Metallomusikum

FAIL: Metallomusikum is migrating to WordPress

2013-04-10T22:10:00.002-04:00

I know. I know. It's a pain in the neck. But my patience with Blogger has reached it's end. WordPress has a nicer look to it anyway. So going forward, please direct your browser to http://metallomusikum.wordpress.com/ for useless metal news.

This version of Metallomusikum on Blogger will remain here indefinitely. Old links you may have bookmarked will probably not work, but all the content from January 1, 2012--April 10, 2013 is still here. It's searchable.
All this is also on the new site, and moved over, mostly unscathed aside from some dead links which I will fix eventually.

You can also find my writings on Examiner.com; Tumblr, and Twitter. Watch some of my videos on YouTube or listen to soundclips on SoundCloud. The Facebook page remains the same. Thanks for listening.

INTERVIEW: LOSS to serve 'unjoy' for Maryland Deathfest

2013-04-10T12:19:00.003-04:00

For some people, there is a sweet, cathartic pleasure in immersing oneself in utter pain, despair and desperation. The group Loss provides the soundtrack to that experience. What else would you expect from a band whose motto is Fatum Vestri Vita—doom your life?

Loss performs at the 2013 Maryland Deathfest on Saturday, May 25 at the Sonar compound.

LOSS photo by Diana Lee Zadlo

This funeral doom outfit formed in late 2003 and claims “Music City” Nashville, TN as their home. They’ve produced a variety of demos, EPs and splits over that time, but not until 2011 did they birth the full-length recording Despond on Profound Lore in 2011.

True to the funeral doom descriptor, Loss produces slow, heavy, dirge-like melodies framed by Mike Meacham’s hollow, throaty growls. If you like groups like Pallbearer or Evoken, Loss will be your cup of gloom.

Loss’s music lives in a gray, bleak world, but somehow that lifeless miasma is comforting and, at times, epic. Light does stream in, and I find their music not quite as weighty as some of their funeral doom colleagues.

Mike replied to my MDF questions. Here are his replies:

What will be the official lineup for Maryland Deathfest?

The standard lineup…original four members:

Jay LeMaire - drums
Tim Lewis - guitar
John Anderson - bass
Mike Meacham - guitar/throat

What do you consider to be one of your band’s most essential
recordings? And why?

For certain the Despond album. It’s our first full length and is a perfect representation of all the emotions we wish to capture.

How does your band feel about playing Maryland Deathfest? What
have you heard about this festival?

We are looking forward to playing, as it is our country’s largest and best festival of its kind. I’ve heard it’s well run, and the attendance is large so that’s good, however I personally hate being around lots of people or crowds. Not really my thing. Some great bands are playing as always...

What other bands playing MDF do you hope to see perform?

Anhedonist, Benediction, Bolt Thrower,  Broken Hope, Carcass, Cobalt, Deiphago;  Integrity, Pagan Altar,  Repulsion, Venom, Tinner, and Tragedy.

Will you be doing other shows as part of your stop at MDF or is this appearance exclusive?

This is just a one off show for us though we have plans to return to the North East very soon…

Will there be any unusual or special merchandize you will be selling while at MDF?

It’s a secret to everyone, haha!

Is there anything else you hope to do while you are in Maryland?

No not really… sleep? Travel is cathartic so it will be nice to be away from home. We have lots of friends that will be in attendance so that’s definitely what I’m looking forward to.

Is there anything else you want people to know about your band?
Any new records coming up?

We have two splits coming this year both for vinyl: one with Graves At Sea and one with Hooded Menace. We hope you find the way to a razor, noose or bottle pills through our music or at least catharsis. We will most likely disappoint you live. Unjoy…

INTERVIEW: Carpathian Forest prepare for exclusive Maryland Deathfest show

2013-04-07T18:25:00.002-04:00

Carpathian Forest embodies everything I love about black metal --grim but beautiful, atmospheric melodies, songs with misanthropic themes and socially biting, often disturbing lyrics. Yet the group couches this "strange old brew" of ideas into infectious rock and roll rhythms that make me want to get up and dance. They also are not afraid to add in unnerving audio samples and keyboards or include a cover song when the mood strikes. Weird? Of course. Disturbing? Sometimes. Awesome? Yes! Carpathian Forest perform Sunday, May 26 at the 2013 Maryland Deathfest, their first performance on U.S. soil.

Formed in Norway in 1990 by Roger "Nattefrost" Rasmussen and John Nordavind, the group established themselves as a powerful force in the second wave of black metal with two demos, an EP and their seminal full-length Black Shining Leather. In 2000, the group experienced a lineup change that has persisted to this day. Among the new members was bassist Daniel Vrangsinn.

Vrangsinn is among the most recognizable figures in black metal with an arresting image of him appearing in photographer Peter Beste's book "True Norwegian Black Metal". In the group's infamous 2004 DVD, "We Are Going to Hollywood For This," he performs on stage wearing little more than a leather S&M style harness. He cuts a striking and memorable profile with corpse paint streaming down his face and sweat pouring off of his bare shoulders.

Vrangsinn also founded and leads Misantrof, a not-for profit, anti-commercial experiment that releases music (ANTIRecords) and the written word (ANTIPublishing) for free and allows the artists to retain full right to their work. The organization is supported entirely by donations that go back to the artists. Founded on the principal that "without greed or corruption art is set free to remind mankind what it never can be," Misantrof is a noble effort and further evidence of his strong character.

Vrangsinn's generosity seem as big as his physical stature, and he was kind enough to answer my basic questions, which follow. Daniel tells me that he and the rest of the CF crew will be attending the entire four days of MDF so be sure to be on the look out. Buy them some beer or some steamed crabs!

What will be the official lineup for Maryland Deathfest?

Nattefrost - Vocal
Tchort - Guitar
Bloodpervertor - Guitar
Vrangsinn – Bass

Kobro – Drums

The line-up is the same Carpathian Forest you always get to see. No changes in the past decade.

What do you consider to be one of your band’s most essential recordings? And why?

The favorite album of mine is the first full length Black Shining Leather, but I do consider all the albums essential. Another of my favorites is Defending the Throne of Evil.

How does your band feel about playing Maryland Deathfest? What have you heard about this festival?

We are looking forward to this very much. We arrive a couple of days before our show to see other bands and meet US friends.

What other bands playing MDF do you hope to see perform?

PENTAGRAM! I also hope to catch Venom, The Melvins, Bolt Thrower and many many more.

Will you be doing other shows as part of your stop at MDF or is this appearance exclusive?

This is an exclusive concert. We won't do any other U.S. shows

Will there be any unusual or special merchandize you will be selling while at MDF?

I don't know yet

Is there anything else you hope to do while you are in Maryland? Eat crabs? Go to the Chesapeake Bay?

Hang out with friends, drink beer and watch concerts. Crab claws do sound tempting though.

Is there anything else you want people to know about your band?
We are slowly working on new material, and we hope to record a new album this year.

HATE bassist dies unexpectedly in his sleep after Stuttgart show

2013-04-06T14:13:00.002-04:00

The Polish death metal band Hate reported on their Facebook page today that their bassist, Sławek (Sławomir) "Mortifer" Archangielskij, has died suddenly in his sleep following a show in Stuttgart. The group has canceled the remainder of their tour dates.

Sławek (Sławomir) "Mortifer" Archangielskij

Here is the exact statement from Hate:

SŁAWEK „MORTIFER” ARCHANGIELSKIJ IS DEAD

At night 5th/6th April near a German town of Munchberg, our friend, best comrade and longtime bass player unexpectedly passed away. After the show in Stuttgart last night he went to sleep and never woke up. We found him lifeless early in the morning and immediately called an ambulance. He was reanimated, but to no avail. Results of Sławek’s autopsy should be known soon. In this situation, we decided to cancel the remaining shows and return home. We gave detailed testimonies to the German police. We are shocked and shattered by his sudden, unexpected death. We mourn together with Slawek’s family and friends.

Adam, Konrad, Stanislaw, Daniel /HATE

I join with the group, his family and friends in mourning his sudden passing. I have seen Hate one time only and that was when they toured with Mayhem in December 2011. I took some photos of the show but only got one really good one of Mortifer as he was pretty active on the stage. Hate had just embarked on a European tour and had just released a new album Solarflesh, some of their best work yet.

May he rest in peace or rest in chaos....however you choose to think about it.

And seriously, what is the deal with these young guys dying in their sleep?

INTERVIEW: Pagan Altar makes US debut at Maryland Deathfest

2013-04-04T21:55:00.003-04:00

Pagan Altar

Think traditional heavy metal, and you should be thinking of the band Pagan Altar. Pagan Altar will play the 2013 Maryland Deathfest Sunday, May 26 at one of the former Sonar compound stages. This will be the first time Pagan Altar performs in the U.S.

Founded in the UK in the mid 1970s, this father-son project has a rich history of producing occult infused heaviness accompanied by equally theatrical stage presentations. The group logged just one cassette demo recording in 1982. Bootlegs of the demo helped spread the word. The band played a lot of gigs and, over time, Pagan Altar accrued a cult-like following, although mostly within the UK.

In 1998, the six demo songs were re-released on CD as Volume 1 by Oracle Records. With the advent of the Internet, interest in Pagan Altar began to spread rapidly beyond the confines of Great Britain. The bulk of their recordings have occurred in the 2000s.

Vocalist and lyricist Terry Jones is distinctive in the genre. To me it sounds like a cross between Steve Winwood and a young Ozzy Osbourne. His son, lead guitarist Alan Jones, authors the heavy riff-laden music. Second guitar duties go to Vince Hempstead, Dean Alexander plays drums and Liam Gallagher plays bass.

Always mysterious and ever heavy, the sounds of Pagan Altar will lure you into their darkened realm. The music is simple, melodic and unaffected but never boring. Each song builds layer upon layer until you get caught up in their spell.

Vince Hempstead graciously responded to a few questions.

How long has this current lineup been together?
This line up has been together for one year although I have been with the band for two years, Dean for nearly four years; Terry and Alan are the only original members.

What would you say is an essential Pagan Altar recording?
“The Rising of the Dark Lord” seems very popular and has had the most YouTube hits out of all the tracks so we are going to be playing that track at MDF as it has never been played before with the current line up and has only been played once before ever live.

How does your band feel about playing Maryland Deathfest? What have you heard about this festival?
We are all very excited and honored, as we have heard it is the biggest and best metal festival in USA with constant great bands playing.

What other bands playing MDF do you hope to see perform?
We are very much looking forward to seeing Manilla Road and were happy that there set is the same day as ours.

Will you be doing other shows as part of your stop at MDF or is this appearance exclusive?
The agreement for our appearance is this would be an exclusive show, but we aim to come back in the future for smaller shows.

Will there be any unusual or special merchandize you will be selling while at MDF?
Most of the merchandise will be arranged for us, but we are bringing some new silver logo/head pendants with us that were handmade by the ex-bassist Diccon Harper. Also we are planning to have a special MDF/Pagan Altar t-shirt made just for that gig.

Is there anything else you hope to do while you are in Maryland? Eat crabs? Go to the Chesapeake Bay?
We are just happy to come and visit Maryland but the Chesapeake Bay would be a bonus if we could take time out to visit.

Is there anything else you want people to know about your band? Any new records coming up?
At the moment we are working hard to complete the new album Never Quite Dead, and this is our main priority. Any new news will be posted on our band Facebook page.

REVIEW: Howl - Bloodlines, play Sidebar March 28

2013-03-27T15:15:00.003-04:00

What are you doing Thursday night? You are going to see Howl at The Sidebar, that’s what. Why? Because they rock, and they have a new album out, and they drink Narragansett beer by the case, and I can spell Narragansett, which is in Rhode Island, which is where Howl is from.

ILSA, Spoilage and Dead Gods are also playing. All reasons enough. Now about this new record.

Howl

Howl’s new album Bloodlines further establishes the group as true heavy hitters in a metal market miasma dominated by snail’s pace funeral doom and core-of the week screamers. Blending blackened vocals, solid blues infused melodies with churning riffs and thrashy rhythms, Howl gives me everything I want in a metal band.

They have their doomier moments, true, but it also makes sense that this group has toured with Skeletonwitch and Red Fang, who keep the tempo upbeat and the drums pounding most of the time. I pretty much love everything about Bloodlines.

If you like groups like High on Fire, old Mastodon and Crowbar, Howl will appeal to you.

Record reviews are hard for me, so I will just give you some highlights. The second track “Midnight Eyes” roars forth and immediately assumes a thrash pace likely to get audiences moving. The chorus is headbang-worthy. This leads straight into another great song, “Demonic.” Great lyrics and memorable riffs. “One Last Night” almost has a post-metal melody, and I really like that, but it never strays from Howl’s mission of melting faces with those unrelenting power riffs.

“Down So Low” slows things down a bit to a sinister pace, with more baritone vocals coming through. “With a Blade” is among the most “doom-like” sounding songs on the album. No doubt the flavor-of-the-week kids will enjoy the fuck out of this down-tuned delight. Thankfully, “Of War” brings the tempo back up a bit. The slightly more progressive, Mastodon-y sounding “The Mouth of Madness” is also a slower track featuring death metal like chugga-chugga- guitar work and vocal harmonies.

There are some other songs on there; just buy Bloodlines when it comes out April 30. You won’t be sorry.

See you suckers tomorrow.

REVIEW: War Injun/Doomdogs 7" split

2013-03-26T22:05:00.000-04:00

International penpals were once a method people had to learn about other cultures. Maryland’s War Injun and Sweden’s Doomdogs have created such a dialog with their new 7" split released by Svart Records. In this case, however, it’s a dialog of doom.

War Injun describe themselves as power doom, though I’d put them squarely in the stoner rock category along with Pentagram and similar. This band is all about the riff delivered expertly by Kenny Staubs and Dave Morgan. Their rhythm section, which consists of JB Matson and Tony Comulada, lays down a crushingly heavy foundation for every song.

Their contribution to the split is the previously unreleased “Smokethrower” featuring former singer JD Williams. Vocal duties were recently filled by Jack Roemer (also of Tank Murdock and formerly of Dead Men Sway). During some recent live performances Roemer, no doubt by some shamanistic spell, has been able to make War Injun’s lyrics even more thunderous than they were with Williams.

“Smokethrower” is most definitely a rockin’ tune featuring rapid-fire verses halted by a more ponderous chorus. The varied pace adds drama. The guitar tone is flawless, obliterating everything in its path. It’s a fitting swan song for Williams and a great showcase for the talents that remain in War Injun.

On the flipside, we have “Oceans of Despair” from Doomdogs, who play somewhat more melodic doom, but their sound is definitely companionable with War Injun. Vocalist Tomas "GG" Eriksson projects the lyrics with a kind of raw operatic flare over the powerful riffage provided by guitarist Christer Cuñat, whose solos are reminiscent of 70s blues-rock. The song features an extended funky jam segment with a fat bass and sizzling lead. The tune marches to its somewhat untimely end, whereupon the song seems to abruptly fall apart. Except for this unsettling conclusion, “Oceans of Despair” is a stellar response to War Injun’s call on the other side. Former member Emil Rolof is featured on drums and Patrik Andersson Winberg on bass, who is set to perform his last gig with the group on April 6.

War Injun’s drummer explained that the split came about because the two groups were fans of each other music. “We actually hooked up with Doomdogs through Facebook,” Matson said. (Well, doesn’t everyone?)

The split has also become something of a promo for a Doomdogs/War Injun tour slated for late summer. And for War Injun, at least, it offered a means to transition into writing and recording with their new singer.

“We are nearly done with the writing process for our next full length ‘Left For The Wolves’, which will be released before August,” Matson said. “Jack is working out tremendously. War Injun is without a doubt, the most solid of a unit as it has ever been. We have already written five new songs with this lineup, and it’s the best music we have ever written. The 2013 Summer Tour starts August 2 in Fort Worth, Texas and continues through August 11 from Texas to Florida and then straight up the East Coast. Leather Nun America (California) are touring with us, and if all things work out, so will Doomdogs.”

Check out both songs below.

Arckanum to release Fenriz Kindir in May

2013-03-06T14:55:00.001-05:00

Swedish black metal project Arckanum will be putting out a new album called Fenriz Kindir (that is, Fenriz's Children) on May 14 with Season of Mist.

Fenriz Kindir coming soon from Arckanum

Check out this intense album art!

According to band founder Shamaatae, "This album is a dedication to the flaming giant-wolf, son of Loki; created from the Chaos-fires of Múspellsheimr. It is a tribute to the wrathful giant-wolf, son of Angrboða, found in the Ironwood where he is breeding hordes of giant monstrous wolves with Angrboða. His victorious name is Fenrir, also called Tungls Tjúgari! Hail Fenrir!"

He continues: "The sounds and music on this album are my auditory vision of the march of Fenrir convoyed with his hordes of giant wolves from the depths of the underworld to face Ragna Rök with warlike glory – deformed giant-wolves swarming in thousands."

Be still my nerdy, little black metal heart. This recording looks like it's going to be the soundtrack to that Norse Literature course I devoured in college.

Shamaatae explains: The Old Norse saga Völuspá (40-41) says, 'In the east of the Ironwood (Járnviðr) she the Old One (Angrboða) sat and there bore Fenrir’s Kin (Fenris kindir). One of which became the most worthy of them all, the One taking down the sun/moon with a two-pronged pitchfork (tungls tjúgari), in a troll’s shape. He fills his belly with the corpses of dead men and defiles the houses of gods with blood. The sun’s beams blacken during summers and the weather grows stormy.' The later saga Gylfaginning (51) reveals Fenrir’s flaming Múspell-descent during Ragna Rök: 'Fenrir shall advance with gaping mouth, and his lower jaw shall be against the earth, but the upper against heaven, he would gape yet more if there were room for it; fires blaze from his eyes and nostrils... The Sons of Múspell shall go forth to that field which is called Vígríðr, thither shall come Fenrir also...'"

I like when a songwriter provides you with the citations from the literature. Do go on....

"This is my tribute to the wrathful, harsh and untamed anti-nature of Fenrir’s mighty essence! The anti-cosmic enemy of the worlds! Heill Tungls Tjúgari! Heilir Fenris Synir!"

Ok, so listeners will be immersed in some themes of deep Norse mythology. What about the music? What should we expect from the talented and mysterious Arckanum. Nothing but magic. Check out the guest players on each track!

The track listing and guest players for Fenriz Kindir are as follows:

1. Fenris Kindir Grúa
2. Tungls Tjúgari: Peter Asp, horns.
3. Dólgrinn
4. Hatarnir: Lena Klarström: female vocals; Peter Asp: howling guitars.
5. Hamrami: Ljuder-Stefan Westberg: horns and violins.
6. Fenris Gangr
7. Vargøld: Olof Lindberg and Peter Asp: chorus and horns.
8. Angrboða: Lena Klarström: female vocals.
9. Úskepna
10. Spell
11. Sólbøls Sigr: Ljuder-Stefan Westberg: keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa) and violins.
12. Lycanthropia [Necromantia cover, bonus track on digital and LP editions]

My birthday is in May. I know what I will be reserving for myself. I can't wait.

Here's a track from Arckanum's last recording from 2011.

GUEST BLOG: Growing up with Lord Dying

2013-03-05T14:35:00.001-05:00

Lord Dying, an emerging heavy metal band based in Portland, Oregon, combines an intense metal experience with lyrics on the darker side of human existence – songs about depression, doom and dismemberment, peppered with heavy riffs and a not-so-hidden distaste for humanity.

Lord Dying

I’ve (**see note below) known two of the band members – Chris Evans (guitar) and Erik Olson (guitar, vocals) since elementary school, growing up in Sandy, Utah. Chris was the kid who wore black Nirvana T-shirts to school in third grade and Erik’s parents’ basement was a noted pit stop for several bands on tour. We all loved music and played in bands off and on since middle school. Chris reminds me he’s been a metal fan since Erik gave him a copy of Megadeth’s Rust in Peace for his birthday in the fifth grade. This past fall I saw Lord Dying rock in Richmond, Virginia, during their last U.S. tour with the band Red Fang at a completely packed, sold out show. I recently chatted with Chris about their new album coming out this coming June on Relapse.

Since forming two and a half years ago, Lord Dying has developed their own sound and formed a clear metal style. The band consists of four members in addition to Chris and Erik, including Don Capuano (bass) and John Reid (drums). I asked Chris what influences their music and he tells me they draw on various styles such as thrash, doom and prog. He tells me his tastes are much broader now as he draws on other musicians than exclusively metal bands, for instance the classical guitarist Augustine Barrios, whose complex fingering techniques make their way into his own riffs.

Lord Dying has toured with bands such as Witch Mountain, Black Cobra, Gaza, Danava and most recently Down, lead by the singer of Pantera, where they played three shows together in Seattle, Portland and Boise, Idaho. In 2012 they played two U.S. tours, first with Witch Mountain and most recently with Red Fang. It was during this last tour they received their record deal from Relapse Records.

Erik, me and Chris at the Richmond, VA show.

“We were pretty much the last ones to find out,” Chris laughs, “It was a big surprise. One of the guys from Relapse kept calling us before the show to hang out and we didn’t know why.”

I ask Chris if it’s difficult to be on tour. “It’s definitely a lot of driving and waiting around for the thirty minutes we’re on stage, but it’s worth it. We play shows every night and never get enough sleep. But when we get home we want to be back out again.” They plan to continue touring this summer and line up bigger metal shows so they can promote their new album.

Their musical process involves frequent collaboration and experimentation. Erik writes all the lyrics and song titles and has more lyrics written then they have songs for. After splitting up for awhile, Chris and Erik started playing together again when Erik moved to Portland and came over to jam.

“We wrote our first song right then. John and I started the band and were looking for another guitarist. When we jammed with Erik it all came together. We knew what we needed to do. The chemistry was still there.” Indeed, that first night they wrote their first song, "In a Frightful State of Gnawed Dismemberment", which will appear on their full-length LP coming out in June (also available at here) and quickly started playing riffs and pouring out new songs. The band has remained in its current form since Erik joined.

For west-coasters, Lord Dying has two shows lined up in their home base of Portland, one at the venue Branx on March 8th, and Stump Fest on April 20th. You can follow them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/LordDying and Twitter at https://twitter.com/Lorddying for tour information and band updates. Expect to be blown away!

**NOTE: This blog post was written by my friend Jacob Koskimaki, who is super smart and works at the University of Virginia. Together with his friends from Lord Dying, we are converting him into a metalhead.

Full stream of Vreid - Welcome Farewell

2013-03-04T13:50:00.005-05:00

Vreid, the Norwegian black and roll band that arose from the ashes of Windr in 2004, have a new record, Welcome Farewell, set for North American release March 5, 2013. Their blend of black metal, punky thrash and straightforward rock and roll combined with captivating song writing and lyrics puts them into my "what's not to like?" category. I can put on any one of their albums and listen from start to finish without wanting to skip a song. I only hope a North American tour accompanies this release.

A recent press release about Vreid's new recording describes the work this way:

Notorious for their well-researched, historically-inspired lyrics, the band’s third and fourth offerings, I Krig and Milorg, were both concept albums based around the liberation work in Norway during World War II. Liberation was also the keyword on VREID’s last offering, V, but placed in a broader historical/philosophic perspective. The lyrics on Welcome Farewell describe a lifecycle through a series of short stories, seen from an existential point of view and, inspired by Hváll’s own local community with its nature, architecture and historical artists such as Arne Garborg and Otto Valstad, are more personal than ever before.

The members of Vried are Hváll - Bass; Sture - Vocals/Guitar; Strom - Guitar and Steingrim - Drums.

www.vreid.no
www.facebook.com/vreidofficial?fref=ts
www.indierecordings.us

You can listen to a full stream of the new album here:

REVIEW: The Almighty Propagator of Doom and Despair, plus philosophizing with Ptahil

2013-02-24T22:01:00.000-05:00

I like to imagine that somewhere in northeastern Indiana there lies a portal to the Underworld where the members of the Ptahil have set up camp to receive messages directly from their Dark Lord. I am probably not too far off, based on the content of their most recent recording.

Ptahil, which in gnostic mysticism can also be spelled Fetahil, is described as the builder of the material world. Ptahil, the band from Fort Wayne, Indiana, is comprised of drummer/vocalist J. Mhághnuís and multi-instrumentalist/vocalist D. Luathca, and they have been building their world of chaos since 2009. They have created two demos, two EPs, one single and two full-length recordings in that time, the most recent of which, The Almighty Propagator of Doom and Despair, came out December 21, 2012 (defying a predicted Mayan apocalypse).

Ptahil

Both members have also been in and are currently contributing to several other musical projects. Currently, Ptahil is in the process of mixing a third full-length recording called Born Against with Wraith Productions and is slated for release in 2014. But let’s talk about the album at hand.

The Almighty Propagator of Doom and Despair roars forth like a swarming horde from the very first track, “Satanicus Sabbathicus,” which features pummeling drums and an almost industrial black metal atmosphere. Launched with backwards invocation, “Possessed by Death” transitions the listener to a much doomier plane of existence. I can imagine fans chanting along with the refrain here.

The third track “Blood, Semen, Shit”-- well, that just about covers the entirety of human existence doesn’t it. This song is a bit more trashy and lyrically will make you “curse all life’s creation”.

Track four, “Mors Aut Libertas,” continues in the somewhat trashy vein. Here, Ptahil builds a wall of sound with heavy guitar distortion and drumming. Lyrically, I think this may capture Ptahil’s spirit. “And what magic was (sic) you trying to summon, stirring up men's hearts to action? Revolution and change? This is paid in blood. Not by obliging the chains to bind you. Nor by giving up your spark. Raise your fire for All the Gods to see. For your soul to be free.”

“Pact with the Devil” returns to the doom and features some of the most melodic segments of the album. At times, it dips into psychedelic realms! This track trudges along, crushing everything in its path. It is among my favorite songs on the record.

The title track of this album clocks in at nearly 13 minutes, which is long for a black metal song. Yet this epic and multifaceted track builds and builds to a crescendo of rage befitting a title song for this recording. Lyrically, like most Ptahil songs, the themes are simultaneously obscure and evident. “What love can survive and flourish in this realm?” There is deep “gnosis” here, but many people will probably not want to dwell on the possible implications and will be content to simply bang their heads.

Like a freight train plummeting over a cliff, the album’s final track, “Hell Spells and Satanic Rituals,” moves at a break-neck pace and concludes in under two and a half minutes. The album ends with another backwards vocal. A malediction perhaps, rather than a benediction.

Overall, The Almighty Propagator of Doom and Despair will likely leave you satisfied and exhausted, like a good old-fashioned shag. That’s ironic, given the underlying theme of the record that reveals itself through the lyrics. This album may cause you to question your existence and purpose in this shadowy physical plane. That is a mighty accomplishment from little more than 45 minutes of music and should put this record on the watchlist of any follower of American black metal.

On the downside, I am not sure I like the way this recording was mixed (granted I know nothing about this process). I feel like the vocals, which are quite good, get lost under the music. The guitar work sounds indistinct at times. Listening on headphones helps.

I interviewed Mhághnuís via email. Here’s what he had to say about the band, the future and this recording.

What did you set out to achieve with this recording?
Total freedom. To put into light the terrible instinct of human reproduction. As people go on, so goes enslavement.

Where was the recording done and what atmosphere were you trying to create.
Ptahil does all our tracking at our temple/studio. For The Almighty Propagator... mixing and mastering was done here as well. We always try to bring an atmosphere of chaos to our releases. With this release, however, we wanted to bring a manipulated feel. This is what mankind is the best at doing, manipulation. Manipulating other living things. Manipulating the landscape, and nature. This is why the full release could be played both forward and backward. There are specific messages both ways in our own attempts to manipulate the listener to seek out their total freedom by any means necessary.

I heard the band was looking for a bassist. How is that going?
Ptahil is D. Luathca and myself. We are looking for a third to make our magic stronger, at least for live rituals, but we have not found anyone who can both play the music and deal with what Ptahil is about. It takes more than playing the music perfectly. It is about making a specific pact.

I have not heard reverse recording in music for a long time. I suppose the only way you could listen to it would be to get it in vinyl and spin the disc in reverse. Why did you decide to use this?
Well, when this was originally being recorded, the plan was to release it on vinyl. However we did not give a fuck about time constraints, we just worried about doing the release how it felt it should be done. This led to the recording being too long for a standard vinyl pressing by two songs. Our record label (Wraith Productions) received the masters and did not want to exclude the two songs. So we opted to release it on CD. (You can find this and other Ptahil recordings and merch here.)

What plans do you have to tour in support of this record, and how will it be distributed?
We have distribution in Europe through Code 7 with Wraith Prod. People can pick up the releases in stores in Europe. There is limited distribution in America however, (of course) Into The Void Records carries our releases in their store in St. Paul, Minnesota. You can get the releases in the mail through us and Wraith.
Ptahil will be playing THE DEVIL'S COVEN FEST at Station 4 in St. Paul on May 18. This so far is the ONLY show for Ptahil in 2013.

What is on the agenda for the upcoming year?
Ptahil has another release finished and in the mixing stages titled, Born Against, which is to be released through Wraith. We also have 2+ more releases in the rehearsal recording stages. We will start tracking these songs during this year.
D. Luathca has a release recorded playing bass for The Lurking Corpses, which is set for release this year. I have also joined up with Demonic Christ for their two fest appearances for this year and look to be recording their new release this year as well.

Anything else you want to mention?
Demonic Christ will be performing at Cathedral of the Black Goat Fest March 30 and Martydoom Fest June 29-31. Ptahil will be performing at THE DEVIL'S COVEN FEST at Station 4 in St. Paul, Minnesota on May 18. So if anyone hates my guts enough to take my life, there are your three chances.

REVIEW: Embers and Revelations, plus Weapon's Monarch speaks

2013-02-23T11:06:00.000-05:00

Weapon

What do you get when you cross the anti-religious themes of true black metal with the death metal aesthetics of Bolt Thrower and tinge it with the cultural undertones of Bangladesh? You get Weapon. (And yes, the name is trademarked; legally there can be only one.)

The first time I heard Canada’s blackened death metal group Weapon was shortly before the June 2012 Marduk show at the former Sonar in Baltimore. A friend had told me that Weapon were the only reason to go to the show. They weren’t the only reason to be there, but they sure were damn good.

From that time, I have gotten to know the band a little more, gone back and listened to some of their earlier recordings, and have kept in touch with the group’s vocalist and chief songwriter who goes by the name Vetis Monarch.

I have been listening to their latest recording Embers and Revelations since it was released in October 2012. Initially, I had fallen in love with the mystery and dark beauty crafted by their second full length, From the Devil’s Tomb. You can read more about my first encounter with Weapon here.

Now, months later, I feel like Embers and Revelations exceeds the intensity and excellence of this previous work. I am glad I waited to write my review.

The album slithers forth with the track “The First Witness of Lucifer.” With a relentless beat and chugging riffs, it’s an appropriate processional into the unholy aural onslaught to come.

The song “Vanguard of the Morning Star” offers devotees a perfect blend of black metal and death meal. Blast beats, tremolo riffs, a blistering lead and sinister growling vocals. “Crespuscular Swamp, Unhinged Swine” slows the pace down a bit to a death metal trudge. The track crushes its enemies and takes no prisoners.

The next track “Liber Lilith” stands out, maybe because of its memorable opening riff or its fist-pumping refrain. I can’t really post the lyrics about this “feral harlot; unchaste spirit” here, but rest assured, this song will creep under your skin.

“Grotesque Carven Portal” begins with some ethereal soundscapes and them moves into what might be called the “Weapon-sound,” as this group definitely has an identifiable progression of chords and musical themes that seem to reveal themselves, however subtly, in every track. (Maybe Vetis should look into trademarking this sound as well #joking.)

This instrumental quickly transitions into the roar of the title track of the album. At just under 4 minutes, “Embers and Revelations” packs a demonic punch, but I actually wish this song were a bit longer. It features a rally cry, which is sure to get audiences revved in a live setting, but it seems to lack the songwriting complexity that most of Weapon’s other songs possess.

The final two tracks are my favorite for this Weapon outing. “Disavowing Each in Aum” provides head-banging material for sure with raging rhythms and plenty of shredding, but it also offers up that subtle intricacy that Weapon does so well. The slower, more introspective sections of this song mesmerize.

The album’s final track, “Shahenshah,” will likely go into the group’s rotation of songs used as encores. Epic riffage, building tension and satisfying resolutions, Weapon gives it all to you here. In the song, Vetis Monarch sings the lyrics “O, archon, emperor, monarch, shahenshah -The luminous jewel on the acausal crown.”

The truth is, “Shahenshah” is this recording’s crown jewel and Weapon’s signature song to date.

Weapon’s third full-length album, Embers and Revelations, firmly establishes these warriors on the landscape of satanic metal bands to watch. I missed the sound of the sitar prominently featured in previous albums, so I invite you to go back and listen to Drakonian Paradigm and From the Devil’s Tomb and witness how Vetis Monarch and company have evolved to this point.

Here is what Vetis Monarch had to say about the band, his philosophies and this record:

How would you describe your personal philosophy, and how does it inform the music and lyrics of this latest Weapon recording? You seem to be a Theistic Satanist with Hindu underpinnings; is that how you would describe it?

In the most general of descriptions, I’d say that’s fairly accurate. On one hand, I can say I can say that I’m a Satanist and leave it at that; that’s the long and short of it, because to me, there’s only ONE kind of Satanism when you cut through all the red tape and unnecessary factions. But when talking on a more complex level, I can go further with what led me to my current belief system, what were the things I rejected, what culturally-leaning occult biases I absorbed and so forth. The Hindu / Eastern aspect is certainly a big part of it.

I thought your performance here in Baltimore back in June was very dynamic with good interplay between band members. Describe the chemistry of the band’s current line up and how that enhanced writing and recording this new record.

The three core members of the band – myself, Kha Tumos (bass guitar) and The Disciple (drums and percussion) - we are closer to age and grew up on similar bands. We have been playing for quite some time together now. Also, prior to joining Weapon, both of those individuals played in War March. So they already brought chemistry to the table, and then the three of us formed our own way of doing things and developed our own chemistry. The “new” guy Rom Surtr (lead guitars) is quite a bit younger and comes from a different generation, so of course there’s a gap when it comes to certain reference points and whatnot. But he caught on to our way of doing things fast; everything from understanding our sound, to camaraderie, sense of humor, et al – he’s there. In a lot of ways, understanding the aspects that DON’T involve the music are even more important, which Rom Surtr does. If there is no chemistry off-stage, it probably won’t translate on-stage.

What sort of experience or knowledge do you hope to bring to people when they listen to Weapon (other than kick ass blackened death metal that is easy to mosh to)? For example, what thoughts or emotions do you hope to provoke and why?

I am a huge advocator of reading lyrics, so for me it’s always fantastic when someone will write to me saying that certain Weapon lyrics inspired him / her to research further into a occult, historical or religious topic. That to me is pay dirt. A girl wrote to me recently that subject matter off ‘From The Devil’s Tomb’ inspired her to take Sanskrit courses in University. I thought that was very cool.

A good set of headphones and very little lighting should generate the best Weapon listening experience, I find. In a live setting we just like to see people get violent and hurt themselves / each other. This past summer when we were on tour, someone dislocated his knee from reacting too excitedly in the crowd. We encourage things like that.

Were there any particular challenges or triumphs in recording Embers and Revelations?

Between 2010 and early 2012 I had a lot of instability in my personal life, from getting arrested to being homeless - just one chaotic event after another, some of which I can't get into due to legal reasons. Kha Tumos (bass guitar) had a lot of personal shit going on as well. Then about a year ago, we changed lead guitar players, which was just weeks before we had to go and perform at Rites Of Darkness in Texas - all very stressful, I’m sure you can imagine. We were questioning the band's existence at certain points. Any sense of luxury or complacency that had manifested was quickly erased by fire and fury. The hunger came back and it really helped with the songwriting process. Embers And Revelations ended up being a lot more belligerent and malicious than I originally thought it could be.

Tell me about the cover art/artist.

The artist is Benjamin Vierling, an American painter. He has been with us since Drakonian Paradigm, and he really understands how we work. A modern-day genius, in my humble opinion. We provide him with rough ideas about the art we have in mind and the lyrics, and he comes up with these stunning masterpieces.

The Wheel of Fate is something that has been used throughout all the Weapon artworks. It appears on the Drakonian Paradigm cover image, under Lucifer's feet. It appears again on the From the Devil's Tomb image, between the inverted hanged man and the demon. Now it appears as the foundation of this image for Embers and Revelations. The Wheel is ever revolving, ever turning, and in the process, it crumbles...

The Tiger and the Wolf pertain to my dreams. Benjamin Vierling, the master and the genius, saw them flanking the Wheel in this manner: guardians, adversaries, and heraldic totems all at once. The daemonic skull has layers of meaning, being simultaneously an invocation, a conquering and a memorial. The red eye on the brow demonstrates profound vision; seeing beyond seeing! The crown is an allusion to the 'Shahenshah' - the King of all Kings. The star emblazoned on the crown of disillusion also has special significance; the serpents are also classic motifs, insinuating divine gnosis through venomous initiation.

I hear some of the same musical themes in Embers as I did in From the Devil’s Tomb. Can this new album be seen as a continuation of that story?

Most certainly. Every Weapon release is part of the same ongoing story. The songs on the albums themselves stand alone, in that, we don’t make concept albums; but the discography of Weapon is one singular concept. Weapon will always champion Satanism.

My current favorite track on this recording is “Disavowing Each in Aum”. What is it about?

Aum is Om and is of supreme significance in Hinduism. This symbol is a consecrated syllable representing Brahman, the impersonal Absolute of Hinduism - omnipotent, universal, and the foundation of all discernible life.

I believe that sociopaths and psychopaths are inherently missing the link to Aum, whether they are aware of it or not. They are void of that connection that links all living creatures to cosmic laws, both macrocosmic and microcosmic. The missing link is what separates the clay-born from the fire-born. I essentially wrote this song for criminals, sociopaths, psychopaths, invalids, outcasts, degenerates and lunatics of this secular world, who are raping the very tenets of godhood, thereby becoming gods themselves.

Likewise, what is “Shahenshah” about? References I found mention a Bollywood superhero! It’s a very cool song by the way, nice guitar solo there!

“Shahenshah” is a word that derives from Avestan meaning power and command, corresponding to the Sanskrit word kshatriya (warrior). The full, Old Persian title of the Achaemenid rulers of the First Persian Empire was King of Kings. It was a title of the utmost reverence, respect, adulation and fear for a lord above all. Of course, in our paradigm that is a direct reference to Lucifer / Shiva / Loki / Set / Pan, etc. This song is an all-encompassing piece about the Lord of the Left Hand Path and His ethereal decree upon and beyond the universe.

Anything else you want to share?

That’s all for now. All pertinent Weapon information can be found at www.weaponchakra.com.

Video captures YAITW in reflective moment

2013-02-21T22:12:00.000-05:00

I was browsing YouTube recently in search of videos by the American blackened crust band Young And In The Way, or YAITW for short, when I stumbled across this mini-pic posted nearly a year ago. I can't believe I have not seen it until now.

Young And In The Way. Photo by Mary Spiro

The film is set to the song "The Gathering" from the album V. Eternal Depression released by this North Carolina group in 2011. Unlike most of YAITW's catalog, which is more chaotic, this 11+ minute song provides a reflective, yet sinister, conclusion to the recording. If you have never listened to this band, "The Gathering" only represents a tiny segment of the styles they play, which tend to be something like black metal mixed with post-hardcore and a good dose of hatred for mankind thrown in.

Lush and evokative with themes such as death, mortality, ritual, fear and perhaps the conflict between father and son, the video matches the song perfectly. It is filled with tension and gives you a sense of hopelessness. Filmed in black and white, if features three characters and a grim landscape. I won't say much more than that, just watch it and experience whatever it brings you.

Young And In The Way are one of my favorite groups. Their music is raw and their lyrics thoughtful. Their live shows are mesmerizing. This video, which was directed by John Bradburn and Andy Paton for 93MillionMiles, is a gentle introduction to their sound, which isn't something every metalhead is going to like.

The Gathering from 93 Million Miles on Vimeo.

Marduk brings black metal juggernaut to Empire

2013-02-21T11:10:00.000-05:00

Marduk and friends played Empire in Springfield, Virginia on February 20. Here are my general impressions of this crushing juggernaut of sound that is probably coming to a town near you.

First off, it was grim and frostbitten outside and waiting in line for even two minutes was excruciating. I got in line at about 5:45 and doors did not open until after 6 p.m. Strangely, the first band had already started playing to a practically empty room. Empire, why do you do this stupid shit?

The first group Helgardh are from Bluefield, West Virginia. They performed in full corpse paint and presented very traditional old school style black metal. They sounded solid, especially the vocals, and I would have been happy to have seen their entire set. I didn't notice any merchandise or demos at the merch table. But since they are regional, it's likely I will get another chance to see them.

Next up was Deathwolf from Sweden, founded by Marduk's Morgan Steinmeyer Håkansson who plays bass for this group. Musically the group was entertaining but I found the songs uninspired. I felt like I was watching a really competent biker bar band that might appear on an episode of Sons of Anarchy. The vocals were really strong though. Unfortunately, I was just not into the genre they were playing. They did seem to have a small following in the audience.

The Foreshadowing, a gothic metal group from Italy took the stage next, after what seemed like an unnecessarily long sound check. Again, the musicianship was excellent, but if I want to listen to the black metal version of Depeche Mode I will just listen to...um, no...I will just listen to Depeche Mode. This band's work has been nominated for all kinds of awards, so apparently people like them, but I find it incredibly hard to comment on a band that did not excite me. If I met them, I would say, "It's not you, it's me."

Inquisition from Colombia/Seattle was the main reason I drove 70 + miles in rush hour traffic to this show on a weekday night, and I was very excited to see them perform. They did not disappoint. There is something hypnotic about the way the drums, Dagon's guitar and his reptilian-affected vocals come together, and I think the rest of the audience could feel it. I had watched several YouTube videos of live Inquisition shows and none that remember can capture the real deal. They sounded great, they looked great and they got everyone revved up! They played one of my favorite songs, Cosmic Invocation Rites. Evening complete.

Portugal's Moonspell like to sing about werewolves, apparently. At one point, I think the singer howled. I don't know, whatever they were singing about, I thought they were really good. They also fall roughly into the category of gothic metal, but they exude so much aggression and power that it feels more like melodic black metal to me. The band interacted well with the audience, who seemed to love them. I would go see them again.

Marduk arrived on stage about 30 minutes later than the set times indicated, which made me realize that I was not going to be able to stay for their entire set. (Some people have to work in the morning.) The last (and first) time I saw Marduk was at the former Sonar in Baltimore. During that show, which was held on a Saturday night, the entire room was packed and quickly turned into a mosh pit. This show seemed to lack that level of vigor. Should we expect black metallaers to throw down on any night of the week? Heck it was only 11 p.m. There was some moshing, but for the most part the audience was pretty inert. I think, although I obviously can't get inside his head, that vocalist Daniel "Mortuus" Rostén was really frustrated by the lethargy. At one point I felt like he was chastising the audience for not being more metal or something. At any rate, the sound for Marduk was horrible compared to how it had been for the other bands. From where I was standing I could hear the bass and drums pretty well but the vocals were overwhelming. I could not hear Morgan at all, which was why I love Marduk. So I moved to his side of the room. Better, but still pretty bad. So sad, I was. I can always listen to them on CD.

This was the very first day of Marduk's second North American trip in support of their latest recording Serpent Sermon. I know the first few shows of a long tour are kind of like dress rehearsals, a chance to work out all the kinks and get things right for "more important" shows like Saturday night's appearance in New York. Still I thought all the bands brought their A-game to Empire. I was annoyed that the sound didn't work out for Marduk and was only just a little bored by a couple of the bands I wasn't into. But at least I finally got to see Inquisition, who blew my mind, and I enjoyed Moonspell, who played the Barge to Hell cruise last December.

The rest of the dates for Marduk's tour are listed below. After that, they take a little break and start their summer shows in Europe.

February 21 Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
February 22 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
February 23 New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
February 24 Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
February 25 Toronto, ON @ Wreck Room
February 26 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small's Theatre
February 27 Chicago, IL @ Reggie's
February 28 Saint Paul, MN @ Station 4
March 1 Winnipeg, MB @ Osborne Village Inn
March 2 Regina, SK @ The Exchange
March 3 Edmonton, AB @ Pawn Shop
March 4 Calgary, AB @ TBC
March 5 Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre
March 6 Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
March 7 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
March 8 Oakland, CA @ Oakland Opera House
March 9 Los Angeles, CA @ The Vex
March 10 Tempe, AZ @ 910 Live
March 11 Albuquerque, NM @ TBC
March 12 Dallas, TX @ Tomcats West
March 13 San Antonio, TX @ Korova
March 15 Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
March 16 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade

Eye of the Stone Goat 2 fest dooms Delaware

2013-01-31T12:04:00.001-05:00

As if Delaware were not doomed enough, Snake Charmer Booking has announced a new doom metal music festival “The Eye of the Stoned Goat 2” for Saturday, February 9. Set at JB McGinnes Pub in New Castle, the show features 10 stoner rock and doom metal bands from the mid-Atlantic. Tickets are $10 and doors open at 5 p.m.

The festival line up includes Delaware locals Wasted Theory and Heavy Temple along with Maryland heavyweights Iron Man, Blackhand and Beelzefuzz. Pennsylvania acts include Wizard Eye, Clamfight, Skeleton Hands, Thee Nosebleeds and Pale Divine.

I spoke with festival organizer Brendan Burns, who is also the drummer for Wasted Theory, about why he decided to put on Eye of the Stoned Goat:

What was your inspiration for organizing this fest?
I wanted to do a smaller version of the Stoner Hands of Doom festival basically. I just love the idea of a three or four day long show where you can see so many great bands at the same time. So, it had occurred to me that between Delaware, Philly and Maryland, that I could do a miniature festival of my own, with some of my personal faves from the area. And that's really what inspired me.

What was the first Eye of the Stoned Goat Festival like?
Last November I did a five band show at Mojo 13 in Wilmington with Black Cowgirl, Borracho, Wizard Eye, Wasted Theory, and Behind the Ghost. It was really just me testing the waters to see if anyone besides me enjoyed this type of music enough to fill a venue. The turnout was decent, not jam-packed like I was hoping, but decent. All the bands had a great time, and I just liked the name of the event so much that I decided to continue with it.

Tell me about the vendors. Why are you including them too?

When I decided I was going to do 10 bands on this bill, I really wanted to bring a festival-like vibe to it. All the festivals I've ever been too there's always lots of great vendors doing some really cool stuff, and I wanted a little sample of that at my show. So, I decided I wanted some record labels to come sell their their records and swag and any other cool music inspired merchandisers. So, at this year's event we have Anthropic Records and Dullest Records from Philly, Red Heart 13, which is a jewelry and photo type company, Useless Rebel Imaging will be there, he does amazing band photo's, and DeadDave from DeadDavesRadio will be there.

What about the venue?

The venue is awesome, it's at a bar called JB McGinnes, in New Castle, DE. It has a sound system that could rival the Trocadero (in Philadelphia) and is seriously one of the best places to have such a show. I think people are going to be blown away by how great the stage and sound really is there.

What else do we need to know?

JB McGinnes Pub is located at 519 E. Basin Rd, New Castle, DE 19720.

Tickets for Eye of the Stoned Goat 2 are $10. You can find out more about Snake Charmer Booking events on their website or Facebook page. The website has tons of useful links to audio and videos fo the bands playing as well as to listings of nearby lodging and so forth.

Brendan says he is already looking into making next year's ESG a two-day event, so if bands are interested in being considered they should contact him at SnakeCharmerBooking@gmail.com.

Corrections House live stream tonight from Miami

2013-01-30T14:19:00.000-05:00

Corrections House at Metro Gallery 1/25/13

For those of you who were scared of a little snow last Friday to attend the performance of Corrections House at Baltimore's Metro Gallery, the group presents a live stream tonight (January 30) at midnight, EST at this location. The show will be broadcast from Churchill’s in Miami, Florida.

Corrections House is a "collective" of well known musicians from other groups including Mike IX Williams (Eyehategod), Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium), Scott Kelly (Neurosis), and Bruce Lamont (Yakuza). I recommend ponying up the pittance these venues will charge to see the actual show, but if they are not coming to your town, I suppose a live stream is ok. I believe a video stream will pale in comparison to the live performance, however.

I have heard some criticism of this musical experiment. But I suggest approaching this group with an open mind. You are not going to see the bastard child of Neurosis and Eyehategod or any other permutation of the aforementioned groups these cats have been involved in. What you will see is the artistic expression of four super talented people who are stepping off of well worn paths to share their ideas of what music and poetry and sound and performance can be.

People these days spend a lot of time alone listening to music that was by created by people alone in studios. What Corrections House does is form a living organism comprised of a marriage of the performers and the audience. Mike Williams said no two performances are exactly alike, and I believe that.

I also DON'T recommend that you watch the somewhat pretentious video that was made for the group's composition "Hoax The System". I watched the video and I think it may have colored my expectations a bit too much. I would like to have unwatched it. Don't even listen to the song. In fact, stop reading this blog post right now. No, just kidding because there is still a little bit more important info here.

Here are the remaining Corrections House tour dates. If you care about the future of music or are just curious, I encourage you to go:

1/30/2013 Churchill’s – Miami, FL [LIVE BROADCAST!]
1/31/2013 Crowbar – Tampa, FL
2/01/2013 529 – Atlanta, GA
2/02/2013 Bottletree – Birmingham, AL
2/05/2013 Spanish Moon – Baton Rouge, LA
2/06/2013 Siberia – New Orleans, LA
2/07/2013 Walter’s Downtown – Houston, TX
2/08/2013 Korova – San Antonio, TX
2/09/2013 Red 7 – Austin, TX
2/10/2013 Bryan Street Tavern – Dallas, TX
2/11/2013 Opolis – Norman, OK
2/12/2013 Hero’s – Fort Smith, AR
2/13/2013 Slowdown – Omaha, NE
2/15/2013 Moon Room – Denver, CO

Bands named for New England Metal and Hardcore fest

2013-01-09T11:49:00.003-05:00

The 2013 New England Metal & Hardcore Festival have confirmed the dates and preliminary list of bands for this year’s annual event, so put in for your vacation days now. The festivities begin with a pre-party on April 18th, and the three official days of the fest following on the 19th, 20th, and 21st at The Palladium. Tickets for the event will go on sale next Wednesday, January 16th.

Bands for NEW ENGLAND METAL & HARDCORE FESTIVAL XV are:

Anthrax
Hatebreed
Opeth
Suicidal Tendencies
After The Burial
Alpha & Omega
Antagonist AD
Ark Of The Covenant
Black Breath
Born Of Osiris
The Contortionist
Dead By Wednesday
Death Before Dishonor
Ensiferum
Erra
Exodus
Expire
Fit For An Autopsy
Heidevolk
Hellsot
Holy Grail
I Declare War
Incendiary
Katatonia
Legion
The Mongoloids
Mother Of Mercy
Municipal Waste
No Mercy
Power Trip
Rude Awakening
Saving Grace
Shadows Fall
Suburban Scum
Those Who Fear
Trap Them
Trollfest
Twitching Tongues
Tyr
Within The Ruins
Xibalba

Darsombra drone in Metro Gallery’s first show of 2013

2013-01-03T12:19:00.000-05:00

Baltimore’s audio/visual mind-benders Darsombra perform Friday, Jan. 4 at Metro Gallery with the unpredictable duo Jucifer of Athens, Ga. and heavy hitting thrashers, Radical Discharge. Darsombra recently completed a quick European tour with Stinking Lizaveta and launched a new album Climax Community. If your New Year's resolutions included expanding your mind, then tuning in and dropping out at this show would be a great way to start.

Darsombra

I listed Climax Community among my top albums of 2012, and for good reason. Guitarist Brian Daniloski uses multiple guitars and effects pedals to transport listeners to another auditory realm. His partner Ann Everton pairs his sounds with visual experiences that will make psycho-active chemicals seem quite unnecessary. Released in October 2012, Climax Community is Darsombra’s first on the German label Exile On Mainstream. You can listen to a full stream of the recording at this link on Decibel Magazine.

Brian and Ann were willing to answer some of my inane questions. Their answers follow.

How did you come up with your specific sound?
Brian: My sound was developed over a long time, by playing guitar and experimenting with effects pedals. Especially around the beginning of the century, I was trying to make one lone instrument sound like a whole band, or even an orchestra, and things just evolved from there. I was really inspired by the Thrones, Robert Fripp, and KK Null, at the time.

Why do you like to incorporate visuals into your show?
Brian: I've always enjoyed incorporating visuals into the live shows of the bands I've been in (Meatjack, and before that, Stranger Than Fiction), but with Darsombra, we're taking it to the next level.
Ann: What that means is that we're working with a sense of synergy. We're finding ourselves in a symbiotic relationship--Brian makes the music, and then I make the videos in response to the music, and then he plays the music back in time with the videos--keeping time with them sort of the way a band keeps time with a drummer.

What was the European tour like? What were some highlights?
Brian: The tour was a blast--it's always fun to travel, see new places, make new friends, and catch up with old ones.
Ann: Also, it's fun to examine the difference between Europe and America--it makes us realize things we want to change about how we live (i.e. no one has a clothes dryer, people bike a lot more than us for transportation, cars are smaller, toilet paper is smaller, people live smaller), but also appreciate things here at home (i.e. the multiculturalism that is inherent to America, despite our weird and often fucked-up history).
Brian: There were lots of highlights on that tour. I remember in particular being woken up in our hotel room in Stolzenhain, Germany, to the sound of The Obsessed rehearsing "The Way She Fly"--from all the way on the other side of the village, about a mile away, where the South of Mainstream festival was held.
Ann: I really loved our time in Luzern, Switzerland. After the show, the promoter fed us homemade chestnut parfait, and then we took a 3 a.m. visit to the neighboring barn to feed the cows. . . and then we went on a walk on the Wanderweg (a Swiss national hiking trail) behind the venue in the moonlight!

What was your goal in selecting the music for Climax Community?
Brian: I wanted the music to document and reflect where I am right now as a musician, and I wanted the album to be epic and expansive. This time around I've incorporated acoustic guitar and more vocals than previous efforts. Climax Community is a completely composed album, whereas our previous release in 2012, Mega-Void, was entirely improvised. I wanted to present two sides of Darsombra's sound.

What's coming up for Darsombra in 2013?
Ann: We've scheduled a tour in February, down to Austin and back to promote the new album. Also, we've possibly got another European tour in fall, and we'd like to start contacting people in Japan. We just moved to a new house with new studios so hopefully new music and videos will be coming forth in 2013, and, if there's time, we'd like to get a quick tour in, before the end of the year on the moon.

Tickets to Friday’s Metro Gallery show are $8 on MissionTix.

Check out this video below. Winter tour dates after the jump.

DARSOMBRA Wintour 2013:
2/15/2013 Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
2/16/2013 Blackout Effectors - Asheville, NC
2/17/2013 Wonderroot - Atlanta, GA
2/18/2013 Caledonia Lounge - Athens, GA
2/19/2013 Siberia - New Orleans, LA
2/20/2013 TBA - Lafayette/Baton Rouge, LA
2/21/2013 The Dalzell House - Shreveport, LA
2/22/2013 Club 1808 - Austin, TX
2/23/2013 Downtown Music - Little Rock, AR
2/24/2013 TBA - Memphis, TN
2/25/2013 Pilot Light - Knoxville, TN
2/26/2013 TBA - Harrisonburg/Charlottesville, VA

Related links:
http://www.facebook.com/darsombra
http://darsombra.com
http://www.mainstreamrecords.de

20 Best Concerts of 2012

2012-12-31T20:27:00.001-05:00

Radical Discharge - Photo M. Spiro

Going back through my Google Calendar and my events list on Facebook caused so many concert memories to come rushing back from 2012. It looks as though I attended well over 60 music-related events this year—from large multi-day festivals to little bar shows. I even left the country for one show, something I have never done before. For another one, I took off from work in the middle of the week. Random.

Defining what qualifies as the "best" shows was difficult. Sometimes best meant that the show itself was great. Sometimes best meant that the venue or company I kept at the show was great. There were a few shows that were actually kind of bad for one reason but good for another. I tried to only list the ones that were both great musical events and also good times. I left out some very good ones, though.

Primitive Weapons - Photo by M. Spiro

Venue-wise I saw my first shows at Golden West and Rams Head OnStage and one of the last shows at Sonar before it imploded in upon itself. I spent the majority of my concert cash at shows at The Ottobar and Sonar. Hopefully the season pass I purchased to The Ottobar will be worth it. I also pray something decent is resurrected on the site of the old Sonar location. The Sidebar has added new lighting and I believe is in the process of upgrading their sound system, which together makes shows there more pleasurable. Some venues I did not visit at all this year. I did not see any shows at The Recher, Charm City Art Space, The Rock and Roll Hotel, The Howard Theatre or the 9:30 Club. Usually I go to the 9:30 Club a few times a year, but I was surprised to realize that I didn’t see a single show there in 2012! I hope to check out some new venues in 2013.

Here we go:

1. January 15 – Graveyard, Radio Moscow and Daniel Davies at Golden West, Baltimore. First show that I had seen at this restaurant that turns into a venue after 10 p.m. While the opener was nothing special, Radio Moscow and Graveyard were stellar. Also made some great new friends from the band Witch Hazel. Read previous write up here.

2. March 28 – Alcest, Deafheaven and Arbouretum at Golden West, Baltimore. Another great show at Golden West. Seeing Alcest was like witnessing some kind of black metal fairy tale unfold. More details on this show here.

Martyrdöd - Photo by M. Spiro

3. May 5 – Behemoth, Watain, The Devil’s Blood, In Solitude and Evoken at Rams Head Live, Baltimore. Every single one of these bands is amazing. Plus, I had a photo pass so was able to get up close for each band. Happy birthday to me.

Nergal (Behemoth) - Photo by M. Spiro

4. May 12 – All That Is Heavy 2 Fest at Mavericks Ottawa, Ontario, Canada with Blood Ceremony, Iron Man, Blizaro, Monobrow, Loviatar and Revelation. Since my husband is the drummer in Iron Man, it was kind of required that I tag along for this one. Hosted by Jennifer and Derek Bradshaw of the show Crossing Boredom on Ottawa’s radio station CKCU, this fest featured some of the best in Canadian and American doom. I fell in love with Blood Ceremony and Loviatar especially and I got to see some friends who live in the area who actually came out to the show! All around wonderful, it was a great time.

Young And In The Way - Photo by M. Spiro

5. May 22 – Meshuggah, Baroness and Decapitated at The Fillmore, Silver Spring. Meshuggah is always a life-changing experience. Pre-bus accident Baroness and Decapitated made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

6. May 24 to 27 – Maryland Deathfest X at Sonar, Baltimore. Highlights from this endurance festival of heavy metal included Agalloch, Absu, Negura Bunget, Hellbastard, the Devil’s Blood, Dragged Into Sunlight, Tsjuder, YOB, Demonical, Godflesh, Church of Misery and Ulcerate. What made this fest even more interesting was the fact that Hellbastard stayed with me for five days. FIVE DAYS! Friends for life.

7. June 2 – Marduk, 1349, Withered, Weapon and others at Sonar. There were a bunch of bands playing but I was most happy to see the ones I’ve listed here. Withered was a wonderful discovery, and I have never seen an entire room turn into mosh pit. Nowhere to run! Someone stomped on my foot and an attractive young man bought me a beer. Win!

The Temper Trap - Photo by M. Spiro

8. June 5 – The Temper Trap at Terminal 5 in New York City. This show was more for my daughter who loves this band but overall it remains one of my favorite concert memories of 2012. The Temper Trap are an intelligent pop band with great skills and a lot of energy. Opening bands were kind of funny and unmemorable but The Temper Trap erased all thoughts of them. Terminal 5 is a cool, spacious venue and you can see from everywhere, although we were right in the front. We had no problem walking back to our super cheap hotel on Times Square at 1 a.m. (about 1.3 miles) stopping halfway to eat a late meal at a diner. NYC is a pain in the ass to get to (we took the Megabus), but once you are there, it would be very VERY easy to never, ever leave.

9. July 4 – Black Breath, Martyrdöd, Enabler, Heaviness of the Load and others at Sonar. This show constituted my bachelorette party. (I got married July 7). I am aware that this is a very nontraditional event for a bachelorette party, but it was exactly what I wanted to do. I only had had two other official party members with me, but hearing the four bands I have listed above made for a perfect night. Someone even bought me a beer. Imagine that.

Dick Dale - Photo by M. Spiro

10. July 26 – Dick Dale at Rams Head on Stage, Annapolis, MD. Aside from the MDF four-day pass, this show was my most expensive. Why? I don’t know, because it was surf guitar legend Dick Dale and he might die soon? Maybe. He’s a wonderful performer, a bit of an egomaniac and definitely cranky when it gets past his bedtime, but I am glad I made the trip midweek to see him. I went alone (as I so often do) and sat at a table with strangers. Rams Head On Stage is an odd venue like that; they expect you to buy dinner, which I did. But I won’t regret seeing the man who perfected the tremolo guitar picking sound purloined by so many black metallers.

11. August 5 – Pilgrim, Primitive Weapons, Mares of Thrace at Ottobar (upstairs). Seeing bands upstairs at The Ottobar is a little weird. There is no stage and the bands are essentially in front of your face. But that just made the intensity of these three groups all the more visceral. Good times.

12. August 11–Ringworm, The Infamous ... Gehenna, Young And In the Way, Oathbreaker ILSA and Eddie Brock at The Ottobar. No year is complete without a significant hardcore show. I had only previously seen YAITW (in Raleigh NC at the DIVE bar in January), but I had listened to them all. Hardcore is so much better live and on recording.

Tyr - Photo by M. Spiro

13. September 21 – Korpiklaani, Tyr, Moonsorrow, Metsatöll and others at Empire. I hate traveling to Northern Virginia for a show but gladly did so for this line up. I even took off from work. Just an amazing collection of Viking folk metal and superior musicianship. Good friends in tow were icing on the cake.

14. Sept 22 – Iron Man, Wrath of Typhon, Witch Hazel and Jason Barker at Wilcoms Inn, Ijamsville, MD. Wilcoms Inn is like a roadhouse. It’s a little honkytonk. But the chemistry between these bands performing live together is undeniable. Pure energy and heavy metal love fest.

15. October 19 – Pig Destroyer, Ilsa, Necropsy, Royal Thunder and Wargames at The Ottobar. Royal Thunder was an odd addition to this show, but I fell in love with them. Ilsa sounded better than I’d ever heard them before and Pig Destroyer’s performance featured lots of interesting guest appearances. My heart was warmed.

16. October 20 – Sus Domesticus, Sloth Herder and Horde of the Eclipse at Fat Cat Tattoo, Chambersburg, PA. Would you care for some black metal in the cold, unheated basement of a tattoo studio in south central Pennsylvania? Yes, please.

Sus Domesticus - Photo M.Spiro

17. November 6 – Deicide, Strong Intention, Extermination Angel, Existentium (Alhazred), Visceral Violation, March to Victory, and True Unholy Death at The Ottobar. I could think of no better way to spend my night of avoiding election results. And I developed a wee crush on Steve Asheim. Drummers: why do I love them so much?

18. November 14 – Torche, Radical Discharge, Iron Man, and Passage Between at The Ottobar, Baltimore. People warned me that Torche put on a great live show. It was so great, in fact, that I had the wind knocked out of me as I was thrown to the ground in the mosh pit. But it’s all good, all very, very good.

Steve Asheim (Deicide) - Photo by M. Spiro

19. November 20 – Atriarch, Wolfnuke, Night Sins and Ophidian at The Sidebar, Baltimore. I am not sure what Night Sins was doing but the other three groups on this bill were speaking my language. I loved Wolfnuke already, was just getting into Atriarch and am looking forward to hearing more from Ophidian in the future.

20. December 15 – Satan’s Unholy Abomination Fest at El Oasis, Baltimore. This was a great way to end 2012. See my full review of this show here.

Black Witchery and me. Happy New Year. Photo by some friendly guy who was standing there!

20 Maryland Bands You Ought to Know

2012-12-28T13:01:00.000-05:00

Radamanthys support! (Photo by Mary Spiro)

I am feeling pretty lazy today what with it being the end of the year and I am on vacation and not feeling 100 % metal for the last five weeks. However, I thought it would be a good thing to encourage you to get out there in 2013 and check out some of the talent we have here in the merry metal state of Maryland. Oh, I know it’s not all metal, but still, it should be.

I was going to write a nice little description of each band, you know, talk about the members and where they are from and what style they play. But again >lazy< so instead, I gave each group a semi-descriptive, sometimes sarcastic, categorization. I figure you can just click the link and check them out your own damn self. You will probably hate them.

But if you don’t hate them, go see these groups live because there really is nothing more satisfying than knowing that you did something to support your local music scene. Well maybe a nice plate of spaghetti is also satisfying. I think it’s lunch time.

Anyway, give a listen and give me some feedback. There are only 20 bands on this list, but there are many more groups out there. These are just some of the ones I saw and/or listened to this year that left an impression. Or in case of some of the live shows, they left a bruise.

1. We Lost the Map and are Now Being Threatened by Blackened Western Maryland Goatmen: Wolfnuke

2. Teased-up Blackened Death Thrash with Sunglasses Inside At Night: Extermination Angel

3. The Band Formerly Known as Alhazred That Still Plays Technical Death Metal: Existentium

4. Completely (Un)Intentionally Instrumental: Balor’s Eye

5. Sir, You are a Scholar and A Gentleman: Radamanthys

6. I Can’t Believe Adam Jarvis Could Play This Slowly: Asthma Castle

7. Indie/Alterna-Rock Something-er-other That Mother Might Not Approve Of: On Standby

8. Psyche-Doomy/Experimentally/ Jazz Rock That’s Way Too Cool For You: Whoarfrost

9. Too Young to Use Their Free Drink Tickets: Necropsy

10. Sludge Was Never Meant to Be This Hardcore: Sloth Herder

11. I’m Going to Slit My Wrists. No Wait. I’m Fine: Barbelith

12. Post Rock Sludge with That Fat (b)Ass: At The Graves

13. Whee! I Took Too Much Meth: Witchhat

14. Our Beards Are Way Better Than Your Last Boyfriend’s: Arbouretum

15. All Death? No, just...: Part Death

16. We Like (the) Melvins and We Also Have Two Drummers: Heaviness of the Load

17. Robots, Aliens, Vikings and A Shared Fez: Admiral Browning

18. Don’t Make Me Try to Explain This Djent Thing to You Again: To The Ark

19. Somebody Get This Heavy Metal Up Off of Me, It’s Crushing My Soul!: Butcher’s Hill

20. I am Married to the Drummer, But Don’t Let That Influence You: Iron Man

The 2012 HOLY SHIT List, my favorite albums for the year

2012-12-25T00:15:00.000-05:00

I have been reading a lot of year-end best of album lists, so I suppose I should make my own list. Metallomusikum is nearly a year old; it’s due for that kind of thing.

Some of the "best of" lists I have found are ludicrous; like really, what were the writers thinking? I knew that Village Voice list was going to be a joke when it actually started with the sentence “It’s that time of year again.” That writer was phoning it in.

Some lists remind me about albums I missed that I should go back and listen to. I thought Pitchfork’s top 40 metal albums list was pretty good, albeit filled with bands all but the most astute (read: hipster) metal heads would be aware of. It was a good laundry list for me since it was longer than most out there.

With some of the lists, I wondered if the writer was just trying to stroke an ego or be charitable. You see a lot of people listing the same albums—the usual suspects. SPIN’s Top 20 list was a little bit like that, although the inclusion of bands like Enabler and Eagle Twin made me take it more seriously.

Who knows what, if any, pressure these writers are under when they compile these lists? Everyone has a right to an opinion, even if it is wrong.

Well I have no one to answer to and no one to appease. I just calls it likes I sees it. So in the spirit of “it’s-that-time-of-year-again” and “as-if-my-opinion-mattered,” this is Metallomusikum’s first ever “HOLY SHIT” list for 2012. The criteria for an album to make this list are simple:

It must be an album of new music, not a reissue, compilation or best of and not an EP or a demo. Sorry kids, come at me next year with your full length. (I reserve the right to make an exception to this rule especially in a lean year.)
It must have been released between January 1-December 31 of the given year. Duh.
It must cause me to declare “HOLY SHIT” at least three separate times during the course of listening to it. I will count them. One hit wonders will not get on this list.
It must make my pupils dilate, my heart to race and the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up to create a physiological effect I like to call an “eargasm”.

Any genre is eligible. But y’all know what I mostly listen to. Still you might be surprised. There are some obvious items missing from this list. I did not want to repeat what everyone else was saying. There were a lot of really good albums put out this year, but I really wanted to bring you something different. The HOLY SHIT list items are special to my heart.

In compiling this list, I learned a little bit about myself. For one thing, I chose no “light hearted” music. Most of this stuff is pretty intense and serious. I would not characterize anything here as fun or rollicking. Heck, there’s not even any thrash in this list. But I think the list reflects me, at least where my head is at this point in my life. So here we go in no particular order:

1. Dragged Into Sunlight – Widowmaker

This new effort from DIS has a completely different vibe from the group’s earlier Hatred for Mankind. In three movements, I think this album more deeply explores DIS repertoire of emotions better than their previous work did. There are many HOLY SHIT moments in Widowmaker, but I recommend listening to this recording in its entirety. I wrote a more complete review here.

2. Enslaved – RIITIIR

RIITIIR charges forth from the pit of Hades and slowly transformed into a collection of hymns. The lovely clean vocals of keyboardist Herbrand Larsen are featured in near duets now with the growls of Grutle Kjellson. Melody has overtaken the buzz of the tremolo riff. Some people have really criticized Enslaved for the way their sound has evolved and softened over time. I think they are moving closer and closer to their inspirations: Pink Floyd, King Crimson and Led Zeppelin, and I don’t see this as a bad thing. I love this group’s entire body of work and RIITIIR is just another chapter in that unfinished tome. Frankly, Enslaved could record a collection of their belches, and I would probably at least listen to it.

3. Abigail Williams – Becoming

This album came out at the beginning of the year eventually met with tons of critical acclaim. Did you forget about it? I didn’t. I reviewed it back in January here. It is still one of my favorite albums of the year and will probably be among my favorite albums of all time. This album represented a severe departure from the sound that Abigail Williams developed up to that point. If fact it was so different, I think there was pushback from some long-time fans of the group who did not know quite what to make of it. Yet others, like me, were completely delighted. Then the band broke up. Or maybe they didn’t ,and they will be back in 2013. Who cares really? Just listen to it.

4. Lord Mantis – Pervertor

Lord Mantis shares members with Nachtmystium, and both groups were touring together this fall. A live performance of Lord Mantis will turn your head around like an icy wind coming in off of Lake Michigan. There’s a lot of rage in this music, and I suppose there must be a lot of rage inside of me because I cannot stop listening to this record. Maybe this is the sound you get when you let the drummer from one band become the front man for another – it’s pure unadulterated venom and totally beautiful. I would go see them again in a second. Also, the cover art is delightfully disturbing.

5. Carach Angren – Where the Corpses Sink

Carach Angren makes concept albums that could (and should) be turned into movies or better yet, theatrical stage productions. I never tire of their gruesome stories set to the most grandiose symphonic black metal you could imagine. They are also one of the few bands I don’t mind wearing corpse paint. I can listen to individual songs, but mostly I want to just start the thing from the beginning and geek out like my friends who bliss out listening to the soundtrack of Cats. Carach Angren write “musicals” fit for the king of underworld, which makes them infinitely better than anything Andrew Lloyd Webber could come up with.

6. Nile – At the Gate of Sethu

Why do these guys keep making Egyptian-themed technical death metal? Why do I keep listening to it? Why is that even a thing? I don’t know, but I love it despite the fact that being fascinated by pyramids and hieroglyphics and sarcophagi fell out of fashion decades ago. I am pretty sure that my love of Nile is grounded in my admiration for guitarist Karl Sanders, whom I would probably fall to my knees and worship in an embarrassing Wayne’s World kind of way if I ever met in person. I would probably act foolishly in front of George Kollias as well.

7. Car Bomb – w^w^^w^w

I first encountered Car Bomb through their documentary “Why You Do This,” a self produced documentary about the band touring across the country in a broken down van and getting ripped off by venues and promoters. I didn’t get a good sense of the band’s music from the movie, just that life of a touring musician was hard and mostly not worth it. I had not actually thought much about Car Bomb until I saw they had not given up but had persevered and released a new album that even featured the vocals of Gojira’s Joe Duplantier. Car Bomb probably classifies a “core-something” band. The music is extremely experimental and makes it onto my HOLY SHIT list mostly for its intoxicatingly innovative approach and extreme honesty. I chose Car Bomb over more obvious top choices like Pig Destroyer’s Book Burner and Meshuggah’s Koloss. I love both of those aforementioned albums, but Car Bomb pushed boundaries that made me sit down and question what music even was. It’s not an easy album to listen to but definitely has its eargasm inducing moments

8. God Seed – I Begin

From start to finish, there is nothing I do not love about this studio recording from God Seed, a band comprised of former Gorgorothians Gaahl and King ov Hell and a rotating crew of other super star performers such as Enslaved’s Ice Dale and Dimmu Borgir’s keyboardist Geir Bratland. In some ways, God Seed probably sounds like what Gaahl might have wanted to do with Gorgoroth had things with Infernus panned out differently. But all’s well that end’s well I say. God Seed imbues everything with epic melody, soaring vocals, wondrous keyboards and enough malevolence to make this an album worth numerous HOLY SHITs. I think critics are skipping it for no reason but this thing rocks.

9. A Forest of Stars – Shadowplay for Yesterdays

Another entry into the realm of the excessively theatrical, A Forest of Stars takes all the edgy rawness that I love about black metal, and mixes in storytelling, prog-rock complexity and maybe some Jethro Tull-like folk elements to create a masterpiece. Each mesmerizing song is composed with layers of richness and melancholy. This group not only deserves recognition, I say they ought to command it. I feel they are being overlooked because they cross so many boundaries and can’t be neatly categorized. Pop this recording on the next time you have a long car trip and don’t be surprised if you find yourself completely unaware of your surroundings.

10. Darsombra – Climax Community

I have not done any drugs in a long time. Back in the day, however, I dropped some acid and smoked a little weed. I could understand why one might feel compelled to partake in such things to enhance the experience of avant-garde psych rock guitarist Darsombra/Brian Daniloski. With Climax Community, I see no need—the music alone is capable of moving you into a transcendent plane of existence. A soloist, Brian’s compositions are masterful and beautifully executed, drawing upon metal, jazz, post-rock and with exotic scales and rhythms. Add to these aural hallucinations Ann Everton’s cinematic visualizations, which you can access with a password on Vimeo, and you have 75 minutes worth of drug-free HOLY SHITs guaranteed to keep you mentally high for a long time.

OK, that’s it for this year. I invite your comments and feedback below. Tell me about your favorite albums.

Oasis de Satanás, in which a black metal festival is held in a Latin disco

2012-12-19T00:09:00.003-05:00

Saturday, Dec. 15, I went to a black metal festival hosted by Maryland Infernal Horde at El Oasis in Baltimore, Md. Metal shows are not that hard to find in the mid-Atlantic from month to month, but ones devoted to metal's most extreme and controversial subgenre are a rarity. If you follow Metallomusikum at all, you know I am all about black metal, so I could not miss “Satan’s Unholy Abomination Fest.”

Black metal, by definition, is grim and hopeless. Its themes are dark, malevolent and unholy. But among this subgenre, there are sub-subgenres that focus on pagan ideas, metaphysics and nature. I like all kinds of black metal. I also like to have a good time, so I was really hoping this show would deliver everything I was looking for. I was not disappointed.

Before I get into the particulars of what went down at the festival, I want to commend and congratulate the main promoters -- Chucky Malignant, Manuel Lopez and Hondurator (and many other unseen people) -- for executing what turned out to be an amazing event. The diverse and international mix of bands as well as the size and location of the venue, the reasonable cost ($20 at the door for 12 bands) and the addition of add-ons like a nice vendor area and proximity to restaurants and other conveniences made this day really enjoyable. It was a long, LONG day to be sure, but overall I had many more compliments than complaints.

I arrived at El Oasis at 3913 Eastern Ave (in the Highlandtown neighborhood of Baltimore) a little bit after 1 p.m. A few weeks ago, the organizers had to move this event from a smaller location in Silver Spring, and I am really glad they did. El Oasis is generally a Latin disco, so they have a decent sound system and lots of lighting. The long bar has seating and there are tables and chairs and bar stools all around, so if you get tired of head banging, you can find a comfy place to perch and still see and hear everything.

I parked my car right next to the venue in a lot. I don’t know if that is El Oasis’ lot or not, but no one seemed to be bothered that people were parking there. There was also plenty of street parking. This stretch of Eastern Ave has a lot of retail so there are public lots and street parking. The area is well lit also and busy. I felt safe.

I was under the impression that music was going to start at by 2 p.m. It didn’t, but I was not hugely concerned. I was meeting up with an old friend, and we walked up the street to grab a bite to eat (sandwiches at G&A, YUM!). When we ambled back to the venue after 2 p.m., there was still not much going on. People were slowly arriving, but many of the bands had not arrived yet. Oh well, I could hang out and chat indefinitely.

At this point, I should mention that photographer Joe Giordano had set up a backdrop and lights along the wall opposite the bar so he could capture images for his project “Killer Angels: Faces of Death (Metal).” Joe, who is a professional photographer for Baltimore’s Urbanite magazine, hopes to capture as many fans and band members as he can that represent the diversity among metal heads—a taxonomy of the death metal community, if you will. He was busy snapping anyone willing to step onto the backdrop.

The fact that he was at a black metal show and not a death metal show didn’t seem to bother him. I kept thinking about the fact that he wasn’t actually capturing death metal fans. Some people don’t see a difference in metallers “style,” but I do. I know, I know, I am being a black metal elitist. Besides, what does a black metal fan look like? I don’t know… me? I look like someone’s mom, which I am. Frankly, I claim Gaahl as my fashion inspiration: monochromatic color scheme (i.e., black) and limited accessories (inverted cross). Dressing up more than that, and I feel start to feel conspicuous. But I digress….

I spent some more time hanging with friends, watching Joe shoot photos and browsing the merch tables. Shortly before 4 p.m. one of the organizers shooed everyone not in one of the bands out the front door and started collecting money. This thing was getting started!

First up was Damnatum, a tight little trio from Queens. Damnatum set their stage with skulls, candles and incense—a nice way to kick off an evening of what some would call ritual. Songs were riff driven and a bit doomy with great drumming. From what I could tell, some of the lyrics were in Spanish. There is not a lot of published work on this group, just a couple of songs on YouTube, but they do have a demo. I liked them.

Haethen, from Philadelphia, followed up with some pagan-inspired ambient metal. If you like older Darkthrone and/or late Abigail Williams, you’ll probably appreciate them. That may sound like I am casting a wide net—but Haethen had a very old, old school black metal feel interpreted through the lens of newer school black metal coming out of the Pacific Northwest. Definitely melodic. Definitely epic. Definitely worth checking out. They make it easy because they have a free download on bandcamp.

During Haethen’s set, someone attempted to turn on the stage lights, which had not been on during Damnatum. The problem, though, is that El Oasis is a disco equipped with a ridiculously colorful lighting system. Sparkly lights are not conducive to the proper enjoyment of grim and unholy black metal, so at once several people set to work trying to disable some of lights. This meant climbing around the above stage area individually disconnecting the unwanted lights. Haethen took it in stride and continued their set, sparkly lights and all. Eventually the lighting was brought under control, though it still could have been somewhat less than it was. I am sure some of the subsequent performers would have preferred to play by candlelight or even in complete darkness, but that wasn’t going to happen.

Moving on, Baltimore’s Extermination Angel took the stage and got the growing crowd revved up. More a blackened death metal band, this trio performs precise and energetic songs and are a lot of fun to watch. Although it was still early, vocalist Shawn Wright built a strong rapport with the audience and got the mosh pit officially started.

Next up was Unholy Spirits from New York, who, like one of my favorite bands Inquisition, only has two members, a guitarist/vocalist and a drummer. Amazingly though, they produce a mighty wall of sound. They were also the first band of the to use war paint and throw on some chains and spiked gauntlets. The music was simple but satisfying.

Speaking of satisfying, let me pause for a second to talk about booze. I think after Unholy Spirits played, I attempted to buy my second beer of the evening. Unfortunately, El Oasis has raised the price of a can of Modelo that had been $3 to $5. That was the last beer I bought from the bar that night. I guess that’s one way to keep people from drinking too much. My next drink of the night was a cola from the Walgreens across the street.

OK, back to the music.

Another group from New York was the five-piece Discordia. What can I say? This band blew my mind with their unholy fucking brutal sound. Their super evil shrill vocals, the raw riffs and the relentless rhythm section made this group a real stand out of for me. Everything they did was kvlt. Definitely check them out if they come around again.

Now I have to make a public apology to Sacristy, because I only caught the tail end of their set and did not get any photos of them at all. I got caught up talking to the members of Black Witchery outside. But there is a very nice video of them on VIMEO. They have a thrashy, black metal sound, which is something I particularly favor. Hopefully they will come around again, maybe with some new stuff they say they will be working on.

When Perversion from Michigan took the stage, I got really confused because they sounded so differently than any of the groups that had come before. I don’t know anything about guitar effects, but what I was hearing was like something out of a time machine. Who was I listening to? Surf-punk Venom? This trio was incredibly tight, thrashy and great to watch. Lots of old fashioned black metal riffage here.

I wasn’t sure I was going to like Hellgoat live, but once again, their live performance outshined the quality of anything I was able to find of them online. Hellgoat, from Atlanta, plays straight up black metal (like Horna or Sargeist) with some doomy qualities here and there to slow down the blast beats so you can better appreciate what they are doing. Their lead singer was dynamic. They performed a true ritual with all the requisite candles, skulls and blood. I heart Hellgoat.

For some reason I kept getting texts messages and phone calls from my family during Satanik Goat Ritual (what time was it now???). I only watched part of this Texas group's set, but what I did see was interesting. Their impressive drummer seemed to know how to use ALL the parts of the drum kit graciously provided by the next band, Nocturnal Fear.

A friend from Pennsylvania who could not make this show said he was sad to be missing Nocturnal Fear. Now I understand why. Most of the other bands had stirred up a bit of a mosh pit. But when Michigan's Nocturnal Fear started playing many people simply stood to witness guitarist Rev. Chris Slavehunter (PhD), who was a joy to watch. Nocturnal Fear play blackened technical death metal. Each note, each beat is expertly executed. These songs were less riff-driven and more solo driven, but it was a nice change. I also dug watching their drummer finally get to use his fantastic drum kit. (Side note here: the drum kit was equipped with triggers. When you stood in front of the bands, you could hear them clearly. At the side of the stage you could not. I kept moving around during each set to get a good sense of how things sounded.)

OK, two more bands to go!

Morbosidad traveled all the way from Mexico to bring everyone back to the “ritual” atmosphere set by Hellgoat earlier on. Their lead singer doused himself with “blood” at the start of their set and it was on. The crowd was probably largest (promoters say they had about 200 paid entrants) during this band’s performance. This was brutal, satanic black metal. I think this was the band many people had come to see.

Finally it was time for Black Witchery from Florida to take the stage. I have written about Black Witchery before (here) in anticipation of the Maryland Deathfest. A conflict with another band forced me to miss seeing their set at MDF, so I wanted to make sure I did not miss them this time around. They took the stage at about 12:20. Their drummer took some time to disable the drum triggers to achieve the barbaric “swarm of angry bees” sound this band goes for. The stripped down sound of Black Witchery was a great way to end the evening. I actually find them meditative, kind of Zen. I don’t know what is, something about their music must be stroking my reptilian brain.

The audience, on the other hand, was ready to explode for Black Witchery. I saw many people growling the lyrics along with vocalist/bassist Impurath. Their drummer Vaz is like a machine, and I am not sure how he keeps up the constant rhythm. He mixes it up though so that it does not become monotonous. Black Witchery’s guitarist is big fan of doom metal bands like Iron Man, and it is evident in his playing. He breaks out the flashy shredding now and again. Mostly though it is all about the power of the riff—played extremely fast! They had the pit going for most of their set, especially during songs like “Desecration of the Holy Kingdom.”

Over the course of the evening, a few scuffles broke out. There was one catfight earlier in the night and then later, during Black Witchery, some aggression involving a large white cowboy hat (I actually don’t know what the fight was about, but somehow the hat was involved.) Security hustled the offending parties out quickly. Afterward, I noticed someone had a bloodied lip and nose, but I am not sure when that happened.

In general though, camaraderie was high, people were getting along, enjoying each other’s company, digging the bands, and helping people up off the floor of the mosh pit. The Headbangin’ Hot Dog guy showed up and was slinging vegan dogs most of the night. Shortly before Morbosidad started playing, security stopped letting people go in and out. While this was probably miserable for the smokers, most people didn’t seem to care. Outside, I did notice a few people wander by wondering why on earth El Oasis was filled with people wearing all black, and one couple looking to dance seemed disappointed. But I don’t think a few metal heads standing around on the corner of Eastern Ave and Grundy St. in Highlandtown actually caused much of a stir.

I think Black Witchery played until after 1:30 a.m. I was exhausted and headed home as quickly as possible. “Satan’s Unholy Abomination Fest” completely made up for me missing so many shows in November due to a sickness that would not go away. It is evident the promoters worked really hard to put this show on. I hope they do it again sometime soon at this location.

My photos from the fest are posted below:

Damnatum

Discordia

Extermination Angel

Haethen

Impurath-Black Witchery

Morbosidad

Nocturnal Fear

Satanik Goat Ritual

Tregenda-Black Witchery

Unholy Spirits

Vaz -Black Witchery

Discordia

Hellgoat

Perversion

REVIEW: Carthage - Salt of the Earth

2012-12-11T12:14:00.003-05:00

Carthage of Baltimore

Math-core, metal-core, djent, technical death metal. All these subgenres of heavy metal have one important thing in common—complexity. The new album by Baltimore’s Carthage is rife with challenging complexity and notable musical virtuosity. But do I like it?

Well, yes, but not for the reasons you might like it. Or hate it. Salt of the Earth does not fit neatly into my typical musical palate, which by choice is filled with a lot of fairly dark and evil black metal. One simply does not listen to blast beats and tremolo riffs all the time. I am also a fan of much more technical metal bands like Obscura (and their inspiration Gorguts), the math metal geniuses Meshuggah, djent groups like Vildhjarta; and straight up tech death groups like Decapitated and Atheist. And, of course, my secret guilty pleasure—The Acacia Strain.

The subtle rhythmic complexities of whatever it is you want to label Carthage as playing are mentally and intellectually simulating. This is not background music; it commands your attention from start to finish throughout 12 tracks and about 40 minutes of music. A standout track for me includes “The Furthest Thing” that blends some lovely harmonics and melodies with some insanely challenging riffs. Lovely harmonies mixed with death metal-like growls and screams can be heard throughout the album. This dichotomy is sometimes why I don’t like bands in these subgenres.

Another standout feature of the record is the fat bass and precision percussion. These two instruments alone lead listeners into another standout track called “Pushing Forward.” The vocals here start much cleaner at the beginning but then move into the familiar growl. Vocally, I like the middle part of this song better than the “call to action” at the beginning (and which returns in the end). But hey, the melody is nice and rather proggy.

As with many groups today, the vocals can kill the songs for me. It’s not that the vocals here are bad—not at all, these guys are very talented vocally. And there are many guest vocals (**see note below). It is just that there are too many different KINDS of vocals—some clean, some death growls, some guttural, some pretty. This is really a kind of a taste thing. Many groups use this technique with great success, and there is a fan base that thinks this style is awesome. I am just not one of those people.

Musically, however, Carthage’s Salt of the Earth presents a masterful collection of thought out, finely tuned compositions. And I don’t mean that like their instruments are “in tune;” I mean that like the music is well written, sharply honed and expertly executed (and recorded). Guitarist and vocalist Tre Watson says these songs have been around since 2010, so apparently Carthage has had time to perfect them.

Other favorite tracks on the album include “ To Return” and “Green.” Both tunes have memorable, melodic riffs and cool sections. The album closes out with the quite beautiful “Continuous,” which happens to be the longest track on the record. Frankly, I think some of the songs leading up to this encore piece could have been a little longer.

And yes, like many groups in this category, Carthage songs have “breakdowns,” but it’s not like the breakdown section is the only heavy part of these songs. Carthage provides aural assault from the first chord to the last note.

In the final analysis, Carthage seems to be carving out a unique enough niche that should break away from the pack. I don’t think Carthage sounds like anyone else—I think they sound like themselves, and that is a good thing. It is the worst thing for a band to be an obvious derivative of another group.
I would not be surprised if Salt of the Earth is part of the plan that puts Carthage on the world’s musical map and gets them noticed for tours with more well-established groups or airplay on stations like Liquid Metal. That would be a good thing for Baltimore, because as the cliché goes, “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

The members of Carthage include:
Eric Hendricks - Vocals

Tre Watson- Guitar/Vocals
Ian Starks- Guitar
Noyan Tokgozoglu - Guitar
Robby Gossweiler- Bass
Billy Berger - Drums/Vocals

**According to Tre, there are many guest vocals on the album as well, “including members of our friends in In Dying Arms, Forgive The Fallen, VELA and Sky Came Burning! and of course, you! A lot of you submitted your vocals to be on the song "1984/4" and everyone who submitted was used. I hope you're really excited.”

You can listen to Carthage – Salt of the Earth below.

Salt the Earth by Carthage

Music I have purchased on Bandcamp

2012-12-09T18:43:00.001-05:00

Sometimes instant gratification wins out and I need to obtain a musical recording as soon as possible. Many people turn to iTunes and Amazon, and I have purchased my fair share of music from those outlets--mostly with gift cards from friends or family.

However, I prefer to buy music hosted on Bandcamp. I love the Bandcamp interface and I feel like the performers are probably getting a better deal in terms of compensation.

The music industry is rife with greed and musicians are constantly looking for ways to pay the bills. When I can, I buy music directly from the artist when I see them live. I also sometimes buy t-shirts and other related items. So far this year, I have attended 47 live music shows. I will probably see a couple more before we ring in the New Year. Suffice it to say I support the local music scene.

Check out my purchases on Bandcamp this year here http://bandcamp.com/metalmaven

What music did you buy in 2012?

Start a mosh pit in your living room with StageIt

2012-12-07T10:09:00.000-05:00

The other day, a friend on Facebook used the term “couch gravity” to describe the reason why he didn’t attend as many live musical performances as he’d like. But what if you could attend a live performance and support the musicians you love from your couch? You could even start a mosh pit in your living room.

Washington, DC area pianist Al Baes knows the challenges of the gigging musician. He has been playing classical music since he was five, studied jazz at the University of Maryland College Park, has played around the DC area for more than two decades and is the keyboardist for the R&B jazz group Soul-Rhythm.

“One of my most memorable performance on stage that I had the pleasure to jam with was the group, Heatwave. This was back in 1997 in Virginia. We did their popular tune “Always and Forever.” They had happened to drop by a nightclub where I was performing with my band,” Baes recalls.

This holiday season, Baes is trying something new.

On Sunday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. Baes will play on a virtual performance platform called StageIt. With StageIt, performers set a date and time for their show and sell tickets to a one-time-only event. All a fan needs to do is buy a ticket and log on at the appointed time. Performances are not archived; they happen once, just like a show you would travel to attend. StageIt also allows concert viewers to tip the performers during the show, using a credit card or PayPal account. Any type of musical genre is welcome.

“I only discovered StageIt a couple of weeks ago and thought of just trying it out,” said Baes. “Actually this first performance is just an experiment. I am just trying to see how it goes.”

Baes says his show “A Paradise Experience” will be short-- just 30 minutes -- and “will consist of some of my own original material which I use in piano lounge settings. I am also bringing some cover tunes as well.”

In the spirit of the holidays, Baes has decided to donate any proceeds from Saturday night’s performance.

“Since the StageIt broadcast service requires payment from viewers, and since my objective is not to make money from this, I decided to forward the funds to a charitable entity, DC Central Kitchen. Viewers can pay what they can using a credit card or debit card.”

What does he think about a virtual concert venue?

“I think this online broadcast service is a great idea especially since it’s really hard for musicians to find venues to perform their music, and also (it gives you) the opportunity to gain exposure and to promote (your) material.”

Some of Baes’ favorite musicians include Al Jarreau, Joe Sample, Bobby Caldwell, Anita Baker, Quincy Jones, and Grover Washington Jr. They are likely to influence his performance on Sunday.

To attend “A Paradise Experience” on Sunday night, follow this link.

To view Baes’ profile in StageIt go to this link.

The Facebook event page for this show is at this link.