Vestiges+Panopticon – Split LP

June 4, 2013June 4, 2013 CherylLeave a comment

It’s no secret that I have a personal love and appreciation for the one man project of A. Lunn – Panopticon – so please allow me to harp on about this band one more time. It’s unlikely it’ll be the last time I talk about Panopticon so you’ll just have to deal with it. After 2011s searing Social Disservices and 2012s more melodic affair, Kentucky, Panopticon is back – this time with a split from another favourite of mine, Vestiges.

Vestiges side of the split nicely follows their debut The Descent of Man and their split with Ghaust in 2011 by naming the tracks contained here in a continuation of the songs found on those releases. “VII” and “VIII” deftly progress the sound that Vestiges created on their debut whilst bringing a new sense of coherence and a world of agony into these new works. Pantopicon meanwhile, evokes the landscapes we heard on Kentucky with two new compositions – “A Letter” and “Eulogy” – as well as a furious cover of Suicide Nation’s “Collapse and Die.”

Vestiges: Top secret guys. Panopticon: A. Lunn

Fen – Live @ The Black Heart, London

March 24, 2013 CherylLeave a comment

Fen recently played a small and intimate and wonderful show at The Black Heart in Camden Town, and whilst it was great and I had been sent by Metal Hammer to review it there was unfortunately no space to run the review in the Subterranea section of the magazine. Boo-urns.

I asked the man in charge of such things if I could run the review online, and lo, here it is (bear in mind that this is the copy I sent in and as such has been treated to the magical ways of editing – also we were a tad inebriated when we had this conversation). It was a fantastic show so I thought I’d throw it on here so that anyone who didn’t make it could be sad about being silly enough to miss it.

Fen have been a delightful and exciting prospect in the London black metal “scene” for many a year and with the incredible Dustwalker just recently released and an upcoming European tour with Agalloch, it seems that that this trio are truly stepping out from the shadows. Pantheist (7) begin the evening with a doom-laden set of sorrow and rich melody; their sound taking in shades of funereal procession and heartbreak which leads to a genuine feeling of sadness breaking through the heat of the room with the closing beauty of Be Here. Fen (9) take to the stage after a short delay – Grungyn (not his real name…possibly) has been in the queue for beer – and after kicking things off with a couple of older tracks, they proceed to treat us to Dustwalker in full. And oh, how magnificent it is. Shimmering guitars, glorious drum beats and gorgeously harsh vocals courtesy of The Watcher usher in Consequence and moments of spine-tingling perfection that induce goosebumps despite the oppressive warmth of the front row ebb and flow through the morose Hands of Dust and Wolf Sun and continue through to the bittersweet end of their time tonight. Enchanting.

I also took a picture.

And I also reviewed Dustwalker for ThisIsNotAScene earlier this year.

Black Autumn – The Advent October

February 23, 2013February 23, 2013 Cheryl1 Comment

A couple of weeks of ago a gent by the name of M.Krall sent me a lovely email asking whether I’d be interested in his project Black Autumn – I of course, said yes, and in the back of my mind there was this niggling feeling that I’d heard this band before. Fast forward a few hours and a digital copy of The Advent October arrived and in turn I checked my collection and hey, there was a couple of Black Autumn things there.

Black Autumn has been steadily releasing ever since Krall incepted the band a long, long time ago, although it wasn’t until 2003 that any music was actually put out. Demo upon EP upon full length – the last one I heard was Rivers of Dead Leaves which was released in 2008, but I happened across it on the wonderful bandcamp a year or so ago (incidentally, bandcamp is where M.Krall found a link to this blog and then my email address and the rest is history etc…) – followed at quite a pacy rate and now we have The Advent October to add to a growing collection of beautifully downbeat melancholy.

M.Krall – everything

2012…it was the best of times….it was the blurst of times.

January 7, 2013January 12, 2013 CherylLeave a comment

This last year has been pretty great in terms of music, but also on a more personal note, 2012 was actually pretty decent. Good things happened and bad things certainly occurred, but 2012 was the year that I realised that I’d found what I wanted to do in life – and now starts the long, hard road to making that a reality. I’ve come across some incredible people in my writing life that have helped me out in more ways than they can ever know. By giving me chances, by allowing me to hear new records, to making sure that I get to see that all important band that I love, and for the people that might actually read the things that I put out there, thank you. This writing lark is a constant learning curve, and I don’t think it ever ends. I’m excited for 2013. I’m excited for the music that I’ve been lucky enough to already hear, I’m excited for the music I’m yet to hear. Despite the fact that my real life job might not exist in six, three maybe even one month, I can’t wait to see what happens in other aspects of my “career.”

Here’s a picture of Darkthrone hanging out to break up the seriousness. Oh, you guys!

Galaktik Cancer Squad – Celestia

December 18, 2012December 18, 2012 CherylLeave a comment

Wayyyyyyyy back in August the German band (one man, obvs) subject to this review reached out to me over the waves of the web and asked if I’d be interested in talking about Celestia. I checked it out, kinda loved the name Galaktik Cancer Sqaud, and replied in the affirmative. And then, like a moron, I just didn’t get around to doing anything with it. I know, I am lax, and for that I apologise to Mr Galaktic Cancer Sqaud – or Argwohn if we’re being fancy.

Argwhon – everything
1. Omnivore
2. Foreign Day
3. Artificial Life
4. Celestia
5. Kings of Dust and Ice
6. Foreign Night
7. Genesung

Greed & Rapacity : In Conversation

December 15, 2012December 15, 2012 Cheryl1 Comment

Greed & Rapacity are a collective in the most unusual sense. The two members are set apart by the huge expanse of the Pacific Ocean yet have created a work of true unity and passion with their second release, Loki Bound. Bleak Metal was given the opportunity to talk to Greed & Rapacity, and true to form the answers to the questions put to them are answered in one voice, speaking on behalf of both members – H. Lauer, and D. Nahum. – which creates a sense of complete and total oneness. With each other, and with the challenging tone of utter horror found on Loki Bound.

Loki Bound is a deeply unsettling thirty-two minute journey. The music is claustrophobic and it’s very nature is one of bizarre and dissonant structures of sound. H. Lauer’s vocal technique is almost unrecognisable as human at times and it’s this powerful bridge to another world that gives Greed & Rapacity their abstract beauty. The record is based on the Norse myth of Loki, and in particular his experience of banishment and binding, and of torture and deep, unholy thoughts.

Imperial Triumphant – Abominamentvm

November 27, 2012November 27, 2012 Cheryl2 Comments

Imperial Triumphant and the filth-ridden and dissonant structures of Abominamentvm (nice use of the kvlt “v” there fellas) writhe under a layer of smoke and a cloak of distinctly European sound. The New York based trio owe a great debt to French masters Deathspell Omega and the presence of that deliciously utter nastiness in both the mysterious DsO and now Imperial Triumphant is as rotten as any corpse, and marvellous with it.

1. Hierophant
2. Manifesto
3. Crushing the Idol
4. Credo in Nihil
5. Devs Est Machina
6. Scaphism
7. S.P.Q.R
8. Bellvm

Ilya – guitars/vocals, Malave – bass, Cohen – drums

“Hierophant” introduces this solid debut with a beautifully riven bass line than sinks deep into the subconscious whilst preparing you for the inevitable war to follow. Imperial Triumphant evidently enjoy testing their subjects and tend to pull away from the obvious tactics of black metal and here, instead of going all out straight way, “Hierophant” is a little doomy and deeply unnerving in equal measure. Of course this subtly doesn’t last long and “Manifesto” soon powers forward on the bands signature weird time changes and occasional dip into frighteningly abstract territory- funky bass riff included.

Deafheaven+Bosse-de-Nage – SPLIT LP

October 13, 2012October 13, 2012 Cheryl1 Comment

It’s no secret that here at Bleak Metal we (um…..me) are pretty into Bosse-de-Nage and their dastardly enigmatic ways (check out a review of ii and also iii which I did for SPB). The mysterious band have been consistently producing some of the most interesting and intriguing post-rock/punk infused black metal of the past couple of years and November sees the release of a split record with Deafheaven – a band that similarly challenge the concepts of black metal and what it really means.

For this release, Bosse-de-Nage recorded a brand new track – “A Mimesis of Purpose” – and Deafheaven deigned to take on something no one ever expected – a Mogwai cover. Yep. And holy shit, do they ever do this melancholic masterpiece justice.

deafheaven+bossedenage - split cover — Deafheaven+Bosse-de-Nage – split cover

Bastard Sapling – Dragged From Our Restless Trance

September 16, 2012September 22, 2012 Cheryl1 Comment

Bastard Sapling are another band from the Forcefield Records roster (and unsurprisingly are from Richmond, Virginia), yet they are nothing at all like the other two bands previously featured on Bleak Metal – Unholy Thoughts and The Catalyst. This record is actually, y’know, bleak. Sometimes I like to change things up ok. But back to the point, Bastard Sapling’s debut first appeared on cassette a couple of months ago and now Forcefield Records are preparing to release the record on vinyl, and evidently have a couple of pre-order bundles ready to be finalised. All pertinent details can be found on their website, so check that out ASAP.

1. Prophecy Born from Dismal Terrain
2. Cold Winds Howled Across the Desolation
3. The Apex of Suffering
4. Beyond the Void of Life

Kvlt Albvm Ov The Weak

March 24, 2012September 23, 2012 CherylLeave a comment

Forest Silence. A band clad in darkness and cloaked in intrigue and mystery. What is known is this: Winter is the sole member, forming Forest Silence whilst he was still playing in Sear Bliss (on a side note, their new record is one to be avoided) back in 1996 and based in Hungary. A couple […]

Bleak Metal

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Category: Black Metal