My Kids Are Screaming at Each Other as I Wax Poetically about Perverse Extreme Metal June 21-27

Who the hell knows? All I see in my mind, everywhere I go, is dead children. What a time to be alive. A bad one. 

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.

Blarf – "Stars Without Light," from Film Scores for Films That Don’t Exist (Experimental –  Stones Throw). I may be wise beyond my years (while also being dumb beyond my years), but I had no clue that Eric André, yes, that Eric André was a brilliant musician. Nor did I know that he makes music that feels like Ligeti composing for an Arnold Schwarzenegger fight scene (see "Run for Your Dead" on this same release). I am now older and wiser/dumber, I suggest you do the same.

The Blind Philosopher – "Downpour," from Innergazer (Industrial Black/Death Metal – Independent). I would think someone out there reading these lines is a someone who would like to be sucked by (wait for it) a black hole (you're welcome). If you are such person, glee and joy abound in that you can listen to this album until that fatefull moment comes. Part Cult of Luna-worship, part being-sucked-by-a-black-hole-maybe-in-a-sexual-way-am-i-a-child thing. Cool shit.

Fires in the Distance – "To You, Author of My Fade," from Circadian Promise (Melodic Death Doom Metal – Prosthetic Records). You probably know the actor-interview cliche, according to which comedy is harder to act than tragedy. I think that might be similar, yet dissimilar, to the difference between the successful implementation of, say, melody and dissonance. Dissonance, as, I guess, a mode of "darkness" is the tragedy here – bleak humans doing bleak shit. I love it, don't get me wrong, and melody-centric music, for the most part, gives me the creeps. But when someone does it right, man. Like kissing the face of God (especially after being sucked by a black hole, I apologize). What the hell was that? Anyhow. Fires in the Distance are back and, surprise?, are still fucking incredible. 

Russian Circles – "Empath," from Nine (Post-Metal – Sargent House). Russian Circles, in my book of life, mended some pretty fucked up fences with Gnosis. It was easily one of their finest recent records and probably one of their best overall. So, the stakes are high (really, Ron? High? How high are them? Don't be a buffoon) with this newly announced album, and the first track sounds fucking great. Too short, could have used more, but that's a good problem to have.

Alkuharmonian Kantaja – "Revelations (Gone in Remembrance)," from Melas Khole (Avant-Garde Black Metal – I, Voidhanger Records). Straight-out-of-left-field weirdo, artsy black metal in the vein of anything Vicotnik-related and kinda sorta in the (modern) Trelldom wheelhouse. A shockingly good, creative, moving, human, and, as always, cold-blooded black metal release, and probably one of the best of that general vibe this year. If it wasn't for Junon dropping a whole masterpiece I would have given it the "best black metal by I, Voidhanger this year" award, but, for now, no cigar. Stunning nontheless.

Hanging Garden – "Dreamwoven," from Dream Death (Brutal/Prog Death Metal – Transcending Obscurity Records).  I apparently missed the debut from this disturbingly good one-person project back in 2024, and for that I apologize. I cherish my "death metal seemingly shot down from an alien planet" as much as the next weirdo, perhaps more, but I definitely slept on this one. Thank God for Transcending Obscurity for tirelessly searching for the thinking man's brutal music. Ruthless and melodic, unstoppable and sporadic, wonderful leads (very Phil Tougas-y), amazing riffs but, more importantly, amazing songs. Amazing.

Vafurlogi – "Af heilagri heift," from Gneisti af eldi Guðs (Dissonant Black Metal – NoEvDia). Icelandic forces of productive evil are back with the best a boy can get now that there's now Svartidaudi. I'm kidding, but only half kidding. But, ladies and gentlepacks, we take what we can get, at least until a new Hrae album seemingly in the works. No great inventions here, I think, but some very good black metal for the chronically melancholic. 

Loneshore – "Parhelion," from Nothing Left to Deconstruct (Post-Metal/Prog – Willowtip Records). This blog (ha!) got started, basically, covering a shit-ton of post-metal, mostly because that was my gateway drug to getting back into heavy music. I dropped it for a while since I felt like moving on and because a lot of it sucked. But it's been making a comeback, that good-good Pelican/Toundra-vibe melodic post metal, and I'm pretty fucking stoked about it since I'm, you know, sad. This and the new Oh Hiroshima are pretty fire.

Dark Citadel – "Until the Fire," from The End of the Ward (Weird-Ass Metal – Independent) . I Do I know what the fuck Dark Citadel are on? No. Do I understand how they even thing? No. Do I love most everything they do? I sure do. More creative, human-lost-in-the-maze metal from these Peoria giants of making zero sense and crushing it. 

FIVE MORE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

ONE: If you have failed to keep abreast of the new Emptiness singles ahead of the new Emptiness album, you're being dumb.

TWO: New Fluisteraars album coming, apparently the first recorded as a band. Makes you think.

THREE: Zao have released a new EP of covers of some bands they like or something. It's cool.

FOUR: Bought a ticket to the Panopticon/Catharsis show in Baltimore this October. Will I MAKE IT?!

FIVE: NEW TRIAGE!!!! 

ONE LAST THING, PROMISE: Went ahead and listened to State of the World Address today and noticed, for the innumerable time, the incredible potency and versatility of the drumming from the moment the drums creep in at 0:15 and all the way to the full-on hardcore attack. Numerous moods, a series of subtle shifts and changes, leading to an almost imperceptible-yet-potent transformation of the song from tenderness to fucking rage. Incredible performance by Danny Schuler. Amazing.