Archive: Columns
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Unearthing the Metal Underground: Unpure
Unpure has been around for decades, and it has garnered a formidable reputation in some quarters. But they’ve essentially existed beneath the surface by and large. The Swedish band initially came together in 1991 as a black metal band prior to developing toward a blend of blackened thrash and speed metal. Between 2004 and 2017, however, the unit was silent. Since then, they’ve only had a couple of releases that featured just a handful of newer songs. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Vexing
Oddball metallic extremity is no stranger to the Mile High City. The multi-faceted, genre-defying juggernaut that is Cephalic Carnage has been blowing minds with it’s bizarre deathgrind for decades. And in recent times, relative new-comers Vexing has been bubbling beneath the surface. The Denver-based band has been making noise since 2017, but they’ve only released a demo and an EP thus far. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Sepulcrum
Dark extreme metal has had a stronghold in Chile for years, most notably we can look to the classic Anton Reisseneger-led death trash act Pentagram. But there is new, impure blood that has been making crimson waves across Chile’s underground in recent years. Sepulcrum has been plumbing the depths of late eighties/early nineties death metal hell since its inception in 2019. They began with their promising EP “Corpse Dividing Holes” in 2020, and the carnivorous quartet is set to release its debut full-length, “Lamentation of Immolated Souls,” on March 17 via Chaos Records worldwide on multiple formats, while Canometal and Burning coffin will release the album in Chile on CD and tape respectively. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: The Evil
Brazil boasts a rich history of extreme, dark metal. To name but a few, Brazil has given birth to Sepultura, Volcano and Sarcofago, the latter of whom was led by Wagner Antichrist. (He also briefly fronted Sepultura in the early eighties, but I digress…) Nowadays, the storied metal veteran spends time as a university economics professor. But he hasn’t hung up his bullet belt entirely. He is the guitarist for the occult-focused doom metal/occult rock band The Evil. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Imperial Demonic
New black metal bands tend to diverge on an immediate point and approach. Will you be clean and polished, or lo fi and dirty? Hailing from Belfast, Ireland, there’s no question that Imperial Demonic chose the path of lush, crisp black metal in the vein of Dimmu Borgir and Cradle Of Filth. What first emerged as a solo project, driven by Cameron Åhslund-Glass’, grew to become a more traditional five-member band. The band’s ambitious five-song debut, “Beneath The Crimson Eclipse,” is set for release on April 7, 2023, via Black Lion Records. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Häxanu
The United States isn’t typically known for its black metal compared to Europe and elsewhere, but keeping in mind a top tier band like Absu, American black metal shouldn’t be dismissed too quickly. Häxanu has been in existence for just a few years, having released “Snare of All Salvation” in 2020. The duo returns with its sophomore release, “Totenpass,” a seven-song effort that was released on February 7 via Amor Fati Productions. The band’s second album is a succinct, melodic and memorable display of second-wave inspired black metal. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Telomyras
Seattle has been home to countless notable bands who have left an indelible mark upon rock and metal fans. Heavy metal newcomers Telomyras seem to have been making noise for a couple of years. The Seattle-based heavy metal quintet is set to self release its self-titled debut EP on February 18. Steeped in classic heavy metal, Telomyras leverages a timeless energy and feel with the occasional atypical punctuation, as with the death growl spouted on “First Blood.” More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Mammoth Caravan
Arkansas has belched forth top-tier, disgusting doom and sludge for years. Bands like Rwake, Deadbird and Pallbearer are undeniably at the forefront of such subgenres. Born recently from this rich soil of southern sludge is Little Rock's Mammoth Caravan. They released a two-song promo this year, and both of those tracks will appear on the band’s debut EP, “Ice Cold Oblivion,” which is set for release on February 25, 2023. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Har Shatan
Germany’s satanic-themed black metal entity Har Shatan initially emerged 20 years ago, operating on a very underground level as it released a handful of demos, splits and one full-length independently and with the help of start-up labels from 2003 through 2009. Following the 2009 debut long player, “His Legacy,” the one-man project—Zepar performs all instruments and vocals—either broke up or was placed into hiatus mode for over a decade. Come 2022, the project emerged once more with a six-song demo. And as the year winds down, The Sinister Flame is set to release Har Shatan’s second album, “Manum Inicere Alicui,” on December 31. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Bark
Groove metal was one of the most prominent and popular strands of metal in the nineties. While bands like Pantera and Sepultura continue to be revered, there has unfortunately been a noticeable void in terms of new, younger acts that draw from the veins of those powerhouses. Enter Antwerp, Belgium’s interestingly named Bark. The quintet was born in 2014 and has been active ever since. Bark released its fourth album, “Rambler of Aeons,” on November 11 via Listenable Records, and it most certainly needs to infect the earholes of groove metal fans who have been yearning for newer blood. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground:Order of Nosferat
Bands featured in this column are typically either fresh new buds or long-timers who haven’t received their due exposure. On occasion, I highlight newer bands that are comprised of scene veterans. Case in point: Order of Nosferat. The project is comprised of Finland’s Anzillu on drums (From the Void, Iku-Turso, Nachtvrucht, Serpentfyre) and Germany’s Count Revenant on
vocals, guitars, bass and keyboards (Sarkrista, Slagmark, ex-Rituals of a Blasphemer, ex-Sarastus). As Order of Nosferat, the international act hasn’t been wasting time since its start in 2021, having released three full-lengths since that time. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Black Spell
We can safely assume that Skull isn’t the actual last name shared by the members of Black Spell. In any event, the trio—bassist Pierre (bass), Johan (drums, synthesizer) and Alastair (guitars, organ, vocals)—has been making waves in the international stoner doom scene since its self-titled debut album in 2020. With its third full-length poised for release, the Italian band continues to stand tall by paying homage to its homeland’s impressive history in the realms of both doom metal and psychedelic rock. “Season of the Damned” will be released by Helter Skelter Productions/Regain Records digitally on November 11, followed by CD and vinyl versions on December 9, 2022, and January 20, 2023, respectively. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Antt
The incorporation of a culture’s folk and traditional instruments isn’t new to metal by any stretch of the imagination. Looking further eastward on a global scale, however, it isn’t necessarily quite as common. As such, the traditional elements peppered within Indian band Antt’s self-released 2021 debut EP, “Esoteric Misanthropy,” are quite refreshing. What’s special is the manner in which the band spouts black metal with a respect for the genre’s western roots whilst viewing it somewhat through its eastern lens. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Mythosphere
Mythosphere is a new face, but the unit isn’t exactly comprised of new kids on the block who have established names within the American doom and epic metal communities. Pale Divine’s vocalist/guitarist Dana Ortt, drummer Darin McCloskey and bassist Ron McGinnis united with former Fates Warning guitarist Victor Arduini to form Mythosphere, a band that smoothly bridges true heavy metal with powerful, detailed prog rock. Mythosphere—apparently meaning “the sacred narrative that permeates human life,” according to a press release—was born in 2021. Cruz Del Sur Music will release the project’s debut album, “Pathological,” on November 18. More...
Unearthing The Metal Underground: Gnipahålan
Gnipahålan is a Swedish translation for Gnipahellir, the name of a mystical cave in Norse mythology. The moniker perfectly suits the Swedish black metal project that oozes with mystery and an unmistakable spiritual element. Aside from the drum work, Gnipahålan is the brainchild of Swartadauþuz, who runs Ancient Records and Mysticism Productions, in addition to having performed with nearly a couple dozens bands. German label Purity Through Fire Records released the act’s second full-length, “I Nordisk Vredeslusta,” today on CD with a vinyl release slated for next year. More...
Unearthing The Metal Underground: ZeTA
Science fiction themes aren’t by any means new to metal. Just consider bands as varied as Nocturnus, Voivod, Timeghoul and The Faceless. But the American band ZeTA, featuring members residing in Ohio, Illinois and Arizona, is an underground band who is doing it well in its delivery of melodic black/death metal that strays, relatively speaking, from the excessively beaten path. The lineup’s resume includes notable acts like Limbsplitter and Drogheda, and considering that the band only has a couple of 2017 EPs to its name in spite of forming in 2008, it’s safe to assume that ZeTA has very much been regarded as a side project. More...
Unearthing The Metal Underground: Reincarnated
Southeast Asia has been a longtime wellspring of heavy metal passion, quite often inclined to the darker side, to be sure. While this is more so the case in terms of the appreciation and fandom of all things metal, creative bands have indeed burst forth as well. The maniacal, blackened death metal entity Deiphago originally emerged from the Philippines, and black thrashers Impiety was born in Singapore—to name a couple of the leading lights. More recently, a fierce death/doom act by the name of Reincarnated—comprised of scene veterans from bands like Savage Deity, Oldskull, Shambles, Nocturnal Damnation, Dark Mystery, and Lotus of Darkness—surfaced from Thailand five years ago. More...
Unearthing The Metal Underground: Thulsa Doom
Thulsa Doom is known by many fans of dark and brutal fantasy, a fictional character created by Robert E. Howard who utilized the twisted, evil wizard in many of his works, most notably in Conan the Barbarian. It’s also the name of an Italian death metal band that emerged in 2018. The trio made an impression with its stripped down, spirited demo “Realms of Hatred.” Fast forward four years, the same label that issued said debut, Invictus Productions, is slated to release the band’s debut album, “A Fate Worse Than Death,” on September 30. Thulsa Doom’s first long player is most certainly worthy of the attention of fans of classic eighties and early nineties death metal. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Skelator
Seattle’s speed metal beast Skelator has been dishing out its dramatic and epic thrashing speed metal since 1998. At the band’s onset, Skelator initially emerged from San Diego and has since released numerous demos, albums and splits. The quintet now returns with an effort that embraces their fanaticism for Star Trek. Gates of Hell Records is set to release the band’s four-song EP, “Blood Empire,” on September 30. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Mass Extinction
One of the distinguishing facets of grindcore is the prominence of sociopolitical commentary. Mass Extinction is faithful to that template as the New Jersey based band drives forth with a heartfelt vegan perspective. A press release states that “this is anti-human crust-grinding annihilation for total animal liberation!” The grind act released its debut full-length, “Never-Ending Holocaust, digitally in 2020, and Horror Pain Gore Death Productions is poised to release it on August 19. More...