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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Mirrorring - Foreign Body

Before you decry my will to check out singer-songwriter music from the west coast as being "hipster," I suggest you actually listen to some of it. This kind of music can be pretty intricate, emotive, and is very leisurely to listen to.

Mirrorring are labeled by some as a dreampop band and I don't see that at all. Made up of Jesy Fortino of Tiny Vipers and Liz Harris of Grouper, this album blends folk sounds with psychedelic new/no/ethereal/whatever-the-fuck-wave music. The result is a surprisingly heavy record titled Foreign Body, and the whole thing feels quite dreamlike. Perhaps that's where the misnomer dreampop came from.

There's just a single, traditionally structured track on Foreign Body. It's relatively deep-voiced Fortino's gorgeous "Silent From Above," which reeks of mournful nostalgia. Other tracks all follow differing structures, some taking influence from the artist's previous work, and some from other subgenres. "Cliffs" for example borrows heavily from post rock. It builds from a simple, repetitive acoustic intro into a densely layered middle with an electro-ambient conclusion. The result is impressive and evokes a sweeping panorama of the Great Basin and its harsh climate. "Mine" is probably the strongest track on the album, with rising electronic harmonies and some great vocal interplay between the duo halfway through. Harris' electronics envelop the track, subtly building tension that is never quite resolved. It's quite disconcerting.

In fact the entire album pretty much feels like falling asleep and then having a bout of sleep paralysis. Closer "Mirror Of Our Sleeping" really touches upon the feeling of waking up weary and anxious, and then going back to sleep in the middle of the night. Something about it sounds so troubled, yet complacent in how lost it is.

The production throughout Foreign Body is filled with haze and a heavy dose of reverb. Each pluck of a string by Fortino feels like it's amplified and echoed through a tunnel of ions created by Harris. Yes, that was a Wormed reference that I somehow managed to work into this review, and no I won't do that again. Anyway while it fits the theme of the album, I don't think ambient droner "Drowning The Call" works so well in context. Luckily the more straightforward and somber "Silent From Above" had come earlier or else I probably would've felt the same way about it. There are a few plucked guitar melodies that add some texture to what feels like a smooth electronic track that goes nowhere with its sound. One of the few times the dynamic doesn't quite work out in the duo's favor.

For the most part though, Foreign Body is a powerful piece of work. Soothing electronics and vocals, building song dynamics, and a (blatant) dreamlike atmosphere make it a more complex and multi-dimensional release when compared to some of Fortino and Harris' previous efforts (at least from what I've heard - which is quite limited).

7.75 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Fell Sound
2. Silent From Above
3. Cliffs
4. Drowning The Call
5. Mine
6. Mirror Of Our Sleeping

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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

Primitive Man - Scorn

Hate is one of the most frustratingly hackneyed words thrown around every day by everyone to describe a multitude of negative feelings towards pretty much anything. Everyone does it, myself included. When associated with music, people point to the punk scene. Powerviolence, grindcore, and hybrid genres like sludge bear the brunt of this vacuous word. Occasionally you see it tossed around to describe metal as well, although for the most part most metal tends to be emotionally exploratory, often looking at things from an outside or distanced perspective as opposed to the in-your-face perspective of say hardcore.

Primitive Man know that while hate can be a legitimate feeling, they needed a stronger word if they wanted to title their music appropriately. Scorn is the one they chose to christen this vile beast, and holy fuck does it sound pissed off.

I went into this album expecting abrasive sludge with the occasional hardcore elements, but I got something much more oppressive. Scorn feels more akin to a funeral doom album thematically. Replace the empty void of death with an oil-coated ocean of bodies set to ignite and you'd have a pretty apt comparison. The second title track "Scorn" comes on, that writhing mass of flesh is set ablaze with flames of hate.

The 11-minute opener is an album highlight. One thing that grabbed me right away was the filthy bass tone and the barked vocals by Ethan McCarthy. There's something primal and furious about them that allows them to resonate so deeply within me as a listener. "Scorn" builds at a drunken pace, and the riffs are equally slow to match its plodding nature. The guitarwork is deliberate, littered with feedback, and thick with gain. Other than the minor tempo change in the middle of the track where some hardcore elements pop up, "Scorn" wallows in its own disgust and by the end all you hear is McCarthy vomiting up his own disdain into a storm of feedback. It's beautiful, really.

So entrancing is this vitriolic, negative atmosphere that it really colors the whole album and drags you down with it. At times you feel like the music shouldn't be as oppressive as it is, but the atmosphere makes it suffocatingly so. Even the heavily hardcore driven track "Stretched Thin" feels parched of all positive energy. There's a few semi-harsh noise tracks interspersed through the album ("I Can't Forget" and "Black Smoke"), but for the most part Scorn tends to play its tune to that started by its title track.

The gratuitous and downright sexy bass tone and playing by Zach Harlan helps further the all-encompassing mire-of-negativity feel. Slower tracks like "Antietam" and "Rags" all use this to their advantage. The guitar tends to find itself playing dissonant melodies, and at times is surprisingly layered (the brutalizing end of "Antietam" comes to mind). Drums are generally simple and drive the primary pulse of the tracks, but there are occasional fills and cymbal embellishments that make your ears perk up, usually when the tracks delve more into noise. The production and mixing is also stellar if a bit bass heavy. Something I never mind as you should know by now.

While I can see the noise, high gain guitar, and singularly pissed expression putting some people off of Scorn, for me it only made getting dragged into the mire it creates even better. Check out these guys' grind band too, Clinging To The Trees Of A Forest fire.

9.0 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Scorn
2. Rags
3. I Can't Forget
4. Antietam
5. Black Smoke
6. Stretched Thin
7. Astral Sleep

Bandcamp

Katalepsy - Autopsychosis

Katalepsy are Russian slam gods to some, but despite my enjoyment of the sub-subgenre I don't think I've ever enjoyed one of their releases. I reluctantly tried Autopsychosis hearing that they tech'd up their style to compete with all the goodness Russia seems to be pouring out lately (7 H.Target, new Abominable Putridity, etc.). The result is more brutal death metal than slam.

If there's one element I've always thought Katalepsy nailed on their past releases, it was their absolutely incredible bass tone. It's high in the mix, overdriven yet dry, and fucking heavy. Their bassist Anatoly is the only original member of the band left and goddamn is he talented. His fingerpicked basslines are the powerhouse behind every track on the obliteration machine that is Autopsychosis. They literally carve canyons into the earth upon which musical blood spills in rivers.

High register, time-signature-changing melodies aren't unheard of in slam, but the predominance of them on Autopsychosis in place of a consistent underlying groove is what makes it feel like less of slam album and more of a brutal death metal one. Opener "Lurking In The Depth" is a great example of this, being filled with a bunch of harmonic melodies. That's not to mention that the entire album is littered with pinch harmonics and chromatic riffing. You'd have to be psychotic (pun intended) to expect otherwise.

Nearly every track on Autopsychosis is memorable and thematically fitting. Slams occasionally pop up in rudimentary form, altering time signatures and playing to expectations. Potentially my favorite track on the album, "Cold Flesh Citadel" is rife with groove and descends into a prototypically beautiful slam at the end. It's followed by "The Pulse Of Somnambulist" which is equally compelling and bisected by a similar breakdown of convention. Short solos are interspersed throughout the album, but the guitarwork in general is impressive and fills any musical masturbation needs you may have. I know because I have quite a lot when it comes to brutal and technical death metal.

After awhile I would think this kind of music would become stale, but Katalepsy manage to needle your auditory receptors with little bits of groove during each riff, and then yank on them when they've got enough under your skin. I get pulled back into river of gore just in time to hit the rapids. Even the latter tracks on Autopsychosis have this effect. "Gore Conspiracy," slam-ringer "Amongst Phantom Worlds," and "Taedium Vitae" are all equals to their early occurring counterparts. The vocalist Igor is primarily to blame for this intoxicating effect, and his myriad styles carry the groove when the music wants to deviate, keeping the listener involved in the album.

The sound engineers at the Cosmos Studio in Moscow have outdone their previous efforts with Cephalic Impurity. Autopsychosis sounds phenomenal. It is surprisingly clean which I can see putting off some old fans and some individuals in search of dirty brutal death metal. The guitars are crunchy yet clear, the bass is brilliantly mixed, and drums are crisp. There's no ridiculous snare sounds here (sadly), and I guess the kicks could use a bit more 'oomph' to them, but for the most part this production works wonderfully.

Autopsychosis is a change of heart for me, and I would imagine for the band too having gone from playing slam to a more brutal death metal oriented style. Hopefully their next is as addicting as this one.

Disclaimer: I did not once listen to this while hitting the gym. Should get on that.

8.25 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. Lurking In The Depth
2. Evidence Of Near Death (E.N.D.)
3. Body Bags For The Gods
4. Cold Flesh Citadel
5. The Pulse Of Somnambulist
6. Unearthly Urge To Supremacy
7. Gore Conspiracy
8. Amongst Phantom Worlds
9. Needles Of Hypocrisy (Interlude)
10. Knifed Humility
11. Taedium Vitae

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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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