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Showing posts with label Gnaw Their Tongues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gnaw Their Tongues. Show all posts
Jupiterian
melds sludge undertones to an oppressive landscape, making it feel all the more
like a slow autopsy video – you know what it is, and what may happen, but you
cannot stop it or look away. Jupiterian
leaves little doubt about the importance of this release for its subgenre this
year.
"Terraforming" CD//DD//LP track listing
1.
Matriarch
2.
Unearthly Glow
3.
Forefathers
4.
Terraforming (ft. Maurice de Jong of GNAW THEIR TONGUES)
5.
Us and Them
6.
Sol
The Review:
You
can never quite avoid how much doom depends on the climate an artist creates.
The music can be dirge like or plodding, the themes of those songs can be bleak
and the theater of the artists can likewise invoke awe. Doom reaches such a
select fan base, the artists must work especially diligently to capture
attention.
In
Brazil's Jupiterian, the listener discovers a group
that has decided to go for an anonymous, masked visage. Many metal performers
have utilized coverings, face paint or other means to obscure their identities
and grab attention for the art as an entity rather than the players as focal
points. Such is an important strategy in metal; it is a rejection of the
star-obsessed popular culture that transcends borders. For doom acts, this
decision is notably crafty. With a smaller pool of people into the music, a
group must find any means to grab people. The less charitable may call such
artisanship gimmickry. Connoisseurs of this wing of metal appreciate a band's
commitment to its own backstory.
For
any such outfit, including Jupiterian, such
choices put attention on the music that could press upon it more scrutiny than
might otherwise be aimed. With "Terraforming," the band's newest,
critical ears are sure to go away happy.
Subtitling
its recording "Atmospheric Doom/Sludge Metal," Jupiterian fulfills those audacious expectations by
grinding out some of the better atmospheric doom you will hear this year. The
quartet begins with "Matriarch,"
a song whose creepy percussion into synths and deep drumming summon gloomy
spirits. It is those guitars, though, followed by harrowing vocals, which seal
the deal. Jupiterian melds sludge undertones to this
oppressive landscape, making it feel all the more like a slow autopsy video –
you know what it is, and what may happen, but you cannot stop it or look away. "Unearthly Glow" comes on
that cut's heels, and it is even more weighty and deliberate.
What
makes Jupiterian so enthralling is how it is able
to expand what you think of atmospheric doom. By the third song, "Forefathers," you hear a
more traditional doom sound, yet its start is more of a transition from the
previous atmospheric selections. The musicianship is incredible, and how well
this song fits with the ones before as well as the successive title track
(complete with spacey opening) is a testament to just how gifted Jupiterian is with its music. You get more well-planned
with "Us and Them." The
song has acoustic guitar additions to its start, though it is monstrously
dense. By the time we end with "Sol,"Jupiterian leaves little doubt about the importance of this
release for its subgenre this year.
'Alchemy in The Subyear' drips with essence of evil. The guitars, drums and vocals converge to a sharpened point which is hammered into your heart with the force of the bass and allowed to carve your flesh, while the atmospherics drag your soul into the depths of hell.
‘N.V.’ CD//DD// LP track listing:
1). Visceral Repulsion
2). Absolver
3). Strangled With the Cord
4). Omniscienza
5). Alchemy In the Subyear
The Review:
To most people, music is something to dance to, something to have on in the background. Something to nod your head to, but sometimes though, you need a piece of music to jump out of a dark alley, grab you by the throat and subject you to the most immense physical and emotional distress possible. Dragged Into Sunlight and Gnaw Their Tongues are just that; lurking in the darkest of alleys wearing leather gloves.
'Visceral Repulsion' begins with the familiar GTT style crackles, wails and thuds introducing us to a soundbite of a serial killer confessing how he strangled a victim, then Dragged Into Sunlight, focusing more on the black metal side of their game, blast and rip through every piece of flesh, every bone and every orifice, slowly and meticulously at first, before going whole hog. The vocals are spewed and screamed from members of both bands, Mories' being more distant and netherworldly. 'Absolver' is a more frantic and furious attack for the first 5 minutes before the darkness cascades slowly. Slower still is 'Strangled With the Cord' while the killer hides in the background. It explodes into merciless violence and panic. Each person in each band is at their nihilistic best, channelling the demons that dwell inside them. '
‘Omniscienza' sounds like it could be a Gorgoroth B-side from 2006 but with added fire, intensity and malevolent atmosphere. The effects used on the drums toward the tracks finality gives the feeling of satanic drum rituals performed in a dank, underground Cavern. 'Alchemy in The Subyear' drips with essence of evil. The guitars, drums and vocals converge to a sharpened point which is hammered into your heart with the force of the bass and allowed to carve your flesh, while the atmospherics drag your soul into the depths of hell. A filthy crust section makes way for the slow blackened doom of the song and the album's closing stages leaving your body bereft of impetus, withering away as you bleed.
Isaac Asimov once said "Violence is a refuge of the incompetent" but this collaboration, whose central theme is violence, is anything but incompetent. Little is known of the members of Dragged Into Sunlight; rumour has it they're lawyers, doctors, plumbers, builders and maybe they are. They could be sat next to you right now, ready to snap at any moment. In Mories, they seem to have found their spirit animal and he has guided them on their journey into psychopathy. Essential listening.
As the haze of sunshine finally appears to be descending for the last time and with it the end of summer, let us not despair and instead rejoice as we usher in another feast of music for your listening pleasure, a veritable smorgasbord of riffs, this can only mean one thing? The Sludgelord’s ‘Sour 16’. Welcome, all lovers of the riff, you know the deal by now, however for those of you that do not, let us recap. Each month, you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top 16 records of the month, covering all genres of metal, but predominately the best the doom, sludge, stoner-psychedelic genres have to offer. It is not a chart, in which reviewers or contributors extol their opinion about their favourite music, but simply, the ‘Sour 16’ are the records you guys (readers) have been most interested in over the last month and checking out on this page.
So here is the The Sludgelord’s ‘Sour 16’for August 2015, the 16 records you’re most looking forward too or are currently checking out. Dig in, spread the word and perhaps revisit some records you may have overlooked. The results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into the list below. So without further ado, enjoy the ‘Sour 16’. Roll up, kick back, chug a beer and Hail the riff! All review/band links can be accessed by clicking on the artwork. (Total views at the time of publication are highlighted in red)
16). Eschaton – ‘Sentinel Apocalypse’ (312)
For anyone with an interest in death metal from Revocation to Morbid Angel to Immolation to Death, then this album should definitely be checked out. I enjoyed it hugely and recommend it highly.
15). Nightfell – ‘Darkness Evermore’ (320)
“Rebirth” sees the band playing with different melodic black metal elements… which make for a wonderful musical counterweight to the resonant doom n’ death rumbling of the album’s general comfort zone.
14). Fight Amp – ‘Constantly Off’ (348)
‘In short, I’ve been missing out. I’m really happy to have had a reason to sit down with a band I already thought I knew and find out there’s still so much more to them. I can only highly recommend ‘Constantly Off’, and after this I’m off to check out all the stuff I’ve missed.’
13). Lucifer ‘Lucifer I’ (352)
‘All in all, “Lucifer I” is a solid release, song-per-song. It’s sure to be a hit for all the ‘70s obsessive’s and the proto-metallers, but it also has moments that are evil enough and dark enough to satisfy those who need a little more intensity beyond the black rainbow.’
12). = Myrkur - ‘M’ & Gnaw Their Tongues – ‘Abyss of Longing Throats’ (354)
At this juncture, Myrkur has proven to be capable of material that is truly special, with the sort of vivid musical imagination welcome in any genre, metal being no exception. What’s most exciting is what an even deeper exploration of this kind of folkish black metal, rich with creativity might yield a couple of years from now. ‘Gnaw Their Tongues has opened up a portal into hell and is dragging you with him. Fear the worst. Expect to suffer. If you make it out alive, expect some severe emotional trauma.’
10). Six Feet Under – ‘Crypt of the Devil’ (357)
‘This is as pure a strain of death metal as you are ever likely to find: crushing, sawing guitar riots? Check. Throat-expanding guttural vocals? Check. Lurid, obscene song titles, including ‘Broken Bottle Rape’ and ‘Compulsion to Brutalize’? Check mate. If it’s classic death metal grooves you’re after, look no further.’
09). Limb – ‘Terminal’ (371)
All in all, Terminal builds on what Limb have already achieved and is ultimately better than their top notch debut. The tracks on Terminal are well crafted, and the whole piece is tighter throughout. Absolutely no time is wasted on the album with every note being completely integral to the success of the album
08). Locrian – ‘Infinite Dissolution’ (400)
‘Standout track ‘An Index of Air’ leans into emptiness with a rattling drone, an almost imperceptibly off-time drum pulsing the intro before expanding out into tidal-waves of anguished convulsions blended with blissed out droning black that Deafheaven would burn gasoline-soaked churches to attain.’
07). Carousel – ‘2113’ (420)
‘2113’ is a blur of dynamic, late night booze fuelled journeys filled with timeless hooks and immensely powerful solos. A band that knows how to capture your attention; they filter the music of their childhood heroes add a contemporary twist and their unique flair and create magic. They build on their concrete foundation of strong vocals and catchy choruses, wrap up some tight backing and present a very pleasing album complete with a jazzy little bow.
06) Hivelords – ‘Tapered Limbs of a Human Star’ (424)
'Cavern Apothecary' was a glimpse into the potential this band had at that point. On ‘Tapered Limbs of a Human Star’, they've smashed through the glass ceiling and surpassed the promise they showed. The fact that they're signed to Anthropic Records is both a blessing and a curse; it makes those who know about the band seem like part of a secret club and preserves their cult status. However, had this been released on a label like Relapse, Profound Lore or Candlelight, everyone would be losing their shit and proclaiming this as the best album they've heard this year. It’s simply stunning.’
05). DoctoR DooM – ‘The Seed We Have Sown’ (534)
‘It's a monstrous sound, reminding me of a club scene in many a Bond film, but replace lounge piano or jazz with a much more upbeat rock band. This is Everyman Rock. And they love to stay around with their songs, so look forward to an album full of 4+ minute slabs that will take you along sonic highways of old.’
04). Ahab – ‘The Boat of Glen Carrig’ (551)
‘It's hard to sum the record up, such is the scope and depth on offer within the record, but suffice it to say this: it will feature in year end lists, it will grow on you and is definitely one of the more unusual and ambitious releases of the year. This is fine stuff, but then again coming from Napalm Records, does anyone expect anything less?! Dark, atmospheric and powerful. A fantastic record.’
03). Pentagram - ‘Curious Volume’ (710)
Overall, for my money, Curious Volume is a better album than Last Rites- more focused, more inspired and it crackles with life, it really does. It is the best album from Pentagram in a long while and for that we should all rejoice. Legendary for a reason!
02). The Sword – ‘High Country’ (1377)
The length of the album, at 15 tracks, does make getting acquainted with this record a slow process, but in the end you’ll discover there aren’t any dips in form. ‘High Country’ is rich in consistency and across its span, Cronise, Shutt and co. dispel any fears you may have about this release all the while oozing a slick professionalism. They’ve been at this song writing malarkey for a while now, they’re hardened pros and this stands testament to their brilliant legacy.’
01). Ghost – ‘Meliora’ (5382)
‘Today, Ghost still manage to shock and surprise us in a society where we’ve seen and heard it all before. People are fascinated, fixated even with finding out their true identities. Their music is more powerful than it ever has been too. ‘Meloria’ is a spellbinding listen and one which will see them elevated to greater plains of existence. It affects you, leaves you shaken. They can make you laugh or cry without so much of a flick of the wrist and, although the music we love is basking in something of a purple period right now, a band as potent as this is still a rarity.’
This list features reviews by, Chris Bull, Philip Weller, Kat Hilton, Hunter Young, Richard Maw, James Harris, Dominic Walsh, Chris Markwell, Daniel Jackson, Erik Sugg & Greg Sheriff
‘Gnaw Their Tongues has opened up a portal into hell and is dragging you with him. Fear the worst. Expect to suffer. If you make it out alive, expect some severe emotional trauma.’
‘Abyss Of Longing Throats’ CD//DD//LP track listing:
1). Like The Poison From The Cave Walls
2). Through Flesh
3). Abyss Of Longing Throats
4). From The Black Mouth Of Spite
5). The Holy Body
6). And They Will Be Cast Out Into Utter Darkness
7). Up Into The Heavens Down Into The Circles Of Hell
The Review:
Mories and his Industrial/Black Metal machine Gnaw Their Tongues has become somewhat of an institution in extreme music. As well as several albums, EPs, splits and compilations released through both widely renowned and über kvlt labels, as of today, he's been announced to play Temples 2016, he's played fucking Roadburn and after nearly 10 years can pretty much do what he wants. Thankfully, what he wants to do is make grimy, disturbing, unrelenting anti music. 'Abyss Of Longing Throats' is straight from the filthy mop bucket left in a dingy basement is a suburb of Hades.
When 'Lick The Poison From The Cave Walls' strained feedback and dissonant drums started, everything went dark, my worldview became disjointed. Horror. Disgust. Anguish. 'Through Flesh' fared much the same, Mories' disturbed, distant vocals, as always, in excellent form and the chaos contained within it's confines felt like a raging beast trying to smash through it's concrete walls, stopping for moments to catch it's breath and psych itself up. The title track was more straight forward industrial black metal in it's make up, like the joining line between Anaal Nathrakh and Abruptum, the blasting is relentless, the squeals and scrapes permeate the soundscape as spoken word samples provide a brief moment of suspense before the punishment continues. 'From the Black Mouth Of Spite' is a knife frenzy of a song that's as terrifying and torturous as you can get. Random harsh swooshes and crunches of sound swarm around like a pack of hungry wolves as you bleed in the snow.
'The Holy Body' starts rather startlingly, like the scene in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre where Leatherface emerges from behind the sliding doors to deliver a fatal crushing blow to the skull, except the blow didn't kill you, only awaken your senses to allow you to feel the full force of the dismemberment you are subject to. 'And They Will be Cast Out Into Utter Darkness' is very discordant and disorienting for the opening bars before something that resembles a tune (a very gnarly tune) rears it's pale, screaming head, it's spitting blood at you in sheer panic. 'Up Into the Heavens, Down Into The Circles Of Hell' is a death knell signalling the finality of existence. Drawn out for an extended period before frantically gasping for oxygen. Strained strings and ghostly howls sit atop the carnage of distorted screams and blasts beats. Total darkness. The fear of isolation. Death has spared you but you wish he hadn't.
Gnaw Their Tongues has opened up a portal into hell and is dragging you with him. Fear the worst. Expect to suffer. If you make it out alive, expect some severe emotional trauma.
