- BLISTERING LIGHT -

2011

2012-01-25T11:22:00.000-08:00

Things are a bit slow nowadays. For now here´s my 2011 list.

I still need to hear some albums I got but didn’t really give them the attention they need,.David Galas, The Austrasian Goat splits, Blasphemophagher, Rorcal, Void meditation Cult, etc.

I just hope that in 2012, Process of guilt, The Austrasian Goat, Sunn 0))), Moss, Evoken, Aldebaran, The howling Wind, Dustflow, Kriegsmaschine, Paradise Lost among others can get something out.

MOURNFUL CONGREGATION – THE BOOK OF KINGS

Seeing my last five tops I can assume one thing, that exists bands that are always there and in this case that occur, but I like so much Mournful Congregation approach to doom and their characteristic “cavernous” sound that since the first minute of “The Catechism of Depression” I knew that this would be on my favourite albums of 2011. A grandiose release.

ESOTERIC – PARAGON OF DISSONACE

With Esoteric the same thing that M.C goes through my mind, this band has been on my top since Pernicious. Although the “popularity” they gained over the years and the almost perfect album that “The Maniacal Vale” was, the attention now seems gone. I also need to be honest that at first I didn’t enjoy much this but I gave it some more spins and the details that Esoteric made a characteristic of their sound make me enjoy a lot this album. This is a real grower my friends, just needs time.

LOSS – DESPOND

You can’t get more funeral than this nowadays; this is a creepy album, the tormented vocals along with the negative vibe gives this album the unique touch much bands seeks nowadays and failed.

THRALL- VERMIN TO THE EARTH

My 2011 black metal album. Great attitude, strong songs. An album with a “rock” feeling that never gets me bored. If “void” is for many one of the albums of this year this one simply destroys him.

BEFORE THE RAIN – FRAIL

Many changes occur in the Before the Rain camp, but if you ask me they were all good calls. They knew how to evolve raising the bar, great songs with a personal touch and im really happy they lost their “old Anathema” singing thing with the adding of Gary , the variety that the music deserved is all there. Can’t wait for the third one.

ASH BORER – S/T

If you ask me what is the right atmosphere to a black metal album nowadays I would probably pick my vinyl of this album and show it to you. Three long songs that are “simple” but also very interesting of hearing, an album that never gets in complicated streams.

ALDEBARAN – BURIED BENEATH AEONS

When bands tend to change their sound drastically or only a bit those “transition” records normally are seen as “weak” compared to their previous albums. Well this ep has that connotation, but for me their “new path only made then stronger, this is an 28 minute track that balances from funeral to death in a interesting way. Reminds me a bit of Asunder sound something that is forgotten nowadays.

SINK – TRUTH & SEVERENCE

Since I first heard “The Process” i knew that this guys were creating something I would appreciate heavily and with this ep that idea grew stronger. Intense songs, perfect mixture of styles. I only regret not having “the Holy testament 1” but time is going to fix that.

LOCRIAN – THE CLEARING

Over the years Locrian has released several titles peer year. Some may say that being so productive the albums / ep´s, etc will suffer in quality status. But with Locrian this kind of feeling does not happen. Chalk point opens the album and again shows a band that does not follow the path of earlier releases. The feeling is there, the attitude, the freedom they know they have. Can’t wait to hear what this band will put out in 2012.

BONG – BEYOND ANCIENT SPACE / LIVE AT ROADBURN

Two bong releases that were in constant rotation in my stereo, because this guys can mixture everything I enjoy nowadays, long relaxing, heavy songs that sound good in studio and in live albums.

FYRNASK - BLUOSTAR

This year I bought some albums from Temple of Torturous, and while doing my order i´ve heard two upcoming songs from this album. This is a black metal one man show that deals with nature and ritualism. For a first album I must say this is very interesting work. You can find some Norwegian touches in the music and some parts that reminds me some Paysage d´Hiver or Fauna, but with a more “clear” sound. A good surprise.

:OF THE WAND & THE MOON: – THE LONE DESCENT

I disconnected from the project with Lucifer, since that album I didn’t really listen to any material, I always had the feeling that it was more of the same. With this release things were different mainly because the vinyl edition was visually beautiful, so because of that I decide to listen to this album and what a surprise! Kim´s touché isa still here but with an upgrade, the “mellow” sound now feels so fresh in some ways closer to what Rome sound like.

FLESHPRESS – ACID MOUTH STRANGULATION

This band got a lot of attention with Pillars, and the right move was to follow the same path that album has, but this album for me has more links with their past “III or Worm Dirges”., than with that one. Their blackened sludge is still strong and relevant, if you liked the earlier albums you will like this one,.

ALTAR OF PLAGUES – MAMMAL

Since the first notes of this album you can feel the “anger” that the music of Altar of plagues carries and the so called post influences work very well in the whole album.

ATRIARCH – FOREVER THE END

This was one of those albums that grab my attention since the first listening. To keep things simple if you know The Gault, these guys follow the same path but the music is more doomy and intriguing.

ENSORCELOR – CRUCIFUGE

Mature is the word that comes to my mind when I heard this album and compare him to their first release. This two songs Lp is a very strong mixture of doom with some black atmosphere. Long songs that in my case caught my attention from the beginning to the end.

TERRA TENEBROSA – THE TUNNELS

Yes i also was caught in the fuzz this album got. This a captivating release with lots of details to explore. This has a genuine touch all over like it was composed with no barriers which are really interesting to hear nowadays.

CORRUPTED – GARTEN DER UNBEWUSSTHEIT

What can I say about this one? First this album is exactly what I was expecting from this Japanese band, heavy, long, powerful songs, the acoustic elements, the long intros, the corrosive vocals, well everything I hoped they would create is here. Bravo guys.

LIVIMØRKET INTERVIEW

2012-01-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

Another interview, this time Livimørket, I met this project after getting the “Media Tree Recordings Sampler 2011”. I really liked the Livimørket song on that compilation and after a search I discover the Sunyata recordings page and Life in the dark. After this i bought some stuff, and one thing lead to another. So here’s the interview I hope you enjoy it.

As always links bellow for more info.

1 – Although Livimorket goes back to 2008 is still an unknown project. Can you write some limes telling why you created Livimorker and what were your goals back then musically?

Livimørket started in 2007, while I played in a couple of other groups. I have always produced music by myself and upon acquiring some new equipment I recorded various demos, which eventually became the basis for the first release, Dark Totality. Reasons for starting projects are often the same, the release of energy and feeling, wanting to create something you would like to hear but cannot find, I am no different.

2 – My first contact with Livimorket was with the split with Deafest. How did this release happened? Where the songs written in mind for this split or were a demo / ep that turned to be this?

I contacted Deafest after hearing some of their work and we talked back and forth, eventually deciding to work on a split release together. Songs were recorded specifically for that release, with demo tracks being sent to each other before the project was finished.

3 - That specific release got my attention because of your “rude” approach to black metal; the sound was so intense something I think is lacking nowadays. But after getting more releases and doing more research I can say that Livimorket is more than that, you can touch various musical genres but the bleak atmosphere is like your trademark. Do you try to follow some guide lines with Livimorket or this is something you really don’t care about?

First and foremost Livimørket is a black metal project. It wanders into other avenues often but the core of the project never ideologically strays far from black metal.

4 – “Voidness” is your last release which for what I understand is a collaborative release. This is by far the most minimal stuff you have done under the Livimorket banner, i How did this came to life?

I recorded an hour long improvised guitar drone tape loop track at 5am one morning after not sleeping for a few days. I was unsure of what it would be used for but I kept it regardless and thought perhaps in the future I could do something with it. A few months later I started talking to Niels, of Sequences, and upon hearing his drone/ambient compositions I thought that a collaboration would be perfect. I sent him my guitar track and he worked on adding his contributions. I am very pleased with the finished result, it is possibly my favourite Livimørket release.

5 – A new tape was release Dimensional Cull” , unfortunately I don’t have it but for the description appoints to a more black metal approach; I find this important because you have two releases this year that seems to be very different, This gets me to my question. Being “Voidness” a collaboration where Livimorket past is almost absent, and Dimensional Cult a more black metal oriented which one is closer to what Livimorket will be in the future?

Dimensional Cull is a demo recordings from 2010, originally intended as demos for a full length record, but these plans were later scrapped. In the future I believe Livimørket will stay as a black metal project, however collaborations may happen and these are when the other sides of the project often come to the surface.

6 – You´re also the mind beyond Life in the dark, I can feel a connection to Livimorket but this is done with a total different approach, this has (for me ) the bleak atmosphere but instead of the rude approach this has a more industrial, heavy clean, approach.When did you felt that you needed to create Life in the dark?

The first Life In The Dark recording, The Sunya Is Rising, was originally intended as a Livimørket release but as the recording progressed it became apparent that it would not fit that moniker, and so Life In The Dark was created. Nowadays, they are two entirely separate projects with no crossover.

7 – Although they are different projects how do you separate the composition of them? Do you need to be in a certain mood for Livimorket or something like that?

For Life In The Dark, influence does not come from black metal, but instead from 90s indie rock, gothic synth music + industrial metal. The primary instruments are synthesizer, keyboard + drum machine with clean vocals. While I have played guitar for many years, over the past couple of years I have preferred to play less guitar and more synthesizer, so Life In The Dark has been easier for me to create recently and has been the project I spend most time with.

8 – Livimorket and Life in the Dark till today has only release demos, splits in very limited edition, for someone like me this is a bit annoying because the only way of me having this album on my collection is on mp3. Why this limitation?

Livimørket has had some release available in larger number, although these are now gone. The reason for limiting most recent output has been because I dub each cassette tape in real time between high quality tape decks and so even dubbing a handful of tapes is very time consuming. Where I live now is also very small and I have no room to keep any more tapes. Hopefully in the future I can release larger amount of each release, this is certainly a goal.

9 – Although the limitation you have some material available for digital download for a very low price (you can get two Life in the dark albums and the livimorker /Sequences for something like 6 euros, 2 euros each!). is this something you have in mind for future releases?

Some releases work as digital downloads, some are meant only for the few people who have the cassette.

10 – Are there any plans to release the sold out releases again in different formats?

'Hushed Bloom' has been released on CD by Music Ruins Lives, that version of the album also contains an extra track. Some other cassette tapes may see 2^nd editions.

11 – Livimorket, Life In The Dark and for last Sunyata recordings. You’re also behind this label that till now only released tapes. Why did you started the label?

Originally it was maintained by myself and one other person and the aims were different however it is now almost solely my outlet and exists to release my own music and music of my acquaintances and friends in music.

12- I notice the following sentence in the sunyata recording store page “ Please respect the artists and do not share these files elsewhere on the Internet”. This gives me the impression that even selling them almost for free people still share them on the web. How are your feelings towards this attitude?

File sharing happens, no matter what I say. However, I wish that people would respect my wishes when I ask for my work not to be shared in such a way.

13 – When I got the Sunya is rising compilation I was impressed by the quality of the bands / albums that were on your label. How are things going with the label so far (not counting the internet problems)?

Things are fine. I work on music 24/7 and rarely take a break so I suppose it's hard for me to sit back and really calculate exactly how well (or not) things are going, but I suppose it's best that way..

14 - Are you still planning to release something of Cara Neir?

Not right now, they just self-released their newest album. I have a copy, but I haven't had a real chance to digest it yet.

15- Thanks for this. The last words are yours!

Thanks.

RECOMMENDATION LIST (Recent listening):

Records I have been listening to recently..

Raime – Hennail

Warhead – Defenders of the Blood

Keränen – Moon Over Torrelorca

Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral

Clan Of Xymox – Medusa

Front 242 – Front By Front

Drowning The Light – The Blood of the Ancients

LR – Exile

Natural Assembly – Demo

Lycia - Ionia

LIVIMØRKET

SUNYATA RECORDINGS

LACK OF TIME

2012-01-07T07:50:00.000-08:00

Most of you know the drill. New job, new rules, new schedules. I’m going to try to continue posting something useful weekly. Thanks for the support

THRALL INTERVIEW

2011-12-04T07:52:00.000-08:00

Last year I bought Thrall’s first album and what a great album it was (still is!). Simple but catchy, a very eloquent mixture of black metal with some rock and punk touches. The album was weeks in my stereo and I never get bored with it (something that happens with me in albums with some of those touches). This New album continues the same path, again with a strong vibe and a very defined idea of what Thrall is all about. I was lucky enough to get an interview with them. Em Støy the drummer kindly answer all my questions.

So try to get the album on your "local" seller and support this Australian band.

Links and info bellow.

1 - I got the album three days ago along with some Thrall press information, but it seems a bit murky to me. Is Thrall in its core a duo that has session members for recordings, live performances or has the situation now changed?

Information about our line up is probably confusing because it has changed a lot.

Originally Thy Plagues was Tom’s solo project. Then I joined as a live member. Then I became a recording member. Then we got a live bass player, Rob, who only played for us when we were in Japan. Then we got Leigh to play bass, first only in Tasmania as a live member, but then we thought, fuck it, get him to be on the next recording too – he comes to Melbourne to play shows with us quite often. Then Ramez joined on additional guitar. So yeah, four-piece Thrall exists and will be playing live in Australia and recording Thrall III, Aokigahara Jukai, some time soon.

2 – You’re currently doing some shows for this album. How are things going on stage?

Really well! Playing live is the life blood of Thrall. There is nothing, I repeat, NOTHING, more satisfying than pulling off a really good show. We recently played a couple of shows with Creeping, our mates from New Zealand – a Sydney and a Melbourne show – and we’re about to do the second annual Hexmas in Hobart with our friends Ruins and Whitehorse. We played well, I thought. Thrall continues to get more and more slathering and aggressive on stage as we get older. I don’t want to see people get on stage and stand there like they’re afraid they’re going to smudge their make-up and play me some pretty little BM ditties. I want to see people get up there and blast me back to Antarctica with their hell-bound fury!

3 - “Vermin to the Earth” is the name of your second album and first thing I notice before listening to the album was the album cover, like “Away from the Haunts of Men,” you have again a skull adorned with snakes on the front cover. What does the cover represent?

Tom Void is responsible for all our artwork, lyrics and music. The recurring images from his work in the last few years have been forests, crows, snakes, skulls, geometric shapes, and sigils. It is from an internal dream narrative. It is full of meanings, both deliberate and unintentional. Tom prefers to let people bring their own meaning to the images in his work rather than dictate how things should be viewed.

4 – Looking for the title tracks of the album and hearing the songs I get a feeling of some hate towards mankind /society. What do you try to express with your lyrics?

Tom and I have talked at length about our views of humanity and we draw our own conclusions about what we perceive in the world – and it does not always result in consensus! And this is what lies at the heart of Thrall’s overarching expression. People should contemplate our lyrics and interpret them in their own way. Yes, what we’re trying to say is complex and there are layers of meaning, and that said, there is no ‘right’ ways to interpret what we’re saying – though some of the messages are pretty bloody obvious, there are others that are more cryptic – and I can’t tell you what it should mean to you.

What is more important to me is that people use their own minds, and think critically about all religion, science, philosophy, art and music. The only truly shit path in life is accepting information without question. Believe me when I say there is no higher authority that is above question: question everything. Especially people who say you don’t need to question what they’re saying.

I know some listeners will only engage with the lyrics in a superficial way and that’s fine. Other people will dig a little deeper and will get more out of it. I don’t care which you do, really. It’s up to you. It’s a matter of taste as to whether people will want to push further into meaning of the lyrical content. Good luck to those who do!

5 - In the last days both of your albums got more rotation than usual, and got to two primary conclusions, they are very similar sound wise and the second is that I can heard both albums in a row without losing interest.Your song writing has a personal touch that keeps the music interesting something that lacks in most nowadays black metal albums. So, with this I have to ask you which are your main concerns when you’re composing music? Do you try to follow any path or things just go in this direction?

Ha ha, “fuck off nowadays black metal” – ha ha… I say that all the time!

To answer your question, we work quite hard to find inspiration from many sources. We take as much from film and visual art as we do from modern literature and non-fiction. We combine this with our love of music. By combining our interests we hope to create evocative and unique musical, lyrical and artistic content. Sometimes we are successful, other times, not so much so… ha ha… but we trim our output quite viciously before heading to the studio. We only take the stuff that we are most happy with to the end of the line.

Our vision going forward with Thrall is that each album will have its own conceptual framework. That’s the plan at this point in time, though it may change. It’s impossible to say.

The first album, Away from the Haunts of Men, was just documenting what we had done up to that point. We had never expected Thrall to do anything – Tom started Thy Plagues as a solo project because he was on the verge of quitting music altogether. But each song improved upon the last, until he was presented with a situation where he had an album’s worth of high-quality songs. But the early work didn’t have any overarching theme or follow any path; it just had a general blackness about it.

Vermin to the Earth was written with quite well-articulated parameters. We were reacting to the experience of coming from Tasmania – a cold, isolated, clean, sparsely populated place – to Osaka, Japan. We lived close to some industrial estates, poor neighbourhoods, sleazy parts of town. The level of pollution we encountered was quite sickening at times. Reading about human rights of the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors), minamata (mercury poisoning) sufferers, or “itai itai byo” (cadmium poisoning sufferers), and becoming acutely aware of the heavy price of the Japanese economic miracle of the 80s – the Japanese countryside must have been so intensely beautiful, only 100 years ago; we got a little taste when we visited Koya-san in Wakayama prefecture – misty mountaintops, forested valleys of bamboo and maple, harsh winters, hot summers – nature hums with seasonal vibrancy. So beautiful, I can barely imagine how fantastic Japan must have been before… Now Japan has silent forests of “sugi” cedar mono-cultures, concreted hillsides and streams, tetrapods line every beach, mountains are hollowed out for highways, rivers and rice paddies are stained pink and green with industrial chemicals in the poisoned groundwater. Industry marches forward without fear or conscience. And I’m not even going to start on Fukushima Daichi! I love Japan, I love the Japanese, but I hate what is happening there.

We already were pretty down on humans. Seeing the poignant rubble of Osaka’s industrial decay just sealed the deal: Humanity deserves to be wiped off the face of the planet. Sorry, mankind, but you have failed. You have been voted off the island. Fuck off nowadays people. Bye bye.

We also wanted to articulate a continuation of the final song on Away from the Haunts of Men, “Robe of Flesh” into some of the content on Vermin to the Earth. When “Robe of Flesh” was recorded, Tom was writing about coming to the precipice of life – an exploration of the idea of death of “the self.” The phrase “diseases maiming caress adorns with wounds like jewellery” was used on both the first and second albums, creating a link between the two. The first song that was being written for Vermin was being written at the same time as the last song for Haunts. So yes, there are bound to be some similarities there.

There has been a gap in songwriting between Vermin and Aokigahara Jukai. The next album explores suicidal themes more intensely. That said, we have taken the music up a notch in intensity, not down. This is going to be one rockin’ suicide!

6 – Most of the reviews I’ve been reading you’re described with the tag "black metal with a rock vibe". Is common sense that most bands don’t like to have this kind of tag attached to their sound. How do you feel about this?

People will try and classify music based on their own conceptual framework – if the only heavy music that a person’s heard is Uriah Heap, then they’ll compare Thrall to that. There are a lot of very subtle elements we are referencing that some people will decipher… Our little secret memes, so to speak… But not many people can listen to Thrall and then guess what albums are on my shelf. The opposite thing happens a lot more, where people compare Thrall’s albums to these totally obscure bands that we’ve never, ever heard of before. It can be kind of baffling sometimes! But we don’t let it phase us: people hear in other things what they know. There’s no point in getting upset it. I don’t really mind the black n’ roll moniker. Of all the things I’ve heard people say about Thrall, it’s not the most wildly inaccurate.

7 - Looking a bit back you your past, you were formed in 2005 as Thy Plagues, released a demo under this moniker (if someone that reads this had one for sale, please contact me!) in 2007, then you changed your name to Thrall. My question is: what lead you to the name change?

You want to buy the demo? Good luck! There’s very, very, very few out there. I don’t even have a copy!

Tom wanted a breaking point in the band. It was this before: now it is that. So, to clearly make that distinction, he changed the name. I remember there was a shortlist of about 20 names that Tom had come up with. He searched the internet for bands named Thrall and came up with none – so he selected that name – and almost as soon as he had settled on the name Thrall, suddenly this other band from the USA who had been on Alternative Tentacles appeared in our searches. I’m sure they don’t appreciate having their albums listed alongside ours all the time. Oh well, what can you do about it? It doesn’t really matter that much.

8 – Although I never listener to the material from Thy Plagues some of the tracks of the demo appear on the debut album. Are this the same songs but with a new revision, or only the lyrics / titles are points that connect both works?

“Heliophobia,” “Spit in the Eye,” “Torrent of Death,” “Black Hearts… Burn!,” “Frozen Tears and Blood,” and “Enormous Night” were all on the Wrath Eternal demo. The songs are the same songs. But the drum programming is more advanced on Away from the Haunts of Men.

The demo had a Roland R-8 for the drums and was recorded on my Yamaha MT4X – primitive as fuck! Sounded like a pissed-off troll yelling at you from the bottom of a well, next to a waterfall, backed by a washing machine full of rocks on the spin cycle. The guitar lines remained largely the same for the songs that appear on both, as do the lyrics. There is a notable ‘groove shift’ in some songs, as the R-8 only had so much swing in it (which is to say, none!), some songs had new riffs inserted into them – but other songs are surprisingly similar.

9 – Being from Australia can you advice us some bands you think deserve at least a chance to be heard properly?

This is only my opinion, and I’m probably forgetting lots of good bands, but here we go: (in no specific order)

Portal (black/death metal)

Fuck! I’m Dead! (grind)

The Kill (grind)

Whitehorse (sludge)

Inebrious Bastards (crust)

Black Jesus (death)

Hordes of the Black Cross (black metal/thrash)

Destruktor (black thrash)

Pestilential Shadows (orthodox/necro black)

Nazxul (symphonic black metal)

Ruins (black metal)

Order of Orias (black metal)

Pisschrist (d-beat)

10 - Thanks, for this interview. Last question. Which are the plans for Thrall´s future?

Play shows, record Thrall III, perhaps tour… you know, I’m not going to bank on it, but I hope Thrall gets some opportunities to play overseas. That’d be rad.

THRALL SITE

THRALL FACEBOOK

PLAYLIST X

2011-11-28T09:48:00.000-08:00

Last time I’ve done this was two months ago. This was going to be a weekly basis thing, well not anymore.

The last two albums I’ve been listening are two new ones I got recently (also this was a very week month in terms of music I bought.)

MOURNFUL CONGREGATION – THE BOOK OF KINGS

You know when you go to the supermarket and see some stamps on orange juice or other products that say “100% orange juice”.

Well in this case the label’s that release this could easily put a sticker like that on this. This album has everything M.C. as used me to, the same cavernous sound, acoustic parts, beautiful solos, long and calm songs, everything is in the right place, a monument to doom metal in the 2011, and by far the best album I’ve heard this year.

ESOTERIC – PARAGON OF DISSONANCE

This is a hard one. I don’t want to be a show off but I follow Esoteric for more than a decade now (for the Portuguese people that reads this, the first time i´ve heard Esoteric was in a k7 compilation from Ancient Ceremonies called “blessed by the ancient flame” and in that tape it had a song from the first Desire album, from First born evil demo, just to have an idea of the ear involved).

Well, Maniacal was a monstrous album and I saw an hype growing around this guys something they deserve since Pernicious. To keep things short, for the reactions I’ve been seeing or better not seeing this album failed to those, but to me, I only have one problem with him, the way the tracks are placed, (an example I think Loss of will kills a bit the mood after that monstrous opening track Abandonment.) besides that heavy, involving with all the trademarks Esoteric has since… well ever. An hearing a song like Cipher with attention I can notice so much details, variation a new level was reached not better but slightly different. A great album. From a band that deserves much, much more.

P.S. - New interview is coming, stay D. tuned .

MGLA

2011-11-26T06:53:00.000-08:00

Finally after some waiting there were announced some news concerning the future of MGLA. A new album is schedule for early 2012 through Northern Heritage. Now I just hope Kriegsmaschine does the same so I can have the guarantee that two amazing albums are going to be released next year.

More info about MGLA bellow.

"Early 2012 will mean finally unleashing the MGLA 2nd full length! Massive opus of 7 songs in 44 minutes presented on LP/CD! Hear one song in advance:

http://hatepropaganda.org/mgla/ "

SERPENTINE PATH

2011-11-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

The good people at the BrookingVegan as done as recently done an interview with SERPENTINE PATH and made available for hearing a song from the upcoming 7” from this band, which will be released on Parasitc records next month.

Enjoy!

BROOKLYN VEGAN

SERPENTINE PATH

RIDE FOR REVENGE

2011-11-10T01:36:00.000-08:00

When things were becoming dull, here’s something to mess things up. New Ride for Revenge album out next month on Lp and Cd.

More info bellow. (cover, press info sample )

1. For Those About To Kneel
2. Second Gate Opened With Power
3. Prevail In Hell
4. The Endless Flood
5. The Gutter And The Grave
6. Through
7. Conversation In Death
8. From Darkness We Ride
9. The Hawk Appears
10. Under The Eye

40:42

Ride For Revenge celebrates the band´s first full decade by unleashing their third and definitive album.
Occult Black Metal with deepest frequencies and
heaviest rhythms the genre has ever produced.

LP version comes in noble gatefold package with 180g heavy weight vinyl.

SAMPLE

LABEL

TIM CALL INTERVIEW (PARASITIC REC, ALDEBARAN, ETC )

2011-11-06T08:42:00.001-08:00

Another month, another interview, so far so good…

This time I had the chance to talk again with Tim Call, the guy that is beyond Parasitic records and the drum kit of Aldebaran and The Howling wind, just to name a few.

I had the chance to interview him some years ago for a UG zine I was helping at the time. Always very supportive he accepted to do this again.

This time focusing on everything (or at least most of it) projects he has, plans, the past, the future, etc.

So now I can only advice you to check the links bellow and above all support is label, he’s been doing a terrific job with it and growing every year. Now only dedicated to vinyl editions is for me a kind of “Painiac Records” something to support always.

1 - First one... Why did you started parasitic records back in the day?

It basically started with a friend (who now does END THEORY RECORDS) to put out my own bands 7". Then i began to put out other bands that i was friends with and it grew from there.

2 – The “oldest” release I remember seeing with the parasitic name was Tusks of Blood 2002 7” till today you did a long run releasing lp´s, cd´s demos? How was been the journey so far?

Yeah, the TUSKS OF BLOOD was the first record to come out, right before the FALL OF THE BASTARDS lp. It has been good so far, a lot of gaps in release for a few years in the middle but it has been going pretty strong the last couple of years.

3 – Recently I realized you were “given away” all the cds from your distro. Why this now?

People rarely buy cd's from me and i personally don't like trading for cd's so it really made no sense other than as promotional material for me to produce cd's any more. In the future i may try something like including a cd in lp, but we will see. Really i don't like how common listening to music in digital format (on computer,ipod ect.) has become, you miss many of the unique traits of alot of music this way.

(Parasitic records logo)

4 - You already have a considerable number of releases out, for you, which ones where the ones that gave you most “trouble” to put out?

Heh, that could be alot of them. There are alot of factors that can go wrong in pressing the records. GLORIA DIABOLI 7" was very problematic most recently. and sometimes it takes a few tries to get the test press to sound they way you want.

5- For me “Feeding the Abyss” from The Funeral Orchestra is the most special release from P.R., mostly because is a great record and also because the limited cd edition done by another label put that album the category of “hard to get”. For you which releases are special to you?

NOOTHGRUSH "Erode the Person" -because it is a very influential record for me and it took so goddamn long to get done, heh.

TUSKS OF BLOOD 7"- first release and my first actual vinyl that i played on!

6 – Parasitic records is a very active label releasing several titles per year. How do you manage this nowadays? Does normally a record pays it’s edition, or you just spend money just to have it out?

At this point the label keeps itself alive. If people keep buying my records i can keep putting them out.

7 – Now, can you lift the veil about future releases? I know you’re going to release a 7” from Serpentine Path in a near future and also a new pressing for S.O.S.S.O.S. from Unearthly Trance….

Yeah, there is a lot of great stuff happening late this year and all next year. I basically have all release lined up for all of 2012. Really excited about VASSAFOR 2xlp, MORGION "Solinari" 2xlp and new ANHEDONIST lp in particular.

(Aldebaran´s Buried beneath Aeons Lp)

8 – Besides the label you are also a member of some bands, normally as the people tend to get “old”, they try to stop a bit, but in your case the reverse happens, here do you get the energy?

I am kind of restless, i get bored if i am not playing music all the time. Otherwise i would be on the couch drinking beer, watching movies and getting fat! ha!

9- About the bands. Aldebaran is completing the recordings of a new album; Can you give me some more information about this release? This is going to be release by profound lore records, the cd version at least? Do you expect to have the album out this year?

No plans with PROFOUND LORE, i am not sure what will happen with a cd version. I will release the lp, which will have to be 3lp's to accommodate the length of the record. 3 songs in 60 minutes. We have finished recording everything and will start mixing in Jan/Feb of 2012 with Billy. So expect a spring release.

10 – I personally enjoyed a lot “Buried Beneath Aeons”, but the feeling I have from the outside (listeners, random reviews, comments) people tend to say that you’re different, that lost the “sludge” feeling, attributing that because the departure of Mike. From a personal view can you tell me if the new album will be closer to Dwellers or you’re going to continuing exploring the sound that buried showed?

Yeah, some of the 'sludge' left with Mike. Once we replaced him we started using the dynamics of have 2 guitar players a lot more, where as with Mike both guitars were basically playing the same thing. This changed our sound for sure but i think for the better, the atmosphere of the new material is much stronger in my opinion. The new full length is even farther down the path from "Buried.." slower, more sparse, darker.

12 – Recently Parasitic released a demo from Aghori, can you tell me more about this band? Is this something like pre-Aldebaran, prior tusk of blood or something else?

Yeah, this band happened in between TUSKS OF BLOOD and ALDEBARAN. Unfortunately we never recorded in the studio. I really like the songs we wrote to this day and figured people might enjoy it as well.

(Aldebaran)

11- I read on the web that the howling wind is working on songs for a new album, Into the Cryosphere was a “catchy” (in a good way) record, are you and Ryan following the same direction or a new surprise is taking shape?

I think the new record will be similar to 'cryosphere' but even more refined, the songs are going through more revisions this time and we are planning on rehearsing together for a week or so before we go into the studio, which has not been the case on all the previous releases. I may do some vocals on this record to add a little more dynamics. maybe a little less slow doom parts mixed in exchange for speed.

12 – The warwolves, after releasing a split with Dishammer seem to be dead now, but another band was born Weregoat? Is this right?

Yeah, WARWOLVES was short lived. WEREGOAT has been going for a couple years now and we are about to release our first lp, "UNHOLY EXALTATION OF FULLMOON PERVERSITY" in a matter of weeks. And we are just finishing up the recording for the split lp with DIOCLETIAN and a 7" on IRON BONEHEAD. Somewhat similar to WARWOLVES in approach but much more productive.

(The Howling Wind)

13 – Splatterhouse, is another project from you, but in this one you’re only taking care of the vocal duties. How do you fell in front of a drum kit instead of behind it?

SPLATTERHOUSE has been dead for a few years now but I enjoyed what I did in that band. Gave me a lot more freedom with the vocals no having to think about playing drums and doing vocals at the same time. actually playing in a new band where i will only be handling the vocals, no name yet but it is made up of 3/5 of ENGORGED plus me and the bass player. The first few rehearsals have been killer!

14 – You’re from Portland a city that seems to have one of the most interesting scene from the USA, from the noise area to the most accessible rock sound. How is the music scene in there? Do you find it interesting?

Yeah, it is a great place for music, so many bands. Many bands make this a tour stop as well so there are constantly shows going on every night of the week. Overwhelming sometimes actually.

But nevertheless there are always people to play music with, heh.

15- Thanks again for this Tim. The last words are yours…

Thanks for the interview Mario, sorry it took so long!

DOOM 'TIL DEATH!

http://parasiticrecords.blogspot.com/

http://aldebarandoom.blogspot.com/

Parasitic Records
P.O. Box 375
Portland, OR
97207

"It is better to laugh at man from outside the universe, than to cry for him within"
Howard Phillips Lovecraft

Tim´s RECOMMEDATION LIST.

SWALLOWED s/t cassette
EUNUCH/CIRRHUS split 7"
BESTIAL RAIDS "Prime Evil Damnation" lp
ANTICHRIST "Sacrament of Blood" lp
RITUAL NECROMANCY "Oath of the Abyss"
VASSAFOR "Obsidian Codex"
MOUNRFUL CONGREGATION "Book of Kings" cd
WOLFSMOND "III" LP
GALLOW GOD "False Mystical Prose" lp
CIRCULAR "Cycles of Remembrance" cd
ARDITI "Leading the Iron Resistance" lp

MOURNFUL CONGREGATION

2011-10-24T04:37:00.000-07:00

First track available for listening at brooklynvegan.com from the upcoming album “The Book of Kings. Although their sound in my opinion changed a bit since the classic “The Monad of Creation” this Australian group still creates very dark and mellow funeral doom music. Which today is something very unique. But that’s a different story, for now enjoy this track.

Link bellow.

Mournful Congregation - II. The Waterless Streams

FLESHPRESS

2011-10-15T08:23:00.000-07:00

Just saw the album cover and heard a sample from the forthcoming album "Acid Mouth Strangulation from this guys. The Lp version is already for pre-order.
More info bellow.

"New Fleshpress album Acid Mouth Strangulation, out on Oct 26th.

Suffocating home-brewed hypnotic sludge rock from the northern swamps. On their fifth full length album Finnish sludge rockers Fleshpress evolve from their days as a rough, gritty metal machine towards the unknown. These three long tracks ebb and flow with an organic pulse, from slowly meditative passages to black swamp-sludge metal. An unsettling but oddly beautiful experience. "

Sample

SVART RECORDS

Pallbearer

2011-10-12T12:08:00.000-07:00

Pallbearer debut album teaser.

"Sorrow and Extinction" out in a near future through Profound Lore records. I bought their demo last year and I really like it. The teaser sounds great I just hope they can make an interesting fresh album, which im sure they will.

The info bellow is from Profound Lore site.

" We are proud to announce that we will be releasing the glorious debut album from U.S. doom metal gods PALLBEARER. Entitled "Sorrow and Extinction", and to be released Feb 2012, finishing touches are currently being laid upon the album, one in which will instantly be deemed a classic within the echelons of American doom metal and an album which will be seen as one of doom metal's most prominent moments of 2012. In the meantime go to the band's Bandcamp page HERE to stream/download (for free) their immense 2010 demo. "

SINK

2011-10-12T11:59:00.000-07:00

New SINK album available for pre-order on SVART Records. I think this will be a vinyl only release.

Haven’t heard anything from this album but I’m sure this will be massive!

More info bellow.

"This is the 1st part of Sink's Holy Testament opus. Finnish underground psychedelic black-drone nomads lead us down a spiral path to nothingness. A strange, choking mixture of choral black metal guitars, deep vocal hum and melting electronics over hypnotic, cavernous drumming. A genre-breaking trip to black ecstasy."

SVART RECORDS

The 80´s

2011-10-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

Some weeks ago i received (After a HUGE delay! ) The Only Death is Real book released last year by Bazillions points books.

Somehow in a conversation with an older “friend” about this book, the almighty 80´s metal scene and albums release on that decade that were relevant came to the table (in this case keyboard).

I always stood by the idea that it’s a bit difficult to someone like me that was born in the mid 80´s that those albums could have the same impact in appreciation comparing to someone that was born in the 70´s or earlier.

For example for me into the Pandemonium is a good album but it you put Paradise Lost´s Gothic and ask me to chose, im going to pick up Paradise Lost mainly because I heard that album before Into the Pandemonium. Got the idea?

So mostly of the 80´s stuff for me it’s just classics in the music scene but being logic, my classics turned up later.

So my friend asked me which are my three favourite albums from the 80´s ?

I gave him a quick question but most of my albums were from 89 / 90 (Altars of Madness / Left Hand Path / Rise of the serpent Men ). This made me feel really young!

So eventually I gave him my question with the albums and the correct year of release.

First!

CANDLEMASS – EPICUS DOOMICUS METALLICUS -1986.

This was really easy for me, I really like this album and actually already bought it three times (?!!?) “normal edition. 2 disc set and the edition with Leif comment’s.

This album is perfect from start to finish, the slow pace, the amazing opening track, the female vocals at the end. A amazing debut an album im going to treasure forever. The only thing I regret about Candlemass is the Messiah years, never like them and never will.

CELTIC FROST - MORBID TALES / EMPEROR´S RETURN -1994

Yes I know this is an ep ,but I’ve heard this first on cd with the Emperor´s return ep so 0.5 + 0.5 = 1, for me this was an album and still is.

The only thing I dislike about this album is Tom vocals in some parts. Most of the songs in here is mid paced something I really enjoy. Also some details on Danse Macabre, the female vocals on Return to the Eve and the weird sounds on Nocturnal Fear work very well. Are you Morbid?

Emperor’s return follows the same vibe, although I think is a but more fast, visual aggressor comes to mind when I say this.

CELTIC FROST, for me Monotheist is their best album, also I tend to be a more Martin Eric Ain fan that Tom G. Warrior, I don’t like the stuff Tom made under Celtic Frost banner without Martin (excluding To Mega Therion, that although Martin doesn’t record the album it has it’s fingerprints all over it.)

BATHORY – UNDER THE SIGN OF THE BLACK MARK

Best black metal album from the 80´s? Third album from Bathory, this is a Vile, Extreme album, I think “massacre” is a fine example of what this album presents, harsh vocals, drums that are “there” and some great guitar solos that gives the “click” that most of the song need. When I hear this my first thoughts are Immortal, Marduk, Darkthrone, Horna. Which shows that im a consistent guy, even hearing 80´s stuff I remember the bands that got influenced by them?

P.S.
If someone that was born after 1986 reads this blog, please write a comment saying which are your favorite albums from this decade. I only have one rule, don´t use metal archives or wikipedia to see if your first thoughts are correct ( or im i alone in this?).

LOCRIAN

2011-10-05T01:14:00.000-07:00

i just heard a new killer track from the upcoming Locrian album “The Clearing” Pre-orders are up now on the death fan records label page.

ESOTERIC

2011-09-25T03:03:00.001-07:00

Old news, most of you already saw this, but this is not a public service blog.

PARAGON OF DISSONANCE is going to be the sixth album from Esoteric, again a double cd., expect nothing but true greatness.

Also Epistemological despondency got the vinyl treatment through Aesthetic Death and the others are going to get the same treatment. I still didn’t bought my copy, I hope I can do it soon, and also I hoope their demo can be released in this “Esoteric vinyl series”.

About Paragon of Dissonance bellow there’s the cover, tracklist and release date.

"As previously announced, ESOTERIC's forthcoming album is entitled "Paragon of Dissonance" and will be out on November 11th (November 15th in the US). Here are the cover artwork and tracklisting of the British doomsters' sixth full-length:

CD 1:
Abandonment
Loss of Will
Cipher
Non Being

CD 2:
Aberration
Disconsolate
Torrent of Ills

ESOTERIC
SEASON OF MIST
AESTHETC DEATH

PLAYLIST IX

2011-09-25T02:46:00.000-07:00

It passed so much time since last playlist.

I’ve been hearing a bunch of new albums nowadays, but my play list has the finality of showing the albums are played several times over the time between the posts, and the winners this time are.

CLANDESTINE BLAZE – FALLING MONUMENTS

The last work from Clandestine blaze really does it for me in terms what I see has black metal, from start to finish this album is a straight, “unclothed” black metal piece.

CORRUPTED & ASUNDER – LIVE COLLABORATION @ KFJC

This is a bootleg from 2008 the year Corrupted and Asunder made a tour on the USA, somehow they ended it doing this one day and its an incredible piece of music. I don’t remember who played what (sorry for getting old!) up on this collaboration, so for more info do a search on the web.

Back in the day that was a rumour that 20 buck spin was suppose to release this on a dlp but till today nothing, maybe someday.

I think among all the live gigs I found from this tour from both of the bands this is simply fantastic, you can ask me about other collaborations that actually got a release out this, simple improvisation / jam gets my vote.

P.S. I still miss Asunder.

FLESHPRESS

2011-09-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

From Kult of NIhilow.

"fleshpress: acid mouth strangulation LP/CD
release date: 19th of october 2011 "

The only info i found and sincerely the only one i need.

KULT OF NIHILOW

BETHLEHEM

2011-09-19T14:08:00.000-07:00

Saw this last week, it´s a recent video from Bethlehem playing live.This song is Verheißung - Du Krone des Todeskultes from the “ insane “Dictus Te Necare, and for my surprise it turned out very well with this vocalist. I hope this year a new album from this guys can arrived in my mailbox, either way I wont be disappointed because I like all the Bethlehem stuff (yes, you read it correctly).
So, enjoy.

BETHLEHEM

BONG

2011-09-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

22 minute video of Across the Time-Stream from the mighty BONG! Can’t get enough of this guys.

ATRIARCH INTERVIEW

2011-09-15T13:21:00.000-07:00

Some weeks ago i stumbled with the debut album from this guys on their bandcamp, listen to it once and almost instantly I ordered the cd version. After several days enjoying this album I decided to ask for an interview, which the vocalist Lenny kindly accepted.
In other interviews that you can find from the web you can notice this guy(s) aren’t very chatty ones but this is one of those cases that even they didn’t accept this, the sheer brilliance that their music shows compensate that.

So enjoy the interview, check the links bellow and order the album, you wont regret it.

1- For the info i collected, Atriarch was formed in 2009 and all the members are /were in other bands such like Graves At Sea, Trees, Final Conflict and Get Hustle. So my first question (a bit obvious) is how did you guys come together?

We have all been friends for a long time.

2 – 2011 mark the release of your first full length “Forever the end”, release by Seventh Rule records. How did the label appear in the process?

We met them in person at a show.

3 – Atriarch seems to be a very active live band, is it hard to take songs from “Forever the end” into stage?

No we preform everything before it is recorded.

4 – I know that the album was release only a few days, but you’ve been having great support and some flattering reviews, how do you feel, when seeing for example Decibel review or the comment from Buzz Osborne, were you expecting this kind of “exposure”?

I didn't know what to expect and try not to let it go to my head. we are humbled and honored by these responses.

5- I read some reviews were you were described as a heavy Goth, death rock band, although tags are most of the times are chains that are given to a band, how would you describe your band’s sound?

Its hard to describe. we are dark heavy and atmospheric. our inspirations are all over the place.

6- The music has a very atmospheric side, created by the way the songs evolve, what shows a certain level of caution in its composition. Normally how are the songs composed for Atriarch? There are some lines that you try to follow or this is all spontaneous?

both.

7- Regarding lyrics, are they focused in one theme or each song is different?

there is a focused theme. but all the songs are different too. different facets of a universal idea.

8 - The album is out, what is the next step for Atriarch now?

More tours (hopefully Europe) also more releases.

ATRIARCH FACEBOOK
ATRARCH BANDCAMP
ATRARCH MYSPACE

MOURNFUL CONGREGATION

2011-09-06T10:37:00.000-07:00

the first sample of what is to come.
I took this from the site of 20 buck spin. Tomorrow more news!! So keep your eyes open.

"We were gonna wait a bit to give everyone a taste of Mournful Congregation’s new album, but the band was eager, so they’ve got it goin’ on their Youtube page. We’ll paste it here for all to hear. This is a sampler of all four tracks. We’ll have an official album announcement by tomorrow. "

20 BUCK SPIN
MOURNFUL CONGREGATION

FYRNASK

2011-09-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

In July I received an Email from Temple of Torturous announcing a new release. After IC REX, ECHTRA and EGONOIR, among others this time the german ambient black metal project FYRNASK, are set to release their debut album called "Bluostar" through this label. The release date is 19.9.2011, so save some money for this album, you wont regret it.

More info and samples bellow.

Fyrnask, a German Ambient Black Metal Project will release their debut album called "Bluostar" on 2011.9.19 via Swedish based Temple of Torturous Records.

Arisen from the womb of the earth, Fyrnask is creating images of times and places long forgotten and which origins are only indirectly accessible for mankind.
The dead corpses of our ancestors and the artifacts they have crafted, they tell us the old stories that are lying in the deep gloomy waters of northern europe. Inspired by these stories, old rituals, pangermanic-spiritism, decay, bloom and nature itself the first demo "Fjǫrvar ok benjar" was born in October 2010. The demo has got a splendid resonance among both fans and presses,

In order to furthermore remain true to the visions as well as to follow their own paths, Fyrnask have teamed up with ToT Records in order to release their debut album "Bluostar":

"...only our husks are here. The skies above us are frost. Even the stars here shrivel with coldness.
Only shadows on gaunt horses that cross the empty landscapes with empty bellies and quivers full, and their eyes full of envy and hate.
We are left to wander at the worlds dizzying edges..."
Musically, "Bluostar" can be best described as a combination of classic black metal rooted from the harsh landscapes of Northern Europe together with an eerie ambience which can be only witnessed in the darkest rites from primeval times.
To quote a reference, FYRNASK’s debut is a perfect mixture of Paysage D’hiver and Fauna!

2 unrepresentative tracks of the album can be checked under media player section on our homepage.

This fine piece of art is recorded in 2010 - 2011 in Dinspel, Germany, and mastered in Aleph Studios, US by Mell Dettmer who is known for her great contribution to albums of Sunn o))), Earth, Boris, etc.

Visulization of the album is done by At the Ends of Earth Designs (Kampfar, Drautran, etc).

Finally ToT records will present this album in digisleeve CD format and with a 12-page booklet.

First 100 customers will receive deer bones as die hard bonus.

Pre-order taken soon, stay tuned!

SAMPLE 1
SAMPLE 2

TEMPLE OF TORTUROUS

MORGION

2011-09-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

In the last months I’ve buying some stuff from Parasitic Records, and i was surprised by seeing the news in the labels blog about the vinyl edition of Solinari. A few days after this reunion for Maryland death fest made me really happy. Well just seeing the 2011 picture of the Solinari line-up is a huge thing.

The only thing I can ask for now is that the responsible in the festival give them enough time to do a proper gig, not a fifteen minute gig, and that a video and audio recording can be made available.

Also the early material is going to be available through dark descent records, for those that don’t know this stuff expect some death metal in the early Swedish ( when I say Swedish i´m talking about Grave, Entombed / Nihilist, Unleashed, not the dark tranquillity, in flames…thing! ) way with some Celtic frost influences.

Info bellow.

"September 1991 marked the birth of MORGION, thus August 2011 commemorates the resurrection of MORGION! A return to enlightenment and woe... After a few phone calls and e-mails, a group meeting and a few more phone calls afterwards, MORGION has made the decision for a reunion. Why might you ask? Primarily the same gentlemen responsible for the Autopsy reunion are the same culprits responsible for this! After 11 years, Jeremy Peto, Dwayne Boardman (Dustflow, Creepersin), Rhett Davis (Gravehill), and Gary Griffith (Dustflow, Before the Rain, Creepersin)—the line-up for the “Solinari” record—will make their return to the stage at Maryland Deathfest X!
With this exclusive live opportunity on the horizon, we also decided to make available some past material for release!
Dark Descent Records has agreed to release the earliest recordings of MORGION in a CD & 12" vinyl release entitled “God of Death & Disease”. This release will feature the remastering talents of Ryan Butler of Arcane Digital, cover art by Mark Riddick, and all the tracks within the 1991 “Rabid Decay” & “1992 Live Rehearsal” demos and the “Travesty” 7" EP songs. MORGION could not have chosen a better label to trust our earliest material with!
Also, Parasitic Records has agreed to release a double 12" gatefold vinyl collection for the “Solinari” record, which will also feature the “Oceans Without Shores” EP tracks! Packaging, layout and quality will be the best possible, MORGION is very pleased to be working with Tim/Parasitic on this release, which some consider our most valued work!"

MORGION

LOCRIAN INTERVIEW

2011-08-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

I met the guys from Locrian some years ago, and since then I’ve been trying to follow their career with attention. For me the evolve from a noise oriented project, to one of the most interested projects in the so call music scene, this guys have no boundaries and all they create is awesome to me, a band that deserves to be follow and talked.

This is the second time I interview them, first time was for a zine called black rath method in 2009.I wil try l upload that interview in the next days, till now enjoy this one!

1 – Last time I talked with you was in 2009, rain of ashes was out on tape (just to give you a precise era). Since that time what happened in the Locrian world?

After Basses Frequences released Rain of Ashes on Cd we released a couple of studio albums: Territories and The Crystal World. We’ve also done some small tours in the U.S. and recorded some other material.

2- You passed from a duo to a trio, Steven Hess his the new member Locrian was for me a bit of a surprise to me. Why did you decided to include a drummer in Locrian?

We get along with Steven really well and we have similar, eclectic, musical tastes so that was helpful. It was also helpful that Steven is an amazing musician.

3 - How this affected the creative process in Locrian?

Having Steven in the group gives us a wider range of possibilities to choose from when we perform and write music.

4 – Focusing now in your discography, in 2010 two full lengths were released, first Territories. I remember the days surrounding that release has a special era, the persons involved, recording process, the vinyl preparation. After Drenched Lands it was a big step for you. What memories do you have from those days?

Territories was released in early 2010, which was about six months or more after we recorded that release. We started playing with Steven in early 2010, which was the same time that we were recording The Crystal World. We had been playing some of the material on Territories live in late 2009, but in early 2010 we brought Steven into the group and we only played one of the tracks from Territories in our live shows: Inverted Ruins, which we played at the release show for Territories.

5 – Territories for me is an album that I would describe has bleak and empty of emotions, a rather cold album, although each listener can have is own interpretation. Has a creative part of this work how do you “feel” Territories?

I agree that Territories is a very bleak and empty sounding album. Creatively, it was really interesting for us to work with so many talented musicians so I learned a lot from how they approached the material. We wrote and recorded that album really quickly, but I think that’s one of the reasons that it’s so special. To me, it sounds really spontaneous, but cohesive.

6 - Although my favourite song is The Columness arcade (Epic song!), I can say that Procession of Ancestral Brutalism is the song that can be the visit card of the album ( in fact it was the fist song to be available for listening of the album), and it isdifferent from the earlier works. Why did you decided to make this song available first?

Procession of Ancestral Brutalism got to a few people before the album was released and I think we chose that track because it was so different from anything that we had done before. I don’t think that Territories is an album that should be listened to on a track-by-track basis, but as an album.

7 - The other album released that year was the colossal “The Crystal World”, the first thing that stands out is the title the same as one of J.G Ballard novels. So the question is (a bit obvious) Why the Crystal world?

We like to have themes to our album and Terence chose the narrative of The Crystal World as inspiration for the lyrics since it seemed to fit with some of the ideas that we touch on in our other releases.

8- The most “simple” way I found describing the novel was “ slow but never dull, its landscape glittering mildly, holding us transfixed as we journey deeper and deeper into the light that lies somewhere in the heart of darkness” ; if someone would describe your work with this exact words do you think it would fit the album?

I would accept that description.

9 – The crystal world is a two disc album that can be played together, although I have the album never been able to put the two cds playing at the same time, but separately the idea that gives me is that the first cd is more somber and controlled, while the second has a minimal approach more noisy ,chaotic and scary, the question is why the “separation”?

You can play the cds together. I’ve never done that before. It expect that the two CDs together would work, but the two discs really stand on their own and unique statements.

The first disc is more structured and the second one “Extinction” was meant to be more long-form and more drifting. Hopefully the listeners’ mind can wander when they listen to “Extinction.”

10 – What was born first? The music or the theme beyond it?

All of these things develop differently at different times.

11- Talking about details, Justin Bartlett was the responsible for the layout of the album, after hearing the album and reading the novel, I can really feel that the cover is very appropriate. How did you get Justin to do this cover?

We had been fans of his work and Utech Records has worked with him in the past so Utech Records took care of getting Justin to create the cover.

12- Going a bit back “rain of ashes” is your first live album. I appreciate the album but talking with some people that already saw you live say that the album does not captures the real vibe that Locrian has live. Do you think the opposite or ecist some truth in this sentence? How do you prepare your shows?

Actually, we’ve had a lot of live recordings: Greyfield Shrines, our first few Cdrs, and Rain of Ashes. I’m not sure if any of our live releases capture our live sets. I think that the feeling of experiencing one of our live sets would be much different for me than for someone in the audience. We recorded Rain of Ashes at a radio station in Maryland and I think that we approached it very patiently. For instance, we weren’t just trying to create a wall of sound when we recorded that track.

Our performances are usually different so we prepare differently. On the last min-tour that we went on, we played four tracks, but we left room for improvising in each of them. We played two tracks from The Crystal World, one track from our upcoming 7” on Flingco Sound System, and one track from our upcoming studio album.

13 – Which is more rewarding, playing live or creating /recording music in a studio?

I love recording and playing live, but these are different things for me which aren’t comparable.

14- 2011 Brought your fist collaboration album “New dimension” was an album composed with Horseback, after the split 7” you decide to do a collaborate album. How did this happen, the 7” and the collaboration?

Jenks (Horseback) asked us a to do a split release with Horseback in mid-2009 and we decided to only release a split 7” with him since we had so many recording obligations at the time. The release took a very long time to be released so it unfortunately came out really close to the time that the collaborative LP was released on Utech.

We recorded “New Dominions” with Jenks in fall of 2010 at the time that Locrian played the Hopscotch music festival in North Carolina. We basically extended our trip a bit and spent a day in the studio working with Jenks on writing and recording that album.

15 – I read that a new collaboration with MAMMIFER is in the works, I know that Locrian share the stage with them a couple of times, and I can assume that helped this to happen. Can you say something about this? How do you coordinate an album with this “conditions” ?

Yes, we have a collaborative album with Mammifer coming out. We both played the Utech Festival this year and we had been in touch with Aaron and Faith in the past. Aaron and Faith asked us if we would be interested in recording some material and/or playing some shows together. It’s really difficult for us to schedule practicing, performing, or recording so we fortunately had some people that were really interested in helping this collaboration happen.

We recorded quite a bit of material at Electrical Audio Studios over a span of about three days and Randall Dunn is now going to be mixing the album later in the summer.

Fortunately, Aaron, Faith were able to work with us really intuitively so the recordings went really well although they were relatively unrehearsed.

16 – Some days ago a new release was announce. A 7” with two songs a Popol Vuh Cover and a new track. I really liked the cover because you picked a song with 35 years and gave it more stretch but the “mournful” vibe the original had. The second song is also interesting because of the way the song grows. How did this 7” came to life, and why popol vuh?

The three of us are really big prog rock fans and specifically fans of Popul Vuh. Flingco Sound had asked us to do a release a while ago and we agreed and we felt like recording a cover song would be an interesting thing for us since we had never done something like that before. The track we covered “Dort Ist Der Weg” seemed to be one of the less well known tracks that we really liked so we chose that track.

17 – You have released some solo works the same goes for Terrence, and hearing them the feeling that gives me is that you are the calm part in Locrian, while the “noisier”, is Terrence. How do you guys get along in the creative process? Now with Steven did things changed?

I approach my solo work through a different lens than if I were playing as part of Locrian. The solo work that I’ve released so far has been more contemplative and serene. Each of the three of us in Locrian can get pretty noisy at parts so I’m not sure you could categorize us as a calm/noisy dichotomy. Steven has a great ability to play percussion very directly when the song calls for it or very indirectly at other times. That’s something that we need since we’ve never just tried to play music that people can nod their heads too.

18 – Talking a bit about your solo work, I have the two album and they are both quite good, very relaxing music. Why did you started releasing this albums? Is this in someway a gateway from Locrian?

I started releasing solo music as a way to explore new musical boundaries for myself. I’ve tried to make my releases calmer and not to just make them sound like Locrian without Terence.

19 – Land of Decay is your label, you have some names that are growing and deserve some serius attention, Ash Borer, Sun splitter, Gog, Cultus Sabbatti. A band, a solo project and a label! Where do you got the strength to do this? What was the moment you decided to create the label? Are you happy with the evolution of it?

We’ve been very fortunate to have met a lot of interesting musicians in the last few years and by doing this label it’s enabled us to connect with these people on a different level. I’m really excited about all the stuff that we put out so that’s very fulfilling.

I’m really happy with how the label has been doing. We’ve been very fortunate to have a lot of people picking up our releases and to be able to work with great artists.

We have a bunch of great releases coming out soon and I’m optimistic that we’ll be pressing some small editions of vinyl releases before long. It’s just not something that we can spend our own money on so that will depend on how well our new releases sell.

20- Last Question. Plans for the future?

Locrian has a few new studio releases coming out relatively soon including a 7” on Flingco Sound in early September. Land of Decay will most likely be having a batch of tapes coming out about once a month. Those are some major things in my future.

Thanks for you patience Andre!

RECOMMEDATION LIST.

Cultus Sabbati “Descent Into the Maelstrom”

Cedars of Lebanon “Archive I” and “Archive II”

Martial Canterel “You Today”

Servile Sect “Trvth”

Number None “Uramerica”

Sadness Saturn “She”

Ambarchi/O’Rourke/Haino “Tima Formosa”

Automelodi “Automelodi”

Elu of the Nine “S/T”

Klaus Schulze “Trancefer”

LOCRIAN FACEBOOK

LOCRIAN MYSPACE

LAND OF DECAY

ATRIARCH

2011-08-24T14:50:00.001-07:00

I discover this band by accident; they play a mixture of Goth, death rock with a very heavy vibe, kind reminds me a bit of what The Gault was doing back is the day.

Their debutalbum is now up for FREE on the label’s bandcamp page (limited to 200 free downloads) so, enjoy it now for free and get a physical copy in a near future.

"Hailing from Portland, OR, Atriarch features members of Graves At Sea, Trees, Final Conflict and Get Hustle. Vocalist Lenny Smith describes his Cascadian deathrock ensemble as "a living entity comprised of four parts, offering catharsis through sonic ritual where there is no god, there is no devil; there is an all encompassing force that connects all living things.""

ATRARCH BANDCAMP

SEVENTH RULE LABEL´S BANDCAMP

CORRUPTED

2011-08-21T13:26:00.001-07:00

Do you need more?

CORRUPTED - GARTEN DER UNBEWUSSTHEIT

And so, the consciousness left from the body being wounded and exhausted by the countless difficulties of life, assimilated with the spring called infinity, like healing oneself. An infinity and eternity. An eternity and symbol of death. A symbol of death and wellspring of creation. Rising from the wellspring of creation, the product will rest forever even after the ruin of the body of the creator, reprocessing in front of another new lives. But as the time passes by, our lives in reality are loosing It's imaginative fascination by the material, times, and the evil named science. Our lives are full of lies. Our suffering demented soul will completely support death. Just because of the strong love for "life".
CORRUPTED should be the the rare existence as the band nowadays struggling to expose the lies of life. Their 4th album is entitled "Garten Der Unbewusstheit", which means "garden of unconsciousness". This is the final album by "original" CORRUPTED featuring 3 tracks, total 63 minutes. But ”garden of unconsciousness” should have existed from the early hardcore approaching days of CORRUPTED.
The reason is not clear, but definitely what was going on was not progression, nor development but seeking and recurrence. So the fact is that the beat on this album is most calm, gentle, and transparent than ever. And this paradoxical evolution form is nothing but the result of huge studio works, mixing thousands of feedbacks and guitar overtones like constructing the three dimensional architecture. The remarkable point of this 3 track hour of suit is that this album totally transcends our usual sense of time. Like feeling a minute & a second like infinity, and feeling 60 minutes & 3600 seconds like moment......
this transcending sense can be described as the sense of liberation from material and life through music. So first of all, let's experience this album and expose the lies of our "given life". At last, as many may already know, the vocalist Hevi and guitarist Talbot left the group after recording of this album and 17 years of activities since 1994. Now CORRUPTED has a new singer Taiki (ex- FREEDOM, DIABOLIC ART) stepping forward to another unknown level. Like inviting us to another garden of unconsciousness...

NOSTALGIA BLACKRAIN

CALL FROM THE GRAVE

2011-08-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

A new zine coming out with a nice concept. I’m really curious about it, it has some great names for a first issue and i hope it continues that way.

Extra kudos for getting MGLA / KRIEGSMASCHINE in the issue.

More info Bellow.

CALL FROM THE GRAVE

THRALL

2011-08-05T00:43:00.000-07:00

Teaser from the upcoming THRALL album "Vermim to the Earth". The first though that came to my mind after hearing this was MUST HAVE. No more words needed to describe how much I like this band.

Coming late 2011 on Moribund records / Obsidian records.

THRALL

ENSORCELOR INTERVIEW

2011-07-27T14:03:00.000-07:00

Like Horse Latitudes, Ensorcelor are one of my “new” favourite bands. I don’t remember exactly how I discover them ( I think that Lurker´s Path is the one to blame and the last.fm “gang”), but Urarctica begins caught my attention from the beginning, making me buying the cd-r version, then the tape and now the vinyl for Crucifuge, which is one of those albums that ( quoting myself ) together with Aldebaran Ep “buried beneath Aeons” and Loss “despond” is one of the Doom oriented albums of the year.

I hope you enjoy this. This interview was answer by Mike which is also the man beyond the Media Tree recordings one of those labels you should check out!

1 – Right to the point.. Urarctica Begins was release last year, a year later Crucifuge arrives. With a timeline between them a bit short, the idea it gives me is that Urarctica was release later than it was previously intended, is this correct? Your you’re simply a productive band?

-Both were actually released much later than intended; Urarctica begins was recorded in |October 2009 and released in April 2010; Crucifuge was recorded in July 2010, and not released until May 2011. Already, we have recorded enough material for another full length (although some or all of that may remain unreleased), and written much more as well... Apparently, we move much more slowly than our songs do!

2 – I receive Crucifuge some days ago, and I ´ve been listening to it since then, one thing that I notice was that the title song gives me the feeling of “change”. It’s slower, and apart from the melodically part is very funeral oriented than the previous song and songs on Urarctica Begins( personal opinion). Do you agree with this?

Yes, there's definitely been an evolution since the demo. Much of the demo was written before the band even fully formed. It's our awkward stage. On Crucifuge our “sound” definitely came together; I mean to say that Crucifuge is a lot more cohesive, less all over the place than Urarctica Begins. To me, Crucifuge sounds like an album, whereas Urarctica Begins kind of just sounds like a pile of songs....It's interesting that you see the song Crucifuge as being much different than By Mycomancy Insumed, because to me, they're sort of part of the same period for the band, the same sound.

Our approach has continued to evolve even further, and as you predicted, down a more sort of “funeral” path, it could be said. We've gotten even slower, more minimal than on Crucifuge. I think the overall atmosphere is much bleaker and soul-crushing. I think we're generally getting better at being a band, and closer to attaining what we set out to do in the first place, musically, and becoming more focused on crafting atmospheres than anything else. Every time we get a new drummer, the sound changes as well. So far on all that we have released, Greg was playing drums, but we've had 2 drummers since then, and every time the feeling of the music changes with what they bring to it.

3- For you which are the differences from Urarctica Begins and Crucifuge?

Urarctica Brgins is super raw and DIY. Punk as fuck. We did it in 9 hours in our practice space beside the train tracks. It's very haphazard, and I think it was a learning experience for all involved, as far as what it meant to record with this band, what it was like to get a 15-18 minute song down without fucking the whole thing up. On the demo you can see a much wider axis of influence, and as a result I think it gets pretty disjointed at times. I've been completely taken by surprise by the amount of people who have responded so positively to it, actually.

Crucifuge was composed in a much more thoughtful, collaborative, and focused way (though as I say this, I must also note that most of the material went trough a major re-write only a week before we entered the studio...). We had a lot more time to work on it too. For me it's still not perfect, but it's a step closer to where we want to be, I think.

4 – Crucifuge is out for some weeks now, but being a limited vinyl edition (beautiful by the way), is very hard to find reviews or comments about this particular release but the ones eve found (particular from the mighty Luker´s Path) , puts the album and Ensorcelor sound has one of those acts that are unique nowadays. How do you feel when you read this kind of compliments? Were you expecting this?

I never know what to expect. I'm really never sure what people think of us. The Lurkers Path thing definitely heaped praise apon us like crazy... which is incredible- I just hope we can live up to that kind of hyperbole! As far as our uniqueness, it's hard to be subjective enough to even have thoughts about that kind of thing when you're immersed in the creative process, or whatever. Even once a song is recorded, for example, for me it's really hard to take a step back and ask “is this good?”; I can only ever approach it from the inside. I am so critical of anything I do anyway that I'm to preoccupied picking apart everything I hate about it to look at it as just a song, or approach it as I would any other song, from the outside.

5 - Going back to the roots, how was the band formed? Which was the idea behind it?

I'm not sure if Ensorcelor could be said to have coalesced around a set of tenets beyond just a bunch of friends wanting to play slow, crushing, painful music that was still interesting enough to be somewhat engaging in a live setting. That's it, really. From that point on, we're basically just been experimenting to see what works best for us, honing our doomy craft. I think a big part of this was pushing ourselves to do something unlike we had ever done before; we had all played in fast bands before, and playing as slowly as we now do has been actually quite difficult. A lot of unlearning is involved, an an entirely different approach is needed to play this style of music. I think it was especially hard for greg, our first drummer, going from playing drums in a thrash band to playing in Ensorcelor.

6 –You played live some times till now. Is it hard to pass the Ensorcelor vibe to the stage?

It's difficult to say for certain. I think we alienate a lot of people in the DIY scene here. We have good nights, and we have off nights. Sometimes though, I will just look up and see this entire crowd of people just swaying kind of intensely, even though the music is super slow and harsh, looking sort of focused, like they're both there and somewhere else simultaneously, and I just feel like every single one of them is completely in touch with what were doing, like we've all tapped into the same primal source and we're all hurtling towards the same well of destruction. Those are the best nights.

7- Crucifuge till now was only released on vinyl. Although I understand the reason behind it, more reliable in terms of sales release it on cd? Although the digital way is the most preferable nowadays by most of the listeners…

Most people, if they even bother buying a CD, just rip it onto their computer anyway, and the physical object is cast aside and forgotten. It just seems like an unnecessary step to me, superior sound quality (let's say 'fidelity') be damned! Considering all the effort that can (and should!) go into the visual presentation of a recording, I think it should be appreciated a little (a lot) more than that. I've been buying most of my music on vinyl for the last 15 years; it's what I am comfortable with, what I love, and the medium I would prefer any of my music to be on. The sound can't be beat, either. Do people even buy CDs anymore? who does that? I guess my decision to only release things on analogue formats is kind of also my statement that I believe this is how music should be released, how it is best archived, and best enjoyed. Propaganda by deed?

8 – This sends me to media tree recordings… You started this last years correct? I can only imagine the stretch you had to make to get this going. How has been the media tree recordings life? A struggle, correct?

Yeah. A total struggle. It's Media Tree vs. Canada Post!

Media Tree is a labour of love, and I will be the first to confess I have no idea what I am doing; that coupled with my piss-poor punk-rock business sense makes quite the winning combination...

Not a ton of people are aware that Media Tree exists, as far as I know. The few people who do know of Media Tree have been super supportive of everything i've done so far. I find a lot of people ordering from me over and over, or sometimes just grabbing everything I have all at once, which I guess is validating in some way, makes me feel like i'm doing something right. Take it or leave it though, I release music that I love (or music that I make, and hope other people will be able to tolerate...).

Still, it's a Sisyphean struggle, especially being in Canada, with the absurdly high postage costs. I'm definitely not even breaking even at this point, i'm pretty sure. Not that I ever had any delusions that releasing black metal and doom on cassette and vinyl would be a lucrative venture... especially in this time when releasing music in a physical, or especially analogue format is almost completely unnecessary.

9 –How did the idea of starting a label gained stretch in you? Any acts you would like to have released? You have some tape releases so far and some amazing astuff to be release (pallbearer demo on vinyl being the most notorious, and Livomorket cassete, at least to me). How does it feel to look back and see such good records release under your banner? Any Acts you would like to have released?

I've wanted to start a label for years. Years ago when I first saw Colin Stetson (an incredible, indescribable sax player) I kind of fantasized about some day being able to release something of his, but he's doing much better without me now. Probably the first band that made me want to start a label about ten years ago or more (I almost did, too!) was a two piece from Victoria B.C. Called the Kremlin. They recorded a three song demo, and then went on to become the original drummer and bassist for Three Inches of Blood, and the Kremlin was pretty much completely eclipsed by that project before recording anything else, unfortunately. I have a live recording of them that i've been clutching on to for a very long time though, and that gets me by. I don't know, there's a lot of other things I would have liked to release, but these are the ones that stand out most poignantly.

10 – You (and other label owners) make limited runs on releases, which is something that simply destroys my nerves because I have always the feeling that its going to be sold out in a day or two, but reality is different, nowadays to sell 100 tapes you’re lucky to do it in one year. What is you opinion on this matter? Do you think is a generation problem? Or 99% of the listeners don’t really give a crap about the physical part of the albums?.

Maybe the problem is “generational”, as you put it... I definitely spent the majority of my life pre-internet, so maybe i'm just a curmudgeon, clinging on to something I shouldn't be clinging on to... in most cases, the choice is as simple as paying for something vs. getting something for free; I don't think we really have to look much deeper than that.

Despite my limited release runs, I still have plenty of copies of everything kicking around; the only thing that has sold out was the CD version of the Ensorcelor demo. I think that maybe because of something being all over the internet, people tend to assume these bands are bigger than they are. We need to remember that the underground is still the underground, is still a very small thing. Anyone can write a blog post about whatever they want. It doesn't mean they necessarily even own a copy of the album (etc.) they are reviewing, or that there's even a single other person out there who gives a fuck. My release runs have been small, but so far they have all exceeded demand...

11 - Also media tree released a demo from Æsahættr, Which is an ambient black metal project from you. From what I’ve heard it gives me the feeling that is something of the “moment”, let me explain, something you compose, wrote without timelines or any pressure something that could be done in a week or in five years, it has a very spontaneous feeling attach to it. I’m I correct or not even closer?hehehe.

It's definitely not improvised, if that's what your asking... there was some stuff that got polished up as I was recording it, other guitar parts were written as needed where I thought they were needed; I had almost nothing sorted out for the bass guitar before recording, and I changed my mind about a few things as I went, but the majority of the music was written long before it was recorded; the music was very thoroughly through-composed. Even once I had recorded the music, it was another year before I bothered to do any of the vocals. I was certainly not working with time restraints of any kind!

12- Last question. What will the future brings…

This year I will be releasing the Pallbearer 12”, and a 3 song EP from Thantifaxath on vinyl; I have a few cassette releases planned as well, but nothing concrete yet.

I've started a new black metal band with some members on Ensorcelor, basically drawing off all the new material I had written for another Æsahættr album, slowing it down a bit, and letting other people expand on it however they feel is appropriate. So far, the results are quite satisfactory.

I'm going to get out of the city and do some travelling, maybe buy a new amp, if I can afford to... these are the things I am looking forward to. I'm trying to spend as much time as possible swimming in the river and hanging out with my dog, too. I've got to make up for the 6 months of brutal winter I'm subjected to every year...

RECOMMEDATION LIST.

Here's a few more than ten; I'm sure I'm forgetting something very important, but you get the point:

Torches to Rome – self titled 12” (...and almost everything else Mike Kirsch has done)

His Hero Is Gone – Monuments to Thieves

Knokkelklang – Kalk og Aske

Weakling – Dead as Dreams

Asunder – Works Will Come Undone

Wolves in the Throne Room – Two Hunters

Mare – S/T EP (the Canadian Mare, not the Norwegian one)

Darkthrone – Transilvanian Hunger

Ulver – Nattens Madrigal & Bergtatt

Immortal – Sons of Northern Darkness & Battles in the North

Sleep - Jerusalem/Dopesmoker

Fugazi – Everything ever

Gorgoroth – Antchrist

The Plan – This Time Is Not This Place

ENSORCELOR

FREE STUFF / SUNN O)))

2011-07-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

Sunn O))) live from Barcelona @ Primavera Sound 2009, performing "The GrimmRobe Demos", originally from 1999.
Like the Grimmrobes live 101008, this goes back to their first period. Check out the interview with O´Malley.
Link bellow.

Live at Primavera Sound Festival 2009 on WFMU

SERPENTINE PATH

2011-07-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

New project with the three members of Unearthly Trance + Tim Bagshaw (Ramesses , ex- Electric Wizard).

Tim Bagshaw - guitars
Jay Newman - bass
Darren Verni - drums
Ryan Lipynsky - vocals

From the info i found, this will range from funeral doom to some morbid death metal, with the Unearthly Trance aura. It will be interesting to see Ryan only handling the mic, and im glad to see al the UT gang together jamming again. Check the link bellow for more info.

SERPENTINE PATH

ASH BORER

2011-07-20T10:29:00.001-07:00

ASH BORER live video.
Enjoy!

Ash Borer | NYC @ The Acheron | 16 Jul 2011 from (((unartig))) on Vimeo.

PLAYLIST VIII

2011-07-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

ENCORCELOR – CRUCIFUGE

Bought this album some weeks ago, and im pretty addicted on it. Together with “Buried..” from ALDEBARAN, and LOSS “despond” completes the podium of excellent doom metal oriented releases of 2011. Unique, dark, suffocating funeral oriented doom metal, the title track is just amazing!

MORBOSIDAD –PROFANA LA CRUZ DEL NAZARENO

From my point of view MORBOSIDAD is a band that today fits my idea of bestial; this is pure, violent, bestial metal at his best, a strong album

FREE STUFF / HUMANLESS COMPILATION

2011-07-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

This is one of those releases that for me capture the UG and the DIY feeling, a great compilation with great bands and that has something that lacks in most of the compilations, the diversity showed in this keeps the listener (at least me) always hooked on the music that is playing.

Hope you enjoy.

"Seems like so long ago when we put this out. 500 cds were made with most of them have the silk screened cardboard cover [by jus and liz from e wiz!]. There were about three different versions of the layout w/ various inserts.

This is a great mix of underground bands that we were in touch with at the time. Quite a few of em are now defunct and a few are still battling on!
*bands who want their song removed get in touch killusion at gmail dot com"

HUMANLESS COMPILATION

HUMANLESS RECORDINGS BLOG

P.S. – Check the humanless recordings blog for more free stuff!

BONG - ALL SAINTS MARCH

2011-07-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

New Bong tape. Buy it while is hot!

Live Versions of Across The Timestream and In The Shadow Of The Towers

Double sided tape.

Contact label direct for all US orders.
Contact bravemysteries@gmail.com
http://www.bravemysteries.com

UK and Rest Of the World Orders
Contact beyondtherim@hotmail.co.uk

THE AUSTRASIAN GOAT vs LAUDATIO FUNEBRIS

2011-07-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

Just added an “old” The AUSTRASIAN GOAT interview to RAPTUROUS TRANCE Archive blog. Hope you enjoy it!

SINK II

2011-07-03T06:56:00.000-07:00

Video for the song truth from the last Ep this guys released.MASSIVE!!!

SINK

2011-07-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

Mainly because of releases such has this that i decided to get myself a turntable.

New SINK ep released some time ago, in a very limited edition.

More info bellow.

WATCH TEASER VIDEO

Tracklist:
TRUTH
SEVERANCE

12” EP Released 2011 by Kult Of Nihilow Limited edition 266 copies
Recorded and mixed: Tampere / Pori / Helsinki / Hirsilä 2009 – 2011
Mastered by Pentti Dassum

SINK

KULT OF NIHILOW

METALION: THE SLAYER MAG DIARIES BOOK

2011-07-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

Must buy!!!

NORDVARGR - RE-AWAKEN

2011-07-02T07:28:00.000-07:00

Some weeks ago I wrote something about this album, was an article of love / hate - Love because I truly enjoy this album; Hate for not having it in his original edition.

But now thngs changed a bit. When I checked this morning the eibon records site I found out that a new version was release some weeks ago, its not a repress of the original album but a revamp,remixed and remasterd of Awaken. Essential.

More info bellow

From NORDVARGR Site

12/04/2011

“ Right now I am finishing the mixing of the re-issue of the “Nordvargr debut album” Awaken. This is a very important album to me, not only because it was the first solo recordings I did under my own namne, but also because I recorded them during very hard personal times. It was recorded during the summer of 2002, and I was recording this music at night instead of sleeping. I recently realised that I did not use a lot of the materials I recorded before I started to actually compose the album. Many weeks were spent doing fieldrecordings, and many hours of DAT tapes were recorded… but never used.
So now I have used these old recordings again to create new soundscapes in the same vein as the original album. I have also remastered and re-edited the old masters to sound better than before – I have always disliked the final mix of Awaken, but no more… it is now finally coming together as it was intended. Add some 20+ minutes of new material made from the same sources as the original recordings and you have an album that is sure to disturb your sleep. Again.”

Fom EIBON Records

"Revamped, remixed, remastered and expanded version of the long time sold out cult album "Awaken". Thick, massive and utterly dark soundscapes of true black ambience coming from one of the founders of the now legendary Swedish industrial scene.
Drones, strings and voices of the dead join forces in the cavernous cellar of Bohult."

NORDVARGR SITE

EIBON RECORDS

P.S. Keep an eye on the Nordvargr site, it´s constatly being updated with news, interviews, videos, information. A great place to spend some hours. Also a new Mz. 412 album is in the works!!!!

PLAYLIST VII

2011-06-26T10:57:00.000-07:00

Once again...

ROME - FLOWERS FROM EXILE

My first contact with Rome was some weeks ago at a friend’s house. Usually im not into this kind of sound, but the “catchy” songs grown on me, this is a very accessible record.

UNEARTHLY TRANCE - V

V . I simply worship this album, from start to end, the most consistent album from this now dead band. A future classic (at least to me!).

NORTT

2011-06-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

The guys over Lurker´s Path have recently posted a recent interview with NORTT, so visit their site and add their address to your bookmarks.

CONVERSING WITH NORTT

LURKER´S PATH

AELTER

2011-06-26T10:19:00.000-07:00

Aelter is (if my memory serves me correctly) a solo project from Blake Green one of the members of WOLVSERPENT. I notice yesterday that two new albums were released and are for sale on their website. Both editions are very limited (cd-r and Lp) so act fast! Samples available on the link bellow.

Aelter II: Follow You Beloved LP

Release Date: June 2011 on wolvserpent records

After some rather unfortunate delays and setbacks, finally we have finished the 500 LP version of Aelter II.

500 copies, hand numbered & beautifully hand screened w/one sided poster.

$15 plus shipping

Aelter III: 50 copy CDr

Release date: June 2011 on wolvserpent records

50 hand assembled and wax sealed black on black CDrs featuring two new songs by Aelter: Clarity I & Clarity II. Mastered by Mell Dettmer.

We only have a few these left, first come first serve! I will post when we are down to 5!

US $23 includes shipping

EU/WW $20 plus shipping

ALTER SAMPLES PAGE

WOLVSERPENT STORE

TENHORNEDBEAST

2011-06-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

A new TenHornedBeast release, unfortunately this month i can’t order anymore music or this would be already ordered. But all the info is bellow just follow the link for the per-order while you can!

Ten Horned Moses Descended The Mountain

On previous releases TenHornedBeast has scoffed at the limitations of song structure with tracks ranging between 20 and 30 minutes in length but ultimately these have failed to satisfy a need for epic macro-compositional pieces which bend time and open up gateways to the ancient future.

Ten Horned Moses Descended The Mountain is a three hour dream journey using just two notes stretched and processed into an eternity of tones and overtones, shifting in density and rapidity of vibration, melting and reforming from passage to passage until the drone-trance microcosm is created from the ashes of its own funeral pyre.

The shaman-prophet descends from the High Places. The voice screams out from beneath a cloak of fire, calling for the sacrifices that are to be made on hill-top altars. The light from impossible lamps illuminates His God-bestowed horns. Wild beasts howl the words of the law, prophesying Holocausts to come.

In the shadow of eternal amplified crystal Horeb an endless serpent loops about the rapture of his face. Fulgurations of windblown starfire drift down from heaven as the shofar greets his return from the isolation of the wasteland. The Arcanum of the Hermit is revealed.

Cornuta esset facies sua

קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו

There is no commerciality, in any sense of that word, associated with this release which is intended for those who have supported the mission since its inception rather than the casual listener.

Edition: 3xCD, each disc encased in its own artwork and placed in its own plastic slip cover, held together by a custom band printed by authentic letterpress. Mastered by James Plotkin, design by Faith Coloccia. Limited to 150 copies.

I – Choose For Yourself The Might Of The Earth
II – Celestial Pathfinder
III – The True Voice Of God Is Silence

Pre-order at http://www.handmadebirds.com/store/HB-010.php

PLAYLIST VI

2011-06-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

You know the drill, another week, two picks!

CANDLEMASS – EPICUS DOOMICUS METALLICUS

This album is for me the album that defines a genre.Epicus is perfect since the beginning to the end. I´ve been listening to the 25 anniversary edition that recently peaceville released with some extras, the most interesting is the bonus disc with Leif commentary, really enjoyable to hear. The only bad thing about this is that this version is going to be the 3^rd im going to have of this record.

ASH BORER – ASH BORER

I can’t exactly say how I met this band, I think I read a review somewhere and decided to get the album. Something is now a bit hard (not to say impossible). Ash Borer play a mixture of harsh black metal with some ambient exquisite passages that really fits the music, it not destroys the “anger” vibe just gives the music a bit of space to breathe. I hope this gets a reprint…SOON!

AMEBIX Risen: A History of Amebix (Full Version)

2011-06-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

Amebix – Risen A History of Amebix.

I’m not a “fan of amebix, to be honest I only know this guys because of the praise that bands like Axegrinder and Winter gave them on interviews. Saw this documentary and enjoyed it. Hope you also like it, being a fan or not.

BUNKUR /MORDOR

2011-06-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

Saw this today on the nuclear war now site.. Didn’t find any info about the Bunkur part, but what is interesting is the Mordor part / return. Last time I heard mordor was something like 15 years ago, i got a tape from tape trading with black mass of absu demo and odes from this guys, and for me was one of the rawest, blackest music I had in my collection together with thergothon and Unholy. A really hard tape to a kid to enjoy. This return seems is something to keep an eye on.

More info bellow.

(Statement from Mordor)
When in 2009 Bunkur proposed us to make a cover of a song from an old metal band for a split CD, we chose to pay homage to Venom, which was before Bathory, Celtic Frost/Hellhammer and Voivod one of our first metal influences. If there is debate about the right labeling of the music of Venom and the seriousness of their attitude, there are no doubts that they brought an important step in extreme metal. Back in 1981, the album “Welcome to Hell” was really something new at this time and thus we decided to make a cover of “In League with Satan”, the heaviest song of the album. Primitive but powerful, this song was for us the most appropriate one to be arranged in Mordor’s way. Despite several covers done by other bands, the original song sounded perfect for us. So we decided to make a new arrangement and thus to re-appropriate to ourselves the song, in somehow similar to Laibach‘s way of work.
In the same spirit, this cover will deal not with Satanism but with Northern Germanic Tradition and will be dedicated to the Lord of Valhalla. The original lyrics will also be rewritten and new musical parts will be added, including extracts from the Rúnatáls-þáttr-Óðins of the Hávamál, speaking about the origins of the runes and the sacrifice of the Raven-God to Himself for winning more wisdom and to reveal the runes.
This cover song renamed “In League with Wotan” will last between 15-16 minutes and we will keep us informed on the progress of the recording. It will be released by the label Nuclear War Now.

“I know that I hung,
on a wind-rocked tree,
nine whole nights,
with a spear wounded,
and to Odin offered,
myself to myself;
on that tree,
of which no one knows
from what root it springs.”

Hávamál, Poetic Edda, Brodeur translation

NUCLEAR WAR NOW PROD

MORDOR

BUNKUR

HORSE LATITUDES INTERVIEW

2011-05-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

I met these guys some time ago when I was tracking a physical copy of their demo-ep. Contacts were made and after getting their debut I ask them for an interview and here it is.

Horses Latitudes is two bass+ drums/ vocals trio that plays a unique occult bass driven doom oriented metal, and I recommend their debut and demo to everyone that likes slow, heavy dark music.

Enjoy

- Hi Harri. I hope all is well with you.

Hi Mário! All is well. We’re answering this interview together.

1 – Last time we “talked” was shortly after you played live with Horse Latitudes in Turku together with Profetus, and Mr Peter Hayden! How did the gig went?

The gig went fine, we played one new song each on both of our May shows. We’ve been working on new material lately, so it’s likely we’re going to introduce new songs on forthcoming gigs too.

2 - Is it hard to play Horse Latitudes material live? Being you the drummer / vocalist and now using your voice more “clearly” must be a hard task to do.

Harri: Not exactly, we’ve done this from the very beginning and naturally we’re also rehearsing this way. Actually, it’s easier to play and sing live since you can properly hear your own voice from the monitors, hah!

3 - Hearing your material at home I can only imagine how dense and heavy must be your sound live. Are you one of those bands that try to be the heaviest as possible (which is fine by me!) or you try to balance things to satisfy both worlds ( you and the audience that doesn’t know you)?

We don’t have any mission to be THE heaviest band, but of course we’re aiming for heaviness in terms of riffs and the sound it requires. It also means that you have to be able to hear what’s happening. Maximum volume yields maximum results, you have to also FEEL the music!

4 - Your debut album Gathering was released some months ago and for what I´ve read it has getting a very good reaction. Were you expecting this?

Nothing should be taken for granted. We write this music first and foremost for ourselves and in the end all that matters is that the music is honest, and this in mind I think we did well. Of course it’s nice to see and hear that other people like it too.

5 – One of the “differences between your demo and the debut is the quality of the sound, clearer and heavier. Are you happy with the final result? Was this the goal in terms of sound line you were going for?

The biggest difference between the demo and the album is that we changed the tuning of the other bass, so the overall sound is much clearer nowadays. Also the recording conditions for the demo were “somewhat” primitive... But we recorded the album in three days, so there wasn’t time for endless tweaking and fucking around then either. We’re quite satisfied with the album’s sound. As we play an unusual combination of instruments, we don’t really have any particular sound that we’re going for. It’s more about experimenting with the elements and their possibilities, which is something we do all the time. Studio recordings capture our current sound; we don’t necessarily go there to experiment further.

6 - According to Aurora Borealis “Gathering” is going to be release on vinyl this year? Are you planning any bonus for this edition (different layout bonus tracks, etc)?

Both formats will have the same songs. Naturally the album is mastered separately for vinyl, which is of course the superior format, but that’s all. There may be slight differences with the layout, but I think all the changes will be towards an even more minimal approach. No “die hard” editions, hah!

7 - My first contact with Horse Latitudes was with your ep, which is a tricky release, the first tracks is more “in your face” with a raw vibe, but the last two (not counting with healing stones) already showed a sound more close to Gathering, clean vocals, heavy sound almost another atmosphere, was Necrophilia an old song or because of the lyric theme it made more sense create this particular song this way?

The songs on the demo-EP are all from the same period except Healing stones which was more like a “jam” at the recording sessions. Those three songs are the same we played live a few weeks before the recording the demo. The idea of having two very different songs following each other was to make clear the musical diversity of Horse Latitudes. Necrophilia’s sound is what the song is about. Same goes for the following songs.

8 - Talking a bit about the band’s birth. How did you guys came together? I know that you came from a different background (more punk thrash). How did idea of horse Latitudes was born?

The band started with bass drone jam sessions – not even including drums, or let alone vocals. Soon Harri joined the band and things were starting to get more organized. Harri had started playing drums in a hc-punk band just half a year or so earlier, while having been a guitarist before. So the experiments began... Heidi and Vellu were more metal oriented from the start, while Harri brought his punk and folk influences to the fold. The bizarre result came very naturally to us.

9 - Why only Bass and drums for instruments? Don’t you think this approach is going to limit the band?

Of course it’s a limitation, but that’s pretty much the only limitation we have. It’s actually inspiring to create songs in such a restrictive niche and the dimensions offered by such basic elements are more rewarding than one might think at first. We don’t want to be restricted by trying to fit into any sub genre either. Inspiration can come from various sources, mainly from the world we’re living in and the worlds inside us.

10 - Coming to the end, Thanks for this. Last Question, First album out, next step is?

The vinyl version of ‘Gathering’ should hopefully come out during this year. As mentioned before we’re working on new material, which we might record in the not so distant future. Should everything go according to plan, one can expect a new release in one form or another. We’ll continue playing gigs in Finland, and maybe some do shows abroad too.

Thanks for the interview!

HORSE LATITUDES PAGE

AURORA BOREALIS RECORDS

RECOMMENDATION LIST (Recent listening):

Harri:

Amebix – Monolith (listening as writing this!)

Uriah Heep – Live ’73

Winter – Into Darkness

Blasphemy – Fallen Angel of Doom....

Saint Vitus – Die Healing

Vesa - Matti Loiri / Eino Leino LP

Oi Polloi – Fuaim Catha

Kirous – Sivistyksen rauniot 7”

The Doors – Strange Days

Dio – Last In Line

Vellu:

Ilsa – Tutti Il Colore Del Buio

Ufo Gestapo - Vatependr

Corrupted / Black Army Jacket 7”

Order From Chaos – Stillbirth Machine

Caskets Open – But You Rule!

Lugubrum – De Vette Cuecken

Bretwaldas of Heathen Doom – Battle Staffs In The Mushroom Woods

Unearthly Trance – Season of Séance, Science of Silence

One Tail, One Head – Tandava 7” & s/t 7”

Babylon Whores – Cold Heaven

Heidi:

Conan – Horseback Battle Hammer

Reverend Bizarre – all of them!

Hellhammer – Satanic Rites

Teitanblood – Seven Chalices

Sain Vitus – V

Eyehategod – In The Name Of Suffering

Winter – Into Darkness

Electric Wizard – Dopethrone

Autopsy – Mental Funeral

Beherit – The Oath Of Black Blood

GOODIES / YRSEL - LIVE DIGITAL FILES

2011-05-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

In september/october 2010, YRSEL played live shows in france and belgium.Some material from those show is available for download here

YRSEL Live

CJ Larsgarden : guitar.
Julien Louvet : guitar.
Joel Lattanzio : drums.
Thomas Denver Jonsson : organ.
Eric Duriez : noise.
Fabien Rennet : video.

PLAYLIST V

2011-05-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

Another week.

SUNN – GRIMMROBES LIVE 101008

I notice some months ago that when I have one of those weeks that simply destroys me, is when I listen the most extreme albums I have on my collection. Basically this live album from sunn, doing the grimmrobes stuff. Sunn is one of the bands that most of their discography really calms me, I listen to this when im on my way to the train station and the 6 am scenario together with this powerful soundtrack is simply relaxing.

RAMESSES – POSSESSED BY THE RISE OF MAGICK

I’m not going to write much about my opinion about this album, which is one of my last day’s discussion themes. The live felling is totally there, and I like the vibe that surround the music, about the vocals if some of you have heard the isengard reissue with Fenriz commentary on it he says something like “ I tried to sing this first after like 12 beers, came back the other day…NOT good.. Tried with 6 beers then better.” I think the rameses guy just made the first part. Even so today this album played 3 times in my stereo, bad? Good?!?!Grower?!?! For now just addictive.

PLAYLIST IV

2011-05-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

Failed some weeks, hope can keep this rolling!!!

NORDVARGR - AWAKEN

Last year I became a NORDVARGR fan(atic) and bought most of his catalogue, I really enjoy his works, and although awaken is not my favourite release ( they are all different / special), this one I never had the change to get it for a good price, and so this album is always on my mp3 player, or computer playlist. Dark ambient, with a heavy atmosphere, completed with dense sounds capes and drone parts. I hope this can be re-release in a near future.

Chaos Invocation – In bloodline with the snake

This debut got my attention after knowing that the vocalist from Chaos Invocations is now also vocalist of Bethlehem. Although this is not a masterpiece or a brilliant album for me it has some songs that really work. This German band mixtures a aggressive black metal with some melodic parts that in some tracks really works and gives a great felling to the songs, in other songs the abrasive black metal makes me want to go the other songs ( I don’t know if you know what I mean).

I don’t know if this is the first release (i didn’t found any past releases even under another name) . So I expect some news in a near future.

RAMESSES / BONG

2011-05-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

Three new releases from Ritual Productions, I ordered the Ramesses and Bong album I suggest you do the same.

More info bellow

Ramesses 'Possessed By The Rise Of Magik' CD

The time has come to unleash Possessed By The Rise Of Magik, the eagerly anticipated, brand new full length from the widely acclaimed metal alchemists, Ramesses. Not just a title, Possessed By The Rise Of Magik is more a statement in response tothe cathartic affects of this album, once you submit yourselves, it is impossible to resist its deadly charms. It sees the band capturing the ritualistic side of their nature to great effect without resorting to costumes, props and make-up. They incorporate the ideas, images, symbols and sigils of influential occult British artist Austin Osman Spare into their own spaced out grim craft to create a new magikal language. (The spelling of the word 'MAIGK' as opposed to, for example, the traditionalL 'MAGIC' or Crowley's own interpretation of 'MAGICK' reflects this thought process) . Recording in trances and automatic writing are key techniques in the creation of this next step in the Ram's Family journey to the end!

Tracklisting: 1. Invisible Ritual, 2. Towers of Silence, 3. Sol Nocivo, 4. Plague Beak, 5. Duel, 6. Safety in Numbness, 7. Possessed by The Rise of Magik

Ramesses 'Chrome Pineal' 12"

Like manifestations of Lucifer's messengers, Ramesses have been delivering their hellish hymns of characteristic cult retro heavy doom rock for nearly a decade now. Their last album Take The Curse spawned a more expansive amount of interest and intrigue than ever before, and introduced them to greater audiences. This year, Mark Greening (drums), Tim Bagshaw (guitar) and Adam Richardson (bass, vox) return with two releases, the first of which a 12" vinyl and digital release Chrome Pineal, which is due out on Ritual Productions on 16 May. The 12" features three brand new studio recordings and three live tracks, recorded in 2007, Denmark, plus brilliant artwork by the unsung French surrealist Clovis Trouille.

Tracklisting: 1. Chrome Pineal, 2.Blazoned Fauna, 3. Men of Horror, 4. The Tomb (live), 5. Before the Jackals (live), 6. Black Domina (live) .

Bong 'Beyond Ancient Space' CD

As with all their music be it live performance or studio recordings, Beyond Ancient Space follows the same ritualistic path, that is to say the songs are all mesmerising meditative jams centered around an unfurling guitar riff and gelled by spaced-out drum beats, the occasional crashing cymbals and Dave Terry's distinctive vocal style. Once again Bong are shunning any overdubs and keep the post-production to a minimum. The resulting sound is as deeply hypnotic as ever before and presents Bong at their most prolific, particularly on songs such as 'Across The Time-stream' and 'Onward To Perdondaris' which surpass even the highest of expectations. The first 150 orders will also receive the following limited edition items: Beyond Ancient Space Bookmark and Art Card as well as a BONG badge."

Tracklisting: 1. Onward to Perdóndaris, 2. Across the Time-stream , 3. In the Shadow of the Towers.

RITUAL PRODUCTIONS

MOURNFUL CONGREGATION

2011-05-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

More doom related news, new album, re-releases, and a radio interview more info and links bellow.

Osmose Productions page

“Osmose Productions proudly inform you that MOURNFUL CONGREGATION

sign a contract with us for the re-release of "The Monad Of Creation" under vinyl,
and later will be re-issue under CD format.

Also a compilation featuring 5 tracks will be issue under Digipack CD and Double LP, title will be revealed later.

And to finish the release of the new album "The Book Of Kings" who is under proccess actually under CD format.”

From their myspace page

PROPHETICS FOR 2011

"Weeping/ An Epic Dream of Desire"
(The first 2 demo tapes recorded in 1994 and 1995 to be released on vinyl)
- double LP gatefold -
ORDO MCM (ITA)

"The Unspoken Hymns"
(A compilation LP/ CD featuring all split release tracks from the past, plus Thergothon cover version)
- LP/ CD -
OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS (EUR)
20 BUCK SPIN (US)

"The Monad of Creation"
(A re-release of the vinyl version of this monument from 2005)
- double LP gatefold -
OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS (FRA)

"The Book of Kings"
(The new studio album)
- CD -
OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS (EUR)
20 BUCK SPIN (US)
WEIRD TRUTH PRODUCTIONS (ASIA)
- LP -
OSTRA RECORDS (FRA)

INTERVIEW

“Infernal Dominion Radio, India presents yet another exclusive and exhaustive Radio Interview with the amazing Mournful Congregation from Australia. Adrian Bickle, the band's drummer had answered this first ever overseas Radio Interview for the band, ONLY for Infernal Dominion on Brutal Existence Radio.
Hear it and enjoy!”

OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS

MOURNFUL CONGREGATION MYSPACE PAGE

INFERNAL DOMINION RADIO

P.S. Im happy to see that MONAD of Creation is going to be re-release on wax, I bought some years ago the PAINIAC version and it was beautiful. Also the compilation with the songs from the splits is something I want in a real format (maybe they could add the monthly mp3 that were on their site some years ago ( I still have them all!).

The interview is really interesting, congratulations to the Indian guy that made this possible.

BEFORE THE RAIN

2011-05-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

Finally!

BEFORE THE RAIN have inked a record deal with AVANTGARDE MUSIC. The new album “Frail” is set to be released in June 2011

Commented BEFORE THE RAIN guitar player Valter Cunha: “We are honoured to become part of a rooster that include releases such as "Brave Murder Day", "Quietus", "Magenta Skycode", among others. AVANTGARDE MUSIC have been constantly releasing solid & relevant music in the past 20 years and it feels great to be a part of such a team. With this release we really found our voice, Frail is a much broader sonic journey than anything we have done before. Expect thunderous waves and haunting melodies”

"Since day #1 when Valter linked me to their Bandcamp profile I have been playing and singing these songs endlessly and without mercy. In these cases it's your blood that sings and tell you what you should do: release this album! Be a part of it! Any other discussion marketingwise or related bullshit becomes truely that: [bullshit !]. BEFORE THE RAIN have a grand potential forged both on the killer melodies of their vocals and guitars, and the solid, slow, doomish songs structure. Definitely a record that will be appreciated both by higher class gothic/doom fans into PARADISE LOST or KATATONIA and sonic extremist more into funereal paths of music!"(AVANTGARDE MUSIC)

“Frail” was recorded at Fabrica de Som in Oporto, Portugal by sound engineer Nuno Maciel and produced by Valter Cunha. The highly anticipated follow-up to 2007 “One Day Less...” was mixed at Chapel Studios (MY DYING BRIDE, CATHEDRAL) in Lincolnshire, England by Ewan Davies (ANATHEMA) & Valter Cunha, mastered at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden by Jens Bogren (KATATONIA, PARADISE LOST) and includes Natalie Koskinen (SHAPE OF DESPAIR) and Peter Bjärgö (ARCANA) as guest singers.

The track listing is as follows:
01. And The World Ends There
02. Shards
03. Breaking The Waves
04. A Glimpse Towards The Sun
05. Frail
06. Peace is Absent

“Frail” brings a more mature sound from the band with a revamped line-up including new members Gary Griffth (ex MORGION), Carlos Monteiro (ex SCULPTURE) and Joaquim Aires (ex DISAFFECTED).

Since the release of the debut album “One Day Less...”, BEFORE THE RAIN shared stage with bands such as KATATONIA, MOURNING BELOVETH, KREATOR, NAPALM DEATH, WATAIN, IMPALED NAZARENE, MOONSPELL and ORTHODOX.

Additionally the band have scheduled a split 7” with Finnish funeral doomsters SHAPE OF DESPAIR. This split will include a new song from each band.

BEFORE THE RAIN are scheduling a tour over Europe on this year's fall (promoters get in touch)

BEFORE THE RAIN

LOSS

2011-05-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

Finally the debut album is going to be release this month, another album that is going to be a must have this year. More info bellow.

"Despond" to be released May 31st!

Mark your calendars for May 31st, 2011, the official release date for our long-awaited, first full-length album, "Despond," on Profound Lore Records.

Loss "despond" [2011]

Profound Lore Records

PFL-071

1. Weathering The Blight

2. Open Veins To A Curtain Closed

3. Cut Up, Depressed And Alone

4. Deprived Of The Void

5. An Ill Body Seats My Sinking Sight

6. Despond

7. Shallow Pulse

8. Conceptual Funeralism Unto The Final Act (Of Being)

9. Silent And Completely Overcome

10. The Irreparable Act

Pre-orders will be available soon. The official CD release party will take place on Friday, May 20th @ The Rutledge in Nashville, TN, with guests Pallbearer and Anhedonist. Details and ticketing information will be posted shortly.

LOSS

ENSORCELOR

2011-05-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

Old news, but always fresh to me.

New Ensorcelor LP is coming out in the next weeks, one of the doom album i´m really anxious to hear, although is going to be release on wax. (Hopefully a tape version in a near future?).

Check this band out and hear the crushing “This Even Doom on their myspace page.

Info bellow.

The brand new Ensorcelor Crucifuge LP has just been sent to the pressing plant. Two brand new songs on 180g black vinyl with cryptic etchings in the center, in a heavy stock jacket printed with spot gloss inks and misty, dark forestscapes. This is a split release with brand new UK label,Psychic Assault. You can expect that to exist very soon...

(Also, check out the re-recorded version of This Even Doom on Ensorcelor's myspace page...)

KRIEGSMASCHINE

2011-05-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

A fine re-release if you ask me. Can´t get enough of this polish band.

Kriegsmaschine – A Thousand Voices
MV06; mCD 2011

1. Unto Wormfeast Flesh
2. A Thousand Voices
3. Apostle of Plague
4. B.T.S.

MALIGNANT VOICES

BEHERIT

2011-05-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

A month later he returns with...nothing.

A quick update with some random news, hope you enjoy them.

I really don’t know what to thing about this album. Although it caught my attention I don´t know if this is going to be an interesting release, the early chaotic beherit sound is represented in the Oath compilation and if this is going to sound like that is going to be only a “filler” release, but let´s wait and hear and then criticize.

"This is an official BEHERIT debut album, recorded back in 1990 in Ala Ky
Studio, Rovaniemi. Because of the problems with Turbo Music album never seen
the darkness of the night and the master tape lost 20 for years. Sodomatic
Slaughter found the master tape from his personal collection in 2010 and
band started to prepare it for releasing. In this album you can hear 2
totally unreleased tracks and rest are totally different versions you
haven't hear before. Nuclear Holocausto Vengeance and Sodomatic Slaughter
recorded this as a duo and it was a live sessions in studio. Mastered 2010
xxx in xxx Studio.
"The Oath of the Black Blood" is a compilation of demo and 7'EP, but this is
the REAL debut album!

BEHERIT: At The Devil's Studio 1990-CD

1. Rehearsal
2. Grave Desecration Vengeance
3. At The Devil's Churns
4. Nocturnal Evil
5. Whores of Belial
6. Witchcraft
7. The Oath of Black Blood
8. Six Days With Sadistic Slayer
9. Demonomancy"

www.kvlt.fi

WINTER LIVE

2011-04-06T10:04:00.001-07:00

Winter - Goden from (((unartig))) on Vimeo.

PLAYLIST III

2011-04-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

Another week. Two picks.

ASUNDER – A CLARION CALL.

Although I have tons of new albums to hear this last weeks I have been listening to some old stuff that was accumulating dust in my album shelves.

This album is simply good, first time I heard this it was an unmastered version they put on their website many years ago, I was hooked from the beginning, the dirty guitar sound, the cello and the crushing parts (kneel before the crimson king…YEAH!!!!!) were just perfect in a time when things were almost dead appears this guys with a masterpiece.

AIDAN BAKER – LIMINOID / LIFEFORMS

Although I lost interest in Nadja some years ago, mostly because they suffocate me with their monthly releases which in result passed Nadja of a refreshing “band” to an annoying one, but for the info I saw they still are going strong with tons of new releases each year.

So it must be a bit weird to write about Aidan Baker, but I got some albums from him in a deal and this one was the one I enjoyed the most. The haunting, experimental vibe on this album is quite unique and simply best that anything he ever did. The idal album for long car rides.

The HOWLING WIND

2011-04-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Taken directly from the howling wind page. I have feeling that this guys are not going to fail on this, another great record is being created!

For news, songs go to .

http://sincontinuum.blogspot.com/

• Been demoing lots of new ideas. Eight songs or so that are in the "first wave" of creation. A few more may be written and then we will fix, fuck up and edit the raw ideas into better ideas for the "second wave". This is how we did it on "Cryosphere" and our process is even more streamlined than before. New material is slightly weirder and more creative with a bit more fast moments. There is a firm direction in the ancient past of Black Metal and Death Metal as well as expanded instrumentation. This is all in the skeleton phase so its no telling what it will turn into once we get into the studio and record these songs for real.
The working album title is:
"The Howling Wind - Of Babalon"
To be released on Profound Lore in digital format in 2012.

ALTAAR

2011-03-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

ALTAAR live @ SXSW 2011.

Crushing.

FUNERALIUM

2011-03-24T14:04:00.001-07:00

This video was uploaded in November, but being a good track from the upcoming album ( one of the albums I most expected this year), I decided to post it here. 20 minutes of heavy, dirty, sick doom.

06 - Funeralium - Deceived idealism por Migou76620

Playlist II

2011-03-24T10:10:00.000-07:00

And the chosen ones this week are.

BURZUM – HVIS LYSET TAR OSS

This was actually the first “black metal” album I bought. Actually I got this by mistake, I gave some money to a friend to get me the first dark funeral album (don’t laugh) and he got me this, mainly because he wanted this album for him but couldn’t afford it. I don´t regret his act of egoism, because this album probably changed the way I saw the black metal “sceen” and what kind of sound I enjoyed the most.

Four long tracks were the raw aspects of black metal are combined with an haunting atmosphere that you can only find in the early burzum records. A timeless album.

MOURNFUL CONGREGATION – THE MONAD OF CREATION

This album has a relaxing effect on me, and one of my favourite albums of the genre. Peaceful heavy, dark, funeral doom at his best.

Till next week, probably with less “nostalgia”

UNEARTHLY TRANCE

2011-03-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

“Ok. Here is something that needs to be stated. UT is burnt out on shows. We are. Don't expect to see us playing in NYC again. We've done so many of those that we are good on that. But I will NEVER say that we wont record together ever again as that is foolish...
First and foremost, this is a band of 3 friends. We will remain that way. I think for now UT will sleep, but that doesn't mean we wont create music with each other in one way or another again. I'm kind of amazed how everyone NEEDS to know 100% if we are done or not? If you are a fan of the band, this message is to let you know we wont say anything like "UT is done forever" or " Please file under disbanded" - that aint our style.

Pray for those in Japan.

Thanks

Ryan Lipynsky “

Well... I follow these guys since their first album, and I simply worship everything they released. So this are sad news, but seeing this from another perspective, they will continue to make music with another bands so that space that UT has in here will be always remembered when one of those bands release something.

Ryan, Jay, Darren. Salut!

PLAYLIST

2011-03-13T14:19:00.000-07:00

This is going to be something like my personal top, two albums per month, old or new, just the albums that are currently on my stereo.

ALDEBARAN _ BURIED BENEATH AEONS

Since I got this at home it’s been spinning everyday, This ep is different from anything this guys have done. Detailed, heavier, funeral, doomier, addicting. I can say that some parts remind me of Asunder, mainly those that have that calm guitar approach that was typical in asunder sound. I don’t know if this is an “isolated” release or the road they gonna take but either way…brilliant!!!!

INFERNAL WAR / KRIEGSMASCHINE - TRANSFIGURATIONS

After some year silent KRIEGSMASCHINE return with a split with Infernal War, although Infernal war are a rather decent band, I only got this split because of Kriegs material.

Like always Kriegsmaschine simply destroys, the two songs in this cd shows a band more tight, precise, but for me the way this guys can combine fast parts with the slower crushing crescendos is simply great!

LOSS

2011-03-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Album cover from the upcoming debut of LOSS.
Out this year through Profound Lore records.

UNHOLY

2011-03-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

Finally someone brings back the unholy name again, with the release of their earlier demos, ep on vinyl.

I can only say after all this years hearing this on a k7 rip and a shitty mp3 conversion that im going to finally have a copy of trip to a depressive autumn.

Info bellow

"Demo LP’s are officially available in March 7th 2011! Order your copies from Rusty Crowbar Records, Ahdistuksen Aihio or Northern Heritage.

"In whole, this release includes all four demos and 32 page booklet that tells a complete story of Unholy. ‘Kill Jesus‘ and ‘Trip To Depressive Autumn‘ are in separate LP’s, and ‘Demo 11/90‘ and ‘Procession of Black Doom‘ in one double-LP. Hope you like this trip to early days of depressive doomsters.

History booklet is based on interviews made in 2010, so they are offering a completely new perspective to what made Unholy as it was."

UNHOLY

BUY OR DIE!!!!

BLACK GANION + LAUDANUM / Ultrasonic generator schematic

2011-01-30T08:31:00.000-08:00

Well, January is a month of reflection, so i was away for a few weeks just to appreciate some of my records away from the computer. So last Saturday i turn on the damn thing and decided to make a search for some news from some of my favourite bands that maybe will release something this year.

So. After some research I found out that LAUDANUM have a new split out (NICE!) with the Japanese band BLACK GANION. What can I say..i heard the laudanum part on KFJC radio and I can only say good things about this. Heavy, apocalyptic doom. If this guys follow this path for their next album, prepare to be amazed.

No links on this one just do a search on this and you will find a bunch of Japanese sites selling this album.

SALUT!

2010

2011-01-06T13:39:00.000-08:00

Unfortunaly, this year I don’t have the time to do a real commentary about my favourite albums this, but im going to do a telegram type of resume. Like a twitter thing!

UNEARTHLY TRANCE – V

Distant, inaccessible, a grower. Their best album to that. Kudos for the split with the Endless Blockade and the Collaboration with Suma (both from this year)

THE AUSTRASIAN GOAT – STAINS OF RESIGNATION

Diverse, different, addicting, since the first minute. The goat shows another face. Refreshing.

LOCRIAN – TERRITORIES / THE CRYSTAL WORLD

Territories: The Noise tag don’t really fit on this guys. Territories is an experience that worked in the best way possible.

The Crystal World : Intense album, with no boundaries attached. Give it time to grow an you will have a classic on your collection. Perfect!

RAMESSES – TAKE THE CURSE

Heavy, raw,catchy, khali mist deserves to be a classic.

THRALL – AWAY FROM THE HAUNTS OF MEN

Nothing new but very effective. Catchy songs, great riffs combined with a beautiful layout.

THE HOWLING WIND – INTO THE CRYOSPHERE

How black metal should sound in 2010, simple haunting, effective

EVOKEN/BENEATH THE FROZEN SOIL - SPLIT

Evoken – crushing; heavy; intense; high quality songs as usual

Beneath the Froze Soil – Downtuned slow doom, with some giant riffs.

TENHORNEDBEAST – HUNTS & WARS

Eerie ambient, surrealist drone. Very interesting album that shows that was planned in a very meticulous way.

DØDSENGEL - MIRIUM OCCULTUM / ARKAIK / ALONGSIDE CHORONZON /ECSTATIC HORROR

Ritual Occult black metal. Four releases this year all of them excellent picks.

JUMALHÄMÄRÄ – RESIGNATION

Strange, chaotic balk metal qith a general feeling of balance.

WRAITHS – THE GREY EMPEROR

This one is hard to descrive. Black harsh drone noise;minimalistic audial violence. Confused?

DIOCLETIAN – WAR OF ALL AGAINST ALL

Chaotic death / black metal with some slower crushing moments.

OCTOBER TIDE – A THIN SHELL

A surprising comeback with a classy album. Makes remember my teen years…

INQUISITION – OMINOUS DOCTRINES OF THE PERPETUAL MYSTICAL MACROCOSM

Furious black metal with some slow heavy moments that simply crushes everything. Amazing album.

OPHIS – WITHERED SHADES

Doom / Death at his best, bringing back some old names to mind with a touch of innovation.

WHY ANGELS FALL – THE UNVEILING.

77 minute voyage through the experimental heavy weight doom this band create, an interesting album full of details that just give an extra quality to the songs.

MEDIA TREE RECORDINGS

2011-01-06T13:10:00.000-08:00

Media Tree recordings is one of those labels that are “new” in the area but they caught my attention after hearing their first release ( Ensorcelor - Urarctica Begins ) , now i only hope they can keep releasing good stuff and from the track list from this free compilation, they are going in the right direction.

Copy + paste from the message I receive from them bellow.

Enjoy!

"ey everyone.

Just Posted a Sampler for free download on the Media Tree website. it features some current Media Tree releases, as well as a bit of a look at what is planned for 2011 so far.

Featured bands are Pallbearer, Ensorcelor, Eibon, Æsahættr, Livimorket, and Monarch.

just thought you might like to know...

keep warm.

-m."

MEDIA TREE WEBSITE