ENDTYMER is the inevitable weekly “recap/new release round-up” series. It hits at the end of (most) every week with the intent of covering notable new releases, sharing news of new releases, and musing over various personal listening habits. It is largely informal, might contain 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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FIVE BEST OF THE WEEK

This last week and especially today was one of the more active weeks for releases in a bit but it is definitely the end of the month, eh. One of my favorite albums this year [#1] MALOKARPATAN‘s fourth full-length (‘Vertumnus Caesar‘, Invictus Productions/The Ajna Offensive) is one of the more richly considered and personality sporting releases in recent memory and should not be ignored. [#2] CEMETERY URN‘s fifth album (‘Suffer the Fallen‘, Hell’s Headbangers) reminds use what death metal has been and still should be when it decides to stay on subject. The third album from Argentinian avant-garde black metal band [#3] PSICOSFERA changes their outlook and their voice dramatically as ‘Summa Negativa‘ is their tome of nihil and their first record with a vocalist and he certainly impresses. If you lean toward traditional heavy metal and doom metal check out the sixth album from Finnish trio [#4] CARDINALS FOLLY (‘Live By The Sword‘, Soulseller Records) where they pick up the pace and amp their doom anthem side a bit. Otherwise I was fixated on this strange and ghastly experimental record from [#5] YELLOW EYES which I’d gotten just this morning when it’d surprise released. (‘Master’s Murmur‘, Sibir Records) and quickly realized wasn’t necessarily black metal at all.

Send me your unwashed, hateful black metal. Nothing But Black Metal November approaches…

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NEW RELEASES

Catch up with the latest new release announcements here. I’ve changed this format to focus on key announcements from releases I am more likely to cover. It will then be followed by detailed list of notable upcoming new releases and songs from already announced releases with links to streams/videos of songs and singles beyond. If there are less than six notable new release announcements on any given week, I will skip this section.

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Montréal-based death metal monstrosity PHOBOCOSM have announced their third full-length album comes to top off an only now explained trilogy of albums, once again working with the good folks at Dark Descent Records. ‘Foreordained‘ will arrive this coming December 8th on CD/LP and digitally. Guitarist Samuel Dufour explains the suggestion of the trilogy: “When we wrote Deprived, we decided that our first three albums would be a trilogy, so Foreordained is the last chapter of that trilogy. We made a conscious effort to pace all three albums in a similar manner since we wanted them to be linked – starting with a slow, crushing doom song and concluding with a long, epic, depressive one. It’s not a coincidence,”. Not only is this a brain-spiking announcement but it surely helps that the album art is brilliant, a downward flowing piece from Lauri Laaksonen (Desolate Shrine, Convocation). Check out the first preview song “Infomorph”:

Invictus Productions have announced December 1st as the release date for a new EP from Finnish blackened death metal mutilators MALICIOUS. ‘Merciless Storm‘ will release on CD and 12″ vinyl. Pushing the thrashing patternation of 80’s death metal in the U.S. alongside the legends of Brazil in the same breath, these folks are completely insane, and of course this four song, eleven minute EP will slaughter as they’ve promised more kill-speed with this title track “Merciless Storm”:

Singaporean black metal cult INFERNAL EXECRATOR have announced their third album will release by way of Pulverised Records. ‘Diabolatry‘ will be released on December 15th this year and was engineered and rendered by Impiety guitarist Nizam Aziz. The cover artwork comes from one my favorites, Indonesian illustrator Jenglot Hitam, an eye for detail and texture which matches the fiery dynamism and diabolical evil of the music perfectly. Check it out for yourself per the first preview track “Marauders Prayers Of Profanation”:

Hellenic black metal legends VARATHRON have released the first preview of their new album ‘The Crimson Temple‘ by way of new single “Hegemony Of Chaos” and pre-orders now being open for this impressive record. This is maybe my most anticipated record of the year and can’t wait ’til it releases this coming December 1st on Agonia Records. New song:

Illinois death metal band CARDIAC ARREST return with a song (“Victims to the Blasphemy”) from their eighth full length album ‘The Stench of Eternity‘ which is planned for a Spring 2024 release by way of Hell’s Headbangers Records. Discover a buried ghoul now:

Everlasting Spew Records have announced that after an eight year hiatus brutal death metal duo REVULSED are finally back with a second full-length album. ‘Cerebral Contamination‘ releases December 15th on CD, tape, and digitally with the vinyl arriving in Spring 2024. Plenty of riffs on this one and the album art is nuts. Check out the first preview song:

Personal Records have announced the debut album from Norwegian death metal band HORRIFIER will release by their hands on compact disc. ‘Horrid Resurrection‘ will arrive on December 15th sporting a style that marries the rotten slap of late 80’s United States death metal filth with the death-thrashing attack of their own Norwegian scene per these last ten years or so.

Copenhagen, Denmark-based death metal crew ELITIST have signed with Indisciplinarian for the release of their debut full-length ‘A Mirage Of Grandeur‘. Presented as a critique of social, political, and cultural elitism and superiority, the band describes the album: “It is the central thesis of the album that boundless arrogance and contempt for perceived lessers is customary among the self-satisfied decision-makers and gatekeepers of our time. Therefore, A Mirage Of Grandeur is dedicated to those who are utterly convinced of their own magnificence and therefore have nothing to spare for the undeserving; those who believe that their status makes them untouchable; those who would simply prefer to shrug at the oncoming catastrophes facing humanity. This album is for you.” It will be released on November 17th on CD and digital via Indisciplinarian, while Extremely Rotten Productions will release the cassette version the same day. Indisciplinarian will release a limited vinyl version on January 13th, 2024.

Signal Rex have announced December 8th as the release date for Danish black metal band GEISTAZ’IKA‘s second full-length album. ‘Midnatsbøn ved Djævelens Port‘ will release on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats. I recall liking the classic mid-90’s pagan black feeling of their debut and I am hoping they’ve kept on course with it, seems like it per the impressive preview track they’ve just posted “Med Korstegn og Grådkvalt Fadervor”:

Signal Rex have announced December 8th as the release date for AVRÆ LVNÆ‘s debut album, ‘Ntdd Strl‘ which will release on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape. A trio hailing from the Ecuadorian black metal scene the band is fronted by Wampyric Strigoi of Wampyric Rites. Their cause? Neon metal?! Expect black metal scourged with unearthly synth and a maximal color scheme.

Transcending Obscurity Records have announced they will release the upcoming full-length album from Australian deathgrind/sludge crew RESIN TOMB. ‘Cerebral Purgatory‘ will release this upcoming January 19th next year.

Atlanta-based progressive death metal band ALLUVIAL announced their return with a new EP for Nuclear Blast. ‘Death Is But A Door‘ will release on all relevant formats this January 12th. They’re suggesting the material for this album with be slower, heavier and aim for a darker sound. I enjoyed their last record for Unique Leader, so I’ll check this one out. First single is “Bog Dweller”:

North Dakota death metal band MAUL have their first EP ready after signing to 20 Buck Spin as they work toward a full-length release. ‘Desecration And Enchantment‘ is a three song affair (if you get the cassette tape) and features a pretty stellar render thanks to Signaturetone Recordings. Didn’t totally die for their debut LP but I do like this first preview song so far:

United States heavy doom metal veterans THE OBSESSED presents the first single taken from their upcoming fifth studio album ‘Gilded Sorrow‘. It’ll released February 16th through Ripple Music. Frontman Scott “Wino” Weinrich says: “This song is about and dedicated to all the loud mouth keyboard warriors, and so-called “friends” who steal from you, conveniently forget about debts, stab you in the back, instigate Internet rumours, talk shit in the press, while being the first to run away from any face to face confrontations. Simply, these people and their actions suck and “It’s not OK”. Enough said.” Check out “It’s Not OK” (live at Freak Valley):

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SONGS TO CHECK OUT

WITCHSNAKE ‘Deathcult of the Snake‘ LP (Helter Skelter Productions, December 15th) / Italy. Stoner/doom metal.

INFECTION CODE ‘Sulphur‘ LP (Time To Kill, November 17th) / Italy. Thrash/industrial metal.

BLACKFLOW ‘Seeds of Downfall‘ LP (Personal Records, December 15th) / Chile. Traditional yet eclectic doom metal.

ALTARS OF THE MOON ‘The Colossus and the Widow‘ LP (Disorder Recordings, November 17th) / Portland, Oregon. Post-black metal.

LEONOV ‘Procession‘ LP (Vinter Records, November 24th) / Oslo, Norway. Post-metal.

INFINITY RITUAL ‘II‘ EP (Self-Released, November 3rd) / New Zealand. Doom, stoner rock.

THE CLAMPS ‘Megamouth‘ LP (Heavy Psych Sounds, January 14th, 2024) / Italy. Stoner/hard rock.

THE LAST EON ‘Infernal Fractality‘ LP (Soulseller Records, November 17th 2023) / Norway. Electro-black metal.

GINNUGAGAP ‘Helical Arising‘ LP (Signal Rex, December 8th) / Portugal. Black metal.

PLAGUE OF THE FALLEN ‘Amongst the Rats‘ LP (Self-Released, December 8th) / New Zealand. Death metal.

NEUROPATH ‘At Damnation’s Core‘ LP (Sphere of Apparition Records, November 17th) / Australia. Death metal.

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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 each week for the most part. You can click on the link provided to read the review/article, 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 generalized notes. The written review and the video review are complimentary -not- interchangeable. Please subscribe, share, and leave a comment, etc. if you feel like it.

NOTE: Right-click and “Open in New Tab/Window” to view on YouTube or try youtube.com/@terraasymmetry

An Early Stream of SAVAGE ‘Demo I’ (2023) | PREMIERE

An Early Stream of PSICOSFERA ‘Summa Negativa’ LP (2023) | PREMIERE

AFTERBIRTH – In But Not Of (2023) | REVIEW

BARING TEETH – The Path Narrows (2023) | REVIEW

CIRITH UNGOL – Dark Parade (2023) | REVIEW

VERTEBRA ATLANTIS – A Dialogue With the Eeriest Sublime (2023) | REVIEW

Short Reviews | October 18th, 2023

HIPPIE DEATH CULT – Helichrysum (2023) | REVIEW

ECOCIDE – Metamorphosis (2023) | REVIEW

CEMETERY URN – Suffer the Fallen (2023) | REVIEW

MALOKARPATAN – Vertumnus Caesar (2023) | REVIEW

Short Reviews | October 25th, 2023

LIES OF P (2023) | REVIEW

Videos for these coming early next week:

PSICOSFERA – Summa Negativa (2023) | REVIEW

CARDINALS FOLLY – Live By The Sword (2023) | REVIEW

SEPULCHRAL CURSE – Abhorrent Dimensions (2023) | REVIEW

THANAMAGUS – Lie in Wait (2023) | REVIEW

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. These choices are subject to change as the final drafts evolve and other releases might potentially take priority:

LONGFORM REVIEWS + VIDEO:

MORNE – Engraved With Pain [November 3rd, Metal Blade Records]
GREEN LUNG – This Heathen Land [November 3rd, Nuclear Blast Records]
MORTUARY DRAPE – Black Mirror [November 3rd, Peaceville Records]
TOTENMESSE – Fiktionlust [November 3rd, Pagan Records]
XOTH – Exogalactic [November 3rd, Dawnbreed Records]
NIGHT HAG / BURIAL – Utterances From Below [November 10th, Rotted Life]

SHORT REVIEWS + VIDEO:

YELLOW EYES – Master’s Murmur [October 27th, Sibir Records]
LEFT CROSS – Upon Desecrated Altars [November 10th, Profound Lore Records]
ASTEROID WITCH / GREENSEEKER – Asteroid Witch/Greenseeker [November 3rd, Electric Valley]
PLAGUE RIDER – Intensities [November 10th, Transcending Obscurity]
CIRKELN – The Primitive Covenant [November 3rd, True Cult Records]
SEA MOSQUITO – Igitur [November 3rd, Onism Productions]

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