Kommodus - An Imperial Sun Rises (2019)

Artist: Kommodus

Album: An Imperial Sun Rises (demo)

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Australia

Label: Unsigned

Preview Track:

At the end of the day, I think I just like Kommodus because they're weird. I mean, they're not necessarily the weirdest band I've come across and all four of main-man Lepidus Plague's demos under the Kommodus name have amounted to similarly raw and inscrutable black metal. There's definitely kookier musicians in extreme metal today, but Kommodus have my kind of kooky in them, the kind of kooky that amounts to an Aussie black metaller that normally writes about ancient Rome due to his Italian ancestry suddenly dropping a demo centered around Japanese author Yukio Mishima. I'm going to ignore for now that Mishima was an outspoken anti-Marxist activist in a nation that is to this day extremely nationalistic and racist (frankly there's a couple of lines in the Bandcamp description for this album that imply a bit about Lepidus Plague's politics) since it's all very vague and ambiguous. While I'm not a fan of all that, I am a fan of the visceral, vicious black metal on An Imperial Sun Rises. The difficulty is that it really is a very inscrutable style that makes it difficult to talk about. It's cavernous, warm yet with a bit of harsh treble in the mix to keep it old school, and the riffs trend a bit towards first wave classics more so than the second wave. There's a fair helping of melody in there too so it's not all angry blasting. That's about it. Part of what draws me to this demo and its predecessors is that vagueness you can't quite grasp, that quality that pushes you away as much as it draws you in. Maybe Kommodus aren't really the weird ones. Maybe it's just me.

K O M M O D U S

Ancient Hostility - Ancient Hostility (2019)

Artist: Ancient Hostility

Album: Ancient Hostility (S/T)

Genre: Dissonant Black Metal

Country: Ukraine

Label: Akashic Envoy Records

Preview Track:

At this point it seems undeniable that 2019 is the year of black metal. The parade of excellence has been nearly unending; Yellow Eyes, Remete, Saor, Vanum, Vimur, Akasha, even total shockers like Murg's latest have exceeded expectations. Thus, it comes as little surprise now that Ancient Hostility, a brand new Ukrainian/American duo (most of the work done by Ukraine's SadVoice while Imber provides vocals from the US), have succeeded in slipping their self-titled debut into my list of favorites for the year.

At first appearing fairly normal, Ancient Hostility soon advance beyond the well trodden boundaries of dissonant hellfire black metal into more interesting territory. Not that their take on it is stale in the first place, there's an unusually weighty low end to the album and the riffs, while not as demonically concocted as some from the famous Icelandic scene, vary wildly between straightforward tremolo barrages to doom dirges and death metal thunder. Dismal melodies dance on top of the often pummeling riffs so that there's always a multi-dimensional sound, a foundation laid to maintain atmosphere and imagery while the guitars paint grim portraits from the abyss. "Bloodied Fields", found late in the back half, betrays the duo's ambitions beyond just nihilistic BM. It's a startling melodic song backed with the same colossal low end, but with truly beautiful and meditative sounds overhead. It's not long though that we see a return to pummeling riffs and even some spastic breaks akin to something you might find in metalcore were it not for the murkier paint job. Ultimately not as adventurous as their follow-up will likely be, Ancient Hostility still impress greatly with a varied and well executed debut that sets up grander things in the future.

A N C I E N T H O S T I L I T Y

Neckbeard Deathcamp - So Much For The Tolerant Left (2019)

Artist: Neckbeard Deathcamp

Album: So Much For The Tolerant Left

Genre: Harsh Noise/War Metal

Country: 

Label: Prosthetic Records

Preview Track:

With So Much For The Tolerant Left, Neckbeard Deathcamp return with a second full length helping of what they do best; piss off Nazis and play some loud, proud, and unapologetic black metal. Surprisingly, deep analysis of their music does little good for anyone. By their own admission via the description on their bandcamp page, the album was "RECORDED WITH THE SAME CONTEMPT FOR CLEAN PRODUCTION AND MUSIC THEORY" as their previous record. Yes, it really was in all caps. That's just kind of their thing. 

What can be said of the actual music is short and sweet. Neckbeard Deathcamp play a vicious, frenzied variant of war metal pissed on by harsh noise and guitar feedback. Aside from "HORSESHOE THEORY" which is a ten minute exercise in droning noise, every song here is a 3-4 minute banger or an interlude with some dumbass quote from an alt-right dude. The songs are graced with satirical takes on the alt-right for titles, such as "POZERFAUST DIVISION" or "CONSERVATIVE CRYBULLYING". That's all that really needs said. They make it clear which side of the fence they're on and people that don't like it tend to fall on the other side. The message is clear; make no apologies and have no mercy.

T O L E R A N C E

With The End In Mind - Unraveling; Arising (2016)

Artist: With The End In Mind
Album: Unraveling; Arising

Genre: Atmospheric/Cascadian Black Metal 

Country: United States

Label: U N S I G N E D 

Preview Track: 

The season for Cascadian black metal has come and gone. It feels like only yesterday the movement was still green -from 2009 to 2012, you couldn't escape Cascadia's looming shadow - but in recent years, its popularity has silently withered away. It's certainly not for lack of quality material; last year Alda released Passage, their finest fusion of folk and black metal yet, while on …And the Lamps Expire Addaura further harvested the forestral landscape they cultivated on prior albums. As with most things in this age of the internet though, the focus of black metal fans has simply shifted elsewhere. However, in 2010, when With the End in Mind formed, a seed was planted, first sprouting with their 2013 effort Thresholder, and finally coming to bloom with this year's Unraveling: Arising. There may be hope for Cascadia yet. 

Unraveling: Arising is the catharsis of sole member Alexander Roland Freilich. It carries the vibe of an album forged through trial. It's summed up perfectly in opening track "Sing The Sky", where Freilich desperately caterwauls "O’ to be scoured clean/Sings the Sky in falling stars/Roaring, whipping, saying: “Cast off those tattered rags, and emerge anew”. Musically, the song reflects that rebirth. It starts out cold and emotionless, brimming with icy black metal conviction. Transitioning into a folksy, Addaura-like segue, it pensively builds to its climax, a surge of transcendental leads that ply the middle plane between Deafheaven-esque post-black metal and the naturalistic wonder of the Cascadian scene. It's a striking transformation that leave its mark. Therein lies the album's greatest strength; its ability to simultaneously embody the heart-wrenching frenzy of blackgaze and the stoic beauty of the wild. 

There's a very spiritual element to Unraveling: Arising. It sounds like a record composed around the campfire, inspired by a starry night and the reflection of flame against the trees. Many Cascadian black metal albums feel similarly, but few have ever felt quite as genuine. The title track is the best example of this. A purely ambient piece, the song features a bass-y drone, hurried acoustic strums and ritualistic chants that swirl into the sky like ashes from a blaze. The primitivism makes it feel like it was created from instinct alone, an aural manifestation of man possessed by nature. 

Alexander may be the only "official" member, but what With the End in Mind accomplished here wouldn't have been possible without a few contributions from others, which are best seen on the closing song, "Wheeling, Endlessly Wheeling". Caitlin Fate's ethereal vocals create an excellent counterpoint to Freilich's scarring rasps. Her Bjorkian croon is haunting, mesmerizing, and memorable. Drummer Pierson Roe is fantastic throughout the record, but on this track his performance is stellar. His ability to transition from a crusty punk blitz to tribal battering is essential in the album's level of immersion. The album was created from Freilich's vision, but without these other key players, he never would have been able to see it through. 

Unraveling: Arising is a gorgeous record, that modern black metal fans would be insane not to clamor for. It's both stargazing and shoegazing. It perfectly captures the idea of tumultuous introspection and reinvigorating epiphany through our connection to this earth. Nature is magical. It's ancient but revitalizing. It will always be a source of inspiration, and this record is reminder of not only that, but the woodsy charm that made us fall in love with the Cascadian scene in the first place. Like nature, we have tendency to forget its importance and impact; but thanks to With the End In Mind hopefully Olympia will come to blossom again

W H E E L I N G,   E N D L E S S L Y  W H E E L I N G

Axis of Advance - Strike (2001)

Artist: Axis of Advance

Album: Strike

Genre: Blackened Death Metal/War Metal

Country: Canada

Label: Deathrune Records

Preview Track:

Axis of Advance is a descendant of Canadian war metal royalty. Including members of Ross Bay Cult legends Conqueror and Revenge, in 1998 Axis of Advance rose from the ashes of seminal blackened death metal act Sacramentary Abolishment, who fractured after the departure of drummer/vocalist Paulus Kressman (who then went on to form the equally as impressive Rites of Thy Degringolade). The two remaining members, Vermin and Wor were then joined by legendary drummer James Read, a veritable deity in the underground metal scene, to create Axis of Advance. Strike is one of my favorite war metal albums of all time, one that is somehow exactly and nothing like you'd expect all at once.

S T R I K E

Tyrannus - The Warden (2017)

Artist: Tyrannus
Album: The Warden

Genre: Dungeon Synth/Dungeon Noise
Country: United States 

Label: Pagoda Mast

Preview Track:

The Warden was an album I discovered the very first night I decided to start exploring dungeon synth. I experienced a plethora of different sights and sounds for the first time that evening - the whimsy of Fief, the choking darkness of Old Tower, and more - but nothing shook me more than my first listen to The Warden. Reinforcing the usual sonic fare of dungeon synth, The Warden props up its harmonic resonance with beams of noise and calamity; though melodic each track lives in a realm of static, swallowed by an everlasting void of noise. It was a dichotomy I wasn't prepared for initially, yet it ended up causing The Warden to stick with me much longer that most of my other discoveries from that time. It is the perfect soundtrack to a snowy night, and as the weather continues to get warmer, it will definitely be a record I spin throughout the summer to keep myself cool. 

A R R I V A L O F G L O R Y

Enon Chapel - Enon Chapel (2019)

Artist: Enon Chapel

Album: Enon Chapel

Genre: Black Metal / Thrash Metal

Country: United States

Label: Acephale Winter Productions

Preview Track: 

Despite most of black metal's practitioners desire to remain independent and enigmatic, Enon Chapel shy away from such pretension, and as a result prove to be one of the more interesting collaborations I've seen during my time as a fan of the genre. Consisting of Meghan Wood (Crown of Asteria, Great Cold Emptiness, etc) and Balan (Botanist, Palace of Worms, etc...) Enon Chapel is a band that delivers a fierce brand of black metal while somewhat subverting expectations of the genre. Influenced by a plethora of different sources - everything from Victorian-era England, to the insidious French Les Legions Noires, to more modern entities like The Black Twilight Circle- Enon Chapel feels like culmination of the genre's long and worn history. Though it may usurp bits of character from the annals of black metal history, their conglomeration of  influences feels fresh and untapped; like their main projects Balan and Meghan continue to compose black metal on their own terms, and unsurprising of two visionaries, the result is of a class of its own. 

S E A N C E  

Murg - Strävan (2019)

Artist: Murg

Album: Strävan

Genre: Atmospheric/melodic black metal

Country: Sweden

Label: Nordvis Produktion

Preview Track

What has impressed me most about Swedish duo Murg's third LP, Strävan, is the delicate balancing act between raw, rough and true black metal and majestic, melodic atmo black that they've found here. There's a clash of worlds here in more than just the music to be sure. You glance at the grey and black album art and murmur the name that would probably fit the mouths of orcs better than humans. But then you eye the relatively clean looking font for that guttural sounding band name and notice that the art seems like something an art student (who happens to be a metalhead) might create. Opening cut "Ur Myren" approaches you unexpectedly. A washy, reverb-drenched guitar passage that could've been taken from one of Alcest's more grimly designed tracks eventually shifts into crashing waves of distorted guitars and pounding drums, but the melody remains inherent. Therein lies the key.

It seems that to Murg violence and beauty are two sides of the same coin. If the framework on the song is a powerful melody, then something must be violated. If the aggression is front and center, then a melody will creep in to making the end product grandiose rather than bullish. The vocal performance is one of the few aspects that holds its ground tonally, the harsh, powerful screams being pushed up just enough in the mix that no matter what is happening in the music beneath, there is still that ferocity on top. The production, while pretty clear by the genre's standards, is equipped with just enough feedback and crackling distortion dancing at the edges of the songs that it never feels ill-fitting. The drums kick and pound with the right amount of urgency that even the more blackgaze-y passages feel energetic. While songs like "Korpen" carry an old school edge, there are also moments like the intro to "Altaret", which is melodically akin to something you might find on an InVogue records band circa 2013 or 2014, albeit filtered through black metal. I suppose the way to summarize Strävan in the end is that beneath an unassuming veil lies a record with a rare sense for blending the old with the new, making Murg a name to keep a very close eye on in future.

S T R A V A N

Rusted Shut - Rehab (2005)

Artist: Rusted Shut

Album: Rehab

Genre: Noise Rock

Country: United States

Label: Emperor Jones Records

The Texan psychopaths in Rusted Shut very obviously have taken a few notes out of the page of bands like Brainbombs and Flipper, but Rehab is much more than a simple homage to the noise rock of yore. Rehab is one of the most frightening, punishing, grimy, rotten, and bastardized cuts of "rock" to ever be served. The sludgy, corrupted bass-tone basks in the proverbial black smoke of distortion, whereas the guitars make a noise akin to rocks and shards of glass banging against rusty sheets of metal. Everything hits like a ton of bricks, making for an emotionally exhausting listen, but one that has its fair share of Dystopia-or-Harvey Milk-like catharsis. Screams of death, chugging riffs, a incredibly depressing atmosphere - this is one of those records that perfectly emulates pain in a way that few are able to. Bridging the worlds of heart-smashing harsh noise and utterly repulsive sludge rock, Rehab is an unstoppable force of suffering and sin. Listen at your own discretion.

D E A T H W I S H

YER SCENE VOL. 18 OUT NOW!

Yer Scene Volume 18 is out now! I've been a part of this zine for about 9 months now, and there has not been an issue that somehow didn't improve over the last. From the quality of the articles to the fantastic art and photography, each month brings something truly special. This month's issue is particularly great and contains:

- Two year-in-progress lists ft. Sinmara, for your health, Shin Guard, etc...
- Interviews with the founder of Dasein Records and math-rock troupe Wood

- Album reviews for Twilight Fauna, artemis, and spit-take

- A retrospective piece on Scott Hutchison (RIP) of Frightened Rabbit

- AND MORE!!!!

Y E R  S C E N E  V O L . 1 8 

Imperialist - Cipher (2018)

Artist: Imperialist

Album: Cipher

Genre: Melodic Black Metal

Country: United States

Label: Transcending Obscurity Records

Preview Track:

Imperialist is a relatively new melodic black metal band from the frosted wastelands of....Monrovia, California? Who would’ve thought that some of the coldest black metal could come from such a warm and happy place like California? Bands like Ash Borer, Fell Voices and now Imperialist have come from Cali and have put out some cold and miserable sounding black metal music.

I’m not comparing this band to Ash Borer or Fell Voices in any way to be clear. Imperialist is way more melodic, riff heavy and upbeat than said bands. Their lyrical themes focus on time and space similar to a band like Mare Cognitum or Midnight Odyssey. Their debut album Cipher focuses mainly on fast and ferocious melodic riffs and blast beats from the black abyss that is outer space. The vocals here are pretty much the norm for black metal ala shrieks from a demon.

Cipher won’t blow you away with originality by any means. If you’re a black metal fan then chances are you’ve heard this album dozens and dozens of times before. But if you like your black metal fast, with melody and full of riffs then you will find something you can enjoy in Imperialist’s debut album. The best is yet to come from these Californians and I’m all ears.

T H E S I N G U L A R I T Y

Laetitia in Holocaust - Fauci Tra Fauci (2019)

Artist: Laetitia in Holocaust

Album: Fauci Tra Fauci

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Italy

Label: Third I Rex

Preview Track

At first glance, Laetitia in Holocaust are a pretty conventional black metal band. In truth, they're not that unconventional on the third or fourth listen either, but they do find a way to stand out from the pack via the haze of mysticism that audibly hangs over the mix. The framework is normal, blast beats and scything tremolo picked guitars galore, but the harmonic balance between melody and just a bit of dissonance keeps things interesting. Fauci Tra Fauci opts out of raw production and jagged, extreme motifs in favor of smooth, slightly foggy production and sweeping instrumental movements. It may not be a direct classical influence, but there's a feeling of classical flare in the grandiose shifts within these songs. As a result it goes down very easily despite the coarse nature of the genre and the wonky bass fills that seem to appear in every track. Unlike a lot of their contemporaries, Laetitia in Holocaust have definitely taken a few classes on their instruments and it shows, making Fauci Tra Fauci a memorable record without necessarily stepping headlong away from the pack.

F A U C I T R A F A U C I

Illyria - The Carpathian Summit (2019)

Artist: Illyria

Album: The Carpathian Summit

Genre: Post-Black Metal/Screamo

Country: Australia

Label: U N S I G N E D 

Preview Track:

Post-black metal is a genre that has been absolutely on fire in 2019. Bands like Remete, Together to the Stars, Numenorean and numerous others have released instant classics in a genre that is normally hit or miss. But one band has stood out among the pack so far this year and that band is Australia’s Illyria.

Prior to about a month ago I’ve never heard of this particular band but they hit me like a ton of bricks. The dreamy atmosphere of The Carpathian Summit is absolutely magical to say the least. Illyria mixes in traces of post-hardcore and 90’s style screamo with their punishing brand of black metal and it works to perfection. Cries of pain mixed with clean vocals over the reverb of the trems makes for such an engaging atmosphere that makes this album is almost impossible to put down.

When you think of black metal you think of Satan and destruction but Illyria makes the genre sound almost happy at times and they execute at such a high level. The Carpathain Summit is about an hour in length but is never grating on the listener or boring at any point. If you like a hazy, almost dream pop like atmosphere then Illyria is just what you need.

T H E C A R P A T H I A N S U M M I T

Måneskygge - Untitled (2018)

Artist: Måneskygge 

Album: Untitled [Demo]

Genre: Raw/Atmospheric Black Metal 

Country: United States
Label: U N S I G N E D

Preview Track:

Even for a black metal, a genre that thrives when cloaked in an air of mystery, it is usually possible to unearth the details behind obscure artists/bands when you buckle down and commit yourself to hours of mining the internet, even if it is just for mere pebbles. Besides discovering the entity behind Måneskygge is also responsible for the ambient/dungeon synth endeavor Bergtatt and that they reside in "The Beaver State" aka Oregon, there is N O T H I N G more to be found about this enigmatic black metal project; N O T  O N E  I O T A. And honestly? It kind of makes their music all the more irresistible.

Måneskygge's introductory demo feels like the work of a lonesome and wizened winter apparition. For those who can read between lines of this untitled effort's grainy production, they are rewarded with exquisite shards of frostbitten black metal, an aural conjuring of glacial beauty that can only be achieved through reflective isolation. I will repeat this line ad nauseam - winter black metal, for the most part, is BORING - however, there are  few acts that manage to buck the trend, which Måneskygge skillfully does. Worth listen for fans of raw and uncompromising black metal. 

                                               U N T I T L E D

Transient + Bastard Noise - Sources of Human Satisfaction (2018)

Artist: Transient and Bastard Noise

Album: Sources of Human Satisfaction

Genre: Grind/Powerviolence/Harsh Noise

Country: United States

Label: Six Weeks Records

Preview Track:

Sources of Human Satisfaction is an utterly blistering approach to melding the powers of grindcore and harsh noise. From the first mechanical screech to the cataclysmic end of "Bloodline," Transient and Bastard Noise (you may know the latter as Man Is The Bastard) come together to form a beautifully decrepit marriage of harsh feedback and face melting riffs. "Night Ass," "Mandala," and "Leeches" show this in full force, with pummeling song compositions and performances that hit the ear drums like a brick hits glass. The noise that complements the speeding grind are sound like robotic screams of agony. Everything here screams of passion and intensity: the shrill shrieks of the vocalist, the roaring guitar, the body-battering percussion. Auditory violence is the name of the game and these two powerhouses are in it until the bloodied end. It's wild how so much aggression can be bottled into such a short record, but here it is. Transient and Bastard Noise are like two freight trains on the same track and Sources of Human Satisfaction is the resulting collision. 

E E E E E E E E E !

Enbilulugugal - PRAISE THE FUKKEN LARD (2015)

Artist: Enbilulugugal

Album: PRAISE THE FUKKEN LARD

Genre: Black Metal/Noise/Parody

Country: United States

Label: U N S I G N E D

Preview Track:

Enbilulugugal is the perfect anti-thesis for the seriousness of most black metal. In the least humorous and most try-hard of genres (I say this as a fan), we have a group dedicated to only a few things - lard, obesity, and their lord above all else, Curlyton. They can barely play their instruments, they write with the crudeness of Nunslaughter and the coherency of Captain Beefheart, they sample episodes of Futurama and corny stand-up bits, and they do it all with the cacophony and exuberance of groups like Ahulabrum and Havohej. Songs like "Bovine Sized Sloppy Jose Value Meal Track as Requested by Our Lard Curlyton" show that they've found their stride in being a particularly explosive novelty group. To call Enbilulugugal genius would be an exaggeration, but to call them mindless would rob them of their unique brand of artery-clogging wit. Enbilulugugal is a remarkably refreshing project in a sea of noisy black metal that refuses to have any fun. Because of this, these overweight clowns are exactly what a scene this deathly serious needs - a reminder that a lard-caked sense of humor never killed anybody. 

H A I L C U R L Y T O N !

SQRM - Rodeo (2010)

Artist: SQRM 

Album: Rodeo

Genre: Noise Rock / Hardcore

Country: United States

Label: Youth Attack!

Preview Track:

SQRM have always confounded me. Even to this day - 9 years after the release of their last album - I was never able to place whether they were cerebral hardcore deconstructionists or noisy hardcore savages.  I've always preferred to believe the former; that their cover, a miserable clown, was some kind of cynical commentary on the state of happy-go-lucky hardcore. Or perhaps it's just a teaser of the misery in store for all those who listen? I guess I'll never REALLY know if SQRM is as subversive as I want them to be, but what I can tell you is Rodeo, their sophomore and final effort, is one of the most disgusting, sludgy, and filthy slabs of hardcore I've ever heard. Oscillating between noisy half-tempo dirges and near powerviolence bouts of aggression, SQRM's schizophrenic assault corrodes your mind until you feel as insane as the music portrays itself to be. In the middle of the bedlam stands front man Tony P., feverishly yelling lines of lunacy like "I'M A FUCKING FREAK, SPIT ON ME", further cementing the band's commitment to their uber-negative, self-deprecating style of hardcore. For me, Rodeo still feels like a fresh if not absolutely vile take on the genre, with SQRM feeding you a palate cleanser of dirt and Clozapine while they convulse in the corner. 

F U C K T O S U R V I V E

Cosmic Putrefaction - At the Threshold of the Greatest Chasm (2019)

Artist: Cosmic Putrefaction

Album: At the Threshold of the Greatest Chasm

Genre: Death Metal

Country: Italy/Australia

Label: I,Voidhanger Records

Preview Track:

Cosmic Putrefaction is one of several solo projects of Italian multi-instrumentalist G.G., and though I have yet to hear those other works, Cosmic Putrefaction is good enough to the point where I think I'll need to investigate this backlog. What initially jolted my interest was the fact that Brendan Sloan of Convulsing -easily one of my favorite contemporary extreme metal acts- was providing the majority of the vocals for this album; however what keeps me coming back is the entire package. It's an album that certainly lives up to its name, exuding a certain celestial quality from it's off-kilter onslaught. In a lot of ways it reminds of me a modernized version of Blessed Are The Sick-era Morbid Angel, with a very Azagthothian feel to how G.G. pairs stuttered, thrashy riffage together with more conventional death metal fare. Brendan unsurprisingly delivers a performance on par with the work in his own band, with his guttural lows feral but also wielding a good deal of emotion. Overall this album is a successful experiment, one that I hope comes together again to give us more excellent death metal. 

T H E U N H E A R D S H R I E K S

U N H O L Y T R I N I T Y M E G A P O S T

There are quite a few releases I am looking forward still in 2019, but none of them eclipse my excitement for the return of a certain triumvirate of bands. Connected not only through their intertwining lineage, but a thread of sonic filth, these acts have established themselves as some of the best death metal to come from the US in the last decade, and surely their upcoming efforts will only further their standing in death metal's putrid canon.

Prosanctus Inferi - Pulpit Sycophants (2019)

Artist: Prosanctus Inferi

Album: Pulpit Sycophants

Genre: Blackened Death Metal / War Metal 

Country: United States

Label: Nuclear War Now! Productions

If you read my previous post regarding Prosanctus Inferi, you'll know that they are a band I hold in very high regards. After a six-year silence, I was worried they had died an innocuous death, but luckily I was wrong; they are alive, kicking, and gearing up for the release of a new album entitled Hypnotic Blood Art (release date TBA). It would seem Pulpit Sycophants a demo that has so far only been released via Youtube, consists of rough versions of this upcoming full-length. Despite their being incomplete, the material on Pulpit Sycophants is impressive nonetheless, and seems to hint at the band returning to the bestial and crude blackened death metal they wielded on their earlier releases like Pandemonic Ululations of Vesperic Palpitation. Despite my love for their last record Noctambulous Jaws Within Sempiternal Night and its more pronounced death metal influence, I am still very much looking forward to what's coming next. 

C O M M O N  T H R E A D: Vocalist/guitarists Jake Kohn served as the bassist for Father Befouled from 2009 to 2012, appearing on two full-lengths and one split. Oh, and speaking of Father Befouled....

Father Befouled - Holy Rotten Blood [EP] (2019)

Artist: Father Befouled

Album: Holy Rotten Blood [EP]

Genre: Death Metal

Country: United States

Label: Dark Descent Records

Preview Track: 

When I first discovered Father Befouled, they were EASILY my least favorite of the three bands included in today's post; don't misunderstand, I still thought they were a fantastic band, but they didn't quite hit me like the other two projects. This internal ranking was shaken with the release of their last album, the excellent Desolate Gods. Like their previous entries, Father Befouled still promulgated a particularly doom-y and Incantation-esque version of death metal, however UNLIKE the albums that proceeded it, there were these insanely brief moments of melody that shone through the dirt and grime. Whilst melody in death metal isn't exactly groundbreaking anymore, it is rare that a band as dirty and cacophonous as Father Befouled to feature anything of the sort, and the result truly elevated the piece above not only their prior efforts, but many of their peers (**cough Incantation included cough **). With their upcoming EP Holy Rotten Blood, it is unclear if they will further indulge in this progression, but the slight chance of it alone is enough to be excited.

C O M M O N  T H R E A D: Father Befouled's current frontman/guitarist Justin Stubbs is also the frontman of Encoffination, two-piece he shares with ex-Father Befouled drummer and multi-band extraordinaire Elektrokutioner. Which actually reminds me...

Encoffination - We Proclaim Your Death O' Lord (2019)

Artist: Encoffination

Album: We Proclaim Your Death O' Lord

Genre: Funeral Doom/Death Metal

Country: United States

Label: Selfmadegod Records

Preview Track: 

Encoffination are the slowest band I've ever heard in my fucking life. At first listen, they ALMOST seem like a parody of funeral doom. However, the further you delve into the bottomless pit of their music it becomes clear they are very serious about what they do. Imagine taking a single riff from Incantation (yes, they are a relevant comparison here too), stretching it out to ten minutes long, and adding a choir of unsettling atmsopherics not limited to but including the imposing ring of old, cracked bells and the inherently terrifying church organ. Utilizing these paragons of what should be light and then twisting their visage into something dark and wretched only makes their delivery more horrible and impacting, the exact effect Encoffination aim to achieve. We Proclaim Your Death O' Lord only promises to further instill fear in the religious and enthrall the blaspheming. 

C O M M O N  T H R E A D: If you've been paying attention, you get it by now. 

An Isolated Mind - I'm Losing Myself (2019)

Artist: An Isolated Mind

Album: I'm Losing Myself

Genre: Atmospheric Death Metal

Country: United States

Label: U N S I G N E D 

Atmospheric death metal has always felt like one of those more head cannon-y sub-genres. It's without clear-cut parameters to truly define what it is, and for that reason you have everything from Australian instrument-torturers Portal to Finnish filth-lords Desolate Shrine -two very different sounding projects- performing what could in essence be called atmospheric death metal. It's one of those "you know it when you hear it" types, where the finer details don't matter as much as the finished product.  

The reason I bring all of this up, is another project, the incomparably weird An Isolated Mind, seem to fall within this vague and nebulous extreme metal genre. Exuding a stifling sense of psychedelia and featuring a range of oddities - everything from jazzy saxophone interludes to moments of ambient claustrophobia - I'm Losing Myself does its name justice with its variation without ever becoming too overbearing or experimental for its own good. The balance struck between straightforward and atmospheric, dissonant and melody is incredibly well-executed, offering a multi-faceted approach that begs repeated listens. This is very fucking good, and highly recommended for fans of Cynic, Gorguts, Portal, and anything in-between. 

W E A R E F R A G I L E V I B R A T I O N S

Prosanctus Inferi - Noctambulous Jaws Within Sempiternal Night (2013)

Artist: Prostanctus Inferi
Album: Noctambulous Jaws Within Sempiternal Night

Genre: Blackened Death Metal / War Metal
Country: United States
Label: Nuclear War Now! Productions

Since its release in 2013, Prosanctus Inferi's diabolical sophomore effort Noctambulous Jaws Within Sempiternal Night has been a favorite of mine, but thanks to their  recent announcement of an upcoming third album, Hypnotic Blood Art (release date TBA), I've dug back into Noctambulous... in a way that I haven't in a long time. I still find it the ultimate culmination of black and death metal; Jake Kohn's spits bile with every blasphemous word, his delivery reminiscent of the vaunted Peter Helmkamp in its guttural rasp. Musically, Noctambulous... is easily the group's most muscular and death metal-oriented outing to date, however it still oozes a charred and blackened atmosphere. In many ways, it's very similar to early Morbid Angel, rife with Azagthothian off-kilteredness and an underlying sense of esoterica. When it comes to war metal that isn't completely Blasphemy inspired, Prosanctus Inferi's Noctambulous Jaws Within Sempiternal Night is the best you're going to get. 

M A T E R N A L T O N G U E O F S E M P I T E R N A L E V I L

L'Acéphale - L'Acéphale (2019)

Artist: L'Acéphale

Album: L'Acéphale

Genre: Atmsopheric/"Cascadian" Black Metal

Country: United States
Label: Eisenwald

L'Acephale predated the Cascadian black metal boom by a few years, but was undoubtedly one of that movement's greatest inspirations. Now, about a ten years after Cascadia's nature-inspired black metal influence had started to decay, these innovators have returned with their most ambitious album yet. Though their "Cascadian" essence remains, L'Acephale, like always, has proven to be so much more; elements of dark folk run rampant throughout the band's self-titled effort, restraining a portion of the blackened fury present. This in of itself isn't **too** peculiar, but when supplemented by an eerie almost-martial atmosphere, L'Acephale feels more imposing than most other albums of its ilk. Cascadia may be dead, but its ghost remains.

W I N T E R N A C H T

Remete - Into Endless Night (2019)

Artist: Remete

Album: Into Endless Night

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal

Country: Australia

Label: Cold Ways

Remete continues to be one of the only worthwhile cold and blizzardous black metal band worth investing in. This album rages with the tempest of only the fiercest winter storm yet the underlying ambience remains surprisingly soothing. It's a beautiful album and at this point D has cemented himself as a one-man wunderkind on par with Austin Lunn, M. Rekevics, and any other black metal visionary that's debuted in the last decade.

I N T O E N D L E S S N I G H T

W E L C O M E

I AM BACK. After a seemingly eternal time away from (and forgetting) all about blogspot (and one of the venues I got my start as an online reviewer / wannabe connoisseur of all things dark, dingy, and metallic) a short trip down nostalgia lane convinced me to dust off my username and start anew. If you're familiar at all with my previous blogs (which I wouldn't expect anyone to be, at least not at this point) you'll recognize that T R V E  K V L T V R E will fall along some similar lines while attempting branch out into something new. If the name itself wasn't a dead giveaway, yes, this blog will mainly focus on metal of the black, death, and general underground variety. However, now being at the ancient (or at least it feels that way) age of 28, it's only natural that my tastes have branched out since last time I posted. So, despite any visual aesthetic choices (right now my template is blank, but I assure you it will be some black and gray variation soon enough) and the name, this will be a blog featuring a myriad of different genres and styles of music.

For any internet denizen who as continued to use blogspot, even as other mediums of music discovery have become available, it goes without saying that this platform has declined significantly since its golden age in the early 2010's. Because of this reduced importance, I am unsure at the moment if I will remain the sole contributor, or add any fellow writers. Of course, the goal would be to make this an oasis of varying opinions and thoughts brought you by a diverse cast of authors, but that will depend entirely on how I feel, and how well-received the first few weeks (months?) of the blog running are.

As anyone who sees this will soon find out, I am currently an editor/writer for the online zine YER SCENE, which is a passion project with DIY ethos fueled by some of the most talented writers/artists/photographers I've ever had the privilege to work with. In fact, I have a feeling many of posts, and the general feel of this blog will be greatly influenced by my time at YER SCENE, and I feel that influence will make it something special within the current blogsphere. As much as T R V E  K V L T V R E will be a very personal venture, I will also use it as a vehicle to promote YER SCENE when I can.

Last but not least, while former blogs have run off of pirated links to albums I've either found or made myself, T R V E K V L T V R E will not operate as such. Most posts will be linked to a corresponding Bandcamp page, or artist-sanctioned space where the music in said post can be sampled and purchased. We, as fans, are responsible for keeping our favorites in business, and now thanks to the power of the internet and being able to more directly support bands/artists/creators in lieu of larger labels or corporate thugs, there is no excuse to not pay to and ensure the music we covet and its creators have some kind of financial stability/compensation that will ultimately benefit us all.