#TranscendingObscurityRecords

Shardik MediaBlackened death metal band Shrine Of Denial offer up a new album, I, Moloch. Review at FFR, <a href="https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2025/03/04/shrine-of-denial-i-moloch-transcending-obscurity-2025/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2025/03/04/shrine-of-denial-i-moloch-transcending-obscurity-2025/</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/metal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#metal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/heavymetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#heavymetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/rock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#rock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/hardrock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#hardrock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/IMoloch" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#IMoloch</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurity</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurityRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Turkey" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Turkey</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/shrine-of-denial-i-moloch-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Shrine of Denial – I, Moloch Review</a>By Thus SpokeI’m starting to think there might be something in the water over in Turkey. Not two full years after Serpent of Old and their phenomenal debut Ensemble Under the Dark Sun blew my tiny mind, Shrine of Denial threaten to do the same. Sharing a home country and a label and implying a similar sound to Serpent of Old in their one-sheet, it was easy to go in expecting a carbon-copy of the former. While certain quirks suggest the idea of a native style, Shrine of Denial have more than enough personality of their own, forming I, Moloch with blackened death metal channeled through a sound that feels as old and trve as it does fresh and unique.I, Moloch is gritty, fast, and technical. Punchily-delivered vocals and fast, off-beat tempos that almost recall The Black Dahlia Murder, meet with menacing riffwork that mimics a faster Morbid Angel, and is most closely akin to last years’ Keres, and throaty growls barked or roared, often in unison. Lurking about the compositions are tones and some pretensions to atmospheric dissonance that sound—yes—a bit like Serpent of Old (“Climbing Through Nothingness,” “The Mesmer”). But Shrine of Denial eschew eerie ambiguity in favour of straightforward meanness, delivering their discordant harmonies through spidery fretwork and the occasional twisting, piercing line. The low-DR, new-school-old-school production that wraps guitar solos in delicious echo, pushes the percussion to the front and into the golden zone of satisfyingly crisp crashy-bangyness, and emphasises the roughness of the vocals is the perfect packaging. This sounds bloody fantastic.Shrine of Denial excel at elevating the elements of their music in a way that injects new vitality and intrigue into old styles, but doesn’t denigrate their unvarnished heaviness. There is much that feels vaguely familiar on I, Moloch, but it is reinterpreted and reinvigorated through impressive performances and idiosyncratic habits that give Shrine of Denial instant individuality. Guitar lines threading through compositions are immediate and hooky (“Oneiros,” “Headless Idol”), but subtly they spin a more complex web that gives the songs depth, and take you almost by surprise as thematic reprise bursts into a thrilling solo (“I, Moloch,” “Pillars of Ice”). The drumwork is far more complex than it needed to be, but the effort pays off in spades, with the compositions becoming exhilaratingly energetic; my jaw was frequently on the floor in appreciation of the flicky precision and kicky fills (especially “A Sanctuary In The Depths Of The Realms,” “Pillars of Ice,” and “Oneiros”). Further, the way Shrine of Denial use syncopation between percussion, vocal delivery, and on-off riff patterns gives them that much more impact, where otherwise they might have shrunken under their technicality (“I, Moloch,” “Temple of the Corpse Misuser”). What few truly melodious passages there are shine when they do appear in the aforementioned solos, or in the hints of grace to certain quite OSDM-sounding refrains; the beauty of their high, cavernous resonance makes it that much more heartbreaking that they are so rare.There is precious little wastage on I, Moloch. With a runtime this swift, but songs this compelling, it’s clear that Shrine of Denial are smart songwriters, knowing that to win over their listener, it’s better to leave them a little hungry. These 31 minutes are bursting with slick, thrilling, downright gnarly musicianship, and a presence that belies this brevity. Everything exudes a fresh and snappy approach to disso-death, and blackened death, and whatever subgenres they incorporate, that makes them more approachable, but keeps just enough conventionality, and more than enough brutality and technicality, to satisfy. The main problems, therefore, with I, Moloch are: a) I would like more, and b) I would like them to let their extreme tendencies play out a little further; that is to say—there aren’t any real problems. In seriousness, I, Moloch’s abbreviation and slight camouflage of seeming more straightforward than it is does let Shrine of Denial down a tad; but it’s early days, and I’m more than happy to wait for them to really let loose.Really, I, Moloch does everything you could ask it to. It’s punchy and slick, with clear signs of powerful promise waiting to be capitalised upon once Shrine of Denial fully lock in. It’s a bite-sized helping of top-shelf blackened death that gets me very excited for the band’s future career, and it’s another impressive debut to come from a country with a growing reputation of fostering extreme metal talent. Rating: Very Good DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://tometal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Transcending Obscurity</a> Websites: <a href="https://shrineofdenial.bandcamp.com/album/i-moloch" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">shrineofdenial.bandcamp</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shrineofdenial/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/shrineofdenial</a> Releases Worldwide: March 7th, 2025 <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blackened-death-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackenedDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blackened-thrash-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackenedThrashMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dissonant-death-metal/" target="_blank">#DissonantDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/i-moloch/" target="_blank">#IMoloch</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/keres/" target="_blank">#Keres</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mar25/" target="_blank">#Mar25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/morbid-angel/" target="_blank">#MorbidAngel</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/serpent-of-old/" target="_blank">#SerpentOfOld</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/shrine-of-denial/" target="_blank">#ShrineOfDenial</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-black-dahlia-murder/" target="_blank">#TheBlackDahliaMurder</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/transcending-obscurity-records/" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/turkish-metal/" target="_blank">#TurkishMetal</a>

Shardik MediaThe full-length debut of death metal band Shrieking Demons is The Festering Dwellers. Review at FFR, <a href="https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2025/01/29/shrieking-demons-the-festering-dwellers-transcending-obscurity-2025/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2025/01/29/shrieking-demons-the-festering-dwellers-transcending-obscurity-2025/</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/metal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#metal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/heavymetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#heavymetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/rock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#rock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/hardrock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#hardrock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/technicaldeathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#technicaldeathmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/melodicdeathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#melodicdeathmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/doom" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#doom</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurity</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/ShriekingDemons" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#ShriekingDemons</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Indianapolis" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Indianapolis</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurityRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/fleshbore-painted-paradise-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Fleshbore – Painted Paradise Review</a>By KenstrosityStarting the year off strong on the album art front, Indianapolis’ technical death metal quartet Fleshbore adorn their sophomore record Painted Paradise with an idyllic landscape—courtesy of one Mark Erskine—that lives up to its title. Naturally, I was drawn to this depiction, knowing full well that those tunes which lurk just beneath may strike a darker, nastier tone altogether. Then again, extreme metal can be a fickle beast, and the promo sump even more so. That leaves me no choice but to dive right in like Mary Poppins into a chalk mural in the asphalt. And away we go!If, like me, you play the game of “guess the sound by the artwork,” you might expect Fleshbore to align with technical death legends <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/fallujah-empyrean-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Fallujah</a>. Guess again, hotshot. There’s nothing remotely atmospheric about Fleshbore’s approach. Instead, both 2021’s Embers Gathering and this year’s upcoming Painted Paradise trudge the serrated, blood-soaked trenches scoured by now-defunct touchstones Necrophagist and Spawn of Possession. Modernized with a subtle melodic bent and machine gun bars reminiscent of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/archspire-bleed-the-future-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Archspire</a>, and paired with a spewing vocal tone shared with acts like <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/aethereus-leiden-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Aethereus</a>, Fleshbore offer a sound that is at once deeply familiar to fans of the style and just barely distinct enough to start pulling away from the standard tech-death conglomerate.When Painted Paradise hits hardest, it punches far above its weight class. Starting strong with opener “Setting Sun,” Fleshbore make an impressive first impression with crushing, high-tech riffing, and shredding lead work. The Spawn of Possession influence is strong here, but Fleshbore’s particular application of melody effortlessly straddles the boundary from their uncompromising inspirations and something altogether bouncier and more playful. Re-upping its riff payload with mid-album highlights “Inadequate” and “The Ancient Knowledge,” and signing off on another one-two detonation between “Painted Paradise” and “Laplace’s Game,” Painted Paradise’s back half maintains a relentless momentum that pulls more of that darkness which brought definition to Fleshbore’s relative levity at the start back to the fore. In this way, Fleshbore integrated much-appreciated dynamics from a wider perspective than on a simple song-by-song basis. Consequently, Painted Paradise makes for a deeply engaging, cohesive experience when given intent focus.On the other hand, some of Fleshbore’s ambitious detailing threatens to derail that same experience. The initial source of this concern comes from the vocals. Embers Gathering offered plenty of rapid verse work that coalesced perfectly with the surrounding instrumentation. On Painted Paradise, attempts to push for an increased rate of lyrical fire result in a slight, but noticeable disconnect between the pacing of individual performances. Most clearly heard on earlier verses of “The World” and especially on the isolated, quasi-a-capella segments of “Target Fixation,” these vocal reaches cause palpable discomfort to these ears. I yearn for simpler lines that better support the songs themselves rather than requiring a vocalist to push the upper limits of their skill set. In other areas, less inspired riffing and cookie-cutter passages conspire to undermine Painted Paradise’s bid for tech-death domination. As examples, “Target Fixation” and “Wandering Twilight” offer plenty of quality portions that would easily satisfy the appetites of tech-death fans, but they lack the same impressive vivaciousness of Painted Paradise’s stronger cuts, thereby compromising listener immersion. Additionally, for those sensitive to production characteristics, Painted Paradise’s glossy finish and plastic snare tone might abrade the sensibilities of those wishing for a nastier palette to better complement Fleshbore’s vicious writing.Rating Painted Paradise posed an interesting challenge when it came time to finalize my assessment. Initially, I was so put off by the floundering, albeit admirable, attempt to match Archspire’s words-per-second speed that I couldn’t lock into the rest of the content presented. In time, that avoidant impulse subsided enough that I could appreciate the greater quality of Fleshbore’s latest work. When it comes down to it, Painted Paradise is a strong early entry into 2025’s tech death canon, sure to appeal to fans of the style and likely to attract new blood to the ranks. At the very least, it solidifies Fleshbore’s status as a band to watch. Rating: Good DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://tometal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Transcending Obscurity Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://fleshbore.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">fleshbore.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/fleshbore" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/fleshbore</a> Releases Worldwide: January 24th, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/30/" target="_blank">#30</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aethereus/" target="_blank">#Aethereus</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/archspire/" target="_blank">#Archspire</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fleshbore/" target="_blank">#Fleshbore</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/necrophagist/" target="_blank">#Necrophagist</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/painted-paradise/" target="_blank">#PaintedParadise</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/spawn-of-possession/" target="_blank">#SpawnOfPossession</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/tech-death/" target="_blank">#TechDeath</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/technical-death-metal/" target="_blank">#TechnicalDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/transcending-obscurity-records/" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-october-2024s-angry-misses/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Stuck in the Filter: October 2024’s Angry Misses</a>By KenstrosityNever fear, the blog’s penchant for <del>deep lateness</del> punctuality persists! It is likely the new year already by the time you see this post, but we’re taking a step back. Way back, into October. I was deep in the shit then, and therefore couldn’t do anything blog-related. And yet, my minions, those very laborers for whom I provide absolutely no compensation whatsoever, toiled dutifully in the metallic dinge that is our Filter. Unforgiving though those environs undoubtedly are, they scraped and scoured until, at long last, small shards of precious ore glimmered to the surface.These glimmers are the same which you witness before you. Some are big, some are small. Some are short, some are tall. But all are worthy. Behold! Kenstrosity’s Belated Bombardments <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Cosmic-Putrefaction-331030417723505/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Cosmic Putrefaction</a> // Emerald Fires atop the Farewell Mountains [October 4th, 2024 – <a href="http://www.profoundlorerecords.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Profound Lore Records</a>]I was originally slated to take over reviewing duties for Cosmic Putrefaction this year, as Thus Spoke had a prior commitment and needed a buddy to step in. Unfortunately, I was rendered useless by a force of nature for a while, so I had to let go of several items of interest. But I couldn’t let 2024 go by without saying something! Entitled Emeral Fires atop the Farewell Mountains, Cosmic Putrefaction’s fourth represents one of the smoothest, most ethereal interpretations of weird, dissonant death metal. The classic Cosmic Putrefaction riffsets under an auroric sky remain, as evidenced by ripping examples “[Entering the Vortex Temporum] – Pre-mortem Phosphenes” and “Swirling Madness, Supernal Ordeal,” but there lurks within a monstrous technical death metal creature who rabidly chases the atmospheric spirits of olde (“I Should Great the Inexorable Darkness,” “Eudaemonist Withdrawal”). While in lesser hands these distinct aesthetics would undoubtedly clash on a dissonant platform such as this, Cosmic Putrefaction’s particular application of sound and style coalesces in devastating beauty and relentless purpose (“Hallways Engraved in Aether,” “Emerald Fires atop the Farewell Mountains”). Were it not for some instances wherein, for the first time ever, Cosmic Putrefaction threatens to self-plagiarize their own material (“Eudaemonist Withdrawal”), I would likely consider Emerald Fires atop the Farewell Mountains for year-end list status.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/feralswe/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Feral</a> // To Usurp the Thrones [October 18th, 2024 – <a href="https://tometal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Transcending Obscurity Records</a>]Another one of my charges that I unfortunately had to put down against my will, Swedish death metal fiends Feral’s fourth salvo To Usurp the Thrones deserves a spotlight here. Where <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/feral-flesh-of-funerals-eternal-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Flesh for Funerals Eternal</a> impressed me as my introduction to the band and, arguably, my introduction to modern buzzsaw Swedeath, To Usurp the Thrones impresses me as a singularly vicious record in the style. Faster, meaner, more varied, and longer than its predecessor, Thrones offers the punk-tinged, thrashy death riffs you know and love, with bluesy touches reminiscent of Entombed’s Wolverine Blues adding a bit of drunken swagger to the affair (“Vile Malediction,” “Phantoms of Iniquity,” “Into the Ashes of History”). Absolute rippers like “To Drain the World of Light,” “Deformed Mentality,” “Decimated,” and “Soaked in Blood” live up to the band’s moniker, rabid and relentless in their assault. In many ways, Thrones evokes the same bloodsoaked sense of fun that Helslave’s <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/helslave-from-the-sulphur-depths-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">From the Sulphur Depths</a> conjured, but it’s angrier, more unhinged (“Spirits Without Rest,” “Stripped of Flesh”). Consequently, Thrones stands out as one of the more fun records of its ilk to come out this year. Don’t miss it!<a href="https://www.facebook.com/sunworshipband" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Sun Worship</a> // Upon the Hills of Divination [October 31st, 2024 – <a href="https://vendettarecs.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Vendetta Records</a>]Back in 2020, our dear Roquentin offered some damn fine words of praise for Germany’s Sun Worship and their third blackened blade, <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/sun-worship-emanations-of-desolation-things-you-might-have-missed-2019/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Emanations of Desolation</a>. It’s been six years since that record dropped, and Upon the Hills of Divination picks up right where Emanations left off. That is to say, absolutely slimy, post-metal-tinged riffs bolstered by dense layers of warm tremolos and mid-frequency roars. Opener “Within the Machine” offers a concrete encapsulation of what to expect: bits and pieces of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hulder-verses-in-oath-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Hulder</a>, <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/gaerea-coma-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Gaerea</a>, and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/vorga-beyond-the-palest-star-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Vorga</a> melding together into a compelling concoction of hypnotic black metal. Using the long form to their utmost advantage, Sun Worship craft immersive soundscapes liable to scald the flesh just as quickly as they seduce the senses, leaving me as a brainwashed minion doing a twisted mystic’s bidding unconditionally (“Serpent Nebula,” “Covenant”). Yet, there roils a sense of urgency in these songs, despite many of them occupying a mid-paced cadence, which unveils a bleeding heart willingly wrenched from Sun Worship’s body (“Fractal Entity,” the title track, and “Stormbringer”). This is what sets it apart from its contemporaries, and what makes it worthy of mention. Why it’s gotten so little attention escapes me. It is with the intent of rectifying that condition that I pen this woefully insufficient segment. Dolphin Whisperer’s Duty Free Rifftrocity<a href="https://www.facebook.com/extortednz/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Extorted</a> // <a href="https://extorted.bandcamp.com/album/cognitive-dissonance" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Cognitive Dissonance</a> [October 16th, 2024 – Self Release]You don’t need to read this review to know that the Kiwis of Extorted plays pit-whipping death/thrash. Though not adorned with other obvious symbols, like Vietnam War paraphernalia or crushed beer cans, the Ed Repka-penned brain-ripped head figure screams “no thoughts only riff” all the same. With snares set to pow and crashes set to kshhh, Cognitive Dissonance finds low resistance to accelerating early Death-indebted refrains. Vocalist Joel Clark even plays as a dead ringer for pre-Human Schuldiner or Van Drunen (<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/asphyx-necroceros-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Asphyx</a>, ex-<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/pestilence-exitivm-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Pestilence</a>) as the torture in many lines grows (on “Infected” and “Ghastly Creatures” in particular). And in a continued tour of Van Drunen-associated sounds, Extorted’s ability to find a push-and-pull cadence that twists the fury of thrash with the cutting drag of death hits that hard-to-nail early Pestilence pocket with studied flair (“Deception,” “Limits of Reality”). Though a considerable amount of the Extorted identity rests in ideas borrowed and reinterpreted, a modern tonal canvas gives Cognitive Dissonance’s rhythms a punchy and balanced low-end weight that doesn’t always present itself in the world of old. Couple that with hooks that reach far beyond the limits of pure homage (“Transformation of Dreams,” “Violence”), and it’s easy to plow through the thirty minutes of tasteful harmonies, bending solos, and spit-stained lamentations that Extorted offers with their powerful debut.<a href="https://brii.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Bríi</a> // Camaradagem Póstuma [October 11th, 2024 – Self Release] With Camaradagem Póstuma we enter the hazy, folky world of Caio Lemos’ unique vision of what experimental electronic music can be colored by the underpinnings of atmospheric black metal and jazz fusion. Using terraced melodies like baroque music of old and distant breakbeats like the <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/bong-ra-meditations-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Bong-Ra</a> of recent yesteryears, Brazil’s Bríi represents one man’s highly specific melding that rarely occurs in this space. The guitar lines that do exist play out as textural, slow-developing passages. On tracks “Aparecidos” and “Baile Fantasma” this looping and hypnotic pattern shuffle resembles ambient Pat Metheny or <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/yer-prog-is-olde-king-crimson-in-the-court-of-the-crimson-king/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">King Crimson</a> colors, the kind where finding the end of nylon pluck into a weaving, high-frequency synth patch feels not impossible but unnecessary. And on the more metallic side of things, Lemos cranks programmed blasts that carry his tortured, panning, and shrouded wails as a guide for the melodic evolution of each track, much in the same way a warping bass line would in a progressive house track. But maintaining the tempo of classic drum and bass, Camaradagem Póstuma wisps away in its atmosphere, coming back to a driving rhythm either via pummeling double kick or glitching break. Despite the hard, danceable pulse that tracks “Enlutados” and “Entre Mundos” boast, Bríi does not feel built for the kvlt klvbs of this world, leaning on a gated, lo-fi aesthetic that makes for an ideal drift away on closed cans, much like the equally idiosyncratic <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/amgs-unsigned-band-rodeo-wist-strange-balance/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Wist album</a> from earlier this year. And similarly, Camaradagem Póstuma sits in an outsider world of enjoyment. But if any of this sounds like your jam, prepare to get addicted to Bríi. Thus Spoke’s Rotten Remnants<a href="http://www.facebook.com/livloesband" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Livløs</a> // The Crescent King [October 4th, 2024 – Noctum Productions]Livløs are one of those bands that deserves far more recognition than they receive. With LP three, The Crescent King, they might finally see it. Their punchy intriguing infusion of Swedish and US melodic death metal—though the band themselves hail from Denmark—has a pleasing melancholia and satisfying bite. Here in particular, there’s more than a passing resemblance to <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hath-all-that-was-promised-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Hath</a>, to <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/cognizance-malignant-dominion-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Cognizance</a>, and to <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/in-mourning-the-bleeding-veil-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">In Mourning</a>. Stomping grooves (“Maelstrom,” “Usurpers”) slide in between blitzes of tripping gallops, and electrifying fretwork (“Orbit Weaver,” “Scourge of the Stars”). Mournful, compelling melodies woven into this technical tapestry—some highlights being the title track, “Harvest,” and “Endless Majesty”—turn already good melodeath into great melodeath; melodeath that’s majestic and powerful, without ever feeling overblown. With its relentless, groovy dynamism, the crisp, spacious production seals the deal for total immersion. If this is your first time hearing about Livløs, you’re in for a treat.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/sordideband" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Sordide</a> // Ainsi finit le jour [October 25th, 2024 – <a href="https://lesacteursdelombre.net/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions</a>]And So Ends the Day, whilst another begins where I rediscover Sordide. I know not how I forgot their existence despite the impression that 2021’s Les Idées Blanches made upon me, yet all I could recall was the disturbingly simple, <a href="https://sordide.bandcamp.com/album/les-id-es-blanches-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">melty art.</a><a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-october-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-207332-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> Ainsi Finit le Jour arrives with a hefty dose (53 minutes no less) of punky, dissonant black metal that’s even rawer and more pissed-off than their usual fare. “Des feux plus forts,” “La poesie du caniveau,” and the title track stand out as the most vicious, near-first-wave cuts the trio have ever laid down, with manic, group wails, and chaotic, jangling percussion. But as is so often the case with Sordide, perhaps the truest brutality comes in the slower discordant crawls of “Sous Vivre,” “Tout est a la mort,” and the particularly unsettling “La beauté du desastre,” whose creeping, half-tuneful teasing and turns to eerie spaciousness get right under your skin. It is arguably a little too long for its own good, given its intensity, but its impressiveness does mean that, this time, Sordide won’t be forgotten. Dear Hollow’s Droll Hashals <a href="https://www.facebook.com/annihilistmetal/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Annihilist </a>// Reform [October 18th, 2024 – Self Release]What Melbourne’s Annihilist does with flamboyant flare and reckless abandon is blur the lines of its core stylistic choices. One moment it’s chugging away like a deathcore band, the next it’s dripping away with a groove metal swagger, ope, now it’s on its way to Hot Topic. All we know is that all its members attack with a chameleonic intensity and otherworldly technicality that’s hard to pin down. An insane level of technicality is the thread that courses throughout the entirety of this debut, recalling Within the Ruins or <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/the-human-abstract-digital-veil-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">The Human Abstract</a> in its stuttering rhythms and flailing arpeggios. From catchy leads and punishing rhythms (“The Upsend,” “Guillotine”), bouncy breakdowns, clean choruses, and wild gang vocals (“Blood”), djenty guitar seizures (“Virus,” “Better Off”) to full-on groove (“N.M.E.,” “The Host”), the likes of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/lamb-of-god-lamb-of-god-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Lamb of God</a>, early <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/architects-the-here-and-now-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Architects</a>, Born of Osiris, and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/children-of-bodom-hexed-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Children of Bodom </a>are conjured. Lyrics of hardcore punk’s signature anarchy and societal distrust collide with an instrumental palette of melodeath and the more technical kin of metalcore and deathcore, groove metal, and hardcore. As such, the album is complicated, episodic, and unpredictable, with only its wild technicality connecting its fragmented bits – keeping Reform from achieving the greatness that the band is so capable of. As it stands, though, Annihilist offers an insanely fun, everchanging, and unhinged roller coaster of -core proportions – a roller -corester, if you will. Under Alekhines Gun<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheurgyBDM/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Theurgy</a> // Emanations of Unconscious Luminescence [October 17th, 2024 – <a href="https://newstandardelite.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">New Standard Elite</a>]In a year where slam and brutal death have already had an atypically high-quality output, international outfit Theurgy have come with an RKO out of nowhere to shatter whatever remains of your cerebral cortex. Channeling the flamboyancy of old Analepsy with the snare abuse and neanderthalic glee of Epicardiectomy, Emanations of Unconscious Luminescence wastes no time severing vertebrae and reducing eardrums to paste. Don’t mistake this for a brainless, caveman assault, however. Peppered between the hammiest of hammers are tech flourishes pulled straight from Dingir era <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/rings-saturn-lugal-ki-en-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Rings of Saturn</a>, adding an unexpected technical edge to the blunt force trauma. The production manages to pair these two disparaging elements with lethal efficiency. Is it the techiest slam album, or the wettest, greasiest tech album? Did I mention there’s a super moldy cover of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/devourment-obscene-majesty-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Devourment</a>‘s “Molesting the Decapitated”? It slots right into the albums flow without feeling like a tacked-on bonus track, highlighting Theurgy’s commitment to the homicidal odes of brutality. Throw in a vocal performance that makes Angel Ochoa (Abominable Putridity) sound like Anders Fridén (<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/in-flames-foregone-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">In </a><a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/in-flames-foregone-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Flames</a>), and you’re left with one last lethal assault to round out the year. Dive in and give your luminescence something to cry about. GardensTale’s Great Glacier<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GhostsofGlaciers/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ghosts of Glaciers</a> // Eternal [October 25th, 2024 – <a href="https://translationloss.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Translation Loss Records</a>]Ghosts of Glaciers’s last release, The Greatest Burden, was a masterclass of post-metal flow and has become a mainstay in my instrumental metal collection since <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/ghosts-of-glaciers-the-greatest-burden-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">my review</a> in 2019. Dropping in tandem with several other high-profile releases, though, I could not give its follow-up the kind of attention it deserves. And make no mistake, it absolutely deserves that attention. The opening duo, “The Vast Expanse” and “Sunken Chamber,” measure up fully to The Greatest Burden, though it takes a few spins for that to become clear. Both use repetitive patterns more than before, but closer listens reveal how subtle variations and evolution of each cycle build gradual tension, so the release becomes all the more satisfying. I’m a little more ambivalent on the back half of Eternal, though. “Leviathan” packs a bigger punch than more of the band’s material, it lacks the swirling and sweeping currents that pull me under and demand full and uninterrupted plays every time. Closer “Regeneratio Aeterna” is a pretty but rather demure piece that lasts a bit longer than it should have. But despite these reservations, the great material outstrips the merely good, and Eternal is a worthwhile addition to any instrumental metal collection.<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/abominable-putridity/" target="_blank">#AbominablePutridity</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ainsi-finit-le-jour/" target="_blank">#AinsiFinitLeJour</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/analepsy/" target="_blank">#Analepsy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/annihilist/" target="_blank">#Annihilist</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/architects/" target="_blank">#Architects</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/asphyx/" target="_blank">#Asphyx</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/atmospheric-black-metal/" target="_blank">#AtmosphericBlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/australian-metal/" target="_blank">#AustralianMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/bong-ra/" target="_blank">#BongRa</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/born-of-osiris/" target="_blank">#BornOfOsiris</a> <a rel="nofollow 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href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cognizance/" target="_blank">#Cognizance</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cosmic-putrefaction/" target="_blank">#CosmicPutrefaction</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death/" target="_blank">#Death</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-thrash/" target="_blank">#DeathThrash</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/deathcore/" target="_blank">#Deathcore</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/devourment/" target="_blank">#Devourment</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" 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Shardik MediaTech death deliverers Fleshbore are back with a new set, Painted Paradise. Review at FFR, <a href="https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2025/01/22/fleshbore-painted-paradise-transcending-obscurity-2025/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2025/01/22/fleshbore-painted-paradise-transcending-obscurity-2025/</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/metal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#metal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/heavymetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#heavymetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/rock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#rock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/hardrock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#hardrock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/technicaldeathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#technicaldeathmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/melodicdeathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#melodicdeathmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurity</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Fleshbore" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Fleshbore</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Indianapolis" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Indianapolis</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurityRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a>

Shardik MediaThe first album from noise metallers Hierarchies is self-titled. Review at FFR, <a href="https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2025/01/15/hierarchies-hierarchies-transcending-obscurity-2025/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2025/01/15/hierarchies-hierarchies-transcending-obscurity-2025/</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/metal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#metal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/heavymetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#heavymetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/rock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#rock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/hardrock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#hardrock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/deathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#deathmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/noisemetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#noisemetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Hierarchies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Hierarchies</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurity</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurityRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/dissonance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#dissonance</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/dissonantmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#dissonantmetal</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hierarchies-hierarchies-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Hierarchies – Hierarchies Review</a>By Thus SpokeUltra-dissonance is so hot right now.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hierarchies-hierarchies-review/#fn-209103-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> Yes, dissonance itself has been a thing for a long time in metal, and in music generally for far longer, but ever since artists picked up what Gorguts threw down and ran with it, this adjective has become associated with ever-increasingly twisted and abrasive soundscapes, the dial of ‘extremity’ moving further and further. The last few years in particular have seen an acceleration of this trend as an explosion of acts offer their take. Enter Hierarchies—formed of members from Acausal Intrusion and Dwelling Below<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hierarchies-hierarchies-review/#fn-209103-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2</a>—who on their self-titled debut, serve up some more wonky, ugly, technical death metal fun for your listening pleasure (or pain).If you’ve heard Acausal Intrusion, or any of the artists’ other death metal projects, then you’re some way towards knowing what Hierarchies sounds like. But aside from this, the other most immediate impression I got was the similarity to two acts not associated with Hierarchies’ members: namely, Ad Nauseam and Pyrrhon. Hierarchies is sophisticated in its technicality, but naïve in its sprawling, ugly execution. Chaotic and abrasive, it is replete with jangling percussion and stomach-turning riffs, with squealing chords spliced in, and narrated by gurgling, inhuman roars. The soundscapes substitute suffocation with that uncomfortable spaciousness that makes the wild and twisting (“Consecrate Phenomenon,” “Complexity Parallels”) or uneven and creeping (“Twilight Tradition,” “Subtraction”) disharmonies stand out more obviously. It is neither grand nor groovy, but grotesque, complex in a way that wards off rather than entices easy enjoyment. That’s not pejorative, because, in this genre, you work for your enjoyment and sometimes you just witness the weirdness and grin.Hierarchies are not easy to paint with one broad stroke. At times, there are glimpses of a more ‘accessible’<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hierarchies-hierarchies-review/#fn-209103-3" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">3</a> strain of (blackened) death metal à la Gigan or Immolation (“Entity,” “Vultures”). The fact that this opens the album exemplifies one way in which Hierarchies ambushes its listener. Other ambushes would be the flirtations with the (almost) atmospheric by way of quiet, pensive strums (“Twilight Tradition,” “Abstract,” “Vultures”) and genuine slips into swooping melody, though they are caught just before they become anything resembling a refrain (“Dimension,” “Abstract”). Hierarchies play very fast and loose with structure, shifting nonchalantly between tempos, riff patterns, structure, and vibe. It is more or less impossible to tell where a song is going to go, and as Hierarchies, broadly speaking, gets more chaotic and unhinged as it goes on, the album thus walks on the knife edge between exhilarating and exhausting. A gnarly bit of guitar might come skittering down out of nowhere (“Dimension,” “Complexity Parallels,” “Subtraction”), and it might even be sort of beautiful. There might even be the thrill of a repeated pattern, before things get weird again (“Abstract”). The very turmoil and technicality of the music on display is quite arresting, often making up for any lack of structure or harmony (“Twilight Tradition,” “Complexity Parallels,” “Vultures”). Yet, as an entity formed of such compositions, flitting wildly between its elements, Hierarchies overall feels a little fickle and a little too restless, as though someone had their finger on the fast-forward button in a whirlwind tour of disso-death.Hierarchies is helped and hindered by that spacious production hinted at above. Every jarring, smooth, quiet, and furious note, roar, and beat has a clear voice in the fracas. It makes the impressive technicality and scope of these pieces easier to appreciate than if things were denser, but it also amplifies their intensity, as one can’t help but absorb every tiny detail that encompasses every sudden and swooping switch. This is a multi-layered album that unveils progressively more of its intricacies with each listen, and this in itself is a feat. Yet Hierarchies design things neither for mind-boggling scope, nor for intoxicating frenzy, and the result is a behemoth of undeniable prowess whose vacillation makes it hard to keep in step with.For all its trials and triumphs, Hierarchies remains a very solid slab of ‘ultra-dissonant’ death metal. Given its members’ experience, it’s no real surprise it’s as strong as it is. But in this era, where smart, mind-bending, and savage interpretations of this extreme genre abound, Hierarchies have not done quite enough to elevate theirs above the norm. If you can’t get enough of this stuff, Hierarchies will serve you well; I’m not about to pretend I didn’t have fun with it. Its stamp on the scene, however, will likely be fairly short-lived for all but the most ardent of fans. Rating: Good DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3 Label: T<a href="https://tometal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">ranscending Obscurity</a> Websites: <a href="https://hierarchiesdm.bandcamp.com/album/hierarchies" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Hierarchies-death-metal/61564013775330/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Facebook</a> Releases Worldwide: January 17th, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/30/" target="_blank">#30</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/acausal-intrusion/" target="_blank">#AcausalIntrusion</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ad-nauseam/" target="_blank">#AdNauseam</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dissonant-death-metal/" target="_blank">#DissonantDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dwelling-below/" target="_blank">#DwellingBelow</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hierarchies/" target="_blank">#Hierarchies</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jan25/" target="_blank">#Jan25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/pyrrhon/" target="_blank">#Pyrrhon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/technical-death-metal/" target="_blank">#TechnicalDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/transcending-obscurity-records/" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a>

Shardik MediaProg tech deathers Misanthropy shame the devil on their latest album, The Ever-Crushing Weight Of Stagnance. Review at FFR, <a href="https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/12/20/misanthropy-the-ever-crushing-weight-of-stagnance-transcending-obscurity-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/12/20/misanthropy-the-ever-crushing-weight-of-stagnance-transcending-obscurity-2024/</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/metal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#metal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/heavymetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#heavymetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/rock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#rock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/hardrock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#hardrock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Chicago" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Chicago</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Misanthropy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Misanthropy</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/progressivedeathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#progressivedeathmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/deathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#deathmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/technicaldeathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#technicaldeathmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurityRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/thrash" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#thrash</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/misanthropy-the-ever-crushing-weight-of-stagnance-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Misanthropy – The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance Review</a>By KenstrosityApparently, Chicago progressive tech death quartet Misanthropy used to play thrash metal. Once I learned of this shift, it felt like I could suddenly hear a thrashy thread running through their newest release, The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance. Having no prior experience with Misanthropy’s back catalog, I walked into their third record with an open mind, ready and willing to be probed by the wild and the wacky. Sometimes, unexpected changes make for unexpected pleasures.You’d be forgiven for mistakenly clocking Misanthropy as boilerplate tech death based solely on outward appearances. You’d nonetheless be incorrect. For the longest time, I struggled to nail down exactly what amalgamation of sounds and styles Misanthropy represented. But then I started writing this piece and it hit me. Imagine a dirtier Augury fed through an Atrae Bilis filter and finished with a proggy Atvm glaze, and you have a roughly accurate blueprint of what to expect from current Misanthropy. Twisting, gnarled compositions, motivated by Paul’s multifaceted kitwork, mesh and morph against guitarists Kevin’s and Jose Valles’ unending cavalcade of mind-shredding riffs. Mark’s burbling bass and vicious vox form both the throbbing underbelly and the piercing voice of the record, propelling The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance through its forty-five-minute tale with gusto and gravity. In totality, The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance represents a fierce and furious affair. Yet, countless stops and swaps between blistering grooves, manic freakouts, mind-melting churns, and ground-shaking stomps leave me mostly rapt throughout.Highlighting standout moments on The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance proves a challenge, as Misanthropy penned so many killer passages into these seven songs that it’s hard to pick favorites. Even so, massive pit-opening grooves and slithering riffs elevate thrashier songs like “The All-Devouring” to the top of the pile. An eerie, waltzing dalliance with jazz rhythms allows opener “Of Sulking and the Wrathful” to shine in its back half as well, showcasing Misanthropy’s knack for oddball transitions that work deceivingly well in the context of their chosen style. At first I struggled to appreciate “Condemned to a Nameless Tomb” and “Descent” for their unorthodox combination of Veilburner stream-of-consciousness writing and Artificial Brain shimmer, but with time I grew to appreciate their place in the lineup as the next-door-neighbor monstrosities that they are. Unafraid to get down and dirty, “Sepulcher” offers just the right amount of funky Alkaloid intelligence to offset filthy Incantation tones and harmonized riffing, expertly juggling straightforward and slimy with weird and wretched.Impressive though it is that Misanthropy managed to cover so much stylistic ground without sullying their unique new character, The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance remains a touch disjointed as a whole. Tonally, Misanthropy play fearlessly with rough-hewn textures inside a more clinical environment, but there are moments of mild uncanny valley associated with that experiment, as certain elements of Misanthropy’s flexible sound clash rather than coalesce (“A Cure for the Pestilence”). Misanthropy’s willingness and ability to throw everything but the kitchen sink at their compositions without totally destabilizing everything deserves great respect, but it sometimes comes at the cost of fluidity and cohesion (“Consumed by the Abyss”). This, therefore, makes certain sections of The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance somewhat difficult to listen to casually, as I often lose details or miss quality segments when not listening intently. Additionally, the occasional abrupt switch between unexpected change-ups make already lengthy tracks (most soar past the six minute mark) feel even lengthier.Thankfully, listening intently is quite literally my job here, and I spend lots of time with my charges. Consequently, I can assure you that The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance represents yet another killer in Transcending Obscurity’s lineup of crazy beasts. It may not be everyone’s favorite creature, but if you aren’t careful, it’s liable to sink its teeth into your flesh and rend it from the bone regardless. Some, if not most, of you would probably love that, I’m sure. If so, Misanthropy’s third unleashment is a fine selection for your sick kicks. Rating: Very Good DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://tometal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Transcending Obscurity Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://misanthropychicago.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">misanthropychicago.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/MisanthropyChicago" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/MisanthropyChicago</a> Releases Worldwide: December 13th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/alkaloid/" target="_blank">#Alkaloid</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/artificial-brain/" target="_blank">#ArtificialBrain</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/atrae-bilis/" target="_blank">#AtraeBilis</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/atvm/" target="_blank">#Atvm</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/augury/" target="_blank">#Augury</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dec24/" target="_blank">#Dec24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/incantation/" target="_blank">#Incantation</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/misanthropy/" target="_blank">#Misanthropy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/progressive-death-metal/" target="_blank">#ProgressiveDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/progressive-metal/" target="_blank">#ProgressiveMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/technical-death-metal/" target="_blank">#TechnicalDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-ever-crushing-weight-of-stagnance/" target="_blank">#TheEverCrushingWeightOfStagnance</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/transcending-obscurity-records/" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/veilburner/" target="_blank">#Veilburner</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/pillar-of-light-caldera-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Pillar of Light – Caldera Review</a>By Thus SpokeA Caldera is a hollow resulting from the collapse of a volcano’s magma chamber, normally after an eruption. This lasting effect of catastrophe, in the form of a deep depression, describes a mental state as much as it does a geological phenomenon. Pillar of Light—who dedicate their debut Caldera to late friend Steven Jon Muczynski (Hollow Earth/Tharsis They)—channel this state in an unflinching exploration of mortality and misery. Through a crushing brand of sludgy doom, Pillar of Light rain bitter feelings and agonized resignation in a shower of pathos as massive and confrontational as that haunting, incandescent door.It can be paradoxically enjoyable to indulge in one’s gloominess, and Caldera takes this right to the brink of real despair. With Aaron Whitfield screaming pure sadness and spite over the deceptively simple interplay of Scott Christie, Alex Kennedy, and James Obenour’s resonant riffs and crushing chords, to the pulse of Eric Scobie’s thump and crash, Pillar of Light ensures that every note, beat, and breath hits you firmly and squarely in the chest. The presence of reverberant guitar in a dense production is weighty enough, trudging bleakly along to sluggardly sludge, But it grants a solidity also to the mournful refrains that spill down out of an opening in the grey cloud in delicate atmospheric drops, or a downpour of rich tremolo. In their violence, and patient creep towards devastating, destructive outpourings, Pillar of Light frequently reminds me of Amenra—almost too much at times, though such a comparison is only a good thing for Caldera’s effectiveness.If Caldera is designed to rip your heart out, then it succeeds. Drums and concrete guitar batter and beat you down, you crawl along the tense path of blunt near-dissonance, your breath catches in moments of atmospheric anticipation, or a shivering build, and then is knocked clean from you as you collapse in a devastatingly beautiful catharsis. If you’re me, listening alone in my flat on a dark November evening, you’re crying. If you’re not me, you might not be crying, but you’d have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by the grief (“Leaving”), the despair (“Infernal Gaze”), and the surrender (“Certain End”) that bleeds out of these massive mournful melodies. More muted harmonies bleed with apathy (“Wolf to Man,” “”Spared,” “Unseeing”) before they too succumb to pulchritudinous despair. Venomous barks and somber spoken-word become a mantra of misery as they repeat over blunt and beautiful themes alike (“Wolf to Man,” “Infernal Gaze”). Quiet should be taken gratefully, even as delicately wrought plucks precipitate further despondence (“Leaving,” “Eden,” “Unseeing”).Across its near-hour-long runtime, Caldera hardly lets up on its emotional abuse, changing only the manner in which it assaults. “Spared” and “Unseeing,” etched with screeching slides, are cold and depressive whether dwelling in ringing atmospheres or dissonant chugging. Unflinching and inexorable next to the more overtly pathetic “Leaving,” and “Infernal Gaze,” with “Unseeing”‘s battering, disharmonic conclusion setting the stage for “Certain End”‘s crippling finale. Only the aptly-titled “Eden” offers peace in its three instrumental minutes that bridge “Spared,” and “Infernal Gaze,” its hazy, perhaps overlong reprieve serving to make “Infernal Gaze” that much more devastating. If one wanted to trim anything, taking a smidge out of “Eden” could be a start, while “Unseeing” could also be pared down. In all honesty, however, Caldera doesn’t feel nearly as long as it is. Something else worthy of note is that “Certain End” hits with a particular type of nostalgic intimacy due its theme reminding me very strongly of Amenra’s “A Solitary Reign.” It took me a couple of listens to realize the reason it felt so familiar, but I wouldn’t class it as plagiarism, just strong inspiration that makes a good song better.It seems that every year, something lands right at the cusp of list season that threatens to demolish the neatly-considered line-up. Pillar of Light are guilty of this terrible timing as they single-handedly snatch my personal Best Doom of the Year title. Stunning by itself, as a debut Caldera sets a heavy precedent and stamps a deep imprint on the scene. As enduring as its namesake, Caldera is gorgeous and heartbreaking, and it won’t let me go. Rating: Great DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://tometal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Transcending Obscurity</a> Websites: <a href="https://pillaroflight.bandcamp.com/album/caldera" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pillaroflightband" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Facebook</a> Releases Worldwide: December 6th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/40/" target="_blank">#40</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/amenra/" target="_blank">#Amenra</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/caldera/" target="_blank">#Caldera</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dec24/" target="_blank">#Dec24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/doom-metal/" target="_blank">#DoomMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/doom-sludge/" target="_blank">#DoomSludge</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/pillar-of-light/" target="_blank">#PillarOfLight</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/post-metal/" target="_blank">#PostMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sludge/" target="_blank">#Sludge</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/transcending-obscurity-records/" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a>

Shardik MediaTennessee death thrashers Ritual Fog move forward with their debut full-length album, But Merely Flesh. Review at FFR, <a href="https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/11/28/ritual-fog-but-merely-flesh-transcending-obscurity-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/11/28/ritual-fog-but-merely-flesh-transcending-obscurity-2024/</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/metal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#metal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/heavymetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#heavymetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/rock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#rock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/hardrock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#hardrock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/thrash" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#thrash</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurityRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/deathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#deathmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/RitualFog" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#RitualFog</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurity</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/veilburner-the-duality-of-decapitation-and-wisdom-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Veilburner – The Duality of Decapitation and Wisdom Review</a>By KenstrosityAsheville, North Carolina’s motto, for the whole time I’d lived there, is “Stay Weird.” For the most part, we Ashevillians take that to heart. So, too, it seems, do Pennsylvania’s weird blackened death duo Veilburner. A studio project well regarded for their unorthodox songwriting style, Veilburner’s discography represents a masterclass on making weird and freaky music remarkably accessible without sacrificing grit or grime. The pinnacle of that exercise, Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull, saw Veilburner at their zenith, handily securing a top spot on my <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thekenwords-and-carcharodons-top-tenish-of-2021/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Albums o’ the Year in 2021</a>. Follow-up <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/veilburner-vlbrnr-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">VLBRNR</a> fell shy of performing the same feat, and yet it still earned high marks. Consequently, I’ve come to rely on this duo for a good time, every time. Seventh in an unbroken streak of high-caliber strangeness, The Duality of Decapitation and Wisdom perpetuates Veilburner’s stalwart reliability.No longer bound by the same thematic thread that strung A Sire to the Ghouls of Lunacy and Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull together, VLBRNR and Duality freely explore new concepts and concoctions. For Duality, Veilburner chose to expound on the mystical qualities and cultural significance of the number seven. Gimmicky? Arguably, but seven happens to be my favorite number, so I’m locked in like Monica Geller in “The One with Phoebe’s Uterus.” Seven songs. Seven minutes per song. DR score of seven. Numerous other compositional/lyrical nods to our whole number of the day. Veilburner committed, and it shows not just in their concrete cohesion of tones, textures, and themes. Duality contains an otherworldly, eerie, and distinctly ethereal character (even when compared to previous efforts); a laminar flow that allows forty-nine minutes of oddball blackened death to travel through a mere mortal’s nervous system like tea through a perfectly rendered clay kettle; and an infallible set of creative performances from Mephisto Deleterio (instruments) and Chrisom Infernium (vocals) that constitutes something just a bit different, but still unmistakably Veilburner.Duality adeptly rebalances Veilburner’s two main draws, then accentuates them with subtle, but creative, adaptations to the format they’ve perfected over the course of their career. Opener “Tem Ohp Ab in Mysticum” isn’t particularly representative of those adaptations—however, listeners need not wait long before things get twisty. Standouts like “III Visions of Hex-Shaped Hiss, Behead the Howling Spirit” and “The Duality of Decapitation and Wisdom Pt. II” showcase a newfound emphasis on the psychedelic. Using this as the basis to form kaleidoscopic, yet hellish, atmospheres, Veilburner conjure up wild and writhing synths, bendy guitar leads, and staggering percussive rhythms. In concert, these tweaked elements coalesce into twisted visages of an alien nature that are at once terrifyingly tangible and invitingly incorporeal. No doubt, Chrisom Infernium’s scathing, psychotic rasps placed atop a rhythm that only occasionally aligns with the surrounding instrumentation strengthens the sensory power of this effect. Meanwhile, Veilburner penned some of their strongest hooks and most aggressive tempos to ground the aforementioned psychedelics. “The Duality of Decapitation and Wisdom Pt. I,” and album highlights “Shadow of a Shadow” and “Woe Ye’ Who Build These Crosses… Are Those Who Will Serve Us Death,” each embody the Hyde to Duality’s Jekyll, boasting extremely memorable riffs and motifs, grotesquely shimmering solo work, and, in the latter’s case, a downright thrashy energy that recalls old school <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/yer-metal-is-olde-metallica-and-justice-for-all/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Metallica</a> if they hailed from the seventh circle of hell.It’s unfortunate that Duality’s bookends are its weakest links. While the opener and closer fit extremely well within the context of the album and serve with a purpose innumerable bands struggle to capture, they lack zest on their own. “Tem Ohp…” is by-the-numbers Veilburner fare, which is a fine standard to hold as a starting point. However, Veilburner are not known for laurel-resting, and to hear, for the first time, material that could be transplanted on any of their last three records without much conflict gives me slight pause. Closer “V.I.I.,” on the other hand, veers a touch too far into experimental territory. Psychedelic and quasi-tribal in tone, but droning in nature, this closing act lives and dies by the percussive variety provided by the immensely talented Mephisto Deleterio. This alone prevents the song from falling into a repetitive pattern of admittedly sticky hooks and intriguing choral elements. Even so, “V.I.I.” prematurely saps momentum from Duality’s final moments.These are mere quibbles, of course. Duality remains a unique, and exceedingly cool, record in the rich metallic tapestry that represents 2024. It would have to grow strongly from here—in an unrealistically short period of time—to reach the same list-topping glory as did Lurkers. Nonetheless, listeners can rest assured that Duality reinforces Veilburner’s reputation for reliability and creativity in an extremely challenging field. To those who would disagree, I say, “off with their heads!” Rating: Very Good! DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://tometal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Transcending Obscurity Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://veilburner.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">veilburner.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/veilburner" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/veilburner</a> Releases Worldwide: November 15th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/metallica/" target="_blank">#Metallica</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/nov24/" target="_blank">#Nov24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/progressive-black-metal/" target="_blank">#ProgressiveBlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/progressive-death-metal/" target="_blank">#ProgressiveDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/progressive-metal/" target="_blank">#ProgressiveMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/psychedelic-metal/" target="_blank">#PsychedelicMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-duality-of-decapitation-and-wisdom/" target="_blank">#TheDualityOfDecapitationAndWisdom</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/transcending-obscurity-records/" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/veilburner/" target="_blank">#Veilburner</a>

Shardik MediaCanadian post-black metal band Hell Is Other People present their second full-length album, Moirae. Review at FFR, <a href="https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/10/10/hell-is-other-people-moirae-transcending-obscurity-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/10/10/hell-is-other-people-moirae-transcending-obscurity-2024/</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/metal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#metal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/heavymetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#heavymetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/rock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#rock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/hardrock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#hardrock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/HellIsOthePeople" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#HellIsOthePeople</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurity</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurityRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Moirae" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Moirae</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/blackmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#blackmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/melodicblackmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#melodicblackmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Canada" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Canada</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/devenial-verdict-blessing-of-despair-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Devenial Verdict – Blessing of Despair Review</a>By Thus SpokeThe moment the single “I Have Become the Sun” appeared on Transcending Obscurity’s 2024 label sampler, Devenial Verdict’s sophomore album Blessing of Despair became one of my most anticipated of the year. Ash Blind, 2022’s profound and uncompromisingly heavy atmospheric death metal debut, blindsided me and cruised nonchalantly into my year-end list. Tagged as ‘dissonant,’ Devenial Verdict rather occupies that ideal zone of pseudo-disso-death that warps disharmony into mournfulness and urgency, creating a <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/devenial-verdict-ash-blind-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">“huge, sinister, and darkly beautiful”</a> sound. With Lewandowski’s “Absolute Authority” standing as a signifier, Blessing of Despair spins parables of the cursed. Its movements are the laments of doomed creation; the expression of the infinite distance between the hoped-for divine purpose, and reality.Blessing of Despair is a moody record. It maintains and further refines the atmospheres of its predecessor. Devenial Verdict swings back and forth with greater frequency (and greater ease) between temper tantrums—stomping, chuggy battering—and lethally graceful restraint. Already compelling, these swings produce a vice grip of coercive control thanks to the intense groove holding everything together. Percussion (Okko Tolvanen), strings (Sebastian Frigren and Antti Poutanen), and vocals (Riku Saressalo), jointly compose rhythms so satisfying and irresistible they almost shouldn’t be allowed in extreme music this atmospheric (particularly on “Blessing of Despair” and “Solus”). For, as my ears bear witness, it can become almost impossible to crawl out of the abyss of delicious darkness Blessing of Despair opens up.What makes Blessing of Despair so powerful is that it dials everything that makes Devenial Verdict unique up a notch, purifying and evolving an already distinctive sound. There were thunderous cascades of bass beats and throat-rending roars before, but nothing like the chest-slamming thrill that opens the album after a visceral inhale (“I Have Become the Sun”), nor the glorious devastation crashing through “Blessing of Despair,” nor the insidious aggression of “Garden of Eyes,” and “Solus.” There were flirtations with distorted, alien wails in the guitarwork, but they pale next to the undulations of “Moon-Starved;” the disquieting “wouarm”-ing of “Cold Lantern,” and the electrifying slides and squeals Devenial Verdict yank out of chord progressions hither and yon. Blessing of Despair excels at developing melody and integrating it into the soundscape. Melancholy weaves in and out (“Moon-Starved” or “The Quietus”) if it doesn’t hang like a specter in resonance (“A Curse Made Flesh”). The dragging drawls of “A Curse Made Flesh,” the suddenly sirenlike descent in “Solus,” and, especially, interlude “Shunned Wander,”<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/devenial-verdict-blessing-of-despair-review/#fn-204005-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> don’t give me chills just because they’re beautiful. Themes carried on the stream of Blessing of Despair’s grander composition, these songs flow seamlessly out of and into those surrounding them.And so it is that Blessing of Despair’s best moments are those where the idiosyncratic musicianship and calamitous heaviness combine with mournful refrains and irresistible groove. The final act of “Solus” is hands-down the best musical moment of the year so far; fusing a yearning, morose minor strain with a magnetic cadence. Aided by solemn refrains, rhythm combines with shivering atmosphere (“Blessing of Despair,” “A Curse Made Flesh”), and the addition of half-whispered growls (“The Quietus,” “Cold Lantern”) to create breathless and inexorable tides of an unresistable meter. The magnitude of such highs does—perhaps inevitably—throw a little shade upon other songs. “Counting Silence” is weaker than its brethren, extending its runtime beyond what its mysterious chords and explosive eventuality can justify. The pensive “A Curse Made Flesh” is an understated way to end the album, lacking the authority that the glorious “World Breaker” had on Ash Blind. Yet this latter ordering nitpick doesn’t detract from a song that is, in its individuality at least, brilliantly crafted. And the more I listen to it, the more I appreciate the somber introspection it lends as the final chords hum and fade away.Blessing of Despair proves that lightning can strike twice for Devenial Verdict. With a song of the year contender in its midst,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/devenial-verdict-blessing-of-despair-review/#fn-204005-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2</a> it’s a force to be reckoned with. Being consistently this strong is no mean feat. Anticipation rewarded with this catharsis of forward-thinking, stellar atmospheric death metal is a blessing. Rating: Great DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s CBR mp3 Label: <a href="https://tometal.com/https://tometal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Transcending Obscurity</a> Websites: <a href="https://devenialverdictband.bandcamp.com/album/blessing-of-despair" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> |<a href="https://www.facebook.com/DevenialVerdict/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"> Facebook</a> Releases Worldwide: October 4th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/40/" target="_blank">#40</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/atmospheric-death-metal/" target="_blank">#AtmosphericDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blessing-of-despair/" target="_blank">#BlessingOfDespair</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blog/" target="_blank">#Blog</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/devenial-verdict/" target="_blank">#DevenialVerdict</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dissonant-death-metal/" target="_blank">#DissonantDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/finnish-metal/" target="_blank">#FinnishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/oct24/" target="_blank">#Oct24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/transcending-obscurity-records/" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a>

Shardik MediaHelsinki death metal diehards Devenial Verdict offer an important reminder on their new album, Blessing Of Despair. Review at FFMB, <a href="https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/10/01/devenial-verdict-blessing-of-despair-transcending-obscurity-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/10/01/devenial-verdict-blessing-of-despair-transcending-obscurity-2024/</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/metal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#metal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/heavymetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#heavymetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/rock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#rock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/hardrock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#hardrock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Finland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Finland</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/dissonantmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#dissonantmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/deathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#deathmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/DevenialVerdict" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#DevenialVerdict</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurityRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Helsinki" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Helsinki</a>

Shardik MediaThe sophomore long-player from German death metal band Typhonian is The Gate Of The Veiled Beyond. Review at FFMB, <a href="https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/09/16/typhonian-the-gate-of-the-veiled-beyond-transcending-obscurity-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/09/16/typhonian-the-gate-of-the-veiled-beyond-transcending-obscurity-2024/</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/metal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#metal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/heavymetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#heavymetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/rock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#rock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/hardrock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#hardrock</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TranscendingObscurityRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/deathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#deathmetal</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Typhonian" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Typhonian</a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Germany" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Germany</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/evilyn-mondestrunken-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Evilyn – Mondestrunken Review</a>By Dear HollowAt first glance, it appears that international death metal act Evilyn only has your demise and destruction in mind. Mondestrunken is uncompromisingly heavy, riffs pushed to their shimmering limits like oil from the collapsing god machine, hellish growls from beyond the stars, and drums funneled through warp speed directly into the collapsing horror of a black hole. It feels like a background of cosmic noise, lifeless, unfriendly, and directionless, but patience yields results: obelisks emerge into the view. Not that they were ever absent, but that our eyes could not behold them. Beneath the fray of entropy, the eyeless stars, and the unending weight of time, patterns emerge. Lifelessness itself resurrects. The dead shall rise again. We were never alone, and that should make us more terrified than ever.Evilyn was originally founded by Coma Cluster Void’s Jeanne Comateuse, attempting to make cosmic-themed old school death metal with a substantial hit of dissonance. With debut EP Inside Shells, the template was set: devastating death metal with shifting nebulae of tempos and time signatures alongside ruthless discordance. Evilyn’s lineup has shifted,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/evilyn-mondestrunken-review/#fn-201561-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> its sole remaining member, guitarist/vocalist Anthony Lipari of Thoren, now including bassist Alex Weber of Malignancy and drummer Robin Stone of Norse and Ashen Horde, but the emphasis is as uncompromising as ever. First full-length Mondestrunken (German for “moon-drunk”) is as punishing as it is puzzling, a relentless bombast of death metal insanity fractured and splattered across the face of infinity.Across thirty-seven minutes, Evilyn creates an OSDM template that is splintered through the fractured light of an alien prism, the result just as chaotic and alienating as you would expect – dissonance is relentless, the tempos and rhythms are constantly shifting, and Lipari’s vocals remain in deep growl mode. Initially overwhelming in terms of utter saturation, repeated listens unearth more and more. Contrary to the dissonance-for-dissonance’s-sake screeching of Mithridatum or Scarcity, or the improvised assaults of Acausal Intrusion or Ar’lyxkq’wr, Evilyn’s palette emerges in the form of motifs. While initially an apparent clusterfuck of discordance and chugs, blastbeats, and aggressing plodding, the motif gradually reveals itself and the song suddenly makes sense – these take several forms. While the off-kilter morphogenetic riffs of “Dread,” “Limits,” “Penance,” and “Slithering” ground their respective sounds like a traditional Morbid Angel blueprint, the pinch harmonics of “Omission” and “Forgotten” are a flaying reminder of pain. “Forgotten” and “Eat the Elite” explore their riffs with careful precision, each rendition more warped and rusted than the last.The most tantalizing tracks aboard Mondestrunken are the ones with whom only a framework or structure becomes the motif, Evilyn soaring in mood and madness. The album title is most apparent in “Forgotten,” which truly feels like a cosmic drunken dissodeath passage, deepening in intricacy as it continues – its pinch harmonics nearly a misdirect to the approaching doom – while “Interwoven” lives up to its name with a dynamic structure of growing dissonance with each worming riff. “Bloviate” approaches its sound with a “traditional” proto-chorus, a midsection of contemplative open strums that add greater monolithic weight to the obliteration surrounding it. Resounding highlights are centerpieces “Penance” and “Vacuous,” their mercilessly mechanical sound achieving a hypnotic effect. The clockwork guitar plucking in the former collapses to dizzying shredding and animalistic blastbeats that rend planets, while the dissonance achieves a distinctly dying warble. The latter’s constant shifting between 6/8 and 4/4 enacts a cosmic pendulum, swaying between destruction and creation, the clarity of its cohesive conclusion feeling more punishing than the chaos surrounding it. Overall, Mondestrunken’s viciousness is palpable, the breadth organic – continuous and relentless hiss against the breath of life – each instrument organic and audible through the alien shimmering. Evilyn embraces experimentation with just a kernel of a tenet that keeps the mind secured to mortal realms.Don’t be surprised if you hate Evilyn’s brand of bombastic saturation off the bat. Its dissonance is unending, its vocals one-dimensional, and shifting passages feel like cosmic whiplash again and again. However, it’s a surefire slow burn in spite of its relentless attack, its revelations feeling like the solution of a difficult cosmic puzzle and the kernel of accessibility blooming into monolithic significance. Its audience is limited, but fans of Fractal Generator, Artificial Brain, Aseitas, and Asystole – rejoice! For those willing to ride Evilyn’s warped spiral of the abstract and maddening, Mondestrunken’s secrets are revealed with tantalizing fulfillment. Rating: 4.0/5.0 DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://tometal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Transcending Obscurity Records</a> Websites: <a href="https://evilyndm.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">evilyndm.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/evilyndeath/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/evilyndeath</a> Releases Worldwide: August 16th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/40/" target="_blank">#40</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/acausal-intrusion/" target="_blank">#AcausalIntrusion</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/arlyxkqwr/" target="_blank">#ArLyxkqWr</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/artificial-brain/" target="_blank">#ArtificialBrain</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aseitas/" target="_blank">#Aseitas</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ashen-horde/" target="_blank">#AshenHorde</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/asystole/" target="_blank">#Asystole</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aug24/" target="_blank">#Aug24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/avant-garde-death-metal/" target="_blank">#AvantGardeDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/coma-cluster-void/" target="_blank">#ComaClusterVoid</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dissonant-death-metal/" target="_blank">#DissonantDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/evilyn/" target="_blank">#Evilyn</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fractal-generator/" target="_blank">#FractalGenerator</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/international-metal/" target="_blank">#InternationalMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/malignancy/" target="_blank">#Malignancy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mithridatum/" target="_blank">#Mithridatum</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mondestrunken/" target="_blank">#Mondestrunken</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/morbid-angel/" target="_blank">#MorbidAngel</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/norse/" target="_blank">#Norse</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/old-school-death-metal/" target="_blank">#OldSchoolDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/osdm/" target="_blank">#OSDM</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/scarcity/" target="_blank">#Scarcity</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/technical-death-metal/" target="_blank">#TechnicalDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/thoren/" target="_blank">#Thoren</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/transcending-obscurity-records/" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/monument-of-misanthropy-vile-postmortem-irrumatio-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Monument of Misanthropy – Vile Postmortem Irrumatio Review</a>By Thus SpokeIf you’re squeamish…skip this paragraph. Or don’t, because any good fan of death and grind should be ok with a little gore. Vile Postmortem Irrumatio continues Monument of Misanthropy’s recent trend of writing albums centred around certain serial killers, following 2021’s eponymously-titled Unterweger (about Austrian-born killer Jack Unterweger). This time, the subject is Ed Kemper, whose crimes might have been indistinct from the many other misogynist multiple-murderers of the late sixties and early seventies were it not for his particular habit of decapitating his victims post-mortem, and…orally copulating with the heads. He did this not only with the six co-eds he killed, but also his own mother. If you didn’t know what irrumatio meant, now you do. Death metal is far from estranged from the violent and depraved, and Monument of Misanthropy again live up to their name and genre bracket with an example of one of history’s more violent and depraved men, and an excuse-for-misanthropy of a human being. How does the music fit its subject?As album number three, Vile Postmortem Irrumatio cements the band’s sound as a lean, mean, deathgrind machine. As much a product of the stomping, crushing aggressiveness of the old style as the cutthroat, technical, mania of the new. Now leaning harder into the slick and twisted speed alongside sharp, scaling riffs, Monument of Misanthropy now sound a bit like if Cattle Decapitation had a baby with Aborted, minus the goblin cleans of the former and a large portion of the urgent melodies of the latter. Recognizable from previous efforts, the music is that much slicker, faster, and absolutely face-destroying. Speaking as someone who’s not typically this genre’s hugest fan, the album’s relentless pace, groove, and malice infectiously wormed their way into my brain, bringing a smile to my face, and an unstoppable repetitive bang to my head. Because, it’s clear, from the raison d’être of death metal as a whole to the specific instance of Vile Postmortem Irrumatio itself, that none of this is to be taken seriously, or as any glorification of Kemper. It’s morbid fascination, with a healthy sense of humor. And so the gleefully extreme guitar-wrangling and clustering drum-battering are simply thrilling, and the interview samples<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/monument-of-misanthropy-vile-postmortem-irrumatio-review/#fn-200930-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> that divide the record have that perfect horror-movie chill, enhanced by the building of creepy synth-accented accompaniment.Vile Postmortem Irrumatio works because it’s a lot of things masquerading as only one thing. You think you’re getting a slab of dumb, silly-heavy fun (and you are), but crammed into that hulking,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/monument-of-misanthropy-vile-postmortem-irrumatio-review/#fn-200930-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2</a> brutal body is much more. There’s unexpectedly aesthetic minor melodies soloing and swooping over the gory blastbeats and bass churning (“Manipulating the Experts”, title track, “A Nice Beheading for MoM”). There’s groove aplenty (“The Atascasdero Years,” “The Devil’s Slide,” “A Nice Beheading…”). There are vibrant flashes of electrifying tremolos and lurching disso-death shivers irreverently joining forces (“Hits One and Two,” “The Devil’s Slide,” “Your Treachery Will Die with You”). There’s a satisfying range of vocal styles, from guttural gurgles to squealing screams. What might sound like a set of Barnum statements for modern brutal death metal, really only applies to the top-shelf stuff, the stuff that gets people like myself, who struggle with the death metal pedigree, on board. Riffs, vocal delivery, and the crucial percussive factor<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/monument-of-misanthropy-vile-postmortem-irrumatio-review/#fn-200930-3" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">3</a> are punchy as fuck, rhythmically smacking you about the head to a series of slamming (“Pueblo Paranoia”), bouncing (“A Nice Beheading….”), buzzing (“The Atascasdero Years”), stomping (title track) swings. This hits hard in the most enjoyable way.You would think that inserting multiple instrumental, interview-sample-bedecked interludes would cause issues for flow. Ok, it does, a tiny bit, but really not very much, and in this regard Monument of Misanthropy have come leaps and bounds beyond Unterweger, where the spoken-word sections did jam up the gears a bit. “Why Did You Keep the Heads” comes the closest to compromising the album’s momentum, but it still falls naturally within the structure of the record’s story, its concept. Opener “First Time It Makes You Sick To Your Stomach” and later “Oh, I Suppose You’re Gonna Want To Sit Up And Talk All Night Now” are unironically creepy in the aforementioned horror-movie way, and amp up the suspense quite brilliantly before their respective following tracks come tearing in. This, in combination with the sheer ease with which the music pulls off its tricks, make its jams pretty memorable. And we haven’t even got to the obvious implications for lifting abilities with literally any of the (non-interlude) cuts blaring in your ears.There remains a question of the true longevity of Vile Postmortem Irrumatio, but a considerable part can be attributed to a snobbishness towards the genre. It’s loud, and it’s certainly not pretty—proclaiming a DR that isn’t 3 only because of it’s very dynamic interludes—but it is a slick, nasty, solid bit of fun. And from a brutal death metal album about a necrophilic serial killer, what more could you possibly ask?Rating: Very Good DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://tometal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Transcending Obscurity</a> Websites: <a href="https://monumentofmisanthropydm.bandcamp.com/album/vile-postmortem-irrumatio" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialMonumentOfMisanthropy.BrutalDeathMetal/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Facebook</a> Releases Worldwide: August 9th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aborted/" target="_blank">#Aborted</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aug24/" target="_blank">#Aug24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/austrian-metal/" target="_blank">#AustrianMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/brutal-death-metal/" target="_blank">#BrutalDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cattle-decapitation/" target="_blank">#CattleDecapitation</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/deathgrind/" target="_blank">#Deathgrind</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/grind/" target="_blank">#Grind</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/monument-of-misanthropy/" target="_blank">#MonumentOfMisanthropy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/technical-death-metal/" target="_blank">#TechnicalDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/transcending-obscurity-records/" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/vile-postmortem-irrumatio/" target="_blank">#VilePostmortemIrrumatio</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/construct-of-lethe-a-kindness-dealt-in-venom-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Construct of Lethe – A Kindness Dealt in Venom Review</a>By Dear HollowConstruct of Lethe embodies a constant limbo of underrating, often in cahoots with acts like Desolate Shrine or Lantern in that they lay delicate fingers upon dissonance and grime without diving headlong into them, oft sporting a blackened edge. Instead of buying into mimicry, Tony Petrocelly’s quartet Construct of Lethe has embodied a darkness all of their own, beginning with 2016’s Corpsegod, a raw and angular take on death metal, and perfected in 2018’s more triumphant Exiler, which was given the <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/construct-of-lethe-exiler-things-you-might-have-missed-201/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">TYMHM treatment</a> by the gone-but-unforgotten Kronos. First album in six years, A Kindness Dealt in Venom attempts to break their silence with an ambitious album designed as one continuous track with twelve distinct movements.Construct of Lethe merely dabbles in dissonance and grime, but that doesn’t mean A Kindness Dealt in Venom is an easy or pleasant listen. Rather, there is a veil draped across its entire visage, ghostly and punishing in equal measure. Uncompromisingly bleak and haunting, it is an album you get lost in, and one you can be proud to blare at maximum volume, a challenger for fans of classic Morbid Angel, Immolation, or Hate Eternal, and for diehards of the more dissonant stylings of Noctambulist or Heaving Earth alike. Divisively more experimental and far more contemplative and divisive than its predecessors in a more pronounced doom presence and instrumental saturation, A Kindness Dealt in Venom nonetheless offers no reprieve.Construct of Lethe first and foremost attacks their third full-length with a sense of menacing organicity and miasmic fluidity – with complete shredding in mind. You have your more predictable death metal affairs, touched upon by blastbeats and chunky riffs a la Morbid Angel or Bolt Thrower, in tracks like opening movement “Artifice” or “Denial in Abstraction,” but the true highlights are feats of songwriting that revel in a more slow-moving and ominous pace, as the dissonant jangling saturating “Contempt” and the pulsing tribal elements of “I Am the Lionkiller” inject palpable dread. Longest track “Bete Noir” is an easy climax, its nine-minute breath oozing through pulsing death/doom beatdowns of raucous percussion, thick bass, and a dynamic with disintegration in mind. Eating at the ears like a more insidious but deadlier pyroclastic flow, the percussion acts like the hammering of the anvil while the sliding interchange between Morbid Angel riffs and Immolation blasphemy in the soundtrack of madness. “Labyrinthine Terror” and closer “Tension – There is Nothing for You Here” exemplify this lethal fusion likewise, recalling more high-minded assaults like Labyrinth of Stars or Sulphur Aeon. Construct of Lethe expertly balances a dissonant death template with old school death shredding in an album that mightily succeeds in both.Truthfully, there are no blatantly bad tracks aboard A Kindness Dealt in Venom, but the implications of its pacing and flow are questionable at best. Construct of Lethe’s first act up until “Denial in Abstraction” will have you believe that this is a pure death metal foray (like Corpsegod or Exiler) but when the second act begins you are unwittingly met with a series of build-ups with little capitalization. Tracks “Flickering,” “I Am the Lionkiller,” “Paroxysm as Pratmatism,” “Raw Nerve, Iron Will,” “Sacrosanct,” and “Tension – There is Nothing For You Here” are all instrumentals stacked in the latter half,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/construct-of-lethe-a-kindness-dealt-in-venom-review/#fn-199214-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> and are likewise all incredibly brief affairs, the shortest “Sacrosanct” clocking in at less than a minute. I understand that Construct of Lethe composed this album as a single track with twelve movements, but this whiplash from instrumental to instrumental, with incredible dynamic builds leading to musical dead-ends, is a head-scratcher. It’s as if they included new vocalist Kishor Haulenbeek in the first half of the album then abruptly fired him before the second – even though the guy’s still employed. The flow is therefore problematic, as the first half of the album constitutes thirty minutes of the album’s forty-five. As “Bete Noir” stands as a potential SOTY, it puts all following tracks in its shadow – which sucks, because there are ten.Construct of Lethe proves they are masters of their craft with A Kindness Dealt in Venom, but it’s almost entirely derailed by its odd tracklist. Especially when Petrocelly and company have never included an instrumental in Exiler or Corpsegod, it’s confusing why suddenly A Kindness Dealt in Venom features six of them – primarily in the second half. Don’t get me wrong, each track is fantastic, blending purist death metal with dissonant and avant-garde tendencies that never derail it due to organic production and songwriting. However, for an album that professes a cohesive whole, Construct of Lethe has never felt more disjointed. Bang your head while scratching it. Rating: 2.5/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://tometal.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Transcending Obscurity Records</a> Websites: <a href="https://constructoflethe.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">constructoflethe.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/constructoflethe/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/constructoflethe</a> Releases Worldwide: June 21st, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/30/" target="_blank">#30</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/a-kindness-dealt-in-venom/" target="_blank">#AKindnessDealtInVenom</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/atmospheric-death-metal/" target="_blank">#AtmosphericDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/bolt-thrower/" target="_blank">#BoltThrower</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/construct-of-lethe/" target="_blank">#ConstructOfLethe</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/desolate-shrine/" target="_blank">#DesolateShrine</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dissonant-death-metal/" target="_blank">#DissonantDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hate-eternal/" target="_blank">#HateEternal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/heaving-earth/" target="_blank">#HeavingEarth</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/immolation/" target="_blank">#Immolation</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jun24/" target="_blank">#Jun24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/labyrinth-of-stars/" target="_blank">#LabyrinthOfStars</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/lantern/" target="_blank">#Lantern</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/morbid-angel/" target="_blank">#MorbidAngel</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/noctambulist/" target="_blank">#Noctambulist</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/old-school-death-metal/" target="_blank">#OldSchoolDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sulphur-aeon/" target="_blank">#SulphurAeon</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/transcending-obscurity-records/" target="_blank">#TranscendingObscurityRecords</a>

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