December 21 - 31 (#356 - 366)

#356) Gum Takes Tooth - Silent Cenotaph (2011) weird noise metal 


#357) Wildildlife - Six (2007) psychedelic noise metal

#358) True Widow - As High As the Highest Heaven and From the Center to the Circumference of Earth (2011) "stonegaze" 

#359) Comity - The Journey Is Over Now (2011) experimental hardcore

#360) Pig Destroyer - Book Burner/Blind, Deaf and Bleeding (2012)Blind, Deaf and Bleeding is a bonus EP of punk covers (Black Flag, Minor Threat and the Misfits to name a couple) that comes with the deluxe cd and lp versions of Book Burner.

#361) Crystal Castles - (III) (2012) 

#362) How to Destroy Angels - An Omen (2012)

#363) Igorrr - Hallelujuah (2012) "baroque-core"

#364) Whourkr - 4247 Snare Drums (2012)Whourkr is metal Igorrr

#365) Black Feelings (2009) noisy, kinda psychedelic rock

#366) Verdun - The Cosmic Escape of Admiral Masuka (2011) doom/sludge 

November 21 - 30 (#326 - 335)

#326) Locrian - The Clearing (2011)

#327) The Catalyst - Marianas Trench (2008) 

#328) Horseback & Locrian - New Dominions (2012) 

#329) Vektor - Outer Isolation (2011) 

#330) Circle - Panic (2007) 

#331) Anodyne - Salo (2003) chaotic, noisy hardcore

#332) Nadja/Ovo - The Life and Death of a Wasp  (2010) 

#333) Pygmy Lush -Mount Hope (2008) 

#334) White Wizzard - Over the Top (2009) 80s metal

 #335) Furze - Trident Autocrat (2000) weird experimental black metal

November 11 - 20 (#316 - 325)

#316) Book of Sand - How Beautiful to Walk Free (2010) 

#317) Wolf Eyes - Black Wing Over the Sand (2007) sick stuff

#318) Fister - Bronsonic: Lethal Overdose Edition (2011) doom.


#319) Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire - Harmonies From Bleeding Mouths (2006)

#320) Psychofagist - Il Secondo Tragico (2009) 


#321) Atavist/Nadja - II: Points at Infinity (2008) drone doom

#322) Author & Punisher - The Painted Army (2005)  

#323) Author & Punisher - Warcry (2007) 

#324) Author & Punisher - Ursus Americanus (2012) 

#325) Bell Witch - Longing (2012)

November 1 - 10 (#306- 315)

#306) Pygmy Lush - Bitter River (2007) 

#307) Red Harvest - Cold Dark Matter (2000) 

#308) Book of Sand - Mourning Star (2012) 

#309) Lifelover - Sjukdom (2011) "narcotic metal"

#310) Wolf Eyes with John Wiese - Collection (2006) collection of out of print eps

#311)  Author & Punisher - Drone Machines (2010) 

 #312) Korperschwache - A Fistful of Nihilism (1996) 

#313) Openwound/Antigama - Blastasfuck split (2004)

#314) Kowloon Walled City - Gambling On the Richter Scale (2009) 

#315) Drudkh - Handful of Stars (2010) 

October 21 - 31 (#295 - 305)

#295) At the Graves - II (2010) 

#296) Clinging to the Trees Of a Forest Fire - Omega Drunk on the Blood Of Alpha (2008) 

#297) Celeste - Nihiliste(s) (2008) 

#298) Book of Sand - Destruction, Not Reformation (2010) 

#299) Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestial Lineage (2011) 

#300) Elizabeth - Where Vultures Land (2012) hardcore from Switzerland.

#301) Macho Distorto - To My Dead & Beloved (2011)

#302) Gay Witch Abortion - Maverick (2009) 

#303) Happy Days - Cause of Death: Life (2012) 

#304) Wraiths - Plaguebearer (2007) dark drone/ritual/ambient/noise

#305) Necrophiliacs - The Collected Works (2012) 

October 11 - 20 (#285 - 294)

#285) Botanist - II: A Rose From the Dead (2011)

#286) Botanist - III: Doom in Bloom (2012)

#287) V/A - III:Allies (2012) 

#288) Tomb - Total Occultic Mechanical Blasphemy II (2010) harsh black industrial

#289) Korperschwache - Ritual of the Ouroboros (2007)  

#290) Bongripper - Satan Worshipping Doom (2010) instrumental doom from Chicago

#291) Mz.412 - In Nomine Dei Nostri Satanas Luciferi Excelsi (1995) 

#292) Aderlating/Crown of Bone split (2012) 

293) Hallowed Butchery - Funeral Rites For the Living (2009) 

#294) Lair of the Minotaur - Carnage/Cannibal Massacre (2004/2005) 

October 1 - 10 (#275 - 284)

#275) Mz.412 - Burning the Temple of God (1996) 

#276) Akercocke - Antichrist (2007) 

#277) Mummifier - Advanced Mummification Procedure (2010) deathgrind about mummies, satan, and satan mummies

#278) Caïna - Mourner (2007)

#279) Dead Raven Choir - Cask Strength Black Metal (2005) collection of out of print EPs

#280) Nekrasov - Into the No-Mans-Sphere of the Ancient Days (2007) 

#281) Ghast - May the Curse Bind (2008) 

#282) Sun Devoured Earth - I Wish I Would Never Wake Up (2011) 

#283) Circle of Ouroborus - Cast to the Pits (2010) 

#284) Botanist - I: The Suicide Tree (2011) 

September 1 - 10 (#245 - 254)

#245) Millions - Gather Scatter (2008)  hardcore from Chicago

#246) SSS - The Dividing Line (2008) 

#247) Deterior - Cleanse (2009) 

#248) Sockeye - Barf On a Globe (1999) 

#249) Tenhi - Airut:aamujen (2004) neofolk from Finland

#250) Vektor - Black Future (2009) 

#251) Artortured - Dimensions of Suffering (2012)  

#252) Atavist - II:Ruined (2007) drone doom

#253) Circle - Miljard (2006) 

#254) The Sound of Animals Fighting - Lover, the Lord Has Left Us (2006) 

August 21 - 31 (#234 - 244)

#234) Pinkish Black - Pinkish Black (2012) 

#235) The Blind Shake - Carmel (2007) 

#236) Death in June - The World That Summer (1986) 

#237) Keuhkot - Toimintatapoja Olioille (2005) 

#238) Captain Ahab - The Great Disappointment (2006) 

#239) 16 Volt - Demography: The Basement Tapes (2000) collection of old tracks and demos

#240) Portugal. The Man - Censored Colors (2008) 

#241) Captain Ahab - The Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (2010) live tracks

#242) Captain Ahab - The Sex Is Next (2004) 

#243) The Phantom Carriage - Late Comers (2005) 

#244) Ramona Falls - Intuit (2009)  

August 11 - 20 (#224 - 233)

#224) Brutal Truth - End Time (2011) 

#225) Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Angles (2008) 

#226) Nesseria - Nesseria (2010) blackened hardcore

#227) Nadja - When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV (2009) 

#228) Assault Squad Safety Scissors - The Children Are Our Future and So Are Flying Cars (2007)  

#229) Captain Ahab - After the Rain My Heart Still Dreams (2006) 

#230 - 232) Merzbow - Another Merzbow Records (2010) collects various tracks off splits and comps released between 1991 and 2001

#233) Great Falls - Fontanelle (2010) 

July 18 - 31 (201 - 213)

#201) Hammers of Misfortune - The Bastard (2001) 

#202) Emo Summer - Land of Emotional Plastic Furniture (1999) bad. not for me

#203) George Holdcroft - The FP Soundtrack (2011) 

#204) Disunicorps - Try (2011) 

#205) Disunicorps - Re:Try (2012) 

#206) Sutekh Hexen- Larvae (2012) 

#207) Panopticon - Social Disservices (2011) 

#208) The Paper Chase - Cntrl-Alt-Delete-U (2001) 

#209) Richard Cheese - Dick at Nite (2007) 

#210) Trust - Trst (2012) 

#211) Antigama/Drugs of Faith split (2007) 

#212) Nadja - The Bungled & the Botched (2008) 

#213) In Defence - Into the Sewer (2009) 

Korperschwache - Sacrifice Of The Ouroboros (I See Your Bleached White Skulls On A Long And Pointed Row Of Bloodstained Sticks)

                           I Will Drink Your Blood And Vomit It Back Into Your Empty Skull



#199) Korperschwache - Sacrifice Of The Ouroboros (I See Your Bleached White Skulls On A Long And Pointed Row Of Bloodstained Sticks) (2007)

 1. Jessica
2. Lori
3. Charlotte
4. Renee
5. Claudia
6. Velma
7. Sabrina
8. Christy
9. Lucy
10. Bertha
11. Rita
12. Julie
13. Untitled

probably my favorite of what i've heard of them so far.
 it's a concept album and the lyrics read like the pages of a serial killer's diary. in the first song we learn that Jessica is the first "step" on the path to the Serpent's throne. 13 steps = 13 heads and 13 sets of wide blue eyes. "The thirteenth head will speak and it will light the final step that leads to the Serpent's throne".  tracks 1 - 12 represent 12 unlucky girls, however track 13 is a bit more of a mystery as there are no lyrics, no title and i can barely understand most of the vocals. does the unnamed killer complete the 13th step? i dunno, you'll have to listen and decide for yourself.

Korperschwache - Broken Blades Of Steel Scattered Across The Narrow Way

Blues For a Dead Doctor

#161) Korperschwache - Broken Blades Of Steel Scattered Across The Narrow Way (2008)

 1. Nice Girls (Just Want to Fuck)
 2. Red Wind
 3. It's Hard to Sleep at Night With a Back Full of Knives
 4. Who Moved the Floor
 5. Blues For a Dead Doctor
 6. Your Arms Are Too Short to Box With God

i'll let Crucial Blast (who released the record on their Crucial Bliss imprint) describe it:

the music emerges as a lumbering deformed cousin of classic alt-guitar noise, huge open chords unfolding over shimmering distorted strings and multiple layers of vibrating amplifiers, with some sweet sun-scorched melodies swimming around in these lengthy riff explorations. Of course, it wouldn't be Korperschwache without the jagged, pounding beats of Doktor Omega, and each of these mechanical jams uncoil over a battery of thumping machine beats, cymbal-soaked motorik rhythms and even the odd unexpected breakbeat that kind of sounds like some spastic jungle has suddenly ripped it's way through the swirling clouds of drone guitar.

so yeah, i dunno. i wasn't really in love with this album but it wasn't bad and it did grow on me after a couple listens. if you've never heard Korperschwache before i'd recommend starting somewhere else.

Nadja - Corrasion

My Bones Are Like Knives

#155) Nadja - Corrasion (2007)

 1. Base Fluid
 2. You Are As Dust
 3. Corrasion
 4. Amniotic
 5. I Am As Earth
 6. Ash
 7. White Lies


Corrasion was originally released as a limited cd-r in 2003. i think it was their 3rd full length. for this 2007 cd version, Nadja re-recorded the original 4 tracks and added 3 bonus tracks. tracks 1 - 4 are the re-recorded tracks. 5 is taken off a split they did with Moss (who will be featured here at some point), 6 is off the Chariots Arrive Again 2 comp and 7 is off the Forsee the Shadows 1 comp. other than some minor time differences i'm not really sure how the re-recorded tracks compare to the originals but they're definitely Nadja tracks. slow and droning but never boring. 

and for those interested, the album was also re-released as a double vinyl and an mp3 download. the vinyl contains the 4 re-recorded tracks and the bonus track "Numb" which was originally released as the b-side to the Base Fluid net single and can also be found on Nadja's Numbness comp. the mp3 download also contains the 4 re-recorded tracks but the bonus track here is an extended version of "Corrasion"..

Grey Daturahs/Monarch - Dawn of the Catalyst

Rapture

#154) Grey Daturahs/Monarch - Dawn of the Catalyst (2007)

 1. Grey Daturahs - Golden Tusk the Endearing
 2. Monarch - Rapture


i'd never heard Grey Daturahs before but i'm definitely gonna check out more of their stuff now. their track is instrumental and is some crushing, droning doom. very cool stuff.
i already covered a couple Monarch albums, which you can read about here. nothing's really changed. the track is heavy, slow and rad as hell. it sounds like there are some vocals or maybe it's just the singer making noises, not sure since there are no lyrics in the cd or anything. either way, it sounds awesome. i'm really loving these guys.

Un Festin Sagital - Epitafio A La Permanencia

#153) Un Festin Sagital - Epitafio A La Permanencia (2007)

 1. Epitafio A La Permanencia Part 1
 2. Epitafio A La Permanencia Part 2
 3. L'Age Delicieux (La Revolución Perenne)
 4. ¡No Hay Coristas!
 5. La Dignidad Del Espíritu Bestia
 6. Destierro

these guys are from Chile and play...experimental/avant-garde rock. they combine elements of ambient/noise, drone, progressive rock, traditional Latin sounds and folk, which makes for a bizarre but rad sound. i don't really know what else to say about this album but i'd definitely recommend checking it out. i know i'll be on the lookout for more from them.

Nadja - Thaumogenesis + 2009.02.06

 

#149) Nadja - Thaumogenesis (2007)
 1. Thaumogenesis

Nadja - 2009.02.06 (2010)

 1. Untitled
 2. Untitled

Thaumogenesis has been reissued 4 times since its original release. in 2007 it was released as a limited edition of 600 cds. then in 2008 it was re-released in a limited edition of 500 cds. both editions were released on aRCHIVE. the only differences between the 2 were slightly different color in the artwork. also in 2008 Daymare Recordings released a 2 disc set that contained Thaumogenesis on the first disc and disc 2 was the Thaumoradiance album, which was a live album also released by aRCHIVE. as a bonus they also included a remix of Thaumogenesis done by James Plotkin called Thaumoremix. in 2010 the album was released on double vinyl by Important Records in an edition of 1000. this release includes the Plotkin remix as the D side of the set and it also came with a bonus live cd.  just recently Thaumogenesis was released on cd by Aidan Baker's own Broken Spine in the original single track format.

anyway, Thaumogenesis is a single, instrumental  track that clocks in around 62 minutes. the first 6 minutes are calm and almost serene before kicking into the hazy, glacier of Nadja riffing. and it pretty much stays that way for the whole track. towards the end some more serene moments sneak in but they're soon once again overpowered by some crushing riffs. by the end of the track there are so many layers of sounds and riffs that it basically becomes noise before going out on a bass drone. this was a really rad album. no real surprises but if you dig Nadja you won't care. i know i didn't.

the live album contains 2 tracks that are untitled. it sounds like they might be chunks of Thaumogenesis that they chopped into tracks so they could play them live but i'm not sure. i probably should've listened to them back to back to see but i didn't. wherever they're from they're both rad tracks and the sound quality is pretty good.

Aluk Todolo - Descension

Burial Ground

#143) Aluk Todolo - Descension (2007)

 1. Obedience
 2. Burial Ground
 3. Woodchurch
 4. Disease

so i guess this band is made up of some dvdes from black metal bands that i've never heard of and their goal is to "create a timeless, organic mix of krautrock's strangeness and black metal's coldness". ok.  i don't really have a lot to say about this one but i definitely dug it. if you like dark, noisy, experimental stuff check it out.

Orthodox - Amanecer en Puerta Oscura

#142) Orthodox - Amanecer en Puerta Oscura (2007)

 1. Con Sangre de Quien te Ofenda
 2. Mesto Rigido e Ceremoniale
 3. Solemne Triduo
 4. Amanecer en Puerta Oscura
 5. Puerta Osario
 6. Templos
 7. Parte II: Apogeum

Orthodox are an experimental doom metal band from Spain that combine slow, heavy doom riffs with sort of free form jazz and more experimental instrumentals. this is their 2nd full length. it opens with a dark, jazzy track, moves into a couple metal tracks, goes into a few experimental parts and closes with another metal track. it's pretty much all instrumental other than 2 of the metal tracks. there's a ton of variety here and i really enjoyed that. at times it also has a very Spanish feel to it which i though was cool as well. this was a very rad album, i'm definitely gonna track down the rest of their stuff.

04/22/12: Sigur Rós - Hvarf - Heim (2007)

04/22/12: Sigur Rós - Hvarf - Heim (2007)

Hvarf

1. Salka
2. Hljómalind
3. Í Gær
4. Von
5. Hafsól

Heim

1. Samskeyti
2. Starálfur
3. Vaka
4. Ágætis byrjun
5. Heysátan
6. Von

     This is 2 CD compilation album from Sigur Rós. "Hvarf" contains studio versions of previously unreleased tracks, while "Heim" contains live acoustic versions of previously released album tracks. As with many CDs of this type, I would only recommend it to serious fans of the band. I'm not trying to discount these tracks but theres nothing truely essential here if youre new to the group. There are some really great unreleased songs here and the acoustic recordings are great. This is a really solid collection of songs that are recorded perfectly as with all of Sigur Rós' live recordings. the 5 unreleased tracks are good but I mean, they sound like Sigur Rós! Heim has a very interesting take on some of their more well known songs, but they were originally released on their documentary/concert DVD "Heima". If you want to here "acoustic" Sigur Rós, then I highly recommend tracking down the DVD or at least the audio rip of the Concert DVD because you get to hear these same 6 songs with another 12-15 tracks in the same performances. I actually listened to the full length audio rip and will be covering it in my many upcoming posts that I am trying to catch up on. (113)