Sorry about lack of updates around here. Lots of classes and projects have been keeping us busy, and it's been a little slower than usual in the slam realm. BUT ALL THAT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE!
First off, some new signings you may or may not know about.
Sevared signed Vulvectomy earlier this year, which is great...their debut is some of the funnest slam these ears have heard. The new Corpsefucking Art is now out on Barrett's label also...not a fan, but maybe someone who reads this is or would like to be? Barrett also just signed Animals Killing People, the extremely-awesomely-monikered supergroup starring Wilson of the legendary Purulent. Interested in compilations? Check this demo comp out when it drops: Flesh Impaled, Egemony and Infinite Defilement (new Aussie slam!) CD will drop on Sevared in October. In addition, if you've seen our Open Wounds 2 Comp review, you've heard of Cesspool Of Vermin who are putting out their debut on Sevared in October! So much slam, so little time...and there's more...
Comatose has been quiet for a while, but we noticed Steve put out the new Being Killed with very little publicity recently...you might wanna check this one out as it's likely to be akin to previous BK assaults (which are solid).
Brutal Bands is really, really picking up speed this year with some awesome signings. The first one and closest to a new CD which will rule, is the new Human Mincer, "Degradation Paradox" which, while only being 8 tracks/27 minutes long according to the label, will absolutely proceed to furiously kick everyone's ass according to the samples I've heard. Check out Flask Copper Deglutition and be amazed. The band now features Phlegeton on vocals, and Guillemoth on bass, both of famed Spanish brutal band Wormed. I'm not joking, this is seriously destructive, technical and ridiculously great stuff. Don't fuck with Spain! In addition to HM, BB recently signed Abominable (motherfucking) Putridity for a MULTI-ALBUM deal...dear fucking god, we're all doomed. "In The End Of Human Existence" is a massive, undeniably over-the-top onslaught of pure slamming guttural death metal...and I suspect these new albums will be also.
As if these pieces of news weren't enough, the new Gorevent on Macabre Mementos is currently available at the first two fine outlets above...buy or fucking die! Raw and pummeling Japanese brutal slam for only die-hards of the genre...like everyone reading this, I hope. If not, don't bother reading this because it's not going to help you! Until next installment...stay guttural, stay slamming, etc.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Parasitic Extirpation demo review
Parasitic Extirpation isn't exactly a new name to me...I've heard the name thrown around a few times, but eventually in the mail I got a demo from the band, fronted by the infamous Blue who is also in New England slam band Dysentery. I put off reviewing it for about a month due to being too busy with class, but here it is.
This album begins in a very Gortuary-ish way with slams intertwined with more serpentine and weaving technical riffs. Nothing new, but solid, and with GREAT production. After a few measures, the band launches into an almost-epic (a-la Inveracity) riff and then...drops it. Back to the slamming, straight up guttural chugging brutality, and another shift to the sort-of-epic here and there, but it's very inconsistent. The solo eventually shows up and is gone just as quickly as it came, a frenzied shredfest but lacking anything very interesting. The song really becomes something else around 2 minutes, which is odd considering it doesn't end for another half minute. It feels like they should have expanded on the ideas in the last 30 seconds of the song in ANOTHER song, but they don't and it feels disjointed. Regardless, the song is fun and catchy (and slammy, of course), and just short enough to be effective if it's not criticized or approached too scientifically.
The 2nd song is a bit frustrating with pinch harmonics done in a sort of unsatisfying way, and the vocals are a little weak. The breakdown around 1:25 is incongruous but works out well by the time it gets going due to the cool time signature they use. Once again, weak vocals kinda mar this one, but the solo makes up for it with a muuuuch better lead pattern, of course frenzied and with much aplomb, all jerking yet confident and for this it is good. The outro-slam is pretty damn good, and could be improved with an extended outro sort of deal.
Track 3, "Stabwound Symmetry" is very good right off the bat with catchy riffs and great connections between Malignancy-esque riff wizardry and the slammier, simpler side of things. The slam section around 45 seconds is good but dissolves too quickly and gets kind of lost in poor songwriting choices such as "let's randomly do some technical leadwork because everyone is doing that" and the "breakdown punctuated by bad pinch harmonic use". Good thing after that they decide to slam decently well for a couple seconds before going off the handle with more uninteresting stuff.
The last track is kind of surprising, definitely get a Dripping vibe (if you remember "Prelude To The Fallen" on their debut album, which is a classical guitar piece), though this is an adaptation of Fernando Sor's "Etude In B Minor" which...is really out of place and doesn't have quite the contrast Dripping pull off which makes their acoustic piece such a creepy and disquieting piece.
This band has a long, long way to go to the "top" of the slam echelon, and keeping with the idea that a lot of the MA-area brutal death bands are a little under-par (though with of course a fair deal of satisfying potential) that isn't to be taken as a slag to them personally. I can see this demo going either way; the band will either populate their music with sterile wankery like in the 3rd song and sign to Unique Leader or some other label that likes that stuff nowadays (no offense really, as I'm sure that'd be a good choice for them, and the new Decrepit Birth is cool) or they could go Gortuary and be mature, compositionally-adept songwriters (hopefully with better lyrics than that band though...please) with a lot to show for it.
But for now, it's a demo, enjoy it, and watch the band go where they go!
EDIT: I forgot to mention this because the CD was in my computer at the time, but, hot damn this is excellent packaging for a demo. Really good glossy J-card style insert with easy to read typefacing and great heat transferred pro-looking CD face. Gotta love when bands are dedicated enough to do GOOD demo design jobs. As a graphic designer myself, this is what I like. Extra points for that, bros.
This album begins in a very Gortuary-ish way with slams intertwined with more serpentine and weaving technical riffs. Nothing new, but solid, and with GREAT production. After a few measures, the band launches into an almost-epic (a-la Inveracity) riff and then...drops it. Back to the slamming, straight up guttural chugging brutality, and another shift to the sort-of-epic here and there, but it's very inconsistent. The solo eventually shows up and is gone just as quickly as it came, a frenzied shredfest but lacking anything very interesting. The song really becomes something else around 2 minutes, which is odd considering it doesn't end for another half minute. It feels like they should have expanded on the ideas in the last 30 seconds of the song in ANOTHER song, but they don't and it feels disjointed. Regardless, the song is fun and catchy (and slammy, of course), and just short enough to be effective if it's not criticized or approached too scientifically.
The 2nd song is a bit frustrating with pinch harmonics done in a sort of unsatisfying way, and the vocals are a little weak. The breakdown around 1:25 is incongruous but works out well by the time it gets going due to the cool time signature they use. Once again, weak vocals kinda mar this one, but the solo makes up for it with a muuuuch better lead pattern, of course frenzied and with much aplomb, all jerking yet confident and for this it is good. The outro-slam is pretty damn good, and could be improved with an extended outro sort of deal.
Track 3, "Stabwound Symmetry" is very good right off the bat with catchy riffs and great connections between Malignancy-esque riff wizardry and the slammier, simpler side of things. The slam section around 45 seconds is good but dissolves too quickly and gets kind of lost in poor songwriting choices such as "let's randomly do some technical leadwork because everyone is doing that" and the "breakdown punctuated by bad pinch harmonic use". Good thing after that they decide to slam decently well for a couple seconds before going off the handle with more uninteresting stuff.
The last track is kind of surprising, definitely get a Dripping vibe (if you remember "Prelude To The Fallen" on their debut album, which is a classical guitar piece), though this is an adaptation of Fernando Sor's "Etude In B Minor" which...is really out of place and doesn't have quite the contrast Dripping pull off which makes their acoustic piece such a creepy and disquieting piece.
This band has a long, long way to go to the "top" of the slam echelon, and keeping with the idea that a lot of the MA-area brutal death bands are a little under-par (though with of course a fair deal of satisfying potential) that isn't to be taken as a slag to them personally. I can see this demo going either way; the band will either populate their music with sterile wankery like in the 3rd song and sign to Unique Leader or some other label that likes that stuff nowadays (no offense really, as I'm sure that'd be a good choice for them, and the new Decrepit Birth is cool) or they could go Gortuary and be mature, compositionally-adept songwriters (hopefully with better lyrics than that band though...please) with a lot to show for it.
But for now, it's a demo, enjoy it, and watch the band go where they go!
EDIT: I forgot to mention this because the CD was in my computer at the time, but, hot damn this is excellent packaging for a demo. Really good glossy J-card style insert with easy to read typefacing and great heat transferred pro-looking CD face. Gotta love when bands are dedicated enough to do GOOD demo design jobs. As a graphic designer myself, this is what I like. Extra points for that, bros.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The Italian Scene
It's time for another one of our more popular (I think) segments, regional scene information! This time we turn to the country of Italy. Native land of Julius Caesar, Mussolini and Mario, Italy is also home some really good slam and brutal death metal bands. Here are a few of my favorites.
Septycal Gorge: I've talked a lot about this band before, but I'll just quickly explain why I like them so much. They excel at making slam that is both interesting and memorable. It's not exactly, technical, but it's not simple either. Really great band that everyone should listen to.
Blasphemer: These guys have had an album coming out on Comatose for what seems like forever. The samples though make it seem like it will be well worth. Sounded like very heavy and technical brutal death. I talked to Steve at MDF and he seemed to think that they were on their way to finally recording the album so let's hope it's out soon. In the meantime we are just left with some very tantalizing samples.
Vulvectomy: This band is very new and released an album right at the end of 2007. Very simple and hard slam that is sure to please if only due to their single-minded devotion to pounding the fuck out of you. Bonus points for teaching me what the word "depilated" means and for inventing the phrase "Slam Till U Cum" which I love.
Putridity: I reviewed their album earlier. Just like Vulvectomy it's very satisfying but Putridity are blastier and rawer. Very satisfying.
Clitoridus Invaginatus: I also reviewed their album. A weird band that combines ridiculous, bouncy slam with occasional rock influences. I personally like the combination. Worth checking out if you want something a little different.
Vomit the Soul: This band is just brutal. Not sure what else to say. Not quite as good as Septycal Gorge or as satisfyingly groovy as Vulvectomy and Putridity, Vomit the Soul really excel at pure brutality. I definitely enjoy listening but it's not especially interesting. I think others might get more out of it than I do though.
Septycal Gorge: I've talked a lot about this band before, but I'll just quickly explain why I like them so much. They excel at making slam that is both interesting and memorable. It's not exactly, technical, but it's not simple either. Really great band that everyone should listen to.
Blasphemer: These guys have had an album coming out on Comatose for what seems like forever. The samples though make it seem like it will be well worth. Sounded like very heavy and technical brutal death. I talked to Steve at MDF and he seemed to think that they were on their way to finally recording the album so let's hope it's out soon. In the meantime we are just left with some very tantalizing samples.
Vulvectomy: This band is very new and released an album right at the end of 2007. Very simple and hard slam that is sure to please if only due to their single-minded devotion to pounding the fuck out of you. Bonus points for teaching me what the word "depilated" means and for inventing the phrase "Slam Till U Cum" which I love.
Putridity: I reviewed their album earlier. Just like Vulvectomy it's very satisfying but Putridity are blastier and rawer. Very satisfying.
Clitoridus Invaginatus: I also reviewed their album. A weird band that combines ridiculous, bouncy slam with occasional rock influences. I personally like the combination. Worth checking out if you want something a little different.
Vomit the Soul: This band is just brutal. Not sure what else to say. Not quite as good as Septycal Gorge or as satisfyingly groovy as Vulvectomy and Putridity, Vomit the Soul really excel at pure brutality. I definitely enjoy listening but it's not especially interesting. I think others might get more out of it than I do though.
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