**************************************** * * * ##### #### ### #### ##### * * # # # # # # # * * ### #### # # ### # * * # # # # # # # * * # # # ### #### # * * * * # # ##### #### ##### ### # # * * # # # # # # # ## # * * # # # ### # # # # # # * * # # # # # # # # ## * * # ##### #### ##### ### # # * * * **************************************** Issue #4, December 2024 ---------------------------------------- When 2024 began, I had a feeling it would be a real bad year for the "Nothing Ever Happens" bros. I was right. So many crazy things happened that I can't even begin to list them all. Same with the metal scene. We were blessed with so many high quality releases that I cannot hope to talk about every single one. This issue contains reviews of several releases that I enjoyed greatly, as well as those that most have overlooked. Recent Releases Austere - Beneath the Threshold I did not expect Austere to put out a new album so soon. Did they perhaps write a surplus of songs during their long absence? No matter. The musical formula is mostly the same, but there were a few moments that reminded me of Katatonia. The drums still play a lot of strong slow beats that occasionally pick up the pace and include thumping double bass. The guitars still play powerful melodic passages that express sorrow and hopeless longing. The raspy vocals are still angry and bitter, and the clean vocals still have a somber magic to them. This album doesn't reach the same heights as To Lay Like Old Ashes, but it's just as enjoyable as last year's album and shows that the band's work is consistent. Mutiilation - Black Metal Cult Here's another band that I didn't expect to rise from the dead. If you are at all familiar with raw black metal, then you should already know about Mutiilation, so I will not waste time talking about how influential they are. The band broke up two years after the release of Sorrow Galaxies, but then they got back together and released a new album called Black Metal Cult earlier this year. Opinions on it were mixed, but I thought it was okay. The production sounds nice and cold. The drums still play a lot of rapid blast beats which are occasionally broken up by precise slow rhythms. Frontman Meyhna'ch still performs a sinister croaking rasp. The guitars still play frigid and ominous tremolo riffs and slightly punkish mid-paced chord progressions. This album isn't as compelling or awe-inspiring as Hail Satanas We Are the Black Legions and Vampires of Black Imperial Blood, but it was still enjoyable. Trijumf - Trijumf ili smrt - trijumf Trijumf could best be described as the Bosnian Vothana. The guitars are the best part, as they fill the album with resplendent melodic passages. They even include some harmony on the last song. This does not mean the other elements are neglected. The vocals consist of an angry rasp that is drenched in reverb. The drums play a lot of upbeat rhythms that are broken up by fills, and they also make sure to play some great blast beats. Most interesting of all is that the bass can be heard quite well. The only problem I had with it is that the production is too clean. It would have sounded a lot better if it were more lo-fi. Звёздный Храм - Звёздный Храм Kaldrad Branislav is dead, but his legacy still lives on in the bands he influenced. One such band is Звёздный Храм. They formed early this year and released their self-titled debut a short time later; and I must say that this is one of the best black metal albums I've heard in a long time. The hazy production and the guitar tone give the music a cold yet mystic atmosphere. The Branikald influence is most evident in the long, drawn-out passages that feature constant simple blast beats and slightly melodic tremolo riffs that create a hypnotic effect. It makes you feel like you're ascending to the stars. The vocals exhibit a depressive black metal influence by performing anguished screams. Sometimes they throw a curve ball by performing clean vocals. There are also moments when they play acoustic guitars, a songwriting decision seemingly inspired by the Cascadian black metal scene. Звёздный Храм is one of the most promising black metal bands to emerge in recent years. They are talented and creative. They took the Branikald formula and made it their own by incorporating many other disparate elements. The end result is fantastic. 1927 - Les meutes séditieuses 1927 is a new raw black metal band from France created by Brouillard, the brain behind Brouillard. The production is what I wished Trijumf sounded like. It's lo-fi, but not so much so that it becomes incomprehensible. It's spine-chilling; it feels like it was recorded in the catacombs beneath Paris. The drums play a mix of raging blast beats and methodical mid-paced rhythms. The bass is surprisingly prominent. Its best performance can be found on "Charnier Rouge." The vocals consist of a high-pitched rasp. Some might find them annoying, but I thought they sounded fine. The guitars are the main draw. Their excellent melodic riffs convey a wide range of emotions, from sorrowful to wrathful. They're even a bit catchy on "L'exile." This was a great debut. I can't wait for them to put out a full-length. Fomoire - Fomoire Fomoire is a new black metal band created by a pair of fresh faces from Richmond, and their first demo shows a lot of promise. The production has that ice cold quality that was common back in the '90s. The drums conjure up an almost constant torrent of minimalist blast beats. The angry raspy vocals are heavily distorted, further reinforcing the raw and abrasive quality of the music. The many tremolo riffs that the guitars play are quite melodic. I was most surprised by the inclusion of solos. I expect a lot of great things from these guys. Green Mountaineer - Lay upon a Leaf From the same man who brought you Фламберг comes Green Mountaineer, a raw and atmospheric black metal band. The cold and cloudy production quality brings to mind images of frigid forests. The many simple blast beats are often broken up by nice fills. They also play some great mid-paced rhythms. Though the raspy vocals are not original, they're still performed well, and their heavy amounts of reverb enhance the wondrous atmosphere. The high-pitched tremolo riffs have a pleasant sound and weave mystical melodies into every song. They also play splendid clean guitar during the quiet parts. The best use of this element can be found on the second track. I still need to listen to Фламберг, but I hope it's as good as Green Mountaineer. Infernal Wind - Fiende Av Lyset Norway is still producing black metal bands. Infernal Wind is one of the latest from that country. They put out their first full-length Fiende Av Lyset this year, and it's about what you'd expect. This one-man band is heavily influenced by Darkthrone. Expect a lot of simple songwriting and blasting assaults broken up by slower and more ominous sections. The production has that classic cold quality. The drumming makes me think the band magically cloned Fenriz. The blast beats and mid-paced rhythms sound almost identical to what he would play. The raspy vocals are pretty strong, but they don't sound that much different from other Norwegian black metal bands. The tremolo riffs mostly sound dark and diabolical, but they do conjure up some nice melodies on songs like "Winters Might." Infernal Wind is not winning any awards for originality, but their music is still entertaining. The frontman also has several other one-man projects to his name. I should listen to them at some point. Reveals - Attachment, Destruction and Extinction Reveals is a new atmospheric black metal band created by Death Artery drummer Hendika Dwi Prasetyo, and they put out their first full-length album Attachment, Destruction and Extinction back in May of this year. Indonesia is already home to several high quality atmospheric black metal bands such as Vallendusk and Pure Wrath, and with this album, Reveals has joined their ranks. The production has a professional level of polish while still retaining a great deal of heaviness. The drums are the best part. Because of his brutal death metal past, Hendika's blast beats are a lot more vicious and pulverizing than those of other black metal bands. The mid-paced rhythms are full of rumbling double bass, and they are all punctuated by energetic fills. The vocals consist of an angry, bitter rasp. They sound similar to other bands of this style, but the delivery is still strong. The tremolo riffs are frantic and raging during the fast-paced parts, but there are also some moments when they get quite melodic, like on "Between Nature and Plague." Throughout the album they include many atmospheric elements such as synthetic choruses that also help to increase the intensity of the music. Once again, the Indonesians have produced some amazing atmospheric black metal. This album is full of powerful instrumental work. The drums in particular are incredible. I know Hendika is busy with his other projects, but I hope he puts out more material under the Reveals name in the next few years. Керста - Демо Керста is a raw black metal band that recently emerged from an undisclosed location in Russia. The production has a slightly muffled quality, but once you get used to it, you can hear everything just fine. The drums alternate between aggressive blast beats and slower, more contemplative rhythms. Their compositions are simple, but the delivery is great. The raspy vocals are your standard fare, but the lo-fi production quality makes them sound quite sinister. The many tremolo riffs utilize old Eastern European black metal melodies. They are dark, somber, and mystical. This was a splendid demo, a thrilling throwback to black metal of old. 出雲 - 出雲 The Japanese black metal scene is home to a large number of unique and compelling bands, and 出雲 (English transliteration: Izumo) is one of the latest. They released their self-titled debut back in April this year, and it's truly marvelous. The cloudy production creates an enchanting atmosphere. The pounding blast beats and elaborate mid-paced patterns and fills sound like they're reverberating across mist-covered lands. The high-pitched raspy vocals sound like they're being made by a vengeful specter. The guitar work is amazing. The tremolo riffs are incredibly melodic and express a mix of sorrow and rage. My favorites are the ones on the third track. This is easily one of the best black metal albums of 2024. Not only is the songwriting brilliant, but it radiates a profound energy that is sorely lacking in the modern scene. Old and Obscure Waking the Cadaver - Demo 2006 I first learned of Waking the Cadaver sometime around 2008 while watching misheard song videos on YouTube. (Anyone remember when those were a thing? Anyone remember Paranoidave?) I stumbled upon that famous Shredded Wheat video and thought it was one of the most hilarious things I had ever seen. I quoted those misheard lyrics so many times that I actually memed myself into genuinely liking shredded wheat. The general consensus around that time was that Waking the Cadaver was a terrible band that should be avoided, so I did. About 16 years later, I got the feeling that maybe the band was overly hated, so I gave this demo a chance. (16 years? Has it really been that long? God I feel old.) This demo is only five minutes long, so there's not much to talk about. The production is loud and unpolished, but this is a demo, so I'll forgive that. The drums play a lot of slow and simple beats that are often broken up by thumping double bass. There are also some moments when they some rapid blast beats. They're sloppy, but still fun to listen to. The guitars do a lot of chugging, but they also play some sinister tremolo riffs, the best of which can be found near the end of "Blood Splattered Satisfaction." Then there are the vocals. They mostly consist of a putrid guttural growl, but they also perform some hoarse growls on occasion. Most famous of all are the bree brees. They sound a bit silly, but they're nowhere near as bad as everyone makes them out to be. Overall, this demo was okay. You might enjoy it if you look past its bad reputation. Ripping Corpse - Dreaming with the Dead Ripping Corpse is best known as the band Erik Rutan was in before he joined Morbid Angel, but they were more than that. They were one of the first death metal bands from New Jersey. They formed in 1987 and originally played extreme thrash metal in the vein of Slayer, but they became more extreme with every passing year. This culminated in the release of their only full-length album Dreaming with the Dead in 1991. They broke up two years later, shortly after Erik Rutan departed. The remaining members then reformed under the name Dim Mak. This album was produced by Bill Klatt. An interesting fact about him is that not only did he produce Revenant's Prophecies of a Dying World, he also produced Mucky Pup's first three albums. He did a great job here. Everything can be heard clearly, including the bass. Speaking of which, Dave Bizzigotti's bass work is not only quite complex, but also ahead of its time. His arrangements sound like something modern progressive death metal bands would come up with. Drummer Brandon Thomas offers up a performance that is strong and diverse. His many tight mid-paced rhythms are broken up by elaborate fills, and there are many moments when he includes double bass reminiscent of Death. He also plays furious blast beats inspired by the likes of Pete Sandoval. His most impressive performance can be found on "Seduction of the Innocent." The vocalist is Scott Ruth. When the band formed in 1987, he sounded like a harsher Tom Araya. He grew harsher over the years, and on this album he performs hoarse growls similar to John Tardy of Obituary. They're tame compared to what Chris Barnes was doing around the same time, but the performance is still amazing. He also does some high-pitched screams as an homage to what he had done in the past. Shaune Kelley and Erik Rutan handle the guitar work. Their performance is equal parts vicious and technical. Many of their riffs are firmly rooted in thrash metal, but they are much more brutal than anything the band had recorded in the past. Their mid-paced arrangements are quite groovy, and there are many moments when intricate leads play atop them. During the fast-paced sections they play furious palm-muted riffs and deranged tremolo riffs, all of which have a sinister buzzsaw sound thanks to the production quality. Some of these riffs have a strong Morbid Angel influence, such as those on "Glorious Depravity." The solos are complex and have gripping melodies. I especially enjoyed the ones on "Beyond Humanity." The best and most notable song on here is "Rift of Hate," not only because it has memorable songwriting, but also because it features one of the oldest slam riffs. It's simple in design but crushing in delivery. It can easily compete with some of the best slam riffs today. Keep in mind that this came out four months before Suffocation's full-length debut. Even more interesting is that some of Suffocation's members wore Ripping Corpse t-shirts in their earliest promotional photos, showing that they were fans at the very least. In other words, "Rift of Hate" is the reason why "Liege of Inveracity" exists. Dreaming with the Dead is one of the greatest death metal albums ever made. The songwriting is brilliant and the performance is stellar. "Rift of Hate" in particular is incredible. Ripping Corpse did not release much material during their short life, but their legacy still lives on in Dim Mak and Hate Eternal, as well as in the many death metal bands they influenced.