Hello every one I’ve been quiet for awhile now, and actually haven’t put anything out in a little over a month. I apologize for being away for so long, and in order to make up for it, I’ll be doing mini-reviews for albums I have been digging lately!
- North- Light the way (Prosthetic Records): I first found out about North surprisingly from a totally different band called Languish which features members of Gatecreeper, Territory, and North. I had heard all of those bands except North. North are totally different than Gatecreeper and Territory, they are only similar in the fact that they are all from Arizona. One of the terms that is thrown around with North is “Post-metal” which tends to get a bad wrap for whatever reason. It really shouldn’t matter though because I would call North a great band that just put put a great album with Light the Way. It’s got plenty of characteristics of doom and sludge metal. Almost like a more mellow early Mastodon even. Light the Way has tons of atmosphere to it and has been played in my house many times since its release and will continue to be played for many more days to come. https://galacticdads.bandcamp.com/album/light-the-way
- Sewercide- Immortalized in Suffering (Unspeakable Axe Records): No surprise at all to see another UAR band on here. Sewercide have been getting talked about a lot lately and for good reason. This release is disgustingly good death metal straight outta Australia. Sewercide have gone from a more thrashier band to a straight forward balls to the wall death metal band with this one, and I for one love the transition. The vocals have been stepped up and sound amazing. The drums will put you through a table and the riffs will rip you to shreds. One cannot ask much more out of a debut full length! I also cannot wait to hear their split with the boys of Cemetery Filth. In the meantime listen to this album! https://unspeakableaxerecords.bandcamp.com/album/immortalized-in-suffering
- Haunter- Thrinodίa (Your label if you’re cool): I was aware of good basketball being played in San Antonio, Texas for a very long time, but I was not aware of this freaking fantastic black metal band until recently. I was lucky enough to come across these guys randomly on facebook and I’m oh so thankful that I did and that the album cover was just interesting enough for me to take the time to stop and give them a listen. Haunter are a very interesting band performing very good black metal that is very atmospheric and very raw. I haven’t had a black metal band blow me away like this upon first listen since the first time I heard Yellow Eyes. Now not to say that they are exactly like Yellow Eyes other than both playing black metal and both being excellent bands. Thrinodίa has all the tasty black metal riffs and screeching vocals also with a progressive flare added into the music. I can’t recommend this enough for fans of black metal. I think Haunter will rise in the ranks of U.S. Black metal, and rightfully so. Be sure Look for this on tape later in July on Red River Family Records. https://hauntertx.bandcamp.com/album/thrinod-a
- Uruk- Battle Hymns (Your label if you’re cool): After discovering Haunter, that led me to discover some more Texas black metal, this time from Austin, a band called Uruk. Uruk also have a tape available from Red River Family Records. Uruk are another fantastic black metal band. All I can really say about it is its raw and its brutal. If you were planning on reenacting scenes from The Evil Dead while living in a cabin in the woods, I personally recommend you bring Uruk Battle Hymns with you. https://uruk.bandcamp.com/album/battle-hymns
- Ustalost- The Spoor of Vipers (Sibir Records): Ustalost is a solo project for Will Skarstad of Yellow Eyes. Which means even more excellent black metal. Ustalost are about what you would expect out of solo project from Will of Yellow Eyes. It is filthy and disgusting progressive black metal. There are parts that resemble a cave man clubbing something to death as well as parts that are so aggressive that its also stunningly beautiful sounding to the ears. The songs are dynamic and deserve to stand up with the best of current U.S. Black metal in its own right. Be sure to pick up the tape from Sibir Records, or the vinyl from Gilead Media later this year. https://ustalost.bandcamp.com/album/the-spoor-of-vipers
- Plebeian Grandstand- False Highs, True Lows (Throatruiner Records): Plebian Grandstand are hard to pin down musically. They are kind of grind, kind of black metal, and kind of noise all rolled into one aural assault. This is music that provides incredible dissonance and I have been impressed with them thoroughly since seeing them live in 2014. I’ll admit I do not have a lot of knowledge about the metal scene in France but if it consists of a bunch of bands like Plebeian Grandstand I need to look into it more. Plebeian Grandstand’s last release was Lowgazers from 2014 which was an incredible album on its own but False Highs, True Lows tops it and I urge you to see for yourself. https://plebeiangrandstand.bandcamp.com/album/false-highs-true-lows
Well that’s just a little bit of what I have been listening to lately. We have some full reviews in store for the future as well as something extra special coming up, so stay tuned!
-REH
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