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In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish short reviews at a greater frequency, thereby shining our very small spotlight on more cool shit. Without further ado:
Written by: The Administrator
I was lazily enjoying a seasonally appropriate cold snap here at the Sleeping Village. I was avoiding the icy trek out to the promo pit, electing instead to staying inside my warm hovel, listening to classic albums and reveling in nostalgia. I was comfortable in the knowledge that with every hour of inactivity, our humble music review site experiences the slow burn of algorithmic death. But! The self-imposed slumber would not last. Black/death metal (now) trio Ashenheart have dropped a new single. Rise and shine! "Empire of the Necromancers" serves as the first track of Ashenheart's forthcoming EP, Tales from Eternal Dusk, which releases April 18th on cassette via Fiadh Productions. This track feels like a genuine level up, and I say this as a big fan and champion of that which hath come before. While raw and sharp, the songwriting on Faded Gold often felt unhurried, content to let you live in the morose atmosphere. I liked that aesthetic quite a bit, but this new direction is notably menacing and powerful. A little more forthright and pointed. Amanda Kauffman's guitar is immediate, aggressive, and significantly heavier--her riffcraft here bestows this track, and presumably the EP at large, with a sinister weight and an intimidating presence that leans further into death(end) metal territory. The main riff is wicked, simultaneously jagged and blunt, like a medieval mace wrapped in barbed wire for good measure. Alex Loach's vocals are as mean as ever. I mean, positively caustic stuff. Alex has swiftly become one of my favorite vocalists in the throat-ripping-and-rending department, and from that first explosive shriek--"BRING THEM BACK TO LIFE"--it is clear he's only getting more confident. I do enjoy the additional vocal dimension here, with Steve Wiener adding deathy growls underneath, which act as a grounded foil to Alex's harsh delivery. And, speaking of Steve, his contributions--keys and synths, said backing vocals, acoustic guitar, and solo guitar--add a lot to the overall shape of the track. The keys in particular offset the sheer aggression of the guitar very nicely, and add an element of playfulness that keeps the ear on constant high alert. In sum, "Empire of the Necromancers" is a stellar track from a band that is only getting better. It indicates an exciting sonic direction, and I am interested to hear how the combined force of additional punch and additional backing elements will translate across the EP as a whole. Until the full thing drops, I highly recommend streaming "Empire of the Necromancers" and hitting that pre-order here!
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Written by: The Administrator
Welcome back to AMPWALL Roundup, our new column dedicated to shining a little light on music that we slumbering scribes find whilst trawling through the explore page over on Ampwall. That "random tag" search feature has turned up some good stuff over the past week. If you don't know what this whole Ampwall thing is all about, please take a quick gander at Volume I, where we get a little more in-depth regarding the many virtues of the new platform/marketplace/community. We here at ye olde Sleeping Village are big advocates for the integration of additional resources into the independent artist's promo toolkit. To that end, having more music-purchasing people become aware of Ampwall's existence will only help it grow as a viable option moving forward. Anyways, let's get to the music! Below are 6 (more!) bands I highly recommend checking out. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
If you know my taste at least relatively well, you’ll know that the later Necrophobic output is something I’ve come to love. Mark Of The Necrogram may be my favorite album since the debut, and the latest, Dawn Of The Damned, marched through with a flame nearly as hot. That takes us to In The Twilight Grey, being the Swedes’ tenth album overall, following the release patterns we’ve gotten their whole career. Going in, I was certainly curious to see which direction it would go, since the last two took the “don’t fix what ain't broke” route. Stylistically, there isn’t a whole lot of breaking away from the black/death style that the outfit has perfected several times. Much of Necrophobic’s career has been pretty consistent, with mild changes for the better or worse, and maybe a few experiments (ok, I guess I just contradicted myself a little). Thus, we find ourselves with another release full of sharply produced guitars built on tremolos and steep chugging. Backing this tactic up with explosive and impressive, albeit one-sided drum kicks meets the same deep and raspy but comprehensible vocal style, somewhat opting for a third iteration of what worked wonderfully before. 
Written by: The Administrator
Inside me are two Aborted fanboys. The first acknowledges that a review posted on my little review site seven months after the release of Vault of Horrors will do approximately nothing. Such an exercise would represent nothing more than wasted time and energy that could be better spent writing about a lesser-known band. The second fanboy, however, yearns to talk about Aborted, and the only thing that will quench this terrible thirst is an overly loquacious review. After a brief and perhaps gratuitously bloody battle, the second fanboy won. Decisively. And so here we are. On their twelfth album, the horror-themed Vault of Horrors, Aborted continues their established trend of brutality with a technical flair. The second leg of their career has continually demonstrated a move away from the grindy aesthetic of the releases that they built their reputation upon, and this latest does little to buck the trend. Indeed, Vault of Horrors arguably represents them leaning the furthest into an unabashed Cattle Decapitation-esque modern sheen. That's far from a slight--this polished territory comes with roaring low end, squirmy and discombobulating quickfire riffage, and militantly pummeling percussion that feels like sustained bombardment from automatic railguns. Aborted show no qualms when it comes to burying the audience in pursuit of all-out sonic assault, and, as such, listening to all ten tracks in the intended order requires a certain willingness to succumb to overstimulation. But isn't that why we're all here? At this point in their career, it's safe to say that Aborted seldom do things halfway. In adhering to this maximalist mindset, every single moment on this album is absolutely overflowing with sound. Vault of Horrors is an exercise in (mostly) justified excess. 
Written by: The Administrator
If you're the type to lurk around the metal underground, you've likely heard of Ampwall, a new music platform/marketplace/community founded by Chris Grigg of Woe. Ampwall is a public benefit company explicitly designed by artists for artists, and their clear commitment to empowering independent bands is both rare and admirable in a world of music platforms that prioritize profit time and time again. Since joining when the beta launched a few weeks back, I've seen a variety of artist suggestions taken seriously and changes administered in real time. The community they've built over on Discord is friendly and robust, full of people who are clearly in this for the love of the music. The financial upsides are also immediately apparent: they operate on a very low-cost subscription model if you plan to upload music, and sellers make more per transaction. There's even an option for buyers to cover the transactions fees, a feature that feels so common sense I'm shocked it isn't industry standard. The pages are true showcases with an emphasis on aesthetic, and contain a very handy Press section where artists can link to reviews. The features are numerous and honestly make every other platform feel...remarkably antiquated. You can tell that this was built by musicians who understand what DIY tools are actually useful. Long story short: Ampwall is an alternative that deserves full attention, especially in an era of enshittification where even platforms like Bandcamp are bought and sold by corporations with zero regard for the artists who bring the value. You can read more about Ampwall over on their mission page, and you can sign up for beta access (as a fan or an artist!)here. And! In an attempt to shine a little light, we slumbering scribes are hereby instituting a new column wherein we trawl Ampwall for cool music and, y'know, write about it. Below are 6 bands I highly recommend checking out. Let's get this started, shall we? 
Written by: The Administrator
At this stage in the game, a new Through Mists album spawning forth every few months feels like one of life's true constants. Moreover, there's a certain joy I derive from observing a fresh batch of Through Mists tracks careen into the promo pit, and the fact that it happens three to four times a year is truly a gift. If the band name sounds familiar, there's a good chance you saw something here. This will be a record-breaking fifth premiere that we slumbering scribes have written for this prolific one-man proggy death/black/sludge juggernaut over the past few years. If nothing else, I hope that our own extensive Through Mists catalog serves as an indication that I'm personally a big fan of what he does. Anyways! Let's cut to the chase and head hellward, shall we? This latest forthcoming album, appropriately entitled Hellscape, will be released on Dec. 6th. It may very well be the most abrasive entry in the Through Mists discography to date, and we are honored to premiere here the title track. Give it a listen below! As always, we'll catch you on the other side. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Ever since its inception, Norway’s Dødskvad have held my interest due to their rough and primal doses of death metal that has yet to surpass the EP format. Every other year tends to see another release now, and their latest, Krønike III, rages forward with the naming structure of simply “Krønike” followed by which “chronicle” number it is. Once more going through Caligari Records, this delivers a very familiar approach. Cavernous howls, a degraded overcast, and pummeling rhythms that have a sharp edge are once more the name of the game. And if I’m being honest, the first two tracks “Dodens Sverd” and “Lenket Til Bunnen” work in exactly the same way as what we’ve seen before. Neither track distinguishes itself very far from the powerhouse that was the first two EPs, and while they’re both executed with a murky gradient that’s fun to submerge in, I struggle to conclude that the songwriting on either is as good at capturing me as before. Both do work in their dungeon-like tricks and unsettling bottom, however, which fit nicely with the massive closer “Ved Manas Bredd.” Opting for a long closer like in the first EP, this ten minute rumbler sneaks in higher lead guitar wails to contrast the harsh and unforgiving ground. Extra bounciness with such a raw reflection bounces off of the percussion, and it’s this track that makes the third EP worth visiting. In my humblest of opinions, I think it’s time Dødskvad reaches for an album. They’ve got a healthy blend of doom and death metal that very much has a unique identity, and I think that Krønike III would have worked better with a few more songs turned into a full-length. Everything the band has done thus far has been great in terms of conjuring up striking ideas, but I think we’re ready for a full ride. Basking in and cleaning up the general direction of the third track should set some masterful groundwork. Dødskvad - Krønike III was released July 26th via Caligari Records. Find it here! 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
As I’ve noted when discussing the band’s previous output, New York’s Undeath are an outfit that have been with me since their earliest demo in 2019. Over time, they would grow into quite a significant spectacle in the scene, dropping another demo and two full-length records since. The quintet has always emphasized the brutal and unforgiving sides of the death metal genre, made extra filthy early on, and cleaned up the surface slightly with each subsequent release. The latest outing More Insane continues this trend, making the most significant jump between albums in that regard. Since Lesions Of A Different Kind, Undeath have made it known that they also prefer a slightly more intricate variation under those grueling and marshy riffswamps. This has always helped the band stand out, and with a newer production style, we get a higher emphasis on unorthodox leads. In fact, I would say that More Insane now lets the band reach “technical” death metal territory, as even the rhythms focus heavier on this approach. From time to time, the burning hot riffage will pair with, and even trade-off with the bass guitar, allowing both to take the forefront, which is highlighted nicely on the title track. Frontman Alexander Jones also tampers with vastly different vocal approaches. We still get a healthy serving of the deeper gutturals that the band are known for, but this time around an experiment with higher shrieks and throatier lows is extremely present. I would even argue that they take precedence over what we’re familiar with, fitting the vibe of the technical songwriting and cleaner atmosphere. 
Written by: The Administrator
The cover art of Cavern Womb's stellar debut EP, Stages of Infinity, feels like the pure essence of death metal captured in visual form. Garish and gross and eldritch, yet alluring all the same, this imagery sits in that uncomfy and uncanny zone betwixt body and cosmic horror. It manages to represent the utterly incomprehensible. Luckily for all you death metalheads, Cavern Womb's music itself--while fascinatingly off-kilter--still hovers within the realm of comprehensible. Across four sizable tracks, Stages of Infinity serpentines through an arena of twisted riffs, gnarly oddity, and proggy polycephalous song structures. There's an uncanniness woven among the atmosphere and the pronounced groove. Just when you think you have a track's approach and character nailed down, it warps and morphs into something unexpected. Something...alien. Were you expected a cowbell in the midst of cosmic death riffage? I wasn't, I can tell you that much. 
Written by: The Administrator
Much has been said 'round these parts about the prolificity of Through Mists, so much so that I'm using the word "prolificity." I won't belabor that particular point. In short, one never needs to wait long for the one-man extreme metal band to drop another release, and this latest, Branches, follows up April's Prolific EP, which I enjoyed quite a bit. Needless to say, we're excited to premiere Branches here today prior to its official release tomorrow, July 12th. Branches consists of five tracks built on the shoulders of Through Mists' trademark blend of blistering and progressive death/black/sludge metal. While instantly recognizable from a sonic perspective, this latest outing notably leans into more melodic and technical flourishes, lending a sense of individuality from track to track. This is a quality that only continues to blossom across the discography at large, and at this stage in the game, I feel like the balance struck results in some of the most engaging and interesting Through Mists tracks to date. As always, we slumbering scribes invite ye to listen below! We'll be waiting on the other side of the virtual fold. |
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