Infinity Ritual - II EP

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 03 Nov 2023

Tracklist:

1. FCG (Intro)

2. Succession

3. Earthdriver

4. Deceivers

5. Stones

I decided to pick something at random this evening and it just so happens that it's due to be released tomorrow (or today if you're in New Zealand and other Southern Hemisphere nations), which Infinity Ritual are. They're from New Plymouth, NZ to be exact and II is their latest EP, which follows their 2022 debut EP. II will be/is available on vinyl, CD and digital formats. All self-released!

After a day that started with me thinking it was Wednesday (thanks alarm clock!), it feels nice to be sat here digging into some good old groove-laden stoner rock. EP opener ‘FCG (Intro)’ is described as an extended introduction to second track ‘Succession’ and is only available on the vinyl version. It’s a nice psych/cosmic intro that sets the scene. I still don’t get the reasoning behind putting extra songs or music on some formats but not others. Maybe I never will.

Onto first song proper ‘Succession’ though, which is filled with top-drawer doom/stoner riffs, classy percussion and dual clean/harsh vocals that all add significant volume to this trio. Infinity Ritual’s sound so far has a nostalgic element to it, at times taking cues from early UK doom pioneers and gothic influences as well. There are similarities to the likes of Electric Wizard and Orange Goblin, but also Anathema and Paradise Lost too. 

‘Earthdriver’ dials up the stoner rock vibes with semi-clean vocals, all-encompassing drum work and a downright dirty guitar solo that seems to last for almost half the song, leading you into hallucinatory territory. New Zealand had always been great at producing bands in a similar vein to Infinity Ritual, with 8 Foot Sativa and Beastwars springing to mind immediately. The thing that catches me off guard here though is the nu-metal/grunge undertones that are present during ‘Deceivers’ (think Mad At Gravity, Spineshank, early-Hoobastank). 

I’ve mentioned way too many other bands in this review already so I’m gonna stop, because I’m not trying to pigeonhole Infinity Ritual, instead I’m trying (badly) to paint a picture of how varied and strong their music is. Talking of strong music, ending with a near twenty minute song that takes up an entire side of vinyl is a perfect example of that. ‘Stones’ is that song and it’s the slowest, darkest number on II, which is unsurprising. It’s largely instrumental and shows even more of Infinity Ritual’s musical, song-writing skill. Things get a bit weird for a short time before one final short blast of the band’s full-throttle stoner.

Listening to this EP has awakened something inside me (without sounding twee). It reminded me why I truly connected with heavy music in my mid-late teens even before I started writing about it online. There aren’t many bands that can genuinely do that! Infinity Ritual haven’t just released another record destined for the ether, they’ve released something special.

You can currently (at the time of writing) stream 'Earthdriver' on bandcamp below, as well as on other streaming services:-

Keep an eye out for vinyl/cd/merch drops here - https://www.infinityritual.com

Infinity Ritual - https://www.facebook.com/InfinityRitual

Cuck - Worship The Uniform: Official Music Video Premiere

July 26th 2022 saw the release of the debut self-titled full-length from New Zealand powerviolence band Cuck. The band formed shortly after the member's returned home from the Crowning/Swallows Nest tour of Europe in 2019 (and also features members of Sewage, as well as ex-members of Machina Rex and Yung Nats). The album contains 14 tracks of rip-roaring, heavy pv and was released on a run of 52 tapes by Tomb Tree. I'm excited to be able to bring you the premiere of the music video for track number 10 'Worship The Uniform' in partnership with the label:-

Both 'Worship The Uniform' and it's accompanying video take direct aim at the British monarchy and the commonwealth all within fifty seconds, as you'll see when you watch it. 

Cuck will definitely appeal to those of you who like bands such as Aureole Of Ash, Cloud Rat and Svffer amongst others. The tapes have been split into the following variants:-

20 on Sookee Swirl:

12 on The Cuck Galaxy Swirl:

10 on Half Red/Black:

5 Mystery Swirls and 5 Test Dips (not pictured)

The full album can be streamed via Tomb Tree's bandcamp page below, where it's also available as a name-your-price digital download:-

Physical tape copies can be purchased from the Tomb Tree section of the Zegema Beach Records CAN/INTL store and at the time of writing this, copies of all three of the pictured variants are still available - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/tomb-tree-tapes/tt073.

Cuck - https://cucucuck.bandcamp.com/releases

Tomb Tree - https://www.facebook.com/tombtreetapes

Apostles Of Eris/Raining - Split Songs Premiere

Early April 2019 will see the release of this new split tape via Zegema Beach Records and Larry Records. I've been given the awesome privilege of being able to premiere a song by both Apostles Of Eris and Raining.

Apostles Of Eris began life as the solo-project of Nashville (now Richmond, USA) musician Jesse Mowery (of Dawn, Karoshi, Altar of Complaints, as well as many more). David Norman (Swallows Nest, The World That Summer and more) has since joined AOE and provides vocals on the split. The duo's song Mikey Got His Gun is rash but beautiful hardcore with subtle emo-whimsy.

Raining calls Dunedin (New Zealand) home and shares connections with Apostles Of Eris, as some of their members used to play with Dave Norman in a band called Emö Lendvai when he lived in the land of the long white cloud. Members also played or play in the likes of Sewage, Astronaut Club and Glorified!, as well as more. Their song Inoperant is a savage blast of emo-violence with multi-layered vocals.

You can stream both songs via my Youtube channel (embeds below):-

These songs fill me with excitement and I can't wait to hear the full split when it's released. Keep your eyes peeled on the various band/label links below for more news and pre-order info. The tape is only limited to 100 copies so you'll want to move fast!

Apostles Of Eris - https://www.facebook.com/thegoddessprevails/

Raining - https://raining.bandcamp.com

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords/

Larry Records - https://www.facebook.com/larryscrammo/

Barshasketh - Barshasketh

Labels: W.T.C Productions

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 15 Jan 2019

Tracklist:

1. Vacillation

2. Resolve

3. Consciousness I

4. Consciousness II

5. Ruin I

6. Ruin ii

7. Rebirth

8. Recrudescence

Back to the normal schedule this evening and to the latest album from a band whose music and members have featured here before. This is Barshasketh's fourth full-length and it was recently released via W.T.C. Productions on LP, CD and digitally. It's the first album of theirs that I've featured, which I couldn't believe when I looked back. It's good to be finally putting that right.

Furious black metal steeped In the mists of both Scotland and New Zealand is what Barshasketh does well and this self-titled album is a clear sign of their experience and quality. Album opener Vacillation doesn’t feature the usual brooding build-up, with the band choosing instead to hit the loud pedal almost instantly. They don’t let up either as the symphony of pummelling instrumentation and rasping growls take hold. Resolve is black metal at its purest. The steadfast approach that Barshasketh has is obvious by the intensity in which they perform, No inferior influences make themselves known here and nobody is safe from the evil that protrudes from the speakers. 

The other thing that’s striking is the pace at which the songs pass. All bar one are over five-minutes in length but without the need to ponder, Barshasketh proves that the no nonsense approach can be applied with ease even to longer songs, as is with Consciousness I. The layers of melody poke through here and provide an even greater glimpse into their musicianship. The haunting atmosphere that you thought would be present, finally washer over the music on Consciousness II. The lowly strummed guitar and percussion that leads is unnerving but it gives way to something a lot faster and (dare I say) upbeat, at least in tempo anyway. Sound-wise black metal has always been on the more lo-fi end of the extreme metal spectrum, but here there’s a difference thanks to the recording and production that was split between Necromorbus Studios (vocal, drum, guitar) and Chamber Studios (bass guitar). It’s all been brought to life in a very engaging way.

The urgency of Ruin I is plainly obvious. Guiding you through nearly five minutes of tortured extremity is one thing but making it sound effortless is another. Morbidity never sounded so appealing. By comparison Ruin II seems sedate, but only briefly because it’s not long before Barshasketh turns the wick up again. The guitar work is almost orchestral here while there’s more than a hint of death/doom later on. With Rebirth, things head back in a direction that more blast and brimstone, allowing the momentum to lift once more. It’s unrelenting pace is tempered a little by the guitar melodies, that pierce the sheer battery that’s produced. The icy vocals adding an extras claustrophobic edge to the song.

Barshasketh’s final offering is filled with alluring (if that’s the right word) and spacious atmosphere that  initially offers a breath of crisp cold air. Those intro bars on Recrudescence are followed by one final black metal tome that’s fused together with elements of traditional metal, which have been nestling in the shadows throughout the record but that are more obvious here. It’s as if they injected it with thrash without turning it into a black thrash song. It’s subtle and it rounds things out in style. This record is right out of the top drawer. Biting, old-school black metal has been granted new life by Barshasketh here and with 2019 still in the relative infancy, they’ve set the bar very high indeed. Experience counts for a lot these days and it’s paid off here. Great record!

You can stream the full album below:-

You can purchase digital copies of the album from W.T.C Productions here - https://wtcproductions.bandcamp.com/album/barshasketh-2 and grab vinyl copies from them here - https://w-t-c.web-republic.de/store/product.

Barshasketh - https://www.facebook.com/Barshasketh/

W.T.C Productions - https://www.facebook.com/W.T.C.Productions/

Snag/Swallows Nest - Split Tape

Labels: Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 23 Apr 2018

Tracklist:

1. Snag - Violence

2. Swallows Nest - Dark Hamz

3. Swallows Nest - Apathy As An Infinite Manifestation

Yay, I've got some more exciting US/NZ Skramz for you! This is the split tape between Milwaukee (USA's) Snag and Dunedin (NZ's) Swallows Next. It was release earlier this year by the ever faithful and reliable Zegema Beach Records. Snag has so far released a self-titled EP and a split with Social Caterpillar, while the only other release to come from Swallows Nest (as far as I can tell) has been their split with Crowning (also review on the blog).

This split only features one song from Snag but Violence is a joy to listen too. It’s a (pardon me) violent screamo song filled with jangly, off-kilter instrumentation and a mix of harsh screams and what I think are spoken-work samples (though they could be delivered by the band themselves). It’s stark and emotive, especially during the mid-section and that atmosphere carries on throughout the rest of the song. 

Swallows Nest follow on with two shorter songs; Dark Hamz is brooding and slightly bleak, but when the dual-vocals and orchestral guitar-work takes over that atmosphere is somewhat forgotten. There’s real urgency here as you’d expect. Apathy As An Infinite Manifestation starts how Dark Hamz finished and it’s immediacy is obvious, while the band’s delivery is pummelling. 

Three brief songs that give great accounts of both bands. You could do far worse than check out both Snag and Swallows Nest, starting here.

You can stream and purchase the split (both on tape and digitally) here:-

Snag - https://www.facebook.com/snagmke/

Swallows Nest - https://www.facebook.com/Swallows-Nest

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords/

Crowning/Swallows Nest - Split

Labels: Zegema Beach Records/IFB Records/Time As A Color/Dingleberry Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 24 Jun 2018

Tracklist:

1. Crowning - Coil

2. Crowning - Old References

3. Crowning - Nerve

4. Swallows Nest - A Subtle Knife For New Doors

Here's a split that isn't so new (sorry for being late to the party, again!) but who cares, I still want to write about it. It's features Chicago "DadrockViolence" band Crowning and Dunedin (NZ) screamo band Swallows Nest. The 7" was released in June by four of the hardest working overseas labels I know, though I'm a little unsure of the actual release date, so if it's incorrect above please let me know. Both Crowning and Swallows Nest are new to me, so I'm looking forward to this.

Crowning get three songs here and they don’t hang about. Their opener Coil is a violent and heavy blast of hardcore/emoviolence that’s lasts just over sixty seconds but is filled with riffs and bile for days. The slightly more pensive Old References gives the rhythm section time to talk before they once again unleash their unrelenting screamo. There’s a lot to take in but it’s so additive. Crowning’s final song Nerve is absolutely no different and the blasting cymbals that sit alongside the punk-like guitar work in the mid-section hide the angst and misery within. 

Swallows Nest, from easily the most beautiful country in the world, play screamo that suggests all is not well on A Subtle Knife For New Doors. It’s slower but no less heavy and the dual-vocals give it extra oomph. Melody exists within both bands but here it does provide more atmosphere, even when Swallows Nest head off in a more off-kilter/chaotic direction. I could listen to this split over and over again, and in fact I probably will. The feedback that ends it underlines the savageness of it while the silence that follows reminds you that there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Crowning - https://www.facebook.com/crowningband/

Swallows Nest - https://www.facebook.com/Swallows-Nest

Digital downloads can be purchased from the bandcamp pages of the labels involved. physical copies can be purchased from the links below:-

Zegema Beach Records - http://zegemabeachrecords.storenvy.com/

IFB Records - http://www.ifbrecords.com/distrolist/

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords/

IFB Records - http://ifbrecords.blogspot.com

Time As A Color - https://www.facebook.com/timeasacolor/

Dingleberry Records and Distribution - https://www.facebook.com/Dingleberry-records-and-distribution