The starter (Daily Dose Of Gloom) well, it lives up to the promise of a progressive piece of Death Metal, except it probably sits in that space for the smallest of moments before there's a collective ‘Fuck It’ and the curtains are pulled back on what is anything given at any time.
I’m not actually sure how to describe it, apart from it being anything it wants to be at any given moment. The best bet is to come into this without a preconceived idea and then press play.
Have I mentioned the song names? They are as incredible as the music behind them. Scorching The Rival Pogonomyrex Burrows runs around a cosmic track, peppering you with blasts as it completes its circuit whilst Body Count Of My Cow Tail brings in female support with another change in direction and then off once more.
This won't be gaining huge traction outside of the main fanbase given its nature as a early recordings / remasters and re release on limited vinyl etc but it's a great release to reminisce for true fans of the old school sound and the band in general with some very rough around the edges demo's etc that make even early Burzum sound slick but still a must for the collectors out there. 6/10
Based on this, and how Butterfly Juice Straws comes in I’m going to stop trying to deep dive on each song because let’s face it, I’ll be doing them a grave disservice and probably bore the shorts off you. The link that track 2 has with track 1 is the anything goes approach.
Nothing is off the table and yet when they go full death its full death. The third, Repeated Aversive Stimuli Inducer changes yet again but matches the opening two in where it wants to go.
See what I mean? It's uncroyable as La Francais might say. In the first three songs you've basically touched down everywhere this genre has to offer (not folk) and made it their own.
See what I mean? It's uncroyable as La Francais might say. In the first three songs you've basically touched down everywhere this genre has to offer (not folk) and made it their own.
Guitar lines wrap around your head like spiders laying their webs, rhythms are sped up, slowed down and turned inside out. Carte Blanche is maybe the closest to traditional dm but they can't help but change it into rock.
As soon as you settle its off again, and this frenzied, schizophrenic method is tiring. In some respects it feels like they are trying too hard to do what they are doing here. I know that its quite the endeavour from them but maybe I’d like them to calm down and just stick a traditional approach just for once.
Have I mentioned the song names? They are as incredible as the music behind them. Scorching The Rival Pogonomyrex Burrows runs around a cosmic track, peppering you with blasts as it completes its circuit whilst Body Count Of My Cow Tail brings in female support with another change in direction and then off once more.
This is a lot to digest in one sitting, 13 songs equalling nearly an hour of fried brain operations. I appreciate that they are striving to do something that is maddeningly unique within extreme music but Christ they could have pulled a couple of songs without losing the mesmerising effect the music has on you. The later tracks almost settle down, but I'm knackered by then.
Peons Before My Drabbing Wings has this steady away flavour, gentle picking before a rock-hard riff kicks in, replete with spidery lines that weave at the right moment just ahead of the blue-touch paper being lit and it turns into this percussive hammer of a song. And yet they just can’t help meddling even just a little.
At the end with Wrong Future Forecast, they channel a sprawling effort that is scuzzy as it is razor sharp. At the end, this is quite a release. Its one that is probably attuned to a certain fan, those possibly brought up on non-linear kinds of metal.
For those like me, it’s a wild set of songs that do what they want and go where they want to. They sound like nobody else and yet there are familiar moments on here.
It should cannon into your Album of the Year conversations just for the names alone, adding in the frankly mental sonic arrangements should make it stay there. 9/10
Tyrannus - Mournhold (True Cult Records) [Mark Young]
Tory punching music – check.
I think that any band that releases any music called Tory Punching Music deserves a round of applause. But back to Mournhold, the Scottish metallers latest release.
Tyrannus - Mournhold (True Cult Records) [Mark Young]
Tory punching music – check.
I think that any band that releases any music called Tory Punching Music deserves a round of applause. But back to Mournhold, the Scottish metallers latest release.
Violent Inheritance with the energetic start, big riffs for a big opening statement that leans straight into blackened death. It's the kind of start that you want, come in and grip in much the same way as you would live.
Mostly, it’s a pummelling affair bar the almost expected mid-song breather. There's a definite switch after this, the lead into the solo break is more punk in execution, before they close that loop and return to black.
Orbus Non Sufficit suggests for a second there could be respite then bang it's into the aggression. Like T1 they aren't content to plough one furrow, with slight changes in approach the end result is the same.
Orbus Non Sufficit suggests for a second there could be respite then bang it's into the aggression. Like T1 they aren't content to plough one furrow, with slight changes in approach the end result is the same.
You could accuse it of being overlong, but that’s purely dependent on taste. It works here, and what we have is a strong one-two from them.
Seize The Stars is where we start to get a sense of familiarity creeping in. It's still delivered on the front foot, with the intent shown prior still on display.
Seize The Stars is where we start to get a sense of familiarity creeping in. It's still delivered on the front foot, with the intent shown prior still on display.
For me, they could have trimmed this into a shorter blast of that energy that would brought the trio to close.
I’m being picky, but that's my job.
Flesh Eternal does represent a change though, a departure from the kinetic into a more post-metal style. They don't move too far from the established style, but I'm not a fan.
I’m being picky, but that's my job.
Flesh Eternal does represent a change though, a departure from the kinetic into a more post-metal style. They don't move too far from the established style, but I'm not a fan.
It feels like it’s trying to be a number of different things at the same time without satisfying any of them.
Reignfall puts a stop to that, winding itself up and springing forth. This them back into terrain that they can navigate.
Again, it picks its cues from T1 etc, ripping along at a good rate and throwing in some whammy abuse for good measure. The extended lead is also welcome, and I wish that there had been more of it.
Mournhold sees them increase the runtime whilst maintaining their standard approach. By this time, there doesn't seem to be any severe departure on the cards.
Mournhold sees them increase the runtime whilst maintaining their standard approach. By this time, there doesn't seem to be any severe departure on the cards.
Yes, they slow it down to allow the leads to come in but you know that they are going to throw it into high gear once they finish.
They reserve their most accomplished piece with Back To Grey, their closing statement. Bookending things, it comes in like Violent Inheritance did; It's direct, sure of itself and where it wants to go.
It also shares some of issues I had with the others. I think if you are going to throw in melodic I.e. quiet moments then make them expansive rather than a quick throw away moment.
Again, it’s a minor niggle and you may think ‘it’s nothing, get over yourself’ and you would be quite welcome to that opinion but for me it just needed to be either fully fleshed out or removed.
Still, it’s a good listen. Aggressive in the right places and it doesn't lose sight of providing a touch of the visceral to keep things moving. This has a lot here that will draw you in and is a strong release from them. 7/10
Absu - The Temples Of Offal/Return Of The Ancients Remastered (ATMF) [Adz Repath]
ABSU are a truly iconic and legendary band in the black and death metal scene having influenced many including notably Joey of Slipknot R.I.P.
Still, it’s a good listen. Aggressive in the right places and it doesn't lose sight of providing a touch of the visceral to keep things moving. This has a lot here that will draw you in and is a strong release from them. 7/10
Absu - The Temples Of Offal/Return Of The Ancients Remastered (ATMF) [Adz Repath]
ABSU are a truly iconic and legendary band in the black and death metal scene having influenced many including notably Joey of Slipknot R.I.P.
Here they bring 2 of their original demo recordings and multiple other early recordings back to the fore in a remastered format from the original tapes and dat tape recordings of The Temple Of Offal / Return Of The Ancients.
This is a band that whilst I've followed to a minimal extent I have heard of since the late Nineties here in not so sunny south Wales in the UK and I am very intrigued to check out these remasters with a fresh ear being a huge fan of both black metal and death metal which these guys span throughout their career I eagerly launched into this review.
The raw and early sound of a band of this iconic nature is very clearly on show with not a click track or overdub in sight and that is exactly what I personally wanted to hear as this style hungers for the raw origin of black metal in order to evoke the emotion it holds and is so sorely missed in modern exponents of the style having lost the energy and visceral power of the old school for over produced clones of them.
The raw and early sound of a band of this iconic nature is very clearly on show with not a click track or overdub in sight and that is exactly what I personally wanted to hear as this style hungers for the raw origin of black metal in order to evoke the emotion it holds and is so sorely missed in modern exponents of the style having lost the energy and visceral power of the old school for over produced clones of them.
This is noticeably a Nineties sound and for some may be too lo-fi but for myself I found it to be a great trip down memory lane. The old school weight of the riffage is strong here mixing the guttural nastiness of early death metal with the expansive ideas of early black metal throughout.
There is only so much that can be done in remastering old recordings like this and that has to be taken into account when approaching a release like this and whilst it is geared towards long term fans of the band having multiple versions of the same songs in various iterations I feel it's something newer fans could gladly sink their teeth into as well if new to the band.
This won't be gaining huge traction outside of the main fanbase given its nature as a early recordings / remasters and re release on limited vinyl etc but it's a great release to reminisce for true fans of the old school sound and the band in general with some very rough around the edges demo's etc that make even early Burzum sound slick but still a must for the collectors out there. 6/10
The Chronicles Of Manimal And Samara - Misantropi (Self Released) [Adz Redpath]
Having done my research as usual this duo based in England were an intriguing prospect and hinted at something truly different and highly conceptual and well produced in their press.
Having done my research as usual this duo based in England were an intriguing prospect and hinted at something truly different and highly conceptual and well produced in their press.
Based in London the duo of Daphne Ang - Vocals and Andrea Papi - Guitars, Bass, Drums are attempting to blend modern metal and prog aspects with a poetic overtone and acoustic centric aspects reminiscent of the likes of Laibach and Moonspell etc here on their latest release.
The production screams home recording and programmed elements galore, a good balance within the mix is kept throughout with everything being well balanced in the mix to a reasonable level.
The production screams home recording and programmed elements galore, a good balance within the mix is kept throughout with everything being well balanced in the mix to a reasonable level.
However this is very dated in both tone and style, the vocals lack any projection and both male and female parts are lacking use of the diaphragm and fade into the mix and in all honesty are underwhelming especially in lyrical content.
By the time I was half way through the second track 128 I didn't want to hear the words "I want to hate" ever again, the use of swearing was almost comical throughout the release and that's just the start.
The overly compressed and processed instruments are very distracting especially from the guitar aspect which sounds like it was recorded on a processor from the early 2000's, and whilst balanced it detracts from anything of substance or being able to create any real impact within this release needing quality IR's and more space to have the presence that is needed.
A producer would maybe help this but in all honesty that might be a stretch. The same phrasing, melodies and timing elements are echoed throughout, especially in the chorus's and this is especially where a good producer would help in creating more flare and less repetitive elements.
A producer would maybe help this but in all honesty that might be a stretch. The same phrasing, melodies and timing elements are echoed throughout, especially in the chorus's and this is especially where a good producer would help in creating more flare and less repetitive elements.
Tracks like Lucky Ducker fly by thankfully very fast despite being the best part of 5 minutes the content is genuinely hard to listen to.
This may be conceptual and maybe I just simply do not get that aspect or vision but I feel a lot more work is needed for this to catch any serious attention and I would struggle to give this another listen. 5/10
This may be conceptual and maybe I just simply do not get that aspect or vision but I feel a lot more work is needed for this to catch any serious attention and I would struggle to give this another listen. 5/10
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