Showing posts with label Death Metal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Death Metal. Show all posts

Sunday, November 13, 2011

More Funeral Doom

Evoken - "Antithesis Of Light" (2005)



Evoken -- American -- Funeral doom/death in the vein of Disembowelment



Longing For Dawn - "Between Elation And Despair" (2009)
Longing For Dawn -- Canadian -- Funeral doom mingling with brooding dark ambient



Skepticism - "Stormcrowfleet" (1995)

Skepticism -- Finnish -- Savage old-school funeral doom metal


Absum - "Purgatoire 2007-2009" (2010)

Absum -- American -- Funeral doom played in a punishing black metal style

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Druid Lord - "Hymns For The Wicked" (2010)


I am crossing over into DeafMetal's music-review territory this time with a newer band who play a classic death/doom style of metal. Druid Lord spawned a couple years back in muggy Florida and their sound is no less sweltering. Members have purebred metal backgrounds considering their repertoires with such greats as Incubus, Equinox, and Acheron. Influences abound out of the bubbling, porridge-thick death/doom. A decadent mix of stoner and horror theatrics, blown-out, blasé recording quality, and ruthless brutality makes Hymns For The Wicked a monstrous listen. Take a hint and do what their latest Myspace status says to do: "Burn one and crank the DOOM!"

Brute.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

A Few Old Death Metal Albums...

I've noticed an outcry for old-school death metal recommendations lately, so instead of just posting one album, I will post a few lesser known legendary ones that I hold dear. Though, it should be noted that these are not strictly death metal albums, but they all maintain an overall old-school death sound. So without further ado...


Carbonized - "For The Security" (1991)


Carbonized's For The Security is a savage album. Hints of grind and avant-garde metal fleck this one of a kind 1991 masterpiece. The drumming is spectacular, the riffs are cacophonous and messy, and the are vocals are extraordinary. Check this out if you like death metal that breaks away from tradition.


Old Funeral - "The Older Ones" (1999)

Old Funeral was known for once including Varg, Abbath, and a few other major black metal artists in their line-up. Although the band was only active for a handful of years, believe it or not, these grimlins created some of the catchiest and heaviest death metal of their day. With ripping riffs, blazing blast beats, and sometimes comedic vocals, Old Funeral certainly did not take themselves very seriously. The Older Ones is a compilation album and features a great track list.

Rottrevore - "Iniquitous" (1993)


Rottrevore are local legends hailing from my town, Pittsburgh. Here is a death metal band that is difficult to be outdone in the brutality department. In fact perhaps the only other local bands who can even contest are the legendary Nunslaughter or the pulverising Dream Death. Iniquitous is a remarkable old-school album making its debut in 1993, proving that great death metal didn't have to come from New York or Florida. There are some really good riffs here and the vocals are disturbingly guttural.



Ophis - "Withered Shades" (2010)


I cannot recommend this album enough. Ophis's 2010 release, Withered Shades, is a perfect example of what crushing modern death/doom metal should sound like. Riffs are slow and suffocating and the vocals boom and bellow from the depths below (my nether regions quiver with glee). If you skip out on this then you are not a true metal fan, you are a wimp.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Blaspherian - "Infernal Warriors Of Death" (2011)


A very grim release with excellent doom riffs and deadly vocals, Blaspherian plays old-school doom laced death metal that is very menacing. Infernal Warriors Of Death has an awesome album cover too so check it out and get into it:

Friday, February 11, 2011

Cruciamentum - "Convocation Of Crawling Chaos" (2009)


Cruciamentum's Convocation Of Crawling Chaos (say that ten times) is one of the finest in the  modern era of old-school death metal. It's relatively short, running under 20 minutes, but that doesn't make it any less pummeling. The vocals sound as if they have been belched  forth from the bowels of Hell and the bleak atmosphere conveyed is enough to ruin your day.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Winter - "Into Darkness" (1990)


Into Darkness is my favorite death/doom album next to Spina Bifida's Ziyadah, and rightfully so. This legendary release is simply satisfying. Every riff is arduous; the vocals, deep and mean. The drum work is also excellent and, although there is something slightly unkempt about the album, it certainly doesn't take away from its ability to please. Despite existing as a band for only 3 years, Winter's footprint has called many other imitators to attempt to fill its massive size and, albeit, a few come close, the mighty Winter will forever be the entity remembered for being one of the first to participate in this grueling genre. Is there anything colder than W I N T E R ?

Infester - "To The Depths... In Degradation" (1994)


Infester's 1994 release entitled, To The Depths... In Degradation, is a phenomenal display of why American old-school death metal can contend with the likes of, say, old-school Finnish or Swedish death metal. With vocals that pay homeage to that of a gurgling bog, Infester comes out swinging with speedy and furious instrumentation (although, there is a fair amount of doom influence in the riffing). If you are an old-school death metal fan and do not have this album in your archives, then you owe it to yourself to hear this monster of a record. Much headbanging is sure to ensue.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Mangled Torsos - "Anatomia Reformata" (1993)

Anatomia Reformata is Mangled Torsos' 1993 release; try it on for size and then return for more.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Macabre End - "Consumed By Darkness" (1990)


Consumed By Darkness is the epitome of underground and at only 9 minutes long it is obvious why. This demo is the only other of 2 ever released by Macabre End, so brush the dust off of this and prepare for what sheer brutality really is.

Salem - "Destruction Till Death" (1987)


Israeli death metal band, Salem, released their masterpiece in 1987, Destruction Till Death -- an album that shouldn't be taken lightly by any extreme metal fan. With a production that speaks true to its time, this sloppy demo crushes all competitors. A 48 minute experience that has the disgust and aggression of Excavation's Gravemouth and features a blasphemous vocal range reminiscent of Eyehategod's Dopesick (despite it being several years older than both releases), Destruction Till Death is often an overlooked old-school  classic that was a favorite of Euronymous himself and has influenced countless of other classic bands.

Pentacrostic - "The Pain Tears" (1992)



Pentacrostic's The Pain Tears is a death/doom album from 1992 that never ceases to please. With crawling riffs and tortured screams, this is a must-have for anyone who considers themselves a fan of the genre.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Rippikoulu - "Musta Seremonia" (1993)


One of Finland's finest offerings: death/doom legends, Rippikoulu. Musta Seremonia is as gritty and effective as sandpaper with simplistic riffs and dynamite drumming. The production is quite coarse and will certainly not appeal to all metal fans, so best leaving this one to the seasoned veterans.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Cianide - "The Dying Truth" (1992)


The Dying Truth is a death/doom classic released in 1992. Cianide's debut LP conjures images of a wooly mammoth's slowly deteriorating carcass -- slow and steady and disgusting. The album's monolithic chugging riffs will fracture necks, but hark! there are a few blast beats to be heard, accompanied by gurgled barking that will make you think you have stepped into Hell whilst it being under construction.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Mourning Beloveth - "The Sullen Sulcus" (2002)



Beautifully crushing and bleak with sheer ferocity, there are not many other doom metal records that can touch this monolith's severity. Clocking in at just over an hour, The Sullen Sulcus, in its cleaner moments, is  reminiscent of fellow Irish act, Primordial, and can easily draw comparisons to early My Dying Bride. Look into this release if you want to endure a long journey to a landscape of fire and brimstone.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Morpheus Descends - "Ritual Of Infinity" (1993)


Morpheus Descends was an underground death metal band from Middletown, NY who premiered alongside Suffocation and Immolation and played death metal in the same unmistakable New York style as both of them. And although Dawn of Possession and Effigy of the Forgotten this ain't, it is as punishing and pounding as being run over by a taxi cab in a subway station while eating a hotdog.

Cannibal Corpse - "Eaten Back To Life" (1990)


Whether you love them or hate them, one thing that cannot be denied is Cannibal Corpse's consistency. Eaten Back To Life is Cannibal Corpse's first and, in my opinion, most consistent release. Chris Barnes' vocals are ferocious as he snarls his way through all 11 songs with the vigor and destructive energy of a backhoe. Memorable riffs and a spot-on low end make this an altogether fantastic old-school album that every metalhead should have in their collection.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Excavation - "Gravemouth" (1991)


I love stumbling upon early death metal tapes long forgotten in time, dusting them off and popping them into my player. The excitement before finding out whether a release is a gem or dud keeps me hungry to constantly find and hear more! Limburg's kings of the old-school underground, Excavation, show their chops on the 1991 demo, Gravemouth with sloppy buzzsaw guitars and gross vocals, making Gravemouth easily one of the best death metal demos out there.


Spina Bifida - "Ziyadah" (1993)

Spina Bifida was a death/doom metal band from the Netherlands who only released a 1992 demo and a full-length in 1993 entitled, Ziyadah, and here it is in all its glory: