The Great Old Ones: Cosmicism (Seasons Of Mist) [Paul Hutchings]
Active since 2009, French atmospheric black metallers channel the spirit and literary heritage of author H.P. Lovecraft throughout their works. Opening with the atmospheric drenched Cosmic Depths, the band then slowly launch into the nine-minute plus The Omniscient, which builds with sinister intent, and then explodes into an exploration and expansive developing track. The idea behind “Cosmicism” is that humans are godless creatures who are totally insignificant in the grand scheme of our cosmic universe. The record is a true journey in the cold deep of space. Each song features a Lovecraftian entity and parallel the dark destiny of the protagonist who meets her and in turn, slowly succumbs to admiration and madness.
The lyrics are inevitably inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, layered over haunting, melodic beauty and crushing death metal which for some will result in a perfect match. It’s difficult to do this album justice, such is the complexity and intricacy of the work. Spine Crushing elements blend with melodic atmospheric passages. Lengthy gargantuan epics dominate, such as the 12 minute A Thousand Young which edges toward black gaze in its delivery. My advice is clear. Get this album and immerse yourself in the world of one of the most influential writers of all time, all delivered with a Gaelic flair which is somewhat astonishing. 8/10
Rings Of Saturn: Gidim (Nuclear Blast) [Paul Hutchings]
Whether you class Rings Of Saturn as technical death metal or deathcore is merely splitting hairs. The band that was originally formed as a studio only project in the Bay Area, California in 2009 has mushroomed into a five-album beast. Now I’m not familiar with their catalogue so I’m taking this with full force and no preconceived expectations. Let’s start with the negatives. I dislike the amount of programming intensely. It is one of many roles that founder Lucas Mann takes on this release, but I really struggled with the lack of passion in the sound. Gidim is also as technical as hell and it appears that this is because the band can. With Joel Omans and Mann covering guitar duties, this is a sonic highway of intense picking, riffing and steaming fretwork which really struggles to demonstrate any warmth. It’s all a bit unconnected. The positives? Well, Ian Bearer’s vocals are immense. Deep, resonating growls works for me. The fast tempos work well with the interplay at times breathtaking. The high-speed riffing and ambient elements combine to underpin lyrics that refer to space invasion and extra-terrestrial life. The technical aspects work well, but it’s all a little too contrived and the intensity with which the band plays is at the expense of any warmth. I could feel the heat in Obscura, Allegaeon and Fallujah in recent months, their technicality worked alongside their music. I’m afraid this was too much. It left me cold. 4/10
Cannabis Corpse: Nug So Vile (Season Of Mist) [Matt Bladen]
So it's Cannibal Corpse but instead of blood and gore the lyrics are about weed and the titles are marijuana based puns of other band's songs with this albums title ripped off from Cryptopsy. This one line is all you need to understand what the newest release by Cannabis Corpse sounds like, formed by Municipal Waste/Iron Reagan bassist Phil 'Landphil' Hall and drummer Josh 'Hallhammer' Hall Cannabis Corpse have slowly but surely become one of death metal's more exciting acts as they pair blistering death metal with a strong strain of THC induced humour. The 11 songs on here whizz past in a fug of green and blastbeats though Dawn Of Weed Possession brings more of the thrash stomps you'd expect from LandPhil's other bands. Nug So Vile deals with a "hardcore marijuana abuser with the demented fantasies" so lyrically it stays the course of what CC have always been about picking up where Left Hand Pass left off merging horror and hash to great effect. Nasty death metal that never relents in any way Nug So Vile is a fat one ready to blaze from the first hit. 7/10
The River: Vessels Into White Tides (Nine Records) [Matt Bladen]
A decade in the making Vessels Into White Tides is the latest release from UK band The River. Slow, brooding and enriched with melancholy it's not one to listen to if you're a bit tired and emotional but my is it a beautiful record. The slow, heavily distorted riffs drag their way through marathon numbers such as Into White with the rhythm section of Stephen Morrissey (bass) and Jason Ludwig (drums) giving the songs lots of space, it's these gaps between the riffs that really draw you in much like John Williams' use of silence on the Jaws theme, the guitar playing of Jenny Newton (guitars, strings, percussion) and Christian Leitch (guitars/percussion), moves between single dissonant notes, to thundering riffs and even some beautiful folky sounds on Open all of which highlight the soul stirring voice of Jenny who takes cues from Sandy Denny and Maddy Prior, bewitching you on the more laid back jazz-inflected sounds of Passing. Vessels Into White Tides is not for the faint of heart as this 5 song release clocks in a monumental 45 minutes of primordial at times ethereal, there's times here that conjure genuine emotion it's exquisite. 9/10
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