I love watching old outer space movies, preferably in black and white, because they’re so bizarre, claustrophobic, and unquestionably fun to watch. Nothing good possibly could come from being in deep space, and there’s sure to be carnage at some point, with forces beyond people’s control coming to kill.

It’s equally as great when a band comes along and makes music that gives off that same chilling feeling. Voivod were masters of that (their mascot is an intergalactic warrior who goes through space on a conquest) and still can instill those thoughts today. And a new band Artificial Brain has come along whose members also have their minds in the skies and beyond. They go past dead stars and undiscovered planets (at least by Earthlings), bring their own damage along the way, and work to separate themselves from the rest of the modern death metal crop simply from their strange sound and brutal approach. It’s like space movie gone wrong, where the heroes die horrible deaths on screen and aliens extend their tentacles to choke out humanity. That’s it. No happy ending, and no golden boy to shoot into the stratosphere and saves us all.

It’s not that Artificial Brain are onto something completely different with their debut record “Labyrinth Constellation,” but they certainly are one of the more interesting, thought-provoking death metal bands to come along recently. I’d make loose comparisons to bands such as Gorguts, Gigan, Krallice, and Demilich (more on that later), but it’s not like Artificial Brain sound exactly like any of those bands. The guitar work, courtesy of Dan Gargiulo (Revocation) and Jon Locastro, is devastating and exploratory, giving you a dose of their incredible prowess and machine-like brutality. The bass playing is rubber-band dexterous, popping and bending all over the place, proving how good and imaginative Samuel Smith is. The clubbing drumming from Keith Abrami works perfectly, and the guttural vocals from Will Smith is gurgling and deep, almost like that of Antti Bowman of aforementioned Demilich (which makes sense since Smith was in a group called Biolich that basically worshipped the Finnish technical monsters). In fact, if there’s one thing that may keep some away from the band, it’s the vocals. I tend to be hot and cold on this style, but I like Smith’s work, as it’s not just cliched pig squeals he brings to the table. He has a force and a presence vocally that, to me, sets him apart from the rest of these types of vocalists. Maybe you’ll feel differently, but don’t let it scare you away.

The record opens with a sci-fi basher “Brain Transplant,” starting like a strange downtuned engine before the band explodes with a force, with belchy growls and spindly, technically wicked playing dominating the situation. That leads into “Absorbing Black Ignition,” an off-kilter, mind-altering track full of thrash and crunch, with the vocals going into screaming hisses. The bass snaps like a dragon’s tongue, and strange organs freeze you and carry the track to its ending. “Wired Opposites” is more atmospheric, letting you have a few gasps of oxygen, with the music bubbling over, and the vocals remaining in their gurgling, brutal fashion. It’s a really compelling track, one that demonstrates how they’re operating on a creativity level a step above many modern death bands. “Worm Harvester” begins in ugly fashion, then it evolves into musical gloop and a ton of tempo changes that keeps you guessing as it progresses. “Frozen Planet” also is an adventurous one, with tricky playing, cosmic mentalities, and a tempo that keeps ramping up as it goes on, with Smith’s vocals reaching into screamy madness.

“Orbital Gait” completely erupts from the start, with a faster pace, drums that aim to break every bone in your body, and more playing that easily should capture your attention. There even are some vocals that reach more toward yelling than growling, which is a nice change of pace. “Bastard Planet” is gruff and raspy, with the fellows going all over the place with their playing and creating a dizzying pace, and a finish that is bashing and mashing with spastic guitar work. The title cut is prog-minded and menacing, with a nice robotic noise glaze at the finish, which leads to “Hormone’s Echo.” That track has a calculated, massive pace, with tortured wails, guitar static feeling like cosmic interference, strange echoes, and further mind-altering playing that should twist your brain. Closer “Moon Funeral,” the longest cut at 7:01, starts with plenty of atmosphere and dreamy sequences before it corrodes and gets massively heavy. The vocals maintain their belchy, deep, monstrous tones, the playing is slurry and drunken in spots, they eventually slip into areas of complete destruction, and the finish is raucous and violent.

Artificial Brain shouldn’t worry about impressing with their playing, because only an idiot would not realize how strong these guys are individually and as a band. Sort of like Demilich, they might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who love this style of sci-fi-washed, technical death metal, chances are going you’re going to be thrilled to death. I’m interested in seeing where this band goes in the future and how and if things change up musically or they get weirder. There’s a ton of potential here on “Labyrinth Constellation” that should hit home with anyone else who have nightmare of floating through deep space with only death as a certainty.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.profoundlorerecords.com/products-page/

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

Each year, there are those monumental releases that you wait for, devour once they’re in your grasp, and roll around in your head for weeks as you try to determine what it means to the world and, most importantly, to your own experience. We’re so very lucky to have one of those for you today, perhaps my personal most-anticipated record of 2014.

We have not gotten a full-length record from Baton Rouge, La., sludge/doom band Thou since 2010’s incredible “Summit,” a record I specifically remember hearing for the first time on my way home from work, after a particularly brutal day, and being overwhelmed by the depth of the music. I recall e-mailing label owner Adam Bartlett on my way home (at a red light, of course, by how blown away I was by the record, and that feeling remains to this day). Part of the reason for that reaction is because I already was a major fan of their first two full-lengths “Tyrant” and “Peasant,” and the song “Fucking Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean” has been my favorite track in their discography. Well, until now. The advancements I heard were just profound.

In late March, “Heathen,” the fourth full-length record from Thou, arrives. Just having the music in my possession was cause for great elation, and the first trip through it was practically ceremonial. This band has meant a lot to me ever since they came to my attention when their first album was released, and to me, they are the most important doom metal band out there right now. I don’t know the band personally, but from having read some of their interviews, I’m sure they’ll brush off that statement and keep forging forward with the menace and hunger they’ve always had inside of them, but for me, modern doom begins and ends with them. There are no other bands that make me feel inside my soul what this band makes me experience, and there are very few vocalists who can match the intensity and boiling humanity of Bryan Funck, who enunciates as well as any vocalist in metal. You feel and experience every word and phrase, and the lyrics are something worth poring over for hours, which is especially the case with “Heathen.” In fact, if you want to check out the words in advance of hearing the music, go to the band’s site (listed below), and you can read them for yourself. But as impactful as they read, they gain a million pounds when delivered by Funck.

I also have been a little hesitant and intimidated to write this review, because after having fully digested “Heathen” after so many listens, I want to make sure I do justice to this record. It is yet another gigantic leap forward for Thou, their most-realized record to date, and one of the best doom-based records I have heard in a long time. Having the respect and admiration I have for Thou, I also was nervous taking on the album because I didn’t want to be disappointed. That notion washed away immediately as I realized I was in the grasp of a document people will remember for years and that for sure will be in my personal collection until the day I die. I know those words sound hyperbolic, but I’ve had ample time to weigh these thoughts and figure out exactly how I feel about “Heathen.” It’s a triumph on every level, as it revels in subject matter such as agony, steadfastly living in the present and rejecting any notion of future or everlasting existence, sexual frustration, the power of nature, and so much more.

“Heathen” opens in as calculating a manner as possible with 14:32 “Free Will,” as the band lets sounds build, makes tensions, rise, and sets the stage for the song’s water bursting several minutes in when Funck howls, “Open your eyes and exalt, exalt in this fragile world!” This is where he directs your attention to living in the now, making the best uses of the resources you have in front of you, because who knows when your number is up? The song has some incredible ups and down, some pits of vicious sludge, and when Funck growls, “There is no such thing as time, there is no such thing as negation,” the hairs on your arms can’t help but rise. “Dawn” is an interlude, one of three instrumental cuts on this record, and it leads into “Feral Fawn,” that begins with quiet guitars from Andy Gibbs and Matthew Thudium (their work complements each other perfectly), that leads into a punishing outburst, with animalistic vocals, and emotional playing by all members (including bassist Mitch Wells and drummer Josh Nee), with the final two minutes of the track burning particularly brightly. “Into the Marshlands” feels mournful at its start, and out of that grows molten, infectious melodies. Funck observes the decaying influence of urban areas and humankind’s journey further and further away from nature, as he commands, “We must return to the womb, to the heart of vitality, wherein lies the strength, the marrow, the pulsating blood.” It’s hard not to be affected by those lines and the fact that everything he says hits home for me. “Clarity” then trickles in, another interlude, to take you to the second half of the album.

“At the Foot of Mount Driskill,” a reference to Louisiana’s highest natural summit, is yet another piece admiring the hugeness and majesty of nature and realizing our smallness in comparison. The song drives slowly, as guitars conjure a foggy feeling, and the whole band works to just drub you. There are cleaner melodies lurking underneath all the crunch, and, as usual, Funck grasps the subject matter by the throat and delivers his words with humble conviction. “In Defiance of the Sages” also is clubbing and nasty, as Funck once again demands existence in the presence and eschews those who live too much in the past and too far into the future to be productive and meaningful right now. It’s a powerful message we all could use. “Take Off Your Bones and Dance In Your Bones,” is a longer instrumental piece that is clean, dreamy, and buzzing. Then comes “Immortality Dictates,” a song that is one of my favorites in their history and rivals aforementioned “Chained.” The song is gorgeous in spots, and sobering, as Funck’s companion Emily provides vocals that are as sobering as they are lovely. Of course, the song itself is damaging after it grows out of its deathrock-style opening, as it moves and grinds at you, with vocals sounding like they’re right in your face. Again there are reminders of the present, as well as the unmet desires that can torture, and the refusal to live freely within those wants and needs. Toward the end, Emily calls, “You know that I love you, here and now, not forever. I can give you the present. I don’t know about the future.” It’s just an amazing song. Closer “Ode to Physical Pain,” just like the opener, takes its time to bloom, with a quiet, humming introduction, and a Western feel to the music before it ignites. The song is bludgeoning but also solemn and melodic, and as the track goes on, the band builds layers of burly, dark, filthy playing that works perfectly, with Funck insisting, “Lasting wisdom only exists in abandoned fields, in the dusty swamp, on the burnt out plains, on the desolate hillside.” It’s one final massive dose of reality for a record overflowing with it, for the good.

Thou’s power and meaning is unmeasurable, and their influence on modern doom and sludge metal might not be completely at hand yet, but it will be soon. A record like “Heathen” should stop the world in its tracks, should cause other artists to take notice, and should make listeners rejoice in having a document so heavy, honest, and true. This band is one of the most important going right now, and they are a true representation of the spirit of the underground, and a group that has plenty of personal meaning to me. All hail “Heathen,” a record that already has a ridiculous head start toward the best metal recording of 2014.

For more on the band, go here: http://noladiy.org/thou.html

To buy the album, go here: http://www.gileadmedia.net/store/

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

Seattle has plenty to be excited about these days, what with their professional tackle football team prevailing in the Super Bowl, a game highlighted by me blowing out a tire and damaging my car in the process while driving home during halftime. Remember how I said it’s been a bad week? So yeah, they’re all pretty happy right now, and rightfully so.

But there’s another reason Seattle folk should be excited, because yet another awesome band from that area is back with a new record, that being “Sleepwalking Sailors,” the third full-length from Helms Alee. Here’s a band that really should be better known by now, and maybe this great new 11-track record will get the job done. The band is heavy enough to appeal to a metal audience (they’re touring alongside Russian Circles and Inter Arma, but sadly they won’t be on the version of the bill hitting my hometown), yet they also are melodic and approachable enough to appeal to fans of modern rock and roll and indie rock. I always found their records a lot of fun, and their sophomore album 2011 “Weatherhead” is on still in heavy rotation at my house today.

The story of “Sleepwalking Soldiers” is pretty interesting. Helms Alee used to be on Hydra Head, the incredibly eclectic label founded by Aaron Turner responsible for releasing music by bands such as Oxbow, ISIS, Torche, Cave In, Daughters, Jesu, and plenty more. But Hydra Head announced they no longer would be releasing new music, so Helms Alee found they needed another label home. They started a Kickstarter campaign to fund the making of “Sleepwalking,” and eventually, Sargent House came into the picture and decided to release the album. That’s a big move for the band, as Sargent House has a pretty great reputation for putting out strong, adventurous music by artists including Chelsea Wolfe, Boris, and Marriages, and perhaps this is what will help them get into more ears and their records into way more homes. They totally deserve it, as they’ve been working hard and making great music for years.

The band formed in 2007, combining Ben Verellen (Harkonen, These Arms Are Snakes) on bass and vocals, Dana James on guitars and vocals, and Hozoji Matheson-Margullis on drums and vocals. It’s an all-hands-on-deck approach, especially vocally (seeing as that everyone gets a chance), and that’s a formula they’ve always made work quite well. Their first full-length “Night Terror” dropped on Hydra Head a year after their formation, and their aforementioned “Weatherhead” arrived three years later, showing a band that had progressed dramatically as players and performers, but still had the weird, mathy quirks that helped make them special. They also offered up a few smaller releases last year, including splits with Ladder Devils and Tacos!, keeping them in their followers’ minds while we waited for their third full-length. Now, two years after their last long player, Helms Alee keep improving as a unit, and they’ve never sounded as good as they do on “Sleepwalking Soldiers.”

“Pleasure Center” opens with swollen feedback, liquidy riffs, and Verellen howling on vocals (he actually handles the bulk of the lead duties on the record). It’s a buzzing, gruff song, and it’s a blast of energy. “Tumescence” is sludgy and metallic, with lush backing vocals balancing out the meatier yowls, and the guitar work is really strong and razor sharp. “Pinniped” delves into 1990s-style rock, sort of in the Breeders’ wheelhouse, and it’s a nice chance for listeners to sing along with this sometimes-punchy, sometimes-breezy cut. This should go over well live. “Dangling Modifiers” follows on the same pathway, with a jumpy opening that settles into a bumpy melody, shoegaze guitars that spread over the terrain, and atmospheric treatment. “Heavy Worm Burden” is one of the more confrontational songs on the record, with guitar squall, vocals that are in your face, especially shouts such as, “Animal mind is not simple,” and a musical breakdown at the finish matches the complications mentioned in the lyrics. Strong cut.

“Crystal Gale” is a shorter song that feels more like an interlude (not to mention the cheeky title has to make you chuckle), and that moves into “New West,” that has gritty guitar work, plenty of melody, and vocals switching off among members (giving that all-inclusive feeling). Eventually the music rises up to flood levels, with the guitars bubbling and giving off fumes, and the band exploring its way through the cosmos. “Fetus.Carcass” is an interesting one, as Verellen steps back from the mic for part of the song, allowing more soulful singing to take center stage (I admit I’m not sure if it’s James or Matheson-Margullis on vocals), and throughout its run, it keeps changing its pace, personality, and colors. “Slow Beef” has a Western-style opening, a long intro that establishes the song, and suddenly a blow up as the drums go nuts, the song plods along and bruises, and keyboards bleed in to add more texture. “Animatronic Bionic” is proggy, catchy, and muddy, and it paves the way for closer “Dodge the Lightning,” a grindy, mucky, but eventually dreamy song that lets them stretch their muscles. The middle portion is damn-near pop territory, though that doesn’t last long as the song picks up intensity, howling vocals erupt, and the final moments of the track chug mercilessly.

It’s great to hear Helms Alee firing on all cylinders like they do on “Sleepwalking Soldiers,” and the benefit of having Sargent House behind them should only strengthen their position. These are songs that sound like they’ll translate pretty well live, and they’re full of energy, interesting turns, and explosive fun. Helms Alee still remain something of an undiscovered treasure, so hopefully that changes for them as more people discover this killer new record.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://sargenthouse.com/stores/

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

There probably isn’t a great way to die. After all, you’re dying, and that isn’t any fun, nor is it anything someone should look forward to happening. But there are a lot of ways, I think, that are worse manners to exit existence, such as drowning, succumbing to a long, wasting disease, or being eaten or buried alive. I would like to opt out of those.

Oh, death by fire also has to be on that list, because that would be absolutely painful and miserable. I was thinking about that when listening to “Death By Burning,” the debut album by mauling duo Mantar that has been bruising my hearing the last month or so. That would be an awful way to go. This Germany-based band brings it when it comes to violence and dropping a ton of bricks on you with their music, and some fingers could be pointed to bands such as Darkthrone, Motorhead, Eyehategod, Asphyx, and Crowbar as far as influence is concerned. These dudes make a ton of noise, fire up some great riffs, and just let loose their metallic power.

The battle team of vocalist/guitarist Erinc and drummer/vocalist Hanno only have been a band since 2012, and in that time they’ve released a 7-inch containing two songs that wound up on “Death By Burning,” and have obliterated senses live. Their music sounds like you’re going into a war. Yeah, it’s kind of fun and catchy in spots as well, but never do you get the sense they’re here to lift your spirits and fill you with sugary joy. There will be bodies littering the ground, blood spilled, and land dominated, if Mantar can have their way, and you’ll know you’ve gone through a beating once you hear these 10 songs. By the way, it might sound cliched, but the best way to witness this record is as loudly as possible. Maximum volume, everyone.

The record opens with “Spit,” a carryover from the 7-inch, and it is galloping and massive, with raspy vocals, simple but effective thrashing, and even some infectious melodies that stick to your ribs. “Cult Witness” has a rock and roll feel, something that pops up now and again on this album. The vocals are rough and raw, and the band finds a nice groove that is downright nasty. “Astral Kannibal” was my favorite track on the record first time through it, and it remains that way, with sludgy, bluesy riffs that stick in the earth, huge doses of heaviness, more ugly vocals that aim to scathe, and, and a nice bit of guitar chugging that could have your fists pounding in no time. “Into the Golden Abyss” pours more R&R influence into the mix but also gets thrashy and massive, with shouted vocals that sound directed right at your face. “Swinging the Eclipse” is full of mangling noise, as it boils slowly, mashes you up, and revels in its thickness.

“The Berserker’s Path” sounds just how you’re likely to think it will, as it rages forward, kicking up dust and collecting damned souls. The song is merciless and steeped in destruction, with battle cries of, “Warriors of the north!” “The Huntsmen” is fast and furious, with more menacing vocals that sound delivered through thorns, great guitar work and punishing drums. “The Stoning” leans heavily into its spoil of riffs, with throaty yowling, spacey guitar work, and threats of, “We’re the belly of the beast.” Acidic! “White Nights,” the other carryover from their 7-inch, is slow driving and melodic, with howls of, “Domination!” as you imagine the band gearing up for a war in which they’re entrenched for the long haul. Closer “March of the Crows” is a true oddball, as it runs 7:49, remains instrumental, and finds the band branching out their sound into the atmosphere. There is plenty of doom smoke and oppressive drone, heavy noise glaze, and meaty riffing that, along with the drumming, create a picture of total chaos, a warfield in its aftermath as the survivors look to pick up their, and their comrades’, pieces.

Mantar’s first metallic blast is a very impressive one, and “Death By Burning” is the first real surprise of the year from a band seemingly coming out of nowhere with something wholly great. As this band goes forward, it’ll be interesting to hear what they do with their sound, if some influences end up eclipsing others, and how their songwriting develops. Amid the chaos and choking blackness of their debut, there is so much to be excited about with Mantar. You can just feel a great band in your bones, and Mantar is one of those that can turn them to powder.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.svartrecords.com/shoppe/en/

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

There have been more than a few entries on this site where I describe music perfect for dealing with contentious situations and all-around garbage life events so that you don’t lose your mind and starting punching your walls bloody. Most of those records involve hellish bands and uncompromising heaviness that match the chaos brewing in your head.

Well, today’s a little different, and unfortunately, I’m writing these words because I’m smack in the middle of the bullshit and could use something to balance me. It also just so happens that when I planned my review subjects week ago, that I’d be talking about “Palingenesis,” the new record from German neofolk unit Nebelung this week. Turns out their music would be spending a lot of time soothing my aching head and evening out my exploding nerves over the last few days, something to which I’d usually turn to the most heathen black metal to solve. But that’s why sometimes the universe actually aligns with you after it screws you, so this music was even more heavily embraced the past few days than it was the last month.

Nebelung is not a metal band by any stretch, though their record is being released by Temple of Torturous, home of acts such as Fyrnask, Fall, and Spectral Lore, that all have delicate and atmospheric elements and all kind of exist on the outskirts of pure metal. This trio, comprised of Stefan Otto (classical guitar, steel-string acoustic guitar, piano accordion, Indian harmonium, hammered dulcimer, glass harp, frame drums, chimes, bells, rattles, voice), Thomas List (steel-string acoustic guitar, classical guitar, field recordings), and Katharina Hoffmann (cello), keeps things aligned with nature, quite rustic, and even morbidly calm at times. Their music is utterly gorgeous and emotionally affecting, and at some challenging times the past week, they’ve helped me get a grip and relax, as I’ve been able to dissolve into what they’re doing on this incredible record, their third long player overall.

So yeah, you’re not going to get evil growls, sinister riffs, blasts, or Satanic transmissions. But if you get into the quieter, folkish parts of bands such as Agalloch, Ulver, Amber Asylum, Wovenhand, or many of the bands on the Bindrune Recordings roster, chances are you’ll like what you hear on “Palingenesis.” Hell, you just have to be an open-minded human being unafraid to identify delicate beauty in your music, and you can be swept away without even realizing it.

The record opens with “Mittwinter,” a haunting song for which they just made an equally moving video. Dark acoustic guitars conjure up spirits and create a picturesque sound capped off by woodsy dynamics, sweeping strings, and hushed vocals that trickle along underneath. “Polaris” is a moody one, with plucked guitars, whispers fluttering about as if a million souls are trying to reach out, and thick strings generating an unmistakable haze. “Nachtgewalt” has more picked acoustics, some hammered dulcimer that lets darkness drop like rain, thick cello, and eventually a sense of calm that rises up out of such smokiness. The emotion conveyed in this one is very thick, and it’s sure to creep inside your heart.

“Aufgang” is sweeping and delicate, as the cellos take control and weave their mysteries over the song. The song has particularly soft moments and is a perfect opportunity for the listener to achieve a state of meditation to balance out any tension. Trust me, it works. “Wardlung” is the longest song on the album at 14:32, and much of it works to create a soundscape, remain in that terrain, and keep building on top of it. It’s more of a hovering song for the most part, with trickling acoustics, a calming pace, and a very natural flow that eventually changes with about five minutes remaining. Then, the tempo plods and bobs, as if floating on the water’s surfaces, and it creates a mesmerizing conclusion to the track. “Innerlichkeit” is the 9:21 finale that’s a highlight piece, of sorts, for Hoffmann’s amazing cello work, that she uses to create a dark, misty picture that plays along with the other strings and elements working alongside it, with everything eventually fading out into the night. It’s a finish that’ll rob you of your breath.

Nebelung might not be for your Cannibal Corpse crazy, but I think most metal fans have open minds and can find solace in something like this amazing record. “Palingenesis” sure has leveled me off after a heavy dose of tumult, and it’s especially welcome during these later days of winter, when we’re still being bombarded by nature and often trapped inside to admire its majesty. This music works perfectly with that and just might broaden your horizon,

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

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

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

The weekend might be time to unwind, collect our thoughts, and get some much-needed rest and relaxation, but who’s to say it can’t be about audio torture, visions of a hellish existence, and a total assault on your senses from some of the finest new death metal units laying waste to the underground scene? It’s great for that, too!

Dark Descent has been bringing us torture-filled death metal for many years now and already gave us the new album from Lvcifyre record this year. Now, just weeks later, with this year unable to even get its traction, the label is back with two more killers that mash to death all of the bands that pile the gloss and polish on their final products. Instead, these two bands smear theirs with blood and guts, serve it you you that way, and force your mouth closed so you can choke on every raw bit. In fact, each record is so explosive, we chose to combine each of these records and declare our first dual picks of the week. It’s all the death you’ll need to tide you over until the snow melts and the pretty flowers grow again.

First up is the Corpsessed, a Finnish outfit that’s been mauling people since formation in 2007, after after releasing a pair of EPs, finally are offering up their debut long player “Abysmal Thresholds.” Hell, that album title and band name alone should be enough to entice you into hearing this maniacal madness, and if you like your death raw and ugly, you definitely won’t be disappointed. The band is comprised of vocalist Niko Matilainen, guitarists Jyri Lustig and Matti Mäkelä (who also provides backing vocals), bassist Mikko Pöllä, and drummer Jussi-Pekka Manner, and they make a snarling, filthy sound that is both monstrous and demonic.

Following a weird, ghoulish “Intro” track, it’s full bore into “Of Desolation,” a grim song with vicious riffing, mangling violence, deep, snarling growls, and even some menacing doom to give it an extra dose of blackness. Then it’s on to “Trepanation,” a song that explodes out of the gates, treated with gurgly vocals, wailing terror, and strong lead guitar lines that scorch flesh. “Sovereign” follows, and it’s full of sizzling guitar work, rumbles on the low end, belchy growls, and gritty, gut-splattering fury that is unforgiving. “Necrosophic Channeling” is the second-longest cut on the record at 7:07, opening with deeps gasps of atmosphere and funeral bells before it settles into a mid-paced, mauling track that’s massive, has hazes of doom, and unleashes unforeseen dashes of horror and trauma designed to make you flee in fear.

“Ravening Tides” tears the lid off the second half of the album, with murky keys, a grinding assault, wicked riffing, and wild growling, hardly giving a moment for catching one’s breath. “Apotheosis” fires heavily from the first moments, with lurching vocals, more muddy guitar work that seeks to choke, and doom horns that should chill your bones. It is massive and savage, and it feeds perfectly into “Demonical Subjugation,” one of the most intense songs on the record, where the band blows right through you with slow-driving death metal that is relentlessly heavy. “Transcend Beyond Human” is as scary as the title indicates, with fiery madness and even more doom goodness, which runs right into the 7:30-long closer “The Threshold.” That song explodes on sight, with guttural growls and some morbidly dark guitar work, whipping and slashing at you. The sound’s last half is positively crushing, with strange sounds whirring, guitars creating a hell of chaos, and the drums being beaten to a pulp. It feels like the Earth’s crust has been ripped open, and all of the undesirable forces lurking below have spilled forth to kill us all.

Corpsessed’s debut is a strong one, and yet another new band that indicates death metal’s future is alive, well, and in good hands. I can’t really point to anything they could change or adjust, because they seem to be in damn good shape. Just keep increasing the audio body count, and I’m pretty sure people like me will remain happy with whatever Corpsessed does.

Next, let’s look at Lie in Ruins, yet another band from Finland (Dark Descent might as well set up a satellite office there for all the talent the find) that started in the early 1990s as Dissected, before taking on this moniker in 2002. Their ambitions are a little greater, as their desire isn’t to get in, pound you, and get out, but to spread out their mission, crush you for long periods of time, and leave you begging for mercy. The band is made up of vocalist Roni S. (who also howls for death smashers Desolate Shrine), guitarists Roni A and Tuomas K, bassist Jussi V, and drummer Aki K, and their latest album “Towards Divine Death” is their sophomore effort and follow-up to 2009’s “Swallowed By the Void.”

This 71-minute pounder opens with “Endless Void,” with eerie bells chiming in the winds and the band delving into a doomy death explosion. The guitar work is very strong, the vocals are ugly, and the drumming is massive. “Charred Walls” sounds like what its title indicates, that being soot and dirt choking your lungs. The song is smothering and drubbing, with the vocals bubbling below the surface, while an old-school death metal feel permeates the entire track. It’s just a total killer. “Blood of the Dead” runs a meaty 8:08, and it goes headfirst back into doom’s cold caves But the track also injects some lightning speed into the proceedings as well, with vicious howls and a stampeding gallop adding to its violent effectiveness. “The Jaws of the Wolf” is another long one at 8:29, and it gets treated with strong guitar riffs, maddening vocals, and furious clubbing, making it a track that stands out for its heaviness among songs that are devastating.

“I Am the Dark” opens up like a killing machine, but it’s not just bloodshed. The guitar lines are nice and warm, calling back to the early days of heavy metal, and even the serving of death here has a vintage feel to it. It’s a really nice cut. “Sacrum Vitae” has a slow-driving, ominous, almost torturous first few minutes before it kicks up dust and starts wailing full bore. “Venomous Tongues” is the shortest song on the album at 5:14, and it uses its time wisely combining charnel guitars, wrenching vocals, and more speed. “Beneath the Surface,” a 9:16-long masher, is lurching and heaving, with the drums standing out as the bone-crushing highlight. The riffs are sweltering as they interact and push each other back and forth, and the final moments are immersed in doom crunch. The 11-minute closer “Of Darkness and Blackened Fire” takes its time to set up, slowly luring you into its trap before it pounces with stampeding guitar work, gritty vocals, and sweltering heat, finally slowing down with just a few minutes left. At that point, piano begins to drip, almost as a final epitaph to all the heads they crushed and bodies they destroyed in the previous 70 minutes. It’s a fitting, creepy end to a massive record.

Lie in Ruins clearly have a grasp of what they want to accomplish, and they do so with infernal power, might, and agony. They are exploring more hellish terrain with their music and finding ways to keep you sustaining massive beatings for even longer amounts of time than your average three-minutes-and-out band. If that doesn’t make you happy, then I don’t know what’s wrong with you.

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

For more on Lie in Wait, go here: https://www.facebook.com/lieinruins

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

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

In the three years since this site has been alive, I’ve mentioned many times that my musical tastes and interests do not begin and end with metal. I imagine a lot of you are the same way. Put it this way: I bow down as earnestly and with as much reverence to Neko Case as I do to Iron Maiden. No apologies offered either.

There also are tons of releases each year that logically could fit at a place like Meat Mead Metal that aren’t exactly heavy metal–and we’ve done some of those–that don’t feel out of place to me. Last year’s Liar in Wait EP is an example. But how far can you really go? Well, I decided that one day a month at the site, we can go as far as we want, and we will introduce that idea today with the debut of the monthly Crossing Over column. Basically, I’ll give you an in-depth look at one record per month that isn’t exactly metal but at least has some logical reason for appearing on a site like this, and below, I’ll provide capsule glimpses at totally non-metal records from the month in question that have gotten regular play around here. That way, I feel like I can cross over to other areas of music for one day, and maybe I can help you find some stuff that perhaps you’ll enjoy yourselves. Plus, it gives me an outlet for all those promos I get that I love but don’t have a creative space for writing about as I’d like.

Our main record for the first Crossing Over segment comes from Have a Nice Life, a New England-based duo that delves into shoegaze, New Wave, deathrock, goth, post-punk, and even some doomy sentiment. Their latest release “The Unnatural World” is being released by Flenser Records, known for their crop of forward-thinking metal bands such as Necrite, Palace of Worms, Bosse de Nage, and Botanist, but that also put out stuff by Wreck and Reference, a dark-as-hell band that is sort of similar to Have a Nice Life, and is planning to release the new record from Brooklyn’s White Suns. There are no boundaries at that label, which is likely why they come up with such thought-provoking artists, and this one of no exception.

Dan Barrett and Tim Maguca met in college and started making aggressive acoustic music together, getting out to play shows, and eventually keeping their idea moving beyond graduation. In the following years, they built upon their music and eventually released 2010’s “Deathconsciousness,” a record that caught fire, so much so that they had to keep making copies and eventually started their own label Enemies List to keep up with demand. An EP “Time of Land” followed in 2011, and now we’re getting their excellent new record that could find favor among fans of bands such as Swans, Bauhaus, My Bloody Valentine, Joy Division, and Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra.

“Guggenheim Wax Museum” opens the album with whirring keys, murk, and dark vocals, giving off a sense of scary chill and somber feelings. “Defenestration Song” follows and is the highlight of the record for me, with thick, buzzing basslines, a strong, swelling chorus that cuts into your head and burrows its way in, feedback, intense melodies, and demands of, “Get off my back.” The track drowns out in noise. “Burial Society” maintains the dark edge the record has conjured, as it’s slowly delivered, dirgey in spots, and with admissions such as, “It isn’t real, but it feels real,” that sweeps over your senses. “Music Will Untune the Sky” has noisy scrapes, vocals calling from the distance, some doom-infused riffs, and ambiance that glazes over the entire piece, leaving you feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. No one is partying after this one.

“Cropsey” begins Side B in as disruptive, disturbing a manner as possible, with clips from an interview featured on “Suffer the Children” with a young patient John at Pennhurst State School, a place that was a target of many investigations for some horrific child neglect and abuse of mentally challenged patients. The song’s title references the film “Cropsey,” a topic that’ll keep you up at night if you read and watch too much about it, and the song swells with thick synth, murky melodies, and total darkness that perfectly captures the terror and inhumanity of its subject matter. Just chilling. “Unholy Life” pulsates with synth drone, some of the strongest, most passionate vocals on the record, and really catchy sections that are damn-near danceable. “Dan and Tim” has a deathrock feel, with cold, damaged static marring the sound, a New Wave sense, great blurriness that makes you feel like you’re hearing a story told with water trickling out of your ears, and a finish that approaches surfy. The 8:50 closer “Emptiness Will Eat the Witch” has a slow, deliberate build with keys rising like a fog, quivery yet direct vocals, organs swelling to increase the haunting essence of the track, and a long passage where you feel you’re floating away, only brought back by occasional wood block clicks. It’s a dark, unsettling track that might remind you of slipping into a deep nightmare from which, try as you might, you cannot shake..

It might not be a metal record, but Have a Nice LIfe still manage to jab at all of the psychological points many of those bands attempt to reach yet fail. This band is deeply, emotionally immersed in their darkness, and their commitment comes through in huge, black waves. Perfect listening for these final hopeless days of winter where brightness has been suffocated.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Have-A-Nice-Life/273357312191

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

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

Other releases from January we really loved:

DUM DUM GIRLS, “Too True” (Sub Pop) — The third full-length from throwback, ’60s-’80s dream rockers Dum Dum Girls picks up where 2011’s “Only in Dreams” left off, that being headed right into Pretenders territory, with extra layers of noise glaze and attitude. Dee Dee sounds at her best vocally, as she has progressed with each release, and the band does dark and noiry just perfectly on tracks such as “Rimbaud Eyes,” that has an impossibly infectious chorus; “Are You Okay?” a slower, tender song that has the band holding their torches high; and “Little Minx,” a charged up number with a steady pace, some bursts of guitar power, and a whole of of bruising. Another really strong record from a band that keeps getting better.

Get the album here: https://megamart.subpop.com/releases/dum_dum_girls/too_true

HOSPITALITY, “Trouble” (Merge) — Brooklyn-based indie pop trio Hospitality sure have grown in leaps and bounds since their 2012 debut record. They maintain all of the approachable charm they had on that record, but they explore their musical ambitions on this one, going into longer sections of jamming and even venturing into prog. Amber Papini’s voice remains a focal point for the band, and for good reason, while the other members have sharpened their tools nicely and should make for an even better live band. The best cuts here are the punchy fun opener “Nightingale,” where Papini calls, “You see ghosts in your bed”; “Inauguration,” where they really stretch out and explore the space with their playing; proggy, fun “Rockets and Jets”; and “Last Words,” their most expansive track yet compete with Steely Dan-style guitar work.

Get the album here: http://www.mergerecords.com/hospitality-trouble

MOGWAI, “Rave Tapes” (Sub Pop) — If you’ve been along for the ride with Scottish post-rock band Mogwai since they launched their debut record “Mogwai Young Team” in 1997, you will and won’t be surprised by their eighth full-length “Rave Tapes.” The band never stays in one place for too long, and they prove that by adding a lot more keys and synth to this album, feeling like they’re perhaps borrow a page from sci-fi duo Zombi. But there are crunchy parts, sections where you’ll feel like you’re floating through a space dream, and even some provocation, courtesy of “Repelish” complete with music swirling around a Christian radio “analysis” of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” by the Rev. Lee Cohen. Other highlights include the ominous, creepy keyboard work on the excellent “Remurdered”; solemn, softer “Blues Hour,” with its gently delivered vocals and Pink Floyd psyche sentiment; and “The Lord Is Out of Control,” the most classic Mogwai cut on here with trickling guitars, pumping keys, and Vocoder-laced vocals.

Buy the album here: https://megamart.subpop.com/releases/mogwai/rave_tapes

WARPAINT, self-titled (Rough Trade) — If I had to pick a best non-metal record of the month, Warpaint’s second and self-titled new record would take it easily. I have listened to this record on and on even since the promo arrived in early January, and it’s dark, nighttime-style, moody, alluring songs get into your bloodstream and refuse to leave you. The band had never composed a record together with full collaboration before, and the results of them going this route for this album bears so much fruit, it’s kind of ridiculous. It’s hard to even start talking about highlights, because the entire running time is one, but be sure to check out cuts such as murky opener “Keep It Healthy”; the off-kilter but ridiculously infectious “Love Is to Die,” where Emily Kokal sings, “Love is to die, love is to not die, love it to dance”; New Wave synth-leaning “Biggy”; and punchy, danceable “Disco//very,” that has some MIA-style voice inflections. This record is perfect for taking time to sulk, dream, and get moving all in a 45-minute span. Great record.

Get the album here: http://shopusa.roughtraderecords.com/rt-homepage-1/warpaint

With a ton of major-name metal releases getting ready to overwhelm us and devastate the Internet with overexposure, let’s not forget those who are releasing music as good as, if not arguably better, than the indie majors but won’t get even a percentage of the hype.

Kind of how we did last week with discussing Grimoire Records’ latest offerings, today we turn toward Sol y Nieve Records, a label based out of Northern Idaho that focuses on “analog technologies and handmade packaging,” according to their Facebook page. So basically, there’s a real human touch to these releases you can hear and feel, something that’s not nearly common enough in today’s metal world, much of which was based on tape trading and practices like these. The label has released some damn impressive music so far, including from bands such as Yellow Eyes (who, if you haven’t heard them yet, you need to change that now), Monument, He of No Name, Dead Dragon Mountain, and Golden Fawn, and now are firing back with two more releases that are worth checking out.

Now, the lo-fi, harsh sound of the label’s other bands also is a trait found with Nemorensis and Hellebore, both of which have new releases out that you can grab physically or for obscenely reasonable prices prices on the Sol y Nieve Bandcamp page. Each brings something different to the metallic table, though I can see there being crossover appeal for each band, as well as for listeners who simply love what the label represents, Oh, and you’re not going to be able to find out a whole lot about these groups because they’re basically shrouded in secrecy, with such  small online profiles, it’s almost comical. But we embrace keeping things mysterious, because we know way too much shit as it is, so it’s cool that these bands are eschewing all that.

We’ll begin with Nemorensis’ incredible 27:27-minute opus “The Lady in the Lake,” a single track that makes its way over all kinds of musical terrains, leaving your mind floating in the ether when it’s all over. It’s spacey, has quieter moments that reflect in nature, sometimes feels like a seance calling upon spirits long gone, and despite its challenging presentation (hey, some people have an issue with single-track albums, as silly as that seems), really keeps your attention and keeps you wondering what’s next. And it always delivers.

The track begins with a cosmic atmosphere and chilling keys that eventually dissolve into a section that sounds a lot like bizarre chants. Guitars begin to charge up and inject electricity into the track, while a sense of murkiness remains thick and present through most of the song. Shrieks are buried millions of layers beneath the chaos, giving off a sense of being lost so far off in the wilderness, your voice barely can be heard, and just as the song seems to be building into a boil over, it levels off, letting some serenity into the room. Waters begin to trickle, as it feels like the scene has shifted into the middle of a frosty forest, and amid drone, folk flourishes, and smoky keyboard, the song shifts into strong, emotional melodies. Screams once again call out, seeking its inspiration, and the final minutes are awash in both beauty and savagery. I’ve had many journeys with this album so far, and each time something different takes hold, be that the serenity or the fury. There’s plenty to examine here, and you’ll want to put aside some time, get a comfortable chair, and devote all of your brain waves to “The Lady in the Lake.”

Hellebore, a Canadian solo black metal band, also has its eyes set toward the skies, but their music in their latest piece “Anouof Thwo” feels like a gigantic sci-fi exploration into the stars, past planets and galaxies unexplored by humankind, and into a cold, isolated blackness that should scare the hell out of you (think Darkspace at times).There is a lot of crushing and black metal rage that might make you think of the early days of the Second Wave of Nordic bands, and the mind-altering passages could have you seeing things, hearing strange sounds, and wondering if there is some way you, too, can go beyond this planet and headed toward another level with species who we haven’t met yet. And the fear sets in when you realize you don’t know if you’d survive the encounter or not. That’s just the feeling I get, not my interpretation of what’s being said, as I don’t speak French and cannot translate the words. But again, mystery is good.

The album kicks off with the noisy interlude “Etoiles d’eau” that leads into the 12:42 “Aootw” that begins chugging right away. There are strong riffs, harsh vocals, and bits of melody that sweep through the machine-like drumming and massive under section. The music keeps building, getting darker and meaner as it goes, and as the song grows off-kilter and cosmically weird, it keeps delivering violence and chaos that rages until the song fades out. “Udrea” is a chillwave-style interlude with beats and sweltering synthesizer, setting the stage for “Les Martiens Eta’ient la’,” an 18:28 crusher that begins with whirry, spooky keys, that give way for guitars exploding and going off, keys buried into the torment, and vocals that cry tyranny. As it builds, the song climbs aboard soaring riffs, the drums don’t just keep the pace but blow it into powder,’and the lead guitar playing is both glorious and explosive. The fury subsides a bit about halfway through the song, but as finger tapped guitars take over, the track’s soul soars deep into space, the tempo violently changes back and forth, and beastly growls erupt from the pit of fires to give a terrifying voice to the thrashing chaos that brings the song to its wild conclusion. Closer “…reflechis dan l’eau” ends the album ideally, with acoustics that meet up with whirring keyboard, buried growls and howls that remind of Leviathan, wildness that feels uncaged and free, and that final jaunt into the stars where the rest of the story will repeat itself forever.

These albums aren’t going to be easy listens for those whose ears are used to the smooth, polished side of metal, but someone who wants to get in touch with more primal, raw sounds, energies, and emotions should find both of these albums rich with content. Both bands may be bound for the underground forever, but we need those types of artists that are real and honest and always bring us back to the roots of what we love. Also note that each of these cassette releases are limited in quantity, so if you want a physical copy, you better get on that.

For more on Nemorensis, go here: http://nemorensis.bandcamp.com/

For more on Hellebore, go here: http://hellebore.bandcamp.com/

To buy the albums, go here: http://solynieve.bigcartel.com/

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

There’s nothing wrong with being a critic and being a fan of the bands you cover. It’s foolish to think this is something that doesn’t happen all the time anyway, but I feel like there’s this separation some people think takes place when you write about music that you can’t equally express fandom and have your favorites.

But that doesn’t mean that critical senses don’t kick in even in the cases when one of your favorite bands puts out a release. I usually tend to overthink those because I want to be fair and say how I really feel about the music instead of letting my devotion to the band take over. I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that at this site. So we’re in doubly strange territory today because I’m bringing to you not one, but two bands that I follow and whose music I collect. Needless to say, it’s been an interesting past few weeks I’ve spent with today’s record, and reading other people’s reaction to said collection has been as interesting as the time I’ve spent with it.

I’d be lying if I said chills didn’t go directly down my spine when I read that drone kings Sunn 0))) and black-metal-pioneers-turned-cinematic-dreamers Ulver were combining for a joint effort, collaborating together on a new album “Terrestrials.” Immediately, my mind started to wander, imaging what these two creative forces would do together, as one unit, and if it would meet my own personal expectations?

Honestly, it took some time to understand the album and to filter out my preconceived notions of the thing, but the more I visit, the more it takes me over. I’ve subsequently used the music for helping me in situations of meditation and even when I need to even out for writing or other creative endeavors, so it has had value for me beyond just being a record matching up two bands I admire greatly. So this record was richer for me that I expected. Some of that could mean I accept the record more because I admire and deeply understand each band, but the heart also will tell you if what you’re hearing isn’t reaching you. And mine has done nothing but pump blood forcefully every moment I devote to this record.

Turns out the seeds were planted for “Terrestrials” several years ago, after Sunn 0)))–Greg Anderson and Stephen O’Malley–played their 200th show in Olso, Norway, when they teamed up with Ulver in Crystal Canyon studio and created an improvisational piece that ended up being the first track on the album “Let There Be Light,” a song that feels like the first strains of morning opening up and spilling across the land. Noises rise up, horns greet them, guitars simmer under the surface, and sounds squeal, setting up a cloud of drone. Later in the track, drums kick in, setting in motion the final sequence that brings all of the song’s elements back together, letting ominous strains bleed into the setting and take the song to its conclusion.

While “Let There Be Light” feels more like an Ulver-influenced song sonically, “Western Horn” is decidedly darker and more of the Sunn 0)))-style low-end doom and drone spill in and blacken the surroundings. There is heavy static and buzzing, the bass feels like a demon gaining power and getting ready for strangulation, and guitars rise up and match the noises that are ringing out and preparing to deafen you. Strange rattling erupts, and the song’s final moments are eerie and haunting, with a clean, psychedelic washout. The finale “Eternal Return,” a musically palindromic cut, does a nice job melding both bands’ influence, with shimmery noise, foggy smoke emerging from the ground, thick string sections adding texture and beauty, and dark interplay between the two bands. Organs cause bone chills, keys zap around like lasers, and Ulver vocalist Kristoffer Rygg offers the only singing on the record, conjuring ancient Greece, Egypt, and other Biblical lands, giving the cut a warm David Gilmour (vocally) feel to the composition. It’s a dream-inducing, spiritually transcendent cut that puts the perfect cloudy finish on this amazing collaboration.

This is not bound to be a record that pleases all of the fans of both bands, particularly those of Sunn 0))) because it’s not a thick, devastating piece their listeners have come to expect. But look beyond that, branch out, and allow your mind to wander with these two incredible forces. They have conjured something magical that goes beyondpast each bands’ headspaces and explores new universes. It might take a while for it to make sense with you or align with your emotions, but if you put in the time and really let this wash over you, chances are good you also will find a record that’s more than just 35 minutes of music, but instead of a companion for your own intellectual, personal journey you take in your mind.

For more on Sunn 0))), go here: http://sunn.southernlord.com/

For more on Ulver, go here: http://www.jester-records.com/ulver/ulver.html

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

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

Mondays always suck, so if you’re in need of a little motivation today, might I recommend spending some time with Yautja and their face-mangling debut record “Songs of Descent”? If you’re not ready to go after listening to this record, with blood fully pumping, then I’m not sure anything is going to work for you. Maybe go back to bed.

Yautja is another rock-solid entry from the always reliable Forcefield Records (Inter Arma, Windhand, Bastard Sapling, Earthling) and rise from Nashville, a place most people align with country music, and for good reason, but that also has some pretty great indie rock bands and metal acts. This band is comprised of member of other notable bands such as Coliseum, Gnarwhal, and Nameless Cults, and they combine grind, sludge, death, and doom into a 14-track, 37-minute package that is filthy, heavy, and damaging. In fact, after listening to this thing for yet another time over the weekend, I was so motivated to go do some damage somewhere that I went and shoveled six inches of snow out of my driveway. How’s that for motivation?

Yautja is comprised of three people making all of this noise, notably guitarist/vocalist Shibby Poole, drummer/vocalist Tyler Coburn, and bassist vocalist Kayhan Vaziri. Ever since their formation in early 2010, have been mauling people live, and putting out music here and there, namely an EP called “2011” and a 7-inch release with Enabler. They comprise all kinds of different sound on “Songs of Descent,” and while they fit nicely into the heavy metal stronghold, they offer sounds beyond that, going into noise rock and even some hardcore leanings. This record also is a pretty fun listen, as you’d probably expect from something I described as having serious kick-you-in-the-ass qualities, and these songs sound like they’ll scald you live.

The album opens with a noisy, thick instrumental “Path of Descent” that runs headlong into “Denihilist,” a crafitly named track that has some blistering bass work, punchy melodies, and screamy vocals. It’s a mangy, thrashy thing that also slips into doom from time to time. “Blinders” is a furious blast of grindcore madness, with burly riffs and violent vocals intent to do major damage, while “Concrete Tongue” blasts by in just under a minute, with blinding intensity and ill intent. “Tar and Blindness” is pretty aptly named, as its sludgy and muddy, eventually giving way to more grind fury, throaty howls, and sonic devastation. “Teeth” is another short one, with a slower pace and penetrating buzzing, which leads into the record’s epic “Faith Resigned,” that runs 6:53. This cut is relentlessly heavy, tough as nails, and eventually storming with fury. The band just destroys everything in its wake, with feedback wailing and aiming to cut flesh, guitars soaring into the stratosphere, and a killer instinct.

“Path to Ground” is a short instrumental that’s slow moving and ominous, and that leads into “An Exit,” a fast bit of hardcore-style punishment and grind intensity. “A Crawl” is a calculated bruiser, taking its time setting up its fire, before launching into a diatribe that has wild screams and animalistic violence. “Of Descent” is the second-longest track on the record at 5:06, and it, too, has a deliberate pace that isn’t trying to hurry up, but instead treads in place and let the storm build. There are bursts of speed, mauling doom passages, and throaty growls, and as the song reaches its finish, the drums whip into a frenzy and leaves welts. “Humility-Humanity” has some tricky guitar work (this is where the Jesus Lizard comparisons ring true), slurry melodies, and some bits of brutality. “A Cleansing Fire” is a noisy, drowned-out interlude that leads into the closer “Chemical,” complete with black metal-style riffing, clubbing madness, and out-of-control smashing, like a car without a driver heading down a hill toward its certain destruction. It’s a pretty impressive way to finish off this stellar debut record.

Yautja have effectively kicked our ass on “Songs of Descent,” a damn fine record by a band that’ll get you ready to get some shit done in your life or else. It’s another great find by Forcefield and one of the early killer debut albums of the year that hopefully will result in bruised bodies and punished eardrums everywhere they play.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.forcefieldrecords.org/store/

For more on the label, go here: http://www.forcefieldrecords.org/site/