NINE (ISH) SONGS I LIKED THIS WEEK IN LIST FORM – APR 7 – APR 13

A lot can be said about living in a shitty place in a shitty time, but one thing it does bring up every once in a while is a deep sense of gratitude. When your mind is busy nonstop imagining the absolute worst in every possible interaction or situation there's a sense of deep joy that comes in that not happening. Not worth it, naturally, but it's there. My kids, a cool breeze, music. Keep safe, wherever you may be, and be sure to check out the interview I published earlier this week with Matthew of Cabinet, Sxuperion and BloodyMountain Records. It's worth your time, as I hope this post will be as well. 

1. Die Nerven – "Europa," from Die Nerven (Post-Punk/Indie – Glitterhouse Records). Not only a case of "and now for something a little different," but also an older album from a couple of years ago. And so why include it? Well, I had the good fortune of seeing Die Nerven live by complete accident a few years ago and seemingly drunkenly stumbled into one of the best live experiences of my life. I've tried to keep track of their stuff since, but haven't really and just this week realized that this stunning (with stunning art) album existed. Not metal, just honest, they-don't-make-em-like-they-used-to music that inspires and moves the lungs and the pancreas. Cannot recommend enough. FFO: Interpol, Soft Kill.

2. Heresiarch – "Noose above the Abyss," from Edifice (Death/Black Metal – Iron Bonehead Productions). I was sitting there admiring the new Verberis album, thinking to myself "those are some sick fucking vocals performances" and decided to check out the new album from Heresiarch, who share a vocalist with the aforementioned…. Whatever, you get it. I did not unearth a new Verberis (probably a good thing, a bit disso-ed out at this point of the year) but a brilliant death/black thing with some serious death-doom moments. Massive, beautiful-sounding, shit. FFO: Mourning Beloveth, Witch Vomit.

3. Thou – "I Feel Nothing When You Cry," from Umbilical (Sludge – Sacred Bones Records). In this world composed of mostly disappointment and the odd flicker of comfort, a new Thou album is good news. It's been six long years since the full-length from these AOTD alums, Magus, the longest they've ever taken between albums, and it felt more like 20 years. And what version of Thou do we get after all this time? Well, the most high-speed, aggressive Thou in a very long time. I suspect much of the new album, Umbilical, will celebrate all things very slow and downtuned, but "I Feel Nothing Wen You Cry" is a flurry of an almost punky, death metal-y sound that feels fresh and very angry. Good for them. FFO: Fresh and Angry. P.S.: I'm using the non-Dore version of the cover art since I always love those more.

 

4. Tårfödd – "Avgrunden," from M​ö​rker (Black Metal – Independent). A very happy find amid a not-so-happy-yet-slightly-productive-week. Much of this debut from new Swedish project Tårfödd smacks of a very nice melancholic mix of old-school Alcest, modern atmospheric black metal, and a slight depressive touch (especially the vocals, but also a general feel). Resulting in very enjoyable, comprehesive-sounding tracks. Pretty cool. FFO: Argwaan, Rimruna.

5. Aristarchos – "Orb: Shadow Memories of the Enlived amid the Deathless Aether," from Martyr of Star and Fire (Atmospheric Black Metal – Vendetta Records). A few years ago I wrote about the debut from these English dark fiends, and wondered aloud what the fuck they even were. Well, it seems that out of the bevy of options they pressed down hard on the "cosmic" aspect of things – from the artwork and subject matter, to the sound. They end up with what sounds like a laser-focused version of their brilliant debut, and a very dynamic, fetching slap of darkened existential melancholy. FFO: Void Omnia, Vukari.

6. La Torture Des Ténèbres – "Valley of the Unclean," from V (Lo-fi Black Metal – Independent). The wonder-woman also known as La Torture Des Ténèbres is motherfucking back to break your brain and steal your hear. Seven long years after the amazing IV – Memoirs of a Machine Girl, the noise-wielding, terror-shredding, Art-Deco-loving force of dark nature and black holes is back and ready to rip you in two. This is a very aggressive blurb so far, I have noticed. I apologize. A combined new reason to be afraid my entire family will die and how fucking great this release is. Unhinged terror for a terrorful time. FFO: Gnaw Their Tongues had a baby with Thy Dying Light and the baby murdered them.

7. Eat Your Own Head – "Chest Pains," from The Trawler (Post-Hardcore/Mathcore – Drongo Records). As if hailing from a different time and place, EYOH summon the ghosts of those too smart people holding on to vintage Fenders with all their might that populated my brain and heart in the mid 90s. And if you're a fan of 90s Dischord and late 90s Americans from the general area of the Midwest pissing off their neighbors with that thing once called "angular riffs" then you shall feel very much at home in these British arms. FFO: Misused Fenders.

8. Avowd – "Perpetual Utopian Ruin," from Vol. (Black Metal – Independent). I guess if anyone ever wondered what a Virus-leaning Blut aus Nord band would sound like. Torrents of off-kilter, if not dissonant atmospheres crashing with that big-time sense of "oh shit I might die and that makes me both sad and pissed" that BaN basically invented. All of which, to be sure, makes for a disturbing-yet-pleasing listening experience that makes you think that you may have heard some of this before just seldom as good. FFO: Learn to read.

9. Fractal Generator – "Askesis," from Convergence (Death Metal – Everlasting Spew Records). Ending (well, almost) things with some death metal. Macrocosmos was a massive, massive death metal release, and getting to listen to these dudes just nerd out on all the riffs while delivering all the cruelty is a highlight in my fucked-up life right now. Technical without being a joke, progressive without being a nerd, and as massive as a truck careening into your skull. A highlight death metal release for the year. FFO: Aenigmatum, Mitochondrion.

 

BONUS: Sunrise Patriot Motion – "Two Crows Woke in the Nest," from My Father Took Me Hunting in the Snow (Post Punk/Black Metal – Independent). If a member of the Skarstadt family releases music – and I don't care if it's a distant cousin called Fred Skarstadt, I'm fucking buying that shit and listening to it with my eyes closed like the embarrassing person I am. That's just a fact of fucking life. It just so happens that I have entangled myself with the Skarstadts since Yellow Eyes' magnificent Hammer of Night, and have been emotionally wedded to their musical webbings ever since. Sunrise Patriot Motion's debut a couple years ago was a wonderful surprise of emotional, lush music that highlighted what had already been the post-punk(y), shall I even say "indie" flank of much of Sam and Will's music (both together and apart, if they're ever really apart). This new EP is just the icing on that cake, in what feels like a creative and personal victory lap. What is the last time you heard musicians as brilliant and as human as this having this good of a time? Magnificent. May whoever is in charge of the cosmos allow me to finally experience these fine people performing next month. Don't fuck this up for me, Mr. Deity. I deserve a good fucking time. FFO: Me.

FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

ONE: Fleshripper, AKA the somewhat brutal Portrayal of Guilt side gig, have a killer new EP out.

TWO: New Soft Kill.

THREE: New Cult Leader.

FOUR: As grateful as ever for all my friends around the world, whether they consider themselves to be my friends or not. The fact you exist is a beautiful thing.

FIVE: Stumbled into some quality super-cosmic atmos bm this week in the form of Labyrinthus Stellarum (good 2023 album too). I try to not go negative in this holy place of music and love, but what I kept thinking while I was listening to it was "Oh, so this is what Mesarthim would have sounded like had it been good."

ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: Örastimar. Quality raw black metal.