Photo by Valerie Cridelause

Lovecraftian lore, like many other dark elements, has become a vital component in heavy metal over the years. Songs and records have been based on H.P. Lovecraft’s tales of horrors, including a few tracks by Metallica, and it works just perfectly to create a sense of charnel wonder in the genre. There even are bands that base their entire existence around Lovecraft, and we have one of the better ones today.

French death and black metal squad The Great Old Ones, who take their name from the mysterious deities now at rest who once ruled the Earth (the vaunted Cthulhu is included in that group), are one of the more fascinating and crushing on the earth. They’re back with an excellent, mind-warping new record “EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy” that further unfurls Lovecraft’s creations and weaves them into their mesmerizing mix of black and death metal. EOD, of course, stands for Esoteric Order of Dagon, a fictional cult in the Cthulhu mythos, and the eight songs on here wrap their tentacles around you and pull you into an outer space hellscape. This, their first record for Season of Mist, might be the first opportunity many people have to hear the band, and if so, get ready for a heavy experience you can’t really relate to anything else. Your mind and body will go for a journey, likely ending right at the heart of Innsmouth.

The Great Old Ones first unfurled their mission to celebrate Lovecraft’s creations in 2009, putting out their first record “Al Azif” three years later in 2012. They started to gain momentum in 2014 on their excellent second album “Tekeli-li,” and since that time they’ve awakened Season of Mist to their massive wares. The band—guitarists/vocalists Benjamin Guerry and Jeff Grimal, guitarist Xavier Godart, bassist Sébastien Lalanne, and drummer Léo Isnard—put a strange, yet alluring touch to their music. What they do is heavy and brutal and can turn your bones to dust. But they also capture the imagination and transport you to these dark times, where unimaginable horrors await, things that would make you expire in your meat suit if you ever were to encounter them.

“Searching for R Olmstead (introduction)” is a quick beginning cut, 26 seconds with a narrator noting, “I’m finally here,” referring to Innsmouth, and then it’s into “The Shadow Over Innsmouth,” a track that’s deadly right off the bat. Savage growls and a steamrolling pace launch, while melodies and atmosphere roll in the chaotic scene. The song continues to slither along, as the vocals scathe and the song finds another level of terror. Wrenching punishment swims with fiery playing, as air rushes into the room and sweeps away the horrors. “When the Stars Align” has a steady black metal-style riff, and that’s amplified by a blistering pace and vocals that rip apart any sense of serenity. Spacious playing adds more adventure, and even though the song goes calm for a stretch, that’s overrun by gruesome heaviness, chilling choral calls, and a final dose of bruising. “The Ritual” runs 9:31, with rhythmic drumming leading into the ceremony and sounds spilling over that. The song is torn apart eventually, with a storming fury mixed with moody playing, twisting up emotions. Later, a terrifying assault is carried out, again delving into black metal seas, while the back end rushes with vicious vocals and a thundering pace that’s eventually washed away.

“Wanderings” is another brief track, the breather at the center point, with our narrator saying, “My soul wanders into nothingness.” “In Screams and Flames” is a death eruption right away, with the band thrashing heavily and the leads cutting through stone. The melodies ride high but eventually wash into the background, almost as if they’re disappearing into a watery grave. Crushing drums awake the beast, as the song is ground into dust, and spacey madness spill out from the other side. “Mare Infinitum” is the longest track at 10:55, and its bed of eerie noises chills the flesh before the power ignites, and the band delivers a slow-driving thrashing. Everything later is pushed into a tornado of noise, causing hypnosis and panic, and out of that comes vicious crunch, more black metal-style guitars, and the final threads slowly falling to the ground. Closer “My Love for the Stars (Cthulu Fhtagn)” is a fittingly odd ending, with acoustic guitars, clean singing, and echoey, ghostly apparitions. Pianos drip in, smearing the lights, while wordless calls spread, organs give a gothic glow, and the track ends suddenly, almost as if swallowed whole by a great monster.

I was predisposed to pay attention to the Great Old Ones when I first learned of them several years back based simply on my adoration of Lovecraft tales, and it was a huge plus when it turned out their music is destructive and massive. “EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy” keeps the screws turning and continues to expose the late author’s horrific work in their twisted and cataclysmic music. The Great Old Ones are an entity that exists in a strange place where few others inhabit, and they’re the unquestioned rulers of that realm of existence.

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

To buy the album, go here (North American store): http://shopusa.season-of-mist.com/

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

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

Artists that can make music feel like it jettisoned through a time warp and ended up in the modern era always intrigue me. Being able to capture an essence from a time that’s gone on and translating it into sound can’t be easy, but those who can pull it off (I’m thinking a band such as Obsequiae) tend to be really special ones.

Long-running German black metal project Horn is another of those acts, and over the course of 15 years, the band led by sole member Nerrath (Cross Vault, Shrine, Latitude Egress) has dug back into history and lore and come up with another compelling slab called “Turm am Hang,” the seventh record from this band overall. Focusing on myriad topics such as 17th century German folk song “Es ist ein Schnitter” (a poem that addresses the Reaper); lansquenets (15^th and 16^th century colorful German mercenary soldiers); wars of the past; tribalism; and the spirit of masculinity, and all that bleeds through on these eight cuts (well, nine, but one is a cover). Perhaps that’s part of what makes this music feel like it comes from another era. It doesn’t have a purposely vintage production nor does it try to seem from a bygone time. It simply achieves that time travel seamlessly and makes these songs interesting and exciting.

This new Horn album, the first since 2015’s killer “Feldpost,” is heavy, raucous, and melodic. In fact, it does sound a lot like “Feldpost,” or at least where Nerrath was coming from at that time, and it’s such a great, spirited listen. The album itself is such a mighty release that it is taking two labels—Northern Silence and Iron Bonehead—to give it the proper treatment it deserves. It’s destructive and spirited, a great slab of heavy metal and blackened drama that continues to unload with power that could help remind you why you fell in love with this style of music to begin with.

“Alles in einem Schnitt” starts the album with strings striking and the song blasting forward. Melodic guitar work and an undeniable catchiness sweeps over, while harsh barks mix with clean singing (something that repeats often on this album) and takes the song to its end. The title cut has a Primordial vibe at the start, with cleaner guitars sounding majestic and gigantic. The song breaks open, with grisly growls and bellowing singing (especially on the chorus), as the guitars get ready for another attack. A rousing singalong section breaks out, and that energy stands until the song fades away. “Verhallend in Landstrichen” begins with doom horns that sound like they came from an old black-and-white film, and then it’s into a rushing dose of punishment. Strong growls combine with thunder-and-lightning riffs, rolling heavily over everything and capturing whatever’s in its wake. The song rounds out with militaristic drumming and a strong sense of adventure. “Die mit dem Bogen auf dem Kreuz” is clean and murky to start, with strong calls of “oh-oh!” and waves of energy pushing. The music, like most of the record, is heavy and catchy before things end abruptly.

“Ä(h)renschnitter” unleashes dirty guitars and gravelly singing, as the pace ruptures and makes the earth quake, and the song suddenly hits the gas pedal. That bursts through the gates and sprays shrapnel, while the chorus feels rowdy as hell and the guitars raise their swords. “Totenräumer” erupts right away though it teases to go serene just moments into the track. Bells start to ring, seemingly signaling a battle will start, while unmistakable energy bleeds through, and fiery riffs lead the song to a smashing end. “Lanz und Spieß” is a quick interlude, with strange, psychedelic-filled guitars drizzling strange colors, and then it’s onto “Bastion, im Seegang Tauber Fels” and its classic metal start. The growls are gruff, and the lead guitars stoke the fires, carrying the song onto its boisterous assault. There’s a great sense of a journey with this one, as it should excite you and possibly want to follow along the same muddy path behind it. The album ends with a cover of When Bitter Spring Sleeps’ “The Sky Has Not Always Been This Way,” the only song sung in English, and a really cool take on the track from 2013’s “Coven of the Wolves.” It adds a nice touch to the back end of the record and gives you something a little different from what burned you over the first eight songs.

Horn’s accomplishments the past decade and a half are to be celebrated, and “Turm am Hang” is another spectacular chapter for Nerrath and his dusty storybook creations. The music is powerful and catchy, and it might have you going back into history to learn more about what’s going on here. If you’re just here for the music, then you’ll get a heaping serving of metal full of Medieval power and glory, with you practically feeling the foot soldiers approaching and taking aim at you.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.ironbonehead.de/en/

Or here: http://shop.northern-silence.de/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.ironbonehead.de/

And here: http://www.northern-silence.de/

Surely, we’re all inundated with new bands every year, and it’s really hard to keep up with everything that’s going on out there. It’s even tougher from a writing standpoint to take note of it all and find really good music to feature that won’t be here today and gone tomorrow. But sometimes you know just from hearing the band’s music for the first time that something special is going on, and it’s worth paying attention to where things are headed.

It’s not like Dakhma is a brand-new band. The Grand Rapids-based trio have been grinding faces off for a least a few years now (their self-titled first EP was released in 2014), though their path has mostly been on the underground/DIY trajectory for the bulk of their run. The band—vocalist Claire, guitarist Derek, drummer Dylan—powers through mostly with a sooty black metal assault but also works in elements of hardcore, punk, and crust. They obviously got the attention of Halo of Flies, who are reissuing their 2016 effort “Suna Kulto” on vinyl, and damn it if it doesn’t deserve it. The collection is two massive tracks of chaos that stretch over 40 minutes, and while these epics do require your commitment in order to fully engage, what you get in return is more than worth the energy you spend. Plus, the music is a splattering blast of chaos that will topple your world and leave you heaving in a pit of dust. Trust me, it’s actually a good thing.

“Coins” is the first cut, starting clean and calm but, before long, tearing open fully. There is a crazed passion in Claire’s screams, while the melodies are thick and charred, and the energy cascades over everything. There is so much energy and emotion—I can’t stress that enough, and it’s present in both cuts—while the band keeps destroying you and rolling out your bones. About halfway through the 20:37 cut, the path changes slightly, as the surge pulls back. But Claire disrupts any serenity simply by opening her mouth and unleashing her dragon cry, and from there, the band blazes forward fully. Great riffs roll down as the song lights up and pummels you. There’s a brief halt for clean trickling, but then the heart is ripped out again, blood splatters the floor, and the track ends in a storm of ferocity.

“East” is just a bit shorter at 19:27, and the band eases you into the song, with clean playing guiding you on your way. Then, an earth-tearing eruption arrives, as the guitar work sends compelling melodies flowing, and the spiraling playing can help hypnotize you. The drums crash even harder, as the band achieves raucous fury, and a short stretch of slower playing dives in, with some less-harsh calls entering the mix. Again, the song completely explodes, with screams that could peel the flesh from your face and the melodies pushing into a tornadic loop that eventually chews away and brings bruising. A slight pullback occurs, with warbled speaking swimming amid the floating shrapnel, and from there, the band brings one last assault, with your nervous system imploding from within, and the smothering sounds sizzling out, leaving a skeletal path of fire on the ground behind it.

Dakhma hopefully will reach more people now with Halo of Flies behind “Suna Kulto,” as their power and fury are tangible and can power your heart. Every moment of this effort ripples with chaos and blinding power, and I can only imagine the damage this band does live. This is the first fresh band that’s truly torn our eyes open in young 2017, and this trio is worth paying attention to as they blaze their trail into the future.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.halooffliesrecords.com/label-releases/halo97-dakhma-suna-kulto-lp/

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

We all have those bands we like enough to do a pilgrimage to see live. In Pittsburgh, we get a lot of good shows, but many metal bands from overseas don’t always come here, preferring to hit bigger towns on their tours (which I get), so often we have to drive some miles to see these groups, which can be a fun and fulfilling experience.

Luckily, we’re close enough to Baltimore, so Maryland Deathfest is a destination we make just about every year. A few years ago, it was a necessary stop as the German black metal/doom warriors The Ruins of Beverast were making an appearance, and what were the chances of seeing them in my backyard? Actually, we came close last year, but their local date was canceled, as was their entire tour. But that MDF sojourn was so worth it, as they were a standout band, and were just unreal to witness. I already was a massive fan of the band, and they were touring on their great last record “Blood Vaults—The Blazing Gospel of Heinrich Kramer.” They were a nightmare even draped in midday sunlight, and each wave of terror lapped over the one before it, leaving the crowd in murk.

The band is back now with one of their strangest releases yet, and that’s saying something for a group that often pushes boundaries. “Takitum Tootem!” is a two-track EP that has some of The Ruins of Beverast’s most intriguing music. One track is the first of a two-part series lamenting the downfall of humankind’s loss of the crown of creation, with the second part set to be delivered later this year. It adds a whole new perspective to the band’s DNA, and it will be intriguing to see if that spreads to their future music as well. If so, we’re in for one hell of a weird adventure. The other track is a warped-as-fuck cover of a classic that’s been done before by other metal bands, but not even close to how Ruins do it.

The title cut opens, that being the first part of a bipartite meditation that begins with woodwinds, warped chants, and a strange essence spreading itself. Guitars kick up and create a strange noise halo, while washed-out growls crawl inside of you and light fires. A strange robotic voice begins to sprawl, adding some weirdness, and then the music temporarily fades before tribal drumming begins to bubble, and a grinding pace takes over. Hypnotic tones and alien voices take over, as the music spirals, sending you into a trace, and then things slowly fade, with a sting of sound hanging in the air. The final track is a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun,” which is one of the oddest but most enthralling takes on the classic cut ever. It maintains the same mentality as “Takitum” by feeling like a spiritual expanse that literally takes you on that trip into the star. Strange vocal effects, synth that swims in and brings with it the cosmos, and mesmerizing drums highlight this piece, giving a dose of psychedelic oddity even its initial creator likely could not imagine. The song then bleeds out with the same types of chants that opened the title cut.

The Ruins of Beverast remain operating on a level most bands only could dream of attaining, and the weird “Takitum Tootem!” keeps their creative energies alive. I’m really intrigued to hear how part two is going to sound, which probably will be something I can’t even dream as I write this. Whether this is a brief stopover in a different world, or if this is how Ruins will operate going forward, these two songs are enough to keep our interest high and bubbling over.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/The-Ruins-Of-Beverast-116265971848680/

To buy the album, go here: http://www.van-records.de/product_info.php?products_id=3048

For more on the label, go here: https://www.van-records.de/

Bands come along now and then that I can’t believe more people aren’t into. Not that people aren’t necessarily sweet on said music, but these bands don’t carry with them the ridiculous word of mouth than can turn a group from nobody to the greatest thing on the planet in 24 hours.

For all their time as a band, The Flight of Sleipnir never have been a recipient of a massive furor pushing people to their records. That’s a shame, because for the past decade and over the course of six records, the Colorado-based band have done nothing but turn out good music. Their mix of doom, psychedelics, and black metal are blended so well, and with their unique personality, I find the band ridiculously listenable. Their latest album, the rushing “Skadi,” is another heavy dose of Norse-inspired lore (after all, the record is named after a Norse goddess and hunter who lives in the mountains where snow never ends, and she adorns the cover) and stirring music that not only should please those who have been along for this band’s raucous ride, but it should turn on newcomers who are down with groups such as Panopticon, Enslaved, Agalloch, Obsequiae, and others. FoS do not sound like those bands, but they operate in a similar headspace. So, there’s a good chance there will be serious crossover appeal. Or shit, just listen to the Flight of Sleipnir because they’re an awesome band that keeps getting better with the ages.

The Flight of Sleipnir started off as a duo and remained that way until just last year. David Csicsely (drums, vocals, guitars) and Clayton Cushman (guitars, vocals, bass, and keyboard) have been the driving force of the band for their entire run, but in 2016 Justin Siegler joined up on guitar, and David Borrusch took over bass duties. Both members have played as part of the live ensemble in the past, but now they’re a part of the solidified group. The band’s first full-length arrived just two years after they formed, with “Algiz + Berkanan” landing in 2009, and they’ve come back pretty regularly since then, with their last one, “V.,” coming three years ago on Napalm. They’ve moved to the steady Eisenwald for “Skadi,” a record as strong as anything in their catalog.

The adventure starts with 10:29 “Awaken” that opens slowly and immediately immerses itself in coldness. Moody guitars slide as shadows are cast over the land, and then spacious screams stretch while a strong, epic tempo unfurls. Clean, dream-inducing singing rushes in as the lead guitar work bathes in gaze, cosmic keys rise, and the song slowly fades away. “Tenebrous Haze” gets chunky right away with a static-filled bassline, doomy riffs, and harsh growls. The song has a sense of atmosphere, but it’s also heavy as hell, as grisly and melodic elements combine and swell before the band breaks down the song and thrashes away. Acoustics take over as spirited singing joins, and glorious guitars bubble up and soar, bringing the song to a riveting finish.

“Earthen Shroud” is dusty and folk-led at the start, with harmonized singing adding unexpected textures, and spacey, chilled playing raising goosebumps. Keys create a blur, while sounds whir in a halo around your head, and the guitars begin to heat up and thaw the ice. Harsh cries tear apart the serenity, but it’s only for a moment, and heartfelt singing returns, as guitars kick up to add a rushing sense to the final minutes. “Voices” is a dreamy instrumental with acoustic splashes, moody and haunting passages, and strings quivering, driving into your senses and preparing you for the 11:20 title track finale. There are taps and cymbal smashes that raise the curtain, while riffs begin to ramble, and the growled vocals wrench your muscles. There is a great deal of pounding balanced by another dose of harmonized singing, and then the guitar soloing takes on a classy, jazzy edge, not unlike Opeth’s earlier days. Harsh shrieks pierce the serenity, while the band trudges heavily, and a numb psychedelic wash works its way over you and takes you off to deep slumber full of vivid journeys.

If the metal gods, if those even exist, are just, the Flight of Sleipnir will find a healthy new audience with “Skadi.” The record is a fine rush of emotion, the metallic version of riding aboard Odin’s eight-legged steed into the sky. This is a band that’s operated under the radar for far too long, and this record is strong enough for them to capture as many hearts and minds as they so desire.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://records.eisenton.de/merch

For more on the label, go here: http://www.eisenton.de/

Photo by João Fitas

I know it’s all clever for people to go around saying, “Let’s make Something Something Again,” based on U.S. embarrassment Donald Trump’s ever-so-creative campaign slogan. But what the hell. We’re feeling pretty lazy, so we’ve been hoping that a band would come along and make Death Metal Fearsome Again, and damn it if a strong candidate hasn’t reared its ugly head.

Mystery-shrouded Portuguese death metal band The Ominous Circle sound more than happy to take the sharp-ended baton and drive it mercilessly into the chest of every band trying to create a name for themselves in the death metal field. There is no desire here to sound pristine—none whatsoever—as they offer a complete bludgeoning on their massive debut record “Appalling Ascension.” Co-released by 20 Buck Spin and Osmose Productions, whose names guarantee quality, this shadowy sect pours acid and fire into their mix and comes out with death so ferocious, it will make pretenders and those weak at heart run and hide. Over these tumultuous eight tracks, the band grinds and punishes the listener, serving up sooty, basement-level carnage with gurgling vocals and a rhythm section that powders bones. Every step of this record is taking your life into your hands as you stare down danger and pray to anything you’ll survive to see the other side.

The record begins on an odd, troubling note with “Heart Gird With a Serpent,” a strange sprawl of a piece that has music beaten beyond recognition and growls working their way through the formless chaos. “From Endless Chasms” follows, with twisted guitar lines wrapping around you like a tourniquet and molten death splashing and maiming. The ferocity is pile-driving at times, with lead guitar work flashing and wailing and crazed runs coming right at you. Grisly growls and panicked shrieks intertwine, while the guitars sting on their way out. “Poison Fumes” sounds like just that, as it trudges forward and makes it feel like foreign agents are invading your blood. Gang howls arrive at one point, sounding formidable and scary, while a crushing, hypnotic pace pummels. Soloing goes off at the end, with the music cutting back and making it feel like you’re in a vortex. “Atec-Gibor Le-Olam Adonai” (a Kabbalistic acronym that stands for “You, O Lord, Are Mighty Forever,” is a humid, weird instrumental cut built on noise clouds hanging in the air and dark sounds haunting.

“A Gray Outcast” picks up the throttling all over again, but in a much different manner. Here, the band slides into Sabbath-style doom crawl, remaining as heavy as ever but delivering the pain in a more calculated manner. As things go on, guitars shriek and then the cut leaps into hyper drive, as the band delivers total annihilation. After that manic stretch, they’re back to miserable pounding and guitars jolting you with heat beams. “to En” greets you with drums lacerating your flesh and the tempo sickening you inside and out. The leads pull ahead and light up the room, at least momentarily, and the playing easily could stymie you and have you gripping the walls for balance. Guitars tear open and bring the cut to an abrupt end. “As the Worm Descends” fades in and brings with it a cloud of horror. The guitars grind away as if trying to juice you for blood, while a deliberate and thrashy assault breaks out and deals the blows, adding insult to your crusting wounds. All the elements later smash together and cause confusion, while the soloing blinds and has a blurry finish. Mammoth closer “Consecrating His Mark” is an absolute beast over its run time, making no bones about how it extends its assault and makes you gasp for breath. Guitars spit fire while the tempo mangles, and there are bends into slower playing and neck-jerk turns back to speed. As the song reaches its end, the guitars boil and wilt your skin, hulking growling instills fear, and the track comes to a fiery end that could engulf an entire forest.

It sounds odd to say The Ominous Circle breathe new life into death metal, as all they carry with them is pestilence on “Appalling Ascension.” This unit will carve you up, remove your bones, and drive over them with a cement truck. On top of all the heaviness is that eerie premonition that safety is nowhere to be found and that the most ghoulish of spirits are here to pick up your maimed carcass and ensure you are properly terrified well into oblivion.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/collections/20bs-vinyl

Or here: http://www.osmoseproductions.com/index.cfm

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

And here: http://www.osmoseproductions.com/

Darkness and dreariness reign this time of year, as the sunlight is choked out early, and the skies remain grey for what seems like eons. Many people suffer from seasonal mood disorder, making them feel down or sad because of the lack of sunlight and being trapped inside for such a long time without fresh air and sunlight. I’m not saying those things influenced today’s band and music, but they certainly go hand-in-hand quite well.

Au Champ des Morts (translated means Field of the Dead) formed just a few years ago, but already they have a thick slab of black metal filled with anguish and depression. Their debut record “Dans la Joie,” which translated means “In Joy,” sounds like a record that’s anything but that. Clouds and black rivers flow out of the band’s music, and while the atmosphere is rich and the melodies often flow heavily, there’s so much here that pulls back to the doldrums, left to face these drab days alone. But maybe that’s not such a bad thing, having a morose companion such as this band—vocalist/guitarist Stephane Bayle, bassist Cecile G., drummer Wilheim—can be something of a helping hand, a means to show you that not only is your world drowning in shadows, so are many others’ as well. The band’s music certainly is swelling and heavy, enough to blow down buildings. But there also is a hint of sensitivity (that is not to be read as weakness, as vulnerability is an act of self-strength) in the Alcest/Deafheaven that makes these songs slightly colorful.

“Nos Decombres” starts the record with an emotional burst and creaky growls, as the music streams and soars as it goes on, making it feel like the band literally is bleeding into this. Some clean singing enters and quivers before the track opens anew, spilling in spacey keys and drubbing power. “Apres Le Carnage” opens like water trickling through a hole in a wall before the whole things gives way, with clean calls and grisly growls hammering. Pain can be felt around every corner, and when melody strikes and brings in lushness, it’s always balanced by bruising and cinders being embedded into your elbows. Toward the end of the song, a huge tidal wave of feels crush you, as a swirl of voices sweeps over you and robs you of breath. “Le Sang, La Mort, La Chute” has a watery ambiance to start, as it travels along a mid-tempo, with clean singing leading the way. Gazey fire erupts while growls emerge, as the torturous pace grinds you into the ground, and a heavy curtain of doom drops over everything, bringing a smothering force. In fact, the final minutes remain in the dark, coming to a moody, shadowy end.

“Contempler L’Abime” follows a post-rock path, which is odd but fitting, and then it tears into a pocket of a gaze storm that hangs overhead and saturates the ground. The vocals are heart-wrenching, with a strong, riveting finish that shows a different side of the band’s sound. The title track is the longest cut at 9:59, beginning in a cloud of murk before tearing the sky apart and unleashing a storm. The song is mostly a total assault on the senses, keeping your brain rattling inside your head and, even when it slips into the mists and lets synth rise up, always promises to ignite again, which is does as it steamrolls toward the finish. “L’Etoile Du Matin” has the drums leading in and keys gathering, with the singing giving off a classic Celtic Frost vibe. Unhinged yells join later, as a gothy smear spreads soot and sadness. Closer “La Fin Du Monde” is a curve ball of a final cut, with clean guitars bubbling and drizzling singing darkening the setting. Chant-filled singing brings a hypnotic push, and that circles around your head before it disappears into the unknown.

Au Champs des Morts’ entrance into our world three years ago added another force into the black metal scene that, while their teeth are sharp, are not just here for physical violence sake. “Dans la Joie” deals as much mental anguish as anything, helping you connect to these dark times and perhaps find a way to survive the whirlpool. The fact they do so in such an interesting, emotional way leads to their impact being felt long after you experience their music.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Au-Champ-Des-Morts-1061663760580553

To buy the album, go here: http://www.debemur-morti.com/en/12-eshop

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

Where would heavy metal be without Vikings? You can sift all the way back to Led Zeppelin to find their influence on heavy music, and now metal that pays homage to Viking battles and lore make up a separate sub-genre. It’s especially fitting here in the Northeastern section of the United States, while we’re at the clutches of snow and ice, to be in the midst of more great Viking black metal.

Nordic beasts Helheim have been punching out tried-and-true Viking black metal for a quarter of a century now, and they’re back with their explosive ninth album “landawarijaR” that not only does their subject matter well but also the band’s noteworthy legacy. Of course, Helheim may not be as well-known as, say, Unleashed or Enslaved, but they’ve carried on and endured just as long, and they’re still making vital, punishing music. On their latest opus, a seven-track affair, they keep melodies surging, blood flowing, and the clashing of weaponry fresh, pouring emotion and fury into each one of these songs, making each a chapter that feels like a soundtrack into wintry battle.

As noted, Helheim have been at this for the past 25 years, getting their start in 1992 and releasing their debut record “Jormundgand” three years later. They stayed on a pretty regular release schedule, coming back with something new every few years or so, with their most recent being 2015’s “raunijaR.” Well, most recent until “landawarijaR” landed, another effort to maintain Norse mythology and ensure that it continues to survive and thrive as time goes on. The band—guitarist/vocalist H’grimnir, bassist/vocalist V’gandr, lead guitarist Reichborn (the only non-original member), and drummer Hrymr—once again delivers the goods, enhancing their music with timpani and horns, and even inviting some special guests along for the ride to contribute additional vocals to the songs. It all makes for a raucous, spirited record that’s a lot of fun to play back over and over.

“Ymr” opens with a door creaking and bootsteps, as if setting up what’s about to transpire. It doesn’t take long for things to get grim and heavy, as out of an acoustic stream comes rumbling growls, guitars that kick up mud, and snowy melodies. Growls and singing tangle, as they often do on this record, and then it’s into “Baklengs mot intet,” where a chilling start lets your guard before the tempo erupts. The track storms heavily, blanketing everything, as horns blow and the music conjures great drama. There’s a nice stretch of soloing that practically drips with classic metal glory, and then it’s into a deep blast of winter and a crushing surge to end the song. “Rista blodørn” begins heavily, but then the reins are pulled back just a bit. There’s a nautical sense to all of this, as the growls are harsh and slice through choppy waters, and fiery leads emerge out of that. Clean singing returns, creating a mystical element, while the final stretch blows up and has a gloriously tormenting edge. The title track is the longest piece at 9:44, and it changes things up, going in more of a proggy, Rush-style angle. There is an epic feel to this that has nothing to do with the run time, as guitars soar and keep building layers, melodies grow and bend around corners, and clean calling again brings a haunting edge, as the track comes to a giant climax of a finish that should have your heart racing.

“Ouroboros” has a tempo that pushes hard from the start, with grimy growls on the verses and cloudy singing on the choruses. Doom horns wail again, almost as if the city gates are about to come down, and then the band swings back to prog, which allows new colors to emerge. All elements darken and cascade, with a spacey final few moments giving off steam. “Synir af heidindomr” starts with ominous acoustics, yelled vocals, and the pace crawling darkly. The playing keeps ramping up in intensity, as attitude-smeared vocals spill out, and then music unexpectedly goes psychedelic and then into NWOBHM-style thunder. Shrieks arrive from there, as thorns are dragged over the song before it fades away. Closer “Enda-dagr” has a hypnotic start before the guitars get steely and rough, and the growls again interact with sung lines. The song has an even-tempered sprawl, though there are threats for madness to return, and when the melodies thicken, horn blow again and send chills. As the track swims toward its finish, it gets surfy and windy, bringing a very different vibe to the cut, and after the music dissolves into a pool of weirdness, the bootsteps heard at the start of the record pick up again, this time leaving and closing the door behind them.

As long as bands such as Helheim exist, the Viking spirit will remain a huge part of metal’s DNA. “landawarijaR” is another strong, fiery release for these Viking black metal lifers, and as their journey progresses, they keep returning with music that’s formidable and as tough to conquer as the men and women they honor. Helheim may not be fighting actual physical battles, but their music bears the scars of the ages that only serves to toughen this vicious band.

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

To buy the album (international), go here: https://www.darkessencerecords.no/shop/

Or here (U.S. customers): https://darkessence.aisamerch.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.darkessencerecords.no/label/

Photo by Lani Lee

As time goes on and bands spend time together both in the studio and on the road, it’s not uncommon that their style will change over time. Oddly enough, a lot of bands end up eschewing heavier sounds for something more palatable, while other just tighten the screws on an already well-constructed machine.

For NYC-based black metal band Black Anvil, they’ve morphed in different and interesting ways. From their first record “Time Insults the Mind” to the present and their tremendous fourth album “As Was,” the band has remained as heavy as ever but also don’t really resemble the form they held when they first started. For this band, that’s a good thing. Each new release has brought with it deadly twists and turns unlike what came before it, and the longer the band goes on, the more colors and morbid textures they add to their chemistry. “As Was” is their most aggressive and varied record yet, as they still punish and bludgeon over these eight tracks and 50 minutes. But they also dash death, doom, post-punk, gothic sounds, and other dreariness that adds extra layers of soot to their punishing sound.

As most already know, three quarters of the members of Black Anvil first made their name with well-regarded hardcore band Kill Your Idols before moving their attention toward newer sounds a decade ago. The band—guitarist/vocalist G.B., bassist/vocalist P.D., drummer/vocalist R.G., guitarist Sos—unloaded their newly directed vitriol on their smothering debut, gaining the attention of Relapse and releasing their second effort “Triumvirate” on that label in 2010. They followed up four years later with “Hail Death,” their grimiest, densest, longest record of their entire run, and some of what bubbled up on that album made its way into “As Was.” The music on this record pushes Black Anvil’s foundation into the next phase, warping their blueprint, smearing it with black oil, and setting it ablaze. It’s also an album that’s more intriguing with each visit, as each layer begins to unfurl.

A strong taste of what Black Anvil’s up to now can be had on 8:13 opener “On Forgotten Ways” as metallic riffs and throaty growls spread their fingers and tighten their grip. From there, though, atmosphere joins the puzzle and a dose of clean singing, a welcome carryover from “Hail Death,” creates a dreary haze. The song eventually moves back to choppy and gritty, but things end in another morose cloud that bursts over its epic conclusion. “May Her Wrath Be Just” is really strong, balancing brutality and melody nicely, and growls and warbled singing again tangle. The music heads into the murk, while the song’s title is sung back mournfully. The title cut has a huge feel to it, beginning cold and drizzling but eventually detonating. There are some compelling progressions here and a huge blast of classic metal, complete with surging lead guitar play. “All this will fade,” is wailed as the song comes to a steely end. “Nothing” has mean riffing and a nastier disposition altogether, as things rumble, the band cuts loose, and the cry of, “Can you hear me?” sounds like a warning. Cosmic synth spills into the cut, making your head swim, and the band again takes a sharp curve into classic metal terrain.

“As an Elder Learned Anew” has a stirring open, with a shriek of, “Let’s ride the sky!” causing fists to pump. Cleaner singing returns on the chorus, and the band achieves a darkly atmospheric ambiance that can chill your skin. The final minutes are catchier than usual, with great leads and a crushing ending. “Two Keys: Here’s the Lock” is a beast at 9:10, and it demands everything from you. Clean, trippy tones start, but it’s not long until heaviness drops like a ton of bricks, and the growls and singing tangle. “Never question this direction!” strikes you like a blood-pact demand, as the pace charges up and heads toward destruction, and then things calm suddenly. Surfy, psychedelic playing allows the stormfront to gather, and once the clouds burst, it’s on to a fierce ending that draws blood. “The Way of All Flesh” is a bit of a breather track, an interlude built with shadowy keys and acoustics, and then it’s into finale “Ultra,” which could leave you seeing demons. The drums kick up and the guitars chug, and as the song goes on, the band even harmonizes, something you don’t expect from every black metal band. Of course, those words are conveying a dark, entrancing message, once that pays homage to the darkness, with refrains of, “He is part of me, he is all of me.” Powerful soloing and chant-like calls spread over the final minutes of the song, leaving you feeling like you might have compromised your soul.

It’s been compelling to listen to Black Anvil grow over the length of their decade-long run and their four records, and “As Was” is another punishing installment in the band’s body of work. The fact that they deliver something a little different each time out keeps their work refreshing and intriguing, and these songs are solid and meaty additions to their already powerful catalog. Black Anvil likely never will disappoint us by dialing back the aggression or polishing their sound, but you can bet with each release, they’ll figure out new and interesting ways to bloody your nose.

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

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

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

Krallice

Just a few ticks after midnight, right after Mariah Carey won the heart of America, it felt like it finally was time to take a deep breath. We made it. 2016, the year of abominations, was over. Personally, the year wasn’t awful, but as the death count marched up (really, Father Mulcahy just under the deadline, you assholes?!) and we got ready for further political nightmares, it just seemed clearing the gates of last year was what everyone needed.

Yet here we are, pulled back to the black year for two noteworthy releases we didn’t get a chance to address in December. Once we’re in top 40 mode, it’s nearly impossible to sneak in anything else, so we didn’t get to talk about two really massive records, one from Krallice and the other from Teitanblood. Both are massive and smothering in their own ways, but they also serve different masters. So here we go, one last sip of 2016 before we expunge it from our systems.

Krallice have become masters of carefully secretive releases, as their last two were ones that suddenly were in our laps. That’s what a strong following, amazing music, and practical label freedom affords in this day, and their sixth full-length “Prelapsarian” landed right at 5:44 a.m. on Dec. 21, the winter solstice. So, dorks like me probably woke up for work, downloaded that bastard from the group’s Bandcamp, and had their minds blows on the way to work by their intricate, jigsaw puzzle-style black metal. It’s definitely right in the wheelhouse for anyone who hungers for the band’s—bassist/vocalist Nicholas McMaster, guitarist/vocalist Mick Barr, guitarist Colin Marston, drummer Lev Weinstein—insane style that veers just slightly out of control but is sci-fi-formula precise. No one is like them.

The album opens with the 12:30 “Transformation Chronicles” that starts in a noise haze and lets spiraling melodies work their way into your mind. Then the guys start grinding flesh, with wild howls launched and the cry of, “Disrespecting the point of life while the arrogance of worry spreads sores of stress and bone,” delivers a sobering message. The guitar work interplays and tangles with one another, forming a strong cord, while the back end of the song exacts more violence and pushes the vitriol into “Hate Power,” the shortest cut at 3:52 but also the bloodiest. The song is one of Krallice’s most aggressive to date, with blistering vocals, a break-neck pace, and utter demolition. “Conflagration” is rubbery and sinewy, with howled cries and gruff growls doing damage, as well as cosmically ripping playing that tears a hole in your brain. The final minutes have a different feel, letting things boil and create a dense fog, ending with trudging and noise squall. The record ends with 10:41 “Lotus Throne,” where noise sizzles, proggy playing does tricks, and deathly growls meet desperate howls. Later, the tempo calms a bit, but that’s more of a segue to the end, where guitars chew bone, insane wails bruise the skin, and the whole thing winds up in a tornadic tear.

Krallice remain the absolute masters of what they do, and no matter how many bands try to copy their DNA, there’s only one original. “Prelapsarian” is another massive building block as the band constructs its obelisk toward the sky, and we all can wait in the darkness of mystery as to when the next chapter arrives. By the way, you can get this digitally in an instant, but Gilead Media also is putting out a version on vinyl that you can preorder now.

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

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

Or here: https://www.erodingwinds.com/

Teitanblood

Spanish death/black metal duo Teitanblood never let us down when it comes to infernally rotting fury that makes it feel like you’re stuck in an underground tube, tunneling your way toward hell. Over the past nearly 14 years, they’ve made music that makes other death and black metal bands cower, as their music always burns the hairs off your arms and, if you get too close, the flesh off your face. We last heard from them in 2014 with their pummeling full-length “Death,” and now they have a two-track, 26:14 treat in “Accursed Skin” that is being served up on 12” vinyl. The band—guitarist/bassist/vocalist NSK, drummer J—knows no other way to do things than the most extreme way possible, and as time goes on and the band digs in their heels, their music gets bloodier and more unforgiving.

We start off with the 14:28-long title cut, where you feel like you’re in a dank, soaked basement, with water up to your ankles and rising and you having no idea if any other creatures, especially dangerous or poisonous ones, are lurking. Slow-driving grimness takes over, beating you about the head and torso, and it starts to feel like you’re being pushed face first into that grossness beneath your feet. The leads blister and spit fire, and the vocals are utterly oppressive, making it sound like a lashing designed just for you. The stomping keeps going and never relents, as black chaos sweeps in and blinds you, a cacophony of noise pushes you to your limit, and bubbling blood and corrosive sounds bring the track to a merciful end. “Sanctified Dysecdysis” is a hammering assault, ripping everything open with speed and strength. There is an ugly stretch of putrid death that is overwhelming, and that nastiness gives way to a bed of strange noise and filth that spreads its way to the next attack. There, destruction reigns and the pace marches through the mud on its way to the blast furnace that takes over the final moments, leaving you a heaving mess drowning in a pool of diseased noise.

Ugly and foul, Teitanblood remain terrifying and unforgiving in their approach, and “Accursed Skin” is another damaging reminder of just how fucked up they can make their music. This is death and black metal that leaves scars and can frighten even the toughest of souls. Don’t expect a smooth trip into damnation, because Teitanblood are going to drag you there through thorns and cinders.

For more on the band, go here: https://web.archive.org/web/20150226035940/http://www.teitanblood.com/

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

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

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