Making Fuck - A Harrowing End

By Matt Hinch. They say not to judge a book by its cover. But what about judging a band by their name? I’d advise against that too. But honestly, Making Fuck did strike me as a “Seriously?” band name.

By Matt Hinch.


They say not to judge a book by its cover. But what about judging a band by their name? I’d advise against that too. But honestly, Making Fuck did strike me as a “Seriously?” band name. However! The band is good and once you find out the name is inspired by the movie Clerks (“Would you like some making fuck? Berserker!”) it changes things. That’s cool. So I’ll let it pass. It also gets a pass because new album, A Harrowing End is some serious stuff.

Frontman Kory Quist (The Ditch & The Delta) does move in a pretty serious direction here. As if a song titled “Mormon Guilt” didn’t give that away for the Salt Lake City product. The album title is apt as well as it’s often harrowing. It’s an interesting mix of doom and discord riddled with desolate melodies and melancholic atmosphere.

Much of that atmosphere is likely due to the use of electric cello. There’s something about the way the instrument fills a sonic space, surrounding the listener. There’s a sort of detached warmth it lends. It’s quite hard to explain. But it’s a great element that takes the band and album to the next level of appreciation.

Now, you may be thinking “Huh. Salt Lake City and classical stringed instruments?” and yes, there is a guest spot from none other than SubRosa’s Kim Pack. (I can’t wait for a new album from them by the way.) She brings a dynamic element to the title track’s plodding pace and depressing nature, fitting right in to the soundscape perfectly.

Here, and elsewhere, Quist’s vocal approach shows two sides. On one hand its tone relates to hardcore; full of heart and emotion. But instead of sharp barks he lets his voice stretch out driving home the point that the pain cannot be glossed over or pushed aside. It must be felt and worked through.

In general, smooth flowing riffs are broken by shudders or the aforementioned discord never really letting the listener get comfortable. The melodic elements are strong, coalescing neatly with powerful percussion and heavy doom. Putting it all together puts the listener in a cage of conflict between anger and despair.

At times A Harrowing End can get downright nasty. “Jesus Christ Inc.” brings to mind former heavyweights Gaza with uncompromising vocals bellowed over world-beating riffs, leaving you bruised and defeated. Its follow up “Memento Mori” is fantastically mellow and lush. The cello warms and forebodes as melodies filter through the levels of consciousness avoiding carpet bombs of blackened, emotional tremolos; bleak but not cold.

Overall A Harrowing End is an emotionally charged doom album infused with enough melancholia to turn even the brightest sky grey. While not a make or break element, the cello gives it that something extra you didn’t know it needed. Varied tempos and movements give the album a dramatic feel in keeping with the um, harrowing atmosphere. Near nonsense name aside, Making Fuck and A Harrowing End are a nice surprise for fans of SubRosa, Kowloon Walled City and others like them.

Helgamite - Hypnagogia

By Karen A. Mann. Helgamite, hailing from Virginia’s lush and mystical Shenandoah Valley, describe themselves as an unearthly giant. … The head of Helgamite stretches out of the earth’s atmosphere and high into the cosmos

By Karen A. Mann.


Helgamite, hailing from Virginia’s lush and mystical Shenandoah Valley, describe themselves as

an unearthly giant. … The head of Helgamite stretches out of the earth’s atmosphere and high into the cosmos, looming in space where the sound of heavenly bodies becomes transmuted into spacious ambience, buzzing, humming and planetary heaviness.

The band’s second album, Hypnagogia (which, by the way, is the mind’s transit state between being awake and being asleep), is like a journey through a dreamlike landscape, to commune with, and glean knowledge from this giant. This giant isn’t always the most friendly, and the journey doesn’t always go as planned.

Photos by Karen

The album begins with a creeping, effect-laden riff, that segues into a thunderous roar. Vocalist William Breeden, whose voice is almost always buried under layers upon layers of effects, sounds like that unearthly giant, and sounds really angry at having been disturbed.

Hypnagogia swirls and soars with buzz saw guitars, off-the-rails slide guitar, discordant feedback and enveloping blast beats. Just when you think you know where this journey is headed, guitarist Casey Firkin swoops in with, of all things, a crazy squawking saxophone.

Helgamite specializes in keeping the listener off-kilter through a series of freak outs interlaced with pummeling blackened doom. When Hypnagogia ends on the same creeping riff on which it began, it feels like the journey has some full circle.

Carpathian Forest - Defending the Throne of Evil

By Autothrall. Carpathian Forest has always stood out among the Norse black metal scene because of their uncanny self awareness. There is of course their propensity to create some of the coldest, most evil black metal

An Autothrall Classic. Originally published here.


Carpathian Forest has always stood out among the Norse black metal scene because of their uncanny self awareness. There is of course their propensity to create some of the coldest, most evil black metal ever to grind its bones and saunter forth from a crypt or cavern, but you get the feeling that just about everything you find amusing about them, they'd be laughing alongside you with a beer and a grim smile. And yet, somehow, they avoid becoming a caricature of the form.

Carpathian Forest 2013. Photo by Dvergir

Regardless, this is an extremely impressive band, releasing masterpiece after near masterpiece. Defending the Throne of Evil is their fourth long-player, and no exception to the dynasty. There are some songs here which I have not stopped listening to in the five years since the album dropped. "The Well of All Human Tears" is not only one of the best song titles ever in this genre, but it's also one of the best songs, with that doom laden trudge towards oblivion kicking off at around the 1:00 minute mark. Yes, you know the one I'm talking about. They retain their ability to simplify some of their riffing into a more rock structure, but never losing the black metal edge. So much to love here. "It's Darker Than You Think" with its melodic bridge and great lyrics. "Ancient Spirits of the Underworld" and "Skjend Hans Lik" are two of the more straightforward, metal tunes.

Carpathian Forest 2013. Photo by Dvergir

The album also has its experimental edge. "Cold Murderous Music" is actually a trip hop number with a saxophone following Nattefrost's amazingly grim vocals. He's still got one of the best tones in all black metal. There is "The Old House on the Hill", a piano horror piece, also featuring his vocals.

It's practically impossible to go wrong with this band, and while Defending the Throne of Evil might not be their very best material, it certainly comes close and even features some of their best tracks. This means you must have it. Why are you still here?