SOME SONGS THAT ARE THE FEELING THAT ONE IS AT ONE'S MOST HUMAN WHEN ONE IS NEAR A TREE MAY 18 – MAY 24 

Hope you're doing fine.

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Psudoku – "cArEFul-obSeRvATioN-of-MiNiAtuRe-bLaCK-holeS," from Psudoktrination (Grindcore/Experimental – Nerve Altar). The return of the Norwegian kings of music that really shouldn't make sense but somehow does. Grindcore, prog, experimental music, cyber-whatever, space-forsureness, or the manic exploration of black holes if black holes were 3d pictures that never turn into an actual image. Not many are talented enough and frankly smart enough to realize how important and profound fast music is. Psudoku get it, and perfect it.

Mares of Thrace – "The First Stage: Shock," from The Loss (Sludge Metal – Artoffact Records). There was a short yet significant moment this week where I really couldn't handle it any more. That's of course a lie, there were many moments like that. I feel that most of the time. But the short moment in question was another one of those, and in which Mares of Thrace felt like the most logical, straight thing in my world. Which is to say their brand of raging melancholy, or of melancholic violence fit me so well that I felt normal. Which is to say there was a moment this week in which Mares of Thrace saved my life.

Ara – "Tief und Laut," from Mutterseelenallein und aus eigener Kraft (Black Metal – Into Endless Chaos Records). Ara were one of the best, most refreshing finds of my 2024. They felt urgent, raw, and more generally like the kind of music that emits itself authentically from a feeling, moving, human breast. So a new album coming as soon as this, and one that sounds, at least here, as building and expanding in beautifully subtle ways on their already pretty perfect sound is good news and something to look forward to. Don't sleep. 

Vile Haint – "The Hills Been Set Ablaze," from Abound with Malice (Black Metal – Moonlight Cypress Archetypes). If Primeval Well is the Americana wing of MCA's shimmering catalog, and Skythala is their neo-classical weirdo wing, then Vile Haint is MCA at their most evil and menacing. Every Vile Haint release has been great, finding an effective middle ground between straight-forward black metal and dissonant, discordant overtones. But this first single from their upcoming full length finds them at their most focused and most evil sounding. Which is saying a lot, and also saying you either listen to this or your stupid.

Haggus – "Do You Love Mincecore?" from Destination Extinction (Mincecore[?] – Tankcrimes). I am not "mincecore" connoisseur, mostly because I don't know what it means, but from what I'm guessing it's "let's imagine Caracss as a hardcore band." Whether or not that's the case, this album is one of the most refreshing metal albums of the year. It requires zero brain cells in the smartest way possible, and it causes one to punch one's own face. If you're looking for that, find it here. 

Vespéral – "III – Nos Délires d'Autrefois," from La Mort de l'Âme (Atmospheric Black Metal – Independent). Ethereal black metal, the kind that feels like it was spilled down from a distant star, that manages to sound like a band playing in a punk-band concrete basement is one of those rare kinds of perfect music. To capture the abstract while grounded in the indexical flesh of the thing is that rare thing we all seek. This album from Vespéral, a project linked to yet another Canadian beauty of black metal, Conifère, has that magic in spades, making one feel as if one is transported through space while also somehow stuck in tour bus stinking of leather and body odor.

Phantom Fire – "Eternal Void," from Phantom Fire (Thrash/Black Metal – Edged Circle Productions). A fact of life is that Eminente Lucifer Libertad is one of the most underrated thrashy black metal albums of this decade, a fact supported by placing it in my 2023 AOTY list. Speaking as someone for whom thrash was the door through which I had walked into metal, thrash has fast become a fast way to repel me from a band's music. Which means that if you go that route and actually pull it off then you've turned water into blood. And while the first single sounds kinda basic, it still has loads of what makes Phantom Fire a very special band.

Oldest – "Starvation Army," from Oldest/Bastard Noise Split (Noise/Exprimental/Hardcore – Sleeping Giant Glossolalia). The return of Mick Barr's foray into """"relatively""" straightforward music AKA his toxic collaboration with Brooks Headley (Born Against). Not only with, but served as part of a split with the equally legendary Bastard Noise. You would be wrong to expect a hardcore version of Krallice riffs, that would be a bit simplistic, but what you get in fact is a hardcore version of Krallice riffs. Not really, but kinda. And if that spells magic to you, which it should, then get at it.

Hexerei – "The Sabbath Red," from Realms….. (Black Metal – Sentient Ruin Laboratories). The most black metal thing I've heard all year, and at the same time one of the best black metal things I've heard all year. God knows I can't deal with a straight-forward riff, or can for a very limited amount of time, so it takes a special thing to get me engaged for a whole album of basically evil shit followed by evil shit, but this is that special case. Music with which to banish the light.

FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

ONE: Gabriele Gramaglia (AKA all the best bands) has a new project by the name of Lugburious Garment. Music, hopefully, soon.

TWO: Dark Descent is reissuing the Thantifaxath debut.

THREE: The wonderful Zeresh announced their next full length gem (I previewed a track off of it here).

FOUR: Lehavoth, whose upcoming release was already mentioned here, have a new track/video out in case you wanted to have nightmares. 

FIVE: Thanks to the attention by a good Blusky friend (THRaKaTTaKeR) I went ahead and checked out the upcoming release by Hexrot, and it basically rules (weirdo black/death).

ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: The new Lust Hag fucking rules.