NINE SONGS I LIKED THIS WEEK IN LIST FORM OCT 22 – OCT 28 – AM I FALLING APART EDITION #2

Hi all. While still very much living in in death-stew that is whateverthefuckis here right now, I'm trying to keep myself occupied. I mean, I'm busy as it is, since the kids (mostly) don't have school and/or kindergarten and my wife's away at work, which means I'm with them every morning. Which is shades of 2020 COVID, only peppered with even more existential horror and mind-scarring air-raid sirens and stressed-out parents.

So, I meant, I think, a different kind of busy. Within said busy, I'm somehow trying to release the new compilation – the fifth – in the coming weeks, or so. Here's the cover artwork, courtesy of the artist Robert Russell, and taken from this exhibition of hyper-realistic paintings of the kinds of porcelain ware forced laborers made at Dachau. Other than the fact that it is absolutely stunning, it speaks, I think to the tradition of kitsch Romanticism in black metal in a kind of reclaiming fashion. Yes, it is kitsch Romanticism, but the kind made by the victims of the kind of politics that kitsch is associated with. Anyhow, I think it's cool. 

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. Vemod – "Der guder d​ø​r," from The Deepening (Atmospheric Black Metal – Prophecy Productions). It's kind of hard to keep a straight face or check expectations with this one, given the fact that I've been waiting for a new Vemod record a good portion of my adult life. But now the Norwegian devils are finally, finally back with that "new record we promised about a million times." The first track sounds appropriately majestic and quite mellow, and yet very much waters the palette (ew) for the album that lies a few month ahead. The crispest ride sound I've heard all year. FFO: Mgla, Mare, Djevel.

2. Fawn Limbs & Nadja – "Distilled in Observance," from Vestigial Spectra (Drone/Grinding Death – Roman Numeral / Wolves and Vibrancy). Collaborations are a beautiful thing, since they break the cycle of solipsistic hell-living and welcome in people into our hearts. But collaborations that much more precious when bringing together some of the nicest, most talented people on the planet. Such is the case here. Friends of the show Fawn Limbs and AOTD alums and all-around sweethearts/legends Nadja came together to create, ah, a very violent cloud. May that cloud descend sweetly on my life, instead of whatever it is that is descending on them recently. FFO: Knoll, Full of Hell, Nadja.

3. Eyes – "Tearjerker," from Congratulations (Hardcore/Noise Rock – Indisciplinarian / Nefarious Industry). This release is from way earlier in the year. I would have written about it earlier, but I had never heard of these dudes and would have remained in my ignorance had I not went on one of my "let's check out bands and their various affiliated projects on Metal Archives" jaunts. This time around Hexis, which is interesting because I'm not really that into Hexis. This, however, is much more my speed, in that nihilistic-noise-rock way. Dark, catchy, and bleak. What's not to like? FFO: Intercourse, Chat Pile, Urine Hell.

4. The Keening – "Little Bird," from Little Bird (Doom/Dark Folk – Relapse Records). This one skipped its pretty beak into my world thanks to a mention by the wonderful Rohan of Heaviest of Art who mentioned this along with the holy words Dead to a Dying World and, of course, this being Rebecca Vernon's project (ex-SubRosa). Now, this may not be DTADW, and it is also not entirely consistent in level across the whole thing. But, and this one is a big but, when it does, as the kids say, "hit," it climbs to peaks rivaled only by legendary acts as varied as 40 Watt Sun and Joanna Newsome. This track, as a case in point, is some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard in my life. That's not an exaggeration. FFO: Looking at the bad parts instead of looking away and finding beauty for idiots like me.

5. Resin Tomb – "Dysphoria," from Cerebral Purgatory (Death Metal/Grindcore – Transcending Obscurity Records). After two masterful, ferocious EPs (both of which were covered under this unholy sheet of a blog: uno, dos), the Australian crushers of the soul are finally arriving with their debut LP, via the wonderful Transcending Obscurity. Unchecked aggression, scientifically precise drumming, and one of the best throats in "da game." Not to be missed, especially if you're fans of the above-mentioned Fawn Limbs. FFO: The above-mentioned Fawn Limbs, Ulcerate, Knoll.

6. Vulning – Like The Leaves from Sadness / Vulning Split (Black Metal – Independent). As has become very clear to me this year, every music that spews forth from the celestial soul that is Damián Antón Ojeda immediately attaches itself to my being and uplifts me from the suffering of this mortal coil, all while pinning me to that coil more forcibly. So, given that fact, and given Sadness is one half of this release, you can understand, I think, how much I loved the Vulning half. A complete, beautifully flawed, ruthless, tender trip through black, death and whatever metal you feel like naming. A whole masterpiece.  FFO: Dødheimsgard, Tchornobog, Mizmor.

7. Litha – ״Hunger," from Litha (Atmospheric Black Metal – Tartarus Records). This one comes via a kind recommendation from the wonderful Calvin. A stunning, organic-sounding, emotive, celestial, earthly, whatever slice of atmospheric black metal heaven, hailing from the blessed fingers and worthy throat of the aptly named Andrew Black (Sorceress, Mizmor, and that beautiful collab with Mizmor a while back). It's funny that this is coming out via Tartarus because there's something about that earthy, present drum sounds, and those fuzzed-out tones that scream Dutch black metal to me. Fantastic. FFO: Fluisteraars, Mizmor, Turia.

8. Yellow Eyes – "Winter is Looking," from Master's Murmur (Experimental Black Metal/Darkwave – Independent). It would be very tempting for me to say that this is the yang to the wonderful Sunrise Patriot Motion album the Skarstad brothers released last year. But, some context first. Yellow Eyes' music has always been defined by a grand double inheritance: On the one hand we have bleak, tundra-swept black metal, enriched by an almost Eastern European pang of suffering, and the other a lush, sentimental, and unabashedly grand 90s indie rock. When placed perfectly one against the other – and Yellow Eyes have yet to place them un-perfectly – you get what appears to be just black metal – because black metal is always bleak and often sentimental – and really is a whole emotional and sonic revolution. The bounds are never breached, black metal is always that, but dug deeper to find  the finer gold of humanity that really is the stamp of Sam and Will's work, just like the work of any great artist.  

So, within that context Black Fellflower Stream was a stretch out of bounds, an indulging in that sentimentality while dialing back some of the harsher metal aspects. And while Master's Murmur isn't the complete binary of that move (say, a ferocious black metal album) it is by far the bleakest, soberest, darkest album of the SFU (Skarstad Fictional Universe), at least thus far. Instead of reaching into black metal to achieve that effect, they insert themselves into an existing, experimental aspect of their palette (field recordings, for instance) and pull out an album that feels part Gnaw Their Tongues ferocious, part Dead Can Dance (or even Death in June) contemplative. Bleak, yes, but with heart. Like watching someone you love die, and then a whole album of grieving, with love and pain. Another "favorite Yellow Eyes album" in a series of favorite Yellow Eyes albums, with another one due next year. We are all truly blessed to have them. FFO: Yellow Eyes.

9. Void – "Self Isolation," from Jadjow (Avant-Garde Black Metal – Brucia Records). Black metal that sounds like 2000s DHG and 2000s <c o d e>? Well, yes, I believe I shall partake. It's been a while since I've heard people having this much fun being this nasty and nerdy about proggy black metal, and I'm loving it. Where's the ambition people? Where's the weirdness? Where have they all gone? Oh, I know where – this right here. Get it. FFO: Bands.

FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

ONE:  I don't have time for that shit, but if you're a fan of nasty trad/heavy then Death Magick is releasing a sick demo and the first track is awesome.

TWO: Century Media has joined Bandcamp, which means literal generations of cultural monoliths are available on the platform for the first time – from Unleashed to Blood Incantation. 

THREE: Fucked-up, 12-tone post-hardcore is what you needed and never knew you did (s/o Lev for this gem). Faraquet lovers rise up. Half Empty Glasshouse is the name.

FOUR: Life continues to be horrible. Hug your kids.

FIVE: I don't have time for that shit, but, seriously, either get on the upcoming Sea Mosquito album or die in shame that you didn't. There's a live listening party for the whole thing on Bandcamp this Thursday.

ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: I don't have time for that shit. But, listen to Malokarpatan.