ENDTYMER is the semi-weekly recap, occasional 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, 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 10-28/11-01

[#1] MITOCHONDRION (‘Vitriseptome‘, Profound Lore)
[#2] SHAARIMOTH (‘Devildom‘, W.T.C. Productions)
[#3] CRYPTIC BROOD (‘Necrotic Flesh Bacteria‘, Lycanthropic Chants)
[#4] THYRATHEN (‘Lakonic‘, Floga Records)
[#5] GAUNTLET RING (‘Phantoms of Dark Symmetry‘, Blood and Crescent)

FIVE BEST OF 11/02-11/08

[#1] YOTH IRIA (‘Blazing Inferno‘, Edged Circle Productions)
[#2] CHAOS INVOCATION (‘Wherever We Roam…‘, AOP Records)
[#3] NECROFERUM (‘Visions From the Necrorealm‘, Nuclear Winter Records)
[#4] BLACKDEATH (‘Mortui incedere possunt‘, End All Life)
[#5] PLOUGHSHARE (‘Second Wound‘, I, Voidhanger Records)

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UPCOMING RELEASES

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

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‘Dreaming The Strife For Love‘, the second full-length album from Italian progressive/psychedelic death metal band BEDSORE will release on LP, CD, MC, and digitally this coming November 29th by way of 20 Buck Spin. As you’ll find with each of the singles release thus far they’ve warmed to their 70’s progressive rock interests, taking a step beyond what we’d heard on their split release a few years back. The album’s themes are “Inspired by the mysterious renaissance-era book Hypnerotomachia Poliphili” and no doubt this one is already a contender among my favorites this year.

California-based broad minded black/death metal duo MEFITIS have announced their third full-length album, ‘The Skorian // The Greyleer‘ will release this coming November 29th by way of Profound Lore Records. This release is broken into two halves which their own themes and recording sessions: “The album’s first four movements, comprising The Skorian, were recorded to analog tape during 2021 and 2022 at Emberdusk Studio, and the corresponding four songs of The Greyleer were recorded to analog tape during 2022 and 2023 at Emberdust Studio B.” Of course this is one of the most anticipated albums of the year and I’ve spent a ton of time with it so far, enough to say that this’ll be something new but also familiar in voice for the band.

I, Voidhanger Records have announced they will release the upcoming latest album from Genoa, Italy-based band TONY TEARS, ‘La Società degli Eterni‘ this coming December 13th. Considered a proponent of the Italian doom and dark metal sound these folks have been active since 1988 from a fellowe who has played with Abysmal Grief and other groups with a sound not unlike the brave aspects of Paul Chain, Antonius Rex, Black Hole, The Black, etc. This will be a concept album described as “halfway between a magical pact and the search for the karmic perfection of the soul.” derived from magical occult practices as far as they’ve suggested thus far.

Aftermath Music have announced they will release the ninth album from Norwegian black metal band DJEVEL this coming November 15th with the vinyl to follow in January of next year. I can say so far ‘Natt til ende’ is an excellent record, melodious but traditional and full with some of their best guitar work to date. It will be considered the final chapter of their current “Night”-trilogy. Entirely pro stuff which I am stoked to get to talk about next week.

On November 8th End All Life Productions have released the twelfth album from Russian black metal magnate BLACKDEATH. ‘Mortui incedere possunt‘ appears intentionally challenging, at least to a degree beyond much of their greater body of work as they’ve breached deeper threads of avant-garde guitar work where they’ve referenced Voivod-ian muse and orthodox black metal estrangement. They’ve brought in their live guitarist for this one, expanding their sound and generally impressing thus far. I’ll see if I have the fortitude to review it this month, either way I’d recommend it and generally just knowing their discography.

Sydney, Australia-based death metal group GOLGOTHAN REMAINS have announced their latest EP release ‘Bearer of Light, Matriarch of Death‘ will release this coming November 22nd by way of Dark Descent Records. The album is built around a concept “recounting a journey across a mystical, barren world cloaked in darkness.” which the band comment on: “It is a wrought, and evil love story about two centuries old creatures trying to find companionship but due to their strong evil spirit are unable to exist with another powerful figure by their side. Early in the writing process, the EP’s lyrical themes were, just like the music, created as one flowing and entwined story. This collection of songs was written at a certain time and expanded upon the more atmospheric side of the band. The songs are very much connected and the first time we see the release as a single piece if you will.” and well whatever that means specifically no doubt everything they’ve done smokes, check out “Andromeda” for now:

Caligari Records have announced they will release the cassette tape version of Scottish progressive black metal act KILDONAN‘s debut album, ‘Embers‘ this coming December 13th. This project is the latest from musician Hamish MacKintosh who you’ll at least recognize as the drummer from Ageless Summoning among many others. If you are a fan of progressive black metal with elements of Blut Aus Nord as well as post-metallic stuff like Altar of Plagues I think that’d be the best way to describe this, though it leans toward just prog metal pretty often too.

Polish experimental anti-rock group WĘDROWCY~TUŁACZE~ZBIEGI have announced their latest and final full-length album ‘Droga do domu‘ will release via Devoted Art Propaganda this coming December 19th. The title of the album basically means “The Way Back Home” and I’m curious to see where they’ve gone with this one since each release has been a pivot in an unpredictable direction. No preview song yet but you can pre-order the vinyl and such if you’re already familiar with their work.

http://order.d-a-p.org/

Legends of heavy rock and doom metal PENTAGRAM have announced the release of their latest and much anticipated full-length album ‘Lightning in a Bottle‘ will release this coming January 31st through Heavy Psych Sounds Records. It has been over a decade and most of the line-up is new here featuring guitarist/producer Tony Reed (Mos Generator, Big Scenic Nowhere), Scooter Haslip (Mos Generator) on bass and Henry Vasquez (Saint Vitus, Legions of Doom) on drums. This will be the tenth studio LP from the group and as you can hear from the preview song they’re bringing big and ugly grooves to the party. Stoked for this one.

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THIS WEEK’S VIDEOS

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.

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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:

DJEVEL – Natt til ende [November 15th, Aftermath Music]
GOLGOTHAN REMAINS – Bearer of Light, Matriarch of Death [Nov. 22nd, Dark Descent]
INIQUITOUS SAVAGERY – Edifice of Vicissitudes [November 22nd, Willowtip Records]
THUNRAZ – Incineration Day [November 22nd, Self-Released]
GUTLESS – High Impact Violence [November 22nd, Dark Descent/Me Saco Un Ojo]
STEEL INFERNO – Rush of Power [November 29th, From the Vaults]

SHORT REVIEWS:

This week I will focus on NBBMN aka Nothing But Black Metal November, the first short reviews list will cover black metal releases from this month. As always, this might be split into two entries, it will be somewhat messily written, and only seeks to cover as many releases as possible in order to immerse back into the realm of black metal. I am typically able to make time for at least five entries each year:

FILII NIGRANTIUM INFERNALIUM – Pérfida Contracção do Aço [Nov. 29th, Osmose Productions]
BLACKDEATH – Mortui incedere possunt [November 8th, EAL Productions]
NIGRUM – Blood Worship Extremism [November 22nd, Iron Bonehead]
NACHTMYSTIUM – Blight Privilege [November 1st, Lupus Lounge]
BLACK MASS PERVERTOR – Hyperborean Baptism [November 1st, Self-Released]
AURIFEROUS FLAME – The Insurrectionists and the Caretakers [November 8th, True Cult]
EVERTO SIGNUM – Beastiary [November 1st, Monumental Rex]
BLACK AEONS – Entering the Shadows [November 1st, Silent Watcher Records]
GRYLLE – Egrotants, Souffreteux, Cacochymes, Covidards [November 10th, Antiq]
FURZE – Cosmic Stimulation of Dark Fantasies [Nov. 15th, Devoted Art/Polytriad Fingerprints]
TIME LURKER – Emprise [November 15th, LADLO]
OPUS IRAE – Into the Endless Night [November 15th, Endtime Productions]
KROMLEK – III – III [November 14th, Trollzorn Records]
APTORIAN DEMON – Liv tar slutt [November 15th, Kyrck Productions & Armour]
BURIAL OATH – The Cycles of Suffering [November 15th, Redefining Darkness]
APOSTASIE – Non Est Deus [November 29th, Trollzorn Records]
SVARTFJELL – I, The Destroyer [November 22nd, Moribund Records]
ANTE-INFERNO – Death’s Soliloquoy [November 22nd, Vendetta Records]
PANZERFAUST – The Suns of Perdition IV [November 22nd, Eisenwald]
HJEMSØKT – Om Vinteren, På En Sort Trone [November 17th, Purity Through Fire]
UNHOLDUN – Fœhn [November 17th, Purity Throufh Fire]
TYRANNIC – Tyrannic Desolation [November 22nd, Iron Bonehead]
ALTAR OV ASTERIA – Éna [November 25th, Dusktone]
TOTAL HATE – Forthcoming Age of the Reaper [November 29th, War Anthem]
DER ROTE MILAN – Schlund [November 29th, Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork]

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