Ævangelist - Omen Ex Simulacra

Written by Red.

Cover art by Andrzej Masianis

On the surface, Omen Ex Simulacra is a journey rendered entirely in gray. This would obviously make it difficult to discern the subtleties present in the music. Indeed, the atmosphere of the record is so thick, so cloying, that it might take the listener a few listens to be able to separate the instruments from the background noise. Then again, calling it "background" seems to be short-changing it, as that is tied to the presentation of these songs just as the down-tuned guitar or the pounding drums.

It is also a study in execution. In previous reviews, I've mentioned how execution seems to be underrated in a time where innovation is prized above all else. However, what we have here in Ævangelist is a band that is innovative and consistent in execution. The artistic vision is rendered undisturbed from the minds and limbs of Thorn and Ascaris to our ears. In fact, these two take their vision so seriously that they have created an insular space wherein they write, record, and produce the music by themselves with no outside interference/assistance. The only thing they don't do is the cover art. Speaking of that, it's another brilliant piece that subtly disgusts with its vague imagery.

New label Debemur Morti calls Thorn and Ascaris "prophets of an alternate death metal". I couldn't agree more. One has to admire Debemur Morti for taking a chance on the band, as well. And once the listener digs through the layers, one might find that the rhythms have been focused, the guitars and drums honed to a sharper edge than on the previous full-length. Ascaris' vocals continue to shine, with the expected death growls and blackened rasps. His voice has a deranged character to it and is immediately recognizable in a crowded field.

The second half of the record (plus bonus track "The Æbelisk") shows a subtle shift toward a more conventional, rhythmic approach. Not that they turn the atmosphere down, necessarily, but it does appear to be pushed back ever so slightly. As a result, a track like "Prayer for Ascetic Misery" practically jumps out of my headphones with a riff unlike any other the band had written to this point. The tritone, an old hand of metal riffs for 40+ years now, makes an appearance and doesn't disappoint.

Ævangelist is one of the true originals in the death metal scene. Their caustic mix of death metal and atmospherics is an adventurous leap forward from the fundamental aspects embodied by countless other bands. Thorn and Ascaris bravely forge ahead, not waiting for the rest of us to catch up.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

A Storm of Light - Nations to Flames

Written by Red.


I remember reading interviews with bands in the mid to late 90's. Usually, the topic of discussion was their newest full-length. There would be remarks about how different it was and how troubled they were at the prospect of repeating themselves. They were also confident that they had done something new and transcended their past work.

My argument was always something like this: don't worry about replicating the results exactly, just try to match the feel. In other words, get the vibe right and let things flow from there. Whether or not a record is "good" will always come down to the riffs. But usually, there is a palpable sense (from the listener's side) that the band was feeling something, whether it's motivation, anger, other emotion, etc.

To me, A Storm of Light has captured the sound and energy of early Mastodon. It starts with the theme of Nations to Flames . Fire imbues this record from front to back, even to the cover art. It is referenced in the lyrics. It is ever-present and inescapable in the instrumentation.

Photo by Taylor Keahey

The band is categorized as doom metal/post-rock. Generally, there was a specific type of ambiance that was present in the band's music prior to this record. They pursued a sound somewhat similar to Pelican and bands of their ilk. Now, that ambiance has been excised. What we have here are 11 tracks that go for the throat (with maybe two exceptions at most) from beginning to end.

A Storm of Light also has the benefit of surprise on their side. Can anyone say they expected the band to drop the atmospheric part of their sound and produce a record like Nations to Flames? I doubt it. I wouldn't have bet on such a thing. And that surprise is integral to the record's impact. Surprise and directness make a good combination.

Though the songs are penned by the band, they have a couple guests on guitar, Kim Thayil (Soundgarden) and Will Lindsay (Indian, ex-Nachtmystium). Since there are a number of tracks they appear on, it is safe to say that they have an influence on the direction of the record, whereas on previous albums the guest parts might not have taken it to another place. "All the Shining Lies", for example, uses a riff that betrays heavy Thayil influence.

From Josh Graham art exhibition. Photo by Taylor Keahey

Band guitarist Josh Graham was known for his involvement with Neurosis as visual artist. He has created an intriguing and evocative set of artwork to go with the album, which is available as a PDF with the digital download. The lyrics appear to be hastily scrawled, along with a miniature manifesto describing human greed and other failings. The cover itself shows a cadre of "true believers" burning the American flag. Within the rest of the liner notes, these people are shown in various positions against a background of fire. And the last page shows the eyes of one particular true believer, hooded and masked.

Nations to Flames is consistent in theme and attack; its directness and revolutionary-leaning rhetoric make it a resonant album in turbulent times.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Fuck the Facts - Amer

Review by Red.

Artwork by Mel Mongeon

If there's a takeaway from Fuck the Facts' new EP Amer, it's that these seven songs could easily be expanded into something even better.  Or they can remain as they are and just be awesome.  The EP runs for 17 minutes and there isn't really a dull moment included.

Mel Mongeon's familiar scream is joined by a lower-pitched death growl this time around.  I'm not sure if it was present on Die Miserable, their previous LP.  It's definitely welcome, as variety in the vocals never hurts.  Six of the seven tracks are in French, while the lone English track is a doomy little piece that could segue quite well into the band's slower, more contemplative material.

Photo by Distortionplus.

It sounds like the band is having fun here.  There is a vibrant quality to these tracks that is immediately audible.  And when the band is having fun or is excited by what they're playing (both of which are applicable here), the listener usually can't help but be taken along for the ride.  As reviewers and listeners, I think most of us underrate experience for the sake of concerning ourselves with innovation (or the lack thereof) when analyzing a piece of music.  Experience and professionalism serve Fuck the Facts quite well.

Are they reinventing the wheel?  Hardly.  Amer is enjoyable and that's the point of it all.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Shadows in the Crypt - Cryptic Communications

Review by Red.


Would you be surprised if I told you that one of last year’s most underrated albums came from the “bowels of Pennsylvania” (whence the band hails, according to their bio)? Cryptic Communications is indeed such an album and one that twists the conventions of its chosen sub-genre in an interesting way.

Would you be further surprised to hear a black metal band who combines said sub-genre with long, fluid, shredding guitar solos? If you’re anything like me, sure. I’ll be honest, I’ve never heard of such a combination. Indeed, it was my belief that black metal guitarists eschewed such displays of musicianship. After all, it seems so obvious that such a thing is unnecessary to their particular brand of pummeling. Yet here we are.

Another note from the Shadows of the Crypt bio: they came together to make the most extreme metal they could. That certainly sheds some light on the black+shred combo.

The elements of the band’s sound coalesce most readily in the standout track, “Embracing the Forbidden Arts”. Now, if you’re listening on Bandcamp, you’ll notice that the aforementioned is track 2. But according to the Metal Archives, track 9 “Beneath Threatening Skies” should be up top. Personally, I like that one as an intro more than a closer. At any rate, “Embracing the Forbidden Arts” is a standout for two reasons: first, there are some excellently played riffs that combine with the drums to really pummel the listener. Second, the solos are a bit more tasteful and integrated into the song’s fabric better than you might find further on.

After that killer track, one would be forgiven for thinking that that’s all she wrote. But there is another standout near the end of the record, “Revolutionary Genocidal Madness”. This track takes a decidedly non-BM riff and rides it into plains of headbanging. Closing track “Disgracing the Pulpit” ends with a tasty set of beats, including some rampaging double-bass that manages to fill up all the spaces and yet not be completely straight ahead.

Production-wise, I would call it drum-oriented. The guitars are double-tracked and sit roughly on either side of the kit. The drums are right in the center and are loud. You could probably hear the kick drums from a mile away. I’m not sure where the bass is; it’s probably buried underneath the drums.

I called Cryptic Communications one of the most underrated of 2012 earlier because it really functions as a solid whole. Even though the two tracks mentioned above stand out, the experience is quite cohesive and consistent when heard front to back.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Owl - You Are the Moon, I Am the Night

Review by Red.


Owl’s self-titled debut was released in early 2011. It was a cavernous and atmospheric recording that displayed allegiance to the old-school aesthetic. It was timely, as other bands were jumping on the OSDM bandwagon. But it was also a flawed release that did not embody the talent of the players involved. It was also an exception in the Zeitgeister catalog, as no other band in the collective had yet explored death metal.

You Are the Moon, I Am the Night is somewhat less obsessed with atmosphere. There’s still an ambient track and two of the three proper songs are more concerned with constructing a soundscape rather than bruising the listener’s eardrums.

The title track starts with a couple seconds of noise. Then a heavy-handed and completely unsubtle riff comes in. Within 30 seconds of play time, the album distinguishes itself from its predecessor, for the better. There is an energy and a sense of immediacy that seemed wholly missing from the previous release. The track twists and turns through a number of different riffs, notably a very simple two-note line that first occurs around the six-minute mark. Guitarist and singer Christian Kolf’s vocals are strong throughout and there is nary a hint of the idiosyncratic cleans that many would associate with him from his work in Valborg and Skarab.

The pace of the album is generally slow to medium. This would be a problem if the guitar figures weren’t so enthralling. Patrick Schroeder’s drumming is solid; on this release he seems to have brought a bit more fluidity to his playing, with some especially impressive fills.

I thought the chanting section in the last few minutes of the title track went a little long. Thankfully, some of the better riffs underpin it, so it’s not completely tiresome. Another minor complaint I might have is that “Memories of Dead Dreams” relies a little too heavily on suspended chords and doesn’t create as much tension as the other two songs.

But let’s not lose sight of one simple fact: You Are the Moon, I Am the Night is not just better than Owl’s previous album, it’s one of the better albums of 2013.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Ash Borer - Bloodlands

By Red. Someday soon, Ash Borer will release an album of material that I love unequivocally. Bloodlands isn’t that, but it’s damn close. One can draw a throughline from their first full-length to now and notice a satisfying increase in quality. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the self-titled album.

By Red.

Cover Art by T. Ketola.

Someday soon, Ash Borer will release an album of material that I love unequivocally. Bloodlands isn’t that, but it’s damn close.

One can draw a throughline from their first full-length to now and notice a satisfying increase in quality. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the self-titled album. In spite of the hype it received from multiple outlets, I didn’t find it to be compelling. Indeed, I was confused by the rapid switching from all-out black metal assaults to more placid instrumental lines redolent with “post-rock” influence. Cold of Ages upped the production quality and the compositions made more musical sense.

Photo by Carmelo Española.

Like their full-length releases, Bloodlands contains a small number of tracks that run to great length. The production is noticeably dirtier than Cold of Ages. “Oblivion’s Spring” opens with a clean guitar figure that is gradually joined by second guitar before exploding into noisy black metal. An interesting transition occurs around five-and-a-half minutes in. Where one might be expecting a switch back to the clean guitar that opens the track, instead the band slows down, but keeps the distortion on. This results in the most engrossing portion of the EP, as the guitars get a little doomy and the drums throw more fills into the mix.

The intro of “Dirge/Purgation” follows a similar path. It starts with clean guitar that morphs into droning noise before the distortion kicks in. The relative success of the next three to five minutes depends on one’s appreciation of the tremolo lines that the guitarists throw at the listener. While I don’t think they are as compelling as the band’s other ingredients, they are competently played and display an adequate grasp of the sub-genre’s dynamic.

Photo by Carmelo Española.

That’s not to say they haven’t created an emotionally stirring work here. “Oblivion’s Spring” moves me in a way that I’ve never felt while listening to this band. Similarly, “Dirge/Purgation” throws some tasty slower tempo passages into the mix that demand attention.

Lastly, there’s the cover art, a fascinating piece which appears to be done in either charcoal or pencil. Like the music within, it frustrates those searching for easy categorization. To this viewer, it appears to be a snake (or wingless dragon) in a swamp with storm clouds overhead.

Bloodlands is an excellent EP from a band still on the rise. Just when you think they have nothing left to say within an oversaturated sub-genre, they find a way to tweak their sound and continue to surprise the listener.

Infera Bruo - Desolate Unknown

Review by Red.

Cover art by Andrzej Masianis

On Desolate Unknown, the follow-up to Infera Bruo’s excellent self-titled album, the experimentation is turned down slightly (or maybe sideways would be a better term for it); it seems closer to the second and third waves rather than the usual USBM “we can do whatever we want” bent. Also the production is much improved, and I don’t have to crank the volume up to 10 just so I can hear the intricacies of it.

In a general sense, the vocals and instruments sound the same as they did previously. There is a greater sense of clarity, despite the buzzy nature of the guitar parts and the overwhelming power of the drums. The vocals remain a harsh rasp that reminds of Ihsahn and there are occasional clean vocals which are considerably more melodic.

The first two tracks are quite good. and in a way, they’re exactly what I was expecting from the second album as a whole; the sense of immediacy and boundless energy is what I want to hear. The first of two segues follows; although neither has much musical content, I think they are important to showcase other parts of the band’s vision.

Two tracks follow that exhibit the curveballs I was expecting. “Ritual Within” starts off with a slow and doomy descending riff that is repeated (perhaps too) liberally throughout. One thing I like is the solo, which comes around twelve minutes in and closes the song out on a high note. “Dust of Stars” has some harmonized tremolo lines that I thought were a nice touch.

I missed the presence of a killer and undeniable riff like in the previous release’s closing track, but Desolate Unknown is a solid follow-up and should expand Infera Bruo’s fanbase.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Occultation - Three & Seven

Review by Red.


Initially, I was skeptical about Occultation’s blend of doomy rock and the uniquely weird guitar tone employed on Negative Plane’s last album. However, since the album was released through underground metal giant Profound Lore, I gave it a chance.

The easy comparison (aside from Negative Plane, obviously) is to The Devil’s Blood. Occultation’s songs are more streamlined and the guitar tone helps separate them from the pack. It also does the trick of leaving more space in the mix for the rhythm section, which is a lot more active than in most doom bands.

The two female vocalists are generally pleasant to listen to. They stay within a comfortable area of their range, which means that even in the higher-pitched lines, there’s no sense that either one of them is stretching to hit notes they aren’t equipped to hit, or that they’re artificially emoting when it isn’t necessary.

My favorite track on the record is “Dreamland in Flames”. The chorus contains a beautifully sung melodic line which floats above the busy drumming and heavy rhythm guitar. For a band that hasn’t been together long, they have a solid grasp on their group dynamic that shows consistently.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

KEN Mode - Entrench

By Red.

Sculpture by Ben Bonner

The word entrench is defined as “to place oneself in a position of strength”. It is an interesting idea when applied to music in this day and age; fans and critics alike expect bands of all stripes to innovate and move forward from release to release. An experienced band will want to cater to their strengths.

How does this apply to KEN Mode’s new full-length? The band (or, more specifically, the Mathewson brothers and their latest bass player) has created a work that exemplifies their positives and seeks to explore new territory, albeit in a tentative fashion.

Photo by Carmelo Española.

Much of Entrench follows the template that KEN Mode has been using for the better part of a decade: hardcore shouts over dissonant ringing chords and unadorned drumming. There’s also the interplay between brothers to consider. I imagine that this provides the “professional” sound of their records. Despite playing a style rooted in hardcore and noise (hence all those ringing dissonant chords), KEN Mode has rarely sounded lo-fi, especially purposefully. But at the same time, they’re not playing something as stringent as tech-death; there is a certain looseness to the proceedings, especially this time around. In fact, what I enjoyed most about Entrench is that nothing seemed to be forced. Indeed, on their last album Venerable I thought there were some songs that were either too long or that focused too much on a certain texture so much that I found it grating. This is a pleasant listen, even though the style of music played is (intentionally) noisy and discordant.

Photo by Carmelo Española.

To me, the obvious highlights are the opener “Counter Culture Complex” and the two tracks that show the most marked departure from not only this album, but the rest of their work, “Romeo Must Know” and “Monomyth”. These latter tracks are quiet and contemplative. “Monomyth” even has a string section written by bassist Andrew LaCour. I classify these songs as a tentative step forward is because they’re not connected to the style that listeners familiar with the band would identify them with.

Entrench is a worthwhile addition to the band’s catalogue; I hope that the switch from Profound Lore to Season of Mist pays dividends as well.

Infera Bruo - Infera Bruo

Review by Red.


Infera Bruo is a black metal band from Massachusetts. I first became of aware them while reading Autothrall’s excellent review of their initial release. At just over 33 minutes, I would be inclined to classify it as a long EP, though it is listed as a full-length on the Metal Archives.

The band inhabits an interesting stylistic middle ground in USBM. All of the hallmarks of are present; there are the rasped vocals (which are quite similar to those of Ihsahn), the tremolo-picked guitar lines, and plenty of blast beats. But then there are sections which exemplify something different. In this way, Infera Bruo reaches beyond their chosen sub-genre much like Autolatry (who are also from New England) and Ludicra.

When I hear the gallop riff that literally comes from nowhere in “A Path Unwritten” or the engaging outros of the two tracks that precede it, I know that something deeper is at work here. Speaking of those outros, “Upon Stone” ends with a fairly straightforward rock section, and “A Code of Will” slows the pace considerably, becoming quite doomy.

The highlights are at the front and back, however. “The Devil’s Eyes” incorporates clean vocals to great effect, expressing varied emotions that are not usually heard or expressed in such a way. Most importantly, there is no trace of oversinging; the expression of emotion doesn’t trump the rest of the elements at play. “A Path Unwritten” starts (and ends) with an epic-sounding riff that is almost pretty (especially when restated in the last seconds of the song on a lone clean guitar) and then breaks out the aforementioned gallop riff while a chaotic solo erupts.

As much as I appreciate this release, I look forward to seeing what this band can do. Infera Bruo seems like a jumping-off point that is indicative of any number of directions the band could explore.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]

Vision of Disorder - The Cursed Remain Cursed

Review by Red.


Metalcore band Vision of Disorder broke up in 2002, seemingly the victim of label politics and their own shifts in approach. I first heard the band via the standout track from 1999’s Imprint, “By the River”, a song that includes a guest appearance from ex-Pantera/Down screamer Phil Anselmo. While there are no guest appearances on The Cursed Remain Cursed, the fiery spirit and explosive pace of the aforementioned track imbue the 11 new songs.

Comeback albums pose the question “does the band still have the fire to produce new material of consequence”? On The Cursed Remain Cursed, Vision of Disorder answers with songs that are immediate, propulsive, and even a little catchy.

Singer Tim Williams puts out what has to be the best performance of his career, either with this band or with other project Bloodsimple. On previous records he was criticized for lacking power in his screams. He shows no lack of ability or vitriol here. Williams isn’t a one-trick pony, though; he adds a bevy of clean melodic vocals which enliven tracks like “Blood Red Sun”, “Skullz Out”, and “The Enemy”.

The rest of the band proves just as capable. The drumwork is consistent throughout, providing energy and keeping the songs from losing momentum. The guitarists provide a number of sharp riffs, the standouts include a nice gallop riff in “Set to Fail” and the aggressive ending to “Heart and Soul”.

The closing track ends with the line “we’re gonna torch this city to watch it burn”; indeed, it seems as though Vision of Disorder has set fire to their discography and the expectations that were placed upon them when they embarked on their comeback. A successful one, at that.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]