A FEW SONGS THAT BLOOMED INTO MY CONSCIOUSNESS LIKE A WEIRD FLOWER WEEK FEB 16 – FEB 22

Hi people. Lest I forget, I shared a beautiful new short interview with the beautiful new black metal project, The Blood Mountain Black Metal Choir. They released a pretty immaculate demo a few weeks ago, and I thought it best to perchance probe their minds regarding some of the music that inspires their art and the answers were as beautiful as the music. So, check it out. Other than that, about half-way day with a mammoth interview I did with a mammoth band a few months ago, so hope to get it out in the coming weeks. Patreon supporters have had access to the video of that Zoom of doom basically the day after the interview took place, as a small token for my endless appreciation of their support. Keep safe.

As always, if you're new to this metal blog of bones you can also check out the various interview projects I have going on as well as the weekly recommendation posts. And if you'd like to keep abreast of the latest, most pressing developments follow us wherever I may roam (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Bluesky, etc), and listen to my, I guess, active? (no) podcast (YouTube, Spotify, Apple), and to check out our amazing compilation albums. You could also possibly support my 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. It's probably a bad idea, but to each their own. On to the list.

Genevieve – "Fellowship of Unpopular Opinions" (Avant-Garde Death Metal – Independent). Not to disclose too much of the sausage making at this factory of mine, I collect songs throughout the week and then arrive at the hour of writing like a person rummaging through his bag desperately looking for a lighter he thought he saw there on Tuesday. Such is the chaotic nature of my life. That chaos is on plain view right here, given I only knew about this band – of which I did not know at all before, to my shame – let alone this track because Pyrrhon's Doug Moore posted it due to his guest vocals. This happened five minutes ago, and I already suspect this is my favorite track of the year so far. More than that, I have become convinced that the EP Genevieve released last month, of which, of course, I have heard one and a half minute ago, is just as good, if not better. This is the music that makes me feel right, that does that sacred work of not only being good (it's good) but reminding you of minds like yours existing. I feel that when I listen to Virus, I should say. I feel that now too.

Death Obvious  – "Total Heavenly Desolation," from Death Obvious (Avant-Garde Black/Death Metal – Independent). Speaking of insane music carried by favorable winds into my body-bag, Death Obvious were included in Ian Chainey's appointed-reading column, "Tracks of Note," a while back, maybe last week and it was love at first sight. I had already caught this when he released his list, but it was too late for last week's post and so here we are. If weirdo Polish black metal had passionate sex with Pyrrhon-like noise/death insanity it would probably sound something like this. Just absolutely wonderful, off-kilter, crazed music for your aching soul. 

Sarmat – "Upgrade," from Upgrade (Jazz/Avant-Garde Metal – I, Voidhanger Records). Staying on the path of music by the crazy, for the crazy, Sarmat are back to fuck shit up again. The American jazzy-metal project that includes some prominent hit makers (if by "hits" you mean very strange, challenging extreme music), is back with what to me is their best release yet. I liked their "demo" and mentioned it briefly here, kind of sort of liked their previous release, which also got the brief mention treatment here. But none of that completely clicked for me until this release. Eclectic, dynamic, weird, and yet a very strong sense of a creative center. Like knowing that the person punching your face with an array of sharp objects is in fact the same person. I guess that kind of thing matters for some people. It does for me.

Sancticide – "Ritualistic Homicides Deifying Death," From Ritualistic Homicides Deifying Death (Death Metal – Nighstrike Records). Alright, enough with all that thinking. Sancticide's debut EP was easily my favorite death metal to have trampled down my home this week. It has all the vibing cosmic horror of bands like Cabinet or Universally Estranged only coupled with what could only be described as Altars of Madness levels of riff ADHD. It's pummeling, it's way too much, and yet never feels excessive and always teems of musicality and care. A shit-ton of potential for a first release, for sure, too. Amazing shit.

Somber – "Blister," from Somber/Ennui (Screamo – Day Zero Collective). Went down a bit of a rabbit hole of Day Zero stuff (have never hear of them before), due to an intriguing and solid new hardcore album from one of their bands – GIAG – only to stumble into this shimmeringly beautiful split from last year. Both sides of the release are great, with the Ennui one being a great live recording. But this here just grabbed my heart by its melancholic, melodramatic heartstrings and killed me. This post was written by a pillar of salt. Haunting, emotive screamo/post-rock that feels like being alive and hurting which are one and the same thing, don't you know? 

Idle Heirs – "Rare Bird," from Life is Violence (Post Metal – Relapse Records). I may no longer be the post-metal aficionado my narcissism tells me I once was, but you send out a press release telling me there's a new project fronted by Sean Igram AKA one of the greatest throats ever AKA that dude from Coalesce (whom I had the honor of interviewing a while back), and I'm clicking. This here finds Mr. Ingram and John Barber both on a more mellow ground with some clean vocals and a 2000s post-metal feel, as feel as spewing all that venom in heavier parts. The overall result is very cool, dynamic track and album, and a VERY welcomed return to Sean screaming in my face.

Worm Circus – "The Only Place for Rituals," from Worm Circus (Hardcore/Post Hardcore – Independent). Another recommendation, this time from the always lovely Murray Bollinger who is always, well, lovely. He mentioned this wild debut from Potsdam's very own as a release he's been thumping, as the kinds probably don't say, a lot recently and I set out to check it out. Post-Hardcore or melodic hardcore, whatever floats your generic boat, that feels urgent and powerful and lively and awesome. 

Aglo – "Pummelled," from Fixate & Disgrace (Death Metal – Independent). I may look like a normal person, but I am in fact a day-one fan of the Australian cosmic death metal project Aglo, spearheaded by the multitalented Aaron Osborne. Now that you know everything about me there is to know, get excited by some new Aglo (does that rhyme? It might), which basically means you'll get riffs sufficient to get your face right out of your head. 

Low Before the Breeze – "Night Wept," from A Hole Beneath the Home We Shared (Screamo/Black Metal – Terminus Hate City). I mentioned the interview with The Blood Mountain Black Metal Choir above. Well, one happy outcome of that delectable verbal deluge was TBMBMC's recommendation of Low Before the Breeze. A fantastic blackened grindcore/screamo project from Atlanta, GA that sounds like the kind of nightmare you just love having. Potent, angry, and broken like a loved toy being hurled from the top of the stairs. Love it when I have a new band to dig into. Love it. This is from their debut fell-length coming out this May.

Reeking Aura – "Manure Like Magma," from Fires in Deep Frost (Death Metal – Independent). NY death metal royals Reeking Aura had a bit of a lineup shift in recent years, a fact that might cause some music writers to worry about how a new Reeking Aura might sound like. But a new EP, a very welcomed one, might I add, three years after their amazing Blood and Bonemeal [see Best of 2022 list] reassures any doubt. If anything, they sound revitalized, weirdly cosmic, and punchier. This final track is really something else, in an already amazing release. 

Spy – "On the Brink," from Seen Enough (Hardcore – Closed Casket Activities). Love Spy and have loved them dearly since their incredible Service Weapon. Which means I am one happy person to find out they just went ahead and released five new tracks that obliterate the soul and poison the soil. Vibrant hardcore that feels like the mosh pit you actually die in.

SHORT FACTS ABOUT THINGS

Fact #1:  If you, like me, cherish all thins Strapping Young Lad, then check out the  Live at the Commodore DVD that was recently uploaded to YouTube. Pretty sure this was already up, but the quality is great.

Fact #2: Friends of the show, the amazing avant-garde black metal project Sea Mosquito, have released some remastered older tracks along with a couple of new tracks. All in preparation for a new album later this year. Full and total support.

Fact #3: Sutkeh Hexen, who had already released a chilling new album this year, put out a compilation of demos that sounds like black winter.

Fact #4: More friends of the show time, this time with constant shapeshifters Myrdød, who released a new death metal/doom/all-out mayhem EP.

OH OH ALMOST FORGOT: I swore I would include it this week, might do it next one, but still: The new Black Narcissus might be my favorite post-rock album in a while.