Visions From Beyond - Portal To Inertia

Labels: Brutal Cave Productions/Dry Cough Records/Self-Released

Formats: CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 02 Jun 2023

Tracklist:

1. The Crossing

2. Portal To Inertia

3. Second Sight

4. Into Hell

Portal To Inertia is the second and latest EP to come from Bristolian (UK) death/doom entity Visions From Beyond (if you don't count the debut demo that is). It was released digitally by the band in June of last year, while at the same time seeing a CD release via Portuguese label Brutal Cave Productions, alongside a tape pressing from the ever-dependable UK death/doom label Dry Cough Records. I can't remember whether I've mentioned this before but the sole member of Visions From Beyond also forms part of grindcore trio Fetus Christ (and is also a member of new death metal band Ritual Execution, which has recently released it's first tape via Dry Cough).

It’s been a lot of fun tracking the trajectory of Visions From Beyond since the band’s 2021 demo Eternally Bound, Whipped By Time. Grabbing the latest EP Portal To Inertia last year and jamming it alongside other (Dry Cough approved) UK death/doom bands has been an absolute joy. It feels like it’s been an age but I feel it’s time to write about these four tracks properly. 

Starting with ‘The Crossing’, Visions From Beyond deliver raw and hellish death metal with a huge helping of funeral doom for good measure. There’s always a limitation to being a solo project but it doesn’t hold Visions From Beyond back at all here. Gnarly yet oddly cosmic extreme metal more than hints at what’s to come.

The EP’s title-track ‘Portal To Inertia’ is all blasts and mesmeric guitar work, coupled with disturbingly low guttural vocals. Additional progressive lead guitar flutters amongst the heaviness, providing something close to relief. ‘Second Sight’ delivers at a much slower tempo to begin with, as if it’s paying tribute to the early Dry Cough output of sickening doom/sludge. The instrumentation takes absolute control throughout the song’s four+ minute playing time, as the vocals resemble some kind of sporadically tortured beast from another realm.

Leaving the best till last, Visions From Beyond delivers a near eight-minute monolith called ‘Into Hell’, which is very aptly named. The bass guitar provides such a rumbling low-end that it’s hard for the rest of the instrumentation to keep up (which is a strange thing to say given the slowness), but you’ll get what I mean as you get deeper into it. Subtle vocals, exquisite percussion and whale song-like lead guitar textures call time on what is a harrowing yet euphoric body of work.

I’ve already written plenty of positive words about Visions From Beyond here and this EP proves why that’s the case. For me, it’s important to support and encourage bands that are starting out, looking to build an audience of their own. I can’t wait to continue following the journey and if you’re new to Visions From Beyond, get on board too.

You can stream and also buy Portal To Inertia on all three formats directly from Visions From Beyond below:-

Visions From Beyond - https://www.facebook.com/visionsfrombeyond.official

Physical copies are also available from the labels below:-

Brutal Cave Productions - https://brutalcaveproductions.bandcamp.com/album/portal-to-inertia

Dry Cough Records - https://www.drycoughrecords.com/product/visions-from-beyond-portal-to-inertia-cassette-dc71

Beutal Cave Productions - https://www.facebook.com/brutalcaveproductions

Dry Cough Records - https://www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords

Trench Foot - Moral Obscenity

Labels: Brutal Cave Productions/Dry Cough Records/Frozen Screams Imprint/Stump Grinder Records

Formats: CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 10 Jun 2022

Tracklist:

1. Septic Experiments

2. Switchblade Slaughter

3. Incinerated Alive

Suddenly realised that there hasn't been any Dry Cough releases on here since the Atvm review in June.  Time's going by too quick right now. Apologies Andy! Back at it then with the latest EP to date from Liverpudlian death metal band Trench Foot. Moral Obscenity was released on tape via Dry Cough in June 2022, while Frozen Screams Imprint and Stump Grinder Records covered the US tape pressing. Portuguese label Brutal Cave Productions handled the CD release too. At the time of this EP Trench Foot was a solo project but I think it's a full band now.

One day to go until I get a much needed week away from the day job. I’m looking forward to sleeping, jamming more music and dare I say it, catching up on the old inbox. Before I get ahead of myself though, it’s time to focus my attention on Trench Foot and Moral Obscenity. I have this on tape and as with all previous Dry Cough releases, it’s provided me with a great listening experience to date, even if it’s taken me somewhat longer to actually write about it.

Opener ‘Septic Experiments’ is as old-school as modern death metal gets. It has amazingly good production that doesn’t detract from the gloomy, dank atmosphere delivered by both the instrumentation and vocals of sole member (on this release) Joe Bradley. If you add to that the harrowing yet scene-setting sample that kicks of this song, you’ll know what you’re getting yourself into.

‘Switchblade Slaughter’ ups the ante in terms of tempo and before you know it you’re halfway through the song (I say that after getting distracted by family dog videos on my phone!). I must note that I did pause the music while watching the videos because I didn’t want to miss any of the riffs. They’re effortless and sound like they come from a band much more advanced in years than Trench Foot.

EP closer ‘Incinerated Alive’ is a perfectly named song, complete with unnerving intro and frenetic kick-drumming. Said drumming propels you through the song’s first couple of minutes before the vocals kick in. Lengthy instrumental build-ups are what make death metal better for me. I’m drawn more to that than the brutal/slam death approach of instant bludgeoning. The song’s latter half is no different for me. The groove, the solos and the dirty bellows make it what it is.

I wasn’t sure if three songs were going to be enough here but this EP is more than long enough to get you salivating for more from Trench Foot. The rich tapestry of death metal continues to grow and the UK is very much leading the way IMO.

You can stream and purchase Moral Obscenity on all formats from Trench Foot below (but be quick if you want physical copies):-

Trench Foot - https://www.facebook.com/TrenchFootDeathMetal

Tape copies are long sold out from Dry Cough, but physical copies are still available from the labels below:-

Brutal Cave Productions - https://www.discogs.com/

Frozen Screams Imprint - https://frozenscreams.bandcamp.com/album/moral-obscenity

Stump Grinder Records - https://stumpgrinderrecords.bigcartel.com/product/trench-foot-moral-obscenity

Brutal Cave Productions - https://www.facebook.com/brutalcaveproductions

Dry Cough Records - https://www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords

Frozen Screams Imprint - @frozen_screams_imprint Instagram

Mortuary Spawn - Spawned From The Mortuary

Labels: Brutal Cave Productions/Chamber Of Emesis/Dry Cough Records/Sewer Rot Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 23 Apr 2021

Tracklist:

1. Crepuscular Imperilment

2. 'Neath The Mounds Of Murids

3. Thorax And Abdomen

4. Odious, The Charnel Miasma

5. Spawned From The Mortuary

Back in 2020, a putrid old-school death metal band called Mortuary Spawn crawled into life; sharing members with Groak, Pest Control, The Afternoon Gentlemen and Belk (amongst many others). Their debut release Spawned From The Mortuary was initially pressed on tape in 2021 via Leeds UK underground label Chamber of Emesis, before Portuguese label Brutal Cave Productions and USA's Sewer Rot Records entered the fray with cd pressings (as well as a US tape pressing from the latter label). Finally, a vinyl pressing came from UK label Dry Cough Records and Sewer Rot in 2022, due to the ongoing pressing plant delays that hit post-Covid. Their first gig was in support of the mighty Demilich according to Metal Archives (can anyone point me in the direction of the flyer, because I'm a sucker for the artwork/layouts).

Mortuary Spawn’s death metal is as impact-laden as the music of the bands it shares members with, as evidenced neatly on EP opener ‘Crepuscular Imperilment’, which is a blasting and growling force to be reckoned with. More low-end is on show here than treble, but that’s to be expected. When the lead guitar does break out into a solo, it’s filled with screeching goodness. ‘’Neath The Mound Of Murids’ is a song title straight out of Yorkshire and the song that bares it’s name doesn’t hang about. Unapologetically straight-to-the-point.

There’s a nod to death metal’s infatuation with the human body on ‘Thorax And Abdomen’, which is a gnarly, fast-paced show of brutality that manages to stay on the right side of the more formulaic slam-death approach (to these ears anyway). Following it are the truly grinding opening bars of ‘Odious, The Charnel Miasma’. The rest of the song is filled with both grooving death metal verses and off-kilter madness, with plenty of unnerving atmosphere thrown in for good measure.

EP closer and title track ‘Spawned From The Mortuary’ keeps momentum high with it’s silly-fast tempo and belligerent heaviness. That pace never really lets up, as the bass provides a bluesy backdrop. Both the percussion and vocals keep up with each other’s fluidity, leaving only the feedback at the end to try and bring down your heart rate.

I’ve always tried my hardest to champion the amazingly broad and friendly underground heavy community that’s made Leeds so great musically. I’m also embarrassed to say that It’s been over half-a-decade since I’ve attended a DIY gig in the city. So many memories for me of gigs that were put on by members of Mortuary Spawn amongst many others. I’ll get back over one day. For now though, let’s hope there’s more to come from this quintet.

All physical copies are sold out at Mortuary Spawn's bandcamp page, but you can stream and purchase the EP digitally there below:-

Mortuary Spawn - https://www.facebook.com/mortuaryspawn

Vinyl copies are still available from the labels below:-

Dry Cough Records - https://www.drycoughrecords.com/product/mortuary-spawn-spawned-from-the-mortuary-12-dc60

Sewer Rot Records - https://mortuaryspawn1.bandcamp.com/album/spawned-from-the-mortuary

Brutal Cave Productions - https://www.facebook.com/brutalcaveproductions

Chamber Of Emesis - https://chamberofemesis.bandcamp.com/

Dry Cough Records - https://www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords

Sewer Rot Records - https://www.facebook.com/sewerrotrecords

Celestial Sanctuary - Mass Extinction

Labels: Self-Released/Brutal Cave Productions/F H E D/Redefining Darkness Records

Formats: CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 06 Oct 2019

Tracklist:

1. Mass Extinction

2. Wretched Habits

I've spent the last couple of days with my family (and support bubble), having a bit of a reset as I get used to this second lockdown. Apologies for the radio silence. I did, however, find some time to go over some recent submissions and came across a couple of demos that seemed fitting to write about. The first one being this two-song demo from UK death metal band Celestial Sanctuary. It was originally self-released digitally by the band last October, alongside a tape version from fellow UK label F H E D. In December, it saw a Cdr release via Portuguese label Brutal Cave Productions and it's now been released in the US on tape/digitally by Redefining Darkness Records. Celestial Sanctuary are very much part of the New Wave of British Death Metal, which alongside new waves from across the globe, is growing all the time.

With the NWOBDM as it is now, you get less brutal pace and more doom-like tempos, akin to the old-school. Celestial Sanctuary epitomise that nod to the past on Mass Extinction, with it’s opening track beginning with slow and atmosphere-ridden heavy riffs. Even when ‘Mass Extinction’ does pick up  it’s pace, it’s filled with bass-heavy and technically solid guitar work, alongside thrashing percussion and nasty snarling vocals. Definitely sit CS alongside the UK’s Bolt Thrower and American cousins Incantation in any death metal playlist.

Second track ‘Wretched Habits’ is equally as squalid, with pressure being heaped upon you by the weight of the riffs. There’s plenty of groove as well, which is nice to hear and translates really well on record. The production and mastering of the demo leaves some murk amongst the depths, while still allowing it to sound clear and engrossing. The more you listen to this the more infectious is gets, that’s for sure.

I’ve read that there could be a new album coming from Celestial Sanctuary before the end of the year. This demo is very strong so you can only imagine what a long-player will be like. Make sure you get acquainted with this band before then, as any new release will likely sell fast!

You can stream Mass Extinction and get it as a name-your-price-download directly from Celestial Sanctuary below:-

Celestial Sanctuary - https://www.facebook.com/Celestial-Sanctuary

Physical copies have sold out from the band and from F H E D, but you can still buy copies from the links below:-

Brutal Cave Productions - https://brutalcaveproductions.bandcamp.com/album/mass-extinction

Redefining Darkness Records - https://celestialsanctuary-uk.bandcamp.com/album/mass-extinction

F H E D - https://www.facebook.com/FxHxExD/

Brutal Cave Productions - https://www.facebook.com/brutalcaveproductions/

Redefining Darkness Records - https://www.facebook.com/redefiningdarkness/