Skiddaw - Skiddaw

SixSixSix Music 2014

 

1.Skiddaw Forest 2.Skiddaw Towers 3.Gates Of Beleth 4.Even Titans Fall

 

Taking their name from the Cumbrian mountain found within the depths of the Lake District, black metal duo Skiddaw have unveiled their debut self titled EP. Opening track "Skiddaw Forest" is a slow, unyielding piece of work with a calculating drumming display mixed with pleasing bass melodies and tremolo guitar sounds that leads nicely into the more aggressive "Skiddaw Towers" whose guttural vocal display combines well with the clamor of drums and the rumble of bass as well as more venomous riff-age! Skiddaw's work has a slightly under-produced feel, that of many demo releases and adds to the ethereal and brooding qualities that the band cultivate yet at times despite the nihilistic feel of black metal Skiddaw do come across as catchy and extremely enjoyable! Featuring a more direct and rampant approach as opposed to the bands thoughtful and almost progressive nature previously, "Gates of Beleth" is a surging shot of adrenaline fuelled hostility, belligerent blast beats and cold, menacing riffs! A true icy blast of old school black metal savagery! To finish with Skiddaw dish out "Even Titans Fall", a track that makes the rest feel docile! This is how to end a demo, with out right fury! Skiddaw then are an impressive proposition if their opening demo offering is anything to go by! Keep your eyes and ears to the north and listen out for the Cumbrian's grim call!

 

7 Out Of 10 - Luke Hayhurst

 

Band Page: Here

Masochist - Condemned To Grovel

UKEM Records 2014

 

1.Prologue to Prolapse 2.Forced Fornication 3.Vomit Every Dreg

4.A Peeling Flesh 5.Foetid Existence

 

Cometh the hour, cometh the band! From a humble working class background in Wakefield, death grind outfit Masochist have risen and as time goes on and gigs go by they convert more and more people into fans! Now Masochist have returned to UKEM Records for their brand new EP release going by the name of "Condemned to Grovel", five tracks of putrid extremity, sickening lyrics and brutal noise! Opening track "Prologue to Prolapse" is a slow, menacing beginning that casts an immediate dark and ravenous atmosphere before the quick paced brutality of "Forced Fornication" can kick in! Even here though for the most part Masochist slow down the pace and concentrate on crushing simplicity as riffs, drums and bass unite to strike fear into the hearts of the uninitiated whilst guttural vocals spew forth endless depravity and filth! This flicking back and forth from sluggish riff fury to balls out fast paced carnage showcases all of the weapons in the Masochist arsenal!

Adding a little humour to proceedings the intro clip for "Vomit Every Dreg" comically states "blood was dripping from his mouth, blood...blood...and bits of sick", before another bout of putrid gore soaked abomination is delivered with crippling sledge hammer like riffs, slow maniacal fury and more throat searing vocals. If the previous tracks showed a willingness to be versatile and in some ways thought provoking, "A Peeling Flesh" is the exception to the rule and this punishing trap is nothing short of a pile-driver of fast riffs, harsh vocals and the deep rumbling of well executed bass and drumming work! To finish with Masochist unleash "Foetid Existence", a short track of pummelling ferocity that brings proceedings to a swift, violent end! It's great to see the return of Masochist and to see them with UKEM once more! Watch out for more Yorkshire brutality in the near future!

 

8 Out Of 10 - Luke Hayhurst

 

Band Page: Here

Buy it: Here

 

 

Seprevation - Consumed

 

Self Released 2014

 

1. Divine Devastation 2.Servants of Suffering 3.Ascension of Agony

4.Sarcophagal Chamber 5.Dreams 6.Slave to the Grave 7.In Torment They Burn

8.Sea – Of Thoughts 9.Postmortem Lividity 10.Between two Worlds

 

UK Death/Thrashers Seprevation have dropped their debut album upon us. Entitled simply “Consumed”, this 80′s and 90′s inspired tome of evil rips into life with “Divine Devastation”, one of many hints at an anti-religious theme running through the album! Yet for all the brutal build up and rampant expectation, its sombre, almost pure sounding dashes of melody that greet the ear when hitting play! Not that this lasts very long, soon enough the ravenous old school riffs, frantic drumming and Sepultura like vocal tones and musical vibes are taking full effect! Fast, frenetic and utterly devastating, Seprevation take no shit and give no mercy in their quest for dominant, death dealing mayhem! Bass heavy moments such as in “Servants of Suffering” add to the 80′s vibe and as things progress that Sepultura influence continues to be worn on sleeve! Still, this is no clone or covers band and Seprevation make this sound their own and in doing so display a mighty amount of technical prowess and musical talent! Song writing too is of a high level despite the majority of the music on offer being fast, hard and chaotic! Catchier tracks such as “Sarcophagal Chamber” (Sarcofago will be so proud) keep the album fresh and lively even into its middle stages and on the whole the album is of a superb quality throughout and never wavers in its aim for filthy, old school brutality!

 

7 Out of 10 - Luke Hayhurst

 

Band Page: Here

Buy It: Here

 

 

Foetal Juice - Big Trouble In Little Vagina

Grindscene Records 2013

 

1.Big Trouble In Little Vagina 2.Brewkakke 3.Semen Evil Smear No Evil

4.Serpents Of The Northern Lights 5.Service Station Masturbation

 

Bludgeoning death metal is what greets you from the outset, the opening track and hilariously titled “Big Trouble In Little Vagina” is a punishing orgy of rabid raspy vocals, backed up brilliantly with deep gutturals all supported by European styled brutal death metal. There’s also a hint of a punk/grind influence to the band’s music, which shows itself in “Brewkakke”, beginning in almost ‘Naplam Death’ fashion before settling down into mid-paced death metal that certainly has a heavy dose of groove mixed in. There’s a very ‘loose’ feel to the band's music, not that they’re sloppy by any means, more leaning towards a punk/grind ethos. ‘Semen Evil Smear No Evil’ is a much more potent offering, really blasting from the opening riff and giving off a really punishing atmosphere. It’s a lot more death metal than the previous two tracks and is actually the stand out track so far, being really well written and constructed.

Serpents Of The Northern Lights’ follows on in similar fashion. It seems that when FJ drop the punk/grind influence, their songs sound extremely deadly and have a real sense of purpose and definitely shows the band off at their best. Closing this short e.p is ‘Service Station Masturbation’ which sees the band return to the style optimized in the first two tracks, Napalm Death would again be a close reference point. The dual vocal delivery has been great throughout and again here is used extremely effectively. This closing track is massively brutal, as brutal as the band has sounded so far, having a real sense of determination and purpose. FJ are one of those bands that really appeal and fans of death metal, punk or grind will all find something to enjoy in the five tracks on offer, although I feel the death metallers will be the ones to really lap this up! If FJ reined back the punk/grind elements and concentrated slightly more on the brutal death metal, then they would certainly be an extremely potent force to be reckoned with. That said, this is a massively enjoyable e.p. which shows off the bands talents brilliantly, death metal with a sense of humour is hard to pull off, but these four lads from Bury do it very well. Now, lets see a full length please! Comes well recommended.

 

7.5 Out Of 10 - Chris Newby

 

Band Page: Here  Buy It: Here

De Profundis - Frequencies

Self Released 2014

 

1. A Strange Awakening 2. Illumination 3. Singularity 4. Crystal Mountain

 

After the release of three straight albums, UK progressive black metal band De Profundis have changed tack slightly and offered up a four track EP to be released through Terrorizer Magazine later this month. Entitled "Frequencies", this four track opus is as talented and inspired as it is frustrating and left field. I've been a fan of progressive rock all of my life but when the prefix progressive is used in black metal the end results can be horrifying or profound. I'd say De Profundis have stayed firmly on the profound side of the fence with this one despite parts of opening track " A Strange Awakening" meandering off on its own whimsical journey in places before returning to the main stay of thunderous black metal savagery.

"Illumination" is kept rather more in check by the band whose melodic meets battering ram style is rather intoxicating, a style they have adopted on previous recordings to great effect! "Singularity" is a destructive hell bent and focused bout of furious extreme metal that deftly rampages through its repertoire before the finale track "Crystal Mountain" adds a maniacal cum catchy finishing flurry of superb black metal majesty! Give it a few listens for sure as De Profundis always offer up more than the first hearing reveals. I think you'll be pleased with the finished work!

 

8 Out Of 10 - Luke Hayhurst

 

Band Page: Here

 

Achren - The White Death

Self Released 2014

 

1. Archangel 2. The Eschatologist 3. Suomen Susi

 

Glaswegian black/thrashers Achren have returned with a less than fresh dose of depravity in the form of new EP "The White Death", a follow up to the bands 2011 debut album "The Forgotten King". Opening track "Archangel" displays all the vocal savagery of a Frankie Boyle put down crossed with a poisonous malice fuelled tone that lets you know that Achren means business. Musically the band thrash rampantly through this short opening track in a blizzard of punchy riffs, gruelling melodies and ravenous drumming, all with a solid, cold undertone beneath and room for some impressive guitar solos.

"The Eschatalogist" is almost a complete style change. Longer, slower and with a far more rawer edge than the previous track, Achren lose none of their spite and intensity but come across as more serious and just as deadly.  Yet despite this the song is catchy and has a gripping chorus, signs of a rapidly maturing band sound wise and one who understands the importance of strong song writing. Finishing with "Suomen Susi" (The Finnish Wolf) and Achren build slowly and superbly with this well crafted track which showcases the bands ability to be subtle and poignant as well as a heavy and destructive. Just over a decade into their career and still going strong. On the evidence of this release the band are better than ever!

 

8 Out Of 10 - Luke Hayhurst

 

Band Page: Here

 

Victorian Whore Dogs - Hobo Chic

Hibernacula Records 2014

 

I. Gammy Sally 2. Dead Eyes 3. Kromdom 4. Prayer of Dust

 

If you are in the mood to check out some raw British talent then you could do a lot worse than Guildford based Sludge/Post Hardcore troupe VICTORIAN WHORE DOGS whose latest EP release "Hobo Chic" marks the bands debut with Hibernacula Records and the bands follow up to last years "Fetch" EP. Spanning a fairly short four songs and thirteen minutes, things get under way with the almost peaceful tones of "Gammy Sally" before normality kicks in and savage throat destroying vocals slip loose the dogs of war whilst accompanied by a cacophony of abrasive riffs! In terms of song writing VWD hit the right spot and break their songs up nicely, blending well the utterly raw and often slow and melodic to create something both endearing and at times blisteringly heavy. With yet more ravenous lozenge defying ferocity, "Dead Eyes" has a catchy air and a sing along chorus to enjoy whilst "Kromdom" has a Raging Speedhorn feel to its ravenous, belligerent tirade! Finishing with "Prayer of Dust", Victorian Whore Dogs bring this highly impressive EP to a close and hint at many more great things to come!

 

8 Out of 10 - Luke Hayhurst

 

Band Page: Here