Returning to their roots (ahem) the Cavalera brothers come together to revisit and re-record their first EP and album via Nuclear Blast. These early releases, depending on who you spoke to and which magazine you read were either poorly recorded or raw and brutal. I’ll confess right now that I never listened to either or to Schizophrenia at the time Sepultura rose to prominence with Beneath The Remains / Arise, and so I thought it was high time to put that right. In terms of the ‘Max’ years I drifted away with the release of Roots, I just didn’t like it (there, I said it) and I didn’t pick up on Soulfly either. Funny bugger I am.
Anyway, what are they like? Well, like the recently released Death’s Toll by Death Collector, and Aborted From Reality by Static Abyss they take you back to simpler times and I mean no disrespect to either of those bands by saying that. Those two albums mine their respective histories to go forward and deliver two cracking slabs of death metal that are not approximations of a sound from 30 odd years ago. Reading the online notes, the brothers decided to do this because they were never happy with how either turned out at the time of the original release. Or it’s a shameless cash grab, you can make your mind up yourself. What is undeniable is the sense of fun that is palpable as they rip through each one, keeping that original brutality in place whilst making them listenable.
It’s like an audio time capsule that opens and takes you back to the mid-80’s and the brothers were barely out of their teens, which is fantastic when you think about it. Both sound great, with Igor playing out of his skin and Max sounding in good voice. Considering that these songs are nearly 40 years old they still hold up well and don’t sound hokey. They just absolutely crush and show just how they were influenced by Venom and Celtic Frost starting out, and it signposts to how their sound would develop later. Good songs, not classic ones, at least not yet.
There is a ton of energy here, and personally I’m glad they have gone back to give them both the proper attention they deserve and hopefully receive. We can argue about the merits of re-recording original material but in this case I’m all for it because now they sound like how they imagined and have got a new lease of life. Its possible that die-hard Sepultura fans may turn their nose up at it, citing that the originals are better and it’s not them if Paulo Jr and Andreas are not involved. Well, for those keeping score Paulo Jr didn’t play on the original and Andreas joined after this, so I guess it’s for the brothers to do as they like.
It is worth your time because it is old-school death metal, pure and simple and to be honest sometimes that is all you want. 8/10
Deitus - Irreversible (Candlelight Records) [Paul Scoble]
To be honest I haven’t been able to find out that much about Deitus, they do the mysteriousblack metal tosh that drives reviewers nuts. According to Metal Archives (the only place I can find a lineup) they are a duo Of BDS on drums and LDN on vocals/guitars, however Deitus have provided us with photo with three people in it, so even that information is wrong (they have a numbe rof guest live musicians - Ed). In an interview about this album the band have said that it contains the lots of guest appearances, but have not credited any of them, so I’d love to tell you about the great female vocals on a couple of the tracks, but I can’t tell you who sang them due to no information. I realise this sounds like a me having a hissy fit, but reviewing heavy metal can made a nightmare by bands trying to be mysterious. I do know that Deitus have released two albums before Irreversible; Their debut Acta Non Verba in 2016, and in 2018 its followup, Via Delorosa.
Due to Deitus doing the frankly childish mysterious black metal rubbish (which is, I must admit, a personal pet hate of mine), I would love to slag off this album and make jokes about how bad it is, unfortunately for me Irreversible is Fucking Brilliant!
The album is split into 6 tracks a short intro and 5 songs of between 6 and 8 minutes. Starting with the intro instrumental Incursion, which opens with big, slow and dramatic black metal riffs, the track builds in speed and aggression and takes the audience into the first song; Straight For Your Throat. Straight For Your Throat blasts off with blast beats and tremolo picked riffs and harsh vocals which are very effective. Theblack metal is beautifully fast and flowing, with huge amounts of inertia and energy, the song has a distinctive chorus that is very powerful. The song does have a slow, dramatic section that feels relentless and unstoppable, with a nasty G=guitar solo and some putrid harmonies, but the overriding feeling is of speed and inertia.
Next comes the track A Scar For Serenity. This track has is a mix of fast blasting black metal that is tight and in a way quite subtle, and slower, mid-paced riffs that have a lot of melody to them. The chorus is also infused with lots of melody, the song manages to be savage in feel, but is also dripping with great melodies to temper this savagery. Title track Irreversible is initially a mix of fast and flowing black metal blasting, and slower and dramatic riffs with lots of melody. However, in the second half of the track we get a section with some fantastic NWOBHM-esque guitar harmonies that are awesome and full of melody and tunefulness. There are several melody leads in this part that is a stand out section on the album and is very memorable. The song returns to fast black metal after the gorgeous harmonies.
Next comes the best song on the album, a track that the other songs seem to orbit around. Voyeur features the aforementioned Ffemale vocals that are so affecting. The song has a style all its own, it is slow and melodic and is centred around the vocals performance, the music feels minimal and introverted at the start, but builds in intensity and complexity as the song progresses. The vocals work so well as the voice is of such high quality, and in some places it is also layered which makes it breathtakingly beautiful. harsh vocals are added near the end of the song and work very well in harmony with the female voice. I’d love to tell you who is singing on this, but unfortunately I can’t.
Final track As Long As They Fear opens with slow riffs and atmospheric backing vocals from the same voice we heard on Voyeur. The song is mainly mid-paced melodic black metal, with a couple of slower and more dramatic sections, until the last section which is chaotic, fast and Blasting for a suitably nasty and tumultuous end.
Getting away from my grumpiness at lack of information, this is a fantastic album. It manages to take a form of black metal that is melodic and savage, a style that has been quite popular in recent years, and have added some unique aspects to it. This album is full of really great melodies, energy packed riffs and blasts but also has a variety of feelings, some amazing vocals, and really great creativeness, this is not black metal by the numbers, by pushing boundaries this has become art. There is real depth to this album, and it stands out in a packed market place of melodic black metal. Superb album, highly recommended. 9/10
Blackbraid - 2 (Independent) [Erick Willand]
The definition of meteoric rise, Blackbraid exploded onto the black metal scene like a lightning strike with breakout album Blackbraid 1. With its unique cultural perspective, crisp yet independent production and brutal melodic songs it caught nearly everyone’s attention and rightly so. Not one to rest on that success however, Sgah’gahsowáh (Jon Krieger) has already delivered Blackbraid 2 under much anticipation, and an absolute ton of scrutiny.
Quality is the word here, right from the warm opening moments of a crackling campfire and strummed acoustic guitar the proper atmosphere is established quickly and seemingly without any grandiose pretense. It just feels natural, as if you’re showing up late to the campsite but a meal and hot drink have been saved for you. It’s a perfect intro to The Spirit Returns, a blistering song about vengeful spirits riding the sky, that evokes a classic black metal sound while at the same time presenting a fresh vibe, like a storm wind through an old forest. When Sgah’gahsowáh bellows out “You shall know my name!” at the end it sends chills down your spine. The Wolf That Guides The Hunters Hand is an epic musically and lyrically, it feels like a chill winter blast of air in all the best ways. With intricate yet accessible riffs and fiery drum rhythms the song is long but tight and holds my attention. Add to this the lyrics about wolves as spiritual guides laid out with such poetic aggression and I’m just hooked.
Beginning Spells Of Moon And Earth is the sound of an owl quickly followed by acoustic guitar. This short interlude is like a palate cleanser of sorts, a reprieve before the next journey begins. That being track 5, Moss Covered Bones On The Altar Of The Moon, an almost 14 minute long black metal ritual dripping with woodland atmosphere and purpose. From the driving drum beat to the souring riffs, inclusion of the flute and mystic lyrics inspired by ancient rites, this song is just plain epic. I’m well known here for my views on song length but Moss Covered Bones gets a pass, mostly.
There is a ton of energy here, and personally I’m glad they have gone back to give them both the proper attention they deserve and hopefully receive. We can argue about the merits of re-recording original material but in this case I’m all for it because now they sound like how they imagined and have got a new lease of life. Its possible that die-hard Sepultura fans may turn their nose up at it, citing that the originals are better and it’s not them if Paulo Jr and Andreas are not involved. Well, for those keeping score Paulo Jr didn’t play on the original and Andreas joined after this, so I guess it’s for the brothers to do as they like.
It is worth your time because it is old-school death metal, pure and simple and to be honest sometimes that is all you want. 8/10
Deitus - Irreversible (Candlelight Records) [Paul Scoble]
To be honest I haven’t been able to find out that much about Deitus, they do the mysteriousblack metal tosh that drives reviewers nuts. According to Metal Archives (the only place I can find a lineup) they are a duo Of BDS on drums and LDN on vocals/guitars, however Deitus have provided us with photo with three people in it, so even that information is wrong (they have a numbe rof guest live musicians - Ed). In an interview about this album the band have said that it contains the lots of guest appearances, but have not credited any of them, so I’d love to tell you about the great female vocals on a couple of the tracks, but I can’t tell you who sang them due to no information. I realise this sounds like a me having a hissy fit, but reviewing heavy metal can made a nightmare by bands trying to be mysterious. I do know that Deitus have released two albums before Irreversible; Their debut Acta Non Verba in 2016, and in 2018 its followup, Via Delorosa.
Due to Deitus doing the frankly childish mysterious black metal rubbish (which is, I must admit, a personal pet hate of mine), I would love to slag off this album and make jokes about how bad it is, unfortunately for me Irreversible is Fucking Brilliant!
The album is split into 6 tracks a short intro and 5 songs of between 6 and 8 minutes. Starting with the intro instrumental Incursion, which opens with big, slow and dramatic black metal riffs, the track builds in speed and aggression and takes the audience into the first song; Straight For Your Throat. Straight For Your Throat blasts off with blast beats and tremolo picked riffs and harsh vocals which are very effective. Theblack metal is beautifully fast and flowing, with huge amounts of inertia and energy, the song has a distinctive chorus that is very powerful. The song does have a slow, dramatic section that feels relentless and unstoppable, with a nasty G=guitar solo and some putrid harmonies, but the overriding feeling is of speed and inertia.
Next comes the track A Scar For Serenity. This track has is a mix of fast blasting black metal that is tight and in a way quite subtle, and slower, mid-paced riffs that have a lot of melody to them. The chorus is also infused with lots of melody, the song manages to be savage in feel, but is also dripping with great melodies to temper this savagery. Title track Irreversible is initially a mix of fast and flowing black metal blasting, and slower and dramatic riffs with lots of melody. However, in the second half of the track we get a section with some fantastic NWOBHM-esque guitar harmonies that are awesome and full of melody and tunefulness. There are several melody leads in this part that is a stand out section on the album and is very memorable. The song returns to fast black metal after the gorgeous harmonies.
Next comes the best song on the album, a track that the other songs seem to orbit around. Voyeur features the aforementioned Ffemale vocals that are so affecting. The song has a style all its own, it is slow and melodic and is centred around the vocals performance, the music feels minimal and introverted at the start, but builds in intensity and complexity as the song progresses. The vocals work so well as the voice is of such high quality, and in some places it is also layered which makes it breathtakingly beautiful. harsh vocals are added near the end of the song and work very well in harmony with the female voice. I’d love to tell you who is singing on this, but unfortunately I can’t.
Final track As Long As They Fear opens with slow riffs and atmospheric backing vocals from the same voice we heard on Voyeur. The song is mainly mid-paced melodic black metal, with a couple of slower and more dramatic sections, until the last section which is chaotic, fast and Blasting for a suitably nasty and tumultuous end.
Getting away from my grumpiness at lack of information, this is a fantastic album. It manages to take a form of black metal that is melodic and savage, a style that has been quite popular in recent years, and have added some unique aspects to it. This album is full of really great melodies, energy packed riffs and blasts but also has a variety of feelings, some amazing vocals, and really great creativeness, this is not black metal by the numbers, by pushing boundaries this has become art. There is real depth to this album, and it stands out in a packed market place of melodic black metal. Superb album, highly recommended. 9/10
Blackbraid - 2 (Independent) [Erick Willand]
The definition of meteoric rise, Blackbraid exploded onto the black metal scene like a lightning strike with breakout album Blackbraid 1. With its unique cultural perspective, crisp yet independent production and brutal melodic songs it caught nearly everyone’s attention and rightly so. Not one to rest on that success however, Sgah’gahsowáh (Jon Krieger) has already delivered Blackbraid 2 under much anticipation, and an absolute ton of scrutiny.
Quality is the word here, right from the warm opening moments of a crackling campfire and strummed acoustic guitar the proper atmosphere is established quickly and seemingly without any grandiose pretense. It just feels natural, as if you’re showing up late to the campsite but a meal and hot drink have been saved for you. It’s a perfect intro to The Spirit Returns, a blistering song about vengeful spirits riding the sky, that evokes a classic black metal sound while at the same time presenting a fresh vibe, like a storm wind through an old forest. When Sgah’gahsowáh bellows out “You shall know my name!” at the end it sends chills down your spine. The Wolf That Guides The Hunters Hand is an epic musically and lyrically, it feels like a chill winter blast of air in all the best ways. With intricate yet accessible riffs and fiery drum rhythms the song is long but tight and holds my attention. Add to this the lyrics about wolves as spiritual guides laid out with such poetic aggression and I’m just hooked.
Beginning Spells Of Moon And Earth is the sound of an owl quickly followed by acoustic guitar. This short interlude is like a palate cleanser of sorts, a reprieve before the next journey begins. That being track 5, Moss Covered Bones On The Altar Of The Moon, an almost 14 minute long black metal ritual dripping with woodland atmosphere and purpose. From the driving drum beat to the souring riffs, inclusion of the flute and mystic lyrics inspired by ancient rites, this song is just plain epic. I’m well known here for my views on song length but Moss Covered Bones gets a pass, mostly.
I won’t lie it could have clearly used a trimming, but not by much. Not by much at all. This massive epic is followed by the album's second long saga, A Song Of Death On Winds Of Dawn. This is a much different beast, faster, meaner it blasts then swaggers, then blasts again through 11 minutes but doesn’t feel like 11 minutes. There is a sense of melancholy draped over this song despite the speedy bits like a fog creeping around the feet of trees. These two epic, poetic, longer than usual songs from the meat of this album, it’s a solid structure and it works.
The next half begins with another acoustic piece titled Celestial Passage and matches Spells Of Moon And Earth in length and tone. It all fits together perfectly and brings the listener back to the woodland darkness with Twilight Hymn Of Ancient Blood.
The next half begins with another acoustic piece titled Celestial Passage and matches Spells Of Moon And Earth in length and tone. It all fits together perfectly and brings the listener back to the woodland darkness with Twilight Hymn Of Ancient Blood.
This droning, chugging slab is heavy with bass and deeper, growlier vocal approach, shifting the vibe, it lulls you in. And then at about the 3:48 mark it slaps you rudely awake with a kicked up trashy riff. The song suddenly comes to life and I dig it but the feeling that these are two different songs can’t be ignored. It’s still ripping good, don’t be mistaken.
As I said earlier, quality is the word here, these songs are long, however I’m not bored. Like good doom metal, I’m here for the ride and this is a good ride. Final two tracks, Sadness And The Passage Of Time And Memory, and A Fine Day To Die both exceed 6 minutes. However each song is its own creature with its own atmosphere. Sadness has a unique mournful sort of slow rumbling that definitely sets a vibe. In the end the song slowly fades out and gives way to A Fine Day To Die’s slow growling/spoken acoustic opening. Well, the opening is wrong, the first half of the song is a better way of putting it. At about 1:54 it breaks out into a rolling, trashy riff complete with hero guitar bits. I think it’s great but again I’m given that ‘two songs become one’ kind of vibe.
Blackbraid 2 is without a doubt a great album, the production is spot on, the songs are clearly arranged a certain way and I appreciate that. Even the cover art is tight, close to the first album's art but also a step up. I’ve seen a bunch of the merch and it looks great. It is not perfect, as so few things really are. Many of these tracks could have clearly been trimmed down, as there is a bit of indulgent rambling going on. At the end of day and after several listens, Blackbraid 2 lands at 8/10
Auralayer - Thousand Petals (King Volume Records) [Quinn Mattfeld @AV4Apod]
Auralayer comes out of the gate sounding like a much less interesting band than the remainder of their debut album Thousand Petals proves them to be. Opening track The Lake and follow-up All My Time are fairly straight-forward, up-tempo and less-than-inspired rock songs despite a killer drum track on the opener which portends the dazzlingly brilliant work of drummer Vladimir Doodle. (No need to re-read that last sentence. The drummer's name is, in fact, Vladimir Doodle).
On Christ Antler, Thousand Petals lifts off like an early record from The Sword fronted by Mike Patton (minus all the "funny" voices). Faith To Reason almost threatens to settle back into radio rock repetition but is thankfully saved by an outstanding bridge-into-guitar solo that sold me on the final iteration of chorus. Vladimir Doodle's insistence on absolutely annihilating his snare doesn't hurt either. (I really just can't say Vladimir Doodle enough… Vladimir Doodle).
As I said earlier, quality is the word here, these songs are long, however I’m not bored. Like good doom metal, I’m here for the ride and this is a good ride. Final two tracks, Sadness And The Passage Of Time And Memory, and A Fine Day To Die both exceed 6 minutes. However each song is its own creature with its own atmosphere. Sadness has a unique mournful sort of slow rumbling that definitely sets a vibe. In the end the song slowly fades out and gives way to A Fine Day To Die’s slow growling/spoken acoustic opening. Well, the opening is wrong, the first half of the song is a better way of putting it. At about 1:54 it breaks out into a rolling, trashy riff complete with hero guitar bits. I think it’s great but again I’m given that ‘two songs become one’ kind of vibe.
Blackbraid 2 is without a doubt a great album, the production is spot on, the songs are clearly arranged a certain way and I appreciate that. Even the cover art is tight, close to the first album's art but also a step up. I’ve seen a bunch of the merch and it looks great. It is not perfect, as so few things really are. Many of these tracks could have clearly been trimmed down, as there is a bit of indulgent rambling going on. At the end of day and after several listens, Blackbraid 2 lands at 8/10
Auralayer - Thousand Petals (King Volume Records) [Quinn Mattfeld @AV4Apod]
Auralayer comes out of the gate sounding like a much less interesting band than the remainder of their debut album Thousand Petals proves them to be. Opening track The Lake and follow-up All My Time are fairly straight-forward, up-tempo and less-than-inspired rock songs despite a killer drum track on the opener which portends the dazzlingly brilliant work of drummer Vladimir Doodle. (No need to re-read that last sentence. The drummer's name is, in fact, Vladimir Doodle).
On Christ Antler, Thousand Petals lifts off like an early record from The Sword fronted by Mike Patton (minus all the "funny" voices). Faith To Reason almost threatens to settle back into radio rock repetition but is thankfully saved by an outstanding bridge-into-guitar solo that sold me on the final iteration of chorus. Vladimir Doodle's insistence on absolutely annihilating his snare doesn't hurt either. (I really just can't say Vladimir Doodle enough… Vladimir Doodle).
Shelf Black comes in like one of Nirvana's poppier tracks before dropping into an anthemic bass line that dominates the song's second half and is accented by a guitar tone straight off of Kevin Parker's first record (Auralauer, can you guys give that back? I dig the synth pop but I could use some more AM rock from Tame Impala).
Save for dipping a toe back into up-tempo mediocrity on the penultimate tune Dance To Thrash, Shelf Black is where the debut goes from good to great as it's the first of four sublime doom metal tracks: Peacemonger, You Walk, and a next-level album closer called Monstrum that one can only hope is where Auralayer picks up on any sophomore effort.
The B Side of Thousand Petals won't land them on KROQ's mid-afternoon block but if we're being honest, neither will any of the album's more "digestible" tracks which seem subconsciously intended to do just that. Auralayer might be a better band than they think they are and if they continue to lean into their more unconventionally heavy impulses, they could prove to be better than anyone thought. 7/10
Save for dipping a toe back into up-tempo mediocrity on the penultimate tune Dance To Thrash, Shelf Black is where the debut goes from good to great as it's the first of four sublime doom metal tracks: Peacemonger, You Walk, and a next-level album closer called Monstrum that one can only hope is where Auralayer picks up on any sophomore effort.
The B Side of Thousand Petals won't land them on KROQ's mid-afternoon block but if we're being honest, neither will any of the album's more "digestible" tracks which seem subconsciously intended to do just that. Auralayer might be a better band than they think they are and if they continue to lean into their more unconventionally heavy impulses, they could prove to be better than anyone thought. 7/10
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