NINE SONGS I LIKED THIS… FUCK IT, A BUNCH OF SONGS I LIKED FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS I GUESS MAY 26 – JUNE 9
As much as I love writing about music I've spent as much time these past few years bitching about the fact that I never get to see the shows I actually want to see nor attend the festivals (ROADBURN) I actually would like to attend. This is somewhat related to living where I do, but also really related to being the father of three young kids and never having the time, money, or opportunity to any of that. However, a little over a week ago the planets aligned and I did just that. First with getting to see Intercourse live in Chicago with my dear friend Alex, and getting to meet my soul-mate Tarek, and then in Prepare the Ground where I got to see so many amazing, life-altering shows from Orchid, Thantifaxath, Völur, Bleeding Out, Liturgy, Yellow Eyes, Sunrot, Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean and others. It was an actual dream come true.
But the crazy part about that bizarre experience wasn't just the shows, I find. I mean, the shows were a huge part of it, and the honor and privilege of seeing music that has defined my life in real time was something I'll take with me forever. But meeting the people, people who I had suspected were my friends and turned out to be my actual friends, was really what it was all about. It was like meeting family for the first time despite them being already your family. Meeting Alex (Forlesen, who was my guide and co-pilot for many a Chicago adventure), meeting Tarek, meeting Will, Sam, Mike, and Alex of Yellow Eyes, (including some Chinese food that was never as good as the company) saying hi to the soul in human form that is Mike Scheidt, getting to hang out and re-connect with Will, Jeff, and Brad of Orchid, and spending so many magical times with the gentle giant that is Patrick Walker was something my soul never knew it needed and then getting it in a monsoon-like downpour. There are moments from that weekend in Toronto and in my time in Chicago that will forever be a part of who I am, and the gratitude I feel for all you amazing people will never cease. Till we all meet again.
I was, as a result of being away and the tumult of getting back home, pretty sure I would take a second week off this manic run of weekly posts. But then I remembered I wasn't a healthy soul. So, here we are. Back at it. Keep safe.
1. EDO – "Dreams of Ecstasy," from Radiant Structures and Vivid Dreams (NP-XX) (Post-Punk/Black Metal – Night of the Palemoon). If there ever was a universe where one could just live happy and walk care free among weird-looking trees that were made of equal parts Killing Joke and Suffering Hour I guess this album by EDO would be a house in that place. Well, less a house, more a wall-less cabin exposed to the elements. Another example of how you do things right by doing everything wrong. FFO: Guitars that sound like they're drowning.
2. Andarta – "Moment," from Stories We Believe (Post-Punk/Industrial – Raash Records). I actually didn't know I was supposed to be excited about this because I didn't know it was coming, but now that I know it's coming I'm retroactively saying "one of the most anticipated albums of the year" and tagging that shit this it. The tag. I was very proud to include Andarta's menacing energy on one of my previous compilations (this one), but that might be just a blimp on their brilliant life-radar. Haunting, creepy, and downright scary music for music you think they've already been scared by music. FFO: Chrome, Moss Icon.
3. Krallice – "Flatlines Encircled Residue," from Inorganic Rites (Black Metal – P2). I'll tell you one thing that's great about not being in Krallice – they must rehearse so fucking mush, my god. Who even has the time? I'll tell you one thing that's fucking horrible about not being in Krallice, though, you have to live your life, eat your little dumb sandwich and drink your tepid coffee knowing that band exists and nothing you make will matter. I'm so glad I'm not a musician, because if a Krallice version of a writer existed I would just end it. FFO: What we all humans aspire to as in art that no only makes us suffer this world but that transcends us into a better one.
4. Defacement – "Duality," from Duality (Dissonant Death Metal – Total Dissonance Worship and Avantgarde Music). I've been an on-board, card-carrying FAN of Defacement since their brilliant debut (proof), as well as lucky enough person to be able to claim I actually premiered a Defacement track (receipts). However, this version of Defacement is not only better than anything I've heard from them, it's better by a whole margin. Like. a truck margin, in it being a big truck. Not a semi. A TRUCK. And when a band that has already been brilliant decides to be ever brilliant-er, it's a wrap. This has been a landmark year for death metal (more on that later), along with its disso-oriented sub-sub-sub genre (Convulsing, Cave Sermon, Kvadrat, Prisoner, to name but a few), but this might be THE ONE. FFO: Music that makes you feel like a knife.
5. Adversarial – "Merging Within the Destroyer," from Solitude with the Eternal... (Death Metal – Dark Descent Records). So, yeah, a banner year for death metal. I said that. I meant that, too, which seems to me kind of obvious given the sheer immensity of death metal that's been coming out (don't sleep on the Fractal Generator one, that might be as good as anything ever, no kidding). But even given all that, and given the possibility of maybe getting a new Mitochondrion sooner rather than later, this new album from Adversarial still manages to be some of the best, most disease-ridden, atmospheric, and relentless albums I have heard in a whole ass time. Just a masterpiece of ruining your life. FFO: Antediluvian, Impetuous Ritual.
6. Har – "Submerged in Cacophony," from Cursed Creation (Death/Black Metal – Dark Descent Records). Yes. MORE DEATH METAL. And not even the last Dark Descent-related entry of the post. It's been a whole while since Har released any ugliness our way, ever since their great Anti Shechinah (a track off of which was featured on my 2020 compilation). And it seems that in the interim they decided to press the ugly pedal even harder, at times reaching almost Hissing-like levels of sonic discombobulation along with their usual penchant for, I don't know, evil-sounding, rough death metal? As much as reality has gotten nasty in the past few years, this is definitely nastier. FFO: Teitanblood, Hissing.
7. I See Satan Fall Like Lightning – "This Place, No More," from Forgotten Songs (Atmospheric Black Metal – Hauntology Records). OK. I get it, you need a break before I bring in some more death metal. So how about you palette your cleanse (that feels right) with this just incredible moment of intense, emotional music. Music made by what I can only assume is a person, but might be a demon since they've released (counts) something like nine million things in the last year alone. This, however, is my first encounter with their life's work and I'm in. I'm so fucking in, my god. Depressive black metal that feels like Explosions in the Sky all drowned and became underwater demons. FFO: Being a demon underground, it ain't easy. Or under water. Whichever.
8. SXAP – "Sleeping Claws," from Total Doom (Death Doom – BloodyMountain Records). Did I not already tell you that BloodyMountain Records was the shit? Did I not already extol the beauty and nastiness of Sxuperion, Cabinet, and others? I did. Hey, I even did an interview with the label and criminal mastermind of said label, here? I did everything. And now, I must do it again, because SXAP has new shit out and – surprise, surprise, it's as a sick as my heart. Outer-space sounding, death-doom crushing, brilliant-making music that affirms one's choice to not dies. FFO: Being a Martian and playing slow metal.
9. Vanhelgd – "Kom dödens tysta ängel," from Atropos Doctrina (Death Metal – Dark Descent Records). I've taken the longest break I have ever taken from this weekly bullshit and I'm really coming back with a post that's all death metal? Your'e right, out of line. I apologize. But, the thing is, Vanhelgd is not only one the best modern death metal bands and one of the best ever, it's also kind of underrated and they've also haven't released in forever, and what can I say. There's nothing to say. A true torchbearer for exciting, atmospheric Swedish death metal, and one of the best out there. That's it. Get excited. FFO: Morbus Chron, Cruciamentum.
RANDOM BONUS: Carwennan – "III," from Lotus (Doom/Sludge – Darkest Records). Haven't been in the mood for some doom for a while now, but this has somewhat shifted that situation. Moody, atmospheric, well-paced tracks that feel like something horrible is about to happen and yet the only thing that really happens is amazing music. Really cool shit. FFO: ISIS, Thou.
FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
ONE: New Deathless Void album coming, get ready (and prepare).
TWO: New Siderean album coming, get ready (and prepare).
THREE: Teeth announced a new album, new track here.
FOUR: Tired.
FIVE: If you're in the mood for the type of neo folk that is actually post folk but really just incredible soundscapes melding into your brain while a silent voice seeps horror into your soul then your should probably checkout the new Agnivolok / Necromishka collab because it's crazy amazing.
ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: Skelethal have a new track out and a new album coming. Yes, more death metal.
