Faithxtractor - Loathing and the Noose

Labels: Redefining Darkness Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 10 Jan 2025

Tracklist:

1. Noose of Being

2. The Loathing

3. Fever Dream Litanies

4. Flooded Tombs

5. Ethos Moribund

6. Caveats

7. Beholden to Nightmare

8. Cerecloth Vision Veil

There's an abundance of newly released US death metal doing the rounds right now. As a nation, it has always been prominent but the genre just seems to be growing exponentially over there. After a brief dalliance back in time with my last review, I'm back in the present (sort of) with the 5th and newest album Loathing and the Noose from US duo Faithxtractor. It was released in January and is their second on Redefining Darkness Records, following 2023's Contempt for a Failed Dimension. 

Three days ago I turned 39. How the hell did that happen! Faithxtractor are on hand to help me forget that I’m one year closer to 40 thankfully, with their new album Loathing and the Noose. Launching straight into ‘Noose of Being’, the duo’s death metal is surprisingly metallic and technical, for a sound that’s also so intense. The percussion brings most of that intensity, while the bass adds heft lower down. The guitar work provides much of the atmosphere and musical imagery while the deep vocals remind you that this here album is very much from the US. 

‘The Loathing’ picks up right where the opener left off, albeit for the momentary pause in between. It’s blisteringly fast tempo-wise yet there’s still plenty of time for Ash Thomas and Zdenka Prado to pack it full with subtle and short moments of introspection, as well as mind-bending musical expression. The continuation straight into ‘Fever Dream Litanies’ keeps the momentum level high, while the song itself flits between an illusion of mid-paced death metal and more familiar aural battery. This album is so good and I’m not even three full tracks in yet!

All eight tracks here only just stretch past the 37 minute mark, so there isn’t any time to waste on gimmicks or ponderous interludes. Neither of which are in Faithxtractor’s nature. ‘Flooded Tombs’ goes all out straight away with the nastiest off-kilter death metal you’ll hear anywhere. The instant switch between insane tempos and pensive, yet uneasy atmospherics make the song all the more engrossing. The stupidly good solos and utterly heavy ending help as well!

The scarily fast groove/thrash musicianship and tempos that kick off ‘Ethos Moribund’ dig their heels in, providing an intense backdrop to a killer death metal song filled with intricacy and melody. Speaking honestly, Faithxtractor was a band that was always on the periphery for me; however, not anymore. ‘Caveats’ presents an eerie facade during it’s intro before the duo leap back into yet more technical, maniacal death metal. 

Before you even have time to blink, you’re up to the album’s penultimate song ‘Beholden to Nightmare’ with it’s blistering percussive battery, constant metallic guitar mastery and gnarly vocals. It’s an explosion of extremity that shows no sign of relenting. Closing out Loathing & the Noose with ‘Cerecloth Vision Veil’ is a masterstroke as Faithxtractor pivot from frenetic up-tempo death metal to something that’s more mid-paced and old-school sounding (at least for a time). It’s not too long before everything’s turned up to 11 once again, mixing tempos and ultimately ending on the highest of highs.

This album is a revelation. Dark and brutal enough to satisfy extreme metal’s hardest of junkies while having the melody and lightness (if that’s the right term) to be able to gather in new listeners, who’re maybe taking their first steps into heavier realms. Brilliant!

You can stream and purchase the album on all formats via bandcamp below:-

You can also purchase physical copies from Redefining Darkness Records here - https://www.redefiningdarkness.com

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

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

Vaticinal Rites - Vaticinal Rites EP

Labels: Caligari Records/Dry Cough Records/Redefining Darkness Records

Formats: CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 12 Nov 2021

Tracklist:

1. Dysphoria

2. Telekinetic Blood Ritual

3. Burning Elysium

4. Flesh Portal

It's been a little while since I've championed a Dry Cough Records release here. Dry Cough helped to release the debut EP from UK death metal band Vaticinal Rites, alongside US labels Caligari Record and Redefining Darkness Records last November. Four songs from a three-piece (four including the session drummer) that have been getting plenty of praise from the Youtube community. They're in the process of writing their debut full-length too, so it's the perfect time to get acquainted with their sound.

There’s always been a great history of UK death metal, just like there has been with doom (which is where Dry Cough Records made it’s name, kind of). Bringing another new death metal band to the fore was always going to be on the cards, alongside the awesome Slimelord, Visions From Beyond et al. Vaticinal Rites begin with the suspense inducing opener ‘Dysphoria’, which is a short and ambient-filled intro that leads into ‘Telekinetic Blood Ritual’. It’s a proper dirty death metal song. Not too br00tal and with just enough old-school murkiness to make it stand out in a scene that’s overdone slam breakdowns (at least for now). 

‘Burning Elysium’ is filled with thrash vibes initially, before the gutturals and pinch harmonics take over. Fast-paced unlike your so-called “work environment” and truly groove-laden, Vaticinal Rites know exactly what they’re doing. This really doesn’t sound like a debut at all. It’s way too accomplished. Closing song ‘Flesh Portal’ takes succinct death metal to an eye-watering level. Everything about this EP raises the bar; from the accurate and authoritative percussion, the rumbling low-end bass, the more than skilful rhythm/lead guitar work and the dual-pitched vocals. The production and mixing/mastering is also well worth a mention, especially when you consider that the recording process took place at three different locations. It all sounds so together.

Vaticinal Rites have put together a frankly incredible debut EP here. I can’t want to hear the debut album when it’s released. Once again, the bar of modern day UK death metal is raised. Let’s see what the rest of you have got!

You can stream the debut EP and purchase it digitally, and physically from Vaticinal Rites below:-

Vaticinal Rites - https://www.facebook.com/vaticinalrites

Physical CD/Tape copies can also be purchased from the labels below:-

Caligari Records - https://caligarirecords.storenvy.com/

Dry Cough Records - https://www.drycoughrecords.com/

Redefining Darkness Records - https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.com

Caligari Records - https://www.facebook.com/CaligariRecords

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

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

Descent - Order Of Chaos

Labels: Brilliant Emperor Records/Redefining Darkness Records/Caligari Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 14 Jan 2022

Tracklist:

1. Tempest

2. Dragged

3. Resolve

4. Gathering

5. Fester

6. Filth

7. Safe

8. Despotic

It looks like 2022's gonna be a heavy one, beginning with the newest album from Australia's Descent. The HM2 inspired quintet started life in 2015 with their demo before releasing their first album, Towers Of Grandiosity is 2018. Descent's newest full-length Order Of Chaos now gets a multi-format release, as a means of trying to contain the thirty minutes of death metal madness therein. With members of Descent also lining up in some of Australia's nastiest bands, including Resin Tomb, Necroseptic and Feculent, this should be a ripper!

Descent’s approach to death metal on Order Of Chaos is a heady mix of old-school murkiness and grinding intensity, wrapped up in a blackened veil. Technically it’s very strong, unsurprisingly, with the quintet wasting no time with intros or meandering performances. They go straight for the jugular as demonstrated on opening duo ‘Tempest’ and ‘Dragged’. There’s a hardcore backbone to their sound as well, though breakdowns are hidden away in favour of Cursed-like destruction. 

The low-end provides a bass hit that’s hard to ignore and Descent has an ear for melody, although it’s enshrined in a metallic coffin for the majority of the album. The vocals are made up of raspy shrieks and low register growls, somewhat akin to those of Lorna Shore, especially on ‘Gathering’. As eluded to earlier on in this review, there isn’t too much time to ponder as the album rages from start to finish. The songs rarely go over the four-minute mark during the album’s first half, ‘Fester’ leads you into the second-half by doing just that. It’s filled with atmosphere, with the instrumentation given more space.

There’s a greater attempt at variation towards the end of Order Of Chaos, with the utterly blistering ‘Safe’ leaving you battered and bruised. The band’s instrumental virtuosity is obvious, especially in the guitar work with it’s screeching leads and pinch harmonics. Concluding with the hauntingly disturbing ‘Despotic’, Descent have proven beyond any doubt that Australia’s extreme metal community will be leading the way in 2022.

In summary then, Order Of Chaos is uncomplicated and to the point. Descent don’t just copy what influences them, they weave their own rich version of death metal.

The album will be officially released on January 14th, but until then you can stream three of it's tracks below:-

Descent - https://www.facebook.com/descentmetalbrisbane

You can pre-order it digitally from Descent's bandcamp page above, as well as physically from the labels below:-

Brilliant Emperor Records - https://brilliantemperor.bigcartel.com/category/brilliant-emperor-releases

Redefining Darkness Records - https://shop.redefiningdarkness.com

Caligari Records - https://caligarirecords.storenvy.com/collections/278925-caligari-records-releases

Brilliant Emperor Records - https://www.facebook.com/BrilliantEmperorRecords

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

Caligari Records - https://www.facebook.com/CaligariRecords

Enwretch - Sermon Of The Dead

Labels: Self-Released/Redefining Darkness Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 06 Aug 2020

Tracklist:

1. Vile Congregation

2. Anthropophagy

Here's the second review I talked about on Sunday, when I wrote about the Celestial Sanctuary demo. I'd originally planned for this to be published on the same day but that didn't happen. Anyway, this post features the debut demo from Scottish death/doom solo band Enwretch. There's not much else I can say about Enwretch apart from that this demo was self-released digitally back in August, before being picked up by Redefining Darkness Records for a tape release in September. I have to say, it's great to see underground labels like RDR taking a genuine interest in bands from the UK.

Celestial Sanctuary really hit the spot for me on Sunday so I’m expecting equally big things from Enwretch this evening. While that opening sentence may be building things up a bit too much, there’s no need to worry as Enwretch goes hard on this wretched slab of lumbering and driving death/doom. ‘Vile Congregation’ is a mix of slow and fast riffs, coupled with upbeat percussion and hellishly deep death metal vocals. Again, it’s old-school in delivery and reminds me at times of Finnish band Profetus if they were crossbred with Grave (maybe?). Technical but also memorable in all the right ways.

‘Athropophagy’ is equally as good with the same disturbing death/doom approach and gargling atmosphere, backed up by thrash and a killer solo to boot. It doesn’t last long but it doesn’t need to. For a solo-project, Enwretch nails it in terms of song-writing and sound quality, helped very much by the recording from Tommy at 16ohm Studio in Glasgow. There’s no escaping the torture we’re all being put through at the moment but it’s made better because of gnarly music like this. Mon the Enwretch!

You can stream Sermon Of The Dead and purchase both on tape and digital formats below:-

Enwretch does not have any social media presence. The music is all you need.

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

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/

Väki - Kirous

Labels: Self-Released/Redefining Darkness Records

Formats: Digital/CD/Tape

Release Date: 13 Oct 2017

Tracklist:

1. Kuoleman Säkeet

2. Kirous

'Kirous" is the first demo to come from a band that sprung from the Finnish underground in the latter half of 2017. Väki, who formed in 2016, self-released their debut demo on cd and via digital means in October of last year before coming to the attention of rising label Redefining Darkness Records, who were so impressed that they released a limited tape run for the band. Not only that but Väki's strain of black metal has seen them share the stage with Taake recently in Finland's capital Helsinki.

Finland’s recent black metal explosion has been well documented and Väki carry that explosion on with their debut demo. Kuoleman Säkeet is both hateful yet engaging and melodic (thanks to the guitars anyway!). The production and mastering brings out the band’s quality and their song-writing is both technical and passionate.They have room to add some native/folk-elements into their music towards the end too. It adds to what is already a blistering introduction. 

The title-track plays more on Väki’s metallic edge and contains more of a menacing atmosphere as well. Hints of post-metal can be heard through the gloom but that is quickly erased by the band’s off-kilter black metal. The pummelling drums, punctuated by crashing cymbals increase the noise-levels as the demo winds up towards a rapturous end. It’s insane to think that this is Väki’s debut release but the two songs present on “Kirous” give you mere taste of wha’s surely to come from the band. Excellent!

You can stream "Kirous" below, where it's also available to purchase on all formats mentioned above :-

Väki - https://www.facebook.com/vakimetal/

US residents can by "Kirous" via Redefining Darkness Records here - https://redefiningdarknessrecords.bandcamp.com/album/v-ki-kirous

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