New music: Dodenkrocht, Cold Crypt, Sacramence/Golden Milk

Dodenkrocht- "Misery Chords" EP (Self-Released)
This EP is probably the most appropriate album I could be sharing in time for Halloween. Before you decide it's a collection of spooky sounds and cheap gimmicks, let me explain. The funereal vastness provided by Dodenkrocht on these three original compositions (and closing Manes cover) is majestic and so inherently visual that I can almost imagine an entire short scene for each tune. The pace of their second-wave inspired black metal is moderate at its fastest, which works nicely as this album is full of notes that ring out and howls that trail away into the darkness. If this wasn't recorded in a foggy forest clearing in the dead of night, I'd be none the wiser. The atmosphere is dense and the musicianship is solid. Even when the guitars are sped up, the drumming maintains a steady and hypnotic pace that really cements the ominous nature of Dodenkrocht's music. While this was my introduction to this project, I'm keeping an eye on these guys for future releases and you should do the same.

Cold Crypt- "Darkest Symphonies" CD (Self-Released)
These guys were kind enough to send me a copy of their CD all the way across the pond. Fortunately for me, it's good enough to feature even if I'd had to hunt it own myself. Working with roots in black metal, Cold Crypt frequently deconstructs the musical paradigms of the genre to bare bones only to craft new sounds with them. Hazy guitars and murky production create an almost electronic fuzz, with some tracks creeping into icy pulsing synth-heavy horror soundtracks. Some groups's names are quite telling, and Cold Crypt is absolutely one of them. Eerie without becoming campy, this album frequently treads into territory more often found on power electronics releases than traditional black metal albums, which is refreshing. Samples and sonic trickery fit in comfortably besides scathing metal assaults and cold minimal synth tracks. Absolutely worth a listen. Obtain a copy from the artist if you're located in Europe or from Badgod Music here in the USA.

Sacramence/Golden Milk- Split Cassette (Born Dead Records)
In a year when Raspberry Bulbs' newest album is making its way into massive mainstream success (well deserved, I might add), one might expect offerings falling into "noisy blackened punk" territory to suffer in quality, perhaps as trendhoppers.  I'm pleased to say this tape delivers the goods wholly and sincerely. Sacramence is the solo project of S. Jordan and submits two songs of blown out filth to start things off. Sacramence claims to deal with themes of nihilism and animal rights, which sounds awesome to me, but I can't pull a single word from the murk here. Opener "Revered Filth" starts off pretty slow and textured, with distortion building into an almost psychedelic bliss until chaotic drumming and distant howls break through at a frantic gallop. The second tune, "Decrepit Obedience" is much slower and more ominous, slowly shifting around and through itself in the most haunting way. Golden Milk follows with three compositions all thematically linked as separate parts of the same song, entitled "Through Force and Intolerance." These three songs are even more warped and fuzzy than Sacramence's portion of the split, yet are stripped of the hazy layering and are instead a focused and aggressive assault upon the listener. The pace varies but it's pretty straight-up, which I completely respect. This is currently available as a free download if you visit Sacramence on bandcamp and will be available from Born Dead Records' webstore as a cassette sometime soon.

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.

The Manx- "Blood Chronicles" 7" (Self-Released)

I've been following the musical career of Tommy Meehan for quite some time. While none of his bands, past or present, would exactly fall into the category of extreme metal, almost everything he's created has had an uncompromising attitude and commitment to originality, no matter how absurd the music becomes. From the Mr. Bungle worshiping ADHD warriors The Brockly Tacos to the insanely catchy electronic grind madness of Razzle Blaster, he's always managed to surprise me without losing my interest. When I first heard about his newest band, The Manx, I was slightly apprehensive. Folk punk? That's a dirty phrase, if you ask me. Somehow, despite my aversion to acoustic instruments making their way into punk rock and hardcore, The Manx have created something so fun that genre definitions are irrelevant.

Aside from transcending and eluding the trappings of many of their peers who seem to simply aim for the disaffected pre-college crowd, The Manx seem to actually enjoy playing their music, which allows me as a listener to get a greater enjoyment. Nowhere to be found are generic political statements about capitalism, nor will you find trite love songs about crust punks. What you will find on Blood Chronicles is goblin-slaying madness that would make any "viking metal" group proud. I feel this music has a stronger kinship with Finntroll's acoustic album than with most any group of punks who decided to go acoustic for a change. The musical precision and finesse displayed here impresses in a genre that tends to rely on simple strummed chords, and the inclusion of accordion adds a chantey-like element to every one of these songs. From the waltz of "Husky Tavern" to the hyperactive digital-only(?) instrumental jam, "Bear Cubs in My Pants," this album has enough diversity to keep things fresh from start to finish and warrants repeat listens due to its moderately brief length.

This album goes on sale and ships out today with gorgeous color-in-color vinyl that is well worth the small seven dollar price tag, especially since it's for sale directly from the artists themselves. While this isn't normal Black Metal and Brews fare, give it a shot. You might find (like I have) that trying something new can often yield beautiful results. If you're not ready to make a cash commitment but have a curious nature, don't worry, the band have also offered it for download at the price you like best over at the same link you can use to purchase 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: Rectal Hygienics- "Even the Flies Won't Touch You"

This week's cheap and filthy download comes courtesy of my boredom. I rarely take the time to scroll through my facebook feed, as I know a few people who tend to post everything that seems to come to mind. However, last week I must have been awfully bored, because I was cruising around and an acquaintance had posted a link for purchasing this album on cassette. The name and the artwork were intriguing, so I meandered on over to the Rectal Hygienics bandcamp page, where I was presented with this putrid assembly of aggressive, noisy music.

With the name and the hideous artwork, I initially expected this to be a harsh noise artist, but my assumptions were quite far off mark. Instead, Rectal Hygienics create the noisiest, angriest music I've heard in quite a while. The lyrics are blunt and violent, the music is all jagged edges and static, and feedback reigns supreme here. I can imagine these guys playing with bands like Unsane or Today is the Day, yet I think they'd still manage to make the audience uncomfortable. While many bands I review here seem like nice enough fellows, these guys create music that sounds like they'd rob you for drug money. I'm into the swelling and dangerous take on noise rock they've presented here, and the fact that it's streaming free online means you, the readers, have no excuse for not listening to this. The rants and horrific atmosphere remind me of a more desperate version of early Swans, which is high praise if you know me.

It's rare that something this unsettling yet addictive comes my way, but I'm willing to embrace it regardless. If you missed the link to the bandcamp up above, click here for a "name your price" download. If you dig it, be sure to order the tape from the Depravity Label store. You'll be sure to scare the living hell out of anybody who gets close enough to you on the road when you're playing this one.

Music Review: Abscess- "Seminal Vampires and Maggot Men" LP

For Halloween we're looking at another classic piece of metal, finally reissued on vinyl in 2011 by Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. I don't often post about death metal albums, but this one was too brilliant to exclude from my collection. After Autopsy's initial breakup in the mid-90's, drummer/vocalist Chris Reifert gave his attention to this disgusting death metal and punk rock hybrid. The band's sick sense of humor and sickeningly catchy take on ear-grating metal has made them an absolute legend in the death metal underground, and this album, their proper debut, holds the honor of being one of my favorite death metal albums of all time.

The packaging of this reissue alone is worth the price of admission: a urine yellow piece of vinyl with "shit specks" of brown comes with an Abscess patch, an 11x17" poster and a refrigerator magnet, just in case. Additionally, with the high quality sound of vinyl, you can practically hear the phlegm being spat through your speakers as the band tears their way through this landmark death metal album. This wretched collection of songs should appeal equally to fans of punk, grindcore, crust, and death metal with great ease. The songs are short and simple, heavy on the low-end with vocals that sound like they're delivered by the villain in your favorite campy slasher flick. While the demise of Autopsy surely saddened metalheads worldwide, I feel like this album more than makes up for their temporary absence. Songs like "Patient Zero" and "Worm Sty Infection" are instantly memorable yet ugly enough to scare away casual fans of the more polished and sterile death metal bands that have oversaturated the metal community in the past decade. If the punky style presented on some tracks isn't enough to sicken you appropriately, then the creeping agony of songs like "Fatfire" will certainly test your threshold for ugliness.

This album is one of the best things to put on when cooking a delicious and unhealthy meal or when having friends over to drink and get wild. It's sick, it's fun, and it's fast. It makes me want to put on a leather vest and headbang until I'm sore and exhausted. When more bands start playing death metal like this, it's likely I'll be enticed to start listening to more new death metal again. Until then, I'm incredibly fortunate to still own a copy of this slab of thrashing insanity. Despite this album's cult status, the label apparently hasn't yet sold all 500 copies, and you'd be a fool if you didn't stop in and pick up a copy for yourself before the supplies dwindle into nothingness. Crank this one LOUD tonight and terrify the piss out of your neighbors.

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.