Sunday, July 31, 2016

Know Your Patches: Nagelfar - Virus West



This edition of Know Your Patches highlights one of the most criminally underrated black metal albums of all time, Nagelfar's Virus West. Nagelfar was founded in Germany in 1993 by Zorn. After a few years of unstable lineup changes, splits and demos, the band finally released their first full length, Hünengrab im Herbst, in 1997. The main songwriting talent here lies in the combination of Zorn and Alexander von Meilenwald (the sole member of The Ruins of Beverast). Nagelfar's final album, 2001's Virus West, is damn near perfect. This is a testament to black metal in every way; grinding, intricate, varied, and beautiful. If you don't know this album, stop what you're doing and listen. Virus West is a true classic and sets the bar so high, few have reached it since.

Hails y'all

Friday, July 29, 2016

Necromancing the Stone - Jewel of the Vile



When I read this band's name I was all geared up to hate everything about them...then I pushed play. Call it a guilty pleasure if you must, but this shit rips so fucking hard. It scratches my itch for riff-driven NWOBHM in a BIG way, and the vocals are the perfect mix of bravado and croon. Necromancing the Stone are a "super group," featuring Jeff Loomis (Nevermore), James Malone (Arsis), Bart Williams (The Black Dhalia Murder), and Jeramie Kling (Ribspreader), in addition to vocalist John Williams (not that one) and guitarist Justin Wood. So, yeah, their name is a pretty obvious and lame pun–but this album is super fun. Don't we deserve some fun?

Hails y'all

Anal Blasphemy - Western Decadence



Another in a long line of filth covered Finnish black metal, Anal Blasphemy is the unholy brainchild of Molester Kadotus. Based on the name and imagery you might expect Anal Blasphemy to play bestial black metal, but you'd be wrong. The music here is plodding and full of melody, placing it firmly in the melodic black metal oeuvre. Western Decadence, the fourth full length from AB, is out now via Iron Bonehead Productions.

Hails y'all

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Gilead Media release new Mizmor track



Mizmor (מזמור) is a blackened doom band from Portland, OR. A.L.N., the sole member, also plays in Hell and Urzeit. Gilead Media will release Mizmor's new album Yodh on August 12th, but you can stream the first track now. If the first track is any indication, this album is gonna crush.

Hails y'all

Friday, July 22, 2016

Gloam - Hex of Nine Heads



Blackened doom from Santa Cruz, CA. Gilead Media is re-issuing this album on LP later this year.

Hails y'all

Fallen Empire release a track from the forthcoming Jassa album



I'll be honest, I hate the font Jassa use for their logo; so much that I avoided listening to this track for a few weeks. I finally gave in and was pleasantly surprised by the cacophonous and melodic black metal these Russians spit out. Give it a spin, ignore the shitty font, and get pumped for the full album coming later this year.

Hails y'all

Vanhelgd - Temple of Phobos



Vanhelgd play an interesting style of death metal. On one hand, it scratches the same itch as Swedish DM bands like Entombed, Unleashed, and Grave–but on the other hand, it churns and grinds in a far more complex way than the aforementioned traditionalists. There is a melodic quality to Vanhelgd keeping things grounded and moving forward, but those same melodic riffs tend to drone on and collapse in on themselves. The band's latest album Temple of Phobos, recently released via Dark Descent, is certainly worth spending some time with. I'm still on the fence about this one, but I'm leaning toward "great."

Hails y'all

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Mindkult - Witch's Oath


The traditional doom rock that Caligari Records puts out is always top notch.  The debut Mindkult is no exception.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Rïcïnn - Lïan

Slice The Cake - Odyssey to the Gallows


Taking the theatricality of metal to new levels, even up to how they broke up.

"Know Your Patches"

In an effort to highlight some of the more underrated and forgotten pieces of heavy metal history, I'm starting an ongoing series of posts showcasing albums you should know (and love). It's important to remember the bands who contributed to heavy metal history, especially in a time where metal is heavily co-opted without regard for the deep traditions it holds. For this inaugural post I've chosen Impaled Nazarene's classic 1994 black metal/punk hybrid album Suomi Finland Perkele. This record is rarely (never) on lists of "Greatest Metal Albums," but it garners praise for doing something way back in 94' that tons of bands are aping today. Listen and learn.



Hails y'all

Malokarpatan - Stridžie dni



I found this gem while digging through the Invictus Productions bandcamp page, and it floored me. Malokarpatan are a young band, but they play like veterans. Their debut album, Stridžie dni, is a lo-fi slab of Bathory-esque black metal that never wears its influences too heavily. It's a little hard to describe everything that's going on here but–if you like black metal, NWOBHM, thrash, and old school death metal–Malokarpatan's debut is a perfect storm of metal history.

Hails y'all

Monday, July 18, 2016

Agatus release track from forthcoming album



Agatus is a band unlike any other. Equal parts second wave black metal and early 80s NWOBHM, these Greeks create something so fucking rad it doesn't really matter what you call it. Agatus is metal defined. Hell's Headbangers is set to release the band's third LP in October, but you can check out a track in the meantime. Do it. It's great.

Hails y'all.

Sunday, July 17, 2016

SubRosa release a track from their forthcoming album



The new SubRosa album, For This We Fought the Battle of Ages, doesn't drop until late August, but Profound Lore posted a track from the album and things are sounding good.

Hails y'all

Moonknight - Zhora



Processean recently posted about Vorpal Sword's incredible demo tape, and it reminded me how much I dig that band. Horus, the mastermind behind VS, is also a member of Harassor, Dargar, and Moonknight. Rising Beast Records recently released the latest Moonknight album, Zhora, and it's gloriously pure depressive/melodic black metal; filled with emotion and beauty. Think Wolves in the Throne Room, early Xasthur, and Veil.

Hails y'all.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Kringa - Through the Flesh of Ethereal Wombs

Xexyz - Primeval Mountain



8 bit black metal with members of Tjolgtjar. Black metal played over sampled 8 bit tunes. Relatively unique, but somewhat reminiscent of Summoning. Not recommended for people who take black metal too seriously.

Praise and Worship

Vorpal Sword - Pain



Harsh noise black metal from Los Angeles. Intense and emotive with incredible riffs and multiple layers of sound. Think of it as a Filosofem for an urban landscape.

Praise and Worship

Utzalu - Germinal



Raw black metal from the Vrasubatlat label. A masterpiece of black metal minimalism.

Praise and Worship

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

BOSQUE - Beyond

Circle of Salt/Taggarik Split Cassette



This two-track split cassette is incredible. The Taggarik track is jaw-dropping.

Celestial Grave - Burial Ground Trance



I love melodic and melancholic Black Metal, and Celestial Grave is hitting the spot in a big way. This Finnish duo is carrying the torch of bands like Dissection and Immortal, while still adding their own flare. Repeat listens are in order.