It’s not terribly often when I get to say that today’s band might piss you off. They might get under your skin, cause welts, annoy you, and wear on your nerves. All of those things are why I love the band Jar’d Loose, and their new record “Turns 13” is bound to be a love-it-or-hate-it proposition for most.

The Chicago-based band’s second record is a raucous follow-up to their killer debut “Goes to Purgatory,” and the group’s mix of noise rock, early hardcore, gutter rock, ’90s indie, and death metal is one weird amalgamation, but one Jar’d Loose make work incredibly well. Yeah, they might grate at you. But at least you’re feeling something, which you can’t really say for a lot of bands out there today. This band slaps at you, torments you, pokes you hard in the chest, and spits at you without the slightest bit of remorse. But it’s strange because their music is so fun, so filthy that you might find you don’t mind the insults. You also can’t point to another band that sounds like them and packs the same power as Jar’d Loose, another feature that makes them a must-hear group.

At the front of Jar’d Loose is frontman Eddie Gobbo, whose approach and style are fairly hard to explain in words. He’s snotty, confrontational, unhinged, pissed off, deranged, and absolutely impossible to turn away from. He sounds like he could front a death metal band with no problem, yet sometimes his delivery makes me think he could have been a great frontman for an old glam metal band like Faster Pussycat or LA Guns and been awesome.  Joining him is guitarist Pete Adam Bialecki, bassist Eva Bialecki, and drummer Phil Hardman (Nate Madden also plays guitar live), and they are a powder keg of a band. They hit hard, leave bruises, and back up Gobbo’s big words and presentation perfectly. Combined, this group has amazing chemistry and a rock-hard fist, and they could appeal to fans of plenty of genres of extreme music, including those listed above.

You get a good idea of what’s in store for you on “Turns 13” right away with opener “The Light Took Us (Black Metal for Pussies)” that really isn’t a black metal song at all but sure has elements of gruff death metal and gnarly, nasty sludge. Gobbo is in command and sounds positively brutal barking out his words, while the rest of the band packs mud and muck on top of everything. “Jackson the Pollock” follows with melodic but scuzzy guitar work, with Gobbo slipping into a talky, shouty delivery that reeks of attitude. He loses his mind later in the song, repeatedly shouting “Innocent!” while the rest of the band clubs behind him. “Summer of Lung” begins with a thick bass/drum assault, with screechy vocals to scrape you and more sludge piled on top, as if delivered by a dump truck. “Adult Prom” sounds like a deranged, drunken tirade, and it’s hilarious even though I’m not sure if it should be. The song is grungy and noisy, with Gobbo poking at grown-ups trying to one-up each other, howling, “Dressing up like it’s adult prom!” “Carrion Guy” is a weird one, but also one of my favorite cuts on the record, as Gobbo shouts, “If the coffin fits, I would sleep in it!” while the band layers dark punishment over everything, and Eva joins in on backing vocals, giving the song a Breeders feel. Great stuff.

“Full Body Cast” flips the script a bit, going a swampy Southern rock route, though maintaining the thorniness of the band’s demeanor. The song swaggers nicely, like it’s soaked in whiskey, and Gobbo howls along, giving you the idea he’s getting into the head of someone who’s not all there. Or maybe that’s just him. “Isthmus” also strays from the norm, letting acoustics settle in, almost like those old Alice in Chains EPs, and Gobbo’s shouts drift into the background, like he’s wailing from the next room while the rest of the band soaks in porch rock humidity. The 7:28-long title track brings the noise back around again, the feedback swelling, more mud piles being created, and the guitars chugging and pounding away. There’s a tasty start-stop tempo that dominates much of the track, and toward the end of the madness, the pace drops to a slow burn and let’s things drown into chaos. Closer “The Yarn Store” lets Gobbo go off one more time, shouting, “Here’s the problem, you’re pathetic,” as the band packs a serious punch along with him, piling on heavy, chaotic noise that matches the lyrical tone of the song perfectly and brings the record to a fitting, bleeding end.

So yeah, Jar’d Loose may chew your nerves, but that’s why I love them. They sound like they plug in and look for ways to piss off anyone they find undesirable. Plus, they sound great as a unit, and they fill a spot so few bands are aiming for these days, when things have become so homogenized and predictable. That’ll never be an issue with Jar’d Loose as they prove on “Turns 13,” a record that breathes a disgusting breath of fresh air into an extreme music world that’s gotten too safe.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://tpltr.bigcartel.com/product/jar-d-loose-turns-13

Or here: http://nefariousrealmstore.bigcartel.com/product/jar-d-loose-turns-13

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

And here: http://nefariousrealm.com/

Oh, Sweden, always lambasting us with your death metal bands. Over the years, you have given us merciless killers including Entombed, At the Gates, Carnage, Opeth, Amon Amarth, Tiamat, and so many more, that the world never could thank you enough. We’re even willing to forgive you for the Haunted and the delirious downward spiral they’re on. Can’t get them all right!

The latest monster to rise from that Scandinavian region is Miasmal, a band that specializes in ugly, fast, heavy death metal with one foot in the country’s origins but that also has collected some rock and roll tendencies over tie. They crushed us with their aggressive, ugly self-titled debut record (released by the always reliable Dark Descent), and now they’re bound to get even more exposure as they’ve signed on with heavyweight Century Media for their second offering “Cursed Redeemer.” The record is more of the good stuff, with added dashes of rock filth (putting them on a similar path as aforementioned Entombed), and there’s no reason why these guys can’t turn on fans of the label’s more mainstream-friendly acts and show them what real metallic violence is all about.

The dudes from Miasmal mostly stick to one-moniker names and some have experience in other bands you likely know well and have read about here. On guitars and vocals is Pontus, who also plays in Agrimonia and Martyrdod; also on guitars is Magnus; on bass is Rick Ruben, who also plays in Radiation and has not produced bands such as Metallica and Slayer (that’s a different guy); and on drums is Bjorn, who also plays in Agrimonia and Radiation. The guys bring a lot of fury and dirty intentions to their sound, and for the most part, they’re apt to blow you away with their approach and leave bruises all over your eardrums. You’ve been warned.

The record begins with the steamrolling title cut, as the band clobbers you with thick, mean riffs, grimy, vicious vocals, and some strong melodies to undercut all the insanity. It’s an exciting, punishing song, and it sets you up for what follows, namely “Call of the Revenant.” That cut has a nice thrash base, more chugging guitar work, and direct, in-your-face vocals that sound accusatory. “Whisky Train” is up next, and it brings some doom into the picture, as well as some bluesy guitar work, which seems to fit the theme of the song, as well as some fun-filled punishment that could lift your spirits. Truth be told it’s the one song on here that really doesn’t do a lot for me, but I could see it getting over with other people. It’s just OK. “Excelsior” rights the ship with gruff growls from Pontus warning, “There’s no way back!” along with blistering playing, and a bluesy swagger injected into the piece to give you a dose of bad attitude.

“A Veiled Remembrance” settles into a thick death groove that’s nice and chewy, with vocals that sound sinister and fury-fueled. It’s the track that reminds the most of Entombed of all of the cuts here. “Until the Last” gets off to a really fast, ferocious start, but it also feels approachable, like a gateway for all those listeners used to something a little more polished who might be intrigued by the danger going on here. It’s a smart idea (if that’s indeed the strategy), it won’t alienate long-time fans one bit, and the song hits on a cylinders. “Frozen in Time” starts chilly and eerie, aiming to freeze the blood in your veins, but then it begins clubbing righteously, with the vocals dripping with menace, and the guys go back to the rock and roll muse that seems to inform a lot of this record. “2013” is your closer, and it takes this record out on a raucous note. The guitar work is just on fire, with rock-solid soloing and piercing guitar lines, the vocals are absolutely volcanic, as the words are spat out, and the song’s final moments allow for one last assault that should draw blood and make your ears ring mercilessly.

Miasmal are a strong addition to Century Media’s roster of fresh underground-style death metal band (groups such as Morbus Chron and Vallenfyre) and will roll over you with power and attitude. This second record is a nice step ahead both musically and profile-wise for the band, and it’ll be interesting to see how American audiences react to these guys. This is one devastating effort from a band that has a huge opportunity in front of them and a blazing new record to convert new followers to their punishing campaign.

For more on the band, go here: http://miasmal.net/

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

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

There are those bands you love and follow and when they put out a new record or come to your town, you are excited. Then there are those who, when they release new music, it is an event. When they play your town, it’s a foregone conclusion you will be there to revel in their greatness even if you’re bleeding to death. When you think of their history, it is practically sacred.

Agalloch fall into the category of bands you don’t just pay mere adulation. You genuflect before their presence. They have, over the course of their five incredibly intelligent, thought-provoking records, become one of the most important bands in black metal. It’s not because they outsell all the other bands in their subgenre or have their images plastered over flashy ads in glossy metal magazines. They are the complete opposite. Instead, they make records that are events, documents you must sit down with, close off the rest of the world, and absorb in full so you can feel every bit of their creation. From their amazing 1999 debut “Pale Folklore” through 2010’s modern classic “Marrow of the Spirit” to their brand new opus “The Serpent & the Sphere,” Agalloch are on a legendary roll that shows no signs of stopping and continues to make them one of the benchmarks of all heavy music. Period. No arguments.

Following up “Marrow of the Spirit” their universally lauded 2010 record that topped tons of year-end lists (including mine) could not have been an easy task, but I’m thinking that wasn’t even on their list of goals when it came to creating “The Serpent.” Each of their folk-informed, atmospheric records feels like a self-contained statement, informed by their sound and their spirits, and while each album fits nicely in a catalog together, they are their own things entirely. Led as always by John Haughm, their vocalist, guitarist, and lyrical visionary, along with guitarist Don Anderson, bassist John William Walton, and drummer Aesop Dekker, the band sound as channeled and special as ever, and every note that drips out of this nine-track, hour-long record are full of passion and genuine expression, and if it doesn’t move you, chances are you are dead. In short, they’ve done it again.

The record opens with “The Birth and Death of the Pillars of Creation,” an interesting choice to introduce you to the record, as it’s a 10:30-long track that takes its time setting up a mood and stretching out. There really are no speedy or furious moments on this track, and it settles in a mid-paced tempo for the most part. But it’s a hell of a listen, one that’ll pull you along for its entire run, with Haughm switching back and forth from his low-register growls and whispers as he is wont to do. The melody is rich and nuanced, and it has an ending that feels like it is pulling up to an ancient tree in an isolated section of a forest for offerings. “(serpens caput)” is the first of three acoustic-based interludes (played by Canadian musician Nathanaël Larochette of Musk Ox) that tie the album together nicely, and this cut takes you into “The Astral Dialogue” that immediately begins rumbling and shaking from its opening moments and is one of the heaviest cuts on here. The song erupts with a riff that actually reminds me of their labelmates the Atlas Moth, with Haughm letting loose more vicious growls, going back to whispers at some points, and the band setting into hearty, meaty melodies that are infectious and thrashy, dousing the song in a sense of danger. “Dark Matter Gods” runs 8:38, starting with clean playing as the whisper/growl mix comes into play again. This track feels the most like earlier Agalloch of anything on this record (or anything on “Marrow,” for that matter), but it also has some prog tendencies and, gulp, amazing hooks that’ll set up inside you and never let go. You keep sitting there waiting for them to come back, and when they do, it’s a total rush. This song makes my blood surge, and by the time Haughm howls, “Darkness is the father of all,” you know you’ve been swept away somewhere and experienced something special.

“Celestial Effigy” also begins on a calmer note, with sunburnt guitars spreading out like it’s a warm summer day, but eventually the tempo kicks into gear, and the band drums up more drama, with creaky growls, lead guitars that have a late 1970s spirit to them (which I absolutely love), and some blistering playing, with acoustics coming back into the mix before one final eruption that is taken out with Dekker’s drumming. “Cor Serpentis (The Sphere)” is the next acoustic-rich interlude, feeling rustic and woodsy, with its neo-folk stylings. “Vales Beyond Dimension” is another mind blower, with lead guitars that enrapture you right away, low growls telling the tales, and some doom and gloom to make everything that much darker. Some of the guitar lines again go back to late ’70s and early ’80s classic metal, which is a great touch and works really well here, and some of the music delves into gazey territory. There are plenty of twists and turns, as expected from an Agalloch song, and it all concludes with a dramatic finish where melody swells, the vocals are grisly, and the noise subsides only to spill into the longest cut on the record “Plateau of the Ages.” This 12:28 instrumental track opens with a thick synth fog, a deliberate build, and even some post-rock-style playing before it reaches its mid-point. From there the riffs kick in, gloomy melodies claim the day, and the guitar work begins to rise out of the murk with even more classic tendencies. The spirits rise, the drums begin to tease, and a gushing melody surges, giving the album an incredible finish that’ll have your spirits soaring. The record is capped off by a final acoustic track “(serpens cauda)” that brings the adventure to its rightful ending, like a boat finally finding the shore after a long journey through contentious waters.

Agalloch’s power and majesty cannot be denied, and their fifth record “The Serpent & the Sphere” is another enthralling chapter in their folk-lacked black metal saga. Many bands have tried to ape their sound, but none accomplish matching it simply because those groups are not Agalloch. This was one of my most anticipated records of the year, and it met all expectations. This is one of modern metal’s pillars, a measuring stick for everyone else, and everything they do is crucial to the genre just because they are so good and so true at what they do. They deserve your reverence, so pay it. After all, just look at how much this band has given metal in their nearly two decades together. And who knows how many more vital documents they’ll craft in the future?

For more on the band, go here: http://www.agalloch.org/

To buy the album, go here: http://www.profoundlorerecords.com/products-page/

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

One of these guys is not in the band …

There used to be a time when receiving physical copies of promo records in the mail was the norm. Just a couple years ago, each day the mail arrived could contain up to 5-10 packages with a single album or multiple releases, and I know it’s a time my wife doesn’t look back on fondly because the mail piling up drove her insane. Then just about everyone went digital.

It’s totally understandable why just about all promos are digital now, as it saves a ton of money in postage fees alone. But every now and again I’ll get an unexpected packet of records I didn’t expect, which always makes me a little excited. It’s a reminder of the old days of writing, and I have to admit it does get my attention above the virtual sea of digital promos flooding my inbox, so many of which I can’t even get to because there’s only so much memory on my computer. And in my brain.

Recently, French label Les Acteurs l’Ombre Productions sent out a package containing a new record from a band whose new record I was heavily anticipating and one from a group that I was unaware of until that moment when I was looking at the cover of this mysterious things. It was an added bonus that both records were of high quality and have provided quite a bit of dark enjoyment ever since they arrived, and we’ll take a look at both albums today. Each album is housed in a very nicely designed digipak, complete with lyrics in one case, so you’re also going to be getting your money’s worth in that regard. You can’t discount that when you’re asking people to trade money for your products.

Up first is a band that was new to me in Paramnesia, an atmospheric black metal band that sounds like they might as well hail from the Pacific Northwest of the United States or even California, but instead hail from France, a place known for its mind-bending, fresh take on all things metallic. The closest associations I can think to compare the band are Fell Voices, Ash Borer, and Weakling, and their penetrating, crushing sound really hits the spot for listeners like me who indulge in this kind of sound. The two tracks on their first and self-titled full-length release create a mood that sticks around and swelters through most of the 40-minute running time, with some well-placed peaks and valleys here and there to keep you wondering. The members remain shrouded in mystery for the most part, but their sonic mission is obvious and in your face.

The record opens with “IV” that has that Cascadian-style thunder that makes you wonder if this whole thing was dreamt up in the middle of a dark forest, and from there the track begins bleedings its power all over the place. There are plenty of dark melodies that lurk underneath all of the audio violence, and eventually a pocket of clean playing settles in before it all explodes again. Sweeping chaos settles in, like a generous thunderstorm has opened up and began drenching your surroundings, and that chaos remains until the song’s final moments when the energy finally subsides and washes out. Closer “V” begins with an eerie introduction that eventually swells into an assault of guitars that sound like an unforgiving, frosty gust of winds hitting your exposed skin. The song spends a good bit of time drubbing and punishing you, with howled vocals and shrieks, and thunderous playing. The song calms down again and it gets atmospheric and hazy, with melodies ringing out and adding a sense of color to all of the fury, and the final minutes trickle out into the night, finally releasing its grip.

Paramnesia are a welcome addition to the crowded atmospheric black metal cauldron, and right away, they stand up above the pretenders and prove they have a grasp on what makes this style so exhilarating. This self-titled debut is an eye-opener, and hopefully there are more good things to come from this band in the future.

For more on the band, go here: http://paramnesiaxpa.bandcamp.com/

Also coming from France are the Great Old Ones, a Lovecraft-inspired progressive black metal band that impressed the hell out of us on their 2012 debut “Al Azif” and now are back with a second helping of fever-dream-rich stuff with “Tekeli-Li.” The title actually is a cry Lovecraft lifted from an Edgar Allen Poe poem for his “At the Mountains of Madness,” on which this record is based, and this band does a fine job conjuring the cosmic horror writer’s penchant for horror and absolute strangeness. But the band doesn’t just get into weird headspaces; they also are great at putting together metal that is equally earthquaking and compelling, keeping you tuned in all the way on this six-track, 53-minute opus that is one hell of an interesting adventure. The band is comprised of guitarists/vocalists Jeff Grimal and Benjamin Guerry, guitarist Xavier Godart, bassist Sebastian Lalanne, and drummer Leo Isnard, who combine for one dangerous, spectacular assault unit. Cthulhu would be proud in his watery grave. By the way, it might help to read Lovecraft’s novella in advance to full enjoy every nuance.

The record opens with the eerie instrumental “Je ne suis pas fou,” complete with French dialog and sounds that set the stage for what’s to come. Then it’s into the tale’s beginning in “Antarctica,” a muddy, doomy crusher that’s built on sonic violence, vicious howls, and bubbling bass work that makes it seem like water in the freezing region somehow is coming to life. The lead guitar work burns, there are epic melodies that cascade, and the song finally fades out on the wings of sound. That leads into “The Elder Things” that starts with winds whipping up, piano notes dripping, and the track finally fully igniting. From there, we get a steady treatment of vicious shrieks, enrapturing melodies, and some playing that delves deeply into progressive waters. The intensity continues to build, and the final moments slip into a death metal-inspired finish that reminds of Opeth’s earlier work.

“Awakening” is up next, and it begins with more dreamy speaking, then guitars that charge up over it and glimmer like great lights. The song keeps driving hard until it heads right into a doom-infested haze that takes over and adds a sense of ugliness to what’s otherwise a majestic song. The song really hits its stride in the second half, with the music coming to life and carrying you to a next plane of existence. “The Ascend” is a robust instrumental cut that’s one of the more aggressive numbers on here. The band really settles into a groove and comes at you with punishing drums and progressive-minded guitar work, yet in the final moments it achieves calm, with classical-style acoustics leading you to the gates. The mammoth 17:50-long closer “Behind the Mountains” is a perfect summation of everything you’ve heard so far. There is musical thunder and fireworks, passionately growled vocals, valleys that let you have a breath of air while more dialog is spoken, and more ruptures that bring the story to its devastating climax, as all sanity is destroyed by a horror that is utterly unspeakable.

The Great Old Ones are one of the most challenging, bizarre, and inspired bands plying the black metal trade, and they offer something both mysterious and terrifying into this form of music. This second album of theirs is an amazing adventure, one that matches the intensity and horror of Lovecraft’s tale and one that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Amazing record.

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

To buy either album, go here: http://www.lesacteursdelombre.net/productions/v2/?post_type=product

For more on the label, go here: http://www.lesacteursdelombre.net/productions/

It’s time for everyone’s favorite regular installment of bands that don’t really sound like how they used to anymore, which often are complete with backlash, claims of betrayal, and other silly things. Look, bands change. People change. Influences change. Directions change. It happens all the time, and to expect every group to sound the same their entire career is unfair to the band and selfish of the listener.

That doesn’t mean you don’t have the right to be disappointed. I have zero interest in this new Mastodon record based on their last two albums and what I’ve heard from the new one. But hey, they’re huge stars now, so their formula appeals more to the masses than it does to me. But there are exceptions. Opeth’s total transformation into prog metal on “Heritage” actually did a lot for me, and while I prefer their death metal days to where they’ve gone now, I still enjoy that album. Same goes for Alcest (and more on this band in a minute) and their latest opus “Shelter” that completely abandons black metal altogether and goes for Slowdive-esque shoegaze. Sure, some people felt abandoned by the sound, but really, the new approach should not have been a big surprise if you followed their path.

That takes us to “Melting Sun,” the new record from Germany’s Lantlôs, long a pairing of Markus “Herbst” Siegenhort and Alcest’s Neige up until this record. Neige left to continue concentrate on his own band, leaving Herbst to solely contribute his own vocals (though he did assemble an entire band for the record and going forward). That means the disappearance of harsh vocals and the insertion of Herbst’s clean singing that does take a little of time for adjustment. I don’t man that in a bad way. It’s just that when you get used to Lantlôs sounding a certain way, there’s a bit of a shock the first time you go through “Melting Sun.” This is Herbst’s vision alone, and it does move further away from black metal terrain and more toward the gazey, progressive sounds that always were a part of Lantlôs’ sound anyway. And it’s pretty exhilarating to hear, to be honest and quite an emotional listen that could make your mind soar and your heart go with it. I’m sure there will be some backlash from people because it’s not savage enough for them, and that’s their right to feel that way. But I sure don’t share those feelings and really have enjoyed every visit I’ve had with “Melting Sun.”

Each song on the record is given “Melting Sun” and a Roman numeral before their title, so we’ll omit those references the rest of the way for cleanliness. We open with “Azure Chimes,” a song that begins with clean, spacious playing and some pretty great clean singing from Herbst, immediately letting you know things have changed. There are some sludgy riffs and a bit of a doom kick to it, but it’s also dreamy and lovely in some spots. “Cherry Quartz,” the longest cut on the record at 9:40, begins with a flush of air and gorgeous melodies that sweep over you. It feels like a song that pulls you through the clouds and into sunbursts for the most part, and eventually Herbst realizes, “My journey is so long, and I am so small.” The back end of the song gets a little heavier to cap off this journey. “Aquamarine Towers” is the second longest at 8:08, and it starts with murkier waters wafting fog, and the music settling into a slow-moving pace, with deeper singing, and a bit of a goth feel. The music opens up again, with heavy gushing and dreamier vocals, taking the song to its finish.

“Jade Fields” starts with a low rumble and guitars trickling over top, and once it reaches it emotional peak, it’s pure metalgzae. The lyrics are emotional and could grip your heart, with Herbst singing, “Let me go, don’t feel sorry,” as if he wants you to let him float away to the afterlife without regrets. Toward the end, the music gets more adventurous and prog-fueled, giving this one heck of a surprising conclusion. “Oneironaut” is a frozen, ambient-rich interlude that is full of gentle chimes and the feeling that you’re looking at the world from underneath stream water. Closer “Golden Mind” is gentle and serene throughout, and it kept making me think of flying over a lake, letting the wind whip me as I look out over nature. The song is blissful and full of washed-out vocals, and the whole thing finally drowns out in a haze of noise, like it’s giving you a logical finish to a dream that has gripped you all night long.

Herbst clearly is following his own path on “Melting Sun,” and it’s an adventurous, colorful trip that’s like nothing else in the Lantlôs canon. What he trades in metallic skullduggery, he makes up for in his dream-inducing compositions and heartfelt songs that could grip you and sweep you away. It’s a really strong record that should begin to carve out a future for Lantlôs that appears limitless. That’s a pretty exciting thing to behold.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.theconnextion.com/prophecy/prophecy_index.cfm?

For more on the label, go here: http://www.prophecy.de/

Not every band is capable of coming up with a breakthrough record that sees them take what they do well and drive it to the next level. To me, that doesn’t mean they come up with something that happens to catch ears and sells a lot of records. Instead, I mean when bands improve upon an already successful formula and do something above and beyond their history.

Maybe Castle won’t be in the top 20 of best sellers on the Billboard charts, and perhaps they’ll never ascend to a major headliner act that sells out major clubs. But what they’ve managed to do on their third full-length record “Under Siege” makes me believe perhaps they can reach those heights, and if they do so, they will have done it on their artistic merit and the power from this fantastic record. Even if that major success doesn’t come with this album, they should be proud they made a great heavy metal record that’s as blast of fun to listen to and really starts to pay off the potential Castle always had in them. And it’s a true heavy metal record in the classic sense, with high drama, great blasts of epic glory, and a grasp of the things that made bands such as Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, and Dio so great.

Now, the band—vocalist/bassist Elizabeth Blackwell, guitarist Mat Davis, drummer Al McCartney—have not left behind their doom-laced, Occult-flavored metal that we heard on their debut “In Witch Order” and their great sophomore record “Blacklands.” It’s still there, but it’s only one element of a greater whole. The sound is far more realized, Blackwell’s vocals take on a different, more dangerous personality, and Castle have a shot at reaching a wider audience now with this record. It sounds like an organic progression to this point, and their foray into metallic sounds of old never feels forced and really makes this record so special. It’s the reason I believe this is their breakthrough album, because they truly seem to understand what they want, how they want to sound, and how to get where they need to be.

You don’t have to wait long to get a sense for how things have progressed for Castle, as they assault you out of the gates with opener “Distant Attack.” The guitars are spirited and high energy, and Blackwell’s singing is soulful and has a classic metal bend to them. The last part of the song really pours gasoline on the fires as they gallop full speed ahead and right into “Be My Ghost,” built on some great riffs and smoky vocals. The music is thrashy in spots and delivers some body shots, while Blackwell wails, “The fire never dies.” “A Killing Pace” is a pretty apt description of the song, as the guitars are dark and threatening, the pace calculated and bruising, and the sounds sweltering with an evil intent. “Pyramid Lake” is full of attitude, with Blackwell barking, “All right now!” as if she’s paying tribute to Ozzy, and the band chugs along with her, delivering a meaty tempo, killer guitar soloing, and a memorable assault all around.

“Powersigns” takes its time to get started, with guitars meandering and setting a tone, but then it leads into a tasty, classic doom section that feels like their older work, with Blackwell singing about a house of misery. The music matches the darkness of her words, and the song is equal parts ominous and catchy as hell. The record’s highest points land with the next two cuts, starting with “Labyrinth of Death,” one of the best cuts in the band’s catalog that opens with a Steve Harris-like bass gallop, hazy guitars, and a pure 1980s feel. The lead guitar work is scintillating and inspired, and toward the end, the pace begins to pick up gradually, until it reaches a climax with Blackwell howling, “All death is near.” “Temple of the Lost” then settles into a damn cool doom groove, with Davis lending his growls to add some dark shades to Blackwell’s singing, and as usual for Castle, the riffs are nasty and awesome, driving this great track forward. Closer “Evil Ways” is a bit of a downer, as Davis and Blackwell sing together—he growls, she wails—and the formula just doesn’t feel quite right. But musically is delivers, and it’s just a slight misfire on an otherwise tremendous record.

It’s great to hear Castle reach such great musical heights on “Under Siege,” and if enough people are exposed to these eight songs, the band’s profile is bound to swell. But even if that doesn’t happen, this band should be damn proud of this record and what they’ve accomplished the past few years. If you’re hungry for a classic dose of heavy metal, you’re bound to be thrilled to no end with the glorious punishment dealt on “Under Siege.”

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

To buy the album go here: http://store.prostheticrecords.com/

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

Primitive Man

We concentrate so much on new full-length releases on this site that sometimes things just as important slip past us. It’s not on purpose. There are so damn many new records released each week that it’s even hard keeping up with all of those, and sometimes the smaller releases don’t get their just due. We’re going to make a conscious effort to change that starting today.

There have been some pretty strong 7-inch and 10-inch recordings that have come out the past few weeks, and we want to take a look at some of those today. Obviously vinyl is very much alive and well (even if people totally out of the loop think it’s a trend or a time warp), and that is very evident by the metal world. Pretty much each weekend I peruse my local record shops, and I’m always finding tons of new vinyl to consider. It’s become overwhelming just because my wallet won’t allow me to grab as much as I want, but it’s a fun problem to have. Grabbing a few 7-inchers or even a 10-incher is a fun way to get some new music but not burn a hole in your wallet. While there are plenty more new releases out there right now, we wanted to take a look at these three records that have been in regular rotation around here.

We’ll start off the beefiest of these releases, that being the new 10-inch release that brings together Denver maulers Primitive Man and Danish killers Hexis. Each band contributes one song for this thing, and each group’s submission is ugly, menacing, and not concerned for your well-being. This thing will maul and drub you, each side of it, as if you are being forced into submission, and chances are when the record is over, it’s not going to improve your mood a whole lot. It’ll probably make you feel even more aggravated than you already are, and who said that’s a bad thing?

Primitive Man get going with “When Getting High Is Not Enough,” a title that should tell you all you need to know about the murk and punishment behind this song. The track is sludgy and mean, but also spacious in spots where they let some atmosphere into the dank depression. The vocals are menacing and monstrous, the pace eventually kicks up and ignites, and the charging, feedback-ridden guitars leave scars and burn marks. Hexis respond with “Excrucio,” a track draped in black doom and an inescapable sense of grimness. The vocals are ugly, and the guitars settle in like a vicious storm intent on saturating everything. Noise boils over, and a thick dose of drone emerges to enact a campaign of terror. The sound continues to build, creating a black wall of madness, with the final moments a gut-wrenching demolition. These two bands work well together, and they will make you utterly miserable.

For more on Primitive Man, go here: http://primitivemandoom.com/

For more on Hexis, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Hexisband

To buy the album go here: http://www.halooffliesrecords.com/releases/

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

Another split effort, one that was part of a three-release series for Record Store Day, comes to us from two of the more exciting new bands in extreme music right now. A389 put out a series with bands covering songs that pay homage to the pioneers of heavy music or whatever inspired them to create, and the one I dig most teamed up Noisem, who just ripped the hell out of Stage AE in Pittsburgh in early April, and Occultist, who will obliterate your senses. Both of these bands have become two of my modern favorites, and if you want to find music that can kick your lazy ass into gear, you would do well to indulge in Noisem and Occultist. While we’re only looking extensively at this record, there other two split 7-inchers of more than worth your time, including one pairing Full of Hell and Psywarfare and the other combining Integrity and Vegas.

Noisem properly pay homage to Repulsion, a band whose influence you certainly can hear in their sound and on their killer debut record “Agony Defined.” Here, they rip through “Slaughter of the Innocent,” treating is with respect but also adding their own violent flare, making sure it is blistering and thrashy, with vocalist Tyler Carnes sounding raspier than usual. It’s a violent, savage tribute, and Repulsion fans should receive this well. Occultist whip out a devastating version of the Plasmatics’ “The Damned,” with vocalist Kerry Zylstra doing a fine job in the Wendy O. Williams role, which is no easy task. The band puts a rock and roll swagger on the song, quite naturally, but they also inject some of their own sludge and hardcore fury into the track, making it a firehouse of a serving. Both of these bands are great and highly recommended, so if you haven’t checked them out yet, get off your ass, son.

For more on Noisem, go here: https://www.facebook.com/NoisemBaltimore

For more on Occultist, go here: https://www.facebook.com/0ccultist

To buy the album go here: https://a389recordings.bandcamp.com/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.a389records.com/site/

We conclude with Ruine, a new group that combines members of black metal heathens Mutilation Rites and grindcore freaks Magrudergrind in a combo that … isn’t nearly as fast as you might think from who’s involved. But that’s not a negative whatsoever, as this group is an awesome, sludgy, miserable unit that could make you want to step into traffic after a bad day. The two songs on their “Winter 2014” 7-inch release are drubbing, crushing, and full of darkness, and these guys have a pretty interesting thing going on here that I’m curious to hear more of as they work their way into the future.

We kick off with “Decades of Sorrow,” a trudging dose of black doom, where George Paul’s vocals are instantly recognizable and as shrouded in mystery as they are on Mutilation Rites albums. The track is wholly violent, but there are melodies that run through it as well, giving it a weird glistening that makes you tilt your head. The back end is riffy as hell, with Avi Kulawy joining with Paul to shred you and sting your ear drums. “Regression” is slow driving and ugly, with Justin Ennis’ drums setting a devious pace that instills evil into the track. The vocals are just not human, as they sound like shrieks of pain that no living being could replicate or comprehend, and the music is thrashy, mucky, and keeps clubbing and threatening right until it ends, finally giving you mercy. This is one hell of a bruising band, and whatever they do in the future we will consume with great interest.

For more on Ruine, go here: https://www.facebook.com/ruinenyc?ref=br_tf

To buy the album go here: http://www.forcefieldrecords.org/store/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.forcefieldrecords.org/site/

Photo by Louis Caldarola

Not all music is created equal, and not all bands make art to end up on Best Buy ends caps, energy drink-sponsored tours, or on that Liquid Metal satellite radio station during daylight hours. No offense intended to those bands, but thankfully there are those that do the polar opposite of that, almost like they are pushing you away and poking your eyes.

If I ever see a WOLD record in a Best Buy or on any bill that has a Rock Star energy drink (or whatever that poison’s called) logo on an elaborate, ridiculously designed poster, I will assume all the other bands in the world died, or it is a giant troll from Fortress Crookedjaw (who handles guitars, electronics, programming, and the goblin-esque vocals) to sicken the masses and brainwash them into seeing things his way. What a scary world that would be, though if WOLD were to hold court at some all-day amphitheater show in the summer, it would be worth seeing for the sight alone. And for the mass panic and confusion. Lots of crying in $7 Coors Light cups.

If you’re new to WOLD’s sound, here’s an idea of what it’s like. Go into your basement with an old cassette deck, and take with you an aged, scratchy black metal demo from the ’90s. Then, fill your dryer with a bunch of shoes and rocks. Then plug in a table saw. Now, play them all at the same time, and you have a basic understanding of how chaotic all of this is. There are so many noisy layers on “Postsocial,” as well as the group’s other recordings, that it all practically congeals into one big monster. If you require melody and hooks, you have come to the wrong place. This is confrontational, but in an enveloping way, like a toxic gas cloud or a massive insect storm. You’re definitely going to react to the music in some way, and many people are bound to find this hideous and unpleasant. I can see their point. But if you can get your head into it—and I got mine in the band way back on “Screech Owl” —you’ll find a world of mass static, where you’re sure to drown in a sea of misery and psychological confusion.

Lyrically, the content is pretty mysterious, though the band does give you a tiny glimpse into what’s going on. The five tracks are based on each point of the inverted star, and as expected, there are ritualistic tones weaved into this thing, as well as so many other elements that WOLD have chosen to keep to themselves. Their philosophies are weaved into the madness, and at times, it feels like their music is full of so many paths, thoughts, and ideas converging upon themselves, leaving you to try to make sense of it all. Don’t feel bad if you can’t. Probably no one outside of Fortress Crookedjaw is capable of doing that. Maybe it’s better that way.

Opener “Throwing Star” puts the violence right in your face immediately, with furious noise penetration, nightmarish vocals that sound like they’re coming from something not even remotely human, but what’s that? An actual melody beneath the madness? Yes, it’s there, and it’s fleeting, but it’s a really intriguing moment that’s easy to miss. “Inner Space Infirmary” follows with noise roiling from the start, mesmerizing and numbing sounds that can capture your gaze and stretch it out for a thousand miles, and eventually a whipping sound that is apropos of the lashing going on at the moment. The song eventually feels like it is catapulted into space, where your lungs explode on impact, and the harsh, maniacal screams emitted match the pain. Poisonous fog rolls in, and the song ends with tortured wails.

“Five Points” begins with Crookedjaw howling, “Five points!” over and over again, probably the most decipherable words that come out of his mouth on the whole album. There are bizarre zaps that sound like a fleet of starships attacking your hometown, and noises keep striking at you. Fluid guitar lines can be heard under the layers and layers of chaos, and everything keeps gnawing at you as the song finally lets up its grasp. “Spiral Star Inversion” is the longest song on the record at 14:16—and most of the songs are nearly 10 minutes anyway, I should add—with stabbing guitars lacerating and feedback wailing out. While the track is fiery and buzzing, there also is some relative calm. Well, it’s calm in the WOLD world. Not your own. Some of the music feels like water is trickling and chimes are being agitated by breezes, almost like a spring day in hell. And it doesn’t last. Raw vocals erupt again, the dark haze envelops everything, there are wild piercing noises that could slice you up, and at one point, the crazed vocals become almost like an infant wail that feels like a hopeless plea for mercy. From there the noise returns, and crazed vocals bleed out at the end. Closer “Sapphire Sect of Tubal Cain” is all music, from weird, swirling keys, to percolating energy that eventually invites strong winds, and the final moments feel like an alien storm that threatens the power grid and humanity itself.

WOLD’s style, artwork, and approach are wholly unique. Name another band or artist that make noises like these. Choose another that can make sounds so deep, eerie, and terrifying that it gets in your head. No one has been able to match WOLD’s intensity and aura, and there will not be another record that sounds even remotely like “Postsocial” this year. Or maybe forever. Not everyone’s going to get this level of trauma, and people who don’t understand will pass this off as pure racket. That’s fine. It’s wrong, because there is an emotional depth few can comprehend. But for those willing to take the journey and really dig into this thing, you know passing off this, or any other WOLD record, as chaotic rubbish is pure foolishness. This is a group with a vision all their own, and every trip into their void is an insane one.

For more on the band, go here: http://wold-klan.blogspot.com/

To buy the album, go here: http://www.profoundlorerecords.com/products-page/

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

It’s not really a shock when we get a great Viking-inspired metal band rising up out of Scandinavia and enrapturing the world with the tales that have been passed down from generation to generation, making its way into the bloodstreams of black, death, and doom metal.

Last I checked a map, which hasn’t been a while, granted, Michigan is not a part of that area encompassing Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, and even a secession from the United States could not get the state any closer. Obviously. So it might seem odd that Ifing, who take their name from the river in Norse mythology separating the gods from the giants, are making some damn exemplary Viking-based black metal in Grand Rapids, Mich. We’re talking stuff that could conjure memories of Bathory, Moonsorrow, Primordial, and even Summoning (there’s definitely a “Legends of Zelda” feel to some of what’s going on here), and their debut three-track offering “Against This Weald” is a real eye opener and a very pleasant surprise. Viking metal makes me either think of deep winter or the gushing first few weeks of spring, and since we’re in the latter, this record is really hitting the spot.

Ifing is comprised of Fritz Petersen (vocals, guitars, bass, synth) and Tim Wicklund (drums, percussion, tin whistle), who also played together in Through the Mist, and their first release as a duo wisely was picked up by Finnish label Blood Music, which is situated right in the heart of the land where the lyrical and musical themes originated. This duo also infuses folk into the picture, but not in the beer hall chicanery sense, to complete a dark, stimulating, and even medieval style of music that might cause your mind to wander and dream of sword meeting sword, horses galloping through mud and blood, and great fires rising in the night as weary soldiers rest their bones over charred meats and great servings of ale. Now I need a beer.

The record opens with “The Sires Beyond Await,” an eerie, wooshing instrumental that actually makes me think of something that could soundtrack a watery attack by Stannis Baratheon’s troops on “Game of Thrones.” Every time I hear it, that’s exactly what I think about. Waves crash, the synth has a glorious midnight at the castle feel, and that spills directly into the 13:07 “The Stream.” Moments after the song begins, the track bursts open with spacious melodies, folk measures that add color to the thunderous black metal explosion, and growls that are interspersed with soulful, clean singing. In fact, those two elements trade places quite often on this record, showing the diversity of Petersen’s expression and range. Eventually, acoustic guitars settle in, and the whistles make it feel like the leafy woods are all around you, but then the song relaunches into infectious power, giving the song an ending that is equally volcanic and mystical.

Closer “Realms Forged” runs 18:34, and they make the most of that running time, filling it with all kinds of adventure. The opening bursts with power, with acoustic strains lurking behind for texture, and as the excitement builds, harsh vocals spill in, making everything feel tough and gruff. But, as you might expect, the tempo swings back again to the earthier side, with more whistles calling, and Petersen going back to more melodic vocals. Out of that pocket, strong guitar lines charge in and get the fires burning again. Wooshy keys and steady rainfall then make their way into the picture, with a long, murky section that begins to generate fog, and following some thunderclaps, the track erupts anew. The vocals switch back to devastating, passionate growls, the melodies fire up one last time and carry everything forward toward a climax, and some final folk elements return and wash away with the waves.

“Against This Weald” is a thoroughly enjoyable debut record from Ifing, and despite not hailing from the land where their Viking muses originated, they get the spirit and majesty of the movement right nonetheless. This record can be lush and moving, grisly and violent, and that all can happen in a single minute of one song. You’ll constantly be kept on the edge of your seat with this record, like you’re dodging high waves, keeping your enemies at bay, and feeling pretty damn adventurous once this killer album has come to its end. You can’t ask for more than that.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.blood-music.com/store/store.html

For more on the label, go here: http://www.blood-music.com/