Despite what you might think, not a whole lot of effort is needed to figure out our picks of the week. I know, you probably thought we went through mountains of paperwork, complex algorithms, and beakers and beakers of chemicals in order to arrive at the decision, but no. It’s more that I hear a record, it hits me in the guts, and I know that nothing that week will top it.

This week, it’s Mutilation Rites’ drubbing new record “Harbinger,” and I pretty much knew it would be from the first time I heard the thing over a month or so ago. This band is one of my go-to choices if I need music while on the road or running or any time I need a boost, and this album was one that was on my most-anticipated list all year. And from just one listen, I knew the NYC-based, filthy black metal band had outdone themselves, both making a record that would please their minions and push them to the next level. The band keeps progressing and getting more devastating, and there are moments on this masher where they channel the most hate-filled of ’80s thrash and burn it to the ground as well as weave even more entrancing melodies than before into their black metal sections. This band has a very identifiable musical fingerprint, which is so rare these days when everything runs together and bleeds color all over each other. When Mutilation Rites comes on, you absolutely know it’s them, and that should put sick glee into listeners’ hearts. And I know it does to mine.

Part of what makes this band so recognizable as soon as they begin to assault your eardrums is guitarist George Paul (also of Ruine, Hexer) and his throat-vomiting-staples vocals. They are raw, damaged, and sound painful, and sometimes it appears he is not ever blurting out words, but rather angry, pained grunt and cries. Along with him are guitarist Michael Dimmitt, bassist Ryan Jones (ex-Today Is the Day), and drummer Justin Ennis (also of Ruine). They’re a dangerous machine, pumping out black metal that is not hostage to trend or other sounds around them. Yes, they belong in the genre, but there is a lot more to their sound and their approach, and it’s one of the things that makes them so damn refreshing. They also happen to write killer songs that leave you guessing at to where they’ll go next and that bring total devastation in their wake.

“Black Pyramid” is the first crushing blow dealt on “Harbinger,” with the drums lacing with intensity, the band kicking into a blazing assault, and the vocals belching out like black tar. The song builds into a tricky, trance-inducing section as it winds toward its second half, and before all is said and done, the vocals figure out a way to sound even more menacing and out of control. “Exhaling or Breathing” is full of melody and pulls back on the reins just a bit, going for calculating instead of clobbering. There’s a nice thrash groove buried in there, deep growling that sounds scraped from the belly, and a storming finish that rushes into “Tactical Means of Ouroboros.” That track charges full speed into the mayhem, with more hellacious drumming and vocals that are practically spat out half digested. There’s an interesting segue into the second part of the song that makes you think things are going one way, but instead they punish you with precision at the end. “Gravitational Collapse” signals a change of pace for the entire record, one of savagery and pure thrash leanings that makes my old heart glow. Lurching growls, meaty riffing, and outright violence begin to turn you on your face for a through beating.

“Contaminate” makes me think of “Rust in Peace” heyday Megadeth, but even more explosive and ambitious. The playing is fluid and intelligent, and it makes complete mush of your brain as it goes on. It’s a sinister, barn-burning song, and it’s one of those tracks that enlightens you on just how diverse these guys can be. “Suffer the Children” greeted the internet around the end of May, and it’s a great first taste of this record. The track is a steamroller, absolutely blending your guts and helping you see blood. The song eventually pulls back and begins to boil on medium, but the back end is absolutely scorching. Just a killer song. “Ignus Fatuus” starts with a mud-thick bassline that rolls into a metallic haze, and muck-caked growls begin stomping hard. The guitar work gets tricky and dizzying, something you don’t hear every black metal band try and pull off this well, and a rush of melody takes the song to its conclusion. Closer “Conspiracy of Silence” is a solid meat-and-potatoes finish, with sludgy guitars, drums the rumble you to death, low and gurgly growling, and swirling melodies that could make the room spin. It’s a concise, to-the-point finale that wraps the record up with a nice, plasma-encrusted bow.

Mutilation Rites continue to prove they are one of the most creative bands in black metal, and their willingness to push their own creativity and the envelope has completely worked to their advantage. “Harbinger” is rock solid through and through, an incredibly strong effort from a consistent band that deserves to play to increasingly larger audiences. Not every record you peg as an anticipated release comes through once it’s in your hands, but this album surpassed expectations and has me really excited to hear these guys execute these killers live.

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

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

Or here: http://store.prostheticrecords.com/

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

Tecumseh’s drone-dream backline.

It’s always a curiosity to me how a specific form of music affects people in such different ways. Drone, for instance, is today’s topic, and I’ve always found it stimulating and relaxing, something I could put on while digging deeply into a project that requires me to be at my peak. On the other hand, my wife can’t listen to it at all, as it makes her nervous and overly anxious. You couldn’t have two more diametrically opposing feelings about the same style of music.

That takes us to Tecumseh and their great two new releases “Violet” and “For the Night,” brought to you by Baltimore-based label Anti-Matter Records. Both efforts shine a huge amount of Sunn 0))) rays on the proceedings, and each record has been a pleasure to behold the past few weeks at work while I put together product spreadsheets. The music floats in the air, stings you with electricity, but also calms and soothes the frayed nerve endings in a way most metal does not. OK, so my wife hasn’t heard these yet, and she’s likely be driven up a wall, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. There’s a local group that holds Black Yoga classes around the Pittsburgh area (they recently were featured in Decibel and can be found here: http://blackyoga.blogspot.com), and the music from these Tecumseh albums sound like they’d be ideal for helping people branch out, find their inner peace, and make good with the chaos surrounding them.

Based out of Portland, Ore., this three-piece unit formed in 2004 and combine musicians John Krausbauer (formerly of doom metal crushers Trees); Jeremy Long, known for his electronic-based solo project Brown and his work with Hive; and Ian Hawk, whose background is in the visual arts and recently collaborated on the film “AutoPriest.” Together they create something truly cinematic and sweeping, and if your imagination can keep up with them, you’re in for a hell of a ride on these two records.

“Violet” has the most songs with three, and it opens with the shortest cut found on either record with “Final Light, Last Light,” a serving of low rumbling noise, shimmering playing, and strains that make it feel like you’re staring right into the early morning sun. Then it’s onto “Serenade for the Dead,” a 12:56-long excursion into simmering drone, slowly building sounds, and guitars that begin to give off serious energy. It feels like beams of light are royally protruding from the track’s guts, as waves of buzzing and doom fog roll out and encapsulate the entire landscape. The band keeps everything pulsating, and you might find the melodies are driling right into your head, forcing your concentration and, at the same time, opening up your consciousness to new possibilities. “Vincennes” is the closer, running 11:39, and it wafts a thick haze, melodies that are buried beneath the murk, and a sense that you are walking through a humid summer scene, with the damp air creating a film on your face. The buzzing makes it seem like you are surrounded by hungry insects looking for blood, and the churning that floods over gives you a good mental workout. The end of the song feels more threatening than everything else on here, and the track eventually fades into darkness, taking your imagination with it into the unknown.

“For the Night” is a two-track collection that runs about 20 minutes, and it starts with “Darkness Swallowing the Air,” a song that resembles its title. Drone dominates, though melodies emerge and bubble, constantly changing their complexion. This track reminds me a little bit of “Serenade” and could be its darker twin, as noise roils and bends, sounds pierce you and leave the slightest red trickle, and the cut allows itself to bleed out after making its case. It’s a really mesmerizing 11 minutes. “Great Lakes” starts with horror-style strings and a sense of eeriness, but you don’t feel like you need to jump out of the way. Instead, the music rushes the senses and makes you a curious spectator, as the track takes you along dangerous paths one should not walk, into unsettling waters, and finally toward an unassuming end that could cause you to tilt your head. You’re probably supposed to write you own mental conclusion, which allows you to be an active participant in the tale.

Yes, Tecumseh can be a little frightening at times, and that might make some wonder how that can be a relaxing, thought-provoking scene like I mentioned earlier. I guess you just have to have the right frame of mind. The darkness on these two efforts raises my awareness and my creative thought, while the waves of drone wash over me and let my mind realize it’s a mental, not physical, journey. The fact I can invest so deeply in this music is worth its existence to me, and while drone might not be for everyone, the ones who do get it will get lost inside the realms of “Violet” and “For the Night.”

For more on the band, go here: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tecumseh-mn0001006303

To buy the albums, go here: http://anti-matterrecords.merchtable.com/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.anti-matterrecords.com/

For all of the heavy metal bands roaming this planet, there aren’t as many as you would think that encapsulate the sound of pure hell and thunder raining down on a battlefield, with severed limbs flying and blood dashing combatants’ mouths. That’s a special sound reserved for the likes of Bolt Thrower, Diocletian, and Cobalt, and not many others can match the combo of rage and glory of those killers.

But now New Zealand’s Exordium Mors are here to answer the bell, and they do that and a whole lot more on “The Apotheosis of Death.” It’s not that the songs are about war necessarily; it’s that they feel like they are. The band is heavy and ridiculously unforgiving. Yeah, I know that seems redundant to say on a site that covers the heaviest of metals, but try this records on for size and see if I’m not right. Oh, and that cover of a barbarian warrior holding aloft a severed head likely claimed during warfare? Yeah. That’s an excellent indication of what’s ahead for you on this pulverizing 10-track debut that’s smeared with black, death, and thrash metal. This is a band that could get you maimed in a live setting, and more than likely they’d just watch you tend to your wounds, chuckle heartily, and get back to the business of crushing bodies.

You may have guessed this from looking at the photo of these crazed beasts, but there are some damn fun names circulating among this band. Let’s dig into them, shall we? Might want to jot these down, because they’re amazing. On vocals is Scourge Witchfucker; on guitars are Santi and Black Mortum; on bass is Assailant; and on drums is the mighty Hades. Now, these guys also don’t use plain old terms like vocals and guitars when describing what they do, but you can go find all of that fun stuff on your own. And you’ll want to because, as silly as their terminology may seem, it oddly describes what they do perfectly. They’re not just playing music. They’re conjuring the fire of beasts, ready to burn off flesh and leave the unsuspecting lying in their wake. They’ve been doing this for 10 years, and they’ve got this thing down to a gut-ripping science.

“Axiom” rips open the record (as well as the six-part “Apotheosis” suite) with a killer riff, and the song gallops from there, channeling the unpolished spirit of early Iron Maiden. There is a chest-caving guitar solo that’ll make your blood rush, and the songs ends as violently as possible. “As the Vultures Descend” follows and is fast, dangerous, and gnarly, stabbing its way across its course, with growled vocals spat back onto the ground. There is plenty of speed to be had, and the gang shouts that adorn this thing sound primal and to be feared. Then it’s onto “Ascension Through Vanquished Flesh” that is heavy, raw, and splattering, with the band sounding like it’s headed deep underground to find buried bodies. “The Corpse of Your Divinity Now Burns” tells you everything you need to know in its title, but it goes ahead and kicks your ass anyway with razor-sharp black metal-style guitar lines, glorious stomping, and spirited vocals that slip behind and enhance the growls. “The Purging Storm of Chaos Unfurls…” begins with thunder and soaking rains, naturally, before it slips into off-kilter guitar work, a pace that eventually goes berserk, and soaring playing that makes this an instrumental that burns on high. “Unto Lightning Swords of Conquest (Mars Invictus),” the final part of the six-track series, has speedy riffs, savage vocals, a sinister attitude, and drums that’ll powder your bones. What a sextet of terror!

Then it’s off to the rest of the record, starting with “Fire and Triumph” that has a fitting name as it is full of both. It’s a heaping serving of total, true death that refuses to relent, and it is vicious and hammering. The band gang shouts “Fire!” and “Triumph” toward the end of the song, as if they’re marching toward a world-toppling clash. “Abandon All Hope” is one of the most brutal yet catchy metal songs of the year, and it just explodes from the gates. The song is a total rager, with vicious vocals, blinding fast playing, and the whole band howling, “Abandon all hope!” over the chorus. Go ahead and try to remove it from your head. It’s easier pulling an ax embedded in oak. “Blade of Brutus” injects some of the most punishing moments of the album for the back end, as the song burns for nearly nine minutes with shredding fury, shouted vocals, and an assault that just does not quit.  Once the fury finally dies down at the end, the lead and backing vocals go on a capella for several rounds, providing one last chance to these guys to gurgle and spit their disapproval in front of you. “Outro” is packed with passionate playing, some piano notes dripping, and a rare glimpse of beauty from the band. It’s a merciful conclusion to an utterly devastating record, which you’ll definitely need after the beating you will have sustained.

Exordium Mors must be heard, especially if you hunger for brutality and death that is real and pure. As clichéd as this will sound, this is a record that’ll make you want to wield a sword and drive it into a wall. I don’t advise trying to start a battle, as there are laws against that these days. But you can live vicariously. This is a killer record from an underground gem that’ll take your head clean off your shoulders.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://ibdclabel666.bigcartel.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.facebook.com/ibdc.label

You know you’re hearing music that is full of hatred and disgust if the words that come at you are ones you hope no one ever thinks about you. Or says to you in a confrontational way. Those words make you wonder what misdeeds must have inspired them and what kind of wounds must have been inflicted.

It took just one visit with “Bled White” from long-running doom metal band Novembers Doom to get a heaping dose of the hurt and torment lurking beneath the surface. Paul Kuhr, the band’s lone remaining original member, always has been one of the most expressive voices in this realm of music, and over the course of the group’s previous eight records, he created dark tapestries that let the listener in to face some of the darkest emotions one can feel. Yet on this ninth album, the hurt seems to go even deeper, the scorn feels thicker, and the wish to see the worst come to his subject matter is as real as it gets. Through these 11 songs and 68 minutes of metallic torture, Kuhr again and again reveals his hole-ridden heart, one that’s sustained enough damage to last many lifetimes and that he has no qualms with putting on display. You’ll want to look away, but you just won’t be able to do so.

Novembers Doom is a band that’s had a lot of members come through its doors (including Derketa’s Mary Bielich and Sasha Horn of Melechesh and Forbidden) with all making their own contributions and making themselves a part of this world of forlorn. The band that created “Bled White” along with Kuhr includes guitarists Larry Roberts (who has been on board since 1999) and Vito Marchese, bassist Mike Feldman, and drummer Garry Naples, and they’re a dangerous unit that matches Kuhr’s emotional intensity and backs him with crushing doom, sections of gothic depression, and clubbing fury that build the proper amount of muck and chaos. Combined, they’ve created a noteworthy record that solidifies Novembers Doom’s reputation as one of doom’s most revered acts and strengthens their resume that already was rock solid to begin with.

The title track opens the proceedings, and with it comes prog tendencies, growled vocals, and a dour feeling, as Kuhr wails, “The more you love me, the more I die.” It’s one of the first depressing, self-flagellating expressions on this record, and it only gets darker from here. “Heartfelt” is a killer of a song, with stormy melodies, creaky growling, and eventually full-fledged singing that might remind some of Type O Negative at their finest. The chorus is swelling and awesome, and as the song reaches its bleakest and most disgusted, Kuhr stabs, “I can only hope hell is real, and demons are eating your soul.” You don’t wish that on someone with whom you’re only slightly annoyed. “The Brave Pawn” is punchy and shredding at times, with the drums reaching a D-beat-style fury in spots, and the bulk of the song is grisly and damaging. “The Grand Circle” has a cleaner open, with gothy leanings, clean singing that eventually runs headlong into crushing growls, and a dark melodic finish that douses you in the piss and vinegar. “Clear” is another strong one, with great singing from Kuhr, a chorus that’ll stick to your ribs, and doom morbidity that is spread pretty thick all over this one.

“Just Breathe” is the first of its kind on this record, that being a song that doesn’t wallow in negativity and hate and instead extends an encouraging word of hope. It’s still pretty dark, as it trickles coldly, and in spots it reminds of heyday Queensryche and Nevermore, which made me pretty excited about it. “It gets better from here,” Kuhr urges in the face of something that, at the time, seems insurmountable. “The Silent Dark” runs 9:28, and it’s back into the murk, with cloudy melodies, expressive singing, and a serious downer of a sentiment, especially when Kuhr wallows, “I’ve created my own hell/what a fitting place for my end.” The song is riddled with guilt and self-doubt, and as the track reaches its conclusion, those emotions boil over with metallic intensity. “Animus” goes back to heavier and more dangerous waters, with vicious growls on verses leading to sweeping vocals on the chorus. The words are revenge-minded, and the pace of the song matches that blood-dripping anger perfectly. “Unrest” has the same sentiment, as it’s quaking and monstrous, and that leads into a brief state of calm with the acoustic-dressed interlude “Scorpius.” Then it’s into the steely finale “The Memory Room,” another song that’s awash in prog and power metal, and it’s an introspective, interesting track that ends the record on a high note. “I can see your soul through these eyes,” he wails, as the band offers up a surging, creative final journey that puts a gigantic exclamation point at the end of this tremendous album.

Novembers Doom doesn’t need to compare resumes with anyone, as they’ve been one of the finest, most consistent members of the United States doom movement. But this record is a stunner, one that fans of this genre should go out of their way to hear, as well as those who like prog-minded power and death metal. It’s great to hear the band pushing themselves, and the emotions, so hard on “Bled White,” and this should make their audience even hungrier to see them play on tour to hear how these songs develop and destroy in the live setting.

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

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

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

People’s attention spans are so short these days. I watched a guy in line at the coffee shop this morning totally forget what he was ordering because he was distracted by a text message or some garbage on his phone. He was ordering a pound of Colombian coffee, ground for auto-drip. I remembered it, but it was a little too difficult for him.

That dude’s not alone, and it seems like a lot of music fans these days have a hard time keeping their focus. Trends come and go, bands rise and burn out in a day, and longevity seems like a thing of the past. Luckily, Mortals are here to shove our asses back in line, and their new full-length effort “Cursed to See the Future” is just the elixir to keep your eyes and ears in one place for an extended time. See, the three killer musicians in Mortals aren’t satisfied with playing one style of metal. They combine elements of black, death, doom, and sludge and weave them so compellingly, you can’t help but be blown away. Indications were strong that on their last EP “Death Rituals” that ambition and creativity had been pushed through the roof, but no one could have been prepared for the heady, destructive, constantly morphing new record they dropped into our laps like a cement slab. Basically, if you can’t be bothered to keep your attention in one spot, they’re going to keep it there by bloody force.

Mortals are a three-headed beast comprised of bassist/vocalist Lesley Wolf, guitarist/vocalist Elizabeth Cline, and drummer Caryn Havlik. If you’ve been following along, you’ll realize just how far this band has come when you hear these six tracks. From their 2009 debut full-length “Encyclopedia of Myths” up to “Cursed,” you will have experience their first steps waffling you with punk- and hardcore-laced sounds, and a dirtier, more primitive approach, to now, when they’ve become one of the most interesting, captivating extreme metal machines going. These are three incredible musicians who deserve individual accolades, but together, they’re more powerful than you could ever know. They can take you through all kinds of dangerous terrain, where you’ll see all sorts of horrors and wonders, and while you’ll be pretty banged up when it’s over, you’ll remember the ride as an exciting one, that you’d kill to take all over again. In fact, I’ve continually revisited the record because every time I do, the songs reveal more of themselves to me, and I begin to hear them in new ways. That’s an invaluable thing, when you can feel and see fresh things every time you hear the same record. If only more bands could do that.

“View From a Tower” greets you with pure demolition from the start, with the band launching into tricky black metal that’s violent and seeks blood. The vocals roar and go for the throat, feeling savage and animalistic, and as the song goes on, it develops into a prog-fueled, captivating piece that holds your attention by force. There are moments during this song that made me think back to the sadly befallen Ludicra, which made me happy to hear Mortals carrying on a piece of their spirit. “Epochryphal Gloom” has thick bass playing at the start, and it goes into a doom-infested assault that eventually meets up with black metal majesty. Again, the musical progression through the song is stunning, and there is plenty of sinister melody to drench you in dramatic terror. There are sections you can just get lost in, imagining some sort of glorious battle scene that’s equally picturesque and dripping with guts. The band hits all the sweet spots, from mean and grisly punishment, to vocals that sound like they wish to maim you, and eventually more doomy mauling. Hell of a trip. “The Summoning” is unquestionably black during its 9:20 running time, with a dizzying array of melodies, thrashy tendencies that could get your face punched at a live show, and cymbals that are assaulted by Havlik with merciless fury. You never stay in one place for the long, as the band works through so many ever-changing sections of chaos that it’s pointless to fight. You might as well get swept up and go along for the ride through this monster.

“Devilspell” is the most heinous-sounding of all the songs, and perhaps that’s evident simply from the title. The vocals sound like they were scraped from the walls of hell and pasted in Wolf’s mouth, especially with the howl of, “Lucifer, speak my name.” The song simmers for its nine-plus minutes, providing more chance to ride ever-changing, violent waves through grinding black metal, prog-influenced guitar parts that are simmering and exciting, and drumming that’ll break your face. The final few minutes offer the biggest surprises, as the band hits on some classic metal highs, closing in on some of their tightest, most fluid playing on a record full of that type of thing. Just a great, blood-rushing finish. “Series of Decay” runs more than nine minutes as well, and it blasts out of the gate with surging black metal that’s an absolute joy to hear blaring from your speakers, headphones, you name it. Grisly vocals and storming playing make it feel like a drenching black cloud is hanging overhead. But eventually some calms sets in to act as the red herring. From there, the band ignites anew with savage thashing, chugging that just doesn’t quit, and some scintillating guitar work that burns the hair off your arms. I should note the guitar playing is a particular high point through this entire record, as Cline’s playing is enthralling and inventive. Closer “Anchored in Time” is one final dose of calculated black punishment, with the open question of, “Where has time gone?” The song feels sorrowful and solemn even while it’s rushing at you with torches blazing, and the doom-fed finish gives the cut, and the record, the perfect send-off to the pyres of death, where only ashes are your future.

I expect—no, I demand—by the end of the year, people are going to be putting Mortals on their best-of lists for 2014 and hailing this act as one of metal’s great hopes. They have a chance to reach way more people with Relapse behind them, and they put their best killing swords forward with “Cursed to See the Future.” If you haven’t experienced Mortals’ power and glory, there’s no better time than now. Do it, or get trampled in their violent path toward dominance.

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

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

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

It’s nice and endearing to hear newer bands reach back to older sounds to try to give them new life. It’s also annoying sometimes because once a trends hits, does it ever hit hard. But what’s even better is having a band that lived through the eras being revived reminding us all how it’s done.

Corrosion of Conformity have been one of the most influential and celebrated bands in heavy music for the past three decades, and for good reason. A few years ago, the “Animosity” era lineup—guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist/vocalist Mike Dean, drummer/vocalist Reed Mullin–reformed and brought us an explosive 2012 self-titled full-length that was a blast from the past, and a much welcomed one at that. Now comes their new record, and second since the reconfiguration, called “IX,” and it absolutely destroys everything in front of it. Look, and sorry if this is sacrilege, but I wasn’t a fan of the Pepper Keenan version of the band. I never liked his voice, and when they got some popularity in the 1990s with “Albatross” and “Clean My Wounds,” I didn’t hang around because it didn’t click with me. I’m probably alone on this. But with their “Animosity” revival, my C.O.C. love came back in full, and I am in absolutely punk/thrash/blues/hardcore bliss over their new record. It’s that damn good, and it’s such an honest, earnest blast of what made them so beloved in the first place, longtime devotees will have to be blown away by this 11-track puncher.

I can’t emphasize enough just what a pleasure it is to hear this record. It makes me think of when I first starting hearing about C.O.C. when I was in middle school, and seeing the punk kids wearing shirts with their unmistakable skull logo. Another cool touch about the record is the packaging doesn’t try to make some grandiose statement or go for the guts. It’s a black cover with the band plugged in and playing, with the ominous skull lurking above them. That’s it. And it’s perfect, because it’s the idea statement about what you’ll hear when you turn on “IX.”

The record opens with “Brand New Sleep,” a bluesy, trippy, stoner-style burner that has plenty of swagger and all the C.O.C. attitude you can handle. You should notice right away that the vocals are as strong as they’ve ever been on a record featuring these three, and it’s a pleasure to hear these guys howl away. “Elphyn” is thunderous from the start and is built on a killer Southern-style riff that just does not quit. The guys hit a sweltering groove that could cause the sweat to pour from your face, and there’s a nice infusion of psychedelia to go along with everything. “Denmark Vesey” is one of the heaviest songs on the record, with repeated shouts of, “Kill! Kill! Kill!” and it’s a killer dose of old-school hardcore and thrash, wrapped together tastefully. “The Nectar” is a pretty bad-ass cut, with noise boiling over and a nasty disposition displayed by all three guys as they melt away. There are some speedier moments intertwined, more thrash goodness, and vocally it’s one of the catchiest things on here. Then we get a breather with “Interlude,” a calming, tranquil cut that gives you a breather right when you need one.

The second half gets off to a hazy, sun-scorched start with “On Your Way,” another song driven by a really tasty riff, with higher-pitched singing colliding head-on with some of the burliest growls on the whole album. “Trusker” pulls back slightly, with a slower pace and more psychedelic fire, before it bursts wide open and swallows you whole with its thrashy gallop. “The Hanged Man” kicks up a ton of dust, as it blasts forward, not trying to wow with its prowess and always hoping to catch you in its gears for a good grinding. “Tarquinius Superbus” is a total mauler, with a heavy, thrash-minded assault that’s both punishing and catchy as hell, including forceful, pissed off vocals noting, “They think they know ya, they control ya.” You can almost imagine these guys stomping away as those confrontational words strike, with the band unloading the lumber. “Who You Want to Blame” gets back into the stoner mentality, with a bluesy shuffle landing and leading the way, and the guitar work just blazing good. There is some real organic crunch to this song, and it’s a great example of how everything just comes together nicely on this record. “The Nectar Reprise” is a quick callback to one of the album’s best tracks, with one last chance for the band to roll with you heavy drumming, sludgy playing, and one of the best choruses on the whole record. It’s a hell of a ride, and you’ll be sorry when it’s over.

C.O.C.’s revival is hitting on all cylinders, and at this pace, if the band stays in this form for the rest of their run, I know I’ll be incredibly happy. “IX” came out incredibly well, and at the risk of beating a dead horse, it’s really fun to hear. These songs should be a blast to witness live and certainly will boost the band’s hard-earned, stellar reputation.

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

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

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

Anyone familiar with the old TV show “The A-Team” (not the idiotic abomination of a movie) knows that Hannibal Smith commonly would snarl, “I love it when a plan comes together,” right when the good guys gained the upper hand for good. I thought that exact same thing the very first time I heard the new record from black metal maulers Wolvhammer.

It is clear right away from the band’s third record “Clawing Into Black Sun” that the band is at its strongest level to date. Sure, you should expect that from a band as they progress and log more time playing together, but that doesn’t always happen. But with Wolvhammer, they’re firing on all hellacious cylinders on this great record, their most cohesive, channeled record to date. It’s one that should wholly satisfy those who have been on the band’s torrid bandwagon ever since the release of their 2010 debut “Black Marketeers of World War III” and who followed the into 2011’s impressive “The Obsidian Plains.” But this album also is their most approachable to date, so for those who are getting sick and tired of the polished, mainstream-minded black metal out there, this record could be a perfect gateway into the savage underground.

The Minnesota-based band is comprised of vocalist Adam Clemans, whose lofty resume also includes dark rock band Liar in Wait and Shaidar Logoth; guitarists Jeff Wilson (also of Liar in Wait and other heavy crushers including Chrome Waves, Doomsday, and Abigail Williams) and Brendan Seven (who joined the fold last year); bassist Joe Noel (ex-Samothrace); and drummer Heath Rave (ex-Across Tundras). The group never has sounded this tight, and it’s clear their songwriting skills have grown in leaps and bounds. And it’s not like these guys ever were slouches. There is plenty of black metal fury but also undeniable melody that should pull you in, post-rock darkness, and grime, and they mix all of those sounds excellently, making for their most consistent document in their catalog.

The record opens with eight-minute opus “The Silver Key,” a destructive, Lovecraftian storyteller that pushes listeners into the danger zone immediately. The vocals are creaky and grisly, the song’s path is ominous and dark, and the final minutes of the song really rip open and bring this tale to its violent end. “Lethe” is a mechanical storm of an interlude, sounding like black winds whipping, giving off the feeling that you’re free falling through the sky. “Death Division” is built with stabby riffs, rough vocals, and a punk-flavored assault that keeps on blistering you. Clemans howls, “I walk through hell alone!” as dark melodies envelop everything and pull it into the void. “Slaves to the Grime” might be the best song in their catalog, and if there’s one sure-fire way to bring new listeners into this record, this is it. There are grim melodies and menacing sentiments, such as when Clemans pokes about the “revocation of the so-called soul.” It’s a bleak song that’s devoid of hope, and it’s a smasher.

“The Desanctification” unfurls slowly, with chilling, buzzing guitars that instill a sense of fear. The vocals are throaty, with the melodies lathering you in electric violence, and Clemans’ shouts of, “No heaven above!” is another way to get under people’s skin with zero concern given over who he might hurt. “In Reverence” stomps along hard, and it’s one of the nastier cuts on this record. And that’s considering that every song on this thing is pretty abrasive. “A Light That Doesn’t Yield” also runs nearly nine minutes, and it has drizzling music that feels like a drenching rain storm on a cold day. There is a post-rock direction to much of this one, with growls emerging to add some ugliness, and gusty drafts that leave chills. Toward the end of the song, strings blend into the picture, and what sounds like a ton of lost voices swirl overhead, leaving you dizzy. The closing title track is a bone gnawer, with destructive riffs that know no mercy, some clean vocals that break up some of the violence, creaky growling in other spots, and a heavy, mean disposition. It’s a to-the-point song that gets in, does its damage, and gets out, with the band not giving a damn about scoring any style points.

Wolvhammer are primed and ready to do some serious damage with “Clawing Into Black Sun.” It’s an impressive, totally listenable, but still perfectly dark record that should find this band a larger audience. They’ve been building momentum over the past five years, and they’ve never sounded like a more dangerous machine. This should be remembered as one of the year’s breakthrough efforts, delivered by a band that’s been putting one bloody building block on top of the next.

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

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

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

Photo by Chris Beug

Time is littered with bands that have changed their sounds. Sometimes tastes change, and other times band members get older and want to do something a little less extreme and not as taxing on their bodies. But what we have today is one of the most extreme forms of musicians changing their colors and morphing into something different.

For the past decade and over four incredibly influential full-lengths, Wolves in the Throne Room have tapped into the majesty of their wooded surroundings in the Pacific Northwest and have channeled that into some of the most imaginative black metal going in the United States. Hell, even the world. But the brothers Weaver (Nathan and Aaron) never seemed like your typical metal artists, and a common path didn’t seem like something they were interested in taking. Even when they were making some of the most destructive music in the world, they also had their moments of serenity and beauty, and bringing in a singer such as Jessika Kenney, for example, to color those dark corners indicated there was way more going on beneath the surface than most people not entrenched in their camp knew.

Now the band’s fifth full-length opus has arrived in the form of “Celestite,” and will it ever divide the camp of Wolves fans. First, it is entirely devoid of drumming and vocals. Instead, the music that makes up these five tracks is awash in gorgeous waves of ambiance, thick drone, and mysticism one might expect from a New Age record. Some people have cracked that this is a New Age record, but I wouldn’t go nearly that far. Instead, think of what a group like Ulver have been doing the past 10 years or so, and you’ll have a better idea of what to expect. Will it be for everyone? Definitely not. I’m not even sure where it ranks for me among the band’s cataloged recordings. But this record, which is a companion piece to their last record “Celestial Lineage,” sure is a daring move, one they definitely did not do to move more records or play bigger halls because, if anything, this will reduce their disciple count. But it also feels very real, organic, and from the heart of their kingdom, and I have no doubt what they’ve done here aligns with their mission spiritually and artistically.

“Turning Ever Towards the Sun” opens the record with strange noises and a cosmic haze. Sounds blip and pulsate here and there, and eventually the song reaches a state of full majesty. The passage is eerie and spacey, conjuring feelings of unease, and the final moments feel like the tapping of a rapidly beating heart. “Initiation at Neudeg Alm” has the essence of a weird 1980s B-level sci-fi movie, like a “Final Sacrifice” type, but eventually the loopy synth waves settle down, and a thick doom drone guitar charge registers and shakes the walls. That gives the song its sense of danger, and along with that chill is the feeling that you’re going in and out of consciousness with this track. It takes some getting used to, at least for me. “Bridge of Leaves” floats like a dream, staying the same pace and course of for its duration. It makes me think of my mind drifting off miles away during broad daylight, only to return to find myself soberly back in reality.

“Celestite Mirror” is the longest cut at 14:30, and from its earliest moments, it conjures a sense of unease and even dread. It often feels like dusk is falling and the forces of evil are getting ready to make their nighttime ride, with organs pumping heavy smoke into the atmosphere. About 10 minutes in, all of the sounds begin to boil over, the intensity increases, and the thick guitar drone returns, darkening everything in its path. Doom horns begin to call, and that drags the song to its conclusion. Closer “Sleeping Golden Storm” settles into a charged-up synth bed, where it meets murky melodies and eventually a meditation-inducing section that connects mind with spirit. The keys stir up their own sense of drone, there’s a feeling of a choral melody lurking beneath everything. Then the song bleeds out, returning just as the sun begins to rise up again.

What you get out of “Celestite” depends on your patience with the band pursing its artistic muse and if you can handle such a significant departure from sound. Remember, this is a companion record, so while it counts as their fifth, it really wouldn’t exist without “Celestial Lineage” as its seeds. It took me a while to realize the merit of these five tracks and to understand how they worked alongside their last record, and it’s a growing process for me. My journey with the record will continue past these words, and I am curious to see how I feel about this piece six months to a year from now.

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

To buy the album and for more on the label, go here: http://artemisiarecords.bandcamp.com/