Rolling Metal 2018

Because I am dying to talk about the new Watain...

The Black Twilight Circle see in the new year wth two split singles!

https://crepusculonegro.bandcamp.com/album/cn-33-bhl-kallathon-camino-de-guerra
https://crepusculonegro.bandcamp.com/album/cn-34-volahn-xaxamatza-gods-of-pandemonium

cool!

xp I haven't heard the new Watain but I assume it will have the same effect on me as most of their albums, excitement that quickly diminishes as I notice they're kinda shit at writing riffs anymore.

The new Visigoth album (out 2/9) is as good as the debut.

I am currently downloading a promo of Therion's latest, which is a 3-hour, 3-CD metal opera with 28 different singing parts on it. Total madness.

I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna dive into this 3-hour Therion album and see how long I last.

Godspeed

Rather him than me looool.

Lugubrum sneaked an album out in late December btw:

https://thoseopposedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/wakar-cartel

I made it about halfway through the Therion thing. I didn't abandon it because it sucked - it's actually really good and well produced - but because life got in the way. Like I say, it's good, but three hours is a lot.

All rape and kidnapping charges against Decapitated have been dropped.

I am so digging this new Necrodancer 'Void' record - like brainbombs/monoshock mixed with sludgy hardcore - fun record.

The new Agrimonia (out 1/26, I think) is really good. It got me revisiting their back catalog.

xp ok u got my attention going to have to check that out

coming off more like the Arabrot of a few albums ago to me but feeling this, thx

Feel like the new Watain is an obv reaction to the fans that hated the last one

I quite liked Sworn to the Dark but am unable to recall a single second of their subsequent releases. The new one can't possibly be worse than The Wild Hunt, though.

It's much more like their previous albums

Necrodancer is reminding me of Okkultokrati and I have no problem with that at all.

OK I have a problem in that I don't think this got nominated for the poll? But otherwise it's all good.

New Summoning album is out now, With Doom We Come. These two trailers do not sound promising at all though.

Kim Kelly did a great interview with them:

https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/3k5vew/summoning-is-the-best-tolkien-obsessed-anti-fascist-metal-band-in-the-world

I really hope Napalm Records somehow screwed up those clips because they sound like complete ass, and while I'm one of the biggest Summoning fans in the world, there's absolutely no excuse for production that bad, after twenty years on a big label.

That is a good interview indeed. I wonder if we'll ever see another Ice Ages or Kreuzweg Ost album, these were fantastic projects.

the summoning album is fucking amazing.

and yeah the YouTube compression is severe - I listened to it on living room speakers having bought AACs through Bandcamp and it sounded very good. I do suspect that Summoning works at home mainly now, and bands working at home, in the metal world, has fucked up the fidelity in a general sense - studios exist/ed for a reason and should be utilized when the budget's there. but it's a great record, better than Old Morning's Dawn to my ears.

I do suspect that Summoning works at home mainly now, and bands working at home, in the metal world, has fucked up the fidelity in a general sense - studios exist/ed for a reason and should be utilized when the budget's there.

Just discussed this issue with Nortt for an upcoming Bandcamp Daily piece.

oh wow -- I like the Nortt record and am very eager to read this piece, to me his record sounds pretty great

I understand the gripe about the Summoning production but liked the songwriting I heard in the snippets so bought a copy....haven't had a chance to play yet

New Chaos Echoes is growing on me after initial mistrust.

Yeah, I don't love it as much as Transient. But they've also got another album coming out this year - a collaboration with Mats Gustafsson - and that one's wild.

Power Trip and Sheer Mag are touring together - I'm struggling to think of another co-headlining tour with less audience overlap

The new Visigoth video is appropriately silly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raBpZfbSX10

Turns out my quest for icy synthy black metal has led me to Paysage d'Hiver

new Drudkh in March on Season of Mist

Anybody wanna own up to still being a Destroyer 666 fan?

My favorite part is when Lil bb Keith admits he doesn't eat pussy by using "cunt suckers" pejoratively

OG article: https://t.co/3OcnDZZHXE pic.twitter.com/2XMd0C2Asn

— Lucretia Boredgia (@KelseyChapstick) January 12, 2018

people liked that shit? oh yeah they did. lol

surprised you didn't know them/him already Gott Punch -- if you also don't know, check out Darkspace asap

xxp Never heard them, never will, fuck that. On a related note I loooooove how much promotion (Swe) Shining's latest pile is getting straight up ignoring how much of a piece of shit that guy is.

when metal musicians turn out to be fuckheads, 95+% of the time their music is turgid bollocks

nokturnal mortum guy and varg are a rare breed

Deathspell are the ones in my collection that I have to kind of uncomfortably ignore how much of a fuckhead the vocalist is.

I can remember the relief I felt when I finally listened to a couple of Burzum albums for the first and last time before deciding that they were tepid bollocks.

This is unfortunate, I’m not a big fan of the older stuff but he last few Destroyer 666 albums are excellent.

The new Destroyer 666 EP is a load of cobblers though, it should be said. I was profoundly untroubled by deleting it from iTunes this morning.

Unperson: that collaboration sounds amazing - I'm failing to find anything online about it though - is it on UTECH, via that connection? Any info would be welcome.

I don't know if any of you out there still like Primordial, but the new album is splendid and powerful. I can't think of a better band that can reflect the societal chaos of 2018 than these guys.

The new Gnaw Their Tongues (Genocidal Majesty, Consouling Sounds, Feb 9) is intolerable after coffee and provigil. In a good way. Had to turn it off after four songs - giving me a full on nervo.

I don't know if any of you out there still like Primordial, but the new alb...

OMG THERE'S A NEW PRIMORDIAL ALBUM???

hey ultros, i'm curious to know what you find odious about M1ko (i assume he's the DSO dude you're talking about). i'm not going to defend him in any way as i tend to assume most all bm dudes are problematic on some level though there's nothing in DSO lyrics that i take issue with. now if you're talking about Clandestine Blaze then i see that and more so if you're thinking of his noise/pe projects like Grunt and Nicole 12. he certainly puts out dodgy stuff on his 2 labels. haha, i guess i've answered my own question. to his credit, i find him smarter and more considered in his thinking than warrants a wholesale dismissal.

Primordial is one of those bands where every time I put on their record, I'm super glad I did

Japanese art-metal weirdos Dir En Grey have a new 3CD best-of out, with all songs chosen by fans and re-recordings of three tracks; I wrote about it for Burning Ambulance. I saw them open for Deftones in 2008 and have been a fan ever since. Deftones were sluggish and dull; DEG were amazing.

xxp he's a racist and possible peadophile is my problem. I don't have an issue with the stuff that he contributes to Ds, his lyrics and vocal performance for them are fine in themselves but I'm not as good as other people at looking the other way when the performer is a shithead. The way I rationalise it is that MA has very little to do with what I really like about DsO which is the riffs and the drumming. I wouldn't mind one bit if MA was replaced, but, I mean the other members might be even worse but they at least keep their gobs shut whoever they are :/

new track from the next Portal -- album out in a couple of days

https://profoundlorerecords.bandcamp.com/track/phathom

clean/non-cavernous production, tried & true Portal guitar sound/riffing -- rhythmically angular, but still manages to drive forward. at the moment, hitting me like Beefheart death metal

Fabio Lione and Alessandro Conti have teamed up for an album coming out next week. Here's the first single/video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW8Cj22KXtM

We never talked about Satan's Holllow did we? On the retro NWOBHM tip.

https://satanshallow.bandcamp.com/

I nominated them for the 2017 poll. Good album!

Jute Gyte/Spectral Lore split streamed a day early:

http://www.invisibleoranges.com/jute-gyte-spectral-lore/

Haven't been able to get that working on Chrome at all today. The streaming window keeps disappearing and turning into an advert. I can wait a day maybe

Ok my verdict after 1 listen is that JG's side is very strong and could have easily slotted in the 1st half of Oviri, SL's track takes a while to really get going but when it does, fucking wow.

So the new Anvil record is solid. They should just call it An Anvil Record.

The new Tribulation is brilliant. I think I like it better than the last one which is no mean feat.

Def digging the new Arkona (this one arkonamoscow.bandcamp.com; I guess there are three?) Lot's of texture and contrast, some melodies that flirt with hookiness. I've played all the shortish songs and am intrigued enough to see what the longer ones have to offer.

Victory is reissuing Jungle Rot's What Horrors Await; originally released in 2009, but only barely.

That Anvil album is an embarrassment! I never thought I'd hear a song about a guy complaining about his car's GPS system, but here we are.

https://open.spotify.com/track/3hNC0RtfJNKPXzK03vMeXa?si=gGRhQUXgSYu8qtwI_iUPzg

new Slugdge track rules, new album out in March

https://slugdge.bandcamp.com/track/putrid-fairytale

Ok my verdict after 1 listen is that JG's side is very strong and could have easily slotted in the 1st half of Oviri, SL's track takes a while to really get going but when it does, fucking wow.

Listened to this last night. I was impressed by the Spectral Lore side. Some really nice playing there. Jute Gyte is doing what he does: I sometimes suspect he could be more rigorous about his microtonality and his work might benefit from it but there's still something compelling that keeps me listening.

Complaining about Anvil lyrics being terrible is like saying the solos on a Ramones record were terrible. Anvil has always had cheesy lyrics.

In other news, anyone else check out the new album from Clamfight? Silly name notwithstanding, the band's third album is quite good. If the idea of a sludge jam band is appealing, check it out.

http://clamfight.bandcamp.com/album/iii

Power Trip and Sheer Mag are touring together - I'm struggling to think of another co-headlining tour with less audience overlap

internet sensations, why not

my goal this year is to listen to all of Beloved Antichrist come hell or high water

I will probably be thrown out of the house for this at some point so if somebody has an open couch let a man know

internet sensations, why not

I can't tell if this is meant to be dismissive of both bands, but I've seen them live separately and they're both great

Disfear's Live the Storm came out 10 years ago today. I wrote about it for Stereogum.

Today's disappointment: Ignitor's Haunted By Rock & Roll. That's a great album title (if better suited to the Jesus & Mary Chain than a metal band), and the band features two ex-members of Agony Column and Jason McMaster on vocals, so I had medium-high hopes going in, but they're just not that great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBZWAWkF_LI

In some circles the Los Angeles band Starcrawler are called metal. They're certainly loud. And I think kinda good. Any other metal friends check 'em out yet?

http://shopusa.roughtraderecords.com/media/catalog/product/cache/5/image/350x/85e4522595efc69f496374d01ef2bf13/r/t/rtradlp890_starcrawler.jpg

man that Slayer tour is gonna be nuts. Anthrax, Testament added to last year's Behemoth+Lamb of God package.

somehow the VIP packages for the Orlando show sold out like.....before I"d even seen they were on sale. blah.

New Portal is blowing me away. Favorite thing they’ve done since Swarth (including those excellent Impetuous Ritual albums. Its as Branca like and brain melt-y as ever but also sounds like they might be having some fun shredding. ‘Phreqs’ is the highlight right now. When those drums drop out they are on another level. I love it.

Very impressive, cathartic black metal/funeral doom - good if you're in a foul mood

https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/loss

Looking forard to hearing Portal though neither preview track really grabbed me, I'm hoping for a cumulative effect on the album.

Brief thoughts on the new Tribulation: songs so good, singing so bad.

I've only heard three of the Tribulation songs, but yeah, I absolutely love the guitar playing, but wish the singer could do more than one thing.

hard disagree, dynamic instrumentals + one-note vocalist is a winning combo

Starcrawler's similar artists list (Estrons, Black Honey, INHEAVEN etc) is even farther from metal orthodoxy, but I'm digging it. glenn, you got your ears on?

Starcrawler didn't immediately do much for me, but I do like INHEAVEN.

just a reminder to you all . We only have 7 or 8 ballots in. So your votes will count

The 2017 ILX Metal n' Heavy Rock Poll VOTING + CAMPAIGNING thread! Ballots due Saturday, Feb. 3rd!

I can't tell if this is meant to be dismissive of both bands

no not at all, i like em, i'm sure they have well deserved local followings too, but their current renown seems distinctively internet-viral

All in on the new Portal here. The cleaner production (relatively speaking, it's hardly pristine) only highlights the mindbending intricacies of their riffs and rhythms. It's the same band but through a different prism, for lack of a better metaphor. Great stuff.

big day! new Portal, Tribulation, Hooded Menace, Mammoth Grinder, and (sigh) Machine Head now kicking around.

feel like the new Tribulation seems like extreme metal merged with gloomy 80s goth pop/rock a la The Cure.

this is a good thing.

yeah I think it's their best to date

I am utterly baffled by the Machine Head.

why did Rob change his signature vocal style to wanting to sound like a 19-year old Jonathan Davis? and begin the opening track with the least convincing "Fuck the wooooooorld!" and sub-Pantera lyrics?

"break it, smash it, burn it to the ground".....jesus.

instrumentally still some cool moments but his vocals and the shitty teen angst lyrics ruin everything for me.

going back to nu-metal elements such a weird choice, and the songs have even less flow than ever

I liked Unto the Locust but yeah this one seems dire

I liked the last 3 of their albums quite a bit.

now Robb is singing "I got head beneath the Fresno sign" in a song called....California Bleeding.

Wait till you get to the "street-punk" song.

I liked Unto the Locust (disclaimer: I worked for the label at the time) and Bloodstone and Diamonds a lot, but this one is not good overall.

midlife-crisis metal

I lasted 3 songs. Very disappointing

seeing him call our own J3ff out for the Decibel review is sad.

he's gone from taking Phil Anselmo down to imitating him in short time.

The Tribulation album is very nice. Definitely pushing the goth direction more than the last album. There's even some disco beats here and there.

The vocals do have a kind of stone-faced effect and keep them from sounding retro.

Machine Head have always had a big corny streak; on some albums (the first two, The Blackening and the two after) they mostly keep it in check, on other albums (The Burning Red, Supercharger, the new one) it gets away from them.

New Monolithe out today too FYcollectiveI

here's a metal/free-jazz thing by Mick Barr and Marc Edwards

https://sleepinggiantglossolalia.bandcamp.com/album/marc-edwards-mick-barr-duo-the-bowels-of-jupiter

I love the new Hooded Menace. cotdamn.

the new Judas Priest single....fuck yes.

this has been an utterly fantastic January for metal imo

these records all just killing it for me so far: Hyvmine, Frozen Crown, Oceans of Slumber, Sinistro, and Summoning. Haven't gotten to Hooded Menace, I always confuse them in my mind with Hooded Priest who I totally love

the Summoning is indeed great, need to return to that one.

finally got to my first concert of the year - CoC opening for Black Label Society.

had a surprising good time, the band sounded great, they played for about an hour. I left before Wylde and company came on stage to put me to sleep.

oh also the new Abigor's around & Silenius is on vox again and I'm one track in & it's great.

well I see this is going to be a busy Saturday for me.

xxp ooh gonna have to check that

Anyway, here's some promising new OSDM with BIG GUITARS from Noose Rot 👍👍👍

http://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/the-creeping-unknown

I interviewed Nortt for Bandcamp.

when is that danged Panopticon album getting announced properly

finally listening to the new summoning and it fuckin' rocks thanks

yeah they're not really my thing but when the mood hits it sounds so great

how can a band kick so much ass for so long

for instance the extremely lonely and gorgeous intrusions of piano in "mirklands"

I appreciate Summoning for like actually creating what sounds like Middle Earth music black metalized

I'm starting to enjoy the record more and more, the mix is still terrible, but they're doing cool stuff on Silvertine and indeed Mirklands, which both feature the good singer of the two (always forget which one it is).

That closing song tries way too hard though and is almost a complete rehash of Earthshine from the previous record.

mammoth grinder is aight

I don't know how popular heavy crust is but this band is giving me full on Sacrilege UK vibes, fucking storming

http://qualitycontrolhq.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-7-3

I'm starting to enjoy the record more and more, the mix is still terrible

I know they wouldn't be Summoning if this sort of concern even occurred to them, and Summoning as they are is one of my favorite bands ever, but can you even imagine Summoning with a producer who actually wanted shit to sound huge and sweeping

I'd sell my left nut for a Summoning live show with actual French horns and some Taiko drummers.

I reviewed the new Agrimonia album.

I like that record quite a bit. It's been a crazy January for metal.

That new Agrimonia needs more crust. Way more crust. Way less melody.

Nah; the prettiness is the best thing about them.

that's an alluring write-up, will check out

I'm liking the Agrimonia album, too. I'm also kinda hoping Therion just keeps releasing one song a week, indefinitely, so I have time to listen to anything else.

damn the new Judas Priest song is great

hey m@tt I don't think we should have 'metal' in this title as it means the casual fans find and pollute this thread. Any alternative name suggestions?

lmao

also Portal reminds me of Flying Luttenbachers a bit

Obituary, Pallbearer and Skeletonwitch are touring the US all May! Also Dust bolt, I don't know them yet. What a nice bill, a little something for everybody, especially a geezer like myself.

rolling 2XL band shirt thread

rolling dungeon synth

got a ticket for the Decibel tour show in NYC. cos it isn't coming here.

missed WITTR last year due to work and never seen Enslaved, Khemmis seem cool too.

saw Anthrax last night. they were ok. Belladonna made several mistakes and was off-key for the entire first verse of "Madhouse" (he was a third too low). setlist was weird. think I've had my fill of them for the moment.

Was anyone a fan of Ephel Duath? Davide Tiso has a new extremo-prog-metal band with Hannes Grossman

https://howlingsycamore.bandcamp.com/

The deal-breaker being the vocals by the guy from Watchtower.

do Ephel Duath have fans, barring admirers of Painter's Palette?

rolling 2XL band shirt thread

3 maybe 4 preferably

I like Ephel Duath. I reviewed that Howling Sycamore record for The Wire, actually. Here's some of what I said (it hasn't run yet):

Howling Sycamore’s music is less dissonant than Ephel Duath’s was, but it still suffers from some of the weaknesses of modern prog: the songs don’t have much in the way of melody, instead cycling through multiple riffs with little thought for a broader context. McMaster’s clean tone and declamatory, theatrical style—you can picture him strutting the stage, “invisible orange” held high, like Ronnie James Dio—makes it feel like a concept album, even though it’s not. The one thing the project definitely has going for it is the presence of Yakuza/Corrections House saxophonist Bruce Lamont, who pops up frequently to contribute squalling, explosive solos. Drummer Hannes Grossmann, best known for his work in hyper-technical death metal ensembles like Necrophagist and Obscura, frequently seems to be playing a much faster song than Tiso is, but he’s an extremely organic drummer; it’s obvious that his accuracy is the result of talent, not ProTools, and when he’s absent, as on “Chant of Stillness”, his thunder is missed. As an attempt to revive High Metal classicism with extra death metal crunch, Howling Sycamore is an admirable effort. But there’s not a single memorable song here, only brief moods and a few sax blurts to serve as wake-up calls.

re: ED, I just dimly recall listening to the follow-ups to the debut and finding nothing of note by comparison

Yeah, they completely abandoned the jazz elements that a lot of people responded positively to, and went in a much more listener-hostile direction.

I like the nutty ADD sympho-black of Ephel Duath's debut and love the Painter's Palette, the follow-up is interesting but hard to love and the stuff after that kind of sucks. I have mixed feelings about Howling Sycamore (I have more problems with the vox than the music) but think it's interesting at least. Agree with a lot of what unperson wrote there.

Phil are you voting in the metal poll? we only have 16 ballots in so anyone voting now is bound to influence the results.

I'd like to see this thread fully represented in the results.

Rotting Christ are putting out a 2CD best-of, Their Greatest Spells, in March, and I'm pretty excited about that, because the track listing is not chronological, meaning they really put some thought into the sequencing and flow. Here's what you get:

Track list
CD 1:
1. The Sign of Prime Creation (originally on 'Theogonia')
2. Athanati Este (originally on 'Sanctus Diavolos')
3. Non Serviam (originally on 'Non Serviam')
4. King of a Stellar War (originally on 'Triarchy of the Lost Lovers')
5. Nemecic (originally on 'Theogonia')
6. Grandis Spiritus Diavolos (originally on 'Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy')
7. Art of Sin (originally on 'Khronos')
8. Dying (originally on 'Genesis')
9. Archon (originally on 'Triarchy of the Lost Lovers')
10. Serve In Heaven (originally on 'Sanctus Diavolos')
11. Astral Embodiment (originally on 'Gensis')
12. After Dark I Feel (originally on 'Sleep of the Angels')
13. Sorrowful Farewell (originally on 'A Dead Poem')
14. In Yumen-Xibalba (originally on 'Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy')
15. Elthe Kyrie (originally on 'Rituals')
16. Cold Colours (originally on 'Sleep of the Angels')
CD 2:
1. The Sign of Evil Existence (originally on 'Thy Mighty Contract')
2. Fgmenth Thy Gift (originally on 'Thy Mighty Contract')
3. Ze Nigmar (originally on 'Rituals')
4. Phobo's Synagogue (originally on 'Theogonia')
5. Demonon Vrosis (originally on 'AEALO')
6. ...Pir Threontai (originally on 'AEALO')
7. Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy (originally on 'Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy')
8. Among Two Storms (originally on 'A Dead Poem')
9. Semigod (originally on 'A Dead Poem')
10. Welcome to Hel (originally on 'Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy')
11. A Dynasty from the Ice (originally on 'Triarchy of the Lost Lovers')
12. Shadows Follow (originally on 'Triarchy of the Lost Lovers')
13. Forest of N’gai (originally on 'Passage to Arcturo')
14. Feast of the Grand Whore (originally on 'Non Serviam')
15. Exiled Archangels (originally on 'Thy Mighty Contract')
16. Saturn Unlock Avey’s Son (originally on 'Non Serviam')
17. I Will Not Serve (exclusive, unreleased track)

I'm disappointed that only two tracks from AEALO appear, and neither of them is the one with Diamanda Galas, but this still looks pretty great.

man I have time for Hannes Grossman no matter what the rest of the music sounds like but I always found Ephel Duath interesting and I like Watchtower so I'm p ready for this record

^^^ sounding pretty good to me so far but I do like 2 out of 3 (only vaguely familiar with Ephel Duath). I kinda like it when prog metal gets weird tho.

I love the new Hooded Menace. cotdamn.

It's really good. I like the way they integrate more trad doom melodic stuff as time goes on, do kinda wish they'd do a side project with an Epicus Doomicus style vocalist though.

I’m at a Månegarm/Cruachan gig tonight, apparently there’s a new album later this year, they’re always pretty good.

new hooded menace??? hell yeah!!!

I wrote a little about the Tribulation disc. I really love it.

I just ordered the Tribulation album. I've only listened to the first track from it, but I loved the previous one so much, I'm taking a chance.

2nd Judas Priest single dropped.

if the rest of the album is anything like the first two, this thing is going to destroy Redeemer of Souls (which I already liked a lot), and maybe be their best since 1991.

Halford's voice is about where it was on the last album, but seems to have regained a little strength/range.

Tomorrow is the last day of voting for The 2017 ILX Metal n' Heavy Rock Poll VOTING + CAMPAIGNING thread! Ballots due Saturday, Feb. 3rd!

we only have 20 ballots so please consider voting

Gotta put in my ballot tonight, time got away from me.

Dr. Sludgelove might be my all time favorite band name ever.

https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2018/01/26/demolisten-verval/

New Pestilence album!

YAAAY

About 8 hours or so left (at least) to vote in metal poll btw

Got yr message Kerr and i will do mah best

man this new Pestilence, oh my fucking god!!!!

this is like finding an extra christmas present under the tree

it's closer to their earlier output than say Obsideo (which I still liked). heavy af.

The first few Pestilence albums (everything up through Spheres) were reissued last year as 2-disc sets. Been thinking about picking those up.

oh wow

Some excellent if not meandering post-metal/black metal jamz here:

https://iontheband.bandcamp.com/album/a-path-unknown

Might have some crossover appeal with the space/psych-rock crowd? They certainly love effects pedals.

Don't think I've listened to Pestilence before, but this new one is hitting all the right notes.

O man listen to Consuming Impulse or Testimony of the Ancients too....

Swedish self proclaimed "primitive and progressive" death metallers Usurpress return with a new, bold album. This time, core members Stefan Pettersson (vocals, lyrics), Påhl Sundström (guitars, music) and Daniel Ekeroth (bass, music) are joined by jazz-fusion drummer Stefan Hildman and ambient/trance keyboardist Erik Sundström, and the outcome astounded even the band itself. "Interregnum" can be described as "an unholy mix between Camel and Bolt Thrower, that somehow works flawlessly", so be prepared for something quite out of the ordinary. And out of this world.

http://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com/album/interregnum

I like the first track posted but it reminds me of Enslaved so far.

It's really good. Not nearly as dull as Enslaved. I interviewed Ekeroth for an upcoming Bandcamp feature.

THE 10TH ANNUAL ILM METAL POLL:2017 RESULTS THREAD

Agonia Records Non 2018 Bandcamp releases are 3 bux today per email I just got - at the very least grab the Aosoth records -they're excellent!

Not nearly as dull as Enslaved.

I probably should've specified mid-period Enslaved lol

Don't miss Rob Halford on the cover of the next issue of Sunglass Connoisseur - I mean Revolver:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DVTDSRxVAAELrna.jpg

This is one of the dumber revamps I've seen in a while. Making a metal magazine look like Ocean Drive is not the key to driving up newsstand sales, I promise.

O man listen to Consuming Impulse or Testimony of the Ancients too....

I definitely will. Thx.

can't figure out a better place to post this but there's a new rolo tomassi album coming out in march and they're one of the best bands going, rily: metalcore on the converge side of things

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdyg8k5qZFM

hell yeah

simon check out the song they just put out, "aftermath," IMMEDIATELY

Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It is a fantastic title that Converge will be kicking themselves for not coming up with first

wow she sounds so much like Andrea Zollo from PGMG on this! (this rules, obv)

North American tour dates for Ozzy Osbourne's "no, seriously, this is it" farewell tour (Stone Sour opening):

April 27 – Jacksonville, FL – Welcome to Rockville
April 29 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – FortRock
Aug 30 – Allentown, PA – PPL Center
Sept 1 – Syracuse, NY – Lakeview Amphitheater
Sept 4 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
Sept 6 – Boston, MA – Xfinity Center
Sept 8 – Wantagh, NY – Jones Beach Amphitheatre
Sept 10 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
Sept 12 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion
Sept 14 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
Sept 16 – Cuyahoga Falls OH – Blossom Music Center
Sept 19 – Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Center
Sept 21 – Tinley Park, IL– Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Sept 23 – Noblesville, IN Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
Sept 26 – Dallas, TX – Starplex Pavilion
Sept 28 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Sept 30 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
Oct 2 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
Oct 4 – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
Oct 6 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
Oct 9 – Chula Vista, CA – Mattress Firm Amphitheatre
Oct 11 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
Oct 13 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena

I might go to the PNC show, but honestly, I'm torn, because I saw him in 2010 and he was fucking great, so I'm worried about being let down this time. Plus, he's got Zakk Wylde back in the band; I liked him better with Gus G.

new Rivers of Nihil track slays (more sax!)

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/rivers-of-nihil-announce-new-album-tour-with-dying-fetus-stream-a-track/

great artwork too

Nicely crushing new track from the next Usurpress:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3gpEJnymJU

The new Agrimonia is sounding really good!

Just turned in a Bandcamp article on Usurpress (interviewed Daniel Ekeroth). The album's really good. The keyboards and jazzy drumming add a lot, and there's this one weird Goth song that's a lot of fun.

new Windhand track from a split with Satan's Satyrs

http://smarturl.it/WindhandSatyrs
https://windhand.bandcamp.com/

Looking forward to this new Ataraxy album, epically doomically deathiness

http://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/where-all-hope-fades

I was just about to check the full stream over at Decibel:
https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2018/02/09/full-album-stream-ataraxy-hope-fades/

Oh nice! Thanks!

Weird drum/bass hardrock from Austria that's like somewhere between Motorhead, Lightning Bolt, Turbonegro and DFA1979 lol

http://heckspoiler.bandcamp.com/album/cracktickertape-2

Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton has Parkinson's, so producer Andy Sneap will be playing guitar on the upcoming tour.

Such terrible news for so many reasons...

3 tracks into this Horizon Ablaze stream, it's quite good so far

Full of Hell signed with Relapse, a good move for both parties, methinks.

Lee Dorrian has a D-beat/hardcore band! Who knew? They're called Septic Tank, and their full-length debut (they put out a Japan-only 7" in 2013) is called Rotting Civilisation. If there wasn't a song on it called "Social Media Whore," it could have been recorded in 1986. Coming out in April on Rise Above. RIYL Off! or other similar old-man-can't-hang-it-up retro punk acts.

Maybe I'm biased because they're fellow Montrealers but the new Basalte, Vertige is blowing my mind right now. It's free on Bandcamp, to boot.

Forgot to post the link: https://basalte.bandcamp.com

Ooh sounds pretty good so far. Love that cover.

Prong and Helmet are doing a co-headlining US tour.

I went to a Helmet show once, but only because Caspar Brötzmann Massaker was the opening act. Once he was finished devastating the place (four songs in 45 minutes), we left. I've never seen Prong, either, though I'm a big fan - I like their last few albums just as much as the stuff from their late '80s/early '90s heyday. So even though the NYC date is midweek, I might just have to go to this.

New Rebel Wizard EP on Bandcamp:
http://rebelwizard.bandcamp.com/album/great-addictions-to-blindingly-dark-wordly-life

I thought their album would have done better on the 2017 poll that recently was tabluated. It was definitely very high on my ballot. The EP seems just as fun on first listen, if a bit darker.

I loved Rebel Wizard album and I think JCLC was a big fan too.

I'm not gonna go, but I am amused to learn that Pig Destroyer are playing a sports bar-lookin' dump called Crossroads in Garwood, NJ, which is two towns over from me, next Friday night.

yes I added the new RW to my cart immediately - RW & Nekrasov are making wonderful music to me

in a totally different vein, the new Ilsa is riffs for days, love it

Wow, "Ce que le corps doit au sol" from the Basalte is wonderful. Wishlisted it already and will listen to the rest.

Quality Branca-metal moments on "La sclérose coule dans ses veines"

Glad you like it! I belatedly realized they'll be playing tomorrow at a bar nearby but I've already got other plans. :(

The corporate names on those arenas Ozzy is playing at gave me a chuckle.

Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live

Chula Vista, CA – Mattress Firm Amphitheatre

will i see anybody at the Decibel tour in Irving Plaza tonight? just flew in!

Anything good out recently or soon?

Digging the Ataraxy album a lot, cool to hear death metal that isn't trying to be crushingly heavy all the time and they've got a nice epic feel to their longer songs.

I never got a digital promo of the Summoning record so I only now got a chance to listen and it's completely brilliant! Will definitely wind up high on my best albums of 2018. If it doesn't, that means this year winds up being too good for words or I have died.

I just got done reviewing two records I like: Scumpulse, Antifa-loving crusty Scottish black metal, and the new Ilsa record - the first for Relapse. I always liked the band but this is likely the best album they have done.

Scumpulse sounds promising just based on the name!

Those Scumpulse songs are good!

Here's my Ilsa review:
http://agitreader.com/wp2/ilsa-corpse-fortress

Black metal with a distinct folk flavour, but not overbearing, like Obsequiae or Ophidian Forest with a bit more post-rock influence maybe. I really like it.

https://eigenlicht-metal.bandcamp.com/album/self-annihilating-consciousness

Should appeal to WitTR fans I reckon

ack metal with a distinct folk flavour, but not overbearing, like Obsequiae or Ophidian Forest with a bit more post-rock influence maybe. I really like it.

https://eigenlicht-metal.bandcamp.com/album/self-annihilating-consciousness

― obnoxious pun (ultros ultros-ghali), Tuesday, February 20, 2018 4:04 PM (nineteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

woah my friend was in obsequiae

another new Primordial track
https://youtu.be/b7-FYDMtqo8

The new Memoriam album is good. Like the second Tau Cross album, it's more of the same, with a few tiny tweaks (one song includes samples from Martin Luther King speeches). I'll be reviewing it on Burning Ambulance on Friday.

This new Atheist band photo looks like their logo magically appeared in their living room, and only two members (Baldy and Guy With His Own Couch) have noticed so far but they're thinking they should let the others know.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWkNcdJUMAIbQwF.jpg

lol Kelly "Bret Michaels Before Shot" Schaeffer

Listening to the Suffering Hour album again, so good. Some of my favorite guitar work in recent memory.

new Panopticon double album, first with a full-band lineup, The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness is out April 6th.

Fuck Antifa Metalfest featuring Burzum, Graveland, and Disma (Craig Pillard).

raging just seeing that poster.

it's not real. or maybe you know that and just the thought is ragey?

sorry, i'm sure you realize it's a joke, i would un-post if i could :)

nah i'm dumb af sober and then my critical thinking skills erode even more after the third beer...ignore me

The fact that the new Earthless album includes vocals on several tracks makes me sad, but this nine-minute monster jam makes me feel much better:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QvV3J5buvk

Wow, going power metal was the best decision Dimmu Borgir could have made. This new song is great, and I'm really looking forward to the new album now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7vg7ir8jyc

I'm enjoying the hell out of the debut album by Flesh Hoarder, Homicidal Necrophile, which comes out May 11. Broooootal slam metal, total knuckle-walker shit. Here's a "lyric video" for "Counterweight Suicide":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D8q3QVJlY0

They've also put up a strong candidate for Song Title of the Year with "Ejaculating on the Faces of the Aborted."

Deathwish band Young and in the Way are no more following sexual assault allegations.

http://www.metalinjection.net/metal-crimes/members-of-young-and-in-the-way-accused-of-sexual-assault-band-denies-accusations-disbands

Also, "provocative" crybabies Taake have canceled their tour

https://www.stereogum.com/1985047/deeply-problematic-metal-band-taake-cancel-north-american-tour-blame-left-wing-agitators/news/

anyway on the subject of actual music, I'm really digging the new Usurpress. something for eeveryone but it hangs together well, plus it clocks in at a nice tidy 37 minutes

antifa content police strike again

https://pitchfork.com/news/taake-metal-band-accused-of-racism-by-talib-kweli-and-others-cancel-tour-issue-defiant-statement/?mbid=homepage-more-latest-and-video

Waaahhh. Waaahhh. Waaahhh. (Also, the same story is two posts up.)

The intro to this month's Black Market column on Stereogum is very interesting. It's all about Therion.

https://www.stereogum.com/1985071/the-black-market-the-month-in-metal-february-2018/franchises/the-black-market/

Waaahhh. Waaahhh. Waaahhh.

Seriously, the whiniest, most entitled fucking statement I've ever read from a band.

The intro to this month's Black Market column on Stereogum is very interesting

The self-awareness of point number 9 is refreshing to read.

fwiw i brought it up cos my brother's band was supposed to open for them on a few dates. they were targeted as well by someone who confused them with another band and didn't bother letting that getting in the way of calling them neo nazis just the same

easy to waaaah waaah when you don't have two kids and people are doxing your friends left and right and you're hoping nobody shows up to your house to prove how anti-hate they are

the "waaaah waaaah" was obviously meant for Taake, do you always intentionally miss the point so you can grind whatever axe is on your agenda that day

goddamn the new Rolo Tomassi is FANTASTIC

wow that Therion review is some fucking navel-gazing trash

I chuckled but I already miss Doug Moore's snark-free column

I need to get off my ass and start checking out some new stuff, but I'm enjoying still being in the honeymoon period with the new Tribulation, which gets deeper and richer with each listen.

wow that Therion review is some fucking navel-gazing trash

― she carries a torch. two torches, actually (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi)

if you're going to make a listicle, sell it as a listicle

I miss Jeff Gilbert's one liner metal reviews from Guitar World

Pallbearer had a bigger crowd than I expected in Lexington on Sunday.

love them

Hi metal people, as someone who listened to a lot of metal in the '90s (some experimental, lots of Century Media-type stuff, some corny [and even I knew that Theli was corny at the time]), I enjoyed that Therion piece, thx for that.

My Bandcamp interview with Usurpress bassist and Swedish Death Metal author Daniel Ekeroth just posted:

https://daily.bandcamp.com/2018/03/02/usurpress-interregnum-interview/

I like and appreciate that album more every time I listen to it

Another good Priest track. I'm getting excited for this album.

new Sludge album out today!
https://slugdge.bandcamp.com/album/esoteric-malacology

*Slugdge

xxxpost I don't like it anywhere near as much as the previous two but I'm mega-stoked for the album.

Transilvanian Fungus
Salt Thrower

very good band concept

I don't have much time for Priest ballads anymore. The two previous songs were way better than this one. But yeah, I'll still be checking the album out.

The second Oceans of Slumber album, The Banished Heart, is out today on Century Media, and it's fucking great.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2ZNoxhNbYKfdIk79d0K8UE?si=zj4Jlx7HSvSlMEFpx5T6vg

dunno if this is appropriate for this thread or the nonexistant rolling punk/non-indie underground 2018 thread, but these guys fuckin' rip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec1U7QXqEpE

any good epic doom out lately. presumably stuff that sounda like witches of Salem made it

Oceans of Slumber album is indeed v good!

I love brutal death metal bands' album covers. I just bought these three albums based on 30 seconds of listening each, and their cover art.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DXVW7jDVoAAFUPT.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DXVW7jIVwAAZj3M.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DXVW7jLUQAE4ABf.jpg

I'm not kvlt enough to decipher those band names

Top to bottom: Gamma Sector, Organectomy, Manifesting Obscenity.

You're not kidding about the bdm covers.

https://i.imgur.com/iJz8nHd.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ff9WEU3.jpg

The new Gorevent EP is really good too, if adorned with unspectacular art. Looking forward to the new Cranial Contamination, Injurious, and Godsfarm.

On a completely different tip, specifically Finnish black metal that's less raw and punky and more table-pounding pagan triumphalism, there's this amazing album from like a year and a half ago that I'm only now discovering. Brilliant stuff with (underused) cool key sounds.
https://antimateria4.bandcamp.com/releases

That Antimateria sometimes reminds me of the German one-man-band Horn, which is about as high praise as it gets.

I feel like some of you are really going to love this.

https://amongtherocksandroots.bandcamp.com/album/raga

The bandcamp tags say it best:

experimental shamanic ambient avant-garde heavy noise rock Richmond

I'm digging the new Monotheist record quite a bit.

has Carpenter Brut's Leather Teeth been brought before the committee yet

since the exorcism seems to have been a success, we'll just quietly enjoy one last convulsion of that whole weird "the Miami Vice OST ruled" retro movement that possessed the internet a few months ago
https://carpenterbrut.bandcamp.com/album/leather-teeth
because track 2 features Garm and track 6(!!!) has Kvohst, and frankly the album itself is cool, though very much not metal

I like that album but holy fuck is it mixed/mastered loud. The first time I pressed play (wearing headphones) I almost fell over.

New LLNN album in April, one track up:

http://llnn.bandcamp.com/album/deads-2

More keyboards is frankly just fine with me.

I'm seeing Lisa LeBlanc tonight. She is a Canadian "thrash folk" artist whose Twitter account says, "I like banjos and headbanging."

Here she is doing "Ace of Spades"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvXlMdfspwg

The video is a montage of several different clips of her doing it. When I watched it, I swore that I saw Voivod at one of them. Sure enough, they jammed on the tune at a Canadian festival before (a handheld clip of it is also on the YouTubes).

Her last album was great, incidentally: http://open.spotify.com/album/0oTTQnhihdD5IDQeW2xoVL

I'm passing up Exodus and Municipal Waste to see her. I have a feeling I won't regret the decision one bit.

Judas Priest album is awesome. I like the production/mixing much better than on Redeemer of Souls, which always sounded a bit off to me. This feels solid and punchy.

yeah so far I've loved it, haven't finished it yet.

it does sound more like classic Priest through 2018 sheen, production wise, which is nice

Yeah, this Priest record really is something. It's too long (14 songs, 58 minutes - 10 in 40 would have been better IMO), and I don't like the cover art, but the songs are heavy as shit.

The Priest album fills me with so much joy. I've said it re: Maiden, Rush, Metallica's last one, it's so rewarding to hear bands that were so important to you 30+ years ago making inspired, vital music.

This is a really great interview.
https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/bj5eaa/the-enduring-humanity-of-rob-halford-metal-god

Could I ask if you were a theater kid?
Yeah, I’m a heavy metal ham. As a kid growing up, I was always watching movies on the TV or going to see movies and various shows ,and just enjoying the human capacity in drama and in expressionism and thinking about the way these other great people would give their performances, so that’s kind of instinctive for me now, you know? Before I left school, one of the things [I had to decide] was did I want to go to drama school, or did I want to continue as a singer? I went for what makes me feel good, and that’s singing. Singing is a gift. It doesn’t matter whether you’re singing in tune or out of tune, there’s nothing better than singing in the shower in the in car along with your favorite band. It’s the best feeling in the world, singing. You don’t have to learn how to play guitar or the drums or whatever. Singing, to me, is one of the most purest form of expression. It’s a beautiful thing. Even now, I always feel the most complete as a person when I’m singing a song—mostly metal.

Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk, that’s my big Emperor album.

finished the new Priest.

Firepower > Redeemer of Souls

Kreator were so good tonight. no Saboton so they threw in extra oldies like "Total Death"

back to the Priest, I feel like if Redeemer of Souls was their 21st century Painkiller stylistically, this one was more their Screaming for Vengeance. the songs are a bit less "face melty" and a bit more ear-catchy, a few of the songs could even be radio hits.

Halford seems to have recovered a little of his range on a few of the songs too. I did notice that they add a squealy guitar to double his high pitched shrieks though to conceal their waning power, neat trick.

Kreator were so good tonight. no Saboton so they threw in extra oldies like "Total Death"

http://www.invisibleoranges.com/live-review-kreator-sabaton/

Best Priest album in 28 years. Andy Sneap is a fan, and you can hear how he helps bring more aggression to the album's sound. It has more bite than their last few.

feels more cohesive than Redeemer, which I liked, but had more clunkers. this one I only dislike the third single.

https://i.imgur.com/EpLhLG4.jpg

WHOA.

Demilich? damn

wait that's weird, cos Incantation are literally doing a show here in two weeks, then they're going to come back in May?

Blood Incantation?

lol no not them. that makes it a lot more clear

Am I allowed to write about Watain and still be a card-carrying SJW?
Debating reviewing their concert at the end of the month.
I know that if I do I won't be giving Destroyer 666 any ink...

Watain have always had very strong anti-Christian views, I guess check with your publishers if that's aligned with their diversity policies.

As self-avowed theistic Satanists, they're also implicitly anti-Judaism and anti-Islam. That might be a problem if you want to be thorough in your PC-ness.

Anti-Christian and anti-religion in general are probably okay.

I can write about almost anything I want, but I am becoming less tolerant of certain things from a personal standpoint.

There's a distinction between anti-religion and cultural bigotry.

Of course there is. Granted, some people use anti-religion as a way to camouflage their cultural bigotry but I'd rather give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

I've been feeling pretty anti-HM2 lately but the Anarchos album is enjoyable.

The new Earthless album, Black Heaven, is out tomorrow. It's short - six tracks, 40 minutes, and four of them feature vocals (by guitarist Isaiah Mitchell). The songs are much more '70s rock (James Gang, etc.) than the sprawling jams of their previous work, but I'm kinda into it.

I like the Earthless! interviewing them when they play Philly this weekend. It's odd that they are in town the same day that Weedeater is at another venue though. Only so much kush to go around...

I keep confusing Earthless with Earthride.

Anyone heard the Conjurer LP? Can’t say I’m bowled over but I like their synthesis-oriented approach.

RIP Killjoy...Necrophagia is one of my favorite bands. like, I write up stuff about their albums just for myself to think in full sentences about how much I like them. he was still doing good work and it's a shame he's gone.

Aww damn RIP

Bought the Scumpulse record today and damn it's good. "Broken Reflection" is like Carcass-level songwriting tbh, just riffs flying all over the place, catchy as fuck, and that bouncy-ass d-beat.

Live Nation is offering a $70 lawn ticket in My Local Area that covers four shows:

• Rob Zombie/Marilyn Manson
• Avenged Sevenfold/Prophets of Rage
• Five Finger Death Punch/Breaking Benjamin
• Shinedown/Godsmack

Wotta bargain!

whomst would like some very fine pagan metal

https://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/album/horn-retrograd

lol @ that title.

Here's some post-black/sludge metal from Bucharest, Romania, if anyone's interested. It occasionally tries to do away with the usual Transylvanian clichés about nature spirits and the like (which I love btw):

https://ucigan.bandcamp.com/album/ucigan

If you liked The Key by Nocturnus, you will like the new Nocturnus A.D., i.e.: Mike Browning's offworld command post.
https://youtu.be/1k07H4_OAzE

I don't have the slightest idea what's going on with that video. Very Windows 3.1. But then, so is the song (in a good way).

Can't wait.

Noc AD an incredible live band too

Bought the Scumpulse record today and damn it's good. "Broken Reflection" is like Carcass-level songwriting tbh, just riffs flying all over the place, catchy as fuck, and that bouncy-ass d-beat.

whomst would like some very fine pagan metal

I often visit my local record store and check out the new release wall and then stream things. In doing this, I found two albums I will likely buy from them at some point:

The American Nightmare comeback disc. They're from Boston but the disc sounds like NYHC but smarter. I never heard their older stuff save for checking out a song or two when I was reviewing a SxE book written by Tony Rettman but this is really solid.

Also...

The debut by the strange supergroup Legend of the Seagullmen. The band, Tool's Danny Carey on drums, Mastodon's Brent Hinds on guitar, director Jimmy Hayward (Jonah Hex) on guitar, David 'The Doctor' Dreyer on vocals, Zappa Meets Zappa and Dethklok bassist Peter Griffin and Chris DiGiovanni on synth, put together a quirky prog metal album that is surprisingly accessible.

new Mournful Congregation is *fantastic* if funeral doom floats yer boat

Uhhh hesitant to ask this but has anyone heard anything re: Inquisition. Rumors floating around they're being dropped by Season of Mist and that Dagon's arrest record is involved.

Dropped from the label, shots of a criminal conviction for possession of child pornography. Welp, that's them done.

Fuuuuuck.

In totally unrelated news, the new the Sword record is sounding good, totally committing to the 70s gauzy AM hard rock vibe.

Although Hyborian, Vol. 1 came out last year on a label called The Company, I saw it at a local record store new release shelf and that it was on Season of Mist who reissued it so I streamed it and I like it! Kinda like old ass Mastodon though a little less proggy than even that. Definitely sounds like a band that should have John Baizley do their art.

It never got even a mention in Rolling Metal 2017 so it definitely slipped under a lot of radars. They're evidently from Kansas City.

http://www.metal-archives.com/images/6/3/8/5/638593.jpg?4432

https://open.spotify.com/album/0OMhJ8tWNPcPAfe6nZSjjj?si=4UaXskhXQAaHX35Kv6hpng
https://hyborianrock.bandcamp.com/album/hyborian-vol-i

wow, they sound a *lot* like early Baroness

xxposts re: inquisition: http://www.metalsucks.net/2018/03/23/report-inquistions-jason-dagon-weirbach-plead-guilty-to-child-pornography-related-charges-in-2009/

Dropped from the label, shots of a criminal conviction for possession of child pornography. Welp, that's them done.

― my dreams in the hell-pits (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Friday, March 23, 2018 8:33 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

should have known after their landmark album Morose Cogitation of Neonatal Impurities

That is funny but also horrible
But funny

Incantation are coming like, within 3 miles of me for a headlining show Sunday. last time I saw them downtown O-Town, I paid like....$7, and it included Impaled and a headlining Nile. Today it's...still only $12! whadya know, nice in a time where even like a Lividity show costs $730.

(speaking of Lividity, like headlining one day of this brutal metal fest in Tampa and I'm like, snap guys, this crap is all you could get? But Morta Skuld another night so *shrug*)

(last time in downtown O-town was 2000)

Posted at my Facebook page but I figured someone here might enjoy this...

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/DZBiPzzW0AAMt43.jpg

In the new issue of Decibel Magazine I saw that Greg Pratt did the Hall Of Fame interview with Grief (sorta aka Come to Grief) and I wondered if the tour with Extreme Noise Terror came up and wouldn't you know - they unearthed a postcard from Century Media Records with the whole itinerary.

I know that itinerary well because I booked that tour.

I had moved to Raleigh, NC to be a booking agent even though I knew nothing about Raleigh or the booking business. Although I did some dates with Christian industrial metallers Circle Of Dust and hair metal reprobates Tuff - as well as middling southeast dates for Stuck Mojo - the ENT/Grief tour was my proudest moment.

I have that itinerary on the back of an ENT shirt. I also have the Grief shirt you see me in. It still fits although that is because I've always been a fat ass.

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/DZBiRRwW0AAl1Ix.jpg

Best memories of the tour was when the folks at Earache were amazed that they got contracts from me and really wanted to work with me some more. Apparently booking bands at that level didn't attract superstars because even my learn-as-I-went and youthful enthusiasm was enough to stand out.

I also had other agents call me about how on earth did I know some of those venues? My secret was the old Maximum Rocknroll BYOFL book which I consulted as much as the Pollstar guide. It was fun talking to people used to doing basement crust punk shows about how they needed to send a deposit to me and a signed contract.

As for the tour itself, I am sad to say that it went as well as one could expect. Though I remember people such as Thomas Pascual, the old booking guy at Wetlands who was a bit of a mentor at the time, telling me he couldn't believe that I was able to get $600 a night for the package (the NYC Limelight date paid $1,500), ENT didn't seem to understand that meant they probably shouldn't have two hotel rooms every night.

Also, I made a mistake by having the contracts be for both bands. I assumed that ENT would give about $150 a night to Grief which seemed fair. Evidently that became a point of consternation between the two camps when ENT stopped doing that. Grief were damn near starving at one point. I felt terribly but there wasn't a lot I could do.

I caught a few shows on the tour. The Limelight went great - I was back in NYC, my old stomping grounds, guys from the bands were psyched, Earache and other NY metal industry types were around - I was psyched for the tour as was everyone else.

I also caught the Richmond date and of course the Raleigh one in my then-current home. It was all the first week and still, I remember only good times. There's a YouTube video of the Raleigh ENT set that can be found. And 1:15 of Grief!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08mA36-jQco

The trip south and then to the midwest did not go as well. Longer drives smaller guarantees, smaller attendances, even with SOILENT GREEN jumping on a week of dates. I was hearing it from both bands but very far away and unable to do much other than tell them that the Milwaukee Metalfest would be great for merch and morale so just hang on.

I went out to Milwaukee - my friend Ann Kautz drove up from Minneapolis and crashed with me in the shitty dorms that us poor metalheads not on cushy expense accounts stayed at during the fests. Pascual was there too. I think both of them saw as members of ENT - disenchanted with America (and my apparently piss poor job booking the tour) glared at me threateningly and called me a wanker and other British euphemisms. I felt like shit. I do recall the Grief guys being a lot more understanding.

The bands never played that last show in Cincinnati which was a damn shame because that was a MR&R show with some really enthusiastic kid who sent in the deposit with a certified check and was psyched but the band was so pissed at everything they refused to play. I sent the deposit back and apologized, the last time I had to apologize for something that happened or didn't happen on that tour.

It was a big part of me leaving the booking agency. In the pre-internet days, I ran up such huge long distance bills trying to book the tour, we probably lost money. The company I worked for was happy to see me go and i was happy to leave.

Still, I have a concert shirt with a tour I booked on the back, which is one of those silly "Accomplishment: Unlocked" things I kinda like. And even today, 23 years later, Grief mentions that tour in the best metal magazine in America. And I maintain that it was and likely remains the biggest disparity in terms of velocity between two touring bands.

And Albert Mudrian, sorry I didn't book Philly. I'll make it up to you someday.

megacool story! just read it on FB.

Count me on board with the Slugdge love. Tech death with dark space rock tendencies and actual songwriting? Sign me up!

I only like a couple of death metal albums every year these days and this is definitely one of them.

Count me on board with the Slugdge love.

Me three. Doubt I'll ever love anything they do more than Gastronomicon, but the new one is a lot of fun. Cleaner sound works surprisingly well, don't even mind the mucus-deficient clean vocals & djenty fretboard workouts (present on the last one, too).

Speaking of terrestrial enslavement, Xoth have a new single up on Bandcamp. Sound is much improved since Invasion of the Tentacube, still with the riff onslaught & slap-happy bass, but the chaotic weirdness is maybe dialed down a notch (for better or worse).
https://xoth.bandcamp.com/track/plague-revival

new Mournful Congregation is *fantastic* if funeral doom floats yer boat

― Simon H., Friday, 23 March 2018 01:38 (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Oh god yes this is premier stuff. MC are one of the bands that got me listening to funeral doom, since they're as morose and glacial as any other band in that genre but they've got a sense of forward momentum, their ideas develop rather than just wallowing on one riff for 15 minutes at a time.

I feel like its weird that no one ever mentions that Damon Good of MC is also a driving force behind StarGazer and Cauldron Black Ram. I didn't even know until I was tooling around metal archives one day and discovered that.

Maybe it's mentioned all the time and I just don't read enough reviews and interviews and shit

Totally hanging w Steve Asheim right now!

new Xoth slays!

Really enjoying Dautha's Brethren of the Black Soil, plaintive historical doom with nearly-choral backing vox and crawling tempos

Man this Pyrolatrous record slaps

Rock Against Anything: How Metal Became So Fucking Reactionary and What to Do About It

An essay from Toilet ov Hell that's very much worth your time. (Unlike the comments, but that should go without saying.)

Thanks for that, Unperson, that was a really great read.

The very fact this person felt the need to write this the way he did, offers some hope.

A worthwhile grand narrative, to be sure, but I'd rather metal (the music, not the scene, assuming they can be told apart) remain as neutral as possible with regard to conspicuous, politically political politics.

Point me to what you see as the golden era when metal was politically neutral. Name specific artists, songs, albums, etc. Thanks!

"neutrality" is a sham

It never existed and never will sub specie aeternitatis but insofar as some music is more overtly political than other music, it's not too far-fetched to argue that the political in art is a spectrum. Hence my wish that metal 'remain as neutral as possible'. Deride it all you like, but I don't care about the politics of, say, Darkspace and the experience of listening to their albums does not strike me as closer to the left or the right.

eh

metal has both anti-political/escapist as well as knee-jerk anti-establishment characteristics so it's easy to write narratives supporting either stereotype.

Pretty much. I general prefer the former but am not averse to the latter, as long as there's more to it than just that ('this music is good because it supports good politics' is both aesthetically and politically naïve).

*generally

('this music is good because it supports good politics' is both aesthetically and politically naïve)

has anyone said or thought this in the history of saying or thinking things

Politics is prescriptive. When it takes over aesthetics, it does tend to separate the chaff from the wheat on the basis of extra-artistic (which is a misnomer since art qua art does not exist according to this logic) values. Very few people who condemn aesthetic neutrality would admit to it, but the implication is there (we all must take sides and said sides cannot be neutral, hence we must seek the political good even in music). My position is that there is politics in all music but that this does not make it inherently or essentially political. It is traversed by something else (some ‘thing’, which can be equated with politics but is not reducible to it). When all is said and done, this ‘thing’ is precisely what we’re lending our ears to when we listen to music.

('this music is good because it supports good politics' is both aesthetically and politically naïve)

has anyone said or thought this in the history of saying or thinking things

Yeah, I'd like one specific example of a band pomenitul thinks makes shitty music, but gets a political thumb on the scale from critics or fans. Just one will do.

I love how you’re all just focusing on the straw man. Anyway, socialist realism, which was an official, state-sanctioned ideology being the Iron Curtain (and still very much exists in various parts of the world today) would be a classic example.

*behind (sorry, on my phone).

That's nice, but can you name a socialist realist metal band? We're talking about metal here.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TRV9i9S27VQ/UVB49vxrCuI/AAAAAAAAK_g/nBHJTYLqiOM/s1600/who-gives-a-shit.jpg

I do. A lot, in fact, as you've no doubted noticed. I care because it defines the way we talk about music (and art in general).

That's nice, but can you name a socialist realist metal band? We're talking about metal here.

That wouldn't prove your point (we're talking about listeners' attitudes, so reception trumps production here), nor are you engaging with the fleshed-out version of my argument which, incidentally, leaves more than just a bit of wiggle room for the political. Anyway, to reiterate before I get back to work: if neutrality is merely a 'sham' (as Simon put it – and I'm assuming he was referring to a musical and hence aesthetic context, as I agree with him if he meant it on a purely political level) then metal is thoroughly defined by the partisan politics not only of those make it but also of those who consume it, as if there were nothing in excess (something potentially apolitical or extra-political) that isn't merely reducible to the battle between left and right. Like I said, very few people who express contempt for aesthetic neutrality actually believe this, because it's an absolutist position that is quite hard to enact in practice.

if neutrality is merely a 'sham'...then metal is thoroughly defined by the partisan politics not only of those make it but also of those who consume it, as if there were nothing in excess

even on a purely logical level this isn't the case. the absence of an ideal neutrality, assuming "ideal neutrality" makes sense as a thought, would apply across every cultural product and therefore would just be a given when dealing with ways of receiving and creating them. that doesn't imply it's the entirety of reception or creativity any more than concepts like texture or subject or performance are. there isn't a quintessential substance, just a mesh of concepts.

sorry, shorter: "everything is political" is rarely used with the unspoken thought "and only political" tacked on

I'm certainly not arguing in favour of some quintessential substance (what I call the thing's 'excess' cannot be that, by definition, and neutrality, well, neutralises substance, as it is neither this nor that – it is a kind of ambiguity, if you will, which is precisely what draws me to art). As for the shorter version of your point, usage varies quite a bit, and the statement 'everything is political' does all too often imply an absolutist exclusivity (imho): 'nothing isn't political', i.e. 'solely nothing escapes the omnipotence of politics', which makes the aspiration towards aesthetic neutrality seem nihilistic. Anyway, I don't want to derail this thread.

Awful news about Caleb Scofield. RIP.

Metal thread's probably the wrong place for it, but Zeal and Ardor has a new track out: bandcamp.

No obvious trace of BM in the sound. Basically just a big, booming gospel-industrial stomp. Don't particularly care for it, tbh.

New Lychgate for people who like their death metal with a massive Castlevania church organ vibe.

http://blood-music.bandcamp.com/album/the-contagion-in-nine-steps

This Inhumankind album on I, Voidhanger is... something.

http://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/self-extinction

Double bass, flute and vocals. It's quite insane.

So Ad Hominem is pretty much unapologetic NSBM and therefore irredeemable, is that correct?
Google searches has me 90% sure this is correct but I welcome opinions here.

That's a hilarious metal band name.

In other news, anyone making the trek to Philly for the Decibel metal & Beer Fest?

http://scontent.fewr1-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/29542823_10160236218730597_1995971344426030973_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=v1%3AAeFy1I5tWEdl8j6dz9ZgH5TxUEokUHR-XW4nWGobFcsohpPtxjOvEKKl2e-rSuczTZZC4gOo-stFN05EPSrrzKEupo20yEB1SSt1EqbKSx23uw&oh=89bdc59ffc26f02f1002cabbb22d7494&oe=5B6A9F6B

Oceans of Slumber, whose new album The Banished Heart is out now and fantastic, are touring the US with Insomnium in May and June.

Awful news about Caleb Scofield. RIP.

― wronger than 100 geir posts (MacDara), Thursday, March 29, 2018 1:05 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i learned this during my band's set last night and suggested we abandon our current setlist to just play until your heart stops straight through (we are not capable of playing anything like until your heart stops straight through)

this is so sad and awful

Dont know what the guy’s private views are but I never got an NSBM vibe from Ad Hominem, their records are all over-the-top misanthropy clearly aimed to be as offensive as possible, with songs like Glory Hole Jesus and Anus Of Yahweh & all that so I’d stay clear of them if that isn’t your thing.

New Lychgate for people who like their death metal with a massive Castlevania church organ vibe.

http://blood-music.bandcamp.com/album/the-contagion-in-nine-steps

I just listened to this last night/this morning and was pretty intrigued and engaged. Some nice intricate dissonant guitar work.

Kim Kelley at Noisey previewed the new album from Italian jazz-doom-drone merchants Messa.

http://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/vbx7d4/jazz-drone-and-doom-collide-on-this-genre-defying-new-album-from-messa

You can stream it at the link via SoundCloud.

While generally I tend to like whatever Kim recommends, I really enjoy this and am surprised at how simple and accessible it is with so many moving parts.

That was featured in the monthly metal column on Stereogum, too. I like it a lot more than their debut, which was missing the jazz elements.

https://messa666.bandcamp.com/album/feast-for-water

Really enjoying the Lychgate. It's a subtler record than the first one, with less church organ, which may place it a little closer to some of your tastes

I mean it's still totally a death metal opera, but a good one

That Messa SoundCloud won't play for me. I don't hear any jazz-drone in "Leah," but I liked Belfry, and looking forward to hearing the new one. Kim mentioned Jex Thoth, who told me at a show back in 2014 that a new album was on the way, perhaps this will be the year. There's been a similar long wait for Finnish occult band Mansion -- they told me the mix is done on new album and announcement coming soon. Things to look forward to.

Wrote a review of the Inhumankind album for Burning Ambulance this morning; it'll be up on Tuesday.

Deceased are doing a one off in Tampa on 4/20. no way I'm missing that.

That Messa sounds fantastic. Thanks, guys.

Was at my mum's yesterday, cleaning out shite from my old room. Found a tape copy of the first Immolation album, which some dude is selling for £££ in Discogs, and the second Cancer album, which goes for similar. Also found a box of 7"s which I'd not seen for years, where the inbuilt kudos wasn't quite as comprehensive: Skid Row, Wratchild, Faster Pussycat. Did have a couple of nice BrutalTruth and Fu Manchu 7s, however. Where did the time go?

I wrote about the 10th anniversary of The Sword's Gods of the Earth and "hipster metal" for Stereogum.

Q1 bandcamp linkspamtacular:

Oppressive blackened death with curious production details
https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pandaemorthium-forbidden-formulas-to-awaken-the-blind-sovereigns-of-nothingness

ADD bedroom tech-death with a bit of character (NYP)
https://estuarinemetal.bandcamp.com/album/sic-erat-scriptum

Cold and moist cavernous death-doom
https://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/untitled

Dramatic melodic death-doom
https://hamferd.bandcamp.com/

Suffocating atmospheric black metal in spaaaaace
https://mahr-pk.bandcamp.com/album/antelux

Fairly standard but satisfying black metal with a couple of folkish touches
https://nahtrunar.bandcamp.com/album/mysterium-tremendum

Deeply atmospheric post-black/space ambient from Ethiopia <--- recommended ffo Progenie Terrestre Pura
https://nishaiar.bandcamp.com/album/irix-zerius

Spooooky raw ambient bm
https://sunsunmoon.bandcamp.com/album/demons-in-medieval-times

Slightly nuts rustic bm:
https://ungfell.bandcamp.com/album/mythen-m-ren-pestilenz

Harrowing blackened funereal something something
https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/loss

...and...

NEW MESARTHIM
https://mesarthim.bandcamp.com/album/the-density-parameter

Yes! and still doing the space nerd stuff too

recommended ffo Progenie Terrestre Pura

seen

omg new mesarthim

is it good or is it going more in the float-y direction?

i’ve only listened to the first track but it’s p heavy and majestic from the jump

decode the morse code at the end :-)

This is a couple of years late and slightly off topic but this album by Harm Done is really running a rusty shovel through my brainpan right now

http://harmdone.bandcamp.com/album/abuse-abused

Nasty, super-pissed French hardcore with some power violence/grind vibes and excellently septic production.

the new Morrow is *f a n t a s t i c*

(I'm not kidding about the morse code at the end of the final Mesarthim track by the way, it's worth decoding

the new underoath album is only... sorta metal. (about half of it could be read as a real sell-out move, the choruses are occasionally stock rock radio.) but i mostly wanted to mention it bc i think unperson may potentially like it

I can never remember remember which is Underoath and which is Unearth. Will this album help with that?

i actually don't know anything about unearth but given that they're both metalcore bands, maybe not?

They were both awful. Very, very awful.

that isn't true! but thanks!

i would also like to generally recommend to the ppl of this thread who love sludge metal underoath's 2010 album disambiguation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrG3nXvFeJ8

I forgot to check out Hooded Menace when everyone was talking about it a couple of months ago, but am finally getting around to it now, and glad that I did. Crunchy death-doom with some interesting songs.

Really liked that new HM, they're doing a great job of incorporating trad doom elements.

Very much looking forward to the new Ghastly album, in that Tribulation/Stench/Morbus Chron zone.

http://listen.20buckspin.com/album/death-velour

Played through the new Panopticon once so far and it's truly incredible. The first half is probably my favorite thing he's put out so far and I'm still unpacking the post rock country second half but sounded great on first listen.

That's nice, but can you name a socialist realist metal band? We're talking about metal here.

― grawlix (unperson), Wednesday, March 28, 2018 12:21 PM(one week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Not really trying to revive this discussion, and am not sure thus even counts, but Sordide's Fuir la lumiere was a killer RABM album from a couple years ago

anyone else catch malokarpatan & negative plane? man, the NY show was a great gig. been binging on both since then.

could use a new negative plane record, it's been a while.

New Panopticon is interesting. I don't know that he really pulls off the vocals on the second half, but it's certainly bold.

Sort of a hardcore hybrid but the new Deszcz rips: https://deszcz.bandcamp.com/album/iii

Also, in quasi-metal news, Lingua Ignota just signed to Profound Lore who are reissuing "All Bitches Die" this summer.

She's touring with The Body and Big|Brave.

This is pretty metal for an electronic record (track #3 in particular).

https://citymusic33.bandcamp.com/album/skeleton

The second half of the Panopticon grows on me with every listen.

The Body has put out 2 new ones with her so far which both sound great. "Can Carry No Weight" and this which I love:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3EAujCdfJ4

They have 3 songs up so far: https://thebody.bandcamp.com/album/i-have-fought-against-it-but-i-can-t-any-longer Big fan of the Body and Lingua Ignota. very excited for this

I am enjoying the Septic Tank disc whereupon Lee Dorrian, Scott Carlson and Gaz Jennings get all '80s hardcore up in this joint, but with a fuzzy guitar tone that betrays their usual doomy mood. I think it'll get lost in the shuffle but it's fun, as these things tend to be.

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat??!!

dude it's fuckin great and you will LOVE it.

The second half of the Panopticon grows on me with every listen.

Same, w/ the album as a whole, likely helped by the neverending Ontario winter. Marston's recording/mastering splendid as always.

HIRS album (ft. Laura Jane Grace, Alice Bag, Shirley Manson, and many others) is *awesome* on first contact

https://www.npr.org/2018/04/12/601100251/first-listen-ashley-monroe-sparrow

monroe outdoing musgraves in changing her sound huh

https://www.npr.org/2018/04/12/601199902/first-listen-the-hirs-collective-friends-lovers-favorites

lmao got my links crossed there

ok, I'm definitely into the two septic tank tracks that are already up on spotify

OOOH!

totally picking it up when it drops tonight

Yeah that Panopticon is AOTY for me so far. Everything I ever wanted out of him. Agreed with the Marston recording. Dude always delivers. Still loving the last Cleric he produced and try to see Krallice every time I can. Just got a ticket to one of the Arctopus shows coming up next month. There is a small festival in Pittsburgh this summer I'm trying to go to with both Krallice and Panopticon on the bill.

http://migrationfest.com/index.php/bands/

Also these Septic Tank tracks are amazing. Thank you.

When I first heard that Dimmu Borgir was coming back, I wasn't excited at all. But the new album fucking rules.

I am enjoying the Wrong record Feel Great, out today on Relapse Records.

http://www.grande-rock.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/large/imagesnews/wrong-feelgreat-cover2018.jpg

https://wrongriff.bandcamp.com/album/feel-great
https://open.spotify.com/album/23eNnnpC4Jt4TWAK15LxDU?si=ytsidtNiQReHrnZ4Uyei0w

It's taut with super-angular riffs, reminiscent of Helmet but without the "jazz" pretensions/allusions (i.e. when they just rocked a riff).

Just curious, any industry-connected folks hereabouts have any educated guesses on how much Napalm Death/Earache will net from "Silicon Valley"?
(The "entire" song "You Suffer" is played quite a few times in the most recent episode.)

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/metalclub2

from an email from bandcamp, they're thinking about starting a 'monthly record club for metal fans'

Seeing Nocturnus AD for 6 bucks tonight i love Tampa

Also the Septic Tank FUCKING RULES thank u all

Glad you like it, my friend!

The Golgothan Remains album is some good knotty death metal a la Immolation or Dead Congregation.

https://golgothanremains.bandcamp.com/album/perverse-offerings-to-the-void

A perfect day to listen to None's Life Has Gone On Long Enough:

https://hypnoticdirgerecords.bandcamp.com/album/life-has-gone-on-long-enough

Title says it all, really.

I have just become fascinated by Stonefield, a band made up of four Australian sisters who play ultra-heavy '70s biker doom with loads of Jon Lord/Goldy McJohn organ action and some really nice vocal harmonies. RIYL Steppenwolf, Deep Purple, Acid King. They've got three albums, but only the most recent one, Far From Earth, is on Bandcamp:

https://stonefield.bandcamp.com/album/far-from-earth

Digging the Black Salvation record.

Oh and Autokrator "Hammer of the Heretics" is massive, doom-death but with a sludgy groove to it. Crushingly heavy but also has a swagger.

Rotting Christ got arrested in the country of Georgia for being satanic terrorists. They've since been released. http://thequietus.com/articles/24395-rotting-christ-terrorism-arrest-georgia

Also, The Quietus still exists apparently.

This Morgengrau, only two tracks so far, sounds really good and inspired. Love the vox and hypnotic repetition of the riffing, reminds of CdG. So many bands put so many changes in their songs these days; it's nice to zone out in 4-5 minute bits.
https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2018/04/16/track-premiere-morgengrau-blood-oracle/
https://unspeakableaxerecords.bandcamp.com/album/blood-oracle

That sounds promising.

Anyone heard the new Aura Noir?

Also, The Quietus still exists apparently.

um, why wouldn't it?

I saw Septic Tank a few years ago supporting Repulsion/Necrophagia. I bought their EP at the show, but haven't heard the album yet. EP is pretty solid Discharge clone (if you aren't sick to death of Discharge clones already)

um, why wouldn't it?

Now that I've noticed it was founded in 2008, Quietus is not the one I was thinking of -- some other one-word online music zine from the pre-social-media days, not primarily metal but having decent metal reviews/articles. Not Stylus or Dusted either. Just another in a long line of memories lost when I forgot to import bookmarks between browsers.

There's a new Deafheaven song. Album's out in July.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU8g0XNyHRw

it turns into a Dinosaur Jr. song at the 4:15 mark

While we're at it, YOB's A Raw Heart drops 06/08

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/our-raw-heart/1363477209

Just curious, any industry-connected folks hereabouts have any educated guesses on how much Napalm Death/Earache will net from "Silicon Valley"?

the mechanicals they'll get from the multiple plays won't be a WHOLE lot but they'll be something. most of the money is in whatever they negotiated from the show's music supervisors when the placement was agreed upon. if it were a normal-length song, it'd probably be high four/low five figures, not sure if the brevity would mitigate that or make them say "you're using the whole song, we get a better rate!" The attorney who wrote up the contract then gets a percentage, management gets a percentage, and the label gets a "side" -- i.e., whatever the offer is, it's double, the label generally gets whatever the band gets. TV placement money was big in the early aughts and then calmed down.

My guess for Napalm Death on this show would be 5-6k if they have a good manager and 2k if they don't but that's just a guess

love this Deafheaven track. Spot on with the Dino Jr/Mascis shredding. Love the video too, looks like they have very nice lives.

Whoa. Mascis style shredding is pretty much the only twist that could have had me interested again.

I think that's honestly one of the biggest draws about this band for me. They cherry pick from great influences all the time. Every now and then they throw in a guitar part or another rock adjacent musical style that seemingly comes out of nowhere but ends up sounding great.

played this derisively at tt without saying what it was. she said dinosaur jr immediately. obviously i hate deafheaven

I liked New Bermuda way better than the salmon pants album, but I felt like there wasn't much more development they could pull off to keep me interested - hence why I'm good with the Dino Jr development.

Waiting for promo pic of them all wearing flannel

I’m guessing one of em will be wearing a Morbid Angel shirt. I count at least 2 in this

My guess for Napalm Death on this show would be 5-6k if they have a good manager and 2k if they don't but that's just a guess

Thanks for the insight.I think my expectations were set in the aughts, so I'd expected quite a bit more. (I remember e.g., when a friend of mine had a song in syndication for a WB show coz her song had the same title as the one used in the original broadcast, but was way cheaper to license.)

I will check out Rate Your Music charts to listen to new things.
This one is currently the #20 album of the year:

ION
A Path Unknown
(Self-Released)
1/28/2018
Format: Cassette/Digi

http://www.nocleansinging.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Ion-A-Path-Unknown-e1517241946791.jpg

http://iontheband.bandcamp.com/album/a-path-unknown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzzxs4AcO3w

I guess it's not too shocking that the band is from San Francisco as they employ a nice ratio of dissonant blackgaze and psychedelic black metal, using incredibly long songs to get the point across (the album runs nearly 70 minutes). What is shocking is that the band is evidently unsigned. Unless they're really into the whole DIY thing, that makes zero sense.

The new Skeletal Remains is really strong but since I’m simultaneously discovering the old-school DM classics, it’s lacking the nostalgia factor that might sway more seasoned listeners. Cuts both ways, though.

Yes the ION record is great! Glad someone else here likes it

Wow, the new Deafheaven song is totally brightening my day.

I've never heard a whole Deafheaven song. Might as well start with one that's 11 minutes long, I guess.

I admit I missed out on the Ion album cause I had it confused with the new Portal record.

So the Morbid Angel show at Starland Ballroom was cancelled. They say "scheduling conflict" but that doesn't make sense for a tour that has been booked for months. Was it just lousy ticket sales or does anyone have an idea what might have happened?

Sleep are releasing a new album tomorrow (4/20, lol).

(lol)!!!

I feel like they've maybe had this in the can for awhile now and have just been waiting for a Friday 4/20.

It's been six years since the last one so that checks out.

tempted to take off work tomorrow just to get deeply blazed and listen to the new sleep record

i will not be doing that, future boss who is googling me

Lolol

The new Sleep is niiiiiceee

SLEEP!!!

I had no idea this was coming. Is the closing track a homage to yer man with the dulcimer?

new Yob and new Khemmis coming out in June, it's a good time to be a rolling metal thread nerd

Sleep album is great, but I hope it'll be available in formats beyond vinyl at some point.

This is cool:
https://choralhearse.bandcamp.com/album/mire-exhumed

Sleep album is great, but I hope it'll be available in formats beyond vinyl at some point.

It's on Spotify, so I'm sure there'll be a CD soon.

you can buy the CD from the Third Man website.

I like the Sleep album, interesting that they didn't go back to the Holy Mountain style. had to stop on the last track which seemed like it was gonna be my favorite. bought a digital copy.

shotgunning beers and getting ready to see Deceased (yes, the Fowley Deceased). living near Tampa has its benefits.

Show of the year

no download code insert with the new Earthless vinyl, is that others' experience?

Odysseus, if you're around you were a fan of Ludicra I think?

Christy Cather and Laurie Shanaman are in a new band:
https://theflenser.bandcamp.com/album/the-unraveling

Sounds quite a lot like Ludicra, funnily enough, but that's a good thing.

Love Ails. Seen them a few times (including an awesome Easter show at Bottom of the Hill with other local metal legends Dispirit).

new Skeletonwitch - they've gone a bit prog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZdeKg109ig

Was just coming here to post that. They're basically an entirely different band. (Still crap, but a different flavor of crap.)

The earlier records are good fun, this seems pretty generic and bloated by comparison.

caleb scofield memorial show in boston featuring cave in, old man gloom, converge, young widows https://www.instagram.com/p/BiFIvhCBplv/

Kim Kelly has a great piece in the New York Times this weekend about the Queens underground metal scene, focusing on the Latin fans and musicians.

speaking of Kim Kelly, she wrote some words accompanying the stream of the new one from Grave Lines, kind of a gothy folky doom outfit (good vox!)

https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/vbxwvd/grave-lines-blur-the-boundary-between-doom-metal-and-gothic-folk

Man the new Varathron is a fun listen

nasty new Thou!

https://roboticempire.bandcamp.com/album/thou-the-house-primordial

From a promo email I received today (and deleted before I even finished reading the first sentence, because I automatically delete black metal promos at this point):

Hailing from the black metal hotbed of Finland, Curse Upon a Prayer was founded in Tornio in 2010 and have since released two albums - From The Lands of Demise in 2014, and Rotten Tongues in 2015. The band has gained some recognition for their strong, anti-Islamic themes, which are fiercely manifested in their live shows. During those well-received events, there has been multiple Quran desecrations, and the ruthless flame of Curse Upon a Prayer continues to grow without any hesitation.

wtf

can i ask who the publicist/pr firm is?

Suspicious Activities PR (aka N@th@n B1rk, who I believe was also an editor at Terrorizer for a while, because what's conflict of interest? This is metal!)

Black metal is my favourite genre but there's so much that I fucking hate about it.

Getting very strong In Solitude "Sister"-era vibes from the Black Salvation album - turns out they have the same drummer.

this is tragic but OG epic doom bands gotta eat too I guess

https://houseofdoom.com

Anyone heard the new Aura Noir?

― my dreams in the hell-pits (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 17 April 2018 09:03 (two weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I don't know how it stacks up to their previous stuff, and I'm not exactly big on black thrash but it sounds pretty good to me. Though it helps that I'm hearing it as a sped up, more aggressive Virus AKA good Voivod worship.

Don't forget that the new Dimmu Borgir album's out today - it's really, really good.

Black thrash sounds intriguing to me, and so does this Aura Noir album. Thanks for the heads up.

Blasphemer is such a distinctive guitarist

Wolf's Lair Abyss, Grand Declaration of War, Chimera, Ordo ad Chao: really remarkable run thanks in large part to Blasphemer's 6string magic.

Really like his doom thing, Ava Inferi, too. It's got those characteristic guitar figures all throughout if in slow motion.

Also xpost there's another good black thrash album this year in Transilvania's The Night of Nights. It's on YT.

wtf y u no tell me about ARKHETH!?

I wouldn't really say they sound like Slagmaur, but I get some of the same demented carnival vibe.

https://arkheth.bandcamp.com/album/12-winter-moons-comes-the-witches-brew-experimental-black-metal

The Obituary tour - with Pallbearer, Skeletonwitch and Dust Bolt - is pretty great. See it if you get the chance.

The new Pharaoh Overlord album, Zero, has Antti from Demilich on vocals. And Hans Joachim Irmler from Faust. It's not really metal but kind of cosmic krautrock with toad vocals.

If you like broooootal death metal, you will like Facelift Deformation's Dominating the Extermination. I know I do.

https://inheritedsufferingrecords.bandcamp.com/album/facelift-deformation-dominating-the-extermination

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DctCu4WU8AAlQ66.jpg

In addition to the Facelift Deformation album, I also bought these yesterday:

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a1416330462_16.jpg
Purefilth, Unhuman Forms Prevail

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3565808802_16.jpg
Dysmorfectomy, Disembodied Anomalies (pre-order, out 5/30)

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a2420710384_16.jpg
Scatology Secretion, The Ramifications of a Global Calamity

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3011024320_16.jpg
Dysmorfectomy, Hypothermal Dissection

Shifting from broooootal death to jazzy/proggy tech-death now, since the new Obscura just landed in my inbox. They've got the Cynic-al vocoder on the choruses, and a full-on '70s fusion bass sound...I am excited.

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3780199449_10.jpg

Sometimes I think there are more brutal death metal bands than there are people on earth

lol! Wormed are enough br00tal death for me, no other band of that kind have made mutch of an impression. Not a fan of those album cover aesthetics either.

New Urfaust album is fucking brilliant btw, probably their best.

I do kind of love that the color palette for a lot of BDM albums has become a weird lurid blue/syrup purple

Looking forward to that new Urfaust!

Broooootal death/slam bands have the best artwork in metal. There's not even a contest.

new Aura Noir fucking delivers. I listened to the Merciless yesterday and the new one today...new one stands up on its own, love it

There's a new Marduk track on Spotify (and elsewhere I presume), "Equestrian Bloodlust," and a new Immortal on YT, "Northern Chaos Gods," and both make me want to hear the full albums. I haven't really been wowed by anything from any of the involved musicians since Sons of Northern Darkness and Romans so I guess this is hopeful news.

Actually these two bands are sort of in the same category for me: they've put out some amazing stuff -- albums full of strong songs with some of the most miraculous atmosphere caught on tape (Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism is unbeatable in this; Those of the Unlight and Opus Nocturne aren't far behind) -- but over the years I've just gotten worn out by seeing/hearing about them. I don't even know why. Internet? Social media? Gossip and controversy?

The 20something me would be astonished to hear the 40something me complain of black metal market saturation but I guess that war was lost with Dethklok.

To say I was wowed by Sons and Romans is a bit of an understatement; they're two of my favorite things to come out of the Norway/Sweden metal ... thing. I'm fine with the tradeoff of primitive and occult atmospherics for insanely good songwriting and polished, confident playing. I'll take both, since they both exist.

Tbf black metal quickly felt saturated to me when post-Transilvanian Hunger absolutely everyone started pumping out albums and demos of garage quality 2-riff tracks with that garden sprinkler beat circa 1995-1996.

(That wave of generic stuff died down tho)

I didn't really like the new Marduk song or the new Immortal song. I wasn't expecting to give a shit about post-Abbath Immortal, so that's neither a surprise nor a disappointment. Marduk have been good to great since bringing Mortuus on board, though, so knowing that they're capable of much more than this bums me out. We'll see how the album is. It's been a long time since Serpent Sermon (I didn't give Frontschwein a fair hearing, and should probably revisit it one of these days).

Two obvious highlights of the week's new releases, for me, at opposite ends of the metal spectrum, are Follow the Cipher and Abraham.

pop gothic bright swords: https://open.spotify.com/album/0qSSaoW8WVNIku9TXuK3Sy?si=Tihz6CacSEuJi78fXPafBQ
lumbering noise-blasted doom: https://open.spotify.com/album/2pvFJdvNvCK6ZrZNsle7qM?si=baZM9a_KSHSJ1PDIW2B_4A

Picked up the 2fer reissue of Rotting Christ's Passage to Arcturo/Non Serviam, such an amazing band

I genuinely think this is a really attractive T-shirt; the thorns-and-branches shape of the white logo on the black fabric has a really appealing starkness. But the band is called BEGGING FOR INCEST, so...no.

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/0013370817_10.jpg

eww but nice shirt

I have their first EP, Awaiting the Fist; it's standard brutal death metal, but not good enough to make me seek out their other stuff. But what's weird is, on their most recent album, 2016's Finsternis, they seem to have undergone an attitude adjustment. The music is the same, but instead of "Bashed Beyond Recognition," "Gutted Like A Pig," "I've Got An Abhorrent Fetish" or "As Long As You Swallow" (all track titles from 2012's Orgasmic Selfmutilation), they're called things like "Awakening In Nothingness," "Obliterate Human Conscience," "Induced Decay" and "Endless Void," and the album cover looks like this:

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3101179795_10.jpg

So I feel like maybe they should change their name?

Yeah, definitely. It looks more black metallic, are they incorporating that into their sound?

I mean, change the name you don't even need to touch the logo lol

It's still brutal death metal, just with lyrics that are more focused on a kind of cosmic negativity rather than sexualized violence and/or scatology. As though the lyrics matter in that genre.

I prefer cosmic negativity by a mile tbh

Speaking of cosmic brutality, the most recent Afterbirth ("The Time-Traveller's Dilemma"!) from last year is pretty cool. Not entirely skull-hammering death metal, there are some nice mellower riffs that sound inspired by Voivod's "Nothingface."

Yeah, I liked that album.

This new album by The Armed is highly recommended for all fans of maximalist grindcore and The Dillinger Escape Plan! It is wild.

This year's Deep Space Psudokument except more punk. Fucken incredible

More pop too

OK totally missed there was a new Avenger album last year.

http://avengercze.bandcamp.com/album/mir-v-haremu-smrti

the Armed album is v good, briefly discussed on the emo thread iirc?

OK totally missed there was a new Avenger album last year.

well damn, thanks for posting this; I had no idea

I think I gotta read this.

https://weightlessbooks.com/format/corpsepaint/

That does sound good but I definitely want to read an excerpt before giving anyone any money.

a metal album art blog just pointed me toward this record. it’s... so awesome??? https://xenoblight.bandcamp.com/album/procreation

My trust in Weightless Books is pretty high, so I took the plunge. Can report back.

just finished the xenoblight record. it is the real deal

new pig destroyer album head cage out in september

oh fuck

That's good news for September.

oh yeah i am so hyped for that

Xenoblight record rules, wow. great vocals

it’s always really nice when i notice how good a rhythm section is on a metal record

The pre-release At the Gates tracks paint their new album in the best possible light. The sum total is kind of underwhelming, alas.

I noticed it's AOtW over at Stereogum so I guess some people must like it.

At the Gates have never done it for me, and this new album is more of the same.

at this point the song Luxury Themes off The Armed's new album is song of the year, Brad when you posted it to the emo thread did you not think to add 'ps this will definitely be imago's favourite thing ever'

re: The Armed: Really enjoying it, too. It’s a great find.

Sort of sounds like a relatively more pop Genghis Tron. Not bad!

Jes Skolnik at Bandcamp was talking up this EP of lofi punky & noisy deathmetal and I have to say I agree

https://devilmaster.bandcamp.com/album/inhabit-the-corpse

The Armed album is great btw. Ben Koller of Converge drums on this one. Nick Yacyshyn of Sumac was on the last one. Ballou produced both. Been saying this one is a mix between Converge, Melt Banana and Cleric to me.

Finally got the new LLNN.

MASSIVE.

finally got around to the armed record and it's really great and obviously very much lj's thing

fills a void that fucked up kinda left behind

ok i wasn't prepared for what "on jupiter" does

LLNN record is awesome and huge

ok i wasn't prepared for what "on jupiter" does

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, May 18, 2018 9:57 AM (two minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

feel like i just got punched in the face by music

so there's more than one 37-minute post-hardcore album of note atm, is what you're all saying

ONLY LOVE is a punch of pure delirious assurance that there's at least one band out there on your goddamn side, it is sheer life affirmation. but yeah it is also a punch to the face haha

The new Five Finger Death Punch album came out today. All I'm saying is, if the singer for your favorite band doesn't shout "GET SOME!" before the guitar solo, you need a new favorite band.

*sniff* I only listen to bands where I have NO IDEA what the singer is saying thank u very much

Speaking of which, I really like the cover for the new Deiquisitor

https://i.imgur.com/fYmcj3m.jpg

The music is way more fastnbrutal than the cover would lead you to expect.

Oops big soz

Normally dislike Ballou’s production, but it works for Only You.

I'm digging this 28 minute slab of Finnish death metal band:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/demise

One track, but has distinct song-like sections.

Oh yeah just started that and it sounds great so far.

This is a couple of years late and slightly off topic but this album by Harm Done is really running a rusty shovel through my brainpan right now

http://harmdone.bandcamp.com/album/abuse-abused

Nasty, super-pissed French hardcore with some power violence/grind vibes and excellently septic production.

― my dreams in the hell-pits (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 14:32 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Thanks for recommending this, loving it. Production is perfect for this sound.

File under "not again" - An ex-gf of Danny Walker, drummer for Intronaut, Phobia, Expulsion, etcetera, posted pix (or a friend posted them for her, not 100% sure since it was on Instagram and I don't do that) of her with black eyes claiming he did it before going off to Europe with Cephalic Carnage. A FB thread by a FB friend, acquaintance and also a drummer, had a lot of people I know personally to varying degrees, many of whom told tales of other women with similar stories.

Walker for his part made a huge post and said all the wrong things in my opinion - called the woman crazy, said the damage was self-inflicted, blamed her being on medications, threatened legal action - literally every single thing that he shouldn't have said. Also, in another FB thread still available (the other one was deleted by the guy who started it when things got really heated) and the comments in Walker's thread made it easier to side with the woman (and since believing women is my default, that wasn't difficult, but really, some cringe-worthy "sticking up for friends (or dude who plays drums great)" stuff.

Intronaut immediately announced that they fired him. Supposedly Phobia followed suit but I have not seen anything official.

It's a shit show and I am pretty sure I will read about a dozen more things about it that make me vomit.

Can’t wait for Neill Jameson’s 5000-word Decibel essay.

Good on (the rest of) Intronaut, anyway.

Finally got to see Behold... The Arctopus live last night and it was hella fun. Highly recommend seeing them. On par if not more mind bending than any other Marston project. They have the Psyopus drummer with them now. Touring with Defeated Sanity too who also put on an incredible show.

ION has a national tour this summer. Pretty ambitious for a totally DIY band.

http://scontent.fphl2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/33028093_1972355276133169_4905460565998043136_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=AeHUV42CUMABdeymIX09Ga1Xkb9w0mLlZkmgaij8zdCTzlVN0hB8HpETLnH5p6KQV1Xpo1KlUKbPih_nQUOlLfl55XUQW_y0Y28DOFChOEGr9Q&oh=5ff60561a9a2bdf7244ad54e6ab7df3c&oe=5B7C072F

Unfortunately the Philly date is the same room but upstairs and a separate show from The Body and Big|Brave. I am hopeful I will be able to catch most of ION and not miss much downstairs.

Man that's crazy... they should just collapse that into one bill.

Anyway, anyone that likes weird crude hybrids of d-beat/crust, black metal and deathrock might dig this:

http://magim.bandcamp.com/album/ignis

Definitely more on the punk side of crust than the super-massive, metallic variety. It's been released on cassette in a limited edition of 10 btw.

I heard Marduk was stopped from performing in Glasgow for their Nazi imagery.

Had an interesting talk with Taake’s manager/label head last night at a jazz festival. (I am in Norway at the moment.)

Anal Cunt's Josh Martin died - he was clowning around on a mall escalator and then fell to his death in the food court.

Pretty sure "You Died Falling Off A Mall Escalator" would have made a great Anal Cunt song title.

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/anal-cunts-josh-martin-dies-after-falling-off-escalator/

Anal Cunt's Josh Martin died - he was clowning around on a mall escalator and then fell to his death in the food court.

Worth noting that he was 45 years old.

Sentenced to death in the food court

I just got Dysmorfectomy's Disembodied Anomalies from Bandcamp, and the download comes with alternate cover-art sketches, and a collage showing the progress of the eventual final cover:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DeZWqayVwAEAv0n.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DeZWrqTU0AA3cIw.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DeZWs0sU8AASpMX.jpg

Oh, and the album rules. If you like broooootal slamming death metal with tons of guitar squeals.

https://realityfaderecords.bandcamp.com/album/disembodied-anomalies

Respect to Witchsorrow - a doom band with the self-awareness to write a song called "Like Sisyphus." That's certainly how I feel trying to make it all the way to the end of 99% of doom albums.

amen tbh

That Ails record is great. Inspired me to pick up "The Tenant", finally, the only Ludicra record I didn't have.

I don't like many new death metal albums anymore but man I really love the Tomb Mold.

Listening to the new Ghost. Into it so far.

re: Tomb Mold, if you want Bloodborne-inspired black metal to go along with your Bloodborne-inspired death metal, this Yahar'gul is fantastic -- esp if you like the less grimy/stifling and more icily bucolic side of Blut Aus Nord. Lots of shimmery guitars.
https://yahargul.bandcamp.com/album/yahargul

Wow - Ralph Santolla (Death, Deicide, Obituary, Iced Earth, many more) had a heart attack last week, was placed on life support in a coma, and has now died. A major loss to death metal; the dude was amazing and improved every band he was in.

Saw Earthless for the first time last Saturday. Those guys pretty much take off to the rings of Saturn right at the start and pretty much just go for the gusto in their set. Mario is an awesome drummer. The vocals work fine to me. Probably the best show I have seen since seeing Crowbar at this tiny all ages show in Danville, Kentucky a couple years ago.

I would probably give a few hours of my life to see Mesarthim tour with Astronoid.
Well, Astronoid is opening for Zeal & Ardor which is still kinds cool!
What isn't kinda cool is they play Philly the same night as MWOBHM stalwarts Cloven Hoof. :(

I have to say I really like the new Zeal & Ardor songs, way better than the debut imho

v uncomfortable with the title of the zeal & ardor record given the history of the project

extremely fair

what is the history of the project

also, i agree w/ NYC, i wish Astronoid would either headline again or go out with a band i actually like. a Mesarthim / Astronoid tour would be amazing. (not that Mesarthim plays live, that i know of?)

Astronoid should sell a limb to go on a long tour w/ Deafheaven, they'd pick up some new fans fo sho

I mean it's a Swiss-American guy making records inspired by the concept of "what if slaves turned to Satan instead of Jesus in their spirituals" so xp

feel very lucky to have caught Astronoid with Moon Tooth last year

i didn't know any of that stuff, thanks xp

this Yahar'gul is fantastic -- esp if you like the less grimy/stifling and more icily bucolic side of Blut Aus Nord. Lots of shimmery guitars.

Thank you!

I wish there were a black metal review blog called "Is This Artist A Piece Of Shit?" and all their reviews were simply "Yes." or "No."

— Chris (@ATrveKvltDad) June 5, 2018

Anybody checked out the new one from Breathing Light?
One of those bands that is not really metal, yet too metal for the truly metal-averse

they describe themselves as "romantic punk hardcore gothic rock" presumably with tongue a bit in cheek.

https://breathinglight.bandcamp.com/album/cold-static-world

Sharapova vs. Muguruza gruntfest at the French Open needs some DSBM music underneath it

new Tomb Mold is available to stream on bandcamp, out everywhere else tomorrow

http://listen.20buckspin.com/album/manor-of-infinite-forms

TOMB MOLD

oh within the first five seconds i am ABOUT this

yeah it fucking rules, I was into the raw production on the early tapes etc. but they just sound awesome here and lose none of their appeal

this record is disgusting, i love it

I just got my physical copy and can't wait for work to be over so I can infect my ears

Unreleased Judas Iscariot... released!

http://judasiscariotusbm.bandcamp.com/album/an-ancient-starry-sky

Only recommended if you like savagery

Mid-period Judas Iscariot is very underrated, this guy always had great riffs.

So obviously there's a lot to feel weird about or outright oppose around Zeal and Ardor as "a thing" but what I like most about the new album is that it explores a melodic or sonic idea or two per track, then gets out within about three minutes (or considerably less!) and moves on. Waaaay more bands (non-grindcore division) should pace their records like that.

Tomb Mold is fun, but another Canadian death metal release from last week is Kataklysm's Meditations. A friend and I went to their show on a whim on Monday and they gave out a free copy of the CD. Newish drummer Olivier Beaudoin had an expansive kit worthy of Neil Peart, and it seemed like he used it all -- no drum or cymbal went unwhacked. A passionate audience, lots of camaraderie, great show.

Kataklysm is so underrated, they've been making great music for like 20 years

Orange Goblin record sounds like old Kiss if the boogie was more convincing.
Except for "Suicide Division" which sounds like Venom.

For all the people who have been loving The Armed album, I just saw them play last night and it was easily the most fun I’ve had at a show in a long time. Sounded great, fun performance art stuff happening throughout, everything about it was incredibly positive and great. Love their sense of humor and love their band..

if they come to the uk we'll be at the front