Throat : "Beyond the Devil's Shroud"

 

One of my pet peeves is having multiple bands with the same name. Yet here we are. This Throat is from Poland, not Finland. They play a dark and grimy version of black metal rather than a burlier take on post-punk. They are equally dark. This album opens with a murky, clanging take on the genre, a cauldron of chaos bubbling with spewed vocals gasping and choking. The guitar is deliberate, and the production is rather raw, leaving the instrumentation to fend for itself in this mix. The drums suffer the most under these conditions. But they use blast beats sparingly and focus on fiendish moods that create the charm.

"Cain's Mark" is rowdier and more upbeat, whih will appeal to fans ot the early second wave of black metal that are looking for something with the punkish attitude of the cvlt charm. It slows down into a more deliberate stomp that is more song-oriented. The track after this is more of an interlude, and jsut creates a droning ritualistic atmosphere. "Corrupted Flesh" finds the vocals dropping down into a more death metal growl with a more sinister intent. They linger on a more brooding doom feel here. 

The last song ' the Pact " is a more feral explosion of wrathful aggression that bands away with a reckless punk abandon, not unlike Darrkthrone. I like the vibes that paint the mood they are creating here, even if there is not much that we have not heard before going on. If you want something that is raw with a murky darkness but not just blasting and tremolo-picked guitars, then this album might be for you I will give it an 8, out on Primitive Reaction. 

pst98

Death By Love : " 444"

 

Here is the debut from this Polish electro goth project. It has a sharp-edged tension in the combative synths that open the album. These are contrasted by the sultry swagger of Inga. Peter, the other half of this duo, had a stint in the Electric Hellfire Club, so the industrial influence makes sense. Though they are also capable of dropping things down into a more 90s alt-pop groove on "Cosmic Power".  An almsot trip -hop f;avor lingers in the beat. The more Middle Eastern vocal passages begin to surface on "In Unity." Its more of an up-tempo dance floor churner. Layers of synths swirl around your ears on this one. 

There are some moments that sound like newer, more EDM minded KMFDM, with "I Don't" being one of these though it is perhap more n the industrial side. "Strong Inside" brings Lords of Acid to mind with its more sexualized pulse. "God" feels more like something Danny Elfman might do. "Lost and Found' would have been suited for mid 90s alternative radio. "Temros" is a more dramatic ballad, granted it's the symphonic mix. 

"Forest" has more of a dance groove to it that holds my attention better. Then they get more exotic for the Middle Eastern vibe that will bring Dead Can Dance to mind for most people. The album closes with a reprise or re-envisioning of the first song thugh it really sounds nothing like it as there is poken and wailing vocals in the background to create more of a mood, until more gothy music creeps in at the halfway point to create more of a Siouxsie feel. Overall, I enjoy the darker 90s vibes it gives a change from the normal retro 80s batcave goth. I will give this a 9. 

pst82

November is Doom-Drowned in Silver : "Mothers"

This band from Poland is interesting; the exotic drowning ambiance of the opening leaves the door to darkness open, and you are unsure of which shade of it will attack you. It is a slow build as it takes almsot three minutes into the song before the vocals take on a more aggressive grit. The odd dissonance summoned with the saxophone coloring the background is almsot as noisy as what Swans ventures in at times. Even when things build into a heavier dynamic, this remains a fair point of comparison, perhaps throwing in a doom version of what Diamanda Galas does as another point of reference. 

"Waves of Sorrow" is more melodic, though the song itself simmers in its own brooding, while the vocals belt it out in more fluid tones. Primordial becomes the next point of reference in terms of what they are doing sonically. The title track is dark and droning, though even more melodic with the dynamic dictated by the swell of the powerfully crooned vocals. There is a more reverbed out guitar jangle that unfolds on the shuffle of "Disillusioned". Not as jazz-focused as the band Morphine, but heading in their direction more than the Primordial-style bombast they hit you with earlier. The song carries a creep they jam out on. The vocals come in with the more minimalist atmosphere they use to set the stage. Once more, the powerful vocals control the dynamics that swell up around them. 

The main difference between the last song and the previous songs is how the drummer keeps things on a steady groove while the other dynamics ebb and flow over it, with the vocals once again the most dramatic thing in motion. Some pretty tasty guitar licks are more jazz-influenced than what you typically hear from doom, making me thankful for the experimental nature of what they have going on here. Obviously, I am a savant for deciphering influences and the origins of certain sounds, but overall all this is a pretty original effort. I will give it a 9.5 . If you are looking for doom done differently and like a slight Dead Can Dance ambiance, this album is for you. 

pst577

Gothtober- Natures Mortes : "Blind Submission"

 

This Polish band has certainly nailed the death rock sound, but what I am going to be listening for with this album is what they are doing to make it their own. The play it pretty straight with graveyard punk energy on the opening track. This band has been moving up closer to headliner status on festival bills they are on, but this is more of a statement about how desperate the goth scene is for actual bands.  The heavily effected guitar tone is dialed in with creepy legitimacy. The vocals, however, rant and muse with less purpose than, say, Rozz Williams. The causes the second song to carry a murkier haze. There is no clear path in the story being told on this song. But they sound cool getting lost. 

The production carried the bat cave reverberation. Sometimes this causes the riffs to drown in the wall of sound being summoned. The riff to "Bruises" has more form and function, as the vocal rant over it is in a more punk fashion. "Body Horror" rings out with a marginally dancier throb that finds the band being more cohesive, even though the vocals are buried against the guitar. At least the mood the vocals are trying to convey comes through. There is more of a punk pogo hop to "Inside Out" as their singer declares, "your life is a lie". 

There is a similar though more aggressive energy to " On All Fours" . It is a little too straightforward punk my tastes despite using a deathrock guitar tone, which casts the spooky shadows over the song.  The more Bauhaus-like riff to "Pulling Stings" gives the vocals space to emote more, though they hold a continuous tension to things whcih has been the overall mood of the album. "Drown" closes the album; the lo-fi production struggles to handle the wall of sound, as the shoegazing guitar tone overpowers the mix. It further buries the vocals, which might have been their singer's most compelling performance, but they are hidden away. I will give this album an 8, there is more sound than songwriting at times, , the production is to blame for most of the flaws here, and the vocals could be fine tuned, but are halway obscured by the guitar domiant mix, I think to truly nail the death rock the bass needs to be more present, but if you like the punk side of the genre it's a fun album. 

pst478

Death is June - Clairvoyance : "Chasm Of Immurement"

 

The Polish death metal band storms up from the catacombs with a dense and dark sound. They are more from the Incantation school of riffing, with vocals that are a low, unearthly gurgle. Their drummer is relentless on the opening track. There could stand to be more nuance and finesse, but some like just being bludgeoned in the ears like this. The second song has more groove to it as well as a burly guitar tone that moves with a more Entombed-like muscle. Guitar melodies are also layered over the rumble. When it gains momentum, things retain the drive without running off the rails. 

"Fleshmachine' finds the vocals becoming just an obligatory layer of sound as they speed into the fastest moments we have heard from this band yet. There are more deliberate head-banging moments to contrast with this. They are putting effort into songwriting, but it is not anything that is really captivating me or leaves me with a clear-cut vision of what their unique sonic signature is. It's just your typical cavernous death metal. "Reign of Silence' varies the tempos a bit and has a cool riff that is from more of an older Entombed school of death metal, but does not take any risks. 

"Blood Divine" starts off this with a blitz of blast beats, before picking up the flurry of double bass to chase it with, while everyone else goes to pound town in varied degrees. A storming blur of sound could best describe their collective efforts here. Impressive in terms of heaviness, but not memorable in terms of songwriting. They use every last ounce of speed they have going into "Monument to Dread". The wailing of the guitar solo layered atop it does not break things up enough, and it begins to bore me. They shift the speeds to break it up more than some of the previous songs. Two minutes in, they drop things down to a more deliberate groove that works better than the speed fest for sure. I will give it an 8, as the execution is there and they have a cool sound, think they need to bring in more dynamics to write great songs, but what they are doing works for where they are as a band.Out on Carbonized Records July 18th.  

pst280

Hate : "Bellum Regiis"

 

Yeah, I know I just covered Behemoth, but I wanted more death metal in my life, so here we are with this Polish band. The vocals are phrased and delivered that has marginally more menace than Nergal's similarly purposeful delivery. They have a big production value sound. There is a faint hint of black metal hanging under the riffs. There is a precise and premeditated hammering to the second song where "The Vanguard' sweeps into and finds a more technical approach in the arrangement rather than throwing a bunch of notes at you, they switch up how you are going to be hit with them. They obviously know what they are doing. 

It's on 'Ghost of Lost Delight' that everything begins to sound the same to me, so I have to take a break from the album. Maybe I am just tired and need to come back to it later. I come back to it, and I'm torn if these guys are jumping on the Behemoth bandwagon, or if this is just how metal from Poland sounds? To their credit in either scenario, "Perun Rising' works and is the best song so far, so a break from these guys is what I needed. The state of mind we are in when we consume music obviously affects our perception of it. 

Looking back, I should have put a few more metal albums in between listening to this and the new Behemoth, but here we are. For both bands, pouring on the speed is not the best course of action. The last three songs all began to bleed together for me, so I had to give a re-listen with a fresh set of ears to break things apart. "Alpha Inferni" starts off more deliberately before racing away with the double bass. The main riff is pretty cool and anchors the song a bit. Some punchy accents ebb back and forth on "Prophet of Arkhem" that break the overall mood a little, and after a few listens, it grows on me. The syncopated sections on this one are pretty effective.

 The rapid fire blast of "Ageless Harp of Deviltry" loses the album, coming out of this blistering attack, it finds the band having to find its footing to transition out of this in a manner that flows. Overall, it sounds great, and they maintain this huge majestic sound for the duration. I will give this one an 8, as they know what they are doing and can bring you into their work, even if some of the landscape might seem familiar. Out on Metal Blade May 2nd. 

pst182

Behemoth : " The Shit Ov God"

 

I like Behemoth, but they are inconsistent. Their last album was great, but the two before that got a great deal of critical praise but were not worth the hype. I think they peaked with "Evangelion". Though they are getting back to an older, more epic death metal sound with this album, so perhaps this course corrects with a payoff. I think they are better as a death metal band, and the larger-than-life sound does not work for black metal, as they are often not atmospheric enough. I appreciate the more melodic notions that haunt "Sowing Salt." 

The title track is massive and dark, with a great deal of purpose to its waltzing stomp. Nergal's vocals are typically very deliberate, rather than an afterthought, which is one thing I have always liked about them. I think the vocals work really well here, and their songwriting feels catchier on this album so far. "Lvciferaeon" works pretty well too, it's not as catchy as the previous song, but is not just guitars hammering you. There is more of a black metal feel to "Drown the Svn in Wine." That said, it's more aggressive but not as catchy as the previous songs. There is more of a throb to "Nomen Barbarvm." This leans the song more in the direction of black metal. 

"O Venvs Come" is darker with its creepy mid-paced march. In terms of dynamic songwriting, it builds on the ever-aching pulse, with the drums controlling things rather than a clear-cut verse-chorus framework, but still manages to work. The last song finds the momentum shifting into a double bass charge as things accelerate into a more aggressive speed than the previous song, though it's not as interesting. This is not to say it does not work; I prefer the mood of the previous song, but their fan base should dig this one as well. I will give this one a 9.5, as it works for what they do, it's as big and epic as their earlier work, and delivers what you want from these guys.

pst178

SAINT VENGEUR : "Sex and Repression in Higher Society"

 This Polish project is churning out some interesting sounds. This album opens with a darker industrial menace before things shift into a more neon-washed synth wave sound. The piano melodies keep things from being heavy. The sparse vocals are mixed back into the churning wall of synths. The second song "Farewell at Dawn" is the middle-of-the-road synth that relies more upon ambiance. While there are still dynamics in play they do not hook you in and it feels more like background music. After a second listen I discern vocals that are buried in the mix

 "Menarche" has more groove and songwriting invested in it to make it a more effective sonic investment. "Poor Homme" simmers in its 80s-soaked luster. Right now the sound is winning in the sound vs songs debate, but it's being done in a way that works for my ears. It is not until "Immaculata" that this finds songs beginning to sound the same even with the vocals becoming more pronounced. "Symphony of the Night" does not find the synths doing anything that is much more symphonic than what they have already been doing. 

"Affection Paradigm" has a beat that pushes it over the edge into greatness to make it one of the album's more memorable songs. The last song however just sounds like a recap of what the rest of the album has already delivered. This feels a little more gothy than Perturbator, but it does not hit as hard, as the synth lines are less riff and more about the atmosphere, however, if you are into synth-wave it's worth your time. I'll give it an 8.5, it drops on I, Voidhanger Records February 28th. 

thanks for reading, please "like" and share on social media to give music a voice 

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

pst27

Mardom : "Dead Soul Age"

The challenge for this Polish band is to separate themselves from the pack of other black metal bands who have done similar. They are using more double bass than blast beats so that plays to their favor. The riffs are not just a buzz, but you can hear actual notes being played, and the lyrics can be understood amid the tortured rasp that stays in an almost croaked mid-range. The vocals are about the most atypical element of black metal. You can hear a melancholic mood being conveyed, which most bands claim to have but I rarely feel it. As a depressed person, You can't fake your funk in this regard with me. 

The second song does not break any new ground, with the pattering of drums marginally more frantic. The guitar uses a similar morose chord structure and sounds like doom that is sped up. The vocals feel like they have less purpose than on the opening track. The tempo shifts, which helps the song rather than just droning a riff out as black metal is prone to. It sounds like he is scowling in his native tongue and at times it sounds like he is saying "Your church is lost" which would make sense in this context as well. By the time we get to 'Inverted Sun Darkness," the formula they use is intact and back to milking the riff for all the tears it's worth, which also begins to make things sound too uniform. 

"Buried in the Dust of Stars" begins to make it clear that this band would appeal to doom fans who never gave black metal much of a chance or people who like metal but not a barrage of blast beats. They rage a little more work in some rapid-fire drum blasts, but since that has not consumed the album thus far it works dynamically though when they speed up they sound more like everyone else. Some blast beats lead into "Unseen Dreams", then it evens out into a more deliberate throb. This tempo does work best for the band, but the sweeping chord progressions, lean in the direction of every other black metal band. To their credit, they have very little in common with Behemoth or any other of their countrymen. The title track closes the album and largely works within the color-by-numbers convention of the genre. I will give this one a 8.5, it's a solid slab of morose black metal that works well. It drops on Personal Records October 4th,

pst441

Sunnata : "Chasing Shadows"

last album earned the number three spot on 2021's Top 10 Sludge Albums list. The vibes are more psychedelic on 'Chasing Shadows". The Polish band continues to push their sonic boundaries but with less aggression. In fact, it feels, more like grunge at times, as the droning baritone vocals remind me a little of Mark Lanegan this time around. It sounds great so I am not going to complain about this not being as metal as past releases since it has progressed in a very organic manner, and things are still intense. The vocals build into a more throaty belt, but not a growl. 

"Torn" is largely the band jamming around a sustained tension. While the vocals are improved from the previous album and crooned with palpable melancholy, they do not really give the song structure but add another layer of sound. The winding spiral of the guitar lures you into "Wishbone". This finds the band stepping into the direction of progressive, not a huge surprise considering their previous album did not conform to what you expect from the sludge or doom genres. The chorus to "Wishbone" finds a hookier dynamic in place. The vocal layering to "Saviours Raft" slants the song in the Alice In Chains direction. Though unlike Alice in Chains it drones of a jam more than creating vocal hooks. They do build the song really well into a heavier pound, that is still not quite metal.  

There is more of a hypnotic chant to "The Tide" which finds them highly effective at creating a mood, though it's more of a song to zone out to rather than an earworm you return to. "Hunger" is more brooding in its storm-building tension. The bass payer is the key to this here and in other songs, with a hefty tone that holds the backbone down. Even a simple strum is an effective blueprint for them to follow 'the Sleeper" combines the brooding grunge melodies with the pulse of early Pink Floyd's dark speculations. The last song is the album's most experimental moment rides an odd ambient groove. I will give this album a 9 it achieves what it set out to do here, which is create its own sound that is possessed by a surreal intensity. 

pst194

SHADOHM : " Through Darkness Towards Enlightenment"

 Formed from members of some of Poland's most noted metal acts such as Decapitated, Vader, Hate, and Antigama, they make an amorphous metal machine that churns with a grooving darkness. Progressive death metal might be the most fitting label to slap on these guys. They use clean vocals on the chorus and primarily seem to be intent on venting their aggression at you. They hit you with a more djent-minded groove with the riff for "Blurred" which is also haunting in its dissonance. The sung vocals on the chorus work well. 

"Fair Weather Friend" drops into a more atmospheric middle section in a manner that brings Amenra to mind before the spoken word section. Things kick back in with a renewed aggression. The growled vocals are always convincing they just feel like they mean more business here. There is a similar pulsing stomp that dances through the vibe of most of the songs, this can be noticed on "Ripped Apart" it works in the same manner, but does not feel like it flows in the same way as the previous songs. Perhaps this is purposeful. The blast beats come unexpectedly, but in no way are these guys a black metal band,as darkness is just a color used not their prime objective. 

They close the album with what is their most melodic moment yet"Towards Enlightenment" falls somewhere in the middle ground between doom and grunge, while a progressive element flows around the groove and makes them more expansive. The vocals have their strongest moments yet on this one as things open up and allow him to really sing to the best of his ability. It is an impassioned display of his pipes for certain. I will give this a 9.5, it is not what I normally listen to as the prog metal / djent slant can be too technical for me most of the time but these guys balance it out with a darker feel and plenty of emotion. 

pst62

Give Up to Failure : "COCOON"

Here is another album that was never on my radar for the year, and no clue why it was not.  I was unsure what to expect going into this album, I just pressed play and was hit by a wonderful mix of dark sounds. This Polish band takes the ambiance of shoe-gaze and pumps it full of post-sludge muscle. The vocals are a depressive moan that is more often than not swallowed by reverb and mixed behind the guitars. The second song is even darker than the first, with a rock dynamic that punches the point home when they step on the gain. The bulk of the song lays back in a Cure-like bliss. The album is really well produced with a variety of alluring guitar tones captured. As with most elements of their sound, the mix captures balance. This serves their songwriting style as things drone just enough to be hypnotic and not enough to become boring or allow the song to fade into the background.

The vocals are more breathy and shoe gaze-like going into "Wide Awake". It captures the feel of dream pop without being whisked away into whimsy. The bass goes into "Damages" giving it more of a spine. The deeper into the album you get the more it sinks into shoe-gaze. I like how they take the genre into a darker more despondent place. Their bass player leans into taking more of a post-punk role by anchoring the song from its own ambiance. 'Sleepwalk" lives up to it's name when it comes to creating a surreal dream-like quality. The vocals are once again in almost a hushed whisper.  There is more of a slow-core malaise to the song. It slowly unfolds, building with each note like a storm cloud in the distance.  It maintains a purposeful detachment.

"the Husk" has enough subtle brooding to separate itself from floating into the same haze many of the other songs are drawn to. "Weakness" lives up to its name by exposing the band's tendency to give into the delicate nature of their sound and float off. The bass returns to grant more heft to "Slow Collapse". Its slightly fuzzed-out tone provides the structure for the song to form around. The vocals are less whispered and muster a slight attitude in the manner they are moaned. The title track builds off a more epic shoe-gaze cascade and ebbs down for the verses to breathe. The lyric announcing he is falling asleep in his cocoon brings narcotic connotations.

The track fades out with piano and the last song. The vocals are more defined, and a more prominent instrument in a song that lingers in its own ambiance past the point of when the drugs should have kicked in. But it captures a raw honest mood so you can not fault them for that., I will give this album a 9.5. It is one of the year's best shoe gaze albums and I wish I discovered it earlier in the year. 

Black Metal History Month - Cursebinder :" Drifting"

 Blackened Death Metal that leans in a more melodic death metal direction. That is not to say that just because these guys are from Poland that they are trying to be Behemoth. The vocals have a nastier snarl to them that help earned their place here this month. They write well balanced songs and do not just hit you with a bunch of blast beats. That is not to say they abandon b last beats all together as they show up on the title track, they are not limited to them , and when they do come up, are more effective since your ears have not been numbed out by them. There is a slight progressive edge to the way they allow their songs to wander. They do this really well on the title track. 

Production wise the album sounds great, every thing has room to breath while still mixed in a manner with enough reverb to feel dark and a big enough sound to feel crushing. The guitar tones are really dialed in and do not have to wrestle with the thick keyboard presence. "Shred By Shred" has a great deal of groove to it. The thrashing attack of the guitars carries some toothy hooks to them. The lyrics are snarled in a way that gets the point across and makes the message clear. "Becoming" is more deliberate, thus created almost a Sentenced like feel in places. The double bass is pretty much in line with most mainstream metal drumming, bands like At the Gates come to mind in this regard. The menace of the vocals keeping them from really going in this direction. 

Synths play a larger role going into "No Dreams' that finds the band going in a more black metal direction. The synths accent things nicely when the verse needs to groove. I like the palm muted tense and surprised to hear the sung vocals. Their press release like to think of them as psychedelic and I would say progressive is a better description. The vocals go lower for "Every Tree a Sanctuary" . The blasts begin to become more frequent if anyone was doubting their black metal cred. A slight uniformity begins to emerge in the similar shadows they lurk within. The last song takes it time to set the mood in a manner than reminds me of European death metal from the mid 90s. Not goth , but going in that direction. Though they are more middle of the road in terms of darkness on this even when the vocals come in. I will give this on an 8.5, excellent in terms of execution, and being mindful of serving the song, but I think they play it a little safe at times by letting themselves be defined by metal conventions and their strengths lie in getting weird. 

Riverside : " ID. Entity"

January is an interesting month as I find myself reviewing whatever I can get my hands on as new releases for the year have yet to really ramp up. This means I am listening to things I might not otherwise have a great deal of time for otherwise This is the second prog album in a row I have reviewed, but at least these guys have taken it in more of a new wave direction. Sure, there are big rock moments, but it has more in common with Tears For Fears than Dream Theater, which is fine by me. This Polish band has been around for over 20 years now, so I am well aware of who they are. I like how unlike many so-called progressive bands they have actually allowed their sound to progress. How progressive would they be if they were still doing what they were doing back in 2001? This progress plays to their favor as I like the opening song. 

The album sounds great, the vocals are well-produced, and the guitar tones are all dialed in. They do not hit you with a tone of shredding but flex their chops enough on the Tool syncopation of "Landmine Blast". I am only two songs in the beginning to wonder why I have not spent more time with these guys. "Big Tech Brother" finds them gradually getting more proggy with each song that passes. This one has a more jammy feel until the harder rock elements come in.  When they quit playing around and get serious with the song, lyrically it is a pretty powerful observation about where the world is going. I would not call these guys a metal band, but the guitar playing takes on a taunt metallic chug with "Post- Truth."     

"The Place Where I Belong" is more of a ballad. The lyrics discuss the polarization of society, which the average listener might not be ready to hear. They are really well-written and challenge the current narrative so have my full support.  "I'm Done with You" has a great groove. They work in more of a Police influence when it comes to the last song of the album. They stick to the lyrical theme of this album and the guitar playing is highly tasteful. I will give this album a 10 it is very impressive and not too prog for its own good as they are songwriters first and foremost. They are also songwriters with something to say that goes a long way with me. 

  

Gothtober- indifference: " consciousness"

This Polish post-punk project is very experimental. They released an EP earlier int he year and this full length gives them more room to expand the sounds they color the shadows with. The percussive elements they are using over the drone of the opening track creates an unsettling mood. They make some interesting almost jazz inflected choices when it comes to the guitar under it all. In other words, this is not your typical band of Joy Division wannabes. By the second song the spoken word vocal approach seems like it is hear to say which is going to make this a more taxing listen than expected and put a boring stench to what might be an otherwise clever garden of sounds. The guitar begins to take on a more Sonic Youth quality in how it rides the empty spaces. 

"Stare" has more of an industrial feel, but the drone of the low murmuring voice still haunts the song making it sound like almost all the other songs, because the cadence of the murmur does not change. By the time I am at "repeater" all the songs have begun to sound the same to me. There is a more organic feel to "lost' .It almost fools me into believing that this song might progress into something or have dynamics that go beyond this jamming droning. The vocals take on more of a whisper. It is different than what they have been doing so that is something.  I can hear a slight Velvet Underground thing to what they are doing, but these guys are nowhere near the songwriters, as they just get one cool idea and try to milk it.  On "diverted" the do not even get the cool idea. 

Pretty much the same could be said of the faint lingering guitar of "found" which does not get the benefit of drums, leaving the naked guitar out in the open with this whispering man behind it. It makes sense that the last song is opening, and the first song is called closing, because it is all pretty much the same song.  The only difference is there is more dynamics on the last song than there was on the entire album. I will roudn this one down to a 6 which still feels pretty generous to me considering how this album became something I was enduring.  

/div>

Behemoth : "Opvs Contra Natvram"

The opening track is more of a dramatic intro than a song leaving "Malaria Vulgata" as the first proper song. There are a few more guitar solos than what these guys normally do, aside from that it offers the same blackened blend of melodic death metal you came here for. "the Deathless Sun" shows what sets them apart which is Nergal's purposeful vocals. He shows you do not have to have a great singing voice to create hooks, you just need to put your voice in the right places. He doesn't scream or growl but uses a commanding snarl to fill these spots in the song. 

The use of melody keeps things dark and not symphonic with the pulse running through "Ov My Herculean Exile". They are weaving great gods into their mish mash of brooding occult musings despite being Polish. I guess Polish gods are not as exciting, when it comes to Teutonic mythology Then it's off to Rome for " Neo Spartacus". I know he is supposed to be Thelemic in his beliefs and there is very little of that in the lyrics. Things get more black metal on the blasting yet creepy throb that is " Disinheritance". The blast beats are use well on this and not overdone. Lyrically it is all over the place thematically. Things keep to this more aggressive path though with more groove than the previous song on "Off to War" . He does not sing but speaks the phrases in a few places with more creepy conviction. One thing I like about these guys is the bass has a presence in their sound rather than getting lost under the guitar and drums which in and of themselves are a very dense machine. 

"Upon a Pale Horse " is really well written and flows with a catchy groove. This is how this band clawed their way to the top of the game, it is true to who they are while still being a well-rounded song, proving you can still achieve this and not compromise when it comes to standing by a mean spirted vocal. It feels almost like "Domination" era Morbid Angel in this regard. This is also the first song I notice a Thelemic trapping to the lyrics. They fall back on the blackened bag of tricks before smoothing out into a groove on "Thy Becoming Eternal" and they are also back to hailing Satan. "Versus Christus" is more brooding, though works off impressive dynamics and is a fitting end to an album as is a step in a more effective direction for the band in terms of progressing as songwriters. I will give this album a 9.5, as it's the best thing they have done in some time.  This album is being released on Nuclear Blast.          

Death is June - Decapitated : " Cancer Culture"

 

The Polish band's 8th album finds them blending enough groove to balance out the more technical elements of what they do. This is the top contender for best album title of the year. Not the most brutal when it comes to death metal, there is a fair amount of melody buried in the guitar with the drumming the most technical aspect of their sound. Considering the dude has been playing since he was 12 that makes sense. The vocals on a harshness scale falls somewhere near Sepultura. They are coarsely shouted more than growled in a guttural fashion.  The second actual song "Just a Cigarette" is not a huge dynamic shift from the title track. If you need guitar solos, then these guys have you covered on that end. 

"No Cure" is faster and less refined in the song writing. It is not until it breaks down into a more melodic passage halfway into the song that it sets itself apart in terms of song writing. These guys play about as fast as the songs can handle and remain manageable if they pushed it further than the momentum would feel like they are tripping over themselves. The female vocals that show up on "Hello Death" , certainly add another color to their sonic scope. it is a hookier sound that would appeal to fans of mainstream metal that are on the fence when it comes to death metal. "Iconoclast" is the most straight forward song so far. Clean vocals show and add more color though nothing ground breaking. 

Fans of Meshuggah and Gojira will be able to find a great deal of common ground here. "Suicidal Space Programme". shows how the band is more death metal than Meshuggah and certainly heavier than Gojira. The dive-bombing guitar solo is a nice break from shredding. I am not sure what the point of the one and a half minute "Locked" is it is not like they are a grind core band. This is a very cleanly produced album with a big guitar sound that excels at capturing the metal tone.  "Hours as Battlegrounds" is very deliberate and stompy. It has more of a classic Morbid Angel feel. This more deliberate pace lends itself to being darker, which almost could also be said of the last song. What keeps this from happening is how they hurtle into a higher speed attack. This finds them conforming more to what is expected from a death metal band in 2022. I will give this one a 9 as it is an excellent album, I think they play it a little safe which is why I am not giving this a 10, since it feels like they are not breaking new ground but working well within the confines of who they are. 

In Twilight's Embrace: " Lifeblood"

 The press release for this album called it morbid rock. My first guess when I clicked on this email was that it would be black metal. I should have gone with my gut. The melodic atmosphere propelling the opening song is chillingly effective. When they get caught up in the blasting assault, they build into it is not as compelling. This Polish band has more in common with Gorgoroth than they do any of their countrymen.  "Smoke and Mirrors" finds the sonic intensity of their sound tightening as it expands. This gives it almost a creepy Dimmu like sound. 

The title track is more deliberate. In fact, everything about the song has more room to breathe when they let up on the gas in their speedy hurtle down the highway to hell. The vocals are often multitracked and snarl with a commanding presence, even if they do not hold great range. It is also midway into this song that I hear a riff that might qualify as morbid rock. "Iskry" is more of a straight up blasty black metal banger. Things begin to get dark with "So Bleeds the Night" that finds sonics fittingly dark and dreary for it. 

"Sedation to Sedition" took an additional listen or two for the dynamics to sink in. The last song is even more epic with a bigger sound. The range of sonics expands and they summon darkness with seeming conviction. There is a ton of black metal out there so it would be easy for a band to get lost in the shuffle. These guys set themselves apart by adding sonic dimensions to something that is tried and true.  I will give this band a 9 for this album as they manage to be their own sound and created something with sonic weight and darkness. 

Sunnata : "Burning in Heaven, Melting on Earth"

Here is an interesting band from Poland that I so happened across, and now I am wondering why they were not already on my radar. They open the album with a dreaming Screaming Trees like approach that builds into a more sludge driven form of metal. Things are more hypnotic and trippier though less metal in their build up with "God Emperor of Dune". I can excuse the less heavy part given that it is a song about one of the Dune books. This album is more like grunge than doom or any flavor of metal so far. It sounds like it has metal influence. This might be the band's 4th album but the first time I have really paid attention to them so perhaps they were more metal before this and it is a progression. I am glad this is where I came aboard. 

There is a an odd almost post punk groove to " a Million Lives" handles it's heaviness more like Killing Joke, which I am certainly not made about. Midway into the song it takes an even more exotic turn blending middle eastern elements. Lots of bands claim to be psychedelic , these guys make it happen. They come up with a darker tinge to the groove of "Black Serpent". The vocals are more haunting as the riff simmer. Then throatier more Neurosis like vocals chime in. This album is really well produced. There a few moments when I think maybe the guitar could be beefier than again I am not really blaring this one so volume could change that . Things shift in this song to almost shoe gazing/

These guys get how to make droning work. They never drone without a destination. TheyThey always have their dynamics tweaked just right. "Volva" finds them getting heavier sonically, and putting more balls in the vocals with out going totally coarse. If you wondered what it might sound like if Wovenhand jammed with Pink Floyd "Way Out" takes a good stab at it. This album is incredible, it's going into regular rotation for sure. If you like trippy hazy hypnotic stoner sludge then this is for you. 

Vader : "Solitude in Madness"

From the opener I am beginning to think Vader are becoming the AC/DC of death metal. I have seen people say things like another Vader album , under the pretense it is automatically going to be good. This is much like how Post-Bon Scott AC/DC all sounds the same. The vocals are almost more gruffly spoken than growled. Given it a more thrash like feel.There is more groove and purpose to "Into Oblivion" with it's more militant goose stepping style syncopation. "Despair" could be any one from Wargasm to Unleashed. The keep things at a racing up-tempo drive. The drumming is as insane as every. Some of the best double bass you are goin to hear. Is that all you need from music. The songs are all in the 3 minute range. Given how they are burning through them it is not surprising.

Without question this is tight as fuck and these guys are very fine tuned at what they do. In fact both of those sentiments are understating what a machine this is. This can play against them as like a machine there is not a ton of feeling in what they are doing and they might s well be punching a time clock. Four songs in I stepped away from the lap top to play video games and left the album playing. It not only blew by in a blur of chugs, but some where along the way iTunes shifted over to "Welcome to the Morbid Reich" and I almost did not notice. Not to say this album is as good as that one, but in the past 9 years not much has changed. "And Satan Wept" is a pretty dumb song title. Lyrically things have been the normal mish mash odes to destruction as your average metal album. I can appreciate this . A lot of the lyrics make apocalyptic references which I like as they are so timely, it's a shame most of their fans pump their fists to this , but if an apocalypse even casts a shadow near by they are hiding under the covers waiting for the government to tell them what to do.

There is a little more of a thrash groove to "Emptiness". The solo is very rock n roll. This is the best song on the album so far. Then the songs begin to all sound the same with the most variation cropping up on "Dancing in the Slaughterhouse". With songs like "Final Declaration" that are just boring. The last two songs are under two minutes and jack hammer through your ears with little regard for dynamics. I will round this one down to a 7.5. The fact they are great musicians elevates it above mediocrity, but I need more than that to listen to an album more than twice/