Rudemas- "Demo" CS & Smuteční Slavnost- "Nářky věčného zatracení" CS

As part of my efforts to improve my website's professionalism, I'm trying not to pair bands together as frequently, unless I can find a legitimate reason to bunch them together. However, today's post is one of curiosity to me. Here we find two very different takes on black metal from two bands who are releasing tapes without the aid of labels. The relatively orthodox, grim sounds of Rudemas have been occupying my ears lately with similar frequency to the entirely unorthodox, highly blasphemous hybridization of black metal and metalcore that Smuteční Slavnost (whose name translates to Funeral Ceremony, according to Google) provides. With this in mind, let's examine two separate yet equally fascinating pieces of music.

Rudemas's "Demo" is a collection of five feedback-heavy black metal assaults that carry the urgency and pace of many first-wave bands with a rawness more akin to the second wave.  While the music here isn't exactly breaking new ground, this Tennessean two-piece is serving up highly addictive and catchy black metal that delights me with its sincere simplicity and aggression. That's not to say that this is sloppily written or amateur, simply that it goes for a relentless, raw punky approach that feels truly evil, or at least menacing. The thing that sells me most on this band is just how much I can tell these guys clearly love the music they're making. Some things can't be faked, and this feels like two fans of the genre giving it their all. This demo has me eagerly waiting for more and I hope these guys can churn out some new material soon, because music this fun truly warrants at least a twenty-minute live set.

 

For every bit of familiarity in Smuteční Slavnost's antifascist black metal assault presented on "Nářky věčného zatracení", there's an equal amount of peculiar, breakdown-friendly mosh madness that will confuse elitists and delight open-minded fans of metal's many subgenres. For me, this has a bit of personal significance. While black metal is far and away my choice of music these days, my high school years were spent listening to the Trustkill roster just as much as I was becoming excited by discovering Emperor or Ulver. The weird fusion of the two disparate sounds presented on this album brings me back to a time in my life when I didn't really understand genres as much as I simply liked my music heavy. While I certainly dug things back then that I'm not as fond of now, it's important for me to acknowledge that this album makes me nostalgic even though I didn't have anything like this in my collection back in the day. Valiant black metal riffs are paired with blasts that feel more like excerpts from Misery Index's rhythm section than typical black metal drumming. Vocals here have a feral rasp that almost verges on the throaty DSBM shriek at times, yet also surprised me on more than one occasion with guttural vocals you might expect from a slam band instead of any bastardization of black metal. This will be a hard sell for some of my readers, but folks who have enjoyed bands like Ancst or even Carnival in Coal will appreciate this fresh approach to otherwise familiar territory. Tapes are sold out, so enjoy the streaming audio for now.

Cara Neir- "Portals to a Better, Dead World" LP (Broken Limbs Recordings/Halo of Flies)

It's with great joy that I get to write this review. I started drafting this review in May and have been waiting to unveil it for you guys to enjoy. Cara Neir have long been favorites here at Black Metal & Brews, so having the opportunity to share this album with my readers after a bit of a wait is pretty exciting. In every way possible, this album is an expansion of their previous works. The most notable changes are more growth than an alteration of formula. This material feels bigger and more punishing than anything I've heard from Cara Neir before, with average song lengths continuing to increase and some of the heaviest riffs and vocals they've unleashed to date, but all of these descriptors are essentially meaningless to the uninitiated, so let's get a bit more serious here.

The first thing that needs to be touched on here is Cara Neir's genre, or perhaps the lack thereof. Citing bands as dissimilar as Ulver, Neurosis, and Ceremony is typically a surefire way to have a cluttered nightmare of an album on your hands. Instead, Cara Neir have always been able to send their songs out to the universe with a relentlessly focused vision. Listening to a Cara Neir song is like a musical game of Twister, with one hand on grindcore, another on black metal, and another somehow on the better elements of post-rock, all without lowering itself to terms like "blackgaze" or anything with the phrase "post-" in it. Knowing Cara Neir is a shapeshifting beast doesn't really help a listener know what to expect, but it does allow one to enter with an open mind. Multi-instrumentalist mastermind Garry Brents might be the single musician most frequently featured here on BM&B due to his role in mastering albums by so many other bands I love, so it's really no surprise that the production on this album lends a crushing intensity and edge to the music. The guitars dash around vocalist Chris Francis' straight-up demonic shouts, which have only grown hoarser and more painfully human with each release. To say that this album is a head first assault would be wrong though, as the band masterfully alter pace, shift gears, and pretty much manipulate sound and feeling in any way necessary to craft the most painstaking and tragic sounding songs possible. Longing, loss, and the urgency of our finite lives all come to mind, although I have not yet seen lyrics for these songs. Still, there's a pained beauty to everything here and the song names only add to the atmosphere. There are surprises aplenty throughout the album, but I'd rather encourage you to check it out for yourself than ruin the fun. With a year full of black metal inspired hybrids already featured on this blog, Cara Neir has just released an album that keeps them clearly at the head of the pack.

The album is available in two separate bundled packages from Broken Limbs Recordings (either with a shirt, or Cara Neir's split cassette with crusty madmen Ramlord) or simply by itself from either BLR or Halo of Flies. One hundred copies will be pressed on smoky green vinyl and four hundred will be pressed on traditional black vinyl. Pre-orders are already selling quickly and this album will ship out on October 31st. Order yours now, because I don't think these will last long enough to purchase after the shipping date. Listen to the preview below and then hop on this one.

Depravation- "II: MALEDICTVM" LP (Dark Omen Records/Life and Death Records/Sally Records)

Germany hasn't been a place that's often in my periphery for great new metal, yet Dark Omen Records seems to deliver more than a couple surprises. First Ancst, now this multifaceted beast of an album from Depravation, entitled "II: MALEDICTVM." If this is the sound of the German underground, I'm quite excited to delve deeper into this community, because these guys are putting a lot of current American bands to shame.

The album opens with a chant that builds to frenzied laughter, shouting, and general sounds of a wild crowd. In no way does this prepare me as a listener for the chaos that ensues. The opening riff on "Wrath" sounds like something out of the big book of Dissection riffs, which works nicely to contrast with the grinding headbang-ready verses. The hybridization of black metal and hardcore is done to an almost perfectly precise level here, retaining even my attention despite my ever-shrinking interest in hardcore. The vocals are raw, throaty, and painful in all the right ways, the music shakes the listener back and forth. It's almost impossible not to nod your head along or tap your foot while listening to Depravation's music, and this album moves rapidly onward in a way that keeps my attention so well. Anytime something has the potential to overstay its welcome, it disappears. If something is worth repeating a couple times, it shows up again. The structure of the songs is almost mathematically precise in terms of keeping things fresh without sacrificing the chance to enjoy a good riff for a minute. There are few things in this realm that impress me, but Depravation have done so in a way that makes me wish I could hop a plane to catch a crowded, sweaty gig. Fittingly enough, perhaps, this album ends with a certain familiar singing, chanting, and shouting, as if to signal the closure of the carnage, or perhaps inspire the more daring listener to begin again.

Snag a copy of this on vinyl from one of many places in one of many colors. You can get it from Dark Omen Records or Life and Death Records or download it for free from Depravation's bandcamp (or the mediafire link provided by the band, depending on how many free downloads are left). I can't find information on Sally Records, otherwise I'd link to them, so please feel free to help correct this lack of link.

Late Summer/Fall releases from Gilead Media

Well folks, it should come as no surprise that with a massive batch of new releases from Gilead Media making their way to light, it's time for me to review them and share them with you. Aside from being one of the few labels I regularly feature with bands who are "well known," they're also one of the most consistently daring labels I've encountered, taking chances on unconventional artists only to watch them excel time after time. With this in mind, it's little surprise that these new releases are both daring and enriching for me as a listener.

For the sake of organization, I'll share them in order of catalog number. Relic 46 is Hexer's debut LP, and while this is a fresh face to me, I instantly see why this band belongs alongside such heavyweights as Thou, False, and Ash Borer. While the band's logo and album cover initially had me guessing this might be a thrash release, I'm delighted that things instantly open up with some of the most fuzz-drenched, riffy black metal (albeit with some thrash influence thrown in for good measure) I've heard in a while. While I love an intricate journey, sometimes a headbanging good time is all that's needed, and Hexer delivers in full force. That's not to say that this is a simplistic mosh-fest though, as the pace and structure changes on a dime, with the band hurtling ahead at full-speed into new territory at every chance. Even when the band slows things down to a marching pace, I can practically envision buildings crumbling and explosions surrounding the band as they methodically churn out their apocalyptic black madness. While many bands these days seem intent on hiding behind distortion and density of sound, Hexer has adopted the aesthetic subtly, using it as a jagged accent to their music instead of a mask to compensate for lack of musicianship like so many other groups have been known to do. If you're into facemelting grimness, this one will be up for sale soon enough, so keep an eye on Gilead's webstore.

Next up is Relic 50, the second release from Colin Marston's project Indricothere, which is appropriately titled "II." In all honesty, I have not enjoyed everything Marston related, so with slight anxiety but as much of an open mind as I can have, I approached this album. From the opening drum assault, I was surprised. While the music is as technically sound as one would expect from a member of projects like Krallice, Behold...The Arctopus, and Gorguts, this is more listenable than I had anticipated. Alternating between valiant, aggressive, and majestic, Indricothere practically pummels the beauty out of potentially hideous structures with it's machine-gun drumming and relentless guitars chiseling away at the listener. Once the assault has created enough open space, the guitars are free to explore the space, taking the listener on a journey that seems to weave in and out of some unknown dimension. Indeed, on songs like "VII" or the drifting ambiance of "XI," I find myself actually feeling relaxed amid the sheer expansive nature of sound. It's hard to explain, but for some reason this release is so fast, so chaotic, that the only response it leaves me with is to simply relax and let it take me along whatever route it sees fit. If you're looking for some solid instrumental wizardry and have an interdimensional journey in mind, you should preorder a copy of "II" and get ready to travel into the deepest recesses of your own brain.

While the order of these items was dictated by catalog number, it's only fitting that this post closes out with the "biggest" feeling release of the three, the new album from Northless, "World Keeps Sinking," which is a split release between Gilead Media and Halo of Flies. While I tend not to like hardcore and sludge hybrids, I can tell that Northless are on top of their game for the genre. Riffs swell up in an absolutely crushing fashion, which I love, but at times the song structures are a bit uninteresting to me. That's not to say that this is in any way a dull or "bad" release, but sometimes things feel a bit cleaner than my tastes generally lean. I'm also a bit less than sold on the vocalist's style, but again, I realize this is a matter of taste rather than quality. Where this album does excel is in its instrumental passages and its capacity to shape the songs in unpredictable directions at times. I'm always into a good surprise, and this album does deliver enough of those to keep me interested. Fans of slightly more chaotic hardcore or more polished sludge releases will definitely gravitate towards this, and this album is a clear indicator as to Northless' current popularity. Perhaps with a few more listens, even this curmudgeon will be won over.

The new LPs from Indricothere and Northless are available at a discounted price when purchased together, and Hexer's LP will be available for purchase when Gilead has copies on hand. Pairing these new releases with some excellent new distro updates (including Blut Aus Nord LPs that I'm swooning over) means we're all about to be a few dollars lighter in the pocket. Get these soon, as I anticipate each of them will be successful enough to sell out rather quickly.

New Music: King Carnage, Gukurahundi, Ancst

King Carnage- Ounce of Mercy, Pound of Flesh CD (Badgod Music)
Today I'm in a bit of a mood for some absolutely hideous death metal, and there are few better releases I've been checking out for review than King Carnage. This album, like pretty much every Badgod release, is downright filthy. Do you want to be strung up and tortured by your death metal? This is the album for you. The guitars are tuned so low they carve the very earth beneath them. The drumming is tight enough to be clearly well played but loose enough to add to the overall murky atmosphere. The vocals are in that lower realm between a primitive grunt and an ominous whisper often inhabited by bands like Beherit. Grab this album from the label's bandcamp (link above) while you still have the opportunity. It comes with a sticker and a poster in a limited edition of 250.

Gukurahundi- An Apparition in Nocturnal Splendor CD (Manicidic)
These guys sent me an email a couple of months back and I was so preoccupied with my studies that I didn't even shoot them a response back. Big mistake on my part (and kinda inconsiderate, sorry dudes). This album is noticeably cleaner than the aforementioned King Carnage CD, but it's no less punishing in its own way. Blistering melodic riffs circle around insanely paced drums while the vocalist throws seems to fill just about every space not occupied by the other instruments. The band does have enough empty space and change of pace to keep things fresh, so this isn't so much a criticism as it is an observation. Solos aren't as common as a general driving assault, but these guys definitely take the time to show off their chops and the vocalist is more than competent enough. The occasional groove-based breakdown may steer away some purists but I still recommend a listen. This album is currently available in an edition of 100 digipak CDs.

Ancst- The Humane Condition CS (Dark Omen Records)
This album's a brief two song cassette, but they make every second count. With two tracks averaging six minutes each, Ancst has created one of those tapes that just begs to be flipped and replayed countless times (each side has the same program, conveniently enough). Ancst's brand of black metalisn't necessarily reinventing a genre, but it's one of the most memorable and compelling things I've heard in this niche in quite some time. The band can switch from grind-influenced black metal that tears the ears like shrapnel to glacial sludge in a heartbeat, and it feels completely natural. There are even a few moments of pure bliss just to showcase the band's diversity and clear musicianship, which is what makes this band stand out from the pack. While fans of groups like BM&B favorites Terzij de Horde will enjoy this, there's also a good chance that fans of the more nebulous and ugly side of black metal will also dig Ancst's urgent fury. This tape was available in 100 copies, with the first 15 on an orange tape with patch while the remaining 85 are on purple tapes without a patch, but the orange is already sold out. Grab a purple copy while they last.

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.

Heavy Breath- "Muddy Life" (Self-Released/Battle Stag Records)

This may be one of the posts that deviates most from my regular regimen of lo-fidelity recordings filled with indiscernible instrumentation and muddled vocals, yet it's one I'm happy to share with my readers. I actually heard about Connecticut hardcore weirdos Heavy Breath through a bizarre string of comments on twitter, of all places. Someone had referred to them as the "craft beer of hardcore" or something of that nature, and it piqued my curiosity as a fan of both extreme music and delicious beers. Indeed, as someone who has listened to hardcore for years (big surprise, I know), I've become extremely picky in regards to all things punk-ish, yet there is something refreshingly intoxicating about these three songs. It's currently 3:30 in the afternoon, I'm drinking a beer already, and I'm grooving hard to this album. You should do the same.

Here's the deal: Heavy Breath are one of those bands that can't be easily pigeonholed. I hear bits and pieces of many bands I love,with everything from the experimental leanings of Refused to the urgency and climactic builds of pageninetynine to the addictive vocals that remind me of newer heavyweights Ladder Devils. This is just such a good fun time that I can't really give it a name. Heavy Breath seem just as content locking into the deconstructed groove about three minutes into closing track "I'm a Motherfucking Weak Man" as they are throwing out complex, primal punk assaults. There's also a massive degree of classic rock and roll swagger that makes me think back to the days of truly dangerous rock, when bands like The Stooges were giving parents nightmares.While there are only three tracks presented here, they slam pretty hard and each has enough memorable sections to make them familiar by the second listen. I've enjoyed this album easily half a dozen times in the past week, since it's brief length makes it the sort of album I play twice at a time. It doesn't feel stale or derivative; it feels like a bunch of guys getting together and making music that they really enjoy and love.

While some of my more extreme readers may not find much here, fans of rock, hardcore, punk, and pretty much anything Alternative Tentacles-y will really dig this. This album is available for download at the price you see fit, so the biggest risk you have to take is a small amount of space on your hard-drive. Rumor has it Battle Stag Records will be releasing this on vinyl at a currently unannounced point in the future, so keep your eyes open. I recommend listening on high volume with a hoppy or bitter beer. Dig it.

Concert Review: Floridian Winter, Church Whip, and more.

Last Friday, I was fortunate enough to attend a concert with a stellar lineup at Cafe Hey in Tampa, Florida. The lineup was diverse and punishing, and the crowd turned out with high energy. Opener Hollow Skull started off the night with their challenging brand of hybridized grind and sludge. Their set was short and intense, setting a good precedent for the diversity and intensity of the bands to come. Up next was an aggressive grindcore assault, courtesy of Morphic Lapse, who had never performed live before this show. Morphic Lapse's members come from other Tampa heavyweights like Cellgraft and God Harvest, and the music they create here is exactly what you'd imagine. Their songs are short, but they leave wounds that last for hours. After Morphic Lapse's set was completed, Von Dagger set up to perform what they referred to as "the drunkest set [they] have ever played." As someone who had never seen Von Dagger before, I didn't notice a particular lack of presence in their music, as it seemed like it was the sort of punk rock that gained its energy from alcohol. The music was fast and sloppy in a deliberate way, very enjoyable and easily the most accessible band of the night.

Following the diverse batch of bands that opened the show was the mighty Church Whip. Church Whip are one of those bands who fall into a mystery category of aggressive music in my mind. There's a bit of everything from bluesy rock 'n roll riffs to abrasive hardcore punk to harsh black metal influences, and it's all blended together in a violent tornado. To call a Church Whip show chaotic would be an understatement. People were breaking tables, throwing full cans of beer, and practically tearing paintings off the walls. From experience and word of mouth, this was a toned down crowd response for a Church Whip set. The band played as intensely as one would imagine, and the fact that the venue wasn't decimated was a bit of a surprise

Closing out the night was the ferocious black punk of Jacksonville-based two-piece Floridian Winter. With most vocals being provided by the drummer, the band made up for lack of "frontman" dynamics with a fast and raw set that I found incredibly pleasing. The songs were aggressive, memorable, and the crowd responded appropriately, although with slightly less destruction and more focus than for Church Whip's set. All in all, the concert was fantastic, and each band provided a wonderful contrast from the others, yet all were complementary. I heard a rumor that there will only be one more concert in Floridian Winter's future before they call it a day, so keep an eye out--they're not to be missed. As they're the only band with merch that I'm aware of, check out their label, Primal Vomit Records, for ordering information.

Free Music Friday: The Weir- "Everything Blaowder Than Everything Else"

Today's installment of Free Music Friday is another release I found from a friend. I know pretty much nothing about this band, and I'm not sure I need to know much. It's obvious to me that they've probably got a decent sense of humor, what with the absurd demo title and the picture of a duck for its cover.

The music is aggressive and chunky, but it doesn't strike me as dull or overdone. It's definitely in the sludgy hardcore category, yet doesn't get caught up in any of the typical trappings of the genre. Instead, The Weir maintains a pretty intense pace, trudging ever onward into some sort of catharsis through heaviness. The three tracks presented here chalk up to only a little over 16 minutes, providing a great introduction to a mysterious and bludgeoning new group. If my memory is correct, these guys have members of the mighty WAKE involved. If that isn't a little extra incentive, just visit their bandcamp and let the music speak for itself. I'm pretty interested in seeing where they go from here. This is a promising assault, and I look forward to more.

Free Music Friday: Powerviolence USA compilation

This one's been waiting to be posted for a good little while. Physical copies of this tape are no longer available, however you can purchase it for the price you see fit on the bandcamp page. First off, this thrasher has eighteen bands in less than half an hour. How can you ignore the opportunity to find a few new favorite bands in such a short period of time? I know I discovered a few new favorites of my own from this little gem.  With a name like USA Powerviolence, these are obviously short, aggressive songs, but there's more variety within this genre than an outsider may imagine. From slow and chunky with hoarse yells to blastbeats and high pitched shrieks, this collection does a good job of showcasing the diverse and intense community of underground American powerviolence, grind, and hardcore bands.

While every single band on this cassette is ferocious and ready to tear the listener's head off, there were a few that definitely stood out for me. The violent 39 seconds of noise from Necklacing are worth serious mention. It's some of the most chaotic and memorable grind I've heard in quite a while. Everything about this song sounds absolutely desperate in the best way possible. Also, the group immediately after, Gorilla Pussy, were shockingly good. I was expecting to be disappointed by a band with such a name, but this is a perfect example of grind and punk done right. They keep things fresh by changing the pace and atmosphere frequently rather than locking into one groove and sticking with it. I also have to give a nod to a pre-existing favorite (and the reason I bought this cassette initially), False Light for being as impressive as always. If you aren't already familiar with them, get on it now. Finally, I couldn't help but make mention of PxBxS. These guys are a name I'd never even heard before but their contribution to this compilation blew me away. It opens with a chilling sample that gives way to some of the most peculiar and wonderful hardcore I've heard in quite a while. Rather than simply going for the throat with speed, the two tracks from PxBxS had me on my toes and paying full attention. I'm keeping an eye out for future releases from these guys without a doubt.

As always, give it a listen and do your part to support the artists that you feel deserve it. I've got a couple new packages here at home so expect more reviews of excellent new music soon.