MUNICIPAL WASTE IS GONNA FUCK YOU UP!

MUNICIPAL WASTE (w/At the Gates, July 9/10)
Live @ Irving Plaza *for Metal Maniacs
Kim Kelly


After the balls-out blackened thrash attack that was Toxic Holcaust, a heaping shovelful of Municipal Waste was just what the doctor ordered. Opening up with the disgustingly-catchy “Headbanger Face Rip” (I totally see zombies in my head whenever that song comes on), Richmond’s favored sons proceeded to practice what they preach, shredding off faces left and right and kicking up one of the most joyously sloppy circle pits I’ve ever seen. Seriously, would it have killed the bouncers to throw down some paper towels? I almost decapitated myself while circling it up to “Unleash the Bastards,” and seeing kids careen across the slippery floor in time to Ryan Waste’s destructive thrash riffs was almost as much fun as watching Tony and Landphil’s onstage antics. The Inebriator was sadly absent, as were the boogie boards and wizard hats that make this band so much fun at smaller shows, but the ‘Waste still managed to bring their trademark manic, beer-fueled energy to the bigger stage. Perhaps as a token of respect for their esteemed stagemates, Municipal Waste stepped up their performance a notch (which was about what one might expect from the band who wrote “Guilty of Being Tight”), and ripped through a speedy set of favorites. “Sadistic Magician,” “Terror Shark,” “Beer Pressure,” and “Sweet Attack” all did their part to keep the crossover flag flying high. The crowd ate it up, especially the kids covered in D.R.I. patches and the two dudes who came all the way up from Miami for the show only to have their boogie boards confiscated at the door (sick burn!). Municipal Waste’s high-octane blend of thrash and crusty hardcore punk may have befuddled some of the older ‘heads, but goddamn did it get the crowd pumped up. The epic closer, “Born to Party,” tore the place to shreds as the now-famous chant of “Municipal Waste is gonna fuck – you- UP!!” rang loud and proud up to the rafters. And fuck us up, they did; I’ve still got bruises. Party squad, unite!

Desecrating The Unholy Dogma: Black Metal’s Vicious New Killers

Desecrating The Unholy Dogma: Black Metal’s Vicious New Killers
Kim Kelly
*to be published in Unrestrained! Magazine



It’s a rainy night in Queens, and I’m standing on a dock overlooking the East River. The soft glow of the Manhattan skyline catches my gaze as the acrid scent of burning flesh wafts by, reminding me why I’m here. I turn to the vast abyss that looms behind me – an artist’s warehouse, hollow and empty save for boxes filled with wire and secrets, a smattering of solemn-faced people, and a fire pit, over which’s glowing embers two pigs are being roasted. An unlikely mélange of leather jackets, cheap beer, silver necklaces and ballerina flats populate this alien slice of the city; flanked by an upscale restaurant and a loading dock, this “venue” seems as out of place here as its temporary residents, and no one is quite certain of what to expect. Some of us – the longhairs and the bullet-belted - are here to see a metal show; others are drawn by their curiosity about this gathering of black-clad people, and about the spectacle to come. This city has a way of bringing strangers together in the strangest places, especially if the words “free” and “BYOB” happen to be involved.
As night fell, Krallice took the stage. If you haven’t yet heard about Brooklyn’s most talked-about black metal project, you’d fail to understand the sort of spell they cast over the audience, or how effortlessly they managed to fill that cavernous space up to its very rafters with a raging inferno of sound and chaos. Much like Wolves In The Throne Room or Watain, one must witness Krallice’s particular brand of BM live in order to fully appreciate it. There is no corpse paint, no inverted crosses or cow’s blood. There are no histrionics or posturing or pretensions towards grimness. The members of Krallice simply play their music with passion, with emotion, with determination and with feeling, and that is what makes it so compelling. They don’t need to invoke Satan or decorate their microphones stands with bones; as far as Krallice is concerned, the Devil’s in the details.
The band was formed in the summer of 2007 by Mick Barr and Colin Marston. According to guitarist Marston, Krallice was originally borne of a mutual desire to play together, bolstered by the rapport the two had built up over years of working in tandem on various musical endeavors. Barr had guested on several releases by Marston’s other bands, while in turn Marston has engineered several of Barr’s albums. Both of them boast extremely diverse, technical musical backgrounds, as Marston’s work in Dysrhythmia, Behold…The Arctopus, and Byla, and Barr’s participation/solo work (Othrelm, Ocrilim, Octis, and more) can attest. The lineup was rounded out by drummer LevWeinstein that fall, then solidified in April 2008 with the addition of bassist Nick McMaster. Krallice’s rhythm section are no slouches either. Weinstein pulls double-duty behind the kit in NYC avant-doom noiseniks Bloody Panda, and, in addition, McMaster holds down the low end in Astomatous, Sallah, and Hymn while Weinstein holds court behind the kit. With members that boast a veritable laundry list of projects under their collective belts yet participate in no black or even thrash metal bands to speak of, a throwaway description of Krallice as, “black metal played by non-black metal dudes” may indeed fit, if only on the most superficial of levels. As one might expect, Martson’s hackles raised a bit when faced with that particular analysis." If it means you have to be a Satanist and wear corpsepaint, then I suppose that statement is correct. But if you think that way, not only are you full of shit, you're just ignorant: Venom weren't Satanists, Enslaved never wore corpsepaint, and the list goes on.”
The man’s got a point. It’s 2008, not 1994, and the once colorless, grim face of black metal is changing, finally trying on new personas and expressions; it’s only fitting that the members of Krallice keep theirs bare. The widespread critical acclaim and mainstream (comparatively-speaking) acceptance of bands like Xasthur, Wolves in the Throne Room, Nachtmystium, and Withered has dragged the genre kicking and screaming out of its frozen lair and shone a spotlight on the emaciated corpses of Quorthon’s progeny. That doesn’t mean that they have to like it, though.
“To be fair, most of that sentiment probably comes from the fact that Mick and I are not known for making black metal, but believe it or not, it is possible for musicians to make different kinds of music throughout their lives (even multiple kinds at the same time!). Since this music is written by us, it's going to sound like us. If it didn't, it would be pretty false, right? I decided to play in a black metal band because it's a style that speaks to me and has for a long time. I've always been strongly attracted to music that appears to be cloaked or shrouded… music that suggests that there is more substance than may be immediately apparent or understandable. It is this attraction that has drawn me to very simplistic, noisy music as well as extremely complex composition.”
Substance is one thing that Krallice could never be accused of lacking; they manage to pack more riffs, ideas, and atmosphere into one song than many of their peers can manage to scrape together for an entire record. Graced by artwork from artist Karlynn Holland, their self-titled debut has racked up massive praise for its forward-thinking approach to the black metal aesthetic, and as has been mentioned previously, their live show seldom stops short of mesmerizing. Blackened drone passages recall a better-produced Xasthur or tranqued-out Deathspell Omega, with just enough menacing riffage to keep things at a steady death march. The dual guitarmonies of Barr and Marston lay a firm foundation of technical prowess, spiderwebbed by meandering pieces of ambience and viciously menacing hyperblasts (courtesy of the criminally-capable Weinstein). In short, it’s a hell of a record, one that would fit comfortably between “Dead As Dreams,” "Nattens Madrigal," “Diadem of the Twelve Stars,” and “The Eye of Every Storm” on your CD shelf (fitting, as Marston names Ulver, Weakling, and Neurosis amongst his main musical influences for Krallice).
Weakling worship and buzzsaws in the throne room characterize this new wave of American black metal, and with the release of their first longplayer, Krallice have already made their mark on the ever-evolving USBM scene. Recorded on 2” tape by Marston at his own Thousand Caves Studio in Brooklyn, the production is far from raw; rather, the instruments are given room to breathe, so that their individual sounds shine through the darkness. According to Marston, this was done intentionally. “We recorded every instrument separately. We tracked all the guitars next to the amps (for feedback and sustain), and I used distant mics (sometimes putting a mic in a, altogether different room from the sound source) on everything to give the record a cavernous depth. All the guitar parts were doubled or tripled with varying tones, again to thicken the texture. I refrained from using any simulated reverb, drum triggering, and hardly any compression to leave the band sounding open and organic. I also didn't master the album super loud for the same reason. People should learn how to operate a volume knob!”
As far as the end result goes, Martson is content. “I do feel like we achieved our goal of making an awesome record with a pretty unique voice. I also achieved a personal goal in terms of the production of the album. I've always wanted to make a record that sounds like this and was never allowed to (or it wasn't appropriate) in my other bands.”
Speaking of his “other bands,” one’s got to give it to Marston – he’s got a Ringling-worthy balancing act going on, and shows no signs of slowing down.
“We have a bunch of local shows scheduled, and maybe a tour if Fenriz decides to put together a live band and have us open for Isengard. Other than that we've been working on the next album since January whenever we have time. So far we have enough song structures for two new records, so we'll probably just pick around five of those for the next album and then have a jumpstart on the third.”
From his mouth to our ears. Planning three albums ahead ain’t nothin’ to musicians of this caliber; the hardest part will be waiting for the next breath of fresh, stagnant air that these black metal iconoclasts chose to unleash upon our sorry souls. You have been warned.

Copremesis "Muay Thai Ladyboys"

*to be published on About.com


Unlike some of the other new albums I’ve been spinning this month (I’m looking at you, Klabautamann), NY’s Copremesis are anything but difficult to describe. Let’s break it down.

1. They’re from New York.
2. They like uber-explicit sexually-oriented artwork (i.e. titties and she-males).
3. They play goregrind and undoubtedly felt very much at home sharing a bill with bands like Pyrexia, The Day Everything Became Nothing, and Malignancy.

Any questions?


To be fair, there is a bit more to Copremesis than that (but just barely). The vocalist is ridiculous, even by goregrind’s unintelligible standards. Stomach-churning lows spew forth like human waste from the soiled bowels of Bangkok’s most disease-infested slums, and ride the crimson wave above a stock set of genre-approved riffs, grooves, and techy bits. I’ll admit, the “Thai” vocal interlude in the title track caught me off guard, but that momentary gibbering racket is about the only thing that stood out about this release.

You can tell that these dudes know what they’re doing; moments of technical ability and songwriting prowess shine through the slime, but usually end up buried under genre clichés. I love goregrind as much as the next girl (well…make that “a whole lot more than” the next girl, realistically-speaking) but Muay Thai Ladyboys is lacking that vital ingredient the band needs to separate from their vast mob of filthy-minded peers. Here’s hoping that Copremesis focuses more on songwriting and less on tranny porn (buy the CD and you’ll see what I mean) on their next effort.

Kim Kelly 2008

Some album reviews and general misanthropy

Note: I love powerviolence/crust/grindcore/d-beat. I also love black metal. I HATE deathcore. Death metal rules.

I was talking to a friend of mine last night about how, in his opinion, it's unfair to hate on a band simply because they belong to a particular musical genre; he feels that one should give each individual group a chance and evaluate them based on their own merits (or lack thereof). I definitely see where he's coming from, but come on - I'm convinced there are some genres/subgenres/styles out there that deserve nothing but scorn. Case in point: nu-metal, female-fronted symphonic/gothic metal, and everyone's favorite whipping boy, deathcore.

I gave deathcore a chance back before its heroes' logos were splashed across every high school kid's emaciated chest and its particular brand of sonic insult was blasting through every pit ninja's Ipod. I still dig Devourment, and have always been more than okay with Dying Fetus & Suffo's breakdowns, but that's about as far as I can go. I don't understand the appeal. Breakdowns can be cool, but not when you base an entire fucking song around them. If you like death metal PARTS, why don't you just write death metal SONGS instead of cherry-picking the bits you like best and mashing them up into something so unnervingly generic I worry about our youth's cognitive skills? There's a lot more that can be said on the subject (and probably will) but I'll spare you any more of my vitriol for now.

Keeping that in mind, check out a couple new reviews I did for Hails & Horns.


ENEMY SOIL [[sidebar]]
“Casualties of Progress”

Powergrinding into oblivion

Richmond, VA’s drum-machine noiseterrorists Enemy Soil disbanded in 1999, and it’s a damn shame they did. The world could use another balls-out straight-up grindcore outfit around to show the influx of newjack irony-grinders out there how shit’s supposed to be done. Luckily, Relapse have continued with their spate of quality reissues by putting out Enemy Soil’s “Casualties of Progress” EP, complete with unreleased songs and a Napalm Death cover. Remastered by Scott Hull (whose project Agoraphobic Nosebleed once counted Enemy Soil mainman Robert Johnson amongst its members), the nine tracks on this album careen by at warp speed. In true fastcore fashion, the damn thing’s over in sixteen minutes. For those who aren’t familiar with Enemy Soil, shame on you – you call yourself a grindfreak? For those who are, you should know what you’re getting into here: viciously primitive, mercilessly fast, crusty, powerviolent grindcore with sociopolitical lyrics, backed by the drum machine from hell. An essential piece of extreme metal history from a band of innovators who freed the drum machine from the techno ghetto, and an absolute must-have for everyone who wishes Dropdead were still together. IN GRIND WE CRUST, motherfuckers! (Kim Kelly) (Relapse/www.relapse.com)


BLOODBATH [[sidebar]]
“Unblessing the Purity”

Everything Mikeal Akerfeldt touches turns to gold. Gory, blasphemous, Jesus-hatin’ gold.

Bloodbath, everyone’s favorite Swedish death metal standard-bearers, are back with a four-song EP and a decimating live DVD (discussed elsewhere in the issue). I for one would rather that they stop futzing around and just put out another goddamn full-length already, but when even an EP knocks the wind out of 90% of the other death metal releases that came out this year, I’m almost afraid of what will happen when the Bloodbath gang get their shit together and unleash hell yet again. As per usual, this supergroup’s had a few lineup changes between this and the monstrous “Nightmares Made Flesh.” This time, Dan Swano jumped ship and was duly replaced by Per Eriksson, Mighty Mikeal’s back on vokills, and Peter Tatgren is but a distant memory. Musically, Unblessing the Purity” reeks of Entombed, Dismember, & pre-hippie Amorphis, just beefed up a bit with a greater emphasis on technicality, atmosphere, and more varied tempos. Akerfelt sounds positively demonic on “Blasting the Virginborn,” while “Weak Aside” is utterly owned by the sickest guitar solo this side of Stockholm. My only gripe is that this EP is slightly lacking in the catchiness department – the riffs stick in your head well enough, but this one’s sadly bereft of “Eaten Pt. II” (though I’ll keep on hoping!). You’ve got our attention, boys – now make with the full-length.


CATALEPSY
“Iniquity”

Abomination and desolation.

This band is fucking stupid. Deathcore-by-numbers from the kind of dudes who almost certainly describe what they play as “brutal technical death metal,” which means they really dug that Necrophagist guy’s record and think sweeps are awesome. Also, breakdowns. Lots and lots of breakdowns. This sort of shit makes me feel so old; when I was this band’s fans’ age, I was getting into Morbid Angel and Bathory, not Waking The Cadaver and Abigail Williams. I don’t understand the appeal of deathcore, but gosh darn does it sell. Catalepsy’s Stillborn debut opens with a weird industrialized-machinery-in-an-old-abandoned-factory-populated-by-Orcs intro that leads into a roar of “I will destroy,” then the inevitable breakdown. Then they do it again a bunch of times, except without the intro (except for the acoustic interlude on track six). That’s it. That’s the album. They don’t even have the requisite cred-giving, tortured-looking thrash/death metal longhair lurking in the background of their promo pics to metal ‘em up. Sorry to break it to you, kids, but you’re not destroying shit – just perpetuating it. (Kim Kelly) (Stillborn Records / www.stillbornrecords.com)


DESASTER
“Satan’s Soldiers Syndicate”

I’m a sucker for this kind of thing. Mid-to-fast-as-fuck-paced, fuzzy, Satan-fellating, Venom-worshipping, thrashy black metal is my shit, and Desaster fit that bill with relish. These guys are something of a hidden gem; they formed the same year I was born (1988, if you must know) and are about as old school as it gets, but oddly enough, it seems like no one’s ever heard of ‘em. Hopefully their latest opus will put ‘em back on the black metal map and rally the old guard who remember the demo days. This is essentially a straight-forward black/thrash assault, well-executed and honest. Standout track “Tyrannizer” made me fall in love with this kind of music all over again– a strong mid-paced melody marches grimly forward, tempered with the kind of vocals sure to make Tom G. Warrior long for his mascara-and-leather days and a menacing groove that will NOT be ignored. Fuck. This record rules. Thrash ‘til death! (Kim Kelly) (Metal Blade/www.metalblade.com)

NADJA Live Review

NADJA
Live Review for Metal Maniacs
7/08
Kim Kelly


New York City’s Knitting Factory isa great place to see live music, especially given the fact that at any time, there can be as many as three very different and wholly separate shows going on behind that unassuming brick façade. The real fun comes between sets, when the sweaty masses make a break for the smoking section outside and one is free to observe what happens when a bunch of hip hop fans, metalheads, hipsters and more are corralled behind a rope and forced to share the same six-foot stretch of concrete.
In more practical terms, its low lighting and hushed atmosphere lend themselves surprisingly well to performances by heavier bands. Tonight’s show was no exception. Experimental doom duo Nadja took the stage shortly after ten, and proceeded to woo the audience into a collective trance with their blissed-out drone-pop. Between poking fun at themselves (“Hey, we’re called Nadja and we’re from Canada…eh?) and fiddling with the pile of effects pedals that rested atop a small table onstage (effectively serving as the band’s third member), Nadja concerned themselves with spinning a sonic web of texture and hypnosis, ensnaring all who stood still to witness it. Layer after layer of fuzzed-out drone crashed over us like so many ocean waves, building in intensity over and over again only to break and drift back into ambient calm. They continued in this vein for the entirety of their set, which felt like it lasted a century even though the clock only counted out thirty minutes.
To be honest, this sort of music is always hit or miss in a live setting – sometimes it’s transcendent, sometimes it’s alright, and sometimes, well, it’s about as exciting as watching grass grow. As far as fans of the style are concerned, Nadja definitely falls into the former category, but by the end of their third and final song, I could see some members of the audience beginning to get a bit antsy. I’d been under the impression that Nadja were headlining, so imagine my surprise when Grails took the stage and kicked up the energy by about a half dozen notches with their Pitchfork-approved brand of eclectic instrumental jams. I wouldn’t call it metal by a long shot, and honestly, I still don’t see what all the buzz is about, but the kids seemed to be eating it up. More “world music meets post-doom” than anything else, Grails mix semi-exotic instrumentation (sitar, harpsichord) and plenty of Eastern influence with soft keys, violin, and harmonica, then inject it into psychedelic drone-rock. Adventurous to be sure, but I still think Nadja should have headlined.

Possessed live review

POSSESSED
Live Review for Metal Maniacs Magazine
Kim Kelly


So I just moved to Brooklyn, home of Malcolm X, “Brooklyn-style” pizza, and more skinny-jean-wearing hipsters than you can shake an ironically angled stick at. You’ll also find Europa, a Eurotrash dance club that moonlights as a metal Mecca, occupying a dingy block in this particular little slice of New Yawk. Every few weeks, an influx of black leather and long hair pours into the neighborhood, confounding tourists and, by now I’m sure, leaving the natives wholly unimpressed. Europa’s the kind of place that has curtains of beads separating the bar from the johns, with flashing blue lights, candlelit corners, and a reputation for hosting shows that carry on until the wee hours of the morning – a rep I was wholly unaware of when I decided to hit up a show there on a Sunday night. Not just any show, either; a nine-band thrash “fest” (meaning, “We booked too many bands, so we’re gonna charge you thirty bucks and you’re gonna like it”), featuring the “reunited” incarnation of Possessed.
The show started late, with Philly warlords Sacrificial Blood kicking off the festivities. Their basement-tested thrashitude kicked off the first (and last) circle pit of the evening, and led into a slew of similar, but slightly less-interesting nouveau thrash bands that probably tear shit up in their respective hometowns. Cleveland’s Midnight stood out, partially for their immensely-satisfying brew of thrashy black metal, but mainly because they insisted on wearing executioner-style hoods during their set (might explain why the drumming was so sloppy, eh?) and led up to the first “big band” of the night, Rumpelstiltskin Grinder. The Philly thrash brigaders tore through a couple new songs before they were unceremoniously cut off – turns out the show was running a bit later than anticipated. It’s a damn shame, as I’d say they’re one of the more underrated bands out there today. Blood Feast and Sadistic Intent served up some perfectly serviceable, if not damn good, vintage death/thrash but failed to get my neck snapping; one can only listen to the same riff so many times without wishing for some experimental free jazz or something to liven shit up (or at least some blastbeats).
Mortician are ridiculously heavy live, but I just could not take them seriously, what with Will Rahmer jerking around up on stage like a meticulously-groomed robot. The man’s a walking bicep. You’d think that playing bass in a uber-groovy death metal band would give the guy some rhythm, but sometimes…logic doesn’t work?
At War whipped the crowd into a frenzy, playing classic thrash that hasn’t aged a bit in their twenty years of boozin’ and ‘bangin and thoroughly proved that, to hell with trendy “retro” bands - the heart and soul of thrash metal lies within the old guard. There’s really nothing else like it.
Now, we all know that Possessed circa 2008 is not quite the Possessed of days of yore. An entirely different band plus one founding member does not a reunion make,
but try telling that to Jeff Becerra. Wheelchair be damned, he was still thrashing like it was 1985, and his voice - the guttural, throat-shredding rasp that launched a thousand death metal bands – was nastier than ever. Becerra and the Sadistic Intent boys tore through a full range of classics, including plenty off Seven Churches (“Evil Warriors” in particular slayed) and ending, of course, on the immortal “Death Metal.” He was more or less incoherent between songs, and was obviously far from sober, but whenever the music kicked back in he was right back there, screaming his heart out like only he can and, as is more than fitting, acting like a soul possessed. Bands become legends for a reason, and seeing Jeff Becerra that night was all the proof one could ever need that Possessed is one of those bands. Let him tour with whoever the fuck he wants; I don’t care if the next Possessed tour has David fucking Bowie on bass. I’ll still be there in the front row, banging my head, throwing the horns, and wishing I’d been born twenty years sooner.

Toxic Holocaust *cover story*

My first cover story :)
TOXIC HOLOCAUST for Resound Magazine
Kim Kelly

Thrash and black metal are like peanut butter and chocolate; as separate entities, they’re great. Combined, they’re an unparalleled symphony of perfection, and if ingested in unhealthy quantities…they’ll fuck your stomach to hell and back and leave you crying for Mama. It’s a delicate balance that must be struck; too much thrash, and you lose black metal’s menacing Satanic atmosphere, but if you throw too much of the black stuff into the mix, you lose the sense of urgency and circle-pitting fury that makes thrash so much fun. Many bands try to whip up that elusive recipe successfully, but most end up burning themselves pretty badly, or just falling flat. Luckily, the ones that get it, really get it.
Case in point – Seattle, Washington’s own Toxic Holocaust serve up a heaping helping of blackened thrash metal that’s sure to satisfy the hungriest thrashers and most ravenous black metal warriors alike. The man behind the bullet belt and shades, Joel Grind himself, took time out to answer a question or two about TH’s upcoming Relapse debut, An Overdose of Death, and shed some light on what keeps the toxic waste flowing.
Since the band’s inception in 1999, Grind has unleashed some nineteen splits, EPs, demos, and compilations upon the unsuspecting masses with Toxic Holocaust, as well as acting as a live/session member for a variety of other bands, including Gravewurm and Japanese legends Abigail. The new record will be Toxic Holocausts’s third full-length. Joel seems unperturbed by his superhuman productivity rate – when asked how he manages to find time for all of that thrash, his response was short and sweet: “Just loving doing it, ya know. I never looked at any of it as a chore, it was all fun and is continuing to be fun. Why do it if you don’t like it?”
As any hesher with internet access and a pair of reasonably-intact eardrums can tell, thrash metal is the new big thing to hit the metal scene. Well, sort of. Thrash has been around for decades now, with the late greats doing their best to stay true and its more valiant survivors holding strong to past glories, still making badass music and killing it live through thick and thin. Now, kids who were born the same year Bonded by Blood was released have grown up, donned the requisite white Reeboks and vintage Overkill shirts, and started up a new wave of “old school” thrash metal bands. Some of them are awful, some of them have potential, and some are actually pretty damn good. It’s a great and terrible time to put out a new thrash metal album; you could either sell a ton of records and ride the new wave, or get swallowed up in the masses of patched jackets and unwashed hair that’s been clogging up the market for the last year or so.
Luckily for Grind, Toxic Holocaust has an instantly-recognizable sound that sets the band apart from the legions of like-minded thrash outfits that are out now. His songs seem to draw equally from the first wave of black metal and the glory days of thrash metal - Bathory, Hellhammer, Sarcofago, Venom. You can hear all of these bands (especially Bathory, who Grind cites as his main musical influence) in TH’s sound, alongside the more “typical” thrash elements. “I play music that I like to hear, it has a lot of elements of those bands but also a lot of punk too. Toxic stuff is always simple to the point Metal.” When faced with the unavoidable question about the latest trend to hit the metal scene (you guessed it, “retro” thrash), Grind is ambivalent. “I have no idea if it’s back or whatever, I like the enthusiasm, I just hope that I don’t get lumped in with any kind of fad. I’ll still be here after it’s over.” So where did that toxic blend of black, thrash, and attitude come from? “Hanging out with kids in the neighborhood, skateboarding and getting tapes from their older brothers. Stuff like Megadeth, Nuclear Assault and D.R.I. were constant staples. I started this band because at the time, there weren’t many bands still playing music like this.”
TH has been largely a solo project since its inception, with the addition of live members for shows and tours and guest musicians on several releases. As of now, Grind has put together a full band, adding two former members of Rammer and setting his sights on a full-scale invasion of the US of A. His first victory? Securing a spot on the unbearably-highly anticipated At The Gates reunion show, playing alongside Darkest Hour and friends Municipal Waste, the latter of which he has to thank for that sweetest of sweet spots. “Me getting on that tour had all to do with the guys in Municipal Waste. ATG were looking for an opening band, and the Waste guys suggested us. Those guys have really looked out for us, and we love touring with them. We always get along well, and there’s always some sort of rude behavior going on.” Grind reveals that his next undertaking will be going out with Overkill, and then continuing to tour his balls off!
After releasing his past material on a number of smaller labels, it turns out that the road to Relapse was less long and hard than simple and direct. “I think what led me to working with Relapse was the demo I did in 2007, It had some of the tracks from the new record on it. Relapse has been great to work with, it seems like they are the same page as I am when it comes to where I want Toxic to go in.” Complemented by some sick-ass cover art, courtesy of an up-and-coming artist called Halsey, An Overdose of Death is due out this fall.

Arckanum feature

A Flaming Sword of Vengeance: Underground Black Metal’s Darkest Flame
Kim Kelly

“Black metal.”
There was once a time when those words had the power to strike genuine fear into a nation’s collective heart, to inspire sensational headlines, to garner hatred and deep mistrust. It was once downright feared, exactly as its practitioners intended it to be. This was before the music was tainted by commercial greed and transformed by outside influences, before the genre’s forefathers left this world or turned their backs on their musical roots, and before modern production techniques and Headbanger’s Ball made black metal “safe.”
Some say that things were better, more real, in those days, while others look to the future of black metal with great anticipation. Whatever your stance on the subject, know this: there are still some bands out there who adhere strictly to the old ways, who shun ProTools and worship the cosmic fury of a dark lord instead of the almighty dollar. There are still some who really MEAN what they kill their throats to say. Case in point: the Swedish necrowarfare of Arckanum, presided over by sole member Shaamatae. He was gracious enough to take time away from his latest opus, Antikosmos (Moribund) to answer some questions and cast a shadow over the methods behind the madness.

Kim Kelly:Tell me about Antikosmos, your new album. What significance does the title hold? Is there any sort of theme or unifying conceptual thread that ties the album together?

Shamaatae: ANTIKOSMOS represents my anti-cosmic worship of the dark gods and Chaos. It is a religion with a foundation in Chaos-Gnostic belief. I chose to work with the Old Norse giants and traditional praxis, and therefore I have written the full album in Runic Swedish, the mother language to ancient and modern Swedish. The album is a total dedication to the anti-cosmic essence which from Chaos intrudes the cosmos – to incinerate it! Hail Surtr – The Black One with the Flaming Sword of Vengeance!

I understand that Arckanum is currently a one-man project; is this by choice, by necessity, or for some other reason? Do you plan on expanding the lineup in the future, or you content with Arckanum as is?

I am alone in Arckanum because I am Arckanum. Any other influence would kill the atmosphere and sound of Arckanum. I need to be alone in this band to create this harsh and raw sound. There will never be any more members in Arckanum. The day I want members, I will end Arckanum and start a new band (kind of what I did with The Hearsemen!)

What is your writing/recording process like? Who handled production duties on the record?
Normally I write all guitar-riffs at home and at my rehearsal place, and improvise the drumming in the studio, but for the ANTIKOSMOS album I pre-recorded the guitar-tracks and used a metronome, to which I played drums while recording. The drumming was still improvised, but this time I had the guitar-arrangements pre-recorded to play to. It was kind of an experiment, and luckily it turned out to be smooth. I was the producer, and I always am. Tomas at Sunlight Studio just recorded the album.

The production on Antikosmos is definitely very raw and“orthodox”-sounding, by black metal standards at least. Why do you choose to record your music in such a manner when there are a variety of modern techniques available that some say render low-fi recording more or less obsolete? I personally prefer the more DIY approach, as do many fans of this style, but I’m curious as to your reasoning behind using it.

Black metal is supposed to be raw and harsh sounding, and for Arckanum, this is a very important elements. I want people to feel the hatred in my production, so I chose to let it be simple and raw.

The first track on Antikosmos, “Svarti,” is a very ritualistic-sounding, menacing wall of ambient sound, overlaid by the sound of a voice speaking. Several similar tracks can be found on the album, as well; what’s the story behind them?

The ambient tracks are my ritualistic songs on the album, as ANTIKOSMOS itself is a Chaos ritual; all songs are dedications to the dark gods. The introduction is the opening ritual, the “Blóta Loka” song is an anti-cosmic Loki ritual, and the outro is the closing ritual.

How important is this ritualistic element to your music?
Very important. The first thing I do on an album is write the lyrics/ ritualistic homage. Every single detail, from music to layout, is my devotions to the anti-cosmic Chaos gods. As a Satanist there is no other way.

What is the underlying purpose behind Arckanum?
- To plant Frǽ Hyrrokini!

What sort of topics do you discuss in your lyrics? As an English-speaking person, I’m incapable of understanding what you’re saying, but I know that you are known for your devotion to the pagan god Pan; is it safe to assume that much of your lyrical content focuses on this deity and your relationship therewith?

The ANTIKOSMOS album is a Chaos ritual; it praises the dark giants of the underworld to come and start war with the cosmos, to burn down all, and to free the true spirits.

What are your thoughts on Satanic black metal bands, and those who merely claim to be Satanic? How important is ideology to this sort of music, in your opinion? Could you respect a band that created absolutely mind-blowing, flawless music, but were Christian? How about it they were NS/racist/White Power?
Arckanum is purely Satanic and I think black metal should be hateful, an adversary. Christians have nothing to do in this scene; such an attempt would only be pathetic. What are they angry at? What do they hate? What do they sing about? To keep their pee-pee in their pants till they are married? Are they angry at all people that refuse to join their hypocrisy-parade? That Jews make more money than them? That Satan WILL burn their weak spirits?
The whole racist thing I don’t understand and defiantly don’t agree with.

Your vocal style is very extreme, even as far as black metal goes; how did you develop your voice, who inspired you to begin singing this way, and how do you maintain your health while singing in such a physically- taxing manner?

No-one, I just sang and this is how it came out, ha ha ha… I have never tried to form it or improve it. I sing till I spit blood (no exaggeration) and I can’t normally talk for a day or two after recording. Maintaining health, ha ha, are you kidding me? This is black metal, if it doesn’t hurt something’s wrong…

Without whom would Arckanum not exist – i.e. which bands, artists, and elements have influenced you in terms of this project?

Mid 80’s thrash and black metal. Satanism made me open my eyes to the more harsh music around the beginning of the 90’s. Old rehearsal tapes with Polish, Swedish, and Norwegian black metal fed my hungry flame when I started Arckanum. Hand-drawn hate with lousy recorded rehearsal songs! Fuck, that is inspiring, even today!

Who would you consider to be your musical peers?

I would say Watain or Dissection – because anti-cosmic Satanism lures my spirit.

What type of non-metal bands do you enjoy listening to?

Wow, that is a lot. Good music is good music; I listen to a lot of 20-30´s jazz and dark Satanic ambient.

Where do you see yourself (and Arckanum) in ten years? In twenty?

My self will be much stronger and wiser, since I will have been drinking much of the black poisonous waters in the underworld.

What’s next for Arckanum after Antikosmos is released? Do you have any shows planned, or do you prefer to abstain from live performances?

No live, that’s how it is. Right now, I have no plans. You never know what Arckanum do next.

Any final thoughts or parting words?

Check out my other band www.thehearsemen.se, we have just recorded our debut album and we are looking for a good label! Also check out my books that I am writing: “PanParadox: Pan Towards Chaos”, “GullveigaRbók”, and “URAM”, read about my authorship on my website www.vexior.se. And always visit the Arckanum website www.arckanum.se and the Arckanum myspace www.myspace.com/officialarckanummyspace!

Abysmal Dawn feature

ABYSMAL DAWN
Feature for RESOUND Magazine
Kim Kelly


Since releasing their Relapse debut, Programmed to Consume, Abysmal Dawn have been turning heads and snapping necks with their dizzying blend of technicality and balls-out groove, redefining the definition of “modern death metal” and shredding the false as they go along. “Art always reflects our life and times, and I think this record depicts the desperate times we’re all in, “ says Charles Elliot, vocalist/guitarist of the LA death metallers. I managed to track down him down between the band’s recent West Coast run with Victimas and Fields of Elysium and their upcoming dates with Origin and Misery Index on the Relapse Contamination tour next month. Like they always say, there’s no rest for the wicked.

So, could you give me a brief history of the band, for those who are not yet familiar with Abysmal Dawn? I know that you guys formed around 2003, and after releasing your first demo, immediately began to attract attention.

The band was formed in November of 2003 by Jamie and Terry and I. I had played in another band called Inhuman Visions when I was still a teenager with Jamie. We went our separate ways for a while and them talked about getting that band back together. The founding guys weren’t really into the idea so Jamie and I formed our own thing. Terry was an old friend of Jamie’s and he knew a couple of Inhuman Visions songs. We tried him out and never looked back. At fist it was my intention to just be the guitar player and find a singer. We had one rehearsal with Dan from Crematorium on vocals but it soon came apparent that he didn’t have the time. In hindsight maybe he wouldn’t have been the best choice stylistically but we thought he was a great singer and could do a lot of different voices. By the time we did our fist demo in October of 2004 with our friend Sacha from Intronaut recording us, I was singing. In the end I think it was best because I always had an idea of what I wanted the band to be a about lyrically. In November of 2005 we recorded our first album “From Ashes,” which Crash Music licensed from us. We did an amazing tour with Six Feet Under, Krisiun and Decapitated and were lucky enough to play with reunited legends like Emperor and Immortal. That pretty much brings us to today. So far it’s been a great ride.

How does your history with Jamie Boulanger, with whom you’d previously played in Inhuman Visions, help contribute to the writing and guitar-playing in Abysmal Dawn?

We’ve been playing together for so long we just lock in together I think. We both listen to similar bands as well but maybe I have the more eccentric tastes. I write the vast majority of the music but Jamie writes as well. For his songs I usually end up arranging them mostly for vocals and adding a few riffs. I’m sure he hates me for it (laughs). Other than that I think our styles of lead playing have always complemented each other very nicely.

You guys are a fairly young band, yet with about five years under your belt, you’ve already played with the likes of Exodus, Incantation, Hate Eternal, Exhumed, and tons of other highly-respected, kickass bands. Abysmal Dawn’s rise to the top has been nothing short of meteoric; to what do you attribute your success?

I don’t know really, I think it’s just been a hard work ethic. I’ve always tried to push the band to do things in a timely manner and not just wait for things to happen. Both “From Ashes” and “Programmed to Consume” for example were both self-financed recordings. “From Ashes” was licensed to Crash Music and we had already started recording “Programmed…” when Relapse approached us. I think if you’re always looking forward and working hard, as long as you have some sort of talent good things will happen.

Your first album for Relapse has recently been unleashed upon the metal masses, and has already been making waves. How did you guys end up on Relapse in the first place?

Well we had just decided not to do our next record with Crash Music and to record the album ourselves, as I said. About half way through the recording process, while I was still finishing up lyrics, they hit us up. We were talking to a few other labels at the time but they were the ones that we were most hyped on and they seemed the most eager to work with us as well. It was somewhat of a surprise that they contacted us really. They’ve sort of shifted away from death metal over the years while still putting out great music. It’s just an honor to be on a label that has put out so many great death metal bands like Nile, Incantation, Origin, Dying Fetus, Misery Index, Morgion etc. over the years. I hear a lot of people say they think it’s really great that they still acknowledge those roots and signed a band like us too. So far being on the label has been really great.

What can you tell me about the album title, and overall concept behind the lyrics/music? “Programmed to Consume” is definitely not your run-of-the-mill blood, guts, and gutted girls death metal record!

I grew up listening to a lot of bands with gore and satanic themes but I always wanted to sort of stay away from that, at least in the traditional sense. We have a song like “Grotesque Modern Art” for example that deals with an artist that uses his death as his final masterpiece. The concept may be gruesome but it’s not especially graphic and it has more to say with the story rather than just being an attempt at shock. “Compulsory Resurrection” toys with the idea of cloning Jesus and the affect a man made deity would have on the Christian faith. In the song my conclusion is that a lot of people would lose faith when they see he’s just a man, but there will always be those fanatics who blindly hold on. Over all I think the lyrics deal with my misanthropic views and how we’re controlled by society. The title of the album not only make mention of how we’re brainwashed into becoming consumers but also how mankind consumes everything in it’s path. The idea that we’re a cancer without a cure runs throughout the lyrics. A lot of what I’m saying is really rooted in these dark times we’re in today.

What was the writing and recording process like for “Programmed to Consume”?

This record came together much quicker as opposed to “From Ashes.” That album was written over a period of a couple of years and actually had two songs on it from 2000/2001 that were intended for Inhuman Visions. After being on the road for almost a month and a half I personally felt very inspired to start writing another record. Coming back home after that tour was a bit rough as well. I had no job and a lot of personal problems. That dark period really brought out a lot out of me in a much shorter amount of time. Not being enslaved to the daily grind of a 9 to 5 allowed me a lot of time to think about things. By the time we actually got into the studio we were ready to make a much more pissed off record. Art always reflects our life and times and I think this record depicts the desperate times we’re all in.

In a way I think the studio vibe was a bit more laid back though. We recorded with John Haddad who had done the first one, but his new studio was based out of his house. There was more to do around his place when we weren’t recording and we had much more time for this record. “From Ashes” was actually recorded and mixed in only 10 days so we spent some pretty long days in the studio. This time I think we did about 16 8 hour days of tracking total. John did a little bit of mixing and editing while I took about a month to finish the lyrics as well. We also had time to add things like intros, keyboards and little effects that we didn’t have time to do before.

I have to say the first couple of days were rough though. John had a lot of problems with his new studio since no one had recorded there yet. We lost out on a few days for the drums, which would have been helpful. The first day we were supposed to start recording was the day that Vitek (Decapitated drummer) passed away. That was some pretty harsh news for us. We had gotten to know him pretty well on that tour and became good friends. Those guys even stayed at my house when they came through on the “Summer Slaughter” tour. That was the last time I saw him. He’ll be sorely missed. I really hope Covan gets better soon and they continue on because they’re a great band and group of people.

Abysmal Dawn plays death metal, but draw from a variety of influences, especially thrash and black metal. How long did it take you guys to hit upon this particular sound – what made you say “Yeah, that’s it, that’s Abysmal Dawn,” ?

It’s just something that sort of happened naturally. We never want to limit ourselves to one style in particular. We have a lot of different influences and we aren’t afraid of offending a few purists. To me, I just sort of see everything as extreme music and not so black and white. We hate grouping things into little categories.

What bands would you cite as your main influences or inspirations for this project?

I don’t know about the other guys but me personally some of my main early influences would probably be Death, Carcass, Nile, At the Gates, Testament, Metallica, Suffocation and Dissection. I could go on and on but I think those are the major ones. Those have sort of been absorbed as we’ve added other influences through out the years as well. I think bands like Morbid Angel, Deicide and Sepultura were big for Jamie as well. So if you ever came across some shitty ad in Craig’s list a few years back with those influences maybe it was us (laughs).

So what happened with the Grave/Monstrosity/Abysmal Dawn tour? Are you going to be hopping on another one and coming around to the East Coast according to the original plan?

It just fell apart but I just want to say that it was definitely not the fault of any of the bands involved. We’d love to jump on another full US tour sometime but I’m not sure when that will be just yet. If everything works out maybe in the Fall.

What’s next for Abysmal Dawn after the West Coast tour with Victimas/Fields of Elysium?

We’re going to be doing a three-week tour with Origin and Misery Index that will be mostly West Coast. It should be a great tour and we’re really excited to be touring with such killer bands. After that we hope to land a full US tour and maybe go to Europe sometime next year. If we can’t get over there it’s just more US touring, so hopefully everyone we’ll get a chance to see us at some point!

Back in black.

I've decided to start this thing back up again, thanks in part to an influx of new writing gigs and the kind of free time that summer brings. So without further ado -

Sludge Freaks And D-Beats: Coffins’ Doomed March to Destruction
Kim Kelly
*to be featured in the next issue of Unrestrained! Magazine

Clawing their way up through the filth and decay of extreme metal’s grimy underbelly comes Coffins, a doom-death power trio intent on utter aural devastation. A friend of mine put it best – “They sound like the bastard child of Autopsy and Hellhammer… getting viciously gangbanged by Eyehategod.” Yeah, that sounds about right. Add in some Winter worship, Amebix adulation, a few nods to Noothgrush and an unhealthy fixation on the end of life and you get Coffins, Tokyo, Japan’s answer to Corrupted (another group of Japanese sludgefucks who hail from sorta-nearby Osaka – stay with me, kids!).
Fresh off a successful maiden voyage to the US of A that included a spot on Sonar’s hallowed stage as a part of the Maryland Death Fest, Coffins frontman Uchino (guitar/vocals) managed to find a moment or two to take a breath and reflect upon his bands mercuric rise to the top of the sludge heap. He comments, “Our first US tour was so awesome! Especially at MDF, where we got a huge reaction from the freaks. The overseas freaks were more straight than the Japanese freaks and I seemed to know how to help them enjoy a metal show. Great!”
He’s not alone in his enthusiastic appraisal - the “overseas freaks” were losing their minds during Coffins’ all-too-short MDF set, myself included. Live, Coffins kicked up some of the more vicious circle pits I’ve ever whirled through; their D-beat/crust influences shone grimly through the darkened venue and called up the ghosts of grinders passed. Those of us who’d had the foresight and luck to catch them at one of their other more intimate East Coast shows were treated to an honest display of sheer amplifier worship and keelhauled sludge the likes of which we haven’t seen since Eyehategod first stumbled out of their opium den and turned up the distortion.
Uchino seemed a bit less enthused about our fine American roadside, er, “cuisine” – “I was surprised that the change of climate is sharper in the US than in Japan, but we were also bewildered by the difference in gastronomic culture. I continue to think that I can't get used to this!” A worrisome thought, to be sure, coming as it does from a man whose homeland boasts the highest number of hot-dog-eating contest winners per capita in the world. Then again, we all know what hellish havoc truck stop burritos will wreak upon a hungry touring bands’ intestines late at night.
Besides their unexpected internal struggle with the East Coast’s idea of quality vittles, it’s been a good year for Coffins. Uchino explains, “When The Other Side Of Blasphemy was released on a German label in 2006 Dave from 20 Buck Spin contacted us asking to license the album for North America, that was our first contact. I knew he had released the Asunder / Graves At Sea split LP so I agreed to the offer. He is very devoted to us and we are satisfied with his work.” Their latest full-length, BURIED DEATH (20 Buck Spin), was recently released by the aforementioned underground savants, and has been making waves on both sides of the pond
The album melds the more doom-oriented crawl of Mortuary in Darkness with The Other Side of Blasphemy’s death-metallic brutality, and includes a rerecorded version of “Mortification to Ruin,” which was originally released as a track on Coffins’ split with The Arm and Sword of a Bastard God. The unbelievably heavy riffage and bare-knuckle primal beats of the song lend it a suffocating aura, and stand out as one of Coffins’ best songs to date. He adds, “This was the first doom song our bass player Koreeda wrote when he joined Coffins, so we decided to put it on Buried Death to commemorate that. He is a big fan of Noothgrush and that influence can be heard in that song.” True that.
Recorded by band ally Shige (ex-Crocodile Skink, Snowline) at The Noise Room and graced once again by artwork from zombie-phile Chris Moyen, Buried Death itself is a behemoth of an album. “Buried Death was intended to be released for our US tour in May. There wasn't much time between deciding to get it finished by then and actually doing the writing and recording. Most of the songs were written in a very short period of time, but this tight schedule brought with it a lot of concentration, and we are satisfied with the result. Buried Death came quite naturally and the rhythm patterns on our past releases were quite singular. This time we focused more on the rhythm patterns and as a result there is more variety in the pacing. This pattern will continue on our next split releases,” says the frontman.
Speaking of splits, Coffins seem hell-bent on living up to the age-old adage of “no rest for the wicked.” With six already under their bullet belts and several more with the likes of Womb, Spun In Darkness, Lobotomized and Stormcrow planned, it’s good to see a band so willing to play nice with others. Their most recent collaboration, a split full-length with Philadelphia-based pornogrinders XXX Maniak, includes an original Coffins tune (“The Cracks of Doom”) and a Cathedral cover (“Ebony Tears”). A comical number of XXX Maniak gems (twenty-two tracks to Coffins’ pair!) rounds out the album, including sure-to-be-Top-40-hits like “Hot Nazi Sluts Have Hot Steaming Guts,” “Perpetually Exploding Uterus,” and “Picking Up A Random Goregrind CD And Acting Out The Cover With The Girl Next Door.” Seeing a generally serious band like Coffins sharing real estate with such (hopefully) tongue-in-cheek nonsense begs the question – what exactly in Uchino grunting about up there, anyway? He demurs, “We don¹t print our lyrics and I generally prefer not to discuss the details. Our past albums were based on horror, evil, zombies, etc. This time the lyrics were just focused on the death theme.” See song titles like “Cadaver Blood” and “Under the Stench” for proof.
Uchino formed the band in 1996, but it wasn’t until several years had passed that Coffins as we know them now came to be. “At the time the band formed we were playing a heavy junk sound like Swans, Scorn and Godflesh. We had some member changes and then evolved to playing doom rock like Cathedral and Kyuss. We broke up for a while and then reformed in 2003. At that point I knew I wanted to eliminate any rock sound in our doom and I changed Coffins into a death metallic doom sound like Winter and Autopsy. With Coffins I am pursuing my ideal sound and things are progressing to a better stage each time,” he says.
Alongside the crushing riffs and punishing bass of filthy doom/death, one can also detect plenty of hardcore, thrash, and D-beat in Coffin’s murky sound. During their live shows, their constant segueing from lurching doom and knuckle-dragging death metal to faster fare spawns plenty of those aforementioned murderous circle-pits, the likes of which newjack retro thrashers and powerviolent scumdogs can only dream.
On Uchino’s musical beginnings: “I started out listening to Venom and Black Sabbath, Metallica and Slayer, then I moved onto more evil thrash from there like Bathory, Sodom, Kreator, Protector, Master and Hellhammer/Celtic Frost. Then soon I came to hear death metal and grindcore like Napalm Death, Repulsion, Death, Morbid Angel and from there to early Cathedral and Winter. I followed Saint Vitus, Candlemass, Trouble, Pentagram and Witchfinder General, and of course I was also hearing hardcore like Discharge, ENT, Heresy and Anti Cimex. Regarding the composition of Coffins songs, the influence of those hardcore bands is very big.”
Taking tips from those very bands, the absolute madness of Japanese hardcore is legendary, as is that of Japanese grind (R.I.P. Insect Warfare!), Japanese noise (Merzbow and Melt-Banana, I’m looking at you) Japanese rock (Flower-Travelin’ Band, latter-day Boris) Japanese black metal (Sigh, Gallhammer) and, well, the list continues. One thing they’ve all got in common is a strange element of “otherness” that they all carry about them. There is no simple, straight-forward Japanese music, at least as far as extreme metal is concerned. You’d think that asking a native about the reasons behind this particular musical phenomenon would yield an answer and satisfy one Westerner’s curiosity, but as it turns out, Uchino is just as puzzled as I am. “I'm not sure, but maybe Japanese culture has had some influence. Japanese people are poor at producing original stuff. However, Japanese people excel in the technology of taking in and processing various materials, so that may be a factor in producing these great bands.”
That propensity for bastardization and backwards innovation is what keeps the Japanese ahead of the pack in more ways than one. It’s interesting to see that, while Coffins are far more than the sum of their parts, their sound is so deeply-entrenched in the past that every gleam of originality comes across as almost a shock. One finds oneself so lost in the ever-so-familiar doomed tempos, deathly gurgles, and crusty d-beats that the idea of Coffins as a modern, even new, band is utterly eclipsed by those familiar elements. So intent are they on dragging you back down into the primeval sludge from whence they themselves crawled, their hapless victims stand no chance of escaping the doomed march of these Coffin beasts.
Know your poison and drink it down; Coffins will be back to suffocate the North American hordes in 2009, and as Uchino says, “Doom on!”

NASUM Career Retrospective

*to be published in an upcoming issue of Resound Magazine
copyright Kim Kelly 2008

Grindcore is a fickle mistress – bands come and go, some barely make it past their first 26-song 7” before vanishing into obscurity, but when a grind band is good…they’re really, really fucking good. Nowadays, the sound and scene surrounding it has changed and mutated in so many ways that it’s getting difficult to even say which bands are truly grind and which are just being ironic, but it hasn’t always been like that. Years ago, you had your Napalm Death, your Extreme Noise Terror, your Repulsion and Terrorizer and Seige, pissed-off dissidents who provided furious bursts of noise and aggression that spoke to an earlier generation of disaffected youth. I can’t remember which song first introduced me to the ridiculous speed, unrelenting riffage, unholy brutality, punked-out sneer, and the unmistakable barking-pitbull vocals that make up Napalm Death – but I do know that it changed my life, and started me down this left-hand path so many of us follow.
Without Shane Embury & the boys, grindcore as we know it may have ended up as something very different indeed, and some of the genre’s best bands may never have found the inspiration to pick up their guitars and shred. When Anders Jakobson and Richard Alriksson of Swedish death metal band Necrony decided to start a grindcore project during the tail-end of 1992, their sole aim was to create ripping, political grindcore in the vein of their musical heroes in, you guessed it, Napalm Death. That side project quickly became much more than a simple artistic outlet. Rounded out by guitarist Mieszko Talarczyk and christened “Nasum,” the band’s first release, a 7” split with Agathocles, was released by Necrony’s home label, Poserslaughter Records. That handful of songs opened the floodgates, and Nasum began to release a series of split 7”s and compilations with the likes of Retaliation, Vivisection, and Psycho. This led to the founding of Mieszko’s label, Grindwork Productions and to the birth of Nasum’s first demo, “Domedagen.” The demo was poorly-recorded and more than a little rushed, so when Poserslaughter offered them an MCD, Nasum included re-recorded version of six “Domedagen” songs alongside their newer material. The result was called “Industislaven,” and unbeknownst to the band themselves, heralded a new era in Nasum’s existence.
Soon after the release of “Industislaven,” Nasum was offered the opportunity to play their first few shows with labelmates Dead and Manos, in Germany and Sweden. When it came to light that Richard did not want to do shows, a temporary replacement was found in Per Karlsson. After the mini-tour, Richard left Nasum and Anders took his place behind the kit. The duo of Anders and Mieszko produced their first full 7” EP, entitled “World Turmoil,” and continued to record new material at a breakneck pace. 1997 saw the addition of 17 songs to their repertoire (16 new, and a Discharge cover) all recorded in Mieszko’s brand-new Soundlab recording studio. With this recording, Nasum was at their strongest yet, and the addition of a great production job helped showcase the band’s potent bled of crusty powerviolence, Swedish death metal groove, and straight-up grindcore. A tape of these sessions found its way to Relapse Records, who immediately offered Nasum a one-album deal. Two months later, “Inhale/Exhale” was released, and the extreme metal world has never been the same since.
With its 30 tracks of audio warfare that reeked of seminal Swedish hardcore and the golden era of Swedish death metal, “Inhale/Exhale” became an instant classic and cemented Nasum’s position as one of the most vital new bands in grindcore. In 1999 the addition of Jesper Liverod (Burst) on bass solidified the lineup, and the “new” Nasum headed overseas to play with a slew of notable acts at the legendary Milwaukee Metalfest and appear on the Relapse Contamination tour with labelmates Soilent Green, Today is the Day, Exhumed, and Morgion. Following the overwhelmingly positive response to their decimating live show, Nasum released their next album, “Human 2.0.” They played extensively in support of their latest blasterpiece, sharing stages with Entombed, Skitsystem, The Dilliger Escape Plan, and gracing the hallowed stage at Wacken Open Air as well as at several other festivals. They even hit Japan, as part of the “Extreme the Dojo” tour with Candiria and Cryptopsy.
After several years of nonstop globetrotting and international eardrum-shattering, Nasum retired to Soundlab to record their third album for Relapse. The album was entitled “Helvete,” and featured guest appearances from Entombed’s Jorgen Sandstrom and none other than Shame Embury of Napalm Death, which surely thrilled the longtime fans in Nasum to no end. “Helvete showed a more diverse side of Nasum, mixing their trademark grind with a cleaner, more streamlined approach to death metal, beefing up the grooves, and incorporating a more d-beat-style of drumming alongside the usual blastbeats. “Helvete” was met with thundering applause from the extreme metal community, and the band embarked upon yet another string of dates around Europe. The decision was made to add new members Urban Skytt of Regurgitate on second guitar, and after Jesper Liverod decided to leave Nasum in order to concentrate on his other band Burst, bassist Jon “Elle” Lindqvist (Sayyadina) was welcomed into the fold as well. After playing a few warm-up shows around Sweden, the now-five-piece embarked upon a sold-out Japanese tour with heroes Napalm Death in early 2004. Afterwards, they returned to Sweden to accept two prestigious awards - the P3 Guld Award for "Best Rock/Metal" album and the Manifest Award for "Best Metal/Punk album."
2004 brought about some very important changes for Nasum. Unbeknownst to their fans, they inked a new contract with Burning Heart Records, negotiated a licensing deal with Relapse, and quietly holed up in the Soundlab studio to bring forth their most ambitious effort to date. “Shift” was released mid-October of that same year, and Nasum made their first promotional video for the song “Wrath” at a club in Stockholm. Soon after, Nasum took Europe by storm on their first –ever headlining tour. The future was looking bright for Nasum, with a new album, more tour dates, and an upcoming TV appearance for them to look forward to. It seemed like a good time for the band to kick back and relax, but, as we all know by now, that star-crossed vacation was the beginning of the end for the planet’s best grind act.
While taking a hard-earned vacation with his girlfriend on the beautiful beaches of Thailand, Nasum’s longtime guitarist and beloved friend Mieszko Talarczyk passed away in the Tsunami on December 24, 2004. The metal community wept for its fallen brother, and the remaining members of Nasum decided to end the band out of respect for Mieszko’s memory. Anders decided to pay tribute to Mieszko and preserve Nasum’s legacy by painstaking collecting every last bit of recorded Nasum material, and releasing it as a 2CD compilation entitled “Grind Finale” in 2005. Nasum will always be remembered as one of the best grindcore bands to have ever existed – they are, always have been, and shall always be utterly untouchable. They inspired untold numbers of bands, and the music they created is held closely and fiercely by those who loved them. Relapse Records’ final tribute to a band gone too soon comes in the form of a live release. One half of a split with Napalm Death, “Doombringer” brings to light a handful of tracks captured at one of Nasum’s shows in Osaka, Japan, and stands as a living testament to a band that came, saw, conquered, and absolutely decimated. They’ll never be forgotten, and never be outshone.

Upcoming press stuff

^Half of Arsis, 3/4 of Goatwhore, Dan, Matt, and I at the bar at Jaxx after the Exodus show. Fucking ridiculous weekend.

Upcoming features for Hails & Horns/AMP =

Hate Eternal
Soilent Green
Behemoth
Paths of Possession
Blood Red Throne
Kingdom of Sorrow
Light this City
Opeth
In Flames
Earth Crisis
Flogging Molly


Upcoming shows:
2/26 - Zoroaster/Sourvein and/or Dalek/Russian Circles
2/29 - Drop Collective
3/01 - Nile/Unexpect
3/14 - Incantation/Gorephobia/Bereavement

3/15 - Souvenir's Young America/Monolith/Gholas
4/01- Coliseum/Genghis Tron/Baroness
4/04 - Behemoth/Keep of Kalessin

Then there's Maryland Death Fest, the New England Metal & Hardcore Fest, the Disfear tour, the Coffins tour, and Paganfest to look forward to, amongst other things. Awesome.

Interview: Cris/SVARTSOT

*to be published in Hails & Horns Magazine


Svartsot is a very young band. You formed in 2005 and quickly broke into the
metal scene of your native Denmark before attracting international attention
and landing a deal with Napalm Records earlier this year. It must have been
quite the wild ride! How did you end up on Napalm? What has changed for you
guys since the band's inception in 2005?

Thanks for saying that we're young! Half of the members of the band are
probably above the average age of what you would expect in a debut band. But
more seriously, Napalm Records actually found us. We were originally contacted
by one of their A&R personnel over a year ago, and were asked to send a copy of
our first demo, Svundne Tider. I don't know what happened then, as we never
heard back from that person. Then at the start of this year, shortly after we
released the second demo, Tvende Ravne, we were contacted by another of Napalm
Records' A&R people. This time it went further, and we wound up with the record
deal


I think that we have refined the style a little since our inception. But the
ideas and general style have remained the same, although we are still
developing the whole time. Hopefully that's a process that will continue. We
may as well call it quits if we just start rehashing the whole lot.


Where did Svartsot come from? Who originally came up with the concept for the band, and how did it come into being?

Most of us in the original line-up had played in a band together just prior to
starting Svartsot. The earlier band was more black metal-based than Svartsot. I
suppose really we were just bored of playing the same old stuff. Most of us had
listened to Finntroll and bands like that, and we thought that the folk element
was really cool, and wanted to bring that into our music. I had also played
folk music for many years, so the idea of merging metal and folk suited me from
the start. About half of the original line-up came from a more death metal
orientated background, so it was an obvious choice for us to blend death metal
in to the picture. It was quite an easy process really.


What does the name Svartsot mean?

Svartsot is an old and now obsolete word in Danish which translates as "black
sickness". It's a type of jaundice that causes the patient's skin to turn black
due to the built up of the waste that the liver normally filters from the
blood. An untreated patient will die from the disease, as many did in the
medieval period.


Your debut album for Napalm Records, Ravnenes Saga, is a powerful blend of
death metal and folk music. Folk metal is all the rage nowadays, but I feel
that Svartsot stands out. Instead of being just another black/folk metal band,
you meld death metal heaviness and grooves with the traditional instruments,
which is a rather unique approach. Why did you decide to write music this way?
I never thought I'd see the day that flutes and whistles are coupled with death
grooves, but you've definitely proved me wrong!


As mentioned above, several band members come from a death metal background, so
that was the obvious choice for us. But the whistles were first brought into
the sound spectrum after the first couple gigs. Originally we were just two
guitars, bass, drums and vocals, but this was a little too death metal for what
we wanted to do. I had jammed with Stewart a few times, and he was an obvious
choice as he also comes from a folk and metal background. The mandolin was
kinda like a last minute decision on the first demo. I had one, so we decided
to throw that in too. It makes the sound a little more folky. But now it is
definitely a part of Svartsot's recorded sound.


What was the writing and recording process like for Ravnenes Saga?

Some of the songs are quite "old" and have been on the repertoire pretty much
since we started the band. Other tracks were finished specifically for the
album. We're constantly writing new material, so it was a question of what we
thought would be cool for this album and sorting that from the other material,
stuff that didn't quite live up to standard. So that wasn't so difficult. The
recording process was quite easy too. We rehearsed the material thoroughly and
demoed it in our rehearsal space before going to the studio. There it was just
a matter of recording the material. We did also write a few new details, did a
little rearranging and whatever in the studio, but that wasn't a big problem
either.


What is the concept behind Ravnenes Saga?

There isn't really a concept at all, although most of the songs deal with
womanizing, drinking and fighting, preferably all at once (ha ha!). And that is
also the reason why we chose the album title. We wanted something that covered
many possibilities. We discussed many titles, but Ravnenes Saga was the one
that worked best, as it could be described as being about Odin's two ravens,
Hugin and Munin (thought and memory). According to the legend, these two would
fly across the world each day and report to Odin what they had seen. They would
presumably have seen many things, and that's what this album is about.


What first drew you to this style of music? How did you get into heavy metal,
and what sparked your interest in folk music?

I can only really answer for myself. I first started listening to metal when I
was a young lad in the late 80's. Back then it was stuff like old Def Leppard
and Iron Maiden and all that NWOBH stuff. I then started listening to death
metal and stuff like that in the early 90's. I started playing guitar about the
same time as I got into Maiden, and I sort of discovered folk music through
playing guitar. It was probably something like House of the Rising Sun or
something, but it led me to other stuff. It has certainly helped in the
development of Svartsot. Folk metal isn't convincing when the background in
folk and/or metal is missing from the equation.


Why do you feel that folk metal has become so popular?

I think it has a lot to do with the fact that it makes you want to get drunk
and have fun. That's possibly one of the main reasons we started doing it in
the first place, come to think of it. Folk music has always had this jolly
feeling to it, and it combines well with metal. I could start getting boring
and tell all about medieval route-fifth chords being the same as power chords,
etc., but I'll spare you. The crux of the matter is that the two styles combine
well and make you want to have fun, and that's what metal always really has
been about. The lyrics are escapist and fantastic, which is also very metal in
essence.


Who do you consider your main musical inspirations? Who would you call your
peers?

That's difficult to answer. We try not to limit ourselves with regards to
inspiration. Everyone in the band has different tastes in music, so their own
personal preferences will shine through. So far it has mainly been Michael and
I that have written the music. Michael is very much into thrash and his riffs
are very much influenced by this. As stated, I come more from death metal
roots, although I have played many different styles, including black metal. As
musicians, we are inspired by everything that we think sounds good. It doesn't
even have to be metal.



With regards to peers, I don't know. I think it would be best to leave that up \
to the listener to decide.


What is the metal scene like over in Denmark? You don't hear about too many
Danish metal bands; is Denmark a bad country for metal, or just overlooked? Are there any smaller Danish bands that you feel deserve more recognition that you'd like to mention?

Danish metal is doing quite well for itself at the moment and several Danish metal bands are currently getting international recognition. We have bands like Mnemic (who I believe are
doing well for themselves in America), Hatesphere, Illdisposed, Mercenary,
Raunchy and Iron Fire, who all have deals on international labels, besides
several other less known bands with record deals. And back in the 80's we had
Mercyful Fate and Artillery. Some of these bands may not be quite so well known
in America, but Mercyful Fate and King Diamond are internationally
renowned...And then there's Lars Ulrich, but I'll leave it there.


What sort of touring plans does Svartsot have? You're confirmed for Ragnarök
Festival 2008 which I'm sure is very exciting.

Yeah, we have a few festivals lined up over the next half year or so, and we've
got a mini-tour coming up with Týr in January. But new shows are being added
all the time. We're really looking forward to playing for new fans. We've never
played outside of Denmark, so it's going to be really cool.


Do you think you'll make it over to the United States anytime soon?

I really don't know if we'll be coming to America so soon. It often takes
European bands several albums before they go to America. But I know that our
booking agent has contacts in the US, so it's not so unlikely that it may
happen at some time.


What does the future hold for Svartsot?

Who knows? Hopefully a few more albums, some tours, a couple videos, and a lot
of beer, ha ha! I think it's too early to say anything for sure, but we are
working on new material to a possible follow up to Ravnenes Saga.


Any parting thoughts, words, or messages?

Not really. We just hope that people will enjoy the album and come to the \
shows! It'll be a blast!

Review: HORNA, Sotahuuto

*soon to be published on MetalReview.com

Bathory was one of the first, and best, black metal bands to ever have existed. This is inarguable. Seriously, have you heard “Under the Sign of the Black Mark? That album got me into black metal (and, oddly enough, into college. You know that part of the application essay where you have the option to write about “a book, movie, or work of art that has greatly impacted your life?” Well, obviously, that album is an absolute masterpiece…I guess I somehow managed to convince the admissions people of it as well). The band that launched a thousand imitators, if not an entire genre or two (can’t forget the Viking metal years!) has been enjoying some extra attention lately, thanks in part to Black Mark’s decision to reissue twelve of Quorthon’s finest on limited edition picture discs. The tribute box sets/CDs/merchandise/cover songs keep on comin’, and I daresay it’s been a pretty good year for good ol’ Quorthon -– well, as good a year as one can have posthumously, I suppose.

On top of all that, Finnish black metal horde Horna have just released a very special Bathory tribute of their own. On their latest album, Sotahuuto, Shatraug & Co. do their damnedest to recapture the spirit of the earlier Bathory releases, down to the production values (god, I love me those buzzsaw guitars). They do a fine job of it, too. It’s nice to see a grim/raw/kvlt/whatever band like Horna not only admitting to taking vast amounts of inspiration from the First Wave, but actively giving their heroes a nod of thanks and respect. Bands who dwell on the rawer side of the black metal spectrum are often accused of sounding similar, cookie-cutter, uninspired, intentionally “shitty” – genre detractors are merciless in their derision of the style, sound, and aesthetics of low-fi black metal. While it’s grossly unfair to write off an entire (sub)genre for crimes of which nearly every style of music may be found guilty, even I have to admit that sometimes, they do have a point. Happily enough, though, Horna is a sterling example of good, original, talented-yet-still-raw-edged black metal, and showcase their formidable skills admirably in this worthy tribute to the one who first rode to Asa Bay. All the trademarks of vintage Bathory are there – slow, plodding tempos that quicken into a menacing gallop when the mood strikes; scratchy, venomous vocals; caveman drumming; no bass lines to speak of. In short, Horna achieved their goal – the closest thing you could possibly compare Sotahuuto to is, well, Bathory. They put their own stamp on the music, but ultimately, this is slavish Quorthon worship at its finest. The production is perfect for this kind of thing; rough around the edges, tempered with that oh-so-classic “buzzy” sound, but still clean enough to hear what’s going on.

If you appreciate the brutal, primitive beauty of the first three Bathory records, you will absolutely love this record. If, however, you’re looking for some uber-brutal northern hyperblasts, French-fucked insanity a la BAN or DsO, or something to throw in the CD player when that hot little number from chem lab stops by, this sure ain’t it.

Two interviews I am excited for.

So I'm doing an in-person interview with ERIK RUTAN when Hate Eternal comes through Philly on January 18th. He's pretty much a death metal GOD - he played on "Domination," for fuck's sake! AND produced albums from Cannibal Corpse, Goatwhore, and Vital Remains (amongst others). He's got a rep for being really intelligent and talented, so here's hoping our chat goes well.

{Hails & Horns Magazine}

I'm also in the process of confirming an interview (probably a phoner, but possibly in-person if I feel like trekking all the way up to NYC) with JARBOE. She's a fucking LEGEND both for her work with Swans (as well as with a plethora of other artists), and for her own solo work. Her collabo with Neurosis is one of the most captivating things I've ever heard, and her work with Swans never fails to blow me away. Her voice...oh god, her voice. It's indescribable. I am SO EXCITED to have a chance to speak with this woman.

{AMP Magazine}

Other upcoming inties:
Gojira
Light this City
Syrach
Svartsot
Alestorm
Sinamore

and whatever else catches my eye.

THE YEAR IN METAL 2007

2007 was a good year for metalheads everywhere. We got to see two of the genre's most respected and beloved bands, Carcass and At the Gates, reunite to take the stage once again, as well as witnessing the reformations/comebacks of several other untouchable names (Immortal, Emperor, and how many others?). Death metal became controversial again (Tipper Gore, rejoice); while the old guard rallied 'round the sound they've been living for this past quarter century and released a slew of quality records (hats off to Obituary, Immolation, and Cannibal Corpse), we witnessed the beginning of the agonizingly slow death of metalcore and the rise of deathcore - brutal death metal (d)evolved past recognition into brodude breakdowns, pit ninjas, br00tality, and the overwhelming popularity of someone named BREEEEE.
Black metal spiraled out of control into a chaotic mass of jagged riffs,
philosophical hatred, and ugly, ugly discord thanks to reclusive French
Black Legionnaires Deathspell Omega and Blut aus Nord, was pushed to its absolute limit and sacrificed to Satan by Watain, Glorior Belli, Aura Noir, and Caina, was broken down into the soil and re-imagined entirely by Wolves in the Throne Room, Negura Bunget, and Drudkh, got kicked back to the 80's and dirtied up nice by Darkthrone, was taken outside and beaten down by noisemongers Anaal Nathrakh, got thrashed to hell and back by Bestial Mockery and Impaled Nazarene, and lost its ravishing grimness entirely in favor of the soft, dreamy shoegaze ambience of Alcest, Celestia, Mortifera, Amesoeurs - hell, anything that Neige touches turns to dark, shimmering gold.
It was a good time for those who walk the doomed path, as well; Electric Wizard, England's kings of all that is distorted, put down the bong and stepped down from their dopethrones once again to deliver an instant classic in Witchcult Today. Candlemass reformed sans Messiah, and, aided by Rob Lowe of Solitude Aeturnus's formidable pipes, unleashed a doomed masterpiece of their own, and recently announced a headlining springtime tour with Daylight Dies, who are themselves due to drop another album come 2008. Drone, sludge, funeral, death-,avant-garde, and traditional doom flourished; youngsters like Coffins, Monarch, Bloody Panda, and dozens more shook up the music scene while the retro-doomy wailing of Witchcraft, Black Cobra, The Sword, and Wolfmother had metallers on the fence and hipsters banging their heads almost hard enough to mess up their asymmetrical bangs.
Folk metal polka-d its way into the limelight, thanks to veteran hummpa-mongers Finntroll and Korpiklaani and the overwhelming popularity of Wintersun. Stellar 2007 offerings from the former two bands, as well as from Ensiferum, Tyr, Eluveitie, Turisas, Folkearth, Moonsorrow, and tons more cemented the tiny subgenre's place in many a hesher's heart, whilst enigmatic woodsmen Agalloch garnered heaps of critical acclaim for their neofolk-y, black/doom-tinged take on sorrow. Paganfest 2008 promises to raise more awareness and even more horns as Ensiferum, Turisas, Tyr and Eluveitie take the Western World by storm. Lai lai hey!
I'm sure all sorts of things went down across the board in other genres - tech-death had a good year, BTBAM and TDEP both released midfuck-filled albums of proggy techy spazzy grindy goodness, progressive fans got wind of that Dream Theater/Opeth tour and are now able to die happy, noise/grind/experimental freakouts were everywhere, and power metal? I'm sure the three dudes who still dig this stuff are more than content with the new Elvenking and promises of yet another Manowar live albums or six. Nu metal, metalcore, and whatever the fuck you call shit like Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet for my Valentine, Killswitch Engage, and the like are still hanging in there, much to my chagrin, but really, who can find the time to bitch about offal like that when there's a new Primordial album to be devoured?
On a more serious note, it's important to remember those who have left us this year. Metal hearts across the globe wept for another fallen brother as Decapitated's talented young drummer Vitek passed after a tragic accident that also put their band's singer, Covan, into intensive care. Kevin Dubrow of Quiet Riot OD'd on cocaine and lost his life at age 55. Six years have passed since Evil Chuck Schuldiner succumbed to brain cancer, and it's been three since Dimebag Darrell was gunned down in cold blood by a crazed fan. Rest in peace, brothers. Metal fans are some of the most dedicated, passionate people in the world, and we stick by our own- we won't forget you.

So without further ado, my own personal Top 10 (and more) list for 2007.


Top Ten Metal Albums of 2007

Drudkh - Estrangement
Another beautiful piece of woodland art from Ukraine's proud sons. -hypnotic, captivating black metal steeped in melody and folklore.

Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters
Dense, multi-layered compositions, rife with fast tremolo picking and melodic parts, supplemented by clear female vocals and ambient soundscaping yet blackened beyond belief and positively ritualistic in their execution.

Svartsot - Ravenes Saga
A heady brew of Korpiklaani, Amon Amarth, Bolt Thrower, and Eluveitie - pure folky goodness with a strong dose of melodic death.

Krohm - The Haunting Presence
With The Haunting Presence, Krohm has joined the hallowed ranks of those who dare to think beyond a blaze in the northern sky and past the freezing moon. Haunting, cold, and utterly desolate, they will drag you down into the depths of despair and show you what evil really is.

Peste Noire - Folkfuck Folie
Another flash of brilliance from Neige & Co. A distorted paen to the sickness of human sexuality sung to the tune of raw-edged blakc metal and acoustic guitars.

Primordial - To the Nameless Dead
Breathtaking. Emotional. Dark. Essential.

Moonsorrow - V. Havittey
A masterwork of maturity and musical strength; two songs of blackened, doomed folk metal heaviness that take you on an epic journey from which only the bravest shall ever return.

Watain - Sworn to the Dark
Satan is all his glory. This is Satanic black metal with no pretense, no posturing, no posing - just pure fucking armageddon.

Coffins/The Arm and Sword of a Bastard God - split
Beyond heavy, beyond crushing sludgy deathy doomy nihilism that'll pulverize your skull.

Deathspell Omega - Fas - Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum
They have taken an already ugly, hate-fueled genre and twisted and corroded it into something that shames mere chaos – too evolved to be pure black metal, too savage to be anything but.


Honorable Mentions (because a Top 15 is just silly)
Ensiferum - Victory Songs
Rousing, epic battle chants from one of the genre's best.

Neurosis - Given to the Rising
Neurosis does not make bad albums. This is a great one.

Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today
Doomed to greatness.

Fueled by Fire - Spread the Fire
THRASH IS BACK!

Darkthrone - F.O.A.D.
Nocturno Culto and Fenriz will ALWAYS be cooler than anyone else, SO YOU CAN FUCK OFF AND DIIIIEEEEE!

Best Not-Quite-Metal Albums of 2007
Souvenir's Young America - An Ocean Without Water
Post-rock/metal at its finest. Well-crafted, expansive and tinged with pure beauty and emotion, but still fuckin' heavy.

Alcest - Souvenir's D'un Autre Monde
Beautiful, shoegazing post-black metal. Neige is a genius.

Gentlemens Pistols - s/t
Swaggering, Hedrix-heavy 70's influenced rock'n'roll sure to make the girlies scream and the boys sprout chest hair.

Agnostic Front - Warriors
Solid, honest old-school NYHC from the masters.