Just sitting around on this Saturday morning, no real desire to get off my ass and go outside because it’s another dank Pacific Northwest summer day (the rental rates for sunshine have apparently gone way up), and so I’m just poking around the interhole, waiting for something to gnaw off one of my fingers, because if you’re not risking your fingers in your personal hobbies then you ain’t playing with the right kind of people or equipment.
Success!!! I lost the first knuckle to Profanal and the second one to Serpentine Path. Fortunately, my middle finger is still intact, cuz I need that one for communication purposes, and I’ve still got the index finger on my left hand for vigorous nose-picking, plus I’ve got the blood flow pretty well stanched now, so my keyboard is only slightly sticky, which is just the way I like it.
PROFANAL
I found this band through a Facebook link by the awesome Blasphemophagher. Like Blasphemophagher, Profanal are from Italy. Since 2007, they’ve released a couple of demos and a couple of splits (with Funeral Whore and Obscure Infinity), but they’re apparently working on a debut album. Last week, they premiered a new track from the album called “Black Chaos Horde”, and it vaulted this new album right onto my gotta-listen list.
Yes, I’ve heard music like this many times before — the music of Nihilist, Entombed, Dismember, Grave, Asphyx, Autopsy, and, well, you get the idea. But when it’s done well, that music never gets old for me — and Profanal do it really fuckin’ well.
We’re in the middle of a resurgence of old-school chainsaw death metal, but not all newer bands who worship at that altar capture the spirit and the sound as well as Profanal. “Black Chaos Horde” grinds and rips and flies like a zombie dragon trailing the guts of its victims across the skies. And I now have to add their vocalist Rosy to the ranks of women whose death vocals I’ve recently been falling in lust with (Vanessa Nocera–Skeletal Spectre, Kat Shevil–Winds of Genocide, and Jay D.–Placentophagia). Check it:
SERPENTINE PATH
Serpentine Path is yet another project of the very talented Ryan Lipynsky, who is also a force within Unearthly Trance and Howling Wind (and the pre-Howling Wind band, Thralldom). The band also includes the other members of Unearthly Trance plus founding Electric Wizard and Ramesses bassist/guitarist Tim Bagshaw.
Serpentine Path’s self-titled debut album is due from Relapse Records on September 11, and pre-orders are being gathered here. Today, the band put up a song from the album for streaming. It’s title is “Crotalus Horridus Horridus”, which I think is Latin for “we will crush you into pulp, suck the marrow from your bones, and incinerate what’s left in a bonfire over which we will roast your children”.
It’s a grueling, suffocating mass of death/doom, with skull-cleaving riffs and diseased melodies that will appeal to the wretched and undead wherever they may roam. I’m quite fond of it, too.
Also, the album art rocks.
By the way, the music on this band’s debut 7″ is now available for download from Bandcamp (here) for $2.
I hope you enjoyed those songs. I’m bleeding again, so I have to bandage that finger. Apparently, just sucking on it provides only temporary relief. Bye.
14 Responses to “INFERNAL NEW MUSICS: PROFANAL AND SERPENTINE PATH”
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Damn..not sure how a band like Profanal has slipped by me for so long, but I like this… nice find. Musics awesome and the ladies got some vocal chops. I demand a heads up when this full length drops
Speaking of female vocals…Have you checked out Funerus (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4I-aEF5YWI)…Thats Jill McEntee, wife of John McEntee, doing the vocals on their newest album
..and yeah I do still have this idea for an article..Im being a lazy fuck about it for some reason
Whenever you un-lazy yourself, I’ll still be here and receptive. 🙂
For once, I already know about a band you’re recommending. I iz so proud of myself!
Am I in the mirrorverse?..First you post and OSDM I dont know..Then youve already heard of the band I recommended. I think my mom was right..the end times are upon us
Calm down! It’s just the random dice roll of the universe at work, and I hit 7s for a change.
I iz completely kidding..Ive found some good bands on this website which is why I started browsing here in the first place (found some bands that will haunt my memories as well..so thanks for that too :))
Holy old school Dismember vibe/riffage on that Profanal.
It’;s funny, I remembering thinking in 1992/93, “wow there are too many bands”. Pales in comparison to these days though. We still have most of the old fogies, and a whole slew of newer bands who sound like the old fogies.
Who said music was dead ?!?!?!
True — you’ve got bands like Grave, Autopsy, and Asphyx still going strong, plus new bands like Profanal and others we’ve spotlighted at NCS ensuring that this brand of old-school death metal will carry on. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Serpentine Path sounded pretty cool, didn’t care for the Funerus though
I think I would have enjoyed Profanal a bit more without all that echo on the vocals. But maybe I would have enjoyed it less and just didn’t realize it? I dunno. I felt like there was too much echo though.
Also: Prof. Anal. Surely they did that on purpose. (I know it’s a real word, but come on: Prof. Anal, leader of the Anal Men at Prof Anal’s School for Gifted Anuses.)
Huh. I didn’t see that. I was thinking it was a new pharmaceutical brand name for a pill that would give you tented pants til Christmas.
And dude, the reverb on the vocals is essential! That crypt-like echo gives it the stamp of ghoulish authenticity. I know this because Satan says so.
PROFANAL (or Prof. Anal, as you like) will have their debut CD released in some weeks through Iron Tyrant. Vinyl version to follow as well.