The Foundry

Cutting edge contemporary heaviness displayed and discussed. By Bryan Camphire. With Vitrun Carpe Noctem return after a five year spell and exceed the high standards set on their excellent previous full length, In Terra Profugus. The six songs on offer

Cutting edge contemporary heaviness displayed and discussed.

By Bryan Camphire.

Artwork by Stephen Wilson

Carpe Noctem - Vitrun
Iceland. 6 songs, 52 minutes, Code 666, October 5th, 2018.

With Vitrun Carpe Noctem return after a five year spell and exceed the high standards set on their excellent previous full length, In Terra Profugus. The six songs on offer this time around twist and turn with many minor key melancholic melodic sections. The guitars make ample use of ebow and and tremolo arm, bending stretching and smearing pitches all across the band's darkened soundscapes. The third track, "Og hofið fylltist af reyk" (and the temple was filled with smoke), is a highlight for me; midway through the music reaches a fever pitch, and just when it seems that the band could not possibly ratchet the tension any higher, the song explodes like so many collapsing steeples being reduced to ash. Vitrun is the Icelandic word for vision, and this combined with the record's harrowing album art might suggest that the band is interested in exploring themes of the tangled aspects of perception. This much is certain, Vitrun is a strangely beautiful offering from these high caliber black metal experimentalists.

Artwork by Babar Moghal.

Ars Magna Umbrae - Lunar Ascension
Poland. 8 songs, 36 minutes, Independent, October 5th, 2018.

This one man band's name translates as The Great Art of Shadow. What struck me most about this release upon first listen was the strange innovative guitar work. Sinister snaky lines evince feelings of dread from the very start. Subsequent listens revealed that Lunar Ascension places a heavy emphasis on composition, with strong dynamics and drastic tempo changes in nearly every song keeping things interesting. There is a murderousness on display here that’s reminiscent of early Blut Aus Nord. When looking for how black metal has moved forward in 2018, consider this record.

Artwork Mar.A.

Cultes des Ghoules - Sinister, or Treading the Darker Paths
Poland. 5 songs, 55 minutes, Hells Headbangers, September 23, 2018

"Is it you, my master, whatever your name is, or is it just me, filled with divine bliss?" If you want to be filled with divine bliss of which the singer of Cultes des Ghoules speaks, listen to Sinister. This is yet another excellent offering to the band's weird catalog of releases. Slow lurching repetitive mesmerizing music to listen to around a fire in the woods whilst making animal sacrifices to unholy divine beings. The guitars are toothy and full of grit. The bass cuts through the mix nicely and will set fists swinging. The drums are commanding and in the pocket sans frills. I like to think of this singer as what Ozzy might sound like if he began releasing music for the first time in present day Poland instead of, you know, being the great grand father of heavy metal. There is something special and mysterious about this release, the band's thirteenth offering in thirteen years...

Hammr - Unholy Destruction

Multi-instrumentalist J. Hammer kick-started his one-man metalpunk band Schizoid Hammer in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2013. A couple of low-key releases and one rejigged band name later, and now the Satan-lovin Hammr are set to deliver

By Craig Hayes.


Multi-instrumentalist J. Hammer kick-started his one-man metalpunk band Schizoid Hammer in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2013. A couple of low-key releases and one rejigged band name later, and now the Satan-lovin Hammr are set to deliver their ripping first full-length, Unholy Destruction.

Unholy Destruction is seeing a release via label Hells Headbangers, which is a fitting home for an avidly old-school band like Hammr. Like many groups on Hells Headbangers’ roster, Hammr pays sonic tribute to groups like Bathory, Sodom, Venom, and early Slayer. But equally as important to Hammr's sound is the resounding echo of d-beat legends Discharge.

In fact, it’s Discharge's influence that sees Hammr stand out in the metalpunk crowd. Reason being, Hammr aren't afraid to truly embrace the maniacal metalpunk madness. They don't hesitate to tear into their songs with a bloodthirsty bite. They're prepared to mangle their music and they happily red-line the harshness as well. And those are all crucial 'punk' elements in the metalpunk equation.

Hammr shows an appreciation of how Discharge explored the creative possibilities of sheer abrasive noise. And tracks off Unholy Destruction, like "Satanic Raid", "Under Black Command", and "Eternal Prey", duly feature swarms of jagged riffs and rapid-fire d-beat. What really makes those songs though, is how Hammr just keeps ramping up the relentless and wild ante, with every passing second, and the band maintains that ferocity throughout Unholy Destruction.

On the one hand, Hammr's diehard commitment to a single-minded (and always blistering) musical vision is admirable. But it’s also going to be a make or break feature for some. Obviously, some metal fans want ultra-precise music rendered with crunchy clarity. But Hammr deals in raw fucking mayhem, and intricacy is often buried deep in Unholy Destruction's filthy mix.

Hammr is also dedicated to fusing ferocious black/speed metal with feral punk at a warp-speed pace. And Unholy Destruction holds fast to that scorched-earth aesthetic. There's no 'explorative this’ or 'progressive that’ anywhere. Unholy Destruction is just rip, shit or bust, through and through.

Obviously, if you’re a fan of non-stop berserker blasts of metalpunk, that’s all great news. And Hammr definitely matches their unhinged attitude with a vivid recognition of what made the birth of extreme metal so thrilling in the first place.

Of course, that’s not a unique frame of mind, as such, and galloping songs like "Sadistic Poison", "Death Reign", or "Demonic Rites" share stylistic similarities with the works of fellow old-school worshippers like Midnight or Toxic Holocaust. It's no surprise then to discover that Midnight’s Commander Vanik contributed savage solos to Unholy Destruction or that he mixed the album too. Toxic Holocaust’s head-honcho, Joel Grind, mastered Unholy Destruction as well. And Midnight, Toxic Holocaust and Hammr do share very similar creative convictions.

Unholy Destruction isn't breaking any new ground. But the album's frenzied tracks are primed to remind you why underground metal first grabbed a hold of your rotten little heart. Hammr deliver whirlwind broadsides of barbed riffs and barked vocals and Unholy Destruction’s sole focus is 666% lawless intensity. Hammr might be a lone-wolf right now. But after Unholy Destruction's release, there’ll be plenty of others only too willing to join the pack.

Rotten UK - That is not Dead

By Craig Hayes. The first record I ever bought was a rowdy UK punk compilation called Punk And Disorderly III. I’ll understand if you’ve never heard of it before, because it was released way back in 1983. But in all the years since, I’ve never forgotten how

By Craig Hayes.


The first record I ever bought was a rowdy UK punk compilation called Punk And Disorderly III. I’ll understand if you’ve never heard of it before, because it was released way back in 1983. But in all the years since, I’ve never forgotten how I felt when I dropped the needle on that compilation’s first track. My life changed forever when Abrasive Wheels’ “Burn 'em Down” kicked in. It was like getting hit by a bolt of lightning. Or being plugged into some electrifying and rabble-rousing grid. I had found the music for me. And I guarantee you there’s a kid out there right now who’s going to hit play on Rotten UK’s debut, That is not Dead, and experience that exact same life-changing rush of emotion.

Reason being, Rotten UK’s music is as visceral as it gets. The band’s first full-length features 14 throwback tracks that hit like thunderbolt of chaotic punk. That is not Dead is violent in tone, and thoroughly old school in temper, but Rotten UK are no fly-by-night punk rock fashionistas. Yes, the band’s music is features a vice-ridden snarl like plenty of incendiary bands of yore, but Rotten UK don’t deal in limp simulations of the past. The band capture a genuine feel for the fiery, anthemic spirit of UK82. And while a lot of bands simply take that four-letter abbreviation to mean a few riffs inspired by GBH or The Exploited, Rotten UK dig far deeper into second wave UK (and Scandi) punk to unearth not just the bones of their sound but the heart of their attitude too.

It’s clear that Rotten UK are heavily influenced by those aforementioned groups, and by the likes of Discharge, Broken Bones, and plenty of other underground 80s hooligans on That is not Dead. That adds an authoritative flavour to rip-roaring tracks like “Revolution Moon”, “Their Dreams”, “Dark Times”, and “Stagnation is Sin”. All the filth, fury, and unruly attributes that UK82 scene so instinctively appealing are front and centre on those tracks, and throughout That is not Dead. But Rotten UK also deliver their short and spiky tunes in rapid-fire fashion, and that means the bulk of That is not Dead hurtles past at a whirlwind pace that clearly shows the influence of the early years of speed metal as well.

That mix of breakneck metal and primitive punk is given even more of an abrasive edge thanks to That is not Dead’s rough-hewn production. Combine that rawness with Rotten UK’s anthemic songwriting, and there are more enough ill-bred elements to ensure the album’s a total fucking riot throughout. But Rotten UK don’t stop there.

The band add a mountain of eldritch ingredients into their raw hardcore as well. As the band’s record label Hells Headbangers notes, Rotten UK’s music is a, “special breed of revolution-inspired Lovecraftian punk”. That is not Dead duly features a deep well of fiendish mysticism alongside all of the bloody-minded rebellion, and the anarcho-punk therein is darkened by the wonderfully gloomy presence of deathrock.

Tracks like “Waiting for the Bomb”, “Reaper Follows”, “Royal Blood” and “Deathbeat” see propulsive gothic punk collide headfirst with gutter punk. And in some instances, Rotten UK’s wretched melodies sound like the band are channeling Christian Death covering Kaaos. (Or Disorder simultaneously reinterpreting the The Damned and Fields of the Nephilim.) It’s a great fusion of mysterious and murderous aesthetics, and colouring Rotten UK’s anarchic message with a haunting accent adds another level of grim gratification to an already wicked brew.

That is not Dead is a full-throttle reminder that intoxicating and exhilarating punk rock remains primed for changing lives. The album oozes authenticity, and it’s as much of a rousing call to arms as it is a plea to the Great Old Ones to smite this world, and wipe the slate clean. Admittedly, that’s a message you’ll not hear often, but that’s exactly what makes Rotten UK so captivating. The band are outliers, freaks, and their binding of punk to deathrock with a jagged metal edge is made for connoisseurs of truly lawless music. Rotten UK drag UK82-fuelled music forward, and sharpen it with a distinctively dark design. Degenerate and disrespectful till the end. Punk rock 666.

Deathhammer - Evil Power

By Andy Osborn. Show No Mercy is the best Slayer album. While the battle for the top spot usually rages between the unholy trio of Reign in Blood, South of Heaven, and Seasons in the Abyss -- occasionally a vocal minority will claim that Hell Awaits is indeed the victor -- everyone who believes this is just plain wrong.

By Andy Osborn.

Artwork by Eduard Johnson

Show No Mercy is the best Slayer album. While the battle for the top spot usually rages between the unholy trio of Reign in Blood, South of Heaven, and Seasons in the Abyss -- occasionally a vocal minority will claim that Hell Awaits is indeed the victor -- everyone who believes this is just plain wrong. The youthful energy and hellish passion of Slayer’s debut, their answer to Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All, is the most enduring and entertaining piece of work in their entire catalog.

This was long before the days when they started to take themselves seriously, hit the bottle too hard, and ultimately become a self-parody which unfortunately lumbers on to this day. With their debut, Slayer perfected Venom’s style and imagery, but had the added benefit of actually being able to play their instruments and write memorable songs. Sure, the performances can be sloppy and the lyrics laughable, but that’s part of what makes it so endearing. They were forging a new path and having a blast along the way.

Photo © John Mourlas. All rights reserved.

A few decades later, Deathhammer’s Evil Power hits this same sweet spot. That their style has been done to death and undeniably perfected long ago makes this third album from the demonic Norwegians less than unique, but that hardly has an effect on the nostalgia trip. The furious back and forth riffing of Sergeant Salsten and Sadomancer is just as good as the Kerry-Hanneman early days and at times even more fun and ridiculous. Salsten, also holding vocal duties, does his best ‘Tom Araya just out of puberty’ impression, bringing his voice to a ball-busting screech as often as humanly possible. The whole thing is a smile-inducing, goofy blur, and I love every second of it.

Photo © John Mourlas. All rights reserved.

The blistering leads are pulled off with a wonderfully sloppy elegance. Ever-changing, little is recycled and the songs are short and to the point; other than the wonderfully self-indulgent solos there’s not a moment of filler. Like most of their Hell’s Headbangers brethren, Deathhammer are are obsessed with overt satanic imagery and lyrics. But they clearly don’t take themselves too seriously, to which the cartoon Dark Lord on the album cover can attest.

Evil Power will never be as important or remembered as Show No Mercy. But by harnessing the same attitude -- “Fuck it, let’s thrash and worship Satan!” -- while writing undeniably fun, riff-centric music, Deathhammer prove that there’s nothing wrong with a proper homage; even 30 years later.

Void Meditation Cult - Sulfurous Prayers of Blight and Darkness

You lose some, you win some. Thantifaxath recently decided that they didn't want their music on Bandcamp any longer, not even just streaming, leaving the Bandcamp page a little bare. Shortly after that I got mail from Hells Headbangers Records telling me that Void Meditation Cult decided to "letting us offer this for digital download" - "This" being Sulfurous Prayers of Blight and Darkness their 2013 split with Sperm of Antichrist. Or rather with themselves - Void Meditation Cult is the continuation of Sperm of Antichrist, and Sulfurous Prayers Of Blight And Darkness is the combination of the titles of demos from the two bands.

Photos by Carmelo Española.

The four tracks from Void Medication Cult are the standouts. Thick stomach churning detuned death metal riffing overlaid with monstrous vocals - like the guttural voice of some unspeakable being from the foul crypts. The unsettling atmosphere is straight out of the most blasphemous black metal; it is greatly enhanced by the slithering whispered vocals - like a giant snake god given human form - and the very effective use of ominous floating synths. The four Sperm of Antichrist tracks are rawer, and lack some of the features the make the other truly great: The guttural vocals, and the atmospheric synths. They are not bad at all, but it is interesting to see how small effective changes to the formula makes a better concoction. If Void Meditation Cult can improve their dark craft like this in the course of two demos, it gives me high hopes for an eventual full-length.

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Zemial - Nykta

Review by Andy Osborn.


When dealing with a metal artist that has been active since the 1980s you’re bound to dig up a twisted corpse of complicated storylines; a revolving door lineup, stark stylistic changes, days worth of recorded work that takes dedication to fully appreciate. But even a cursory glance at Greece’s Zemial shows that none of these conventions are present. Possibly one of the longest-running one man shows in metaldom, sole proprietor Archon Vorskaath clearly cares little for racking up a massive discography. Releasing the debut LP For The Glory of UR in 1996, he waited a full decade before bestowing his next full-length venture upon the world. Now, seven years later, comes the third - and presumably final - chapter in the Zemial lorebook.

Nykta is a near indefinable work deeply rooted in the works of the legendary acts of the 1980s. It mixes first wave black metal with traditional influences and dabbling in more experimental compositions that expand beyond the formative decade to explore a more forward-thinking, galactical approach. The taken tactic is almost unheard of in the current fad of throwback metal where the direct, instant gratification approach to songwriting is king. That isn’t to say Nykta isn’t without its straightforward, headbangable moments. While they abound in pieces peppered throughout the full-length, the relentless “Under Scythian Command” and “Deathspell” sound like they could have been lifted directly from Slayer’s Show No Mercy.

Meanwhile, on any other given song you’re likely to hear the indirect approach favored by an artist willing to experiment with his craft by equally splitting his time between two distant worlds. That is, until the album begins to draw to a close. The massive “Pharos” is Zemial’s attempt at becoming his vision of the heavy metal jam band. The 14 minute epic moves from no-frills riff-rocker to prog metal exploration that combines the best (and worst) of everything you’ve heard up to this point. While it has some inspired moments, the improvisational feel and six minute fadeout make you start to question Archon’s sanity; especially when juxtaposed with the final, completely empty track. But the latter is supposedly on purpose, as the man in charge explains:

Alright, track #9 is NOT QUITE silence - and that is exactly the point. It is based on a John Cage composition titled '4:33.' This is a tribute to his genius. I know I am already pushing the envelope with the album having such diverse elements, and a track of that kind - meant to make people think - might elicit interesting responses.

I could offer more than a few interesting responses to putting a blank track on an album and calling it a tribute to another artist’s work, but I’d rather pretend it doesn’t exist to help preserve the dramatic and diverse Nykta. The album shows a seasoned musician giving tribute to the era that shaped him while bending and shaping its sound to fit into a modern day, ethereal mold. A few minutes of it may have reached too far into the stars, but the parts that linger between the atmosphere and the galaxy’s outer limits are simply brilliant.

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Midnight - Complete and Total Hell

Written by Andy Osborn.


Midnight have slowly become kings of the underground with almost a decade’s worth of splits, EPs and demos. And last year the world finally got a proper taste of the Hell’s Headbangers favorites with their first full-length, Satanic Royalty. To gorge the fans’ on their new-found appetite, the label has compiled the band’s entire back catalog into a singular package. Complete and Total Hell is set to come out physically at the end of September, but the label has decided to make it digitally available on Bandcamp a full five weeks early.

If you’ve ever listened to the mighty Ohioans, you know what you’re getting yourself into. The compilation contains 21 tracks of their blistering blackened heavy metal, complete with '80s-style solos, devastatingly fun hooks and Athenar’s signature blasphemous, raspy vocals. While it of course doesn’t feel as whole or flow as smoothly as a proper full length, it fits the band’s raw and in-your-face style perfectly. Midnight has taken over, but it’s still the dawn of these demons’ career.

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The Royal Arch Blaspheme - The Royal Arch Blaspheme

Review by Adrian Tan.


Celebrations of blasphemy in its most hateful and vile form are central to The Royal Arch Blaspheme’s self-titled debut. With two of the most twisted minds in metal– John Gelso (Profanatica) and N. Imperial (Krieg) – at the helm, you can be sure that this will be as in-your-face and disturbing as it comes.

With every composition being built upon ugly and dissonant riffs, these exquisite pieces of aural abominations will thrust deep into your mind. Songs are crafted upon the motif of repeated main riff patterns that are subtly concocted with just enough variation to always keep things interesting. Tempo changes are abound, ranging from unrelenting assaults to crushing doom-paced deliveries. Broken lead fills are scattered amidst the chaos and allowed to linger on their own, adding a dimension of surrealism Gelso’s unmistakable bass-tone carries heft and colors the songs with crust and filth while Imperial serves up bestial vocals with hateful conviction.

As unsettling and nerve-wrecking as the proceedings may be, the songs are laden with hooks that threatens to fester within your inner being. As absurd as it may be, with blasphemous music this good, you cannot help but to be drawn back after it’s over. Something is definitely addictive about this unholy brew.

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Victimizer - Resurrected Abominations

Victimizer's EP Resurrected Abominations from 2009 was added to the Hells Headbangers Bandcamp. This is aggressive blackened thrash. The riffs are huge and chunky and the production really lets those riffs shine. In short: This is not very original, but well done and very headbangable. Read the reviews from Metal Review and From the Dust Returned and check it out.

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Victimizer's previous full-length The Final Assault is available here. It was released in 2007 and according to the reviews I read, it was their final album. So I don't really know what that makes Resurrected Abominations. Also, Deus Otiosus features former members of Victimizer.

Profanatica - Sickened By Holy Host

Profanatica's Sickened By Holy Host has been released on the Hells Headbangers Bandcamp. This is not the new album by the blasphemous black metal cult, but a new 39 minute mini-album featuring Paul Ledney on drums with His Emissary from Ipsissimus on guitars, plus the "The Grand Masters Session" that originally appeared on vinyl. Check out the Teufel's Tomb review for in-depth information on the release .

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You can also feast yourself on The Enemy Of Virtue, the 2007 collection of Profanatica's entire discography. As this review from The Metal Archives mentions Profanatica mixes murky death metal with the darkly melodic tremolo picked riffs of black metal. Ledney's disgusting, coughed screams are also one of the band's trademarks, as is his glued to the riffs drumming. And with lyrics like "Sodomy shall be brought upon the nun's rotting asshole." you know what you're in for.

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Destruktor - Nailed

Art by Mark Riddick

Nailed, Destruktor's debut full-length from 2009 was added to the Hells Headbangers Bandcamp. In this interview Glen Destruktor describes Nailed as "10 tracks of intense and aggressive metal, with a dose of black and thrash metal, and a bigger dose of death metal with a heavy- and dark-sounding production". And damn, that is pretty accurate. There's no shortage of blast beats, the songs are not too long, not too short, and they are catchy, fast, and evil. Here are reviews from Teeth of the Divine and Metal Flows In My Veins.

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Havohej - Dethrone The Son Of God

The re-issue of Havohej's Dethrone The Son Of God from 1993, has been added to the Hells Headbangers Bandcamp. Havohej is Jehova spelled backwards and, yes, this is the blackest metal. Featuring an unique drumming style and plenty of Christian hating vocals, Havohej straddles the thin line between jaw-dropping cheesiness and stunningly well-executed metal as this review from Illogical Contraption puts it. Here are five very positive reviews from The Metal Archives.

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Nunslaughter - Hex

Nunslaughter's Hex from 2007 has been added to the Hells Headbangers Bandcamp.

9 demos, 2 singles, 27 EP's, 21 splits, 8 Best Of/Compilations, 6 live albums and 3 full-lengths. This is what Nunslaughter's career has been; a giant laundry list of death metal

There is no sign of "progression", "maturing" or other form of weakness; "Hex" is a continuation of NunSlaughter's last album or last 7" EP and soon to become a fan favorite... This is the same music you've enjoyed for the last two fucking decades!!

Let’s get something straight. Nunslaughter isn’t technical. Nunslaughter isn’t tight. Nunslaughter isn’t about sterile, clinical production. Nunslaughter is all about sloppy, goofy, hilarious old school death metal. And Nunslaughter doesn’t want to hear your God damn yap about it.

Quotes from a review from The Metal Archives, the Hells Headbangers Bandcamp page, and this review from Teufel's Tomb.

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Hell Headbangers - Compilation Vol. 5

Hell Headbangers - Compilation Vol. 5 is a free download on the Hells Headbangers Bandcamp, featuring 23 tracks from 2011 Hells Headbangers catalog (Vol. 3 from 2009 is also there, but not Vol. 4). My favorites are the tracks from Acid Witch, Sanguis Imperem and Void Meditation Cult. Sanguis Imperem is not on the Bandcamp at all and Void Meditation Cult is streaming only. Boo hoo.

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Midnight - Satanic Royalty

Midnight's Satanic Royalty is available on the Hells Headbangers Bandcamp! This is an album that ended up on quite a few best-of-2011 lists. This is "Lemmy-loving thrashers with fuzzy riffs, grating barks, and a nicely mixed drum sound that doesn’t overwhelm the guitars". This is "a thousand miles away from rocket science or brain surgery". This is "no politics, no scenes, just metal, beer, and fucking—the way it should be". And these are the reviews I stole those lines from: Invisible Oranges, Last Rites and Cvlt Nation.

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Acid Witch - Stoned

Acid Witch - Stoned from 2010 is available on the Hells Headbangers Bandcamp. This is psychedelic doom with plenty of melody and groove. Heavy riffing, wailing solos and low, raw death metal vocals. Atmosphere is created by the spooky organ licks and movie samples. As Josh Haun from That's How Kids Die writes:

Stoned is a Satanic/psychedelic journey into the rotten bowels of doom, drenched in blood, guts and graveyard stench; the ultimate soundtrack to a night of horror VHS tapes, vintage EC comics, cheap booze and copious amounts of the devil’s weed.

Here's another review from Metal Review, and one from Teeth of the Divine that really captures the sense of horrific fun on this album.

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Nunslaughter - Hell's Unholy Fire

Nunslaughter's debut from 2000, Hell's Unholy Fire, have been re-issued on the Hells Headbangers Bandcamp. This is death. Nothing more needs to be said really, but what about: Brutal destructive death metal with a perfect raw production, great husky growls and extremely headbangable and thrashy riffing. Ugh.

Photo by Carmelo Española.

Here are two good reviews of Hell's Unholy Fire from The Metal Archives. And let's give a warm welcome to the Hells Headbangers record label on Bandcamp! I will feature a few more more of their releases in the coming days.

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