Written by: The Administrator
We slumbering townsfolk seldom find consensus when it comes to the world of music appreciation and unsolicited commentary, but we do enjoy some common ground from time to time. One such instance of is the inevitable positive reaction upon the release of new music from Pittsburgh's Úzkost. They've been dropping a string of consistently excellent and hard-hitting tunes over the past few years, with a clear plan to continue releasing singles across the coming year. Self-described as "blackened and doomed death metal," this crew demonstrates a real knack for relentlessly disorienting (albeit engaging) songwriting. I absolutely loved the standalone "Mt'hr" released a month ago for its unique ability to balance undiluted and unhinged rage alongside highly memorable hooks. Needless to say, the announcement of another track following on the heels of "Mt'hr" was cause for much celebration 'round these parts. Enter "Arise: Assemble! Conjoin Your Flame!"
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Written by: The Administrator
Blackened industrial doom metal isn't a sonic environ this particular scribe frequents with regularity. Sometimes, however, one feels the urge to conquer the unknown and descend directly into the bowels of the underworld. And so here we are, amongst the brimstone and the inferno, with Son of Seth assuming the role of psychopomp as we meander ever downwards. While genre labels are easy to throw around, what Son of Seth actually sounds like is a remarkably ever-evolving affair across the 26 minutes constituting De Dor A Odio. Intro track "Tortured Sight" begins with some noise-ridden atmospherics, an ominous and cinematic soundscape that is pulled apart by the thunderous arrival of what I can only imagine as a behemothian kaiju. And then it’s off to the races as the tortured vox emerge from the fray. While carrying themselves with a certain blackened bite, the vocal delivery reminds me more of something dredged from the world of harsh noise--add some overt pitch modulation, and you've got a mechanical vibe akin to something from Marijuana Deathsquads. But make no mistake: this is a calculatedly spooky affair, heavy on the atmosphere and bituminous ambience. The industrial influences shine through, resulting in an organically mechanized soundscape that practically begs for accompanying HR Giger illustration. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Taking formation about a decade ago, Worm built themselves on a black metal laced template that would evolve by the time their debut came out in 2017. Two years later, they broke into a bigger audience with Gloomlord, cementing themselves more into the doom/death realm. This year we got Foreverglade, a more refined version of what they’d been working towards, and this hit serious levels of peak performance. Taking their earlier black influence, they inject this into the latest sound while trimming up any sharp edges. By removing “sharp edges,” I mean the songwriting takes a substantial step forward, which I think the band lacked prior. Mostly, it isn’t overly foreign; you still get your doses of cavernous growls over gut-wrenching doom/death chugs, with the higher pitched howling leads to contrast this swampy execution. But incredibly, the production allows the deeper rhythms to feel more pronounced than before, which makes them standout enough on their own. Now add in the blackened drum tropes and higher, precise screams, and you’ve got a bit of a different animal on the loose. |
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