One interesting aspect in the making of “Lychgate” was that it was created without the aid of programming. All instrumentation was performed and recorded without edits, a factor that gives even more credit to ​​the talented and skilled musicians presented here. In fact that’s the way I like it done: without artifices. Just clean, well performed, honest and brilliant music coming straight from the (dark) soul. Recorded at Eidola Studios and Priory Studios between April and August of last year, “Lychgate” was mixed and mastered by Greg Chandler at Priory Studios and features an amazing cover artwork by Manuel Tinnemans that truly captures the mystery and the whole essence of this album.

Now, before we head-dive into “Lychgate” I must confess that before receiving this album, in the last couple of weeks before I’d been revisiting a lot to Emperor’s masterpiece “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk” and after a first audition to “Lychgate”, you might call me crazy, I immediately knew that I was facing another album of as great and epic proportions as Emperor’s masterpiece. As a matter of fact, if Lychgate had emerged in the 90’s they would certainly have as its direct rival the Norwegian band. The entire structure of the tracks, which balances melody with aggression perfectly, and the sound exhaled really has that kind of sound that makes me travel back in time. Their music really captures and embodies that pure 90′s aura all over.

Opening with the intro “The Inception” the veil is lifted abruptly as we stand at the edge of this dark, deep well of souls. As we look down, and watch with fear into the darkness that is about to swallow us, we take a long deep breath of air and head dive into it not knowing what we’re about to face. This intro track really sets the tone being the perfect welcome card for the album. Right after that “Resentment” comes dyed in shades of black haunted by that daunting pipe organ that fuses wonderfully with the rest of the instruments, creating an absolute and total gloomy atmosphere. It’s kind of a symphonic black metal, but in a more dreary way. Do not expect to apply the tag “symphonic black metal” that really sticks into bands like Satyricon or Behemoth here. No. This is totally on another level. The constant use of the pipe organ is in fact one of the elements that stands out about this album, giving an astounding character to the tracks, enhancing them into a brutal dimension that sucks us even deeper into this pit of lost souls.

Greg’s voice wanders constantly through the territories of black and doom metal, and fits perfectly in this recording like a glove, distributing blood curdling screams and cavernous growls. The guitar work is also superb, giving us some incredible notes that swirl and surround us completely, dragging us into surreal universes or it can also ravish us, throwing us to the ground with ferocious and sharp riffs. The detail of blending acoustic segments in the middle of this black metal vortex isn’t nothing new but in this recording it fits and works perfectly and flawlessly. But in the midst of this malicious orchestra, what really grabs my atenttion is the work of Tom Vallely. In his natural habitat, the drums. Tom (as the rest as his fellow alchemist mages) seems even more dedicated and determined here, giving us all of these amazing details into the tracks to which we are even afraid to blink in order to not miss one millisecond of their performance. I had to pick up my jaw from the floor many times while playing this album. Brutal. Lychgate works in the most perfect and harmonious way. Albums of this caliber are a rare and unique piece nowadays. When we think that everything has been created, reinterpreted, replicated, etc, we are unexpectedly caught by an album like this.

Tracks like “Against the Paradoxical Guild” that starts with classic riffs pretty much à la Emperor, and that soon unfold into twisted contours intoxicated by the evident madness in Greg’s vocal work. An authentic spiral filled with surreal details into which we increasingly fall deeper. Or the insurgent “In Self Ruin” that begins with the most imposing cacophony, leading my mind to imagine almost a scene from “Phantom of the Opera” but in a more twisted and darker version. The drum suddenly unloads all its fury that shapes into a storm of blastbeats while totally frantic riffs increase the malicious flood of black metal. It’s the constant twists between malice and melody, creating a climate of passage among the most aggressive and melodic sections within the tracks. “Sceptre to Control the World” is another one of those amazing pillars that elevates this álbum to epic proportions where that flawless balance between Light and Darkness is perfectly constructed among black and doom metal overtones.

In the middle of the album, the band throws in an interlude right before another relentless storm of black metal riffs and blasbeats, falling upon us with “Triumphalism” a track that brings to my mind several details of Omega Centauri or even Archaicus, in which Greg’s voice unleashes daunting and shrieking screams before being possessed by the spectre of doom metal. “Dust of a Gun Barrel” introduces us to a more a haunting and mysterious atmosphere, which constantly draws from the most slow/mid-tempo doom-ish paces sections accelerating to sections where the band creates unpredictable conjunctions with acoustic elements that bring another aura to the track.

The album closes with “When Scorn Can Scourge No More” a far more melodic track than the ones we’ve heard previously, where the guitars throw captivating notes into the air, creating an almost etheral atmosphere that ends up intoxicating us through all of this mysticism hovering in the air, only interrupted by the malicious voice that loses its last blood-chilling screams before fading into darkness. Although we can look at this track from a more melodic point of view, it never loses that malicious character behind it, almost as an enigmatic mask covers the horrors that hide behind it.

With this amazing self-titled album, Lychgate have created a formula, and although not new, it is indeed unique and something they can call their own. Allying their creativity to their great know-how, together these alchemists, who share between them their old and most obscured recipes, have managed to provide us with a very surreal and mystical album. Every track, every performance, every detail is simply beautiful. It has all the contours of a perfect masterpiece. One for most amazing albums of this decade. What a wonderful journey.

“Lychgate” is already available on CD through U.K. label Mordgrimm. Or if you prefer vinyl, you can jump to Gilead Media store. More information about Lychgate can be found at their website or Facebook page.

The post Against the Paradoxical Guild – Lychgate Self Titled Amazing Album In Review appeared first on CVLT Nation.

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ZOM’s assault is not new however. Their self-titled demo was certainly promising, making heads turn despite the perceived ordinariness outside of the locale they hail from, largely because the worship they display is flat out enjoyable with subtle additions that the newer revivals are bringing with them that seem to have naturally leeched into their classic sound. Just enough to refresh things at least because they were getting a lot of attention, and I still managed to miss their second demo last year containing these two tracks.

Though, as it was a demo, I assume they were rougher which is either a plus or a minus depending on your attitude. There are two tracks, virtually the same length but with different approaches to their thrash formula, the first “Multiversal Holocaust” dips into the slower realms near the end while “Terror of the Cosmos” really is a relentless and blistering offensive.

As one might expect we’re greeted by satanic samples recalling Archgoat’s affinity for the perverse and evil, and then rocketing into a mid-paced blackened riff directly afterwards over d-beats and eventually into a more thrashy tremolos. All the while the the vocals harken back to the stuttered and chambered echos of the old-school — later peppered with “OOF!”’s and deep snarls — and a truly cavernous and machine-gun speed percussive blast behind it all.

This is only halted later for a chunky breakdown of the previous tremolo’s, and further slowed to a wicked and evil groove; plenty of hammer-ons and ugliness abound. This is a great moment in the track. It’s further manipulated by wah, and transformed into a bouncy gallop later before again turning toward crustiness. It’s brief because a cult-ish sample cuts into it as a closer, distorting and becoming more layered as it drones. The blends of aggression and the addition of a tasty change of gears midway through is great.

I probably won’t be alone in saying there are various moments that have one recalling the early legends of thrash: moments of Slayers first record alongside Possessed are clearly being channeled through ZOM but with a tight, blurry coating of sinister black metal (possibly a sliver of d-beat) — and a huge rolling snare presence throughout upping the distress in the fast sections.

And it is especially true in the second track “Terror of the Cosmos” (ends with a ritual necromancy guitar). Following a creepy sample that gets overtaken by feedback and lone tom strikes, the buzz starts up just shredding lonely until a jerky rhythm is formed and the pace picks up. From here if the nostalgia isn’t flowing then I don’t know what to say. ZOM stir up a storm of cosmic blaspheme with only a few very clouded riffs, blazing in their speed, and then just around four minutes in the tone and pace switches. The rhythm is still excellent just more bouncy, and sd you’ll here again they tumble into some very Show No Mercy territory in the final minutes; ending Ritual Necromancy style.

Their newest EP is definitely continuing the tradition of revival found in their original demo, the promise being exhumed, and overall it doesn’t feel tired as you might cautiously expect. The influence is undeniable but the writing and skill level play nicely with them and allow something more invigorating to the style to seep in, intentional or not.

ZOM have not vanished since their debut in 2011, in fact Multiversal Holocaust makes it clear that their path is one that may be more interesting to continue to follow especially for the purists and thrash enthusiasts. These reworked songs are further proof of this small horde’s creative ability.

I suggest if you enjoyed their work thus far and you can afford it in this climate then go and grab a copy of this from Invictus Productions or Iron Boneheard Productions before they’re gone.

The post MULTIVERSAL HOLOCAUST
… ZOM Review appeared first on CVLT Nation.

Whip Hand

Whip Hand

Stoic Violence

Stoic Violence

Stoic Violence

Stoic Violence

Stoic Violence

Youth Code

Youth Code

Youth Code

Youth Code

Youth Code

Children of God

Children of God

Children of God

Seven Sisters of Sleep

Seven Sisters of Sleep

Seven Sisters of Sleep

Seven Sisters of Sleep

Seven Sisters of Sleep

Gehenna

Gehenna

Gehenna

Gehenna

Gehenna

Gehenna

Gehenna

Gehenna

Gehenna

Gehenna

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2nd Anniversary Photo Essay appeared first on CVLT Nation.

Deafheaven

Picture by rasmusejlersen.dk

Hexis

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The Secret, Deafheaven and Hexis
Now Showing! appeared first on CVLT Nation.

But, with Teethed Injury and Glory, the newest from Ireland’s Altar of Plagues, I’m completely stumped.  On its surface, it contains many of the same elements as previous AoP albums, screeches and blast beats and hazy guitars.  But all of those pieces fit together in new, alien patterns, drawing from an inanely wide range of sources, yet wholly original.  You likely won’t listen to a better, more interesting extreme album this year.

And that extreme tag, rather than metal, perfectly sums up this record.  It contains many of the signifiers of traditional and experimental metal, blast beats, growls and palm-muted guitars.  But what is most striking is how these standard elements somehow make the album sound less like something a metal band would produce, because for every ‘normal’ bit, five other elements undercut or twist it until you don’t know what you’re listening to.  The most human sounds somehow become the most alien.

First single (and yes, this album had a single) “God Alone” lays down the gauntlet: at only four-and-change minutes, it is fully half as long as the shortest song on Mammal, AoP’s previous record, and yet somehow manages to cram in twice as much material, tempo shifts and painful noises.  It is a work of painful, punishing minimalism, driven by a slowly changing guitar riff and double-bass drum, drones and metallic voices overlaying its metamorphosing form.  Every piece, no matter how disjointed, fits together, mutated rather than welded.  It is the sound of bodies crashing, bending together.  One thing is clear: this is not a black metal band anymore.

Other tracks continue this trend.  Centerpiece “A Remedy and a Fever” begins with howls and industrial pulses before tearing itself wide open, droning voices flooding your ears.  AoP embrace electronic elements all over Teethed Glory, but not in the sense of mood-setting synthesizers or thin drum machines; instead, they insert loops and heavily-processed sounds all over their songs, turning instruments into projections of tortured violence.  The guitars that enter “Remedy” half-way through its run sound more like interstellar static than anything earthly.  Where their peers embrace shamanism and ‘mother earth’ mysticism, AoP have entered the void.

But, with an album like this, who could their peers be?  Perhaps most impressive about the album as whole is how it creates the dynamic flow of a single piece of music throughout, never resorting to acoustic or clean guitar tones to signify calm moments.  It is a composition of crushing intensity, of blown-out electronics and shattered percussion.  It achieves beauty with none of the standard markers of melody or harmony.  It is massive, impenetrable, and demands to be heard as a whole.  This is what extreme music can be at its peak: pushing boundaries, and making sounds like no one as ever heard.

Label Profound Lore!

The post ALTAR of PLAGUES
Teethed Injury and Glory
Review appeared first on CVLT Nation.

The eponymous full length debut features everything I could have wanted and more as the band has moved into an aggressive onslaught of Incantation like death metal hybridized with a fresh Blasphemy approach and an astonishing production that highlights the stab and kick of each instrument. Totaling four tracks, the last split into two sections (okay, so five), Ruin Lust is a non-stop buzz saw of primal grunts, crunchy and heavy guitars and relentless drums that border on inhuman amounts of force.

Opening without anything held back, “Obedience” starts Ruin Lust the way a torturer might start their trade; with a hammer to the face. Low primordial grunts, whipping guitars and thundering drums set the mark high as the band never looks back from this level of energy. The sound of Ruin Lust is rough and upfront, yet there’s so much meat to each sound and nothing’s lost. The bass is a sickening slop that rides just below the dirty and hazy guitar and the drums are so well covered that the lower pitched hits have heft, yet aren’t muddled or lacking in attack. “Tethered and Lashed” shows this perfectly as the band transitions from an awesome mid-paced double bass drum groove to blasts and quarter note stomps.

As you could surmise, the band’s force and momentum are my favorite parts and a key component of that are the various vocals. Low grunts, throaty glass gargling mid-ranged rasps and higher registry screams create a great smattering of vocal attacks and an edge to the band’s sound. “Skin Hunger” shows off the band’s slower side and gives the guitar the room it deserves as it unwinds atop the pensive drums until they both explode for the second half of the song in a torrent. Transitions like that are where the band’s best, dictating tempo and momentum with an cudgel.

For those who have been lucky enough to hear previous efforts, picture the band’s demo more focused, heavier, and a bit more dynamic in terms of guitar work (more riffs!). For those ready for their first time, if you’ve ever said “I like death metal” or “I like heavy music” then you should love this album. It’s got a bit of old school charm, with enough of a modern production job, and various influences that keep it memorable and overwhelming. Easily one of my favorites of the year, Ruin Lust don’t disappoint with their malicious brand of blackened death metal.

Pick it up over at Psychic Violence’s webstore amidst some other goodies (Ash Borer anyone?)

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Ruin Lust Review appeared first on CVLT Nation.

Third Wave Holocaust is distinctly filthy in tone and the cloying feeling that is a hidden and ghastly presence lurking behind each percussive strike or inhuman howl is wildly overwhelming. The record veers towards a more ambient sound than it’s predecessor (originally released in 2009 and followed by a combination of splits and EPs), and it seems as though NoOne has used the intervening years to fine tune the utter apathy for traditional techniques that T.O.M.B. holds such disregard for in order to create soundscapes of pure and unrelenting detachment from any known world.

“Antagonising the Unknown” forces itself on the psyche with horrific clashes of noise and obstructed vocals that sit back and become at one with the rotten waves of sound that emanate from the crypts and caverns of the mind, whilst “Electric Exorcism” writhes with a desolate and distasteful abhorrence.

The climbing invocation of “NA LA GORE NA” swirls with twisted malevolence, and you’re waiting for the annihilation that must surely come at its end. Gestures of hate are buried within chants and a constantly building wall of sound that threatens and beats with fear and heart-stopping terror, before “Vulgarity” creeps into the fray with a noxious panic that intimidates and controls – because no matter how much you long for it to stop….you cannot tear yourself away from its mesmerising quakes and hypnotic torment.

“Clairvoyant Frequencies” is the sound of summoning and the claustrophobic layers of noise reverberate with tension and a sickening oppression. It’s almost too much to bear at times, and it becomes a genuine struggle to get through the one remaining song. T.O.M.B. is not a project to enjoy or listen to on a daily basis – unless you’re looking to lose your entire mind – but there will be times that you can bring yourself to listen to Third Wave Holocaust, or any other recording by this collective, and those times will be rewarding in only the most obscene ways.

Explore Black Crypt Worship.

The post T.O.M.B. – Third Wave Holocaust appeared first on CVLT Nation.

This band is truly something special. This is the latest release from the Artist behind The Gault, Weakling, & Asunder. All of which are incredible and should be essential listening for anyone trying to expand their dark musical horizons. When you have a pedigree like that with the new addition of Sixes, your listening experience is going to be otherworldly.

This is a preview of a frightening track titled, “All Paths End The Same”. There’s a continuation of the romanticism of misery and absolute horror involved in their trademark soundscaping style and now it’s even denser and more methodically controlled. Unnerving, Hypnotic Bliss. Enjoy the preview and make sure to support the band.

Photo captured by Alberto Gutierrez

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New DISPIRIT Track
“All Paths End The Same” appeared first on CVLT Nation.

The idea of dealing tapes in the digital age is a bit strange. It is old technology and has a much shorter shelf life than a CD or an LP. But it is also a very cool technology. Archaic, yes, but nostalgic at the same time. People seem to like them. Tape trading is how I found a lot of new music myself (back in the day). It has its place in music’s subculture.

Side A:

Michigan’s A Pregnant Light was formed in 2010 by multi-iinstrumentalist and vocalist, Deathless Maranatha. He alone is responsible for nine releases in a little over two years. Quite prolific for one solitary guy. Everything he has released so far has fallen under the blanket category of Black Metal, but that is selling it short. A Pregnant Light touches on many genres. “Glint, Glimmer and Glow” sounds like an indie rock song for the first minute, then veers into heavier territory. The music is very raw, reminiscent of DIY punk or hardcore. Sloppy good. Intense. And short. “The Heavens Alone In Love” basically has two parts with a lovely intermission between. The vocals sound distant. Odd and angular guitar licks sit in the mix with blast beats. It’s fast, and slow. Long. A Pregnant Light Is trying new things. I think that’s what most matters here. Solid.

Side B:

Healing from Illinois, Deeper Wells like to tinker with drone, feedback and noise. Granted, this is all I’ve ever heard of them. “Untitled” doesn’t play as a song, per se. It is mostly squeals and skwonks and swirling, trippy feedback loops. Though it is listed as an instrumental, I swear I hear voices near the end. It is a nice finish to the tape. It basically helps to decompress from the two A Pregnant Light tracks. Well done.

All in all, a nice little nostalgic trip to noise Hell and back. Looking forward to the next release from Colloquial Sound Recordings. In the meantime, let me just rewind this tape for you.

JH Statts

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Deeper Wells Review appeared first on CVLT Nation.