Thou - The Archer & The Owle (2011)

EP, Robotic Empire
May 22nd, 2011

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: USA

While I was sitting around between reading breaks I was thinking back on past live shows (having just seen Russian Circles for a second time which was fantastic), and I kept coming back to the Thou with Wolves in the Throne Room/Gates/Thantifaxath show a few months back. All the bands that played that night were great but I can easily say that seeing Thou for the 30 minutes they were on stage was one of the most intense and heavy live shows I've experienced. Being so ridiculously close to the band while they were performing on a half-pipe I was nearly smashed between the bassist and guitarist during the entire earth-shaking set, swaying and entranced by the tremendous doom they conjured up right through to a wonderful Black Sabbath cover that finished it off. Thou absolutely surpassed my expectations. Then I realized I have never posted one of their albums here which disturbed me a little.

Thou are undeniably a very hard working band. They've consistently put out at least four or five releases every year since 2007 (sometimes posting their stuff for free) and all of them are quality. "The Archer & The Owle" is one of three releases this year — a punishing and crawling sludge beast as all their records are. It contains three excellent covers ("Nirvana - Something in the Way", "Pygmy Lush - Cold World" and "There There"), two 10 minute mammoth originals (one that appears on Summit as a bonus track) and one short interlude with a trumpet (again from Summit);  all of which emanate a cold and agonizing atmosphere alongside the relentlessly heavy growls of the guitars/bass and hoarse, shrieking vocals in true Thou fashion.

Nothing can compare to their live performance in all honesty but this is quite a record and I highly recommend you check it out if you haven't already (and if you can find a copy, grab one).

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Sanguis Imperem - In Glory We March Towards Our Doom (2011)

Full Length, Hell's Headbanger Records
November 4th, 2011

Genre: Death Metal
Region: USA

Another tower of death metal I was anticipating greatly. Sanguis Imperem are a USA old school death metal machine with a similar vibe of Necros Christos or Sonne Adam, and this is their first full length after a few EPs and a split with Nocturnal Blood.

Opening with a foreboding acoustic intro, "In Glory We March Towards Our Doom" is nine tracks of quality death and the sound definitely fits the title. The sound of a massive army trampling the earth towards certain death without regard for anything in its path. Nothing but relentless waves of tremolo leads that spill into occasional slow/bendy riffs, coupled with abominable growls and screams, and war-like drumming marching you to a dark, endless pit of tangled corpses. Nothing flashy, very dirty and powerful.

Their style is familiar no doubt but they pull it off so well. Pick it up now at Hells Headbanger Records. You won't regret it.

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Zelfhaat - Van Jammerklacht En Wanhoopsgeshrij (2011)

Genre: Depressive Black Metal
Country: Netherlands
Label: Rotting Grave Distribution

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Ritual Necromancy - Oath of the Abyss (2011)

Full Length, Dark Descent Records
November 15th, 2011

Genre: Death Metal
Region: USA

Admittedly I do try not to post stuff that my fellow bloggers have posted the same day usually but I will and have certainly make exceptions. This is really good — another win for Dark Descent Records.

Like the wicked child of Vorum, Incantation, and Antediluvian, Ritual Necromancy's "Oath of the Abyss" rips through the darkness with a muddy chainsaw guitar/bass tone from the former (or Denial) and oppressive, frighteningly deep and formless vocals of the latter. Lots of dark, creeping and doomy mid-paced tremolo riffs with chunky chords interspersed throughout the record over the annihilating, merciless drums. Oath of the Abyss provides nothing but satisfying, unstoppable old school tomb-defiling death metal.

Those who like the above mentioned bands or Vasaeleth, Funebrarum, Ignivomous, etc. better check this out. Get a copy over at Dark Descent.

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ID:VISION - Destination Cybermind (2011)

Extreme Industrial

Belarus

320 kb/s

I found these guys awhile back and listened to their first album, Plazmadkaos which I thought was neat, albeit a bit boring. If you're expecting another The Amenta, you're mistaken. This band doesn't really take noise music elements, but instead they use lots of techno sounds, lots of beep boops, zeep woops. Let's not say this album isn't extreme, it's actually pretty intense. They even throw in that industrial clean vocal yelling thing that bands do, if you know what I'm talking about and that's along side guttural squeals and growls. This might not be a lot of people's cup of tea, and people might think it's a bit cheesy and over produced...

But I like it...

I like it a lot.

Also, help me figure out the genre. Because I have no idea what they are other than industrial.

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Seven Sisters of Sleep / Children of God - Split (2011)

Split, A389 Recordings
2011

Genre: Sludge/Hardcore
Region: USA

Oh yeah. More Seven Sisters of Sleep is always welcome and like Young and In The Way these guys are always busy. Here's the latest offering in the form of a split with Children of God.

Six tracks, three from each band. It's angry and abrasive. The Seven Sisters of Sleep side is more sludge oriented while the Children of God side resembles more traditional hardcore but there are elements of sludge mixed in there enough to see why these two beasts would come together for a split (particularly on Bled Dry, very doomy). I haven't heard of them until this was announced but it would seem they should be getting more attention.

It slays. Need I say more? No. Listen to it streaming here and definitely get a copy on vinyl over here as well.

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Time To Burn - Is.Land (2007)

Full Length, Basement Apes
November 1st, 2007

Genre: Atmospheric Sludge
Region: France

This is a well deserved re-post and admittedly I did not do it justice. Time To Burn recently announced that they are dead/on hiatus and this prompted me to spread this wonderful band around again. They have generously put up all of their material for free on their bandcamp page.

They are a brilliant and unique french atmospheric sludge/post-hardcore band who put out one demo, one EP and two full lengths. Is.Land is their second and last release — it is so impressive and powerful and there is still not much out there like it in the genre. The energy, atmosphere and passion mirrors that of Amenra or Mare. Check out their video for the second track Nayeli and you'll hear what you've been missing:

Is.Land is filled with quality writing and blends styles in surprising ways. It moves from brutal and fast hardcore riffing and melancholic, crushing sludgy swells and leads while always maintaining atmosphere. The drumming is tight and clear, noticeably adding to the intensity. It's the calamitous and visceral vocals that almost reach that of Colin from Amenra and Tyler of Mare which I find captivating; Eddy's vocals can be harsh as in the above example or soft and clean as shown in the closing track "Land."

I cannot recommend this album and band enough — they are an extremely satisfying listening experience. It's just too bad they shut down. The final message from the band:

"After a few years of slowed down activity, time to burn is now on hiatus.

We couldn’t be more thankful for everyone who helped us. Every gig we played at, every floor we slept on, every band we’ve toured with. we’ve met great people along the way, and they would be too many to name all. thank you."

The old links were low quality but these are 320. If you want to support them you can get this on vinyl or CD right here, and I highly recommend you do.

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Made Out Of Babies - Coward (2006)

Full Length, Neurot Recordings
September 18, 2006

Genre: Sludge/Post-Hardcore
Region: USA

Another band I've been hearing about for a while but neglected to check out, regretfully indeed. This is some sick stuff that straddles the sounds of angular hardcore like Narrows and bizarre doom like Battle of Mice and Neurosis.

What is immediately notable is the vocals of Julie Christmas which are strangely beautiful, piercing and a little disturbing; fitting in excellently amongst the dissonant and devastating guitar leads. I remember disliking her style while she was in Battle of Mice but that has since changed and I guess I just didn't realize she was playing in this band, otherwise I would've been all over this sooner. She keeps it melodic and clean to great effect until suddenly tumbling into a more harsh and creepy style for brief moments. Probably not for everyone.

This (like everything on Neurot) is difficult to place as just hardcore or just sludge so it can be expected that you'll be surprised. And again the sludge moments do remind me of Neurosis and Battle of Mice while the hardcore influence could be compared to Narrows or to a lesser extent Kiss It Goodbye (minus the intense and unbeatable anger) but that's about all I could compare it to — and vaguely at that. Great writing and pacing as well as unique sound. Go to Neurot to get a copy.

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Monkeypriest - The Psalm (2011)

Full Length, Féretro Records
2011

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: Spain

I should be working on a paper but instead I'm listening to this and the new Leviathan album (which I'll get around to posting but you can find it over at our friend Forever Cursed).

What we have here is a plodding band from Spain that takes the sludge from Seven Sisters of Sleep and tears away the hardcore element leaving thick billowing clouds of heaviness in its stead (not unlike Canada's Weirding to some extent). Simple and satisfying all the way through with a few nice surprises. Slow dirty riffs, raspy vocals and steady pounding drums echoing from the bowels of a long-forgotten temple.

Opening with the ominous droning of a monk, The Psalm has seven tracks (including a Cerebral Fix cover) that all hit just under the seven minute mark, ending with a ten minute final track including vocals from Marco of the Spanish doom outfit Orthodox. The cover gives you a good impression of how the album sounds and feels. You can get a copy at their shop right here.

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The Axis of Perdition - Tenements (Of the Anointed Flesh) (2011)

Industrial/Atmospheric Black Metal

England

224 kb/s

The Axis of Perdition has for a long time been one of my favorite black metal bands, ever since I listened to their first LP, The Ichneumon Method (And Less Welcome Techniques). That album and their EP, Physical Illucinations in the Sewer of Xuchibara (The Red God) were extremely chaotic with harsh distorted vocals and with dark ambient whip cream. Their second LP, Deleted Scene from the Transition Hospital drifted towards more dark ambient and less black metal. And Urfe was almost a straight up audio book.

So this album, is kind of a surprising turn backwards. With some new twists. I can't really compare this album their previous works at all except for a few small details. Yes, this is harsh atmospheric scary black metal like The Ichneumon Method but it's as chaotic. You can find better comparisons from the band Blut Aus Nord. At first, I didn't like the idea and almost blew the album off. But I gave it another listen and it grew on me. So you guy's should give it a try and listen for yourselves.

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