Bands You Should Be Hearing Pt.III

Yet again, some suggestions that might interest you.

Forhekset allé is a one man atmospheric-post-gaze-black metal act from Copenhagen, Denmark. The whole formula used by Forhekset allé on this EP is quite interesting. The whole mix between black metal, post-rock, shoegaze and electronic elements delivers some very intriguing and innovative music in the metal realm. I believe the best term to describe "VINTERBÆST" is indeed "experimental". This EP left me very curious on how a full-length would be from this artist.

VINTERBÆST

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Of Spire & Throne, a very well known band from here. I've been posting the work of these fine Scottish gentlemen since day one, and it's curious to witness their growth every time they send new material out. This year the band introduces us to "Toll of the Wound" their latest full-length album that came out by the hand of Broken Limbs Recordings. Once again, the trio unleashes three crushing songs that will smash our skulls with the most loathsome sludge doom to which the band has got us used to. Heavy, filthy dragged riffs covered with the cavernous vocals of Ali Lauder. One thing you'll probably notice, if you haven't heard this yet or at least with enough attention, is that, soundwise, the first track "Legacy" has a slight different kind of production than the other two songs. that was precisely the first thing I noticed when I heard the album. This happened because they were recorded by two different people with a with an range of five months between them although "Toll of the Wound" was mastered by James Plotkin. Two songs of the most minimalist sludge doom sliced by a instrumental all wrapped up in a very good sound mastering. You like your doom slow and sluggish? Then this is for you. Buy it here. Support these lads.

Of Spire & Throne

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Offerstigen, a very curious band from Sweden. What do these guys play? Low-fi Black metal? Ritualistic Doom? I don't know and it's hard for me to describe their sound or even compare it to some band that already exists. They sound a lot different from the stuff I'm used to hear. And you know what? I like it. The despairing screams that range from afar from the rest of the instruments, the whole gloomy atmosphere that the band manages to pass with this release is really unique. Check them out.

Offerstigen

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Outer Gods the destructive atmospheric drone duo from Atlanta are back. Delivering two massive tracks of 22 minutes long each, that work as chapters for this noisy and corrosive wall of noise that we face in "Through This Unending Chasm". I do not listen a lot to this genre nowadays but once I press "Play" I get in such an entrancing state that is hard for me to get out this dark, labyrinthine well of drone and dark ambient. The first chapter deliver a more harsh and massive wall of distortion while the second chapter is more about creating a very haunting and creepy atmosphere. Approved!

Outer Gods

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Pornography, from Nashville, Tennessee. I almost forgot how good this band is. And at this point I don't understand how these guys aren't in some well known labels out there. I kinda imagine this band in Gilead Media, Iron Lung or even Deathwish. Pornography's sound is also very unique and is something that separates them from the rest herd. Slow, punishing, minimalist riffs that are thrown with precision into the mind of the listener causing nothing but discomfort. The tracks here, "Hex" and "Golden Sunshine" are very good but still, not enough. I want more from this band. And I'm sure you do too. So please... check the rest of the discography from this band. You can thank me later.

PRNGRPHY

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Finally, Recitation, an occult doom band from Copenhagen, Denmark. Introducing his first self titled EP. Apparently this was all written, performed, recorded and mixed by J. S. Jarlstrøm. Holy shit dude. The result is three heavy, primitive and slow impenetrable doom tracks. At a first listen it might not grow on you (it didn't grew on me at first ) so, it's going to take some few plays for you to probably get into Recitation's obscure version of doom. Of course that, soundwise speaking, there are some edges that needed to be trimmed so let's see what the future will bring for Recitation. Horns up!

Recitation

Fleshpress "Tearing Skyholes"

Now that we are at the edge of closing another great year for heavy music, I was caught by surprise by this new album from Fleshpress. Their previous "Acid Mouth Strangulation" didn't hit me the way I expected from Mikko Aspa and his crew. I found it really odd and after very listens it still didn't grew on me the way i wanted. But since everything they put out holds a surprise inside, I really don't know what to expect with "Tearing Skyholes" where they seem to explore even more, and deep down inside, the most experimental and psychedelic side of their sound. It's even more stripped down, reminding me acts like Switchblade or the slower, atmospheric parts of Terra Tenebrosa. Just listen for your self and take your own conclusions. Buy it here.

Tearing Skyholes

ARRM "Sand"

Time to chill a little bit here on Forever Cursed. To get you in a zen mode for the weekend i bring you today ARRM, a Polish duo formed by A. and M. who create some brilliant experimental atmospheric music. "Sand" serves basically two atmospheric tracks where both create a very relaxing journey into the desert landscapes of experimental instrumental music. "Sand" is a very chilling, psychedelic track while "Black Water" is a more hypnotic journey into the unknown territories of drone where ethereal layers of notes exhaled by the guitars put us in a state of numbness conducting us to a secret inner peace. Ideal music for listening in perfect isolation in the heart of nature. Recommended for fans of Barn Owl, Brian Eno, Crone, MGR.

ARRM

Krallice "Years Past Matter"

"Years Past Matter" marks the return of N.Y avant-garde black metal masters, Krallice. It's their fourth album of originals five years since the awesome self titled "Krallice", "Dimensional Bleedthrough" was also good (but not as good as their first child) and "Diotima"... i don't want to talk about it. So, i was really anxious to hear "Years Past Matter" to see to what paths they had gone this time. I really wanted to be surprised by the band this time as they did on "Krallice". I didn't want to lose my hope on Krallice right after that release from last year.

So as the first notes started to emerge i felt in my guts that something very good was coming this time.

As the guitars echo in the distance, furious blast beats are unleashed and paused while Marston and Barr do their best, releasing into the air geometrically complex and spontaneous riffs creating this daedal web of black metal that only Krallice manages to weave. The core, that make up this unrestrained spiral of experimental black metal, is mostly compost of unforeseen segments that arise constantly riff after riff, beat after beat. We never know what will be next. And this is one of the main factors that takes me to listen to this album over and over and over, discovering new treasures in every track, or just checking if i didn't missed something really special.

There are no track names in this wonderful piece. The six tracks on "Years Past Matter" simply share the same gene that starts with "IIIIIII". The voices of Nicholas McMaster and Mick Barr lose, at some points, part of role in this album, letting the music speak for itself, never downgrading. Always pushing forward, jumping over and over into experimental territories creating creative spaces that sound always under control. A total delirium for the ears that lasts exactly one hour. With this, Krallice, make their point why they are one of the best names in the actual USBM scene, "Years Past Matter" is an amazingly creative album. This band keeps on pushing the boundaries of black metal as we know it, making certainly this release one of those timeless albums people will still talk about years from now.

If you, like me, feel attracted to all that is strangely captivating sonically, I invite you to explore this amazing album. Certainly one of the better releases of band and certainly an album that will be part of many year-end lists. Buy it here.

blasting angles of black

Kehlvin "The Orchard of Forking Paths"

4 years of silence and finally the light... or the darkness : progressive-hardcore Swiss act Kehlvin are back with a brand new album, "The Orchard of Forking Paths". With this new album we find Kehlvin giving birth to its most solid and devastating record so far. Taking distance with their previous love for long instrumental parts and reveling a major propensity to let distortion talk, the band explores a whole bunch of new directions through a more extreme riffing and a sense of melody unseen so far, all of this brilliantly displayed in savage songs. Still focused on high quality writing, Kehlvin knows how to develop intriguing melodies without losing any dynamic. Powerful but sensible, "The Orchard of Forking Paths" is nothing less than a mind blowing new step in the band carrier, taking sludgin’prog-hardcore to the next level of beauty and intensity. Buy it here. Follow the band here.

listen | mere noise

Failure Ritual "Failure Ritual"

Now this is some serious kvlt case. A dark, mysterious and odd find was this release by Failure Ritual, from whom i've heard nothing before and can't seem to find any info on the web. Nevertheless, this release is really from what nightmares are made of. Three tracks of buzzing droning and noisy black metal that will corrupt our soul almost for one whole hour. As i started to hear the title track "Failure Ritual" i fell into this trance and feel  like i'm tele-ported directly to the Dark Ages, right into the set of one of Bosch's paintings of Hell. The power that music sometimes have of making us creating these eery, fascinating scenarios in our head is truly amazing. And with Failure Ritual i can go there any time. The atmosphere is heavy and hypnotizing. At some points you can hear a agonizing voice breaking through this malefic barrier of noise, almost as a cry for help before being devoured by the bowels of Hell. If you would like some comparisons the only thing i can relate is something like a crossbreed between the industrial sludge of Halo, the dark ambient of In Slaughter Natives and the whirlwind of noisy and experimental black metal of Sutekh Hexen. The result is something really demolishing. Recommended strongly only to the fans of the bands mentioned.

listen & download

Dodecahedron "Dodecahedron"

This is just the most awesome stuff you'll ever hear in your whole miserable existence...
Buy it here.

listen | the twelves sides of darkness

Seagulls Insane And Swans Deceased Mining Out The Void "Self Titled"

Now here's a strange beast... how on earth am i going to tag this? This was my first thought that ran into my mind as the music of SISADMOTV echoed thru my ears. The first thing you will notice is the loooooong name that this band has, now i really would like to know the story behind this, probably the result of a very drunken night or other illicit stuff.. if you know what i mean. SISADMOTV is a polish band formed by Nihil (from Massemord and many other bands that he holds in his portfolio) and Havoc from the sludge doomsters Blindead. The sound they bring on this debut album is a patchwork of influences, their own influences. We get a great dosage of mid/slow paced Black Metal, some Doom, a little bit of Industrial, all entangled with countless layers of atmosphere. I guess we can call it Post Black Metal, let us not complicate. The main thing here, ladies and gentlemen, is that this is one hell of an album. It's impossible to remain indifferent to what SISADMOTV brings to us here. The voice of Nihil reminds me a lot of Anaphylactic Shock, that i love, and which i have already posted on FxC some time ago. And that's good. The album is divided in 5 parts, all entitled with the numeral system of ancient Rome. Each track has its own personality, while in "I" we have a more dense, atmospheric, slow paced Black Metal in "III" i had to check the iPod to see if it had jumped to BAN's "777 - The Desanctification". In short, putting the bands name aside, we have a pretty amazing album here. You really need to hear to believe it yourself. You can get this here. I'm afraid that this will become my latest vice... Highly Recommended! 

listen | when seagulls become swans