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CARTILAGE - Gore-met (Review)

5/19/2021

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Written by: Blackie Skulless

Boy howdy, what fun it is when you find something that reeks of a gory bloodbath taking place in the kitchen! Just the album cover to Cartilage’s 12-minute offering Gore-Met was about enough to sell me, and the music sounds exactly what you’d picture. Grindcore riffs with blistering, incomprehensible vocals, all themed around body-horror in the kitchen is what we’re in for. Get your apron and chef hat ready, this is a wild ride!

“Enough To Make Your Skin Crawl” starts us off on the most conventional note, based around a failed experiment making beings become mutant and disgusting. The actual music is pretty death metal oriented, but the double-tracked vocals and smashing speeds are loads of fun. Helps it fit the overall idea as well. “Deranged Delikatessen” rails on with a bit more abrasion, tossing around guts and gore with slam-like rhythms and sharp blasts from the drumming.


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OSIAH - Loss (Review)

5/9/2021

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Written by: The Administrator

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Speaking exclusively from an admittedly shallow well of experience, there are few genres as situational as deathcore. Am I actively engaged in an a high-intensity workout? If so, deathcore is an appropriate soundtrack. Am I doing anything other than slangin' iron and sweating bullets? Deathcore is more than likely buried underneath a veritable mountain of  genres I would rather spend my time with. Given this implicit bias, I have spent a lot of time listening to Osiah's latest while strutting around in the cobwebb'd cellar confines of my home gym. To their credit, however, this album has slowly started to escape the typical listening environments. The ability to hold interest outside of the usual arena is a pretty notable quality.


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FRESH MEAT FRIDAY - May 7th, 2021: SPECIAL BANDCAMP DAY EDITION

5/7/2021

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Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this week's new and noteworthy 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--and have been--listening to this week at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so! 

As today is Bandcamp Friday, alongside our standard mini-reviews, we've added a bunch o' releases at the bottom that you should check out (and purchase, if yer so inclined.) If ye missed it, check out our merch roundup here!

​On the docket for today, May 7th, 2021:
Dread Maw, Herzschlager, 
Kataan, Book of Wyrms, Empty Throne, Osiah, Chronic Lethargy, Cainhurst, Eliot Vernon, Desolation Plains, and Nehushtan
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GOJIRA - Fortitude (Double Review)

5/6/2021

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To assess Gojira's latest offering, two Village-dwellers took up the pen, making for a rare double review 'round these parts. Enjoy! - Ed.

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Written by: Izzy

I think for many metalheads, Gojira is a very nostalgic name. I personally got into them very early on in my exploration of extreme metal and they have remained a band I look to very fondly, even if in recent years they’ve departed from their death metal roots and taken a more accessible, straightforward prog/groove/alt metal sound. I still think the material put forth on their previous two excursions, L’Enfant Sauvage and Magma, while not their best,  still had their own appeal that kept me returning to them.

But there was a palpable feeling that as they stripped away their extreme metal leanings and got softer and included more clean(ish) singing, they’d eventually morph into just another mediocre alt metal band, and I feel this concept has reached its logical conclusion with Fortitude, having scrubbed away almost any remnants of death metal in their sound and leaning harder and harder on creating hooks and choruses rather than the vast odysseys of From Mars to Sirius and The Way of All Flesh. I think we’ve reached a point where I truly can’t find a reason to look forward to a new Gojira album after this.


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FOSSILIZATION - He Whose Name Was Long Forgotten (Review)

5/4/2021

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Written by: Blackie Skulless

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Much like with thrash metal, death metal from South America always seems to have a higher level of scorching energy from it, reflective of the climate. Fossilization is one of those words that just emulates decay and abrasion, especially when you picture it happening to a human. The band’s music certainly holds a candle to that! Hot off the press is their debut EP He Whose Name Was Long Forgotten, a force I absolutely reckon with.

Loading itself with five grueling tracks to nearly touch a full-length outing, Fossilization takes the death metal genre to crushing extremes. Guitar passages specialize in tremolos and explosive overlays of fuming leads that cast horrifying images of ash, decay, and shattering bone fractals. Though you’d expect cavernous vocals to go under this, they’re a bit more prominent than I expected. Naturally, things give way to hints of doom and black metal alike, depending where you fall on the disc.​


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EMPTY THRONE - Glossolalia (Review)

5/3/2021

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Written by: The Administrator

Typically, familiarity with a musician's past work will flavor an audience's reception to said musicians new endeavor. However, due to a certain inability on my part to absorb press kits details prior to imbibing, I listened to this absolute beast of an EP many, many times before realizing that the roster is chock full o' recognizable extreme metal talent. Featuring current and former members of *checks notes* Possessed, Abbath, Decrepit Birth, The Kennedy Veil, Black Crown Initiate, and Angerot, this quartet of blackened death thrashers evidently know their way around the ol' block.

It shows. Glossolalia is a riveting three-track, and, needless to say, a very strong first outing. It is 
explosive, tastefully frenetic, and varied enough to avoid being pigeonholed according to the tenets of their prior work. Let's dive in, shall we?


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FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: April 30th, 2021, Feat. GOREGÄNG,  Greyhound, Becerus, Bevar Sea, Order of the Wolf / Pessimista, and Alpha Boötis

4/30/2021

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Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this week's new and noteworthy 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--and have been--listening to this week at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so! 

We slumbering scribes were slightly more productive this week than normal, so enjoy an additional two mini-reviews!
​
​On the docket for today, April 30th, 2021:
GOREGÄNG, Greyhound, Becerus, 
Bevar Sea, Order of the Wolf / Pessimista, and Alpha Boötis

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GOREGÄNG - Long Live The Grime
(Blood Blast / Listenable Insanity Records)

Now this...this is how you do a damn EP. This highly palatable appetizer from GOREGÄNG features four new tracks, four live tracks, and, as if that weren't enough, a White Zombie cover. For those unfamiliar, this particular GOREGÄNG presents an unholy combination of crust-infused Swedeath with the blatant brutality and swagger of their Floridian environ. In other words, they revel in filth, be it by benefit of the gross guitar tone or, well, the grosser vocal tone. This duo excels at the kind of high-energy pit-worthy performance that inevitably results in sweat and blood--a quality, of course, shines brightly on the live tracks contained within.

​In terms of New Stuff, the fantastically dynamic "
Farm The Mother" is possibly my favorite, but realistically, nothing here is worth skipping. If this unique brand of crust-punky death is your speed, I highly recommend you check this one out (as well as their excellent Neon Grave, which came out back in 2019.)

​Find it on bandcamp here!

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Greyhound - Dennis Exists
(Independently Released)

Wow. This is an album that I checked out due to a well-timed reminder email, and I'm really glad I did. This Aussie doom/ gothic rock/post-rock crew excels at constructing an atmosphere to a glorious crescendo--in their words, music "shimmering until it explodes into apocalyptic heaviness." Dennis Exists ​is primarily instrumental, which allows ample space for exploration and slow-burning evolution. It's a celebration of the landscape, and, as such, feels tangible and grounded in a way that music under the "post" umbrella typically is not. While the instrumentation that makes up the majority of Dennis Exists​ is quite intriguing, the spoken word narrative on "Riverbend" serves as the album's centerpiece. It's an excellent piece on it's own, and fits into the framework of the album surprisingly well. All told, this is a lush and gorgeous album that rewards attentive listening. I highly recommend throwing on a pair of earphones and letting the music take over for the duration.

​Find it on bandcamp here!


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FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: April 23rd, 2021, Feat. Frog Mallet, AntiMozdeBeast, Akiavel, and The Last Martyr

4/23/2021

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Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this week's new and noteworthy 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--and have been--listening to this week at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so! 

All of today's releases are independently released, so show 'em some support!

​On the docket for today, April 23rd, 2021:
Frog Mallet, AntiMozdeBeast, Akiavel, and The Last Martyr

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Frog Mallet - Dissection by Amphibian
(Independent Release)

Never before have I stated that the ribbits go hard as fuck, but here we are. On their debut album, Boston's own Frog Mallet promises, to quote, "mallet slamming death metal fit for only the beefiest of frogs." And, I am happy to report, they ain't joking. The excellent Dissection by Amphibian  is a delightfully enjoyable experience, defined by a good-humored self-awareness that is rivaled only by the sheer quality of the tunes themselves. Utilizing frog-centric samples to their fullest extent, Frog Mallet seamlessly weave the overt thematic content with riffage of the highest neanderthalian order. Having your skull bludgeoned into pulp whilst wearing a grin isn't a particularly common experience, but these guys pull off the balance between brutality and fun with great aplomb.  Of particular note is the impressive cast of featured musicians--from Undeath to Bodysnatcher and beyond, the talent pool/swamp represented on this release is pretty damn deep. Check it out!

Find it on bandcamp here! 

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AntiMozdeBeast - The Ritual
(Independent Release)
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​It ain't a successful Fresh Meat Friday, I've always said, unless it features an entry that deliberately defies categorization. This latest experimental experience from AntiMozdeBeast fits the bill more than adequately. Indeed, across these wild and wacky five tracks, one never knows what to expect. A flurry awaits: a frenetic barrage of harsh electronics, pulsating percussion, cacophonous murmurs, unhinged screams,  The Ritual is a deeply intense and immersive listening experience--there's something unsettlingly hypnotic about the sheer sonic and aesthetic chaos. Strange is still the best descriptor I can come up with, which, if we're measuring success by existential befuddlement, seems like a big win.

Perpetually unpredictable by design, The Ritual  sounds like the soundtrack to sci-fi hell. If you like experimental or avant-garde stuff, you will undoubtedly enjoy what AntiMozdeBeast ​has to offer.

​Find it on bandcamp here!


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CRYPTS OF DESPAIR - All Light Swallowed (Review)

4/22/2021

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Huge thanks to today's guest reviewer for the words! John Angel typically writes over at (the venerable) Noob Heavy, and can be found on twitter as well. Follow accordingly, dear readers! - Ed.

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Guest post written by: John Angel

If you’ve read my previous reviews (hey mom) you might know that I lean towards the modern side of the old-school/modern divide of the current death metal scene. I like the crisp production and blending of a wider variety of genres that seems to be de jure in modern death metal. But there are OSDM records that catch my attention. It’s hard for me to put my finger on exactly what draws me to said ear-catching OSDM albums but I think it's having a little more aggressive riffing, production that keeps that lo-fi and cavernous vibe so many like about OSDM, but also allows the music to be legible to the listener. Today I’ve got a review for one such record, All Light Swallowed by Crypts of Despair.


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FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: April 9th, 2021, Feat. Gangrened, Heavy Feather, Onward We March, and Sublation

4/9/2021

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Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s rusted palisade, stuffed to the brim with musical sustenance. Today is the day we must offload this week's new and noteworthy 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 at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so! 

​On the docket for today, April 9th, 2021:
​
Gangrened, Heavy Feather, Onward We March, and Sublation


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Gangrened - Deadly Algorithm
(Trepanation Recordings)

Week after week, it seems like there is always a Trepanation Recordings album in the mix--and for good reason. This latest from the fold is another feather in their cap. On Deadly Algorithm, Finland's Gangrened deliver some high-caliber experimental sludge. Rather than adopting a policy of death-by-riffage, this crew cleverly implements a more expansive approach, weaving in elements of noise rock and even a lil' ambient. For a prime example of this fusion at work, I recommend checking out lead single "Triptaani."

​As a whole, this album is undeniably a challenge, but a welcome one at that. Over repeat listens, the intimidating dark edge and atmosphere becomes a little more welcoming. This scribe's advice? Give it time to gestate.

Find it on bandcamp here!

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Heavy Feather - Mountain of Sugar
(The Sign Records)

​I've been excited about this album for a good long while. Why? 'Cuz it's damn good, that's why.  Heavy Feather nominally play roots rock, which, as far as I can tell, constitutes a hearty blend of blues, folk rock, and classic rock. On Mountain of Sugar, their sophomore effort Heavy Feather consistently deliver upbeat tunes with a delightful olde-timey charm. There's a strong Jefferson Airplane aesthetic at play--take the killer "Bright in my Mind" as a prime example. This is an album that my father will love, and that, my friends, is nothing but a compliment, considering his profound love of the era that Heavy Feather emulate. Sure, it's been done before, but there's no reason this crew can't do it again. If you enjoy deep of the 60's and 70's retro vibe, listen to this.

Find it on bandcamp here!


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