In a couple weeks (um, maybe), we’re going to find out a lot about what the next four years of our lives are going to be like once the 2020 presidential election is decided. I can imagine what people from other parts of the world think when we go on about how batshit awful things have been since Trump has been in office, but we haven’t even come close to capturing it. Much as we have tried.

The thing is, even if that shitfucker loses the election, it doesn’t mean things are over and done with and we can just breathe a sigh of relief. There remains a chasm of injustice and unnecessary pain sustained by women, people of color, the LGTBQIA+ community, the poor, and plenty of other people, so the work is really just beginning. That’s captured in a raucous blast on “Wonderful Hell,” the new album by War on Women, who have spent their entire run fighting for those who end up under the boot. The band definitely lights raging fires and blasts back at what’s become an even more oppressive government and the amount of abuse and inequality that still runs rampant in this country. But the band—vocalist Shawna Potter, guitarists Brooks Harlan and “Jenarchy” Jennifer Vito, bassist/vocalist Sue Werner, and drummer Dave Cavalier—also infuses the music with hope and a stuff kick in the ass to keep working and never forget what dragged us here so we can ensure it never happens again.

“Aqua Tofana” opens the record bleeding in as the track is fast and pushy, with Potter dealing punishment along the way. The record imagines revenge by poison, even if the intent is totally exaggerated, though try not to quiver as Potter howls, “‘He’s one of the good ones.’ Well good or not you must kill him, kill him, kill him already, kill him,” with the track ending in a power burst. “Milk and Blood” has a great riff out front and a catchy pace as things also lean toward sinister at times with Potter spitting, ” Consume and suck and eat and fuck.” The chorus is tremendous, and the soloing cutting through it all is razor sharp, filling the room with smoke that leaves you gasping. The title track burns its way in before lighting up and jolting. Potter’s words are shouted, with shrieks stabbing, and there’s a post-hardcore rush to the chorus when she sings, ” Let’s raise some wonderful, beautiful hell and make this world worth living in.” “This Stolen Land” starts with a child chorus singing Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” that warps out at the end before the band tears into xenophobia and the politics behind it, delivering a channeled assault that pounds away. “Shake the cages and storm the gates, the clock is ticking, and they can’t wait,” Potter wails with authority as the track continues with an energetic, yet urgent tone, with the song evaporating into a noise cloud. “White Lies” clobbers with punk catchiness, though its message is defiant and refuses to give an inch to authority. “We politely request you get your boots off our necks,” Potter demands, though there’s little patience in her request as the lack of justice fills the streets. The track is full of attitude and refusal to give an inch, and it’s an anthem for 2020 and beyond.

“Big Words” has guitars churning and chugging as strong riffs act as glue, and the vocals show vulnerability and pain. The track pokes into betrayal and intentionally damaging someone’s feelings, with the bass picking up steam and the track blasting shut. “Seeds” has a speedy pace as the words fall at an alarming clip from Potter’s mouth, while guitars spiral. “Love in wartime, how do we survive? Once we combine, we can’t be defeated,” she wails out in union with those fighting with her as anger rises, the guitars scorch, and the last bits of this thing just kill. “Her?” is a blast back against the ridiculous thought women can’t lead and the fact that they’re held to standards men are not. “But her emails! But her makeup! But her health! But her age! But her voice! But her hair! But her clothes! But her face!” Potter blasts, and that’s just the first section of the song as she and the band light fires to the way women are regarded by some in society. The track ends with a recitation of women’s names who have been impacted by such treatment, and it makes no exceptions for politics as they name Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris alongside Sarah Palin and Michele Bachman. “In Your Path” is a quick blast, lasting only 1:11 but carrying a ton of impact. Feedback boils before the track is whipped into a frenzy, as the excuses for why women are assaulted are torched with Potter stabbing, “The rapist is you!” “The Ash Is Not the End” lands punches early with Potter’s speak singing and the band dropping the hammer. “It’s all just a matter of time, it’s all just a matter of time,” Potter sings over a rousing chorus as the track takes aim at burning away poisonous systems and rebuilding them just and inclusive.  “Demon” closes the record, a darker, more reflective track that simmers in guitar echo and heavy shadows. Potter’s singing is softer, yet soulful, first time through as she notes, “In a small corner of my body, there is a demon who lives, press your hand right here, you just might feel him.” As the song builds, the heat gets more pronounced, Potter’s voice adds intensity, and the track ends feeling uneasy, as if the first bits of the wound finally are being scratched.

War on Women have been vital and volcanically sobering ever since they started, but there’s something about this year we’re in and the political climate choking us all that make “Wonderful Hell” such a crucial record. Keep in mind while there is a lot here that revels in pain and a system that aims to continue crushing people (women especially) under foot, don’t lose sight of the positives, in that we can take control and try to change this. The fight isn’t over, there is more blood and tears to be shed, and we need more people like those ones who make up War on Women to keep us focused as we swing for the fences of justice.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.b9store.com/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.bridge9.com/

I’ve written more than 2,000 pieces for this site, and I’m always amazed looking back at stories I’ve gotten to write, the new bands I’ve pored over that have become modern heavy hitters, and the legends who I didn’t know I’d even have a chance to spill on at length about who have been a part of a site with such a dumb name, people think I’m joking when I tell them what it’s called.

Anyway, today’s another one of those landmark days, because it is the first time I get to devote a full piece to the insane and legendary Mr. Bungle, a group that had a huge part in completely fucking up what I thought music had to sound like a good two decades or so ago. I had some conventional thoughts and ideas and liked heavy music I could hear on the radio, but records such as “California” and their self-titled opus led me down a darker, more enthralling path. Now, more than 20 years after their last album, the band is back with another curveball “The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo,” a re-recording of the 1986 piece that was their first release ever. If you’re familiar with their genre-defacing, completely unhinged other three records, get ready for something a little different. In short, this is a thrash metal album from wall to wall, a chance for the core of the band—vocalist Mike Patton, guitarist Trey Spruance, bassist Trevor Dunn—to unleash hell along with two noted powerhouses in Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian and former Slayer drummer (and Fantômas member along with Patton) Dave Lombardo to hammer out these 11 tracks that will pretty much floor you.

“Grizzly Adams” opens the record instrumental style as things seem to float in ether at the start before noises lurch, feeling like the ideal intro for a thrash metal album, butting heads with “Anarchy Up Your Anus.” A sample from “Disney’s Chilling Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House” (voiced by Rhea Perlman!) mixes in before the thing explodes, with Patton’s forceful howls driving through flesh. The verses are rapid fire while gang shouts add even more energy, and the chorus kills again before the track finally expires. “Raping Your Mind” is chugging and blistering with a speedy punk vibe and Patton’s vocals just shredding. The soloing lights blinding fires as the playing goes for the jugular, while the playing continues to agitate until furiously bleeding all over itself. “Hypocrites/Habla Espanol O Muere” is a mix of a new track out front, and then the band tears into a reworked cover of S.O.D.’s “Speak English or Die,” spinning it toward Spanish. A zany insertion of the chorus from “La Cucaracha” jerks heads before the band smashes into their own take on the crossover classic, with Patton wailing, “Speak Spanish or DIE!” “Bungle Grind” begins as a speedy, maniacal beast that mashes away with Patton’s gravelly vocals peeling back flesh. He then veers into inhuman shrieks and gurgles as the guitar work explodes and helps amplify the insanity. A goddamn whistle pierces any sense of calm you were trying to build as a final eruption results in alien growls and an injection of speed.

“Methematics” is the longest track at 8:45, and the riffs charge up as Patton’s vocals murder sanity. Insane cries burst as crazed gang yells dress the chorus with added brutality, while Patton rattles off a list of things he loves and hates. The bass hammers as the guitars get primed up again, unleashing great speed that’s impossible to control, so just get the fuck out of the way. “Eracist” is punchy and agitated as Patton’s words are snarled, and the simple one-word chorus will be easy to yell back live in 8 years when COVID is over. The track gains speed dangerously as the soloing destroys, and the chorus worms its way back in, reminding you of its devious catchiness. “Spreading the Thighs of Death” delivers smothering thrash, tearing the track open at the midsection. The song is spirited and out for blood as guitars fry, and a strangling pace wrings the last drops of life, with Patton sounding like he’s choking on his own blood. “Loss For Words” is a blast through the Corrosion of Conformity cut from 1985’s “Animosity,” treated with horror and might. “Glutton for Punishment” is fast as hell, with the band applying ample pressure and the vocals switching from grit to whispers. Soloing drives a cement truck through your house, killing with intensity before the track stampedes closed. “Sudden Death” is your closer, a final burst of stirring, bloody thrash that explodes with rage. Patton’s vocals feel like he channeled 1984 as the track feels like a beast from another era, which leaves the heart warmed, if not just slightly diseased.

If you were expecting the zany, genre-slaughtering Mr. Bungle of old, you aren’t being served here, but that’s OK. “The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo” is a trip back to a time before they stretched themselves all over the place by instead plastering their heart in an era when metal was getting heavier and more dangerous, something that’s all over this record. The album loses a tiny bit of steam as it rounds toward that massive finish, but that’s a minor issue with a revived, enraged Mr. Bungle that feels like they’re getting perverse pleasure sharpening their blades.

For more on the band, go here: https://mrbungle.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://blixtmerchandise.shop/ipecac-music-store

For more on the label, go: https://ipecac.com/

In the dark annals of metal and heavy music in general, there have been myriad concept pieces that encompass entire albums and drive you into story mode. We’ve had government conspiracies and murderous nuns, chosen beings who cannot handle their powers and head down a path toward self-destruction, the plight of coal workers in the Midwest, aliens, you name it.  

Bay Area force Botanist have been creating conceptual pieces ever since they got started more than a decade ago, based on happenings in the fictional (we think!) Verdant Realm, and along the way we’ve had plant life battle back to wrest control of the earth from humans. But this time around, Botanist bring an album focus unlike any other we’ve heard before in that it’s simple on the surface but looks at a process that sustains life all over the world. “Photosynthesis” is literally about that very process. It focuses on plant life breaking down sunlight into energy and carbon dioxide into oxygen, basically keeping animal life afloat in the process. Typically Otrebor is the sole person performing the music, but this is one of the project’s collaborative efforts where they expand the band as Daturus handles drums, Tony Thomas plays bass, Chelsea Rocha Murphy contributes vocals to a track, and the legendary Dan Swano is responsible for audio production. It’s a more full-bodied effort, and it bursts with life.

“Light” starts the record on a bright note as propulsive melodies stir, and the clean singing adds a hypnotic edge. The dulcimer rains down while the playing turns rustic and prog-fueled as the track ends in spacious wonder. “Water” slowly comes in as the melody chimes away, and the singing floats like a cloud. A dreamy haze hovers as whispers poke through the shadows before the playing turns spirited, and things charge and bubble as wild howls rip out into the night. “Chlorophyll” feels both ominous and grandiose as it stretches its wings while shrieks hammer, and an abrasive feel scrapes at the earth. Shadows wash in as the song bursts with energy, anguished wails leave bruising, and the power finally subsides. “Dehydration” stings with dulcimer notes before the drums kick in, and things are speedier than what preceded it. Harsh growls blister as the melodies begin to spread, setting off chemical impulses that rush the song into panicked gusts.

“Bacteria” hangs in the air and as the drums begin to unravel, and the track slowly builds its intensity. The drums then crush wills as Otrebor cries, “Regeneration!” while the music blends into dreamier terrain, adding clean calls before the track bleeds out. “Stroma” packs dulcimer, hearty growls, and even some atmospheric singing that melts your psyche. The pace is daring and pushy, adding a psychological edge as the fogs begin to collect, with things coming to a smothering finish. “Palisade” enters with the drums driving forcefully and manic vocals adding extra layers of anxiety. The playing feels like it wrenches your guts while synth creates a disorienting pall, while a pillowy haze settles as gentle strums take us away. “Oxygen” closes the album by launching in an urgent pace, rushing through and crashing into storms. Spirited singing mixes with shrieks, while the playing takes on the vibe of a black musical, pushing into chilling winds and murky synth. The dulcimer drips as the singing rises again, a choral gust warms chests, while Otrebor calls, “To the flora and the fauna,” as the track disappears into clouds.

There likely isn’t another heavy music record anywhere that uses photosynthesis as a conceptual center, but that’s fitting as there really is no other band quite like Botanist. “Photosynthesis” is a fascinating record, another great version of this collective form of the band that helps to fully flush out every corner. This album will live in your psyche both as a raging storm and a calming spirit as you consider the very process that helps us unworthy humans remain alive.   

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

To buy the album, go here: https://nowflensing.com/

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

I’m old enough to remember the early embers of heavy metal’s expansion into nastiness and, well, heaviness, as I, as a child, dined lustily at thrash metal’s table. At the same time, hearing the early strains of what turned into black metal via Venom and Celtic Frost was something I didn’t super appreciate at the time but totally do now.

So, when modern bands come along that feel like they’ve had that same journey, my juices start to flow. It’s been that way with Occult Burial, the vicious black thrash band from Ottawa … Ontario, Canada, who have returned with their delirious second record “Burning Eerie Lore.” Not to strip away the devotion to satanic chaos, but this record is fun as fuck. Like, from moment one, things get set on fire in such an exciting way, and it never relents over its nine tracks and almost 40 minutes of material. The band—vocalist/bassist Joël Thomas, guitarist Dan McCloud, drummer Dan Lee—just nail that sweet spot between black metal and thrash and do it in a way that’ll light your hair on fire. Also, there is no excuse for not trying on this record because multiple labels are handling this with just about any format you desire, so get on this shit.

“Intro/Warning to Lust” fires up and blazes as the drums and bass thump, guitars cut through, and everything hisses toward the title track that smashes you right away. The leads go off, and Thomas’ shrieks crush souls as speedy hell is easily achieved. The chorus is simple but deadly while the shrieks aim to peel paint from the walls, and the track stampedes home. “Bastard Curse” has guitars mangling as great riffs powder bones, and a chorus that doesn’t overthink things and just wails hits hard. The playing stomps as the vocals fire away, leading to the soloing overflowing with evil intent, ripping through as the band thrashes. “Skeletal Laughter (Ode to Graves)” brings a channeled beginning before the drums detonate as the riffs just explode. The chorus is great and catchy while the soloing has a filthy rock n roll vibe before things come to a mashing end. “Pyramide de Têtes Coupées” just unloads as horrifying shrieks bloody noses, and the band turns the playing into a rampage. Punchy and vile, the vocals tear back in as the riffs charge, ending everything in a cloud of dust.

“Highway Through Borderland” spits guitars that carve through stone as the verses blast away, and the chorus adds an added jolt of energy. The playing is brutal and fun as doom bells chime, and keys enter and mesmerize before the pace changes on a dime, and we round back toward demolition, with savage cries and plastering destruction slamming the door shut. “Bleeding Spectre (Queen of Doom)” starts as a guitar blast as things blaze out of control, and the riffs tease even more tension is ahead. A tornado of madness rips through while the band tries to bash skulls, and wild cackles work into the massive fires. “Les Griffes du Désespoir” has confounding riffs before the pace jolts, and the vocals smash through with blades exposed. The playing is rowdy and clobbering as the soloing melts into the scene, while the tempo splatters, and the track is hammered shut. “Temple of Mutants (Black Adoration Pt. II)” closes the album with the bass chugging and the playing adding heat, while the vocals scrape flesh. The brewing storm then arrives in full as killer guitar work flexes its muscles, the punishing chorus strikes again, and the track ends thrashed to death.

Occult Burial’s raw, maniacal black thrash is on an utter rampage on “Burning Eerie Lore,” a record so massive it took 19 different labels and format to get this to everyone who needs to hear it. This record is an utter blast to tackles as it lets the fires of rebellion burn brightly, but they always remember to keep things sharp and deadly. This is a damn powerful band and record, and their homage to metal’s past and the evil woven into its fabric earns them much-deserved respect.   

For more on the band, go here: https://occultburial.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://invictusproductions666.bandcamp.com/album/burning-eerie-lore

Or here: https://electricassaultrecords.bandcamp.com/album/burning-eerie-lore

Or here: https://stygianblackhand.bandcamp.com/album/burning-eerie-lore

Or here: https://templeofmystery.ca/new-occult-burial-full-length-burning-eerie-lore-now-available-for-pre-orders-on-cd-and-cassette/

For more on the label, go here: https://invictusproductions.net/

And here: https://www.electricassaultrecords.com/

And here: https://www.stygianblackhand.com/

And here: https://templeofmystery.ca/

Almost all bands when they start are not carrying with them a legacy that went beyond music and had its claws firmly steeped in spiritual and philosophical terrain that was larger than any of the members themselves. The Devil’s Blood may have a relatively small body of work and history, but their pull went beyond all of that, influencing and moving people after they passed.

That end came when leader Selim Lemouchi passed from this earthly terrain in 2014, and the band’s run halted abruptly. But a few years ago, things started to bubble, and its members were asked to perform at 2019’s Roadburn, planting the seeds for Molassess, the second phase of the work started by the Devil’s Blood. Here, the band has arrived with their debut album “Through the Hollow,” a nine-track, 65-minute opus that not only lives up to their original formation’s work but also pushes beyond that into something even more immersive and imaginative. Molassess brings former the Devil’s Blood members entrancing vocalist Farida Lemouchi (she was known as the Mouth of Satan), as well as guitarists Oeds Beydals and Ron van Herpen, and bassist Job van de Zande, and they’re joined by drummer Bob Hogenelst and keyboard player Matthijs Stronks on this new project that continues to carry the spiritual mission started by Selim into whatever chaotic future is ahead of us all.   

The title track starts with strange noises floating in before guitars spiral, and a trippy feel is achieved quickly. Lemouchi’s unmistakable singing unfurls as a sprawling journey spreads out and carries the bulk of this 11:06-long track. Keys haunt as wordless calls soothe, and the music keeps tunneling as Lemouchi calls, “No more bridges left to burn,” amid a psyche haze that fully intoxicates. “Get Out From Under” has guitars trickling and more exceptional singing straight from Lemouchi’s guts. The chorus is tremendous while the vibe is mesmerizing and driving. The stirring playing continues as warm guitars heat up and bring a deep, golden ’70s vibe as prog-fueled playing takes the song to its end. “Formless Hands” runs a healthy 10:54 and blasts alive with keys jolting and a great, lively feel taking over your chest cavity. Leads buzz as the band’s fluid playing reminds of a heavier early era Chicago or Yes, as Lemouchi wonders, “Are you along for the ride?” Synth spits hypnotic patterns as the playing trudges into druggy weirdness, and a long, mind-altering instrumental section rounds back as Lemouchi’s singing returns bellowing, and the track keeps warping your mind even as it bows out. “Corpse of Mind” flows in mystically as melodies spread and the vocals float, with Lemouchi commanding, “Break through the eyes of time.” The singing feels otherworldly while the end of the track disappears into a void.

“The Maze of Stagnant Time” leads in with guitars firing and a burst of emotion as the singing pushes the boundaries. Wordless calls cause the fervor to rise while the riffs get agitated, and cool keys and jazzy guitars bring cold rains to soak the ground. “I Am No Longer” melts in with guitars liquifying and dreamy slowness dictating the pace at first. Drums bustle, joined by keys perfect for nighttime as Lemouchi declares, “I am forever haunting.” The music segues into elegance and seasonal coolness while brains bubble from skulls, slide guitars bring unexpected heat, and the track blisters out. “Death Is” is a great goddamn track, a revelation in a record full of body-tingling stuff, this one acting playful from the start with guitars couch-locking you. There’s such a strange vibe as vintage guitars zap through what feels like a tasty, deadly selection from a nightclub dedicated to total darkness, leaving you lying, gasping in your own juices. Such a good song. “Tunnel” cuts through as sounds rattle and a strange vibe sets up shop. Bass pumps while the drums snap with life, as echoing, nightmarish strangeness attaches onto this instrumental and brings it to chiming end. “The Devil Lives” is the perfect final cut, a 10:33-long anthem that feels like it stitches its path from the last band to this one. “Something’s amiss, and you KNOW it,” Lemouchi stabs with a line that’ll chill your bones while the guitars intoxicate with a mix of blues and psychedelia. The playing feels like it travels across a sea before it rises up again and Lemouchi delivers the most jarring line of the record with, “The devil’s blood is within me,” which should electrify you as guitars echo and moan, soling later brings metallic sparks, and everything ends in a tornadic abyss.

Following up the sound and legacy of the Devil’s Blood had to be a harrowing task, but what Molassess accomplish here keeps intact the veins the original band grew into the earth while branching off to other areas not yet explored. I had been heavily anticipating “Through the Hollow” all year long, to the point of where I feared my expectations were too high, but this band absolutely decimated those. This is one of the most magickal, emotionally moving records of the year, and it’s a fresh beginning for a band whose mission was nowhere near over.

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

To buy the album (North America), go here: https://shopusa.season-of-mist.com/band/molassess/

Or here (International): https://shop.season-of-mist.com/

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

Doom metal always has had its hands in things other than pure evil, as it’s often delved into other areas such as depression, sadness, decay, and the fragile human state that feels like it can fall apart at any second. This is a year where these themes hit particularly hard, and music that can find that centerpoint can be a profound way of connecting and growing.

Arkansas doom beasts Pallbearer not only have scratched many of these surfaces but also have traveled deep within them to craft records that have carved out a much-deserved stellar reputation for the band and have helped create three landmark album giants for the sub-genre over the past decade or so. And now comes “Forgotten Days,” another record pushed back to later in the year due to the blessed virus, but this stuff almost hits even heavier now than it may have when weather and moods were getting to their apex. The band—vocalist/guitarist Brett Campbell, guitarist Devin Holt, bassist/vocalist Joseph D. Rowland, drummer Mark Lierly—focuses on family and what those ties mean. It’s not a love letter home. Instead it’s a further exploration into loss and pain as Rowland returns to themes of losing his mother a decade ago which helped paint debut “Sorrow and Extinction” while Campbell’s selections deal with passage of time and memory, as his mother is now dealing with her own mother Alzheimer’s disease, a level on which I can relate right now. It’s an incredible, sobering journey both thematically and musically, one that hits a little heavier to the heart and soul than many other doom records right now. 

The title track gets us started as noise bleeds in before the riffs open in earnest. The vibe is ominous and dark as over the chorus Campbell wonders, “Is this insanity? Will they come to take me? Who can I trust with tomorrow? I can barely trust myself.” Warm soloing rushes in, filling your senses, while Campbell notes, “Times have changed and so have I,” before things take off again, and pained echoes add the final nail. “Riverbed” has rich riffs and a chorus that can make your heart grow cold. Spirited crunch dusts up the moodiness as guitars lather you, and some power adds more taste. The singing is heartfelt as usual while a final simmer lets the heat collect and cause sweating. “Stasis” has livelier guitars and a driving force, while Campbell laments unwanted change in one’s life. “This place, so hollow, seems like a prison cell to me,” he drives on the great chorus while synth wells up and adds new textures, while the track ends in echo bath. “Silver Wings” is the longest track on the record, a 12:18-long epic that reminds of the band’s earlier days. The track takes some time to set up the atmosphere, and once it does, solemn vocals are dripping while the emotional pull runs into colder storming. Later, synth zaps while the leads heat up, while the guitars combine and create a force one cannot stand down.  

“The Quicksand of Existing” chugs while delivering smoking doom, following the longest track with the shortest, clocking in at an uncharacteristic 3:59. They make the most of it as the verses are gruffer, the guitar work even heavier, and the pall of doom brings certain darkness. “Vengeance & Ruination” mashes from the start, going to squash guts as Campbell jabs, “Carve away dignity, piece by piece for all of us to see.” The track hulks as the band adds layers of emotion to what’s already a vulnerable scene, and then the tempo punches up as heaviness and warmth combine to bring a chunky finish. “Rite of Passage” begins clean before the guitars push the issue, and spiritual ache is dealt generously. “One question to ask of you, did part of me die while watching you go?” Campbell delivers as pain collects, while the soloing rises, and the track burns off into a reflective pool. “Caledonia” is the closer, and it starts delicately before that trademark Pallbearer crunch drops. There’s a deathrock vibe that carries with it damp winds while keys zap into a hazy ambiance as Campbell calls, “I wasn’t aware that fate would plunge the knife, I watched the color fade out from joys of life.” The soloing has a psychedelic edge to them as a bluesy fog arrives, the chorus bites back again, and the track fades into the cold.

This is likely to be the record that gets the band the most attention simply because they’re firmly ensconced on Nuclear Blast now, but Pallbearer deliver a hearty, emotional reckoning on “Forgotten Days.” There’s a noticeable effort to trim the fat from their songs, for the most part, and it does give the record more urgency and never sacrifices the depth. More ears are bound to absorb Pallbearer’s music this time around, and they’ll be rewarded with a great record that continues to show why they’re so special and highly regarded.     

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.pallbearerdoom.com/forgotten-days

For more on the label, go here: https://www.nuclearblast.com/en/label/

If you grew up in the United States—it matters not what area as the story spread everywhere—then you grew up with the myth of the Old West and the cowboy, something that used to dominate film and television a little more than a half century ago. It’s woven into the fabric of this land’s own folklore (I saw a full fucking magazine about John Wayne at a home improvement store last week), and it’s taken on a life of its own, sometimes to detrimental means.

Denver-based black metal band Wayfarer likely were even more immersed in these tales as they hail from a place that was in a large part of that history’s heart, and they tackle that on their ambitious, spellbinding new record “A Romance With Violence.” This isn’t foreign territory based on the band’s three preceding records, all released within a clean two-year period of each other, but this is where they find their rugged spirit and puts it all together like never before. The band—guitarist/vocalist Shane McCarthy, guitarist Joey Truscelli, bassist/vocalist James Hansen, drummer Isaac Faulk—were joined by guests including Kelly Schilling (Dreadnought), Anthony Limon (Falcon’s Eye), and Colin Marston (Krallice, Gorguts, who also mastered the record) to create this cinematic, destructive document that fills your heart and mind with drama as we watch blood soak the earth, legend peeled to bare bones.

“The Curtain Pulls Back” starts the record, a true scene setter with old timey piano and echoes swirling, and then it’s into “The Crimson Rider (Gallows Frontier, Act I)” that tears open into spacious melodies and growls filling the air. The vocals turn vile and spread as guitars build a wall, as the fury increases, and the drums cave in walls. “As the platform falls from his feet, his last breath proclaims: I am iron, I am death, I am the setting sun, I am the West,” McCarthy wails as a prog feel arrives, and the synth melts minds. The track then charges all over, agitating storms from hell and ravaging until the track trickles out. “The Iron Horse (Gallows Frontier, Act II)” starts with riffs making the room spin before everything is torn apart, and guitars flex their muscles while kicking up dust. “An inferno, fed of enslavement and starvation, there is always more coal for the flames,” McCarthy jabs as fluid soloing lights up the night sky. The pace then gallops as clouds form over the mountains, setting off thunder that makes the ground shake.

“Fire & Gold” has guitars settling in as the band unfurls a midwestern vibe complete with clean singing. Organs swell as the voices continue to rise, and the track feels like it’s off toward the desert as noises warp and open a portal to a dream state. “Masquerade of the Gunslingers” brings guitars jangling and melody flooding as fierce shrieks deliver pain. The leads warm up as an epic assault is mounted, hammering through with reckless abandon. A period of cold soaks the skin, feeling like you’ve been left shivering before things take a turn and heat up the intensity, with McCarthy howling, “You feel it burning within you, you’re paralyzed, please take my hand and step into the night.” The pace continues to add force before the track comes unglued with devastating roars that turn to shrieks, and the band smashes to the very end. “Intermission” has guitars and keys creating a strange haze, hanging overhead and moving into closer “Vaudeville” that starts with stick taps and riffs creating hypnosis. Acoustics and hand claps echo as hearty singing jolts, feeling rustic and steely until the floor ultimately drops. Shrieks shatter as McCarthy calls, “I wait for the show to come back, holding out, to see that magic once again I wait, while the water comes down, will I ever see the end?” Guitars spiral as the drumming caves, with another heavy blast crushing rock, the playing cascading, and the spirit sinking into the night.

 Wayfarer’s infatuation with the Old West and the cowboy legend comes into sharp, stunning focus on “A Romance With Violence,” easily the best record of their run so far. The band’s combination of rousing black metal, dusty western music, and explosive atmosphere sounds as channeled and focused as it ever has for this band, and this is a compelling journey from front to back.  

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

To buy the album, go here: https://profoundlorerecords.merchtable.com/?

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

If you’re as tired as I am about reading pandemic shit on this site, let me spare you today. There definitely is something to wanting to just have your brain and body thrashed in the name of Satan and just taking it in. Remember good, heathenistic times? Yeah, me neither, but let’s just humor each other while we talk about motherfucking Invincible Force.  

The band has returned with their ridiculously punishing second record “Decomposed Sacramentum,” their first since their debut “Satan Rebellion Metal” five years ago. Funny enough that title actually captures the essence of these nine new tracks that spread over 27 minutes, a raging, fire-breathing display that takes you on right up front and wrestles you to the ground. The band—guitarists Enzodomizer and Deadgoat, bassist Cristian Contreras (I guess he doesn’t get a cool name), and drummer/vocalist Skullfukk—run roughshod as they deliver vile black metal and thrash that feels like it’s going to tear your throat from your neck.

“Doomed by the Vision” begins as noises dawn and then the track is torn to bits as savage ferocity enrages. Raspy hell in pushed out in the vocals as the tempo thrashes, guitars erupt, and raw menace crushes the track closed. “Perpetual Black Mass” stirs as the track gets speedy and gnarly, while the pace flattens. Riffs kick in and bruise while the guitars destroy the senses, and the damage is done thoroughly. “The Covenant” unloads tornadic riffs as the playing mashes the gas pedal, and the growls tear through your chest. Guitars swelter as they stomp through a field of bodies, and the back end is marked by feral terror. “The Shadow Over Canaan” has a driving build up before brute force bludgeons, and the growls smother with blood. The track gets harsh and mean as the playing carves through the madness, as the pace is sweltering and unforgiving.

“Illusion of Truth” delivers riffs with balled fists as the intensity begins to storm, and the pace manages to get even more violent. Guitars smear the senses as the band picks up the trudging designed to destroy bones. “Damned By Noise and Lust” has great riffs and a forceful vibe as the blistering attack feels like it’s coming for your life. The playing hits like a tangled web as the playing totally decimates, and the finish delivers a blinding attack. “Abufihamat” has the guitars churning, matching what’s going on with the acid in your stomach. The power is nasty, as are the growls, then the drums speed up dangerously, and the soloing slices through like a hot knife. The title track continues the pattern of being thrashy and devastating while the vocals aim to rip your face off your skull, and the playing is clobbering. Then the assault turns to a calculated boil as the track gets meatier and edgier before burning away. “Hopeless Mortality” is the closer and blasts to life with the drums taking things apart. Raspy growls massacre as the leads catch fire, the drums explode, and the track ends in a lava pit.

These Chilean beasts in Invincible Force deliver barbaric black thrash on “Decomposed Sacramentum,” which stands as one of the deadlier records of this slowly decaying year. This is an album for getting your brains scrambled as you revel in their dangerous aura and abject heaviness. This record will deface you in no time and laugh as you writhe in pain and humiliation.  

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Invincible666Force

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

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

There certainly is a lot of darkness in our world. Too much if you ask me. And it’s almost impossible to avoid if you pay even an ounce of attention to things that are going on in the news and within our own communities. That doesn’t even scratch the surface of people having mental health issues that likely have been pressed to their breaking point. Times are rough.

Taking that all into account, it’s nice to know there still are forces in our world trying to amplify positivity and refusing the give in to the madness. On their fourth full-length record “Enlightened in Eternity,” Spirit Adrift set out to make their most powerful and uplifting music to date, which they definitely do on this eight-track, nearly 46-minute album that just explodes with emotion. Not that all was well with the band’s world going into recording the album as vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Nate Garrett and drummer Marcus Bryant both lost their beloved dogs (Garrett’s Lizzy can be seen in the gatefold of the “Chained to Oblivion” album), and a friend close to the band also passed, so their positive vibes created when they wrote the music certainly was challenged. But they fought their way through and made one hell of a great album, and Lizzy and Bryant’s Dawkins even gallop gloriously on the album’s cover, a sign that they may be on a different plane, but they’re never forgotten. 

“Ride Into the Light” starts the record with the riffs killing and hugely chugging as everything comes to life. “If we make it through the night, we’ll ride into the light,” Garrett declares over the chorus as the track charges, and the soloing catches fire. “In victory, it’s clear to me, there’s something more that I must be,” Garrett calls triumphantly as synth rises, and everything slams shut. “Astral Levitation” has a nice Dio essence to it (from a musical standpoint) as the verses punch, and the chorus overwhelms. “There is nowhere that can’t be seen if you let yourself be free,” he calls as keys merge, and the bass line pumps. Soloing goes off as the track takes on a Maiden-style gallop, running back through the chorus before bowing out. “Cosmic Conquest” has the bass driving up your blood pressure and more great leads that make your heart surge. Guitars flex before the soloing adds more pressure, hitting glorious highs that’ll have your serotonin levels cruising. “Screaming from Beyond” has a nice classic heavy metal vibe to it, more great singing (this is where I point out just how great Garrett’s voice sounds on this record), and a tight drive that keeps landing blows. Warm soloing melts away walls of ice later on while the energy fades, only for a clean trickling to pick up and take the song to its end.

“Harmony of the Spheres” bursts through the gates, trucking and hammering with Garrett blasting over the chorus, “Harmony showing us the way, every vibration is the same,” with extra emphasis on the last word. The guitars jab away while the energy level is thick as hell, with the track coming to a forceful end. “Battle High” opens with a bass line that reminds of “Black Velvet,” as everything snakes in around that, with Garrett warning, “Save yourself, war is hell.” The chorus gushes through the center of its rigid body while the music is charred and leaves pockets of smoke behind. “Stronger Than Your Pain” has guitars circling and cutting through as meaty bruising is left on your rib cage, and a simple but bustling chorus finds its way to the surface. The playing is raucous and fun, laying in some solid punches on its way out the door. “Reunited in the Void” is the 10:48-long closer that dawns over the horizon as the guitars lather, and a slower pace is achieved. “Pain is just an inner guide, voices from the other side,” Garrett wails as synth rises, and the emotional toll gets heavier. “You and I will be one eternally,” Garrett vows as the song segues into cleaner waters before organs flood, and the soloing kicks in the power. Keys rush as the pace gets faster, a psychedelic edge brushes track, and riffs entangle as the track heads off to its final destiny. 

Spirit Adrift’s power just gets more intense and infectious with every album, to which I’m sure we sound like a broken record since we seem to repeat that every time. But it’s true, and “Enlightened in Eternity” takes things to an even higher level with these eight songs that capture you from moment one and whisk you off on a fantastical journey. This is a really special band putting out totally genuine, moving heavy metal in a time when pessimism is at its apex, and we could all use something to get our energies in a more positive place.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/spiritadrift

For more on the label, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/

This last year has left us a lot of time to do things perhaps we didn’t before when we were constantly on the go and trying to scrape out time to be around the homestead, much less present in our own emotions. Taking time to sink into that giant chasm that is our own essence can be a gigantic challenge, but if handled responsibly, the other side is brighter.

That’s a bit of a strange segue into “Rites of the Nameless,” the great new record from Infera Bruo that definitely has its corners that revel in total darkness. But for this, their fourth album and second for Prosthetic, the music tackles the ideas of inner turmoil and self-reflection, with the album title referring to an ancient ritual that is used to transform the spirit and the flesh. That makes this record one that sometimes feels like a raging storm hammering your psyche but in others lets the mind clear and take on some of that hard work as the band—vocalist/guitarist Galen Baudhuin, bassist Chris Danecek, synth/keyboard player Robin Amos, drummer Alex Fewell—unfurls atmospheric black metal that jolts your brain’s chemical impulses.

“The Breath of Chaos” starts the record charging hard as vicious shrieks rain down, and the guitar work turns spellbinding. Cleaner singing arrives over the chorus, while the song pulls back just a bit before dipping into power again. Rage later erupts with the drums storming and the riffs stampeding, igniting with chaos as it burrows into the night. “Latent Foe Arcane” awakens in a melodic flurry as riffs whip by and Baudhuin’s furious shrieks are in full assault. Singing mixes in with the harsher vocals as fluid darkness spills in, and power rushes. A quick respite with colder melodies changes the scenery for a minute before the track bursts anew and spits shrapnel. “Frayed” begins with even darker tones before the shrieks rupture any sense of peace, and things then speed up before taking on a tempered pace. Vocals knife in as the drums come to life again, as mind-altering riffs dash toward the finish.

“Cimmerian Shade” is one of the better songs in the band’s catalog, and it dawns with murky synth and a heavy cloud cover. Then the punches land as Baudhuin howls, “No light will reach me!” as black metal majesty unfurls. Melodic passages crush as a new dose of savagery opens previously scabbed wounds, while clean calls gather, growls spindle, and the pace then catches fire and melts inhibitions. “Mining Shadows for Unlight” blasts apart as the shrieks pummel, and a glorious chorus makes your head rush. Things get moody and sinister as singing and shrieks combine and deface sanity, while guitars churn, and that nasty chorus comes back and exacts revenge on you. The title track gets off to a grim, ominous start as the vocals slash in, and speedy black metal rushes the shores. Soloing strikes early and burns through the fields as group vocals mesmerize, and the playing clobbers you amid a trance. Guitars bring dizziness while the band pitches together again as their voices carry, while the guitars stun. Keys then warm up as chants glow, and Baudhuin wails, “Speaking through the veil, rites of the nameless,” as the final moments bend time.

Chaos literally is everywhere. For real, think about your life even a year ago and imagine the events of the past couple weeks. The turmoil and madness are thick and disgusting, and Infera Bruo may not be directly tapping into the events, but on “Rites of the Nameless,” they lay this out in front of you and challenge you to cope. It’s not impossible, but it’s a challenge that we must face, and this music pushes us right in that direction, for our own good.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.prostheticrecords.com/

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