Apr 232013
 

Within the last few days (and mostly today), seven albums I’m very high on (and have written about here) have begun streaming in full on various web sites. They shouldn’t be missed — it’s a great chance to check out the music before deciding whether to plunk down money for them.

Each of the sites where these streams are now available includes info on how to order or pre-order the albums, so I’m not going to take time to repeat that info here. I’m also not going to take the time to write about the music (though we do plan to review some of these albums) because . . . you can hear them right now! The relevant links are below, in alphabetical order.

ALTAR OF PLAGUES: TEETHED GLORY AND INJURY

http://pitchfork.com/advance/81-teethed-glory-and-injury/ Continue reading »

Mar 272013
 

We keep our eyes and ears open so you don’t have to. Except when you’re crossing the street. You should keep your eyes and ears open when you do that. Also when driving and performing open-heart surgery. There might be a few other exceptions that I’m not thinking of at the moment, but otherwise we can be your eyes and ears. And here are a few recommended things we’ve seen and heard this morning: new music from Wormed (Spain), Negator (Germany), and Monotheist (Florida).

WORMED

“Tautochrone” is a fuckin’ great song. It’s by Spanish death metal band Wormed and it appears on their excellent new album Exodromos. It’s a brutal, blazing song, but Wormed add both technical and near-ambient melodic elements that most purveyors of brutal death don’t even dream of doing, and Wormed do it superbly.

And I’m thinking of that song why? Because yesterday Wormed released an official video for it. I haven’t yet figured out whether it’s the video that’s strobing and shaking, or my eyeballs. Either way, it’s cool. Continue reading »