Rolling Metal Thread 2014

It's typical of a genius to disown a piece of work so quickly. Won't change my opinion, though! At this point it's looking like a lock for my metal #1 this year.

Black Grape are pretty smoking stood next to Black Lace.

lovin the new Midnight album.

Ooh, apparently most of the Japanese all-female power-metal band Destrose split off and formed a new band called Mary's Blood. Their album Countdown to Evolution is out and highly recommended if you like this sort of glossyspazzy thing.

http://open.spotify.com/album/0BT9R3G81VVc6Yn8PFyzPv

feel guilty I have almost 100 earsplit emails that I haven't checked..

what, were you out of the office on Friday?

I could swear I saw the band Emptiness mentioned somewhere itt but a search tells me otherwise. Even though my last post was about Dark Descent bands, this post is about a Dark Descent band that sounds nothing like other Dark Descent bands. Seriously have no way to describe or categorize this. Reminds me of first hearing something like Swans or Devil Doll or Current 93 when the part of the brain responsible for drawing parallels just shuts up so you can stare glassy-eyed into the new space created by the ... sound.

http://youtu.be/0sRmPbxk_I8

It's slow but it's not doom. It's cavernous and I guess it's death metal but it's not "cavernous death metal." I ... I really dunno. Totally hypnotic and out of this world.

Or I could've just posted this:
http://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-but-the-whole

Good lord, two of these guys are from Enthroned? All their creative fire must go into Emptiness.

I remember seeing David Lynch on The Tonight Show years ago. He was talking about his efforts to make guitar-based music. I remember he said that he had no idea how to play the guitar so he taught himself to play "backwards," whatever that means, and that the music came out sounding like death metal. That's what Emptiness sounds like: David Lynch playing death metal backwards.

Actually a lot of these riffs remind me of black metal. Like Thorns or even DSO. Weird.

"David Lynch playing death metal backwards" - okay, I'm sold. Will check out today.

this Emptiness stuff is fucking awesome

also there's a (completely brilliant) new Jute Gyte that I've been going on about in the BrancaMetal thread: https://jutegyte.bandcamp.com/album/ressentiment

but yeah this Emptiness is like nothing I've heard. the field recordings are an inspired production choice

Yeah I dug what little of Emptiness I listened to as well

I wouldn't necessarily say the the new Code Orange Kids (I Am King) is hardcore, or post hardcore, or post rock, or screamo, or grindcore, or experimental black metal. I would say that it has aspects that remind me of all of the above, and it's heavy as hell, and I like it a lot.

new Jute Gyte wat

7 minutes from the new Dark Space III I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwAy6MAjUgI

!!!

I've barely begun absorbing the previous Darkspaces. Think I've listened to them all once.

and yes, some idiot (me) typed in all those dots and dashes in a morse translator. May have made a couple of errors but it's their upcoming show in Switzerland.

INCOMING SIGNAL. DARKSPACE CALLFG DSSC. MISSION: DARK SPACE IIII ENCOUNTER. GEO COORDINATES: 46.94051, 7.44396. TIME: 062200BSEP14. END OF TRANSMISSION.

Yeah I've got tickets for that now, it's around the corner for me. Also has Bölzer on the same night, who I'm very interested in seeing.

listening to the new Haunted. soft spot as their s/t was my first Amazon purchase (and really, one of my first ten metal albums)...I am to understand that the one prior to this was complete and utter poopy shit?

For those that remember Hellveto, the all-over-the-place Polish orchestral/folk/black metal band that released a dozen or so albums between 2003-2010, the main guy has renamed the band to Neoheresy and the album "Noc Która Dniem Się Stała" is now out on Elegy Records. US label so maybe finally some decent distribution? Anyway, it's excellent. Like "Passage"-era Samael with much heavier orchestral (and no industrial) influence.
http://www.metalsoundscapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/NEOHERESY-Noc-Ktora-Dniem-sie-Stala.jpg

Another one to watch, Deathcode Society. Local band, did a fuckin amazing demo "Ite Missa Est" five years ago, then disappeared, and resurfaced last year when they Indiegogo'd their debut album.

New Blood Storm album coming out, which I imagine will be as ignored as all of their previous ones. But I'm looking forward to it.

Also a new Khold album, for some reason.

I occasionally spin Blood Storm's first album, the only of theirs I have. Everything about their stuff seems conceptual and cool but the repetitiveness of the music puts me off. Unless they've gotten more interesting since The Atlantean Wardragon?

Also, lead-off track from new Horrendous. Cannot wait to hear it in full.
http://www.stereogum.com/1702806/horrendous-the-stranger-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/

If there are promos of this thing lying forlorn amid your desk detritus, I recommend fishing it out. (I say this from a position of non-journalist jealousy.) Everything I've heard about Ecdysis suggests it's gonna be A Big Deal.

I should add I'm not repetitiveness-averse full stop. Darkspace rules. And Earth. Hell, even Darkthrone. But their droniness seems to have a point. Blood Storm is like raucous thrashy repetitiveness which works against itself.

There seems to be a pretty common divide between people who feel that way about Blood Storm and those who don't, actually. Haven't heard their last album but their style remains pretty consistent. I'm going to have to listen to their albums again and see if I can quantify why I think they're great.

Live snippet of a new Wizard Rifle track, supposedly a "10-minute epic" called "Psychodynamo." They're a trio now (bass dude newly added) and new album is due in October! Very excited.

http://youtu.be/ujly83tFyXQ

Hey, is "Lowland" from "Nothing but the Whole" >supposed< to just cut off crazy abruptly? The download I got from bandcamp is the same as the streaming experience on bandcamp, but it makes me wonder if the track was cut off when it was originally uploaded. Anybody have physical media/a different experience?

Late on this, but I just got back in town late last night and have been avoiding the internet as much as possible.

But Sleep absolutely fucking ruled last week, I'm so glad I got a chance to see them on this tour. Matt Pike was as shirtless and awesome as he ever is, but the biggest fun was watching how much fun Cisneros was having. Pulled out a nice suprise when they brought out Bruce Lamont to sing on a cover of "Hole in the Sky". Corrections House were really good as well, their industrial sound really translated well to a live setting, it was intense. I do have to admit that I was a little worred for how sick Mike IX Williams looked, he looked gaunt and green all night and Scott Kelly and Lamont kept walking over to check on him. But then at the end of the set he sounded absolutely coherent and fine, so maybe it was part of the act. Anyway, great show all around.

Hey, is "Lowland" from "Nothing but the Whole" >supposed< to just cut off crazy abruptly?

On metal-archives it's listed as being 8 secs longer than it says on bandcamp so if anything we're not missing out on much. I kinda like how it drops off like that, though. Made me do a little Keanu "whoa" the first time.
http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Emptiness/Nothing_but_the_Whole/409479

Oh my god, there's going to be a new Sadistic Intent EP. Can't believe they've been making music for over 25 years and never released anything but EPs.

New things I liked:

Entombed A.D. - This is the album they should have made after Wolverine Blues which remains my second favorite Entombed album after the debut. I hate the two-bands crap though.

Myrkur - Solo female black metal project on Relapse of all places. Really interesting juxtaposition of sweet vocals and harsh black metal.

Nachtmystium - I know that it's trendy to hate on them now, in no small part due to Blake's issues that seem to only be getting worse as time goes on. But this is a mournful record full of despair.

October 31 - Great old school romp. Nothing fancy, but solid as usual.

Principality of Hell - Greek band on WTC is total Celtic Frost/Hellhammer worship - even including the Tom G. Warrior grunt! - and that's rarely a bad thing.

Wolf - Want to listen a few more times but it's fun! Even though on "My Demon" is sounds like he's rhyming it with semen, which is a disturbing thing that's hard to unhear.

Maybe it's seamen. Maybe it's nautically themed.

The official word on "Lowland", from Matt at Dark Descent: "Hey. That's no mistake. The ending is abrupt and odd as is the album."

listening to this Botanist album

pretty good, wouldn't have sounded out of place on Dischord or 1/4 Stick back when really - more textured production than was the norm with either of those labels, but a pretty cool organic proggy vibe

not really metal to my ears, trade those vocals out and it's pretty indie-rock, but good all the same

Would really rather see Opeth and Alcest (European tour lineup) than Opeth, In Flames and Red Fang (US tour lineup). Shit.

listening to this Botanist album

pretty good, wouldn't have sounded out of place on Dischord or 1/4 Stick back when really - more textured production than was the norm with either of those labels, but a pretty cool organic proggy vibe

not really metal to my ears, trade those vocals out and it's pretty indie-rock, but good all the same

― Now I Am Become Dracula (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Friday, September 5, 2014 9:59 AM (15 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah i like a lot of how this sounds but i wish the drums had more punch. like, i know dude is recording his drums in the woods or whatever, and that's great, but they sound a little anemic to me.

speaking of great tours (xpost), since Pallbearer is doing the eastern US w/ Tombs + Vattnet Viskar and Europe w/ YOB I'm hoping that means they'll bring a killer lineup out west when they come this way.

(which is to say: goddammit i wish i could see either of those tours)

File under funny and sad...

Friday, September 05, 2014
Nachtmystium: pre-order label statement

Century Media Records understands that many people have not received their copies of 'The World We Left Behind' even though they pre-ordered the album directly from front-man, Blake Judd. We know that this is not only frustrating but also a let down to the fans of the band. So, we'd like to help out in this situation and deliver the fans their pre-ordered copies on the format that they ordered.

Please e-mail us at: nachtmystiumord✧✧✧@centuryme✧✧✧.c✧✧ with proof of your order and we will get you your copy of the album on the format(s) that you ordered them on. We just ask that this e-mail address be used for issues with 'The World We Left Behind' band direct pre-order issues only. Blake will not be reading any of the e-mails and we will not be forwarding any e-mails about other items that Blake sold through his personal pages or the NACHTMYSTIUM Facebook page.

'The World We Left Behind' also marks the last album NACHTMYSTIUM has with Century Media Records. We wish Blake Judd the best of luck with all future endeavors, both musically and personally.

Century Media

There's a relatively new anti-Blake Facebook page (can't access it at work, so I no direct link) that seems to be a great clearinghouse for watching his decline (and how he's STILL attempting to rope people in to sending him money). That said, the guy running it does go a little over the top at times with his stories about "friends" giving Blake drugs in an attempt to kill him via overdose.

haha wut? is there a summary article of this somewhere so i can get up to speed?

what's the nachtmystium dude's deal?

Cliff Notes: Blake is a junkie who rips off everyone and it's gotten worse over time.

Stereogum story from last year.

why on earth would Century Media let dude even begin to take direct orders through facebook or wherever? that seems like something they'd nip in the bud in a heartbeat ... could they not, for some reason?

bizarre

Usually it's contractually obligated that artists receive some product.
At worst, it's usually a good idea. Most of the time it's pretty uncontroversial.

Chicago metal doesn't seem very healthy these days.

yeah i like a lot of how this sounds but i wish the drums had more punch. like, i know dude is recording his drums in the woods or whatever, and that's great, but they sound a little anemic to me.

Re Botanist, I prefer the drum sound on the first two records, the ones on tUMULt - sounds like a woodpecker stuck in a cardboard box, which I'd ordinarily laugh at, but in this case the weirdness works in context.

seeing Nocturnus (ok, sorry, Nocturnus AD) tonight...for ten bucks. woot

Usually it's contractually obligated that artists receive some product.
At worst, it's usually a good idea. Most of the time it's pretty uncontroversial.

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Friday, September 5, 2014 3:33 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^these are traditionally the copies they sell at the mercy booth on tour no?