Paganizer - World Lobotomy

The world can't go for more than a few months between releases featuring everyone's favorite guitarist Rogga Johansson. Paganizer's newest release World Lobotomy only continues his reign as one of the most prolific names in death metal. Paganizer never leaves much to the imagination. They've always sounded like a less abrasive Putrevore mixed with a less catchy Revolting or Bone Gnawer. It's very standard death metal even if none of it is really bad.

World Lobotomy is no different. Like Into The Catacombs before it, there are groovy moments of catchiness hidden between the recycled riffs. The closing melody on "Mass Of Parasites," the main riff of "You Call It Deviance," closer "Hunt Eat Repeat," and the d-beat sections in the second half of the album tend to stick around a bit longer than the occasionally shoddy verse riffing. It's a shame since Paganizer has always been a second-rate project in Johansson's catalog at least for me, and this album doesn't really do much to change that. Some tracks just feel like they were throwaway ideas that end before going anywhere - "As The Maggots Gather," the pointless intro track, and "As Blood Grows Cold" all fit this description.

The production and mixing is fine and archetypal. There's a little bit separating this one and last year's Macabre Kingdom by Putrevore but it's nothing worth even discussing. In a year starred with great death metal releases, Paganizer have to try a little harder to impress me.

5.5 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Prelude To The Lobotomy
2. World Lobotomy
3. The Sky On Fire
4. Mass Of Parasites
5. As Blood Grows Cold
6. Ödeläggaren
7. You Call It Deviance
8. As The Maggots Gather
9. Trail Of Human Decay
10. The Drowners
11. The Last Chapter
12. Hunt Eat Repeat

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Thou Art Lord - The Regal Pulse Of Lucifer

Sakis Tolis is an interesting figure. Rotting Christ started out as a pretty sweet grindcore outfit before moving towards black metal and eventually a dark, ambiguous extreme metal sound. As a side project he founded Thou Art Lord with George Zacharopoulos (of underground Necromantia fame) under the pseudonym Necromayhem in 1993 and since then they've served as Sakis' vehicle for a more abrasive, guttural sound. I've only heard Thou Art Lord's material post-2002 in which Sakis became the primary vocalist.

Now on NWN! Prod, Thou Art Lord continue their satanic Greek terror campaign.

The more conventional Rotting Christ and subtle Necromantia influence has always been present in Thou Art Lord's music from the occasional subtle synthesizers to the Sakis' signature abuse of tremolo harmonics. The Regal Pulse Of Lucifer is no different with opener "Nine Steps To Hell" being littered with those signature riffs. Thou Art Lord differs in quite a few ways from both Rotting Christ and Necromantia in that the project has plenty more thrash and death metal influence. "ΠΟΛΙΤΕΙΑ ΔΑΙΜΟΝΩΝ" being the obvious pick out of the tracks on The Regal Pulse. The stereotypically descending chromatic riffs, d-beats merged with blasting and tremolo riffing, as well as the occasional guttural vocals really describes their overall feel best. There's just something so distinctly Greek in style about it that makes it special. The Hellenic metal scene is hardly dead, but The Regal Pulse Of Lucifer is almost like an ode to the scene.

Sakis' guitar leads are fantastic when they pop up. All of his material tends to lean on the simple side but they're damn catchy and that's what makes them so good. They never sound like needless fretboard exercises, always fitting the flow and feel of the track. "Justicia Profana" is a great example, where the lead and minor solo bit becomes entwined with the main riff for the final third of the track. That's not to discount other cool guitar moments like the subtle lead on "Artificial Malevolence."

The production and mixing is solid and grainy. The catchy guitar leads shine through the high-gain rhythm support and The Magus' (George) bass has plenty of low-end to it although naturally it doesn't come up in the mix on its own much. One thing I found kind of silly though was the use of samples and short intros to tracks. The humorously pitch-shifted vocals at the beginning of "L'Evangelium de Diable" heralding the start of the track were a bit out of place. The synthesizers on "Infernarium" were a bit over the top for my taste too.

The Regal Pulse Of Lucifer is a solid album and the only Thou Art Lord release that really stuck with me after a single listen. I should really get around to hearing Rotting Christ's newest but I have to say AEALO left a bad taste in my mouth.

7.25 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Nine Steps To Hell
2. ΠΟΛΙΤΕΙΑ ΔΑΙΜΟΝΩΝ
3. Das Messer
4. The Regal Pulse Of Lucifer
5. Artificial Malevolence
6. Justicia Profana
7. L'Evangelium de Diable
8. Infernarium
9. Fire And Blood

Bandcamp

Tribulation - The Formulas Of Death

For anyone who heard Tribulation's The Horror back in 2009 I'm sure The Formulas Of Death was a hype piece. The Horror was brutally refreshing coming from the revival scene. It was crammed with stunning, nigh-perfect riff progressions at a breakneck pace, all backed with plenty of hooks and a solid production.

The Formulas Of Death is a different beast, and I can only commend Tribulation's willingness to experiment with such a successful formula (intended puns are the best puns). Perhaps Tribulation realized that the revival movement was full of enough knuckle-dragging apes and that there was nothing new they could add without becoming redundant and falling prey to fans' fleeting memories. Whatever the case, they made the right decision with their newest release.

Progressive music is a mixed bag of brilliant ideas and haphazard, fruity garbage that I wouldn't deign to listen to. Progressive elements are generally a good thing as they can add variety and enhance the dynamic of many songs. They can be overbearing and obnoxiously obvious in the case with popular progressive acts like Opeth on their later material, or far more subtle and nuanced in the case of a band like Anata. The Formulas Of Death falls under the latter category, and progressive is the last thing anyone would associate with the revival movement. There's loads of atmospheric interludes, guitar effects, eastern scale progressions, dissonant arpeggiated chords, and free-range breaks to the typical Swedish sound. For example the middle of "Suspiria" is slow, backed by a two-beat and flanged harmonics before falling into a bass groove sprinkled with dissonant muted notes. Eventually the track phases (quite literally) back into reality before phasing out again to explore a few more areas of the aural plane.

Each track on The Formulas Of Death has elements which set it firmly apart from whatever The Horror was doing. While this might be a disappointment to some, the music is equally compelling and in many aspects better. I love the subtle displays of musicianship throughout the album. Solos are (obviously) technical and almost feel improvised, and other times the effects dominate the sound of them to the point that the notes are almost unrecognizable. In the end they always fall back into a traditional sounding mold which keeps them entertaining. "Through The Velvet Black "is a solid example of this. Jakob Ljungberg's rhythm work is highly varied and in the middle of a riff progression he'll switch beats, either increasing the speed of the kicks or adding cymbal embellishments where necessary. Every member of the band does their part to create a refreshingly experimental-lite, death metal album.

There aren't any truly standout tracks on this album either. There are no headbangable crusty death metal d-beaters or anything like that. I guess "Wanderer In The Outer Darkness" might be the most approachable from that mindset, but even with how direct it is, the track is anything but stereotypical. With an underlying atmosphere evoking imagery of a wandering trek through the desert, swampy marshlands, or foggy moors, The Formulas Of Death is a very visual album. The production and heavy use of effects add to this feel, giving each track its own personality like the listener is traversing different aspects of a deranged psyche. Their use also keeps the album's variation and my attention at a high. This makes The Formulas Of Death memorable even after quite a few listens.

It might be a bit of a risky move, but I think Tribulation have really caught onto something with The Formulas Of Death. The seamless merging of progressive elements, dynamic songwriting, and Swedish-tinged death metal is something that isn't all that common. They execute it damn well.

8.75 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Vagina Dentata
2. Wanderer In The Outer Darkness

3. Spectres

4. לילה
5. Suspiria
6. Through The Velvet Black
7. Rånda
8. When The Sky Is Black With Devils
9. Spell
10. Ultra Silvam
11. Apparitions

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Tormented - Death Awaits

I'm not really sure which new release is worse. Death Awaits is frustrating in the same way Entrails' Raging Death is. Much like their boring titles, the music contained in both is predictable and forgettable. The only difference here seems to be that I was expecting more from Tormented since Rotten Death was great thrashy fun. I can still jam out "Death owns the Night" and get stoked for the section where vocalist Dread is like "With deadly force it'll take control and bring you to your death!" Damn these guys love to use 'death' in literally every lyric and song title...

This is an an album that would've satisfied me had it been more of the same. The massive production, focus on d-beats, and simple but entertaining riffs were all highlights of Rotten Death. Opener "Death Awaits" lets on that same feel but quickly devolves into slow double bass and mid-pace riffing. "Blood Orgy" luckily cuts to the chase but doesn't really do much when it reaches its destination in d-beat town. The same can be said of "I.O.T.D." and nearly every track on Death Awaits. It's like one giant cocktease that blueballs you and instead of leaving decides to take a knife to your jugular. In other words this release is painfully disappointing.

The slower, even mid-paced tracks are pretty much unbearable. "To Spill Her Blood" is inane even when it gets faster. Luckily it's followed by "Funeral Fire," one of the few solid tracks on the album along with "Black Sky." What's weird is that the rhythm element seems even more underdeveloped this time around, and it was already pretty rudimentary on Rotten Death. I guess Jocke Ölund's drumwork has gotten a bit faster, but the band doesn't utilize that slight increase in speed to their advantage. There's not much in the way of memorable riffing here either, and much to my dismay there's no infectious tremolo melodies or obnoxiously loud scale fondling.

As I briefly mentioned, the production is significantly more subdued and compressed compared to Tormented's previous output. Rotten Death was awesome for it's bombastic guitar tone and loud, crashing cymbals. This album has none of that. The production and mixing isn't awful, but the music on Death Awaits can't really stand on its own like it could have on Rotten Death. A disappointing but not inherently bad release, I'll wait for Tormented's next.

5.0 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Death Awaits
2. Blood Orgy
3. I.O.T.D.
4. Insane With Dread
5. To Spill Her Blood
6. Funeral Fire
7. Into The Crypts Of Death
8. Black Sky
9. In The Presence Of Death

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Entrails - Raging Death

Entrails are a death metal band with a history in the scene but no real material prior to their reformation in 2008. Their album covers look like other big name releases, and their music sounds like other bands. They reformed just in time for the revivalism fad and are proving to be prolific.

Raging Death is their newest album, and their first release on Metal Blade. I can't be the only one who gets an uneasy feeling in their stomach when I hear that a band is signed to that record label. Every artist who paid in blood to be signed to Metal Blade might not be terrible, but damn do they try their best to castrate great artists. Some manage to avoid falling victim to their obvious marketing ploys, and others are great at self-marketing (ie: The Black Dahlia Murder) so they can get away with personal influence on the sound of their material. I don't even know if it's solely Metal Blade's fault but there's certainly a strong correlation between dull music and getting signed to one of the big labels.

Entrails obviously couldn't. Metal Blade de-clawed and neutered this Swedish death act. Gone is the thicker production of The Tomb Awaits, replaced with a soulless cadaver of the Swedish death metal aesthetic. One listen to "Headless Dawn" or "Cadaverous Stench" will have you shaking your head in shame and disappointment. There's really no excuse for this frustratingly lifeless sound on such a plainly constructed record. Raging Death fits the Swedish death metal stereotypes otherwise: melodic choruses interspersed amongst d-beat and blastbeat verses, barked vocals, and the occasional clean interlude or attempt at building a sort of visual atmosphere.

At its best the formula is lighthearted fun, fueled by energy, and is rampagingly aggressive. At its worst, the formula is throwaway tripe that goes in one ear and out the other. Sometimes the difference is separated by a thin line and unfortunately Raging Death falls on the latter's side. The few standout moments the album does have (the solo on "Death League" and the d-beats on "The Cemetery Horrors" count, I guess) are thrown to the wind for the generic dynamic of the album. There's nothing really wrong about the musical element of the album though.

I don't ask for much, but I would like my Swedish death metal to at least not annoy the hell out of me when I have it playing as the soundtrack to whatever mundane task I'm currently involved with. While musically Raging Death might be alright, that damn production is too frustrating to satisfy even this small request.

3.75 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. In Pieces
2. Carved to the Bone
3. Bloodhammer
4. Headless Dawn
5. Cadaverous Stench
6. Descend to the Beyond
7. Death League
8. Chained and Dragged
9. Defleshed
10. The Cemetery Horrors

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Sacriphyx - The Western Front

Trying to finish up these drafts that have been sitting around...

World War I was obviously devastating for all parties involved. What interests me so much about that period of history was the technological advances made prior to the war, the effect it had on the conflict, and all the odd experimentation that inventors and manufacturers did during the conflict to help improve the odds of their side winning. Sure experimentation and invention happens during every major period of war, but during World War I some of the ideas seemed humorously out of touch with reality and thus resulted in spectacular failures. Knight-like plate armor, horse cavalry charging tanks...

Australian duo Sacriphyx's The Western Front is a romantic take on that era, filled with the horrors of what is arguably the most dismal and oppressive conflict of the last century.

Nuclear War Now! is known for catering to bestial black and war metal fans. The Western Front doesn't really fit into either category and is instead far more melodic in nature. There are elements of death and black metal, but certainly more of the former. While the atmosphere lends itself more to doom or black metal, the instrumentation is pretty strictly death metal. Harmonized guitars with plenty of melodies dominate the soundscape, all plodding along at a Mark V tanks' pace.

The melodic nature of the music combined with the pacing of The Western Front is what gives it such a strong atmosphere. Romantic in the painfully nostalgic sense, the instrumental intro title track sets the scene perfectly before parading into "Buried Behind the Lines," a rallying track guided by a bouncing rhythm. There's not a single bad track on The Western Front - although I'm sure "Damn Passchendaele Ridge" might be a bit of a shocker. It's an acoustic track with spoken word lyrics that I quite enjoyed. Anthony Till's voice may not be perfectly suited for it, but at least the lyrics keep to the theme. The acoustic melody is appropriately somber too. Actually most of the melodies on The Western Front are to some degree bar "The Crawling Horror" and "Buried Behind the Lines" I guess.

Guitar really dominates the mix on The Western Front, and some distant mid-range vocals drenched in reverb aren't too far behind. There's a distinct feeling of emptiness to the music, and instead of feeling claustrophobic like one would imagine trench warfare, it sounds like there's plenty of room for the music (in particular the melody) to explore the soundscape. This only adds to the romantic, nostalgic feel of The Western Front. It's like exploring the tormented flashbacks of an old veteran.

Sacriphyx's The Western Front is a high quality release with a war aesthetic and a nostalgic atmosphere - probably the best album I've heard from NWN! in 2013.

8.5 out of 10

Tracklisting:

1. The Western Front

2. Buried Behind the Lines
3. Fatal Fromelies
4. Without a Trace
5. The Crawling Horror
6. Damn Passchendaele Ridge
7. Food for the Front
8. Wells of Beersheba

Bandcamp

Cerekloth - In The Midst Of Life We Are Death

Cerekloth are another "old school" death metal band signed to the now ubiquitous (in the scene, at least) Hell's Headbangers Records. Their debut EP Pandemonium Prayers was wholly predictable old school revival with a thrashy tinge. Not bad, but nothing extraordinary. Continuing on that path would've doomed Cerekloth to forgettable mediocrity.

Luckily that isn't the case. Cerekloth have evolved. Still tapping into the nearly-dry veins of the old school, In The Midst Of Life We Are Death may surprise you. Instead of relying on the tried and true conventions of the revival scene, Cerekloth mix it up with some very well-written and varied material. Songs have dynamic that I personally wouldn't associate with the revival scene, and instead of adhering to the formula Cerekloth let their music guide itself.

The musicianship on In The Midst Of Life We Are Death is top-notch, and while not comparable to say a technical or progressive band, these guys wield their hellish weapons just as effectively. Interesting arpeggiated chords, sustained leads, and a varied vocal performance by both main frontman JBP and back-up Martin Leth Andersen are the main daemonic culprits. There's a nice bounce to the bass too, and some of the more low-end driven tracks ("Within The Hollow Crown," and "When Outcast Become Kings") are the most entertaining. It's a breath of fresh air coming from an unlikely suspect.

In The Midst Of Life We Are Death is undoubtedly packed with solid material, but this still leaves the question as to the production and mixing. To answer that question in brief: both are perfectly fine. Guitars have some nice gain, leads and the larger intervals in the chords are accentuated perfectly. The production might come off as a bit clean to those who expected a more down-and-dirty HHR release, or even something similar to the debut EP. However I found it to be appropriate and not annoying in the slightest.

In The Midst Of Life We Are Death is one of the must hear "old school" death metal albums of the year. If you haven't listened to it yet, you should.

8.5 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Praeludium + Born of the Void
2. Within the Hollow Crown
3. Halo of Syringes
4. Nest of Disease
5. Mesmerizing Holy Death
6. When Outcast Become Kings
7. The Reapers Instant Is Our Eternity

Bandcamp

Svart Crown - Profane

Finals are over. I don't think I did too well but I don't think I did too poorly either. Now it's back to the job search and blogging. I promise I'll get to my inbox soon! There's so much I want to cover though.

I saw French act Svart Crown last year with Ulcerate and Tombs in Philly. I wasn't disappointed in them, but more the lack of audience for their bending, very French sounding style of black/death metal. I briefly listened to Witnessing The Fall and Ages Of Decay after seeing them, but both were fleeting enjoyments.

Profane, their 2013 release, has more staying power. I'm sitting here trying to compare the albums as I write this and while the production is the most noticeable step-up, the songwriting is more coherent and direct. It still plays to their strengths - atmospheric black/death sounds with small nods to atonal songwriting thrown in. This should leave fans satiated and those who were hoping for Svart Crown to transcend the French scene a bit disappointed.

That hope is inane. Svart Crown's sound has long been somewhat independent of the long developed French scene and they've been developing their varied take on black/death metal in a different way. While I'm sure some people point to their previous tour mates Ulcerate and Tombs, or to the rising 'occult' black/death metal scene as obvious extraterritorial influences, and while elements of their sound exist in Svart Crown's music, it's hardly derivative. "Genesis Architect" and "Until the Last Breath" are good examples of these elements cropping up but maintaining their own identity.

There are some leads and phrases on Profane that are magnificent. The title track in particular is enthralling with its dynamic. Svart Crown love their harmonics too, and usually black/death suffers from piss-poor rhythm, but not here. Drum fills are captivating and at parts overshadow the guitarwork. The bass is pretty nonexistent though. Svart Crown also have this odd obsession with triplets which pop up periodically throughout the album, and have also been present on their previous releases.

All in all Profane is a solid outing by a band that is consistently overlooked, but their niche keeps them that way.

7.75 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Manifestatio Symptoms
2. Genesis Architect
3. Intern. Virus. Human
4. In Utero: A Place of Hatred and Threat
5. Until the Last Breath
6. Profane
7. The Therapy of Flesh
8. Venomous Ritual
9. Ascetic Purification
10. Revelation: Down Here Stillborn

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Sorcery - Arrival At Six

DEATH METAL TRAINS! Doesn't get much more metal than sixty-thousand tons of steel rocketing towards a destination, which I hope for metal's sake is hell.

Sorcery are an old school death metal band in the vein of the classic Swedish crust-influenced style. To give them credit, Sorcery were also around in that early scene and have a full-length titled Bloodchilling Tales from 1991. Regardless it's still extremely easy to point to a billion similar artists in 2013, but Sorcery sound more like Tormented or Dismember than say a band like Blood Mortized or The Grotesquery.  However where Tormented are fast and d-beat driven, Sorcery occasionally take things a bit slower and plenty of their tracks peak at mid-tempo with chugging riffs.

"Master Of The Chains" is one such track and while the sustained notes halfway through do herald in a new melody and break up the monotonous simple chugging riffs, I can't say I'm too engrossed in Arrival At Six's slower tracks, the title track being the exception. I prefer the more direct and energetic riffing style of "Created From Darkness And Rage," "Warbringer," and "United Satanic Alliance." Can you tell I've been on an energy kick recently? I need it to keep up my work ethic somehow I guess...

I can see some people questioning them, but if you enjoy Matti Kärki's vocals on Like An Ever Flowing Stream, then you'll definitely enjoy the vocal style here despite the noticeable filter. It's an appropriately shouty style tinged with guttural thrash. There's plenty of tremolo riffing goodness and quick melodic phrasing over basic punk-based bass and drum rhythms, and everything is audible in the mix just fine. There's really not much else to say about the album. If you listen to a lot of similar material you won't be blown away, but you won't be disappointed either. This is one of the "true" old school bands after all.

Despite the great album art, Arrival At Six is an exercise in archetypal Swedish death metal, but that's totally fine. It is still a fun formula when you're in the mood for it. That mood just becomes less and less frequent as time goes on.

7.5 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. We Who Walk Among The Dead
2. Created From Darkness And Rage
3. Master Of The Chains
4. United Satanic Alliance
5. Arrival At Six
6. Warbringer
7. Maculated Life
8. Beyond The Wall
9. Reborn Through Hate

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Sulphur Aeon - Swallowed By The Ocean's Tide

Metal has some unhealthy obsession with H.P. Lovecraft. The guy was ahead of his time, and his short stories and works of horror-fiction were interesting in how deranged and weird they were. The fantastical mythos that he created inspired many other authors as well, but I guess the blurring of mediums with the help of the internet has only increased his popularity. 

Sulphur Aeon is the current circlejerk of the metal community. I've heard quite a few opinions about the German act's debut Swallowed By The Ocean's Tide - almost all of them positive. I've also heard the album  being labeled ridiculous things like "Cthulhu-worshiping melodic technical blackened transcendental old-school death metal," which is retarded, but I digress. The album is pretty solid.

Melodic death metal is definitely the first subgenre to point to here. Swallowed By The Ocean's Tide doesn't have the annoying NWOBHM-isms of the Gothenburg scene, but it is still more melodic than most old school or blackened death metal. Solid examples of this sound are found all throughout Swallowed By The Ocean's Tide: "Where Black Ships Sail" with its melodic main riff, the solo and tremolo riffing on "Inexorable Spirits," and the second half of "Those Who Dwell In Stellar Void." However with all the double-bass patterns and dominant tremolo melodies, I can kind of see why some would label it blackened death metal.

Genre-fucking aside, Swallowed By The Ocean's Tide is chock-full of memorable riffs. The melodic element really adds some depth to them, and the tracks don't suffer from a lack of aggression because of it. M.'s vocalwork populates a generally monotonous range, but it only adds to the Lovecraftian atmosphere. It's the structuring of the tracks that really makes this a standout release. There are no frustrating verse-chorus-verse song formats or any serious redundancies on Swallowed By The Ocean's Tide. The varied structures eventually coalesce to create a particular atmosphere on each track. This creates makes for an engaging listen that pulls the listener in with the ebb of the sea.

However the production does take away some of Swallowed By The Ocean's Tide's bite. The tight snare while fitting is arguably the most noticeable flaw (or at least unlikable aspect) in the sound of the album. Otherwise drumrolls and fills by D. crash on the listeners ears like tidal waves, and the bass...well, it's not really present. T. must have forgotten to have it mixed higher up. His guitarwork shines though it could use some 'oomph' on the low-end, or perhaps a more menacing tone.

While not wholly original thematically or musically, Swallowed By The Ocean's Tide is still a rewarding listen that is only held back by a wimpy production and weak mixing job. Oh and if you didn't notice, the band members' names collectively spell DMT. That's pretty awesome. Definitely worth keeping your eyes on these guys.

7.75 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Cthulhu Rites
2. Incantation
3. Inexorable Spirits
4. The Devil's Gorge
5. Where Black Ships Sail
6. Swallowed By The Ocean's Tide
7. Monolithic
8. From The Stars To The Sea
9. Those Who Dwell In Stellar Void
10. Beneath. Below. Beyond. Above
11. Zombi

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The Amenta - Flesh Is Heir

Despite what some people like to say about industrial elements in metal, the music doesn't always attract acne-scarred mallgoths or their more extreme electro cousins. The Amenta is a good case in point where their debut Occasus was largely enjoyed by metal fans of both the technical, electro, and esoteric varieties. n0n was a mixed bag for some, but I enjoyed it for it's complex visual atmosphere. When listening to n0n I always imagined a sprawling mass of steel towers, walkways, smokestacks, acid rain, neon lights, and cybernetics ala the classic science fiction film Bladerunner.

Flesh Is Heir is the newest full-length from the Australian group, and it has them drawing elements from their Occasus sound and welding them onto the towers of the cyberpunk dystopia built on n0n. Flesh Is Heir is also the first full-length feature on which we can hear The Amenta's new bassist, drummer, and vocalist. On a side note, Diazonon (aka: David Haley, Joe Haley of Psycroptic's brother) used to do drums for The Amenta, and he's the original reason I became interested in the band. Now that he and a few other members checked out I had some reservations about Flesh Is Heir, although I did listen to their EP V01D which features some remixes of Occasus-era tracks with the new lineup. Nothing really stuck with me, and as time wore on I quickly forgot about V01D, further making me skeptical of Flesh Is Heir.

After a few listens I can safely say I'm not disappointed. Cain Cresall handles the vocal duties surprisingly well, and his restrained vocal style matches the imagery and vibe of the album. Like a chained beast he emits tormented wails that are haunting yet appropriately intelligible. He's especially potent on early tracks "Ego Ergo Sum" and the groovy "Teeth." There's a good bit of melody in his harsh vocals too, and the interplay between his different vocal lines is fun to hear. These are often fleeting and the vocal melodies serve to embellish the more complex melodies churned out by Erik Miehs. At times his playing borders on a technical death metal style: odd time signatures, large dissonant intervals, arpeggiated chords, and general tight playing are all in his repertoire. He isn't showing off, but his precise playing is (and has been) pretty impressive since Occasus.

The instrumentation serves to amplify the feeling of restrained chaos that seeps from Flesh Is Heir. Each track feels very tense yet never lets the tension go, building a ziggurat of emotional imbalance. I think this is what The Amenta were going for although I can see why some people would assume that the concepts behind certain tracks are unfinished ("The Argument" for example, which grows on me every time I listen to it). The occasional dark ambient or industrial track tends to relieve some of the stress ("A Womb Tone," the Blut Aus Nord-ian "Cell") but for the most part this tension is never resolved on the tracks which present the initial idea. "Obliterate's Prayer" is an exception and feels cathartic and a little bit sombre. It's one of the highlights of Flesh Is Heir for that reason, and while some would decry the later tracks like "Sewer" and "The Argument," they serve their purpose and are some of the higher tempo tracks on the album. "Tabula Rasa," as another cathartic track, is appropriately the closer.

The industrial sound of n0n is apparent on Flesh Is Heir and the production and mixing reflects that. The drum programming is solid, but I can't get behind the tinny sound of the bass drum. The guitars are edgy and the mastering for the most part is loud and clean. The occasional vocal effect is used for atmosphere but it never gets offensive or too cheesy. Overall it suits the atmosphere of the album, but the sound could be a bit more opaque. Both Occasus and n0n had a nice "dirty" sound to them that this album lacks.

The half-realized melodic vocal work was definitely the biggest surprise for me, but I can't say I'm against the idea. It fit Flesh Is Heir pretty damn well.

8.0 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Flesh Is Heir
2. Ego Ergo Sum
3. Teeth
4. A Womb Tone
5. Obliterate's Prayer
6. Sewer
7. The Argument
8. Cell
9. Disintegrate
10. A Palimpesest
11. Tabula Rasa

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A Mere Multiverse - Portal's Vexovoid

Portal have always given me this sinking feeling. For one the hype surrounding their studio releases is enormous, and their following seems to consist of either rabid fanboys or jaded death metal aficionados. Secondly their atmosphere is massive and dismally enthralling. The latter is what originally drew me into their music, but I've always been slightly let down since Lurker At The Threshold. Similarly atmospheric acts rely  heavily on memorable riffs and jagged composition, while Portal rely heavily on effects and strong post production. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it has always put me off of truly enjoying their later music.

Now we have a new album to hopefully dissuade that negative feeling that I get when anyone talks about Portal. On first listen, like any Portal album, it's tough to take in details. Noise and effects are the band's preferred weapon of sonic warfare, and their use on Vexovoid is just as apparent as it has been since Seepia. A quick aside: I don't think Portal have ever managed to top the berserkly schizophrenic sound of that album. If anything stands out though, it's that Vexovoid has far more direct songwriting when compared to their past two releases. This is both a boon and a curse, as tracks like rhythm-heavy "Curtain" and opener "Kilter" are both potent but predictable by Portal standards. The churning riffs and atmosphere are still there, but their structures are quite plain. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a streamlining of their sound by any means though, so long time Portal fans needn't worry.

With only seven tracks and thirty-four minutes to work with, Vexovoid does a solid job of immersing the listener. Each track has its own murky atmosphere like anyone would expect, and there are quite a few highlights scattered throughout. "The Back Wards" previewed earlier last month is one of the better tracks on Vexovoid and the audible, atonal tremolo guitarwork does hark back to their older days. "Curtain" is one of my favorites with its dissonant melodies that play to the vocal performance by The Curator. Other tracks feel unfinished - "Plasm" in particular feels like half a track tacked onto a derivative noise segment that isn't interesting from that particular musical perspective either. Transitions are something that the band has always had a problem with in my opinion. Not just between tracks, but in gluing together the instrumentation, noise-heavy parts, and swapping out segments of riffs.

The mixing and production took a step in the right direction. That was a big problem with Swarth for me. The guitarwork was so feeble and wispy, and it just couldn't compliment the overbearing nature of the high-gain noise. The drums on Swarth were pathetic as well, sounding more clicky and pillow-filled than is normal for a band like this. Vexovoid remedies this with a very powerful, deeply resonant low-end to not just the toms and bass drum, but to the guitar as well. This compliments their atonal riffing style better, but from a contextual perspective Vexovoid just feels less thematically together than their past two full-lengths. Take of that what you will.

7.25 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Kilter
2. The Back Wards
3. Curtain
4. Plasm
5. Awryeon
6. Orbmorphia
7. Oblotten

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Dephosphorus - Night Sky Transform

2012 saw Dephosphorus release their second album (although I've heard Axiom called an extended play by some, so feel free to comment and tell me I'm a dumbass if I'm wrong about it being a full-length). Titled Night Sky Transform, it's nice to see these Greeks have stuck to their successful space aesthetic.

Night Sky Transform is much less immediate than Axiom and definitely requires more dedicated active listening sessions. Luckily the album is nearly as short as its predecessor, clocking in at just over twenty-five minutes. On first listen its easy to pick Night Sky Transform apart. The production is a lot more compressed sounding, the bass is less audible, and there are a handful of hardcore moments on this release that are significantly lighter than their grindcore counterparts on Axiom. They do a decent job of injecting variety into the rhythm. This isn't really a bad thing, but there are a bunch of quasi-clean vocal sequences which conflict with the aggressive-yet-otherworldly sound they established with their past release.

Wait a second, clean vocals on what is essentially a deathgrind release? Not exactly, but they might as well be. They crop up on "The Fermi Paradox," "Unconscious Excursion," and "Aurora." They work best on "The Fermi Paradox," which is basically a slow-paced mid-album intermission track. On "Unconscious Excursion" they follow a similar formula, but luckily the track ramps to a violent conclusion. The last half of "Aurora" gets away with it only because it's a conclusion track. Essentially what I'm getting at is that these sections that are deliberately trying to create a sense of atmosphere or thematic do not work for Dephosphorus and they originally put me off of Night Sky Transform.

Over time I've grown to not mind the quasi-clean vocal sequences, and the rest of the album is pretty good bar the production. The groovy riffs of my personal favorite "The Astral Putsch I: Plateau Of Initiation" and "Starless" are a welcome diversion from the usual blasting. The title track is a hardcore romp that gets down to grind business about halfway through, featuring vocals from both Panos and Nikos. It lends some energy to an album that at times feels lacking in it.

Night Sky Transform's "weak" moments aren't particularly bad, they just weren't what I was expecting coming from Dephosphorus. Axiom spoiled me with atmosphere created through the use of infectious melodies and aggressive songwriting, and I expected the same from this release. I don't have a problem with the band trying out new styles and trying to innovate their sound, but I did not think that the means by which they attempted to do so on Night Sky Transform worked out so well. Still a solid album nonetheless!

8.0 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Cold Omen
2. Starless
3. Night Sky Transform
4. The Fermi Paradox
5. The Astral Putsch I: Plateau Of Initiation
6. Identify The Encapsulator
7. Unconscious Excursion
8. Aurora

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The Axiom Of Being: Dephosphorus - Axiom

Ulcerate reference in the title? I'm not going to stop so don't bother telling me to.

Dephosphorus' Axiom was a contender for album of the year 2010. Shame I didn't create this blog until 2011 or else this album would've been near the top of my year end list. Let's see how it holds up.

Greek act Dephosphorus bring a new dynamic to the largely stagnant grindcore game. They fuse elements of the black metal aesthetic with frenetic death metal riffing, packaging them into a concise little album that delivers a sucker punch to the brain. The band coin their style "astrogrind," which is surprisingly fitting given more than just the thematic of the album.

Coming in at just over nineteen minutes, Axiom is easy to pick up and listen to multiple times in a sitting. This is often the downfall of grindcore bands as they get mired in their own repetitive nature. Song structures repeat, riffs sound similar, aggression falls flat after it's been let out of the metaphorical bottle, etc. Dephosphorus excel at making their music engaging and fun to listen to. Bouncy d-beater "Continuum" and band-titled "Dephosphorus" are both incredibly entertaining tracks. This is because Dephosphorus often play higher register melodies that add a new dynamic to what already comes across as filthy, bass-rattling grind. Later track "Indulge Me In Silence" begins with a very cool bassline and a subdued dissonant melody. Over the course of the song the melodies are brought more to light, and the concept is again revisited on "Knife Missile." Despite being short, each of these tracks feels developed and like they could stand alone.

The rhythmic elements on Axiom are what makes each track so appealing to listen to. The bass is active, generally populating the low-end with dry rattling sounds, and the drums are wonderfully organic. The kicks have bass, the snare sounds loose, and the cymbals are resonant. Panos' vocals are varied and shift between high, hoarse squawks to guttural roars. Thanos is no slouch on guitar, and he riddles chunky grindcore riffs with high pitched notes that don't quite sound like they belong. The effects are audible throughout Axiom, giving it an otherworldly sound. The occasional and brief use of electronic elements (usually denoting the end of a particular song, like with album closer "On the Verge of an Occurrence") add to this ambiance.

Exploring otherworldly ambiance through an aggressive medium like grindcore is worthy of commendation. Sure death metal bands can do it, but usually they tend to be on the doomier side of things. Technical death bands like Origin attempt to do it too, but it hardly ever builds any sort of resonating atmosphere and instead serves as fleeting imagery for drunken lyrical inspiration. Axiom literally sounds like an extracosmic voice screaming as worlds are created, destroyed, and changed by the winds of the universe. A welcome surprise and come 2013, still a welcome listen.

9.0 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Collimator
2. Continuum
3. Dephosphorus
4. Indulge Me In Silence
5. Knife Missile
6. The Long Crossing
7. On The Verge Of An Occurrence

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Weapon - Embers And Revelations

Calgary's Weapon impressed me with their melodic interpretation of black/death metal on 2010's From The Devils Tomb. After a copyright fiasco with the United Kingdom's Weapon, many of the "Elite-ards" and internet-dwelling kvlt kiddies began to rage over how they had sold out and become some breed of melodeath poseurs unworthy of bearing the tattered flag of black/death metal.

This is stupid for a few reasons. One being that complaining about a band "selling out" is only relevant if the actual content of their music changes significantly. Two being that Weapon's music has always been driven by highly melodious riffing. On Embers And Revelations, I got exactly what I liked about From The Devils Tomb.

Well, somewhat. My problem with this album stems more from how those highly melodious riffs don't work this time around.

Embers And Revelations feels like nothing more than a pale shadow. From start to finish all the album does is make me think about how much I'd rather be listening to From The Devils Tomb, or that much better Azarath record from 2011. "Crepuscular Swamp, Unhinged Swine" is a prime example of this style not working. Groovy and toothless, it bounces along like a child skipping through an enchanted forest. I think Weapon realized this and decided to put "Liber Lilith," one of the few tracks with balls, right after it. "Vanguard Of The Morning Star" is the only other track on Embers And Revelations with balls. "Disavowing Each In Aum" however is a blast-ridden cocktease that ends with some drawn out riffs, some cymbal ting-a-lings, and a retarded phase effect.

Another thing that I noticed about Weapon was that they enjoy mid-album intermission tracks. "Grotesque Carven Portal" is the one for Embers And Revelations, and it's really fucking boring. The "solo" at the end obviously wasn't supposed to be a technical display of musicianship, so I can't fault them for it being completely flaccid in every way whatsoever. Then again that's how this whole damn album feels: like a collection of riffs that don't work.

At first it took me a little to figure out where things went wrong for Weapon. The production and the mix is good enough on Embers And Revelations. I guess the snare and kicks are a little flat compared to their previous efforts, but I find it tough to place the blame on that. The vocals are generally monotone rasps, but I can't entirely fault those either. The only thing to blame here is the songwriting. As a band that relies so heavily on writing memorable riffs and melodies, when those riffs and melodies fall flat so does the album.

4.5 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. The First Witnesses Of Lucifer
2. Vanguard Of The Morning Star
3. Crepuscular Swamp, Unhinged Swine
4. Liber Lilith
5. Grotesque Carven Portal
6. Embers And Revelations
7. Disavowing Each In Aum
8. Shahenshah

Bandcamp

Defeated Sanity - Passages Into Deformity

Defeated Sanity have alway's been a crushing brutal death metal act driven by technical instrumentation and a groove that makes their music damn catchy. Both Chapters Of Repugnance and Psalms Of The Moribund are exceptional releases and should be at least checked out for anyone into brutal or technical death metal. They throw in the occasional slam but don't go too far with the style, so don't get your basketball jersey in a twist if you were expecting as much.

Sticking to the theme of using the plural form of a noun to begin the title of their albums, Defeated Sanity released Passages Into Deformity. The band themselves stated that it has a bit more of an old school feel to it, and I do agree even if it is only a slight one. The chunky guitar tone and lighter vocals all hark back to those old days in essence, but feel distinctly modern. The result is something that I find tough to enjoy in its entirety.

Don't get me wrong, there are many great moments on Passages Into Deformity. It's just not what I was expecting. I have to get this off my chest first though: "Initiation" isn't just a worthless ambient or sample intro track! This is such a rarity that I have to give the album points just for including actual music in the poorly titled opener. "Initiation" gives way to "Naraka," which is a solid bass heavy track that lays down solid grooves to remind you what Defeated Sanity is all about before bludgeoning you with its conclusion.

Passages Into Deformity follows the conventions we all know and love Defeated Sanity for. Unlike previous releases though, I find myself zoning out during particular tracks. I don't know if its the oddly organic guitar tone (one I'm admittedly not used to hearing coming from this band), or just that the off-time rhythms haven't stuck with me this time around. "Verblendung," "Lusting For Transcendence." and the hammerblasts of the semi-title track "Verses Of Deformity" blow right by without leaving even the slightest scratch upon my memory.

There's still a bit of memorable fun to be had with Passages. "The Purging" is a highlight with tons of blasting grooves and catchy vocal rhythms. There's even a few pit riffs and d-beats thrown in as well as some interesting phaseshifter effects. "Perspectives" could probably have been shortened as it's quite long for a Defeated Sanity track, and the length aside, the track is still a standout for them. There are a few slower moments and a bunch of frenzied polyrhythms that make it interesting throughout. "Frenzy" (hindsight pun) is a blastfest that leads to another drum showcase and solo in "Martyrium." All of them are tracks that I feel will grow on me with time, but even on first impression they're pretty damn good.

The staunch focus on rhythm is one of the reasons I've always loved listening to Defeated Sanity. The problem with this release in comparison to their previous ones is that it occasionally gets bogged down by that focus, and is less memorable because of it. Since this is the main issue I have with Passages Into Deformity, I think a few more listens might make it the grower I wasn't expecting from Defeated sanity.

7.25 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Initiation
2. Naraka
3. Verblendung
4. Lusting For Transcendence
5. The Purging
6. Verses Of Deformity
7. Perspectives
8. Frenzy
9. Martyrium

Bandcamp

Vorum - Poisoned Void

Revival scenes have been raging the world over. Finland is obviously no exception to this as we saw with Desecresy last year. Vorum milk the sound further on their debut full-length, Poisoned Void.

The milk is a tad bittersweet. Vorum have achieved that which they set out to do: create blasphemous death/black metal. For one, I'm glad they changed their name from Haudankaivaja. Despite obviously being more marketable Vorum sounds like an amphibious muck-creature that swallows it's prey whole. Or maybe it sounds like the twisted, gluttony-fueled opposite of a vomitorium. It certainly sounds more direct and more evil than Finnish for "Gravedigger" either way.

Poisoned Void is a riff-heavy construct as it should be. Guitars spit out fast phrases that are often repeated many times, chromatic, and at the best of times addicting. Harmonic tremolo riffs and the occasional solo carry memorable melodies that soar over the murk of the underlying rhythm. "Rabid Blood" is full of them and is one of the stronger tracks on the album for that reason. The occasional d-beat pops up on Poisoned Void, always bringing you back into the album when you start to lose interest which admittedly happened to me at a few points. The tracks do have a bit of variety to them though, which is something I always find lacking on revival albums. "Thriving Darkness" and "Dance Of Heresy" for example begin heavily in the doom spectrum, and wouldn't sound out of place on a Slugathor release. The only track I couldn't properly enjoy was the closing title track which at seven minutes feels like it overstayed its welcome. The ideas are developed, but only there's only so much you can do with the style. It takes awhile to cut to the chase and the reward isn't that great.

The mixing and production are exactly what you should expect from this kind of music. The bass drum sounds legitimate, the riffs sound murky and properly distorted, and the driving melodies stand above it all. I can't stress how important that is for a band like this, and they achieve it perfectly.

You could easily point to their '90s influences in Convulse or especially Demigod, with a small dash of Purtenance as being components of their sound. This isn't a huge issue as the type of music Vorum have set out to create is exactly that. It's a revival take on an old style, and it might have just been what I was in the mood for tonight, but I don't know how I'll feel about it down the road.

7.25 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Impetious Fires
2. Death's Stains
3. Rabid Blood
4. Thriving Darkness
5. Evil Seed
6. In Obscurity Revealed
7. Dance Of heresy
8. Poisoned Void

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The Serpent's Breath VII: Vanitas

Late 2012 rolls around and the prolific duo release Vanitas.

This is what it's been building to. I hate to say it, but I've grown to expect everything Anaal Nathrakh can possibly throw at me. Hunt's vocals are still technically magnificent and varied, but the emotion behind them has been played out throughout the past decade. The band's one-dimensionally pissed expression no longer works as well as it used to. The songwriting and instrumentation have dragged themselves into a rut too. I can tell where each track will go before it gets there, where each melody will take me, and where each cry of disdain for humanity will end.

Vanitas is even less unique in Anaal Nathrakh's rapidly growing discography than Passion. This helps and hurts it in a few ways that I've mentioned many times already in the other reviews. You get exactly what you expect and exactly what the duo excel at: catchy, melody-driven black metal thick with death metal and grind elements. The result is so prototypical at this point that I don't even feel like describing it anymore, and I'll just dive right into the actual music.

The mastering of this album is oddly loud. Everything is amplified to skull-shaking levels, but at least the mix sounds good. There's more texturing this time around, and the better riffs sound layered and full. Many of the early tracks on the album are typical works for the Nathrakh, but are potent nonetheless. Sing-along "Forging Towards The Sunset," bouncy "Todos Somos Humanos," blast heavy "In Coelo Quies, Tout Finis Ici Bas," and the melodic ballad "A Metaphor For the Dead" are all decent tracks with standout moments. That's how I feel about the majority of Vanitas actually, but it just doesn't hold up. Distinguishing new albums from a rich back catalog is something I have problems with in regards to any band, but it's more apparent when the new albums are merely pale reflections of those old albums.

If there's one good thing about this being the state of their music, it's that it makes jumping into Anaal Nathrakh's discography insanely easy for newcomers. Shame it makes getting hyped for a new release so underwhelming.

6.5 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. The Blood-Dimmed Tide
2. Forging Towards The Sunset
3. To Spite The Face
4. Todos Somos Humanos
5. In Coelo Quies, Tout Finis Ici Bas
6. You Can't Save Me, So Stop Fucking Trying
7. Make Glorious The Embrace Of Saturn
8. Feeding The Beast
9. Of Fire, And Fucking Pigs
10. A Metaphor For The Dead

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The Serpent's Breath VI: Passion

The formula wearing thin, Anaal Nathrakh have opted to mix it up a bit on Passion. The duo break out the grind and industrial elements with more abundance this time around.

It works to an extent. A very limited one.

As musicians, both Dave Hunt and Mick Kenney have grown far past their primitive, honest origins on The Codex Necro. Kenney's chops have been getting progressively more varied, aggressive, and melodious, while Dave Hunt has shown numerous feats of technical harsh-singing prowess by changing styles on a whim. These elements of instrumentation carry over onto Passion perfectly fine. The production, something the band has always had an issue with, hurts them in every way possible. Guitars are subdued in the worst of ways, the bass is virtually inaudible, the drums are once again sterile and that damn snare is clicking again.

High-speed grinders like "Post Traumatic Stress Euphoria" and "Locus Of Damnation" are as aggro as you would expect from these guys. Dave Hunt's vocals on "Tod Huetet Uebel" are technically brilliant and as deranged as ever, and the slower second half of the track is a unique touch for Anaal Nathrakh. "Drug-Fucking Abomination" is another pseudo-experiment on their part: it features a prolonged intro and eschews the typical popular song construct that they tend to follow. That dynamic pops up on "Paragon Pariah," which is decent at best coming from a back catalog of so many similar tracks.

Passion at times feels like a vain attempt by Anaal Nathrakh to avoid stagnating in their own filthy, misanthropic mire. The duo love their trademark sound but don't seem to know where to go with this release, and it leads to half-baked tracks on the latter half of the album. The last three are inane, lifeless tracks that don't do much to further the sound they started toying with early. The redeeming qualities on Passion, ones we've seen time and again, aren't enough to make it worth listening to over their vastly superior back catalog.

5.0 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Volenti Non Fit Iniuria
2. Drug-Fucking Abomination
3. Post Traumatic Stress Euphoria
4. Le Diabolique Est L'ami Du Simple
5. Locus Of Damnation
6. Tod Huetet Uebel
7. Paragon Pariah
8. Who Thinks Of the Executioner
9. Ashes Screaming Silence
10. Portrait Of The Artist

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The Serpent's Breath V: In The Constellation Of The Black Widow

Goddamn I know these guys have bad or cheap album art but did they really have to use a work of art that's been on tons of albums (and that awesome Timeghoul demo) for In The Constellation Of The Black Widow?

In The Constellation Of The Black Widow had some big shoes to fill. I was pretty hyped for it, even going out of my way to buy the "More Of Fire Than Blood" single. In the end I wasn't disappointed, but it became clear to me that innovations in Anaal Nathrakh's sound were wishful thinking. They found what worked on Eschaton and the more death metal-oriented Hell Is Empty, and now they decided to stick with that sound.

Thus for me In The Constellation became about the tracks that didn't fall into the pop-structured rut. I really enjoyed the breaks of the rhythm dominated grinder "The Unbearable Filth Of The Soul" and the pummeling anger of "Oil Upon The Sores Of Lepers." Some of the middle tracks became forgettable as I focused on the standouts. "So Be It" and "Terror In The Mind Of God" are both tracks that are at their best merely present. "Satanarchist" is interesting solely because of it essentially sounding like Anaal Nathrakh's take on traditional black metal, while "Blood Eagles Carved On The Backs Of Innocents" fits the bill of aggressive, memorable closer.

Anaal Nathrakh's formula withstanding the test of a few albums, the only huge differences on In The Constellation was the production which is far more...budgeted for lack of a better word. The drum machine dominates the mix, bass is sometimes audible ("Unbearable Filth Of The Soul"), and the guitar has a harsher edge. There's a prevalence of blastbeats on this album too, and you rarely hear the d-beat verses of In The Constellation's predecessor.

Still a successful album thanks to the talent of the duo and a formula that works.

7.5 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. In The Constellation Of The Black Widow
2. I Am The Wrath Of Gods And The Desolation Of The Earth Music
3. More Of Fire Than Blood
4. The Unbearable Filth Of The Soul
5. Terror In The Mind Of God
6. So Be It
7. The Lucifer Effect
8. Oil Upon The Sores Of Lepers
9. Satanarchist
10. Blood Eagles Carved On The Backs Of Innocents

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