Death is horrifying to begin with, but having to deal with losing the ones closest to us is some of the most agonizing shit there it. I grew up dreading my parents’ deaths, and now that both events have passed, it was nothing like I thought it would be. We fear the pain and sorrow that follow, knowing how inexplicably hellish that will be.

Matt Jencik, a musician who has played with Implodes, Don Caballero, and in Slint’s live band, reflected on that and the desperation he felt to hold onto his loved ones forever, no matter what it takes. “Never Die,” his new collaboration with Madeleine Johnston of Midwife, takes its name from that experience, the desire to try to hold onto everyone forever. The two make for a formidable and effective pairing, with hushed energy, unbuffed pulses, and a heartbeat that beats from side to side. It’s a record that haunts and brings you back to vulnerable spots that might remain sore, Jencik’s desire to extend live combined with Johnston’s willingness to embrace the void.

“Delete Key” starts with murky synth and Johnston’s hushed, unmistakable voice, immersively floating beyond this world. Sounds cut through, and the feeling of nighttime loneliness takes over and sinks. “Don’t Protest (Too Much)” starts with beats and scuffed guitar, both singing (Johnston more in a whisper). The pace plods and numbs, taking on an emotional bend, the chorus basking in starlight and meting into the dark. “Flower Dragon” has guitars charging but not overwhelming, Johnson’s voice taking on a gentleness and vulnerability. The playing is hypnotic, the singing gliding as guitars drizzle, the dusk emerging and enveloping. “The Last Night” has synth unfolding and a gray hue passing, Jencik speaks as Johnston sings, and the elements continue to trade off as the reflective state builds. The pair ruminate over fading memories, layered vocals baking, synth lapping up the final drops. “Bend” feels strategically named as that’s what it feels like your brain is doing as guitars boil and drone, the singing soothing as sounds warp. The melodies sweep past stardust, swelling and picking up muted colors that wash away.

The title track has guitars chiming and dreamy singing, beats echoing as a whirry haze thickens. Sounds buzz as a simple, yet desperate refrain rains down, blending into ethereal calm. “Only Death Is Real” feels wintry, synth glistening, the singing surrounding, the chorus taking control. Guitars buzz as the sounds quiver, a reflective aura passing through detached night thoughts that finally release their grip. “Organ Delay” starts with cosmic synth, a breeze picking up and spreading pillowy playing, giving room the land. The immersion continues as your cells radiate, a magical feel working its way down your spine. “September Goths” pumps fog as the beats numb, Johnston singing and bringing with her a strange softness. Keys whir as the drums drive, taking on a more upbeat path that mixes with a bassline that twists arms. Closer “Rickety Ride” has beats clashing, guitars coating, Jencik recalling memories as slide guitar aches (he mentions Pegasus and Cricket Lounge, two well-known places in Pittsburgh, from which he originally hails) . Johnston sings as Jencik recites past events, keys bubble and turn into horror, and the power slowly faces away.

Jencik and Johnston capture darkness, pain, and desperation on “Never Die,” a collaborative effort that lets each artists’ elements come to the forefront. Jencik’s anxiety over loss combined with Johnston’s willingness to navigate such dark waters makes for an experience that can feels all kinds of different ways to various audiences. It’s a torch in the darknerss, a longing during the long night, and a way to bridge one reality to another, no matter how painful that might be in the end.    

For more on Matt Jencik, go here: https://mattjencik.bandcamp.com/

For more on Midwife, go here: https://heavenmetal.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.relapse.com/pages/matt-jencik-midwife-never-die

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

Bands lose members all the time, so it’s not really a massive deal when it happens. The conventional thought is you replace the musician who left and get on with things. After all, there are very few bands that maintain the exact same membership throughout the duration of their existence, so change should be second nature.

South Dakota-based death metal punishers Angerot found themselves down a drummer when Matt Johnson left the band, and going into recording their fourth album “Seofon,” they decided to defy convention. Instead of replacing Johnson, the three remaining members—vocalist/guitarist C.R. Petit, guitarist Jason Ellsworth, bassist Bill Zaugg—decided to use a different drummer for each of the seven tracks on this record. They recruited an impressive array of people behind the kit, each adding their own personality and style to the song to which they contribute, giving the album an unpredictable feel.

“Rapture Ov All That Is” kicks off and features Kevin Paradis of Aronious and formerly of Benighted, and this track takes little time getting boiling, battering rhythms, and mauling vocals lathering with devastation. Some cool leads tingle as the lumbering continues, turning uglier and squeezing blood from bone. “When Witches Dance” has Derek Roddy of Serpent’s Rise and formerly Hate Eternal, and things start atmospherically, but the drumming loosens guts, beastly growls plastering as the guitars smear. The vocals continue to scorch as the playing bends and warps, the drumming just hammering, the heat rising as everything churns out. “We Are the Serpents & the Saints” brings Dimmu Borgir’s Dariusz “Daray” Brzozowki into the fold, and things are tense right away, throaty hell and bludgeoning playing combining, a simple, but effective chorus flexing. Leads liquify as the vocals are a menacing yell, sludgy pounding choking, the pressure gurgling.

“Lying Tongues Removed” features Pierce Williams, formerly of Skeletal Remains, and he makes his presence felt as much as anyone here, channeling his violent playing as the band follows suit. Guitars light up as the growls snarl, strong leads take over, and the drumming gets a little looser, swinging as roars smash and speed blurs. “Her Song Ov Feathers & Ivory” welcomes Marco Pitruzzella of Six Feet Under and Sleep Terror, and this thigs is sinister and mean, militaristic drumming plastering, the vocals scraping flesh from bone. The nastiness combines with hazy guitars and a renewed effort at bloodying noses, the guitars soaring before burning out. “A Pact Made In Flesh & Wine” brings in Thomas Haywood of Grave Plague among many others, and the drumming splatters as fuzzier, more humid death metal results, growls choking as twin leads add pinpoints of light. Of course, the heat intensifies as everything turns into a savage beatdown, drums crushing as the guitars head deep into the skies. Closer “With No Eyes I See” has Zack Simmons of Goatwhore and Acid Bath, and the band smashes with reckless abandon, growls lurching, the guitars charging. Jolting angles jar your body as twin leads unite and glow, infernal howls incinerate your senses, and the pace decimates to the bloody finish.

“Seofon” obviously is noteworthy for Angerot’s drummer by committee approach here, but don’t let that distract from the ferocity and effectiveness of these songs. Yes, each track feels a little different based on who is behind the kit, but that’s never distracting, and the strength of the material is pretty apparent. Not sure which direction the band will go as far as finding a permanent drummer, but anyone here would suffice and make total sense. Plus, the record rips, which is the most important part.

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.us/product/angerot-seofon-cd/

Or here (Europe): https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.com/product/angerot-seofon-cd/

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

Has there ever been a time when an escape from reality has been more welcome than it is right now? I’m sure there probably has been, but I can only comment on our current existence, and trying to find something to pull our minds out of the mental fire is something we all could find refreshing as societal temperatures rise.

Boise, Idaho, crushers Weald & Woe have you set up perfectly on their thunderous third record “Far From the Light of Heaven,” an eight-track, 37-minute opus that spills you into a devastating fantasy land. Dubbed “castle metal,” a tag that also applies to other like-minded artists such as Obsequiae or even Morke, the music on here takes you away to swords clashing, horses galloping, chainmail shredding. The band—vocalist/guitarist Jeff Young, vocalist/guitarist Brent Ruddy, bassist Zak Darbin—goes full bore, plying melodic black metal and a twinge of power to make for a rousing devastating adventure.

“This Vale of Tears” opens warmly, strong melodies flowing, shrieks raining down and aggravating fires. The pace keeps you plugged in, wild wails punishing, drums blasting before the pace shifts, and the power wrenches its last drops. “Brought to Ruin” lights up, driving with force, screams maiming as the pace stirs. “I am the whispers that guide you,” emanates softly amid the force, glorious leads riding out of that, the leads igniting and coating everything in gold. “Warchild” gallops like early Maiden, blistering as the vocals go for broke, cooling down as castle-storming riffs gain strength. The playing bursts and bleeds colors, the drums gut, and shrieks peel back flesh as the final elements deliver majestic force. “Radiant One” opens humidly, your face coated with sweat, growls and shrieks intermingling, the mighty chorus rushing at you like a breakaway stream. 

“Breaking of the Sword” has howls ripping and speed splattering, an absolute onslaught heading toward you with little room for safety. Melodic guitars rocket as the spirit of battle races through your veins, surging with fiery energy. “The Skyless World” is a little moodier to start, guitars spreading out, numbing your senses before all hell breaks loose, and raucous fire and NWOBHM-flavored strikes jar your brain. Strange speaking emerges, taking on a timeless void, and then the murk clears into blistering fireworks, molten leads washing over. “Blood Upon the Blade” has humid guitars and the growls crushing wills, unhinged cries then taking control. The rhythm is drubbing and the guitars boil dangerously, charging toward a blaring end. Closer “Stars That Guide the Slain” is elegant and mighty, screams scraping, fluid melodies making your heart race. The bass tramples, and screams ravage, a beastly burst taking you over, howls snarling as the final moments scorch.

Weald & Woe again make your juices flow with manic death metal twisted with power metal on “Far From the Light of Heaven.” Three albums in, and it’s clear this band is focused and channeled, creating sounds that could topple castle walls, liberating people from iron fists. This is glorious and energetic, the perfect music for our times when we could use a few new battle anthems.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://fiadh.bandcamp.com/album/far-from-the-light-of-heaven

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

We live in a reality of fantasy, fiction, and untruths. There is so much that confronts us in our daily lives that requires deep introspection that nothing can be lifted from the surface. It’s like living in a dream world where the rules of reality have been rewritten, and we need to try to wrap our minds around that. 

Swedish band Gaupa (which means lynx) always have been thought provoking in their sounds and words, and that bleeds over into their new mini-album “Fyr,” a five-track (4 new, one that blends two older songs in a live studio setting) offering that also resets their own reality. Down to a four piece with vocalist Emma Näslund, guitarist David Zol Rosberg, bassist Erik Jerka Sävström, drummer Jimmy Hurtig, the band hurtles into psychedelia and rupturing rhythms (that often remind me of Rage Against the Machine’s swagger) that takes control and makes your heart work overtime. Näslund has some Bjork-like qualities with her delivery and also has a commanding presence as her words also borrow from themes of Ursula K. Le Guin’s science fiction novel The Word for World Is Forest that, itself, is a harrowing, sobering adventure.

“Lion’s Thorn” starts in mesmerizing fashion, bagpipes courtesy of Adrian Dal Cero forming a fog, hushed singing hovering over everything. The playing builds to a burly fuzz, bubbling over before reaching a calm, pipes welling,  Näslund calling, “I’ve been told we’re all sinners, and that’s how you’d like us to stay.” The playing gets punchier and more fiery, waves lapping, bagpipes trailing. “Heavy Lord” has guitars chugging, the singing powering, a ’90s feel permeating the atmosphere. The singing swelters, going whispery in spots, and the riffs glisten as the tempo adds pressure, an ominous and catchy dash capturing you. “Ten of Twelve” has guitars running and snarling, the singing echoing as a strong chorus lands with force. “I move in slow motion,” Näslund calls, guitars snaking through dark waters, smoke rising, the notes blazing. “Elastic Sleep” pounds away, the singing gazing, rubbery, jangling guitars sending electricity through your veins. The playing heads into a dreamscape as sounds hang in the air, trudging energy pushes bones into mud, the edges leaving blisters. The battering continues, turning rock into ash, sounds slowly fading away. The last track is pulled from an EP recorded at 2023 Monkeymoon Studios, a combined piece with “Sömnen” from 2022’s “Myrid” and “Febersvan” from their 2018 self-titled debut. It gives you an immersive example of how they reinterpret their music live and sinks you into the center of it all.

Gaupa drag you into your subconscious state and allow you to contemplate dreams and realities on “Fyr,” an effectively realized smaller release that has the power of a full collection. The muscular flexibility and doses of doom metal are melded nicely, feeling like an effective attack. This also serves as a great stop gap to what’s coming next, which we heavily anticipate.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://us.merhq.net/us/Artists/gaupa/

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

We are humans, and as a result, we are going to suffer at some point in our lives. OK, at many points. For some of us, at most points. It’s something we cannot avoid, and to try to do so is pointless because it will get us, even when we least expect it. Hey, not the most uplifting way to start this, but the truth is the truth. 

Italian black metal power Noise Trail Immersion are on that same pathway on “Tutta la Morte in un Solo Punto,” their fifth record overall. The title translates to “all death in one point,” itself a rather dour sentiment, but there remains some potential for light to poke through if we’re bold enough to take on this misery. The band—vocalist Fabio Rapetti, guitarists Daniele Vergine and Nebil Jabnoun, bassist Lorenzo Sirotto, drummer Simone Crivello—twists the dark arts to their will, creating music that is punishing but also wildly intelligent, never letting you in on the answers before they are revealed, and even then they sometimes keep things in the shadows. It’s a record that took me a few visits to embrace, and now that it’s sunk in, each listen has given me something different.

“Divampa L’Ignoto” opens with a crazed burst, mind-bending playing immediately eating into your brain wiring, barks and shrieks blurring your vision. The vocals get throatier as the atmosphere grows more horrific, guitars sting, and the heat from the fires hang overheard. “Spire di Sangue” has growls rumbling and a bruising, hulking pace, growing more disorienting as things move along. Guitars stab into a burgeoning humidity, yells toughen, and the thick air is enough to make you lose consciousness. “Arde e Respira” explodes, wiry playing twisting muscles, brutal howls powering as the guitars add to your fraying mental state. The tempo mauls as screams shred flesh, lumbering and crushing, blasting away and leaving cinders. “Lo Spettacolo” is fierce and furious, shrieks and growls mixing, weirdness spreading and playing with your mental faculties. Hypnotic melodies infect while steam builds, and the guitar work leaves you’ve stymied and ravaged.

“Sogno a sé Stante” burns with guitars blazing before going clean, sitting in reflective pools that let your brain float in temporary serenity. Screams then wrench as the drums encircle, sounds bludgeoning, strangeness destroying senses. “Culla e Bara” has guitars attacking and barked vocals landing hard, a slow-burning, yet jarring path getting rowdier and hotter, screams rippling down spines. The pace then gets more immersive, pulling you under black waves that fully envelop. “Finzione” has growls choking, a mesmerizing pace that smears blood, and a slowly engorging thrust that tests your strength. The vocals get throatier as the burly attack continues to multiply, giving off uncomfortable heat. “Precipizio Consapevole” is hypnotic to start, the guitars melting into metallic streams, the screams mangling with full force. The thrashiness trucks as melodies turn inside out, completely infecting before double-kick drums rattle your skull. The closing title track immediately tangles your limbs as growls retch, and a vicious thrust turns warmer and mystifying. Drums erupt as the guitars scorch flesh, echoes and sounds interfere, and then the track unloads for a final burst, sending speed and trickery to administer one last beating. 

The mix of abject suffering and eventual catharsis makes  “Tutta la Morte in un Solo Punto” both a purposely confusing listen as well as one that should inject strange new life into your cells. Noise Trail Immersion do not set you off on a simplistic brutal journey, as their scope and capabilities would be wasted in such a scenario, so get ready to have your mind challenged. This is a record that might take some time to settle in, but once it does, its effects and the adventure you take cannot be shaken easily, if at all.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://metalodyssey.8merch.us/

Or here: https://metalodyssey.8merch.com/product/noise-trail-immersion-tutta-la-morte-in-un-solo-punto-cd-pre-order/

For more on the label, go here: https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/