NINE SONGS I LIKED THIS WEEK IN LIST FORM OCT 15 – OCT 21 – AM I FALLING APART EDITION #1
Well, it's been a while since a human catastrophe was significant enough for me to get into the whole "edition" thing, but, alas, here we are. Fuck people who enjoy seeing people dying. And take care. Many thanks to Arjun and Michael who joined the Patreon this week. A rare ray of un-shit light. Much appreciated.
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. Florid Ekstasis – "Meaning Erodes," from Trepanning (Experimental Death Metal – Independent). Well, whaddayaknow? Friend of the show, friend of the heart, musical genius, and methodical headbanger Calder Hannan is back with his wonderful Florid Ekstasis album. Back, weirder and better than ever. I have no idea what went through Mr. Hannan's head while he was writing and/or executing this shit, but whatever it was I want that shit inside my body. Creative, ruthless, feeling, challenging, frightening and absolutely stunning. This is not only his best work to date – tough task – but easily one of the best albums of the year. EASILY. FFO: Altarage, Fleshvessel, Meshuggah.
2. Vindkaldr – "The Terrifying Night of Delusion," from Mahādevī Mahāsurī (Epic Black Metal/Ambient – Independent). Another album that really kept me afloat this week was this shining jewel of a thing by Australian whatever-the-fuck-it-is metal project Vindkaldr. It has all the calm and ritual feel of a Viking drum beat set to an ambient soundscape with all the action and violence of what feels like very distant, very powerful black metal. The whole thing gave me a strong Neptunian Maximalism vibe. Not because the two projects are in any way similar, they are not. But because it's so busy and so weird that it shouldn't be as compelling as it is. But it is. FFO: Valac, Predatory Light, Trhä.
3. Donjon Sentence – "Simulacre d'immortalité," from Transcendance Malfaisante (Black Metal – Antenore Records). The award to "lifting my spirits via the greatest black metal banger I have heard since Lamp of Murmuur were actually good" (more on that further down the post) has to go to this incredible, impeccable, pitch-perfect debut EP from French project Donjon Sentence. This kind of primitive, primal drumming accompanying fuzzed-out black metal with some wonderfully throaty vocals is really some of the best iterations of black metal for me, and home to some of my favorite bands (Sacriphyx comes to mind). Just so much fun, so punchy, and basically perfect. FFO: Sacriphyx, Darkthrone, Daggers.
4. Chosech – ״דם״ (Blood) (Ambient/Darkwave – Independent). How unlucky we are to live through such violence. And yet how lucky we are to have artists take that terror and shape into something we can live with. Choshech, the wonderful Tel Aviv-based ambient/black metal project, did just that with this new track, effectively written and recorded with the events of the past few days in mind. This time also accompanied by lyrics by the wonderful Dorin Hajon formerly of Zad and currently of Srefa. FFO: Thinking about mortality.
5. Olhava "Eternal Fire" (Atmospheric Black Metal – Independent). More life-saving, or at least unbalance-balancing music, this time from the always-perfect, always-wonderful Olhava. I don't know of a bad release from these Russian wizards of pretty black metal, and this one-track EP follows that tradition. You get the saccharine melodies, the minor-key thrusts to the sky, but all grounded by those wonderful drums and made versatile by their ever-changing, dynamic structures. God I needed that. FFO: Clouds in the sky, light rain.
6. Stygian Ruin – "Phobos," from A World Past Hope and Fear (Ambient/Black Metal – Independent). I haven't been keeping up with Oslo's wonderful Stygian Ruin since writing about them last, which means I missed a release before this one as well. But was reminded to check this out because of a) The Wonderful Leonard and b) because of the above-mentioned Vindkaldr album, which kinda-sorta reminded me of its general vibe. But very glad I did. Fantastic, epic-sounding, synth-enshrouded black metal that could serve as both pretty great meditation music (maybe I should get back into mediation, that seems like a good idea these days) and the ceremonial bleeding of giant trees serving as Germanic pagan places of worship. FFO: Bleeding.
7. Sadness – "Spring Twilight," from Secret Green (Sadness Jymeria Split) (Atmospheric Black Metal – Independent). In my interview with Damián Antón Ojeda (as of now only available in video format for my Patreon supporters seeing that I'll never get to transcribe it) I talked about his music in terms of cabbage leaves, a universe of overlapping sounds. Ojeda has already been having a whole magical year with Trhä, releasing what is, for me, his best music ever. But some of that magic has been there for his seemingly different and definitely overlapping Sadness, and is very apparent here. The stress might be more on, say, 90s indie rock and shoegaze, but the majesty and singularity of voice are as present as if Ojeda was in the room, maybe giving me a nice hug since life has been kind of unbearable lately. Appreciate it, Damián. You're a good imaginary friend. FFO: Black metal and friendship.
8. Deathwinds – "Blood Offering," from Ripping Annihilation (War Metal – Headsplit Records). Well, I guess that's enough touchy-feely for now. Sometimes a person needs some violence in their ears, and especially so if that violence is recoded with some sick, super-sick, nasty drumming. Some nice trivia here (first release in a very long time) and some interesting connections (Ceremonial Bloodbath, Encoffinate), but mostly just very nasty, recorded-into-a-tape-recorder metal. FFO: Hating things while using a snare drum.
9. Worm – "Midwinter Tears," from Starpath – Worm and Dream Uneding Split (Doom Metal – 20 Buck Spin). Yet another brilliant release form Worm. I like the Dream Unending side too, great band, great atmosphere, great melodies. But Worm is my side on this wonderful split, combining their death metal ruthlessness with yet another dose of the magic that is Phil Tougas' fingertips. What an absolute honor to be alive when this man plays guitar. FFO: Being dramatic and sad and all that shit.
FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
ONE: I don't have time for that shit.
TWO: I don't have time for that shit.
THREE: I don't have time for that shit.
FOUR: Love y'all.
FIVE: I don't have time for that shit.
ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: I don't have time for that shit. But, listen to Afterbirth. That's always a good idea.
