Clandestine Blaze

Quietly and with no fanfare at all, the new, sixth curse of Mikko A's personal vehicle of black metal terrorism is upon us. Order now Falling Monuments from Northern Heritage or fucking die.
I quote '2010 album of Clandestine Blaze underlines the core of black metal as it has been interpreted by it. Utmost focus on the core elements of riffs, melody, song structures and lyrics, leaving out everything unnecessary. In stripped down simplicity of sound, music and artwork it continues logical journey since Church of Atrocity, with more distorted, lethal and fierce sound.'

Silent night

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Raining (black) blood

As the year's end is near, it is always fun to read the best of the year lists that everybody posts these days. Too many people seem to take themselves way too seriously, at least more seriously than they take the music they are writing about, creating much hassle just to write which records they liked the most. Me, I'm not much different as I will also post in the near future, a list of the records I consider to be the best for this year, hopefully avoiding the pompous style everyone seems to incorporate.

Meanwhile there have been some noteworthy (to say the least) releases of excellent black metal mostly EPs and suchlike. I will make a brief reference to the ones I have listened to for the past couple of weeks.

Infernal War/Kriegsmaschine - Transfigurations 

The polish preachers of satanic hate join forces on this EP, creating half an hour of havoc. With Antaeus being inactive Infernal War have a lot of free space that they can cover. Hopefully the underground will realise their potential and show them the respect they deserve. On the three tracks they offer on Transfigurations, in addition to their usual traits they show a great sense of control and dynamics, making them the best tracks the band have released so far.

Kriegsmaschine's connection with Mgla is not a secret. Until now I've been seeing Mgla as the most subtle alter ego of Kriegsmaschine's more ferocious self. On this split the latter show a face more reminiscent of Mgla with two tracks of the highest quality, relying heavily on the atmosphere and twisted melodies than on speed. My sincerest recomentations.

This would be a good chance for me to thank the guys from Infernal War for the t shirt I received the other day through my sister in law that studies in the UK...Hails.

Ascension - Fire and Faith

Ascension have made quite an impression with their With Burning Tongues demo last year and with their first full length coming out tomorrow this EP starts the fire that is to come. Judging from Fire and Faith those that were quick to close any best of the year lists before listening to the coming Consolamentum have made a serious mistake. Watain is the obvious influence but Ascension engulf all the influences they may have and their talented execution comes as anything but a copycat. Excellent guitar work, melodic when needed, furious and unrelenting when they wish, this is obviously a band blessed by Satan. 

Dødsengel - 2010 - Alongside Choronzon

Dødsengel - Ecstatic Horror

Ritualistic, dark, ecstatic, unconventional. Dødsengel is a jewel in today's black metal. Those two EPs are quite brief but intense and severe journeys. If you are worthy, you will experience them. If not...then be damned. 

Fuck your shitmas.

Crippled

 

The debate about Paracletus turns out to be even more amusing than expected. It doesn't come as a surprise that the lyrical content is what causes most of it. The most common of 'accusations' concerning the lyrics is that of pretentiousness. Hardly surprising. People have come to be spiritually numb to the point of not bearing the slightest challenge. Let them be.

Open your minds, ears and eyes...

Dødsengel...every fucking thing
Mare - Spheres Like Death 
Essenz - KVIITIIVZ - Beschwörung des Unaussprechlichen

Fuck off...

Spheres like Death

Mare together with Dødsengel are the only reason that nowadays the words norway and black metal don't seem as a joke when put side by side. In fact those two bands are anything but a joke. Dødsengel have put out one of the best records this year (Mirium Occultum) and this makes me eager, in anticipation of their two EPs that are coming. Mare have just put out their second EP titled Spheres Like Death and this is as good as 'traditional' black metal can be. The two bands share a common view on black metal as they both embrace its ritualistic nature creating the dark vibes that are so necessary yet so much forgotten lately. A vast improvement from their previous release, the Throne of the Thirteenth Witch 7'' from 2007, this is a work that relies heavily on the pitch black atmosphere it creates. That means that the ones that seek exercises on speed and technicality can go on to the next plastic abomination of the scene. Those who seek true, inspired and passionate black metal will find their haven in the 21 minutes of Spheres Like Death. My humblest recommendations.

AvE SATAN...
Flagellant - Monuments
Deadsoul Tribe - A Murder of Crows
Ipsissimus - Trampling the Host

You breed like rats

Victims of the capitalistic way of life
Slaves of the foul 'comforts' of modern life style
Casualties of a crisis that is much more cultural than economical

Rats that now live in total fear
A flock waiting for a new shepherd

In the most basic and stripped down sense
All one needs is
four walls
a mattress
and a tray with some food and wine

Sometimes not even the walls...




AMSG

Pallbearer

Almost all of europe is being raided by snowstorms and extreme cold. The (obvious?) exception is this shithole here, at the southeastern corner of the continent, where summer forgot to leave and one has the hellish delight to wake up at 7 in the morning in December the 2nd and watch the thermometer pointing at 22°C. Doom is imminent.

I haven't heard much traditional doom this year with the exception of the excellent Hooded Priest that are for me a surprise like Griftegård were last year. A couple of months ago I stumbled upon Pallbearer, an american doom band that were giving their demo away for free downloading. An honest effort of pure melancholic doom metal (this means no sludge, no drone, no whatever else passes as doom these days) in the vein of the mighty Warning. Guitars are crushing and oppressive but the focal point here are the mournful and passionate vocals that are complimenting the band's sound. The demo features two original songs plus a cover of 'Gloomy Sunday' by Hungarian composer Rezső Seress. The song was composed in 1933 to a  poem by László Jávor and it seems to be a song practically begging for a doom metal interpretation. The composer committed suicide in 1968 and numerous urban legends connect the song with various suicides which is why it is also known as the 'hungarian suicide song'.

Bjork has been one of the (not exactly few) singers that have covered Gloomy Sunday in the past. A recent performance was at the Alexander McQueen's memorial service. Obviously I couldn't care less about fashion and gay culture but I always had an affection for Bjork's avant garde and over the top persona. Furthermore I like the fact that the politically correct majority will turn blue by the disrespect shown by the individual that recorded the video in the cathedral.

Doom, gloom and Satan...
Deathspell Omega - Paracletus
Woven hand - Mosaic
Krieg - The Isolationist
Urfaust - Der freiwillige Bettler
Inquisition - Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm

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