Necromutilator - Oath Of Abhorrence

 

There was something magic about the early days of extreme metal when thrash, black metal and death metal all kind of found a way to blend together in a sound that just felt evil. In modern times there are few bands who can properly emulate this fusion of styles and ideas. Necromutilator though find a way to fuse it together with a sound that owes just as much to Sarcofago as it does to Autopsy. Their new record, Oath Of Abhorrence feels gloriously primitive and brutal, a teeth gnashing reminder that the worst is yet to come. 

Oath Of Abhorrence shines with its teeth gnashing madness and the unrelenting assault the band present across the albums eight tracks. There is something kind of refreshing about an album that doesn't try to be artsy or impressive but rather revels in the murk and delights in just how evil it can be. Necromutilator have a deep understanding of the twisted and blasphemous vision behind this type of music and the almost punk roots the whole thing is supposed to have. There is a certain venom spitting magic to the lo fi production and guttural vocals that shape a song like "Malevolent Blood". This is not thinking mans metal, but rather metal to slit your throat.

While there are no surprises and the whole thing is steeped in classic extreme metal hero worship, sometimes that's exactly what you want from an album. As I'm fond of saying - it doesn't matter if a record is full of tropes if the tropes fucking rule and the execution is good. Such is the case with Oath Of Abhorrence. Underground devotees are going to find themselves bending the knee in honor of a one of a kind and truly magnificent band. Get ready to dive into the pit and drink some blood, Necromutilator know just what the doctor ordered. 

Pre-order the album!

https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/

Hierophant - Death Siege

Well we finally have it, the first new Hierophant record in 6 years. Death Siege is pure fucking apocalypse, some of the bands best songs ever refined into a vicious whole and dedicated to tearing up the souls of the weak. This is blackened death metal done right. Through it all the band manages to pay tribute to their hardcore roots, whilst moving away from the more grindcore elements of their last album, Mass Grave. The end result is an offering that is truly stunning, larger than life and wonderfully exciting to immerse yourself in. 

This record is thrilling in both its dedication to chaos and the dynamic approach that the band so eagerly deploys. Tracks like "Nemesis Of Thy Mortals", the epic album closer simultaneously fuse touches of basement dwelling grindcore with teeth gnashing black metal. The end result is an offering that seems both bombastic and down to earth. It's a record that drags you to hell, but does so in the most demented way possible, over every single bump in the road ensuring a maximum amount of pain as you descend into raw fucking violence. This is the beauty of Death Siege, it's a record that delves deep into its twisted morbidity. 

Death Siege is a stunner any way you slice it. For Hierophant to come back after six years stronger than ever having built on their classic sound without losing site of just how special it can be is truly excellent. This is a record that is going to leave you in awe, headbanging to the crazed madness that has come to shape this band and so much of what's come before. Hierophant understand the glorious darkness of extreme metal and this latest offering is given to the fall into darkness we all must inevitably take. Press play and experience the madness when this drops August 26th!

Pre-order the album!

https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/hierophantDS

Sign Of Evil - Psychodelic Death

The South American scene is constantly conjuring up some of the sickest underground metal evil in the world, and Sign Of Evil are no exception. Their new record Psychodelic Death is a thriller any way you slice it and the blood curdling magic of they have done on this offering is monumental. It's a record that relies on burbling, inhuman vocals and oodles of blast beats. The end result is an extreme metal record quite unlike any you've heard before, it's sick and twisted in a way that US or European bands could never pull off. 

Psychodelic Death really wins on the strength of the breakneck riffs and the two styles of vocal deployed. While the riffs tend to eagerly dart between black and death metal, they actually feel surprisingly coherent in the context of this album as a whole. It is a record that is focused more on being extreme than sharply defined. Perhaps more notable though is the balance between traditional death growls and shrieks with these weird burbled ululations that come across as way more unorthodox and distinctly evil. It's like the sound of a demon trying to emerge from the muck and not really finding purchase. Sign Of Evil goes for the throat on this release, and it's this balance that makes it delicious. 

This may not be the most finely tuned South American extreme metal release, and it certainly has its rough edges, but that's honestly a huge part of the appeal of what Sign Of Evil have accomplished. A record with a spelling error in the goddamn title isn't supposed to be some sort of prog epic, it's supposed to be a stunner that speaks to the twisted visions that have helped craft this music in the first place. Sign Of Evil use Psychodelic Death to prove they are among the evillest and weirdest around and you need them in your life. 

Pre-order the album!

https://edgedcircleproductions.bandcamp.com/album/psychodelic-death

Hallux Valgus - Reflections Of Distant Dreams

Hallux Valgus are doing it right. Their unique brand of extreme metal is dusted with death rock, making for a sound that is twisted, vicious and wholly their own. It's death rock for the freak, the underground devotee desperately looking for that next hit, obsessed with the gut wrenching madness of these underground masters. Reflections Of Distant Dreams is a blazing force from the South American scene and one that really speaks to how much interesting music is coming out of the scene out there right now. It's thrilling. 

Doubters would say that mixing the music of such diverse bands as Christian Death and Cadaver wouldn't really be possible, but Hallux Valgus find a way. While at some points its a touch hackneyed, at other moments it's truly transcendent, bringing a fresh dialect of riffing into an overtread genre. There are some really interesting layers to unpack here and this band seems to continually find ways to capitalize on what makes them special. I think with a little more production and another album under their collective belts, this unique blend of sounds could go somewhere amazing. Eve so - this is a really interesting listen that asks the listener to embrace new worlds. 

In brief - Reflects Of Distant Dreams is a thrilling record that is going to keep devotees of the underground excitedly coming back for more. Hallux Valgus have managed to execute on a very high level for this one and it's a delight to see them really executing at the highest of levels on this latest offering. Edged Circle has once more signed an interesting and genre breaking band. Letting yourself revel in the bloodthirsty magic that they have executed on is such a delight and hints at so much more to come.

Pre-order the album!

http://edgedcircleproductions.bandcamp.com/album/reflections-of-distant-dreams

Nekrovomit - Demonic Possession

 

Man - what better way to start the new year than with some killer Indonesian extreme metal? Their new record Demonic Possession is an absolute scorcher, an EP that reflects on the bands bleakest and darkest nightmares. There is a real sense of torment that fuels this record and allows listeners to really get lost in the twisted madness and burning wreckage that is their gloriously stripped back sound. This isn't re-inventing the steel, this is just crazed and extreme music that is going to keep making rabid heavy music fans falling ever deeper in love with the band. 

Demonic Possession thrills because the band is so eagerly building on classic twisted tropes of the genre. This is a record that really adores the twisted nature of the underground and relishes in letting listeners get immersed in the blasphemy that it paints. Demonic Possession shows the band firing on all cylinders, crafting hellish demos worthy of Mantas, Master and other early extreme metal greats. If you're not into the dungeon demo stuff, then this won't be for you, but for those of us who were raised on it then Nekrovomit is a triumphant discovery from a foreign land. 

Pre-order the album today!

https://helldprod.bandcamp.com/album/nekrovomit-demonic-possession

Sacrifixion - Shower Me In Death

 

Yeah this is what I needed for my Monday. A blazing four track seven inch from an 80s worshiping German extreme metal band. A record that eagerly apes early Death, Dark Angel and Kreator, with more than a touch of Sepultura, Sacrifixion's debut, Shower Me In Death is high powered hate delivered at its finest hour. This is an extreme metal addict extreme metal record, driving towards blasphemous new heights and continually suggesting wonderfully dark new ways that the band can double down on their retro approach. 

Shower Me In Death shines because of the fierce barrelling aggression of the record. In particular, the underproduced toms give a real sense of rough and tumble 80s demo magic. Yes they sound bad, but that's kind of the point. this feels like a band you would go see in your friends basement and slam a beer with after their set. This is an extreme metal band who lean into the tropes and force us all to choke on the bitter pill of this scene. Shower Me In Death is extreme metal at its gnarliest, and it makes for addictive listening. It's a record that touches on all the classic tropes of the genre and which is guaranteed to keep you coming back.  

The thing is - these extreme metal seven inches are ridiculously easy to reply and become obsessed with. At under fifteen minutes this is a record you'll finish playing and then want to hear all over again just a few minutes later. At least, that's how it works for me. Sacrifixion have a ton of promise and their ability to really lean into a lot of the classic tropes of this music is awesome. Losing yourself in these waves of twisted sound is so much fun and it speaks to a band who seek to invoke the gods of old. Join their quest and headbang through the week!

Pre-order the album!

https://sacrifixion-germany.bandcamp.com/?label=763831079&tab=artists

Witch Ward - Sacrificial Monolith

Underground black metal collides with punk on Witch Ward's latest offering Sacrifical Monolith. This is an absolutely masterful record that revels in sheer noise and conveys a certain rawness that ensures the record remains virile and exciting. The group blast forward without a care in the world, and yet somehow they manage to hold it together for the ten minutes of this EP. When it comes down to it what more could you ask for from a wild ass metal punk record? It's supposed to be dangerous and over the top!

The sense of chaos that you feel in a track like 'Orbital Devourment' is wonderfully palpable. It's easy to get lost in the bleak magic of these five tracks, as they take you on a whirlwind journey through what the band has to offer. Careening forward on the backs of hell stallions violent and free it's hard not to be charmed by the back to the basics crunch of the band. The screeching guitars on a track like 'Selective Extinction' provide a certain harrowing madness to the whole affair, suggesting a band just as enamored with Slayer as they are with Darkthrone. It gives you a lot to sink your teeth in, even as the general noisiness beats you over the head.

Sacrificial Monolith is a thriller. It's a record that executes simple ideas in the loudest and most abrasive way possible - and that's why I like it so much. This isn't an album for normal people nor does it claim to be. In fact much of Sacrificial Monolith seems designed to be inaccessible. A sort of sneering 'fuck you' to those who have not given their lives to all that is heavy. This is a wild and manic record, one you won't soon forget and one that has me continually enamored with the insanity of it all.

Find more on Bandcamp!
https://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/sacrificial-monolith

Erdve - Vaitojimas

Erdve is one of these bands who are so gloriously demented that it's hard to even slap a genre tag on them or to try and imply that they are anything other than icons in the making. There is a sort of monumental majesty behind this band and a sublime poetry to their incredibly demented and poetic songwriting. This is the sort of extreme metal that pushes the boundaries in every sense of the word, yet despite its inherent madness it seems fairly clear that Erdve aren't just ridiculously talented, but they also have a boatload of potential.

There is a weird sense of destiny that guides Erdve through this debut, the way the songs are constructed with a perpetual sense of forward motion, the weird harmonic ideas and the grooves that borrow just as much from groovy doom metal as they do from the darker sides of the underground. The sonic assault of Vaitojimas rests heavily on enormous musical atmospheres and potent grooves that drive you into the ground. Simultaneously, their compositions are defined by musical twists and turns that know no bounds and will bring you ever deeper into the demented otherworld found within ourselves.

This is the sort of record that you can get lost in, the compositions are rich and deep. It's the sort of brainy extreme music that we need if we want the genre to survive and to be known for continually producing meaningful and powerful content. As is - Vaitojimas is something of a masterwork, an album that you are going to keep wanting to come back too and which stands as a potent combination of sparkling originality and a broad swathe of influences across the metal scene, inviting you to dive into the degenerate side of things and enjoy this beautifully challenging listen.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/erdvelt/

The Austerity Program, Child Bite and KEN Mode at the Acheron

The Acheron is rapidly becomign one of my favorite places to see a show in New York City and not just because it's a ten minute walk away from my apartment. Nay - this runs deeper than that. The Acheron is one of those venues that reeks of the underground, with seedy posters lining the walls and a bar next door that serves some of the best food you can find in Williamsburg. The point being - it's the kind of place where we are meant to see extreme music, and with the three bands that played last night we were all left in awe.

First up was Austerity Program who played one of the most unique sets I've ever seen. Aided by a powerpoint they helped us identify which bands they ripped off. I kid you not. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen and a bizarre reflection of the oh-so-serious attitude that has come to define the underground music community in recent years. Musically these guys are pretty tight too - a wonderful fit to open for an act like KEN Mode. There sound is abrasive and intelligent - like a more extreme version of Swans. They were a joy to watch - and not just because of the silly presentation - truly a band for the whole family to get fucked up too!

Child Bite played a very impressive set as always. Their distinct brand of Mr Bungle driven punk and hardcore always captures my heart. They're one of the most fascinating bands on the world today and watching a maniac like Shawn Knight tear up the stage for each and every ode to violence, madness and the generally fucked up state of the world is just unreal. Is the barren mean more to the underground that I think even they realize they're sound is just perfect for this time and place of chaotic it's weird but it's also incredibly intelligent. And yet despite it all - these guys are a blast to listen too - maybe that's why Phil Anselmo likes them so much!

Finally the hour had come for KEN Mode. Relying predominantly on material from the new record - the stellar Success these guys simply blew me away. The other time I had seen them had been in a massive room in Texas so getting to watch a band this genre bending in such a small club was really fun. They destroyed the room - Jesse Matthewson's demented faces casting a strange pallor onto the audience. These guys feel it in every bone in their body and it's strangely unsettling to watch them perform. On their classic Never Was everyone in the audience seemed entranced, crying out nihilistic anthems for a new generation. KEN Mode are still pushing boundaries years into their career and it's kind of exciting to see that their brainiest and most extreme stuff is still to come.

I walked home on that beautiful October evening and felt content in what I had witness. I had met good dudes, reveled in the murk, and found myself drowning in volume - a great way to spend any night on the road. Child Bite and KEN Mode remain two of the most exciting bands in metal and watching them continue to destroy the globe is never going to get old. The scene is about to hit it's most exciting moments yet and bands like these are leading the charge, there aren't many more dates on this tour but if you get a chance - go see it, it's not one to be missed.

Find the bands on Facebook!

The Austerity Program: https://www.facebook.com/theausterityprogram?fref=ts

Child Bite: https://www.facebook.com/childbite?fref=ts

KEN Mode: https://www.facebook.com/kenmode?fref=ts

Inner Sanctum - Legions Awake

Hailing from India, a country not known for extreme metal or metal at all, Inner Sanctum come riding a hurricane of heavy riffs, strong drums, and insane power. The album is thrashy and allows for some serious moshing that could rival even the heaviest of metal heavyweights. From start to finish, the record displays furious aggression and talented musicianship. Inner Sanctum may very well be the best extreme metal band in their country and they show no signs of slowing down with their latest release; Legions Awake.

Each track blazes past you, the listener, at a scorching speed that leaves you breathless but invigorated. It's the kind of album that you can listen to again and again due to the sheer solidness of it as a whole. While the album may not have too many definitive tracks that really stand out as "single worthy", it's still a very fetch release that warrants at least one spin on your music player.

With another strong release under their belt, Inner Sanctum show that they are capable of dominating the metal game no matter where you're from and how big your metal scene is. It's bands like these guys that really show how universal and global Metal is as a genre.

Find them on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/innersanctumindia?fref=ts

Damien The Cat

A kind of Me Bungle-esque extreme metal band you say? Well then - I guess I'm off to a good start with Damien The Cat, whose latest release The Acosmist is the kind of thing that takes many a spin to pull apart. Though it is held back by lower production values the ideas maintained by Damien The Cat on this release are admirable and they speak to the bands ability to create intense, varied and truly weird music. With musical changes coming straight out of left field The Acosmist feels strangely cohesive, speaking to the bands ability as songwriters. The vicious sense of hunger that these New Jersey natives seem to communicate is fascinating and their bass heavy sound leaves you begging for more. Damien The Cat understand the true meaning of extreme music and push boundaries in every possible direction. All that stands now is for you to get in here, let out your manky hair and turn it up to eleven.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/damienthecat?fref=ts

Listen on Bandcamp!
http://damienthecat.bandcamp.com/album/the-acosmist

DRI, Gash and Dick Vomit at the Reading Reverb

So - another night - another show, this time to bring the mosh with almighty DRI and a couple cool touring bands who opened up for them on one of the best bills I've ever seen hit Readings quasi-legendary Reverb. With a couple of opening acts who seemed to be big on theatrics, a fitting counterpart to DRI's stripped down majesty, this evening was one to remember, the kind of show that reflects the simple beauty that this kind of music can have and reflects on the enduring power of thrash metal and punk.

First up were Dick Vomit, a band who are gleefully offensive, using blow up dolls and glitter canons to accentuate some over the top theatrics. There music - a take on Toxic Holocaust/Municipal Waste style retro thrash with a little grindcore thrown into the mix is a joy to listen too. It has a sort of blazing triumph that directly contradicts the bands grimy surroundings. Few bands understand the importance of a live show like Dick Vomit do, sure these guys probably will offend you and a lot of their banter and lyrics cross lines, but that's kind of the point. It's the sort of shit meant for fourteen year old boys, and when you're dealing with a metal crowd, that's a pretty good deal.

Gash were up next and their fairly distinctive brand of punk rock - fueled by a literal orgy in the pit was definitely a little shocking to say the least. There is a sense of punk rock madness in its purest form that is channeled with the music of Gash. These guys know what it means to feel discriminated against and torn down and their utterly oppressive stage show was a veritable fucked up saturnalia of punk rock glory. There is a strange charm to this band, vulgar as they are. They are tight - but there's a sense that they're about to fall apart - but you get the impression that with a band like Gash, that's just the way they like it.

Finally it was time for the almighty DRI to storm the stage. There is a sense of glory to this band that only comes through four decades worth of heavy touring in all corners of the earth. The way that they slam the audience with power  chord induced trauma and use punk rock tropes to create a sense of glorious nihilism is, in a word, beautiful. The setlist was most triumphant, I don't think I could have picked a better one myself. Special highlights were the three new songs (All hardcore derived) and closing on I Don't Need Society, that almighty cry of "Fuck You" served as a moment of jarring finality before an encore that featured tracks like Beneath The Wheel. A beautiful night if there ever was one.

What I'm trying to say is that this kind of music is perhaps all we have saving ourselves from utter extinction. DRI are a symbol of what it means to be punk rock and they have seen it all, changing the genre for all time and wearing battle jackets and (In Harald's case) tricked out basses to lead the charge. All three bands I saw last night reflected the inherent power of punk rock, and if you don't like it - fuck you. This is what we need to guide ourselves through the fire and the flames, and provide us, us stupid punks, the power to carry on.

Find the bands on Facebook:

Dick Vomit: https://www.facebook.com/dickvomit66642069?fref=ts

Gash: https://www.facebook.com/GASHOFFICIAL

DRI: https://www.facebook.com/pages/DRI/137263955229?fref=ts

Bosse-De-Nage - All Fours

Bosse-De-Nage are the kind of band with a distinctly artsy vibe that sets them, in my imagination at least as some of the great artists of their age. There is something rather cerebral about their new record All Fours, it makes for dense listening, but it is extremely rewarding. The moments of blissful guitar melodies riding on top of a storm of shrieks that seem to come from a tortured and demented artist is simply blissful. As the blazing guitars ride into your imagination, it's hard to deny this bands supremacy.

The super distorted attack and sonic violations that come through these songs is contrasted by a rather profound beauty. A great example of this comes in the track The Industry Of Distance which uses a soulful guitar intro on top of a distortion laden buzz to prelude some of the most ferocious extreme metal that you will hear all year. Like I said, this is certainly not for everyone and Bosse-De-Nage are definitely the sort of intellectually minded act who take some getting used too. But the way that there progressions ebb and flow, the way the drums patter and the bass thuds into your heart, it comes together for sublime triumph.

There is a sense of beauty to All Fours, moments of tonality that come through and caress the ears after what feels like hours of crushing destruction. The sense of primal desperation that accents some of these tracks is profoundly contrasted by a much darker sense of being. It makes for music that forces you to reconsider your place in the world and dig deeper into the mysteries that present themselves. An album that takes you on a journey, the only question is will you breathe deep and take the plunge?

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/blackbossedenage

Adimiron - Timelapse

My introduction to Adimiron actually came when I saw them opening for Death Angel almost a year ago. I remember being impressed by their live set, but thinking that they had the potential to do so much more. Well guess what, they did it. Timelapse is an exciting and dynamic record that proves this band have what it takes to be true metal greats. They've been chipping away at it for years and now they've put out a record that will crush your soul. An innovative take on extreme metal, Adimiron seem poised to take on the globe.

The songs on this record are fabulously constructed with more than a few prog elements. There is a wonderful sense of chaos that fuels the entire album. As you get deeper into the mystical layers that define this record it's increasingly easy to get lost. Timelapse has a lot of growls, but it is defined by powerful brassy cleans that ring out and capture the heart. Whispered sections add a wonderful intensity, especially to the climactic final track Ayahuasca. The entire record though shows Adimiron moving away from their more death metal oriented roots and into a world that is much more epic and in many ways reminiscent of acts like The Atlas Moth.

Timelapse will capture your imagination and definitively shows that ten years into their career Adimiron seem poised to make some of their best music yet. These tracks aren't always easy to follow, and frankly that's the beauty of it. As the band grows more cerebral I think they become more comfortable with the destructive power of what they can really do. These guys seem to have a much better understanding of what they want to do now, and I get the impression soon all will kneel before their mastery.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/adimironofficial

Interview with Castle Freak

Here's another This Is Hardcore interview for ya, this time it was done at the A389 aftershow (Which I couldn't get into on account of not being 21) with the soon to be legendary Castle Freak. This is one of the most fun interviews I've done in a good long while, but though it's silly I feel like we cover a lot of good topics here. From 14 year old girls and sluts to HP Lovecraft Castle Freak have it all. If you want Repulsion styled old school death metal that will rip your face off, you have to look no further than the magic of this band.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/CastleFreakPhilly

What defines the Castle Freak live experience?

Andy (A): It varies from show to show, it really depends on whose in the crowd. If people know our songs and stuff they usually go wild. 

Dylan (D): If it's a basement show I'll go in on the cool mosh parts and hit them with my bass. 

A: It ranges from very wild to very nothing, our reactions are all over the board. 

You're still at a point where you can play to 200 kids or 10. 

A: It's definitely a sliding scale.

From what I've gotten talking to Zak and everyone, you seem almost a little bit silly. 

D: We're silly guys, but we play serious rock and roll. 

A: As people we have a good sense of humor, there is no bar too high for us to climb over with our humor. I try to keep the writing serious, and when we play live it's serious. The banter is almost always bullshit silliness though. Zak is a little bit sillier than the rest of us because he's like 16.

Z: I'm 21, just to put that on the record. Just because I don't drink doesn't mean I'm not 21.

A: I don't drink either.

D: I'm drunk as hell.

Z: I don't write the lyrics either but I think the lyrical content comes from a lot of 80s B-horror movies which are silly. The lyrics themselves aren't goofy.

D: It's very serious, its about death.

Z: And destruction

A: Only death is real. 

Z: Death, destruction, insanity, those things.

Where does the name Castle Freak come from? 

A: Okay, here's the story. Everyone thinks we got the name Castle Freak from the movie Castle Freak. Actually, me and Frank from Cave of Bats started Castle Freak as a recording project. He proposed the name and I said, okay, whatever, fuck it. It's literally just a name.

D: But there is a movie called Castle Freak based on the HP Lovecraft story called The Outsider, it's really good you should read it.

A: Same director and actors from The Reanimator, another HP Lovecraft film. 

Is Lovecraftian horror the kind of thing you want to invoke with your sound, and not just your lyrics?

A: Not particularly. That's more Dylan's Angelcrust kind of thing. Like Zak said we are pretty much all about cheesy 80s movies.

Are you trying to be a revival type deal or are you trying to push the envelope?

A: I think Castle Freak is almost its own entity now because a lot of people are like "Oh it's like Repulsion and Carnivore" but we take influences from all over the board. We've got grind and D-beat and death metal of course. Death metal is the main tier hear. 

Z: We've got a lot of melodic punk parts too. Terrorizer is a big influence, especially on the new stuff I've been writing. 

A: It is kind of all over the place.

The new stuff, tell me about that. 

Z: We've got a new tape out on Tridroid Records, it's called Still Rotting. It's pretty cool. Andrew at Tridroid is a good dude.

A: It's an extension of the old stuff with slightly better quality and I think our riffs have progressed a little bit, a continuation.

Do you have a larger goal, or a tour?

A: We've talked about touring, touring is difficult because we don't have a touring van right now. We're talking about putting out a split soon with either Manic Scum or Haunting from Atlanta. We have a live tape coming out also. That should be out any week now.

Z: We were trying to have it out for this show but there were financial issues.

A: Our other plan is we're working towards a full length, hopefully in the 18-20 song range. Our songs are real short so it's going to take a while to write. That's one of our long term goals right now.

You guys are all Philadelphia natives?

A: Dylan's Philadelphia, me and Zak are from the suburbs. I'm from Ardmore, Pennsylvania. 

Z: Born in New Jersey raised in Pennsylvania.

Where?

Z: I was raised in Springfield then Media. You're not going to use that I'm sure. 

Do you think being in Southeast PA has impacted your sound?

A: Definitely not our sound. A lot of the bands around here are very traditional in what they do, we're not so traditional. To a degree you are a product of your surroundings though. There's a huge punk scene too, it's more punk than metal right now. Even the metal bands, like us, take influence from punk. We're really into crust and d-beat.

I want you to finish this sentence for me "I've never told this story before and probably shouldn't but..."

D: My buddy face-fucked a girl and she killed herself two days later. That's a true story, no bullshit.

Z: My buddy was fucking a girl in her ass and pissed in her asshole.

D: Jesus dude.... Can we plug our other bands?

Sure.

D: Cape of Bats, Krieg, Slutlust, Angel Crust, Esoterica, check them the fuck out.

A: We're in all the same bands.

What do you love so much about music?

A: I fucking hate music. 

D: I like rock and roll and rock and roll started with Chuck Berry. He fucked fourteen year old girls and did a bunch of drugs, and that's basically the main influence on my life.

A: I like that you can have pretty much limitless range and it can be great or it can be shit, but people care anyway.

D: The sluts too dude.

A: Sluts. 

Any last words of wisdom or final comments?

D: Fuck you, kill yourself. 

A: All you gotta do is believe. B-O-Lieve.

Abaddon Incarnate-Pessimist

There is something refreshing about a band who is unapologetically dark, evil, and possessing a borderline apocalyptic sound. When a band like this rises out of the crypt to desecrate my eardrums I get a sense of relief, it's a sort of proof that the pure darkness that makes so much metal worth listening too will never die. See, Abaddon understand how to drive the listener insane with a massive bottom end and harsh, unholy vocals that will capture your soul and cast it to the ground. Their new record Pessimist is bleak and proud of it, extreme metal to sooth the savage beast. 

Abaddon Incarnate use song titles like Warping the Necrospawn, what the hell does that even mean? I don't know, but it certainly sounds cool, and it adds to the magic of a band who seem intent on tearing you apart, limb from blood limb. Pessimist drags down the soul and leaves you a broken husk of your former self, shattered by a black metal attack from a band who understand true despair and melancholy. The sheer anger and hate expressed by some of these vocal patterns is great, the bands singer manages to push the boundaries of what he is physically capable of, giving the record a very human feel and forcing it all to a new level of death metal destruction.

Nihilistic and evil, Abaddon Incarnate have the darkness that only a band who has been around for three decades can touch on. A band who have seen it all, from the greatest triumph and the darkest pits, this is what true deat hemtal should touch on. these guys understand the genre and in a world where there are more and more poser scum who fail to understand the genre, Abaddon Incarnate stand tall. Masters of a genre God forsook and the common man fears. Join the crowd, enter the pit, and find the unholy redemption of Pessimist. 

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/abaddonincarnate

Corrupt Moral Altar-Mechanical Tides

Corrupt Moral Altar are the kind of extreme metal band who really bring the rage to the stage, from here to the end of the world. Their new record Mechanical Tides is the sort of crushing hardcore/metal genre spanning release that leaves you a thrall to the almighty power of heavy metal magic. Yet it is the fusion of genres and ideas that makes Mechanical Tides special. Filled with strange grooves and breakneck blast beats Corrupt Moral Altar understand what this kind of hardcore madness is about and it drives them to a new level of unholy triumph.

Be it in the Carcass styled riffing of Die Glocke to the strange clean vocals and open guitar lines that dominate Admit Defeat it's pretty clear that Corrupt Moral Altar can do it all. Not only does it prove that the guys behind Mechanical Tides are stellar musicians, but it also speaks to their talent as writers, that they could make these disparate styles all one flowing whole. There are a lot of unique riff ideas on Mechanical Tides and it's easy to lose yourself in the profound structures of chaotic and occasionally frightening sound. Corrupt Moral Altar harness pure chaos for a sound that is wonderfully destructive and inescapable, metal destruction for the masses to run from in fear.

But what if you don't run from the unholy sounds of Mechanical Tides? What if you learn to embrace the darkness and find your own unique place in the holes that Corrupt Moral Altar blow in your skull? These guys know how to groove, but they go for so much more than that. It feels strange that a band who can create such a wonderfully ugly sound could come from the same town as the Beatles. Sure they've heard that comparison before, but just think about this. Perhaps Corrupt Moral Altar are meant to be a perfect foil, the opposite of a band loved by all, an inversion of pop culture.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/CorruptMoralAltar

UltraMantis Black-S/T

Yesterday I mentioned that every Relapse band is distinctly different, and never has that been more true than with UltraMantis Black. Sure they have grindcore touches and maybe even a splash of black metal here and there, but this EP full of unbridled aggression is certainly not the kind of thing that you immediately understand. Furthermore, though it's 9 songs long, the record has an incredibly brief run time, leaving you feeling beat up and torn apart, unable to take more just as UltraMantis Black's final track Gloom of Prosperity crashes to a close.

There is something very disturbing about the way that the bands frontman, the professional wrestler UltraMantis Black himself, leads the band on their unholy charge. There is a very distinct evil power behind this record that you simply can not deny. The colossal crunch of tracks like Oil and Gas leaves you feeling brutalized, unsure of how to proceed after the barrage of blows the music laid down. These guys play it fast and loose, held together by empathy more than anything else. As UltraMantis Black drives its way into your skull it is easy to see why these Bethlehem rockers have drawn Relapses attention, no one else is as crazy as them, and no one could be as crazy if they tried.

So let yourself embrace the inhuman screeches of UltraMantis Black the grinding blasts that define this record may take some getting used too, but falling into the devilish pit that seems so natural to UltraMantis Black is far too much fun. By the time Gloom of Prosperity kicks in the band has not been on for nearly long enough. Even though the run time is over ten minute it rarely ever feels like more than two. This record takes some getting used to, but reaping the rewards is far too much fun, sell your soul and join the fray, you know you want to.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/UltraMantis-Black/109305672429019?ref=br_rs

Mortals-Cursed to See the Future

There are no typical Relapse bands, everything the label does is unique and powerful. Mortals are no exception that rule, their unique brand of black metal is the sort of thing that oftentimes defies the imagination. These Brookyln natives have crafted a heap of broken images for themselves to look into to find their own humanity. Their new record Cursed to See the Future is evidence of the greatness of the Brooklyn scene right now, and falling into the dark pits that make up this bands sound has never been easier. Mortals understand how to mix genres to get something powerful and poignant and by god is it good.

Mortals channel a sort of very primitve darkness, unafraid to bring elements from a lot of other different styles of extreme music. Through the course of one song, though there may be a black metal basis it is possible to hear elements of sludge, doom, and even a touch of hardcore. The sheer vibes spawned by Cursed to See the Future are impressive, they speak to a sort of sublime darkness within all of us. The progressions in this new material is also a huge step forward from previous stuff, there is a very clear drive on every song on Cursed to See the Future and it is readily apparent from the first. Mortals don't buy into your lies, and they will expose our coming doom to the masses.

Perhaps it is fitting that the girls in this band also play in the all-female Slayer tribute Slaywhore. Both bands share a very distinct blackness, something that transcends the music and speaks to us all. I don't know how else to put it, but Mortals touch the soul, making us more aware of how condemned we all might be. Perhaps with this record we too are cursed to see the future, and gaze onto a world that seems destined to die. Regardless, Mortals have put out some damn good music here, and if these six tracks aren't worth spinning again and again I don't know what is.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/mortalstheband

Tombs-Savage Gold

Tombs, for the uninitiated, are a sort of unholy fusion of post punk with heavier, darker stuff, like black metal, and experimental music. Their new record Savage Gold is evidence that these Brooklyn natives are innovators and bringing metal to a whole new level. Their unique take on extreme music is oftentimes inspiring and depicts a metal band who are hungry for success. Alternating between a sublime rage, and moment of dark beauty, Savage Gold is oftentimes an inspiring record and proves Tombs to be one of the most exciting extreme bands out there today.

What's important to know about Savage Gold is that even from the opener, Thanatos, it's easy to lose yourself in the layers of sound that Tomb create. The riffs here, while very much in the black metal tradition, often have a little something more. I won't say there are clear hooks, but rather that Tombs have brought in a very engaging element to their riffs, making songs like Portraits masterpieces that you can spin again and again. This record is wholly satisfying, falling into the strange secular haze produced by Savage Gold is certainly something any metal dude could easily do, Tombs have a clear artistic direction and their songwriting has only improved since 2011's Path of Totality.

Over the past few years Tombs have been on a handful of compilations, three albums, an EP, and a split. Suffice to say, I feel fairly confident stating that these guys will be back fairly soon, building on the mastery that is Savage Gold. Tombs understand where they want to take their music, and for the dedicated lover of extreme metal, few things are better. Filled with interesting riffs and a truly unique take on both post-punk and black metal, Savage Gold is the sort of release that proves how great Relapse is as a label. So get in there, open your heart, and find your way through, to the savage gold within.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/TombsBklyn