Host: A Brief Profile

Now that my college semester is over, I have the time to focus on things that help me relax. Luckily for all of us, listening to new music and sharing it with the masses is pretty much my favorite thing to do. To get things started in a proper fashion, here's a brief profile of ritual noise artist, Host along with a download link or two for your enjoyment and enrichment. This artist directly contacted me a few months ago and my scatterbrained nature during my semester prevented me from giving a proper review, although I'd enjoyed the album he initially sent. Apparently my constant delays due to school and personal life worked out nicely for my readers, as he's since released an experimental track of sorts and has another album coming out in the very near future.

Host's first release with which I am acquainted, "Implant," is a journey of some sort, perhaps into and through the singularity. The futuristic beauty and horror that play with each other sound like the perfect soundtrack for a sci-fi film of technological advances gone wrong. Disconcerting drones buzz alongside chirping, somewhat tonal electronic textures with minimal to no percussion yet the music definitely does have its own structure. I'm always into a bit of melody or tonality making its way into noise and ambient structures, and Host does a great job of integrating accessible sounds into noisy soundscapes, creating a fantastic atmosphere. This album had my full attention and appreciation within the first minute, and I imagine it'll do the same for most of my readers who have appreciated my noise-related posts in the past. If you're still hesitant to hop on the noise/electronic train, this might actually be a pretty good starting point due to the genre-straddling nature of this release. Grab this one as a free download from Host's bandcamp page to start your journey into one of our many possible futures.

Following the crumbling beauty of "Implant" is Host's current experiment, "Evolution." This song is going to be hard to explain, as everybody has their own wholly unique experience. "Evolution" uses samples from Host's upcoming release, "Null Pointer," and combines them with random number generation, live financial, meteorological, and social data in order to manipulate the sound and alter the experience for every listener. I will admit to only perusing this potentially endless experiment once so far, although I do plan on visiting with it again. My personal experience is that of an endless series of pistons, churning ever onward with mechanical precision. It's dark, relentless, and I love it. Experience it for yourself and be sure to bookmark the page for your own future excursions. This might be the future of music, so don't be surprised if other artists start doing things like this soon.

After immersing myself in "Evolution" for about ten minutes, I feel prepared to present and review Host's impending release, "Null Pointer." Following the apparent trend of growing in size, intensity, and scope, this album's three tracks each pass the ten-minute mark and shed much of the electronic tonality in favor of cavernous low-frequency drones. Even the tiniest of sounds echoes into a seemingly infinite void. True to the album's title, it seems that everything converges somewhere immeasurably distant, with everything fading into a dull hum that never fully reaches a resolution. The mechanical churning I described in "Evolution" surfaces here as intermittent static, swelling to fill empty space left as each previous noise falls farther from audible levels. This album is more experiential than musical, which is not to say that it can't be listened to for the sake of listening, but the massive amount of detail and texture here make this ideal material for a session with headphones in a darkened room. As the last crackle of static fades into oblivion, we are left with nothing but ever-lengthening echoes for the final minute or two, giving a rare moment of peaceful closure that leads to a contemplative silence that I find most appropriate after such an experience.

It should go without saying that Host is an artist to watch in months to come, as this project has already released a handful of solid releases and seems prepared to continue putting out new noise at a considerable pace. "Null Pointer" will be released on the 27th of May, which gives us just under three weeks to prepare. As the music continues to change form and approach with each release, I can only imagine that whatever comes next will be equally engaging and rewarding to dedicated noise fans and casual listeners of drone alike.

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.

World of Metal and Rust- "Industrial Noir" CDr (Self-Released/Depressive Illusions)

Some of my more frequent readers may remember my review of the now-defunct black industrial artist Mara. For those who enjoyed Mara's last breath, World of Metal and Rust is born from Mara's ashes. Cold factories and grey industrial skylines have always scattered the landscapes in this man's music, but here the electronic elements and darker atmospheres which I had touched upon in my previous review are now a dominant force. Gone are elements of depressive black metal, and in their place is a slow, monotonous mechanical emptiness that creates an even bleaker environment.

The sounds created here vary from hypnotic to absolutely terrifying. Mechanized percussion fuses with fuzzy and cold synths to generate pure atmosphere. I feel like this would serve as one of many soundtracks to the end of the world. The sky is mostly black and red swirling into each other, with some substance that might be either ash or snow falling from above. The streets are littered with vehicles, papers, and peoples' belongings that they left behind along the way. Few survivors remain in this wasteland. This is in many ways exactly what the name of this project evokes, and the sound is well suited. Many songs here seem to contain two or more separate compositions that complement each other rather than one solid song per track, but I feel it works nicely. The album flows quite well from song to song and the atmosphere is consistently heavy. The ominous nature of the music might make extended listens difficult for some folks, but I feel that listening all the way through creates a perfect sense of dread and despair that chills me to the bone in the best way possible. I must reiterate that nothing here really makes it into "metal" territory, but everything here echoes cold detachment. This is perfect misery and self-hate.

Copies of this release come in a DVD case with full artwork and a labeled disc. You can purchase it digitally from the band or it you can purchase a physical copy for 6 EUR from Depressive Illusions, who also released the Minblod album I recently reviewed.  Only 33 CDs are available, so grab it quickly. Keep up with the band through its blog and be up to date on any future releases or plans. There's already a new demo posted, so it's worth checking out.

Jason Hodge- Hope Has Abandoned Us Cassette (Enemata Productions)

Sometimes when examining an album, I get the feeling that there's a greater context to the music than might initially be given. Whether it's lyrical themes for some bands or a larger sense of purpose associated with a particular album, knowing the background story can deepen one's appreciation for a piece of music. Jason Hodge's recent release,"Hope Has Abandoned Us," is absolutely an album whose value and weight grow immensely with proper background information. This cassette was recorded during a dark period in his life shortly following the death of his grandfather and the flooding of his surviving grandmother's home. While many artists would be content to merely use grief or frustration as a catalyst for creating something, Jason Hodge decided to record a large portion of this album in the abandoned building, utilizing items found in the house as part of this cathartic and dense recording.

The A-side contains the track "Carried on Crippled Wings/Forcing Pieces to Fit," which is a dark and seething journey that makes me envision a world entirely in grayscale. Musicians whose works fall under the general umbrella of "noise" often tend to feel disconnected, but Jason Hodge's music seems personal, urgent, and even somewhat desperate and frustrated. There is a tension that impresses itself upon the listener. This isn't harsh noise, nor is this mellow drone. What this music does is convey emotions in a genre that often lacks them. If anything, I feel almost overwhelmed by the swelling sounds presented in this first side, which attack like waves against a flimsy barrier. As hasty structures tend to do, the sound barrier gives way after a few minutes to a rolling terror of lower frequencies akin to the engine of an aircraft or the base of a waterfall. The rest of the song continues as some sort of violent deterioration, with scraping percussion fighting with the rolling noises of water or heavy machinery for aural dominance until everything has been ruined and the chaos slowly fades beneath its own weight. The intensity is unparalleled without resorting to some of the easy shock tactics of the genre, which is what makes this tape so compelling. Even at its most aggressive, this album never becomes a barrier of assorted frequencies, nor does a violent vocalization ever make an appearance. Not that those ideas or sounds are necessarily bad, but many artists fall back on them as safety nets where bolder sounds might have worked just as well. The B-side here is home of "Hymn for a Hollow Body," which appropriately enough is a slightly more tonal track, although it is entirely cold and distant, with much of the song's first few minutes sound something like echoes of wind in a cave. The song progresses into an almost mechanical howl which constructs a great rolling emptiness of sorts, a center of nothingness in the song around which all the other sounds revolve. By the time this turbulent tape has ended, the subtle hum of speakers conveying silence is a welcome comfort in which I bask for a few minutes. In a way, the phantom sounds constructed by my brain after this album are almost the perfect counterbalance to the chaos it inflicted. I feel that perhaps this whole album was designed with such a purpose: to force so much pain out that nothing but cathartic bliss remains by the end.

Copies of this tape are currently available from Enemata Productions and are well worth obtaining while they're still available. Keep an eye out for Jason's upcoming releases; he's a very efficient and productive musician and he seems to pop up on new labels all the time.

Crowhurst- "Death Van" CS/LP (Static Reason/Placenta Recordings)

I awoke today with an anxiety in my mind that wouldn't go away.  There has been a high pitched noise in my bedroom for a week now, and it's really started to trouble me. My sleep is restless and my thoughts are hazy. I often feel like I'm not really present because I'm so exhausted. When I put on Crowhurst's "Death Van," I felt like somehow the inner uneasiness and tension had fallen out of my brain and into my computer's speakers. From the trippy and slightly disturbing artwork to the scattershot approach to noise that Crowhurst is making their name with, a ride in the Death Van takes you through pretty much any experience you can imagine.

From the opening track "Enter the Death Van" on, things are ugly, but not in the chaotic sense that such an album title would imply. Instead the noises roll through and around the listener as a slow and constant waves of sound, bringing one in and out of a claustrophobic sort of madness filled with sharp sounds and feedback. After a while, rather than feeling fear or horror, a dull euphoria sets in. By this point, you've given up on hope and instead you've embraced the insanity--this is the point where Crowhurst excels. When one is forced to find solace in the bleakest of places, Crowhurst is able to effectively guide the listener in any direction. With the help of more than a couple friends, (almost every song here has multiple guests), Crowhurst drives the Death Van full of listeners on a guided tour of Hell in a way that's almost comforting. When we are able to look fear and misery in the eye, we are able to make peace with them. At its peak moments, this album takes the hideous and makes it beautiful.  By the time we've all been beaten into submission, the gag is taken from our mouths and the chains are undone. An almost blissful rendition of the Death in June classic "Rose Clouds of Holocaust" provides a final moment of comfort and beauty, much like the last ten minutes of mental function before brain death occurs. The end is abrupt, yet haunting, leaving you with only one option: to enter the Death Van once again and repeat the cycle.

This album goes on sale on vinyl from Placenta Recordings and cassette from Static Reason on Friday, March 15th. Getting this is pretty much mandatory if you're at all interested in noise, drone, or just bizarre experimental music of any sort. Downloads aren't available from the Crowhurst bandcamp, but a full-album stream can be heard to help you realize just how rad this album sounds.

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.

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.

Northumbria- "Northumbria" (TQA Records) + "All Days Begin As Nights" (Unreleased)

In case the title of this post didn't make it apparent, today we're examining two albums by one group which are related in such a fashion that it's nearly impossible to post about one without making mention of the other. Northumbria are a self-described "ambient metal" duo from Canada, although genres seldom describe the music properly, especially with such a compelling sonic palette as that which Northumbria uses to craft their heavy drones. While part of me wants to call Northumbria's music soothing, I feel that such a term implies a shoegaze-influenced sensibility, which definitely wouldn't quite cut it. To put it plainly, I'm not quite sure what to call Northumbria other than highly enjoyable and well-crafted music that has roots in everything from the self-proclaimed term ambient metal to the farther reaches of drone, yet refuses to sit firmly in any one subcategory.

Northumbria's eponymous full-length album was released some time last year by TQA Records, and it's a great place to start. These five tunes clock in at just over 50 minutes and lead me to a very mellow, introspective place. While the guitars are dense and distorted, I feel as though these songs are more meditative than destructive. A layer of fuzz and static serves as a canvas upon which Northumbria paints textures with soaring notes and occasional jagged assaults that last just long enough to create a tension which they swiftly relieve. Some folks might take issue with the lack of percussion, but I feel that music like this doesn't need to be chained down by anything other than pure melody and expression. In a way, the closest sonic kin I can find for this album would be the works of another favorite of mine, a death cinematic, an artist who also goes without percussion yet retains a heightened sense of clarity.

Examining Northumbria's currently unreleased EP, All Days Begin As Night, I find that familiarity with the prior release is almost mandatory, as three of the four songs here are altered versions of songs from their self-titled release. This album begins with the title track, which at just shy of eight minutes in length is the shortest composition from Northumbria. This tune follows a similar path to those presented on their first album, with an ethereal drone that manages to straddle the line between haunting and calming without ever straying too far into either territory. The sounds grow in size to fill whatever space the listener inhabits and the composition as a whole evokes thoughts of the shifting beauty of aurora borealis. Following this is Theologian's cascading re-envisioning of "Lux Lunae," now titled "The Sanguine Moon." This was by far the most dissonant track in its original incarnation, but true to Theologian's fashion, it's somehow both mellower here and far more frightening, like the unsettling backing track to a dimly lit horror scene.  This might be my top pick on this album, although to discredit the other two remixes would be unwise. Famine's brief yet intense rendition of "Threnody" is probably the busiest tune here, as the incorporation of light drum programming turns this into a glitchy electronic piece that might not sound out of place beside Ulver's "Metamorphosis." Closing things out is a stellar, almost uplifting reworking of "Black Sea of Trees" by Witxes, which serves as a relatively soothing end to a highly adventurous EP.

You might notice that there isn't information available on this unreleased EP, such as a release date or a label. This is because Northumbria are currently searching for a label who is willing to release this album on vinyl. If you're a label, this could be an opportunity for you to deal with a band who are already making an impact. If you're a listener eager to hear this, share a link to this review with anybody you know who might have label connections. Let's help this album get the release it deserves.

Project:Void- "The Anthropogenic Process" CD-r (badGod Music)

February 19th will mark the release of Project:Void's badGod Music debut, "The Anthropogenic Process." This album's been in my periphery for a hot minute, as it was initially released on cassette on Crucial Blast and I'd looked up the album once or twice for my own consideration. Sitting down to listen to this entire piece of filth and perusing a sample track are two very different experiences. For purposes of sheer intensity and chaos, this is one of the loudest, most overwhelming and busy albums I've heard in a while. This isn't the harshest noise, and it's not the densest, but the atmosphere here is nothing but terror.

My initial reaction to this album was akin to my earliest experiences with groups like Stalaggh. It's so foreign and dissonant that it barely resembles music, yet it inspires my curiosity. The musical structure is nebulous and unconventional, even for noise. This violent black industrial nightmare is one of the most relentless pieces of music I've heard in quite some time. Save for a moment of "soft" keys opening up "Praey," there's not a single safe place to burrow in and weather this storm. While the image itself is quite dated, this makes me think of the futuristic killing fields from the old Terminator films. The occasional programmed percussion and sounds of synthesizers or heavy machinery integrate nicely into oscillating noises and screams of madness. Mechanical horror and destruction roll right over anything that could have felt human or familiar in this recording, which seems to be exactly what Project:Void has in mind. While albums without hope or peace are quite commonplace on this blog, this one still manages to stand out. Every single burst of noise could be described as a barrage. The true strength of this album is that there is no middle ground. I think it's safe to say that it's impossible to remain ambivalent to this album. Many noise artists create enough safe territory for people to "tolerate" or "kinda get it." This album is the sonic equivalent of a battlefield. You either survive this album, or you don't. While such a divisive approach may not be viewed as wise in most genres of music, anyone who can handle this monstrosity with sanity intact will likely be a dedicated listener for future releases.

This album will be limited to 100 copies on CD-r, with a very special limited package of 25 CD-r/shirt bundles. If you're interested in obtaining this album digitally, be warned that you'll be missing out on the last three tracks of the album, so taking the extra moment to purchase the album in full is quite the wise choice.  Fans of power electronics and harsh industrial noise, brace yourselves; this release is sure to leave a dark mark in the recesses of your mind.

New Label Alert: Male Activity

Today I thought I'd try something new. I don't see this being a regular feature, but I recently became acquainted with this new label from Winnipeg and felt that it'd be nice to do something of a profile on each of their three releases. Each of these tapes is out in incredibly limited quantities (less than 30) and each is distinctive and enjoyable. Without further rambling on my part, here's your quick introduction to Male Activity.

First off, we've got MA:001, a split between Gashkadin and wet nurse. Gashkadin holds down the a-side with three tracks. The music is dense and ominous, evoking a world obscured by billowing smoke. There may be cries for help in the distance, but the likelihood of understanding or helping those on the other side of the cassette is nonexistent. In the last track on the first side of the tape, the yelling becomes clearer as it cuts through screeching feedback. By the time the song ends, the voice becomes buried again, and I feel as though I've escaped some kind of violent fate. Wet Nurse. takes the b-side to a noticeably more depressing place, with some distant melodies joining the mix alongside squealing static and yells of desperation. The tape (or possibly just this side, it's hard to tell by the inlay) is dedicated to the memory of an individual named Sidney Bradford. This almost sounds like a cathartic release for the loss of a friend, but I might be looking too far into it. Regardless, this tape is a fantastic beginning for this label and I'm totally sold.

MA:002 distinguishes itself from the first tape quite nicely, a good omen for this label which proves that they aren't focusing on just one aspect of sonic madness. The second tape is an untitled release by Bedroom Suite, a slightly more calming experience than MA:001.  Subtle piano and crackly loops drone their way across a slowly shifting landscape in the first untitled track, much like the motion of sand dunes which grow and change shape with the winds. The album as a whole has a feeling of remembrance, but isn't quite nostalgic. Instead I almost feel like I'm eavesdropping on a sonic representation of somebody's regrets. There is certainly a depressing and haunting atmosphere here, but as someone who spends a lot of time with darker music, I find this to be overall soothing and highly enjoyable and this will definitely appeal to folks who don't normally delve into the noise and drone genres. As of the time of this article's posting, this cassette has officially sold out. Keep an eye out for more from this artist.

MA:003 is the most recently release from this label, and it's another solid tape to round out an already promising roster of noise artists. This tape, "I" by Khfiva, is perhaps the warmest and most inviting of the three tapes in the initial Male Activity batch. Gentle drones hum back and forth while occasional percussion and clamor occur in the background. Whereas Bedroom Suite is depressingly mellow, this album is slightly less mellow yet seems to come from a more inviting place. For the uninitiated, this might be the most welcoming of the three tapes, although I wouldn't turn anybody away from any of these fantastic albums.

In case I haven't made it clear enough, you should probably rush to Male Activity's bigcartel page for a chance to grab these before they sell out. If they haven't sold out by the time this post reaches your collective eyes, I'm hoping that my kind words will change the scenario.

Music Review: Breathing Problem- "Reactive Attachment Disorder" CS (Wohrt Records)

Today's post came to me rather unexpectedly. When I heard there would be a new Breathing Problem tape released on Wohrt Records, I knew I had to have it. I was told I'd be in for a depressing experience with this album, but even the most intense of warnings couldn't come close. This is a collection of bleak noise and melancholy sound textures that will instantly darken even the brightest of days, and I love it.

This album brings no semblance of purity, joy, or safety. Breathing Problem skips any pretenses by opening the album up with a track that sounds like the listener has walked in during the middle of something bleak and hideous. Let me make it clear that while I often describe black metal albums on here as being hideous, filthy, or dark, the darkness here goes deeper than anything most metal bands would convey. This album delves into some terribly unpleasant territory that makes me feel rather unsettled, with tracks like "Chemical Aversion" boldly describing some of the sickest thoughts and perversions I've heard committed to tape. If the music didn't carry enough depression and futility by itself, a quick glance and the lyrical content instantly makes me uneasy. The moments with clarity and structure are some of the most terrifying here, as drug addiction, physical abuse, torture, and decay are fetishized with no apology. There are many bands whose music conveys an idea or concept that could trouble some folks, but Breathing Problem do it with conviction. As a fan of challenging and uncomfortable music, I'm thrilled to hear something so truly hideous, but this is definitely not an easy listening experience for even these hardened ears. The music is surprisingly soothing at times for the attitudes conveyed here, but it does little to soften the sensation of being slowly smothered by a parent or other trusted authority figure. 

If you're eager for a depressing journey through textured noise of every nature, then I urge you to obtain this cassette immediately, as I expect all 100 copies will sell out within 24 hours. Supplementing the suffocating experience is some of Wohrt's finest packaging yet. My copy came with a zine-style book, professionally printed with lyrics and graphic imagery. In addition, each package comes with a Breathing Problem button and a small paper poster. If you haven't yet heard any of Breathing Problem's output, this is an excellent release to start your collection. Since the official release has just gone live, I recommend grabbing it as soon as you're able.

Free Music Friday: Abhean- "Recollections"

We're starting off 2013's Free Music Friday with a release from a younger label than I typically cover. I had the pleasure of obtaining a copy of Abhean's cassette from Cloister Recordings a month or two ago, but hadn't yet written a proper review due to holiday madness, school, and the like. Now that things are slightly mellower here, I'm able to properly convey the beauty and brilliance of this recording.

This album focuses heavily on nature and natural themes, both in song title and atmosphere. It's very rare that I get the feeling of actually being out in the woods from music, but this release does it quite successfully. "Dreams of Rain" especially captivates and draws me in, with its steady drumbeat setting the stage for the soothing and tranquil sounds of rainfall in a forest.While the whole album brings me serenity, there is an underlying darkness present throughout this recording. Just as being immersed by nature can be beautiful, there can be dangers that hide just outside of our vision. From start to finish, this is an actual journey more than just an attempt at conveying a feeling.  The closing track is a bonus recording from a live performance, and it's certainly the most intense and unsettling track here. Especially after the trance-like state the preceding tracks created for me, this song caught me off guard, but I enjoyed it thoroughly.

As always with Free Music Friday, there's a free download available from Abhean's bandcamp, however I must also recommend the cassette for purchase from Cloister Recordings. In addition to being a beautifully packaged cassette, this tape comes with an 11x17 poster. They're limited to 100 copies, so you should get on it quickly.

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.