Mini-Reviews from Around the Toilet Bowl: 05-12-2016
Small content for the (s)mal(l)content. Reviewed inside: Ygfan, I Am Noah, True Black Dawn, Celestian Ruin, Wastëland Riders, Abnormality, Coffin Lust, Uhtcearu, Persecutory and Wormlust.
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Ygfan – Köd
ATMF | June 3rd, 2016
Ygfan, out of Hungary, created some interesting black/folk/post metal on their debut EP. The crystal clear production might turn some off, but it works well for some of their blackgaze tendencies. The album features phlegm filled harsh vocals that are layered on top of a consistently full sound. The first track on the album is excellent, and is somehow concise in its 10 minute run time. “I” and “II” feel completely resolved as songs, but “III” is a hypnotically slow groove that goes for a little too long before it progresses, and the payoff isn’t exactly worth the wait. I absolutely love the guitar tone they use on some of the slower melodic sections, and the clean vocals are something I would like to see more of, but that would almost definitely put them closer to the “post” end of the spectrum.Very unique stuff here. FFO: a blacker version of Katatonia? — Joaquin Stick
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I Am Noah – The Verdict
Bastardized Recordings | May 13th, 2016
Ambient metalcore? That’s how Germany’s I Am Noah was pitched to us and admittedly, it piqued my interest. In 2016, it feels like everything has been done and re-done in metalcore. Actively adding ambience to a testosterone-heavy genre is a lofty goal. A bit too lofty, as The Verdict doesn’t really have ambient parts. Quiet, melodic parts, yes. Ambient? Not really. I Am Noah’s sound is a blend of metalcore and djent that will get you spinkicking like you’re in Street Fighter 2 and two-stepping like it’s 2006. The Verdict doesn’t reinvent the wheel like I had hoped, but it provides the listener a steady mixture of melody and aggression. Good for those that already like the genre and need a new band. RIYL: Misery Signals, Unearth, Veil Of Maya. — 365
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True Black Dawn – Come the Colorless Dawn
World Terror Committee | May 17th
It’s been 15 years since TBD last released an album. Fifteen years is a hell of a longtime, and there’s just no way any band could possibly answer the hype born in that time – lucky then, that I have not been paying attention and Come the Colorless Dawn caught me by surprise. Even without exceptions, however, it’s nothing spectacular. Very much “just” black metal; there are a few good riffs and Victor‘s instantly recognizable haunting howls are as chilling as ever – but it just isn’t enough. The songwriting is a tad more varied than on the fast-‘n-filthy debut, and the clear (but not clean) production keeps every instrument audible. So ironically CTCD is more colorful than its predecessor. It’s a good, but not great, black metal record by a formidable band -“The Sectile Shadow” and the title track may not pale in comparison to their kind, but the rest of the songs remain too, well… colorless. — Karhu
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Celestial Ruin – Pandora
Independent | May 20th, 2016
Gothic/Symphonic metal isn’t exactly the easiest genre to break into, at least in North America. Europe eats that stuff up like it was black coffee and clove cigarettes, but not so much on this side of the pond. There have been some bands that have flirted with the basics of the genre to some success, such as Evanescence and Lacuna Coil, but not really many that have gone full corset as it were. Canada’s Celestial Ruin hopes to break through with their new album Pandora. While many are put off by the genre’s tendency towards the over-dramatic, Celestial Ruin manage to straddle the line between passion and outright cheesiness that hinders other gothic/symphonic metal bands (not including their promo photo). True, there are the occasional synth flourishes and pale-and-black-clothes imagery, but it is never overwhelming. Pandora has an easily digestible catchiness to it that it can serve as a starting point for those interested in exploring this type of scene further. RIYL: Kamelot, Within Temptation, After Forever. — 365
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Wastëland Riders – Speed Rock & Roll
Independent | May 16th, 2016
My knuckles turn white as my grip tightens on the steering wheel. I peer into my rear view mirror, the mutants are gaining on me. Ever closer they ride, relentlessly. I know I can lose them in the valley, but I must get there before they catch me. The road curves and I navigate the turns as my engine aches. An old machine, but sturdy. All I need is for it to last one more day and then it can rest. One more day in this hell and I can rest. As I make the next turn my engine starts to sputter. My speedometer drops, and the mutants overtake me. I can see one of them hanging out of a window with a spear. I ram into him sending his vehicle into the valley wall. The jostling sends my car into a frenzy, and a sound starts to erupt from inside. A low fizzy tone with many voices. The radio! That hadn’t worked since before the fallout, but now it was picking a frequency up. The radio caught me off guard and one of the mutants sent my car flying through the air. As I plummeted back down, the radio cleared and what I heard was Speed Rock & Roll. (FFO: Venom, Motorhead, Mad Max) — Boss the Ross
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Abnormality – Mechanisms of Omniscience
Metal Blade Records | April 29th, 2016
Another band I discovered through a videogame! The original Rock Band had a bunch of songs from people that worked or were involved with the company; apparently Abnormality vocalist Malika Sundaramurthy worked at Harmonix (RB’s developer), so their song “Visions” was featured in the game (and tore a young Moshito’s brain in half). Now the band is back with their sophomore album Mechanisms of Omniscience, and if you’re planning on doing anything with your pelvic area afterwards, postpone it immediately. This album crushes with no regard for anything; think more modern Cryptopsy worship (which in my book is always a good thing) with much more atmosphere to the guitars and a production that’s less sterile-sounding as a whole. This is a must listen for any death metal fan, so grab it here. — Moshito
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Coffin Lust – Manifestation of Inner Darkness
Hell’s Headbangers Records | April 23rd, 2016
No, that’s not a misprint. Last week I reviewed Coffin Dust, this week Coffin Lust. Yes, the names may be similar, but the albums are separated by a vast expanse of unadulterated kickarse-ness. Hailing from Victoria, Australia, the two men of whom the band is comprised show their experience in crafting filthy yet fluid throwback death metal that will have you thinking the rancour of the early 90’s scene never ended. The tempo ranges from the hasty [Setting 6] on the local abattoir’s meat pulveriser down to “Fuck, I don’t think my knees are supposed to bend back that direction“. Heavy, infectious, deadly. FFO: Neck-Snapping, Sweden, Impromptu Circle Pit Frenzies. Next week, Coffin Gust. — Lacertilian
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Uhtcearu – The Plight of Wanderers
Independent | April 17th, 2016
Zach Ostrowski, bassist/vocalist of self-described melodic black metal band Uhtcearu shared his band’s debut album in the Facebook group this morning, and although self-promotion there is spotty at best, this one will likely appeal to a number of you. While I don’t hear much in the way of black metal (aside from “A Shelter for Forgotten Souls” sporting some Hellenic harmonies), Ostrowski’s galloping bass sounds great and perfectly accents the driving riffs and hot fire solos (see the leads in “Rite of Passage”). There is a nice variation across the album and a heaping helping of melody in each track, so if you find yourself wanting fun, melodic metal with some clever riffs and peppy gang vocals amid the screams, you may dig this. — W.
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Persecutory – Perversion Feeds Our Force
Hell’s Hammer Music | Janurary 29th, 2016
Take a good long look at that cover, citizens. I think you can get a good idea of what to expect. This debut EP is what I imagine would happen if you added a large dose of Damaar’s cult classic (and only) EP Triumph Over Spears of Sacrilege (a.k.a my third favorite war metal album of all time) to a foundation of chaotic Nifelheim-esque black/thrash. The result this Turkish trio provides is nearly 18 minutes of absolutely nihilistic hatred towards the Abrahamic scum, rife with spazzy chords, scattershot drumming, and reverb all over the goddamn place including on vocalist Pervert Profanator’s anguished howling. Nice little mid paced grooves are interspersed between the chaos, giving something of a breather from the relentless pummeling. Overall, some fun listening from the far reaches of the Mediterranean. —Simon Phoenix
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Wormlust – The Feral Wisdom
Daemon Worship | September 8th, 2013
Do you like piña coladas? Getting caught in the rain? Are you not into yoga? Do you have half a brain? If you answered any of these questions, congratulations—you exist! Although after pressing PLAY on Wormlust’s The Feral Wisdom you might not anymore. There’s a high probability that this ravenous, chaos-worshipping and kaleidoscopic black metal from Iceland will tear you apart one iota from the next and hurl you through the walls of time, into some negative infinity with a sum potentiality of 0. Expect dizzying blastbeats. Expect bizarre tonalities. Expect to feel bad, then weird, then good. Just don’t expect this to sound like other Icelandic black metal. This ain’t your momma’s Svartidauði. FFO: Skaphé, Skaphé², Skaphé³ — Richter
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