BEST OF 2010 LIST EXTRAVA-FUCKIN'-GANZA!

1.) Deathspell Omega - Paracletus

2.) Decrepit Birth - Polarity

3.) Conan - Horseback Battle Hammer

4.) US Christmas - Run Thick In The Night

5.) Encoffination - Ritual Ascension Beyond Flesh

6.) Howl - Full Of Hell

7.) Bongripper - Satan Worshiping Doom

8.) Burzum - Belus

9.) The Abominable Iron Sloth - The ID Will Overcome

10.) Intronaut - Valley of Smoke


Honorable Mentions:
Unearthly Trance 'V'
Daughters 'S/T'
Revolting 'The Terror Threshold'
Acid Witch 'Stoned'
Lair of The Minotaur 'Evil Power'
Mandatory 'Adrift Beyond'
Knut 'Wonder'
Immolation 'Majesty and Decay'
Father Befouled 'Morbid Destitution of Covenant'
Druid Lord 'Hymns For The Wicked'
Bison BC 'Dark Ages'
Cough 'Ritual Abuse'
Coheed and Cambria 'Year of the Black Rainbow'
Coffinworm 'When All Became None'
Cephalic Carnage 'Misled by Certainty'
Gorillaz 'Plastic Beach'
Blood of Kingu 'Sun in the House of the Scorpion'



Overhyped!:
Kvelertak 'S/T'
The Ocean 'Anthropocentric/Heliocentric'
Veil of Maya '[id]'
Cynic 'Re-Traced'
Circa Survive 'Blue Sky Noise'

Soul Devour - Apocalyptic Anti-Human Annihilation

Soul Devour's brand of Singapore-born thrashing death is a throat-burning blend of fast riffs, catchy song structures and wraith-like vocals. These dudes know how to write an album that'll have you blasting it over your stereo and air-drumming along in no time. The album is pretty straightforward so instead of hearing me over-zealously slobber all over it why don't you just give it a listen.

For fans of: Incantation, Beyond Hell, Morbid Angel and Deceased


KILL

Tombs - Fear is the Weapon

Tombs' brand of hard-hitting blackened hardcore (which is still a shitty way of describing them since it's a great injustice to box this band up like that) is as potent as ever on this compilation of unreleased tracks that Relapse has put out for those of us rabidly waiting another offering. While Winter Hours was a very dark and morbid album, it still had a strangely 'glimmering' tone to it that almost made it seem bright. 'Fear is The Weapon' has a much darker feel to it. The bass still throbs like a beating heart underneath the walls of sound created by the guitar and drums. If you enjoyed their previous efforts you DEFINITELY need to get this.

FEAR IS THE KEY

For fans of: Jesu, Fugazi and Converge

Gifts From Enola Discography

Back to business. As you may or may not know my opinion on the state of today's post-rock scene I would just like to say that Gifts From Enola have gone above and beyond my expectations. Combining heavy riffs with climbing structures that evolve and devolve throughout the course of a song (instead of relying on a simple 'quiet, crescendo, quiet, SUDDEN EXPLOSION OF GUITARS AND REVERB, fade out' pattern that seems to prevail in this type of music) much like the likes of Isis and Mogwai without falling into the doldrums that line the path tread by followers of both bands. If you want something akin to Capricorns, Caspian and Pelican then this is for you!

Loyal Eyes Betray The Mind

Harmonic Motion Vol 1: Split w/ You.May.Die.In.The.Desert.

From Fathoms

Gifts From Enola

Dukatalon - Saved By Fear

Now you know me, I fucking hate Israel but I love sludge. Well as always, I never let anything get in the way of my hunger for low-end skull-rattling riffs. 'Saved By Fear' has been made available stateside through the witchcraft weaving bastards at Relapse Records after its initial release back in 2009. Well the record starts off with a swell of noise and feedback and then quickly rolls into riffs that bulldoze through your head like a rhinoceros on coke. The vocals are low in the mix and add more aggression rather being upfront and in your face. The band plays with High On Fire/EyeHateGod style guitar-work while the drums bang along rather competently. The solos however sound eerily similar(and I mean damn near plagiarism) to Matt Pike's. This ain't a bad thing but here in the sludge world, we don't need more imitators. With all of that aside this record is an absolutely mammoth collection of sick riffs and the fact that it came from the middle east is an added bonus.

FUCK ISRAEL

For Fans of: old High On Fire, EyeHateGod and dot(.)

Malevolent Creation - Stillborn

Malevolent Creation seems to be one of those bands that has albums that either you love or absolutely hate. Well, when it comes to newer MC I'm not that big of a fan but after digging around I found this album and after a bit of research I've found out that a lot of people hate it for some reason. Well, it's not my favorite but it definitely has some really cool elements to it. Malevolent shows off a lot of their technical skill and produces some genuinely catchy and entertaining riffs. The faster passages are very tight and energetic while the slower bits are where this album shines. Let's not forget the awesome vocals on this record (like the amazing scream at the end of 'Dominion of Terror). The production on this album is killer (minus the fact that the kick drums lack a lot of 'oomph'). Other than that it's solid as a mother fucker and deserves a listen.

STEAL

Growing Discography

Growing is a band that has been able to whittle something very unique in drone. With a mixture of beautifully soothing textures and foreboding ambiance this band can dance around the 'dark/light' aesthetic with the champs. As for their material; some songs are short, some songs are long. They're not the type to drag things out for the sake of being a drone band but for the sake of the song (as we know a lot of younger acts are guilty of).

Above_Below Sea Level

All The Way

Color Wheel

Dry Drunk on Woman

Five Patterns

His Return

Lateral

The Sky's Run Into The Sea

The Social Club Nº 8

The Soul of the Rainbow and the Harmony of Light

Vision Swim

Earth announces new album

Long-time Drone-juggernauts Earth are planning to release another piece of amazing music sometime next year. 'Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light' will be released in two seperate parts and I can tell you from the cover art alone that this. will. be. epic.

Sabertooth Zombie - ...And Your Fathers Are Dead In The Ground

Me and hardcore have never been good friends. Sure we wave to each other at parties and sometimes we'll reminisce about being kids together but to be honest, we've grown apart and I can mainly blame that on my local Hardcore scene (along with the ENTIRE Midwest's Hardcore scene) being dominated by limp-dicked kids that just strap on a guitar and churn out some generic crap so they can be in a crew. That left a pretty bad taste in my mouth. But every once in a while Hardcore and I really hit it off and this is one of those times. Sabertooth Zombie are an extremely unique act combining bits of metal, punk and stoner rock into one big ugly creature. The vocals are as in your face as humanly possible and the riffs are energetic and inventive. The rhythm section creates a very gnarly backdrop with plenty of slammin' low-end. One hell of a surprise. The first time I heard this record I could HEAR what this band was about and I could FEEL it and to be honest, that's something that too many bands lack these days.

For fans of: Akimbo, Tragedy, Young Widows, Swamp Thing and Rotting Out

EAT PAVEMENT

Eagle Twin - The Unkindess of Crows

Once again Southern Lord manages to put out another great release, this time in the form of Eagle Twin's debut (YES this record is a tad bit on the old side. BUUUT after seeing these guys with Sunn I kind of...slacked on checking them out until recently). The Unkindness of Crows is a sonic journey through a very, very dark plane of existence were the only thing you can hear is the cruel jesting of crows and a low rumble constantly off in the distance. This record is as expansive as the guitar-tone herein. The baritone guitar work meanders from droning horror to elegantly executed sludginess. The drums are simultaneously spares and completely overwhelming in every sense. The vocals are very, VERY good with their blend of meditative throat-singing and seemingly ritualistic manner of storytelling. For a two piece these guys make one hell of racket.

For fans of: Halo, Sunn, Earth and Black Cobra (to some extent)


This record is for the birds

Catacombs - In The Depths of R'lyeh

Catacombs manages to produce a haunting obelisk of funeral doom the likes of which we surface dwellers have never seen. While yes, this record is a few years old it's also one of the most ambitious pieces of doom metal to date. Many artists try to use Lovecraftian themes in their music and VERY (and I mean VERY, VERY few) can actually pull off anything that would hold a candle to the original subject matter. This however is a shining example of how metal bands should approach the subject. Not only does Catacombs produce some sub-atomic low-end for this record, there's also the presence of simultaneously eerie leads floating through this record like interstellar dust in the cosmic sea. The vocals are so mind-bogglingly low that the only way I can fully try to understand how they're produced is that the dude found a way to use his intestines as false vocal chords. The songs create a very heavy-handed atmosphere that pulls you in with their suffocating gravity, very reminiscent of being dragged to the briny deep. Did I mention the lyrics are just as beautiful as they are bone-chilling? That's write, the songwriting here is top notch right down to the flawless execution of the vocals, their delivery and their message.



This record is so damn expansive that you have to download it in two parts. Enjoy.

IA! IA!
CTHULHU F'THAGN

Dark Castle - Spirited Migration

When I picked up this album I was expecting something more akin to Electric Wizard or Bongripper but after exploring the rich textured landscapes that this two-piece constructs I would have to put them with bands more akin to Isis and Omega Massif. Each song lurches forward like a giant sloth towards the treeline when there are predators about; keeping its pace, slow and purposeful. Nothing stops this record once it's out of the gate. Riff after riff hurdles through the air with fiery intensity, landing like napalm on a sea of reverb drenched low-end and meditative drums. Sparse vocals weave through the tracks with great intent. This was a huge surprise and another must-listen.

STEAL

Conan - Horseback Battle Hammer

I just popped this ABSOLUTE MOTHER FUCKER of an album in and I swear on all that is doomy and crushing, that this IS the best Drone Doom record of ALL time or better yet the best doom record PERIOD. Absolutely insane across every spectrum. Massive guitar tone combined with some of the heaviest riffs I have ever heard all wrapped in mastodon fur and smilodon-tooth necklaces. The caveman subject matter along with the vocal delivery make this a unique and amazing experience. I've literally been unable to pry myself away from it and it's all-consuming sonic gravity. My headphones feel like their made of lead when these guys are blaring. Listen to this; seriously, turn off whatever you've got on and put on this record.

START HUNTIN' AND GATHERIN'

Wretched - Beyond The Gate

Wretched's brand of death-stained melodics are something that comes almost like a breath of fresh air from the younger generation of musicians. Before I get on my soapbox I would just like to point out how nice the leads on this album sounds; their crisps, clean tone flow nicely throughout the album while the drums and bass pound away some pretty interesting rhythms in the back. The opener on this album starts out fast, dropping you pretty much in medias res with riffs slicing at your throat as soon as she kicks off. The album has a nice runtime at just over 40 minutes, it only slows down to set the stage for the larger tracks. The interludes on here are also pretty nice, lots of good ideas that seem to end before they're complete but whether or not this is a good or bad thing (intentional or not), it definitely adds a lot to this album and makes it stand out. So if you're looking for a magic combination of Decrepit Birth's 'Polarity' and The Black Dahlia Murder's 'Nocturnal' well...then this might get you gubbins moist.

STEAL

-

Revocation - Existence Is Futile

While thrash may be quite dead (despite revivalist effort) there are bands operating in the genre that still create an interesting new playing field for any other bands soon to follow. Revocation levels the board with their blend of technical guitar and bass playing and upbeat rhythms/riffage. Combining the old trimmings of bands like Megadeth and Slayer with the later work of Voivod, Death, Between The Buried and Me and Aspid this band makes a new beast all of their own device. There are a lot of bands out there trying to reimagine thrash and let's face it, these guys are getting right in ways I could never have imagined. Superb musicianship, radical songwriting and high-flying leads filled with an odd sense of (dare I say) whimsy and hope. Surprisingly catchy song-structure makes this album one hell of a new release. Nice to see a young band tearin' it up.

DISMANTLE MY DICK-TATOR

Part Chimp - Thriller

When it comes to noisy rock music of the stoned out variety, normally I know my deal but surprisingly this band slipped under my radar. Coincidentally I saw the cover of this record somewhere before and I tried to make a mental note to download/buy it somewhere but sadly (as my memory is rather shit these days) about a year later I still couldn't remember. Luckily Steve Brooks (America's Sweetheart of Torche/Floor fame) posted them on his page and my mind went all a twitter with excitement. Upon listening to it for the first time, it had everything I could ever want. Dreamy guitars with fabulously HEAVY low-end and nimble-but-punishing drums. The vocals slide and drip over this big stoner-sundae like 'butters drippin' ovah hot biscuits'. Nothing sounds better to my ears right now. Epic in every sense of the word.

Let me put it into words:

If the magazine 'Heavy Metal' had a soundtrack, this would be it. That's right; the only album ever to really match the awesomeness of monster slayin' babes and hunks behind the controls of a massive starship and maybe even a dragon fighting an eagle or some shit. It's just THAT good.


Imagine if you will, a world where Floor, Melvins, Big Business, Sonic Youth and Black Sabbath were all one and the same.

I'M GOING TO MAKE YOUR ASSHOLE LOOK LIKE A USED TIRE

Leviathan - The Tenth Sub Level Of Suicide

Leviathan is one of those one-man-bands that manages to crank out interesting and layered music with each release, this one in particular is fantastically stellar right down to the amazingly nimble basslines that dance under the ethereal guitars like witches at the Sabbat. Everything here is done right in ways beyond imagining; the vocals are potent and vicious while the drums keep their pace excellently even in the more haunting passages between blasts, the bass is perfect in the mix and the guitar maintains its lo-fi "chill" while sounding vibrant and lively. Definitely a great release to keep you company during these cold winter months.


Kill Yourself

Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

Enslaved are back with their Prog-infused Black Sword swinging high over their heads. No holds barred experimentation (albeit not to the level of SOOOME bands we listen to) and some nice vocal dynamics make this album a real trip. With the soothing singing mixed with the blood-curdling growls over a typhoon of riffs backed by blistering drums while flighty guitar leads soar like blackbirds over this sonic battle field. As someone of Norwegian descent, it's refreshing to see a band portraying the wisdom of Odin and his followers as more than "KILL, MAIM, BURN" type shite (not that it's not enjoyable) but this combines all the majesty of the land of its origination. The cold atmosphere mixed with the unspeakable beauty inherent to the snowy wastes and mountain-highs. This record builds on the sound of 'Vertebrae' and brings even more to the table. Once again, this is a band with a lot under their belt and a lot more to add to their trophy case.

DRINK FROM THE FOUNTAIN

Melechesh - Sphynx

Progressive Sumerian Black Metal? You bet your mother's burka it is! This band has been in and around my radar for quite some time and here and there I've dabbled in them with varying results each time but since it is NOTHING BUT BLACK METAL NOVEMBER it's really put me in the prime listening to mood for this type of stuff. With primo guitar tone that combines the mighty Deathified-black thrash attack of later Behemoth with the Saurian-monolithic guitar stylings of Nile. Instruments from the country of inspiration are present throughout, with tablas (and possibly others I'm unaware of) weaving in and out of the music, bringing with them the taste of bloody sand stuck in your teeth as the scarabs tear through your soft, sun-baked skin. If you like monstrous riffs, precision drumming and originality; this band is for you. A must have for any fan of Black Metal or Metal PERIOD. A great release, it's a shame it took me this long to find it.


PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!

Nightbringer - Death And The Black Work

Not many bands truly encompass the full majesty of the world of the occult. Few successfully conjure images of black monoliths of the three veils; projecting death and its many mysteries into sonic form. Nightbringer successfully accomplishes this without breaking a sweat. They've put out one of the most atmospherically and technically punishing black metal records ever to have emerged from the void. With riffs that cut like cold steel and bass that bubbles and ebbs like hot tar, the instrumentation on this album never seems misguided or underdeveloped. Everything here is perfect and this album deserves much more attention. The hereafter opens its gates as you start to spin it. Open up your ears to the tales of the dead and revel in it.

Did I mention that they're from the good ol' US of A? USBM reigns supreme.


STEAL

Deathspell Omega - Paracletus

The Orthodox Avant-Garde Black Metalworkers from France are back with yet another slice of beautifully orchestrated grimm darkness. With some of their best (and most appealing) guitar work yet and their always AMAZING drumming and their TOP-NOTCH bass player. This album blasts forth like a never ending pit of serpents striking in unison. Envenomed vocals intoxicate while the guitars drift in and out of your mind, the throbbing bass pushing you onward while the drums pound you deeper and deeper into the cold and unfeeling world that this album puts forward. EASILY their most diverse and compelling release among a catalog of nearly flawless material. If you like Black Metal and don't have/enjoy this, I have no idea why you don't spontaneously combust.

WORSHIP

Ofermod - Tiamtü

Ofermod brings a lot to the table with this release; relentless Death-infused Black Metal with guitars that rip and tear through any opposition. With Morbid Angel-esque riffing and imagery this band tries to combine the golden age of Death Metal with the silver age of Black Metal; quintessential sounds and ideas from both important eras, combining them into one unstoppable killing machine. The vocals are mixed PERFECTLY on this record, lending their spite and malice to the heavier parts and their haunting croon to the slower parts. While there's not much new here, there's a LOT done right.

STEAL

Witch Tomb - Crippled Messiah

Bestial Death Metal in the spirit of Profanatica. Fast as fuck and blasting past you at a little over 30 minutes with 17 tracks. The opener sets you up with some creepy sepulchral atmospherics and then tears into some of the ugliest Black Metal around. Too bad this was released last year because it would've been at the top of the pile this year. There's everything here; killer dynamics, riffs, monstrous vocals and good atmosphere throughout. A rare occurrence indeed in today's Black Metal scene.

STEAL

Gaza - He Is Never Coming Back

Last year Gaza managed to produce one of the noisiest pieces of Mathcore I have EEEEYYYAAAVAAAH heard. On this record they successfully manage to combine the fiery riffage of Mosquito Control-era Isis with the likes of Botch and Khanate. With the howling doom of the opening tracks and the quieter atmospherics of the interludes, this album is an anthem for the people of Utah.

STEAL

Ghost - Opus Eponymous

Satanic Rock music that sounds like a mixture of Goblin, Witchcraft and Baroness, this is a force of rockitude that is to be reckoned. Prog sensibility and pop song-structure lend themselves to one of the best releases that I've heard in a while. There's not a whole lot I can use to sum this up other than: FUCKING AWESOME

STEAL

Hellmouth - Destroy Everything, Worship Nothing

Fire and Brimstone! Anal Blood and Goat Semen! Hardcore, Thrash, Death Metal. It's all here in the fastest, meanest and angriest thing to come out of Michigan since well....anything. This bulldozer of an album combines the hefty riffs of Mammoth Grinder with the face-peeling speed and precision of Pig Destroyer and Incisor. Absolutely no fucking mercy. This is a no frills album with a bloodstream of piss and vinegar the size of the east Pacific. If you fancy yourself man enough to weather the storm you'll find some of the catchiest heavy music to come out in quite some time. Then again, you're probably too big of a fucking pussy to give it a listen.

STEAL

Electric Wizard - Black Masses

All of you Doom freaks have been patiently awaiting the arrival of our sonic messiah: The Electric Wizard. He comes from on high with an extinction-level wave of feedback, a legion of snarling riffs at his feet. This album doesn't fail to deliver in any sense. If you're already familiar with the band, you know what to expect. Closing with a tale from our recurring anti-hero, Drugula; you know it's gotta be good.

CONJURE


Smoke Weed E'ery Day

Mammoth Grinder Discography

If a band were to ever become the embodiment of pure heaviness, it would be Mammoth Grinder. Sledgehammer riffs swing over wrecking ball-like drums with one intention: to devastate your eardrums. With influences like Evoken, EyeHateGod, Neurosis, Iron Monkey and Dismember you gotta know that they're not fucking around. There will be no mercy, nothing short of utter and complete destruction.

Prepare your anus



Mammoth Grinder Goes To College

No Results EP

Rage And Ruin

Split w/ Legion

Extinction Of Humanity

Obsessed With Death

2010 Tour Tape

Split w/ Hatred Surge

Kill That Cat's new blog up and running!

For anyone that loves AMAZINGLY recorded live footage of your favorite bands this is for you. The videos that this guy puts out are of some of the best out there; killer sound/video quality, great angles and just an all around good dude. You may know him for his work with Intronaut and Skeletonwitch for their in-studio vids and other live peepshows with the Mastoboys, Ghoul, Eyehategod, Leechmilk, Napalm Death and the rest of his impressive roster.


KILL THAT CAT'S OFFICIAL SITE

HIS TWITTER (if that's yer thang)

Denouncement Pyre - World Cremation

Blackened Death Metal from Down Unda'h. These guys mix the trem-picked madness of Incantation with the raw chaos of old school Black Metal. This album stops at nothing when it comes to bringing you to your knees with evil concentrated into riff form. Track after track inspires images of war and the fiery depths of the abyss. Vocals seethe with vulgarity as they slither over the thorn-covered guitars. This album contains what a lot of Black Metal-influenced acts lack, a to connection their roots and great song-writing dynamics. A must-have metal release for 2010.

STEAL

Mercy - Witchburner

It's Halloween time which means it's time to jam all things doom and gloom. If you're a fan of Candlemass then you've gotta know about Mercy: their vocalist's former project. Heavy riffs intermingled with haunting vocals and tales of witchfinders and warlocks; for this season, there's SCAREcly (harr harr) anything better. Pull out yer D20 kids, it's time to slay some fuckin' sorcerers.

STEAL

Mike Dickson of Masticator NEEDS YOUR HELP!

"Please Repost: Donations for Sondras Surgery. If you can contribute, every penny is help towards her surgery. Please help if you are able to. Just follow this link. If you could take the time to repost this it would be greatly appreciated.... thank you"

If you've got a little spare cash, anything helps.

Funrebrarum - Beneath The Columns Of Abandoned Gods

This band is definitely a sum of its parts. Featuring members of Assuck, Infester AND Evoken these brash mother fuckers brings out the big guns with some of the most EVIL sounding Death Metal around. Mixing the vocal styles of their other bands while making a streamlined Incantation/Rottrevore/Infester-hybrid they emerge with one of the most frighteningly heavy pieces of Death Metal I have EVER heard. Absolutely punishing in every aspect, the guitars have PERFECT tone while the vocals conjure up some of the most unabashed blasphemy. Get this fucking record before it sneaks into your house to kill you and your family!

STEAL

Mandatory - Adrift Beyond

Do you ever wish that someone would come along and mix the technical prowess and strained growls of the mighty Pestilence with the heavy-guitar swinging ballsiness of Morbid Angel and Infester while still adding their own juice to the brew? Well you've got your wish. This record is an all out onslaught on the senses. With an unforgiving low-end, this album not only has some of the best Death Metal production I've ever heard it avoids the classic pitfall of sounding too 'flat', 'small' and 'thin'. This record carries with it a gargantuan hammer-like atmosphere. If you fancy yourself someone who enjoys both newer and older Death Metal, you need to get this. 2010's metal list just got a little longer and it has made room at the top for these hierophants of heaviness.


STEAL

Encoffination

A band with some of the best eerie atmosphere around. Grim guitars slither over a tumult of drums while cantrips slip from the lips of witches and warlocks alike amidst the cacophony of rattling chains and tolling bells. This band has combined the fire and brimstone approach of the likes of Incantation with the doomy aural onslaught of Funeral and Ahab. Their debut EP was a valiant effort to blend the new and old into something a bit more whole-sounding than most of the shitty Incantation-worship bands that are beginning to plague the scene more and more these days. Riffs crawl out of your speakers like blight-white spiders, spinning heavy webs of ambiance. Great new band.

Temple Descends Below The Earth EP

Ritual Ascension Beyond Flesh LP

Seventh Temple Of Laodicean Scripture EP

Beyond Hell - The Sleeper Awakens

Beyond Hell is another great piece of the 'Weird Tales'-stylized canon that surrounds some of the better bits of Death Metal being released at the moment. Each track stinks of old ink, cheap comics, mothballs and things most unearthly. From the haunting opening to the thunderous finish, this album is a solid chunk of goregasmic rapture. If you're looking for variety, this isn't the place; what this album lacks for in the originality department it more than makes up for with riffs and grim atmosphere. A fun Death Metal record to toss on during that Halloween season for all you girthy Halloweiners.

DID WE MENTION: It comes with their sold out EP '...And Evil Crept Through'?

STEAL

Featuring Members of: Decrepitaph, Shrouded, Tombstones (USA), Festered, Encoffination, Scaremaker and Loathsome.

Cough - Ritual Abuse

As I write this, I hear the sound of brain-synapse-stopping Doom/Sludge pour through my speakers. Dinosaur-like guitars stumble their way through a stone hall of tortured vocals like some sick mixture of Khanate and Electric Wizard. This bong-shattering record opens up with one hell of a headbanger. This is all-out Doom and destruction at its finest. Absolutely crushing.

LISTEN TO IT FOR FREE HERE

Vulture (Pennsylvania)

After scoping out a sick design on Nev's (Who does rad artwork by the way) page I had to check these dudes out. After a little digging I came across their myspace and holy fucking SHIT are their tunes good (so good that I'm feeling rather inarticulate). A swirling mixture of Howl, EyeHateGod and Pentagram; this band spins out of control like a wheelchair-bound kid pushed onto a melting ice rink. Sick up-and_coming band. They deserve your support.

THEIR MYSPACE

Buy their EP HERE

Unearthly Trance - V

Unearthly Trance's newest offering is nothing short of a hammer-swingin' Doom machine that leaves nothing but rubble in its wake. Titanic drums plow through thick slabs of guitars while the vocals recite cantrip-like passages out of 'The Big Book Of Doom'. These dudes come packing the thundah with nothing short of some of the heaviest riffs known to man. Each note is hand-soaked in a spidersilk/titanium mixture which is then introduced to pure dark matter. The resulting gravitational clusterfuck produces a noise that sounds an awful lot like 'V'.

STEAL

US Christmas - Run Thick In The Night

Appalachia's space rock powerhouse is back with another beautiful album dripping with southern-tinged darkness. Like a rabid wolf letting out its last howl before laying down to rot; this album is like a intravenous injection of black ink. It'll leave you simultaneously suffocated and revitalized. Putting this on is a lot like walking the line between life and death; only here you can really hear or understand what lies just ahead. Turn it up LOUD. This release is meant to shake your rafters clean.

tl;dr: This album is the sonic equivalent to losing your only child.

STEAL

Xenomorph - Empyreal Regimes

Insanely good Technical Death Metal from the days of yore (a bit of a theme on here as of late). Discovered these guys rather recently and I was blown away by the perfect production. The drums and riffs meld together into one seamless machine,only to swerve in and out of themselves like autonomous parts in a grand machine. Unique song writing combined with a penchant for successfully blending the sound of Morbid Angel, Pestilence and Black Metal (esque) vocals. One of the best things I've heard in a while.


DID I MENTION IT HAS A FUCKING XENOMORPH FROM THE AWESOME AvP COMIC BOOK SERIES ON THE COVER?


STEAL

Pestilence - Consuming Impulse

Classic Death Metal distilled into the perfect mix of technicality and riffcraft. High-flying guitar solos weave in and out of perfectly razor-sharp riffs. Buzzsaw guitars tear in and out of your ears while the occasional atmospheric keyboard line adds itself to the over all majesty. A quintessential release in every sense of the word.

STEAL

Monstrosity - Imperial Doom

While Monstrosity isn't original by any stretch of the human imagination, they are a force to be reckoned with in the world of Death Metal. Their potent concoction of Morbid Angel-styled riffs and powerful drums lead with a vocal attack by the monstrous death metal icon known simply as Corpsegrinder. Technicality is thankfully set aside when needed and songwriting takes a huge priority with this band. Expect face-rippingly fast songs with hooks and riffs galore. Blast this fuck'a 'till the neighbor's daughter has a miscarraige.

STEAL

Malevolent Creation - Retribution (Remastered)

Just discovered this album a few nights ago through YouTube. I feel a bit late to the party but I have to say; this band combines everything I love about Death Metal into one sleek package. Impeccable musicianship, great dynamic vocals, songcrafting skill and some pretty nice lyrical themes. A brutal attack from start to finish; this album will tear you apart.

STEAL

Anthropophagus - Christ Rots rough live recording

My Death/Doom band Anthropophagus has just put together our first semi-acceptable recording. Due to a shitty mic speaker the vocals are impossible to hear and due to poor positioning, the mix is very bass heavy. Other than that it's a somewhat decent interpretation of the first song off our upcoming EP. Enjoy

Cephalic Carnage - Misled By Certainty

Cephalic Carnage's new release is possibly their most impressive. Combining the gargantuan Death Metal riffage of Immolation with the jazzcentric Math/Grind they're known for with the odd Doom/Sludge bit here and there; this band has created an unstoppable facecrusher that will zap your brain and smoke your bones. Pure fucking Sci-Fi evil.



STEAL

Behold... The Arctopus - Skullgrid

Insane Tech Metal of Masturbatory Immensity. A slap of songwriting from some of the bros behind Krallice, Dysrhythmia and Gorguts. Snack attack


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Faustcoven

Just got an earful of these dudes. Awesome mixture of Doom/Death and Black Metal. Pretty much one of the coolest bands I've found in a while. Definitely essential in any metal heads collection. Here's their myspace.


Their Myspace

Wombbath - Internal Caustic Torment

Wombbath is one of those bands I've heard of constantly but just never got around to checking out. Well I finally picked up this album and let's just say that it's one of the most impressive Death Metal releases ever put out. Another 90's band that never got all that big in their day and age but the riffs speak for themselves. This band means fucking business. This record has it all! Great Drums, Great Guitar, Great Bass and some of the creepiest atmosphere around.


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Rottrevore - Iniquitous

One of the most underrated bands of the 1990's; Rottrevore released one hell of a debut and then proceeded to disappear off the face of the planet. This album comes at you with some of the greatest riffs imagined. This remaster expands the massive sound that initially put this band on the spot. Each riff crushes you while the roiling drums weave in and out of this dimension. This also includes their demo. A must have for any Death Metal fan.

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Bongripper - Satan Worshipping Doom

My (2nd) favorite Instrumental Doom band from Chicago is back with another bowl packed tight with smokey riffs that will resin(ate) with your inner stoner. This album has massive swing and maximum impact on the ear drums. Pop it in on an expensive sound-system and feel the bass pull away your skin like a rabbit under a sandblaster. You'll feel the Earth's gravity pull your bones down until they're dust as this gargantuan record grinds your skin into a greasy stain on the floor.

PURE
FUCKING
WEED
SMOKIN'
DOOM

Zoroaster - Matador

When asking my inner child how it feels to get mercilessly ass-pounded by forty-three grubby truck drivers; I also ask myself "Who the fuck is Glenn Totemsboro" and as I spin this question round and round I run through the massive riff-a-torium that ist mein mind. There I swim through megatons of a sludgy substance known as "Riffoplasm"; a thick brown goo that emits a low rumble similar to a mixture of rockin' licks and evil feedback. Some of the goo made a pretty interesting bit of noise so I uploaded it for you guys. Enjoy


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