ENORMICON - Storm of Swords CDEP review

ENORMICON - Storm of Swords CDEP
Self Released
Genre: Post Rock
Rating: 4/5

According to this band's promo material they're supposed to of had influences ranging from the likes of VOIVOD to MASTODON, to name just two. As fate would have it I like neither of those acts. Instead I'll go with my gut and say after listening to it I think this Texas trio reminds me of an early era CLUTCH, HELMET and FUGAZI hybrid. Yeah that sounds more to my liking and not surprisingly to some extent I have a history with those bands. Although I hate to say it (no I don't) but this band is late by around sixteen years since around 1995 is when the era of post rock ended. Right now there's a forty something year old guy in his parent's basement outside of Minneapolis wearing a COW's t-shirt and clutching a copy of Strap It On crying "you're a liar!" Whatever, all I'm saying is that ENORMICON would have fit well in that music scene back in the day. But now it's being pushed as "progressive-minded, heavy stoner rock/metal." Personally I'd rather be snorting meth off of a whore's ass in a seedy motel room while this was playing in the back ground on a boombox instead of doing a bong hit to it but hey that's just me. Of course I modernized that metaphor. If this was 1994 I would've referenced the time a friend of mine found his roommate dead on the floor of his bedroom from a heroin overdose. The only reason he bothered checking in the guy's room is because the last thing the guy was playing on his turntable was a HELIOS CREED LP and it was skipping for two days. So maybe it's about time for a Post Rock Revival?

OK maybe not and that way ENORMICON from Denton, Texas (is there a college nearby?) can have all the glory. Look this thing has Post Rock written all over it from the stand out heavy bass lines, to the clean sounding real guy angst style vocals, to the one word song titles (just two but still) and the chunky riffs. Seriously I was writing for a zine all through that 90's Post Rock era and this band, if they were around then, would've been on top of the fuckin heap with their mugs on the cover of SPIN or NME. Storm of Swords is only six cuts but each one is strong. The band adds plenty of bass groove to entice then starts punching you in the head with powerful riffs and snare centric drumming. After that it's jazzy fusion structures and dissonant psych feedback laid on top of your body like a sheet from the morgue while the attendees are slam dancing. Only two of em of course because all the doctors are shoe-gazing or what I use to call "the Chapel Hill genuflect". For examples all you need to do is check out the cuts I'm referencing which are "Slaghammer", "The Gargantuan", "Dark Forces" and "Fury". Excellent stuff here people but hey it's just an EP's worth with a running time of a little over thirty minutes. Perfect for a pre-college class blast back in the day though maybe even a kegger. I didn't go to college but my taxes had to of paid for at least one slacker going to the local state university, majoring in fuckin up. The irony of it all is that guy probably has a wife whose ready to leave him, two fuck trophies (children) and defaulting on his mortgage. While I'm here listening to a cool new band from Texas. Like I said, this is cool sounding stuff now let's see what happens with a full length in the future.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/enormiconmetal

GOREAPHOBIA - Apocalyptic Necromancy CD review

GOREAPHOBIA - Apocalyptic Necromancy CD
Dark Descent Records
Genre: Death Metal
Rating: 5/5

The term "cult band" has been thrown around so much over the past few years (by lessor beings) that it has lost some of it's effect on the extreme music loving public. I rarely use the term because most bands don't fit the criteria needed in order to meet my standards. In the case of this Philadelphia death metal act, cult status is warranted. GOREAPHOBIA are legendary for two reasons. The first is that they were part of the original U.S. death metal class of 88. The second is that they never released a full length until 2009 that one being Mortal Repulsion. What put GOREAPHOBIA on the musical map, as well as in the minds of all death metal cult collectors, was their self released stuff and a single all from the 1990s. Those being the three song first demo Morbidious Pathology from 1990, the two song Relapse single Omen of Masochism and their two song demo from 1994. Now before you go on a Google tangent search for those gems just get the Vile Beast of Abomination compilation which came out on Necroharmonic Productions out of NJ in 2007. I highly recommend it for your early USDM fix since it's a document of this band's greatness.

Now as far as modern day GOREAPHOBIA goes (the band had a revolving door of band members over the years with bassist vocalist Chris Gamble and guitarist Alex Bouks being the only remaining originals) in 2009 their long awaited debut was finally released. Even better was that INCANTATION's John McEntee was on second guitar and former ENGORGE drummer Jim Roe was doing the pounding. That one came out on Ibex Moon Records and was pretty damm good considering. So now we have the follow-up except this time John McEntee is out and multi instrumentalist VJS (KULT OV AZAZEL, CRIMSON MOON, NIGHTBRINGER) is on second guitar. Nevertheless Apocalyptic Necromancy is simply part two of old school musicians playing OSDM to the hilt. If you've read or listened to any recent interviews with Gamble or Bouks then you know they have no real love for modern death metal. To them "old school" is the only school that matters and with their music it works. Some people see old bands who return as merely ghosts of their former selves just playing by the numbers. There are times when that's true but GOREAPHOBIA play with passion to the point were this is not nostalgia, this is real for the now.

Apocalyptic Necromancy is a fairly diverse sounding release which might surprise some people who were expecting one trick pony old school death metal nostalgia. There's plenty of blackened thrash on here because Chris Gamble is also in the blackened thrash band BLOOD STORM. So after the opening title cut (which is pure death) you hear thrash influenced cuts like "Xurroth Rreeth N'Vez Helm" (City of Rot and Decay) or "The Attractor". Both of which makes you want to run out into the street and slam into a moving vehicle. This is in no way a death thrash release since GOREAPHOBIA are hitting you with everything in the extreme metal arsenal be it death metal, thrash and even some doom. Sometimes all at once like in the extended length final cut "Rust Worms And The Noxious Fevers They Bring". Simply put this is an all around great release. Take it to the grave yard, blast it and watch the dead rise to start a pit. Fuck the grave stones getting in the way since it's not like they'll get hurt. Take this to your friend who hasn't removed his copy of Left Hand Path from the turntable since the 80's and watch his head spin when you push play. Just get this and thank the band for caring.

Label: http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/goreaphobia

HATRED EMBRACED - Suffering of the Holy Demo review

HATRED EMBRACED - Suffering of the Holy Demo
FDA REKOTZ
Genre: Death Metal
Rating: 3/5

HATRED EMBRACED are a four piece NOSDM act (New Old School Death Metal) from my birth place, the great state of New Jersey. Now you all know where I get my piss poor attitude from. This, their third demo overall since starting out in 2007, is a reissue of their 2010 demo. Although here it's being pushed as a preview of their upcoming full length release that will be coming out in 2012. Since they're signed to FDA REKOTZ, which is a damm good label who also put out that incredible GOREGAST release this year, I'm guessing they see promise here. New Jersey already boasts two great old school talents in DISMA and FUNEBRARUM. So this act has some work to do in order to get up into that tier of greatness. Suffering of the Holy is only four songs and a rehearsal cut but shows promise in that you wanna hear a damm full length by this band. Although the demo quality OSDM sound here and cassette packaging brings back fond memories of years ago. I'm not just talking about the music but back then you sent well hidden cash away to addresses you found in fanzines and a month later (hopefully) you got a package (envelope) containing a cassette, flyers and maybe a sticker.

HATRED EMBRACED are on the thrashier side of the death metal spectrum but not death thrash, thank you very much. This release is coated in old school filth and their influences are as numerous as the band patches on your denim cut-off. Then again that comes with the territory and fans not only expect it but crave it but the band doesn't totally rely on it. There's plenty of originality which shines through especially in the soloing as well as the impressive drumming display. Also the band adds plenty of variety whether it's on the blistering opener “Moloch . . . The Devourer" or the slightly crawling nightmarish “Suffering of the Holy”. All of this reminds me of the early days of DEATH and to some degree Sweden's NIHILIST but not at all as they're trying to be copycats. Since NOSDM is now the quin essential revival theme after building up over the past few years and is following in the foot steps of it's predisessor, the Thrash Revival. Bands entering the rift need to step up their game if they wanna be noticed more then just "another one of those bands". Like I said earlier the promise is here so hopefully they'll make due on it.

Label: http://www.fda-rekotz.com/gx/

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/hatredembraced1

SARKE - Oldarhian CD review

SARKE - Oldarhian CD
Indie Recordings
Genre: Heavy Metal/Punk
Rating: 3/5

Back in 2009 when the side project SARKE (aka: Thomas Berglie of KHOLD and TULUS who handles all the instruments plus Nocturno Culto of DARKTHRONE on vocals) released their debut Vorunah it was looked at as a cool sounding one off release. The basic charm of it came because it was two black metal vets performing non black metal music albeit a mixture of traditional heavy metal and punk fuckin rock. If you were a fan of DARKTHRONE's latest adventures in punk/speed metal then you liked what SARKE was doing. Now we have this the follow up which kinda removes the uniqueness of the first release. On a whole Oldarhian is not far from it's predecessor. Nocturno still sounds like some gravel throated metalhead barfly singing for another drink. The songs are stripped down simplistic rocking numbers, most at least are that way. Songs like "Condemned", "Pilgrim of the Occult" and "Flay the Wolf" (hey?) are pretty standard form from what was on the debut. It's deeper into the album where things get into more moody territory. On “Captured” and "Burning of the Monoliths" for example we're introduced to some melodic doom which some might find a distraction but I found it to be some of the best cuts on Oldarhian. At least they break from the strict regiment of rocking metal punk. "Paradigm Lost" is another surprise with it's use of symphonic style synths thrown in added with a simple yet twisted guitar solo. Be that as it is the release is close to being too simplistic as far as the songs go and relates well with the cover art. The sound on here is old school rough with a purpose. Nocturno's vocals are the only thing keeping it worth while.

Label: http://indierec.net/

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sarkeofficial

RAMESSES - Possessed by the Rise of Magik CD review

RAMESSES - Possessed by the Rise of Magik CD
Ritual Productions
Genre: Doom
Rating: 5/5

The more I listen to RAMESSES the more I look at drummer Mark Greening and guitarist's Tim Bagshaw's former band, ELECTRIC WIZARD, as boring especially if you consider that turd from 2010 Black Masses. Last year's Take the Curse full length proved without a doubt (unless you're a hipster tool) that RAMESSES were the better act of the two. I wasn't expecting anything from them this soon except for their Chrome Pineal EP which came out a little while back. Possessed by the Rise of Magik is not one for simple head bobbing stoners to rock in their over-stuffed easy chairs too. This is a bad acid nightmare which will have you feeling like a psychotic giant is crushing you with it's size 113 inch boots all the while mocking in delight. The earlier mentioned duo plus Adam Richardson, bass and vocals, have pushed themselves out of the doom well to a more experimental level. First thing you notice on here is how on some cuts Richardson howls and croons like he's David Yow on a methadone bender. If you're into the band's previous works then this might throw you for a loop especially if death growls is all you favor. Personally in my not so humble opinion I liked it from the onset. It's just another of many more musical dynamics employed on here that adds a new dimension to RAMESSES which if you payed attention to their previous works you knew they had coming.

The opener "Invisible Ritual" crushes for the most part with some exceedingly aggressive sounding riffs by Bagshaw which then takes on an atmospheric tone as the solo carries you along. Richardson's vocals echo in and out of it like a maniac off his meds. "Towers of Silence" is an ominous doom epic with Richardson's painful sounding echo vocals and then blackened harsh shrieks start bouncing off walls of monolithic guitar crunch. The sound of a air raid siren starts "Sol Nocivo" off only to succumb to a dirgey guitar driven crawl with Greening sounding like he's included pots and pans to bang on. The cut has a depressive black metal ambiance to it. If you crank this one up it's as if Richardson is in the next room dying, for nine long minutes to boot. "Plague Beak" is like a summoning of some sort of beastly entity which harking back to previous RAMESSES works. The song drones on till mid-point when Bagshaw starts torturing his guitar in order to achieve the exact painful notes. Richardson ends things with a spoken word recital like a priestly figure giving the final commencement. "Duel" slowly builds from a haunting dirge to gothic horror and finally reinforced into a death doom nightmare. The next cut "Safety in Numbness" follows a similar vein as "Duel" in that the gothic tones return but in a more post punk atmospheric vibe. This lasts for the majority of it until the closing when Bagshaw breaks out the heavy chords.

The title cut which closes this release is the only casualty of all on here. The over eleven minute cut is haunting early on with an almost BAUHAUS approach running throughout but ends up in complete destruction. Possessed by the Rise of Magik is definitely a huge experiment for these Brits. I can see some people not getting it at all. The gothic post punk influences alone will tear at some traditionalists but hey I can say the same for when some acts go all hippie or progressive. You won't be knocked over like you were with last year's Take The Curse or their 2007 debut Misanthropic Alchemy. But then that's the way it should be some of the time. It's not like RAMESSES is departing from their sonic audio barrage nor is it like when PARADISE LOST turned into DEPECHE MODE for a few releases. The bottom line is that this release drags you down into a pit of unforgiving doom which some losers will be lucky to escape from. Thankfully I can dance around the edges while this blasts away. Enjoy it at the risk that you just might understand whatafuck is going on. Besides since when is doom suppose to make you happy.

Label: http://www.ritualproductions.net/

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/ramesses666

THE HORDE - Thy Blackened Reign CD review

THE HORDE - Thy Blackened Reign CD
Stormspell Records
Genre: Thrash
Rating: 5/5

If I went to see this band and they didn't perform this album from start to finish I'd be disappointed. Seriously taken as a whole this Midwest metal storm needs to be followed like those chasers do with tornadoes. THE HORDE hail from Iowa and are, as an old friend would say, "metal as fuck dude". They started out in 2006, released an EP two years later and somehow got the attention of Stormspell Records as well as someone to draw the appropriate cover art work. Come on people that's a cool looking cover. On this the band's full length debut they literally leave no classic metal stone unturned be it thrash, NWOBHM or even some melodic death. These are not simply genres to THE HORDE, they are weapons which they use to battle. Who would they use em against you ask? Well I can think of a few but I'll leave it up to the band. Thy Blackened Reign is sort of a concept battle metal themed release with adventurous song titles that cry out to Asgard or a dive bar, basically wherever a good fight breaks out. Speaking of violence when this band plays some of these cuts live and a pit doesn't break out then they should just pull out their guns and start shooting. They're from Iowa, everyone owns a gun in Iowa.


Yes it's hard to be serious while this dink is playing (I was serious about the shooting idea) but it's all in a good fun way. Music like this does take me back to earlier times when I'd see a band like this on a stage in some dank bar on the other side of the tracks. They would be raging on stage and the crowd, of which I was in, is slamming in mass. THE HORDE simply bring out the inner hessian in ya. One listen to "Odin' Blood" and you'll have both arms held up high in horned fists while you run through a wall screaming a war cry. I've done it myself on numerous occasions to other releases that I had to cease since all that's left are load bearing walls. If I took them out my fuckin house would collapse. Although listening to "Into War We Ride" or "Hell Beast of the Pale Frost" is certainly tempting. It's not just the music but the production quality is so fuckin raw it adds to the hostile atmosphere blaring out the speakers. The vocals are barely audible harsh slurs, the drums are intense and the guitars are chugged at a blistering pace for the most part. Also any band that comes out with a speed metal cut called "Super Tusk" is a winner in my book. Thy Blackened Reign is what we'd say back in our print fanzine days as "Scum Approved".


Label: http://www.stormspell.com/

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/hordemetal

The Horde at the Central Illinois Metalfest. Filmed July 23rd, 2011

METAL VIDEOS THAT DON'T SUCK: NUNSLAUGHTER

In this era of high unemployment and the push for people to conform in order to get something, anything that will pay the bills this vid makes sense today. How many of you can relate to this? Plus it's NUNSLAUGHTER.