, the album Alunar is an institution dedicated to loneliness in the reaches of mystical space.

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.

Khthoniik Cerviiks – Heptaedrone [Germany, Black / Death] (2014)

Iron Bonehead | 8-12-14

If one thing I am thankful for with Heptaedrone, it is the minute long introduction which precedes the actual music. Not only does the introduction set the mood with atmosphere and sound effects but it also gives a brief pause before the world comes collapsing in on itself. Take whatever you can get because there will be no room to breathe for the next 43 minutes.

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.

Endlichkeit – Endlichkeit III–V [US, Black] (2014)

Fallen Empire Records |9-9-14

This truly is a style that is very personal and dear to my heart. Raw black metal, released on cassette, titled sequentially, and perhaps made by one person. This music is usually densely layered and has little concern for being accessible to anyone outside a narrow audience. It is a style which is easily lampooned for its inaccessibility, acquired taste, and similar imagery in album art. It is also a style which is as refreshing and cleansing as bathing in a natural waterfall in Autumn.

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.

Athanatos – Unholy Union [Chile, Black / Death] (2014)

Iron Bonehead | 6-13-14

Demos are a fantastic display of talent and potential for a limited amount of time. Rather than devoting attention to a full release, a listener can cycle through a catalog of up and coming bands before their introductory debut. I believe this is the reason why so many people get excited for demos especially ones that offer a chance at something unorthodox. Athanatos comes with little information other than a 17 minute demo. The band’s sound may start out traditional but ends somewhere south of depraved. I am thankful for demos as some records need to come in shorter running time lest the threads of mental stability be lost forever.

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.

Skáphe – Skáphe [US, Black] (2014)

Fallen Empire | 6-6-14

I feel blessed to have a reliable record label which I can walk into an album blind and know that it will be of high quality or, at the very least, interesting. Much like a majority of the Fallen Empire roster, Skáphe is a complete mystery aside from a 35 minute tape release. With little information besides a general region and a full length stretched out across four songs, listening to these types of releases is akin to navigating a dark room which maybe endless in its own dimensions. We have reached the very end of existence and beyond us is a starless abyss.

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.

Heavydeath – Demo II – III [Sweden, Death / Doom] (2014)

Self Released | 5-9-14

I think I found Caligari Records as well as Heavydeath as the same time. It was a wonderful afternoon / early morning. Caligari Records is a spectacular label / distributor which specializes in lesser known cassettes of a particularly rotting variety. Heavydeath is a band made up of members of Runemagick and Necrocurse who specialize in a particularly rotting variety of death/doom. Though death/doom isn’t entirely novel, Heavydeath’s approach to the style is not only refreshing but it is a cause for feverish excitement as their 2014 trilogy of demos far surpasses most releases this year.

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.

Bland Vargar – Perpetual Return [Italy, Atmospheric Black] (2014)

Razed Soul Productions | 4-11-14

Woooosh. I love it. I love it all. Bland Vagar is an Italian black metal band who concerns themselves with wolves. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. The band is listed under a production company called Razed Soul productions but the tape comes to us from our good ol’ friends Caligari Records. I have already gushed about my fascination with the quality of Caligari releases and Bland Vargar is no different. Somewhere in the afterglow of woodsy black metal is still the spark of greenish darkness — one that clasps hard around the throat.

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.

Fange – Poisse [France, Sludge / Noise] (2014)

Zugzwang Productions | 4-14-14

Yes. Yes. Yes. This is what I like to hear. Fange is a three piece French act who plays impossibly loud sludge to the point of becoming a noisy act of violence. Sludge has always been very confrontational by design though Fange has decided take the angst and misanthropy which nurtured the style and make it monstrous. What is contained within Poisse are looming spires of hate and misery which rain down on listeners like crumbling hell rain. That is right — hell rain.

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.

Qrixkuor – Consecration of the Temple [UK, Death] (2014)

Self Released | 4-26-14

Oh man, here comes a flood of occult death. Qrixkuor is the name of a bird from a philosophical magic text written by Kenneth Grant. Grant’s work on the Thelemite religion continues the tradition popularized by Aleister Crowley. All of this is pretext to Qrixkuor, who may or may not have gone one step further in their image of obscured occultism. Ancient orders and mystic cults may now come with the cavernous sounds of echoing death.

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.