Sleep & Bongripper Live at Chicago's Thalia Hall
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As Matt Pike sauntered on stage on January 26, naked from the waist up, as he always does, I smiled. There are a few things in this life that give me comfort in an ever changing and sometimes unsteady world. Experiencing powerful and daunting bands like Sleep live is one such example. I have a feeling the crowd shared in this sentiment because they erupted the moment Pike set foot on stage.
Sleep plays the type of show people talk about for years to come. I’m sure any bed within at least 10 blocks of the sold out show at Thalia Hall in Chicago felt like Magic Fingers from the amount of thunderous bass that came from the seminal doom trio. Pike, in true rock star fashion, smirked and flung picks into the crowd as bassist Al Cisneros belted out the lyrics to “Dragonaut.” This song was clearly a favorite from the deafening shout that filled the hall at its beginning. The crowd rocked in unison, bits of ceiling rained down on my head, it was glorious.
Sleep is important. Since their formation in 1990, Sleep have wielded outsize influence in the areas of doom and stoner metal. Their 2003 release, Dopesmoker, was recently praised by the New York Times. The band, however, can only be truly appreciated when seen live. Equal parts sublime and experimental, with upward of 10 minutes in length, their music is easy to get lost in.
Support for this show came from Chicago natives Bongripper, and their entrancing performance created an atmosphere that Sleep followed effortlessly. I had the pleasure of seeing these guys live for the first time just a month ago with Goatsnake and Pelican. They have a unique way of drawing in the crowd using elongated, almost slow motion movements and chord strikes. They have a massive sound, the type that makes your internal organs feel like they are receiving a massage from ghosts.
You can, if you’re lucky enough to be a ticketholder, catch Sleep next when they open for Neurosis during their 30th anniversary shows in March.
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Upcoming Metal Releases 9/20-2015 – 9/27/2015
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Current UMR writer Jon Rosenthal is experiencing some type of Life Event which prevents him from writing this column. Something about a “business trip” which undoubtedly involves sordid activities like rubbing up against random women in hotel bars, having security called on him, and then masturbating furiously into the hotel bed’s pillows. Anyway, his “business trip” has occurred at precisely the worst possible week this year...if you don’t like my exceptional taste in music. So really, this is his fault, and you should all hate him. He owes me for covering in his absence. He’ll soon discover that I have less scruples when it comes to Getting Mine than a Hutt has. Hope you like metal bikinis, Rosenthal....
ANTICIPATED RELEASES
Huntress - Static (Napalm Records) Here are two totally factual facts: Huntress is one of my favorite bands, and Static will be released this week. A related fact, which is also factual, is that I’m super fucking pumped for Static. Based on, well, everything about “Flesh,” I can guarantee that if you didn’t like Huntress’ previous two albums, this one won’t change your mind. And that’s ok, I respect your right to be wrong about Huntress being awesome, just like you respect my right to be right that funeral doom, drone, and Electric Wizard are all bollocks. I should probably say something about the song. Jill Janus’ vocals are as powerful as ever: piercing highs, strident mids, and occasional screams. The lyrics are goofy and sort of, uh, sexy? Is it sexy when a lady sings lyrics that are about banging or murdering or bang-murdering another lady? Musically, Huntress has always been a fast band, trading in speed metal, US power metal, and Painkiller type material that’s nearly thrash. “Flesh” is midtempo, closer to ‘80s trad metal than to the aforementioned bands and genres. Down in the Also Of Note section, I included a bunch of stuff that I don’t like. It’s a peace offering of sorts. A Sound of Thunder - Tales From The Deadside (Mad Neptune) The East Coast queen (of hell) and kings of record label-less power metal keep on keepin’ on with their fifth full-length album, which is based on the Shadowman comic book series. This is my most anticipated record of the week and maybe of the year. A Sound of Thunder’s 2013 release, Time’s Arrow, was my favorite album of the year. The follow-up, The Lesser Key of Solomon, was strong but not nearly as good as Time’s Arrow. To be blunt, I’m worried that the band has stretched themselves thin by releasing so much material in so little time: five albums and two EPs in seven years. Nevertheless, Tales is my most anticipated album. “Tremble” is an interesting track, featuring some of the harshest vocals Nina Osegueda has yet laid down, with certain lines almost turning into pinched sounding screams. The backing music is a mostly mid-tempo stomp, but we shouldn’t assume it’s representative of the rest of Tales given that A Sound Of Thunder jumps genres as they see fit. “Tremble” strong stuff though, and I’m pumped to hear the rest of the album. Gloryhammer - Space 1992: Rise of the Chaos Wizards (Napalm Records) There are space wizards and the singer is the Green Power Ranger and the guitar player is a ghost and JUST LOOK AT THIS FUCKING VIDEO. Black Breath - Slaves Beyond Death (Southern Lord Recordings) I’ve only heard this one song, and it’s more death metal, and less thrashy and crusty/D-Beat-y than the tracks from Sentenced to Life. I actually do like Black Breath, but even if I didn’t, they’d make the Anticipated section because they get our esteemed editor’s genitalia rock hard. Harder, even, than Battlecross and Skeletonwitch do. [That’s why we’re streaming the album on the site this Wednesday!- Ed.] Horna - Hengen Tulet (World Terror Committee) We’ve heard two tracks from Hengen Tulet so far, and both feature a fuller, less trebly production than previous Horna efforts. Coincidentally or not, they sound much more like Taake songs than Horna songs. I’ve always found Horna records disappointing. They’ve seemed like a band that could release modern classics, but continually fall short, and other Shatraug efforts like Behexen and especially Sargeist have produced much better music. Another thing: Every song on MGLA’s Exercises in Futility is better than the preview songs from Hengen. [We’re also streaming this record in its entirety on Thursday! So, as you can see, Street-Jammer knows how to toe the party line!-Ed.] Mord’A’Stigmata - Our Hearts Slow Down (Pagan Records) So after I kind of pooped on Horna even though I also kind of like them, here’s a black metal(ish) band whose record I really, really am excited for. You’re warned, though, that “The Mantra of Anguish” takes a while to get moving, gets really powerful around 4:20, and then kinda jazzy, jammy, and weird at at about 7:25. The record falls just short of 30 minutes, so maybe it’s more of an EP, and it’s certainly priced like one on the band’s Bandcamp. MGLA have defeated all contenders to the 2015 black metal record of the year throne, but they’ve still got to put down Mord’A’Stigmata to keep it . . . and they might not succeed....
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OF NOTE
The Arcane Order - Cult of None (Massacre Records) The Arcane Order play the kind of flashy melodeath/thrash that can only exist in the post-2000 environment. When this stuff works, it succeeds because it’s memorable and because it picks the best aspects of its donor genres and channels them into superior songs. When it doesn’t - I’m thinking about certain Darkane records - it’s dull and lifeless, with bland melodies and pointless shred. I’m hoping that the rest of Cult of None is better, because “Ahab” is dull. The Arcane Order’s first two records have stellar reviews, so there’s hope. Snail - Feral (MeteorCity Records) I am not into this. It’s psychedelic doom metal with a guitar tone that ranges from ultra-crunchy to droning and tripped out. The vocals are subdued, not a lot of melody going on. Deathcode Society - Eschatonizer (Osmose Productions) Loud, punishing, beefy symphonic black/death metal. Similar to Dimmu Borgir’s post Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia efforts, and also to bands like Anorexia Nervosa or Hollenthon. If you like your black/death metal with extra keyboard drama, then this is for you. Dark Buddha Rising - Inversum (Neurot Recordings) Warm, speaker rattling fuzz with an artsy, occult bent. Not the kind of thing I like; consider its inclusion as a mea culpa for having Huntress as Anticipated. Division Speed - Division Speed (High Roller Records) High Roller typically puts out quality, but finding a good rethrash band means fishing in some very shallow, very polluted waters. That said, this isn’t typical pizza-thrash crossover goonery. I wracked my brains for forty-five minutes while driving to try and remember who this track reminds me of, and I failed. So maybe that’s good? Praise The Flame - Manifest Rebellion (Memento Mori) The following things about this record scream SUPER CEREAL Orthodox black metal: band name, album title, artwork, certain song titles. Fortunately or not, you choose, Manifest Rebellion is not at all Orthodox or black metal. It’s more a mix of black/death with a beefy production, with coherent riffing and songwriting so that it’s not radio-static war metal. You can stream the entire album via Bandcamp, so that’s a fortunate thing. Alda - Passage (Bindrune Recordings) Passage is morose, midtempo black metal with slightly folksy feel. It’s on Bindrune and it’s similar to older Falls of Rauros or maybe to Ifing. You can actually listen to the entire album, which is probably the best and the intended way to take the record in. It’s likely a grower, and METAL BLOGGER STEREOTYPE WARNING, it’s perfect for the upcoming fall weather. Nihil Kaos - Noxkult (Death Knell Productions) Hot damn, this is some furious 2nd-wave style black metal. The drumming is ridiculous! I don’t have much else to say than to give this piece of punishment a listen or two. Todesstoss - Hirngemeer (Traumorgane-Kreationen) I’ve never been a fan of Todesstoss, but they’re the kind of band I’ll always pay attention to because holy shit, their music is weird. Hirngemeer features bizarro vocals, wacky riffs, and just generally strange. Unique, even, which is rare and important. This song’s not doing anything for me, though. No Clean Singing debuted this track. Valkenrag - Twilight of Blood And Flesh (Art of the Night Productions) Amon Amarth fell off a cliff with their last two albums, which was disappointing but inevitable; few bands could match or maintain a run as great as that from Versus The World to. Valkenrag have their sights set on Amon Amarth’s sound and no doubt their Viking crown as well, and Twilight Of Blood And Flesh is their opening swordstroke. Twilight has been years in the making, so that ought to bode well for its quality. VI - De Praestigiis Angelorum (Agonia Records) Like the Nihil Kaos record, this is some furious, punishing black metal. Rebellion - Wyrd bið ful aræd - The History of the Saxons (Massacre Records) Being a power metal band, Rebellion are probably not well known to Invisible Oranges’ readers. So: they’re a German power metal band formed by ex-members of Grave Digger, who are a better known German power metal band. Some of Rebellion’s older records are well reviewed, but they seem to have fallen off recently. They’re known for having deep, bellowing vocals rather than the smoother sounds of stereotypical Europower singing. Some of the vocals on “Hengist” are outright death grunts, so, yeah. Also, Rebellion’s known for concept records, and this one’s about the Saxons. Previous concepts were Vikings and, I think, the Romans. Vampire - Cimmerian Shade (Century Media Records) Vampire’s back with an EP. “Harvest of the Pyre Queen” is way more melodic and death metal oriented than I remember their debut album being. It’s solid stuff. The EP is only be released in physical format as gold or silver colored vinyl, in extremely limited quantity. It’s probably sold out already! The release is digitally available, though. Windfaerer - Tenebrosum (Independent) “Celestial Supremacy” is a highly impressive piece of black/folk metal. Fans of the Alda album up above are advised to check out Windfaerer. So far, this album sounds similar to the last, which I remember as having an 808 bass drop in one of the songs. Sounds crazy, but I swear, that happened. Movimento d’Avanguardia Ermetico - Torri del Silenzio (Avantgarde) Typing this band’s name was punishment enough for including Huntress on this post. Listening to this band, however, is not punishment. At least not for a metalhead. It’s long-winded, primarily midtempo black metal, the kind that gets praised for artistry and for being super serious. If you don’t believe me, the band’s name is Italian for “Hermetic Avantgarde Movement.”...
Interview: Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal, Ex-Morbid Angel)
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Few musicians make better case studies in the value of worth ethic than Erik Rutan. An acclaimed producer and studio engineer, he’s worked on over 80 releases according to Metal Archives. Rutan is also a talented guitarist in his own right, having contributed to some of the most obscure records by Morbid Angel, while at the same time helming his own long-running death metal project, Hate Eternal. Reflective and self-aware, Rutan expounded with us on his tireless schedule, as well as his work with both The Mountain Goats and Morbid Angel, in support his his latest Hate Eternal album, Infernus....
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To see my name mentioned in Rolling Stone or Spin because I produced it was this big deal like, "Death metal producer works on Mountain Goats record." John took a unique stance on it as well, it was kinda like promoting that so people were wondering, "Are they doing a death metal record?" It was funny… it was really pretty awesome to see this because people tend to get pigeonholed or stereotyped into being only one way. And yes, I am a death metal guy. I'm a metal guy period, but I listen to other forms of music. My first exposure to music was classical. I've listened to tons of stuff. I'll always be grateful to John for giving me that opportunity to showcase the abilities that I have in a different form, in a different way. And it was a great experience, and John and all those guys were some of the best dudes to play with. Do you think in your work with other people and your work with Hate Eternal that you're working towards some sort of single goal? I use like, football analogies all the time because I feel like as a producer, you're working with a band. People always talk about "buying into the system" in football.Let's say the Patriots for example. People buy into Belichick's system and that's why the Patriots have been so successful for so many years. I kinda believe when it comes to recording, being open and honest with everyone and being on the same page is important. But at the same time, people's different opinions are relevant and important as well. I always feel like everything should be laid on the table and sometimes, maybe because I'm a northeast guy, or it's just my personality, but I'm very to the point. I won't candy coat or beat around the bush. I just kind of call it as I hear or see it and sometimes, depending on the personalities, it can be taken in an abrasive way, but it's really not meant to be abrasive, as much as it is just to make the best record possible. Having one goal is important. If you've got one guy that's just like, "Yeah, whatever, good enough," that's gonna break up the common goal. To me it is important that everybody's on the same page as far as the same direction and that's why I love, most bands that I'm working with—I'm in touch with them for months in advance. We're discussing pre-production, and songs, and lyrics and tones. I usually talk to all the individuals in the band, what instruments they play, what tones are they're looking for, what amps do they play, things like that. What's the inspiration? What are you looking for? I want to bring out the sound of the band, not necessarily… They always say just some engineers like, have a signature sound or whatever, but I don't want to be recognized for that. I want to be recognized as the guy that helps bring out the sound of the band. To me, that is exactly my job: to try to capture the best performances I can from that band, and to capture that band’s sound, not manipulate it to sound like something else or not to influence it in a way that makes it sound like a completely other band. For example with Cannibal Corpse, if you go see Cannibal Corpse live, it's just one of the heaviest kind of raw, nasty, in-your-face bands and to me, I always want to bring that out. I want to make this Cannibal Corpse record some of the heaviest shit that I can possibly muster. What is important is to help separate bands because a lot of productions sound so similar and so kind of sterile with technology and things. We've lost a lot of that luster of bands back in the day. And I guess I'm trying to just bridge the gap of modern recording and old school vibes, somewhere in between you know? It definitely makes recording a lot harder, the way I do things. But at the end of the day I I think the bands that come here are all looking for that same vibe. At the end of the day, I feel good about what we've done, and I always know that we did the best we could within that time frame, at the moment in time, and I captured where that band is at. With Hate Eternal, the new record, I feel like in 2015, that's exactly where we are and we captured exactly what we were looking for, you know? What is the core of the Hate Eternal sound? Because you have this insight into Cannibal Corpse, but there's something a little bit more refined about Hate Eternal to me, than Cannibal Corpse. Hate Eternal is a unique entity. For, a lot of people I think maybe Hate Eternal goes over their head. It's too aggressive or too crass or too whatever. But you know, I always feel like with Hate Eternal that really it all stems from one thing. When I'm writing Hate Eternal songs, it’s just coming from the gut, man, from the soul, you know? I don't think about wanting to write fast or technical songs. It's just whatever comes naturally and sometimes they might be really fast and aggressive. Sometimes it might be slower, or really strange, or really odd, or really melodic. I'm a complex person, and when I write music, I write complex music too. I think it's harder for me to write simpler things than it is for me to write complex, because complex things just come out of me. I feel like with Hate Eternal I always try to capture like an older kind of vibe that I loved about death metal in the early '90s, but at the same time trying to, I guess advance it further than where it started. When it comes to the production aspect of Hate Eternal, at the start, I wanted it to sound like it came out of 1992 or something. You know? Like, I wanted it to have like, a more colde vibe or I guess it just wanted to be raw. With Infernus, I wanted it to be a little bit more hi-fi, but without the modern stigma. For example, I don't say this, because people will probably take it the wrong way, but if I had to name my top metal records of all time, they would be Metallica: Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets. Absolutely. Ride the Lightning has like this cold kind of dismal vibe. When Master of Puppets came out it had like a little bit more hi-fi vibe. I'm not saying that Hate Eternal is Metallica by any means, but I am using that in the sense of like the difference between Phoenix and Infernus. We just wanted to make a little bit more dynamic record and I want to expose those dynamics by having a little bit more clarity and more high fidelity. Well, it also struck me as a bit more immediate, like a little bit hookier than Phoenix. I'm going to be honest with you. Phoenix kinda lost me a little bit. Infernus, I was like with it from "go." I didn't feel like there was any sort of intellectual barrier for entry. I can just put it on and listen to it and it works. Interesting. I never know what people are gonna think about these records, I don't even try to predict anymore. I've always gone with what felt right and I don't put a lot of stock into anything else. Like, if it feels right, it is right. So much of my life I've made major decisions in my life that were gut decisions. I'm fortunate that I have that instinct and I've made some major decisions, people thought I was crazy. When I look back, I'd say [my decisions] were right. They were right because I made gut decisions, with the songwriting, selection and stuff like that. With Infernus, we had more time to work on it, because we needed a new drummer and that really helped create an even better record. JJ and I wrote probably 15 or 16 songs in different riffs and started narrowing it down. You know, “after two or three months in it, I'm not feeling it anymore...next.” The songs that are on Infernus, they're there for a reason, from beginning to end. The one thing that was kinda felt out was just the structuring of the songs, the flow of the whole record beginning to end, the flow of a vinyl, side A, side B. The response on Infernus has been way beyond what I possibly could have fathomed. The record came out yesterday and the fans that have bought the different vinyl and the packaging. I've never had such a positive response to any of the Hate Eternal records like I have for Infernus right then, in all the 16 years of releasing records. It’s by far been the most, the best received, certainly from our fan base. And to me the fans, that's where it's all at man. You know, if the fans don't give a shit, then you're gonna be sitting in your room, playing to yourself and having a good time. But really, the fans are what help keeps this whole thing going to me. I've made so many friends over the years by touring, and supporters are so loyal, man. I'm always gonna be loyal back to them; always gonna give them my best and if I can't give my best, then I wouldn't do it at all. Earlier you said that you'd made some gut decisions that people thought you were crazy for at the time. What was one of those? Well certainly, when I left Morbid Angel in 2002, part of me thought I was crazy too. "What the hell are you doing?" But my gut at the time, I had Conquering the Throne. I had one record. My studio was in a storage facility, about 700 square foot, maybe even less square foot studio. The last two tours I did with Morbid Angel, I think, were Pantera and Slayer, playing arenas, and then main support for Motorhead. So when I left Morbid Angel, I wasn't leaving to greener pastures, I was just leaving because in my gut I just felt that I knew that I couldn't do, and I was doing Hate Eternal, and Morbid Angel, and studio and I had another project. I think I did four records in three years or something and then on top of it everything else. I knew in my gut that in order for me to get Hate Eternal where I wanted to and to also get my producing career where I wanted to, I had to leave Morbid. It was one of the hardest decisions in my life, because I love Morbid Angel still to this day. If I could clone myself, I'd still be in Morbid Angel. I'll always be loyal to Morbid Angel and I've learned so much and it was an incredible experience to play with them. I toured with them for four albums. I played on three. And it was some of the best times of my life and I knew deep inside that I just wanted to take a risk. I took many risks....
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When I first tried out for Morbid Angel, I came down here and they wanted me to do a tour and then I just decided, you know what, I'm gonna pack up the car and drive to Florida from Jersey and live in my friend's apartment. And if I'm down here, it'll increase my chances of them wanting me to make me a member and that's exactly how it worked. And to me leaving Morbid Angel was certainly one of the riskier decisions I made but, and it was tough in the beginning. There's no doubt about it, man. I went from touring on a bus, playing arenas, to sleeping on the cabinet in the van, making 100 bucks a night, so you know, it definitely was… most people don't make those decisions and just stay safe, but, I don't do the safe thing. I take big risks and those big risks have paid off for me. When I left Morbid, I left in a respectful way. I'm still great friends with Trey, and David, and Pete, and Steve and of course they helped me advance. I fulfilled all my obligations and did all the tours, and I even went back and helped them on a tour many years ago, and I would help them any day of the week, forever. But it was one of those decisions that I just, in my gut felt like I needed to make. But it was taking a big gamble, but that gamble paid off, you know. When I look at what I'm doing now. I've done more honestly than I could've asked for. I mean, I've had so many great bands come to work with me and taken a chance on me and it was one of those big chances that paid off that at the time people thought, "Man, what the hell you doing?" Well you certainly, in a way the decision you made was sort of forward thinking, right, because everyone left Morbid Angel. Well I mean, that's just one thing about being in the band, and this is learned through the years of having to have line-up changes and things like that in Hate Eternal—everybody views things differently, man. And you know, everyone has a different opinion on where they want to be in their life and I always say, "Life gets in the way of life sometimes, man." You know, family things happen, tragic things happen to people. People just change. People grow, and they decide to move on and do different things in their career and I totally get that. Some of my earliest memories of life are sitting on the stool with my sister playing piano, and my grandmother played piano as well. I played violin as early as I can remember five or six years old maybe, I think I was playing violin. I kinda grew in a musical environment and I think that kind of inspired me. When I became a teenager and started to play the guitar, music wasn't just like a hobby. It wasn't something, "Oh, after school I'll do like, weekend gigs." For me I was like was my life's blood. I had a lot of tumultuous times in my life as a child and as a kid and then a lot of hard times. And for me, playing guitar, it gave me an out of, to put all this negativity and all this stuff I had going on and to put it somewhere. Before guitar, I was putting it in the wrong places, man. You know I was just troubled for sure and when I found guitar, I was able to use that as a vessel to express all this negativity and put it into something positive and I just never looked back. That's been almost 30 years now that I've been playing guitar. I just looked at this guitar as like my savior; music has been like my spiritual guidance in the sense that it gave me something to motivate me and look forward to. And I used that as a vessel to express everything I do. To some people, music is different for them, you know. But for me music...it's hard for me to even imagine not being involved in music, because sometimes I do, I think to myself, "Well, what the hell would I do if I decided to do something else? Like what would I do at this point, you know?" I feel like I've established myself pretty well in the genre of music that I've been involved in and through a lot of hard work and dedication and never stopping. I feel like if I put my mind to something. And I feel this way about anybody. If you just put your mind to something, you really can achieve it. You just gotta stick with it. And I always think about like, "What would I do?" And then it always comes back to music. I mean everything, my whole life is surrounded with music and it's hard for me to imagine not doing music, but everybody's different, man. Everybody's different and I've learned having a band is one of the most difficult things in life, man because you have all these personalities. And just like producing bands, you’ve got to know everybody's individual personality and the collective goal as well as the individuals. It's all a big challenge, but at the end of the day, everybody has a different vision of what they want to do with their life and then people change, but I guess for me, I just still love music so damn much. It's hard for me to imagine not doing it. That's one hell of an answer. Music is special, man. I always want to just leave a legacy. What am I going to leave behind when I'm said and done, and I think I just want to be recognized. Since I was a teenager. I just said, "Man, someday I will be that guy that's touring the world, and doing records, and has his own studio that he can do his own records. And then produce some of my friends' bands and things like that.” Certainly my modest wants expanded tenfold when I look at what I've been able to be fortunate enough to do for my 25-year career. When I turned 40 a couple of years ago and I know people always say like, "When you turn 40 it's like a midlife crisis," blah, blah, blah. But I remember turning 40 and looking back and saying, "Wow okay, well for over half my life I've been doing everything that I always dreamed of and if anything it was like the first time for some reason I was able to reflect. I'm such a perfectionist. I'm a workaholic and always feel like everything could be better. For some reason when I turned 40, it was like the first time I'd actually looked back on my career, and my life and finally acknowledge, "All right dude, you got a lot more to do, but you've done pretty good for yourself man. Give yourself a half a pat and then get back to work.”...
Mortal Scepter -“Violent Revenge” (Premiere)
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It has only taken Dark Descent Records six years to garner a healthy reputation for releasing albums that tastefully blend new-school proficiency with old-school influence. The label’s even newer thrash sublabel Unspeakable Axe, which focuses on time-honored blends of extreme metal and thrash, seems well-positioned to follow in Dark Descent’s footsteps. France’s Mortal Scepter (formed in 2012) signed to Unspeakable Axe this past July on the strength of a single demo, and has now shared the first track from its upcoming EP. “Violent Revenge” blends old-school stylistic elements with a modern urgency, charging out of the gates with a minute of instrumental aggression that harnesses the tainted rawness of Bathory and Possessed before collapsing into a mid-tempo Kreator-esque groove sharpened by a noisy, bend-heavy solo. That deceleration is brief, though; the track picks up again towards its last minute and finishes off with an increasingly frantic vocal onslaught. Extremely prominent bass and an expedient burst of pentatonic shred around the 3:30 mark helps round out the otherwise angular attack. Stream “Violent Revenge” below. Mortal Scepter’s debut EP As Time Sharpens The Sentence is due out November 13 via Unspeakable Axe....
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Mortal Scepter on Facebook Mortal Scepter on Bandcamp...
Black Breath – Slaves Beyond Death (Premiere)
... Jamie Byrum, lead songwriter and drummer in Seattle’s Black Breath, was hit by a car in 2014, and it seems the experience had an effect on him. Black Breath 2.0 has been close to the real fragility of human life and finds it disgusting. In 2010, they told us to “Escape From Death.” Then, in 2012, on the title track to their sophomore LP Sentenced to Life, they said “Life is a prison / death is the key.” Those attitudes don’t hold up anymore. The band’s third LP, Slaves Beyond Death, posits that while life is awful, the afterlife is worse and there’s no escaping it. These songs obsess over how awful eternity will be, how human consciousness has no choice but to work beyond exhaustion without succor. That Paolo Girardi cover, reminiscent of Attack on Titan, suits the music perfectly. The greater forces of the universe have us all in their intractable fists. The band’s newer, bleaker outlook reflects a more gnarled kind of songwriting. They’ve jettisoned all the energizing instant-mosh riffs and lycanthropunk drum patterns that characterized their first two records. I missed them at first. Those were the parts of Black Breath that made them the absolute best part of the often boring “Entombedcore” trend. Instead, the songs live in a merciless mid-tempo purgatory. Longer songs make room for guitar solos, more variable distortion, and a whole new, more grimdark vocal style from vocalist Neil McAdams. There's still bangers: crushing riffs abound on "A Place of Insane Cruelty," for example. The violence is offset at times by startling beauty too, such as the extended instrumental closing track, "Chains of the Afterlife." Go into Slaves Beyond Death with an open mind, and listen a few times. After I did that, I realized that Black Breath’s leap from HM-2 loving punks to their current, more complex selves mirrors Metallica jumping from Kill Em All to Ride the Lightning, Slayer jumping from Show No Mercy to Hell Awaits. Yes, I think Black Breath right now are as good as those bands were thirty years ago (and if the new Slayer is any indication we need bands like this now more than ever). Slaves Beyond Death is more highly-evolved and has something to say about human existence--that it’s awful, and only getting worse.
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Slaves Beyond Death is out this Friday, September 25 via Southern Lord. Follow Black Breath on Facebook....
Skepticism – Ordeal
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There may be no more surprising sound on a metal record this year than the bursts of applause heard following certain songs on Ordeal, the new album by funeral doom innovators Skepticism. Granted, it is a live album, recorded in one take at a concert in their native Finland last January, but something about the idea of joy and enthusiasm being aurally represented on a Skepticism record almost seems sacrilegious. It’s been twenty years since the band released the classic Stormcrowfleet, and they’ve been the best funeral doom band on the planet since. Their spectral compositions resemble the paintings in the Rothko Chapel, at first overpowering and seemingly pitch black, but close analysis reveals intriguing subtleties and shadings. The band’s evolution—if it can be called that—has seen their sound move away a bit from their usual reverb-fogged cosmology into something a little more buttoned-up and theatric. Their last record, 2008’s Alloy was almost anthemic and midtempo in spots, a sign the band was starting to grow as interested in songwriting as they were atmosphere. After a long dormancy, 2015 feels a bit like a coming out party for Skepticism; in May, the group made their American live debut at the venerated Maryland Deathfest (in broad daylight, no less), their stately doom acting as a soothing balm for a crowd well tenderized by a full weekend of fierce pits. Releasing a new set of songs via a live recording is more than just a canny cost-cutting measure. It’s also a chance for Skepticism to present themselves as a real band, not just a touchstone. For a band that plays relatively few concerts, Skepticism loses none of their power in the concert setting. If YouTube clips of recent shows seemed conclusive on this matter, the sure-footed and beautifully-recorded Ordeal closes the case. It’s tough to pick a standout among the six new songs because they’re best taken as movements of a whole, inviting the listener to turn out the lights and let the velvety organs and deep, chiming guitars slowly wash over in waves. If forced to select a favorite, the emotional dial seems to get the hardest crank on “March Incomplete,” a twelve-minute gem that peaks halfway through with a soaring guitar solo that may be the most stirring moment of tension resolution yet on a Skepticism record. “The Departure” and “The Road” feature slow-burn riffs that speak to the motion alluded to in their titles. “Closing Music” goes under the hood of the signature Skepticism sound by dropping elements out in stretches in order to let one or two instrumental voices guide the music forward. As a treat for the devout, the band includes the encore performances of two of their most beloved pieces: “Pouring” from Stormcrowfleet and “The March and the Stream” from 1998’s Lead and Aether. “Pouring” (slowed down a touch, just for fun) is an extremely welcome addition, being that it’s my favorite funeral doom song of all time. The heavy down-stroked guitars and booming tom hits of the first half that slowly give way to somber organ notes that evoke a body being lowered to a final resting. It may not seem like an obvious for a crowd-rallying encore, but this is Skepticism we’re talking about, the band that excels at playing music that makes bleakness and desolation seem like moods worth applauding....
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Hoverfest 2015
Photo by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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2015 might have marked the end, for now, of the large package metal tour. While overlong parking lot bonanzas are one of the only ways young metalheads in smaller markets and middle America get to see concerts, I can’t say I’m sorry to see them go. In many places there’s a plethora of smaller, more local festivals that provide a better experience often with better music. Maybe this is the end of a musical Cretaceous period, and smaller, more adaptable variants are beginning to outpace the large, specialized killing machines that preceded them.. Hoverfest takes place in an alley in Portland, Oregon rather than a parking lot, but otherwise serves as the perfect example of an: the independent answer to the big package tour, in this case one that celebrates Hovercraft amplifiers. We covered the first Hoverfest last year[http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2014/09/show-review-hoverfest/], so I made a day trip to Portland in order to spend some face time with staff writer Greg Majewski and see what had changed in a year. In brief: not much. The stage set-up looked more-or-less identical to the one from Matt Schmahl’s coverage last year. Every concertgoer I chatted with had gone the previous year, had a great time, and returned again....
[caption id="attachment_42423" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Holy GrovePhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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I arrived partway into the opening set by Holy Grove, a holdover from last year,, and so didn’t get an opportunity to get too much of a feel for the group. My impression is: the Pacific Northwest has a strong contingent of fairly clean kinda-doom-kinda-rock bands strongly indebted to the British folk rock tradition and mid-to-late Ozzy Sabbath. Holy Grove are a prime example of this sound. They played with enthusiasm and sounded well-rehearsed. Next time they play Seattle I’ll try to get a more refined opinion....
[caption id="attachment_42424" align="aligncenter" width="480"] ZirakzigilPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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[caption id="attachment_42425" align="aligncenter" width="630"] ZirakzigilPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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[caption id="attachment_42426" align="aligncenter" width="480"] ZirakzigilPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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[caption id="attachment_42427" align="aligncenter" width="630"] ZirakzigilPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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Next, in a drastic change of pace, came Zirakzigil, a band that Majewski first brought to my attention on his 2013 year end list[http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2013/12/greg-majewskis-best-of-2013/]. On record, the band drives two points home: they really know how to play their instruments, but only for extended periods of time. Their shortest songs clock in around 15 minutes, but live that time slips away from you like a rabbit in the backyard. Tape hiss and noise play a big role in the band’s albums, but the clarity of the live setting brought some intimate details in their writing to my attention. Charlie Dudley performs with animation and enthusiasm that is likewise tough to gauge on their records. the band has a new album, Worldbuilder, out as of April. Listen to it, and if you get the chance, see them live. It was a treat....
[caption id="attachment_42437" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Mane of the CurPhoto by Aaron Sharpsteen[/caption]
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[caption id="attachment_42438" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Mane of the CurPhoto by Aaron Sharpsteen[/caption]
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Lunch demands and a short business meeting kept me from seeing most of Mane of the Cur's set. Next time....
[caption id="attachment_42439" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Sons of HunsPhoto by Aaron Sharpsteen[/caption]
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Sons of Huns more than almost any other band on the bill made good use of the Hovercraft amplifier backline provided for the festival. This kind of high-energy metallic rock requires volume and distortion in copious amounts. Like lemonade on a summer afternoon, it calls for a whole pitcher, not just a paper cup. I’ve heard their albums before, but the contained format waters down their mix of Monster Magnet and Turbonegro into something a bit too safe....
[caption id="attachment_42429" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Lord DyingPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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Then came my third Lord Dying set in the course of a year. Each time I see the group I’m more and more impressed by their live show and consequently more flabbergasted at how amazing it will be when their compositions finally pop on record. Lord Dying’s ability to string together chains of massive riffs into cohesive five minute suites recalls Ride the Lighting, but Erik Olson’s vocals fall somewhere between John Tardy and Matt Pike. I can see why the band worked with Joel Grind on their new record, Poison Alters, but somewhere toward the end of their set I imagined what they might sound like with Erik Rutan behind the boards....
[caption id="attachment_42441" align="aligncenter" width="630"] DanavaPhoto by Aaron Sharpsteen[/caption]
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[caption id="attachment_42440" align="aligncenter" width="630"] DanavaPhoto by Aaron Sharpsteen[/caption]
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Danava threw the biggest curveball and put on perhaps the best—or at least most energetic— set of the evening. Their set charged through what seemed like an endless torrent of late 70’s guitar licks delivered at high speed, recalling both UFO’s Strangers in the Night and Diamond Head’s Lightning to the Nations. High praise? Sure, but I found their performance compelling, especially considering that singer and guitarist Gregory Meleney put away what looked like an entire fifth of Jameson Irish whisky during the course of the set without any negative impact on his guitar playing. I remember some readers commenting about loving Christian Mistress because that band recalls the Scorpions—I encourage those readers to sample Danava....
[caption id="attachment_42430" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Witch MountainPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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I found myself a little anxious going into my first Witch Mountain set. There was a period of time right after Cauldron of the Wild hit shelves in 2013 where it looked as though Witch Mountain would become a large enough touring act to hit smaller markets and bring the coastal doom sound to the greater US, and world at large, in a serious fashion. For whatever reason that did not happen and the band’s follow-up, Mobile of Angels, didn’t strike a chord with me. shortly thereafter the band’s singer, Uta Plotkin, left. Her vocals had a major part in the band’s appeal. All of this is to say that I was kind-of primed for disappointment, since my first Witch Mountain show featured new singer Kayla Dixon....
[caption id="attachment_42432" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Witch MountainPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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So, Witch Mountain performed well. They sounded tight and probably drew the most rich, varied and interesting sounds out of the amplifiers of any band that day. Dixon is an engaging frontwoman; she not only hit all of Plotkin’s hard-to-reach notes, but also used her background in dance to contort her body in-between-bars. What’s more, she’s got a great extreme metal scream and peppered it into her performance, something Plotkin did not do (at least on record)....
[caption id="attachment_42431" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Witch MountainPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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Here’s the rub: Dixon is a very different singer than Plotkin. Witch Mountain’s older material, at least Cauldron and South of Salem, are rooted in the melancholy and sonic palate of electric blues. Vocal fry and a relatively confrontational stage demeanor don’t dovetail well with that material, so while Dixon hit all the notes in “Shelter,” with aplomb, I would have preferred that the band played all new material that played to their talented new vocalist’s talents. Dixon is young—not even drinking age—and still finding herself. Hopefully she will do so in a talented group like Witch Mountain. I’m sure the band can make a record as good as Cauldron with Dixon, but in the meantime I’d rather they left the older material alone. Such is the bias that comes with nostalgia....
[caption id="attachment_42433" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Slough FegPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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[caption id="attachment_42434" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Slough FegPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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Nostalgia, while we’re on the topic, fueled Slough Feg’s headlining set. The band performed as a three-piece, which meant no material from the past 15 years. fine by me, My favorite Slough Feg material comes from the group’s time as a three piece. Seeing “Warriors Dawn” live in particular was a highlight. Singer and Guitarist Mike Scalzi had some trouble with the Hovercraft amplifier—his celtic melodies and trebly guitar tone weren’t particularly well suited to the Hovercraft’s bass-heavy output, but he kept the riffs recognizable, if a bit fuzzier than on-record. Scalzi’s an entertaining performer, prone to crack jokes (“I have a fear of widths, not heights—I had a panic attack in Ohio”) between songs as well as put his hat on the heads of women in the audience. Peculiar, but then again so is Slough Feg....
[caption id="attachment_42435" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Slough FegPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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[caption id="attachment_42436" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Slough FegPhoto by Joseph Schafer[/caption]
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The untouchable highlight of the fest came when Scalzi put his guitar down while Rob Wrong from Witch Mountain took up axe duties for a rendition of Judas Priest’s “Love Bites.” Again, nostalgia. slough Feg could have kept playing for hours, judging by Scalzi’s bottomless well of energy and dad jokes, but called their set while the sun set, leaving the audience plenty of time to go home, recuperate and attend another concert—which I did. Majewski, a few friends and I went to Bunk Bar for cheap beer, Cuban sandwiches, and further riffs courtesy of Ovvl and R.I.P., both of which sounded like nostalgic throwbacks to the high 70’s hard rock of Vanilla Fudge and pre-sheen ZZ Top. We wound up staying while the bar closed down, headbanging and air-guitaring while the venue ushered people with Black Sabbath’s self-titled album, a worthy cap to a solid day of nostalgic riffs and amplifier abuse.. . .
This article has been edited to more correctly attribute band photographs
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