Rolling Metal 2016

very popular with the doom and stoner rock crowd and the melvins headline that day.

If it is them, that's actually even weirder, as they're the only band of that vintage on the entire three-day bill...

The festival organizers responded to me on Twitter - apparently it's a lineup led by original drummer Ken Pustlenik and some dudes from the band Gonga.

that's weird. Tony McPhee still tours as the groundhogs

Inverloch: Distance | Collapsed -- idiomatic doom/death from half of Disembowelment.
https://inverloch.bandcamp.com/album/distance-collapsed

I guess it's like how there are multiple versions of Goblin. I can't say I'd go see any lineup of the Groundhogs in 2016 - McPhee had a pretty bad stroke two years ago, I hear.

McPhee played with C93/David Tibet last year, seemed fine.

The Drummer Groundhogs are pretty good, according to a mate that's seen them. I'm quite looking forward to them.

4-way split of bands on Unspeakable Axe called 4 Doors to Death, all in the old school, blackened death metal realm: https://unspeakableaxerecords.bandcamp.com/album/4-doors-to-death

Going to get that and the Inverloch soon. Had to pick up the new Begrime Exemious last night, though, which is surprisingly thrashy but without stooping to retro lameness. Also picked up the 2nd Uncle Slam album for a buck, which is pure retro (well, old) lameness and I loved every minute of it. Especially the dumbass cover of Dazed and Confused.

weird question, but who's the "bigger" band right now: Baroness or Machine Head?

Machine Head for sure. Baroness is playing 400-capacity rooms with other bands on the bill; Machine Head can sell out 1500-2000 person rooms with no opening act, doing an "Evening With..." show.

xxxpost Unspeakable Axe also put out that new Ripper album, which is, uh, a thing that rips.

Many thanks for the attention drawn to The Wakedead Gathering, whose most recent two albums I now have in my possession. Music, lyrics, general vibe are all incredible. Kinda wish they'd go a little less in the "cavernous" direction though, because, like Domains, I think this music is better when it's cleared of some of the cobwebs.

Also on the I, Voidhanger tip, that Suspiral thing is pretty mindbending. If you're not burned out on this style, that is, which I probably should be.

I wouldn't mind hearing the cavernous/clearer style used by a band, like going back and forth. Anyone do that?

styles, that is

cool, yeah that Ripper is def along a death/thrash axis that I almost always want to hear (also note to Atheist fans, you know who you are, it's kinda like early Atheist)

the cavernous thing seems particularly prevalent among one-man bands/studio projects, and I chalk some of it up to a production quirk that obscures the fact that it's just one guy. With Domains, I remember listening on headphones one time, and realizing that the drums are probably played by someone from a keyboard/MIDI pad (despite what the credits say), rather than a real person, and would sound pretty ridiculous without a good amount of room-y reverb all over them (and everything else).

Of course now I'm on my second listen of Fuscus and I'm already finding it way less murky and smothered than I did the first time through. The mind is a weird thing. Maybe it was because I wasn't following the lyrics this time and so wasn't focusing on the vox, which is where most of the reverb seems to be.

And that's weird about Domains, because one of the things I love about their album is how alive and real it sounds.

xpost I can't imagine two competing production styles on one album but I'd be interested to hear any examples. Hell I don't even like it when demos get tacked on to the end of a disc; I need my homogeneity!

yeah, it's weird-- I think at the least, it's an electronic kit, but some weird performance things, like a ton of snare+cymbal hits that I know as someone who played a fair amount of keyboard drums on tracks is a lot more likely to happen there than from a real drummer on a kit. Also some too-isolated cymbal spacing. Drum *sounds*, as far as the samples themselves, are pretty easy to mask in a recording.

but yeah, that Wakedead Gathering is my favorite record so far this year, and happy to hear someone else is digging it.

New Kvelertak song. They're touring North America in April, too.

This is really shitty and I'm glad the police took her seriously and treated her with kindness. I hope they find the scumbag.

http://www.redbrick.me/music/this-is-not-a-review/

Baroness (they are in no way to blame) have responded
https://www.facebook.com/YourBaroness/posts/10153886065765056

Disgusting that this kind of thing goes on at gigs.

This Inverloch is great. The fourth track is sprawling, crypt-summoning bleakness in the best way.

xp disgusting that sort of thing goes on EVERYWHERE.

i'm talking to the folks at one of the venues I work at about pre-emptively having one of our interns act as a representative for http://girlsagainst.tumblr.com/post/138737820792/girls-against-reps

Wanted to listen to the new Anthrax but it's not on Spotify or streaming anywhere and I refuse to buy an Anthrax album in 2016 without hearing it first...

listen to it before you go to bed, you'll be out in ten minutes

I'll dropbox it for you if you really wanna hear it tho....I have the mp3s

Would you get in trouble for that? If not, email me... My email address on my account here works.

nope no trouble (i boughts it). check yer email, just sent link

Thanks!

"nope no trouble (i boughts it)."

Funny.

Gehennah's 10 guidelines for an anti-poser lifestyle

Mandatory reading.

2. Listen to early Tank

Yesssssssssssss

New Mesarthim EP today. $1 on bandcamp. Haven't heard it yet, but looking forward to do so.

https://mesarthim.bandcamp.com/album/pillars-e-p

oh wow! thanks!

lol

http://heaviermetal.net/corey-taylor-forced-to-perform-without-a-mask-after-it-was-stolen-backstage

oh how i wish it were true

Mesarthim is hitting the right spot. like a black metal Enya?

browsing through this week's Invisible Oranges : Upcoming Metal Releases: 3/13/2016 – 3/19/2016
http://www.invisibleoranges.com/upcoming-metal-releases-3132016-3192016/

this took my interest:

Plateau Sigma – Rituals | Avantgarde Music | Gothic/Death/Doom Metal/Darkwave | Italy

“Utilizing elements of the aforementioned darkwave as well as classic “Peaceville 3″ death/doom and Pink Floyd-tinged psychedelia, Plateau Sigma simultaneously remains rooted in their influences, but also transcends through coalescence. To rephrase, while undoubtedly influenced by the aforementioned trilogy, often alternating fluidly between the three, there are moments in which Plateau Sigma becomes something else entirely. A sum of their influences, sure, but efficient and effective in such a way that they become indistinguishable and Plateau Sigma rises above them something new: crushing, atmospheric, downtrodden, expansive. Something sad, painful, beautiful. Maybe there is a sublime ecstasy in pain.”

album stream:

Plateau Sigma – Rituals (Album Premiere)
http://www.invisibleoranges.com/plateau-sigma-rituals-album-premiere/

released: March 18th

the fifth to infinity album is really really good. drummer from Opeth, guitarist from Winterkrig. Waaaaay heavier than Opeth. being sold as "blackened death," there's more battle-metal ala Amon Amarth in here than death metal really imo - anyhow it's really absorbing stuff. On Avantgarde.

this Mesarthim is a) amazing and b) one of the best pop albums of the year so far

this Mesarthim is a) amazing

yes

and b) one of the best pop albums of the year so far

is this really a necessary take, I think there's honestly enough discussion about the mighty unassailable great God Pop without us having to drag Australian metal into the whole thing. leave the dead to bury their dead imo

amen

the fifth to infinity album is really really good.

Yeah this sounded really good last time I heard it. Gotta get a hard copy of it.

Currently listening to the Electric Funeral 2LP on Southern Lord. Super noisy d-beat that is probably a bit much for two LPs, really, but the first one's sounding pretty good.

solid atmoblack from South Africa:

https://wildernessking.bandcamp.com/album/mystical-future

So the dude from Blut Aus Nord and Debemur Morti started a new label called Sundust, the first release on it is Mutterlein - Orphans of the Black Sun, couple of tracks are up for free right now:

http://sundustrecords.bandcamp.com/album/orphans-of-the-black-sun-ep

Not metal, really, but recommended if you like Swans type heavy dirging and female vocals...

Skuggsjá, the piece that Enslaved and Wardruna were commissioned to write to celebrate 200 years of the Norwegian constitution (!) has been recorded and released as an album. It's really good.

It's released as A Piece For Mind And Mirror, btw.

Is is all traditional intruments like Wardruna?

No, it's a mixture of traditional and contemporary.

I've downloaded that but haven't listened to it yet. Very interested to check it out.