Amebix - "Redux" (2010) [Profane Existance]

Amebix, after about 20 years of inactivity, are back and rerecording four of their classic tracks. Most people would be afraid of a move like this, but as the band tests the waters on the Redux EP, it is painfully clear that they still have all the power they did originally. Dare I say, I actually prefer these recordings to the original. I think that the slicker production adds to their sound.

The EP starts out with “Progress,” which begins with some gutteral growls and guitar riffs that seem a throwback to the early days of the band. A touch of keyboard augments the transitions in the song’s structure. Most people would shudder at the thought of it, but the keybaord just plays a drone every now and then, which actually helps the song move along. Nothing too complex. The next track, “Chain Reaction,” is a bit slower of a song, but the kick drum is livelier, and the Baron’s voice here sounds oddly like Lemmy of Motorhead. Not that it’s a bad thing. Amebix is not Motorhead, and they damn well know it. The song employs greater use of keys, which adds an ominous tone to it, but it seemed to drag to me.  

The next track, “Winter,” is originally a very early song from the band’s history, and it got a major makeover on this recording. This version seems a lot more dynamic, which works in its favor. The production, keyboard drone, and steady beat under raspy yells paint a bleak picture of a cold wasteland. Fucking epic, in a word. It’s nice to see the band go so far back into their history and still be able to make great songs better. Finally, the closer of the track is the title track from the first album “Arise.” Almost 7 minutes, this is the longest song on the EP. It chugs along with plenty of momentum, just like the original recording. Notable here is the baance between the guitar and the bass. Thanks to the slicker production, each part sticks out more in the mix, and gives a better picture of the entire song.

Amebix’s Redux EP is certainly a promising offering. If this is the direction they take after 20 years, I am excited. My only complaint is that despite being an epic listen, a few minutes could have been shaved off here and there. I’m not used to seven minute songs.  Despite that, this is definately something that should be picked up by both Amebix fans and general crust fans.

~Mark

Fyrdsman - "Forgotten Beneath the Soil" (2010) [Mynydd Du Records]

            There has been a lot going on in the UK underground recently. Winterfylleth, Wodensthrone and Fen have taken the folk/black metal scene by storm and a slew of notable bands have cropped up all over the region. Enter Fyrdsman, a one man, melodic pagan black metal band founded by Tim Shaw (ex-Alestorm, briefly) and a force to be reckoned with.

            I am a firm believer in not straining to make a “full length” or an “LP” if there just is not enough quality material readily at hand. EPs and MCDs are perfectly legitimate by my standards so long as they are well wrought and represent a complete work or idea. Fyrdsman’s debut EP Forgotten Beneath the Soil illustrates the validity of my stance perfectly: four tracks, three originals, one cover, and Twenty-some minutes of fitting, flowing concise work.

            Epic keyboards and tight guitars over excellent sounding programmed drums characterize this self-produced recording in which the only conceivable downside might be the occasionally under-mixed vocal part. This issue (common in self produced music) does not detract from the experience in the least it simply makes the wonderful clean harmonies a bit tough to hear at times.

            The opening title track starts appropriately with furious energy. One serious hook after another keeps this track exciting the whole way through. In the middle, the song breaks down into an almost shoegazey, densely layered interlude, reminiscent of the likes of Alcest, then breaks into a simple but very effective melodic guitar solo. In fact, Shaw’s tasteful guitar work is one of the delights of this recording that turns up again and again.

            After the mighty opening title track concludes, the haunting “Demonised in a Disgraced Land” begins. This track seamlessly shifts from dark and brooding to contemplative and almost mystical throughout. Mid-paced and full of great melodies and instrumentation (the harp, for instance) this song brings me right to the lichen-covered rock depicted on the cover of the EP.

            The last original track on the EP, the dreamy “Survival,” opens with calm synths and features more emotive guitar leads, shoegazey moments and rich voice harmonies. The dense atmosphere this song evokes is easy to get lost in, and the seven minutes are up in a heartbeat. Concluding the EP is a cover of “Natural Chaos” by Forefather, which I enjoy, even having never heard the band before. As it is a quick song, it fits perfectly onto the EP without stealing any thunder from the original material.

            Forgotten Beneath the Soil is one of this year’s hidden gems. Fyrdsman flawlessly mixes epic and atmospheric metal into a concise debut record worthy to be labeled some of the best from the new English scene. The future looks promising! Hwæt!

-Bryan A. Wysopal

Fyrdsman Official MySpace

Buy Forgotten Beneath the Soil

Interview with Ryan Fairfield of Hallowed Butchery

These past few weeks or so I've had the pleasure of getting to know the wonderfully talented and humble Mr. Ryan Fairfield of Maine's "Hallowed Butchery," whose new split with Batillus was reviewed here rather recently. Through his music and words, Fairfield has revealed himself as a deep, well-spoken individual whose passion for music is outshone only by the love of his wife and daughter. I will continue to expect wonderful music and interesting, meaningful conversation from my new-found friend.

Where do you think Hallowed Butchery fits in this new scene of US metal, if at all? Why?

I can't say that I'm sure I know the answer to this question. I have become rather detached from modern music. There was a time when I cared to check out new bands, but now I'd just rather listen to some Sabbath or Priest. Where do you think I fit? Do I fit? Maybe fans of my music are like me, and spend their time listening to old psychedelic metal and folk LPs. You tell me.

Hallowed Butchery was formerly known as Hallowed Butchery of the Son, a black metal/grindcore project. How did the immense shift in style come about? Did the move from Las Vegas to Maine help any?

The shift probably appeared to be drastic, but I had been planning and writing doomier music soon after releasing some of the early grindcore stuff. I thought that it wouldn't be received well, so I constantly scrapped anything sounding too drastic. I started dabbling in black metal... recorded a couple of EPs (lost one in a computer crash), and eventually decided to do what I wanted do, regardless of how people would view the change. I recorded "Funeral Rites for the Living" while living in Las Vegas - which was a fitting place to do so. Everything there made me desire doom. I realized how absolutely disgusting mankind can be; from its negative approach to nature and the environment, to religious mind control and corruption, to the monotony of the 9-to-5 cubicle life. I had never had such a misanthropic world view, as I did when I was living there. I never saw anything redeemable about that place. And for it: I desired doom.

What influences you and your music?

Musically I am influenced by classic and obscure psychedelic, progressive, and heavy metal music. I'm constantly looking to Pink Floyd and the Far East Family Band for guidance in writing progressive epics; Black Sabbath and the Flower Travellin' Band for monster riffage; Comus and Broselmachine for psychedelic perfection; Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young for the ultimate Americana. However, I'm constantly listening to bands like Autopsy, Candlemass, Dio, Down, Eyehategod, Judas Priest, Obituary, Pantera, Slayer.... and no matter where I go, I always return to the heaviest of metal. Nothing feels better than a good head-banging.
Beyond music, I find solace and influence in nature, and the aspiration of a future immersed in the glory of its embrace. To have a small farm, a small house in the woods, and to be self-reliant... to be able to spend every waking minute with my wife and child. These are the things that influence me, and that keep me strong.

Now that you're in a full band (Terrible Old Man), how do you feel the creative process differs between the multiple person dynamic and your solo efforts?

In Terrible Old Man, I do very little song-writing. My role is as the lyricist and vocalist. It is definitely "funner" than writing solo music, but it's not always as rewarding. I suppose each has its own pros-and-cons. Ultimately, being in full-control is a great feeling, but being able to work with others is humbling.

Do you have any big plans that you haven't told anyone yet concerning music you're a part of?

I am in the beginning stages of writing and recording my sophomore full-length album. So far, it's less doom-y, and more folk-oriented, but I am sure massive doom will find its way into the song-writing sooner or later. There will certainly be a noticeable change in my approach to the lyrics of the new material. It will be loosely based on the concept of hope, trading optimism for my tendency to gravitate towards pessimism and negativity.

What brings about the change in lyrical themes? Going from "Funeral Rites for the Living" to "hope" is a very drastic, yet intriguing, change. Does this transformation coincide with anything happening in your life?

It's most certainly an intentional change. It mirrors my shifting world-views. I have always been a "cup half empty" kind of guy; I always see the negative. However, over the past year I have been forcing myself to look at things through a positive eye. It is so much easier to point at the all of the things that are wrong in your life and others, but it is a thousand times more rewarding to seek out the good and to cherish every ounce of it. Life is too short. There is no ever after. I want to live like that. I want to be hopeful - to believe that every day is the best day of my life, because it is.

If you could live in any decade in any location, where would you live and why?

I would live in the 1970's USA, to experience both the music and culture, and to be a part of the intriguing back-to-the-woods movement.

And finally, I have to ask this in all of my metal interviews, what can you say to the modern metal listener?

Listen to Black Sabbath.

Expect new promo pictures, courtesy of Mrs. Fairfield, soon.

-Jon

Black Autumn-"Aurora" (2010) [Cain Records]

               

      The words dark, eerie, and ambient are oft-overused in the underground/indie metal scene, usually to describe overzealous cliché-driven artists churning out nothing more than pale imitations of the greats that preceded them. However, once in a while a band comes along that approaches these time-tested adjectives in an interesting and fresh manner. Black Autumn, the one-man German Ambient Black/Doom Metal brainchild of M. Krall, is one of these bands. Black Autumn's third full-length, Aurora, was released earlier this year. The 8-track album can only be described as epic, taking the listener on a beautifully dark and disturbingly haunting journey.

        Blending the industrial metal-esque elements of heavy, dark synth use and programmed drums with expansive doom guitar riffs and sensitive post-metal melodic trem picking, Krall manages to create something that at first seems contradictory but in fact works very well together. The album opens with a short instrumental track, "Aion", which sets the tone and pace for the record quite well. The crushingly beautiful guitar chords are complemented by light melodic picking and heavy yet sparingly executed programmed drums; a sort of Alcest-on-a-bad-trip kind of vibe. Gradually one begins to sense patterns in the songwriting: dark synth passages sandwich heavy doom guitar work with sparse, almost whisper-screamed vocals. Krall blends diverse sounds well, the track "Seven Spirits" could easily be interpreted as a cross between Tool and Katatonia blanketed under a thick layer of doom. "Lightening Goeth from Fire" sports an incredibly trippy synth introduction, with franticly quick left-right panning throwing the listener wonderfully off balance before they are plunged back into a world of heavy half-time post metal. The second half of the album sees more ambience and texture, punctuated by Enslaved and Katatonia-esque guitar lines. The last two tracks (“Paradigma” and”Ugrund”), feature rhythms and synth lines that would not be at all out of place in a typical dubstep track.

     The sparse nature of the vocals at times makes the songs drag, especially on longer tracks where the ambient sections are more expansive. However, overall the pace of the album makes some of the songs seem deceptively short. The fact that the drums are computer programmed is a little disheartening at first (especially to a drummer such as myself), but Krall obviously knows what he's doing. The samples are all incredibly realistic with one exception: the ride cymbal sounds like someone bashing an empty soup can with a spoon. In terms of composition, Krall's basic yet innovative approach to the drum machine sees him using a lot of syncopated grooves not normally found in such straightforward music. The title track is a great example, on this piece Krall utilizes a simple half-time funk sort of feel, almost reminiscent of certain late 70s-early 80s NWOBHM tunes.

     Overall this is a very interesting album. Though the songwriting has a tendency to drag and is at times a little formulaic, the way Krall blends influences and sounds creates an incredibly dark and layered landscape. Hopefully future Black Autumn records will feature live drums instead of Drum Kit From Hell, but until then at least the programming is in the hands of an obviously very capable musician. If you’re in the mood for something dark – a different kind of dark – give this album a try. Check out the Black Autumn official site here.

-Adam

Vision Éternel - "Abondance de périls" (2010) [Abridged Pause Recordings]

The sounds that originate from the entity that is called Vision Éternel are of a purely somnolent nature, and offer the listener a dreary repose from the fleeting entanglements of mundane existence. On Abondance de périls, we are graced with five ambient guitarscapes, all of which are connected by the patterns of their respective titles--the notion of 'thoughts'. Solicitation, obstacles, naïvety, years, and affection. One can certainly glean deep and heartfelt meaning within these ideas, and as there are no vocals/lyrics, the interpretation is left upon the listener. The five pieces all blend together seamlessly, and form a cohesive portrait of beauty, tragedy, and melancholy. As reflected by the withered photograph on the cover, these songs also convey a sort of longing, as well as an abundance of perils (as the title suggests); the grievous contrast between the flooded lighthouse dock, the raging tides, and the blackened skies signaling the ferocity of the coming storm. One can perhaps conjure images of these alluvious harmonies as they wash over you and leave you amidst a sea of obscurity.

For a free download of this EP, follow here.

-Shane

Exiled From Light - There is no beauty left here (2010) [Hypnotic Dirge Records]

Exiled From Light is a Depressive Black Metal project from the malignant corners of New Zealand from The master mind Mort. I personally known him for 3 years now he gave me the first two Exiled From Light albums before ether one of their release dates. I have been blown away by all the music he has sent me over the times we have talked and this album will not disappoint. If you know of his first full length “Descending Further Into Nothingness” then once you listen to this you will realize this is much darker and out of all his fantastic albums and projects the best! I would like to clear up something before getting into this review and this the fact this album was leaked/ripped off the Exiled From Light myspace page with 2 wrong tracks which were the first 2 songs from the first album so shame on you rippers for ripping this beautiful album with out knowing a damn thing about it the correct track listing is:

1. We Writhe As Worms
2. The Bitter Taste of Tears
3. Clarity Viewed Through Dying Eyes
4. Faded Are My Memories
5. The Essence of Hope Drained
6. There Is No Beauty Left Here

    Now onward into the review. Here the album opens with the track ‘We Writhe As Worms’ the very minute you play the track very clean guitars with a little delay open the track with the haunting ethereal like synths follow the guitars chord progressions (Note this progressive like element can be heard through out the whole album) then as the drum come in with your standard drum groove while inserting fills just before the beautiful haunting ambient melodies loop back over. The distorted guitar comings in as a rude awaking on the left head phone while the guitar and synth chords match up perfectly as the final fill comes in to bring both guitars in from stereo to mono to double bass grooves as the mournful vocals rise into the mix and that true hopeless feeling truly when you listen to this song and the whole album as you close your eyes in the night and darkness where ever you listen to this the overwhelming power and emotion truly paint a picture for you in your mind and you cant escape the emotion and pain that was channeled into this album it hits you like driving a Dodge Viper going 290 km/h right into a brick wall. As the song progresses you will find it as basic song structures and simple Minor and major chord progressions but while still having the ability to keep interest and really getting into the emotion, atmosphere and music of the song with out going… NEXT. You become very attached to the main melody of the song this song is absolute gold. The song fades out the some tom grooves and open string chord melodies while going into doom metal drum grooves.

The second track ‘The Bitter Taste of Tears’ slow enveloping clean guitar melodies open this track with the ambient synths playing along with the guitar chords as the drum tom groove build up tension then going into a doom metal drum groove when the final drum fill comes in as the heavy parts comes in like an eruption. While playing the main melody of the track the vocals blasting away in your fast as the blast beats  bring out the grimness of the track then hence going back into the main heavy melody of the track. The tracks main melody plays through out the whole song mostly. Around 6:57 we are brought back the main opening melody song structures of the beginning of the song with the clean guitar melodies anf tom grooves and the doom metal like drums. Then hence returning to the main heavy melody. Then upon returning to the overwhelming power of the guitar melodies and blast beats and super fast drum fills only to return to the blast beats and main heavy riff. The outro brings up back to the once again main melodic opening of the beginning of the track as it fades out like a shadow fleeing light.

The third track Clarity Viewed Through Dying Eyes is one of my favorite songs off of the album. This track is a depressive epic ! It opens with these major clean guitar melodies as the synths are dimmed down abit while playing along with the guitars. The drum tom grooves fit perfectly long with the opening lead melody then going into a dual guitar harmony then as the heavy part comes in going straight to mono. The main melody is as of the main clean guitar in the opening the different crash and splash going along with the really fast double bass and standrad tempo double bass really bring out the heavy emotions that were put into the song while keeping the song fresh. As heavier lower end power chords come in take us away from the more lighter part into a much darker part of the song. A epic scream and vocal lines sore over the slowed down part here this part is to the trade mark of this song. Once the fill leads us into the next structure of this epic part of the song as Mort screams ‘Clarity viewed through dying eyes’ the weight of the song presses down on your chest you can not escape the emotion and solace of this track once you have passed through that part of the song it is just that powerful. But that is not the end there oh no! after the fill on the heavy dark melody the guitars bend up as the drums are slowed down only making it through one measure then the heavy part just explodes leaving you rendered helpless as the vocals, and instruments parts just crush your chest from the all the build up. Then goes into a heavy melodic part this part repeats a few  more times. Which is good because this song is addictive it has many parts you just want to listen to then rewind the track and listen to it over and over again. Half way through the song the song goes back into the beginning of the song and repeats itself then fades out into the next song. 

The fourth track ‘Faded Are My Memories’ is my favorite track off of this album I have listened to it for hours on end. The emotion and overwhelming depression and energy from this track is very powerful.
As like the first 3 tracks this opens with yet another sad clean guitar melody with the synths playing along with it and some parts the guitars harmonize with each other giving it more feel as it builds up with the lightly tapping of the cymbal bells as the fast heavy guitars blaze on the left head phone as the synth and guitar chords progress then the right guitar comes in as the drum fill leads us into the main heavy melody.
It goes into a faster double bass bridge with some vocals spoken. Then it dies down with another clean part with the clean guitars lightly being strummed. Upon returning to a slower DSBM song structure then kicking into a more faster part. As the fill pushes you right into the depressive blast beat on which I can not describe. It goes back into the intro heavy part just before the main heavy melody. Then upon returning once more to the lightly strummed lean guitars then kicking into the slowed down DSBM song structure.
Then we are forced back into the heavy melody and the amazing blast beats. The song then goes into a pre-bridge and new melody at 11:15. This part just crushes you with its perfect chords and atmosphere so much hate, sorrow, and sadness expressed just through this part it leaves you utterly drained of all emotions. With a nice transition into a slowed down part while then just jumping right into the main heavy melody of the song as it fades out. I love how this album gets progressively darker as you listen to each track.

The fifth track ’The Essence of Hope Drained’ starts out with this dark ambient mono tone with sounds of the ocean blending in with each other. Then out of no where the main heavy melody song structure is right in your face. For the most part there is not much double bass in this track. This is more of the a Black Doom Metal type of track. Most of the main main melody and I guess you could call it the ’chorus structure’ is played through out most of the album. There is still a lot of originality in this track and keeps going from dark to light. At 7:11 is a good example of that the guitars are cut down low in the mix along with the synth while the drums play along to create much bleak atmosphere as that part ends the guitar are brought up in the mix and they play the same melody as before and if you listen closely you can hear the dim guitar harmonies that is the highlight of the track in my thoughts. Then song goes back in the previous structures of the song. The end of song goes back into the best part of the song which is the melody at 7:11 and fades out. This song also is another song on the album you can just listen to on repeat all the time such fantastic atmosphere and emotion.

The six and final song ’There is no beauty Left here’. This track is a monster! It opens like most of the song with descending and ascending clean guitars while the atmospheric synths drone along with the guitars while the guitars harmonize with one another. The drums come as everything envelopes over and over and then the heavy power of the track comes in with a monstrous black metal scream with all the of build of the track happening the vocals come in with the both guitars coming on bother sides of your head phones. Both guitars play the same melodies as well as harmonize with each other as the synths give that dimmed drone effect in the track. Then the song goes into a clean overture just before this slow black metal type of structure kicks in then goes into the main heavy melody of the song. At 7:30 we have what I say is the melody that really describes the track very well with its super fast double bass and harmonized haunting synths and machine gun guitar riffs. The song goes back into the main heavy stereo guitar song structure as the beginning of the song, then reverts to the slow clean guitar melodies at the beginning as well. Then just in the last moments the song comes alive again with the Black Doom Metal song structure with the oppressing vocals bleeding through the mix along with the main heavy structure then kicking into the super fast double bass with the haunting ambience as the sound fades out.

Final Thoughts: This album is not for the trendy types or generic peoples of the type. It has nothing but true and pure dark, and mourning emotions like crying out in helpless agony. This is not a generic DSBM artist or album this is real music by a real person. The drums were made on Toontracks DFH VSTi and they sound really good even though there are grooves used over and over again through out the songs. The clean guitars are bright but not to bright and the distortion on the heavy guitars are perfect. It has great chord progressions and structures and haunting dark ambient synths and great raspy vocals everything to keep you listening to this master piece of hours on end. I recommend listening to this album at night in the dark (sorry for being a little corny) but by doing that really and truly brings out the entice emotion, darkness, and power of this album. This a Pure Black Metal gem, it also has originality and keeps it really from sounding like every other 2 million DSBM bands out there.

NOTE: This album comes with 2 CD’s the first 3 tracks on disk 1 and disk 2 contains the other 3 along with a 3 track demo of a project Mort did called Funereal(now split up) with the tracks:

1. A Dream in Illusion
2. Of That Which Lies Beneath
3. Through Twilight



BUY THE ALBUM HERE:  http://www.hypnoticdirgerecords.com/efl-thereisnobeautylefthere.php

Exiled From Light @ Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/exiledfromlight

-Bjørn

Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings - October 29th release!

Photo courtesy of Prophecy Productions

"Whom The Moon A Nightsong Sings" is a compilation of rare value – not only because of the fact that this is one of the few conceptual compilations that are based around a central theme and where the choice of artists present was subjected to a rigid selection. No, "Whom The Moon A Nightsong Sings" is a two-CD collection with a playing time of over 100 minutes that unites all the main players and the most promising newcomers of a nameless genre that is defined by (mostly) acoustic musical settings of nature's sceneries and impressions, or of personal sentiments mirrored in nature. This profound respect and a deeply romantic magical and mystical perception of nature are the common denominator of all the featured artists and the thematic foundation of their contributions. The fact that nearly all of the songs included here are either exclusive to this project or rare tracks that aren't otherwise available anymore serves to emphasize the extraordinary character of this release. 

One of the highlights on "Whom The Moon A Nightsong Sings" is certainly Empyrium's contribution – the ensemble's first new recording in four years and the impressive beginning of a new creative period. Also featured are the genre's founding fathers, Ulver, with a very rare recording from 1997: their track 'Synen' was only featured on a very limited underground compilation and is probably the Norwegians' most sought-after song. The contributions by bands such as October Falls, Nest, or Neun Welten – artists who have forged the genre's identity in the last ten years and have become major points of reference for lovers of dark, nature-attuned acoustic music – or by as-yet unknown quantities such as the British project Nhor or Syven from Finland are also delivering the goods and certainly bear comparison with the genre's founding fathers. The enchanting cover artwork courtesy of Fursy Teyssier (Les Discrets) tops off a release that, because of its musical content, is certainly going to remain a unique and unrivalled audio document for a long time. 


Every pre-order of the compilation will come with a postcard of the cover artwork, signed by Fursy Teyssier!


EVERYONE NEEDS TO GET A COPY OF THIS.


Preorder the gatefuld 2LP (limited to 500 copies) here.


OR


Preorder the 2CD Digibook here.


Someone should totally buy me a copy of this. I would probably love you forever. Definitely up there in the most important releases of this year.


-Jon


Italicized text by Prophecy Productions, 2010.

Interview with John Kerr of Vit

Vit is a doom/black metal band from Ohio. They have just released their debut record which has been reviewed by The Inarguable. Their unique sound is a breath of fresh air for the underground US scene, and they are definitely on my artist to watch list! Here are some questions I had for drummer John Kerr. 


Being in bands myself, I know that it is a process to write music that you can stand by 100%. How does Vit go about writing material?

Ritualistically. We typically meet once a season and play for hours until something worthwhile comes of it. We all bring our seperate ideas and specialities until they culminate into one. After the seasonal 'practise', we are allowed to go free.

Your debut record has a very special feel to it. Many influences are present and melded together, while maintaining an individual voice. How do you feel about being compared to other bands? What bands do you call your main influences?

Any comparison to another band is likely imparted from the biases of the observer. We haven't seen many comments or reviews that have accurately described the things that influence our music. This is for one very simple reason: we ourselves do not know what influences the sounds we create. We congregate, collaborate, leave records, and depart.

How has growing up in the Midwest influenced your views and how you write music? Do you feel it is an overall positive or negative area for you?

The most obvious result of our Midwestern upbringing is in our aesthetic. The coverart for the record is a glorified depiction of how we see the environment in which we live and play. Cornfields are integral to the ideas and practices of Vit, so we would take it as an overall positive area. It facilitates us very well.

Can you explain what exactly ‘Swansylvania’ is and what the song is about?

Swansylvania is the town in which we all live and carry out the majority of our activities. It's a very small town of about 200 people in one of the more rural areas of Ohio with a vast expanse of practically uninhabited territory. The song is an aural representation of what goes on in this town, whether every resident knows about such activities or not.

I'm actually glad you asked this question. Vit is not from Athens. For some reason, a few promoters in the Athens area seem to believe we are and have plastered that information on a countless number of fliers. Just because we play in a city doesn't mean we're from there. No one in Vit lives in Athens.

The title of your debut album is ‘-‘. What is the significance of this title and how was the experience of creating a limited wood box edition of the record?

The fact of the matter is that the title has no significance. It fact, the album has no title. It is not untitled, or "unknown", we simply did not name it. Jon Rosenthal described it perfectly; a void.

I have some background in woodwork, so the idea of a wooden package came quite naturally. We were aware from the beginning that people would have no demand for an album that comes in a standard jewel case. We needed something that would accomplish visually and structurally what Vit represents in a manner which no sound could. The most important aspect of these boxes is not the disk itself; if it were, we wouldn't offer it for a free download. The box exists as a means to present the materials contained within it to our faithful listeners. I can't comment on exactly what is inside, as it unique to every box. Other than the album itself, no two boxes are the same.

What was the experience recording ‘-‘ like? Where did you record it and how long had you been writing the material that you recorded?

We took advantage of a friend of mine named Spenser Morris. He does work at Earthwork Studios in Newark, Ohio and he recorded and mixed our album. We stayed there for about a day and a half in total and recorded the entire album during that time.

The material on this record is fairly old. We've been together since the winter of 2006 and the majority of these songs have been around in some form since that time. Those more ancient songs have basically morphed and shifted throughout our seasonal gettogethers into how you hear them on the album. The last track on it was one of the first we came up with, and it was largely "written" spontaneously during one of our sessions. Because of this, the song is usually different everytime we play it; the one you hear on the record is just a version we happened to play when there were some microphones around. Every song on the album was recorded using live tracking without a click, so we had the opportunity to mold the songs as they progressed. In fact, the transtion from Part 2 to Part 3 in the Ascension Ritual was made up on the fly as we were recording. What you hear on the album is our improvisation.

Recently, the United States extreme metal scene has grown more and more self-reliant. There is an obvious difference in the recent bands coming up in the US compared to Europe and the rest of the world. What are your views on this?

American bands should be different. For a while, the majority of bands from the US just tried to imitate their European counterparts. This is especially true in the black metal genre, with everyone basically trying to be either Burzum or Darkthrone. You had a countless number of bands expressing "heathen pride" despite being born and raised in a country that's on the order of 200 years old. We don't hide the fact that we are an American band. We utilize American folk music that was bred in the very plains in which we reside. We do not borrow the traditions of a culture we have no connection to outside of a few ancestors we know nothing about.

The use of banjo and 12 string acoustic guitar gives a very ‘Americana’ influence to the record. How has folk music influenced you and are there plans to further develop this within the confines of Vit?

As stated in the last question, we do not try to hide the fact that we are an American band in a very American setting. Such a setting provides us with a unique avenue in which to express the feelings that we would like to convey.

The sounds that you hear in the first part of 'The Ascension Ritual" will be expanded on greatly in an upcoming EP. We will be having our first convention of the season this weekend and will compose most if not the entirety of the release during that time.

Where do you aim to take Vit in the future with releases, artwork, and tours?

3-4 songs for the next album have already been written, and were in fact around before we recorded this last one. It's unknown when it will be recorded, but we want to atleast wait until next year so that we don't put out too many things in such a short amount of time.

Another project we will be working on during our time together this weekend will be a revamped version of the debut's artwork and packaging. The wooden box format is getting costly to ship, so we will be developing a lighter package with features unique to this edition. This hasn't been finalized yet, but we will announce it when they become available.

As far as tours go, we could only logistically pull something like that off in the Summer and Winter months, as all of us have either unpredictable or stacked schedules. We'd like to put something together at some point, but we haven't gotten any offers.

In the meantime, we will continue to play shows in the Ohio area as usual. We're also up for making treks to the surrounding states if people would have us.

I thank you very much for talking the time to answer these questions. Cheers! 

It was my pleasure. Vit is forever grateful for your kind words and coverage.


Vit's debut, "-" is out now. Check out Jon's review here.

-Johan

New Urfaust Samples Up - Praise Intoxication and Hail Possession

2010 has proven itself to be quite the formidable year, what with new Agalloch coming in November (probably should post news about that soon), new releases from Ludicra, Burzum, October Tide, and countless other "comebacks," "returns" and whatnot, it's wonderful to see the Netherlands's URFAUST contributing to the madness. Expect big guitars, big drums, big vocals, and lots....lots of beer.

Listen here.

Super excited for this one, along with all the others, of course.

-Jon

Have a Nice Life - Voids CASSETTE RELEASE

So Have a Nice Life's "Voids," formerly an internet-only release, has been released on cassette, but STRICTLY LIMITED TO 100 COPIES. Order yours now; it's only $5, so why pinch pennies?

Get it here.

-Jon

Burzum - "Belus" (2010) [Byelobog Productions]

Ever since Varg Vikernes was imprisoned in 1994 for murdering a fellow bandmate and setting fire to several churches in Norway, he has had his fair share of naysayers--especially those who only saw the surface. Before his infamous hearings, Varg had written material for a number of albums, some of which that have become classics within the black metal genre (Hvis Lyset Tar Oss, Filosofem, etc). Throughout his decade and a half prison sentence, he recorded some keyboard-laden albums, that dealt heavily with Norse mythology, specifically Ragnarok and the coming death of Baldur (Dauði Baldrs).
    

Since being released early from his sentence in 2009, he has written and unleashed unto the world his first album to feature guitars and drums since the the early 90s--Belus. Originally titled Den Hvite Guden ("The White God"), Belus represents the Indo-European nomenclature counterpart to Baldur (Norse), Apollo (Greek), &c. While writing about Baldur might not seem like the most original idea Varg has had, there is always a fresh perspective to be offered.
    

The album begins with a 30 second clip of what sounds like the flipping and landing of a metallic object (a coin perhaps?) and is titled "Leukes Renkespill (Introduksjon)", which translates to "The Intrigues of Leuke" (Loke). It is promptly followed by "Belus' død", which deals with the downfall of Belus: "Seidmannen klatrer opp i tre/ finner der jords gamle smerte/ kutter den ned i høstens fred/ med saks skjærer ut dets hjerte" (The sorcerer climbs a tree/ finds Earth's old pain/ cuts it down in the peace of autumn/ with seax cuts out its heart.) This track begins with the signature grainy, fuzzy, and evil guitar tone that Varg is known for, and is aided by his howling vocals, now withered a bit from age. The tremolo picking holds throughout the entire song, and is supported by the monotonous, yet solid black metal drumming circa early 90s. 

Moving through Belus, we are hit by yet another classic sounding Burzum track--"Glemselens Elv" as well as the foretelling of his rebirth: "Vil jeg komme hjem" (I will come home), as can be heard in the choruses. This song further reinforces the grit of this album, and hypnotizes the listener into an otherworldly trance. "Kaimadalthas' nedstigning" is up next, and is one of the more recently recorded tracks. It has a much more unique sound that incorporates some melodic elements underneath all the harsh vocals and buzz saw riffs, in addition to recited mantras by Varg. We are then offered the intermission-style song "Sverddans", which is a quick little piece accompanied by fast chaotic guitar picking and double bass drumming.
    

The second half of Belus is concerned with the prophetic coming and rebirth of the achromatic god, and is ushered in with the track "Keliohesten": "A spirit comes from below...to prepare man/ our entire world wept". We get the feeling that something vast and grandiose is upon us. The penultimate song is aptly titled "Morgenrøde", which translates to "red morning" or "dawn". We are serenated by the mournful melodies and the resounding echoes of Varg's guitar riffs. The lyrical subject is the final coming of Belus' resurrection, along with the advent of summer: "The force of the sun has returned, the oak spirit is reborn...Summer has arrived." The conclusion of Belus is reached with the final song "Belus' Tilbakekomst" (Belus' return), and does so by drifting away with ambient noise fuzz riffs, and slow, steady drumming. There are no lyrics in this last track, as we are left to bathe in the brightness of Belus' reawakening.
    

If you are a Burzum fan of any era, be it classic or prison midi, you will find many a redeeming quality in this fine release. It is Varg's comeback album, and represents the blazing rebirth of Belus, but furthermore the resurrection of Burzum as a whole. It may take a few spins before the record takes hold of you, but give it a proper chance and present it to an unclouded mind, and I guarantee that you will enjoy some facet of Belus. 

For those who wish to seek the album out, follow here. 

-Shane

Our Diabolical Embrace - "Immortal Night Laments" (2010) [Hypnotic Dirge Recordings]

           

            My first impressions upon listening to Our Diabolical Embrace, a one man project founded by N Skog (Ancient Tundra/ proprietor of Hypnotic Dirge Recordings) were generally positive. The music on the EP, Immortal Night Laments, described on the official MySpace as a hybrid of symphonic black metal and gothic metal with influence from early Cradle of Filth (say what you will about them now, the old material will always be cool) had me interested before I even hit play.

            Obviously, there are similarities in this project to a lot of other symphonic black metal projects, but the key here is that main man N. Skog knows his way around the genre. The vibe of evil romance is genuine and well crafted, so fans of this kind of music should find it successful. Thematically the project is intriguing at first glance, but vampires and the like are nothing new to black metal, so it remains to been if Our Diabolical Embrace can really make it work. Titles of both the EP and a few of the songs are somewhat clichéd, and the sample lyrics on the MySpace, closing with “And her cunt is mine to dine” had me laughing more than I think was intended.

            Musically Skog knows what to use and when. Be it a bell-pad, piano, or just some atmospheric strings, he shows compositional competence. None of the orchestral interludes lag, and the guitars are doing more than following chord progressions, sometimes shining through with their own interesting leads and melodies. Generally, each song sounds like it was written with full attention and heart. This is not the kind of underground black metal that does one thing for the duration of a recording. There are pick-ups and slow-downs, and the majority of the material is well executed and enjoyable enough to keep the listener interested for the duration of the EP.

            The one major issue with this release is the mix. Since the MySpace clarifies that Immortal Night Laments is intended to be a sort of demo EP, let these comments serve simply as constructive criticism. The recording is rather unbalanced, even by black metal standards. There is a time and place for everything, and Darkthrone style recording can be a perfect complement for certain music, but Our Diabolical Embrace could benefit from more dynamics. Often the snare drum is absent, and the cymbals sound so thin and trebly they become annoying (perhaps due to the use of a very obviously MIDI drum kit). The guitars are often marhsmallowy and buried, and because the music is very melodic it can detract from the experience (as in the second track “A Spiritual Oppression”). Much of the time interesting melodic instruments are lost simply because they are too quiet.

            All in all, the material from Immortal Night Laments is worth looking into. N Skog has produced an intriguing demo containing directional ideas that will hopefully be expanded upon in the future. If he continues to make music of this caliber and can give it a slightly better production treatment, Our Diabolical Embrace will stand out as a good example of what the genre of symphonic/gothic black metal can offer.

-Bryan A. Wysopal

Visit Our Diabolical Embrace on MySpace

Vit - "-" (2010) [Self-Released]

VIT ARE FROM SWANSYLVANIA, NOT FUCKING ATHENS

Hailing from SWANSYLVANIA, Ohio, Vit plays a dirty, mean version of black/doom metal, interspersed with monolithic slabs of atmospheric sludge (post-metal for all you genre nerds out there). Now, when I say dirty, I mean I feel the insatiable need to shower whilst listening to this album. It's angry, discordant, plodding DOOM, and yet it is beautiful in its own right.

With a title like "-", I like to think of it as a sort of void; Vit doesn't want you to be happy while listening to this. This is a journey through pain and desolation. To title this abyss of an album would be insulting to the music. This is hatred of man set to music, why waste time titling it?

Now, when you start the album, don't let the introduction, "The Ardour of Saints," fool you; this is not a post-black metal band like Alcest or Lantlos, for when the track "Swansylvania" starts, it's like a swift kick to the groin. This is heavy black/doom, unlike anything I've ever heard. This is exactly what the modern United States scene has been looking for; a band that takes the black metal formula, modernizes it, but gives it the extra ounce of testosterone it's been lacking. Now, I'm not trying to say that other bands lack "balls" or anything, but Vit has some serious heavy-hitting going on here.

Of course, at first listen, I can say I didn't really enjoy Nate's vocals. They're very high in the mix and are rather...original, for lack of a better word. After a few listens I can say that with a different singer, Vit wouldn't get their point across. Through his non-stop presence during the album, Nate sounds like a man at the end of his rope; he's desperate and filled with hatred for everything, just like his music.

As a guitarist, myself, it's amazing to see just one musician write all the guitar parts seen on this album. Zack truly understands how to fuse various genres together to make something entirely new and original. To be able to go from the "backyard folk" in the beginning of the 15-minute epic "The Ascension Ritual" to heavy, sludgey blackness, and then to blistering black metal just a few minutes later without leaving the listener confused is definitely something to be proud of.

All of these elements with John's powerful, tasteful drumming and intricate cymbal work (I hope I'm getting all this drumming jargon right, I don't know anything about drums...) makes for a highly memorable listen. Coming completely out of left field, Vit presents us, the listeners, with something completely new.

Keep your eye out for Vit, I see this band going places.

Stream all of "-" and buy a wooden box containing the album here.

-Jon

Wolvserpent "Blood Seed" Now Streaming In Full At 20 Buck Spin!

The Boise, Idaho duo Wolvserpent (formerly known as Pussygutt) will release their fourth full-length (and first under the WOLVSERPENT name), Blood Seed, on 500 slabs of virgin vinyl by the ever-evolutionary 20 Buck Spin on October 5, 2010. In anticipation of the event, 20 Buck Spin has posted a full album stream on the label's website.

Blood Seed is the duo¹s finest work, consisting of the two extended tracks ³Wolv² and ³Serpent². Blood Seed will appeal to fans of early Melvins, Gnaw Their Tongues, Amber Asylum, Jucifer and all things, dark, bleak and heavy.

They have added also more shows to their their first-ever major North American tour. During the month-long trek, the ghostly duo will will be playing their upcoming opus Blood Seed in its overwhelming entirely, unraveling their haunting gothic tapestries of violin and doom, ambient and pathos, upon an army of strangers.  WOLVSERPENT will be joined along their left-hand path by their friends and allies in Velnias, Locrian, Oak, Loss, Ehnahre, Javelina, Subrosa, and more. 

The band will be on the road by the time the LP is released - check out tour dates below, and GET IN TOUCH for guest list spots and live coverage requests! Contact Kim Kelly at Catharsis PR for interview requests and review copies of Blood Seed.

WOLVSERPENT TOURDATES

Sept 25 Boise ID @ VAC Record release and US Tour Kickoff

Sept 30 Denver CO @ The Further Shop w/ Velnias

Oct 2 Milwaukee @ Borg Ward

Oct 3 Chicago IL @ Enemy w/ Locrian

Oct 4 Columbus OH @ Carabar w/ Bringers of Disease

Oct 5 Brooklyn NY @ Archeron w/ Archon and Bezoar

Oct 7 Boston MA @ Starlab w/ Ehnahre

Oct 8 Greenfield MA @ John Doe Jr. w/ Ehnahre

Oct 9 Ithaca NY @ Warehouse w/ Ehnahre

Oct 10 far Rockaway NY @ Red Light District w/ Ehnahre

Oct 11 Baltimore MD @ Golden West w/ Oak and Ehnahre

Oct 12 Chapel Hill NC @ Nightlight w/ Ehnahre

Oct 13 Charlotte NC @ The Milestone w Ehnahre

Oct 14 Atlanta GA @ Eyedrum w/ Ehnahre

Oct 15 Nashville TN @ Little Hamilton w/ Loss, Mourner and Ehnahre

Oct 16 Memphis TN @ Poplar Lounge w/ Ehnahre and Dead-I-On

Oct 17 Little Rock AR @ Downtown music w/ Pallbearer and Ehnahre

Oct 19 New Orleans LA @ Mudlark Theatre

Oct 20 Austin TX @ Red 7 w/ Javalina

Oct 21 Las Cruces NM @ The Trainyard w/ Yazata

Oct 22 Phoenix @ PHX w/ Gog

Oct 24 Las Vegas NV @ Brass Lounge w/ Dead Neon

Oct 25 Salt Lake City UT @ Burt’s Tiki w/ Subrosa

Oct 29-31 @ VAC Boise ID

Nov 4 Seattle WA @ The Comet w/(a) Story of Rats

Nov 6 Eugene OR @ The Gup w/ Rye Wolves and Vivimancer

Stream the album here.

-Jon

Thanks to Catharsis Media/Kim Kelly.

Stroszek - "Life Failures Made Music" (2010) [God Is Myth]

The seasons, they are a-changin'. The leaves are putting on their red, orange, brown and yellow sweaters for their long journey to the cold earth. Normally, I would say "Hey, looks like it's time to listen to some Tenhi!", but, after receiving an e-mail from the wonderful Claudio Alcara of Italy's Frostmoon Eclipse and Stroszek, and I might have a new autumn standard.

Life Failures Made Music is guitarist/vocalist Claudio Alcara's second full-length excursion into the music world as Stroszek, venturing deep into the world of depression and isolation. Hiding in the void between the realms of Alice in Chains's "Jar of Flies" and Agalloch's "Ashes Against the Grain" is Stroszek, utilizing the bleakest of guitar-led folk rock as a counterweight to soaring, shimmering climaxes. As I write this, I wonder how I could go about highlighting this release. What songs are better than others? What elements overshadow others? And it hits me. Why should I waste my time nitpicking the music and answering these questions about Stroszek when everything approaches perfection?


Life Failures highlights Alcara's talent as a master songwriter. Whether it be "The Unlucky Ones," "The Devil's Chair," "Undead Hotel," or any of the other masterpieces on this album, everything echoes depression and resignation all the same; Stroszek is honesty. Perhaps you can hear the truths in Alcara's voice, as he sings just beneath a whisper.

Deep and grey, Stroszek's brand of minimal folk rock/metal, at least for me, provokes the image of a man sitting by the fire in a cabin in the middle of the woods. Alone. Though he may be warm, no one will ever join him. He will run out of food if he doesn't venture out into the cold. He looks out the window and his breath condenses in a thin fog, leaving a whisper of freezing water on the glass. All the trees are bare. He accepts his fate and curls up in his blanket by the dimming fire.

Lost within the complexities of the human condition, Stroszek remains resigned.

Listen to this alone.

-Jon