Hyperdontia - Deranged (EP 2023)

Deranged is the latest release from Hyperdontia, four tracks of excellent and nicely old-school death metal, with a primitive feel reminding a bit the early works of Cannibal Corpse. Good stuff.

The BC page.

 

 

Blastro - From the Beginning to the End (2013)

Relentless blast beats over a wall of noise : doesn't it sounds like the perfect recipe for sonic happiness? To me it does, and that's exactly what you'll get from Blastro, a Japanese trio with an ex C.C.C.C and an ex G.I.S.M. From the Beginning to the End has been recorded live and released ten years ago. 

And you need it. 

A Field In England (Ben Wheatley, 2013)

A Field In England is a very special movie. Ben wheatley its director is known for doing things different but this one is really unique. The name of the movie couln't be more accurate, all is happening in a field, in England. The action take space during the English Civil war in the 17th century, a few deserters meets in a field. Two characters are alchemist / astrologe and one is trying to use the other to find a treasure in the field. But there's also mushrooms in that fields. Magic, mystery, mushrooms, no wonder things derive into deep psychedelia... helped by the folk / post-rock / psych score. We could say the movie sit in an unexpected place between Monthy Pythons (the funny / absurd diologues) and Aguirre. Very surprising and cool stuff. I really recommend you try it.

Also recommended is the music by Teeth of the Sea inspired by the movie : https://rocketrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/a-field-in-england-re-imagined.

T'ien Lai - Da'at (2013)

Ready for some polish analog electro / psych / kraut / noise? In any case you should try this album, yes it's weird but also excellent, very trippy. T'ien Lai is Łukasz Jędrzejczak and Kuba Ziołek are also part of other bands from the Milieu L'Acéphale collective. On this recording they used : radio sets, guitar effects, voices, synthesizers, guitar loops, amplifiers. The music is noise / drones with synth' trippy melodies with an oriental touch, plus sounds from radio, guitars etc. and a bit of incantation like vocals at times or vocies from radio. Overall it's quiet / meditative but there's also a mysterious feel of danger. I think there's a big krautrock influence but Sunn))) or Bong comes to mind as well. Psychedelia comes in many forms indeed. This album is called Da'at and was released in 2013 by Monotypes records and Milieu L'Acéphale. This is a very recommended trip!

The Bandcamp page.

Dead neanderthals - Body horror (2013)

Dead neanderthals present themselves as part of a New wave of dutch heavy jazz. And why not? I don't really know about the dutch roots of their music, i'd say they follow musicians of the european free jazz scene like the german Peter Brotzmann or the swedish Mats Gustafsson. And they sure are heavy! Body horror is not their latest release but I especially like this tape (released by Utech records). On it they play as a soprano sax / drums duo (which is not unusual in a free jazz context). On twelve minutes track they drag you in their relentless trance of howling sax (but with a somewhat lyrical feel and a direction, not just bursts of noise) and non stop free jazz drumming driving the sax with its pulsating beat. If you're into freee jazz in it's most radical form you have to listen to it. And it's a very good start for any metalhead / punk curious and brave enough to try listening to some free jazz. Highly recommended!

The Bandcamp page

Rote mare - The invocation & The kingdom (2013)

 with the twin albums The Kingdom and The invocation, both released in may 2013, Adelaide's doomsters Rote mare released not one but two outstanding albums. their doom metal is firmly rooted in traditionnal heavy metal (those NWOBHM basslines!) while displaying a very strong personnality of its own. their strong point is their ability to write finely crafted songs, sometimes with an epic feel, sometimes with more intimate atmosphere. the other strong point is the excellent vocals managing very successfully to bring the songs the power of traditionnal heavy metal, the rawness of sludge, as well as the sensibily and melancholy of new wave (yes some parts, with some vocals reminding a bit Robert Smith and with the bass put forward, have a kind of new-wave flavour!).

two classic heavy metal albums that I can't recommend too much!

their Bancamp

Burning tree - Lammergyer (2013)

If you want a proof that free jazz can be as intense and breathtaking as the most ferocious grind this one will do. Burning tree is the free jazz project of a norwegian duo (Dag Erik Knedal Andersen on drums and Dag Stiberg on sax) that wanted to transpose into free jazz what they do usually with noise music. the try is really a success and Lammergyer (relased as a LP on the excellent Utech records) is a very powerfull and inspiring album. if you're looking for comparisons you can look on the side of european (more abstract and noisy) free jazz pionneer Peter Brotzmann, John Zorn in his wildest projects or Dead neanderthals. the sax player sound like he doesn't ever need to breathe, never stopping his sonic noise assault, and the drummer is not less relentless and keeps banging his kit at a frenetic high pace (up to blast beats but with much more complexity than the usual metal drumming).
side A features shorter, more composed tracks while side B is a long improvisation but sounds even more dense and merciless than the rest of the album.
if you're in quest of something radical in an out of the ordinary way, then look no further.

the BC page.

GROND - Howling from the deep (2013)

good news, Russian death metal is not just slam! with GROND Russia has a really cool old school death metal band. what they play is influenced by early US death metal, the cover of Obituary not being by chance on their  album Howling from the deep (following a demo and around ten years playing as a band). They really managed to capure the vibe of the early days of death metal, with good trashy riffing, low vocals (done by the drummer!) that adds to the  heavy grooves of the songs. you can also hear good basslines with a sound that reminds good ol'Cannibal corpse. the russian trio really does a good job in producing simple but very enjoyable death metal. and a band with that kind of amazing artwork, a lovecraftian thematic and writing a song about sea tanks just can't do wrong...
if you're into old school death metal (or the most aggressive trash metal of the end of the 80') I cannot recommend you GROND too much.

the BC page.

AC4 - Burn the world (2013)

AC4 (2008-2013) was an excellent punk / hc band with Dennis Lyxzen (Refused, International noise conspiracy) on vocals. expect nothing like Refused experimentation in breaking hardcore limits here : AC4's music goes back to the very roots of hardcore with songs that could remind Black flag or Minor threat. straightforward but full of energy. Burn the world (released by Deathwish records) is their second and last album :  16 hardcore songs, not trying to bring something new to the style, just playing it in a faultless way wihich is also satyisfying and enjoyable. the quality of the songwriting and the excellent as usual vocals by Lyxzen being enough to make the album a very fine piece of classic hardcore, one of the best HC album released last year.

the BC page 

Abyssal ascendant - Unleashing the outer plagues (2014)

Abyssal ascendant is a new death metal band from France, and Unleashing the outer plagues is their demo (preparing an album planned for 2015). if you're into old school death metal then you'll probably dig it. while it seems that nowadays most old school death bands draw their inspiration from Sweden, Abyssal ascendant proudly revive the sound of the more brutal and technical US scene, especially floridian but Suffocation comes also to mind. while the guitar work displays some Cannibal corpse influence, the heaviness and the "larger than life"  (or should I say larger than death?) atmosphere building reminds Morbid angel (or also Nile in its epic moments, but Lovecraft inspired, not Egypt). so if you're in need of your dose of old school death with good grooves, good guitar works with many leads, cool vocals, and well crafted songs conjuring lovecraftian unspeakable horrors, then just go for it!

the Bandcamp page

the website 


Florent their guitarist / singer (who also happens to be an old friend of mine) answered to my questions about his band :

-tell us the sorry of Abyssal ascendant from the beginning to your demo, Unleashing the outer plagues.


Well, the beginning of Abyssal happened in 2012, after fanny and I tried to play some death / doom stuff with a friend who was a drummer on Besançon (we played Morbid Angel covers).

We split, and immediately after I proposed fanny to begin something really serious, of our own, with programmed drums because no drummer was available, and some expanded lovecraftian concept. She was beginning with the bass and got very interested in doing death metal with such thematic. So we contacted Bochon, an old friend, to help us with the programmed drums, because we both haven’t any real expertise in studio engineering, to have a correct render on our live playback. Without him, nothing would have been possible so far.

Then we did 2 gigs before gathering all the stuff we had worked on and made it into an EP.

-I know you're into old school death metal since a long time now, tell us about that, how did you get into it and what kept your passion for it intact up to now?

I really discovered OSDM thanks to a lot of friends I met in school or in music.
The first time I listened to Morbid Angel, Crusher or Immolation, I was so shocked by the ambiance, I could sense nightmares weeping from the music they played. I regret that I only discovered all these bands only 15 years ago and not sooner (well I was 19). But still, old school expresses exactly what I feel and what I want to feel when I listen to music. I can’t express it in words, but it is the reason why I will never give up on this part of death metal. It is a strong way to express whatever I want, whatever I feel. It revealed something in me and from me, something that was sleeping deep. From my first death metal band with you, Dennis, until Abyssal Ascendant, it has never disappeared. It’s even stronger by the years.

-it's obvious that death metal and Lovecraft goes well together, and famous bands like Morbid angel already made this association, but tell us what led you to do your own version of the Lovecraftian death metal stuff?

First, fanny and I are dreamers. We like anything in culture (books, music, video games, roleplay games) that make us use our imagination and translate into a necessity to stay far from this rotten world. Lovecraft is, of course, one of our favourite writers, basing the background on the principles of cosmogony. We want to believe rather in this concept than in any other bullshit this society is serving us. Maybe we wish that all those things were true, and we want to make a musical tribute for this mythos. Besides, Fanny game-mastered the roleplay game Call of Cthulhu for quite some time, so creating an immersion through lyrics and music is like an achievement! There is so much resources and inspiration in the Lovecraft universe. And not only just in Lovecraft’s writings. He had some peers / followers who developed the mythos, creating new entities, lore and stories: Derleth, Bloch, or Frank Belknap Long (thanks to him for the Hounds of Tindalos, background of our song “Interdimensional Predation”)...So our own version of Lovecraftian death metal does not stop at what lovecraft wrote. We want to expand this, to make stories of our own; it’s a tribute to him and his peers, but it is also an occasion to be SF writers too.

-what about Unleashing the outer plagues?

This is a one-year-of-work achievement. And as I said, without Bochon it wouldn’t have been possible at all. He really takes care of us and makes all his possible to support and work with us. On one hand we really wanted people to listen to what we had, and on the other hand, we did not have enough money to make CDs. So I guess we are kind of lucky to live during this digital and internet Era; this was our first release, and it was 100% digital, and considering we didn’t have any money to distribute it, well, we thought it was far better just to give it to people. I made a PDF with lyrics and credits. People are free to donate or not (actually one guy offered 10 € for this EP!! We are absolutely thankful for his support, and did not expect this, even once, hehe). That’s all for the “material” aspect.

About the conception, the songs are not directly chained to one another, but the thematic is here in various ways, referring to various backgrounds of Lovecraft’s universe.

I assume that many people have certainly not read the lyrics, but I’d love them to.

-I know your first album is on the way, what can we expect from it?

Death Metal by Abyssal Ascendant: very much influenced music, maybe less inspired by known classic bands than the EP. I don’t know. And we don’t care about that actually.

Originality is not our leitmotiv. Many reviewers took it for a not so good thing. Do they expect me to say “wait wait wait, this riff is too Immolation, we erase it now” – and try to do something that has NEVER been done? In death metal? That is not our objective. One day, bands who love these artists will have to keep that style alive, when Morgoth, Nile, Cannibal Corpse, Immolation, Morbid Angel (etc...) won’t exist and do gigs anymore. And I still claim the ensemble is our own musical style and stuff, anyway. But I’m splitting from the topic. So you will have to expect ambient parts with weird voices and keyboards, old school death metal, some brutal stuff, some soli, some good old death-scifi/horror lyrics based on Lovecraft universe (I hope people will read them), of course ! In a more grown up way than the EP, I guess. And...maybe something a bit more...Epic. Also, at least one song will be the sequel of a story we started in the EP.

-what is the writing process for Abyssal ascendant?
Most of the EP lyrics have been written by me. Now Fanny is most of the time composing them, because she discovered she had good skills for it and because she loves reading, writing...While I compose the instrumental parts of the songs. Now we have Raùl on drums, I think rhythm parts will be more organic, as he is working on it.

So how do we proceed? Well, we do a list of some subjects we want to be set to music. Either I have some songs ready, and we discuss about a subject which would fit well on them, or Fanny gives me some lyrics and I make the song to incarnate it.

-which bands from your area would you recommend?

==>Fetal Massacre: good old school brutal stuff from Besançon; makes me think about the firsts albums of Cannibal Corpse, young guys, and have all their life to offer us this music, and it’s great to know that.

==>Dieresis: US Brutal Death from Besançon; this guys just kills since more than 10 years,

eager to listen to their new album (which is soon).

==>Komodo Island: Doom from Lyon, they just released their first EP; I think you should really throw an ear into it.


-Which evolution would you like to see for underground music in the future?
To be honest, I don’t know if I really want to go into these considerations...What I call underground is when you sell stuff illegally. Music must continue to be shared on different degrees, on different levels; actually we have this evolution right now: more accessibility for bands to make their music, and make it being listened, without being swallowed by the big names. I wish it will go on like this. It's not real "underground", but, it allows little bands (like us) to create music, share it and spread the word. Self-productions are now so decent! And easy to share...And real underground music must continue too, in its way, because it is the base of all things.


-in addition to the album what is planned for Abyssal ascendant in the coming months?

We decided to take a break in order to compose, so, we won’t be doing any gig until the album is in mastering. But we go on rehearsing to work on the new songs. For now we are recording a song for a free metal compilation, “Armies of The Void” – this song is not on the EP, and won’t be on the album. It is also the first song Abyssal Ascendant will release with Raul (our drummer). For us it is symbolic, it’s an exclusivity.

-something to add?

Thank you very much for the interview, always a pleasure to share this kind of things!

I want to add 4 things actually:

- We are very proud and happy to play with Raùl Fernandez. We didn’t talk very much about him in this interview, but he is now part of Abyssal Ascendant’s essence. I hope he will stay with us (so far so good). He really completes us. He hasn’t recorded the album drum parts yet, but we are so eager to see this!

- We want to thank all the people who support us and believe in us since the fucking beginning. We didn’t expect so many people would be following us...Being there to encourage, and indulging themselves in our dark universe. A good way to discover that many other people are dreamers too.

- We really want to thank Alex and Jeremie from Dolorem records, our label. Thank you so much for your support guys !!

- And the very last words : “Fuck you, you're not in the band !” [note from Blasting days : this is a private joke!  yes Florent, indeed, this time i'm not in the band haha!]

Beyond - Fatal power of death (2013)

I'm kinda late on this one but Fatal power of death [sic!] was one of the best death metal record released last year and it's really a kind of death metal I like. Beyond, from Germany, plays a death metal conjuring Florida, the speed and straightforward agression of Brazilian death and could also remind Angelcorpse. so, old school evil death metal with fast tempo (but knows when to slow down when it suits the song and to help building an ominous feel) and guitar works with a lot of crazy leads and a hellish and chaotic atmosphere. this is really death metal, the real deal, the good old school way.

the Bandcamp page.

Sete star sept - Sacrifice (2013) review & interview

Sete star sept is without a doubt one of the most radical and original noisegrind act. the japanese duo fuse screams and noisy bass attack with some furious "free grind"drumming. the result is as chaotic and intense as you can get. with half a minute blast of sonic violence. their latest LP Sacrifice is 24 of these sonic explosions. all killer, no filler. even if it's not the most noisy or chaotic Sete star sept records it's still incredibly wild and grind. I love it. one of my favourite Sete star sept release.

the Bandcamp page

Sete star sept website

Sete star sept drummer, Kiyasu, answered to my questions by mail, read the interview below :

-what about your new record called Sacrifice? it seems to me that
compared to some of your other records it's a bit less chaotic and
noise, a slight bit more straight grind, do you think so?

Kiyasu: Yes, i think so.
songs in Sacrifice album are straight grind. more easy to understand
how do we play our songs than other releases.
noise freaks might feels these songs are too clean sound.

-when you wrote songs for a record do you start with a global idea of
the record or is it more just a collection of songs? when you do a
record a bit different is it on purpose or does it just happen so?

most songs made by chance while we were in the studio session.
we always try to make weird songs.

-what about the artwork for sacrifice, does it has a specific meaning
in japanese culture?

it's not specific meaning in japanese culture. the artwork for
sacrifice drawn by Edi Mirror who lives in indonesia. he gave us
original artwork when we were touring in indonesia. he is great
illustrator and also play harsh noise sometimes. one of my best
friend!!

-you are releasing a lot of music, with Sete star sept and other
bands, are you a full time musician, or is it just the need to express
a non stop flow of creativity?

i'm not full time musician. i need to work sometimes for
living in japan.
I earns part-time job at the minimum of money.
I've been making and playing music the rest of the time.

-what about the other bands you are a part of? can you tell us a few
words about the music of these bands?

i play drums on avant-Rock band "Fushitsusha" and Free jazz
band "Kiyasu Orchestra".
OK, i explain you these bands using few words

Kiyasu Orchestra - Free Jazz, fast, improvise
Fushitsusha - Hard Rock, Original method

-currently Sete star sept is touring in Europe with Satan, what are
your feelings about this tour?

we've never been to western europe before. really excite it! and
it's first time to tour with other bands together in europe.

-you shared a split with Satan, how did you get to know them?

i got email from Mika/SATAN to release split 7inch together in 2010.
he is also running record label called Witch Bukkake Records.
we released the 7inch from his label. it was our first release for split 7inch.

-are there some other french bands that you like?
Adolf Shitter

-Which evolution would you like to see for underground music in the future?
i can't imagne about the future.
but i would like to be good relationship with my friends who are
getting into extreme music.
and i just keep enjoying and recording noise music.

-what in planned for Sete star sept in the coming months?

we might to release two special releases for SETE STAR SEPT 10
years anniversary.
it's new 7inch EP and 10 tapes box set.
and we are going to tour in 6 weeks US/Canadian tour on August/September then
Australian tour on November, Japan tour on December.

-one final "full of wisdom" sentence to close the interview?

Feel beyond noise! noisecore everywhere!

Brain corruption - Artifacts of humanity (EP 2013)

Brain corruption is a duo from Bremen (Germany) and their EP  Artifacts of humanity is pure grind played the way it should during its twelve minutes. A powerful sound but not too clean. Relentless blast beats and grindpunk beats. A dual (crust and death metal) vocal delivery. Some grind / crust / trash riffing. And the job is done. And well done. Good stuff!

Their Bandcamp

Carousel - Jeweler's daughter (2013)

Classy cover art for a classy album. Carousel is a young band from Philadelphia, and their excellent debut album Jeweler's daughter was released last summer by the also excellent Tee pee records. I wonder why it seems that few people noticed it because it really would have deserved more attention. it has everything you love in classic heavy metal. think Judas priest, Iron maiden and Black sabbath, fused with a touch of Thin lizzy and some heavy rock boogie. faultless balance of rocking vibe and hooks. a smooth and sharp guitar sound, cool leads, excellent vocals and most importantly excellent songs. nearly each one is a heavy metal hit. they doesn't reinveint the wheel at all but their classical heavy metal sounds fresher and better than most retro bands.

you can stream it from this The obelisk (recommended blog by the way) post.

Perikato - Kovat ajat (EP 2013)

Perikato is an excellent, but quite obscure, hardcore band from Finland. Kovat ajat is an EP (9 songs on vinyl, last 6 minues approximately. it's released by Ektro records). from start to finish it hits hard and fast, providing blasts of a noisy and wild fastcore / crust / powerviolence screamed in their mother tongue.
really intense stuff!
if you like your hardcore, well...hardcore, I mean really hardcore, then go for it!
recommended!

listen to the side A on Ektro soundcloud page.

Mortefoutre - L'Exécrable symbole défraichi (demo 2013)

Mortefoutre is a black metal one man band from Toulouse (France) and L'Exécrable symbole défraichi is his first demo (issued as cassette by Preposterous creations). I like how it reminds the attitude of early black metal, with its raw sound and its punk and trash elements (some drumming parts reminding Slayer), but on some other songs (the second part of the demo) it shows that Mortefoutre can also display some good black metal of a more atmospheric and modern kind. maybe I prefer the rawer and punkier parts but some diversity in a record is a good thing as well.


you can stream or download if for free on its Bandcamp page

The Fërtility Cült - Heavenly bodies (2013)

The Fërtility Cült is an excellent psychedelic and progressive stoner / doom band from Tampere (Finland). they just released their second album called Heavenly bodies and it's a nice follow-up to the very good Eschatology (read HERE my review). they have the unique finnish melodic touch and mix together the stoner / doom heaviness of the guitars and drums with the psychedelia and warm sound of the keyboard and saxophone parts, and all that is put together in an epic and progressive way due to a smart songwriting. a guy called Bucky Brown wrote on their Bandcamp page : "The Fertility Cult impregnates the listener with a healthy dose of psychedelic groove. The saxophone laced, progressive melancholic doomy fuzz is orchestrated to perfection. May very well have spawned its way into my top album list for 2013", and after more than a dozen listen I can just agree with that!
very well crafted, original and enjoyable album!

their Bandcamp

Famine year - Ja kaiken kruunaa kuolema (2013)

Ja kaiken kruunaa kuolema is Famine year's first album, after a few demos and splits (read HERE my review of their 2011 demo). the finnish band is still playing their ferocious grinding crust D-beat. some good rocking punkish vibes with some more agression with grind  / extreme metal elements thrown in the mix, it's definitely a winning combination.   if you're into the punk side of grind or the grind side of hardcore punk you have to check this band! they are really excellent at what they do and fully deserves your interest.

their Bandcamp.

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.

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