Mixtape: FF/RW – Best of Cassettes for March
It’s been another good month for cassettes, with releases from some repeat offenders (Rhinocervs, Fallen Empire) and some surprises from labels I’ve only recently come across. Expect a lot of ugly black metal in this batch, but don’t worry, the MOONKNIGHT and Sui Caedere should break things up a bit.
The coming months are looking very promising, with releases from Les Productions Hérétiques (Sorcier des Glaces) and Colloquial Sound Recordings (Aksumite, A Pregnant Light) on the calendar. A Legion Blotan update seems like a possibility, too, given that the last one came in October. Who knew spring was so metal?
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Wylve – Wylve
Wylve features members of Blut Der Nacht [http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2012/02/mixtape-press-play-best-of-cassettes-for-february/] and plays a catchy brand of mournful black metal. Unfortunately, their tape is only two tracks. The first edition of 33 is sold out, but a repress is coming soon with updated packaging. Released on Fallen Empire.
Buy: Fallen Empire
Rhinocervs – RH-13
Rhinocervs continues to release arguably the best black metal on tape. RH-13 is one of Rhinocervs’ most abrasive and unrelenting releases yet, full of hideous and violent riffing. As with all of their releases, it’s a must have. The first edition is sold out, an edition on pro-tape will be available soon.
Buy: Rhinocervs
MOONKNIGHT– Toplov
MOONKNIGHT’s Toplov is a catchy, shoegaze-y, and industrial-tinged take on black metal. A one-man project from veteran USBM figure James Brown III (Lord Foul and currently guitarist for Harassor), Toplov was released on Universal Consciousness, a label with a number of quality releases under its belt. Toplov, released in an edition of 100, is still available from Aquarius Records.
Buy: Aquarius Records
Axis of Light – By the Hands of the Consuming Fire
Axis of Light’s harsh and crusty black metal is overlaid with distorted shrieks that flirt with insanity. From the “Northern wastes of England”, this is one not to miss. By the Hands of the Consuming Fire was released on Mordgrimm, a label well worth watching.
Buy: Fallen Empire
House of Apparition – Demo I
House of Apparition is from Northern California and plays brutal and ugly lo-fi black metal with heavily distorted vocals. The last track is dark noise. The first edition of 30 is sold out, but a full length from the band is coming shortly on Fallow Field. Released on Exquisite Morbidity.
Buy: Exquisite Morbidity
Sui Caedere – Thrène
A 2009 release from Monarque’s project Sui Caedere (roughly “Suicide” in Latin) re-released on tape this month by Quebec’s Les Productions Hérétiques. Monarque’s work is always top notch (he is also a member of Carrion Wraith, Ephemer, and his eponymous main-project Monarque), and on Sui Caedere he takes a doom-influenced approach to melancholic black metal. The album is dedicated to the Quebec poet Émile Nelligan who, at the age of 20, suffered a massive psychotic breakdown and never recovered. He gained widespread fame later in life when, debilitated, he could not appreciate it. Monarque’s tormented and demented shrieks, including moments of distorted mental breakdowns that echo Nelligan’s own, fit nicely.
Buy: Les Productions Hérétiques
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