Mutilation Rites - Chasm

By Karen A. Mann. Since forming in 2009, Brooklyn’s Mutilation Rites have established themselves as staunch purveyors of American black metal. Solid, but pretty comfortable to stay within their lane and not get too experimental.

By Karen A. Mann.

Artwork by Mark Riddick.

Since forming in 2009, Brooklyn’s Mutilation Rites have established themselves as staunch purveyors of American black metal. Solid, but pretty comfortable to stay within their lane and not get too experimental. They also put on a ferocious live show, and that energy has never been properly documented on previous releases.

On Chasm, their first release in four years, they blow expectations out of the water with a rampaging mix of death metal, grindcore and punk, while still nodding to their blackened roots. Chasm is also Mutilation Rites’ best-sounding album to date with much burlier guitars and intricate, gut-punching drumming. It was recorded on a strict three-day schedule by bass player Ryan Jones at Brooklyn’s famed St. Vitus club, where Jones is an audio engineer. The band freely admits in a short documentary they made about the album that they’re primarily a live band. Recording in a room designed for a concert almost certainly helped the band finally capture their live energy.

The album’s opening track, “Pierced Larynx,” sets the tone, opening with a feedback squall and a grinding cacophony before settling into a lurching death metal groove. The song then twists and turns in on itself, barreling through a variety of brutal styles and tempos courtesy of Tyler Coburn, whose exemplary drumming is a large part of why this album is so good. The next three songs follow a similar recipe -- ferocious riffing, blasting drums, gnawing shrieks and withered gutteral growls, and unexpected passages that keep the listener from getting too comfortable.

The band shifts the formula back to more of a blackened sound on the final two tracks, “Chasm” and “Putrid Decomposition.” Though both songs (notably “Chasm”) have moments of sonic brilliance, neither can match the ferocity of the rest of the album and could have benefitted from being shortened. Regardless, Chasm remains Mutilation Rites’ most adventurous and polished album to date. On the strength of “Post Mortem Obsession” and “Pierced Larynx” this album will likely be on my list of albums of the year.

Migration Fest 2018

By Matt Hinch. I don't travel much. I live a mere two hours East of Toronto and I might get into the city once a year for a show at best. So driving all the way to Pittsburgh was a big deal. But that big deal was Migration Fest 2018.

By Matt Hinch.

I don't travel much. I live a mere two hours East of Toronto and I might get into the city once a year for a show at best. So driving all the way to Pittsburgh was a big deal. But that big deal was Migration Fest 2018. Totally worth the sweaty-palmed eight and a half hour drive. Damned traffic. Three days packed with bands either on Gilead Media or 20 Buck Spin or hand-picked by them. The trust level here was sky high.

As much as I would have liked to I didn't see every band perform. Out of the 26 bands (I think) that shook the foundation of Mr. Small's I only completely missed 4 bands. Not bad if you ask me. So nothing here on Zombi, Deadbird, Pryolatrous, or the Cancer Conspiracy. Sorry. Other than that I'll try and recap the first multi-day festival I'd been to since 1996. I told you I don't get out much.

Day 1

I also missed the pre-show Thursday night because I was taking in a Pirates game, so at the coincidental time of 4:20 Friday afternoon Migration Fest proper fired up with Cloud Rat's violent grind. I wasn't as familiar with them as I thought but their energy pulls you in anyway. Couch Slut followed up with a hugely anticipated set. Their noisy sludge grind sucked people in as vocalist Megan O. screamed, rolled around, bloodied herself, and threw other cautions to the wind. She's a force on stage and the only disappointment was that she wasn't able to get down on the floor and kick all our asses.

I missed enough of Forn's set that I can't really comment much but I heard enough to regret missing most of it. However OSDM locals Derkéta crushed. It's a simple kind of death metal but they were tight and when they locked into a groove there wasn't a head that wasn't nodding. They looked like they were having a really good time too. As did many over the course of the weekend.

Perhaps the most talked about set from Friday was from black metal extremists, Yellow Eyes. They impressed so much their merch basically evaporated. They looked like an unassuming bunch but holy shit did they rip! Fierce, cold, and fast. Vile screams forced attention and the drummer...my goodness. Such ferocity and power! I thought he was going to break every piece of that kit. Yellow Eyes left many simply awestruck.

Bongripper shifted gears rather abruptly for those taking it all in. Going from Yellow Eyes's lightning-quick BM to instrumental doom, Bongripper was one of the main draws for me and I grinned/scowled the whole time as I watched hundreds of heads all nodding in unison, slowly, as they bulldozed their way through a heavy, heavy set preceding Khemmis.

The Colorado group had the crowd excited. Their newest LP, Desolation is fantastic and I was not alone in anticipating some of its songs blessing our ears. Obviously they did and did well. I started close to the stage but too far to the left. After 4-5 songs and failed attempts at a decent picture I moved to the back of the room and boy, did it make a difference. The vocals were sharp and the twin guitars flourished in an even more powerful way than they do on record. It was one of the best sets of the weekend and a fitting end to MY night. I skipped out on Zombi (never listened to them) in search of grub before everything closed!

Day 2

I know I wasn't the only one anxious to be on time for Day 2. “Last minute” replacements, Immortal Bird were set to open Saturday's festivities. I even heard one fella say it was the only set he actually watched. Hanging out with friends was a big part of the weekend. Immortal Bird, like everyone else, did not disappoint. Their amalgam of styles went over well and served as a killer kickstart. Props to vocalist Rae and the rest of the band for the afternoon adrenaline shot. Especially the drummer!

The crowd thinned noticeably for Scorched. They didn't deserve that. But the young death metal upstarts didn't let the smaller crowd get them down. Groovy and tight, they pounded through some gnarly tunes led by their circle-headbanging singer. On the drive back to my lodgings at the end of the day we discussed rules for a circle-headbanging competition between him and Corpsegrinder. They should just tour with Cannibal Corpse anyway.

I was wandering around and missed the start of The Ominous Circle's set. Shame on me. While I personally enjoyed some of the later sets more I think TOC made the biggest impact. Donning black hoodies under black leather jackets (hoods up obviously) and grim reaper masks the Portuguese monsters made for a very visual display. The singer even wore robes, gloves, and something to make him seem 8 feet tall. Maybe he is. Good god though did they put on a show. The singer openly gestured with his hands when growling from the depths of Hell, and stood stately with hands crossed when his cult mates were doing the heavy lifting. They were surprisingly great and they were quite busy at the merch table as well.

I can't say much about Mutilation Rites as I didn't catch all their set. I was getting a head start on Spirit Adrift merchandise but what I did see held true to their dirty and and wretched style. They introduced their new drummer and otherwise burned through their mid-afternoon set as one would expect. Their new album, Chasm is pretty good by the way. This is also a good time to say that you should not trust the order I'm talking about the bands in. There were changes and it was all just so much fun I may have lost track.

I totally skipped on Deadbird to take a much needed walk and scarf some chocolate bars but you can bet your ass I was back in time to get a decent spot for Spirit Adrift. I was close but with a central spot this time and I could hear it all. Nate's vocals came across different than on record. Less doomy? Still great! Some people even said it was better. With a similar setup as Khemmis their twin guitars soared as well. They've got such a grand, epic style of trad doom that translates extremely well to the stage. Or more likely vice versa. They even played a new song! It was somewhat more urgent, thrashier even, than their previous work and if you're a fan, be excited.

Mizmor. OH MY GOD, Mizmor. Ungodly heavy. Wholly doomed black metal is right! Whether slow or raging the air vibrated with negativity. They switched out drummers a couple times. Both great. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think one of them was Hell's MSW. (I think it was Mizmor's ALN beating the skins for Hell too.) The biggest impact came from the vocals. All those fucking terrifying screams you heard on Yodh are real, man. He pulled it all off live and you felt it in your bones! Spectacular.

I'll admit I hadn't listened to Pelican in a long time. Not sure why. Maybe I heard an EP I wasn't fond of and moved on? No matter. Their set made me want to get back into them. Maybe it was the shared back line or maybe I just misremembered their recorded works but they were heavy! Their musicianship was never in question but they looked like they were having a really good time. So were we. Vocalists be damned!

Due to a faulty Bluetooth connection, broken auxiliary cable, and fickle CD player I listened to Krallice's Years Past Matter on repeat for six and a half hours driving down to Pittsburgh. That didn't mean I didn't want to see the wizards of experimental technical black metal in the flesh. I had mixed feeling watching though. On one hand, gazing with awe at their fingers, hands, and feet and seeing the multitude of notes unfurl was pretty cool. On the other hand, that kind of playing doesn't necessarily make for a lot of stage movement. That was a bit expected but I can still feel a little let down. It didn't seem to bother anyone really though as their Saturday-ending set was met with raucous admiration.

Day 3

OK. The home stretch. I wanted to see Lev Weinstein drum for Pyrolatrous after seeing him in Krallice the night before but pints and puppies at a nearby brewery (Grist House) was too good to rush so I missed their whole set. But, pints and puppies! So Daeva was the first act I caught. It was also their first show! Impressive! Basically thrash metal. Good performers. And the vocalist made me think of a more extreme Dave Mustaine for both visual and audial reasons. I'd keep an eye on these guys.

O Canada! Torontonians Tomb Mold (figuratively) followed me down from Canada to infect the Mr. Small's stage with their filthy brand of death metal. They kicked ass to one of the more packed rooms over the whole weekend. They're a band on the up and up and you could tell by the reaction they received. Their new album, Manor of Infinite Forms is getting a lot of hype and they lived up to it! Just as nasty as you would expect. I'm bummed I didn't get one of their Fest exclusive shirts though.

The Cancer Conspiracy's set was my break for the day. Not that I didn't want to discover but I needed some moving air. The air sure was moving when Hell took the stage. They pushed the PA to its limits with slow, insanely heavy doom. Their mantra is “lower your head” and I did. Parked behind the sound booth I closed my eyes, lowered my head and banged/swayed through their loud and impactful set. I live for this kind of heaving doom that you can feel more than you need to see. Absolutely crushing!

False followed them with keyboard-accented black metal fury. Although I did have some trouble hearing the keys from a couple spots in the room. You couldn't help but hear vocalist Rachel's desperate screams though. Their atmospheric blackness was a nice change of pace from Hell but impressed on their own merits regardless of when they played. I talked to keyboardist Kishel for half of Mournful Congregation's set too. But that was later. There was another big Fest draw to see. Thou.

I'm not as familiar with Thou as I thought I was. That didn't mean I didn't enjoy their sludgy and hard-hitting set. With a third guitarist! They obviously drew a large crowd too being one of the bigger names on the bill. They crushed. In fact, I'd say they're better live than on record. As it should be. Although at the rate they're pumping out releases this year you would expect a band to be as locked in as they were. They kept the set relatively heavy thankfully and they have me excited for the upcoming Magus now!

Yes, I missed half of Mournful Congregation's set but that was only two songs. Their third comprised the other half. Slow, meaningful death doom filled the room as the fullness of night took hold to the delight (despair?) of the sweaty masses. This was one of those sets where I felt bad for not digging into their work more. The emotional performance won me over enough to put their newest slab back on my phone. Everybody wins!

Judging by the enthusiasm Fest closer Panopticon received I felt like I had missed the boat on them. I'm glad I stuck around. Bluegrass doesn't really do it for me but luckily their set was all ripping black metal. Sure, there were some acoustic moments and otherwise not-flesh rending movements but it was the only time the no moshing policy was disregarded, however briefly. They killed it. And made me a believer, as good performances should. Almost every song they played was so triumphant you thought it was going to be the monumental end to the fest. But they just kept throwing out more and more. No one complained. In fact, they even got an encore! People lost their minds for their whole set and with good reason. Plus, Austin Lunn is hilarious. They couldn't have chosen a better band to wrap up the crazy weekend.

Three days, over 25 bands and untold millions of degrees of heat later and I doubt you could find a soul there that left unsatisfied. The quality of bands that performed was rock solid top to bottom. Every band nailed it on stage and it all ran on time! Early even! Kudos to Adam and Dave for putting on such a fantastic festival of noisy, angry, heavy, dazzling, loud, and entertaining underground metal. Fans migrated for the weekend from across continents and Migration Fest was worth the trip however long. The only problem now is waiting to do it all over again.

Max and Matt having fun.

In the words of more than one Fest performer, “MIGRATIOOOOOOONNN!!!!!”

Cavernlight - As We Cup Our Hands and Drink from the Stream of Our Ache

By Justin C. I remember a discussion with a friend, probably over 20 years ago now, as to whether anyone had ever truly captured the experience of mental illness in a piece of writing. The answer was a solid...maybe? Fyodor Dostoevsky?

By Justin C.


I remember a discussion with a friend, probably over 20 years ago now, as to whether anyone had ever truly captured the experience of mental illness in a piece of writing. The answer was a solid...maybe? Fyodor Dostoevsky? William Faulkner? Emily Dickinson? Sylvia Plath? That's a decent short list, but the lingering issue was the fact that so many people seem to completely misunderstand mental illness and the experience of it. Anybody can sympathize with physical pain, but mental pain? Even now, a decent chunk of the public see psychological pain as something that's not as real as diabetes or cancer, and that fatal outcomes from that pain, especially with the recent suicides of Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington, seem to elude the understanding--and worse yet, the sympathy or empathy--of so many.

Cavernlight, initially formed by Adam Bartlett (Gilead Media mastermind) and Scott Zuwadzhi, may have come as close to distilling the essence of mental anguish into a work of art as I've heard, achieving something that I often wondered if I could capture myself so many years ago. That's quite an extreme position to take, I know, and I'm sure an obnoxious Facebook debate could be started about what albums truly do this, and since art is subjective, there may be valid other opinions, but I don't think anything has struck me as quite as powerful as the band's As We Cup Our Hands and Drink from the Stream of Our Ache.

The music itself evades easy categorization. It's maybe closest in genre to funeral doom, but that's a vast oversimplification. The music is minimal, in its way. Aching melodies are painstakingly formed from just a few notes played at glacial tempos. The vocals, thanks to a range of guest contributors, covers a large pallette. Rachel N. (of False) lends her inimitable roars, Michael Paparo (of Inter Arma) joins in, and Sarah Green adds her haunting, harmonized clean vocals (and cello) to what might be the most powerful track, album closer, "A Shell of One's Former Self."

The notes I made while listening seem inadequate to the task of detailing the music. There are many beautiful moments, releases of pain and frustration, but listing them won't give you much of an idea of what the album is about. Thematically, you can read more about these "5 movements detailing a life that is lived suffering through severe, crippling anxiety and the burden of mental illness" on the album's Bandcamp page, but even then.... This is a harrowing listen. It's music I found both compelling and at times viscerally difficult to listen to, sometimes at the same time. This is the painting you see at a museum that makes you feel something churning in your gut, maybe a feeling beyond words, and although it's not something you'd want on your living room wall, you can't get it out of your mind. It's a release, a burden, and an exorcism all at once, and although the fact that it's firmly extreme metal necessarily limits its audience, I doubt I'll be the only person haunted by it.

False - Hunger

By Matt Hinch. The Gilead Media release schedule has been crazy this Summer, to say the least. Plus, each release offers something different. For this one, it's different for more than one reason. Gilead and its fans are

By Matt Hinch.

Cover art by Steve Wilson.

The Gilead Media release schedule has been crazy this Summer, to say the least. Plus, each release offers something different. For this one, it's different for more than one reason. Gilead and its fans are no strangers to Minnesota black metal powerhouse False. The label has released their split with Barghest, their untitled EP, and their 2015 untitled LP. Which are all spectacular by the way. What's different on Hunger, their new two-song EP, besides actually having a title, is its brevity. False are known for routinely breaking the 10 minute mark. The untitled LP had five songs ranging from over 15 minutes to just under nine and a half. However on Hunger both songs TOTAL eight and a half minutes. I'm sure it was a challenge to reign it in but the results speak for themselves.

“Anhedonia” starts off a little slow and the pace does waiver throughout the 4:03 runtime but it stays true to what we've come to expect from them. The keyboards are prominent and as usual give the track a grand, orchestral feel. Of this earth, but not of this time. Tremolos race like horses whipped into a frenzy by their master's crop and soar over dark and foul vistas. You can feel the duality in your bones. The struggle between crushing darkness and a relentless rhythm section versus the often uplifting keys and guitars. Of course, the ghastly and vile vocals render all other feelings moot.

False 2015. Photos by François Carl Duguay.

“Hunger” wastes even less time (but more time) flaying flesh from bone. The pace here is more constant. i.e. Full velocity for most of the 4:29 runtime. But many of the same sentiments imparted by “Anhedonia” are replicated here. The percussion blisters, the guitars rage, melodic tremolos get buried deep in the mind, the vocals make you want to hide. However, the keys are a little more subtle and complimentary but do come to the fore and imbue a sense of angelic grace amid the torrent of audial violence.

It may be less than 10 minutes long but Hunger packs in as much nihilistic yet triumphant black metal as you need. Whether False's move toward noticeably shorter songs is a sign of things to come (I hope not. It's great but not necessary.) or merely an experiment in self-control is really not worth debating. Just take it for what it is: one of USBM's very best satiating your hunger for darkness should the fullness of their 2015 LP be waning.

Draw the shades, free your mind and let Hunger take hold.

Couch Slut - Contempt

By Matt Hinch. When I sat down to start reviewing Couch Slut's latest, Contempt I first re-read my review of their previous effort, My Life as a Woman to make sure I didn't repeat myself. I felt like I did a pretty good job on that one but also doubtful I could do it again.

By Matt Hinch.


When I sat down to start reviewing Couch Slut's latest, Contempt I first re-read my review of their previous effort, My Life as a Woman to make sure I didn't repeat myself. I felt like I did a pretty good job on that one but also doubtful I could do it again. But Couch Slut has raised the bar on Contempt so I'm obligated to at least try. Putting together words about something this powerful is not an easy task.

If My Life was a shock and awe campaign, a complete surprise attack leaving a wasteland of broken dreams in its wake, Contempt is an extended stay at Guantanamo Bay where Couch Slut channel their own inner torture into the listener making them perpetually unsettled and fearful. Feedback and noise scrape against nerves, dry out brain fluid and allow Theo Nobel's deft thunder to beat your brain into a concussive state that much easier.

Stringed racket-makers guitarist Kevin Wunderlich and bassist Kevin Hall run you down with grimy, pummelling rhythms while throwing in groove and biting off a chuck of noise-rock that sticks in your teeth long after the force-fed meal has been digested on opener “Funeral Dyke”. Some skronky sax weirds things up as well and of course vocalist Megan Osztrosits gets right to brass tacks with her chilling and feral screams.

There's actually a lot of unconventionality on Contempt whether I hear it or not. Like the concert bells during the otherwise “straightforward”, vicious and intense “Penalty Scar”. Weirdness comes at random on “Company Picnic Dust Off”, dropping in on the sick bass and just plain mean riffs. This is also the first of three tracks in which Meg sounds REALLY unhinged beneath the darkness of her bandmates devastating blend of noise-rock, sludge, doom and whatever the hell else they want.

The second of which is “Snake in the Grass” and the third (“Folk Song”) I'll get to later. “Snake” has a doomy plod to it with airy sections and a solo that keeps things light but still tinged with sorrow, teasing of a peace that never comes due to Meg's drawn out screams.

Come to think of it, Meg loses her mind on “Summer Smiles” and “Won't Come” too. Every song on here in fact! The former though brings melody, evil riffs, crumbled skyscrapers and a definite KEN mode feel. The latter lets the listener down easy to finish the album off, relatively speaking.

So let's talk about “Folk Song”. Slow, dirgy, crushing doom gets flavoured with a simmering black metal smoke. The band provides the beating while Meg screams your spine straight out of your body. It's at this point my defences broke. I was literally moved to tears. Meg really lets you feel her pain. It's so unnerving, so deeply unsettling. As a dude, who really has no reason to feel that kind of pain, I can't help but feel for her and the women she represents. I can't imagine living with that inside. Sure, I get mad and yell but then it's over. I don't know Meg that well but well enough to know it's real. (Just read the lyrics and you'll know too.) It makes me wonder about similar vocalists like those in Cloud Rat or Closet Witch or B2D or any vocalist that jumps into a completely different person on stage. Do they live life with that in their heads too?

I want to say it's art as catharsis but that would imply catharsis has been reached. But for Meg to perform with that kind of personal intensity over and over again those demons must remain and are unleashed to wreak auditory havoc only to return and refuel for the next assault. Sort of like Cyclops of the X-Men. The destructive energy is contained until the blinders are removed and everything gets blown to bits. Which persona is the true self?

Contempt isn't all about the vocals/lyrics though. This would be a killer album full of sick riffs, meaningful songs and engaging arrangements no matter who manned the mic. Uh, wielded the mic rather. It's just so well put together mixing doom, sludge, black metal and noise-rock (among others) that having the force that is Meg O. attempting to exorcise her demons on top of it takes Contempt to a (blood alcohol) level high enough to make you blind (possible with rage). Or maybe you just don't want to see the ugliness in this world she's screaming about. Either way it's enough to giv e you contempt for humanity as a whole.

Prepare to be torn apart.

False - Untitled (2015)

By Matt Hinch. I like to think that False named their band thusly as a big middle finger to all the agoraphobic pimple-farmers who actually give a shit about trooness. I couldn't give a rat's ass where a band is from or

By Matt Hinch.

Album art by Nicole Sara Simpkins

I like to think that False named their band thusly as a big middle finger to all the agoraphobic pimple-farmers who actually give a shit about trooness. I couldn't give a rat's ass where a band is from or how lo-fi their production is, or whether or not they use keyboards. Okay, maybe I do care about keys but if I like them I like them. And in the context of False, I like them.

As opposed to other, more symphonic bands False know how to utilize the keyboards in a way that compliments the bleak, raging black metal without ever trying to dominate the sound. Those times when the keys do find their way up in the mix are done with purpose and don't overstay their welcome. So when it comes to Untitled (the LP not the EP) it becomes difficult to articulate the glorious majesty the band displays. This release feels more focused (despite epic lengths), more determined, more driven by the cold fire that burns remorselessly into your very soul.

Photo by Carmelo Española.

Swarming across your senses for a hour Untitled's main tone is one of abject desperation and helplessness. Like it needs to escape. It is always in motion, whether that's through furious tremolos or shifting into doomier movement depends on the moment in time. A time which stops completely when False are given the focus they so richly deserve.

As a good opening track should “Saturnalia” encapsulates all the elements that go into the whole album. The manic black metal kicks in hard and early with subtle keyboard washes turning a little bizarre, eventually setting the mood as the track slows to a crawl and the guitars give the keys room to breathe. “Saturnalia” eventually rises from those doldrums (atmospherically speaking) on an even more windswept path. One can feel the power and fight but also a painful intensity that carries into the other four tracks.

Photo by Carmelo Española.

“The Deluge” continues the bleak and chaotic journey with ruthless rhythms yet at times switches from straight-line determination to an almost jaunty feel, like moments of clarity, or rather, the innocence of insanity temporarily dragging you to untold depths of despair and loathing.

The final two tracks “Entropy” and “Hedgecraft” clock in as the longest with the former breaching 15 minutes. It has an easier lead in but still rages as hard as any. It's also one instance of the use of choral vocals, as well as stunning riffs appearing out of nowhere to confound the listener with their ability to not only flatten soundscapes but also build them up.

Photo by Carmelo Española.

The seed of anguish and helplessness is injected deep on “Hedgecraft” with razor-sharp tremolos needling into soft flesh. It's by far the most emotional track. The haunting melodies lurking like shadows in contrast to the phenomenal and frantic percussion are enough to bring one to tears. For all that however it's also bloodthirsty and terrifying. Here, as in general, the emotional weight is held by the instruments but the vocals, however indecipherable, are essential. The reptilian rasps grip like talons around the now completely exposed listener, ready to rip their head off and drink of their flowing essence.

The way the track builds into a heartbreaking and complete catharsis is near overwhelming. Everything comes together in a dense ball of bass-led intensity only to instantaneously unravel and drift into atoms.

Untitled leaves the listener spent but in a state of black metal bliss. Anyone who's followed the Minnesotans already know what they are capable of and False more than deliver to expectations. Melody, atmosphere, menace, speed, turmoil and compelling songcraft position False as leaders in the USBM scene and Untitled as one of 2015's black metal victories.

Barghest/False - Split

Gilead Media made the Barghest/False split available on their Bandcamp. This is an opposites attract kind of split featuring black metal with two distinct personalities. First up is Barghest and their punk and death metal infested take on black metal. Though both raw and blistering their two tracks differs somewhat in sound and dynamics. Barghest explained why in an interview that is no longer online

...they were somewhat the beginning and end to a chapter of the band. “Shifting Sands” is arguably my favorite track of ours that has been released so far and is also the first song we ever wrote. The other track, “Inhuman Hatred” was the last unreleased song from our original line up and a very rough recording at that...

False's part of the split is a stunning black metal epic. While much more complex than Barghest's offerings it is also quite accessible; False knows how to keep the listener’s attention from waning. Here's That's How Kids Die enthusiastic take on the song:

“Heavy as a Church Tower” encompasses everything I want from a great black metal track in one fell seventeen minute swoop; it transports me from this mundane existence to a freezing-cold underworld where Mephistopheles sits regally upon a throne of ice.

The split has deservedly gotten a lot of positive reviews. Here are a few, by Islander from No Clean Singing and by Andy Osborn from Cvlt Nation.

Barghest - Untitled

Gilead media has been updating their Bandcamp and made Barghest's debut album available for download. This is pure angry black metal, a throwback to the second wave of black metal. The production is appropriately lo-fi, but without sacrificing clarity - as Cvlt Nation said hate has never sounded so rad. Read another review from Invisible Oranges and listen to the album below.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Northless - Clandestine Abuse

Northless' Clandestine Abuse is basically a sludge album. But it is also much more than that: You can hear post-rock influences and math- and hardcore riffs pop up on many tracks. Parts of it have been described as "Krallice as played by cavemen", other parts as "Mastodon on barbiturates".

Northless' Clandestine Abuse is basically a sludge album. But it is also much more than that: You can hear post-rock influences and math- and hardcore riffs pop up on many tracks. Parts of it have been described as "Krallice as played by cavemen", other parts as "Mastodon on barbiturates". Here are two reviews from Don't Count On It Reviews and Invisible Oranges. Northless also have their own Bandcamp where you can stream or download some of their older stuff.

False - Untitled (2011)

I discovered False through this live report on Invisible Oranges (the photo is from that concert, and yes, they're playing in a church). Their fantastic untitled EP is my current favorite on the Gilead Media Bandcamp.

Artwork by Jonia Whitney

I discovered False through this live report on Invisible Oranges (the photo below is from that concert, and yes, they're playing in a church). Their fantastic untitled EP is my current favorite on the Gilead Media Bandcamp.

Photo by Carmelo Española.

Check out the thoughtful review from The Inarguable, where Jon Rosenthal writes that musically False is "a different take on the American black metal scene that concentrates more on either being horrendously raw or magnificently smooth and introspective". Here's also a couple of good ones from The Metal Archives.