Getting Laid at Bandcamp: The Third of 2015
Welcome back to camp, flushers. I spent a full night listening to black metal albums and drinking cheap beer (my brain is burnt out). I’m pretty satisfied with my selections for this G.L.A.B. post. I’m sure some of these bands, if not all of them, will turn most ov you off. So, without further adieu let the poopy flow once again and let us all be burned in lit feces. Satan is strong this week.
The Deathtrip – Deep Drone Master (2014)
The Deathtrip is a band from the United Kingdom / Norway that I heard about last year but never got around to checking out, which is a damn shame. I finally purchased their first full-length from 2014 and sat down and listened to it. As soon as the first song “Flag of Betrayal” began, I instantly thought of Transylvanian Hunger by Darkthrone. This album worships the days of old-school Norwegian black metal and does it spectacularly. Guitars are very sharp and dissonant (playing mostly tremolo picking) throughout the album, while also leaving room for some eerie chord progressions and haunting atmosphere. Drums are fairly simple but appropriate for this style of black metal. Simple mid tempo 4/4 beats mixed with variations of double bass and faster paced blasts are pretty much the core of this album. But the vocals are the main highlight. Aldrahn of Dødheimsgard, Thorns, ex-Zyklon-B, and ex-Old Man’s Child really shines on this album. Aldrahn’s vocals are shouted/sung with mournful passion with every lyric comprehensible; each word on Deep Drone Master can be heard crystal clear, which is pretty damn incredible for a black metal album. Although the lyrics are Satanic-themed, they’re also quite beautiful and worth distinguishing.
Favorite Song: “Making Me”
Orcultus – Black Rust (2014)
I was very fortunate to find out about Forever Plagued Records recently. The Philadelphia-based label keeps their roster filled with some of the nastiest sounding old-school underground black metal bands around. Orcultus (from Sweden) was one band that really caught my attention while browsing through the roster. Raw riffs beyond riffs are layered with haunting atmosphere and backed up by catchy reverb drenched guitar leads and synths. Drums are nothing special at all, but I’d have them no other way. They keep a simple and steady groove, allowing the guitars and vocals to be the prominent force. They might even be electronic, but in this case I couldn’t give a shit. Vocals are harsh and very similar to early, Pentagram era Gorgoroth, but somehow soothing. Like a lullaby for Satan’s newborn bastard. The production is raw, but not so raw that it comes off as annoying or penetrating. This is a lo-fi atmospheric black metal album that stays trve to early and and mid 90’s Scandinavian black metal.
Favorite Song: “The Void”
Narbeleth – A Hatred Manifesto (2014)
Narbeleth is a one man black metal project hailing from Cuba created by a fierce demon named Dakkar. Keeping in line with the old-school black metal theme here today, Narbeleth also worship the Norwegian era of nineties black metal that dominated Scandinavia. Dakkar keeps a mean and hateful “fuck you” attitude (I mean, there’s a song called “Fuck Off!”). The songs are very much guitar-driven with grim sounding riffs that can be pretty melodic at times. The rums are frantic, switching from fast blasts and double bass sections to groovier mid-paced sections that add some variety. Vocals are LOUD and very upfront, reminding me of the mix in Panzerfaust. The production is very crisp and well produced, but also conforms to the raw sound of old school black metal. This album is a hateful one, and a grim one at that. Not for lifelovers.
Favorite Song: “Land of the Heathen”
Antarcht – Antarcht (2015)
Running just over 38 minutes, I’d hardly call this a demo. This very young duo from Eugene, Oregon are on their way to making a name for themselves. This incredible demo was just released the first of February, and I seem to be the only one that has purchased the album from their Bandcamp page. So, I’m going to do my duty to make sure that you flushers know about Antarcht. These dismal lads play an abysmal and depressing style of black metal. There’s certainly the first and second wave of Scandinavian black metal influence, but inspiration from pivotal depressive black metal bands can be heard throughout the demo. Riffs are all over the place, adding some interesting dynamics while also showing some softer, cleaner sections that almost remind me of early Opeth, as strange as that sounds. The drums are also completely all over the place, complimenting the guitars perfectly. The vocals are harsh, high pitched shrieks. Very fitting to the forlorn music. Song structures are brilliant and the overall flow of this album works incredibly well. The outro is absolutely stunning; I get goosebumps every time I hear it. Keep an eye out (literally) for these heathens.
Favorite Song: “Await the Sovereign”
Silva Nigra – Bible Bolestných Nářků (2013)
NOTE: This album does not start on track one. Make sure to start at the intro for the full listening experience.
Now that you started at the beginning of the album, do you feel the cold chills yet? Well you should, because these riffs are as icy as the goddamn arctic shelf. There’s definitely some Dissection influence going on in this album, along with early Darkthrone and early Naglfar. Silva Nigra keep the riffs melodic and ghastly, and their vocals sound like they’re being screamed from a demon in agony. Bible Bolestných Nářků is a very atmospheric listen and the guitars really bring the chills hard. Get ready to be cold.
Favorite Song: “Když sestoupilo slunc”
