Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation - S/T (2008)

Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation were brought to my attention via their split through Insect Warfare that was featured in Short Fast & Loud #19. Similar to Insect Warfare, FLitD play a blend of grindcore and death metal. Only they're cute 'lil asian chicks (although I think they have a male band member now? or something), which makes it a million times better -- especially when you consider how fucking immaculate some of those death metal grunts are! It's shame they haven't put out more material other than an EP (which I haven't heard yet) after this, because their S/T is a promising release. They DO have a Facebook page however, which is a promising sign that these girls are still active and may very well put out some more killer grindcore someday!

Overall, this album may not be particularly groundbreaking, but it's a lot of fun to listen to: even just for the fact that these girls blow 95% male-fronted deathgrind bands completely out of the water.

ARTIST: FLAGITIOUS IDIOSYNCRASY IN THE DILAPIDATION

ALBUM: S/T 

GENRE: GRINDCORE, DEATHGRIND

MEDIAFIRE

FACEBOOK

Bestial Summoning - The Dark War Has Begun

Bestial Summoning existed during the 1990s in the Netherlands, and boy, did they put out some fantastic black metal. I LOVE the vocals on this album, and for something that was probably recorded in someone's basement, the sound levels of the different instruments are quite well done. Unlike your Darkthrone or Mayhem which tended to be more atmosphere focused, Bestial Summoning are all ice-cold hatred and aggression. There's some tracks, like Unholy Prison, that area bit more "traditional" in terms of pacing, but they tend to be the weaker songs on the album. The downside to the "ARGHFUCKKILLSATAAANN" approach is that there's not a whole lot of room for variation, and the much of the album blurs together. Now for someone people, that may not be a downside at all -- just be forewarned that this album is not particularly sensitive to atmosphere.

The Dark War Has Begun is a super raw, super fast, supremely evil-sounding record and is highly recommended for any fan of raw black metal. If you're into modern war metal acts like Conqueror and Revenge, you'll probably enjoy this.

ARTIST: BESTIAL SUMMONING

ALBUM: THE DARK WAR HAS BEGUN

GENRE: BLACK METAL

MEDIAFIRE

Coffins - March of Despair EP

Coffins were one of my favorite bands growing up, and probably the reason why I really started getting into death metal (and doom metal as well, though I didn't really get into that as much until recently). I'm a bit dissapointed in myself for being late on hearing this EP, but it certainly delivered! If you don't know who Coffins are, they play a blend of death/doom metal that's heavy influenced by gore and old-school metal (i.e. Venom, Death).

March of Despair is Coffins first solo music release (not counting the plethora of splits they've been doing in recent years) since Buried Death in 2008. Continuing on the 'faster' sound that was apparent in Buried Death -- in comparison to previous releases -- March of Despair is much more aggressive sounding and showcases the band's death metal and sludges influences. This isn't to say that it lacks the heaviness and atmosphere that Coffins are known for -- it definitely sounds like death/doom. But it indicates that the next LP will be headed in a much thrashier direction, which is fine by me!

ARTIST: COFFINS

ALBUM: MARCH OF DESPAIR EP

GENRE: DEATH/DOOM METAL

MEDIAFIRE

Nocturnal Graves/Hell Spirit - The Grave Spirit Sessions (split LP)

 Put out by NWN! productions in 2010, this split LP features some great black/thrash material from Aussie metal masters Nocturnal Graves and the obscure Hell Spirit from Finland. The Nocturnal Graves side, while having some great material on it, feels a bit all over the place -- the first track sounds more stereotypically "death metal," the Bathory-worship track after it sounds like pre-Relapse Toxic Holocaust (keeping in mind that J. was at one point a live Toxic Holocaust member). This would be the last Nocturnal Graves release before J. decided to call it quits and move onto greater things, and the inconsistency of the material for this split now seems like a clear warning sign of what was to come.

In contrast, the Hell Spirit side is much more consistent -- and because of that, comes off as the stronger side of the LP. I don't know much about Hell Spirit other than they're a Finnish black/thrash act who've released two demos besides this split. Nothing since then, and this split came out in 2010, so not sure what to make of them.

Bottom line being, while it's a bit of an odd split, it's still really good and worth listening to!

ARTIST: NOCTURNAL GRAVES and HELL SPIRIT

ALBUM: THE GRAVE SPIRIT SESSIONS

GENRE: BESTIAL BLACK/THRASH METAL

MEDIAFIRE

Rupture - Corrupture

Rupture were an Australian grindcore band active from the late 1980s until the death of their vocalist in 2001. They did releases with awesome bands like Dropdead and Antiseen, in addition to putting out some wicked grindcore. Corrupture sounds a lot like early American hardcore -- only faster and even more pissed off! Basically if you're a fan of stuff like early D.R.I., you'll really be into this. I wish I knew more about the band but I'm only just getting into them myself, so I don't have too much to say. I really liked this album and I'll be looking forward to checking out the rest of their discography!

ARTIST: RUPTURE

ALBUM: CORRUPTURE

GENRE: GRINDCORE

MEDIAFIRE

Rites Of Thy Degringolade - An Ode to Sin

RoTD are a Canadian black/death metal act from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Although this one-man project was relatively short lived, Rites put out some amazing (yet incredibly underrated) metal in the early 2000s. Paulus Kressman is an incredible drummer, and it definitely shows on all of his works. He's moved on to drum for Weapon, which have been steadily touring across North America the last couple of years.

An Ode To Sin is the last Rites album before the band "split-up". I'm generally not a fan of clean-sounding production when it comes to black metal, but Rites pull it off, really well: possibly the best I've ever heard. It's a fast album, but every note is crisp and audible, thanks to some very talented musicianship. It's not Blasphemy or Order From Chaos, but it's still some damn good western metal.

ARTIST: RITES OF THY DEGRINGOLADE

ALBUM: AN ODE TO SIN

GENRE: BLACK/DEATH METAL

MEDIAFIRE

Hiatus/Reach A Mental Road - Severe Existence/Soulforce

I'm not a huge fan of posting 7"s/splits, unless the material on it is strong -- so is the case with Hiatus/Reach A Mental Road. Hiatus are a crust band that borrow some death metal elements (particularly apparent in the vocals) to create some awesome punk. Reach A Mental Road were an obscure punk band from Japan, and as far as I can tell, other than a track on a compilation album, this was their only release. They sound phenomenal on here though, and it's a damn shame they never put out more material. Any information on the future whereabouts of the band members would be much appreciated!

ARTIST: HIATUS + REACH A MENTAL ROAD

ALBUM: SPLIT 7"

GENRE: CRUST

MEDIAFIRE

WARSORE - Violent Swing "Official Discography" now available through BLASTASFUK

A little while ago I posted a bunch of WARSORE stuff, with the intent of posting their entire discography one day. I still intend to do that, but apparently this Australian record label has just released their entire discography on a 2xCD set. If you're into grindcore + music collecting, you HAVE to get this! Link to the distro is below.

SUPPORT

Manilla Road - Crystal Logic + Open The Gates

Manilla Road are one of the best heavy metal bands, period. Everything heavy metal should be -- amazing guitar, epic vocals/lyrical themes, solid drumming/bass -- this band has. They're one of those bands that is able to completely encompass the genre they're in. It's a far cry from the black metal/crust stuff I've been posting lately, and if you're not a fan of "classic" metal, steer clear of this. However, if you're even someone who can casually enjoy an Iron Maiden album, you need to hear this. I really don't know how else to describe them other than that they released some of the BEST heavy metal/NWOBHM of the 1980s, and if you haven't heard it yet, you're missing out! They have a ton of great material, but these two albums are some of the best known -- and the best sounding, if ya ask me.

ARTIST: MANILLA ROAD

GENRE: HEAVY METAL

CRYSTAL LOGIC

OPEN THE GATES

UPDATE  06/26/12: Both links are dead due to copyright infringement. You can purchase both albums through the official Manilla Road store here, or find them elsewhere on the internetz.

Chemical Tomb - promo 2012

Chemical Tomb describe their music as "noise induced mass suicide," which in all honesty is a fairly accurate description. Hailing from Plymouth, UK, these guys play a blend of crustgrind, with some death metal elements thrown in their for good measure. Despite their limited discography, they've already played gigs with bands like WORMROT, and have an upcoming gig with KILL THE CLIENT in October! Expect good things from these guys in times to come! You can download their album for free (or include a small donation) at their bandcamp website below.

ARTIST: CHEMICAL TOMB

ALBUM: PROMO 2012

GENRE: CRUSTGRIND

BANDCAMP

ZOM - Demo (2011)

The ZOM demo was one of the most highly sought after demos last year, and with good reason. ZOM's debut release is five tracks of filthy, chaotic, unholy death metal that remains a cut above the rest in a sea of mediocre bestial metal.

Their demo has had three tape pressings so far on Invictus Productions, all of which have sold out promptly. I'm not sure if they're planning to do another one, but I believe there's some beautiful ZOM t-shirts still available on there for a reasonable price. I've talked about Invictus briefly before in my VOMITOR post, but basically they're a killer black/death metal label hosting some of the best active bands in the genre, including GOSPEL OF THE HORNS, VOMITOR, NEGATIVE PLANE and ZOM. They update their FB page quite regularly with band news, so I recommend checking out both the online shop and 'liking' them on FB for more information.

ARTIST: ZOM

ALBUM: DEMO (2011)

GENRE: BLACK/DEATH METAL 

INVICTUS PRODUCTIONS (OFFICIAL RELEASES)

INVICTUS PRODUCTIONS (FACEBOOK PAGE)

MEDIAFIRE

Proletar - Back To Hatevolution

Proletar are a three-piece grindcore band from Jarkata, ID, USA. Nothing too notable other than the fact that they're a fantastic grindcore band with a great sound. One of the few bands that can successfully incorporate that "modern" (i.e. digital) sound into their music without sacrificing any speed or power. NO BULLSHIT, JUST GRIND!

 Back to Hatevolution is their discography CD. Enjoy! 

ARTIST: PROLETAR

 ALBUM: BACK TO HATEVOLUTION

GENRE: GRINDCORE

MEDIAFIRE

Фронт (aka FRONT) - Der Wasser der Köln

It's a shame that a lot of these Russian bands are still a bitch to track down online (or at least they are for someone who doesn't speak Russian/know how to read or navigate Russian websites), because there's some damn fine metal out there I would love to have on my computer. It took a few days of searching and downloading to find a copy of this, but it was well worth the time and effort.

FRONT are a thrash metal band, hailing from Saint Petersburg. They're actually still active according to metal-archives (with their latest release coming out in 2009) . There's this kind of "eastern european metal sound" that you find in bands like Torr and Drakar, that Front definitely have. Metal-archives user UCTYKAH does a much better job of reviewing both the music and the historical context in which it was created than I ever could (excerpt below, entirety here):

FRONT's 1986 demo "Metallizacija" is usually credited for being a pioneering piece of thrash metal in the former USSR, anticipating recordings by other thrash brethren like SHAH, BLACK OBELISK, CLINIC and others. The vast majority of Russian metal during the days of the iron curtain was quite watery, let's put it this way, so whatever brutality that FRONT were able to generate back in the mid-80's was a breath of fresh air, despite garage recording and the band's less-than-stellar performance. Said demo, however, along with the above mentioned bands' albums are but smaller bricks next to a cinder block that was 1990's "Der Wasser Der Koln". The iron curtain already went down but the USSR would still stand for another year, so placing this album in that previous era seems the right thing to do.

The most striking aspect here is what a big fat rabbit FRONT were able to pull out of a hat. It seems like the band were looking right through the water and, due to some lucky coincidence or favorable planet alignment, tapped all the right sources and absorbed all the right influences from such monoliths as CELTIC FROST, AMEBIX and SLAYER, to name a few. Given the limited information flow from the West, it is quite possible that the latter was the only band FRONT may have been directly familiar with at the time. And yet it did not prevent "Der Wasser Der Koln" from bulldozing its way through the turning point of the era.

ARTIST: FRONT

ALBUM: DER WASSER DEL KOLN

GENRE: THRASH METAL

MEDIAFIRE

10 SWORDS DISTRO POST: PATCHES FOR SALE

Along with running this blog, I'm also selling off my excessive music memoriliba collection aka 10 SWORDS DISTRO.

All embroidered patches are $2 unless otherwise specified, all cloth patches are $1. I'll ship to anywhere, just message me your address first and I'll calculate shipping from Canada.

CLOTH PATCHES
- Ancient Wisdom (comes with free button)
- Econochrist (Another Victim, white)
- Zounds (Can't Cheat Karma/War-Subvert)
- Lady Gaga (DOOM ripoff)

EMBROIDERED PATCHES
- Hellhammer (Triumph of Death
- Vomitor (logo)
- Sadistik Exekution (logo)
- Possessed (logo)
- N.M.E. (logo)
- Venom (logo)
- Archgoat (logo)
- Martire (logo/skull, originally from NWN! Diehard MLP)
- Vio-lence (logo)
- Typhus (logo)
- Ignivimous (logo, originally from NWN! Diehard MLP)
- Onslaught (demon w/logo)
- Nihilist (logo)
- Denouncement Pyre (black death chaos)
- Necrovore (logo)
- Grenade (logo)
- Shackles (logo w/reaper)
- Violator (logo)
- Destruktor (shaped patch)
- Tankard (logo)
- Slayer (pentagram logo)
- Evil Army (logo - NOT PICTURED)
- Sacrifice (logo - NOT PICTURED)

DISCOUNT EMBROIDERY PATCHES (missing 1 side)
- Dismember (logo)
- Conqueror (logo)

UPDATED  JUNE 22ND, 2012. CONTACT MERCILESSINSANEDEATH@GMAIL.COM FOR DETAILS

Drug Problem - S/T LP

Drug Problem are a powerviolence/sludge band from New Zealand. They have their own unique misanthropic sound, but they're extremely similar to Dystopia -- lyrically and musically. It's much rawer than Dystopia, and in many ways much more reminiscent of black metal than crust. Also some great grindy parts and some killer samples! It's the type of album that makes you simultaneously reflect on how fucked up industrialized countries are and how much you enjoy this kind of music.

It was originally released on CD-r, but the fine folk[s?] at Diseased Audio were able to get in contact with one of the band members, and they've recently pressed it on vinyl in March 2012. It's a really nicely done LP, and if you're into record collecting it's definitely worth your money. There's a mediafire link below as always, but I've also included the link to the Diseased Audio distro where you can pick up the LP and some other great noisy shit. Enjoy!

ARTIST: DRUG PROBLEM

ALBUM: S/T 

GENRE: POWERVIOLENCE, SLUDGE

MEDIAFIRE

PURCHASE LP

Neige Morte - S/T (2011)

Neige Morte are a black/doom metal band from France. Usually when you hear the words "France" and "Black metal" in conjunction with one another, it's good news -- and Neige Morte is no exception. I got introduced to this band by chance through a friend, and I'm glad they did. This CD isn't particularly lengthy, but it's extremely atmospheric/heavy. Not a whole lot of traditional-sounding BM blastbeats/tremolo guitars here, but it works really well with what these guys set out to accomplish. Best listened to all in one go.

ARTIST: NEIGE MORTE

ALBUM: S/T (2011)

GENRE: BLACK/DOOM METAL

MEDIAFIRE

Nuclearhammer - Obliteration Ritual

Nuclearhammer is a three-piece black metal band from Toronto, Ontario. They have their own distinct sound from a lot of the black and war metal acts out West, but they're just as heavy. They're as fast as a war metal band (and production-wise sound very similar), but they have much more atmosphere -- bringing them more into traditional black metal territory. Obliteration Ritual is a record best played loud, with a beer in one hand and a razor blade in the other. I know Axaazaroth through a mutual person and he's a talented musician who definitely knows his shit about metal. Despite coming out in 2009, OR just got released on vinyl, which you can purchase by contacting Poison Mist Propaganda directly, or the band via their facebook page. Both the download and purchase link are located below. Cheers!

ARTIST: NUCLEARHAMMER

ALBUM: OBLITERATION RITUAL

GENRE: BLACK METAL

MEDIAFIRE

PURCHASE LP

*Edited June 14/12 8:43 am

Derketa - In Death We Meet

Premiering at this year's Maryland Deathfest, Derketa is an all-female death/doom metal with members from Mythic and Behind Enemy Lines. They released some material in the 90s, but this is their first full-length album. Honestly, in spite of my high hopes for this release...it's not the most memorable album in the world. That's not to say it's not good -- far from it, but it's a far cry from the sorta-maybe-Mythic re-incarnation I had hoped for. There are some good riffs on it -- as well as some great musicianship -- it's just not as good as I hoped it would be (if it were absolute tripe I wouldn't be uploading it here in the first place, so there ya go)

Again, I found the Mythic EP to be more satisfying than this -- mostly on account of Dana Duffey's ridiculous ball-crushing vocals. But if you're into death/doom or female-fronted vocals, this one's awesome.

ARTIST: DERKETA

ALBUM: IN DEATH WE MEET

GENRE: DEATH/DOOM METAL

MEDIAFIRE

V/A - Anti-Society Anarcho-Punk Compilation Vol. 3

Like the title suggests, this CD is a compilation of anarchopunk bands (both known and unknown) from around the 80s -- released on Crass' record label I believe, but I don't remember. I think this compilation is 4 different CDs, and spans a huge arrray of bands, but this is the one I happened to buy. Anyways, this one features tracks from well-known bands like Oi Polloi, Thatcher on Acid and Icons of Filth, but also features some rare gems from bands that never put out more than a demo.

Seriously, that Untermensch track is one of the best anarchopunk songs I've ever heard in my entire life, and I've spent HOURS scouring the internet/eBay trying to find their demo so I can hear a few more songs by them. NOTHING.

Anyways, the track/artist listing should come up automatically after you've downloaded it, but in case it doesn't I've provided it below. Happy listening:

1. REALITY CONTROL - Forgive Us
2. ICONS OF FILTH - Your Military
3. SEARS - Not Prepared
4. E.O. - Who Are They Trying To Con?
5. LIBERTY - Revenge
6. DAVE ASGROVE BAND - I Rebel
7. KARMA SUTRA - Fantasy Ball
8. ICON A.D. - Seeing Is Believing
9. EXIT-STANCE - Christian Militia
10. ALTERNATIVE - Where Are Your Hiroshimas?
11. LOOK MUMMY CLOWNS - Sell Your Dreams
12. THATCHER ON ACID - Our Gods Are Falling Down
14. PART I - Salem
15. ANDY T - Exploitation
16. REVULSION - Out Of Touc
17. THE APOSTLES - Beserker
18. UNTERMENSCH - Ashfield Valley Headkick
19. HAGER THE WOMB - Dressed To Kill
20. STALAG 17 - Doomsday Machine
21. OI POLLOI - Stop Vivisection Now
22. ANTI STATE CONTROL - M.U.S.E.
23. THE MENTAL - Attack

MEDIAFIRE

Massgrave + Poser Disposer - Victims of a Bong Raid

This is one of my favorite split 7"s ever. Two great Canadian grind acts, one awesome split! Side one is legendary crustcore maniacs Massgrave, who have been ripping up British Columbia and beyond for the last 10 years. Side two is Saskatchewan's Poser Disposer, a highly underrated but massively talented grindcore act. It's long sold-out now, but below you can hear the release in it's entirety steaming on YouTube, or download it at the link below.

ARTIST: MASSGRAVE/POSER DISPOSER

ALBUM: VICTIMS OF A BONG RAID SPLIT

GENRE: CRUSTCORE, GRINDCORE

GET HIGH OR DIE TRYIN'

Torture Chain - Time Is But A Doorway To The Incinerator

I raved about this band an earlier post, but to recap: Torture Chain are a USBM one-man project that produce some truly hateful black metal. Their 2012 demo is no exception to this. The difference between this release and their previous efforts is that Time Is But A Doorway...is a single song demo, and shows a lot more variation in terms of musical style and song progression. I LOVED the creepy classical string intro...reminded me a lot of Murder Rape and Teitanblood's style of sampling.

ARTIST: TORTURE CHAIN

ALBUM: TIME IS BUT A DOORWAY TO THE INCINERATOR
GENRE: USBM (BLACK METAL)

MEDIAFIRE

Antediluvian - Watchers' Reign

Antediluvian are one of the bestial black/death metal bands to come out of Canada in the last 10 years. While there's been a shitload of half-hearted bestial metal to come out in such a short span of time, Antediluvian have proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that they are not another mediocre band. Crushing, atmospheric and cold as fuck, this band produces one of the best combinations of raw energy with calculated musical technique/talent that I've heard in a long time.

Even though their first demo was put out in 2006,  they're already slated to share the stage with Canadian black metal legends Blasphemy at NWN! Fest III in the fall. If you're a fan of black or death metal and you haven't heard them yet, you're seriously missing out!

Watchers' Reign is a compilation of their first 4 demos (from 2006 to 2008).

ARTIST: ANTEDILUVIAN

ALBUM: WATCHERS' REIGN

GENRE: BLACK/DEATH METAL

MEDIAFIRE

Truncheons - Demo 2011

Truncheons are a noisy punk band from Montreal, QB. They feature ex-members of After the Bombs and Kontempt. A lot of people won't need more of an introduction than that, but basically these guys play punk rock that's much in the raw, noisy style that's typical of Japanese punk. Only they're from Canada. Very low-fi production, nothing is really distinguishable from one another -- just pure chaotic noise.

ARTIST: TRUNCHEONS

ALBUM: DEMO 2011

GENRE: RAW PUNK, CRUST

MEDIAFIRE

Frightmare - Midnight Murder Mania

One of my favorite deathgrind albums ever, the first Frightmare album is a must-have for fans of death OR grindcore. All the songs are based off of some of the best horror movies of the 80s (complete with samples). Although Frightmare's leading man, Maniac Neil, has gone on to work on his more grind-focused project Blood Freak, I'm still hoping someday that the band will get together for one more album. Frightmare has another album, Bringing Back the Bloodshed, but I prefer this one because it's gorier/heavier, whereas BBTB's thrash influences are much more pronounced. 

ARTIST: FRIGHTMARE

ALBUM: MIDNIGHT MURDER MANIA

GENRE: DEATHGRIND

MEDIAFIRE

Crucial Unit - These Colors Get The Runs

Another blast from the past for me, these guys were one of the first vinyl 7"s I ever picked up as a kid. Active from the late 90s to early 2000s, these guys churned out some vicious-as-fuck crossover thrash. Some of the BEST vocals I've ever heard in a crossover thrash/hardcore punk outfit: they sound like something you'd be more likely to hear in a grind outfit. They are closer to crossover than they are to grind, but they're extremely fast, and if they were a bit faster/more chaotic, I'd consider them to be grind. Even still, this is a wicked band with an awesome sense of humour. It's too bad they're not around anymore, but always better to quit while you're ahead!

ARTIST: CRUCIAL UNIT

ALBUM: THESE COLORS GET THE RUNS

GENRE: HARDCORE PUNK/CROSSOVER THRASH

MEDIAFIRE

Rottrevore - Iniquitous

I friggin' LOVED this band when I was in high school. Their vocals are some of the heaviest shit (which are allegedly unedited) I've ever heard in a death metal album. Although Rottrevore never achieved the status that other American death metal bands did, they got signed to Relapse Records early on in their career, and did shared the stage with bands like Impetigo, Incantation, Deceased... and Repulsion -- some pretty big accomplishments! Having said all of this, it's not the most memorable album in the world riff-wise, and it's probably most appealing to established death metal maniacs...but if you are one, you probably already have this album on your computer!

ARTIST: ROTTREVORE

ALBUM: INIQUITOUS

GENRE: DEATH METAL

 MEDIAFIRE

Ceremony - Rohnert Park

Ceremony are really similar to Fucked Up in terms of musical progression -- they went from short, fast heavy-hitting hardcore to a much longer "punk rock opera" style album in the course of 4 years. And similar to Fucked Up, they're a band I've liked and admired for a long time, and Rohnert Park is no exception.

Be forewarned that this album is EXTREMELY different from Violence Violence-era Ceremony. The best comparison I can make musically is a halfway point between Hidden World and Chemistry of Common Life in terms of speed/song structure. Only Ceremony wrote it instead of Fucked Up. The first half of the album is a lot stronger than the latter half in my opinion, but check out the link below and find out for yourself!

ARTIST: CEREMONY

ALBUM: ROHNERT PARK

GENRE: HARDCORE PUNK

MEDIAFIRE

Vomitor - Bleeding the Priest + Devil's Poison

Similar to Martire, Vomitor are an Australian black/death metal band that formed in the late 1990s. Their first full-length, Bleeding the Priest is highly regarded as a dirty, raw black/death LP that makes a perfect addition to the already phenomenal aussie metal scene. They became less active over the years until the the release of an awesome live 10", Cry From the Underground on Hells Headbangers records. Their long-awaited sophmore album, Devil's Poison was released shortly after and does not disappoint.

I will admit that it took me a couple of listens to really get into this album, largely in part because it has a unique "raw" sound to it that takes a bit of getting used to. But if you're into making your ears bleed, I promise you'll love this. I thought that today would be a good day to introduce this band to the blog, as they've just entered the studio to record their third album, "The Escalation."

ARTIST: VOMITOR

GENRE: BLACK/DEATH METAL

BLEEDING THE PRIEST

DEVIL'S POISON

 

 

WARSORE Partial discography

Warsore are an Australian grindcore band that formed in 1995. They're considered the 'brother band' of Disgorge because they share some band members. They're highly regarded in the grindcore community, and with good reason. Despite having production that rivals even the most obscure basement black metal projects and "limited" musical talent, this band will fucking crush you. If you're looking for technical proficiency, you're not going to find it here...but fuck it, who cares?

I'd ultimately like to post their entire discography, but for now these are the only three releases I have on my computer. Brutal Reprisal was released in 2003 on Psychotherapy Records. Terrorismo Musical is a split with Unholy Grave, an awesome grindcore band hailing from Japan. Re-Opened Wound is compilation of some live/rehearsal stuff and demos.

ARTIST: WARSORE

GENRE: GRINDCORE

BRUTAL REPRISAL

TERRORISMO MUSICAL (split with UNHOLY GRAVE)

RE-OPENED WOUND

N.O.T.A. - 1985 LP

N.O.T.A or None Of The Above were an American hardcore band that existed from the early 80s to the late 90s. Not a lot of information on this band -- and I'm not particularly familiar with their discography -- but their 1985 LP is some wicked hardcore. Is it anything groundbreaking? Nope. But it doesn't need to be. Just a bunch of pissed off kids writing some angry songs about cops and breaking shit and breaking cops' shit.

Having said this, I certainly wouldn't classify it as generic (or at least not the boring type of generic). If you like the American hardcore sound, you'll like this. And if you don't, perhaps try getting into some Black Flag or Agnostic Front before giving this a spin.

ARTIST: N.O.T.A (NONE OF THE ABOVE)

ALBUM: S/T LP

GENRE: HARDCORE PUNK

MEDIAFIRE

GAUZE - KAO O ARATTE DENAOSHITE KOI

Seems that I'm on an 80s hardcore binge today, so enjoy it while it lasts. GAUZE were a hardcore punk band from Tokyo, Japan. They're considered to be one of most important bands to come out of that area for that time period, and with good reason. KFTH did a better review of their 1997 12"/CD than I ever could:

"1997 saw the release of their newest 12" Kao O Aratte Denaoshite Koi (literally translated means "Go wash your face and come back" - a Japanese expression used after someone is physically beaten by someone else) which has to be the best record by a hardcore band that had been around for 16 years ever. It is simply their best work, the songs explode from the grooves and kick your face in, then snap off your teeth with a pair of rusty pliers. It's that intense."

In summation: not for the faint of heart!

ARTIST: GAUZE

ALBUM: KAO O ARRATE DENAOSHITE KOI

GENRE: HARDCORE PUNK

ANARCHY//VIOLENCE

Raw Power - Screams From The Gutter + After Your Brain

Raw Power were an hardcore punk band from Italy that thrived during the 1980s. Apparently they had quite the scene back in the day -- if you enjoy Raw Power, be sure to check out Wretched and Indigesti. This awesome punk archival project can tell you more about the band than I ever could, but to sum up: fast, loud, and catchy as hell. Some pretty funny songs/lyrics as well. Screams from the Gutter and After Your Brain are actually two different LPs released respectively in 1984 and 1986, but I'm including them both because I can't decide which one I like better!

As a sidenote, not sure who their album artist was, but s/he came up with some of the coolest imagery I've ever seen for a punk band, ever. 

ARTIST: RAW POWER

ALBUM: SCREAMS FROM THE GUTTER with AFTER YOUR BRAIN

GENRE: HARDCORE PUNK

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Torture Chain - Across Great Landscapes to a Legacy of Blood

Torture Chain is a one-man black metal project from the United States. Cold, atmospheric and hateful, this 2010 demo is a prime example of some solid USBM. There's not much in terms of lyrics/vocals, but the musicianship/composition of the release is really well done. I'm one of those people who actually likes 'basement black metal', and if you like low-fi stuff like Les Legions Noires, you'll probably like this as well. There's a 2012 demo as well, but I haven't heard it yet.

ARTIST: TORTURE CHAIN

ALBUM: ACROSS GREAT LANDSCAPES TO A LEGACY OF BLOOD (demo)

GENRE: BLACK METAL

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Blacklace - Unlaced

I was introduced to this band through an old friend of mine, who described them as 'awesome female fronted heavy metal.' And while he's not wrong on that front, he failed to mention that they're also in the top 5 for Cheesiest Heavy Metal Band to Ever Exist. Don't get me wrong, it's awesome. I'm just still blown away by how unflinchingly 80s heavy metal this band is. In terms of musicianship, it's a decent album. Mostly what puts it on my radar is the female vocals (which are quite good, and remind me a bit of ACID) and the overall no-fucks-were-given-at-any-point cheesiness of this album. Bon appetit.

ARTIST: BLACKLACE

ALBUM: UNLACED

GENRE: HEAVY METAL

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Martire - Legions of the Brutal Apocalypse

Back when I was in high school, I was SUPER into Australian black/thrash/death metal. Destroyer 666, Trench Hell, Atomizer, Vomitor, Nocturnal Graves...you name it, and I probably loved it. And Martire were no exception. I listened to their 1991 EP on vinyl again and again when I was in high school. I couldn't wait for their full-length to come out (and considering that these guys have been around since 1988, it's been a LONG fucking time). Finally, it's here! And while it's not the /best/ thing to come out of Australia, it's certainly not a dissapointment. Similar to Vomitor, these guys play a perfect combination of black, death and thrash metal in the raw-as-fuck aussie tradition. If you haven't heard them yet, give this a listen!

ARTIST: MARTIRE

ALBUM: LEGIONS OF THE BRUTAL APOCALYPSE

GENRE: BLACK/DEATH/THRASH METAL

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Dystopia - S/T (2008)

Apologies for the lag in posts, being out of the province with no access to a computer certainly didn't help much. Anyways, here's the final release from the legendary crust/sludge band, Dystopia. Dystopia have put out a TON of killer music during their time as a band, but their self-titled album from 2008 is one of their finest releases. A great mix of samples, insanity, and heaviness. I find that Dystopia are a very 'mood-specific' band for me (i.e. I have to be in a pretty shitty mood to listen to them because their stuff is /that/ depressing or else I get depressed from listening to it), but when it's good, it's good.

ARTIST: DYSTOPIA

ALBUM: S/T (2008)

GENRE: CRUST/SLUDGE

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