Tag Archives: black metal

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.

Rating3

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?

Rating4

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

Album Review – Paroxsihzem / Abyss of Excruciating Vexes MLP (2016)

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A mini-album of Extreme Metal made in Canada that will suffocate you heartlessly, savagely and diabolically, or everything you always look for when in pursuit of evil music.

Rating5

Paroxsihzem - Abyss of Excruciating Vexes [cover art]If you don’t know what suffocating Black/Death Metal is even being very fond of extreme music, I highly recommend you take a listen at Abyss of Excruciating Vexes, the new release by Canadian metallers Paroxsihzem. For instance, the name chosen by this talented horde formed in 2007 in Toronto, Ontario derives from the word “paroxysm”, which means “a sudden attack or violent expression of a particular emotion or activity”, an honest and precise epitome of what their music represents and all the emotions that will arise when it starts penetrating your mind.

Although Abyss of Excruciating Vexes is a mini-album containing only four brand new compositions and a cover song, you will be able to witness the band moving towards a new and exciting direction in its 25 minutes of the fastest, most violent and most vicious material they have ever done. Featuring a visceral and disturbing artwork by the band’s own lead singer Krag, Abyss of Excruciating Vexes has all the elements we crave in Extreme Metal and more, turning this quick and incendiary album into a must-have item for the collection of any admirer and connoisseur of the darkened heavy music crafted in the underworld.

The dissonant beginning in Dillanties Torture warns the listener of the massacre that’s about to come, a gruesome Black and Death Metal onslaught led by the deep and sick growls by Krag where drummer Abyss seems to be under some kind of evil spell, blasting his furious nonstop beats and fills. In other words, this tune presents a demonic sonority forged in the pits of hell that will please all fans of traditional Black Metal. Then in Bellicose Psychosis you will face bestiality in the form of music, where Impugnor shows how he masters the art of creating wicked riffs, consequently building a dark atmosphere for Krag to fire his vociferations. I would say this is a fusion of pure Black Metal instrumental with pure Death Metal vocals, and the result couldn’t sound more impactful.

Paroxsihzem - photoImpugnor and Abyss are on their satanic mode in BZ Experiment, a song inspired by the Edgewood Arsenal human experiments conducted from 1948 to 1975 by the U.S. Army Chemical Corps, which musically speaking is presented by the band as a feast of blast beats and aggressive riffs and solos, with absolutely no signs of modernity or alternative elements, just plain old school devastation “made in Canada”. Then in the excellent Isolation the band needs less than five seconds to break your spinal cord with their brutal assault of Black Metal, with highlights to the awesome job done by Krag who goes from the deepest guttural a la Chris Barnes to vicious screams closer to what George “Corpsegrinder” Fischer does. Put differently, a powerful “tribute” to ancient and contemporary Cannibal Corpse in what’s the most insane tune of the MLP (and obviously the best).

Lastly, Paroxsihzem have a special gift for us entitled D.C.M., also known as “Dead Cunt Maniac”, a top-notch cover version for a classic song by French Black/Death metal act Arkhon Infaustus, but adding their own touch to the sounding. The song’s growls and riffs get to a truly Stygian level, with its ending leaving you completely disoriented so obscure it is. And you can listen to the entire MLP on the official Hellthrasher Productions’ YouTube channel, if you have an uncontrollable inner desire to experience that disorientation yourself.

All the brutality and doom ignited by Paroxsihzem can be enjoyed by visiting their Facebook page, while Abyss of Excruciating Vexes (which by the way serves as a bridge to the band’s next full-length album) is on sale at the Hellthrasher Productions’ BandCamp page or webshop, released exclusively on 12” vinyl and limited to only 250 copies. This is  high-end Canadian Extreme Metal that will suffocate you heartlessly, savagely and diabolically, or everything you always look for when in pursuit of evil music.

Best moments of the album: Isolation.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Hellthrasher Productions

Track listing
1. Dillanties Torture 7:06
2. Bellicose Psychosis 3:37
3. BZ Experiment 4:52
4. Isolation 4:00
5. D.C.M. (Arkhon Infaustus cover) 4:57

Band members
Krag – vocals
Impugnor – guitars, bass, backing vocals
Abyss – drums

Concert Review – Behemoth (Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 04/26/2016)

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The Satanist triumphed over Toronto, taking no prisoners in a memorable night of darkness and blasphemy.

OPENING ACT: Myrkur

Blasfemia Amerika Tour 2016Only a couple of weeks after watching Iron Maiden kicking fuckin’ ass in Montreal and Toronto, I knew my next concert had to be beyond amazing to keep the electricity flowing, otherwise I would start yawning during the show and not even a cold beer would wake me up. Fortunately, what I was able to witness yesterday at the Phoenix Concert Theatre here in Toronto together with thousands of other crazy metalheads was a fantastic night of obscure and blasphemous music, as part of the infamous Blasfemia Amerika Tour 2016. From start to finish, the night was absolutely flawless. And we were treated to the darkest and most amazing music we could possibly imagine as a warm-up for Behemoth, offered to us all by the gorgeous and charming Danish multi-instrumentalist and model Amalie Bruun, the mastermind behind the one-woman Black Metal project MYRKUR (or “darkness” in Icelandic).

IMG_1254For obvious reasons, our Valkyrie of Black Metal couldn’t deliver the whole concert by herself, having as a very solid support band guitarist Teloch (Mayhem), bassist Liam (Dillinger Escape Plan) and drummer Øyvind Myrvoll (Nidingr), helping her blast Myrkur’s entrancing music last night. She was responsible for both clean (almost operatic) and harsh vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar, dancing and more, though. Is there anything she cannot do? Anyway, with stunning compositions like Den Lille Piges Død (“the little girl’s death” in Danish), Mordet (“assassination”) and her flawless version for Bathory’s Song to Hall Up High, Amalie hypnotized the entire crowd, drawing sighs from every single person during the smoothest passages of her songs and inspiring some decent mosh pits during the heaviest moments. If anyone asked me to summarize Myrkur in only a couple of words, I would definitely select “beauty” and “beast”, and you’ll notice she does that personality split herself on purpose, having two microphones during her performance: her right one being used only for clean vocals, while the left one is used for her demonic screaming. Would this be her depiction of the angel on the right shoulder and the devil on the left? Also, almost at the same time she got flowers from a fan and thanked the audience for such an amazing reception, when a guy asked her to play some nonsense song, she replied with a gentle “suck my dick”. Do you want to know more about this angel of darkness? Go check her BandCamp page, where you can listen to everything she’s already released in her promising career.

Setlist
Den Lille Piges Død
Hævnen
Onde Børn (False Start)
Jeg Er Guden, I Er Tjenerne
Mordet
Dybt I Skoven
Skøgen Skulle Dø
Skaði
Song to Hall Up High (Bathory cover)
Norn (outro)

Band members
Myrkur – vocals, piano, guitar
Teloch – guitar
Liam – bass
Øyvind Myrvoll – drums

BEHEMOTH

IMG_1265Finally, one year after their last concert in Toronto, the best metal band in the history of Poland returned with their magnificent Blackened Death Metal to storm the city once again and leave us all completely disoriented when their black mass was over. If a regular BEHEMOTH gig is already outstanding, I have no words to describe what witnessing them playing The Satanist in its entirety followed by some of their biggest classics feels like. Not only each and every song from The Satanist was played to perfection, but the stage was also amazingly set and the theatrical performance by all band members was sensational. I hope no one from those stupid churches ever goes to a Behemoth concert in Toronto, otherwise they might be banished from Canada like it happened with the band in other places.

If Myrkur was the evil queen of the night, the one and only Adam “Nergal” Darski could be considered our hellish king (or should I say priest?), commanding his loyal bandmates and the entire crowd with his refined technique as a guitarist and his trademark growls. I was eager to see the classic Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel live for the first time, and after Nergal appeared holding two torches up high and the music started, I got even more than what I expected. In addition, after each song of The Satanist the band had something different to offer, either being a disturbing video on the background, some extra smoke, dark lighting, or a wicked narration connecting it to the following opus. I’m not even going to say how incredible my other two favorite chants of the album, Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer and the mesmerizing O Father O Satan O Sun!, sounded. You have to be there to feel their fury and darkness.

IMG_1284When The Satanist part of the gig was concluded, Nergal and his horde still had some classics to blast our ears and fuel the insane circle pits that were consuming the entire venue, starting with the bestial Pure Evil and Hate. If anyone lost their lives during the execution of this anthem, I wouldn’t be surprised. Moreover, both guitarist Patryk Dominik “Seth” Sztyber and bassist Tomasz “Orion” Wróblewski seemed to be having a great time during the encores, mainly due to the awesome reaction they got from the fans who couldn’t stop slamming into the pit, and especially during songs like Conquer All and the last one of their setlist, Chant for Eschaton 2000, two high-octane compositions that sound even more powerful live than their already demonic studio versions. Except for the considerable line at the end of the concert for the coat check, everything else was beyond perfect, lefting us all wondering when Behemoth will return to Toronto to take over our beloved city one more time.

Setlist
Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel
Furor Divinus
Messe Noire
Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer
Amen
The Satanist
Ben Sahar
In the Absence ov Light
O Father O Satan O Sun!

Encore:
Pure Evil and Hate
Antichristian Phenomenon
Conquer All

Encore 2:
At the Left Hand ov God
Slaves Shall Serve
Chant for Eschaton 2000

Band members
Adam “Nergal” Darski – lead vocals, guitars
Patryk Dominik “Seth” Sztyber – guitars
Tomasz “Orion” Wróblewski – bass guitar
Zbigniew Robert “Inferno” Promiński – drums and percussion

Album Review – Verment / Death’s Domain EP (2016)

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These up-and-coming metallers from Cincinnati, Ohio will show you how Death Metal can easily embrace elements from all other genres and subgenres of heavy music without losing its essence, always remaining loyal to its violent and gruesome roots.

Rating5

Deathsdoamin COVER HiDischarging their fast and furious Death Metal directly from the city of Cincinnati, Ohio to the entire world since 2012, American metallers Verment are ready to attack once again with their brand new EP entitled Death’s Domain. If you’re a fan of bands like Morbid Angel, Deicide, The Black Dahlia Murder, Suffocation and Angelcorpse, let me tell you that you’ll definitely have a very good time during the 24 minutes of deep vociferations, crushing beats and blazing riffs found in this unrelenting 7-track album.

Although some of the band’s main influences are purely Death Metal, Verment do not stick only to that genre of heavy music in their compositions, blending elements from Thrash, Melodic Death and even Blackened Death Metal in their musicality, not to mention they also add a modern twist to their sounding in order to sound fresher and more impactful than other regular Death Metal bands. And if you’re good at “deciphering” what lead singer and bassist Eric Payne is vociferating throughout the entire EP, your experience listening to Verment will become even more interesting than expected.

And the band is not kidding when they say they’re not purely Death Metal, as the excellent opening track Casket Fever is actually a bit more Thrash than Death Metal per se. Moreover, the growling by Eric Payne is full of anger and perfectly represents the message in the lyrics (“Exhuming corpses in the darkness / Taking from the hand of death / All to please the inner demon / That is keeping me from rest”), with the clean and melodic solos by Dustin Stockhoff bringing a welcome harmony to the music. That blustering fusion of extreme music subgenres also work really well in Amon’s Wrath, where Black and Death Metal are put together in a neck-breaking tune made to listen at top volume, full of violent riffs by Nick Moeller while drummer Alex Hooper is as heavy and precise as he can be behind his drum set.

VermentWings of Bone, which is perhaps the most Death Metal song of all, offers the listener two and a half minutes of brutal and technical devastation flawlessly led by Nick and Alex, with both deep guttural and sharper demonic growls by Eric being spot-on; while Vile Incisions leans towards more traditional Death Metal, especially due to its technical riffs and solos. In addition, Eric’s screams match perfectly with all instrumental pieces, with the last part of the song being a demented feast of blast beats commonly found in old school Black Metal. And get ready for the insane circle pits that will be generated by Obsolescence Reality, which has that constant metallic rhythm we all love in Death Metal, but with the addition of some nice breaks to add more flavor to it.

Before the album is over, their Thrash Metal vein returns in Chemical Indoctrination, without of course being less Death Metal than expected. It’s a faster and more straightforward tune where both Dustin and Nick have amazing performances with their riffs and solos, providing Eric all he needs to fire his hostile screams. And lastly, Parade of Filth closes the album in a solid way showcasing putrid lyrics that are the nightmare of every soccer mom (“It’s quite a sight to behold / All walks of life convening / It makes me sick to see this rotten malánge / Flesh folding over, repulsive odor / I am no better but I certainly do not reek of shit”), while Alex displays all his darkest abilities during the song’s almost four minutes. In other words, this is basically the opposite of mainstream, which means diehard fans of old school Death Metal will love it.

Whether you’re a hardcore Death Metal fan looking for a new addition to your collection of aggressive hymns, or a not-so-delicate soccer mom who felt significantly insulted when I said the music by Verment might be one of your worst nightmares, go check their Facebook, SoundCloud and ReverbNation for more of their venomous music. Death’s Domain, which can be purchased at the band’s BandCamp page, will show you once again why Death Metal is, and will forever be, the only type of extreme music that can easily embrace elements from all other genres and subgenres of heavy music without losing its essence, always remaining loyal to its roots.

Best moments of the album: Casket Fever and Wings of Bone.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Casket Fever 3:18
2. Amon’s Wrath 3:26
3. Wings of Bone 2:31
4. Vile Incisions 3:27
5. Obsolescence Reality 3:41
6. Chemical Indoctrination 3:30
7. Parade of Filth 3:47

Band members
Eric Payne – vocals, bass
Dustin Stockhoff – lead guitar
Nick Moeller – rhythm guitar
Alex Hooper – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Humanitas Error Est / Human Pathomorphism (2016)

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Mankind is nothing but a failed experiment in this sick world we live in, and this demented Black Metal horde from Germany is here to show you why.

Rating4

141-1Human Pathomorphism, a perverted or abnormal morphology (or study of the human form), is not only the debut full-length opus by German Black Metal horde Humanitas Error Est, but a cutting statement that mankind is nothing but a failed experiment in this sick world we live in. Furthermore, the name of the band translated from Latin already means “humanity is a mistake”, a pivotal detail that shows you the band is not fooling around, sending their sad but true message to everyone that somehow still believes our society has a promising future ahead even after all the shit we’ve been witnessing lately.

And this deranged army from the city of Leipzig, also known as the “boomtown of eastern Germany”, vehemently spills their venom against any type of religion throughout the entire album, which according to the band can be considered the first chapter of their pandemic hatred against mankind. Evidently, there couldn’t be a better sub-genre of heavy music to perfectly represent all their negative feelings and thoughts than our good old Black Metal, and due to the highly developed skills by each band member what we have is an extremely well-crafted sonic assault that achieves its main goal hands down.

The intro Destroyer Of Worlds gives you about a minute to get ready to be destroyed by the band, which is what will happen to you when you face their heavy artillery in Quod Homo Appellatur Morbus Est (or something like “that man called disease”, translated from Latin). What a fantastic massacre generated by those six musicians, sounding like a rawer version of Dimmu Borgir with a merciless approach. Their bursting Black Metal keeps crushing our minds in Pain Feeder, where Ahephaïm is a lunatic fringe on drums while the band’s own succubus S Caedes and the barbarian demon Ghoul provide us their most nightmarish growls, and despite the second half of the song slowing down a bit it ends up getting even more demonic than usual.

HEE-Band2-printOne interesting fact in Human Pathomorphism is that there isn’t a single second of silence between songs, and the insane fury emanating from the guitars by Tsar and Void114 in Jagdzeit (or “hunting season” in German) from the very first second of the song only corroborates that, leading to an important question: how can a band sound more violent than this? It’s a gargantuan level of devastation without a shadow of a doubt. Then we have some eerie sounds kicking off another boisterous chant entitled My Sexual Benediction, an ancient Black Metal tune with a disturbing musicality tailored for fans of the genre, followed by Raping Religions, a Black Metal hymn with hints of brutal Death Metal where S Caedes and Ghoul keep spewing their dark words upon humanity. Well, I guess the name of the song says it all.

In One Piece Human the listener will probably face the most disturbing rhythm of all, never getting too fast but always being deeply dark. In addition, all vocal lines are as hellish as possible (including some sick howling), with some blast beating moments adding more complexity to the overall result. Humanitas Error Est are back to their “wrecking mode” in Die Macht Deines Glaubens (“the power of your faith”, from German), with Tsar, Void114 and Ahephaïm becoming unstoppable music machines firing endless amounts of darkness through their instruments; whereas in Skinning Alive, a thrilling Blackened Death Metal tune, the guitar lines sound more metallic than ever. It’s four minutes of sheer savagery led by S Caedes (what a voice this woman has!) and Ghoul, or in other words, a spot-on ode to human violence. And why not closing the album with more inhumanity in the form of music, starting with a track fondly named Bestial Penetration? Albeit being a decent song, it lacks its own identity to differentiate it from the previous tracks. Nothing that damages the high quality of the album, though. And lastly we have the title-track Human Pathomorphism, which might not be exactly a full-bodied song, but it is definitely one of the most disquieting outros you’ll ever listen to.

Now that you have finally become aware of the soundtrack to human extinction crafted by Humanitas Error Est, go pay a visit to the band’s Facebook page and listen to their blatant music at their YouTube channel, SoundCloud and ReverbNation. And in order to truly show your support for this amazing band, you can buy your copy of Human Pathomorphism at their BandCamp page, at the Satanath Records’ BandCamp page or official webstore, or also at Discogs.com where you can find the regular version of the album as well as the digipak version including the official video for “Raping Religions”. Do you still believe humanity is not a mistake after listening to the music by Humanitas Error Est?

Best moments of the album: Quod Homo Appellatur Morbus Est, My Sexual Benediction and Die Macht Deines Glaubens.

Worst moments of the album: Bestial Penetration.

Released in 2016 Satanath Records

Track listing
1. Destroyer Of Worlds 0:55
2. Quod Homo Appellatur Morbus Est 3:26
3. Pain Feeder 3:42
4. Jagdzeit 3:06
5. My Sexual Benediction 5:09
6. Raping Religions 3:12
7. One Piece Human 6:23
8. Die Macht Deines Glaubens 1:58
9. Skinning Alive 4:14
10. Bestial Penetration 5:20
11. Human Pathomorphism 2:02

Band members
S Caedes – vocals
Ghoul – vocals
Tsar – guitar
Void114 – guitar
Rogan – bass
Ahephaïm – drums

Album Review – Sacrilegium / Anima Lucifera (2016)

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Behold the spawn of the scalding union between Pagan Black Metal and mysticism, crafted by an old school band from Poland that has risen from the ashes like a demonic phoenix.

Rating4

sacrilegium_anima_lucifera_1000x1000“I have known innumerable Gods
All ethereal and infinite…  the stars.
And I saw God in all the world’s substance
I saw that God is not the only God of the Ultimate Abyss…” – Faust, by Fernando Pessoa

Almost 20 years after the release of their debut album called Wicher, from 1996, Polish Pagan Black Metal warlocks Sacrilegium finally return with their second full-length opus, stylishly entitled Anima Lucifera. The album title, which translated from Latin means “soul of light”, refers directly to a line from a poem by Polish poet Leopold Staff, whose poetry also feature together with the works of important names such as W. B. Yeats and Fernando Pessoa in the fervent lyrics by the band’s lead singer, founder and mastermind Nantur (also known as simply “N”). With that said, you can already envision what you’ll find when you start listening to this excellent extreme music album.

Exploring occult themes which accompanied the band members at the beginning of their journey in the 90’s in Wejherowo, a town in northern Poland not far from the city of Gdańsk, but at the same time expressing the experience the band has gained over the past 20 years not only as musicians but also as human beings, Anima Lucifera offers a lot more to the listener than “just” traditional Black Metal. This esoteric content can be seen already on the artwork by underground designer Marcin Lojek (Thaw, Nadja, Sunrise), building a connection between Sacrilegium’s aggressive past and their arcane and freakish present (and future).

And Sacrilegium actually start the opening track, Preludium / Heavenwings Shrugged, in a completely different way from their 1996 debut, sounding very esoteric, but that’s just until their crude and vicious old school Black Metal feast begins, with the bestial riffs by guitarist Suclagus (or simply “S”) shining amidst the blast beats fired by drummer R. A similar pattern is found in Angelus (Anima Lucifera), where an angelical ambience brings comfort to our hearts in a less ferocious rhythm with some elements of traditional Heavy Metal and even Gothic Metal added to it. The harsh snarls by N and the awesome solos by S make this tune one of my favorites of the entire album, with its second half exploding into brutal Black Metal for the total delight of fans of the genre.

Sacrilegium band 2015Their eccentric and occult vein keeps flourishing in Mare Tenebrarum by blending mysticism with sheer barbarism, and if you love the disturbing sound of Black Metal drumming I can assure you what R provides in this chant is exactly what you’re looking for. Also more melodic than usual, The Serpent Throne showcases a passionate and flammable performance by the entire band, with its spot-on background keyboards increasing its effectiveness. Once again, the music morphs into a violent tune and the band’s characteristic uproar returns at full force, haunting us all until its fiendish ending connects with the next track, entitled …and Soul. A solid riffage and a smooth piano lead the sounding on the first half of the song, and following the band’s distinct “formula” they fire Black Metal like there’s no tomorrow after a short while with highlights to the cavernous growls by N.

Venomous Spell Of Fate transpires brutality and despair from the very first second, with some nice breaks added to provide more intricacy to the overall result. Moreover, R is on his beast mode behind his drum set, contributing to boost the malignancy found in this bestial chant. And following that sonic massacre, dissonant noises kick off the chthonic tune named Desiderium Immortalis, where N offers some possessed screams throughout the whole song. It’s sheer Black Metal with nothing truly remarkable in it, but at least it keeps the album at a good level of quality. Lastly, how about an 8-minute feast of demonic growls, blast beats and guitar riffs played at the speed of light to conclude Anima Lucifera? This is what you’ll be able to enjoy in Anima Lucifera / Epilog, with N leading some sort of black mass so demented his harsh screams are. Thus, when the music is over we have three minutes of obscure and eerie passages similar to how the album started, closing the Black Metal circle generated by Sacrilegium.

Do you want to know more about this old school Polish institution and their rousing Pagan Black Metal? Simply go check their Facebook page for more information on the band, and buy your copy of Anima Lucifera at their BandCamp page or at the Pagan Records’ BandCamp page to truly feel how boisterous and esoteric they can sound at the same time. Sacrilegium offer the perfect marriage between Extreme Metal and mysticism, and they want you to behold the spawn of this scalding union through their devilish music.

Best moments of the album: Angelus (Anima Lucifera), The Serpent Throne and Venomous Spell Of Fate.

Worst moments of the album: Desiderium Immortalis.

Released in 2016 Pagan Records

Track listing
1. Preludium / Heavenwings Shrugged 5:44
2. Angelus (Anima Lucifera) 4:29
3. Mare Tenebrarum 4:33
4. The Serpent Throne 4:49
5. …and Soul 4:53
6. Venomous Spell Of Fate 4:22
7. Desiderium Immortalis 4:35
8. Anima Lucifera / Epilog 8:18

Band members
N (Nantur) – vocals
S (Suclagus) – guitars
C – bass
R – drums

Album Review – Rapheumets Well / The Exile (2016)

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Once you let your soul become part of the electrifying saga brought forth by this unstoppable Extreme Metal act from the United States, there’s no turning back.

Rating4

Rapheumets Well - The Exile 2016 - Album Cover- smallNot only the small city of Hickory, located in the state of North Carolina, United States has a Symphonic/Progressive Black Metal band, but the music played by this band is so complex and thrilling I wouldn’t be surprised if suddenly the city turned into a worldwide reference for this type of Extreme Metal. Thus, if you like the theatrical havoc generated by Fleshgod Apocalypse and Dimmu Borgir, for example, you’ll fall in love for the music found in The Exile, the brand new concept album by the symphonic horde known as Rapheumets Well. Formed in 2008 and having released their debut album Dimensions in 2014, which featured ten songs that progressively tell a larger story portrayed in a complex saga of Atai (ancient architects), who aid in the propagation of sentient life throughout the multi-verse, Rapheumets Well return with the second “chapter” of a narrative that will blow your mind while their music penetrates deep into your soul.

Taking place during the “Soyumoth’s War” in the plain of Sovael, The Exile is in fact a fictional journey that viciously represents the hardships of life in a weird and complex way, thoroughly engendered by drummer and lyricist Joshua “Nassaru” Ward. In order to get in touch with this alternative universe created by Joshua, you can take a look at Sovael – The Great Divergence, which is indeed the inspiration for both of the band’s albums, or maybe I should say the albums are the soundtrack for the saga. Either way, I recommend you take a deep breath before you dive into the world of Rapheumets Well, because things are about to get extremely serious, heavy, symphonic and epic.

The acoustic intro in the opening track, Resurrecting The Blood Gate, doesn’t last long as symphonic and blasting sounds quickly invade our ears in a majestic way, with lead singer Tripp King vociferating the lyrics like a lunatic beast. Moreover, the sonority crafted by Joshua on drums is nicely complemented by keyboardist Aaron Rogers, enhancing the complexity and punch of this tune. In The Blight of Sotath Shal, wicked keyboards explode into brutal Black Metal with guitarists Daniel Presnell and Hunter Ross delivering solid riffs while Joshua keeps firing his blast beats, whereas in The Epic of Darmak, even more imposing and dense, the beautiful female vocals by Annette Greene provide a gentle balance to all destruction led by Tripp, turning this into one of the best songs of the album for sure.

Rapheumets WellCrucible of Titans (an awesome name for a song, by the way) couldn’t sound less violent and transcendent, with its polished production enhancing the reach of each instrument and therefore making us feel them inside our minds during this powerful blend of Atmospheric and Symphonic Black Metal; followed by Resurgence, a chant full of melancholy and anger where all three vocalists have amazing performances and, once again, the keyboards by Aaron generate a wicked atmosphere. In addition, this is the best song to enjoy the intricate bass lines by Jon Finney, especially if you’re a lover of the rumbling sound generated by this distinct instrument.

In Witch of Dark Spire, a lot more direct but as powerful as all previous tracks, the guitars by Daniel and Hunter are absolutely on fire, turning this into the most metallic of all tunes. However, in order to add some romance to this sonic havoc, we have Annette sounding like an angelic spirit with her smooth vocals. The title-track The Exile elevates even more the overall quality of the album, showcasing an astral intro that gently flows into potent and visceral music. Joshua is insanely amazing on drums with his fills and unstoppable beats, not to mention the yet again elaborate guitar riffs by both Daniel and Hunter and the demonic growls by Tripp. And as a formidable conclusion to this epic saga, Planetary Cenotaph brings forward more Symphonic Metal and huge doses of brutality meticulously tailored for all types of metalheads, with highlights to the entrancing ambience crafted by both Aaron and Annette.

While the aforementioned “Soyumoth’s War” goes on at the plain of Sovael, you can join Rapheumets Well on Facebook, YouTube, ReverbNation and SoundCloud, and grab your copy of this intense and multilayered soundtrack named The Exile at the band’s BandCamp page or at the Test You Metal Records’ Big Cartel page. But let me warn you that once you let your soul become part of the electrifying saga brought forth by Rapheumets Well, there’s no turning back.

Best moments of the album: Resurrecting The Blood Gate, The Epic of Darmak and The Exile.

Worst moments of the album: The Blight of Sotath Shal.

Released in 2016 Test Your Metal Records

Track listing
1. Resurrecting The Blood Gate 4:44
2. The Blight of Sotath Shal 3:53
3. The Epic of Darmak 4:59
4. Crucible of Titans 4:14
5. Resurgence 6:07
6. Witch of Dark Spire 5:17
7. The Exile 6:13
8. Planetary Cenotaph 5:05

Band members
Tripp King – harsh vocals
Annette Greene – choir, female clean vocals
Daniel Presnell – guitar
Hunter Ross – guitar
Jon Finney – bass
Aaron Rogers – keyboards
Joshua “Nassaru” Ward – drums, clean vocals

Album Review – Rotting Christ / Rituals (2016)

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The Greek gods of Black Metal return with a brand new opus that sounds more ritualistic and occult than ever, but as heavy and visceral as usual.

Rating4

rotting christ_ritualsI’m pretty sure most metalheads will agree with me when I say Rituals, the brand new opus by Greek Black/Dark Metal institution Rotting Christ, would be the perfect soundtrack to the most intense and gruesome epic movie of all time, making even classics like Gladiator look like a teen movie. Rituals does not offer just another selection of Extreme Metal songs crafted by this iconic band from Athens, Greece, but instead a sequence of ritualistic battle chants tailored to inspire us to grab our swords, shields and armors and be prepared to fight in this Holy War until our inevitable and sanguinary end comes.

In fact, this blend of Extreme Metal with History, religion and culture offered by Rotting Christ is not news to anyone. This has been a constant in the distinct career of this awesome Greek act since their inception in 1987, and with each and every new record they go deeper and deeper into the selected topics and themes, always improving the more contemporary blackened-Gothic style from their latest albums. Add to that the several guest musicians featured in Rituals and the band’s usual controversy in regards to their lyrics, and there you have another excellent album that will surely keep Rotting Christ more than relevant in the world of extreme music.

We already face a religious call to arms in the opening track, entitled In Nomine Dei Nostri (“In the Name of Our God”, from Latin), featuring guest vocalist George Zacharopoulos, who helps Rotting Christ in providing the album a solid start. Musically speaking, this tune is remarkably potent and imposing, a sonic battle that gradually grows within time and that gets even more impactful due to its demonic chorus. זה נגמר (Ze Nigmar), or “It’s Over”, is a dark and mysterious song about death and failure written in the official language of Jesus Christ (Aramaic) and is referred on his last 7 sentences on the cross, displaying the band’s trademark sonority with the guitar riffs by the band’s mastermind Sakis Tolis and the talented George Emmanuel creating a mesmerizing aura; while the high-octane tune Ἐλθὲ κύριε (Elthe Kyrie), or “Come Lord” from Greek, features Danai Katsameni (an actress of the National Hellenic Theater) vociferating some disturbing and desperate vocals which end up bringing a fantastic vibe to the music, not to mention those screams match flawlessly with the deeper growling by Sakis.

I simply love how many different languages and dialects are used by the band, always providing a fresh touch to their music, and in Les Litanies de Satan (Les Fleurs du Mal), or “The Litanies of Satan (The Flowers of Evil)” from French, that couldn’t be different, with the music generating a belligerent ambience that provides guest vocalist Vorph (Samael) all he needs to darkly declaim the song’s French lyrics (“Toi dont l’oeil clair connaît les profonds arsenaux / Où dort enseveli le peuple des métaux, / Toi dont la large main cache les precipices / Au somnambule errant au bord des edifices”). And as heavy and tribal as it can be, Ἄπαγε Σατανά (Apage Satana), the Greek for  “Begone, Satan”, brings forward a hellish march where its background noises and vociferations add an extra layer of obscurity to this disturbing chant, sounding like a satanic mantra at times.

rotting christIn Του θάνατου (Tou Thanatou), or “Death’s” from Greek, although you can hear straightforward Black Metal in the background, the music is at the same time very melodic and ritualistic, with hints of Symphonic Gothic Metal enhancing even more the quality of this beautiful cover version for a traditional Greek song by Nikos Xylouris. The initial and final narrations in For a Voice like Thunder (taken from the Prologue to “King Edward the Fourth” by William Blake) are obscurely amazing thanks to the fantastic contribution by the one and only Nick Holmes, who together with Sakis and his crew makes sure there are plenty of Gothic and Doom Metal elements from his band Paradise Lost added to the music.

Dark shadows continue to be over the music by Rotting Christ in Konx om Pax, which means  “Watch and do no harm” from Greek or “Light rushing out in a single ray” from Egyptian, another solid war-like composition where all instruments sound powerful, especially the sustained drumming by Themis Tolis and the song’s background keyboards. The same can be said about देवदेवं (Devadevam), or “God of Gods” from Sanskrit, a more melancholic and somber tune featuring guest singer Kathir which despite being very complex and dense, it lacks the Black Metal “venom” found in the other songs of the album. And the grand finale in Rituals comes in the form of a unique cover version for a psychedelic tune by Greek Progressive Rock band Aphrodite’s Child, entitled The Four Horsemen, where Themis and bassist Van Ace have exceptional performances while Sakis continues firing his bestial and effective growls.

There are so many details, so much content and so much to absorb in Rituals (which can be listened in its entirety HERE) that it becomes extremely difficult for an occasional listener of Rotting Christ to understand and enjoy everything the band is offering. However, if you’re a fan of occult and extreme music with a robust production and a primeval background, I’m sure you’ll have a very productive time listening to each “ritual” of the album. Rituals will take you to a time where crossing the thin line between war and religion was just a matter of accepting or not that the world we live in is hopeless, and there’s nothing we can do to change its wretched destiny.

Best moments of the album: In Nomine Dei Nostri, Ἐλθὲ κύριε (Elthe Kyrie) and Του θάνατου (Tou Thanatou).

Worst moments of the album: देवदेवं (Devadevam).

Released in 2016 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. In Nomine Dei Nostri 4:57
2. זה נגמר (Ze Nigmar) 4:43
3. Ἐλθὲ κύριε (Elthe Kyrie) 4:49
4. Les Litanies de Satan (Les Fleurs du Mal) 3:55
5. Ἄπαγε Σατανά (Apage Satana) 3:50
6. Του θάνατου (Tou Thanatou) (Nikos Xylouris cover) 3:37
7. For a Voice like Thunder 6:11
8. Konx om Pax 6:21
9. देवदेवं (Devadevam) 5:18
10. The Four Horsemen (Aphrodite’s Child cover) 5:24

Special Digibox bonus track
11. Lok’tar Ogar 4:25

Band members
Sakis Tolis – vocals, guitars
George Emmanuel – guitars
Van Ace – bass
Themis Tolis – drums

Guest musicians
George Zacharopoulos – additional vocals on “In Nomine Dei Nostri”
Danai Katsameni – additional vocals on “Ἐλθὲ κύριε (Elthe Kyrie)”
Vorph – additional vocals on “Les Litanies de Satan (Les Fleurs du Mal)”
Nick Holmes – additional vocals on “For a Voice like Thunder”
Kathir – additional vocals on “देवदेवं (Devadevam)”