Monday, October 31, 2016

Bandcamp Picks: Ulcerate, Polyptych, Barghest/Teeth, Our Place of Worship is Silence



Few bands have been as successful in reshaping a genre in their own image as New Zealand's Ulcerate. Shrines of Paralysis both encompasses and transcends death, black and doom metal, and is exhausting in its commitment to the kiwi band's unique vision of metal. The last two Ulcerate albums were a window into death metal's future as newer bands tripped over themselves in their rush to emulate; no doubt this new release will inspire a whole new wave of imitators. [$9.99]




The problem with making death metal with a progressive mindset is that straying too far in one direction means losing sight of the other. Not so with Chicago's Polyptych, whose third album Defying the Metastasis strikes a balance between twisted riffs, jagged Voivod-esque rhythms and pure aggression. A band whose talent and originality should earmark them for the discerning death metal fan. [$7.99]



Barely 6 months after their 7" with Fister, DoC friends Teeth return with a new split cassette courtesy of Cvlt Nation. On the 20 minute track "The Hell That Whispers In My Bones", they push their slow dissonant style as far as they've ever taken it, netting them their strongest material to date. Louisiana's Barghest hold up their end by taking the express train from "black" to "metal", only making stops at "kvlt", "trve", and "grim". [$6]



If 20 minutes of sanity eroding death sludge isn't enough for you, Our Place of Worship Is Silence share not only members with Teeth but their atonal approach as well. Their aptly titled debut The Embodiment of Hate is dark and unrelenting, a maelstrom of churning riffs and pounding drums. More straightforward than their other band but a fitting companion nonetheless. [$7]