Sorcier des Glaces – Snowland MMXII

snowland mmxii

Artistically bankrupt metal bands typically rerecord their early material after milking the revenue streams dry through reissues, remasters, anniversary tours, and boxed sets. While the original recordings typically aren’t pristine productions, all charm is lost in the sample-replaced, quantized, digitally-reamped, and phase-butchered retreads shat out by an obsessive tinkerer’s digital audio workstation. All enthusiasm in the performances is butchered by years of alcohol abuse and aging journeyman musicians collecting just another paycheck, e.g. Sodom’s The Final Sign of Evil, Manowar’s Battle Hymns MMXI, and Bolt Thrower’s “World Eater ‘94”. Snowland MMXII is one of the few exceptions to this rule of rehash.

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Depressor – Filth / Grace (2014)

Depressor Filth Grace

Article by Lance Viggiano.

In its best moments punk music transcends volk-rage by serving as a cracked mirror reflecting the forlorn realities that industrialization and intangible goal of perpetual progress wrought as this civilization awaited technological rapture to deliver its destiny among the stars. The reflection was always unclear because of its nature as folk music, marred by smudges and dust that lead it to misdiagnose the cause of its own woes. Depressor spiritually and musically channel this ethos while stepping into the well-worn boots of Godflesh resulting in a body of work resides between industrial, doom/death and punk music. The artists understand that heaviness is not merely a novelty or a token, but a vessel.

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Introduction to Pipe Smoking And Pipe Tobacco

rené_magritte_-_the_treachery_of_images

Smoking a pipe rewards the user with more flavor and a slow, steady, and comforting dose of nicotine. This ancient habit requires more thought than most modern ones, but like all things enduring, both teaches patience and depth of appreciation. The ritual of smoking — packing, lighting, tamping, and nurturing the smoldering leaf — provides an activity that is pleasurable in its own right.

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The Misnomer of “Melodic” Metal

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“Melodic death metal” is meaningless. What is popularly called “melodic” death or black metal can be roughly divided into the three different types of music sketched out by Ludvig Boysen in his “The Three Types of Melodic Death Metal” article for Death Metal Underground. While Ludvig’s three categories are essentially correct, refining and broadening them allows formal classification of all “melodic” death and black metal. Note that Death Metal Underground’s extensive Heavy Metal FAQ covers the topic of genre in great depth but a brief rundown for the ignorant and lazy is in order.

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Innumerable Forms – Frozen to Death (2012)

innumerable forms full

Article by Lance Viggiano.

Innumerable Form’s Frozen to Death is a compelling and brief release which recalls Dark Descent’s roster yet avoids the calculated, clean retro nostalgia trips that mires their outfits. Motifs follow in the Darkthrone tradition of John Carpenter managing menace on a Casio. The melodic component of Innumerable Forms is steeped in Finnish death metal which delivered mystical melodies that sounded as if they were being recited by a saw blade descending into steel. Here the effect greater resembles mental anguish as if one was forced to say, “Yes!” to an incomprehensibly vast and hostile existence. Frozen to Death distinguishes itself from its inspirations in this way.

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Free Dark Descent and Unspeakable Axe Records Sampler CD

Dark Descent New Release Sampler #4

Dark Descent and Unspeakable Axe Records have released a new free sampler CD of their recent upcoming releases. It is freely available with a purchase from the Dark Descent online store and for free download on their Bandcamp page with four additional tracks that couldn’t fit on the CD.

The new Dark Descent Records/Unspeakable Axe 2016 CD sampler is now available. This is a FREE sampler and available with purchase through our web store and at Unspeakable Axe. Included on the disc is 16 tracks (8 from each label) with premieres from Blood Incantation, Excommunion, Lantern and Ruinous. The sampler also includes an discount code good for our web stores. Get yours now before it’s too late!

Trenchrot – Hell Pilot’s Call
Blood Incantation – Chaoplasm
Ripper – Anthropophagic Life
Ghoulgotha – The Sulphur Age
Hemotoxin – Transparent Eyes
Sheidim – Without Reins
Nucleus – Cube
Excommunion – Nemesis
Mortal Scepter – Violent Revenge
Nox Formulae – Hidden Clan NXN
Scorched – Lust for Strangulation
Lantern – Cleansing of the Air
Manic Scum – Strapped to the Gurney
Ellorsith – Jerome I
Obscure Evil – Enchants of Bitterness
Ruinous – Dragmarks

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