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:

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Balls to the Wall

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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:

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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.

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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.

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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:

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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.

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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.

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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:

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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.

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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".

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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.

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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.

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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.

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