Gadget - Remote (2004)

Full Length, Relapse Records
February 16th, 2004

Genre: Grindcore
Region: Sweden

I can't believe I haven't posted this yet, I love this record. Gadget aren't very well known but they put out some top-notch grindcore, carving out a unique sound in an overcrowded genre.

Remote is filled with brilliantly written, furious, occasionally technical riffs and monstrous drumming and vocals, as well as a few brief moments of slower/sludgy tracks that break up the blasting appropriately ( "Failure" and the closer "Tema: Skit" are great examples). I highly recommend this one. Any fan of the genre should definitely give this a try as I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Get a taste at their bandcamp.

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Heresiarch - Obsecrating the Global Holocaust (2011)

Demo, Satanic Skinhead Propaganda
April 4th, 2011

Genre: Death Metal
Region: New Zealand

This demo is full of promise and excellent dirty riffing. Their new EP "Hammer of Intransigence" (which you can pre-order over at Dark Descent Records) is about to be released in the coming weeks, and if it's anything like this we can expect some more top notch killer death metal out of New Zealand.

Three tracks (one Bathory cover) of unrelenting death in the vein of Antediluvian, Vorum, Cruciamentum, Witchrist Vasaeleth, and Diocletian. No wasted space, everything here is geared towards fast-paced, face-crushing efficiency leaving you breathless.  Memorable and promising.

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Nahvalr - Nahvalr (2008)

Full Length, Enemies List Home Recordings
2008

Genre: Noise/Industrial/Black Metal
Region: USA

Don't know about my fellow posters here but I've been a little busy with presentation preparations, papers, readings, and now Battlefield 3 so apologies for the lack of activity. Have another bizarre release from the weirdos at ELHR.

"Nahvalr is Open-Source Black Metal. What does that mean? It means using the internet, using the solitude and separation caused by home recording and digital distribution, to bring together sounds, songs, and lyrics from dozens of artists, each working in complete ignorance of the other.

Collected, edited, and added to by Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga (of Have A Nice Life), Nahvalr evolved from dozens of unconnected sound files into a shrieking whirlwind of noise, blasphemy, distortion, reverb, and evil. Distortion and noise are used as intruments; cacophany gives way to quiet ambience, ambience gives way to black-metal pounding and screaming, screaming gives way to mumbled singing and lo-fi buzz."  - Enemies List Home Recordings.

Not for everyone that's for sure. It's a very dark, ambient, chaotic record filled with strange samples and noise, and while one may get the impression that an album composed the way this one was would be disjointed or unfocused, this record comes together cohesively. If you didn't know better you'd think everyone involved was in the same room when it was created. ELHR described it better than I ever could so have a listen if you like their other projects or just strange shit in general.
 

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Gates - They Hide in the Shadows (2011)

Full Length, Handmade Birds Records
July 19th, 2011

Genre: Drone/Doom/Noise/Ambeint
Region: Canada

"Gates bring a refreshing sound to the dark landscape, documented here in this enormous live performance from The Music Gallery in Toronto, Canada on 11/3/11. Those of us that were not present to bear witness to this epic performance are still experiencing regret. Thankfully, the performance was archived here; a perfect segue into their forthcoming Handmade Birds full length due late 2011." - Handmade Birds / Gates blog

I've seen Gates twice, once a few months back with Wolves in the Throne Room/Thou/Thantifaxath and again this past Saturday. Both times they put on extremely hypnotic, loud and noisy shows that impressed me a lot. As a full group they're fairly new and perform live even without all members present, resulting in some interesting experimentation. They've been described as "spectral doom" and you can get a preview of They Hide in the Shadows here.

It is one long and slow "continuous performance, comprised of live adaptations of the songs from 'Moths Have Eaten the Core'" split into three tracks just over ten minutes each. Despite the fact this record is based in a previous recording the changes are significant and engaging. Each track has the musicians building on each other meticulously to form a wall of suffocating atmosphere through wailing guitars, chaotic swirling noise, roaring vocals, and quaking bass. Creeping and ebbing. It's controlled very well, you can hardly tell it is a live recording, and does not wear on you as some drone can.

Great creeping drone that stands out in the genre. Recommended.

EDIT: Link has been fixed,  first track no longer has a gap at 1:04 in.

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Splitter - Avskräckande Exemplar (2007)

Grindcore

Sweden

A good album by a good band. Heavily inspired by Nasum, and for grindcore this kind of on the melodic side. Which isn't bad, I enjoy it at least.

I also caved, I'm using mediafire now.

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Junius/Rosetta - Split [2011/320]

I actually saw Junius a couple days ago, having only heard their previous album before then, and this split. If you've heard Junius before, you probably wouldn't expect them to be heavy live, but wow. I completely underestimated them, and they easily stole the show for me (Alcest and Enslaved were playing that night too). It's easy to see now why they did a split with Rosetta. Both theirs and Rosetta's songs complement each other very nicely on this album, and though the split is only two songs long they are a great two songs and worth your time to check out if you're a fan of any of these bands.

Artist: Junius/Rosetta

Album: Split

Release Year: 2011

Genre: Indie Rock/Post-Metal/Sludge Metal

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Young and In The Way - V. Eternal Depression (2011)

Full Length, Antithetic Records
November, 2011

Genre: Blackened Hardcore/Crust
Region: USA

"Young and in the Way return with their heaviest and most experimental album yet. This album is devastating. The guitar tone is downright ruthless. The vocals are scathing and brutal. From the opening solemn piano, to the sound of a distant train that brings the album to a close, you will be absolutely pummeled by everything in between. The band has pushed themselves harder than ever before, both as musicians and as song writers, and it is clearly evident here. The music is both heavier and more experimental than any of their previous work. "The Gathering", the nearly 12 minute B side track is nothing like you've ever heard from this band. Every member lends some additional percussion, and there are additional woodwind instruments as well. Again, this is nothing like you've ever heard from Young and in the Way before." - Antithetic Records

I guess I Am Not What I Am was just a taste of where their sound was heading. "V. Eternal Depression" is Young and In The Way's next relase and it just went up for streaming on their bandcamp and preorder today, so have a listen if you want.

V. Eternal Depression takes the blackened part of their crusty hardcore style and cranks it up a shit ton, to great success indeed. There's a greater emphasis on atmosphere and ambiance compared to IANWIA but this is not at the expense of the sludgy blackened hardcore riffs, wicked drumming and raspy vocals that are even more pronounced here.

Of the five new tracks here four keep within the three minute mark while the fifth track spans eleven minutes and for the first half is instrumental, tribal and atmospheric ( sprinklings of piano, strings, acoustic guitar, etc.) with the tail end slowly melting back into their crusty groove slathered in reverb. It ends with sample of a train whistle far off in the distance conjuring up images of early morning fog enveloping a darkened landscape, closing off the album with oppressive atmosphere.

I would suggest getting on top of this now if you enjoyed their previous releases. as it's a big and noticeable step in the evolution of their sound.

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Circle of Ouroborus - Eleven Fingers (2011)

Full Length, Handmade Birds Records
August, 2011

Genre: Black Metal/Experimental/Post-Punk
Region: Finland

Been waiting on this to show up on my doorstep. This of course is the latest release from Finish two piece Circle of Ouroborus who have a tradition of creating murky, low-fi, experimental black metal/post-punk. They're kind of hard to pin down genre-wise and have quite a catalogue of releases which are all equally strange; many of which I haven't had time to get to except for a few full lengths (Tree of Knowledge, Unituli, etc.). Having said that those that I have heard I found that they can be hit or miss for me but Eleven Fingers is different in that regard as I enjoyed everything on this release and felt compelled to spin it again immediately afterward. It may be their best work yet.

If you want a good idea of what you'll get from Eleven Fingers you should check out the track Warpath. It's a difficult release to describe. The seven songs here are draped in a mystical cold haze, their sound has not changed greatly from past releases outside of being very refined here. Eleven Fingers has a very laid back, thick, melodic atmosphere while still being engaging and intense. Vocals (as always) are 90% clean but not in a traditional sense, they have a mournful droning quality complimenting well with the soft guitars and hypnotic drumming. Brief moments of harsher vocals do appear (a few passages at most) and there are no acoustic moments here as in some previous albums. Circle of Ouroborus have always had such a strange and compelling sound and this seems like the best expression of it to date.

Distinctive, entrancing and dreamy. I'm really enjoying Eleven Fingers a ton and would recommend it even if you haven't heard their past work. It really does encompass perfectly Circle of Ouroborus' unique sound while still being accessible to some degree. Fans of Have a Nice Life, Mamaleek, and Murmuure may be interested in this.

UPDATE: Links fixed. Now both CD and Vinyl rips are up! (UPDATED: 21/03/2012)

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Bell Witch - Demo (2011)

Demo, Unknown/Independent
October 3rd,  2011

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: USA

If you enjoyed Atriarch's debut then you will want to check this out. Seattle based two piece Bell Witch put this first demo of theirs up completely free, and it is a creaking tower of crushing doom no doubt. Like Atriarch the vocals move between droning cleans and rasping yells/growls, the drumming is precise and deliberate while the bass is the focal point here; growling, droning and fuzzed out.

The intro track "Behind the Mask" is a particularly haunting, slow melody on bass under a excerpt/sample (don't know the source film "Masque of the Red Death", thank you †HAXAN† from Forever Cursed for the link) that is equally foreboding and gives you a good sense of the direction the rest of the demo is heading. "I Wait" and "Mayknow" make up the core of the album.

"I Wait" hits just over 11 minutes with mostly harsh vocals over huge bass grooves leading to a sick pay off near the end. "Mayknow" is the longer track, starting off very melodic with an operatic/clean passage that then dips into brilliant, sluggish grooves and harsh gowls. Both have an occasional well-placed solo mid-way through adding to the sludgy atmosphere. The demo closes with "The Moment" which (much like the intro) does a great job of sealing it all up with a few melancholic riffs.

Paced well, very heavy, raw, hypnotic, and haunting. Bell Witch's first demo is a colossal slab of quality droning doom and I definitely recommend giving them a listen (especially for fans of Thou, Anhedonist, Aldebaran, Loss, Ensorcelor, A Storm of Light, etc.). You can hear it and download it in full here or below.

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Bestial Raids - Prime Evil Damnation (2011)

Full Length, Nuclear War Now! Prodcutions
October 3rd, 2011

Genre: Black/Death Metal
Region: Poland

Furious black/death metal in the vein of Teitanblood, Vasaeleth, Nuclearhammer, Diocletian,, Katharsis, etc. Prime Evil Damnation has some insane, relentless drumming that compliments the quick/filthy riffs. Straightforward and brutal.

You can listen to it in full on the Nuclear War Now! Productions bancamp page.

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Immolation - Providence (2011)

EP, Scion A/V
October 11th, 2011

Genre: Death Metal
Region: USA

New EP making the rounds for free next week officially but here it is early. They played the first three tracks on this EP the other night and man are they sick. More Immolation is always welcome.

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Morbosidad / Witchrist - Split (2011)

Split, Hells Headbangers Records
September 28th, 2011

Genre: Death Metal
Region: USA / New Zealand

Another new and wicked 7" split, this time between Morbosidad and Witchrist giving up two tracks from each.

Morbosidad's side are quick blasts of thrashy death metal they're known for. Witchrist's side (both titled in arabic I think, don't know the actual titles) is a taste of what their next album "The Grand Tormentor" will sound like — which is more abrasive, dark and ugly blackened death. Enjoy.

EDIT: New links, proper speed.

EDIT: New 320 better rip (update 12/10/2011).

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Cruciamentum / Vasaeleth - Eroding Chaos Unto Ascendant Flesh (2011)

Split, Hells Headbangers Records
September 28th, 2011

Genre: Death Metal
Region: UK/USA

Newest shit from UK's Cruciamentum and USA's Vasaeleth in the form of a 7" split. Two extremely dirty tracks delivering the churning blackened maelstrom of death metal you'd expect — it's just great. Stop reading and start listening.

EDIT 1: Uploaded a better rip of the Cruciamentum side, apparently it was clipped and not proper speed. Apologies.
EDIT 2: New 320 rip (updated 12/10/2011).

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Capricorns - Capricorns (2004)

EP, Rise Above Records
October 24th, 2004

Genre: Sludge
Region: U.K.

While I enjoy their full lengths I come back to this self-titled EP far more often then both of them. I just find the formula here to be better without the more progressive groovy elements of 'River, Bear Your Bones' and 'Ruder Forms Survive'; it leaves more room for simpler but far more crushing riffs, bigger atmosphere, and subtle melodic touches with a stoner tint. The bass is huge, and despite Capricorns' short career after this being instrumental there is good use gruff vocals on the final track that mesh perfectly with the rest of their sound. It's fairly upbeat as well without detracting from how wonderfully heavy everything is.

The whole EP amounts to three very memorable tracks which take a simpler route, creating some perfect sludge. Highly recommended especially for fans of Russian Circles or Men in Search of the Perfect Weapon.

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