In The Company of Serpents - Lux  
(Self Released)

Now this. This is doom metal how I like it: an exercise in extremes. menacing yet delicate, dynamically light-footed yet seismically plodding, and utterly willing to throw genre convention out the window. From neo-folk acoustics to sludgy Neurosisian heft, In The Company of Serpents demonstrate a keen ability to shift expectations and apply nuance to a genre that all-too-oft relies entirely on the power of the riff. There's a gentle balance struck here between the lighter ambiance and the shadow-cast atmosphere that few bands are able to apply. Simply put, this is an engrossing album, likely to appeal to anyone who enjoys doom across the spectrum from thick sludge to esoteric psych.  Hence, I do gladly declare that Lux is the greatest album this week has to offer. 

​Find it on bandcamp here!

Devangelic - Ersetu
​(Willowtip Records)

Ersetu is the first album of its ilk to appear on Fresh Meat Friday--namely, an album that I don't understand, nor particularly enjoy. That said, there is something intriguing dwelling in these repetitive riffs, and I aim to spend the day figuring out what that quality is, hence the inclusion here. On the plus side: Devangelic has their brand of filthy rhythmic riffs delivered in rapid-fire succession down to a science. The downside? Those same incessant riffs are the entire meat of this album. There's no deviation, no dynamism in the songwriting--which ultimately leads to an utter lack of perception of one's place in the album. Track distinctions lose meaning. As such, Ersetu feels more like submersion into a brutal bath, an exercise in hypnosis by incessant march of sixteenths.

Find it on bandcamp here!

...And Oceans - Cosmic World Mother
​(Season of Mist)

Let's not draw this out: symphonic black metallers ...And Oceans have made a remarkably  triumphant return from the depths of increasingly industrial and electronic experimentation. Here, the meloblack is (largely) back, with a renewed focus on atmospherics and melodic composition. Shylmagoghnar feels like an apt (albeit lesser) comparison, as ...And Oceans execute a blend of powerful aggression, triumphant and near-grandiose symphonics, and and gorgeous sonic accoutrements with a grace and confidence that very, very few can match. Cosmic World Mother is the kind of album that sucks you in an spits you out with the desire to immediately dive back in. This is a wonderous return to form for ...And Oceans, and is, undoubtably, an album that I will be enjoying for quite some time. 

Find it on Bandcamp here!

WitchUrn  - The Debt 
​(Self Released)

...But, dear readers, I am excited to inform you that today's best blackened-affiliated record may actually  
be the debut album from WitchUrn. At risk of gushing, The Debt delivers almost everything I love in a single package--vicious thrashy freneticism, forward-thinking aggression, dynamic (and at times damn near surprising) composition, emotive vocals, and just enough braggadocio to exercise technical prowess without flaunting it. There’s just enough death metal weight to lend the affair a groundedness that blackened thrash all-too-oft lacks, and just enough progressive meandering to allow the audience a moment to breathe. I do wish that the acoustics of the intro were implemented a tad more, but...what else can I say? This is an absolute masterclass in how to write a (one man?!) debut album. Bravo. At this rate, a full-length review will undoubtedly follow.

​Find it on Bandcamp here!

Holden  - Ursa Minor 
​(Self Released)

​Groove-laden post-sludge? Rest assured: this slumbering scribe is always down. On Ursa Minor, Holden demonstrate that they have studied long and hard at the school of Conan-esque riffage, leaning into sluggish heft with a languid aplomb. Meanwhile, some harsh vocals punctuate the enormity of the tone. As drawn-out riffs are the name of the game, this is not music that grabs your throat and demands attention. Rather, it feels cinematic in scope--a flowing soundtrack, not a series of distinct tracks. As such, it serves quite nicely as background tunage for those times when you want some slow riffs but aren’t in the mood to focus intently. I, for one, in spring-cleaning fervor, will be spending the day sweeping the cobwebs and mouse bones from our drafty scriptorium, Holden spinning all the while.

Find it on Bandcamp here!

Hadewijch - Herbal Doom
​(Electric Valley Records) 

​Sometimes we all need to sink into the ethereal plant-based bliss of post-rock infused doom. Post-doom, perhaps? Who knows. In any case, Hadewijch deliver a single track-EP with the sole intent, presumably, in helping us calm our trouble minds. This track feels relentlessly organic--like falling asleep on the forest floor and become the compost heap upon which a garden grows. "Salvia" is dreamy, droney, and tastefully heavy. ​The meld of naturalism and unconventional stoner doom convention is pretty damn seamless. 

​As aforementioned 'round these parts, this particular scribe is consistently sober--but this EP/song makes me feel otherwise. Mission accomplished. If you've got 19 minutes to simply chill, I highly recommend you sample some Herbal Doom. ​Thank me later. ​

​Find it on Bandcamp here!

At the Altar of the Horned God - ​Through Doors of Moonlight (I, Voidhanger Records)

Ye olde I, Voidhanger specializes in delivering music that pushes boundaries and toes lines of obscurity and invention. In that regard, At the Altar of the Horned God certainly delivers: this album is a blackened avant-garde paganistic ode to the natural order. While the majority of the ritualistic soundscape blankets the listener with an odd meditative sensuality, a sharp vicious rage frequently shows teeth. Equal parts spiritual and menacing, Through Doors of Moonlight feels like a genuine journey--although it’s yet to be determined whether said journey leads into enlightenment...or through madness. Let me get back to you on that one; I’ve only listened to this horn’d beast once. Highly recommended for those of you who like a brand of black metal as experimental as it is organic.

Find 'em on bandcamp here!

SKAM - The Sound of Disease (Redefining Darkness Records)

“Anger” isn’t an unfamiliar term to us connoisseurs of the loud and heavy, nor to the bands who dwell in genres defined by explosive emotion. On Sounds of a Disease, Sweden’s own SKAM have found a way to hone anger into a purely belligerent form of explosive catharsis. Utilizing a potent blend of grindy death with d-beat punk ‘tude, this is a soundtrack to exorcise personal demons. Like unto chaos incarnate, the ridiculously swift-footed riffage skitters over powerful blasts and unhinged animalistic diatribes. When people talk about music as therapy, I don’t anticipate this being the first album on their mind--but for me, this short-n-visceral journey has been a lifesaver in recent days.

​$1 on Bandcamp, to boot!

Weed Demon - Crater Maker (Electric Valley Records)

When it came to naming their sophomoric album, these guys genuinely couldn’t get more accurate than “crater maker.” How so? Part of what allows Weed Demon to stand apart from the horde is a distinct emphasis on sheer heft. The most essential aspect of Weed Demon’s sound is the sheer crushing heaviness on display. Everything is massive, impactful, and oppressive by design. This latest effort, notably, aggressively toes that line between stoner-drenched doom and sludge, but also brings in some bluesy acoustics to even things out. Despite these occasional moments of levity, Crater Maker is dark, warm, fuzzy as hell--an embrace from slow-moving subterranean magma. If you love big riffs: definitely worth yer while. 

Get it on Bandcamp here!