Antediluvian - Septentrional Theophany (2013)

EP, Nuclear War Now! Productions
May 14th, 2013

Genre: Black/Death Metal
Region: Canada

A booster EP recorded during the λόγος sessions, Septentrional Theophany is another rapturous astral upheaval from this now infamous Canadian group. It's been well established I'm a big fan of these guys and their related hordes so any new material will have me interested. I think the only one I haven't got to yet was their Cogitating Vacuous split with Temple Nightside. For shame I know.

Yes this is a 7" that was packaged with the 80 page, heavy duty Haruspex Zine #1 (written by Jason Campbell, art and layout of Tim Grieco, in association with the label) which appeared recently along with the vinyl press of their last LP. The magazine itself is pretty fuckin beautiful in packaging and art, not to mention the content/depth of interviews and artist discussions (Denis Forkas, Tim Grieco, Marko Marov, and Manuel Tinnemans). It includes a lot of words with the Nuclear War Now! Productions cult such as: 

Ares Kingdom
Sabbat
Conqueror
Martire
Rotting Christ (Interviews with Sakis Tolis, Jim Mutilator, and Magus Vampyr Daoloth)
Pseudogod
Anatomia
Bone Awl (Interview featuring HWCT and HWGT)
Bestial Raids
Faustcoven

 

The interviews with Conqueror and Bone Awl are particularly interesting however there's generally some nice insights drawn out from diehard members and contributors of the community, with wicked presentation. If you're into digging deep with the bands above then definitely jump on this one. The record is streaming on bandcamp.

(Bone Awl interview)

Two new tracks with lyrics also by Jason Campbell. Something noticeable is that the clarity of this EP is higher even compared to λόγος (at least the tape version, the vinyl/cd press is clearer). It's nowhere near as muddy as TTCOH or the material prior to that which I can see being a problem for a lot of people. Maybe taking a little away from the drumming and grit but Antediluvian are inherently ugly, scratched, and weathered. This EP does retain those characteristics, and the destruction sealed within each moment of the two tracks here is still of great creative quality, and primal with the strong current of mystic cosmology.

So the chaos is still rearing it's malignant head throughout what you'll hear here. Darkly empyrean and profanely exploring ancient (Greek/Christian) theism/deism much like λόγος did but focused on a specific location or region. "North" is referred to several times, Phosphoros (morning star) and awaiting the its appearance, being guided by the destoyer's vision (Abandon),  and the title references a boreal theistic awakening or worship if I'm not mistaken,

Also I don't know if there's much intended significance but stringing together the sequence of writing and tracks gets you "Being in the opus of sacrifice at the mount of the congregation... in the sides of the North". There's obviously more meaning there coupled with the lyrical content regarding astral rebirth and journey, ritual significance of the aurora borealis and morning star (perhaps), etc.

Getting to the tracks themselves more closely. "Mount of the Congregation..." begins in a strikingly ordinary (relative yes) or orthodox manner after a brief sample, maybe returning to their Serpents Malignancy days but chunkier. The drumming remains steady and integral, complex however. Slow rocking powerchords and then just the tom pounding, then the full force of their depravity is unleashed.

Later this opening riff snakes it's way in much faster, transforming several times and in the midst of one of these horrid screams can be heard, on a higher register than the abyssal gurgled hymns that poison the surroundings. The rapidity of their direction changes and pacing reminds me of their Revelations in Excrement EP: progressively more chaotic and complex, before cutting off at the height of intensity.

(Ares Kingdom)

Then there's "...In the Sides of the North", a jarring spiral of archaic violence right from the beginning, the sour tremolo riffs slowly wrapping around you, the hasty sledgehammering from the percussive end slowing inky for measured tom hits between riffs. It's from the one minute mark where things start to get disorienting as the pace is picked up, particularly awesome riffs one after another. This is a song where they pull some more experimentation beyond their usual barbarous lashing, tactfully approaching something a more bleak or horror driven once the chaos subsides slightly.

Amid the howling bent and sustained notes and the tortured screams a thick atmosphere wells up at this point, the drumming becomes more tribal, steady, supporting the descent of the scraping rhythm behind it. It's a cosmic drowning that lingers only for so long, the return to bestial warfare is explosive for the final minute, shriveling like a closing portal.

Get this if you so desire, and I would guess many people desire more Antediluvian material. I wouldn't say it's essential but all of Antediluvian's releases are a treat for any fan of the ancient and filthy ceremonies they indulge in. You know I'll recommend it.

Available at Nuclear War Now! Productions with the first issue of their Haruspex Zine.


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Baptists - Bushcraft (2013)

Full Length, Southern Lord Records
February 19th, 2013

Genre: Hardcore
Region: Canada

Now that it's been out a little while here's the new Baptists record. Links will probably get taken down via DMCA complaint I would think but who knows... I haven't received one of those in a while.

Baptists had a nice 7" record a while back that showed great promise. I remember stumbling on it and enjoying it but never giving it too many replays honestly. Bushcraft is a little different obviously since I'm coming back quite often. The attitude is one of solid confidence. They know what direction they're going for and they nail it pretty damn well on record and even more so in live environments; without paying much mind to inevitable detractors. I recommend you see them if they drift by you.

So people have been comparing them to Converge a whole lot. This is not without reason, I mean a cursory listen is all you need to recognize what people are recognizing. Kurt Ballou brought them over to record this, and the guys have been admitted Converge fans from the start — it's kind of hard to not find their influence somewhere at this point.

But I would argue there's a far bigger east coast Cursed style/sound cascading throughout Bushcraft that mixes nicely with their love of Converge (whether intentional or not). Couple that with their experience within local grind/crust acts and the west coast atmosphere there's a comfortable synthesis, creating very catchy and energetic expression of hardcore somewhere between the old and new.

By comfortable I don't mean lazy. Baptists have struck a wonderful balance between the crusty-punk discord and anger of Cursed and the twangy high-speed pummeling hardcore that Converge have helped pioneer. I think a closer comparison could be made with All Pigs Must Die maybe, certainly if you compare songs like "Sacrosanct" with "In Droves" where both are drawing out that vehement punk energy from the past and bringing renewed vibrancy.

Obviously each band there has different plans of attack. For Baptists the one they've cut works well and reminds me of the type of thing Vilipend is doing by bringing back old school metalcore, where Baptists are less on the Rorschach end of things.

Their sound is kind of an anomaly in the context of their peers and colleagues regionally. At least as far as my limited experience or knowledge tells me. While the Vancouver and Victoria areas are no stranger to filthy grind and powerviolence, most of the crusty hardcore that I've heard like FAMINE, Subsist, or Erosion does not dabble in the chaotic, Deadguy/Rorschach twang arena that is becoming more recognizable (especially in the Deathwish Inc. stable). Nor the dark rusted hatred of Cursed and it's distinct 'Toronto' aura —  instead the island and mainland groups often fall along Infest and Nasum lines, while also subtly skirting the recent blackened wave too.

Baptists have embraced and tempered this selectively and injected it with a 'cascadian' ethos which casts scorn on the concrete expansion over the beauty of their west coast home. I'm not arguing that this makes their sound wholly unique but there's enough spice in there to ensure that Bushcraft escapes the 'copy-cat' label in my opinion.

Almost in a stealthy manner actually. Like I said if you give it only a few listen the comparisons to Converge are unavoidable, but I found that a few of the tracks like "Russian Spirits" and "Bullets" forced me to return due to their ridiculous hooks. Eventually I found myself running through this 27 minute record twice in a row every other day, it really crept up on me and I have a feeling this is the case for a lot of people. Even those who are tired of Southern Lord's grip on what some designate 'faux'-thrashcrust should look into Bushcraft.

As you can expect the production is rich which is great for their sound, so only gains since the 7" in that respect. The percussion is right fucking there and the guitar tone fees quite lively, bright but with some jagged edges while the bassist slickly carves a spot in the madness. Some are going to cry about the production and I understand.

Regardless, all four members are undeniably skilled in their crafts. The passion is evident as they layer on the simple and rewarding or cathartic formula of thrashcore ingrained in them. From the outset of "Betterment" we are met with a series of dark twangs and into a hissing drum surge before the track actually kicks in — switching between jerky slams and midpaced galloping, vocal chords shredding through words of regret. You get a good sample of his range from more deep death-like barks to gritty snarls/rasps. A good opener before getting to the more meaty sections.

"Think Tank Breed" is a scratchy furious tune and the shortest on the record. It makes up for it in frantic bludgeonings and later some shining injections into the rhythm and a violent chunky closing riff. On more laid back tracks like "Still Melt" my attention doesn't drift: the rhythm is hypnotic both the melodic riffs and the metaphoric, hallucinogenic lyrics together while the drumming is consistently compressing in more controlled blasts.

This aspect is always an impressive battering like axes on a felled evergreen. The intro to this track for example is real nice in that regard. "Soiled Roots" is another slow one that will bind you over it's five minute ritual, entirely groove-laden bass-filled, and as heavy as logging truck tumbling down a mountain. That weight increases ten-fold in the last minute.

On the subject of words: lyrically there's the classic punk social commentary through short and clever lines laced in venom."Mortar Head" for instance, not only blazing and awesome with a touch of that blackened vibe, but could be interpreted multiple ways. It remains interesting if it's commentary on the societal or state reliance on bureaucratic ideological power groups ("Think Tank Breed") who are disconnected from reality on the ground. Maybe I'm reading to much into it. But Baptists also tackle that raw expression of humanity's connection to the forests and biosphere blatantly as well (if the cover and title didn't tip you off).

It's not always obvious: shorter tracks like "Crutching Trails" give the impression of possible relation to the environment but deal more in carving ones own bath in terms of belief, release from moral slavery over a high-speed, slightly dissonant thrash attack which gets a little more complex during the brief chorus.

On the other end the whole title of the record and the song "Bushcraft" as well is just spelling it out plain over some wicked riffs: "I want to practice bushcraft and the leave this shit behind!" over intense snare work and feedback. I'm pretty sure anyone living in the Cascadian region (or anything like it) in the current climate has seriously considered this at one point — just it's never been expressed this well through chaotic and wailing hardcore. Normally it's a more meditative black metal approach so this is refreshing to me and the self-titled track is particularly captivating.

"Abandon", dealing with abstraction and apathy (perhaps?), is the final song and turns into an extremely boisterous one at the end following a bass solo. In a live environment this is another one that ignites the venue with it's bouncy cadence and groove.

As I already mentioned my favorites are probably "Russian Spirits" and "Bullets" because they're sincerely excellent jams on every level. If you don't have time for the whole thing at least give those two a chance. "Bullets" might take the cake: it's is wild and flailing, whining bent strings punch through and stormy percussion overwhelms for the entirety until at two minutes in the break down comes — its a magnificent moment on the record (drummer's a beast). However slams that end "Russian Spirits" make me reconsider which is heavier.

Overall Baptists have released something awesome and different from even the local fare even if external comparisons make this seem less significant. You can tell they had fun pouring their energy into this and I think it payed off. Bushcraft is the kind of album I imagine blasting in a beater pickup truck (or hatchback as is often the case here) while tearing through the gravel logging roads and muddied trails of the mainland and Vancouver Island, hollering as you escape the encroaching industrial landscapes in that brief afternoon of freedom.

That is, if people around here who went bush-bombing didn't only listen to AC/DC, Lil Jon, and Steel Panther.
 
You can get this probably at a local record shop but if not you go to Southern Lord or a distro who carries their titles (there are many). Or go to bandcamp because they have it up finally. You should probably follow them too.



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Oxtongue - Where The Light Is Mute (2013)

Full Length, Self-released / Holy Mountain Printing
January 15th, 2013

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: Canada

Brooding and fomenting in Ontario for years amongst different projects apparently, three young gentlemen come together and former Oxtongue in 2012, finally releasing this slab of doom to the public at the beginning of this year. I think fans of doom will find something to enjoy in these friends heaping their sounds into the fray, and you can thank Severed Heads Open Minds for illuminating Where The Light Is Mute.

Oxtongue are new to the game but there's no denying Where The Light Is Mute is a half hour choleric ache, down-tuned and pavement splitting in three songs mired in darkness. There seems to be a theme flowing through the tracks but I do not have lyrics so I can't confirm; just going by the song titles. There's definitely some classic sludge influence that goes alone with the desolate semi-funeral doom acts like Atriarch and Bell Witch (you can hear it in the ending progressions of several tracks here), and for a self release the production is pretty damn good. The material is even better: keeping shit simple with dour sludge tonnage that sounds like it comes from veterans.

"Humanity: Born In The Way Of Eternal Greif" is the longest clocking in at just under 15 minutes. It's a clean chord driven procession of gloom for its entirety. The thundering, trudging drums for the entire opening three minutes are like sledgehammers wedging iron into stone, later taking a more measured pace once the bass guitar demolishes the build ambiance wonderfully. The only vocals are first heard as a faint whisper in the edge of an oceanic rift of silence between tom strikes and thick plucks — then a titanic upheaval is ushered in as the callous roars flood with the distortion, a return that crumbles all walls in its wake.

At this point it's a merciless steamrolling and it's getting clearer that while supposedly young, all three members are well versed in expressing sinister energies through foul trudging. After that plowing over the second half transitions to a sludgy build, aided at first with low, clean ceremonious chants but when the explosion comes the growls do too, along with another pancaking passage.

Actually following this the final legs of this song give me feelings of familiarity. My guess is it's close to the sound of the long defunct UK sludge band Capricorns' self-titled demo (a favorite gem of mine). The rhythm is totally reminiscent of that, but slowed and aided by modulated effects, a second lead of drowned tremolo harmony is also supporting it. That is not the end however: there's one final jaunt through the sludge with a tremendous groove, wallowing in crashing cymbals and heavy fuzz. Fucking heavy man and a promising start to the record.

Then we have "Anguish: Abide With Suffering" which takes that kind of structure heard at the tail end of the first track and runs with it for a bit before returning to a agonizing slither, circling a dark pit and slowly but surly returning to a midpaced sludge ritual. Oxtongue then bring shit back up to catastrophic heaviness, adding breaks in their slams to plam mute and moan chants into the gloomy air; a great section. There's a return to the drag for the down ramp of this track that gets progressively louder on the percussive end onyl to spike back up suddenly for the final two minutes back into that deadly groove.

The feedback and cymbal frenzy that leads from the last track into the last one, "Cessastion: The Shade Rapes Nativity", settles into a bassy, ebbying feedback with only cymbals and snare/kicks keeping the rumble company; distant shouting can be heard. The kick-in comes abruptly again and we're swept into a series of slow but powerful dirges. And one evolves into an even more evil section that grinds the listener into a pulp — it drops out again like the intro for just drums and vocals, a frightening and desolate moment before the hammer blows return in earnest. Again in the last few minutes a fantastic sludge groove bursts forth through a bass solo that kills. This climax is fucking captivating.

Another excellent doom act from the east. If you like shit like Bell Witch, Sound Asleep, Capricorns, Batillus, Haggatha, or good sludge and doom in general then I suspect you'll want to check this record out. Outside of not being heart-stoppingly innovative (which isn't a real complaint in most contexts)  there's really nothing to complain about. Just turn the lights down and the volume up, and prepare to be compressed in 31 minutes.

Where The Light Is Mute will soon be available via Holy Mountain Printing on limited vinyl (only 300 pressed) but was just recently pressed and sold in test-press form of which I was lucky enough to procure one of the five available (of 11 pressed). You can also stream it on bandcamp and they've made it available as a mediafire link in the sidebar there as well. Updates over yonder if you're into that.


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SIXBREWBANTHA / Water Torture + SIXBREWBANTHA / Agitate - Splits (2013)

Split, Nice Dreams Records / Witch Bukake Records
April 3rd, 2013

Genre: Grindcore/Powerviolence
Region: USA/Canada

Just in time for their soon-to-commence partial US tour and send-off show we have two new and quite fantastic splits involving Six Brew Bantha: one with Buffalo legends Water Torture and the other with Minneapolis's Agitate. Both are out right now and I managed to get a copy of each while at Six Brew Bantha's send off show the other day, and because they great I figured I squish them into one post to make it easier. And it just makes sense of course.

This also the second of two pairs of great grind splits with a wicked leading band, the other being the recent Suffering Mind splits with Phobia and MASSGRAVE which I'll get to soon enough in a similar style post.

First up is the split with Water Torture. Because I only recently submerged myself in the genre I'm not entirely familiar with this two piece but I have certainly heard of them for the past couple years. They're a rising powerhouse of bass/drum powerviolence and they seem to indulge in some experimentation outside of the punishing speeds, and here they employ a guitar with David Pacheco behind that end. So they end up sounding less like Thrones doing grind as they have at some points like on their self titled and the Shellfire EP but are no less capable of snapping necks with their brutality.

Six tracks to match Six Brew Bantha's five and contrast nicely with the more pure grind on that side. I went back and checked out previous records to get a taste of their sound minus the guitar as it seems to worry some people, I've heard its temporary but even so it sounds pretty fucking sweet to me. Of course it's always hard to make something sound heavier than the bass and drums combo they've molded (unless you add a second bass) but here the writing and execution are still crushing.

The first two tracks exemplify this and mesh together so closely they might as well be one track, starting off bouncy before the chaos seeps in; strained yelling underneath the grooves and blasts; both filled with a relentless hammering from all angles and very addictive. You're gonna return for a beating for sure especially for "No trophy", my favorite on this side, because that palm-muted break down is ugly combined with the hate-filled strained yells. This and "Alone Always" are the best here, with the latter consisting of literally two riffs: one blazing and then one lumbering giant which makes the blunt lyrics exponentially more weighty:

"RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH
LIE TO YOURSELF
FOR A POSITION OF SELF COMFORT?
FRIGHTENED
ALONE
ALWAYS
[NO]"

"No Trophy" eventually seaps into the relatively thrashy "Home/Sick", whipping you back and forth wrecklessly. "Black Blood" brings back the tumbling slabs in between spazz sessions which Water Torture do so well and I can imagine these would be even heavier with just the bass tearing shit down.

Their contribution sticks with the always gloriously simple formula they've strengthened up until now, and it is guaranteed to crack pavement even when returning to more punky roots like in the closer. From my limited perspective I'd say they strike a good balance on this release with their experimentation and bring some truly jaw-dropping writing here

Six Brew Bantha played a few of these at the last show and that was the first time I had heard them despite their bandcamp having their side up for download since early in the new year. There will be video of that soon. I was still digesting their full length which is something grind finds ought to check out if they haven't, and now I've gotten through their side on this 7" and can't get enough. They continue slinging creative one minute mincing sessions unlike any of their peers with one of the tightest snares I've heard, continuing a socio-political theme lyrically.

The first track "Struggle to Exist" was one of the closing songs the other night and boy is killer, there's a strong undercurrent of death metal in the middle chunk and buttressing that is blazing grind. I love the seamless blend. Other's like "Bred Into Enslavement" return to the core of there thrashing and just rip your face off before a wicked breakdown. A really groovy track and tied   a little bit of dissonance is spliced in the last third during a break downand the pummeling does not decreas

Everything here is engineered to stomp you and I would argue that goes twice as much for the drumming, the snare is just ricocheting inside your skull; unlike the original mix of Adversarial's debut the snare's pang here does not overpower shit. Listen to "Manipulated Public" or "Bred Into Enslavement" because the fills on those are pretty evil. "Opposition" is another good example. What's up front more so are the riffs and vocals, the latter filled with vitriol and unhindered bestial energy; the perfect style for the fury you hear around it.

It's hard to say which side is better. One boils shit down and bulldozes you while the other ensnares you throws you against the wall without losing grip so it'll depend on what you're in the mood for. It's a great collaboration anyway you look at it and I recommended it for sure.

The packaging on this split is pretty nice too so I suggest spending the cash to get it while you can, especially if you catch them on their tour. There was only a few pressed for the band on tour (200 in blue and clear) and even fewer for those who preordered (purple), and you can get the black press over at Nice Dreams Records. Or you can get Six Brew Bantha's side as a name-your-price download.


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The second of the two splits does not disappoint either, though I suspect more people were awaiting the Water Torture split. Six Brew Bantha destroy shit right out of the gate with "Outcome of Ignorance", a 34 second ripper that leads to a 4 second track and straight into the nicely dissonant "Mandatory Termination". This one is the longest of their side, they played at their kick off show and the was even more amazing, specifically the blasts beats and the transforming tremolo breakdowns near the middle. "Product of Your Environment" sounds like something Discordance Axis might have made in their earlier records; technical and discordant, ending with like a Dangers slam to cleanse you of the writhing prior to it and end their side.


Agitate are a two piece I haven't heard of until now, described as "no-frills mincing grind" withe the addition of "FUCK PORNO-GRIND!" I can go with both those statements I suppose, I can also get on board with the opening sample which is amusing.. It leads to the meat of everything of course: Agitate provide us with a glimpse storm trapped in cassette form as they completely shred the first half of their side in just over two minutes, or two of the three tracks. Occassionally I do get more oldschool punk and crust vibes mostly in the final track which slows shit down (much like Bridgeburner would), keeping it nice and lumbering for almost the entire length before stepping it up to a more crusty level.


Both contribute some nice stuff here but I'm gonna give it to Six Brew Bantha for now, they just don't cease to make memorable grind. Definitely grab the cassette if you can't wait from Nice Dreams Records or hold on and soon it'll be pressed on 7" wax by Witch Bukkake Records; or get both. The cassette is a nice green if you're into that.

DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp) AGITATE
DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp) SIXBREWBANTHA
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Antediluvian - Λόγος (2013)

Full Length / Demo, Nuclear War Now! Productions
2013

Genre: Black/Death Metal
Region: Canada

As some of you might be aware of, the Cassette rip of the limited demo (?) version of the upcoming Antediluvian record Λόγος has finally been circling the outer rungs of the web. I really wanted to hear this at the end of 2012 but only heard about it weeks after it was stealthily released. Anyway here we have it.

Pronounced "logos", a cursory Google search suggests it's ancient Greek for "I say" or "that which is said" (or possibly "reason" but I am both lazy and out of my element here), lending to the ancient biblical and cryptic tone the band has shouldered thus far even more so. The art is once again very eerie. I know that it's a little hard to believe but even in demo form (and depending on the future, even more so here) its blatantly obvious this material represents the greatest channeling of archaic global turmoil Antediluvian have achieved.

At first Λόγος seems like it is far more formless and fluid in structure than all their past recordings, and in reality their bizarre conjurations are definitely far more entangled than ever before. They once again manage to keep vigilant and cull only the best 34 minutes it seems. Riffs which are constantly mutating through copious dissonant bends and decrepit time signatures is what makes Antediluvian and their brethren so violating and captivating, and yes they continue to wallow in this filth here.

Something that also continues is the wrecking ball drumming, putting a lot of guys to shame as she coordinates with the frightening guitar work Haasiophis dredges up. "Beyond Diurnal Winds" for example, this chick is a fucking beast. The bass however is fairly lost underneath everything else, I can hear it but it needs either more growl or bounce; this was not a problem on the last few records.

The crooked paths of the songs and their unpredictability forces you to pay attention as there's so much buried in each track you have no choice, lest you get lost and write it off as poor writing (a hard sell no doubt). On the first listen as it progresses Λόγος grasps a firmer foundation, probably around "The Ash and the Stars" (which is huge and complex) you've begun to just get hold of this writhing serpent; a song which is the first time I would argue that the Portal comparisons are actually accurate. Everything before this was almost overwhelming in it's reveling in chaos, where you only get glimpses as you adjust once again to their craft.

However on successive listens, much like with earlier works, the material becomes clearer and you gain a great appreciation for the meticulous discord it's wrapped in. I almost forgot it was supposed to be a rough cut as it started sounding far crisper at this point "Homunculus Daimon-eon (Awakening)" shreds wildly in descending spirals and later opens up, stretching the 7/4 and never dropping it's pace. And if it weren't for the quick silence you'd mistake "Consumate Spellbound Synapses" for a continuation of the opener. It's ever more pungent with horror sustained wails behind this wall of hypnotizing, lopsided rhythm and hailing blasts,  both combine to level you and the weight just increases as you listen.

There's some debate over whether some of the intro vocals are pitch shifted, not that it matters much. The intros are already cavernous enough. The rest of the time Haasiophis gurgles and froths abhorrently the spells of antiquity as he obliterates his instrument in the darkest ceremonies they've crafted yet. Sometimes on tracks like "On the Tree of Life and Death" there's more hoarse screams at one or two points and I'm not sure if that's him as well (I believe they were a four piece at the time), same with the spoken passage ending the final song. That song opens with a particularly intoxicating intro before erupting into misshapen and uncontrolled masses, decaying midway through to a crawl.

Tracks like "Tower of Silence" and "Nuclear Crucifixion (Turning the Spear Inward)" are even more ugly and tumultuous, if you haven't been overwhelmed by the time you've hit the former then the latter will be all the more tasty. Definitely my picks right now along with "The Ash and the Stars". "Transept of Limbs" opens with a very angelic intro before the blasphemous avalanche breaks. Later an enthralling pinched harmonic lead is woven through the corrosive static and punishing percussion, it's unexpected and fits well.

They always know how to close with a boom and with "Death Meta" Antediluvian manage to do it again, slowing it down and returning to "Under Wing of Asael" briefly. It's another example of how twisted they make everything, the almost slow-down like whammy effect Haasiophis achieves alongside the monolithic kit work from Mars brings this one to a close and leaves a deep scar in all those who make it through.

I didn't have much time to get properly excited for this, and I was pretty surprised that they were already working on/had released a new record so soon after their last success. That made me unduly wary but even considering this I'm coming away extremely pleased with everything they're doing on this rough cut, so when the official version is out I can only imagine it'll be as good if not more relentless and savage. Certainly top ten material even as an unfinished monstrosity.

A must for fans of this genre. Antediluvian have definitely brought something more challenging in this current version of their style. Further corruption by the cassette quality along with a continued standard of great writing takes their sound to more obscure subterranean depths. The only band that competes with them on the "holy fuck" chaos level would be Impetuous Ritual in my humble opinion; I guess you could include Grave Upheaval too. You probably can't find this anywhere unless someones got it on ebay but I hear a more complete/official release is in the works over at Nuclear War Now! Productions so watch that closely. For now enjoy the cassette rip.



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Osk - Wretched Existence//Bleak Future 2007-2010 (2012)

Compilation, To Live A Lie Records
April 9th, 2012

Genre: Grindcore
Region: Canada

Finally got a hold of this: compilation of all Osks' material up to 2010, including the spits I have. It's a wicked collection that represents the band as well any full length would. Wretched Existence /// Bleak Future should have made it onto my year end list in at least the underrated section if not on the main list even if it isn't new material. Actually I just recently realized that Cvlt Nation gave them some attention right around the time I was still checking out records for my Canada article

What's great is it is absolutely about trampling you but the shifts in pace and ideas is very frequent and swift which keeps things very fresh without leaving the fundamentals. All of it is smart and very much worth your time, in this case just over 20 minutes. You can spare it for Osk especially if you're as late on this as I am. This is well worth the small amount of cash and they sell it cheaper live too. This mangled patch of grind is laid out as follows...

Tracks 1-5 From Split w/Scumbelly
Tracks 6-9 From Split w/Roskopp
Tracks 10-13 From Split w/War Hero

The first 13 tracks are all from their early Canadian grind-powerviolence colaborations which I've mentioned before. This is where two of my original favorites reside ("Endless Repent" and "Arm Yourself") though really Osk are not a grind band that mess with filler as far as I can tell, and manage to keep their grind chops varied. For example "It All Means Nothing" reeks of Mudlark with the slow swing of the rhythms, or "Empty White Box" which starts out sounding like something Adversarial might cook up but then shifts back into the grind ebb ("Blank Page" does this too), and "Giving Up" which has a GridLink/Sleep Terror quality to it in terms of it's urgency and intensity of the abrupt riffs/blasts.

This leads into the deadly line up of "Endless Repent", "Knowingly Ignorant", "Arm Yourself", and "Beyond Control" which are some of the more memorable tracks they've put out. "Assume" is an addictive 40 second thrash attack with a minute amount of dissonance. You get the idea: everything on these splits is loud and finely tuned for scorching earth. A few I heard a few weeks back when they opened for Iron Lung.

Tracks 14-16 From Split w/ The Afternoon Gentlemen

One of the tracks from this split I had heard ("Mouth Pollution") but the rest I couldn't find. Now that I have WE/BF that's been remedied, and the three tracks here continue to show Osk's merciless grind assault in a very good light. "Stranded At Sea" stands out the most for me because like "Empty White Box" (but even more pronounced and focused) the specter of death metal grabs hold for a few seconds to great effect. It's really cool to hear some of that influence surface more purely before being mixed into the grind chaos, it's impressive and something that I really like. "Stranded At Sea" is quickly moving up my list of favorites from them, the mixture and positioning of the styles and the strength of the material that filters through them is tremendous; all in one minute. "Walking Asleep" is also worthy of a mention: the aggression will erode your skull like an eraser on paper and then the grooves that follow make it all the more sweet.

(If you want to hear/download The Afternoon Gentlemen's side of this split they have it up for free on bandcamp)

Tracks 17-20 Previously Unreleased

Several of these (17 and 18) I had heard prior to this but I suppose they are officially the unreleased songs. Not overly remarkable compared to some other tracks here, but the ruthless approach has not lessened and there are a few excellent moments in the long tracks. "Lie Thru Yer Teeth" is one example especially from the mid-point onward where it turns into stoner sludge almost, and "Creeper" slows things down a way further. Osk certainly can shred 30 seconds in pro fashion but they can do an equal amount of damage in longer stretches without fighting to hold your attention.

Track 21 From Intellect Comp.
Track 22 From CYCL 2 Comp. 

The final tracks are from other compilations I've never heard of, and one track here "Gobs From Reno" I heard live when they closed their set with it. It's a real nice song hampered a little by the production here. "Earwig" is another exercise in compression in under 30 seconds, slashing through powerviolence territory with razor riffs and a small amount of chunk.

Again I recommend grind fans check these guys out. You can buy this from Scream//Writhe, To Live A Lie Records, and probably a few other hardcore/punk/metal distros out there so check around.

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Mudlark - Mudlark / A.D.H.D. + 7" (2009)

Full Length + EP, Schizophrenic Records

June 1st, 2009

  

Genre: Grindcore/Sludge
Region: Canada

It's safe to assume you're all probably tired of the core being touted around here by now, especially if it's branded with a maple leaf, but bear with me for one more post before I try to diversify a little.

One of the reasons for me posting this, outside this being really good, is that there's virtually no digital presence of this great sludge infused grindcore act and thus it's hard to get a taste of what they're dealing out. That's a shame because I managed to get a copy of this compilation recently, a rare and dusty version of their record release edition of Mudlark / A.D.H.D. — and I'm really enjoying it. I guess those dedicated and in the know of local grindcore scenes have been aware of these guys since 2006 but it's time I try to untuck Mudlark from the grime and write some words about what they've concocted.

I'm a little confused as to if this is a compilation or a full length and EP actually but for now it's the only material I've been able to get my hands on physically or digitally. I'm calling it a full record and a bonus 7" which may or may not be self-titled. There's some footage of them playing out there too if you're interested.

Anyway Mudlark were a four piece once but the majority of their existence has been as a three piece, the members over the years being involved with Massgrave, Osk, and Scumbelly which makes a lot sense when you hear some of their tracks. The slower moments easily make the jump from this to some of Osk's slow-downs. I'm still uncertain as to their current status because I've heard they have splits that are in the works and also that they broke up a few years back (which would be a major shame). There's footage of them in 2010 but not much else in the 3 years since.

This elusive Vancouver mutant is draped in kaleidoscopic imagery of mines abandoned and collapsing, enclosing a sound that is one part grindcore or powerviolence and the other is vaguely sludge and doom. And when I was absorbing the music while admiring the art (both the above version, plus the original artwork much like the 7" below) it was easier to see some of the links in imagery, concept, and the sound/style: the quickness and finality of a mine shaft collapse, wood splintering and rock grinding on rock crushing bodies in an instant. An explosion that rips through metal tracks and bodies. The grind they make is very much on this side. Other times the mine traps you and slowly starves you of light and oxygen in cold, rough abyss. The sludge is here, calculated and crawling. The only problem is there are no lyrics but I have some suspicions based on the above.

Overall the resulting sound is arguably similar to Black Arrows of Filth And Impurity if the sludgey aspects were emphasized more. And Mudlark do enter comparable atmospheres, once or twice in shorter tracks like the wonderfully brutal "Old Black Wood" but two more surprising tracks experiment in this direction. First the six minute "Blood Movement" which grows slowly with intoxicating, meandering slams simultaneously from the cymbals and guitar, mushrooming sporadically, climbing and falling — finally setting into a very comfortable rhythm. Hypnotic and heavy as fuck.

Then there's eight minute closer "Swamp College" is where you really hear the doom influence. It stretches with noise between trudging guitar blows, an entire section that sounds similar to a section in either a Weakling or Dispirit song; picking up and becoming more martial with some added angularity by the end. It's enormous and hard not to enjoy if you love weighty riffs. As it progresses Mudlark create a very enjoyable drone I think. Both of these longer songs are similar to the chaotic final tracks on "1984 (Eternal)" but with more structure, and leading to a more recognizable place.

Unlike the previously mentioned monsters of this record which come clean with the slowness up front, sometimes Mudlark disguise the beginning of a track as chaotic which leads one to believe more mincing will be the focus — when suddenly the e-brake is pulled and you're suffocating again. So just when you're into the mincing groove they will snap you back with a huge dirge.

They're very good at doing this. "A.D.H.D" is a great opener and shows the above formula off perfectly. It might be one of my favorites and it blends smoothly with the following track "Napalm" which is gripping too, thrashing for a good portion of the track before slowing to a drag. "Face Your Hate" and "Lie To Speak" take the opposite approach and are no less intense or absorbing and "Frank Slide" is a crusher with real ugly vocals. "Gross Shitty Mess" (all slow) and "Agravated Brain" mix the flailing fury with the drudgery similarly in a very short span of time. They make it a varied experience without lessening the ferocity at all. "Agravated Brain" is a memorable track too for being a particularly harsh bludgeoning.

The discernible grind influences they play with range from Norwegian Gadget style with very clear North American Insect Warfare contamination making for a very gritty and thick sandblasting when they're at full speed. Tracks like "Crematorium Grinder", "Klunk", "Rapid Mangulation" (frantic and amazing song that borders on death metal), and "Kunumdrum" (a burst of "Swamp College") which all stand alone as malicious whirlwind grind without contamination from the slower styles. Blazing riff conniptions ending with feedback usually.

And then we have the self-titled 7" record hat came with the main LP. It has four extra tracks to add to the pile of disorienting grind though not necessarily anything to go bat-shit about: "Told How To Live" and track three are minute long hammerings while "High" and "Carolyn's Catalog" take a more slow and groovy approach. I prefer the longer tracks on this one but nothing here is bad by any means.

The production is damn nice across both records for a small band, the bass and vocals stand out between the chaos of the percussion and guitars. No plastic feel, there's still plenty of grit and rawness and weight behind each jagged sound. Speaking of vocals they' re as you would expect: raspy, sometimes pained screams and disgusted roars from multiple members. Nothing feels out of place there. Overall what I really like about Mudlark (outside of the local bias) is they seem to be lurking and altering the dark and ugly path that defunct Black Arrows of Filth And Impurity took, and I'm always looking for bands that do this. Dephosphorus and A Scanner Darkly come close as do Crowpath sometimes. Mudlark flip the switch cleanly and churn out gold on both fronts.

So you're lucky if you've been searching for this and manage to catch the link before it gets taken down because I took the time to rip both the LP and the 7". If you like it I encourage you to head over to Schizophrenic Records and ask if they have copies available, or Give Praise Records who have a few copies I believe (also having a massive LP sale). Or if you're in Vancouver the Zoo Shop has the standard version of the record release edition for $40 I believe. Fans of the above mentioned bands plus stuff like GridLink and Discordance Axis will enjoy the hell out of this.

(also let me know how dropcanvas and the new Mega work)

LP + 7" :

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DOWNLOAD (Mega)
DOWNLOAD (Dropecanvas)

Three Nights of Rain & Grind In Vancouver

(Erosion)

Well technically two-ish of grind, powerviolence and rain followed by one of vagrants, cold wind and punk. It's a very uncreative title.

I recently got back from Vancouver and a few nights of local live shows: Baptists’ Album Release show at the Biltmore Cabaret, followed by Iron Lung/Column of Heaven/Osk/Koszmar/Cooked And Eaten in the back of Zoo Shop records, and then a kick of show in a photo gallery in a bad part of town for White Lung’s tour. This will be a quick one followed by a few posts with actual substance and content so don’t fret as I have plans.

It’s been a while since I’ve been in Vancouver longer than a transfer between flights so I did take a chance to try the New Amsterdam Cafe finally and I also was re-acclimated to the notorious presence of the underclass on west Hastings. Both of these things were interesting as was checking out venues I had not been to. All of this was amidst the pineapple express (awful term, sorry) we were going through on the coast so constant mild rain made everything a little more uncomfortably damp than you'd like.

West Coast Round-Up #1: B.C. Grind & Hardcore Part I

My previous post about the Vancouver group Ahna kind of resulted from a renewed interest in the underground on the west coast of Canada, specifically because I'll have been back on this coast longer than I have been in the past 4 years. So excuse this local focused and semi-indulgent round up of a handful of good grinders from B.C. and if it's not your thing then don't worry, more posts are coming. I think it fits in well with catching up on 2012 too.

It's strange growing up on Vancouver Island and just when you've become more invested and interested in underground music, you move to Toronto. That basically happened to me, and understandably from there I became more observant of the metal and hardcore scene in Toronto than I ever was of the one back west. Even when I was in B.C. I was in a place where it was an ordeal to go to a decent show (local or otherwise) even if I had known where and when, or was interested in music bands around me were putting out. I was a little underage as well so that wouldn't have helped.

What I'm getting at is I'm ashamedly very unfamiliar with the B.C. underground music culture where. I did know of and love a few acts (such as Skagos, Baptists, and Mitochondrion) however despite my geographical disconnect for so long I know I can do better.

In that spirit I plan on attending more shows when I can while I'm here, I've only been to two here compared to the hundred I've seen in Toronto. Even then in those two I came away with two great locals outside of Mitochondrion: Griefer and Ahna, plus others like sludge makers Hoopsnake. I'm kind of annoyed because I just missed a Despise You show with five bands I'm writing about here, a perfect chance to ease into things, meet people, and pick up some records while avoiding increased shipping costs.

This post will deal with releases under the punk umbrella but I intend to get some local doom, sludge and death/black metal together if I find enough enjoyable records. What you'll find below are some of the grind and punk bands I've been enjoying lately from my home province.

Ahna - Empire (2012)

Full Length, Choking Hazard Records
September 18th, 2012

Genre: Experimental/Drone/Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: Canada

Here's a case where I missed something that a) should've made a few of my lists last year, and b) I should've been on top of because I've been aware of Ahna's presence since I saw them open for Mitochondrion a few years back. Once again I find I'm kicking myself for being more oblivious than I think I can be when it comes to great local bands hammering out interesting sounds.

And that is definitely what Ahna are doing. They're a two piece — a dude on bass and a chick on drums/vocals — from Vancouver who since at least 2008 have been crafting an intriguing blend of drone and doom lightly coated in black metal and crusty powerviolence; what they've dubbed "drone violence". Very bare bones, very simple in structure and concept, and very heavy, jarring and strange.

Despite this being only 20 minutes Ahna have made every second captivating, intimidating, loud, and harsh. Their sound is quite recognizable. Empire really shows that you can birth doom that crushes without going over six minutes per song (of which there are five here), and still make it a unique experience without being gimmicky or pretentious.

I've only heard some of their previous material (plan on catching up immediately) but the impression I get from the blend of styles and lyrical content there's a very oldschool punk 'lefty' ethos surrounding their records, which makes sense given the general vibe of B.C. So if you're into that it's definitely a bonus. The tone of Empire is serious for sure and that comes across in all aspects here, thankfully they do it well without hammering you over the head.

What strikes me most now, and indeed when I saw them live, is Anju's vocals. While both members contribute in this department, Anju's are immediately what you focus on and could be the deciding factor of your enjoyment level of their rituals. Not only is she handling the percussion (powerful and solid) but she does so while emitting some of the most ear-splitting, visceral, and loud vocals I've heard in a while. They're on the higher pitched side and resemble fulminating cries of a furious demon, enunciating very clearly as she recites raw hymns about history, war, injustice, imperialism, etc. often in a Canadian context.

Her vocals are balanced out by the low death rasps of Graham who handles the bass duties, pounding out some ugly riffs both slow and doomy and occasionally fast, blackened and crusty. The main ingredient of the songs on Empire are enormous wrecking-ball blows of doom but as you progress through it the blackened and punk influences seep in without being offensive. Arguably you can even hear the powerviolence (boardering on screamo) influence in Anju's vocals, in terms of pitch and tone.

The title track and "Mental Corrosion" shows the mixture I mentioned in action. On "Empire" the pace picks up as the bass spews rumbling, crusty lines after the first minute, while on "Mental Corrosion" the black metal attack bleeds into a few moments of punk galloping, and a full blown avalanche by the end. Her rasps have a definite blackened texture without a doubt, just listen to "Shouts In My Ear". In fact in that one the approach is quite angular and the quick blasts of grind between the doom make for a very dynamic song.

I gotta say "Colony", "Empire", and "Declaration" are my favorites here. The vocals are particularly overwhelming and passionate on "Declaration", piercing you physically as the bass feedback drones and throbs, the pace grinding to a hault over noise. A perfect song to cauterize this short but weighty slab. "Colony" is really just one riff that bulldozes onward at different levels of heavy but the cadence and rhythm builds so nicely it feels like there's more going on. "Empire" has some wicked blackened howls from Anju much different from her more clear invocations, providing a nice change.

In conclusion I want to apologize to my Canadian brethren in Ahna for not being more astute last year (or indeed the past few) and giving some props on my 2012 best of Canada list at the very least, because Empire is an absorbing, scornful record that should get more attention and support. Certainly from Canadians.

They're playing a few shows in the coming months so I want to catch one of them, but for now I'm playing catch up on their stuff and the west coast scene in general. I think one of the reasons I wasn't more aware of Ahna even after I saw them was just due to the nature of their sound and my own lack of expectations. Took some time to process while I was focused on seeing Mitochondrion close the show I guess. I remember circling their merch table contemplating buying something but decided not to, and this has come back to haunt me several times; I'm sure you're all familiar with that scenario.

Anyway you can buy copies of this from Choking Hazard Records or on the west coast from Scream // Writhe, and I highly recommend you do. You can download it (name-your-price) from bandcanp too which I've linked below.


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Vilipend - Inamorata (2012)

Full Length, No List Records / A389 Recordings
August 16th, 2012

Genre: Hardcore/Metalcore
Region: Canada

This is another review originally written for Cvlt Nation. I held off on posting it here but I see some links have surfaced on the net elsewhere, so I'm getting this up here now.

Inamorata, the first full length from Toronto's rising hardcore act Vilipend, is quite the wrecking ball of blazing discordance.

I've reviewed a few of Vilipend's EPs not too long ago at the band's request, and I've seen them a few times since then; including a few nights ago at Titan's Burn release show. I filmed their set in which they played quite a few tracks from this very record. Some I heard for the first time and others I've definitely heard prior, but now that I have the new record in my hands and have given it a good dose of spins I can definitely recommend grabbing this sharp shard of hardcore for yourself. It's a sign that the old styles of metalcore and hardcore from the '90's like Rorschach still survives and is driven by just as much passion, without an injection of black metal (not that it would be a negative, it's just nice to see).

The title of this record should give you a hint as to at least one main theme of the record — whether it's a reference to a past lover or being used ironically/metaphorically, in thinly veiled spite or all of the above. Chris' despondent snarls spewing the subjects of betrayal, hatred cowardice once again translate very well feelings of destitution and frustration; rolling between vicious rasps and warped semi-clean slurs.

These topics are not unfamiliar but they are universally relatable, strongly written and performed, and he's supported in his vocal duties by Derek and Mike at various points in many tracks as well. Coupled with Adam's catchy splattering of percussion, and the coarse rumble of Mike's bass supporting Derek's dissonant, furious guitar attack this all makes for a twisted and bitter voyage into chaotic hardcore the band can stand proud by.

Out of the gate Inamorata presents the angst and anger nicely with "To Impede The Healing Process", noisy with tumbling drums and loads of distortion as Chris unfurls the vitriol within. Scraping rhythms and acrid presence fills this song and the next, "Cutting Heartstrings [Erosion]" which has some mean percussion in the opening seconds and a clean finish. Some tracks sound straight forward and punkish at first like "The Last Stand of the Hopeless Romantic", beginning with a bouncy assault (almost upbeat) before descending into dark slams and bent dissonance — emerging with a chorus of shouts, wicked and loud as well as a short final riff that closes the track nicely.

"The Thin Red Line Between Salvation and Damnation" is an example of the band slowing things down beautifully as it opens with a hypnotizing drum beat, the satisfying clang of cymbals, gradual feedback and Mike's steady plucking providing ample quakes. While maintaining the pace, Derek kicks in with a sluggish slam and slow sustained bends which will have you swaying. Chris brings intoxicated moaning and snarls over top and a moment for Mike opens up to conjure a great slithering solo bass line. What I love about the way this track ends is how it so easily, after some angular processions, drags you into the next track "Farewell, Cruel Girl [Apnea]" which immediately turns the speed up a few notches, and has one of the best opening riffs ever. It's so simple but such a seriously addicting moment and I only wish it repeated once more at some point in the song.

These two may be my favorites. They're almost symbiotic, containing some of those mesmerizing bends, choppy chugging and a repeated clean section that tangles with a distorted set of chops while Chris rails onward. The [Apnea] tag on the tail of this track brings some quiet reflection before they tear onward: a solemn and melodic acoustic instrumental that might throw you at first after the devastating assault that proceeded it.

That's the only break you'll get here though, as the guys plow ahead with "Self Low Thing" and "Great White Nothing", two more sonic batterings before the final entry. I heard the second track here for the first time live last week and it was heavy and spellbinding on stage, so hearing it laid down here you can believe that it retains just as much weight. Jumpy and jarring with a truly massive uncoiling riff near the end as Chris's vocals become heavily distorted it's no wonder they got this up and streaming first to showcase the record.

There's only one area of this album which contains a little more technical flair outside of the writhing, and this is found on the final moments of "Meant To Be"; performed by another local musician Luke Roberts. It works well with core elements of the track which is the longest one on Inamorata. It crawls at first, enclosed in a sorrow filled atmosphere but eventually opens up the tempo with that satisfying twangy rhythm and booming bass lines, hitting some very catchy moments midway through. The hook lyric "It was meant to be nothing at all!" begins to cycle endlessly towards the finale and it grabs your attention like a vice grip. It stops for a moment, then the slams, bends and kicks rotate around this lyric when suddenly that aforementioned solo punches through the caustic haze. It's a great solo, harmonized at the end without needless wank. The hook comes back for a moment before a slow fade with bass up front.

Inamorata can definitely be counted as a triumph for the band while leaving room to progress and expand, keeping the old school and tasty cacophony alive and vibrant. All of their outputs have been powerful but this one tops them undoubtedly.

Yes, this is some excellent hardcore you should definitely check out and support. If you're looking for a copy it's up for preorder on baby blue vinyl on A389 Recordings, and I believe the cd copies are distributed by No List Records; the band currently has copies so if you see them you can get a one from them. I assume they'll eventually be available at the band's merch site too so keep an eye out!

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)
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Mare - Mare (2004)

EP, Hydra Head Records
October 5th, 2004

Genre: Atmospheric Sludge/Doom Metal
Region: Canada

I'm perpetually behind on this years great releases at this point, but I promise I'll get to them soon. The new Ash Borer, Dephosphorus, Bereft, The Howling Wind, Protestant, Morigon, Swans, Evoken, Torch Runner, Panopticon, A Forest of Stars, Old Man Gloom, etc. Not that it matters really with the thousands of other great blogs out there tackling them in a responsible and timely manner — the top of the list obviously being Forever Cursed and The Living Doorway. So get your ass over there and show some love.

However I'm gonna use up a few posts to repost and properly review some of my favorite records (most likely 3) in between catching up on all that so bare with me. I started writing for Cvlt Nation last month (joining my friend Haxan from Forever Cursed) and I recently had the pleasure of writing an article about Mare's reunion shows here in Toronto. I also slipped in a review of their only release which is one of my favorite records of all time, and I wanted to post it here with a link to the record.

I posted this record when I first joined Equivoke but said very little about it — the link is down now and instead of just updating that I wanted to start fresh. So if you want you can head over and check out the full article about the live shows in their entirety, but below is just the review of the record and their performance last week (edited so it will make sense in the context of this blog). I would hope more people know about this than I'm inclined to a assume, but it never hurts to spread the magic and get others into such a great record.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

(Originally published at Cvlt Nation)

This past Thursday and Friday I and many others were blessed enough to be witness to several Toronto reunion shows of the legendary sludge three-piece Mare. I attended two of them, there was nothing that was going to keep me from seeing such a rare and visceral performance, and the supporting local bands Titan, Gates, White Ribs and Godstopper helped make the night even more special.

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.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)
DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare)
LISTEN (Bandcamp)

Titan - Burn (2012)

Full Length, Hypaethral Records / React With Protest
June 29th, 2012

Genre: Sludge/Hardcore
Region: Canada

And here it is! The first full length from Canadian sludge act Titan. I've been given the pleasure of reviewing it a little early. It's been in the works a while and from the live version of some of the songs I've heard ("The Fire Sculptures", "Little Seeds", "Indulgence") I already had a feeling it was going to live up to expectations. And now it's on the cusp of being released upon the world.

Burn (another album mastered by Colin Marston) is something for this Toronto group to be proud of. I'm not going to argue it breaks molds or is hugely innovative but what it does do is raise this band up high on the list of sludge/hardcore acts that deserve a lot of attention. They have created an enormous sound which does serve to separate them from most others that reside in this fusion of genres. It is a commanding, extremely loud and passionate album that refines and cements Titan's sound into something that shouldn't be ignored.

Somehow James' vocals here are even more ferocious and loud then on their previous records. His presence is utterly overwhelming, and the energy he displays in every song on Burn is something to be revered. Harsh and vicious in tone. Even when he reaches down to a lower throaty growl (as on "Indulgence" and "Sermon") this power is not lost. It is enough to peel the paint from the walls. You can taste the wickedness in his passionate delivery of each line, the melancholic and serious tone invigorates the listener especially in his more drawn-out yells. The guy has mad pipes.

James gives this record true immensity alone (even without taking into account the riffs and drumming) and this is immediately shown on the opener "Feast" which strikes a devastating blow, plowing down the listener with an imposing tower of shaking riffs and beastly roars. The main rhythm is killer enough but then the song slows, and when the energy returns and builds after a solo bass line it becomes something far more mighty. It's definitely one of my favorite tracks on Burn next to "Warmer Months" and "Telepaths."

I mentioned it before in my review of "Colossus" but again compared to his solemn, silent, brooding position in Gates the contrast here is jarring. There are also the added vocal talents on "Myopic" from Chris Colohan (of Cursed and Burning Love) who is someone that always brings an added element of terrifying aggression to any project he touches, and it's no different here.

Speaking of riffs: the ease with which Titan blend swirling hardcore and sludge with atmosphere is astonishing. Chris W. and Brandon comfortably shift between screaming powerchord leads, thrashy, dirty galloping and strings of tremolo picking, to a doomy series of sustained notes and chords, and then on to huge distorted crushing slabs of sludge that rock and lean back and forth with purpose — often all in one track (certainly the longer ones like "Warmer Months", a volcanic track, which really helps ward off any sense of monotony). The formula is straight-forward but dense and very energetic.

The yearning dirges that build slowly, occasionally harmonizing, clouding the listeners psyche with fiery atmosphere (without dipping into post-rock) are quite impressive. And then they'll break into barrage of chugging chords with a  hypnotic sway which is always satisfying. There's only one moment of technical indulgence on the final track right near the end: a short flurry of sweeps serving to heighten the final moments of the album and it manages to fit well without becoming masturbatory.

The bass duties of Mike do sometimes feel smothered by the loudness of everyone else here but on some tracks it's far easier to pick up on (for example on "The Fire Sculptures"), and other times it spikes up at key moments helping to anchor the heaviness of the guitars with a satisfying and smooth rumble. He follows the guitars elegantly without any trouble, pulling the thick riffs out of his amp with just as much fervor to batter your headphones to shit. Chris M. unleashes a ridiculous battering of percussion on every front of Burn. It doesn't rise too far above the other instruments in the mix so it never feels like it buries these elements, but his work is far from going unheard as each thunderous strike of a kick, tom or cymbal quakes and pounds deeply throughout each song.

It's a constant aggressive attack, especially on tracks like "Feast", "Warmer Months", "Little Seeds" and "The Fire Sculptures" where the force of their guitar work is oppressive enough to match James' roars. The only real break from this molten assault being the brief acoustic interlude "Corrupt", the clean section in "Vitiate", and then a slow acoustic, ritual build in the beginning of "Telepaths" — a track which could arguably contain some blackened noise influence no doubt due to input from both Bryan of Gates coupled with the legendary Tyler Semrick-Palmater (one of three brilliant guys behind the revered sludge band Mare); this combination of talents is phenomenal.

In fact the group work on "Telepaths" makes for one of the more interesting and engaging tracks on Burn. Beginning with the cycling hums as a faint sustained "aun" whirls behind acoustic strums and slow tribal drums for almost 3 minutes. Then the intense stillness is broken as the slow riffs erupt through while the noise reverberates behind them, and the initial deep growls of James slowly are overtaken by Tyler's signature pained wails (he does a great job, bringing a cold, haunting power into this track); guitars picking up pace beneath. It breaks with sudden cymbal crashes before slamming into a blackened fury with both vocalist bellowing, and a subtle churning dissonance that boils below. One final break as things come to a grinding, noisy halt and in comes Bryan from Gates who uses his skills wonderfully once again.

Outside of those points be ready to brace yourself for continuous volleys of well honed sludge riffage. Even in slower, shorter tracks like "Indulgence" with it's trembling distortion intertwined with plodding slams or "Vitiate" with its sad, mountainous force the echoing melody is kept massive.

A highly recommended surge of atmospheric and sludgy hardcore I suggest you all ingest this year. All of what Titan has been crafting up to this point is crystallized on Burn with blazing fury and it is tremendous — showing that they are quite deserving in calling their group Titan.The addition of several other extremely talented musicians from the Toronto area is just icing on the cake. There is room to grow from here and I'm interested to hear what they produce in the future. I also can't wait to see them again this weekend.

Here's the deal: as of June 22nd you will be able to download this for free (with the option to donate what you please) from the Hypaethral Records bandcamp page linked below. I've been asked to keep all other links off this review and I will honor that request. You can hear it streaming over here in the meantime.

Eventually you'll be able to pick this up in hard copy from both Hypaethral Records in North America and through React With Protest in Europe. Check Titan's official website for updates on this and their immanent European tour.

DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp) June 22nd
STREAM (Exclaim)