A FEW SONGS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE EXISTED THIS WEEK SEP 29 – OCT 5
PREAMBLE!
In one of my many fruitless wanderings of the thin surface of internet musical madness I came upon some previously unreleased footage of one of my heroes, former Megadeth drummer and human preying mantis Gar Samuelson. I wrote a thing about it (how does one write about "the news" when one is not a "news website"? Well, badly), and corresponded a bit with the guy who had uploaded them, Shane Buchanan. He was diagnosed with cancer, was pretty far along and decided that the world needed to see those few images of Gar before he was gone. Sadly he didn't manage to get more uploaded, and the last video he put on his channel was three years ago. I think about that, the urge to leave something before you're gone. I'm very happy he got to do that, and happier still I had a part in spreading the word at the time. But it doesn't make it any less sad, and it doesn't make that jarring stop – the upload stream stopping – any less jarring. Same with Gar, I guess. He's gone. Maybe leaving a mark is overrated. Maybe just play with the kids.
Keep safe. Everyone.
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Mitochondrion – "The Protanthrofuge," Vitriseptome (Death/Black Metal – Profound Lore Records). One of my dirty little secrets is that when things are really bad, and the noise gets really, ah, noisy I turn to Parasignosis to relax. There's something about the manic energy of the black chaos unleashed by that album that sets everything else still. As if the world is looking at the music and just stops because what's the point. So news of a new Mitochondrion album could not have made me any happier. First single is pretty death-metally considering how twisted these guys can get, but seeing that it's a 900-minute album I'm sure there's going to be just enough insanity to satisfy my brain for another (hopefully not!) few years until the next one comes.
Häxenzijrkell – "ÆON," from Portal (Black Metal – Amor Fati Productions). Häxenzijrkell have the interesting tendency to quietly drop albums that slowly work themselves into my unconscious. I've loved their last two releases, so a new album from them is an easy "YESS" + dorky fist pump, but this new one, let me tell you. It's a stunner. It's got that straight-ahead black metal, with some quirks, but it takes the atmospheric part to a whole new level. This closing track is especially noteworthy from that standpoint, with some chilling clean vocals that sound eerie like that nasal twang I love so from Nubivagant (see later down the list). I'm going to spend a lot of time with this release, as should you.
Abschwörzunge – "Machinations Internecine," from Whorl (Brutal/Prog Death Metal – I, Voidhanger Records). Did I expect one of my favorite brutal releases to come from I, Voidganger? Nope. I only clicked the link because of two really superficial reasons: 1) It's I, Voidhanger and 2) It's a Stefan Thanneur cover. But my superficiality was rewarded with a delightfully weird, guttural thing of nasty beauty that should be on your dancing card if you're into that Afterbirth/Wormed vibe.
Coltaine – "Dans Un Nouveau Monde," from Forgotten Ways (Post Metal – Lay Bare Recordings). In many ways post metal was the slippery beast that brought me back into the metal fold, and yet it's been hard for me to get excited about new post metal in the last few years. This album, however, is just lovely. Some Om-esque stoner-y vibes, some strumming and making me feel sad a-la Cult of Luna, and an absolutely stunning vocal performance. I don't know if I'll have a post-metal adjacent category in my year-end list this year, but I might make one just for this album.
Rotten Bastards – "The Hater," from Stench (Sludge – Independent). A new local project of which I know very little except it's probably populated by some pretty talented people and it's probably recorded by pretty talented people. Oh, and that its channels the classic evil sludge of bands like Grief, Iron Monkey, and a less melancholy Thou. Just gain up to 12, screeching at the devil while riffing and drumming you to submission. Cool shit.
Sordide – "Des feux plus forts," from Ainsi finit le jour (Black Metal – Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Productions). Can't think of a better song opening this year than this one right here. The perfect setup to the perfect blend of black metal darkness, punk rock propulsion, and a weirdo, almost 2010's Plebeian Grandstand manic energy. If their entire new album is this good then you can just kiss my AOTY list in the ass. It's that good.
Feral Light – "Shattered and Broken at The Base of Time Part I," from A Reckoning with the Intangible (Black Metal – Independent). A big fan of everything Feral Light so a) happy for a new album, especially sounding this great and b) sad to see it'll be their last and I guess no more Feral Light. I don't know the reason, the dropping of a last album in a very unceremonious manner into the tepid waters of Bandcamp seems kind of sudden and maybe a sign of broken things, but it is what it is. It's great, though, and if you are uninitiated to the psych-y wonders of this great band then dive right in.
Black Tusk – "Flee From Dawn," from The Way Forward (Slduge – Season of Mist). I don't actually know why, but it feels like I got the promo for this album A LONG TIME before it was released. Which was weird because I fucking loved it, and was so excited to write about and then it just didn't come out for the longest time. But, having remembered how much I enjoyed it, I am now prying it from the bloody jaws of time (it was eventually released in April, I guess) to say: It's great. Catchy riffs, great songs, and heavy as an elephant overdosing on concrete.
Doedsmaghird – "Heart of Hell," from Omniverse Consciousnes (Black Metal – Peaceville Records). When Dødheimsgard announced a new sister project with the almost identical name Doedsmaghird, and added a black-metal looking logo, I was excited. Not because I'm not a fan of the Dødheimsgard sound these days, I'm a huge fan, but because I thought it would be a trip to hear a black metal iteration of that sound. Now that the first single is out I am still very happy, but a bit more confused as to why this necessitated a whole new project. It actually basically sounds like new-sound Dødheimsgard with a few dashes of cracked-black-pepper-metal. Whatever. I guess any new DHG is good DHG, so I'm good.
Drune – "Hornn," from Hornn (Doom Metal – Independent). One of my favorite modern doom bands and good friends of the show Drune are back with a fantastic two-track EP filled with all the things that make them great. Wide expanses of gloomy atmosphere, great songs, and some of the best vocals you will ever hear on tape (an aspect of their music that I mentioned way back when I first wrote about them). Get their music, buy them beers. Support in the fullest. Alex, if you're reading this – you'll dig this.
SHORT FACTS ABOUT THINGS
Fact #1: One of the shining beacons of the Polish weirdo black metal scene, Biesy, announced a new album.
Fact #2: New Déhà project, and it already has two releases. The man is a joke.
Fact #3: Ripped to Shreds is going full Jason Becker and I fucking love it. This track rules.
Fact #4: It's 25 years to the release of Shape of Punk to Come and I guess they're going to have a mammoth tribute album as part of the new reissue, complete with this Cult of Luna version of Tannhäuser / Derive.
