NINE SONGS I LIKED THIS WEEK IN LIST FORM OCT 24 – OCT 30 – PLAGUE EDITION #80

Phew, what a week. Managed to get the money to publish my novel, felt the ever-widening ripples of appreciation for our new compilation, MILIM KASHOT VOL. 3 (more on that at the bottom), and published a long-overdue interview with one of my absolute favorite black metal projects today, Chile's Solipnosis. But now it is time for something else: Well, not really. It's basically more music.

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. Antichrist Siege Machine – "Defiled In Iniquity," from Purifying Blade (War Metal – Profound Lore Records). Look, I could write any manner of witty utterances here but that's kind of not the point, isn't it? This album represents not only the best Antichrist Siege Machine release to date but an actual, bona-fide masterpiece of aggression of riff hurling. Just listen to it. That's it. FFO: Black Curse, Diocletian, Gravesend.

2. 40 Watt Sun – "The Spaces in Between," from Perfect Light (Singer Songwriter – Svart Records). The only thing more earth-shattering, more crushing than that Antichrist Siege Machine is the new single from the upcoming, long-awaited 40 Watt Sun album. There's something absolutely insufferable about Patrick Walker's music, with whom I've had the great pleasure of talking a few years back. Insufferable in many ways. First of all, it's insufferably beautiful, so well put-together, paced and thought out. It's also insufferably sad and melancholy. His memories become your memories, his thoughts become a clear distillation of your own, his life entwined with yours like a cyborg of too many emotions. But mostly Patrick Walker is insufferably human. He is that rare artist, musician, writer, and man that manages to perform great feats of power in the slightest of movements, in the smallest of decisions. His life is your life, only you wish your longing and reflection were this beautiful. Stunning art, stunning. FFO: Warning, Aerial Ruin, June Tabor.

3. Coma Cluster Void – "Plague Devourer" (Dissonant Death Metal – Independent). What in the actual fuck? That's basically my mind was I'm listening to this. It's got that Meshuggah temporal malfunction thing going on, it's got the riffing and feel that feels straight from the Ulcerate playbook, and a, shall we say, "core" overall veneer. But the end result is so gnarly and weird there's really no real way to listen to this gem only once. FFO: Meshuggah, Ulcerate, Our Place of Worship is Silance.

4. Spy – "Exceptional American," from Habitual Offender (Hardcore – Lower Class Kids). One of my favorite new hardcore acts are back with another fantastic short release and yet another iconic-yet-fragmented album cover (fun fact: the green cover along with the "Exceptional" at the beginning of the song title makes my Chrome tab look like an Excel sheet). Powerful, unhinged, violent, and fucked awesome. That's it. FFO: Gulch, Incendiary, Harm's Way.

5. First Fragment – "In'el," from Gloire Éternelle (Progressive Death Metal – Unique Leader Records). This album is basically that oft-memed commercial for 5 gum only you're not bombarded by synthetic tropical-fruit flavoring but by incandescent riffs, ADHD metal, and some of the most luxurious, nay, decadent neo-classical shred work you will listen to in you damn life. Is it fair that I chose an 18-minute magnum opus of a track as the exemplar from this magnificent beast of a thing? No, it probably isn't. But, for one it sure as hell doesn't feel like 18 minutes, and, secondly, it's such a masterpiece of Marty Friedman-esque melodies and quirts compressed in a lab with a riff-making machine that I just couldn't resist. FFO: 5 Gum, Phil Tougas.

6. The Tears of Ozymandias – "The Crimson Permanent Assurance," from The Tears of Ozymandias (Goth Rock – Ván Records). So, a bit of a switch-up in mood, isn't it? The debut release from German goth freaks and apparent Percy Bysshe Shelly fans The Tears of Ozymandias is everything you need to be potently sad. Where the musical antecedent of TTOZ, The Path of Samsara, was packed with psychy guitars and ritual overtones this project seems much more down to earth, much more human, and as well-written and well-produced as you need your slick tears to be. Just great. FFO: Rope Sect, Secret Shame, The Path of Memory. 

7. Drune – "I Watched the Woods March to War," from Drune (Doom Metal – Independent). Well, I think it's safe to say Denver doom wonders Drune are officially part of my most intimate spiritual circle, whether they'd like to or not. From first hearing their debut EP/demo almost two years ago and freaking out about it, to including a single from their debut full-length on the new compilation, to finally getting to listen to the whole thing, it's basically the kind of thing that's the reason I still write these things after so many years. Powerful, emotional, musical, they just have it all and one can only hope they will find their way into the deranged hearts and minds of many, many more people in the very near future. I have a feeling that's going to happen. Flawless. FFO: YOB, Toundra, Pallbearer. 

8. Kreationist – "Il Pleure Dans Mon Coeur," from Dans L'Interminable (Black Metal – I, Voidhanger Records). I actually have been wanting to write about this unique song when I, Voidhanger announced its most recent mega-drop but, as mega-drops go, it's very hard to try to keep up with one of my favorite labels just because they can't seem to stop releasing incredible music. But, back to Kreationist. Man, I don't who these people are and what kind of water flows in their demonic pipes but this is magic. Part black metal, part Mercyful Fate, part Ghost (yup!) and part, wait for it, dub/reggae. Just fantastic, weird, and fantastic again. FFO: Ghost, Departure Chandelier, dropping acid.

9. Aerosol Jesus – "Cowards," from Survive (Sludge – Sludgelord Records). What better way to culminate this week's proceedings than with a fucking gut punch to the face. Yes, the gut and the face do no reside in the same anatomical area, and so imagine my confusion when I just clicked on the new Aerosol Jesus EP and was then gut punched in the face. Beautiful song structures, palpable emotion, fantastic atmosphere and just great tunes to torch a car to. FFO: LLNN, Fawn Limbs, Cult of Luna.

FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

ONE: Yes, another line in this infernal post about the new compilation. Trust me, it's fucking awesome. Oh, and was mentioned by the wonderful people over at NineHertz podcast. Check it. 

TWO: Oh shit, did I mention the might The Black Market wrote about the comp too!? I didn't?!!

THREE: Plebeian Grandstand teased a little something from their upcoming album, which is awesome. Thing is, I've heard it and it's fucking terrifying. Not kidding. Scared. 

FOUR: I honestly just endured the most stressful couple of weeks of my life, what with the comp, releasing a novel, and a BUNCH of work-related stuff. I would not have been able to endure any of it if it wasn't for my gracious readers, generous supporters (Patreon or otherwise) and without music. So thanks to all, thanks music.

FIVE: I don't get Mastodon, never did (with the exception of Crack the Skye) so it's safe to say I'm not listening to their new album. Or anything, really.

ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: Can't get enough of that incredible Sampha's Process, his masterful debut from 2017. Yeah, I forgot: RNB TRIGGER ALERT. Anyhow, haven't listened to it in a while and just blasted it all yesterday. What a special artist and what a special album.