SEEN AND HEARD (BY GRANT SKELTON): MEMORIAM, ERASERHEAD, OLD CHAPEL

 

(NCS contributor Grant Skelton returns with a round-up of music from three bands.)

Like each of you, I am disappointed to hear about the demise of Bolt Thrower. The official announcement surely comes as no surprise a year after the passing of drummer Martin “Kiddie” Kearns. Over the last five years or so, I’ve brushed up on Bolt Thrower’s back catalog, and they remain among my favorite death metal bands. Their discography has impeccable consistency and has aged well with time.

I’m one who prefers my death metal in the slow to mid-paced range. Good death metal is like a good steak — it needs to be fresh, meaty, juicy, and bloody. It’s got to be seasoned and marinated to perfection. It takes finesse, but if you over-complicate it with technicality, it morphs into a science experiment instead of nourishment. In the legacy of Bolt Thrower, I’ve rounded up some vicious vittles of death metal for your consumption.

MEMORIAM

Bolt Thrower fans can celebrate the fact that vocalist Karl Willetts has started a new band called Memoriam. Within their ranks are folks who’ve been around the death metal morgue on more than one occasion. In addition to Willetts, Memoriam’s lineup includes:

Frank Healy (Benediction, Sacrilege) Bass
Andrew Whale (ex-Bolt Thrower) Drums
Scott Fairfax (Benediction [live]) Guitars

According to their official website, Memoriam are in the studio this fall to record their debut album for release in February on Nuclear Blast Records. Thus far, they have released demos of 3 tracks that will presumably be on that debut. Find each of them below.

 

“Surrounded (By Death)”

 

“War Rages On”

 

“Resistance”

 

 

 

 

 

 

ERASERHEAD

Next up is Germany’s Eraserhead. Their debut album Remnants Of Decadence will be released September 23 on Bret Hard Records. Eraserhead released a music video for the album’s final track “Unintentional,” which examines the historical context (and likely the consequences) of the Cold War. A trailer containing samples of each of the album’s tracks is also available for you to imbibe.

Pre-order here.

 

“Unintentional” Music Video

 

“Remnants Of Decadence” Album Trailer

 

 

 

 

 

 

OLD CHAPEL

Considering that the cover art looks like something John Wayne Gacy would draw in a krokodil-inspired hallucination, the title Visions From Beyond is a apropos of the new album from Old Chapel. The band have unleashed for us a sinister, creeping headbanger of a song called “Stairs To The Vault.” If the folks behind “Tales From The Crypt” wanted a death metal tune for the show’s theme song, this would be it! Old Chapel’s Visions From Beyond will be released November 7 on Chaos Records.