This Toilet Tuesday (4/18/17)
Say goodbye to your wallets; this particular Toilet Tuesday is loaded. Between the albums we’ve picked and the huge list below, you’re going to be busy for awhile. You can pick out just about anything without going wrong, so dive in and share some more standouts in the comments.
Arkheron Thodol – Thaw (Independent) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Spiritum Viridis,” “Sapling”
“A cold wind was blowing from the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things.” -George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones
A cold wind by the name of Arkheron Thodol is blowing from the north (Bozeman, Montana to be specific) and it rustles and shakes the trees like a living thing. “Spiritum Viridis” is a masterful track of the trees ‘n shit black metal variety off the band’s first full length album. It weaves back and forth between the softer moments and the fast riffs and blast beats seamlessly, without feeling forced or abrupt. If the rest of the album is anywhere near as good as this track, I imagine this could appear in my top 10 or 20 for the year. FFO: Agalloch, Ashbringer, Old Graves 4/20/17 (Pagliacci is Kvlt)
Celestial Grave – Pvtrefactio (Iron Bonehead Productions) [Black Metal]
Stream
Last years’s Burial Ground Trance was tight af EP that offered simultaneously murky and sharp black metal. Now Celestial Grave is back to answer to the (un)reasonable hype and I can’t stop thinking about Bölzer. After a killer EP, they don’t focus their strengths to a mass murdering full-length – but release another EP. Similar in style, with ever so slight differences (here, a shift towards clearer use of melody as leading motifs), shorter length and lesser in quality. It’s not that Pvtrefactio is bad- the aggressive BM on an atmospheric template works just right- it’s that I’m hungry and this is barely an appetizer. If you loved BGT, you’ll like Pvtrefactio. But looking for new and scintillating experiences, undiscovered riffs on murky swamps or a cup of coffee big enough- keep looking. 4/21/17 (Karhu)
Decayos – The Hallowed Vertex (Hylopathic Productions) [Death Metal]
Stream
Decayos is the solo project of West Virginian Zack Namey and The Hallowed Vertex marks his second album, melding together a primarily blackened death metal sound with splashes of atmospheric, prog and avant-garde sensibilities. The Hallowed Vertex is an impressive one-man show, with Namey bringing a strong, multi-instrument performance to the table. The excellent “Sand” highlights the album’s early blackened death heaviness, while in contrast, atmospheric “The Distance Beneath” makes effective use of clean guitars. The album’s back end sees “Astral Blind” unfold over ten minutes into a poignant, harmonized guitar solo, before “Throne of Want” closes the album out with a nice display of blackened, needling riffage. If hybrid extreme metal is your thing, Decayos is more than deserving of a listen. 4/17/17
(Ellipsis)
Foreseen – Grave Danger (20 Buck Spin) [Thrash]
Stream
Without having much prior knowledge of the band, I am really glad I hit play on Foreseen’s 2nd album, Grave Danger, because it absolutely RIPS, and it rips hard. I’ve seen them called the “Finnish answer to Power Trip” in a few places, and while that certainly is a compliment, it doesn’t quite do them justice. There’s certainly a strong amount of crossover in the same vein as Power Trip, but I also heard a lot of Ringworm and even faster, more unhinged riffing akin to classic Vio-lence or Sodom. Exumer’s also a great reference point. Just pick a handful of your favorite classic thrash albums from just about anywhere, and you’re bound to find at least a few connections. The important thing is that the album doesn’t let up even once until it’s all over, and there’s a brief pause before you start the whole thing over again, because if you like thrash, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing. If you’re not sold yet, well– I can’t personally relate to feeling burned out on thrash or crossover, though I’m told there are some people who inexplicably feel that way. If you do happen to be one of those unfortunate souls, give this one a spin anyway, and see if it doesn’t change your mind. 4/21/17 (DumpsterLung)
Ingurgitating Oblivion – Vision Wallows in Symphonies of Light (Willowtip Records) [Weird Death Metal]
Listen to “Amid the Offal, Abide With Me”
Willowtip picked an unfortunate week to release the newest from Ingurgitating Oblivion, given all the hype surrounding the new Artificial Brain. If you’re a fan of the latter, you owe it to yourself to check these guys out. Their 2014 album, Continuum of Absence, was a solid entry in the riff-driven dissonant death metal category, and this followup sounds like it’s going to top it in every way. The production has improved significantly, and the music is more focused and intense. When you’re finished with Infrared Horizon, I urge you to give Vision Wallows a listen; you won’t regret it. 4/21/17 (Spear)
Rompeprop/Guineapig – Rompeprop/Guineapig (Rotten Roll Rex) [Whimsical Goregrind]
Listen to “Horror Whorehouse” (Rompeprop), “Caterpillar” (Guineapig)
A couple of years ago, I had the honour of embarking on a pilgrimage across Europe to the Holy Land. When I say, “Holy Land” I’m not talking about Israel. Oh no. I’m talking about Trutnov. Trutnov is a small town in the northern region of the beautiful Czech Republic that is home the best festival in the world, Obscene Extreme, where I was blessed with the opportunity to witness Rompeprop live (and Guineapig the following year). Unfortunately for you, but fortunately for me, it was one of Rompeprop’s last shows ever. Luckily for you, this split offers a couple of unreleased tracks that you can spin several times as you cry in a corner over the fact you will NEVER witness that level of debauchery in person EVER (exaggerated…OEF is top tier debauchery any year). Standard Rompeprop fare; pitch-shifted vocals, groovy riffs, silly intros. “Horror Whorehouse” is a bangin’ track. Great to sing along to as well. As for the Guineapig tracks, they will just barely hold you over until the new album gets released. “Caterpillar” is just straight up oozin’ with those barely intelligible, gargled vocals and groovy riffs. This is the type of track you bust out during a karaoke session at a family gathering. I will say that, if you are a fan of Rompeprop and collect…then there should be a little bit of urgency ordering this. There are 500 vinyl copies (100 violet splatter, 100 green splatter, and 300 black). As of writing this, only 9 copies of the violet remain. This is likely the last release of new material from Rompeprop. FFO: Jig-Ai, Ass To Mouth, Rectal Smegma 4/20/17 (BertBanana)
Spasm/Gutalax – Spasm/Gutalax (Rotten Roll Rex) [Pornogrind, probably]
Listen (NSFW)
MORE GOREGRIND! Do you like groovy riffs? Do you like fart/shit jokes? Do you like vocals that sound like a cross between a hamster dying, frog croaks and the unclogging of a toilet? Congrats! You are a Gutalax fan! This split offers 14 songs (7 from each band…both bands cover a song from each other) Both Gutalax songs available to listen, “Assmeralda” and “Fart and the Furious,” absolutely rip. The 2 Spasm songs, “We Wanna Destroy…” and “King Cock (Gutalax cover),” had this wonderful combo bree-bree vocals and SURPRISE! Gutalax’s vocalist! I’m sure someone reading this thinks I’m being sarcastic with the amount of enthusiasm I’ve put into this review but I assure you, I’m dead serious about how awesome this is. I don’t even need to listen to this whole thing to give it 7 out of 5 Toilets. Gutalax’s name on this alone is enough to know that this shit rips harder than a post-turkey dinner fart. Spasm is just a bonus in my opinion. If you’re copping that Rompeprop split, you’re copping this as well. 4/20/17 (BertBanana)
Afraid of Destiny – Agony (Independent) [DSBM]
Listen to “Into the Darkness”
Ancient Ascendant – Raise the Torch (Spinefarm/Candlelight) [Death Metal]
Argus Megere – VEII (Loud Rage Music) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Umbre in piatra apuse”
Artificial Brain – Infrared Horizon (Profound Lore Records) [Weird Death Metal]
Listen
Review
Casket Huffer – Gospels of Scum (Hibernation) [Death Metal]
Listen
Cloven Hoof – Who Mourns for the Morning Star? (High Roller Records) [Heavy Metal]
Coltsblood – Ascending into Shimmering Darkness (Independent) [Sludge/Doom]
Listen to Mortal Wound”
Craven Idol – The Shackles of Mammon (Dark Descent Records) [Black Thrash]
Stream
Cryonic Temple – Into the Glorious Battle (Scarlet Records) [Power Metal]
Listen to “Man of a Thousand Faces”
Devil – To the Gallows (Soulseller Records) [Heavy Metal]
Listen to “To the Gallows”
Disbelief – The Symbol of Death (Listenable Records) [Death Metal]
Listen to “Full of Terrors”
Disharmony – The Abyss Noir (Grimm Distribution) [Doom]
Listen to “The Abyss Noir,” “Vain Messiah”
Disorder – Fuego negro (Symbol of Domination) [Black/Death/Thrash]
Listen to “Bajo El Yugo De La Ignorancia”
Dystopia – Chaos Philosophorum (Independent) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Through the Vortex”
End All – Signs of Life (Till Your Death) [Thrash]
Listen to “It’s Time To Metal”
Enisum – Seasons of Desolation (Avantgarde/Folkvangr) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Snow Storm”
Face Down Hero – False Evidence Appearing Real (Yonah Records) [Thrash]
Preview
Farsot – Fail·Lure (Prophecy Productions) [Black Metal]
Listen to “The Antagonist”
Game Over – Blessed Are the Heretics (Scarlet Records) [Thrash]
Ghost Bath – Starmourner (Nuclear Blast Records) [DSBM/Post-Black Metal]
Listen to “Thrones,” “Ambrosial”
Gnaw Their Tongues/Bismuth – Gnaw Their Tongues/Bismuth (split- Tartarus Records) [Black Metal/Noise/Drone]
Listen to “Glorieus en Onheilspellend Bazuingeschal” (GTT)
Hag Graef – Miasmic Terror Cult (Les Fleurs du Mal) [Black Metal]
Hessaja – Planet Sedam: ISON (WOOAAARGH) [Sludge/Doom]
Stream
Jotnar – Connected/Condemned (Massacre Records) [Melodeath]
Listen to “Connected/Condemned”
Khatano/Kundořez – Czech Madness (split- Symbol of Domination) [Death Metal]
Listen to “Hell” (Khatano), “Manzelska Krizze” (Kundořez)
Labÿrinth – Architecture of a God (Frontiers Music) [Prog Power]
Listen to “Bullets,” “Someone Says”
Maggot Colony – Vile Reincarnation (Rising Nemesis Records) [Brutal Death Metal]
Listen to “Vile Reincarnation”
Martyr Defiled – Young Gods (Independent) [Deathcore]
Listen to “Sins of the Father,” “At the Throne of Salem”
Midnight Rider – Manifestation (Massacre Records) [Heavy Metal]
Listen to “When I Spew My Hate”
Moonbow – War Bear (Ripple Music) [Doom]
Listen to “War Bear”
Mortör – Burn Up the Dead (CDN Records) [Death Metal]
Listen to “Pleasure of Hate”
Mucupurulent – Drenched in Blood (Rotten Roll Rex) [Deathgrind]
Listen
Neo Noir – Sanatorium (Independent) [Black Metal]
Night Demon – Darkness Remains (Century Media/SPV) [Heavy Metal]
Listen to “Welcome To The Night,” “Hallowed Ground”
Review
Obelyskkh – The Providence (Exile on Mainstream Records) [Doom]
Preview
Ossian – Az igazi szabadság (Hammer Music) [Heavy Metal]
Preview
Pit of Toxic Slime – The Ferocious Conquest of the Slum (Death Metal Industry) [Poe Slameron]
Listen to “Neighbourhood of Decay”
Profanity – The Art of Sickness (Apostasy Records) [Tech Death]
Listen to “Who Leaves Stays,” “Recreating Bliss”
Rendered Helpless – Entities of Transdimensional Emergence (Independent) [Slamb of God]
Listen to “Fall Before Me,” “Entities of Frenzied Masturbation”
Resurgency – No Worlds… nor Gods Beyond (FDA Records) [Death Metal]
Listen to “Thresholds of Infinite Pain”
Revenant Dead – Heroes Without Villains (Subdivision records) [lolbuttz]
Listen
Rose Rose – The Final Sign for Creatures (BTH Records) [Crossover Thrash]
Preview
Slate Grey – World Turns to Black (7hard Music) [Metalcore]
Listen to “Leave the Enemy”
Strikelight – Beyond the Afterglow (Eat Metal Records) [Heavy Metal]
Stream
Tehom – The Merciless Light (Blood Harvest Records) [Death Metal]
Listen to “The Smoldering Vessels”
Ulvegr – Titahion: Kaos Manifest (Ashen Dominion) [Black Metal]
Stream
Umbra Noctis – Via mala (Novecento Produzioni) [Black Metal]
Listen
Vampire – With Primeval Force (Century Media Records) [Death Thrash]
Listen to “Ghoul Wind,” “Revenants”
Vicinity – Recurrence (Mighty Music) [Prog Metal]
Listen to “Extinction”
Virus – Investigator (Karisma Records) [Weird Rock]
Listen to “Investigator”
Voltax – No Retreat… You Surrender (Iron Shield Records) [Heavy/Speed Metal]
Listen to “Broken World”
Vomit Remnants – Hyper Groove Brutality (Unique Leader Records) [Brutal Death Metal]
Listen to “Hi-fi the art of Rapture,” “Wire Rope Strangle”
Vulvagun – The Painful Road to Eden (Hellfire Records) [Heavy/Prog Metal]
Listen to “Old Creeping Jesus”
World End Man – Nobody Wins (Independent) [Death Metal]
Stream
Your Chance to Die – Ex Nihilo (EMP Label Group) [Melodeath]
Listen to “Omega”
Did we forget a new release? Is there a way we could improve this list? Let us know in the comments below!
(Images VIA, VIA, VIA, VIA, VIA, VIA)
