We’ve all been there, the time when no matter how much sunshine is blazing outside our windows, everything feels hopelessly dark, disturbingly warped. Nothing looks right, and reality seems to have turned in on itself, making every nerve feel burnt and prodded, and all you really want is relief. And that’s a glass away.

Executioner’s Mask create dark post-punk that feels like the soundtrack to those dark days, and their new record “Almost There” is enshrouded in gloom. The band—vocalist Jay Gambit, guitarists Craig Mickle and Daniel Gaona, bassist Anthony Charletta, drummer Melissa Lonchambon—describes the record as being about drinking, longing, and surviving, and those elements are on full display over these eight tracks and 31 minutes that take you along for that ride and, at times, seem to block out the sun. Yet, there’s an attraction in these songs to which it’s easy to gravitate, cracking open your own bottle and numbing your feelings so you can have an evening to feel normal again.

“Devoured” opens gazey, a washed-out melody taking over as Gambit’s deep croon, almost a speak-sing, digs into your psyche. The pace picks up as the playing gets faster, tunneling through the dark and staying there for good. “Losing a Fixed Game” brings chugging guitars and vocals that feel ashen, the playing later lighting up, building as the temperatures spike. “I close my eyes, you are still here,” Gambit warbles, giving way to a flood of noise that chews muscle. “Mezcal Perfume” basks in steam, Gambit calling, “I haven’t seen the sun in weeks,” the psychological torment making everything come across in shades of gray. The moodiness feels like a sun-stained portrait, slowly eroded over time, the guitars surging as the emotion rains down, eventually dissolving into a wall of sound. “Failed Dreams II” is dreary, the singing bruising, the feeling of isolation setting in, a burst of energy rippling the shadowy waters. Things turn into a warped technicolor nightmare, blurring visions and drowning everything in an oncoming stormfront.

“Sunset in the Valley” rollicks with a post-punk glaze, the guitars taking on more dashes of light, Gambit snarling, “And we drink, and we drink, and we drink.” The power brushes against you, dimming the room, burning off the remaining fuel. “A Modest Proposal” dawns amid serious pressure, guitars scalding as the singing engorges, spiraling and working into the darkness. The leads sting and float, tingling your flesh, your brain cells melting into echoes. “Lovers in Hell” is catchy when it opens, drums punching as an icy obsession encases everything in its wake. The moodiness thickens as the fog becomes like a blanket, electricity shrieking while the strangeness takes up residence in the back of your brain. Closer “On Park Row” challenges with guitars scraping, a psychedelic blur blending before your eyes, the singing warbling. The playing turns moody and reflective, the emotions caterwauling, the noise sucking energy and burning into oblivion.

“Almost There” is despairingly dark, even as the music has moments that feel bright and energetic, but the haze of drunkenness often feels that way, a jolt of euphoria amid endless struggle. Executioner’s Mask have a way to make that feel alluringly charming, even as you stare into the abyss, your nightmares having come to life. These are songs that can be by your side as you try to numb the pain, figuring out a way to feel more like yourself, at least the better version of it, again one day.

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

To buy the album (vinyl), go here: https://seeingredrecords.8merch.us/product/executioners-mask-almost-there-lp-pre-order/

Or here (CD): https://alacarterecords.com/products/executioners-mask-almost-there

Or here (cassette): https://summerdarlingtapes.bigcartel.com/product/executioner-s-mask-almost-there-sdt-037

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

And here: https://alacarterecords.com/

And here: https://www.instagram.com/summerdarlingtapes/

It’s a dark, cold night as you walk leisurely through the woods, something you’ve done countless times before. But something’s different this time. Something is amiss. You push on further, lured by the smell of fires burning, and sounds of chants filling the air, and then it comes into view: what looks like a ritual conducted by cloaked figures.

That also sounds like a typical nightmare for those whose minds tend toward the haunted, and it also could be what Hail Darkness was looking to soundtrack on “Death Divine,” the band’s first full-length. Anyone looking for something that mixes the best of Coven, Jex Thoth, and Cathedral will be right at home on this 10-track offering, and while the band—vocalist/guitarist Jez, bassist/backing vocalist Joshua, drummer/backing vocalist Emmet—doesn’t really visit new ground, they have the proper mind frame and personality to make this feel like a new stab at a time-honored sound. Plus, there’s a sense of devious fun coursing through this record’s veins, and that’s an easy selling point for me every time.

“Luciferian Dawn” kicks off with psychedelic heat, Jez’s smoky, bluesy vocals striking, a buzzing and trippy push leading you down the rabbit hole. The leads lather as the vocals continue to loom large, the playing bristling as the echoes consume all. “Cult of the Serpent Risen” delivers cool riffs and hazy playing, the vibe taking on a late summer feel when the sun’s retreat leads to cooler evenings. Burly pounding slips into a groove as folkish melodies rain down, hand drumming rousing as strings trip, feeling dark and ritualistic. “Hour of the Silent Rite” opens with Jez’s voice only, easily haunting you, and then we’re deep into ’70s bliss, the coven-like feel making your flesh crawl, the singing again overtaking you. The playing continues to agitate embers until the sounds disappear deep into the woods. “With Horns of a Beast” has the bass crawling, flutes breezing, and warm guitars washing over you. The singing is warm and lucid, strangely mystical as the heaviness lands, dissolving into sound. “Hail Darkness” is a short cut with acoustics, high singing, and a dreamy gaze that leaves you hypnotized.

“Goat of Mendes… Raise the Glass!” has scalding guitars, the playing turning bluesy again, and Jez calling, “Midnight rituals of the blackened mass.” The guitars let psyche waves lap the shore, and then the pace grows molten, the playing plodding and driving your face into the dirt. “Coven of the Blackened One” unloads with harsher guitars and impending darkness, the singing causing clouds to burst as the visions of ritual flash in fires. “Casting shadows, casting light,” Jez calls, the guitars bubbling into folk passages and suddenly darkening pathways. “Azarak!” opens with guitars churning and a hazy chorus numbing the senses, the immersion into mystery taking on a bigger role. Wiccan chants cause chills as the guitars boil and crunch, muddy trails swallowing footsteps, entrancing as the final notes ring out in time. “Eyes White Black Soul” feels like a brief ’60s-style pop burst, the bouncy guitars plucking, breathy calls unfurling a velvet-rich landing spot. Closer “See You in Hell” greets with erupting drums, riffs chewing, and electricity swaggering, Jez’s singing packing another strong punch. The leads blister, letting the smoke form into a stormfront, chunky and punchy playing landing blows as Jez taunts, “See you in hell.”

Hail Darkness tread similar ground as other artists, but they make up for the well-visited sound with their charisma that drips all over “Death Divine.” This is a fun record that swells with witchy magic and pays homage to elements that have been part of metal and heavy rock’s fiber throughout history. Autumn arriving soon makes for the perfect setting for this music when the haunting majesty is thick in the air once again.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.diggersfactory.com/vinyl/319104/hail-darkness-death-divine-lp

Last week, I spent hours in the relentless heat and sun helping dear friends move into a new apartment that should be a fresh start for them. That said, carrying heavy boxes up stairs in a warm hallway for hours has taken a physical toll on me, and it’s a massive reminder I’m not a young man any longer. I don’t recover like I used to in the past.

Progressive death metal dreamers Vile Rites named their first full-length “Senescence,” the process of physical deterioration that occurs as a person ages. Sure, you can exercise or do other activities to help slow that decline, but it’s going to catch up with you some day. It’s an odd title for a record that’s so full of exciting new ideas, spacey expansion, and pushing death metal even further into jarring waters that wash over you with chilling fury, the furthest thing from losing power and stopping growth. The band—vocalist/guitarist Alex Miletich; bassist/synth player/field recording master Stephen Coon; drummer Aerin Johnson—treads paths once trampled by the likes of Morbus Chron and Blood Incantation, but in their own way that’s unique to them. This is the first glimpse of a band that’s bound to be one of the sub-genre’s great creators for a long time to come.

“Only Silence Follows” opens amid cold notes, hypnosis setting in, which is a hint of what’s ahead. The bass bends as the hammering picks up, the soloing erupting as the growls dig into flesh. Cosmic synth wraps you in a coat of stars as speed becomes a greater factor, ripping out into the stars. “Senescent” is tricky and crunchy when it starts, heavy blows landing with force, drubbing and causing dizzying feelings. The playing pulls back and adds a chill to the air, fluid leads take off and create a laser effect, techy melodies flex muscles. The bass quivers as the sounds turn on a dime, ending in progressive waters. “Shiftless Wanderings” buzzes and engorges, the bass again exuding power, the growls mangling as the riffs soar through the air. Soloing boils as the tempo thrashes hard, the playing growing in urgency, growls tearing strips of flesh as chaos melts into tributaries.

“Ephemeral Reverie of Eroded Dreams” in an eerie interlude that has alien tentacles and icy intent, strange synth and soaked guitars making it feel like you’ve been drenched in an all-day storm. “Transcendent Putrefaction” has the bass chewing into muscle, keys wooshing, and heavy body blows aiming to take you down. Growls engorge as the temperatures shift to a deep freeze, the guitars erupting and letting carnage reign, beastly howls and gutting death smearing psychosis. Closer “Banished to Solitude (Adrift on the Infinite Waves)” is the longest track, running 11:11, and the track blasts and contorts, sudden brutality slashing as progressive fires are fed gallons of fuel. The vocals scar as the decimation continues, the drums pasting with violence, whispering chilling as the playing calms. Bludgeoning madness arrives as the sounds bathe in moonlight and blood, hazy, moody guitars melting time and encircling the clouds.

Vile Rites’ progressively minded death metal is a refreshing gust of energy, and while “Senescence” may be named after a process of physical deterioration, it feels like the band is just beginning a life cycle that could begin to rewrite this style’s DNA. This first full-length builds off what they created before and demonstrates a tenacity and musical violence that is enthralling the first listen and only multiplies from there. This is one of the best debuts of the year so far, and I can only imagine what this band will sound like a half decade from now once they full grow into their forms.

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://carbonizedrecords.com/search?q=vile+rites&options%5Bprefix%5D=last

Or here (Europe): https://carbonizedrecordseu.com/

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

Death is one of the few certainties in life, and we’re all touched by its dark hand in many ways, be that losing friends and family or facing the scythe ourselves. Wrapped into all of that is the emotional response, the sadness and depression that result from losing a loved one or when dealing with our own demise. It’s hardly uplifting times.

UK doom crushers Blind Monarch head straight into that soberingly morbid territory on their great second record “The Dead Replenish the Earth,” a four-track, 43-minute beast that digs hard into tragedy and the aftermath of the death of a loved one. The band—vocalist Tom Blyth, guitarist Adam Blyth, bassist Paul Hubbard, drummer Sam Elsom—doesn’t shy away from confronting and acknowledging these feelings and the horrible pit of sorrow and grief that comes with parting ways forever with someone you hold dear. The gutting sadness, the storm of depression, and the seemingly never-ending agony that results from that, or from knowing your own fate is near, create a helpless trip through hell that feels like it’ll never end. For some, it never does.

“Other Faces” dawns amid wild howls as doom drops, the playing carving into mountains. Growls engorge as the playing splatters, the force feeling like a battering ram, demonic melodies ripping through chest cavities. The corrosion calms as the noise simmers, and then a gargantuan force weighs down, buzzing and pulverizing, burying itself into the earth. “Diminishing” starts quietly, plodding into the dark, the growls curdling as a slow fury begins to boil. The playing then chugs and smashes, guitars quivering as the gears choke in mud, eerie darkness stretching its massive wings. The pace rips open as growls lurch, a scorching pressure gets heavier, and the massacre sinks its teeth dangerously deep.

The title track starts with retching vocals, slowly twisting your gears, ugly hell flooding and thrashing with a deliberate pace. Moodiness thickens as a haze glimmers, growls crushing with savage force, glacially destroying everything with the misfortune of being in the band’s path. Closer “All Shall Pass Away” begins as a clean, chilling display, but it’s not too long before mangling blades are drawing blood, gory howls adding to the body count. The playing drubs hard, crushing with calculated force, the oncoming heat baking with ill intent. Things take a mournful turn even as melodies sweep, punching away and chipping teeth, clean guitars melting as the force bows out into eternity.

“The Dead Replenish the Earth” is a massive, devastating listen, and that’s only when taking the music into account. Digging into the themes of death, loss, and depression adds a world of weight to what’s already impossibly heavy, and these are very human experiences and emotions we all face. It’s not meant to be comfortable, and it’s better that it’s not, because facing sobering reality scars can make us stronger as a result.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.drycoughrecords.com/products

Or here: https://vaultofheaven.bandcamp.com/

Or here:  https://www.minorlabel.de/label/obscur.htm

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

I’m certain I’d never survive an encounter with Colin Robinson, he being the energy vampire on “What We Do in the Shadows” who feeds off people’s energy by boring them into oblivion. As it is, I have limited amounts of power, and the more I do, the further activities I add to my to-do list, and it’s curtains for me. Colin would drain me in no time.

I thought of that scenario when considering what to say about “Enervate,” the latest long player from one-man drone doom instrumental power Celestyn. Helmed by Ted Bizon, also of black metal crushers Orphaned, this three-track album digs into what this creator does best, which is make your mind and body buzz with his slow-driving, psychologically altering creations that ground you. The title refers to a word that means to lessen someone’s vitality or strength, hence my Colin mention, though the music doesn’t really do that. I speak for me here, but it got into my blood and radiated my nerves, almost having an invigorating effect that injects energy and gets the juices flowing. Also, this is right up my alley, so the impact it has on me might not be universal to all listeners.   

“Damp” is the 16:11-long opener, starting with guitars melting, the pace moving slowly as drone emerges and noise scalds. Melodies continue to rise as the heat increases, guitars ramping up as the playing spills over the edges. An electric storm hovers as guitars tremble, the playing smothers, and everything vibrates to an end. “Respite From the Moil” drills and buzzes, your guts shaking inside your body, melodies emerging as the riffs numb nerve endings. Strangeness emanates from blinding colors that seem out of a technicolor dream state, clouds accumulating as drone laps, lava flowing from the corners. Closer “Purify the Door of Perception” runs 13:13, weather patterns hanging overhead, the cosmic void floating at your reach, electricity jetting through veins. The emotion floods to the surface as your bones rattle, high-pitched noises piercing, your ears going numb from the energy. Guitars bubble and char as you’re stretched to your limit, the sounds fading to oblivion.

“Enervate” is full of blinding energy and noise that gets inside your brain and rewires it for good measure. Celestyn’s Bizon certainly has been busy this year (five releases of varying size), and this is another great building block for his sound that washes over you and infects you with energy that feels like it came from another world. This is mood music for those with darkened minds who could use some noise and numbness to help dial back the manic feelings.

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

To buy the album or for more on the label, go here: https://riffmerchant.bandcamp.com/

When I was a kid, old Godzilla movies used to play on the television Saturday afternoons, the grainy Japanese movies both capturing my imagination and scaring the shit out of me because what if a kaiju rose and destroyed my town? As I got older, I continued to enjoy these tales of great beasts even as a lot of the newer movies were diminishing returns.

Pacific Northwest death metal monsters Oxygen Destroyer, named after the weapon that killed Godzilla in the original 1954 film, took their love of kaiju films even further by using them as an influence for their records. Their latest and third long player is “Guardian of the Universe,” the subtitle for the initial film of the Gamera trilogy, released in 1995. This nine-track, 33-minute beast follows the events of each of the three pictures, the other two being “Attack of Legion” in 1997 and “Revenge of Iris” in 1999. The band—vocalist/guitarist Lord Kaiju, guitarist Joey Walker, bassist Paul Wright, drummer Chris Craven—pours their volcanic best into this record, ripping through you like a gigantic monster hellbent on tearing every building in their reach into a hellish pit of destruction.

“Guardian of the Universe (The Final Hope)” begins as terror strikes, the band thrashing viciously and leaving bruises, howls rippling through the earth. The playing turns vicious and furious, mangling and leaving blows, the growls pummeling as the final moments tear flesh. “Drawing Power from the Empathetic Priestess of Tranquility” starts as Gamera wails, the playing pulverizing as the punishment is turned up to insane levels, the playing spattering as the soloing scorches, and a blinding solo brings this shorter cut to an end. “Shadow of Evil” crunches as the band mounts a death attack, coming unhinged as the devastation spreads. The playing tears limbs from bodies, the guitars exploding with menace as the final moments utterly flatten. “Thy Name is Legion” is speedier as the playing slashes, mauling as total demolition arrives, stomping and charging through thrashy fire. The leads blaze as the growls intensify, creaking as the playing tears guts out of midsections with no mercy at all.

“Eradicating the Symbiotic Hive Mind Entity from Beyond the Void” is heavy, fast, and chunky, howls wrenching muscles as the violence steadily increases. The heat intensifies as does the tempo, with everything cosmically sucked into the void. “Nightmarish Visions of the Devil’s Envoy” is another quick one, unloading with volcanic fury, the guitars glazing as a thrashy assault flexes, ravaging to a sudden death. “Awaking the Malevolent Destroyer of the Heavens and Earth” opens with a clip from “Revenge of Iris” before the punishment gets under way, gurgly growls bubbling to the surface as the journey enters hyper speed, smashing with melodic devastation, the gears grinding to a mechanical end. “Banishing the Iris of Sempiternal Tenebrosity” stomps, shrieky howls lacerating, the leads spiraling dangerously. Things turns uglier, fires spitting, monstrous howls lashing away, bleeding out into an energy field. “Exterminating the Ravenous Horde of Perpetual Darkness and Annihilation” closes the journey, unloading with a burly attack, melodies ravaging as the guitars turn toward technical fireworks. Shrill shrieks send chills down your spine, beastly cries ravage, and digital corrosion consumes everything whole.

You don’t need to have seen the Gamera trilogy for “Guardian of the Universe” to have a smashing impact on you, as Oxygen Destroyer have a way of making their metallic force pummel you no matter what. But you’ll get a little more out of the hidden gems on the record, and the skull-splitting bursts woven into the songs will hit that much harder. Either way, this is a giant serving of thrash-infested death metal that is kaiju sized and promises to level everything within your grasp.

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.us/

Or here (rest of the world): https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.com/

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