The shadows have been brooding for much longer than before we had our lives overtaken by a virus, but that period of time has let the torment truly sink in, making some of us wonder how we got here. Social media is a poison, there remain those who let blind hatred dictate their every step, and societal chaos has opened up a lot of eyes but also multiplied the blackness in many people’s hearts.

It’s hard to find true catharsis or a way to alleviate some of the pressure building up in your own mind, but luckily that isn’t impossible to achieve. Pittsburgh doom power Horehound aren’t here to make those problems go away, but their killer third record “Collapse” can act as a friend in arms, guiding you to see the worst of humanity but also provide you the power to work your way out of that madness. The band—vocalist/synth player Shy Kennedy, guitarist Brendan Parrish, bassist Russ Johnson, drummer Dan Moore—unleash their darkest, most ferocious music of their entire run, identifying with the pain and suffering around us all but also standing defiant against those forces. They also will be appearing on the second night of the fourth Descendants of Crom fest, which finally returns after a very understandable two-year layoff back to Cattivo in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh Friday and Saturday. The full lineup, set times, and ticket info is at the bottom. DoC always is a good time with a wide variety of bands that offers something for every heavy music fan no matter where your preferences lie.

“Hiraeth” kicks off with heavy blows landed, going into darkness as Kennedy’s vocals come in deeper, and sultrier than ever before. The guitars snake and snarl as growls rip into the flesh, Kennedy wailing, “There is really nothing left, everything (has) been said, everything (has) been done,” as the sludge increases. Psyche-washed guitars bubble as everything builds into a fog and comes to a pummeling end. “Godful” is a beast, foreboding and stalking, Kennedy slicing, “Our lies are worse than our very own doom, you might consider just returning to the womb,” before barking, “Run! Get out!” The track turns grisly and balmy, showing off some of the heaviest stuff this band ever has conjured, continuing to increase the pressure before finally showing some mercy. “Sword on Fire” arrives amid galloping guitars and doomy steam, Kennedy’s growls hissing with venom. The punishment increases as time goes on, the guitars numb your brain as you melt down inside, and then the pace speeds ahead as it blares and bleeds to a fiery finish.

“The Agent” comes to life with the bass playing buzzing, the drums kicking in, and Kennedy smoothly leveling with, “You want to pretend that you are not going to die, but we’re all going to die.” The song eventually gets chunkier and heavier as ominous clouds hang overheard, threatening your safety. “The Rebirth” emerges with thick synth work and the tempo slowly dripping, bringing solemnity before the ground begins to rumble. Punches land as Kennedy jabs, “We live, we live, we destroy everything,” as her shrieks do damage to your mental well-being, the tempo pounding away. The guitars cut and curve, creating unexpected paths, and then the fire bleeds into static and the final gust of synth. Closer “Dying Gaia” brings portentous riffs and growls that wrestle with clean singing for supremacy. “Be! Don’t be! You’re going to die, is it today?” Kennedy teases before she cries, “Die!” with full throat. The bass continues to crumble the earth as the playing begins its slow ascent into the stars, final psyche lightning bolts landing and burning their mark into the earth.

This is Horehound’s darkest hour, which only makes sense since we’re still basking in the oppressive shadows of pestilence and death, and our psyches are forever shaken. “Collapse” is a document of its time, the punchiest and most volatile record this band has created to date, almost as if they’ve chosen to take on their darkest sides in order to survive. The record will claw your heart and torch you mind, and you’ll go along willingly to try to shake free from demons that have become far too resilient.

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

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

Descendants of Crom lineup:

Friday

Makeshift Urn 7:45 PM
Pillars 8:30 PM
Heavy Temple 9:15 PM
Howling Giant 10:00 PM
Ironflame 10:45 PM

Saturday

We, the Creature 4:45 PM
Quiet Man 5:20 PM
Tel 5:55 PM
The Long Hunt 6:30 PM
Witching 7:05 PM
Foehammer 7:40 PM
Horehound 8:15 PM
Rebreather 8: 50PM
Bridesmaid 9:25 PM
Horseburner 10:00 PM
Orodruin 10:45 PM

To get tickets, go here: https://checkout.eventcreate.com/dociv/select-buy

For more on the fest, go here: https://blackseedservices.com/DOC-IV/

For more on the venue, go here: https://cattivopgh.com/

Surely plenty of people are tired of talking about how humanity has been impacted the past two years, and that’s not just including a pandemic that still lives. You can tell that by people’s lack of willingness to help out other people or to even acknowledge a health crisis even existed. That bled into politics, of course, as well as our societal relations, and we remain in a state of disrepair and stupidity.

Pittsburgh doom metal vets Deathwhite did have their eyes and minds open over this tumultuous period, and that bleeds into their powerful third record “Grey Everlasting,” a title that pretty much tells you all you need to know. This anonymous band—there are four shrouded figures in their promo photo—unload their desolate, yet melodic energy into these 11 tracks and 48 minutes, enshrouding you in a shocking reality that appears to have no mercy for us. Yet there also is a survival mode threaded into these songs, fronts that allow us to build up a strong callous as we continually face the most depressing and destructive period of most of our lives.

“Nihil” gets things started, a quick synth-driven intro that spreads elegance and sorrow, rolling into “Earthtomb” that actually throws some unexpected punches to your skull. Aggressive mists spread and bring strong singing and more keys that increase the pressure, the chorus rushing back and closing out on the track. “No Thought or Memory” brings lush singing and a chugging pace, pulling the levers and bringing the storm clouds. “No thought or memory, you cease to be,” is called out, elevating the pain, and then the fire spreads. Blood rushes, the chorus envelopes again, and the track drains out into gothy terrain. “Quietly, Suddenly” takes some time to establish an ambiance, and the dreariness grows larger, creating a shadow in the room, and even when the power strikes, you can’t avoid the cold emotion. “Death, so suddenly,” is belted, leaving the song in a puddle. The title track slowly dawns with vulnerable singing and the music chiming, your anxiety growing by the second. There’s a slight ’80s Euro pop feel to some of the track, adding a different texture, and then the crawling grimness finally lets you be. “White Sleep” is punishing right away, stomping through mud, giving off deathrock vibes that add to the murkiness. “I hear nothing, I am no one,” does nothing to quell the hurt as the balmy weather buries hearts in the soil.

“Immemorial” is introduced by drums pacing and the bass plodding, the guitars burning pathways in the sky. The vocals bellow as acoustics rain, hisses push, and the playing keeps unloading until you can take no more. “Formless” has guitars erupting and the moody pace growing more oppressive as it goes. The hopelessness smears salty tears in your mouth, and the admission of, “And no one sees the sun,” leaves everything in abject darkness. “So We Forget” takes its time establishing itself, the drums pushing, and the sad wails of, “To never see again, to never feel again,” making a heavy impact on your psyche. The playing begins to hit harder and faster plowing through and ending in dank dampness. “Blood and Ruin” melts into the room, the haze getting thicker and harder to navigate. The playing wrenches as the heaviness increases, making breathing harder and less interesting. “Asunder” ends the album with finger-tapped playing soaring as the solemn singing delivers the sentiment, “Desolation, holding on forever.” If you were hoping things would get brighter from here, you’d be a fool as bleakness folds in on you, the sentiments burns, ending on the call of, “Liberation is only a breath away.”

Deathwhite’s stranglehold on melodic doom darkness and their willingness to expose all of their wounds hits a high point on “Grey Everlasting.” This is a 48-minute session of staring your emotional demons in the face, and part of that battle is accepting your vulnerability and lack of control of that so you can find other ways to thrive. This is music that could break someone, and hearing it play out in such infectious fashion is intimidating.

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

To buy the album (North America), go here: https://shopusa.season-of-mist.com/

Or here (International): https://shop.season-of-mist.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.season-of-mist.com/

Thrash metal is one of the strangest wings of heavy metal’s expansive estate, a style that kind of peaked three decades ago and really hasn’t regained any momentum. The pioneers of the sound still are the primary drivers, and while there have been new bands that have come around since then, not a whole lot of them have gained any traction.

But that’s not to suggest it can’t be done, and Winnipeg thrashers Besieged have proved that again with their punishing new record “Violence Beyond Reason,” a seven-track destroyer that feeds from the sound’s roots and remains true to the source of nourishment. It’s also their first album in 12 long years, finally following up 2010’s “Victims Beyond All Help” with this formidable barnstormer that maintains the band’s penchant for speedy, raucous goodness that satisfies that thrash metal sweet tooth. The band—vocalist/guitarist Nolan Smit, bassist Nick Tober, drummer Tristan Smit—has force, charisma, and just enough violent tendencies to contribute to thrash’s rich history and keep the sound alive and well for many more years to come. Someone has to do it. Might as well be Besieged.

“Last Chance” rips open with the leads rampaging and the speed becoming a factor as the vocals feel fully barked, kind of reminding of Shadows Fall’s Brian Fair, which is a compliment. The track is aggressive and nasty, the riffs trudging hard, and the chorus sounding like something fun to yell back in a live setting. “Paragons of Brutality” blasts in as the guitars get to the races, and the drums feel like they’re trying to take apart cities. Raspy howls blacken eyes as the playing is fluid as it attacks, the guitars chugging and spitting fire. The heat increases as the soloing takes charge and amplifies, everything spilling into the title track where the guitars wail and blister. Words are spat out as the speed hits a reckless level, then hell is ignited as the speed limit is roundly mocked with everything ending suddenly.

“Path to Defy” crushes as the playing slashes through your mind, then the speed picks up and makes the ride increasingly more dangerous. The vocals splatter as the intensity multiplies, the low end mauls, and the final moments make sure they stomp violently on your neck. “One World Coma” bursts in as cool, shimmery guitars emit a breeze, and the rumbling makes your footing uncertain at best. The guitars pick up and charge the gates, while heavy energy brings the walls crashing down. “Descent Into Despotism” crashes and smashes right away, raspy howls drive their proverbial knee into your chin, and chugging guitars increase, causing your heart rate to skyrocket. Strong soloing gives off thick steam as the playing thrashes violently before ripping off into a vortex. “Testaments” is the closer and brings a heavy does of thrash and vocals that give a whiplash effect as you try to hold on to something steady. Morbid speaking creaks as the guitars unload with force, rushing with vocals that bruise bones and a smashing finish that leaves nothing behind but pain.

Thrash has had such a strange past couple decades as this style that once was so prevalent has struggled to make a proper impact. Bands such as Besieged not only have a stranglehold on the sound and feel, but “Violence Beyond Reason” can be a reason why the subgenre thrives again and listeners get a proper smashing to wake them up to this approach. This is a fun, punishing album that makes me think of my own formation as a fan of thrash and gives me hope it can live and dominate all over again.

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

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

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

We tend to group bands into specific categories when it comes to heavy metal because we need a way to organize them in our brains and make it easier to explain to someone if they ask what a particular artist’s sound is like. We also kind of expect bands to remain in those buckets and keep making the same type of art they always have, and for the most part, that’s what happens.

Ocean City, MD, trio Yatra have become know for their gnarly, punishing brand of doom metal that they spread over three full-length albums from 2019 through 2020. Yes, they’ve been rather prolific in that short window. But the earth had been shifting under them, and now they’re back with “Born Into Chaos,” their first for Prosthetic and their steep turn toward death metal. If you really had been paying attention to the band’s development musically, this can’t be a huge surprise. Things have been getting uglier as the band—vocalist/guitarist Dana Helmuth, bassist Maria Geisbert, drummer Sean Lafferty—has turned the screws ever so slowly and ratcheted up the power. These eight tracks that spread over more than 38 minutes do optimal damage and deliver a more menacing beast that is lurking over you and getting ready to drive in the blade.  

“Death Cantation” gets started with riffs swirling and vicious growls touching down, immediately and forcefully letting you know things have changed. The playing guts as the power grows, and then the band slowly mauls before the leads light up, and everything comes to a snarling end. The title track lathers with more riffs and a hellish pace with a simple, yet effective chorus tearing through ribcages. The playing turns ugly in a hurry, boiling with heat and pressure with Helmuth wailing, “Baptized in blood!” as you’re trampled underfoot. “Wrath of the Warmaster” pulverizes in a hurry, pounding away as demonic howls rattle the walls. Some black metal elements make the aura scarier, and chaos spreads its wings, darkening skies as the relentless pace robs you of breath. “Terminate By the Sword” delivers a jerky tempo that sludges along, and then things pick up as things grow more volatile. The band goes back and forth from storming to calculating, speed coming in bursts, and Helmuth howling, “Termination! By sword!” as the track slips into the dark.

“Reign of Terror” arrives with splattering guitars and playing that feels like it rams your head off the walls. The approach flattens as the soloing lights up and causes blinding flashes, then things turn sooty and mean, the growls doing ample damage. “Terrorizer” has clawing riffs and playing that smears blood in your mouth, burning and causing your speech to slur. The drums come to life and completely decimate, and then the band grinds you in their gears, enveloping you in a pit of torture. “Omens of Fire” encircles with whipping riffs as things spiral out of control, the heat melting flesh. Terror increases as the growls gain momentum and aim for your throat while the playing gallops with fierce animosity, spindling out into the dirt. Closer “Tormentation” ensures you and your aching body won’t forget this final blast as vile growls and impossibly heavy guitar work look to maim permanently. The pace completely destroys, going off and making dust from your bones, ending in muddy violence.

Yatra’s conversion from doom to death metal wasn’t exactly an overnight thing, as their sound has grown more savage over their previous three full-lengths and has bubbled over on “Born Into Chaos.” That means seeing them live won’t make the old and new material foreign from each other, but the heaviness and intensity of these eight new songs certainly stand out among the pack. This is a bloodier, more vicious version of Yatra, one that could come back on its next record in any metallic form.  

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

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.prostheticrecords.com/products/yatra-born-into-chaos

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

The whole world feels like one horror after another, which cannot be good for our mental health. We referred to escapism earlier in the week, though, so leaning into terrifying chaos that isn’t stomping and snarling outside our doors still can be something enthralling. There also is the chance to align with darkness so that we can deal with the trauma we’re battling inside our minds.

That leads us to Michigan-based death-doom destroyers Temple of Void who have rampaged back with their excellent new record “Summoning the Slayer,” the band’s first effort for Relapse Records. The band’s fourth record continues their rampaging power and immersive strength, basking in the ugliness of the world but also providing some room to escape into their foggy devastation that is both intimidating and enthralling. The band—vocalist Mike Erdody, guitarists Don Durr and Alex Awn, bassist Brent Satterly, drummer Jason Pearce—makes the most of this seven-track, 40-minute opus, delivering a record that’ll keep the audience they’ve amassed more than satisfied and turning on newcomers to one of the best death-doom bands operating.

“Behind the Eye” gets this record off to a balmy start, trudging through murky waters, the growls crushing your will to live. The snarling pace gets heavier as it heads into steamy terrain, beastly growls attempt to remove your bowels, and the playing bubbles and punishes, everything evaporating. “Deathtouch” is morbid and slowly churns, the leads opening and feeding the flames that are beginning to roar. The pace picks up as the body blows rain down harder, the guitars cause a chill to capture you, and Erdody wails, “Memories turn to dust.” The sadness intensifies as a synth gaze causes the walls to crumble, and the playing smears and bleeds into “Engulfed” that lets the pressure build slowly. The playing is dizzying and makes your head spin, and the growls echo in the background, only adding to the disorientation. The humidity wilts as the guitars create a thick steam, the vocals crush anew, and the anguish floods your senses until you’re left floating in a sea of tears.

“A Sequence of Rot” starts with the bass sprawling and the playing fluttering, deep growls digging into your organs. Guitars bleed as the pace lurches open, punishing and picking up speed before it ends in a slogging horror. “Hex, Curse, & Conjuration” is a fairly short track, something that gets in, does damage, and gets out. The riffs encircle, the drums maul, and ugly growls lean into gloomy waters as the final nails are pounded in hard. “The Transcending Horror” dawns in watery guitars and growls that slither through the muck, eerie and mystical powers thickening the cloud cover. The playing pummels heavily, ripping into a brief silence before the explosive jolts causes seismic bedlam again, slipping away into a space haze. Closer “Dissolution” is a huge departure not only from the rest of the songs on this record but from their entire catalog. It’s largely acoustic with clean singing and a cloudy aura, showing you a more vulnerable side, a different angle to their sadness and despair that leaves you haunted and shaken.

Temple of Void’s jump to Relapse came at a great time as “Summoning the Slayer” is some of their strongest work to date, a great way to introduce themselves to a wider audience. The depth of misery and the explosion of death-laced doom is enough to keep you filled for a long period, the content putting meat on your bones, an aching in your heart. This is a devastating statement, a deep, heavy shot to any hope you had that one day, things are going to be brighter. You’re better off knowing that’s a fantasy you’ll never realize.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://store.relapse.com/temple-of-void-summoning-the-slayer

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

It’s a strange time to be talking about death in the United States with all of the happenings this past week, but onward we go. Luckily, death metal isn’t here to actually do you harm or maim your children; it’s here as an escape that definitely digs deeply into rotting guts now and again. It’s horror that unites with some of our gnarliest nightmares come to life in music form.

Vancouver-based death metal power Grave Infestation digs back into the sub-genre’s formative years with their vile, disgusting debut offering “Persecution of the Living.” If you like this style more gruesome and drowning in doom, you’re likely to be right at home, your senses being bombarded with forces that slither from their final resting into a different kind of damnation on this earth. The band—vocalist/guitarist GC, guitarist BC, bassist TS, drummer AS—already roused interest off two well-received demos, but those just set the stage for this 10-track destroyer that helps you suspend for disbelief for a bit and immerse yourself in unthinkable terror.  

“Intro” is a brief lid lifter that lets the spirits into the room, washing into “The Conquest of Pestilence” that erupts right away. Guitars wail as harsh growls curdle, and energetic fire opens gooey wounds. The drums pulverize as the energy causes your blood to rush, and then it’s on to “Slaughter, Then Laughter” which starts balmy and in confusion. The playing slowly melts as the trudging pace increases, and nasty growls make your flesh bake as the furious elements get rowdier. The band hammers away as the bruising increases, returning to humid, poisonous terrain. “Persecution of the Living” tears itself apart at the seams, the growls assaulting you as the playing puts you in a vice. The leads spindle as the tempo explodes, the rhythm section doing its best to turn your bones into paste. “Can You See the Pale Horseman in the Distance?” starts in a dust cloud from the drumming, guitars wail, and the speed takes off, threatening your safety. The guitars glimmer and strike, spiraling off into insanity, taking you with it and disappearing into the soil.

“Plague of Crypts” jars hard, bashing your head again the ground, the growls mangling your muscles. Once again things are fast and violent, leaving no room to grasp for safety, and then the guitars slice into flesh, flattening victims and smashing skulls. “Death of the Last Individual” mauls in a nasty fury, letting the guitars come alive with electricity, vicious howls leaving scarred flesh behind. Guitars spiral out of control and make the room spin dangerously, and then it’s on to “Human Jigsaw Puzzle” that lands heavy blows moments into its run. The riffs swim through swamps, the playing melts through rock, and the heat continues to increase, finally allowing mercy once it slips away. “Eternal Oblivion” starts feeling like it’s twisting your muscles, your face engulfed in flames. The band thrashes away with precision, the growls try to cave in your face, and a snarling guitars race leads right into hellish madness, slipping into the brief “Outro” that lets coldness grip your soul one last time.

Grave Infestation leave no meat on the bone with “Persecution of the Living,” as it’s very clear they have consumed every bit, the blood and guts included. This is death metal that gnaws at you, sickens whatever is inside your stomach and has no concern whether their bloodlust is too warped for your mind. This is a crushing dose of death metal that feels like the subgenre never left the swamp and only decay and torture are on the menu.

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

To buy the album or for more on the label, go here:  https://invictusproductions.net/

It’s OK for heavy metal to make you feel good inside, to lift your spirits, to make you forget the bullshit for a little bit. Metal used to be escape music primarily, but that became a little less the case over the years as skepticism and cynicism became more involved, which is fine, because it’s great for this music to test societal expectation. But fuck, it’s OK to smile every now and again.

That takes us to Astronoid, a band that really sits alone in metallic circles because their energy is undeniable, and the power you can feel in your guts might make those who fear fun quiver in a corner. Whatever, man. Put on “Radiant Bloom,” the band’s third long player, and try not to feel your blood rushing through your veins, the adrenaline giving you a good experience and not one where you turn into a dick. It’s not like there’s not darkness here—planetary concerns, selfish humans, doubt—but it’s survivable and it’s something we all must face. The band—vocalist/guitarist/percussionist Brett Boland, guitarist Casey Aylward, bassist/synth player Daniel Schwartz, drummer Matt St. Jean—tease black metal, shoegaze, prog rock, and tons of other terrain that makes this record shake with life and fill every one of your cells with something that makes you feel half decent for once.

“Admin” starts in a synth cloud before the track bursts with life, the riffs pouring effusive emotion. Boland’s singing remains ridiculously helium-high, which is one of my favorite elements of the band. Energy builds higher, every element soars, and the tidal waving is dragged into the clouds. “Eyes” brings a melodic gust and Bolan calling, “I just feel so tired, I don’t feel well at all.” Guitars take off as the momentum hits a sweet spot as Boland wails, “With the lights down low, I don’t need to see the path,” as everything comes to a huge finish. “Sleep Whisper” has a punchy start with guitars crunching and heavy breeziness teasing. “See ya, this world, go away, hurts for me,” Boland blasts as everything comes to life and energy pulsates, lighting up your every cell. “Sedative” is anything but as it’s on a high right away, bringing power and force, feeling catchy and impossible to tie down. As things go on, the pace gets faster as your veins pump, ending in infectious blasts.

“I’ve Forgotten Your Face” brings distortion and synth interference, Boland calling, “Give me a sign that I’ll know, give me a sign I know I’ll recognize.” The track is immersive and emotional, letting things crash down around you and cure any drowsiness you may have. “Orchid” rips open and splashes colors across the sky as the singing swells, and the melodies turn monstrous. The high energy seems impossible to maintain, but they never waver, finally disappearing into a collecting fog. “Drown” delivers a forceful jolt but then pulls back some, Boland singing, “Don’t you so easily forget your reverence.” The tempo then kicks up, beams slash toward you, and the guitars jar some teeth loose, finally washing out in keys. “Human” has static and a mid-tempo push, still sweeping you up before the harder waves crash. There is a sense of sadness here as Boland sees the state of our globe and wails, “Oh my god what we’ve sown, poor world, oh my god what we’ve done to ourselves.” “Decades” closes the album, and it injects a sugary crash, pulsating and pushing, Boland jabbing, “Don’t need you now, it’s all for show, I need no one.” The pace never relents as the band spends its final minutes paving the way for heartfelt immersion, guitar glaze, and synth zaps that soar past planets and moons.

Astronoid really lean into what makes them special on “Radiant Bloom” as they never sounded more confident and sure of themselves, and that just makes these songs stickier. I’m not interested in debating where they belong as far as metal’s structure, because who the fuck cares when this band is making music this good? It fits where it fits, it fills your heart and mind with energy, and even in its darkest moments, you still feel like you can battle through even when hope is at its lowest.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://store.astronoidband.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.3dotrecordings.com/

The amount of people who inhabit earth who have been to outer space is shockingly small, which probably is for the best. Yeah, OK, because you need years and years of training, and you have to have the proper mentality to go out there. I mean more because we’re such horrible stewards of our own planet, the rest of the galaxy doesn’t need us destroying anything else out there.

While I’m pretty sure no members of Blut Aus Nord are a part of any space program (hey, I could be wrong), I have a strange suspicion its members have visited the deepest reaches of the cosmos and have used their records to report back and deliver that energy. It takes no time at all to dig into their new 14^th record “Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses” to think they’ve done some travelling beyond this rock. This seven-track, 46-minute album is one of the strangest yet most immersive of their nearly three-decade run, which is mind blowing considering the creative clip this band has been on from the start. If you’re not prepared, this thing will break you brain as this trio—guitarist/vocalist Vindsval, bassist GhÖst, drummer/keyboard player/electronics master W.D. Feld—rewire your expectations of these black metal wizards who long ago left behind convention and rules. My first listen was after some mind-altering substances, and fuck, was I not ready for this. I’ve had repeated listens in various states, and every one of them has been unique as I’ve uncovered new layers I didn’t before.

“Chants of the Deep Ones” gets the record off to a rapturing start, the melodies swirling through the cosmos, and on my first listen, this was a total adventure. Growls hiss behind the wall of chaos, riffs continue to slip into stardust, and the track slowly dissolves into your blood. “Tales of the Old Dreamer” amplifies the psychosis as it punches into smeary fire, filling your brain with strange tales unfolding before you. The guitars explore and hurdle power jolts, and your dreams spill from your eyes as the magic catapults and swallows you whole. “Into the Woods” enters in a disorienting aura as the playing drips and melts, the guitars moaning out of intergalactic stimulation. Hisses are hidden behind the ghostly presence that continually increases as choral sections infect, and the bizarre final moments snake through your psyche.

“Neptune’s Eye” brings warped riffs and time seemingly consumed in front of your eyes. The drums splatter as the growls emerge, and the numbing presence that gains steam increases the pressure and the imaginative hell that’s unraveling around you. “That Cannot Be Dreamed” starts with guitars gusting and the atmosphere getting more volatile, your brainwaves bending wildly. Growls gurgle as the weather patterns threaten, the pace pulls back, and sounds whir and flow into nightmares. “Keziah Mason” swims in deep space rock oceans at first, moving through shadows and onto alien surfaces that feel inviting. The playing smears as electronics sting, a hypnotic attack spins your brain, and the final strains mix into a sound haze. Closer “The Apotheosis of the Unnamable” is miasmal goo creeping near you, the pummeling working to increase your madness. Guitars work into a thick fog, and the playing slowly chugs until psychotic spirits engulf, alien rubber proves more flexible than guessed, and the last minutes slip into a chemical spill and turn to unrecognizable elements.

Blut Aus Nord don’t seem to have an off button as far as their extraterrestrial creativity that is smeared all over “Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses,” their challenging and haunting 14^th record. This creation is following on the same astral pathways as their last couple records but finds new ways to be wonderfully warped and something that makes you feel disoriented for your entire journey. There’s no sign this band is anywhere near slowing down, proof of which is in this stimulating record that’s something only this entity could create.

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

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

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

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

Pain and misery are two elements in which we are swimming as there feels like there is an abundance of people suffering and situations that are bleak and dreary. Even as summer is about to burst here in North America, our gloom remains for so many, and just because the heat and sunshine are raging back, that doesn’t heal the blackness that rests in so many hearts.

Australian doom-death crushers Malignant Aura sink their teeth heavily into the seamy side of existence on their massive debut full-length “Abysmal Misfortune Is Draped Upon Me,” an album that actually tells you all you need to know thematically from its name. But there’s even more behind that as the band’s dour and ferocious doom hammers you, piling smothering riffs and cataclysmic growls on top of you, hardly letting you get a glimpse of light. Mastered by the always trustworthy Arthur Rizk, this band (whose identities I had zero luck finding) adds pressure and merciless pain, forcing you to wallow deep in the endless gloom and come face to face with horrors that’ll take apart your psyche.

“Malignant Aura” opens with eerie throat singing before an incredible riff crests, and the playing slowly bludgeons, taking its time to move over you. The guitars pick up as the pace bashes away, the temperatures swelter, and pressure increases on your chest, agitating your panic level. Guitars moan as the growls lurch, a wave of noise adding corrosion. “In a Timeless Place Beneath the Earth” is immediately sorrowful as guitars gain heat, and the growls crush your will to move forward. The playing speeds up and pummels, and that punishment claws away as the guitars catch fire, blinding you with the blazing. Growls hiss, heavy blows are dealt, and the emotion collects as everything comes to a wrenching end. “There Is Blackness in the Water” is the longest song here, running 12:04 and leaning right into double-kick drum ferocity and crushing growls, later melting from the heat. Hypnosis swells as the darkness thickens and threatens, and then the earth implodes, volcanic force becoming an insurmountable factor. From there, the pace clobbers, doomy guitars layer the soot thick, and everything slowly but surely fades into the night.

The title track begins with a clip from the 1981 film “Possession” before hazy riffs drop, and the growls hulk thickly, the growl of, “I am nothing but a remnant,” digging into your mind. The playing delivers sooty doom punishment until things comes apart, and the guitars enter a full hellish assault as the riffs encircle, burning into oblivion. “Soliloquy Beneath the Sepulchure” runs a massive 10:15 with guitars raining down, the growls pouring generous amounts of misery and sorrow. Vicious heaviness leans in and makes the weight unbearable, and then the heat increases, making breathing something of a chore. Elegant guitars spill, the double kick drums pummel, and everything ends in streams of ash. “…And So It Was That I Lay Down Forever” closes the record by melting iron gates and stomping forcefully, delivering a devastating pace. The slowly burning fury is massive as noise rings, and the mouth of doom begins to consume the earth whole, bringing a full serving of physical and mental destruction. The playing chews on muscle as authoritative speaking booms, slowly but surely bleeding away for good.

Malignant Aura’s brand of death-doom goes down perfectly on their debut “Abysmal Misfortune Is Draped Upon Me,” a record that should unite younger fans with those who have been dining at the subgenre’s dank halls ever since the beginning. This is a collection that’ll darken your soul and mind but also move your heart to beat faster with excitement and force. This is a masterful debut record, an album that overdelivers and brings the might of the earth to drive you to your knees.

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

To buy the album, go here: https://www.bitterlossrecords.com/malignant-aura

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

I commonly spend time after the sun has gone down staring into the night sky as I have my dog outside for her nightly activities. That goes beyond just looking into the clouds but well beyond into the stars, wondering what’s going on currently on those tiny needlepoints of light and imagining anyone or anything there is looking back. This is the intro for a black metal record in case you’re confused.

For the members of newly formed Nattehimmel, which is Norsk for “night sky,” they’re making that trip not just mentally but musically on their three-track debut demo tape “The Night Sky Beckons.” Those involved with this band are no strangers as the Botteri brothers Christian (guitars) and Christopher (bass), both founding members of legendary In the Woods… and Green Carnation, join with vocalist James Fogarty (also formerly of In the Woods… and Old Forest among countless others) as well as drummer and long-time collaborator Sven Rothe (Strange New Dawn) to plant new seeds into the black metal and pagan metal terrain, hoping to reap a full harvest soon with their upcoming first full-length album. In the meantime, we have this exciting start that definitely has plenty of DNA from their past projects but also soars into new areas and auras that make the future extremely exciting.

“Astrologer” gets off to a spirited start, promising a blast of energy they’re more than willing to deliver. Clean vocals spread and later are consumed by powerful shrieks, the playing trudging and storming before hypnosis takes over. The leads take charge, the playing has a fantastical edge that’s super sticky, and the playing cascades over the final moments, leaving your body heaving. “Mountain of the Northern Kings” enters amid key layers and then a sinister, dramatic push that’s heavy and immersive. Vicious wails punch in as the playing burns hard into a synth cloud, clean guitars give a spacey aura, and then the menace returns and darkens skies, slowly trickling out until everything fades. Closer “Nattehimmel – The Night Sky Beckons” starts with guitars picking up, taking on a forceful black metal spirit, and the drums just erupt, pulling bodies apart violently and without mercy. Guitars rise and glimmer, giving off great energy, the playing spirals and floods, and the track spends its  blistering and last stretch battering and leaving you to wonder what exactly just hit you.

Nattehimmel pay enormous homage to their own roots and paths they’ve blazed in metal and prepare the world for what they have left in them on “The Night Sky Beckons,” their promising debut EP. Everyone here has a resume that’s more than impressive and can match up with just about anyone’s, and this band ripples with promise, warning that this is just the first strike. I’m excited for what Nattehimmel create from this point, and no matter where that is, there will be this crucial first building block sitting in the center of the foundation.

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

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

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