**************************************** * * * ##### #### ### #### ##### * * # # # # # # # * * ### #### # # ### # * * # # # # # # # * * # # # ### #### # * * * * # # ##### #### ##### ### # # * * # # # # # # # ## # * * # # # ### # # # # # # * * # # # # # # # # ## * * # ##### #### ##### ### # # * * * **************************************** Issue #1, September 2024 ---------------------------------------- Welcome to the first issue of the Frost Vision Metal Web Zine. Those on Substack know me better as a writer of weird fiction, but my true passion is metal. I first started listening to it back in 2003. Since then, I have listened to countless albums; some good, some bad, most in between. I don't mean to brag, but I've forgotten more metal bands than most people will ever know. Substack is mostly known for its political articles and serial fiction, but I believe it also has potential to resurrect the old zine format, and that is what I intend to do with Frost Vision. Each issue will feature a collection of album reviews, all of which will be short, sweet, and to the point. Unlike certain other reviewers, I don't want to waste the reader's time by talking about irrelevant nonsense. I just want to focus on the music. I mainly listen to old and obscure stuff, but I do listen to new releases on occasion. I also primarily listen to extreme metal - extreme in more ways than one - so be warned. And in case you're wondering why I have so many reviews already, that's because they were originally written for another web site, but then some power-tripping hotpocket permabanned me over a joke username, age, and comment. Giygas - Giygas I'm honestly surprised it took this long for a metal band to name themselves after Earthbound's main antagonist. You'd think such a Lovecraftian villain would be more popular in the metal scene. These guys play an unsettling and slightly experimental form of black metal. The drums provide plenty of great blast beats, mid-paced rhythms, slow rhythms, and elaborate fills. The best display of their skills can be found on the halfway point of "Moonside." The vocals consist of a deliberately incomprehensible rasp, reflecting their namesake's attacks. The guitar work is quite diverse. The tremolo riffs chill to the bone. The chugging riffs on "Hymn of the Cosmic Destroyer" are crushing. The mid-paced thrash metal riffs on "Moonside" are quite catchy and sort of remind me of Slayer. The slow riffs at the beginning of "Self Preserving Fetus" are filled with sorrow. Not only is each riff thoughtfully composed, but they're also arranged nicely, for each one flows seamlessly to the next. Overall, this was a great album. I also like how the band members are dressed as Happy Happy Cultists. Ghostwound - The Way Back - Demo I Loud, abrasive, but strangely magical. The drum machine keeps a simple, steady beat throughout every track. The guitars don't have much of a presence, but they do play plenty of bleak chord progressions. The keyboards are what make the music worthwhile, for they fill up every song with enchanting melodic passages. The whole thing is less than eight minutes long, but it's still a fascinating experience. Bogvalal - Bogvalal Basic but enjoyable blackened punk. The production is cloudy but still intelligible. The raspy vocals are quite menacing. The drums play a lot of simplistic bass-snare rhythms, but they still play some nice blast beats on occasion. The guitars play chord progressions that are dark and dreary, but also strangely melodic. This demo is less than 10 minutes long, but it's still a nice experience. Cruor Cultum - Bloody Days on the Altar This is one of the greatest raw black metal albums ever made. The production is cold and abrasive. The drums play lots of blast beats that are sometimes simple and stripped-down and other times explosive and extravagant. The vocals consist of a delightfully sickening croaking rasp. The guitars play eviscerating tremolo riffs that also possess gripping melodies. The first two tracks are my favorite, but the most interesting track on here is "No Hope" because of how different it is. Whereas the rest of the album is fast-paced, this song is slow and somber. Bloody Days on the Altar is a must-have for anyone who craves raw black metal. I cannot praise it enough. Cryogen - Unholy Communion Cryogen was one of Minnesota's first death metal bands, and although they didn't last long, they left behind some great material. The drums play a few nice and simple blast beats, but they spend most of their time playing intricate rhythms that are punctuated by even more complex fills. Their best performance can be found on "Epicurean Abberration... E.L. Fudge." The guitars play a lot of thrash metal chord progressions, but they sound darker and more menacing. They also play some slower doom-like riffs on occasion. The vocals are all over the place. Sometimes they sound like Chuck Schuldiner, sometimes like David Vincent, sometimes like Glen Benton, and they even do burping vocals on "Dying Feast." This maybe explained by all three of the band members handling vocal duties. My favorite part was actually the bass. Not only did they put it really high in the mix, but it also plays a lot of great riffs. Unholy Communion is a buried treasure. Highly recommended for any fan of ancient death metal. Drutentus - In frigidis silvis This is some nice Greek black metal that has a captivating mood and atmosphere despite its thin production. The drums are the best part, as they are tightly performed and perform a variety of patterns, ranging from mid-paced rhythms to galloping double bass to raw blast beats. The vocals are your typical black metal rasp, but they're performed well enough. The guitars play a plethora of mid-paced tremolo riffs and chord progressions that have a slightly epic quality. There are only two songs on this demo. The first is 12 minutes long, but it never overstays its welcome. The last is a 4 minute long ambient piece that serves as a pleasing conclusion to the whole performance. Overall, this release is quite enjoyable and I still listen to it on occasion. The Mortuary Society - The Second Coming I remember not liking this release all that much, but looking back on it now, perhaps I may have been too harsh on it. The vocals consist of a hoarse growl similar to those done by Chuck Schuldiner and John Tardy. They're not the best, but I don't hate them as much as I used to. The instrumental work is the best part. The drums play d-beats and mid-paced rhythms, but they also throw in lots of complex arrangements to make things interesting. The bass is quite high in the mix and occasionally plays some extravagant riffs. The guitars aren't as flashy, as they mostly stick to playing rapid palm-muted riffs and mid-paced chord progressions, but there are still moments when they play complex arrangements that are faintly inspired by progressive metal. They even play a few excellent solos. This demo is another example of what could have been. They could have refined and expanded upon their formula, but they broke up before they got the chance." Blast - Damned Flame / Hope This band's career was tragically short and they only have two songs to their name, but they're significant because their music could best be described as proto-extreme metal. They predate Motorhead, Diamond Head, and even "Stone Cold Crazy" by Queen. The drums play an energetic proto-punk beat that is surprisingly complex. Intricate fills are also a frequent occurrence. The riffs have an aggression that is unusual for the time period. They're made even more menacing by the fuzzy distortion that makes them sound like a swarm of bees. They also include some crazy solos. The only tame thing about this release are the hippie-like clean vocals. This single is a fascinating piece of metal history, as well as a genuinely fun listen. Necrovore - Divus de Mortuus Necrovore's 1987 demo Divus De Mortuus was ahead of its time. It featured many tropes that would become commonplace in death metal and black metal. The drums play a lot of simple yet furious blast beats with some groovy mid-paced rhythms thrown in between. The guitars play raging palm-muted riffs and frantic chord progressions, and there are even a few moments when they play frightening tremolo riffs. They also play some otherworldly solos that remind me of Trey Azagthoth. The vocals consist of a hoarse growl, and although more brutal vocalists have emerged since this demo's release, few can match the genuine anger and ferocity of what was done here. The only thing holding the music back is the rough and unpolished production which drowns out the more subtle details. Other than that, Divus De Mortuus is a fantastic extreme metal release, a must-listen for any serious metalhead." Terminal Death - Faces of Death Faces of Death by Terminal Death is a fantastic piece of proto-death metal. The drums play aggressive d-beats that border on sounding like blast beats. On a few occasions they play mid-paced rhythms, and all of these patterns are broken up by strong fills. The vocals consist of a hoarse growl similar to Death and Possessed. They radiate a sinister energy. The guitars play palm-muted riffs and tremolo riffs that sound similar to what the Germans were doing around the same time, but more extreme. They also play some great chaotic solos. The only thing holding it back from perfection is the production. It's extremely rough, but that's understandable considering it was recorded long ago on a shoestring budget. Overall, this EP is essential for anyone who wants to learn of death metal's primordial past. The Unjust - Hammerhead The Unjust was a band from New York City that used to play hardcore punk but then switched to thrash metal by the time they released their only full-length album Hammerhead. Their hardcore roots can still be heard in the upbeat drum patterns and simple riffs. Drummer Joe Trapanesso does a great job here. His energetic beats are occasionally broken up by mid-paced rhythms that can get quite intricate like those on "Innocent Victims." He also throws in some strong fills. Joe Abene's bass can be heard quite well, and he takes this opportunity to play some hard-hitting riffs. Chris Bernardo proves himself to be a skilled guitarist. Aside from the simple hardcore riffs, he also throws in some nice palm-muted riffs. Throughout the album he plays frantic solos. Most interesting of all is vocalist Bruce Ruiz. He mainly performs clean vocals with a few high-pitched screams, but he also does a hoarse growl that sounds quite brutal for 1987. If the band had tuned their guitars lower and focused solely on the growls, then this could be considered a proto-death metal album. Deathcircle - In These Depths of Madness We Proclaim Thy Name At just six and a half minutes, this demo is very short, but it's also dark and unsettling. The music perfectly fits the title. The production is cold and abrasive. The drumming is slow and simple, but also ritualistic. The guitar work is the same. The slow riffs have a touch of melody to them, and their repetition creates a hypnotic effect. The angry rasping vocals are wrapped in reverb, giving them a ghostly quality. It's quite enjoyable overall. Antichrist (Ger) - Slaughter in Hell Here we have a fascinating example of proto-black metal. The production is hard to hear, but this is an old demo, so I'll let that slide. Musically, Antichrist is heavily influenced by Venom, but they made the formula darker and dirtier. The drums play a lot of galloping rhythms, but there are still moments when they take things slow. Despite the poor production, I can still hear the bass quite well. The vocals consist of a raspy shout that sound like a precursor to the modern black metal vocal style. What's truly surprising is that they include some clean vocals on occasion. The guitars play punkish chord progressions and fiery palm-muted riffs. They're sloppy, but still fun to listen to. They also take the time to play some screeching solos. Overall, Slaughter in Hell is a great demo and a pristine specimen from black metal's earliest years. Brodequin - Instruments of Torture Instruments of Torture is one of the greatest brutal death metal albums ever made, as well as the genesis of the blasting brutal death metal microgenre. Brodequin made history right here. Guitarist Mike Bailey plays a furious onslaught of palm-muted riffs which are occasionally broken up by sinister mid-paced chord progressions and a few crushing slam riffs. Some of his riffs can even be quite catchy, most notably on "The Virgin of Nuremburg." Jamie Bailey's vocal performance is exquisitely guttural. He set the standard that so many other bands would follow. Best of all is drummer Chad Walls. It is on this album that he plays some of the most vicious blast beats in all of metal. He also plays a lot of intricate mid-paced patterns that are punctuated by even more complex fills. This album is a must-have for any serious fan of brutal death metal. ----------------------------------------