This Toilet Tuesday (2/7/17)
This particular Toilet Tuesday is going to be short, as it’s abnormally slow week for new music. Fortunately, most of it is quite good, so you should still find enough to sink your teeth into; I actually had a hard time deciding who to write about due to abundant high quality albums for a change. Check out our recommendations and hit that list for more good stuff.
Kassad – Faces Turn Away (Independent) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Void,” “Madness”
In the course of trying to memorize the names and other identifying characteristics of all fifty of my undergrads this semester, I’ve forgotten a few details from older articles published here on the hallowed bowl. Hopefully I can be forgiven for not recalling that our little toilet’s first introduction to cold, binary black metal act Kassad was on Toilet Radio Episode 6. If you too forgot about “Revenge,” then you may have experienced the same sort of trepidation I did in clicking play on Faces Turn Away. “Is this gonna be some unbearable pretentious Brooklyn BM?” If you listened to the Chris Barnes Toilet Radio episode yesterday, you already know the answer is no, but if you missed it, let me confirm: Faces Turn Away is rooouuuggghh. Sure, it has chrome melodies reminiscent of the best of Cascadian black metal, intermittent and pensive acoustic passages, and the odd mechanical effects, but Kassad never fails to deliver the fierce tremolo riffs, chilled to perfection somewhere out near the frozen rings of Saturn. Equally impressive are the unexpectedly gnarly growls and snarls. This is definitely contemporary black metal with bite. FFO: Mesarthim, Vaura, Void Omnia 2/5/17 (W.)
Mutiny Within – Origins (Independent) [Melodeath]
Listen to “Archetype of Destruction,” “Justify,” “Silent Weapons,” “Circles”
Mutiny Within was an important band in my first couple years of listening to metal; their “Awake” demo on an old Roadrunner Records sampler completely blew me away, having never heard anything like it before. Now that I’m much older and jaded and have heard just about every metal band under the sun, I doubt anything’s going to give me that same sense of awe as “Awake” did back then, but Origins reminds me of why I was so enamored in the first place. Mutiny Within plays the same sort of singer-focused melodeath as Soilwork, though with a darker, more somber flavor than their Swedish counterparts. They make great use of some understated synths to accentuate their hook-laden riffs, and singer Chris Clancy’s unique voice is as powerful and emotive as ever. Origins stands to be their best work to date. 2/10/17 (Spear)
Aeternam – Ruins of Empires (Independent) [Symphonic Melodeath]
Listen to “Damascus Gate”
I’m not sure why I’m on such a big melodic death metal kick lately, but the newest from Aeternam is keeping it going strong. “Damascus Gate” opens up with a big, adventurous Phrygian dominant fanfare with the same lilting feel as Dragonland’s “The Tempest,” an instant win in my book. I actually kept expecting a Jonas Heidgert-style singer to pop in despite knowing full well that this is a death metal band, so I was pleasantly surprised with the powerfully-sung choruses. I can’t say I heard anything particularly innovative on the opening track, but the band is clearly very proficient in their writing and delivery. “Damascus Gate” feels like a small taste of a grand journey, and I’m excited to see where it goes. 2/10/17 (Spear)
Wiegedood – De doden hebben het goed II (ConSouling Sounds) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Ontzieling”
Many readers will remember the name Wiegedood being mentioned frequently around these parts in 2015, and for good reason; the band’s debut was an exemplary example of squally black metal, rife with frenzied anguish and deftly layered melodic riffing. And also because the band’s name was fun to parody, which we all had a great time doing until someone pointed out that it was the word the Dutch used for SIDS (“Death in the cradle”). Fun. The Belgian trio don’t necessarily do anything incredibly unique within the context of modern black metal, but everything they do do is fucking exceptional. Seriously, everything. If you don’t believe me, spend the next 30-odd minutes with De doden hebben het goed, and see if those riffs don’t simultanouesly hook and slice you like a sycthe reaping this year’s dessicated Autumn barley crop destined for the wort of a potent Tripel. If the extra aggression found on the pre-release track “Ontzieling” is anything to go by, Wiegedood II – The Doodening may even best the debut. Evidence? That damn riff @ 2:45. 2/10/17 (Lacertilian)
Carnal Decay – You Owe You Pay (Rising Nemesis Records) [Brutal Death Metal]
Listen to “No Sequel,” “Freed from the Leash”
Cranial Engorgement – Horrific Existence (Gore House Productions) [Brutal Death Metal]
Listen to “Horrific Existence”
Crimson Sun – The Spirit of Unchainable (Independent) [Melodic Metal]
Stream
Debridement – Vomited Forth from the Earth (Rotten Roll Rex) [Slamblasted Skin]
Listen to “Baptized in Colorectal Juice (Farewell to the Slop)”
Deivos – Endemic Divine (Selfmadegod) [Tech Death]
Listen to “Sisters of Mercy,” “Dust of the Universe”
Hadal Maw – Olm (EVP Records) [Progressive Death Metal]
Stream
Hesperia – Caesar [Roma vol.I] (Sleaszy Rider Records) [Black Metal]
Preview
Insanity Cult – Of Despair and Self-Destruction (Ogmios Underground) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Seeds of Lesser Gods”
Lelantos – Akrasia (Loneravn Records) [Funeral Doom]
Stream
Mort aux Gueux – Beuverie, musique du diable et misère crasse (Corde Raide Productions) [Black Metal]
Stream
Nidingr – The High Heat Licks Against Heaven (Season of Mist) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Surtr”
Overkill – The Grinding Wheel (Nuclear Blast Records) [Thrash]
Listen to “Goddamn Trouble”
Primal Attack – Heartless Oppressor (Rastilho Records) [Thrash]
Stream
Ritual Lair – Mother of Misery and All Repugnance (Diabolo Intervale) (Godz ov War Productions) [Black Metal]
Listen to “IV”
Serenity in Murder – The Eclipse (Oyster Brothers Records) [Symphonic Melodeath]
Listen to “The Revelation,” “Dancing Flames,” “Land of the Rising Sun”
Tethra – Like Crows for the Earth (Sliptrick Records) [Death/Doom]
Listen to “The Groundfeeder”
Thormesis – Trümmerfarben (MDD Records) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Waheelas Fährte”
Did we forget a new release? Is there a way we could improve this list? Let us know in the comments below!
