This week's edition will be quite short in comparison, as I forgot to take records of what I've been listening to.
N.B. This should've come out on Sunday but for a fuck-up with Blogger's scheduling system.
A.S.R.A./Defeatist/Triac - A.S.R.A./Defeatist/Triac split [2010]
GRIIIIIINNNNDCOOOOORRRRRREEEEEE! Who needs subtlety in 14 songs spread over 21 minutes? None of these bands miss the requirement for getting to the point within these time constraints - probably why they're all forerunners of the modern grindcore scene. [8/10]
Clandestine Blaze/Deathspell Omega - Clandestine Blaze/Deathspell Omega split [2001]
Clandestine Blaze, then a leading act in the black metal scene, combined with the then-up-and-coming Deathspell Omega to make this split, and I must say, Clandestine Blaze quite clearly show their experience here - their side is well-composed and interesting to listen to, whereas DsO's riffs on this border on naive, and the production used is taken a little bit too far in the 'raw' scale. [7/10, 5/10 respectively]
Destroyer 666 - To The Devil His Due [2011]
This is, as it comes across, just another D666 release. Fuck it, I'll put that properly. HOLD THE FRONT PAGE, THIS IS A D666 RELEASE! Although it's technically a combination of several EPs, this works as a singular release in its own right to the same extent. Listen, and remember why you think Australia's one of the greatest countries for extreme metal. [8/10]
Disgorge - Cranial Impalement [1999]
Disgorge from the USA are often credited with starting the whole 'brutal death by numbers' thing which is unfortunately prevalent in BDM now - that may be so, and one can certainly hear the similarities, but this has genuine energy to it; slower breakdowns are utilised well to create variety in the music (well, as much as you're ever likely to find in this sort of album). It hasn't changed my life, but I like it. [7/10]
Evile - Five Serpent's Teeth [2011]
Evile's first album, back in 2007, gave me quite a surprise with its sheer quality - I still hold the view today that it's one of the better albums of the new wave of thrash. Then came a mediocre follow-up, and now this. There isn't anything wrong with Five Serpent's Teeth per se, it's just... it's nothing more than a well-done 'AJFA'-era Metallica knock-off. Considering that said album is pretty worthless, the fact that this is a hundred miles better than the album it imitates says nothing in particular about its own quality. [6/10]
Fukpig - The Depth Of Humanity [2001]
When I saw this demo on one of my RSS feeds, I simultaneously shit and came (figuratively speaking, at least). Being a huge fan of Fukpig, this excited me to no end - and considering that this is only a demo, it's well constructed. Little presence of black metal influence here yet, but it's a strong effort, and many of these songs would find their way onto debut Spewings From A Selfish Nation. [7/10]
Glorior Belli - The Great Southern Darkness [2011]
Glorior Belli are often insulted for their movement into the influence of southern rock - not only do I feel this is unfair, but I also can't hear that much southern rock in this. Sure, some of the riffs may take a Down-esque approach, and there is the occasional banjo solo (if I remember rightly), but what this is in essence is a fair-to-middling black metal album with a few quirks. [6/10]
Goat Vulva - Crucifixions... [1989]
A demo from a pre-Beherit band? There was no way that this wasn't going to be 'kvlt as fvkk', and sure enough, it's plagued with almost impenetrable production that makes it very difficult to discern any melody whatsoever, and causes the different instruments to blend into one mashed-up mess. Normally, I am quite a patient person with production values, but this takes the piss. [2/10]
Krabathor - Cool Mortification [1993]
There are too many gems within old-school death metal for one person with other musical interests to possibly know them all, but this is one of them. Concentrated more on the slow pressure of building great riffs and centring songs around them than the more chaotic forms that were just beginning to get a stranglehold on death metal, this is highly recommended to anyone interested in OSDM. [9/10]
Mithras - Behind The Shadows Lie Madness [2007]
There are many attributes to brutal death metal, some of which sometimes subvert the need for good composition. But not here. This is certainly melodic for a BDM album, but it's also sufficiently varied to keep up one's interest for extended periods of time. Slightly behind Lykathea Aflame in the 'quirky' stakes, but a good effort nonetheless. [7/10]
Morzhol/Vortex Of End - Morzhol/Vortex Of End split [2011]
I quite enjoy this. Sure, it's nothing original (I'm going to get sick of saying that before long), but it flicks all the right switches for an underground black metal release. Both bands do their bit well, but if I were to pick a preferred side, it would be Morzhol's, just. Don't sell a kidney to get a first-press limited EP with the bands' semen, but this is worth a listen. [7/10]
My Dying Bride - Bring Me Victory [2009]
This EP is one of the best things that My Dying Bride have produced in recent history. Although I couldn't give two shits about the closing track, a live rendition of 'Vast Choirs', the other tracks, which are a typical MDB track, but condensed to four minutes to keep the good bits without getting boring, a heartfelt rendition of 'Scarborough Fair' (Scarborough hasn't had a proper fair in a long time), and a cover of 'Failure' by Swans, no less, make this a well-made, varied release. [8/10]
White Wizzard - Flying Tigers [2011]
I love good ol' heavy metal, don't get me wrong, but White Wizzard have repeatedly shown that they haven't a fucking clue how to make it properly. This is verily desecration - those who have been keeping up with this have probably figured that I don't hold much love for glam, and this takes a shit-dollop of influence from there, and mixes it in to this vile brew. [2/10]
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