Long-running, legendary bands run a serious risk by staying around so long and continuously offering up new material. See, having so much success can split your followers into different camps, mostly those who prefer the earlier stuff and those who lean toward the later material. My tongue’s in cheek here. It’s great that a band can have a half-century run of legitimate relevance, people’s silly objections be damned.

The great Nordic Viking metal standard bearers Enslaved have fallen into that category. Their earlier stuff—records such as “Frost” and “Eld”—swung closer to the heathen-style black metal of the second wave, coming in gnarly and ugly for the most part, even if it also was flush with a lot of native melody. As time has passed and the band progressed in their ways, they’ve gotten less brutal and brainier, evidenced by their most recent albums “Axioma Ethica Odini” and 2012’s “RIITIIR.” Now, with their 13^th record “In Times” washing up on our shores, people should know what to expect from these guys: black metal, atmospheric prog passages, long songs, and tradeoff between gurgly growling and spacious singing. Yeah, it’ not break-neck savagery the entire time, but Enslaved know what they’re doing. They pack a serious wallop live, and I really have enjoyed their work in the last decade as much as their early stuff. Oh, so I guess that makes me a member of the third camp who can appreciate all eras of the band.

“In Times” actually is my favorite of all the Enslaved records from the past decade. They really hit on something with these six songs that run about 53 minutes total, and they manage to weave a lot of memorable moments into what’s going on here. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this record from my first listen to my most recent, where I took my notes, and it’s impressive what Enslaved still are accomplishing in 2015. Yeah, you’re going to have people who eschew this because it’s not pure black metal, but whatever. It’s a damn good listen, and I really love the thing. As for the band’s integral parts, surely you know the two long-standing warriors Grutle Kjellson (bass/growled vocals) and Ivar Bjornson (guitars, keyboards), as well as punishing guitarist Arve “Ice Dale” Isdal, drummer Cato Bekkevold, and keyboard/mellotron/clean vocalist Hebrand Larsen, who added a serious element of melodic depth to Enslaved’s sound when he joined in 2004.

The record opens with “Thurisaz Dreaming,” which ignites from the start with a black metal-style assault, gurgling growling, and raucous grit. That spills into a dreamy melodic section, where the pace remains steady but more texture is added with clean singing and keyboards. “In the nighttime, I can hear you dream,” Larsen sings, only to have Kjellson growl those same words when the song swings back to darkness again. The song catches fire, twisting and turning as Enslaved are wont to do, with the track getting a blistering end. “Building With Fire” is arguably the strongest track on the record, opening with flames crackling, funeral bells ringing, and the music heading into dreamland. The thing fires up over the chorus, with Kjellson howling the song’s title with conviction, only to have things go back to serenity again. This pattern continues throughout, with melody always heading back to the eye of the storm, and the song ends rather suddenly, as flames chew the last moments. “One Thousand Years of Rain” has acoustic and electric guitars co-mingling and giving the start a rustic feel before it blows open into a rage, with the vocals absolutely mangling you. The carnage and power are apparent, with calls of, “The sun is dying,” spilling into the mix. The band then hits on a very Viking-centric pocket of melody, feeling like a festive beer hall chant, which leads into a final burst of energy that takes the track to its finish.

“Nauthir Bleeding” is one of the more melodic, serene cuts on the record, as the thing opens in cloudy skies, soaring over mountains and letting you see the layout of the land. The singing is breezy and spacious, with the growls acting more as a complement than a main element, though we do get some sections of gruffness and fury. It’s a pretty different sounding song, even for modern-day Enslaved. The title cut follows, thrashing heavily right away and leading into a crushing assault. Singing does enter the picture to counter the growls, with Larsen wailing, “Across the ocean of time,” as the band then leans into a ’70s-style prog section. There even is a pocket of vocal harmonizing, like they’re some sort of deranged Beach Boys, before we’re back to violence and a feeling that a major, bloody battle has been won. Closer “Daylight” is an interesting conclusion, as it delves toward ballad territory at times. Not in a weak, hyper-sensitive way, but just more in feel and scope. It has its slower moments, but those always are filled in with passion and great singing, as well as soloing that feels like it was pulled in from the cosmos. It also has its tougher spots, with chugging guitars, growls that sound coated in phlegm, and a dramatic, passionate finish that’s the perfect final salvo for this adventure.

“In Times” is a fantastic effort from this long-standing institution, and Enslaved sound inspired and bursting with life. These cuts have everything you could want, from grisly to gorgeous sounds, punishment and emotional depth. When all is said and done for Enslaved, I’m not sure where this record will fall in the pecking order, but I’d certainly put it closer to the top half. It’s their best work in a decade that has contained some pretty strong work from this band.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.enslaved.no/

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

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

It’s been a long, very busy week, and as a result, it’s been a little slow around these parts. There have been many affairs outside the metal world that have taken precedence this week, which does happen, but all of our efforts within the musical spectrum have been directed to making sure we got to this week’s end point and, arguably, the best metal record that’s come out so far this year.

You hear a lot about traditional doom and heavy metal and the reverence many of us pay to those areas. Bands like Candlemass, Sabbath, Dio, Iron Maiden, and Cathedral formed so much of the lexicon that we know, and their effects will be felt until the end of time. It’s refreshing when a newer band comes along that feeds into those ideals but whose members also have their own modernity and freshness to keep the metal world moving forward. We have that in abundance with Philly’s Crypt Sermon, whose debut record “Out of the Garden” is an absolute must-hear, must-have for anyone who relishes metal’s roots. There is elegant playing, royal heaviness, adventurous storytelling steeped in lore of many kinds, and a sense that what you’re hearing is a special, landmark release and definitely not something you’ll forgot tomorrow. Hell no. This thing stays with you, and it’s my favorite thing I’ve heard so far in this still quite young 2015.

Crypt Sermon is built on the back of rock-solid players including vocalist Brooks Wilson (also of Trenchrot, Grass), whose expressive singing and approach to his role makes him captivating and impossible to ignore; guitarists James Lipczynski (Labyrinthine) and Steve Jansson (Trenchrot, Grass, Infiltrator); bassist Will Mellor (Hivelords); and drummer Enrique Sagarnaga (Ashencult, etc.). Many of the songs thematically draw from Biblical stories (no, they’re not a Christian band, you dolt), and if you have familiarity with the text, you’ll recognize some of the plot points presented here. Metal bands have pulled from that ancient texts for years to add layers of adventure to their songs, and this band does it as well as any that have come before them.

“Temple Doors” opens the record as a riff lights the initial fire that eventually builds to full conflagration. The song has a classic doom feel, with the vocals clean but gruff, touching upon elements of mercy and healing. “Son of David, is that who you are?” Wilson calls as the track’s character, and the band surrounds that with a proper dose of tough chugging and glorious soloing. “Heavy Riders” just kills, and it’s an easy signature cut for the band. The guitars trudge hard, with doom bells ringing out, and a the simple but punchy chorus will stick in your head. The song later toughens up even more, with Wilson noting, “Darkness weighs heavy on our hearts,” as the track ends in a surge of darkness. “Byzantium” swelters and boils in a mid-tempo range, with sorrowful melodies bleeding and the drama applied in thick layers. It’s another where Wilson keeps the message basic, with a callback chorus you’ll anticipate, with tremendous leads taking the song to its conclusion. “Will of the Ancient Call” is murky but also aggressive, with the vocals driving the song ahead, especially with morbid lines such as, “Awaiting death’s final call, the sweet release,” with the back end catching fire and hammering hard.

“Into the Holy of Holies” is another big one, running nearly eight minutes and establishing itself as the band’s first true epic. There’s an ominous aura that surrounds this one at the start, as acoustic guitars find their way in. But then the track bursts apart, with a furious thrash assault breaking out that you might not see coming and more excellent guitar work that gets in your blood. The storytelling is dynamic and compelling, with Wilson calling, “There is no fire to give us light,” though the guitar work does its best to act as a torch to light the way. Just an excellent song. “The Master’s Bouquet” is the oddball of the bunch, leaning closer to King Diamond territory and feeding off Hank Williams’ country spiritual of nearly the same name (in fact, that song’s first section is spoken over the beginning of the song, and the chorus remains intact). The themes here are far darker, and way more hopeless, as Wilson observes the life-giving flowers dying and the music providing an excellently gruesome backing. The closing title cut is a fantastic curtain dropper, with slow-clubbing doom driving ahead, the music feeling dark and gritty, and Wilson noting, “There’s no light in paradise.” The guitar work later feels psychedelic and damaging, with Wilson dealing, “We can never atone for our crimes,” as the band lights up the night once again, ending the album on a mind-altering note.

Do yourself a favor and go out of your way to hear this record. Crypt Sermon’s arrival is a huge high point this winter, a burning beacon in what’s otherwise been a frosty, fog-thickened season. “Out of the Garden” is a stunner, an incredibly rewarding doom metal opus that will remind you why you fell in love with heavy metal in the first place.

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

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

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

Gnarling, mangling, mean death metal is as fun as any form of music, if you ask me, and can be the best that the metal world has to offer. That’s when it’s done in a certain way, when it’s ugly and menacing enough, when it gets horrible blood flowing a little faster through your veins.

A few years ago, metal giant Century Media signed up little-known French death metal unit Necrowretch to go alongside their wildly successful, jamming-Best-Buy-aisles bands that are way more prominent in stature. And that’s actually a good idea, because to have a label with the sway and recognition level as Century Media, they easily can add credibility to a smaller band that’s as good as—and I’d say better than—most of their other acts. Necrowretch was a pretty bold singing for them, but the band came through in a big way with their thunderous debut record “Putrid Death Sorcery” that was one of the finest death offerings of 2013. After just a couple of years, these guys have come raging back with a massive, impressive second album “With Serpents Scourge” that ups the ante and just hammers the living hell out of you. If you liked their first record, be prepared to be blown off the planet.

This band is gnarly, mean, and the epitome of graveyard-ready death metal. Their riffs rule hard, the vocals are mean and hardly polished, and you can just get inside their world of madness and let the grotesque horrors take you away. This trio—vocalist/guitarist Vlad, bassist Amphycion, drummer Ilmar—have sharp teeth and unkempt claws that enable them to go for the throat and pull out your guts, and over two records now, they’ve proved themselves one of the deadliest, most feral death metal bands going. As filthy as this stuff can be, it’s also a great pleasure to hear play out, and these guys are building a massive amount of momentum that won’t be easy for people to ignore.

“Black Death Communion” is the perfect beginning, with noise welling up, water dripping as if in a dank basement, and then strong, ripping guitars hammering you, getting ready to chew up your flesh. The band starts to chug with speed, with vicious growls spilling out, a boiling, stinking aura being set up, and monstrous growls dealing a bloody exclamation point. “Feast Off Their Doom” is righteously titled, with a riffy, mean disposition and the drums being pasted heavily. The vocals go from gruff growls to violent shouts, while the guitar work sounds feral and galloping. The title track follows, with mangling growls leading the way out of the gates, smothering death piling on top, the drums again taking a wicked beating, and the band stabbing forward, spitting out their fury. “By Evil and Beyond” is fast and dressed in murderous blasts and heavy riffing. Again the band dines on speed, with the guitar work tearing worlds apart and the band hitting a rowdy, boiling finish.

“The Bells of Evil Schism” bursts open with no warning, with a thrashy, mashing assault, the guitars absolutely ruling and setting everything ablaze, and a real sense of menace entering the picture along with a renewal of their thirst for blood. “He Thrones on Thy Sins” is heavy and merciless, and what’s become a recurring element, the drums are just beaten into the soil. The music starts to bubble up like a lake of blood, both thick and ripe with stench, and the back end is slammed shut with a heavy dose of crushing. “Even Death May Die” is torn open from its center, with the pace clubbing with pure devastation and a nasty, sharp-toothed fury of fists to the face. There is some great soloing that emerges, splashing this track with a classic death metal feel, and it leads its way into a solitary moment of calm. “Infernal Imprecation” is a quick interlude that’s rolled over the drums and a haze of sound that could lull you into a false sense of security. Then closer “Motem Ritu” unloads buckets of miserable doom, with the tempo rumbling hard, more killer riffs rushing in like a pack of heathen warriors, and the vocals sounding as raw and painful as anywhere else on the record. As the song builds its temper, the soloing kicks out and lights up the sky, and the final moments give the band a last chance to terrify you and rip you limb from limb.

Necrowretch’s fury continues to get more and more violent, as well as satisfying, and “With Serpents Scourge” continues their absolute assault on the death metal world. They may not be a featured release at your local big box store, but they’re death at its best, most raucous. This is audio violence through and through, and if you aren’t overcome by their ferocity and terror, then maybe you need to listen to something a little more gentle on your senses, you big baby.

For more on the band, go here: http://necrowretch.net/

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

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

It’s time to take on some serious heaviness today. We mean that both from a philosophical and outright dosage standpoint. It’s a bulk, industrial-sized mammoth we’re talking about, and if you can handle this record this week, you can handle anything.

Dutch maulers Izah are dropping their massive debut record “Sistere” onto the world, and it’s one hell of a journey to take. It’s emotional, dark, sometimes uplifting, and always effective. And it’s long. We’re talking 72 minutes of tumult packed into just four tracks, so you know you need to invest your time and energy into this thing. It doesn’t let you drop in and sample. This is a full album experience, and to handle it any other way would almost be disrespectful to the music. Plus you really won’t be experiencing this in the right manner by taking on a track here and there. This thing builds from moment one, and by the time the thing finally expires an hour and 12 minutes later, you’re going to be spent.

While we’re just getting the band’s first record here in 2015, they’ve been together since 2006. The band—vocalist/synth player Sierk Entius, guitarists Roel van Oosterhout, Twan Bastiaansen, and Michel de Jong (who also adds synth), bassist Frans Derhorst, and drummer Tijs van Wegberg—falls into similar territory as ISIS, Neurosis, Cult of Luna and groups of that ilk, and they carry with them the same intensity and penchant for dramatics. They have their cataclysmic highs and their thought-provoking lows, letting you have time in the midst of a volcanic eruption and following that up by taking you through tranquil journeys in cool water.

The album opens with 13:30 “Indefinite Instinct,” which begins with bristling noise, voices crying out in the distance, and off-kilter clean guitars that could make your head feel strange. Then things really open up, with roared vocals that sound hardcore-inspired, a grittier tempo, and heavy, blistering guitars. Later, the track gets dreamy and hazy, with sounds hovering and floating before everything toughens up again and throaty growls return. The back end sizzles out, with whirry keys and foggy sentiment taking everything out. “Duality,” a 15:59 crusher, starts with pure savagery, sludgy and heavy guitars, and roaring that could rupture veins. The cut goes back and forth from vicious to airy, which most of the songs are wont to do, but things really change up when news clips slip into the background, from portions about the Unabomber to bits about man vs. machine. From there it gets thunderous, with melody sliding in to add color, and the fireworks totally blazing.

“Finite Horizon” is the shortest cut at 11:37, and it starts by chugging right away, with an assault that reminds of bit of Helmet, leading into dreamier sequences containing cleaner singing and cloudy sentiments. That switches to a guttural, hardcore-heavy assault, with crazed shouts, bendy and rubbery guitar work, and mathy, mechanical trudging that feels inspired by Godflesh. Calm does rear its head, with melody weaving its way into the fire, and the final minutes toggling between light and dark. The monster 31:02 title cut ends the album, and it’s one hell of a piece. Keys bleed in, with great, emotional playing getting the epic off to the right start, and the growling sound just wrenching. The snowball keeps rolling down the hill, picking up steam and building mass, with the band exploring every aspect of their sound. A rough, violent dialog then works its way in, sounding like a relationship and maybe even lives unraveling, and it’s tough to kick the disturbing sense you’ll feel. The intensity keeps multiplying, with the vocals going back and forth from singing and killer howling, doom horns feeling world toppling, wild wails rising, and noise building up like a death storm. The final 10 minutes are ambient, delicate, and fragile, letting you mix into the background with the record and giving you space to have some easier breaths as the album fades away.

Izah may have taken their time finally putting their first big stake in the ground, but they knew what they were doing and clearly were making sure everything was ready for their formal introduction into the world. “Sistere” is a passionate, raucous experience, and the record that will get inside of you and completely change your demeanor. This is a smothering debut that definitely should put Izah on the map in permanent ink.

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

To buy the record, go here: http://www.nordvis.com/store/

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

It’s obviously still really early in the year, and we’re bound to have a ton of new bands emerge and make serious impacts on our lives. Our first one has come its way courtesy of a stunning debut EP that is soul-shaking and completely intoxicating.

King Woman is driven by Kristina Esfandiari (of Miserable and formerly of the criminally underappreciated Whirr), whose soulful, husky, expressive voice is one you cannot possibly ignore no matter how hard you try. But why would you do that? The first time I heard this band’s first full EP “Doubt,” it was late in the evening after a strenuous day of work when all I really wanted to do was relax. Funny enough, these four songs did the total opposite, turning on the emotions and making me sit at attention because of what I was hearing. In my ears and coursing through my brain was a serving of doom, noise, shoegaze, and rock that was mixed together perfectly and made me want to get caught up in every moment of this thing. I had heard a bit about the band before I experienced the album, and I knew Esfandiari’s work fronting Whirr. But nothing could prepare me for the experience I had. I was in a state of complete submission.

As for Esfandiari, this EP not only was a major creative step forward for King Woman, it also was a way for her to try to shed the pressure of her Christian origins and upbringing, a subject matter that hits pretty close to my heart as well (though not to the degree to which it impacted her). She saw the band and the music she and King Woman create as a form of therapy for her to deal with and try to make sense of the oppressive religious upbringing she experienced. She also focused on other dark, troubling topics such as rejection by family members and friends once she chose to turn her back on religion, abuse, sex, metaphysics, and many other topics that she pours her heart and soul into. Even if you don’t pay close attention to the words or have trouble making them out, as the dark, fuzzy production sometimes prevents, you cannot avoid the sadness and pain embedded in these songs, because they burst from Esfandiari’s words.

King Woman had offered up a couple of smaller releases before the “Doubt” EP came together (I consider them “new” because they’re really coming to major public attention now in case you feel like picking hairs with the headline). Formerly a project entirely Esfandiari’s, she decided to recruit other players once the project got back off the ground and landed guitarist Colin Gallagher and drummer Joey Raygoza, both of whom she grew up with, as well as bassist Sky Madden. The music they create is intoxicating, heavy (both physically and psychologically), often sweepingly beautiful, and always effective. While only four tracks at under 20 minutes, it’s still some of the most impactful, heart-whipping collections of music so far in 2015.

“Wrong” opens the record in a storm of noise that’s infiltrated by guitar buzz. Esfandiari’s vocals float over top like a ghost, permeating the senses and adding chilling lines such as, “Fill this place with fear,” that has a greater impact knowing what this record is all about. The song keeps building layers of tumult before it finally dissolves in feedback and static. “King of Swords” is a showstopper, with a doom-infested, mournful atmosphere, where Esfandiari wails, “No love … Love is gone,” as if it’s tearing her essence apart. The track is immersed in murky power, as the music moves along at a calculated pace, and the singing keeps gripping you and making you face the sadness welling up like a flood. Esfandiari keeps repeating her cries, making for a mesmerizing, gut-wrenching experience. “Burn” is a little different, adding some breeze into the picture and even sounding like something off a classic 4AD album. Then guitars ring out like a siren and keep piercing on a loop, with a whirling feeling created by the music, Esfandiari’s vocals spilling forth, and a foggy sentiment meeting up with the track’s final rumbles. Closer “Candescent Soul” has guitars crackling and crumbling slowly, the singing coming in softer and more delicate, and a haze hanging in the air above you. The last moments are cloudy and gazey, with the record’s spirit vanishing and you left standing breathless.

King Woman certainly have arrived in a huge way, and Esfandiari is an artist who I want to follow with great interest. While it’s sad to think of the torment she had to go through to get to the point where she created these songs, the art itself is exemplary and incredible to hear, and maybe the material on “Doubt” can help other people get through the same issues. This is a band that cannot be overhyped, because they’re massively impressive and a true gift to music. I can’t wait to hear a full-length record from this band, as it seems like King Woman only are scratching the surface of their ocean of potential.

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

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

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

It’s not uncommon for a band that lasts many years together to eventually pull back their sound and have their intensity even out as they grow older. Or maybe that fire that once burned intensely in their creative souls is satisfied now, and their musical output is not as urgent as it once was.

Luckily, Mexican heathens Hacavitz know nothing about those things. Here they are, 12 years into their run together, and their music gets getting more savage and violent. Nowhere is that more apparent than on their new record “Darkness Beyond,” their first release in five years and the nastiest thing they’ve done to date. It’s not like this band took it easy on their other three full-length albums. Quite the opposite. But on this seven-track, 56-minute monster, Hacavitz renew their artistic desire and hammer out a piece that’s full-blown black metal in scope. They’re going for blood here and proving their crushing nature isn’t anywhere near slowing down, and that will be apparent to any listener who tries on this album for the first time. You’re going to get flattened.

The band—vocalist/guitarist Antimo Bounanno (also of Blood Reaping and Castleumbra), guitarist Ivan Ochoa, bassist Ulises Sanchez (Beyond Stench, Evil Entourage), drummer Cesar “Led” Sanchez (Drowned in Blood, Profanator)—dropped their first EP in 2004, a year after forming, and delivered their debut full-length “Vengaza” a year later on Moribund Records. “Katun” followed in 2007, and in 2010 they went to Embrace My Funeral Records to release their third opus “Metztli Obscura.” Their sound was centered more on blackened death metal in years past, but now they seem to have only ill intent and a thirst for blood in mind as they sharpen their sound and make music as destructive as ever before.

“Terra Nihil” begins the assault, as a dizzying, humid open spills into a trucking tempo and vocals that sound vicious and charnel. The drums are utterly destroyed at times, with the pace continuing to pick up steam, some melody blending in for good measure, and savage howling taking you to an abrupt end. “Deadream” is the first of a trio of epics, running 9:04 and going into the path of swirling guitars, gruff growls, and a sweltering fury. The song eventually pulls back just a bit, letting eerie, chilling sentiments to enter the room, and that leads back into crazed shrieks and an atmosphere that bubbles with heat. The song erupts volcanically, with tortured screams peeling your eyelids open permanently, and charging guitars rolling into the devastating conclusion. “Livskit” starts with rain falling and a solitary guitar piercing the air. There’s a sense of frightening isolation, as the waves of noise pour on, and this churning instrumental leads into the title cut. That beast starts with doom-infested waters lapping the shore, gut-wrenching riffs swelling to the surface, and the journey pushing forward. A wild cackle spills from Bounanno’s throat, the music cascades down, and pained vocals provide the dark last moments.

“Herejia” is another behemoth, lasting 9:13 and tearing right open with a fit of rage and raw, vicious pummeling. The vocals sound terrifying and a little deranged at times, with guitars dripping like they’re sprinkling blood and a pocket of channeled soloing a little afterward. The song then re-ignites, with blazes glowing brightly, Bounanno wailing for “darkness absolute,” and the final moments packing on a few extra helpings of torment. “De Humo Negro y Ceniza” (translates to black smoke and ash) does feel like it’s hoping for conflagration, with guitars shimmering and the vocals coming on like a poisonous fog. The tempo chugs hard, delivering wave upon wave of brutality, and even when the volatility seems to calm, it always goes back to thunder and damage. Until is just dissolves all of a sudden. Closer “Time Is Now” is a 12:11 crusher, settling into a doomy tone and a slower delivery, leaving you disoriented and hanging by a thread. Then the speed hits, as the music gets even heavier, with Bounanno vowing, “There’s no future, there’s no return!” amid suffocating smoke. The melodies are purely black and sinister, with noise practically strangling every living thing in front of it, crazed howls tearing into the night, and the guitars smothering and blistering until they finally, mercifully fade.

Hacavitz always were a force of complete obliteration, but they’ve upped the ante heavily on “Darkness Beyond.” The songs are meatier, the atmosphere is way more volatile, and these blistering tracks leave plenty of open wounds that are bound to sustain infection. This band keeps getting more and more severe, which makes you wonder if they can come up with something this devastating a decade into their run, how fiery might their future be?

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hacavitz/245881618866104

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

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

The other day, Fox News talking numbskull Eric Bolling claimed that no one ever died as a result of religion outside of those who do violence in the name of Islam. While I’m sure every dipshit watching at home probably was shaking his or her head in agreement like media zombies that has to be one of the most laughable, irresponsible things ever uttered on that forsaken channel. And that’s saying something.

Bolling either failed history classes or has an agenda (oh! or both!), because that’s preposterous. People have been waging holy wars for centuries, and the body count for those who have been a victim of many religions on the planet is innumerable. This is not to mention cases of physical and emotional abuse that also can result. It’s one of the great reasons people fight in the first place, and it’s the subject matter that UK blackened death unit Sarpanitum cover on their stunning new record “Blessed Be My Brothers.” This album sounds expressive and explosive on the first listen alone. But keep going back, and you’ll find yourself peeling back layers of sound, being entranced by their melodies, and realizing that their brutality is served with intellectual grace and precision so many bands lack. Sarpanitum already had a highly regarded reputation among underground fans before this album, mostly due to the strength of their eight-years-old debut effort “Despoilment of Origin,” and this should only increase the fervor. It’s that good, man.

This infernally influenced trio has members that logged miles with other notable acts such as Mithras, Balor, Tenebrous Aeon, Lantlos, and Contrarion, and the guys responsible for this massive sound—guitarist/vocalist Tom Innocenti, guitarist Tom Hyde, drummer Leon Macey—continually blow minds on this 10-track effort. Yeah, it’s grisly and thundering for sure, but there is great, dynamic guitar work that hints at power and classic metal influences, which gives these cuts that added oomph to really get your blood flowing. If you’re a devout fan of bands such as Gorguts, early Nile, and pre-electronic disaster Morbid Angel, you’re bound to be captivated by this sucker.

Opener “Komenos” has a mystical, mysterious feel, as the instrumental cut loops through keyboard haze, a pace that opens up a bit and lets some fire in, and a proggy essence that carries through to other parts of the album. Then it’s into “By Virtuous Reclamation” that tears open gloriously, with guitars blazing a wide path, savage, guttural growls sounding forceful and focused, and righteous leads that carry you through the adventure. This song is tremendous and totally quakes the earth’s crust. “Truth” hammers away, giving off the feel of ancient evil and awful deeds, with the band whipping into a cyclone of chaos. Guitars churn over top, with the soloing breaking out and blinding, leaving everything pulsating in a surge of power. “Glorification Upon the Powdered Bones of the Su” also starts with a smashing, crashing assault that also can leave your head spinning. The growls sound like they’re tearing free from an earthen tomb, while the rest of the band colors in with dripping keyboards, punishing drum work, and the sense of total obliteration. “Immortalised as Golden Spires” then offers a bit of a cool breeze, as the interlude piece fills the room with keyboard gaze, angelic noise, and the sense of bodily detachment.

“Thy Sermon Lies Forever Tarnished” begins with guitars causing a whirlwind effect, with a furious assault breaking out and lead guitar lines shining. The growls are gruff as expected, with some of the melodies sounding loopy, and the track ending on a smothering note. “I Defy for I Am Free” has a smashing start, but then it takes a turn toward doomier territory that is dark and smoky. The track then begins to grind harder, with melodic guitar runs creating havoc along with the churning vocals, and the band then takes you into a mind-altering explosion that is rich with creativity. “Homeland” is the third and final instrumental, sounding tribal and gothy, as wordless melodies add texture. “Malek Al-Inkitar” takes its name from King Richard I of England, a major force in the Crusades (the very topic that made Bolling lose his mind on TV). The track tears open with deep growls, speedy guitar work, and menacing melodies, with the lead guitar charging its way over the top. The track is another spot where the band delves as close to epic metal as black and death, and the punishment continues until the guys finally let the force bleed out. The closing title cut is another dose of devastation, with the guitar work boiling and cascading downward like hot wax, the vocals sounding infernal and chaotic, and the song taking on a gothy finish that lets the cut disappear into the fog.

The wait for Sarpanitum’s return was well worth it, as “Blessed By My Brothers” is a cataclysmic, gigantic sounding record that absolutely breathes fire. This is a band that is technically gifted for sure, but they never get caught up in their skills and instead use them to make dramatic, violent gold. This is one of death metal’s early triumphs in 2015, and it might take you the rest of the year to uncover every hidden mystery that lurks within this record.

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

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

For more on the label, go here: http://www.willowtip.com/home.aspx

It’s not necessary for me to always indulge in music that makes me want to fight people or pay homage to the old gods or put me into a psychotic fit of rage. Though that type of music certainly is nice. Now and again, I like to get lost in a record for pure enjoyment of music that doesn’t necessarily make me want to go out and set a village on fire.

So when Ruby the Hatchet’s new record “Valley of the Snake” landed in my inbox, it was just what I needed for a pure getaway experience that didn’t make me want to argue about politics or religion or people. That’s not to suggest it has no substance, because that would be patently false. But instead of it wallowing in the sad realities of life, it took me on a fantastical journey that certainly has its dark side and made me appreciate how a band and album can be a lot of fun. The fact they have a nice, psyche-smoked doom groove similar to Jex Thoth, Blood Ceremony, and Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats made this something that resonated with me quickly, and every journey I’ve had with these six songs has helped me move past those very weighty topics I noted earlier so I could forget about them for a while.

Ruby the Hatchet are a damn fine, formidable band as a whole, but vocalist Jillian Taylor really makes them stand out among the pack. Her smoky, commanding vocals are what drive this thing, and she’s an awful lot of fun to hear delivering and totally selling her words. Great singer. As for the rest of the band, they pack a punch with Johnny Scarps on guitar, Mike Parise on bass, Owen Stewart behind the kit, and Sean Hur providing the mood-setting, sometimes downright witchy organs. This record is a cauldron of doom rock power, and I defy you to hear this thing and not get caught up in this ride.

The record opens with “Heavy Blanket,” a doomy, bluesy piece that has organs pouring all over and Taylor in full swagger. This one leans a little more toward the rock n roll side of things, with our singer howling, “For me, there’s only now,” as killer guitar lines assemble behind her and give the back end the right amount of punch. “Vast Acid” is a killer, with the music taking a vintage doom metal turn, and Taylor threatening, “I’ll take you and break you, I’ll watch you fall.” She has a tendency to give herself over to darker tendencies like this, another thing that makes this record so good. The guitar work hits hard, the tempo gains steam, and more buzzing organs write this song’s final chapter. “Tomorrow Never Comes” is the longest cut at 8:49, and it opens with a storm thundering amid quietly plucked guitars. The cut bursts open, with a slow-burn assault taking hold, and Taylor unleashes her apocalyptic visions for you. There is some great, smoky soloing to be found, some serious chugging that could leave bruises, and a bright, raging psychedelic fire.

“Unholy Behemoth” launches into a furious stomp, with lead guitars scorching, the song taking on a Blood Ceremony-type feel, and the tempo rushing ahead. This thing’s pretty pummeling in spots, one of the heavier songs on the whole record, and the soloing glimmers and blinds as the track ends. “Demons” has a psyche gallop to it, with Taylor’s great singing leading the way, guitars buzzing furiously, and a ’60s-influenced keyboard section swinging in and adding even more character to this thing. The pace kicks up again toward the end, with the guitars bursting all over and cool organs giving you one last blast of chilly air. The closing title cut has a pulled-back start, with acoustic guitars having their way and the band taking a Led Zeppelin-friendly bend. Flutes arrive, as the track feels folkish and entrancing, before the cut picks up steam, woozy slide guitars leave you spellbound, and a big finish lets the band launch some serious fireworks that should get your blood pumping and you on a serious high.

This band is really solid, and their second record is one that should have Ruby the Hatchet coming up in more conversations. It’s also a really flexible listen, as it can go well in the car, while having some carefully chosen strong ales, or just as you’re working and looking for something to get you moving. “Valley of the Snake” is a really huge step forward for this band, and chances are good this thing is going to win them a much larger fanbase.

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

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

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

It’s Monday, the worst of the days, so who wants to talk about death? Seems rather appropriate since most people probably are in bad moods, so why not indulge ourselves in the extinguishing of existence, something a little more intimidating and permanent than your poor attitude today.

Death has been synonymous with life since the beginning. It looms over our heads every day. We see death on the news, within our family and friend circles, and as a weapon of terror among groups looking to do people harm. It’s unavoidable, scary, and mysterious, and in reality, we’ll never actually know much about it. Once we have that experience, we carry on and can’t report back to anyone what it’s actually about. Ever since societies formed and humans walked the earth, there have been various ways people react to death, deal with it, prepare bodies for burial, and shape the way humans live. Those are subject matters that fascinated and motivated the two members of Czech metal band Death Karma, who examine further on their stunning debut full-length album “The History of Death and Burial Rituals Part 1.” That album title tells you everything you need to know about what they uncover, and the band creates mesmerizing, ferocious forms of death metal to unravel their discoveries.

This duo—vocalist/guitarist/bassist Infernal Vlad, drummer Tom Coroner—also play together in world-toppling Cult of Fire, but what they do here is pretty different from that band musically. There’s more atmospheric exploration, psychedelic mind warping, and disarming melody here, making for one of the most morbidly pleasurable 43 minutes you’ll ever spend thinking about death. The band selects six global territories for focus on how their respective people have reacted to death over history and where some of those customs still exist today. Religion and society play major roles, and this record is a form of tribute to the cessation of life and the rituals surrounding it.

The record opens with “Slovakia – Journey of the Soul,” where these two dig into the ancient burial customs and superstitions that thrive in that region even today. The song begins with liturgical-style organs and chants before the chaos rips open and goes for the kill. Grisly growls erupt, the organs taunt and haunt, and the pace is both crazed and somewhat approachable. Toward the end, the keys provide a cosmic glaze you could get lost inside of, as the track dissolves into the thick, rich atmosphere. “Madagascar – Famadihana” follows, with keys blazing brightly and a proggy sequence arising. The growls again are harsh, with guitars boiling, eerie chants emerging, and chilling hammering doing bodily damage. The vocals sound raspy and worn at times, adding to the decay, and furious melodies rage over the song’s final minutes. “Mexico – Chichen Itza” is based on the Mayan city where death ran rampant, sacrificial rituals took place, and people were buried in blood. The guitar work is dizzying and maddening, with gurgly, zombie-style growling, the percussion-heavy rhythms are captivating, and eventually the track spills into doom channels. The growls are guttural and brutal, while the rest of the song makes sure it entrances you in a deep pit of confusion.

“Czech Republic – Umrlci Prkna” focuses on the practice of preparing places for those who died during harsh winters to be preserved so they could be buried in the springtime after the thaw. Weird keys murmur at the start, with organs then joining the death march to create a devastating, mind-altering puzzle. The guitars start to burn, with the tempo chugging along, and the grinding vocals and psyche-rich melodies maintain a sense of dread. Later, the vocals go from a ghostly whisper to a savage outburst, and the track ends at the height of dark drama. “India – Towers of Silence” pays tribute to a place where death feels most alive, and they address that by blowing right into a fit of rage and panic, with drums being crushed and riffs dealing wicked blows. The overall feel is very thrashy and aggressive, with majestic melodies weaving themselves in and giving this instrumental a shimmering, violent feel. Closer “China – Hanging Coffins” drips with psychedelic wonder, with guitars kicking in and enhancing the effects and contributing more melody and drama. The song eventually ramps up and gets meaner, with growls dominating, the guys hitting a massive stride of heaviness, and everything swirling in the air. The soloing rises up and blows out of control, while the remainder of the song bathes in pulverizing waves that eventually give way to chimes and the final moments of death.

“The History of Death and Burial Rituals Part 1” is an interesting, unique look into one of metal’s most traditional sources of inspiration, and as indicated by the title, it looks like just the beginning of this dark journey for Death Karma. This record will take you hostage and force you to address the bleakest part of everyone’s existence, an imminent happening in life we all dread but ultimately face. Death Karma’s tribute is fitting and fiery, resulting in one of the most intriguing death metal records of this winter.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Death_Karma/3540364433

To buy the album (vinyl version), go here: http://ironbonehead.de/shop/

Or here (CD version): http://www.necroshrine-shop.de/

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

Louis CK has a bit about how if he had to sign up for a race and gender every year, he’d always re-up as a white male. Because what societal problems do those folks (me being one of them) really face? Things are and always have been essentially custom made for us, and there really are no things we can complain about. We are the least-discriminated-against segment of society, or so my brain tells me, and our everyday struggles out in the world are few.

On that note, it baffles me the battle women still .. STILL! … have to fight in 2015. Watching the news and seeing women having to struggle for equal wages, rights to health care choices, and even against physical and emotional violence is enough to make one want to shut off the world forever. What’s equally frustrating for me, and I say this as a man who doesn’t have to face these things, is how fellow members of my gender seem to want to rub women’s noses in these things are belittle them for wanting to be seen and treated as equal members of the human race. Well, how dare they? I know from my Facebook feed alone, I see people scoffing at the idea of rape culture, accusing women of changing the rules willy nilly when it comes to sex, talking about how females dress because they want to lure in men and then throw them aside frustrated, and slamming them for being upset when they aren’t treated with same respect as men. It’s fucking frustrating and infuriating, yet I keep those people in my FB feed as a reality check, and reminder that I do not share those … let’s call them “values” … and that I’m thankful I was raised to think differently.

Where am I going with this? Well, it’s not another essay similar to the one I wrote about treating people equally in metal circles and in society. Instead, someone else will do that for me, that being hardcore/punk/thrash machine War on Women, whose fiery self-titled debut full-length deals with all of the issues listed above, and more, with confrontational force. This record is the new standard bearer for “taking no more shit and doing something about it” ire raisers, and each ounce of this drips with anger, defiance, calls for justice and equality, and even good insulting jabs here and there for the parties that require them. This band is a pro-feminist, boots-on-the-ground band that isn’t just satisfied with being heard but also demands real, effective, honest change. Yet, at the same time, there’s some biting humor to all of this because, sometimes when you’re volcanically pissed, you need to smirk at all of the crap going on around you. If not, you’ll explode.

War on Women is a co-ed effort, led front and center by passionate, wholly expressive singer Shawna Potter, who messages, barbs, and diatribes cannot be mistaken for anything other than what she intends. She’s an awesome force who will make you want to clench fists and go to battle. The band is rounded out by guitarists Nancy Hornburg and Brooks Harlan; bassist Suzanne Werner; and drummer Evan Tanner, who all add even more muscle to what’s already a hulking, fire-breathing assault.

The band blitzes out of the gate with “Servilia,” built on killer riffs, vocals that go back and forth from melodic wails and wild howls, and a true punk spirit. Things really heat up on the anti-victim-blaming crusher “Say It,” which takes to task people that find the person who sustained the attack somehow at fault. “If the victim was your daughter, would that complicate the blaming?” Potter jabs, before encouraging women to demand recognition for the assault, howling, “Say it! I was raped!” “Meathead” allows a tiny bit of humor into the room, as it’s directed at the song’s subject matter named in the title. Amid thrashy, spirited playing, Potter asks her would-be adversary, “When I apply my thick lipstick, is it for me or for your dick?” Right? Because a lady couldn’t possibly just want to make themselves look good for themselves. Must be an ulterior motive! Hence, the meathead. “Second Wave Goodbye” again urges action from women who feel held down by doing more and being a bigger voice for change. The vocals are tremendously catchy during this one, with a chorus that will make you want to jump out of your seat. “Swagger” has a Southern rock bend to it and also is one that’ll get stuck in your head. The tempo is punchy as hell, and the group vocals at the end give the track add an “us-vs.-all” feel. “Roe v. World” might seem like a track you can predict from its title, and it is to a degree. But Potter takes it several steps above, first ranting about consent, and then wondering why access to birth control is such an issue (especially since so many groups that oppose this route also are anti-abortion … which never made sense to me). Potter sounds possessed during a lot of this, like a person who can take no more and finally has cracked. “I had an abortion!” she taunts over and over, before launching into a galvanizing chant of, “Give us the pill!”

“Glass City” challenges the gap women experience in the work place, dressing the track up in a killer rock and roll vibe while Potter pounds, “What’s the wage gap? Not big enough to get your ego through!” It’s probably the catchiest song you’ll ever hear about this issue. “Jordan” is pulled back some, with the vocals taking the form of a spoken narrative and giving the record a reflective change of pace. Then it’s onto “Pro-Life,” a crushing piece of hardcore fury that challenges people with conflicting values about life (can you be pro-life and pro-war?) and Potter later spitting, “No, Congressman, women know what’s best for women.” “YouTube Comments” is both funny and a little sad, with Potter reciting messages left by users over a furious tempo. “Song’s decent, but those lyrics are laughable!” she howls at one point, with her shrieking and wailing away, as if maniacally amused at the words she is reading. “Diana la Cazadora” is a sobering, but no less urgent of a song, with the band lambasting the constant violence and murder of women by men in Juarez, Mexico, and their urge for those targeted to fight back. Late in the song, Potter makes her stand: “Women of Juarez, I understand … If you take up arms to kill the men who want to kill you, we salute you.” No mincing words there, and it’s one of those situations that has gone on far too long and not received the proper amount of attention. Maybe if a Kardashian was involved people would pay more attention, but it’s a real and severe situation (and still would be tragic even if a Kardashian WAS involved).

At the end of the day, not everyone will agree with War on Women’s ideology, but hopefully it’ll make people think and evaluate. Yes, they’re upfront and in your face about what they want, but isn’t that the point? A passive fight wins no wars, and Potter’s words along with this riotous music create the perfect message and delivery system to get people united, involved, and pissed off. Women deserve better, and the people who scoff at that generally do so because they feel their power and control are threatened. Don’t stand for that, don’t allow the forces of oppression to win, and let War on Women’s fury and honesty guide you toward refuting inequality and hatred and standing united with your fellow humans. It’s time to take up arms.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.b9store.com/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.bridge9.com/