NINE SONGS I LIKED THIS WEEK(s) IN LIST FORM JULY 17 – JULY 29
The discernible among you may have noticed that I skipped last week's update. The even more discerning would notice that I have been posting late A LOT, and that this website has taken on the tenor of a mild nervous breakdown. Well, all of that is quite correct. I think a sane person would probably not have posted even those belated posts, considering my quite peculiar and stressful moment in my life. I'm not doing any work, my Patreon is falling apart, and I've done one single interview in the past few months. I guess it's temporary, I hope it's temporary, but as long as there's a pulse there's hope for future rejuvenation. So, this is me keeping the pulse. Thank you all, and keep safe.
As always, check out my various interview projects and other cool shit. And if you'd like to keep abreast of the latest, most pressing developments follow us wherever I may roam (FALSE!) (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify and now also a tape-per-day series on TIK TOK!), and listen to my, I guess, active (?) 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 habit.
1. Trhä – "qilahhqhja," from lhum'ad'sejja (Black Metal – Independent). The elusive and super-productive (thanks for that, bro, as if I wasn't feeling bad about myself as it is) Trhä is back with something like 900 new albums. And as is the case (for the most part) with his releases these past few years there's a steady and yet noticeable upward incline in quality. Which is actually insane. This track here, as has become customary with these past few releases, is my new favorite Trhä track. It exudes, nay, oozes 90s shoegaze/indie worship, wrapping it all up with the familiar ole "I'm desperately sad surrounded by black metal riffing in a basement" magic that makes Trhä possibly the most consistently fascinating black metal project today. A wondrous thing. FFO: Spider God, Smashing Pumpkins, Kaatayra.
2. Hrob – "Blatové Noci, from Hrob (Death Metal – Independent). Speaking of basement-dwelling things, this new demo from Slovakian death metal outfit Hrob feels like sitting in a moldy basement and eating dry crackers, only the riffy, awesome version. There were a couple of pretty fantastic death metal demos that I still mentally hang on circa 2019-20 (Harsh Realm, Undeath, etc), and this would have fit perfectly into that vibe. Nasty, beautiful death metal. FFO: I already named a bunch of bands.
3. Drune – "In the Earth," from Drown (Doom/Sludge Metal – Independent). I have been a huge fan of Drune's shit ever since their stunning 2019 album, Seer, and have the great pleasure of hosting of their tracks on the MILIM KASHOT VOL. 3 compilation. So, naturally, seeing that new stuff was coming from these Denver wizards was a very happy moment for me in a very weird and confusing time. And very wonderful to hear the slightly sludgy, evil tone their music has taken. As long as we get a glimpse of those sweet, sweet clear vocals every now and again, I'm good. FFO: Thou, Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean, YOB.
4. Dodenbezweerder – "Hemelbrand," from A Bestial Howl in the Falling Dusk (Black Metal/Ambient – Friese Vinyl Club). The infallible, ineffable, unfailing Maurice De Jong just can't quit making brilliant music. It's like he's incapable of doing so, and for that reason I wish he could continue making music even after death. This current example is what a amounts to a perfect set of ritualistic/psych black metal tracks, taken from his side of a recent split with Dutch sludge band Ter Ziele. Absolutely fantastic. FFO: Urfaust, Oranssi Pazuzu, Kwade Droes.
5. Nithing – "Lustral Cognitive Erosion," from Agonal Hymns (Brutal Death Metal – New Standard Elite). I mean, metal that sounds like bunch of people are vomiting all over each other while a pinging snare blasts in the background is always a great starting point for fun fun fun. But this new Nithing album, this track being a great example, is such a great take on that general vibe, with the added electronics here and there, the wonderful, messy breakdowns and just a general feeling of careening into a rivine filled with trash and vipers. FFO: TRASH AND VIPERS.
6. Fossilization – "Oracle of Reversion," from Leprous Daylight (Death Metal – Everlasting Spew). The Fossilization/Ritual Necromancy split from a while back may have been my favorite death metal split in a while. I came in for what was for me a known and beloved act (RN, new album when?!) and fell in absolute love with Fossilization's dense, raging death metal. Now there's a full-length debut coming via the always-excellent Everlasting Spew, and the first two available tracks are basically more of the same, only in the best possible way. Attacking, relentless, pitch-perfect death metal. FFO: Phrenelith, Sedimentum,
7. Keys To The Astral Gates And Mystic Doors – ״Untitled/Thoroughfare of Disillusionment," from Keys To The Astral Gates And Mystic Doors (Raw Black Metal – Empty Pit Recordings). One of the most pleasant surprises of the past few weeks comes in the form of Madison Wisconsin's own **TAKES BIG BREATH** Keys To The Astral Gates And Mystic Doors. Tastefully done, adequately nasty, but wonderfully melodic raw black metal that sounds like a beautiful nightmare with roses and dead rats. Cool shit. FFO: Trhä, Spider God, Revenant Marquis.
8. Desekryptor – "Tornadic Hordes," from Vortex Oblivion (Death Metal – Blood Harvest Records). I mentioned Indiana's own Desekryptor last year after stumbling into their wonderful shit as a result of a bored Metal Archives run, in which I traced the whereabouts of present and former members of the fantastic atmospheric black metal band Antlers as Roots (side note, I completely missed out on the fact that AaR released a new album after forever!). So, how happy was I to learn that they a) recently released a full-length debut, and b) that it rips so hard I lost my shirt. Vacuous, soul-consuming death metal. FFO: Cerebral Rot, Witch Vomit, Dead Congregation.
9. Wayfarer – "False Constellation," from American Gothic (Black Metal – Profound Lore Records). The Sam Peckinpahs of black metal are back with another romantic stroll through the old west, armed only with a six-shooter, a six-stringer, and motherfuckin' Issac Faulk. A very intriguing turn to the The Ruins of Beverast side of things in this first single and closing track. Gotta admit, A Romance With Violence wasn't really doing it for me following the absolute majesty of World's Blood. But if this is any indication of the direction moving forward, I'm all in. FFO: Dust, tumbleweed, mustaches.
FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
ONE: ZAÄAR and Spintria, both very good friends of the show, are releasing what looks to be a juggernaut of wild, unhinged improvisational mayhem AKA a split.
TWO: Torpor, AKA one of the most underrated great post-metal bands today, are rumored to be releasing a new album soon.
THREE: You can now get all the Baazlvaat your heart desires on CD.
FOUR: It might seem borderline
FIVE: Deafkids, the wizards of doing whatever it is the fuck they want, released a new album of experimental mind-fuckery.
ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: By and large, cover albums suck. This one of the great Superunknown does not.
