Category: Melodic Black Metal

10 Vampyric Black Metal Bands You Need To Hear

7/15/2022

Guest Post by: Ria Wigley

1. Old Nick
If there’s one thing that defines the microgenre of Vampyric Black Metal other than lyrics and imagery about vampires, it is flamboyant, dare I say CAMP riffs, a big focus on atmospheric synths, and absurd song titles. No band exemplifies this better than Old Nick. In fact, the 16-bit inspired keyboard sounds were almost too silly for me to really enjoy this band upon first listen, but after giving it more time I quickly grew to love it. There is an inherent silliness to the obsessive adherence to a particular aesthetic that most vampire media portray, even when it still manages to be coldly sinister and atmospheric at the same time, and Old Nick is the perfect musical representation of that. If you were hoping for second wave worship with some more gothic elements...well this isn’t that, it’s much better. Plus, who doesn’t love song titles like "Blood, Blood, Blood, Blood, Blood" or "Spooky Wicker Basket 1994 (Yes, a witch!)"

Recommended album: A New Generation of Vampiric Conspiracies

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FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: June 17th, 2022 Feat. Void Witch, Trocar, Valley of the Sun, and Inexorum

6/17/2022

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Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance. 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--and have been--listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so!

This Friday, Bandcamp is holding their third annual Juneteenth fundraiser, where they donate 100% of their cut of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Win/win!

On the docket for today, June 17th, 2022:
Void Witch, Trocar, Valley of the Sun, and Inexorum

Void Witch - Void Witch
(Everlasting Spew Records)

Either you love Void Witch's 2021 demo, or you were, until now, unaware of Void Witch's 2021 demo. After much anticipation, said demo is reborn, having been bolstered with a new song and granted official "debut EP" status. The three tracks contained within are diagnostically bad to the bone, as engrossing as they are gruesome. "Boudoir Bloodfeast," the newest addition to the Void Witch repertoire, is a notably excellent track, with a keen sense of dynamic play between the component death-y and doom-y parts. Nothing sits or feels stagnant, and in my mind, it is that restless sense of movement that has quickly made Void Witch stand out despite their newcomer status. In good time, this EP is gonna be considered a classic, so you should obviously check it out now and establish your legacy as a true fan of their early stuff.

Find it here!

Trocar - Four Forfeit Digits
(Independent, released 6/14)

There's no question that "gross" and "goregrind" generally go hand-in-hand by sheer nature of the beast. That said, this debut EP from Trocar elevates the art of grossness to sincerely admirable levels. The first three tracks are blistering affairs, raging forth with a burbling putridity and a mechanized drive like unto a piece of flesh-mangling machinery that unexpectedly kicks into high gear when you climb inside to clean out the gunk. While I particularly love "Orphaned Organs" for it's sheer absurdity, the standout track is closer "(Every Day Is) Halloween," which rolls forth with a distinctly electronic bounce, lending a new meaning to the "mechanized" descriptor. In a few short minutes Four Forfeit Digits features a dizzying array of sights and sounds, and ultimately serves to seriously whet my appetite for more. Good shit, 'nuff said.

Find it here!

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10 Vampyric Black Metal Bands You Need To Hear

FRESH MEAT FRIDAY: June 17th, 2022 Feat. Void Witch, Trocar, Valley of the Sun, and Inexorum

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