Alcest live at Allston, MA’s Brighton Music Hall
Words and Photos by Ben Stas
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If its recent opening night at a packed Brighton Music Hall is any indication, Alcest’s current North American winter tour is a necessary pilgrimage for even the casual admirer of the French group’s haunting, blackened post-metal soundscapes. In addition to an eclectic pair of openers in the Deafheaven-affiliated Creepers and Portland, OR’s aggressively adventurous The Body, Alcest themselves brought an ideal distillation of what’s made the band an enduring force in the past decade-plus to a hugely appreciative crowd.
The genesis of the dreamy, tremolo-picked “blackgaze” subgenre is often attributed to Stéphane “Neige” Paut’s early releases as Alcest, and there are few bands that have taken heavy influence from that sound to greater commercial heights than their former tour-mates in San Francisco’s Deafheaven. In the more traditionally lush shoegaze of the currently tour-supporting Creepers, however, Deafheaven guitarist Shiv Mehra and drummer Dan Tracy wore U.K. acts like Ride or Slowdive as more obvious reference points. On first for the night of January 19th, the Mehra-fronted quintet sounded progressively more confident and cohesive the longer they played, and at their best delivered solid homage to the genre greats. Tracy’s hyperactive drumming stood out most prominently, though his playing sometimes outmatched the otherwise straightforward arrangements and gave the songs a sense of bursting at the seams.
Last year’s lauded No One Deserves Happiness was something of a breakthrough for The Body, insofar as a band like The Body can have one. The integration of female vocals and a greater range of sounds electronic and otherwise into Lee Buford and Chip King’s nihilistic drone-sludge brought them some louder media buzz and some new listeners, while subsequently raising the question of how it might alter their notoriously caustic live sets. Gone were Buford’s drums, as it turns out for this tour, along with King’s guitar and their wall of amplifiers, all replaced by stations of electronic gadgets (and a third, hooded member to the far left). Performing in the dark and drawing the crowd’s attention to a series of obscure projected images, the trio sounded less viscerally punishing than The Body of yore, but no less harrowing. King’s inhuman shrieks punched through a churning sheet of industrial clamor that engulfed the room, leaving its inhabitants both impressed and shaken.
As Alcest took the stage a bit later, a different mood immediately swept over the crowd – one of deep and palpable reverence. Neige and his three-piece band, including his only studio counterpart, drummer Jean “Winterhalter” Deflandre, received a hero’s welcome before playing a single note, but they would earn it with the stirring set that followed.
Alcest took a left-turn as a project in 2014 with the release of Shelter, an LP that did away with its formerly central metal influences almost entirely. Though the record is an enjoyable listen on its own terms, reception was decidedly mixed, and Shelter became an immediate outlier in the band’s catalog. Conversely, last fall’s excellent Kodama made a deliberate shift back toward Alcest’s core sound, and quickly became one of its most warmly received releases. Neige’s focus for the show was heavy on that new material, which sounded positively majestic, along with older work that would complement it.
Alcest’s fusion of atmospherics and a particular soaring heaviness is cinematically moving in its finest moments, and this set frequently embodied that feeling. Minimal silhouettes and blasts of light dramatically illuminated the band as they performed a well-paced balance of the new songs and older selections, largely from 2010’s Écailles de Lune and 2012’s Les Voyages de l’ me. Their delivery was the near-flawless work of a band with total mastery of the material and the necessary collective ear for nuance. As an Alcest first-timer, that aforementioned audience reverence made a lot of sense by the end of the night.
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Creepers
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The Body
“Engrossed in Decay,” Molder Focus on Death Metal’s Thrilling Horror (Early Track Stream)
What I look for in death metal is a certain amount of—for lack of a technical term—chunkiness. Depraved lyrics and visceral production certainly help shape up a killer release, but the band's riffs need to hit with immediacy and pit-stirring groove. The more meat and heft to each gory chorus, the better, and death metal adherents Molder offer just this on their upcoming album Engrossed in Decay. Set to release in the midst of what's likely to be a sweltering summer here in the Chicago area, the Joliet-based band's sophomore release delivers tales of necrotic debauchery with gleeful abandon and positively reeks of filth. Check out the title track right now:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm-0Sm5lWSo...
"Engrossed in Decay" stays in motion and never lets the listener relax, delivering a slew of massive riffs like a string of punches to the gut. Vocalist/guitarist Aaren Pantke's ghoulish outcries are exquisitely deranged and add an insane narrative to the track's whirlwind structure and pace. Molder's first-ever release was actually a live album, and that energy has carried on throughout their career: this is death metal written to raise the dead and flatten venues....
Engrossed in Decay releases July 15th via Prosthetic Records. A note to Chicago-area readers: Molder returns to the site of that live album, Cobra Lounge, this Sunday with Nucleus, Wraith, and Cryptum supporting.Disquiet and Charlotte Wessels (Delain) Make Metal Catchy on “The Final Trumpet” (Video Premiere)
It wasn't so long ago that I made the argument for pop music's place in the metal world. The best metal, even the rawest and most impenetrable, is catchy and memorable, after all. Nothing can substitute a really good melody, and Disquiet's arena melodic death metal falls under the greater umbrella of catchier, near-pop-influenced extreme metal. Featuring Delain vocalist Charlotte Wessels, Disquiet's latest single "The Final Trumpet" might have an apocalyptic bent, but the melodies and rhythms held within are absolutely massive, and, beyond that, a joy to listen to. I might cover more obscure sounding music, but make no mistake: I am a sucker for fun, and Disquiet's latest single brings more than that to the table.
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https://youtu.be/RTuSK9DgYIQ...
Instigate To Annihilate releases May 6th on Soulseller Records.Noise Pollution #11: Music of the Warming Season
I’m not sure at what age I grew into the routine of seasonal listening, probably when I became old enough that nostalgia settled in like the rot that it is, but my habit has become such that there’s certain records I can’t enjoy unless it’s the right time of year. I’m sure Jaz Coleman would say it has something to do with the vibrations of the earth. Did I mention I’m watching "The Death and Resurrection Show"? It’s up for free on YouTube now and only two and a half fucking hours.
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https://youtu.be/JaZ0iL4uia4...
I’m sure I could go a "Noise Pollution" without a Killing Joke reference, but then no one would be able to complain that I repeat myself and you'd have to find something else to lob shit at me for and I’m sure that’s difficult. Anyway, back to the springtime with all its fucking pollen and wasps. I have a lot of memories attached to records I either discovered or attached myself to, especially in '95. The year 1995 would become the first big spiritual moment in my musical life which caused (and Jesus Christ this is pretentious, so get ready for it) me to transcend my ideals of reality and self and begin the journey to where I am now, which is to say an absolute fucking mess with a lot of memories attached to records. And while there's plenty I look back on from that year which changed and molded me, the one that sticks out as possibly the most important or, at the very least, the most interesting is Danzig's IV album. In the early '90s I was very much into what was coming out of Seattle, as well as discovering King's X in the late '80s, eventually falling into shit like Megadeth, Sepultura, and Type O Negative. While I still have a soft spot in my heart (and Spotify playlist) for many of these, I had never truly found music that connected with me on a spiritual level and caused me to change my way of approaching not only listening but eventually writing and performing music. Then one afternoon I was watching MTV after school and the video for Danzig's "Cantspeak" came on and it was like time froze for me....
https://youtu.be/x5CUTSOWMAc...
The only exposure I'd really had to Danzig was the "Mother" video that was on constant rotation, and it hadn't (yet) clicked with me. But "Cantspeak"? Holy shit. The droning instrumentation, the otherworldly feeling, the repetition that would eventually become ritual for me in practically everything artistic I would ever do? People describe hearing Venom for the first time when they were kids and being "terrified" which then turned them into obsessed fans for life. This was my experience with Danzig IV. But it wasn’t terror, just transfixion. This caused me to beg for a ride to Acrat, a local indie record store that I would eventually work at for a spell (we'll get to that down the road) to pick it up. At the time Chuck Miller, who would gain infamy as the owner of Temperance Records, was in charge of keeping the metal and hardcore sections well stocked and, noticing my interest, turned me on to the Misfits, Samhain and the Black Aria record. In short, the Plan 9 discography. I was hooked....
https://youtu.be/-t6lAuexOd4...
Living near the Ocean City boardwalk as the season was starting to open up meant that me and my ne'er-do-well friends had access to all kinds of bootlegs and music merch, including a German Danzig poster for the Lucifuge album I just spent half my lunch break looking for online (I also recently did this for a Secret of Mana poster, much to the same result. I now know how everyone who's ever dated me feels). By Easter of that year my room was fucking covered. Even as my interest in death and black metal grew around the same time, there was something about Danzig's music across all of these projects that was just, for lack of a better word, special. Between college radio and Miller's continued influence and assistance at Acrat I was absorbing more music and culture in a span of a few months than I felt that I had my whole life. This was it....
https://youtu.be/zT0UMEjTPsE...
A few months later, when I decided to begin my own musical "career," I had carefully studied aspects of IV, especially its atmosphere. Eventually, once I began to understand music better (about twenty years into making it) I was able to use this knowledge in more practical applications. Sitting here now thinking about it, there isn’t a single record I’ve done in my lifetime that didn’t have some element I lifted from IV. I’m nearing 44 years old and even today while I map out my next recordings I’m still using plays from a nearly thirty year old (spell)book. We can argue incessantly about "favorite" records or "desert island" records or even fucking "memorable" records (and I will, too, as long as you keep reading) but in terms of "important" records, I don’t think there's too many higher in the category than Danzig IV. It defines the spring season for me, not only in the nostalgic remembrance of the time in which I first became obsessed with it but also in the metaphor of spring as a time of rebirth itself. IV is one of the records I can say truly and profoundly changed my life. I've even used it as an icebreaker question in interviews with other musicians. It's one of those records that when you speak to others who really get it you can find some of the deepest wells of conversation possible. I mean, Sanford Parker has one of the greatest tattoos I’ve ever seen (and will probably steal) which is the Danzig skull and underneath it simply reads "I-IV". This would be the final time the "classic" Danzig lineup would convene and capture lightning in a bottle, similar to the lineup that created what, after a tiring inner dialogue, I can definitely say is my favorite record of all time, at least for now. See you in two.…
Alcest
“Never Return Nowhere”: Neorite’s Inescapable, Scathing Assault (Early Track + Video Stream)
It's hard to succinctly describe the music that Germany's Neorite plays. Taking on the aggressive pace and sawtoothed riffs of thrash metal but executing it with monstrously thick tones and satisfyingly mid-paced tempos, one could suggest something like 'fast doom metal' or 'slow thrash' and then immediately regret speaking either term into existence—but their upcoming album Banner of Defeat doesn't need a snappy label to kick ass. It simply does, existing in a space where unrelenting riffs are the primary concern, delivered with red-hot energy and backed by a meaty rhythm section. On "Never Return Nowhere," which we're premiering below, the band flexes their riff-crafting muscle, also including nicely harmonized melodies to set the war-torn tone. Some tight blast beats and faster-paced riffs raze the battlefield at points, as if ambushing anyone who thought they might have had a handle on what Neorite has to offer.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoLWowpRNSE&ab_channel=ThisCharmingManRecords...
The band comments:The song "Never Return Nowhere" deals with forced situations in which fear becomes more and more overwhelming but the threat just cannot be escaped, so you have to deal with it somehow. This happens for instance with both soldiers and civilians during military conflicts and is often extended in their aftermath, in the form of trauma or PTSD, from which you literally "never return" or "return nowhere". Written years ago, the shit the song is about sadly once more became a bitter reality in the recent months. Fight war, not wars!
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releases May 27th via This Charming Man Records.Upcoming Metal Releases: 4/24/2022-4/30/2022
Here are the new (and recent) metal releases for the week of April 24th, 2022 to April 30th, 2022. Releases reflect proposed North American scheduling, if available. Expect to see most of these albums on shelves or distros on Fridays. See something we missed or have any thoughts? Let us know in the comments. Plus, as always, feel free to post your own shopping lists. Happy digging. Send us your promos (streaming links preferred) to: [email protected]. Do not send us promo material via social media.
Upcoming Releases
Negative Plane -- The Pact | Invictus Productions | Black Metal | United States 11 years have passed since the last Negative Plane album—11 years in which nobody else has ever really came close to capturing their mystical and demented style of black metal. Rejoice—the wait is over.--Ted Nubel
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Devil Master -- Ecstasies of Never Ending Night | Relapse Records | Black Metal + Punk | United States (Philadelphia, PA) Devil Master's wild and chaotic mix of punk and black metal has an atmosphere like nothing else out there. I don't know how they come up with the insane leads that adorn it, but the magical—or magickal, really—quality they give the record makes it feel leaps and bounds more authentically Satanic than most other things out there.--Ted Nubel
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Satan's Host -- This Legacy Will Never Die | Moribund Records | Blackened Heavy + Power Metal | United States (Denver, CO) While I don't necessarily agree with the claims the promo materials make about Satan's Host being the most influential American metal band of all time, they are the primary option for anyone looking for evil power metal and have built a fantastic body of work after reforming prior to the turn of the century. Harry Conklin's vocals are in top form here and the rest of the band delivers some supremely tasty heavy metal to back him.--Ted Nubel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLYZP8QDvhg&ab_channel=MoribundCult...
Celestial Season -- Mysterium I | Burning World Records | Doom + Death Metal | Netherlands From Jon Rosenthal's track premiere of "Black Water Mirrors":Mysterium I is, to my delight, a further continuation of that classic 1990s gloomy doom sound. Featuring a heavier approach, especially in its chorus, lead single and Mysterium I opener "Black Water Mirrors," which was initially released as a flexi by Decibel Magazine, balances death/doom's immensity with a tender touch and emotional core. It's like their stoner period never even happened at all.
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The Spirit -- Of Clarity and Galactic Structures | AOP Records | Black + Death Metal | Germany This previously appeared in an earlier UMR - my mistake! Anyway, the last month has only convinced me more of how sick this record is. Hit it. The Spirit's melodic black/death metal is oddly nostalgic, and I think a lot of that comes down to just how good it is, wielding catchy riffs and parseable harsh vocals while still holding on to its grim, cosmic horror foundation.--Ted Nubel
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Inanna -- Void of Unending Depths | Memento Mori | Death Metal | Chile Inanna crawl out of death metal's cavernous underbelly with their titanic new album. Their music treads hallowed ground with a focus on atmosphere and arrangements more than outright assault.--Colin Dempsey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4mXphMXe5s...
Suppression -- The Sorrow of Soul Through Flesh | Unspeakable Axe Records | Death Metal | Chile Grizzly old-school death metal that pulls from the technical strain of thrash metal. Colin Martson's mastering brings the rhythm section to the front of the mix with an oh-so-satisfying bass spotlight.--Colin Dempsey
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Spill Your Guts -- The Wrath It Takes | Trepanation Recordings | Hardcore Punk + Black Metal | China (Shanghai) You can hear producer Scott Middleton's (of Cancer Bats fame) influence on the new Spill Your Guts album as the group treads a fine path between abrasiveness and glee. There's a bounciness that makes The Wrath It Takes more fun than its subject matter suggests.--Colin Dempsey
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Lament Cityscape -- A Darker Discharge | Independent | Industrial Metal | United States (Portland, Oregon) Lament Cityscape play from the belly of a burning machine. The distant production embellishes a sense of disconnectedness between the vocals, drums, and the grinding guitars. It's not so much punishing as it is enveloping.--Colin Dempsey
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Pyrithe -- Monuments to Impermanence | Gilead Media | Experimental Metal | United States (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) Pyrithe is not for those who need structure in their music. Their intimate recording sessions gave rise to instinctual pieces (the band themselves hesitate to call them songs) that operate on intuition rather than pre-determined means to an end. Monuments to Impermanence is loose and evocative as if Pyrithe is evolving in real-time as the album plays.--Colin Dempsey
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Insulter -- ...To the Last! | Witches Brew | Black + Thrash + Death Metal | Germany Insulter takes a bombastic, melodic approach to their mad-scientist mix of extreme metal, which spans thrash, death, and black metal. Really digging the riffs on this one.--Ted Nubel
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Midas -- Midas | No Remorse Records | Heavy Metal + Hard Rock | United States (Detroit, MI) Like most albums with a Flying V serving as most of the album art do, this rocks: heavy metal with Thin Lizzy-esque harmonies and vocals with just enough grit.--Ted Nubel
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Vulcano -- Stone Orange | Emanzipation Productions | Black + Thrash + Death Metal | Brazil Vulcano has had a rather long career and plenty of changeups in lineup to go with it—but Stone Orange is a classic slice of that proto-black/death/thrash assault, rough edges and all. Of course, we'd prefer it if this purported orange was also... transparent.--Ted Nubel
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Grafvitnir -- Tunes of Sitra Ahra | Carnal Records | Black Metal | Sweden From Ted Nubel's track premiere of "Whisperer of Strange Tales":Like a finely detailed mace or an ornate torture device, Grafvitnir's upcoming album Tunes of Sitra Ahra is a work of malevolent beauty. The Swedish band's black metal features elaborate structures and a densely layered sound laced with ever-present melody, but it seethes with urgent malice all the same. Aggressive and labyrinthine riffs drive these songs forward and almost entirely sidestep any atmospheric elements. Frankly, ambience is not part of the equation: this is all-riffs-all-the-time black metal.
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Harmoniaq -- The Forest of Torment | Independent | Death Metal | Canada Harmoniaq straddle between tight-as-a-noose death metal passages and looser, almost belligerent spells on their debut EP.--Colin Dempsey
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Månegarm Honor Myths and the Past On “Ynglingaättens öde” (Interview)
Viking metal–something I don't cover very often, but it doesn't mean I don't love it all the same. Sweden's Månegarm have, over the past thirty years, presented an evolving mix of black metal, folk metal, and, of course, viking metal to communicate their love of Swedish history and folk tales, and they've been a consistently good band while doing so. Many expect the Viking sound to be, I don't know, commercialized and oddly happy, but Månegarm communicate their historic tales with a morose air of tragedy, setting traditional folk melodies to a deeper, darker backdrop. We spoke with vocalist Erik Grawsiö about thirty-plus years of Månegarm, history, and the newly released Ynglingaättens öde in an exclusive interview which can be read below.
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https://youtu.be/F17sxgZdXZw...
Is there anything special about Ynglingaättens öde that you would like to share? This album is a concept album and is based on the old Norse poem "Ynglingatal." This poem details a Swedish old Norse dynasty of rulers/kings of Uppsala (Uppsala is very close to where we live) and about their deeds, their rule, and above all - their deaths. The house of Ynglinga claimed to have divine origin as the offsprings of the Norse god Freyr and the kings were religious and military leaders and did often die in mysterious, grim and sometimes even unnatural ways. Really cool stuff here and Jakob, our drummer, got this idea a couple of years ago and now it was finally realized. We've seen the Viking concept and sound come and go in waves over the past thirty years in the greater music scene. What is it about this historic period that continues to inspire Månegarm over such a lengthy period of time? The whole idea from the start in -95 has been to tell stories about Norse mythology and the Viking era in different ways and we stick to that. There are so many poems, sagas, myths, stories that you can explore and it’s really fascinating and interesting and I believe history is very "connecting" for many people. And to explore your own history makes it even more interesting, at least for us. Sadly to say there are very little preserved (poems etc.) of what once were and as time passes by, these stories and sagas will be forgotten more and more. For many people they already are. We believe that if we can do our best to high-light historic material that is still preserved, this is our way of keeping history alive! With so many folk metal bands in a post-Paganfest world, there is still a distinctly and pervading "Månegarm" sound which sets your music aside from other folk and Viking metal bands. What goes into making sure your music maintains a sense of unique identity? Thank you, that was very nice to hear. I don’t really know but when I compose songs it seems like they go through some sort of "Månegarm-filter" because when they come out from the oven, so to speak, when the songs are arranged and mixed; they just sound Månegarm. I'm very happy and also proud of these new songs. We have spent thousands of hours creating and composing and the new album feels very honest and genuine. We want to renew ourselves for every album but it can never happen at the expense of the "Månegarm sound." We want it to sound Månegarm 100 %! Though I've referenced a continuation in the Månegarm sound from its inception, how do you feel the band has evolved since its inception almost thirty years ago? In my opinion, Månegarm went from a black metal oriented sound to a more "Viking metal" sound back in 2003 when we released our third album Dödsfärd. We kept that Nordic/Månegarm vibe but the Dödsfärd album was much more "folkish," the pace was slower, the songs were catchier and the violin and clean vocals played a bigger part. From that day we have just tried to make it better and evolve within that "Månegarm-frame" with the goal to deliver good music. We like our style, we like what we do and that’s it. Your music deals with your own heritage, but you've also spoken out against heritage-based supremacy in other interviews (like this one with metal.de), which is sadly unique for a heritage-forward and runic Scandinavian metal band in 2022. What is it about your heritage that makes you want to communicate it through your art, and why do you suppose your fellow Scandinavians use it as a means of expressing supremacy otherwise? I had to check it out, and I don't remember what I said back then, but that was the short answer... My position is even clearer today. I completely despise racism and Nazism and I don’t even want to look at those who are into such shit. I have too many Facebook friends and sometimes you’re too quick to press "accept." But if I later find out or see that a person as much as leans towards these standpoints, they’re fucking GONE!!! Almost every day I have good conversations with my wise daughters about being a good friend, a good fellow human being and the importance of treating ALL people with respect!! Månegarm deal with history; sagas, myths and stories from the Norse mythology and Viking era and we do so because we find it so very interesting. And we have done our thing for so many years, (too many? haha) and we don’t change direction, sound or lyrical content now, no way haha! How do you look to honor Odin through your music? No but maybe we look (or try) to honor history. At least in the best way that we can! Do you think Odin would like metal? Of course! He would probably like whatever you do, as long as you are genuine and put your honest heart and soul into it. Is there anything about Månegarm that people get completely incorrect? That is to say, is there anything about the band that you want to "set the record straight" about? Actually I don’t think so… nothing that I can think of now anyway. Overall, I must say that we have had a smooth ride over the years!Haunter Confront the Inevitability of Nothingness on “Chained at the Helm of Eschaton” (Video + Interview)
Impermanence encourages acceptance. Stepping away from a situation, removing any emotional ties, and observing through unclouded eyes is paradoxically humanizing. It’s only through recognizing that nothing lasts, not the vessels we call our bodies or even our self-identities, that we can perceive reality more clearly. That’s the mindset Haunter adopted on their upcoming album Discarnate Ails. The Austin-based death metal group’s newest record meditates upon inevitability as they implement a punchier palette. Discarnate Ails is the outfit’s latest sonic development. They began as a screamo act in the early 2010s but slowly morphed into a biting black metal group by the time they released their full-length debut Thrinodίa in 2016. They plunged further into opaque realms with Sacramental Death Qualia in 2019, lengthening their tracks and dabbling with more ambient soundscapes. Discarnate Ails marks a major shift for Haunter towards immediate gratification. They retain the technically-demanding passages and free-form structures from Sacramental Death Qualia, but step out of the shadows and aim straight for the chin. There’s more meat to chew on, a higher riff density, and a heightened focus on tangible reflections rather than obscure sacraments. Below, watch the video for "Chained at the Helm of Eschaton" — then check out an interview in which we spoke with guitarist Enrique Bonilla and vocalist-guitarist Bradley Tiffin ahead of their upcoming European tour about Discarnate Ails’s recording, what changed in their songwriting practices, and how far they've come as a group.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxxWklJMnV8...
Sacramental Death Qualia is darker than Discarnate Ails as the latter feels like a weight is being lifted off of its shoulders. Was this an intentional deviation? Bradley Tiffin: We carved out the somber acoustic packages that came from Sacramental Death Qualia and now it’s more rockin’ metal and - as a result - more lighthearted rather than being serious and in-your-feels with Opeth-like guitar passages. Enrique Bonilla: The same thing goes for the motifs or themes that you see in the lyrics and the artwork. Sacramental Death Qualia had esoteric and spiritual connotations, whereas this one is more grounded in livable experiences. On the note of the album’s concepts, how do they relate to the titles “Spiritual Illness” and Discarnate Ails? They seem to speak to a pain unrelated to physicality since discarnate refers to one that lacks a physical body. Bonilla: Lyrically, “Spiritual Illness” is about actions that directly affect the spirit whereas Sacramental Death Qualia was about fluffy philosophical-type bullshit. We’d all read esoteric texts around the time that we released Sacramental Death Qualia, whereas we were hanging out and drinking a bunch of mezcal at the beginning of COVID when we started writing this album. We were in slightly different mentalities for both records when it came time to write the themes and concepts. Typically, the music comes first when we write new records, then the lyrics come after. Tiffin: I used to handle more of the lyrics, especially with the first album, but Enrique has taken more of the lead, especially with Discarnate Ails. I would rather just amend syllables because I’m gonna have to perform those with guitars. We’re very much in agreement conceptually and it is accurate that Discarnate Ails is about looking around - especially during the pandemic itself. There’s more to relate to when we’re putting ideas on paper. That feeling comes through when ideas are brought into the physical realm. You can do all the esoteric and haughty material, but it’s easier to find yourself or the byline to others when it’s grounded in reality. Bonilla: Yeah, and this record is less arts-and-crafts and more meat-and-potatoes. Basically, it was a sign of the times. A lot of it had to do with what people went through at the beginning of the pandemic. We were all jobless for a little bit. A lot of things were changing in our lives, people were moving away, and new band members were coming in, so it just felt right to write about what we were observing. Is that why the record has to do with impermanence? “Overgrown with the Moss” conjures the image of fading and moss replacing it, and “Chained at the Helm of the Eschaton” carries the idea of reinvention. I was wondering how those ideas played into the record? Bonilla: It’s about inevitability and how nothing is gonna be around at the end of it all. Consciousness and sentiences won’t exist, and neither will pain, because there’s no going to be anyone to experience those things so “Chained at the Helm of the Eschaton” deals with those things. We’re all along for the ride and we’re all strapped in and can’t get out. We’re watching the world crumble around us and then eventually there will be no more. And that’s it. Tiffin: It’s your own application of those ideas, and what you do with them, is what will save you or not. There’s no point in being righteous. There’s no judgment in your music. It doesn’t impose upon the listener. It’s more of an acceptance of what’s happening and the inevitability of relief. It gives you the ability to feel how you want to feel. How did you pursue levity in your songwriting? Tiffin: At this point, I’m writing however I want to write for this style. It’s definitely a continuation of what Sacramental Death Qualia is going for but we didn’t want to keep it in a vacuum. We were able to get everyone’s involvement so we could get a record that sounded exactly how we wanted it to sound. You guys wanted to make something that was more “headbangable,” right? Tiffin: We wanted to think less of what certain ideas may mean and play with conviction instead. It was my way of making it distinct from what Sacramental Death Qualia was going for. Bonilla: I feel like Sacramental Death Qualia requires more sitting down in order to digest it. We’re trying to stray away from that and this one is a straight-up rocker record. Not to say that Sacramental Death Qualia wasn’t, but this one has a more aggro-spiritual- jock-killer vibe. If you compare the two, the interludes are more integrated on this album than they were on Sacramental Death Qualia, so on paper, it seems less “headbangable” even though, in reality, it is more rocking. Bonilla: The cleaner parts sound heavier than they did on Sacramental Death Qualia because they’re more cohesive. They’re part of longer, sometimes 14-minute, tracks. Tiffin: They say what they need to say without overstaying their welcome. How do you guys approach writing longer pieces while trying to keep your songwriting intentions in place? Bonilla: It starts out as a big marble block that Brad puts in front of us. Then we’ll all chisel away at it. There was so much time for us to sit on this record time from the time it was conceived that we could widdle away at it. At the time we were all living in Austin so we could all widdle away at the songs together. Tiffin: The way I start songs, my first riff could be an idea that ends up nine minutes into the track. It’s about putting the puzzle together as each song isn’t constructed in the same way at all. We chip away at it until it’s right. That leads to something I wanted to ask. Some people believe that, in art, they are responsible for making everything, whereas others think that their ideas take on a life of their own and that they don’t have much control over it, almost like it’s a necessity. Do you think you fall into either of those camps? Tiffin: I’d like to think that everything is preconceived, as if I know exactly how I want a song to start or end, but I give the songs time to marinate and see if they stand the test of time. I make the call at that point, not trying to be too impulsive, but I try to let the songs take a natural course for what sounds right in my head. At this point, Enrique and I have been jamming together for a good 7 or 8 years so we know what strengths to play off of each other. It can’t all come from one head. My favorite thing about you guys, especially with your new one, is that you don’t play with typical death metal aggression although you’re sonically heavy. You’re closer to a group like Death where you’re using might as if it’s the only way to express what you’re trying to, and you’re challenging yourself by making the most demanding music that you can without it turning into a cliche. Bonilla: That’s a great take. It’s an exploration of “what can we do and how can we push those concepts” besides just showing off. And what specifically about yourselves did you want to push on the new album? Tiffin: As a byproduct of jamming with each other we know which riff styles work best and we know all the shit that we’ve come across and have grown to admire since our earlier days. Our tastes are just different. And what we want to put into our music is different. So 90s demo OSDM shit is a strong player and just wanitng a bit more instant gratification, meaning that it’s stuff that I would want to listen to and think “oh that rules.” I grew up with very patient and proggy shit, but the changes are reflected on our fretboards. That’s interesting cause a band’s evolution usually happens in reverse; they usually begin with the heavier, more tangible stuff, then as they grow they want to play more patient music. Tiffin: Yeah, it’s all just the headspace. Bonilla: I just wanna rock. Tiffin: That’s what we always say, we just wanna rock. Bonilla: No more thinking, I just wanna rock. Even the stuff for our next record is heading in a more aggressive and pissed-off direction. It’ll retain the signature Haunter elements that people like, but we’re getting older and these fingers aren't getting any faster. No more thinking, just riffing. What’s the one thing you’re most proud of with the new album that you haven’t had the chance to speak highly of yet? Tiffin: I’m proud of being able to implement certain leads and improving that part of my playing because I’ve always been a straight riffer and not much a lead shredder. It was nice to apply those techniques in a compelling and comfortable way. I have to play those parts while doing vocals, so I have to consider whether I’m taking on too much when I’m putting the pieces together. I’m proud of how we added that ingredient to this album. Bonilla: Thinking about meeting Brad and all the crazy shit we’ve been through like getting stranded in Mexico or our tires getting blown out in New Orleans, it’s nice to be able to come back at a higher echelon than what we were doing before. Prior to this, we were booking everything ourselves, but now we have players on the team who can bring those skill sets and networks to the table so it feels like the band is growing up in a big way. Obviously, the sound is evolving, and that’s going to be true of any release of ours, but it’s nice to see the progression of opportunities that are available to us now. The energy in the band is palpable now at a higher operating level than it was in the past....
Discarnate Ails releases May 6th via Profound Lore.On “Void of Unending Depths,” Inanna Weaves a Tapestry of Death Metal (Interview)
Death metal contains multitudes. Though many OSDM fans expect pithy, quick releases with the guttural rumblings of early '90s filth, there's also a whole set of folk inclined to proggier palettes and baroque production—put simply, it seems some hew closely to Cannibal Corpse's The Bleeding while others scoff at albums that could be perceived as lower-brow and favor gnarly, tangled works such as Disembowelment's Transcendence into the Peripheral. Happily, it doesn't have to be one or the other. Supposing you could blend knuckle-dragging pulverization with soaring solos and proggy shifts in landscape? I'm going to put a stake in the ground here and say that Inanna's Void of Unending Depths, out last Friday via Memento Mori, is 2022's finest death metal opus to date. It's truly the best of both worlds—"Among Subaqueous Spectres" is nearly seven minutes of mid-'90s Schuldinerean shredding, but "Cabo de Hornos" is as breathtaking, challenging and epic as the mountain range after which it's named. The latter is one of the richest death metal songs in years, a tour of everything the genre encompasses. It closes the album with dense ambience, cirrus-cloud solos, vocal gravitas and a general compositional ambition that's equal parts early-aughts grandiosity mixed with contemporary production and panache. The song, in this writer's opinion, is damn near perfect. From the jump, Void of Unending Depths is more deliberate than the band's last release, 2010's Transfigured in a Thousand Delusions. While songs on that LP veered much more often into territory that felt informed by then-nascent atmospheric black metal, Transcendence into the Peripheral is beautifully, unavoidably death metal. At its most neanderthal moments, it embodies much of what many love about the more recent resurrection of death metal's core. However, while Transfigured in a Thousand Delusions is wilder and more ecstatic, Void of Unending Depths contains both depth and expansiveness. It's a case study in the efficacy of depth vs. breadth—sure, Transfigured in a Thousand Delusions has excursions of gorgeous guitar and an overall greater vocal range, but Void of Unending Depths has that je ne sais quois that speaks to a Herculean effort on the band's part. Part of this is the time Inanna takes with what they do. The twelve years between releases may have irritated local fans, but to the more casual observer, this just looks like a band refusing to settle for less than they were capable of. Going back and listening to Converging Ages, a 2008 release the band remastered in 2020, one feels the band's drive to grow. "Unterdimensional" is a case in point. While it starts in meandering prog territory, the track explores everything from atonal, thrash-informed explosions of rage to to mournful sections of doom-informed voyages into madness. Single "The Keys to Alpha Centauri" is one of the most Schönbergian works on the album. Its atonal chords and languid pace give the listener plenty of time to absorb Inanna's maturation as a death metal band. Far from sluggish, the spiraling track is an invitation into a warped other realm. Inanna has been a relatively stable four-piece. Except for Carlos Fuentes shifting from guitar to drum duty a few years back and Cristóbal González joining on guitar in 2019, the band has maintained a stable lineup, somewhat unusually for any death metal act let alone one that's existed since 2000. Their cohesion is perhaps a key ingredient to their consistent yet ever-evolving sound. On Void of Unending Depths, Inanna has challenged themselves and won. This is celestial death metal with attention to detail. The vocal range is probably the only area where the band has held back compared to Transfigured in a Thousand Delusions—in place of that, they've created a simultaneous intricacy and seamlessness that fires off everything death metal has in its arsenal. If you're a death metal fan for any reason, you'll find something here to enjoy. I reached out to Inanna to find out more about the LP and what the band was up to in the 12 years since their last major release. The following interview has been edited for style and clarity.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KYtLZszAK4&ab_channel=MementoMoriLabel...
Inanna has been around since 2000, but ten years have passed since your last LP. What's happened with the band since Transfigured in a Thousand Delusions? Max Neira (vocals and bass): Well, we've become known for the long gaps between our sound productions. In this particular case (2012–2021), a bunch of factors caused this stalling. To begin with, we made the fatal mistake, fooled by pointless dribble, and releas[ed] Transfigured in a Thousand Delusions through an unnamable local label [that] did absolutely nothing to promote the album, which took us one and a half years to produce. With no spreading at all for this material, of which we were very proud, we were overwhelmed by a general feeling of frustration. Despite all that, thanks to other contacts inside the underground, we were able to boost [it] live, especially between 2013 and 2015. After that, at the end of 2016, Felipe, our partner and drummer of many years, left the band in November 2016, fulfilling his last live date in February 2017, and thus the year ended almost in limbo. For the following period, Carlos [Fuentes] decided to take over the drummer position, and the band began to perform as a trioz_a start from scratch—in order to recalibrate [to] a new operating dynamic. In June 2019, Cristóbal arrived to complete the usual quartet formation. It is worth saying that in all this time, there was hardly any work on new music since we were worried with different tasks in order to return from the grave in top form. At the beginning of 2020, we got the record deal with Memento Mori and started writing new material just when the global disease fell on us and changed our work schedule again, especially due to the long quarantines applied in our country. In short, we managed to normalize things in early 2021 and finished the compositions and enter the studio to record it in August. As you will see, the brew of factors that held us back for almost 10 years contains quite a few weird ingredients. Void of Unending Depths is massive and densely layered. What was the process of writing and assembling these songs? Carlos Fuentes: This was a new process for us [that was] much more focused in the recording studio than in proper rehearsal sessions. We started the editing process in my studio organizing some demos that we had for “The Key To Alpha Centauri” and “Among Subaqueous Spectres,” which allowed us to develop a pre-production methodology that we replicated for all the other songs on the album except for "Cabo de Hornos," which was written and structured entirely by Diego in his home studio using the same method. This consisted of writing editable tempo tracks, MIDI drums as close to the real execution and recording [and] all the string work that we wanted to include in the songs. [We] immediately structured isolated ideas that each of us had, mutating riffs into songs. What we were looking for was to have clarity of each arrangement and section of the songs composed prior to recording, above all, because on this album there is a lot of cellular creation (each member putting together one or two specific songs); therefore, the group input and arrangements were very important for maintain[ing] that tradition that we used to get from the rehearsal room. The vocals and lead work were the last to be added to this work, and it served as another relevant factor of cohesion since we knew exactly where we wanted to highlight instrumental moments and where we wanted to add the energetic charge of the vocals… to lead it towards “individual” moments or macro arrangements with solos. That is how we were able to identify ourselves with an extended concept and reinforce our new line-up, obtaining Void of Unending Depths as a final result. Obviously the pandemic came along and threw all our lives into disarray. How did you all deal with COVID, and how did that impact the record? CF: We started the album process just a few months before the pandemic hit us all. The idea for Void already existed, but we were trying to solidify our new lineup with concerts, so when the preventive measures came, we found ourselves isolated from each other and understood that the album would be affected. At that time, only three of four of us lived in the same city… moving from one place to another was very restricted, forcing us to do everything virtually. Each one took care of himself according to the possibilities and needs of our own families, but we understood that the record had to be built, and as the restrictions began to abate, we managed to consolidate the work meetings. Thanks to a great group effort, and Raúl of Memento Mori’s patience, the album was only achieved after being delayed by one year. This is undeniably a death metal record. That said, the riffage and solos on tracks like "Cabo de Hornos" take things far beyond old-school death metal worship. What, in your view, sets you apart from other death metal acts? MN: “Cabo de Hornos” is a special tune like other compositions written by Diego [Ilabaca, guitarist,] in the past. Although his subconscious conspires with speed, dread, and massive intricate chords, in classic DM fashion, his brain transfers it to the canvas in a totally different way that the rest of the band individually couldn’t achieve as songwriters. It is an almost indefinable and inexplicable entity factor that lives in this dude’s mind, and that has clearly given us the necessary push to forge a style that is out of the ordinary, but in consistency with the ancestral DM chants. From an early age, what attracted us as a group to this style was the freedom with which one can create and naturally take things further. I found the old-school death schtick odd knowing it was born a few years ago. By 1991, death metal was still in its development stage, so for us, that term doesn't make any sense. If you want to play old-school, just repeat the same old riffs, bore yourself to death, and work your ass off to sound exactly like the old bands. It's really tiring to be chained, and we as a band want to enjoy our work. “Cabo de Hornos” is a perfect illustration of our musical stand. What are some of the concepts driving Void of Unending Depths? You notably reference Lovecraft and Cthulhu in promotions. MN: As the group’s lyricist, of course Lovecraft and Cthulhu are constant influences and an almost overwhelming presence. If I had never picked up one of those books like 25 years ago, I might never have written a single line. Void of Unending Depths is not a concept album like [The Who's] Tommy or [Genesis's] The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway but a collection of songs with a common thread that joins them together. Our only object of worship is human insanity, nothing else, [and] with that inspiration you can fill pages and pages. The literature of H.P. Lovecraft, as well as many other different genres of fiction [and the study of] history, teaches us the tortuous, unpleasant and endless path of this aberration called humankind. Cthulhu… is literary horror; it’s a perfect embodiment of [the] human conscience’s fears. [But] it's no use to pull out a can of clams, light some candles over a painted pentagram and try to summon a giant actual octopus. We are not into some cult whatsoever. Continuing on that theme, Lovecraft was like us, obsessed with the sea; the immensity of its terrifying surface and its mysterious depths provokes thoughts that are buried where the limits of the flesh meet the spiritual side. Sea tales are as old as the written word itself. In short, I repeat, we are not occultists, we are only mentally unbalanced. In my personal case, I like vicious anxiety and a permanent death-wish knowledge. However, there’s nothing wrong with reading about dark old practices, magic, alchemy, medieval thinking. It will always be good material to broaden perspectives. What made you decide to go with English over Spanish? MN:We never use our own language, except in very rare occasions, such as names or specific places. Spanish is an amazing, complex and extraordinary language if you want to dedicate yourself to writing; in fact, in my opinion it is richer than English. But us writing texts in a foreign language was there from the beginning, reading for example the lyrics of “Show No Mercy” or “Seven Churches” next to a dictionary, and then writing dumb childish evil songs in the schoolyard. Metal is a universal thing, so if we want some kid in Lithuania, Tunisia or Thailand to be able to understand at least the titles and the oversight of our dementia, English is the most [useful] language… and all our songs are sung in good old English. Can we expect to see Inanna in the US or Europe anytime soon in support of this record? MN: It would be a delight to be able to visit the US or Europe. We hope to be able to make some deal with a serious booking group to be able to promote the album or even [book] a single gig far from here. We have traveled the entire width [of Chile from] south to north, but Inanna has never been able to appear in other lands, not even in our neighboring countries, which also would be great. We hope to be able to take the plane and cross the pond. In the meantime, we will dedicate ourselves to what suits us best—writing and performing our music in the best possible way.Roadburn 2022: Heaviness Redefined, Part 1 (Live Review)
[caption id="attachment_76645" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
The Roadburn experience is unique to every person who attends, whether that’s in terms of bands seen, how that band made the person feel or how that attendee approached new acts and much-loved favorites — no two people will have the exact same encounters with the music or the Festival. That’s the magic of Roadburn and why it’s held in such high regard the world over. Just taking a moment to stand still and soak in the atmosphere will allow you to hear many different languages being spoken around you while people meet friends both old and new over a love for heavy music. The main principle of Roadburn in 2022 is “Redefining Heaviness,” and that energy flows through the Festival area as crowds make their way to the first shows of Thursday, perhaps already having been in Tilburg for a day or more in order to get their bearings and attend the Wednesday pre-show party, “The Spark.” The music on offer ranges from the rawest black metal to the most experimental and obscure sounds the world has to showcase and Roadburn embraces that with its whole heart. The team behind the Festival spend months and almost their entire beings on booking bands that line up with the values that Roadburn promotes, commissioning special projects and looking for the right visual artists to bring their concepts to life. Immersion in Roadburn is key, at least for this attendee, and so full sets were a priority for those bands I really wanted to catch, while others were a “nice to see if I can manage it” vibe. It is definitely not possible to see everything unless you want to spend five minutes with a band before moving on, never eating and never sitting down. It’s not recommended but it’s also your festival experience, so you do you? For this traveler, Thursday started early with a 4am wake-up call and a 6am flight to Amsterdam and it was already in mind that perhaps the official start time of 2pm with Big Brave was pushing it slightly in regards to the mental and physical capacity to fully engage with the Festival straightaway. You can check out the preview that was posted shortly before the Festival and have fun matching up the bands mentioned with what was actually witnessed, but I’d decided to go with the flow, as it were, and see how my brain felt in the moment. And after arriving in Tilburg at 11am, my brain needs a nap.
Vile Creature and Bismuth. Photo credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
Messa. Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
Thou. Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
Wiegedood. Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
Lamp of Murmuur. Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
Photo credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
The Roadburn experience is unique to every person who attends, whether that’s in terms of bands seen, how that band made the person feel or how that attendee approached new acts and much-loved favorites — no two people will have the exact same encounters with the music or the Festival. That’s the magic of Roadburn and why it’s held in such high regard the world over. Just taking a moment to stand still and soak in the atmosphere will allow you to hear many different languages being spoken around you while people meet friends both old and new over a love for heavy music. The main principle of Roadburn in 2022 is “Redefining Heaviness,” and that energy flows through the Festival area as crowds make their way to the first shows of Thursday, perhaps already having been in Tilburg for a day or more in order to get their bearings and attend the Wednesday pre-show party, “The Spark.” The music on offer ranges from the rawest black metal to the most experimental and obscure sounds the world has to showcase and Roadburn embraces that with its whole heart. The team behind the Festival spend months and almost their entire beings on booking bands that line up with the values that Roadburn promotes, commissioning special projects and looking for the right visual artists to bring their concepts to life. Immersion in Roadburn is key, at least for this attendee, and so full sets were a priority for those bands I really wanted to catch, while others were a “nice to see if I can manage it” vibe. It is definitely not possible to see everything unless you want to spend five minutes with a band before moving on, never eating and never sitting down. It’s not recommended but it’s also your festival experience, so you do you? For this traveler, Thursday started early with a 4am wake-up call and a 6am flight to Amsterdam and it was already in mind that perhaps the official start time of 2pm with Big Brave was pushing it slightly in regards to the mental and physical capacity to fully engage with the Festival straightaway. You can check out the preview that was posted shortly before the Festival and have fun matching up the bands mentioned with what was actually witnessed, but I’d decided to go with the flow, as it were, and see how my brain felt in the moment. And after arriving in Tilburg at 11am, my brain needs a nap.
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[caption id="attachment_76640" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Vile Creature and Bismuth. Photo credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
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Thursday For this reason, then, my first band of the weekend is a collaboration between Vile Creature and Bismuth with their commissioned piece, A Hymn of Loss and Hope on the Main Stage of the 013. Entering the space felt like coming home, in a way, the familiar sights and smells immediately brought back memories of vying for a good spot to see the band (as a short person this is vital) and to be comfortable in the crowd, the biggest many of us have seen since the Spring of 2020. The atmosphere is electric and a tangible feeling of anticipation fills the air as people begin to fill the floor and stare at the projected backdrop that proclaims “Roadburn 2022,” in simple but promising terms. As the lights dim and Vile Creature and Bismuth take to the stage, the expectant crowd welcome them as though heroes, the first to return to the hallowed halls of the 013 and the first band on the Main Stage for Roadburn 2022. It is a moment that sends chills down the spine as the reality sets in — we are here, watching live music, with people, in real life. It’s mind-boggling for a split second and as the two collaborators channel downtrodden doom and shiver-inducing screams, the haze begins to pass as thousands of people come to understand that this is really happening. It is wonderful to be in this moment and despite technically being alone in a physical sense, the knowledge that the people surrounding you are experiencing their own private moments brings us closer together. As A Hymn of Loss and Hope ends, there is a buzz in the air as the crowd exits the stage and seeks the next thrill. De Koepelhal houses The Terminal and Engine Room stages, as well as being the main hub for merch and the Ladybird Skatepark (more to come on that). Areas for food and drinks and situated outside as well as the temporary Hall of Fame venue while construction is in progress on the old site. This new Hall of Fame is much bigger and honestly, should become a permanent fixture in the future or even a large cafe/restaurant type of place as while places to sit are plenty, sometimes there is little choice but to sit on the floor somewhere. Anyway, I digress, The Terminal is the next stop for this attendee and Year of No Light are already laying waste to the venue upon arrival. Their light show is mesmerizing as is their stunning take on instrumental post-rock. Their sound is crisp and deliciously heavy and the darkness of the venue allows for the audience to become fully absorbed in their performance. After Year of No Light it is time to walk back to the Main Stage (this is a fairly quick walk if you’re lucky with the traffic but the renovations that are happening all around the city make the times slightly longer than usual) for Italian band Messa and their playthrough of newest album, Close. Captivating from the start, the band meld doom and Mediterranean influences to create a sound that inspires devotion, not least through vocalist Sara’s powerful voice and commanding presence. Messa’s set is one of the most talked about of the weekend and their not-so-secret set on Saturday - the band somehow accidentally let it slip in advance and it was a case of when it was happening rather than if it was happening - in the Skatepark was packed out due to this word of mouth....
[caption id="attachment_76644" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Messa. Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
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After Messa, a short break is required before heading into the evening programme. Word on the street is that Thou have been spotted arriving and there is a definite feeling of “what the hell is going on?” buzzing around the Festival sites. Roadburn are known for adding surprise shows and secret sets from bands you didn’t even know were coming, so this news is already heightening the tension of the day. The TimeSquare app (the app the Festival recommends to use which has the full timetables of each day, plus alerts fifteen minutes before your picks start as well as having the most up-to-date information on when and where bands are playing) fast becomes a close friend as you constantly check for new additions, replacements for those acts who unfortunately couldn’t make it and the much touted secret shows Roadburn keep mentioning to us to keep an eye on. Still, nothing much will stop me from catching 40 Watt Sun as Perfect Light has been a favorite since release. Patrick Walker leads the band and it’s his voice which carries much of the emotion they are known for while the music takes on the role of supporting act in order to create a delicate and engrossing hour on stage. Looking around the main stage crowd it is clear that many here hold 40 Watt Sun close to their hearts as heads are bowed and eyes closed, the stories of Walker washing over them as if they were their own. It is a powerful moment that only breaks once “Stages” ends and those present can finally exhale their own personal pain. As the crowd spills out in the main street, the news comes that Thou are indeed at Roadburn and they’ll be playing at Ladybird Skatepark at 9pm. The capacity of the skatepark is limited due to the amount of fire exits available and it is important to arrive early to begin queuing for this venue. The skatepark hosted some legendary sets in 2019—Thou played their infamous Misfits cover set there and the energy of the park is much different to the other venues of Roadburn. There’s something about the DIY aspect that gets the crowd in the right frame of mind and as Thou appear on the stage for one of the heaviest sets of the weekend, the audience rightly goes wild and the momentum barely stops for the entirety of their set....
[caption id="attachment_76646" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Thou. Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
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Over on the Main Stage, Sólstafir are playing their 2011 opus Svartir Sandar and during the last song of the set, the visuals change from artwork of the album to the moving pictures of the film Valhalla Rising. This holds significance as this was a fan-made video of their final song from the album, “Djákninn,” accompanying visuals from the movie—to close the set using this is a beautiful nod to the dedication of their fans and the band to them and it is a visceral and dramatic end to a performance that encapsulates exactly why the Icelandic band’s legacy is still as strong today as it was upon the release of the album over a decade ago. The evening still holds promise in its final acts of the day yet getting into the Next Stage for The Bug looks to be a lesson in futility. Still, Russian Circles are a perfect way to end the first day of Roadburn Festival 2022 as their heavy post-metal fills the Main Stage to the rafters, the sound swelling with each sweep on the guitar and strike of the drum as the trio bring Thursday to its close. Afterwards, there’s a choice of bars to hit on the affectionately named Weirdo Canyon strip that forms the main landing zone for many Roadburners, with favorite bars taking precedence for some, while others look for a cool place to have their final beer of the night, and a few hit their beds to get some rest before Friday starts. Friday The most intriguing prospect of Friday is the collaboration between Perturbator’s James Kent and Cult of Luna’s Johannes Persson, a commissioned piece entitled Final Light and the first musical port of call for me today. Accompanied by two drummers with Kent on synths/keys and Persson on guitar/vocals, the industrial leaning post-metal (this barely seems like the right description but words are not always found so easily) the duo create is some of the most insane of the weekend. Movement is mandatory and the atmosphere is lit up by the deep bellows of Persson who commands the audience from the outset. The high expectations of what Final Light would sound like are completely justified as the two musicians come together to mold their respective genres into an entirely new beast....
[caption id="attachment_76641" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Wiegedood. Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
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Speaking of insanity, next is Wiegedood who showcase their most recent album, There’s Always Blood At The End Of The Road and pummel the audience with deadly blast beats and dour spoken word sections. This contrast plus the stark lighting choices give Wiegedood a dangerous edge as their music begins to take new forms in the spaces between songs. Time for introspection is in short supply both at Roadburn and in life, and the Belgian’s approach to this performance gives those moments to the audience in the vast hall of the Main Stage before once again launching full throttle into punishing, existential black metal. Before the commissioned work of This Shame Should Not Be Mine from GGGOLDDD, there is the announcement that Lamp of Murmuur are playing a surprise secret show at the Little Devil bar. This is a tiny venue and a chance to catch the band before their Terminal set on Sunday and the lure is much too great (sorry, GGGOLDDD). A dash to the bar that lies 10-15 minutes walk away ensues to make sure entry is gained for the show and a prime spot is taken at the front once the gathered crowd is allowed into the stage area. The atmosphere is charged with excitement as the mysterious M. and his chosen band enter into the tiny stage. Cloaked in robes and smoke, the band begin a whirlwind of a set that only slows down when they notice some technical difficulties in the shape of an air conditioner leaking onto the amp stack. The band are professional about it, however, and despite a small argument with an audience member who apparently is very annoyed about the interruption (should the whole band die from electrocution for you to hear the rest of the set?), M. keeps their cool and makes sure the audience is aware of what is happening at all times. It’s not long before Lamp of Murmuur are able to continue and anyone who is here has the sense that they are witnessing something very special indeed. It is joyous and exhilarating to be a part of this audience losing their minds in unison as the band launch into “Heir of Ecliptical Romanticism” to end the show. Sunday seems very far away for another chance to catch thia group of musicians live....
[caption id="attachment_76643" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Lamp of Murmuur. Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
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After Lamp of Murmuur finish, Alcest begin their performance of 2010s Écailles de Lune back at the 013’s Main Stage. The band are held dear to many and the audience fill the room from the front to the rafters of the balcony. Frontman Neige switches from gentle vocalizations to heightened screams - certainly one of the most recognizable voices in black metal - as the French band bookend the album with a handful of fan favorites to round out their stage time. The performance is magical both from a musical perspective and from the point of view that Neige is bringing to life a world he encountered as a child. The band emulates the majesty of the unknown in climbing guitar solos and serene passages while the fear of passing through into a new world is filtered through Neige's shrieks and Winterhalter's rich drums. As their set draws to a close the is a buzz in the air that is added to when the huge gap in the Main Stage’s timetable is revealed to be a collaboration between Thou and Mizmor....
[caption id="attachment_76642" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Photo Credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
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At this point, a rest is needed and while the plan is initially to see HEALTH over at the Engine Room, the possibilities of what Thou and Mizmor can create together is far more intriguing and so the Main Stage becomes the focus for many on this beautiful Friday evening. It turns out that the performance will be songs from a collaborative album, Myopia, recorded in secret and released to the public on this same day. The Main Stage is taken on a journey of cinematic proportions as the songs reveal the darkest depths of Thou’s sludge and the dramatic twists of Mizmor’s blackened doom. To say it is cathartic is hardly doing the music justice but there is a collective sense of release as the final notes wash over the room, that there was something powerful at play here and to be present is to be cleansed....
[caption id="attachment_76639" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Photo credit: Cheryl Carter[/caption]
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Several deep breaths are required after the songs of Myopia and the choices for what to see next are between Swiss band Sum Of R playing their newest album Lahbryce in full or the psychedelic delights of TAU & The Drones of Praise at the Next Stage. Sum Of R wins out in this instance and the performance is captivating to say the least. Expanding the line-up is Marko Neuman on vocals (Dark Buddha Rising) and Jukka Rämänen on drums (also of Dark Buddha Rising) to complement the curious sounds of the band. Neuman is electrifying to watch as he possesses a terrifying energy that pulses out across the gathered audience and draws them into his circle. Lahbryce is hypnotic on this scale and it is the perfect close to Friday. The choice now stands at partying or bedtime and for this festival goer, it turns into a need to lie down as Saturday looms on the horizon. We'll continue our post-fest rundown of Roadburn 2022 later this week. Stay tuned!…
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