3 sides of Extremity from yours truly...

MANES -Slow Motion Death Sequence-CD/ Digital/LP  (Debemur Morti Productions)

It's been about 4 years since we have seen this Manes they released a Compilation of old and outtakes .What we have is much more in the minds of albums like Vilosophe and  Be All End All. We are mixing  Trip Hop, Electronica, Hard Rock, Industrial and Melodic Post Black metal into what bands like   D.H.G., Ulver, 3rd and the Mortal, Arcturus , Fleurety and In the Woods have been doing as well. This seems very much a post back metal thing that is happening in  Northen Europe as the bands are exposed to more music live and on tour .  Manes is just something that is always ebb and flowing through out musical genres and the only fluid thing is the left of center beats, odd electronic and the sinister clean vocals now . I love the mix of Male and Female vocals.  There is a very Gothic Metal elements like what Canaan, Beyond Dawn and In the woods create are very much found on this  new Manes release. I really glad they came back here and not the more over the top Black metal as they excel in this style. It is a mix of Machine, Rock, Post Modern and Emotion that make them one of my fave bands of then last 20 yrs and now with 3 albums and 1 Ep of stunning material like this . I look forward to the future very much.

https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/

Pact- Enigmata- CD/Digital ( Moribund Cult)

The Black Death is strong in this one. The production on the 1st few tracks are really just stunning you can hear all the majestic chaos going on with guitars, synths, bass and the drummer that must be on Meth to play like this and as frantic as that. The vocals comes from the haunting  occult Black metal style and just add a stellar layer to all that is being presented here. The riffs and arrangements are melodic , blistering and complex all at the same time and keep you on your toes through out. This would have been a top extreme metal album in the late 90's early 00's as this is the kind of Black Death that is being given to us in 2018. The underground in 2018 is really having a stunning rebirth of  Extreme Thrash and Black Death  . I'm really pleased to see this. There are Melodic moments and way over the top violent and nightmarish pieces going on with Pact.  I will finish this with if Incantation, Hypocrisy, Dissection or early Immortal impress you then this is the album for you .

http://www.moribundcult.com/

Oksennus -Kolme Toista -LP/CD/DIGITAL  (Nuclear War Now! Productions) 

Oh Finland Sweet Finland... You always give me the most interesting and disturbing musical adventures and I have to thank you for this clearly with Oksennus we have the meeting of  Ritual, Primitive, Chaos, Darkness, Complexity, Raw Noise and Story. This album is broken up into  three 13 minute tracks and the 1st is very ritualistic, dark and primitive in a wonderful haunting and hypnotic Black metal way.  Part 2 of the songs comes in with this off Organ and Guitar Jazzy/ 60's Movie soundtrack. I'm perplexed and excited at the very same time. It's almost like a cult trying to do mind control elements on the masses. Its Doomy and oppressive towards the last 3rd of the track. This has now become Prog Avant Black Doom and its getting better all the time..  The 3rd and final track is just Noisy Avant Black metal in the way bands like Krieg, Vondor, MZ412 and Mysticum have shown us and this has me full of Smiles as the vocals as cries of pain and low slit throat moans. I wouldn't even say the last track is focused music its more Avant Black noise and works amazingly well.  over the three tracks Oksennus shows you how creative side of extreme pagan black metal can really make an album you will never forget. I know I maybe crazy but the 3rd and final track really have a Virus element to it and it makes me respect it all the more .

http://www.nwnprod.com/