Album Review: Greylotus — “Dawnfall”

Ah tech death: my comfort genre.  I have kinda missed writing about tech death and I’ve been looking for a reason to pick it back up.  Maybe a weird thing to say, but we actually have quite a few on staff who appreciate tech death in all its permutations and glory, if you can believe it.  I proudly count myself among the fold.  As much as I vibe with music that is deep and emotionally affecting, sometimes I just want crazy fretboard acrobatics for their own sake and nothing more.  Fortunately, on Greylotus’ debut full-length record Dawnfall, I don’t have to choose!

Continue reading

CANTO: Cloak, Bewitcher, Greylotus, and More

Cloak

At least it’s finally nice out and stuff. Mondays still suck.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
cmb

Initial Descent: February 7 – 13, 2021

Hello one and all to another edition of Initial Descent where I’ve got nothing quippy due to it being Monday and all. And, I’d love one more weekend day but that ain’t happening so here we are. New stuff, we got it and you want it so let’s get after it… This week we’ve got a couple of tech death albums from Abiotic and Demon King, but holy crap look at that Abiotic album artwork! Kung Fu movies anyone? The answer is yes with this playing in lieu of the tv sound. Elsewhere we have a death metal banger from Humanity’s Last Breath and one that has made our very own Zyklonius happy; the misery pop of Emptiness who travel waaaaay outside the lines of expectations and offer up a whole lot of something, or in Zyklonius’ words: ‘something and nothing at the same time.’ Decode that and you win the week. Speak with him for your prize. As always, much more follows these four so dig in.

Continue reading

Album Review: Inferi — “Of Sunless Realms”

2020 is a year that, as we know, is chock full of surprises, and it seems that the overwhelming majority of them are of the unpleasant variety.  It seems that all we can do to keep sanity and optimism hanging around is to do for each other and look out for the ones who are in it the deepest, not the least of which are the artists and musicians among us.  While not a complete surprise, tech-death darlings Inferi have decided to give back and spread some good vibrations with the release of their impromptu EP Of Sunless Realms.

Continue reading

Initial Descent: October 4 – 10, 2020

Johansson & Speckmann

Huxley once said “Maybe this world is another planet’s hell.” Think about that for a second, the current perspective is surreal. Anyway, another load of new metal this week and a load of it presented below is, yet again, outstanding. Speaking of outstanding, the death metal dream duo of Johansson & Speckmann deliver their fifth full length, Tennessee’s tech-death titans Inferi roll out an EP, Venom Prison offer up a collection of re-recorded EP’s and two new tracks, and an anthemic yet melodic post-punk return from Bootblacks. Read through the list, pick out several that strike a chord, then go give them your support. They’ll appreciate it and you’ll have some shiny new tunes to enjoy, SCORE.

Continue reading