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August went and saved the best for last, as summer finally explodes in a fireball of glorious metal and almost-metal. Don’t let the summery sunshine distract you from all the magical, miserable music pouring forth into the world. In truth, none of these albums require an introduction–just buy them. Buy them all.
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ALBUM OF THE WEEK (SHOULD RULE HARD)
How is this even possible? Grave are 24 years old. They have exactly one original member. A band’s tenth album should not be their best album, yet here we are. The laws of nature have come unstuck–the sun is a dying firecracker, cats are raping dogs, and Endless Procession of Soulsis one of the best death metal records I’ve heard in forever. I wrote about the album on Friday, and I’m writing about it again because I rarely get this excited about anything. Check out our ongoing exclusive stream if you haven’t already.
Grave – Endless Procession of Souls (8/28) [Buy CD] / [Buy MP3] / [Buy Vinyl]
Grave – “Passion of the Weak”
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MIGHT RULE HARD
First up: Profound Lore recruit Dysrhythmia for a predictably ridiculous assemblage of instrumental shred from Kevin Hufnagel and Colin Marston. Clarity and complexity are the name of the game, making this a rare example of an instrumental record that holds and demands attention.
Eagle Twin are pure Southern Lord: big, bowel-voiding low end and gloomy doom that stretches for miles. For all the big-amp weed riffs on display, there’s a shade of ritualistic sludge ala ’90s Neurosis that creeps in to keep things fun. If that sounds too slow for your blood, steer your ears to grind supergroup Murder Construct. We’ve got guys from Exhumed and Cattle Decapitation tearing through 10 tracks in about 20 minutes, and then in true grindcore fashion, the “experimental” 11th song stretches out for 6 minutes and brings in slow riffs and pianos and all sorts of things that appeal to non-grind folks like me.
And then there’s The Seer, the second post-reunion album from Swans. It’s two hours long, spread across two CDs or three LPs, if you’re into wax. I have not yet heard it straight through, because it’s two hours long, and I am (sadly) only human. Mercy does not live in Michael Gira’s house. But forget all that: Jarboe finally returns for a few tracks. New Swans will never be old Swans, but the fact that Gira is still making vicious, vital music is enough cause for celebration.
Dysrhythmia – Test of Submission (8/28) [Buy CD] / [Buy MP3]
Eagle Twin – The Feather Tipped the Serpent’s Scale (8/28) [Buy CD] / [Buy MP3] / [Buy Vinyl]
Murder Construct – Results (8/28) [Buy CD] / [Buy MP3] / [Buy Vinyl]
Swans – The Seer (8/28) [Buy 2xCD / 3xLP / Special Edition CD / MP3]
Dysrhythmia – “Test of Submission”
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Swans – “Mother of the World”
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THANK YOU, MAY I HAVE ANOTHER?
What did I miss? There’s a new Katatonia record that sounds a bit neutered to these ears, but might be worth a listen anyway. Ex Deo made a perfectly silly video for the lead track off Caligvla–if you wish Behemoth-sounding death metal had more of a symphonic Euro power metal vibe, you’re in luck. But seriously, what about you? What are you most excited for this week?
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That Swans album is fucking epic. Easily their best album, to my ears.
Really looking forward to hearing those Dysrhythmia and Eagle Twin albums, but its really all about Swans for me this week. I checked out the NPR stream a couple of times last week and was blown away. New Swans may never be old Swans, but old Swans did their thing, and more than My Father…, The Seer feels tied to some of those old ways. It’s crazy how expansive yet together this album sounds, it’s this kind of glorious dismal sprawl that I’m looking forward to living inside of for a bit.
Haven’t heard anything from it, but Gypsyhawk’s Revelry & Resilience is out this week and while I wouldn’t call their first album a triumph, but I dug the deep Thin Lizzy vibes and am curious to hear what they’re up to now. More of the same wouldn’t be bad.
Got the new Katatonia in the mail last week, and while it didn’t connect with me as immediately as _Night Is the New Day_ did, I can’t imagine anyone who liked that not liking it. Sounds a lot like Tool, actually (and for me, that’s not a bad thing).
Ordered the new Swans at the same time as I ordered the Katatonia, so I’m expecting that to arrive soon, maybe even (I hope) today. I’m not put off by the ridiculous 3XLP running length. I first got into the Swans through the 2XCD reissues that came out on Young God back in the late nineties (e.g., _Children of God_/_World of Skin_, the _Various Failures_ comp, _Filth_ /_Body to Body, Job to Job_). I’d drive around in my car all night delivering pizzas while listening to those, and, while I don’t deliver pizzas anymore (thankfully) or have a record player in my car, Swans for me will always be about that kind of listening experience.
Also want to order the Grave LP and give it some listens before seeing them with Morbid Angel. All I have from them is _Into the Grave_, which I honestly don’t listen to all that often, but the album stream posted here the other day won me over.
So yeah, lots to be excited about.
The 2xCD Swans reissues are ridiculous. I had most if not all of them (starting with Swans Are Dead) and I used to conduct listening challenges where I’d try to get through both discs of Filth/Body to Body, Job to Job in one sitting. Pure sonic punishment, and abstract enough to be a great writing soundtrack.
Only reason I haven’t dug into the new one is simply a shortage of time these past few weeks. Same reason I never go to the movies. It’s hard to carve out a block of 2 hours, and I’d rather experience this thing as a solid whole. Soon though, maybe next week.
I hear you. I bought it on vinyl because I knew I’d make the time to really listen to it if I spent the thirty bucks. But when that time will be I don’t exactly know. Anyway, looking forward to hearing it, and hearing what you and others think about it. I doubt it’s the career highpoint some people are saying it is–that’s already happened,and it’s called _The Great Annihilator_–but I’m sure it will be at least interesting.
My old roommate used to swear by The Great Annihilator, and it is amazing, but I’ve always been drawn more to Children of God. Such a great band, with such a sprawling, shifting discography. I still need to spend more time with the last album. So much to listen to!
Yeah, _Children of God_ is also amazing, though I’m partial to the live versions of those songs on _Feel Good Now_. The drawn-out version of “Blind Love” at the beginning of that record scares the hell out of me.
Isn’t there a new lightning bolt album coming out this week? Or maybe they’re playing SF next week, can’t remember.
Not sure about an album (didn’t check non-metal listings this week), but Lightning Bolt are probably on tour right now. I’m seeing them this weekend at FYF Fest in LA so I’d expect them in SF awfully soon.
Funny Lightning Bolt story: I saw Lightning Bolt play a free secret show at the Empty Bottle last year and it was PACKED. It was an early show so I went down the street to get pizza and came back to the Empty Bottle to see Årabrot and Wizard Rifle play a free late show. 5 people total saw that show! Jesus Christ.
Will definitely be picking up The Seer, as well as Gaza’s new one, because it rules! And Walking Dead Season 2!!
I will have to give that SWANS album a listen. I got to see them with Nick Cave, Butthole Surfers in ‘87 and the intensity and sheer loudness is still waiting to be topped.
Greed and Children of God were, along with COIL, Foetus, Slayer, et al, highly influential in shaping a metal head.