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Torch Runner – Endless Nothing (Review)

This is the second album from US Grinders Torch Runner.

Their début album Committed to the Ground was a very enjoyable release containing some extremely harsh and abrasive Grindcore. I’m very pleased to say that on Endless Nothing the band have kept up the intensity levels and this new release is just as acerbic as the first.

They show off once again that they may be committed to extremity but it’s not all about the blast, (although there’s still plenty of that). They know how to use dynamics and slow proceedings down when necessary to create heavier atmospheres before ramping up the intensity once more and going in for the kill.

The guitars seem to have a bit of a Swedish Death Metal tone going on, which is interesting to hear when combined with the infections high-energy riffs. The songs explode out of the speakers and alternate between sheer scything hate-filled blasts and bouncier groove-laden sections that threaten to level the house.

With this kind of ultra-violent Grind there’s nothing to not like really. It’s as if Napalm Death released a short covers album of all of the most extreme Converge songs whilst playing with a Swedish Death Metal sound and dragging the At The Gates singer in to do some high-pitched screaming.

You know Converge’s cover of Wolverine Blues? Like that, only Grindcore.

In other words, this is a great release and should you be privileged enough to hear it you’ll be instantly hooked.

Warfuck – Neantification (Review)

Warfuck are from France and this is their second album. They play Grindcore.

Over the last few years France has proven to be adept at producing quality Extreme Metal bands and Warfuck are no exception.

I have enjoyed their previous work and Neantification is just as pleasingly unhinged and rabid as the rest of their output. More so perhaps.

Warfuck play furious Grindcore with insectile screams and pinpoint precision guitars sharp enough to puncture flesh. The riffs are frequently angular, atypical and mark the band out as different from the larger part of the Grindcore herd.

There is a touch of the old noisecore scene about these tracks. Warfuck’s songs bleed out from a chaotic Hardcore base and the band channel this twisted spirit into something immense and dangerous.

In some ways they come across as the Grindcore cousins of a band like Uphill Battle, (who were already pretty extreme in their own right), and have similar levels of intensity.

Short songs, short album. This release may cater towards people with a short attention span but there’s enough content here to keep even the hungriest Extreme Metal fan satiated.

Why sell youself short by listening to only the latest Deathgrind clones? Get Neantification and remind yourself how interesting, exciting and devastating real Grindcore can be.

Top marks.

Natanas – Treachery (Review)

Natanas is a one-man Black Metal project from the US. This is his third album.

This is a very prolific project and this is the third album from Natanas this year. I reviewed the second album All Is Permitted not that long ago, and already I find there is this new release.

All Is Permitted was in the style of bands such as Xasthur, Portal, Mitochondrion, Enbilulugugal, Ævangelist and the like, and Treachery continues the theme.

Treachery feels like a good progression, (in a short period of time), from the previous album in that it, as a whole, feels more coherent and better constructed. The tracks are still raw, lo-fi expressions of hatred and malevolence, but this time they seem to gel and work better than previously.

The vocals have improved also, and this time they seem to have more bite to them, as well as being generally higher pitched and sharper.

Although the tracks here still have a pulsating organic looseness to them there’s also much more of a pseudo-Industrial and an almost hypnotic, tribal influence to them as well. Discordant, murky drum ‘n’ bass for the Black Metal generation? Maybe, but this album definitely has a more percussive edge to it regardless.

I said last time that this kind of Black Metal is not for everyone, and that still stands. It is, however, an enjoyable sidestep from the bog-standard and has a lot to offer those with the time, patience and stomach for it.

Give it a listen.

Calm Hatchery – Fading Reliefs (Review)

Calm Hatchery are from Poland and this is their third Death Metal album.

Calm Hatchery play Eastern-tinged Death Metal that’s brutal and precise. Their Death Metal is one that falls into the timeless school of music; it has elements of Old-School Death Metal but not enough to be considered retro and it has enough modern influences without sounding like one of the new breed.

Simply, these are proper Death Metal songs with an Eastern flair and if you’re a fan of bands like Nile, Hate Eternal, Morbid Angel, Behemoth, etc. then Calm Hatchery should be on your “to get” list.

The recording is top notch with everything sounding clear and crisp. The drums give a capable beat down and the guitars crush and destroy as they should. The skills of the band are set at a high level and I particularly enjoy the squealing solos and rhythmic riffing.

Deep growls are used well to work with the music and complement it well. Some of the riffs are quite inventive and atypical. The vocalist does his part in the mechanics of the whole song by allowing these moments to shine by themselves when necessary.

Calm Hatchery have produced an enjoyably brutal album that honours its Death Metal past yet glints with a personality all of its own.

A recommended listen for any Death Metal fan.

Mourning Pyre – Mourning Pyre (Review)

This is the début EP from Mourning Pyre, a one-man Blackened Doom project from the Ukraine.

A mournful, desolate Classical piece begins proceedings at the start of Saudade before equally mournful, desolate Doom Metal kicks in. It’s highly atmospheric Doom accentuated by subtle keyboards buried beneath the guitars.

Emotive leads in the style of My Dying Bride/Paradise Lost are the main drivers of the songs with crunchy rhythm guitars backing them up.

The keyboard/Classical parts of the songs are done especially well and speak of good arrangement and composition. Rather than sounding like addons to the Metal it’s all integrated well into a cohesive whole.

The drumming may be programmed but that doesn’t mean it’s perfunctory or basic; it’s filled with good rhythms and a nice amount of fills. They also don’t sound overtly programmed either as they have a decent sound.

This is Doom Metal rather than straight Doom, and the Blackened influence means that this EP has plenty of up-tempo moments. Some of the melodies used border on Post-Metal as well – Holding My Breath (Until I Die) is a good example of this.

I’ve enjoyed this EP. As début releases go it’s a good one. Here’s to the future and a full album of morbid delights to come.

Drowned – Idola Specus (Review)

This is the début album from German Death Metallers Drowned.

With an album cover that gives nothing away I was, for some reason, expecting Old-School Death Metal. What we get, however, is far more interesting.

Their brand of Death Metal is complex and mature. Elements of both Doom and Progressive Metal have evidently taken root in their sound and have blossomed on this release.

Drowned have a warm, organic sound that allows the riffs and melodies to come to life and virtually jump out of the speakers. The guitar tone is thick and syrupy and the entire production is satisfyingly heavy and well-judged.

Deep growls punctuate the journey into Drowned’s world as the guitars breathe tar into your lungs and the drums assault from all angles. It may be atypical Death Metal in some respects but this is to be applauded.

Idola Specus reminds me of a Proggier Incantation; Incantation crossed with Death, Gorguts and Immolation perhaps. Either way, it’s a great thing to hear and Drowned have certainly made an impression.

This is a class example of esoteric Death Metal that may have a firm base in the genre but is not afraid to incorporate more Progressive/Doom elements to enhance the core substance of the band.

It may have taken the band a considerable amount of time to put this album together but the end result has been worth the wait.

Have a listen to Drowned. Just remember to hold your breathe before wading in.

Interview with Orbseven

Orbseven is a one-man Experimental Black Metal project that has recently released a very impressive new album. As I’d not heard of Obseven until relatively recently and knowing next to nothing about the project I decided to find out more…

For those who are unfamiliar with your band – introduce yourself!

This is A. Zeven and Orbseven is my own personal solo project out of the US. Texas to be exact.

Give us a bit of history to Orbseven

I first thought about creating Orbseven in late 2004 and spent the next few years preparing the first release “The Linear Divide”. Since then I’ve released two more albums “Fall Below the Earth” and “.ismos.”. The latter of which has just been released this past year.

What are your influences?

Life is my main influence. My life. Others lives.

What are you listening to at the moment that you would like to recommend?

I just finished listening to the latest Anathema album “Distant Satellites” for the hundredth time. I love everything they do. Aside from that the recent releases from Overkill, Cannibal Corpse, and Bolzer. And I’m always listening to Rainbow (Dio era)…which I still believe is very under appreciated. In my opinion, the best work that both Ronnie James Dio and Ritchie Blackmore ever created. I think those first Rainbow albums should be looked into more by the general metal fanbase. I can go on and on about Rainbow. They’re essential listening.

What did you want to achieve with your new album?

After the first two releases, I had the urge to write something more open. Music that breathed a bit more than the previous material. I admit the first releases are really claustrophobic in sound and production. Very intense, and very exhausting. My idea for a third release was to counter those feelings but still create something that had impact…just without that frantic in-your-face approach. The music had to have clarity. I wanted it to have an inner and emotive pulse that resonated sonically.

Are you happy with how it turned out?

Pretty happy yes. I’ve always been happy about how my releases turned out. Being a solo artist that doesn’t have label representation and produces all the music alone, I have that luxury of releasing exactly what I want. It just so happens that I’m getting a bit better at representing the material with better production with each album. I think the two previous albums suffered because of my direction of the production. But it was the best I could do at the time and I’m happy about that.

What can you tell us about the lyrics?

Not a lot. The lyrics are the most personal thing about Orbseven. For “.ismos.”, it’s generally about existence. Just being. What that is, I don’t know. And I think thats the point of it. I have an idea of existence. Of being connected to everything. Of being aware. I have ideas…but I’m not certain. No one should be certain. Existence is too big for us. The contemplation is too enormous. No answers…all questions. That in a nutshell is what “.ismos.” is. I may release a lyrical line or two through social media from time to time. But never all of them.

Give us a bit of information on the songwriting process.

Each album has been quite different. Guitar is my primary instrument so it usually starts with that. And then I fill in the rest. With this latest one, it was a bit of writing before recording..and recording while writing. That just happens to be how the previous albums came to be. The first was pretty much written before any studio time. I had an over abundance of material and I was prepared before recording. And with the second album, 90% of the music was written while I was recording it…so I didn’t familiarize myself with it very much. I think that also contributes to that chaotic pace that you hear on that release. And in actuality, I can still play most of the first album by memory. The second album not so much. I only remember bits and pieces. I’d have to relearn how to play it. Again, with “.ismos.”, it was both knowing some of the material and still writing the rest. Lyrics would always come last because its the part I’m most intimidated about.

How do you see your songs/direction developing in the future?

I think for the next release, I’ll go back to that more aggressive style. After writing and recording “.ismos.” which is very minimal in guitar playing, I’m itching to play the heavy and fast stuff again. But at the same time, I want another “.ismos.” too. So it’ll probably be a marriage of both I think. That could all change. Orbseven is not very predictable.

What’s next for Orbseven?

Possibly a second video. But for now, I’m letting “.ismos.” do its thing. Letting it have its early life. I do that with all albums. I let it runs its course. By not preparing and writing a new Orbseven album, I’m allowing it to reach out and expand. It deserves that.

0 – Silence (Review)

This is the second release from 0, a Greek one-man Blackened Experimental Doom/Drone project.

0’s first album Simplifying a Demon was a surprisingly enjoyable slab of minimalistic Drone Doom in the vein of Khanate only with more Black Metal.

Once more the same foreboding atmosphere hits you. The cloying stench of something dark, dank, rotten and forgotten that slowly, agonisingly rises from the depths of some long lost pit of bleakness. But this time, something’s different.

This time around 0’s music is more considered and thoughtful. If Simplifying a Demon was the birthing throes of something horrific, then Silence is the sound of it growing and discovering itself, learning more about what it’s capable of.

Silence’s landscape is minimal and desolate, but for all this it is also a textured and alluring one. The songs wrap you in their deadly embrace and slowly take you into their world, warmly embraced by the darkness.

The Black Metal influence is still there on this release but it’s more subtle and less overt than previously. Silence has more of a droning Doom feeling, like some of the work by bands like Earth, Blackwolfgoat and Om, albeit a Blackened version of these.

The vocals have developed also. Black Metal shrieks are still in attendance but these are now very much a rarity. For the main vocals we are now treated to some very well performed and varied cleans that wouldn’t be out of place on more traditional Stoner Doom releases. Powerful and ominous.

Overall Silence is a positive progression for 0. The development shown on this album is really something and the songwriting has come on in leaps and bounds. I’m happy that 0 is not resting on its laurels and is continuing to push the boundaries of what a bass and a voice are capable of.

So get lost in the misery and enveloped in the Silence of 0.

Pineal – Smiling Cult (Review)

Pineal are from the UK and this is their début EP. They play Post-Metal.

Opening up with a clean, clear sound the band treat us to their take on the Post-Metal genre and like most things in Post-Metal it’s wonderfully individual.

As I’ve remarked on before, the one aspect of most Post-Metal bands which is relatively rare is clean vocals; most Post-Metal groups either go for harsh vocals of some description or no vocals at all, only a few have sung cleans. Pineal are one of the latter bands.

The cleans are initially unexpected but they do fit the music well. They sound very influenced by Alice in Chains and have the same kind of easy, laid-back power inherent in them.

The songs unhurriedly pass through their playing time with the band exploring the rich Post-Metal landscape and the singer producing plaintive, mournful tones on top of everything.

Smiling Cult is a skilful display of songcraft and shows a very adept band finding their sound and working out what feels best for them.

This largely eschews the normal Cult of Luna/Isis/Neurosis triumvirate in favour of a sound that condenses elements of Tool and Alice in Chains into this 25 minute EP.

Already in their short career Pineal show big promise. This EP is an enjoyable listen and if they continue to develop their sound even more then a full album from this band should herald great things.

Lavatory – Morbid Terror (Review)

Lavatory are a Death Metal band from Malaysia. This is their début album.

Just like the shambling, rotten monstrosity that graces the album cover, Lavatory’s brand of Death Metal is a putrid and corpse-ridden ode to that oh-so-satisfying of sub genres – Old-School Swedish Death Metal.

The album is aptly named as the band use all of the chainsaw-shaped tools available to them in their box of chainsaws to create Death Metal that’s heavy in both guitar tone and deathly dread.

If you know Swedish Death Metal, (and I know you do), then you know what to expect here; the chainsaw riffs, the haunting melodies, etc.

It’s all delivered by a band that sounds a little bit more unhinged than is the norm for the style though. It’s almost like the levels of rot have taken hold so much and so deep that they’re in danger of falling apart.

It’s like they’ve mixed Old-School Death Metal with an equally Old-School brand of Hardcore and taken the energy levels from the latter and messily transplanted them into the former. Well, the operation may have killed the patient but it’s been a success anyway.

The singer sounds like he’s going to rupture something and the guitars sound like the chainsaws haven’t had maintenance in a very long time.

The album reeks of the grave and sounds as ancient as a curse. The songs are primitive and stubbornly refuse to be anything other than what they are; there is no pretension here and the band are completely true to their decaying roots.

Check out Morbid terror; just make sure you bring clean underwear.