New Music: Empty Suits, Arbre, & Horse Drawn Death Machine

Empty Suits- "MMXIII" CS (Self-Released)
Holy hell this one came as a surprise. Lots of bands contact me referencing classics like Motorhead, Celtic Frost, Venom, and the like. Few bands deliver in such a filthy and delightful way. Empty Suits' self-titled demo release captures the rawness of classic first wave black metal and pairs it with the genuine fun of punk rock. Including phrases black metal and punk rock in the same sentence does not, however, make these guys fit in with the likes of Bone Awl. Instead, think of the morbidly catchy aggression from dudes like Abscess and you'll be somewhat on your way to picturing Empty Suits. With only one live performance to date, these guys are as fresh as it gets, so hop on it while the getting's good. Free download or cheap cassette--the choice is yours.

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Arbre- "II" CD-r (Distant Voices)
Described by its label as "a solitary journey amongst the labyrinths of mother nature," Arbre's "II" is an album I could hardly find better words to explain. These four tracks of blissfully hazy wintry black metal nearly occupy an entire hour, and the process from start to finish is indeed a journey. While my first listen yielded a dense world of fog, snow, and greyscale forests, the more I revisit this album, the more things pop out to me. Much like straining to see a distant shape in the midst of a snowstorm or heavy rainfall, Arbre's true direction only reveals itself when the listener becomes a part of the album rather than a distant observer. Murky field recordings, dense black metal, and occasional acoustic interludes all work together to create one of the most exciting proper black metal albums I've heard in a while. Only 76 copies of this limited CD-r have been created, so act quickly to obtain yours.

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Horse Drawn Death Machine- "No Light" (Self-Released)
This brief EP from Ohio-based Horse Drawn Death Machine is something of an experiment in loving metal of all sorts in the internet age. Psychedelic black metal swirls in and out of urgent mid-2000s melodic death metal with a ton of stoner rock influences. The end result is an album that works just as well for the "party metal" crowd as it does for the serious headbanger. While possibly not grim enough for some of my purist black metal readers, this is an incredibly good time from a group of musicians who know how to mix their influences well without creating a sloppy mess. This one is only up for streaming, but it looks like they've got a full-length coming in 2014, so keep your eyes on these guys.

Vlk- "Unknown Totems" CD-r (Self-Released)

Vlk is a new project from Chicago, committed to a pensive and textured brand of black metal. Their debut EP offering, "Unknown Totems," is a brief yet wholly engaging album which has managed to surprise and impress me from the very start. I really appreciate the intricate and human feeling of the live drums on this release, as it contributes to the swells and dips in the mood that Vlk creates in these short bursts of musical chaos. In fact, the humanity of this release is where it really excels. Everything feels like it was created with real instruments, by real people. While that should often be an expected standard in extreme music, the increasing ease with which one can access digital approximations of real sound has grown greatly. It's nice to see such a raw and impassioned release from a younger band. Vlk has indicated intentions of a cassette release in the near future, which I feel will perfectly capture the urgency of this music. While very little information is publicly available about Vlk, their facebook page lists an interest in agronomy, which tells me that they have either a scientific leaning or an interest in living in greater harmony with the earth. Also of interest is their decision to close this EP with a cover of "Echelons" by For Against. While I often feel it's ill advised to include covers on early releases while still developing a reputation, it's nice to see a black metal band exploring outside of the greater boundaries of heavy metal right from the start. If anything, this indicates that Vlk probably has some interesting expansion in mind for future releases.

"Unknown Totems" comes beautifully packaged in a handmade slipcase with a Vlk button and vinyl sticker. These are individually numbered out of thirty and only six remain, so I urge my readers to grab this as quickly as possible. If you're a spot late or not interested in CDs, it's also available for download at the price you see fit so there's no real reason not to give it a listen.

Paramnesia- "Ce Que Dit La Bouche D'Ombre" CD-r (Self-Released)

Here's another post about a band that caught me off guard. I make a lot of these, because apparently most of the bands that are really shaking things up are interested in contacting me but aren't being discussed by my friends. So, meet Paramnesia, an engaging and incredible French black metal group. I received an email from a member of the band politely requesting that I listen to his music, and I'm thrilled I paid attention.

While there's a slight language barrier in our communications, I believe this album was written and recorded in a three day period. These two tracks are each fully formed journeys through territory that bring to mind tracks from equally crushing groups like Deathspell Omega or The Great Old Ones, both of whom also happen to be from France. It's definitely safe to say that French (and French Canadian) bands have frequently been among my favorites, so I'm pleased to see that Paramnesia are carrying the torch. While elements of shoegaze and doom weigh heavily in this music, atmospheric black metal is the primary focus here, and Paramnesia seldom stray into territory that would disappoint purists. Guitars weave textures and melodies more than riffs, while the drums and vocals accent the overall bleakness of the music without any one musician forcing the others out of the spotlight. The coordination here is really something to notice, especially if this album was churned out in such a rapid fashion.

Copies of this brilliant release are available from Paramnesia's bandcamp page, and feature stellar artwork from Business For Satan. Grab this while you can and prepare for the next offering, which the band has indicated will draw influences from groups like Paysage d'Hiver and Leviathan.

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.

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.