Kr Grauwacke "Slag Heap"

"Slag Heap", is the very first full-length from the frosted Minnesota experimental black metal band Kr Grauwacke. Offering us four tracks of minimal raw black metal with some ambient interludes. Beginning with "(After) Caledonia", an ambient intro that draws some rough almost industrial atmosphere. As if something mechanical is pounding from the inside of an old and creepy abandoned factory or in this case, some old mine. "AVM I VIII IX VIII" kicks in with the sound of tremolo picking notes creating a whole haunting environment that surrounds us and increases even more due to the howling on the background, as if it's coming from a very deep and narrow mine shaft, echoing in all of its dark and cold tunnels. "Under the Knout", a 12 minute long track that exhales a claustrophobic atmosphere, where strange sounds come from these several places, all at the same time, making it a very harsh and noisy track. "Roots of Madness" takes us back to Kr Grauwacke raw and incisive black metal that reminds me a lot of Ash Borer's latest effort. Barriers of hypnotizing guitar riffs that draw rough melodies as the haunted howls cry in the background. If i could describe this release i guess the word that sums it up is: Haunting. If you enjoy raw and creepy atmospheric black metal, then i strongly recommend this one for you. Check it out on the link below.

Something down there

SVN-OKKLT 2xCS COMPILATION

It's out. The amazing SVN OKKLT just put out the double cassette compilation featuring great names of the black metal underground scene like Witch In Her Tomb, Axis Of Light, Death Fortress, Nuklearenpest, Sylvus, Tardigrada, Eos, Gevurah, Dressed In Streams, Xothist, Jute Gyte. If you're familiar with S.O then you know what to expect, nothing more than the best of what is being made out there in terms of black metal material. From the U.K to Switzerland and the U.S. Through out these months, years, that Forever Cursed exists, S.O has been one of the many contributors for my personal musical education by simply sharing great underground acts. Some of them i I fell completely into like Tardigrada for example (and by the way, the Tardigrada track on this compilation.... oh man). But in this original compilation also lies space for great other tracks like from Eos, Axis of Light, Jute Gyte or Dressed In Streams. But i strongly recommend you to check out the whole line up. 

Let me remind you that the SVN-OKKLT 2xCS Compilation  is still available at the Fallen Empire Store, and i can't get enough of recommending these guys... great folks to deal with. 

Svpport by getting the tape here or if you live in Europe, there are some few copies left at Mordgrimm headquarters, but let me tell you that there are very, very few left. Meanwhile stream, download, buy this compilation. Just follow the link bellow. Unmissable.

Thank you Svn Okklt for your dedication, every each one of your offers is as remarkable as the last one. 

RITES OF THE OKKLT

Blut der Nacht "Sargnagel"

Portland's Blut Der Nacht latest sonic assault "Sargnagel" offers us three malevolent tracks blessed with the mark, and blood, of the Beast in each one of them. In the 10 minutes that "Sargnagel" lasts, it is clear that it's even more raw and loud than the one presented on their "Demo MMXI". Quoting the words found on Fallen Empire Bandcamp:

"With 3 songs totaling just over 10 minutes, Blut Der Nacht strips down the sound from their first demo, resulting in a recording that is even more raw and blown out. This may very well be their last recording, only time will tell for now."

It really sucks if BDN will cease their activity, since they are currently one of the solid projects on the USBM scene, although they haven't many releases out, everything that comes out of their hand is just remarkable (besides BDN, i'm speaking of Wylve and The Rain in Endless Fall for example). Rumor or not, let's wait and see what the future will bring, in the meantime you better grab this awesome release in vinyl. Limited to 300 copies on black vinyl you can buy it here and if you're from Europe, you can grab this here.

Coffin Nail

Euthanizer "Permanent Damage"

Viscerally raw and brutally noisy black metal, this basically sums up Euthanizer's "Permanent Damage". In just 5 minutes, the band blasts our eardrums into blood with some corrosive low-fi black/punk metal. I love this kind of sound, i mean, it's raw to the core, evil, violent, loud but honest. The songs have a simple and basic structure where three or four notes are played repeatedly and the next song sounds just like the previous but played backwards! Euthanizer's sound is not meant to be sophisticated or beautiful. No. It's meant do be dirty, aggressive and to be played really, really loud. I believe the tape is no longer available at the "Ataque Jovem" cartel but i still believe you can buy/trade through Discogs.

Link provided from the mystical SVN OKKLT.

Urgh

Cursed Altar "Movements of The Frozen Earth"

Now, i've talked about Cursed Altar here on Forever Cursed when the band released it's Demo back in 2011 and how I was really impressed by the quality presented back then, by delivering some great atmospheric black metal. Since that time, the band has evolved and released through their Bandcamp, a significant handful of releases, all for free. All of this is fruit of one man hard work, Joseph Oldaugh, the mind behind Cursed Altar, who takes care of all the music and artworks for its releases. Cursed Altar latest efforts (not counting with that new EP) really show that some sort of transformation happened... It became more... obscure. It features vocals, harsh, shrieking, vocals and the guitar has adopted that almost "Xasthurian" buzzing sound as heard on the opening and awesome track "The Darkest Place On Earth..." here on this compilation.

The voice really blends very well with the rest of the mix, and there's dimension on the music made here. Not some boring, poor, weak music. It really shows us a mature Cursed Altar. And i want to strongly believe that it will keep this way. It must! It may not sound trve kvlt black metal for some of you, but it's not meant to be. Cursed Altar's interpretation of black metal here is for something more tangible. Something that can create emotions in us, focused on the condition of human life and on the nature that surrounds us. It makes us travel in our mind, to the deepest of forests or to the top of the coldest mountains. 

One of the aspects on Cursed Altar's music is the fact that it has a real strong instrumental component, almost as if it's half atmospheric black metal, half atmospheric post rock. I really like the solution presented here and i wish all the best to Joseph in order for him to carry on this great music. And i suggest you too to travel to this Cursed Altar. Recommended for fans of Lantlôs, Lergrev, Nhor.

Cvrsed

Abyssal "Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius"

UK's Abyssal mark their return in the beginning of this year with "Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius", that translated to english means "For the Lord knows those who are his". This is their second full-length after last year's very well received first album, "Denouement". This second full-length follows the footprints left by the previous record where in over one hour, the eleven tracks of "N.E.D.Q.S.E." unleash the most dreadful black/death metal I had the pleasure to hear already.

It begins with an atmospheric intro, "Forebode", which basically opens the gates of hell we are about to enter. "The Tongue of the Demagogue" sets everything immediately on fire, releasing all Hell's creatures upon the Earth. In terms of sound, expect the same production heard on "Denouement", when they aren't busy shooting dozens of Deathspell Omega-esque swirling riffs at us, they are throwing these Portal-esque notes that sound almost as a swarm of giant bees attacking us all at a same time. I mean, the atmosphere gets so thick and heavy.

I think the best way to describe Abyssal's sound on this record is that it's almost like this giant black snake with flaming red eyes, moving sinuously and slowly between us and as the minutes go by, it squeezes us more and more, the more we struggle to get out, the tighter it gets. "Under the Wretched Sun of Hattin" follows the same path. Incendiary blast beats rain down unexpectedly as swarm of riffs attack the listener's ears giving no respite until it reaches our mind infecting it with the horror. "Elegy of Ruin" is served as short interlude and it gives the motto to "The Headless Serpent" that continues the path of devastation and really brings to my mind the chaotic rampage we are used to get with bands like Ulcerate or even Mitochondrion, but it's more than obvious that the percentage of black metal influences on Abyssal's sound also has it's heavy share although it is very well balanced here with death metal.

The rest? I'll leave you to discover this great, great album by Abyssal. All I can say is that I'm enjoying this one way more than "Denouement". A very good and unexpected album, filled with notes that will turn your head around. The more I listen to it the more vicious it gets. Just head over to their Bandcamp where you can listen to the whole thing, download, etc. But let me remind you that this is available also for purchase here. Support great acts like Abyssal. Highly recommended!

Under the wing of the Chimaera

Black Mass "Of First and Last Things"

If you're into the brutal and dark side of hardcore and you still haven't heard of U.K's Black Mass then you are clearly missing it big time...

Black Mass have been around since 2010 and have at this point released a Demo, an EP and a Split release with Host. "Of First and Last Things" is a compilation and re-recording of all their recorded material to date, plus one previously unreleased track.

Well, what can you expect from a band that states on their Facebook page that their influence is "Horror, disgust and anxiety through tonal abuse and overwhelming volume."? Ridiculous and brutal drum discharges filled with the most dirtiest of the riffs that will carve into your flesh while fierce and vicious vocals will make your bones almost shatter. Black Mass aren't fooling around. They have got to be one of the most underrated bands in the midst of this darkest faction of hardcore. These lads grab a handful of genres like hardcore, crust, death metal and grind and blend it into this furious and evil potion to which is impossible to stay indifferent.

It's impossible to hear "Of First and Last Things" without banging your head or tapping your foot to the sound of it. The minute you start hearing the first track "To The Cross", they immediately grab you by the neck and throw you around like some rag-doll. The sound is perfect. Very dirty, sludgy and crusty. That's the kind of production i love. Just ugly, in-your-face and raw. You get all the evilness you can get from bands like Trap Them, Entombed, Cursed or even one of the bands mentioned on their page that i miss a lot, The Power And The Glory, all in one, but Black Mass is not just one of those copy-cat bands that follow this genre. Their tunes are fresh and never fall into boredom, just look into tracks like the infamous "W.P.P.V.B.T.Y.B",  the Entombed worship in "Left Hand Pass" and on the unreleased track "Corporal Imprisonment", tracks that clearly have a more death metal vibe attached to it. And one of my personal favorites, "Our Father" where they begin by introducing something else than just slamming powerviolenced hardcore, instead of physical damage here we get psychological terror as well, it almost seems the kind of stuff Column of Heaven creates. And i fucking love it. I can only imagine this band live: a wall of noise, bodies flying and thrown around, sweat, blood.

Listen, these kids can really play. By doing so, they are simply one of the best acts that the UK has to offer in this field of heavy music right now. Seriously.

"Of First and Last Things" will get a physical release coming in the near future through Witchunter records. Not sure if in vinyl although it deserves it for sure. For now, the band has made it available for free download via their Bandcamp. Until then the band will be writing, recording and playing shows over the coming months. Be sure not to miss anything through their Facebook page. Show some love and support the Mass.

Blackest of the Mass