Monday, April 30, 2018

Bandcamp Picks - Messa, Deathbell, Black Box Warning, Atone



Though Italy's Messa tick off a lot of "occult rock" boxes with their second album (including a female singer, keyboards, and a warm throwback production), they avoid falling into pure Seventies nostalgia. Feast for Water keeps things modern by breaking up the loungey proceedings with occasional blasting and black metal riffs. Blues for a blocked out sun. [€7]



Working along similar lines, French quartet Deathbell combine crushing doom with a haunting female vocalist, but stay doggedly within the realm of true doom. Their debut With The Beyond never hurries itself, letting each riff arrive at the pace and bearing of a funeral procession. Slow songs that grow on you. The album is available as a "name your price" download.



Despite their name, fellow Gallic doomsters Black Box Warning don't fit in any box. Attendre La Mort draws inspiration from groovy doom, discordant post-hardcore and the more radio-friendly end of death metal, with constantly shifting tempos that prevent songs from getting monotonous. Is it too soon to anticipate a Nineties revival? [€5]



With members of highly touted sludge prospects Body Void and Swamp Witch, it's a safe bet that California's ATONE are experts on all things slow and heavy. On their debut EP, the Bay Area band ply their trade in austere sludge, with piercing feedback being your sole escape from their monolithic rumbling. Grief-stricken and Dystopi(a)c. [$5]

Sunday, April 22, 2018

an interview with Synapse Misfire

Formed from the ashes of Helmsplitter, Synapse Misfire continue along a similar path - making a glorious racket equally at peace with black, thrash, death, and grindcore. Their Horror Pain Gore Death debut Losing the War Against the Sands of Time piqued my interest with its no frills assualt; guitarist Ross Mallie was kind enough to fill me in on the band's backstory and future plans.

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Monday, April 9, 2018

Bandcamp Picks - The Crown, Demonical, Synapse Misfire, VHS



It is with no small amount of pleasure (and relief) that I declare that not only is there a new album from The Crown, but it doesn't suck. Few bands are as successful at crafting death metal that's catchy and fun without sacrificing its fundamental brutality - Cobra Speed Venom is at once thrashy, black, and rocking. It's not quite as good as Deathrace King or Crowned in Terror (two of the best death metal albums ever released); and I miss drummer/founder Janne Saarenpää's reckless blastbeats. Still, as a reminder of why the Crown were such a force at the turn of the millennium, this album acquits itself nicely. Bow down and hail your king. [$9.99]



A new singer isn't the only change afoot for Demonical. In addition to the old school Swedeath this band made their bones with, Chaos Manifesto is peppered with melodic mid-paced stompers akin to Amon Amarth. Anyone following the left hand path long enough should have seen this coming. [$7.90]



Formed by members of Helmsplitter and Waco Jesus, Synapse Misfire are underground lifers in the service of death. Their debut release Losing The War Against The Sands Of Time delivers a mix black, thrash, grind and death metal with ruthless efficiency. A band that never overstays a genre or their welcome. [$6.66]



Get the popcorn ready, as DoC friends VHS have released their much-teased second full-length. The New Batch is a celebration of low-budget horror and no-frills death metal, with 16 pithy tracks that hit and split with all the fun and brevity of a good horror anthology. Grind and rewind. [$7 CAD]

Tuesday, April 3, 2018