One of the great mysteries of our collective existences is what, if anything, lies beyond this plane. We all will face our demise, as it’s a guarantee we can’t bargain or argue our way out of, so the idea of going somewhere after we expire here on Earth is something of a comfort. Even the idea of living forever is unsettling, because it’s so hard to imagine existence stretching out and never ceasing for a second.

“Clandestine Transcendence” is the new long player from Lord Dying, their fourth overall and most musically diverse to date. On this 12-track, nearly hourlong excursion, the band—vocalist/guitarist Erik Olson, guitarist Chris Evans, bassist/vocalist Alyssa Maucere, drummer Kevin Swartz—tells of a fictional character The Dreamer, an immortal being who no longer wants the gift or curse of eternal life. The character is granted his wish, and this album explores the experiences he confronts beyond the wall of death. The band still packs their trademark sludgy punch, and there are some impossibly heavy moments on this record. But they stretch beyond that, adding exoanded melodic texture, some cleaner singing, and a more diverse set of tools that open up a world of possibilities.   

“The Universe Is Weeping” begins with guitars trickling and the haze picking up, and then the pace begins moving, Olson’s howls cutting through the smoke. The intensity continues until a washed-out end with Maucere repeating, “We know we’ve lost our way now.” “I AM NOTHING, I AM EVERYTHING” bludgeons from the get-go, leads dive bomb, and the trudging continues and mixes with soaring leads. Gritty howls push with the mauling tempo, adding sharp teeth and grit that ends in black metal-style dramatics. “Unto Becoming” is the first track that shows their foray into new territories, Olson’s singing sometimes sounding gothy, the pace taking on more of a rock feel. But it’s not without its crumbling and devastation, shrieks peeling as Olson calls, “We are the keepers beyond the light,” as everything crashes to the ground. “Final Push Into the Sun” blisters and mauls, raining fire from the heavens, the shrieks battering along with bellowing singing. Mystical weirdness and a synth cloud envelop, guitars lather, and a psychedelic edge takes over your mind. “Dancing on the Emptiness” is the longest track here, running 8:06 and getting off to a tempered start. The singing scars as dark guitars jangle, hypnotic winds picking up, playing growing more forceful. Atmospheric jolts mix with moody guitar work, and suddenly we’re deep into nighttime vibes, feeling like we’re travelling well past midnight as Olson calls, “We all fall apart.” “Facing the Incomprehensible” begins with ominous tones, shrieks punishing, a vicious pace leaving welts on your body. Doom waters grow darker, the playing batters bodies, and the guitar work heads toward the sun, tearing out hearts along the way.

“A Brief Return to Physical Form” is a quick, strange interlude with acoustics washing over rocks, disarming haziness spreading, and everything bleeding into “A Bond Broken by Death” that’s progressively fueled and bursts with life. Guitars zap as the singing digs deep, making for one of the more approachable tracks on the record, blending into rustic atmosphere. Later, metallic jolts leave burns, melodic fire licks steel, and the propulsive energy disappears into the sky. “Break in the Clouds (In the Darkness of Our Minds)” starts acoustically, Olson singing, “The Dreamer awakes at the gates of dawn, he waits for the sun, but the sun never comes.” The playing eventually lands heavy punches, battering with molten howls that trade off with dreamy singing, the leads lathering before a warped ending. “Soul Metamorphosis” opens with tricky guitars and fiery howls, melting into psyche madness, raw growls opening wounds. The playing floods and overwhelms, shrieks dice flesh, and the thrashing power delivers a vicious end. “Swimming in the Absence” makes your flesh tingle as deeper singing settles into your cells, the reflective pace also finding ways to be jostling. Spirited calls rise to the surface, sorrowful, yet heavy melodies dominate, and the final moments slowly dissolve into closer “The Endless Road Home” that’s blunt and harsh. Olson’s howls remind of Mike Patton in this sequence, and the playing is fluid and forceful, the vocals spitting as immersive guitars pull you under the surface. The melodies rush as Olson and Maucere merge voices, the pace burning and sizzling, giving the final visions a sense of finality for a journey ended.

“Clandestine Transcendence” stretches far beyond this plane of existence in impressive and expansive fashion, making for Lord Dying’s most comprehensive record to date. Those who demand their early days of all sludge might need to adjust, but open-minded listeners are in for one hell of an adventure with the Dreamer and this band that obviously is capable of so much more. I need to spend more time with this record for full immersion and understanding, but luckily that’s an excursion I’ll be happy to take to a realm I hope to not visit for a little while longer.   

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

To buy the album, go here: https://mnrkheavy.com/collections/lord-dying

Or here (Europe): https://mnrkheavy.eu/collections/lord-dying

For more on the label, go here: https://mnrkheavy.com/

For all the excitement people had over the dawning of a new year—and I hated 2023, so I see the point—we’re also that much closer to living in a system of fascism, especially here in the United States. Like, this year could very well signal the end of freedom and security for a lot of marginalized people and could strip back our voting rights. Paranoia? Hardly. Just look around you.

That also plays out on a global level, and “Depths,” the second record from black metal force Abhoria, acts as an anthology of tales about people living under crushing circumstances, their reactions to these things acting as pivotal life moments. The L.A.-based black metal band—vocalist Ben Pitts, guitarists Trevor Portz and Theo Romeo, bassist Igor Panasewicz, drummer JS—is aware of what’s happening around us, the suffering many people endure, and the power structures that let it happen. It’s not a concept record as each song tells a different story, but the struggles are woven together, making a devastating scene where people fight for their well-being, each tale not necessarily ending happily.

“Emergence” is a brief, menacing first cut with the guitars emerging from smoke, growls strangling, and terrors raining, leading into “The Inexorable Earth” that immediately punishes with speed and chaos. Shrieks go for the kill as melodic black metal bursts from the seams, sweeping into fire and death. Speed picks up as vicious playing lays waste, destroying to the end. “The Well” storms, the howls destroy psyches, and things suddenly come unglued, making your safety anything but assured. The path turns progressive as the leads soar, melodies crash down, and everything is consumed by fire. “Within Our Dominion” is sweeping and fast, a stunning force that turns into acidic growls and sludgy power. Shrieks rain down as melodies color the horizon, racing as power engorges, plastering with chaos that peaks and then powers out. “They Hunt at Night” attacks with the leads rushing, growls crushing, and the overall force leaning into your sanity. The playing drills hard, creating a stunning storm, melodies rushing as the thick bassline leaves ample bruising.

“Devour” snakes ominously, the growls tempering as a lurching pace makes your footing unsteady. Leads tangle as the shrieks strike, vicious mashing landing blows to your chest, surging until slowly fading away. “The Foundling” torches as shrieks dig into flesh, melodies gets thick and nasty, and black metal majesty spreads its wings. The playing then glimmers before the leads regain force and swelter, the growls energize, and the final jolts rip air from your lungs. “Ghosts in the Smoke” brings a fiery assault as the shrieks peel back flesh, and spiraling leads leave the room spinning dangerously. The soloing opens and stuns, fiery shrieks spread devastation, and the tornadic melodies leave carnage behind. Closer  “Winter’s Embrace” blasts in with strong leads, fiery vocals, and the attack drilling and smoking. The pressure mounts as the band heads into the eye of the storm, the shrieks loosen rocks, and the torrential downpour leaves you scrambling for high ground.

“Depths” reveals a hellish world where the most harrowing possibilities come true, and each track reveals a new nightmare that once seemed inconceivable. Abhoria’s approach injects drama and terror into their melodic black metal, adding nightmarish melodies and visions of a world permanently fractured. These scenarios aren’t so far-fetched, and depending what path this world decides to follow, we could find ourselves dealing with these situations sooner than we fear.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.prostheticrecords.com/products/abhoria-depths

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

First impressions are crucial, and while they might be a little unfair as a means of judging someone or something, it’s wired into our brains. Getting out of the gate hot isn’t necessarily make or break for a new band, but getting the upper hand right away can only help ease the path and build momentum for whatever’s to come in the future.

I say that because we have “Lutum,” the debut demo offering from Costa Rican death/doom beast Perishing, and if this is any indication of the power they harness, we could be on precipice of one of the deadlier forces for the last half of this decade. The band—vocalist J.Antonio Salas, guitarist Justin Sánchez, bassist José Pablo Phillips, drummer JM Arrea—wastes no time making their presence known, tearing through these tracks that feel like they crept from a crypt, darkening your soul along the way. This is a raw, devastating display, a great first step from a band that’s so embryonic that their online presence is miniscule, and we only know what we have on this first recording.

“Tenebrous Resurrection” starts as rumbling doom and death, the growls retching as the playing leans into morbid ugliness that swelters uncomfortably. The pace then picks up and bashes, landing punches before burning off. “Existential Rift” has guitars ripping and gruesome growls, laying waste as the doom haze thickens over your head. The bass drives as the playing gets thrashier, the drums destroying everything in its path. The guitars slice, the vocals lurch, and the mucky final bursts pile up the carnage. The title track trucks hard as the clouds darken, the growls swell, and menacing horrors run amok. The pressure builds as monstrous chaos multiplies, mud splatters, and the pace goes into overdrive, echoing out into hell. Closer “Nefarius Aquiescence” runs 7:15 and starts with echo-rich drumming before the pace gets deadlier, the guitars giving off steam as the growls engorge. Creakiness sets in just as the storming gets more aggressive, firing and swirling, bringing thunderous heaviness that makes the ground quake. Then we’re back to doomy madness, grinding away at your psyche and coming to a bloody end.

“Latum” is a promising start for these Costa Rican beasts as Perishing pour vitriol and filth into this four-track demo that should just be the start of a horrifying reign. This smokes and brutalizes the entire run, and it has boundless energy that feels like it is aligning with the darkest forces lurking in the universe. Looking forward to what else this band has up its sleeves, and if this demo is any indication, we’re bound for a punishing ride.

To buy the album, go here: https://caligarirecords.storenvy.com/

Or here: https://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/lutum

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

It’s pretty exciting when a fresh band starts to catch on, gathers momentum, and starts to ride the wave of that success into hopefully becoming a self-sustaining venture and building a wider audience. Last year, Escuela Grind had that kind of adventure, making a huge impact with listeners on their great “Memory Garden” LP that still feels like it has some fuel left in the tank.

On the cusp of a U.S. headlining tour that is the result of that momentum, the band is releasing its “DDEEAATHHMMEETTAALL” EP that follows 2020 mini releases “PPOOWWEERRVVIIOOLLEENNCCEE” and “GGRRIINNDDCCOORREE” as ways to pay tribute to the subgenres that helped shape their mix of grind, death metal, and chaos. Over four tracks, we hear the gnarliest, grimiest yet from this band—vocalist Katerina Economou, guitarist Kris Morash, bassist Tom Sifuentes, drummer Jesse Fuentes. There’s also a special guest to howl along with Economou, but we’ll get to that later. This is a fun collection, one that batters you and pushes your face into the dirt, but it also makes sure you have a good time. Which you will, even if you’re left bruised and bloodied afterward.

“Ball and Chain” trudges and smothers, immediately cluing you into the sonic differences on this EP, which is a nice, nasty changeup. The playing is muddy and heavy, and Economou’s growls are gnarlier than before, helping smash through psyches. The weight crushes and squeezes air from your lungs, leading into “Punishment Ritual” that is bruising and thrashing. Deep growls slice under the fingernails while the drums blast, and the leads cut back, drawing blood. The band then launches into a speedy assault, smearing to a furious end. “Abyssal Plane” is molten and clobbering, a filthy dose of death that ripples with ringing feedback and marring sludge. Shrieks jab as the pace slows but maintains its level of brutality, the guitars slice to bone, and a torturous end buries your face in the dust. Closer “Meat Magnet” features Napalm Death’s Barney Greenway howling alongside Economou, destroying with blinding force. The drums smash, and trudging hell is achieved, a grimy and sinewy blast that bashes in brains, especially when both Greenway and Economou wail the title repeatedly, burning that vision into your mind as you choke on its exhaust.

“DDEEAATHHMMEETTAALL” is a fun mini release, the fitting third serving of their EP triptych that’s as mangling and brutal as anything they’ve released. Sure, it gives them more fodder for their upcoming tour and keeps our appetites whetted as we await the follow-up to “Memory Garden,” but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t fill your gut. These four tracks are crushers and could get our mouth bloodied live.

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://mnrkheavy.com/products/escuela-grind-ddeeaatthhmmeettaall-glow-in-the-dark-vinyl-ep

Or here (Canada): https://mnrkheavy-canada.com/collections

Or here (Europe): https://mnrkheavy.eu/collections/escuela-grind/products/escuela-grind-ddeeaatthhmmeettaal-glow-in-the-dark-green-vinyl

For more on the label, go here: https://mnrkheavy.com/

When Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman said, “War is hell,” he wasn’t exaggerating. He watched people being ground into piles of rotting flesh while leading the Union army during the U.S. Civil War, so you’d think he’d be a pretty good authority on the subject. Ever since metal was born, the subject matter has inspired songs, records, and bands, and because war never stops, we’ll sadly have fodder forever.

Australian death metal band Domination Campaign sunk their teeth into war as a subject matter, and on their second record “A Storm of Steel,” the brutality to which humans subject each other is front and center. The band—vocalist/guitarist/bassist Jason Peppiatt and drummer Joe Haley—also play together in Psycroptic, but here the brutality is more pronounced, the agony continually in the air. Over eight tracks and 34 minutes, the follow-up to 2021’s “Onward to Glory” amplifies the war-torn horrors and plasters that all over their blistering death metal that can leave you sore.

“Time to Die” mashes from the start, a pounding hammer that opens wounds as the shrieks dice flesh. The playing is swarming and later thrashy, easily scrambling your brains, mashing with a ruthless force. “The Iron Beast” lumbers and burns, unloading with force that aims right for your chest. The guitars torch, and the vocals land punches that bloody your mouth, eventually turning toward calculated madness that mangles at the finish. “Winds of Death” stomps hard, melodies and vicious howls turning tornadic, a hint of a hardcore feel bleeding into the picture. The storm picks up from there, smashing and crushing before finally giving mercy when it fades. “D-Day” is crunchy and driving, inserting more speed, completely waylaying as it digs in its claws. Guitars heat up and scorch flesh, the leads smear with strangeness, and punches land hard and blacken eyes.

“Storm the Lines” is channeled and bashes, the leads causing dizziness, vicious howls adding a vice grip of pressure. “Fear is your enemy!” Peppiatt wails as molten chaos flows freely and leaves choking ash behind. “Pit of Disease” brings swarming guitars and scathing screams, a pace that stomps with power, smoldering amid fiery playing. The drumming crushes with ruthless aggression, and the vocals insert a dagger into your ribcage that is twisted violently. “141 Days of Terror” keeps world wars in focus, this one about the Somme Offensive in 1916, and it’s darker when it starts, the violence slowly escalating as the track tightens. The vocals sting as the guitars dare, heaviness slamming as nasty howls add more agony, finally fading into ominous shadows. “Death Landing” closes the album and launches into an immediate assault, spiraling out of control, piercing prone flesh. The playing gets dizzying and then thrashy, the uptick in intensity noticeable, the track slowly burning out into madness.

“A Storm of Steel” has war at heart, and that’s pretty apparent from just the first few minutes of this record. Domination Campaign might be treading well-travelled terrain, but it’s not like you ever can run out of inspiration since we, as humans, seem hellbent on killing each other forever. This record is a reminder war is hell, bloody, and unforgiving, and the clutches of death metal seem like the most logical way to process these ongoing horrors.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.prostheticrecords.com/

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

I have days where I swear I can’t do a single thing right on my own, and I wonder how I get from point A to point B without completely destroying myself. Maybe it’s my ADHD, or perhaps it’s something else, but when I see people who can multitask with ease, it’s sometimes infuriating. Why not me, damnit? That’s why I’m often mystified by bands made up of one single human being operating efficiently.

Hal Microutsicos is the sole force behind death metal power Engulf, and the way he manages to put everything together so seamlessly on debut full-length “The Dying Planet Weeps” is astounding to me. Over eight tracks and 36 minute, Microutsicos creates technically sound, devastating death metal that feels like a fluid being that’s just screaming to mutate into something else. By that I mean the sound of this record, as well as the three EPs that preceded it, hint that progression is something in its creator’s DNA, and as things continue to expand, I wonder where this band is at a few records down the road. It’s a pretty exciting thing to think about.

“Withered Suns Collapse” feels mystical when it dawns, and then the track tears apart, growls eating through stomach lining. The playing is brutal and ripping for the most part, save for some moments that are a little breezier, and then the snarling returns. The playing bends and warps as it does its damage, twisting your brain before fading. “Bellows From the Aether” chars and batters as the guitar work sweeps, and nasty howls lacerate, taking you into the heart of grimy hell. Ugliness bubbles over as the playing gets more violent, blasting out and leaving everything in the dust. “The Nefarious Hive” glistens as it starts, and then grisly howls pound away, the guitars streaming and picking up momentum. Later on, the melodies get disorienting, destroying as you’re overcome with power. “Ominous Grandeur” starts clean, feeling eerie, and as strange flames lick, the growls begin to gut, and the pace slows down but remains deadly. The menace multiplies as the tempo clobbers, shrieks smear and leave the room spinning, and the final gasp drills into your psyche.

“Lunar Scourge” heats up as the drumming destroys, guitars scorch, and crazed howls leave your flesh torched. The guitar work smears blood as the pace really gets trucking, inserting a piledriving force that mixes with vocal retching and infernal blasts. “Plagued Oblivion” opens with swirling riffs and tornadic force, the playing swaggering as it opens wounds. The speed clobbers as monstrous howls get into your bloodstream, picking up the intensity and driving you back, gasping for breath. “Earthbore” begins cloaked in mysterious steam as the playing explodes, and the melodies stymie. Beastly growls pummel as the leads heat up and boil over, taking control of the piece and soaring into the skies, enveloping everything in its presence. The swarming continues and makes the pressure insurmountable before bleeding into the instrumental title track. The guitars swell and glow, sometimes reaching into the mud, but the bulk of this is mysterious and spacey, ending the record in welcome strangeness.

Microutsicos runs an impressive operation with Engulf, and “The Dying Planet Weeps” is a strong first full-length record that hints at a project that’s going to morph and stretch from here. This album is well paced and ideally portioned, a strong gust of imaginative and scathing death metal that feels fresh and possibly from another part of the galaxy. More of this would be nice, though I have a feeling the next Engulf record might be a beast of an entirely different making.

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://www.nightshiftmerch.com/collections/everlasting-spew-records

Or here (Europe): https://everlastingspew.com/search?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=ENGULFTHEDYINGPLANETWEEPS&submit_search=

For more on the label, go here: https://everlastingspew.com/

40. KHANATE, “To Be Cruel” (Sacred Bones)

39. SPIRIT ADRIFT, “Ghost at the Gallows” (Century Media)

38. ANTI-GOD HAND, “Blight Year” (American Dream)

37. BLUT AUS NORD, “Disharmonium – Nahab” (Debemur Morti)

36. ULTHAR, “Anthronomicon/Helionomicon” (20 Buck Spin)

35. CLOSET WITCH, “Chiaroscuro” (Moment of Collapse)

34. PHOBOCOSM, “Foreordained” (Dark Descent)

33. BIG|BRAVE, “nature morte” (Thrill  Jockey)

32. BARONESS, “STONE” (Abraxan Hymns)

31. MIZMOR, “Prosaic” (Profound Lore)

30. SVALBARD, “The Weight of the Mask” (Nuclear Blast)

29. CIRKELN, “The Primitive Covenant” (True Cult)

28. THANTIFAXATH, “Hive Mind Narcosis” (Dark Descent)

27. WAYFARER, “American Gothic” (Profound Lore)

26. BLOOD CEREMONY, “The Old Ways Remain” (Rise Above)

25. KRALLICE, “Porous Resonance Abyss” (self-released)

24. USNEA, “Bathed in Light” (Translation Loss)

23. EREMIT, “Wearer of Numerous Forms” (Fucking Kill)

22. BODY VOID, “Atrocity Machine” (Prosthetic)

21. WOE, “Legacies of Frailty” (Vendetta)

20. WITCHING “Incendium” (Translation Loss)

19. MUTOID MAN, “Mutants” (Sargeant House)

18. RAGANA, “Desolation’s Flower” (The Flenser)

17. KEN MODE, “Void” (Artoffact)

16. TOMB MOLD, “The Enduring Spirit” (20 Buck Spin)

15. CRYPTA, “Shades of Sorrow” (Napalm)

14. MAJESTIES, “Vast Reaches Unclaimed” (20 Buck Spin)

13. AHAB, “The Coral Tombs” (Napalm)

12. DØDHEIMSGARD, “Black Medium Current” (Peaceville)

11. TRESPASSER, “Αποκάλυψισ” (self-released/Red Nebula/Vault of Heaven)

10. THE KEENING, “Little Bird” (Relapse)

9. BULL OF APIS BULL OF BRONZE, “The Fractal Ouroboros” (Fiadh Productions/Vita Detestabilis)

8. GHOROT, “Wound” (King of the Monsters)

7. KRIGSGRAV, “Fires in the Fall” (Wise Blood)

6. MARTHE, “Further in Evil” (Southern Lord)

5. AGRICULTURE, self-titled (The Flenser)

4. GREAT FALLS, “Objects Without Pain” (Neurot)

3. SMOULDER, “Violent Creed of Vengeance” (Cruz Del Sur)

2. VASTUM, “Inward to Gethsemane” (20 Buck Spin)

1. PANOPTICON, “The Rime of Memory” (Bindrune Recordings)

2011: FALSE, untitled EP (Gilead Media)*

2012: PALLBEARER, “Sorrow and Extinction” (Profound Lore)

2013: ATLANTEAN KODEX, “White Goddess” (20 Buck Spin)

2014: THOU, “Heathen” (Gilead Media)

2015: FALSE, untitled (Gilead Media)

2016: SUBROSA, “For This We Fought the Battle of the Ages” (Profound Lore)

2017: YELLOW EYES, “Immersion” (Gilead Media)

2018: MOURNFUL CONGREGATION, “The Incubus of Karma” (20 Buck Spin)

2019: MIZMOR, “Cairn” (Gilead Media)

2020: LANTERN, “Dimensions” (Dark Descent)

2021: SUCCUMB, “XXI” (The Flenser)

2022: CAVE IN, “Heavy Pendulum” (Relapse)

2023: PANOPTICON, “The Rime of Memory” (Bindrune Recordings)

* Final year EPs were considered for album of the year

Throughout my life, there have been so many bands that have transcended music and have become a part of my DNA. Music I can’t live without. Bands I can’t live without. That sounds insane on the surface, because no one physically needs music to survive. Mentally and emotionally? That’s a different story entirely, and I’d argue in this case, music is as big as anything.

I’ve had a lot of bands I’ve considered favorites from Iron Maiden to Helloween to Spirit Adrift to Metallica. The one thing they have in common is none ever has been my top record of the year since I’ve been recording these things on my site. Same with black metal institution Panopticon, the Austin Lunn-led band that has made such a difference in my life and created a massive impact, that their records are like documents that should be buried with me, as melodramatic as that sounds. Well, for Panopticon, that ends this year as “The Rime of Memory” is my favorite album of 2023, and the reason for that is the way it made me feel and believe, knowing I’m not a young man any longer but realizing that’s no reason to give up on new discoveries or new music in general. You will have to bury me before I stop. At six tracks and 75 minutes, it should be a much more challenging listen than it is. Instead, the album blows by, sweeping you up with it and taking you on a ride with one of black metal’s most expressive, vulnerable, and thunderous bands on the entire planet. Woven inside is the theme of aging, seeing your hair grow grayer, your face look more weathered, your bones ache a little more. It’s a human process to be celebrated, and this record does that with great glory.

The loon call at the beginning of instrumental opener “Erindringens Høstlige Dysterhet” greets you frostily, bringing a woodsy edge that pours into “Winter’s Ghost” that itself takes time to set its rustic stage before the black metal burst strikes. The playing tears with a rage, Lunn’s howls mixing perfectly with the harrowing riffs, the moody slide guitar, and the roaring strings from Charlie Anderson, who plays a transformative role on this record. “Cedar Skeletons” is a revelation, crushing and rampaging as the guitars catch fire, the intensity spiking as the rousing adventure spreads. Again, Anderson’s strings mix with the power ideally, creating a section deep into this song that rivals that primary riff from “In the North Woods” as one of Panopticon’s most breathtaking moments. The melodic euphoria combined with the remains of nature ravaged results in one of the best metal songs of the year.

“An Autumn Storm” brings a massive attack, swinging hard as tornadic guitars chew up the land, hulking as the punishing force swings. Chimes tingle, savage howls quake the ground, and the final moments makes your heart race. “Enduring the Snow Drought,” something that’s been very common were I live despite the brutal winters we used to have, is a spirited gush that feels like the type that could choke roadways for weeks. Howls and shrieks mix as the strings swarm, pouring elegant glaze and making melodies into a frosty beast. The playing combusts as the cello and strings take over, overwhelming with frozen majesty. “The Blue Against the White” is the ideal closer, awash in emotion and creativity, guest vocalist Johan Nilsson’s warm, evocative singing dressing the first part. The mood turns into volcanic heat, strings and horns layering new textures into black metal fury, bringing glorious and glistening power, ending with a wind that whips your breath away.

“The Rime of Memory” isn’t my favorite record of the year because of the way I feel about Panopticon. It is because it moved my heart and mind more than any other record this year. Maybe I aligned with the idea of embracing aging. Perhaps it’s still the admiration of nature, even in the face of destruction. Or it could be that this album just landed perfectly emotionally, sonically, and spiritually that it was undeniable. Actually, I think that’s it. I’ve always based my work on feel, and nothing made me feel the majesty of humanity, metal lore, and compassion that way this record did. And it’ll be with me forever. (Nov. 29)

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

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.bindrunerecordings.com/

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

“Inward to Gethsemane,” the insanely great fifth record from Vastum, revels in mental and physical torture, and while much of the death metal circle is fairly Christ hating, this album aligns with his suffering and death in a way you might not expect. They’re also not exactly lining up for communion, in case that freaked you out. If you were anticipating psychological sexual tortures and pain, yeah, that’s also here in spades as this band—vocalist Daniel Butler, vocalist/guitarist/synth player Leila Abdul Rauf, guitarist Shelby Lermo, bassist Colin Tarvin, drummer Chad Gailey—has made a practice out of exploring those terrifying corners of reality. But this record also leans into bodily torture one cannot just ask out of, not unlike Christ’s suffering in Gethsemane before his bloody journey to Golgotha, a sacrifice made for all humanity via a tortuous death.

“In Bed With Death” opens in a strange aura as the guitars get started, warped riffs tangling you with psychosis. The power stomps as the shrieks menace, Butler and Rauf trading off lines, leaving steaming bruising. “Free from maternal boundary violations, spilling seeds, burdened by ancient pain that gestate inside her,” carves into your brain as the playing comes unglued, the carnage leaving you nauseated. “Priapic Chasms” smears, the pace mashing, deep growls digging into your entrails. The guitars smoke and then deface, beastly howls crash down and leave permanent scarring, and then the playing blinds you, zapping and punishing, mangling flesh.

“Vomitous (in the Agony Garden)” chugs and lurches, the growling splattering, the call of, “Sprawled, my agony!” making psychological trauma that much deeper. The playing combusts as the bludgeoning gets meaner, the howl of, “Sprawling, can’t stop subjecting myself to your finger inside my eye, feeling emetic, in distress, can’t stop vomiting,” a sight you can’t unsee in your mind, the heat becoming unbearable. I think this is my favorite track here, perhaps because I can’t remove the cries of, “In agony!” from my vulnerable brain. “Corpus Fractum” is the eight-minute closer, a dose of pure fright, ferocious vocals, and immersive guitars combining to take you down. “I will be in agony until the end of the world, there must be no sleeping during this time, spiritual insomnia, my ego is blurred, I’m high on the cross, so high I’m blind,” digs into Christ-like psychosis, a hypnotic haze wrapping around the punishment, brutally striking back on multiple human levels. Vastum always have been an intense, mentally barbaric, musically twisted band, but this fifth record pushes them even further into madness, scraping away at psychological faculties that already were in question. It’s also the best death metal record of the year. (Nov. 10)

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