southern lord

CANTO: Epica, Wode, Big | Brave, and More

CoreyLeave a comment

What’s everyone drinking tonight? I’m curious.

  • The latest installment from Wode, titled Burn In Many Mirrors, drops on April 2nd through 20 Buck Spin, and pre-orders are up for digital and physical formats. More importantly, at least terms of today’s relevance, they dropped a new track called “Fire In The Hills”, and it is expectedly awesome.
  • Big | Brave have a new LP coming soon. Vital will be released on CD and digitally on April 23rd, with a vinyl format following on July 9th, from Southern Lord. For a glimpse into what’s to come, check out the video for “Half Breed”. It’s a Friday, so there are new videos to share all over the place, but make sure this one is on your list.
  • Oceans has a new EP scheduled for an April 30th release through Nuclear Blast, titled We Are Nøt Okay, and today they released a video for the title-track. Andy Dörner of Caliban jumped in to provide some vocals on that one, which is pretty cool.
  • And lastly, this has been coming for awhile, today is the official release date for Ωmega, the latest studio album from symphonic metal legends Epica. To celebrate the album’s arrival, they’ve also released a new music video for “Skeleton Key”, which has been embedded immediately below. Check it out.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

CANTO: Wode, Bewitcher, High On Fire, and More

CoreyLeave a comment

Not gonna lie, I’ve already done a lot of damage this Bandcamp Friday. And there are still so many hours left!

  • Wode are releasing their third album, Burn In Many Mirrors, in early April through 20 Buck Spin. Yet another awesome release announcement this week. For a preview, check out “Vanish Beneath” right now. Physical pre-orders coming later this month.
  • Korpiklaani released their latest album today, titled Jylhä, through Nuclear Blast, if you somehow missed that memo. In addition to that, however, they also dropped a new video for “Tuuleton” today. So give that a peep when time allows.
  • Southern Lord has announced a limited edition reissue of The Art of Self Defense. The repressing of the High On Fire studio debut will be out at the end of March, and can be pre-ordered through Bandcamp or Southern Lord.
  • Bewitcher released a new video for “Mystifier (White Night City)”, a track taken from their upcoming new album, Cursed Be Thy Kingdom. That album drops on April 16th through Century Media Records, and can be pre-ordered here.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

CANTO: Enslaved, Cirith Ungol, Okkultokrati, and More

CoreyLeave a comment

enslaved.2.17.18.45

At least I can still spend time outside?

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

Album Review: The Wraith – “Gloom Ballet”

Chris2 Comments

The Wraith - Gloom Ballet

Somehow the seedy dive bar you enter is darker than the night outside.  The music throbs, sending out pulses your cerebral cortex can’t process but some older, primordial part of your brain instinctually knows, and understands.  It’s that crux, that convergence of the primal beat that falls partly between the post punk of the early 80s and the tradition of gothic rock and roll, where early Danzig meets The Cult and howl into the moonlight.  Call it whatever you want, “death rock” or otherwise; there’s no mistaking the bleeding heart of influence laid bare on the sleeve of The Wraith.  To have something like Gloom Ballet arrive like a shot so late in the year is like that one drink at said bar that puts you over the edge from wary observation to full-on goon dance, and it’s a marvel to experience. Continue reading →

Initial Descent: November 24 – 30, 2019

JoshLeave a comment

Sentient Horror
Sentient Horror

Best of lists are flying out like gangbusters and we’ve still got so much good stuff coming out on a weekly basis that WILL be list busters. You doubt this statement yet haven’t looked below to see what’s in store; do that.

Sentient Horror makes the best American Swedeath ever, and with their latest they do that and so much more; it’s like a geographical map of the best death metal wrapped up in one album by some talented musicians – scrumptious. For their sophomore effort, Teeth ratchet up the grind aspect of their death metal and knocks it clear out of the park, The Wraith offer up a debut that’s gotten some serious mileage here at 9C for its combination of gothy deathrock and post-punk, and the band with the most umlauts ever, Öxxö Xööx, return with another epic movement of avantgarde, experimental doom that’s a vehicle for its mastermind’s dreams – don’t be curious here, just get it. In closing, I said there would be list busters and now it’s up to you to find them…Enjoy.
Continue reading →