Written by: The Voiceless Apparition
Here's an interesting question: why are we as human beings fascinated with serial killers? Is it the psychological aspect? Perhaps maybe the impulsive nature of said actions? This is something that we all differ on, but it's still a fascinating subject. That brings us to Macabre. For 35 years, the masters known as Macabre have been serving up their "murder metal" to the masses--and excelling at it, I might add. Here's another interesting aside: Macabre were one of the first death metal/extreme metal bands I was fond of. I can't recall the first time I ever listened to them, but I do recall that the first album I ever bought from them was Dahmer. I believe I was either 12 or 13 years old, so as you can imagine, I have a soft spot in my heart for them. With regards to that, it's always a momentous occasion when the masters release a new album. And here we are with Carnival of Killers, their 6th full-length. Are you ready for the circus to come to town?
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Here's a republication of an old guest post. Enjoy! - Ed.
Written by: The Administrator
How best to describe Wormhole? If you're familiar with 'em, you know what I'm talking about. If you aren't, here's my best attempt: The Weakest Among Us is like unto a janitors' big ol' ring of keys, wherein every jangly item represents a markedly distinct genre. Which is to say, there is a lot going on here. Wormhole don't have a denying characteristic of their own, except for the ability to chameleon their way through both slam and tech-death landscapes--which, frankly, don't have a whole lot in common. Whilst one is an intricately designed garden, the other is a pile of craggy boulders. Do they mesh? After listening to this thing like 10 times, I'm still not entirely convinced...but Wormhole certainly put in the work.
Written by: The Administrator
Over the past few years of reviewing death metal, I have perhaps come down a tad harshly on the stuff that seeks to venerate the old school rather than cast it away in pursuit of intentional evolution. Sheer worship, while often enjoyable, is seldom enough to keep this haggard scribe's interest outside of the immediate moment. But this year, the more progressive efforts--the stuff that seeks to kick down doors and replace the rustic-yet-utilitarian furnishings with avant-garde decor--just aren't hitting the spot. This has resulted in an odd craving for no-nonsense belligerence. In other words: pass the Lesions Of A Different Kind. Let's get bloody.
Written by: The Voiceless Apparitio
Where do I even begin? Only in 2020--one of the most trying times in human history--would Mr. Bungle come back to release "new" music. Granted, it's a re-recording of their first demo, but still, it's freshly recorded material from them. I, of course, am beyond stoked to see this happen. I'm a strong admirer of Mr. Bungle, and, for that matter, most of Mike Patton's projects. This album features the original trio of Mike Patton, Trey Spruance, and Trevor Dunn, and this time they are joined by Scott Ian from Anthrax on rhythm guitars and Dave Lombardo, formerly of Slayer, Fantomas, and various other bands on drums. A stellar lineup of musicians. So now it's time: The Easter Bunny is pissed off and out for blood. Can you survive its WRATH?
Written by: Izzy
So, for a little bit now I've been doing weekly retrospective reviews on older albums I enjoy a lot, with the main intent being for you as the reader to find new albums you may enjoy, and for me as the writer to get to talk about albums I may never have gotten to otherwise But of course, as I am human and not a machine, sometimes I find it difficult deciding on what to review, twiddling my thumbs and trying out various rough draft ideas until eventually that fateful Friday creeps up on me and I’m left still unsure what to do. This was my response to my (admittedly self-created) new problem. Peasantry’s Picks! This will be an occasional retrospective format I use for talking about a small, themed selection of EPs or short albums that would be nigh-impossible to review in the format of a full-length dissection, but when paired together offer a lovely little charcuterie of releases to sample and taste. And in the last minute spirit of this, I decided I wanted to talk about a handful of almost absurdly short grindcore EPs that, despite their unimposing runtime, I can’t resist coming back to. Like musical junk food, these EPs and albums are addicting, almost impossible to play just once. Each project presented is 10 minutes or less in length, and some as short as 5 minutes! So if you enjoy grindcore, I see absolutely no reason not to do yourself a favour and check them out. Written by: The Voiceless Apparition Hello dear friends! It's sad to say but our time with this retrospective series has come to an end, for we are ending with Whiteworm Cathedral. (If you missed the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth review in the series, be sure to check 'em out! - Ed). This album marks another integral moment in Necrophagia's career. After a few delays and having to re-record the whole thing, we were gifted this beautiful album. There is no huge lineup change this time. Boris Randall would end up leaving and was replaced by guitarists Scrimm and Abigail Lee Nero, and Killjoy is also reunited with former keyboardist Mirai Kawashima. Both guitarists are an absolutely stellar addition to Necrophagia, as you will soon read below. So, without further ado I will now leave you with Whiteworm Cathedral... Written by: The Voiceless Apparition Well hello again, friends! (If you missed the first, second, third, and fourth review in the series, be sure to check 'em out! - Ed). Today's review is the unearthing of Deathtrip 69. By this point, Necrophagia had a solid roster and was finally able to record this album. The lineup for this album is Boris Randall on guitar, Damien Matthews on bass, and Shawn Slusarek, with Killjoy leading the charge. "Naturan Demonto" starts out like how all Necrophagia albums start out: with an ass-kicking so viscous. It's evident from the start that this album is a lot rawer and more blunt and straight-to-the point. "Beast With Feral Claws" is a groovy monster--the main riff to this song is just so headbanging and infectious. That said, "Tomb With a View" is where the album really starts to take off. I absolutely love the atmosphere of this song, it's macabre, and quite catchy too. Written by: The Voiceless Apparition So with that, we return again! (If you missed the first, second, and third review in the series, be sure to check 'em out! - Ed). Today's installment in the series is Harvest Ritual. This is the same exact lineup as the previous album. After a lot touring and a sick EP, Harvest Ritual was born. "Dead Skin Slave" begins the album with a swift banger. It is always important to start an album on a strong note, and this album does so with aplomb. This is a fast-paced thrasher from the get-go until the 2:30 mark, when you are gobsmacked by the nastiest, hardest riff ever. It's not a "breakdown" per se, but it has the characteristics of one, and it is glorious. Things start to take a different turn on "Unearthed" and "Cadavera X." Keyboards were present in previous Necrophagia albums, but they have more of a presence on this album. Weird psychedelic, spacey keys and synths hook you in and really add a cinematic flair to the sound.
Written by: Izzy
It’s time for Sleeping Village trivia hour again. I’ve mentioned this on occasion, but let it be known: I think Iceland has the best current black metal scene. Every year there seems to be a new album coming from over there that blows my mind with their love of claustrophobic yet hypnotizing harmony and low commanding growls rather than icy shrill shrieks. While I do have a soft spot for Poland and Sweden as well, Iceland is where it’s at. So, you’d expect me to have been all over this band by now, right? Well, I listened to their collaborative release with Wormlust last year and thought that was good, but I never listened to their solo stuff until around a month ago when their third album, fittingly named Skáphe³, was suddenly the latest talking point around all my black metal loving friends, so I listened to it and well…holy shit.
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Earlier this year, I touched on Thirsty Demon’s debut demo from 2019 titled Waning Death, which was a pretty exceptional taste of death/thrash that fits the Chilean scene. This year, they’ve brought forth a full-length record, something I’ve been anticipating for a bit. Titled Unconscious Suicide, this one mostly does away with the thrash influences and focuses on death metal crisp. To go along with that, the songwriting itself is tightened up regarding clarity in guitar leads, and overall it’s less chaotic in delivery. Pretty normal moving from the demo stage, but all three of the main tracks from the demo made it here (hold the interlude track). “Sadistic Desire,” “Waning Death,” and “With Them You Will Rot” blend in very well, and the grueling touch to the vocals and a different production significantly boost this. If there are any real signs of the thrash roots showing, they’re gonna peak out here. |
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We provide thoughtful reviews of music that is heavy, gloomy...and loud enough to wake us from slumber. Written by a highfalutin peasantry!
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