You may remember that a few months ago I posted a review of a lovely record by a band named Northumbria. If you don’t, click here and you can see it and enjoy it perhaps.
Northumbria have a music video streaming and the title of the track is “Black Sea of Trees”. It’s really wonderful and you’d be doing yourself a favour by checking it out. I have included it below so all you need to do is press play. Minimal effort ist krieg. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Gilead Media has long been a favourite label of mine (and not just because of that Dark Tower reference) as the one-man operation has always been at the forefront of the darker music scene and it’s clear that Adam gives a shit about everything that he does. The two latest releases from Gilead are as interesting as they are exciting, albeit for different reasons.
Firstly we have the third full length LP from the cult of Fell Voices who, along with Ash Borer, have created a scene unto themselves with hard to find splits and tour only CDr releases and a wonderfully raw approach to recording. Secondly we have Lychgate who are extremely enticing if only for who is involved in this project. Greg Chandler (Esoteric), Aran (ex-Lunar Aurora, ex-Trist), Vortigern (The One, ex-Orpheus, ex-Archaicus, ex-Spearhead) and T.J.F. Vallely (Omega Centauri, Sanctus Nex, ex-Orpheus) make up this new entity and it’s insane how incredible these musicians are and to hear them working together is – if you’ll forgive the hyperbole – mindblowing.
But enough rambling eh? Let’s get down to business.
Nonsun are a two-piece from Lviv in Ukraine and they deal in crushing tones of doomed out sludge and droned atmospheres of wondrous heaviness. Having emailed me way back in Janauary (sorry), Nonsun definitely piqued my interest and I’ve been meaning to get around to this for three months nearly. I am a terrible person and for that, I apologise.
Goatooth – Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Keys
Alpha – Drums
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.
San Antonio based Ecocide have sadly split up (an event which occurred some time ago), but to continue their legacy Tofu Carnage Records are set to press a collection of previously unreleased material on vinyl. Four tracks of powerful and driven sludge make up this new compilation and show that Ecocide are certainly going to be hugely missed on the crust sludge scene. Blackened choruses showcase a knack for melody and deep growls of utter contempt permeate the oppressive atmosphere of When Will It End? with rage and outright disgust at the horrors of the modern world.
Their first and self titled LP was an important record in terms of message and action, and it’s a huge shame that Ecocide will no longer continue. Their history and legacy will live on though, through When Will It End? which is a huge and heavy work, and one that consistently reveals new layers of sound and tone through repeated listens.
Heidi – Violin and Vocals, Brian Gordon – Guitar, Nick – Guitar, Brian Slaughter – Bass, Elliott – Drums
1. Despair
2. Pain
3. When Will It End?
4. Barren
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!
This happens tonight. Tell all your friends. Pretty excited to help out in getting this show together. Come drink whiskey.
Also, if you recognise the picture it’s because it’s my blog header. Image copyright belongs to Cheryl Prime (that’s me). Don’t even think about it.
I know, it’s been ages since I last wrote something proper here. I’ve been too busy not having a life and….. well….. Skyrim kinda took over.
Worry not though, the ever majestic world of kvlt albvm’s is here to save the day. This time around, it’s Worship. Fucking doom. Yes, ok, it’s not black metal as most of these kvlt albvm posts have been, but the story of Worship is pretty fucking kvlt. I swear. Have a look!
1. Whispering Gloom
2. Solicide And The Dawning Of The Moonkult
3. Eclipse Of Sorrow
4. Worship
5. Keep On Selling Cocaine To Angels
It’s that time of year again, where everyone goes all out to prove their exemplary credentials as a music lover and that they indeed are, the most metal. A time of year where lists abound – “Look at my fantastic taste everyone! Look at all the things I listen to that you’ve never heard of! Look at how obscure my musical interests are!”
It’s with that in mind, that I bash out a list of my own. If you’re interested in what my top six demo releases of the year are, check ’em out here: http://www.cvltnation.com/topsixdemos/
And for a list featuring things that aren’t metal at all (although yes, a lot of what you see below is on it), this is a link that has my personal top 25 on it: http://www.scenepointblank.com/features/music/scene-point-blanks-favorites-year-end-2011/2
As an aside, my top album of the year is Rome – Die Æsthetik der Herrschaftsfreiheit. I’m not including it here, because it isn’t metal and afterall, this is a metal blog right? I made a review of it, which you can read by clicking the title. Cool!
Again, for reasons of fairness, this will be alphabetical. Also, I just really like to alphabetise. Who knows how many will end up on this.
Absu – Abzu
Altar Of Plagues – Mammal
Aphrenous – Ravaged By The Incessant Scourge Of Deception
Arckanum – Helvítismyrkr
Ash Borer – Ash Borer
Barghest – Barghest
Bestial Raids – Prime Evil Damnation
Bosse-de-Nage – ii
Brocken Moon – Huffnungslos
Caïna – Hands That Pluck
Circle Of Ouroborus – Eleven Fingers
Cold Body Radiation – Deer Twillight
Corrupted – Garten Der Unbewusstheit
Craft – Void
Esoteric – Paragon Of Dissonance
40 Watt Sun – The Inside Room
Giles Corey – Giles Corey
Goatmoon – Varjot
Gottesmorder – Gottesmorder
Lake Of Blood – As Time And Tide Erodes Stone
Light Bearer – Lapsus
Mournful Congregation – The Book Of Kings
Necros Christos – Doom Of The Occult
Negative Plane – Stained Glass Revelations
Panopticon – Social Disservices
Sutekh Hexen – Luciform
Taake – Noregs Vaapen
Ulcerate – The Destroyers Of All
Woods Of Desolation – Torn Beyond Reason
Wreck & Reference – Black Cassette
Electronic doom huh ? But that’s not even a thing !
Well. That’s where you’re mistaken. Because electronic doom is probably the best label you can put on Wreck And Reference. A band creating doom soundscapes using naught but electronic wizardry. And some drums.
1. All The Ships Have Been Abandoned
2. Surrendering
3. In Chains, Awakening
4. Evening Redness
5. Desire, Ether
6. A Lament
Bleak Metal 