To Separate Flesh From Bone - Happenings and Discoveries

The above photo was snapped by my beloved friend Samantha Marble to accompany a piece that ran on NPR.org this past week as part of the Record's "The Year in Music" retrospective series. Entitled "2010's Best Writing About Metal," the post rounded up a handful of pieces that its author thought particularly exemplary, and I'm pretty chuffed that my "Metal Etiquette: A Ladies' Guide to Concert-going" (Metalsucks) was chosen. Many thanks to Lars Gotrich for the honor. You can read the writeup and find a link to the original article here: http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2010/12/30/132413390/the-year-in-music-2010s-best-writing-about-metal

Sam, my roommate Karlynn Holland and I spent a good couple hours Immortal-izing my face, shooting in the snow outside Sam's apartment, spooking unsuspecting passersby,, and breathlessly giggling at the sight of my dumb ass in full-on Abbath mode. You can see a couple more photos here - I look like a dude, but am totally okay with it. Talk about ravishing grimness. Hah! http://samanthamarble.tumblr.com/

NEWS FROM THE DEPTHS (THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION):

Clandestine Blaze released a new album on longtime allies Northern Heritage at the tail end of 2010, and it completely snuck under my nose! I haven't gotten my mitts on it yet, but according to the NH website,

"2010 album of Clandestine Blaze underlines the core of black metal as it has been interpreted by it. Utmost focus on the core elements of riffs, melody, song structures and lyrics, leaving out everything unnecessary. In stripped down simplicity of sound, music and artwork it continues logical journey since Church Of Atrocity, with more distorted, lethal and fierce sound."

There's a new Mgla on the way, too! Stoked.

Fans of Cruciamentum should hit up Metal Ireland and check out a cool new interview with Dan, conducted by Andy from Dublin doom titans Wreck of the Hesperus: http://www.metalireland.com/2010/12/26/cruciamentum-interview/ Cruciamentum's 2009 EP 'Convocation of Crawling Chaos' is a proclamation of intent and an essential listen for anyone who gives a damn about the current state of underground metal ov death.
Listen and worship: http://www.last.fm/music/Cruciamentum




Negative Plane have a brand-new record due out on Ireland's truly barbaric Invictus Productions in early 2011. Invictus will also be releasing an LP for Canadian black/death warriors Antediluvian, who are planning a split with brothers in arms Adversarial as well.

Altar of Plagues have completed their new album for Profound Lore, which is currently being mastered by the immortal Necromorbus. Can't spill any more details, but trust me - this will be the one of the best albums of 2011.

Much-loved Necros Christos affiliates Drowned have come to their senses and gotten together to record new material, though no hope (as of yet) of catching the Teutonic death/doom beasts live:

"11/2010
A new line-up has been coagulated earlier this year, involving Tlmnn on guitar, G.ST (also in Essenz) on bass and T.E. (also in Essenz and Android Empire) on drums. We are currently working on material for an upcoming full-length album.
MDR will remain available for future vocal recordings, albeit his participation in live shows is unlikely due to the ever more time-consuming nature of Necros Christos.
Because of this circumstance and also in order to focus on songwriting, Drowned will not play live in the near future."





My good friends Craven Idol will be releasing their debut EP Ethereal Altars on Hammer of Hate/Vengeful Atakkk - black/thrash supremacy! Speaking of the London scene, my mates Scythian (warlike black/thrash) will be releasing a split 7" with Greek horde Kawir in the coming months.




PLAYLIST FOR THE DAY:

Some new discoveries have hit my headphones today; I'm taking advantage of my newfound downtime to greedily devour as much new-to-me (and underappreciated) UGBM/UGDM as possible. Lots of demos, lots of new blood and surprisingly, lots of American stuff.

SKITSYSTEM - Stigmata (2006)
SOMBRES FORETS - Royaume De Glace (2008)
GOAT HORN - Trinza After Sunset demo (1999)
CASTLE OF PURITY - s/t demo (2009)
ETERNAL DIRGE - Morbus Ascendit (1992)
GAROTTE - Count the Almounds (2010)
ROMAN CROSS - Rain rehearsal (2008)
GRAVE MIASMA - Realm of Evoked Doom rerelease (2010)