Graveland - The Celtic Winter

'Nuff said

Pervertum - Creature of Ungod

Alright, time for the first Trifixion post.  It had to happen sooner or later so I guess now is as good a time as any.  This dude is notorious as far as I'm concerned, not only for being the John Lennon of Austrian Black metal, but for being one ferocious beast on the skins.  Trifixion of the Horned God, one time drummer for Tolkein metal band Summoning, formed Pervertum after his forced departure from said band.  Why they kicked him out I do not know, although its been said he had an ego as big as this horse he rode in on, and after this album he rode off on his horse, never to be seen again.

Honestly, I don't know why I make a fuss over this guy.  His drumming is pretty great and quirky but there are much better metal drummers in the grand scheme of things.  I think its the mystery behind him, the unknown.  If he ever does come back down to Earth, I know that his horse will be waiting for him, and together they'll kick ass, take names, and ride off into the sunset.

Creature of Ungod

Cephalectomy - Eclipsing The Dawn

These Nova Scotian death-grind freaks pick up where Kataklysm left off on their classick Temple of Knowledge.  Outlandish and titillating Northern Mystigrind!

Eclipsing The Dawn

Dødheimsgard - Supervillain Outcast

Hotdamn, DHG blew the roof off the joint when they dropped this bomb a few years back.  This is the kind of wildly experimental technical black metal that Mayhem should have been making, instead of mucking around in a slurry of their own pretentiousness.  DHG come out with some awesome riffs, but for me its all about the drumming.  I crave Czral's drumming.  His blastbeats are perfection.  He's the kind of musician who can play anything and make it sound good.  He could come out with a horror rapcore project and it would probably be album of the year.  Well, lets hope he doesn't.  Another DHG album would be nice though.

Supervillain Outcast 

Joyless - Wisdom & Arrogance

Cranberries meets the Pixies with depressive black metal overtones.  Brilliant.

Wisdom & Arrogance

Crookers - Knobbers ep

Attention!  Every Monday shall henceforth be known as Guilty Pleasure Mondays, and to commence this glorious proclamation I present to you my first guilty pleasure, Crookers!

Crookers is an Italian DJ duo of Bot and Phra.  Their jams are sure to make you drop down back your ass up and start dry humpin' whatever is closest to you when the needle drops.  Infectiously raunchy tunes for your next booty call.

Had to remove link, but you can find this anywhere if you really want it.

Orpheus In Mourning - Prelude to the Epic of Gilgamesh

What to make of this 3 song demo?  Lots of sparkling keyboards, guitar leads everywhere and raspy vocals.   Comes dangerously close to sounding like a Renaissance Faire at times.  It is a bit odd that the songs are about ancient Mesopatamia and it sounds like medieval Europe.  Will either have you scratching your head or breaking out your FUBU chainmail.

Enkidu, Born of Mud

Ahrimah - Ain Soph Aur

Bizarrely archaic progressive death metal from Poland circa 1994.  If this ain't underground enough for ya go grab a shovel.

Ain Soph Aur

Lost Horizon - Awakening The World

OTT Power Metal from some cape wearing Swedes.  The cover art is fantastic and involves further inspection...not sure exactly whats going on there...

Awaken

Setherial - Lords Of The Nightrealm

Another release featuring Otto "Moloch" Wiklund on blastbeats.  A subterranean hellscape of a sound that conjures up images of blackened quarries, devilish hoofprints and rugous calamites.

Lords of the Nightrealm

Modry Efekt & Radim Hladik

Radim Hladik is a Czech guitar virtuoso who starred in the legendary beat group The Matadors.  In 1968 he started Modry Efekt.  This LP from '74 rocks really fuckin' hard, and there's a shit ton of jazz flute.  Hladik continues to amaze audiences to this day with his various theatrical tricks.

Radim

Vorace - Vorace

If Prong got all wasted on absinthe and recorded Cleansing drunk from a tunnel.

Vorace

Psychotic Waltz - Into the Everflow

Buddy Lackey and crew's second album.  If these guys were on drugs I want to know what kind and where I can get alot if it.

Into The Everflow

In Battle - Rage of the Northmen

More blasting Swedish darkness.  A sound that takes Immortal's Battles In the North to more melodic places.  One of my favorite black metal drummers, Otto "Moloch" Wiklund played on this release.

90% blastbeats

Benediction - Transcend the Rubicon

This is the first death metal cd I ever bought, back when Slackers in Fairview Heights had the "nice price" of $6.66 for all their death metal cds.  The fantastic Seagrave cover art drew me in and I was hooked.  Just in case you're interested in what a Rubicon is...I had to look it up.

Transcend

Battlelust - Of Battle and Ancient Warcraft

This Swedish band specializes in extremely generic black metal of the blastbeat-ridden variety.  Bear in mind that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being generic.  In fact, ever since I've moved to NY, I've found myself turning to this type of music more and more.  There is just something about this album that puts me at ease while I'm stuck in a crowded subway like a pack of sardines.

Godamn L Train

Animal & Southern Chapter

I remember playing a show at the Belleville Skate Park with Animal back in '03 or '04, and the man truly lived up to his name.  He ran all over those ramps, up and down a halfpipe all the while soloing and singing on his headset microphone.  He even fell flat on his face but didn't miss a lick on that guitar.  His backing band was amazing too.  The bassist was confined to a wheelchair with MS and the drummer was mentally challenged (he almost missed the show because he got lost trying to park their van, why they let him drive I have no idea).  Despite all their handicaps every single one of them played their hearts out.  They put our band to shame, in fact their set was one of the great displays of showmanship that I've ever had the pleasure of seeing.  So enjoy some good ol' Rock'n'Roll courtesy of Animal and the boys.

UR Best

Mïsogi - Wakemitama

Progressive Black Metal from the Land of the Rising Sun.  Eikenskaden challenges Arcturus to Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu in a sushi bar while Fenriz sings karaoke...

Wakemitama

Panacea - Temple of Madness

Odd and obscure black metal from the deepest recesses of Russia.  This is some cool shit right here providing many WTF moments.  Unfortunately, the internets is really letting me down as far as info on this band, but as far as I can tell its one man's chronicle of his descent into the abyss.

Temple of Madness

Cales - Uncommon Excursion

Blackosh from Root progs out with a bunch of his friends!  Short catchy songs with polarizing vocals.

Uncommon Excursion

Mgła - Groza

Its amazing what a little well placed double kick can do for a song.  One of the best Black metal releases of the past couple years.

Dread

Rolling Stones - Tattoo You

Yup that's actually Mick on the cover, I didn't believe it till I looked it up.  This is the record that has "Start Me Up" on it, but its also got some really great lesser known cuts like "Little T & A" and "Tops."

The bitch keeps bitchin'

Canvas Solaris - Irradiance

Boy these guys keep getting better and better.  This was one of my most anticipated albums of the year, and so far it has not disappointed in the slightest!  Beautiful cover art to ice this fucking cake.

Irradiance

Ases - Of Moonlords And Sunwheelwarriors

Chaotic Celtic Black Metal War from France with a wacky drum machine.  Had the title track on repeat at work today for a good two hours, talk about getting things done!

Ases High

S.M.E.S. - The Good, The Bad & Me

No, S.M.E.S. isn't a scrambled spelling of mess, although that would be all too fitting.  S.M.E.S. is actually an acronym for the Dutch phrase "Schijten Met Een Stijve", which loosely translated means "to shit with a hard on."  Techno-cybergrind is the name of the game, and judging from the shit-eating grin of that charming little critter on the cover, you're in for a swell time.

The Good, The Bad & Me

Capricornus - Alone Against All

One thing I never figured out about this album is why Capricornus decided to use a drum machine when he himself is a drummer.  He pounded the skins on some of the all time great Graveland records, so he obviously has the chops.  Oh well, some mysteries may just go unsolved.  One thing that isn't a mystery is how brilliant this record is.  Capricornus has crafted some epics based around enchanting guitar lines and, dare I say, sophisticated song structures.  It may be strange to call an album like this sophisticated when there's an angry mongrel guarding a doc marten on the cover, but songs like Rivers of Blood go down oh so smooth.

Alone Against All

Magma - Magma

Going to see these guys tomorrow night at the Highline Ballroom. Can't wait to see Christian Vander in action.  Here is Magma's first LP which got them started on their whole Kobaïan legacy.

Zeuhl

Diskord - Doomscapes

Really cool atmospheric tech-death album by a few Norwegian unknowns.  Reminds me of a stoner-punk infused Gorguts or a more streamlined Stargazer.  Another reference point would be Cadaver's In Pains, but maybe I'm only hearing that because they're both Norwegian.  Anyway, this album has a nice loose and live feel that goes surprisingly well with such intricate material.  They also have a song called Reptilian Ancestry that has a didgeridoo interlude and is just fucking awesome.

Reptiles

Impiety - Kaos Kommand 696

Possibly the most fun war metal album ever.  Back when this came out I was living with my Grandmother.  She hated most of the music I listened to but especially this one.  I have to hand it to the old girl she was a good sport about it, and often I would put on some Burl Ives afterward to sort of cleanse the palate and make her happy.

Grandmas hate Impiety

Sorhin - Apokalypsens Ängel

Swedish black metal band that I feel has never gotten its just deserts.  Both albums they put out, Apokalypsens Ängel being their second, are just fantastic shredding black metal.  This is most definitely a Riff album varying between chaotic thrash and mid paced dirge that is uniquely melodious and always memorable.  Guitar tone is a bit noisy, and actually turned me off the first few times I listened, but I must say that it does add to the occult feelings that I'm sure were intended by Sorhin.  An all time classic, just for Blomman Af Mitt Hjärta, Blomman På Din Grav alone.

Apokalypsens Ängel

Goat Thrower - Cult of the Germanic Horde

There are many different activities you can do with your goat.  You can milk it, wean it, brush its hair, stream holiday decorations from its horns, but one thing you should never ever do is throw it.  Case in point is Cult of the Germanic Horde.  The Mad Arab and Sabbatic Goat, in a mad frenzy of goat throwing, fucked up their equilibrium so badly that they permanently lost all sense of musical direction.  Actually, the music really ain't so bad.   Pretty decent old school blackthrash with a bit of an epic feel to it.  The vocals are where things go awry, or start to get good depending on your disposition.  Sabbatic Goat may have been trying to replicate the sound of a whinnying billy goat with his effects laden yalping.  All in all its a fun album to listen to even if these guys were taking the piss.

Throw a goat

Denny Sellers - Meanderings

The man, the myth, the legend. I'm not even sure what to call this exactly. There's acoustic rainfall strumming, 8track-recorded Misfits romp, drunken train track crooning, Axl Rose-style histrionics and a very special guest. To these ears it all falls under the umbrella of...

SpookProg

Necrocock - Praktiky Pohrebnich Ustavu

This guy is a real piece of work, but I love him. Hell, I love all the members of Master's Hammer and their various side projects and offshoots... Fanta Storm, Marcel Valenta, even that creepy guy with the hitler moustache. Out of all of them, Necrocock has probably made out the best with his eponymous band and Kaviar Kavalier. To call this guy sleazy would be a gross gross understatement, but he can write some damn catchy, atmospheric goth rock. Although truth be told I'd rather be listening to Master's Hammer, which come to think of it would be a fantastic slogan to put on a t-shirt or bumper sticker. In fact I'm gonna go ahead and trademark that right

Now

Watchtower - Control and Resistance

Back when I was starting to venture into the more esoteric branches of heavy metal, I wanted to get my hands on the wildest, craziest sounding shit possible. Luckily I happened upon the terrible Texans of Watchtower. Wild wailing vocals, jazz fusion drumming, bass way high up in the mix, and the genius/madness that is guitarist Ron Jarzombek. For example...

This is the kind of insanity that made the kids go gaga in the '80's.. At least the kids with frizzy hair, bad skin and white high tops. Truly an excellent album.

Control and Resistance!

These fellas are still around and dropped a hot single earlier this year. I believe they'll have a full length coming out entitled Mathematics. Stay tooned.

The Size of Matter

Iron Fist - Metal Ages

Maniac Butcher has a new album out, but this will always be the prettiest feather in Mr. Hrom's and Mr. Blasphemer's cap. If I ever get in a pissy mood, I just pull out the lyric sheet from this ep and I feel all better. Thanks Barbarud, thanks.

Screams 'n' Wailz