Heaviness can only take a band or artist so far, because it’s not that difficult to achieve this level of extreme. There has to be more behind it, some actual substance, for the weight of the music to truly have a force behind it. Anything less is just music play loudly and aggressively that doesn’t make you feel full and satisfied when the noise ends.

German duo Mantar—vocalist/guitarist Hanno Klänhardt, drummer Erinc Sakarya—always have had plenty of aggression and substance to their music, but they decided to take things a little further on their crushing Metal Blade debut record “Pain Is Forever and This Is the End.” No one ever accused them of cutting corners, but this time around, the band focused more on the songwriting end and less on the heaviness, and they came out with 10 tracks that spark, punch, and give off a hearty beating that feels rich and fully realized. These songs are fun and feel loose and energetic, and while the band didn’t concentrate on this aspect, are plenty heavy. Also, being on a legendary label with a huge following will expose Mantar to even more people, and they could not have put a stronger foot forward.

“Egoisto” gets this going with the guitars trudging and throaty wails pounding away, feeling melodic and grisly. Throaty howls smother, the riffs encircle and sizzle, and the chorus punishes one last time. “Hang ‘Em Low (So the Rats Can Get ‘Em)” sounds like such an obvious lead single, a thing I guess still exists. Guitars jolt as the raspy vocals leave welts on your flesh, scraping and swelling, delivering a chorus that fills you with adrenaline and puts out your lights. “Grim Reaping” arrives with a strong riff that punches in as the track lights up and fill its lungs with soot. “Everything dies in the end!” Klänhardt howls, powering through a simple but killer chorus, ending with the final jab, “Misery knows your name.” “Orbital Pus” brings aggravated speak-singing, the drums leaving bruising, and gruff goodness that makes your blood surge. The assault continues as the guitars build and dual howls punish, leading into “Piss Ritual” that fires up right away. The vocals snarl and spit nails, and the duo pumps out black metal-friendly playing, steamrolling with speed as Klänhardt vows, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”

“Of Frost and Decay” starts with cleaner guitars and a foggy aura before the first punches are thrown, and gnarly vocals chew their way into the scene. The track gets dark and moody as Klänhardt repeatedly shouts, “Wait to fail!” over the chorus. Electricity bubbles as the drums unload, melting into the earth. “Walking Corpse” brings strangling riffs and the vocals rustling, with Klänhardt howling, “There’s no remorse for what you’ve done.” A blistering punk feels melts faces, punching out and moving into “New Age Pagan” that stings the flesh right away. Riffs bulldoze as the singing is smoother but just as nasty, a heavy groove ripping through chests. The chorus washes through, guitars jab, and a vicious finish adds an exclamation point. “Horder” begins gently, but that’s a ruse, because before you know it, the fuel is dumped on the flames. “Get up, get down, get born again,” Klänhardt taunts as the guitars slash, and the pace gets punchier. The track seems ready to dissolve, but it’s another tease as the playing rips anew, delivering one final rousing chorus. “Odysseus” is the closer, leaning in with an ominous riff, buzzing and gnawing. Klänhardt’s singing is a little cleaner but still leaves bruises, and some of the track even feels kind of poppy. Melodies wash over as the energy soars, letting your juices flow one more time before fading into the darkness.

Mantar’s climb through the world of heavy music has been fascinating to watch as they’ve added muscle and grit and even more approachability on “Pain Is Forever and This Is the End.” While the sound is more streamlined, it’s still a brawl over these 10 tracks and still has a heavy share of thorns to drive into your side. With metallic superpower Metal Blade behind them, Mantar’s direction is up, and these 41 minutes are filled with power to sway the masses in their bloody direction.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.metalblade.com/mantar/

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

If it’s not every day that some sort of machinery or technology shits its pants and makes me more confident that machines never truly will take over the world. You know how many times I try to put my debt card into a chip reader and it fails spectacularly and I have to spend minutes inserting and reinserting? That came out wrong. How many times does my modem fail out? It’s constant.

That’s not to suggest it can’t happen, and a few visits with “Spiritfraud,” the new opus from intergalactic black metal entity Xenoglyph might have you wondering if your days are numbered. The duo behind this shadowy beast explores a reality where digital creatures come to life and desire for the existence that humans enjoy/bastardize, so they aim to steal our dreams. Humankind then must grapple with whether fighting a losing battle or disappearing gracefully is the better choice. Musically, the band delves into cosmic realms of black metal, freezing your cells, warping your wind, and taking you on this adventure that only can end in misery and defeat.  

“Mainframe Equilibrium” starts with guitars dawning, the sounds washing over and bringing chilled numbness, the growls squashing bowels. Atmospheric pressure unloads as the black metal elements multiply, melody becomes a bigger factor, and everything feels gigantic. That heads deeper into the stars, cascading heavily and trickling into oblivion. The title track explores the elements before guitars chug in, and lurching motions make for a devious ride. Melody and drama intertwine as chaos eats away, and everything is pummeled as the vocals tear into wounds. Strong energy ignites as the spirit grows more formidable, then all the elements rush with force before synth joins and fades with it all. “Cyphon” pops open and immediately trudges through everything, the playing feeling both mystical and fog-covered, the drums tearing through the veil. The tempo gets darker as a proggy finish is applied, guitars space out, and the playing disappears in the sky.

“Iconocide” begins in strange waters as it gets more cosmic, and growls push through as sinister riffs join the fray. The drums maul as the pressure gets heavier, sooty guitars scar, and voices swirl in the air as the attitude mangles dangerously. Then the vibe gets wonderfully majestic before the final hammer drops. “Nightshade Reverie” rushes in as shrieks splash, and a thick mist moves its way in and coats faces with moisture. The storming punishes as keys glow and the blackness multiplies, drubbing and chewing away before fading. Closer “Acclamations of Emptiness” starts with a long stretch as the ambiance leans in and expands itself, and then vile growls explode as fire streaks the skies. It feels like we’re headed even deeper into the universe as the playing tricks your mind, paving the way for grittier moods, voices that swirl in the air, and everything bleeding into dust.

A lot of people are wondering how things possibly can get worse on this planet, and Xenoglyph have the apocalyptic answer with “Spiritfraud.” Chaos has spread across the globe, and in this country in particular, we’re being fed into a time machine but also potentially must do battle with technology with our new overlords once they become sentient. This is terrifying both musically and psychologically, and we can’t say we haven’t been warned about what’s ahead for us.  

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

To buy the album, go here: https://orcd.co/spiritfraudalbum

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

We’re in the midst of what’s supposed to be the summer blockbuster movie season, something that was heavily damaged by the pandemic the past few years and really hasn’t recovered to the level it used to be. This is the time when all the huge and dynamic pictures are in theaters over the summer, and it’s not that long ago that you used to get a massive new movie or two every week. It was wild.

While it’s not something you’re going to see on the silver screen, Pestilent Hex have something that might be the audio version of a massive adventure with “The Ashen Abhorrence,” their debut record. This Finnish band that combines vocalist/lyricist M. Malignant (Desolate Shrine, Convocation) and multi-instrumentalist L. Oathe (Corpsessed, Tyranny) explodes into cinematic, symphonic black metal that remind of the era of when this style came to be. It’s not overdone, it doesn’t sound like a Disney score, and it does drive a dagger into the heart of black metal from three decades ago and drinks deeply from its veins. Each of these six chapters sweep over you and makes for an enthralling journey, one that deserves multiple visits, like a film you see so many times, you know it off by heart.

“Chapter I: The Ashen Abhorrence” opens the sojourn by rupturing peace and delivering vile force, pushing through elegance and mysticism. The symphonic aura explodes as the band pulverizes your senses, strange cackling pours salt in the wounds, and keys wash through to add more color to the tangling finish. “Chapter II: Nature of the Spirit” blasts in and takes over like a raging storm seeking to soak the earth. Shrieks creak, and a sweeping chorus knocks you for a loop, pushing you into tangling madness that blisters the flesh. Keys wash down, the humidity builds, and your mind begins to tingle, blasting through animalistic shrieks and hammering terror. “Chapter III: Mephistophelean Liaison” dawns as darkness unfolds before the playing makes a tear through your mid-section. The keys flood with fury as a zany pace picks up, the shrieks gutting as the melodies gain momentum. Morbid and daring, gargantuan wails make seismic impact, speed boils, and everything ends in a surge.

“Chapter IV: Interlude – Mists of Oneiros” brings eerie noises and keys trickling, feeling like a classic King Diamond interlude to get your imagination flowing. “Chapter V: Old Hag” churns as the punches land, and clean lines mix into the bloodstream and become flammable. Violent insanity storms as the sophisticated design unfurls, taking on spiraling guitars and playing that will make your brain spill in your skull. Animalistic shrieks make their presence felt, strange playing splatters, and everything rushes into the void. Closer “Chapter VI: Banishment” unloads with death gurgles and a blinding assault, wild calls making chills run down your spine. The playing charges but also numbs, slurring through strange vocals and dizzying guitars that make the room spin. The pressure squeezes your temples, the pace gives some final jolts of energy, and melodic keys and the remaining gusts of fire bury this thing in the stars.

Symphonic black metal is a style that hasn’t aged particularly well, but there are bands that still do it really well and don’t overdo the silliness, and Pestilent Hex have a stranglehold on this whole thing. “The Ashen Abhorrence” is a record that not only delivers really strong black metal, it also packs the right amount of drama that keeps you tuned in and won’t release you until the ride is complete. This is a powerful statement, something that feels cinematic and bloody in all the best ways, and it’ll fill your summer with delicious morbidity.

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://debemurmorti.aisamerch.com/

Or here (Europe): https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/12-eshop

For more on the album, go here: https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/

Darkness and rage do not necessarily have to be conveyed in audio violence and pulverized muscle after having gone through a bloodletting. There are many ways to let the negativity leak into your flesh and bone and bleed through your pores, and sometimes taking a calculated approach is the best way to fully absorb the forces that are trying to destroy you.

Cleveland’s Frayle aren’t going to flatten you with decibels and force, but they manage to dig right to the heart of their music, which we hear on their second record “Skin and Sorrow.” There has been enough misery to go around these past few years, and the band—Gwyn Strang and Sean Bilovecky—channels that into 10 tracks that stay on a channeled, shadowy pace through most of the record, the bursts spaced nicely out but always satisfying when they land. Amid all of this devastation, pain, and loss are creations that are heavy musically but even more so emotionally, burning through your system and eating away at your psyche. By the way, Frayle currently are touring in support of Cradle of Filth, so their profile very justifiably is rising. Also, while we’re presenting this record now, it’s been pushed back to Sept. 23. That was announced after this piece was written. So, have some patience for a physical copy. It’s worth it.

“Treacle & Revenge” buzzes in like a warm stream, Strang’s seductive calls luring you to your doom. “Hold you to your truth, so bored with empty words, I will have revenge,” she calls as growls lurch, the playing is catchy and gusty, and some sludge hammers the point home. “Bright Eyes” is burly and lurches slowly, the chorus sinking into power and flexing. The playing is dangerously breezy and dark, the guitars smear, and Strang calls, “So many tears, my wicked ways, so many fears all tucked away.” The title track enters amid guitars aching as the dusty ambiance grows and heads west. The vocals slither as the humidity increases and makes breathing a challenge, and then the waters suddenly scald, this gothic desert trap swallowing you whole. “Ipecac” is burly and takes its time, sometimes fluttering, always weighing down on you. Doomy winds push through as Strang’s vocals hypnotize you before letting you burn away. “Stars” opens as Strang calls, “The darkness has returned, it never really left,” as the band delicately stomps before jolting with power. The tempo stamps flesh into the ground, the chorus carves at your heart, and the fog thickens and robs you of your vision.

“Roses” brings guitar spark as the singing stretches its wings, the chorus opening as warmth begins to deliver a thaw. The track plods with calculating force as the playing swarms the mind, and Strang jabs, “Feed you my poison, and I will stain your soul,” as everything ends in ash. “Sacrifant” delivers snarling riffs and a spirit that encircles, the guitars continually increasing the menace. The singing exudes darkness as the pace chugs, whispers haunt, and the power finally fades. “All the Things I Was” has guitars echoing and Strang’s vocals a quiet but deadly force, carving before the bottom drops. The playing slithers through a chasm as the heaviness gets aggravated and raw, trudging and chewing muscle along the way. “Song for the Dead” drips into the scene as dreaminess spreads, Strang calling, “She sings for the dead, only, drawing down the moon, slowly.” Gentle playing and devious emotions snarl as the guitars glisten and spill away. Closer “Perfect Wound” lands in dark guitars and a solemn pace as Strang’s voice and Bilovecky’s guitars intertwine and haunt. The feeling is sullen and wounded, spirits feel like they retreat to the night sky, and the notes drub with Strang wailing, “My beautiful sorrow,” as the final strains dissolve into air.

“Skin and Sorrow” is a new chapter for Frayle, a band that’s slowly been building its presence and unique form of elegant doom darkness. This record gushes and bleeds with personal devastation, frustration, and pain, and it’s impossible to listen to these 10 songs and not absorb every drop. This album is deceivingly powerful, an emotional toll that is paid over and over and refuses to relent until each inch of this thing exists underneath your flesh.

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

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://aqualamb-records.myshopify.com/products/frayle-skin-sorrow

Or here (Europe): https://laybarerecordings.com/release/skin-sorrow-by-frayle-lbr038

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

And here: https://laybarerecordings.com/

I like hearing people take a different avenue when creating something that’s already abundant. If we didn’t have fresh thoughts and fucking weird bends in the road, all art forms would be increasingly more boring because no one would be taking chances and discovering new sparks. Heavy metal would not be where it was today if it didn’t have creators looking for different ways to do things and create darkness.

Dutch black metal duo Alburnum falls into that group of musicians that took a style and decided to shape it to their will, which they show on their dynamic debut “Buitenlucht.” The project initially started as a solo venture for D.B. (lead vocals, guitar, bass, accordion, mandolin) before it developed into the venture it is today when he joined up with R.v.R. (drums, backing vocals) of Faceless Entity, Seer’s Fire, Melancholie and about 100 other bands. At its base, the band creates black metal, but they add flourishes of European folk music and other seasonings in a way no one else quite has. It makes these four songs such a surprise to hear first time around, and they just get more elaborate and interesting on subsequent visits when you can explore every crevice.  

Opener “Ik Kan Niet Zien” runs a generous 7:19 and absolutely blazes, bursting with melody and frantic energy. Howls wrench as the cries bound from the walls, spiraling and crashing before elegant accordion notes fill your lungs. European-style playing bursts and gives off an exciting vibe, and the playing continues to push forward, sweeping and surging, blistering through time, and finally landing in a pile of its own ash. “Eeuwig Licht” churns and blazes, blaring and melting into acoustics that prepare you for the next cascade. Harsh howls and clean calls battle for control while folkish riffs work their magic, and everything rushes into lapping guitars and unmistakable energy. Melodies blow through as harsh cries strike, and everything disappears into the night.

“Buitenlucht” rings out in the air before the riffs begin to char, and then the playing detonates. Vocals leave abrasions as the playing takes off, collecting and increasing the massacre, though with a bit of delicacy amid some cleaner vocals. Guitars wash through as the ground rumbles, shrieks scathe, and moody wordless calls thrive as the playing bleeds away. Closer “Fluisterend Water” is the longest track at 8:40 and bustles out of the gates, and then the playing tidal waves, threatening your security and flooding the land. Riffs encircle as a steady pace continues to add pressure, and the infection picks up, crashing and bleeding, ending in a breeze combining acoustics, accordion, and mystery.

Alburnum have created a really interesting record with “Buitenlucht,” preferring to add their own flourishes and unexpected textures to black metal. Also, eschewing convention and turning inward was a rewarding choice, and it really helps add interesting shadows to this entire record. This is a band that doesn’t have a lot of content quite yet, but with this first full-length, they hold promise that what they create in the future should turn a lot of heads.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.babylondoomcultrecords.com/product/alburnum-buitenlucht-mc/

For more on the album, go here: https://www.babylondoomcultrecords.com/

There are times, when we get really lucky as listeners, that records turn into adventures, and worlds change before our eyes, letting us live in the imagination of the artist. It doesn’t happen all the time. Maybe you get a handful or so of those each year, but when they come along, it’s something you don’t forget, and that music becomes a part of your DNA.

Solo black metal artist Hulder is on her way to making one of those, and those seeds are planted on “The Eternal Fanfare,” her five-track new EP that really begins to uncover what this creator is all about. Bridging the gap between her full-length debut offering “Godslastering: Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry” and her upcoming second long player, this EP shows the philosophical and creative growth this project has achieved, and this is a collection that while a mini release, it still packs a winter’s storm of a punch and fills your mind with the imagination and ingenuity that went into making these songs. Hulder, who handles vocals, guitars, bass, and keys, is joined by drummer Necreon and guests Phil Tougas (Atramentus, VoidCeremony, Worm, etc.) who contributes a solo, and CK who also adds drums. By the way, if you haven’t seen Hulder live yet, you must change that. She and her band are a force, and they’re only going to get better.

“Curse From Beyond” is the opening introduction-style track with sounds rumbling, bells chiming, and the whole thing coming to life, washing into “Burden of Flesh and Bone” that is an absolute crusher. It tears open with savage shrieks, melodies carving into flesh, the chorus sweeping over you, taking control of your mind. Chorals rush as black metal-style glory unfolds, a synth bath swells, and guitars divebomb, smashing until everything fades into hell. “Sylvan Awakening” basks in power before animalistic rage explodes, clean calling mixing behind the hellish roars. Guitars hurdle as the storm increases dangerously, and the spirit sprints, with great riffs and madness freezing deep in the forest. The title track hisses in before coming apart as beastly growls destroy, and the catchiness gets in your veins and mixes with darkness. The playing explodes later, sung chants mesmerize, and the final blasts crush ribs. Closer “A Perilous Journey” buzzes and then pulls back to allow grisly emotions and murky clean calls. The tempo is somber and plodding, feeling both mystical and dangerous at the same time. Growls continue to scrape their mission as the shadows envelope and fade away forever.

Hulder’s power continues to grow at an alarming rate, and on this strong EP “The Eternal Fanfare,” you can feel their momentum growing in the roots and soils of the earth. This is an intriguing bridge to her second full-length, one that’s already gaining anticipation and should be one of those ones that gets a lot of attention once it arrives. But for now, we have these excellent five tracks that show you a project in furious growth that’s just getting bloodier and more exciting by the second.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/collections/hulder

For more on the album, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/

What’s worse: A long, grueling fight where you get in your shots but ultimately take on a lot of damage or a short blast where you have no chance at all but at least the savagery isn’t sustained over an extended period of agony? I don’t have an answer. I’m not super into getting my ass kicked so I don’t have a preference, but I’m sure there are some sickos out there who are doing the math in their heads.

Anyway, it might not be the longest record you’ll ever encounter, but Narakah’s debut full-length album “Nemesis Cloak” is the latter, a microburst of grindcore madness that stomps you into the ground, your identity mostly left in question. This Pittsburgh assault unit grew out of other local crushers such as Slaves BC (now Uzkost), Meth Quarry, Acolyte, Demilitia and plenty of others, and they bring their sardonic chaos to these 18 tracks that blast by in a mere 20 minutes. It felt like a fucking cartoon trying to take notes during this thing, requiring more than one session, but who gives a damn when the music is this piledriving and fun? The band—vocalist Adam Joseph Bailey, guitarist/vocalist Christopher Martin Smith, bassist Evan Richard Kunkle, drummer/synth player/sample master Jason Lee Spence—derive their maddening inspiration from areas as wide as anime, manga, TV shows and movies, videogames, and more. Their sample selection is both flavorful fun but also packs one particular head-jerking clip that’ll make long-time Pittsburgh residents almost wreck their cars. I was almost test case 1, thinking my car stereo was possessed.   

“Leftover Hamburger” actually kind of hangs in the air, like you’re going to have a chance to breath before you’re suddenly underneath a goddamn tractor that’s eating you alive. “Crosstream Sumeria” has barks ripping at your flesh as the playing explodes in fits of rage, mauling to a gurgling end and ripping into “Seven Zurls” that lets the noise sting before striking. Throaty growls and mauling drums are on the hunt, rattling brains and leaving you off balance for “The Uzi Crusades (“Uzi Jūjigun”)” that starts with an old Century III Chevrolet jingle that everyone in Pittsburgh knows off by heart. From there, the force opens ribcages, savage growls lurching and boiling in acid, making toward “Silian Rail” that starts with a “Ghostbusters” sample before taking on a sludgier path. The vocals scathe and gurgle in violence as the beating is meted out slowly, then “Headless Nazarene” splatters and stabs toward you, digging in and thrashing, dragging things to a bludgeoning end. “In Hostile Purity” has guitars chewing their way in, punishment and melody forming the strangest tag team ever. The growls erupt from hell and consume, then “F.R.E.E.” comes in, an eerie “Clockwork Orange” sample making your unease increase before mangling guitars and piledriving power chug and take apart worlds. “Gabriel’s Horn” is an ambient interlude, but it leaves no room for comfort, the sounds feeling warm and unsettling.

“Through Incendiary Tropics” unloads and strings guts all over the place, feeling animalistic and unhinged, leading into “Yarler on the Prowl” that feels washed out and disassociated with reality, strange music making your mind trip out. The title track is a fucking lariat to the throat, the vocals peeling flesh, and the playing giving off a punishing hardcore vibe that doesn’t forgive. “The Colour of Illusion” spirals in amid throaty growls and guitars tangling you in their webs. Crazed shrieks caw as the levels increase threateningly, then “The Rogue’s Wallet” pushes in and explodes as the drumming tries to murder you, the vocals are spat out like poison, and a brief airy feel gives off a dreamy vibe before disintegrating. “Hausu” almost immediately spills over, the pace is relentless, and the fires grow out of control, moving toward “Oaky Afterbirth” that mixes weird sounds and gruff shouts, feeling brutal and menacing, blackening eyes along the way. “Creepshow Tabernacle” strikes off kilter and purposely so, lest you think you’ll be given a chance to exhale. Muddy power and chugging guitars combine, landing a blow before closer “Thriving on Mysterious” ruptures absolutely. Growls gurgle in acid, the playing tears apart muscle, and final devastating gasps helps the body melt into nothingness.

Narakah’s grind attack is mightier and blooder than ever on “Nemesis Cloak,” their ridiculously disruptive debut full-length assault. There’s zero room to breathe or even dream of escaping as fists and kicks are flying the entire time, multiplying and turning everything to a pile of mush and blood. This band is an animalistic machine, and their first record is enough not only to put Narakah on the grindcore map but also serve as a warning they’re here for blood and won’t settle until they’re satisfied.  

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

To buy the album, go here: https://forceofreckoningrecords.bigcartel.com/product/narakah-nemesis-cloak

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

It’s supposed to be hot as fuck over the weekend, which makes for the perfect setting for a heavy metal festival that contains bands from all corners of the subgenre map. After a two-year delay and multiple false starts, Metal Immortal Festival 2 finally will melt faces at Mr. Smalls, a quick drive from downtown Pittsburgh, and the lineup is diverse and bloody.

While there are plenty of bands on which to focus, we’re looking at Vicious Blade who hail from Pittsburgh and have their second EP “Siege of Cruelty” ready to burn you down. Over five raucous tracks that combine thrash, classic heavy metal, punk, and other volatile elements, the band gives you a huge blast back to when the harsher forms of metal started to solidify but with a 2022 mindset that powers these tracks and make them melt over. The band—vocalist Clarissa Badini, guitarists Jeff Ellsworth and Erik Wynn, bassist Dan Ford, drummer Kevin Parent—contains members with hefty and impressive resumes with crushers such as Castrator, Complete Failure, Commit Suicide, Tartarus, Don Caballero, etc., and they’re the perfect choice to get the fest off to a devastating, fire-powered start that’ll keep energy levels high all day. It’s also a step up from their killer 2020 self-titled EP debut, proving they’ve grown more violent and menacing as the world waited out a lockdown.

“Cult of Scourge” teases you a bit as it starts before it hits high gear with Badini’s barked howls feeling like haymakers. The chorus is thrashy and tasty, the guitars crush, and the commanding vocals refuse to let you offer anything but your undivided attention. “Scavengers” wails and churns before exploding with speed and rampaging with reckless abandon. The beastly chorus makes your insides shake, fiery howls leave bruising, and the final moments are consumed by its own flames. The title track mashes from the gates with Badini’s wails blowing you back off your feet, the guttural speed feeling like a head-on collision. A monstrous cackle warps as soloing erupts, and the sinewy chorus makes one more round and knocks you on your ass. “Speed, Leather & Hell” is fun as fuck, a classic metal throwback that dines on punk’s veins and delivers fast, infectious chaos. Another tremendous chorus has its way with you as the playing hammers, and the end comes swiftly at the heart of a riot. Closer “Wretchedness of Existence” has rock-solid riffs that make your blood rush as Badini howls, “No, you can’t walk away!” Black metal-style playing runs as things surge with dangerous intent, riffs blasting, and one final chorus delivering the goods again and driving an exclamation point with a dagger.

Vicious Blade are coming on fast and stridently, which they prove hands down on “Siege of Cruelty,” their punishing second EP. The band is a force live, which Metal Immortal Fest attendees are about the find out, and these songs give them an even more formidable arsenal that’s bound to leave blood generously shed. These five songs are proof this band is playing with fire, and anyone who stands in their way is going to be burnt to a crisp.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.ourancientfuture.com/collections/all

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

Metal Immortal Preshow
Friday, Spirit, Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.

Eviction (30^th anniversary reunion show of legendary Pittsburgh thrashers)
Sanhedrin
Shadowland
Olathia

To buy tickets, go here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/metal-immortal-2-pre-fest-show-eviction-reunion-tickets-228269840237?aff=ebdssbeac

Metal Immortal Festival 2
Saturday, Mr. Smalls, Millvale, Pa., 3 p.m.

Funhouse
Vicious Blade: 4:30
Soul Grinder: 5:20
Bewitcher: 6:40
Accused: 8:10

Main stage
Lady Beast: 4:40
Solicitor: 6:00
BAT: 7:20
Deceased: 9:00
Raven: 10:00

For more on the fest go here: https://www.facebook.com/MetalImmortalFestival

To buy tickets, go here: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/16005C311FFD32F6

I’ve always thought the unofficial rule set that governed black metal for no apparent reason was just a way to retrain its energy and never let it expand to the areas in which it was destined to spread. Over the years, the gate keepers that sought to prevent the subgenre’s masses from venturing beyond its borders to absorb influences elsewhere have been cast aside, and black metal has been able to grow and shift in various directions.

Nashville black metal force Vile Haint—vocalist/guitarist Ryan Clackner, drummer Zac Ormerod—is one that has bled into places many others haven’t before, taking the template formed three decades ago and giving it an education in the haunted American south. Their second record “Sacrificial Baptism in Murky Waters” takes what they started on debut “Ol’ Hatchie Haint” and expands it ever further into the strange and esoteric, taking you on a five-track, nearly 49-minute excursion into the graveyards, the folk tales, and the ghostly ambiance that infects these tales and gives them a spirit that infects and sends you on a mission into waters you previously were terrified to tread. It’s unsettling and real.

“Cathartic Sacrament of the Cattle Goddess” runs 8:37 and starts with noises haunting and gasping before the playing ruptures and gushes, shrieks weighing over the balmy pace. The playing then begins to blister, creeping and playing with speed and tension. Leads spiral as the intensity increases rapidly, shrieks rain hammers, and the track comes to a storming end. “Unrest in Moonlit Grave” blares in as the vocals carve vein tracks and the drums utterly pulverize. Murk gets thicker as the playing detracts from reality, the leads boil and trample, and the playing charges into slurry filth and howls that take you apart. “Upon the Throne of Restless Vision” erupts as it starts as the drums bustle and the pace lathers you up in fire. Guitars drip as the essence takes on a druggy feel as you work your way down hallways as the power tidal waves. Guitars ring as the pace slowly mauls, eerie guitars slither, and the final moments bleed into a time warp.

“From the Abyss that Yawns” is the longest track, running 13:01 and creating chills that work their way down your spine as strange energy collects as the picture slowly comes into focus. The tempo then warps the mind as the vocals attack and the guitar work rattles, feeling like it’s making alterations to your DNA. Keys glaze as the playing goes from trancey to electric, the guitars going off and blinding, trudging through timelines and burning until everything is mere ash. Closer “Torches Illuminate the Bleeding Walls” enraptures for 12:33, slurring in and basking in bright moon beams. Face-pummeling playing unloads as the synth gazes, and everything feels like is spills into a spacious cavern. Glimmering notes spark as the ground begins to rumble, and then the soloing takes off for the sky. Shrieks mangle while the slicing intensity makes itself a greater force, classical-style guitars give off a time-drenched aura, and the melodies merge into a sound cloud, the final breaths landing in the soil.

Carving out a unique path in black metal is nearly impossible in this era, but Vile Haint have something the rest have missed, mixing in the haunting Southern gothic vibe into what’s otherwise hyper-violent terrain. “Sacrificial Baptism in Murky Waters” is another giant step into the creeping shadows for this band, and each drop of this makes your brain think strange things, your eyes see objects that don’t even exist. This is ghostly and tormented in the best way, shaking your spine and soul with quaking hunger.

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

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

Or here: https://www.folkvangrrecords.com/categories/all

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

And here: https://www.folkvangrrecords.com/

I cannot imagine the amount of incredible heavy metal I don’t get to hear every year just due to the sheer amount of music that’s out there and all of the labels both big and small putting content into the world and filling our senses. Each year, I encounter at least a handful of new labels that become favorites and whose releases I mark in my mental calendar because they’re always worth it.

Fiadh Productions is a relatively new venture based in New York that, in their words, promotes all that is wild, dark, and enchanting and that nobly supports animal rights and welfare. It also helps that we do know the one force behind this label also had a major hand in Broken Limbs Recordings, another of our favorite small labels, and they’re already off to a great start with two of their initial releases. One is “The Final Sorrow,” the latest full-length from Connecticut-based This White Mountain (helmed solely by Kevin Narowski, though drummer Chris Bryan plays on a couple tracks), the other is “High Plains of Lev’myr,” the first release from Lev’myr (the Dallas-based duo of Andrea May Taylor and Garry Brents, who also plays Cara Neir among other bands) who take you on the Medieval-style journeys of Gwyn the badger, Basil the hedgehog and their friends as they take an adventure that feels half “Lord of the Rings,” half “Over the Garden Wall.” They are very different trips though they definitely adhere to the promise to uncover all that is dark and alluring, and each release is ridiculously satisfying and touch on different types of artistic stimulation.

As for This White Mountain’s “The Final Sorrow,” “Pouring” introduces you to the collection with rains pouring and the essence bleeding into “Demise,” a 9:43-long burner that has scathing atmosphere with leads swimming through murk and the playing continually smothering. Blackness and elegance fall, chilling you to the bone, then it’s on to “Burden” that thrashes and burns. Moody and ferocious as it pushes on, there are emotional waves and devastating guitar work, and even the calmer moments have tornadic pressure behind it, soaring out through the air. “Bleak Future” has guitars dripping and the intensity tearing things apart, great melodies tidal waving onto the shores. Later, the drums take apart everything, and the adventure hits a huge high point that leaves you breathless. “Death Take Me” comes in fast and rupturing, the violent pace clubbing away and creating storming power. The playing is relentless and trudging, unearthing filth and anger that fully consumes. Closer “The Final Sorrow” is the longest track, stretching over 15:01 and dawning in cold fog, the bass bending, and a gust takes over that reminds of classic Opeth. Melody and skullduggery are two massive elements, washing through space and into the stars, overcoming with passion and infectious devastation, rushing out amid crushing screams and an abrupt end.

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

“High Plains of Lev’myr” opens with the title track and has acoustics fluttering as the splendor unfolds, the village opening itself up to the rest of the world, then “Shire Sunrise / Morning Tea” has a baroque feel amid the synth strings and the breezy early hours feel, wheat flowing and birds chirping. “The Journey Begins” has cellos swaying and keys making magic as gold is stolen, the honey runs desperately low, and a great wizard advises our heroes. “Under the Stars” has strings creeping as the clouds collect above the group’s heads as they seek rest for the night, this calming passage surely able to get them there. “Rain Awakening” brings dramatic synth and gusts of air as raindrops the size of coconuts crash down, acoustics and strings striking, heading toward “Cave Ambush” where serene synth and woodwinds creep along as spiders attack from all angles, the group fighting hard to survive. “Ironworks of the Bears” is the final chapter with strings and keys plinking, blowing through the trees. The group finds a place to rest for the night, thankful for the safety but aware the journey is just beginning.

These two releases could not be more diametrically different from each other yet coexist nicely on the Fiadh roster. Blistering and atmospheric black metal from This White Mountain and Lev’myr’s charming and cinematic dungeon synth and folk each make for two records that’ll attract different audiences with a surprising large circle at the center of the Venn diagram showing each’s following. Both of these are enjoyable, surprising releases that have us excited for both bands and this new label.

For more on the band, go here: https://levmyr.bandcamp.com/releases

To buy the albums, go here: https://fiadh.bandcamp.com/

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