The sixth full-length released by Oakland, CA-based metal band High On Fire, De Vermis Mysteriis comes from a fictional book, a grimoire containing spells for summoning monsters that first appeared in the short story “The Shambler From The Stars,” written by then-teenager Robert Bloch (who would go on to write Psycho). Bloch was the youngest member of H.P. Lovecraft’s circle. Lovecraft served as a mentor for Bloch and so loved the idea behind the text (which translates to “Mysteries of the Worm”) …
Chicago-based post-metal quartet Pelican‘s EP Ataraxia/Taraxis is the band’s first foray into new material since 2009′s What We All Come To Need. The title of this record is a study in contrasts in and of itself: taraxis is an inflammation of the eye, and ataraxia is a calmness or peace of mind. The EP begins with calm and moves towards irritation, perhaps counselling us to resist the stagnancy that can come from being too comfortable and instead embrace the …
Secrets of the Moon are a black metal band from Osnabrück, Germany, and Seven Bells is the newest release in their prolific history. Founded in 1995, they have always maintained a strong underground following, but caught attention of the larger metal community when they released Antithesis in 2006. Secrets of the Moon then gained more mainstream exposure in 2007 when they performed at both Summer Breeze and Hellfest.
Privilegivm in 2009 continued their solid reputation. Now, they are in a strange …
Astra play ’70s-influenced progressive rock with a distinctly psychedelic flair, and hail from San Diego, CA. The Black Chord is their second full-length, following 2009′s The Weirding. Positively cosmic is scope, this record is composed of spiralling galaxies of sound that draw the listener in with their innate gravity. The Black Chord showcases some of the finest classically inspired progressive rock being written today. Everything about these songs is long and drawn out, creating a sense of vastness that the music is stretching …
This release is composed of a single track, released as a digital download and seven-inch flexi via A389. The song was written and recorded during the same sessions in which Children of God produced their material for their twelve-inch split EP with Seven Sisters of Sleep. “Victimized” is just under a minute-and-a-half of shrill aggression. It comes across as less petulant and pissed off than their work on the split; the thin, dry vocals, issuing from a throat …
Chamber doom dream weavers from the San Francisco Bay area, Worm Ouroboros combine dark rock with ambient metal on their second release for Profound Lore, Come The Thaw, following their self-titled debut in 2008. The group feature Aesop Dekker of Agalloch on drums, with Lorraine Rath (ex-the Gault) and Jessica Way (Amber Asylum) sharing vocal duties, as well as all other instruments. This album lies at the intersection of several genres, including metal, neo-folk and ambient gothic. Come The Thaw is …
Every once in a while, I take a very careful look at the by-lines and review content of some of my favourite literary publications. Sometimes I do so because I think I might have caught wind of a trend, in terms of coverage, and want to see if my theory pans out. Sometimes I just look because I am curious and it occurs to me to do so. I do this because I am actively interested in how much coverage women’s writing is getting in the media all year round, and not just when the Vida Count comes out. I do it …
As Canadian Music Week reached a fever-pitch on Saturday night, the atmosphere at Soybomb was much more serene, providing a very welcome respite from the chaos at other venues across the city. While I saw friends and colleagues tweeting about fighting through absurd lines to see an indie band at the Horseshoe, it felt lovely to sip a cheap beer, stretch out my legs on the unofficial venue’s skate ramp and let some unconventional black metal wash over me. …
Hardworking Canadian underground group and stalwart Hessian warriors the Great Sabatini consistently push the limits of their skills and aesthetic, as well as their sheer capacity for labour. Currently in the midst of another ambitious North American tour, the band are simultaneously releasing a duelling pair of recordings: Matterhorn (on No List) and free digital companion EP The Royal We, which was recorded with Topon Das of Canadian grindcore heroes Fuck the Facts. The Great Sabatini are driven to create new music …
Atoma hail from Stockholm, Sweden, and Skylight is their debut offering. The band were formed at the beginning of 2011 when melodic doom metal group Slumber disbanded. Now, keyboardist Ehsan Kalantarpour is at the helm of Atoma as the vocalist and synth player, and is joined by ex-Slumber guitarist Makus Hill and bassist Siavosh Bigonah. In this new incarnation, their sound unites elements of electronic music, post rock and heavy metal.
Beak are a Chicago-based post-metal project headed by drummer Chris Eichenseer and bassist/vocalist Jason Goldberg (ex-The Timeout Drawer). Their debut effort Eyrie is an attempt at a concept album, engaging with the fertility possible in inaccessible and hostile landscapes (an Eyrie is a nest build by a bird of prey in a location that is very hard to get to), touching upon the inevitable progression of time and the “path to ruin.”
Canadian heavy metal legion 3 Inches of Blood, currently based in Vancouver, BC, have been creating NWOBHM-influenced, ’70s hard rock-inspired music since 2000. Long Live Heavy Metal is their fifth full-length release. The band draw upon tales of glorious battle for lyrical inspiration, often with a fantasy or mythological bent. They also write about heavy metal itself, like opening track “Metal Woman.” 3IOB situate themselves firmly within the realm of traditional heavy metal, but it’s often when they reach …
It was still quite quiet when I found myself at Sneaky Dee’s. There were just a few knots of people – even a young pair on an adorably awkward first date – perched on barstools and chatting, waiting of the Young Lions Club showcase to begin. I had originally drafted an ambitious and geographically broad plan for the night that would have had me biking from the Beaches into deepest Parkdale and back again. At the last minute, …
Hardworking Canadian underground group and stalwart Hessian warriors the Great Sabatini consistently push the limits of their skills and aesthetic, as well as their sheer capacity for labour. Currently in the midst of another ambitious North American tour, the band are simultaneously releasing a duelling pair of recordings: Matterhorn (on No List) and free digital companion EP The Royal We, which was recorded with Topon Das of Canadian grindcore heroes Fuck the Facts. The Great Sabatini are driven to create new …
Denver, Colorado band Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire play a dissonant, difficult kind of music that sits at a crossroads between grindcore and funereal doom. They refer to themselves as “funeralgrind” to communicate the aggressive nature of the sound and texture along with the bleakness and misery that informs their themes and lyrical content. It is clear this band is going for a specific and profound kind of catharsis, seeking healing by indiscriminately …
Canadian independent metal warriors the Great Sabatini are used to moving mountains. Their do-it-yourself approach to touring and steering their musical career comes is a major theme onMatterhorn, released digitally and on vinyl via Winnipeg purveyors of noise No List Records on March 25.
On this latest record, the band’s strength and determination are represented in Matterhorn‘s lyrics. Guitarist, vocalist and lyricist Sean Arsenian tells Exclaim! that he “had been watching Jodorowsky’s Holy Mountain as a stimulus for the lyrics. I really like the idea that …
Meshuggah, world-renowned extreme metallers from Sweden, are one of those bands that has had an irrevocable impact upon the landscape of heavy metal, spawning an entire new sub-genre inspired by their trademark sound (djent). The band’s name comes from the Hebrew word that means “crazy,” though there has always been an academically intense method to their madness. Formed in 1987, Meshuggah have maintained a remarkably stable lineup, having had the most turnover when it comes to bassists, …
Prolific Belgian black metal band Enthroned have been active since 1993. Obsidium is their ninth studio album, in addition to EPs and a live CD; it is also their first with Agonia Records, after recently parting ways with Regain. The black metal here is as spiky and strident as an ill-tempered demon. The vast majority of the record blazes ahead at an extremely fast pace, only rarely pulling back to a mid-tempo grind to gather momentum and explore some crawling, ominous tones before galloping …
Out To Die is the latest offering from Aura Noir, a blackened thrash (perhaps thrashed black) metal band from Norway. They have been active since 1993, this is their fifth full-length recording. The band members proudly refer to themselves as the “ugliest trio in the world,” and have certainly produced some well-crafted disgust on this latest offering, distilling their hateful impulses and aggressive tendencies into a rather fine vintage.
Aura Noir have received a great deal of praise in …
Their eighth studio album Urd is both a continuation and extension of Borknagar‘s trademark sound. This Norwegian progressive black metal band are the unquestionably kings in a country of their own making. Since their beginnings in 1995, they have been known for their very distinct sound, particularly defined by their combination of soulful, yearning clean singing combined with harsh vocals. Borknagar have also been set apart by the subject matter of their music, as they draw from paganism, …
