ENDTYMER is the inevitable weekly “music news blog” series I’ve been working to avoid for some time. It hits at the end of every week with the intent of covering notable new releases, sharing news of new releases, and musing over various personal listening habits. It is a largely informal blog, has opinions, etc. so chill out a bit. I do my best to cover as much of everything I receive in some form regardless of genre or representation, don’t hesitate to send anything and everything my way: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

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ALBUM OF THE WEEK

The third week of March is not without its champions but will seem a bit light because the majority of the month’s “bigger” releases are set for next Friday, too many of them in fact. Light week for new release news otherwise. There are four records which I had to consider for the best of the week starting with Chilean death metal machine Sepulcrum who put out an absolutely smoking debut with ‘Lamentation of Immolated Souls‘, then Polish psychedelic post-black metal band Entropia managed an infectious and stirring fourth album with ‘Total‘ before Icelandic melodic black/death metal band Úlfúð charted their own course through ‘Of Existential Distortion‘ and each of these heavily stylized bands brought memorable songs and high quality work to the table but I’d ultimately have to give it to New York-based progressive death metal band CONTRARIAN for their latest full-length ‘Sage of Shekhinah‘ which has continued to impress and enrich as I’ve stuck with at least a daily listen since receiving the promo. I feel it will be one of the more lasting pieces in my own collection from this month’s releases and can’t wait to get a physical copy.

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SONG PREMIERES

Don’t miss these two song premieres from this week! Both bands rule, full support to each.

An Early Stream of “Petroglyph” from MESMUR’s ‘Chthonic’ LP (2023) | PREMIERE

An Early Stream of “Open Tomb of Nightmares” from LARVAE’s ‘Entitled to Death’ LP (2023) | PREMIERE

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“NEWS”

Hammerheart Records have announced they will release the seventh full-length album from revered black metal trio SAMMATH this coming June 16th on all formats. ‘Grebbeberg‘ is even more of a maelstrom than one would naturally expect from these folks and it also comes with a concept revolving around World War II and this time from a more personal angle where they tell the story of guitarist/vocalist Jan Kruitwagen’s great-uncle who died in the Battle of Grebbeberg circa 1940, a major encounter between the Netherlands and Nazi Germany which lead to heavy casualties and ceded lines. I’ve already spent plenty of time with this record and the first impression is even better than the already brilliant ‘Across the Rhine is Only Death‘ which I reviewed back in 2019. More once they’re ready to push a few singles out, for now you can check out the art and pre-orders.

https://hammerheartstore.com/collections/vendors?q=Sammath

Norwegian avant-garde metal band DØDHEIMSGARD have released an impressive music video for “Abyss Perihelion Transit”, the first single from their upcoming full-length ‘Black Medium Current‘ which releases April 14th by way of Peaceville Records. Regarding the single, Vicotnik comments: “The whole album revolves subjectively around perception, experience, psychology, objective/subjective reality vs external pressure, tropes, taboos, the laws of motion/causality which influences one’s life. The subjective perception of reality vs the objective causal effects of reality and how they are bound interact. Epistemological dualism. I guess mental health, or rather instead of health, let’s call it mental condition is a big topic on this record. Not as in a complaining way, or as a good or bad notion, but rather a subject’s study of his own psychology (en)during everything. Like the ambiguity of Being. What is Being? Is it a meta-physical stratum of subjective emotionally fuelled notions or is Being just explaining a physical object that is, therefore being. Epistemologically I guess these lyrics dwell a lot on naïve realism vs representational realism. Cognitivism vs behaviourism, and then bringing it all to an artist context obviously. So, it is experiential renditioning, not solution driven.”

Personal Records have announced a May 19th release date for SPORAE AUTEM YUGGOTH‘s debut full-length ‘However It Still Moves‘ on CD and digitally. This Chilean group formed back in 2019 and have since focused on old school death/doom metal influenced style. Make sure to check out their 2020 release ‘The Plague of Aeons‘ to get an idea of what to expect beyond this preview track “Disintegration”:

Nuclear Winter Records have announced April 28th as the release date for the latest EP from Dhaka, Bangladesh-based death metal trio KAAL AKUMA. ‘Turiya‘ will release on CD and cassette tape formats. Formed in late 2018, these folks take an interesting atmospheric approach to death metal that is still decidedly ‘old school’ in spirit. The opening track on the record, “Ego Death”, is available over on Bandcamp:

Danish melodic doom metal band SATURNUS have released a video of a brand new song “The Calling” which serves as the first single from their upcoming album ‘The Storm Within‘ due out on Prophecy Productions this coming June 16th. Drummer Henrik O. Glass comments on the single and its meaning: “Sparks of inspiration come and go, but some of them live inside and drive us forward. The past might weigh heavily on our shoulders, but it also fuels the decisions to turn our present into poetry for the brave. Hence for life and blood to combine and to bring a new horizon into view, it takes an ‘inner calling’. However, this call is overshadowed by the lament reaching out from times of trouble and forgotten shores. ‘The Calling’ tells the story of those, who pull from doom and reach strength by turning sacrifice into pure will. The song is our new anthem, which is brought about from a great change of perspective and the need to finally move on. This is a call to act on their passion to all, who yearn for a change in their lives. All of this makes it the perfect first single to herald the new storms that we shall overcome.” Ah, just wait for the lead guitar hook to hit. Memorable song, stoked to hear the full album.

Living Temple Records have announced May 12th as the release date for THANATOMASS‘ debut full-length album, ‘Hades‘. This band do a fine job of filling the air with chaotic and violent winds, been looking forward a full-length since their last recording struck such a chord. Also, that cover art is exceptional. Check out the first single “Gravedance Sabbath” over on their label’s YouTube channel:

German post-black metal band HERETOIR are finally back with some new material and we start with a very catchy, accessible song “Anima” which features on from their upcoming mLP ‘Wastelands‘ which is due for release this coming May 19th by way of AOP Records. The band comments: “’Anima’ deals with the urge to free yourself from the iron shackles society puts on us humans. Our true inner potential is kept suppressed by 24-7 pressure to perform and numbing consumerism. ‘Anima’ can be understood as a scream to ‘free your mind and live your life to the fullest’,” and I’ve noticed this is a big subject in heavy music lyrics these last three years in particular. Check out the video over on YouTube:

After a decade long break Portuguese doom metal band GESSO return with a new album entitled ‘Nunca os Céus Se Tornarão Lugares‘, an album they’ve suggested that moves away from the psychedelic stoner feeling to a heavier atmosphere with use of classic synths as an important voice. They’ve set the release date for April 12th by way of Slowdriver Records. The first single is pretty stunning, classic feeling but with their own voice:

Learning Curve Records have announced They will release ‘Halo Castration Institute‘, the latest album from Connecticut-based noise rock/post-hardcore outsiders INTERCOURSE this coming May 5th. When asked about the first single vocalist Tarek Ahmed is quick to the point: “The song is about trying to fight your own existential dread and realizing how futile it is. Life sucks, it only gets worse, and all anyone will offer you is clichéd advice.” Go check out “Where Losers Go to Die” if you’re into getting yelled at:

Polish/Irish avant-garde black metal band MOLEKH have announced their upcoming debut full-length ‘Ritus’ will release this coming March 27th. Pale Ghoul Recordings will release the tape and Bent Window Records will release the CD. This band features members of Thy Worshiper but brings a more chaotic, experimental sound. Check it out on Bandcamp:

Helter Skelter Productions/Regain Records have announced April 28th as the release date for black/doom metal act LORD MORTVM‘s sophomore album, ‘Dead Christ Baptism‘, on CD and vinyl LP. Drugs… Satan… doom… and you can jump into it all right now over on Bandcamp:

Finnish black metal group BLACK MASS PERVERTOR have announced their latest full-length album ‘Dionysian Rite‘ will be self-released on Compact Disc this coming April 28th. This one has a pig with a long dick on the cover, so you know it will be particularly good. The band comment on the album “As one might guess from the album title, on this opus we are drawing from the realms of dark impulses and emotions, irrationality and chaos, hidden urges, spiritual madness and ecstatic frenzy, and once again – not surprisingly – of raw and unrestrained sexuality combined with underlying deathwish, among other hot topics.” Check out a preview track on Bandcamp.

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THIS WEEK’S VIDEOS / REVIEWS

Catch up with the latest YouTube video review/features and written reviews here. New videos post Thursday/Friday of each week for the most part. You can click on the link provided to read the review, each review has the related video embedded in the original post as well. Videos are fairly casual and meant to accompany the written review with some extra context and a few quick notes.

XALPEN – The Curse Of Kwányep (2023) | REVIEW

ENTROPIA – Total (2023) | REVIEW

SEPULCRUM – Lamentation of Immolated Souls (2023) | REVIEW

ÚLFÚР– Of Existential Distortion (2023) | REVIEW

THE SERPENT AND THE PENTAGRAM: The Official Chronicles of Necromantia (2023) | REVIEW

GOAT EXPLOSION – Threatening Skies (2023) | REVIEW

VERMINOUS SERPENT – The Malign Covenant (2023) | REVIEW

Short Reviews | March 16th, 2023

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COMING UP NEXT WEEK:

Here is a tentative list of what is coming up next week in terms of reviews. The following records have been listened to extensively, a preliminary review has been drafted (or completed), and I’ve locked them in for coverage. In terms of the “Short Written Reviews + Video” column, these are more tentative, some of them may be cut if I do not have enough time to get around to everything.

LONGFORM WRITTEN REVIEWS / VIDEO REVIEWS:

MORK – Dypet [March 24th, Peaceville Records]
XYSMA – No Place Like Alone [March 24th, Svart Records]
SPIRIT POSSESSION – Of the Sign… [March 31st, Profound Lore Records]
MEGALITH LEVITATION – Obscure Fire [March 31st, Aesthetic Death]
UNPURE – Prophecies Ablaze [March 31st, Invictus Productions/The AJNA Offensive]
KOMMAND – Death Age [March 31st, 20 Buck Spin]
OUTLAW – Reaching Beyond Assiah [March 31st, AOP Records]

SHORT WRITTEN REVIEWS + VIDEO:

ANGEROT – The Profound Recreant [March 24th, Redefining Darkness Records]
NERVOCHAOS – Chthonic Wrath [March 31st, Emanzipation Productions]
SIELUHAASKA – Kun Aurinkoni Kuoli [March 31st, Purity Through Fire]
GRIEVE – Wolves of the Norther Moon [March 31st, Werewolf]
SMALLPOX AROMA – Festering Embryos of Logical Corruption [March 31st, Inhuman Assault]
MORRISON GRAVES – Division Rising [March 31st, Self-Released]
OLD FOREST – Sutwyke [March 31st, Soulseller Records]
THE EVIL – Seven Acts to Apocalypse [March 31st, Osmose Productions]
ARROGANT DESTRUKTOR – Written in Blood From the Blade [March 31st, Awakening Records]
EVILCULT – The Devil is Always Looking For Souls [March 31st, Awakening Records]

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