THE TOP 20 ALBUMS OF THE MONTH should be self-explanatory, an ordered ranking of twenty albums that’d resonated most throughout this month. If you’re new to the site, the tendency is heavy and/or surreal music. Choices are selected based on temporal immersion, personal connection, impressive style, point of view, aesthetics and with consideration for the lasting value of each selection. All choices are ultimately personal and come without consideration for populism, nepotism, cronyism, or any outside factors including perceived “relevance”. Writing about music is a passion I afford as much time as is manageable and I am grateful to have so much to choose from. Thank you.

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I. This month on MystificationZine.com included 29 longform album reviews, 26+ video reviews/features, 25 short album reviews, and I am behind on written interviews with a handful still in process. I enjoyed and would recommend the new The Troops of Doom, Parfaxitas, and Árstíðir lífsins records but couldn’t fit them into my schedule and/or didn’t receive a promo for review.

II. Mystification Fanzine Issue #6 “Illusory Projections” is available digitally for $5.00 USD here. Keep in mind subscribing to my Patreon does not entitle you to back issues, only the current monthly issue. This issue is more sparse as I’ve not had as much free time this month.

III. In 2024 written reviews will now have a video component which will post at the bottom of each review or feature at the end of each week (Thursday or Friday) If you enjoy these please consider following on YouTube. We are nearing 950 (!) subscribers and I’m hoping to hit the thousand mark in 2024.

IV. As always I’d like to express my gratitude for the bands, labels and PR firms who choose to work with me. Thank you.

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#1	Album of the Month
ARTIST:	ADVERSARIAL
TITLE:	Solitude with the Eternal…
RECORD LABEL(S):	Dark Descent Records

From their first demo through their second album Adversarial always hadn’t just developed a knack for especially brutal, technical yet bestial blackened death metal but rather they’d mastered it by 2015. While I’d felt that sound had limitless potential they’d more-or-less shelved their gig for nearly a decade beyond that high point and I suppose the distance offered by time helped the profound heft and hammer of their work hit that much harder upon return. Per my own fandom back in the day they were always just a cool thing, kinda underrated overall but now it feels like they stand even taller upon return. ‘Solitude with the Eternal…‘ smokes from start to finish, burns through its half hour plus punish, overdoing it in the best way possible without ever dragging on. From my point of view it is the most essential release of the month.

“Speaking the ancient tongues, bludgeoning with primal force, what is and always has been unique about Toronto, Ontario-based black/death metal trio ADVERSARIAL still blankets and suffocates the senses here on their long-awaited third full-length album. With nine years having passed and no sign of degradation incurred ‘Solitude With the Eternal…‘ hammers out an elite point of blackened death metal superiority once again, proving the timeless efficacy of their work in one-thousand masterful strokes. Their return is beyond surreal in its accrued profundity, as if banked years ago and now withdrawn with a decade’s worth of wizened wrath now piled atop their legacy into one commanding heap of death worship.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#2
ARTIST:	WHOREDOM RIFE
TITLE:	Den Vrede Makt
RECORD LABEL(S):	Terratur Possessions

Over the course of their first three albums duo Whoredom Rife‘d mastered their own idyll of classic 90’s Norwegian black metal sophistication and here on their fourth album the goal post has shifted into their own more personalized tastes in said field. They’ve not lost that stranglehold on the voice of old but rather positioned some particularly atmospheric pieces to kick off this album, reaching for outright melodious passages and raw, rocking modes at once. I’d initially seen this as a sourcing of the extremes of their already stylized sound but ultimately it reads as an enriched personae, again, their own touch and voice developing its own loudness. Anyhow, ‘Den Vrede Makt‘ is also just a great black metal record, just tuneful enough and aggressive to the necessary degree with extremely fine art curation/design.

“Trenched in bunker and milling over the power of death, the wrath of Trondheim, Norway-based black metal duo WHOREDOM RIFE captured the process of mutation and delirium circa MMXXI as their fourth full-length album followed up and followed through on previously made threats. Distorted in its voice, multifarious on a new level ‘Den Vrede Makt’ is the piece to cap the scepter brandished and the unexpected tip of their sword as their goal of revivification beyond restoration of tradition now hits a crucial point of proof for its thesis. In the process of expansion, be it scope or voice, they’ve managed to retain a signature black hand despite the shedding of skin and displays of dominance which occur herein. Brilliantly classicist and expertly curated as they’ve long been, this time around these folks make the case for incurable singularity, an oeuvre given its own still-feral directive and moulded by hand into sleekened yet irreverent forms.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#3
ARTIST:	ROTTEN TOMB
TITLE:	The Relief of Death
RECORD LABEL(S):	Death Division Rituals

The much anticipated but not necessarily expected return of Chilean death metal gloom-sowing troupe Rotten Tomb is cause for celebration and yes, even if I missed the unique drum sound and the intensity of their debut which’d been my #1 record of 2022. Here the production values lend a thicker atmosphere, the drum sound more organic, and their overall style manages to be less referential yet similarly intense. It isn’t so much a downgrade but likely an even more honest render of their sound and capabilities. They still write a mean-assed riff and have that doomed touch that justifies the comparisons to bands like Grave Miasma and such. A solid follow-up even if it isn’t as immediately exciting as their previous record was.

“Iquique, Chile-based death metal quartet ROTTEN TOMB not only embrace death’s pulverization but once again embody the moment that it arrives to soothe the suffering of the wretched afflicted on this second full-length album. We succumb to the coming ‘The Relief of Death‘ here in maniac waves, suffocated beneath the monstrous death metal violence within and given shape by existentially questioning doom and coldly struck brutality for a classics-minded but outrageously vented maul front to back. A truly deranged series of events unfold here in the form of death magick rituals, psychic tortures, and a conscious questioning of reality beyond of the surety of death as these folks uphold the murderous momentum of their debut.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#4
ARTIST:	BLACK PYRAMID
TITLE:	The Paths of Time Are Vast
RECORD LABEL(S):	Totem Cat Records

Not only are Black Pyramid back after so many years but they’ve retained the old magick of their early days sound which’d been insanely tuneful psychedelic doom with some modern stoner/sludge fusion. What’d been a promising band back in the day is now an accomplished set of musicians who still have that masterful touch in creating memorable mammoth-sized songs which are more than plain riff worship. They’d stood out back in the day and here they continue to stick out in the best way possible on this indulgent, sometimes kinda jammed loose return.

“Northampton, Massachusetts-based psychedelic doom metal trio BLACK PYRAMID retake the helm of their decade distended ship, reclaiming their foil of exploration for a reprisal and extension of their signature sound for this fourth full-length album. A concept album relaying an epic sojourn through space and time ‘The Paths of Time are Vast‘ directs us down paths which lead to a place of cosmic rest where death and transcendence are without clear separation. No great-old rot is felt, inevitable death does not hinder the thrill of each portal taken as their sludge-thundered production values and inventive next-gen extension of traditional doom metal wiles further reaches into the realm of psych’d out and prog-rock ventured sounds without losing the immediate tunefulness that’d guided all their past work. It is not only a glorious return but one which comes with great evolutionary ambitions, all of which pay appreciable dividends to the patient, vibe-thirsted ear.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#5
ARTIST:	EVOKED
TITLE:	Immoral Arts
RECORD LABEL(S):	F.D.A. Records

Evoked‘s latest EP ‘Immoral Arts‘ is where the riffs are at this month in terms of thrashing death metal that is brimming with ideas pouring into the highest standards of late 80’s/early 90’s death metal attack. The appeal of this album is that simple from my point of view as their late Protector/early Pestilence-esque sound scorches past but also the noisome production values and high-brained thrashing felt, I dunno, like a jolt back to the revival of the true underground like we haven’t heard in the last decade, at least not that often.

“German thrashing death metal trio EVOKED might appear barbaric in the midst of the rush of raw, vile ‘old school’ bloodied attack on their latest mLP but we should not mistake sadistic violence for bluntness when such a surgical level of precision is applied. In fact ‘Immoral Arts‘ get the classic sound of late 80’s/early 90’s death metal exactly right, as is to be expected from a group of folks at it for just over ten years now, as they go on sticking to what they do best in terms of ripping riff after riff in the best tradition. Thousands of bands talk the right language in this sense but they are few and far between who can make such a neck-throttling diabolic feat of it with such brutal-yet-adept menace in hand at every turn. Short and potent in its familiar strike at ripping death noise, the appeal of this short record should speak for itself from the first cut and louder still through the last.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#6
ARTIST:	ROPE SECT
TITLE:	Estrangement
RECORD LABEL(S):	Iron Bonehead Productions

Though it might seem odd for a deep underground metal label to host a folkish, expressly tuneful depressive rock band as a token act the work of Rope Sect is appropriately dark in its rejection of society and civilization at large. Forged in the spirit of deathrock but far less punkish than might immediately imply a record like ‘Estrangement‘ should easily win folks over if they’ve any reasonable interest in low moods, catchy songs, and an the nihil spreading thick over us all. The main difference between this album and their debut LP are clear enough, as the production values are cleaner and the rhythm section tightened up without all the fussed-up reverb creating faux resonance. There aren’t as many quick hitting hooks as found on their debut but each of these songs count, are written more tightly and the whole of the experience is trimmed down to a point where the filler found on ‘The Great Flood‘ that’d make it feel overstated and less varietal are a thing of the past.

“In returning for a second full-length album roughly four years beyond their first German folken deathrock group ROPE SECT speak to the malaise that hangs over the disenfranchised, antisocial mind seeking autonomy directly as they craft their most memorable plan for escape to date. If you are already familiar with these folks then chances are you know exactly what to expect from ‘Estrangement‘ as a direct follow-up to their prior major works thus far, yet you may be surprised at the finesse with which they build additional nuance unto thier unique sound by way of tightened songcraft and altogether refined production values.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#7
ARTIST:	NOKTURNAL
TITLE:	Shades of Night
RECORD LABEL(S):	Pulverised Records

The appeal of this Indonesian black/death metal band was simple enough as I’d heard a certain tradition of heavy rock and post-metal inspired death metal in their own sound, developed over the course of many years. That said this album is cut down to the bone in terms of having any potential filler removed and to the point that ‘Shades of Night‘ feels slim yet impactful all the same. Turning a new leaf under a new name Nokturnal is potentially a testament to focus as well as a pretty straightforward use of one song type to explore a range of moods and modes. The main reason you’ll likely find some thrill here is the many twists and turns taken in the process of introductory moments being tuneful and the sea-change in the second half taking off in its own way. It reads as a formula eventually but one fans of Tribulation and Morbus Chron among others should appreciate.

“Yogyakarta, Indonesia-based dark death metal quartet NOKTURNAL follow the growling hiss of the night as the cold dark-side throws its shroud meter after meter, consuming all. Gloriously dramatic in presentation and impeccably arranged for maximum dark-melodic allure the band’s debut full-length album, ‘Shades of Night‘, realizes an infectious admirably realized vision in patiently stalking reveal. In conjure of horrifying dread by way of energetic bursts of delirium the finesse with which these folks are able to trample the listener already feels well beyond their years as they present this well formed debut statement as one of the finest debuts and altogether most unexpected records to hit so far this year.“

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#8
ARTIST:	CAVERN WOMB
TITLE:	Stages of Infinity
RECORD LABEL(S):	Rotted Life Records

A record like ‘Stages of Infinity‘ speaks for itself in most ways though it states itself in extended phrases, run-on sentences which arrive upon a point (eh, most of the time) but always appear focused on the greater journey taken in every case. The bigger picture is forming in the moment and the intensity lies moreso in intent than the note-for-note eruption happening. In this sense a band like Cavern Womb is inherently progressive in motion but ‘new old school’ in modus as they reach for a 90’s meets late 2010’s kinda death metal sound fans of Tomb Mold and Phobophilic should appreciate.

“Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based death metal quartet CAVERN WOMB retain their deliberate, slow-burning groove centric flow enough to pull ears within reach of the prog-death tendrils they’ve got lying in wait all over this thing. ‘Stages of Infinity‘ offers a trip, a ride, a jog through a surrealistic but not unheard of landscape and in the process of mapping out the way forward does well to develop expectations for a “new old school” prog-death ebb to continue to develop in their hands. Though they’ve not presented a profound direct-to-skull statement herein just yet the cosmic cartography taking place yet entertains to a considerable, well-curated degree and should ping the ears of folks interested in todays neo-kosmische death metal sounds as well as the old eyeless corpse of Finndeath grooves.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#9
ARTIST:	REVERSED
TITLE:	Wildly Possessed
RECORD LABEL(S):	Invictus Productions

The main thing I’d appreciated about this debut LP from Canadian quartet Reversed was its focus on the song even if most of the review had been spent trying to communicate sub-genre, what it meant to be a late 80’s-era extreme metal band in the midst of making something polished and violent yet tuneful in a punkish way. Though this record is more maniac in its approach than their first demo from back in the day this ends up being the right move as their work has this unreal black-death thrashing side to it with the occasional heavy rocking speed metal swing depending on the song. I think I say as much in the review but this one is more of a patient grower and deserves a minute to warm up.

“Vancouver, British Colombia-based blackened death-thrash metal quartet REVERSED aims to revive ancient scenes of obscure horrors, terrifying energetic discharge, and unspeakable graveyard violence. Seizure after seizure their debut full-length album ‘Wildly Possessed‘ provides attitude and eccentricity appropriate for the 80’s extreme metal inspired sounds they rifle out herein, stalking and slashing through a personae well-matched with their own type of arcane, sometimes tuneful aggression. By putting in the time to develop their own stamp upon this well-treaded territory they’ve avoided a predictable result while still relaying the classic tension and volatility of the old ways in a purely entertaining manner.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#10
ARTIST:	ABREAKTION
TITLE:	Bornhatred
RECORD LABEL(S):	Chaos Records

Abreaktion might be a newer name in Chilean thrash metal but that doesn’t mean the folks behind it aren’t entirely accomplished as they’ve honed this sound under another name for about ten years and likewise cut their teeth in groups like Parkcrest, Critical Defiance, and Hellish in the meantime. ‘Bornhatred‘ is quintessential new-era thrash from the Santiago area where a fair deal of German thrash influence carries over but they’ve got their own niche interests otherwise, mentioning Sacrifice (Canada) and covering a Dark Angel piece on this inspired but also entirely straightforward debut mLP.

“Santiago, Chile-based thrash metal band ABREAKTION are already keen to the violence that rules over their world as they take on the voices in their head for this visceral yet traditionally achieved debut EP. In reaction to post-traumatic triggers ‘Bornhatred‘ never bothers to whisper or croon in response to stimuli but stands ready to stab and bite its way through these four displays of extreme (but not too extreme) aggression as they introduce themselves riff-after-riff as a tuneful yet mayhemic faction. Expect a clear but never too cleanly cut strike of pure mid-to-late 80’s thrash metal heading in.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#11
ARTIST:	NOCTURNUS A.D.
TITLE:	Unicursal
RECORD LABEL(S):	Profound Lore Records

Much as I’d loved to once again spend time talking about the history of Nocturnus and praise the brilliant career and handicraft of Mike Browning I’d indulged quite a bit when ‘Paradox‘ released some years ago and in most ways ‘Unicursal‘ is an extension and an exhaustion of that returning mode, less concerned with sounding like a follow up to ‘The Key‘ and moreso developing future Nocturnus A.D. and the way I’d described it was some manner of classicist prog metal. Eh, more importantly this is a great record with a strong narrative quality to its first half and more of an almost mantra-like quality to parts of the second half, a showcase of what sweetly polished production values and a push beyond the boundaries of prog-tech death might have in store. In this sense I’d consider this album more of a transitional phase than a new order, an easing step forward.

“[…] Brightened production values, specifically some clarity afforded Browning‘s voice and some exponential space allowed the drum kit leaves this album feeling more like a particularly wild speed-metallic progressive metal attack rather than an olden death metal record. You’re still getting signature Nocturnus sounds here no doubt but I did not find this record intended to revive the classic Florida death metal sensory experience as much as ‘Paradox‘ had but rather give clarity to what is entirely unique about this group and its vision. The horrifying crystalline realm of “CephaloGod”, the nigh orchestral swings taken by “Organism 46B” and the estranged tarantella of quick-changeling moods per “Yesod, The Dark Side of the Moon” each stood out to me most profoundly to start though the hour-long ride through ‘Unicursal‘ was steadily engaging, surprisingly verbose listening experience.“

>> SHORT REVIEW <<

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#12
ARTIST:	CHRIST DENIED
TITLE:	Christopsy
RECORD LABEL(S):	Xtreem Music

“Madrid, Spain-borne old school blasphemic brutal death metal crew CHRIST DENIED is one of several pioneering groups from the mind of Dave Rotten (Avulsed, Holycide, et al.) which has persisted through today though it has been just over a decade since their last release. I’ve long used their ’96 album ‘…Got What He Deserved‘ as an example of the prime era of brutal death for my own taste where atmosphere, tempo changes, Deicide riffs, all of the best things about death metal that remained despite it having been cast out as a non-viable corporate commodity beyond ’95. This is one case where you know you’re walking into the work of folks who care about upholding the good traditions of their name and in that sense we have another serious classic brutal death metal album in the Christ Denied style here. Rotten‘s vocals have evolved beyond the guttural roar of his early work and instead of phoning it in like most folks with as many albums and years under his belt there are new techniques, tics, and vocal arrangements on most every song here be it the Mortician-esque dual roars on “A Blinding Light” or the faster deathgrind blips on opener “Scream Bloody Blasphemy”. Few folks do this kind of stuff right anymore and I was beyond stoked to sit with this album spin after spin. Otherwise this album has pretty straightforward appeal“

>> SHORT REVIEW <<

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#13
ARTIST:	HEMOTOXIN
TITLE:	When Time Becomes Loss
RECORD LABEL(S):	Pulverised Records

Though I’m not sure this album has held much if any staying power in terms of sticking in mind in the weeks beyond the review process my return to its graces quickly recalled why I was hyped about its take on classic progressive death metal and the modern tech-thrash metal inspired waltz it’d brought. If you are already a fan of Hemotoxin I’d suggest this album is something almost entirely new and probably closer to the exact intent of the artist unhindered by their usual brutally technical assault. We lose a bit of what is unique about their discography in the process of change but overall the result is an easier listening record and one that’d been fun to rip through on repeat.

“Dispersed via circumstances beyond their control and recollected in skeleton crew Pittsburg, California-based progressive death metal band HEMOTOXIN return to terra firmae with increased potency of collective idealism in mind four years later, intent on a more freely achieved yet no less engaging fourth full-length album. Set beyond the trials of time and presented in various modes of fiery and contemplative command ‘When Time Becomes Loss‘ comes in the best tradition of Morrisound-era progressive thrashing death metal translated to a post-millennium ear. No less crammed with ideas and well-constructed displays of rich detail this record yet finds a way to arrive with less restricted movement, flowing past the sharper edges of their three prior records for a progressive death metal record which touches upon various eras of the sub-genre in constructing their own new-found sense of self.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#14
ARTIST:	DESOLUS
TITLE:	System Shock
RECORD LABEL(S):	Hell’s Headbangers Records

Would it be well and good enough to say that this album kinda jams on ‘Pleasure to Kill‘ and ‘Persecution Mania‘ to the point of a kinda death-thrashing furor? I mean, I’d buy most anything labeled as such and most reasonable thrash metal fans would do the same. If you are a fan of this type of late 80’s thrash attack and its squared-in focus on a true ‘old school’ approach no doubt this’ll be an inspiring debut. Desolus‘ sound is rough around the edges in the right way, some will get it (count me among them) and others will likely wait to see what they do the next time around and I get that too. It may not be anything “new” per se but it is an old forgotten art that is rarely do with such conviction.

“Launching a sky-blackening attack in response to the still cresting wave of apocalyptic times at hand Washington D.C.-based thrash metal trio DESOLUS relay prophecies of horrifying demise on this authentic ‘old school’ minded debut full-length album. Armed with a studied grasp of classicist riffcraft of the morbid-thrashing variety and amped to a nigh death metal level of intensity ‘System Shock‘ is brilliantly stylized to the point that it doesn’t feel like a “retro” experience so much as it offers spirited addition to a legacy of violent firebrand thrash on the toppling edge of extremity. If you’re a fan of the eldest high standards of stylization and aggression you’ll know these folks have it down the moment you hear it, anyone else will get a chance soak up a serious chunk of morbid thrash education within each sitting.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#15
ARTIST:	SOTHERION
TITLE:	Vermine
RECORD LABEL(S):	W.T.C. Productions

Sotherion is a solo black metal project from French musician BST who is best known for his work in Aosoth as well as The Order of Apollyon among others. ‘Vermine‘ is the full-length follow up to his 2022 released demo ‘Schwarmgeist‘ and thankfully this approach still includes a raw, uncouth guitar tone and the austere horror the artist has long brought to French black metal. The drums are somewhat loud and punishingly set next to the hiss of their guitar rhythms, making for a classic almost bedroom black metal affect as a first impression but the album expands into numerous modes beyond pulverizing attack soon enough, some of the best pieces here bristle and ring aloud rather than trot along at a clip. I intended to review this album, and I still might, though I think most folks should have it figured out by the time the first three or so songs hit. The martial quality of songs like “The Fallen” are my preference here but I’d greatly appreciated the well-rounded, often surprisingly acrid atmospheric showing of the full listen.

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#16
ARTIST:	NADSVEST
TITLE:	Slovo meseca i krvi
RECORD LABEL(S):	Soulseller Records

“From the first strikes of bestial hammering and divebombed wailing that introduce this album I was pretty much on board as Serbian black metal act NADSVEST present what they’ve described as an epic poem inspiring the primal force of the warrior unto death. While you will undoubtedly hear some manner of general 90’s black metal glow at the core of this experience per its use of atmospheric keyboards there is very little that is outright typical in terms of style and performance when pecking at the details of ‘Slovo meseca i krvi‘. Formed between current Gorgoroth vocalist S. and the always impressive A. (Bròn, Barshasketh, et al.) this duo manage to combine the thrashing heavy metal cut of the first wave with bestial black metal rhythms and tie it all together with what I’d read as an almost Mayhem-esque quality to their more propulsive, eerie stretches of song. There is of course more to than just that, even, but at some point we can give them credit for a unique sense of style as well as sound design that bolsters their ‘epic’ but wrathful creed.“

>> SHORT REVIEW <<

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#17
ARTIST:	FUNERAL STORM
TITLE:	Chthonic Invocations
RECORD LABEL(S):	Hell’s Headbangers Records

In my never-ending quest to keep the fires of the old classic Hellenic black metal stoked a band like Funeral Storm is a worthy pyre, a commanding sacrifice which sticks to the ancient ways and produces a simply stated yet effective sophomore full-length album. They’ve amped the pacing a bit, thrashed at some riffs more often, but overall create a worthy successor to their debut wherein Side B is more consistent this time around and the whole thread solid enough, sans any filler that might hinder it being left on repeat. Much as I try not to use the term ‘old school’ black metal anymore I think this band has the right spirit with consideration for its particular niche.

“Athens, Greece-based black metal trio FUNERAL STORM serve as a burst of familiar enlightenment, a daimonian hand reasserting its guidance on this welcomed sophomore full-length album. Enacted once again by a key triad of actors in sinister unity ‘Chthonic Invocations‘ and its rituals benefit from foundations expertly lain for their brand of authentic classics-era Hellenic black metal. The key to this release getting it right and resonating with arcane energies is less a matter of exacting sound design, though they -do- nail it, and more an act which takes some joy in bringing forth with great enthusiasm the idiosyncratic soul the medium allows for. To most it should rightfully be received as a worthy entry into the greater cult, a work for the well-indoctrinated to extract nuance and artist specific charms from.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#18
ARTIST:	OSSILEGIUM
TITLE:	The Gods Below
RECORD LABEL(S):	Personal Records

“Chicago, Illinois-based melodic blackened death metal duo OSSILEGIUM meditate upon a newly lit path in acknowledgment of the powers that be and the inevitable judgement which lies ahead within the utter dark on this fine debut full-length album. A set of Eldritch scenes depicted as void of lay sentience ‘The Gods Below‘ acts in close study of the old ways and gestures of Scandinavian melodic black/death metal, keeping this primacy as a bar to reach rather than a source to drain impressionistic sense from. This reverence and clear fandom shines through as they manifest a carefully attuned and personalized first vision of said peak craft. Though the connectivity of their concoctions does not always supersede its forcefully applied nature a few key songs, and the right sound, should naturally provide some exceptional mileage to fans of this style without entirely bending the knee in reference of the relentless mastery of the old gods.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#19
ARTIST:	MORTAL WOUND
TITLE:	The Anus of the World
RECORD LABEL(S):	Dark Descent Records, Me Saco Un Ojo

While this is a fun death metal record in most respects I’ve not found myself returning to it at all beyond the review process. ‘The Anus of the World‘ sports riffs compelling enough in their groove and bash run up though there was no one single part of this album that’d entertained enough to stick in mind beyond a rally of listens. Despite not being all that memorable the experience itself is samey but I suppose all the more interesting for the toxic waste dumped and mangled body it presents. They might just be the sort of band I’d need to see live to judge fairly.

“Tempering the basement level impact of brutal death metal down to eerie stretches of mid-paced lunging n’ stabbing aggression Los Angeles, California-based death metal quartet MORTAL WOUND speak to a hellish-yet-imaginative hallucinatory vision of torturous gore and the grown-in cruelty of urban existence here on this debut full-length album. ‘The Anus of the World‘ is all pit-shot chunking and roaring business to start but the harder they weave through these wrenched-up pieces and B-movie ‘ludes the sooner the big ugly personae of their work raises its charred head and flashes a horrified green and yellow smile. These folks are a rare case study wherein they’ve got the currency of USDM style and groove for days but they’ve got more than a passing grade when it comes to the riffs, enough of a substantive grasp on rhythm to ultimately convince and call me back in for more.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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#20
ARTIST:	UFOMAMMUT
TITLE:	Hidden
RECORD LABEL(S):	Neurot Recordings, Supernatural Cat

Known for various states of meditative, psychedelic and aggressive sludge-heavy psychedelic doom since the late 90’s this Italian trio have been through many revisions, a more recent rebirth, and largely unflinching ideals in conjuring their sound over the course of well over two decades. This particular Ufomammut record is a bit more engaging up front and slightly more easygoing as we reach its second half, showing two sides of thew band within an otherwise tightly wound and easy to enjoy record. If you are sludge or stone music allergic I’d still say give this band’s discography a chance since they’ve developed their own gig since early on.

“Evading the perpetual solipsism of the introspective-by-nature mind and returning presence to the consciousness of the individual Italian psychedelic doom/sludge metal trio UFOMAMMUT encourage the self-directed revelation of the Kantian inner self on this brilliantly representative tenth full-length album. Arriving upon another milestone of endurance and parsing decades of development in the midst of a personal rebirth ‘Hidden‘ is equal parts stabilized surety of self and exploration of what potential lies beneath the surface of their collective entity at present. In this sense these six pieces, presented in two equal bouts of intensifying waves, create the sensation of self-revelation as illumination wherein the confidence of exposition is placed behind exploratory venture as they build each bout of momentum into an approachable yet surrealistic listening experience.“

>> FULL REVIEW <<

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