The world seems to be at a weird point. Look at the way people treat others with differing views than theirs. In our country, people looking to run the place even have taken stands against people whose lifestyles differ from theirs, and people have taken a backseat to weaponry when it comes to pecking order of people’s concerns. It feels like the beginning of the end, and maybe it is.

Maybe it’s a bit over the top to say it feels like the world is crumbling apart. A lot of what I listed above only affects one country, so maybe that’s being a little narrow-sighted, but it seems like tensions are building. That brings us to Ancient Altar’s new record “Dead Earth,” a loose concept record that envisions a world torn apart by corruption, greedy leaders, war, and the oppression of religion. Funny, but all of the things they tackle on this massive four-track mammoth are hot topics right now, and they are things that are dividing us against one another. Ancient Altar’s vision eventually has a degree of positivity to it, but it’s not until damaging, disastrous events take place in order to give the world a new start. It’s scary to think about because it just might be what it takes.

Ancient Altar only have been a band for two years now, but they’re already got two full-length records to their credit. Their self-titled first record dropped last July, and already they’re back with a whole new collection. The band—bassist/vocalist Scott Carlson, guitarist/vocalist Barry Kavener, guitarist Jesse Boldt, and drummer Etay Levy—have a nasty, punishing blend of doom that is unquestionably heavy and can be abrasive. At times, their stampeding can remind on High on Fire, but they also have some mind-numbing and scorched-earth elements that keep you awake, alert, and looking for the next burst.

“Leader, Liar” has a pretty pointed title, and it shouldn’t be too hard to read into who’s being ground into the coals here. Whirs and drone wash in and create a fury, while the guitars rampage everywhere, with the doom hammers dropping hard. The vocal delivery is thick and gruff, as the band trudges forward like they’re coming to challenge the forces of evil, and the screaming really starts to stretch out just as the guitars heat up and burn anew. There are some clean vocal callouts that deliver desperation, while the back end of the song speeds up and rages to a finish. “Albion” starts soaring, with the guitars taking on a sun-caked feel and the growls wrenching forcefully. Some classic metal moments slip in, injecting glory before the carnage returns. Organs then flood the scene, as a psychedelic trip takes hold, and as the song winds down, the wails churn and the track ends in a smothering cloud of smoke.

The title cut opens gurgling and wailing away, with the growling reaching deep inside for its venom and doomy thrashing leading the way. The track then reaches hyperdrive, pouring devastation in blinding order and the tempo creating mental grease fires. The riffs are meaty and noxious, and this awesome track never relents with its fiery intensity. Crushing 12:49 closer “Void” opens with buzzing riffs dive bombing you and the vocals delivering blistering thunder. Clean singing emerges, snaking over desert-dry melodies that eventually writhe in the scorching sun, but then the pace changes and the terrain gets dusty and gritty. Acoustic guitars slip in, giving the track a rustic bend, yet out of that the guitars blow down the doors and quiver with the melodies. The vocals crush bodies, slow-driving madness eats away at your psyche, and the track comes to a bludgeoning, punishing conclusion.

Hopefully people get their shit together and don’t bring about the end of the world, but if they do, perhaps Ancient Altar’s tales will give us some kind of idea of what we’d face. Doomsday scenarios have been a part of metal for years, but “Dead Earth” is a tale that’s far more tangible because it really could happen. It’s a mucky, drubbing, savage portrait, and despite its morbid imagery, it’s a hellish tale that will provide a burning rush with every visit.

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

To buy the album (vinyl), go here: http://blackvoodoorecords.myminto.com/product/ancient-altar.aspx

Or here (cassette, coming soon): http://midniteclv.storenvy.com/

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

And here: https://www.facebook.com/midnitecollective

I unabashedly love doom metal. You have to do a hell of a lot wrong for me to not at least give you a fighting chance. Not that there isn’t a lot of sub-par doom out there because, whoa boy, there is a ton of that. My inbox is swelling with the stuff. But when you stumble upon something extra tasty? Yeah, that’s a damn good day indeed.

That just happened recently when I tore into a record from a new force out of the Netherlands called The Spirit Cabinet. This is the stuff that pays honor to the old gods, something that should light the heart fires of those who worship at the altar of Sabbath, Candlemass, Solitude Aeternus, St. Vitus, you name it. From the opening salvo of their debut record “Hystero Epileptic Possessed” I could feel it. There was a special quality to this band, as it was clear these guys were tapping into something genuine and dark. Over the course of the six songs, that essence only grew stronger. The album is perfectly dosed, played quite well but with a raw energy, and is a damn good find for anyone who wants something that drinks from doom’s original roots.

The members of this band have a history together in other places (three of the member are former or current parts of Zwartketterij) and have forged a new pact here as The Spirit Cabinet. This group—vocalist Snake McRuffkin, guitarist Johnny Hällström, bassist Erich Vilsmeier, drummer Cromwell Fleedwood—have a command on riffs, as they are plentiful on this record, and the vocals mostly are a bellowing clean, with some grimy growls thrown in for good measure. It’s a damn satisfying record, and it’s another rock-solid entry from Van, who are knocking the hell out of us this year.

The album gets off to a raucous start on “The Black Lodge,” as the song rips wide open with riffs piling up in mountainous supply and the vocals just commanding. There’s a bit of grit to the singing, which makes this feel nasty, and the traditional doom waves rise up and knock you backward, with no choice to submit to nature. The power keeps smearing through the body of the song, with the guitars spilling forth every ounce of magic they can muster. “Credulity” has a slow-burning pace, with the singing coming in strong and confident, and the assault taking its damn time. But then things kick up, some screams enter the fray, and we hit more aggressive, mud-filled waters that dominate until the cool, mid-paced conclusion. The band even has a song named after themselves, and that one opens with a catchy waves of “ah-ah-ahhhhhhs” that are fun, and later a strong burst of guitars start chewing. Shrieks are mixed into the singing, as a riveting chorus gives the track another dose of energy, and the final minutes go back and forth from Maiden-style gallop to filthy thrashing.

“Hexenhaus” have guitars rumbling hard, with the music changing paces and faces over the first stretch. Here is really where those Candlemass comparisons can be felt, and I mean that in a really positive way, as the song charges and then heads into mystical waters. The vocals again mix between violent and majestic, as the guitars light the torches and burn their way to the end. “Ramakrishna” is immediately rougher and gruffer, especially vocally, with the music balancing fury and fantasy ideally. The singing takes on a storyteller feel, as McRuffkin later repeats the title over and over, proving easy fodder for audience sing-back in a live setting. Great track. Closer “Convulsions” bursts at the seams, with more riffs being delivered by the truckload. The vocals actually pull back a little bit, which lets the music have more of the spotlight, though later some shrieks tear a hole in everything. The track does a great job killing and maiming, as melodies rip forth and the song has a fitting fade out, leaving you gasping for air.

The Spirit Cabinet certainly do old-school doom metal great honors, and this new union is one that does a fine job standing out as special on their debut “Hystero Epileptic Possessed.” Any time a new band can come along and capture the true spirit and essence of this sound on record one is a bonus, and where they go from here is entirely up to them. No doubt darkness is ahead, as well as a great amount of killer riffs, and if anyone can complain about that, I’m sure you can find your way out.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.van-records.de/

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

It isn’t every day that you see album art that totally conveys what’s contained on the record you’re holding. I’m not saying a crazed painting or wild beast on a cover doesn’t properly get across the band’s point. That idea works, too. But I mean an image that you see it and go, “Yeah. That’s exactly how I felt listening to the music.”

Take a quick look at Abominor’s debut mini-album “Opus: Decay” and know for sure that tackling their music is going to feel the same way. It’s like looking down into a long voided tunnel, with winds whipping back at you, and your destination totally unknown. The journey feels claustrophobic, dizzying, and something over which you have no control. That long tunnel you see on the cover perfectly encapsulated these two lengthy epics, and it probably will make you feel like you never, ever will claw your way out. I’m not sure if this was what the Reykjavík, Iceland-based band—Alfreð Þór on bass and vocals, Óskar Þór on guitars and vocals, Kristinn Rafn on guitars, Þórir Hólm on drums—had in mind when they chose the artwork, but well done nonetheless. It’s also a perfect portrait into this stunning, churning release, the first official document (they also have a demo) from a band that’s been kicking around since 2008 obviously perfecting their craft and getting you read for madness.

We begin with the 12:36-long “474,” an eerie burst of noise filled with mean gasps, mysteriousness, and eventually some pointed riffs that really get the soup boiling. The track breaks out into full launch, as immersive melodies surround you and batter your senses, and monstrous vocals tear their way through your soul. A cloud cover later sets in, making it tough to see through the thickness, and cold air arrives that leaves your vulnerable body in a chill. That later passes as the song gets smothering again, with fires raging anew, and that spills into a calculated pace, where the frost returns. But alas, there are even more convulsions ahead, as the band starts demolishing again, with animalistic vocals throwing up blood, the band pounding heavily, and a trance-inducing final bend mixing with abject horror.

The title cut finishes off the record, an 8:54-long piece that’s introduced with crazed guitars, drums being mauled, and a delirious pace causing your head to spin. That halts quickly, as the song heads into the fog and melodies bring the ice back to your blood stream. The band goes tornadic out of that, causing dust and mud to fly, and then they begin mauling harder than ever, with the vocals adding the extra damage needed. Everything crashes down savagely, leaving you no room to run and at the point in the tunnel where it’s far too late to turn around. The growls remain creaky and agitating, while the band delivers pain on all cylinders, bringing the track to a devastating end.

Despite being together for seven years now, this really is just the beginning for Abominor. And what a start it is. This two-track journey is dangerous and exciting, despite the fact you might not survive, and it provides even more hope for the future of black metal. I’m excited to hear this band tackle a full-length release, and here’s betting that thing is even more suffocating than this killer EP.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Abominor/275583995793045

To buy the album, go here: http://www.invictusproductions.net/shop/

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

There are myriad bands that explore the folklore and history of their native homeland, most notably groups that hail from the Scandinavian region and England. Not that America doesn’t have these types of bands—Panopticon certainly come to mind—but we don’t seem to boast the multitude of artists looking to shed light on American ancestry.

West Virginia natives Nechochwen are another who have delved into their and the country’s past and found inspiration for their work. Ideally nestled on the Bindrune Recordings roster (where they thoroughly, completely belong), the band has carved out a rustic style and following built as organically as their music. Their mix of American folk, Native American sounds, black metal, and classic heavy metal might not sound wholly unique, but the way Nechochwen blend these sounds is. They’ve been a favorite of mine for many years now (I came in right around the “Azimuths to the Underworld” record, and we rightfully praised their eclectic “Oto” in 2012), and their amazing fourth record “Heart of Akamon” was a high priority for us once we heard rumblings of its existence.

This entity has two primary members in the band’s namesake Nechochwen, who handles vocals, nylon and string guitars, hand drums, flute, and lalawas, and Pohonasin, who is on drums and bass. Live, the band has expanded even further as of late, as they took on Pandel Collaros and Amanda McCoy, and as “Akamon” has come into greater focus, the band tightened its grip on their mission. This record explores the band’s Ohio Valley homeland (before the arrival of European settlers), its rich history, spiritual elements, and even the violence that helped shape it, and it is unquestionably the best thing they’ve ever done. It’s a journey to find one’s place, while struggling to hold together the traditions and customs they hold dear. The record is easy to get lost inside of and have you revisit again and again on loop.

“The Serpent Tradition”—I’ll go ahead and say it, arguably the best song in the band’s history—attacks a few paces out of the gates. There is an acoustic opening that sets the stage, and then everything charges forward. Heavily. The vocals are monstrous, the melodies are gigantic, and all elements build toward a brief calm that dips back into chaos and premonitions of war. Some great dual guitar lines meet up and gallop power metal style, and then the song morphs again, chugging, unleashing killer solos, and winding up in a thrashy end. Holy shit, what a song! “The Impending Winter” made me feel the presence of just that, and it’s a quiet instrumental that has drum beats built in to add some kick. “Lost on the Trail of the Setting Sun” starts with the horrors of battle, but the type fought with muskets and face-to-face bloodshed. The song begins to burst, with creaky growls pushing and a dynamic riff blowing out. There are desperate cries, as the tempo hits hard and the line, “War is our burden, as we must survive,” hammers home the struggle. “Oct. 6, 1813” starts with strong acoustic progressions and clean singing, with Nechochwen solemnly observing “the sadness almost too great as they left his grave.” Woodwinds rise up, the playing rows even stronger, and the vow, “We will rise again,” gives the track its inspirational power.

“Traversing the Shades of Death” plods along with might, with a cold, dark ambience sweeping in and a strong, folk-style composition taking hold. Acoustics sweep in in waves, as guitars singe, the vocals come out as a mix of roars and growls, and the track sinks into murk. The fog slips over the more rustic parts, yet another assault of howls takes the song out. “Skimota” begins like an acoustic jam session that you almost can imagine emanating in front of a roaring, crackling fire. Later the guitars take on a sunburnt feel, with singing going from croon to yowl, and chimes and echoes standing as the last thing you hear. “Skyhook” is heavy and clubbing, yet it has an atmospheric backing as well. The guitars explore all over the place, delving into classic metal terrain that’s later visit by acoustic flourishes. Winds gust, the energy charges up again, and powerful, thunderous melodies bring the song to its end. Closer “Kiselamakong” feels like sheets of winter quietly blanketing the ground, but the guitars later warm up, causing a glow. Woodsy sounds emerge, leaving the air all smoky, and then the doom drops hard. The guitars stream over top everything, though the bottom end is both muddy and dreamy, and as dialog turns into full vocal expression, the track reaches its natural conclusion, and this incredible journey comes to an enthralling finish.

Once again, Nechochwen have knocked us over with their power, intensity, and passion, as “Heart of Akamon” sounds like a history lesson they actually lived through themselves. These eight songs are a reach back to the past, to a simpler time technologically, yet a place where the struggles were possibly greater than they are today. That fire and journey are alive in this record, and these are songs that feel like they’ll settle even closer to the heart once colder winds come and we try to find places to stay safe and warm.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nechochwen-Official/110325015754751

To buy the album, go here: http://eihwazrecordings.com/distro/

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

People are super into zombies right now. Like, really, really excited about them. I’m not really complaining about it, as I’ve been a big fan of George Romero’s work (the “Living Dead” movies essentially were made in Meat Mead Metal’s backyard), but it’s just interesting to see the fervor that has overtaken pop culture.

I don’t know if that’s what Wederganger had in mind when adopting that name for their band (you know, zombies and all), but the moniker means “one who walks again.” Well, that kind of would mean a zombie, but I guess there are many different ways of looking at it. One way or another, their music is chilling and terrifying, if trying to tell the story of a world inhabited by both the living and the dead. They have a strange way of going about things, and they sing in their Dutch native tongue, so there’s no way for me to really understand what’s going on. But I know what I feel when I hear the music on their ferocious debut “Halfvergaan ontwaakt,” and their strange, oppressive form of black metal is heavy, bewildering, an unlike most of what else is out there.

This odd band that hails from the Netherlands has an interesting structure. There are three core members in Botmuyl (he does the growling and screaming), Alfschin (who handles the ghostly, warbling singing), and MJWW (he takes care of guitars). But when this band expands to the stage, they take on added members including Bezetene (guitars), Quaetslagher and Gluyperd (both play bass), and Onmens (who sits behind the drums). It’s an interesting arrangement that I assume lets the primary members create their visions in the studio, and their added members allow them to translate these terrors live. The band’s music is inspired by Germanic eschatology and Gueldrian folklore, with an emphasis on spirits, the undead, and overall horror. I’ll be damned if the music’s aura doesn’t pay that off rather perfectly.

“Dwaallichtbezwering” begins the record with disarming guitars, sobs that turn into screams, and monotone singing that sounds detached from the earth. The track hammers forward, punishing and causing bruising along the way, while the final moments are mesmerizing and violent. “Gelderse Drek” opens with black metal-style guitars cascading, while vicious, gurgly growls spill over and the pace just goes off. The overall sense of the song turns to haunting, while throaty, talk-like singing takes over as the horrors bleed out. “Dodendans” is the longest cut at 7:49, and it steers into buzzing, yet reflective winds, burly clean singing, and disorienting guitars the sweep into the picture. The track takes on a hazy, overcast feel, like a warm summer afternoon devoid of sun, and a psychedelic wave comes lapping in before the track returns to full, relentless boil. “Wera Wulfa” has dizzying riffs that meet up with deep, gut-wrenching growls and bouts of severe hypnosis. The playing draws to a trickle, eating away ever so slowly at you before the eruption returns and leaves everything in the dust.

“Vlammenvonnis” brings back reminders of that dreary summer afternoon, only now the rains have come and fall just enough to soak you slowly. Clean crooning starts you on your path, but then you meet up with devastating growls, dramatic section of melodies, and an explosive burst into full speed, leaving you absolutely flattened. Toward the end, calm arrives, the singing returns, and then it’s off to “Schimmenspel,” which is a strange, mind-altering instrumental cut. Here, pianos drip, strange noises smear the scene, and weird echoes drive home the sense of vertigo. “Walmend Graf” picks up the intensity again with chunky riffs, guitars catching fire, and harsh vocals rushing back again. There are odd, clean calls over what feels like the chorus, and after a dose of manic assaults, the song rounds itself back to the beginning. Closer “Zwarte Gedachten” has guitars charging up right away, deep growls that almost sound like monstrous dialog, and eventually the grip loosens so the music can shimmer a bit. Melodies and violence intertwine down the stretch, each taking the advantage from time to time, and the song ends with a grim vocal display and every death-teasing element fading into your nightmares.

Maybe one day the dead really will walk the earth, and we’ll look at bands such as Wederganger as one of those visionaries that tried to warn us of what’s ahead. “Halfvergaan ontwaakt” is an interesting collection, one that really stands out from a lot of the swollen black metal pack for its unique strangeness. This band is one you’ll want to spend a dark evening alongside, preferably with a room-temperature stout as your mental guide, and slip into the terrifying world Wederganger celebrates.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.van-records.de/

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

I don’t often have nightmares that include music. If I have, I don’t remember having them, so the experience pretty much was lost on me. But now and again I’ll hear something and think that it would be ideal to hear while unconscious, exploring the weird caverns of my brain.

Doom/death beasts Creeping always seemed to be a band that could fit the bill. Loud and grimy, punishing and disturbing, they’ve spent the past decade making music that sounds ominous and foreboding. They don’t waste their time trying to make things more horrific than they are. They’re not attempting to make a horror film here. Instead, they tap into the darkness and terror of existence with aplomb and give you something a little more tangible to freeze you in your tracks. Or in other words, they splash their records with audio nightmares. Their latest album “Revenant” keeps delivering that morbidity, twisting and turning your anxiety over the course of five tracks and 31 minutes of hell. The record’s so massive, in fact, it can’t be contained on a single label. Iron Bonehead is handling the vinyl edition, while Daemon Worship is putting out the CD. Each version will have different artwork as well.

The New Zealand-based band is comprised of members of The House of Capricorn and Abystic Ritual with Marko Pavlovic on bass and vocals; Scott Blomfield on guitars; and James Wallace on drums. After a debut EP in 2005, the band released their first proper full-length “Funeral Crawl” in 2007, with “Order of Snakes” arriving in 2011. The only other new music from the band came on a 2011 split with Glorior Belli, making “Revenant” the first fresh material from the band in the past four years. Things sound just as bleak and vicious as ever for Creeping, so hopefully their new label affiliations will help pique interest in the band. Certainly anyone with a death and doom appetite are going to find themselves fulfilled.

The record begins with the seven-minute “Death Knell Offering,” opening with funeral bells, doom riffs, and mournful melodies. The vocals are a guttural growl, and as guitars begin raining down, the pace gets into uneasy dream territory, and the waters grow murkier as the song builds. In fact, it starts to feel like a chilled, relentless rain storm is moving in, with the music creating thick, impenetrable fog where you barely can see five feet in front of you. That continues right up to the end, when the track slowly fades away. “Scythes Over My Grave” is the longest cut at 9:07 and ignites right away, with the track taking on a black metal feel. The bulk of the song does a fantastic job doing bodily harm and smothering you, with melodies intertwined into the chaos, raw-sounding howls emanating from Pavlovic’s throat, and later the track going cold. But that doesn’t last as the fires start burning again, the growls churn, and the song rises to a blinding glimmer before fading away.

“Cold Soil” is a quick one, a slow-moving, whisper-filled track that feels like it’s taking you into a weird patch of serenity before the death vibe returns and the brute force leads into “Drear.” This one opens in the midst of choppy waters, driving hard and standing as one of the most punishing cuts on the record. The vocals once again come across as harsh and unforgiving, and out of yet another misleading dose of serenity, the band comes out on the other side dealing vicious body blows. The song smears and pounds, with doom-infested sentiments returning before it disappears into the night. The closing title cut has guitars lighting up right away, with some cool, spindly riffs leading the way, a strong melody sneaking up from behind, and an epic sense injected into the song’s DNA. There’s a nice, gray texture behind the mix here, with the final minute really coming to life with heaviness, guitars splashing down in sheets, and a dizzying, grisly conclusion that caps off this awesome trip.

Creeping are in good hands as far as labels are concerned, and they delivered a damn strong record after being away for the past four years. “Revenant” hits hard, makes you feel spooky inside, and definitely could be a welcome addition to any nightmare. Certainly Creeping are not alone in making dark death and doom concoctions; they just happen to do it as well as any other group currently trying to do the same thing.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/creeping666

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

Or here: http://daemonworship.org/distribution.php

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

Or here: http://www.daemonworship.org/

All-out war has come. Explosions rock the ground, buildings are blazing out of control, and the assault is coming right for you. There isn’t any place to hide, as you’re in the wide open, and your only choice is to fight back for your life or let the opposing forces absorb you as you become a stain in the earth.

The above scenario is how it feels taking on Adversarial’s punishing second record “Death, Endless Nothing and the Black Knife of Nihilism,” one of the most furious death metal platters of the second half of the year. These guys are complete blazers, unloading everything they have on you and crushing you with blinding assaults that come from all ends. Over these nine tracks and a little more than 37 minutes, Adversarial do whatever it takes to demolish any weaklings standing in their way who are afraid of the fight. They want nothing more than blood, chaos, and violence, and they pay that in dividends during this record, which should thrill the hell out of anyone with a hunger for death metal that is as violent and unforgiving as it comes.

Adversarial crawled out of hell’s gates (well, OK, Toronto) nearly a decade ago, and they delivered their sickening debut album “All Idols Fall Before the Hammer” in 2010. The members of this band—vocalist/guitarist C.S. (Sentient), bassist M.M. (of criminally underappreciated and like-minded Paroxsihzem and formerly of bands such as Nuclearhammer), and drummer E.K. (formerly of Horde of Worms, Lapidate)—also delivered an EP in 2011, then two split releases (one with Antediluvian, the other with aforementioned Paroxsihzem). But all of it leads here, to this maddening, dangerous, smothering album that practically sounds like it’s being delivered form the mouth of a raging inferno and has enough deadly riffs and smeary growling to keep you on alert for weeks.

“Dissenting the Waking Shell” tears the record open, with the band pounding relentlessly, the riffs burning, and the vocals delivering outright savagery. It feels like being stuck in a pit of chaos, with bullets flying all around you, and as the band shifts back and forth between tempos, the drums erupt and start slaughtering. The final moments are delirious and crazed, and they lead toward “Intro,” a song that has some weird placement and has a strange cosmic feel. We then head into “Immersion Void Paragon” and its boiling atmosphere, where you feel the sweat beginning to flow from your forehead. The vocals are crawling deep in the mix, sounding infernal, while the music slashes and lurches, and the lead guitar work sweats away. “Eonik Spiritual Warfare” has guitars stabbing all over the place, with gruff growls bubbling and an intense pace. The lead work goes all over the place, dizzying and troubling, while the drums are turned to dust. The vocals unleash torment before the tide pulls back and fades. “Interlude” is built on sirens, gunfire, and the sound of fires crackling, as lines from “1984” sneak through, the most impactful being, “Always there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler.”

“Cursed Blades Cast Upon the Slavescum of Christ” isn’t exactly a spiritual anthem, and it erupts right from the start, with horrifying vocals, a blistering pace, and the growls later turning into pained wails. The riffs return to dominate, with all of the elements spiraling, and the track comes to a fiery conclusion. “Old Ruins Slumber in a Crushing Hatred of Man” continues the epic song titles and has an ominous, stinging beginning. The track melts into a mid-tempo hulking, with the guitars once again drawing blood from fragile skin, and the song eventually fizzles out in pools of lava. “Lone Wresting Hymns to the Warmoon of Chaos” gets crushing right away, stomping bodies and claiming everything in front of them. The growls are just furious, with the pace kicking into overdrive, the drums bashing in your brains, and your entire skeletal system getting rattled to its core. That leads into the title cut finale that is an immediate onslaught of violence, a face-first drive into torture that should bubble your skin in no time. The pace is ungodly massive, twisting and turning the gears and unleashing the blackness, while the vocals return to their gurgly best, chilling your bones on the way through damnation’s gates.

Adversarial’s approach isn’t safe or sanitized, and surely they wouldn’t have it any other way. This is music meant to hurt, designed to terrify, and trying to do as much bodily and auditory damage as possible. “Death, Endless Nothing and the Black Knife of Nihilism” is for those strong enough to handle it, and it’s one of the year’s most satisfying death metal albums. War is coming, and it’s charging right from the boots of Adversarial, who don’t have time to take prisoners.

For more on the band go here: http://www.adversarial.ca/

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

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

Funerary

“Your summer is dying, but for you the worst is yet to come.” That’s the statement that smacks you in the face on the flyer for one of tonight’s kickoff events for the seventh annual Skull Fest. If you’re in Pittsburgh tonight or this weekend, you have myriad shows to blow your face off and tons of ways to get a slew of cuts and bruises you’ll have to explain away at work come Monday.

Yes, there are four days of activities yet to come, but for someone who revels in doom and weirdness, tonight’s show at Gooski’s is the main event. Starting at around 10 p.m. (it’s always kind of a loose start time), you can witness Pittsburgh doom/Tom Atkins apostles CANT, fellow city dwellers and noise mongers Night Vapor, as well as the headliners we discuss today, funeral doom crushers Funerary and Italian sludge fiends Ooze. It just so happens those two bands have a new split album out (on Midnite Collective), and there’s a good chance if you’re in attendance tonight, they’ll treat you to the hammering new creations. It’s going to be loud, probably really hot inside, and a damn good night for those of us who like things metallic and even a little bizarre around the edges.

We’ll start off with Funerary, who likely won’t be phased by the heat considering they hail from moderately warm Phoenix. The band has been crushing souls since their formation just two years ago, and they delivered their first record “Starless Aeon” last year. The five-headed beast is comprised of J.A. on vocals, I.L. on guitars and vocals, E.G. on guitars, P.B. on bass, and S.M. on drums, and their deranged, drubbingly heavy style makes for the more grinding half of this split effort. The band is scary, slithering, and delivers two crushing songs that might leave you concussed.

Funerary get started with “Ascent,” an 8:08-long bruiser that has a grim opening and plods along from there in violent fashion. Terrifying shrieks are traded off for gut-wrenching growls, as pure menace is injected into the space this song inhabits, and the body just keeps lurching along. As you follow the trail of smeared blood it leaves behind, don’t be shocked to find more horrifying screams ripping out of each corner, a merciless drubbing, and a conclusion that lands in piles of ash. “Descent” begins with a harrowing doom riff that blows into Sabbath territory. The track devastates completely, with the shrieks raining down like razors, the band pounding heavily, and a brief cold reprieve followed by smothering anguish. From here, they drop tonnage on you, smashing and bashing in place while the vocals tear at your face and sickness is allowed to permeate. The song bleeds out in smoking fashion, leaving everyone in its wake choking teary-eyed.

Ooze

On the other end come Ooze, an Italian quartet who have been in existence a couple years longer than their split counterparts and provide something a little bit different. The band debuted in 2012 with their EP “Sister Tank,” and they responded last year with their debut self-titled full-length on Totalrust. The single-named ghouls who make up this band are vocalist Andrea, guitarist Sino, bassist Ans, and drummer Stefano, and their approach is a little faster, just as dirty, and satisfyingly thashy. The band kicks in four songs that are a little longer combined than Funerary’s two cuts, and they should be a blast of fun to hear live as they rob you of your hearing.

Ooze bust out of the gate with some swagger, with grimy vocals leading the way, and killer riffs lighting fires. The atmosphere is thick and smothering, as the band comes at you with bursts of speed and monstrous intent. “Necrotopya” enters in a feedback hiss, with burly riffs breaking out of that and the band chugging heavily toward you. The vocals maim and encircle, while the band kicks up the savagery for good measure, slamming you face first into “Bridges Burned.” Here, they catch onto a muddy groove, with the vocals again coming off as abrasive (in a good way), and the rest of the group even howling back. Eventually a slow-driving tempo takes over, letting the punishment be dealt slowly, and it all ends in a skull-crushing fit and swarm of wild howls. Closer “Satanchia’s Will” lets noise spit like sparks rushing from an over-ripe socket, with the band at first taking calculated steps before letting the gurgly growls take over and the guitars to quiver hellishly. The music boils and lets off steam as it goes, punching and ramming its way toward its final moments, where feedback screeches rise to threatening levels before finally letting go.

This split album from Funerary and Ooze is a damn explosive document, and it’s great material to plaster all over their Skull Fest appearance tonight. Both bands do doom just right, each coming at it from a different approach. This record also is a fine way to introduce yourself to each band if you’re not familiar, or just a way to put yourself in a demented amount of pain. Enjoy Skull Fest, and try not to cry that your fun sunny days are dissolving before your eyes.

For more information on Skull Fest 7, including lineup, times, ticket info, go here: https://www.facebook.com/events/881990855223362/

For more on Funerary, go here: https://www.facebook.com/funerarydoom

For more on Ooze, go here: https://www.facebook.com/oozeband

To buy the album, go here: http://midniteclv.storenvy.com/

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

There are pieces that I write that I really look forward to getting on record. Today is one of those. I love records and artists that separate people, make them clash, force silly accusations of true or not true. It’s endlessly amusing to me, and please know every one of you who have questioned my stake in metal or my tastes in the comments section make me laugh riotously every time. Because none of it matters.

I say all of this because we have Myrkur’s first full-length “M” up on the block today, and we all know this one is going to be a hot topic. For those of you unaware, Myrkur is led by Amalie Bruun, who has the “audacity” of being a model and a member of killer indie pop group Ex Cops. So obviously that already disqualifies her from making black metal. Actually, much of the backlash isn’t really her fault. Myrkur was rolled out as sort of a mystery project last fall by Relapse with the release of the self-titled EP that seemed to land out of nowhere. I remember being assigned a review of the music last summer and scrambling endlessly to research who this band was, who was in it, if they’d done anything before. Eventually it came out that Bruun was behind it as its sole member, and all the bullshit hit the fan (though I wonder if she would have been dismissed outright anyhow had they come clean from the start). Her credentials were questioned, her creative prowess was doubted, and she was ridiculed by a great number of brave internet creatures. Never mind what the EP sounded like (it was good, not great). We must defend metal at all costs from outsiders… And by the way, I have read a good bit of legit criticism based solely on her music and not anything else about her. So I don’t want to come across as “every negative thing said about her is sexist or childish.” That isn’t the case, and I completely expect people to disagree with me on this piece just from a musical standpoint.

Anyway, Bruun assembled a killer cast to assist her in making “M,” something that’s also not bound to silence the doubters out there, but who cares? Bruun has charged up her growls and screams, sounding downright monstrous in spots on this record, while her otherworldly singing is more plentiful and more haunting on this collection. She sounds fully confident and in command. That’s in addition to her guitar work and piano, also vital elements of this record. Along with her are Håvard Jørgensen (he’s worked with Satyricon and Ulver) on guitars; Teloch (Mayhem, Nidingr) on guitars and bass; Øyvind Myrvoll (also of Nidingr) on drums; and myriad other musicians adding strings, horns, and tuba. Also, Christopher Amott (Arch Enemy, ex-Carcass) also delivers some great guitar work on one track, more than delivering in the riff department. Another vital component is Kristoffer “Garm” Rygg, Ulver’s vocalist, who helped mix the album and whose fingerprints certainly are visible. Credit to Bruun for putting together such a sturdy backing band, as she really poured everything into “M.” I fear people won’t give her enough credit because if the studded cast. Without her, this project doesn’t soar to the heights she reaches. And for better or worse, people are going to remember this album at the end of the year one way or another.

“Skøgen Skulle Dø” kicks off the record as sort of an amalgamation of everything you’re about to witness. Choral sections take hold, as strings rise and deepen the drama, and then screams rip your heart out. Horns begin their march, while moody passages sweep over, and the back end has noises raining down to create a foggy ambiance. “Hævnen” is a barn-burner, with heavy riffs trudging and Bruun’s vocals sounding feral and terrifying. Her delivery should send chills, while later in the song, the tempo turns into a Euro-folk-inflected serving of blackness. “Onde Børn” strikes hard, with melodic leads, riveting melodies, and strong, catchy singing. Bruun’s tradeoff from vicious to visceral in the same song is something that keeps things interesting and flowing. The track surges late, with murky strings and swirling sounds dizzying. “Vølvens Spådom” is the first of several shorter, interlude-style cuts, this one full of echoes and chilling wonder. “Jeg er Guden, I er Tjenerne” gets back to aggression, with guitars grinding and the singing floating above it all. The track settles into a mid-tempo, with bells ringing and shrieks wailing, striking your nerves before heading back to melodies that dressed the song’s front portion.

“Nordlys” is the second shorter, quieter song, as piano flow quietly and Bruun wordlessly sings, injecting the piece with a strange vibe. That leads to “Mordet,” the track featuring Amott, and it’s the strangest of the bunch. A total death riff kicks things off, feeling like we’re going in a different direction, and Bruun’s vocals help add even more danger to what’s going on. Then dark tidings arrive, the storm front nears, and just as you think you’re drifting off, explosions burst anew and pull the song into total insanity. “Byssan Lull” is another shorter, quiet cut, again built on pianos, dream-like singing, and a vibe that feels absolutely snowbound. “Dybt i Skoven” has guitars calling out at the start, and then it’s into a more rock-oriented piece, with the singing wrapping itself around your brain and claiming you as captive (the melodies just won’t get out of my head). The entire band creates something here that even could pull in folks from outside metal circles. “Skaði” is a good final burst of savagery, with every element hammering down and causing thick smoke, monstrous growls decimating any hint of peace, and a sense that feels somewhat demonic. Pianos then begin to beat down, with a haze emerging behind, growls mixing into thick choral clouds, and the track settling into a towering inferno one last time before calm claims the day. Closer “Norn” is a fitting outro, a couple of minutes of reflective, gentle playing that closes the back cover on this magnificent adventure.

There are going to be people who pass off “M” just because they think they’re too important and too mighty to even consider this. But ultimately they can do what they want. What matters to me is I hear a major progression from the EP to this record, and from the first time I heard this record a couple months ago, I’ve been fully immersed. I’d still like to hear expand a bit more, examine more of her influences, and get even stronger musically. There are going to be detractors out there and people who want their opinion to eclipse the art. Myrkur doesn’t seem on the path to let that happen, and Bruun’s project is one of the most interesting, provocative in all of black metal. Hell, in all of metal. This is a rewarding record, and I’m going to be journeying through this one for some time to come.

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

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

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

There is nothing inherently wrong with a band playing within its genre boundaries and trying to perfect that formula. Good, reliable bands are made that way. But I find it more interesting when artists go beyond the fenced-in yard in which they’re supposed to play. Why not mix and match and pour different inspirations into what you do?

Again, I won’t hold it against anyone for not being more daring as long as they deliver solid goods, but when a group finds meaningful ways to break out, damn, that’s exciting stuff. That’s why I’ve always held Fuck the Facts in such high regard because, while grind may be their base, it’s not their be-all, end-all. They’ve always had interests that go beyond the grind territory, and never has that been more apparent than on their new ninth full-length excursion “Desire Will Rot.” It’s heavy and relentless and, yes, completely grinding, but there is so much more going on. In fact, the way the record is put together almost feels like a part one and part two. The first six songs are a little more classic FTF, while the final five tracks branch out into something wild and exciting in a different way.

The new album is their first outside the Relapse banner in many years and is being put out on their own imprint Noise Salvation. The band has remained intact for the past several years, with Mel Mongeon on vocals, Topon Das and Johnny Ibay on guitars, Marc Bourgon on bass and vocals (he and Mongeon basically share duties now), and Mathieu Vilandre on drums. As this band is wont to do, they’ve remained busy since their last album, 2011’s “Die Miserable,” with a few EPs, a couple of splits, and a wide array of live shows keeping them busy and firing on all cylinders. This new record, like any of their smaller releases, is a true DIY effort with all songs produced and mixed by the band, and they sound as channeled and adventurous as ever.

“Everywhere Yet Nowhere” gets the record off to a hammering start, with guitars wailing, the bass chugging hard, and Mongeon and Bourgon trading off lines, hers more a diabolical shriek while his are guttural death grunts. It makes for a good pairing. “Shadows Collide” just goes off, with punishing guitar work, the tempo rising and falling, and the song re-erupting later, threatening to tear off faces. “The Path of Most Resistance” has a bit of groove to the guitars, with the dual vocals providing menace, and later things get scuffed up and murky. Doom sentiments arrive and color the rest of the track in morbidity. The dual “La Mort” cuts are up next, with the first simmering in filthy riffs and noise pollution, with Mongeon howling into a haze of classic metal guitars. The second part explodes, with the band raging forward and the singing feeling monstrous. Noise squeals out of the end, and that bleeds right into “Prey” and its heavy rumble. The song is pure demolition, with cool lead work bursting through, the drums being crushed, and the vocals showing zero relent.

“Storm of Silence” has melody situated behind the tumult, with both Mongeon and Bourgon wailing hard, while the band lets more atmosphere into the room than usual. It’s the first hint to things changing on the second part of the album. “Solitude” delivers darker guitars and a doomy feel, but the playing also is a little weirder and spacey, while still managing to scrape and crush what’s in its way. “False Hope” runs 5:47 and has drowned-out drums leading into the body, with speedy riffs emerging. The track crashes and burns, feeling like it’s going to throttle you from start to finish, but then things change. The tempo gets dirtier, the guitars get muddier, and the final minute or so is more reflective and echoey. That sets up “Circle,” the 7:55-long oddball of the bunch. The first section is eerie and spooky, with distant singing coloring the background. Keys trickle in, strings sweep out, and the bottom drops into a doomy mauler. The cries sound pained and damaged, letting you feel a little terrified for a stretch, and the remainder of the song floats like a ghost setting off to eternal damnation. Closer “Nothing Changes” gets a little heavier again, with gang shouts ripping out, and later the guitars going to thrashy and damaging. That goes on for about half the run time before shadowy clouds return and block out the light for a stretch, then the song completely transforms with guitars stabbing, blood pouring forth like a deluge, and swirling melodies tying everything up and ending the journey.

It’s great after all of these years to hear Fuck the Facts still challenging boundaries and making art that’s vital and heartfelt. “Desire Will Rot” is their most interesting album on their sturdy resume, a collection that refuses to compromise or stay in one place very long. It’s inspired, heavy, and all the proof you need that FTF are one of grindcore’s most versatile, fiery bands.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.fuckthefacts.com/#!shop/c1ypz