ENDTYMER is the semi-weekly recap, blogspace, and new release round-up column. 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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SIX BEST OF THIS WEEK

[#1] STYGIAN CROWN (‘Funeral For a King‘, Cruz Del Sur Music)
[#2] VIRCOLAC (‘Veneration‘, Dark Descent/Sepulchral Voice)
[#3] CRANEIUM (‘Point of No Return‘, The Sign)
[#4] THEY CAME FROM VISIONS (‘The Twilight Robes‘, Eisenwald)
[#5] MORTEM AGMEN (‘The Path to the Abyss of Evil‘, Nachzehrer)
[#6] IRON CURTAIN (‘Savage Dawn‘, Dying Victims)

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UPCOMING RELEASES

Catch up with the latest new release announcements for albums I am most likely to cover here.

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Chilean thrash metal maestros CRITICAL DEFIANCE continue to prove themselves among the best around today as they announce their third full-length album. ‘The Search Won’t Fall…‘ releases March 22nd on CD via Unspeakable Axe Records and vinyl LP via Dying Victims Productions. I’ve already ducked into this record and can already say I’m even more blown away than expected as they’ve rolled back that classic mid-to-late 80’s feeling but kept it venomous, technical, melodic as they continue to perfect their impressive craft. They’ve even suggested some black metal influence might’ve creeped in on this album. Check out the lyric video for the latest single “44 Minds”:

Everlasting Spew Records have announced they will release the debut full-length album from Baltimore, Maryland-based death/thrash metal crew NUCLEAR TOMB. ‘Terror Labyrinthian‘ will arrive this coming April 19th on all relevant formats with the vinyl arriving in the summertime. You might recall I’d had a lot of great things to say about their ‘Succumbing‘ EP back in the day so I’m stoked to Hell after hearing this new song. Still keeping it weird as ever but with mostly ‘old school’ inspired flair, check out the title track from the record:

This coming April 22nd Memento Mori will release the newly announced sophomore full-length album from Chilean death metal duo COFFIN CURSE. ‘The Continuous Nothing‘ will release on CD format. Originally formed as a side-project from Inanna’s Max Neira this band has now proven just as vital status with their circa ’92 death metal feeling approach, classic and above the heap in terms of riffcraft. Check out the first preview track “Bacchanal of the Mortal”:

Southern California-based doom-rock crew EARLY MOODS have announced their sophomore album ‘A Sinner’s Past‘ will release by way of RidingEasy Records on March 8th. They’re suggesting the sub-genre ratio here is made up for 70’s proto-metal, 90s grunge riffing and timeless doom songwriting. The album will be available on LP, CD and digitally.

Soulseller Records have announced the latest full-length album from KAWIR will release form their hands on April 19th this year. ‘Kydoimos‘ (Κυδοιμος) will be the ninth overall full-length album from the Hellenic black metal cult, never a band to miss in my opinion. About the title: “The name of the new album derives from one of the Makhai (Μάχαι,) Ancient Greek daemons (personifications/spirits) of war. Kydoimos in particular refers to the personification of the cacophony and bedlam of battle.” A video clip for the first single, “Echetlaeus”, can be checked out at this location:

SATURDAY NIGHT SATAN is an occult doom/rock band hailing from Greece comprised of Kate Soulthorn on vocals and Jim Kotsis (Black Soul Horde) and they’ve just announced their first studio album ‘All Things Black‘ will release on vinyl this March 29 via Made of Stone Recordings. They’ve suggested their sound “offering 70’s proto-metal vibes, 80’s metal grooves and riffage along with a 90’s heavy rock heaviness.” well enough in line with the last twenty years of stoney evil heavy rock. Watch the lyric video for a new track titled “Lurking in the Shadows” now:

Psychedelic doom metal band HEAVY TEMPLE have released a video single for “Hiraeth” as the second track from their forthcoming sophomore full-length ‘Garden of Heathens‘ which is scheduled for release on April 12th through Magnetic Eye Records. HEAVY TEMPLE comment: “The Celtic word ‘Hiraeth’ is considered to be intranslatable but has come to mean ‘a homesickness for a place that you can never return to or that never was’ in English. I started writing these lyrics about a deep-seated imposter syndrome. Now I think that the song is also about feeling small. When you are not only struggling to prevent yourself from disappearing, but trying hard to regain who you are: ‘How can I love anyone when I don’t even like myself?’.” Great song, looking forward to the record:

KEYGEN CHURCH have announced their upcoming full-length ‘Nel Nome Del Codice‘ will release this coming March 22nd via Metal Blade Records. This project comes from Vittorio D’Amore of Master Boot Record as a one-person outfit who consider their sound a “modern-primitive love letter to doom/gothic/black metal with foundations in Baroque-era Classical and Romantic-era music.” This time around he is reaching for a broader palette and from what I’ve heard this third time is the charm in differentiating sonically from MBR. Check out the first preview track “La Chiave Mio Amor”:

Purity Through Fire have announced HERALDIC BLAZE‘s debut demo ‘Blazoned Heraldry‘ will release on CD and 12″ vinyl formats this coming March 21st. Consider it a contribution to medieval black metal aesthetics and an instantly inspiring sound. Great demo, check out the preview track “Blazoned Heraldry”:

Memento Mori have announced the latest album from Spanish death metal band DEVOTION‘s third full-length album will release through their hands on this coming April 22nd. ‘Astral Catacombs‘ will release on CD format. This one sounds great in preview, traditional but a bit out there and with aesthetics to match. Check out the first preview song “To Dementia”:

Avant-garde green metal phenom BOTANIST have released a video for “Aristolochia”, the first single taken from their forthcoming album ‘Paleobotany‘ which releases this coming May 17th. BOTANIST comment on the video: “There are hundreds of species of pitcher plant, but the one that this song is about has been around since the Cretaceous period. Aristolochia gigantea is the biggest member of this family and that is no coincidence. Giant creatures and giant plants went together!” Loved this song, looking forward to this album.

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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

FARSOT – Life Promised Death (2024) | REVIEW

BORKNAGAR – Fall (2024) | REVIEW

IRON CURTAIN – Savage Dawn (2024) | REVIEW

MORTEM AGMEN – The Path to the Abyss of Evil (2024) | REVIEW

LVME – Of Sinful Nature (2024) | REVIEW

Short Reviews | February 21st, 2024

VIRCOLAC – Veneration (2024) | REVIEW

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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:

APOGEAN – Cyberstrictive [March 8th, The Artisan Era]
GREY SKIES FALLEN – Molded by Broken Hands [March 8th, Profound Lore Records]
HOUWITSER – Sentinel Beast [March 8th, Self-Released]
MIDNIGHT – Hellish Expectations [March 8th, Metal Blade Records]
SLIMELORD – Chytridiomycosis Relinquished [March 8th, 20 Buck Spin]
EARLY MOODS – A Sinners Past [March 8th, RidingEasy Records]

SHORT REVIEWS + VIDEO:

Short Reviews will be weekly this March, every Wednesday. Next entry: 2/28/24 (Feb. 28th)

PELICAN – Adrift/Tending the Embers [March 1st, Self-Released]
NEGATIVE PRAYER – Self//Wound [March 1st, Chaos Records]
VOLCANDRA – The Way of Ancients [March 1st, Prosthetic Records]
JE EST UN AUTRE – Flatworm Mysticism [March 1st, Nocturnum Recordings]
ETOILE FILANTE – Mare Tranquillitatis [March 1st, Self-Released]
KONTRAVOID – Detachment [March 1st, Artoffact Records]

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