Lustre- "Night Spirit" LP (Fallen Empire/Eisenwald)

Fans of atmospheric and ambient black metal probably don't need any introduction to this band or album, but since not all of my readers fall into that category, welcome to a review of Lustre's landmark album, "Night Spirit," which is finally seeing release on vinyl thanks to Fallen Empire and Eisenwald. For the uninitiated, Lustre is a one-man atmospheric black metal project from Sweden. His songs transcend the dreary and often forgettable meandering that tends to typify the ambient reaches of black metal by reaching levels of beauty and serenity not often provided by the genre as a whole.

"Night Spirit" is composed of two tracks that are unified, not quite as one seamless song, but in sound and direction they lead the listener on an unmistakable journey. In many ways, this song is hard to describe with words. Every time I listen to this album (which is usually multiple times a week) I feel like I go on a sort of journey into myself. The density of the guitars and keys paired with the stripped percussion and sparse vocals drives me into a very calm and familiar place. This album feels, more than anything else, safe and timeless. There are a couple percussive key lines that I'm sure some people might poke at as a bit cheesy, but I truly feel it's as effective as any melodic lead I've heard on any other instrument. Each of these tracks crosses the twenty-minute mark and each is equally hypnotic in its effect. The album flows from a low to a peak and back down again. This triangular journey works very nicely, as things get coldest and most intense towards the end of the first song but work their way into an incredibly secure and warm sensation by the end of the second. Much like the album's name, it's something of a musical quest from nightfall to dawn, and it's just as beautiful as watching the shifting of the skies. I really can't recommend this album highly enough; it's easily one of my favorite records of 2013 so far.

Snag a copy of this while you're still able. I'm still surprised this didn't sell out immediately upon its release, so you should feel fortunate if you haven't already grabbed it. Obtain this beauty and find your own source of inner calm at maximum volume.

Eternal Eclipse- "Compilation" CS & Ninjas for Hire/Earthenwomb "Split II" CS (Glossolalia Records)

Today we're examining two separate releases from a small private label that focuses exclusively on local artists from the Willamette Valley region of Oregon. While exclusivity can be a harmful and isolating thing, it can also create a tight bubble in which artists are sheltered from outside influences. In this respect, it's always interesting to look at small musical communities, especially from the standpoint of an outsider. While I can't say I've pinned down an exact sound for this label and its bands yet, it's clear that this group of relatively young musicians is keeping very busy within the greater genres of black metal and noise.

Glossolalia Records' 29th release, Eternal Eclipse's compilation cassette, is a collection of lo-fi black metal misery that is primarily spawned from the mind of just one individual, although there is a rehearsal track at the end with a full live lineup. These songs plod along at a medium pace with shrill vocals that tend to stay low in the mix, but occasionally break through to emphasize particularly intense moments. As with many bands like this, there are some scattered moments of "imperfection," but I feel that these moments really bring out the human nature in the music rather than detracting from it. This isn't technically-focused music to begin with, so as long as the mood is consistent, (which it is), I'm pretty happy. I also am pretty curious if this band's name is inspired by the Edge of Sanity tune of the same name, because that would be pretty awesome, even if the two aren't stylistically similar in any way. If you like your black metal slow and melodic with the occasional shift in tempo, give this tape a shot. It's over an hour of atmosphere and density for only five bucks. You can't go wrong.

Following up the bleak beauty of Eternal Eclipse is the harsh and chaotic split between Ninjas for Hire and Earthenwomb. While I already had a cursory familiarity with Earthenwomb, I had never heard of Ninjas for Hire before obtaining this cassette. I'm not one to rag on a band for their name, but I'm quite grateful that Ninjas for Hire aren't a rap metal or pop-punk group, because their name initially gave me the impression that I might be in for some rather unpleasant listening of the variety that I tend to avoid. Instead, both artists give the specific brand of unpleasant that I relish: harsh black metal with obvious influences from noise artists. Ninjas for Hire blows through their side of the split with a blown out and choppy offering of black metal with punk and thrash influences that reminds me of Bone Awl or Crebain at times. Sometimes the choppiness of the recording can be a bit distracting, but it's all part of the package with music like this and it still works pretty well. Earthenwomb's contribution to this split manages to be even denser, with drums that feel like focused waves of noise instead of actual percussion and vocals that cut right across the music. It's aggressive and hideous, and after the initial shock of the intensity has set in, it's pretty awesome. The space between sounds here becomes the "beat" around which the music occurs, encouraging a more focused listening experience. If you want background music, you'll have a hard time here, but if you pay attention, you'll find some solid and murky black metal.

These bands and this label are all pretty busy, so keep an eye on all the pages I've linked to throughout this review. This label has new stuff coming out pretty regularly, and almost everything they release is up for free on their bandcamp page, so it's completely risk-free.

Amiensus- "Restoration" (Self-Released)

Today we're going to examine the first full-length album from Minnesotan symphonic black metal group Amiensus. "Restoration" is currently only available as a digital download, but it's already got my attention in a serious way. If you're into well-produced, intricate black metal with equal parts majesty and malice, you're reading the right review. Somehow this group of musicians, many of whom are full-time students, managed to wrangle in Ken Sorceron from Abigail Williams to mix and master this beast. I'm guessing it's because he noticed just how great these guys are at writing compelling and melodic tunes.

Like the recently reviewed Autolatry, I feel there's a unique sense of technicality and precision to Amiensus's brand of music. Rather than simply falling into one set of sounds, there are elements from many styles within the greater "extreme metal" umbrella that are so well integrated that the song have an organic yet impossible to describe feeling. I could list bullet points of many reputable artists whom I'm sure Amiensus listens to and enjoys, but it still wouldn't quite do the final product justice. Many of the songs' choruses tend to be mid-paced with layered clean vocals and complementary guitar and keyboard lines following beneath, but that's about the only constant here. While the keys pretty much stay in the "symphonic black metal" territory, it works well enough to prevent me from criticizing it in any way. The songs range from contemplative to balls-out aggressive, which is good. I find that albums like this can tend to buckle under their own weight, yet I don't find myself feeling impatient halfway through. Instead, the band place little surprises throughout that keep me rather content, like the pensive and dark "I Am." Also, it's a small thing, but I'm giving these guys big points for enunciation. I can understand almost every lyric here, and that's pretty awesome. While I don't feel this album has reinvented metal (nor do I really expect any band to do that anyway), I can definitely say it's got enough variety and character to convince me that Amiensus is worth watching.

"Restoration" can be found on Amiensus' bandcamp page for a measly five bucks. They're also currently recording a full-length as well as a split EP with the highly talented Oak Pantheon, which should be monstrous if this album is any indication. Keep an eye on these guys, I expect them to get some serious attention in the near future.

Terzij de Horde- "A Rage of Rapture Against the Dying of the Light" CD (Self-Released)

Terzij de Horde look like such sweet, mellow guys in their portrait inside this CD. They look more likely to help stoke up a fire in the winter and put on some tea than to create chaotic and conflicted black metal. Of course you know that stirring up chaos is exactly this group's goal, and they certainly succeed at it.With each of these four songs, Terzij de Horde creates something that is bold and unique yet completely familiar, as if this music comes from such a deep place that all of us could hold it in our collective experiences.

Musically these guys lash out like a hydra, with elements of hardcore, crust, and sludge latching onto their relentless black metal assault. Stillness is not an element one will find here, but ferocity is pouring out of every sound. Opener "Prometheans" is noticeably shorter than the other tracks on this album, yet it sets the pace properly, starting at a crawl that builds up to a bloodthirsty hybrid of textured riffs and breakneck drumming. Vocalist Joost sounds like he has long since given up anything human and replaced it with the entirety of nature's wrath towards humanity's destruction. These guys are also clearly well-read, as evidenced by the list of "inspirations" for this album (all are novels rather than musical works) and the fact that they took their own moniker from a line from a famous Dutch poet. It's pleasant to see that their literary hobbies make for great lyrics. In black metal I rarely pay attention to the lyrical content of a band, yet these guys made it actually a pleasure to read along as I listened. This album as a whole is good for repeat listens due to its relatively short length, and I can only imagine how vicious these guys would be in the live setting.

Terzij de Horde is currently writing a new album that will surely shred our collective faces off. In the meantime, grab a shirt and CD directly from the band (or download it for free if you're a bit poor today). If you're lucky enough to live anywhere near them, they'll be playing with Ash Borer and Fell Voices in Amsterdam just a couple weeks. Don't miss these guys, they're destined for some serious attention in the near future.

Autolatry- "Of the Land" CD (Self-Released)

Snow, nightfall, and the woods are trademarks of classic black metal albums. Many bands intentionally evoke these elements in lyrics, album art, and absurd song titles. Some bands, like Autolatry, barely need to mention the colder, more natural side of black metal for it to shine through everything they do. While New England may not have the regional clout of Scandinavia, cold weather seems to run in Autolatry's collective bloodstream. With this brief EP, they show that they can hold their own with a unique brand of progressive black metal that seems culled equally from American and European influences, all with crisp, precise production, partially courtesy of the studio brilliance of the legendary Morrisound Studios.

"Of the Land" is a collection of four songs that reflect upon different aspects of winter in New England. Opener "Mountain" sets an aggressive and compelling precedent, and though it's my least favorite track on the album, it's still an impressive and enjoyable tune. Every member of the band showcases something unique here, with the drums being particularly on spot throughout the whole album. I find these tunes straddle a territory occupied evenly by Cormorant and Enslaved, with a healthy dose of tech-death influence that adds a certain aggression without sacrificing the black metal aesthetic. The riffs run the gamut from technical to textured and the cold atmosphere is relentless, even when the songs find their way into chunkier, more American death metal influenced territory. Autolatry's creative insanity works its best when they're moving at full-speed, with the occasional stop-start dynamic there to create the perfect tension for the band to break through. A lot of rawer black metal groups don't sound like they'd translate well live, but these songs sound both majestic and stage-ready, which is a nice balance since these guys always seem to be either on the road or gearing up for it.

Snag a copy of this album directly from the band and bask in icy technical mastery or download it for the price of your choice. They're currently working on a full-length entitled "Native," and I can safely say that it will be massive. Keep an eye on these guys before they take over the metal underground and be sure to get their stuff before it becomes rare collectors' items.

Uvikra- "Bi" CD (badGod Music)

For some reason, some people like black metal to follow a traditional formula and never deviate from it. To these people, sounds that were good twenty years ago are still the law for newer artists. While I love traditional black metal and own most of the classics, I fail to see the logic in this mindset. For me, black metal really excels when it achieves such a level of rebellion and chaos that even its own community isn't sure what to make of it. The second black metal becomes predictable, it stops being dangerous. With this in mind, Lithuanian one-man monstrosity Uvikra is dangerous. Not because sole member Loikav going to dominate the world with his music, and not because he's going to hurt you. No, Uvikra is dangerous because it moves through black metal's territory without ever firmly committing itself to a particular set of sounds.

The album starts off in a rather unassuming fashion, yet quickly makes its way onto a riff-hopping madness that lingers around only long enough to tempt the listener with a moment or two of understanding. Many bands find a riff or two and set them to work for the better part of a song, yet Uvikra seems almost fearful of stagnation. If the song begins to feel melodic or familiar, it will almost certainly disintegrate into filth. Conversely, and a little more uniquely, many of the ugliest sections of this album crawl upwards into something resembling melody and beauty. Pairing the album's title with this sonic duality, it's almost as if Uvikra intentionally finds the beauty in the agony and the horror in the sterile and strives to share each of these sensations with the listener. It makes for an unsettling yet rather enjoyable album of primitive and angular black metal. It neither follows tradition nor charts wholly new ground, but each piece of music presented here is almost entirely separate from the rest of black metal as a whole.

This album is currently available for purchase from badGod Music. If dissonance, chaos, and fuzz are familiar vocabulary words in your musical selections, this album will soon find a happy home in your heart. It may not make sense, and it certainly won't always be a comfortable experience, but that isn't the point. By the time "Bi" has finished, you won't know up from down.

Echtra- "Sky Burial" CD & Total Negation- "Zur späten Stunde | Zeiträume" CD (Temple of Torturous)

By this point, many of my readers may have noticed that I love finding new things. They may not be things that are new to others, but I enjoy a new experience here and there. When Swedish label Temple of Torturous emailed me two separate new releases of theirs, from two groups I'd never even heard of before, I was quite intrigued. While some may view unknown or unfamiliar bands and sounds as an issue, I took this as an invitation to find something new and exciting. I'm happy to state that I was quite right, as both of these unique albums have impressed me thoroughly in their own ways.

Echtra is the guitarist/vocalist of black metal heavyweights Fauna, among a handful of other groups with which I'm not yet familiar. His work here seems slightly more meditative and personal, with this album, "Sky Burial,"  focusing on the need of each individual to make peace with his or her own mortality. The practice of sky burial is a Tibetan tradition wherein the recently deceased is left in a specific location that has been designated for the decomposition and disposal of human remains. The body is left to the elements, where it is often consumed by predatory birds. As the soul has left the body, there is no need to honor its former home according to this tradition. In a similar fashion, Echtra creates a fluid representation of chaos and peace with this album. There is a focused sort of deconstruction that occurs here, with sparse vocals occasionally dotting a deserted landscape of textured guitars and dense keys. As each of the two tracks are simply halves of a greater single performance, they blend together into one massive, cathartic piece of music. I find myself listening to this album as I fall asleep at night, yet when I listen during the day, I find it invigorating. Something about this is familiar and comforting, much like the understanding of death itself, yet it is never dull or tiresome. The Temple of Torturous release of this album includes a DVD of the only live performance of "Sky Burial," which dates back to 2008. While I haven't yet seen the live performance, I can say that it will be worth watching if it captures even a fraction of the beauty and intensity presented on this album.

Switching things over to Total Negation, we're presented with two EPs packaged as one full-length album. While many bands release separate albums that are essentially the same, these two EPs are easily distinguished from one another, so I'll review them separately. The first four tracks belong to the "Zur späten Stunde" EP, which explores the intense moments the mind often experiences right before body and mind drift into sleep. Opening track "Einkehr" sets the stage appropriately with clean yet dissonant leads creating psychedelic atmospheres over fuzzy and dense chords and howled vocals. The darkness here isn't suffocating, but there is an eerie uncertainty that forces the music onward, deeper down the proverbial rabbit hole of one's own mind. The overall feeling here is dark and uncomfortable, but with a faint glow around the edges. Moving on to "Zeiträume," a sequel of sorts, Total Negation explores the textures and sensations of dreams themselves. For first listens, I try not to read the press information lest I be swayed. Despite this, I instantly picked up on some instruments that are unconventional for black metal. Sure enough, both melodica and vibraphone are featured prominently here, showcasing both creativity and skill with composition. This doesn't sound or feel like a half-hearted attempt to "transcend" black metal, nor does this feel like an amateur musician playing with an idea. "Zeiträume" is a creative and engaging testament to the potential within sole member Wiedergaenger's grasp. Crunchy guitars and foreign instruments play in unison at times, adding depth to the heaviness of the more metal moments, while at other times the two sets of instruments seem to dance around each other, both at odds and working in a peculiar sort of harmony. While there's a confusing element to these four tunes, I would say that I prefer the vision displayed here. These four songs are unique and beautiful in a most remarkable way. A solid example is presented on closing track "Traum," which leaves things off on a perfect note. This release will be packaged as a sole compact disc, but the music here should be more than sufficient reason to consider purchase.

Both of these albums will be released from Temple of Torturous on March 31st. The label has recently announced that distribution in the United States will be done through Unholy Anarchy, but I'm not entirely sure when the album will be sold through the distributor. In the meantime, save your pennies and get ready for these two incredible albums.

Curseworship- "Curseworship" (Self-released)

Today's submission comes from the dry, desolate wastes of Salt Lake City, Utah. I've always been of the opinion that any city that is primarily ruled by religion or conservative values is inherently good for making ugly music as a form of rebellion, and Curseworship seem eager to prove me right. This trio has released a three-song album that would terrify the piss out of any clergyman unfortunate enough to witness it. If the band's name or the three inverted crosses gracing the album's artwork don't make it apparent, these guys have definitely chosen to side with the darkness.

Leading the way into Curseworship's madness is the appropriately named "Summoning."After a brief feedback introduction, the stage is set for some straight up ugly, crawling death metal with some static noise elements thrown in just to make things even more unsettling. The cave man stomp here is thick and well-executed rather than simply aping Obituary as many similar bands tend to do and the rhythm is tight and driving. When the band decides to pick up the speed about halfway through, it's somehow surprising yet the transition feels organic rather than forced. The second track starts off with yet another surprise, a light and melodic introduction that turns into a distorted mess of a song that lingers slightly longer than its predecessor. Closing this beastly album out is the sixteen-minute long horror of "Goat of a Thousand Young (Raising From Hell)." This album is full of surprises, but nothing surprised me more than this track. The eerie power electronics that wormed their way throughout the previous two tracks have finally taken over by the time this monstrosity unfolds, leaving a huge slab of dense noise as Curseworship's final offering to the listener. Rather than finding this a bit uninspired or simple, this is a hair-raising way to end the album and I approve.

While currently only available as a "pay what you like" download from Curseworship's bandcamp page, this album is tentatively scheduled to be released on cassette through Crucial Blast sometime this spring, so keep an eye out. I know I'll be first in line.

Ramlord- "Crippled Minds, Sundered Wisdom" LP (Hypaethral Records)

Some of you may remember Ramlord as that band I once used the word "crushing" to describe too many times. Some of you may also remember that I think "crushing" is an awesome thing that doesn't happen enough in the reviews I write. Specializing in lo-fi black metal often leaves me with a lack of solid headbanging, skull-crushing tunes. Luckily Ramlord exist so that I may write about their boozy, chaotic blackened crust madness and get my daily recommended dose of crushing. To say that this new album is a positive expansion on the material presented on their split with Cara Neir is an understatement, and I'm pretty stoked on it.

I often feel the need to write from the perspective of an educated, intelligent, well-spoken individual, but with music this raw, I feel that flowery speech would detract from just how ferocious this is. Listening to this takes me back to the days when I hung out at basement shows and drank as much cheap beer and whiskey as I could before burrito cravings set in. The difference here is that Ramlord don't seem intent on creating fun for their listeners so much as they are hellbent on imparting bleak fury. I'm nodding my head along while I listen to the album, but I'm also kinda stuck on the fact that I'm going to die one day. All the lyrics seem to lead me back to the impermanence of mortality and the futility of believing in something beyond this world. It makes me just want to dig into the music all the more, clinging to every hideous moment because this music itself is bursting with life, almost in defiance of death. The frantic pace of the music, the harshness and humanity of the vocals, the energy creates a sort of pessimistic beauty. Another thing that really works for this is Ramlord's complete lack of commitment to any one niche within the greater genres of crust, metal, or whatever else you'd call their music. Thirty-second facemelters like "Enslaved" exist in some sort of twisted harmony with the eight-minute closing nightmare of "Extinction of Clairvoyance (Part Two)," which is a continuation of the aforementioned split with Cara Neir. This whole album gives me way too much to digest, but I can say with complete sincerity that I'm okay with a bit of sonic uneasiness. I've always been into discomfort and struggle in music, so the massive quantity of chaotic and cathartic experience here gives me something hearty to sink my teeth into.

So this slab of viciousness has already been available for digital download for about a month, but I'm a total slacker. The benefit of me not posting this until now is that if you're super cool and preorder the record (for a measly fifteen bucks), you've only got to wait about a month for it to ship out. So what are you waiting for? You could have this album for free, or you can be one of only 100 awesome individuals to own this depressing mess on vinyl. I'm part of the second group; will you join me?

100th Post Commemorative: A Retrospective Glance at A Pregnant Light's Discography

It's been just shy of seven months since I started this blog, and I realize I haven't had much occasion to geek out on one of my personal favorite artists, A Pregnant Light. Since this is my 100th post, I feel it's important for me to share something I love, regardless of ease of purchase. A Pregnant Light was one of the first artists that helped me rediscover my love of extreme music, specifically in the analog format, and their discography has grown rapidly over the past year or so. Initially I declined to review new APL releases, as they often sold out before I'd receive my copy in the mail. With APL's home label, Colloquial Sound Recordings, deciding to repress a few tapes and open up certain releases for digital sale, I feel that there is no better time than the present for me to do a retrospective review of this compelling artist's brief yet prolific career.

I was fortunate enough to discover this band before their first cassette, The Feast of Clipped Wings, had sold out. Upon hearing the sample of the opening track, "Under Consult of the Dragon," I was immediately sold on this band's ferocious mix of melodic hardcore and aggressive black metal. The urgent pace set on this album has its roots in hardcore punk, yet the jagged and beautiful riffs here seem to come from a darker, more introspective place. Another remarkable thing that caught my attention was the completely reckless and passionate vocal style, which has a cathartic intensity that is seldom found in black metal, more often reserved for masochistic groups like Pig Destroyer or Converge. Despite the sense of vulnerability I find within this album, I can't help but feel like these songs have become my own personal anthems of strength, helping to overcome things I had once imagined as insurmountable. While A Pregnant Light has released many fantastic cassettes since this first assault, this album still holds a high position in my heart and its personality and the quality of personal strength can be heard in most of APL's other offerings.

Following an album as fast and passionate as The Feast of Clipped Wings would prove challenging for most bands, but with the subsequent split with black noise artist SADOS entitled The Sky Conspired Against Thee Before Thy Bones Had Dried, APL proved to be a band with more than one voice. Rather than dialing in a track or two that might not have fit on the first album, APL offers up the monstrous "Draining Fragrance," which fills its nearly ten minutes in length with a sonic journey through a familiar ferocity and a new sense of self-restraint, tension, and uneasiness. The song begins as if it's caught in the midst of a storm yet soon finds a source of shelter, a place from which the song grows and climbs through valleys of ambiance and textured melody upward towards a massive peak before crawling away to die in solitude. While the b-side of the tape belongs to SADOS, to ignore their involvement in this release is folly. "Frail" is a beautiful yet chilling fusion of power electronics and fuzzy black metal that serves as a surprisingly appropriate pairing with APL's soaring contribution. The purity of the atmosphere SADOS craft is supreme and I'm eager to hear more from this artist, who seems to have been dormant since this mighty release. This tape is neither available for purchase nor download at the moment, but keep an eye out for this gem. It's well worth obtaining.

APL's third offering is another split, this time with UK horde Obscure Lupine Quietus. APL's two tracks here present more of the black metal aesthetic than either previous release, but are still distinctive much like any other APL work. "Burning Basin" opens things up with a relentless energy, and "On A Banquet Table" follows up with well-arranged majesty, presenting the closest thing to atmospheric black metal I've heard from thisartist. While not necessarily the darkest album APL has released, these tracks feel most appropriate when played after the sun has set. Flipping the tape over presents Obscure Lupine Quietus, who contribute two tracks of raw, mid-paced black metal perfection. "Ascension Through Cold Mists" lives up to its name with shrill aggressive vocals and icy leads carving themselves into memory with vicious precision. While this is the only OLQ release I've heard, I'm certain that their others are equally chilling and worth my while. The second edition of this magnificent tape is currently available, so snag it while you can.

As if the many faces of A Pregnant Light aren't already apparent with the first three releases, the fourth tape, entitled Live to Tell, pays direct homage to one of popular music's most polarizing divas, Madonna. While the second press of this tape is now available with a fourth track, I don't yet own a copy of the newer edition and am therefore not qualified to discuss the nature of this newest offering, but the three tracks on the original version show a band just as unafraid of criticism as Madonna herself. While the black metal community might shun an artist for releasing a tape like this, I've always viewed extreme music as a place of both rebellion and acceptance. If our community cannot embrace an act of rebellion against itself, perhaps we're becoming a bit closed-minded. The two original tracks here highlight a dark beauty that is commonly found in post-punk and new wave, as shown on "Possession of Diamond," which incorporates these uncommon melodies without losing sight of A Pregnant Light's trademark intensity. The Madonna cover features guest musicians from Amber Asylum joining in to create a stunning rendition, complete with haunting organ and female vocals exploring another new territory for this adventurous band.

After a tape like Live to Tell, A Pregnant Light had pretty much set a standard for unpredictable yet high quality music. While anything would seem expected at this point, the bar was raised yet again shortly after with two new tapes released at the same time. With greater quantities than the other new release, Death My Hanging Doorway, is a 21 minute offering of futility and passion. If previous epics hadn't already made it apparent that A Pregnant Light exists with the primary purpose of generating pure expression, this album takes all prior sonic blueprints and melds them together into something so intense that it leaves me exhausted. This album makes a stronger representation of unified sound, with the drums showing more clarity and variation than ever before, creating the sensation of a full band more than many solo artists could hope to achieve. If any album from A Pregnant Light sounds like inner turmoil, this is it. There's an almost ambitious element to the pain presented here, a ritualistic negativity of sorts, but not necessarily a release from whatever suffering is at the music's core. The first edition came bound with rope in a unique and beautiful presentation, and is available from Handmade Birds. Copies of this tape's second edition are available again, and I strongly recommend purchasing one while possible.

Released at the same time as Death My Hanging Doorway, but in a limited edition of 33 is quite possibly A Pregnant Light's most surprising release, Most High Place. The three tracks on this cassette are by far the darkest things I've heard from this artist, although anything resembling the punk and metal aesthetic is absent here. If Death My Hanging Doorway was a self-punishment of some sort, Most High Place is where A Pregnant Light has hidden away to recover in the shadows. The disarming quiet here reminds me of The Cure circa Faith or perhaps even the most reflective moments of early Nine Inch Nails. Stripped electronic percussion and sparse guitars provide a smoky backdrop for distant vocals that exist somewhere between a whisper and a distant rasp. Black metal fans might scoff at this album, but I find it to be a dark refuge from all chaos outside of myself. No samples of this album exist for the public's ears, nor is this tape available for purchase. The first edition came packaged in an envelope with cards hinting at the album's message. Perhaps a second edition will shed even more light at some time.

Not two weeks after the dual release, A Pregnant Light released St. Emaciation, which is something of a return to the style presented between the first two releases.The fur-clad woman on the cover hints at the dichotomy of beauty and ugliness presented within as she wears the skin of another creature while attempting to convey sensuality. The two tracks here are melodic and swirling pieces of gorgeous, mid-paced black metal. "Creation Rhythm" has the steady pace of a heartbeat driving its beauty onward. "Fertility Cult" is even slower, a crawling testament to A Pregnant Light's mastery of extreme atmospheres. This is currently available as a digital download and is well worth the investment.

The most recent output from A Pregnant Light is the brief and ferocious album, Hear the Slow, Slow Shadow. Recorded in the haze of a drunken afternoon, this is possibly the most stripped down and aggressive thing I've heard from this project to date. Every song flows together, yet each individual piece is abrupt and urgent. Songs like "Down Sanity" linger around long enough to tear out your throat and leave before you've had the chance to realize it. This one's also currently unavailable but will probably see a second release in some format given enough time.

So there you have it. I'm super stoked on this artist's work. Colloquial Sound has always impressed me with the consistency of their artists, but this one in particular has a very special place in my heart and in my music library. The picture above is my complete APL collection. See that shirt? Those are still available as well, and are super comfy, so grab one if you're into it. Anyway, thanks to all of my readers for sticking around this long. I didn't expect to write more than five posts before giving up, but clearly I've been on a bit of a roll. Maybe we'll see a few hundred more in years to come. Thanks everybody, I'll be back with a series of posts very soon.

Minblod- "Apparition and Aberration" CD (Depressive Illusions/Humid Records)

For most of my life, I've had a slight hearing issue. Not the sort of thing you could really diagnose and treat, just the sonic equivalent of everything blurring a little around the edges. It wouldn't surprise me if the extra focus this requires of me has contributed heavily to my great appreciation of listening to the intricacies of music. I listen for the notes between notes, the hidden things that bands might not have even intended for us to hear. When I hear a murky album like Minblod's "Apparition and Aberration," I get a rush from the challenge and the promise of hidden sounds just waiting behind the blur of noise.

Minblod's music works in textures more than individual sonic components. While a determined ear can separate the instruments from each other, the first listen gives little more than a heavy blanket of distortion and shrieks. As the listener focuses, there is almost a calming sensation amid the bleak atmosphere that Minblod creates. The dense fuzz becomes a layer of fog enveloping the listener rather than an obstacle between the music and the listener. Indeed, there is a certain meditative quality to these songs, many of which plod along at a slower pace than is traditionally accepted in black metal. The slow pace paired with the density of the music take the lo-fi template of artists like Xasthur to new depths of isolation, as presented on tracks like "Three Permutations." However, unlike depressive groups who share a similar aesthetic, Minblod seems to be simply acknowledging the inherent chaos in every moment  rather than simply holing up and wallowing in self-pity. Indeed, closing track "Heuristic Construct" has an almost redemptive quality to its relatively mellow ambiance, as if rewarding both listener and artist for surviving the album.

This album is available for download courtesy of Humid Records and will soon see physical release from Depressive Illusion. The album comes on CDr in a DVD case which holds a booklet explaining the philosophical journey on which "Apparition and Aberration" takes the listener. To say that the brief essays contained within are challenging reads would be an understatement, but they detail the artist's thoughts on our ability to observe ourselves using our established tools of perception. This companion booklet really makes the physical release a must-have, so keep an eye out.

Blackdeath- "Jesus Wept" 12" EP (Wohrt Records)

Russian horde Blackdeath are a group with a relatively lengthy history and discography, but I'll admit this is the first album of theirs I've purchased. With well-received releases on many labels, this 12" EP is their first release via Floridian label Wohrt Records, and it's a worthy introduction to Blackdeath's vicious brand of black metal.

"Jesus Wept" is a ferocious slab of mid-paced black metal that conveys the bleakest of atmospheres. The music has a nebulous, almost warped quality to it that sets this record apart from many other black metal groups. While the record is meant to be played at 45RPM, it still has a dark and deep quality to it that initially made me double check to make sure my turntable was playing at the right speed. While some folks may find the depth a bit peculiar for black metal, which has long been known for treble-heavy headache-inducing sounds, it works nicely to instill a sense of unease in the listener and makes the band sound even less human. The vocals are howled in a maniacal fashion that seems to be exclusive to Russian groups for some reason and the riffs are pummeling. The drums keep things in place, but the real highlight is the demonic guitar. Each of the two original tracks on the a-side is bursting with quality riffs that will destroy any feeble listeners  Interestingly enough, following a third original track,the record's b-side features a solid Burzum cover. To be honest, I didn't listen to Burzum very much when I first got into black metal, and I haven't given more than a few listens to any of his albums, but this well-executed cover definitely shows that Burzum's influence is greater than I might have realized and that I should really give it another chance. Just listen to this flawless rendition of "Jesus' Tod" and you'll understand.

Copies of this fierce black metal assault are still available for purchase from the label and come with a variety of bonuses, as pictured above. The record comes with a poster, a patch, and stickers, which further adds to the value of an already strong offering from a band with a lengthy catalog of high quality releases.

Ash Borer- "Bloodlands" (Gilead Media/Psychic Violence)

One of the harder things I've been doing as a music writer is learning to set aside assumptions or previous bias when examining a new piece of music from a band. Some bands I once disliked have surprised me with their growth, and some bands I've loved have produced sour music that didn't quite sit well with me. While examining the new Ash Borer album, I found myself neither disappointed nor newly converted. Instead, Ash Borer simply created something that met my already high expectations while completely changing my understanding of their music and its purpose. To be honest, after multiple visits with the undulating menace of Bloodlands, I still feel like I haven't fully grasped this album, but I am totally okay with that. Rather than simply giving up the goods on the first listen or five, this album slowly unravels after multiple listens, growing richer and more haunting over time.

Each of the two tracks on this bleak voyage meander past the fifteen-minute mark, showcasing a tendency toward massive scale compositions rather than brief, easily digested songs. The length of the songs is nothing new for Ash Borer, but as with each previous release, the intention and direction has evolved with these tunes. Instead of basking in simplicity and repetition as many black metal bands might, Ash Borer set up two musical pieces that flow in movements, with variations and recurring themes that feel more like the work of a masterful storyteller than a standard heavy metal band. The dystopian soundscapes that Ash Borer travel through with this next step in their sonic evolution bring to mind works of terrifying visionaries Blut Aus Nord (especially some of the bleaker moments of The Work Which Transforms God) or the otherworldly sculptures of H.R. Giger rather than the simplistic fury of black metal's earliest pioneers.

The A-side of the record contains the song "Oblivion's Spring," a slithering creeper of a track that moves through some of the coldest sounds I've heard from this group, traveling in a sonic form that somewhat mimics the sidewinding shape of the album's cover artwork. In case my words haven't already made it clear, Ash Borer's music is so visual to me that I might even say it's a struggle for me to describe it in basic musical terms. Bloodlands is an album that is sensory on a level that defies mere sonic interpretation and often makes its way into categories of pure experience. The song takes its time building up a dreadful ambiance before kicking into anything resembling conventional metal, and it glides out of existence with an eerie denoument that will get plant itself in the deepest recesses of the listeners brain, only to be conjured up again as one struggles to find sleep. When the band isn't creating soundtracks to my deepest anxieties, they're throwing out some of their most compelling riffs to date, paired with stellar key lines that fuse with the guitars rather than fighting them for space. By the end of this fifteen minute journey, I feel as though I've traveled through and past the grave, into the cold light of eternity. The B-side contains two separate songs, "Dirge" and "Purgation", which are paired together as one monolithic piece nearly twenty minutes in length. If the first track wasn't exciting and challenging enough, the mid-paced nightmare presented on the B-side of this album is the aural equivalent of slowly having one's flesh peeled off, and should leave listeners feeling both delighted and possibly unsettled.

Bloodlands will be available for pre-order in the very near future from both Gilead Media and Psychic Violence. If the challenging statement of last year's Cold of Ages wasn't ambitious and dizzying enough, then Bloodlands should impress even the naysayers who would love to lump Ash Borer into some heap of generic USBM groups. While I hate making a judgment call this early in the year, expect this to receive serious love from myself and other music writers when we round up 2013's top releases, because I'm already hooked.

Blood of the Moon- "MMXII" CS (Wohrt Records)

Tampa-based Wohrt Records has been a source of surprise and inspiration to me for the past couple of years in which I've resided here. Wohrt frequently releases music by bands I've never heard of who manage to completely annihilate most of the competition. Blood of the Moon are a self-described Heathen Horde from New Zealand, and this short yet brutal demo is no exception to the tradition of quality that Wohrt has established. In a genre where original names are running short, the band's name alone manages to evoke an ominous image, and the music presented within absolutely fits the bill.

This cassette holds three tracks, one of which is an introduction. The introductory track alone captivates me as a listener, with some of the coldest riffs I've heard in a while setting the pace for the brief onslaught to come. The first full track, "Conquered and Forgotten," (perhaps a nod to the mighty Judas Iscariot?) is the aural equivalent of pure punishment. This song is a perfect sonic representation of both the ultimate chaos of war as well as the torture often received by prisoners of war. Many black metal bands play with imagery of war, torture, and the like, but few bands can actually capture the haunting essence of the battlefield and the horror of man killing man, but Blood of the Moon have successfully created a sense of fear, terror, and hatred that takes my mind to darker places than my own eyes have seen. The closer, "Desecrate Upon Thee" carves itself into the listener's ear with equal brutality and skill. I've been nodding along the whole time while writing this review, and on all prior listens. I know of few bands from New Zealand, but all of them are worthy forces. I feel that Blood of the Moon is in good company then, as they've already earned my respect with this brief offering of hatred and venom.

Wohrt has initially released this in a batch of 100 cassettes, with the first twenty containing a back patch and the remaining 80 containing standard sized patches, all of which are beautifully crafted. Much of the stock remains at the time of this publication and I urge my readers to obtain this cassette while Blood of the Moon is still a young force. I imagine that in years to come this release will grow in value and become a valuable collector's item.

Blood Stone Sacrifice- "Cult of the Serpent Sun" (Self-Released)

When reviewing an album like Cult of the Serpent Sun, I tend to start asking myself questions before I listen to it. My first (incorrect) assumption was that this album was going to be some sort of At the Gates worship in the vein of almost every metalcore release between 2001 and 2005. I'm relieved that the similarity is in title alone and not in some sort of sonic theft, although I'm curious if this is meant to be a concept album or if it's just got an ominous title and artwork that hold together a collection of independent songs. I've long been a fan of the imagery and history of plague doctors, so seeing them featured predominantly here has my mind abuzz with possibility.

With my anticipation set on high just from the art (and potential concept) alone, I give the music a listen. What Blood Stone Sacrifice present here is well-executed, fiendishly-paced black metal. Knowing that this album is essentially the brainchild of two people makes sense. Every riff and every section of every song on this album is good and I can nod my head along, but I personally would like to see a little more variation here. Outside of this recording, Blood Stone Sacrifice has a full live lineup, including a real drummer as opposed to the programmed drums featured on this recording, and I wonder how that impacts their sound. All the components of solid enjoyable black metal are present, I'd just like to see the execution taken a step or two farther. I'm especially intrigued by the closing track on this album, "Vermin," as the opening riff instantly caught my attention. I want to hear what these guys can come up with next, because this sounds like a solid, honest recording from a band who is nearing a full sound. The guitar tone mimics the classic Darkthrone sound and the vocals are nice and filthy, so all that's left is a little more spice and I can see these guys really impressing me next time around.

If you want to get on the Blood Stone Sacrifice train while they're hot, check this album out on their bandcamp for only $2.50 or you can contact the band through their facebook page to place an order for a physical copy.

Tarantulah- "Kedamaian Jalan Hitam" (Self-Released Demo)

Today's submission is a slab of hideous and bizarre death-influenced black metal from Malaysia. Tarantulah sent me an email with the demo explaining that it was raw, but even the word raw doesn't do this justice. It doesn't sound unfinished or amateur, it's just that raw doesn't quite sum it up. This is raw, but focused. Tarantulah sound as though they've appeared from another dimension to bludgeon the skulls of the weak. There's something so unconventional here, even for extreme music, that I can't quite put my finger on it.

The clarity of the samples leading into each track tell me that the fuzz here is intentional, and the dense production certainly works well with some of the groovier tracks. I think my favorite thing about this demo is the vocals. For the majority of this demo, they sound more like otherworldly chants than actual human shrieks or yells. While I wouldn't exactly liken this to Inquisition, they share a similar bond of unearthly vocals that defy conventional description. While I would like to see a slightly cleaner mix on this release, I'm still quite intrigued by the dense filth that Tarantulah have created here and I'd love to hear more from them in the future to see where they take this compelling sound on their next releases.

Tarantulah has given me permission to share this demo with the internet, so here's the first official BMAB created free download. Get it while it's hot.

Music Review: Slægt- 2012 Demo (Rosensort)

I obtained Slægt's demo as a happy accident of sorts in late 2012, but am just now really getting the chance to study and enjoy it. I'd heard the band before and had enjoyed what I'd heard, but initially wrote it off in the sea of bands I was encountering and enjoying around the time this blog really started to pick up for me. When this demo showed up in the mail, I listened to it once, enjoyed it, and forgot about it. Shame on me. About a week ago, I made it a project to review every tape and record I own so that I might be able to really categorize and identify which albums I needed to review soonest. This one immediately stood out. It's been the soundtrack to a few homework sessions in the past week, and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Slægt is a one-man Danish black metal group which tears each song to shreds with an urgency I haven't heard in ages. The vocals are either filtered or heavily distorted in some way, but they still manage to break through whatever barrier is between them and the listeners. The drumming is steady and aggressive. While it maintains a solid pace, I feel like the music is constantly speeding up just because of the intensity of the whole experience. The riffs manage to retain a heavily melodic texture while pummeling the listener at the same time. I'm always impressed when bands retain a strong sense of melody while tearing my eardrums out, and Slægt have demonstrated an extraordinary skill with this sonic set. The demo is relatively short, with just four tracks, but I can flip this tape over multiple times on end and enjoy it from start to finish without issue. In fact, many of my favorite albums are short but memorable. This demo absolutely fits into that category.

While I'm not sure how to obtain this demo anymore, I'd keep an eye on discogs for copies of it. The original demo was limited to 25 and came with green album artwork, but it's selling for pretty hefty prices. The white copies (like the one I've got) were limited to 100, so you might find a better price and opportunity if you're hunting for one of those. Regardless, Slægt is a group that should be on your radar. I expect big things from them in 2013.

Free Music Friday: Mara- "The Ugliness Within" (Self-Released)

This week's Free Music Friday marks another first for this blog: a posthumous release. That's right, Mara may have called it quits, but has decided to put out one final album to round up some tracks that hadn't yet been put out for the world.  Most of these tracks are reworkings or new mixes of songs from Mara's older albums, but they do flow rather nicely in the format presented here.

While I was not familiar with Mara while it was an active project, I'm intrigued by the blend of sounds presented in this bleak collection of doom-laden black ambiance. While some of the dissonant soundscapes presented on this collection tread familiar territory for USBM of the past decade, the music doesn't feel tired or contrived. Instead, there's almost a hint of mid-period Godflesh fused in with the isolationist black metal sound Mara creates, which lends a small air of beauty, melody, and a stronger sense of rhythm than many groups of this nature. I know the combination might sound bizarre, but it creates a funereal beauty that pairs nicely with the bleak imagery Mara conveys with their titles and album art. Songs like "Industrial Ruins" especially carve a safe haven in the midst of the self-loathing and misery that the rest of this album crafts, and absolutely serve as milestones on this depressing journey.

If you're looking for some good, mid-paced music with a dense and bleak atmosphere, check this out. The band submitted it to me and I was glad to discover this, even if it is after their/his time as a functional unit. I look forward to finding more groups like this in the future, and possibly hearing whatever noise may come next from this tormented individual.

Year End Extravaganza: Noteworthy Albums of 2012

So this is probably the entry everybody's been waiting to glance over and pick fights about. It's the albums that made a huge impression on me this year in one way or another. Due to the large number of albums included, I'm just leaving links and images for your viewing/digesting pleasure. If you want to know my particular thoughts about one of these albums in great detail, you can get in touch via facebook, email, or twitter. I'm always happy to discuss my taste in music.

A Forest of Stars- "A Shadowplay for Yesterdays" (Lupus Lounge)

A Pregnant Light- "Hear the Slow Slow Shadow" (Colloquial Sound Recordings)

Ash Borer- "Cold of Ages" (Profound Lore)

Crowhurst- "No Life to Live" (Self-Released) Read the BMAB review

Death Fortress- "Pulling Ancient Stone" (Fallen Empire Records) Read the BMAB review

Dressed in Streams- "Azad Hind" (Colloquial Sound Recordings)

Hell- "III" (Eternal Warfare)

Horseback- "Half Blood" (Relapse Records)

Kuxan Suum- "Kuxan Suum" (Fallen Empire Records) Read the BMAB review

Neurosis- "Honor Found in Decay" (Neurot Recordings)

Pig Destroyer- "Book Burner" (Relapse Records)

Rectal Hygienics- "Even the Flies Won't Touch You" (Depravity Label) Read the BMAB review

Sutekh Hexen- "Behind the Throne" (Wohrt Records)

Trist- "Nostalgie" (Fallen Empire Records)

Unknown Artist- "RH-12" (Rhinocervs)

Vemod- "Venter pa Stormene" (Terratur Possessions)

Venowl- "Gnawed Gristle and Bone" (Ominous Silence) Read the BMAB review

Wulkanaz- "HNI" (Wohrt Records) Read the BMAB review

Also, here are a few of the albums I enjoyed but only listened to once or twice, but expect are of equal quality to those on this list:

Converge- "All We Love We Leave Behind" (Epitaph)

Fauna- "Avifauna" (Pesanta Urfolk)

Gaza- "No Absolutes in Human Suffering" (Black Market Activities)

The Great Old Ones- "Al Azif" (Les Acteurs De L'Ombre Productions/Antithetic)

Krallice- "Years Past Matter" (Self-Released)

Make A Change...Kill Yourself- "Fri" (Black Hate Productions)

Mgla- "With Hearts Toward None" (Northern Heritage)

With that, my magnificent list is finished and so is this year. Since Black Metal and Brews was just a fledgling website in 2012, expect grand things in the year to come. I'm grateful to all my readers, the labels, breweries and artists who have contributed their music and beverages to this blog, and to my close friends and my partner for listening to me ramble about this blog endlessly. You guys have given me a reason and an opportunity to continue writing, and I am grateful for every new person I meet because of this blog. Thanks for being around this year, and I'll see you tomorrow for the start of the next year.