Tag Archives: black metal

Album Review – Armagh / Venomous Frost MCD (2016)

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Let the venomous and menacing frost of Extreme Metal generated by this young and restless four-piece act from Poland cover your body and dominate your soul.

Rating4

armagh_venomousfrost_coverGet the overpowering impact of metal music from the 80’s, the implacable and raging sound of the early days of Black and Thrash Metal the likes of Dissection, Bathory and Hellhammer, and four young musicians eager to show the world their passion for extreme music, and there you have the vigorous MCD entitled Venomous Frost, bred in the dark vaults of Warsaw, Poland by Blackened Thrash Metal horde Armagh. The band might be relatively new, being founded in 2012, and this MCD might be their first official release ever, but it feels like we’re dealing with an already established band so concise and potent the overall result is.

There is absolutely no (black) magic or any other special ingredients added to the music found in Venomous Frost, but pure Heavy Metal played by a newcomer quartet (actually, they’re now a power trio after the recent departure of guitarist Ace Hellion) that, above all things, knows exactly how to blend fury and melody in their compositions. Not only that, the old school album art, designed by Polish illustrator Robert A. von Ritter, who has already worked with bands such as Outre, Bloodthirst, In Twilight’s Embrace, and more recently with Ragehammer (featured in one of our latest reviews), is beyond precise in portraying the music by Armagh. Just hit play and you’ll find death, nihilism, war and occultism in Venomous Frost, all embraced by faultless Extreme Metal.

A demonic riff kicks off the excellent Criostail/Exmortis, which after an epic intro becomes brutal devastation blending the demonic aura of Black Metal with the always exciting turmoil generated by Thrash Metal. Moreover, Galin Soulreaper and Ace Hellion make an amazing guitar duo, with their riffs and solos transpiring ferocity and malignancy. Their devastation goes on in an old school Black Metal onslaught named Eternal Awareness, with drummer Bloodhammer sounding indeed like he’s using hammers to blast his beats. Put differently, you won’t have a single second to breathe in this high-octane chant of darkness.  And what can I say about Warbeast? They truly sound like beats unleashed from hell, blasting a vile Thrash Metal sounding enhanced by the obscure elements found in Black Metal. This newborn underground classic is perfect for some bestial circle pits and brutal headbanging, not to mention Galin’s spot-on hellish barks.

armagh_bandIn the epic Foggy Dew/Wehrwolf, you’ll be able to enjoy the best riffs of the album by far, with both Galin and Ace being absolutely on fire with their scorching instruments delivering excellent extreme music to us, while Bloodhammer and bassist Mark Usurper provide all the support needed in this exciting tune. Then we have Dark Procession, which in my opinion should be used as the soundtrack to any Satanist procession. This is the most Black Metal of all songs, especially its obscure riffs and growls, with the music slowing down a bit before all hell breaks loose and the band comes crushing again with their furious music, showcasing all band members in total sync.

The last seven minutes of the MCD are an ode to darkness, starting with Witchcraft, a fantastic cover version for Bathory’s 1984 classic. An enraged band blasts pure hatred in their excellent tribute to one of the most important bands in the history of Black Metal, with highlights to the desperate vocals by Galin and the kick-ass drumming by Bloodhammer, qualifying it to be one of the best covers of the year without a shadow of a doubt. And lastly, the title-track Venomous Frost is the icing on the (demonic) cake baked by this awesome Polish quartet, being slightly slower but as obscure and vicious as the rest of the album. In addition, I love how clear and heavy the bass lines by Mark and the drums by Bloodhammer sound throughout the entire song, helping conclude Venomous Frost on a high note and, as a consequence, keeping the flame of Polish metal more alive than ever.

More of the mischievous fusion of Black and Thrash Metal distilled by Armagh can be enjoyed at their Facebook page and YouTube channel, and their amazing debut MCD can be purchased at the official Third Eye Temple in two different versions: a regular jewel case CD limited to 100 copies or a black jewel case CD branded with serigraphy print. Let the venomous and menacing frost of extreme music generated by this young and restless four-piece act from Poland cover your entire body, and consequently dominate your soul. You won’t regret such an amazing experience in Black and Thrash Metal.

Best moments of the album: Warbeast, Foggy Dew/Wehrwolf and Witchcraft.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Third Eye Temple

Track listing
1. Criostail/Exmortis 5:40
2. Eternal Awareness 3:38
3. Warbeast 4:32
4. Foggy Dew/Wehrwolf 6:23
5. Dark Procession 4:59
6. Witchcraft (Bathory cover) 2:35
7. Venomous Frost 4:46

Band members
Galin Soulreaper – vocals, guitars
Ace Hellion* – guitars
Mark Usurper – bass
Bloodhammer – drums

*No longer part of the band.

Album Review – Slitherum / Godbox Suicide (2016)

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A Dark Metal album that beautifully represents all the diversity, radiance and finesse of the Greek culture, crafted by a power trio ready to conquer the world of heavy music.

Rating4

frontIn order to properly celebrate the 300th album review by The Headbanging Moose, let’s go back to a country that has always played a very important role in the history of immigration to Canada, especially during the early 20th century, building a healthy and flourishing relationship with “The Great White North”. Known for their incomparable history, rich cuisine and astonishing landscapes, Greece has always been a place where past, present and future meet, creating a distinct atmosphere not found anywhere else in the world, and the same can be said about their multilayered music as you’ll be able to see in Godbox Suicide, the debut full-length album by Gothic/Industrial Metal act Slitherum.

Amazing groups from the Hellenic Republic such as Diablery, Primeval Mass and Defision have already had their powerful music reviewed at The Headbanging Moose, not to mention the iconic Rotting Christ, all of them shaping their own style by blending elements from different genres and subgenres of rock and heavy music similarly to what Slitherum offer us in their new album. Formed in 2015 in the city of Athens, the power trio comprised of Nick Marinos on vocals, Giannis Kalamatas on guitars, bass and synths, and Antonis Kanaras on drums will take you on a journey through the realms of obscure and melodic music, showcasing all their skills and their passion for Dark Metal.

Godbox suicide starts with Λεχωνα (pronounced “Lechona”), which is Greek for a woman who has just given birth, an atmospheric intro that “gives birth” to the album and sets the tone for Feet, presenting a groovy sounding with the resonant bass lines by Giannis building the perfect ambience for the devilish growls by Nick. Not only it sounds like a hybrid of Moonspell and early In Flames, but it’s quite interesting how they add pure Hard Rock elements amidst the havoc generated by their Death and Black Metal vein, creating a fresh and solid sonority.

The title-track Godbox Suicide offers the listener slightly more melodic lines in a journey back to the 80’s, mainly due to the Type O Negative-inspired vocals by Nick. This is one of those top-notch Gothic Rock and Metal tunes tailored for lovers of the dark side who enjoy dancing facing the wall (if you know what I mean), with highlights to its powerful solos and extremely catchy chorus; whereas Vulnus, the Latin word for wound or injury, is another thrilling Gothic Metal composition with vocals leaning towards Black and Doom Metal, being melancholic, sorrowful and venomous. In addition, the spot-on Doom Metal beats by Antonis boost the song’s impact on the listener, making the whole experience of listening to Slitherum a lot more pleasant.

slitherumKeyboards bring forward an electronic vibe before Antonis smashes his drums in the awesome Industrial Metal chant Mother, with Nick going from the deepest low vocals to the harshest screeches while Giannis keeps kicking ass with his riffs and solos. After listening to this song, you’ll realize how much those Greek guys simply love all the alternative and obscure subgenres of heavy music and how elegantly and passionately they mix all their main influences into their musicality.

Before Godbox Suicide is over, Slitherum have another blast of their dark music entitled Child, a mesmerizing and atmospheric power ballad led by its strong bass lines and synths where Nick has a great performance declaiming the song’s cryptic lyrics, sometimes sounding like the weird creations by Faith No More (which just proves how versatile Slitherum are). And then the wicked composition Cure concludes the album in the darkest way possible, working almost as a regular outro but with extra layers added to it, including some eerie vocal lines in the background.

This up-and-coming Greek band can be found on Facebook and on YouTube, and Godbox Suicide can be purchased at Discogs as a CD or as a special vinyl version. Godbox Suicide is not only an album that beautifully represents all the diversity, radiance and finesse of the Greek culture, but also an album that will help this talented band go places and spread their peculiar metal music throughout the entire world.

Best moments of the album: Feet, Godbox Suicide and Mother.

Worst moments of the album: Cure.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1.Λεχωνα (“Lechona”) 3:31
2.Feet 3:13
3.Godbox Suicide 3:23
4.Vulnus 4:12
5.Mother 2:42
6.Child 5:00
7.Cure 4:35

Band members
Nick Marinos – vocals
Giannis Kalamatas – guitars, bass, synths
Antonis Kanaras – drums

Album Review – ZØRORMR / The Aftermath EP (2016)

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Enjoy these six powerful and distinct Black Metal chants that together bring to a conclusion the first era in the history of this excellent extreme project from Poland. Arise ZØRORMR, Arise!

Rating5

coverAs today is June 6, 2016 (or 6/6/16), the eleventh edition of the world-famous International Day of Slayer, there’s nothing better than relishing this date with a good dosage of dark and heavy music, and the chosen soundtrack for such a distinct celebration this year by The Headbanging Moose is the six-track diabolical EP entitled The Aftermath, meticulously crafted in the dark shadows of Opole, a city located in southern Poland, by Black Metal one-man army ZØRORMR. Born on the ruins of a dark ambient project named I.A. Serpentor in the beginning of 2010, ZØRORMR already released the albums Kval (2010), HIS (2013) and Corpus Hermeticum (2015), with The Aftermath closing the first era in the history of this excellent project led by Polish artist and multi-instrumentalist Moloch.

Featuring a hellish artwork by Russian artist Timur Khabirov and with the support of guest musicians Przemysław “Quazarre” Olbryt on lead guitar and Icanraz on drums (both from Polish Symphonic Black/Death Metal act Devilish Impressions), The Aftermath consists of four tracks recorded during the Corpus Hermeticum session (with 3 of them never heard before), produced by Arek “Malta” Malczewski (a longtime producer for Blackened Death Metal titans Behemoth), as well as two bonus tracks from the HIS and Kval sessions. The music itself is a hybrid of the works by bands like Rotting Christ, Naglfar and other important names fom extreme music, being also heavily inspired by Heavy Metal from the 80’s.

A heavy storm announces darkness has arrived in The Last Judgement, a classy Black Metal composition with hints of Doom Metal and symphonic elements that kicks off the EP on a high note. Moloch vigorously leads this black mass with his demonic growls and riffs, while Icanraz displays all his skills by blending an occult and tribal drumming with traditional Black Metal blast beats. The Crawling Chaos presents another smooth intro that evolves to lugubrious Black Metal, enhanced by an additional layer of intricacy comprised of interesting Blackened Doom elements, which help the band craft a disturbing and demonic ambience. In addition to that, the infernal screams by Moloch will torture your soul, whereas Quazarre does an outstanding job with his precise guitar solos.

molochThe Adversary is yet again a solid and dense composition offered to the listener by this incredible Polish project, with the sick drumming by Icanraz generating an amazing uproar for Moloch to spill his somber vociferations upon us. And there’s no place to hide from ZØRORMR, as all that heaviness and vileness goes on in the title-track, the grim The Aftermath. Moloch definitely knows how to craft gripping intros to his creations, with the song’s obscure rhythm together with its beautiful piano notes resembling a dark funeral march. In other words, this is an instrumental song that could easily be used as the soundtrack of a demented horror movie.

The first bonus tack, entitled Arise Cthulhu, Arise!, goes full Black Metal, presenting a disquieting musicality perfect for fans of old school extreme music. Every single moment of the song is filled with malevolence and causticity, which is obviously a good thing in Black Metal and, consequently, turns this chant into the best of all six tracks in The Aftermath. Lastly, the second bonus track Zørormr, which carries the name of the band, brings forward sharper riffs and a cutting sonority, concluding the EP in a thrilling way. Despite being another instrumental track by ZØRORMR, it’s fairly different from “The Aftermath” due to the Thrash and Death Metal hints added to it, showcasing the wide musical range Moloch is capable of reaching with his music.

In summary, not only the music found in The Aftermath keeps up with the creations of the biggest Extreme Metal icons from Poland, but it also provides an accurate and outright epitome of everything ZØRORMR have already provided to the world of heavy music, as well as what to expect from this striking project by Moloch in the future. In case you want to follow the “evilution” of ZØRORMR, go check their Facebook page, YouTube channel and SoundCloud page, and if you want to buy a copy of The Aftermath you can find it for sale at the Via Nocturna’s webstore or BandCamp page. Arise ZØRORMR, Arise!

Best moments of the album: The Adversary and Arise Cthulhu, Arise!

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Via Nocturna

Track listing
1. The Last Judgement 6:29
2. The Crawling Chaos 5:15
3. The Adversary 2:54
4. The Aftermath 3:53

Bonus tracks
5. Arise Cthulhu, Arise! 3:27
6. Zørormr 3:01

Band members
Moloch – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards

Guest musicians
Przemysław “Quazarre” Olbryt – lead guitar
Icanraz  – drums

Album Review – Drought / Rudra Bhakti EP (2016)

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Meditate to the sound of the tantric Black Metal by this creative and unusual Italian entity.

Rating5

cover“Ram Naam Satya Hey.”

If you access the official website for Italian Black Metal act Drought, you’ll be able to find the interesting definition the band uses for their music and what inspires them to write Black Metal. “Drought is an entity born to create distorted and majestic black metal art, focusing the quintessence of tantric and yogic concept”, says the band description, and let me tell you this is precisely what you’ll listen to in the four compositions that together form Rudra Bhakti, the eccentric debut EP by this tantric and obscure horde from Italy.

According to the band, the four songs found in the EP revolve around the transformation from man to the Übermensch, which is German for Superman or Superhuman, through the purification of the fire and the metaphor of the warrior, mainly taking inspiration from parts of Vijnanabhairava as well as personal experiences of meditation. Furthermore, fire is the main element manifested by Shiva, seen as a purifying factor, and also seen in this case as the awakening of a burning and dissolving energy, which brings chaos and destroys the boundaries of mortality to reach immortality. Do I need to say more, or are you ready to let the energy flowing from their music embrace you?

Obviously, what is perhaps the most tantric album to be reviewed by The Headbanging Moose so far couldn’t have had a more arcane and tantric start than Suryanamaskara (Entering The Gate Of The Raging Sun), offering over four minutes of background sounds, noises and “meditation” based on the concept of Surya Namaskara, as if the band wanted to prepare the listener for what’s about to come in the following track, entitled Fire Breating (Urdva Kundali Arise). In this beautiful display of extreme music, fury and hatred emanate from vocals as well as from each and every instrument, working as a paradox to the tranquility seen in the previous track. In other words, its Black Metal blast beats and hellish vociferations will penetrate your ears and seize your mind, with the additional tantric elements (something very unusual in Extreme Metal) bringing a breath of fresh air to their music.

droughtInstantly connecting to the previous song, Reveal The Unlight (Sudden Awareness) brings forward an interesting and smooth transition from pure Black Metal to a fusion of Blackened Doom and Black Metal (maybe a sing of pitch black darkness taking over the music by Drought), where its guitar lines fire their own metallic “mantra”. And then again showcasing eerie passages and infernal beats and growls, we have a 12-minute aria named Collapse of Maya (Transfiguration Of The Warrior), a bold composition where you’ll witness all this Italian cult has to offer to the world of heavy music, with highlights to its complex drumming and all its breaks and funereal elements. The second half of this powerful tune gets really depressive and obscure, with a good dosage of Doom Metal added to the musicality before it suddenly fades into pure ambient music and, therefore, back to the initial meditative tone of the album, which goes on until the song’s peaceful ending.

Featuring a beautiful and occult artwork by Blacktooth Collective, Rudra Bhakti will show you how creative and distinct Drought can be, and in case you want to meditate to the sound of their tantric Black Metal, you can purchase the EP at the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, or at the Sound Cave’s webshop. As this unique Black Metal act from Italy would say, “Ram naam Satya hai. Satya bolo gatya hai.”

Best moments of the album: Fire Breating (Urdva Kundali Arise).

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Suryanamaskara (Entering The Gate Of The Raging Sun) 4:40
2. Fire Breating (Urdva Kundali Arise) 4:22
3. Reveal The Unlight (Sudden Awareness) 2:39
4. Collapse of Maya (Transfiguration Of The Warrior) 12:45

Band members
*Information not available*

Metal Chick of the Month – Terra Teratos

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terra01

Hic et ubique odor mortis… Hic jacet Aeternitas est.

Very few women in the world of heavy music are as reserved, taciturn and mysterious as our metal chick this month. Dark and visionary, the idiosyncratic Russian musician/artist Katerina Khoroshiltseva, best known as Terra Teratos, has been playing a very important role (even if she doesn’t want to or doesn’t like the idea) in the obscure and sexist realm of Extreme Metal. She has been breaking many barriers and paradigms with her powerful music through the years, no matter which band or project she’s involved with, becoming an inspiration for many other women that are starting their careers in Black Metal and an icon for admirers of the darkest side of music.

In regards to her personal life, Terra Teratos is so reclusive to the point that there isn’t much information available about her likes and dislikes, personal background or any other intimate details. For instance, except for her Google+ profile, YouTube channel, BandCamp and SoundCloud page, where she publishes selected songs from all her different projects and bands, she’s not present in any of the major social medias such as Facebook and Twitter, keeping her life private even if that means restraining the reach of her work as an artist. Well, at least for me it looks like that’s her goal anyway, remaining as underground as possible and far away from any commercial labels.

Apart from her real name, all we know about Terra Teratos is that she comes from the city of Voronezh, Russia, about 540km south of the Russian capital Moscow and 300km from the border of Ukraine. And that’s it, everything else revolves around her music, her projects and her vision of the world we live in. With that said, let’s focus on each one of her main bands/projects at a time (Terra Teratos and Furva Ambiguitas), and then provide some extra details about her inspirations, experiences and creative process as a musician, as well as her opinion about different topics related to music and life in general.

Perhaps the one-woman project Terra Teratos is the most interesting or distinct work of her career, not only because she’s responsible for all instruments and vocals, but mainly due to the origins and essence of the music crafted. Terra Teratos is an Experimental/Dark Ambient Black Metal project originated in 2006, stemming from the unification of several other individual projects including Teratos (Avant-garde piano music), Mertvye Pesni (only vocals, medieval folk and funeral rituals), Goetia (Dark Ambient), Rokot Voln (Black Ambient), Tierdrama (Black Metal), N.O.V.A.R.A. (Cyber Black Metal), Chaos (Ambient/Psychedelic Noise) and Tern (Symphonic Ambient), all considered a preparation for what the whole project is today. The music, as you can imagine, is an extremely complex and experimental mix of Black, Funeral and Doom Metal, enriched by symphonic elements, eerie noises and a dark atmosphere. To date, the following albums have been released by Terra Teratos: the demo Asphodel (2006), the EP Never (2007), the full-length “trilogy” Meditations About Secret of My Dark Destiny Part 1 (2007), Meditations About Secret of My Dark Destiny Part Zero (2009) and Meditations About Secret of My Dark Destiny Part 2 (2010), and more recently the EP Ambrosia (2013). In order to feel what Terra Teratos is all about, you should take a good listen at songs such as Evil, My Evil and III, or go to her official BandCamp page for more obscurity in the form of music.

Regarding Depressive Black/Funeral Doom Metal project Furva Ambiguitas (also known as FAAS), which started in 2007 as Terra Teratos’ own idea and is Latin for “obscure ambiguity”, she is responsible for all vocals, keyboards, programming and lyrics, while Russian musician Anton Mrak is responsible for all stringed instruments. The duo has released so far the following odes to occultism and mysticism: the demo At the Bottom of the River (2007), and the full-length albums In Articulo Mortis (2009) and Sacer (2012). There are several interesting songs from that project, as for example Invocation to Hecate, Abyssus Abyssum Invocat, Primus Inter Pares and Debitum, among other dark compositions.

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Besides those two main projects, Terra Teratos is also involved with Black Metal band Terribilis, which you can check by listening to the songs Чтобы Потухли Глаза…, На Заклание к Черту! and Баллада (Пять коней), as well as other past bands and guest appearances like Goetia, Lethargia (under the curious name of PanTera or Pantera), Rokot Voln, Tierdrama, Мертвые Песни, Н.О.В.А.Р.А., Rainwill, Absenthe, Burelom, Dregva and Humanizer. I don’t know about you, but for me that more than proves this Russian woman lives for obscure music.

And all that obscurity has a huge influence in the way she sees music and life in general, keeping a good distance from any cliché or pedestrian art. For instance, Terra Teratos believes a band’s name should match with what the listener is expecting, in other words, it should reflect the band’s harmony or the author’s personality, otherwise it’s completely meaningless and hollow. In addition, she also believes that there’s no way any digital source can replace a live analog sound, and as much as you try to imitate it you’ll never get its true identity,. Also, she said there’s no specific scene where her music can fit in, as she stays away from any competitiveness in the world of art. With that said, I guess we can say her music is truly unique and biotic, different from most bands and artists we know and perfectly representing her view of the world, her dreams, reflections and internal needs, becoming more and more organic through time.

Her definition of Black Metal is also very peculiar and totally in line with her ideas and beliefs, as she sees it as a musical and poetic demonstration of the Death cult. In her own words, “the sense of existence of this genre is beyond a pure art. As Hermann Hesse put this in his ‘Demian’, ‘The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world.’ A genuine transformation demands a never-ending staying in the bifurcation points which replace each other. That also caused praising of Darkness, Evil, Chaos, War, total correlation with an archetype of the Devil, immersion into the images being the most frightening for an ordinary person – that is, everything, for what we honor the real Black Metal so much, and what the Black Metal really is…” Don’t worry if you don’t understand it at first, what really matters in this case is that Terra Teratos proves through her words how Black Metal is more than just a music genre in her life.

Lastly, when questioned about the future of Terra Teratos, she mentioned the project exists without any time frames, without any objectives being set or plans being made. As long as there’s still something arising, Terra Teratos will exist. And we all hope that’s the case for many years to come.

Terra Teratos’ Official Website
Furva Ambiguitas’ Official Website

“Black Metal for me is a musical and poetic demonstration of the Death cult. It is necessary to understand that it is not so much about literal perception of the Death, but the Death as a symbol of total transformation, a transgressive act of coming to an essentially other level, a ruthless separator in all its aspects.” – Terra Teratos

Album Review – Burial / Unholy Sedition (2016)

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Profane, rebellious and vicious music for all diehard lovers of Black Metal, piercing your ravenous ears directly from the UK.

Rating5

CD DigiPak 4 Panel 1 TrayThe good old city of Manchester, England might be known worldwide by the everlasting rivalry between Manchester City and Manchester United, two of the biggest soccer teams in the world, but since 2005 the city has also become a synonym to extreme music due to the scalding Blackened Death Metal forged by an up-and-coming power trio that goes by the name of Burial. After releasing a demo in 2008 named Shadowed by Satan, the EP Dissidence in 2010 and more recently their debut full-length album Beneath the Light in 2013, those black metallers are back with their second opus, entitled Unholy Sedition, a must for lovers of Black Metal, nuns, beer and Satan.

Fans of the music played by bands like Satyricon in their early days will have a great time listening to what this underground British act is capable of offering, being visceral but extremely technical at the same time. In addition, if you already know Burial you’ll notice a slight change in their musicality from their previous album, dropping part of the Death Metal sound and delivering an all-out Black Metal assault. In case this is your first contact with the band, get ready for 30 minutes of brutality in the form of the short, fast and devastating tunes found in Unholy Sedition. You won’t regret being blasted by the band’s ferocious music, I should say.

After a quick distorted intro, the opening track Infernal Spirit brings forward brutal Black Metal led by the bestial beats by drummer David Buchan, while lead singer and bassist Derek Carley varies his vocals from devilish screams to cavernous growls; and without a break they start firing the following tune, entitled Malevolent Possession, displaying some pulverizing riffs by guitarist Richard Barraclough. Not only that, even when they slow down a bit during this enraged song their heaviness remains at an outstanding level. Their malignancy keeps flowing in Satanic Immolation, a sick Black Metal song with hints of Death Metal where it’s amusing how violent the band can get in less than three minutes, with Derek’s vocals sounding exactly as many old school Black Metal vocalists.

Burial Band photoIn the high-speed havoc Coven of Death, David is unstoppable behind his drums, providing Richard the support he needs to craft his blazing riffs before we’re treated to Nothing Awaits, where a Blackened Doom-inspired intro powered by the gruesome vociferations by Derek suddenly explodes into vile Black Metal, with highlights to the metallic guitar lines by Richard. This is perhaps their best song to date, an excellent composition sounding as three distinct songs in one, and therefore showcasing the band’s highly developed abilities with their instruments. And in the rhythmic and dense Defile The Sacrament, right after a somber intro that goes on for almost two minutes, we have a furious fusion of Black and Death Metal with Derek barking like a rabid beast.

Cast To The Flames can be considered the most old school Black Metal of all tracks with the blast beats by David being its guiding “star”, never letting the level of dark energy go down; whereas Beyond Redemption seems to be the most Death Metal of all mainly due to the deep guttural growls by Derek, with its beats at the speed of light demolishing everything and everyone that stands in their way. Before Uholy Sedition comes to its end, Burial offer us all more of their putrid growls and a heavy atmosphere in the Black Metal hymn Devoured By The Earth, displaying sheer violence and gore in the form of music with highlights to the groovy and boisterous drumming by David. And lastly, we have the remarkably short but sensational Extreme Metal anthem Nun Fucking Black Metal, which not only has a beautiful name but also pays homage all things Black Metal, concluding the album on a high note with amazing performances by all band members.

In case you want to know more about the music by Burial, go visit their Facebook or ReverbNation pages, and if you’re interesting in putting your hands on a copy of Unholy Sedition, you can find the album for sale at the UKEM Records’ BandCamp page or webstore (it’s out of stock according to the website, though), or at the band’s official Big Cartel page, where you can also find a nice exclusive bundle including a physical copy of the album and a T-shirt for a very decent price. It’s profane and rebellious Black Metal for diehard lovers of the genre, and also a great option for newcomers to get introduced to the world of extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Satanic Immolation, Nothing Awaits and Nun Fucking Black Metal.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 UKEM Records

Track listing
1. Infernal Spirit 3:03
2. Malevolent Possession 4:00
3. Satanic Immolation 2:22
4. Coven Of Death 2:07
5. Nothing Awaits 3:35
6. Defile The Sacrament 4:14
7. Cast To The Flames 2:55
8. Beyond Redemption 3:57
9. Devoured By The Earth 3:47
10. Nun Fucking Black Metal 1:12

Band members
Derek Carley – vocals, bass
Richard Barraclough – guitar
David Buchan – drums

Album Review – Necronomicon / Advent of The Human God (2016)

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Behold the descent of the human god upon humanity to the symphonic and scorching Black Metal delivered by the most prominent Canadian horde of all time.

Rating4

Necronomicon_AHG_2000x2000_Rev_02If the original meaning of “Necronomicon” is a fictional grimoire (or textbook of magic), appearing in the stories by horror writer H. P. Lovecraft, I believe we should refer to what Canadian Symphonic Black/Death Metal veterans Necronomicon offer us in their brand new opus entitled Advent of The Human God as a sonic compilation of evil spells. Discharging a lethal dose of symphonic and scorching Blackened Death Metal through their music, this power trio from the city of Montreal, Quebec takes no prisoners in their battle against religion, and nothing better than their artistic view of the descent of a human god upon humanity to showcase the always negative outcomes caused by our blind faith.

Fans of controversial bands like Behemoth, Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir will connect instantly with the lyrics and themes explored by Necronomicon in their new album, which are in line with what was presented in their previous releases such as Rise of The Elder Ones (2013), Return of The Witch (2010) and Pharaoh of Gods (1999). Featuring a beautiful and ungodly artwork by Canadian artist and musician Filip Ivanović and having bassist Mars debuting on the low-keys, Advent of The Human God is another step further in the solid career of this precious gem made in Canada, which obviously translates into pure awesomeness for fans of extreme music.

The symphonic and epic intro The Descent grows until the tile-track Advent of The Human God comes smashing us all with its blasting beats and dark melody, with the iconic lead singer and guitarist Rob “The Witch” Tremblay firing his deep vociferations in this work-of-art the likes of Dimmu Borgir and Behemoth. And this is just the beginning, because The Golden Gods starts right where the previous track ended, with drummer Rick blasting his heavy artillery of darkness until all instruments join him and all hell breaks loose. In addition to that, Rob provides some wicked solos that only enhance the song’s quality, making the overall result very progressive and obviously thrilling.

Necronomicon - photo - Credit - Myriam Francoeur 6Sounding like if it was extracted from a futuristic horror movie, the symphonic instrumental tune Okkultis Trinity will captivate you and drag you to the underworld, where the ferocious Unification of The Four Pillars will crush your spine and distort your mind, showcasing yet another flawless performance by Rick on drums while Rob leads the musicality with his solid riffs and growls, all nicely complemented by the symphonic elements and choir in the background. And in Crown of Thorns, its “opening of an evil ceremony” morphs into brutal and merciless Black Metal (with huge doses of harmony to give more balance to it), and this sonic earthquake keeps kicking ass throughout the entire song for our absolute delectation.

Leaning towards the musicality by Behemoth, The Fjord is slightly slower but as demonic and aggressive as usual, displaying a great synchronicity between Rob and Rick, which ends up creating an imposing atmosphere perfect for nonstop circle pits and brutal headbanging; whereas the sinister and atmospheric Gaia, another movie-like instrumental bridge, slowly sets the stage for the puissant I (Bringer Of Light), which needs only two seconds to hit you like a lightning bolt. This precise fusion of Symphonic Black Metal and Blackened Death Metal presents a completely infuriated and possessed Rob, who helps increase the song’s effectiveness in special during its powerful chorus. Innocence And Wrath, a cover version for the intro from Celtic Frost’s 1985 cult album To Mega Therion, doesn’t do much for the album as it’s just a short instrumental track, and Alchemy Of The Avatar, a symphonic and melodic onslaught of Black Metal, concludes the album with Rick firing unstoppable beats and fills while Rob switches his voice to a more satanic level and back to his regular deep growls, with all these elements helping the music flow into a climatic ending.

In case you’re from another planet and haven’t heard anything about Necronomicon yet, I suggest you go check their Facebook page, YouTube channel and ReverbNation profile, and in order to get your copy of Advent of The Human God you should visit their BandCamp page or Season of Mist’s official webstore. As aforementioned, the advent of a human god upon humanity couldn’t have a better soundtrack than the unique Blackened Death Metal by this skillful Canadian horde.

Best moments of the album: Advent of The Human God, Unification of The Four Pillars and I (Bringer Of Light).

Worst moments of the album: Innocence And Wrath.

Released in 2016 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. The Descent 1:18
2. Advent of The Human God 5:27
3. The Golden Gods 4:13
4. Okkultis Trinity 2:27
5. Unification of The Four Pillars 3:27
6. Crown of Thorns 4:30
7. The Fjord 4:39
8. Gaia 2:43
9. I (Bringer Of Light) 4:04
10. Innocence And Wrath (Celtic Frost Cover) 1:08
11. Alchemy Of The Avatar 5:14

Band members
Rob “The Witch” Tremblay – vocals, guitar
Mars – bass
Rick – drums

Album Review – Howls Of Ebb / Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows (2016)

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Derranged howls, mesmerizing riffs, distorted screeches and hellish beats. These are the main ingredients for one of the most unique and interesting heavy albums from the past few years, brought forth by an eccentric duo from San Francisco, California.

Rating4

IVR058 - HOWLS OF EBB - Cursus ImpasseSometimes I think I overuse the words “weird”, “eerie” and “unnatural” in our reviews at The Headbanging Moose, but after taking a listen at Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows, the first full-length release by American Black/Death Metal act Howls Of Ebb, you’ll have to agree with me there are no better words to describe the distinct music crafted by this talented duo from San Francisco, California. This is not an album for the regular fan of heavy music, but a journey though the most distorted thoughts and horrifying visions created deep down the human mind.

After releasing their debut EP Vigils of the 3rd Eye in 2014 and the MLP The Marrow Veil in 2015, it’s time for Howls Of Ebb to expand their deranged horizons and offer another blast of the freakish drug they call music, forged in the pitch black darkness of their evil den in the United States. Simply look at the names of the songs and tell me if you’ve ever seen anything as crazy as that in your entire life as a metalhead, but when you hit play you’ll realize those names are even too “soft” for all the insanity and outcry coming out of the screams and strings by Zee-Luuuvft-Huund and the beats by Roteen’ Blisssss, not to mention the eccentric cover art named “Theoin II”, by Italian artist Agostino Arrivabene.

Zee-Luuuvft-HuundIn the opening track, curiously entitled The 6th Octopul’th Grin, distorted and piercing noises and growls attack the listener mercilessly, with its Doom Metal beats and wicked riffs creating a tempestuous ambience, therefore turning this amazing song in the perfect soundtrack to a soul-torturing horror flick. If you survive this demented tune, you’ll be smashed by a furious Progressive Black Metal turmoil named Cabals Of Molder, where the guitar sounds like anguished screams by an evil entity from hell, being perfectly complemented by its constantly-changing rhythm and the grim vocals by Zee-Luuuvft-Huund.

The slower and sinister tune Maat Mons’ Fume offers a creepy atmosphere enhanced by its somber lyrics (“Fetid foul upon Sullied Jowls / Endlessly propagate! / We send gifts from afar / Now, Giant Red Tomb Agitate!”), with both guitars and drums growing into a thunderous level of aggression that goes on until a purely Doom Metal ending (guided by the low-tune bass lines by Zee-Luuuvft-Huund) put an end to this hellish creation. There was only one thing that came to my mind while listening to 7 Ascetic Cinders, 8 Dowries of gA’nOm: this is the type of song that would never, ever play in any radio station so anti-mainstream it is, which in the end means it reached its main goal, right? This multi-song brings forward seven minutes of distortions, vociferations and demonic echoes not for the average listener, and it’s interesting how each instrument sounds “individualist” at first, but together they work extremely well.

Roteen' BlisssssGaunt Vertigo is a smooth but dark instrumental bridge that prepares the listener to The Subliminal Lock – A Precursor To Vengeance, an explosion of Black Metal and Blackened Doom showcasing lyrics as bizarre as possible (“Come Dark Morbid Zen! / Illusory sub-Gnosis takes deeper root / Fleshly cowls crawl deep in the soot / The wick is raised, eyes in pursuit / Come Dark Morbid Zen!”), with the instrumental pieces always “surprising” the listener with all tempo changes, distorted passages and mesmerizing riffs and screeches. And as one last raid we have The Apocryphalic Wick, where after its initial three minutes of wicked noises, an obscure feeling grows uncontrollably until demonic growls open the gates of the underworld. Moreover, the despair in the voice by Zee-Luuuvft-Huund is superb, as if he’s getting asphyxiated due to his soul being consumed by darkness.

This unusual and interesting opus can be found on sale at the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp, or at the Cagliari Records’ BandCamp or webstore. And if you like the  weird effect caused by the noises from Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows penetrating your ears, go give Howls Of Ebb a shout at their Facebook page. Or maybe I should say you must give them a deranged howl instead, it all depends on how much your soul gets darkened by their music.

Best moments of the album: The 6th Octopul’th Grin and Maat Mons’ Fume.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing
1. The 6th Octopul’th Grin 5:31
2. Cabals Of Molder 6:14
3. Maat Mons’ Fume 8:14
4. 7 Ascetic Cinders, 8 Dowries of gA’nOm 7:09
5. Gaunt Vertigo 1:20
6. The Subliminal Lock – A Precursor To Vengeance 6:23
7. The Apocryphalic Wick 7:21

Band members
Zee-Luuuvft-Huund – vibrations, low auras, polysyllabic morbid mysticisms (a.k.a. vocals, guitar, bass)
Roteen’ Blisssss – cadence of limp and duress, bronze aura (a.k.a. drums)

Album Review – Dö / Tuho (2016)

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If you were born under black wings and love the taste of destruction in music, the Dööm Metal blasted by this fantastic power trio from “Hellsinki” is all you need to keep enjoying your miserable and excruciating time on earth.

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Dö_Tuho(CoverArt)If you’ve been following The Headbanging Moose for a while, you’ve already been in contact with the up-and-coming Finnish Doom/Stoner Metal power trio Dö. In fact, these talented guys from Helsinki, Finland do not play your regular Doom Metal, but instead they play what we can call “Dööm Metal”, and if the music found in their 2015 EP Den wasn’t dark enough for you, those three unholy bastards are back from the depths of their distinct city with another blast of hellish riffs, mesmerizing beats and low-tuned keys and growls in the form of Tuho, their first (and awesome) full-length opus.

Tuho is the Finnish word for “destruction”, and there couldn’t be a better definition for the sludgy and obscure turmoil beautifully crafted by Dö. Despite the change in their lineup due to the departure of drummer Peat Rex, the band keeps firing their characteristic demonic sounding flawlessly, now with Joe E. Deliverance (where “E” stands for “Epic”) taking care of the ritualistic beats and pulse that make their music so captivating. While listening to Tuho, although you will be facing 42 minutes of damnation, grief and sorrow, I’m absolutely certain you will enjoy every single second and go back to the starting point as soon as the last song is over, just like what you normally do with any album by Black Sabbath, Dö’s biggest influence and guiding (dark) star in the world of Doom Metal.

Relax, take a deep breath and fill your mind with your darkest thoughts, because this is what Dö want you to do during the wicked opening track Born Under Black Wings. The Sabbath-like riff by guitarist Big Dog guides its tribal intro, making this the perfect drug for Doom and Stoner Metal addicts, while lead singer and bassist Deaf Hank barks the most obscure and anguished vocals and growls you can imagine. Needless to say how unhappy the lyrics are during the song’s eight evil minutes, with Deaf Hank reminding us at the end of the song that “There’s no Messiah!” (and he’s damn right about that). And following that powerful start we have Everblast II (The Aftermath), a doomed massacre tailored for fans of the dark side of music where newcomer Joe E. Deliverance seems excited to destroy his drums the way he smashes them. Furthermore, the spot-on guitar solos by Big Dog add more feeling and intricacy to the overall sonority, fueling the whole trio to generate even more destructive and ill-tempered music, and consequently getting to a point the uproar will break your neck so heavy it becomes.

Dö_Promo2In Ex Oblivione, or “the amnesty” from Latin, a slow and eerie intro grows into a pure Doom Metal instrumental tune where you can sense that all three band members are in some sort of trance. It’s hard to say which musician has the best performance in this solid song due to the high quality of the music coming out of all instruments, and as I don’t want to pick a fight with any of them I’ll leave it for you to decide, sounds good? But before you choose your favorite member of the band, enjoy the distorted noises flowing from the bass guitar by Deaf Hank until a violent guitar riff comes crushing our spines in Kylmä, or “cold” from Finnish (and we all know how cold Finland can be). I must say that this guy sounds truly demonic when growling in his mother tongue in this impressive display of Sludge and Doom Metal, with some effective hints of Black and Death Metal thoroughly added to its last part, which ends up making the song transpire violence, malignancy and sorrow.

Hail the Fire, a gentle acoustic tune that sounds introspective and heavy even without being electric, works as an intro to their boldest composition to date, entitled Forsaken Be Thy Name. Be prepared for 12 minutes of awesome distortions, low-tuned bass lines and hypnotizing beats, where Dö professionally (and pleasantly) blend the music by icons such as Black Sabbath, Triptykon and Celtic Frost, among others, with their unique Scandinavian punch. The second half of this vile hymn becomes a completely different song, still sounding Doom Metal but slightly more melodic, ending with a soulful solo by the talented Big Dog and properly concluding another thrilling chapter in the career of those Finnish metallers.

You can listen to Tuho in its entirety HERE, and while you do that go check the band’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, and don’t forget to grab a copy of this masterpiece of damnation at their BandCamp page or at the Ozium Records’ webstore. If you were also born under black wings and love the taste of destruction in music like what these fantastic power trio from “Hellsinki” can generate, their Dööm Metal is all you need to keep enjoying your miserable and excruciating time on earth. Yes, that thing you usually call “life”.

Best moments of the album: Born Under Black Wings, Everblast II (The Aftermath) and Kylmä.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Born Under Black Wings 8:06
2. Everblast II (The Aftermath) 6:00
3. Ex Oblivione 6:28
4. Kylmä 7:09
5. Hail the Fire 2:26
6. Forsaken Be Thy Name 12:14

Band members
Deaf Hank – vocals, bass
Big Dog – guitar, backing vocals
Joe E. Deliverance – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Ragehammer / The Hammer Doctrine (2016)

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Are you ready to follow the awesome doctrine of Black and Thrash Metal established by this ruthless band from Poland?

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ragehammer-cover-artwork-1000x1000Forged in the scalding fires of Cracow, Poland in 2012, and embracing all the darkness and violence spawned by icons such as Death, Bathory and Slayer, among many other Extreme Metal bands, here comes Black/Thrash Metal horde Ragehammer, tormenting the entire world with their highly anticipated debut album entitled The Hammer Doctrine. Quoting the band, the album was created “with cold hatred of the modern world and contempt for the values of love and humanity”, and just like a hammer this album will smash your face with its relentless brutality.

With controversial topics such as death, anti-religion and desecration flowing from its lyrics, and featuring a demonic artwork by Polish illustrator Robert A. von Ritter (Outre, Bloodthirst, In Twilight’s Embrace) and an outstanding graphic design by Kontamination Design (Blaze of Perdition, Bloodthirst, Voidhanger), The Hammer Doctrine offers the full package to metalheads who nurture a profound passion for sheer violence in music. In other words, Ragehammer devoted all their talent, cruelty and wrath to deliver the most hellish music you can think of during the album’s rambunctious 42 minutes.

Kicking off this insanely good havoc we have First Wave Black Metal, opening the gates of hell (hammer) with highlights to its old school darkened lyrics barked by frontman Heretik Hellstörm (“Neurodeliric screams / Battle cry of the hordes those days / No gods – no masters, creatures and crawling in space / Scarlet slaughterers, living only for metal and hell / Legacy of pride, from tombs it rises again”). Furious circle pits will ignite instantly, with the nonstop riffs by Bestial Avenger and the brutal bass lines by Corpsebutcher crushing you like a helpless insect. In case you survive this first assault, LET’S HAVE A WAR! Unleash The Dogs will bring you war in an infernal Blackened Thrash Metal turmoil, where drummer Mortar keeps up with the tradition of the most influential thrashing drummers of all time. This song proves to me that this band loves a disturbed and violent sounding more than they love their own families, don’t you think?

ragehammerIn Wróg (or “enemy” from Polish), a potent circle-pit generator and a strong sample of what this amazing band is capable of doing, the metallic bass by Corpsebutcher stands out amidst all turbulence and devastation crafted by the entire band; whereas in Warlord’s Fall, a solid fusion of old school Slayer with Hardcore, Ragehammer fire a high-octane tune where Bestial Avenger has a superb performance with his piercing riffs while Heretik Hellstörm keeps barking like a lunatic. In addition, its Doom Metal-ish break gets truly obscure and evil before the music gets back to total anarchy, adding an additional layer of intricacy to it. And bang your heads and enjoy the heavy beats by Mortar in the longest of all tracks, named Knives, highly inspired by traditional Black Metal with the punch of our good old Thrash Metal.

I am the Tyrant brings forward a brutal sonic devastation bred by those Polish metallers, I should say the perfect depiction of what Blackened Thrash Metal is, with Bestial Avenger once again commanding the band’s onrush, followed by the heaviest version of Thrash Metal you can find anywhere, entitled Pure Hatred, where Mortar shatters his drums while Corpsebutcher thumps his bass cords throughout the entire song until its pulverizing ending. Then it’s simply time to slam into the pit and enjoy the amazing synchronicity between Bestial Avenger and Corpsebutcher in what’s definitely the top moment of this great album, the high-speed anthem From Homo Sapiens to Homo Raptor, where Ragehammer make a statement about who they are and their mission (“The dawn of the hammer doctrine / The evolution of mankind / From homo sapiens to homo raptor / Constant warfare – way of life”), giving no signs of slowing down or being less visceral. And finally, they offer the listener a crazy, fast and furious cover version for Spotkanie z Diabłem, or “meeting with the devil” in Polish, by Krzysztof Klenczon i Trzy Korony. It’s incredible what they did to the original version, and the whole band deserves our respect for such a brilliant job giving a new life to an old classic.

Are you ready to follow the ruthless doctrine of Ragehammer and break your neck to the berserk music crafted by this skillful quartet from Poland? If you can’t wait to put your hands on their sonic “hammer”, go grab your copy of The Hammer Doctrine at the Pagan Records’ official BandCamp or webshop, and as I already mentioned, be prepared to have your physiognomy completely disfigured by a wicked blast of extreme music.

Best moments of the album: First Wave Black Metal, From Homo Sapiens to Homo Raptor and Spotkanie z Diabłem.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Pagan Records

Track listing
1. First Wave Black Metal 4:43
2. Unleash The Dogs 3:46
3. Wróg 4:47
4. Warlord’s Fall 5:48
5. Knives 6:30
6. I am the Tyrant 5:00
7. Pure Hatred 4:22
8. From Homo Sapiens to Homo Raptor 4:33
9. Spotkanie z Diabłem (Krzysztof Klenczon i Trzy Korony cover) 2:38

Band members
Heretik Hellstörm – vocals
Bestial Avenger – guitars
Corpsebutcher – bass
Mortar – drums