Autopsy - Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts (2023)

Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts is the tenth album from death metal pionneers (their demo was released in 1987!) Autopsy. And its name says it all. Disgusting old school thrashy death metal with the usual doomy twists à la Autopsy. And still Chris Reifert on vocals. When death refuses to die (and t's a good thing because we want some more!). 

The BC page.

 

Dreadcore - Schematics (2019)

Schematics, by Norwegian producer Dreadcore is not exactly new, been released in 2019. Won't do for your "end of the year list", sorry, but if you enjoy nice and dark drum and bass music it will do fine. Six short tracks, ometimes more in an atmospheric synthwave vein, sometimes more nervous jungle. Good stuff.

The BC page.

 

Big Blood - First Aid Kit (2023)

Big Blood is one of the band I really should have reviewed a long time ago... But their new ambum First Aid Kit is definitely a good occasion to do it, since it's an excellent one. We could say they play a special kind of psychedelic folk/rock. But what they do is so different it seems more fitting to say they play "weird folk" or "freak folk". Not weird like some frantic and noisy free jazz, you could (almost) play it at your Christmas family gathering, and First Aid Kit is among their more melodic albums. But it's melodies that have an uncanny feel, sounding a bit like from another dimension. But I'll stop wasting my time trying to describe the undescribable. Just listen to it, and to their older stuff. You won't regret. Oh, and the two singers are mother and her thirteen years old daughter, the father playing the instruments. Isn't that nice? 

The Bandcamp page.

 

Hørdür - Bistre Repetita (2023)

Bistre Repetita is the second album from French grind trio Hørdür, five years after the first one.

This is a solid piece of poweviolence / crust-grind and if that's the kind of stuff you like it will be a good pick.

The BC page.

 

Shapednoise - Absurd Matter (2023)

Second album from Shapednoise (Berlin based Italian producer Antonino Pedone), Absurd Matter is a finely crafted piece of industrial dub / illbient. And featurings from Armand Hmmer and Moor Mother are always welcome. Interesting stuff. 

The BC page.

 

Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific (2023)

Pionneers of death metal are having a great year, does death keeps alive after all? We had Suffocation, Incantation, Cryptopsy, all good albums (probably also the Autopsy one...). And now a very nice Cannibal Corpse! This time it seems they focused more on writing memorable songs, and it worked really well. And at the same time level of technicality and brutality is still very high. Is Chaos Horrific their best one since Kill or Evisceration Plague? Time will tell, but maybe...

The BC page.

Paranoid / 偏執症者 - S.C.U.M. (2023)

Contrary to what you may guess Paranoid is not a Japanese band but a Swedish one. But while they do share with some Japanese raw punk / hardcore bands the same vibrant feel of urgency and danger the roots of their music is neither Japanese nor Swedish but British, D-beat being their main influence. This 6 tracks EP called S.C.U.M. is their latest release, and a bit noisier/rawer than their latest album Cursed, with less neo-crust style melodies. In any case they keep on being consistently good at what they do.

The BC page.

Luke Sick & Wolfagram - Garshas (2023)

Garshas is the second album from the duo Luke Sick (Californian MC) and Wolfagram (producer from Toronto), and this time again the collaboration works wonder. Both are experts in their domains and the album reminds the best of old school hip-hop, in a boom-bap vein, often with a dark feel, not very far from stuff like Mobb Deep, Gravediggaz or MF Doom. Like the first album it is released by Iron Lungs recods. Real recognize real as they say...

The BC page.

 

Outre-Tombe - Abysse Mortifère (2021)

Outre-Tombe is an old-school death metal band from Québec and Abysse Mortifère is their third album. The vocals in French are excellent, and so are the riffs, the leads and the thick ugly atmosphere and the heavy grooves. Reminding bands like Autopsy, Bolt Thrower or Entombed Abysse Mortifère have everything that makes a very enjoyable old school death metal album. Recommended!

Excellent album de death metal à l'ancienne de la part des Québécois de Outre-Tombe. Mention spéciale pour le chant en français, mais tout le reste est vraiment excellent aussi. Abysse Mortifère ravira tous les amateurs de bon vieux death metal. Je recommande chaudement !

The Bandcamp page.

 

Chepang - Swatta (2023)

Chepang fourth album, Swatta, see them going even further the innovative and technical grind road (reminding a bit Discordance axis / Gridlink) and it's an awesome album, and probably will be the most memorable (possibly also best) grind album of the year. They kept the chaotic sax element on some songs, but also wrote some more melodic and longer ones, invited plenty of guests on some others, and there's also a part experimenting AI songwriting. Fifty minutes of crazy and full of surprises grind. Would take me pages to properly review this album... I'll just sum it up in one word : WOW! 

The BC page.

 

Soft Kill - Metta World Peace (2023)

Soft Kill is a post-punk / shoegaze one man project from Chicago. I enjoyed its previous releases and often considered reviewing one of them, but felt maybe it was a bit too generic. But Metta World Peace is a different beast. The post-punk / shoagaze with a prevalent The Cure influence is still the core of the music, but this time the songs are also built around hip-hop beats (with a few MCs as guests) and it works extremely well, making it the most memorable Soft Kill album. We already knew hip-hop producer sampling shoeagaze worked fine, Metta World Peace is proof shoegaze/post-punk artist using hip-hop beats and samples can produce great results too. Really addictive album that I can't recommend warmly enough!

The Bandcamp page.

 

Cryptworm - Oozing Radioactive Vomition (2023)

Happy to say that death metallers from Bristol (UK) Cryptworm are passing with success the test of the second album (after a first excellent one) with Oozing Radioactive Vomition (out in mid december). The menu is still old school death metal mixed with slam / Mortician / goregrind for additional groove and putridity. Very tasty!

The BC page.

 

Fausten - Mercenary (2022)

Fausten is Julian Caraz and Derek Szeto, and what they do toghether is what we could call industrial bass music (with elements of illbient, dark industrial, dubstep, etc.). They are back with a second release called Mercenary, nearly ten years after their first album, and they prove they still have it.And closing with a Fret (Mick Harris) remix can't be wrong either... Recommended for anyone into dark and heavy industrial/electronic music.

The BC page.

 

Night Verses - Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Of Night: Part One (2023)

Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Of Night: Part One is another fine peiece of progressive metal from Californian band Night Verses, with technical playing but songs mostly focused on building atmospheres, with a post-metal/post-rock flavour. Good stuff.

the BC page.

 

Suffocation - Hymns For the Apocrypha (2023)

2023 is really a prolific year for death metal legends, and pioneer of brutal and technical death Suffocation are joining the party. And unlike previous album "...Of the Dark Light", Hymns For the Apocrypha is really convincing, combining all the Suffocation intensity with memorable riffs and songs. Recommended!

The BC page.

 

Organ Dealer - The Weight of Being (2023)

The Weight of Being is the second album from New Jersey grinders Organ Dealer, longer than the first one "Visceral Infection", and at least as good. This is modern grind at it best : relentlessly fast but sharp and tight, powerful and groovy

The BC page.

 

 

Alleged Witches - Work After Machinery (2021)

Work After Machinery by Alleged Witches is an interesting and finely crafted dark ambient/noise/industrial album. I especially like the nice ritualistic voodoo tribal merged with a dark futuristic sound atmosphere of the album. Good stuff.

The BC page.

 

Teeth of the Sea - Hive (2023)

As usual, Teeth of the Sea manage to surprise the listener with its new album Hive (inspired by a Frank Herbert story). This time their synth driven progressive rock with trumpet (yes, trumpet. Think Miles Davis or The Mars Volta, not mariachi...) goes again into Pink Floydian and krautrock territory, but also totally synth-wave moments, and even a NINesque track. Awesome stuff. Heavily recommended!

The BC page.

 

JAAW - Supercluster (2023)

Supercluster, the first album from JAAW (with Andy Cairns from Therapy?, Jason Stoll, Adam Betts and Wayne Adams), is both a strange beats and a good surprise (not very surprised it's released by Svart Records). I could describe it has the heaviness of stoner/doom, the raw abrasion of noise rock, and an industrial element that really sounds influenced by Godflesh. Interesting and enjoyable, with a Bjork cover (Army of Me) providing a nice finishing touch. Recommended .

The BC page.

 

 

Incantation - Unholy Deification (2023)

Unholy Deification has the slower doomier parts for which Incantation are known for, but it seems to me that overall this album is faster than their usual. But one thing doesn't change : they deliver top quality old-school death metal, with excellent songwriting, catchy riffs and nice leads. Being so consistent at being so good for such a long time (13th album!) is no small achievement. Another great album by an awesome band. 

The Bandcamp page.

 

Illinformeds - Ilin For Meds (2023)

Ilin For Meds is the second album from Ilinformeds (I think) and is a nice piece of UK hip-hop. But don't expect modern grime or something like that, it sounds like US vintage boom-bap / horrorcore from the nineties (Gravediggaz especially comes to mind). Except for the British accent and flow and the ragga guest vocalists. Production as well as Mcing are high quality. Highly recommended if you're into old school hip-hop. And when old school is as good, old school is eternal.

The BC page.

 

Sea of Shit - Sea of Shit (2023)

Awesome come back from Sea of Shit. On this self-titled album, released with Nerve Altar, they mix powerviolence with sludge and noise in the best possible way. Grabbing you by the guts and not letting go. And you will ask for more.

The BC page.

 

 

Intöxicated - Sadistic Nightmare (2023)

Ten years after their first album Intöxicated, from Germany, are back with Sadistic Nightmare, which is a very well crafted and enjoyable piece of thrash /speed metal. Not far from Metallica's Kill'em All, Mötorhead or more recently Midnight, agressive, rocking and traditionnal speed metal the way it should be done. Easy to get why they are Intöxicated, their music is addïctïve! 

The BC page.

 

Snakes Don't Belong in Alaska - Sounds of a Forming Planet (2023)

While Snakes Don't Belong in Alaska's previous album was more focused on their epic space rock / Hawkwind side, on Sounds of a Forming Planet it's their drone/doom element that is more stressed. The result is less "catchy", but excellent anyway, it takes longer to get into the songs, but repeated listens are rewarding. Strong stuff again.

The BC page.

 

Godhunter - Codex Narco (2017)

Codex Narco is now six years old, and I suppose Godhunter are now inactive, but tht's a pity, because it's an excellent album and in a highly standardised doom scene Godhunter managed to sound different. There's a sludge element in Codex Narco, but overall it's on the more melodic side of doom, while keeping it dark, reminding a bit Alice in Chains. With great singing and memerable songs. There's aeven a surprisong Tegan & Sara cover. Good stuff.

The BC page.

 

 

Gridlink - Coronet Juniper (2023)

A new Gridlink album has always been a pleasure, but this time, with Coronet Juniper, it's extra special. Indeed, previous album Longhena was supposed to be their last one after guitarist Matsubara Takafumi get injured and thought he wouldn't be able to play guitar again. But they're back (Matsubara Takafumi, Bryan Fajardo on drums, Jon Chang on vocals and Mauro Cordoba  on bass), and, as it used to be, their grind is faster, more technical, and more melodic (even emo) at the same time. It's clearly not a nostalgic return, they can easily reclaim their place among the very best, most interesting and special, grind bands. 

The BC page.

 

SSHGRR - st (2023)

Looking for some new industrial/dark techno? Or curious about what the hell industrial/dark techno could be? SSHGRR self-titled release (on the Spanish Banshee Records label) will be a good pick. 3 tracks plus 2 good remixes, a healthy dose of quality techno of the heavy, menacing and noisy kind.

Good stuff!

The BC page.

 

Not a lot of reasons to sing, but enough, by Kyle Tran Myhre, Button Poetry (2022)

Kyle Tran Myhre first book was mostly a poetry collection (with also essays and songs), but at the time of writing Not a lot of reasons to sing, but enough he felt the situation (Covid, Trump, police brutality, etc.) was calling for something else, so he went for something different. But poetry definitely didn’t leave him, you still feel it everywhere in his writing, it’s in the flow, the word crafting and evocative power, it permeates the whole book, but fused into something formally different, it’s poetry without poems, with pages about poetry and creative writing, but among a wider array of subjects.

Indeed, it is also science fiction. But, again, not of the usual kind. Don’t expect a lot of action. And it’s fine, we already have more books filled with action than we can read in our lifetime, whereas we have no other book like Not a lot of reasons to sing, but enough. Actually, the sci fi/post-apoc/fantasy elements mostly help the author to shed a different light on things we know well, to bring some distance that helps to see it from a new perspective. And the way he combines dystopian sci-fi with the age-old oral art of telling stories is really interesting. Stories told at gathering are indeed a big part of what’s happening in the book. Through their road journal, we follow two wandering poets (one human and a robot) on the moon, after it has been turned into a penitentiary colony before being abandoned. We learn about people they met going from village to village, and about the troubles communities are facing (mostly related to a slow rise of tyranny) and how they deal with it. The two poets often can’t do much more, but despite their own doubts, they never fail to deliver some good down to earth wisdom. No simple answers, but a lot of food for thought.

We could describe those stories as futuristic fairy tales. But for now. Tales about resilience in troubled times, but also about finding hope and joy in the darkness. The title of the book reflects the main theme of the role of arts and artists in times of crisis. Demystifying art and not buying the clichés about the  “out of reach geniuses leading the way”, Kyle Tran Myhre reflects on how artists (and everyone!) can engage in the everyday life of a community, how they can bring not only joy, relief or critical thoughts but also bonding, healthier relations between people, being catalysts and connectors for the whole community every day, not just focused on crafting possible masterpieces, but on strengthening connections between people and between people and their own experiences.

Kyle Tran Myhre is a poet, and a writer, but also an activist. And Not a lot of reasons to sing, but enough has a strong political dimension. But not of the boring and ugly kind. No dogmatism, tedious seriousness or moralizing. Even when about heavy subjects, it stays fun and most of the time faces it with satire and irony. Never about pushing forward a party, program or ideology, it’s all about grass root organizing, acting in your local community to strengthen solidarity and confront the power. And about how the authoritarian relations, their failures and miseries, could be replaced by the action of associated, free and responsible individuals acting together for the good of the community. Questioning the narrative of power and building counter-narratives challenging it, it borrows from the basics of anti-authoritarian politics (which can’t be bad in my opinion) and draws inspiration and understanding from social struggle of the past and present. But it also brings a different take on the subject by drawing as well from hip-hop culture (the chapter about how to organize an open mic is a good one). Yes, the author is not only a writer, poet, and activist, but is also involved in the spoken words / hip-hop scene and has released six albums as an MC (under the name Guante). The book is an occasion for him to share all those experiences with the reader. Through the voices of his characters, but also directly in the concluding pages where he explains the genesis of the book and its specificities, and also gives a few prompts and writing tips.

You’ll find all that in Not a lot of reasons to sing, but enough, and even more (including nice illustrations by Casper Pham). It’s really a book like no other, and a very refreshing, thought-provoking, and inspiring read.

 

Not a lot of reasons to sing, but enough on the Button Poetry website. 

 

 Kyle Tran Myhre website

 

 

The Delta Bombers - Neon Sounds (2023)

The Delta Bombers is a band from Las Vegas, Neon sounds is their fifth album and a nice addition to their already cool discography. Their music is old-school and raw rockabilly, with a garage blues feel and bits of country. In my opinion, they are among the best current bands playing that style. Recommended!

Their website.

 

 

Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg for Death (2023)

Make Them Beg for Death sounds like a continuation of Dying Fetus previous album (Wrong One to Fuck With), and also start with an instant classic track, here "Enlighten Through Agony". And again it delivers the best from Dying Fetus : the catchy riffing, the relentless beating and the heavy grooves. Maybe slightly not as good as Wrong One, but I don't know, maybe some people will prefer this one... they are in a similar vein in any case, and both are definitely top quality death metal, as we expect from DF.

The BC page.

 

Skull Fist - Paid in Full (2022)

Paid in Full is the fourth album from Canadian heavy metallers Skull Fist. Discovered them with this one, but if the previous ones share the same level of mastery, I should check it, and so do you if you're into traditionnal heavy metal. Good vocals, good leads, and above all strong riffing and songwriting. Nothing new under the sun, but definitely well crafted and enjoyable!

Fange - Privation (2023)

Privation is another excellent album from Fange, keeping on developing their new industrial direction, this time with a slightly melodic feel, in a somewhat doomy post-punk vein, with melodies reminding Paradise Lost or maybe Hangman's Chair. Still with bits of NIN / Author and Punisher, and the Godfleshian beat. But my favourite moments in the album are when Morbid Angel style riffs (from Domination to Gateways) crawls in. memorable also is the singing in French that works really fine. Heavily recommended!

The BC page.

 

 

New Age Doom & Lee "Scratch" Perry - Lee "Scratch" Perry's Guide to the Universe (2021)

This collaboration is Lee "Scratch" Perry last album and testify that he experimented till the very end. New Age Doom is a (somewhat) "free drone rock" band (built around the core of Eric J. Breitenbach and Greg Valou) that had previously released two interesting albums. This time they were joined not only by Lee Perry but also by Donny MacCaslin, a leading figure of the new generation of forward-thinking sax players, Dahm Majuri Cipolla of MONO on drums and gong, and a few others. The result, Lee "Scratch" Perry's Guide to the Universe, is a nice piece of droning and psychedelic fusion jazz / dub mix. Recommended!

The Bandcamp page.

 

The Arson Project - God Bless (2023)

God Bless is the second album for Swedish band The Arson Project. They keep on delivering ferocious and powerful metallic hardcore with grind elements for added craziness and sonic destruction. Good stuff.

The BC page.

 

Aelk Minsur - Ground Redux (2023)

I don't know much about American producer Aelk Minsur, but I like his subtle dark ambient / industrial tech / rhythmic noise music, on display in his latest album Gound Redux. Good stuff.

The BC page.

 

Systemik Viølence - Negative Mangel Attitude (2023)

Great to have Systemik Viølence back! They deliver their second album, Negative Mangel Attitude, after five years of discographic silence, and they're sharp as ever! Raw and fast D-beat with elements of speed/thrash metal, and they make the best of this cool mix. Think Discharge, Venom, Midnight and Impaled Nazarene. Excellent stuff!

The BC page.

 

 

Oxbow - Loves Holiday (2023) & Oxbow & Peter Brötzmann - An Eternal Reminder Of Not Today (live at Moers) 2023

So there's not only one new good Oxbow album, but two. While the previous album, Thin Blak Duke, left no impression on me, I really enjoy Loves Holiday. But even better is their live collaboration with free jazz colossus Peter Brötzmann, called An Eternal Reminder Of Not Today, Oxbow's noise rock and the powerful yet lyrical free jazz of Peter Brötzmann turns out to be an excellent match and the album produced is excellent. Will be a memorable step in both discography. Recommended!

 

Love's Holiday on BC

  

An Eternal Reminder Of Not Today on BC

King Yosef - An Underlying Hum (2023)

Discovered King Yosef with his excellent collaboration with Youth Code. The rest of his discography is cool as well. On An Underlying Hum the most rap metal elements (rapped vocals of guests, turntablism) of his music are gone, and it's now a mix of industrial metal, nu-metal and modern hardcore (think Uniform, Deftones, Will Haven and Code Orange). Maybe I preferred his older stuff, actually. But I also enjoy An Underlying Hum. Of course, purists better abstain (but they're probably not reading this in the first palce anyway...).

The BC page.

 

No Negative - The Last Offices (2020)

No Negative if a band from Montreal (Québec) and with their second album The Last Offices (and the rest of their discography) they deliver some excellent music on the psych/noise side of post-punk. Or is it on the noise-punk side of psych rock? Well, you get the idea! If not, maybe you can also imagine a mix of Ice Age, The black Angels, The Stooges, and Black Flag, or Brainbombs... Even better : just listen to their music! Worth your time, I tell you... The epic final track is something.

The Bandcamp page.

 

CHIENS - 1.8.7. Myself (2023)

Four years after the awesome Trendy Junky, CHIENS are back with 1.8.7. Myself. Another piece of pure grindcore, old-school in spirit but with a powerful production. One of the main recent grind releases along with Shitstorm and Warfuck. 

Totally recommended!

 

The BC page.

Blood Star - First Sighting (2023)

Solid and enjoyable first album from Blood Star, First Sighting is a nice piece of traditional heavy metal with female vocals. Not much more to say here... if that's your kind of stuff, you definitely should give it a try.

The Bandcamp page.

 

Godflesh - PURGE (2023)

PURGE is the new Godflesh album, six years after Post-Self. It's like a good condensed of the whole Godflesh discography, with the core elements laid since Streetcleaner, to the more ambient parts we had in Post-Self (and reminding Jesu), but with also the coming back of more jungle/hop-hop elements we had in Us and Them (and other JK Broadrick projects like Techno Animal). It will please all the Godflesh followers and is also a good one to discover the band, featuring all Godflesh has to offer. Another strong addition to the Godflesh work and no doubt the main industrial metal release at least for this spring/summer.

The Bandcamp page.