• ANIMA DAMNATA (Pol): “Promo 2007” demo Cd-r 2007 s/p

    10558 logo1

    Holy fuck, this Cd hit me as a great surprise. I had this name Anima Damnata floating in my head several times during the last few years but I never really cared to check the band out. I am not a huge fan of Poland when it comes to Black Metal: they all have either those lyrics about trolls or about the glorious new wave of thrash metal. And the sound is usually so thin, and the vocals like hysterical mothers-in-law. Nah, not for me. Me stupid once more, I shall inject me with AIDS one of these days for my usual narrow mindedness.

    Anima Damnata is a superb band indeed, a band that plays a fine brand of heavily distorted, dark and brutal kind of Satanic Death/Black Metal. Their sound is a balanced mix of 1990’s Floridian Death Metal and bestial Black Metal a la Belphegor, a mix which is definitely worth checking out. There is a really solid song writing here, with a use of double bass and guitar solos which is really unheard of today – just to shoot a few names which are completely out of place but might get an idea I would say Horror of Horrors, Betrayer, Disincarnate, Centurian, Ingurgitating Oblivion, Manifest (as said take these comparisons with a pinch of salt). They have the fine elements of old school Death Metal but also the good feral arrogance of more recent bestial War/Black Metal, this stuff really not just relentlessly brutal, it is catchy in a way I was not really used to anymore, these guys PLAY their instruments instead of challenging for the most complex and skillful performance. It is probably one of the best bands I have heard this decade.

    One thing I am really not good at criticizing (since I am no musician I guess) is the recording of an album. Well, even in my ignorance I liked the recording of this promo – it is absolutely clear but doesn’t stink of laundry detergent like modern “Abyss Studios” shit, it has that analogic, warm sound of albums like Deicide‘s debut. I am definitely in love with this shit, I will absolutely catch up with all their past releases. KILLER.

    This band can’t be from Poland. Tell me they’re from some fucking Brazilian ghetto!

    I know I shouldn’t but here is an Mp4 for your listening. I’ll delete it in a few weeks or upon request of the band: anima-damnata-4

  • Archgoat/Black Witchery/Mefitic – May 24th, 2007

    I always had a fucking fetish for Archgoat. I cannot really forget the release of their Ep “Angelcunt” in 1991 as it was probably the first time I was victim of a rip off (his name is Paul “Typhon” Thind if you ask – founder of Necropolis records). It was the first time I was deliberately stolen money from a label, plainly and without excuses. Necropolis aptly decided to pocket the International Money Order I sent for some Archgoat (and Demilich) merchandise which was probably never even released. I still have the tags of the post office, I have proofs of what I am saying. I sent the label faxes and letters for 3 years before giving up any hopes. When I started to spread the word about what happened, I was contacted and offended by Raul Varela of Exhumed (he was working for this label at the time) for talking shit about Thind (something like “get out from under my boots”, can’t remember in specific). I had words from a guy called Joker who was working for that label but recently deserted that it was common habit for the label to steal money from the orders during the earlier years. That very year I finally managed to have a reply from Paul himself. He finally promised to send me some stuff to make up for the mess some 6-7 years later, after telling me that he was some “martial arts champion” and that if he wanted he could have also destroyed me by pressing thousands of flyers saying I was a dick. Cool. Today, 10 years later, I still haven’t got anything from Necropolis.

    But the point is I was a big Archgoat fan, and still am. I believe their comeback has been the best of 2007. I would have never hoped to see them live one day, but I managed to at last one year ago and their show was fucking killer. They were playing with Black Witchery who too has been a wall of sound, spewing blasphemy in a great show. Italian Mefitic as well has been a cool surprise, an excellent band to open the show.

    Here are some pics I took at the concert!

  • News

    DEADLY ILLNESS ‘zine #2 is OUT NOW!

    Interviews with:AANAL BEEHEMOTH (Fin), ABOMINAT (Nor),CATALEPSY (Hun), CRUCIFIST (Us), DEATH BREATH (Swe), DISKORD (Nor), EXCORIATE (Ger), GOREPHILIA (ex-GORETEXX) (Fin), HATESPAWN (Ger), OBSKURE TORTURE (Den), and around a hundred demo/LP/CD/7″,etc. reviews – English-written , 48 thickly-printed pages with small-sized fonts , A/5-sized , Xeroxed.

    For trades/prices/wholesale or anything write to: DEADLY ILLNESS ‘zine c/o Poller Csaba, Budapest 1183, Nimród u. 73, Hungary

    Kobolds attack!

    Also, I got this cool ad in my mail yesterday, by label “OLD FOREST” (did I say old forest?)

    TALES OF THE SUSSEX WEALD PART 1 (DTM014).Today (Easter Sunday 2008) sees the release of the first material from obscure cult Black Metal group Old Forest in over 7 years. This is the first part of a trilogy exploring the pre-christian / post-christian myths of the Susex Weald. According to vocalist Kobold…

    Wait… kobold? KOBOLD? KOBOLD??? For those unfamiliar with RPGs, here’s a kobold..

    kobold

  • INFAMOUS GLORY (Bra): “Order of Doom” demo Cd-r 2007 s/p

    Infamous GloryAs a standard rule, Brazilians just like most South Americans, do it better. At least when we talk about Metal, and extreme forms of Metal in general. Some of my favorite bands ever come from Brazil and – god be damned – I am always excited when I hear about a band from this country I don’t know, because they have a dedication to the cause which is completely different from that of most of us Europeans. In general, but now always, a Brazilian Death Metal band has a sense of belonging, a sense of brotherhood and mutual support which is unrivaled everywhere else on Earth.

    My friend Douglas from 2+2=5 records handed me this fantastic demo (wrongly self asserted to be a “promo”) a few months ago. Top notch logo with skulls, black and white cover, raging song titles, big “old school death metal” statement on the cover – everything seemed to go for the better. I gave it a listen right as soon as I was home but… I wasn’t over escited about these 4 tracks, even after three listens. I preferred to wait a few weeks before giving it another try.

    My conclusion is that Infamous Glory is definitely more a Metal band than a Death Metal band. Even if they describe themselves as “Old School Death Metal”, and I absolutely confirm it, they’re not exactly “old school” as we mean it today. Their roots come slightly before the 90’s, as most of the structures and riffs remind me of late ’80’s classic Metal than the raw, dark Death Metal of the golden age. Forget about old Imperious Malevolence, Ancestral Malediction or Mental Horror, as this band does not runs for the fastest and heaviest position. They play a mix of genres that goes from Death Metal a la Diabolic, Deceased, Infamy, Pessimist to more generic Black Metal, with an abundant influence of Thrash and some virtuous soloing. There is surely a good share of brutality, as the drummer knows how to blast, and the vocals are powerful, but in general I cannot find a line in the song writing. Some chugs seem pretty pointless and for some reason the fury doesn’t manage to pierce the amp if you know what I mean. Good, flawless Death Metal is what they play, but I feel it’s lacking some punch. Good stuff, but needs some more straightforward songwriting and to get rid rid of some embellishments. Add some Nunslaughter and we might get some really killer thing.

  • BLASPHERIAN (USA-Tx): “Allegiance to the Will of Damnation” Ep 12″ 2007 Die Todesrune

    BlaspherianOh my, I am really getting tired of listening to only good bands these days (ah ah)? Seriously speaking, Blaspherian is another of those bands you really do now want to miss from the freshly renewed scene of real Metal of Death: a band that walks the fine line between doomish Death Metal a la Autopsy and Winter and Brutal Satanic Death a la Imprecation, Incantation, Vital Remains, Hibernus Mortis etc. Deep, infernal vocals creep out of a wall of sound made of sludgy riffs and nastily twisted, low tuned distortions – these songs are glorious hymn of blasphemy, obscure and foul, no frills or guitar wanking, just blasphemy. As usual, we’re reminded that you don’t need overly complex guitarwork to make the Death Metal alchemy work – most of these songs are relatively straightforward, but at the same time full of grim dark force. You got all the powerful crunch without the shitty slam wiggerish shit if you know what I mean. This is definitely how Death Metal is meant to sound like. Maybe it is just lacking a little bit of that eerie, disturbing feel of early Incantation to be really perfect (you know, that hidden, malicious vibration), but we’re definitely splitting the hair. If we talk about American bands, this is definitely one of the best I heave heard lately, as the real Death Metal movement seems to be mostly an European thing recently. Blasphemous, deep Death Metal for lovers of dark sounds and guttural brutality.

    This album has been released by Die Todesrune, an otherwise pretty inactive label for what concerns true Death Metal, apart from Crucifier from what I remember. They also have a split 7″ out right now on Hell’s Headbangers, sharing vinyl with the excellent band Evil Incarnate. Next to be released is another 7″ by the name of “Unholiness Unleashed” and a second full length by the name of “Infernal Warriors of Death”. No need to say this is the stuff for which is worth spending your money.

  • GRAVEYARD (Spa): “Into the Mausoleum” demo Cd-r 2008 s/p

    GraveyardNow we’re talking, baby. While it’s true nobody can clearly state when the Death Metal phenomenon came out, I guess everybody would agree the peak of it was just cross 1990 (year more, year less). That’s the time when it attained its clear identity, still freshly rooted in the carcasses of other musical genres soon to be dead like punk and thrash metal. It is in that rotting, dark, gloomy and worm infested environment that we first perceived Death Metal was getting a status as a genre on his own, instead of being just an adjective for other forms of metal. I gave up long time ago any hopes that the spirit would come back again, but at least I hoped that people could understand a glimpse of how magic that period of my youth was. Even if there are several things I don’t like in reunions of legendary bands and teenager revivals, I admit the Death Metal scene has never been so healthy in over 15 years.

    All this bullshit to introduce one of the best results of post-2000 retro-Death Metal phenomenon. Graveyard from Spain are just playing with the same convincing spirit of the real founders of the genre. I have dug deep in my lexicon to find words to describe this music, but I realized there was no need to describe it, it is just Death Metal with capital “D”. Obscure, murky and grotesque as early Finnish demo bands like Depravity, Abhorrence or Funebre, yet with a few bursts of the galloping ride frenzy of early Unleashed (curiously this is limited to a few riffs, you just can’t hear that kind of songwriting all through the songs).Even if I adore this shit, I have to admit other bands like Dead Congregation or Crucifire are preparing the same dish but with a much improved recipe. In other words, you probably have to do something more to stand out of this new wave of old school bands flooding the underground. Much appreciated by me however, since the sound is flawless. Great roaring, slightly echoing vocals, crunchy super distorted guitar sound, and an eerie, disturbing melody all over make this band a must have for a good collection, I hope someone does it on vinyl one day. I can live without the melodies however, if you know what I mean.

    No comments on the packaging today, since it’s just a home made Cd-r with xeroxed cover. I find the cover art a bit too ironic too.

  • CARNIVAL OF CARNAGE (Hol): “s/t” 3″ Cd 2007 Grindfest

    Carnival of CarnageI always found intriguing this cool 3″ format, ever since I saw it for the first time from bands like Paroxysm, Adramelech, Schizo etc. You can’t really fit more than 15 minutes on a mini disc but a quarter of an hour of Carnival of Carnage is a big bloodshower nonetheless. I was just perplexed to read that this recording is dated 2001. 6 or 7 years have passed and for what reason it wasn’t released earlier? I always have the impression that this is the kind of bands that get better with time, so I feel a little betrayed.

    I n any case these 6 tracks are a fist in the face, as usual. Wall of sound type of guitar crunch, super low frog vocals and frantic, atypical drum programming make Carnival of Carnage one of the best bands in its genre in my opinion. You don’t get generic relentless blasting (what an admirable effort for a drum machine would it be) but more like a slimy pillar of pudding waving back and forth, erratically crushing like a limbless, eyeless mongoloid – I can almost see it bubbling and chocking with its hundred teethless mouths. Powerful, noisy, grotesque and heavy as hell. Real cool shit.