DEAD CONGREGATION - Promulgation of the Fall (2014)

Genre: Death metal

Label: Martyrdoom Productions

Rating: 9.5/10

Promulgation of the Fall is the album via which I discovered Dead Congregation. I intentionally bias myself towards Black Metal, so naturally a lot of good death metal escapes me. Not this time, however. These Greeks have hit the mark with this album.

It seems that Dead Congregation emphasises simplicity, at least on this album. It also seems to be severely lacking annoying melody, spurning harmonisations for straight-up, muder-dark riffage. It is not a chaotic or technical death sort of album, just honest death metal of the highest quality. It is refreshing. There are even solemn and tasteful leads, such as the one that starts the title track which, although a brief song, is perhaps the darkest on the album. It is on the whole an evil record. Dark splendour abounds. My personal favourite track may be “Nigredo.” I think it has the most malevolent riffs (which is saying something, which you'll find out when you listen to this magnificent album). The terminal song, “From a Wretched Womb,” has a wonderful sense of closure to it.

This album is what good death metal should sound like. Those wishing to purchase this album on CD can do so in a number of places now. Vinyl is available through :AJNA: Offensive. Absolutely buy or die.

Antediluvian - λόγος
Genre: Death Metal
Label: NWN Prod.
Rating:  8.5/10

This is one of the vilest Death Metal bands in existence, and they've been a favourite of mine since I first heard them back in 2008 when Under Wing of Asael was released. I still remember buying all available releases they had at the time. Unfortunately for me, that did not include their first demo, but at least I got the rest. Starting out as a two-piece band with an outstanding and unique sound, they've grown over the years into the immense entity they are today.  Their second album λόγος (is the Ancient Greek word "Logos" and it has a couple of different meanings/interpretations.  Originally a word meaning "a ground", "a plea", "an opinion", "an expectation", "word", "speech", "account", "reason", "purpose". It became a technical term in philosophy, beginning with Heraclitus (ca. 535–475 BC), who used the term for a principle of order and knowledge. The word also has other interpretations in philosophy and in Religion.)  follows suit with their former works of total chaos on the surface. And only by penetrating through to the core of their musical output, and the genious within it. Will you be able to appreciate Antediluvian and λόγος.
As on their previous album, the songs blend into each other seamlessly. This makes it hard to appreciate their songs on their own and not just as a whole. In spite of this  "Consumate Spellbound Synapses" and "Nuclear Crucifixion (Turning the Spear Inward)" are tracks that really stand out on this album, at least to me.  The album is relentless, fast-paced and as brutal as you'd expect. There's not alot of breaks from the violence Antediluvian thrusts upon you.  The drumming this time around is really good though, and probably some of the best it's ever been in Antediluvian. There's always been alot going on when it comes to the drumming in this band, but this time around it's just really  expertly executed. "Transept of Limb"s is really good example of this.   And I hope this isn't the last album to come from Antediluvian.
As far as availability goes, it's still possible to buy from Nuclear War Now on cd, alongside several other of the bands releases. And probably elsewhere as well.

Drowned - Rehearsal demo 12/2012
Genre: Death Metal

Label:  Sepulchral Voice

Rating: 8/10

The Death metal entity Drowned has roamed in the underground for quite a few years.
Going all the way back to 1992. Personally I became aware of the band when their Demo Viscera Terræ
was released on vinyl and cd by Nuclear Winter Records (vinyl), and Worship Him Records (cd)
As did probably alot of others, cause with Viscera Terræ, Drowned made something special.
Prior to their infamous demo from 2006, the band released 4 demos as well as an Ep, and went through numerous Line-up changes. As they have yet again since Viscera Terræ. Tlmnn is the only member having been in the band through all these years, joined forces with G.ST and T.E in 2010 and this two track demo is their only release so far. It's definitely a worthy follow up to Viscera Terræ, and leaving little to be missed except more than only two songs. That being said it's doesn't surpass V.T but it's as close as you can come.  The production is as to be expected from a rehearsal demo, it's murky and it fits the tracks well.  Cast Into Negative Form is easily the strongest of the two tracks presented, and the drumming is especially good on this track. The highlight of the track comes at 2.15 when the tracks slows down to a halt, and the lead at 3.44 onwards really lifts the whole of it to a whole other level. If there's one thing Tlmnn knows it's creating good leads on his guitar. If you're into Occult Death Metal, and haven't checked out Drowned already, then you should get on it asap,  you will not be disappointed.
I'm unsure if the tape is still available, but either way you can listen to both tracks via Drowned's Soundcloud, their Bandcamp, or their homepage.

MGŁA - With Hearts Toward None (2012)

Genre: Orthodox Black Metal

Label: Northern Heritage Records

Rating: 9.5/10

I first heard Mgła in 2007, with the release of Mdłości/Further Down the Nest, and instantly fell in love. I had been searching for new Polish bands, and the fact that they had a Polish name and EP title excited me, then being in the throes of an obsession with Polish culture and language. Subsequent releases have never failed to disappoint, and the release of With Hearts Toward None was thrilling. I'm not going to do a riff-by-riff analysis of this album; instead, I will choose three songs to analyse, namely I, III, and VII.

"I" starts off with a dark, strong sounding riff, with an inexplicably good lead over it. The drumming kills, both in ability and tone. At 2:32 a third section, with a dramatic new lead over it bursts forth. At roughly 3:38, the intro riff comes blasting back in., followed by a return to the second riff. This is my favourite song from the album, and it has the best lyrics in my opinion. A brief excerpt here:

Between the damned,

the pissed and the outright insane

Grand architects of failure,

sculptors of loss

No golden thrones to follow

No shrines of solace to seek

The main riff to "III" is like a contagion; it immediately catches and spreads throughout your entire body, eventually killing you. Or at least it feels like this. The verse is simple and dark. Melodic, but not in a retarded way. The chorus is priceless. If this doesn't stick in your brain, you have no soul, as they say. There are a few iterations of this, until the 5:00 mark, when it switches to a third riff, equally as wonderful. This is extremely thoughtful music. At roughly 6:25 a slower lead comes in, then at 6:51 the drums slow down, and it leads to the end of the song. I'd like to sample some more lyrics here, those from the end of this track

Grey ash prayer

Severed from the unconscious

Perverse theodicy

Atrocious immanence

With hearts toward none

"VII" starts off with an extremely addictive chord progression with the sound of rain over it; the drums bring up rising action. I suspect this will ever be Mgła's closer at live shows; it certainly was when I saw them, and at every show I know of since the release of this album. At 2:08, the second, lead guitar comes in and the drums blast away behind it. The verse riff is every bit as malevolent as the intro. The chorus is majestically evil. This song is fantastic. The bass is also noticeably interesting. An example of the lyrics from this song is in order:

As the darkest night of them all

falls upon the scorched

home shores

As the great fervour within

is crawling in stasis and dirt

Mgła have long been one of my favourite bands. Although Mdłości will always hold a special place in my heart, With Hearts Toward None is their defining release. Even if you've never heard Mgła before, you absolutely must hear this album. To order, Northern Heritage still has copies on vinyl and CD in stock.

BUY OR DIE!!

Revenge - Scum.Collapse.Eradication
Genre: Black/Death metal
Label: US: NWN Prod. EU: Osmose Prod. Tape: Deathangle Absolution Records
Rating: 9/10

Revenge has never been one for taking things too softly, and Scum.Collapse.Eradication,
does not deviate from that tradition (The opening track Us and Them (High Power),
is a testimony to that, and one hell of track.)  Their 2012 follow up to Infiltration.Downfall.Disease
shows Revenge are still in full form, even though Pete Helmkamp left the band prior to recording of the album. Seeing as J.Read always was the one writing Revenge's material, this isn't really a surprise to anyone. And with Scum.Collapse.Eradication, he may have conjured their best album yet.
The trademark short but violent guitar-solos are as present as ever. So is J. Reads beastly drumming,
hardhitting and furios as always. The strenght behind Revenge has always been their mixture of fast-paced drums over mid-tempo riffs, and the occasional part where everything's taken down to a halt tempo-wise. Giving the music and extra depth, as well as emphasising their heaviness.  Parasite Gallows, and Banner Degradation (a definite highlight of the album for me,) are good examples of how well Revenge manages to execute this, again and again, without it ever being boring or predictable. The vocals this time around are fiercer than they ever was on their previous album.Something I find to be quite delightable.  The lyrical themes are the same as they've always been with Revenge, so I don't see any reason to elaborate further on those. I'll rather just leave you with this excerpt:

"Saving the defective a waste of future heritage 

You are below us

Opposition crushed with iron persuasion 

Strong with strong"

The album is still available through NWN Prod.  and Osmose Prod. 

 

Dark Descent Records is having a very temporary 10% off everything in the store sale, so act now! This label has released some of my favourite releases of late, so I highly recommend them. Also, they have quite the distro going on with plenty to suit all (good) tastes.

BÖLZER - Aura (2013)

Genre: Black/Death Metal

Label: Iron Bonehead Productions

Rating: 9/10

Most Black/Death Metal bands centre around dark, evil themes. While Bölzer are certainly dark, they aren't in the "evil" category. Rather, I'd call them...mysterious. And what this duo accomplishes on this EP is simply amazing, and a big step up from Roman Acupuncture.

Opener "Coronal Mass Ejaculation," starts off with a rather...mystical riff for a Black/Death band. However, it is dark. The vocals are varied between low growls and clean cries. The fourth riff (chorus?) has what I can only describe as a weird sound to it, quite unlike what any other band in this genre would write. In fact a lot of the riffs in this song are that way. A brief sampling of the well-written lyrics shows that the uniqueness does not end at the music: "Ultraviolet hallucination/Photosynthetic onanation/Ultraviolent stimulation/Coronal mass ejaculation."

Track two, "Entranced by the Wolfshook," features some of the most addictive riffage on this EP, and has plenty of that unique style of harmonisation and melody that Bölzer have made themselves known for. The intro riff features KzR playing high up the neck. The picking rhythm in the verse just makes you want to label somebody. "Entranced by the wolfshook/Hypnotized by blood/Condemned to the wolfshook/Accomplice in blood" are my favourite lyrics from the song. The third and final track, "The Great Unifier," is by far the longest song on the EP. It is absolutely filled with great chord progressions. The lyrics are especially killer, like these verses:

Inner calm, outer storm

My demons seeketh rest

Amidst cold, raging times

I am but a demon at best

This calm cannot last

Myself seeketh me

Outside warm, peaceful times

A man I must be

The great sanctifier, shadow-clad fist

The quantum curator, dancer in the mist

The grand neutralizer, in figure of eight

The sword in the seed, your fate germinate

The production on this EP also stands out. Very bassy, clear, and great instrumentation. I own this on tape and it's a fantastic little buy. You can find the vinyl on Iron Bonehead's Bandcamp, as well as a digital download. If you want the tape, you'll have to find it on some distro or discogs. Enjoy, support, and BUY OR DIE.