Branching out beyond our world into something else, be that physical or mental, sure sounds like a great escape in order to help salve some wounds. We’ve beaten this horse corpse to death, but there is so much horror all around us, and so many people are suffering with psychological conditions that seem endless that taking a trip into a different plane can sound way too irresistible.

Canadian metal dreamers Wake dug deeply into that concept on their excellent sixth record “Thought Form Descent,” their first for genre giant Metal Blade. The album is a concept piece that follows a fictional protagonist who experiences a near-death experience and then comes to terms with wanting to be closer to that reality than the one presented in real life. Using concepts such as lucid dreaming, meditative states, and other metaphysical ideas, the character finds existence on two planes possible but unsustainable, with the end goal seeking to destroy both. It’s a heavy concept, but one that certainly is understandable and approachable. Along with this, the band—vocalist Kyle Ball, guitarists Arjun Gill and Rob LaChance, bassist Ryan Kennedy, drummer Josh Bueckert—also expanded its musical palette, still delivering the heaviness and brutality we’ve come to expect from the band but also adding new elements, dreamier sequences, more melody, and an uncompromising vision that males this fascinating the record the experience that it is.

“Infinite Inward” opens like a sound swarm as it thaws and pushes, the growls smashing the earth. The riffs attack as the atmosphere thickens, the vocals rip, and the playing spirals and tingles, rupturing and slaying as the pain trickles away. “Swallow the Light” mauls as spacious notes reverberate, then the guitars cut through the bone. Black metal-style shrieks take you down as hardcore trudging makes its presence known, scorching and ravaging as the melodies circulate. Light glimmers as calm dawns, the storming slightly returns, and the final jolts of punishment ring out in your ears. “Mourning Dirge (Repose of the Dead)” immediately weighs down on your chest as scathing howls burn and a proggy sequence increases the creativity. Muscles are mashed as the vocals hammer and the playing smothers with relentlessness, the frenetic pace shaking your skeletal structure and gazing into space. “Pareidolia” is a serene instrumental with clean guitars draining, flowing and lighting up the sky.

“Venerate (The Undoing of All)” bubbles to the surface and eventually unfolds, the glorious guitars increasing your serotonin levels. Then a massive death assault is mounted as the drama increases, and the growls crush amid heavy waves of power. A spurt of calm lets you breathe before the hammers drop again, the playing blackens, and the terror fades. “Observer to Master” ruptures as an unforgiving pace rips, the howls ravaging through the universe. Melodic gusts knocks you to the ground, the vocals melt bone, and the guitars beam, frying into your brain. The force loosens bricks from buildings as lava spills from the earth, stampeding before washing away. “Bleeding Eyes of the Watcher” slowly rumbles as the chaos enters and multiplies, the drums coming apart and destroying. A black metal spirit enters the fray as savagery bolts, and the madness floods, the gears smoking as the gears grind. Growls stretch as the playing tramples, slowly turning to ash in the fire. Closer “The Translation of Deaths” is an instrumental that soaks in noise and cloudy coldness, glistering and fading away into a place previously unknown.

Wake always have been one of the more interesting and challenging bands in heavy music, and what they pull off on “Thought Form Descent” makes that crystal clear as these eight thought-provoking and cataclysmic songs wash over you. While a record based on a fictional situation, itreally is something that most people can relate to as we try to work past our own shortcomings and find a way to maintain significance. This record can be a good means to that end, and it also provides an exciting, captivating collection that freshens everything you knew about heavy music.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords

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

There are those movies and stories in which you indulge when it’s dark and hope is bleak as you just try to find a way to get away from your reality. Dusty floors, people weaving through drink and drugs, lives potentially in danger, possibly a ghost in the room. It doesn’t provide much comfort, seeing these stories play out, but your mental security wasn’t really the goal here.

North Carolina-based psyche and noise powerhouse Wailin Storms weaves these types of tales, and they spill over onto their killer second record “The Silver Snake Unfolds,” containing eight tracks that take you on rides through storms and haunted hollows as you watch these stories play out and imitate the tension you feel deep inside. The band—vocalist/guitarist Justin Storms, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Todd Warner, bassist Steve Stanczyk, drummer Mark Oates—unveils an adventure that might make one think more of Nick Cave than anything particularly metallic, but if you don’t think you’re in for heaviness musically and emotionally, you won’t be prepared for the gust that awaits you. This record is dark, dramatic, and explosive, a journey you’ll take over and over, punishment and scars be damned.

“In the Heart of the Sea” is ominous as it dawns, feeling troubled as Storms’ moody singing pushes in as the playing plods, and then the emotions open. “Just you and me on the razor blade, we lay down, down, down,” Storms calls as the playing spirals, and the end bleeds out in a scratchy Hail Mary. “Broken Into Three” lets the drums drive as the guitars jerk, and the vocals yelp. Aggressive tension swells as Storms repeatedly wails, “Get off the streets,” leading to an energy burst that gets faster and louder as it melts away. “Sunday Morning Ceremony” settles in, fog increasing as the spirits set in motion, the pace feeling catchy and meaty. “I feel the cold hand reach inside me,” Storms calls as the playing slinks and burns, the bass plods, and the tempo trickles away. “Drag” gives off a steely western vibe as Storms cries, “Drag me down to the ground.” The playing keeps hypnotizing and liquifying, the situation threatens and grows more volatile, and everything eventually bleeds into the dirt.

“Who Took Our Drugs” lands hard punches as the vocals wail, and dreaminess meets raucous fury, threatening to devour you. Emotions attack as the guitars agitate and scorch, igniting fires and disappearing into echoes. “The Silver Snake Unfolds and Swallows the Black Night Whole” jolts with energy, the guitars swelling and group shouts sending jolts through your body. Foggy undertones obscure your sight, but you can feel the tension strengthening as you battle for safety, letting oceans of blood crust over as Storms emits his final shouts of, “Shake! Break! Shake! Break!” “Concrete Covers Dead Lovers” slowly crawls through the surface, and a gothic storm hovers overhead, promising darkness. “I hear your voice calling,” Storms barks, taking on an Ian Astbury vibe, and then the smoke increases and chokes, dark colors splashing and obscuring your vision. Closer “Carolina Moon” is a fever dream, a dark ghoul that merges into our universe, the playing spreading and glowing. “Sleep by the foot of your bed, even though you’re dead,” Storms calls, feeling dread and longing collect, the guitars bringing massive heat. The final moments pick up and soak in the moonlight, howls generate passion, and the track bleeds into mystery and destruction.

“The Silver Snake Unfolds” touches on something dark and volatile, a seed planted deep within the psyche where things are most likely to end in blood and fire. Wailin Storms have created a new chapter of their sun-scorched, psychologically scarred adventures that reminds that underneath all of the everyday horrors we encounter, there are things buried inside people that are forced into the shadows until they explode. This album encompasses all of that, and hopefully it acts more as a dance partner in misery than a spark that brings the final meltdown.

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

‘To buy the album, go here: https://gileadmedia.net/collections/pre-orders

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

If you’re living in the United States and feel women and people who can carry children should have their say over their reproductive choices, the past few weeks have been fucking infuriating as we watched a SCOTUS with an agenda destroy progress and right to privacy. What do you expect from a drunken doofus, a man whose wife poorly tried to help overthrow the election, and a bunch of liars?

Metal hasn’t always been kind to women and anyone who is not male, and the misogyny that’s run amok over the years and very much still exists today has been sickening. I say this as a dude who doesn’t experience what they do, so I’m sure I don’t know the half of it. Castrator, a death metal band that has spent the past few years fighting back against oppression both in metal and the world are delivering their crushing debut record “Defiled in Oblivion,” and it goes right for the throat. The band—vocalist Clarissa Badini (also of Vicious Blade, who we just visited a few weeks back), guitarist Kimberly Orellana, bassist Robin Mazen (Derketa, Gruesome), drummer Carolina Perez (Hypoxia)—tears through 10 tracks, one of which is a savage and very fitting cover, and the power absolutely clobbers you and makes it very clear the old guard will not be permitted to stand.

“Dawa of Yousafzai” starts with a clip of Malala Yousafzai declaring, “They thought that the bullet would silence us. But they failed. Weakness, fear, and hopelessness died. Strength, power, and courage was born.” Then grinding, deadly death metal ruptures, tearing apart flesh, draining veins, and the power blows you back. Badini’s growls are deeper and more guttural than her work in Vicious Blade, and she’s surrounded by carnage fueled by rage and revenge. “Tormented by Atrocities” has riffs firing up and tearing things apart, the growls tunneling into chests. There are some weird and punchy moments that make you tilt your head in a good way, the growls gut, and the pummeling ends in guitar squall. “Befoul My Existence” ignites with guitars rampaging and the playing scraping flesh from the bone. The growls smother as the playing generates heat, hazy strangeness hovers, and the fires engulf until the track ends abruptly. “Inquisition Sins” is punishing and chugging, going for the throat as the vocals strike. There’s a growl/shriek mix that chews through muscle as the soloing erupts, rounding back to hell and smashing boundaries. “Voices of Evirato” enters with liturgical chants surrounding and guitars enveloping, the stomping feeling like it’s trying to lead a path to dismemberment. Speedy bursts clobber as the soloing explores, the playing leads to increased heat, and the howled vocals leave bruising.

“Forsaken and Deprived” lets riffs spill from the seams, the speed increasing and making the surroundings seem dangerous and unruly. Growls bring menace as the tempo goes for the throat, rampaging and splattering with ash. “Sinister Mind” has guitars whipping in with force as the vocals are spat out with Badini stabbing, “Don’t waste your time, prepare to die!” The playing keeps the juices flowing violently, and Badini promises “no forgiveness” as the track slashes to the end. “Purge the Rotten (Ones)” unloads speedy riffs and a mucky path that promises to challenge your muscles and well-being. The soloing explodes and rampages toward the sun, crazed charging lays your psyche to waste, and Badini howls, “No one will ever know,” which sends chills down your spine. “Tyrant’s Verdict” comes out of the gates swinging, drawing blood and forcing your face into the ground. Classic thrash-style soling overflows and chars, the growls boil in filth, and vile punishment threatens your security. The record ends with a slashing cover of the Venom classic “Countess Bathory” that completely makes sense and tears down the walls, putting a fresh coat of blood and piss onto a metallic landmark.

Castrator take no prisoners and aim to destroy those who support oppression and tyranny with “Defiled in Oblivion,” a ripping slab of classic death metal. Seeing metal dudes squirm over these four women taking the goddamn burdizzo into their own hands and showing their strength and bloodshed skills surely makes them shake and cower. This is a savage debut record, one that turns the tables on the people who have tried to lead metal by force and cast doubt on anyone who doesn’t look and sound like them. Castrator are here, and now the crumbling authorities no longer are safe.  

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

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

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

Sorry that you’ve heard this story from us a million times, but people are suffering. There are a lot of people who used to be in our lives just a few years ago who are memories now, and for the survivors, it’s not easy to handle. Life is different, some of us feel stripped of safety and love, and it’s been a fucking mess trying to reassemble the pieces. Because you can’t do that. Pieces you need are gone.

Milwaukee-based doom/sludge maulers Northless did not escape unscathed, and their new record “A Path Beyond Grief” is their means to pay homage to those who have passed this realm and preserve their memory so they can continue to live in our hearts. The band—vocalist/guitarist/synth player Erik Stenglein, guitarist Dan Lee, bassist James Becker, drummer/vocalist Jeff Nicholas—always has been impossibly heavy musically, but to add this level of emotion to their formula makes what they do absolutely flattening. In addition, the band adds new textures to their sound, more clean singing, and an expanded color palette that makes what they do even more immersive.

“Nihil Sanctum Vitae” opens the record with guitars plucked and folkish singing and harmonizing, easing into what turns into a gargantuan killer with the title track delivering muddy crushing. Cleaner calls wash over, wading in punishing and grim power, leveling with anguish as Stenglein howls, “I’m coming home!” The pace continues to add pressure as the atmosphere thickens with wrenching chaos. “Forbidden World of Light” has scarring guitars and hazy clobbering, the vocals howled as the surroundings are thick and sooty. Clean calls merge with the chaos, and then everything comes apart, the world crumbing beneath you as sinister guitars launch. Melodies bleed as growls curdle, the bass trudging as the playing fades. “Carried” blows through with singing moving and an emotional chorus leaving ribcages permanently compromised. Gargantuan howls erupt as the guitars spread and gaze, and the spiraling storm gets heavier and finally dissipates.

“Of Shadow and Sanguine” enters in full assault as vicious howls blacken eyes, and then speed becomes a factor, making your blood rush. Blistering fury increases the intensity, melodic howls send waves crashing, and thick basslines and molten terror dissolve into noise. “What Must Be Done” slowly mauls as murky skies hover, and the punishment dealt is calculated, devastating along the way. Steam rises as the guitars lather, sung shouts penetrate, and the guitars absolutely chug, raining down shrapnel and madness that collects and overwhelms. “Nothing That Lives Will Last” closes the album as it pushes through the darkness, creating somber waves as Stenglein wails, “I emerged from a haze.” The playing and vocals have a bit of a Baroness vibe with the wildness quotient increasing, a huge deluge of melody pulling you into the undertow. The vocals crush as the emotion spills over, amplifying the misery and leaving a trail of broken bones behind.

Many people have been touched by loss and grief these past few years, myself included, and “A Path Beyond Grief” is a bloodletting from the heart that reaches out and pays homage to those we don’t have with us any longer. Northless always have been as heavy as a cement truck, a gut-wrenching band, and here, they remain as devastating but also add new flourishes that really bring the machine to life. It’s not been an easy go for our species as of late, but as we live in the shadows of those who moved on to the next plane, we continue to find ways to honor them while we try to live our lives.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://translationloss.com/products/a-path-beyond-grief

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

Part of having anxiety and the trouble with guiding it sometimes is the lack of control we have over certain situations. That can make you feel helpless and/or trapped, triggering whatever mechanism in your brain pounds the panic button and makes you choose flight over fight. There’s only so much we can do, only so much authority over the things that happen to us and others that it can be a lot to handle.

That’s not entirely what “Aveilut,” the debut record from Scarcity is about, but it certainly led my brain in that direction over some of the subject matter with which I can identify. This project is helmed by multi-instrumentalist Brendon Randall-Myers, who began to write this record after processing the loss of two people close to him and while caught in lockdown in Beijing in 2020. Randall-Myers, leader of Glenn Branca Ensemble ever since Branca’s passing, worked with vocalist Doug Moore (Pyrrhon, Weeping Sores, etc.) to add a volcanic, unhinged element that increases the misery and devotion to the void. Moore’s own lockdown occurred while living next to a funeral home in New York, one of the epicenters of the plague. So, you can imagine what these two forces, who stared desolation, loss, and tragedy in the eye, created when they got together. Black metal, doom, noise, ambiance, you name it, and it all feels like a trip to the center of devastation.

The record opens with “i” where drone spreads to all reaches of the earth, the guitars spiral, and the drumming pounds a path into your brain. Noise builds as layers are added generously while psychosis increases and limits your comfort. Moore’s shrieks erupt with fury, leads echo and surround, and final cries into the sky lead into “ii.” The track instantly has an industrial feel, driving and penetrating deep into your mind. The pace pushes as the shrieks corrupt while the playing hovers and hypnotizes, the guitars sizzling and streaming amid all of this. Wild terror enacts and gains control, blood sprays, total disorientation makes its presence felt, and deranged howls sink their teeth into muscle before melting away into the waters.

“iii” dawns in guitar fog as the sounds swirl and shrieks decimate, ripping through flesh. The force becomes a lot with which to tangle as the playing catapults and eventually torches your spirit, storming rages, and the momentum pushes toward “iv” that starts with a funereal pace. Growls lurch as the force builds, the noise pierces the fog, and the sounds scorch and push into the cosmos. Sounds glimmer, the power wrenches, and then we’re on to closer “v” that’s the longest track at 13:16. Guitars jostle as the playing unloads and just melts, creating seismic shock and an aura that causes your mind to wander. Synth blends in as the shrieks grab you by the throat and return you to reality, the sounds smear and streak, and that all washes into a gaze of dreams that are more grisly than calming. Shrieks echo, the sound cloud mashes, and everything spills into atmospheric glaze that dissolves into time.

So many people have been touched by loss and have had their lives altered forever, their realities shattered. Randall-Myers’ experiences are all over Scarcity’s debut “Aveilut,” and what he and Moore pour into this catastrophic, emotional journey can act as a means to letting the horrible events we’ve experienced make a little bit more sense. This is a bloodletting and a means to let the negative, sorrowful energies out, and the scathing adventure ends with you taking on more scars but ultimately move closer to healing in the end.

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

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

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

Upheaval is a matter of life, and how one deals with that tells a lot about the person’s strength and perseverance. This is heavy metal after all, and keeping things in a state on normalcy is not really an element that makes up this style of music. This breeds chaos, and the forces that make these sounds can be volatile. Or sometimes people just move on to other things, and the overall beast endures change.

Los Angeles sludge beast Behold! The Monolith have been making heavy, quaking sounds for 15 years now, and they have four very solid full-length efforts to their name, the latest being “From the Fathomless Deep,” their first in seven years. This band has been no stranger to lineup changes, sometimes for tragic reasons, but they’ve kept going, weathering every storm that’s come for them. Joining long-time members guitarist Matt Price and drummer Chase Manhattan is vocalist/bassist Menno Verbaten (Cryptic Slaughter, Lightning Swords of Death), taking the band back to its power trio formation they displayed on their first two records. Not satisfied with staying complacent, the band adds southern and classic rock goodness to their gargantuan sound, making this record feel like a summer destroyer. 

“Crown/The Immeasurable Void” starts with a gasp before the sludge rolls in and riffs swagger. Whispers wash through before acoustics take over, bringing a dreamy haze that settles over into bass boiling and a proggy sentiment. The guitars gush again as the mud cakes and stretches toward the cosmos, dual guitars make blood rush, and everything sizzles out. “Psychlopean Dread” enters amid aching echoes that eventually gives way to trudging heaviness and spacey growls that have an alien finish. Warm guitars glow and entrance before the pace picks up, and the waters get increasingly choppy. Twin leads rule, growls draw blood, and thick bass plods toward the gates. “Spirit Taker” enters in furious flames and mixes into a mesmerizing flow, punishing and lurching, the growls mashing muscles. A psychedelic wash grips before things get breezy and then raucous, the guitars go off, and the chorus is wailed as the final moments bubble away.

“This Wailing Blade” dawns with a southern rock vibe, burly singing powering, the gritty bridge leading to the mauling chorus. The guitars glimmer, bringing on memories of summers long passed, the elements soak in the juices, and the simple, but muscular chorus lashes back again before fading. “The Seams of Pangaea” opens with a bluesy tone and speak singing, and the playing slowly increases its presence, launching into a spacey void. Moody guitars give off a mystical glaze, and then everything explodes with furnace pressure, feeling like it’s translating what warm weather feels like, the bass diving for gems. The playing flutters as the atmosphere shocks, mauling with precision to the very end. Closer “Stormbreaker Suite” is the longest track, running 11:25 and immediately serving generous amounts of sludgy guitar. It’s a slow crusher for a good stretch, increasing psychedelic heat, the flames lapping and leaving soot on your flesh. The leads infect as the playing keeps developing, bringing awesome energy as faces are melted before acoustics blend in, the final embers washed away at sea.

It’s been quite a while since we’ve heard from Behold! The Monolith, but they make up for that absence with this muscular, atmospherically rich fourth record “From the Fathomless Deep.” This album seems to drink as deeply from the darkest reaches of the ocean as it does outer space, and the band’s mix of sludge, doom, and southern musical accents makes for a full-bodied, incredibly satisfying listen. This record feels like a statement from a mighty force reborn, one with experience and more tricks up their sleeve than you realized could fit in their massive arsenal.   

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://ripplemusic.bigcartel.com/products

Or here (Europe): https://www.ripple-music.com/ripple-eu/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.ripple-music.com/

Heaviness can only take a band or artist so far, because it’s not that difficult to achieve this level of extreme. There has to be more behind it, some actual substance, for the weight of the music to truly have a force behind it. Anything less is just music play loudly and aggressively that doesn’t make you feel full and satisfied when the noise ends.

German duo Mantar—vocalist/guitarist Hanno Klänhardt, drummer Erinc Sakarya—always have had plenty of aggression and substance to their music, but they decided to take things a little further on their crushing Metal Blade debut record “Pain Is Forever and This Is the End.” No one ever accused them of cutting corners, but this time around, the band focused more on the songwriting end and less on the heaviness, and they came out with 10 tracks that spark, punch, and give off a hearty beating that feels rich and fully realized. These songs are fun and feel loose and energetic, and while the band didn’t concentrate on this aspect, are plenty heavy. Also, being on a legendary label with a huge following will expose Mantar to even more people, and they could not have put a stronger foot forward.

“Egoisto” gets this going with the guitars trudging and throaty wails pounding away, feeling melodic and grisly. Throaty howls smother, the riffs encircle and sizzle, and the chorus punishes one last time. “Hang ‘Em Low (So the Rats Can Get ‘Em)” sounds like such an obvious lead single, a thing I guess still exists. Guitars jolt as the raspy vocals leave welts on your flesh, scraping and swelling, delivering a chorus that fills you with adrenaline and puts out your lights. “Grim Reaping” arrives with a strong riff that punches in as the track lights up and fill its lungs with soot. “Everything dies in the end!” Klänhardt howls, powering through a simple but killer chorus, ending with the final jab, “Misery knows your name.” “Orbital Pus” brings aggravated speak-singing, the drums leaving bruising, and gruff goodness that makes your blood surge. The assault continues as the guitars build and dual howls punish, leading into “Piss Ritual” that fires up right away. The vocals snarl and spit nails, and the duo pumps out black metal-friendly playing, steamrolling with speed as Klänhardt vows, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”

“Of Frost and Decay” starts with cleaner guitars and a foggy aura before the first punches are thrown, and gnarly vocals chew their way into the scene. The track gets dark and moody as Klänhardt repeatedly shouts, “Wait to fail!” over the chorus. Electricity bubbles as the drums unload, melting into the earth. “Walking Corpse” brings strangling riffs and the vocals rustling, with Klänhardt howling, “There’s no remorse for what you’ve done.” A blistering punk feels melts faces, punching out and moving into “New Age Pagan” that stings the flesh right away. Riffs bulldoze as the singing is smoother but just as nasty, a heavy groove ripping through chests. The chorus washes through, guitars jab, and a vicious finish adds an exclamation point. “Horder” begins gently, but that’s a ruse, because before you know it, the fuel is dumped on the flames. “Get up, get down, get born again,” Klänhardt taunts as the guitars slash, and the pace gets punchier. The track seems ready to dissolve, but it’s another tease as the playing rips anew, delivering one final rousing chorus. “Odysseus” is the closer, leaning in with an ominous riff, buzzing and gnawing. Klänhardt’s singing is a little cleaner but still leaves bruises, and some of the track even feels kind of poppy. Melodies wash over as the energy soars, letting your juices flow one more time before fading into the darkness.

Mantar’s climb through the world of heavy music has been fascinating to watch as they’ve added muscle and grit and even more approachability on “Pain Is Forever and This Is the End.” While the sound is more streamlined, it’s still a brawl over these 10 tracks and still has a heavy share of thorns to drive into your side. With metallic superpower Metal Blade behind them, Mantar’s direction is up, and these 41 minutes are filled with power to sway the masses in their bloody direction.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.metalblade.com/mantar/

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

If it’s not every day that some sort of machinery or technology shits its pants and makes me more confident that machines never truly will take over the world. You know how many times I try to put my debt card into a chip reader and it fails spectacularly and I have to spend minutes inserting and reinserting? That came out wrong. How many times does my modem fail out? It’s constant.

That’s not to suggest it can’t happen, and a few visits with “Spiritfraud,” the new opus from intergalactic black metal entity Xenoglyph might have you wondering if your days are numbered. The duo behind this shadowy beast explores a reality where digital creatures come to life and desire for the existence that humans enjoy/bastardize, so they aim to steal our dreams. Humankind then must grapple with whether fighting a losing battle or disappearing gracefully is the better choice. Musically, the band delves into cosmic realms of black metal, freezing your cells, warping your wind, and taking you on this adventure that only can end in misery and defeat.  

“Mainframe Equilibrium” starts with guitars dawning, the sounds washing over and bringing chilled numbness, the growls squashing bowels. Atmospheric pressure unloads as the black metal elements multiply, melody becomes a bigger factor, and everything feels gigantic. That heads deeper into the stars, cascading heavily and trickling into oblivion. The title track explores the elements before guitars chug in, and lurching motions make for a devious ride. Melody and drama intertwine as chaos eats away, and everything is pummeled as the vocals tear into wounds. Strong energy ignites as the spirit grows more formidable, then all the elements rush with force before synth joins and fades with it all. “Cyphon” pops open and immediately trudges through everything, the playing feeling both mystical and fog-covered, the drums tearing through the veil. The tempo gets darker as a proggy finish is applied, guitars space out, and the playing disappears in the sky.

“Iconocide” begins in strange waters as it gets more cosmic, and growls push through as sinister riffs join the fray. The drums maul as the pressure gets heavier, sooty guitars scar, and voices swirl in the air as the attitude mangles dangerously. Then the vibe gets wonderfully majestic before the final hammer drops. “Nightshade Reverie” rushes in as shrieks splash, and a thick mist moves its way in and coats faces with moisture. The storming punishes as keys glow and the blackness multiplies, drubbing and chewing away before fading. Closer “Acclamations of Emptiness” starts with a long stretch as the ambiance leans in and expands itself, and then vile growls explode as fire streaks the skies. It feels like we’re headed even deeper into the universe as the playing tricks your mind, paving the way for grittier moods, voices that swirl in the air, and everything bleeding into dust.

A lot of people are wondering how things possibly can get worse on this planet, and Xenoglyph have the apocalyptic answer with “Spiritfraud.” Chaos has spread across the globe, and in this country in particular, we’re being fed into a time machine but also potentially must do battle with technology with our new overlords once they become sentient. This is terrifying both musically and psychologically, and we can’t say we haven’t been warned about what’s ahead for us.  

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

To buy the album, go here: https://orcd.co/spiritfraudalbum

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

We’re in the midst of what’s supposed to be the summer blockbuster movie season, something that was heavily damaged by the pandemic the past few years and really hasn’t recovered to the level it used to be. This is the time when all the huge and dynamic pictures are in theaters over the summer, and it’s not that long ago that you used to get a massive new movie or two every week. It was wild.

While it’s not something you’re going to see on the silver screen, Pestilent Hex have something that might be the audio version of a massive adventure with “The Ashen Abhorrence,” their debut record. This Finnish band that combines vocalist/lyricist M. Malignant (Desolate Shrine, Convocation) and multi-instrumentalist L. Oathe (Corpsessed, Tyranny) explodes into cinematic, symphonic black metal that remind of the era of when this style came to be. It’s not overdone, it doesn’t sound like a Disney score, and it does drive a dagger into the heart of black metal from three decades ago and drinks deeply from its veins. Each of these six chapters sweep over you and makes for an enthralling journey, one that deserves multiple visits, like a film you see so many times, you know it off by heart.

“Chapter I: The Ashen Abhorrence” opens the sojourn by rupturing peace and delivering vile force, pushing through elegance and mysticism. The symphonic aura explodes as the band pulverizes your senses, strange cackling pours salt in the wounds, and keys wash through to add more color to the tangling finish. “Chapter II: Nature of the Spirit” blasts in and takes over like a raging storm seeking to soak the earth. Shrieks creak, and a sweeping chorus knocks you for a loop, pushing you into tangling madness that blisters the flesh. Keys wash down, the humidity builds, and your mind begins to tingle, blasting through animalistic shrieks and hammering terror. “Chapter III: Mephistophelean Liaison” dawns as darkness unfolds before the playing makes a tear through your mid-section. The keys flood with fury as a zany pace picks up, the shrieks gutting as the melodies gain momentum. Morbid and daring, gargantuan wails make seismic impact, speed boils, and everything ends in a surge.

“Chapter IV: Interlude – Mists of Oneiros” brings eerie noises and keys trickling, feeling like a classic King Diamond interlude to get your imagination flowing. “Chapter V: Old Hag” churns as the punches land, and clean lines mix into the bloodstream and become flammable. Violent insanity storms as the sophisticated design unfurls, taking on spiraling guitars and playing that will make your brain spill in your skull. Animalistic shrieks make their presence felt, strange playing splatters, and everything rushes into the void. Closer “Chapter VI: Banishment” unloads with death gurgles and a blinding assault, wild calls making chills run down your spine. The playing charges but also numbs, slurring through strange vocals and dizzying guitars that make the room spin. The pressure squeezes your temples, the pace gives some final jolts of energy, and melodic keys and the remaining gusts of fire bury this thing in the stars.

Symphonic black metal is a style that hasn’t aged particularly well, but there are bands that still do it really well and don’t overdo the silliness, and Pestilent Hex have a stranglehold on this whole thing. “The Ashen Abhorrence” is a record that not only delivers really strong black metal, it also packs the right amount of drama that keeps you tuned in and won’t release you until the ride is complete. This is a powerful statement, something that feels cinematic and bloody in all the best ways, and it’ll fill your summer with delicious morbidity.

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://debemurmorti.aisamerch.com/

Or here (Europe): https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/12-eshop

For more on the album, go here: https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/

Darkness and rage do not necessarily have to be conveyed in audio violence and pulverized muscle after having gone through a bloodletting. There are many ways to let the negativity leak into your flesh and bone and bleed through your pores, and sometimes taking a calculated approach is the best way to fully absorb the forces that are trying to destroy you.

Cleveland’s Frayle aren’t going to flatten you with decibels and force, but they manage to dig right to the heart of their music, which we hear on their second record “Skin and Sorrow.” There has been enough misery to go around these past few years, and the band—Gwyn Strang and Sean Bilovecky—channels that into 10 tracks that stay on a channeled, shadowy pace through most of the record, the bursts spaced nicely out but always satisfying when they land. Amid all of this devastation, pain, and loss are creations that are heavy musically but even more so emotionally, burning through your system and eating away at your psyche. By the way, Frayle currently are touring in support of Cradle of Filth, so their profile very justifiably is rising. Also, while we’re presenting this record now, it’s been pushed back to Sept. 23. That was announced after this piece was written. So, have some patience for a physical copy. It’s worth it.

“Treacle & Revenge” buzzes in like a warm stream, Strang’s seductive calls luring you to your doom. “Hold you to your truth, so bored with empty words, I will have revenge,” she calls as growls lurch, the playing is catchy and gusty, and some sludge hammers the point home. “Bright Eyes” is burly and lurches slowly, the chorus sinking into power and flexing. The playing is dangerously breezy and dark, the guitars smear, and Strang calls, “So many tears, my wicked ways, so many fears all tucked away.” The title track enters amid guitars aching as the dusty ambiance grows and heads west. The vocals slither as the humidity increases and makes breathing a challenge, and then the waters suddenly scald, this gothic desert trap swallowing you whole. “Ipecac” is burly and takes its time, sometimes fluttering, always weighing down on you. Doomy winds push through as Strang’s vocals hypnotize you before letting you burn away. “Stars” opens as Strang calls, “The darkness has returned, it never really left,” as the band delicately stomps before jolting with power. The tempo stamps flesh into the ground, the chorus carves at your heart, and the fog thickens and robs you of your vision.

“Roses” brings guitar spark as the singing stretches its wings, the chorus opening as warmth begins to deliver a thaw. The track plods with calculating force as the playing swarms the mind, and Strang jabs, “Feed you my poison, and I will stain your soul,” as everything ends in ash. “Sacrifant” delivers snarling riffs and a spirit that encircles, the guitars continually increasing the menace. The singing exudes darkness as the pace chugs, whispers haunt, and the power finally fades. “All the Things I Was” has guitars echoing and Strang’s vocals a quiet but deadly force, carving before the bottom drops. The playing slithers through a chasm as the heaviness gets aggravated and raw, trudging and chewing muscle along the way. “Song for the Dead” drips into the scene as dreaminess spreads, Strang calling, “She sings for the dead, only, drawing down the moon, slowly.” Gentle playing and devious emotions snarl as the guitars glisten and spill away. Closer “Perfect Wound” lands in dark guitars and a solemn pace as Strang’s voice and Bilovecky’s guitars intertwine and haunt. The feeling is sullen and wounded, spirits feel like they retreat to the night sky, and the notes drub with Strang wailing, “My beautiful sorrow,” as the final strains dissolve into air.

“Skin and Sorrow” is a new chapter for Frayle, a band that’s slowly been building its presence and unique form of elegant doom darkness. This record gushes and bleeds with personal devastation, frustration, and pain, and it’s impossible to listen to these 10 songs and not absorb every drop. This album is deceivingly powerful, an emotional toll that is paid over and over and refuses to relent until each inch of this thing exists underneath your flesh.

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://aqualamb-records.myshopify.com/products/frayle-skin-sorrow

Or here (Europe): https://laybarerecordings.com/release/skin-sorrow-by-frayle-lbr038

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

And here: https://laybarerecordings.com/