Welcome back to our monthly segment, Under/Current. Here we will cover the music we currently find inspirational, the music we look forward to in the near future, and what we, J.C.L., X.K..and P.S., are currently listening to. We encourage you to check out the artists with the links provided in the texts (Marked in yellow).
J.C.L.
Currently inspirational:
This unknown collective has risen in the underground black metal circles, and last year's self-titled debut from Pharmakeia was one of my top 10 picks for 2019. So you can imagine my delight when all of the collective's projects surprise-dropped new releases last month. Having sampled all of them now, I can firmly say that Maelstrom by Mahr is my favorite, in just how utterly chaotic and merciless it assaults the listener. Protest Against Sanity by HWWAUOCH is another chaotic album screaming at you from the void, but less coherent than Mahr. Phamakeia has picked up some black/death inspiration on Ternary Curse, while Voidsphere leans towards Darkspace in ambiance and themes on To Sense | To Perceive. All in all a handful of enjoyable, if esoteric and cryptic records.
Danish death metal kings Undergang just don't show any signs of ever slowing down, and thanks for that. Their newest release, Aldrig I Livet is as old-school, ugly and nasty as ever, as good Death metal should be, and it is absolutely glorious gross fun from start to finish. It's rare that I headbang much, but Aldrig I Livet had me rocking my head almost from start to finish. I honestly can't think of any Danish record I've enjoyed this much in 2020, and a death metal record at that too, which surprised this firm black metal fan.
Currently looking forward to:
January is mostly a time of re-releases, yet still a few upcoming releases are worth looking at. One is the upcoming album Le Tyran et l'Esthète by Les Chants de Nihil, A french band from Brittany playing a melodic black metal. Currently two singles are available, both of which caught my ears with a good mix of choirs, mixed vocal types, fast paced melodic guitars and excellent drumwork. All together, this bodes to be something for fans of Windir, Horn and Nagelfar.
This album is slated for release on the 22th of January by Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Productions
This album is slated for release on the 22th of January by Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Productions
Listened to this week:
We have been spoiled musically this year. It's December, and I'm still seeing good stuff being released. Heretical Sect's newest output from a fortnight ago, Rapturous Flesh Consumed is a stellar blend of death, doom and black metal elements combined to make harrowing soundtrack, which delves into a story of religious zealotry, insanity and a conflict of beliefs in the American southwest. If the lyrics doesn't interest you, the ominous and haunting music should keep you very much entertained for the duration, as Heretical Sect proves they are able to punch way above their weight class with this effort.
Another album which I almost missed this year, but caught up on a few days ago. Black Curse is made up of members from such acts as Blood Incantation, Primitive Man and Spectral Voice, all of which shows influence on this, their debut album, but also takes much inspiration from more raw bands like Teitanblood, Diocletian and Revenge. Endless Wound is a black/death metal album made with passion and a fiery aggressive dedication. Here is nothing modern, no polish and no mercy; it is as old school, gritty and diabolic as possible, especially the rabid vocal and the guitar tone. Easily a project which I will be returning to in the future
Also, another surprising drop was Ukrainian Hate Forest's long awaited comeback. Titled Hour of the Centaur, it is box standard Hate Forest-material. Monolithic and uncompromising black metal. Think of it as 38 minutes of blastbeats with sole remaining member Roman Saenko riffing and growling alongside. It does kinda miss something that the former albums had, but since it's the first full-length from the band in 15 years, I'm willing to give it a few more spins before disregarding it entirely
X.K.
Currently inspirational:
Last year this album ended up on my top ten list of albums which since has been spinning an impressive number of times. But what is there to like? The entire peeled, or call it "raw" production, mixed with an overlap of things that is so misplaced, the entire thing is so chaotic that listening to it makes peace in a tumultuous mind.
Thou Shell of Death - Witchery
For many this year has been a sad story also when it comes to live music, but for myself, I will take the time to brag about my countless beyond wonderful live experiences this year. This atmospheric black metal project was among many bands playing at one of my attended festivals this year, Zobens Un Lemess - a small festival in Latvia. If I would to imagine Summoning playing live these guys would be pretty close in terms of their own music being inspired by as well. This second album was played that evening which I took with me home and has been inspirational since. For fans of Summoning.
Currently looking forward to:
Grabunhold - Heldentod
Last year I stumbled upon this German black metal band when they released their second demo, so when I saw the announcement of the debut album that will be out on January 22nd, 2021, I looked it up immediately. These eight tracks are not for everybody but if you like your black metal a medieval madness combined with morose melancholic pieces, this is golden.
Flammen Und Schatten - 4th track taken from the album.
Altered Dead - Returned To Life
On January 25th, 2021 this Canadian two-piece death metal project will release what will be their second album about five years after the self-titled debut record. Ten tracks of raw underground cessation, among other influenced by Autopsy, Grave, and Darkthrone, closing the album of with a cover of Celtic Frost's "Into the Crypts of Rays". Genuinely recommended.
Prosodemic Realms - 4th track taken from the album.
Listened to this week:
Warmoon Lord & Vultyrium - Pure Cold Impurity (Split)
From the very first seconds of this split, you can hear the mysterious landscapes that Warmoon Lord creates best, dripping cold tales of snow making you twitch like it suddenly was running down your spine. "The Morningstar's Descent" what a track!
Taking it a rough step further, Vultyrium's Sadist Stalker creates a more sinister atmosphere with both harsh howls and cutting riffs making this split important for listeners of the 90's Scandinavian sort metal.
P.S.
Currently inspirational:
Sunn O))) - Black one
Currently looking forward to:
I am looking forward to this album that we..well, I, will be reviewing and that is by one of the latest metal bands to come out of the great state of Texas, Frozen Soul, with their new album Crypt of Ice. We will go in to depth with the details of this album in the review when the album is released on the 8th of January by Century Media Records, so look out for that. I will say that if you are a fan of Bolt Thrower and/or Gatecreeper, this album is probably something for you!
Crypt of Ice single here!
Listened to this week:
Sleep - Dopesmoker
This week I have been enjoying an escape from reality by putting on the ultimate stoner doom song/album that is Sleep’s Dopesmoker. This is to me one of the pieces of music that I will consider to be a flawless masterpiece. This concept of making a one song album was the first of its kind in 1999, in an edited version called Jerusalem, and then it was released again in 2003 as Dopesmoker, which was the original version that took the band four years of work to make. At that point Sleep wasn’t that active; guitar player Matt Pike had started High on Fire and drummer Chris Haklus and bassist and vocals Al Cisneros had started the two piece band Om after the 2003 release of the full version. While Dopesmoker soon became a classic and genre defining album of heavy doom stoner, in 2018 the band put out their first new album since Dopesmoker, they have since toured the world and I have had the pleasure of seeing them live twice, which was amazing. They have made it public that they are taking a break from touring and being a band to focus on other things, like High on Fire and Om, but who knows, maybe we will see them live again. If you are a new fan of this band I would recommend that you check out the albums The Science and Holy Mountain
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