Kiken - Rising

Labels: Dingleberry Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 22 Mar 2016

Tracklist:

1. Blood Moon

2. Killer Instincts

3. SHI Hounds From The Darkest Star

4. Nest

5. The Rising/The Hunt

6. Red Rooms

7. Aphillion

8. Oracle No End

I'm back on the ZBR trail again, this time with Canadian duo Kiken and their album Rising that was released in 2016 via Dingleberry Records and the aforementioned Zegema Beach Records. This album followed the band's two-song EP Instructions, which was released about a year earlier. The duo behind Kiken are most notably linked with bands such as Life In Vacuum and Congratulations, though compared to the screamo approach of those two bands, Kiken is considered to be a cross between post-punk/hardcore and maybe mathcore. I'm also sorry for delaying this post slightly. I've been waiting for a package from the US and it's arrived in my locality, but the local delivery company is having trouble finding me.

Rising is made up fo eight songs that don’t last all that long. In fact the album opener ‘Blood Moon’ is the longest by far, at just over six minutes. What’s presented here is a strange, cosmic-like beast filled with grind, screamo and bizarre noise sampled in between. It pulsates and disrupts your brain right from the off. I really don’t know what else to say at this point. It’s like the aural equivalent of watching an old episode of Dr. Who. The choral singing at the mid-point does nothing to shake that notion either. I guess it could be considered false grind before false grind was a thing (but then again that would be doing Kiken a disservice).

Don’t let that opening track fool you, as from here on in it’s a lot faster and crazier. ‘Killer Instincts’ comes and goes in a little over thirty seconds of drum/bass/screamy madness. ’SHI Hounds From The Darkest Star’ is equally as bass-heavy and it hammers home just how hard it is to truly appreciate this release in one sitting. There’s a lot more technicality going on than you might give Kiken credit for, but it works really well all the same.

Kiken’s penchant for short and weirdly noisy interludes like ’Nest’ break up the album, yet there’s a pause in momentum that’s obvious as well. Thankfully ‘The Rising/The Hunt’ comes thick and fast afterwards, with it’s raw vocals and odd song structure. It’s bass-heavy tone gives off a psych-ish tone that’s pretty easy on the ear, if you like that type of sound. The closing sixty seconds are equally as mind-expanding too, except this time Kiken fills the bars with tropical bird song and (maybe) indigenous instrumentation.

‘Red Rooms’ is as disturbing as the suggestion that such rooms exist in the uncharted chasms of the Internet, though thankfully it’s only a short glimpse into that bleak chasm. It does however bleed into penultimate song ‘Aphillion’, which is much more sludgy and doom-like than anything else on Rising so far. The added use of children’s vocals (at least I hope they’re not adult vocals with extra helium!), make things a little bit more sinister to say the least.

Album closer ‘Oracle No End’ features some downright scary choral vocals, maybe, before some equally strange electronic effects that build and then fade in quick succession. This album is not what you’d ordinarily expect from ZBR, yet it’s also a strange breath of fresh air too. It was probably seen as a record way before it’s time when it saw the light of day, but it seems to make more sense now for sure. If you’re after something out of left field, this will be for you.

You can stream and download Rising directly from Kiken below:-

Kiken - https://www.facebook.com/KIKENband

Physical copies can still be purchased from the labels below:-

Zegema Beach Records CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/

Zegema Beach Records USA - https://zbrusa.com/

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

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

Devastating Light - I Have Already Failed You

Labels: Self-released/Depressive Illusions Records/Herrecords/Planet K Records

Formats: Digital/Tape/CD

Release Date: 09 Jan 2021

Tracklist:

1. Part One

2. Part Two

3. Part Three

Tonight's review is a randomly picked one and it just so happens to be Finnish. Devastating Light is a post-metal/doom solo-band from Tampere (Finland) and I Have Already Failed You is the band's debut. It was seal-released digitally back in January alongside a tape version that came from Depressive Illusions Records (Ukraine). Following that initial release came two CD pressings from Herrecords (Argentina) and Planet K Records (Italy) respectively, if Metal Archives is correct. An expanded version of this EP has since been release with an extra song, but for clarity I am reviewing the original three-track EP.

November has been quiet on the blog front though I am working on some things in the background and am plucking up the courage to do some interviews again (because the last few I’ve sent out remain unanswered, frustratingly). Moving on to the task in hand though and Devastating Light’s post-metal/doom sound on I Have Already Filled You is decidedly gloomy, yet musically very good, with solid production. ‘Part One’ is instrumental for much of it’s playing time and with that, you can expect all of the usual guitar and percussive elements, as well as some really nice piano. The vocals are harsh but not overused.

‘Part Two’ begins in a more pensive way than the EP’s opener. It’s tempo is on the slower side yet it’s quite hypnotic at the same time. Devastating Light utilises a lot of repetition within the songs here, but in terms of song-writing that approach works well. Nothing is overdone and the use of melody throughout is good. It’s the melodic parts that clinch it for me in fact, showing that there’s more to Devastating Light than just crushing, downtrodden heaviness. It’s creative but in a subtle way.

All three of the tracks on I Have Already Failed You are on the lengthier side, but EP closer ‘Part Three’ stretches out to over eleven minutes. It draws you in just as it’s predecessors have, but this time there is a sense of foreboding and dread looming over it. That sense looms throughout the song, weighing heavily on you. The melody is dialled down too, adding to that notion, while the latter half sees lonely guitar tones joined by an ambient background for a good two minutes, before the band lumbers back into life once more. 

I’ve heard a few debut release of late and this one is another surprisingly good one. I definitely think there’s a bit of a shift going on within the underground community, whereby bands and projects are seeking out better production and presentation. It’s definitely the case with Devastating Light. Great first release!

You can stream the EP and buy it on all formats below:-

Devastating Light - https://www.facebook.com/devastatinglightband

You can also buy physical copies from the labels below:-

Depressive Illusions Records - https://depressiveillusions.com/

Planet K Records - https://www.planetkrecords.com/

Depressive Illusions Records - https://www.facebook.com/depressiveillusions

Herrecords - https://www.facebook.com/hherrecords

Planet K Records - https://www.facebook.com/planetkrecords

Promotion: This Noise Is Ours is now partnering with Payhip, who provide content creators with e-commerce tools to help them sell digital products, memberships and more. If you're a content creator and think Payhip could help you, please click on the below ad, read about what they can offer and sign up:-

The Owl & Dan Clarke - Improv Collab Pt.1

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 02 Nov 2021

Tracklist:

1. The First Euphoric Mammoth

2. From Silence Into A Stupendous Trek

3. Mentally Conjoined Peacefully Warped

4. This Twisted Terrain To Trounce

5. Marching To The Castle

6. If Mountains Had Legs

7. Checking The Guidelines

8. Ecstatic Vision Enablers

9. Crumbling Planets

I apologise for the inactivity over the last week. Things have been a bit weird and those around me have been struggling a bit, especially in work life. it kind of feels like as the seasons have changed and the clocks have gone back, people I know and work with have got sick and in one case, worse. It also meant that I had to miss the farewell gig of my good (but sadly distant) friend Paul, before he jets off to Czechia.

About a week or so ago he sent this collaborative release that he'd recorded with drummer Dan Clarke, one of his longtime friends and musical collaborators. It was recorded at Eiger Studios, Leeds (I have some great memories of noisy shows there!) back in June and it's been tweaked and twisted to form this nine-song release. 

It feels like very much the right time to be listening to this release, albeit a little later than planned. Completely improvisational and recorded on one mic, you can’t get more organic in musical terms. Even with The Owl’s post-recording manipulations, it still sounds and feels eerily like it was meant to be. Album opener ‘The First Euphoric Mammoth’ is a swirling collage of bass and drums that fade in and out amongst layers of organ, and other ambient touches. Dan Clarke is a member of Sloth Hammer and if you’ve witnessed one of their shows before, you’ll know that they’re anything but normal. He brings a part of that band along with him here. Add to that the use of some bizarre electronic effects and you have something totally unclassifiable.

One thing’s for sure with The Owl, the song titles always seem to be spot on with the music as ‘From Silence Into A Stupendous Trek’ illustrates. The song that bears that moniker stretches out for over fifteen minutes, which in musical terms is a stupendous trek! Very doom-laden and sludgy, it’s not gonna get your pulse racing a mile a minute, yet it will reach you in different ways. Ways that will see you painting pictures with your mind. 

From here the songs become shorter but no less enthralling. The brilliantly named ‘Mentally Conjoined Peacefully Warped’ aptly describes the minds at play here. Despite it’s short running time, there’s still something truly harrowing about it and I’ll never get used to the interjections of weird electronic mayhem. Talking of weird electronic mayhem, you might want to replay the intro to ‘This Twisted Terrain To Trounce’ over and over again. It’s followed by noise that’s a lot simpler for the most part, but you’re never too far from strange internet (maybe cosmic) sounds.

Improv Collab Pt.1 is definitely a release that you can listen to all the way through. I’m not sure if that was fully intended but it works out that way. Even if you’re not a fan of instrumental noise, this isn’t harsh and is way more musical. The winding, knuckle-dragging tempos of ‘Marching To The Castle’ plough a somewhat depressing furrow yet you’ll struggle to stop listening.

Things are no brighter on ‘If Mountains Had Legs’, which veers towards The Owl’s sludgier side again, kind of sounding like a weirder version of Meth Drinker (at least in my head anyway). The drumming once again works a treat and the randomly placed electronics stop you from drifting off to another plane. ‘Checking The Guidelines’ is the shortest but also probably the most intense song on the album, at least percussion-wise anyway. The beats and additional effects give it a weird drum n bass feel, with plenty of glitches too.

It’s left to penultimate song ‘Ecstatic Vision Enablers’ to truly scare you with menacing noises that seem to come from all directions. It reminds me of the ‘Kin Hell Fest gig at Temple Works in Leeds back in 2013 where I witnessed Sloth Hammer and their ace live show for the first time. I specifically remember the random piano they found and the noise/electronic oddities they perched on it. Oh and the member in the pig mask walking through the crowd hitting a drum. Good times. 

The album’s closer ‘Crumbling Planets’ seems to follow on directly from ‘Ecstatic Vision Enablers’ musically, albeit with a significantly slower tempo from the bass. It’s a really cool way to end what has been a real journey. I’m not embarrassed to say that it took me two sittings to be able to right this review, which isn’t normal for me. That said, it’s the kind of improv/experimental noise that I like the most. Even with the electronic manipulation, it’s still got a warm organic feel that you only get from instrumentation and human interaction.

Clearly this has been a labour of love and one that lives long in the memory. Perfect for these darker nights and colder outlooks. It’s made me forget that I was feeling down when I started writing. I’m now more reflective and upbeat. Music does strange things to a person. 

I implore you to give this release your full attention, as it demands it. You can listen below via The Owl's bandcamp page, where it's available as a name-your-price download:-

The Owl - https://www.facebook.com/theowlsounds

EP Premiere: Chime Hours - Black Dog In The Sky (Full Stream)

Tracklist:

1. Clarity

2. Between Reflections And Self

3. Lemniscate

4. Moving But Only So Far

Today is the release day for the debut four-track EP from new UK screamo/post-hardcore band Chime Hours. It's being released on tape via UK label Witch Elm Records and Canadian label Tomb Tree Tapes. I'm honoured to be able to bring you a special stream of the full EP to help celebrate it's release.

Chime Hours are described as being for fans of: Massa Nera, Voyage In Coma and Shizune. If that's whetted your appetite, listen to the EP stream below right away:-

It's great to see a new UK band coming through with this kind of sound, as well as the cooperation between both labels, making this release happen. The Tomb Tree Tapes pressing is limited to 50 tapes with 18 on blue swirl, 15 on mint swirl, 12 on orange swirl (all pictured below) and 5 test dips. 

The Witch Elm Records pressing will be limited to 40 apricot tapes in special handmade card boxes. Here's a couple of promo shots of them:-

You can follow Chime Hours via social media here - https://www.facebook.com/chimehoursband

You can also buy the EP digitally from Chime Hours via Bandcamp below:-

Physical copies can be purchased from both Tomb Tree Tapes and Witch Elm Records below:-

Tomb Tree Tapes US Store - https://zbrusa.com/

Tomb Tree Tapes CAN/INTL Store - https://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/

Witch Elm Records Europe - https://witchelmrecords.bandcamp.com/

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

Witch Elm Records - https://www.facebook.com/WITCH-ELM-records

Plague Patrol - Demo 2021

Labels: Dry Cough Records/Psychocontrol Records/Gutless Productions

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 26 Nov 2021

Tracklist:-

1. Taxidermia

2. Bennings Bonfire

3. Oort Cloud

4. Xenogenesis

After head-banging a bit too hard last night to Lentic Waters, I realised what my evenings have been missing, so I've been perusing my inbox and I came across this demo from new Czech death/doom band Plague Patrol. Their 2021 demo is due for release towards the end of November via fellow Czech label Psychocontrol Records, Indonesian label Gutless Productions and the ever awesome UK label Dry Cough Records. I've been a follower and purchaser of Dry Cough releases since the label's first breaths (I think the only release I need to complete my collection is the War Wolf 'Crushing The Ways Of The Old' tape). In terms of Plague Patrol, I don't know that much about them other than that their sound is a mix of US/Finnish death metal with doom elements too. I think I might have to reintroduce the 10 Questions interview series in order to learn more about them (what do you think?).

After a longer than usual intro paragraph, I’m getting down to it with Plague Patrol’s demo. It’s the trio’s debut release and it’s everything you’d expect from a death/doom band. Opening song ‘Taxidermia’ is a sea of gloomy, slow riffs and raging death metal percussion, with vocals that sound like they were made for the underworld. For a trio, they’re immense and sound way louder volume/production-wise than expected. 

Plague Patrol also does atmospheric though, as demonstrated by the opening bars of ‘Bennings Bonfire’, which descends into a much more doom orientated death metal song a few moments later. Much more old school in delivery but with the modern edge we’ve come to expect from the likes of Mortiferum, Void Rot and Wharflurch. I’m not sure there are too many Czech bands that I can compare them to, but if there are please let me know!

‘Oort Cloud’ contains those thick riffs that just rip the flesh from your bones, while the vocals sound completely otherworldly. In fact the entire band sounds unbelievably tight and fiendish, which is a good thing! If doom is too slow for you and death metal is too fast, there’s always a middle ground and taking cues from scene legends like Incantation can do no harm.

Demo closer ‘Xenogenesis’ is Plague Patrol’s longest song, but don’t think it’s going to be a lumbering doom number because it’s not. Not by a long shot! It has it’s slower, murkier moments but in essence it’s just a slightly lengthier version of what’s come before on this tape. It’s a fantastically dirty take on death/doom with thrashing elements and awesome production qualities. 

Another great find from the consistently brilliant Dry Cough Records and a reason to checkout both Psychocontrol Records, and Gutless Productions, as underground and upcoming labels need more support now than ever. Plague Patrol have just laid down the soundtrack to the grim, dark months ahead. Truly amazing and harrowing at the same time. 

This demo isn't out till November 26th (meaning there's no sneak peak up yet), so you'll have to keep an eye on the below label pages for news and song premieres (I'd love to do one if those involved are interested!):-

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

Gutless Productions - https://www.facebook.com/gutlessasia/

Psychocontrol Records - https://www.facebook.com/PSYCHOCONTROL-records

Lentic Waters - The Path

Labels: Deadwood Records/IFB Records/Maniyax Records/React With Protest/Suspended Soul Tapes And Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 18 Jul 2015

Tracklist:

1. Absent

2. A Temporary Quest

3. Another Sleepless Night Of Despair

4. Exile

5. Glasshouse

6. The Hour

7. Between The Spheres

8. The Grid

9. Abyss

Those early dark November nights are beginning to kick in already. I've never suffered from S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder) before but at times like these, I can understand and sympathise with those who do. My escapism, if you can call it that, is the cathartic release brought on by heavy music and this evening I'm focusing on the second full-length by Lentic Waters. The Path was released in 2015 by all of the labels mentioned above.

Intense German hardcore/screamo is the exact remedy after an underwhelming day and Lentic Waters provide a cacophony of sound on album opener ‘Absent’, with it’s sludgy, dark hardcore mixing with earthy post-rock and even song black metal elements. The riffs, like with a lot of screamo-leaning bands lead the way but the whole band pulls together seamlessly to create an atmosphere and a sound that isn’t necessarily what you think of when you think of Bands from Germany. By that I mean they’re not cold or industrial (at this point I want to apologise for generalising).

They get heavier on ‘A Temporary Quest’, which plays more to their screamo influences, while also giving a nod to crust punk too. I’m sure I’ve said that about Lentic Waters before, but If I haven’t then let it stand. It’s all in the blasts I think, though it’s also so much more than that. There’s real heart here. There’s no pause for breath before ‘Another Sleepless Night Of Despair’ drags you through nearly three minutes of emotional anguish and furious instrumentation that leaves no time for peace or solace. It’s a musical tapestry woven in the best way possible.

‘Exile’ is the shortest song that Lentic Waters deliver on The Path and it’s off-kilter rhythms make this instrumental a joy to listen to. It threatens time and time again to explode into a melee of emoviolence-esque proportions, but alas it does not. What it does do, after a brief pause, is guide you on to the corresponding song ‘Glasshouse’, which takes the raw energy of Lentic Waters and stretches it out a little further. In doing so it reminds me of bands like Anopheli, Light Bearer and Alpinist. All bands that, to these ears anyway, straddle a similar path musically. 

The album becomes denser as it progresses to the second half, but before that, Lentic Waters propel themselves headfirst into the grindiest (if thats even a word) song on it in the form of ‘The Hour’. It’s tempo is the fastest you’ll hear on The Path and it introduces you to the band’s more unrelenting, unforgiving side. Brilliant from start to end. From that exhilaration you’re brought back down to earth with the more toned-down post-rock of ‘Between The Spheres’. It’s where the melodies woven by the band truly stand out and it’s the point where I forget where I am, letting the music take me, my head aggressively moving back and forth in abandon. It’s so bloody euphoric. I prefer being in my own world as opposed to the outside world at times like this!

The ringing feedback is both welcomed and revered as it bleeds into penultimate song ‘The Grid’, where the post-rock just gets better and better. The vocals are even more emotive, the riffs flit between downbeat and upbeat melodies, while the bass rumbles and the percussion brays. Yet I fear the best is still yet to come from this album. Never has there been a better closing song-title than ‘Abyss’ and, maybe unknowingly, that’s exactly where this album drags you back from (figuratively speaking). It’s near six-minute playing time wrenches whatever darkness there is left inside of you and replaces it with light. Sometime, music like this does that to you and when it catches you at the right time, it’s utterly amazing.

Saying much more now would be a waste of energy. The Path is truly special and Lentic Waters, while currently silent, are just perfect on their recordings. 

You can stream and purchase the album digitally from the band below:-

Lentic Waters - https://www.facebook.com/LenticWaters

Physical copies can be purchased from the labels below:-

Deadwood Records - https://www.deadwoodrecords.de/

React With Protest - http://www.reactwithprotest.org/

Zegema Beach Records - CAN/INTL -  http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases

Deadwood Records - https://www.facebook.com/deadwoodrecords

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

Maniyax Records - https://www.facebook.com/ManiyaxRecords

Suspended Soul Tapes And Records - https://www.facebook.com/SuspendedSoulTapesRecords

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

Breath - Primeval Transmissions

Labels: Desert Records

Formats: CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 05 Feb 2021

Tracklist: 

1. Evocation

2. Dwarka

3. Observer

4. Battle For Harmonic Balance_ Halls Of Amenti

5. Evocation (reprise)

I'm still working my way through my inbox. I have two weeks off from the day job at the end of November, so hope to fully get on top of it then. I have plenty to keep me busy in the meantime though and acting on impulse, I'm finally writing about the debut record from Portland, Oregon (US) bass/drum duo Breath. They released Primeval Transmissions via Desert Records back in February. They play meditative yet heavy doom. I'm a little late to this but I hope you check the album out and enjoy it.

The day is ending as it started, with falling rain and cold autumnal feels. Hopefully, the tones of Breath can warm us all up. The duo paints a bluesy, groovy picture with a mix of lumbering bass and actually quite technical percussion from Steven O’Kelly and Ian Caton respectively on album opener ‘Evocation’. The vocals are clean and deep in delivery. Breath is very much an instrument-led duo, which is fine by me. To be honest, the changing of the clocks today has completely thrown me as I think It’s later than it is, so forgive me if this review is slightly odd. That being said, this is definitely the right kind of music to be listening to in this time addled state. ‘Dwarka’ is a fourteen minute plus march to the death that gathers up everything that makes Breath’s sound so organic and rich. 

It is Halloween in the UK this evening, though something tells me that trick or treating will be off given the frightful weather outside. Thankfully, I don’t have to worry about that living in a secluded block of flats. If I was in a detached dwelling though, I’d be playing ‘Observer’ through hidden speakers outside the front of my house, just to add to the menacing feel of the evening. I’m not saying that Breath are trying to be scary or anything but this kind of slow doom provides adequate ambience, while not being overtly horrifying. Far from it in fact, this is amongst some of the nicest sounding blues-laden doom you’ll hear all year. The duo becomes a trio for this song only, thanks to the addition of electric guitar from Rob Wrong.

Up until now Breath have been all about catchy, one word song titles. That ends with the rumbling beginnings of ‘Battle For Harmonic Balance _ Halls Of Amenti’ though and what you get here is some subtle occult doom given the bass/drum treatment. They’re influenced by bands like Om, Grails, Yob and Sleep, and you can hear elements of all four within their music. That’s no bad thing at all and for somebody who’s been leaning more towards slower tones of late, this release is perfect throughout. 

Breath close out proceedings with ‘Evocation (reprise)’, which is brief in comparison to the previous song. It’s instrumental warmth presides over everything and makes it the perfect way to end the record. It reminds me of the improvisational, intelligent bands I was witness to in Leeds (the closest city to me in the UK), when I frequently turned up suited and booted (literally, as I worked office jobs there) to gigs in the city. Bands like Khuda and any bands that featured my favourite bassist, P Priest.  

The final half of that last paragraph probably means nothing unless you also lived in and/or went to gigs in Leeds over years gone by. Anyway, Breath are brilliant. The duo doesn’t overdo things and their lees-is-more approach to doom pulls them closer to the traditional beginnings of the genre. Fantastic and I’m sorry for leaving this review for so long.

You can stream 'Primeval Transmissions' and buy it on all formats below:-

Breath - https://www.facebook.com/Breathpdx

Desert Records - https://www.facebook.com/desertrecordslabel

Hulder - Godslastering: Hymns Of A Forlorn Peasantry

Labels: Iron Bonehead Productions

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 22 Jan 2021

Tracklist:

1. Upon Frigid Winds

2. Creature Of Demonic Majesty

3. Sown In Barren Soil

4. De Dijle

5. Purgations Of Bodily Corruptions

6. Lowland Famine

7. A Forlorn Peasant's Hymn

8. From Whence An Ancient Evil Once Reigned

Following my review of Grabunhold's 2021 album the other day, here's the second early 2021 Iron Bonehead Productions review as promised. It features the debut album from Belgium/USA solo black metal band Hulder. Godslastering: Hymns Of A Forlorn Peasantry was released back in January on vinyl, cd, tape and also digitally. The project began in 2018 with the release of two demos, before a demo compilation and subsequent EP followed in 2019. 2020 saw a number of promo/single releases leading up to the album itself. Hulder played it's first US live show in support of the album in September alongside Mortiferum and Vouna.

I’ve read a few things about Hulder before but nothing compares to listening to a band, so ten or so months on from this album’s initial release, hear I am. Album opener ‘Upon Frigid Winds’ is a mix of both biting, cold black metal and folk instrumentation. This is a solo-project but don’t expect the sound to be thin, like it was recorded in a bedroom, because it sounds anything but. Driving percussion and guitars provide the backbone for this release, with the former providing an industrial-like tempo on ‘Creature Of Demonic Majesty’. The vocals are delivered in the traditional black metal style that you’ll no doubt be familiar with if you’re an avid genre fanatic, while ambience is added via synths and other instruments. That’s a kind of general description but what more is there to say.

Hulder’s approach is definitely one that’s true to black metal of old and with the lines continually being blurred and pulled in different directions musically, that’s not a bad thing at all. The urgency of ‘Sown In Barren Soil’ certainly plays it’s part in cementing that approach. It’s upbeat in tempo, which keeps momentum high and the listener interested. The mood changes with the onset of ‘De Dijle’, with it’s gentle guitar intro and the sound of soothing running water leading you into equally gentle melodies and some sinister whispered vocals. Ghostly is probably the right word for it as the song meanders on, building in volume slowly. It’s actually Godslatering’s longest song, breaking away from the dialled-up extremity, though not fully escaping it.

The second half of the album gets underway with the atmospheric riffs of ‘Purgations Of Bodily Corruptions’, which is a mid-paced number filled with organ melodies and a slightly joyous side, to these ears anyway. Without making it sound cheesy, there is something Halloween-like about it.  Whereas ‘Lowland Famine’ that follows is much more piercing and extreme. I wasn’t poking fun at Hulder’s song-writing before, so please don’t get angry. I was just describing how I heard it. There’s no doubt that this album should be taken seriously for it’s complete content and this song proves that. 

Penultimate song ‘A Forlom Peasant’s Hymn’ stands out for it’s clean vocals that make up almost a third of it’s length before Hulder once again launches into it’s true black metal stride. I have to say that the initial clean singing fits the album well and dare I say, I’d like to hear more of it. It reminded me a bit of the likes of A.A. Williams and Emma Ruth Rundle (more recently), or going farther back, elements of The Gathering. There’s time for one final majestic, orchestral black metal hymn to take over, with ‘From Whence An Ancient Evil Once Reigned’ providing an engrossing and enjoyably finale to the album. 

Godslastering… is one of those albums where you’re always left guessing to an extent. While it’s made up of very solid black metal, it’s also got many elements that you may not be expecting, making it one that retains your attention and admiration.

You can stream and purchase the album digitally via bandcamp below, where you can also buy it on cd and tape if you so wish:-

Hulder - https://www.facebook.com/HulderUS

You can also buy the album on all physical formats from Iron Bonehead Productions below:-

https://shop.ironbonehead.de/

Iron Bonehead Productions - https://www.facebook.com/IronBoneheadProductions

Grabunhold - Heldentod

 

Labels: Iron Bonehead Productions/Urtod Void

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 22 Jan 2021

Tracklist:

1. Wolkenbruch Uber Amon Sul

2. Auf Den Hugelgraberhohen

3. Trommeln In Der Tiefe

4. Flammen Und Schatten

5. Morgenrote Am Pelennor

6. Fangorns Erwachen

7. In Tiefen Verliesen

8. Der Einsamkeit Letzter Streiter

In my recent Black Cilice review I said that I wanted to revisit a couple of earlier Iron Bonehead releases from 2021. The first of which is this, the first full-length from German black metal band Grabunhold. Heldentod was released back in January on vinyl, cd and digital formats via IBP, while Urtod Void released a tape version. Grabunhold formed in 2016 and released a demo and an EP previously. The latter was also released via IBP.

I’ve always found German black metal to be amongst the most austere of the genre, but Grabunhold exhibits something altogether different. Heldentod opener ‘Wolkenbruch Uber Amon Sul’ is filled with glorious melody in it’s intro before the quartet opens up their full arsenal. It’s a cross between speed, war and atmospheric black metal, at least in the instrumentation. The vocals are a mix of rasping growls and clean singing, all in their native tongue. ‘Auf De Hugelgraberhohen’ is hauntingly stirring all the way through. It’s one of the shorter songs on the album and that serves it well. Even though it’s brief in comparison to others on here, the instrumentation it contains is still extremely impressive. That’s one of the elements that stands out when listening to Grabunhold for me.

There are traditional instruments/sounds used within the album as well, as the ambient/droning ‘Trommeln In Der Tiefe’ highlights. It’s spoken word lyrics and minimalistic approach show how much variation the band are willing to display and it helps to create an album that flows really well. The melodic riffs that are employed throughout the album are one of the reasons it is so engaging and on ‘Flammen Und Schatten’ they are delivered with a nod to European melo-death, though that may have not been the original intention. That’s how they sound before the full band kicks in anyway. What follows is a transfixing black metal song with true feeling at it’s core.

The cinematic atmosphere of the album is magnified on ‘Morgenrote Am Pelennor’, which demands that you listen to every subtle nuance, from the layers of instrumentation to the vocals. Heldentod is one of the most diverse and interesting black metal albums I’ve heard in recent times and it makes me want to dive deeper into the modern German scene as well. That can’t be a bad thing for a record to do can it! The upbeat tempos of ‘Fangorns Erwachen’ definitely get the blood flowing. There’s a real sense of urgency to Grabunhold here and it’s great. A purer black metal song this time, but one that doesn’t detract from what makes Heldentod what it is, which is extremely well-written and well delivered.

Going back to my point about Grabunhold sometimes veering towards melo-death, they do seem to have subtle Scandinavian influences within their music and it’s noticeable on penultimate song ‘In Tiefen Verliesen’ at times. Again that’s what I hear, you may hear it differently but that’s the fun of music at the end of the day. Overall, it’s yet another strong, melodic black metal song. Like Heldentod’s opener, the closing song ‘Der Einsamkeit Letzer Streiter’ stands at nearly nine minutes in length and it towers over everything else with it’s majesty and atmosphere. It’s a triumphant way for Grabunhold to round out this record, letting their instrumentation take centre stage one final time. 

This was a real surprise. I wasn’t expecting this release to be as good as it is. Grabunhold are talented in every respect and deserve to be held in the same regard as black metal’s biggest bands, if not higher. That may sound hyperbolic but that’s how much I enjoyed Heldentod. The German black metal rabbit hole awaits!

You can stream and buy Heldentod digitally, as well as on cd and vinyl below:-

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

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

Iron Bonehead Productions - https://shop.ironbonehead.de/

Urtod Void - https://www.urtodrecords.de/product-category/urtod-creations/

Iron Bonehead Productions - https://www.facebook.com/IronBoneheadProductions

Terry Green/Huge Cosmic - Split Tape

    

Labels: Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 03 Nov 2015

Tracklist:

1. Terry Green - What The...

2. Terry Green - Instant Relief

3. Huge Cosmic - Danny Bombs The Universe

4. Huge Cosmic - Garmonbonzai

It's time for another Zegema Beach roster review. I think people get the gist of this series of reviews by now, but just in case, I decided to start reviewing ZBR releases in chronological order from earliest to latest according to bandcamp. It's not an easy undertaking as there's a lot of material to get through. This is review number 49 and it features 2015 Terry Green/Huge Cosmic split. Both bands are from Ontario, Canada and are still making music. This tape was limited to 125 copies.

I’m sure at some point during this review I’m going to have a sneezing fit. I might be allergic to something but I have no idea what that something is. Anyway, that’s way too much information for tonight. A warm cup of tea and this split tape should see me right. It’s a short one beginning with two tracks from Terry Green. ‘What The…’ is very anthemic in the musical sense, while the harsh vocals paint a different picture. There are some subtle cleans in there too and it reminds me at times of one of the more widely known Canadian screamo bands (whose name I won’t mention here).

Terry Green’s second song ‘Instant Relief’ is not as instant in it’s delivery as you might think. It builds via lovely guitar melodies and percussive elements, adding a much more sensitive warmth to the split so far. A warmth that doesn’t even dissipate when the screams and off-kilter tempos come into view. There’s real energy here and it’s all very uplifting actually. It matches my mood right now, which is also upbeat. They say that moods dictate music, but sometimes both are in tune.

Huge Cosmic is up next with ‘Danny Bombs The Universe’ and you’re treated to something equally as melodic and musical. There are so many elements here that mean that Huge Cosmic should be way bigger than they are (as with Terry Green). Again, there are comparisons to forefathers of the post-hardcore/screamo scene here but again I’m hesitant to name them, as I don’t want to run the risk of pigeonholing. I’m sure you’ll be able to pick them out when listening.

‘Garmonbonzai’ is slightly darker in terms of the vocal melodies that seem to flit between different scales and tones. The instrumentation follows yet there’s such a cool (and maybe subtle) surf-rock/indie vibe going on until the song’s final third, where thicker riffs take over, offering much more of a Tool-esque rock feel. All in all it’s a great song that rounds out a great split tape. Both bands make their own moulds as opposed to trying to fit into one that’s already there.

Please go and listen to both Terry Green and Huge Cosmic. They’re both great and if you can find a copy of this here tape, damn well snap it up!

You can stream and grab a digital version of the split here:-

Terry Green - https://www.facebook.com/terrygreenband

Huge Cosmic - https://www.facebook.com/hugecosmic/

You can buy tape copies from Zegema Beach Records below:-

CAN/INTL Store - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/tg-hcsplit

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