This is the latest EP from Masochist, who are a Brutal Death Metal band from the UK.
The intro track Prologue to Prolapse is nicely heavy and really clears the cobwebs away. Phew. It’s enough to crush a rhino. Not that you’d want to, but if you did this would do it.
From here the rest of the EP picks up the pace but is no less heavy, with thick guitars raging and blaring out.
This is Brutal Death Metal with the modern, heavy sound of Deathcore. To be clear, I’m talking the aural feeling and production of a modern Deathcore band, not the style; Masochist are firmly in the Brutal Death Metal camp. Yes there’s a lot of crossover of course but Masochist’s Death Metal comes from an older lineage than Deathcore’s relatively young one.
The vocals are deeply satisfying. Or satisfyingly deep. Both actually. They’re added to with high screams that aren’t too far away from static.
The music pounds, batters, rips, tears and destroys; these and other similar words. It all adds up to the fact that these songs are not only Hellishly brutal but Hellishly brutal in a way that says “Masochist know how to knock you down whilst writing top songs that hold attention and reach down deep into your stomach into your happy place and grab hold hard”. It’s a bit of a mouthful but that’s what they certainly do say, yes sir.
Oh but this is too good. Masochist are spoiling us. If they can keep their songwriting skills up and replicate this crushing, heavy sound on their début full length then the UK will have a real player on its hands.
I can’t recommend this highly enough. Top work. Now if I could only find a rhino…
This is the sixth album from Finnish Funeral Doom/Death Metallers My Shameful.
My Shameful craft dark and atmospheric Funeral Doom containing elements of Death Metal that are completely bent and broken to Doom’s single-minded will. Even the faster sections carry an aura of depressive longing and tragic woe that no amount of blast beats can erase.
The songs slowly build in intensity and atmosphere using textured guitars and eerie melodies. The band do a great job of stamping their own identity on the Doom/Death template and although it’s obviously recognisable as the genre it is, My Shameful don’t sound generic or stale at all. Kudos to them.
One of the key things about this band which sets them apart from others in the genre is the guitars; Rather than settle for the ever-familiar heavy rhythms with winding leads approach that so many go for, My Shameful have rhythms and riffs that are more nuanced and subtle than the norm for this style. Add some spectral effects and otherworldly sounds, mix in the expressive vocals and wrap it all up in some quality songwriting and Hollow is an album to savour.
This is haunting, strangely beautiful music that fosters a morbidly oppressive mood. Even the vocals, which are brutally evil growls, add to this feeling of ethereal heaviosity where the band seem to strike the right balance between darkness and light. It’s certainly not an equal balance, probably 85/15, but it’s one that allows them to work their Doom Metal magic.
As far as Doom/Death goes it doesn’t get much better than this.
Ahamkara are from the UK and play Atmospheric Black Metal. This is their début album.
This is Black Metal with epic length songs and a windswept feel.
This is the kind of album that’s the soundtrack to exploration. It’s the Blackened equivalent of a map of uncharted territories and frost-worn mountains.
The Embers of the Stars is bitingly cold and achingly sensual in equal amounts. These songs are emotive and expressive, infused with the raw energy of nature and the passion that goes along with this.
Heartfelt guitars and subtle synths provide the rasping vocals with a rich background on which to scream out into the heavens.
This sweeping music is perfect for Black Metal that’s inspired by nature and seeks to channel it via a darkened Metal route. Each of these songs is extremely well composed and gives the feeling of really being in the raw, dangerous outdoors.
This is the kind of epic, atmospheric music that has been characterised well by the Cascadian scene, even though this is from the UK. Fans of Wolves in the Throne Room, Altar of Plagues, Agalloch, Fen, Skagos, Fauna, Wodensthrone, (who share a member), etc., will be very at home with Ahamkara. However, whereas a lot of these bands have Post-Metal qualities to their sound, Ahamkara substitute these for shades of the mighty Emperor and thus are more “pure” Black Metal than not.
Really top quality work like this should always be supported. Listen and become enthralled.
Grimoire are from Canada and this EP is their second release. They play Black Metal.
Grimoire have an epic sound that consists of melodic grandeur, atmospheric keyboard highlights and frostbitten blasting.
This EP contains 4 songs totalling just under 25 minutes; 3 actual songs and an instrumental/ambient piece. It’s well-recorded and sounds like a labour of love for the band.
Vocals are primarily the standard rasps, performed well. Other styles occasionally appear for added variety.
Affecting leads and emotive riffs are the bedrock of Grimoire’s foundation and there’s a streak of Depressive/Funereal Black Metal in their sound due to this.
L’Aorasie des Spectres Rêveurs is full of celestial textures and enchanting melodies. This is haunting, powerfully atmospheric music when the band want it to be. And when they don’t? That’s when the icy blast beats and more aggressive guitars make appearances.
The songs here have an obscure, otherworldly quality to them, in keeping with the EP cover. Barren and cold yet magical and enthralling; the land of Grimoire is for hardy adventurers only.
My favourite parts are when the band slow down and the full grandeur of what they are capable of is unleashed like some grand and terrible funeral march, such as near the middle of Les Rumeurs des Astres.
They start this split off with just under 7 minutes of Crust-fuelled terror the likes of which will have most people running for the hills. It’s underground, brutal and terrifying.
The vocals are savagery incarnate and come off completely unhinged; serrated growls that don’t sound even vaguely human. Crikey. Sharp high vocals occasionally cut through the meat of their sound too but it’s the deep vocals that do it for me.
The songs are very energetic and I like how it’s not all blasting; the band pace themselves well and give a very aggressive display without resorting to Grind-by-numbers.
These short songs hit the spot and the Blackened Crust influence in the riff department is a welcome change from the Grindcore norm.
A very enjoyable few minutes of ultra-violence from Stheno.
Grassroll are also from Greece and play Grindcore with a dash of Sludge. They contribute just over 6 minutes of fast, insectile Grind to the split.
The singer has a voice that’s so high and maniacal as to sound scarily barbed. Her vocals scar, maim and lacerate. Deep growls occasionally punctuate the tracks but for the most part it’s static-like screams, reminiscent of Discordance Axis. Overall it’s the opposite of Stheno really, who mainly use the deeper vocals.
There’s a slight Sludge hint to their sound in some of their riffs; enough to perk the interest but not enough to detract from the pure demented aggression of these songs.
Grassroll like to play fast and hard, and who can blame them?
Short and to the point, this is a worthy split between these two bands. Both contributions are different enough that the songs on this split are obviously by distinct bands yet their shared base genre allows them to complement each other well.
Extinctionist have a good line in groove, chug, technical flourishes and pure demolition-style blast beats. It’s enough to keep any Death Metal fan sated and full.
The recording is clear and strong, with everything sounding crisp and tight. The sci-fi theme does them no harm either, and interludes like Selection sound genuinely malevolent.
Deep, guttural vocals ride alongside the heavy music. The growls are just a shade or two above pignoise, (mainly), and the singer sounds totally committed to the cause.
The songs are largely short and to the point; this is about battering down all defences and causing as much destruction as possible in as short a timescale a possible. The band make good on this threat too.
This is enjoyable Brutal Death Metal that will groove, chug and blast its way into your collection.
Chalice of Blood are from Sweden and this is their latest EP. They play Black Metal.
This is sleek, occult Black Metal that’s sharp and vibrant. It’s Orthodox Black Metal played well and with a great production that fits the band like a warm death.
Chalice of Blood’s songs are covered in Blackened melodies and violent darkness. The tracks are largely fast and have strong guitars which hack out subtle melodies from the ice and sharpen them to killing implements.
The singer has a good Black Metal croak that sounds sufficiently evil and inhuman. The music complements this by sounding cold and unnatural but very professional at the same time. Chalice of Blood have a polished sheen to them which manages to enhance rather than detract from their malevolent nature.
The riffs sting like razorblades and the drums lacerate at 100 paces. As I sit here absorbing this music I can feel it getting under my skin, going direct through the layers of flesh to get at my lifesblood. I don’t try to stop it, that would be folly. Chalice of Blood have produced music that’s worthy of devotion.
Doomlord are from Puerto Rico and play Doom Metal. This is their début album.
After enjoying their first release – Almas Malditas – I was eager to check out Black Testament to see if the band had made good on the promise displayed in that first split. The answer is yes.
Doomlord specialise in Classic Doom Metal inspired by the likes of Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, etc. The personality of the singer and the added organs also speak of a Jon Oliva influence, which adds another level to the band.
The singer has a great set of lungs and the elements of Jon Oliva’s style add a layer of theatricality to the band that is more pronounced on this album than it was on Almas Malditas.
The band have an array of good riffs and the solos are very enjoyable. It’s the whole package here though, as everything works together to create impressive songs that are catchy and full of hooks.
Each of these tracks is a very enjoyable demonstration of just how good Doom Metal can be.
The songs are aided by a strong sound that allows the band the space to show off their skills. It’s a lengthy album at 68 minutes, but it manages to hold interest throughout.
Desolate Shrine are a Death Metal band from Finland. This is their third album.
This is not your standard Death Metal. Oh, all of the features and identifying marks of the genre are present and correct, but this is a more mature, expanded beast than the average.
Desolate Shrine specialise in dark, malevolent Death Metal that’s epic in scope. This is over an hour in length, with some tracks having well over ten minutes duration.
The band complement their Death Metal core with a few Black/Doom influences and overall The Heart of the Netherworld boasts evil atmospheres and gloomy auras.
The songs have a lot of meat to them and there is plenty of variety and interest to be had here. Slower, atmospheric parts, brutal riffs, lighter mood-building sections, rhythmic destruction; Desolate Shrine have it all.
Deep growls are accentuated with the occasional scream. The singer has a powerful voice that lends the songs an inhuman component and brings out their otherworldly side even more than the music already does.
The sound of the album matches the content; it’s strong and clear enough to do the band justice but murky and grim enough to bring out the sense of ritualistic nightmare that the band create.
Three albums into their career and Desolate Shrine have clearly mastered the art of writing involved songs that are wrapped in darkness. Think of a band like Ævangelist only with less of a pure-horror Black Metal viewpoint and more of a powerful Death Metal one.
This is a top quality album of horror Metal if ever there was one. Check out Desolate Shrine today and try not to soil yourself.
Ctulu are re-releasing their 2011 album Sarkomand, and what an album it is. Arne Uekert and Mathias Junge answered some questions and filled in the blanks…
For those who are unfamiliar with your band – introduce yourself!
Arne: I am Arne Uekert, guitarist and vocalist in Ctulu.
Give us a bit of history to Ctulu
Arne: Ctulu was founded in 2004 in Northern Germany with the aim to create fast and dark, yet melodic extreme metal.
What are your influences?
Arne: I’d let the listener decide on this point.
Mathias: Most people would say, it’s black/death metal in old Swedish style of the 90s like Dissection or Naglfar, but during the time of making music we created our own style called ”Seastorming Extreme Metal”.
What are you listening to at the moment that you would like to recommend?
Arne: I am listening a lot to Totenmond – Tonbergurtod at the moment. You may miss the point of the lyrics when you’re not speaking German, but the music is one of the heaviest and most evil I’ve ever heard.
Mathias: At the moment, there’s is nothing I would like to recommend.
Sarkomand is a few years old now but is being reissued for your 10 year anniversary – tell us about this.
Arne: The CD version is practically sold out and we always wanted to go vinyl. It was just a logical consequence.
Mathias: ”Sarkomand” is predestinated for this cause. A 45 minute manifest of pure violence and horror in the vein of H.P. Lovecraft! Who knows his stories will like this release. The album was loved by the fans right after release and is sold out for a while! Now it’s back on 12” vinyl and a must have for every Extreme Metal lover.
Since the album was originally released, how do you feel about it now – is there anything you would change or do differently?
Arne: Most unexpectedly I’d say that I wouldn’t. Actually this desire is normal, but I think this album works perfectly this way. The length is good, there are no fillers and I think each track stands out on its own. For me, this is still our best album.
Mathias: No, there is nothing I would change, for me it has everything what a good Extreme Metal album needs.
What’s your favourite song on the album and why?
Arne: Mondsucht, definitely. I think it’s a good track to end an album with and I like the atmosphere it creates a lot.
Mathias: Good question…it’s hard to say…if I have to choose I would say Blindes Chaos, because in this song all the components of Ctulu‘s Extreme Metal are combined.
How do you feel you fit into the wider Black Metal scene, and do you feel differently about this now than when Sarkomand originally came out?
Arne: For us, Sarkomand was the ultimate evidence that we’re actually NO black metal outfit. Some reviews even counted this album as death metal. Freie Geister (our début album) earned a lot of harsh criticism because it is so very “unblack”. We wanted to make a statement with Sarkomand. This is extreme metal, this goes beyond death/black/dark metal or whatever.
Mathias: Well, we actually never associated ourselves with the Black Metal scene, because from the beginning till now, we never got religious (Satanic) influences in our lyrics or use any symbols of that on stage or in our artworks. We got nothing to do with any religions, that‘s why we call our music ”Extreme Metal” and when Sarkomand came out in 2011, it wasn’t different.
What can you tell us about the lyrics? Would you change them now?
Arne: Sarkomand is kind of a concept album about the Dreamland cycle by H.P. Lovecraft. Reading the “Dreamquest of unknown Kadath” will help you a lot diving deeper beyond the surface of the lyrics on this album.
Mathias: The lyrics are about nightmares and other Lovecratian themes. If we would change something, we wouldn’t be Ctulu anymore.
Give us a bit of information on the songwriting process.
Arne: The songwriting was done by our lead guitarist Mathias Junge and our former drummer Jan Westermann (now active in the Greek outfits Released Anger and Diablery). I just added some second guitar tracks here and there. The lyrics were written by Mathias and me. About the songwriting itself, there’s actually nothing all too special to say. The tracks evolved very naturally and were finished very fast.
Mathias: The songwriting process is split between Arne and me. If we have new material, we work it out together with both guitars and then all the other instruments will follow.
How do you see your songs/direction developing in the future?
Arne: We’ve started to work with tracks written by both Mathias and myself now. We work longer on the single tracks now and we’ve found a better way to record demos, so the songwriting has changed a lot since Sarkomand. I think this will help the music get to the point faster now than it did three years ago.
Mathias: I don’t want to make any predictions, we will see what happen in future!
What’s next for Ctulu?
Arne: We’re working intensely on our forthcoming album that we hope to record at the end of this year.
Mathias: We working on a new album and the first live shows for 2015 are confirmed!
This is the latest EP from Masochist, who are a Brutal Death Metal band from the UK.
What’s your favourite song on the album and why?
Wonderbox Metal 