fysisk format

Initial Descent: January 12 – 18, 2020

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The Osedax
The Osedax

I’ve got little in the way of words other than this list is a bit longer than it has been lately so if anyone’s missed several weekly picks, we got you. For fans of really slow build sludge and doom with post-metal thrown in for good measure The Osedax has you covered – patience is a virtue and here it will pay off in spades, Lebanese blackened death metallers Kaoteon have teamed up with members of Obscura and At the Gates so there’s that, and punk rockers The Good the Bad and the Zugly offer up a balls out rocker of an album, if that’s your kind of thing. Wide swath of stuff covered here and the list below continues in this same fashion so get your fix, there’s more than just one. (Bonus points if you actually get that) Continue reading →

Profile: Yngve Andersen of Deathpop Dynamos Blood Command

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Blood Command
Blood Command

Blood Command formed in 2008 and have went to great lengths to experience, through the modicum of their sound, damn near every genre out there and have done so with the kind of unfettered realness we generally never get to see. Meaning, it gives many fans that place to go when they don’t fit in to some specific thing or genre or frame of mind in general. Their self tagged ‘Deathpop’ is fitting since they’ve actually done death metal but dance the edges of melodic pop punk, among so many other things, in an effort to get listeners to just have a good time and forget all the ills of the world and whatever they might be going through at the time. Music has that power and Blood Command wields it with impunity, particularly so on their upcoming EP, Return of the Arsonist. I dare you to listen and not sing along to those choruses, just sayin’. Ahead of this EP’s release we reached out to guitarist Yngve Andersen with our set of Profile questions and he was generous in offering their backstory and some blistering takes so head below for how it went down. Continue reading →

Profile: John Nilsen of Norwegian Hardcorists Ondt Blod

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Ondt Blod
Ondt Blod

This past Friday saw the release of Ondt Blod‘s second full length Natur via Fysisk Format. And having been nominated for “newcomer of the year” for debut Finnmark they must be doing something right in the eyes of their countrymen. This second full length expands on the pop infused melodies and razor edged hardcore of their debut but more than that, it shows a higher level of maturity in the songwriting department which should garner the band even more praise this time around. Check out Chris’s review for the full story. Just behind the album’s release we had the opportunity to ask guitarist John Nilsen our set of Profile questions so head inside to see what he had to say and head over to the links contained to show some support. Continue reading →

Album Review: Ondt Blod – “Natur”

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Ondt Blod - Natur

I never guessed I’d come to a point where I was standing at the crossroads between hardcore and melodic power pop/punk, but here we are, gazing into the odd juxtaposition of Natur, the new album by the Norwegian assault of Ondt Blood.  Filled with equal parts cutting aggression and an almost sunny sense of late 90s punk riffage, its melodic sense is entirely couched in a riotous call to arms against the oppression against the Sami, the indigenous peoples of Norway who, similar to many other cultures around the world are being wasted away by policies aimed to benefit everyone but themselves.  This anger and alignment with the downtrodden is carried through in the waves of sound that require no translation.   Continue reading →

Initial Descent: February 11 – 17, 2018

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Harakiri for the Sky
Harakiri for the Sky

Did you spend some quality time with your valentine? Yea, it was in the middle of the week…and work…and stuff. But, it’s the weekend now so no excuses right?! Take them camping, start a fire, go for a hike but whatever you do, don’t forget your headphones and might want to bring a splitter so you both can enjoy what this week’s new releases have to offer. Kicking off this week of heart’s is Austria’s Harakiri for the Sky as they continue to mix post-metal melancholy with black metal aggressiveness on Arson, thought provoking black metallers Eignelicht offer up their highly anticipated full length debut Self-Annihilating Consciousness and even though it’s only five tracks its all consuming nature makes it feel so much more expansive, Chaos Echoes successfully trump their own astounding debut on Mouvement and further prove that they are the reigning champs of extremely complex and contextual music, rounding out the opening slots: punk attitude meets hardcore intensity on The Good The Bad and The Zugly‘s third full length Misanthropical House. As you can clearly see, buying that headphone splitter is a great idea so you can share all the good stuff this week has to offer. There’s more to follow so head inside and enjoy. Continue reading →