ΜΕΛΑΝΑ ΧΑΣΜΑΤΑ

http://fischerisdead.blogspot.gr/

Universe expands

This is one of the most special groups for me and luckily it comes from my currently more fucked than usual homeland. In modern Grekland the chances of feeling profoundly proud of the artistic and spiritual (or whatever else) creation of fellow countrymen are very few and Universe 217 are one in a million. Indulge...

And also this one...

While waiting for the new Triptykon album (the time draws near) use your ears (and mind and soul if possible) to dive into the depths of the last Selim Lemouchi and his Enemies' record.
Also learn to think for yourself. Then some will realise that Watain's The Wild Hunt is a great peace of music. The rest of the flock can fuck off.

Démonarque

The evil fucked up genius that is Peste Noire are back with a self titled album.
A little while before, the evil fucked up genius that is Mikko A. returned with a new Clandestine Blaze album.
Rejoice...

Black Oath

Since I have been slagging the mainstream metal press off, I think it would be fair to say that Iron Fist seems to be a pretty OK magazine. Lately I have been thinking that a really good magazine, in fact a really good writing, should make you read stories or interviews or whatever with people, artists etc. that you had no real interest in before. So, maybe there is something worthy there.

Anyway it was because of iron Fist that this came to my attention, and I find the following cover version of Ave Satanas really good.

Christian Death

Live reunion show from 1993


Only Theater of Pain


Fuck everything

Black Crucifixion

One of Finland's most underrated bands, returns in a couple of months with a new album titled Coronation of King Darkness. Apart from the magnificent cover, this promices to deliver some of the most decent Celtic Frost inspired blackmetal of the recent years.

Bible of the Devil...

Lutomysl - Overcoming Babel

Nominon - The Cleansing

Ofermod - Thaumiel

Alcemyst - Necromanteion

Karnarium - Otapamo Pralaya

Hate, darkness and curses to y'all.

The Sanctum of Human Darkness

Tenebrous Towers, last year's Desolate Shrine debut album, caught me by surprise. A band seemingly coming out of nowhere, skipping the usual underground demo stage, would normally make me cautious. And cautious I was when I first listened to the record. Then I listened to the damned thing again. And then I listened once more, this time paying the proper attention. By then, I had already put all my preconceptions aside and it took months until I reduced the frequency of listening to the record.

With their second strike, titled The Sanctum of Human Darkness, expectations were high. Fortunately these expectations were met. The Sanctum...is a monstrous work of death metal, that stands miles away from any trends might plague the scene these days. Furthering the scope of their debut, Desolate Shrine come with their spears sharpened, producing a barrage of claustrophobic death metal with a black heart. The band creates a thick and suffocating atmosphere that demands your full attention in order to unveil all the layers and see and feel clearly under the reverb and the cavernous labyrinth that forms the eight songs that form The Sanctum of Human Darkness. At times the result can be almost transcending. There is no point at trying to describe the darkness this record emanates. It has to be felt and experienced at full. 

The only reference point that could come to mind while first listening to The Sanctum...was Aeternus' Dark Sorcery EP from 1995, in regard of the extremely dark atmosphere that threatens to engulf the listener as it comes crawling from all corners. In days that death metal suffers from boring repetition, Desolate Shrine can be a slab of rejuvenating energy to the genre. In coclusion and as a link with the previous post, it seems that the sinister forces have returned at last. 

Absolutely magnificent and essential.

The angels' trumpets sound like the coming of darkness and death. And ironically (and fittingly?) enough, while I am typing these lines, word comes that a close and loved relative of mine just died. May his soul now rest.