Black Twilight Circle Rituals - 4/22, 4/23

Concert wise, Las Vegas is a pretty dry area, and for the most part our metal scene is relatively nonexistent, with the exception of around 20-30 people. Lucky for us, the Black Twilight Circle bands come out here every now and then and play a show (or two), such as this past weekend. On Friday, there was a house show which involved Arizmenda, Dolorvotre, Shataan, and In Lak'ech Ala K'in (Las Vegas black metal), and the following day there was a cave show involving the aforementioned (With the exception of Dolorvotre), Alarido (Las Vegas blackened d-beat/crust), Kuxan Suum, Blue Hummingbird on the Left, Ashdautas and Volahn. Unfortunately, due to work, I wasn’t able to arrive at the caves until midway through Volahn, but nonetheless it was quite an experience.

For those of you that are not familiar with the Black Twilight Circle, you’re missing out. The BTC is a group of musicians with a variety of projects (primarily black metal), ranging from tortured shrieks (Ashdautas), to a militant onslaught (Blue Hummingbird on the Left), to Amebix infused with black metal (Axeman) and much more. You can check them out at http://crepusculonegro.blogspot.com/ and also order merch at http://vukubkaquix.bigcartel.com/

Instead of writing a detailed review of the show, I will let the pictures I took speak for themselves, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments section below (note: the pictures sort of clash with the text on the right, so I recommend scrolling to the bottom, clicking the link, and viewing them through my photography page).

Witchrist - "Beheaded Ouroboros" (2010) [Invictus]

The promo sheet for this band, from the label no less, called Witchrist 'ancient death metal'. I suppose this is an appropriate description; the riffing is definitely old-school and the production is raw (but still clear). Maybe not even raw, more like grimy and filth-ridden. The guitars tuned down to the abysses of the earth, the vocals resembling something like an erupting volcano, fuzzed-out, bone crushing bass tone, caveman-like drums...Ok, ancient death metal is the fitting title for Witchrist.

This is death metal the way it is supposed to be; filthy and uncompromising. No digital love, no pristine tone, no instrument wank-fest, just envenomed aural hatred, pointed straight at your skull. The riffs are surprisingly catchy for this kind of death metal, which is a good thing, because it helps keep the songs from becoming one long track of muddy, barbaric brutality. They really switch back and forth from the almost doom-like slow dirges and the flat out blast sections quite frequently. The guitar leads are killer as well, not shred, not blatant textural leads, but a mix of old-school soloing with a wash of textural covering. Lots of fuzz and buzz from the super low tuning and gain saturated tones, but all still remaining clear in the mix.

This band, at least to me, resembles a less chaotic or less technical Portal. Maybe even a more death metal oriented Archgoat. The sound is crusty but ultimately EVIL, EVIL, EVIL. Not for fans of new age death metal but made specifically for listeners of the old guard. Prepare to have your head blown off in primitive death rage.


-E.

Seidr - "For Winter Fire" (2011) [Flenser Records]

Let's face it, doom metal, along with every other type of metal (maybe music in general) has been beaten to death. No matter how much ingenuity that is integrated into said sound, it has all been done before. With that also being said, there is a ton of credit given to bands who can regenerate the wheel of past flames into something that sounds, while not wholly unique, masterful enough to be fresh and exciting. Many people think that doom metal is nothing but down-tuned guitar and a plodding, snails pace tempo with some random harmonization thrown in for good measure. Thus resulting in rehashed, worthless doom metal albums that clutter used cd bins and internet distros all over the world.

Here we have Seidr, containing members of such underground visionaries such as Wheels Within Wheels and Panopticon (among others). Both bands have managed to create waves in the underground black metal scene as of late, but what happens when you put them together? You getting a killer slab of inspired doom metal, destined to teach the followers what it is like to truly lead. Much like scene contemporaries Asunder, Loss, Katatonia, Ahab, etc...Seidr inject enough freshness into a stale genre to be one step ahead of their peers and create amazing music at the same time.

Post-rock, folk, ambient, noise and above all, DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM are all mixed together in a seamless presentation of originality. Incredible musicianship, catchy melodies, a heavy-as-a-brontosaurus rhythm section and almost retro-style production give the album a triumphant gleam. Their Nordic mythology inspired lyrics are also something of an unknown in doom metal, which only add to their advantage of being ahead of the curve. These folk certainly know their doom and know how to do it well enough that the album sounds not like a debut, but like an album generated by seasoned vets. There is so much passion and emotion in For Winter Fire, that it is frightening. Rumors have it Seidr have already begun work on their follow-up album, which will no doubt be awesome.

Keep an eye out for this band, this album is amazing, but there is no question that there are many great things in store for Seidr's future as a band.


-E.

Rotten Sound - "Cursed" (2011) [Relapse Records]

This album essentially came out of nowhere, I absolutely adore Rotten Sound, but was ghosting on some random metal forum a few weeks back and saw a post about a NEW Rotten Sound record. I felt like an idiot for not knowing about it, but knew I had to score it. Not many bands do grind the way that RS do, especially since the demise of Nasum (R.I.P.). For those who do not know, Rotten Sound is a full-blast grind machine of the highest caliber. They have released numerous destructive and insane records in their history. Cursed is no different; a lesson in destruction as beauty, like no other band can deliver.

For the current crop of grind bands, it truly gets no better than Rotten Sound. They embrace the laws of the genre, yet do it in such a unique way that you would think they invented the style. Grindcore perfected. Insane blasts, punishing d-beats, slamming riffs, angry vocals, fizzy production and tone...every now and then they thrown in a slow part or hardcore-styled break to throw the formula, but compliment it perfectly. This is music for death pits, bad work days and pissy attitudes. Hell, even if you are in a good mood, put this on and tell me you do not want to push someone's face into the back of their head.

An absolutely intense whirlwind of grind intensity from start to finish. Another contender for top ten of 2011 lists. Essential!


-E.

Khors - "Return to Abandoned" (2010) [Paragon]

I am no stranger to Khors. A band having members of Astrofaes and Drudkh in their ranks, have put out a few memorable albums in their journey as a band thus far. This album, 'Return To Abandoned' being their latest collection of desolate and majestic black metal hymns. Epic, grandiose, bombastic and majestic are a few of the words that can be used to describe this album. In a listening society where these terms are used ad nauseaum with no regard for what they mean, this album truly does embrace the ideas and sounds of the above descriptors in full.

Freezing black metal is mixed with soaring keyboard arrangements, shred-y solos, folk-y sections and earthen, emotive vocals. This is like a toned down Kataxu, but only toned down in the respect of the synths. The song arrangements are complex and expansive, with a ton of breathing room for the instruments to play off of each other. This instrument work leads to an absolutely huuuuuuuuuuge sounding album, which the production absolutely helps with. The production, while being super clear and defined, is not polished to the point of plasticity. Everything sounds organic and soulful, which is completely necessary for this kind of over-the-top black metal chaos (HEAR THAT DIMMU BORGIR?) to sound believable.

This is symphonic, progressive black metal done RIGHT. Return To Abandoned is going to get a loooooooooooot of playing time around the office (maybe more than I care to admit to). This is definitely going to be a contender for the top ten albums of 2011 for me. Brilliantly outstanding black solar art. 


E.

Acephalix - "Interminable Night" (2011) [Southern Lord Records]

Crusty, d-beat laden death metal? Oh hell yes. From the opening chugs I knew this album was going to be a rager. Old-school buzz-saw guitar tone in full effect, coupled with driving d-beats and harsh-as-swallowing-sand vocals. This is crust punk and grind mixed with old-school death metal, creating an absolutely brutal sound that most bands could only wish to achieve. The aggression quotient of this album is through the roof, there is no beauty, no technical wank, only bulldozing, pile-driving death metal.

The uprising of old-school death metal makes me very happy, death metal is supposed to be dirty, raw, unpolished and barbaric. While I do love some technical death (Defeated Sanity, Disgorge, Deeds Of Flesh, Suffocation), nothing can take the place of bands who worship at the altar of true death. Acephalix sound straight out of the late 80s/early 90s. Especially frightening considering two factors; A) they have only been around since 2007 and B) they are from the US. The US is known for the more polished death metal sounds, while Europe is known more for the disgusting, morbid kind of death metal sound. Who would have thought? Not I.

There is a TON of crust influence in the Acephalix sound, which I absolutely love, especially considering it does not take away from the death metal element. It only enhances and compliments it in the most perfect sense. Rusty chainsaw guitar/bass tone, primitive yet complimentary drumming and caveman-like vocal bursts bathe the album in ugly. Uncontrollably headbanging riffs and all out nasty production make this album a gem in the current NWoOSDM (new wave of old-school death metal, see what I did there?) scene. Another brilliant thing about this album is that it is FUN. Not much death metal is fun anymore and not fun in a campy death/grind or neo-thrash kind of way, but fun in an early Entombed/Dismember kind of way. The kind of fun where you put the album on, break everything you own, go start a fight with the first person you see and then go to the nearest gas station, to drink gas in victory kind of way.

A must have for fans of gritty death metal and grimy crust punk, pick this album up, I assure you that a generous reward is in store for you. Amazing.


E.

Mamiffer / House of Low Culture - “Uncrossing/Ice Mole” (2010) [Utech Records]

Not long ago I encountered an expectedly brilliant album. I thought Mamiffer would be yet another sludgy post metal band and didn’t have much in the way of optimism for Mare Decendrii. As it turns out, Faith Coloccia and company are collectively “the man,” and that album is top tier (and not at all just sludgy post metal). Needless to say, I am quite the fan and will jump at any chance to write about anything by Mamiffer. Fortunately for me, Utech Records sent a split with House of Low Culture Inarguable-wards which landed in my hands. So not only do I get to hear and write about more Mamiffer, I get a new band too!

Beginning with Mamiffer’s “Uncrossing,” my first impression is that it is a bit more stripped down in comparison to the recent full length. This is younger Faith being represented here (the recording is apparently from 2008, at least in part) so that is not at all surprising. The music, comprised of piano, organ, synth, percussion (timpani?) and a variety of field recordings and other elements, divides fairly easily into two parts. The first part is where we get the melody and the hook—one of the great strengths of Mamiffer is that embracing of the hook. Faith plays a beautiful piano with all the levels the instrument can speak at answering to the command of her fingertips, and she knows just what melodic buttons to push to get it to register in the gut.

Not long into “Uncrossing” the steady pulse of the echoing percussion carries the music into a zone of floating harmony. Organ and field recordings take over and accompany the pulse through six or seven more minutes of shimmery texture and that pulse ultimately takes the song away.

I have less background with House of Low Culture (this is my introduction to them), but their track has some good things going for it as well. “Ice Mole” is a bit less on the structured side in comparison to “Uncrossing.” More layered and full of voices (literally at times), it contains a great number of distinct changes to focus on. It really functions more as a soundscape or a mood piece.

The various textures used are what drive “Ice Mole.” Harmonious and distant voices appear in the beginning and give way to a painting of sound that rises and falls, incorporating guitars, pianos, feedback and all sorts of fun things. The sound aptly resembles the cover art (a nice piece by Are Mokkelbost) and even calls to mind a little of old Tangerine Dream (think Rubycon or Phaedra) but with more in the way of ordered melody.

House of Low Culture’s track can drag a bit, especially when taken in just after getting through Mamiffer’s more—for lack of a better word—“accessible” track. Twenty minutes of meandering sound can require a bit of attention not always readily available. It has its strengths, though, and should be given a chance, perhaps skipped to and taken in on its own.

Overall, this two track split is a nice example of what both Mamiffer and House of low Culture can do. It is well produced and comes in a nice package with pretty artwork. I might be more partial to the Mamiffer track, but both pieces are different enough to stand on their own and yet still compliment one another. In an age when the split is something people seem to be doing just because, this one actually feels like a standalone work.

Check out the purchasing info on the Utech Records releases page.

-Bryan A. Wysopal

Negative Plane - "Stained Glass Revelations" (2011) [The Ajna Offensive]

The Ajna Offensive; possibly one of the most consistently brilliant labels to ever emerge from the US. I have yet to ever hear (or read) something from this label that I did not find amazing. No easy feat. The last Negative Plane release was utterly amazing, but I had heard a few off-color comments about their newest offering 'Stained Glass Revelations', not that this deterred me, but it did plant some skepticism in my peanut-sized brain. What a mistake that was, by all means.

Their newest sonic ritual is nothing short of brilliant. Negative Plane managed to take what was amazing about their first album (evil-as-could-be atmosphere, raw production, etc.) and expanded upon that with a new found (not that new, but much more pronounced) flair for the psychedelic. Not happy-hippie psychedelic, but fried on LSD at a human sacrifice psychedelic. There are a few moments on this album that could cause sheer terror if your mindset was not in the right place. The music is incorrigibly evil and everything is reverbed to hell, making it sound incredibly cavernous and harrowing. For whatever reason, the production/mix occasionally reminds me of Satyricon's The Shadowthrone album. The guitars have a brilliantly reverbed tone, with just enough distortion to get the job done (aka; not gain tweaked to all hell). The drums are nice and clear in the most organic way possible. The vocals are mid-rangey, guttural and full of passion. The bass is clearly audible on the entire recording. The pianos/organs are upfront in the mix without becoming annoying. More or less the perfect mix for a black metal album.

This is undoubtedly black metal, but also hints at old-school death metal (more in function that form) and obscure 70s prog/psych music. Everything plays off of each other on the album to create a cacophony of pure occult ritual. Truthfully, this is one of the best black metal albums I have heard in a very long time. Everything makes sense, works with, as opposed to each other and creates an album worthy of any accolades it receives. Pure and utter occult brilliance for esoteric disciples of the highest order. Do NOT miss this album for ANY reason.

E.

Phobia / Abaddon Incarnate "Split 7''" (2011) [Underground Movement]

Dirty? Raw? Grind? Yeah, I'm listening. Here we have a split album from two grind heavyweights; Abaddon Incarnate and Phobia. Not a fan of grind? This split probably will not change your mind, but for those in the know, this split utterly slays from beginning to end. Let us begin...

Abaddon Incarnate: 3 tracks of lo-fi, blast-filled, filthy and downright nasty grind from the old-school. Buzzsawing bass and guitars abound, harshly growled/screamed vocals, non-stop intense drumming...C'mon, this is grind after all. Like I needed to type any of that. Short songs from beginning to end. Tons of intensity and disregard for beauty, cleanliness and all other things un-brutal.

Phobia: absolutely legendary grind. Never heard of them? You have officially failed as an underground music aficionado. Go home and listen to Alcest. Raging, crusty grind that is as angry as Evander Holyfield after getting his ear bitten off by Mike Tyson (you better remember that) and not afraid to spit it in your face. Blasts? Rage? Dual vocal attack? They are all here. Get off your fanny and punch your buddy in the face. He will understand.

Totally mandatory for grind fanatics. For everyone else? Well...there is always something less, um, grind, to listen to. Go champion that for a bit.


-E.

Necros Christos - "Doom of the Occult" (2011) [The Ajna Offensive]

This album has been anticipated in some circles more than the second coming of christ. Since their epic masterpiece, 'Triune Impurity Rites' set such a huge bar for them to create a follow-up to, I can honestly say that this new album has delivered in full. Slimy, old-school death/doom, completely devoid of pointless technical wankery, sparkly production, drums triggers...pretty much everything that makes newer death metal as pathetic as most of it is. NC fires back against the cheese of new death metal with oriental/middle eastern tinged melodies, ripping guitar solos (not guitar wank either) and metal that truly sounds EVIL. After reading a few interviews with NC main-man Mors Dalos Ra, it seems he certainly is serious about spirituality and adherence to evil, which really shine through in his work. Imagine that? Death metal that sounds and IS evil. Hmm, who would have thought?

In between the plodding dirges of doomy death are weird oriental-esque interludes, which help set up the tracks nicely. These pieces are performed masterfully, just like the metal tracks on the album. Mors mid-rangey growled vocals fit the music perfectly and the amount of reverb on them does not hurt either. The drums, while doing nothing hugely flashy, suit the music perfectly. The bass guitar is nice and chunky and the guitar performance is superb. The mix of the album is perfect; all the instruments are clear and given enough room to breathe without clouding each other, but are still as dirty and raw as a freshly buried corpse (as death metal should be).

Mere words cannot do this album justice. Simply put, if you are sick of shiny new death metal or are in need of something that truly sounds evil, you have your ticket to the show in this new Necros Christos album. An absolute must have for old-school enthusiasts or newbies looking to pass over to the dark side of real metal of death. This is definitely an album of the year contender for me. 

E.

Echtra - "Paragate" (2011) [Temple of Torturous]

Cascadia. The word literally makes my stomach churn. I should know better than to dismiss an entire genre/scene based upon the actions of a derpy collective of unwashed, liberal, wanna-be neo-pagan goons living off of mommy and daddy's trust funds, but sometimes I cannot help it. Granted I do enjoy a bit of what has come from that location (Agalloch, Woodsmoke, Fauna, Skagos) but more often than not its rehashed, flavor-of-the-moment socio-political, faux pagan 'black' metal. It inflames me with contempt and makes me want to vomit at the same time. Enter the mysterious Echtra...

I have enjoyed what I have heard from Echtra (and his other projects) and this release is no exception. Exchewing the typical Cascadian cookie cutter bollocks, Echtra manages to create something unique and worthwhile in each of his musical outings. Paragate opens up with funeral paced acoustic strumming, making way for doooooooooooooooooooooooooomy distorted hiss, plodding drum patterns and croaky, almost growled vocals. This all breaks away to summon a dark, haunting type of ambience to close out the first track. The second track opens where the last ended; bleeding distortion, minimal ambiance and a beautiful acoustic melody to open wide the paragate. This all builds up into an almost Velvet Cacoon-esque black metal dirge; rife with traditional blasts, screamed vocals and layered guitars. The chaos tapers off to resound the acoustic/doom previously explored on the recording.

This is a lesson in haunting yet beautiful ambient doom/black metal. Granted millions of worthless bands have beat this horse into glue, none can do as well as Echtra. There is a reason this guy and his other projects are held in high regard within the Cascadian and US black metal scenes, simply for the fact that they do it better than the rest. Not many bands popping up in the US scene can compare or hold a candle to this work.

Dear hippie Cascadian metallers; listen to this album and take note to what you are NOT doing, that is, creating worthwhile art packed with emotion and sincerity. Give it a try sometime, might make you worth listening to.

E.

Indian - "Guiltless" (2011) [Relapse Records]

Chicago based doom metal has always held itself to a high standard. As of three days ago, the bar has been pushed to a new standard. The band responsible is Indian, a five piece unit creating truly heavy, crushing, angry, huge doom metal. I have always viewed Indian as a doom metal band to keep an eye on. I thought this especially after witnessing their live show. So far, Indian has not disappointed me. In fact, they have greatly surpassed my expectations (not only as musicians, but in terms of pushing the doom metal genre forward). Guiltless is a masterpiece in every possible way with each track building and building until the very end. My favorite Indian release, by far!

           

Notable tracks on this album are "Guiltless", "The Fate Before Fate", and "No Grace". Each one of these tracks sticks true to Indian’s style, while continuing to push the envelope. "Guiltless" is a super intro track. The album is set off in a great direction as the drone slowly builds and the hammering drums enter a few minutes afterwards. The sound gets louder, heavier, and drives further and further (like a loyal Indian fan would expect), and the next track, "The Fate Before Fate", picks up where "Guiltless" leaves off. "The Fate Before Fate" is definitely my favorite track on the album. On past records, Indian tends to stay in particular song writing structure (and it usually isn’t the most melodic of song structures). However, on this track, Indian decides to try out some melodic doom and holy fuck do they pull it off! The guitar riff and the drum work on this track mesh together so well and the screeching vocals over the top are the icing on the cake! Finally, "No Grace" brings the album to a close with the same intensity and crushing style that Guiltless opened with. A full circle experience provided by a truly amazing doom metal band!

            

I am very, very proud to be a Chicagoan and to share the same city streets and great food spots with all the great Chicago doom bands, but especially with Indian. This band has proved that doom metal still has many more directions to take and they have also proved that doom metal doesn’t have to be stereotypical. With care and love (and some great songwriting and great musicians), you can go anywhere and do anything well, including stepping outside of your comfort zone. Thanks to the great work on Guiltless, Indian has gained a new realm of comfort. Please buy this album and give it multiple listens! Indian is a gem amongst Chicago doom metal and to pass on them or this Magnus opus is to miss out on a truly powerful doom metal experience!

     A final note, listen to "Supplicants". It's quite the surprise that I'm sure most Indian fans will enjoy.

-       - Pat

Septicflesh – “The Great Mass” (2011) [Season of Mist]

I like to think of myself as something of a connoisseur of symphonic metal. I make symphonic/orchestral music and I listen to tons of it, metal or otherwise. I do not claim to have any extensive schooling or fancy degree to give my opinion any weight, but I think a lifetime of exposure lends me some legitimacy. I know what sounds like garbage and what doesn’t, and when I was first introduced to Septicflesh through 2008’s Communion I knew right away that there was something special going on with this band.

When people think of progressive symphonic metal with occult or mythological themes they tend to think of Therion. The bands are similar in concept and structure; both are a mixture of gothic, black and death metal and both utilize orchestras and a plethora of different vocal styles (and vocalists). Both bands have a similar “heavy rocking with operatic singing over it” sound at times; and the clean lead vocals on the new Septicflesh sound uncannily like Snowy Shaw. The difference, though, is that Therion tends to get boring at times. Not that I don’t enjoy them, but too often the music is nothing but unisons even though and entire orchestra and choir is at their disposal. I tend to be left expecting something more from a Therion album, much as I might enjoy it; the idea is there, but the result is lacking. Septicflesh tends to produce an album that expands and breathes and they have most certainly done that here with The Great Mass.

Septicflesh makes use of everything they can get the Prague Philharmonic to do. The orchestrations are perfect for their style. It’s not the kind of orchestrating that would be expected from Bal-Sagoth or Turisas and the like—a style which is excellent, of course—but something more textural and more expressive of the actual live instruments. The music calls for more separation, a more impressionistic approach that is actually less saturated than it ends up sounding. For all their claims that they are different from the typical “film score” type of symphonic metal band, there are a lot of wonderful melodic and cinematic parts on The Great Mass.

The dynamics of this album, the balance of a lone female voice with the crush of low register death metal and an orchestra that sounds at times like the first breaths of a long-dead, reawakened behemoth and the growing tension of a creepy dream at others, are so deftly handled as to make it feel like something looming up over the trees. It’s the impression I get when listening to The Great Mass, and which helps to differentiate Septicflesh’s symphonic metal from that of their peers, that it sounds absolutely monstrous. It’s not that the music is always scary or that it is simply dark; there is just something of the sublime in it. As the treetops start to bend toward you and the thing that is this album comes into view it is pure exhilaration. Yes, it can probably kill you if you don’t get out of the way; but for that moment the sun is blotted out, you are feeling something stirring positive emotions within you, like standing outside admiring the beauty of an approaching lightning storm.

A fine mixture of melodic gothic metal and orchestrated death metal married to dark themes of occultism and mythology, The Great Mass promises to be one of the glowing gems of a year marked mostly by half-way offerings. The unquestionable strength of the single (and opening track), “The Vampire from Nazareth,” is a good indicator of what to expect.  “The Undead Keep Dreaming” is one of the more legitimately creepy metal songs I’ve heard in a while; but choosing highlights in this case is pointless. Each track is unique, well crafted, and fitted to its proper place in the frightful ceremony. Behold these mad architects of dark metal!

-Bryan A. Wysopal

Teeth Engraved With the Names of the Dead - "Kosmiche Death Worship" (2011) [Sol y Nieve]

Small labels are awesome, and Chicago's Sol y Nieve definitely holds true to that statement. Looking at the picture, the DiY aesthetic holds true; hand-stamped envelopes, hand-engraved cassettes, envelope, a deer's tooth (only for the first 5 copies, though. Sorry). It is obvious that label-head Noah puts a lot of time and effort into each release (this being the third and most-recent).

Teeth Engraved With the Names of the Dead (Teeth Engraved for the rest of the review) offer a thick slab of terrifying drone/ambient with a hint of noise with this release. I sort of envision this release like an abandoned beach on a grey day: waves of guitar and feedback crash against shores of synth drones, quietly hinting at melodies amidst the ebb and flow of ambience. Hell, the ambient noise crackling even froths like sea foam. Everything, though calm, is intimidating and unsettling; "What if I were to die in my sleep tonight? Should I beat death to the punch?"

Though this style of industrial-tinged, noisy, organic drone isn't really my style, I must say that Teeth Engraved held my interest with this release. Be sure to order this, as well as releases by Monvment and 10,000 Miles of Arteries from Noah at noah@solynieverecords.com. At $5 a tape you really can't go wrong.

-Jon

A Interview with HENRIK OHLSSON from SCAR SYMMETRY

Thank you Henrik for taking time and doing this Interview with us ! How are you doing ?

No problem, it`s my pleasure. I`m doing fine, been doing mail interview all day but that`s allright- I actually kind of enjoy it. We`ve had interview-sessions on and off over a month now and we`re kind of in the process of finishing it off with a bunch of mailers. It`s all a part of the promotion of the new album.
 
How long have you been playing the drums, Do you play any other Instruments, and What got you into music ?
 
I`m 35 years old now and I started playing when I was 13. I discovered KISS when I was 8 years old and I`ve been into metal ever since. I listened to heavy metal for some years and then I got into thrash metal and later on death metal. I went to a process of getting more and more extreme in my musical taste. What got me playing in bands was basically thrash and death metal, thrash was huge when I was 13 and when I was about 15 years old, in the beginning of the 90`s, the whole death metal boom happened and I was hooked by that and decided to form a band. Aside from playing drums I also play guitar. I wrote all the music for an album called ”Dispiritism” by my band Altered Aeon (r.i.p) released in 2004 and I recorded all the instruments (except solos) for the Altered Aeon demo in 2003. I`ve also done lead vocals for three full-length albums- Theory In Practice ”The Armageddon Theories”, Theory In Practice ”Colonizing the Sun” and Mutant ”The Aeonic Majesty”.

How do you get inspiration to write the lyrics ? You read the book Holographic Universe for the album Holographic Universe but what about the previous albums and the new album The Unseen Empire What books, People, movies/documentaries, and research or if any of that does that play a roll in the writing process for you ? If so can you please explain ?
 
Well, first of all I haven`t read the book ”Holographic Universe”, I stumbled upon the ideas presented on the ”Holographic”-album when I researched quantum physics. But I`ve seen interviews with the author of ”Holographic Universe” and I`ve seen references to that book in other works so I know what that book is about. I have a general interest in these topics and pretty much every Scar Symmetry album circulate around the same topics lyrically even though the perspective changes from album to album. The whole thing about the Illuminati etc. that is very present on the new album is actually something that has been present in the lyrics on every album, yet in a more subtle way perhaps. I have my own personal views and opinions about all this but I look to authors like David Icke, who is very extreme in his theories, for inspiration. David Icke is a perfect source of inspiration when writing lyrics for metal around these subjects because of his extreme approach. Other than that I read books on history, both official and alternative ideas about history and put the pieces together. I also read a lot about new science, alternative science that hasn`t really been accepted yet by the mainstream. And of course I`m into occult systems, I`ve been studying that for a long time. All of this fit together in a very mindblowing way and I`m writing from a point where science and magic kind of blend into one. For this album I focused a bit more on books and articles about the Federal Reserve and the supposed cults that stand in the shadows, safe from the eyes of the mainstream media. I asked myself questions like: ”Why are certain things displayed in the news and others completely ignored?”. The more you think about stuff like that the more you get fired up to write about The New World Order and related things because it`s obvious that there is a lot of manipulation going on in the world. To which degree we`re being manipulated is something that everyone has to decide for themselves but if you go into the rabbit-hole you`ll see possibilities that it might be deeper than you think.

How did you become aware//awake to the New World Order ?

When the process of globalization really started to charge forth it was impossible to ignore that some kind of New World Order was emerging. I saw the term everywhere, David Icke talks about it a lot of course but I can`t remember exactly when I heard about it the first time. It might have been in Icke`s book ”The Robot`s Rebellion”, I read that one in the late 90`s. Anyway, I find all the theories surrounding the Illuminati and the New World Order intriguing and it`s easy to write about that from different points of view. Most of the time I go with the weirdest stuff possible and sometimes, but not often, I keep it somewhat ”down to earth”. I want the lyrics to have this otherworldly vibe and that`s why I enjoy writing from extreme points of view most of all.
 
When your not fighting Global Government with the music of Scar Symmetry what do you like to do in your free time ?

I`m not actually fighting globalization, whatever you fight becomes stronger since you add energy to it an intense way. I just write about it with the intent to ”enlighten” AND, don`t forget this, to entertain. Some listeners aren`t really interested in the lyrical subjects as such and just want cool stories and that`s allright. The lyrics are just entertainment for them which is cool with me. Others are more genuinely interested in the lyrical themes and that`s even better. But I don`t want to be seen as some sort of activist or a preacher of anything since I am first and foremost just a musician and a lyricist with a special approach. I`m not a preacher and I don`t pretend like my ideas hold the ultimate truth or anything like that. Anyway, in my freetime I`m doing pretty normal things: hang out with my family, write, read, watch movies, work out (something I`ve started doing recently. Always hated it but now I found I actually enjoy it), drink alcohol every now and then and write songs for different projects that I`m involved in.

Do you guys plan on doing a long tour in support of The Unseen Empire like you did for Dark Matter Dimensions ?

Yeah, we did several tours in support of ”Dark Matter Dimensions” and eventually we`ll go on tour in support of the new album. The album will be released at the 15th of April and we`ll start the festival season right after the release party at the 30th of April. We`re booked for several festivals and events this summer plus some dates in Australia so we have to concentrate on that first and foremost. After the summer we`ll do either a European or an American tour, we haven`t decided yet. We`ll also do some dates in South America before the end of the year and then we`ll continue promoting the album through shows next year.
 
Thank You for your time and talking with us ! Do you have any final words or anything you would like to add ?

As always I would like to thank the fans, your support is immensely appreciated and we hope you like the new album! Check our facebook/myspace-sites for the latest info! 



-Bjørn

Blut Aus Nord - "777 - Sect(s)" (2011) [Debemur Morti]

Really understanding the music of France’s Blut Aus Nord can take some time. If I say that 777- Sect(s) is a difficult album to get through in one sitting, it is not a complaint. Those familiar with the band will immediately recognize their trademark approach to black metal—a harnessing of dissonant chaos into some sort of listenable order—and surely be pleased. If after the first few tracks the uninitiated are bored or frightened, I recommend coming back to it fresh before passing judgment.

Though Blut Aus Nord is pretty much legendary, I was not as impressed with the rerelease of The Mystical Beast of Rebellion as I had expected to be based on all the noise made about it (it was my first Blut Aus Nord experience); but I didn’t dislike it either. There were memorable moments, particularly where things got demonic and where noiscapes and industrial/ambient element were used. Fortunately all of that is still present in this newest release and presented with a higher level of maturity and craft.

The album is comprised of six tracks all entitled “Epitome” (parts one through six) adding to the feeling that it is intended to be taken as a cohesive whole. Part one is mostly a speedy whirlwind of hellish melodies, as should be expected of the band, but it breaks down into a pleasantly unexpected outro consisting of groovy drums and ominous keyboards. Part two is quite different, far more melancholic and melodic than “demonic clown” sounding, and definitely a highlight on the album. It is in some ways similar to some of the more accessible elements found in “Chapter 7” of “The Fall” on the rerelease of Mystical Beast....

“Epitome 3” blends the vibes of parts one and two while “Epitome 4” kicks up the moodiness and groovy rhythms in a mighty composition of nearly twelve minutes in length. The final tracks follow suit and fit the vibe of the album perfectly. I won’t say more because I’m sure people are going to want to listen to it for themselves. But it’s strong to the end; no disappointment.

The great thing about this album is that it commanded my attention for much longer and for much better reasons than most of my previous experiences with the Blut Aus Nord. They are just so capable of composing using those grating, jarring and uncomfortable melodies they like in such a way that is entirely listenable. Wherever things seem to be utter nonsense, there is a creepy melody carried by the voice or other instrument floating on top of the churning mass, guiding the song and keeping a semblance of order.

Just as with my last Blut Aus Nord review, I am reminded once again of Doré’s engravings for Dante’s Il Purgatorio ed il Paradiso or Milton’s Paradise Lost when listening to 777 – Sect(s). Other times I just see the winding brimstone tunnels of a very orthodox Hell. Not a bad accomplishment in a scene over-saturated with that kind of imagery.

-Bryan A. Wysopal

Oathean - Oathean (2010) [Jusin]

What the fuck happened here? I have long followed Oathean for some time now and for those of who, who do not know what this band. Oathean is a Korean Black Metal band with some Gothenburg riffs and melodic parts here and there. But anyway With their last release and this self titled release this is one of those album that goes to show you this is what happens when a band has run out of ideas and MUST resort to jumping on the CHEESE WANGON (aka the train of producing shitty riffs and cheesy fucking music).

Unlike their first 3 album which had killer riffs, music, ideas, originality ect ect ect. With this release there is none of that. With the intro track (Those Who Curse) it is a 33 second intro that is a cheesy//corn synth intro which is really how all of the synth is on this album it is like something cradle of filth would shit out good fucking god.
Pretty much all of the riffs and guitar work on this album are tremolo picking that has been done a million times over oh oh and the other riffs are basically shitty half assed Norwegian Black Metal riffs basically.

After some how getting passed the 2nd track (Oathean) the following track (Two Faces) HAS A FUCKING BREAK DOWN !!!!! What the fuck is that shit ? I guess these guys have been gaining influence by listening to Abigail Williams or some shit. Well I like I said this is a album that was produced in which the ideas have stopped flowing so I guess They could not think of any Black Metal ideas so something as easy and shitty as core must be a little easier to think of ideas in terms of playing.

Well I have pretty much summed up this album Core, breakdowns or no they are not even Breakdowns I am going to call them Blackdowns that is a perfect name for them, horribly ripped off Ghost Reveries riffs with some Deathcore chromatic riffs, boring ass drums, pussy cry baby sorrowful synths, cheap knock off Norwegian black metal riffs, well at least the vocalist still sings in the same style still. What a piece of shit.

-Bjørn

Mamiffer - "Mare Decendrii" (2011) [SIGE Records]

You ever get that feeling when you listen to something new where you wish it would never end? Well, I would be content only listening to avant-classical/folk/drone powerhouse Mamiffer's sophomore full-length Mare Decendrii. If you won't take my word for it, take a look at the lineup: Mamiffer mainstay and chief songwriter Faith Coloccia teamed up with her husband Aaron Turner (yes, of ISIS/House of Low Culture/Old Man Gloom/et cetera fame), modern composer Eyvind Kang (you might recognize him for his solo work, but also his lush orchestral arrangements on Sunn O)))'s Monoliths and Dimensions), some more familiar names (Jessika Kinney, Randall Dunn, Joe Preston and more!), and some perhaps unfamiliar to her normal crowd (Jussi Lehtisalo, Mika Ratto, Parvaneh Daneshvar, and more, yet again) for the creation of this monolithic album.

Taking cues from both contemporary classical's almost pop-like melodic sensibilities with droning far-eastern Indian classical music (both Carnatic and Hindustani for all you music nerds) and sense of space (and maybe a hint of Aaron's droning, metallic past), Faith truly has created something special and memorable with this album. Equal parts George Crumb, Pandit Pran Nath, Enkh Jargal, Clint Mansell, Brian Eno, and something that resides solely within Faith herself, Mamiffer's lush, organic presence is unparalleled in the current music scene.  Lasting an hour stretched over 5 tracks ranging from five-and-a-half minutes long to the epic 20-minute "We Speak In The Dark," Mare Decendrii ebbs and flows through sections of modern classical music, periods of overtone singing and far-eastern-meets-Finnish chant, and what some people might call "post-rock," with an undeniable sense of ease and compositional mastery on behalf of Ms. Coloccia (and the Mare Decendrii crew). Mare Decendrii is a labor of love; a deep insight into Faith Coloccia's philosophies on life, music, existence, and the nature of the world itself.

This entire album is an ethereal, otherworldly journey through distant lands, physical, Earthly or not. By far one of, if not the most impressive release I've heard in the past few years.

Tension and release; like breathing.

-Jon

T.O.M.B. - "UAG (Uncovered Ancient Gateways)" (2010) [Todestrieb Records]

I still remember the first time I heard about T.O.M.B. (short for Total Occultic Mechanical Blasphemy). I was at the Matchitehew Assembly, a rather large black metal and noise festival in Chicago, in July of 2009, and some rather strange looking fellow, sort of like The Crow meets Nic Cage with extra piercings and an undercut, would NOT shut up about this band "TOMB"'s album "Macabre Noize Royale," the culmination of many years of breaking into haunted places and using metal structures (among other things) for percussion. Seeing that I was rather new to the whole "noise" concept, I was rather perturbed. Who would break into supposedly haunted places to make black metal? Who would mix in noise with their black metal?

Why was I asking myself so many questions?

Okay so I was curious...and a bit interested, to say the least. I went home and I dug up some mp3s of "Macabre Noize Royale," only to find that the material was actually pretty awesome. Of course, with the way that I discover music, I sort of stopped listening to T.O.M.B. altogether and went about with my life (to TOMB: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!). So everything sort of remained T.O.M.B.-less until I got an e-mail from a mysterious "NoOne" in mid-February.

Holy crap, T.O.M.B. had found me! So, 4 discs later (in special embossed TOTAL OCCULTIC MECHANICAL BLASPHEMY envelopes, I might add) and a few months of digesting, here we are with last year's "UAG (Uncovered Ancient Gateways)", a continuation of 2009's "Penn Hurst" sessions.

Now, I should probably warn all of you that this is noise, as in, straight up noise. Not any of that harsh noise wall stuff like The Rita, Vomir, et cetera, but something rather dynamic, with punctuation sections of creepy ambience and loud, LOUD metallic percussion. Throughout this hour-long descent into hell I find myself looking over my shoulders, making sure my roommate's closet is open, and praying to whatever might help me that there is not something under my bed - I'm being completely honest here, it is truly that unsettling.

After some research, I found out that the samples used to make this album were recorded in the abandoned Pennhurst sanitarium in Pennsylvania, Waverly Hills, Kentucky, a tombstone, and, of course, he rubbed a contact microphone in blood. It's strange, I normally would take something like this with a really big grain of salt, but after conversations with this fellow (whose name I still don't know)...he really is serious about it. Serious enough to send me a video of himself recording the bonus track "Cadaver Transmissions," where he, I kid you not, rubbed a contact microphone, rather violently, on a corpse. I've had nightmares about that short clip.

Death, destruction, madness, noise. Pretty much sums it up. A cool listen for those of us who enjoy noise, and maybe a nice jumping off point into the genre for those too steadfast in their ways to try it before. Prepare yourself for the descent into your nightmares.

-Jon

Barghest - "Barghest" (2011) [Big Mountain Tapes]

"Oh man! Another USBM tape! I bet it sounds just like every release on Woodsmoke!"


WRONG.


Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to introduce you all to Baton Rouge's Barghest, whose first full-length (check yourselves, public, for "The Practice" that hit the internet a few years ago is but a bootleg) is a massive slab of Burzumic black metal the likes of which the modern US black metal fan has maybe heard in the single listen he's given the "Filosofem" vinyl he bought because "Yeah man, Burzum's out of prison!"

Let it be known that EVEN IF this is Thou-related (Barghest boasts current Thou guitarist Matthew Thudium  and former drummer Terry Gulino), don't expect any magical, sweeping chord progressions or twinkly delay-drenched post-rock leads. This is pure, angry black metal. There are no fucking "human rights" on this album. No trees. No mysticism. Just pure, unadulterated hate. And you know what? We really need that, because most modern black metal fans forget that their predecessors were violent teenagers. This is beautiful in its own right; it is jagged and pulsating, yet majestic in its nonstop attack. You don't need to sound like Explosions in the Sky to be majestic, after all.

I feel like I should dedicate an entire paragraph to vocalist Dallas Smith's voice alone. This man, also in underground act Arcane Burial, has the voice of a banshee. I mean, it's so wet you can hear his vocal cords smacking into each other. Absolutely wretched and full of hate - truly a unique and impressive voice.

So I might have ranted a little bit in this review, but I swear every word is pertinent. Barghest is doing something wholly right - a throwback to black metal's second wave splendor - and I'm all for it. Though the tape is sold out, it will be released on LP from Howling Mine and Gilead Media. Be sure to pick it up - I know I will!

-Jon

Utech Records Music Festival

Poster by VIRAL GRAPHICS

This is going to be an absolutely incredible day. June 11th at the Cactus Club in Milwaukee, WI. I'll be there!

For those of you who can't read the font, the lineup is as follows:

Horseback

Locrian

Mamiffer (expect a review of Mare Decendrii very soon!)

House of Low Culture (Aaron Turner-related, for those of you who don't know)

James Plotkin

Jon Mueller

Gog

William Fowler Collins

Ural Umbo

RM74

Ithi

Also be sure to check out the sampler featuring each band of the festival lineup, courtesy of Utech Records.

TRACKLIST

1.Horseback "Tyrant Symmetry" from The Invisible Mountain URCD039.
2.Horseback/Locrian "The Gift" from New Dominions URLP066. Available June 2011.
3.Locrian "The Crystal World" from The Crystal World URCD056/057 and URLP056.
4.Mamiffer "Uncrossing" excerpt from split URCD055.
5.House of Low Culture "Ice Mole" excerpt from split URCD055.
6.James Plotkin "Afyon" excerpt from Indirmek URCD009.
7.Gog "Spells of Shadow" from Heavy Fierce Brightness: Spells of the Sun URCD053.
8.Gog/William Fowler Collins "Fire in the Valley" from Malpais URCD063. Available June 2011.
9.Ural Umbo "Self Fulfilling Prophecy" from Delusion of Hope URLP070. Available late 2011.
10.RM74 "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" from Reflex URCD045.
11.Ithi "Imagination is the Ground of Being" from The Persistence of Meaning URCD058. Available June 2011.

Who am I going to see there?

-Jon

Information cited from http://www.utechrecords.com/URMF.html