Sadistic Metal Reviews 09-14-14

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What are Sadistic Metal Reviews? You are mortal; your time is short. Listen to the best and death to the rest! We recognize that music quality is an objective measurement, where “taste” is more subjective. Taste however is easily fooled and leads you and the genre to a place of mediocrity. Thus we select the better options and mercilessly destroy the weak… if you are a false, do not entry!

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Abysmal Lord – Storms of Unholy Black Metal

Borrowing some ideas from the flowing columnar death metal fad/trend of last year, Abysmal Lord attacks this phenomenon from the opposite end, mimicking black metal like Demoncy, Beherit and Blasphemy but giving the music less of a “messy” aesthetic and more of a structured, hard-hitting death metal approach. Perhaps some would call this “blackened death,” but we all know what a waffle that phrase represents. Unlike most of the clone bands, Abysmal Lord merits a second listen for tight compositions and a strong understanding of how to fit together these riffs. Alas as the saying goes there will be nothing new here to shock you, but really what is new? Little: we find music that expresses an emotion and then go with that. In this case, Abysmal Lord creates a sensation like being part of a malevolent fog attacking a city of oblivious burghers with intent to rip out their souls and force them to face the emptiness of the lives they lead. While many riffs cite from earlier bands, the overall feeling of these songs stands on its own, although the band will want to renovate ancient sounds in order to move forward with its own progress.

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Aratron – The Recovery

Aratron creates efficient death metal in the intersection of styles between Centurian and Aura Noir, with lots of high-energy rollover rhythms pervading the riffing. The songs come together tightly and each riff fits in to the simple song structure and makes it more powerful. Like many bands of this type it stays within high-speed and mid-paced tempi and performs most of its motion with guitars over relatively passive drums. Riff forms will strike no one as stunningly new but belonging to this band in a form of its own when heard together. Unfortunately the band possesses a great weakness in the vocals which use chihuahua-style rhythms and sometimes, assemble themselves around the simplest pattern derivable from the song and repeat it slowly without variation in timbre or tone. That subverts some of the subtlety of this work which aims to be full-ahead-go and yet avoid falling into the pitfalls of that style. Periodic melodic breaks are reminiscent of Black Sabbath and show the capacity of this band for building more complex songs even when at heart they favor full-energy riff-chorus loops with a few extra riffs to reinvigorate their momentum. Many of the chord progressions used sound like these guys really like early Mayhem.

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Atara/Miserable Failure – Hang Them

Two grindcore bands comprise this split, Atara who are groovier and Miserable Failure who are more manic. Listening to these, the casual metalhead will recall that grindcore fizzled like a damp fuze in the 1980s not only because all the bands upsold into Led Zeppelin hybrids but because the genre itself is so limited. We get it: short songs, screaming, noise, havoc. But when does the cliché wear thin? When do we realize that we are making a parody of what elders said about our music for three generations? That riffcraft and songwriting take a back seat to novelty? Napalm Death was “cute” on Scum and From Enslavement to Obliteration but they bailed out after that. Carcass moved on after Reek of Putrefaction, and even the mighty Repulsion left it at one album. Within a narrow scope, there is only so much to say, and so grindcore like the previous minimalist experiment in punk rock abolished itself. Atara manages solid songs with a bit of groove between the extravagant flourishes but songs are extremely similar; Miserable Failure sounds like more constant screaming with repetitive droning riffs going on in the background. In one of the great paradoxes of humanity, both are probably at the tops of their genre, and yet that is not enough for a second listen.

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Integrity – Systems Overload

Bands like Neurosis and Integrity inspired the “sludge” revolution in metal by playing post-hardcore slowly and for atmosphere, but what attracted the industry was that as these bands gained experience they began sounding more like regular rock music. This allowed the simple calculus of all record labels: new thing / same old thing = new thing we control. This Integrity album shows the band pulling back from the punk and into the punk rock while keeping the aesthetic — the numerator of the fraction above — of hardcore, but adding in the raw structure (the denominator) of basic rock songs. You will recognize many of the patterns on this album from hard rock and classic rock albums, although to their credit Integrity have thoughtfully modified them and extended them, mixing the single items up across songs so that nothing sounds exactly like something else. In this, Systems Overload is one of the most professional albums to come out of punk; they worked hard on making every bit of this fit within the product range the audience expected but with a new aesthetic so it could be branded and a differentiated product. In that area this album is admirable, and it makes for easy and pleasant listening other than the strained and soar throat vocals, but otherwise it strikes me as music for the inexperienced that would be fun for a season and then discarded.

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Nihilistinen Barbaarisuus – Väinämöinen

This two-song EP evokes the golden days of Bathory with a long and hypnotic track followed by an acoustic instrumental, but owes more to the Norwegian wave such as Burzum and Gorgoroth. Much as with the latter, it composes in the melodic minor scale, and borrows much of its sense of pacing and trancelike riffing from second-album Burzum. This creates a sense of being suspended in time while watching for action to occur within a scene, and the use of flowing tremolo suspends reality much as it did with Gorgoroth and Graveland, another background influence — by the sound of things — on this band. The first track expands to six minutes on a few short themes and develops internal counter-melodies to give them depth (a less-overused version of the technique in Borknagar), which avoids the lazy wandering of bands like Drudkh or Inquisition, and instead creates a deepening sense of mood. The second track uses acoustic instruments and creates a folkish aura for the first, developing similar themes as if shadowing darkness with light. Much like other faithful retro-continuation projects such as Woodtemple, this music maintains integrity and avoids the pitfalls of contemporary music. It may not be the most exciting owing to an internal balance that is not as savagely unbound as Burzum, for example, and to its arrival twenty years after these techniques hammered audiences for the first time. However, unlike almost all from the genre today, Väinämöinen understands how to make beauty in the darkest despair of the human soul, and from that find not a contrarian impulse toward “good” but a desire to resolutely wage war on all that is inferior and thus, raise the darkness to a higher level of clarity that approximates beauty.

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42 thoughts on “Sadistic Metal Reviews 09-14-14”

  1. tiny midget says:

    why is the fifth head to the right blinking at me?

  2. Richard Head says:

    I’d bet money that I could tell you what each of these bands sound like just by looking at the album covers. This infers something bad; metal (of the extreme variety) is fatally fragmented and calcified within highly segregated niche genres. This is too bad. I don’t even want to listen to any of these. I am sorry for being excessively negative, but that is an actual observation that just now struck me (yes I’m a bit slow) and not just pessimism for its own sake.

    Mmm… Sake. Anybody else like sake?

    1. habuconsumer says:

      Hey Dead Last, ever try Habu Sake?

      1. Richard Head says:

        No I haven’t, I don’t even know where to get it around here. Recommended brand? If so I’ll seek some out. I used to go to this Japanese place near me and they would serve hot sake for really cheap and never checked IDs if you had facial hair. Place closed down recently so I’m feeling nostalgic.

        1. habuconsumer says:

          I don’t recall seeing any official brand of Habu sake. There’s a snake museum in Okinawa where the snakes are preserved in alcohol before they’re mixed with the sake. It’s illegal to buy in the US, but there are liquor stores and bars that sell it in Okinawa. If you have any friends passing through Okinawa, it’s legal to bring a jug or two back to the US ($50-200 depending on size).

          An Americanized way to make it is to use a rattle snake or something similar.

    2. This is “signaling.” Bands design covers so that the audience can see what to expect. When it becomes too obvious, it is a case of the band selling the genre to those who want the genre, not bands selling themselves as offering music which takes a distinctive path within that genre.

      1. Richard Head says:

        I comprehend the utility of it all. It’s like looking at a movie poster. Bold letters, guy in mid-run with a tense look on his face, two or three dominant colors; it’s an action movie. It’s too shallow to make sense. Jump into what looks like a river, and find yourself jolted against the ground before your ankles even get wet.

  3. veien says:

    Cutting people’s heads off is weak on so many levels. Firstly, in this virtual world of entertainment within which the average westerner is hopelessly trapped, no is even going to notice. Give them a 30 sec period of perceived sadness tops, then it’s back to i-phones, celebrity gossip, selfies and drunken nights out and generally not knowing or even caring to know the difference between anything anymore.

    Not only that, but half of ISIS members are borne and bread in western countries so I’ll take that as a reaction for a reaction. They are subhumans! indulging in pathological behaviour and using it as a pathetic scare tactic against an enemy that is never going to listen.

    1. veien says:

      Basically what I’m trying to say is people that don’t respect the dead, people that don’t respect nature, rapists, pedophiles and false metal bands etc all are enemies of the good and the true. Everything in this world revolves around making the latter a minority so to hell with this modern world.

      1. Those who have nothing sacred in their lives end up single parents living in’ dumpsters behind welfare aoffices where they8 can tweet selfies and solicit poo sex on tinder

        1. BB says:

          And the others can wallow in generalizations.

          1. veien says:

            Nothing bad with a generalization if you can admit that’s what it is. Sometimes I’ll even say “But hey, we’re talking generalizations here..”. True for what they are, but there’s always a “but…”

            1. veien says:

              However, the idea that some things could be ‘sacred’ is older than the hills and not a generalization. Generally I think only leftists would concern themselves with trying to dismantle it.

              1. BB says:

                The idea of “sacredness” is a human idea. The hills are older than humans.

                Also, “sacred” is a blanket term that has a lot of different meanings to a lot of different people, as proven by the beheadings above. You should quit an try to pretend that it is something eternal and set in stone, and especially quit the idea that your approach to Sacredness is the only True Path.

                I am not debating the fact that people consider things valuable, I do value a lot of things, sometimes even in a transcendental manner. Nor am I trying to dismantle anybodies right to think things are valuable and/or transcendental. What I am trying to dismantle is your holier/more-in-touch-with-the Objective-sacred-than-thou attitude.

                1. veien says:

                  What utter rubbish! Of course ‘sacredness’ is a human idea, not older than the hills, but so what. This has no bearing on anything as all ideas are human in origin, what the fuck else could they be? You may attempt to deconstruct whatever you want, but truth is truth and something beyond even words or arguments at the end of the day (and lo and behold here we are yet again arguing one point of view against the next, knowing that neither are honestly trying to reach any sort of resolution) .

                  ‘Sacredness’ does not have some arbitrary value injected into it. Hypothetically anal sex can be sacred to a faggot (not that it ever would be to such a perverse and depraved creature) but it’s still profane in the bigger picture and to what sacred has always been known as to man so it doesn’t count.

                  When you are able to just know what is right and what isn’t, it bypasses the intellectual route you’ve based yourself in and gives a clear foundation from which to view the world. It may seem knuckleheaded, but in truth you are strong to avoid arguing your way through intellectual labyrinths in order to accept liberalism, homosexuality or any other perverse belief system. To be honest I don’t even know how you can be a metal listener with an attitude like this, but anyway, you still might be an ok guy, but I’m pretty unsure about you now, and very disappointed to say the least. Please tell me I’m wrong.

                  1. BB says:

                    A metal listener? What do you think Profanatica is all about? Or Slayer? Defending the sacred? Defending whatever sexual morality?

                    On the contrary, metal is about Reality, not some idealistic contrived warm fuzzy feeling about some imagined Sacred Truth you believe to be as eternal as the Hills.

                    But please, continue to worship at the altar of the Sacred. Good luck with your wordless intuition, sacred fuzziness and Ivory tower mumbo jumbo about other people’s perversity.

                    I’d say: death to religion. Only Reality is Real.

                    1. veien says:

                      Of course you would say that as you’ve already decided you’re against it from the onset. Therefore any thinking in that direction offends you. Without further inquiry into something you would otherwise lament not having, you’re happy to label intuition or even just plain old insight into ‘reality’ based on experience and observations as “fuzzy feelings”. This is foolishness. Why not at least try to develop such a thing within yourself, you’ve got little to lose if you can use both right? And as for Profanatica and Slayer, fucken love em both, man! But you think they would have eschewed intuition for some purely calculated approach to art (and therefore the realities of life), I think not, their anti-christian aesthetic isn’t the basis of what they are either. It’s like words yet again intended to carry meaning on various levels, but it isn’t meaning in itself. i.e. just saying I hate something doesn’t mean I do, even if I think I do. Confusing until it all makes sense I guess.

                    2. By the way, is that you Wild? or if not maybe Imposition, NHA or Vigilance. No hard (or fuzzy) feelings either way guys..

                    3. veien says:

                      Great! I just spent the 10 valuable minutes trying to reply to BBs reply and blow off a bit of steam/project my hate in the process only to have the comment deleted. And ironically it was one of least blatantly obnoxious things I’ve ever come out with. Please tell me now if my presence here isn’t appreciated and I’ll not waste anyone else’s time with it any more.

                    4. No comments of yours were deleted from this end. I or another admin approve them whenever we can.

  4. haram says:

    death to all sexhavers

    1. spaceplacenta says:

      No.

      1. veien says:

        Actual real love or just straight up infernal fornication? Come on now people don’t be fools!

  5. Frank Zappa says:

    We need more agrression and bashing Brett, otherwise these are not sadistic reviews just regular reviews. Sadistik reviews are supposed to bash the shit out of the hipster faggits like this new girl black metal band Myrkur –
    http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Myrkur/Myrkur/454413

    1. That falls under “cute metal” with Babymetal, Death kids, Unlocking the Truth, Old Skull, etc.

    2. Anthony says:

      Wow, they named a band after a planet from a Star Wars novel?

  6. nuclear weapons test says:

    Islam head choppers agree with you “so to hell with this modern world.”

    Science is much better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_o65B1JTiw

    1. veien says:

      For all we know, those are the heads of pedophiles or other degenerates. But it’s still a shameful way to behave. In truth a find it disgusting and I think the only reason this man can allow himself such behaviour is that he is insane on some level. Given the chance to meet him there is certainly a few questions I would like to ask (though I’m pretty sure it would end in a physical fight).

      1. veien says:

        I’m not even that strong but am super flexible and have the perfect shoulders for putting people in headlock manoeuvres etc. so without the knife and 10000 strong posse he’d be fucked pretty much. Though I would still give him a proper burial, it stands to reason.

        1. Richard Head says:

          “I’ve never been in a fight but I’m good with headlocks, so I could take out this guy who is used to machine gun fights and decapitating people with a knife.”

          Rail away in your righteous rage all day long, but now you’re sounding like an internet tough guy and people aren’t going to pay much serious attention to you if that keeps up. Try to break down your arguments a little more clearly. For example, what makes you think the heads in the photo belong to degenerates? That would be a good place to start.

          1. veien says:

            Well I never said “never been in a fight” and I also never said I think those heads belong to degenerates, but that they could for all we know. So much for arguments not being clear when you misinterpret half the shit I was ranting on about anyway. But ANYWAY, it’s probably your obvious youthfulness at play (what? under 21?) couples with disgruntled would-be alpha qualities, but anyway, just for your information I actually AM an internet tough guy, no way or need to prove this I guess when I rub almost everyone up the wrong way anyway it’s pretty obvious.

            But just so you know, yeah I could easily have taken this guy before my big accident some 7 years ago now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH8t-okjT38.

            It’s was fucking humiliating for me sure but I imagine it’s more than what most of these black metal faggots have ever had the courage to do. And I still feel pretty strong sometimes when listening to Sarcofago or Samael etc

            1. Richard Head says:

              You win dude. I’m at a loss.

            2. Richard Head says:

              By the way I was referring to this part of your post two replies back:

              “For all we know, those are the heads of pedophiles or other degenerates. But it’s still a shameful way to behave.”

              I’m just wondering what you are trying to say there. Seems like you’re trying to draw some extreme moral line but I can’t wrap my head around how you came up with that line.

              I gather you’ve never been in a serious fight because you are talking about beating people up on the internet. That is usually a pretty solid indication of lack of experience.

              1. veien says:

                Mostly I just helped hold people down until friends got back in to lay some boots. A couple of real one on one fights I got into were ok but more than once realised the guy was massive (and super angry) and that only with drugs could I have a chance, so I decided to run for my life instead, which was rather humiliating I’ll admit. But at least I lived to hear some kickass post-rock funderground black metal get released, so I guess it’s alright in a way.

  7. What do you guys think of dark chamber rock music like Univers Zero (1977)?
    They are a fusion of classical and chamber music with horro sound movie soundtracks.
    Some of their melodies remind me of what you would later listen on the first three Darkthrone albums:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et59mMGLGj4

    1. Anthony says:

      I’ve always thought Univers Zero were pretty cool. I can hear the Darkthrone comparison, but the description of their sound that got me into the band is “Immolation and Demilich doing intros for the Twilight Zone fifty years ago,” or something to that effect. I’m fairly certain that the band Urfaust at least is heavily influence by Univers Zero.

    2. fenrir says:

      They made an interesting attempt during he 70s which were not very good music. The rest has been pretty much 3rd rate “prog” rock in a very cerebral and sterile fashion.

  8. Madhu says:

    Good reviews. These actually remind me a lot of the old DLA reviews. Critical, but carefully considered and free of hyperbole. Unlike a lot of the earlier reviews under this column, these reviews inspired me to actually check out the music.

  9. Anthony says:

    I don’t completely agree with this site’s stance on grindcore. I think that the best examples of the genre are those who manage to do epic sounding and interesting stuff despite the time constraints inherent to the genre. The best stuff is a natural outgrowth of D.R.I. songs like “Money Stinks” and “Soup Kitchen,” Cryptic Slaughter songs like “Nuclear Future,” and dead horse songs like “Subhumanity.”

    I especially disagree diminishing the quality Napalm Death’s two grindcore albums with a label like “cute.” Check out a song like “Instinct of Survival” or “Mentally Murdered.” I don’t hear anything particularly cute there. I just here very well-composed metal that does a lot with a little, much like “Skald av Satans Sol” or “No Place Nowhere.” It’s almost like throwing a bucket of cold water on yourself or a Zen master’s slap. It wakes you up from the bullshit trance.

    There is a lot of garbage grindcore nowadays, especially in the crusty camp and in regards bands trying to pull a Brutal Truth (who I’ve never liked anyway) and become progressive. I don’t think that invalidates grindcore as a genre any more than the existence of Deafheaven or Weakling invalidates black metal.

    1. ?$$$$$$? says:

      I think the problem with most of the genre is it’s metalheads trying to be punks and failing. With bands like Nasum, the tremolo parts are random chromatic bursts but the “punk” parts sound like Rancid/NOFX or like something from an emo band. Rotten Sound seems highly regarded in the genre but all I hear after the blasting is Hatebreed and later Entombed. It just sounds like other genres played by musicians prone to short violent outbursts.

      Check these out for “grindcore” as it is today:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGcZsA0vLu0
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8PhO28y3a8

  10. 1349 says:

    We recognize that music quality is an objective measurement

    Which is in fact a traditional and religious view. I share it, in some form, and continually come across a feeling of how defenceless and alien it is to modern world.
    One of the latest major steps toward relativism in art could be the shift in the 18th century when beauty was explicitly defined as something that could exist separate from god (Yves-Marie André, “Essai sur le Beau”, Paris, 1741).

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