Mork, Dypet (Peaceville 2023)

Wayne Edwards, , , , ,

Norwegian black metal band Mork stares into dark eternity with Dypet.

Mork is an incantation, or perhaps an avatar, of Thomas Eriksen, who himself is known far and wide for is work in heavy music. With Mork, Eriksen has released five previous albums, and a long string of EPs. Writing and recording is done entirely by Erickson. For live performances, The Metal Archives tells us he is joined by Alex Bruun (guitar), Rob (bass), and Daniel Minge (drums).

Talking about the new record, Eriksen states, “… the album title, which translates to “The Deep”, something from the depths has been brought to the surface, “Dypet” was inspired by my life over the last couple of years, the thoughts, feelings, passion and the evolving of creative free will.” Additionally, you hear deeply dark themes echoing the cover art that fit perfectly into black metal framing. “Using the Norwegian coastline as [its] setting, the artwork illustrates a mysterious cult that now worships the ‘Draugen’ (a mythical sea ghost in Norwegian lore) paying homage to the sea dwelling beast of Cthulhu.”

The set begins with “Indre Demoner.” It is like walking through a ruined churchyard in northern Europe. As you get closer to the main structure, your dread builds and you start to notice things that are not quite right. Continuing does not seem like a great idea, but it also dark behind you, so you walk on. Once the music gets rolling, it is surprisingly hooky, with a steady, noddable rhythm. The growling hiss of the vocals reminds you where you are, and even with the smooth production, the threat feels real. “Forfort Av Kulden” follows, balancing melody with sharp edges and a theatrical middle. “Svik” is a sorrowful piece that makes you think about how devastating it is when somebody does something wicked to you – this music captures that feeling exceptionally well.

What strikes me about this album is the combination of the depth of the sinister it is able to conjure and the approachability of the music. It is very unusual to generate such profound emotions of this sort in a relatable way. Songs like “Et Kall Fra Dypet” are musically harsher compared to others in the set, yet still they somehow are inviting – or maybe they are entrancing. I particularly appreciate “Avskum” which has such a deliciously dark cook to it, and the closer, “Tilbake Til Opprinnelsen,” is a mage’s spell told in a nightmare. Recommended.

Dypet is out on Friday, March 24th through Peaceville Records. Choose your path at the links below.

Links.

Mork website, https://www.morkisebakke.no/

Bandcamp, https://peaceville.bandcamp.com/album/dypet

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/MORKOFFICIAL

Peaceville Records, http://peaceville.com/bands/mork/

© Wayne Edwards

Mork, Dypet (Peaceville 2023)

Aphotic, Abyssgazer (Sentient Ruin 2023)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , , , ,

The debut album from Italian blackened death-doom band Aphotic is a mesmerizing trip into the unexplored, Abyssgazer.

Aphotic is a new band, coming together in 2020 when like-minded musicians from existing heavy groups decided they wanted to do something a bit different. To wit, they had the “intent of constructing world-building, deeply atmospheric death metal soundtracking a philosophical and eschatological concept revolving around the expansion and ultimate fate, and death, of our universe.” That is a tall order, but after listening to the album a couple of times, I think they might have done it.

“Endzeit I” is a short lead-in piece that sets up the first main song, “Spectral Degradation,” which begins with a barrage of battering percussion meant to knock you down, followed by a midtempo death metal assault that is dark, murky, and entirely satisfying. The sound of calling disembodied voices will live in your mind ever after. “Cosmivore” is tentative at first, but not for long. Interdimensional suffering can be heard and felt as the growling vocals carry the story forward. This is a heavy, monstrous song. “Deathward And Beyond” has a tilted doom framing. It is a completely different beast.

After another interlude, the second triplet begins with the title track, “Abyssgazer,” a mystical entreaty. The swirling, swarming voices are in full force, and they menace the trudging doom. Excellent. “Horizonless” is a high-energy assault with masterful layers and sagacity, while “Depths Call Depths” is more of a soldiering rumbler, getting the job done with force and dread resolve. After a final interlude (which is the most disturbing of the three by far), the ending appears: “Chasmous.” Enchantingly gloomy, this one resonated most with me, although the entire set is excellent. This album is my first time listening to Aphotic – it is their debut, after all – and now they have my attention. Recommended.

Abyssgazer is out in all the usual formats on Friday, March 24th through Sentient Ruin Laboratories in the US, and Nuclear Winter Records in Europe. You can order your preferred format at the links below.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/abyssgazer

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/aphoticomega

Sentient Ruin Laboratories, http://sentientruin.com/main

Nuclear Winter Records, https://nuclearwinterrecords.com/shop/

© Wayne Edwards

Aphotic, Abyssgazer (Sentient Ruin 2023)

Woe Unto Me, Along the Meandering Ordeals, Reshape the Pivot of Harmony (M-Theory 2023)

Wayne Edwards, , , ,

Funeral doom band Woe Unto Me investigate sorrow on their third full-length album, Along the Meandering Ordeals, Reshape the Pivot of Harmony.

Woe Unto Me formed in Belarus in 2007. Their music is fascinating for the surprisingly variety of influences it reflects – after all, funeral doom does not often stretch out in many directions. One of the driving forces of Woe Unto Me, Artyom Serdyuk, describes the album this way: “Musically the new record is the continuation of our movement into more progressive realms of doom metal. This is not a typical funeral doom or death-doom, but it contains the elements of all kinds of doom metal sub-genres.” Indeed. The variety of vocal presentations alone is impressive and unmatched by other bands. Yes, this one is something different.

The album has five long tracks, all individually over twelve minutes in length. “Mired Down In The Innermost Thicket” – the title describes the music well. You do feel caught in the opening bars of the music, mired. You want to move, you are trying, but you are held down. Sorrow and sadness surrounds you, and that is why you want to get away, but then you can only see more sorrow in every direction. How much better off will you really be over there? The songs show off the vocal range of the group with melodic and rough vocalizations, spoken and sung emanations. It is a darkly beautiful piece. “Spiral-Shaped Hopewreck” brings melodic singing out first, and the pace is greater at the beginning than the previous track. Prog elements become clear in this one, and it has a genuinely haunting cooldown at the end. “Deep Beneath The Burden” walks an odd line, with lashing waves of sound pulsating all around such soft and gentle primaries. It mixes your feelings, leaving them all there individually and at the same time requiring them to relate to each other.

“Blood-Black Nothingness Stops Spinning” invokes notions of quest and spiritual deliberations. The music turns darker a few minutes in, and the permeating doom returns, as you knew it would. The final movement is “The Great Waste Of Withered Pipedreams.” To me, the music in this piece is the most actively menacing. It is unsettling, even frightening. The elements we have experienced before return, but they are armed differently, shrouded more darkly. I like every song on the album, and this last one is my favorite. The doom I hear on this record is different than what I am accustomed to, and its dark appeal will have a lasting impact. Highly recommended.

Along the Meandering Ordeals, Reshape the Pivot of Harmony is out on Friday, March 24th through M-Theory Audio. Have a look at the links below.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://woeuntome.bandcamp.com/album/along-the-meandering-ordeals-reshape-the-pivot-of-harmony

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/woeuntome

M-Theory Audio, https://www.m-theoryaudio.com/

© Wayne Edwards

Woe Unto Me, Along the Meandering Ordeals, Reshape the Pivot of Harmony (M-Theory 2023)

Gatekeeper, From Western Shores (Cruz Del Sur 2023)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , ,

Canadian epic metal band Gatekeeper bring forth the wonder once again on From Western Shores.

Guitarist Jeff Black started Gatekeeper as a solo project in 2009. Steeped in the quality of life that western Canada provides, Black set to work on epic melodic metal compositions, turning out over the years many EPs and splits, along with the full-length album East Of Sun in 2018. The band roster has changed considerably as time passed, and for the new album, Jeff Black is joined by Tyler Anderson (vocals), Adam Bergen (guitar, choir), David Messier (bass, choir), and Thomas Torma (drums).

“From Western Shores” sounds like the beginning of something big. The composition is dramatic and seasoned with exotic tinges. Soaring vocals and razor-sharp execution is the mainstay, gearing up for a journey told in music. “Death On Black Wings” is the first confrontation with violence and the energy and tone is appropriately adjusted. You can hear it in the vocals and the expressive lead guitar lines that sound like battles themselves. “Shadow And Stone” is quieter and reflective, pushing in the folk metal direction and passing by the valley of the power ballad. “Exiled King” is somber and sad in its sound and intimations. It is reflective, as we might expect given the title. The music becomes more forceful as the song progresses, suggesting the possibility of resolution.

The second half opens on “Nomads.” The beginning riff is enticingly stabby, tempered by the rollick in the rhythm section. The windswept middle of the song is a mysterious entanglement. “Twisted Towers” is positively peppy, almost a radio tune. Presumably, this song is the direct inspiration for the cover painting (or vice versa). There are some nice, gritty rock passages tucked away in here. “Desert Winds” reëstablishes a serious musical posture leading into the epic closer and namesource, “Keepers Of The Gate.” The metal here is larger than life, as it is meant to be. There is a long and satisfying cooldown so you can put what you have just experienced into perspective. Well done all around. Recommended.

From Western Shores finds broad release on Friday, March 24th through Cruz Del Sur Music. You can get the physicals at the links below.

Band photos by Wayne Edwards.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://gatekeeper.bandcamp.com/album/from-western-shores

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/GatekeeperBand/

Cruz Del Sur Music, https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/store/

© Wayne Edwards

Gatekeeper, From Western Shores (Cruz Del Sur 2023)

Photo Gallery: Singers, Part 2

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Obituary, Andrew J Brady Music Center, Cincinnati
Rivers of Nihil, Old National Centre, Indianapolis
The Casualty, Muddy Roots Festival
Mercyful Fate, Andrew J Brady Music Center, Cincinnati
Ancient Days, Black Circle, Indianapolis
Heartsick, Michigan Metal Festival
Dark Funeral, The Vogue Theatre, Indianapolis
Cannibal Corpse, Blue Ridge Rock Festival

Photos by Wayne Edwards.

© Wayne Edwards

Photo Gallery: Singers, Part 2

Photo Gallery: Shredders, Part 1

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Exodus at Pure Filth Festival
Gatecreeper at the Old National Centre, Indianapolis
Goatwhore, Higher Ground, Burlington
Kreator, Andrew J. Brady Music Center, Cincinnati
Michael Schenker Group, Piere’s Fort Wayne, Indiana
Municipal Waste, Pure Filth Festival
Overkill, Piere’s, Fort Wayne, Indiana
The Convalescence, Michigan Metal Fest

Photos by Wayne Edwards.

© Wayne Edwards

Photo Gallery: Shredders, Part 1

Downfall Of Gaia, Silhouettes Of Disgust (Metal Blade 2023)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , ,

German post-black metal band Downfall Of Gaia warp the continuum on their new album, Silhouettes Of Disgust.

Since 2008, Downfall Of Gaia has been growing and changing in both their sound and compositional attitude. Described in many different ways from sludge to crust to atmospheric post-black metal, their music is deeply rewarding to those who can hear it. They have released five full-length albums before Silhouettes Of Disgust, with a couple of splits, an EP, and a demo along the way as well. The band is Dominik Goncalves dos Reis (vocals, guitar), Peter Wolff (guitar, vocals), Anton Lisovoj (bass, vocals), and Michael Kadnar (drums).

Talking about the new album, dos Reis tells us, “With this record we wanted to return to our roots and the earlier days, but without taking a step back. We wanted to incorporate both worlds into our new album, where we came from – the DIY/crust punk scene – and the direction things have taken over the past few years, organically growing from release to release.” If you are a fan of Downfall Of Gaia, that will make perfect sense to you.

“Existence of Awe” leads the way with a direct and immediate assault on your senses by battering percussion and trilling riffs. Melodic elements can be heard operating over the same period but on a different cycle. The pieces together are like layers in an oil painting. You do not necessary hear every bit discretely at any given moment, but you do experience them all simultaneously. “The Whir of Flies” offers slapping percussion, which is quite visceral and intimate. After significant dosing, the tempo shifts and the music breaks off in a different direction, then speeds and slows throughout. At the halfway point, the song drifts into space, then sinks into a cavernous depth toward the end. It is quite a journey.

Over the course of the set, many ideas reenter in both the same and in differentiated ways. Brutality tag-teams melody, and the reverse. Songs are never one thing. Each is complex with numerous features and reflections. Every song is an example of this, but “Bodies as Driftwood” does it especially well, to my ears, because of its compactness. The final word on the album, “Optograms of Disgust,” will attract your notice, too, for its unshakeable dark beauty, its strength and resilience. Recommended.

Silhouettes Of Disgust is out now through Metal Blade Records in may forms. Examine the possibilities at the links below.

Links.

Downfall of Gaia website, http://downfallofgaia.com/

Bandcamp, https://downfallofgaia.bandcamp.com/album/silhouettes-of-disgust

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DownfallofGaia

Metal Blade Records, https://www.metalblade.com/europe/artists/downfall-of-gaia/

© Wayne Edwards

Downfall Of Gaia, Silhouettes Of Disgust (Metal Blade 2023)

Kruelty, Untopia (Profound Lore 2023)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , ,

Kruelty brings its message of metallic hardcore to the masses once again on Untopia.

Coming together in Japan six years ago, Kruelty took the path of many hardcore acts before it, choosing to release a large number of demos, EPs, and splits. It is a lot of fun for collectors as it creates a kind of treasure hunt that becomes increasingly more difficult the later you get on board. Their first long-player came out in 2019, A Dying Truth. Their latest might only be their second full-length album, but the band has done a lot of groundwork prior to this new one and you can tell when you hear it.

A chime starts the set in motion. Chants, as in Gregorian, follow. “Unknown Nightmare” is quite creepy. The guitars land with a massive doom slap, and in the next stanza have begun their rampage. The croaking vocals hover over the rumbling riffs and the clip slows and accelerates at unpredictable turns. “Harder Than Before” sounds like a tagline for a new ED treatment and, given the vibrant energy that the song opens with, it could be used in an ad for a new blue pill. This one is a flesh ripper, speeding and slowing and grating its way to your bones. The shrieking ending is startling. Excellent metal. “Burn The System” is a high-tension mission ender. The killer percussion and rhythm will give you a well-earned rash. “Reincarnation” is surprisingly peppy. I wouldn’t call it a happy song, with all the screaming and what not, but its early attitude is less dense than the previous songs. It does turn less than a minute in, though, and the savage, chewing metal is at you again.

“Maze Of Suffering” made me feel like I was drowning in its crushing doom and ominous death summoning. “Manufactured Insanity” goes the other way, starting out as a rollicking cracker and laying in the heavy later on. The record finishes on the title track, and this one will eat you alive. I haven’t followed Kruelty very closely over the years, but this new album has inspired me to go back and listen to everything they have done before. Recommended.

Untopia is out on Friday, March 17th through Profound Lore Records. Have a closer look at the links below.

Band photo by Seijiro Nishimi.

Links.

Kruelty website, https://www.kruelty666.com/

Bandcamp, https://kruelty666.bandcamp.com/album/untopia

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/krueltyjphc/

Profound Lore Records, https://profoundlorerecords.com/

© Wayne Edwards

Kruelty, Untopia (Profound Lore 2023)

Night Goat, Totem (Black Donut 2023)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , ,

Buckeye gothic death rock band Night Goat stages a triumphant return on Totem.

I do like gothic rock, I must say, and I always have. I am finicky, though, and there only a couple bands that really appeal to me in this lane. Night Goat is one of them. Their first album came out in 2019, Milk, and it was noticed. I place the new one, Totem, on an even higher shelf. The recording lineup for the latest set was Julia Bentley (vocals), Chris Bentley (guitar), Dalin Jones (Bass), Mike Ramone (guitar), and Donnie Casey (drums).

“Sister Wolf” gets things rolling on a sweet rock and roll riff and enticing vocals. The singing turns sinister right away and starts to put you on edge. The rolling guitar and peppery percussion sets the singing off a bit and unbalances the listener. The final third of the song occurs in a jazz space lounge with a wiring problem. “Ghost Sickness” is spooky. Then the spooky turns harsh, wresting a semblance danger overtop the lighter opening. The vocals sound desperate, strained, pleading. Something bad is happening. I wish I could tell you that everything turned out all right, but I don’t know that for sure. A “Wendigo,” recall, is a flesh eating monster, usually described as a cannibal, so this song was predestined to be gruff. And it is, and tipsy, too. “Blood Circles” seals the deal for me as it holds the mirror up to yet another dark corner, conjuring disciples from a perilous realm.

I do like this gothic music. It reminds me a little of Bloody Hammers, but this work is darker and less guitar-oriented. Also, it is not particularly melodic, feasting instead on tougher meat. I like every song on the record, but make sure you listen closely to “Rattlesnake,” a little rager with a lot of impact. “Skin Walk with Me” is another highlight, with its extra heavy clunk. The final track is the longest, “Death Crow Dance,” and it has a twisting vibe all its own. This album is a land of wicked wonders. Recommended.

Totem is available on Friday, March 17th through Black Donut Records. Get your stuff at the links below.

Band photo by Molly Crowe.

Links.

Night Goat website, https://nightgoat13.com/

Bandcamp, https://nightgoat13.bandcamp.com/album/totem

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/nightgoat13

Black Donut Records, https://blackdonut.bandcamp.com/

© Wayne Edwards

Night Goat, Totem (Black Donut 2023)

Sepulcrum, Lamentation of Immolated Souls (Chaos 2023)

Wayne Edwards, , , , ,

Death metal band Sepulcrum break new ground on their debut full-length album, Lamentation of Immolated Souls.

Sepulcrum hails from Chile, and formed in 2019. In 2020, they released their inaugural record, the well-regarded EP Corpse Dividing Holes. Notable for the speed and energy they bring to their compositions and performances, fans of the band have been anxiously awaiting new music. Their conjuring spells have been answered by Lamentation of Immolated Souls. The band is Nicolás Miranda (vocals, guitar), Sebastián Zúñiga (drums), Oscar Gibert (guitar), and Nicolás Espinoza (bass).

There are ten tracks on the new record, including an interstitial. The first crack is “Orbital Teratoma.” The title invokes horrifying images, and the music that goes along with it is suitably visceral, especially the growling vocals. The lead guitar break is a spreading riot. An excellent opener. “Schizophrenic Amputation” has a lot of hardcore and punk appeal in its velocity and also in the singing. The speed is infectious. The title track follows, a short horrifying blister-raiser that leaves not only an impression but also a scar. The pace resets on the ninety second instrumental, “The Decay,” which is dramatic and whimsical. Taken together, these four songs are a compelling opening arc.

The music is high-energy death metal, often testing the border between death and thrash. You can hear this clearly on songs like “Arousing The Putrid Flesh,” but really, almost all of the tracks. There is a lot of speed here. And then there will suddenly be a song like “Caustic Inhalation” which begins with a slow, sweet refrain. True, the peace does not last long and a heavy stomping takes the stage before a minute has passed, but the quiet moment might foreshadow the transitory elements of doom that live in the song as well. The final breath is “Traumatized by Insanity,” a track loaded with velocity, homage, doom, death, and callbacks. It is a killer, and so is the entire set. Recommended.

Lamentation of Immolated Souls is available on Friday, March 17th through Chaos Records. Peruse the links below for more details.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://chaos-records.bandcamp.com/album/lamentation-of-immolated-souls

Chaos Records, https://www.chaos-records.com/

© Wayne Edwards

Sepulcrum, Lamentation of Immolated Souls (Chaos 2023)