FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: June 12th, 2020

Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so! 

On the docket for today, June 12th, 2020:
Behold... The Arctopus, Lord, Foetal Juice, DECONSECRATION

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Behold... The Arctopus -​ Hapeleptic Overtrove​
(Willowtip / P2)

Time to ruffle some feathers.  BTA do 
​have an endearing shtick, but at this stage in the game, I think we need to address the fact that their brand of progressive metal results in albums that are more a collection of ideas, and less a collection of tracks. Indeed, as fellow Villager Izzy recently argued, this album sounds more like segments from a rehearsal than an album proper. Sure, the hyper-technicality is impressive--it's instrumentally all over the place in the best of ways, something truly to behold--but I fail to see how this album succeeds as an album. If you're here to witness the workshop-esque qualities of BAT, this could very well indeed be the best representation of their baffling sound. All told, I do buy the statement that  Hapeleptic Overtrove​ is at the forefront of prog wackery. I don't however, believe that Behold... The Arctopus are necessarily pushing metal in a new direction.

Find it on bandcamp here!

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Lord - Chaos Raining​
(Independently Released)

Let's get the obvious out of the way: Lord are an excellent band. 
Chaos Raining, despite containing little new content, is no exception to the rule. The title track, taken from their prior album, is offered here in two formats, including the OG ripper and an extended cut. A new track, "A World Insane," helps flesh out the package of this limited edition EP. All told, both (or all three, depending how you coutn it?) are stellar tracks, leaning heavily into both the progressive and power ends of the metal spectrum. Lord employ a potent sense of melodic bombast to great effect, resulting in a predictably ramble-rousing endeavor. If yer unfamiliar with these Aussie stalwarts, I highly recommend allowing this EP to serve as an entry point. If you are familiar, I recommend you check this one out--while unessential, it's an undeniable banger. So, in short...recommended!

​Find it on bandcamp here!

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Foetal Juice - Gluttony
​(Gore House Productions)

I've been in the mood for some fresh 'n' grindy death metal as of late, and good lord, does Foetal Juice's latest hit ever that damn spot. These guys represent a sound and and approach that I wish the vast majority of modern-day OSDM: heavy, brutal, yet pleasantly upbeat and crisp. From a compositional and sonic standpoint, Gluttony demonstrates a keen ability to maintain interest and introduce new elements within the vague confines of an established sound--namely, the thick 'n' nasty Cannibal Corpse aesthetic. And, lest it be forgot, the production is simply stellar, with well-balanced vocals, mammothian drums, and a healthy bass presence that 99% of death metal outfits would do well to emulate. All told?This is my favorite OSDM of the year thusfar.

​Find it on bandcamp here!

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DECONSECRATION - Demo
(Caligari Records)

This promo kit may be the most succinct I have ever encountered: after brief biographical info, we are informed that Seattle's own
DECONSECRATION "plays death metal." And that's it. As far as understatements go, this is pretty significant: the crew before ye has put together a pretty brutal 4-track platter, especially considering that this is their first release. Demo is certainly an impressive outing, featuring grimy-yet-professional production, a sludge-ridden ambiance, and, notably, some of the deepest vocals I've had the honor of enjoying in recent memory. These are the howls of a man/beast with a mouth full of quicksand--a quality which lends the entire affair a uniquely suffocating edge. Needless to say, I'm quite excited to see where the future takes this promising act.

Find it on bandcamp here!

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