Asunder - A Clarion Call (2004)


Slow and pondering, this ominous sound echoes out of a subterranean chamber deep and ancient. From the reaches of sediment and stone untouched by man. Songs that hang heavy and crawl slow like a dense fog. Vocals bellow from the heart of the mountain. Asunder have created one of the best funeral doom records ever, a true gem in the doom genre as a whole.

A Clarion Call.

Cultes des Ghoules - Henbane (2013)


From Poland comes something truly sinister and ugly. Henbane is nearly an hour split across five haunting songs. Despite the length of each of the songs (all but one are over ten minutes in length) they never get seem to get long-winded or become uninteresting. Raw production values add to the gruesome aural presence without obscuring instrumentation. Hoity toity music dork guy talk aside, there are at least ten things you will hear on this album that will scare the shit out of you. From ritualized hypnotic cascades to terrifying inhuman utterances. That isn't to say this is just some extreme metal grossout, there are some truly inspired riffs that are allowed to stretch out and reach their full stride. Very cool. This is definitely top 10 material for 2013, don't sleep.

Vintage Black Magic.

Saprogenic - Expanding Toward Collapsed Lungs (2013)


Wait, I last updated this stupid shithole 4 months ago? That's ridiculous. I feel like I have aged eternally and lived a multitude of lifetimes since I last forcefed you mongrels punishing metal sounds. Well guess what, knucklehead? I'm here again. And I brought you something really dumb. Like, real real dumb. This band is called Saprogenic and they slam the sickness. WAIT DON'T LEAVE. This isn't some Devourment retardo metal, I promise. This isn't wigger slam, just some seriously brutal death metal. Gloriously produced and savagely heavy this is easily the best thing this band has ever recorded. I'm pretty fucking picky when it comes to brutal death, I can't stand most of the disgusting monotone throat fart vocals that all the metal tweens lap up. Fucking metal tweens ruining my scene. Thank Azathoth for 21+ shows. ANYHOO. This shit goes hard as fuck in the proverbial paint and will attempt to stomp your entire life into dust if you're too much of a pussy to stop it so listen at your own risk. Here's a juicy youtube to sample then click the link and get into some pit riffment.



METAL TWEENS.

Mother Brain - EP 2

http://grindcorekaraoke.com/album/ep-2

Mother Brain - Straight To Business

http://grindcorekaraoke.com/album/straight-to-business

I first found these nasty grinders roaming around on Grindcore Karaoke's bandcamp page. If you've never been there, it's pretty much a library of crazy music for free. You should go there. Anyway, I gather that these guys are from New York and play some grossout grindcore that occasionally introduces some seriously slamming riffs. This shit really appeals to me.

Black Mask - Black Mask (2012)


Very cool grindy crusty hardcore band from Pennsylvania.
I don't know much about them and honestly don't really care to do the research.

Band Camp.
Get Waste.

Krypts - Unending Degredation (2013)


Normally I am not in favor of the letter K replacing the letter C. It looks clumsy and inspires a stinky aesthetic that I'm not all that interested in. This band is from Finland though, they don't know any better. Know what they do know about? Death metal. Nasty, oppressive death metal. I mean, just look at Demigod. Those guys are gnarly. These guys are definitely not Demigod disciples but they're from the same country so listen to it anyway.



Finland.

Salem's Pot - Watch Me Kill You/Run The Night (2013)


Behold, a horrifying cassette tape! Two sides and as many tracks lurk within oozing with evil psychedelia and lumbering riffs, maximum volume levels required. A miserable voice beckons you from beyond this mortal plane! Oh wait, it's just the tape. False alarm. Check it out for yourself for your named price that is probably zero you cheap piece of shit.



http://salemspot.bandcamp.com/

Magic Circle - Magic Circle (2013)


This record is pretty unreal. A bunch of Boston hardcore dropouts (though don't assume their pedigree is less than solid) that decided to make some of the best traditional doom metal I've heard in at least a grip. Maybe even two grips. They most definitely worship at the Sabbathian altar though they are far from a strict Sabbath clone. They bring their own flavors to the stew. That metaphor kind of sucked. Oh well.

Get Waste.

Check out this new Pissed Jeans video. It's very cool.

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO ORGANIZE ALL THESE BAGS????

Ice Dragon - The Soul's Midnight (2013)


First things first. Let's just take a moment to sit back and ponder the extraordinary volume of work these fine gentlemen have managed to produce in the past year. In 2012 Ice Dragon managed to release three full length records and two split records. Some reactions to this might include: "What?" or "Holy moly.". Both of these responses are both acceptable and correct.

Anyway, right now we are looking at the first output of the glorious year 2013 from these guys. The Soul's Midnight is a supremely druggy doom fest that wanders from spaced out vibrations to megabang riffs with vocals echoing proudly in the distance. This is pretty neat.

You can get the record for however many dollars you wish to pay at their bandcamp page.

Get Waste.

New joint from everybody's favorite creepy uncle. The upcoming 7" should be interesting to say the least.

Ofermod - Thaumiel (2012)


The sheer scale of this release can make it hard to truly wrap your stupid little brain around. The songs are on the longer side (we're talking like six or seven minutes here, calm down) but not drawn out. The sound is far more death oriented than their previous releases, but I like my death metal tinged with black metal not the other way around so it's cool with me.

There are a couple confusing moments but they're brief and soon forgotten as the pummeling riffs scour your brain like steel wool. Or anything abrasive, really. Use your imagination.

Get Waste.

Merchandise - Children of Desire (2012)


Guys, I'm know I haven't been bringing the pain lately and I apologize, but I have to continue to bring you non-painful music for your needy earholes. I've been going over the ginormous text file that I keep all my 'good albums this year' in and I couldn't believe I haven't posted this gem yet. Merchandise are a very cool rock band that play songs that are both pleasing to the ear and interesting to the brain. I feel like most rock music struggles in that second category, but these guys do it well enough without seeming like a bunch of tryhards. The sound of the toms in 'In Nightmare Room' are enough for me to recommend this record. I'm sure it'll show up in a lot of year end lists outside the whole gross metal scene that I tend to linger in. Pay attention, nerd, something pretty important is happening here.

Here is the link.

Blawan - His He She & She (2012)


With this four song EP Blawan solidifies himself as the most punishing techno producer/DJ. This more recent offering is characteristically cold and dark with an added faint industrial aftertaste that doesn't overpower the palate. I've always loved the slightly sinister tinge this guy's output has had lurking in the background but I feel like he's completely embraced the darkness with this release as he moves from his bass oriented approach toward a more techno sound.

I don't really know what I'm talking about though, I'm just a weirdo that listens to Incantation worship bands.

Why they hide they bodies unda my garage?

Bongripper - Satan Worshipping Doom (2010)


Easily my favorite record of 2010 this has to be at least the third time I've posted this album here. But I still feel compelled to do so every so often, essentially whenever I'm confronted and awestruck by the sheer crushing force of this shit. From the straight-forward blunt force riffing of the initial track Hail to the shredding black metal influence that eventually gives way to even bleaker doom riffs of Satan. The positively monumental riffing of Worship to the dark and noisey finale in Doom. This shit is good and if it was a physical entity it would beat up your whole family and all your pets at the same time with a cudgel. This is probably the heaviest record of all time and if you expose your children to at a young enough age I can almost guarantee they will develop magickal talents and psychic abilities beyond your wildest fathomings. Embrace the riff lest it be your ruin.

EMBRACE IT.