VARIOUS SONGS THAT FAILED IN FIXING MY LIFE MAR 30 – APR 5 

Not that I expect art to fix my life, but I expect art to fix my life. Check out the premiere I did earlier this week for the wonderful new Harae single, and make sure to keep safe.

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.

Pillars Of Cacophony – Mitosis from Paralipomena (Avant-Garde Black/Death Metal – Teratogen). Many streams that converge into one awesome one. Dissonant death metal, melodic black metal, easy-listening jazz (yup, I said it), and the spirit of adventure and absolute cruelty. The entire album is a standout, but this track just (as the annoying kids say) sends me. Ataraxy and Convulsing having a magical Austrian baby.

Dungeon Keeper – "Finsternis Grausamster Zauber," from Chaos Sorcery Strike at Midnight (Black Metal – Lower Class Kids Records). I was due for a routine checkup over at LCKR and the last thing I expected to find amid the forest of hardcore/grindcore was awesome black metal. But that was, alas, what I had found. This, their full-length debut, apparently came out last year but is now receiving he hallowed LCKR tape treatment. Direct, mid-tempo black metal that feels basic/traditional but also very well done and super catchy. Cool.

Fluisteraars – "Sediment der Impressies," from Kronieken Van Het Verdwenen Kasteel – III – Grunsfoort (Atmospheric Black Metal – Eisenwald). It's late in the day, I'm surrounded by anxiety, fear, and horror, but my mind, admittedly in this imperfect state, goes to Deafheaven. Fluisteraars were due for a black metal masterpiece. Not because they didn't give us one, but because they did. Instead the Dutch bunch decided to go on a journey of artistic self discovery. I didn't love everything they did in this EP series, nor was I a fan of everything since the immaculate Bloem, but I respected the desire to please themselves. And so why then do I bring up a band seemingly irrelevant to these proceedings? Because what Fluisteraars demonstrated within seconds of their new release is what we kind of knew all along – they never lost the touch, they were just bored with it. And when prompted to provide what one of the best atmospheric black metal bands of all time could provide, they punched that shit in like nothing. The emotion, the performances, all there. You can't fake it if it's real, my friends. Easily one of the best black metal tracks of the year, and easily my favorite by them since 2020.

Leegte – "II," from Finis (Atmospheric Black Metal – Distant Voices). I guess this is shaping up to be one of the them "black metal posts." So be it. We live in a black metal time, so only appropriate. And keeping the level as high as I can, this release from Belgian black metal project is basically pitch perfect for gazing angrily-and-sadly at the world as it rains dust of your face (some real Passover whether down here in the pits of hell, which means dust and some rain). Beautiful stuff.

Abhasa – "१५," from ३ (Ambient/Black Metal – Independent). I've been following Abhasa for quite some time now, writing about them for the first time way back in the dawn of the new decade. There's no one quite like them, with their sprawling post-rock/ambient atmospheres and beautifully written pieces. Just a whole other, as the kids would say, "vibe." Also worth mentioning that they are also the cousins of another fantastic project, Forlorn Aspect (among others). Come for the atmosphere, stay for the undercurrent of dread.

Tentacult – "Geometry of Shadows," from Untamed Revulsion (Weirdo Death Metal – Transylvanian Recordings). I wrote about Tentacult's fantastic debut when it came out a couple of years ago, and was pretty happy to see a new record come out. I was right to be happy. I realize I'm breaking the black metal streak here, but this is one of the most creative, joyous, invigorating death metal albums I've heard in a while, especially for those with a doomy (and at times stoner-y) character. Weird, unexpected, and beautifully done.

Lucerne Hammer – "Bloodsong," from Demo (Black Metal – Independent). Easily the best demo i've heard in some time, and the kind of black metal demo you blast out of your car stereo because you hate where you live. On the one hand, this just feels like lo-fi black metal, the kind that hides its flaws under a cloud of fuzz, to varying degrees of success. However, it isn't that. Because if, as advised, you blast this wonderful release on your aforementioned stereo and/or earphones you will discover a beautiful, intricate web of production and instrumentation of the highest order. Oh, and it's pissed. Beautiful.

Windchimes – "Religious Zealot," from Enveloping Retribution (Grinding Death Metal / Grindcore – Independent). Let me just say that calling your band "windchimes" and putting human bodies being strung from a tree on your album cover is both a bold move and one unexpected crossover between grinding death metal and crystal-selling hippies. Secondly, as many of you might already know, I may be a man of letters but if you give me grinding death that sounds like a terminal illness then hearts will appear instead of my pupils and I will swoon. So, swooned.

Ligament – "Feast for the Legions," from Demo MMXXIV (Grinding Death Metal – Headsplit Records). Another absolutely amazing demo, this time a Cleveland band that is supposedly composed of humans but more likely by riff-and-blast monsters. Composed of the members of several Cleveland-based human bands, Ligament sounds like a dream come true if your dream is basically the perfect gross mix of mayhem and nastiness. Perfection.

FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

ONE: There's a great new Clactonian demo, for all ye war metal folk.

TWO: New Ossuary single sounds fantastic.

THREE: Are you doing OK? Hope your are.

FOUR: Too much music is coming out, someone needs to stop. Just kidding. Don't stop. Or do.

FIVE: I don't have anything to say here.

ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: Clan Dos Mortos Cicatriz released a masterful album last month. Maybe more on that next week.