#avantgarde — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #avantgarde, aggregated by home.social.
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🎵 Yoko Ono - Forgive Me My Love▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
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🎵 Eartheater - Wasp In the Fig▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
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🎵 David Byrne; Ghost Train Orchestra - My Madness▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
──────────────
🎵 David Byrne; Ghost Train Orchestra - My Madness▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
──────────────
🎵 David Byrne; Ghost Train Orchestra - My Madness▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
──────────────
🎵 David Byrne; Ghost Train Orchestra - My Madness▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
──────────────
🎵 David Byrne; Ghost Train Orchestra - My Madness▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
Custom blue collar Winchester shirt paired with a purple tie, navy waistcoat, and blue pants. I don't know why these types of shirts don't exist, I think they look good!
#fashion #custom #clothing #creative #avantgarde #menswear #artistic #selfie #wdywt #outfit #ootd #sewing #maker #oc #outfitoftheday #clothes #aesthetic
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Custom blue collar Winchester shirt paired with a purple tie, navy waistcoat, and blue pants. I don't know why these types of shirts don't exist, I think they look good!
#fashion #custom #clothing #creative #avantgarde #menswear #artistic #selfie #wdywt #outfit #ootd #sewing #maker #oc #outfitoftheday #clothes #aesthetic
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Custom blue collar Winchester shirt paired with a purple tie, navy waistcoat, and blue pants. I don't know why these types of shirts don't exist, I think they look good!
#fashion #custom #clothing #creative #avantgarde #menswear #artistic #selfie #wdywt #outfit #ootd #sewing #maker #oc #outfitoftheday #clothes #aesthetic
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Custom blue collar Winchester shirt paired with a purple tie, navy waistcoat, and blue pants. I don't know why these types of shirts don't exist, I think they look good!
#fashion #custom #clothing #creative #avantgarde #menswear #artistic #selfie #wdywt #outfit #ootd #sewing #maker #oc #outfitoftheday #clothes #aesthetic
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Custom blue collar Winchester shirt paired with a purple tie, navy waistcoat, and blue pants. I don't know why these types of shirts don't exist, I think they look good!
#fashion #custom #clothing #creative #avantgarde #menswear #artistic #selfie #wdywt #outfit #ootd #sewing #maker #oc #outfitoftheday #clothes #aesthetic
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🚀💡 Breaking news: In a shocking twist, 403 Forbidden errors are now considered the avant-garde solution to computational burdens, as engineers race to access non-existent pages for answers. 🤦♂️🥴 Apparently, understanding Intel's pricey subnormals is so exclusive, even the internet won't let you in.
https://lemire.me/blog/2026/09/15/subnormal-floating-point-numbers-are-expensive-on-intel-processors/ #403Forbidden #AvantGarde #ComputationalBurden #IntelSubnormals #TechNews #HackerNews #ngated -
🚀💡 Breaking news: In a shocking twist, 403 Forbidden errors are now considered the avant-garde solution to computational burdens, as engineers race to access non-existent pages for answers. 🤦♂️🥴 Apparently, understanding Intel's pricey subnormals is so exclusive, even the internet won't let you in.
https://lemire.me/blog/2026/09/15/subnormal-floating-point-numbers-are-expensive-on-intel-processors/ #403Forbidden #AvantGarde #ComputationalBurden #IntelSubnormals #TechNews #HackerNews #ngated -
🚀💡 Breaking news: In a shocking twist, 403 Forbidden errors are now considered the avant-garde solution to computational burdens, as engineers race to access non-existent pages for answers. 🤦♂️🥴 Apparently, understanding Intel's pricey subnormals is so exclusive, even the internet won't let you in.
https://lemire.me/blog/2026/09/15/subnormal-floating-point-numbers-are-expensive-on-intel-processors/ #403Forbidden #AvantGarde #ComputationalBurden #IntelSubnormals #TechNews #HackerNews #ngated -
🚀💡 Breaking news: In a shocking twist, 403 Forbidden errors are now considered the avant-garde solution to computational burdens, as engineers race to access non-existent pages for answers. 🤦♂️🥴 Apparently, understanding Intel's pricey subnormals is so exclusive, even the internet won't let you in.
https://lemire.me/blog/2026/09/15/subnormal-floating-point-numbers-are-expensive-on-intel-processors/ #403Forbidden #AvantGarde #ComputationalBurden #IntelSubnormals #TechNews #HackerNews #ngated -
🚀💡 Breaking news: In a shocking twist, 403 Forbidden errors are now considered the avant-garde solution to computational burdens, as engineers race to access non-existent pages for answers. 🤦♂️🥴 Apparently, understanding Intel's pricey subnormals is so exclusive, even the internet won't let you in.
https://lemire.me/blog/2026/09/15/subnormal-floating-point-numbers-are-expensive-on-intel-processors/ #403Forbidden #AvantGarde #ComputationalBurden #IntelSubnormals #TechNews #HackerNews #ngated -
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Indie 🎸 (Indie pop, indie rock, classic rock)
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🎵 Laurie Anderson - Language Is a Virus▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
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Tunnel Vision (WIP)
New electronic music track I started working on yesterday.
#Music #MusicProduction #FutureBeats #Electronic #ElectronicMusic #Electronica #Indie #IndieMusic #IndieArtist #Beat #Beats #UpTempo #Instrumental #AvantGarde #Experimental #Chiptune #Retro #RetroFuturism #MIDI #Digital #DigitalMusic #Musodon #MastoMusic
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Tunnel Vision (WIP)
New electronic music track I started working on yesterday.
#Music #MusicProduction #FutureBeats #Electronic #ElectronicMusic #Electronica #Indie #IndieMusic #IndieArtist #Beat #Beats #UpTempo #Instrumental #AvantGarde #Experimental #Chiptune #Retro #RetroFuturism #MIDI #Digital #DigitalMusic #Musodon #MastoMusic
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Tunnel Vision (WIP)
New electronic music track I started working on yesterday.
#Music #MusicProduction #FutureBeats #Electronic #ElectronicMusic #Electronica #Indie #IndieMusic #IndieArtist #Beat #Beats #UpTempo #Instrumental #AvantGarde #Experimental #Chiptune #Retro #RetroFuturism #MIDI #Digital #DigitalMusic #Musodon #MastoMusic
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Tunnel Vision (WIP)
New electronic music track I started working on yesterday.
#Music #MusicProduction #FutureBeats #Electronic #ElectronicMusic #Electronica #Indie #IndieMusic #IndieArtist #Beat #Beats #UpTempo #Instrumental #AvantGarde #Experimental #Chiptune #Retro #RetroFuturism #MIDI #Digital #DigitalMusic #Musodon #MastoMusic
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Tunnel Vision (WIP)
New electronic music track I started working on yesterday.
#Music #MusicProduction #FutureBeats #Electronic #ElectronicMusic #Electronica #Indie #IndieMusic #IndieArtist #Beat #Beats #UpTempo #Instrumental #AvantGarde #Experimental #Chiptune #Retro #RetroFuturism #MIDI #Digital #DigitalMusic #Musodon #MastoMusic
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#DzigaVertov dokumentiert in „Der Mann mit der Kamera“ den Tagesablauf einer großen sowjetischen Stadt und legt seinen Film als wegweisendes Experiment an: Er verzichtet auf narrative (literarische) und inszenierend-gestaltende (theatralische) Elemente und setzt allein auf die Wirkung der Montage. Das Ergebnis ist ein filmisches Manifest, von dessen avantgardistischen Wagemut das Kino als Kunstform bis heute zehrt.
#Dokumentarfilm #documentary #Avantgarde #Stummfilm #SilentMovie
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Um das Herz seiner Angebeteten Sally zu erobern, heuert der Straßenfotograf Luke Shannon als Kameramann bei der #MGM-Wochenschau an, liefert jedoch zu Beginn nur katastrophale Ergebnisse. Erst nachdem er Sally vor dem Ertrinken gerettet hat, gelingt Luke schließlich sowohl privat als auch beruflich der Durchbruch. #BusterKeaton's Slapstick-Meisterwerk „Der Kameramann“ ist eine köstliche Parodie auf die Arbeitsweise in der Traumfabrik.
#Stummfilm #SilentMovie(2/2)
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#DzigaVertov dokumentiert in „Der Mann mit der Kamera“ den Tagesablauf einer großen sowjetischen Stadt und legt seinen Film als wegweisendes Experiment an: Er verzichtet auf narrative (literarische) und inszenierend-gestaltende (theatralische) Elemente und setzt allein auf die Wirkung der Montage. Das Ergebnis ist ein filmisches Manifest, von dessen avantgardistischen Wagemut das Kino als Kunstform bis heute zehrt.
#Dokumentarfilm #documentary #Avantgarde #Stummfilm #SilentMovie
**********************************************
Um das Herz seiner Angebeteten Sally zu erobern, heuert der Straßenfotograf Luke Shannon als Kameramann bei der #MGM-Wochenschau an, liefert jedoch zu Beginn nur katastrophale Ergebnisse. Erst nachdem er Sally vor dem Ertrinken gerettet hat, gelingt Luke schließlich sowohl privat als auch beruflich der Durchbruch. #BusterKeaton's Slapstick-Meisterwerk „Der Kameramann“ ist eine köstliche Parodie auf die Arbeitsweise in der Traumfabrik.
#Stummfilm #SilentMovie(2/2)
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#DzigaVertov dokumentiert in „Der Mann mit der Kamera“ den Tagesablauf einer großen sowjetischen Stadt und legt seinen Film als wegweisendes Experiment an: Er verzichtet auf narrative (literarische) und inszenierend-gestaltende (theatralische) Elemente und setzt allein auf die Wirkung der Montage. Das Ergebnis ist ein filmisches Manifest, von dessen avantgardistischen Wagemut das Kino als Kunstform bis heute zehrt.
#Dokumentarfilm #documentary #Avantgarde #Stummfilm #SilentMovie
**********************************************
Um das Herz seiner Angebeteten Sally zu erobern, heuert der Straßenfotograf Luke Shannon als Kameramann bei der #MGM-Wochenschau an, liefert jedoch zu Beginn nur katastrophale Ergebnisse. Erst nachdem er Sally vor dem Ertrinken gerettet hat, gelingt Luke schließlich sowohl privat als auch beruflich der Durchbruch. #BusterKeaton's Slapstick-Meisterwerk „Der Kameramann“ ist eine köstliche Parodie auf die Arbeitsweise in der Traumfabrik.
#Stummfilm #SilentMovie(2/2)
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#DzigaVertov dokumentiert in „Der Mann mit der Kamera“ den Tagesablauf einer großen sowjetischen Stadt und legt seinen Film als wegweisendes Experiment an: Er verzichtet auf narrative (literarische) und inszenierend-gestaltende (theatralische) Elemente und setzt allein auf die Wirkung der Montage. Das Ergebnis ist ein filmisches Manifest, von dessen avantgardistischen Wagemut das Kino als Kunstform bis heute zehrt.
#Dokumentarfilm #documentary #Avantgarde #Stummfilm #SilentMovie
**********************************************
Um das Herz seiner Angebeteten Sally zu erobern, heuert der Straßenfotograf Luke Shannon als Kameramann bei der #MGM-Wochenschau an, liefert jedoch zu Beginn nur katastrophale Ergebnisse. Erst nachdem er Sally vor dem Ertrinken gerettet hat, gelingt Luke schließlich sowohl privat als auch beruflich der Durchbruch. #BusterKeaton's Slapstick-Meisterwerk „Der Kameramann“ ist eine köstliche Parodie auf die Arbeitsweise in der Traumfabrik.
#Stummfilm #SilentMovie(2/2)
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🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Sessions 🎧 (Indie pop, synth-pop, alternative rock)
──────────────
🎵 Dean Blunt - 100▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
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🇬🇧 Throbbing Gristle "The Second Annual Report" – 1977
A confrontational cornerstone of early industrial music. Recorded with abrasive electronics, tape manipulation, distorted bass, and unsettling performance fragments, the album rejects conventional song structure in favour of pure atmosphere and provocation...
#throbbinggristle #industrialmusic #experimental #avantgarde #electronicmusic #vinylcommunity #vinyl #music #vinylrecords #vinylcollector #nowspinningonvinyl #nowspinning
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🇬🇧 Throbbing Gristle "The Second Annual Report" – 1977
A confrontational cornerstone of early industrial music. Recorded with abrasive electronics, tape manipulation, distorted bass, and unsettling performance fragments, the album rejects conventional song structure in favour of pure atmosphere and provocation...
#throbbinggristle #industrialmusic #experimental #avantgarde #electronicmusic #vinylcommunity #vinyl #music #vinylrecords #vinylcollector #nowspinningonvinyl #nowspinning
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🇬🇧 Throbbing Gristle "The Second Annual Report" – 1977
A confrontational cornerstone of early industrial music. Recorded with abrasive electronics, tape manipulation, distorted bass, and unsettling performance fragments, the album rejects conventional song structure in favour of pure atmosphere and provocation...
#throbbinggristle #industrialmusic #experimental #avantgarde #electronicmusic #vinylcommunity #vinyl #music #vinylrecords #vinylcollector #nowspinningonvinyl #nowspinning
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🇬🇧 Throbbing Gristle "The Second Annual Report" – 1977
A confrontational cornerstone of early industrial music. Recorded with abrasive electronics, tape manipulation, distorted bass, and unsettling performance fragments, the album rejects conventional song structure in favour of pure atmosphere and provocation...
#throbbinggristle #industrialmusic #experimental #avantgarde #electronicmusic #vinylcommunity #vinyl #music #vinylrecords #vinylcollector #nowspinningonvinyl #nowspinning
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🇬🇧 Throbbing Gristle "The Second Annual Report" – 1977
A confrontational cornerstone of early industrial music. Recorded with abrasive electronics, tape manipulation, distorted bass, and unsettling performance fragments, the album rejects conventional song structure in favour of pure atmosphere and provocation...
#throbbinggristle #industrialmusic #experimental #avantgarde #electronicmusic #vinylcommunity #vinyl #music #vinylrecords #vinylcollector #nowspinningonvinyl #nowspinning
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“after words: visual and experimental poetry in little mags and small presses, 1960-2025”: exhibition and book
After Words: Visual and Experimental Poetry in Little Magazines and Small Presses, 1960-2025, (catalogue and exhibition), Curated by Steve Clay and M. C. Kinniburgh of Granary Press, The Grolier Club, New York, NY, April 23 – July 26, 2025
Clay, Steve and M.C. Kinniburgh:
[from garadinervi & Granary Books]AFTER WORDS: VISUAL AND EXPERIMENTAL POETRY IN LITTLE MAGAZINES AND SMALL PRESSES, 1960–2025
Granary Books, 2025. Item #3913
click to enlarge
10.75 x 8.25 in., 232 pp. smyth-sewn in wrappers. Printed full color.
This book offers a visual and thematic journey through avant-garde, concrete, visual, and experimental poetics as they appeared in ephemeral little magazines and small press publications from the 1960s onward. This book serves as an exhibition catalog for After Words: Visual and Experimental Poetry in Little Magazines and Small Presses, 1960–2025 from April 23rd to July 26, 2025, at The Grolier Club exhibition in New York City. [«The exhibition presents a wide range of international works with approximately 150 publications, including Assembling, Kontexts, Poor.Old.Tired.Horse., blewointment, Rhinozeros, The Marrahwanna Quarterly, Granary Books, Something Else Press, Edition Hansjörg Mayer, Ou, and Stereo Headphones. Poets presented include Cecilia Vicuña, bpNichol, Johanna Drucker, Tom Phillips, Emily McVarish, d.a. levy, Mirtha Dermisache, and Philip Gallo among many others»]
Small presses include: 7 Flowers Press, Agentzia, Anabasis, Asylum’s Press, Ayizan Press, Beach Books Texts & Documents, Beau Geste Press, blewointmentpress, Burning Press, C Press, Chax Press, Coach House Press, Edition Hansjörg Mayer, Edizioni Geiger, Expanded Media Editions, Fleye Press, Goliard Press, Grabhorn-Hoyem, Granary Books, Druckwerk, Hawk’s Well Press, Heiner Friedrich, The Hermetic Press, Hermetic Gallery, John Martin, Joseph Melzer Verlag, Kickshaws, Kontexts Publications, Letter Edged in Black Press, Luna Bisonte Productions, Membrane Press, Milano: East 128, New Wilderness Foundation, Nietzsche’s Brolly, Nova News, Open Book, Openings Press, PANic Press, Phenomenon Press, Poltroon Press, Renegade Press, Roaring Fork Press, Scorribanda Productions, Seedorn Verlag, Seripress, Siglio Press, Station Hill, Tarasque Press, Tetrad Press, Visual Poetry Workshop National Poetry Society of London, Wild Hawthorn Press, and Xexoxial Editions.
Little magazines include: “before your very eyes!”, A: An Envelope Magazine of Visual Poetry, Abracadabra, Alcheringa, Anti-Isolation, Approches, AQ, Assembling, Blank Tape, Bulletin From Nothing, Cenizas, Diagonal Cero, E pod, Fruit Cup, Ganglia, Geiger, Gnaoua, Industrial Sabotage, Interstate, Journeyman, Kaldron, Klacto 23, Kontakte, Kontexts, Kroklok, L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E, Libellus, Life Begins with Love, Lines, Lost and Found Times, Lost Paper, Mini, New Wilderness Letter, Pages, Poor.Old.Tired.Horse., Rawz, Revue OU, Rhinozeros, Sammelband Futura, Schmuck, Shi Shi: Concrete & Visual Poetry, Signal, Soft Need, Sondern, Spanish Fleye, Stereo Headphones, Taproot Reviews, The Acts: The Shelf Life, The Difficulties, The Improbable, The Insect Trust Gazette, The Marrahwanna Quarterly, The San Francisco Earthquake, The Subtle Journal of Raw Coinage, Toothpick Lisbon & the Orcas Islands, Unarmed: Adventurous Poetry Journal, UNI/vers(;), WhiteWalls, Xerolage, and xtant.
#19602025 #3913 #7FlowersPress #AAnEnvelopeMagazineOfVisualPoetry #Abracadabra #AfterWords #AfterWordsVisualAndExperimentalPoetryInLittleMagazinesAndSmallPresses #Agentzia #Alcheringa #Anabasis #AntiIsolation #Approches #AQ #Assembling #AsylumSPress #avantGarde #AyizanPress #BeforeYourVeryEyes_ #BeachBooksTextsDocuments #BeauGestePress #BlankTape #blewointment #blewointmentpress #bpNichol #BulletinFromNothing #BurningPress #CPress #CeciliaVicuña #Cenizas #ChaxPress #CoachHousePress #concrete #dALevy #DiagonalCero #Druckwerk #EPod #EditionHansjörgMayer #EdizioniGeiger #EmilyMcVarish #exhibit #exhibition #exhibitionCatalog #ExpandedMediaEditions #experimentalWriting #FleyePress #FruitCup #Ganglia #Geiger #Gnaoua #GoliardPress #GrabhornHoyem #GranaryBooks #HawkSWellPress #HeinerFriedrich #HermeticGallery #IndustrialSabotage #Interstate #JohannaDrucker #JohnMartin #JosephMelzerVerlag #Journeyman #Kaldron #Kickshaws #Klacto23 #Kontakte #Kontexts #KontextsPublications #Kroklok #LANGUAGE #LetterEdgedInBlackPress #Libellus #LifeBeginsWithLove #lines #lostAndFoundTimes #LostPaper #LunaBisonteProductions #MCKinniburgh #materialiVerbovisivi #MembranePress #MilanoEast128 #Mini #MirthaDermisache #NewWildernessFoundation #NewWildernessLetter #NietzscheSBrolly #NovaNews #OpenBook #OpeningsPress #Ou #Pages #PANicPress #PhenomenonPress #PhilipGallo #poets #PoltroonPress #PoorOldTiredHorse_ #Rawz #RenegadePress #RevueOU #Rhinozeros #riviste #RoaringForkPress #SammelbandFutura #Schmuck #ScorribandaProductions #SeedornVerlag #Seripress #ShiShiConcreteVisualPoetry #SiglioPress #Signal #smallPresses #SoftNeed #SomethingElsePress #Sondern #SpanishFleye #StationHill #StereoHeadphones #SteveClay #TaprootReviews #TarasquePress #TetradPress #TheActsTheShelfLife #TheDifficulties #TheGrolierClub #TheHermeticPress #TheImprobable #TheInsectTrustGazette #TheMarrahwannaQuarterly #TheSanFranciscoEarthquake #TheSubtleJournalOfRawCoinage #TomPhillips #ToothpickLisbonTheOrcasIslands #UnarmedAdventurousPoetryJournal #UNIVers_ #vispo #visualPoetry #VisualPoetryWorkshopNationalPoetrySocietyOfLondon #WhiteWalls #WildHawthornPress #xerolage #XexoxialEditions #xtant #zines
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By Dr. A.N. Grier
Oh, yay, I get to review In the Woods…!! How I haven’t reviewed them before is beyond me. I must have been in the bathroom or something. I’ve been jamming to these guys forever, which led me to another favorite band: Green Carnation. As stated before by Z and Ferox, these Norwegians are an odd bunch that can’t quite figure out what they want to be, like gender confusion but genre confusion. After almost four decades in business, they’ve tinkered with everything from black to doom to progressive metal. As of 2022’s Diversum, In the Woods… has pretty much combined all their genre influences into one. In some cases, it works; in other cases, it’s a touch messy. That said, I think I liked Diversum more than Ferox because I thought the individual songs came together nicely to create the album, though there were obvious issues with some of the tracks. Some of it might be the new singer on staff. Or, it could be the songwriting as a whole. But Fjellestad is a solid addition to the crew, returning once again for this year’s Otra. The question is, will we see another side of In the Woods…, or will they finally reel in their influences to release something stunning?
One thing I can say that should please those who weren’t quite thrilled with the new vocalist on Diversum is that Fjellestad and the band have come quite a way since 2022. I’m not saying the vocals are better (because he’s a good vocalist), but the performance and songwriting are stronger on Otra. It might be because this time around, the album has a theme that connects the songs. Personifying the Otra river in Norway, the album flows through tumultuous rapids and sputtering streams, bringing the water molecules together for a forty-five-minute rafting trip. Now that we are in a boat instead of the forest, will Otra supply a soothing mist to my face or give me… wood? Wait.
“The Things You Shouldn’t Know” begins right away with gentle guitars and soothing vocals before it erupts into harsh vox and a grooving black metal lick. As this eight-plus-minute beauty builds, it alternates between Green Carnation-like passages and Borknagar/Vintersorg-esque black metal blasts. You’ll also find passionate guitar leads here (and elsewhere on the album) that push the vocals to soaring heights. The bigness only gets bigger when a second voice partners with Fjellestad in the final chorus. “The Crimson Crown” is another biggun that opens with pleasing keys that morph into a blanket of atmoblack riffage before cruising into a bass-led verse. Then, the song explodes into a Borknagar-ish chorus with alternating clean and harsh vox that works so damn well. One of the song’s coolest sections involves a calmness over the water, where Fjellestad adds subtle movement to his voice that adds layers to the music.
Other stellar tracks are “Let Me Sing” and the closing number, “The Wandering Deity.” The closer expands on that vocal wizardry of “The Crimson Crown” by hypnotizing the airwaves with vibrato. This slick addition makes the song’s final chorus that much more impactful. Being less than six minutes in length, this song sure as hell does a lot. Using a Green Carnation foundation, it slithers its way through dark, black metal riffage, gorgeous melodies, and even some black ‘n’ roll a la Carpathian Forest. “Let Me Sing” begins as an innocent piece, introducing it with muffled keys. That’s until the sinister mid-paced chug comes in, accompanied by a surprising vocal arrangement that brings to mind Type O Negative and The Vision Bleak. This song is one of the better tracks at alternating between clean and harsh. I also can’t move on without mentioning the bass work. Not only is it more prominent than other tracks, but nothing quite gets me erect like a bass slide.
The track that does not do well at alternating between the soft and hard sections is “The Kiss and the Lie.” While not a terrible track, its transitions feel forced and awkward, making it difficult to enjoy compared to the other pieces. “Come Ye Sinners” almost suffers the same fate, but the performances make up for it in the back half to save it. While Otra would do better with a more dynamic master, I can’t deny that the songwriting and vocal performances are some of the best in this new era of In the Woods… Taking what they learned from Diversum and polishing it up, this outing is a tight, seven-track affair and one of my favorites of theirs. Though, it’s damn near impossible to achieve what they did in the past, Otra is a pleasing listen and well worth a spin for In the Woods… enthusiasts.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Prophecy Productions
Websites: in-the-woods.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/inthewoods
Releases Worldwide: April 11th, 2025#2025 #35 #Apr25 #AvantGarde #BlackMetal #Borknagar #CarpathianForest #GothicMetal #GreenCarnation #InTheWoods #NorwegianMetal #Otra #ProgressiveMetal #ProphecyProductions #Review #Reviews #TheVisionBleak #TypeONegative #Vintersorg
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By Dr. A.N. Grier
Oh, yay, I get to review In the Woods…!! How I haven’t reviewed them before is beyond me. I must have been in the bathroom or something. I’ve been jamming to these guys forever, which led me to another favorite band: Green Carnation. As stated before by Z and Ferox, these Norwegians are an odd bunch that can’t quite figure out what they want to be, like gender confusion but genre confusion. After almost four decades in business, they’ve tinkered with everything from black to doom to progressive metal. As of 2022’s Diversum, In the Woods… has pretty much combined all their genre influences into one. In some cases, it works; in other cases, it’s a touch messy. That said, I think I liked Diversum more than Ferox because I thought the individual songs came together nicely to create the album, though there were obvious issues with some of the tracks. Some of it might be the new singer on staff. Or, it could be the songwriting as a whole. But Fjellestad is a solid addition to the crew, returning once again for this year’s Otra. The question is, will we see another side of In the Woods…, or will they finally reel in their influences to release something stunning?
One thing I can say that should please those who weren’t quite thrilled with the new vocalist on Diversum is that Fjellestad and the band have come quite a way since 2022. I’m not saying the vocals are better (because he’s a good vocalist), but the performance and songwriting are stronger on Otra. It might be because this time around, the album has a theme that connects the songs. Personifying the Otra river in Norway, the album flows through tumultuous rapids and sputtering streams, bringing the water molecules together for a forty-five-minute rafting trip. Now that we are in a boat instead of the forest, will Otra supply a soothing mist to my face or give me… wood? Wait.
“The Things You Shouldn’t Know” begins right away with gentle guitars and soothing vocals before it erupts into harsh vox and a grooving black metal lick. As this eight-plus-minute beauty builds, it alternates between Green Carnation-like passages and Borknagar/Vintersorg-esque black metal blasts. You’ll also find passionate guitar leads here (and elsewhere on the album) that push the vocals to soaring heights. The bigness only gets bigger when a second voice partners with Fjellestad in the final chorus. “The Crimson Crown” is another biggun that opens with pleasing keys that morph into a blanket of atmoblack riffage before cruising into a bass-led verse. Then, the song explodes into a Borknagar-ish chorus with alternating clean and harsh vox that works so damn well. One of the song’s coolest sections involves a calmness over the water, where Fjellestad adds subtle movement to his voice that adds layers to the music.
Other stellar tracks are “Let Me Sing” and the closing number, “The Wandering Deity.” The closer expands on that vocal wizardry of “The Crimson Crown” by hypnotizing the airwaves with vibrato. This slick addition makes the song’s final chorus that much more impactful. Being less than six minutes in length, this song sure as hell does a lot. Using a Green Carnation foundation, it slithers its way through dark, black metal riffage, gorgeous melodies, and even some black ‘n’ roll a la Carpathian Forest. “Let Me Sing” begins as an innocent piece, introducing it with muffled keys. That’s until the sinister mid-paced chug comes in, accompanied by a surprising vocal arrangement that brings to mind Type O Negative and The Vision Bleak. This song is one of the better tracks at alternating between clean and harsh. I also can’t move on without mentioning the bass work. Not only is it more prominent than other tracks, but nothing quite gets me erect like a bass slide.
The track that does not do well at alternating between the soft and hard sections is “The Kiss and the Lie.” While not a terrible track, its transitions feel forced and awkward, making it difficult to enjoy compared to the other pieces. “Come Ye Sinners” almost suffers the same fate, but the performances make up for it in the back half to save it. While Otra would do better with a more dynamic master, I can’t deny that the songwriting and vocal performances are some of the best in this new era of In the Woods… Taking what they learned from Diversum and polishing it up, this outing is a tight, seven-track affair and one of my favorites of theirs. Though, it’s damn near impossible to achieve what they did in the past, Otra is a pleasing listen and well worth a spin for In the Woods… enthusiasts.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Prophecy Productions
Websites: in-the-woods.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/inthewoods
Releases Worldwide: April 11th, 2025#2025 #35 #Apr25 #AvantGarde #BlackMetal #Borknagar #CarpathianForest #GothicMetal #GreenCarnation #InTheWoods #NorwegianMetal #Otra #ProgressiveMetal #ProphecyProductions #Review #Reviews #TheVisionBleak #TypeONegative #Vintersorg
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By Dr. A.N. Grier
Oh, yay, I get to review In the Woods…!! How I haven’t reviewed them before is beyond me. I must have been in the bathroom or something. I’ve been jamming to these guys forever, which led me to another favorite band: Green Carnation. As stated before by Z and Ferox, these Norwegians are an odd bunch that can’t quite figure out what they want to be, like gender confusion but genre confusion. After almost four decades in business, they’ve tinkered with everything from black to doom to progressive metal. As of 2022’s Diversum, In the Woods… has pretty much combined all their genre influences into one. In some cases, it works; in other cases, it’s a touch messy. That said, I think I liked Diversum more than Ferox because I thought the individual songs came together nicely to create the album, though there were obvious issues with some of the tracks. Some of it might be the new singer on staff. Or, it could be the songwriting as a whole. But Fjellestad is a solid addition to the crew, returning once again for this year’s Otra. The question is, will we see another side of In the Woods…, or will they finally reel in their influences to release something stunning?
One thing I can say that should please those who weren’t quite thrilled with the new vocalist on Diversum is that Fjellestad and the band have come quite a way since 2022. I’m not saying the vocals are better (because he’s a good vocalist), but the performance and songwriting are stronger on Otra. It might be because this time around, the album has a theme that connects the songs. Personifying the Otra river in Norway, the album flows through tumultuous rapids and sputtering streams, bringing the water molecules together for a forty-five-minute rafting trip. Now that we are in a boat instead of the forest, will Otra supply a soothing mist to my face or give me… wood? Wait.
“The Things You Shouldn’t Know” begins right away with gentle guitars and soothing vocals before it erupts into harsh vox and a grooving black metal lick. As this eight-plus-minute beauty builds, it alternates between Green Carnation-like passages and Borknagar/Vintersorg-esque black metal blasts. You’ll also find passionate guitar leads here (and elsewhere on the album) that push the vocals to soaring heights. The bigness only gets bigger when a second voice partners with Fjellestad in the final chorus. “The Crimson Crown” is another biggun that opens with pleasing keys that morph into a blanket of atmoblack riffage before cruising into a bass-led verse. Then, the song explodes into a Borknagar-ish chorus with alternating clean and harsh vox that works so damn well. One of the song’s coolest sections involves a calmness over the water, where Fjellestad adds subtle movement to his voice that adds layers to the music.
Other stellar tracks are “Let Me Sing” and the closing number, “The Wandering Deity.” The closer expands on that vocal wizardry of “The Crimson Crown” by hypnotizing the airwaves with vibrato. This slick addition makes the song’s final chorus that much more impactful. Being less than six minutes in length, this song sure as hell does a lot. Using a Green Carnation foundation, it slithers its way through dark, black metal riffage, gorgeous melodies, and even some black ‘n’ roll a la Carpathian Forest. “Let Me Sing” begins as an innocent piece, introducing it with muffled keys. That’s until the sinister mid-paced chug comes in, accompanied by a surprising vocal arrangement that brings to mind Type O Negative and The Vision Bleak. This song is one of the better tracks at alternating between clean and harsh. I also can’t move on without mentioning the bass work. Not only is it more prominent than other tracks, but nothing quite gets me erect like a bass slide.
The track that does not do well at alternating between the soft and hard sections is “The Kiss and the Lie.” While not a terrible track, its transitions feel forced and awkward, making it difficult to enjoy compared to the other pieces. “Come Ye Sinners” almost suffers the same fate, but the performances make up for it in the back half to save it. While Otra would do better with a more dynamic master, I can’t deny that the songwriting and vocal performances are some of the best in this new era of In the Woods… Taking what they learned from Diversum and polishing it up, this outing is a tight, seven-track affair and one of my favorites of theirs. Though, it’s damn near impossible to achieve what they did in the past, Otra is a pleasing listen and well worth a spin for In the Woods… enthusiasts.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Prophecy Productions
Websites: in-the-woods.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/inthewoods
Releases Worldwide: April 11th, 2025#2025 #35 #Apr25 #AvantGarde #BlackMetal #Borknagar #CarpathianForest #GothicMetal #GreenCarnation #InTheWoods #NorwegianMetal #Otra #ProgressiveMetal #ProphecyProductions #Review #Reviews #TheVisionBleak #TypeONegative #Vintersorg
-
By Dr. A.N. Grier
Oh, yay, I get to review In the Woods…!! How I haven’t reviewed them before is beyond me. I must have been in the bathroom or something. I’ve been jamming to these guys forever, which led me to another favorite band: Green Carnation. As stated before by Z and Ferox, these Norwegians are an odd bunch that can’t quite figure out what they want to be, like gender confusion but genre confusion. After almost four decades in business, they’ve tinkered with everything from black to doom to progressive metal. As of 2022’s Diversum, In the Woods… has pretty much combined all their genre influences into one. In some cases, it works; in other cases, it’s a touch messy. That said, I think I liked Diversum more than Ferox because I thought the individual songs came together nicely to create the album, though there were obvious issues with some of the tracks. Some of it might be the new singer on staff. Or, it could be the songwriting as a whole. But Fjellestad is a solid addition to the crew, returning once again for this year’s Otra. The question is, will we see another side of In the Woods…, or will they finally reel in their influences to release something stunning?
One thing I can say that should please those who weren’t quite thrilled with the new vocalist on Diversum is that Fjellestad and the band have come quite a way since 2022. I’m not saying the vocals are better (because he’s a good vocalist), but the performance and songwriting are stronger on Otra. It might be because this time around, the album has a theme that connects the songs. Personifying the Otra river in Norway, the album flows through tumultuous rapids and sputtering streams, bringing the water molecules together for a forty-five-minute rafting trip. Now that we are in a boat instead of the forest, will Otra supply a soothing mist to my face or give me… wood? Wait.
“The Things You Shouldn’t Know” begins right away with gentle guitars and soothing vocals before it erupts into harsh vox and a grooving black metal lick. As this eight-plus-minute beauty builds, it alternates between Green Carnation-like passages and Borknagar/Vintersorg-esque black metal blasts. You’ll also find passionate guitar leads here (and elsewhere on the album) that push the vocals to soaring heights. The bigness only gets bigger when a second voice partners with Fjellestad in the final chorus. “The Crimson Crown” is another biggun that opens with pleasing keys that morph into a blanket of atmoblack riffage before cruising into a bass-led verse. Then, the song explodes into a Borknagar-ish chorus with alternating clean and harsh vox that works so damn well. One of the song’s coolest sections involves a calmness over the water, where Fjellestad adds subtle movement to his voice that adds layers to the music.
Other stellar tracks are “Let Me Sing” and the closing number, “The Wandering Deity.” The closer expands on that vocal wizardry of “The Crimson Crown” by hypnotizing the airwaves with vibrato. This slick addition makes the song’s final chorus that much more impactful. Being less than six minutes in length, this song sure as hell does a lot. Using a Green Carnation foundation, it slithers its way through dark, black metal riffage, gorgeous melodies, and even some black ‘n’ roll a la Carpathian Forest. “Let Me Sing” begins as an innocent piece, introducing it with muffled keys. That’s until the sinister mid-paced chug comes in, accompanied by a surprising vocal arrangement that brings to mind Type O Negative and The Vision Bleak. This song is one of the better tracks at alternating between clean and harsh. I also can’t move on without mentioning the bass work. Not only is it more prominent than other tracks, but nothing quite gets me erect like a bass slide.
The track that does not do well at alternating between the soft and hard sections is “The Kiss and the Lie.” While not a terrible track, its transitions feel forced and awkward, making it difficult to enjoy compared to the other pieces. “Come Ye Sinners” almost suffers the same fate, but the performances make up for it in the back half to save it. While Otra would do better with a more dynamic master, I can’t deny that the songwriting and vocal performances are some of the best in this new era of In the Woods… Taking what they learned from Diversum and polishing it up, this outing is a tight, seven-track affair and one of my favorites of theirs. Though, it’s damn near impossible to achieve what they did in the past, Otra is a pleasing listen and well worth a spin for In the Woods… enthusiasts.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Prophecy Productions
Websites: in-the-woods.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/inthewoods
Releases Worldwide: April 11th, 2025#2025 #35 #Apr25 #AvantGarde #BlackMetal #Borknagar #CarpathianForest #GothicMetal #GreenCarnation #InTheWoods #NorwegianMetal #Otra #ProgressiveMetal #ProphecyProductions #Review #Reviews #TheVisionBleak #TypeONegative #Vintersorg
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Stuck in the Filter – November/December’s Angry Misses
By Kenstrosity
It is time for the new year, and yet we spend its initial moments reflecting on works of the past. That’s because the works of the past are clogging up our damn Filter, and we need that to breathe in this hellhole we call a headquarters. We toil in the snow and the slush, freezing as the gunk clings to our definitely OSHA compliant protective suits and face masks. All so that you can maybe like but more likely dunk on the nuggets of treasure we find here.
Regardless of whether you enjoy what we find, we expect payment for our services. You can submit tithes via Venmo, Paypal, Bitcoin, hobo wine, unicorns, and/or goat sacrifices. Anything less will result in summary dismissal from the Hall!
Kenstrosity’s Heaving Husks
Void // Jadjow [December 8th, 2023 – Brucia Records]
Weird shit is my shit. Challenging albums that dare to subvert my expectations of the music held therein will always garner my respect. Enter UK avant-garde black metal outfit Void and their fourth LP Jadjow. A bizarrely short window spanned between this release and their previous record—only two years compared to eight years between albums one and two, ten between albums two and three. Despite the tight turnaround, the quality of the writing here is nothing to dismiss offhand. Opening duo “Fables From a Post-Truth Era” and “Interdaementional” showcase twisted songwriting dynamics, haunting vocals, squealing black metal riffs, woody blasts, and funky transitions. Consequently, they remind me of Ved Buens Ende, DHG, and Khôra. Yet, Void prove that the art of the riff is not lost in a sea of weirdness, throwing in headbangable themes and windmill-worthy whirlwinds left and right (“Only For You,” “Self Isolation,” “Swamp Dog”). Striking this balance between engaging hooks (“Fables From a Post-Truth Era,” “Swamp Dog”), danceable grooves (“Oduduwa’s Chain”), and intelligent songwriting dynamics (“When Lucifer Dies,” “Iniquitous Owl”) is tricky business, and yet Void take on the task with effortless grace and poise. In turn, fifty-six minutes of oddball progressive black metal fly by in a flash. You blink, you miss it. Don’t blink!
Irityll // Schlafes Bruder [November 23rd, 2023 – Self Release]
Do you ever wonder what melodic black metal would sound like if it had the same HM-2 tone as the filthiest Swedeath around? I sure never have. Yet, Vienna, Austria’s Irityll chose that exact combination to craft their debut LP, Schlafes Bruder. Comprising of two musicians with notable experience in the deathcore and brutal death metal worlds (Spire of Lazarus, Monument of Misanthropy), Irityll unexpectedly nail the icy black metal sound which defines Schlafes Bruder, but enhanced by the novel twist of an HM-2 buzzsaw tone. Ominous melodies and vicious blasting abound, as choice cuts like “Leichnam aus Überzeugung,” “Deppade Leit,” and “Sternengeiβel” all demonstrate with aplomb. Written in the same epic style of bands like Immortal or Dark Funeral, Schlafes Bruder succeeds primarily thanks to a tasty combination of minimalist drama and riff-focused intensity. The way it ebbs and flows between soft passages and ripping black metal, blistering speed and militant marches, all feels natural, effortless, and leads to satisfying payoffs across the forty-four-minute runtime (“Schlafes Bruder,” “Reiter des Sturmes,” “Epitaphion”). And yet, it feels like just the beginning for Irityll. With more refinement and tightening of the screws, the duo could take even greater advantage of their novel sound profile with more distinct, individualized songwriting. I’m excited by that prospect, and you should be too.
Dolphin Whisperer’s Unparalleled Uncoverings
Closet Witch // Chiaroscuro [November 3rd, 2023 – Zegema Beach Records]
If you’re familiar with Closet Witch already, or the closely related in sound and style Cloud Rat, then you’ll know that the brand of caustically-styled, emotionally-chiseled grind that they represent wastes no moment. Equally weighted by the slowing churns of powerviolence and piercing tones of screamo, Chiaroscuro, a name taken from the classical art technique of shadow-use/darkness contrast that creates wholeness, depth, and tone in a piece, uses each of its identities to drill eighteen minutes of caustic music to your memory. Unfortunately for newcomers or passerbys to the sonic assault that Closet Witch embodies, either the fuzz-rattled and blackened riffage, the clanging and splashing kit abuse, or the shrill and shrieking throat sacrifice build like a wall of bleeding noise. But in practice, Chiaroscuro contains an uncanny ebb and flow, finding footing in rhythmic refocusing (“My Words Are Sacred,” “Well-Fed Machine”), noise-assisted tip-offs (“You, Me, and the Venus in Decay,” “To the Cauldron”), and pedal-down thrusts (“Haunting,” “Arlington Cemetary”) to dog ear its shifts and landmarks. In this case, a horror-synth “Intro” and de-escalating, crinkled found-sound “Outro” are necessary to respectively set the stage and close the curtains. You don’t want to go into this cold, but Chiaroscuro burns so hot that you need a cooldown.
Exulansis // Overtures of Uprising [November 17th, 2023 – Bindrune Recordings]
You ever sit there and wonder when you’re finally gonna find a melodic black metal album that’s actually cool? No? How about one that at least incorporates vibrant violin melodies, guitar identities outside of tremolo progressions, and actual growling bass presence? Well, if so, look no further than Exulansis, a folk-inspired four-piece who finds just as much home in the creeping doom of the string work that you’d hear in an old SubRosa jam as they do in the forested black metal of Wolves in the Throne Room. But in this case, Overtures of Uprising’s four tracks will require only thirty-two minutes (it’s not enough!!) of your hard-to-earn time, a healthy balance of two standard-length numbers against two longer explorations. Whereas their previous album, 2019’s Sequestered Symphony attempted to meld a lot more gothic folk into their sound, Exulansis went and trimmed that into a whole separate album (Hymns of Collapse) this go, which has left absolutely nothing to stand in the way of the bell-hammering drive of “Of Nature & Hatred” or the eerie and screeching “A Movement in Silence”.1 And when they do slow it down for the fanciful, classical violin melodies that signal the triumphant title track or the lurching doom of “Dawning,” Exulansis finds a way to capture the beat of an anxious heart. Unified by a melodic dread, Overtures of Uprising pushes this act closer to record that’ll grab me by the hand and never let go. Fortunately, I know these strong voices have more to say.
Saunders’ Slippery Subjects
Deathcode Society // Unlightenment [November 24th, 2023 – Osmose Productions]
My end-of-year filter was badly clogged amidst the rush to finalize Listurnalia and absorb the mammoth number of releases that either flooded through late or had been backlogged. Nevertheless, in the end-of-year wash-up, I stumbled across the sophomore platter from French symphonic black metal act Deathcode Society, and their powerful, bombastic LP, Unlightenment. Traditionally, I am incredibly picky with my modern black metal, and much of the overly symphonic variety tends to fall flat or overdo the cheese. Comprised of seasoned players, Deathcode Society balances the elements deftly to craft an intriguing platter, with modern sheen and orchestral flair roughened up by second-wave influences and whiffs of later-era Emperor. The sympho-black formula can sometimes veer too drastically into melodramatic territory, adding too much fluff to soften the black metal bite. Thankfully, Deathcode Society generally nail things just right. Within the style, Deathcode Society exhibit a versatile and confident approach, as their epic, carefully layered sound ebbs and flows through diverse pastures. A technical edge permeates material that blisters and tears with speed and aggression, contrasting these pleasingly vicious assaults with mostly tasteful symphonic layers, a varied vocal palette, and long, twisty arrangements. Highlights include the potent, blasty one-two opening punch of “Scolopendra” and “Shards” dominate with sheer scope, ferocity and memorability, while the stellar “Mazed Interior” and “Scales” offer in-your-face aggression and more ambitious, head-spinning turns with maximum impact.
#2023 #AvantGarde #AvantGardeBlackMetal #BindruneRecordings #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #BruciaRecords #Chiaroscuro #ClosetWitch #CloudRat #DarkFuneral #DeathMetal #DeathcodeSociety #Dec23 #DHG #Emperor #Exulansis #Grind #Immortal #Irityll #Jadjow #Khôra #MelodicBlackMetal #MonumentOfMisanthropy #Nov23 #OrchestralBlackMetal #OsmoseProductions #OverturesOfUprising #ProgressiveBlackMetal #SchlafesBruder #SelfRelease #SpireOfLazarus #StuckInTheFilter #Subrosa #SymphonicBlackMetal #SymphonicMetal #Unlightenment #VedBuensEnde #Vøid #WolvesInTheThroneRoom #ZegemaBeachRecords
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Stuck in the Filter – November/December’s Angry Misses
By Kenstrosity
It is time for the new year, and yet we spend its initial moments reflecting on works of the past. That’s because the works of the past are clogging up our damn Filter, and we need that to breathe in this hellhole we call a headquarters. We toil in the snow and the slush, freezing as the gunk clings to our definitely OSHA compliant protective suits and face masks. All so that you can maybe like but more likely dunk on the nuggets of treasure we find here.
Regardless of whether you enjoy what we find, we expect payment for our services. You can submit tithes via Venmo, Paypal, Bitcoin, hobo wine, unicorns, and/or goat sacrifices. Anything less will result in summary dismissal from the Hall!
Kenstrosity’s Heaving Husks
Void // Jadjow [December 8th, 2023 – Brucia Records]
Weird shit is my shit. Challenging albums that dare to subvert my expectations of the music held therein will always garner my respect. Enter UK avant-garde black metal outfit Void and their fourth LP Jadjow. A bizarrely short window spanned between this release and their previous record—only two years compared to eight years between albums one and two, ten between albums two and three. Despite the tight turnaround, the quality of the writing here is nothing to dismiss offhand. Opening duo “Fables From a Post-Truth Era” and “Interdaementional” showcase twisted songwriting dynamics, haunting vocals, squealing black metal riffs, woody blasts, and funky transitions. Consequently, they remind me of Ved Buens Ende, DHG, and Khôra. Yet, Void prove that the art of the riff is not lost in a sea of weirdness, throwing in headbangable themes and windmill-worthy whirlwinds left and right (“Only For You,” “Self Isolation,” “Swamp Dog”). Striking this balance between engaging hooks (“Fables From a Post-Truth Era,” “Swamp Dog”), danceable grooves (“Oduduwa’s Chain”), and intelligent songwriting dynamics (“When Lucifer Dies,” “Iniquitous Owl”) is tricky business, and yet Void take on the task with effortless grace and poise. In turn, fifty-six minutes of oddball progressive black metal fly by in a flash. You blink, you miss it. Don’t blink!
Irityll // Schlafes Bruder [November 23rd, 2023 – Self Release]
Do you ever wonder what melodic black metal would sound like if it had the same HM-2 tone as the filthiest Swedeath around? I sure never have. Yet, Vienna, Austria’s Irityll chose that exact combination to craft their debut LP, Schlafes Bruder. Comprising of two musicians with notable experience in the deathcore and brutal death metal worlds (Spire of Lazarus, Monument of Misanthropy), Irityll unexpectedly nail the icy black metal sound which defines Schlafes Bruder, but enhanced by the novel twist of an HM-2 buzzsaw tone. Ominous melodies and vicious blasting abound, as choice cuts like “Leichnam aus Überzeugung,” “Deppade Leit,” and “Sternengeiβel” all demonstrate with aplomb. Written in the same epic style of bands like Immortal or Dark Funeral, Schlafes Bruder succeeds primarily thanks to a tasty combination of minimalist drama and riff-focused intensity. The way it ebbs and flows between soft passages and ripping black metal, blistering speed and militant marches, all feels natural, effortless, and leads to satisfying payoffs across the forty-four-minute runtime (“Schlafes Bruder,” “Reiter des Sturmes,” “Epitaphion”). And yet, it feels like just the beginning for Irityll. With more refinement and tightening of the screws, the duo could take even greater advantage of their novel sound profile with more distinct, individualized songwriting. I’m excited by that prospect, and you should be too.
Dolphin Whisperer’s Unparalleled Uncoverings
Closet Witch // Chiaroscuro [November 3rd, 2023 – Zegema Beach Records]
If you’re familiar with Closet Witch already, or the closely related in sound and style Cloud Rat, then you’ll know that the brand of caustically-styled, emotionally-chiseled grind that they represent wastes no moment. Equally weighted by the slowing churns of powerviolence and piercing tones of screamo, Chiaroscuro, a name taken from the classical art technique of shadow-use/darkness contrast that creates wholeness, depth, and tone in a piece, uses each of its identities to drill eighteen minutes of caustic music to your memory. Unfortunately for newcomers or passerbys to the sonic assault that Closet Witch embodies, either the fuzz-rattled and blackened riffage, the clanging and splashing kit abuse, or the shrill and shrieking throat sacrifice build like a wall of bleeding noise. But in practice, Chiaroscuro contains an uncanny ebb and flow, finding footing in rhythmic refocusing (“My Words Are Sacred,” “Well-Fed Machine”), noise-assisted tip-offs (“You, Me, and the Venus in Decay,” “To the Cauldron”), and pedal-down thrusts (“Haunting,” “Arlington Cemetary”) to dog ear its shifts and landmarks. In this case, a horror-synth “Intro” and de-escalating, crinkled found-sound “Outro” are necessary to respectively set the stage and close the curtains. You don’t want to go into this cold, but Chiaroscuro burns so hot that you need a cooldown.
Exulansis // Overtures of Uprising [November 17th, 2023 – Bindrune Recordings]
You ever sit there and wonder when you’re finally gonna find a melodic black metal album that’s actually cool? No? How about one that at least incorporates vibrant violin melodies, guitar identities outside of tremolo progressions, and actual growling bass presence? Well, if so, look no further than Exulansis, a folk-inspired four-piece who finds just as much home in the creeping doom of the string work that you’d hear in an old SubRosa jam as they do in the forested black metal of Wolves in the Throne Room. But in this case, Overtures of Uprising’s four tracks will require only thirty-two minutes (it’s not enough!!) of your hard-to-earn time, a healthy balance of two standard-length numbers against two longer explorations. Whereas their previous album, 2019’s Sequestered Symphony attempted to meld a lot more gothic folk into their sound, Exulansis went and trimmed that into a whole separate album (Hymns of Collapse) this go, which has left absolutely nothing to stand in the way of the bell-hammering drive of “Of Nature & Hatred” or the eerie and screeching “A Movement in Silence”.1 And when they do slow it down for the fanciful, classical violin melodies that signal the triumphant title track or the lurching doom of “Dawning,” Exulansis finds a way to capture the beat of an anxious heart. Unified by a melodic dread, Overtures of Uprising pushes this act closer to record that’ll grab me by the hand and never let go. Fortunately, I know these strong voices have more to say.
Saunders’ Slippery Subjects
Deathcode Society // Unlightenment [November 24th, 2023 – Osmose Productions]
My end-of-year filter was badly clogged amidst the rush to finalize Listurnalia and absorb the mammoth number of releases that either flooded through late or had been backlogged. Nevertheless, in the end-of-year wash-up, I stumbled across the sophomore platter from French symphonic black metal act Deathcode Society, and their powerful, bombastic LP, Unlightenment. Traditionally, I am incredibly picky with my modern black metal, and much of the overly symphonic variety tends to fall flat or overdo the cheese. Comprised of seasoned players, Deathcode Society balances the elements deftly to craft an intriguing platter, with modern sheen and orchestral flair roughened up by second-wave influences and whiffs of later-era Emperor. The sympho-black formula can sometimes veer too drastically into melodramatic territory, adding too much fluff to soften the black metal bite. Thankfully, Deathcode Society generally nail things just right. Within the style, Deathcode Society exhibit a versatile and confident approach, as their epic, carefully layered sound ebbs and flows through diverse pastures. A technical edge permeates material that blisters and tears with speed and aggression, contrasting these pleasingly vicious assaults with mostly tasteful symphonic layers, a varied vocal palette, and long, twisty arrangements. Highlights include the potent, blasty one-two opening punch of “Scolopendra” and “Shards” dominate with sheer scope, ferocity and memorability, while the stellar “Mazed Interior” and “Scales” offer in-your-face aggression and more ambitious, head-spinning turns with maximum impact.
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