There are parts of writing about heavy metal that are surreal. Like sitting at a table with the legendary Tom G. Warrior less than 24 hours after his band Triptykon played this year’s Maryland Deathfest. Here is this iconic artist who played in influential, genre-toppling bands Hellhammer and Celtic Frost, and here is me. It might seem like an intimidating, harrowing experience, looking into this man’s face and hearing him talk about his experiences from the past three decades. But Warrior is such a kind, soft-spoken, humble individual that he immediately makes you feel like you’re at home talking to an old friend. Over a half hour or so, we talked about the band’s set at Deathfest, his friendship with the late artist H.R. Giger (who passed May 12, 2014 at the age of 74), who had a profound effect on his life and career, the ups and downs of his three decades in music, and the future, as cloudy as that may be. This is the first of what will be two installments, the second running next Tuesday. Many thanks to the folks at Century Media for arranging the interview, my incredible wife Christina for transcribing this, and for Warrior himself for such a wonderful, engaging conversation. Here it is, one of the absolute highlights of my writing career.

Meat Mead Metal: You finally got to play Maryland Deathfest after missing last year’s event following the passing of H.R. Giger. Tell me about the experience you had in front of the crowd.

Tom G. Warrior: The experience was fantastic. We haven’t been in the States in a while, and the audience was sensational. I have nothing but the best to say. They gave us back so much … adrenaline, enthusiasm. I thought we were a bit rusty because we haven’t played in half a year, but the energy we got from the audience erased that immediately. It was fantastic. I hope they have the same impression. We enjoyed it tremendously. It was a very important show for us. Number 1, because we weren’t in the states for quite a long time; number 2 because we missed it last time; number 3, because we followed the festival for quite a while. It’s a very important festival. I’m very happy it came out this way, and I’m blown away by the audience’s reaction.

MMM: We don’t have a lot of festivals in the U.S. I know in Europe there’s lots of festivals.

TGW: There’s almost too many.

MMM: Deathfest, for metal fans…

TGW: It has a reputation that goes far beyond the United States.

MMM: We’re a little over a year since H.R. Giger’s passing. What are your feelings now, with a year’s time having passed, and what are your reflections?

TGW: It was very difficult in the beginning. He had such a unique and strong presence that it was difficult to accept that he should no longer exist. It was very surreal for all of us, his whole circle of friends, his wife. It was just impossible to think of him as dead. As odd as that sounds. He had this magical presence, this impact on all of our lives that our psyche refused to accept this. Of course we all know, yes, it is true. So, the first few months, we all operated in some sort of trance. We drew together quite tightly, especially helping the widow, who suffered most of course, trying to give her some strength, which is difficult, and I understand that. By now, it’s much better. We all met on the anniversary of his passing. We met in the garden of his house with his widow, and we had a light dinner, and we decided not to do something somber. We just had a small garden party with just the inner circle and we reminisced, had a good time, and talked about our own lives and futures. It wasn’t a sad thing. It was a sad background, mood, of course, because we all know why we sat there. But it was a good thing. It was friends sitting there, being all brought together by this individual who changed our lives. So it was alright.

MMM: Sounds more celebratory than anything. Not like a party. But you know what I mean.

TGW: Exactly. We are all working on a major Giger exhibition in his hometown of Zurich, which will start in June. I am involved with that, as are many other of his friends. We will commemorate him, and we will remember by means of this exhibition. We tried to make it very meaningful. We will display things that have never, ever been seen outside of the house. Some new sculptures and everything. Trying to give this a positive spin, as positive as it can possibly be in this situation.

MMM: Do you see this as something that could possibly travel as well? Could it go to other places, exhibited in a museum, or will it remain in Zurich?

TGW: Possibly. There are Giger exhibitions planned in various countries, independent Giger exhibitions. Curated by one of the inner circle, who was Giger’s curator for many years. So yes, there are going to be international Giger exhibitions. And right now in New York, there’s a Giger film festival with all of his experimental and unseen films, in addition to the documentary that is playing in America. Which, I’m not saying because Triptykon is in it, but the documentary, I can highly recommend. Either go see it in a cinema or get the DVD. The director managed to portray Giger in a very private and intimate manner. It’s not just the same run-of-the-mill “Alien” and such. It’s a very deep documentary that shows Giger like you’ve hardly seen him before. So, I can highly recommend “Dark Star,” the documentary.

MMM: What does it mean to you that Giger’s artwork, which has meant so much to you, now lives on through your art?

TGW: We are a tiny, tiny part. Giger doesn’t need Celtic Frost or Triptykon to be immortal. We are blessed to have the chance to have his contributions.

MMM: Well, sure, OK. But your music still reaches a lot of people, and having Giger’s artwork represent your music has to be a major honor.

TGW: When you do an album, you think, what will be on the cover? And you either look in classical paintings, you commission someone you know who you think is good, or you approach an artist you think has something fantastic. In the case of Celtic Frost or Triptyon and Giger, it’s different in that every single Giger cover I’ve ever had has had a very distinctive meaning. It wasn’t like I approached an artist, “Hey, we need a cover.” The first Giger cover, of course, was given to us free of charge, when we were complete nobodies. We didn’t even have a record deal. Everyone around us laughed about us. We were still in Hellhammer. Nobody took us seriously. Everybody laughed about us. Everybody said, “You’re never going anywhere. You’re just playing noise.”  Giger was at the height of his fame. He had just won the Academy Award. We approached him as complete nobodies, and he calls me and writes letters to me, and says, “I’m going to give you not just one painting, I’m going to give you two. And yes, I think your music and my paintings have a similar aura, message.” We were completely blown away. Everyone hates us, laughs at us. And he, a world-class artist, believes in us or at least gives a chance, becomes our mentor.

The second Giger cover, the first Triptyon album, Celtic Frost had imploded spectacularly, on a personal level infinitely disappointingly. I’ve had people who I thought were friends that I had to completely reevaluate my relationship with them. I discovered maybe they weren’t my friends but they were my enemies. People I’ve known for decades. I had to recreate the band from nothing. From the ruins of Celtic Frost, to try to salvage the crew, the relationship with the record company, relationship with the recording studio. I had to build up everything from nothing. I had to prove myself yet again. It was very difficult. Could I pull this off without Celtic Frost. And who is there believing me again? Giger. Before he even heard a single note from Triptykon, he agreed to give me a Giger painting for the first album. And I was so grateful. I never would’ve gone back. I didn’t want to seem insatiable or greedy. But it was Giger who approaches me with the second album of Triptykon because he was so happy with the first. Which once again blew my mind. He has never approached a band. It was always bands approaching him. Including mine. And Giger, of all people, one of the greatest surrealists of human history, which completely blew my mind, I couldn’t believe it. So every single Giger cover I have had has had huge meaning to me. Life-changing meaning. What more can I say, you know? They’re not just record covers for me. I know they mean a lot to the audiences as well, you know, the combination of these images with this music. But for me, it goes far, far, far beyond that. And we designed another album with Giger when he was still alive, before I knew that he would die. When he approached me for the second album, we decided together to do a triptych. The third album cover is designed, if we actually do a next album, it will be the last cover that Giger was ever personally involved with. Which, yet again, is something extremely special.

MMM: Let’s go to that second record, “Melana Chasmata.” I had read elsewhere that you are disappointed with it? Is that true?

TGW: Yes, that is true.

MMM: What was disappointing about it to you? I say this as a listener, my first experience listening to it – I was blown away. I loved it. I still am.

TGW: I appreciate that you like it. I feel very fortunate that audiences have embraced the album. Which by no means is something that is guaranteed for any band. I don’t take this for granted, and I’m very happy and I feel blessed that this happened. But yes, I personally take a very critical stance with this album. To me, it’s unfinished. And for me, it was an extremely difficult album to make. We started it, I personally, my contributions started after we released the first album. And I entered an extremely difficult period of my life, for unfortunately more than one reason. Both my health and certain things that took place in my private life. I had three extremely difficult years. To be frank, they brought me to the brink of giving up. And it takes a lot for me to give up. But I certainly was there. It’s only due mainly to the influence of one person in my life that I’m actually still here. But that’s the time when we had worked on the album, that the album had remained unfinished. I didn’t touch it for over a year. During the worst year, I had no strength to work on the album.

Once I had regained my composure to some extent, we gathered the band, and we had to see, is the band still together because the other members of the band were quite insecure as to where the band was heading because of my condition. After we had done that, we decided to finish the album. We gave ourselves a deadline, but the album was somehow tainted to me because of that, and I found it very difficult emotionally to finish these songs with these lyrics and everything that all stem from this era. I don’t mean to make this sound totally dramatic, but that’s the way it happened. We finished by the deadline, but it’s a difficult album for me to listen to because it’s connected to all of these things, and I think it could’ve taken some more work. But after three and a half years or so, we knew that we couldn’t work on it anymore. It was just going to make it worse. Under ideal circumstances, we should’ve gone back and finished some of the songs. We needed to move on. We needed to finish this album and leave it in the past, look to the future, that’s what we did. No one’s surprised that everybody liked it more than me. It’s a gift. It’s such a difficult album. It’s a gift. But it doesn’t make it less difficult for me.

MMM: How is playing the songs?

TGW: It’s a little more abstract. It’s not so immediate. Live, it carries a different energy, and it’s embedded with other songs from throughout my career. It makes it a little different. If you play a song from this album between a Hellhammer song and a Celtic Frost song and a Triptykon song. It’s a different context, a different mood to it. So that’s different. It’s OK.

MMM: Is it a reinterpretation live, because you’re not in that place where you were when you were creating it?

TGW: I enjoy both venues very much. I enjoy the stage very much, and I enjoy the studio very much. I always have. But to me, they’re very different. They’re different aspects of the band. So, when you take an album to the stage, it’s always going to be different. But with this album, that’s a good thing. It makes it possible to honestly play these songs with enthusiasm. It’s not forced, because people like it. For example, a song like “Altar of Deceit” has become one of my favorite songs live, because it’s so heavy and so slow and I didn’t think that would’ve been possible that it would feel different on stage.

Next Tuesday, we look at the disappointing crumbling of Celtic Frost, the status of Warrior’s relationship with the members of that band, and what the future holds for Triptykon’s music. It’s the heavier of the two installments, and they’re words I won’t soon forget.

For more on Triptykon, go here: http://www.triptykon.net/

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

The metal of death is not supposed to be complicated, pretty, or well-polished. Yet, that’s exactly what’s happened for the most part. People see dollar signs and a way to make this disgusting beast into a feasible commodity and, before you know it, teen apparel stores nationwide are stocking shirts from bands that claim to feast from the death teat.

Luckily those bands remain that want to keep the medium ugly, puss-filled, and close to the freshly shoveled graveyard. D.C.’s Genocide Pact is one of those, and their no-frills debut record “Forged Through Domination” is a visit with the good stuff. There is no spit shine here, no attempt to be welcoming to the masses, and only an intent to keep things as bloody and destructive as possible. Made up of members of Disciples of Christ and Red Death, this threesome is heavy, miserable, and in just the right frame of mind to make the most ardent of death fans happy. The guys responsible for this thrashing is guitarist/vocalist Tim, bassist Nolan, and drummer Connor Donegan, and their first burst of infamy is a concise, well-played 26 minutes of death that is dosed just right and does ample damage.

The album opens with “Induction,” a riffy, muddy, chugging first cut that sets the scene for carnage and keeps building on the ugliness. The band begins mauling harder as the track goes, with the throaty growls rumbling, and it makes for a nice initial blast of doom-fed death. “Agnogenesis” charges and pounds from the word go, and the punishing thrashing dealt out here meets up with a scorching section of soloing and lathering bit of clubbing that feel calculating and full of ill intent. “Submission Reigns” is much of the same, in that it’s a piece that feels like it’s wailing away at your chest and, as its title suggests, hopes it can make you tap out to the pain. The vocals are lurching and menacing, and toward the end of the song, the pace kicks up hard and drives you headfirst into a wall. Painful. “Desecration” pours feedback that pierces the eardrums, and the tempo is a little muddier than what preceded it. The track feels monstrous, and the fiery riffs that emerge let the song have an even greater impact and leave you with a nice bit of bruising.

“Despotism” launches itself right at you, proving itself to be the heaviest thing on a record that’s pretty full of mashing tracks. The band later hits a pretty nasty groove, proving there is some swagger with their chaos, and the vocals absolutely rumble over top of you, leaving your body flat. The final minute is full of a renewed sense of speed and a hearty helping of blasts. “Menial Subsistence” takes its time with its battery, definitely taking its shots and knocking you for a loop, but doing so in ways that lets you get back to your feet before another body blow. There are some classic guitar parts built in, and that section leads toward the final moments where devastation is unleashed. Closer “Experiments in Nihilism” launches feedback and a sludgy background, leading the way into gruesome vocals and slow-driving horror. Out of that mud, the tempo erupts, the band starts killing anew, soloing explodes out of the din, and the band lets the violence bleed out and away.

No need for a long, fluffy essay on this record. It’s simple, brutal, and a nicely timed slab of death metal that never overstays its welcome. “Forged Through Domination” is a fitting first entry into the world for Genocide Pact, and it’ll get your ass kicked whether you’re listening on headphones or witnessing these beasts in a live setting.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://shop.a389records.com/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.a389records.com/site/

It’s great that we live in a time where we no longer persecute people who we don’t understand and have come to terms that there are beings who live their lives differently than do we. Haha. Yeah, right. The saying “being burned at the stake” is just as prevalent and relevant as ever, and though it may have come from the witchcraft mania from centuries ago, it still applies to groups of people today.

OK, you didn’t come for a political speech, so I’ll cut it there. But the Belgian band Possession haven’t forgotten the paranoia surrounding witchcraft that enveloped the past, and their scorching new mini-album “1585-1646” chronicles a witch that wreaked havoc in France during that time period. On this record, we visit with the witch, find out about her visitation from the devil, and follow her as she realizes her powers and eventually is hunted down by the people that she terrorizes. It’s a perfect setting for a metal record, is it not? It has a very King Diamond feel to it, and for those of us who relish stories such as these, the album is a damn pleasure.

What makes it even better is we are hearing Possession develop as a band before our eyes and ears. The band made a huge impression on 2013’s great demo “His Best Deceit” and have slowly but surely added to their collection with last year’s smoldering “Annaliese” and now this new mini effort. The band—vocalist Mestema, guitarist I. Dveikus, bassist/vocalist V. Viriakh, drummer Pz.Kpfw—quickly are becoming one of the better bands in underground death and black metal, and by taking their time to develop, each new release from the band sounds that much more impressive. This 25-minute effort is thunderous and bloody, spooky and hellish, and it should increase the respect this band is getting by each day that passes.

The record opens with the 9-minute Obscurity/Visitation,” a track that takes some time to set a scene, with winds whipping up, choral chants blowing in, death bells ringing, and a storm brewing. Then the guitars light up and start burning, and the whole scene rips open with muscle-bound riffs, screamy vocals, and an assault that cascades hard and smears you with ferocity. That bleeds into “Ceremony” that starts with heavy thrashing and a show of force that could crush your chest cavity. The guitars wail violently, the drums are beaten to dust, the vocals are raw and bloody, and the final moments completely tear things apart. “Guilty” continues the intensity, with the riffs churning and the growling awash in eerie echo. The song is guttural and brutal, with the guitars shrieking like a ghoul, a meaty thrash section erupting, and Mestema howling like a ghost whose soul is burning. The album ends with “Ablaze,” a song that shouldn’t be too hard to figure out thematically based on our plot line, and it hits sections of speed that just blind. The band mashes your bones, with a thick bassline adding to the soot, delirious fury spinning your brain, and the vocals spiraling, ending this tale in a pit of madness.

Possession are a band on the rise, one of those groups you better pay your attention if you know what’s good for you. Over a series of small releases, they’ve built their reputation and keep getting deadlier. “1585-1646” is a can’t-miss slab of death and black metal that will scar your soul and burn you down right along with the album’s main character.

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

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

Or here: http://www.invictusproductions.net/shop/

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

And here: http://invictusproductions.net/

Really special, really important bands don’t come around every day. In fact, they don’t come around every year. Not to whine, but being a writer who is inundated with music every day and only gets to truly know a fraction of the records I hear every year, coming across a band that fundamentally changes your feelings about metal or music in general happens by chance. So any time it does I try to embrace that fully.

A few years ago, I started hearing rumblings about this band FALSE, a group out of Minnesota that was keeping their business well under the shadows, with only the lucky few who witnessed them live even knowing who was behind the madness and understanding the force of this band. The arrival of their untitled debut recording in 2012 already was an anticipated moment for me after everything I had heard from the band from very trusted sources, and the music on that document instantly transformed me into a FALSE believer. Same goes for their contributions to their split effort with Barghest, and finally seeing this band live, where they manage to conjure something brutal, psychologically draining, and absolutely mesmerizing, it all came together for me. Now, with their first full-length in our hands, I can say this without flinching: FALSE is the best black metal band in America, possibly the world, and they are one of the few groups who can stop me dead in my tracks when experiencing their music.

The band still eschews almost all interview requests and does not issue promo photos. Finding their names isn’t impossible, but they’re not exactly out there splashing their social media accounts everywhere. It is clear the focus is on their music, and while, yeah, that whole remaining secretive can be seen as something that actually could draw added attention to FALSE, it doesn’t come off that way. And if you doubt that, tackle this five-track, 60-minute watershed album for domestic metal. People like me whine that too much music sounds so terribly alike. Who cares about that when a group like this can pull off a full-length record with this much ambition, emotion, violence, imagination, and creativity? Those other groups don’t matter. Almost every cut is more than 10 minutes long, and each song grabs you from the start, drags you through fierce twists and turns, and turns you up at the end utterly breathless. A lot of good music has come out this year; plenty more will come. But here’s guessing that matching what FALSE bring on this record won’t be topped, just like their EP from three years ago remains one of the finest metal recordings to come out in all of the 2000s. Period.

“Saturnalia” kicks off the record, letting noise sizzle for a moment before the band launches. Rachel’s vocals wrench and slither, as the band hits panic-inducing sections, portions of synth haze that mixes perfectly into the chaos, and intensity that storms heavily. There is plenty of exploration and emotional tumult as the song develops, crushing you into corners, eventually letting you take a breath, then killing again. As the song reaches its last quarter, Rachel howls, “Give us solace in the moonless sky,” as the music bleeds fury and then your heart reaches a dangerous level. That sets the stage for “The Deluge,” a song you have to hear to believe. It might be the most perfect thing FALSE ever created, and the way they build each layer largely is responsible for that. Out of a synth smog, the song rupture and rambles forward. There is a lot of dark melody weaved into the cut, and Kishel’s keys keep adding depth and texture, the guitars cut pathways, and the vocals scar your flesh. A sort of calm comes over the scene, though you know the clouds are about to break, and when they do, what comes next is an absolute revelation. Guest vocalist Sarah Green’s choral-style singing bursts above Rachel’s growled lines, acting as an emotional tidal wave, a total holy-fucking-shit moment that could be the best recorded metal moment of the year. I know it’s only late May. I know that’s hyperbolic. Hear it and see if I’m wrong. I can’t see what will top that one minute’s time. (If you don’t believe me, check the great Steel for Brains site, who debuted the song this week: http://steelforbrains.com/post/120113434952/the-key-of-passive-suffering-a-conversation-with)

If you need time to breathe and reflect after “The Deluge,” it makes sense, but instead, tumble head-first into an untitled cut that wails into rupturing melodies, with a great dose of blackness afoot, vocals that could lacerate, and some really great guitar work that has a classic metal feel to it. In fact, that happens a few times over the span of this album, which is a good time. The final two minutes of this thing just boil over and give the song a truly epic conclusion. “Entropy” is the longest cut at 15:28, and is it ever a world toppler. It unfurls majestically, with guitars catching fire and then the whole thing blowing apart. Synth sheets rain down, as the rest of the band tangles you in a black metal pretzel, with the vocals unleashed in a tempered manner. There are some murky, moody sections, with their artistic tributaries trickling more slowly. But late in the song, a new sense of intensity and speed is realized, as the band drives the caravan down a canyon wall and through the gates of hell. The vocals strike hard, the music causes thunder claps, and it all fades into an ambient void. Closer “Hedgecraft” runs 13:19, and it opens into melodic punishment and a pace that lets the colors and fires slowly build. The guitar work spirals, while Rachel’s words work to run your face into the gravel, and later they strike the gas pedal again on an assault that could cause you great anxiety. In a good way. The band tears into a smothering Iron Maiden-like gallop as the song goes on, with the vocals piercing and then everything dramatically changing the pace yet again. Every element is brought on heavily, like hot wax being poured from a cauldron, and as the guitars glimmer, the music erupts, and the last gasp of vocals deliver their final messages, the song quickly fades into the night, leaving you a heaving mess in a pool of sweat on the floor.

This first official FALSE record had a ton of anticipation behind it, especially with people like me who are in total awe of the band. Having had the better part of calendar year 2015 to absorb it, I still haven’t uncovered every mystery and fully swung through every curve. This record is an astonishing work of greatness, an album that can be held aloft to show just what the United States has contributed to make metal greater and black metal richer. This is a rare band we don’t hear very often. And this record has the power to knock down cities.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/False/3540332204

To buy the album, go here: http://www.erodingwinds.com/product-category/music/gilead-media-releases/

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

Out of the many topics I speak about over and over on this site, the power of metal is one that gets pretty regular representation. There’s no secret to the fact that this music can be empowering and make you feel bigger and stronger than you are, though the assertion that it’s time to grab a sword and head into town on a rampage always is meant tongue in cheek. Also, I’m terrible with a sword.

But that power you feel inside is legit, and it can happen for many reasons. I always get a charge from bands who perfectly encapsulate the time in which I first discovered metal and let it take over my bloodstream. I remember my formative years listening to Helloween, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Mercyful Fate (all of which were sources of amazing guilt brought on by my Catholic education, funny enough) and realizing this stuff took me somewhere. This dork loser with a handful of friends of the target of plenty of jeers had a place to feel safe and alive. This is all a very melodramatic way for me to introduce Encyrcle and their stunning self-titled debut record that should make you feel that raw, primal power of heavy metal. Genre tags and trends and all of that don’t matter at all hearing this Danish band speed through this 11-track collection that brings to mind all of those aforementioned groups. They also can help you bask in the power of their sound, which, yeah, can make you feel like taking up arms and fighting the good fight for metal. Just be careful with that sword and all.

Encyrcle have been mounting their assault ever since forming in 2012, with this record being the first entry on their resume. The group—vocalist N Hydra, guitarists S. Rose and S. Klem, bassist R Koldby, drummer A Edalis—has a rawness and energy that’s infectious, and despite debuting three decades after many of their perceived influences first made their marks, they present and honest, true sound that is raucous, a ton of fun to absorb, and should have you basking in the glory of metal’s old gods.

“Chronoboros” leads you into the chaos, a fiery, yet calculated intro track that bleeds right toward “To the End,” a powerful, rampaging cut that sets the tone early. There are epic, thrash-style vocals, with Hydra reaching higher registers (which he is wont to do) and the rest of the band mashing you with riffs and adventure. “Evoke the Night” is chock full of empowerment and we-fight-together sentiment, with punchy tempos, glorious guitar work, and crunchy thrash, with Hydra urging, “Leave your masquerade behind.” “Bloodbasker” is a total killer, and it should be a great live staple for the band. The track is drenched in speed, the vocals reach high and wail, and the chorus is rousing, with gang vocals you’ll be dying to shout back. Awesome, classic-style anthem. “En Trance” is a moody, burning interlude cut that flows right into “Dizzy Me Deadly,” a track built on fast-moving clobbering, great power, and a simple, memorable chorus. The track really erupts, though, when Hydra howls, “No survival! Go!” right as a fire-breathing guitar solo rips out and scorches.

“Serpent’s Dream” is a mystical but powerful instrumental, mixing in classical elements with their overall metallic haze, and it feels like something inspired by Savatage. Then shit blows up again on “Deathlust,” a track that gallops hard, recalling Helloween during its “Walls of Jericho” phase, and it storms heavily during its run. “Facelasher” brings even more crunch to the picture, with the band piling up killer melodies, and Hydra demanding, “Turn this night into terror,” as the cut surges even more aggressively and opens up new avenues to get wholly decimated. “Black Dust” is the longest cut at 8:16, with the band taking its time to set the mood and letting the atmosphere expand. But then it’s off to the races, with speedy bashing and vocals in colorful storyteller mode. The band chugs along, creating serious smoke in the song’s first half, though in the final few minutes they stretch out their playing and take their time to spark some different shades of color and go out on a reflective note. But closer “Obliteration Eyes” brings demolition back to the forefront, with the drums crushed (reminds a bit of the intro to “Painkiller”), howls unleashed, and the band taking off. Lower singing mixes with siren wails, another strong, sticky chorus establishes itself, and the band goes out all guns blazing, leaving you high from your journey.

Encyrcle’s speed-driven, powerful sound is a real treat, and their self-titled opus takes me back to when metal first bore its way into my heart. It’s a fun listen, an engaging collection of songs, and a call to arms (even if only metaphorically speaking) that should rekindle your initial feelings for this type of music and make you want to ride this fiery chariot all the way to the gates of end time.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.unspeakableaxerecords.com/purchase/

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

Paradise Lost have nothing to prove to anyone. No one at all. Over the course of their storied career, one that has been rich on content, faced times of fervent backlash from some, and spawned a million disciples, they have carved out a legendary status and have been recognized as one of the most important bands in the history of doom metal.

So when a record such as “The Plague Within” arrives, it tends to have a profound, powerful effect on people like me who have followed the band’s long, curved track. As bands go on, they tend to mellow or even out, no longer connecting with rage and turmoil of their younger selves and finding different ways to express their darkness. Paradise Lost, however, do not operate that way. On this 14th record, they have delivered one of the most satisfying platters of their run. Not just because it’s significantly heavier and harsher than anything they delivered in the past decade. Yeah, one can point at Gregor Mackintosh’s death metal band Vallenfyre or Nick Holmes current stint fronting Bloodbath as potential reasons these 10 songs are so emotionally and physically brutal. But that would cheapen this record. Instead, it sounds like the two members’ inner fires are burning as savagely as ever, with the other guys also boiling over with passion and chaos along with them.

Mackintosh, the band’s longtime guitar player, and Holmes, their dark voice through their entire nearly three-decade existence, are the members of this band that get the most attention and focus. On top of that, their other bands were top attractions at last weekend’s Maryland Deathfest, letting them stretch their sinewy grit. But let’s not forget their crucial others members, who provide the solid backbone to the Paradise Lost legend. Also on guitars is Aaron Aedy, on bass is Stephen Edmondson, and the “new guy” (well, he’s been on board since 2009) on drums is Adrian Erlandsson, who also plays with Vallenfyre, as well as moderately kind of hugely influential At the Gates. The band pours everything they have into “The Plague Within,” the follow-up to super strong 2012 effort “Tragic Idol,” and may make long-time fans remember why they fell in love with the band in the first place. Paradise Lost’s darkness never stops giving, and the blazes never are satisfied.

It doesn’t take long at all to know things have taken a turn for the dour on opener “No Hope in Sight” tells you that from its title, then it welcomes you into murk. Holmes’ growls are gravelly and grim, though as the song develops, he brings back his solemn singing voice, and the guitar work is riffy and solid, adding muscle to the admission, “It’s a battle as the years start to fade.” “Terminal” has guitars charging, the vocals coming on the winds of rage, and the bulk of the song damp and crunchy, with the doom hammer leveled toward the end. “An Eternity of Lies” is a really great one, beginning with chambery strings and synth washing over the scene, with Holmes delivering a gothic-style performance on the riveting chorus, where he charges, “Fear the isolation,” as well as for lines such as, “All my dreams are make-believe, a sorry endeavor.” “Punishment Through Time” also promises misery, and it brings it in heavy chunks, with thick riffs, howled vocals, a nice bit of soloing, and an effective punch delivered in a compact package. “Beneath Broken Earth” is another high point, as their doom unfurls, the growls come elegantly, and the band hits a funeral doom note, with Holmes later howling, “You wish to die!” It keeps lapping slowly and heavily, giving the first half of the album a harrowing finish.

Weighty strings greet you on “Sacrifice the Flame,” a track that again trades off between growling and singing and that gets a nice boost of energy from the rest of the band. It’s a really strong song that sticks with you and burns the entire way. “Victim of the Past” also takes its time and follows a slower pace, with synth bleeding through the song, and the bulk of the thing feeling like a cold autumn day, when your psyche is at its lowest. The melodies cascade, feeling oppressive and ominous as it reaches its end. “Flesh From Bone” turns things back toward the violent end, with black metal-style flourishes bringing added darkness and the track coming at you with a fierceness. This one is purely devastating, a raw dose of death metal devastation, and it’s the heaviest damn thing they’ve done in a while. “Cry Out” is another one that could be a live favorite, as the riff swaggers with attitude, the tempo punishes, and the easy chorus could inspire their crowds to howl that back with Holmes. He rallies “sinners against the world,” while the band keeps the intensity high until it all burns out. Closer “Return to the Sun” has a theatrical open, with keys and choral chants, before it tears open with a death-like hammering and steady assault that keeps the punches coming. “Please don’t look inside my mind, a place you’ve never dreamed,” Holmes warns as the band ignites a few more emotional fireworks before this powerful collection comes to its conclusion.

Now 14 albums into their incredible journey, Paradise Lost still are delivering astonishing music that should amplify your own morbid feelings and satiate your anger. “The Plague Within” is a record that challenges the doom status quo from a band that helped build the foundation. This is a kick in the backside for all of doom from one of the key architects, which should serve as a wake-up call to everyone.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.paradiselost.co.uk/

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

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

Frustration is a huge part of all of our lives, whether we care to take ownership in that idea or not. Things have a way of evening out when things are favorable, meaning it’s a good idea not to get too high with the highs, and I think metal is a way in which we can release some of that anguish and try to find a state of normalcy. Or at least a state in which we can survive.

Michigan’s Cloud Rat always came across to me as one of those bands where, as much as they’ve always tried to put a socially conscious message out there, also seemed like a major source of tension relief for the band. Their amazing new album “Qliphoth” seems to very much tackle that idea, acknowledging dark thoughts and everyday annoyance can encapsulate us, and we can’t always take out our woes on the very thing causing us stress. The title itself comes from Hermetic Qabalah and represents a dark realm that embraces the ideas of mysticism and the occult, approaching the world of demonology. There’s an unmistakable darkness surrounding these songs and the way in which they are dealt out, and the idea that there are obstacles in our lives that prevent us from finding happiness or just achieving goals is put on center stage. Now, how to destroy the demons?

The band remains intact from their stunning last full-length “Moksha,” with one notable addition. Madison remains out front, the outspoken, passionate head of this band, whose vocals strike you hard and force you to confront her words. Rorik handles guitar work, while Adrian is on drums, and joining the Cloud Rat lineup is Brandon, who handles electronics. If you were leveled by what you heard on their last record, that remains in the form of agitated punk, heartfelt hardcore, and blistering grind. But there’s more to it than that, as Cloud Rat expand their sound and their soul, proving they never are content with standing in one place and have too much ambition for stagnation, both artistically and emotionally.

The 17-track, 40-minute album gets off to an ominous start with “Seken,” with noise swimming and voices in the background before it bursts. The vocals are maniacal, while the tempo stomps, and then it’s into “Botched” and its manic, blinding makeup, finishing off with the line, “We’ve come to worship death.” “The Upper World” has guitars moaning before the band starts pulverizing. Later, things move at a hulking pace, with guitars ripping out of that and the vocals inducing panic. “Raccoon” is cleaner and more reflective, with harsh vocals spread over top and drubbing ideas smearing over an otherwise slower, more serene cut; while “Daisies” is out of control and volcanic, leaving you no time to prepare. “Bloated Goat” feels a little more angular musically, with an At the Drive In sense, though along with that, Madison’s growls bubble up and burn. “Rusting Belt” charges out of the gates, with fierce shrieks, blasts from the drums, and the music taking an even darker, more sinister twist. “Udder Dust” is spacious as first, letting you take in the air, but it, like so many others, gets destroyed with the pace and metallic intent, though there are pockets of melody infused. “The Killing Horizon” then follows, a dark, murky interlude that lets calm return and bridges into the record’s next half.

“The Boars Snout” is animalistic and brimming with madness, with some sludgy doom taking hold toward the end; and “Hermit Interstice” is one where they show more shades, with trickling melodies meeting face to face with the outright chaos the other half of the track holds. “Live Wake” is just demolition through and through, leading you into “Thin Vein,” with its clean, buzzing guitars and washed-out singing settling into the background. The emotion is clear, especially with the vocals, and even though it goes rogue toward the end, the gaze and shadows are what stand out here. “Bolt Gun” is humid and hazy at the start, with doomy passages darkening the scene, the vocals clobbering, and the rest of the band joining in on gang shouts. “Rogue Dark” is lightning-fast thrash, luring you in and letting you help build the fire. When that breakdown hits toward the end, look out. Shit’s about to get fucked up. “Friend of the Court” is one of the longer songs at 3:20, and it opens with crazed howls, with the music following suit in a sense of velocity. The screams are just heart-wrenching, while all elements burst and land in a pit of sludge. The record ends with “Chrysalis,” which opens clean, with a poetic reading trickling beneath before all hell breaks loose. From there, the final salvo is fired, with the band packing every last drop of emotion inside of them into this storming track that brings things to a cataclysmic, ultimately rewarding finish.

Cloud Rat haven’t quite risen to the level of household name among underground listeners yet, but that day is coming. In fact, “Qliphoth” may be the record that gets them there, as this fiery, personal, cathartic album is impossible to ignore. From what they commit to record to their explosive live shows, Cloud Rat are here to make a statement and hopefully to find some peace and solace in their own lives. The fact they shared that with us so we could rally along with them is an amazing gift that their audience no doubt will embrace.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.halooffliesrecords.com/label-releases/halo81-cloud-rat-qliphoth-lp/

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

Business sucks, and sometimes companies are forced to make decisions based on how much something makes rather than its artistic value. Hence, it seems, why Relapse cut ties with experimental death metal band Pyrrhon after they delivered an almighty great and head-destroying LP “The Mother of Virtues” is because it didn’t “move enough units.” Sad for such a killer band.

But Relapse’s (huge, huge) loss is Handshake Inc.’s gain, as the band has ravaged back with a new EP “Growth Without End” that could be a statement on the band’s standing as a unit or a comment on their constantly morphing sound. And if “Mother” threw you for a loop, get ready to stand there confused as fuck when you hear this astonishing, brain-erasing EP that pushes their game to a new level. Ugh, I hate that statement, but it’s true. The work they do on this killer EP is next level for them. Yeah, the chem lab, dizzying death metal remains a major factor. But they dirty up the machine a bit, add more guttural attitude, and show they are capable of far more than what they’ve already shown. And they’ve shown a ton already.

Your Pyrrhon lineup remains intact, despite the unfortunate label shuffling, with Doug Moore on vocals (and he does he ever turn in a performance here), Dylan DiLella on guitars, Erik Malave (Imperial Triumphant) on bass, and Alex Cohen (Imperial Triumphant, Epistatis) on drums. They definitely morph past what the foursome created on “Mother,” bringing elements of noise rock into the mix, and those who have been along the ride ever since their debut, 2011’s eye-opening “An Excellent Servant But a Terrible Master,” should be pretty excited to hear where the band has gone on this release.

“Cancer Mantra” tears this thing’s shell apart with blistering, mind-bending playing, gurgly growls, and vicious, unpredictable melodies that should shake your innards. The finish is a mixture of fucked up ideas, and then it’s onto very short, but very effective “Forget Yourself,” a song that never makes it to a minute and a half. But during its short life span, it explodes everywhere, spiraling and shaking, with the guitars completely blinding you. “The Mass” starts with cartoon-like playing that is baffling, turning speedy and rubbery as it builds. The track settles for a bit, letting off some steam, and then it goes back into wild howling, spacey soundscapes, and tricky guitar work. “Viral Content” is where things get really bizarre, with the band showing off some of their new, darker shadows and Moore’s vocals bending and twisting in a tortured manner. The song is noisy and loopy, though it slowly builds the tempo, and before you know it, shit’s on fire again. The track sounds pissed and disgusting, and it’s an awfully cool new side to the band. Closer “Turing’s Revenge” has some of those elements as well, but also pits of sludge and mucky death in which to sink. The guitars are smeary, the vocals go from growl to talk singing, the fellows go off into warped land for a bit, and it all concludes with a vicious assault to make sure their point is made and understood.

Sure, having Relapse drop Pyrrhon wasn’t a great development for the band, but clearly they are not letting that hurt them creatively. If anything, perhaps that fueled their fire, as “Growth Without End” is a delirious, fire-breathing effort from a band that’s reigniting the furnace. Wherever the band ends up next, that label is going to get one of the most perplexing, creative death metal bands going, and won’t they be so lucky to have them?

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

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

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

Being that we’ve been on a kick lately of weather-related posts, I’ve come to understand my first foray into the woods is long overdue. How is that possible? We’re about a month away from summer starting officially, and I have yet to make a trek into the local wooded areas for a return to nature.

Often those trips involve me bringing suitable music along, and a new gem in the form of Ashbringer’s “Vacant” feels like proper accompaniment as I disappear into the hills and trees. A relatively new project, Ashbringer has all the elements of quality folk-infused black metal, with rustic roots, savagery when the moment strikes, and vocals that go back and forth from utterly violent to solemnly calm. This six-cut, 43-minute first full-length is dosed just right, and the music here helps you flow from movement to movement, where you go on a mini-adventure into the outdoors and reconnect with your more primal self. This feels like an album that would be right at home on the Bindrune Recordings label, as they fit right along with their bands aesthetically (instead Avantgarde has the honors). No matter, you can grab your walking stick and get ready, because you can go on a sojourn with this band both spiritually and physically.

Ashbringer (who one would hope could arrange a tour with Dawnbringer, Doombringer, and Nightbringer) is the creation of Minnesota-based musician Nick Stanger, who also works with crust band No Heroes, and he creates every element of this project. Ashbringer has only been a thing for two years now, and this impressive first record is a great start for Stanger, who already is making a heavy statement in the nature-based, folk-heavy black metal quadrant. Yes, there is a lot of this type of thing out there. But don’t let that deter you from checking out Ashbringer. They add value to this style of music and prove good ideas still are out there.

“Ethereal Aura Part 1” begins the proceedings, leading you in with spacey synth, strummed guitars, and singing rising up in the background. It’s a gentle, folky track for the most part, until guitars warm up at the end, and it bleed right into “Part II.” Foggy melodies emanate, while guitars start to churn and acoustics work their way in, leading to a total eruption. Savage shrieks begin to spill everywhere, as the intensity builds, sometimes quelled by more serene passages. Quiet guitars and murky synth arrive, but the track again explodes, letting forth emotion and torment, with howling vocals and a mystical end. “Lucid” starts with cold guitars dripping before a terrifying storm sets in, complete with horrifying shrieks, gut-wrenching playing, and alarming melodies. Clean calls eventually collide with the harsh vocals, signaling a bit of a breather. But when the madness returns, it does like a freight train, with sinister speed rollicking you, the song stampeding, and the track eventually settling, with cosmic haze and light hand drumming letting you come back down to Earth.

“With Vacant Eyes” starts the second half of the record, seemingly going a gentler route before melody ruptures and a really catchy tempo takes hold. The song feels thrashy and rough at times. The sounds swim, with harsh growls blasting through, elements cascading downward, and some blast beats tearing apart everything in its wake. Earthy guitars and spirited singing come along, but that’s all decimated in the song’s final moments. “Lonesome” is a scene-setting instrumental, with eerie synth and space dust sprinkled about, Middle Eastern-style melodies playing a part, and rustic percussion, all of it blending into the great finale “Bitter.” The track erupts with rage, with a furious tempo, the vocals scathing, and the playing blasting over you. Acoustics return again, tempering the storm a bit and adding more color, and later more singing blends in that leads the way to a warm, buzzing guitar section. The vocals hit a howl again, with the guitars droning, notes bubbling along with it, the fires burning out, and the track rippling back toward the universe.

Ashbringer is woodsy, violent, and full of life, and “Vacant” is a record that certainly not indicative of its title. It’s full of compelling work and potential for future greatness, and as noted, it’s going to be a choice work for when I disappear into the trees for a long excursion one afternoon. Stanger has a good thing going here, and I’m curious to hear how this project develops into the future.

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

To buy the album go here: http://avantgardemusic.bigcartel.com/

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

True human emotion and compassion in metal sometimes gets an unneeded slap in the face. How much more mud is going to be thrown in Deafheaven’s direction, despite the fact that all of the scene accusations have been brought on by people other than the two primary members of the group? And now that Alcest have taken a more melodic root, the criticism has come out in full. Not true! Not black!

All of this is a precursor to today’s album, that being the stunning, exciting debut full-length record by Vargnatt called “Grausammler.” Like the aforementioned bands, this project, led by primary member Evae (Impavida, Trautonist), bursts with heart and melody, makes you feel like him pouring his heart and soul into the music, and making you feel the feelings. That, I suspect, is what makes black metal fans so hesitant about the other well-known, very accomplished bands I mentioned, because having real, human emotions goes against the antagonistic, destroy-all feelings that think they have in their hearts. I think what Evae (as well as drummer Wiedergaenger) does on this record is brave, incredibly catchy, and the introduction of another great new force into the face of black metal.

While this is the first full release for Vargnatt, the project has been around for nearly a decade. There are two demo recordings (both released in 2007) as well as an EP (2012’s “Durch die Stille…”) to this group’s credit, but all of it has been building to this record. We mention Deafheaven and Alcest, whose followers likely are to love Vargnatt’s music. But there are comparisons to groups such as Ulver, Burzum, and Bosse-de-Nage that would make a lot of sense, and what you’re going to get is bloody heart on the sleeves, emotionally rich songs that will make you weep along with Evae and maybe be OK with getting in touch with the damage in your heart and soul.

“Welverloren” gets things started in a clean, serene fashion before the burst of power you’re surely going to be expecting. Huge melodies are afoot here, grabbing you and taking you on a ride, and the wails are particularly impassioned, a theme we’ll revisit often on this record. Keys begin to drip, giving a New Wave feel to the song, and the final minutes are spent going back and forth from gentle to gargantuan, with the heart churning all the way. “Allein in mir” trickles open, letting it gain some momentum before the track blows apart. The tempo is punchy, with the playing coming across as both spellbinding and emotionally rich. There are post-rock touches, with Evae letting some rage come forth, sometimes making you think the man is allowing himself to be psychologically tortured by what’s going on here. The song eventually rests on fields of synth, a sense of peace, and some wordless vocal harmonies to hammer home the finality. “In der Irre” has a calculated start, with things naturally settling into place, and the surroundings feeling airy and oxygen-infused. Things start to get murky, with the song coming on like a dark, all-day summer storm, and all elements cascade down, with the vocals wrenching hard and matching the music’s intensity. Everything builds to a crescendo before it starts to give way, and dark strings (provided by H. es. a.e.) take what’s left and carry it away.

“Vor den Toren” has melody bursting from its seams right away, with guitars burning, the vocals sounding pained and vicious, and everything just bleeding heavily. Acoustics blend in later, making the song feel more atmospheric for a time, with winds whipping about to signal the oncoming fury. And when it strikes, it feels like the right swing, as the track unloads a tidal wave of expression and tension that’s very thick and ultimately rewarding. “Grauwandler” is a brief, acoustic-heavy instrumental cut that acts as a breather as well as a bridge to the caterwauling title track conclusion, which explodes with energy right from the start. Savage vocals are a major part of the mix, as are thundering melodies that rampage all over this thing. There’s a cool rock n roll vibe to portions of the song, as Evae rambles forward, and later that’s traded out for some devious black metal-style riffing and scathing growls. There are moments where the track returns to the cold darkness, bringing a chill and making you think there will be calm, but it always returns to its blazing ways, pummeling and devastating you until the cut finally lets its power bleed out.

Granted, this style of black metal is starting to swell, but Evae and his Vargnatt project prove an important part in that growing sub-genre. “Grausammler” definitely is heavily emotional and heart-twisting, but it also has darkness and rougher moments where brutality shines through. This is a really strong album, one that can accompany you on many levels of your own personal psychological housekeeping.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.eisenton.de/shop/index.php

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