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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BEST OF THIS WEEK

[#1] MENTAL DEVASTATION (‘TDMotS Part II‘, Nube Negra/Witches Brew)
[#2] MALFORMED (‘Confinement of Flesh‘, Dark Descent/Extremely Rotten)
[#3] HAXPROCESS (‘Beyond What Eyes Can See‘, Transcending Obscurity)
[#4] DEHUMAN REIGN (‘Dawn of a Malefic Dominion‘, F.D.A. Records)
[#5] ARKHAAIK (‘Uihtis‘, Eisenwald)

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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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Dark Descent Records have announced they will release the latest album from U.S. by way of Finland blackened death metal band PROSCRIPTION this coming August 29th. ‘Desolate Divine‘ will be available on CD, vinyl, cassette, and digitally. The band promise something different beyond their debut LP, which’d been hampered by pandemia at the time. Guitarist/vocalist Christbutcher comments: “At least half of Conduit was written even before a full lineup was gathered. So, when I was writing, maybe I subconsciously had these shackles and speed limits or whatever. But when the inspiration came for Desolate Divine, I had a much better understanding of what PROSCRIPTION had become and where to go from there.” So far I dig the sound of this record in preview and I am looking forward to how they’ve built upon, or beyond, ‘Conduit‘. Check out the first single “Gleam of the Morningstar”:

Legendary German black/thrash group DESASTER return with their tenth studio album, ‘Kill All Idols‘, this coming August 22nd by way of Metal Blade Records. Founding guitarist Infernal comments on how he sees the album in their timeline: “While [last album] Churches Without Saints was a rather typical DESASTER old-school black-death-thrash metal album, the new one is a bit more diverse. Of course, Kill All Idols embodies our classical black/thrash metal approach and the epic parts DESASTER is well known for are there as well. But on the other hand, there are parts on the album where our punk roots shine clearer than possibly ever before.” Vocalist Sataniac also comments on the title of the record and its meaning: “All ‘role models,’ regardless of whether they are politically, religiously, socially, economically, or otherwise motivated, only have their own agenda and their own ‘retention of power’ in mind. The album title is nothing more than an invitation to think for yourself. Or at least to try. Realistically speaking, money is the last remaining deity and the great ‘role model’ for at least large parts of our secular societies. This fact is profound. Money and linear greed are not good, goal-oriented, or even sustainable ‘role models.’ But what can you expect? After all, all of this was produced and churned out in just seven days. Perhaps the almighty creator should have taken a little more time,” and so far this one sounds great, different production values and an anthemic quality per this first single “Towards Oblivion”:

Elite death metal trio PERDITION TEMPLE return for their fifth full-length album this year, naming it ‘Malign Apotheosis‘ and it will release at a yet unannounced date per Hell’s Headbangers Records. Expect nothing less than brain-melting riffs from these folks but also a raw, old filth applied to their production values here on this first preview song “Resurrect Damnation”. Haven’t heard the record yet but this song smokes even more than usual, absolute mastery. Definitely up there on my most anticipated list for the remainder of the year. Check the song out yourself:

Amor Fati Productions have announced September 6th as the release date for Belgium-based black metal band LVTHN‘s second album. ‘The Devil’s Bridge‘ will release on CD and vinyl LP. This album comes nine years after their debut and I have to admit I’d forgotten what the band even sounded like until I caught this first preview song “A Malignant Encounter (The Master” where their tumultuous, nauseated sound is revived. Solid cover art, too.

Shadow Records have announced October 3rd as the release date for OFERMOD’s fifth full-length album, ‘Drakosophia‘, which will arrive on CD and vinyl LP formats. Fans of Swedish black metal should recognize this infamous band but I’ll post some of the press release text for the sake of accessing their state of mind: “Drakosophia is a vessel for the Draconian current, bound and initiated to the traditions and teachings of the dark magical order Dragon Rouge – Ordo Draconis et Atri Adamantis.” Looking forward to hearing the whole thing after getting a preview of “Vineyards of Gomorrah”:

‘Ghostigmatah – Spiritual Rites of the Psychopomp Abxulöm’ is the title of the recently announced tenth album by French progressive/experimental black metal solo project ESOCTRILIHUM. The album will be once again released by I, Voidhanger Records and once again they are leaning into excess in both presentation and performance via yet another huge record. The ten song album is divided into four chapters each of which: “tells a ritual stage in the long journey of dead souls towards the jaws of the 8-eyed psychopomp Abxulöm, who will finally deliver them to eternal nothingness. A post-mortem ritual that is told in the secret grimoire of the Ghostigmatah, a sort of modern Necronomicon…” Which was apparently mused over via the cover painting. I’m interested to check this one out, though I’m tentative on whether I’d like to dive in for a full review just yet, have to hear the whole deal. For now check out the first preview song “Hark! The Bewitched Trumpet Of The Red Harbinger Is Calling The Dead To Gather”:

Italian doom metal trio WARCOE have signed to Ripple Music for the release of their third full-length album. ‘Upon Tall Thrones‘ will release on all relevant formats this coming September 26th. They’re promising a “darker, heavier, and more hypnotic” record overall and from the sound of this first single “Octagon” they’re keeping it kinda weird too. I liked some of their stuff in the past, especially the debut so I’m looking forward to digging into this one:

Brazilian thrash metal band VIOLATOR have returned for a much anticipated new album which they’ve named as ‘Unholy Retribution‘. The album be released this coming September 5th via Kill Again Records. I think the first single is coming next month, so for now we just get the album art and some details. Check these folks out if you’re big on the Bay Area and Teutonic scenery in general, or if you just remember them from when thrash was coming back worldwide a decade or two ago. I don’t think they’ve got a single readied yet but here’s a short teaser:

RidingEasy Records have announced Portland, Oregon-based heavy rock troupe HÖG will ride out on August 22nd with their debut full-length album ‘Blackhole‘. Their sound carries a serious 70’s vibe to it but their interest in metal and punk help to keep it hairy, grimed-up and such in a way that I found compelling via this first single/title track “Blackhole”:

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YOUTUBE / VIDEO REVIEWS

Please follow and subscribe to my YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@terraasymmetry

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NEXT WEEK’s REVIEWS:

Here are the six longform reviews I have been working on for next week, these are subject to change or rescheduling to a later date.

SíR – Unreachable Mountain [August 1st, Sun & Moon]
MALTHUSIAN – The Summoning Bell [August 8th, Relapse Records]
THEURGION – All Under Heaven [August 8th, Profound Lore Records]
PHANTOM FIRE – Phantom Fire [August 8th, Edged Circle Productions]
PUSTULANT FLESH – Gurgling Pustulence [Augut 8th, Extremely Rotten Productions]
CASTRATOR – Coronation of the Grotesque [August 15th, Dark Descent]

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