(Below you’ll find Daniel Barkasi‘s reviews of 8 albums released in July that he enthusiastically recommends to you.)
As summer continues its dreadful humidity-laden romp, I’m reminded of a bit from Robin Williams’ (RIP legend) Live on Broadway standup special where he talked about climate change. More specifically, “It’s beyond Global Warming at this point – it is cooking!” Just over 22 years ago, and he got it like only Robin could. Seriously, watch that entire special if you want to writhe in pain from laughter. Some of the references may be dated to some younger than dirt, but man it’s a good time from one of the funniest people to ever live.
Going from my “If I go outside, I’ll be peeling sweat-ridden clothes off like a layer of Saran Wrap” Florida life, a subject that’s been bugging the crap out of me is generative AI. More specifically, it’s application of generating album artwork – and we use the term artwork in this case very loosely. It’s not artwork at all, but a prompt-drive monstrosity that almost always looks like cheap junk.
I do my best to not write about bands who choose this route. I’d rather highlight artists who use proper art that conveys human expression. I’ve had a few occasions where there was a record that I thought about including, but the album artwork ended up being AI generated, and they were removed from consideration. Heck, I’m sure I may have missed one somewhere.
My question, quite simply, is why travel this road? Even if you can’t afford to pay a current artist, there’s plenty of incredible public domain artwork from a multitude of sources that can be used for zero cost that would be brilliant representations of all varieties of heavy music. There isn’t a good excuse, despite the long-winded straw-man arguments from some disingenuous musicians who need to just stop. We’re looking straight at you, Glen Benton.
Cover art should mean something – a visual extension of the music. Have you ever stumbled upon incredible album artwork that led you to check it out? If I see something done by Misanthropic-Art, Paulo Girardi, Adam Burke, a Mariusz Lewandowski painting, and many others – I’m inclined to at least give it a spin. Who wasn’t enthralled by Dan Seagrave’s cover art for Dismember‘s Like an Everflowing Stream?
Cover art is an important part of the music’s presentation, and this trend is disappointing at best and deceitful and lazy at worst. Bands shouldn’t overlook this part of their releases, and with there being a metric ton of quality artwork from the folks mentioned previously (amongst many others), so both quality and hope is alive.
Alright, off the soap box we go, and into why you’re (hopefully still) here – great music! Some damn fine cover art here, too. Yeah, shut up, I know. We’ve got a wide palette of black metal, what may be the best melodic death metal album we’ll hear this year, a few twists, and a few sumptuous samples of pure aural violence. Onward!
Fearmonger – Horrific Forms
Release Date: July 5, 2024
Let’s get to the violence first. You want a gruesome assault on the ears? Meet Fearmonger. More specifically, their second full-length Horrific Forms. This Finnish trio spin together monolithic Swedish/UK death metal riffs with hardcore angst and grindcore’s off-kilter insanity. The result is a wall of sound that’s near guaranteed to make one at least think about smashing drywall in a joyous rage. Don’t actually do that, but you get the idea.
Wailing feedback leads to galloping guitars to kick off “The Cosmic Void” in gratuitous fashion. Guitarist/vocalist Atte Karm possesses a magnificent, full-bodied roar that rumbles in the forefront of Fearmonger’s grisly compositions. He has a tinge of that big hardcore sound with the depth of some of death metal’s better growl-slingers, giving him a combination of skills that bring much to the table.
Entries such as “Hell Becoming” and “Harrowing Images” embrace the hardcore/grindcore sides both vocally and structurally – especially the huge slamming breakdowns that are brutality defined. “Fear Reigns” and “Whispers” skew further to the death metal side, serving up sheer riff extravaganzas to satiate one’s appetite for smashing stuff.
Cohesively, Horrific Forms maintains a singular direction of pummeling the listener in every conceivable way. Fearmonger deliver an outpouring of loud, venomous compositions in a concise 27-minute package that successfully merges a selection of equally abrasive styles together into a thundering amalgamation. Music this heavy and focused is indeed rare, and we think you’ll agree while you contemplate how to fix that new crumbling hole that you made in the wall from the aftermath of listening to Horrific Forms. Remember, we told you not to do it!
https://www.facebook.com/fearmongerhki/
Nyktophobia – To the Stars
Release Date: July 5, 2024
Anyone who says melodic death metal is dead just isn’t looking closely enough. There’s a bevy of bands making incredibly potent stylizations of this ingrained and beloved subgenre, but most aren’t the more known names. Germany’s Nyktophobia is this month’s example, having been at it since 2015, releasing three grandiose albums in a four-year span that established them as an underground act that simply gets it. The wait for album number four was a little longer, with a split with Night in Gales and a few singles in between. Now that To the Stars is in our grasp, to say it was worth the wait is a grand understatement.
Nyktophobia have always understood the finite balance of melody and harshness, embracing elements that made the early bands so memorable, while also utilizing differing touches to leave their own imprint. To the Stars takes all of this and again dials it up a notch.
A gorgeous intro track in “The Gateway” sets the table with a symphonic, piano-driven piece leading directly into the lush leads of the title track. This guy is an occasional intro track detractor, but this is how it’s done, folks. Michael Tybussek and Phillip Reuter dish waves of blackened tremolos, dancing delicately with gooey harmonics and crunchy rhythm guitars that permeate into your skull, as vocalist Tomasz Wisniewski both deeply bellows and screams emotively to give the right balance of throaty sandpaper.
More catchy lead work erupts in the Omnium Gatherum-esque “Farewell” and “Charon Gate,” continuing to pull the heartstrings brilliantly. The organic flow within each track – and the entirety of the record – screams songwriting acumen of an extremely high level, and kudos to the band for absolutely nailing that important piece yet again. Some give a more somber tone such as “The Fall of Eden” – which lands as one of the most memorable songs on To the Stars. “Progenitor” with its gorgeous intro of chirping birds and dense synth work continues this feel, while “Millenium” oozes old school Insomnium. Bringing in the prolific Michiel van der Plicht was also a masterstroke; his drum work pushes the rhythmic section forth along with partner in low end Ben Bays, combining to deftly provide the right amount of pace and kick at every turn.
Putting it all together is the synth-filled, crunch-laden journey that is the epic closer “Voyager 1.” Every single nuance comes together in full glory here to send off the album in the best conceivable way. Predecessor What Lasts Forever remains a masterclass in how to write an earworm of a record that hits all the right melodeath notes, yet somehow To the Stars is even tighter and more irresistible. Also, take a gander at the richly detailed cover art by Simon “Totleben” Bossert, bringing the full package together with dystopian style. Nyktophobia is nearly untouchable within the melodic death purview, and more need to know it. Absolutely enthralling.
https://www.facebook.com/nyktophobia
Vanessa Funke – Void
Release Date: July 12, 2024
Multi-instrumentalist Vanessa Funke has been releasing a lot of music in the last couple of years, sadly not coming across our ears until now with her third full-length Void. Describing her sound is difficult to pin down, but included are elements of gothic, black, post, melodic death, and a few others, all enveloped with sizable doses of dense atmospheres. All those influences work out to give an album that has a wide breadth of tonal shifts, held together with mesmerizing songwriting and dazzling technical chops.
Beginning with a very Fen-meets-Alcest vibe are “The First Word” and “Broken Ground,” both being ethereal mixtures of downtrodden post-black metal with soothing, opulent vocalizations and depressive rock overtones. The clean guitar work weaving with harsher rhythmic movements and Funke’s soothing voice is transcendent and orchestrated with careful precision.
The layered clean/harsh vocal mixes adds additional cool touches, as well. Tracks like “Loneliness” indulge in moody synths and gothic metal sensibilities, while also choosing blackened screams to provide a harsher emphasis. Her ability to embrace clean and distorted tones simultaneously from different stylistic viewpoints is a concurrent theme throughout Void that is nimbly executed.
There’s a proggy Anathema feel to entries such as “Blood on my My Hands” and “The Funeral” that have a direct line to this sap’s soul; hard to top Anathema for that kind of songwriting, so this is indeed the highest of praise. “Repent” is a diverse trek that hits some gothic doom territory amongst sleek piano and keys, where “Infelicity” conversely gushes with twin harmonics and catchy leads in a melodic death affront.
The name of Vanessa Funke’s music is that of a variety show that somehow maintains a consistent yarn that keeps the album from coming unglued. Void takes one on an undiscovered expedition; a melting pot of sounds and sentiments that’s unlike anything we’ve laid ears on this year.
Vuur & Zijde – Boezem
Release Date: July 12, 2024
Continuing down the atmospheric “post” road is Vuur & Zijde – a Dutch quintet dropping their debut album Boezem. What we get is a polished and intriguing sound profile from an eclectic source. Digging into the members of the project, there’s representation from acts such as Laster and Terzij de Horde, giving one an indication to expect anything but the norm. True enough, there’s very much an ambient post-punk vibe; think if Joy Division and Dead Can Dance had a black metal offspring. This aids Vuur & Zijde to refreshingly stand out in a somewhat crowded post-black scene.
The main individual aspect that sticks out the most is the vocal style of Famke. Her soothing, occult rock vibe is comparable to Avatarium’s Jennie-Ann Smith, with an added touch of fellow Dutch vocalist extraordinaire Anneke van Giersbergen. Anneke is one of the best vocalists in music for my money, so that comparison isn’t given lightly.
Famke‘s smooth swooning voice provides a stark contrast to the heavier moments of songs such as the frenetic “Onbemind” and the slower, blackened doom pace of “Ús.” Other offerings embrace mid-paced post-rock ethos like “Zusterzon” and the slightly more urgent “Omheind.” “II” embraces an electronic ambient direction that the band occasionally utilizes, serving as a welcome aural respite. That sets up tracks like the blackened punk touch of “Nest” and the indie rock inspired guitar work of “Adem.”
Vuur & Zijde is a whirlwind of influences and sounds put into a proverbial blender, and on the surface many may wonder if what comes out will be anything near palatable. Not only do they achieve a satisfyingly tasty result, Vuur & Zijde are as proficient and confident as a group who had been writing these sort of arrangements for decades. Boezem is exceedingly effective in showcasing a band who write splendidly enduring songs, excelling by existing in spaces outside of established conventions.
https://www.facebook.com/vuurenzijde
Seth – La France des maudits
Release Date: July 14, 2024 Bastille Day
France’s Seth have been around the block a few times, being a mainstay of that country’s black metal scene since the late ’90s. The band have experienced several bumps in their road, with the current iteration being established between 2016-2018. The excellent La morsure du Christ solidified the strength of this lineup, producing one of Seth’s finest albums to date. La France des maudits is the followup, itself being themed towards the many souls and imprints of the French Revolution, fittingly dropping on Bastille Day.
Seth embraces multiple purviews of black metal, from the melodic and orchestral to the raw. All of these approaches are harmonized into the potent force that has been incredibly integral to the French black metal scene. The theme of revolution and French history fits the band’s euphuistic sound, reaching powerful crescendos within dark, abrasive formations.
“Paris des maléfices” quickly sets the tone via furious tremolos and snappy melodies to predicate the album’s massive scale. Vocalist Saint Vincent utilizes his range to full effect on La France des maudits, from raspy snarls and throaty bellows, scaling the spectrum of black metal voicings to dramatic, poignant effect.
The tense build of “La destruction des reliques” crashes forth into a blaze of explosive glory as guitarists Heimoth and Drakhian cleverly wind Seth’s timely and blistering tremolo affront, alongside misty rhythms and Alsvid’s merciless drumming performance. A piece such as “Dans le cœur un poignard” gives a painfully reflective, stirring showing that is driven by Saint Vincent’s soul-crushing chants and keyboardist Pierre Le Pape’s delicately grand soundscapes, differing from other faster, more direct passages on offer. The pièce de résistance for yours truly is the virulent, impassioned “Insurrection.” An apt musical representation of the French populace’s storied history of resistance against oppression.
A more historically significant French black metal band will be difficult to find, and it’s harrowing to witness the continued success of what may be their strongest lineup since their debut. La France des maudits revels in France’s dark and bloody past, while setting a standard for scholarly black metal.
https://www.facebook.com/innomineseth/
Bloodcrown – Sound of Flesh and Bone
Release Date: July 26, 2024
Swedish thrashy death metal in the vein of legends The Crown? Sign this fellow up for a sampling of that, please and thank you. Newcomers Bloodcrown are here to annihilate anything and everything, and their debut Sound of Flesh and Bone soundly does just that.
Sometimes, one wants for music that is right to the point, and this record does just that. It hits relentlessly hard, has a minimum speed of warp 9, and subscribes to the teachings of the mighty riff. Full-on maniacally speedy cuts like “When Wolves,” “Sword Cut,” and “Hypnotized in Chains” grip and rip without thinking twice. The sometimes Deathrace King stylized thrash-loaded mania, along with Barry Halldan’s forceful screams and roars, give that classic death/thrash substance that’s desired with an act such as Bloodcrown. There’s bits of Entombed inspiration to be had, especially within “Other I” and “Purge.” There’s even a little Impious in there for good measure.
There’s no reinventing of any wheels or off-the-cuff innovation on Sound of Flesh and Bone, and those expecting it are missing the goal. We’ll get to the point, just like Bloodcrown’s output does: you’ll get bashed, smashed, tossed around, and have a good time taking said audio thumping. Sound of Flesh and Bone is pure amusement, and even for someone who more times than not seeks the out of the ordinary, what Bloodcrown is producing is exactly what’s needed to kick back and take in the carnage.
https://www.facebook.com/Bloodcrownofficial
ColdCell – Age of Unreason
Release Date: July 26, 2024
Being a shining example of the bleak, dismal side of black metal, Switzerland’s ColdCell are at their collective best when putting forth the blight of humanity with unnerving calamity. Equal parts atmospheric and meticulously crushing, ColdCell have been refining their soundscapes since 2013’s Generation Abomination. Now onto their fifth full-length, Age of Unreason is a mature, refined slice of black metal that’s incessantly impactful and forward-thinking.
In many ways, ColdCell is cerebral and calculated black metal, both instrumentally and thematically. Vocalist S is fervent in his delivery; calculating and abrasive, his screams are jagged yet pristine at once. ColdCell has evolved with Age of Unreason, itself being less direct with more gradation than past efforts. “Dead to the World” creeps forward ominously, making the listener tremble in existential dread from the first note. Selections such as “Left” and “Discord” leave one reeling, pumped full of pulsating drum patterns and chilling layered guitar work.
Others offer a more measured aesthetic, with “Solidarity or Solitude” and “Meaningless” being specifically calculated examples. The former is driven by desperate howls and pensive guitar passages, whereas the latter being steadfastly melancholic and stoic in nature – highlighted by a soulful guest vocal appearance by Ines Brodbeck.
Proceedings finish by way of the haunting “Sink Our Souls.” Slow and meticulous, it represents the deliberate and agonizing nature of ColdCell‘s approach to black metal that’s so defining. Their music has much to say about the state of humanity, done so with an aplomb that these musicians exude in an abundance. Age of Unreason seeps deeply into one’s pores, leaving an indelible impression upon those brave enough to embrace it.
https://www.facebook.com/coldcellofficial/
Wraithfyre – Of Fell Peaks and Haunted Chasms
Release Date: July 26, 2024
Few forms of melodic black metal impressed more in recent years than Moonlight Sorcery’s Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle. If anything out there can give me a similar feeling, that’ll be like proverbial lightning striking twice. I happened to stumble upon Wraithfyre while going over new releases – a solo project of Tom O’Dell, who also is involved in multiple black metal projects with Tolkienian themes. Wraithfyre is his latest idea brought to life; a catchy sort of melodic black metal with a medieval feel and the occasional dungeon synth passage. The debut album is titled Of Fell Peaks and Haunted Chasms, and what an epic saga it is.
Lush synths make up a solemn intro track before transitioning into a searing batch of tremolos to start off “Fallen Before Their Blazing Altar.” The synth work is lofty, working as an enhancement to the crisp blackened riffs and chilling snarls. What’s most impressive is how they all come together to form a singular intoxicating energy, a credit to O’Dell’s obvious ability to craft illustrious compositions.
The all-out velocity continues on “Queen of the Blighted Throne” and “Echoes of a Forgotten Dream,” taking the listener along for a misty roller-coaster ride of constant thrills. “Infernal Heresy” and “Ablaze in Abyssal Frosts” dial back the pacing a degree, giving a heightened sense of infectious melody to enrapture the now hypnotized audience. Finishing is “Dark Souls Devoured” – a mid-paced, riffy piece with a castle full of majesty, giving the feeling of a gigantic climax of an immersive adventure.
Of Fell Peaks and Haunted Chasms sucks you into its own mythical world with ease, allowing the listener to lose themselves in the album entirely. Wraithfyre is immense without being pretentious, clichéd, or cheesy. Just like the aforementioned Moonlight Sorcery, the right balance of frosty black metal and illustrious grandiosity is attained. Add in a flair for ambitiously virulent songwriting, and more indelible moments than can be realistically tallied, and we have a delightful surprise that won’t be leaving us anytime soon. That said, we haven’t had the opportunity to dive into O’Dell’s other bands, but if any of them are as extravagant as Wraithfyre, we’ll be going after the precious like Sméagol.
https://www.facebook.com/wraithfyreblackmetal
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