Catching Up: 2020 Pt. 9

ACCEPT: TOO MEAN TO DIE

I have developed a greater appreciation for Accept over the last several years.  I think they are a highly underrated band that was extremely important not just to the German metal scene, but the metal sound in general.  They should be considered a formative band.  The band is deep in their second life at this point since their return after a 15-year hiatus in 2010.  This is their fifth album since the return, and though Udo Dirkschneider has long since left the band, they still sound just as fresh and vital as they did when they returned.  The formula is mostly the same, but they are still capable of "Balls to the Wall"-style fist-pumping true metal anthems.   

CRYPT DWELLER: THE FORBIDDEN DARK ARTS

I remember being sort of underwhelmed by this release the first couple times I heard it.  This is one I bought because of the album art.  I am not sure what the issue was before because I really got into this when I was listening in preparation for this blurb.  The band this reminds me most of is Acid Witch.  It's death/doom with absolutely disgusting riffs and decayed and rotting vocals.  The horror vibes are loud and clear.  There are samples from various movies that add to the atmosphere.  The songs do tend to sound a little too much the same and it makes it kind of a difficult listen for nearly an hour, but this has grown on me.

CURSE: THE AWAKENING...AND THE OLD

I am a big fan of blackened thrash metal, and so of course I am going to grab something that I come across, especially one from Sweden, the country that brought us Nifelheim.  And that is definitely the starting point for comparison's sake.  This is a fairly short six-song EP.  The band is at its best when they are playing fast, most notably on the title track.  There are a couple of slower tracks which are not nearly as impressive.  I was hoping to hear something more from this band, this is a very promising EP, but they have yet to release anything else.

RUIN LUST: CHOIR OF BABEL

Ruin Lust is the sound of chaos.  The band does an excellent job of building up this atmosphere of complete and utter annihilation.  There is nothing pretty here between the rampaging riffs, thunderous drumming and sepulchral vocals.  These are not songs, they are anthems to violence.  This is not a release for the weak of heart.  It is not a particularly enjoyable listen, but it hits on a primal level.

MIDNIGHT: REBIRTH BY BLASPHEMY

After nearly 20 years toiling in the underground, Midnight managed to achieve attention by Metal Blade Records and Decibel Magazine.  This did not come at the expense of their sound thankfully.  Raised on an unhealthy diet of Venom and Motorhead, Midnight retained their fast as hell, blasphemic style.  And with song titles such as "Fucking Speed and Darkness" and "Devil's Excrement", their rise to the sort-of-big-time hasn't softened their edge either.  Longtime listeners (and I am one) know what to expect from a Midnight album and this absolutely delivers.  

Catching Up: 2020 Pt. 8

Yeah, yeah, been a long time.  Shut up.

COLLISION: THE FINAL KILL

Longtime readers of this blog (I suppose there might still be a few of you out there) know that I generally am not a big fan of metal genres fused with hardcore.  I have never been the biggest metalcore fan, outside of a few bands, even in the mid-2000's.  Very little deathcore has caught my attention.  The only one that I am a big fan of is crossover, and that's mainly because thrash already had a major hardcore influence.  I haven't done a major deep drive into the genre, but I have enjoyed Nuclear Assault, the relevant Corrosion of Conformity material, and the Power Trip.  That brings me to this EP.  The riffs are undeniably more on the metal scale, but played with a punk ferocity.  The only issue is that the shouted vocals are a bit too far on the hardcore side for me.  Occasionally, it gets switched up with more death metal-esque growling, but those moments are not real common.  It's a short EP though, so it doesn't wear out it's welcome. 

BENIGHTED: OBSCENE REPRESSED

This is the French brutal death metal band's ninth release, but the first one that I have heard.  I have been aware of Benighted, I just never really bothered to check them out.  Not sure why.  It's not an anti-French bias.  I enjoy Gojira and Yyrkoon, and particularly the black metal scene.  Yet here we are.  This is a blasphemic and gory good time.  The music easily matches the album art, absolutely grotesque.  There is nothing pretty here and the lyrics are just as grimy and foul.  This one is largely considered one of the band's best, so I am getting in at the right moment.  I will probably look into more of this band's discography.

WITCHY: WITCHY

This is kind of a fascinating, short little EP.  Witchy appears to be a one-man doom metal project with next to no information out there about its sole member.  The sound is traditional, slow-moving doom metal with an occult atmosphere, some heavy use of organs and hypnotic vocals.  Think Pentagram for a reference point.  Witchy doesn't reinvent the wheel here, it's just good, old-fashioned doom metal.  Thus far this is the only release by the band.

RIPPED TO SHREDS: LUAN

Ripped to Shreds is a band I have been in on since the beginning.  They are an old-school-sounding death metal band with an emphasis in Chinese history and folklore.  Their influence is clearly out of the old Swedish death metal scene, groups like Dismember and Entombed.  Most of their album titles appear on the covers written in Chinese.  I will not speculate as to whether it is Cantonese or Mandarin, or possibly something else, that's not an area I have any knowledge in and I don't want to get it wrong.  There are moments the band incorporates Asian melodies into their sound, which is overall an incredibly caustic and violent one.  Ripped to Shreds lives up to their name because that is exactly what they do.  I will be continuing to follow this band.  They should be more well-known by now. 

AFKSY: OFTE JEG DRØMMER MIG DØD

Saving the best for last today. I love this album.  If I ever get my shit together and do Best Albums posts for the last few years, it is likely this album takes the top spot, or maybe second to the Testament album.  Afsky is another one-man band, this time a black metal band from Denmark.  This is one of the most emotional black metal albums I have heard in years.  The riffs and drumming, while thunderous, have a warm feeling to them that conveys a deeply somber atmosphere.  The vocals are intense shrieking wails that are at the same time powerful and forlorn.  This is an absolutely incredible album and I highly recommend it.  

I Listened to the 2026 Metal Grammy Nominees So You Don't Have To

What a stupid fucking move that was.  

Anyway, so my distaste for the Grammys has been pretty crystal clear from day one of this blog.  They have absolutely no idea what to do with heavy music.  Most of the time, if there is a readily identifiable band in the category, that's who wins (Metallica has won seven times).  Sometimes, they make decent decisions, such as last year when Gojira won for the song played at the Olympics.  I understood that one.  Other times, they seemingly throw a dart and go with what comes up (Deftones, Tenacious D, Rage Against the Machine).  That's what happened this year.  First of all, I don't even understand how they came up with these nominees.  For Best Metal Performance, you would think at least a couple of the nominees would be metal songs.  Not this year.  I suppose I will give my thoughts.

1.  Turnstile: "Birds".  This was the winner this year and I am not sure I am listening to the same song.  Turnstile came up through the hardcore and punk scene and then became this weird mix of those genres with alternative rock.  Note, I did not once mention metal.  This is a little bit more of a straight-up hardcore song.  It's fine, but it is not a metal track.

2.  Spiritbox: "Soft Spine".  This band has been jammed down the throats of listeners to Liquid Metal on Sirius XM for years.  I occasionally listen to that in the car and I think I hear a song by them at least once when I do.  This song is fine, I guess.  But again, Spiritbox is not really a metal band, more of an alternative/electronic/industrial rock band.  Heavy, but the metal influences are minimal.  I would say they have more in common with nu-metal.

3.  Sleep Token: "Emergence".  I discussed this band on my Bands I Hate post awhile back.  I listened to this song, and what the fuck?  I know they have rather disparate influences slapped together like an amateur chef trying to be experimental, but this is one of the least metal songs I have ever heard from this band.  There's occasionally some power chords.  That's it.  Otherwise it's a mix of soft rock and R&B and some electronica thrown in.  And then there's a saxophone solo.  What the hell were the people that put together the nominees thinking here?  They're not the most metal of bands most of the time, but this is seriously the farthest away I have ever heard this band.

4.  Ghost: "Lachryma".  I thought this was going to win honestly.  Ghost has won in the past and that is a sure sign of winning again.  Even though they are not really a metal band anymore.  This song comes at least close at times.  This is not a bad song, but again, it's not really metal.  Much more of a straightforward hard rock track.

5.  Dream Theater: "Night Terror".  Here is the only metal track in the category.  I haven't really cared about anything Dream Theater has done since their album Awake back in the mid 1990's.  This is a decent song, but it's almost ten minutes long, which is way too long to expect the people that vote on these things to actually pay attention.  It's not a great song, but at least it's a metal song, something I would think would be the primary qualification for nomination.  I guess Dream Theater has won this before as well.  Still, I didn't think this had a chance at winning.   

I don't think any of these should have won.  Time to listen to something to cleanse the palate.  I am going to put on some Satan's Hallow.

Krisiun at The Reverb Lounge Sometime in November

I waited a very long time to make this post.  Well, waited is not the right word for it.  I have been pretty busy over the last several months.  As usual.  Anyway, that is the last concert I have attended, so I probably better get something out on it.  

Krisiun is a band I haven't spent a lot of time listening to.  I have a few of their albums, and I definitely enjoy them, but they are not a band I usually rush to pick up when a new album is released.  The support bands were Abysmal Dawn, Pyrexia and Gorgatron.  I am about as familiar with Abysmal Dawn and Pyrexia as I am with Krisiun.  Gorgatron was new to me.

Gorgatron is a death metal band out of North Dakota and one of their guitarists was previously in Omaha black metal band Ungoliant.  The drummer is also in Pyrexia, which explains how Gorgatron got on this bill in the first place.  They were a lot of fun live, their singer was very funny, and they seem like a bunch of guys who just love what they do.  That came across well in their set.  I will be seeking out something from them.

Pyrexia is a band I have been semi into for awhile, primarily due to their influence on the slam death metal subgenre.  Their music has always been more closely tied to the brutal death metal genre than slam, but their use of breakdowns helped foster the development of slam.  Their songs were all short and very brutal.  I picked up their new album from their merch stand.  

Up next was Abysmal Dawn, one of the more interesting pure modern death metal bands that have come about in the last quarter century.  It's kind of strange, but they have not released a new album since 2020.  So, it is kind of unusual that they were on the bill.  Maybe something is coming soon.  I was extremely impressed with their set though.  I will definitely have to dig back into some of their stuff again.

Finally, we came to the Brazilian death metal band Krisiun.  Brazil has an impressive history with metal music, starting with Sepultura and Sarcofago and spreading from there.  Krisiun fits in well with the earlier bands.  Their music is sharp and intense and they were firing on all cylinders this night.  

All told, this was a hell of a show.  Unfortunately, this is the only concert I attended all year.  Hopefully I will get to more this year.

R.I.P. Ozzy

I am not really sure what to say here.  Obviously I didn't know Ozzy personally, but I kind of felt like I did.  His music has been extremely important to me for over 30 years and I generally followed a lot of the things he did.  I discovered Ozzy fairly early in my journey into metal, purchasing the Nativity in Black tribute album (the first one) as one of the first albums I bought when I ran out of Metallica albums to get.  Ozzy provided vocals on one of the songs and I was struck by his voice immediately.  What followed for several years was me getting either his solo albums or the Black Sabbath albums that he fronted.  He became something of a hero to me, a legendary figure in the metal genre.  He is arguably the most important figure in metal of all time, maybe not the most talented, nor the most creative, but he was a massive star.  Even though the quality of his music waned over time, I still generally bought everything he put out, because his voice was still incredibly powerful.  I did finally get to see him live when Black Sabbath went on a farewell tour in 2016.  He was still a very active presence at the front of the stage and still sounded incredible live.  It was one of the better live performances I have seen.  I was hoping to see him on tour for his solo project a few years later, but he ended up canceling that tour for health reasons.  It was then that I kind of came to grips with the fact that he was nearing the end, an almost unthinkable event for the previous 20 years.   He lived an extremely hard life, he seemed indestructible, yet here we were.  A few weeks ago he appeared live for the final time.  He looked frail and sat at a throne throughout the performance, but he still sounded powerful.  It was an emotional performance and it truly felt like goodbye.  Apparently, it was.  The metal world has lost a truly amazing individual and one of its godfathers.  Ozzy's music and his legacy will live on in eternity.  He will be truly missed.  

From "A National Acrobat" (still one of my favorite Black Sabbath tracks and the one I listened to last night before bed):

Well I know it's hard for you to know the reason why
And I know you'll understand more when it's time to die
Don't believe the life you have will be your only one
You have to let your body sleep to let your soul live on

Love has given life to you and now it's your concern
Unseen eye of inner life will make your soul return
Still I look but not to touch the seeds of life are sown
Curtain of the future falls, the secret stays unknown

Just remember love is life and hate is living death
Treat your life for what it's worth and live for every breath
Looking back I've lived and learned but now I'm wondering
Here I wait and only guess what this next life will bring

Blood Incantation at The Waiting Room: Dec. 5, 2024

I have been listening to Blood Incantation for several years now.  Yes, I am going to pull one of those " I was listening to this band before they were cool".  I was, so there.  I have their 2016 debut album and even their 2015 EP Interdimensional Extinction.  I don't remember exactly why I got into them, I suspect I just came across those releases some time around 2017 or 2018.  I think I even turned Full Metal Attorney on to them when their second release dropped.  So yes, I have been into the band for a few years now, and now they are enjoying a lot of hype around their latest release.  But I had not seen them live, and I actually have yet to pick up their new release, Absolute Elsewhere.

The setting for this show was The Waiting Room, which is my favorite venue.  The show started late as there were just two acts performing.  I was a little later than I preferred and the show was absolutely packed.  I do not think I have ever been there when it was that full.  It was difficult to move around.  That is how much hype has been surrounding Blood Incantation.  This was also the last show of the tour, so merch was limited.  I did snag a t-shirt though that is a little outside my four dots (it is blue and tie-dyed).  

The opening act was a group called Midwife, a one-woman entity (with occasional support).  The best I can describe her music is shoegaze or indie pop.  The music was very soft with the singer's vocals performed in an almost whisper.  It was dreamlike and ethereal and seemed extremely out of place as the opening act for a death metal band (even if Blood Incantation is not really a typical death metal band).  The music was interesting, it just is not something I would typically listen to, but it was an enjoyable performance.

Blood Incantation took the stage and played their latest album in its entirety, and it was the first time I have heard the whole thing.  Their performance was extremely powerful and the dynamics of the album came through extremely well.  Blood Incantation has made waves by including prog-rock interludes in their music to the point that some have described them as Pink Floyd playing death metal.  It was an incredible live show of what sounds like an incredible album.  I need to track this thing down.  

Overkill at the Bourbon Theatre: November 12, 2024

I haven't forgotten about this blog, but my laptop in inoperable right now, so I don't have a computer at home, which is usually my best opportunity to write up albums.  

Anyway, a few days ago I saw Overkill, the venerable New Jersey thrash act, for the second time.  Now, there was a level of disappointment about this show.  See, Overkill is currently on a massive tour across the U.S. with none other than King Diamond, and supported by Myrkur and Night Demon.  They had just all played in Iowa the day before.  But for some reason, this show was just Overkill and three local bands.  I have no idea why this was not a part of the big tour, I certainly would have preferred it if it were.  At least it was not a super late night though.  I was out of there before 11.

The local bands were Fascinus Rex, Molten and Viscerous, all of them from either Lincoln or Omaha.  Unfortunately I missed Fascinus Rex because I was late getting going.  Molten and Viscerous were both extremely impressive though.  It was my first time seeing either band and I would absolutely be willing to see both acts again.  They are both relatively new bands, but carried themselves like veterans, rampaging through their sets and able to engage the crowd like seasoned road warriors.  I love the fact that Nebraska has been able to produce such high-quality metal bands, even if no one seems to be getting much widespread exposure.  

Overkill took the stage and played most of the tracks I would have expected them to, with a couple of surprises.  Now, the last time I saw them was back in 2012 and there are a couple new faces in the band, with former Fear Factory bassist Christian Olde Wolbers filling in for D.D. Verni and a new drummer in the band.  There was also only one guitarist present when the band usually has two.  Not sure what is happening there.  Despite the lineup flux, this was most definitely Overkill.  They played with the same snotty sneer and in-your-face aggression that the band has been known for for nearly 40 years now.  Even though Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth is retirement age, time has not softened his disposition.  They put on an electrifying show that covered almost every release in their long careers and proved why they have been the most consistent thrash metal band from the very beginning.  Overkill is still one of my favorite bands.

Catching Up: 2020 Part 7

CIRITH UNGOL: FOREVER BLACK

Cirith Ungol are another band that has reunited after a long hiatus and this is their first full-length since 1991.  Surprisingly, only the bassist is new to the band.  What is truly amazing about this release is that it sounds as if the band has not skipped a beat, like there was only a year or two since the last album instead of 30.  They sound rejuvenated and all of the elements of the band's sound from their heyday in the mid-to-late 80's is present, from the galloping riffs, fantasy-inspired lyrics, and menacing vocals.  This is a terrific reunion album and a wonderful return to form for this band.  

NECROWRETCH: THE ONES FROM HELL

I could be wrong, but this might have been the first new album I bought in 2020.  I am not sure that really has any actual significance, but I seem to recall that.  Necrowretch is a black/death metal band from France, and this is the first album I have checked out from the band.  The black metal elements tend to be more immediate, with the tremolo riffing and dark and foreboding atmosphere.  The songs are all fast-paced with riffs flying in all directions and feral, shrieking vocals.  The album is quite impressive and leads me to believe I need to look into more by Necrowretch.

PHALANX: GOLDEN HORDE

Here is another EP, but I figured I might as well throw it in here.  This is an incredibly short release, clocking in just over 16 minutes, but Phalanx packs a lot of furious energy into that short amount of time.  The music is hardcore-tinged death metal (without being deathcore).  It owes more to bands like the recent output of Nails than to Hatebreed or the like.  There are a number of vocal styles present, and the band has three singers.  One features more of a hardcore shout, another emits screeching black metal-esque shrieks.  I am not sure what is going on with the group at this point.  This EP from 2020 is the last material from them so far.  

REVOLTING: THE SHADOW AT THE WORLD'S END

With a name like Revolting, you absolutely know what this band will sound like.  Revolting is led by Rogga Johansen who has been in something like 30 bands (including Massacre, Paganizer, Putrevore, Ribspreader, Bone Gnawer and more).  That might be an exaggeration, but it might also be an underestimate.  Revolting is pure Swedish death metal, in the best possible way.  Featuring the familiar buzzsaw guitar riffing and ferocious vocals, Revolting is a callback to the early days of Grave and Nihilist, and with the short tracks, this is a very enjoyable listen that doesn't take up much time.  I love this release and definitely need to check out more of Revolting's work.

SORCIER DES GLACES: UN MONDE DE GLACE ET DE SANG

No, I don't speak French so I have no idea what any of that means.  I could look it up, but I'm lazy.  Shortly before I took a hiatus a few years ago, I was really getting into Quebec black metal bands, such as this one and including Monarque, Drave and Cantique Lepreux.  This album is generally representative of everything I like about the scene, swirling riffs, pounding drums and atmosphere that conjures up blizzard imagery and raspy vocals that mesh well with the riffs.  The songs are lengthy and there is a fair amount of repetition, but again, this is typical of the scene.  This would be a very good introductory album to this scene.

Skeletal Remains and More in Omaha: Oct. 15, 2024

It has been quite awhile since I have been to a concert.  I have missed a couple that I wanted to attend for various reasons (mostly work-related).  I only found out about this one after seeing a poster in a record store I just happened to venture into randomly in the middle of last week.  After resolving a potential trial scheduled for next week, I decided fuck it, I'm going.  The venue was the Reverb Lounge, a place I had never been before, but which appears to share some space with The Waiting Room (maybe?).  

Up first was a Des Moines, IA-based band called Traffic Death.  This was my first experience with this band.  They are definitely raw, but there is some undeniable talent there.  They kind of overdid it with the audio samples prior to songs, which kind of came off sounding clumsy, but there were some damn good riffs and they were pretty decent.

Witch Vomit was next and I have to say, they were probably the highlight of the night for me.  I have enjoyed the three releases I have picked up from them, but they really killed it live.  They were exactly as filthy and disgusting as one would hope from a death metal band.  I grabbed their newest album at the show because they were seriously impressive.  

North Dakota Lovecraftian death metal monsters Phobophilic hit the stage next.  I was not terribly familiar with them previously and they really only have one album out, which came out a couple years ago.  They were decent, but did not make a real strong impression on me.  I felt they were maybe trying too hard to be like Demilich.  I think they are well worth watching what they do in the future though.

Bewitcher was next and they probably stood out the most among the bands with their blackened speed metal attack that sounds lifted out of the early 1980's.  They seem to be enjoying something of a moment (as much as an underground metal band can) as the bar was completely packed during their set.  They absolutely shredded live and really livened things up.  They really got the small crowd moving throughout their set and did not let up on the throttle until they finished.

A lot of people left after Bewitcher, but those that stayed got quite the treat, because Skeletal Remains was fantastic.  Their sound is more rooted in the early days of death metal, back when there was not as much distinction between death metal and very heavy thrash metal.  So speed and precision in the riffs is the name of the game.  They performed a blistering set for about 40 minutes or so.  I was damn glad I stuck around, despite how late it was getting (I had an hour-and-a-half drive home).  All told, I was glad I decided to go.  I don't get to too many concerts anymore and I might have skipped this one had I not gotten that trial resolved.  

T-SHIRT WEARING: Molder

Catching Up: 2020 Part 6

CARACH ANGREN: FRANCKENSTEINA STRATAEMONTANUS

No, I am not going to try to pronounce any of that.  This is the second release by Dutch symphonic black metallers Carach Angren that I have checked out.  I quite liked their 2017 release, so I thought it would be worth checking out another one.  Unfortunately, this one does not do a lot for me.  For one thing, most of the actual black metal elements are gone, replaced with the kind of spooky atmosphere and basic riffs that I am sure the Hot Topic mallcore kiddies eat up alongside their Lorna Shore and Sleep Token albums.  I do like the concept of the album and it does definitely have some catchy songs on it, particularly during the clean vocal parts.  It works quite well for the upcoming Halloween season, but if you are looking for some good symphonic black metal, best look elsewhere.

ETERNAL CHAMPION: RAVENING IRON

Eternal Champion came highly recommended to me by a former law school colleague, who used to have his own metal blog.  Based on his recommendation I checked them out and was thoroughly impressed by them.  The band is unapologetic in its cheesiness, but feature some absolutely infectious songs, such as the ripping "War at the Edge of the End" and "Worms of the Earth".  Much of the release is mid-paced, highly melodic traditional metal in the vein of Manilla Road and featuring lyrics about swords and sorcerors and other high fantasy topics.  Like I said, it's cheesy as hell, but it's also a blast to listen to because of that.  Don't take it seriously and have a good time.    

TOXIK DEATH: SEPULCHRAL DEMONS

Toxik Death is a Norwegian blackened thrash metal band on their second album.  Norway is not really known for thrash metal, but this band fits in well with their countrymen in Aura Noir and Deathhammer.  The music is fast and furious, packing a lot of frenzied riffs, pounding drums and shrieking vocals.  The band does an excellent job of crafting this juggernaut of a release that comes in, lays waste to everything around, then doesn't overstay its welcome and leaves.  It's like a tornado, crushing everything and then just as quickly as it arrives, it's over.  The only real criticism I have is that once the album is over, it doesn't sink in real well.  It's a hell of a lot of fun when it's playing, but then it ends and is not as easily remembered.

VARG: ZEICHEN

This is the second album I have checked out by this German band who I recall kind of confused me last time.  They dress like a folk metal band and were at one point listed as a folk metal band, but they are decidedly not folk metal.  At least not exclusively.  I would say some of the melodies come across as folk-inflected, and there are some lead guitar lines that strike a similar chord, but this is by and large more of a melodeath album with some traditional metal influences.  Whatever it is, the music is somewhat uplifting and it really sounds like the band is having fun playing it, and despite the lyrics being in German, it's catchy as hell.  This is a really fun release.  

VVILDERNESS: DARK WATERS

I am not the biggest post-black metal fan.  That is probably obvious given my comments about Deafheaven, Liturgy and the like.  But there are bands I like, and Vvilderness is one of them.  The music sounds so organic, which makes sense given the subject matter.  There's an ebb and flow to the music which makes it easy to just sit back and let it take you away.  Vvilderness has some harsher moments in this release that were mostly absent from the last one, but those moments are short-lived and then the heart-aching melodic moments kick in.  I have not decided if I prefer this album to the last one or not.  At first I did not, but I think Vvilderness has taken a step forward in song-writing on this one, so it has grown on me.

Catching Up: 2020 Part 5

Enough small talk, let's go.

ELEINE: DANCING IN HELL

In the late 90's/early 00's there was a big trend particularly in Europe for symphonic and gothic metal bands to feature an extremely attractive woman on vocals.  Bands like Epica, Nightwish, Tristania, Leaves' Eyes and Within Temptation come to mind.  My first thought upon seeing this band pop up on my radar was that this was another one, especially considering frontwoman Madeleine Liljestam's other vocation as a professional model.  This is a symphonic metal band, but it was truly driven by the guitars, which is not always the case.  The symphonic elements are there, but are more in the background.  Liljestam has an impressive voice, but not the operatic range of someone like Nightwish's Tarja Tarunen, but that's fine because it matches the music extremely well.     

HAUNT: MIND FREEZE

Haunt released a staggering THREE albums in 2020 alone.  I cannot state enough how crazy that is in this day and age.  This was the first of the three albums and I think I picked up at least one of the other two.  Haunt is the side project of Beastmaker's Trevor William Church, whose father once played bass for Sammy Hagar, so music is very much in his blood.  The music is decidedly old-school-leaning heavy metal with incredibly infectious hooks and sing-along choruses.  Haunt has built an impressive reputation for truly catchy, captivating metal.  The most impressive thing is that despite the incredibly productivity, each release sounds unique.  That is truly hard to do.

STALKER: BLACK MAJIK TERROR

One might possibly guess based on the album cover what this band would sound like.  But, I suspect the guess would be along the lines of epic traditional/doom metal groups like Brocas Helm, Cirith Ungol or Manilla Road.  Those guesses would actually be wrong.  I would argue that Stalker's sound owes far more to Show No Mercy-era Slayer than those other bands.  The songs come fast and ferocious with riffs upon riffs, never really letting up for a breath.  And the vocals are banshee-like shrieks and wails that match the music perfectly.  This is an absolute no-frills speed metal assault on the senses and though the band doesn't reinvent the wheel, there is something to be said for an album that just flat-out rocks.  This is one of those albums.

THE TROOPS OF DOOM: THE RISE OF HERESY

Formed by Jairo Guedz, an early member of Sepultura, The Troops of Doom are also named after the Sepultura song off of Morbid Visions.  And true to form, this band adds cover songs of that song as well as "Bestial Devastation" on their first real release.  This is just an EP, but it seemed like enough of a big deal that I wanted to cover it.  It seems a lot of individuals are re-recording old Sepultura material, but Guedz has really captured the essence of that old material.  The band here does an astonishing job of turning back the clock and tapping into the raw, bludgeoning force of those early Sepultura albums.  The atmosphere is just pure evil.  This EP is an exceptional release that blew me away.  I was not expecting to like it this much.

VAMPIRE: REX

I love blackened thrash metal generally.  It kind of depends on building just the right atmosphere and every instrument has to be just right, but when there is that correct mixture, it's really damn hard to beat.  Think Destroyer 666's Cold Steel.  But it doesn't always work out that way, as shown by my disappointment when I saw Thulcandra opening for Fleshgod Apocalypse.  Sometimes the feel just is not there.  Luckily, Vampire falls squarely in the good category.  The riffs are infectious and the songs have just the right dark atmosphere, punctuated by soaring leads and feral vocals.  I have no idea why I have not sought out much by this band.  They check all the right boxes for this style.  

No Speed Limit: Essential Quebec Metal Demo Tapes

 

One of the more interesting items I have picked up in recent years is this collection of replica demo tapes from the Quebec thrash metal scene in the mid 1980's.  Some of the metal coming out of Quebec at that time period was absolutely amazing.  Of course there was the almighty Voivod, the best metal band from Canada and a hugely influential one.  But there were several more groups who never quite got the recognition they deserved.  This is a collection of eight tapes, each one a demo or live recording of a group from the time period that was sought after by tape traders the world over.  It is an incredible collection of some groups who had some success and others that simply disappeared.

VOIVOD: NO SPEED LIMIT WEEKEND

Of course we have to start out with the masters.  There is simply put, no other band out there like Voivod.  They were never content to stick with just one sound for very long.  Each album is significantly different than the one that came before.  This was a live recording shortly after the release of Rrroooaaarrr, the band's second album and features a number of tracks from both of the band's full-length releases, from the punky energy of "Fuck Off and Die" to the machine-like precision of "Helldriver".  The sound is a bit rough (it is a live recording, probably by individuals who didn't have a real good idea how to record a live band), but it is easy to tell why Voivod ascended to the heights they did.  I have developed a greater appreciation for this band over the last few years to the point that they are now one of my favorite bands.  This recording captures them just as they were really starting to break through.

OUTRAGE: BURIED PIECES

We come from one of the most well-known, if not the most well-known, metal band from Quebec to a band who never even released a full-length.  Outrage owes their sound more to groups like Anvil and Exciter, it is more of a speed/traditional metal sound, and this is a compilation of some of their works.  According to the information booklet included with this collection, the band was in talks to sign to Roadrunner Records to release a full-length but broke up prior to that occurring, and so all we have is a couple of demos from them.  The lead guitars on this are very impressive, when he is not playing a melody from a public domain song (which really only happened once, but was enough to make note of it).  As this is a compilation over a period of a couple years, there is an extremely obvious improvement of songwriting and sound as it moves forward and the second half is much better than the first.

AGGRESSION: PREMIER DEMO

Aggression was an early Canadian band experimenting with the border line between thrash and death metal.  This demo was originally released in 1985.  The band was clearly taking influence from Venom, Hellhammer and Slayer.  This is one of the best demos in this entire collection, so it is disappointing that it is one of the shortest.  Aggression released a full-length in 1987 that I may need to track down.  They then recorded a follow-up that was eventually released in 2004.  After that, guitarist/vocalist Denis Barthe started recording more music under the Aggression name and the band has since released four more albums.  How this demo is my only exposure to the band is odd.  I think I have some work to do.

VOOR: DEMO #2

Probably the release that gets the most praise in the booklet that accompanies this release is the Voor demo.  It is a pretty extreme release considering it came out in 1985 with a much greater feel for the rising death metal sound than some of the other releases in this collection.  The recording quality is pretty bad though, giving it an extremely raw feel.  Apparently after this demo was released, the band was offered a European tour and record label offers, but the drummer left and all those plans collapsed.  Voor eventually reformed and have released an EP and a full-length over the last ten years.  

SOOTHSAYER: TO BE A REAL TERRORIST

When I do these compilation posts, I talk a lot about wanting to check out more material by a band, so it is fair to wonder if I ever do.  Well, in this case, I did.  After hearing this demo, I bought Soothsayer's Have a Good Time.  Weirdly, this is one of those times where the demo is actually better than the full-length.  The album is fine, but the demo seems much more raw and primal, with ferocious vocals that seem to have been toned down for the album release.  The band seems to have a sense of humor with a couple of their songs being kind of goofy instrumentals, one such track does appear on this demo.  

TREBLINKA: TRIAL OF WAR

Obviously not the Treblinka that later changed their name to Tiamat, this is probably the most obscure band in this collection.  They released just two demos in a two-year period.  There is a reason for their obscurity however as one member died in a car accident shortly thereafter.  Their sound is very militaristic, with precision drumming and tight riffing, and it fits with the lyrical themes.  All of the songs reference warfare and death.  The sound is obviously very influenced by Slayer and even the band's demo cover resembles the Slayer logo with the eagle (which seems influenced by Nazi imagery, but we will not get into that here and I also won't get into the "Treblinka" name).  Treblinka appeared to have some promise so it is disappointing to see them curtailed so early.   

VENSOR: TRASH TILL DEATH

Okay, I take it back, this is probably the most obscure band in this collection.  Vensor only released two demos and none of the members appear to have done anything else in the metal scene.  The band was a power trio featuring two brothers, one of whom (the drummer) was just 12 years old when this demo was recorded.  The release has a very primitive sound, owing to influences like Hellhammer and Venom.  The songs are short and sharp with pounding drums and grunted or shouted vocals.  The riffs are not terribly sophisticated, but that is not surprising given the young age of the members.  It would have been very interesting to see what this band could have developed into had they kept at it.      

OBLIVION: DEMO #2

Saving the best for last we have Oblivion's second demo.  The band eventually changed their name to "Obliveon" and I picked up their 1993 album Nemesis.  The band's sound is very reminiscent of groups like Heathen, more of a technical death/thrash metal sound.  The bass is the most interesting aspect as it does some very interesting rhythms that drive the songs forward.  It is very present in the mix, giving it that much more character.  The riffs are razor-sharp and the vocals are delivered in a rough bark and the unconventional song structures make the songs compelling.  There are a couple of other albums that I will have to check out at some point.  This was easily my favorite of the demos in this collection.  

Catching Up: 2020 Part 4

I don't know how many parts there will be for this series.  I intend to eventually move on to the following years, but I have to get through everything.  It's been a long time since I was active on this blog.

AKANTHA: GNOTHI SEAUTON

No, I don't know what any of those words mean, so don't ask.  Akantha is a Greek black metal band.  Greece is one of the more underrated black metal scenes out there, even if one discounts Rotting Christ and the similar bands like Varathron, Kawir, Thou Art Lord and others.  This is Akantha's third release, but the first one I have heard.  Akantha's sound owes far more to the kind of raw, primal black metal crafted by Darkthrone and their ilk than anything in the Greek scene with songs generally built around one or two riffs with a lot of pounding drums.  And that is fine because while the music is sonically similar, Akantha eschewed the lo-fi production values, so what you get is Darkthrone worship, but with good production.  It's an impressive release and makes the band one I might look further into. 

FAIDRA: SIX VOICES INSIDE

This is the debut album from Swedish black metal band Faidra, a one-man project whose sole member keeps his identity secret so as to let the music speak for itself.  And it definitely does.  The music is mostly somber, atmospheric black metal with a dream-like quality that makes it easy to just sit back and immerse oneself into it.  In that respect it is not unlike some of the earlier, better works by Burzum and Summoning.  The music is typically slower-paced with swirling riffs and hoarse vocals.  Synths are used to deepen the atmosphere without becoming overpowering.  Every once in awhile, the energy level is ratcheted up, but this is usually temporary and reverts back to the languid pace of the rest of the album.  The only real issue I have with this is that it is sometimes too easy to get lost in it and not realize a different song has started.  It gets to be a bit monotonous at times, but it is a very solid debut.  I will have to check out future releases.

HEADS FOR THE DEAD: INTO THE RED

Heads for the Dead is a supergroup of sorts featuring mercenary growler Ralf Haber, who has put in time in Rotpit and Revel in Flesh, joined by various members of Wombbath, Massacre, Hail of Bullets and more.  The music is exactly what one would expect when bands like that are mentioned: unapologetic, grimy, old school-leaning death metal.  The album hits hard and never lets up.  The biggest surprise of the entire proceeding is their take on seminal black metal classic "Transilvanian Hunger", but even that is played with a force and aggression that is missing on the original, far more atmospheric track.  The album seeks to capture the atmosphere of classic horror and does a great job of it.  This is a compelling release with an eerie atmosphere that is even more fun to listen to around Halloween.

PURIFICATION: PERFECT DOCTRINE

Rising out of the fertile metal scene of Portland, OR, Purification are true occult doom metal with an emphasis on the doom.  This release is soaked in gloom and despair with its acid-soaked guitar leads and cavernous, woeful vocals.  The lyrics lament the destruction of society and the death of God.  It takes a little bit of patience for this album to fully sink in as it feels much longer than its 42-minute run-time, but it is worth the effort.  The songs are slow-paced, but sink deep into the listener's subconscious to the point that it summons you back for more.  This is undoubtedly one of the best doom metal albums of 2020.   

WOMBBATH: TALES OF MADNESS

Sweden's death metal band Wombbath were one of the many groups who released very little stuff in the 90's before disbanding and then returning 20 years later, though only guitarist Hakan Stuvemark returns.  I do not know how much the world was clamoring for a Wombbath comeback, but we got one anyway.  Now, their 1993 release Infernal Caustic Torments was a terrific slab of grimy, crusty Swedish death metal and it is interesting to note that the band strikes the same chord in their recent albums.  Interestingly, this is the second Wombbath album of 2020, a level of production that is odd in today's music scene.  I missed the first one.  This is yet another ferocious release with typical Swedeath buzzsaw riffing and decayed-sounding vocals.  The mix is a little tough to get used to, the album sounds like it was recorded in a cave, which I guess could be the intention, but fans of Swedish death should definitely check it out.  

Catching Up: 2020 Part 3

Here we are again with another sampling of five releases from 2020.  Let's just dive in.

GATECREEPER: AN UNEXPECTED REALITY

I was kind of disappointed by this one.  All of the elements are there for a great death metal release.  Gatecreeper's style of death metal seems very rooted in Dismember style Swedeath.  If I had to pick a favorite Swedish death metal band, Dismember would be near the top.  And I loved the previous full-length releases from the band.  So, I really don't know what it is that did not quite resonate with me.  It is an EP technically, even though there are eight tracks, only one of them lasts longer than a minute and a half.  Maybe that's the issue, it is much more of a hardcore/death metal release than a real death metal album, though there are some real riffs.  I am not sure what to make of the track "Superspreader" given that this release came out in the midst of COVID either.  I just wanted more from this band that has impressed me so much in the past.  

MR. BUNGLE: THE RAGING WRATH OF THE EASTER BUNNY DEMO

This really is not a NEW full-length.  It's a re-recording of the first Mr. Bungle demo from 1986 with a couple extras thrown in for good measure and a couple tracks moved around.  Most of the original lineup returns with Mike Patton (Faith No More), Trey Spruance and Trevor Dunn, but they are joined by Scott Ian (Anthrax) and human metronome Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Testament, virtually every other band).  Because this is a re-recording of a time before the band started fusing a lot of other elements and going completely bizarre in sound, the release comes across as a much more straight-forward thrash metal assault, albeit with a few surprises and the same sense of humor.  So those looking for the avant-garde sound of their three 90's releases best look elsewhere.  Patton remains one of the most compelling vocalists in metal and turns in a terrific performance on this release but does not exhibit his incredible range.  I think this is a worthwhile listen, and as a general thrash metal fan, I really enjoy it, but I could see die-hard Mr. Bungle fans not caring for it much.

NITE: DARKNESS SILENCE MIRROR FLAME

Nite got a little of buzz going for them in the metal scene for a bit with their 2022 release.  This one seemed to go a little more unnoticed though.  Much of the buzz centered around a description of them as black metal with hair band solos.  That is not entirely accurate really.  The band is made up of members of Dawnbringer, Satan's Wrath and High Spirits and is more of a traditional metal band with black metal influences, most obvious in the vocals.  This is a fun release that unfortunately doesn't really stick with the listener long after listening.  The solos sound great and the songs are impressive, but it just does not really sink in.  It's a good debut and the talent is obviously there for future releases, but it is a work in progress.  I will say the 2022 release is much better.

SKELETHAL: UNVEILING THE THRESHOLD

French death metal band Skelethal does a terrific job of blending old-school Swedish death metal influences with newer influences to craft an outstanding modern death metal classic.  The Dan Seagrave-looking album cover helps too.  This is one of my absolute favorite death metal releases of the year.  Between the Swedeath-inspired buzzsaw guitar riffing, croaking vocals and artillery blast drumming, all of the elements are there for this band to ascend to legendary status among the death metal genre.  This is just the band's second full-length release and they have already made a major impression.  I did pick up their 2024 release and just got it in yesterday.  I am looking forward to more of the same.  I admit I did get this band mixed up with similarly-named, also terrific death metal band Skeletal Remains, but I have gotten past that.

TEMPLE OF VOID: THE WORLD THAT WAS

I get Temple of Void and Venomous Maximus mixed up.  I am going somewhere with this.  I get them mixed up because they both play variations of doom metal and I discovered them around the same time.  I think I bought my first albums by both bands in the same order in fact.  Venomous Maximus has since broken up, but Temple of Void is still going strong.  The issue is that whenever I buy a new Temple of Void album, I think I am getting Venomous Maximus and their takes on doom metal are very different.  VM plays more of a traditional heavy metal style and it is catchy as hell, whereas Temple of Void is a death/doom style.  Don't get me wrong, they are damn good at it and their music sounds decayed and evil while crawling along like an eldritch abomination, it's just never what I am expecting to get.  That's my problem, not theirs.  This is one of my favorite releases from the band, second probably to Lords of Death.