Oxalate/Perpetuated/Blood Spore/Vivisect - 4-Way Split

Labels: Blood Harvest Records

Formats: CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 04 Sep 2020

Tracklist:

1. Oxalate - Necrotic Descent

2. Perpetuated - God's Assassins

3. Blood Spore - Dreading The Mycelial Mask

4. Vivisect - Extraterrestrial Proliferations

Do you prefer it when I'm productive and writing four/five reviews a week or are you okay with me posting less frequently, like I seem to be doing at the moment? That's the (rather lengthy) question I've been asking myself recently. Maybe nearly 10 years of writing is beginning to catch up with me. Any advice or comments would be greatly received.

I've been lucky enough to get a pre-listen to this new 4-way split release from Blood Harvest Records, showcasing some of the best new US death metal bands currently working their way up from the fetid earth below. Blood Spore, Oxalate, Perpetuated and Vivisect all come from different parts of the US and have been releasing demos and EPs for the last few years. They each contribute one song to this split, which will appear on CD, tape and digital platforms in early September.

You know you’re in for something disgusting and down-tuned as soon as you set eyes on that cover art! Oxalate open the split with ‘Necrotic Descent’ and what you get is instantly hellish death metal with deep growls, old-school tempos and slams as well. There’s thrashing percussion throughout and excellent lead work too. Oxalate set’s the bar high already with a fine display.

Ringing feedback can only mean one thing and Perpetuated’s ‘God’s Assassins’ flashes by in a wave of bass-heavy riffing and snare hits that become mesmerising. Like Oxalate, they also employ screaming leads, but there’s some hardcore-like musicianship hidden within the murky depths of their sound too. Somehow it’s grimmer but that works in it’s favour for sure. Repeat listens are a must!

Following on from those two shorter songs, Blood Spore kicks off the second half with doom/death on ‘Dreading The Mycelial Mask’. It’s of the melodic variety, but only in the riffs and the sound is more European to these ears. Blood Spore nails that gut-wrenching vibe really well and provides the quality to back it up.

Last but not least and also coming from the doomier end of the spectrum in Vivisect with ‘Extraterrestrial Proliferations’. I say this is doomier but actually that’s just down to the atmosphere Vivisect gives off, as they are actually quite technical and more uptempo. After a long instrumental opening, their intensity hits full stride and doesn’t let up. All of the usual trappings are present but are delivered really well. Nasty but quality death metal.

Seemingly 2020 is destined to be know as “The Year of Death” in more ways than one, but mainly for the sheer amount of death metal releases hitting digital/physical shelves. I implore you to snag this split when it’s released in September and to take the time to check out the other releases from all four bands here. If you’re any kind of extreme metal fan, this can’t be ignored.

Nothing is streaming yet but you can pre-order the split directly from Blood Harvest Records here - 

https://bloodharvestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/oxalate-perpetuated-blood-spore-vivisect.

Oxalate - https://www.facebook.com/Oxalateband/

Perpetuated - https://www.facebook.com/perpetuated.death/

Blood Spore - https://www.facebook.com/BloodSporeFungalDeath/

Vivisect - https://www.facebook.com/VivisectNJ/

Blood Harvest Records - https://www.facebook.com/BloodHarvestRecords/

Bones - Gate Of Night

Labels: Blood Harvest Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 24 Apr 2020

Tracklist:

1. Utterance Beyond Death

2. Gate Of Night

Today's been one of those days, mostly spent hungover and slightly lacking in motivation. it wasn't until this afternoon that I started to feel myself again and actually did some things. I've begun planning for a special 10th anniversary digital compilation and also deciding what to write about, so the day isn't entirely wasted. I settled for the new and rather opulent two-song single-sided LP from Belgian death metal band Bones. It's their fourth release in a decade and their second for Blood Harvest Records. 

Death metal still leads the way in output terms. The genre as a whole has been spewing out so many bands and release of late, and there’s no pause in sight. Bones and their disturbing take on the genre is distinctly European while also being entirely of it’s own being. ‘Utterance Beyond Death’ is a mix of gargling, despairing death and instrumental, sometimes avant-garde extremity. It reminds you of both your contempt for humankind but also why you’re alive. 

Title-track ‘Gate Of Night’ is a seven-minute death/thrash ripper that’s gloriously off-kilter. The technicality that sits amongst the band’s seemingly primitive death metal is enriched by the production/mastering. It’s organic sound allows for something very real to leap out of the speakers. It catches your attention and clasps it’s neck tight, while flitting between hellish noise and clever progression. Bones have released a stonking EP here and with that, nothing more needs to be said.

You can stream and purchase Gate Of Night digitally or on either translucent purple or black etched vinyl below:-

Bones - https://www.facebook.com/Bones-Death-Metal

Blood Harvest Records - https://www.facebook.com/BloodHarvestRecords/

Cryptic Shift - Visitations From Enceladus

Labels: Blood Harvest Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 04 May 2020

Tracklist:

1. Moonbelt Immolator

2. (Petrified in the) Hypogean Gaol

3. The Arctic Chasm

4. Planetary Hypnosis

With the world heading for what could be inevitable global lockdown, a new beginning on far away planets makes perfect sense. Space dwelling death metallers Cryptic Shift think so, which is why they're about to release their debut full-length via Blood Harvest Records on May 4th. From their humble physical beginnings in the West Yorkshire city of Leeds in 2014, they released several demos, singles, an EP and a split, honing their live sound as they went. They're now ready to spread their cosmic technicality across the galaxy on all formats, including random flying disc!

Visitations From Enceladus begins with real intent in the form of the huge ‘Moonbelt Immolator’, which is spread across twenty-five+ minutes of sprawling technical death metal. The opening bars are made up of guitar passages that come and go amongst electronic interference of sorts. Cryptic Shifts’s full assault soon kicks off though with a mix of death metal akin to bands like Atheist and DBC. Cyborgs seem to take over at times during the song, with vocal effects that fit perfectly amongst the madness. It’s almost impossible to tell whether Master Boot Record had a hand in the creation of this release. Either way, the progressive and lengthy soloing is brilliant and adds to the already imaginative instrumental mid-section, which just seems to get crazier and crazier. From there on, their deathly chorus takes on a more brutal and straight-forward turn, amidst the technicality. One thing that does strike you during this song is just how well the instrumentation fits together, even with so many changes in tempo and so many transitions. The slow build has worked for Cryptic Shift so far and this record proves it.

From the mammoth galactic death metal opera that was ‘Moonbelt Immolator’, ‘(Petrified in the) Hypogean Gaol’ is a more urgent track, albeit still featuring Cryptic Shift’s technical wizardry and metallic wonderment. Again, it’s the guitar work that dominates with screaming solos sitting alongside fretboard mayhem, which remains controlled and melodic. The percussion and vocals match up by being just as crazy. Grinding tempos sit alongside subtle doom/death elements, layering a song that’s still possible to follow.

‘The Arctic Chasm’ is ominously good and it’s at this point that I realise that it’s these shorter songs that I prefer. The opener was fantastic but it struggled to find that extra bit of momentum due to the stop/start nature at times. The shorter songs seem to have no problem and it’s where Cryptic Shift really hit their stride. The riffs are bewildering here. The production/mixing/mastering also needs mentioning at this point, as the volume of the recording and the clear space that each instrument has is spot on. Both help to make the sound more engaging. There’s a lot of different phrasing and indeed movement within ‘The Arctic Chasm’, but it’s a song that just keeps on giving.

No rest is earned between it and album closer ‘Planetary Hypnosis’, which is just gung-ho. Coming in at a relatively short five-and-a-half minutes in length, nothing is slow or ponderous about it. Cryptic Shift has really found a stride at this point and it’s death metal at it’s best. You can completely see why Blood Harvest have put their name to this, as it’s quality and with the maturity that this quartet has, they’ll sit perfectly alongside the label’s ever-growing roster of quality extreme metal bands.

You can stream 'The Arctic Chasm' and pre-order the full album digitally below:-

Physical pre-orders can be placed via Blood Harvest Records here - http://shop.bloodharvest.se.

Cryptic Shift - https://www.facebook.com/crypticshift/

Blood Harvest Records - https://www.facebook.com/BloodHarvestRecords/

Nex Carnis - Black Eternity 7"

Labels: Blood Harvest Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 27 Sep 2019

Tracklist:

1. Last Gleams Of A Fallen Conscience

2. The Fathomless Caverns Of Oblivion

Jumping into music from far away lands can often be like staring into the unknown, but it needn't be. Metal and especially extreme metal ignores borders and brings people together. That's exactly what's happening with Iranian death metal band Nex Carnis. They recently released their latest EP "Black Eternity" via Blood Harvest and with it, they're starting to reach the ears of extreme metal fans from across the globe. The roots of the band dates back to 2012, when they self-released their "Death Of The Flesh" demo. 2015 saw the release of debut album "Obscure Visions Of Dark" with help from Italian label Nightbreaker Productions. It may be hard for them to play live either in or outside of Iran, but they'll always have a home amongst metal fans worldwide.

Nex Carnis has risen at the right time. Their death metal is technical, raging and melodic in equal measure. Last Gleams Of A Fallen Conscience is an excellent introduction to the trio for anyone who is crossing paths with them for the first time. The right amounts of murky growls and catchy instrumentation are on show and while you may not consider death metal all that catchy, you might change your mind once you’ve listened to this.

Second song The Fathomless Caverns Of Oblivion is no less listenable. There are moments of death/doom lurking within it but they’re subtle and the main element that’s present here are those bouncing riffs, that seem to lead you all over the place. Imagination in this sub-genre can sometimes be very much devoid but Nex Carnis let theirs run wild. The percussion is more gung-ho and the vocals remain deep and grunt-like but the guitar work is the key to how enjoyable this is.

This EP will definitely be one that keeps spinning. Memorable songs and while there are only two, they will keep you hooked until any future long-player. Another really impressive death metal release from 2019.

You can stream and purchase "Black Eternity" on vinyl or digital formats via Blood Harvest below:-

Nex Carnis - https://www.facebook.com/nexcarnis

Blood Harvest Records - https://www.facebook.com/BloodHarvestRecords/

Vile Apparition - Depravity Ordained + Atrocious Captivity Demo

Labels: Blood Harvest Records/Memento Mori Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 21 Jan 2019

Tracklist:

1. Mauled And Nameless

2. Depravity Ordained

3. Dissect To Enucleate

4. Aeon Of Impalement

5. The Cursed Path

6. Malevolent Aphanatasia

7. Repulsive Desire

8. The Gate

9. Window Of The Grotesque

Such is the pace of releases this year, it's proving hard to catch up. So much so that I'm still working my way through stuff that came out in January (amongst my seemingly random review schedule). "Depravity Ordained" is the debut album from Australian death metal quartet Vile Apparition. It was released in January via Blood Harvest Records (vinyl, tape, digital) and Memento Mori Records (CD). Vile Apparition initially formed as a duo in 2017 and self-released the "Atrocious Captivity" demo, which also received a tape release via Transylvanian Tapes. Their line-up later doubled in size in time for a split cd release with Polish death metal duo Incinerator via Polish Putrid Cult. This piece will also feature a review of the "Atrocious Captivity" demo as it was included in the digital press pack I received.

Vile Apparition’s death metal is slamming, fast and disgusting. Mauled And Nameless is a blasting and grim old-school worshipping beast with deep growls. The riffs sit deeper in the mix as the drumming takes a tighter grip; however, there’s room in the recording for a ripping solo. This was pure and unadulterated brutal death metal without the pig squeals. The title-track is meaty with a wall of guitar-riffs beefing up the sound. Its formula is obvious fairly early on yet there’s technicality seeping from its pores. When Vile Apparition dials back the tempo, like in the latter half of Depravity Ordained, they venture into doom/death territory and its actually kinda nice (in a grim way). 

To deliver such ferocity and intensity so early on shows the intent that Vile Apparition has and Dissect To Enucleate is no exception. It all adds to an urgency that’s unmatched and with a production/mastering job that keeps everything true to the genres early proponents, everything is kept from being raw and muddy. They hit peak death metal on Aeon Of Impalement, with its slow and brooding doom/death feel and another ripping solo. There’s still plenty of fast but it seems more focused to me. A the mid-point of the album there’s a hauntingly ambient instrumental song in the form The Cursed Path, which breaks up the brutality  and fills you with an unnerving feeling.

After that instrumental, things get back to full speed on Malevolent Aphanatasia, which encompasses pretty much everything that makes Vile Apparition’s music so good. It’s nothing you haven’t heard before if you’re a death metal fan but as far as debuts go, it’s right up there. The final trio of songs beginning with Repulsive Desire are absolutely raging. Repulsive Desire itself is full of constant Tom abuse and vocals that scream “how low can you go”. The lack of time to catch your breath between it and The Gate proves that Vile Apparition mean business and take their death metal more than seriously. It’s much of the same but The Gate just stabilises the quality of the album.

Despite what I said above, the album’s final track Window Of The Grotesque is brimming with atmosphere within its opening bars. That atmosphere is retained as Vile Apparition stomps through one last doom/death filled number. It rounds out an album filled with disturbing bleakness and genuinely heavy death metal. There will be a lot of keen listeners in the underground who have already discovered “Depravity Ordained” but if you haven’t yet, you should change that.

Stream "Depravity Ordained" and grab it digitally and on LP/CD from Vile Apparition below:-

Tape copies are now sold out via Vile Apparition, but you can get the album on all physical formats from Blood Harvest Records and Memento Mori Records.

Blood Harvest Records - https://www.facebook.com/Blood-Harvest-Records

Memento Mori Records - https://www.facebook.com/memento.mori.label/

Labels: Self-Released/Transylvanian Tapes

Formats: Digital/Tape

Release Date: 31 Jul 2017

Tracklist:

1. The Abyssal Plain

2. Anatomized Remnants

3. Atrocious Captivity

4. Featureless Deity

As mentioned above, Vile Apparition's 2017 demo "Atrocious Captivity" was bundled in with the promo I received, so I've decided to write a separate review of it and include it here. It's often fun starting with a band's most recent release and working backwards. This demo was written and recorded back when the band was a duo, so it'll be interesting to hear how their sound progressed to what it is now. As far as I can tell from scanning various places, tape versions of this are long sold out from both Vile Apparition and Transylvanian Tapes.

“Atrocious Captivity” begins with The Abyssal Plain, which is a ghostly and pretty terrifying intro that leads directly into Anatomized Remnants. Obviously here the sound is slightly raw but that actually works better for the music in my opinion. I know it’s boring when people continually say “I like their demo best”, but it’s mostly correct in this case. The recording seems to be less constrained than that of “Depravity Ordained” and while the ever-so-slightly cleaner sound of the latter makes sense, this demo just sounds more brutal to my ears.

The demo’s title-track is as barbaric as you’d expect and it’s far from accessible (not that any of Vile Apparition’s material could be considered accessible). You can certainly see where they got their writing chops from here and it was obvious even from this demo that their technicality was something else. In fact a lot of what appears musically on “Depravity Ordained” owes much to this demo and the doom/death that’s present there first rears its ugly head on Featureless Deity. It’s not slow by any means but the influence and atmosphere is clearly present throughout.

Overall, having listened to both releases, there’s no negatives here. If you’re new to the band, start with “Depravity Ordained” and work your way backwards. Vile Apparition will no doubt be a band that will continually improve and tweak their sound as they progress through their career. Quality death metal from the other side of the globe.

(Alternative Transylvanian Tapes Cover Art)

You can grab "Atrocious Captivity" as a name-your-price download below:-

Transylvanian Tapes - https://www.facebook.com/TransylvanianTapes/

Vile Apparition - https://www.facebook.com/vileapparition/

Ectovoid - Inner Death EP

Labels: Blood Harvest Records/Helter Skelter Productions

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 18 Jan 2019

Tracklist:

1. Internal Inversion

2. Archaic Memories Unearthed

3. Isolation In Mind Continuum

Trying to encourage myself to venture out but not before posting a quick review. Sundays to the sound the raging death metal are always better, so here's the latest 7" from Alabama's Ectovoid. Released on vinyl, tape and digitally with the help of Blood Harvest Records and Helter Skelter Productions, it's the first recorded music to come from the trio since their 2016 "Four Doors To Death" split with Sabbatory, Trenchrot and Cemetery Filth. Just yesterday, they played Vimur's album release show and they've also been included on the line-up for Metal Threat Fest. which takes place in Chicago in July (I'll post the flyer for that below).

Three tracks of awesome USDM are a perfect way to start the day and without further ado, the festering Ectovoid sound envelopes you on EP opener Internal Inversion. It’s old-school approach with powerful drumming, rumbling bass and guitars that switch between chainsaw-like riffs and treble-filled solos more than match the evil vocal growls and shrieks. Like a devilish siren-song, it’ll draw you in and then eat you alive!

It’s remarkable how much volume is created by just three people but thanks to that and the production/mixing/mastering efforts, this EP sounds immense. Archaic Memories Unearthed includes elements of thrash and also modern death metal, making it less of an ode to OSDM and a whole new beast altogether. 

Third and final song Isolation In Mind Continuum constantly blasts and swings between subtle tempo changes that break up the barrage and sometimes drag it into doom/death territory. The musicianship is so precise, as evidenced by the soloing. It ends with ambience that’s drawn from the same dark place as Ectovoid’s raging death metal. This is a killer EP from one of USDM’s best modern day bands. 

You can stream and buy "Inner Death" digitally via Ectovoid's Bandcamp page below:-

Physical copies can be purchased here - https://bloodharvestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/inner-death and here - https://helterskelterproductions.bandcamp.com/album/inner-death.

Ectovoid - https://www.facebook.com/ectovoid/

Blood Harvest Records - https://www.facebook.com/Blood-Harvest-Records

Helter Skelter Productions - https://www.facebook.com/helterskelterproductions/

Here's the flyer for the Metal Threat Fest as promised. Just look at that line-up!

https://www.facebook.com/events/350228332373247/

Noctambulist - Atmospheres Of Desolation

Labels: Blood Harvest Records/Helter Skelter Productions

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 21 Jan 2019

Tracklist:

1. Dimming Lights Illuminate

2. Abnegation

3. Atmospheres Of Desolation

4. Jubilant Cataclisym

5. Denial Of Autonomy

6. Habitual Falsehood

The underground is bristling with bands that seemingly out of nowhere are becoming coveted by not just fans of extreme metal but also by labels. Look at the rise of bands like Outer Heaven (USA), Outre Tomb (Canada), Tomb Mold (Canada) et al over the past twelve months and you'll notice a theme; death metal. US/CAN DM to be more precise is laying many ears to waste and there's no sign of it slowing down. Blood Harvest Records has long been synonymous with the metal of death and now they're bringing you Denver (Colorado, US) band Noctambulist and their debut album, "Atmospheres Of Desolation". Coming from a band with only one prior recorded song, this epitomises how quickly things are moving below the surface. Let's see how Noctambulist fare. 

The first song of an album should grab the listener and pull them in. It should show them exactly what they’re getting into and why they should stay listening to a record. Attention grabbing in this day and age is good and it’s exactly what Noctambulist does with Dimming Lights Illuminate. It’s filled with sewer-like atmosphere and a ridiculous amount of feedback/ambient noise that envelopes the percussion and guitars, and which sticks around as the sickening growls bring this short piece to a close. What follows is blasting, technical and metallic death metal that spares nobody. Abnegation is an absolute riff-monster, which shows Noctambulist at their vicious best. It’s unlike a lot of current DM in that it’s not gore-obsessed nor just another take on Swe-death. There’s an air of originality to it. 

The raging noise that was eluded to in the record’s opener is more than present on Atmospheres Of Desolation and it’s here that you get a true sense of the mastery that exudes from the band. The song-writing is such that Noctambulist doesn’t come across as being too highbrow, meaning fans dipping their toes into underground death metal will get as much from this as those who call themselves veteran listeners. The introspective moments especially point to that and despite the venomous delivery, there’s also real musicality here. Chugging isn’t something you’d associate with the more forward thinking bands in the genre, but it’s present during Jubilant Cataclisym (in very small proportions). It adds a modern slant to Noctambulist’s death metal and it does add something to their sound, breaking up the technicality. Extra atmospheric guitar work towards the end gives it a feeling of real grandeur as well.

These songs are about average length but the sheer amount of music that fits into them is something else altogether. Penultimate song Denial Of Autonomy is probably the fastest song of all and that description doesn’t even do it justice. This is the stark realisation that all of your hopes and dreams are crashing around you and all chances of rescuing them are futile. It’s like waking up with sleep paralysis and not being able to move, ever. The final deathly hymn on “Atmospheres Of Desolation” is also the longest. Habitual Falsehood starts with a build-up that’s in place to create anticipation and following it is some of the darkest and dankest mid-paced death metal you’ll hear, interspersed with grinding ferocity that Noctambulist does so well. The angular riffs and metallic nature of it maintains listener interest really well and helps to round out an album that’s pretty much perfectly proportioned to these ears. Noctambulist doesn’t mess about with an overtly lengthy record. They’re too-the-point and because of that they have much more impact.

You can stream the title-track and pre-order the record below:-

Blood Harvest Records - https://www.facebook.com/Blood-Harvest-Records

Helter Skelter Productions - https://www.facebook.com/helterskelterproductions/