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

BEST OF 2012 - Part I - The Demo Series

After a long hiatus, I'm back. this time to unveil what you probably must have been fed up so far like it's usual on this time of the year... Lists, Lists and more Lists. Some seem to bet on the quantity, others on the quality making their Lists following the same "copy-paste" as the List right next door. Some say it was a bad year for metal, others say the opposite. I personally think that this year we witnessed another good crop.

So this time i thought about it a lot and since i heard a lot of awesome releases this year i decided to not go with the flow. It would be also a little bit boring for you to put here the albums that you all are already familiarized with. May all those bands forgive me but hey... you got like 20 or more specialized metal websites/blogs talking amazing stuff of your latest album just right around the corner.

This year i've decided to invest on releases that i really loved and that are as good as the albums featured on the majority of the Lists seen out there on the web. Call them underrated if you feel so. I have compiled what, for me, are the best releases that are worthy of your attention (and support) that also came out in this wretched year of 2012. So i've decided to begin with many bands also begin with: the demo. There are of course, dozens, hundreds of other demos left to discover, but let's give time to time. 

Until then...

So without further notice, these are my 10 favorite demos of 2012.

# 10 #

Oyarsa "Oyarsa"

As described from Sol Y Nieve: "Tales of astral decay and bliss. The procession of a doomed race. Ouroboral riffs through hazy paths of space and time." Chicago's Oyarsa make their debut with this awesome demo filled with, as described by the band itself, cosmic doom. Expect some really heavy doom metal layered with some really harsh vocals. Can't wait to hear more from this band. Loved it.

# 9 #

Skygge "Heksekunst"

Norway's Skygge simply deliver some of the most nefarious black metal around. What else could we expect from a black metal band hailing from Norway? One of the most principal lairs, of the trve grim and frostbitten. That's precisely what you can expect with this demo. Cold, grim, ugly black metal where every riff is fired with shards of ice. Skygge have, in the meantime, released their full-length entitled "Knokkelkraft". If you enjoyed this demo I'm pretty sure you will love the album.

# 8 #

Monomakh "MMXII"

Two words: "Death Metal" and "Australia". In nowadays these two words will immediately hook up any extreme death metal fan. Monomakh are no exception. With this demo, the band present us the most twisted, vile, primitive and chaotic death metal around. Besides the most dark and obscure side of death metal, they also blend some black metal into their sound giving it a more hallucinatory facet. I was extremely glad to know that Monomakh's tape was made possible and released thru Rising Beast Recordings, after i posted them here on Forever Cursed. A big thanks to Roach from RBR!

# 7 #

Torture Chain "Time is But a Doorway to the Incinerator"

Some say this is the best material released by Torture Chain to date. And i must agree. This demo is compost by only one track that gives title to the demo itself. Killer riffs, killer voice and killer solos swirl thru the 23 minutes that this track lasts. A very enthusiastic and ambitious voyage lead with success by Torture Chain.

# 6 #

 

Sodb "Don Seantalamh a Chuid Fein"

From Ireland arrives another great gem. Featuring members from the Irish underground scene, Sodb is a raw black metal band introducing with their first demo, "Don Seantalamh a Chuid Fein", four tracks of some hypnotic and incisive black metal. It isn't very common to get a raw black metal act as this coming from Ireland, but with this demo, Sodb really made some notable work. 

# 5 #

Déliquescence "Antinomisme"

A very interesting demo this one brought by Québec's mysterious act, Déliquescence.
Three tracks of the best occult and ritualistic black metal coming out from that corner of the world. Déliquescence can really create a dark and mystical atmosphere in which we blindly dive in full darkness. "Antinomisme" is all about the atmosphere. An amazing and very interesting piece.

# 4 #

Laster "Wijsgeer & Narreman"

Laster are a black metal band founded and located in Utrecht, the Netherlands. "Wijsgeer & Narreman" is a conceptual work presenting us three tracks inspired by Goethe's tragic play, "Faust".  The quality of this demo is really, really good. Featuring an outstanding drum work, some cascadian-like sounding guitars and a very haunting voice, Laster unleash three great tracks filled with real raw emotions, no tricks, no gimmicks, just true to themselves and to the listener. A terrific piece of work.

# 3 #

Hallow "Hallow"

Another gem brought to light this year was Oregon's doomsters Hallow with their first demo. Introducing two themes of the most heavy, slow, mournful doom. I'm a sucker for this kind of sound and this demo really fulfills my hunger for this kind of doom. I look forward to hear more from this band in the future, until then... doom on!

# 2 #

Muknal "Muknal"

From the Crepusculo Negro collective, a claustrophobic and haunting piece orchestrated by Muknal. One of the most vile demos i've heard this year. If you look at the demo's artwork while listening to this demo, you'll find that it really fits in Muknal's sound. Surreal death metal coming from the most unknown depths of the Earth. Brilliant.

# 1 #

Tardigrada "Widrstand"

This is by far, the best thing i heard in the demo field this year. I really lost the count of how many times this demo tape played here at the Haxan's den. Tardigrada's demo "Widrstand" is amazing in all of its details. Amazing atmospheric black metal that craves really deep into the listener. A demo that still will be heard many years from now. Absolutely a must for any fan of this genre.

Enjoy!!

Sonance "Like Ghosts"

From time to time, when i think that nowadays nothing can surprise me anymore in terms of heavy music, one of these precious gems surface and as my ears are flooded with such great music i silently whisper a sincere: "Holy shit...".

This happened today when i discovered Sonance, a atmospheric/experimental sludge/doom collective hailing from Bristol while checking my blog roll. Their first release only features two tracks, around 20 minutes each, no titles just "Side A" and "Side B". The fact that these guys came from England really got my attention since there are few acts there that practice this kind of music, and most of them are quite impressive. And after a first audition to this... well, I guess i was right.

"Side A" begins with this hiss coming out of violins giving the motto for this thick cacophony wall of sludge that sounds pretty much like Hell. Massive riffs are hammered repeatedly through our brain as the voices behind it scream and yell. Suddenly the whole music tempo changes and morphs into what it seems a more post-rock/instrumental register, very low, it moves at a very slow pace until it morphs again into a more aggressive beast. There's layers and layers of rich and diverse elements that intertwine harmoniously between each other and work perfectly together, and that voice that speaks "like ghosts.." around at minute 7:45... leaves me speechless. I can see there's a clear Neurosis influence in Sonance's sound but i can also throw in names like Kayo Dot or even Godspeed You! Black Emperor. "Side B" goes to a more drone/atmospheric territories before it unveils these massive layers of sludge metal. This was the factor that hooked me up instantly, the whole atmosphere that lies within Sonance's music.  making this release (and band) the best music i've heard this year.

Sonance's ability and creativity to shape and shift their music into different directions without becoming dull or boring, even in the most still parts, is impressive. It really shows the level of maturity that this band holds. Creating this way, from beginning to end, an atmosphere that binds us as we dissect every note with great pleasure. This way it won't take long until Sonance will become a name present in every lover of this genre's mouth.

After this amazing sample i look forward to hear more from this amazing band. If you dig sludge, doom or drone or any of the subgenres, and if you don't listen to this, you don't know what you're missing. Really. What a brilliant release. Sonance, i bow before you.

Meanwhile head over to their Bandcamp and listen/download (name your price) this excellent release. Like always, donations are appreciated. Absolutely fucking highly recommended. 

like ghosts we wander

Hell "III"

By now you probably know that i'm a sucker for the next band presented here and all things related to it. And i really could not let this one pass. "III" is the third part of Hell's trilogy, delivering two tracks around 20 minutes each of the most tenebrous and sulfurous doom.

In pair with Thou, Elu Of The Nine and few other acts, Hell are probably one of my favorite bands ever since i discovered them. They simply create this suffocating atmosphere almost as if its coming from the deepest pits of Hell itself. Filthy doom/drone that create this dantesque and archaic scenarios of torture, grief and death. Once again represented through the visual imaginary of Gustave Doré that in my opinion fits perfectly to Hell's sound brought here on "III" and of course in all of their previous releases. The big highlight goes to the track "Decedere" that after the infernal doom/droning experience "Mourn", it sounds like the ascension to the Heavens of all the lost souls trapped in this Hell hole. The angelic voices, something never heard before in Hell's record, suits perfectly in this registration. An amazing sonic experience and a remarkable record by the band. Grab one copy of "III" at Eternal Warfare.

III