Olde Growth - Olde Growth

As the years go on and I become an older, somewhat wiser man, at least I think I’m getting to that point, I can’t hep but wonder what band will be next to “part the red sea”. In previous years it’s been bands such as Sleep, Bongripper, Sunn O))), Om and Wormrot. In the more recent months it’s been outfits such asShroud Eater, Meth Drinker, Mühr and Verwüstung. These bands have impacted my life in ways that most really never will, honestly. So, should I still be looking for the next project to literally split me in half? Sure why not! The last spot I expected to look was Boston, MA, not because I dislike every professional sports team from Boston but because it’s never been a city that hit me with crushing doom/sludge etc.. Olde Growth is a two piece that lit me the hell up once I heard the opening track from their self-titled full-length, “Olde Growth”. Trust me when I say prepare for a war of war drums and classic groove because this these two dudes will not let you down for once second.

When I speak about “parting the red sea” as Mosses did, I speak of opening up my heart and hitting spots that nobody else can do musically. It’s a feeling that I get when the hair on my neck rise and I get chill bumps from head to toe. Few records have actually accomplished this but it seems like only certain record can in theory. The opening to this record is a track titled “The Grand Illusion”, not only does it bring that really aggressive and dirty sludge/stoner vibe but the chorus is untouchable. The way this record sounds, the volumes that it can hit and how intense it can be at times, it sounds like a four or five piece playing, not a two piece. The powerful riffs that Stephen LoVerme plays with his bass are similar to what it probably sounded like when the Titanic hit the iceberg. Just gritty, disgusting, deep tones and chords that would shatter your grandfathers ears if you put this record on for him. When I think of certain tracks on this record I can picture ships at sea, people enjoying the sun and just having life as perfect as possible. On the other hand, yes we always have the other hand, I can see dark, chaotic, uprisings of people feeling empowered and just taking what they desire in life. The lyrics to the track “Life In The Present” are something that will make you dream of marvelous surrounding and adventure that you would actually consider trying.

Down and out, dry and heaving. Loss of hope, anguish. Being in time, ford the crossing. Choose to live, break the cycle. Your own mortality will set you free! Scale the highest mountain. Sail across the sea. Ride the steeds of lighting. Swim beneath the clouds. Feast upon the succulent flesh of the Earth! Souls drift on cosmic waves. Light of a thousand candles. Burns through the eternal night!

Previously I said something about war drums, the patterns and authority Ryan Berry can lay out is honestly, in my opinion, the blueprint to how stoner/sludge is suppose to sound like from behind the kit. It’s in your face, full of just raw power but also has this bluesy feel to it at certain sections of the record. “Olde Growth” is just energetic, full of balls and a record that just makes you feel great about whatever is going on in your life at that time. It’s not a record that you wanna put on to feel depressed or apathetic, if you want that put on some Worship or Funeral Moth. Olde Growth are pushing buttons in all the right ways, that’s just a fact and it’s how I feel.

As I right this, the record is literally blasting through my subs that are connected to my laptop. I’ve had a massive headache since yesterday and even though it calmed down a bit last night, it’s back in full force today. That being said, that’s how much I dig this record, even with a throbbing headache it’s still slamming my face and brain all day long. In closing, all I can say is that if this debut full-length from two Boston guys can make me jump for joy for anything Boston, we might have hope for the future in me not having the Boston Bruins.

1) The Grand Illusion
2) Life In The Present

3) Cry of the Nazgul/The Second Darkness/To the Black Gate
4) Sequoia

5) Red Dwarf

6) Everything Dies

7) Awake

Download the record here

Assyrian - Self-Portrait

Over the last couple of months, if not years, I've been wondering where all of the talented Mexican metal bands are. We're heard a couple over the years in such outfits as Brujeria and Infinitum Obscure but nothing that really stuck to me and made me want more Mexico metal. Blasting out at me at speeds unimaginable is a little project called Assyrian. Playing that Atmospheric Progressive/Death/Doom on the same platform as Opeth, Assyrian could easily be heavy hitters in the metal scene. All they need is a record label that would support them fully.They already have a solid fan base and with the intensity they bring on record, it's a real mind fuck how this four piece hasn't been signed to a record label at all.


So, this EP was giving to me nearly a week or so ago and it's literally taken me a full week to understand how I feel about this record. At first I was sort of iffy because it sounded just like some Opeth rip-off. As time passed and this record was blasting on and off through the weekend, I realized that these guys can really bring the heat when it comes to clean vocals and riffs that will make you feel like heaven has opened up. Imagine the cleanness that Opeth gives you, the brilliant epic songs that fill all your needs when it comes to rawness and just progressive death. Assyrian is sort of like that but a whole different breed of wolf. Packing a punch that would knock a fat woman off the back of a horse, it's literally track after track of beautiful chords, amazing piano sections and some solos that will make your head explode in glory. "Self-Portrait" is a record that has seven great tracks that span over the time of twenty-eight minutes. The great thing about this record is that Assyrian are never scared to show who they really are. They will never play something different to just try to impress the listener nor will they go in a direction they have no idea about. They play straight forward progressive death, the type of progressive death that make the trees shake, the type of progressive death that will make you thank God above for blessing you with such a talented band to listen to. As much as I enjoy the growls and the grunts, the clean vocals are something that make this record brilliant. From the softer sections on the track "The Gray" to the amazing melodies on "Quiet", the sixth tracks. It's all just beautiful, heart warming music that I wish everyone could hear, honestly. My favorite track on this record has to be "Empathic Narcissus", it gives me that doom/death I need but also feeds me this solo around the two minute mark, that solo builds and blasts into this Japanese/Korean style melody that reminds me of a Korean Rock band that goes by the name Seo Taiji. It's probably the most glorious thing I've heard since the first time I made my ex-girlfriend orgasm. Yes, it's that glorious that I can compare it to a female orgasming.

Solid record from a Mexican progressive death/doom outfit that should be making more noise than they are in the metal world. People need to open up some ears because we can't keep letting acts like this slip under the rug. If I have to do it alone, I will but Assyrian needs to be hear, period. Global domination? We can only hope with how beautiful this record is.

* ALL TRACKS ARE IN .WAV FORMAT SO YOU WILL HAVE TO DOWNLOAD EACH SONG INDIVIDUALLY!!

1) Impromptu

2) Empathic Narcissus

3) The Gray

4) Colour Me

5) Phobos

6) Quiet

7) Bright Green Light

Shroud Eater - ThunderNoise

Somewhere in a tiny shed towards the shores of Florida's beautiful coast line, a creature with monstrous fangs and rabid claws dwells. Never seeing the light of day, you would think it was a night hunter that will only sneak up on his prey, right? They call this demonic creature Shroud Eater, and earlier this year that beast released one hell of a record titled "ThunderNoise". Scratching and clawing their way through the streets of Miami, FL, Shroud Eater has overcame some amazing battles on the way to releasing this record. Being an unsigned band, a three piece and coming from Florida, where the metal scene seems to be flooded with death/tech-death projects. Shroud Eater has proven that you can be a three piece doom outfit from Florida and make moves so loud that it separates mountains.

As you walk down the sidewalk of any random street in a big city you'll see concrete covered in dry blood, filth and just ugliness. "ThunderNoise" gives you that sense of big city dreams except with a huge flavor of southern spice. Very gritty bass lines that sound as if they are echoing from the depths of hell itself. Janette Valentine does an amazing job at keeping her sections fresh, full of excitement and pretty much a never ending cycle of kick ass. The guy behind the kit, Felipe Torres, can also bring some massive volumes that fit in perfectly to this thunderous record. The way he slams the snare and uses that kick drum is something like I've never heard on a sludge/doom record before. He puts soul into his playing and thinks about each and every pattern, at least to me it seems that way. Jeannie Saiz, the vocalist and guitarist for this hell bound of a project, is simply phenomenal from beginning to end, also. Her voice has that rough, southern woods type feel to it that most men, let alone woman can get while screaming. "ThunderNoise" provides eleven tracks spanning over a forty-three minute length, trust me when I say it's the perfect length. The record doesn't overstay it's welcome nor does it leave you begging for me. When I say it doesn't make you beg for more, it will but you'll get your fill with one full spin of the record, no doubt about that. Another great thing about "ThunderNoise" is that even though it sets moods of southern cooking, fireworks, BBQ and just family acting a little crazy while drinking a bit, you still get the very clean guitar riffs. The opening to the track "Shark Valley" is something I would think I would hear in a Tool track, honestly. It's refreshing to hear a sludge/doom outfit use some clean riffs but also remember their roots in the filthiness.

Picture this if you will; as you prepare for a long day, you walk outside and smell the burning of what seems to be trees. You also smell the fresh air as the birds sing. knowing that today will be an amazing day. You think to yourself, "Is there anything that could make this day better?", finally it hits you, Shroud Eater! Pop that record in or hit play on your iPod and let's get this day on with because nothing screams "amazing day" like some Shroud Eater.

1) High John The Conqueror

2) Vesuvius

3) Cyclone

4) Shark Valley

5) We Are Beasts

6) Descent From The Summit

7) Oubliette

8) Baying Of Jackals

9) Sinister Hunt

10) Hands That Prey

11) Pale Rider

Download the record here

Suffer - Lone

* Record Suggested By Sleazy Kay A

If anyone reads this that really knows me or talks to me on a regular basis, you should know that the more chaotic a record is, the faster I'll fall in love with it. It's the fact that records, such as Suffer's "Lone", really show me that you can be insanely all over the place but still make a record sound like it all makes sense. The perfect example is Wormrot, anything those guys put out just consumes me and takes over my ears for a solid month. Hell, the new Wormrot record, "Dirge", has been played over five hundred times since it was put up for free download. True, it's only eighteen minutes in length but it's monstrous. Anyways, the reason I'm putting this in the review is simply because Suffer is starting to have that effect on as well.

The urge to just destroy everything in my home, set fires to the neighbors animals and just cleanse this whole fucking earth of it's filth and sludge, that's what this record does to me. Ripping riffs from the guitars, you know, the ones that make you wanna quit playing any instrument you've practiced for several years. Yeah, those kind of riffs. Drum patterns that are sometimes so off beat it makes no sense but the enjoyment I get out of hearing them is completely beyond me. Suffer - Australian powerviolence that will give you unforgiving force and drive. "Lone" provides twelve tracks of very aggressive, fast paced tunes that will have you wanting to beat your own skull against a concrete block. With the tracks that are on this record you won't be getting flowers and bright blue skies. Suffer offers you hate, filth, disgust, decay and dismay, except it's not on a golden plate, it's on a fresh skull that has it's top cut off so you can see the brain still pulsing. I can't complain about the length of the record nor can I complain about the length of any of the tracks but I can complain about one thing. The one thing that I can complain about isn't really a complaint after all, it's more a compliment if you ask me. The only thing I ask for with the next release, give me more tracks. Twelve tracks is plenty but for a hungry fucking asshole who loves powerviolence or crust punk, I need more like 20 or so tracks. See, more like a compliment rather than a complaint. Another huge plus about this record is that nearly half way through it, you get a massive five minute long track in "Drown". Prepare for a more slowed down powerviolence, the great feedback and of course, angry dudes that just want to rape and pillage everything in sight. Five full minutes of just pounding, ripping and lovely torture is just what I need on a Sunday afternoon.

Final verdict is that this record is something you don't want to fuck with. It has the intensity of a million warriors from China, the integrity of a thousand mothers that have had their daughters kidnapped and the rawness of a cow that just got skinned. So, if I was you, I would download this record and blast it at full volume so you can make everything surrounding you explode.

1) Away

2) In My Face

3) No Time To Coexist

4) Destroy_Amuse

5) Drown

6) Shutdown

7) Force Fed

8) Manipulated

9) Lone

10) Numbered

11) Veins

12) Breed

Download the record here

Vinterland - Welcome My Last Chapter

It's Sunday morning, 6 a.m. to be exact, and temperatures have been hitting the high 90's, low 100's here in Arkansas. As the sun crushes all of our fun for the summer, as always, we can only hope and pray that the world will turn into an iceberg. The fan in my room keeps me somewhat cool but not to the point that Satan himself will cool off. Where am I going with this scenario you ask? A little band that goes by the name Vinterland, of course. The one band besides Immortal, Bathory or Burzum that can turn my heat filled days into tundras of solid ice. Putting their Swedish mark on the black metal scene back in '96 with a record titled "Welcome My Last Chapter", we have yet to see what this band is doing beside their other project, The Black.

Mystical worlds that embody the freezing rivers, snow covered landscapes and thousands of caves that keep the humans warm enough to stay alive in the middle of the night. A record that has this much integrity and guts should be looked upon as one of the classics. "Welcome My Last Chapter" delivers on all cylinders, giving you the huge influence of second wave black metal but with more melodies. I know it sounds like something you may not enjoy but trust me, it's a record that will ice your heart over ten fold. Piano sections so marvelous  that it echos through the trees of a decaying forest while you try to stay warm by that fire with the other worthless humans that are traveling with you. In some sense of it all, vampiric struggles seem to be a pretty large part of the lyrics. Covering situations such as trying to find blood to quench the thirst of the man in the lyrics to just consuming the forest on a dark winter night so he can feel as one with his surroundings. 

From the track "Still The Night Is Awake" - "Still the night is awake, like a black candle that's all around. To go from dusk from here, I walk thirsty for blood. Thirsty for blood. Still the night is awake, with the dead I spread my wings. Now the realm is here, come with me?"

Illusions of dark rituals also seem to bash the side of your brain as this record is playing. The classic situation of cult leaders walking through the forest with torches as they hunt for the people that escaped their grasp nearly minutes earlier. You can hear the wolves crying in the background as these merciless souls are trying to find any kind kind of hope in the winter, snow filled woods. The best part about this record is that's really, in a weird way, ahead of it's time. The black metal we hear today is mainly filled with melodic riffs and little to zero time signatures. Vinterland was doing this all back in the mid 90's, except they put acoustic sections and time signatures into their tracks.

Think of it this way, when the mainstream talks about the best metal/hard rock acts of all time, Rush isn't usually on the list and if they are they seem to be pretty low on the list. Vinterland is the Rush of black metal, it's that simple. Many would rather give crowns to bands like Immortal, Darkthrone, Celtic Frost, Bathory, Burzum and even Carpathian Forest but in the tradition that I work in, I give one to Vinterland. I'm not taking anything away from those great bands mentioned above but Vinterland deserves to be in the discussion along with those great acts.

1) Our Dawn Of Glory

2) I'm An Other In The Night

3) So Far Beyond...(The Great Vastforest)

4) A Crystal So Crystal Clear

5) As I Behold The Dying Sun

6) Vinterskogen

7) Still The Night Is Awake

8) A Winter Breeze

9) Wings Of Sorrow

Download the record here

Meth Drinker - Meth Drinker

Have you ever put a record on and thought to yourself, "Since when did people inside insane asylums get to use instruments and why does it sound so fucking great?". If you have thought that, believe me when I say you are not alone in this because when I listen to Meth Drinker's self-titled debut full-length "Meth Drinker", I get the same exact thoughts. Stampeding out of New Zealand like a hoard of buffalo, Meth Drinker just recently got together last year and have already put out a solid, boy do I mean solid, record that will blow everything you love out of the water. A release that was brought to my attention by Miss Sarah, it's a good thing she showed me this because my jaw hit the floor after I heard a couple songs. Think of it this way, if "Meth Drinker" had black magical spells, your whole record collection would be melted in a matter of seconds.

Villages filled with the craziest of humans, the type of humans that kill and eat raw flesh for the hell of it. Straight jackets, rooms filled with the stench of vomit while the people that work at the hospital just walk right through it. Crucifixes that get flipped upside down while the lightning strikes the trees to cause a power outage. Images of souls being tortured while they're strapped on surgery beds with nothing to look forward too. All of these images and atmospheres are really what set this record apart from so many other doom/sludge releases. It could be the samples that are played on certain tracks but just the overall vibe you get from "Meth Drinker" are straight out of a haunted insane asylum. As the bass will shake your glass of water, the drums fill in very nicely with it's mid-paced tempo. The grooves and riffs are just the right pace too, they aren't super slow so that the not so average listen will get bored but they aren't so upbeat that the normal doom lover will get turned off. "Combat Shock", the fourth track on the record, starts off with a woman wondering about how her family is going to survive without her son, from what I gathered, having no job or life. She goes on to slip shit on him and you get the feeling once the sample cuts out that nothing good became of that situation. Murder? Suicide? Mass Murder? We can only imagine what happens after that sample because the way that the rest of the track takes you over, you sort of get the feeling that both of those bodies are laying somewhere face down, possibly in a sewer underneath the city. As simple as this record is, the way it comes out and makes you feel like you're sort of part of this world that never existed, it makes you want to listen and pay attention. Speaking of greatness, besides the name of the band, you get these little samples of 70's disco, at the end of "Combat Shock", and a great country sample that seems to be from the 60's at the end of the track "Broken Down and Used Up". Crazy things cross through your mind while you listen to this record, the thought of actually rocking back and forth seemed to cross my mind quite a bit. "Meth Drinker" just makes you wanna do things that no other record can do, at least for me.

It's all about the atmosphere on this debut record from Meth Drinker and if they keep putting records out like this insane piece of shit, we may have some guys that could crush the doom/sludge scene with their bare palms. Call me crazy, call me an idiot, you could even call me a worthless piece of shit for digging a band called Meth Drinker, all I know is that this record has impacted me and it will be in that discussion when Sarah and I talk about 2011's top records.

1) Deprivation

2) Incurable Illness

3) Ganja Mutt

4) Combat Shock

5) Skull Smashing Concrete

6) The Shining (Main Title)

7) Serrated Corridor

8) Narco Sub

9) Broken Down and Used Up

Download the record here

Cursed Ruin - Goat Urine

You know, the black metal scene in the last couple of years has really disappointed me. Very few bands are actually putting out records that sound like black metal. I don't need blast beats and so much distortion it makes the record horrible. Plus, I'm a very firm believe that black metal sounds a shit load better with low-fi production that can set a scene of Satan filled destruction and horror. Cursed Ruin seems to have figured that out in their 2010 demo, "Goat Urine", great title by the way. Haling from Jacksonville, FL, where the black metal scene seems to be raving and growing more and more over the years, they fit right at home with this release.

Dwelling deep inside the dark hallways of a haunted mansion, you can feel the wind brush upon your neck as it whips in from the cracked window in the kitchen. As the pictures on the wall start to shake, you get this overwhelming sense that something is about to happen and you don't like what it could be. The smells of burning flesh as screams from Hell below fill the air you breath, you hear loud drums from the servants that are coming to take you prisoner. The way this demo has really low-fi production, it's able to set atmospheres and turns your surroundings into dark, twisted images very quickly. You can picture the demons flying high in the midnight sky as lightning strikes down and it pours with no sign of letting up. "Goat Urine" is a four track demo snapping over the length of eighteen minutes, the perfect length for your mind to start playing tricks on your until you bash your own skull in with anything that's in reach. Cursed Ruin seems to have went way back with the influences on this release, looking more in the direction of "Transilvanian Hunger"/"Under A Funeral Moon" era of Darkthrone and even elements that "Grom" by the almighty Behemoth gave us. "Necro-Pedophile Priest", the forth track on the demo, might be my favorite on the record. It has this drum beat that never quits, the vocal work reminds me of some voodoo chant that you would find deep in the south of Louisiana and the distortion is just perfection to what Cursed Ruin are bringing to the table.

I won't sit here and tell you that this is the best black metal record to ever exist or it blows everything out of the water, blah blah blah. I will tell you though that it's a decent record filled with haunting tempos, great and I mean great vocal work to creep the hell out of you and it's filled with four solid tracks that are nothing but pure black metal. "Goat Urine" is what black metal's suppose to sound like, that's just a fact.

1) Cross Nailer

2) Cacophony Of Pure Black Emotion

3) Forest of Thornes

4) Necro-Pedophile Priest

Download the record here

Wu Lyf - Go Tell Fire To The Mountain

In a world where everyone thinks they can sing, everyone thinks they can be huge rock stars, Wu Lyf, also known as World Unite! Lucifer Youth Foundation, will make you think we're all rock stars already. A four piece that is crushing everything in England, Wu Lyf seem to be on top of the world with their debut full-length "Go Tell Fire To The Mountains", as they should be. Wu Lyf has the same aura about them as some black metal bands, only because they have tried to hide who they really are, rejecting almost every interview and doing nearly zero press. In a world where we love and are obsessed with the unknown, Wu Lyf are playing the card rather well I would say. Playing a style that they like to call "Heavy Pop", it's pretty much pop but with more structure and huge sections that will make you feel magical.

For the longest time I've dreamed about what it would be like if certain bands never split-up, if certain members of great bands never died and if pop music would ever have the heart it did back when it was first created. Tribal drum lines, glorious piano playing and the voice of the unknown king of pop Ellery Roberts, are all you need for a record to be solid. Imagine a church filled from front to back with souls that were all lining up to go to hell, nothing can save them except three things: God, of course, each would have to pray for hours on end while they are lashed in the back, or you could simply listen to "Go Tell Fire To The Mountains". The pure strength and overwhelming eruption that this record has is off the charts. Spanning through ten tracks in a little over forty-nine minutes, you get the sense that Wu Lyf are on a road that not many bands will ever get to experience. Tracks like "Cave Song", "We Bros" and "Spitting Blood", they have the uptempo beats with killer bass lines, throw in some great piano sections and the pitches that Ellery Roberts can hit, pure insanity. Pictures of third world countries flash across my mind, sadness hits me heavy but a split second later, I get overwhelmed with joy. "Go Tell Fire To The Mountains" is a journey all in itself, no bars to hold you back, no tracks that will let you down and you can remember every word to each song. In a way this record is filled with number one hits that most need and better hear. "Dirt", the seventh track, has those tribal drum beats mixed with that church organ feel to provide nothing but images of an empty field where people are praising the God they believe in. This might be jumping the barrier way too quick but I have a feeling Wu Lyf are going to be huge. I'm not talking modern day huge, I'm talking huge in the sense of a cult following like we haven't seen since The Clash or the Smashing Pumpkins. Even though they don't play the same genre of music, Wu Lyf has the power to take over this world if they wanted to. What I'm trying to say is that it's sort of like Joe Strummer's soul came back and created Wu Lyf, it's just that simple.

"Go Tell Fire To The Mountains" is a record that has quickly made it into my top favorite releases so far of 2011. This record and the "Mount Moriah" record are both very, very high on the list so do yourself a favor and check out this record. Incredible from the beginning and it will not let you down. If it does, let me know and we'll get together so I can slap some sense into you.

1) L Y F

2) Cave Song

3) Such A Sad Puppy Song

4) Summas Bliss

5) We Bros

 6) Spitting Blood

 7) Dirt

8) Concrete Gold

9) 14 Crowns For Me & Your Friends

10) Heavy Pop

Download the record here

Sepultura - Kairos

Well, it's been nearly 15 years since I last enjoyed anything Sepultura, good thing that "Kairos" proves to me that these guys still have the madness they had back when "Roots" and "Beneath The Remains" were released. 2011 has been a iffy year for metal, if you ask me. Some bands are releasing better records than they ever have but others, well, we all know how that goes, don't we? Sepultura has been long overdue for a great record that will blow you away like the classics did back in the 1980's and early '90s. "Kairos" brings back that fire that was lit under your ass a decade and a half ago, its makes you feel like Thrash/Death is finally being seen in the light it should of been for years now. Not to mention, they pay tribute to Ministry and Prodigy on this record, if that doesn't make you wanna pick this record up, I'm not sure what will. Sepultura - The one band that can make me want to kill innocent people but also weep like a newborn if they release shitty records.

"Kaios" provides you with fifteen tracks spanning over fifty-three minutes and forty-four seconds. The deluxe edition has two extra tracks and guess what! You guys are in luck because the record below has those extra two tracks. In normal Sepultura style, they start a record out making you question if this piece of shit will be any good. "Spectrum", the first track, has a build that will prepare you for the greatest ride of 2011. The whole record is filled with those thrash vocals that grab you by your balls until you scream like a tiny girl that just got her cookies stolen from her by the older brother. Thrash vocals mixed with those classic death metal riffs and drum patterns that we loved from older Sepultura are all making a huge comeback on this record. Also, Derrick Green, at times, sounds just like Chuck Billy from Testament, which is a great thing if you ask me. One word: SOLOS! This record is filled with them and it's a good thing because if I hear one more horrible solo on a Sepultura record, I'm will set my whole city on fire while I piss on old ladies. What I enjoy the most about this record is that it's unforgiving on all levels. I'm not the type to headbang or whatnot but the way "Kaitos" feeds me full of nothing but non-stop riffs and thrash beats, the more I enjoy being alive and the more I enjoy being a person who loves metal. The track "Dialog" seems to bring that spoken word element to the table which is something I've enjoyed in other records but it's nice to see Sepultura doing some new-ish things on a record. About half way through this record you'll start to feel the burning sensation that comes from the tracks. "Born Strong" is the one track on the record that gives you a ton of melody but still pushes those barriers of thrash and death in a heavy way. Honestly, you could actually split this records up if you wanted to.The first half of the record is more straight death tracks and the second half is mainly straight thrash tracls, except a few. "Structure Violence (Azzes)", the fourteenth track on the record has a more "Roots" feel to it but with samples playing in the background while Derrick lets out some screams. Probably my least favorite track on the record but only because it has that industrial feel and we all know how shitty industrial is when thrash or death bands try to do it.

Overall, the record is great, really enjoyable with tons of thrash/death stuff that the old school Sepultura fans will dig but also might help new fans into the older records. If you dig anything Sepultura, check out the record but I can't stress it enough, if you dig the older classics from the band, do yourself a favor and check this monster out.

1) Spectrum

2) Kairos

3) Relentless

4)2011

5) Just One Fix (Ministry Cover)

6) Dialog

7) Mask

8) 1433

9) Seethe

10) Born Strong

11) Embrace The Storm

12) 5772

13) No One Will Stand

14) Structure Violence (Azzes)

15) 4648

16) Firestarter (Prodigy Cover

17) Point Of No Return (Bonus Track)

Download the record here

Mount Moriah - Mount Moriah

Today, on the 24th of June in the year 2011, something graced my ears that made my heart melt in ways that I never thought were possible. Giving me chills that soared up my spine, making me smile in a way that I haven't done in years and just bringing the warmth of the sun right into my heart. Mount Moriah's self-titled debut record, "Mount Moriah". Heather McEntire, also of Bellafea, is back with a new project that includes guitarist Jenks Miller of Horseback, bringing you that down south North Carolina folk, alternative country and gospel sounds. 

The voice of Heather McEntire is the reason this record takes off so fast and just grabs a hold of your spirit in so many different way. It reminds you of those country records your mother or grandmother would play while you ran around the house in your underwear. I might be hitting some pretty heavy spots here but I would go as far to compare this angel of a woman to country voices such as Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette. It's not the fact that Heather hits incredible notes with her voice, it's the fact that this woman has the type of voice that could move mountains if she wanted to. I could sing praises about her voice all day long but we'll move on for now. You'll get eight tracks spanning over thirty four minutes, the shortest track being two minutes and thirty-three seconds but the longest being a graceful six minutes and ten seconds. The tempo of the record is solid from beginning to end, no fillers here track wise, just good ol' soul music. "Mound Moriah" is the type of record that any country family or person would put on while sitting around a campfire, sitting on your front porch or even just laying down for a rest. While you listen to this record you just get this overwhelming sense that no matter what could happen, nothing will take what you hold dear to your heart. From the drumming on "Lament" to the amazing bass line on "Social Wedding Rings", "Mount Moriah" is filled with zero boring moments, in my opinion. Lyric wise, you get the since that Heather is singing about some past experiences that she has overcame in her life. The crazy part and as corny as it sounds, the lyrics will literally speak right to you, as if they were written just for your ears. The atmosphere that "Mount Moriah" sets is something of a western feel, you can picture the cowboys riding by as Heather and Jenks sit on the side of a saloon, just signing for the people that pass by them.

Record of the year material? Yes, very much so, in my opinion. As of right now, "Mount Moriah" is my favorite record of 2011 and it's going to be insanely hard to beat because I'm literally addicted to this record like I've never been addicted to something before. Mount Moriah are just making tracks that they love, filled with tons of heart, emotion and good aura. No complaints from me about this record. One word: Perfection!

1) Only Way Out

2) Social Wedding Rings

3) Plane

4) Lament

5) Old Gowns

6) The Reckoning

7) We Don't Need Much

8) Hail, Lightning

Download the record here

Ocoai - The Electric Hand

Being stuck in a forest for weeks upon weeks with no worldly food, no tap water from a dirty river and no real shelter. Eating plants and insects, drinking the creek water so I don’t get dehydrated and sleeping underneath fallen trees so that the rain doesn’t soak me. Ocoai’s sophomore release “The Electric Hand” sets these kind of images into your mind with no problem at all. After they released their debut record “Breatherman” back in 2008, I was nothing but ecstatic to hear a brand new thriller from these guys. Progressive/Sludge/Post-Metal/Rock with a tear drop of orgasmic color, that is what Ocoai plays and it’s all instrumental. In my eyes, nothing is better than an instrumental record, nothing! Hailing from Tennessee, let’s see what these guys have to offer. Let’s see if they can take you to unknown lands that bring nothing but beautiuful waterfalls and bright green grass.

Flowing as beautiful as the ocean on a cool summer day, “The Electric Hand” presents itself in a way that most records can’t. Feeding you limbs of Progressive with the melodic sections but also giving you that sludge with those deep, dirty, filthy bass lines like on the tracks “Grimpeur” and “Marchand de Sommeil”. Taking influences from Isis, Neurosis and Pelican, Ocoai seem to have found the parts to replace what they did wrong on their first record. Providing a very large canvas for you to paint almost anything on, even something so large it can scream volumes, Ocoai has finally seem to find out the way it’s done and what they love doing. As the trees blow in the wind, you can lay on a beach while staring up at the sun wondering if tomorrow will ever have the same feeling as today did. “The Electric Hand”, to me, seems to lay out short stories for each track. “Niveus Hills” paints a picture of desperation, heartache and an uncontrollable living situations where nothing ever goes the way the people want it to. Being trapped in a room with flashing lights surrounding the outside while you hear screams and yells simply begging to be let in before they get destroyed by whatever creature is out there. The more and more I think about it, I seem to be making the connection to the video game “Alan Wake”. I have no idea why but the atmospheres this record creates and literally bring to life are very similar to the ones in the video game. Dark yet wonderful places with signs of hope and encouragement. “La Main d’Electrique”, the most uptempo and monstrous track on the record when it comes to Sludge influence. As the story seems to deepen, become more bothersome in a way, “La Main d’Electrique” gives you that sense of just raw teeth on a barbwire electric fence. The closest thing I can compare “The Electric Hand” to would have to be just a mixture of some old school biker that has the longest beard you’ve ever seen, being married to a Queen of some country. They may not look like the best couple but the relationship has blossomed since day one and they get along very, very well. Ocoai does the whole Sludge/Post-Rock thing very well and if this record wasn’t the way it is, I can’t see myself even enjoying what it would of been.

If it’s possible to have emptiness yet still have hope inside your broken heart, “The Electic Hand” is probably the record for you. Mountains with snow filled tops, rivers with eagles flying over the top so they can prey on their lunch, it’s just imagery that Ocoai bring to the table and that’s exactly why I love this record, let along the band.

1) Waking Fear

2) Niveus Hills

3) Grimpeur

4) Somnium

5) La Main d'Electricque

6) Marchand de Sommeil

7) Morte Audaciter

Download the record here

Belie My Burial - Belie My Burial

*Record suggested by Joey Kidd

For the longest time, actually for the two year or so, I've avoided everything Belie My Burial. I seen the video for "Finish Him" when it was released nearly two years ago and I was just blown away on how horrible this this band was. Any track that starts with a cheesy breakdown and has that said breakdown last a whooping minute an a half, that track deserves zero respect from anyone who says they love music. I'll be honest, I would of never listened to this EP on my own but it was recommended by a friends so decided to say "fuck it" and see what all the little 14 year old girls are orgasmic vibes over.

The self-titled debut EP from Belie My Burial is far from amazing, phenomenal or even great. On the other hand though, it's listenable and not as shitty as I first thought it would be. Five tracks that span over the course of eighteen minutes, it's pretty much three real songs with an intro and outro. I'll say this, as many breakdowns as this EP has, it's not like these guys don't have the talent to make a more structured record. "Tomb of Reason", the second track on the EP, proves that with it's decent vocal work and some form of sweeps by the guitarists. This track actually surprised me the most because it's just speed, speed and more speed. Layered vocal effects play a huge part in this record, so much that it sort of makes me wonder what the vocalist would actually sound like without all of it. Belie My Burial seem to be your normal, run of the mill deathcore project that knows what they wanna do but still haven't found their placement in the scene. As much as I want to hate on this record, I really can't. I only have a few complaints about it but it's not something I'll be spinning on a regular basis. Hell, I'll be lucky if it gets played off my external HDD anytime soon. "Misery Architecture", the fourth track on the record, shows you exactly what this band can bring to the table. It has a solo, it's just over five minutes in length and only two breakdown in the whole song. I know, it's like christmas when a deathcore band uses only two breakdowns, right? Another things that bothers me about, not just this band but other deathcore bands, is that the bass pedals are triggered. Clearly, you can hear that they drummer isn't that fast nor will he ever be because he lets the triggers do all the real work. I won't take anything away from the guy, he has talent, just not on those pedals that seem to give this record it's speed.

Overall, it's not a bad EP but it's also not the first thing I would recommend to someone who wants to start digging some deathcore. Belie My Burial just needs to have those creative juices flowing and I have a feeling the debut full-length might have some promise but I won't get my hopes up. Check out the record and tell me what you think. Do you love it? Do you hate it? Do you wanna kill me for reviewing it? Do you wanna hump my leg in joy because I did review it? Hit me up over on Facebook.

1) The Greyman

2) Tomb of Reason

3) Paper Idol

4) Misery Architecture

5) Adendum 

Download the record here

Worship - Dooom

Rejection, depression, suicidal thoughts, in-depth ways to just block out everything this world has to offer, these are the feelings I receive while listening to “Dooom” by the almighty Worship. Death seems to follow this band in more ways than one, back in 2001 their old vocalist “Fucked-up Mad Max”, also apart of Kult and Beer Vomit, killed himself by jumping off a bridge while on a trip in Canada. Worship disbanded after the tragedy but quickly come back the following year and released four splits in the span of five years. Fast-foward to 2007, “Dooom” was giving to us on a golden plate covered in anguish, sadness and overwhelming thoughts of suicide.

The way this record presents itself is similar to a very slowly rotting disease that eats away at you until you just want to hang yourself inside a very small closet. Eight tracks spanning over an hour and twelve minutes, you never feel free while listening to this record, “Dooom” makes you feel trapped inside a glass cube while being raped with regret and suffering. Prepare to battle with personal demons, inner struggles and the decision on whether you even want to live anymore. The atmosphere this record brings are some that I’ve never felt before, it reminds me of the souls I’ve lost in the past, makes me questions the choices I made up to this point in my life and even makes me question if I’m worth a shit. On the opposite side, in a very dark, twisted way this record can be beautiful, tranquil and full of hope that only the stronger souls can get in touch with.

“Through blood and thorns I wandered, freezing, aching, bound for a ruined cathedral below. All is dead, look! Only rust, and debris, and shells of stone remain, drowning in ashes, as if we had never been. Everyone I had ever known. Everyone I’d ever meet. Everyone I ever loved. Gone with the centuries, lost under a sea of ashes.”

Lyrics such as these are exactly what you will get in this grief stricken, gloom filled record. In a world were nothing matters except bringing everything around you down and escaping the heartache of the lies from the human race, Worship does that very well. Another huge plus about this record is the way it creeps and ponders around the slowness of it. The way the record just barely moves along with it’s unforgiving riffs of sorrow, vocals of despair and very, very slow drum beats, if suicide ever had an official soundtrack, “Dooom” would be it. If you think tracks likes “Dopesmoker” from Sleep, anything by Sunn O))), Earth or Bongripper are slow, think again because this record sure does pack a punch. Many like to think of Worship as Funeral Doom but they have that influence of Drone also, so maybe Funeral Drone? Either way, as much as I hate the inner struggles and battles this record gives me, I can’t seem to tear myself away from it.

Any record that makes me wanna hang myself from a tree or run into on coming traffic, that record is worthy of being played multiple times a week in my book. Worship have been releasing glorious records over the years and hopefully the next split/ep/full-length will be just as mighty as this sword is.

1) Endzeit Elegy
2) All I Ever Knew Lie Dead
3) The Altar and the Choir of the Moonkult
4) Graveyard Horizon
5) Zorn a Rust-Red Scythe
6) Devived
7) Mirror of Sorrow (Solitude Aeturnus cover)
8 ) I Am the End – Crucifixion Part II

Download the record here