Forks of Ivory "The Isolator" EP

Forks of Ivory are a two-piece band from Johnson City, Tennessee drawing influence from all types of music, from sludge to black metal passing through post metal and doom. I've heard this band since their self titled from last year and i really remember enjoying what i heard back then. I felt that this band was really on to something. With "The Isolator" EP my expectations were indeed overcome. I enjoyed this so much that the only negative aspect i can point towards it is the short amount of tracks. Damn you Forks Of Ivory, if you could've only worked on a few more, it would probably hit my Best Of 2012 List. 

To begin with, the sound production on "The Isolator" is awesome. Very clean and sharp. The sound is heavy almost sucking every bit of air in every room where it's played. Featuring three tracks, the instrumental intro "Captured", which seduces us with its very dreamy atmosphere right before this mountain of riff known as "Sentenced" crumbles upon us. Thunderous riffs open way as the drum hits like a sledgehammer right in our eardrums. From there on, this 11 minute tracks dwells into sludge, black metal lined with atmospheric contours before closing in into a whirl of deafening wall of noise. "Condemned", simply takes no prisoners nor have pity and drag us to the scaffold without pity or the slight hint of mercy. This track is charged with an inherent evil which we can feel in the vocal work presented here. Almost as if they were possessed by any and all existing evil on this planet. 

With "The Isolator", Forks of Ivory, have really hit the nail and i just finished listening to this begging for more! A remarkable and heavy as hell release for this year. I just pray that these guys maintain this line up and carry on like this, if so, i'm pretty sure they will go far in the blackened sludge scene. So please Forks Of Ivory, bring on a full-length soon! The band is giving this great EP for free on their Bandcamp, so follow the link below so, play it loud and bang your fucking head to this!!

captured, sentenced, condemned

Loss Of Self "Demo"

Loss Of Self is a band based in Melbourne, Australia. Formed by Rohan and Jacob, Loss Of Self can be described as an avant-garde black metal act with some post punk influences although they claim, and it's pretty obvious, the influence from contemporary bands as well. Recorded on the 23rd of July of this year, the Demo features three tracks in a total of almost nine minutes. The three tracks on this demo sway between a more scathing black metal with some melancholic sections and some post punk hints without becoming too sappy, that end up by sounding something quite interesting. The sound recording is pretty good, we can distinguish all the instruments perfectly, although the result isn't astonishing, it's quite polished keeping the heaviness in its core and very well executed leaving in me the desire to hear more. That's the only negative aspect i find on L.O.S demo, the short amount of tracks, but in time i'm sure the band will have more outbursts of creativity, which is something that they don't lack of. 

Besides what's inside there was also an extra care with the aesthetics, result of Jacob work as a painter/illustrator, whose work i must confess is excellent, check for yourself on his website. Released in 49 copies, the first 9 demos have a unique physical package that were completely hand-made with gold ink screen-printed finishing on black card. Numbered and also includes a track list along with credits inside. The remaining 40 are hand-finished a little differently but nonetheless they're still a very interesting piece to own. Preview the demo on the band's Bandcamp and follow their moves on Facebook. The download link was given by the band which i really appreciate.

lifessness

Altarnihil "Terminal" Demo

Altarnihil are a two-piece depressive black metal band from Iowa presenting their first demo entitled "Terminal" which features four tracks of some of the most raw, low-fi, ugly and cold black metal made. The recording presented here in this demo is very, very raw. Almost if it was recorded live in some deep dark basement and recorded by some old tape recorder that only gives Altarnihil's sound an even more despicable character. The tracks on "Terminal" demo are very minimalist, stripped down of any kind of ambition. The track "Eternal Suspension" is clearly my favorite, it's crosses the borders of raw black metal and steps into a more drone/doom territory making this track one of the most haunting tracks presented here. If you're into the kind of black metal that is totally devoid of any type of emotion, then I would suggest you this band. You can grab it for free on the band's Bandcamp, check out the link below.

altars ov suicide

Esoterica "Knell" EP

I was caught by surprise with this new EP from Esoterica who've I talked about some time ago here on Forever Cursed and how I was blown away with their fantastic debut EP "Idololatriae". This time they bring "Knell", an EP featuring three tracks only, if it's short in quantity sure is not in quality. "Knell" is a little different from "Idololatriae", it's more focused on the atmosphere itself than simply turn us into ashes through a devastating barrage of tremolo picking and blast-beats.

But don't get me wrong, Esoterica didn't turn out into some depressive or mellow dramatic black metal act. The aggression is still there, in its cold and evil core. It starts with "Elixir and Aer", a track that starts by wrapping us slowly with soft melancholic and atmospheric tones that are suddenly corrupted by the somber voice of Esoterica. This track really has that mourning tone that crawls and gets deep into our skin causing us to lose all the conviction we may have in life. It just draws our defenses as we are swept away by this black tide. But before we realize what is going on emotionally inside us, a stinking sulphur stench invades our nostrils with the title track "Knell" and the amazing "IV/Ayahuasca", a twisted behemoth track with 18 minutes long.

Preview it here or download it below through the link given by the band. Enjoy one of the most awesome BM acts coming out of the North American scene today. Fans of the sickest BM factions like B.A.N and Deathspell Omega come closer...

kneel before he

Serpentine Path "Serpentine Path"

Just a quick post before i head off to burn my last days of vacations for the year. Heading off to Rome, to see some ancient catacombs & shit... Don't know if they will let me in the Vatican though... well, nevermind.

Finally, another of the albums for 2012 i was very eager to hear has finally crashed. The debut full-length of Serpentine Path (I've talked about these guys earlier here) a "supergroup" featuring Jay Newman - bass (ex-Unearthly Trance, ex-Villains, ex-Thralldom), Darren Verni – drums (ex-Unearthly Trance), Tim Bagshaw – guitars (Ramesses, ex-Electric Wizard) and Ryan Lipynsky – vocals (The Howling Wind, ex-Thralldom, ex-Unearthly Trance, ex-Villains). What can you expect of this super line-up? How about the most vicious doom metal you will ever put your ears on? Together they have unleashed another solid pillar of doom that strengthens the compendium of doom releases for the year. These guys had already released a 7'' in February of this year, that left me drooling for more, and finally here it is.

This monster self titled features the best death/doom filled with suffering and misery over 42 minutes of skull crushing doom. Just imagine if Bolt Thrower had slowed down and decided to play some gnarly doom tunes, the result would be something very close to what you will find here. Total fucking evil. "Serpentine Path" is already available on the Relapse webstore. Buy it in that wonderful snot green vinyl!! Absolutely recommended.

path of doooom

Monomakh "MMXII"

One of my latest finds is this band, Monomakh. There isn't much info about them floating around and all i know is that these dudes come from Australia and they play this down-tuned, sick, obscure and suffocating death metal. For you to get an idea, while listening to their Demo "MMXII" names like Portal, Antediluvian, Akem Manah ran across my mind. It's twisted, vile, primitive and chaotic. All adjectives we appreciate when it comes to death metal. Besides the most dark and obscure side of death metal, they also blend some black metal into their sound giving it a more hallucinatory side. Enough talking, just head over their Bandcamp and listen for yourself. Judging by this three-track sample i can tell that another beast is emerging from the land down under.

Edit: Since bandcamp only allows 200 downloads per month and it has been lately exceeded. The band kindly sent me an alternative link, has the same files from the bandcamp in 320kps. Grab it here.

 barbarian execration

Antediluvian & Temple Nightside "Split"

Here is your dose of blackened bestiality for today. Introducing exclusive tracks by both bands, Antediluvian's darkened death metal bestiality vs Temple Nightside's ritualistic death/black. No matter the side you chose, the result is you being plunged into a black, thick, stinky pit full of bile. This release comes with a two-sided mini poster and it's limited to 500 copies. Get it here.

blackest of black

Samothrace "Reverence to Stone"

And now i present you another contender for the best albums of the year: New Samothrace. 

With "Reverence to Stone", Samothrace bring the slow, thunderous, crushing riffage, with emphasis on crushing. This 35-minute LP is heavier, louder, and more intense than "Life's Trade" and retains the infectious melodies and solos that made the debut so impossible to deny. The tones here are majestic and melancholic, as all doom should be, but these guys really, really do it well. The slow-motion riffs and agonized vocals seem to come in waves, and threaten to overtake you if you're not especially careful. 

But you're probably best-served to let you guard down and really let the record was over you with it's resplendent, graceful tides of misery. Because the emotion and power of this record is really the key. It's heartbreaking and tragic, yet in the end sacrifices none of the despondent beauty that characterizes the band's sound. 

source: HSS

Just go listen to one of the best releases for the year. It's fucking beautiful. Buy this!

homage to doom