Arkaik - Labyrinth Of Hungry Ghosts

Man - this might be the big one. Five years since the release of their last album, Arkaik are back with full length #6, Labyrinth Of Hungry Ghosts. Few bands persevere for 18 years as Arkaik have, fewer still have the creative juices to crank out 6 albums. Nevertheless here we are and we have one of the best things Arkaik has ever done. This record, Pac-Man references aside, is some of the tightest and most impressive tech death that I have heard all year and any way you slice it, it's a massive step forward for these masters of the genre.

The performances here are busy and gloriously technical. angular playing dominates with punchy grooves and a sonic assault that has clearly been honed over the past five years. It's a truly special album and one that I feel continually speaks to just how talented this band is. There is a real sense of high powered guitar wizardry that helps to make this record fun too. Songs like "Wayward Opulence" with their high powered guitar histrionics are a blast and the rhythm section assault makes for something truly exciting. The vocal performances are on a wholly different level now. If nothing else, frontman Jared Christianson has really brought one of his best performances on this album. 

This music is athletic and fun, tech death for the modern age, dedicated to flying faster than over the top and going for the throat. Labyrinth Of Hungry Ghosts is a masterful offering that speaks to the state of tech death today. The band is aggressive and over the top, hungry for blood but really wonderfully cleanly executing on Labyrinth Of Hungry Ghosts. This album is a stunner and I will eagerly revisit it. Thoughtful and potent, this is a wonderful next step for the band. If you're going to listen to one tech death record this year, this should be it.

Pre-order the album!

https://www.theartisanerastore.com/collections/arkaik

https://arkaikband.bandcamp.com/album/labyrinth-of-hungry-ghosts

Archspire - Bleed The Future

Now this is a monster record. I almost didn't press play on the new Archspire record simply because tech death isn't really my jam. Then I remembered how much I liked the bands 2017 effort (Holy crap has it really been four years?) Relentless Mutation and decided I had to listen .I am so glad I did. This is a band who prove once again that they are in a league of their own crafting stunning songs and proving consistently that there is more to the tech death genre than people give them credit for, and pushing their own boundaries in increasingly exciting and acrobatic ways. 

This record goes above and beyond on what makes Archspire, Archspire. Not only is there the album closer "A.U.M", the bands fastest song to date ,but there are oodles of flashy guitar parts, and chunky vocal deliveries. The unique patterns the band employs really shine through here but fit nicely into a larger death metal framework. Bleed The Future impresses with not just how it ties into the bands classic elements, but also how it tries to grow them, adding further dynamics and keeping the songwriting as addictive as possible. It's clear that these songs were written with the live stage in mind, specifically for conjuring up pits. 

Bleed The Future is a stunning offering that resolutely reminds us just how good Archspire are. They legitimately have a shot to be one of the great death metal bands of their generation, flawlessly bringing in a variety of elements from grind to groove metal into their tech death sound and making it something that is wholly their own. This is a truly insane offering and one that will keep pits going throughout the world for years to come. Are you ready to get in the pit and rage with these madmen? Because it's worth it.

Pre-order the record!

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

Supreme Conception - Empires Of The Mind

Man it has been a while since I've really dug into a tech death record. But here we are with the brutal and mesmerizing slaughter of Supreme Conception. This long running supergroup has always featured a range of talented musicians, and this latest incarnation is perhaps their strongest to date. Their new EP, Empires Of The Mind is high powered and exciting technical death metal that runs at a million miles an hour. The devastating crush of this record and the flashy instrumentals leave listeners in awe and begging for more. 

What gets me about this record though is that as much as it's a shred fest, as showcased on album closer, "On The Path To Divinity," there are so many other exciting moments. Tracks like "Harboring The Fractured Transcendence" hint at an emotional depth that you don't really get to see a lot of in the world of tech death. Overarching themes of rejecting religion guide the record along and give it a bit of direction, even if that lyrical concept has been well trod in this subgenre. Still - the raw energy and stunning drumming performance really come together ot showcase that this is the sort of quarantine project that helps make it feel a little less futile. 

While Empires Of The Mind certainly doesn't reinvent the steel, it does do a great job of consistently proving just how talented Supreme Conception are and all that they can accomplish. The blasting fury of a track like "Beyond The Antediluvian" is a nice reminder of the excitement tech death can bring. Though I have taken a break from the genre it's nice to really lean back into it with a record that is as impressive and rewarding as this one. The more I uncover the more I'm impressed and it leaves me excited to delve into more.  

Pre-order the album!

https://supremeconception.bandcamp.com/releases

Siderean - Lost On Void's Horizon

Sometimes it takes a name change to really understand that a band has taken it to the next level. Such was the case for Siderean whose new record, Lost On Void's Horizon is a veritable masterpiece, a truly exciting record that captures the imagination and hints at much more to come. There is a breadth to these compositions and an excellence in the work that makes for some truly compelling and exciting music that will keep devout listeners entranced and eager to delve into the next blasphemous layers of this projects grander vision. 

Lost On Void's Horizon is a masterful and exciting record. There are countless immaculate layers on this album and the deeper you dive the more clear it becomes just how talented these guys are. Lost On Void's Horizon is the sound of technical death metal pushed to spiraling new heights. The immaculate playing and prog fueled riffs on tracks like "Sidereal Evolution" really speaks to just how talented these guys are. There's a whole swath of unique ideas and emotions that serve to make this music special. The deeper you unpack the layers and come to terms with what's being done here the more it becomes clear that they are one of a kind. 

Suffice it to say, Edged Circle Productions have found another winner. Siderean routinely push themselves above and beyond on this offering to craft some truly admirable and exciting progressive technical death metal. There are feats of musicianship that leave you scraping your jaw off the floor and an overarching vision that can't help but to impress any fan of underground music. So strip back the layers and fall in love with the madness. Lost On Void's Horizon is an early contender for death metal AOTY.  

Pre-order the album: 

http://edgedcircleproductions.bandcamp.com/album/lost-on-voids-horizon

Xythlia - Immortality Through Quantum Suicide

This is a truly fascinating technical death metal record. It is avant garde, visionary and endlessly exciting. Immortality Through Quantum Suicide packs more in under half an hour of music than many of these guys peers are able to do with entire discographies. Rather than getting caught up in the long form absurdity that plagues so much of this genre, Xythlia have proven that they can get in and out and remain deadly. This is a difficult listen, but its twisted magic captures the imagination time and time again.

The grindcore frills on this record are palpable and really help to make it one of a kind. Tracks like 'Schrodingers Foreskin' with its Napalm Death-esque flourishes are what make Immortality Through Quantum Suicide so special. Punch, angry and always willing to go for the throat, Xythlia have continually impressed me on this record. Though a one man project there is a depth to the compositions here that is intimidating. the band has found a way to clearly differentiate themselves and keep listeners utterly obsessed. Few bands are able to deliver this much intensity in such a short period of time, especially not with this level of technical ecstasy.

Immortality Through Quantum Suicide is a real punisher of a record. It's aggressive and over the top. The breadth of influences is fascinating too. As you pick this album apart you can hear everything from video game sounds to classical music coming together to help foster music that is endlessly dynamic. With a passion for dissonance and a seemingly endless supply of interesting and exciting ideas Immortality Through Quantum Suicide sets itself in a league of its own, exciting, fresh and innovative.


Pre-order the record:
https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/immortality-through-quantum-suicide

Ulcerate - Stare Into Death And Be Still

It's been four long years since we last heard from Ulcerate. These technical death metallers have had a history of crafting truly devastating and oppressive music. The sort of stuff that keeps you up at night thanks to the sheer demonic torment that they invoke Their latest offering, Stare Into Death And Be Still is one of their strongest efforts to date, a sweeping effort that sees them further honing their oppressive sound ad guiding the listener deeper into their bizarre crypt of riffs, torment and unadulterated sonic hate.

The bands Debemur Morti debut, Stare Into Death And Be Still is a stunner because of Ulcerate's unique ability to craft distinct sonic landscapes. The way that they present themselves on a track like 'The Lifeless Advance', the album opener, is one of a kind. It is terrifying in scope and hints at twisted internal lives. The level of technicality here isn't so much for the flash of it all as much as it is to represent how far the band has gone and their willingness to put listeners through the ringer. Their songwriting is a head and shoulders above their peers, taking advantage of techniques and approaches rarely broached on in metal and ensuring that no one can look away.

Stare Into Death And Be Still is striking in the bands unique ability to evoke a sort of Dante-esque reality. As you make your way through this record bizarre images appear before you and it becomes harder than ever to tear yourself away. This is intensely cerebral and introverted music. The touches of post metal that have started to infect the record only make things even grander and remind us of our own bitter loneliness. What more could you want? Ulcerate are a technical death metal band like no other an Stare Into Death And Be Still is a masterwork.

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

Abysmal Dawn - Phylogenesis

It's been six long years since we last had a record from Abysmal Dawn, a group who burst onto the tech death scene and left us all in awe. It's good to have the masters of the genre back, unleashing pure sonic fury once more thouhg. The sheer madness of their new record, Phylogenesis borders on the intimidating. The ridiculous scope of the band is thrilling and leaves me constantly eager for more from the death metallers. Their approach here is matured and exciting, a clear step forward for the metal masters.

For even the casual tech death fan like me it's easy to get lost in what Abysmal Dawn have on display here. After all this is a record that relishes in having multiple layers, it revels in the murk and continually stuns with the flashy playing. For those of us enamored with the underground, this groups dedication to the tropes of the genre is delicious. Especially when you consider just how perfect their execution on these tropes is. The blasting drums on a track like 'Soul-Sick Nation' are delightful. They demonstrate a stunning depth of knowledge about tech death songwriting and leave me ready to dive into the pit for the first time in years.

Phylogenesis is a tech death masterpiece - an early nominee for technical death metal album of the year if nothing else. The band has found a way to continually improve upon past offerings, and now, after a six year wait the group has cranked out what is probably the best album of their career. With delicious grooves and solos that will leave you scraping your jaw off of the floor it seems obvious that Phylogenesis has what it takes to impress from the first. A one of a kind band who have put out a one of a kind album - what more could you want?

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

Death On Fire - Ghost Songs

Do you ever hear a band you're friends with really pull it together into something excellent? That's how I feel about Death On Fire with their new record Ghost Songs. With this record the band has been able to bring together their unique pallet of influences ranging from thrash and death metal to jazz and classical into something that is intense, cohesive and a hell of a good time. The hard moshing intensity of a track like the eponymous track, 'Ghost Songs' only goes to show just how much the band has grown.

One of the things that really gets me about Ghost Songs is the quality of the production. While it's certainly pro, there is just enough of a DIY edge to keep it raw and dangerous. This is a record that clearly was honed on stage with flashy moments that get the heart pumping. It's a record that is a blast to listen too because it never seems to let up. The sheer intensity brought here is delicious. Even the slowed down moments show a level of musical skill and thoughtfulness that hasn't really been as present elsewhere in Death On Fire's discography. Suddenly they have pieced together something truly exciting and wonderfully potent.

While yes Death On Fire do occasionally fall into some tropes and at other times the songs don't quite come together, by and large, Ghost Songs is a hell of a listen. It comes at you in a storm of notes and then leaps from peak to peak. The angular playing that defines this record helps to reflect its intensity and drives me ever closer to the weird magic of what they have pieced together and where they could go next. A delectable listen to be sure, I am more excited than ever about what the future of this band holds.

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

Defiled - Infinite Regress

Do you like motherfucking tech death? Defiled have always been among the best in the world at this most extreme of musical genres. The bands mind melting assaults have always been one of a kind, and Infinite Regress is simply the next step for the bloodthirsty Japanese madmen. The angular playing and pummelling drums crack skulls and routinely remind the listener that we are all going to die. Painfully. Infinite Regress is a masterful offering, a record that routinely proves that Defiled are among the best to ever do it.

The record does not really delve into the more 'meedly' portions of the tech death sphere, what Defiled focus more on tight and oftentimes jaw dropping riffs accompanied by off kilter melodies. The oh so precise insanity of a track like 'Tragedy' can't help but to be addictive. Infinite Regress sees Defiled caroming across their fretboards and dancing around all sorts of unique rhythms. Special attention should be paid to the drums which not only reflect brilliant technical skill but which are excellently produced. They provide a stunning backdrop to the record and ensure that the entire thing is able to stay together.

Infinite Regress is a stone cold stunner any way you slice it. Defiled are the best in the business, they have an unexpected way of writing songs and it continually pays off. This is the sort of record that stands as a representation of all the band has been working on for years now. A veritable tour de force Infinite Regress is bristling with energy, technical ecstasy and nary a dull moment. If you want to dive into the pit - Defiled got you covered, if you want to be wowed at shredding, this is your band. So get ready to get your face melted the fuck off.

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

Krosis - A Memoir Of Free Will

Proggy and technical deathcore is a style that has very much fallen out of favor in recent years - however there are still a few devout practitioners. A Memoir Of Free Will proves that Krosis remain among the best to do it. Their high energy sound full of all sorts of hard hitting twists and turns is a testament to just how good this band is. Be it in the meedly riffing of a track like Insanity: A Moniker Of Me or the crushing breakdowns that pepper the record, Krosis routinely show their sonic madness come to life.

It's easy to get wrapped up in the shredding mayhem of this record. It's an album that routinely stuns the listener with just how talented the guys in Krosis are. Even their jazzy bridge passages tend to have a moment or two that will stun the listener. As a part of this the production is, as a rule top notch. Every instrument is given its moment in the  sun and even the drums, thouhg at times they sound a bit too perfect, seem to fit nicely into the overall mix. There is a sense of discipline here that really rewards multiple listens, as if the band wants you to really grasp just how much they put into this project.

Getting lost in these grooves and overpowering barrages of notes is a rare treat. Krosis seem eager to one up the listener with sheer skill and songwriting prowess. It's important to note that while this is definitely a band who shred your face off - Krosis place more of a focus on the song structures themselves than many of their peers. A Memoir Of Free Will is a strong step forward for the band and seems to continually prove that there is a lot to this group and that they have countless great albums ahead of them.

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

Wormed - Metaportal

Wormed are sort of the be all and end all of tech death for me. Their unique brand of space obsessed metal madness is addictive. This is a group who understand the simple power that true death metal can have when pushed to the most over the top technical sphere. This latest offering, Metaportal is a dense and fascinating listen. Though this is certainly a record that demands multiple spins it is also one that seems to prove time and time again that this grou pis one of the best in the world at what they do.

I think what really gets me is the aura that Wormed are able to create. Usually with tech death the whole schtick is 'holy fuck these guys can really play' but with Wormed it's something far greater. Their evil brilliance shines through in tracks like Bionic Relic. It's a song that is driven just as much by th twisted soundscapes they craft up as it is by the hyper skilled guitar playing. With chunky riffs galore and all manner of meedly goodness though, guitar nerds across the globe are going to have a lot of fun nerding out over what's done here. As with everything Wormed does this record has been refined to near perfection and by god is it addictive.

Long story short - though Metaportal is a mere EP it is an addictive listen. In fact I kind of prefer that it's an EP. Wormed releases are generally too dense for me, but having their gnarliness stripped down to just our songs makes for something that is actually pretty damn compelling. It's always exciting to see where this group is going to take their sci fi derived tech death next, but as far as I can tell, Metaportal is some transcendent shit. Suffice it to say - Wormed remain one of the best tech death bands in the world and their maddening slaughter is impossible to ignore.

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

Geostygma - The Die Is Cast

Man, it's been a while since we have covered any tech death on here, but that doesn't mean I have fallen out of love with the genre. In fact I think I might describe myself as ore fascinated than ever with the new crop of bands that has come up to breathe new life in the genre. Today I'm bringing you something from an old friend of the blog, Geostygma. This is a French techdeath band who are bringing it at a totally different level with an intensity and execution that puts them in a league that is wholly their own.

Fusing touches of jazz and hardcore into their punishing grooves Geostygma is tech death that isn't afraid to nod at the varied listening of its core members. the band has opted for a mere four songs on its debut EP, but these four songs give a sense of having trimmed the fat. Every moment on this debut feels necessary. Rather than drowning you in masturbatory guitars and showy instrumental passages the band instead chooses to beat you over the head with riffs and a concise, punishing delivery. Excellently produced with rich soundscapes ringing out a demonic song to the nations, The Die Is Cast forces you to choke on a bitter multifaceted pill.

Unafraid to embrace the bizarre and oftentimes sitting firmly on the weirder end of the spectrum, The Die Is Cast is a swaggering opening salvo from these Frenchmen. The angular assault and generally balls out torment brought with every crushing second of the EP is thrilling. In a world where a lot of tech death has gotten lost up its own ass, Geostygma place a heavy emphasis on groove, melody and song structures. The slamming breakdowns juxtaposed by jazz breaks are fun and weird, the tight production is dynamic and the sense that this is the end has never been more palatable.

Find them on Facebook!

Antiverse - Under The Regolith

I remember first being shown Under The Regolith by the head of Tridroid Records and immediately being blown away bt the band incisive mix of riff salad, tight songwriting and straight up chunky bottom end. The crushing sense of forward motion that you get in these tracks and the overarching power of the record as a whole is impressive and speaks to the enduring power of death metal. With constant forward momentum and chock to the brim with cool ideas, Antiverse is a group at the height of their musical capabilities.

The word that keeps coming to mind as I dig deeper into Under The Regolith is 'masterful'. While this album certainly is bragging, it's definitely careening out of your speakers with a certain sense of swagger. While the band usually sticks to their tried and true brand of galloping tech death, some tracks are not afraid to embrace more 'rock and roll' elements whilst others seem to bore down entirely on the extreme side of the band. Through it all, nothing about Under the Regolith feels chaotic or unplanned. Instead this record is like watching an alien swarm coming down to earth and tearing us apart.

Frenzied at times, but somehow still always tightly controlled this is a release that makes sense from the get but also isn't afraid to expand its sound. The punchy riffage and angular assault make for exciting listening and the deeper we delve down the rabbit hole the more clear it becomes that Under The Regolith is a true death metal masterpiece. This is a band who don't need to play by the rules because they have too many good ideas, and if you disagree, they'll just choke you out with one kickass solo after another.

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

Revocation - The Outer Ones

Man, Revocation needed to write this record. It's been two years since 2016's Great Is Our Sin a long gap for the band considering they put out seven releases in their first eight years as a group. While that record was solid, it felt like Revocation might have been starting to tread water, like the bands best days where behind them. It was kind of weird to think that a band this talented might be finally hitting a wall. Yet there we were. The Outer Ones had to be an absolute banger, and by God it is. Revocation are back on top.

This band has always made a name for themselves with their distinctly exciting brand of squirrelly death metal. Their approach of highly technical and thoughtful riffs counterbalanced with some of their more potent heavy riffage has always been a crowd pleaser. Couched in a strong sense of groove, The Outer Ones punches through your speakers with killer track after killer track. There is an almost monstrous magic to what Revocation have done here. This is a record that feels manic and scary, over the top and incredibly exciting. The obvious Lovecraftian themes are exactly what they need to be and they mesmerize the listener

I remember being 15 years old and first hearing Chaos Of Forms. I had never heard anything like it. It was intense. It was technical. It was, above all fun. On The Outer Ones Revocation have recaptured that sense of fun. Not only that though but they have combined it with a rollicking new level of raw talent. The band has honed their skills, and now 12 years into their career have unleashed what is one of their strongest releases to date. Impossible to pry yourself away from, The Outer Ones is a Lovecraftian ode to the enduring power of death metal.

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

Virvum - Illuminance

Man - it's been a hot minute since I heard a technical death metal record that I truly enjoyed. I don't mean a death metal record that revealed a lot of technical skill, nor do I mean a death metal record that just has a ton of sweep picking, I mean one that has the layers and intricacies that made the genre so fascinating to me and so many others when it started to rise to prominence all those years ago. Illuminance may be a reissue but it's one that serves as a fitting reminder of what these titans are capable of. 

This is the sort of technical death metal band who understand the driving force of the genre in a way that few of their peers ever will. Rather than reveling in the murk and writhing in a pool of shitty solos and overwrought orchestrations Vivum instead dwell in the soort of squirrely and intense death metal that has defined the careers of their peers in bands like Fallujah and Beyond Creation. Yet Virvum bring something that is wholly their own to the table. Their songwriting sensibilities belie a certain intensity that not a lot of other bands truly get and the general execution is nothing short of delicious.

Elegantly put together and driving with the same passion that I think is key for any band to flourish in this modern blasted landscape Illuminance can't help but to stun. The careening magic of this band is mesmerizing, even though it's oftentimes impossible to predict the next steps Virvum are also masterfully driving their music forward despite it all. Illuminance is a record that balances on a knifes edge and its willingness to be as delicate as it is heavy means that you can't pull yourself away from the triumph. 

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/virvum

Archspire - Relentless Mutation

Man - I always knew Archspire where good and had a ton of potential, but I don't think that I ever realized they were THIS good. A band who have always played by their own rules and brought  unique approach to technical death metal, their latest offering Relentless Mutation sees them pushing their unique brand of tech death to the motherfucking fore. With tastefully done solos and relentless grooves defining the album there is something endlessly exciting about what the band has done here. Cracking skulls mercilessly and consistently reminding us why we fell in love in the first place.

The devastating assault of these riffs is only matched by frontman Oliver Rae Aleron's unrelenting vocal attack. His percussive gutturals are devastating, adding an exciting new element to the music and reminding us time and time again just how different these dudes are. There is something wonderfully unique about his approach to the genre and it's perfectly complimented by the swirling riffs and angular bottom end assault that pad out this bands attack. This is tech death you can get lost in, not because it's super dense (Though it is) but because the songwriting is great, and at the end of the day that's all that matters.

With this record I find myself bobbing along to the music here and enjoying the genre in a way that I haven't in years. They have brought in an undeniable element of groove to augment this release as well. This is what technical death metal should be. As hard as it is, Archspire have somehow managed to create a highly unique tech death record that is also relentlessly addictive and which will draw you into the mix, refusing to let you go but instead choking you out on endless black metal annihilation.

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

Reaping Asmodeia - Impuritize

Reaping Asmodeia is one of those death metal bands who seem to tackle the modernspirit of the genre with aplomb. Their latest offering, Impuritize is electrifying, chock to the brim with gnarly solos, devastating technical riffs and a general sense of rock and roll nihilism that can't help but to charm the listener as they delve ever deeper into he sonic firestorm that is this record. When it comes down to it, Reaping Asmodeia is a band who understand the modern death metal polemic and will smash it into your face. 

There is something strangely addictive about the squirrely riffing on a track like Defenestration. In many ways it reminds me of bands like Veil Of Maya, who, back in the day were able to charm hundreds of thousands of fans with a sort of lighthearted technicality. That being said - there isn't a lot about Reaping Asmodeia that is light hearted at all. Impuritize is by and large a minor key record and one that revels in it. That being said, there certainly are moments here that don't feel quite as forward thinking as they could be and the drum tone isn't always on point. While Reaping Asmodeia may be a very good band I'm not sure they are quite yet read for the big time. 

As is though there is a lot to really delve into with Impuritize. The riffs are chunky enough as to encourage multiple listens and the sheer gnarliness of the guitar tone makes it hard to turn the record off after a few spins. There is a sort of manic, almost punk rock madness behind Impuritize that makes it hard to turn your back on what it represents. Reaping Asmodeia consistently hints at greatness and inspires curiosity. This is a record that suggests, to me at least, that this band is on the path for great things. 

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/reapingasmodeia

Vipassi - Sunyata

Incredibly dense, delicate and full of strangely eloquent guitars Vipassi have always been known as one of the weirder bands in the technical metal genre. This is a band who fuse the darkness of metal with moments of jazz and pure prog - it makes sense that they are, in many ways, a Ne Obliviscaris side project. The elegant chords and lyrical playing stand as a testament to a band who constantly impress and regularly remind us that there are far weirder things in the world than pure and simple heavy metal.

Vipassi fascinate me because even though, yes, they very much fit into the polemic of bands like Atheist they have managed to fuse the more abrasive elements of those bands with the subtle beauty of Animals As Leaders. Sure it's not as immediately startling and never quite so pretty, but in many ways the avantgarde nature of Sunyata is what makes it so goddamn enjoyable. While this is an album that definitely takes a spin or two to properly understand it is also an album that encourages the listener to take time to pick it apart and try to come to terms with a weirder side of the music we all love.

So yes, at times Sunyata is dizzying and paints sonic expanses of the sort I'm occasionally not comfortable with. This is just a part of the trade, a part of the bizarre self inflicted suffering heavy metal encourages in all of us. The bass playing in particular swirls in magical circles, hinting at ethereal futures and constantly dancing around the ear. Sunyata is a motherfucker of a record and one that certainly won't make sense on the first listen. However it will keep you in awe, constantly looking for that next high.

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

Coagula, Sentient Horror, Kosmodemonic and Horrendous at Saint Vitus Bar

It had been a minute since I'd been to saint Vitus - such is the nature of life on the road. Yet when you come home you come home if you know what I mean. It's the shit like last night, where I bumped into a guy who I hadn't seen in a few years playing in Horrendous now and older bands who you've fallen in love with get to play to packed houses. It's the magic of Saint Vitus that these things can constantly exist and perpetually remind us of the burning and in many ways eternal power of this music.

Up first were Coagula having come all the way from Boston to show us their unique brand of Entombed worshiping death metal. Coagula sound absolutely monstrous and they understand the suffocating power that this music can, and should have. Performing as a three piece instead of their usual four, they were able to put on a show that made a definitive mark on the Saint Vitus crowd. We get a lot of death metal in these parts, but it's rare we find a band like Coagula with vocals this devastating and a live presence that chokes you out.

Sentient Horror are some of my local favorites, I've seen them a handful of times now and they always impress. There's just so much about this band that I find so fascinating, from the baby faced bassist to the fact that one guitarist has an eight stringed ax and the other has seven (The bassist meanwhile only rocks four!) What matters though is that they rip on guitar and have powerful riffs complimented by a slew of flashy solos. Sentient Horror understand the magic of death metal but they aren't afraid to toss in a few moments of Dokken here and there to add to the fun and demonstrate the bands true potential.

I've always loved Kosmodemonic for their powerful grooves and overwhelming atmospheres. This is a band who resonate out across the ages and use the heaviness of their music almost as an instrument in and of itself. They are sort of New York City's very own Neurosis. They have a strange and transcendent power behind their music, they unleash slow jams tinged with sludge and black metal creating something that feels very natural and at times almost orgasmic. Kosmodemonic are veterans of the scene and their gentle tearing apart of the human condition, chord by bloody chord makes for a show for the ages.

And then of course there was the almighty Horrendous. This time they were performing as a four piece, when I last saw them they were only at three. Their performances are always exciting, fully realized and very aware of their own blazing potential. Horrendous are one of the greatest death metal bands in the world, they scream out with a sort of wicked energy, bassist Alex Kulick screaming along even though he doesn't have a mic. It's this understanding and sense of fun that makes Horrendous more than just another insufferable pretentious death metal band. Instead they stand tall and proud, ready to become heroes for a whole generation of basement dwelling metal dudes.

So the night came to an end. I found myself at a terrific Mexican spot with the promoter shooting the shit about times forgot and deeply in love with the power of Horrendous. We had seen it all, had friends show up from across the Eastern seaboard and relaxed into the twisted and beautiful majesty of this music. This lineup reflected the burning magic of the East coasts death metal scene, capped off by the power of the locals, Sentient Horror (Who celebrated their CD release) and the almighty Kosmodemonic. Nights like this are what heavy music was made for.

Find the bands on Facebook!

Coagula: https://www.facebook.com/Coaguladeath/

Sentient Horror: https://www.facebook.com/sentienthorrorofficial/?fref=ts

Kosmodemonic: https://www.facebook.com/kosmodemonic/?fref=ts

Horrendous: https://www.facebook.com/HorrendousDeathMetal/?fref=ts

Oni - Ironshore

Now this is something a little different in tech death. While the band kicks off their latest offering Ironshore with stunning technical riffs and brutal growls they immediately turn around and show that Ironshore has a hell of a lot more to offer with potent vocals. Oni stand at a sort of crossroads between prog a la Dream Theater and fucked up evil technical death metal. It makes Oni a far easier band listen too than what many of their contemporaries are doing but also shows us that Ironshore could be the future of tech death.

I think the important thing to realize is that unlike many of their peers in tech death bands who try to include cleans they are not going the pop route, nor are they going the Cynic etc route. Instead they seem genuinely enamored with modern prog and unafraid to occasionally add a dash of the 80s stuff for good measure. The layering of cleans and growls on top of that, as seen in tracks like Eternal Recurrence and found throughout the album builds on the idea that Oni is the future of tech death and prog metal. These guys aren't necessarily breaking new ground but they are doing this type of music better than almost all of their peers.

There is a very real and sort of subdued magic to Ironshore. This is an album that repeatedly hints at darker futures and weird soundscapes. It shows us time and time again that there are weird new grounds to break in prog and suggests that Oni are going to be around for a good long while. Unafraid of fusing Lamb Of God with Infant Annihilator and Dream Theater with Obscura Oni have proven that they are pushing exciting new boundaries and their future can't help but to be bright. Dig in to it you guys, things will only grow from here.

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