ophis666

Aptorian Demon - Libertus

2012-01-25T23:21:00.003+02:00

The general principle is not to write about a record before the dust is settled. There are times though that the first few spins of a record makes you feel sure about its value and the enthusiasm and nostalgic feeling they create makes you feel some kind of an urgent impulse to type some fucking words about it while in the heat of the first 48 hours (and after listening to the record a dozen times in a row).

The norwegian black metal scene has been relegated to the second or even third rate in terms of quality, in the late 90s and especially the previous decade. The 'true norwegian black metal' slogan has ended up as a joke, with all the leading bands of the second wave having abandoned the ship after 1995 or so. The result was that the norwegian bands ended up as mere followers and the poor relatives in a global scene that was slowly standing on its own feet again. A great change for a country that claimed black metal as its own but finally managed to limit it sound wise and sometimes has been a source of frustration for many people that where around from the beginning of this whole thing.

The only signs of life were coming from the local scene of nidaros (trondheim) that from the mid 00s was the obvious hope that all was not lost and there were still bands that were keeping the spirit alive. Bands like Mare, Black Majesty and later Dødsengel (the only prolific band of the lot) have been sporadically poisoning the air with their own brand of occult black metal. Aptorian Demon had left their mark in the underground having recorded only a 7'' seven years ago. Libertus is the first full length and is the first record after many years that reminded me the days of 1990 or 1991. It is not so much the sound of it, that is rooted in the early days of black metal. They would not be the first to do that. It is mostly that the feeling they create is reminiscent of the sinister feeling of the first days. The sound is coming from the depths of moisty dungeons where the scent of incense is unbearable for the uninitiated. There is nothing new here for those that are obsessed with innovation over quality, talent and soul. There are bells, there are acoustic guitar intros and breaks into the songs (and no, they are no folk bullshit). There is the familiar guitar tone, that at least to these ears is more lava than ice.

Libertus is a ritual constructed around the thirteen minutes of the self titled track. A ritual that still haunts you for hours after being exposed to it. The bells and creeping atmosphere of Var Aere Er Troskap echoes in your head, the chanting of Ignitus and the acoustic Amir al-Mu`minin, resonates down to your very guts. All in all a sinister work that is better lived through vinyl and in total darkness.

I haven't been that exited about a pure, 'traditional' black metal record in ages.

This is true fucking black metal you bastards.

Die.

Kali Yuga-One year closer

2011-12-31T07:49:00.000+02:00

The death of every year brings a flood of lists from every fucking side you turn your head to. As usual, these last days have been an apotheosis of the same, tiresome, over-hyped kinds of (real or not so real) underground metal.

The power of the internet grows stronger and with the vast majority of sites or blogs or whatever that are english speaking (thus globally more influential) being american, there is a kind of a new order established in the world of extreme metal. An order that blurs and dilutes ones perspective, according to the tastes of the average american scribe. An order that dictates that every second sludge or post whatever band is noteworthy or that the average black metal band coming from the states or from cascadia (what the fuck?) is the best thing that happened to the scene since Bathory. Fuck it. What follows is an attempt to re-view the most appealing releases of a year where more important things than music came to my life, still black and death metal is the second best thing for me cause evil has no boundaries. Krallice, Wolves in the Throne Room, Falls of something I don't remember, Liturgy and suchlike will not be mentioned. Disma will not be mentioned. Some bands you'll never find in the usual sources will be mentioned and maybe glorified.

There's no specific order in the list that follows. When you see music as an artform and a source of emotion it is unthinkable to see it as a contest at the same time.

Here's to the death of the world...

Negative Plane - Stained Glass Revelations

Nobody can make black metal sound so personal as Negative Plane. This is the darkest sermon one can hope for.

Aosoth - III
'...The songs smell of incense and sulphur, the sick guitar tone dominates the atmosphere and MkM is one of the few persons on the face of the earth that can walk in those fields without being accused of trespassing. Passion, class and personality...'

Manilla Road - Playground of the Damned
The best heavy metal band of all times keeps its teeth sharp with one more great work. Vastly epic and boldly lo-fi because when you are talented you have guts. The new kids shall know that they have the best of the best to compete with.

Burzum - Fallen
I've never been particularly fond of Burzum's black metal, although I enjoyed the older classics. This one came as a surprise after the disapointing and boring Belus. Fallen is a different case. 'It is raw, with that cyclic riffing that creates clever melodies that capture you like a web and drag you to the (fairy)tales the guy has to say. You know it is no true nor realistic, it is even naive but you are lured.'

The Wounded Kings - In the Chapel of the Black Hand
The Wounded Kings have to be the best doom metal band of our days. Doom metal as we knew it. No sludge, no stoner, no desert, no bullshit. Emotional, heavy, dark and occult they have been carving an uphill path since their first record. Quietly, without the usual fanfare. The omens show that their best is yet to come.

Circle of Ouroborus - Armon keitaalla
The triple cassette box that came after Eleven Fingers passed under the radar of the hipster sites and magazines that glorified its predecessor in their hysterical quest to find the new Joy Division. Thankfully. Armon keitaalla shits on Eleven Fingers' head from a hill high. It sees CoO return to form and deliver one of their best works to date.

Whore - Whore Tape
In only 13 minutes Whore deliver some of the heaviest and filthiest death metal from the swamp, where you would never dare come close to. They're from sweden but they don't sound like they're from sweden. They don't sound like they are from this world. These are three tracks from the bowels of fucking hell.

Sonne Adam - Transformation / Necros Christos - Doom of the Occult
For some reason those two records have settled in my conscience as sister releases.

There are of course obvious similarities to the slow and grinding death metal the bands perform but there is also a distinct display of personality by both which is something you would expect from Necros Christos, but for a young band like Sonne Adam it is admirable at least.

Cult of Erinyes - A Place to Call My Unknown
Terribly underrated and overlooked by the vast majority of press and fans, yet awesome black metal by this new belgian band. I see the blueprint of Ondskapt's unsurpassable debut in many moments of A Place to Call My Unknown, but whatever their inspiration is, it is filtered in a way that delivers one the greatest surprises of the year. A great first effort. In fact, such a great record that makes me overlook the fact that their alter ego is a former metalcore band.

Nightbringer - Hierophany of the Open Grave
They continue creating their own legend by refining their craft with each release. More varied than ever, the atmosphere here is suffocating. Hierophany... is here to make sure that Nightbringer are one of the great bands of our times. Mandatory.

Vanhelgd - Church of Death
Once more in this fucking list, death metal from sweden that isn't the typical death metal of the land. Slowly crawling, infecting like poison a great band that owes as much to bands like Asphyx as to some of their fellow swedes this is some of the most essential devastating metal of death.

Verge - Sex and Violence
Fuck. No one makes black metal like the finns do. Verge is one of the most fucked up bands coming from finland and after last year excellent split with Blood Red Fog, Sex and Violence comes to complete the fucking devastation. Their second full album is a vast improvement from the Hatemagic debut. Raw, filthy and ungly the way it is supposed to be. Those with eyes to see, have seen. The rest...stay in your comfortable ignorance.

Charnel Winds - Der Teufelsbund
An obvious choice to make after Verge. I've been awestruck when I first heard the demo version of the record a couple of years back. This year the album came to justify my ranting after my exposure to the sickness that is Der Teufelsbund. As I said back then...

Η ΓΝΩΣΗ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΓΙΑ ΟΣΟΥΣ ΤΗΝ ΑΞΙΖΟΥΝ.

Execration - Odes of the Occult
In a year that had some of the best forward thinking death metal of all times released, Execration were the ones that had the greatest impact for me. Surely bands like Mitochondrion and Ulcerate delivered excellent records but to my liking they were topped by Execration's second album. This is a record that is asphyxiating in it's heaviness and totally crushing in its darkness.

Hell - Human Remains
In times where traditional and occult heavy metal is reborn, one would expect that the best record of the kind would come from one of the hopeful and talented bands of the new breed, like In Solitude or Portrait. Yet, all these ambitious youngsters will have to wait in line because for the time being they have to watch the backs of a group of hardened but forgotten veterans that never enjoyed any real recognition. Hell made their full length debut almost thirty years after their inception and completely erased all competition. Hadn't I heard the 1982 self titled demo that includes almost all the songs of Human Remains, I would be reluctant to believe that these tracks were actually penned three decades ago. And honestly, if these songs sound as amazing as they do today, it's no strange that almost no one managed to understand their true quality back in the early 80's.

Antediluvian - Through the Cervix of Hawaah
After a series of demos and EPs that carved their name in the upper echelons of the underground, the storming debut comes to seal their position and force everybody to turn their eyes to their dark art. Heavy, bestial, ancient, muddy, cavernous and at the same time open minded and incredibly forward thinking. A spear in god's fuckin ribs.

Malepeste - Malepeste Demo
The best french sounding french black metal I have heard in a long time comes from a band I had never heard of, until I listened to their demo. This is a quite apocalyptic experience as Malepeste deliver mystical black metal that is as dissonant as it need to be and as traditional as I would like it to be. Great occult metal that managed to beat Thantifaxath's great EP, at the last minute. (So much for art not being a contest).

Void Meditation Cult - Sulfurous Prayers
Ultra heavy and dark black/death metal that, to those of us that lived the glory days of 1989 to 1992 with bands like Samael, Mortuary Drape and Necromantia at their blackest best, brings tears in the eyes. Sulfurus Prayers indeed.

Brulvahnatu - Menstrual Extraction Ceremony
Another criminally overlooked release coming from a prolific artist that has recorded 10 full length demos and three albums in four years. Fucked up and heavy, in many ways unorthodox death/black metal that will engulf you from the first moment of exposure at it. Not a surprise that the man behind Brulvahnatu is also a member of Antediluvian, Begrime Exemious and A.M.S.G. Highly recommended.

Deceased - Surreal Overdose
We are leaving in times were parody bands are ridiculing what we once knew as thrash metal. And then Deceased are coming to take them all by storm and teach them a lesson the hard way. For a band that is active since 1985 to come up with an aggressive attack like this, is a big deal.

AMSG

And the Devil Laughs With Us

2011-12-07T19:22:00.001+02:00

One of the most hated (if not THE most hated) bands in the hardcore scene is back and all of us that couldn't care less about hardcore and its stupid subculture, can freely express our great joy.

I don't listen to hardcore because there's nothing for me to like in it. The exceptions for the last decade have been Integrity and Gehenna. And for the last couple of years Kickback. After the apocalypse that was their previous one, No Surrender the new record Et Le Diable Rit Avec Nous is a massive load of oil that feeds the fire of hate, violence, brutality, rage and perversion that is Kickback. Haters will hate them and this will give the band life. After all FUCK FRIENDS, WE NEED ENEMIES.

Kickback have broke free from the trappings of hardcore here. The usual clowns that pollute every scene will argue about Kickback not being hardcore (anymore?) as if any living being above the level of an amoeba gives a fuck about it. This is a totally fucked up record with unusual structures, disharmonic and uncomfortable in its weirdness. Kickback are probably to hardcore what Diapsiquir is to black metal and new records by both in such a little time space might not be good for my sanity but who cares when great and true art is at hand? Et Le Diable Rit Avec Nous closes with two covers where the band shows how much they care about your worthless opinion. They will rap if they fucking feel they need to. The destroyers of all are back. Listen to this record and see if you can keep yourself from beating up the first asshole you'll meet out in the street.

BEWARE...

Lucifer Before The Day Doth Go/Black Heksen Rise

2011-12-02T19:54:00.001+02:00

The original intention was to post some black metal. But this is not black metal, right? Of course it isn't. Liturgy is.

Fuck you...
Ketzer - Satan's Boundaries Unchained
Pale Creation - Twilight Haunt
Vent - Reliquiae Doloris
Antediluvian - Through the Cervix of Hawwah
Aarni - Bathos

AMSG

Hosanna...With hearts toward none

2011-11-24T11:39:00.001+02:00

The last few months brought two of the greatest releases of the year. The Wounded Kings' In the Chapel of the Black Hand has been in constant rotation for almost three months now, it obviously is an all-devouring monster in its bleak and occult magnificence but I don't feel ready to elaborate more, at least not yet. Nevertheless I am in awe.

Antediluvian's Through the Cervix of Hawwah is still a newborn sinister abomination but it is one of those cases were even the blind and numb can sense that we are talking about a masterpiece. It is a heavy, muddy, engulfing beast that enshrouds you and leads you in a disoriented mindtrip that leaves mental scars. Music to be felt and definitely not just mere and mindless entertainment.

On top of all that, Mgła,our favourite purveyors of orthodox perversity are about to release their second album titled With Hearts Toward None early next year. A bitter taste of things to come can be taken here. The Devil is preparing his final attack...beware.

The Devil's emissaries...
The Wounded Kings - In the Chapel of the Black Hand
Antediluvian - Through the Cervix of Hawwah
Venenum - Venenum

Void Meditation Cult - Sulfurous Prayers
Bestial Raids - Prime Evil Damnation
Ptahil - For His Satanic Majesty's Glory
Allfather - Weapon of Ascension
The Devil's Blood - The Thousandfold Epicentre

Die...

Sonne Adam will take your sorry souls

2011-09-29T10:10:00.000+03:00

Local offerings did not suffice
Bastards ruined this world
Torrent of hate is on its way
All that will survive are the ones who ruled before

Undead calling humming in our ears
"The mindless bastards' way must come to an end"
Distorted thoughts of paralyzing force
The path is clear for me
The message inked with blood

When the death is feeling near
And the black blood embarks
The doom of man so clear
I will remember the day they rise

Diabolic, ancient spheres of hate

The oath is signed with blood
We are the nameless ones
Raised for all to see
The punishers unleashed

Armageddon shall start here

The malignant return

2011-09-26T23:23:00.000+03:00

Between Scylla and Charybdis

2011-09-18T11:42:00.001+03:00

There is a foul smell in the air. The mixture of treachery, incompetence and selfishness breeds destruction, but he who is used at living in darkness has nothing to fear from such a shallow danger of purely materialistic nature.

Refuges...

...a couple of months ago a proud lioness was born, reinforcing my already strong beliefs, enhancing my emotions towards the things I love and the ones I loath. Now, the rest of the world can go and fuck itself. I have got all I need. World...beware.

In the midst of all that haze, the (under)world continues to vomit some things of actual interest and value. Nightbringer launched their third assault to the forces of light in the guise of Hierophany of the Open Grave. The band's first two records have been landmarks that established them in the elite of occult black metal of modern times. On their new work they continue the course that is expected by worthy practitioners of the art. Hierophany of the Open Grave is an improvement in every aspect. Nightbringer use more weapons to achieve the unique atmosphere they usualy do. The guitar playing is more varied this time, while pianos, acoustic guitar and chanting are being used in an extremely tasteful and skilful manner just to contribute to the creation of the hypnotic atmosphere and never overshadowing it. Above all Nightbringer introduce the melody for the first time in their music. This previous 'unmelodic' approach was one of my favourite aspects of the band's songcraft, so I was kind of sceptical the first time I listened the album. Such concerns vanished completely with the repeated listening as I started being engulfed in the darkness of Hierophany... All in all, a work that is in harmony with the depth and seriousness of the band. One step closer to the pantheon of black metal.

Arckanum have been unusually prolific the last four years, Helvítismyrkr being their fourth record in said period. Truth be told from 2008's Antikosmos which I studied carefully, my interest started to fade with every new record. The new one though changed that, grabbing me by the first moment and never letting me off its claws. Helvítismyrkr is an honest effort by one of the most consistent individuals of the scene. Melodic when needed, baptized in the darkest waters of thrash and heavy metal it will steal 45 minutes of your worthless lives without you even noticing and it will enrich it with the powers of the forces of utter chaos.

I leave you with the covers of two records that are on their way from hell and have already won me over with their visual aesthetics...

Die...
Rex Mundi - IHVH
Kaosritual - Rituell Katarsis
Hrizg - Inferno
Demonic Rage - Evoking The Pestilence
Ensnared- Ensnared
Obscure Infinity - Dawn of Winter

AMSG

Ascended

2011-08-29T14:00:00.000+03:00

1. Asleep...Awake, my heart

2. Reflection, aware of the necessity to slay the sibling. Teach me the failure of lower two.
Sow and reap unity in my heart. As I shall become one in thee.

3. Rebellion, no heart beats in my chest. Rise above earthly contraries and broken mirrors.
Rod of equilibrium, born of yourself. Suspended in chains. Conjunction, a heart beats not in my chest.

4. As the wise mistaker spoke. There is only light in darkness. As I wander down the darkest valleys,
no shadow may cast on me. A world released of vileness and compassion, down in the core of light.
A word released of chains and contradiction, down in the core of light.

5. As the serpent passed the chalice of faith, I may be released from starvation.
As I wandered along the rivers of truth, I distinguished they never could stay still.

6. And god never spoke of peace (but the double-edged blade), knight under the banner of mixed blessing,
march, stumble, release yourself from this soul. O Heroine, dressed in white and red,
O Heroine, slay the unjudged.

7. O angel of the burning sun. In maternal love. Lactating, spilleth simmering tardrops down on me.
Searing, sealing my lips and aflameth my tongue. Thou art sky, concede me to ascend.
I cut this silent oath of love out of trembling flesh.

8. Consolamentum, nourished by fire a heart is pure. Sired of ash a soul will live.
Let me see what they see not, visions clearly while eyes rot. A gracious star fell burning from the sky,
O timeless king, you teached me how to die.

A secret well kept

2011-08-01T21:46:00.000+03:00

After a couple of demos and a live album that I doubt there's anywhere to be found plus a split that you could possibly find if you search carefully, Maledicere have recently released their first proper record titled Leave Only What is Fit to Burn and it slays. This is the best american black metal band you've never heard and for that you should be ashamed of yourselves. Succumb to its rawness now. Tom

More...
Caina - Hands That Pluck
Yob - Atma
Avichi - The Devils Fractal
Disma - Towards The Megalith

AMSG

For your fucking displeasure

2011-07-27T22:44:00.001+03:00

More displeasure for the perverts of the earth...
Avichi - The Devils Fractal
Disma - Towards The Megalith
Svartidauði - Those Who Crawl And Slither Shall Again Inherit The Earth

8/2/2011 at 16:58

2011-07-09T21:22:00.000+03:00

One more reason to fight you fucking babstards. The most precious one.

Dead and buried

2011-06-04T11:35:00.002+03:00

Plenty of paper and internet space has been spent on Morbid Angel's new abomination. It's one of the rare cases where words don't seem to be enough to describe how awful a record is. The album is not awful because of the non metal influences, but because of the complete lack of inspiration and intelligence in the way those outsider influence is incorporated in the music, making the once death metal titans look like talentless midgets that cause sadness and pity with their downfall, more than any other emotion.

With lyrics that flirt with comedy, 'innovation' based on ingredients that have expired 15 or more years before and with an overall exhibition of tragically bad taste this has to be one of the worst catastrophes in the history of extreme music.

Not surprisingly though, there have been scribes that have almost praised that thing. You know, the kind of music 'journalists' that also happen to work for record labels...those that find this creature exciting and a bold expression of a band that isn't afraid to break boundaries (ha). In a period of time where bands like Ulcerate push the borders of death metal to heights that Morbid Angel couldn't even dream of, to even consider listening to the new M.A. record for the second time would be a waste of time and disrespect to artists that really worth it.

Mockery comes natural as a way to confront such an attack on any sense of good taste but in the case of Morbid Angel I doubt it that it is the appropriate one. Alternatively, I would treat them as an old man that took me by the hand and showed me the dark corners of the earth when I was young, but now is losing his mind due to his age.

I am in no way disappointed by the record, as I have stopped expecting anything worthwhile by bands that have become brand names, many years ago. The future will always lie in the underground.

As for Morbid Angel...respect and farewell.

Avichi - The Devil’s Fractal

2011-05-28T09:18:00.000+03:00

I don't like announcing forthcoming releases here but the second attack from Avichi seems too promising to be ignored.
Quote from Profound Lore Records :
In what will be seen as one of the more prominent and sinister U.S. black metal albums to surface this year, “The Devil’s Fractal” raises the bar from its successor by not only summoning that ancient black metal aesthetic harnessed by the great classic works of such acts as Mortuary Drape, Rotting Christ, Samael, and Necromantia, but by also offering that forward-thinking, twisted, and progressive black metal aesthetic found in, and forging alongside such luminaries as Deathspell Omega, Leviathan, and Negative Plane.

Masterminded by Andrew Markuszewski (aka Aamonael), who also performs in the bands Lord Mantis and Nachtmystium respectively, and where he essentially handles pretty much all instruments in Avichi (drums are handled by Charlie Fell, also of Lord Mantis and Nachtmystium), with “The Devil’s Fractal” Markuszewski has crafted a modern-day black metal masterpiece, one in which thematically peers into the historical importance and relevance of Lucifer.

To be released July 19th, tracklisting for “The Devil’s Fractal” goes as follows:

1.   Sermon On The Mount
2.   Under Satan’s Sun
3.   Tabernacle Of Perdition
4.   Kaivalya Of The Black Magician
5.   I Am The Adversary
6.   The Devil’s Fractal Part I
7.   The Devil’s Fractal Part II

Sample here.

Until then...
Universe 217 - Familiar Places
Shining - VII Fodd Forlorare
Lantern - Subterranean Effulgence
Saturnalia Temple - Aion of Drakon

AMSG

Fear and loathing in Gethsemane

2011-05-22T14:48:00.003+03:00

'I, wanderer, between these sins and sights. Like a shattered vessel, never to sail these waters again. Found nothing ascending into the highest suns I have descended to the borders of divine being. World as a gateway to dark and cold desert of Mute Inanimate Nothing. Who once lost what I have lost will never rest under this tree again. I've entered the path I never ever wanted. I lost this life for ash and mud. My father left me the way I never wanted and now keeps silent in my last sacrifice.
Eloi Lama Sabachthani. Only emptiness stares at me from the abyss.'

Throne of the tyrants and slaves

2011-05-19T21:58:00.000+03:00

There is a rising anticipation in the world of extreme metal for the new Morbid Angel record that I find very entertaining. I'm not sure why but whenever people raise their hopes on something that is certain to fail them, I am really amused. False messiahs, false hopes, false heroes....whatever.

It is not surprising that in a field as shallow as the 'mainstream' of any kind of music (even death metal or whatever metal have their mainstream), people still expect great things to come by the same old tired bands that are actually in a creative and artistic coma for many years now. It's anybody's own problem choosing to lose anything exciting that might be happening today in order to consume the garbage he is being force-fed. So let the herd burn in fever for the new, probably mistakenly latin titled M.A. record (I don't speak latin and I couldn't care less but I would bet that this is not proper latin) and live for the present and future.

The future of black and death metal lies in the underground...such was always the case and still is. Mitochondrion have crafted a monumental work of bestial yet forward thinking art with Parasignosis but the fast food modern music world has already forgotten about it just four months later. Show me someone that actually believes that the coming Morbid Angel album has a chance of topping Parasignosis and I will show you a fucking fool.

Sonne Adam is another example of a talented band coming out of nowhere and delivering an engaging and creeping form of death metal from the swamp.True, both Transformation and Parasignosis have deep and strong foundations on the older works of bands like Morbid Angel but far from just rehashing their influences they bring an aura of renewal to the game and certainly beat their influences in their own field.

It took me some listening to familiarize with the guitar sound of Possessed by the Rise of Magik but it was worth it. The third full length by Ramesses is a tortured occult journey that punishes with one hand and rewards with the other. Free from the doom/sludge/whatever genre restrictions, this is the sound of a great band's spiritual and artistic liberation. I wish I could have the knowledge, experience and talent to write more about the band but since I don't, do your pity self a fucking favour and head over to Julian Cope's lair to read a detailed and inspired review of their The Tomb EP from some years back. I should silence myself for the time being.

Fear...
Reveal - Nocturne of Eyes and Teeth
Saturnalia Temple - Aion of Drakon
Autopsy - Macabre Eternal (Every rule has its filthy exception)
Integrity - Thee Destroy ORR
Εγγονόπουλος-Πουλικάκος-Socos - H Ύδρα Των Πουλιών

AMEN

The burning fields ... Aosoth - III

2011-05-11T19:32:00.001+03:00

As time passes and the dissolution of Antaeus becomes a given fact, Aosoth seem to benefit from it, becoming an ever growing force on its own merit. Their second record, Ashes of Angels, was a step forward from the self titled debut, but their third work is a huge jump from the previous one. The band names the record III, brings their logo on the forefront on the cover artwork and in a way they reintroduce themselves.

The first two records were exhibitions of quality black metal infused with great amounts of energy on loan by thrash. III is their first work to challenge the heights of the best of Antaeus and the rest of the today's black metal finest. The perverse, 'backwards' and dissonant riffing of Blut aus Nord and Deathspell Omega become the gospel that leads them but Aosoth are no newcomers, they posses the necessary experience and personality to use any influence as a starting point for great things. The songs smell of incense and sulfur, the sick guitar tone dominates the atmosphere and MkM is one of the few persons on the face of the earth that can walk in those fields without being accused of trespassing. Passion, class and personality paint the orthodox background of III and Aosoth present us the second great black metal release of the last months after Stained Glass Revelations.

Approach with caution cause it burns.

Everything great is built upon sorrow...

Sonne Adam - Transformation
Sadistic Noise - Black And Chaos
The Axis Of Perdition - Tenements (Of The Anointed Flesh)
Witch Mountain - South of Salem
Heptameron - Blessed by the Name of the Dragon

AMSG

Lamb

2011-04-21T10:26:00.000+03:00

It's this time of the year again...

Crushing the holy trinity...
Sonne Adam - Transformation
Pentagram - Last Rites
Negative Plane - Stained Glass Revelations
Necros Christos - Doom of the Occult
Ravencult - Morbid Blood

AMSG

Diapsiquir are coming for you

2011-04-14T12:06:00.000+03:00

Soon...your world will be dead...
AMSG

Opium De Occulta

2011-04-11T20:49:00.000+03:00

Manifests of death

2011-04-04T21:35:00.003+03:00

Black metal needs some (not many) ingredients in order to achieve its basic goals. Passion, atmosphere, dedication, faith, heart and soul. What it most definitely doesn't need is more newly 'enlightened' assholes with zero contact with the spiritual and true nature of black metal, explaining what black metal should or shouldn't be. When some of them have the nerve to write 'manifesto's' about it then the situation becomes unbearable. Anyway, it seems appropriate to write their thoughts (ha) down since there's obviously a problem with oral expression.

For every emo/indie/whatever the fuck pathetic kid that unfortunately decided not to commit suicide and discovered black metal, there's a bunch of ugly bastards like Necros Christos threatening to sodomize their sorry asses. Their second full length Doom of the Occult is a 73 min monster that is a manifestation of the actual nature of death/black metal. Dark, slow and crawling, ceremonial and threatening, this record evolves and perfects the already known model of Triune Impurity Rites. The general idea of including 23 tracks, with keyboard and acoustic interludes flirts with catastrophe as the easy thing to happen would be a record with no sense of continuity. The fact that Necros Christos make the whole thing work so well is a great proof of the exquisite craftsmanship of the band. This time they introduce the 'Gates', five in total, that are actually acoustic tracks based on eastern scales and enhance the occult atmosphere of the record. A mandatory listen...

...As is in fact the newest Blut aus Nord work. 777 - Sect(s) is the first part of a trilogy to be completed in the coming few months. After the lukewarm and of debatable importance What Once Was... Liber I the band return in full form and with full armour to meet their usual high standards. There will always be the ones that miss the point in their constant demand for novelties in Blut aus Nord's musical endeavours. The fact is that this is a record up with the best works of the band. There's a heavy use or maybe manipulation of melody in 777 - Sect(s) and the plain truth is that at the hands of BaN melody sounds so threatening that becomes an actual tool to cause horror. A fucking monster.

The amusing note of the days is that the (bad) joke called Nargaroth has a record out. The imbecile that wrote tracks with titles like 'The day Burzum killed Mayhem' and many suchlike comedies, has released one more excrement. I read that it is going to be out on double vinyl also, and I can't help but think that such a waste of vinyl should be punished as a crime. A friend of mine played me some parts of it earlier today and it is one more hilarious record worthy of the tradition of Nargaroth. Three tracks that dream of sounding like Burzum of the Filosofem era and five pathetic amateurish keyboard tracks complete the new disgrace of a joke that should stop as soon as possible.

The real thing...

Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones

Whitesnake - Forevermore

Current 93 - Honeysuckle Aeons

Embers - Shadows

Obscure Anachronism - METANOIA

AMSG

The bottom of the barrel?

2011-03-30T21:52:00.000+03:00

This fucking place has to be the most stinking place on the planet. I will never stop believing that its people deserve every possible catastrophe finds them. Being a greek seemed always to be a curse. Now more than ever.

The place is full of idiots mourning for the loss of their fake luxuries, instead of facing the future and trying to find viable solutions to the problems that grow exponentially. In a country that dies a slow death, sinking in its own shit, there is no room for the few enlightened persons that have remained. Recently this godforsaken place lost a writer and a musician/composer/lyricist, two of the last iconic figures that have remained in this shithole. Both died forgotten, neglected, forsaken. I had never been a huge follower of their works but for me that was never the case. The important thing was that you knew they (and some others) were there. They were the rare cases that would make you stay in front of your television when you would accidentally catch them talking. You would read their interviews on the papers because you knew that their spirit was surpassing the limitations of their art.

This fucking place is the most stinking place on the planet. It does not deserve its few special intelectual persons. It is the right time for them to depart. Because the people that think that their worst problem is that they cannot afford to buy the biggest car or the newest tv anymore, do not deserve to have beacons in their miserable lives. Let them vanish.

Pills against incurable diseases...

Those Poor Bastards - Satan is Watching

Mortem - De Natura Daemonum
40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room

Aptorian Demon - Angst, Jammer Og Fortvilelse-Til Helvete

The Wandering Midget - The Serpent Covent

Ulver - War Of The Roses

Over and fucking out...

Saturnalia Temple - Necros Christos...Darker days ahead

2011-03-09T09:53:00.001+02:00

Analyse it (symposium lexotanil)

2011-03-05T21:36:00.003+02:00

I used to like lengthy conversations about music when I was younger. I cannot remember when exactly such conversations started to bore me to death, but these days I can rarely stand debating more than five minutes. When you are approaching your fifth decade in life all you have to offer in such discussions is worthless trivia and there's always the danger to make yourself look like a smartass that tries to show his supposed knowledge off. Besides after 28 or so years of heavy involvement with music I don't feel there's anything new to be said.

Is there anything new to be offered in the general field of conventional 'rock' music? I think not...and the 2 or 3 extraordinary bands that come to the forefront of any sub-genre every year or two, does not change it. Everything has been played to the point of exhaustion and music repeats itself in circles. It seems only natural that certain metal genres resurface after a period of times and I guess this is the way it's going to be. I don't claim that new blood is unnecessary. On the contrary, new bands are always needed (even if they don't reach the standards of the ones whose footprints they follow) in order for every new generation to discover its heroes. I'm not certain if I'm right but I guess this is one of the reasons of the constant recycling of music. A certain sub-genre reappears when there is a new 'breed' of kids that their first encounter with, say, death metal is enough to catch their attention without causing any association to anything that is known to them. The relation with the previous waves of death metal will be revealed in time until they reach the forefathers of the genre, but the bands a kid hears first, will always be its 'heroes'. This is more or less the way we all discover the roots of music...after quite a long time and a lengthy travel. Except of course you are Fenriz and you discovered prog rock, punk and metal from your cradle but you were good at keeping secrets so in the late 80s-early 90s you were saying around that you only listen to death and black metal and you grew up on those.

Is there anything about the norwegian black metal scene of the early 90s that hasn't been already said and said again? Hardly. Or better no, I'm sure that everything has been said many many times so far. So what the fuck is the purpose of one more documentary about those days? Films like Until the Light Takes us are nothing more than failed attempts to rekindle a flame long dead. Twenty years later those events are completely out of date and at least to me this is a very old and tired subject. But the hipsters beg to differ.

A couple of months ago the second black metal symposium took place (somewhere in england if I'm not mistaken). Melancology. Really. If it doesn't ring any bell is because you are not academics. Which means that you cannot speak for hours about (what you perceive as) black metal in a manner that none will understand you. A look at the list of subjects that were presented at both the first and second symposia, makes me feel that this is an idea of american origin. There's a hipster aura to the thing and a view on black metal that shouts america. Geographical bullshit aside, what's obvious is that this thing is out of focus and surely totaly unnecessary. Which is the least I can say about an event that its organizers find appropriate to close with a live performance by a clown band (Abgott is the name). Hats off to the hosts for their sense of humor, if that's the case. But in the case the organizers think that this is black metal I think we have a serious problem.

I leave you with a funny note. The link here will take you to an Abgott video. Comedy starts before you even see the fist picture, as you will find yourself reading words of great wisdom by the supposed leader of the band. Fuck off you imbeciles...

The fallen dawnbearer

2011-02-25T21:46:00.001+02:00

As a part of the overwhelming second wave of black metal in the early 90s, Burzum were shining in a uniqueness that was better estimated some years later. The template Vikernes applied to his 'band' was responsible for some of the most abominable trash that littered the black metal scene for almost two decades. Bedroom bm, suicidal bm, ns bm(!), the one man band trend (namely some fucking imbecile claiming he is so fucking misanthropic to work with anyone else). Just name what you find appalling in black metal and you can find Vikernes at the beginning of it all.

Of course a man is responsible for his actions only, so if anyone is to blame about this situation, these are the apes that mimicked whatever they thought was easier for them to reproduce. Burzum, Aske and Det Som Engang Var were landmarks of cold, misanthropic and inhumanly calculated black metal. From then on, the increased presence of ambient parts and the use of repetition in order to achieve the illusion of the hypnotic feeling started to alienate me from his work, which I started to consider more boring than ambient or hypnotic.

The two supposedly ambient-electronic albums he recorded from jail are mainly laughable affairs. The fact that even such mediocrity found ground fertile enough to prosper in the metal underground was one evidence more (if needed) of the decline of black metal from the second half of the 90s until the early 00s.

Last years Belus was a lukewarm attempt to recapture the old feeling that was unfortunately focused on the period of Filosofem mainly and I found it to be boring and uninspired. The record was buried even more by the great expectations and the hype created by the media.

Fallen is a completely different case. It is the record that made me pay attention at Burzum fifteen years after I have written the guy off. It is raw, with that cyclic riffing that creates clever melodies that capture you like a web and drag you to the (fairy)tales the guy has to say. You know it is no true nor realistic, it is even naive but you are lured. I am lured. His vocal performance is probably his best ever...he screams, he howls, he sings, he mourns and he sounds more convincing than ever. The choice of a (part of a) painting by the french realist Adolphe-William Bouguereau comes as no surprise knowing Vikernes' affinity for european history/mythology and classical art. At first I admit I mocked it...as time passes I find it all the more fitting.

People that have a pure outlook on music and art and the feelings it should create, have always been a source of inspiration for me. Matthew McNerney is such a case. Greatly underrated obviously because of his low profile personality but also obviously an honest, cultured and educated artist that honours any music form he chooses to express himself through. True artists are comfortable expressing their spiritual or other concerns using any vessel suits them. Black metal, death metal, folk, rock etc are but tools that in the hands of talented artists may unleash the great power they contain in the greatest effect.

Although the moniker of a project should be indicative of its creator's intentions and the feelings he wishes to communicate, rare are the cases where it is so representative and accurate as Hexvessel is. You'll find elsewhere plenty of detailed descriptions of the music that is being presented on Dawnbearer. Such details are completely unimportant. What matters are the feelings, emotions and images the music conjures up. What matters is the journey you will experience. Hell, the guy has even made me like a Paul Simon song, by reconstructing and darkening Diamonds (on the sole of her shoe). The essence of the whole world is in here...there's light, there's darkness, there's joy, there's sorrow, there's devoutness. Additionally there's Machen and Crowley and Capote and many more. Occult music can be extremely charming in the hands of gifted individuals. Enough said...

The black corridor opens

2011-02-24T20:35:00.002+02:00

Stained Glass Revelations

2011-02-16T11:43:00.002+02:00

Negative Plane have crafted one of the best black metal albums of the last ten years and presented it to the unsuspected masses in the form of their debut Et In Saecula Saeculorum. Their logo might incorporate almost every cliche of the black metal universe (pentagram, goathead, skulls, 666), yet this is a rare case where this shouldn't bother at the least, as their music is anything but cliched. The fact that many where those that easily and superficialy named their music avant garde or progressive or experimental is one more evidence of the metal world's stupidity and luck of basic musical 'education'. In that sense, anything that is black metal but does not resemble the old scandinavian 'necro' sound should be progressive or avant garde. In fact Negative Plane have made the simplest of things. They have taken the lessons taught by all the greats of dark extreme music and made them their own shaping a personality that is unique and in the shallow microcosm of today's black metal this uniqueness is being magnified.

Their second spell has been in preparations for five years and by listening to Stained Glass Revelations, that is evident. There isn't a single part of the new record that is not an improvement compared to the debut. Cavernous, chaotic but above all outright EVIL. The legacy of three decades of occult metal finds it's worthy beneficiaries. Mercyful Fate, Bathory, Celtic Frost, Mortuary Drape, Samael, early Mayhem, early Nocturnus...meet your successors.

Most of all, the band honours the dark traditions with the passion and feeling they inject to their work. Belief and feeling is all that is needed for the greatest black metal and Negative Plane have those in amounts to spare for all the talentless flock that plagues the black metal scene. In the general frame of black metal Negative Plane would be categorised as orthodox bm. But if you expect to hear choirs, psalms and suchlike you lost. In Negative Plane's world there is no room for cheap tricks and trends. Their music is a religious experience by itself, the whole record is a liturgy, a mindfuck that shapes the listener's/participant's mind and soul the way the band wishes. There is no other black metal band today that evokes the occult and gothic horror the way Negative Plane does. Bear in mind that before the term gothic (in music) degenerated to describe the gay/eyeliner parody it does today, it was used for such great bands as Bauhaus or Fields of the Nephilim. Stained Glass Revelations invokes the occult magnificence of Fields of the Nephilim or Garden of Delight at their best although there are no obvious similarities in sound.

This is the best exploration of the abyss one could hope for. Those that can feel the real darkness have found their haven. They will explore every detail of the music, they will study every aspect of the spectacular artwork, they will do justice to such a magnificent record. More words would seem to be a disgrace for a work of such proportions. Bow down in respect.

More...
Burzum - Fallen
The Dead Brothers - 5th Sin-Phonie
The Beast Of The Apocalypse - Henosis
Mirror Of Deception & Garden Of Worm split
Dødsengel - Dødsengel
Hexvessel - Dawnbearer
Ättestupa - Begraven Mot Norr

AMSG

Fall and fall and fall

2011-01-28T10:59:00.001+02:00

...because when the idiot starts falling, there's nothing to stop him. Except maybe the sense of self preservation. Or maybe the sense of shame. But if the following abomination had any sense of shame it would vanish from the face of earth a decade ago. Instead they just continue their way to becoming the next gay icon...Maybe this is better than being the mediocrity they always were.

The winner of the eurovision song contest misuses the bow on the strings of the violin. It would be far more useful to the charming boys next to him. In the way y'all can imagine.

Die...

Freezing Moon

2011-01-27T18:55:00.000+02:00

MMX - The grave (Stasis II)

2011-01-13T11:48:00.005+02:00

Urfaust - Der freiwillige Bettler

That Urfaust are one of a kind is not news. Their last album is everything I came to love and much more.

A monument of layers of hypnotic guitars, monotonous pounding drums and discrete keyboards that run under the surface and enhance the ritualistic vibe of the music. Out and away of any competition, this is some of the most original and personal black metal you can find around.

Nightbringer - Apocalypse Sun

In many ways Nightbringer remind me of Urfaust although they are anything but alike.They both create trance like ritualistic black metal, they both exclude any traces of melody from their music, they both rely on repetition to create the hypnotic feeling they present. The record has grown immensely these seven months I have been listening to it. Death and the Black Work, the debut that preceded Apocalypse Sun was a beast. This one is the same beast, hungrier and more horrible. I cannot but repeat a comment I read at some greek blog...'Uncontrolled. Blatant.No outbreak. No emotional charge. No digestible passages. Black, almost not metal. Guitars built to slaughter'. Die.

Electric Wizard - Black Masses

There is a specific moment, just before you fall asleep, that your thoughts blur and become uncontrollable eventually turning into dreams, possibly nightmares. It is that moment, that through thick layers of smoke and fog, Black Masses may appear to lead you to dangerous dreams...luring but unsettling, morbid but lustful. I never succumbed to Electric Wizard's music more than I have with Black Masses. When you awake you shall have Satan's seed planted in your mind and soul.

Valborg - Crown of Sorrow

Bands that have adopted the mindset of such greats as Celtic Frost and have the talent to create unique and individual art deserve the highest praises. At first glance, Valborg are a death metal band. Use your patience to unveil the rest of the layers of Crown of Sorrow and you shall be rewarded. People are incredibly stupid thus the record passed almost unnoticed. Diamonds to the pigs.

Before closing Ι shall notice the great records that came out by bands like Diocletian, Witchrist , Blasphemophagher and above all my favorite's Vassafor promo. All in all it seems that 2010 has been the year that this specific style of 'bestial' death/black metal have matured for good. There's no reason to refer to such bands as 'that band that plays like Blasphemy' no more.
On the other hand, Ondskapt have offered a major dissapointment with their latest LP, that was more of a parody of themselves than a proper album. RIP.

AMSG

Consolamentum and Falling Monuments

2011-01-08T20:01:00.002+02:00

People's interest in worthless trivia never ceases to amaze me. There have been various black metal bands in the last few years that have chosen to work under a veil of anonymity, a decision I always found interesting and intriguing as I think it is fitting to the occult, esoteric and mysterious nature of this particular kind of music. Unfortunately the underground is flooded by imbeciles that behave like the retards they really are, spreading gossip and trying to spoil such paraphernalia that are not necessarily music related but for genres that demand a certain theatricality like black metal does, they are like salt and pepper.

So, now that we know that Ascension consists of members of the one and the other band, hoping that the parasites, having done their job, are gone, we may proceed to the beast that is Consolamentum.

The band had released the Fire and Faith EP almost two months before the full length, as a harbinger of horrible things to come. Had Consolamentum been at the level of the EP, we would be talking about a monumental work that would make Paracletus feel its stinking breath. The album is great...actually it stands hands and shoulders above 99% of modern black metal with an ease that I find admirable. Unfortunately it does not achieve to create a double headed beast together with Paracletus. Nevertheless it stands right under the DsO's masterpiece throne, completing the trinity of 2010's most essential black metal records (From the Devil's Tomb being the third one).

To appreciate Consolamentum you need to leave aside some of the most common preconceptions concerning black metal. For some reason I never understood, many people believe that every black metal record that comes out owes to reinvent the wheel. This is a claim some people make exclusively when talking about black metal. I have yet to read someone criticizing a doom/thrash/death/heavy/whatever metal record for not bringing anything new on its field. On the one hand this is understandable as black metal has been the only sub genre of metal that has offered works of great innovation almost systematically for the last 15 years. On the other hand this does not mean that black metal HAS to be other than quality and adventurous music with religious and spiritual connections.

On the general map of black metal Ascension would be placed in the orthodox area and they view their art in the holistic manner that is almost the rule for such bands. Thus, the music, lyrics and visual part of the record are totally connected and must be viewed as one. Even the date of the record's release is a part of the whole concept. As is expected the band chooses to leave the 'frostbitten' ridiculous side of black metal for the kiddies that are now discovering the joy of masturbation. Even if we didn't know anything about the band, it would be apparent that this is a mature band and Consolamentum is the distillation of years of experience and devotion.

The album is carefully crafted and structured in a way that suits the vinyl version with Fire and Faith, in a different recording than this of the EP, being the epicenter of the album. The most important criticism I could make on the record is that it drags towards the end. Had it been one song less I think it would be quite close at fulfilling my high expectations completely. Make no mistake though...this is a mighty release. One of the most stupid, false and irrelevant cliches concerning black metal is the one that assumes that it should be freezing, icy and other such bullshit...bullshit...Consolamentum is burning fire, the boiling lava that threatens to melt everything that stands on its way. This is how modern black metal shall be...religious, apocalyptic, bold, melodic and luring in order to attract the unaware ones, poisonous and deadly in order to forever enslave them. Amen...

On the now infamous Deathspell Omega interview for the Ajna Offensive, the band has been asked about their decision to release a split with Clandestine Blaze and work with Mikko A's record label (let alone, recruit the man as their vocalist I should add) 'seeing as their doctrines are, seemingly, different' than Dso's. The answer was that Dso have noticed that they are really close with him, although his usual rhetoric would point otherwise. Also I quote 'He is one among very few who can take the most atrocious things very naturally, and he is one among very few who truly shares a fascination and appreciation for things of an utterly sadistic nature that I will not unveil here'.

Examining Mikko A's work with most of his projects, especially the noise and porn related ones, the above quote seems almost like an understatement.

His black metal vehicle has come to its sixth full length. Falling Monument features all the usual traits Clandestine Blaze showed in the past, enriching their sound with some simple tricks that are proven quite effective at adding a twisted charm to the rawness on offer here. Like on the Stabat Mater record that came one and a half year before, Mikko A shows an improved sense of control, one that helps at adding texture to his otherwise monolithic approach. For me this is the best Clandestine Blaze work to date. It features the best tracks he has written in quite a while, in fact some of them have the powers to come to be underground classics. As expected there is zero compromise here. The pounding drums are the base of the record, the guitar work is some of his best, his vocals are on top form. If you need just one record from the recent crop of black metal of the northern ilk, this is the one.

Once more...this is not the reinvention of the wheel. It is more an attack to destroy it and any other of 'mankind's achievements'...Ha

Die...

MMX - The grave (Stasis I)

2011-01-03T21:30:00.005+02:00

Deathspell Omega - Paracletus

I don't know if some years from now reality will prove my thoughts about this record wrong. I don't care if this happens. All I know is that the cases that I felt awestruck during and right after the first listening of a record are more than rare. In the past this has happened only two more times. The most recent until now was Monotheist. The first time I actually felt my spine froze was while listening to De Mysteriis... and this had happened although I was already familiar with the material it featured...and now Paracletus.

I also happen to know that the power of such an intense experience is going to accompany me for the rest of my life.

The miserables among you can stay in your pathetic misery until you fucking die.

Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones/Shatter

The works of the Warrior have a unique way of establishing a connection with me and my soul. With his new work this connection was more intense than ever. This is the heaviest music you can find around. With the passing of time Warrior's lyrics have become very personal being in fact an act of catharsis. But for catharsis to come you have to awaken your demons in order to fight them. This record does exactly that. It is unsettling to the point where repeated listening carves deep wounds. Daimones together with Paracletus are the best records of the last year and not only. These are works of spiritual lytrosis but to feel them like such, you have to get out of your usual state of numbness.

Weapon - From the Devil's Tomb

Drakonian Paradigm was the first blow, to announce the arrival of a deadly weapon to the flock that is unaware of its fate. From the Devil's Tomb is the official declaration of war. With their second record Weapon unleash their full potential, fulfilling the promise that was their two EPs. The record is a new promise from the band...a promise of things monumental in the near future.

Ascension - Consolamentum

Ascension's debut together with Paracletus and From the Devil's Tomb are the unholy trinity of last year's black metal. My vinyl is about to melt in just a week's period but the record will not leave my record player anytime soon. Ascension come as the pretenders to the throne of modern black metal and the signs are with them. Consolamentum is burning fire, a record crafted by hardened veterans that can show to the pimpled chat room kiddies that while they play with their Burzums and Immortals, there is serious black metal being made. This is a poisoned spear on the ribs of your enemies...just use it.

Blood Revolt - Indoctrine

Music designed to make the listener feel uncomfortable and uneasy. Modern art should be like this. An unbelievably great record which is a rare case by such short lived projects...but in the presence of pure genius, miracles can happen.

Annthennath - States of Liberating Departure

Brilliant black metal by prominent members of the french scene. This record is so good that the fact it went unnoticed should consist a crime. Listen or die.

StarGazer - A Great Work of Ages

The record that brought Stargazer to the forefront of extreme metal is in fact the gospel of today's forward thinking death metal. No more words are needed.

Twilight - Monument to Time End

On paper, a black metal (basically) work with heavy doses of pure sludge and psychedelia is enough to turn me off. Upon listening to Monument... such concerns are rendered useless. Twilight's big cauldron mixes whatever this colective wishes, and the result is magical...Indulge.

Dødsengel - Mirium Occultum/Alongside Choronzon

I have praised this band many times and still I feel it isn't enough. I cannot remember another black metal band being so prolific (with four releases in a year) and at the same time keeping the quality of their art on such a high level. The full length is a monument of occult black metal, a jewel that you want to keep just for yourself. Alongside Choronzon is the best of their EPs that came last year, emphasizing the ritual aspect of their music, a trait that is almost forgotten yet so vital for black metal. Praised be.

Clandestine Blaze

2010-12-29T13:29:00.000+02:00

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

2010-12-25T21:29:00.000+02:00

AMSG

Raining (black) blood

2010-12-23T12:33:00.002+02:00

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

2010-12-17T10:15:00.000+02:00

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

2010-12-11T12:22:00.005+02:00

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

2010-12-07T20:33:00.000+02:00

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

2010-12-03T20:41:00.002+02:00

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

AMSG

ΜΝΗΜΟΣΥΝΟ

2010-11-26T12:03:00.000+02:00

They say that the cemeteries are full of indispensable men. Still when true visionaries leave, the gap that's left behind is huge and difficult to be filled in the age of ever growing mediocrity.

Fuck you...

Under the skin

2010-11-21T10:12:00.000+02:00

Paracletus is covering most of other music under its huge shadow but there are some other releases I've been listening recently and probably worth a mention.

Arckanum seem to get better with time and Sviga Læ sounds to my ears as the best record they recorded since their return with Antikosmos. The dark anti cosmic current manifests itself through a record based heavily on atmosphere and elements of melody that are more present on an Arckanum record than ever as much as I can recall.

Far from being anyone’s favorite band, Furze have always been worth checking out as their black metal has ever been capable of dragging attention whether because of its rawness or because of the fucked up aesthetics and execution. Reaper Subconscious Guide is Furze’s tribute to early Black Sabbath and this would not be a difficult thing to realize even if it wasn’t stated beforehand. Basically Furze are doing their thing using the musical aspects of doom metal as the foundation of their new work. It still sounds completely fucked up with chimes appearing out of nowhere and the vocals being the focal point. My favorite parts are those were the voice reminds me of a certain ‘mocking’ style that I have associated with some darkwave bands.

A record that I haven’t heard in ages yet I recently returned to, is Amen Corner’s Fall, Ascension, Domination. Coming from 1993 is one example more (if needed) of the wide sense the term black metal possessed in early 90s before the norwegians usurp it and lead it to degeneration. Dark and atmospheric Amen Corner paid attention to the lessons taught by Samael, Mortuary Drape and their compatriots Mystifier and their debut was a monument of dark, occult metal that is worthy of everyone’s attention even today.

Solefald have a new record out and my first impressions are positive. I haven’t heard it much until now, but so far I like it. I also didn’t pay any attention to the lyrical content but if the lyrics have to do with the title of the album (Norrøn Livskunst) I couldn’t care less about them, although the band’s approach to norse themes has always been miles away from the usual Viking bullshit. One way or the other, it still is contradictory for a band that is musically forward thinking, their lyrics to mention Odins and Vallhalas. All in all a good work but their debut remains unsurpassed in my book.

Some of the most noteworthy records of the year were delivered recently by Necrite, Sargeist, Electric Wizard and Essenz and hopefully I will have the chance to study them with the respect they deserve and elaborate on them in the future.

AMSG

ΠΑΡΑΚΛΗΤΟΣ μέρος 2ον

2010-11-14T11:00:00.002+02:00

One of the aspects that shape Deathspell Omega's fame is the inimitable style that they have shaped musically, lyrically or philosophically speaking. For the casual metal listener the ideal band is the one that makes him want to grab his guitar and form his own band. It is tough to listen to one of Deathspell Omega's second phase records yet to know that when you hold your guitar the best you can come up with, would be sub Darkthrone mimickery. The only consolation then is that you can always hope to get featured on fenriz’s blog. More often issues like these lead to the awakening of all the complex syndromes possible and furthermore to dismissing Deathspell Omega as pretentious, false and sell outs that ruined what they had achieved with their early bunch of splits and full lengths - which of course ‘happen’ to be sub Darkthrone mimickery, only better than the average.

Metal fans don’t like clever and complicated music or individuals. They need a clear target, that’s why they are suckers for ‘anti-whatever’ lyrics. DsO’s music is a maze that confuses them, the lyrics are mind blowing and their non image policy doesn’t fit the metal book of rules. The same applies at everything the band does. Plus how can one listen to Deathspell Omega while have a couple of beers?

There has been a period in my life that I stayed away from the underground after being completely burned out by my heavy involvement for a dozen of years. So from 1998 until 2006 I didn’t listen to a single note of black or death metal (which is the only metal for me). Then in the summer of 2006, as I was waiting for my flight from Athens to Glasgow, I happened to browse some cds at a record store at the airport. Much to my surprise I noticed the dark and terrifying cover of Monotheist. I didn’t even know that Celtic Frost where active again, I only knew that I had to buy this new record from my favourite band ever. Thus my abstention from music ended in the cruelest of ways, with the best record I heard in my entire life. A couple of months later I discovered Deathspell Omega’s Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice and immediately ordered the cd. I still remember the day that I found the LP version of the album at an underground record store in Thessaloniki and the surprise on the clerk’s face when I bought it as he thought that no one in town would know of DsO. It might seem like an exaggeration but keep in mind that greece’s metal fans are among the most conservative imbeciles in the whole world. Here, Iron Maiden are still the most important band in the universe, Kreator are considered the epitome of thrash (old or modern) and power metal is all the average metal ape cares about.

Fast forward six years later and things are like this…Celtic Frost are no more but there is Triptykon that have recorded a monster that marks the new era and until now I thought it would be the best work of the year and possibly the new decade. Then there are Deathspell Omega that in the past years have seen the hype about them reach feverish levels. But the charisma of that band is that they have the ability to stand above and away such meaningless stuff and overcome their hype with their talent. Having perfected their uniqueness they come raging with the closing of a mammoth project and arguably the best record of the year and for me, possibly the best black metal record of all time.

Those that Satan hath blessed …

…have the talent to create monumental art in the era of shallowness and spiritual sterility. Paracletus stays along the lines of the madness and calculated chaos of Fas - Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum adding the musicality of Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice. It is always strange using terms as ‘musicality’ when referring to DsO as their art is largely based on destroying and re-synthesizing any widely known and used form of keys or tones or whatever musical norm. Then again this is a band full of contrasts and so is Paracletus. A-musical yet musical, free yet disciplined, bizarrely beautiful yet ultimately ugly this is a record where a myriad opposites collapse and create the black metal of the future.

Above all Deathspell Omega are messengers of the Truth and this is what they present. The Truth they bear comes naked, plain and raw. In a similar manner the band present an art form that is so pure that doesn’t need to hide behind tones of fuzz or distortion or whatever. There are times that the guitars sound like a piano, the bass comes on the front more often than ever and the drums are both creator and destroyer of rhythms.

On top of all those comes the inverse chanting of the Devil’s preacher. The words are more mumbled than properly pronounced. The french language has never sounded so threatening before…and there are many parts chanted or spoken in french.

To dive deep into the madness of Paracletus is an unsettling and disturbing experience. No one can save you from the sudden fall that comes after its crescendos.

A record of 42 minutes seems like a brief one for Deathspell Omega…but these are 42 minutes of uneasiness and utter disturbance, 42 minutes of spiritual liberation, 42 minutes that pour salt on open wounds. I doubt there would be anyone that can live this experience in full, yet could stand even one minute more.

This is the evolution of black metal that I expected to happen but I couldn’t envision. What’s more remarkable is that I expected such a turn out of things, after maybe a decade or so. Yet it is here today.

All in all, Paracletus is the living and horrible (for some) proof that black metal is first and foremost a term that defines the distillation of dark feelings into music and stands above mere genre categorization.

As for the lyrical-theosophical-philosophical aspect of the band, I hope to elaborate in the future if I ever have the courage to do so.

Satan-God-Man

The circle is complete…Silence

ΠΑΡΑΚΛΗΤΟΣ μέρος 1ον

2010-11-08T09:19:00.002+02:00

SHOCK AND AWE

Ghost of grace

2010-11-03T10:08:00.002+02:00

To the Devil its due...

Arckanum - Sviga Lae
Ghost - Opus Eponymous
Weapon - From the Devil's Tomp
Serpent Noir - Sanguis XI
Electric Wizard - Black Masses

Shattered again

2010-10-30T10:41:00.003+03:00

Triptykon - Shatter

EPs are an underrated and often misunderstood medium of communicating an artist's music. This should come as no surprise as most bands view EPs as a wastebasket were they get rid of undesirable songs, songs that are not on the same level as their usual work, songs that don't fit on full albums, songs that are different etc. One of the exceptions have always been Celtic Frost. They introduced themselves with two more than classic EPs showing that a short album can be a full experience when treated seriously.

Triptykon couldn't be a different case. The band states from the beginning that Shatter should be treated as a piece that accompanies Eparistera Daimones and that makes sense. The title track is a melancholic and melodic track based on female vocals, I am the Twilight is a heavy and claustrophobic nightmare, while the ambience of Crucifixus works well in the context of the record. The point of including the Celtic Frost tracks is debatable. Yet since they opted to do it, they do it in a majestic way to say the least. The two songs are heavier and better than ever...and these are songs written before 26 years or so.

Me, I will go for the complete sessions boxed set as this would reveal the full experience Triptykon have to offer.

Cromagnon - Orgasm

Experimental band that was active during late sixties and was way ahead of its time. Minimal, psychedelic, folk, noise, industrial rock from 1969.

Some of those terms and styles had not been invented until even decades later. Adding the horrific vocals that range from black metal shrieks to moaning, screaming and chanting we get an album that is frightening even by today's standards.

Julian Cope noted on opening track Caledonia..." Now, when you stick the needle into the groove that is opener, "Caledonia", you'll immediately think you're listening to Einsturzende Neubaten gone black metal, then you'll realize you're WRONG and that there was no reference points such as that available in 1968."

Absolutely correct. Today, in 2010 we have the reference points to describe Cromagnon's music. I can't even imagine the reaction of the listeners back in late sixties when confronted with the beast that is Orgasm. This is progressive and forward thinking music by definition.

Seraphic Decay

Seraphic Decay was an american death metal (mostly) label in early nineties. It was relatively short lived but managed to have quality underground releases during its existence. The label released works (mostky 7'') by Rigor Mortis, Incantation, Mortician, Derketa, Disgrace, Agathocles, Disgrace, Xysma, and other underground bands between 1990 and 1992. Those are difficult to find today, they were sought after by collectors even back in the day.

Seraphicdecay.com is a site run by an obviously dedicated death metaller and is a job well done. Streaming audio, photos, bios and all the information that is needed for all the label's releases. Not all the bands were great but this is not the point. The site is a great monument of a period that has been crucial for death metal. Seraphic Decay focused on the underground at the time when death metal started loosing orientation startled by the metal's mainstream lights. No wonder the label deteriorated by the time death metal became a completely lost cause somewhere in 1992. Death metal started loosing it from 1990 but 1991 for me marks the end of its golden era. Entombed were using Army of Lovers' singer for their Stranger Aeons video, MTV air play became a cause and even though there were excelent underground bands going on, the genre had lost its teeth. The momentum was lost once and for all.

I realize that the underground status of a band or musician has become relative. What I didn't realize is when this has happened. Maybe it is the normal course of things as time passes, yesterday's underground to be today's mainstream but I still don't like it. Examples are plenty and one of them would be Steve DiGiorgio that started with Sadus and has worked since with legends like Autopsy, mainstream thrash bands like Testament, viking whatever bands like Vintersorg, hideous power metal bands like every power metal band on earth and Sebastian Bach!!!

Of course there's nothing to restrain an accomplished musician on certain music forms when he doesn't want to be restrained but a hired gun is light years away from a notable artist... and I like to view music as an artform.

East and West

2010-10-14T12:05:00.010+03:00

The cultural differences between different regions of the world are today far less than many years before but in general they are still there. Globalization, the constant technological evolution, the mixing of cultures and people, political power games etc have played a great role in creating a homogenized global culture system but when one scratches the surface of the TV laden brainwashed today's world, the fundamental differences are still there. Signs of this fact can be found anywhere.

________________________________________________________________________

The way the americans perceive black metal (at least today) is way different from the way europeans do. Actually the thing came to a point that often the music americans think of as black metal is no bm at all. Perhaps it is difficult for a country with a very recent and rootless cultural history to perceive forms of music that have a spiritual and cultural background that is rooted thousands of years back. The early americans wasted decades trying to systematically extinguish any source of the previously prevalent culture in their(?) soil. All these in order to conclude to today's civilization of the burger and coke. I realize that I am oversimplifying things but I think I am not altering the picture.

So for most of the americans black metal is just another form of music, just a sequence of sounds (preferably the sounds of norwegian bands from early '90s) and all the rest be damned. Lyrics are irrelevant, the philosophical and spiritual background is considered unnecessary and so on.

Of course not all people are the same and there are obviously individuals that are talented enough to break out of the norm. Such individuals have created remarkable art the last few years that has mistakenly been described as black metal. Using the basic sound of norwegian bands blended with hardcore which is mostly where those bands come from and an amazing urban aesthetic that passes from the lyrics to the overall aura of the music, they recorded some of the most amazing music I have ever heard. It is difficult to categorize it but none should care about categorizing great art.

Woe head towards that direction with Quietly, Undramatically but this is a record that leaves me puzzled. Their debut A Spell for the Death of Man was a masterfully crafted black metal record. This one adopts the urban ways described before plus some of those parts that most people call shoegaze and these are the parts I wholeheartedly hate and ruin a large part of the record. Someone wrote that the proper title for the album should be Quietly, Melodramatically and maybe it is dragging it to far but it is still indicative of the albums aura. No way the record is bad...it is maybe that I expected something different from a band that started playing what themselves described as 'raw, sloppy satanic black metal'. Six words from which only 'metal' applies to Woe today. On the other hand it's not the band's fault that I am seldom in the mood of listening to such music...and when I am, I go for Ludicra that are the undisputed kings of their kind.

And if I see another record with trees/branches/leaves/mountains on the cover I swear I am going to set a nice fire to the nearest forest.

Xasthur is far from being a band I like. Furthermore it isn't a band I usually think in relation with bands such the ones I described above. Yet the following video is very much in line with the urban and desolate feeling they incorporate. Plus it is very good.

From the West to the East

Three records I heard recently that had a certain eastern vibe and are worth mentioning (one of them actually deserves all the praise I can give)...

Weapon - From The Devil's Tomb

Weapon's second full album came as an apocalyptic shock devastating anything that dared stand on it's way, leaving only ashes behind. The fact that a band I followed closely for years and had great faith in their potential, managed to shock me with the extremely high quality of their new work is amazing. I have written before that I consider this the second best black metal record of the year, as I reserve the first position for Deathspell Omega but I think that even if DsO deliver a record of the caliber I expect, Weapon are going to give them a hard time.

Drakonian Paradigm was an excellent record but it pales in comparison with the new one. It is brutal when needed, mystical at all times, calculated and precise but not mechanical. Furthermore there's an oriental occult aura prevalent throughout the whole album with eastern melodies that makes From the Devil's Tomb a poisonous elixir that should be approached with caution and mostly with the respect it deserves. The eastern influence is integrated in the music and doesn't act as a foreign part pretentiously added in the songs., leaving no chance to any of the usual imbeciles to use the word 'folk' in relation to the album.So, this is one of the best (true) black metal albums of the last ten years and a fine addition to the Devil's weaponry. Praise Satan.

Birch Mountain - Silence Is Complete

Death metal from sweden with ties with an old swedish band called Egypt and it is not old school. The damned trees are on the cover again but I hope the two band members are there to burn them down so that complete silence is achieved.

The Egypt connection probably explains a lot about the eastern influence on the album that is omnipresent but again it is nicely integrated to the band's music and overall character so that it sounds perfectly natural. They don't overdo it with the speed which is a wise choice considering the atmosphere they want to create. All in all a very good record and one of the best 'modern' death metal jobs I have heard lately. I quote 'modern' so that no one will thing this is about one of those clinical and plastic abominations that pass as modern death metal. The album is available for free download by the band so all ye beggars can head over here.

Melechesh - The Epigenesis

Melechesh for me have always been a band promising more than they delivered. As time passed and the promises were not fulfilled I learned to take what they were offering never asking for more. Nevertheless it is a pity when a band with potential restricts itself to just good works when they could make great or monumental records. The Epigenesis is not an exception. Ghouls Of Nineveh that starts the record is the best track on it. Founded on a robust slow paced rhythm it develops in a freeform manner that as the song progresses it sounds like a band jamming, free of the restrictions of certain genres of music. Those restrictions appear on the rest of the album when the band tries to match the thrash or black metal rules with the middle eastern/folk elements. When this fucking word ('folk' that is) appears it ruins my whole listening experience and unfortunately Melechesh are often approaching dangerously the borders of folk metal, a genre that I think is more of a caricature than a proper music style. I will always doubt the usefulness of folk interludes or instrumental songs, I will always be negative in the use of traditional instruments in black metal. I have to deal with the fucking bouzouki in my everyday life in this fuckholle that is my home. I don't need it in my black metal.

All in all Melechesh once more didn't deliver what they promised and could. And I'm afraid this time my patience is almost over. I think they could benefit by studying what Weapon and Birch Mountain have done in order to incorporate the eastern element in their music effortlessly and naturally.

AMSG

Prototype

2010-10-08T11:33:00.003+03:00

The end of this month will bring a new EP by Triptykon, a few months after the Eparistera Daimones debut. The EP titled Shatter will contain two new tracks plus the electronic/ambient piece Crucifixus that was the first ever track we ever heard by the band on their fuckspace. It was also the only Triptykon track that flirted with mediocrity. Shatter will also feature two Celtic Frost tracks recorded live. This is a decision I can't really understand. A new chapter in the artistic life of Tom Fischer has started and I don't see the point of recycling what already has been done many years ago.

On the other hand I would never complain about the inclusion of Crucifixus despite its obvious mediocrity compared to the rest of the band's material. I always liked and respected that Fischer doesn't discard songs and ideas with the ease our fast food epoch dictates to. I admire his ability to toy and experiment with pieces that have been in his mind seemingly for ages until they find their perfect form. In that context I consider myself lucky that a couple of years ago I happened to find the 2002 Celtic Frost demo entitled Prototype, that contained the first recordings after the band's reunion. Here we can find the first blueprints and ideas of a band searching its inner self after years of absence never defying its iconoclastic nature. This is not a recording that is meant to be heard as a normal demo. Obviously it was not meant to be heard by none other except the band. It is mostly an experiment as half of the songs have nothing to do with metal. Instead there is trip hop, electronica, ambient and hip hop on a track titled Get Wicked that is based on Procreation of the Wicked. On the (more) metal side there are excellent songs like November that was later transformed to Obscured and included on Monotheist. Same was the case with The Dying I that is none other than Drown in Ashes also from Monotheist and Relinquished Body is featured on Eparistera Daimones reworked as Myopic Empire.

The past has shown that Fisher is one of the few that stick on their ideas working on them, shaping them until they become as they were envisioned. Not a common thing to do nowadays with bands first conceiving the idea of a riff at 10:00 o'clock, recording it at 10:05 and that's it. Then again that's one of the traits of true artists and artists/visionaries are needed today to make a difference in the flood of plain musicians.

Succumb...

Weapon - From the Devil's Tomb

Birch Mountain - Silence Is Complete

Zombiefication - Midnight Stench
Dethroned Christ - Roots of Ancient Evil
Lord Of Doubts - Lord Of Doubts

AMSG

ΕΧΘΡΟΣ

2010-09-28T11:16:00.002+03:00

Algaion is one of the oldest and best swedish black metal bands. They have always been using the greek language in their art, starting with their name itself that derives from the word άλγος meaning pain. This is their fourth release that bears a greek title if we count their two demo tapes (Algaion from 1993 and Heosphoros Ho Proi Anatellon from 1994) and their first full length Oimai Algeiou. The greek connection doesn't stop there or even to the various song titles throughout their existence. Contrary to the norm that dictates that black metal bands (let alone the swedish ones) that wish to add melody to their darkness, should ape Dissection, Algaion choose to use the old greek ways of Rotting Christ, Varathron and Thou Art Lord as inspiration.

Their long absence has resulted to a record that refines all aspects they had shown in the past with masterful handling of atmosphere and rhythm. The furious cover medley of Sign Of Evil Existence / The Era Of Satan Rising blends naturally with the atmosphere of the album and comes as perfect accompaniment of That Time Is Nigh and Theos Tou Aimatos (Blood God in english) that set the atmosphere of the whole album. I could say that Algaion is the best greek black metal band that is not greek and I could mean it as a compliment but I understand that it would actually not do justice to the band. Besides greek bands haven't record such a good death/black metal record for over 15 years now.

Algaion seem to focus quite a lot on the matter of enmity in their lyrics. Εχθρός means enemy, while there are also We Are The Enemy and Ruach Adversi and the recurrent use of of the line 'I am the enemy' on several tracks of the album. Of course there is also the title of their second full length (General Enmity).

So, it is clear. Algaion is your enemy. And you should die a miserable death.

Other small deaths...

Blood Covered - Wrong Direction

Holocaust-The Sounds Of Souls

Witchrist - Beheaded Ouroboros

Butchered

2010-09-24T11:58:00.003+03:00

Never judge a book from its cover. Bullshit. I for one cannot stand a book with a cover that is misleading or not fitting to the content. Of course the importance of the general 'artwork' is next to non existent when talking about books. But what about records? It's often that bad artwork makes me avoid listening to a record especially when talking about black metal. I have debated before about the importance of the image in black metal. It is the image combined with the artwork and the music that create the whole atmosphere that is an integral part of this music. In that context it is often that a cover can draw me to a record without having any idea of its music's value. The artwork can be enough for me to give a chance to a bad and then decide how good it is. Disappointments are not rare in such cases but that doesn't mean that the visual aesthetics of an album are not essential and at least a first indication about about a band's seriousness and philosophy.

There are also plenty of cases that bad artwork appalls me from certain releases or from the whole of a bands' work. I can't think of a better example than Maniac Butcher, a band that the underground deems as 'legendary' but whose record covers and their image could make clowns like Immortal look as serious as college professors. Until recently I hadn't heard not a single song of the band. How could one listen to a band that shows such a band taste (or a complete lack of it) by choosing to cover its work with 'art'work like this? Is it possible that good music could hide behind such hideous visual presentation? Furthermore there is also that legendary status given to the band. Usually the underground appoints such titles with great ease. Bands that exist for many years are automatically 'legends'. Whether this is the superficiality that characterizes the people or just bad use of language, I don't know. A band is legendary when it has to show exquisite work during its years of existence. A band that counts many years of life and nothing more, could be described as stubborn or persistent or plainly annoying in cases of completely worthless bands.

Stubborn could a description fitting to Maniac Butcher. After almost twenty years they managed to make a cover artwork that is half a step above their previous excrement, though it is still badly painted (if at all) and childish. This is their first record I listen to and it is pretty decent black metal but nothing above average. This is a universe away from being the work of a legendary band. Especially when one listens to the new Weapon that is expected soon - and will be possibly the second best black metal record of the year, after Deathspell Omega - the Maniac Butcher LP can become unbearably indifferent.

On a (not so) different matter...What the fuck is wrong with all those so called modern thrash metal bands that are promoted by the mainstream press like Terrorizer and such magazines. Who told them that thrash metal was just about beers, supposedly funny poses and stupid grimaces? Suddenly the world of metal is full of Tankard lookalikes competing about the most stupid pose smiling or laughing like demented imbeciles.

To think that my generation grew up listening to thrash metal and thinking that thrash was Slayer, Exodus, Destruction, Sodom, Razor, Sacrifice, Assassin or Protector and 25 years later seeing this music being degenerated to harmless and mindless fun is a pity. But who are we to judge? Terrorizer knows best. Thrash metal is endless fun just as gothic is the garbage served in this lame insert called Dominion.

Fuck you.

Real butchers...
Procession - The Cult of Disease
Integrity - The Blackest Curse
Dead Congregation - Graves Of The Archangels

Neil Young - Le Noise
Unholy Lust - Taste The Sin Through The Fire

Time...what a sulphur

2010-09-19T10:08:00.004+03:00

Time is precious. The more it passes the more precious it is. Moments are also precious. Some years ago I rarely felt the need to 'capture' moments, either by technical means (cameras and stuff) or by saving moments to my memory and thus to my heart and mind. As time goes by I feel this need more often. I don't know what it is with time and its whole concept that fascinates me but the fact is that I constantly find myself toying with ideas and facts that are relevant with time. The first thing that triggered my interest was some years back when I realized that time can by very relative. I remember the brief talk that me and my (drunk) group of friends had with a 10 year old kid. The kid was talking about a habit he used to have, 'back in the day'. When we asked when exactly this 'back in the day' was he told us that it was seven or eight months before. The general initial response was one of amusement and superficial 'teaching'. Which means a bunch of drunk elders explaining to a kid that eight months is as recent as yesterday. Yet it only took me a moment to realize that the kid was actually right. Or maybe both sides were right. In the life of a ten years old, one year is 10% of his life, which is a lot. In the life of a fifty years old, one year is only 2% of it. So the absolute amount of eight months time was really so much relative. Now that I summarize things I see that it took plenty of alcohol and a small kid to give me a new interest in life.

_____________________________________________

The amount of new music I listen to everyday is threatening to burn me out. I don't know how things came to this point, but when you listen to at least three or four new records a day, your favorite habit becomes a race against...whom? The obvious fact is that the listening of music is superficial to say the least. There's absolutely no time to digest what you listen. The worst thing is that there's no time to listen to some of your favorites. The exact same thing happened to me in the late 90s and resulted to a six years withdrawal from the underground and music in general. So, less is more and I hope I will stick to this decision as I wish to take the full from the records I choose to listen.

The thing is that this is also the problem with the music 'journalists'. (I always thought this term is ridiculous, hence the quotes). No one can write a record review after listening to a record just for a couple of times. I know none will admit doing so but I'm sure that 90% of them don't give more time than this to the records they write about. This also leads to the oversimplified and shallow reviews that plague the underground (and not only) that are plain descriptions of each song. Also the saturation of the scene with worthless and invalid subgenre tags cannot be irrelevant to this phenomenon. The shallow approach to a record leads the 'reviewer' to playing it safe by inventing his own genre like 'depressive ambient blackened doom death metal' in order to include everything he thinks he heard in 40 minutes and that's it.

A brief reference to records I listened to and left a mark on me lately...

StarGazer - A Great Work Of Ages

This is not the first time I refer to one of the greatest death metal bands of the decade. I had praised their first record and I will praise this one even more. This is much more mature and varied and it is also much more focused. It is actually so varied that now that the mainstream is discovering them I expect to read the most ridiculous descriptions a moron can invent. You'll see 'avant garde' or 'jazz' referenced a lot but fear not. This is death METAL with innovation and talent that is brutal as much as it is full of imagination.

Wolfshade - When Above...

This is a french band and their third full length is my first contact with their music. You'll see 'suicidal' or 'shoegazing' and other crap referenced a lot about Wolfshade but fear not. Their black metal is maybe more doom metal at its core emphasizing to atmosphere and creating an aura of mysticism that is calm and relaxing in the outside but there's a sense of danger lurking in its shadows. Occult black metal you imbeciles.

The devil will come...

Grave Miasma - Realm of Evoked Doom

Hallow's Eve - Tales Of Terror

Griftegard/Count Raven - Split

Uriah Heep - Abominog

Hooded Priest - Devil Worship Reckoning

Satan is real...

Religion-spirituality-music

2010-09-08T21:59:00.002+03:00

I had a great interest in religious matters from a very early age. The teaching of the christian religion is obligatory in the whole period of mandatory education in greece, so every kid is subjected to the 'truths' and 'superior' values of it from the age of 6 or 7 until 17. If I remember correct I was probably 12 years old when I started to question the thinks I was being taught. Some time later I started studying religious books other than the christian ones, starting with the coran and expanding to others the following years.

Anyhow, the result of those early, fairly immature attempts to explore religion resulted to a complete anti-religious stance that was obviously helped by the strict orthodox theocratic state greece is and the way it oppresses the ones that think in a different way. This anti-religious thing lasted for several years, although throughout these years I continued studying religious texts of any kind (including magical texts) especially focusing to the dark corners that passed unnoticed at first reading.

Things started changing maybe when I was 30 years old or something. It was the period of my life when Ι couldn't characterize myself as anti-anything. It just seemed a sterile and shallow way of dealing with serious matters. I also realized at some point that I couldn't view at religious matters cutting them out of the spiritual aspect. Most people tend to view religion under the aspect of the organized, distorted form that is prevalent today. Most people also view such matters being influenced by the way the herd face religiousness. Blind faith, fear, total submission, destruction of any sign of self confidence and so on. All these can only lead a thinking person to an anti-religion stance.

Anyhow, the way I see things is different. The fact that the herd sees religious matters in the superficial way it does, does not mean that those matters are really that shallow. Note that where I use the word 'religious' I could as well use the word 'spiritual'. For me spirituality is the very core of religiousness, yet it is usually absent by human belief. I have yet to confront a christian devout or not, that really is a spiritual person. Perhaps this is natural when talking about religions that are made and organized in a certain way, with the goal of attracting the more followers possible. It is also natural since religion is used as a tool to control massive groups of people. But is this religion's true nature? In my opinion the very essence of religion is that of a tool in the service of the individual. It is to be used for his enlightenment and spiritual ascension.

All of the above things considered I now consider myself to be a religious individual. The path on which I walk is obvious by a brief browsing of this little lair. So, sterile anti-christian or anti-religion views does not interest me. Such rhetoric is fitting for imbecile viking wannabees but I am always unpleasantly surprised when I see such reactions coming from smart and thinking people. How can such people ignore the spiritual factor? Does the rejection of religion also mean they reject spirituality?

Some are skeptical about such matters believing in science as the answer to almost everything. But why should spirituality be seen as an answer to anything? I myself am a scientist studying and practicing my science for more than 20 years overall, yet I fail to see where science is against spirituality. The needs those two fulfill are quite different. In that sense does the rejection of religion/spirituality could possibly mean a rejection of ,say, philosophical thinking that is not always grounded on apt scientific proof?

All in all spirituality for me is the tool for soul searching, self improvement and ascension, mind conquering over matter and flesh, establishing balance and communication with the multiverse. Linguistic difficulties force me to stop my rambling here.

To connect all these with my favorite subject of extreme and violent music, it comes as no surprise that bands like Deathspell Omega, Watain and others are often being judged in the most negative manner because of views they have expressed in interviews. I still remember people being pissed off with DsO after this interview. I can understand that a plain metalhead is not the best example of a bright individual, so such things are beyond him. Lines like 'rape the anus of the virgin' and so on are more within such a person's mental ability, while DsO's lyrics are confusing but that doesn't mean that black metal should stay in a condition that suits people of the lower common denominator. Yet, deep inside I am satisfied when I see such bands being criticized for their philosophy even if this comes a result of malicious judgment, as it is a sign that black metal is much more than plain music made for instant consumption or entertainment. On the other hand bands like the aforementioned and some other (Funeral Mist comes first to mind) have made a poor choice of tool for their cause (that tool being metal). The odd mass we use to call metal community has not shown signs of liking intelligent individuals. The surprising thing is when otherwise smart persons choose to reduce a band's spiritual or theological or religious beliefs to a bunch of mumbo jumbo nonsense. This is surprising because I don't expect from a clever man to choose the easy path of mocking the other instead of confronting him.

At the end of the day maybe it is not wise to connect spiritual matters with genres of metal music. The world of metal loves oversimplifications. Blastbeats and tremolo picking make black metal, a simple acoustic passage is folk, a drum machine is industrial, slow pace is doom and so on. Just like that. Just like fucking that. Alas, real music is a living organism much more complex than that. It needs soul, it needs to breath, it demands emotion. Either way it doesn't deserve to be defined in such a shallow manner. It doesn't deserve to be viewed as mere notes in a row.

Hate and suffering for y'all.

This text was written under the company and influence of Esoteric's The Maniacal Vale.

A circle complete

2010-09-06T21:18:00.000+03:00

'Paracletus, the last record of the trilogy, will be released November 8th in Europe.'

No.Ev.Dia.

The most important black metal artists of recent time are going to conclude the year with the final part of the trilogy that started with Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice. Unfortunately the hype around the band has brought a lot of parasites around them that started spreading their stupidity based on the band's new american label. I am ever amazed by seeing how many imbeciles there are around, always ready to drag everything down to their sub-basement level standards.

Best thing they can do is stay the fuck away. There are always comedians like Immortal that are tailored made for them and their mind and spiritual capabilities.

AMSG

...καί άλλον Παράκλητο δώσει υμίν, ίνα μένη μεθ' υμών εις τόν αιώνα

2010-09-04T08:47:00.000+03:00

On November 9, the mysterious, meta-physical, black metal omega lords will unleash their fifth album, "Paracletus".

Cleanse your soul, body and mind.

Amen

Under the influence

2010-08-31T11:13:00.004+03:00

I have never considered myself nor have I ever been a 'metalhead' in the sense that I've never liked plain old heavy metal. I used to find it boring, shallow and definitely not extreme enough for my liking. Plus the fans would best be described as fucking imbeciles. This is more or less my opinion until today.

My interest in music started in early 80's with the post punk bands like Joy Division and Bauhaus and also bands like The Smiths, all three bands that are still some of my favorites. Sometime in 1985 or 1986 I got trapped into thrash metal's web and then it was a path of no return. Death metal, black metal in 1988 and the heavy involvement in the then burgeoning underground strengthened my roots in extreme music for good. When I started listening to thrash metal the only non thrash bands I had heard before were AC/DC and Iron Maiden's Powerslave. This means I still have a fondness for those bands although they are nowhere close to being my favorites.

These thoughts came to me recently when I was reorganizing my record collection. I filed the cds and LPs according to the genre the band belongs (Black metal, death, thrash, doom, martial/industrial, progressive, folk, post rock and so on). It was then that it became obvious that the category with the fewest records (by very very far) was heavy metal. In fact the heavy metals albums I own are so few that I could write all of them without being bored. Brocas Helm's three studio albums, Helstar's Burning Star, In Solitude's self titled debut, Mercyful Fate's, Iron Maiden's and Manilla Road's discographies, Satan's Court in the Act, Ram's Lightbringer and Running Wild's first two. This is pretty much all the heavy metal I can take. These few bands are the exception to the rule of shallow music, stupid lyrics, crappy and happy melodies that characterizes heavy metal. To put it simply it is not dark and brutal enough for me.

I usually don't talk about music when in the company of other people. It was always difficult for me to meet people that would share my extreme and twisted views in music or even my passion for it, so I stopped socializing (with the few persons I do socialize) on the basis of musical tastes. This has also made music a very personal matter for me. When I recently run into an old friend and comrade from almost twenty years back we had a long talk about the underground and 'the old days'. It is unavoidable when you get older to think of the older era as purer, better and in all senses greater than the present. So, we that lived the golden era of the underground in late 80's early 90's find today's situation pathetic. The things I would like to be different are many but what I miss the most are the printed fanzines. This was the purest indication of the fan's commitment and devotion to the scene. This was also the average fan's attempt to be a part of the scene and not just a passive receiver. The rise of the internet has led to a vast explosion of web zines which logically led to a great amount of rubbish being posted online with the internet acting as a huge dumpster that threatens to bury the underground under vast amounts of shit. I find it sad that the best web zines today are in fact indie music sites that give some space to black, death and doom metal. Sad in the sense that I have yet to find a web zine devoted only to said genres and worth even a couple of minutes of my time.

Of course I am not the only nostalgic in the world. This means that printed zines still do exist, even in a smaller scale than before. The problem is that most of those that I happened to read suffer from baby diseases that are unacceptable in our times. What was charming in 1988 is annoying in 2010 at least for me as I am now 39 and have much higher expectations. When talking about an old zine the broken english of both the writer and the band featured were among others a sign of the times. Now I cannot stand a zine written in horrible english to the point were the reader cannot even understand the questions being asked and the answers given. I also cannot stand interviews that are anything but thought provocative. Another common feature of any zine was the overwhelming exaggeration and enthusiasm of the writer that led to the glorification of worthless bands and recordings. This was once bearable as this music was new and pretty much in its shaping so there wasn't really a point of reference and comparison so any exaggeration was excused. That's not the case today though. There are no more virgin ears, everybody is one click away from any music he desires so the last thing one needs is an uneducated shithead from the other side of the world ranting about how great is some demo that is actually worse than a pile of shit.

It is obvious that there are some people that are confused. Making an amateur publication does not equal to making a bad one. Times have changed very much and the needs of the underground today are very different than twenty years ago. An imaginative layout that would not insult the reader's aesthetics, proper use of the language, thoughtful and insight texts, be it interviews or any other text. The only zine I have read meeting the above criteria and many more is Oaken Throne, probably the best music magazine I have ever read.

One great zine (and maybe a couple of others that I didn't happen to read). Can this make a difference?

The accused...
Profanatica - Disgusting Blasphemies Against God
Lucifugum - Xa Heresy
Tortured Spirit - Arkham Sanitarium
The Secret - Disintoxication

Cut your flesh and worship SATAN

Backwards

2010-08-21T12:21:00.005+03:00

Although I don’t have any particular problem with the constant evolution of technology there are some matters were I am extremely ‘old school’. One of them is cars. In general I don’t have any interest in cars. They are just tools that I use to do my job, as it requires pretty long travels. So when it comes to my car I keep things on a basic level. This among other things means minimum electronics, not even a cd player. So the old and faithful cassette player helps me staying in contact with my music roots as it keeps my tape collection useful.

Having to drive many hours due to job obligations normally doesn’t bother me. Except the other day when I forgot to put my tapes back in the car after I washed and cleaned it (after a couple of years). Under the circumstances the radio was the only alternative. Now, I have never been a friend of the radio and I could never share the affection a lot of people show for the medium. I find it to be shallow and with no real meaning. When I want to listen to music I will listen to my cd's instead of waiting from a radio station to play some music that is of my liking. If I want to be aware of what's going on there's always the printed press and the internet.

This basic belief of mine was cemented after hours of torture, wandering among the lady gagas and rihannas of the world and the awful and unbearable popular greek music, during that recent trip of mine. The lack of choice that I confronted was astonishing. Inevitably my mind made the comparisons with the situation many years before.

It was sometime in 1987 when a 16 year old discovered in awe that there was a radio show on the national greek radio that was specializing in extreme underground metal. I would never think there would be any radio station that would cover the music I was listening to, let alone the national radio. Yet, there it was, an hour every Saturday afternoon devoted to raw and brutal thrash and death metal. Back in the day this was the fastest and easiest way to learn about and listen to new releases as mainstream metal press didn't bother about the underground, fanzines were covering new records some months or years later and the internet was not in the people's vocabulary. The show used to present new records in their entirety as soon as they were released. I remember as if it was yesterday some of the LPs featured...Death's Leprosy, Protector's Urm the Mad, Axegrinder's Rise of the Serpent Men, Sacrilege's Within the Prophecy and Turn back Trilobite , Thanatos' Emerging from the Netherworlds and plenty more. The show vanished somewhere in 1990 or 1991 and with it vanished the one and only attempt of the mainstream media to shed light in the underground of metal. Some years later even mainstream metal disappeared from the greek radio as you couldn't even listen to an Iron Maiden song.

This way we come to here and now. As long as I know there are a couple of self proclaimed rock radio stations with a strange idea of what rock music really is. Metal is an unknown word in the cosmos of greek radio, so anyone can guess what is the situation with black and death metal.

The real problem is that this situation is not a result of business decisions or marketing plans made by the stations but it is what comes from the complete setback of the greek society that started from early 90s and continues until today. In today's context it is unthinkable for a radio station to play something like Leprosy, not because there is no audience but because there would be many that would protest if such music was played on air. We the greeks are fucked up, demented and peculiar in many ways. I find it strange that the many problems (mostly economical) the average citizen of this shithole faces in his everyday life for many years now, do not result in rage or anything like that. Instead they lead to a strict conservatism and a stupid turning towards harmless and cheap entertainment that further stupefies them.

The league of extraordinary gentlemen

Thankfully we don't need no radio to point us towards two amazing new records that are the best things I heard lately.

Blood Revolt's Indoctrine is the best example of today's extreme metal. It is not black metal, neither it is death, thrash, doom, war or whatever stupid tag would anyone thing. It is all of the above and many more. 'This is the sniper filing down the pin before picking off innocents, this is the suicide bombers sweaty greasy hand on the ignition, dead bodies piled in the politics of the mass grave. Unforgiving and unrelenting elitism' in the words of A. Averill as spoken in an interview (read it here). It is one of those rare occasions where a band describes exactly its work with no exaggerating or falling into the web of megalomania.

This is by far the most brutal music Averill has put his voice along and his performance is stunning. In the same interview he says 'I’ve never done music this violent or brutal, so I just went back to my roots and the old school vocal performances from the likes of carnivore, holy terror, dark angel, slayer etc. this tight sharp thrash approach'. Picture this and add his talent on performing in a unique theatrical manner (spoken word, narration, melancholic passages) and maybe you'll have an idea.

On the other hand this is the most 'well produced' and professional recording C. Ross and J. Read have ever made and their performance is of the highest caliber. It is not often that a record is as complete as Indoctrine is, both in inspirational/compositional level and in execution.

I would also like to pay my respects to Annthennath's States of Liberating Departure.

The remarkable black metal records of the year have been enough. One of the absolute best is the debut from these frenchmen. Having formed a scene with strong personality to the point of being considered an established force, france now meets its new pretenders to the throne.

The members are all veterans with the most notable being ex Deathspell Omega vocalist and prolific underground figure Shaxul. His period of Deathspell Omega is anything but my favorite as I find it to be mediocre and uninspired both in musical and lyrical/philosophical levels. But I don't like to bite the hand that feeds me, and since I feed on hateful, raw and filthy black metal mostly, States of Liberating Departure is essential.

The guitars are along the lines of the french tradition, but with no fear in adding melody or being more free-form with leads appearing very often. After all, the guitars have all the freedom to do as they wish having the strong backing of the bass which here acts as another lead instrument almost equal to the guitars. Shaxul contributes his strongest performance ever and all these combined with the great cover constitute a work that is a mandatory listen.

Sometimes when reading comments of any kind on whatever subject interests me, I keep notes. Unfortunately it is often that I don't write down were I read each comment either out of laziness or because I am so naive to believe that I will remember the 'source'. Of course after four or five pages in my notebook my memory fails me. Such is the case with a comment I read concerning Nightbringer's Apocalypse Sun. I only remember that it was posted on a greek blog because I remember me translating it in english. In just two lines it summarizes every feeling and thought I have about this record but I could never manage to phrase myself. I quote 'Uncontrolled. Blatant.No outbreak. No emotional charge. No digestible passages. Black, almost not metal. Guitars built to slaughter'.

Amen

Anti

2010-08-13T11:13:00.000+03:00

Villa 21 was an experimental unit for young schizophrenics, established by David Cooper in Shenley Hospital. D. Cooper was a psychiatrist and one of the leaders of the anti-psychiatry movement. He coined the term anti-psychiatry to describe the opposing methods of orthodox psychiatry. Villa 21 was in fact some kind of an anti-hospital running in the confines of a hospital. The unit was run under the principals of Psichiatrica Democratia as opposed to the authoritarian institutions of the time. A good representation of the latter can be seen in S. Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange.

Villa 21 was a greek post punk/new wave band formed in 1981. Adopting their name from Cooper's psychiatric unit and taking musical inspiration from bands like Joy Division, The Cure and early Christian Death they were quite productive from early on.
Their first two LP's (A ghost on the move and Men of clay) were among the lines described above and were arguably the best post punk works ever recorded by a greek band.

Their third LP (Electric poison) marked a departure from their known style and was in fact a garage rock and roll work. I am probably out of my usual field here but this was rock and roll that showed its hairy balls in the most impudent manner. The fourth album (Hellucinations, 1990) completed their turn and humbly but loudly ended their career. Of course as is usual with bands of that kind Villa 21 was quite prolific having also recorded several singles, EP's and songs for compilations.

Although back in the day I was well aware of their existence and had a vague knowledge of their work, I only approached their music in early 90's when I learned that the late Nick 'Flesh' Tagalos (guitarist/vocalist of Sadistic Noise aka the best greek death metal band of all time) had played with them. One way or the other I am glad I did so.

Cursed be thee...

25 Οκτωβρίου 2010

2010-08-12T09:16:00.000+03:00

Only death is real

2010-08-11T12:09:00.002+03:00

One thing that makes me feel optimistic about the near future of the music of darkness is the seemingly endless wave of real death metal bands. I am already fed up by having to use the word 'real' but death metal has suffered in the hands of awful plastic/technical/deathcore/shitcore bands with four or five or more word names.
The genre's decline that started with the coming of the 90's, triggered the birth of the second wave of black metal that came to reinforce the basic foundations on which death metal was created and were abandoned by the bands of that period.
Whether the recent resurfacing of death metal is part of the cyclic resurgence of music genres or a genuine revival caused by the needs of the true underground, remains to be seen. It is probably the former but the important factor here is the great amount of quality bands that deliver outstanding music. Having leaved the golden era of death metal I would even dare say that the quality of those new bands is higher than of those of late 80's early 90's. Of course it is unlikely that we are going to see any classics created by those new bands. The classics are always those that come first and provide the blueprints for those that follow. This doesn't mean that those that follow cannot compete in talent, will and creativity.
Of course many things are yet to be proven as most of the hopefuls are still to the demo stage of their career and the whole thing will show its seriousness in the near future. All the same, the return of death metal in all its glory, filthy, raw, immersed in the swamp of decay, is only to be celebrated.

Whoever is interested in having an idea of the scene back in mid 80's to early 90's shall have a look at the excellent deathmetal.org were he can find a collection of scans from fanzines of that period (go here or fucking die).

Holy Death...
Antediluvian - Under Wing of Asael
Adversarial - Thralls
Disma - The Vault of Membros
Interment - Into The Crypts Of Blasphemy
Vanhelgd - Cult Of Lazarus
Bastard Priest - Merciless Insane Death

May you all die a painful death...

Dirty black summer

2010-07-23T21:25:00.003+03:00

Music to ruin the others' summer nights...

Cultes des Ghoules - Häxan

Here we find some of the darkest and most obscure black metal recorded in recent years. The band captures the real spirit this music should have, reminding me the first cult recordings from late 80's early 90's by such acts as Varathron or Mortuary Drape. Notice that I'm talking about the spirit and the aura, not the actual sound of it. This record is 2 years old. Whoever has the magnificent vinyl version that came out last year is a blessed human.

Verge & Blood Red Fog - Because Its Wrong

Verge is one of the best bands coming from Finland having connections with respectful acts like Saturnian Mist and the great Charnel Winds.

Their part in this split album is a constant dance on the edge that ends successfully. The bands tries to mix traditional prog or psych rock with the ways of black metal. Note that the don't blend the parts but they use them as wholes. Bold and intriguing. Blood Red Fog contribute some of their best songs but Verge are the band that shines here.

Dälek - From Filthy Tongue of Gods and Griots

For those that don't know, this is a hip hop or rap (I can't tell the difference between those) record. Of course it is hip hop in the widest sense of the term as there is much more happening here. Noise sound walls, drones, lyrics that matter and are a universe away from the usual lowlife garbage. This is hip hop for those that hate hip hop and is their first LP released in 2002. If you ever feel like listening to some rap Dälek the only choice.

Big Boss - Doomy Ballads

Root's leader puts aside his usual tools and records some songs that are accurately described by the album's title. Great record for late night in the company of red wine. A lot of names come to mind when listening to this one...Tom Waits, David Bowie, Nick Cave and such. Big Boss proves that his crooning can be up there among the best of the kind. I can even listen to this with my wife and that is not something that happens often. Cheers.

The end of days

2010-07-17T09:19:00.005+03:00

The dream went somehow like this...

In the days of the fire , where the lack of water started the process that leads to the end, the feeble humans were in dismay. As usual, into their desperation they turned to their lord. Great litanies were held throughout the land, begging for mercy and forgiveness that would result to water and rain. That would be the sign that their lord have forgiven them for their disgraceful decline.

And gigantic, dark clouds started to gather all over the land, bearing hope that great showers, that would mean life, were close.

And the miserable humans were joyful to their lord, for he showed his merciful face and granted them life once more.

And there were great litanies in adoration to the lord, where all the imbeciles were taking place to show their love to the lord and to be there when the first drops would start to quench the thirst of the soil.

And the first drops did start to fall on them, only it was not joy what they caused. It was pain so great that the screams of anguish could be heard to the heavens.

And the drops were burning like the flames of hell. And it seemed like the rain was boiling oil or burning acid. Or both combined.

And the feeble humans started to burn like hay in a great flame. And the land was dying its ultimate death. And the birds started to fall like lightning bolts...falling everywhere, on the land, on the gathered masses, on their homes, on the few remaining crops, setting the whole land in flames.

And an angel's trumpet sounded over the agonizing screams. And the humans were given hope that their lord was about to save them. Only when the screaming stopped, they realized that the sound was not a trumpet announcing the coming of legions of angels. It was the rattling of a machine-gun announcing the coming of the primordial chaos. It was the sound of the coming Armageddon.

And the humans started to run in dismay in all directions. And all the animals of the land started to flee in panic. And the great beasts started to step all over the humans and the humans were stepping all over the smaller beasts and smaller humans and women and kids and the elder.

And the great Deceiver smiled somewhere in the thick fog that was arising over the land. The great Lord was indeed more merciful to the herd that their own lord as he ended their miserable lives sparing them the torments it would bring.

And the fire was still coming from the sky, more powerful and merciless, burning everything that was in its way for days and days. Until the end of days came.

And then there were none.

No more details come to mind. I was never good at remembering dreams. I am not even sure it was a dream. Because it could have easily been Ouroboros' Spear of Destiny.

Since I described my dream there is no need to add much concerning the first and long overdue record of one of Australia's finest.

This is war, this is Armageddon, this is the rattling of machine-guns marking the end of all life.

Those who know will be there to harvest the fruits of the panic of the feeble ones running scared.

I think the Great Deceiver would smile proud for what his children have accomplished.

Another work that seems to be worlds afar yet it is too close to Spear of Destiny is the new Godless Rising record.

Entitled Trumpet of Triumph it aims at the same target as Ouroboros only using different ammunition.

This is the sound of death metal played by a power metal guitarist with talent and imagination. The result is so much death metal that leaves no space to any clown, naming the record progressive or experimental or avant garde death metal or whatever.

This is the third full length of a band with close bonds to Vital Remains, only Godless Rising have something to say.

Indulge.

Third and final reference to records that matter is last years Black Future by Vektor.

Thrash metal is not what I normally prefer to listen, especially these days with countless talentless imitators desecrating the corpse of what once was thrash metal. Vektor is not such a case though, as I think that one could hardly find a more talented and fresh band in the genre. With aesthetic and lyrical inspiration from the great Voivod, using the ways of the (also great) Coroner along with some touches of (not so great) american bands and the vocals of early Destruction this is a 78 min album that flows like a mini LP.

Truly inspired and hopeful.

Other stuff to cause wet dreams...
Mountain of Judgement - Mountain of Judgement
Nav' - The Wolf Sun
Inter Arma - Sundown
Necrophile - Dissociated Modernity
Bastard Priest - Merciless Insane Death

AMSG

The devil's rock

2010-07-09T00:21:00.000+03:00

Black metal is the devil's music. So is rock. At least serious rock music. Some examples are included to the following mix.

El Ritual - Satanas

Sabbath Assembly - Hymn Of Consecration

Ghost - Ritual

Sancta Sanctorum - Black sun

Saturnalia Temple - Dreaming Out of Death

The Devil's Blood - Christ or Cocaine

The Moon Mistress - VVitches

Witch - Soul of Fire

Black Widow - Come to the Sabbat

Blood Ceremony - Master of Confusion

Coven - Wicked Woman

Jacula - Soul Satan

As is obvious the music's orientation ranges from rock or psych rock to doom rock or whatever. There are new and there are old songs. The important think is (as always) the lyrical approach of the bands that is utterly satanic. The exception is Sabbath Assembly that worship whatever is available and needs to be worshiped.

Enough said. Use your fucking ears and brains...if there's any.

Lo and behold

List of the accused...

Sabbath Assembly - Restored To One

Procol Harum - Procol Harum

Weeping Birth - A Painting of Raven and Rape

Crucifier - Stronger than Passing Time

Supplicium-Magna Atra Missa

Praise the Lord

Knowledge of the Cause and Effect of Fear

2010-06-30T21:35:00.002+03:00

Free time is very rare for the last month due to job obligations. In times like this my occupation with music becomes twice as important and precious than normally. In addition, there is no interest at all to externalize

any thoughts or feelings.

5 ways to suffer...

Ras Algethi - Oneiricon - The White Hypnotic

Spear of Longinus - Domni Satnasi

Bohemian Grove - Bohemian Grove
Osculum Infame - Quwm
Gevurahel - Un Obscuro Ego Celestial

Die...

Non-sence

2010-06-15T20:17:00.000+03:00

Life inverted
Death inverted
Faith inverted

All is One
Come Holy Death

Loss

2010-06-08T23:21:00.001+03:00

The pain of the loss of a beloved person can melt even the coldest of human hearts. This is a personal matter but I wanted it to remain posted here.
8/6/2010, 21:00
May your soul travel well my beloved woman.
Two coins to cover your eyes...the fare for the boatman.
Never to be forgotten...

Darkness has no boundaries

2010-06-08T12:03:00.004+03:00

What follows is a brief report on the two records I've been listening the most, for the last few days. After the short break during which my inner part that is mostly human prevailed (an indication of this is the previews post) I returned to my usual antisocial and misanthropic form, which is my true nature.
As usual I tried to put to words the emotions that are being triggered when listening to a record. I find this a tough thing to do, especially when not using my mother tongue. I am not a music 'critic'. In fact I despise music critics. I believe that no one can judge a work of art, meaning that it is a creation that reflects the artist's emotions, pains, inner fears and demons...whatever. How can an outsider interfere in the thin line that connects the creator with his art, judging that this note is out of place here or that line shouldn't be on the canvas, is beyond me. Anyway, the web is full of self proclaimed critics that have something to say for everything. Of course the fact that 99% of them are lacking the basic knowledge and competency to even listen to music is a worthless detail in the fast food world of today's music. Here's some news for you, you fucking retards. Making a track by track description like 'the first track starts with the drums moving slowly until 1:47 when a fast riff changes the tempo blah blah blah' is not a fucking record review. All people are born with ears on the sides of their heads. The fact that they don't really use them doesn't mean that they need someone to write music in words instead of notes for them. And what the fuck? What moron listens to music having his eyes on the time counter?
Enough with the stupidity...

Defuntos - Invocação aos Mortos

Lately I have acquired a great respect for Defuntos. This is their latest work and follows the footprints of their earlier records. Totally striped down yet full of sorrow. Don't be fooled, this has nothing to do with the moronic depressive or suicidal clowns.
This is a hymn to Death expressed with the most laconic of the possible ways. A bass, a drum kit, a tongue of death. Can't go wrong .

Watain - Lawless Darkness

The pretentious parasites that dwell in the underground and feed on the unfortunate corpse of black metal have already started to talk bullshit about this record. Just like Funeral Mist's Maranatha, they are trying to reduce rare works of art to their subhuman level, yet they fail to comprehend the essence of art that is dark and of a pure primordial essence.
Works like Lawless Darkness are made for the ones that are able to confront art as a living experience. They are not made to be listened to. They are made to absorb the aware listener to a whirlwind, a chaotic maelstrom that will challenge his very sanity. After all this is why black metal is a religious experience. It is a case of dark emotions prevailing and dominating over any other mundane part that imprisons the spirit.
On a musical level this is one of rare cases of an album that is consisted of real songs (instead of 'tracks') that flow as natural as a river. Let's say the river Acheron. Follow it to it's journey to Hades. And lest not forget that Bathory was black metal as much as Dissection and Mercyful Fate was. This record is a constant reminder of that fact. Watain are the Devil's emissaries to the forefront of today's extreme music. Succumb.

Музыкальный коллектив Петра Налича

2010-05-31T20:19:00.001+03:00

'I've never been clever, because needed never'
Peter Nalitch could be the joker in the king's court, that speaks truths hidden under irony and and a playful mood that makes it difficult for the people to notice them.
My first reaction when I first heard his music was similar to my reaction when I first heard the mighty Pongues many moons ago. That is not to say that it is similar in its very nature, but I think that Nalitch is following a path parallel expressing some similar emotions. Above all those two make me feel the same way when listening to their music and there is an amazing way they can go easily from joyful and festive tunes to melancholic melodies.
I have said before that normally I don't listen to music for fun or to have a good time. Music for me is a tool of manipulation of hidden, primordial instincts. For the rare cases that I listen to music as most of the people do, Peter Nalitch offers more than I would hope to find. There is no classification that would fit this smart russian and his band. Polka, waltz, folk, country, jazz, reggae, easy listening, rock and roll, cabaret, traditional russian music and plenty other styles that I can't remember now, all blend in a clever way that play with the listener in weird ways.
To make it short, this is what I would rather listen to, to have fun when having a drink instead of the z rated imbecile that thinks that discovered thrash metal thirty years after its inception. If you're not the typical metal chimp I would recommend Peter Nalitch for your listening pleasure. Additionally he gives his music for free through his web site.

Finally...yes, Peter Nalitch participated in the circus that is the eurovision song contest and I have no problem with that. Contrary to my opinion on the Gay of Kalessin's attempt to do the same. It may seem strange that I find it ok for an artist I like, to participate in a trash contest while I am negative in the case of a band I always disliked. There are vast differences to the two cases, though. The pretty boys from norway, coming from a seemingly different area did what they had to do in order to fit in. Peter Nalitch was just himself. For the superficial viewer, that is the normal person that watches such programs, he wasn't far away from the general climate of the show, although in reality he was oceans apart. That is because he was getting under the radar...no weird cloths, no weird hair, nothing extreme in the presentation. Most of the fagots were either bored or didn't notice him. Superficial assholes cannot trace the mockery that is hidden under Nalitch's music surface. On the other hand, had the vikings with the eye liner been there, they would fit in the contest like a glove. Or better like a pantyhose.

Other sonic manipulators that matter...
Kkoagulaa - Aurum Nostrum non est Aurum Vulgi
Veil of Thorns - Manifestation Objective and Necrofuturist
Sleepchamber - Satanic Sanction
Menace Ruine - Union of Irreconcilables
Castevet - Mounds Of Ash
Dom Dracul - Attack On The Crucified

AMSG

Je ne suis pas

2010-05-30T12:09:00.000+03:00

Notes by luck

2010-05-22T21:37:00.006+03:00

It has taken me more than 19 months but I am now very close to completing the digitization of my music collection. I am all for the physical formats of music media but I am also not so much of a technophobic. MP3s bear the seven plagues of the pharaohs but they are much more practical and easy to be filed. I will always be a fun of tapes and vinyl or even the (once demonized) cd but every record I own is going to be converted to mp3 and stored to my pc.

Furthermore, I believe that music should be listened to as a whole work. That means I always listen to albums as a whole and not to random scattered tracks. Last night my demons payed their respects to me, once more. That means no sleep throughout all night. Wine and smokes were a nice company. I also turned winamp's shuffle on to see what will come out of the random track reproduction from almost three thousand albums. Wine and smokes and music I love but picked and played at random by the machine. I wrote down the tracks that were played. I can hear those 'who the fuck cares' little voices in my head but you can die a horrible death. Besides the vast majority of the visitors of my lair are still leeches looking for downloads. So they will be treated as intruders. In that context it is entertaining to namedrop artists and albums and hope that google will bring them to my claws, hoping to find a download. Sometimes the idea of wasting a lowlifes worthless time is irresistible.

Anyway this is what my faithful computer chose for me...

Foscor - 'Till Water Mirrors Could Not See from Groans To The Guilty
Master's Hammer - Duše Nesmrtelných from Finished demo
The Wizar'd - The Devil In the Woods from Follow the Wizard
Graveland - The Forest Nemeton from Drunemeton demo
The Wounded Kings - The Private Labyrinth from Embrace of the Narrow House
The Vibrators - I Kissed A Girl from Pure Punk
Slough Feg - The Return Of Dr. Universe from Hardworlder
Sunny Baltzi & Santa Fila - Στο αδειο μου πακετο from Jet Lag
Corpus Christii - The Wanderer from Rising
Altar of Plagues - I am the Offering from Through the cracks of the earth
Umbra Nihil - The Sign Of Death from The Borderland Rituals
Antigama - Nightmare from Warning
Blood of Kingu - Mummu Tiamat from De Occulta Philosophia

Abruptum - Icendio Fulminis Tecis from Hextum Galaem Zeloq

Miles Davis - Blue in Green from Kind Of Blue (50th Anniversary Collectors Edition)
Silencer - I shall Lead you shall Follow from Death pierce me
Master Musicians Of Bukkake - Pipestone Octopus With Horseheart from The Visible Sign of the Invisible Order
Bolt Thrower - As The World Burns from For Victory
Matt Elliott - Trying To Explain from Drinking Songs
Pink Floyd - Run Like Hell from Delicate Sound of Thunder
Danzig - Black Mass from Danzig 777 - I Luciferi
Ψ.Χ. - Στα χέρια της Μόρας

The arrival of the Morning...finally.
Satanic blesses.

Mortuary Drape

2010-05-21T21:05:00.000+03:00

The plague of youtube is plaguing the modern digital world. Once in a while though comes a jewel that makes all the junk one will meet on said site seem like trials that have to be passed in order to find the hidden treasure.

One of these rare occasions is an old live concert dating back to 1990, where the extremely important italian godfathers Mortuary Drape are conducting a ceremony that puts to shame today's bands. The relatively few views that appear on the youtube view counter, is but one more proof that the internet black metal kiddies are complete imbeciles, stuck to the usual clowns like Immortal and unworthy of what they are being offered.

The bad quality of the recording adds a totally otherworldly atmosphere to this document that fits the music and the performance reminding me those cult 70's occult themed b-movies, that I love so much. This is a gift to the elders that would appreciate it. The rest can go fuck themselves or listen to Keep of Kalessin.

The dark path is there for the worthy to follow.

The horny and the horned

2010-05-17T20:58:00.002+03:00

Watain are soon to unleash their fourth spell and I am catching myself to be in great and unusual anticipation. Usually I am fairly relaxed when expecting a new release, no matter how important the artist or band is for me. Of course there are often many works that I'm looking forward listening to, but it's not like I'm counting the days until the release date.The obvious exceptions to the rule are Deathspell Omega and Celtic Frost (then) and Triptykon (now), at least within the general black metal field. And now Watain. The talent and devotion of the band is only to be admired and never questioned. The way the band is handling its transition from the underground to the more exposed field of general extreme music is also commendable. The cases of artists that are breaking the shell and protected environment of the underground and are still sincere and not compromised are so few, that are making Watain's case even more interesting. In fact Watain's success acts as an experiment. Can a band be popular while still maintaining it's artistic integrity, strict faith to its ideals and stay focused to its cause? So far the results are feeding my high hopes.
I heard the Reaping Death single and recently preordered the limited edition of Lawless Darkness and my eagerness and curiosity is ever growing. One can never draw any conclusion from listening to a 7'' single containing only one new song. So I will not attempt to voice any opinion on what I think the album will be based on Reaping Death. I also will not take under consideration the first reviews of those that have heard the album, as the opinions of others does not interest me. I will only comment on the choice of the two covers the band opted to record. The spirit of Bathory was always present in Watain's music. I just hope that the spirit of Death SS will poison the well of the band's inspiration for good. This will be a great thing to happen. I am also curious of Carl McCoy's participation on one track of the album. The omens are showing that horrible things are upon us. Feeble humans take heed.

Moving to the exact opposite side...

On the lighter side of things, everyone's favorite gay metal boys Keep of Kalessin have a new record out. Their hair are looking great as always so I see no reason why the album should not be a masterpiss of fagot music. It's hilarious though that the general borders of the so called extreme metal (ha) can host bands that refuse to compromise like Watain and pitiful stains like the above pictured abomination.

Tearing Kalessin's anus...
Anatomia - Dissected Humanity
Axis of Advance - Strike
Quinta Essentia - Archetypal Transformation
Damaar - Triumph Through Spears of Sacrilege
Nightbringer - Apocalypse Sun
Talking Heads - Little Creatures
Dinner auf Uranos - 50 Sommer-50 Winter

American hell

2010-05-16T11:51:00.000+03:00

USA has always been a land that raised debate considering its black metal bands, their quality and their capability of performing within an art form that needs philosophical, spiritual and cultural depth, that is unlikely to be found in America. My opinion has always been that what matters, is first and foremost the persons that create the music. The geographical origins of the bands can be an abstract and vague index of the factors mentioned above but in no way is a crucial factor that disables or enhances a band's ability to perform great black and death metal. Talent is not in the water or milk one drinks when growing up, while an individual can study wherever in the world he is.

I decided to compile some tracks from bands from the states that I happen to have in my collection and I think are indicative of the quality one can find if he scratches the surface or has the passion to dig a little deeper. My first decision was to stick to totally underground and mainly unknown artists but then I thought that I couldn't leave outside some of the most symbolic bands that shaped or are still shaping the character of today's american black and death metal. Ludicra, Von and Grand Belial's Key could not be left out.
Dispirit that start the proceedings is the new bm band formed by John Gossard of the legendary Weakling and the even better doom cult The Gault. I opted to begin with Dispirit and Ludicra as they are perfect examples of a sound that is totally america's own. After that, things become more obscure and evil. I had to skip a handful of talented acts as I didn't want the duration to be more than two hours (which is already long enough).
When talking about the underground of art forms that are already underground by their very nature, one has to dig with his bare hands in order to find hidden treasures. Those that are afraid to scratch their fingers should stick to the junk they are being served.

Track list

01.Dispirit - Bitumen Amnii

02. Ludicra - Let Thirst the Soil

03. Acheronian Dirge - Babylon

04. Black Goat - Song of dead souls

05. Bosse de Nage - Marie Pisses Upon the Count

06. Castevet - Stones

07. Fog - The Leech Within

08. Grand Belial's Key - Son Of The Black Ram

09. Ipsisimus - The First Secret Of Fatima

10. Midnight - All Hail Hell

11. Savnock - I

12. Spiculum Iratus - The Miracle Of Malignity

13. Von - Watain

14. Yamatu - Of Blood and Stone...

15. Imynvokad - Union With The Blood Of The Moon

16. Vpaahsalbrox - The Flesh I have Given You

17. Cult of Daath - Inhuman Sacrifice

18. Tjolgtjar - The Second Key - Mysterion

19. Unholy Goatfucker - Oaken Gallows, Shroud of Snow

20. Sperm of Antichrist - A Pact In Stone And Skin

21. Nocturnal Blood - Masochistic doom

I Hope You DIE

AMSG

Sun of the Apocalypse

2010-05-13T20:42:00.000+03:00

'Death and the Black Work' was a record of monstrous proportions. Especially the vinyl edition was a complete masterpiece of occult black metal whose greatness is tough to be fully appreciated even until now, eighteen months after its release. Added to the album's charm was the mystery that was caused by the fact that it went clandestine for a long period of time. Several months passed until the mob took notice that there was something truly important happening right under their useless noses.
On the contrary, "Apocalypse Sun' is anticipated by any imbecile that things that understands what is going on in works like Nightbringer's ones. The record is just out and is already uploaded on countless 'blogs', for every beggar to download. Some would say that it is a reward for any talented band, its music to be exposed to wider audiences (even within the underground). I would say that pearls should not be wasted on swines.
Besides the vast majority of the 'fearless trve internet black metal warriors' was raised with the impression that the sun is the 'enemy'. Hopefully Nightbringer's sun will blind every uneducated half human that dares face it.

The first samples of the record, made available a couple of months ago, were showing that the band chose to follow a different path, to reach the same end. When I have the record and after the proper study, I will express my opinion. Until then...

...A thousand curses to y'all.

The One

2010-05-09T09:33:00.001+03:00

The usefulness of live concert in the field of black metal is a debatable matter. My opinion is that black metal is not a music genre to be performed live, at least within the stupid and superficial 'rock' or 'metal' context.
One exception to the rule is one man band The One. I think that any band that feels they cannot do without playing live, should study a concert of The One. They play as a duo, presenting a freeform interpretation of the songs as they are recorded on cd, the visual result being in perfect accordance with the spirit of the music. All in all this is the definition of a black metal live show (or ritual as many bands call it flattering themselves). Dark, mesmerizing and acting as an alternative execution of the records. Not for the drunk imbecile headbanger.

AVE

Playlist for the fiery days (All shall burn)

2010-05-06T22:19:00.001+03:00

Killing Joke - Hosannas From The Basement Of Hell

This is, for me, the most important industrial record. Bear in mind that this is nothing more than the opinion of a listener not particularly familiar with the genre. Which means that this is just my favorite industrial record. I chose to write 'important' in the beginning cause it makes me feel exactly this way.
If I cared about the subhumans surrounding me I would advice them to start exploring this kind of music from this album. But I don't care.

Ascension - With Burning Tongues

I heard the best about this band by people whose taste and instinct in music I trust almost blindly. I'm glad to see that they reaffirmed my trust.
This is the best black metal I heard for the last months. There have been three weeks now, since I got the tape, and it's almost melted after its extended use.
Easily the best new band that has emerged in recent years.

Chaos Invocation - In Bloodline With the Snake

Similar in sound and spirit with Ascension, only just half a step below in quality. I don't like to categorize bands according to their geographical origin but Chaos Invocation come from Germany (like Ascension) and considering a couple of other new and talented bands coming aus Deutschland, it seems that the country is restoring its bond with the dark side.
About time.

Mystérion - The Sacral Chamber

Third band coming from Germany. A strange case this is indeed. They bear nothing new in this EP. Everything there is to be found here, has been done before and probably in a better way. Yet the overall result is haunting, appealing and masterfully crafted. They obviously worship in the temple of Watain and other orthodox deities but they do it respectfully.
In a way the three last bands serve to soften my disappointment after the last Ondskapt record. The dark will not run out of servants.

Flames of Hell - Fire and Steel

This is retro in all senses of the word. They are from Iceland and are a really old band. This LP is from 1987 and is their only release if I am not mistaken.
Thrash/black/heavy metal raw and filthy, a perfect substitute for those who hate Venom (like myself).
The flood of old school imitators and clowns is destroying every last sign of inspiration and freshness. Better go for the real thing.

Ramesses - Take the Curse

I loved their debut. This one is even better and this was a tough task to accomplish. Raw and sludgy, sulfurous doom that reeks of graveyard mud. The ones that won't hesitate to dive in it, will be greatly rewarded.

'From beyond the borders of the universe
From the core of your heart
The devil speaks with burning tongues'
AMEN.

The past is alive, the present dies

2010-05-02T11:50:00.000+03:00

This fucking shithole the bad luck has sent me to live in, is in the toughest times of its modern history. 1800 years of unworthy maggots living as parasites on the corpse of an ever dying country, worthless leaders, even more unworthy imbecile followers constitute 99% of today's population of greece. The coming doom was obvious for many years now. But blind and retarded folk cannot see beyond the next minute of its life. Let's see how they'll come out of the ruins.

On the same time the far past of this place manages to come forth in unexpected ways.
Some person decides to dig his property, that happens to be next to my place, in order to build a house. What comes to light is what remained of an ancient cemetery. The archeologists are yet to define the exact age of the findings but the remnants of a woman's body that was possibly murdered (as the skull is fractured) and a couple's skeletons are lying in the open among other findings. The modern leeches have come to destruct their rest.

Then, the people that are supposed to preserve any such findings (and are supposedly scientists) leave the scene as you see it in the pictures I took, covered with nylon shits with stones on the corners and go away for the weekend. The dead have no dignity (so they think) and they can wait. The weekend cannot.

Hate and curses to y'all...
Mystérion - The Sacral Chamber
Argharus - Pleistas
Nihil Nocturne - Wahnsinn.Tod.Verrat
Ramesses - Take the Curse
Valborg - Crown of Sorrow
Birushanah - Akai Yami
Rex Mundi - IHVH

ΩΣ ΘΕΟΙ ΕΣΕΣΘΕ

2010-04-27T10:36:00.001+03:00

The light of Lucifer is a light burning severely.
The light of Lucifer is blinding.
Icarus failed and fell. The light of Lucifer is punishing for those who are arrogant.
It is also rewarding for those who dare to defy human spiritual boundaries.
Knowledge is power...it is also a dangerous tool in the hands of the unworthy.
Dangerous for the unworthy himself.
Kill yourselves you fucking pigs.
This shall be the only catharsis.

Drink the Devil's Blood

AMSG

The revelation of doom

2010-04-23T11:49:00.000+03:00

'Tis one of those times were you have to shut up and feel.

Satan bless thee.

Alor Mal Ki

2010-04-23T08:21:00.002+03:00

Chaos inverted in glorious fulfillment. A revival from the stars.
Concsiousness manifested by the inner eye,
as a glimpse of truth behind all life.
Reflecting the nightmares of my waking shell. Blinded only by a mask.
A face that no one remembers.

Alor mal ki
Place your visions in me!

Insomnia...again

2010-04-19T23:59:00.002+03:00

Another sleepless night gave me the opportunity to dig into my rusty record collection and remember some old favorites. I pity my neighbors. Not really, I don't...fuck them.

Anarchus - Final Fall of the Gods

If I had to listen to just one grindcore band these mexicans would be my choice. Fucking hateful grind guaranteed to make your ears bleed. They were one of the great sensations of the underground in early 90's. Each and every one of their recordings is recommended.

Septicemia - Sabbath Conventions

Greek occult death metal band that is not widely known, unlike many other bands that are not half as good as Septicemia were. This EP is from 1993 if I am not mistaken. A great work.

Merciless - The Awakening

The first release of Euronymous' Deathlike Silence this is deathrash of the highest quality. Whoever doesn't know of this record is on the wrong page. Monumental.

Pentagram - Fatal Prediction / Demoniac Possession

The latin americans have a unique way to play thrash/black metal. Darkness, violence, Satan and death.
Fuck you and goodnight.

Too old, too cold

2010-04-18T06:40:00.001+03:00

Darkthrone's influence in the shaping of black metal post 1990 is more than obvious. Probably the most influential band to ever emerge from norway, even though they were never the best one. I have been following them since their demo days as they were trying to find their way by becoming a more and more technical death metal force with a strong occult foundation. The Soulside Journey debut is one of the best death metal records ever made. Then came the transformation that was sealed with the famous and unfortunately overhyped 'trilogy' of A Blaze in the Northern Sky, Under a Funeral Moon and Transilvanian Hunger. Important records for sure, that triggered the instant flow of dozens of imbecile copycats that had completely mistaken Darkthrone's lo fi primitiveness with musical incompetency.
I have to admit that the present incarnation of the band still leaves me indecisive. Of course everyone is willing to give them credit for doing whatever the fuck they want. For me this is not a big deal as this should be the norm and I'm not into congratulating anyone for doing what he is supposed to do. Their new record is fun to listen to. It's metal, it's punk, it has memorable songs. A pity that I don't listen to music for fun.

Seriously damaged by...
Merciless - The Awakening
Phlegethon - Drifting In The Crypt
Black Hole - Land Of Mystery
Cathedral - The Guessing Game
Orcivus - Est Deus in Nobis

AMSG

It's this time of the year again...

2010-04-01T21:38:00.008+03:00

...The lamp is on the cross...rejoice.

Two records that are a perfect medicine in order to keep sane these days...

Twilight - Monument To Time End

I downloaded it. I loved it. I'm definitely going to purchase it. Much better and more complete than the first album, probably owing a lot to the more diverse line up.For example I like the idea of Isis' Aaron Turner playing black metal (in the widest sense of the term). I like the result even more. This is one of the rare occasions where although the musical outcome is a mix of so much different ingredients (Leviathan, Nachtmystium, Isis, Krieg, The Atlas Moth, Minsk) it is so masterfully crafted that makes perfect sense. Dark, raw, unsettling, psychedelic...All is one.
Respect.

Why Angels Fall - The Unveiling

Excellent esoteric doom. It is also in accordance with the christian grief of these easter days, so your neighbor cannot complain. Not much to say. This is music to be felt, not to talk about. Two really long tracks that if experienced correctly will drag you along and will not let you breath before the journey is over, after 78 minutes. I was mesmerized to the point where minor faults did not matter. I can't even remember them...except the clumsily pronounced ancient greek (an excerpt of the gospel according to John) in the beginning of Neo Genesis. Every mistake here is overshadowed by the sheer magnificence of this work.

Εν αρχή ην ο Λόγος...indeed.
________________________________________________________

I was thinking of Celtic Frost's Cold Lake the other day. For me this is the most embarrassing moment in the career of the most important extreme band just because it is mediocre. Not because of its musical direction, not because of the image they had adopted not because of anything else than its complete incompetence to be the worthy successor of a monument like Into the Pandemonium.
All these said I really wish that people would stop calling Cold Lake a glam record. I know, most of the people are imbeciles that listen to music using their eyes more than their ears and soul. The image of the band back then had a lot to do with glam but had Cold Lake been a glam record, Megadeth would be something like Poison. And I don't mean the german Poison.

I leave you with a video to celebrate the death of the lamb...if the bad sound quality annoys you, you can go fuck yourself. Ears must bleed.

AMSG

Rising from the ashes is postponed

2010-03-24T21:31:00.002+02:00

The past few days have been an overwhelming trip in the world of Eparistera Daimones, so little time was left for other new records. And indeed, there have been a lot of new interesting releases within the field of music I like. Of course the heavy shadow of Triptykon's debut is cast upon any other piece of music I'm going to listen for the near future, nevertheless I will try to comment on my impressions on some of the records I've listened recently.

Starting with Onskapt's third album Arisen from the Ashes that marks the return of one of the most symbolic bands of the genre. In my opinion Ondskapt's best release so far has been their first full length Draco Sit Mihi Dux. A record draped deep in otherworldly occult darkness, one of the absolute masterpieces of the era of black metal's renaissance (what people like to name orthodox black metal). Dödens Evangelium that followed was another great record that helped establish the unique trademark Ondskapt atmosphere but was maybe slightly less impressive than the debut as it was less focused and there were some interludes that I could live without.
As for the new record... Deep in the vein of Dödens Evangelium but adding little to nothing to the band's legacy as it lacks the inspiration that was so much evident on the first two records. I don't know if Arisen from the Ashes is so much a mediocre record or it is the fact that I had much higher expectations that makes it feel this way. The fact is that the total attack that started a couple of years ago from the leading bands of our times (with the releases of Deathspell Omega, Funeral Mist and Ofermod) meets here its first major disappointment. Come to think about it Ondskapt have now three full lengths out, every 'new' one being slightly worse than its predecessor. This cannot be a good omen of things to come. A real pity.

Thankfully Orcivus' second full length Est Deus in Nobis is a completely different case. Actually things with this one were the exact opposite of Ondskapt's case. Est Deus in Nobis came as a surprise to me. I had mixed feelings about the bands debut Consummatum Est. I really couldn't decide whether I was confronting a band that was devoted to the cause, or one that jumped the bandwagon of Orthodoxy that was so popular especially among the swedish bands. After the new album I am leaning towards the former. Est Deus in Nobis is a piece of quality black metal, several steps up from their debut. Nothing new and innovative here, just pure and negative black metal energy. That's all that's needed. A band to watch in the future.

AMSG

All the demons are here...at last

2010-03-20T12:25:00.002+02:00

Question No 1
How often is the case when one can connect with a work of art, to the point of feeling one with its creator or feeling that this piece of art was made especially for him? The way I see things this is an extremely rare case. I know there are plenty of people that believe they have felt like this, but I happen to know that this is just a misconception. They just THINK they feel the connection with a work of art, regardless the field of art. In reality though, the average person is much too shallow to be able to establish a true spiritual bond with a work created by someone else.
Me, I always felt a strong attraction, a strange familiarity with Celtic Frosts music, be it the raw first recordings or the more sophisticated and abstract records like 'To Mega Therion' or 'Into the Pandemonium'. I don't know if I'm mistaken but I always viewed CF as Tom Gabriel's band and work, as the incarnation of his dreams, pains and desires. I used to feel that my growing up had certain parallels with C.F.'s path to maturity. From the brutal, clumsy or even naive first steps of 'Morbid Tales' and 'Emperor's Return', to the adulthood and the thoughtfulness of 'Mega Therion' and 'Pandemonium', from the occasional mistakes and failures that life forces you into (Cold Lake) to the attempt to get back on your knees (Vanity/Nemesis). All these are the stages one has to go through in order to rich the ultimate stage of absolute triumph, that in CF's case came with the monstrous 'Monotheist'.

'Monotheist' marked the end of an era, the completion of the circle. It was also the best record of the past decade (to say the least). 'Eparistera Daimones' starts a new era, a new circle. It is also possible that it will be the present decade's best record...that is except Triptykon's next works are going to surpass it. Which is not going to be an easy task. It is more than obvious that Triptykon is not just the continuation of Celtic Frost. It is more like a new incarnation. In that context I wouldn't view 'Eparistera Daimones' as a band's first album but rather as the next logical step after 'Monotheist'.

Question No 2
How common is a case of an artist that created monumental works of art in mid 80's, to surpass his own works 25 years later? I can't really think of no other except Tom Gabriel, at least when talking about music.
I wouldn't like to expand so much on the new record. I'm more interested in expressing the feelings it provokes to me. As was always the case with Celtic Frost, 'Eparistera Daimones' is also a work that I feel it to be extremely close to my soul. A colossal creation that I feel totally connected with. I feel that I am related with every single note, every guitar chord, every beating of the skins, every scream and whisper, every word that is spoken. I can hardly describe the painful experience that is 'Eparistera Daimones'. It feels like a vast amount of dark mud that drowns me. There is no way out, no escape. From time to time, the band offers me a glimpse of hope, they throw me a rope to grab just to cut it off seconds later and drown me deeper in the mud. A painful journey that reaches its climax with the way most proper, the unbelievable 'The Prolonging' which is like the whole album condensed into 19 minutes. It would be pointless to relate the record with 'Monotheist'. It would be pointless to relate with anything else at all. 'Eparistera Daimones' is a holistic work of total art, it is the whole cosmos, it is all that matters. It is a work I don't want to share with nobody, that makes me wish I owned the only copy and bury it deep in the earth so that no unworthy and filthy hands and ears would ruin it. This is TOTAL DARKNESS.

Damn you Tom Fischer...how much more pain will you cause me...

PS. Respect and regards from the most dark corners of my soul to Joe and his record shop that provided me with a promotional copy of the cd. The time would not come soon enough.

Mixtape - The Serpent's Gospel

2010-03-14T14:05:00.000+02:00

I have been posting brief play-lists of music I listen to at any given time, very frequently. I made a mixed cd with some bands that I find amazing and have been in constant rotation on my player. Some are new, some are old. I thought of uploading it.
Whoever is interested may proceed. Sonic torture is guaranteed.

01. Shub Niggurath - The Only One Astral Being

02. Kako Daimon-Black Serpent Enthroned

03. Cathedral Stivhet - From the Altar Hordes

04. Ascension - With Burning Tongues

05. Adorior - Split A Lamb

06. Hacavitz - Ye Paran Eojtocomol

07. Nyseius - Et au Fin Fond du Gouffre repose mon Sang

08. Burial Invocation - Through the Void of Obscurity

09. Demoncy - Joined in Darkness

10. Daäth Shadow - Servant of Lucifer

11. Storm Legion - Spears Of Eternity / The Great Cycle

12. Goat Penis - Chaos Dominium

13. Dødsengel - Evocation of Amezarak

14. Charnel Winds - Chained Kumâra

15. Havohej - Melancholike

Serve the cause or die

Hosannas from the depths of the Abyss

2010-03-12T20:06:00.001+02:00

This year seems to be a crucial one for the music of the Dark side. The Kali Yuga is about to be completed.
AMEN

Blood and snow

2010-03-09T10:23:00.001+02:00

The southern winds brought a great amount of dust from africa the past days. On top of that, there was a vast snowstorm two nights ago. This is not a usual thing considering it's almost mid March and the weather was hot three days before. Having to drive at 3:00 am during the snowstorm, being completely unprepared for such weather conditions, was a tough but also enjoyable thing to do.
The strangest thing though, came to light in the morning. A snowfilled landscape that was more red than white like the snow brought down heaven's blood.
Damn you africa...you and your dust.

Check the latest interview by Tom Gabriel here.

More blood...from bleeding ears
Hacavitz - Meztli Obscura
Daath Shadow - Crowns For Kings
Vasaeleth - Crypt Born & Tethered To Ruin
Valkyrja - Contamination
The Wandering Midget - I Am The Gate
Fides Inversa - Hanc Aciem Sola Retundit Virtus (The Algolagnia Divine)

Demons of the left side

2010-03-04T19:34:00.004+02:00

The dark side is preparing to welcome its whorthiest son.
Once more.

Senses Occupied

2010-03-03T22:28:00.002+02:00

Fides Inversa - Hanc Aciem Sola Retundit Virtus
(The Algolagnia Divine)

Rising of Yog Sothoth - Tribute to Thergothon

Cosmic Death - Transfiguration Black

Xaxakes - Το valse των ελαφιών

7 inches of shivering

2010-02-27T07:53:00.000+02:00

I remember I used to love 7'' EPs. They were collectables, they were a more sophisticated and charming way of introducing a band's work than a demo, they were limited. In general the whole thing showed devotion and that deserves to be rewarded. My interest in collecting 7''s lasted until late 90's. It was then, that my interest and active involvement with the underground came to an end. These days I don't really care so much about such things. Maybe it is because although my interest for the underground is rejuvenated, there is no active involvement. There is no time nor will to pursue little gems, like it used to be.
Trying to rearrange my record collection the other day, I found some of those 7'' little records that I haven't seen for quite some time. Three or four of them were of special importance for me, for various different reasons.

Morbid Angel - Thy Kingdom Come

This was made for distribution with Splattermaniac zine and contained two of the tracks from the demo with the same title. I remember I first heard it on a tape copy somewhere around 1989 and I was searching for the original pressing for some years after. I only obtained it in 1995 when a guy that had lost interest in death metal accepted to trade it asking me Monumentum's In Absentia Christi (basically a lazy guy that was bored of going to the record shop and buy a copy of his own).

Thy Kingdom Come is one of Morbid Angels three best songs and on this 7'' it is far superior than on the remake on Blessed are the Sick.

Asphyx - Mutilating Process

I followed Asphyx since their second demo tape (Enter the Domain). Especially the Crush the Cenotaph tape was an amazing work of doom-death that had me crushed. It didn't warn me though about the majesty that was the Mutilating Process EP. It is still my favourite Asphyx recording, a haunting, heavy as fuck and more compact than a wall of steel attack that makes me feel sorry for the ones that never heard it.

Thou Art Lord / Ancient Rites split

A nice little disk that had me charmed from the first glance, mainly due to the occult aesthetic. A classic Thou Art Lord track on one side, Ancient Rites on their most dark and occult incarnation on the other. This is blessed by Satan.

There are several more 7'' records that are important to me. Maybe I shall return to the subject soon. Maybe not. You don't care but I don't mind either.

AMSG

Clarifications

2010-02-25T12:37:00.002+02:00

I was speaking with a friend of mine the other day and he told me that he thought I misjudged Burzum's record. As I believe he is not the only one, I will take the opportunity to clear some things about this little blog.

First of all I am no judge so I cannot misjudge anything. I just post my opinion and for the specific record I think it is no better than any average black metal album one can listen to, today. It's not bad. It is just mediocre...which is worse than bad.

Furthermore this is not a page that claims to be any fucking webzine. I hate WEBzines. Give me a printed fanzine anytime. I am not a journalist so my opinion has not any importance of such nature. I have no relationship with no record labels, so all the music I write about is cds or lps that I have purchased myself. Nothing is given to me for free.

All in all this is just a personal space I use in order to get certain things out of my system and to express my feelings about music mainly. The opinion of others is of no importance to me. Exchange of opinions does not interest me, hence the absence of the comments feature. In all honesty I hope this blog continues to stay out of the radar of the masses. I don't have any desire for many visitors. I am antisocial by nature and I don't think highly of the majority of humans, so the lesser the better.

I hope this clears things up.

PS: I see that my 'favourite' Terrorizer magazine features Burzum (again) on the cover of the last issue. It seems that boycott and censorship of 'suspiciously' fascist artists is important but not as important as the urge to sell some copies more. It's perfectly understandable...we are living in times of economical crisis after all. You can censor an underground band like Italy's Janus and don't harm your sales. But a high profile band like Burzum is a totally different case. Well done.

Sounds...

Vorkreist - Sickness Sovereign

Vesaeleth - Crypt Born & Tethered To Ruin
Darkthrone - Sardonic Wrath
Master's Hammer - Mantras

Words...
Julius Evola - Metafisica del Sesso

I hope you Die...

Time for the false myths to end

2010-02-20T20:51:00.001+02:00

Arguably Burzum have been an important part of the second wave of black metal both in terms of music and general behaviour. As long as the music goes, Burzum was never one of my favourites - not even close. There's no denying though that the guy had started a sub category of black metal all by himself. His beliefs and behaviour though is another debate. As much as I enjoyed the mind games he was playing with the mainstream press in the mid 90's, there's no doubt that it's a moron we're talking about. And as is usually the case, a moron is often being idolized and followed by complete imbeciles, making things even worse. Rest assured that my scepticism about his views and beliefs are of no ethical nature. It is just that they lack any intelligence and basic knowledge of history and philosophy.

The new record is soon to be released and the hype is growing stronger every day. Of course it has leaked to the internet and I sadly succumbed to my curiosity and downloaded it. The record is viewed as Burzum's return to its metal incarnation leaving the days of ridiculous ambient behind. The lyrical concept deals with Belus or the 'white god' or blah blah...anyway, I couldn't care less. So I will elaborate a little bit more on the musical side of the record. Which is supposed to be a return to the style of old, until Filosofem. The problem is that what seemed unique and charming in 95, is dated and boring in 2010. The guitars try to sound moody and create an ambient atmosphere, using the known trick of repetition, but they fail in both. The vocals that used to add a rare tortured feeling are now plain, ordinary black metal vocals lacking the soul they used to have. All in all, the well of inspiration seems to have dried out. Not a great surprise, as we are talking about a guy that has been all talk for so many years now. It's time for his false myth to collapse. Vikernes says that he doesn't want this record to be associated with black metal. Of course Belus is not black metal...but not because he says so.
Needles to say that I listened to Belus ten or eleven times in the past couple of days and it is already deleted from my hard drive. A needless burden.

On the contrary...
Ash Pool - For Which He Plies The Lash
Kawir - To Uranus (the three new tracks are awesome)
Abhorrer - Zygotical Sabbatory Anabapt
Dodsengel - Mirium Occultum
Denouncement Pyre - Under the Aegis of Damnation

AMSG

Speak of the Devil

2010-02-14T13:06:00.001+02:00

I avoid reading interviews. Few are the bands or artists that can back their art with a strong vision and clear views or better a philosophical stance about their work and life in general. Most commonly, black metal bands have few things to say and usually, the more they talk, the more they expose an ignorant and shallow self.
There are of course the exceptions of bands that have the knowledge, intelligence and vision and whose interviews are totally worth reading, provided that the interviewer has a basic knowledge of the topics that are discussed and an average IQ, so that he doesn't destroy the conversation.

An example of a worth reading interview is an almost three years old one with Abigor. Does it seem 'old' to anyone? The point is that it is not dated at all, as it revolves around matters that don't have to do with dull and shallow stupid topics like useless trivia about the latest album, band members coming and going etc. That's another important point characteristic of a good interview (at least in my opinion). Can you read it again and again? Can you read it some years later and will the subjects discussed be still relevant?
Furthermore said interview is a rare case as I find myself agreeing 100% with the views expressed by Abigor and it is the first time that I find another individual expressing views exactly the way (even in the same words) I would do.
The interview was published in Imhotep and it comes in three parts. You can read it here...part 1, part 2, part 3.

Boiling soils

2010-02-11T08:28:00.001+02:00

I don't like wasting my breath about things I dislike. This is a rule. An exception to this rule follows.

Norway used to be in the forefront of the black metal movement. During the previews decade though, norwegian bands tried their best to ridicule any positive reputation they might have in the 90's (see Immortal, Carpathian Forest, Gorgoroth and the rest of the clowns). And yes, I consider the activist days of the early 90's to be a positive thing (albeit a naive one) in a world full of passive, non living individuals.

The attempt of an ex black metal band, to participate in the eurovision song contest though, is still a first one. Of course Keep of kalessin is not black metal , for many years now. Still the gap between being an ex bm band to being the charlatan in a gay circus, is huge. Fuck those faggots.

Devote your time to things that matter

The earth is trebling. The seas are boiling. The time is nigh.

The portals to chaos are soon to be opened.

TRI PTY KON

Until the holiest of times...
Leech - Ten black hymns
Juvenile Baroque Slaughterhouse - To Astonish the Browns
Rotting Christ - Aealo
Mütiilation - Rattenkönig

Mourning and war

2010-02-09T08:25:00.004+02:00

The new Rotting Christ album named Aealo is about to take the world by storm, so these are some of my thoughts after my first encounter with it.

First of all, under a strict black metal view, I still like Theogonia much more that the new LP. So, to approach the album as the mere sequel of that beast would be a great mistake and one would lose the much more pluralistic microcosmos of Aealo.

The signs were evident though in Theogonia, which was influenced by greek traditional music without falling into the ridiculous folk metal territory. Aealo is much more immersed in traditional music without losing its own soul and hard edge. An album that starts with the line 'Χάρε πάρε με και κάψε με' (rough translation 'take me death, and burn me') chanted by the female polyphonic group 'Pleiades', cannot fail. The polyphonic chants are dominant on the record. Basically mourning chants that are blended with the martial feeling of the album very well. The theme that runs through Aealo is war and the feelings it provokes to a warrior. I'm not fond of that kind of themes but I can settle with a work of artistic competency as this one, even if the lyrical content is not to my liking. Besides, the lyrics are not the shallow, idiotic, pseudo-heroic crap we came to expect by metal bands talking about war.

Other than that, all the trademark parts of the band are there. Especially the characteristic guitar riffs and melodic leads as well as the vocals...all are in top form here. I mentioned on the previews post that I'm a stubborn bastard that prefers Rotting Christ as a strict black metal band. I'm really gland though, that they created this excellent work of art. Someone should show the world how it should be done. Recommendations.

Among the many appearances of guest musicians, two are those that are dominant and give a different aura to Aealo. First the female polyphonic group Pleiades (pictured above), that participates on most of the songs. Πλειαδες were formed in 2006 aiming to contribute to the diffusion of the Greek-speaking folk polyphonic singing of the region of Epirus. Folk Polyphony has old roots, according to some researchers primitive ones; it is found in few areas all over the world and is based on the variation of the melodic expression lines of the members of the polyphonic group. The musical base of folk polyphony is the five-tone scales without semitones. Through different ways of evolution and influences, folk polyphony is found in Epirus, South Albania, South Italy, Corsica, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Rumania, Slovakia, South Poland, Ethiopia, Georgia, North Pakistan, north foothills of Himalayas, Indonesia and Taiwan.

The second guest contribution that marks Aealo is of course Diamanda Galas'. Here we have a reworking of 'Orders from the Dead', from her 'Defixiones, Will and Testament' album. Rotting Christ have added their music behind her narration, creating a mournful song, a μοιρολόι of highest quality. Diamanda Galas' voice allways sends shivers down the spine. Just feel...

Π'ανάθεμά σε Διαμάντα Γκαλάς...μέλι και σκουλήκια κρύβεις στο λαρύγγι σου.

ΕΑΛΩ

2010-02-07T10:46:00.001+02:00

I am one of those stubborn bastards that believe that Rotting Christ's best work is still their Satanas Tedeum demo tape from 1989. Dark, heavy and extremely brutal, bearing the signs of their (then) recent transformation from a grindcore band to a black metal force. The next best thing they created was their previous LP the monstrous Theogonia. I am waiting with interest the new album Aealo which is said to be heavily based on greek traditional music, especially from the region of Epirus, a region that bears some of the best and most mournful greek traditional music. It is not by chance that Epirus is the part of greece where mythology places the entrance to the underworld. I am not that fond of the big or 'mainstream' black metal productions but Rotting Christ is a force I would truly support.
Besides it is a real joy to see that greece's most exportable music 'product' is a band with that abominable name. This should seem like a curse to a conservative, close minded, god fearing, fucked up community like the greek one. ΕΛΛΑΣ ΕΑΛΩ. Thank Satan for that.
More on the record soon. A first comment though is that the cover artwork leaves a lot to be desired.

Bleeding ears...
Blasphemophagher - ...for Chaos, Obscurity and Desolation
Castevet - Stones-Salts
Socrates - Phos
Dodsengel - Mirium Occultum
Thornspawn - Wrath Of War

AMSG

Time and Satan

2010-02-03T09:26:00.007+02:00

It seems that the new Abigor album was the most anticipated one in the underground circles for the last few months. Now that it is upon us, can it survive the hype that was created?
Time Is the Sulphur in the Veins of the Saint... is the logical step following the magnificent Fractal Possession. The present incarnation of the band is singlehandedly the most interesting and fertile one. Thankfully the band is not out of inspiration after the previous album. On the contrary the ideas presented here, in these two tracks, would be enough to fill three or four albums. The guitars continue their dissonant journey in multiple layers while the bass is ever dominant. What stole my attention though is the excellent vocal performance. It has to be heard thoroughly to be believed. This Arthur Rosar guy seems to be a really interesting case. I would like to see the reaction of the 'trve black metal kiddies' (ha) when they find out his other band, the excellent Walser.
All in all the record is essential for everyone that wishes to see the future of black metal shaping in front of his eyes. A complete masterpiece of modern art, that crowns Abigor's career so far.
The lyrical content follows closely the quality of music. Basically an essay on Time based on a phrase of Albert Einstein, it is linked with Blacklodge's album.
T/ME, is the french band's contribution to this combined work. The things that characterize Blacklodge are all there. Harsh and extreme electronics, electro rhythms, satanic devotion. Maybe this is not the best work I've heard from them but it is a worthy addition to their discography.
The two albums can perfectly stand on their own, but personally I found the experience much more rewarding when listening to them as parts of the same combined work they really are.

__________________________________________________________

On more 'conservative' grounds, Dødsengel's second album Mirium Occultum is the other release that enchanted me recently. Norway may well have showed the basics for the black metal sound that is the most dominant in the scene, but as far as the philosophical background goes, there has always been a huge void. The first bands of the 'second wave' had their mandatory excercise in juvenile 'Satanism' blended with detailed references to the weather condition of the north (as if anyone should care). Then the hilarious viking thing came to the front. Anyway, a norwegian band that has the talent to write and perform inspired black metal AND at the same time back it up with a philosophical or theosophical view that matters, is not the most common of cases. This is a gap filled by Dødsengel. I quite liked their debut Visionary but after listening to it 6 or 7 times it got lost in the pile of cds. For the sake of comparison I will say that I heard the new record 5 times in a row after the first encounter I had with that beast. This is a perfect example of a band that sticks to the known norms of black metal, yet the flame that burns inside them acts as an infinite source of inspiration. Ritualistic, cruel when needed, slow and painful at other times, this is the best norwegian black metal I've heard in ages. What's for sure is that this record will not leave my player for a long time.

AMEN

Triptichon of darkness

2010-02-01T22:18:00.001+02:00

The forthcoming Triptykon Debut album Eparistera Daimones will feature the artistic geniuses of H.R. Giger and Vincent Castiglia. As the time for its release approaches, it becomes ever more evident that this record is going to be a complete and monstrous work of art. My fever reaches its climax.

Go here right now.

AMSG

The italian horrors

2010-01-28T21:28:00.000+02:00

Italy has a firm tradition in horror (sub)culture be it the movies music or whatever. Four notable examples from the extreme music spectrum.

The idiocy manual

2010-01-25T10:51:00.001+02:00

The above picture is a scan of a letter published in Terrorizer magazine (issue 189, click on the picture to view it in all its glory). The letter is written by a reader seeking guidance on how to know when a band is a NSBM one. 'Blessed are the feeble-minded' I believe mr Jesus once said. If this is so, then a blessed individual this reader is. Because one needs to be an imbecile in order not to be able to tell the difference between oranges and cars. Or a nazi band and any other band for that matter.

More interesting though, are the directions given, as an answer by the magazine. I think a reading of the text would be enough for anyone to draw his own conclusions, so I will restrict myself to a couple of comments.

Firstly the magazine leaves to the readers' initiative any decision about what to do 'with the suspected nazi fuckwit metal'. I guess some would appreciate the freedom given and should all thank the magazine for giving them the right to think for themselves. But what about the herd? Why leave them with no directions in the dark?

I will skip the description of the proper nazi or right wing fuckwit in general. I will also skip the 'it is not of any importance if a band denies such accusations' part. The part I find most interesting is the one were is stated that a band is a suspected nazi one, when it makes 'recurring complaints about political correctness and censorship'. Got it? Jawohl Herr Commandant.

Said letter was awarded 'letter of the month' and won a t-shirt. A small earthly reward for the feeble-minded ones until their lord judges them.

With ears and mind open wide...

Weltenfeind by Grand Belial's Key, Absurd and Sigrblot

Paganuclear by Pantheon (Achtung...those two records are 'suspected to be nsbm' and should be burnt in the pits of leftist hell)

Which I Hope To Live For by The Ocean Doesn't Want Me

Mikalp Khis Bia Ozongon by Winter Funeral & Arkha Sva

Bénis Les Ténèbres, Ô Mon Âme by Winter Funeral

Der Teufelsbund by Charnel Winds

AMSG

49 evil spirits

2010-01-23T21:03:00.002+02:00

Sigh are driving the orchestral thing to its extremes. They still got their charm though, although they seem to have lost the uniqueness they possessed in their first period with Scorn Defeat and especially Infidel Art which is still my favourite of their works. Not to mention that with the recruitment of their female saxophonist they have gained plenty of mainstream media attention for all the wrong reasons.

Arkha Sva on the other hand have always been much more secretive creating a unique mystical aura surrounding them. Mixing the aesthetics of the french black legions with over the top vocal expressions, keeping an over productive pace with plenty of splits , demos and EPs and a truly excellent LP (Gloria Satanae), still remaining under the radar.

The way I see it Sigh have kind of passed the torch to Arkha Sva, in order to keep the black flame burning in eastern black metal. That doesn't mean that there is the slightest similarity between the two, except the country of origin. That is not a minor factor though, as I consider the globalization of black metal to be of crucial importance in its survival and evolution.

To have videos of live performances on You Fools is a double edged knife. It's an opportunity for the ones genuinely interested to have a source of 'visual information'. Of course as it is not a restricted source, the same opportunity is given to ignorant fools to poison the reputation a band is trying to build. For example it presents a chance for some mongoloids to draw parallels between Cradle of Filth and Arkha Sva (what???).

Black metal is best kept away from such stupid internet tools.

Contrary to the above stated I think it is worth posting this video of an Arkha Sva concert. I don't know where this took place, I would even doubt that this is realy Arkha Sva but the performance of the vocalist is not to be misinterpreted.

The soundtrack of the Kali Yuga...
Charnel Winds - Der Teufelsbund
Abigor -Time Is the Sulphur in the Veins of the Saint
Savnock - Theophany
Book of Black Earth - The Feast
iliketrains - Elegies To Lessons Learnt
Blood Ceremony - Blood Ceremony
Jarboe - Thirteen Masks

AMSG