Swamp Witch - Gnosis

Swamp Witch are a band that intrigues me simply for the fact that they're one of the few bands ballsy enough to mix stoner doom with death metal (an idea that I've toyed around with for a long-ass time). These dudes pull it off perfectly. The ethereal guitar leads weave in and out of each other like phased-out electric eels writhing stoned in a big pile. The band can switch from the up-tempo to savagely heavy in the matter of a few measures. 'Gnosis' is short and to the point, spanning only three songs, Swamp Witch don't waste any time packing the riffs into each and every track. Get torched, turn this up and sink into endless couch lock as some of the most brain-rattling riffs thunder through your ear-pussy. SWAMP WEED For Fans of: Cough, Fistula, Incantation, Acid Witch

Wrathprayer - The Sun of Moloch: The Sublimation of Sulphur's Essence Which Spawned Death and Life

It's been a bit since I've used this blog but since so many of my readers still come back here (even when I don't post for months on end) I gotta throw you a bone. Wrathprayer's blend of bestial blackened death comes in the style of the Australian death metal scene with hints of bands like Teitanblood and Witchchrist. The reverb-soaked production adds a cavernous depth to their music. The atmosphere throughout the record is seamless and well composed, as for the music, the riffs are primitive and chaotic. This record is a must-have for fans of truly blasphemous music. BVRN For Fans of: Portal, Diocletian, Teitanblood, Profanatica, Vomitor

Nihilist - Demo Collection

Nihilist were one of those bands that took the principle aesthetics of death metal to their extremes. They played the lowest, nastiest, swampiest doom-laden death metal tat ever crawled its way out of Scandinavia. Plodding drums back gruesome guitars that often lumber with a slow, purposeful canter. The monstrous vocals are on a completely different level than what most bands were doing and quite frankly are still way better than what most bands are trying to accomplish with this sound to this day. Nihilist later became the famed band Entombed so if for some reason you haven't already heard this that should be reason enough to give this a spin.

Tracks 1-3: 'Premature Autopsy' Demo '88
Tracks 4-6: 'Only Shreds Remain' Demo '88
Tracks 7-8: 'Drowned' Demo '89
Track 9: 'The Head Not Found' Session '89
Tracks 10-11: 'The Drowned' Session '89
Tracks 12-14: Entombed's 'But Life Goes On' Demo '89

UGH!

Midnight - Satanic Royalty

Midnight's brand of blackened rock 'n' roll rips and tears with the metal ferocity that had seemingly disappeared from the face of hard music. These metal warriors operate out of Cleveland and lately they've been making a lot of noise. Their first full length is exactly what you'd expect from Midnight (which is NOT a bad thing). There are riffs upon riffs upon riffs throughout this record. Songs like "You Can't Stop Steel" and "Lust, Filth and Sleaze" are not only great sing-a-long anthems of pure rock scuzz, they're also great headbanging material. Every ounce of this record is steeped in unholy energy. It's been a long time since a band has gotten me in their grips like Midnight have.

These dudes are the future of heavy metal.

ALL HAIL HELL!

If you like it, BUY THIS RECORD

Interview with Josh from Discerned

First off I would like to thank you for doing the interview.

It's always a good opportunity.


What bands would you say inspire you the most?

Each member of the band has their own different thing going on musically rather than all listening to the same things (which I suppose more or less adds to our resulting sound), so I'll just attempt to summarise it. Adam (guitar) and Tony (bass) are essentially the lifeforce of the band's material, and pick up a lot on the following: Napalm Death, Converge, Rise and Fall, The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower, Black Sabbath, Neurosis, Redneck Manifesto, Boris, Advent, Brutal Truth, Trap Them, as well as other things that aren't heavy or fast in the least bit. Scott (drums) grew up listening to and playing punk for the most part, and seems to dig on bands like Propagandhi, A Wilhelm Scream, RX Bandits, along with some Darkest Hour; I even found him listening to Cynic recently. As for myself, I take in highly from Converge, Napalm Death, Cursed, Tragedy, His Hero is Gone, Shai Hulud, Die Young, Motörhead, and essentially anything with which Tomas Lindberg is involved.




What's the craziest show that you've played?

Easily, one of our first few shows as a band (under our old moniker, Rescuer) in early '08 at Jamestowne Hall in Saginaw, MI. It was some fest lined up with bands that we couldn't care less about at this point, but we had fun nonetheless. Considering how we were a new band, we didn't expect the response we received. Kids really went off; even a couple people were jumping off tables. Definitely a good moment to take home. More recently, our show with ACxDC in August was great, especially for returning from a hiatus. Besides that, we tend to have the most fun with house shows, regardless of the draw.



Michigan's local music scene seems to be reawakening as of late. Who
are your favorite acts in the mitten?

It's easy to say that we've been a bit disheartened by the oversaturation and exploitation of soulless, uninspired bands in Michigan over the past couple years, but since becoming more involved in the scene again, we've been opened up to a wave of extremely solid groups. Cloud Rat and Damages have been mainstay favorites probably since both of their conceptions. Aside from them, honorable mentions include Traitor, Tharsis They, Under Anchor, Beast in the Field, Xtra Vomit, Bruxism, Hedorah, Apache, Dredd, Frandy, Wells, Nosferatu Man, Swimsuit, Scum, and Steamroller. Disconnected and React, while not from Michigan (Toledo, OH to be exact), deserve a nod as well.



Can you tell me about Discerned's writing process at all? I know with
the band's that I've been in we usually get some sort of formula down
where some members are the ones with the riffs, others are the ones
with the knack for structure and pacing.

It's honestly not too different from that. Adam comes up with the majority of the riffs, Tony pans out the general structure of each song, and Scott does what he can to keep the rhythm from going stale; myself, I write all lyrics separate from the music (generally before the songs are even made), so that is mostly just about simple vocal placement more than anything.



So tell me about Rescuer. I wasn't familiar with you guys when you
were under that moniker. Was there a stylistic shift that prompted a
new name?

We started off with the simple idea of forming a hardcore band, because obviously the music was relevant to us, and in our local scene there hadn't yet been an active hardcore punk band to exist (at least to our collective knowledge), so we also partially wanted to do something new and expose it to (or alienate, depending on what seems more amusing) everyone into the dull, dull music that had been floating around here at the time. In the beginning, it started off as something akin to a slightly chuggier Carry On with more melodic riffs; nothing too special, but good times regardless. After a while, the material leaned more towards a Clevo-esque sound (à la Ringworm, Crucified, etc.; along with hints of Shai Hulud). Naturally, we were wanting to play faster, heavier, more intelligent songs. It reached a point where we ended up just taking a six-month break and reforming our sound almost completely, new setlist and all. We played a handful of shows using said set (while still under the same name), and eventually decided to record it all with our friend Ashton. There hadn't been a set title for the release, and I figured seeing as our current sound had been far removed from when we started, I prompted the band to see if they wanted to go under a new alias; to start on a new foundation, so to speak. The title choice was, as everyone can see today, a self-titled effort. The term 'discerned' itself was used to define ourselves as being a separate entity from what we were, as well as wanting to stand separate from what the rest of our most in the scene we were involved with were doing (at the time, at least). That's how we've come to be what we are now.




Your band seems to favor dark imagery what inspires that?

This is mostly an aesthetic choice on my part, as I do all the visual work for the band. Most of our musical peers seem to prefer evil, violent, shocking, or perhaps politically-charged imagery, which there's nothing wrong with at all. It's a staple of the underground. However, I'm a full-blown artsy person, and tend to enjoy more tasteful, gloomy, and evoking imagery; Madison from Cloud Rat even jokingly asked us if we were 'depressive black metal' after seeing a copy of our EP. It's also a way to visually stand out from other groups like us, so we aren't just another 'grind/crust/whatever' band or what have you to throw on the pile. Hopefully, at least.



What do you think separates you guys from the pack when it comes to
your type of music. I see more and more bands waving the flag for
d-beat and metallic hardcore these days since that beatdown crud went
out of style but a lot of these bands just don't have the piss and
venom that comes with the territory.

We tend to really focus on putting out music that suits us as opposed to trying to fall in line to a genre, subgenre, or 'wave' of things. To put it bluntly: we genuinely care about what we write and do our best to show that, as well as continuously attempting to expand on all efforts and grow from that. We hold standards for ourselves both as personal musicians and as a unit. As for the type of music we play and what separates us specifically: there are no claims or guarantees. We play what comes naturally, and if people happen to dig that, it's always a positive. If not, it isn't an issue. Listen to a different band. We're not shithead purists. Everyone has their own interests, and we can actually accept that. It doesn't halt us in the least bit.



Tell me about your lyrics. What's the message behind Discerned,
what're you trying to get across?

The lyrics tend be split perfectly between personal strife and socio-political issues. We all have our struggles, and I use the opportunity
to vent my own; cathartic, to say the least. It also can't be helped that a simple glance at the world will inform you that something is fucked up. Something is wrong, and most of the time no one acknowledges it with a sound mind. You will never find generic 'fuck the government' or 'my life is unfair' anthems in our material. Many of the personal issues revolve around subjects such as paranoia, 'ex-suicide' philosophy, anxiety, the occasional bridge-burning and inevitability of death; the social and political ones seem to cover more specific looks at obvious bases: religious fearmongering in children, zealous and biased agendas bent on violating human rights, condemnation of violence in the name of nations or faith, and ultimately crushing oppression of the individual.




I seem to get a definite blackened vibe from your stuff. Is that intentional?

Not really. While we all take an interest in black metal (Tony even has his own atmospheric BM project, Mammon),
it's never been intentional, although I suppose it tends to bleed into our material every now and then somehow.


Are there any big shows coming up that you'd like to tell people about?


Just the ones to kick off 2012. Beast in the Field, Nosferatu Man, Bruxism, and Traitor at the Blackened Moon in Lansing on January 6th; then Anguish (from NJ), Hate Your Guts (from CT), Retribution, Fight It Out, Traitor, and Bloodhound at Launch Board Shop in Ann Arbor the following day


How soon should we expect new recordings?

An EP is in the works for early next year, hopefully before spring hits. Four or five songs is the plan. We may do a split as well, but that's not quite settled yet.



Once again, I'd like to thank you for doing this interview. It's been
nice to get some insight into what you dudes are about. Are there any
closing statements that you'd like to share with the readers?

I should thank you. It's great to see the reception we've received from everyone in recent months. We went from the scene being apathetic towards whether we existed or not to a suddenly consistent demand for us to jump on shows and release things. It's great. But anyway, last words: at a show, buy merch, not booze. Also, Lemmy is god.




You can check out Discerned here and listen to their EP on their bandcamp.


Discerned is for Fans of: Iskra, Trap Them, Pulling Teeth, Shipwreck AD, Traitor and Skitsystem

Hedorah - Detroit

Crushing Sludge/Doom/Death from Detroit

Dishammer

Dishammer's blackened d-beat assault is crude, crass and dastardly fast. Their rough and raw sound will make you grind your teeth to a powder. Riffs and riffs and riffs and riffs upon riffs pour through your headphones and bore their way into your skull to thrash your brain. This is "Drink more beer, worship more Satan" music right here folks. You know you need it. I know you need it and Beelzebub knows that if you really enjoy it you'll find their shit and buy it.

Split with The Warwolves

Vintage Addiction

Rough Mix

Under The Sign of The D-beat Mark

Grave Miasma - Exalted Emanation

Grave Miasma deliver sickening death metal in the vein of acts like Incantation and Immolation. Sluggish rhythms slam their way through your head while the ghastly guitar tone rips your mind apart. Grave Miasma pull of the 'so-fast-it's-slow' mechanic really well and the tempo juxtapositions create a warp of pure death metal gravity; bone-crunchingly heavy. If you like show-no-mercy death metal Grave Miasma is for you. Pure darkness en musica.

GUUUUUH!

For Fans Of: Incantation, Funebrarum, Cruciamentum, Disma, Dead Congregation

Coffins - Ancient Torture

This awesome compilation features all of Coffins' rarer tracks from various splits and other limited releases. A must have for fans of this crushing Japanese Death/Doom band.

Disc 1

Disc 2

Dephosphorus - Axiom

Ever wondered what would happen if Pig Destroyer became a black metal band? Well here you go. You have blisteringly-icy blackened riffs backed by pounding grind riffage and powerful percussion. The choatic production lends a lot to their thick sound as it brings out the chunkiness of their tone and allows them to accentuate the more rhythmic elements of their music. Their are a lot of things that they do right on this release and I've got to give them credit for having me upon my first listen. Keep an eye on this band in the future, they're onto something.

RIP N TEAR

For Fans Of: The Secret, Anaal Nathrakh, Coffinworm, Clinging To The Trees of A Forest Fire, Gaza, Deathspell Omega

Belzebong - Sonic Scapes & Weedy Grooves

Massive, shambling stoner metal that swings that riff-hammer without bias. This skull-slamming EP rips out the tasty licks and continues to bring the thunder from the moment that you bit play to the very last fuzzy second. Surprisigly these Polish dudes grasp the southern swagga better than most of the knuckle-draggers stateside that have turned stoner metal/sludge into the second coming of shitty groove metal. Here that is not the case. Blaze up and tune out, this shit is coming for your soul.

BONGRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP

For Fans Of: Eyehategod, Bongripper, Grief, Seven Sisters of Sleep, The Sword

Azarath - Blasphemers Maledictions

What is it about Poland that helps bands produce such great blackened death metal? There has to be something in their water. Azarath's new album blends Bathory-esque black metal with death metal from all over the map. This album is FAST but not to the point where it becomes incomprehensible. The pacing of the drums is met perfectly by the machine gunning guitars and commanding leads. Though don't worry this isn't some blast fest, the drummer does well enough to bring the more rhythmic elements of death metal percussion in to make some really great Immolation-esque stops and starts. This album deserves your time.

THE RIPPIN' AND THE TEARIN'

For Fans Of: Waitain, Immolation, Bathory, Deathspell Omega, Vader, Behemoth, Nightbringer

The Dead Youth - Writhing

Crushing death metal riffs played at sluggish speeds. The Dead Youth's music is a mixture of extremes encompassing everything that was on the extreme metal map at the time (well, except black metal). When they do break from their prehistoric pacing they do so without warning and break into blisteringly fast runs of shredding death.


I'm not doing this album any justice so you should just CHECK IT OUT!

For Fans Of Winter, Carcass, Doomed, Autopsy

Cruciamentum/Vasaeleth - Eroding Chaos Unto Ascendant Flesh

This split is easily one of the best to hit this year. Cruciamentum's side is 2 billion metric tons of ancient death metal destruction. With vocals remniscient of Rottrevore and Pillard-era Incantation you know this shit has gotta be the real deal. With creeping riffs that drone with a death-like patience coupled with gorgeous death, Cruciamentum bring their A-game on this split. The Vasaeleth side is pretty good but kind of a let down after the sonic ass kicking that Cruciamentum deliver. The riffs are all there and the songwriting is okay but it feels like they're going through the motions. I can still bang my head to it but their vibe is more bite than birth if you catch my drift.

UNLEASH

I highly encourage you to pick this up if you like it. Not only is it inexpensive but the beautifully done packaging is a great addition to any collection and the sweeeeet purple/black splatter vinyl is definitely an added bonus. Jump on it while it's still out there.

Young and In The Way 'V'

Powerful blackened crust with sternum-snapping weight. Get your fill of the new shit here

For Fans Of: Leviathan, Weakling, Converge, Iskra, Martyrdod


Wanna here it on the go? NAB IT

Please order this record once it drops. They deserve your cash money.

Ravencult's 'Morbid Blood' Full Album Stream!

Ravencult's newest offering is a great gem of blackened filth. The riffs come cold and razor thin through some of the best black metal production out there. If you haven't had a chance to pick the album up (because nobody's THAT dumb) you should listen to this mother fucker and find yourself a way to pick it up. Greek extreme metal reigns supreme!







For Fans Of: Watain, Skeletonwitch, Denouncement Pyre, (early) Deathspell Omega

Contagium - Archaic

Contagium launch themselves into the fray like a bull triceratops slamming into the gut of a rabid tyrannasaurus rex! Their charging pace keeps them limber while they deliver blistering metallic riffs and ghastly vocals. This shit's raw, now not intentionally 'raw' to the point of being unlistenable (like some bands that will not be named). This stuff really brings out that 'stenchcore' vibe and takes everything to the next level. You can hear all the influences; punk-era Neurosis, Amebix, Doom, Nausea and Stormcrow but you really get a nice treat when you dig deeper to hear that this band isn't about imitating the obvious (a trait that seems to be plaguing crust as of late). They definitely have their own vibe and deliver it in spectacular, scabby fashion.

This is battle music.

STANK


For Fans Of: Skaven, Stormcrow, Mammoth Grinder, Masakari and Mass Grave

Doomed - Doomed to Death, Damned in Hell

Doomed bring it all to the table with some quality death/doom. Sauntering rhythms lead you across a menagerie of serpentine riffs that ebb and flow like a river of burning tar. I can't give this shit a higher honer. Did I mention that it's comprised of members of Autopsy, Funeral, Death and Abscess? Yeah, the pedigree should speak for itself. Chris fuckin' Reifert.


For Fans Of: Bolt Thrower, Deceased, Autopsy, Cianide, Incantation, Mammoth Grinder and Rottrevore

HAIL!

Fell Voices - Untitled

Fell Voices have a brand of black metal very much akin to the likes of Weakling and Wolves in The Throne Room but manage to avoid being a copycat band. They definitely evolve WITTR's earlier demo/Diadem-era sound into something a little darker and raw, bringing memories of Judas Iscariot to mind (for some unknown reason). There's a good bit of atmosphere on this record but the majority of it comes from the guitar work rather than anything employed outside of the upfront musical elements. The riffs are epic in nature and definitely draw the listener into their grasp with meditative pacing and the gradual rise and fall of tension making the two tracks on the album fly by; great songwriting. The audible bass is also a bonus. I greatly enjoy the fact that the bassist has some very defined moments on this record (which sadly, is rare among black metal bands)


Having only heard them since I picked up this record the other night I can say that I'm decently surprised and I can say I'm pretty glad that I picked this baby up. Hopefully you'll like it enough to go buy it from them because this act definitely deserves your cash.

LUST


FOR FANS OF: Judas Iscariot, Wolves in The Throne Room, Weakling, Horna, Nightbringer

Nightbringer - Apocalypse Sun

Nightbringer's occult-focused brand of USBM whirls like a torrent of black energy; riffs intertwining and coming undone like a many-headed serpent writhing in its own coils. Raw production is great but Nightbringer doesn't let it ruin their sound; the mixing on this record definitely adds that old school, archaic vibe but at the same time it doesn't detract from the music. Nightbringer are doing black metal the way that it should be done in this day and age.

and if you don't like it you're probably ELITIST SCUM!