Songs the Descriptions of Which Were Written En Route to the Bay Area Nov 9 – 15
This is probably going to be a short one because layovers are a bitch. Keep safe.
Check out MILIM KASHOT VOL. 6, our latest in the MILIM KASHOT compilation series. All the money goes to World Central Kitchen.
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.
Drowned in SIlver – "The Living Gardens," from Mothers (Avant-Garde Metal – Pagan Records). Let's start hyperbolic this week, shall we? It says in the mysterious liner notes that this is a new project by veterans of the Polish scene, without really going into any kind of detail. I don't know who these fine folk are, but I would place my money on the Gruzja/Odraza/Furia brand of Polish wackiness. Out of fucking left field, a dark horse emerges. An absolutely stunning record, filled with soul and meaning. What more can one ask for?
Ch'ahom – "Raid of the Tzizimime," from Covered in the Priests Black Shit (War Metal – Independent). A few things to unpack here. First things first: Ch'ahom, for the uninitiated, is nothing less than one of the great metal projects of our time, with a masterpiece of a full length that landed HIGH on my weirdo decade-thus-far list. The second thing is that this demo is, as the notes indicate, a harbinger for another full release to come, which is amazing news. The last thing is that, while pure chaos was indeed one major element of that wonderful album, it was beautifully balanced out by atmosphere and melody. This demo isn't about that. It isn't about balance. It's about **checks notes** being covered in the priests black shit.
State Faults – "No Gospel," from Children of the Moon (Screamo – Deathwish Inc.). A thing I do, as I imagine others do as well, is to kind of vaguely remember an album I liked and ask myself "Well, what the hell is up with that band?" The band in question was State Faults, and the album in question was the beautiful Clairvoyant. So, I went back, and lo and behold what was just sitting there like a ripe overly emotional fruit but a whole album I wasn't aware of that came out last year. And it's fantastic. Which is why I'm writing this, obviously. It's fantastic.
Myrdød – "Fragments of Time: The Chrome Passage," from Coding Taste for a Key Swallowed (Avant-Garde Death Metal – Independent). Happy to say I've followed Myrdød's right from their first release, and have tried, not always successfully, to follow their weirdo twists and turns throughout the years. Well, it seems, sadly, that the American project's time on earth has come to and end, which is a shame but maybe also a portal into things to come. Meanwhile, I would warmly suggest to check out everything they've ever done, including this latest/last release that feels like a very appropriate farewell for such a creative, eclectic band.
Faith Coloccia + Daniel Menche – "Winter Enclosure," from Smelter (Experimental/Drone – Room40). It might sound weird, especially since I haven't really covered anything by Faith Coloccia recently, but her music and her many collaborations was a significant part of this blog's life, and a huge part of my own shift into the weirded side of things. Whether through the impeccable Mamiffer or the many other forms her art has taken – including collaborations with the above-mentioned Daniel Menche – she has the unreal knack of creating almost completely abstract art that still feels like it's hers. Unreal. I may have failed to follow up on everything she's done since the heyday of Mamiffer, but this is such a wonderful return for me. Like a very dark, warm hug.
Dead and Dripping – "Seeping through Ancient Transdimensional Corridors," from Nefarious Scintillations (Death Metal – Transcending Obscurity Records). Despite having what feels like the most textbook death metal name, Dead and Dripping have consistently proven to be one of the most creative, weird, and absolutely brutal modern death metal bands on earth. Should I call them underrated? Maybe I should. Not because people don't appreciate them, but because they aren't mentioned with the top top, great-level death metal bands and I think it's high time they should. So weird, so gross, so brilliant.
FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
ONE: New compilation of older Devoid of Thought stuff ahead of a new (!) album.
TWO: New Warning album almost done (!)
THREE: The fact I have yet to go to Roadburn is becoming a source of actual pain, annual pain. And yet next year's lineup is really digging into my bowels. Something might have to be done.
FOUR: Every child I have is going through some existential crisis and I wonder if the common denominator is that I suck at parenting.
FIVE: Check out the Veilburner album. Please.
ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: Good prog DM from Heruvim. I might have already mentioned this. I don't know.
