NINE SONGS I LIKED THIS WEEK IN LIST FORM – DEC 17-23 – AM I FALLING APART EDITION #9
Will this even get published? Who knows. What I do know is that I finally (FINALLY) released that Aeviterne AOTY interview that was intended for the end off 2022 (of which it was AOTY, along with two other albums, which both got interviews as well – Scarcity and SkyThala) but only came out now because life is like that. But, timing aside, it's one of my favorite interviews ever because it includes: a) a great album; b) a great person; c) an in-depth conversation about making art; d) includes discussion of some of the best bands on earth; and e) goes quite a bit into a pet topic of mine, the 2010s NYC avant-garde metal scene. So, there. Check it out. 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. Kory Reeder – "Untitled, 1995 (2020)," from Texas: Vol. VI – Grids (Part 1) (Drone/Modern Classical – Independent). I honestly don't remember how I ended up falling down the wondrous rabbit hole that is this album, probably stalking classical Bandcamp, but who the hell cares? It's eerie, on the border of being music but also maybe not, droning, oddly dissonant and just beautiful music. My first ignorant intuition goes something like "dirty Eluvium." If that makes sense to you, jump right in. FFO: Eluvium, Some Became Hollow Tubes.
2. Árstíðir lífsins – "Ýrr," from Hermalausaz (Black Metal – Ván Records). Ah yes, why don't you just released a stunning album of epic black metal nine days before the new year and a month after I've released my AOTY list, yes, yes, please do. And while I am incensed at the audacity, I also can't help but be happy that we get to get some more Árstíðir lífsins in our lives. Their last album now a whole three years ago, was beautiful, and this is just as great. FFO: Enslaved, Blackbraid, Aara.
3. Bakt – "Hadeano," from Hadeano (Ambient/Electronic – Independent). Another beautiful installment of chill-yet-eerie electronic music from yet another perfect project by the insatiable, irreplaceable Caio Lemos (Brii, Kaatayra, Vauruvã, Vestígio, et al). Another week, another me recommending a 30-minute track, but trust me, it won't feel like 30 minutes while you astrally project yourself into a nice warm supernova. FFO: Astrally projecting yourself into a nice warm supernova.
4. Ihsahn – "Pilgrimage to Oblivion," from Ihsahn (Prog Metal – Candlelight Records). My swift calculations and in-depth research (Metal Archives) lead me to the conclusion that this has been the longest break between Ihsahn albums since the inception of the Ihsahn BRAND. And if we link said brand to Emperor, then basically the longest between full-lengths since, well, forever. I had a bit of a hard time with Àmr, I must say, and loved Arktis a whole lot, though a lot of that album didn't necessarily age as gracefully. So, I'm wary. This first single sounds nice and simultaneously could have been on any post 2010 Ihsahn album. So, yeah, still wary. We shall see. FFO: Ihsahn with a sweater, Ihsahn with a pullover, Ihsahn with a turtleneck.
5. Kêres – "Mortification," from Vexilloid (Black Metal – Terratur Possessions). Black metal wizards/weirdos Kêres are back to ruin your lunch with a new batch of sickly sounding, potent black metal that sounds like it was spewed from the eyeballs of the demon that got Fenriz going. Beautiful, surprisingly rockin' gross black metal from one of the best in the game. FFO: Vomiting on your Satan-branded roller skates.
6. Necrowretch – "Numidian Knowledge," from Swords of Dajjal (Black Metal – Season of Mist). Speaking of good ole fashioned black metal, I can't say I was ever super into Necrowretch but the brilliant, best of the year, best of the decade artwork from the always genius from Stéfan Thanneur got me in the demon-infested gut, and I have to say I'm pleasantly intrigued. Dynamic, melodic, and fucking aggressive black metal that makes one behead a goat. Or a tofu goat. Regardless, pretty cool, big-sounding black metal. FFO: Goats?
7. Apovrasma – "Telos," from Archidémon (Avant-Garde Black Metal – Independent). Babylon Doom Cult Records might be dead (RIP to one of the best), but their social-media entity (God, just read that sentence, wow) spouted this recommendation into the ether and made my entire YEAR better. It's no secret that I like tinkering with my AOTY list after publishing it, and this year is no different. One of said tinkers (what?) has been to add a VBE-inspired category, and this gem not only belongs there but probably takes the abstract-black-metal cake. Loose melodies, organic instrumentation, beautiful ideas, and wonderful craziness. This little diamond of a thing might end up very high on the list. FFO: MADNESS! (not the band, but I'm OK with the band).
8. Sunset – "Wander Does the Taciturn Spellsword," from Trhä // Sunset (Black Metal – Independent). Trhä was already having one of the best years in the history of any genre, ever, and decided to cap that year with an onslaught of releases that someone feel even better than the already stellar releases of the past months. And yet, despite the brilliant side Trhä has here as well as another amazing split with Midoran, I have elected to speak of a track off of the Sunset side of this split. Why? Well, because it sounds what music needs to sound like for me to like it. It's strange, it's dynamics are off, it sounds like it was recorded by my niece, and it's all over the place. And in doing all that, it's magic. FFO: Magic.
9. Eyal Nachtomy – "Impermanent," from Sleep in Hands (Ambient/Experimental – Independent). Ending what might be my last of these posts for this year with a little beautiful, uneasy calm. Beautiful, uneasy calm is all I can hope for these days, and seems, to be honest, to be a pipe dream. I wish things weren't like this, I wish they were very different. But they aren't, and I am very afraid. So, listen to this wonderful, vibrating piece of humanity from Eyal Nachtomy, and please keep safe and hug your loved ones. That's it. FFO: Hugging.
ONE: Yadda yadda yadda there's a minute-long preview for each side of the upcoming Aberration/Diabolic Oath split, and it sounds nasty.
TWO: Yadda yadda yadda New live Misþyrming album.
THREE: Yadda yadda yadda New promo track from the upcoming Vemod, which will be a top-ten album of 2024, book it.
FOUR: Hanging pictures on the walls of the new place, wondering if it's even worth the effort.
FIVE: Lovely year-end lists from the usual suspects: Black Market, No Clean Singing, and whoever else I forgot. Also, subscribe to Ian Chainey's newsletter. Pure gold.
ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: Take care.
