Ancst have evolved, seemingly effortlessly, certainly gracefully, and sound more like themselves than ever - whatever inner telos they have been moving towards has been realized in this beautiful album
“Ghosts of the Timeless Void” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1). Dying Embers 2). Shackles of Decency 3). Concrete Veins 4). Revelation of Deformity 5). Unmasking the Imposters 6). Of Gallows and Pyres 7). Quicksand 8). Republic of Hatred 9). Dysthymia 10). Sanctity 11). Self-Portrait
The Review:
Lex transitum per ignem, in honorem Molechi prohibens
Pure Fucking Hate. As album opening phrases go, this quote from 2017's “Life”is poignant, jarring, and certainly germane to the themes raised throughout Ancst'ssecond full-length album, “Ghosts of the Timeless Void”. Where the film discusses the return of life-form responsible for an extinction avalanche on Martian soil, one cannot help but think that Ancst's object of antipathy may be more earthbound. And while we may speak of dying embers and pyres here, the fires of injustice-fueled rage are an abiding conflagration across the album - there are no coals cooling in the furnace of Ancst's anger, and the insatiable Moloch of capitalism continues to consume endless sacrifices.
The sound that this side of Ancst has been evolving towards, to my mind, first manifested on track two of the 2013 EP, “The Humane Condition”, which was partnered by the first release of their first ambient/drone work, “Lamenting a Dying World”. That track, “Entropie”, captures a sound that eloquently defines Ancst: polished but savage, graceful, commit and unrelenting. And they have been prolific: despite this being only their second full-length, 2017 saw the release of the superb “Furnace” EP as well as two top-notch splits, one with King Apathy, one with Depravation. This is not to ignore 2016's brilliant “Stormcaster”, the most fulsome interlocution of the soundscapes first explored in “Lamenting…”. Across the course of these releases, Ancst have entered the elite pantheon of 'do no wrong' bands for me: I always eagerly anticipate new music from them, no matter what the sonic angle. “Ghosts of the Timeless Void” is no exception.
It's interesting to compare LP openers here: “Moloch”is one of the most explosive album introits that I have ever heard - instantaneous teeth-kicking power unleashed from go. “Dying Embers” starts off considerably more restrained by comparison, even slow by Ancst's punishing pace-standards - until about the 1:00 mark - when everything explodes in dynamic fury. It almost feels like an inversion of the earlier structure in certain ways. This more thoughtful approach allows Ancstto marry the melodic, riff-dense elements of their approach to some mindful sophistication in terms of metrical and rhythmical variety. But it is never heavy-handed, never overly obvious, and at no point loses the plot of what makes Ancst a standout band that places them high in the melodic crust mythos. Poignant exemplars of this maturation are found throughout the album: in the opening riffs of “Quicksand”, in the death-inflected “Unmasking the Imposters”, in the epic “Republic of Hatred”, in the classic blackened tremolo work of “Sanctity”. “Dysthymia”, is the closest I have heard Ancstto creating what almost sounds like post-black/blackgaze ballad. Meaningless subgenre references aside, what I am trying to emphasize is that Ancsthave evolved, seemingly effortlessly, certainly gracefully, and sound more like themselves than ever - whatever inner telos they have been moving towards has been realized in this beautiful album. Listen to it from start to finish and love it. I know I did.
“The entire EP is unrelenting and relentlessly riff-dense, at once brutal, joyous and, dare I say it, punishingly fun. Highly-caffeinated and intelligent death-encrusted black metal; recommended wholeheartedly. I can only hope that there is a full-length in Mendacium's future!”
“Decimating Titans” CS//DD track listing:
1. Decimating Titans 2. An Invocation for Bloodshed 3. Eviscerate 4. Make No Grave in My Name
The Review:
Daniel Jackson is a man of prodigious talent, possessed of an expansive and deep musical vocabulary. His project Void Ritual presents a melodic and grandly atmospheric approach to black metal; there are bold and sweeping passages of sorrow and mourning, of victory and triumph throughout the battlefields and icy wastes conjured in the skald-worthy sagas of “Holodomor” and “Heretical Wisdom”. This is not to suggest that Void Ritual is in any way lacking in savagery; it is rather a filtered savagery that uses war as one of many compositional features along its complex musical topography.
This dilution of violence in Void Ritual is inverted into pure warlike alchemical distillation in the new EP by Daniel's other musical project Mendacium, aptly entitled “Decimating Titans”. For me, the double entendre of decimation wrought by the Titans as well as that wrought upon them by the revolt of their offspring are both gratifyingly scored by this short and devastating 4-track album. Blistering must be one of the most overused words in metal reviews, but damn it, I am not sure there is a better way to describe the opening and unrelenting full-clip salvo of the opening (and title) track here. Almost instantly bursting into onslaught, this song feels like the autobiographical account of endless slaughter, each verse punctuated by a chorus that can only be likened to the gloating over the corpses of enemies.
“Invocation to Bloodshed”bears a deeply magickal resonance in its structure, evoking whorls of high theurgic energies, complete with preparatory chants and refrains, line by line moving the spell towards its final, devastating release at 3:11. The next track, “Eviscerate”, may, in fact, be an account of the bloodletting unleashed by the ritual of the second track: it cuts a bloody swathe through its 4 minute path, an unforgiving barrier of spinning blades that leaves no living being alive in its wake. “Make No Grave in My Name” functions as an excellent tombstone to this blood-soaked metal mausoleum and reminds me, for obvious reasons, of Robert E. Howard's short story “Dig Me No Grave”: "Then, even as we cried out in horror, it was gone and our dazed gaze met only the shuddering walls and blazing roof which crumpled into the flames with an earth-shaking roar."
The entire EP is unrelenting and relentlessly riff-dense, at once brutal, joyous and, dare I say it, punishingly fun. Highly-caffeinated and intelligent death-encrusted black metal; recommended wholeheartedly. I can only hope that there is a full-length in Mendacium'sfuture!
Slaves BC has announced the release of their sophomore full length "Lo, and I Am Burning". The new full length shows a strong evolution from their previous material, and Slaves BC have delved further into their black and death metal influences to reach new depths of horror. Lyrically, this is the most personal Slaves BChas ever been with songs dealing with depression, suicide, loss, crisis of faith, and the current political turmoil in America.
The new LP will be available on limited 180 gram vinyl from The Fear and the Void Recordings. The vinyl pre-order will be available hereand will go live March 2nd, 2018. The album will be released via bandcamp digitally and vinyl pre-orders will begin shipping on March 16th, 2018. Today is gives us great pleasure to debut the track “Lo”. Which you can check out below.
“Not Everyone Deserves a Happy Ending” is full of riffs; riffs that pummel, slow-to-a-crawl, and riffs that grind everything to dust. Occvlt Hand have really created an exercise in the variety of heavy riffs one can employ on a record without ever repeating themselves, or creating a similar experience.
“Not Everyone Deserves A Happy Ending” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1). Intro
2). Smash My Bones, Inhale The Dust
3). Michael
4). Total fucking Absence of Light
5). He Who Walks Behind The Rows
6). Interlude
7). Long Live The New Flesh
8). Not Everyone Deserves A Happy Ending
The Review:
Occvlt Handhave unleashed their slab of Crowbar/Entombedworship sludge metal. This album has one goal, to be a crushingly heavy experience for the listener. Although it is the bands first full length record, the pacing and sonic flow of the album is spot on. This is not merely a collection of heavy tracks, but a logical flow of ideas. Playing this record in a different order would almost cheapen the experience. Very few young bands appreciate the experience of an album, so it is impressive the way Occvlt Handis able to write with this in mind.
“Not Everyone Deserves a Happy Ending” is full of riffs; riffs that pummel, slow-to-a-crawl, and riffs that grind everything to dust. Occvlt Handhave really created an exercise in the variety of heavy riffs one can employ on a record without ever repeating themselves, or creating a similar experience. What is perhaps the most exciting thing about the record is to see where Occvlt Handgoes from here. It seems that the possibilities for this band going forward are endless.
“Not Everyone Deserves A Happy Ending” is available here
Once again, as they have over the vast majority of their discography, Belphegor has produced an excellent album of the best blackened death metal. This is every bit as good as anything else the band has put out from one of the best extreme bands in the world, no question.
“Totenritual” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Baphomet (4:47)
2. The Devil's Son (4:20)
3. Swinefever - Regent Of Pigs (4:50)
4. Apophis - Black Dragon (6:12)
5. Totenkult - Exegesis Of Deterioration (5:43)
6. Totenbeschwörer (2:15)
7. Spell Of Reflection (5:21)
8. Embracing A Star (5:34)
9. Totenritual (2:46)
The Review:
Austria's finest exponents of blackened death metal return with another feral storm of blast beats, vicious riffing and blasphemous atmospherics. Belphegorget everything right here- if 2014's “Conjuring The Dead” was a little mechanical in production for some tastes (not mine, I loved it!) then this is a slightly more organic proposition. From the get-go of “Baphomet” the band are firing on all cylinders, with blackened smoke belching from the exhaust.
The sound of “Totenritual” is the sound of a band invigorated. Belphegor have been around for two decades plus now- hard to believe, but there it is. Helmuth and Serpenth are joined by Bloodhammerthis time around- not a session drummer, but a full time member. The band feels complete and it is my hope that Bloodhammeris in this for the long haul- his playing is fantastic; technical enough, very quick and with a nice feel to it. Helmuthand Serpenth are as on point as usual and the mix is a little more forgiving this time around- the drums are not as overpowering/high up in the speakers.
As the album progresses, there is a nice uniformity to the tracks- “The Devil's Son” really ignited the stereo- a classic Belphegor track- while “Swinefever” is just as effective, albeit at a different pace. The black metal has perhaps been amplified a little- particularly on tracks like “Apophis- Black Dragon”, which utilises atmospheric riffing along with blast sections, but the material never gets overly melodic. “Totenkult – Exegesis of Deterioration” is another epic with plenty of changes and memorable riffs- something which elevates Belphegorabove most other bands in their sphere.
There is also an instrumental on this nine track album; “Totenbeschworer”. The track has some some very doom like atmospherics which sets up the rampaging “Spell of Reflection” and the more restrained “Embracing A Star” (acoustic intro included!). The coup de grace comes with “Totenritual” which is a blasting beast of furious sounds until the final minute when the album plays out to the sounds of acoustic guitar, sound effects and a pervading vibe of darkness.
Once again, as they have over the vast majority of their discography, Belphegor has produced an excellent album of the best blackened death metal. This is every bit as good as anything else the band has put out. Whether you favour the earlier menace of “The Last Supper”, the crazed sounds of “Bondage Goat Zombie” or the dialled up death metal of “Conjuring The Dead” you will find much to enjoy here. One of the best extreme bands in the world, no question.
For something so embedded with crust, rust and cadaverous unmentionables, it is an incredibly refreshing, riff-dense monster of an album, almost ebullient in its putrid malevolence.
“Satanic Slavery” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1.Sprawl of Sin
2.Tredeciman Blackfire
3.Satanic Slavery
4.Evil Names
5.Hellspawn Pyre
6.Bestial Rites
7.Curse of Blasphemy
8.Verses from the Depths
The Review:
There's rigor mortis. There's decay. There's profound deliquescence. And then there's Necrowretch. “Satanic Slavery” is the third full length for these French madmen, and the old school approach to death metal here is almost ancestral in its atavism. While there are some Gallic contemporaries kicking out similar barbarisms, like Venefixion, and while there are obvious comparisons to Angelcorpse and Incantation, what really gets me charged up about this album is how much, for me, it evokes early Sadusand, to a lesser extent, Morbid Saint. I'm talking “Certain Death” era Sadushere. It's in the spastic energy. It's in the unhinged nature of the vocals. It is in the fact that the music feels ever so slightly 'dangerous' in that classic 'if you are a false, do not entry' way.
I'm at a bit of loss to really identify highlights as the album is pretty relentlessly excellent. Songs that really stand out for me in terms of brutally catchy hooks would be “Tredeciman Blackfire”, the title track and the closer, “Verses from the Depths”. However, the real standout factors for me are the decipherability of the thick bass, amazing runs like the Annihilator evocative riff midway through “Sprawl of Sin”, and the reverb-soaked vocals. This album is immensely enjoyable, almost ebullient in its putrid malevolence.
This corpse is filthy and moving indefatigably and relentlessly under its rotten machinery. For something so embedded with crust, rust and cadaverous unmentionables, it is an incredibly refreshing, riff-dense monster of an album. Who would have thought such a breath of fresh air would have come from the tomb? Elegantly and savagely decomposed.
"The long awaited new track from kvlt blackened death metal band KRATORNAS has arrived! We are pleased to present to you the lyric video for the band's new single "Dead Burning Christ" which is from the band's upcoming new album which will be released in December. "
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