That whole thing where I promised to be more active with this kinda failed but here’s a couple of cool releases that you might find interesting.

Circaic – False Prophetic Roads

If you like huge, technical death metal with a side of melody then Circaic might be the band for you. Melding the darkness with the light isn’t a new tactic, but Circaic’s stab at melodic death metal is solid and will see them on their way to something bigger. False Prophetic Roads still has a hint of immaturity about it – some sections in the opening track “The Spewing of Venom” don’t quite hit the mark or flow as well as they could with the kind of cohesion you’d want to hear – but the young band have something here to be worked on and occasionally there’s a little hint of what that could be.

You can hear some tracks from False Prophetic Roads on their bandcamp page.

Ecferus – Prehistory

Ecferus are from the wilds of…Indiana, and the one man project has created a debut work that is affecting, mature and interesting enough to stand against more established acts – think Fell Voices and Ash Borer who have gained an incredible amount of momentum these last few years for similar musical landscapes. Prehistory is a little more on the rough side than those bands but the rawness serves to push Ecferus further in terms of emotion and edge.  The four songs here flow from harsh, filthy riffs to the sudden serenity of “Walk With the Feral” and its calm, peaceful interlude that allows the band to breathe for a short while before Alp’s rasped vocals layer back in, pushing the song towards its climax on swirling guitars and driving drums.

Prehistory can be ordered from Fragile Branch Records and heard here.

Natanas – Смертность

If completely weird, Beherit-esque, ritualistic black metal is your cup of tea, then Natanas could be the band for you. Led by Nathaniel Leveck, Natanas formed in 2013 and released an outrageous amount of work in 2014. Смертность is curious, otherworldly and most definitely dark and Natanas absolutely runs with the atmospheric slant until the sounds and structures are almost unrecognisable. The voices heard here are many and Leveck utilises the sounds of his own making to create an album that  is quite honestly, bizarre. But if doomed, occult-flavoured black metal is for you, then Natanas have a lot to offer. “Transcend” is hypnotic, rhythmic and repetitive and the style offered here is woven through subsequent pieces. The constant motion is unnerving and Natanas is certainly intriguing.

Смертность can be heard here.

Sangus – Saevitia

Sangus are one of the most savage bands to have crossed my e-desk and this short EP is enough to whet the appetite and leave you wanting so much more. The tracks are intense, fast and outrageously fired up with Sangus raging from beginning to end with no let up in pace. It’s furious in its execution but Sangus don’t allow that anger to overtake their music, and while Saevitia seems to be over before its even begun, the band let their strengths shine in the short space of time. “Nati da Vulcani” is more catchy than most black thrash and “Strega” digs deep into the mind before “Live to Kill” comes flying in on wings of blood and thunder. Sangus are definitely a band to keep watching.

You can buy Saevitia on bandcamp right now.

Vyrju – Black

Norways’s Vyrju is another one man project but one that isn’t afraid to call in a little help where needed and enlisting Tim Yatras to attend to drums on your debut EP isn’t the worst idea in the world. Yatras also lends his recognisable voice to proceedings at times and these additions give Black a huge lift. Doomed guitar lines filter into the beginning of “The Constant Void” and give the first track a swagger that grooves into the song and gives it life. “There Is No Grave Big Enough to Take All My Sorrows” showcases Jan F. Lindsø’s song writing capabilities with a track that cuts deeply to the core and allows Yatras’ stunning clean vocal to burst through the darkness and into the light. The hopefulness of the instrumental interlude “Gone” is wonderfully executed and the undercurrent of sorrow flows into final track “The Residue of Life” and its heartbreaking narrative.  Vyrju is one to watch.

Black can be obtained via bandcamp.