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REVERED AND REVILED ABOVE ALL OTHERS - Mythocracy (Mini-Review)

5/20/2022

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This year, in an attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we're trying something new and novel around these parts. Namely, we're gonna actually publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. In that spirit, here's a mini-review of a ridiculously crushing single.

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Written by: The Administrator

I'm a glutton for experiences that drown out the extremity of everyday life via, y'know, the gross application of additional extremity. As such, I tend to gravitate towards art that is overwhelming by design. Enter doomviolence pioneers Revered and Reviled Above All Others, my favorite outfit operating in the vibrant world of lung-collapsing antifascist music. They've got a new single out entitled "Mythocracy"--a short and poignant harbinger of the presumably forthcoming SWINEVOID.

Listening to RRAAO is pretty much the antithesis of leisurely activity. Indeed, willingly submitting to the (increasingly trademark) AS + DB brand of powerviolence-by-way-of-sludge necessitates an appreciation of unapologetic discomfort. And that's the point. The potent blown-speaker combo of blaring bass, clanging cymbals, and titan-esque roars are built to rupture eardrums and induce migraines. Here, notably, the vocals have an almost mechanized or industrial quality, which only lends weight to the overwhelming aesthetic. There's a tangible pressure to the sonic onslaught--this latest track in particular makes me feel like I'm caught in the confines of a depressurizing submarine. Make no mistake: "Mythocracy" is nauseating in a very physical sense. I love it. 

RRAAO have perfected their formula: "Mythocracy" swiftly makes a point and doesn't stick around to witness the aftermath. Brevity works wonders in terms of impact. The track is over in very short order, but the sheer catharsis when the vocals kick in after a sludgy bludgeoning and hollow drums? Nothing short of excellent. This track leaves me immediately longing for more of the same.

Intertwined with "Mythocracy" is a pre-order for the sickest long sleeve tee of 2022 (which I will certainly be adding to the cart as soon as the ol' band merch coffers are replenished.)


If this is your first exposure to RRAAO, I recommend checking out the excellent Toppling the Rotten Pillar​, reviewed here. We also interviewed AS + DB here. 

Revered and Reviled Above All Others can be found:​
Bandcamp
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SKUMSTRIKE - Deadly Intrusions (Review)

4/28/2022

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Written by: Blackie Skulless

Just before the world was taken by storm with a pandemic, Skumstrike blew my mind with their comprehensive brand of black/speed/punk. On 2020’s Execution Void EP of only fifteen minutes, they managed to sell me instantaneously. With a newer love for extreme music, I found the Canadian duo to touch close to the powerviolence side of things due to the unforgiving delivery. Now, they’ve solidified this into the form of full length with Deadly Intrusions.

The debut album is every bit as intense as what we were given before, with just a slight hint of clarity amongst the extremely coarse finish. The noisy gradient over the guitars and borderline fuzzed vocal delivery is still ever so present, coating the metal oriented passages with the blackest tint. But the leads themselves stand out higher than they ever have before, be it the solos or the riffs. This is helpful, especially because some of the songs move right into the next, further bridging the already overwhelming songs.


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FRESH MEAT FRIDAY - January 28th, 2022, Feat. Rotborn, SARTORI, Mt. Echo, and Depleted Uranium

1/28/2022

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On (regrettably infrequent) Fridays, 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 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, January 28th, 2022:
Rotborn, SARTORI, Mt. Echo, and Depleted Uranium

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Rotborn - Genocidal Resolution
(Redefining Darkness)

This is unrelenting death metal with a distinct penchant for utterly bulldozing the listener, and t
wo tracks is all ye need. Rotborn play fast and hard, confidently delivering the kind of frantic-yet-crushing riffage that can only bring bloodshed and destruction to mind. I'm a particular fan of the second track herein, the enormously belligerent "RULES OF MANIPULATION." Here, the guitar and drums work in tandem to present a furious forward march, presenting no reasonable option for retreat. It's onward unto the breach with this one, and, despite the fact that this is their first release as a collective unit, Rotborn are playing with an admirable cohesion. Good death metal is always worth a listen, and this is most certainly good death metal--another feather in Redefining Darkness Record's increasingly feathered cap.
​

​Find it on bandcamp here!

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SARTORI - Dragon's Fire
(Rockshot Records)


Here's a sad reality: we don't review nearly enough traditional heavy metal 'round these parts. That's frankly a damn shame, because when one overlooks the lighter fare in favor of brutality, one inevitably overlooks gems such as this. Dealing in fairly neo-classical fare, Sartori and Co. deliver a debut record that will certainly appeal to fans of the decidedly epic approach. Despite feeling a tad untamed at times, the soaring vocals and flashy axemanship are the stars of the show, and while in lesser hands the glimmering aesthetic would have the potential to wear thin, the group proficiently illustrates how truly enjoyable a good ol' heavy metal album can be. 

​Dragon's Fire is straightforward and fun as hell. You've encountered the formula before. The nostalgia is strong with this one. 'Nuff said.


Find it on youtube here!


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