This is not a concert recording. This is a documentation of a plague, technically I guess it’s a documentation of a plague lifting being recorded shortly after the COVID lockdown passed. I’ll just pause on this, this is a live recording. I had to listen to this a few times to get that as it is so tight, so fast and so damn good.
1349's Winter Mass is the sound of the Black Death reaching Norway and deciding to take no prisoners for an hour straight. Named after the year of total societal collapse, this live album, recorded in their native Oslo, is a testament to unchained, uncompromising Norwegian Black Metal.
Forget ambience. this is a the band themselves say, aural hellfire. The core unit, featuring drummer Frost (Satyricon) and vocalist Ravn, operates at a velocity that defies physics. The band's guiding principle is simple. to be fast, brutal, and grim, and this performance is the ultimate delivery on that promise and yes, this is delivered in a live setting and it’s razor sharp.
1349's Winter Mass is the sound of the Black Death reaching Norway and deciding to take no prisoners for an hour straight. Named after the year of total societal collapse, this live album, recorded in their native Oslo, is a testament to unchained, uncompromising Norwegian Black Metal.
Forget ambience. this is a the band themselves say, aural hellfire. The core unit, featuring drummer Frost (Satyricon) and vocalist Ravn, operates at a velocity that defies physics. The band's guiding principle is simple. to be fast, brutal, and grim, and this performance is the ultimate delivery on that promise and yes, this is delivered in a live setting and it’s razor sharp.
Frost's merciless, ultra-fast blast beats descend upon the listener like a blizzard of shrapnel, while Archaon's guitars thrash with a raw, chaotic fury. The production is sharp enough to capture the chaos without polishing away the necessary grimness.
The setlist is a calculated exercise in extremity, spanning three decades of hate. Early classics like Sculptor Of Flesh are executed with unchained madness, proving the band's older material maintains its lethal firepower. For me, the stand out track is I Am Abomination which blisters with unmatched speed, affirming Ravn's snarled declaration, "I will always be here / In all ways in all times."
The setlist is a calculated exercise in extremity, spanning three decades of hate. Early classics like Sculptor Of Flesh are executed with unchained madness, proving the band's older material maintains its lethal firepower. For me, the stand out track is I Am Abomination which blisters with unmatched speed, affirming Ravn's snarled declaration, "I will always be here / In all ways in all times."
This isn't just music; it's a proclamation of endurance delivered through a sadistic, guttural snarl. Even the mid-set tracks like Cauldron and Striding The Chasm whip by at a pace that suggests time is actively running in reverse.
The band's sonic fingerprint is unmistakable. the chaotic energy is rooted in the legacy of Mayhem and Celtic Frost, bands they proudly align with. This is not about genre evolution. it is about unwavering adherence to a violent aesthetic. 1349 refuses to make concessions to the current scene.
The band's sonic fingerprint is unmistakable. the chaotic energy is rooted in the legacy of Mayhem and Celtic Frost, bands they proudly align with. This is not about genre evolution. it is about unwavering adherence to a violent aesthetic. 1349 refuses to make concessions to the current scene.
Winter Mass is the perfect proof that after three decades, they are louder, faster, and more vital than ever. Imagine being unlocked after months following COVID and getting welcomed to freedom by this. 9/10
Pale Horse Ritual - Diabolic Formation (Black Throne Productions) [Rich Piva]
There is a way I want a record to sound. It is impossible for me to put it into words, but it is some combination of heavy, fuzzy, dark, leaning more lo-fi than over produced, weird, mindbending, scary, evil, melodic, with harmonies, and different from most other stuff. Words, but not a real thought or description to that sound, and a combination not often heard in just about anything out there.
Pale Horse Ritual - Diabolic Formation (Black Throne Productions) [Rich Piva]
There is a way I want a record to sound. It is impossible for me to put it into words, but it is some combination of heavy, fuzzy, dark, leaning more lo-fi than over produced, weird, mindbending, scary, evil, melodic, with harmonies, and different from most other stuff. Words, but not a real thought or description to that sound, and a combination not often heard in just about anything out there.
Well, instead of trying to describe that sound, from now on I am just going to ask people to turn on the new record from Pale Horse Ritual, Diabolic Formation, to explain how that jumble of words in my head comes out in recorded form.
The seven tracks from these veterans of the Canadian heavy underground can be exhibit A for what I want to hear when I start a record, and how I feel once it is through, and start it up all over again.
From the first fuzzy, dark, and psych dripping note of the opener, Deflowered, you know this record is about to be something special. The dual guitar action and Sabbath crawl is just killer, with James Matheson on lead guitar and Will Adams on rhythm laying out the template for exactly how fuzzy stoner psych doom should sound. This crawls up from the gutters of Toronto and steals your soul, all without any words, on the instrumental opener.
From the first fuzzy, dark, and psych dripping note of the opener, Deflowered, you know this record is about to be something special. The dual guitar action and Sabbath crawl is just killer, with James Matheson on lead guitar and Will Adams on rhythm laying out the template for exactly how fuzzy stoner psych doom should sound. This crawls up from the gutters of Toronto and steals your soul, all without any words, on the instrumental opener.
Wickedness brings Paco’s haunting vocals to go along with the out of this world guitar tone and amazing playing, as well as hate of organized religion, which tracks with the whole evil thing I mentioned above. I love the old movie clips added, which doubles down on my need for something to amp up the fear factor.
Holy shit the guitar work on this track. Holy Lies has drummer Jonah Santa-Barbara displaying how he brings his hard hitting style and cowbell to the table to amp up the heavy and partner perfectly with Paco’s way down low bass. Oh, and how about we add some subtle harmonies to the vocals too? And that solo just rips so hard.
PHR obviously love Sabbath, and Save You is their Planet Caravan, but please, never think these guys are clones of the masters. The acoustic guitar and synth on this one bring so much atmosphere to the table with the layered vocals, creating the exact vibe this one was going for.
This track is the perfect bridge to Bloody Demon, which may have the filthiest sounding riff of the year. The haunting background vocals is another small detail that makes this record so special. The vocal patterns on this one makes the melody stick in your head like the track’s anti-hero that is in your mind to make you do the most heinous of things.
Just in case you needed another riff to belt you over the head and slash you up you get D.E.D., a track that is scarier than any horror movie since 1986, and another one where the synths add so much to the track in the background. The vocals in the bridge just rule, and show how both evil and harmony can mix.
Can an album like this close more perfectly than with a filthy doom track titled A Beautiful End? With what sounds like an exorcism being performed in Italian over riffs and organ and, of course, the guitar tone straight from Hell circa 1976, there could not have been a more ideal record closer.
A perfect sounding record, Diabolic Formation is exactly how I would describe the music I love. An album of the year candidate for sure. If I was creating a record in Frankenstein’s lab, the monster that came alive and destroyed the town would be the nine songs created by Pale Horse Ritual. Diabolic Formation indeed. 10/10
Fessus - Subcutaneous Tomb (Darkness Shall Rise Productions) [Mark Young]
How often do you get a band whose output matches the accompanying PR words that come with a new release? Personally speaking, it’s few and far between for me if I’m honest so when one comes along with the now de rigueur grand description of brutality, of capturing a certain vibe or feeling and then actually delivers on it, well I’m going to pay attention.
A perfect sounding record, Diabolic Formation is exactly how I would describe the music I love. An album of the year candidate for sure. If I was creating a record in Frankenstein’s lab, the monster that came alive and destroyed the town would be the nine songs created by Pale Horse Ritual. Diabolic Formation indeed. 10/10
Fessus - Subcutaneous Tomb (Darkness Shall Rise Productions) [Mark Young]
How often do you get a band whose output matches the accompanying PR words that come with a new release? Personally speaking, it’s few and far between for me if I’m honest so when one comes along with the now de rigueur grand description of brutality, of capturing a certain vibe or feeling and then actually delivers on it, well I’m going to pay attention.
Such is the case with Fessus, who carve their own path by actively avoiding the usual speed fest and attempt to bring aggression in a more controlled manner. Subcutaneous Tomb is their debut courtesy of Darkness Shall Rise Productions and follows on from an earlier demo.
So, what do we have? An extremely gnarly guitar tone that is brittle, crystalline and unique to them. Its abrasive and completely fitting that medium tempo that Pointless Anguish occupies. As promised, this is death metal that concentrates on being oppressive and uses drawn out harmonic parts to keep that dark vibe in place.
So, what do we have? An extremely gnarly guitar tone that is brittle, crystalline and unique to them. Its abrasive and completely fitting that medium tempo that Pointless Anguish occupies. As promised, this is death metal that concentrates on being oppressive and uses drawn out harmonic parts to keep that dark vibe in place.
It’s a real blast of fresh (fetid?) air, one that is honest and doesn’t rely on speed to mask any shortfall in song craft. Their songs take as long as they need to take to get from start to finish with Pointless Anguish kicking things off. They have made a brutal opener that lives up to what they promise.
Asphyxiate In Exile follows suit, and if you wanted to know the kind of speed we are looking at, I’d say its steady. And because of that it works so well, that reduced tempo is reminiscent of Obituary but just a tad slower.
What it means is that when they do up the speed it registers more with you, but this is done in a controlled manner. Any change in tempo is done with the song in mind and if you take Cries From The Ether as a great example of this where they up that pace prior to dropping a lead break in it makes perfect sense.
Brenton’s vocals move between the guttural and anguish and it has to be said that they are perfectly set to the music under them. What this does mean is that if speed is your thing, then you will need to look elsewhere for that fix. They say it themselves that their tempo leans more into the slower slide of things and if this isn’t your thing then no hard feelings.
The Depths Of Lividity has an almost boppy drive to it, one that seems to sit outside of normal death metal realms. It doesn’t stay like that for long but you have to admire that they are wanting to come at you like their predecessors Pungent Stench who did death metal their way.
The Depths Of Lividity has an almost boppy drive to it, one that seems to sit outside of normal death metal realms. It doesn’t stay like that for long but you have to admire that they are wanting to come at you like their predecessors Pungent Stench who did death metal their way.
Does every song hit? Well again it depends on how you take your death metal. Yizkor certainly has the riffs but could have been shorter which for me would have made it more immediate. It is a minor criticism to be honest, but it felt that it was repeating itself.
Living Funeral is their final word and is a fine end piece. Perhaps recognising that Yizkor was a bit lengthy, this goes for a more concise build but one that doesn’t repeat itself. Using that reduced tempo to grind out each song gives them more life than just the usual blast-beat, super-speed affair.
Living Funeral is their final word and is a fine end piece. Perhaps recognising that Yizkor was a bit lengthy, this goes for a more concise build but one that doesn’t repeat itself. Using that reduced tempo to grind out each song gives them more life than just the usual blast-beat, super-speed affair.
Their songs are memorable, and that guitar tone is cold and a complete departure from the norm. It will be interesting to see where they go next and I hope they continue to stick to their guns with their next release. 8/10
Doubtsower - The Past Melts Away With A Sneer (UBAII) [Matt Bladen]
Let's get this out of the way now The Past Melts Away With A Sneer clocks in at 48:29, it's an albums worth of music but in one track. I wouldn't expect anything less from One-Man Doom outfit Doubtsower, who has been producing some of the most experimental sounds in the genre for a good few years now.
Matt Strangis, the Doubtsower himself is also a member of funeral/atmospheric doom veterans Pantheïst and an electronic music producer under the name Kyam. He utilises both of these backgrounds plus countless more experimental and traditional influences within Doubtsower, be it funeral doom, post rock, sludge, field recordings and even soundtracks.
This release is his most adventurous yet, playing everything himself and drafting in Greg Chandler of Esoteric to give it a raw, uncompromising master, this journey has a punk ethos and sets an uncomfortable, uncompromising tone, leaning on the nihilism of modern life and rejecting the idea of music becoming content and revelling in the idea that this has to be taken as one whole journey rather than in snippets.
It's difficult to try to describe this record as it needs to be listened to, however if doom with nod to the avantgarde and no fear of embracing multiple genres thrills you then Doubtsower should be on your listening list. 8/10
Doubtsower - The Past Melts Away With A Sneer (UBAII) [Matt Bladen]
Let's get this out of the way now The Past Melts Away With A Sneer clocks in at 48:29, it's an albums worth of music but in one track. I wouldn't expect anything less from One-Man Doom outfit Doubtsower, who has been producing some of the most experimental sounds in the genre for a good few years now.
Matt Strangis, the Doubtsower himself is also a member of funeral/atmospheric doom veterans Pantheïst and an electronic music producer under the name Kyam. He utilises both of these backgrounds plus countless more experimental and traditional influences within Doubtsower, be it funeral doom, post rock, sludge, field recordings and even soundtracks.
This release is his most adventurous yet, playing everything himself and drafting in Greg Chandler of Esoteric to give it a raw, uncompromising master, this journey has a punk ethos and sets an uncomfortable, uncompromising tone, leaning on the nihilism of modern life and rejecting the idea of music becoming content and revelling in the idea that this has to be taken as one whole journey rather than in snippets.
It's difficult to try to describe this record as it needs to be listened to, however if doom with nod to the avantgarde and no fear of embracing multiple genres thrills you then Doubtsower should be on your listening list. 8/10
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