5 musical event points that all take you into murky Depths of underground

Depravity- Evil Upheaval- CD/ Digital ( Transcending Obscurity )

Extremity in metal is something that is going in two direction its becoming were a band has five styles in on band and plays it all over the spectrum . Then you have just brutality and ugliness of old school . Where the riffs , percussion and vocal just pummel you into the ground with Depravity we have old school brutal Death metal with soaring leads and blistering arrangements. Yes I will be the 1st to say this comes very much from the Thrash metal realm of  early death metal . There is an amazing groove and mosh element to all that  Depravity does and it works amazingly well. Dismember, Hypocrisy and Early Morbid angel really come to mind here when I'm listening Vital remains at times  before they really added that full on Blackened style. I say it from time to time and with Depravity it's needed . This is Death metal front and back they are not doing anything but wearing the style on their collective sleeves. Stunning work in deed.

http://tometal.com/

Malditos- II  -La Reve- CD/ Digital / LP ( Svart Records )

Though this unit is from Northern California , Oakland actually they have a very  Eastern, Tribal  and Ritualistic style with elements of  Trance, Neo Classical and Avant Prog Rock. I sound very closely in elements to bands like  Amber Asylum, Dead Can Dance, Raijna , Jarboe ,Hagalaz Runedance and they have that 70's love of bands like  Sabbath Assembly and Ides of Gemini . So as you can clearly see this is a female fronted force. I'm really impressed with the  Eastern  Oriental and Hindu sounds that are coming out of this as well as those almost 70's art house movie soundtracks ( You all know what I mean and if not just look it and you will hear it very quickly). There is a ethereal and eerie side to all of this that works well with ambience and dark industrial soundscapes. There is a Black metal over tone in the icy drones and way the guitars are performed.  Malditos also can have a noisy side from time to time . With all this in mind I would say it one of the more creative and interesting albums that have come to me to review in while.

http://svartrecords.com/

Serum Dreg- Lustful Vengeance- CD/ LP/ Digital/ Cassette ( Invictus / Vrasubatlat )

There is a strong line between ugly , noisy and powerful with  Serum Dreg. This is the debut from this  Duo and I would have to say after a few listens this is very much the sum of all it's parts. Serum Dreg is a  Noisy  Raw Black Death band with some very  Thrashing and Punk elements riding just on the outside layers to make it all the more  uncontrollable and nasty to say the least. The production is raw and noisy but you can hear everything and well so that is no small feat in itself. There is a sickness and decay about the tones and vocals being used. Serum Dreg is the things of nightmares for child and the righteous alike . There is an early  Norwegian and Polish Blackened Death over tone going on here. I would say those church burning played a major role in what this Duo want to present . I leave you with melody is here but you need to listen to find it as there is beauty in the  bleak style for sure .

https://invictusproductions.net/

http://www.vrasubatlat.com/

Scarificare- Tilasm- CD/ Digital ( Helldprod Records )

So this one is throwing me for a loop as there is so much amazing talent and stylistic arrangements going on I want to take a moment and say Scarificare is really trying to make sure they stand out in a style  of Blackened Post Metal . This a mix of Atmospheres , Doom, Black , Thrash and Death metal all in layers of Epic and Symphonic movements that bath themselves into some levels of Prog and Art Rock that working under the themes of Post Rock. The vocals go from Black to Doom to  Alt metal and sometimes even Blackgaze. I don't want to over hype what is going on here but the band is so good. Love the Enslaved and Ihsahn worship going on here . I would even say they have some Gothy Death rock sounds coming through at time . If I need to say more then it's not going to matter anyway. If any of this interests you check out  Scarificare are they are really breaking the 4th wall of  metal ..

http://www.helldprod.com/ 

Societys Plague- Call to the void- CD/ Digital  ( Eclipse Records )

So this is a band that is crossing two boundaries that normally should never be crossed only a few have done it and I'm not sure it worked well for them. Inflames and Machine have  done this  mixing extreme metal with alt rock.  I would say that Societys Plagues are mixing  Melodic Death metal , Screamo and Alt rock. I do really love about 92% of this album when they start going into that Linkin Park and newer Ghost side of music they start losing me. Thank the stars above that they do not go into those places often and stay more in the Melodic Death meets Post Hardcore/ Screamo world.  The album is heavy and catchy which is always good to get more people to see what that more Epic Melodic metallic world can offer you.  I want to love as at time it's a stunning Death metal opus esp with the electronic that are added that bands like  Inflames and Dark Tranquility have mastered . I will just say this. Societys Plague is not a one listen and you know it all band . Play it a few times and you will hear many moments that will keep you coming back.

https://www.eclipserecords.com