NINE SONGS I LIKED THIS WEEK IN LIST FORM – FEB 4-10
Let me take you on a trip, down my nasal cavities into my lungs, and back, and you won't have to move, you just sit still. Now let your mind do the walking, and let my body do the coughing, because I've been sick all week, and I've lost all link to reality other than the vague sense that there's still a war going on and that people are suffering. What a fucked-up week. I also interviewed Charlie of Cave Sermon, so check that out. But mostly just check out his new album. You'll be listening to it all year, on me.
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. Chapel of Disease – "Echoes of Light," from Echoes of Light (Progressive Death/Goth Metal – Ván Records). As they filter through the mucus-drenched fibers of my brain, the first new sounds emanating in a very long time from Chapel of Disease sound like a starry-eyed delirium. Is this a band jamming during soundcheck in 1976? Is this the second coming of Mercyful Fate? What is this? What it is, maybe, is a band taking an absolute meat cleaver to anything that wasn't essential to their sound leaving us with the gleaming skeleton of drama, bombast, and, yes, rock n' fuckin' roll. And in the strange, twilight state of my wet brain it feels like they've somewhat cracked the code of sounding less heavy and yet sounding heavier. FFO: Sweven, Tribulation.
2. Locrian – "Chronoscapes," from End Terrain (Drone Metal – Profound Lore Records). Locrian have always been dealing in a two-tier system. One tier had all the suffering and angst of the known universe, floating as a noxious fume. The other a beam of light that, while shining on some nasty shit still, made it all a bit bearable. What they haven't done in a very long time – in my humble opinion – is blast on both levels. If End Terrain will sounds anything like "Chronoscapes" sounds, we're all about to be dumped into a beautiful, misty ocean of humanity's worst nightmare. FFO: Battles, Horseback.
3. Kali Malone – "All Life Long (for organ)," from All Life Long (Modern Classical / Experimental – Ideologic Organ). Yes, this track, but the entire album. For the past year or so Kali Malone's music has entered that wooded enclosed space in my sickly brain into which only the most perfect must enter and remain. Which means that to me, right now, the aforementioned Malone is on par in my mind with 90s Emperor and Sweven's The Eternal Resonance. Her entire brain is a beaming web of radiant light that cures the body and the soul. So, yeah, I'm fucking listening to this entire thing, over and over. As should you. FFO: Living in the future and it's the Middle Ages.
4. Benighted – "Scars," from Ekbom (Death Metal – Season of Mist). Getting to listen to Kevin Paradis play the drums is like being pummeled by a force so brutal and yet so human that you're both bleeding and weeping from joy. His drumming, as always, would have been enough, but the rest sounds so sick and slick and dynamic and grindy and Cattle Decapitation-y that there's really no reason to listen to this and, appropriately, bleed. FFO: Bleeding.
5. Necrot – "Cut the Cord," from Lifeless Birth (Death Metal – Tankcrimes). Not many people know this, but the secret to most Necrot records is that they sound like Necrot records. How weird is it that in a world saturated by the everlasting presence of death metal or old-school death metal and yet Necrot still sounds like motherfuckin' Necrot. The same darkness, the same drunken groove, the same leather-stenched vibe, albeit with what to me sounds like a bit more melodeth. And do you know what? The best addition. The fuckin' best. FFO: Phrenelith, Vastum.
6. Pelagius – "Radiant," from Pelagius (Disso Death/Black – Total Dissonance Worship). Well, did you ever envision a black metal Morbid Angel being a thing? Because if so, you're fucking insane, but so is this debut EP from brand-new band and Knoll-associated (Cameron Giarraputo plays guitar for both) band Pelagius. And you can add some disso vibes to that overall chaotic, weird space and that's basically where we are. Trapped in hell. The good kind, for once. FFO: Ad Nauseum, Gorrch.
7. Μνήμα – Μνήμα from Καταραμένα Λείψανα (Black Metal – Forbidden Keep Records). Some would say this sounds like doing a modern, face-eating drug, like the ones you see eviscerating whole countries on TV, while participating in a medieval revival of some Dionysian rite in a neighbor's basement. And while that is an apt depiction, the newest offering from Greece's craziest black metal band actually just feels like my week. My thanks to the wonderful Mr. Leonard for taking the time to point out they have something new coming. Oh, I should have probably said this first, but it fucking rules. That whole "la la la la" portion that begins around 6:20 made my year. FFO: Circle of Ouroborus, Revenant Marquis.
8. Verwoed – "The Child," from The Mother (Atmospheric Black Metal – Wolves of Hades and Argento Records). It might not be the "coolest" part of a post dedicated to the intra-mucus mind, but pain and wheeziness and the chills they all need healing too. Verwoed's 2019 gem De Val healed me, I seem to remember, and was and remains a constant source of inspiration and dread. It joys me to say these first few tracks from the upcoming followup are doing the same. That we are plunging into the pit, that much, I think, we know. May we receive gifts like Verwoed when we try to climb out. FFO: Turia, Woe.
9. Critical Defiance – "44 Minds," from The Search Won't Fall... (Thrash Metal – Unspeakable Axe Records). Well, I got all "healy" with the last one so might as well plunge back into the viscous pit of sickness. Thrash, by and large, actually kind of sucks and has sucked for a very long time, regardless of barely-OK examples of the genre. But take anything, anything, even the lamest shit, and give it to so some dudes in Chile and it'll come back ruthless, pulsating, and cool. Did not expect to see a new album coming from these specific Chilean dudes, but I'll take it. FFO: Early Sepultura, Sepulcher.
FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
ONE: As much as I think it's time for a big Ulver switch up, the new single is pretty catchy.
TWO: Forgot about RHÛN – maybe next week.
THREE: Looking for unhinged black metal that makes you feel sick? Prison of Ebisu has your back all bloody (cheers to Tamar for the tip).
FOUR: I'm done with being sick, thank you. Peace and safety to all.
FIVE: New Cabinet. Need to get on that.
ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: Man, I don't know.
