NINE SONGS I LIKED THIS WEEK IN LIST FORM OCT 17 – OCT 23 – PLAGUE EDITION #79

A very big week for both the blog and me personally (more on the latter in the bottom of this post) with the release of our latest compilation, MILIM KASHOT VOL. 3. It features some of my favorite artists, a ton of amazing music, and all for a good cause. So just do it.

As always, check out our various interview projects and other cool shit. And if you'd like to keep abreast of the latest, most pressing developments follow us wherever we may roam (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify and now also a tape-per-day series on TIK TOK!), and listen to our shitty podcast (YouTube, Spotify, Apple), and to check out our amazing compilation albums. You can support our unholy work here (Patreon), if you feel like it. Early access to our bigger projects, weekly exclusive recommendations and playlists, and that wonderful feeling that you're encouraging a life-consuming band musical habit. Be well!

1. Worm – "Murk Above The Dark Moor" from Foreverglade (Doom Metal – 20 Buck Spin). Not sure I've heard a better doom album this year, and if you're going down the path of calling this "funeral doom," which I'm pretty OK with, then this is the best funeral doom I've heard in a while, maybe since Atramentus maybe even further back. Exquisitely written masterpieces of engaging, varied and just perfectly recoded and performed doom metal. This is basically it. FFO: Loss, Atramentus, Lycus

2. Inter Arma – "Bone Flower," from MILIM KASHOT VOL. 3 (Sludge/Black Metal – Machine Music). So, will I dare again hype up the music included in my new compilation? I indeed do dare. It was an immense honor to be able to include unreleased material from one of my favorite bands alive, but for it to turn out to be one of my favorite songs of the year as a real bonus. Inter Arma always had a black metal streak, at least in some place, but this mid-tempo menacing form of the style just sits so well with everything they do. Just a fantastic track, with a solo to die for. FFO: Bathory, Indian, Lord Mantis.

3. All Whispers My Name – "Semena, from ◯ (Post-Rock/Shoegaze – Independent). Well, this is an interesting one. For the most part this fascinating album from St. Petersburg act All Whispers My Name is comprised of an infusion of post-rock and electronic experimentation. Which is nice. But this track right here is just all over the place, mashing together all that along with harsher post-metal-type riffs and a fantastic general atmosphere. A whole album of this would peak my interest indeed. Cool shit. FFO: Man, I don't know.

4. Vukari – "Saturn in the Eighth House," from Omnes Nihil (Black Metal – Independent). Chicago black metal wizards Vukari are back with a concise little EP of soul-eviscerating black metal. The mood, I think, seem much more sombre this time around, and vicious, and slightly overbearing. Which is usually a feature of their single/EP stuff, whereas their last full-length was a little more on the atmospheric side. Very Blut aus Nord-ish in that cold, uncompromising way, and very killer. FFO: Blut aus Nord, Windswept, Decoherence.

5. Morgul Blade – "A Last Waltz of Gevaudan," from Fell Sorcery Abounds (Heavy Metal/Black Metal – No Remorse Records). I don't know if it's the hyper-stressed mood I'm in but I felt like I need some entertainment in my life, some distraction. The mid-paced riffage, the imagery, the beautiful songwriting made this first single from the upcoming Morgul Blade full-length debut a very welcome breath of epic air. It's taking its time, it's charming and sweeping and it's basicaly what I need. FFO: Living in a cave with a wizard or some shit.

6. Saton – "Ver Desvanecer," from Ni'in (Post-Metal/Hardcore – Shove Records). Massive. That's the only word that comes to mind when listening to this new release from Mexican band Saton. Massive emotion, massive instrumentation, massive atmosphere, massive production, all to the point of being both overwhelming and stunningly beautiful at the same time. I have no idea where this release came from (in the spiritual sense) but it has immediately become one of the most special releases I've heard this year. FFO: Envy, Cult of Luna, Nur.

7. Reveal – "Cokkkfights," from Doppelherz (Who the fuck knows – Sepulchral Voice Records). One of the most intriguing, undefinable and fucking nuts bands in the world right now, Reveal are back and they're here for your internal organs and shaky sentience. Having dropped an absolute monster of an album with 2019's Scissorgod, the Swedish psychos are back. And this first track is just bonkers. Imaginative, creative, dissonant in that uneasy way and yet, despite all these, as catchy and infectious as a global pandemic. Essential listening. FFO: Funereal Presence, Daggers, Celtic Frost.

8. Sulphurous – "The Black Mouth of Sepulchre," from The Black Mouth of Sepulchre (Death Metal – Dark Descent Records). Aight, so we've had enough of that freaky experimentation, have we? Shall we descend into the depths of a murky, imagined, space of blisters and stank instead? We shall! This year and – fuck it – basically every other year these past few years has been a victory lap for the Danish death metal scene. And with new albums coming/released from Phrenelith and Hyperdontia you would be excused if you missed out on the fact that Sulphurous are dropping an album. However, don't miss it. Riffs, atmosphere, immaculate production and basically everything you need in your death metal life. FFO: Phrenelith, Hyperdontia, Necrot.

9. Primeval Well – "Ghost Fires Burn in Our Eyes," from Talkin' in Tongues with Mountain Spirits (Black Metal – Moonlight Cypress Archetypes). Simply put Primeval Well are one of the best, most unique black metal bands in operation. Their 2019 debut was a stunning mix of rootsy Americana and atmospheric black metal, and they have since spawned different related projects as well as their own label (you can see our interview/stream with sister improvisational project Spintria here). This new album finds them in a much more technical, abstract space and I have to say I'm loving it. They somehow maintain all these different layers together – the atmospheric, the Americana, the improvisational and the technical – together while delivering memorable, beautiful songs. Wonderful. FFO: Vile Haint, Revenant Marquis, Krallice.

FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

ONE: Malignant Altar is releasing their debut full length this December, which is basically the best news ever. Also: A Maggot Stomp band that didn't sign for Century Media!

TWO: Primordial Ooze are releasing a new album which is nice, but that artwork is bananas. Asty does it again.

THREE: Patrick Walker is teasing new music/news this week. Y'all better listen up.

FOUR: I released the crowd-funding campaign for my new novel, Pekham ("Coal"). It's in Hebrew so who cares but I added a few reward tiers for people who might be interested in backing the campaign while getting some extra Machine Music content. Here.

FIVE: Yeah, still can't believe that comp came together.

ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: Nope, still can't.