8 New Reviews

Drudkh- A furrow cut short-CD/ Digital ( Season of Mist)

When Black metal is grim and melodic at the same time it causes chills within me and with " A furrow cut short" Drudkh are adding layers of sounds into this harsh bleak realm that just make them more impressive every release. I almost hear post rock and shoegazing elements with in them now but it is clearly the distant melodies and unsettling harmonies that make this release truly stand out for me. The folk elements of that great eastern style is in with every release of Drudkh as well. The seem to be pulling you and  drawing you into a ritual that will show you things of the future and past but with a very dark cost at the end of it all.  The vocals are those of that you know something sinister is at foot but there is no way to turn back.  We have another epic and thought provoking release from this band that has been doing it over a decade now . These are black metal anthem's lets be clear and celebrate this band as such.

http://season-of-mist.com/

Katavasia- Sacrilegious Testament- CD/ Digital (Floga)

Yes they are greek , yes they are black death and yes they have  Varathron members in the band and guess what they are something that will sound like all those Unisound bands of years ago will all that going for them. This is dark aggressive black death very much in the style of earlier Rotting Christ and Mortuary Drape. I feel like it's the mid 90's with listening to the Tech/Blast/Black and Prog elements all very blistering low fi death metal approach.  With Katavasia the have the advantage of 2015 recording tools to make this sound old but massive and expressive as well. The solos have that very power metal elements to them that so many greek bands of the day did mixed with those epic echoing synths. Not sure where else to go with this other then great to have the change to hear a sound that ruled in the past and still is brilliant today.

http://flogarecords.com/

Golers- South Moutain Style- CD/ Digital ( Self Released)

Crossover music yes that is what we have here  think of all that Punk Crust Thrash that was around with  Crumbsuckers, DRI, SOD, Cromags, Nuclear Assault this all comes back in full swing with Golers as they mix a bit more hardcore and punk into this but yes we get the same idea.  If Phil Anselmo fronted black flag I also would say that would be Golers.  What we have is musical madness, silliness and just down right a load of fun. Get this or miss out on a hell of a circle pit my friends.

http://thegolers.bandcamp.com/album/south-mountain-style

Goatsnake- Black Age Blues- CD/ Digital ( Southern Lord)

If you have ever been in the doom metal world for even a minute you know who Goatsnake are . Greg anderson of Engine Kid and founder of Southern lord records is the guitarist behind this stoner doom force. I will be honest the clean vocals are not something that work for me well and I was never a flag waver for this band. Though with Black Age Blues the fuzzed out dirges are very Nola and Bluesy more then every before and that Mid period sabbath DIO/ Anderson time frame is the Sabbath I love and is pulling at my heart strings a bit. This is by far the best Goatsnake album I've heard hands down. There is just a good grooving heavy rock this time out that is working or maybe I'm 15 yrs older and not so blinded by music styles any more and have just opened my mind up a bit. Either way it not a album i would jump for but if its on I would not longer go out of my way to turn it off and may even play it for a round. That is something I never thought I would say.

http://southernlord.com/

My Sleeping Karma-Moksha- CD/ Digital ( Napalm Records)

This is post metal and if that drives you away nothing will bring you back here. We are also talking an instrumental album to bat. These are the two reason I love it. The Eastern elements are just down right breathtaking. The mix of Fragile, Dark and expressive comes out in every guitar and bass like . The drums and synths add such a wonderful Prog rock back drop to the album as a whole and really needs to be hear to be understood. This music you sit back close your eyes and let it take you to were this will.  My Sleeping karma is music you take your time with there is no race when listening you need to hear it all and absorb the magic behind that a band like this is crafting. Yes this is art on a very high musical level there are Russian Circle, Mogwai and Caspian movements through out this I would say Karma to burn as well.  This is not a metal album it's a post metal release but very clear you understand this. If so move to the next round and fall in awe with this one.

http://napalmrecords.com/

Apothecary- Drifting Towards the Ancients- CD/ Digital ( Self Released)

Ahh lumbering and sloth like crushing doom metal with those torn guttural vocals mixed with sludge elements through out. This is the doom that makes me want to get all my old Peaceville, Avantgarde and Misanthropy labels out and then build into those Prophecy and Firebox Records albums I have . This is like wonderful molasses on a cold dark morning. It slowly builds and come to a rumble never to speed past  and will never allow you to thrash around . This is music for the tormented, nightmares that have no end a place of suffering that we chose not a punishment given.  Darkness can be a gift as well as a curse and with bands like Apothecary you get to see this. Open the gates and blow the trumpets a new Doom metal force is welcome into the kingdom. Stellar work gentlemen....

http://apothecaryar.bandcamp.com/

Sisters of...- The Serpent, The Angel, The Adversary- CD/ Digital ( Crowquill)

This was one of the albums of 2015 for me after just two full listens . Words will just have to start the journey for the album. There are to many post elements that this band has masters ( Post Metal, rock, hardcore, jazz, prog and goth) this is were i go when I hear this just think elements of bands  Cannan, Neurosis, Isis, Russian Circles, Gorguts,  Wolveserpent, Agalloch,Arcturus, Ulver and the list just keeps going they mix so many emotions and sounds into one song you can not understand till you just hear one of the massive and majestic releases. Again the 2nd time out Sisters of is one the most original and compelling and interesting releases out there. I would even say there are shoegazing and ambient element peering out through out the album as well. Look if you do take the risk on checking out this album it maybe be something that scars you years later when you hear it and say why did i wait so long. Simply get this and let it's magic radiate over you like the hope in the darkness all around..

http://crowquillrecords.com/

Maruta- Remain Dystopian-CD/ Digital ( Relapse)

Mechanical and violent grindcore in a very tech manner almost from another time. This album just slays all around it they would be in the same league as Noisem for this writer.  Maruta can write a riff and make it as chaos filled as possible and that is what you need for this style of sickness. I can see why your on relapse as this comes from bands like Brutal Truth, Nasum and Pig Destroyer to name a few. This review will be shorter like the tracks from this brilliant slab of destruction..

http://relapse.com/