Friday, December 26, 2014

Bandcamp Picks: 2014 Stocking Stuffer Edition



Tis the season...here are some stand out Bandcamp releases that came to my attention that may have slipped under the radar, and are available as free or "name your price" downloads unless stated otherwise.

It's been exactly a year since we checked in with DoC faves War Wolf; in that time, they've released an 8 song EP and a split cassette with fellow Brits Crossburner (who should probably rethink their band name). I'm happy to report that War Wolf are still putting that classic Sunlight Studios tone in the service of no frills power violence, and still hitting nasty grooves in between bouts of feedback like a slightly less terrifying Nails. See you guys this time next year, then?



Similarly, Madrid's Teething take that classic Swedish guitar sound and strap it to some classic Napalm-era grind. You know what I want for next Christmas? A War Wolf/Teething split. As a "name your price" download, of course.



Aussie black metallers Wardaemonic are making their first trip to South East Asia in a few months. Their first album is a decent release that follows the same template that's characterized black metal since the first Emperor album, with occasional excursions into a more atmospheric, droning style. But it's their most recent release, the three song Proclamation EP, that's really impressive, as they give themselves in to death metal riffing for a blackened death sound reminiscent of Zyklon and Cadaver Inc. We could definitely use more bands like this around here.



Tankcrimes have made Dystopia's legendary Human = Garbage available on their Bandcamp page. Metal presented these crust punks with a blank canvas with which to experiment, much like Neurosis - and the similarities don't end there. The band combined sludgy doom, mood-setting samples, and off-kilter Voivod riffing just as Souls at Zero did before it. The resulting album still stands as a landmark in the history of punk kids giving in to the joys of metal.



Milwaukee's Protestant - great name btw - features Halo of Flies Records boss Cory von Bohlen and have been playing ultra heavy metallic crust for a decade now. They've recently wandered on to a more blackened path, but their early releases are still commendable for their filthy, crusty, bare knuckle simplicity. All their releases are available as "name your price" downloads, except the two most recent (which are available for a very respectable $5).



Corinth from Leeds take the Sword's swagger and Kylesa's forward thinking sludge, resulting in some phenomenal songs. They're still not quite at a place where they've carved out their own identity, but their talent is undeniable.



Stick Lecherous Gaze on a mixtape between the Dictators and Motörhead; they play the kind of greasy gutter rock that made the Supersuckers so many friends over the years, and throw in a little Black Flag for good measure. Everything on their Bandcamp page is available as a "name your price", with the exception of their full-length On The Skids.