Storytellers are abundant in heavy metal, from Iron Maiden to Dio to King Diamond, and cracking open a record and getting lost in a narrative set to loud, epic music is as good a reason as any to embrace the genre we discuss every day. Getting to take a journey in, say, 45 minutes is a great way to be enthralled if you don’t have time to devote to a book.

The tales themselves can be, and have been, quite varied, from trips back into ancient history to adventures through graveyards to following the steps of a psychopath, and people who trash metal and deem it some sort of lowest common denominator form of art aren’t truly paying attention to the time, thought, and imagination going into some of this music. For example, if you played “Operation: Mindcrime” for someone today who had never heard the record before, they’d be able to find the piece just as relevant and scathing as it was when it was released. Try to make that same case for the pop music world. You’re lucky if something still holds true value a year later.

Following this thread is another one of metal’s more ambitious storytellers, albeit not one quite as well known as the bands listed above. Norway’s Vreid spent two of their last three albums building concept pieces about the effects of World War II on their homeland, a direction that may not be all that well-known to us here in America, where all we hear is the folklore of our own nation’s involvement. They made for poignant, interesting pieces that certainly made an American like me think a little differently about how other nations were impacted. Their last record “V” expressed a theme of liberation, and now their new platter, the stunning and infectious “Welcome Farewell,” delves into a lifecycle based on short stories seen from an existential point of view. The tales are those similar to the village in which bass player Hváll lives, and the material is some of the band’s most personal yet.

Vreid certainly can be tagged a black metal band at heart, but they have a ton of melody behind their work, as well as some pure rock and roll spirit that makes their work so catchy. It’s not quite “Wolverine Blues” in its essence, but it’s a similar idea. It’s damn energetic and a ton of fun to hear blaring from your speakers or headphones. Comprising Vreid is the aforementioned Hváll, as well as vocalist/guitarist Sture Dingsøyr, guitarist Strom (who joined the band in 2010 and also played with the other three in Windir), and drummer Steingrim. They sound both focused and loose on this sixth record, and it’s a really involved, dynamic album that practically begs for repeat listens.

“The Ramble” opens the album warmly, with synth and a slow build, but then it blows open, simmers in a doomy guitar line, and Dingsøyr does his creakiest best, sounding a lot like Abbath from Immortal, pushing the storyline forward by howling, “Through the darkness, I ramble.” “Way of the Serpent” is fast and aggressive, with shrieky vocals, melodic passages, and thunderous lead guitar work that reminds of golden era Maiden. “The Devil’s Hand” is black and roll at Vreid’s very best, as the tempo is catchy and exciting and will get your blood pumping. The title cut has an opening reminiscent of classic, ’80s era metal, giving off a feeling of nostalgia for people like me, and the song goes from clean atmospherics to rumbling storming breathlessly.

“The Reap” is more rock-oriented, with the tempo sounding a bit like Blue Oyster Cult, and Dingsøyr’s vocals are more on the talky end and are full of personality. This was chosen as the first single from the album, which is a wise choice as it has the best chance to pull in people unfamiliar with Vreid and get them into what’s going on. “Sights of Old” is ominous and eerie, with some proggy fog and metallic violence, and the eight-minute song never drags and doesn’t even feel half this long. That’s how well it’s put together and played. “Black Waves” has a gothic feel to it, and Dingsøyr brings back the speak-singing, which he does well and charismatically, and it totally feels like NWOBHM power. Closer “At the Brook” finishes the album going back to a rock feeling, and it could complement “The Reap” as a track that helps lead this record and band into more people’s homes.

Vreid have done it again, coming up with a great record that keeps you tied into the storyline and once again refining their style of black metal. “Welcome Farewell” is a very well done record that sounds sharp, is always exciting, and shows these guys at the top of their game. I’m always intrigued as to where this band will go next, but for now, I’ll be more than satisfied spending time with this smasher.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.vreid.no/

To buy the album, go here: http://www.indiemerchstore.com/item/18348/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.indierecordings.us/

A couple weeks ago, we told you about the violent swarm of chaos that is the Pittsburgh metal scene, one that largely goes unnoticed locally because everyone who has any sway within the media is too busy kissing the asses of the latest thing that was big in NYC two years ago or something that sounds like fucking Dylan. But it’s here, and it’s fiery.

Thankfully one band that made it out into the world and has been crushing bones for several years now is Complete Failure, a band that’s been killing since 2006 and already has three full-length albums on their resume. Their music is furious, a little bit grindcore, a little bit death, a little bit hardcore, and all the way in your face. They’re ugly, burly, rough around the edges, and don’t give a damn if they hurt your feelings or your nerve endings. If you’re not ready for a massive beating, you might find yourself heaving on the ground wondering what hit you.

We last heard from ComFail on their destructive 2009 effort “Heal No Evil,” that they first released on their own in limited fashion. The album then, wisely, was picked up by Relapse (a label that knows a thing or two about the Pittsburgh scene), and they got the wider distribution that they deserved. Seeing their records in a major outlet like FYE was a huge win for the band, and they had more potential hands able to grab a copy of their work. While those outside the Pittsburgh area might have thought ComFail had gone silent since then, they have remained active locally and could be caught at any number of city limits venues pretty regularly. They were sharpening their weapons.

It’s four years later and the band is finally back with their chaotic new album “The Art Gospel of Aggravated Assault,” a 21-minute, 10 track album that is as pissed off and violent as the title indicates. They still remain on a big indie label, this time jumping to Season of Mist, so their records still should be pretty accessible. As for the music itself? It’s lean, mean, to the point, and as strong as any material the band has released to date. And ComFail’s back catalog is pretty strong as it is. As for the band itself, vocalist Joe Mack and drummer Mike Rosswog (formerly of Circle of Dead Children and Today Is the Day) remain, and joining them are guitarist James Curl, who’s been off an on with the band, and bassist Mark Bogacki, who also plays with another Pittsburgh group Storm King.

ComFail have a way with song titles, and they get right to it on opener “Mind Compf,” a song that opens with a thick bassline from Curl before it blows into shrieked growls, pounding grind, and total obliteration. “Errant Social Mile Marker” is math-marred and speedy, with barked vocals that sound inspired by classic hardcore, and a sweet, chewy groove that slices a path through the song. The title cut is furious and blistering, with Rosswog a complete animal behind the kit, battering shit to a pulp. “Head Hanger to Be” continues the tempo and practically grabs you by the ears and shakes your head bloody. “Drag Migrator” is muddy and doom encrusted, with a slurry overall tone and an eerie, drizzling serving of noise that holds a pillow over the song’s face.

“Exitist” also has some heavy groove-based guitar, and the drums once again are completely annihilated, with the song eventually pulling face first into noisy damage. “Defenseless Mechanisms of Self-Inflicted Heartbreak,” the wordiest of all the song titles, is crushing and blasts the hell out of you, and it also has a nice classic punk rock feel. “Disinvictus” follows along those same lines, and it’s a short, killer cut that moves in, destroys, and moves out. “Hero of the Church Herd” is the most unique track on here, with Mack snarling maniacally, speak singing over the mucky, murky verses, though eventually the song explodes and trudges back toward speed and insanity. Closer “The Unlove Overhue” is angry and intense, ripping out one final violent salvo before the record draws to its bone-crushing conclusion.

Complete Failure is one of the angriest, most uncompromising bands that Pittsburgh, and the entire metal world, has to offer, and they’ve not lost an ounce of their intensity over the years. In fact, as time goes on and their profile rises, they seem to get angrier and more agitated, perhaps realizing they need to generate more vitriol to serve all. Chances are they’ll never run out negative passion to fuel their fires anyway.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.comfail.com/

To buy the album, go here: http://e-shop.season-of-mist.com/en/items/complete-failure/the-art-gospel-of-aggravated-assault/cd/33814

For more on the label, go here: http://www.season-of-mist.com/

It was several weeks ago that we were talking about the healthy Finnish death metal scene and about how it was regurgitating quality bands that were re-establishing the underground in that country and allowing us to remove the words “Children of Bodom” from our vocabulary when it comes to discussing metal from that land.

As if we didn’t have enough already with new platters from Maveth, Desolate Shrine, and  Vorum, and the upcoming release form occult-friendly Lantern, we now have a mighty new offering from death unit Krypts, who, as you might imagine, keep things deadly and graveyard-ready. Oh, another thing all of these bands have in common other than their homeland is they all have been released by Dark Descent, who are becoming for Finnish metal what Southern Lord has become for crust and hardcore. They have a knack for drawing out the best from this region, and if you liked the aforementioned bands whose releases have been charring our minds here at Meat Mead Metal, Krypts are likely to hit the right spot as well.

Krypts were born into the world back in 2008, and since then they have offered up a demo, a 2011 self-titled EP, and now their debut full-length effort “Unending Degradation.” The band’s members have experience plying their trade with other groups such as The Beheading, Self-Hate, and Infernal Suicide, with Antti Kotiranta handling bass and vocals, Ville Snicker leading the guitar work, and drummer Otso Ukkonen (who also did some guitar playing on the album) rounding out the current lineup. The band hits it right on their first album, not doing too much and not overstuffing this thing, as “Unending Degradation” contains eight tracks that clock in at about 38 minutes. That’s just right, as they pummel you and show you what they can do on this collection, but they don’t draw out the proceedings. They leave you wanting more.

Before they get into the full array of madness, they let you slip in with “Perpetual Beyond,” a mesmerizing introductory cut that paves the way for “Blessed Entwinement,” a grindy, doom/death hybrid that is monstrous and hungry but also has a fiery groove that settles in. “Open the Crypt” is just the type of song you’d expect from a band this ensconced in decay. Kotiranta lurches and growls on this one, like his guts are getting ready to spew from his mouth, and the rest is built on thrashy pockets and outright violence. “Dormancy of the Ancient Ones” is sludgy and mucky in appearance, and it ramps up its intensity as it goes. The guitars progress to a fevered wail, and military-style drumming gives the impression of marching one by one into the underworld.

“Inhale…” picks up on the already established pile of carnage, with a slow-driving pace, infernal growls, and a melody that eventually washes out into doomy glaze. “The Black Smoke” has a punchier groove, with vocals that amplify the aggression, and a delivery that is short and to the point. “Day of Reckoning” has its somber, woeful moments before speed kicks in, the drums are lathered into near blasts, and searing soloing reminiscent of Slayer blows into the picture. Closer “Beneath the Archaic” absolutely slithers, taking its time to infect you with grisly growls, spacious drone, and a pace that feels like your face is being dragged across cement, with no hint of mercy in the near future.

So once again, Dark Descent manages to pluck a promising new Finnish death metal band and toss it in our laps, still fresh with bloody wounds. Krypts might be best embraced in the autumn, when everything around you is dying and decaying, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fully take on this stench in the spring, when you get sick of looking at pastel colors and people dressed like assholes. This is a hellacious band that does not have your well-being in mind.

For more on the band, go here: http://krypts.wordpress.com/

To buy the album, go here: http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2773

For more on the label, go here: http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/

It’s not every day I get to write about a legend of the heavy metal world, a band that helped shaped what the music has become and has influenced countless musicians and bands across the world. And considering today we have the honor of discussing the latest album from Darkthrone, we’re also talking Fenriz, a man who bleeds, eats, and sleeps metal and was an inspiration for this very site.

When I started this site, I tried to somewhat pattern it so that I’d be championing music I love, but also adding the critical analysis aspect into the writing. Fenriz long as been a champion of heavy metal, not only though his music with Darkthrone, but also through his Band of the Week choices and now blog, where he’s exposed the world to many great bands such as Christian Mistress, In Solitude, Hooded Menace, and countless others. His music along with longtime creative partner Nocturno Culto also has espoused the magic and majesty of heavy metal for years, and this band is one of the great pioneers of this fantastic style of music, having dabbled in numerous subgenres in their time together.

“The Underground Resistance,” the band’s 15th studio album, in one of the duo’s most magical and powerful to date, another crazy curveball of styles and weirdness that only Darkthrone could pull off this seamlessly. As we’ve grown accustomed to from this band, there remains a heavy foot in the death metal and crust arenas, but they also remain somewhat tied to their black metal roots and even incorporate more sounds from the early 80s into their eclectic mix, thanks mostly to Fenriz’s contributions to this six-song, 41-minute gem. I imagine some eyes may roll at some of the stuff on here, because there still are major pockets of people who can’t handle that Darkthrone don’t sound like how they did on, say, “A Blaze in the Northern Sky,” but to dismiss it would be to ignore one of the most genuine expressions of heavy metal in a long time, and a fine, moving effort by a band that deserves curatorship for any future heavy metal hall of fame. Inclusion into said hall is assumed.

The record is evenly divided, almost obsessively so, between Culto’s submissions and Fenriz’s work, and it’s really fun bouncing back and forth between both guys’ ideas. Each guy has a pair of songs that are more standard in length and do a lot to expose their personalities and tastes, and each also unleashes an epic track that close out the record. It’s so perfectly balanced and wonderfully creative that I literally cannot stop listening to it. In fact, I don’t remember that last time I listened to a new Darkthrone release this much and this obsessively, and to me that’s a hallmark of a great record dropping at the right time.

Nocturno Culto’s work kicks off the record, so we’ll discuss his entries first. “Dead Early” is your opener, and it’s a fun, bashing song that’s pure death-planted Darkthrone through and through. Culto mentioned his songs being more personal in nature and being used to excise some of the things in life that get in his way and attempt to make life miserable, so maybe that’s what he’s aiming at when he howls the vow, “To do things right, to do things straight.” As good as that one is, “Lesser Men” is even better, as it starts off on one path, then makes a thrashy progression elsewhere. There is some great guitar work here, some mashing riffs, and it happens to be an extremely catchy song to boot. “Come Warfare, the Entire Doom” is Culto’s epic, clocking in at a little over 8 minutes and showing some true metal spirit and fire. No huge surprises here or anything, and there don’t need to be. It’s an awesome slab of goodness that’s mean, channeled, and really fucking good, and that’s all that matters.

Now, Fenriz has been elsewhere mentally since 2010’s “Circle the Wagons,” namely gorging on 1980s metal, the stuff that helped formed the genre’s foundation on an underground level. Fenriz has named Agent Steel, Uriah Heap, Celtic Frost, and Iron Maiden as some of his touch points, and you can hear that gloriously on “Valkyrie.” The song opens acoustically before it launches into a glorious lead melody line and Fenriz pushing his voice to the limits of classic power metal standards. It’s a great song, one that manages to get you every time its chorus sweeps down. “The Ones You Left Behind,” where Fenriz looks back in time as those who made heavy metal the great art form that is it, and those who have done their best to try to extinguish the flames, also has some epic vocal work that goes from gruff to melodic, and it, too, is a blast. Album closer “Leave No Cross Unturned” is one of the band’s greatest accomplishments to date, a song that mixes classic, power, thrash, and death into a giant pot and mixes them to perfection. The song is 13:49 (how fitting?) of twists, turns, unpredictable changes, passion, and  glorious trips back to metal’s past. I know it sounds hyperbolic, but this is one of my favorite Darkthrone songs to date, a true triumph that those with metal in their veins will embrace and hail.

Bands that have been around as long as Darkthrone and have influenced as many musicians as these two have only seem to disappoint these days, releasing music with polished edges and taking no chances. That’ll never describe Darkthrone, a band that doesn’t give a shit what you think about their music and always will serve no masters but themselves. I enjoy this record as much as, if not more, than anything the band put out the past decade, and any time I feel the spirit of metal growing tired in my soul, I will revisit “The Underground Resistance” and feel alive again.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.darkthrone.no/

For the Band of the Week blog, go here: http://thebandoftheweek.blogspot.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.burningshed.com/store/peaceville/collection/233/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.peaceville.com/

The end has been sort of an unofficial theme this week, from what it might be like watching our final moments and how we’d mark them, to the conclusion of a long-standing project that fades away. Today, we’re simply delving into the end of humankind. No big deal, right? It’s going to happen anyway, but could it come from an unlikely source, one we never suspected?

If the Botanist has anything to do with it, ours will be a leafy demise, as we’re choked to death by the very nature we seem to be trying to wipe out at will for the latest strip mall or drilling site or whatever. We’ve long covered this story that’s at the heart of the music from Botanist, a one-man experimental black metal band that is likely one of the most unconventional projects you’ll ever hear. Sorry if it sounds like I’m repeating myself from past stories on the band, but for those who are new to these pages and/or to Botanist, I feel some review is needed. Botanist tells the story of the Botanist, a crazed man of science who lives in exile in the Verdant Realm, where he surrounds himself with nature and plots the downfall of mankind. His primary influence is Azalea, the evil spirit of Nature and a demonic plant in and of itself that speaks into the ear of the Botanist (represented, primarily, by the whispery vocals you hear) and provides instructions on how to carry out the apocalyptic plan.

Botanist, the musician, who plays this music mostly on hammered dulcimer and drums, has returned with a fourth chapter and third overall release with “IV: Mandragora,” his first effort for Flenser Records and a natural progression from 2012’s “III: Doom in Bloom.” That record really branched out musically from the dual-released first two parts of the story, 2011’s “I. The Suicide Tree/II. A Rose From the Dead” and showed a completely different compositional vision for this project and story. The songs were longer and more involved, and the influence of Azalea grew even more aggressively and mysteriously. On “IV,” the Botanist’s voice is more present and forceful, more like the first two efforts, and his mission to bring about the end hits a boiling point.

This time, the Botanist’s instructions and mission are far clearer. Azalea instructs him to create an army of mandragora in order to wipe out mankind, and to do so, he must resort of alchemical practices to bring this legion to life. Anyone who hears the mandrakes scream (naturally, this also makes me think of Iron Maiden’s “Moonchild”) instantly is claimed by death, therefore the Botanist seems to have a pretty handy weapon at his disposal if he can raise and nourish his troops of death. And as this story progresses, not only does the intensity of the Botanist’s mission seem to grow in fervor, so does his insanity and drive to follow Azalea’s mission.

“Arboreal Gallows” begins the record, and after sticks strike, the song melts into a fast tempo, with creaky growls indicating the Botanist’s voice as he spits out, “Their necks snapped irrevocably, penance for their crimes, atonement for their sins, from their death shall spring life.” That leads into “Nightshade,” that ramps up the terror and violence, as croaked growls and shrieks meet up (dual personalities? dual agendas?), and eventually it slips into a cosmic pocket that makes me feel like our main character could be lying on the forest floor at night, staring up into the moonlight through branches. “To Amass An Army” should not be too hard to comprehend, with a foggy, eerie atmosphere and Azalea giving directions on how to assemble to troops. “Seek the briony root, and raise the mandrake legion.” “Nourishing the Fetus” has a cool, airy feel to it, a melancholy sense musically, and here we begin to see the realization of warfare come to fruition. “Mandrake Legion” imagines judgment coming to pass, with the demonic minions rising and carrying out their morbid deed, with the Botanist observing, “Shrieking soldiers amass, extermination cries piercing, wiping clean the earth.” Morbid, yet glorious.

The final two songs on the album, we’re told, are not actually a part of the “Mandragora” storyline and instead are situated elsewhere. Both songs – “Sophora Tetraptera” and “Rhyncholaelia Glauca” – have a ramped-up musical intensity, seem to include sounds other than hammered dulcimer and drums, and even seem to layer Azalea’s voice, with both the usual whispering and a more outward yelling. At least that was my interpretation as to what’s going on here. The plant “Sophora Tetraptera” has both positive and negative uses for humans, and lyrically is sounds like there are elements of both healing and destruction. “Rhyncholaelia Glauca,” named after a type of orchid that grows on other things, seems to celebrate the flower’s existence, perseverance, and presence, paying homage to something that depends on something else for survival. Or I could be wrong.

Botanist has kept us enthralled, guessing, and a little frightened over the life of this project, and with the leaves and flowers getting ready to return soon here on the East Coast, I can’t help but wonder if I should keep one eye open on my long spring walks. The Botanist seems to have paid in full into this scheme and is furiously doing Azalea’s bidding, and the mysterious close leaves open many possibilities. At the same time, Botanist’s music seems to be gaining more leaves and roots with each new composition, and his musical army truly is coming to life. These albums keep getting bigger and more sinister, and there’s no telling how this whole thing will end. One thing’s for sure though: No one will be the same once this story ends.

For more on the band, go here: http://botanist.nu/

To buy the album, go here: http://store.theflenser.com/product/botanist-iv-mandragora-cd-pre-sale

For more on the label, go here: http://theflenser.com/

Sometimes being simple and getting right to the point is a better path than being cryptic and overly creative. Say what you mean and get out instead of going in circles and driving people nuts. In that vein, Black Boned Angel could not have done a better job titling their final release, simply called “The End.”

Yes, the New Zealand-based duo of Campbell Neale (also of Birchville Cat Motel, Our Love Will Destroy the World, and many others) and James Kirk (also of Sandoz Lab Technicians, the Stumps) are calling it quits with this project and signaling their end with this final slab of apocalyptic doom drone, and the very-fitting title not only matches the sound of the music but also of the dark knowledge that this thing is over. You don’t even have to think of this music as just being the funeral act for Black Boned Angel. You can apply it to our very existence. Imagine this as something you’d hear while watching an asteroid crash to the surface of the planet, meaning our total demise, and you’d be hard-pressed to argue that this soundtrack is perfect.

Black Boned Angel have put out a nice slate of releases in their time together, releasing music for labels such as 20 Buck Spin, Conspiracy, and Battle Cruiser. They debuted in 2003 with their first release “Supereclipse” on Celebrate Psi Phenomenon, and over time they’ve turned in quite a few collections, their most recent before “The End” being “The Witch Must Be Killed,” that dropped in 2010. The band’s music, while adhering to similar ideals as bands such as Godflesh (who inspired their name), Sunn 0))) and Nadja (with whom they have collaborated), have their own bend on atmospheric, scary ambiance, and this record is no exception. The sense of finality merely amplifies everything going on.

“Part 1” kicks off with a furious shriek that might rip you out of any comfort zone you set up for yourself. The black doom spills out like tar, spreading itself in front of you and catching you in your tracks, and the somber melodies ensure you will feel the despair and chaos going on here. Sounds rise up that resemble a swarm of end-times horns, and machine-like moaning floods your senses, feeling like a million dying engines choking out the atmosphere with its black exhaust. Drums kick up toward the end of the song, providing some help along your journey, and the haze of ambient drone leads you into “Part 2.”

There, a mystical eeriness rises up so thick you almost can breathe it in, and a liturgical-style chorus slips into the scene to color the background with impending dread. The calculated noises slip in and out over a nice-sized pocket of time, and then chunky sludge riffs erupt, slight piano keys drip like blood from a wound, and an atmospheric spirit appears and guides the song into a truly gorgeous corner, where even definite death and destruction look strangely beautiful. A melody sets itself up and repeats into oblivion, creating a ghostly mood and getting you ready for the dramatic conclusion.

“Part 3” leans right into more thick ambiance, drone swarming, and disarming keyboards that return you to a sense of unease and panic. More not-of-this-world noises and voices move in for the churning finale, voices seem to call out desperately in the distance, and emotional rushes of sounds blend into the picture and layer themselves on top of each other, and the whole things fades out in a terrifying, life-ending assault of drone hiss and thick smoke. And like that, Black Boned Angel are on their way into the afterlife, where their spiritual journey remains uncertain.

Personally I am sad knowing Black Boned Angel will issue no more music, as I’ve long enjoyed their creations and often go right to them in times when I have a ton of work to do and need something to keep my mind going. That said, this final collection of work from the band is an incredible, anguished, cataclysmic album that will stand as a fantastic, emotional last will and testament for one of doom’s great forces. Long live Black Boned Angel, a band that extinguished their own flame when they felt their time was up.

For more on the band, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Boned_Angel

To buy the album, go here: http://www.handmadebirds.com/store/

For more on the label, go here: http://handmadebirds.com/

The question “what is metal?” is one often posed on these pages, because it’s not a cut-and-dried issue. I have seen people wonder why others divide the genre into sub-genres and nitpick sounds, but you kind of have to do that, especially when writing about it for a living. At the same time, there certainly is a lot of conjecture on the matter, sometimes so much that it gets irritating.

I tend to like pulling things apart and overanalyzing metal because I love the music and want to think about it as much as I can. Over the years there have been bands that have made me think and question what is metal and what types of styles constitute it. And does a band have to be heavy, ear-piercing, and speedy in order to be deemed heavy metal? One of the bands along the way that have helped with my journey is Grayceon, a three-piece progressive band out of San Francisco led by the great Jackie Perez Gratz. She’s been a sort of cellist to the stars, having played on record for bands such as Agalloch and Cattle Decapitation, and she’s also a former member of Amber Asylum and a part of criminally underappreciated Giant Squid.

What she does with Grayceon, however, is something altogether different. Yes, it has its heavy moments, and Gratz brings her incredible cello skills to the table, but this group has its own unique approach and identity, and their dramatic brand is unmistakably them. They might not scream “heavy metal” on first blush, but the more you hear them, the more it’s obvious the Grayceon belongs in the genre. Not that they need my stamp of approval. But their music is one that helped shape and stretch my understanding of extreme music and one I’ve always been grateful to have in my life.

Grayceon, of course, is not just Gratz. She’s joined by guitarist Max Doyle (who also kicks in on vocals) and drummer Zack Farwell. Their impressive run together opened on the band’s 2007 self-titled debut, went through to “This Grand Show” the following year, and then peaked with 2011’s “All We Destroy,” their debut for Profound Lore. Since then, Gratz became a mother for the first time, and the band went into a state of hibernation. They eventually reassembled, started writing again, and the result is their new two-track, 30-minute “Pearl and The End of Days,” strategically named for each cut on the record.

“Pearl” is your opener, naturally, and it’s pretty classic Grayceon in style and delivery. It runs a few ticks past 10 minutes and is dramatic and sweeping. It sounds wrapped in folklore, though that’s just because of its expansive, unfurling nature, and after some quivering strings and sweeping dynamics, it rips into a growl and violent pummeling. Gratz lets her voice get punishing and violent, the band allows sludginess to bleed into the picture, and the cinematic qualities the band has in spades really come out for a show here. It’s a killer song, one that is one of the better songs in the group’s time together.

“The End of Days” is more than 17 minutes long, and it’s a gigantic curveball for the band. They let loose and have a lot of fun here, and the lyrics, while awash in Armageddon, are caught up in the spirit of rock and roll and heavy metal, and about how if we have a chance to pick how we spend our final moments, we might pick rocking out over everything. “We rock your rolling stone,” Gratz howls at the top of her lungs, practically joyfully. The band even lets each member have a section to themselves to solo and show off and be fucking rock stars, like they’re playing on a gigantic stage, with well-wishers and disciples following along with their every move for one last night on Earth. It sounds like such a huge release for them, and while it’s a little strange to get used to at first, the song just captures you and spirits you away.

These two songs are examples of why I always have loved Grayceon so much. Their music is inventive and dramatic, they don’t sound like a purely heavy metal band, and Gratz is such a great musician, one of the most creative in extreme music. This is a fantastic bridge to (I hope!) a new full-length record and gives Grayceon a door back into the conversation. This band never disappoints, and these 30 minutes are a total treasure to witness.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.grayceon.com/

To buy the album, go here: http://store.theflenser.com/product/grayceon-pearl-and-the-end-of-days-lp-pre-sale

For more on the label, go here: http://theflenser.com/

Lycosa

Pittsburgh may not roll off people’s tongues when it comes to great metal towns in America, and that’s understandable. It really doesn’t come up in conversation amongst many people who live here either, because too many people seem preoccupied with barroom blues rock, shitty alt rock, and whatever NYC was doing three years ago. It’s a hilarious place to live.

But if you happen to attend a national metal show here, you’ll notice the crowds are healthy. People are enthusiastic for it and want to see it. Just a couple years ago, black metal legends Immortal graced our city with one of only four U.S. shows set for their tour, and despite there being about 7 inches of snow and counting on the ground, people packed Mr. Smalls and were bursting with joy for that show. And that’s only one example, of course, and metal and its appeal to our little town probably would be a bigger story if the bulk of the local media would stop kissing the asses of aging rockers and fly-by-night pop stars and pay attention to what’s bustling on the underground. We’re a metal town, and we have a pretty healthy scene that largely goes unnoticed by many of the scribes who inhabit Pittsburgh. It’s become sort of a joke with me.

Luckily that hasn’t deterred bands from taking to local venues, doing their thing, and making as much noise as possible. We’ve long boasted bands such as Hero Destroyed and Complete Failure (who are readying their first record for Season of Mist), as well as groups that pound the pavement locally such as Abysme and long-running Motorpsychos. That’s not the mention some of the hardcore-based bands that have thrived including Heartless (who put out “Hell Is Other People” on Southern Lord), Code Orange Kids (whose debut dropped late last year on Deathwish, Inc.) and Slices. We’re doing fine in the extreme music department, whether people care to acknowledge that or not.

Another important avenue for heavy music in Pittsburgh is Innervenus Music Collective, a local label that releases and champions the metal, hardcore, and punk scene, have put out two “Iron Atrocity” compilations, as well as music from bands such as Fist Fight in the Parking Lot, Invader, Sistered, Storm King and more. Now, they have two more releases that just dropped from newer bands who apparently plan to further scuff up and bloody the scene, and both records and bands will be featured in a CD release show locally tomorrow night. I’ll give you details at the end of this piece in case you’re local or plan to be in the area. It should be a killer time.

The first band we’ll talk up is Lycosa, a grimy, sludgy, dirty quartet that reminds me of bands such as older Kylesa, Black Tusk (minus the Southern rock influences), Melvins, and L7, and whose music may make you want to feel like showering afterward. Their music is heavy and muddy, and their execution is impressive for a band only together since late 2010. The band is comprised of vocalist Leech (who has a knack for inhuman squealing at times), guitarist Tree, bassist Amy (also of Motorpsychos and Molasses Barge), and drummer Chris, and their five-song debut (well, six, as there’s an interesting hidden cut) could be something that piques the interest of a label such as Relapse.

“Barbara” opens the record and, naturally, it’s inspired by “Night of the Living Dead.” There’s a burly bassline, violence, and vicious vocals that sometimes veer a little too close to pig squeal territory. I am anything but a fan of the pig squeal vocals, but they’re only there briefly, and so it’s not that big of a deal. If you like that kind of thing, you’ll be fine. “Double Barrel” is heavy and thrashy, with Leech piling on huge with his deathy vocals, and the band’s blistering treatment bruising you up. “Circles” is muddy, chunky, and there are heavily distorted basslines that feel like steel cords. “Did We Have Sex?” is violent and tongue in cheek, but it’s also kind of eerie sounding, which I didn’t expect. “24 Becomes 0” has one of the best guitar lines of the entire record, and it’s cement truck heavy. Tacked on is a surprise take on Twister Sister’s “Burn in Hell,’’ that is a little messy but a lot of fun. I like the band’s sound, and they certainly come off like they had a blast recording this thing. I’m also interested to see where the band goes from here and if they draw any attention from national labels.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/lycosametal

Grisly Amputation

On the other hand we have Grisly Amputation, a band just as heavy (if not more so) and ugly, but in a totally different way. These guys comprise a go-for-the-gut, eat-said-guts brand of grind-laced death metal that could have you thinking of Exhumed, Autopsy, and Cannibal Corpse (who hand-picked the band to open their recent show in Pittsburgh), and they certainly pull no punches (or stabs) in the gross-out department. Their music is full of slasher film-inspired gore, rotting flesh, and disease, and while it might make bile choke you having to endure this filth, it’s just so much fun for those of us who get it. The band is made up of vocalist Rob Grisly, guitarists Gene Fikhman and Garrett Twardesky, bassist Pat Bucher, and drummer Chriss Dissell, and they formed in early 2010 out of the ashes of the band Scorched, gaining a vicious reputation along the way and leading them to this eight-song debut.

“Woodshed Wetdreams,” the lead-off track, should let you know everything you need about the band from the start, with a gory horror film clip, a grindy thrash attack, and Grisly howling his promise of, “You will die.” “Scraping the Resin From Your Lungs” kicks off with the clip from “The Marijuana Conspiracy” info film before a growling, howling pit of chaos. “Liquefaction Necrosis” has a clip from “Drive Angry” built into it, and it’s a total death storm, while “Implement of Rectitude” has a murderous cut from “Gangs of New York” and an assault as vicious as the film. “Cannibalistic Tendencies” is rightfully gross and mangling; “Birthed From Defecation” is slow driving and ugly; “Hoarding Human Remains” has some painfully raspy growls and an overall feeling of macabre; while closer “A Chainsaw Swimming in Flesh” even has some guttural doom metal blended into the cut, something I’d like to hear them explore a little more, and the rest is chunky, skin-mangling bliss.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/grislyamputation

If you live nearby, the Lycosa/Grisly Amputation CD release show is Saturday night at 8 at The DEAD Horse Cantina and Music Hall in McKees Rocks. Admission is $7. Also on the bill are fellow Pittsburgh bands Storm King, Victims of Contagion, Torrential Bleeding, Lythem, and Meth Quarry. If you’re not local and want to check these bands out, links are below.

To hear Lycosa’s album, go here: http://lycosa.bandcamp.com/album/lycosa

To hear Grisly Amputation’s album, go here: http://grislyamputation.bandcamp.com/album/cannibalistic-tendencies

For more on the label, go here: http://innervenus.org/

For more on the show, go here: http://www.facebook.com/events/485509521491993/

There certainly are enough Norse legends to go around, and there are plenty that make up the annals of heavy metal. You can throw a rock at any metal festival, Wacken especially, and nail a band that builds its sound and philosophy on Viking/Nordic ideals and stories. It’s one of the many cool touchstones about metal, and it might even cause some of its listeners to go for books and actually read these tales.

Understandably, the bulk of the bands paying homage to Nordic tales are of Scandinavian descent. Perhaps the most glaring example of this is death metal warriors Amon Amarth, one of the catchiest bands in the entire subgenre, and one that has incorporated these tales into their music and their very colorful merchandise. The great Bathory is another huge example of a classic, revered metal band paying its respect to these roots, as are Enslaved, Moonsorrow, Kampfar, and the mighty Unleashed. Even some American bands have gotten in on the Nordic thing, with groups such as The Sword and Skeletonwitch getting in on the fun. But they’re not the only ones to do so, and they’re not even the best ones to try their hands at creating Viking-inspired thunder.

Also not claiming Viking territory as home, and hailing from Colorado, are Flight of Sleipnir (named after Odin’s eight-legged steed, known as the greatest of all horses), a two-man operation formed in 2008 with the explicit idea of further exploring Scandinavian legend and creating music that sounds as if it came out of a Nordic forest. Over the course of four full-length efforts together and other smaller releases, David Csicsely and Clayton Cushman, both former members of Archeronian Dirge and Throcult, also decided to play with more progressive sounds, in which they mixed into their tastes for doom and black metal, and from this union came a sound that they executed very successfully. As time has gone on, the band’s only gotten better playing together, and they really accomplished some impressive growth as they’ve gone from album to album. Their latest “Saga,” out on Eyes Like Snow, is even more proof that their machinery is growing even more effective, and it’s their most impressive record to date.

Following a 2008 demo, the band’s debut record “Algiz + Berkanan,” named after Nordic runes, was released in 2008, followed by “Winter Solstice II” EP a year later, and then their second effort “Lore” in 2010. In 2011, the band jumped to Eyes Like Snow for their excellent third album “Essence of Nine,” which showed the path that would lead the band, musically, to “Saga,” and it was sort of a hidden gem in the metal world, a powerful, emotional release that didn’t get the attention it deserved. Maybe that’ll change for the band with “Saga,” an adventure that’s truly fitting for any season or state of mind.

Naturally our “Saga” begins with “Prologue,” a track that simmers slowly and takes its time to build before giving way to a metallic explosion and growly vocals. “Reaffirmation” is full of acoustic washes, softer, folk-like vocals, proggy progressions, and warm beds of guitar work. “Reverence” is very atmospheric, as it feels like the music is moving on a sunbeam, and the rustic-style song eventually dissolves into a crackling fire. “Harrowing Desperation” brings crunch back into things, with heavier guitars, clean vocals paving the way for anguished screams, and cosmic noises that pull the song into the dark. “Heavy Rest the Chains of the Damned” has a lot of acoustic guitar, but it drives, kind of like the stuff on the last Man’s Gin album, and amid the steely, thorny goodness comes a trippy, psychedelic pocket, and a thunderstorming fury that brings the cut to a close.

“Judgment” has a true doom essence, with creaky growls, a dizzying mid-paced tempo, and some blackened edges to the guitars. “Demise Carries” is another heavy one, with some power metal punches and kicks to keep your adrenaline flowing and you merging with “The Mountain,” a cut that brings things back to the woods again, with softer vocals returning, a stirring, forest-ready spirit rising up, and winds whipping across your cheeks. “Hour of Cessation” is the  closest the band gets to its black metal roots, with killer guitar leads and a truly emotional display that lets them put their hearts on the line. “Remission” is a breath-taking instrumental built on soaring slide guitar work, and it feels like a bridge leading to the conclusion. “Beneath Red Skies” delivers that exclamation point with a crushing approach, some guitar passages that feel like old Rush, more monstrous growls, and a thunderous finish carried out by squawking wild birds. The closing “Epilogue” lets you absorb the whole story, lets the sun rise on what you just heard, and allows you to close that hard back cover with a sense of accomplishment.

Flight of Sleipnir obviously deserve more adulation and attention from metal fans, and this is as good an album as any of their on which to start if you’re new to the band. They’re excellent at blending styles and sounding as if it what comes naturally to them and not a gimmick, and their lyrical and musical storytelling is mighty and a force of nature. Luckily for those of us who have been along for their ride with this band, they’re not bound to run out of Nordic influence any time soon, meaning “Saga” is destined to be just one thrilling chapter in a larger overall story.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.flightofsleipnir.com/

To buy the album, go here: http://shop.northern-silence.de/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.northern-silence.de/eye.htm

The dissolution of a great band obviously can be a sad thing. You grow up with a band, get used to a band, or have significant formative experiences while listening to a band, so losing them sometimes can be like parting with a best friend.

And by great band, it doesn’t have to mean Zeppelin. It can mean a band that means something to you and that, without them, part of your artistic world isn’t quite the same. Will you die? Probably not. But you’ll be upset, no doubt. That’s how a lot of people felt when SubArachnoid Space called it quits in 2010, and while they have not have been a huge band even on an underground level, for those who dug and were moved by their expansive, psychedelic works, it was a huge loss. I understand that totally, because their music always stimulated me and expanded my mind, and they always were a band that, despite how I felt about them, never seemed to capture the widespread acclaim they deserved.

No matter. Despite them not becoming a widely known and adored phenomenon like they deserved, there is some hope for some of their members. Sharing the name as the final SAS album, Eight Bells have risen from the ashes and very capably kept things moving further into space and the outer reaches of your mind that demand something more from music. Eight Bells seem more than happy to supply you with what SAS provided in their time together, but with some hugely different elements that separate this band from the group from which they kind of morphed. You’ll like it if you were into SAS, but it is nowhere near the same thing. Have I made that clear enough?

Eight Bells are comprised of former SubArachnoid Space member Melynda Jackson, former SAS drummer Chris Van Huffel, and classically trained six-string bassist Haley Westeiner, who teams with Jackson on vocals, and they provide a mighty, vital backbone to this band that is equally adventurous and riveting, providing not only something fresh to the metal world but also adding something volcanic and emotionally explosive to the rock genre in general. It could kind of use that, don’t you agree? Eight Bells are here to answer the call.

The band’s four-track, self-titled debut is out on Seventh Rule (it’ll follow later in vinyl by way of The Flenser), and I have not been able to stop listening to the album for the past month since I got the digital version of the record. There is something about it that, journey wise, I have not been able to stop taking, as I’ve been claimed by every wave of their nautical tension. As much as I enjoyed SAS and what they did together during their run, Eight Bells already have captivated me as much, if not more, than the band that preceded them. This record’s been an infectious joy to hear, and I can’t get enough of the four songs.

“Tributaries” feels a bit like an introduction to this album, one built on prog rock tendencies, experimental tones, shoegazey fire, and a thought-provoking channel that leads into the record’s highlight “Fate and Technology,” a track that gets off to an atmospheric start and trickles slowly. Then the drums pick up, their thrashier proclivities rise to the surface, only for things settle down again. We hear Westeiner’s voice for the first time, as it comes as a softer, more delicate instrument but that’s only until the song erupts volcanically, and all of the singing on the track turns to anguished wails and guttural growls (with Jackson providing some of the scary growls and shrieks). The band mashes the song unmercifully, and the bashing takes on a smashing start-stop tempo that is the most metallic stuff on this entire album.

The title cut gets off to a bouncy start, sounding a bit like a tasty Sleater Kinney-style riff that also has a little Rush stitched into it, and from there the song progresses, from airy playing to psychedelic boiling, to spirited guitar work, seemingly drawing to a close with four minutes left in its running time. But from there it transforms into something completely different, spiraling into Pink Floyd-like dark rejoicing, haunting choral calls (provided by Kris Force of Amber Asylum), and more blistering guitar work that gives the close a serious dose of oomph. Closer “Yellowed Wallpaper,” based on Charlotte Perkins Gillman, who had a story of the same name and eventually went into madness,  is trickling and exploratory for much of the song, but there also is a good bit of agitated playing, tricky riffs, aggravated drumming, and a great climactic finish that send this record from raging inferno to floating pilot light.

Eight Bells’ adventures are, as noted, mostly instrumental pieces, but they hold within them great drama and passion that cannot be questioned. When they use words, they are employed wisely and to fully enhance the stories playing out. There already was the promise of greatness before a note of music was played just based on who’s assembled here, but they go above and beyond all expectations to create a debut album that should leave a lifetime mark on your soul. That doesn’t happen every day, so make sure you don’t miss out on this explosive voyage.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.eightbellsband.com/

To buy the album, go here: http://shop.seventhrule.com/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.seventhrule.com/