Nepente - Suffering is the Seed (2012)

Colombia is a place I can only assume to possess some level of day to day oppression, that is, if the music I've encountered from the country is any indicator of its level of unrest. Brutal/death metal seems to be the primary flavor there, and on their sophomore effort, Suffering is the Seed, Nepente do not intend to challenge that perception, as this is a fairly straight burst of churning, nihilistic extremity that eschews all the principles of nuance and subtlety to bulldoze its audience from front to back. I had read that the band was a hybrid of death and black metal aesthetics, but what I'm hearing on this disc is far more in favor of the former camp. A few passages, like the intro to "Hear Me Howl" or "Die for Me", give the impression of tremolo/blast black metal (a little like Endstille in tone), and there are some rasped lyric lines, but the bombastic guttural vox and majority of riff structures have a truly South America death flavor.

My favorite component to the record was the guitar tone, which is fiery and rich without seeming inauthentic or unnecessarily processed, and it provides a real muscular crunch over the storm-like drumming that is constantly providing a cluttered momentum. The riffs definitely have a Morbid Angel feel to them, caustic and explosive and inherently apocalyptic due to their lack of warmth or brighter melodies, but I also found some notable similarities to other South American acts like Krisiun, Abhorrence, Nephasth and Mental Horror thanks to the ferocious structuring. The drums are insanely busy, with a lot of the fills popping through the headphones but a nice, exhilarated hellishness to the blast beats. Bass is potent, pummeling, and thick, though occasionally I had to strain a little to really appreciate what was happening there. As for the vocals, the rasps (where they appear) are your somewhat forgettable, average black metal ravings, but the primary growling is massive, forceful, and strafes alongside the guitars to provide one of the more dominant elements on the album. Gutturals with similarities to Steve Tucker, Erik Rutan, Alex Camargo or the various Nile frontmen add a layer of unforgiving opacity to the mood of the busier music.

Where I lost a little interest was in the actual riffing constructions, which just aren't all that compelling, even though they provide a variety of blasted tremolo riffs, melodic-oriented death circa Swedish bands like Dissection or Sacramentum, and harder hitting, muted frenzies. Throughout, there's this sense of a molten flow full of burnt out angel wings and halos, but it's running out to sea where it gets diluted by the lack of standout songs. If they could take this same sense of production and apply stronger songwriting, Nepente would probably make some ripples, but all too rarely did I derive a sense of excitement or catchiness from the individual patterns, and it was often somewhat of a chore to stay attentive. That said, there's nothing particularly bad or incompetent about Suffering is the Seed, and the band does a decent job of inserting a broad enough spectrum of aggression that I wouldn't deign the music monotonous by any stretch of the imagination. They've done their homework, and they can play. Might be worth checking out if you're into Malevolent Creation, Krisiun, Morbid Angel or Kataklysm, or Polish bands like Hate or Behemoth, but even then I just didn't get a lasting impression.

Verdict: Indifference [6/10]

http://www.myspace.com/nepente

Cystic Dysentery - Culture of Death (2012)

Imagine my surprise when the debut album by Cystic Dysentery called Culture of Death arrived in my digital promo inbox and turned out to be a heartfelt and introspective interpretation of Joan Baez classics. You've already guessed that I'm taking the piss with such a statement, but then that's really both the strength and weakness of this Floridian group's first foray into full-length extremity, coming a full decade after their inception: it sounds EXACTLY like it looks, and offers no more (and no less) of a pummeling than a thousand other similar acts have manifest through a good decade and a half since such muscular excess took hold of death metal and transformed it from its creepy, atmospheric roots to a space race of sorts, measured by how many limbs can be broken or strained in a short period of time. That's either a good or bad thing: if you're in the market for more of this approach to the genre, then Culture of Death won't let you down. If your tastes run more to nuance, novelty and even experimentation, or you're an old school diehard who finds very little to enjoy about death metal post-1991, then Cystic Dysentery has considerably less to offer you.

That's not to imply that this record is the most incredibly sterile, modernized,or unflinchingly technical wank fest out there. Far from it. The focus here is very heavily on the classic brutality of their influences, among which I'm hearing Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse, Pestilence, Sinister, Cryptopsy, and even Floridian forerunners like Malevolent Creation, Diabolic, Morbid Angel and primarily Deicide. There might be a lot more meticulous fits of tremolo picking and youthful intensity than you'd find on the Deicide s/t or Legion, perhaps, but that bulky, muscular frenetic style of chugging, and the often paired up guttural/snarl vocals brought me reeling back to those early 90s, only clad in a more consistent level of production and intense pacing. Some will undoubtedly find the drumming here a bit too clinical or polished, but the dude's a monster of blasts, fills and shovel loads of double-bass maneuvers that could instantly qualify him to perform with nearly anyone in the field. The bass is a little drowned out by the more processed and pugilistic timbre of the guitars, but it's plodding away with no hesitation to match them in speed and finesse. The guitars themselves are redolent of those writhing, sepulchral Morrisound tones of old, only a fraction brighter and perhaps not as thick or crushing as are necessary to really showcase the variety of riffs, which range from palm muted slug fests to explosive chord slides to spurts of surgical death/thrash derision circa early Pestilence.

Beyond my earlier Glen Benton comparison, the vocals do often take on a more gurgling guttural pallor which feels more typical of brutal tech/slam death today; and they also have periods where they are held out with more of a dour sustain. Like the instruments, they're perfectly suited to this style and sound exactly how you'd expect, but they don't ever offer up anything truly interesting or particularly gruesome. Unfortunately, that's sort of the impression I took away from Culture of Death as a whole. It's practiced, rhythmically rounded, percussive death metal which exhibits a bridge between the original extremists that transformed the style into what it's become today, and the many devotees that cling to their legacy. It's got a few glimpses of atmospheric in the zanier leads or riffs, and hits with enough force to derail a locomotive, but for the life of me I just could not distinguish any of the individual songs or components after about two hours straight of exposure. Cystic Dysentery honor their influences, and avoid several of the prevailing trends out there in recent years of extremity, and this is a decent debut for sure, but it just needs a little more excitement to the songwriting, evoked not through simply aggression but through stickier note progressions.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cystic-Dysentery/208265715902640

Manticore - Behold the Ascension of the Execrated (2012)

Ohio's Manticore is another of those primitive black metal acts which has subsisted deep in the US underground for some time now, with releases through a wealth of killer labels here like Hell's Headbanger, Nuclear War Now, Iron Bonehead, War Hammer and now through Georgia's Deathgasm. They've also borne somewhat of a death metal element thanks to the mixed use of atrocious rasping and guttural vocals, but musically I felt like they've focused more on the former half of the equation, with a roots black metal aesthetic reminiscent of oozing, bass heavy legends like Necromantia and Barathrum, and truly raw pundits of the profane like Beherit, Black Witchery, Blasphemy, Havohej, Profanatica and early Mayhem.

I admit I never really got into the older material I've heard from this band, and Behold the Ascension of the Execrated is unlikely to change my opinion much, and it's largely because the riff selection implemented by the band just doesn't stir me. On a fundamental level, I respect what the band's set out to accomplish here and they're certainly no worse off than a large number of these primal, despotic sounding acts whose modus operandi is sheer repulsion. Oozing, saturated bass distortion drives a lot of the compositions, while the guitar tone is likewise disgusting as it barks out drudging, death metal derived grooves or vitriolic faster paced riffs that feel like someone rubbed black/punk in some caustic slaw and then force fed the listener with it. Vocals are a no-holds barred amalgamation of throaty snarls and deeper growls, often sustained to a great dramatic effect or paired up in unholy union, but I often found that these, and the actual uncleanliness inherent in the production of the guitars was the album's most charming element. The drums are delivered with an incendiary succor to complete this ghastly experience, but they often seemed a bit weaker than that infernal sludge they were supporting...

Lyrically and thematically this is the blasphemous scripture one expects from such a hybrid of extremities, and songs like "Abhorrent Baptism in the Vestal Cavity" and "Abolished Holy Conceit" are unlikely to land Manticore in the good graces of the papacy; but, after all, this is a band named for a mythical abomination which delights in poisoning, paralyzing and devouring its prey. The Ohioans have no aversion to committing the ugliest and most minimal acts of barbarism possible, and such burdens as intricacy or technicality have no place whatsoever in their interests. On a purely aesthetic level, I dig what bands like this are about, but I still wish there was more levity and effort placed in the actual riff constructions, which are just not that interesting or evil sounding beyond just that horrific flow of visceral tone. If each song just had, say 1-2 compelling, bewitchingly atonal or eerie atmospheric guitar progressions to balance out the minimalism, there would be an instant, engrossing contrast to sink your mind into, but as it stands, this architecture of the music follows the law of averages with impunity. Not a bad meal for those on a diet of filth and damnation, but neither is it ultimately all that memorable.

Verdict: Indifference [6/10]

https://www.facebook.com/Manticore666?fref=ts

Regnum - Dem Entwirklichten (2012)

Regnum is a fairly longstanding cardholder in the German black metal underground, forming in the late 90s and producing a number of demos and splits in the new century which have led to a signing with Total Holocaust Records out of Sweden; a surprisingly good fit, since the grimmer aesthetics of both are so beautifully aligned. I was immediately struck by the excellent artwork of this CD, a crowned corpse almost drowned in a robe of squirming things, before a glaring, illuminati-like icon, and such a 'gray' perspective throughout that you'll certainly hear translated through the music itself. It was created by Tom Void of the Australian outfit Thrall, who actually have a comparable aesthetic in terms of their bleak, lifeless approach to no frills songwriting.

Dem Entwirklichten is primarily the product of a sole musician, Nachzehrer, who covers all instruments and vocals, and this married with the music's sense of isolation and emptiness will definitely draw some comparisons to the infamous Burzum, with an immediate appeal to followers of that depressive lineage. The pacing is generally slow, evoked in traditional and simplistic patterns of eerie, often dissonant picking against the steady skeleton of the drums, and Nachzehrer's caustic, grief-strewn rasps simmering in the atmosphere like a lone, demented vulture with its sights on prey. The chord progressions themselves are not themselves all that enthralling in terms of the note choices, but where Regnum stands out is in the choice to include these frightening, unexpected little surges of 'leads' or melodies (provided by Martin Lang of Todesstoß) that contrast messily and beautifully against the solemn, soul-sucking soundcapes of the backing guitars. There's always something uniquely alien and eerie about the effect of this technique, and the expansive structure of the songs (usually 6-9 minutes in length) create this feeling of being stuck in a desert at twilight, or in some black & white film.

I also loved the balance of guitars and bass, the former taking on an airier, sand-swept texture while the bass plugs along with a bit of swarthy, incandescent ritual grooves that occasionally reminded me of Virus or Voivod (especially in the depths of the track "Nachts Mit Der Totengestalt"). All of the instruments are mixed very well without seeming unduly processed or polished whatsoever, and as a result the album gets points for both celebrating its raw heritage and permitting the listener to fully gestate in is loneliness without straining to perceive any of its threads of misery. The lyrics/vocals are in the mother tongue of German, which I don't speak with any fluency, but I felt that the leeching sensation implicit in the songwriting holds up to most any translation. All told, while it's far from perfect, Dem Entwirklichten really understands the benefit of placing its audience into the same emotional void that inspired it, and thus it's a poignant, despairing experience well worth taking if you're fond of the suffering and solitude in black metal.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10]

http://moriturus.de.to/

After Oblivion - Stamina (2012)

I don't get a lot of releases to cover from Bosnia and Herzegovina, so After Oblivion's debut is right there a personal novelty, not to mention evidence of a 'branching out' for Metal on Metal Records, who generally tend to specialize in speed, power and heavy/doom metal. By the sound of Stamina, it was a compelling, different sort of signing, since there just aren't a lot of bands out there performing this sort of 90s-based technical death/thrash with such precision. Don't get me wrong, despite their immense instrumental proficiency, After Oblivion (formerly Path Beyond Serenity) still have a few setbacks here, but there won't be much fixing necessary to turn this quartet into a world class, top shelf progressive death metal act.

For one, they've got a style highly redolent of Death on the Human album, which happens to not be my favorite of Chuck Schuldiner's efforts (though I'm aware I'm in a very small minority in saying that). Clinical and dextrous hyper-thrash riffs that keep themselves busy across a number of strings, there is clearly much effort placed into the construction of each of the nine tracks. Unlike Death, the guitar tone is a bit more crisp, clean, and understated; you won't hear that same level of processed effects. Another band that comes straight to mind is America's Vektor, especially on their Black Future album, due to the copious amounts of very involved riffs being dispensed upon the listener, and especially due to the heightened sneer of the vocals, which is essentially a mixture of Chuck Schuldiner and David DiSanto. Stamina isn't quite so atmospheric or space-based as the Arizonans, but they do implement a few brief, clean guitar sequences into the punching, pummeling matrix of crisp, mute-leaden technicality they evoke.

Drums are super clean, but also intensely busy, with a nice subdued power to the kick drum and an almost machine-like sense of balance and timing. The bass also rules here; like Atheist or Cynic, two other bands that After Oblivion obviously take some cues form, this guy's always flowing out his own lines that manage to complement the guitars without just cloning them. Definitely a bit of a fusion/jazz undercurrent to the tunes, thanks to this low end, but for the most part obscured by the oodles of momentous thrashing rhythms. The leads also deserve mention, because of their positioning in pieces like "The Carnal Form" or "For the Rebels" that lends them a striking quality (if not highly novel or memorable). Overall the production might be too straight and narrow for those who like a lot of reverb, saturation and density in their death metal, but geeks on the more technical side of the sphere who enjoy other bands of this ilk like Gory Blister or Illogicist will just devour this...

There were a few points where the vocals felt a bit too silly, especially on 'cuss' words, but if I had a single, primary issue against the album, it's that for all this band's array of individual talent, the songs seem to blend into one another too much. Tempo variations are present, but the vox and the guitar riffs almost feel like they could be interchanged at numerous points on the album, and there are few that have a lasting impact beyond just the sheer bewilderment at their inception. I kept finding that, as many times as I'd spin through this record, I had a hard time really remembering any tune in particular, even though I appreciated the volume of practiced precision they were meting out. So ultimately, I can't say I enjoyed this a great deal, since it needs more atmosphere and experimentation, or stickier individual riffs that draw my ear beyond just the percussive persistence. That said, though, if your tastes run towards anything I've mentioned previously, or others like Sadus, Sadist, Theory in Practice etc, give it a chance. This particular album might not have blown me out of my seat, but it's pretty clear that After Oblivion have no limitations to their potential once the songwriting rivals the skill set.

Verdict: Indifference [6.75/10]

http://www.facebook.com/AfterOblivion

Arkham Witch - Legions of the Deep (2012)

Heavy/doom metal and Lovecraft's Mythos are birds of a feather, as we've seen through the ages in bands like Manilla Road/Hellwell and many others, so England's Arkham Witch are already in good hands with this choice of theme, and judging by what I'm hearing on this second full-length, they do right by the niche, painting morbid tales of unearthly horror through take-charge, traditional NWOBHM styled construction steeped in a deeper sense of underworld aesthetics. I heard traces of Saxon, Witchfinder General, Pagan Altar, Diamond Head and Blitzkrieg amidst the more funereal, psychedelic overtures, and the commanding vocals are like a hybrid of Biff Byford and Mark Shelton without teetering so far into worship territory that they lack a sense of distinction unto themselves.

I vaguely remember the band's debut On Crom's Mountain through Barbarian Wrath (this time out they've joined the Metal on Metal family), which had more of a sword & sorcery aesthetic mixed with Lovecraft, sort of like The Gates of Slumber, Cirith Ungol or Doomsword, but it didn't leave me much of an impression despite my instant attraction to the Robert E. Howard subject matter. Legions of the Deep seems altogether better managed, more ambitious, and at the same time a fraction cleaner in terms of its production. The record runs the gamut from epic, march-like grandeur (opener "David Lund") to just feel good stoner-infused mid pace rockers infused with airy, understated melodies ("At the Mountains of Madness"), to angrier anthems that even exhibit a mildly doom/thrash territory ("Infernal Machine", "On a Horse Called Vengeance"). Arkham Witch is not going to win an award for having the most eerie, evil vibes to their songwriting, and they're far from the crushingest of British doom exports ala Electric Wizard and company, but then that's not really the point, since the style they've gone for is of a far more archaic nature with an early 80s vibe.

Of particular note here is Simon Iff's? vocal performance, which is stately and regal but fully capable of either slightly picking up its range or applying a bit of necessary gravel to the more peeved cuts throughout the nigh on 60 minutes of content. It immediately drew my imagination towards scenes of bold adventurers in 19th or early 20th century explorer's societies getting ready to tackle the supernatural or the unknown. There are occasionally passages where the vocals are used more to recite poetry or narrative, and this can come across more cheesy and playful than was probably intended, but not to the point that you'll lose sight of the murky, tentacled doom end awaiting you. In fact, the only part where I laughed out loud was the intro to their self-referential "We're from Keighley" where the singer pronounces to the audience 'Eat a bowl of fuck/I came here to parteeee' but after that the song does rock my nethers off. The guitars are well defined tonally without being overpolished: muted, harsher riffs have a good crunch, the flow of chords is swarthy, and the melodies possess a natural, sad lilt to them. The bass is grooving', but doesn't stick it's neck out that often, and the drums rock along at a simplistic clip which is representative of the band's NWOBHM influences more than a psychotic display of musculature.

Use of organs or other instruments is quite minimal, and to be truthful I wouldn't have minded more of such atmospheric embellishments alongside the more primitive of guitar progressions, but overall I found Legions of the Deep to be a classy, grand, old school metal outing with a lot of sweet leads and charms to it despite any derivation innate to the general riffing patterns you'll hear so often. It balances both the more biting doom aesthetics well with the lighter, flashier British metal feel I quite miss (until I dive into my old records and tapes), and really if you've a vested interested in most of the bands I listed in the first two 'graphs, you'll want to give it a whirl. It's not entirely memorable, and a case could be made that Lovecraft themes work better with more distinctly 'evil' riffing and disturbing atmosphere. But, hey, it takes all kinds, and if nothing else, Legions of the Deep rocks, and I'll not quite look at a dish of calamari the same again.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10] 

http://www.facebook.com/ArkhamWitch

Skeletal Remains - Beyond the Flesh (2012)

I should post up front that I've got an enormous bias for the brand of old school death metal Californians' Skeletal Remains pursue, with a large dusting of Floridian and Dutch influences that were important to me in my earliest teens when the genre had begun to branch away from thrash and become its own thing. Not only was the emergent genre so fresh, formidable and menacing at the time, but it was not shy on musicality, a plot point that is often lost upon the drudging derivatives rehashing all the old riffs with little ambition, or the endless pummeling present in the 'you mad bro?' niche of soulless brutality so prevalent over the course. So if that's your thing, and you're not so much into the older school sounds (at least of this variety), Beyond the Flesh might hold a more limited appeal, and I also won't be asking you to prom.

That said, if records like Consuming Impulse, Testimony of the Ancients, Cause of Death, Leprosy, Spiritual Healing, Considered Dead, Slumber of Sullen Eyes and The Ten Commandments are numbered among your personal favorites, then you'll instantly hook into what Skeletal Remains have successfully put together here. The vocals are straight up ghastly growls in a Martin Van Drunen style, with a bit of grisly excess redolent of John Tardy which renders them even more gruesome. The riffs are saturated with both steadier, morbid grooves and clinical death/thrash picking sequences which hearken back to the earlier Pestilence debut as well as Death's transition from 1987-89. Instead of just bland streams of muted notes, the progressions here actually feel dark and creepy ("Carrion Death"), reviving those reactions I once had to the band's influences. The production of the rhythm guitars to have a punchy but sodden aesthetic to it that reminded me of the Morrisound genre recordings of the earlier 90s, but this is counteracted by the well plotted lead work and melodies that constantly elevate the compositions above the level of just exhausted libations to death metal antiquity. Bass lines are copious, thickly embedded against the drums but often given a chance to wander away from the guitar passages and earn a paycheck unto themselves.

The drums are definitely simpler than what you'll hear in most modern tech/death, but he does a good job adding more fills to the efficient performance you'd have expected from Marco Foddis or Bill Andrews in 1988. Remember, this niche wasn't once all about double bass athletics or blasting away into boredom, but Beyond the Flesh is rhythmically overall a margin more contemporary than its forebears. Most importantly, this record delivers a great deal of variation from uptempo, swaggering force to more precision, surgical styled mute harmonies and other techniques that give the album an appropriately callous and inhuman feel to them. I won't promise that Skeletal Remains don't ride their influences a little too hard here, and they make no secret of what they're trying to achieve (their demo had a solid cover of "Chronic Infection" from Consuing Impulse, and this LP version of this debut delivers one for Gorguts "Disincarnated"). But by virtue of the fact that, to so many bands out there, a retrospective approach to death metal means 'Sweden 2.0' or a cavernous, reverb-soaked guttural colostomy, Beyond the Flesh feels somewhat like a fresh and practiced repurposing of a damn fine age to be into extreme metal.

Verdict: Win [8/10] 

http://www.facebook.com/SkeletalRemainsDeathMetal

Deus Otiosus - Godless (2012)

Danes Deus Otiosus released a fairly competent and engaging debut in 2010's Murderer, and here they follow in its footsteps with another bastard stepchild of the traditional death and thrash metal genres, and in doing so removed themselves from the most easily categorized retro airs that are in many case beginning to induce nausea since they've become so bloody trendy. Now, I understand that nostalgia is an important factor for all music addicts (including those who weren't around when a genre first developed), and it's 'cool' and I myself enjoy a lot of the bands who provide a loving and gloomy glimpse back into the authenticity of the past, but I'm almost at the point where another doppelganger of Left Hand Path, Severed Survival or Onward to Golgotha might shred what little remains of my sanity...

Thankfully, Godless uses old school imperatives only as a guideline and then forges its own path towards a grave and haunting introspection. The meaty, clear riffing patterns offer a hybrid of dark West Coast thrash like Slayer or Possessed and steadier death metal grooves from the 90s, threaded with tremolo picked passages that betray a hint of a Swedish black/death metal influence. Often there will be eruptions of more uptempo melodies you might expect of Deceased (as in "Cast from Heaven"), but they can also creep along with a cleaner, less crushing death/doom aesthetic. The vocals are blocky, brutal, gruff and dark almost like Jan-Chris de Koeijer on Gorefest records like Erase, with a more ominous ringing out at the end of lyric lines. Drums have a loud, crashy, pervasive tone to them which feels creates a very up front, live foundation for the atmosphere of the guitars, and though it's probably the least distinguished element in the music, the bass rides along hurriedly to the guitar progressions. They win points for getting such a clear production to still seem decidedly raw and lo-fi. These aren't exactly the simplest of songs, either, there's a lot of effort in the construction of the riffs and a wealth of variety across the 41 minutes.

There are some genuinely chilling or distinct tunes on the album, like "New Dawn" where they pair up a mournful clean vocal to the tremolo death metal guitar, or closer "Death Dance" with its swaggering, sepulchral bluesy struts in both the intro and bridge; but at the same time, there are a dozen or so guitar progressions here that didn't entirely blow me away. The leads are frenetic and fun, often using a wah wah effect to create a darker groove psychedelia redolent of the death'n'roll niche, and there are definitely points at which Godless took on a tone and atmosphere akin to Entombed's Morning Star or Wolverine Blues. All told, this was also a fraction more enjoyable than Murderer, and worth hearing if you like well scripted death metal with a difference to it, songwriting over brutality, etc. Fans of Dismember, Unleashed, Grave, Gorefest, Desultory, Necrophobic, and Bolt Thrower will no doubt appreciate it.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.facebook.com/deusotiosus.dk

Bonehunter - Turn Up the Evil EP (2012)

Bonehunter: now there's a name which should inspire some dread, whether or not you're a Steven Erikson fan or you just haven't got the desire to wind up a trophy for some cannibals after they steam your flesh off your skeleton and devour you. True to the title of this EP, and their chosen moniker, these Finns play a brand of blackened, snarling thrash sauteed in heaps of lewdness, occult innuendos and sexual carnage. The brash, primitive nature of the writing brought me back to the first time I heard groups like Impaled Nazarene or Abigail, with a clear punk inspiration in the riffing progressions, but a production scheme and caustic, rasping vocals that clearly belong to a black metal influence.

Turn Up the Evil is short and to the point, opening up with a pair of nymphomaniac witches chanting some laughable erotic ritual rhyme before the repulsive propulsion of the guitars kicks in. Drums are kept pretty simple with a punked up pummeling redolent of Venom, and the chords flow along like dirty bodily fluids dripping off a goat carcass roasting on a spit in Hell. Love the reverb to the vocals, and how they sneer menacingly and atmospherically above the more street-level, straightforward music. Bass is kept in line with the guitar patterns, to be expected in this niche, but like Japan's Abigail, the joy is in the Finns' raw and primitive approach to songwriting. It invites no nuance. It gives no shits about technicality or flair. The lyrics are hilariously smutty and direct, bordering on misogyny but much less lasciviously refined as an album like Latex Cult. Lines like 'I want to lick your cunt so bloody!' and 'ram through their hymen with supremacy' are pretty common here, so if you've not got the stomach for a ballistic, evil orgy then I doubt this will hold much attraction. Then again, the title track is more or less just a tribute to the band's influences...

The group basically moves at two tempos, a steady mid-paced rocking hybrid of punk and thrash/crossover, and then a more uptempo hardcore velocity, and they tend to drift between the two. They don't use a lot of muting in the riffs, and where they do it's usually some breakdown intended to make the listener go nuts and start shit kicking people with his spiked boots. Surprisingly, the most metallic ingredient on the EP are the evil sounding harmonic leads strewn out over various bridge rhythms, which I was surprised by. Not because they are necessarily the greatest solos, but because often bands of this ilk are all too rhythm oriented and eschew the practice altogether. It gives me the sense that Bonehunter would be capable of a more distinctly 'musical' aim if they so chose, but it just doesn't fit their modus operandi. Turn Up the Evil isn't so refined and riff based as a Bewitched or Witchery, but if you love pussy, ass, grime, blood, splatter and cheesy Satanic lyrics, and you enjoy a marathon of old Onslaught, Bathory, Venom, Possessed and so forth, then there's a very base charm to this music which I simply cannot deny, even if it's been done many times.

Verdict: Win [7.25/10] (spare no man, spare no child, spare no woman)

http://bonehuntermetal.bandcamp.com/

Visceral Throne - Omnipotent Asperity (2012)

Though I've been a guitar player myself for over 25 years, I must admit that I find myself a little envious of all the sweeping, technical oriented brutal/tech death metal acts out there consisting of members younger than I. Not that this approach always results in memorable albums or strong songwriting, or would be the niche I would wish to participate in; but at the very least they create dextrous, surgical riffing sequences that are fun to follow. By all accounts, recent Brutal Bands acquisition, Indiana's Visceral Throne are another strong contender in this field, even if they offer little we haven't heard before. The performances are tight, the action intense, and you don't walk away from this without some feeling of having been punished, though results will vary for those not fond of the clinical efficiency and polished production usually associated with particular style.

There's not a lot of atmosphere or melody present on Ominpotent Asperity; it's more of a practice in pummeling and precision that swerves between simpler, chugging grooves and walls of nihilistic tremolo riffing. He'll occasionally fire off some striking, dissonant passage with simpler chords, but most often the guitarist keeps things kinetic and intricate, even when laying down a rhythm behind a frenetic lead sequence, and I definitely picked up a strong mid-to-late 90s Suffocation influence along with a lot of hints of Canadian brutality circa Cryptopsy and friends, only ramped up in speed to the appropriate levels you'd expect of West Coast frenzies like Decrepit Birth, etc. A few passages hinge on the slam side of the genre, with more minimal note progressions condensed into palm mutes, just often enough that it creates a nice contrast against the squeals, arpeggios and solos in which the listener can breathe. The drums are equally meticulous, with double bass rhythms clicking along so fast that they simply can't stop to make themselves more forceful, and a resonant, hollow feel to the snare hits which lends the blasting some gravity. The bass is fat and dense to counteract the more precise punctuality of the guitars, but it's not always as adventurous as what you might hear in other acts like Beyond Creation or Augury.

In terms of vocals, I didn't find the performance all that striking, but the deep, blunt amphibian growls are definitely streamlined to fit the highly percussive nature of the riffing patterns, and the guy's got a nice sustain to his gutturals when he barks out a phrase and lets the end syllable ride over a chord shift. The lyrics are neurotic, metaphysical explorations of mankind's failures, barbarity and the darker aims of religion (with a few biblical references), and even if this isn't the most unique subject matter some though obviously went into their composition. Blow for blow, Omniponent Asperity is not the most aggressive, frightening or proficient record of its sort, but there's no question that homework has been done and it deserves a passing grade in any classroom. As seamless and skilled as the performances are all around here, and as level and balanced the production, I did get the feeling that Visceral Throne's biggest hurdle is that they're not highly distinguishable from many others in the field. The riffs seem fluid and formidable when you're in the moment, but they don't often stick to you. But then, if you're a sucker for the rosters of labels like Sevared, Unique Leader, or Brutal Bands you've probably got schematic preconditions for what you're expecting, and Visceral Throne fit that mold just fine; and fans of Inherit Disease, Abnormality, Severed Saviour, Birth Through Gore, Spawn of Possession, Visceral Bleeding and other comparable acts should at least give this a go.

Verdict: Win [7/10] (the monolith rots)

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