The Tradition Must Go On

Have a COOL YULe Fuckers!

One Man Black Metal Series 1-3

A pretty well done series of vids put out by VICE offshoot NOISEY. Features in depth interviews with the guys behind Leviathan, Striborg and Xasthur. No huge surprises (they don't like society, they rather be alone, can't relate to most people blah blah blah). I'm really envious of the Striborg guy's place in Tasmania, how cool would it be to live there??!

A Holiday Tradition

Happy XMas...Fuckers!!

Soror Dolorosa - Blind Scenes

Darkwave from one of the guys responsible for French dissonant bm’s Darvulia.. I’ve caught myself daydreaming to this one…it has such an easy dreamy atmosphere to get lost in. A definite “mood” record, and I feel this mood often. Why Yes, I AM a sad sack.

Blind Scenes

Leviathan - True Traitor, True Whore

The best I've heard from Leviathan since the Verrater demo collection...maybe, not coincidentally, that's because there are a couple songs from Verrater included on this one (Blood Red & True, Shed This Skin). At any rate, I've enjoyed True Traitor much, much more than I thought I would...solid album.

True Traitor, True Whore

Bethlehem - Sardonischer Untergang im Zeichen irreligiöser Darbietung

Bethlehem's self-described "dark metal" fits most uncomfortably between the cold Norse black metal stylings of a Ved Buens Ende or a Dodheimsgard...and some of the outsider Italian Spookprog doom of a Paul Chain or even the darkwave inspired band Monumentum, and well...I'll stop making comparisons because Bethlehem (at least on their first few albums) were forging their own sound, a totally unique entity that focused not on evil but on pain...musick as thee outlet for pain that was otherwise unresolveable, and that might never be resolved. Complete mental darkness.
S.U.i.Z.i.D (and it's predecessors) did much to influence the depressive black metal genre, first with their disturbed imagery and secondly with their unwholesome avant-garde vibes..the razor sharp, tortured vocals..the desolate uncompromising ring of solemn notes..the cascading gothic melodies..all creating a sound that is simply mesmerizing and uncompromisingly grim. You may feel like killing yourself after listening to this, but then you would just be depriving yourself of the sheer pleasure of listening to it again and again and again and...

S.U.i.Z.i.D

Todtgelichter - Angst

Probably the best black metal album released in the last few years…I know I said that about Rossomahaar and MGLA but these Krauts have them beat. Imagine Nagelfar’s Srontgorrth combined with The Postman Syndrome’s Terraforming the result is so awesome that if I would’ve known about it sooner Angst would’ve topped my Beast of List for last year no questions asked. So many key tracks on this album but I guess it says something that Subway is the number one played song in my itunes. Addictive, depressive, enlightening, stupendous!

Angst

Shroud of Despondency - For Eternity Brings No Hope

Another good one for that thaw of deep winter.  Weird and melancholy blackness with plenty of great acoustic interludes and a sense of humor. Can you stand George Carlin clips being played over folky black metal riffs?  Tis a question only the most hearty of soul can answer...

For Eternity Brings No Hope

Octagon - The Spectacles Held So Dear

"Singular to the very last, this is warring esoteric metal of the highest order:  Labyrinthine angularity, effectively fleeting bouts of lucid melodicism, black/death/doom/war/goat-contortionism with an added, profound poignancy, chaotically, self-combustible but loose'n'logical all the same, alchemical metallurgy defined - without hyperbole, you need to hear this band right-fucking-NOW" ...from Nathan Birk's wonderful Apokalyptik Raidz column Jan '05 issue of the now sadly defunct Metal Maniacs...I just wanted to get it cuz the title made it sound like it was about a very special pair of reading glasses...maybe a Rosebud type of situation. Notwithstanding all that, this is a very unique album which to my ears sounds like a mix between Canadian culters Rites of Thy Degringolade and the Dirty South sounds of Nawlean's Acid Bath...an intriguing proposal.

The Spectacles Held So Dear

Circle of Ouroborus/Crooked Necks - Ruins of Resurrection

Circle of Ouroborus have always been a wonderfully occult group of psychedelic enthusiasts, but it might be Crooked Necks (who I had never heard of before this release) who steal the split.  The Neckers melodic sense and use of clean git jangle brings to mind a black metalized version of Brit post-punkers Comsat Angels. Just try Poisoning the Seed or Nothing Was Ever There on for size and tell me I'm wrong.  Totally solid.

COO/Crooked Neck

Satchmo presents Stompin' at the Savoy + A Holiday Treat

I don't know what's more impressive, Danny Barcelona's drum solo, or how good ol' Satch reacts to it!


Christmas, Satchmo Style

Nekros Manteia - Deus Otiosus

Chilling Aussie Black Metal with an obscure and psychotic atmosphere.  Brings to mind the Frenchmen Smohalla (who are also great).  I like this new breed of Depressive Black Metal band that isn't afraid to go and do crazy instead of the same old riff repeat ad nauseam.

Deus Otiosus

Mütiilation - Black Millenium (Grimly Reborn)

Reminds me of an old Dennis Miller quip where he's asked by fundamentalist Christians to be "reborn" through Christ to which he replies "pardon me for getting it right the first time".  I can only imagine what being grimly reborn is like.  Baptism in goat blood?  Reenactment of the birthing process through a replica of Courtney Love's vag?  Gee, sounds grand.  To see how it affected Mutiilation main man Willy Roussel I never want to go through that process.  Mutherfucker's so crippled he's in a wheelchair AND wearing orthopedic boots.  He so blind he's got to hold a candelabra up to his face just to make out shapes.  Besides the obvious outlandishness, no one makes black metal like this guy.  By far and away my most favorite of the Les Legion Noires bands.

Grimely Reborn