Gyibaaw

I drove up to Saskatoon a few days ago to see the mighty Inquisition play. Before Inquisition destroyed the handful of prairie shitheads that bothered to show up, we were pre-destroyed by Gyibaaw. Hailing from Prince George, B.C. and playing "Tsimshian War Metal" (their term), these guys play a vicious form of black metal with most lyrics in "S'malygax", a traditional language of the Tsimshian people. There's killer atmospheric bits peppered throughout this recording using traditional instruments, and live, the dude busted out an awesome wooden flute.
You can pick up their debut Ancestral War Hymns at shows, obviously, as well as from Ross Bay Cult, The Basar N.A., and various other distros. But for the hesitant, have a listen:

HERE

Balls to the Wall

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Prince of the Poverty Line

Before folk metal was all accordions, flutes, trolls and doughy white guys in medieval armour, there was Skyclad. Think more along the lines of British thrash with fiddles rather than the jaunty black metal-lite that's all the rage. Former Sabbat (UK) vocalist Martin Walkyier delivers surprisingly literate lyrics in a snarly, yet lispy manner that suits the whole package somehow. 1994's Prince of the Poverty Line is considered by most to be one of their best. I also included a bonus disc that contained a measley three songs that came with my copy because y'know, why not? Aaaand here it is:

click

An Ode to Sin

Hey hey, it's Canada Day and I'm legally required to post some cancon. Don't worry, no Bryan Adams or Barenaked Ladies or Nickleback or Anne Murray.
Edmonton's Rites of thy Degringolade (no idea what that means) played a chaotic style of death/black metal similar to stuff like Conqueror, Axis of Advance, and maybe a pinch of Blasphemy. Really fucking good though, one of the best example of the style. The drumming is stellar and captivating and some interesting riffing make this album much more than the typical blast-o-thon put out by the average "war metal" band nowadays. This is 2005's An Ode to Sin, the last album they released before breaking up.

click me!

Katapult

Trying to think of what to write about this album makes my head hurt. Circle play their usual kraut rock-ish stuff but add a trippy, slightly pseudo-metal/black metal aesthetic. I also hear bits of Goblin/John Carpenter-like synths leaking through at times. I can see metalhead nerds into The Meads Of Asphodel or Sigh's middle albums getting into this. With song titles such as "Black Black Never Never Land", "Fish Reflection", and "Skeletor Highway" (which the lyrics tell us is a "bus driver's nightmare") one might think that this album is a little jokey or mocking... But shit, even if it is, it's still one of my favourite Circle albums and one of the strangest things that I've heard in the last few years.

here you go

Goat Semen

Furious, violent South American filth on this 2002 demo from the awesomely-monikered Goat Semen. I'm not sure if these guys have even recorded a proper full-length yet, but this is more solid than many of the other "bestial" bands' best efforts. There's a genuine menace, intensity, and goddamn earnestness on this recording that warms my heart. It's pretty much high-speed death/thrash with demonic falsettos that will make even the most jaded fuck tear up and raise a fist. Get yourself goat-jizzed right:

here

Driller Killer

Because of their name, for a long while I wrongly assumed that these guys were a second-rate gore grind/death/whatever band. But they're actually vicious Swedish crust punk! It was a nice surprise. Here's Driller Killer's first full-length Brutalize from 1994.

here

Dio

Well, shit. I was out of town visiting family all day yesterday and came home to read that a legend has passed. His is probably the most upsetting celebrity/musician death that I've experienced and I don't quite know what to do or feel. I've been kinda shook up all day. After I found out last night, I cracked a beer (one of my fancy ones hiding in the back of the fridge) even though I didn't really want one, went to my back yard, raised my drink to the sky, took a sip then poured a little on my lawn. Seems like a silly thing to do now that I've typed it out, but... Then I went inside, put on some Dio-Sabbath and finished my beer.
I'm so glad that I was able to see him with Heaven and Hell two or three years back. I was right in front of one of the big speakers that he'd climb atop during some songs. I swear that he tried to smile at and make eye contact with everyone in the building. My horn-trowing hand was sore that night.
Everyone should be listening to some Dio today. Over and over and over. Last in Line is, of course, classic, classy, immortal Dio. Have a listen and enjoy, those who don't already have it. And R.I.P. Ronnie.

click

Sanguis Imperem

Here's a spiffy demo of militant, Bolt Thrower-style death metal from California. Sanguis Imperem's debut MCD The Stagnation of Centuries can be found in several distros across the internet for cheap. Cheap like borscht. And it's even better and more polished than this. But this is free! They also have a split album with their buddies in Nocturnal Blood due out sometime this year. Check out their 2007 demo:

right here

Destruktor

Today we have a an MCD release of some quality Australian blackthrash from Destruktor. These guys haven't put out a hell of a lot in the 15 years or so that they've been together, but they know what they're doing. Not too far off from the type of stuff that Aussie metalheads have been doing for the last couple of decades; extra-deathy/thrashy, eeevil, and just the right amount of blackened snarl. Here's 2004's Nuclear Storm.

here

Please Show Me Your Pussy

Pleeeeeease? Cut Throat is an 80's-worshipping thrash metal side-project of sorts comprised of Mirai and Shinichi of Sigh and Yasuyuki and Youhei of Abigail. Imploring you to "show me your pussy, please" because they "want to see your beautiful pussy", this single is tons o' fun and pretty decent thrash-wise. The B-side is a cover of Tankard's "Zombie Attack".

here

Hey you!

Check out my recent guest post/mixtape thingy that I did for the sexy Illogical Contraption blog.

Peeled Carcass

Haha! See what I did there? Here's Carcass in fine form circa 1989 recording a few tracks for John Peel. Solid.

right here

Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult

You know how the aliens talk in the 1996 movie Mars Attacks!? Imagine that voice speaking english over some black metal and you're halfway to Inquisition. Starting out as a humble thrash band in Columbia (now based in Washington), they've brought a certain 'not-to-be-fucked-with'-ness to the melodic black metal sound that they've maintained throughout all of their full-lengths. Really good musically, but really strange vocals. Kind of a nasally croak. If you can get past that you're in for a treat.

click

Bulldozer

Check out AC Wild. He cares not for your pitiful exploding planet. With IX these Italian sleazeballs deliver what is probably one of my favourite thrash metal albums from the late 80's. Featuring an ode to masturbation that explains how it's much easier and cheaper than having a girlfriend. True dat.

click

Netjajev Society System

Here's some killer Swedish punk mixed with some fucking wonky sci-fi synths/organs from Netjajev SS. Really good stuff, they'll be halfway into some weird spacey/surfy stuff before launching into some of the most catchy and intense hardcore that I've heard in a while. Internet-rumour has it that the main (only?) dude for these guys is also responsible for the excellent Syphilitic Vaginas. So check out their self-titled EP from 2007 riiiiight

HERE

The Eastern Force of Evil

An "official bootleg" I guess, I was pretty stoked to get this in a trade a few years ago. Back in the 90's Sigh played about 75% Venom covers when they played live and this album is about the same (and there's a couple of Death covers as well). Taken from from a few different shows in their native Japan, the sound quality ranges from listenable to kinda awful. Still, it's a cool document of a stripped-down Sigh playing mostly covers to half-interested audiences.
Also, check out the killer re-issue label The Crypt for deluxe extra-fancy vinyl editions of some of Sigh's albums coming later this year. Infidel Art and Ghastly Funeral Theatre have already come and gone from the label, but you might be able to track them down elsewhere.

clicky

L'appel du néant

Malveillance is a Quebecois punky, d-beat-ish black metal (one-man) band. Not too far off from stuff like Akitsa or Bone Awl. This 2006 demo opens up with seven (!) Ramones covers, then follows up with ten tracks of particularly hateful and primitive blackmetalpunk.

click

Top 10 of 2009

Sorry, no download links today. Just words and pictures. I still haven't heard the new albums from YOB, The Spits, Zombi, and Peste Noire and surely I'll come across some other '09 releases in the years to come. But these things are always kinda fun to do, so what the hell:

1. Slough Feg - Ape Uprising!

Slough Feg can do no wrong.

2. Teitanblood - Seven Chalices

I was expecting something along the lines of their fellow countrymen Proclamation, but this is absolutely immense and so much better. The best booklet art of the year as well. Should've held out for the vinyl...

3. Beherit - Engram

Their first metal album in 16 years and they nailed it. Fuck the nay-sayers.

4. Villains - Lifecode of Decadence

Criminally underrated, filthy, sleazy street thrash/punk band. I enjoyed this quite a bit more than 2007's Drenched in the Poisons. Awesome drumming and the vocalist is insane, channeling Cronos, Quorthon, King Diamond, and Nocturno Culto all at roughly the same time.

5. Deströyer 666 - Defiance

Deströyer 666's weakest album is still pretty damn good. I finally got to see them live this year in Calgary and they were flawless.

6. Argus - Argus

A very well-executed debut album of classic doom metal mixed with the heavier aspects of the NWOBHM era. Lovecraft metal!

7. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

I'm a sucker for this lady's voice. The last track is a half hour of frogs/insects/swamp sounds. Neat.

8. Katharsis - Fourth Reich

This one grows on me every time that I listen to it. Maybe not quite as good as VVorld VVithout End, but close.

9. Black Pyramid - Black Pyramid

Nothing terribly original, but nonetheless a very solid doom metal album chock full of deadly solos and grooves.

10. Immortal - All Shall Fall

Ah, good old reliable Immortal. Never putting out a bad album, only good ones of varying degrees of awesomeness. I daresay this is better than the last couple.

Honorable mentions, EPs, compilations, and re-issues (AKA most of the rest of the stuff I picked up last year):

Reverend Bizarre - Death Is Glory... Now - If I was counting compilations of old material this might be number 1. This is 2 CDs of their previously out-of-print tracks from various splits, covers from tribute albums and other rarities. Not a single track is a throwaway and it's great to have all of these crucial songs in one set.
Ignivomous - Death Transmutation - Australians playing American death metal in the vein of Immolation and Incantation very well.
Citizens Arrest - Collosus - Nice 2LP discography of this late 80's/early 90's New York hardcore band.
Weapon - Drakonian Paradigm - I wanted to like this more, but it's still pretty good.
Cobalt - Gin - See above. A good album, but not AS good as a lot of reviews would have you believe.
Fucked Up - Year of the Rat/First Born - A couple of decent tracks on this single. Picked this up when I saw them in April last year. Good show.
Maserati/Zombi - split - The Maserati tracks are cool, but Zombi is where it's at.
Bone Awl - Night's Middle - Damned good EP.
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures - Enjoyable for a bit.
Abigail/Syphilitic Vaginas - split - The Abigail tracks are alright, but Syphilitic Vaginas are seriously fantastic. They sound like Motörhead, Japanese hardcore, and 80's black metal all at once. Great stuff.
Bleak House - Suspended Animation - Super-sweet collection of this NWOBHM band's two EPs from '80 and '82 with some well-recorded live tracks on the B-side.
Diocletian - Doom Cult - Kiwis playing some very solid Blasphemy-worship with a bit more lower-end and variation than the other thousand band playing this style.
Proclamation - Execration of Cruel Bestiality - More blatant Blasphemy-worship from these Spaniards, but still a thrillingly violent-sounding album.
Speedwolf/Hookers - split - A cool split 7" of upbeat drinkin' metal/punk.
Nirvana 2002 - Recordings 89-91 - Awesome. All of the recorded output from one of the best bands from the Swedish death metal scene.
Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know - Dio-Sabbath still knows what's up.
Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster - Yes, I'm fucking serious. Shut up.
Children of Technology - Chaosmutant Hordes - Three Italian crusties playing apocalypse-themed speed metal/thrash/punk. This EP is the first thing that I've heard from them and it's quite good.
Abigail - Sweet Baby Metal Slut - Nothing that great, but definitely some of the best song titles of the year; "Teenage Metal Fuck", "Wild Fire Metal Bitch", "Metal Bitch Inferno", "Satanic Hell Slut", "Metal Evil Metal". Yeah!

Sturmpercht

Most of the Neofolk/Martial/whatever that I've encountered has been pretty hit-or-miss, but this shit (Sturpercht's Geister im Waldgebirg) is definitely a big hit. These Austrians call their music "Alpine Folk" and it's perfect for a cold night. There's some rousing, catchy hymns and some mellow wistful ballads and they all make you want to drink mead. There's a solid hour plus of music here for you to enjoy, but track down a physical copy if you can, as they self-release most of their stuff.

here