Burialkult - A Call From Beyond The Grave (2013)

I'm really fucking digging this Canadian barbarity thing going on man, this shit sounds filthy and callow (in a good sense), everything you want bestial black metal to be. Over the top with its Luciferian worship and ardently callous and putrid in its atmosphere with a sound strongly rooted in the 80's. There is also a healthy dose of thrash woven throughout A Call From The Grave, arguably earning it blackened thrash, whatever let's not get nit-picky.

Burialkult is by no means an accident or fluke, these dudes know exactly what sound they are going for, and are fully cognizant of the scene around them, letting their influences seep into the music. I can't speak on behalf of members of the band but there are undeniable influences reminiscent to bands like; Sarcófago, Venom, Beherit, Teitanblood, Blasphemophagher, Vulture Lord, Blasphemy, etc.
The lo-fi production is muddy, but not so grim and murky that it's rendered unlistenable, rather it serves as a strong point to the album which only further accentuates the instrumentation and gives it that fuck you charm only welcomed in the sewers of the underground.


Give Burialkult a warm welcome, this is their debut into the realms of fetid scum. (It's worth noting that the drummer used to be in Black Lotus, Harvest of Seasons is still an album I play much too often.)

Burialkult (bandcamp)
A Call From Beyond The Grave (Zippyshare)

The Broderick - Free To Rot, Free Of Sin (2012)

Let's cut through the shit, you're not going to like this album if you don't like any form of hardcore. Not the, youth of today, x'ed up fists and sing-a-longs type hardcore, OR the crossed arms stance tough guy hardcore, BUT the kind of hardcore that doesn't fear coalescing and mingling with other genres.

Free To Rot, Free Of Sin adventures between a sludgy landscape ensconced in a furiously angry post-hardcore niche, hard hitting and dynamic! Here's an album that is deserving of more praise than it so far has received, it hasn't been under the scalpel so to speak, but I cut this fucker up, and all I could find is some emotionally charged fast and furious jams that are competent enough to be melodic and crushing in one fell swoop. 

The Broderick - Free To Rot, Free Of Sin (Zippyshare)

Verminous - The Unholy Communion (2013)

A full decade has passed since Verminous put out anything since their debut Impious Sacrilege (which fucks your mother… Don't worry, she loves it), but here we finally are roughly 3,650 days later with new material under the title The Unholy Communion.


Straight up death metal from Sweden, no gimmickry or cheap tricks to be found here, instead we have romping ass fucking riffs, drums that have more fills than a phone-book and a festering spew of vocals. Without scruples, this is one of the best traditional sounding death metal albums I've heard all year, it has all my laurels and admiration… And once I'm finished over playing Hordes - II I'll probably spin this quite a bit.

This album further augments my infatuation for graveyards, kinda like Misfits did back in the day.

Verminous - The Unholy Communion

Sun Worship - Surpass Eclipse (2013)

Sun Worship of Germany got in touch with me about a month or so ago, asking me if I would be interested in reviewing Surpass Eclipse for SHOM. They offered to send me their vinyl in the mail, which built up a significant amount of pre-cum because I knew this was an album that would sound incredible on vinyl. And it does…

Upon receiving the package in my mail, the first thing I noticed was a note attached thanking me for taking the time to listen to their record, really it was I who should be thanking them. The second thing I noticed was how rad the packaging was; The artwork is printed with metallic bronze ink on a thick textured cobalt grey card stock (Patrick Bateman would go off on this), and the 180g vinyl itself is adorned with a super sweet illustration silk screen on it! It's quite unique from all my other records, which for any type of collector or elitist dickhead alike, is appreciated.

Sun Worship sound like the end of days, playing a blend of ambient (post) black metal that has a few coats of noise drenched in the mix. Nothing is crystal clear, nothing is overly polished nor anything overly dominant in the mix. They have hit black metal equilibrium, they have put the proverbial nail in the coffin with this EP. Two tracks spanning for 15 minutes of aphoristic black metal; Beautifully spiraling riffs which sometimes hoist that 'nekro sound' and at other times that whirring ambient sound, and drums that are bulky which I find to be quite unique bit effective within their sound. Don't be surprised to hear riffs that would make Godspeed You! Black Emperor or Krallice turn a shade of red from blushing.

Surpass Eclipse comes highly recommended, support these dudes anyway you can. I'll throw up the Bandcamp with the awesome "name your price" option as well as the option to purchase the vinyl. If you do plan to get the vinyl, let me know, I'm more than sure the band would be willing to sign it in metallic ink along with maybe a scribbled penis or pentagram on it.

Download (Zippyshare)
Bandcamp ("name your price" + Vinyl purchase)

Eibon - II (2013)

Throatruiner is a label that has had my attention and respect, for they consistently put out filthy and engaging albums that are normally spread around for free download. Fucking right Matthias!

Eibon's II; sludgy, doom ladened black metal that crawls and festers between two lengthy tracks – The two colossal tracks dip and swell like a raging monsoon, dragging the listener uncomfortably under its blackened waters… Somehow you submerge, 43 minutes later, weakened and dreary, yet breathing and alive.

What a stupid fucking paragraph to describe an album, I'm not deleting it though, I spent at least 13 minutes writing that, occasionally distracted by my incessant tapping on my laptop and scarfing down roasted almonds… Look's like were both going to have to deal with that shit man.

Eibon's II seems to break the trend of free download though, so either pay your dues on the bands bandcamp or visit the scummery of Metalchesh

Leucosis - S/T (2013)

(Monthly Recap) Leucosis' self-titled album has been out for over a month now, hopefully you already have it, if not, that's why it's here. You would be missing out on one of the strongest releases this year (so far) – I'll repeat that, in bold caps – YOU WOULD BE MISSING OUT ON ONE OF THE STRONGEST RELEASES THIS YEAR CHUMP (I called you a chump because you made me repeat myself).

I thought Pulling Down The Sky was rad, and it was, but this sophomore release really shows the band progress and solidify a sound to call their own. The sound of the drums are my favourite part, they don't sound chunky, they sound fucking obese! The kick plods along with great force, driving a lot of strength and potency into the songs. The vocals aren't quite as suffocated in the mix, but fuck do they still sound ghastly. It definitely is less raw in sound, but still retains this organic element, and more visceral than ever.

I've found this album to sound even better through a good pair of headphones (I use a pair of Shure 425's). I'm not sure whether download links are out there for this, but if you can't afford the 5$ for this, email me (chris_dalessandro@hotmail.com) and I'd be willing to help you out.

Leucosis bandcamp


*In Lieu of total transparency, read what rhythm guitarist Isaac had to say about the S/T in the comment section (Remember, be cognizant that there is always two sides to a story… not to deject what Isaac has said)

Oxtongue - Where The Light Is Mute; Limited test press vinyl

First and foremost, you've really fucked the dog if you haven't heard this album yet. If you are a dweeb and need further convincing, read my original post about the album here.

Holy Mountain Printing recognized this morose cimmerian beast and decided to go ahead and press 300 vinyls of WTLIM! But until the final result, the limited test presses are in, and they are fucking beauty! (Only 5 were made available for sale) I wanted to post this here to give those of you whom I know really dig this release an oppurtunity to put your money where your mouth is… Oh, and there are only a couple left.

Here is the direct link to purchase the record!

Kokomo - S/T (2013)

I just drank two heaping cups of coffee, which for me is the equivalent to dropping three pints of raw ether and washing it down with a bottle of bourbon… Bear with me as I search my scattered brain to formulate cohesive sentences. Also, I saw the remake for Evil Dead last night so 80% of my body's blood flow is still directed straight into my raging erection. Again, bear with me fuckface.

This is what I had to say about Kokomo's "If Wolves" a couple months back, and it still applies;

"Kokomo make use of no words. They speak through instrumentation in a whirring blend of ambient post-rock, and boy do they speak LOUDLY. It's as if you are watching the world end from a birds eye view… It feels bigger than you, it's beautifully somber and bleak and you can't look away.

The bread and butter of If Wolves is the atmosphere, a dizzying hypnotic drone of palpable emotion, it all feels profound and you can't understand it, you just feel it. Maybe you don't, but maybe you're vanilla as fuck. Listen to it for yourself, if you don't once become entrenched in a series of thoughts, or feel the unsettling yet uplifting ambiance through your blood, check your pulse - you're dead."

•  •  •

The recipe seems the same this time around for Kokomo's 2013 self-titled release, only this time seemingly more focused on something more minimalist in sound. It is still evocative, expansive, forlorn and entrancing as it ever was… It's not physically released yet, but the digital download is up for a 'name your price' option on the bands bandcamp. I paid a measly $2, well worth it.

KOKOMO (bandcamp)

Abyssal - Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius (2013)

One would define the word Abyssal as; Unfathomable, or concerning the depths of the ocean floor. Both are appropriate when comparing them to the UK based death/black/doom band Abyssal… A band that will often be compared to the likes of Mitochondrion, Portal, Impetuous Ritual, Antediluvian and even Iceland's underground gem Svartidauði – And for good reason too, everyone of these bands possess similar qualities; A harrowing atmosphere, a whirring dizziness drone accompanied by a a dirge like plod saturated in a begrimed cavernous stench.

This album strongly hearkens back to the days when Mitochondrion released Parasignosis – They both are heavily laden with a distressing and dizzying tone that becomes more enjoyable when it's played at very loud volumes. "Fuck that you sadomasochist!" you will say… And I will simply nod, for I am fully cognizant that I truly enjoy the crushing nature that comes along with music of this ilk. It is almost emotionally draining, sitting through Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius entirety does not come easily for your nervous system, but its musical layers are a fucking joy to explore. It's dense, evocative, wearing and heavier than the ocean floor.

This is one of the stronger releases I have come across in 2013, I'm overwhelmed and captivated by its murk and mire… I bought it right away after hearing the second track. Download links may exist online, but I will not be posting one, it is available on their Bandcamp page for only 3$ as a digital download. This is self-released, and on a personal level I would feel like a malignant dickhole for even trying to scrape up a download link. Do as you will, but I'm only posting up the Bandcamp link… Don't throw me to the lions, thanks.

Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius (Bandcamp)

Zozobra - Savage Masters (2013)

What is 15 minutes long, sludgy, frantically paced and devoid of staleness? If you said your sex life, congratulations, you're a fucking idiot liar. Get your head out of your ass and into some Zozobra, because they have released Savage Monsters! Full of slimy sewer sludge and post-hardcore beat down, this short and furious album is mixed in a rather upfront "what you hear is what you get" type way, not a lot of trickery going on. Sure it's tiny in length (like your penis), but it packs a fucking punch (unlike your penis).


Savage Masters (Zippyshare)
Zozobra Bandcamp