La Coka Nostra - Masters of the dark arts (2012)

I don't do Hip-hop very often but when it's good underground and dark stuff like this I'm pleased to succumb to this guilty pleasure. Masters of the dark arts, released in 2012 is the second album by La Coka Nostra (without Everlast this time so it's the others House of pain boys plus Ill Bill), a bit different from the first one, more east coast and darker, filled with heavy boom bap beats, cuts (something that shamely nearly diseappeared in modern rap music), and nervous flows.

La coka nostra website

Suffering mind - 11' st /Formatography (2014)

Suffering mind (from Poland) are not only among the old school gind band, it's also one of the most prolific. the prolem is that most of their releases are on very small splits and it does not makes it easy for those wanting to listen to their new stuff...that's why this formatography (on a 11' and digital on Bandcamp) gathering songs released on small format vinyls is really a good thing! it features the songs from :s/t 2", Death To False Grind 3", s/t 4", split 5" with Phobia, split 5" with S.A.T.A.N., split 5" with Dead Church, split 5" with Powercup, split 5" with the P.L.F., split 6" with Protestant, split 9" with MassGrave. plus 2 live tracks (Rostock, September 2010).
don't miss this good dose of Suffering mind's old school grind (or blastcore as they call their music) with a really good balance between frenzy and crushing grooves.

the Bandcamp page.

Prosanctus inferi - Noctambulous jaws within sempiternal night (2013)

I'm a bit late on this one but it would have deserved to feature in my selection of death / trash / black metal records (find it THERE). Noctambulous jaws within sempiternal night, the second album by Ohio's Prosanctus inferi is a masterpiece in old school, yet quite brutal and technical, death metal. it's as magnificently putrid as the cover art by Paolo girardi, not because of a low-fi production but because of the riffs itself and of the vocals (reminding a bit Angelcorpse). combining a punishing execution with a real death metal atmosphere it was one of the more enjoyable album in the genre released last year.

the BC page.

Whoresnation - Scum will reign (2014)

Need your daily dose of old school grind?  then this one side 12' (about 10 min of music) by Whoresnation will do! with Scum will reign (yes ol'school grind!) the grinders from Besançon (east of France) delivers their ferocious grind, without much originality but with all the frenetic energy needed. and that's what matters the most! I'm pleased they confirms they good I already told about them (HERE). the french grind scene is growing and Whoresnation is a nice addition to it! (check also Blockheads, Inhumate, Ratbomb, Chiens, Warfuck)

their BC page.

their website.

Dephosphorus - Ravenous solemnity (2014)

Dephosphorus is a band that likes to surprise and we are used to hear them evolve, adding new elements, enriching and refining their sound release after release (see HERE the different reviews and interviews related to them in Blasting days). when I read that they were releasing a double LP I thought that a very ambitious, more complex and progressive album was on the way. But with Ravenous solemnity i've been surprised to, well...not been surprised that much this time. it's more a subtle maturation than a new evolution or experiments. maybe it will be for next time. anyway it's ok because it's another really good, finely crafted and finely executed, album. the songs are shorter and I'd say more straighforward than in Night sky transform and at the same time the grind elements are again less present than it was in Axiom. we could say that most of the time it could be described as a mix of dark and raging hardcore and black metal with some melodic and epic touches. with really good and personnal vocals, good and creative riffing, and the new drummer is doing good as well. that's what I'm saying for the moment, but I suppose that, like it was with their other releases, after some more listen I will discover new subtilites in the songs and in the overall atmosphere of the album. anyway I highly recommend you try it and make your own opinion it sure will be worth it.

The BC page.



 

Munly & the Lee Lewis harlots - self titled double LP (2013 reissue)

This album was first released in 2004 by Alternative tentacles and was reissued last year by Pesanta urfolk. Munly & the Lee Lewis harlots plays some finely crafted dark americana, with touches of bluegrass (banjo, strings), rockabilly and some post-punk vibes. it reminds bands like Nick Cave and the Bad seeds, 16 Horsepower (Munly played in a band with David Eugene Edwards before he formed  16 Horsepower) or the softer part of Swans. excellent songwriting, very good dual male / female vocals, and a great atmosphere. I also recommend Munly's most recent releases, "Petr and the wulf" in 2010 with The Lupercalians and in 2011"Unentitled" with the Slim cessna's auto club.

Munly website

Cloud rat - Blind river (2014)

if you're not already into Cloud rat I advise you to begin now because it's the best recent hardcore band. this new release called Blind river, is a compilation featuring both new songs (3 of it) and already released songs (the other 8 songs). the new songs will also features on the yet to be released split with Orgullo primitivo. the already songs are from the Monomaniac comp vol.1 (excellent comp by the way. I reviewed it HERE), the No compromise / earth first comp, and the excellent split with Republic of dreams (reviewed HERE).  with the new songs they carry on bringing us the most intense, tight and relentless hardcore / fastcore and the female vocals are as awesome as usual. they really have one of the best hardcore singer, she combines perfectly agressivity and emotion, in a very personnal way. very highly recommended!

the Bandcamp page.