Blue Sabbath Black Cheer - The Boundary Between The Living And The Deceased Dissolved (2012)

Full Length, Equation Records
July, 2012

Genre: Noise/Industrial/Death Industrial/Power Electronics
Region: USA

Time to review and share a genre I'm not very familiar with but have an increasing interest in. Take my opinions with a grain of salt even more so here as I have a very small frame of reference for this style. This is a two-in-one review of cult noise sorcerer Blue Sabbath Black Cheer's new material from a live show on a 12" LP and a dedication on a 7" EP. The bundle came with these two as well as a bonus CD of unreleased material (and much more) which I will put up after this post separately sometime soon.

The focus here is primarily on the 12".

My first exposure to Blue Sabbath Black Cheer was actually a late one, that being his split with Victoria, BC's death industrial act Griefer and while both sides of the split are excellent it was BSBC's side that blew me away. Since then I've heard the Endless Blockade and a few others but not in heavy rotation; I suspect this will change.

This LP contains a 20 minute session performed live last Halloween. From the very few noise acts I've seen live it seems that while the recordings are always harrowing and cold, the performance has been something even more powerful if done right. Griefer's set when I saw it summer 2011 was stunning, even more so than his "Brute Force" album (which is marvelous), and much like his BSBC's live sets obviously bring the already oppressive undulating wall of catastrophic noise to another level. This record is evidence of that.

I would imagine it is a little more difficult to bring the atmosphere of such a style performed live and set it to physical form than it is with others, but I'd say it was absolutely done right with this one. You can barely tell it was a live ritual. It's crystal clear, and the atmosphere is thick.

The track is unsettling right from the start with deafening crashes of I would guess is a cymbal or gong with a slow, rising bass hum between the echoes. The slow start will fool you into believing this will be an ambient journey but you'll soon realize it's the complete opposite.

It feels like it was performed in some primeval sunken chamber or dungeon. It's such a slow and eerie build, with what sounds like an approaching storm or avalanche; the faint howling of wind, rumbling and eventually a prolonged moan or roar. There's something I really admire about his style of noise and that is it's literally creepy how the atmosphere expands so gradually, growing so loud at points it's nightmarish.

When vocals do emerge they're absolutely inhuman, you would absolutely believe this was some kind of paranormal or demonic entity. They take over from the halfway point onward and spike in and out, pained and heavily distorted, from the cycling, reverberating cymbals and cataclysmic crackling quakes.

At this point if you haven't shit your pants and passed out you feel like climbing out of your own skin to escape the hellish, harsh onslaught of sonic death. But it just keeps coming, growing more disturbing as horn-like noises shift pitch and drone in intimidating fashion. The sounds of possession collapse onward until they die suddenly, and all that remains is the sudden, startling smashes heard in the opening.

This record is terrifying. A soundtrack to the apocalypse. Best enjoyed in the dark with a good set of headphones. Do not listen if you have a weak heart.

After a taste of the main course, we move now to a short desert in the form of a 7" titled Destruction Dedicated To The Cherry Point which is "inspired and dedicated to The Cherry Point", another harsh noise artist (one I have not heard). It is immediately obvious that this is a far different creature than the LP, presenting a thick, muffled wall of harsh noise that drones for it's entire length, almost never wavering from this pattern. It's simple, direct and very short, and there's not much I can even say about it — I feel far more out of my comfort zone with this than the 12".

Despite the fact I'm far from a noise enthusiast at this point in my listening habits I know when I hear something great, and I can absolutely say that the LP is totally worth checking out and definitely worth buying; especially if you want to to be horrified in the most pleasurable manner possible. It has encouraged me to seek out more of BSBC's work. The EP while much more simple is an added bonus with all the other goodies that come with the full record. If you want this excellent package of merch and sounds you can storm Equation Records (or Aquarius Records) to get a copy. It comes with a bunch of excellent Blue Sabbath Black Cheer swag (all listed on their site).They're limited to 235 copies so act fast.

The Boundary Between The Living And The Deceased Dissolved 12" LP:

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Destruction Dedicated To The Cherry Point 7" EP:

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Northless / Light Bearer - Split (2012)

Split, Halo of Flies
March, 2012

Genre: Sludge/Atmospheric Sludge/Post-Metal
Region: USA / UK

Inresurrection already did a review of Light Bearer's side of this great split not long ago, but now that the full record has been out for a few months and I've had time to run through it I'm gonna review both sides. And it's a great combination of bands for a split I must say.

Northless contributes two big tracks in their inimitable, bone breaking style. Admittedly they're not as impressive as Clandestine Abuse for me but they remain gigantic. "Tears From Crime" is the opener of their side with it's mid-paced lumbering, a pulverizing song that has dropped some of the noticeable dissonance from their full length for the most part. It's still a loud and debilitating boulder of sound from beginning to end in spite of being more straight forward, and slows a notch down in the last quarter of the song with intermittent bouncy strings of notes punctuating the massive powerchords.

Once you hit the next track "For As Long As You Walk The Earth Your Blood Will Reek Of Failure" which is a few minutes longer, the hardcore pacing comes back for the beginning — as does some of their previously mentioned epic scraping angularity once the track slows down. It swings back between ripping hardcore-ish sections and sluggish creeping, writhing marches. Nearing the end after a melodic build the song grinds down slowly bringing the doom right to the front with an evil sheen, and settles into a nice groove.

Light Bearer as most people know emerged from the ashes of the great Fall of Efrafa, and their debut record Lapsus was a great slab of post-metal. Personally I felt that it did not reach the captivating level that any of Fall of Efrafa's records did, and meandered a little more than meeting satisfying climaxes. Their side of this split titled "Celestium Apocrypha: Book of Watchers" though is a huge step up in my opinion, does absolutely everything right and is the highlight of this record. The strength displayed in Fall of Efrafa is back here — I may have to return to Lapsus to see if my opinion has changed.

The 22 minutes drift by with a deeply satisfying atmosphere, and reaches soaring peaks that will put you into a dream-like state. The first half (minus the ominous, noisy intro soundscape) slowly mounts with steady percussion before bursting wide open with excellent, simple lurching and chugging guitar and bass riffs that cycle back on themselves in a strong, very murky ditch of sludge. A familiar harsh raspy growl surfaces occasionally in a smooth rhythm with the rest of the instruments.

The build is phenomenal with some carefully used effects to punch it up a little, then a quiet valley of cleans confronts you after the bigger riffs dissipate about 10 minutes in. This section is quite something, buffered by cycling synths or samples, and a bit of clean singing. It's dark and cold at first (reminding me of moments in Fall of Efrafa's "Inle") — breaking at one point for some brief bigger, distorted riffs — but once you enter the final third of the track the smooth bass lines lull you, and shimmering post-metal clasps itself to your brain creating an ethereal wave of light that rises continuously right to the final fade.

Highly recommended split this one. If you're a fan of either band you'll enjoy this. Halo of Flies has this record up for sale now so go get it. You can also hear each side of the split streaming here and here; and Light Bearer put up their side for download as well.

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Northless - Clandestine Abuse (2011)

Full Length, Gilead Media
March 8th, 2011

Genre: Sludge
Region: USA

Yet another record I should've gotten to far too long ago. I'm not fucking around when I say it definitely should've been on my 2011 year end list (easily in the top 10), and I have only myself to blame for not getting to it before the year was out. After fully absorbing it I'm here to tell you this is a beastly album and you should not pass on it as I so foolishly did.

Clandestine Abuse is another brilliant record from Gilead Media, and the first full record Northless have released after a string of EPs and splits. I've read a few reviews comparing this to early Mastodon, one where it was said the song-writing wasn't as strong nor the riffs as interesting; I completely disagree. It is actually the complete opposite. What Northless have achieved on this album is nothing short of amazing. Clandestine Abuse is loaded with passion and great song composition. Comparisons to Mastodon are unwarranted in my opinion, but then again I'm not a fan of theirs. It is a truly daunting hunk of groove-filled, oddly dissonant atmospheric sludge unlike others in the genre.

In fact there aren't much sludge acts I can think of that manage to place dissonant metallic chords expertly amongst bludgeoning slabs of sludge and make it work so well, while managing to keep the dirges unfathomably heavy and keeping a strong direction all at once. It's complex in a deceiving way as the album seems simple on first listen but as you progress through it you notice the shifts in tempo, subtly atmospheric arrangements in riffs. The droning angularity is what I must stress once again. It came as a major surprise to me as I thought I was in for straight sludge but there's much more here.

It is undeniable that the members of Northless are very creative. The guitars have a warm, crunchy tone, the drumming is thick doing well to prop up both the fast and slow aspects of each track, while the bass will crack concrete; a truly menacing growl. The production pumps it all up nicely making the record sound all the more behemoth.

There's a bit of hardcore sprinkled in there too, not only in the vocal style which is a pissed off yell that would fit very well among any choice of crusty hardcore act. It;s aggressive and harsh, not deep but just clear enough to hear the lyrics with a little bit of certainty. His style suits the tone of this record perfectly, and contrasts with the down-tuned rumble found throughout the songs. The only time the vocals move from this style is in the final track "Storm" (where he's far more clean) which is also the only semi-melodic area on this dark and angry trek — at least in the beginning, in the end the relentless hammering sludge riffs takeover and close the record in a very satisfying manner.

The pacing also shows off this hardcore influence. It's occasionally leans on the fast end of things, breaking at just the right moments to wallow in a dark set of doomy riffs before running headlong again. This is shown off well in tracks like the aforementioned "Storm" or "Dead Ends" (the shortest track) which starts slow and quickly morphs into something that wouldn't be out of place on a blackened hardcore record, but with far more doom draped over it.

Regardless of the pace all tracks maintain a crushing and slow gait with spikes of discordance such as "Not Made for Existence", which features some powerful guitar work compelling headbanging as if it were a spell set upon you. It's desperate tangled whines are beautiful, and the desperate build of sludge grooves in the middle before the pick slides are so tasty.

The opener "Flesh & Ghosts", akin to a battering of sledge hammers on your chest from beginning to end, is something monumental. Starting slow and progressing further into that twisted hardcore flair, it envelops you in a crusted, ugly cloak by the middle of the track. Dipping and bending as the low end carves deep fissures in the earth, the swaying crawl that some of the later riffs present to you is overpowering. This record has far too many excellent riffs to speak of and still swallows you with a huge atmosphere.

It's rare when you'll hit a clean spot, but when you do like in "Damnation" or near the end of the bass-heavy "Sundowner" it's so brief, still loud and furious. This track is another thunderous onslaught that contains piles of addictive sections. Or midway through "Empty Home" where the twang of the cleans builds a devastating groove which is followed up on by the heavy bass plucks, soon to plunge into a set of titanic distorted riffs. A rusted and mangled beauty is created. The title track has one of these short cleans, a track which starts with a rumble and then an immediate dose of angularity before tumbling into massive slams; and suddenly a quicker clean section before returning to the rough rolling riffs.

I don't think there's a weak spot on this record. It's addicting, wicked and different from the usual styles in the doom and sludge arena while retaining a smothering atmosphere all it's own. Clandestine Abuse is 55 minutes long but due to the fantastic writing ability showcased here it's never boring, never taxing, always enjoyable and will keep your attention. They switch things up just enough but the style is retained in its purest form.

Get this record guys. Support Northless because whatever they come up with next will surely be impressive. I saw them at the Gilead Media fest and their set really opened my eyes. I have much regret for not spinning this more but I'll be making up for it without a doubt.

Clandestine Abuse is also up for streaming on Glead Media's bandcamp page and can be purchased in reddish-orange vinyl form at the webshop as well. I highly recommend shoving more money at Gilead Media.

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Cellgraft - Cellgraft LP (2012)

EP, Self-released / Independent
July 29th, 2012

Genre: Grindcore
Region: USA

This my friends is the final record from the Insect Warfare-influenced, vicious Florida grindcore outfit Cellgraft. After their final show on September 1st at the Brass Mug in Tampa, Florida they're calling it quits. They've generously left this unrelenting jagged shard of grindcore as their final word, and they've done so for free or pay-what-you-can via their bandcamp page.

Their records have been tremendous, truly doing the grind scene proud, and it's really a shame that they've split — especially considering they deserve a ton of attention for their hard work and dedication to face shredding grindcore over their short 3 year existence.

Self-titled and raw as you could ask for, this record is as short as any GridLink release and approaching their level of might and ferocity, while sidestepping technicality and barreling head-long into darkened, brutal speed. Outside of the opening track "False Sequence of Value" there is only one other track of the 17 here that approaches one minute in length. The opener is also the slowest you'll ingest too, at least for the first minute as it clobbers you with a maniacal set of distorted groves.

The rest are refined sparks of grindcore in its purest form, tracks that will flatten you like a runaway nuclear freight train. It's a record that demands you spin it at least 5 or more times before you realize the excellence you've just encountered in the 12 minutes of sonic ear rape they've recorded. You'll be sheared apart by razor sharp and dirty riffs, an endless heap of blasting snares and kickers, devastating snarling bass licks, and some truly wicked growls and screams puked forth with disgust and contempt. They haven't released the lyrics for this one but I can only assume (from the titles) they're as cold and calculated as the music — dealing with dystopian cybernetic ruin, synthetic monstrosities, and network corruption with a definite political cloak. All undeniably appropriate.

It's all over too quickly for one to be able to properly process this hectic tangle of shrapnel. What I can tell you before you dive into it is that the energy level is cranked passed 10. It's powerful. Each tasty riff is tailored specifically for raw, bestial fury and in that sense the writing is excellent. There isn't eye-opening innovation but that's not the point here (as if that needs stating). The velocity of each track is breathtaking and you'll be compelled to put this on repeat.

Once again and for one final time Cellgraft have shown they've earned the right to use one of the legendary Insect Warfare's track titles with an unstoppable, light-speed assault. Any grindcore fan should not think twice about spinning this beast and, if you're feeling nice, chipping in whatever you can when you download this LP; I doubt there will be a physical release. They were nice enough to let you guys have this final offering for free so you would only be doing good things for such excellent musicians.


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Hell - Hell II (2010)

Full Length, Eternal Warfare / Pesanta Urfolk
April, 2010

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: USA

Oregon's Hell brings you something dark and towering with their second record. A layering of bleak sounds that evolves slowly with great care. It took me a while to get to this one and it's clear to me I've been missing out once again.

For me this feels like a big step up from their debut. It's far more refined without losing the raw, hideous textures and atmosphere they so easily manifest and yet moves into other territory too. A tragic and violently crushing tome which withers all it comes in contact with like acoustic gravity waves emitted from the core of Earth.

They come at you with four fierce and intimidating tracks, the shortest of which is just shy of 8 minutes and the longest is the opener clocking in at 20. This track "Gog" takes on a more drone-like form, slithering from trudging doom chords and feedback which barely move at all to ebbing noise and soundscapes that leave the listener feeling touched as if by some spectral molester.

It spreads out meticulously often with gaps of silence, rumbling distorted bass and sustained notes. Subtle dissonance is tasted from the down-tuned madness, and vocals range from a vile gurgle to unholy growls while the drums are paced so slow with some nice cymbal work. There's also some very haunting clean sections especially in the middle of "Gog" that are very reminiscent of Thou's sludgery in some ways, echoing and shining as the only light in their cavernous atmosphere; it's no wonder why they collaborated on their recent split. This is the most straight forward song on the record if you can believe it, breathing its hot and sour breath like a fallen titan that has collapsed on top of you — drawing it's final gasps as it drags you into it's crater-sized grave.

However if you're wondering this album is just nothing but plodding doom you'll be pleasantly surprised by the three tracks that follow. If it was, I would certainly have no problem with that; who doesn't like a good slow battering from that genre? What first seems like a simple formula slowly grows, crawls from it's hellish sludge shell and carefully pulls in with it's huge gravity elements of black metal and a slight folk tinge. By the end of the record you've almost completely parted ways with undulating sludge but have been so easily, comfortably pulled away that it feels natural.

You hear a little of the blackened influence near the 6 minute mark in "Gog", but if you made it out of that sludge slide alive you find that it's in "Ublilicus" and "Metnal" where we first get a more definite hint that all is not what meets the eye here. "Metnal" opens with a powerfull groove (seriously addicting) and is quickly accompanied by a nice slice of blackened tremolos, nodding towards the growth I mentioned before the vocals enter.

They do not rely on this brief injection and continue to crush with riff after riff of clawing doom before letting the melodic black influence creep back in. This gradual introduction of change is both very tasty and intriguing. When things become silent we hear subtle use of cold synths and cycling feedback, awash with sorrow when suddenly (near the two-thirds mark) we get a depressive acoustic melody which builds with intensity. A striking set of black metal riffs are pushed forward, and acoustic chords infect the doom again, accompanied by wavering synths. The distorted melancholic tones build and fall away until the black metal (akin to atmospheric bands such as Fell Voices or Ash Borer) forces its way into the fray; dismal and dark.

The bassy doom comes back momentarily, as do the frightening acrid rasps, feedback and eerie synths — and this process is continued before the jump is made to"Ubilicus": a track which takes those previous evolutionary steps and sets them aside momentarily (and only slightly) before the final throes of the album. At this point the record is starting to feel extremely cohesive, all elements coming forward to a stunning high. This is just fantastic writing  Yes, the creaking sludge makes a return with whirring noise behind it — the sound of souls being sucked down the cosmic drain. Punishing riffs abound here, straining bends and then the tremolo buzz reveals itself once again as war-like drumming emerges behind it. And in the final grasps of this track, a solitary bass riff leads us to a clean melodic doom section and opens up into the writhing blackened pits to close

The final song "Trucid" where it seems the blackened plague has swept their writing almost completely, the growth and blend of genres all comes to ahead here. Clean and mournful is the atmosphere that is quietly fomented, again rolling drums stay subdued for a time beneath this dark melody. Some time later the climb is beset with rising bass groans as we feel the song reaching a summit, and the clean section is smashed by a foul black metal riff from both bass and guitars; an air of triumph is met. And suddenly a bouncing doom section surfaces only to fade to a clean and acoustic journey.

How this album twists in and out of these moments never feels forced. It's quite an accomplishment, never over-dramatic or boring. We can get this sense once more at around the 8 minute mark a droning, depressive blackened riff cuts through alongside the harsh screams which evoke torturous pain — and again the switch is flipped to a stomping pace, doom slabs dive and feedback washes over everything. The final moments of "Trucid" bring back the cold, clean melody as the light sweeps and fades from the tomb of sludgy hate they've carved here in vinyl.

What a dark and epic trek through Hell this is. A surprisingly deep tunnel of sounds. This is definitely an overlooked doom gem well worth your support, especially if you love monstrosities like Thou. I bought this beast at the Gilead Media fest and it quickly sold out there. You fine readers can buy a copy in vinyl form from Pesanta Urfolk which comes with a download code and a spiral etching on the final side — it's limited so work fast if you want one. It was originally offered in cassette form but that has long since sold out.

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Grave Upheaval / Manticore - Split (2012)

Split, Nuclear War Now! Productions
July 9th, 2012

Genre: Death Metal
Region: Australia / USA

Once again the twisted minds behind Impetuous Ritual and Portal, through their heinous Death/Doom Metal project Grave Upheaval, unleash more crawling chaos in this split with Manticore; who also contribute to their own seasoned catalogue of filthy death metal.

Probably the only thing that bothers me about Grave Upheaval (other than not having recorded a full length yet) is the fact that all their tracks are "untitled" which can make things a little confusing. A minor and insignificant complaint considering whenever they raise from their earthen tomb to project cold doom-infused death metal upon the underground community it is uncompromisingly destructive.

They contribute two tracks to this record, both of which I saw performed at Rites of Darkness III not long ago and both are suffocating, crushing and dirty as a smoker's lungs. The production is slightly clearer on this compared to their split with Encoffination which to some might take away from their murky atmosphere but to me the riffs and groaning vocals are no less oppressive and lurching with a little more clarity in the mix.

The first track is a little shorter but the severely low tuning and creeping pace is such that it feels just as torturous as any ten minute doom track, hammering the listener with drawn out tremolo riffs as the moans crawl forward — drums flickering ominously with the sudden appearance of a gong. The pacing is set slightly faster by the drums as the riffs continue to weigh down with a single set of notes which continues right to the finish, so low and dirty.

This tone is only altered slightly once you hit the second track which pulses with crunchy, slow doom powerchords punctuated by an occasional hammer-on. It's pure darkness as the track somehow hits an even lower pitch when the rasping growls enter. They hold this nice groove with very slight changes in the dismal sway, drums only picking up a touch in the final moments of the track. Every chord struck is a granite slab in the face to be savored on their side. Their material is growing stronger with each short step and I long for a full release even more at this point.

Honestly I'm not all too familiar with Manticore's releases prior to this but their side is great regardless. Manticore definitely take a more traditional approach compared to their partners here, though they remain filthy and evil in their own right. "Unleashing Unholy Temptations" opens slowly, demonic rasps uttered with palpable hate as the chunky riffs plow for a short time. The pace is decided more thrashy and oldschool immediately after this short intro: a choppy onslaught of death metal with some nice hooks near the end before an abrupt close.

"Insemination of the Sycophant" is just as vicious. Powerful percussive blasts pummel you the entire way through — the pace only slows in the middle where a crushing section briefly interrupts the thrashing before tossing you back into the blackened fury. It all ends so quickly you'll definitely need to run through both tracks a few times to get a proper dose of the whirlwind chaos, something that shouldn't be any trouble at all.

If you're aching for another taste of what Grave Upheaval are conjuring in their dark pit in Australia, or what Manticore have been working on since their 2006 full length and last years split then jump on this one. Buy this shit from the Nuclear War Now! Productions store, the diehard version comes with two patches. You can also stream this in full on their bandcamp page.

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Corpsessed - Corpsessed (2012)

EP, Dark Descent Records
May 25th, 2012

Genre: Death Metal
Region: Finland

Following their 2011 EP "The Dagger & the Chalice" (which was one of my favorites last year) this is Corpsessed's self-titled second EP.

Two tracks in total: "Demoniacal Subjugation" and "Of Desolation". Both are heaping servings of ripping death metal that doesn't stray to far away from their last offering, each containing some pretty simple but sweet sharpened, dirty riffs strewn amongst the deep growls and mid-paced chest-crushing drumming.

There's not much to say here honestly: the slow crunchy moments destroy, the faster ones tear with purpose. Powerful tremolo sections run all through this with an evil taint while the crawling powerchord parts will hypnotize.

It's a short but a completely enjoyable ride that keeps you plenty interested. If you liked last year's effort there's no reason you wouldn't like this. The guitar tone is a thick tasty buzz and the material hasn't backed off in terms of quality — I just really want a full album from these guys.

Just a taste of what they're working on and it's quite sick, so get on it. You can buy this in 7" form from both Dark Descent Records and Parasitic Records, and follow them on facebook.

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Antediluvian / Adversarial - Initiated in Impiety as Mysteries (2012)

Split. Nuclear War Now! Productions
June 28th, 2012

Genre: Death Metal
Region: Canada

This is a split I've been hearing about while it was being formed since late last year from a few friends "in the know", and I've been quite excited to hear how it turned out. Needless to say it's phenomenal.

Initiated in Impiety As Mysteries is an essential split record of churning chaos containing two of Canada's most talented, ferocious and hard working death metal acts couldn't be anything less than utterly destructive. Antediluvian and Adversarial on their own have both made big impacts in the last few years so I guess it was only natural they would combine their efforts. While both bands play distinctly different styles of death metal their pairing feels natural. And because essentially each release they've worked on independently has been gold (with growth in each careful step) you shouldn't be surprised once you unleash this to find it is no different in that regard.

Adversarial commits three wicked songs to their side. Two of the songs here ("Swirling Chaos that Swallows Horizons" and "Spiraling Towards the Ultimate End") they've been playing live since ROD III, and I've heard them each time they've played a set since. Hearing them live in their more raw form it was undeniable that they were no less crushing than their work on All Idols Fall Before The Hammer, but now having the chance to listen to them full worked through and a little cleaned up their impact has risen greatly.

For those of you who were bitching about the snare on All Idols Fall Before The Hammer there's good news: the snare is far more tame here. Every other aspect of the percussion remains the same: intense, blazing fast and intimidating. It really does the job of amping up the guitar in the faster sections very well, trampling like a stampede of elephants. Adversarial continues to hone their unique style of awe-inspiring and tasteful technicality with restraint allowing it to feel far more orthodox than you would expect. Carlos is still a fucking beast: his ability to craft high velocity, smart and dissonant riffs that remain catchy and memorable is something more musicians in the modern death metal arena should take note of.

The way he shreds on the opener (following a short ambient intro) shows that he's still full of creative riff ideas, as he snakes his way from technical sections into more dirty, mid paced tremolo sections and then into a slow dissonance which eventually ramps up as some of those crooked notes float in the background is quite satisfying. "Swirling Chaos that Swallows Horizons" has too many excellent moments: from the first riff (which repeats multiple times in the song) to the one that directly follows it at 1:45 which slams you with a combination of choppy fast powerchords and thick palm-muted tremolo shreds to the apocalyptic section emerging from a brief silence — it's all top notch and catchy as hell.

"Into the Waning of Twilight's Death Ocean" is the only track here I'm pretty sure I haven't heard previously but it's no less excellent then the others: cutting technicality and sparks discordance placed between shorter slow chords. The last riff in this song is beastly as it changes it's structures gradually, serpentine and then galloping, will put you on your ass.

"Spiraling Towards the Ultimate End" mirrors the feeling of the first track with one difference: the final haunting section filled with delay which is spellbinding, meandering slightly but circling a familiar theme as the drumming shifts from slow to blazing several times. I remember it clearly from the times I've seen it live but it's even more tremendous here. There's a really technical chunky moment which is just awesome, and the whining riff that's unleashed at 1:15 (and appears again later) is unforgettable.

Antediluvian's side is just as vicious as Adversarial's. I've heard one of these tracks live as well though I did not know the official title at the time.Their sound from Through The Cervix of Hawaah has carried over on these three tracks but the production feels far more raw (as it was on their earlier releases) and to me it seems the atmosphere and structures sound far closer to those heard on Under Wing of Asael.

Even with this being said you can hear growth in their compositions. While there are no behemoth length tracks what Antediluvian are doing on this release is truly magnificent — it's still a swirling catastrophe of jagged darkness but more warped than anything they've done. Crushing waves of sustained bends clash with dirty and tangled tremolo riffs over a storm of furious drumming (which is fairly overwhelmed by the other players and a little "cardboard" sounding), while the bass is so clear it's actually surprising; it's right up front with the guitar.

The most chaotic track is their opener "Force of Suns of Adversary" which is a writhing pile of blackened riffs for the first minute but halts for a wicked slow section reminiscent of the title track from their Asael demo: its a breathing archaic atmosphere in these moments, before moving into more thrashing chaos and again — only to be interrupted by a clean hammer on section which is a little bizarre, and once the distortion is cranked again the sharp scream that echos above turns this into a frightening experience. The vocals remain undeniably inhuman.

"Dissolution Spires" is a little different, slower paced for the most part after a writhing intro section — again the huge, rusted bends  with the thick bass line beneath reminds me of their demo, it's a hypnotic set of sounds that no other death metal group is messing with at this point. These sections make up the bulk of the track and it's entirely engrossing, and even when the pacing speeds up later in the track these grotesque warps remain largely. Near the end there's a truly evil "solo"(it's barely a solo in the traditional sense) which howls and groans in an unearthly manner, it's just great.

"Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (I Am That I Am)" I saw performed live last year and it slays. It closes this split and much like the previous track it's slower, opening with a cold melody before speeding up briefly and then slamming back to a trudge with an avalanche of dissonant sustained dirges bringing oppressive atmosphere with them; and this pattern repeats in slight variations for the rest of the track. Those slow sections are eerie and otherworldly, a sharp contrast to the ferocity of the moments that come immediately after but no less intense. Near the very end there's a set of riffs that are some of the strangest they've crafted: the pace is quick but the guitar is slow, creeping, warped while the bass lines are quick and filthy. Antediluvian's contribution is just as consistent and strong as their previous work if not more so, their writing continues to impress and tighten.

Absolutely fantastic. This might be one of best splits in a while and there have been some excellent ones in the past two years. Both of these bands a morphing their styles ever so slightly and yet still keep them solid, making for some killer material that rivals their full length works. Don't bother hesitating on snatching a copy from Nuclear War Now! Productions, this is something that deserves your cash.

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Witchrist - The Grand Tormentor (2012)

Full Length, Osmose Productions
June 4th, 2012

Genre: Death Metal
Region: New Zealand

This is a record I've been patiently anticipating. The perfect record for post #500. Witchrist are probably at the top of the pile of newer-old school death metal acts alongside Antediluvian, Ignivomous and Mitochondrion and it was Beheaded Ouroboros that solidified that spot. Now with their second full length there can be no doubt that they have a tightening grip on that position.

The Grand Tormentor is oppressive. It is surrounded in a grainy, pitch black shroud of production to achieve this. Songs of untold hideous realms make up this 50 minute chilling trek into the clouded pits of horror that is Witchrist's lair. It is a record that summons a war lust draped in terrifying and cold darkness.

Opening with far off whines and ghostly cathedral bells the first monolithic track "Into the Arms of Yama " staggers forward heavily with an aberrant grace that builds at a crawl. It's doomy and foreboding until the scratchy tremolo riffs emerge to grasp at the acrid atmosphere, bringing the distorted death riffs into a blackened caress.

From this track onward it is just a torrent of scalding, primitive death metal that plows straight to the depths of disgust and vitriol. All the greatness of their previous record is ratcheted up ten-fold here. The lyrics centered on old eastern gods and goddesses invoked during battle and defiled by each other, frightening serpents bringing destruction, war, etc. The jagged, muddy, painful riffs peppered with brief and chaotic whammy solos, the waves of putrid roars, the dirty flurry of drums, the rough bass growls — it's all amplified and tailored brilliantly.

While this is a murky sounding record everything is pretty damn clear (which might be a negative for some) and nothing gets too lost in the chaos outside of the bass. The riffs spiral and churn above everything, illuminating the unbearable darkness with an unrestrained, head-splitting tone and creative serpentine structures. "Meditation For Sacrifice" contains some truly wicked riffs from the opening undulating tremolos to the crushing slow chords so heavy they breath malice that they are followed by; the combination of both later is tremendous. Near the end it gradually slows again with some spiking pinched harmonics which I fucking love when they're used sparingly and well.

The songs vary quite a lot in terms of length. On shorter ones like "Wasteland of Thataka" or "Exile" there's some deliciously built, raw and aggressive riffs as there are on "Cast Into Fire" — a track that burns like molten lead on soft flesh. Regardless of the length of the tracks here they all feel deliberate, well paced, and are examples of excellent writing. Tracks like "The Tomb" are incredibly simple and have all the same elements of the previous ones while managing to stand out with a fine use of hammer-ons, a few chunky grinds, and a writhing, filthy solo.

"Beyond Darkness And Death" (which isn't listed on the tracklists I've seen online) is steeped with feedback as the militaristic drum patterns rise, pounding relentlessly in the beginning and with the riffs following this example. They turn to a thrashy pitch suddenly before again hitting twisted and violent spires of tremolos, and again crawl to a halt near the end ushering in a hellish doom tone.

All the way through The Grand Tormentor I never found myself losing interest. It's a record that catches you effortlessly despite it's deceptively simple, orthodox style. "Funeral Lotus" is the final track and second monolith on the record  (almost reaching 10 minutes) closing it off perfectly. Shaking with a string of goliath drawn-out powerchords and hammer-ons with slow clash of cymbals and vile utterances to flank them, the dragging pace is kept even once the slice of the tremolo section breaks in. These moments trade off a few times during the course of the song but never lose their force. Eventually everything settles on the excruciating pace found in the first moments, trudging to the end while a cycling noise builds — the final moments are opened up to chanted "auns", creaking silence and (as in the opener) faint clangs of church bells.

There's something to be said about an album in a very saturated, beat-to-death genre that is almost an hour long, entirely memorable and yet feels like it has flown by once you've reached the end. I was skeptical as to whether Witchrist would be able to follow up (let alone top) their last record but my skepticism has been obliterated here. It's clear that this record builds carefully on their solid foundation set in Beheaded Ouroboros and shapes it into something even more perverted and brooding.

You should get this. No questions, just go out and buy this fucker. One of the top death metal albums this year next to the new Ignivomous, Wrathprayer, Pseudogod, etc. Head over to Osmose Productions to grab it on either vinyl or cd. Both come with more wonderful and disturbing art from Alexander Brown.

This is a vinyl rip.

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Pseudogod - Deathwomb Catechesis (2012)

Full Length, Kvlt / Hells Headbangers
April 24th, 2012

Genre: Black Metal/Death Metal
Region: Russia

I'm very late on this one.

Satanic blackened-death fury from Russia. Deathwomb Catechesis opens with cathedral choirs which may lull you into a false sense of security but this is soon shattered by the vicious attack that follows. One might be expecting a traditional bestial assault but while those elements do make an appearance there seems to be a more refined and complex creature lurking within.

Weaving through the drum blasts and barbarous growls the riffs here are brutal and quick. Rather than circling the dissonance drain or wallowing in in the blood of Incantation the guitar is a bit more aggressive, fast paced and bright. There is an undercurrent of technical proficiency without unneeded flare here and rather is reliant on catchy, bouncy, loud grinds that are obviously structured traditionally but manage to skirt too much retreading. This goes for the drumming too: it's ridiculous, moving at blistering speeds. Yes there are momentary lapses into dissonance or sustained dischord but it's used well and sparingly between the furious shreds that mangle themselves into their tremolo equivalents.

Violent and blinding powerchords slam into each other leaving little room breath, churning into an abominable bloody froth. Only a few slower sections are found, such as midway through "Saturnalia", "Necromancy of the Iron Darkness" or "Azazel" and they crush with wicked sways just as much as the clamoring decimation on either side of those moments. "The Triangular Phosphorescence" is quite a hefty final heave of the album, starting off with slow, bubbling dirges and shifting pace at various points with one of the finer moments of cacophony on the album in the middle and then again at the end; crawling at first and then carrying into the hyperspeed percussion. Really a great closer to the album.

What's nice about Deathwomb Catechesis is that while it does fall into the category of the "new wave" of death and black metal revitalization without a doubt it is able to separate from the bestial and war metal tropes a little more than others. It's not breaking new ground but it has definite power behind it.

Another one I'd recommend highly. If you want it you can pick this up over at Hells Headbangers.

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