SEEN AND HEARD: DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN, EXIVIOUS, HANGING GARDEN

 Metal News  5 Responses »
Oct 212013
 

From my morning listening to randomly selected cuts from new and forthcoming albums, I’ve collected this very diverse assortment that I think will be well worth your time. If you disagree, please tell me that you love them anyway in order to protect my tender psyche from emotional bruising.

DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN

The immediate attraction of this new band is its veteran line-up: Dave Ingram, former vocalist for Bolt Thrower, Benediction, and Downlord; guitarist Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Ribspreader, Putrevore, and many more), and bassist Dennis Blomberg (also in Paganizer and Ribspreader), along with session drummer Erik Bevenrud. They’ve recorded a self-titled debut album scheduled for a November 22 release by the German label Cyclone Empire. I’ve been making my way through the album in bits and pieces — which isn’t the ideal way to do it — but I’m very high on what these guys have accomplished. And now one of the songs has been made available for streaming.

“Draconian Rage” is a bulldozing blaze of punk-infused death metal with a curiously infectious little melody that rears its head through the buzzing guitars, punchy percussion, and bestial vocals just long enough to get its hooks in your head. Listen next. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: MORS PRINCIPIUM EST, NECROWRETCH, EXIVIOUS, AND BODY COUNT

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  9 Responses »
Dec 102012
 

Metal does not honor your putrid rules.

Okay, I’m not talking about YOUR rules, especially if they include visiting this site like your life depends on it. I’m talking about the rules of all those other people, like the rule that says Mondays must suck. Because metal hath brought these gems to your Monday.

MORS PRINCIPIUM EST

I think this is my fourth post about the new album from Finland’s Mors Principium Est (pictured above) since I found out about it in July. Entitled …And Death Said Live, it has already been released in Japan, it’s due for release in Europe and Australia on December 14, and North Americans will be able to get it on January 15.

As you can tell, this is an album I’ve been eagerly anticipating. Over the weekend I discovered that it’s now streaming in full at the Finnish Inferno web site. At that same location, you will find a track-by-track commentary by the band’s vocalist Ville Viljanen, and that of course will give you English-only speakers the always-hilarious opportunity to let Google Translate work its magic on the Finnish language. Continue reading »