#carrionvael — Public Fediverse posts

Carrion Vael has cultivated an admirably consistent release schedule since dropping Resurrection of the Doomed in 2017. After unleashing follow-up God Killer in 2020, the Richmond, Indiana quintet has delivered big, veiny doses of muscular, technical melodeath every other year. Slay Utterly is Carrion Vael’s fifth load of unfettered aggression, slinging riffs that sparkle and crush in whiplashing frenzies. Though not explicitly billed as a concept album, Slay Utterly delves into tales morbid and macabre. Each track describes a different serial killer, with songs exploring the perspectives of both killers and their victims. It’s a brutal conceit, and with it Carrion Vael bum-rushes into 2026 with ambitions of aural beatdowns that’ll leave your ears bleeding. With five albums in fewer than ten years, does Carrion Vael have the stamina to keep slaying, or would they benefit from more premeditation?

Looking back over the last three albums, Carrion Vael strikes me as a band trying out different personas. Abhorrent Obsessions revels in technicality, reminding me of Exocrine and Psycroptic, while Cannibals Anonymous dabbles with deathcore along with adding a hearty helping of clean vocals. Overall, Carrion Vael embodies the violent onslaught of The Black Dahlia Murder and merges it with the melodic agility of Allegaeon, crafting an influence-laced affair with staunch sonic keystones. The clean and harsh vocal trade-offs throughout Slay Utterly serve as a clever nod to the killer/victim subject matter, expanding on the melodic phrasing from Cannibals. Meanwhile, understated orchestrations occasionally sneak in, unlocking an intricate audio arena that ranges from bludgeoning to grandiose and bracing Carrion Vael for their next evolution.

Slay Utterly by Carrion Vael

Carrion Vael scintillates with battering virtuosity on Slay Utterly, continuing both the technical guile from Abhorrent Obsessions and the savage euphony of Cannibals Anonymous. Guitarists Trenton Limburg and Ryan Kurder strut up and down the fretboard like cocks of the walk, ejecting molten melodies and solos with wicked exuberance. “Truth or Consequences” features choice six-string moments, opening with a stripped-back, Spanish-style acoustic jaunt and unleashing a nifty harmonized solo towards the end. In the meantime, human metronome Matt Boehner bashes his kit to smithereens, rarely relenting in his unyielding kicks and bionically smooth fills. On the vocal front, Travis Lawson Purcell roars, croons, and bellows in an inspired exhibition of versatility, with “1912” demonstrating his strong cleans as well as rapid-fire stylings that recall Archspire. Throughout, subtle swells of strings (“19(fucking)78”, “Black Chariot”) expand on a burgeoning dimension of Carrion Vael’s already overflowing arsenal.

Despite Carrion Vael doing so much right, a few weak links undercut what Slay Utterly could be. Given the complex layers populating this lush soundscape, it craves room to breathe. Instead, Slay Utterly nearly asphyxiates for lack of dynamic range, with Alex Arford’s bass the most immediate casualty in the loudness war.1 Listening in my car or through my computer speakers dampens the experience because of how crushed everything sounds, which I loathe because of the fabulous passion present. My headphones present an improved experience, but not by much. Influences also restrict Carrion Vael’s identity, where some tracks sound like mashups of other bands rather than an original, cohesive personality. While “40 Echoes upon the Parlor” separates itself by dexterously blending hyper-speed guitars, harsh and clean vocals, and supporting orchestrations, adopting this modality across all tracks would further buoy Slay Utterly. Lastly, I wish there were more obvious musical cues that coincided with the album’s theme. I listened to it ten times before I read the promo blurb about serial killers and their victims, but even knowing that, nothing stands out to connect the songs with their inspirations. Leaning into the concept more would have helped the album attain loftier heights.

Ultimately, Slay Utterly leaves me torn of heart and eardrum. Carrion Vael delivers a fun album that I would revisit more if the production leaned toward organic and rich rather than bricked and over-compressed. Despite that, these Hoosiers have constructed a burly forty-two minutes that sizzle with enough slick riffcraft to justify at least one spin. Knowing what aural atrocities Carrion Vael is capable of committing, I hope their next platter saunters in with a better production and more hooks to kill.

Rating: Good
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Unique Leader Records
Websites: Bandcamp23 | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: January 16th, 2026

Stuck in the Filter: March 2024’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

While it was cold and gloomy just a couple weeks before writing, now it’s blisteringly hot and humid. Such is the transition from February to April in the land of Ken. It’s May now, of course, so we are once again traveling back in time to when our Filter was brimming with scabs and scaled plucked from the Hides of March. As is my prerogative, I sent my minions, which are legion, into the thick of it to retrieve those lost gems which would otherwise be damned for musty eternity.

So, without further ado, my I interest you in our March Filter wares? The answer is always yes (or else)!

Kenstrosity’s Singular Stipend

Saturday Night Satan // All Things Black [March 15th, 2024 – Self-Released]

Obviously, I was bound to spin this record. A kitty on the cover? Sold. That’s literally all I needed to know I was gonna dig Greek occult heavy metal duo Saturday Night Satan. Lo and behold, their debut full-length All Things Black RAWKS. The first five songs, from rollicking opener “5 AM” to “Lurking in the Shadows,” constitute perhaps the best and most addicting introduction to a new band that I’ve heard in ages. Jim Kotsis’ (Black Soul Horde) swaggering riffs, buttery-smooth bass, and infectious rhythms consistently motivate this record through high-octane, bar-ready romps and doom-y crawls with equal liveliness, proving himself to be a versatile and exciting musician. Meanwhile, Kate Soulthorn croons and belts her way across this record with a venomous, but brassy and clear delivery oozing with charisma (“Rule With Fire,” “Lurking in the Shadows,” “Witches’ Dance”). While the record loses just a touch of momentum in the middle (“By the River, Crown of Arrogance”), there are no bad tracks to be found. Furthermore, repeat spins yield even greater enjoyment, as this record has only grown on me since my first spin and I don’t expect that trend to taper anytime soon.

Tales From the Garden

Molten // Malicide [March 6th, 2024 – Transylvanian Recordings]

Sometimes a band does one thing so well you don’t really need anything else to be great. Molten doesn’t stand out because of its vocals, a serviceable but somewhat limited growl. The drums are likewise decent, but nothing to cream your pants over. But the riffs! If that hurly burly bouncing up the stairs riff of “Pathogenesis” doesn’t put your facehole in a grin, it may be time to call it quits on death metal. Same for the insane, blistering solo that punctuates “Scorched” or the absolute neck-snapping title track. The latter is also the best place to spot the skillful bass parts that sneakily elevate the guitars to sound as good as they do. With a bunch of short ‘n snappy tracks showcasing Molten’s chops, a sudden 9-and-a-half-minute thrash epic sounds like a disaster in waiting, but the riffs, the solos and the serpentine bass are all high enough quality that I don’t want the San Fran boys to stop firing their big hooky shit at my face anyway. Malicide is a humble package, utterly crammed with infectious fun and riffy goodness, so get on that shit or get off the death metal pot.

Saunders’ Smoldering Cinders

BRAT // Social Grace [March 15th, 2024 – Prosthetic Records]

Look beyond their questionable moniker and self-proclaimed ‘Bimboviolence’ tag, and NOLA up-and-comers BRAT impresses on their debut LP, Social Grace. Listeners would be foolish to pass over this band as some sort of gimmicky modern metal act, the rugged, ugly musical form BRAT composes packs a serious punch. Social Grace present a thuggish, volatile concoction where the crossroads of grind, death and powerviolence meet. Factor in sludgy hues and seedy NOLA tones adding layers of extra grime and grit to short, sharp, stabbing cuts that pull no punches. The blasty, belligerent throes of old school grind meets sludge stomp of “Hesitation Wound” showcases BRAT’s deft ability to shift gears and compliment rabid blasting and grindy chaos, with infectious riffs and brawling grooves. Social Grace features similarly raw examples of gnarly, unbridled menace. Amped aggression, throaty vocals and speedy surges are complemented by fun, headbanging riffs and toughened grooves, lending the album a catchy edge and solid replay value reflected on gems such as the rifftastic title track, contrasting charms of “Truncheon,” and feedback-drenched grind-punk fury of “Human Offense.”

Suicidal Angels // Profane Prayer [March 1st, 2024 – Nuclear Blast]

Unsung Greek institution Suicidal Angels have pumped out material since the early aughts, crafting Euro-flavored thrash with a heavy dose of American influence, including Exodus and Slayer. Throw in an occasional atmospheric, melodeath twist, and you are left with a dependably solid batch of meat and potatoes goodness. Although rarely blowing minds, Suicidal Angels’ retro thrash platters, such as Dead Again and Bloodbath, represent potent examples of the band’s trusty formula. Following a five-year recording gap, Suicidal Angels return with their eighth LP, Profane Prayer. Profane Prayer follows a familiar trajectory, yet sounds fresh, full of energy and armed with fiery, aggressive riffage. These dudes are a tight unit, and the explosive speediness and exuberant performances shine alongside killer old school riffage, slashing solos, and technical embellishments. Ferociously infectious thrashers like “When the Lions Die,” “Purified by Fire,” “Crypts of Madness” and ‘Virtues of Destruction” sound more inspired than I’ve heard from the band in some time. Profane Prayer has moments of bloat, but the pros outweigh the cons, resulting in a largely enjoyable and explosive thrash platter. Props to the band for stretching their wings on the epic, progressively leaning journey of “Deathstalker,” and similarly adventurous closer “The Fire Paths of Fate,” showing Suicidal Angels still have some tricks up their sleeves.

Thus Spoke’s Forgotten Findings

Carrion Vael // Cannibals Anonymous [March 29th, 2024 – Unique Leader Records]

I was introduced to Carrion Vael by Dr. Grier’s review of their 2022 LP Abhorrent Obsessions where he deemed it “a beast of a record,” and I wholeheartedly concurred. Fortunately for all of us lovers of the Indiana melodeath/deathcore/generally heavy bunch, Cannibals Anonymous largely picks up where the previous one left off. It’s vicious, and satisfyingly slick, the rapidly descending/ascending scales, smooth, fast transitions between always-driving-forward tempos, and cutthroat snarls once again betraying a Black Dahlia Murder influence, but with a bit more of a deathcore angle. The riffy kind of deathcore. Because yeah, this thing has riffs (see especially ” “Love Zombie,” “Discount Meats,” and “Pins and Needles”)—as well as gore—spilling out of its every orifice, and they’re great. Also surprisingly fun are the further extended use of cleans now appearing on most of the album’s tracks, which only serve to make them more catchy, compelling, and fun, whether they’re shouty and atonal (“Discount Meats”), or genuinely mellifluous (“Savage Messiah,” “Pins and Needles,” “Augusta’s Dead”); and they’re more often the latter. Carrion Vael also lean a little further into the urgent-minor melodic refrain territory that made Abhorrent Obsessions so sticky, with “Savage Messiah,” “Pins and Needles,” and “Everything/Nothing” standing out. This isn’t changing the scene, but goddamn it if you won’t have a fucking fantastic time chucking some heavy weights around or generally vibing with a massive grin on your face whilst listening to it. Go on, you know you want to.

Dear Hollow’s Deafening Debris

Givre // Le Cloître [March 29th, 2024 – Eisenwald]

It’s not often that a black metal band willingly discusses Christianity in a somewhat endearing light, so the Quebecois Givre is a bit of a conundrum. However, in the most brutal fashion possible, this trio discusses examples of female saints and each respective trail of pain left behind in the pursuit of holiness. Given the subject matter, you can imagine the cross that is borne across its forty-two-minute runtime. Each track carries with it a mood and style of its own, united as a whole through the atoning power of agony, as all characters throughout have suffered greatly for the sake of Christ. That being said, this is regardless a hopeful album, and in many ways, La Cloître feels like a meditation, fluid movements whose organicity revolves around gentle plucking. While tracks like opener “Marthe Robin (1902-1981)” and “Sainte Thérèse d’Avila (1515-1582)” embrace this aesthetic of prayerful lamentation, it does not stop the winding riff punishment of “Louise du Néant (1639-1694)” from scorching the surrounding soil, or the mysterious, nearly Southern rock-oriented, “Sainte Hildegarde de Bingen (1098-1179)” and desperate start-stop riffs of “Sainte Marguerite de Cortone (1247-1297)” from commanding otherworldly planes. While the stylistic choices differ and may be jarring to listeners, it is cemented by its theme as it pursues God down lesser-trodden trails of atonement through flagellation.

Profane Burial // My Plateau [March 1st, 2024 – Crime Records]

The Norwegian black metallers channel nearly everything they can get their grimy claws onto in My Plateau. Profane Burial professes to be “cinematic black metal,” and that is an accurate description in its boundary-pushing of atmospheric and symphonic texture: imagine if Midnight Odyssey and Septicflesh met at a midnight showing of The Exorcist. Besides its more contemplative moments, you’ll find that My Plateau is a deceptively mammoth listen, as chugging guitars and colossal drums collide with grim symphonics and haunting ambiance. The opening title track, “Fragments of Dirge,” and “Disambiguate Eradication” are aptly bombastic kabooms in mad waltzes of demonic proportions layered with rich symphonic textures, while the blasts colliding with chugs and piano trills in “Moribund” and “Righteous Indoctrination” add to the Wreche-on-crack vibe, while the triumphant battle cry in closer “Horror Code” is equal parts macabre and pummeling. For being inspired by horror scores, Profane Burial is scatterbrained and wonky, but it doesn’t stop My Plateau from embracing the bombast in a fun-as-hell symphonic black metal foray touched by madness.

#2024 #AllThingsBlack #AmericanMetal #AtmosphericBlackMetal #BlackMetal #BlackSoulHorde #BRAT #CanadianMetal #CannibalsAnonymous #CarrionVael #CrimeRecords #DeathMetal #Deathcore #Doom #Eisenwald #Exodus #Givre #GreekMetal #Grindcore #HeavyMetal #LeCloître #Malicide #Mar24 #MelodicDeathMetal #MidnightOdyssey #Molten #MyPlateau #NorwegianMetal #NuclearBlastRecords #OccultMetal #OccultRock #Powerviolence #ProfaneBurial #ProfanePrayer #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews #SaturdayNightSatan #SelfRelease #SepticFlesh #SepticFlesh #Slayer #SocialGrace #StuckInTheFilter #SuicidalAngels #SymphonicBlackMetal #TheBlackDahliaMurder #ThrashMetal #TransylvanianRecords #UniqueLeaderRecords #Wreche

Stuck in the Filter: March 2024’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

While it was cold and gloomy just a couple weeks before writing, now it’s blisteringly hot and humid. Such is the transition from February to April in the land of Ken. It’s May now, of course, so we are once again traveling back in time to when our Filter was brimming with scabs and scaled plucked from the Hides of March. As is my prerogative, I sent my minions, which are legion, into the thick of it to retrieve those lost gems which would otherwise be damned for musty eternity.

So, without further ado, my I interest you in our March Filter wares? The answer is always yes (or else)!

Kenstrosity’s Singular Stipend

Saturday Night Satan // All Things Black [March 15th, 2024 – Self-Released]

Obviously, I was bound to spin this record. A kitty on the cover? Sold. That’s literally all I needed to know I was gonna dig Greek occult heavy metal duo Saturday Night Satan. Lo and behold, their debut full-length All Things Black RAWKS. The first five songs, from rollicking opener “5 AM” to “Lurking in the Shadows,” constitute perhaps the best and most addicting introduction to a new band that I’ve heard in ages. Jim Kotsis’ (Black Soul Horde) swaggering riffs, buttery-smooth bass, and infectious rhythms consistently motivate this record through high-octane, bar-ready romps and doom-y crawls with equal liveliness, proving himself to be a versatile and exciting musician. Meanwhile, Kate Soulthorn croons and belts her way across this record with a venomous, but brassy and clear delivery oozing with charisma (“Rule With Fire,” “Lurking in the Shadows,” “Witches’ Dance”). While the record loses just a touch of momentum in the middle (“By the River, Crown of Arrogance”), there are no bad tracks to be found. Furthermore, repeat spins yield even greater enjoyment, as this record has only grown on me since my first spin and I don’t expect that trend to taper anytime soon.

Tales From the Garden

Molten // Malicide [March 6th, 2024 – Transylvanian Recordings]

Sometimes a band does one thing so well you don’t really need anything else to be great. Molten doesn’t stand out because of its vocals, a serviceable but somewhat limited growl. The drums are likewise decent, but nothing to cream your pants over. But the riffs! If that hurly burly bouncing up the stairs riff of “Pathogenesis” doesn’t put your facehole in a grin, it may be time to call it quits on death metal. Same for the insane, blistering solo that punctuates “Scorched” or the absolute neck-snapping title track. The latter is also the best place to spot the skillful bass parts that sneakily elevate the guitars to sound as good as they do. With a bunch of short ‘n snappy tracks showcasing Molten’s chops, a sudden 9-and-a-half-minute thrash epic sounds like a disaster in waiting, but the riffs, the solos and the serpentine bass are all high enough quality that I don’t want the San Fran boys to stop firing their big hooky shit at my face anyway. Malicide is a humble package, utterly crammed with infectious fun and riffy goodness, so get on that shit or get off the death metal pot.

Saunders’ Smoldering Cinders

BRAT // Social Grace [March 15th, 2024 – Prosthetic Records]

Look beyond their questionable moniker and self-proclaimed ‘Bimboviolence’ tag, and NOLA up-and-comers BRAT impresses on their debut LP, Social Grace. Listeners would be foolish to pass over this band as some sort of gimmicky modern metal act, the rugged, ugly musical form BRAT composes packs a serious punch. Social Grace present a thuggish, volatile concoction where the crossroads of grind, death and powerviolence meet. Factor in sludgy hues and seedy NOLA tones adding layers of extra grime and grit to short, sharp, stabbing cuts that pull no punches. The blasty, belligerent throes of old school grind meets sludge stomp of “Hesitation Wound” showcases BRAT’s deft ability to shift gears and compliment rabid blasting and grindy chaos, with infectious riffs and brawling grooves. Social Grace features similarly raw examples of gnarly, unbridled menace. Amped aggression, throaty vocals and speedy surges are complemented by fun, headbanging riffs and toughened grooves, lending the album a catchy edge and solid replay value reflected on gems such as the rifftastic title track, contrasting charms of “Truncheon,” and feedback-drenched grind-punk fury of “Human Offense.”

Suicidal Angels // Profane Prayer [March 1st, 2024 – Nuclear Blast]

Unsung Greek institution Suicidal Angels have pumped out material since the early aughts, crafting Euro-flavored thrash with a heavy dose of American influence, including Exodus and Slayer. Throw in an occasional atmospheric, melodeath twist, and you are left with a dependably solid batch of meat and potatoes goodness. Although rarely blowing minds, Suicidal Angels’ retro thrash platters, such as Dead Again and Bloodbath, represent potent examples of the band’s trusty formula. Following a five-year recording gap, Suicidal Angels return with their eighth LP, Profane Prayer. Profane Prayer follows a familiar trajectory, yet sounds fresh, full of energy and armed with fiery, aggressive riffage. These dudes are a tight unit, and the explosive speediness and exuberant performances shine alongside killer old school riffage, slashing solos, and technical embellishments. Ferociously infectious thrashers like “When the Lions Die,” “Purified by Fire,” “Crypts of Madness” and ‘Virtues of Destruction” sound more inspired than I’ve heard from the band in some time. Profane Prayer has moments of bloat, but the pros outweigh the cons, resulting in a largely enjoyable and explosive thrash platter. Props to the band for stretching their wings on the epic, progressively leaning journey of “Deathstalker,” and similarly adventurous closer “The Fire Paths of Fate,” showing Suicidal Angels still have some tricks up their sleeves.

Thus Spoke’s Forgotten Findings

Carrion Vael // Cannibals Anonymous [March 29th, 2024 – Unique Leader Records]

I was introduced to Carrion Vael by Dr. Grier’s review of their 2022 LP Abhorrent Obsessions where he deemed it “a beast of a record,” and I wholeheartedly concurred. Fortunately for all of us lovers of the Indiana melodeath/deathcore/generally heavy bunch, Cannibals Anonymous largely picks up where the previous one left off. It’s vicious, and satisfyingly slick, the rapidly descending/ascending scales, smooth, fast transitions between always-driving-forward tempos, and cutthroat snarls once again betraying a Black Dahlia Murder influence, but with a bit more of a deathcore angle. The riffy kind of deathcore. Because yeah, this thing has riffs (see especially ” “Love Zombie,” “Discount Meats,” and “Pins and Needles”)—as well as gore—spilling out of its every orifice, and they’re great. Also surprisingly fun are the further extended use of cleans now appearing on most of the album’s tracks, which only serve to make them more catchy, compelling, and fun, whether they’re shouty and atonal (“Discount Meats”), or genuinely mellifluous (“Savage Messiah,” “Pins and Needles,” “Augusta’s Dead”); and they’re more often the latter. Carrion Vael also lean a little further into the urgent-minor melodic refrain territory that made Abhorrent Obsessions so sticky, with “Savage Messiah,” “Pins and Needles,” and “Everything/Nothing” standing out. This isn’t changing the scene, but goddamn it if you won’t have a fucking fantastic time chucking some heavy weights around or generally vibing with a massive grin on your face whilst listening to it. Go on, you know you want to.

Dear Hollow’s Deafening Debris

Givre // Le Cloître [March 29th, 2024 – Eisenwald]

It’s not often that a black metal band willingly discusses Christianity in a somewhat endearing light, so the Quebecois Givre is a bit of a conundrum. However, in the most brutal fashion possible, this trio discusses examples of female saints and each respective trail of pain left behind in the pursuit of holiness. Given the subject matter, you can imagine the cross that is borne across its forty-two-minute runtime. Each track carries with it a mood and style of its own, united as a whole through the atoning power of agony, as all characters throughout have suffered greatly for the sake of Christ. That being said, this is regardless a hopeful album, and in many ways, La Cloître feels like a meditation, fluid movements whose organicity revolves around gentle plucking. While tracks like opener “Marthe Robin (1902-1981)” and “Sainte Thérèse d’Avila (1515-1582)” embrace this aesthetic of prayerful lamentation, it does not stop the winding riff punishment of “Louise du Néant (1639-1694)” from scorching the surrounding soil, or the mysterious, nearly Southern rock-oriented, “Sainte Hildegarde de Bingen (1098-1179)” and desperate start-stop riffs of “Sainte Marguerite de Cortone (1247-1297)” from commanding otherworldly planes. While the stylistic choices differ and may be jarring to listeners, it is cemented by its theme as it pursues God down lesser-trodden trails of atonement through flagellation.

Profane Burial // My Plateau [March 1st, 2024 – Crime Records]

The Norwegian black metallers channel nearly everything they can get their grimy claws onto in My Plateau. Profane Burial professes to be “cinematic black metal,” and that is an accurate description in its boundary-pushing of atmospheric and symphonic texture: imagine if Midnight Odyssey and Septicflesh met at a midnight showing of The Exorcist. Besides its more contemplative moments, you’ll find that My Plateau is a deceptively mammoth listen, as chugging guitars and colossal drums collide with grim symphonics and haunting ambiance. The opening title track, “Fragments of Dirge,” and “Disambiguate Eradication” are aptly bombastic kabooms in mad waltzes of demonic proportions layered with rich symphonic textures, while the blasts colliding with chugs and piano trills in “Moribund” and “Righteous Indoctrination” add to the Wreche-on-crack vibe, while the triumphant battle cry in closer “Horror Code” is equal parts macabre and pummeling. For being inspired by horror scores, Profane Burial is scatterbrained and wonky, but it doesn’t stop My Plateau from embracing the bombast in a fun-as-hell symphonic black metal foray touched by madness.

#2024 #AllThingsBlack #AmericanMetal #AtmosphericBlackMetal #BlackMetal #BlackSoulHorde #BRAT #CanadianMetal #CannibalsAnonymous #CarrionVael #CrimeRecords #DeathMetal #Deathcore #Doom #Eisenwald #Exodus #Givre #GreekMetal #Grindcore #HeavyMetal #LeCloître #Malicide #Mar24 #MelodicDeathMetal #MidnightOdyssey #Molten #MyPlateau #NorwegianMetal #NuclearBlastRecords #OccultMetal #OccultRock #Powerviolence #ProfaneBurial #ProfanePrayer #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews #SaturdayNightSatan #SelfRelease #SepticFlesh #SepticFlesh #Slayer #SocialGrace #StuckInTheFilter #SuicidalAngels #SymphonicBlackMetal #TheBlackDahliaMurder #ThrashMetal #TransylvanianRecords #UniqueLeaderRecords #Wreche

Stuck in the Filter: March 2024’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity

While it was cold and gloomy just a couple weeks before writing, now it’s blisteringly hot and humid. Such is the transition from February to April in the land of Ken. It’s May now, of course, so we are once again traveling back in time to when our Filter was brimming with scabs and scaled plucked from the Hides of March. As is my prerogative, I sent my minions, which are legion, into the thick of it to retrieve those lost gems which would otherwise be damned for musty eternity.

So, without further ado, my I interest you in our March Filter wares? The answer is always yes (or else)!

Kenstrosity’s Singular Stipend

Saturday Night Satan // All Things Black [March 15th, 2024 – Self-Released]

Obviously, I was bound to spin this record. A kitty on the cover? Sold. That’s literally all I needed to know I was gonna dig Greek occult heavy metal duo Saturday Night Satan. Lo and behold, their debut full-length All Things Black RAWKS. The first five songs, from rollicking opener “5 AM” to “Lurking in the Shadows,” constitute perhaps the best and most addicting introduction to a new band that I’ve heard in ages. Jim Kotsis’ (Black Soul Horde) swaggering riffs, buttery-smooth bass, and infectious rhythms consistently motivate this record through high-octane, bar-ready romps and doom-y crawls with equal liveliness, proving himself to be a versatile and exciting musician. Meanwhile, Kate Soulthorn croons and belts her way across this record with a venomous, but brassy and clear delivery oozing with charisma (“Rule With Fire,” “Lurking in the Shadows,” “Witches’ Dance”). While the record loses just a touch of momentum in the middle (“By the River, Crown of Arrogance”), there are no bad tracks to be found. Furthermore, repeat spins yield even greater enjoyment, as this record has only grown on me since my first spin and I don’t expect that trend to taper anytime soon.

Tales From the Garden

Molten // Malicide [March 6th, 2024 – Transylvanian Recordings]

Sometimes a band does one thing so well you don’t really need anything else to be great. Molten doesn’t stand out because of its vocals, a serviceable but somewhat limited growl. The drums are likewise decent, but nothing to cream your pants over. But the riffs! If that hurly burly bouncing up the stairs riff of “Pathogenesis” doesn’t put your facehole in a grin, it may be time to call it quits on death metal. Same for the insane, blistering solo that punctuates “Scorched” or the absolute neck-snapping title track. The latter is also the best place to spot the skillful bass parts that sneakily elevate the guitars to sound as good as they do. With a bunch of short ‘n snappy tracks showcasing Molten’s chops, a sudden 9-and-a-half-minute thrash epic sounds like a disaster in waiting, but the riffs, the solos and the serpentine bass are all high enough quality that I don’t want the San Fran boys to stop firing their big hooky shit at my face anyway. Malicide is a humble package, utterly crammed with infectious fun and riffy goodness, so get on that shit or get off the death metal pot.

Saunders’ Smoldering Cinders

BRAT // Social Grace [March 15th, 2024 – Prosthetic Records]

Look beyond their questionable moniker and self-proclaimed ‘Bimboviolence’ tag, and NOLA up-and-comers BRAT impresses on their debut LP, Social Grace. Listeners would be foolish to pass over this band as some sort of gimmicky modern metal act, the rugged, ugly musical form BRAT composes packs a serious punch. Social Grace present a thuggish, volatile concoction where the crossroads of grind, death and powerviolence meet. Factor in sludgy hues and seedy NOLA tones adding layers of extra grime and grit to short, sharp, stabbing cuts that pull no punches. The blasty, belligerent throes of old school grind meets sludge stomp of “Hesitation Wound” showcases BRAT’s deft ability to shift gears and compliment rabid blasting and grindy chaos, with infectious riffs and brawling grooves. Social Grace features similarly raw examples of gnarly, unbridled menace. Amped aggression, throaty vocals and speedy surges are complemented by fun, headbanging riffs and toughened grooves, lending the album a catchy edge and solid replay value reflected on gems such as the rifftastic title track, contrasting charms of “Truncheon,” and feedback-drenched grind-punk fury of “Human Offense.”

Suicidal Angels // Profane Prayer [March 1st, 2024 – Nuclear Blast]

Unsung Greek institution Suicidal Angels have pumped out material since the early aughts, crafting Euro-flavored thrash with a heavy dose of American influence, including Exodus and Slayer. Throw in an occasional atmospheric, melodeath twist, and you are left with a dependably solid batch of meat and potatoes goodness. Although rarely blowing minds, Suicidal Angels’ retro thrash platters, such as Dead Again and Bloodbath, represent potent examples of the band’s trusty formula. Following a five-year recording gap, Suicidal Angels return with their eighth LP, Profane Prayer. Profane Prayer follows a familiar trajectory, yet sounds fresh, full of energy and armed with fiery, aggressive riffage. These dudes are a tight unit, and the explosive speediness and exuberant performances shine alongside killer old school riffage, slashing solos, and technical embellishments. Ferociously infectious thrashers like “When the Lions Die,” “Purified by Fire,” “Crypts of Madness” and ‘Virtues of Destruction” sound more inspired than I’ve heard from the band in some time. Profane Prayer has moments of bloat, but the pros outweigh the cons, resulting in a largely enjoyable and explosive thrash platter. Props to the band for stretching their wings on the epic, progressively leaning journey of “Deathstalker,” and similarly adventurous closer “The Fire Paths of Fate,” showing Suicidal Angels still have some tricks up their sleeves.

Thus Spoke’s Forgotten Findings

Carrion Vael // Cannibals Anonymous [March 29th, 2024 – Unique Leader Records]

I was introduced to Carrion Vael by Dr. Grier’s review of their 2022 LP Abhorrent Obsessions where he deemed it “a beast of a record,” and I wholeheartedly concurred. Fortunately for all of us lovers of the Indiana melodeath/deathcore/generally heavy bunch, Cannibals Anonymous largely picks up where the previous one left off. It’s vicious, and satisfyingly slick, the rapidly descending/ascending scales, smooth, fast transitions between always-driving-forward tempos, and cutthroat snarls once again betraying a Black Dahlia Murder influence, but with a bit more of a deathcore angle. The riffy kind of deathcore. Because yeah, this thing has riffs (see especially ” “Love Zombie,” “Discount Meats,” and “Pins and Needles”)—as well as gore—spilling out of its every orifice, and they’re great. Also surprisingly fun are the further extended use of cleans now appearing on most of the album’s tracks, which only serve to make them more catchy, compelling, and fun, whether they’re shouty and atonal (“Discount Meats”), or genuinely mellifluous (“Savage Messiah,” “Pins and Needles,” “Augusta’s Dead”); and they’re more often the latter. Carrion Vael also lean a little further into the urgent-minor melodic refrain territory that made Abhorrent Obsessions so sticky, with “Savage Messiah,” “Pins and Needles,” and “Everything/Nothing” standing out. This isn’t changing the scene, but goddamn it if you won’t have a fucking fantastic time chucking some heavy weights around or generally vibing with a massive grin on your face whilst listening to it. Go on, you know you want to.

Dear Hollow’s Deafening Debris

Givre // Le Cloître [March 29th, 2024 – Eisenwald]

It’s not often that a black metal band willingly discusses Christianity in a somewhat endearing light, so the Quebecois Givre is a bit of a conundrum. However, in the most brutal fashion possible, this trio discusses examples of female saints and each respective trail of pain left behind in the pursuit of holiness. Given the subject matter, you can imagine the cross that is borne across its forty-two-minute runtime. Each track carries with it a mood and style of its own, united as a whole through the atoning power of agony, as all characters throughout have suffered greatly for the sake of Christ. That being said, this is regardless a hopeful album, and in many ways, La Cloître feels like a meditation, fluid movements whose organicity revolves around gentle plucking. While tracks like opener “Marthe Robin (1902-1981)” and “Sainte Thérèse d’Avila (1515-1582)” embrace this aesthetic of prayerful lamentation, it does not stop the winding riff punishment of “Louise du Néant (1639-1694)” from scorching the surrounding soil, or the mysterious, nearly Southern rock-oriented, “Sainte Hildegarde de Bingen (1098-1179)” and desperate start-stop riffs of “Sainte Marguerite de Cortone (1247-1297)” from commanding otherworldly planes. While the stylistic choices differ and may be jarring to listeners, it is cemented by its theme as it pursues God down lesser-trodden trails of atonement through flagellation.

Profane Burial // My Plateau [March 1st, 2024 – Crime Records]

The Norwegian black metallers channel nearly everything they can get their grimy claws onto in My Plateau. Profane Burial professes to be “cinematic black metal,” and that is an accurate description in its boundary-pushing of atmospheric and symphonic texture: imagine if Midnight Odyssey and Septicflesh met at a midnight showing of The Exorcist. Besides its more contemplative moments, you’ll find that My Plateau is a deceptively mammoth listen, as chugging guitars and colossal drums collide with grim symphonics and haunting ambiance. The opening title track, “Fragments of Dirge,” and “Disambiguate Eradication” are aptly bombastic kabooms in mad waltzes of demonic proportions layered with rich symphonic textures, while the blasts colliding with chugs and piano trills in “Moribund” and “Righteous Indoctrination” add to the Wreche-on-crack vibe, while the triumphant battle cry in closer “Horror Code” is equal parts macabre and pummeling. For being inspired by horror scores, Profane Burial is scatterbrained and wonky, but it doesn’t stop My Plateau from embracing the bombast in a fun-as-hell symphonic black metal foray touched by madness.

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