15. UFOMMAMUT, “Oro: Opus Primum”/Oro: Opus Alter” (Neurot) – Italian space-age instrumental doom dreamers Ufommamut had a pretty big 2012. For one, they landed at Neurot, a place practically hand-crafted for their metallic vision, and they also put out a pair of albums that are designed to act as one piece of music. So is each piece equally as good? I don’t think you can judge them that way, as they act as a whole, so that’s why we’re placing them together on this list. If you just take on “Opus Primum,” you’ll have to be intrigued to hear “Opus Alter.” If you start with “Alter,” you’re in the middle of the story. They’re inseparable.

The two records focus on alchemy and the magic and science behind that concept, and the more than 90-minute journey travels over nine tracks, a lot of tumult, some of the band’s most agitated music yet, and the crown jewels of the group’s already awesome collection. You can sit back and put these albums back to back on your headphones and imagine a cosmic journey, if you will, or the alchemic creation of metals and elixirs designed to expand human possibilities. Either way, you’re bound to be fully mesmerized by this bizarre trio. (April 13/Sept. 17)

To buy the album, go here: http://www.bluecollardistro.com/neurotrecordings/categories.php?cPath=1030

14. ASH BORER, “Cold of Ages” (Profound Lore) – It’s hard to find out a whole lot about Ash Borer, an atmospheric black metal and doom band that’s been blowing people out the last few years with a bunch of smaller releases. But after signing with Profound Lore, it appeared the band was ready for an all-out assault to show they have the machinations to be dangerous, and “Cold of Ages” makes that statement. This blanket of smoke and churning chaos is the best this band has sounded to date, and while they drill holes into your soul and fill them with soot, they also drub you with punishing testaments and terror-filled diatribes that fill you with excitement and fear.

There are but four tracks on “Cold of Ages” that, combined, run more than an hour long, so you’re in for a marathon engagement and sprawling epics that leave you heaving in a cold sweat. But while many bands run on and on either for vanity or because they don’t know when to say when, Ash Borer get every drop of value out of these songs, and there are times when songs end, such as riveting “Phantoms,” when I wonder what they could have done with five more minutes. These guys long have been underground phenoms waiting to break out into more ears, and they’ve done with that this album. God have mercy if you weren’t ready for this. (Aug. 14)

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

13. BOSSE-DE-NAGE, “III” (Profound Lore) – The more albums I hear from Bay Area lunatics Bosse-de-Nage, the more I wonder if one of their recordings sessions is going to end in ritual suicide. Their psyche sounds that unsteady on their albums, and they always seem on the brink of snapping. That’s not in the same sense that many other black metal-based bands seem to distribute self-destruction and mental self-immolation, because what this group practices is more of the mental deterioration variety and not the Satanic barbarism sense. That way, it’s more genuine to the fragile listener.

After a run on Flenser Records (they handle the vinyl version of “III,” though), the band jumped to Profound Lore for this astonishing, riveting display of aggression and meltdown that has as much to do with ’90s-style indie rock as it does with black arts. The messages and stories unfurled by B’s manic shrieks are enough to grab your attention and maybe even keep you up at night, and the rest of the band’s amalgamation of styles both can blow away the music dork in you and captivate the dark parts of your brain that are obsessed with fury. This band certainly isn’t for everyone, but those who get them cannot get enough of their bloodshed. As long as they don’t turn the blades on themselves.  (June 26)

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

To buy it on vinyl, go here: http://store.theflenser.com/

12. NEUROSIS, “Honor Found in Decay” (Neurot) – Easily one of, if not the, most influential bands in extreme music today, Neurosis could get away with cranking out the same shit over and over again. Who would question them? But they don’t do that, and each time out they try to add new layers into their sound and create something different than what came before. Perhaps that’s why they go so long between releases, and if that’s the case, they’ll get no questions from me, especially when they come up with something as enthralling and honest as “Honor Found in Decay.”

This seven-track, hour-long collection shows the band painting their canvas with more organic, folk-minded colors, to be expected with some of its members side projects, and the rage and power on display on this record is both astonishing and moving. Their muddy doom and atmospheric post-metal still surpasses by wide margins all the bands they influenced, and this statement by these veterans goes a long way toward proving that when someone is inspired by what’s in their hearts and souls, they never run out of meaningful contributions to give the world. This album is a triumph. (Oct. 30)

To buy the album, go here: http://www.bluecollardistro.com/neurotrecordings/categories.php?cPath=1030

11. BELL WITCH, “Longing” (Profound Lore) – Late in the year, a ghost entered the room, and it turned out to be one of the more memorable apparitions in some time. It was the debut full-length “Longing” by Seattle-based duo Bell Witch, who originally floored us with their demo but just blew the doors of that thing entirely with this six-track, 67-minute opus. It’s a different kind of record than we usually get from the doom or sludge categories, though those traits are there as well, but they have a neat imagination and a way about searching some of the softer sides of these sounds that puts a human face on an otherwise damaged style.

The first two songs on the record push you to the half-hour mark already, and the wonderfully rich, varied compositions show the depth of their abilities. The filthy, buzzing bass work makes the need for other guitars obsolete, and the harsh growls and anguished vocals also step aside for cleaner passages and damn-near folk-level singing. This whole record is just so cool sounding, so damn listenable, that is has dominated my listening the past couple months. If you haven’t visited with Bell Witch yet, fix that problem right now and prepare to be haunted. (Nov. 13)

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

20. WILD HUNT, “Beyond the Plane of Angles” (Kemado) – Getting a record or press release about a new band that espouses the concentration in black metal, progressive tones, and atmosphere is nothing new, and if anything, it breeds skepticism in me. So it was that way when I first took on “Beyond the Plane of Angles” that I wondered in the back of my head if this was just another in a long line of bands I’d forget a week after hearing their album. Then I listened, and from that moment on, I was converted into a Wild Hunt believer. This is was of the albums I have recommended the most to people this year, and every visit is a joy.

Made up of members of equally ambitious Dimesland (who also put out a pretty good EP this year), these guys put their full imaginations and souls into this album. While yeah, it delves into black metal for sure, it’s not violent or bloodthirsty, but instead adventurous and thought-provoking. The compositions  on this five-track album are long and involved (the album runs 52 minutes, after all), but there’s not one point at all during this thing where you’re mind isn’t fully engaged and dreaming along with them. Excellent playing, mindful compositions, and one of this year’s most exciting debuts are all wrapped into this fantastic voyage. I cannot wait to hear more. (May 1)

To buy the album, go here: http://www.kemado.com/?shopp_page=shop

19. WINTERFYLLETH, “The Threnody of Triumph” (Candlelight) – While English black metal historians Winterfylleth only released their debut album four years ago, it feels like they’ve been on a crusade that’s transcended into ages. I always have to go back to their first album and realize it was out in 2008, because it feels like this band has been a part of my life for so much longer than that. Perhaps that’s just the sign of a great, ever-growing band that they can make music for such a short period of time but already attach themselves to your DNA. Their third disc, “The Threnody of Triumph” is another expansive addition to their collection, one that’ll sound perfect this winter.

The band can be fully aggressive and bone-crunching at times, but at others they sweep you up and pull you for a journey across their homeland, where they drop in on important parts of their nation’s history and what makes them as proud of their heritage as they are. Their music is melodic and sweeping when it’s not pulverizing you, and each time they come back they have an even richer experience for you to absorb. Add to that their sprinkling of folk into their little stew, and it all makes for music that keeps you wondering about your own roots while you examine the blood and struggle of this band’s. These guys just keep getting better and better. (Sept. 10)

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

18. MARES OF THRACE, “The Pilgrimage” (Sonic Unyon) – This was a huge year for Mares of Thrace, and all the success and accolades they have enjoyed did not come without a cost. Drummer Stefani MacKichan left the fold shortly after the album’s release to go back to school (and, obviously, we wish her the best of luck), while bandmate and long-time friend Thérèse Lanz carried on with the band’s tumultuous, hard-hitting, sludgy, doomy, sick sounds (while herself pursuing an education in game design). She recruited the super-talented Rae Amitay to carry on, and even did some shows with a bass player, and all seems full speed ahead.

But the focus here is the record, their first for Sonic Unyon, one that was nominated for long list for the Polaris Music Prize, the Canadian album of the year award that ultimately went to Feist (whose album is called … um … “Metals”). But that should show you the power and ferocity was not lost on those behind the prize’s nomination, as this record is an incredible example of finesse, strength, and outright brutality. Lanz howls and growls like a demon possessed, and she and MacKichan combined to make for one formidable, clawhammer-delivering duo. The other thing about the record is, while impactful on first listen, it digs its claws deeper with each experience as the punishing drumming and Lanz’s dexterous, fresh, and channeled guitar work infects you fully. This group still flies way too far under the radar here in the States. This band fucking kills, and you better recognize or get bulldozed. (April 24)

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

17. EVOKEN, “Atra Mors” (Profound Lore) – It’s been five long years since we’ve heard from Jersey-based Evoken (their last was 2007’s “A Caress of the Void”), and to say their brand of elegant, dreary, haunting doom has been missed would be an extreme understatement. They emote like no other band in this genre, and it’s a wonder why they aren’t cited more often as a standard bearer, because they encapsulate the darkness and fog as well as any group going today. And maybe of all time. The announcement of a new album on Profound Lore sent chills of excitement, and their “Atra Mors” delivered completely.

Sitting with this record in a dark room, with shades drawn, and nothing but you and your thoughts, probably is the ideal setting for this massive document, although if you’re not mentally stable enough to handle such an environment while visiting these guys, then perhaps don’t do that. The band mixes goth elements, a cavern full of atmospheric murk, and grisly intentions through this eight-track, 67-minute burner. The songs are long, slow driving, and filled with psychological madness, and beyond that scarring, you’ll also find an expertly played, emotionally walloping album that’ll be the perfect companion for when you are at your lowest.  (July 31)

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

16. BOTANIST, “III: Doom in Bloom” (TotalRust) – The word unique and the term one of a kind get bandied about too much, and I’m probably guilty of that myself. But when it comes to one-man black metal band Botanist and its sole creator Otrebor, how can you help but use those descriptions? Tell me, who else creates their dark trades with the use of just a drum kit and hammered dulcimer and still manages to create something as dark and foreboding as a band with five times as many members? Plus, I defy you to find another music project that sounds anything like Botanist, because chances are, it does not exist. But thanks for trying.

Yet, being different sometimes can be drawback because more effort is put into the quirks and not into the music. But Otrebor never falls into that trap, and this second album (or third, and his first was a double collection, and this one does have a III in the title) finds him branching out his forestal apocalypse even further, and that includes conceptually. While his debut double album had a whopping 40 tracks (most over very quickly), this one has but seven songs that last much longer and have more depth and atmosphere. A lot of the album is slower and quite whispery, and getting into the heart of the story can both be uplifting and terrifying. Add to this a second disc is included that has Otrebor collaborating with like-minded musicians from other bands, and you see how fertile his imagination can be in that setting as well. Great piece of music from a truly incomparable artist. (May 25)

To buy the album, go here: http://www.totalrust-music.com/Catalogue.asp

30. ENSLAVED, “RIITIIR” (Nuclear Blast) – Nordic black/Viking metal veterans never deliver the same record twice. It isn’t in their DNA. We’re thankful for that because, although they certainly could get away with doing the same thing all the time, they continually push themselves. Their 12^th album still has rough edges, monstrous growls, and punishment, but they expand their progressive tendencies even further, making some of the most imaginative, listenable songs of their career. Some may bitch they’ve changed so much since their inception. Those people aren’t accounting for the talent these guys possess and their ability to make great metal. (Sept. 28)

To buy the album, go here: http://store.nuclearblastusa.com/Search/enslaved

29. KNELT ROTE, “Trespass”  (Nuclear War Now!) – Originally practicing the fine arts of power-violence and later evolving more into a black-and-death-influenced grind machine, Portland, Ore., punishers Knelt Rote have developed with bloodthirsty tenacity. Their third album “Trespass” was an eye-opener in the sense that they grab your lids, rip them off, and force you to watch the furious carnage they create. Here’s a band that’s traveled far under the radar but have taken the shroud of mystery to become merchants of total death. Once an unsuspecting public starts paying attention, it’ll be too late to thwart their assault. (Oct. 23)

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

28. SAMOTHRACE, “Reverence to Stone” (20 Buck Spin) – It had been four years since Seattle-based sludge doom band Samothrace offered up their incredible debut “Life’s Trade,” but it turns out personal issues and other matters delayed their sophomore platter. With those conquered, the band returned with a two-track, 35-minute album that seems like a short document upon first glance but is full of torment and explosive wonder that insists this is one of the finest, most unpredictable bands in all of doom. Nice to have this band back, and hopefully we hear back sooner rather than later. (July 31)

To buy the album, go here: http://www.20buckspinshop.com/

27. DAWNBRINGER, “Into the Lair of the Sun God” (Profound Lore) – If I called this album the most ridiculous record on this entire list, would anyone argue? It also happens to be one great blast of traditional heavy metal, with mastermind Chris Black coming up with incredible power metal-flavored songs that follow a warrior’s misguided attempt to murder the sun. It has hooks galore, epic-powered guitar work, and even a power ballad that won’t embarrass you one bit to play out loud. This band just keeps getting better. (May 29)

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

26. DERKETA, “In Death We Meet” (self-released) – This record from these Pittsburgh death metal veterans almost never came to be. The all-female squad has its roots in the late 1980s, but they dissolved before they ever made their move and only recently reunited to finally issue their debut full-length. And what an album it is. It’s doom-filled, slithering, brutal, and bloody, and the eight-track, 49-minute record will remind you how ugly and evil death metal is supposed to sound. So great to have this crew back together, and long may they reign in tyranny.  (May 24)

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

25. WITCHSORROW, “God Curse Us” (Metal Blade) – The English trio Witchsorrow sometimes catch grief for their sound, that can sound similar to Electric Wizard, but this band is hardly some knock-off act. The band’s chops have improved markedly since their debut record, and they slowly, drubbingly tell their tales of witches and other horrors. On top of that, the title cut is one of their best songs to date, with a chorus that should make you smirk with evil glee. Killer sophomore set. (May 28)

To buy the album, go here: http://www.indiemerchstore.com/item/14953/

24. INDESINENCE, “Vessels of Light and Decay” (Profound Lore) – Profound Lore seemingly teased the world all year long about the greatness of the record, its importance to the label, and the incredible book-bound treatment the record would get. Well, the music finally arrived, and it turns out the six-years-in-the-making follow up to their “Noctambulism” debut was everything boasted, a powerful, dream-influenced record that runs for 62 impressive minutes. This band is the future of death metal, and it all truly started with this album. (Oct. 16)

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

23. OAK PANTHEON, “From a Whisper” (Broken Limbs Recordings) – The world isn’t exactly at a shortage of atmospheric, woodsy black metal that practically hails Agalloch as source material. But sometimes a band uses that formula (and maybe not explicitly) and really gets it right, like Oak Pantheon did with their breathtaking debut. The songs are flushed with emotion, the musical compositions show depth and imagination, and the lyrics are personal and, at times, vulnerable. It’s amazing to me that this band didn’t get more attention across the board this year, as this band overflows with promise and musical ambition. Search them out and be ahead of the curve. (Sept. 25)

To buy the album, go here: http://oakpantheon.bandcamp.com/

Or here (CD currently sold out, though) http://brokenlimbsrecordings.bandcamp.com/merch

22. BLACK BREATH, “Sentenced to Life” (Southern Lord) – Blackened hardcore maulers Black Breath don’t seem able to do anything even remotely disappointing. Their third full-length is chock full of filthy, menacing songs that sound violent and will get you stomped at a live show. With Southern Lord’s current penchant for unearthing underground hardcore bands, they’re going to be hard pressed to top what Black Breath brings to the table, as each time they report back with a new record, they top themselves as far as bleakness and poke-in-the-eye sarcasm are concerned. “Sentenced” also is one of my favorite album covers of the year. (March 27)

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

21. CHRISTIAN MISTRESS, “Possession” (Relapse) – As far as traditional, pure heavy metal is concerned, you’re hard pressed to deny Christian Mistress do it better than anyone. Led by the smoky, sexy, charismatic vocals of Christine Davis and a dual-guitar attack that would have sounded innovative in 1980 (I mean that as a compliment), the band scores again and again with this excellent nine-track album that’ll make you want to sit in a candlelit room with a libation and some wolves and just rock the fuck out. Check out “Pentagram and Crucifix,” “Black to Gold” and “Haunted Hunted,” and meet your new obsession. (Feb. 28)

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

Today we begin our countdown of Meat Mead Metal’s Top 40 albums of 2012, a listing of our favorite metal recordings from the year. Come back each day for more of the list. Beginning Dec. 24, we’ll begin our Top 5 and reveal a new entry each day, leading to No. 1 being revealed Dec. 31. OK. Let’s go.

40. CASTLE, “Blacklands” (Van/Prosthetic) – San Francisco doom trio Castle put out a fun, dark, raucous sophomore album originally released by Van. Then the band was picked up by Prosthetic – great signing – who then re-released the record to a wider audience. Singer/bassist Elizabeth Blackwell dresses these songs with her smoky voice, and on a couple turns, guitarist Mat Davis takes over when these tracks need a growlier tone. Strong album steeped in traditional doom.  (April 28)

To buy the album, go here: http://www.indiemerchstore.com/item/16146/

39. DRUDKH, “Eternal Turn of the Wheel” (Season of Mist) – The last couple of albums, Ukrainian black metal story weavers and traditional poetry enthusiasts Drudkh have visited more folk-infused sounds and lighter colors. But on “Eternal Turn of the Wheel,” the band returned to their thornier, heavier sounds found on their earlier records and put to rest any notions that they had shelved their true black metal threads. Yes, there remain some quieter, Euro folk-style sections, but they act as texture to otherwise crushing and cascading sounds. Nice return to form.  (Feb. 24)

To buy the album, go here: http://e-shop.season-of-mist.com/en

38. BLOOD OF THE BLACK OWL, “Light the Fires!” (Bindrune Recordings) – The long-standing project spearheaded by Chet W. Scott is one of metal’s most bizarre and enthralling. The folk-infused black, doom, and prog metal always sounds as if it was created and recorded in the heart of the forest, and the throaty, abrasive vocals either can be a slam dunk or turn off for listeners. I always liked his vocal work and the music of Blood of the Black Owl, and “Light the Fires!” arguably is the best record under the banner yet. Really great music to enjoy in the autumn. (Sept. 9)

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

37. NIHILL, “Verdonkermaan” (Hydra Head) – This Netherlands black metal trio makes some of the scariest, most expansive sounds going, and the final piece of their triptych finally arrived this year and, as expected, left us mesmerized. Playing along the lines of bands such as Deathspell Omega and Blut Aus Nord, their music takes some time and patience to understand and absorb, but it’s always worth the effort. This record is no exception, though it might help newcomers to the band to visit the first two installments before tackling this album. You still may enjoy the nightmarish sounds you hear, but taking the first two steps will give you added depth. (Aug. 21)

To buy the album, go here: http://www.bluecollardistro.com/hydrahead/categories.php?cPath=4

36. HOODED MENACE, “Effigies of Evil” (Relapse) – This Finnish metal beast always had its head immersed in classic horror and old zombie films, and their third full-length “Effigies” is more blood-soaked goodness. They still are ugly and beastly, and this time they add vampires to the mix (the old, terrifying kind, not that new bullshit of film and TV), and their new record is just a blast of a listen. Also notable is the band’s arrival at Relapse, marking a larger distribution arm for the Hooded Menace, so their grisly, web-filled doom metal can reach more vulnerable ears. Excellent. (Sept. 11)

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

35. SPLIT CRANIUM, self-titled (Hydra Head) – This awesome, blistering association of members of Finnish maulers and all-around crazy people Circle and work-a-holic Aaron Turner resulted in one of the year’s most underrated albums. The eight-track collection of crusty punk and hardcore-flavored metal feels loose and organic, and Turner just howls with reckless abandon on these songs like he hasn’t done in years. It’s a monstrous album but also one that’s really fun to hear when played at top volume. Even better news than this album existing in the first place is there’s potentially more to come. (March 20)

To buy the album, go here: http://www.bluecollardistro.com/hydrahead/categories.php?cPath=4

34. PORTA NIGRA, “Fin de Siecle” (Debemur Morti) – This German duo had their collective heads in pre-World War times and the disappearance of darker artistic ambitions. So they put themselves into the shoes of people at that time and dreamt of creating a new type of decadent art. Their dark metal on their debut record is both grisly and enthralling, and they manage to come up with one of the year’s most infectious songs on “Megalomaniac.” Great new band. Can’t wait to hear where their warped ambitions take them next.  (Nov. 16)

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

33. PIG DESTROYER, “Book Burner” (Relapse) – It had been five long years since we heard from grindcore crushers Pig Destroyer, but it was worth the wait once “Book Burner” finally was revealed. The band went back to their shorter, more violent songs, though they do keep intact some of their headier compositions that fold doom and death metal into the picture. The songs are furious, potentially offensive in spots, obsessed with psychosis and violence, and guaranteed to beat your ass. (Oct. 22)

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

32. ROYAL THUNDER, “CVI” (Relapse) – Borderline as far as metal goes, admittedly, but Royal Thunder certainly have made of tidal wave of new followers among extreme music denizens. Their debut full-length was a revelation as far as the vocal prowess of Mlny Parsonz, and the rest of the band backed her up with sludgy, sometimes bluesy hammerings that made for great, catchy rock songs and the emergence of one of the most promising new bands anywhere. They take to the road with Enslaved next year, a trip that could break the band even further into metallic hearts. (May 22)

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

31. CONAN, “Mennos” (Burning World/Gravedancer) – Stoner doom trio Conan want to drub you into submission. They’re heavy, yes, and their music is best experienced at maximum volume. But this album feels like a relentless gut punch served up again and again. Their music is a little laid back as well, so you’re not being driven full speed into a wall, but again, that doesn’t mean you won’t be bruised. “Grim Tormentor” is one of my favorite metal songs of the year, and its head-bobbing melody lines sticks in my head for days on end. That’s the sign of a good band and quality material. Go get this. (April 2)

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

Monday we will begin counting down Meat Mead Metal’s 40 favorite metal albums of 2012, one week earlier than we did last year. It’s been an exhausting process putting together this year’s rundown, but anything worth it is going to require some grunt work.

Before we get to that countdown, I want to take a look at some releases from the past year that aren’t full-length efforts but certainly still deserve mention as some of the finest recordings of 2012. In fact, putting together this list was more challenging than I expected it would be, mostly because I didn’t realize how many quality EPs, splits, demos, and other smaller releases were actually out there. So let’s stop bullshitting and talk about some of these pieces of work.

Anyone who’s read this site with any regularity or who were around for last year’s Top 40 knows the love we have for Minnesota-based black metal dreamers FALSE. Their debut was our top record of last year, and they also made for one of my favorite live shows this year, when they pulled into The Mr. Roboto Project for a scathing, violent, two-song set that was a battle for singer Rachel to endure because she seemed under the weather. But they fucking destroyed. Another great new band from last year was Barghest, a nasty, hate-filled black metal outfit that’s a little more traditional and filth-based and makes you feel like your face is being grinded away when you hear their music. This year, the two bands teamed up for as split that never ceases to blow me away, no matter how many times I hear it.

Gilead Media put out the split effort, and I remember Adam Bartlett telling me how blown away I was going to be about FALSE’s 18-minute epic “Heavy as a Church Tower” and the non-human nature of Rachel’s vocals on the cut, and he may have undersold it. It’s a blistering, exhaustive, dramatic, relentlessly heavy track that, as the band is wont to do, covers everything from black metal, to death, to power. There are glorious keyboards, a drum assault that’ll burst blood vessels, and vocals filled with violence and anguish. Awesome stuff. Can’t wait for their next release. As for Barghest, they’re dirty and mean as always, going off on their two tracks that each are about eight minutes in length. One is brand new, one is an older track, and both are explosive warheads filled with poison and nails. You’ll feel like you got your ass kicked by a street gang when they’re done, and I’m also quite interested in hearing what they blow up next. Killer release.

For more on FALSE go here: http://gileadmedia.bandcamp.com/album/untitled-2

For more on Barghest, go here: http://www.facebook.com/barghestsoulless?ref=ts&fref=ts

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

Brooklyn’s Mortals are one of those bands that really needs signed. Right now. Seriously, what are people waiting for? The band’s self-released new “Death Ritual” EP not only infused new music into the scene, it also showed an incredible growth for the band, with more complex, expansive songs, and a killer production that made this recording sound massive and crushing. There are but two tracks on this collection, with a total combined run time of over 15 minutes, and while it may seem like a small morsel, these ladies manage to take that time and use it to leave mega bruises with their sludgy, doomy metal. Someday a label’s going to get super lucky when they sign these banshees, and by that point, Mortals may be ready to capture the world.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://mortals.bandcamp.com/

Deathspell Omega put out on of the year’s more surprising releases with their “Drought” EP. Well, that’s surprising for them because their music generally is so dissonant and bizarre that to hear them put together a collection of more straightforward black metal pieces is kind of alarming. But that’s what they did on this six-track, 21-minute collection that shows a completely different side of the band. At the same time, the songs here are still more warped and imaginative than most other black metal bands’ creations these days, so it’s not like they abandoned their mission. I’d expect the next DSO will be as fucked up as anything else in their catalog, but for now, it was cool to hear what they could do with something more digestible.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://e-shop.season-of-mist.com/en

Two bands that aren’t necessarily pure metal but that certainly have crossover appeal are Alaric and Atriarch, and both seemed to have different paths after the release of their split effort on 20 Buck Spin. Atriarch went on to sign with Profound Lore and put out their haunting, psychologically marring “Ritual of Passing,” while Alaric, at least temporarily, dissolved. Luckily, cooler heads prevailed, and their heady, bruising deathrock lives on, which is a relief as their contributions to this split are infectious and churning. Atriarch are great at making everyone feel uncomfortable, and they do a lot of that with their two songs, especially the utterly scathing “Oblivion,” which is a perfect song for your holiday season.

For more on Atriarch, go here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ATRIARCH/241062512127

For more on Alaric, go here: http://www.facebook.com/alaricband?ref=ts&fref=ts

To buy the album, go here: http://www.20buckspinshop.com/0

It’s been a big year for NYC black metal crushers Mutilation Rites, signing with Prosthetic Records and putting out their debut full-length “Empyrean,” a release you’re probably going to hear more about next week. Just saying. But before they got to that point, they put out two mangling EPs on two different labels that hinted to the chaos ahead. First up was “Devoid,” a four-track album that came out on Forcefield Records that showed the promise most of us knew was in the band. Then they topped themselves with “I Am Legion,” a blood-spurting, three-track release put out by Gilead Media around the same time the full-length landed on CD (the label released the vinyl version of “Empyrean” later in the year). This band crushed on all cylinders this year, and I’m really excited to see where they go in the future.

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

To buy “Devoid,” go here: http://www.forcefieldrecords.org/store/

To buy “I Am Legion,” go here: http://www.gileadmedia.net/store/

Broken Limbs Recordings had an aggressive year, putting out a great deal of releases and even having one of their discoveries signed to Century Media, that being Vattnet Viskar, whose self-titled EP seemed to have moved a ton of people following its release. But they put out a lot more releases that went sort of under the radar, and many of them fell into the smaller collection category, including impressive stuff from Fhoi Myore, Deafest (which is rad as fuck, and if you like grimy black metal, you’ll dig this heavily), Unsacred, Hunter’s Ground, and the Cara Neir/Ramlord split. This label is giving a lot of underground bands a chance to be heard, and arguably the best record they put out this year we will discuss again next week. I’m excited to see where they go in 2013 and what undiscovered gems they unearth.

To buy or sample any of these recordings, go here: http://brokenlimbsrecordings.bandcamp.com/

Obviously, these are just a few releases we wanted to mention in detail, but there are plenty others worth your time including Pelican’s “Ataraxia/Taraxis” on Southern Lord; the Locrian/Mamiffer collaborative project “Bless Those That Curse You,” out on Profound Lore; two fine releases from Northless, including their split with Light Bearer and their excellent new 10-inch “Valley of Lead,” both out on Halo of Flies; Hydra Head made some final noise with the Mamiffer/Pyramids split and the JK Flesh/Prurient effort we discussed this past week; and the killer Inverloch EP “Dusk/Subside,” out on Relapse.

When I started Meat Mead Metal last year, I didn’t know what would really happen. I didn’t know if people would read it or even care, and I didn’t plan to whore it out all over the place because I didn’t want to be obnoxious. I wanted the thing to grow organically and gradually. I’m pretty damn happy with how things have gone.

Here we are, 1.5 years after launch, and we’re getting ready to unveil our Top 40 albums of 2012, beginning Monday, Dec. 17. I’m really excited to have compiled the list (and I’m still battling with myself a bit over some of the rankings) and having a chance to get some comments from the bands listed near the top. You can read those from Dec. 24 through Dec. 31, taking a break on 12/25 for Christmas. It’s a landmark series for the site, and I can’t wait to get it going.

Even more astonishing to me than the increased readership this year, the retweets and Facebook posts by various labels and bands directed to my work, and now again being featured on a band’s main site, is the submissions from readers with links to their own groups’ recordings. It might sound silly, but I was flattered to get so many unsolicited submissions yet a little angry with myself that I didn’t get to a lot of them. Well, I didn’t ignore any of you and I listened to everything sent my way (at least I think I did), and today I want to present a few of the recordings I liked the most. I am making a promise to myself and you, the readers, that I will pay greater attention to this area next year so that bands looking for some honest feedback to their work, and a way to get their name out to more people, can be done through us. So thanks to everyone who sent me their music. I’m flattered you think that much of my opinion.

First up is Denver-based, filthy doom crushers In the Company of Serpents, a band that is a rock-n-roll-punished brand of grit that reminds of High on Fire, Motorhead, and Black Sabbath. The music is riff-fueled and roughed up, which gives the songs a proper sense of grime, and the two-headed beast of Grant Netzorg (guitars and vocals) and Joseph Weller Myer do an excellent job bringing the thunder and storming madness to the five cuts found on their self-titled debut. After a fitting, smoking intro, the band tramples into the bad-ass, bluesy “Dirtnap”; the melodic, crunch-filled “Immolation,” that will burn you down; slow-driving, molten lava-filled “Malice”; and epic closer “Canto III Inferno,” a punishing song that also gets dressed in drone, trancey fog, and howled vocals. This is a killer effort from a band that, after a little more seasoning, will be ready to sign up with in indie metal label. They also sound like they’d be excellent to hear if you were in your backyard burning a bunch of shit or trying to find something that’ll help you blow off some steam from the week. Remember them. I know I will.

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

To buy or download their album, go here: http://inthecompanyofserpentsdoom.bandcamp.com/

Triple-headed doom-sludge band Tome hail from Ireland, and their “MMXII” demo is a one-two gut punch that’ll leave you heaving for air. The music is lo-fi and super muddy, and the vocals are practically buried underneath 10,000 pounds of rock. The two songs “In Fire and Ash” and “Void Cantation” basically act like one piece, with “In Fire” having more of the growling and Sabbath-style affinities, while  “Void” is built more on noise and ear-piercing instrumental madness. It’s a really hellish, dark experience, and it’s worth tracking down if you like truly roughed-up, abrasive doom. It can be downloaded from their Bandcamp site (find the link below), and they actually sold out of their original running of green cassettes. Into the Void picked up from there and put it out on blue, and it’ll serve you well if you feel like being crushed to death in under 20 minutes. I could see Southern Lord, in their current mind frame, potentially being interested in this band down the road.

For more on the band, go here: http://www.facebook.com/tomedoom?ref=ts&fref=ts

To download the album, go here: http://tomedoom.bandcamp.com/

To buy the cassette go here: http://www.intothevoidrecords.com/shop/

If ever there was a band born and bred to be signed by Hell’s Headbangers Records, it is Israel’s Promiscuity, a black-n-roll band that blends charred death metal and thrash along with sweet leads and riffs most American bands forgot how to play years ago, and it all makes for one hell of a great time. Their music makes me think of the glory days of the first wave of black metal and bands such as Venom and Hellhammer, but they also make me sink a bit into “Wolverine Blues”-era Entombed. Of all the readers submissions that landed in my inbox, this was the one I had the most fun hearing, and I’ve gone back again and again. “Infernal Rock n Roll” kicks off with a sample of “Rock Around the Clock” that wraps and snaps, only to have these three guys – Butcher, Werewolf, and Dekapitator — rush in for the assault. “Crime and Punishment” also is a blast and gives you one hell of a kick in the ass; while “Gybenhinnom” is a little dirtier and nastier, but it still has rock-solid chops and incredibly fun guitar work that will sound great with a cold beer. Or a hundred. Metal can be a little too serious sometimes and often forgets to be fun. Promiscuity solve that problem a hundred-fold. Great stuff.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://infernalrocknroll.bandcamp.com/

Swedish duo Walls of the Eyeless are an ambitious, aggressive group to put it lightly. Their music can be compared, roughly, to Cult of Luna and Altar of Plagues, and they certainly give you no time to rest during their music. Their songs are constructed of a ton of different parts, and if you’re not paying close attention, you can lose your place in a hurry. That’s the one criticism I have of the band’s music is that they have a little too much going on. You don’t get a chance to really know what these guys are about because they change things up so much, but they certainly show a ton of promise. Opener “The Hands” has one of the better guitar riffs I’ve heard anywhere in metal all year. Fresh and inventive work, and that grabbed my attention right away. That’s a major strength throughout this “Through Emptiness” demo. “Do We Belong Here” has some classical guitar work and ambiance; “Wall of the Eyeless” has thick growls, more solid guitar work, and suddenly a proggy section that soars into space. Closer “The Rain Song” is heavy, yet melodic, takes on a primitive feel, then thrashes sort of like early Prong. Good stuff, and with some self-editing and focus, they could be scary.

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

To get the album, go here: http://walloftheeyeless.bandcamp.com/

Or here: http://walloftheeyeless.bigcartel.com/

It would seem there would be no worse place imaginable than hell. Maybe Baltimore. But at least they have the Inner Harbor. Hell likely would not have that, or much water. Of course, what is hell? A fiery place with caverns, fires, and devils? A boiling pit of lava? Or is it something else?

People often talk about experiencing hell on Earth, and that can mean all kinds of things. One can be in great pain or stress, and that could end up feeling like the ultimate torture. Or perhaps a person is overwhelmed by personal demons and psychological matters, and the very idea of existence could be the most unfair, inhumane thing imaginable. I could see how that might feel like hell, and the very experience of such misfortune could seem like being baked alive over hot coals.

Whatever the case, hell is bound to be one of those concepts that means something different to everyone. It’s one of the things that initially intrigued me about the band Hell and their bleak, tortured, death-swarming doom metal that’s become some of the most morose and humbling on the planet. There are many bands that take the name Hell, including the English NWOBHM band that recently released a comeback album on Nuclear Blast, but the incarnation we will discuss today is a one-man project led by M.S.W. that calls Portland, Ore., home. Over three full-length albums and two split recordings, Hell has become a project that’s gotten darker with every turn and musically more astonishing with each release.

“III” is the newest document from M.S.W. (“I” was released in 2009, while “II” surfaced in 2010), and it’s also one of the most haunting he’s conjured yet. Consisting of two, epic-length tracks, the album captivates and terrifies at the same time. There are levels of great beauty and valleys of extreme horrors that comprise the landscape of this album, and just gazing at the stunning album art (the cassette inlay folds out into a poster) gives you a great indication of the journey ahead of you. Like-minded acts? Thou, Pallbearer, Dragged Into Sunlight would do.

The album opens with “Mourn,” and 18-minute journey full of tumult and passion. The song opens cleanly, with trickling guitars and solemn passages before it completely ignites and catches full conflagration. From there, total gut-mangling sludge doom erupts, with beastly growls, gazey playing, and a fog of anger and frustration blanketing the terrain. “Falling from your heavens, to the hellish dirt of our hellish Earth,” M.S.W. yells in pained, lacerated howls, almost as if you can imagine him bleeding to death as his mangled body tries to pull itself over rock and dirt. Drone bleeds in and noise takes over, with moaning and delicate strings raining down over the chaos.

“Decedere,” which means simply “to die,” is breathtaking from the very start. Again we begin clean, with cellos and other sounds sweeping in and building a base, and melody lines bubbling up and down again. The volume and tempo rise ever so slowly, letting the drama take hold, and once things begin to hit a fevered pitch, a female voice erupts with an angelic aria that feels like it’s carrying with it the curtains of death. M.S.W.’s wails return and sprinkle the song with potent anguish, and the pace settles back into a temporary sense of ease. Then it kicks back up on a trad-heavy guitar line. From there, the track opens back up, and beams of hellish light burst forth, with more throaty growls, gazey lead guitar work, and a long silence that stretches out only to be broken up by another guitar assault and noisy warbling that mangles the senses. By the time this track is done, you’ll be completely spent.

I’ve spent a lot of time with “III” since downloading it (legally, might I add), and it’s been a great, thoughtful companion during nighttime walks, while working, or simply while thinking. It’s a record you have to experience with your mind devoted to fully comprehend. It’s an emotionally moving, spiritually wrecking album, and it’s a fitting, climactic final piece to this trilogy. There has been a lot of doom that’s come out this year, and a lot of it good, but little of it compares to this incredible album that is the crown jewel of Hell’s nightmarish catalog.

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

To buy the album (digital or physical), go here: http://loweryourhead.bandcamp.com/album/hell-iii

And here: http://www.eternalwarfare.org/?page=viewitem&item=81&view=all

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

It is with a heavy heart and a great deal of sadness that we have come to the end of the line, the final new release from Hydra Head Records. The label announced earlier in the year that they would be closing shop for various reasons. The industry sucks, money sucks, and the bands they champion, for the most part, aren’t exactly ones that rack up gigantic sales. It’s just a perfect storm of badness that the world has lost one of the most vibrant, creative, unpredictable, and trustworthy sources of new music, and for that we should all be sad.

HHR has a point about the artists they sign. They’re not easy nuts to crack, and many of them probably serve that niche audience, a smaller group of people who want something more challenging than even what indie labels have to offer. Let’s not even discuss mainstream art, for fuck’s sake, because that’s beyond dead. But, as a music writer with tons of new records to review each year, so many of which sound exactly the same, it was always great to hear from HHR. They opened my eyes to band such as Bergraven, Nihill, Oxbow, the Austerity Program, Pelican, and Old Man Gloom, not to mention hugely important bands they helped break to the public such as Discordance Axis, Botch and Cave In.

After the announcement that they would fold their new music division, we got a few final releases from the likes of Mamiffer/Pyramids and Jodis, and now the record we’ll discuss today, the split album featuring JK Flesh and Prurient. But there also was some hopeful news floated on the label’s website just before this collection dropped. HHR is trying its best to live on in a new incarnation, one where they can still serve up reissued versions of older titles and provide copies of their entire catalog like they have all along. That way, although you might not be able to get a new HHR release from, say, Big Business, at least you still would be able to grab a hold of their older stuff. The label has a rehabilitation sale going on, and a link to that will be provided below, so if you care about the music Hydra Head has released since its inception and want to see them live on in some version, check out what they have to offer and buy a few things. There’s a lot of cool stuff to be had, and if you happen to have a lot of money burning a hole in your pocket, you can find some rare things you can’t just get anywhere, such as a test pressing of the whole HHR catalog.

Keep all that in mind, but we’re really here today to talk about “Worship Is the Cleansing of the Imagination,” a punchy little title and one that should hit cheeks particularly hard as we’re in the midst of the holiday season and the deadly, albeit imaginary, war on Christmas… The collection actually sums of perfectly the label’s assertion that they release music that doesn’t have widespread appeal. Both artists’ music can be a little tough to welcome and embrace for non-ambitious listeners — and let’s face it, that’s most people — and their penchant for heady, dream-state, ambient-style music eliminates them from Billboard glory. But for us who love and pay adulation to such styles of music, this is a perfect an ending for HHR imaginable.

JK Flesh is the latest name/project adopted by the great Justin Broadrick, who has made some of the most inventive and influential music in the so-called “extreme music” genre with Godflesh, Napalm Death, and Jesu, among others. His music always is full of heart and soul, and even when it’s grinding industrial gears and scraping across the landscape, it maintains a level of humanity and vulnerability that makes Broadrick’s music shine. The three songs he contributes to this split effort continue that trend, but he delves back into his Godfleshier days more so than he has in quite some time. It’s also stabbier and more violent than Broadrick has been in a while, and that’s a nice thing to hear from him.

“Fear of Flesh” is Broadrick’s first selection on the record, and it opens with steely beats, screamy, abrasive vocals, and a heavily industrial bend that feels like steel beams over your head sparking. Windy wooshes mix in with the mechanical madness eventually, and the song takes you into “Deceiver.” That track is full of noisy moans, haunting arrangements, and what seems like machines becoming self-aware and going off on humanity. “Obedient Automaton” wraps up Broadrick’s end of the deal with zapping synthesizers, layers of noise, minimal vocals buried underneath sound, and a penetrating outer layer that refuses to allow you to slip into total concentration.

JK Flesh is a cool amalgamation of all the things Broadrick does well, and it’s a little bit like a trip through his creative history. Also, if you like what you hear from Broadrick on this project, check out his other 2012 JK Flesh release “Posthuman,” that was released by Daymare and 3BY3. It doesn’t appear that this man is running low on his creative fuel, and I’m really interested to see where he takes this project next.

Prurient is the long-standing project by Ian Dominick Fernow, and if you can say you’ve collected every piece of his releases, then I congratulate you. That could not have been an easy endeavor as the amount of Prurient releases in nearly impossible to count. Fernow has released his music on a variety of labels, from Hospital to Important to Hydra Head, and he has so much creative energy, it’s mind boggling to imagine how he keeps this machine moving forward. In that sense (and in many others) he’s perfectly matched with Broadrick. Neither of these two men seem to take a break, and every time you turn your head, they’re dreaming up something new.

Fernow’s approach is spacier and more atmospheric. It’s a calming, soothing display that’s a nice come down from (or preparation for, depending which side you tackle first) Broadrick’s thornier work. Here you have a chance to mellow out and float away, such as on opener “Chosen Books,” a track that’s painted with crashing noises and plane propeller-like drone that soars into the sky. “Entering the Water” is a total trance out, with a steady bed of ambiance acting as the base and a swarm of noise that erupts over you, retreats, regroups, and blows in again. It’s easy to get caught up in the patterns and imagine underwater colonies and beings going about their daily business. “I Understand You” closes things out with a grimy top layer, and a cool, shimmery bottom end that lets you meditate and freak out at the same time.

Fernow’s work always perplexes and satisfies, and he adds some neat new clouds of gases here on his portion of “Worship Is the Cleansing of the Imagination.” Whether it’s here with Prurient, with any of his other projects, or even playing live keys with Cold Cave, Fernow is an artist who deserves your attention and intrigue. Even if only a handful of people in a crowd will get him, he’ll keep doing his best to come up with something even more adventurous than what preceded it.

I’d also like to thank Hydra Head Records not only for releasing great, challenging music that always kept me guessing but also for always being great to work with. There’s never been a request I made of them, either when I worked for The Daily News here in Pittsburgh or this site here, that went unattended. So major thank you to all of them. Good luck to everyone there, and I look forward to buying from them well into the future, even if it isn’t a brand new piece of music.

For more on JK Flesh, go here: http://justinkbroadrick.blogspot.com/

For more on Prurient, go here: http://prurient.bandcamp.com/

To check out HHR’s rehabilitation site sale, go here: http://www.realtomatoketchup.com/

To buy the split album, go here: http://www.bluecollardistro.com/hydrahead/categories.php?cPath=4

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

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again here: If your band can make me tilt my head, be it out of confusion or intrigue, half the battle’s been won as far as swaying me to spend time with your music. Not that I’m the king of music or anything. But I’m an avid listener, and I like to be knocked from my seat now and again.

At the same time, there’s also such thing as a little too much oddness, which can lead to uneasy shivering and a tendency to want to retreat and not return. That’s after repeated listens, mind you, because if at first something makes my bowels quiver because I’m uncomfortable, I have a much better chance of going back to figure out what confused me so much. In fact, some of my favorite bands had that initial effect on me before I retraced my steps and learned to absorb what was being presented to me.

Then there are bands that strike somewhere in the middle of all of that, groups that certainly have something interesting and unique going on, but for as many times as I visit, I can’t call their surroundings home. It’s a place I like to visit now and again, not set up real estate ventures and find a favorite local pub. New UK doom outfit Black Magician perfectly embody what I’m describing here on their debut record “Nature Is the Devil’s Church” (the first-ever release for Shaman Recordings). They have rivers of personality and charisma, they play a foggy style of ’60s and ’70s doom rock and metal, and their compositions are boiling cauldrons waiting to spill over onto the floor. Their sound would go great with candlesticks burning at length, dusty bookcases, and weird potions you’re working to perfect. They are vintage. They don’t just sound that way.

There are many bands to which I can point as reference material, from Black Sabbath to Cathedral to Coven to Candlemass, and it seems like the band cut off most of their musical influences somewhere in the 1980s. Their lyrical and spiritual content goes back centuries further. Their style is filled to the brim with alchemy, old-time magic, evil folklore, and spooky walks in a haunted countryside, and they do an excellent job conveying all of these things.

So, where’s the problem? Most of it falls in the lap of vocalist Liam Yates, as expressive and engaging a singer as you’re going to find in doom, but one whose style certainly is not for everyone. I count myself among that contingent, because it’s the one element of the record that has kept me at an arm’s length. He growls and moans and tells his tales, and at that he’s quite effective, but it always sounds like he’s singing the exact same thing. Like, if you lifted his vocals from one song and placed them into another, you wouldn’t know the difference. His cadence and patterns never change, and as maniacal as he can be, I think he’d be even more effective it he found a way to exercise some variety in his delivery. I want to feel like I’m hearing a new story with every song, not the same one told over new music. I might be alone in this assessment, and I can see where some listeners might really like what he does. We’ll call it personal preference.

“The Foolish Fire” trickles from the gates, full of smoking keyboards and eerie intentions, but it’s a mere introduction that runs into “Full Plain I See, The Devil Knows How to Row,” a song dripping with organs, Sabbath-style doom guitar work, and darkness and plague slithering across the land. It is here we first hear from Yates, as he tyrannically begins turning the pages and reciting the horrors in front of him. It’s a strange, unconventional approach, but as much as I may not have fully enjoyed his vocals, I did pay attention. “Four Thieves Vinegar” has sickness and decay eradicating masses, as bell and crows signal the coming death, and a blues-style shuffle erupts on guitar. “God’s wrath begins to spread,” Yates howls, and the sense of dread is thick.

“Of Ghosts and Their Worship” certainly is aptly named, as the presence of the dead hangs over this song like a black cloud, and there even are elements of hillside folk music that goes along with this cut and adds a rustic sense of spookiness. The 15:21 closer “Chattox” tackles the Pendle witch trials of 1612, and, perhaps more specifically, the case of Annie Whittle. The song slithers along as doom should, though there are some power metal-influenced leads tucked into places, and the lyrics tackle issues of faith, torment, power, persecution, and murder. It’s an unsettling epic, and although Yates’ vocals remain unchanged stylistically, they do fit the subject matter and add an icy uneasiness to it all.

Despite my aversion to the vocals, this was a fun listen all the times I spent with it. I’m not sure it’ll be a go-to doom record for me, but I could see taking future trips with it from time to time, especially when things begin to rot and decay in the autumn. I also encourage you to experience Yates’ work for yourself, because I fully admit it’s likely a personal feeling, and some listeners are bound to love his vocals. This is a fitting record for absorption in a dimly-lit room, with choice spirits, and willingness to reach beyond realms. You might end up scaring the hell out of yourself.

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

To buy the album, go here: http://www.shamanrecordings.com/releases/black-magician-nature-is-the-devils-church/

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

I appreciate unpredictability in a band when the people involved can pull it off just right. Not everyone does, mind you. There’s a good reason some bands just stay the course and do what they do well for as long as they can, and there’s nothing wrong with that strategy. But some artists feel compelled to grow and change.

The Toronto-based duo Nadja have about a million full-length, split/collaboration, and EP releases to their credit, and I defy you to find two that sound alike. I don’t have all of their recordings personally, though I’ve heard just about every one of them, and they seem incapable of repeating themselves. Aidan Baker (guitars, vocals, other stuff) and Leah Buckareff (bass, vocals, other stuff) always seem to have something new up their sleeves, and when they’re ready to unleash their latest creation, it’s always safe to throw all expectations out the window.

Nadja have recorded for a number of labels including Profound Lore, The End, Crucial Blast, and Alien8, but their latest record “Dagdrøm” is out on their own label Broken Spine Productions, set up as an outlet for Nadja’s, Baker’s, and any other related project’s music. They’re keeping things in house, and for a band as diverse and ambitious as Nadja, that’s probably a wise choice, because that way there are no weird expectations or demands. Baker and Buckareff are free to create whatever moves them, not that they necessarily felt handcuffed in the past, and they can have ultimate control over their art and how it’s presented.

One thing Nadja always did very well was create moods. Often, their songs were long soundscapes that could lull you into an intellectual slumber before you were jarred awake by piercing fuzz or drubbing doom or something to pull you suddenly from the fog. They always made great concentration music, and their “Bliss Torn From Emptiness” was an album I listened to practically on loop a few years ago when I was working on a major project at my last job. It kept me stimulated but calm, and while it promoted and encouraged my creativity (the little of it I was allowed to employ at that position) it never distracted. Much of Nadja’s music feels that way, but there’s something wholly different about ” Dagdrøm.” The record is far more conventional than what these two normally conjure, and they work toward making music that could be understood and embraced by a wider audience. It’s still widely smeared with noise and fuzz, but it’s a step in a new direction.

A slight disclaimer about the paragraph above: Conventional for Nadja does not mean formulaic or boring. They have their own style of making more traditional types of songs, but their way still is way different than what 99 percent of other bands are doing. We’re still talking songs that top out at 10 minutes or more, and there’s a very Nadja way of going about these tracks that still keep them in their own universe, and they’re not trying to find favor in someone else’s. A good reference point would be their 2009 covers album “When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV,” where they revealed a glimpse of what they could do with other people’s work, only to put their own spin and gloss on it. It was something dramatically different, but it made sense. So does “Dagdrøm,”

There are four tracks on this record, and there are some slight reference points as far as sound goes, but none are spot on. I can hear bits and pieces of My Bloody Valentine, Xasthur, early Smashing Pumpkins, and Sonic Youth, bands that all embrace heavy noise but also weave in tons of different things into the chaos. “One Sense Alone” opens the record gently, but not long after it bursts wide open, Baker sings underneath 100 million lbs. of sound, and a slight sense of Pink Floyd at their most cerebral and psychedelic bleeds in. It’s a song you can let wash over you and take you into a syrupy dream, though the doom punches always bring you back around again. “Falling Out of Your Head” reveals some attitude, something not usually a part of Nadja recordings, but the bluesy guitar lines, dusty vibe, and eventually tumultuous exclamation points pounded at the end of their melodies shows a new face. The song is fuzzed out, and bursting with personality, and it’s one of the biggest revelations on the album.

The title cut is flooded with heaviness and murk, but at the same time, it’s kind of blissed out. Once again, Baker’s vocals are buried under everything, but it works well that way because they almost act like dialog from a dream, and the effect of the whole piece feels like enveloping your head in a pillow case full of stars. The song is numbing and eventually slows its pace to a slurry crawl. The 14:11 closer “Space, Time, and Absence” cracks open, with the drums (courtesy of Mac McNeilly formerly of The Jesus Lizard) way up front and the fuzz at a minimum, and their commitment to flat-out rock never is been more apparent. There’s a structure that comes as close to verse-chorus as Nadja ever has (or possibly ever will), and elsewhere there are surging melodies and a trippy finish that caps off the story just right.

Once again Nadja have returned with a pleasant surprise of an album, something that forged yet another new path for this explorative duo. “Dagdrøm” is a vision all its own, stamped with the trademark Nadja philosophy, and it’s already made for hours of great listening. I’ll always heavily anticipate any piece of music this band puts out, because I know that no matter what they create, I’ll be taking an adventure to a place I’ve never been before.

For more on the band, go here: http://64.92.105.10/~coldsnap/aidan/nadja.htm

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

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