Feeling OK about Life Today While Being Decimated by Noise Black Metal – March 8 – 14

No existentialist opening this time, don't worry. No longer "away" from the more air-raid prone zone because, well, you've got to go back at some point, so that was unsettling for a while. But the kids have friends, I have my office, we have our home, and I made date cookies. So, not all bad (except for the nightmare reality, naturally). Keep safe.

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, TIKTOK 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.

Yhtill – "How Many Times Our Walls Have Breathed," from Ol Sonf Vorsg Goho Lad Balt Lonsh Calz Vonpho (Lo-Fi Black Metal – Independent). For most people, some would say "sane" people, to say this album here is one of the most focused and, at the same time, relaxing listens I've had all year would not make a lot of sense. Mainly because this is a wall of indecipherable noise that vaguely also sound like black metal. But if you, like me, enjoy similar walls of said noise from bands like Mahr or Hwwauoch then you know exactly what I'm talking about and in fact you have stopped reading so you can listen to this beautiful, wild shit. Bliss. 

Devoid of Thought – "Chronos," from Devoid Of Thought (Death Metal – Avantgarde Music). I'm a simple person and I say simple things. Devoid of Thought is one of the best contemporary death metal bands on earth – and on Mars – and have the uncanny ability to create death metal that sounds like "death metal" but also sounds like "mad scientist having a breakdown." That's a real feat, to me, to maintain the framework of something while fucking that framework in [enter orifice of choice here]. As brutal as it is gentle, as mindless as it is mindful. Masterful, and shoe-in for the death metal AOTY shortlist. 

Slavehouse – "Blood on Cold Steel," from Chained to the Abyss (Punk/Grindcore – Knife Vision). This has nothing to do with this excellent Slavehouse release, or does it, but I was just reminded of Skeleton this week. Remember Skeleton? Man, they were so good, so effortlessly both punk and black metal without really giving up on either pole. Oh, so I guess it is related. Excellent blackened punk with grinding flashes that feels like being kicked in the nuts by a studded leather boot. [Update: Just checked up on what Skeleton is up to, and BOY does it seem something took a bit of a sketchy turn there. Yikes.]

Kraath – "Abscence," from Kraath (Atmospheric Black Metal – Vendetta Records). Atmospheric black metal album of the week safely goes to this striking debut from German project Kraath. Wowza. Everything, the melody, the atmosphere, the mixing, the songwriting, it all clicks so well together. Easily one of the best atmospheric releases so far this year, especially if you're forgiving of post-rock/metal indulgences here and there. Which I am (if they're done right, of course).

Eternal Champion – "Friend of War," from Friend of War (Trad Metal/Ambient – Independent). I have been obsessing over this long EP/short LP from trad metal kings, Eternal Champion. It's been hit and miss with me with these dudes. I realize everyone was loving Ravening Iron, I didn't. There seemed to me to be just this huge chasm between how catchy and cool The Armor of Ire was whatever Ravening was, but, then again, I might be wrong and need to revisit etc etc. Anyhow, this, however, immediately rules. The "trad" track is amazing, if somewhat longish, and the ambient track is great too. Dynamic, interesting, exciting metal. Very happy with this.

Temple Of Void – "Thy Mountain Eternal, "from The Crawl (Death Doom – Relapse Records). Me and the Temple of Void boiz were love at first sight, as far back as Lords of Death. And then it got a bit hit-or-missy. I liked some of their release, and didn't love others. This one, it's safe to say, I like a lot. This track especially, since it seemed to get out of the death metal/death doom mold into a more melodic, dynamic direction, which I appreciate a lot. One of the things that can happen to bands when they achieve success (i.e. being signed to Relapse) is the urge to not tinker. Never do that. Tinker.

Blasart – "Supplicia Absolutum Numinis Iram," from Depravatus Christianis Sacris (Death Metal – Lavadome Productions). I figured it's been a whole while since I've covered any Lavadome stuff, and having this Chilean megawatt-spewing album seemed like a good time to check in on the ole riff factory. First off, it should be said, another brilliant Luciana Nedelea artwork. Jesus christ superstar, the detail alone. Insane. But the riffs, the feel, are as good as that stunning piece – intricate at times, full-speed driving at others (well, most) and just another cool, urgent and killer proof that Chileans are a supreme metal race of humans.

Trespasser – "To the Congregations," from יְהִי אוֹר (Black Metal – Fucking Kill Records / Pest Productions). Yes, it's that time of week(s) where I actually recommend a black metal album recognizable as a black metal album. Mostly because, much like the Chileans, the Swedes have this thing where they can go in a straight line like the rest of us, but their version of a straight line is just so much more alive than most. This is black metal that is alive, always shifting, always charging like maniacs, always precise and always messy. I wish I was Swedish. I think life in general might have been better. Except for the snow. I hate the cold.

Warped Savior – "물망초," from 눈물 흘리는 꽃봉오리에 (Atmospheric Black Metal – Independent). It's the second time in three weeks I have featured a South Korean band, so either these are all the same person and there's something present in the water system that has spilled over Korean metal over to my river. Atmospheric, on the border of depressive black metal in what seems like demo form but might be for some their preferred mode of receiving this melodic, melancholy sub genre. I just think it sounds pretty.

BONUS: Conifère – "Faits d'Armes en Chants," from À Double Tranchant (Black Metal – Independent). A wonderful new split of two sister projects Conifère and Vespéral, both of whom were written up in this meagre blog in the last couple of years, and both of which rule. Very cool melodic black metal that sounds like could be blasted from castle walls, but not in an overly on-the-nose-way. Extremely musical, beautiful, and great.

FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

ONE: Actually thought I might be able to get to Roadburn for the first time this year. Guess what? A war. Probably not. Perhaps I'll attend when the festival is long gone, only ashes remain, and I'll sit with a bag of chips or fries and pretend some tall Dutch person is blocking my view of Yellow Eyes. 

TWO: I have a book coming out soon. So that's exciting. It's called Avak ("Dust").

THREE: Nothing I can think of

FOUR: I love my kids dearly. War means spending much more time with them, and as much as that's also hard, I love being with them. So bright, so loving. I also periodically imagine them dead, as dead as the thousands of children killed in the past few years alone. At which point I kiss them and try to block that out.

FIVE: Nope.

ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: Keep safe.