Written by Kep, Westin, and Kirk
After a bit of a break from our usual monthly roundups, we’re back again for the last one of the year. November was packed to the gills with good shit, and you’ve probably already heard the big names, so we’re here to shine a light on some of the gems that might’ve slipped under your radar.
As usual, quick links to our reviews for November releases:
Negative Bliss – Everything Hurts and I’m Dying
Recidivist – Madness Malformed
Witnesses – Joy
Molder – Catastrophic Reconfiguration
Fellowship – The Skies Above Eternity
Bedsore – Dreaming the Strife for Love
And now on to our other faves!
Iniquitous Savagery – Edifice of Vicissitudes
Brutal death metal from the UK
I’m on the record as being a fan of big dumb slam, but what’s even better than big dumb slam is super-intelligent complex brutal death that knows how to be dumb when the moment is right. That’s Iniquitous Savagery, the UK four-piece here returning after nine long years with their sophomore full-length album. There are passages on Edifice of Vicissitudes that are nothing short of earthshaking, but the devastation they unleash is maximized by their proximity to a tortuous mosaic of intricate, ultra-jagged riffage, wickedly technical and brilliantly twisted. It’s mind-blowingly complex stuff, constantly shifting meters, tempos, and emphases, multiform and multifaceted in its constant assault of the senses; instrumentalists Joe Fleetwood (guitar), Chris Ryan (bass), and Euan Harrison (drums) are “on one,” as the kids say, from start to finish, and Colin Marston handled the mix and master, so you know it sounds killer.
– Kep
Still – A Theft
Post-black metal/hardcore/sludge from the UK
The band’s own bandcamp page jokingly identifies the band as “A24 black metal,” what I imagine to be a reference to the concept of “elevated horror” that is associated with that companies films. And I would say it’s an apt description of Still‘s music. A Theft is a horror movie on the run, constantly in motion, every moment carrying a tension that only grows heavier with the weight of reverb and misery, too burdensome to bear until you too feel as though something has been stolen from you.
– Westin
Groin – Paid in Flesh
Grindcore from the US
Yes, this album came out back in June, and no, I don’t care. I somehow missed it then and I’m making it everyone else’s problem now.
How could you not love Groin? Arizona’s most underappreciated grind trio is still pissed off and ultra-aggressive here on their third full-length—which runs a grand total of 19 minutes, natch. This is sonic violence of the highest order, with the requisite incessant blasting, chaotic riffing, and all nuance not just kicked to the curb but stomped across it. It’s ugly stuff: loud and brash, unapologetically in your face, and as usual frontman Luis Ferre’s unhinged vocal approach is wide-ranging and ridiculously intense. These guys have the right messages, too, taking shots at everything from cops to the US military complex to pharmaceutical companies to overseas industry-choking economic sanctions. And again as usual, there’s bits of wry humor to be found if you check the lyrics, and plenty of specifically-directed middle fingers. In conclusion: “The CIA can suck my fucking dick” – Groin.
– Kep
Neon Nightmare – Faded Dream
Gothic doom from the US
In a world where innovation breeds contempt and sinking time and effort into the nostalgia machine seems to pay the bills more than it should <cough> OSDM revival <cough> (editor’s note: HEY), it’s apparently come time for ‘90s era gothic doom to have its day. Don’t judge this book by its cover, because the debut album from enigmatic gothic doom revivalists Neon Nightmare is not some new wave knockoff but is instead a genuinely earnest exploration of a beloved yet oft-overlooked subsection of heavy metal history. Sure, there are keyboards and electronic elements strewn throughout this record, but they are quite tastefully done and add an exquisite level of atmosphere and texture to what would otherwise be your run-of-the-mill doom album. It’s a reminder that synthesizers have been a part of heavy music almost as long as the electric guitar, and both have just as much power to bring the overall mood of the room to “abysmal” as just about any other instrument you can think of. More to the point, it’s high time the doom crowd added a little color to their otherwise monochromatic wardrobe and put on a little pink or blue. The brighter the better, because we all love a little contrast, don’t we?
– Kirk
Sign of the Jackal – Heavy Metal Survivors
Heavy metal from Italy
From the beginning, Heavy Metal Survivors sounds like a record out of time. Steely guitars and stomping drums wrapped in an airbrushed sheen leaves the listener wondering if this is a forgotten album from the halcyon days of metal’s commercial peak. Vocalist Laura Coller‘s falsetto pierces through the meaty riffs while anthemic choruses will get you dancing and headbanging in equal measure, a credit to the stellar songwriting on display. This is one of those bands that could easily be on the radio in a different world. A great band for anyone looking to scratch that Warlock itch.
– Westin
Flaahgra – Plant-Based Anatomy
Techslam from the US
Techslam is a pretty niche little area of metal, but it’s one of my favorites. Distinct from more brutal death-centric acts that slam (like Iniquitous Savagery above, or Defeated Sanity, for example) in its emphasis on techdeath riffing and production—but with a love of Getting Real Dumb™—it satisfies the part of me that wants slam grooves and the part of me that wants the weedly-weedly nonsense at the same time. Flaahgra are extremely new on the scene (they formed just this year) but they’re already delivering the good stuff. Their lineup features guitarist Sanil Kumar, who along with his brother Sanjay founded techslam greats Wormhole, and drummer Chris Kulak, who drummed on one of my favorite technical deathcore deep cuts, Necropia’s Desecration Complex. The riffs are wild and spidery, in constant motion and dizzyingly acrobatic, and the slams bring the stank face in large quantities. It’s a fucking blast, and it’s only 24 minutes long so it doesn’t overstay its welcome.
– Kep
Faüst – Death Galore
Thrash metal from Czechia
Faüst have what might be the best thrash record of the year on their hands. No frills, no legacy to rest upon, just 32 minutes of extremely high energy thrash fucking metal. Riffs, solos, and banger moments abound and it’s heavy enough to satisfy fans of the more extreme end of the genre. The best of everything thrash has ever had to offer with meaty modern production and stellar artwork straight off an old movie poster.
– Westin
Buñuel – Mansuetude
Noise rock from the US and Italy
That’s right, we’re sneaking in one more non-November release, this one from October.
When legendary noise rock vocalist Eugene S. Robinson announced on July 7 that he had left his longtime experimental rock project Oxbow after over 35 years, it sent shockwaves throughout the underground (guitarist Niko Wenner announced the following week that Oxbow was officially over). So what’s a guy to do when his main creative vessel is no more? Simple! You lace up your boots and get to work with your other projects. And for Robinson, that project is none other than Buñuel. At its core, it’s a noise rock band similar to Oxbow and so many others like it, but the influences brought in from guitarist Xabier Iriondo, bassist Andrea Lombardibi, and drummer Franz Valente make it so much more than that. With elements of post-hardcore and industrial, Robinson is a laser-focused street barker fomenting gospels of apocalyptic doom to all who will listen, making Mansuetude utterly explosive. Handle with care!
– Kirk
The Mosaic Window – Hemasanctum
Black/death metal from the US
I was a huge fan of The Mosaic Window’s first LP Plight of Acceptance, and I’ve got the mug and t-shirt to prove it. While brilliant, it was a little rough around the edges in some aspects, including the tones of the programmed drums and the overall rhythmic sync-up, and though these things can be easily forgiven in a one-man project, they were noticeable. Then Willowtip swooped in, gave it a physical release, and apparently helped mastermind Andrew Steven Brown make some connections, so here we are with an album in Hemasanctum that has smoothed every single flaw and stands head and shoulders above its predecessor. The songwriting is still excellent, but now there are live drums courtesy of session player Gabe Seeber and the mix, handled again by Horrendous’ Damian Herring, feels even bigger and stronger as a result; plus the legendary Andy LaRocque contributes three pristine guest solos. The songs about life and death are monstrous, dark things, and deliver deeply in this new iteration of The Mosaic Window.
– Kep
Cryptic Brood – Necrotic Flesh Bacteria
Death/doom metal from Germany
A rare death metal three piece, Cryptic Brood have an incredibly dynamic sound with some of the best bass sounds in the scene. This is my favourite death metal album of the month, in large part thanks to the pulled back production and sound. Everything sounds gnarly and huge, which gives the plodding doom riffs some actual heft that hits your chest countered by the more detailed articulation of notes and the wailing vocals, sometimes approaching tech levels of craft while retaining the organic warmth of pure death metal.
– Westin
Wolvencrown – Celestial Lands
Black metal from the UK
I wrote a little bit about Wolvencrown’s most recent EP A Shadow of What Once Was back in 2021, and I was thrilled to find out about this new full-length. The UK quintet play a melodic brand of black metal that’s impeccably produced, drenched in atmosphere, and heavily melancholic in its fury. Steeped in the mythical aura of the forest and nature-worshipping atmosphere, the songs soar and sing, with guitars ringing out majestic melodies that tug at the heart as much as at the ear, supported by grand synth effects and a strong rhythm section. It’s glorious stuff, determined and angry and desperately mournful, and its lengthy hour-long runtime is worth the journey. “We are born to die / On a rotting planet / Infinite universe / Under darkest sky”.
– Kep