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Friday, March 31, 2017

LOATHFINDER - THE GREAT TIRED ONES


Dropping April 30th, Poland’s own Loathfinder is set to release their new EP, The Great Tired Ones, via indy label Godz ov War. Loathfinder is an acquired taste among metal bands, definitely unique in their sound, bringing their own flavor of sludge metal in these four haunting tracks.

What The Great Tired Ones lacks in fast paced, energetic sound it makes up for by masterfully crafting a doom and gloom, bleak sonic underworld. The lyrics are grim and abysmal, the riffs creep under your skin as one takes the bleak journey through this EP, one such track “Scents of Regression” does a particularly great job of creating a soundscape Cthulu itself would jam out to.

All in all The Great Tired Ones is good break from the typical speedy blast beat filled black metal style bands Poland is renowned for but it may not be every metal head’s cup of tea of you’re looking for something a little more fast paced.

The video for the track "Genetic Gloom" is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmGtrluYHzg&feature=youtu.be

TRACKLIST:
I. Genetic Gloom
II. Feast on my Entrails
III. Scents of Regression
IV. The Great Tired Ones

Check out Loathfinder here:

Written by Ken Kaizer for Bloodrock Media on March 31, 2017
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Wednesday, March 29, 2017

IN DEATH - THE DEVIL SPEAKS


Australian death metal band In Death are set to release their new album, The Devil Speaks, on April 21st.

Upon hitting play, it is apparent that the title fits. The opener, "Malignancy Eradicated", is tight but once the second track “The Pitfalls of Immortality” starts, you can clearly see In Death is interested only in tearing heads clean off with a musical battle ax. Each track is progressively harder than the last, without giving the listener a second to breathe. But who needs to oxygen when The Devil Speaks is compelling you?!

The Devil Speaks is adrenaline pumping, whiplash inducing, mosh demanding music at its finest. Tracks like “Godzilla” or the titular “The Devil Speaks” are every bit as monstrous and brutal as their names imply. And once it is all over, you are left with your blood boiling for another go.

Cop this sledgehammer heavy work of metal art once it drops on April 21st or you are able to pre-order here: http://www.plastichead.com/item.asp?ex=fitem&target=INDEATH1

Track Listing:
1. Malignancy Eradicated
2. The Pitfalls Of Immortality
3. Bow To Your Master
4. Every Burial
5. Godzilla
6. Fuck Your Kind
7. The Devil Speaks
8. King Of The Deadpool

Lineup:
K.G - Drums
Krugga - Vocals
Brian Page - Guitars
Danika Ruohonen - Bass
Rah Rah - Guitars

Check out
In Death here:

Written by Ken Kaizer for Bloodrock Media on March 29, 2017
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Tuesday, March 28, 2017

DEAD EARTH POLITICS - THE MOBIUS HAMMERSMITH


Progressive power thrash Texans Dead Earth Politics released their third album of a three year trilogy, The Mobius Hammersmith, on March 3rd and it is crystal clear how they’ve been voted best Austin band four years running. Bridging sub-genres of metal, to create an eclectic yet electric metal sound.

The Mobius Hammersmith goes above and beyond what one tends to expect from “local” Southern metal. The Mobius Hammersmith is more like the soundtrack to a hero’s blood quest for glory or revenge, rather than just a heavy metal album. Creating a sonic landscape that is no less than a metal work of art. The Mobius Hammersmith is heavily reminiscent of  Brendon Small’s Galaktikon (this comparison is not made lightly, Galaktikon is worlds beyond typical heavy metal albums). Tracks such as “The Mobius Hammersmith”, “Balancing Broken Scales”, and “Broadwings and Distant Shores” display the ferocity, melodic might and strong composition the band has mastered. To create such a potent, expansive atmosphere in only five tracks and two bonus songs is a feat in itself; few full length albums capture what The Mobius Hammersmith does in a relatively small space.  

From beginning to end of The Mobius Hammersmith you see exactly what Dead Earth Politics is capable of and they do not disappoint. If you enjoy truly well molded metal that pushes the boundaries of its craft then The Mobius Hammersmith is without a doubt an album you should purchase today!

Tracklist
1. Runescarred
2. The Mobius Hammersmith
3. Balancing Broken Scales
4. Wretched Things
5. Broad Wings & Distant Shores
6. Redneck Dragonslayer (Bonus Track)
7. Ice & Fire (Bonus Track)

Lineup
Mason - Drums
Lennis - Bass
Tim - Guitar
Ven - Vocals
Aaron - Guitar


Check out Dead Earth Politics here:


Written by Ken Kaizer for Bloodrock Media on March 28, 2017
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ENRAGEMENT - BURNED, BARREN, BLOODSTAINED


Enragement is back on the scene after their last full-length release in 2014 titled Omnimalevolence of Man. Their new album, Burned, Barren, Bloodstained will be released on June 9th courtesy of Inverse Records.

Burned, Barren, Bloodstained immediately lures you in with the initial chords of the first track, “River of Corpses”, starting out with a slow melody and immediately submersing listenrers into some no holds barred, thrash metal. Enragement is unique in that they use three vocalists, each building upon one another to create sort of harmonious chaos. This tactic is evident in many of their songs, creating a rare balance between heavy growling, typical in metal, and clean vocals - adding a twist to a style that not many can master as gracefully as this Finnish band has.

Let’s not discount the talent displayed with their instruments, either. Laden with explosive drums, coupled with dark bass, and ripping guitar riffs, Burned, Barren, Bloodstained does not disappoint. “Mass of a Thousand Suns” is a track in which the band displays their technical talents as well as their extreme, brutal sound. The flair with which this band handles their instruments, and the addition of the three vocal growlers becomes even more glaringly evident in their song “Ashen Unity”, which will make you want to get up and start a mosh pit in your living room. The song “Blood for the Sun God”, which the band just released their video for, begins the way music nightmares are made of. An eerie, chilling tale, this song will haunt your dreams for nights to come.

If you’re into metal that will make your skin crawl and hair stand on end in all the best ways, you’ll want to check out Enragement’s Burned, Barren, Bloodstained this summer. Their chilling exploration of the human condition is a dark journey you’ll want to take right along with them. You can pre-order the album now in anticipation of sharing this dark, twisted, tangled ride.

Tracklist
  1. River of Corpses
  2. Dead Flesh Treasury
  3. Raining Bodyparts
  4. Mass of a Thousand Suns
  5. Divine Catatonia
  6. Ashen Unity
  7. As the Acid Burns
  8. To Become Earth
  9. Blood for the Sun God
  10. Armed Redeemer
  11. Smite the Impure

Lineup
Tuomas Iivanainen - Guitar & Vocals
Atte Ojanne - Guitar & Vocals
Jarkko Niemi - Bass & Vocal
Lasse Sannikka - Drums

Check out Enragement here:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2X1g7GS8ebZl67siPVPzfR

Written by Har-Lena Quinn on March 28, 2017 for Bloodrock Media
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VARAHA - VARAHA

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Chicago has one of the best, yet overlooked metal music scene.  There are so many talented artists out there working their asses off to create their views of beauty, sorrow, angst, or whatever through music.  It is all within reach of music fans; as long as one is willing to find it.  I am one of those people, and the newest gem I have found is absolutely stunning.  This gem has a run time of less than sixteen minutes, but its’ impact on me has resonated itself as if I have listened to a whole full length album. This is Varaha, and their self titled EP is something quite special.

Before I talk about the tracks themselves, I must tell you about their live performance.  Over the weekend I had the opportunity to see Varaha open up for Finnish legends AMORPHIS, and their live set completely slayed.  From the moment they walked on stage, they had the attention of every single person in the venue.  They were tight, and their sound was massive.  What a joy it was to see these guys play.  Seriously, this band has worked really hard to perfect their craft.

Varaha is comprised of three tracks; it begins with the track “Cubicle”, which fans of bands like Russian Circles and Deafheaven will eat it up like Sunday dinner.  Ethereal and spacey, yet elegant and classy.  The second track, “La Mela”, is a short interlude featuring Chicago’s own Bruce Lamont wooing the listener with his bendy sex whistle. I highly suggest checking out Bruce’s other projects where he plays the saxophone in Brain Tentacles, Yakuza, and Corrections House.  The third and final track on Varaha, “Ghost” goes back to the shoegazey, black metal/post rock sound that Varaha has perfected and this track totally gives out the feels, man.  

Wow, what a powerful EP Varaha is.  Will someone please just fucking sign these guys so we can be graced with a full length release?  Oh and visit their bandcamp and spend the two dollars on this, or five if you want a hard copy.  You will thank me later.

Tracklist
  1. Cubicle
  2. La Mela
  3. Ghost

Lineup
Fabio Brienza - Vocals, Guitars
Joel Hollis - Guitars
David Swanson - Drums
Bryan Gold - Bass

Check out Varaha here:
https://www.varaha.bandcamp.com/

Written by Jacek Leja on March 28, 2017 for Bloodrock Media
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GRA - RAMSVARTA TANKAR


A new era brings a new single as GRA reveals a new lineup and direction to the world, “Ramsvarta Tankar” is a dark and haunting tune paired with a sick cover of Lord Belial’s “Osculum Obscenum”. GRA is revitalized with new members Natt (guitar) and Vediger (bass) joining the old guard Heljarmadr, Dimman, and Maugrim, creating an even more menacing sound. “Ramsvarta Tankar” is just the opening shot from these brutal forces of the underworld.  GRA is primed and ready to terrorize the mortal landscape with a ferocity unlike any has brought on before.

Check out GRA here:
http://www.grahorde.com/
https://www.facebook.com/graofficial/
http://www.youtube.com/grahorde
http://open.spotify.com/artist/5c81a4MM3sIm2XxsI2bSCR
http://grahorde.bandcamp.com/



Written by Ken Kaizer on March 28, 2017 for Bloodrock Media
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Monday, March 27, 2017

ORDOXE - TOWARDS ETERNITY

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Ordoxe, a black metal band hailing from Quebec, is soon to release their Horror Pain Gore Death debut album, Towards Eternity. Formed in 1989, Ordoxe is certainly a testament to the roots of black metal, with its doomy sound, grim psychescapes, and excessive tremolo picking. 

Although the majority of Towards Eternity is stereotypical expectation of black metal, the tracks Trepas I, II, and III give the album an almost thrash metal feel, while also providing a very alternative feeling groove, especially in the extremely pronounced basslines this band produces. Even for those that are not fans of black metal many of the tracks are well written and very catchy. The lows from the vocalist at some points are even similar to deathcore style vocals, and have a great tone and layering to them. 

Any old school black metal fan will love Towards Eternity,  as well as those who enjoy thrash and doom metal. Be sure to check it out when it drops, March 31st!

For fans of:  BEHEMOTH, CRADLE OF FILTH, DARK FUNERAL, DESTROYER 666, DISSECTION, ENTHRONED, GOD DETHRONED, NAGLFAR, ROTTING CHRIST, SATYRICON. 

Tracklist
1. We Are Eternal
2. The Auspicious One
3. Trépas I 
4. Your Sorrow, My Sorrow 
5. Sword Of Damocles 
6. Soyez Illuminés 
7. A Passage In Time 
8. Trépas II 
9. The Essence Of Life 
10. Trépas III 

Lineup
Deco - Vocals 
JF - Vocals & Guitars 
Sam - Guitars JD - Bass 
Doum - Drums 

Check out Ordoxe here:
http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com
https://www.hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/towards-eternity https://www.facebook.com/Ordoxe/ 
https://twitter.com/Ordoxe 
https://www.facebook.com/horrorpaingoredeath 
https://twitter.com/hpgd666 
https://ordoxe.bandcamp.com/

Written by Ethan Grason on March 27, 2017 for Bloodrock Media
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WITHOUT WAVES - LUNAR

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I have a little bit of history with Without Waves. A couple years back, I was helping co-host the Rock in Chicago podcast, where we interviewed many of Chicago’s local music scene, ranging from punk, to indie, to metal. For one show, we had Without Waves in the studio to talk about their EP that they released at the time, called The Entheogen. I admit, I came into the interview completely unprepared, not having listened to this release. I admitted this to the all the guys, but that did not stop us from having a really interesting interview, which really intrigued me to listen to their EP as soon as I could. What an aural experience that was. Two original tracks and one cover that I listened to at least a couple hundred times since.

Since that night of interview shenanigans, I have bugged the hell out of all the Without Waves guys for a full album release. They kept telling me, “It is coming, we have a lot of great things coming up.” They were not lying. Since then, this progressive metal powerhouse have been signed to Prosthetic Records, and scheduled their first full length album Lunar, released on March 17th. 

Lunar is absolutely perfect. Since its release, it has pretty much been on repeat any time I have had time to listen to music. Lunar is a beast of its own and basically something that pretty much any type of metalhead can enjoy. It starts off like a rabid pit bull ready to bite your face off, then chills out and makes your underwear moist, then progs out so insanely that it would make any mathematician try to use their time signatures to help solve the mysteries of the universe. Oh, and the vocals, the vocals of Anthony Cwan on this record will have the guys nodding in acknowledgement, and the ladies swooning. 

Do yourself a favor and just buy Lunar, you will not be disappointed. It is going to take one hell of an album to knock this bad boy off of my number one slot of best album of 2017. 

Favorite Track: Us Against 

Tracklist
1. Sewing Together the Limbs 
2. Poetry in Putrid Air 
3. Us Against 
4. Never Quite Know Why 
5. Victorian Punishment 
6. EDMS 
7. Lost Art 
8. Fractals
9. Memento Mori 

Lineup
Anthony Cwan - Vocals/Guitars 
Zac Lombardi - Guitars 
John Picillo - Bass 
Garry Naples - Drums 

Check out Without Waves here:

Written by Jacek Leja on March 27, 2017 for Bloodrock Media
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EPI-DEMIC - MALFORMED CONSCIENCE


Canadian trio, Epi-Demic, is back with a vengeance. Following up their 2015 collaboration with fellow Canadian rockers Solanum, and their 2011 album Madess, Epi-Demic’s new album Malformed Conscience will not leave metal lovers with much to be desired. If you’re a fan of crossovers, you’ll want to give Malformed Conscience a listen.

With a combination of chilling bass and guitar riffs and haunting lyrics of a conscience in turmoil, and rhythmic drum combos, Malformed Conscience starts to move you from the first chord. There is so much energy and a kind of groove in the tracks that you’ll be hard pressed not to at least nod your head with the beat. Starting with the first track "Rotting in Plain Sight", you’re just about lured to get up and dance, and then the breakdowns begin, so your mood changes and you are ready to jump in the circle pit.

The heavy doesn’t stop there - it just keeps building. "Ruthless Ambition" is another track that will make you want to get up move - combining dirty beats with a Misfits-esque sound, this is one track you’ll want to play over and over. If you’re into bass, the track "Famine" is for you - showing off his talents, Kyle slays it in this one. And if you’re into drums, well, "Famine" is for you too - Aaron dominates the beat. Epi-Demic starts to incorporate some collaborative vocals in the track "Sons of Dogs", bringing more of a dynamic to their sound. "Breaking Your Mind" brings a Tool/Dream Theater-esque type of beat into the mix, further showing the range of this talented trio.

Malformed Conscience is not simply a project which crosses over multiple genres, it crosses over with style and finesse. Malformed Conscience will not only inspire serious neck slinging, hair cyclones, and head banging, but will also trigger you to put on your dancing shoes in a span of mere moments. It is quite possible that you will want to break things, while shoulder shimmying, and quite honestly it doesn't get more metal than that!

Tracklist
  1. Rotting in Plain Sight
  2. Dark Thoughts
  3. Stewing in Misery
  4. Ruthless Ambition
  5. Losing Time
  6. Famine
  7. Hatred
  8. Sons of Dogs
  9. Breaking Your Mind
  10. Punishment
  11. Mortal Kind

Lineup
Adam - Guitar/Vocals
Kyle - Bass
Aaron - Drums


Written by Har-Lena Quinn on March 27, 2017 for Bloodrock Media
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