Monday, September 26, 2016

Bandcamp Picks - In The Woods..., Second Grave, Dopethrone, Black Tar Prophet/Iron Gavel



There are few bands I regard as highly as Norway's IN THE WOODS. Pure, their first album in 17 years, is more akin to mainman C.M Botteri' work with Green Carnation than their transcendental Omnio album, eschewing most of the band's experimental proclivities and settling in to a fairly restrained mix of prog, goth, and Eurocentric doom. Synne Larsen's delicate soprano (arguably a major part of the band's identity) is sorely missed; but all the same, I couldn't be happier to have a new In The Woods album. [€7.77]



DoC faves Second Grave unleash their first full length, and it's their strongest batch of songs yet. Like The Obsessed and Soundgarden getting cozy in Geezer Butler's rec room, Blacken the Sky is a throwback to a different generation of slow and heavy bands, filled with hooks that work into your brain and can't be shook free. Sterling. The album is available as a "name your price" download.


Like Hunter S. Thompson, Montreal's Dopethrone make a free-wheeling drug-fueled lifestyle seem like a mixed bag. The three songs on their latest EP 1312, powered by oily riffs and venomous rasps, would make the perfect accomplice for Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo as they drank and snorted their way through the desert. Wait till you see those goddamn bats. The EP is available as a "name your price" download.


If filth is your thing but you can do without the screaming, Black Limb Records have you covered with a split between two instrumental bands. Nashville duo Black Tar Prophet unleash a bass-heavy assault with rumbling so deep it deserves its own Alka Seltzer commercial. On their end, PA's Iron Gavel keep the riffs simple but heavy, occasionally launching into some pure hesher shredding. Anyone missing the great Boston band 5ive will find a lot to love here. [$7]

Monday, September 19, 2016

An Interview with Demonical



Of the recent crop of Swedish death metal bands, few have been praised on this blog as highly and as regularly as Demonical. I discovered them quite by accident while in Prague in 2008, and since then their albums have been a reliable staple of my year end lists. After seeing them again at this year's Maryland Deathfest, it seemed long past time to get them on this blog. I e-mailed some questions to the band, which bassist Martin Schulman was kind enough to answer.