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

The album of the week this time around is [#1] ILDSKÆR‘s much anticipated second full-length (‘Blod & Jern‘, Vendetta Records) which has thus far been one of their most grand tragedian work to date. I’ll review it in detail next week. Returning from a nearly ten year gap between full-lengths, Italian black metal underground legendry [#2] MORTUARY DRAPE‘s sixth album (‘Black Mirror‘, Peaceville Records) reminds us that black metal is in fact heavy metal and that their position in developing the early second wave shouldn’t be ignored as their style endures. [#3] TOTENMESSE evolve into a more severe nuclear creation on their second LP (‘Fiktionlust‘, Pagan Records) and I’d greatly appreciated their bold choices made. Blackened death metal beasts from Kolkata [#4] TETRAGRAMMACIDE impress with their second full-length (‘Typho​-​Tantric Aphorisms From The Arachneophidian Qur’an‘, Iron Bonehead) wherein brutality and inventive rhythms trounce the noise/war metal of their past resolutely. Otherwise I’d found the third LP from [#5] CARNAL TOMB (‘Embalmed in Decay‘, Testimony Records) had the sort of riffs I enjoy in ‘old school’ influenced death metal.

Send me your unwashed, hateful black metal. Nothing But Black Metal November begins next week…

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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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Werewolf Records have announced December 15th as the universal release date for the third full-length album album from Finnish black metal cult VARGRAV. ‘The Nighthold‘ will illuminate all crypts and blind believers by way of CD and cassette tape formats to start with the vinyl LP version coming next year. The lineup for this album now includes the nefarious Graf Werwolf von Armageddon on vocals and Moonsorrow members Trollhorn of the Black Harvest on guitars/bass and Baron M. Tarwonen on drums, all bringing magick and treachery alike to the fold no doubt. This is probably one of my most anticipated records of the year as I’ve been a big fan since the ‘Netherstorm‘ record first hit my inbox a handful of years ago. For now, drink from the chalice:

Hells Headbangers have announced December 15th as the release date for a new mini-album from USBM legendry DEMONCY. ‘Diabolica Blasphemiae‘ will released on CD and cassette tape formats then and the 12″ vinyl version will follow next year. Check out the first preview track “Diabolica Blasphemiae” and hiss along in the dark. Also, keep in mind there is a new full-length coming from the band on December 1st (via Dark Descent) so make sure you’ve got both records pre-ordered.

Leeds-based death metal quintet COGNIZANCE have announced they will release their latest concept album through the folks at Willowtip Records. ‘Phantazein‘ will release January 26th on CD, vinyl, and digital formats. Commenting on the album, guitarist Alex Baillie: “This record is undoubtedly our most creative and individual record yet. The evolution of COGNIZANCE has always been driven by our intrinsic vision and less of what our fans expect the band to deliver based on our previous work.” Check out the first single “The Towering Monument”:

Awakening Records have announced the second full-length album from Spanish death metal trio DEIMLER. ‘Immortalized‘ will release by their hand this coming November 25th on CD. Themed after the Alien movie trilogy this second record from the ‘old school’ style death metal band specifically charts the relationship between the “eighth passenger” and Ripley within the core trilogy. Check out the second single “Xenomorph” here:

This coming November 23rd Sepulchral Productions will set forth the latest release from Québécois black metal plague spreaders DÉLÉTÈRE. Their third album, ‘Songe d’une Nuit Souillée‘ will release on CD and a preview song will arrive in the coming weeks. This time around they’ve promised “a darker and most tortured” release which is saying a lot considering the melodic yet violent work they’ve released in the past. For now check out the pre-orders:

Délétère – Songes d'une Nuit Souillée CD

Awakening Records have announced the fourth full-length album from Colombian death metal quartet OSSUARY. ‘Stellar Annihilation‘ will release by their hand this coming November 25th on CD. This pure ‘old school’ death metal band have definitely gotten it right on this cosmic horror themed LP. Check out the second single “Demons of the Universe” here:

Gilead Media have announced the vinyl release for the debut recording from KALDEKET, two demos collected as ‘Vitiate // Déraciné‘ for immediate release (November 2nd.) Founded in 2021 from the ashes of black metal band False the two main members Travis and Kishel started Kaldeket as a studio experiment that carried the some of what they’d brought to their previous band. You can check the whole thing out now:

Subcarpathian (as in, Polish) black metal quintet KALT VINDUR have released the third single, “Agonizing Luminosity”, from their upcoming third full-length album. ‘Magna Mater‘ will release by way of The Circle Music this coming January 24th, 2024 on all relevant formats. You’ll note their sound has changed after some line-up shifts, now taking on a more melodic style and different pacing judging by this piece. The music video for the song is available below.

Fiadh Productions and Vita Detestabilis Records have announced their collaboration on the second full-length album from ambient black metal project BULL OF APIS BULL OF BRONZE. ‘The Fractal Ouroboros‘ will be a double LP and will release on December 22nd this year. The band comment: “Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze stands as a knife pointed to the throat of any who seek to maintain the oppressive systems of white supremacy and fascism that continue to fester in our societies.”

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SONGS TO CHECK OUT

BURIAL MOON ‘Burial Moon‘ LP (Signal Rex, December 8th) / Estonia/International. Black metal.

BERGRIZEN ‘Die Falle‘ LP (Purity Through Fire, December 21st) / Ukraine. Black metal.

KRVNA – ‘The Rythmus of Death Eternal‘ mLP (Zazen Sounds Lodge/Third Eye Temple, January 10, 2024) / Australia. Black metal.

AVSKRÄDE ‘Undergång‘ LP (Purity Through Fire, December 21st) / Sweden. Black 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

The Top 20 Albums of October | 2023

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

AEGRUS – Invoking the Abysmal Night (2023) | REVIEW

CARNAL TOMB – Embalmed in Decay (2023) | REVIEW

TETRAGRAMMACIDE – Typho-Tantric Aphorisms From The Arachneophidian Qur’an (2023) | REVIEW

MORTUARY DRAPE – Black Mirror (2023) | REVIEW

TOTENMESSE – Fiktionlust (2023) | REVIEW

NIGHT HAG / BURIAL – Utterances From Below (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:

ILDSKÆR – Blod & Jern [November 3rd, Vendetta Records]
MEPHORASH – Krystl-AH [November 10th, Shadow Records]
LEFT CROSS – Upon Desecrated Altars [November 10th, Profound Lore Records]
VENUS – Obscured Until Observed [November 14th, Xtreem Music]
AETERNUS – Philosopher [November 17th, Agonia Records]
SADUS – The Shadow Inside [November 17th, Nuclear Blast Records]

SHORT REVIEWS + VIDEO:

This week Short Reviews posts tomorrow (November 4th)

MORNE – Engraved With Pain [November 3rd, Metal Blade Records]
ASTEROID WITCH / GREENSEEKER – Asteroid Witch/Greenseeker [November 3rd, Electric Valley]
PLAGUE RIDER – Intensities [November 10th, Transcending Obscurity]
ALCHEMY OF FLESH – By Will Alone [November 17th, Redefining Darkness Records]
MAUL – Desecration and Enchantment [November 17th, 20 Buck Spin]
WET CACTUS – Magma Tres [November 24th, Electric Valley Records]

Nothing But Black Metal – Part I: (November 8th)

THREE EYES OF THE VOID – The Atheist [October 27th, Folter Records]
IKU-TURSO – Ikuinen Kirous [October 27th, Purity Through Fire]
NETHERDOM – Forsaking, Forseeking [October 31st, Amor Fati]
CIRKELN – The Primitive Covenant [November 3rd, True Cult Records]
SEA MOSQUITO – Igitur [November 3rd, Onism Productions]
GOATKRAFT – Prophet of Eternal Damnation [November 3rd, Iron Bonehead]
NAHASHEOL – Serpens Abyssi [November 3rd, Argento]
NIGHTGAUNT – Visitant [November 1st, Inferna Profundus Records]
CH’AHOM – Knots of Abhorrence [November 3rd, Sentient Ruin]
AMALEKIM – Avodah Zatah [November 3rd, Avantgarde Music]

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