Blue Noise - Demo #1 [Blue Noise]

Labels: Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 06 May 2019

Tracklist:

1. One

2. Two

Blue Noise is just one of the many bands that come from the incredibly talented Maya Chun (namely Goodthink, Youth Novel, Heavenly Blue and the list goes on). Demo #1 was one of three releases to come from the union of Blue Noise and Zegema Beach Records in 2019. It was a super limited pressing across just 26 tapes (long sold out). It features two songs but good luck trying to pin down a genre.

I’m trying to write this in a fairly short window, so apologies if it ends up being garbage! ‘One’ starts off the demo in quiet fashion thanks to it’s gentle intro before Maya launches into a sound that’s every bit as chaotic as it is powerful. A mix of almost every conceivable heavy/dreamy genre awaits. The abrupt switch to ‘Two’ is quite startling, especially if like me, you were lost in that first song. 

Thankfully, it doesn’t take too long before you’re transported back to that exact same feeling. Aside from being more grandiose, ‘Two’ goes through various phases from cinematic to minimalist before making a 180 degree turn and going headfirst back to mayhem-inducing intensity, enveloped by glorious melody. You can just tell by listening that these songs are/were a complete labour of love.

This demo formed the blueprint for what Blue Noise became and I’ll be continuing this little journey at a later date. For now though, I’m left with the impact that these two songs have made. They’ve not just shaped a musical project, they’ve helped shape a modern day dynasty (if that’s the right word?) and blurred lines between genres.

You can stream and purchase Demo #1 as a name-your-price download from ZBR below:-

Blue Noise - https://www.facebook.com/bluenoisemi/

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

Coffin Mulch - Spectral Intercession

Labels: At War With False Noise/Darker Than Darkness Records/Dry Cough Records/Gurgling Gore/Memento Mori

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 30 Jun 2023

Tracklist:

1. Spectral Intercession

2. Into The Blood

3. Mental Suicide

4. In The Grip Of Death

5. Fall Og Gaia

6. Gateway To The Unseen

7. Infernal Mass

8. Eternal Enslavement

When a death metal band comes along featuring members/ex-members of bands from outside of the genre, there's reason to be intrigued and excited. Gathering musicians from doom/sludge bands Age Of Taurus (previously reviewed here), Backstabber, Forever Machine, as well noisecore act Seppuku and Tetsuo (whom I don't know much about), you'd be forgiven for not knowing what to expect. Spectral Intercession was released in mid-2023 and is the band's first full-length, following a demo, an EP and two singles since their formation in 2018. They landed on my radar thanks to Dry Cough Records, who released the album on tape.

The weirdness starts straight off the bat thanks to the intro of opener ‘Spectral Intercession’, which after bizarre screams and noise descends into a whirlwind of old-school death metal of the thicc riff variety. Not overly fast tempo-wise and with a solid low-end, it grabs your attention with ease. Coffin Mulch carry the momentum of their album opener forward with ‘Into The Blood’, which doesn’t break for breath until the mid-way point when it flips from driving up-tempo death metal to sluggish doom/death. It’s absolutely glorious and the screeching guitar mini-solo towards the end caps the listening experience off perfectly.

Being a huge fan of doom/sludge and powerviolence, I like those low riffs that shake everything right to the core. The sort of riffs that open up ‘Mental Suicide’ then! They set the scene for what’s to come, even if that is unexpectedly blasting. The percussion is much more prominent here, providing not just a backdrop but a lead for the rest of CM to follow. ’In The Grip Of Death’ closes out the first half of the album with some truly epic OSDM that refuses to hang around. It’s over very quickly but there’s still plenty of musicianship throughout it’s sub two-minute playing time. 

The second half of Spectral Intercession rolls around with ‘Fall Of Gaia’ and it couldn’t be better. A constant barrage of top-tier UK death metal is all that’s required and Coffin Mulch deliver in spades. The buffeting intensity of ‘Gateway To The Unseen’ and the occasional use of vocal reverb (if I’m hearing things correctly) give this song a much more crusty feel, though it is subtle. Obviously, I get that how we hear and interpret music is subjective (I’ve said it enough times here before already), so you definitely should decide for yourselves. 

Penultimate song ‘Infernal Mass’ gives off complete doom/sludge vibes early on before Coffin Mulch once again launch into hyperspace, without the need for a drum machine(!), while allowing the lead guitar to shine once more amongst the chaos is perfect this late on in the album. Closer ‘Eternal Enslavement’ is the lengthiest song by some margin on Spectral Intercession and it’s everything you hoped it would be. Stark spoken-word samples, slow/low riffs, upbeat percussion and those now customary harsh vocals come together to offer an even greater old-school feel.

As the current “new wave” of UK old-school death metal grows it’s tentacles, Coffin Mulch stand out in the darkness. Expertly performed throughout, this album is both visually and musically up there with the very best in the genre right now.

You can stream and purchase Spectral Intercession digitally, as well as on limited edition vinyl from Coffin Mulch below:-

Coffin Mulch - https://www.facebook.com/coffinmulch

Physical copies can also be purchased on tape from Dry Cough Records below:-

Dry Cough Records - https://www.drycoughrecords.com/product/coffin-mulch-spectral-intercession-cassette-dc73

At War With False Noise - https://awwfn.bandcamp.com

Darker Than Darkness Records - https://www.facebook.com/profile

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

Gurgling Gore - https://www.gurglinggore.com/

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

Virologist - Ameliorating Vicissitudes EP

Labels: New Standard Elite

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 27 May 2024

Tracklist:

1. Opprobrium Transmogrification

2. Reanimation Of Mechanical Flesh Through Cybernetic Enslavement

Californian brutal death metal quintet Virologist have been on a bit of a wild ride over the last twelve months or so. Having self-released their Promo 2023 demo last July on both cd and digital formats, they came to the attention of Indonesian death metal label Brutal Mind, who also pressed it on . Fast-forward a year and their newest EP Ameliorating Vicissitudes has been released on cd via US brutal/tech death bastion New Standard Elite. The fact that NSE elected to sign Virologist and release this two-track EP off the back of just a demo suggests that there's much more to come from these guys.

Today is a significant day for me as it marks my first cup of proper coffee in well over five years. I stopped drinking coffee because it (instant coffee to be more precise) was giving me the shakes and palpitations. I cleaned and fired up my coffee machine today and despite the noise it created after laying dormant for so long, I took a chance. It might help with my productivity but also I might regret it later on.

Anyway, none of the above has anything to do with this review other than to frame why it may be a bit all over the place. This EP’s first song ‘Opprobrium Transmogrification’ is an incredibly technical take on brutal death metal, albeit with the requisite pig-squeals. I love the attention and detail that’s put into the instrumentation on this release but, as with the majority of similar sounding records, the vocals make me switch off slightly.

Virologist’s second song ‘Reanimation Of Mechanical Flesh Through Cybernetic Enslavement’ is slightly longer than the EP and follows in exactly the same vein. If they were to release an instrumental version of this EP I’d be all over it! With that being said though, I’m not a fan of being disrespectful to bands. Virologist know exactly what they’re going for sound-wise and deserve huge respect for it. 

As a sign of what’s to come, this EP is a really good listen. It contains details that might take a few listens to truly appreciate. While I gravitate towards the slower/murkier/old-school side of death metal, I can appreciate the work and love that has gone into these tracks. You can forget about Elon Musk micro-dosing on Ketamine to help him focus, a bit of coffee is all that’s needed.

You can stream and purchase this EP digitally via New Standard Elite below:-

You can grab cd copies from Virologist here - https://virologist.bandcamp.com/album/ameliorating-vicissitudes

Virologist - https://www.facebook.com/virologistband

New Standard Elite - https://www.facebook.com/@NewStandardElite

Apostles Of Eris/Raining - Split

 Labels: Larry Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 19 Apr 2019

Tracklist:

1. Apostles Of Eris - ...and one for all that I know

2. Apostles Of Eris - Fascist Pacifist

3. Apostles Of Eris - Mikey Got His Gun

4. Apostles Of Eris - A fire for your horrid life...

5. Apostles Of Eris - The Eye

6. Raining - blank tree

7. Raining - inoperant

8. Raining - two mirrors

9. Raining - Sleepy ernst

10. Raining - chervonenkis in the swamp

Way back in March 2019 I premiered a song from both Apostles Of Eris and Raining in advance of this split, but like an idiot I didn't review the full thing upon it's release. It was released as a limited tape pressing of 100 copies via Larry Records and Zegema Beach Records, which to date counts as it's only pressing. For those unaware, Apostles Of Eris are from USA/Canada while Raining are from New Zealand. 

Apostles of Eris have been super prolific since their first release in 2016 (the split tape with The World That Summer), in fact this split with Raining counted as their third release in 2019 alone (if Discogs is correct). While it’s classed as an album it’s weird to think that Apostles Of Eris haven’t actually released a proper full-length of their own yet. There’s still plenty of time for that though!

They begin their side of this release with ‘…and one for all that I know’, which is a gloriously melodic yet powerful piece of screamo. An intense opener complete with a subtle build-up of emoviolence to start things off. After an angry spoken-word sample, ‘Fascist Pacifist’ and it’s down-tempo heaviness takes over. The dual screams of Jesse Mowery and David Norman provide as much emotion and depth as the instrumentation does. 

‘Mikey Got His Gun’ is the longest song on AOE’s side and it’s delivered with a nod towards panic chord-stricken screamo, albeit with a lot more melody and a sense of coherence that’s unfathomable to my ears at least. The penultimate song on their side of this split ‘A fire for your horrid life…’ may well be the bookend to their opener (I don’t know?) but what I can say for certain is that it’s epic! It’s loud and full of what makes AOE such a great band.

Ending with ‘The Eye’, there’s a real sense of calm and contentment flowing through AOE’s music, as if all along they only wanted to write music to make people feel at peace. I mean, I say “only” because I can’t speak for them directly. I can only speak about how I interpret it and how it makes me feel.

The split’s latter half is all about Raining and ‘blanktree’, which comes at you with much more rawness and less melody initially. That rawness feels greater thanks to the distorted vocals; however, it’s not long before Raining turn one hundred and eight degrees, choosing musicality over madness with clean guitar work, subtle percussion and what sounds like brass/woodwind.

After an extended period of ambient noise towards the end of ‘blanktree’ that continues into ‘inoperant’, you’re greeted with a song that’s filled with more urgency, yet where Raining don’t alter their song-writing stance at all. Their shortest song ‘two mirrors’ is a glorious acoustic one that’s joined by soothing spoken-word vocals. It’s a loverly way to break up the split’s heaviness for a moment.

‘Sleepy ernst’ is sensitive to the vibes you might be feeling after that previous song, as it starts off gently and builds slowly, albeit with harsh vocals once again. Later, those harsh vocals are joined by off-kilter time signatures and added dissonance. It’s not an overly heavy song but one that’s full of body and poise. Closing what is still their only release to date, ‘chervonenkis in the swamp’ is the closest Raining get to avant-garde screamy jazz weirdness. 

In typical fashion this split’s final song is also it’s longest. It highlights the inventiveness that Raining exudes (or exuded) in such an emotive way. I know that some people reading this review will be more familiar with split EPs and singles, but split (and even collaborative) albums have been growing in frequency and popularity more recently. I’m totally here for it as both Apostles Of Eris and Raining execute their’s perfectly.

You can stream and purchase the split digitally via Apostles Of Eris and Raining (respectively) on bandcamp below:-

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

Physical tape copies are long sold out via Larry Records but you can still grab some from Zegema Beach Records here:-

CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/aoe-raining

USA - https://zbrusa.com/collections/zbr-releases/products/apostles-of-eris-raining-split-cassette

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

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

Besra - Equilibrium EP

Labels: Suicide Records

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 01 Nov 2024

Tracklist:

1. An Omen Of...

2. The Final Hour

3. Equilibrium

4. End Of The Horizon

I had nothing review-wise pencilled in for this evening. I usually put together a schedule of sorts based on regular reviews (my ZBR roster reviews for example) and fit more reviews in between. It's basically a vein attempt to convince myself that I'm organised when in reality I'm so far behind on e-mails it's not even fair anymore.

So instead of using the time to catch up, I'm excitedly writing about a new EP that's due for official release on Friday. Coming courtesy of Swedish/Finnish label Suicide Records, Equilibrium is the latest release from Finnish post/prog metal band Besra. It'll be available digitally and follows on from their 2023 full-length Transitions.

Finland’s rich musical heritage has contributed so many bands, whom have been written about multiple times since. Bands including Amorphis, Insomnium, Sentenced, Swallow The Sun (the list goes on) have woven a tapestry of progression, mournful gothic melody, post-metal beauty and deathly aggression all of their own. That is why bands like Besra exist today. On Equilibrium’s opener ‘An Omen Of…’ they encapsulate all of the above to produce a truly epic mix of melody and heaviness. The country’s folklore and personality flows through the song as Besra refuse to give in to outside influences.

Besra’s songs on Equilibrium have an undeniably dramatic feel and tone to them. Listen to ‘The Final Hour’ if you don’t believe me. Glorious post-rock/metal instrumentation is joined by spoken-word vocals, both of which beg it to go on and on, and it does as it flows into the title-track ‘Equilibrium’. A punchier, heavier number that plays to Besra’s progressive strengths as it lets yet more melody in. Reading that people have been comparing them to Cult Of Luna and the like is pretty accurate but I think they definitely have a personality all of their own. Their music is better because of it too.

EP closer ‘End Of The Horizon’ is delivered with excellent precision. Being a sextet with multi-instrumentalists allows for a lot of flexibility and it shows in the expressiveness that exists through all four songs. In the current musical climate, it’s too easy for a band to allow their sound to become too compressed and modern-sounding. I think Besra have got it right here though as they keep things a bit simpler, letting their own instruments and voices do the talking. 

A perfect accompaniment to the winter nights that are drawing in but without cliche. This EP is excellent from beginning to end, warming the heart and cleansing the soul. 

You can stream the title-track and pre-order the EP digitally via Suicide Records below:-

Besra - https://www.besra.band/ / https://www.facebook.com/besraband

Suicide Records - https://www.suiciderecords.se/store/ / https://www.facebook.com/suiciderds

Салют! - Салют!

Labels: Self-ReleasedPolar Summer

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 12 Nov 2015

Tracklist:

1. Вперёд И Вверх

2. Остов

3. Шхуне И Бродягам

4. Осень

5. И Кончен Бал

6. Отражение

7. Туман

Салют! or Salute! was a very short lived screamo band from Kyiv, Ukraine. Their self-titled album was released digitally in November 2015 before being released on tape by Russian label Polar Summer just over a year later. Their name is an 'exclamation used to express friendly feelings towards one's companions before drinking'. That, as well as the bright colours used in the cover-art resonate so much right now.

Delving into Polar Summer’s back catalogue has been such an honour so far and hearing this release is no different as ‘Вперёд И Вверх’ provides such a lovely melodic emo/screamo opener. It’s very upbeat while also being cathartic. I stopped short of using the ‘emo-v’ tag here for obvious reasons. ‘Остов’ is an equally beautiful song with very thoughtful instrumentation, song-writing and vocal phrasing (even if I don’t understand Ukrainian!). Sometimes it sounds like it has a punk influence but that’s only fleeting, as it’s much more heartfelt overall.

Salute!’s emo-filled approach breaks new ground on ‘Шхуне И Бродягам’ as it’s joined by a heavier, more abrasive side. That heavier side doesn’t last too long before they retreat into a gentler mid-section that reminds me a lot of German band Duct Hearts. In typical fashion though (as I write this), the final bars do a 180 degree turn back towards that earlier mentioned heaviness. ’Осень’ makes me ponder what would have happened if Salute! had produced more than just this one recording. Back in 2015 they already exhibited how talented they were. If they had stuck it out for a bit longer I think they would have been very popular, even with listeners outside of their sub-genre. 

Of course making a statement like I just did has it’s flaws and those flaws are exposed as the dissonance of ‘И Кончен Бал’ takes over the speakers. I do love dissonance (otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this blog) but I also love melody, which Salute! have in abundance here. Penultimate song ‘Отражение’ captivates and encapsulates everything that makes this album so good. The expressive and free nature of the music really comes alive during this, it’s longest song. Even as it descends into an amalgam of noise and spoken-word samples, it leaves you transfixed.

Rounding out their self-titled album with the glorious ‘Туман’, they bring to mind many US/UK emo bands yet they exude so much of their own personality that it’s criminal to compare. Salute! have left me truly stunned and I’m sure they’ll do the same to you too. So many bands fall under the radar nowadays, especially those who have merely one demo, EP or album. While physical tape copies are pretty much impossible to obtain now, at least this album is still available digitally (until somebody, hopefully represses it).

You can stream and purchase both the original and remastered versions of this album digitally below:-

Polar Summer - https://polarxsummer.bandcamp.com

Coma Regalia - Vau Faelgoh

Labels: Convulse Records/I.Corrupt Records/Listen To Aylin Records/Middle-Man Records/Pundonor Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 03 May 2019

Tracklist:

1. Deimaestus

2. Eaufell

3. Aestheroh

4. Tielasten

5. Hidenskyre

6. Kistleden

7. Indveil

8. Sondaiquai

9. Shulederhau

10. Eivau

11. Daemeron

I think this marks the thirteenth time I've featured a Coma Regalia release on the blog. It's not a big deal really though as CR has something like forty five releases to date. Vau Faelgoh was released back in 2019, having been written and recorded pretty much entirely by Edie. I have no idea how to pronounce the album name nor the song titles, though they could be anything from Latin to Gaelic or even Scandinavian (I don't know). This release was a collaboration between six labels, including Edie's own Middle-Man Records.

I’m just gonna dive straight into this because I don’t know if I’ll get it finished tonight otherwise. Vau Faelgoh starts with ‘Deimaestus’, which is an intensely raw and powerful emo-violence/screamo song. That’s a pretty succinct description but it’s a straight-to-the-point song after all. ‘Eaufell’ is no different from the album’s opener, though it’s interlaced with more straight-up emo instrumentation and atmosphere.

After those initial salvos, ‘Aestheroh’ seems more brooding and stripped-back initially. There’s a heap of off-kilter screamo later on, though it’s slower tempo hits a spot that you didn’t even know needing scratching. It’s glorious. ‘Tielasten’ is one of only two songs on the album that surpasses three minutes. It uses similar song-writing and structure to it’s predecessor but it’s violent beauty is more prevalent also. 

‘Hidenskyre’ takes you back to the breakneck intensity of those first two songs yet there’s a chorus-like feel to this one in parts. It doesn’t last too long but speak volumes anyway. A blisteringly enjoyable number, even if my neighbours don’t agree! ‘Kistleden’ follows with no time to compose any sort of feeling or emotion but in doing so it creates those feelings on it’s own, as it’s melodic vocals and proper emo tones radiate from the speakers.

Naturally the majority of this album is brief in delivery and that’s true of ‘Indveil’. It pulls you into the album’s latter half with an as yet unheard hardcore tone. It’s definitely heavier and comes complete with chunkier riffs. While ‘Indveil’ flew by in it’s own right, ‘Sondaiquai’ is Vau Faelgoh’s most explosive song in terms of length and intensity. Despite that though, Coma Regalia still manage to fill it with plenty of instrumentation and indeed vocal inspiration.

‘Shulederhau’ has a subtle punk vibe at the beginning before the pace grows once again and CR’s emotive screamo takes over. The thing about this recording is just how pure and real it sounds. Proper heart on your sleeve stuff. Penultimate song ‘Eivau’ has a great slow/fast dynamic going on, albeit with barely any space between the slow and fast parts, which makes it even more engrossing as a result.

Closing with ‘Daemeron’, Edie and Coma Regalia give the listener something more. Something that’s pretty damn inspiring. Joined by the additional percussion of Yurik and Bodhi Decker, it rounds out the album with a real sense of warmth. It goes without saying that Coma Regalia’s music has been ever-present and effervescent for many many years now. I know this album has been around for over five years but there’s a reason I’m writing about it (aside from it being part of my ZBR roster review series), which I’ll explain below. 

Edie is currently going through an extremely tough time financially and any help would be very warmly received. If you don't already own this album or other CR/Middle-Man releases, please consider making a purchase below (or even better, by contacting Edie directly to avoid platforms taking a percentage):-

There is also a gofundme campaign that has been set up by Edie, so if you'd rather donate to the cause this way here's the link - https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-edie-in-overcoming-debt-crisis

Coma Regalia - https://www.facebook.com/comaregalia

Convulse Records - https://www.facebook.com/convulserecords

I.Corrupt Records - https://www.facebook.com/icorruptrecs

Listen To Aylin Records - https://www.facebook.com/listentoaylin

Middle-Man Records - https://www.facebook.com/middlemanrecords

Pundonor Records - https://www.facebook.com/pundonorecords

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

Ghoul - Noxious Concoctions EP

Labels: Tankcrimes

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 02 Feb 2024

Tracklist:

1. The Eyes Of The Witch

2. Noxious Concoctions

3. Shotgun Gulch

4. Ratlicker

5. 1-900-DTH-LINE (Funerot Cover)

After just over two years of silence, California's splatterthrash heroes Ghoul returned with brand new EP Noxious Concoctions in February (yes I know we're approaching year end!). Released on vinyl, cd and digital formats via Tankcrimes, it features four new songs and a cover song that was originally written by fellow US death/thrash/crossover band Funerot. They're currently touring parts of the US with label mates Haggus as part of the Weapons Of Mosh Destruction V tour and there are only few dates left if you're planning on catching em!

After educating a colleague on what mosh pits are today, it feels only right to get stuck into something fast and loud. Enter stage right Ghoul and their latest EP, beginning with ‘The Eyes Of The Witch’. Being the ultimate troll band that they are, they kick off with an unexpectedly long song that’s both interstellar and haunting to start before excellently transitioning into a groovy, and catchy slab of melodic thrash. The harsh vocals remind you of what you’re dealing with as twin-guitar melodies and outstanding metal vibes make it impossible to ignore.

I’m not quite sure how Ghoul are going to surpass that opener to be honest but there’s no time to waste as the EP’s title track ’Noxious Concoctions’ takes over. It’s up-tempo nature seems at odds with ‘The Eyes Of The Witch’ but I guess that’s the point. If you want modern ripping thrash, this is for you. The brilliantly named ’Shotgun Gulch’ is up next and once again Ghoul are caught between catchy groove and intense speed/thrash. Whatever your preference, there’s only so long you can resist before their silky tones pull you in (yes, I really described them as silky! Might regret that later). 

Penultimate song ‘Ratlicker’ is also Ghoul’s final original number here and it hoovers up everything that’s great about old-school skate punk and throws it through a meat grinder of death metal, hardcore and thrash. There’s no way of knowing or guessing where it will take you so just give in. Wherever you end up, it’ll be better than the here and now. They close the EP with a cover of Funerot’s ‘1-900-DTH-LINE’ and it’s absolutely killer (as expected). Ghoul put their own stamp on this sub two-minute rager and by doing so, hopefully open new ears to another super prolific death/thrash/crossover band that existed for nearly a decade when they themselves were starting out.

Ghoul’s sound has always been heavy and has featured the unexpected. Here it feels as though they’ve taken another step up. Staying true to their thrash metal beginnings while growing musically. It looks like splatterthrash is here to stay!

You can stream and purchase Noxious Concoctions digitally from Ghoul below:-

Ghoul - https://www.facebook.com/GhoulunaticsAsylum

Vinyl and cd copies can be purchased from Tankcrimes here - https://tankcrimes.merchtable.com

Tankcrimes - https://www.facebook.com/tankcrimes

Diskord/Atvm - Bipolarities Split

 Labels: Transcending Obscurity Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 12 Jul 2024

Tracklist:

1. Diskord - Onward! To Nowhere

2. Diskord - Pass The Baton

3. Diskord - Shivering, As We Shed Our Hides

4. Diskord - Cogged Pother

5. Atvm - Cancer

6. Atvm - Morphine

This mega split featuring Norwegian band Diskord and Atvm from the UK was released earlier this year by Transcending Obscurity Records. Gathering two of the most visual and technically endearing death metal bands in Europe right now for a joint release was a stroke of genius. 

Diskord date back to 1999 and have three full-lengths to their name (as well as a few demos, EPs and splits, including this one). Atvm's life started in 2012 (with a demo, two EPs and an earlier split) and you may have already seen them appear on the blog when I reviewed their 2021 full-length Famine, Putrid And Fucking Endless. Now excuse me for a sec while I stare at that artwork!

Diskord have always been one of those bands with excellent artwork, that more than matches their dissonant/progressive take on death metal. Their side on Bipolarities is made up of four incredibly technical yet brief songs starting with ‘Onward! To Nowhere’, which definitely shows off their Atheist/Voivod influences. It’s so good and it’s only the beginning! 

‘Pass The Baton’ is much more dissonant and chuggy at first, before the off-kilter time signatures, jazz-infused bass/percussive elements and psych-infused guitar melodies truly kick in. I’m pretty sure that’s an overly futile effort at describing their sound but I’m not changing it now. I don’t have time anyway as ‘Shivering, As We Shed Our Hides’ quickly takes over the speakers. It’s filled with utterly belligerent drumming that adds to the already insane musicality Diskord possesses.

Diskord’s final song on this split is where they truly save the best (weirdest?) till last. ‘Cogged Pother’ goes in all different directions all the time, even when you think it’s about to settle into a groove. There’s absolutely no point in second guessing how it’s gonna go. Absolutely stunning. Atvm go long with their two songs, starting with ‘Cancer’. It’s on a par in every way with Diskord’s contributions, but with added grit and snarl. I guess you could say it’s dirtier in tone but it is UK death metal after all. Atvm’s progressive song-writing comes to the fore here and gets weirder the longer it goes on. 

Atvm’s second and final song ‘Morphine’ continues down the same path albeit a longer one, full of twists and turns. The slightly repetitive nature of the song up to it’s five-minute mark is somewhat comforting before Atvm once again dial up the proggy instrumentation. Things get no easier from here on out, though a brief moment of introspective guitar clears the mind before it gets musically battered again. 

The closing moments of ‘Morphine’ are filled with excellently played jazz/blues guitar/percussion that sandwiches disgustingly brutal death metal. As I’ve already said, the beauty that exists within the chords and bars of this split are astounding. You really need to hear it to believe it. Diskord and Atvm put on a great display, showing that death metal (and it’s many sub-genres) is in safe hands.

You can stream and purchase this split on all formats from Diskord (via Transcending Obscurity Records below:-

You can also get copies from Atvm here - https://atvm.bandcamp.com/music

Diskord - https://www.facebook.com/DiskordNorway

Atvm - https://www.facebook.com/AtvmOfficial

Transcending Obscurity Records - https://www.facebook.com/transcendingobscurityrecords

Dim Into Dross - Specters Of Indifference

 Labels: Self-Released/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Digital/Tape

Release Date: 19 Jan 2019

Tracklist:

1. Your Neighbour The Heritage-Ist

2. Episode

3. Passive Recruitment

4. We Will Break This

5. End Begin End

6. Osidian

7. Thats Crazy Glue

8. Where You Are

9. Learning Difference

10. Posthumous Book Club

It feels like it's been way more than a week since I last posted anything here. I'm back with the latest in my series of reviews looking at the (extensive) release catalogue from Zegema Beach Records. Specters Of Indifference was released back in January 2019, as the debut from New Jersey (USA) trio Dim Into Dross. To date it still stands as their only album, having been self-released by the band, as well as on tape at the same time by ZBR, of which 60 were made and are long sold out. It's worth noting at this point that Dim Into Dross featured (still features?) members of Massa Nera, Invalids and Bury Yourself.

This album looks furious from the get go with ten songs lasting about as many minutes. Opener ‘Your Neighbour The Heritage-ist’ is a technical, off-kilter hardcore song laced with screamo and metallic loveliness. Surprisingly raw sounding but all the better for it. ‘Episode’ sees the band flexing their rock n roll muscles slightly, while dual vocals come in later on as things get decidedly more intense. It’s pretty hard to categorise their music (even though I tried to above), especially if you read the tags at the bottom of their bandcamp page, which cover all bases.

Most of the songs here go by in under two minutes and on the grinding ‘Passive Recruitment’, Dim Into Dross deliver their most pummelling song so far. I really enjoyed the blasting percussion as it seemed to drag everything up another notch with it. I can’t believe that this was recorded by a three-piece. ‘We Will Break This’ has a more chunky/metal vibe going on, especially in the guitar and vocal department, reminding me a bit of From Autumn To Ashes in their heavier moments on Too Bad You’re Beautiful. 

It all flows into mathcore madness once again on ‘End Begin End’, which seems ahead of it’s time given how popular that sub-genre has become over the last few years. I know mathcore isn’t a new thing but as new listeners have cropped up and represses of older albums have become more frequent, it’s only natural and welcomed. ‘Osidian’ is the album’s longest song and at this point there’s a refreshing introspection to Dim Into Dross and also a realisation that emoviolence wasn’t really part of the trio’s sound here, at least to these ears anyway.

The pace ratchets up once again on ’Thats Crazy Glue’, which kicks off a trio of short and sweet songs rooted in dissonance and feedback. The follow-on from ‘Thats Crazy Glue’ to ‘Where You Are’ is a case in point as ringing feedback gives way to trembling bass and yet more crazed, and sumptuously sludgy mathcore. Absolutely the best duo of songs for me!

Penultimate number ‘Learning Difference’ is just as technical but also fits the metalcore mould ever so slightly. Closing with ‘Posthumous Book Club’, Dim Into Dross put on something of an instrumental masterclass while not forgetting about their emotive side, as the vocals provide eloquent colour that paints such vivid pictures in the mind.

It’s criminal that this is the only recording to date from Dim Into Dross. Their hardcore/metal-tinged approach is perfect in my opinion. Maybe I’m going through another shift in music taste and I know that I’ll encounter similar sounding bands as I work my way through the ZBR roster, but right now this sound really hits the spot.

You can stream and purchase Specters Of Indifference as a name-your-price download from Dim Into Dross here:-

Dim Into Dross - Instagram @dimintodross

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

Djiwo - Darbha Pūrwadakṣiṇa Paścimottara EP

Labels: Self-Released/Ancient Horror Records/Death Prayer Records

Formats: Self-Release/Tape/CD

Release Date: 03 Dec 2023

Tracklist:

1. Amuk Lor

2. Amuk Waitan

3. Amuk Kuluan

4. Amuk Kidul

Cult UK black/death metal label Death Prayer Records are about to embark on their next chapter and in anticipation, I wanted to write about one of their most recent releases that expands upon their lust and love for extreme music from ever widening corners of the world. Enter stage left Indonesian raw black metal entity Djiwo. A force amongst the Indonesian extreme metal community for over a decade now, Djiwo has released two full-lengths (including 2023's Svvanantaka, which was released on tape via Death Prayer) and a demo, they have recently officially released their latest EP Darbha Pūrwadakṣiṇa Paścimottara.

Initially released last December on limited tape from Ancient Horror Records, which was available at their Anno Mortis Live #1 showcase in Bali (if my sources are correct), the EP was then self-released digitally by Djiwo and immediately followed by a CD release through Death Prayer Records just last month.

The Autumn nights are truly setting in now and soon it will be Winter. Maybe that’s why I’m feeling the grim, cold pull of black metal all of a sudden. While the UK and Scandinavia might be the first port of call for most BM fans, I’m visiting warmer climes tonight in the form of Indonesia and it’s mysterious entity Djiwo. Raw, lo-fi black is what’s presented here and I for one don’t disagree with that billing as EP opener ‘Amuk Lor’ begins. I thought that both Black Cilice and Pa Vesh En presented a similar approach, but Djiwo’s is on a different plain. That’s not me being derogatory though, as the band nails the sound perfectly.

As is usually the case, I’m battling with the noise generated by my neighbours (generally loud slamming of doors, stomping footsteps and irrationally loud coughing), but I’m pressing on regardless. ‘Amuk Waitan’ is the perfect way to do that with it’s murky, percussion-led atmospherics and tortured screams. While it’s song-structure might seem maddening and chaotic to a layman (like said neighbour), it is in fact very entrancing and immersive despite it’s obvious intensity.

Djiwo present an ever growing and unnerving musical evolution in third song ‘Amuk Kuluan’, which opens with a truly haunting melodic intro before transitioning into the safety of their rhythmic yet disparate black metal. Considering it’s the EP’s longest song, it speeds along and it’s over before you really have time to take it in.

EP closer ‘Amuk Kidul’ is somewhat pleasing on the ear (If that’s even the right way to describe it) as Djiwo once again settle into a groovy, almost hypnotic black metal hymn. Obviously, all music is subjective and the more extreme it gets the more it becomes so. If you’re already a fan of black metal then you’ll no doubt lap this up. If not, then that’s fine but taking a chance once in a while is a good thing too. Djiwo has made a great case for both Indonesian extreme music but also for their own inclusion on many end-of-year lists come the end of the year. Great stuff.

The EP is available to purchase as a name-your-price download via bandcamp below:-

Djiwo - https://www.facebook.com/djiwoofficial

Both tape copies from Ancient Horror Records and CD copies from Death Prayer Records are sold out.

If there are any inaccuracies above regarding release information, please don't hesitate to contact me via tnio@outlook.com.

Ancient Horror Records - https://www.facebook.com/ancienthorrorrecords

Death Prayer Records - https://www.facebook.com/@deathprayerrecords