US

White Death – III [US, Atmospheric Black] (2019)

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Self Released | 6-18-19

If anyone has reads this site for any amount of time, the inclusion of atmospheric black usually comes with some degrees of lofi production. White Death, compared to other raw atmospheric black is relatively clean yet the slime and grime of whatever dirt from outside still lingers on its production. White Death is a bedroom production whose name is unfortunately running up against the Finnish White Death on Werewolf Records. This White Death is from Iowa and its bleak location serves as a setting for a brilliant demo that is full of raw emotion and noise.

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Rotted – Pestilent Tomb [US, Death] (2019)

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Maggot Stomp | 2-22-19

There is a joke among the ten people on the internet that listen to this music about caveman death and specifically heavy death metal with large riffs and a primal instinct and possibly a low reading level. The inspiration for these bands isn’t really clear though if you start at Rottrevore, Grave, and Obituary and make your way forward, you will have a good idea. This is not a genre nor even a style rather a direction some bands are flinging themselves into much like an oncoming bus. Maggot Stomp is a US label that seems to be the dealers in this killing floor style death metal with releases this year from Encoffinized and Frozen Soul. Whatever it is and if it differs from the other niche sounds of current death metal seems to be secondary to the monolithic riffs and and a drive for cosmic violence.

It is worth mentioning that this album was released in 2018 first on Headsplit Records and then in various states of pressing. I wont say that this Maggot Stomp Release is the most popular but it is the first time I have heard it so I am including this in the year 2019. If anyone has a problem with that they can find me by the greasy fire weilding a club.

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Witchbones – Entropy Rite [US, Black] (2019)

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Self Released | 2-19-19

I am not 100% certain how this projects name is presented as the Metal Archives has a space between Witch and Bones. I will go with what Bandcamp says but what I am certain about it that this demo is ugly as fuck. I am also not certain where this project is headed as the Entropy Rite demo follows a January 2019 release which was more baffling than it was pleasing. Entropy Rite makes strides into being something substantial though the two songs are marked with odd choices for atmosphere and an almost untamed spirt which runs through its core. This is black metal but without any need to impress almost like fireworks set off in the woods to an audience of none. Its sole creator seems to be using this project to channel a vile spirit and to what end it will manifest is anyones guess. What we know right now is that Entropy Rite maybe perfect for someone looking for music that is unpredictable, violent, and above all else exciting.

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Thanamagus – Incorporeal Passage [US, Death] (2019)

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Self Released | 2-12-19

It is important to realize that demos were once demonstrations of talent that were circulated by record labels and eventually fans of unpolished heavy metal. the spectacle of talent despite production limitations and the promise of potential is what makes demos so exciting. Today, the idea of demo could just be a permanent state for people who never have any intention on making anything else. This is fine but initial demos from new bands still have excitement and zeal s they once did especially when the band plays colossal death metal.

Thanamagus still has yet to get a Metal Archives page and their Last.fm count is currently at 0. If one wanted a band cut from the side of a mountain before any refinery techniques, then this is the time to look. With looming riffs and a wild black and white cover this is the perfect place to start if you wanted raw and unfiltered death that may or maybe be greymarket and may or may not be anything beyond this demo. People who are into this type of stuff, however, are into these types of quirks and love the shit out of this type of stuff.

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CREMATORY STENCH – Grotesque Deformities [US, Death] (2019)

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Blood Harvest | 2-19-19

There will be a day when I am not immedtially drawn to a BW photocopied cover that is blown out with one color (most likely red). there will be a time when I am not ecstatic when a band embraces an aesthetic and goes for a name, album, and song titles that oscillates between Lovecraft, a cemetery, and the charnel house. There will be a day when I am more discerning about what death metal I enjoy as I cant keep making room for every band with a red and black cover and a gross name. Today is not that day.

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Skrawl – Nil [US, Black / Punk] (2019)

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Knife Vision | 1-13-19

Hello again Knife vision. I see you are looking particularly grim and vile today. It was only a week ago I stumbled on the Arnor demo and a whole page of interesting looking things. Now it is time for Skrawl and but the opening crash of black punk, this is something I can sign up for and enlist in whatever army they are forming. The recent influx of new black / punk bands as some nightmarish manifestation of raw torment is something that has never stopped being fun and horrid sounding. Skrawl continues this journey into the groovy madness with a sound that is like kicking televisions and an aesthetic that I want to put on a patch right away. It is only the first month of 2019 and Knife Vision needs to stop being so cool otherwise I am going to look silly when I keep writing about these releases.

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Arnor – All Eyes to the Frontline [US, Black] (2019)

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Knife Vision | 1-12-19

I do not really know. I do not know about a lot of things. I do not know why I missed these Knife Vision releases seeing they have been out since 2014. I do not know where Arnor is from but I am going to guess the US. I do not know what the rest of this release sounds like as it comes out in a few days. I do not know a lot of things about Knife Vision but I wish I knew more. All Eyes to the Frontline is the perfect release to focus on as I unlock this grim mystery box.

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Męka – Ending My Life to Destroy Yours [US, Blackened Death] (2019)

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Redefining Darkness | 2-15-19

I actually am at a lose to what the genres are. I can usually either pick them out or go somewhere else to confirm. That is more difficult when the band has zero internet presence outside a few reviews and their music is a maelstrom of genres and chaos. Enter Męka whoese special character is going to push it into further obscurity. Perhaps this is where it belongs — in some basement corner of existence throwing up strange liquids. If that previous sentence sounded gross, you are halfway to the caustic tone of a band that sounds like it gives less of a shit what you did for half your life. This band is also going to push me to rethink blackened death as a sound as I never truly believed in it. I may still be confused about genres and Męka is at the root of this confusion. Eat glass. Smoke insects. Worship nothing.

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Warp Chamber – Abdication of the Mind [US, Death] (2018)

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Redefining Darkness Records | 11-3-18

Warp Chamber’s demo was actually released in the early part of 2018 much to the knowledge of no one. In fact social media pages got creative when linking soundclips leaving 12 hours of Warp Engine drone to stand in for the band. Only few knew about Warp Chamber until Redefining Darkness welcomed the band into the fold along other luminaries such as Skullcrush, Oxygen Destroyer, and Cist. True these names wont get you special seats for fine dining but it is a start. Much like other Redefining Darkness releases, Warp Chamber makes no apologies and breaks glass with old glass breaking techniques in the vein of Morbid Angel if the band read too many science fiction magazines. Come for absolution. Come for Obliteration.

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Lathliss – Demo [US, Black] (2018)

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Self Released | 11-10-18

Now this is a demo. It is difficult to describe what makes one bedroom black metal demo different than another since to some it all sounds the same. I do not think it even has to do with the quality of the recording as there are some boring raw black demos as there are exciting ones. Lathliss is exciting and it is not just one aspect of this 5 track demo which makes it special rather a litany of aspects (such as the gong) which make it engaging and ultimately successful. From the album cover aesthetics, to ferocious energy, to the leadup in “IV,” Lathliss is a great start to what I assume is the start of a project. I have not found much information on this artist other than this Bandcamp page. With this being the only thing released, one can assume we are witnessing the birth of a bright horrible star which I hope burns in everlasting hatred.

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