Brethren:

Please send all submissions to napalmbreath82@gmail.com. I am happy review anything, and will surely post if I like it. I may even post it if I dont like it. So send that shit! Bands: if you want me to take something down, please let me know and I will do so promptly without question.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Nihilist-Demos 1987-1989


       This is must listen for any out there who love death metal, and especially Sweden's contribution to the tradition. Nihilist is one of the most influential bands in the development of Swedish death metal, and a major source of inspiration for later acts such as Repugnant and Tribulation. As most reading probably know, Nihilist was Nicke Andersson and Alex Hellid's former project just prior to Entombed, and the sound crafted in these demos definitely carried over to later incarnations of their music. Besides the relentless buzz-saw guitars and ethereal chaos-solos which emanate from the damp grave of some foggy graveyard, Nihilist is also a great listen from a sheer historical standpoint; a great band who contributed alot to death metal. 


Bottom line: its old, its nasty, and it set the stage for what came later. 



Get it

Monday, December 23, 2013

Caladan Brood-Echoes of Battle


       Did you say Utah? This brooding work of majestic ambiance, this solemn jewel of battle-worn hymns comes from Utah? This is one of my favorite releases of 2013. An album steeped in fantastic lore, soaked with enough pagan, albeit imaginary, images to keep you spellbound for months to come. Every time I listen to Caladan Brood's "Echoes of Battle", I'm taken on a voyage to frozen realms of valor; to mountainous peaks above the path of warrior caravans and hidden dangers. This music is not just inspired by a fantasy novel; it IS a fantasy novel. As the pages of myth and legend unfold like petals of some enchanted flower, so do these songs unravel before your eyes the heart-wrenching courage and pride of long-lost men. To press play on this for the first time is like taking the first step onto the path of bravery, to suddenly feel the alpine wind bellow from the abyss and usher onward the cause of war; fear not, brethren. The eyes of your ancestors are upon you! For what it's worth, and my "technical" opinion of music is still developing in some respects, this album contains some of the BEST use of keyboards you'll ever hear . The arrangements here are woven so thoughtfully, so beautifully, as to leave you speechless. "Wild Autumn Wind" has a guitar solo that is nothing short of pure magic. It gives way to melodic vocals that carry you to peaks enshrouded with mist, only to drift away slowly and leave you there for eternity. Okay, that wasn't very technical. But...

Yes, that's how this fucking album makes me feel. 

Get it

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Gorgoroth--Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam


    You know the name, and there is little original insight I can offer on a band as great as Gorgoroth. That said, I will just state my opinion. This is one of the best Gorgoroth albums. Thrashy, cold, and introspective; "Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam" delivers all the best in NWBM. Everything is so well situated on this album in terms of sound. "Sign of An Open Eye", a slower mid-paced song, creates an apocalyptic atmosphere one cannot escape. It's one of my favorites, even though it eases slightly on the fury the rest of the album carries. If you have never really given Gorgoroth a chance, I'd say start here. The drumming is hellish, the guitars murderous, and the vocals carry your soul aloft upon the wings of misanthropic wisdom. Assassinates from on high, indeed.  

Get it

Friday, December 20, 2013

Moriar-Burn The Reign of Light


Because I have been in a raw ass mood lately, here is Moriar from Germany. Definitely a pissed of Darkthrone sort of feel on this album. After a short break from posting, I felt I'd jump right in with something nasty, and "Burn The Reign of Light" is definitely that. This isn't a favorite or repeat listen for me, but in terms of straightforward, raw black-metal this gets the job done. Jump in the cauldron, brothers! The water is just fine. 

Get it

Friday, December 13, 2013

Young And In The Way-I Am Not What I Am


    WOW. This is some seriously pissed off fucking shit. Young And In The Way deliver some raging blackened-crust. It comes as no surprise that these two genres go so well together; the bleak overtones of depressive black metal and the bitterness of crust. What I really like about YAITW, though, is the overall package. They use great art direction that evokes the heart of their sound; the obscurity of their covers and the atmosphere of enraged depression fusing together with such allure.

 I will say, records like this bring a lot of things full circle for me musically. Growing up I listened to a lot of really angry punk and hardcore, always feeling pissed about something. The inherent dissatisfaction with society or the existential angst that most feel, yet often enough deny, is clearly penetrated through these songs; and I have yet to read the lyrics. The music itself says it all. 

Get it

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Abigail-Intercourse and Lust


    Take three rats and feed them all crank, then stick 'em in a rusty cage and poke with an object of your choice. The fiendish screams which follow can be likened to the vocals on Abigail's "Intercourse and Lust": rough, raw, and utterly insane. The music is equally raw; some no bullshit black metal here. Abigail gets right down to it. There is definitely a thrashy sound to these songs, which show an affinity toward older heavy metal acts like Motorhead. In addition, one can even sense a abrasive punk/hardcore influence. But overall this is pure, unprocessed black metal. 

    Perhaps this is somewhat biased and maybe even offensive to some, but I love the singular fact that this is a Japanese band.  Yeah, the music is great, and Abigail has been around for a long time. But the fact that they are Japanese makes this so much better to me (of course, I love a lot of things Japanese).  If you don't feel the urge to stomp your way through brick walls when listening to "Mephistopheles", then you need help. Catchy riffs, awesome solos....you want it. 


Get it

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Vassafor-Elegy of The Archeonaut


Another great offering of murky, otherworldly blackened-death metal. Vassafor's "Elegy of The Archeonaut" is sure to please any of you out there wishing to get lost in that ever-sought after cloud of hellish riffs. War-like drumming pounds a tribal sentiment of violence on every turn. Includes an extended track and some demo tracks. For Fans of Truppensturm/Archgoat/Embrace of Thorns. Feel the deep factional divide and become a casualty with this one!


Get it

Kommandant-The Draconian Archetype


For all your misanthropic urges, there is Kommandant. A truly blistering work of blackened-death metal, full of apocalyptic brooding and scathing emotion. "Hate is Strength" has a hypnotic effect with its slower doom section. Guitars sweep along, blended masterfully with the rest of the instruments to provide a thick layered atmosphere. The drumming is a complete mind-sweep throughout most of the album. The idea behind this album, I believe, is to assault your senses. And this they do quite well. Something about this record pulls you down to its level; makes you feel its wrath as though it were living within you parasitically. I love listening to something that, after the first go around, makes me question what in the name of fuck just happened. And that is precisely what this record did. I've been going back for more ever since!

Get it

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Deliverance--Doomsday, Please.


Can Black Metal be truly heavy? We all agree that it can be chilling, evil, desolate, and depraved. It carries its own frozen kind of spirit; but can it be down right heavy? Well.... this band definitely is! Deliverance have offered up a sludge-black metal juggernaut on "Doomsday, Please", with crushing riffs that simply knock the ground out from beneath you, all the while maintaining a cold,  depressive black metal sound. Hats off to the artist who came up with the cover; satisfying to see an image that so fully captures the essence of the album title. And what a title! This would be the perfect listen for any one who likes to contemplate the vision of a true humanity "reset". Hateful and Heavy, brothers. Give this one a go, for sure. Fuck I'm listening to it right now, and these riffs..........ahh, makes me wanna go destroy :) 

Get it

Friday, December 6, 2013

Impetuous Ritual-Relentless Execution of Ceremonial Excrescence


I will warn some of you right now, this is not for the faint hearted, if such there be in the world of "extreme" music making. This band is absolutely heavy in every way possible. Comprised of the members of Portal, Impetuous Ritual deliver a dense slab of death metal, enveloping the listener in an atmosphere so thick he seems stuck in place for the duration of the album. I didn't know what happened after the first listen. After the second, I became intrigued. By the third, I was hooked. "Ritual of The Crypt" smashes into your consciousness with the fury of a thousand falling angels, pulverizing your spiritual reality, and demolishing your sense of self. Everything works to overpower you on this record; riffs are not meant to stand out, nor the drumming, although at times each pierce the iron veil of sound being produced. Of course some hear this as just noise, but beneath the layers you will find out how energetic and thoughtful this music actually is.  

Get it

Countess--Sermons Of The Infidel





Judging by the cover, you'd think this post was inspired by my previous post; however, this is not the case. Right now I just have to say this is not my usual preference sound wise, but this second time around listening, it is definitely growing on me. More upbeat, "Sermons of The Infidel" show a melodic approach to black metal with definite heavy metal influences. The nefarious sting of Bathory can be felt here.  There is something about this album that just makes me not give a fuck (in a very good way, that is). Kind of like when you were a kid and your best friend down the street brings you a some illicit music ; some forbidden, depraved vinyl from Satan's own collection. I'm reminded of that heavy metal kid from The Gate that was nuts about Sacrifyx. One could easily substitute this band.

Countess has been around for quite a while, but this is my first venture into their territory. Overall the production is a little too clean for my taste, but it does serve well those parts that carry a nice solo or guitar hook. Also, you can even detect a middle eastern vibe on the song "Child of The Millennium". I wonder if this was intentional or not.   Catchy, mischievous, and sure to piss off the old folks. Get that jean-vest out and start bangin your heads brothers!

Head over to their Bandcamp, Blogspot, and Facebook below and show em some support!







Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Al-Namrood--Kitab Al Awthan


This is really an otherworldly folk-metal album. I have always been enchanted by middle-eastern melodies and ambiance, and this is black metal strongly rooted in that musical tradition. Not surprising as Al-Namrood hail from Saudi Arabia. When listening to this I have the image in mind of a cursed Arabian horde descending the slopes of some mega sand-dune, waiving flaming swords and screaming incantations. But that is just me. There is an elegance added to this album through some of the Arabian instruments/sounds, but the black metal side to this is nonetheless scathing and possessed; the way it should be. 

Get it.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Funebrarum / Interment--Conjuration Of The Sepulchral. Split


Want to time travel to a time when death metal was fucking ruthless? Then this is your vehicle. A devastating split ep from New Jersey's  Funebrarum and Sweden's prized Interment. I have always thought one of the winning ingredients on this split is the order; Funebrarums slow, doomy approach is a nice setup for Interments characteristically Swedish sound. Funebrarum's guttural vocals are basically inhuman, and the songs deliver crushing riffs that could crack cement. Just pulverizing to say the least.  And as for Interment (members of Cenitex), any die hard fan of the Swedish sound will not be disappointmented, with an obvious kinship to Entombed, Dismember, and Grave. Searing drums and guitars that could hack the limbs off a thousand men in one fell stroke, Interment is not be overlooked. 

Get it.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Winterfylleth-The Threnody of Triumph


I can't say enough good about Winterfylleth's "Threnody of Triumph". This is an album of majestic sorrow, pulsating with layers of historical reference and natural ambiance. Finely crafted riffs spiral through a frozen landscape, as choral chants sing to you from underneath layers of enchanted ice.  This is definitely a celebration of heritage (British in this case) without foraging into the NSBM thicket. Although I have heard great things about their other release "The Mercian Sphere", this was my first encounter with Winterfylleth and I fell in love with their sound right away. The vocals are so tortured and sad, almost like a heart-broken war cry, the sound you give when you have nothing left but spiteful passion. Yet, through it all a magical quality permeates this album, and I dare you not to be moved by the melodic vocals on The Swart Raven. Conjure the spirit of your ancestors in a forgotten woods and let Threnody take you there!


Get it

Ungod-Cloaked in Eternal Darkness


I don't know if this was intentional or not, but the moon in the top left of this album cover looks like a smiley face. This was an album that caught me because of the cover art, and it did not fail to deliver in terms of sound! Great old-school black metal from Germany. It's raw, with a mildewy basement like sound sure to please all you creeps lurking out there during these winter months. The riffs are straightforward and mean, the vocals fiendishly evil. This would be a great listen on a frozen winter night, preferably by candle light. 


Get it