Initial Descent: April 15 – 21, 2018

Ghastly
Ghastly – photo courtesy of S. Kujansuu

Hard to keep track of all the things going on in the world and as time goes by it’s just as hard to keep up with your own corner of the world. After all these years I haven’t found that magic trigger that slows time but just as well…I guess. No, it’s not cryptic — it just is. A wise man once said “it is what it is.” Right on, dude. Anywhooo, new metal is why you came and that we have a lot of so let’s jump in. First up is the ever satisfying Finnish death metal in the form of Ghastly on Death Velour, Finnish and death metal are a match made for each other, nuff said. Next is Pinkus Abortion Technician from the always reliable Melvins, here we have some mash ups and reimaginings from the vets of sludge / noise / rock — reliable and great. Moving along is Siege Bondage Adverse to the Godhead from Dagger Lust which proves to be the most cohesive their brand of noise and extreme metal has been thus far. Last up top is the blackened death metal of Demonic Obedience on Fatalistic Uprising of Abhorrent Creation and even though I cringe at “blackened,” these guys get it absolutely right and it sounds amazing. As you know by now we are not ones to leave you hanging at just four albums, so get in there and take in the rest of this massive list. Continue reading

Unholy Trinity: Vrasubatlat Spring Releases

vrasubatlat

Portland, OR’s premiere boutique metal label Vrasubatlat has been an unstoppable machine since the label opened its doors in 2015.  Gaining almost instant regard for its projects and commitment to a cohesive aesthetic, the label has attracted followers in high places in the short amount of time it has been releasing music, cementing relationships with fellow local hotshots Fallen Empire Records and one of my favorite noise labels Unseen Force.  I’ve been riding this particular hype train since the first batch of releases dropped, and today it is my pleasure to be able to share my thoughts on not one, not two, but three new full-length albums that span across all the styles of music that make Vrasubatlat the diverse treasure trove it is.

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Still Looking Toward the Horizon – Vincent’s Anticipated Albums of 2018

starwars_tatooine

With 2017 not even over yet, it may seem strange to already be writing about what’s to come next, but such is the nature of reviewing music: the delicate balance between making sure you revisit your favorites from a particular year and keeping an eye out for upcoming releases.  With my end-of-year list mostly finalized (and coming to you all after I resuscitate myself from the madness of the holidays), I have some time to think about what comes after this.  With that being said, this list is being published a little earlier than last years’, only because several of these releases are (to my utmost glee) dropping in a matter of weeks.  Without further ado, here is what’s on my radar for 2018. Continue reading

Best of 2016: Vincent Martinek’s List

Nine Circles Best of 2016 Standard

Hey all. This has been a great year for music, made better because I got to share so much of my thoughts about what I was hearing with you, alongside the rest of the Nine Circles crew. It’s been a pleasure to work with some of the most talented people I’ve had the honor to know. Thanks to Dan and Corey for getting me started, to Josh Stewart for being a phenomenal editor, and to all the amazing people I do this with whose writing inspired me to better my own. Here’s to many more. And now that the sap is out of the way, on to the tunes.

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