#persefone — Public Fediverse posts

Primero fueron a raptar a Helena, quien entonces estaba soltera, o sea, antes de casarse con Menelao y fugarse con Paris. O sea, antes de la #GuerraDeTroya. Esto salió regu, porque Cástor y Pólux, hermanos de Helena (y quienes más adelante se convertirían en la constelación de Géminis), la rescataron y Teseo se tuvo que aguantar. Cástor y Pólux, como venganza, secuestraron a la madre de Teseo (Etra) y a la hermana de Pirítoo (Fisadia) y las entregaron como esclavas a Helena.

Cuando tocó ir a por Perséfone, a #Teseo le entró el cague (con la lección aprendida de lo regu que le había salido su intento de casarse con Helena) y le dijo a #Pirítoo que igual intentar hacer lo mismo con una diosa no era buena idea. Pero Pirítoo, como no había aprendido nada aún, seguía viniéndose arriba, e incluso decía que Perséfone le pertenecía. Y Cerbero también, porque ya que nos flipamos, nos flipamos del todo.

Aquí llega la parte más graciosa: #Hades les ve y, como no es tonto, se imagina lo que hay. Les invita a un banquete y les hace sentarse en unos tronos llamados "tronos del Leteo" (el Olvido). Cuando les preguntan qué hacen allí, #Pirítoo le reconoce con un par que viene a llevarse a #Perséfone (y en varias fuentes hasta subraya que no viene a cortejarla, sino a llevársela tal cual).

Esto a Hades le sienta de maravilla, como os podéis imaginar.

Unas serpientes retienen a los reyes flipados, mientras que las #Erinias (personificación de los remordimientos de conciencia) les azotan.

Mientras, Heracles estaba haciendo sus trabajos (otro mito del que hablaré otro día), y uno de ellos era reducir a Cerbero, lo cual explicaría por qué Teseo y Pirítoo pudieron pasar perfectamente al Inframundo.

Heracles ve el percal y negocia con Hades para liberarles. Yo que sé, Hades, están en esa edad y se les ha ido la pinza. Hades sólo accede a liberar a Teseo, que sólo había venido a acompañar y ni siquiera estaba muy convencido.

#mitologíagriega #culturagriegaantigua

¡Feliz #ViernesDeMitologíaGriega ! Hoy, por ser #ViernesSanto, os traigo un mito que va de #Inframundo, de pasarse la eusebia por el forro y sacar el hubris a tope. Y de llevar regu la crisis de la mediana edad.

Uno de mis #mitos favoritos: el mito del "No hay huevos", el viaje de #TeseoYPirítooEnElInframundo.

Aquí tenemos dos héroes, muy amigos entre ellos (según Ovidio eran amantes, porque no se despegaban ni con agua hirviendo): Teseo, rey de Atenas, el mismo del laberinto del Minotauro. Y, por otro lado, Pirítoo, rey de del pueblo de los lápitas en Tesalia. Ambos habían protagonizado otras historias de las que hablaremos otro día. En este mito, ambos estaban viudos y con una crisis de mediana edad importante. Pero en vez de apuntarse a hacer CrossFit o comprarse una moto, decidieron volver a creerse jovenzuelos con: buscar una nueva esposa.

Los dos además tenían una idea de sí mismos un poco flipada (lo cual nos lleva al hubris que se trata en este mito). A ellos no les valía una princesa cualquiera. Entonces se vinieron arriba. Teseo elegió para él a Helena de Esparta (recordemos que es la mujer más bella del mundo) y Pirítoo a #Perséfone, diosa de la primavera y reina del Inframundo.

Yo creo que no eligieron a Afrodita por vergüenza.

En un no hay huevos que ha trascendido el espacio y el tiempo, se prometieron acompañarse mutuamente a raptar a ambas. Ya sabemos que el rapto, en mitología griega, suele ser una metáfora de matrimonio, pero aquí con todo el contexto y las consecuencias asumimos que es un rapto al uso y pasándose por el forro cosas como el cortejo o pedir permiso al padre.

#mitologíagriega #culturagriegantigua

¡Feliz #ViernesDeMitologíaGriega ! Hoy, por ser #ViernesSanto, os traigo un mito que va de #Inframundo, de pasarse la eusebia por el forro y sacar el hubris a tope. Y de llevar regu la crisis de la mediana edad.

Uno de mis #mitos favoritos: el mito del "No hay huevos", el viaje de #TeseoYPirítooEnElInframundo.

Aquí tenemos dos héroes, muy amigos entre ellos (según Ovidio eran amantes, porque no se despegaban ni con agua hirviendo): Teseo, rey de Atenas, el mismo del laberinto del Minotauro. Y, por otro lado, Pirítoo, rey de del pueblo de los lápitas en Tesalia. Ambos habían protagonizado otras historias de las que hablaremos otro día. En este mito, ambos estaban viudos y con una crisis de mediana edad importante. Pero en vez de apuntarse a hacer CrossFit o comprarse una moto, decidieron volver a creerse jovenzuelos con: buscar una nueva esposa.

Los dos además tenían una idea de sí mismos un poco flipada (lo cual nos lleva al hubris que se trata en este mito). A ellos no les valía una princesa cualquiera. Entonces se vinieron arriba. Teseo elegió para él a Helena de Esparta (recordemos que es la mujer más bella del mundo) y Pirítoo a #Perséfone, diosa de la primavera y reina del Inframundo.

Yo creo que no eligieron a Afrodita por vergüenza.

En un no hay huevos que ha trascendido el espacio y el tiempo, se prometieron acompañarse mutuamente a raptar a ambas. Ya sabemos que el rapto, en mitología griega, suele ser una metáfora de matrimonio, pero aquí con todo el contexto y las consecuencias asumimos que es un rapto al uso y pasándose por el forro cosas como el cortejo o pedir permiso al padre.

#mitologíagriega #culturagriegantigua

¡Feliz #ViernesDeMitologíaGriega ! Hoy, por ser #ViernesSanto, os traigo un mito que va de #Inframundo, de pasarse la eusebia por el forro y sacar el hubris a tope. Y de llevar regu la crisis de la mediana edad.

Uno de mis #mitos favoritos: el mito del "No hay huevos", el viaje de #TeseoYPirítooEnElInframundo.

Aquí tenemos dos héroes, muy amigos entre ellos (según Ovidio eran amantes, porque no se despegaban ni con agua hirviendo): Teseo, rey de Atenas, el mismo del laberinto del Minotauro. Y, por otro lado, Pirítoo, rey de del pueblo de los lápitas en Tesalia. Ambos habían protagonizado otras historias de las que hablaremos otro día. En este mito, ambos estaban viudos y con una crisis de mediana edad importante. Pero en vez de apuntarse a hacer CrossFit o comprarse una moto, decidieron volver a creerse jovenzuelos con: buscar una nueva esposa.

Los dos además tenían una idea de sí mismos un poco flipada (lo cual nos lleva al hubris que se trata en este mito). A ellos no les valía una princesa cualquiera. Entonces se vinieron arriba. Teseo elegió para él a Helena de Esparta (recordemos que es la mujer más bella del mundo) y Pirítoo a #Perséfone, diosa de la primavera y reina del Inframundo.

Yo creo que no eligieron a Afrodita por vergüenza.

En un no hay huevos que ha trascendido el espacio y el tiempo, se prometieron acompañarse mutuamente a raptar a ambas. Ya sabemos que el rapto, en mitología griega, suele ser una metáfora de matrimonio, pero aquí con todo el contexto y las consecuencias asumimos que es un rapto al uso y pasándose por el forro cosas como el cortejo o pedir permiso al padre.

#mitologíagriega #culturagriegantigua

¡Feliz #ViernesDeMitologíaGriega ! Hoy, por ser #ViernesSanto, os traigo un mito que va de #Inframundo, de pasarse la eusebia por el forro y sacar el hubris a tope. Y de llevar regu la crisis de la mediana edad.

Uno de mis #mitos favoritos: el mito del "No hay huevos", el viaje de #TeseoYPirítooEnElInframundo.

Aquí tenemos dos héroes, muy amigos entre ellos (según Ovidio eran amantes, porque no se despegaban ni con agua hirviendo): Teseo, rey de Atenas, el mismo del laberinto del Minotauro. Y, por otro lado, Pirítoo, rey de del pueblo de los lápitas en Tesalia. Ambos habían protagonizado otras historias de las que hablaremos otro día. En este mito, ambos estaban viudos y con una crisis de mediana edad importante. Pero en vez de apuntarse a hacer CrossFit o comprarse una moto, decidieron volver a creerse jovenzuelos con: buscar una nueva esposa.

Los dos además tenían una idea de sí mismos un poco flipada (lo cual nos lleva al hubris que se trata en este mito). A ellos no les valía una princesa cualquiera. Entonces se vinieron arriba. Teseo elegió para él a Helena de Esparta (recordemos que es la mujer más bella del mundo) y Pirítoo a #Perséfone, diosa de la primavera y reina del Inframundo.

Yo creo que no eligieron a Afrodita por vergüenza.

En un no hay huevos que ha trascendido el espacio y el tiempo, se prometieron acompañarse mutuamente a raptar a ambas. Ya sabemos que el rapto, en mitología griega, suele ser una metáfora de matrimonio, pero aquí con todo el contexto y las consecuencias asumimos que es un rapto al uso y pasándose por el forro cosas como el cortejo o pedir permiso al padre.

#mitologíagriega #culturagriegantigua

¡Feliz #ViernesDeMitologíaGriega ! Hoy, por ser #ViernesSanto, os traigo un mito que va de #Inframundo, de pasarse la eusebia por el forro y sacar el hubris a tope. Y de llevar regu la crisis de la mediana edad.

Uno de mis #mitos favoritos: el mito del "No hay huevos", el viaje de #TeseoYPirítooEnElInframundo.

Aquí tenemos dos héroes, muy amigos entre ellos (según Ovidio eran amantes, porque no se despegaban ni con agua hirviendo): Teseo, rey de Atenas, el mismo del laberinto del Minotauro. Y, por otro lado, Pirítoo, rey de del pueblo de los lápitas en Tesalia. Ambos habían protagonizado otras historias de las que hablaremos otro día. En este mito, ambos estaban viudos y con una crisis de mediana edad importante. Pero en vez de apuntarse a hacer CrossFit o comprarse una moto, decidieron volver a creerse jovenzuelos con: buscar una nueva esposa.

Los dos además tenían una idea de sí mismos un poco flipada (lo cual nos lleva al hubris que se trata en este mito). A ellos no les valía una princesa cualquiera. Entonces se vinieron arriba. Teseo elegió para él a Helena de Esparta (recordemos que es la mujer más bella del mundo) y Pirítoo a #Perséfone, diosa de la primavera y reina del Inframundo.

Yo creo que no eligieron a Afrodita por vergüenza.

En un no hay huevos que ha trascendido el espacio y el tiempo, se prometieron acompañarse mutuamente a raptar a ambas. Ya sabemos que el rapto, en mitología griega, suele ser una metáfora de matrimonio, pero aquí con todo el contexto y las consecuencias asumimos que es un rapto al uso y pasándose por el forro cosas como el cortejo o pedir permiso al padre.

#mitologíagriega #culturagriegantigua

Once upon a time, before I was a battle-jacket-wearing, corpse-paint-adorned, trve-metal warrior of the highest order, I was a high-school prog nerd. The djent wave was cresting just as I began to really delve deeper into music, and the hordes of technical, djenty bands with ultra-modern production and surprising amounts of melody still sit near and dear to my heart, even if I rarely reach back into the Sumerian-scented pile in my regular listening habits. 1 That’s why when I saw the promo for Hiraeth, the 2nd album by Brazilian prog metallers Abstracted, with comparisons to The Contortionist, The Human Abstract, and Between the Buried and Me, I couldn’t help but get a little excited at the prospect of newer music tapping into those formative sounds. Abstracted have been a band since 2013, and their long-gestating debut record, 2022’s Atma Conflux, was an effective and varied slab of djenty progressive death metal, marred by tepid production and less-than-stellar clean vocals. More than anything, though, it showed potential as a record brimming with ideas that was so close to being great. With Hiraeth, can the Brazilian group finally unify their influences into something more than the sum of their parts?

On Hiraeth, Abstracted demonstrates a thorough understanding of contemporary progressive metal styles and integrates them into something all their own. The band’s main sound is a djent-fueled take on modern progressive death metal, closest to early-era The Contortionist in its blending of odd-meter riffery, post-rock-influenced textures, and an enticing contrast between melancholic space-age cleans and technical 6-string chugs. Abstracted balance this with more traditional Haken-esque classic prog turnarounds and jazz breaks (“Sirens”), fast-paced Between the Buried and Me riff marathons (“To Quench This Insatiable Thirst”), and harmonic nuance within darker moments à la Persefone (“Requiem”). The result is a varied and dynamic set of tunes that glide effortlessly between impressive riff-fueled aggression and cathartic melodies. Songs like “The Utter End” and “The Barren Grave of God” demonstrate the band’s ability to naturally move from strength to strength without missing a beat, unfolding across expansive guitar arpeggios, delightfully off-kilter breakdowns, virtuosic solos, and powerful musical climaxes.

Hiraeth by Abstracted

This level of fluidity and genre cohesion on Hiraeth is only made possible by the high level of musicianship Abstracted display. Guitarists José Consani and Leonardo Brito give varied performances that successfully meld more djent-centric playing with classic death metal sensibilities and demonstrate keen melodic ears with dense jazz chords and powerful lead lines. Drummer Fernando Pollen blends Latin grooves with acrobatic modern metal flourishes, and the production’s more natural drum tone allows his dynamic nuances to guide several songs. 2 On bass, Riverton Alves turns in a thoroughly warm and jazz-based, Cynic-flavored performance that shines during quieter moments, while keyboardist Carol Lynn supplies plenty of atmosphere through subtle synth textures and steps to the forefront a few times with quirky, but effective synth lines reminiscent of Diego Tejeida. Together, this ensemble breathes plenty of life into a style of music that can often feel over-processed, and their performances help to unify this collection of songs into a cohesive whole.The only elements of Hiraeth that aren’t immediately impressive are the vocals and the production. Rosano Pedro Matiussi delivers an impassioned performance, and his vocal lines often fit the songs well, but his clean singing lacks a certain impact or personality to elevate good moments into great ones. Initially, this was enough to deter me from really digging deeper and appreciating the songcraft on display, but the singing grew on me quite a bit with time. Similarly, his death growls are solid, if not one-note, and they feel like they exist more so to fill a role than to accent particular sections. This could potentially be the production’s fault, as Hiraeth sounds generally good and more natural than the swaths of overproduced modern prog 3 but lacks a certain sonic clarity, occasionally making especially dense sections harder to parse. There’s a distinct lack of reverb on the harsh vocals, and I can’t help but wonder if a stronger mix could fit the layered clean singing a bit better. Matiussi’s vocals are far from bad, and there are parts like the somber intro to “Requiem” where he sounds great, but when everything else is operating at such a high level, they feel like a weak link.

With Hiraeth, Abstracted have delivered an impressive piece of modern progressive metal. This record is a grower for sure, with dense and layered compositions often revealing their clever construction and intense interconnectedness only after repeated spins. Even if the vocals leave a little to be desired, the Brazilian group has successfully combined the sounds of several of the best modern prog bands into something exciting and nuanced.

Rating: Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: M-Theory Audio
Websites: abstractedmetal.bandcamp | facebook.com/abstractedbr
Releases Worldwide: February 20, 2026

Fa anys em vaig llegir el llibre del que parla i els Misteris Eleusins sempre m'han cridat molt l'atenció per diversos motius.
Per cert, Mintha (Menta), era una nàiade i la única amb qui Hades va posar les banyes a Persèfone, anteriorment anomenada Kore (donzella), la seva esposa i reina dels morts, filla de Deméter (que ve de Dea Mater -deessa mare-) deessa de l'agricultura i, clar, dels cereals.

La Menta formava part dels ritus funeraris. La meva teoria és que aquesta associació sorgeix del fet que la menta sembla morir però rebrota dels rizomes que es mantenen vius sota terra quan les condicions exteriors no li són favorables. I de la seva capacitat de reproduir-se i escampar-se, però no per llavor, sinó precisament per aquests rizomes (que són tiges subterrànies), com si creixés del seu esquelet. I, encara més, com si d'un esquelet en poguessin créixer desenes de mentes noves.

Menta, representant el poder del reverdir, del reviure, és com una altra Persèfone, que mentre és reina de l'Hades, de l'inframón, res prospera, però quan ressorgeix, tot torna a la Vida.

És possible que la Menta sigui una reminiscència d'un ritus més antic que l'agricultura, que es va fondre amb la nova versió agrícola de Deméter i Core.

#mitologiagrega #mitologiagriega #plantodon #etnobotanica #arqueobotanica #mitologia #botanicamagica #mentha #hades #persefone

Dark Tranquillity and Soen announce spring 2026 North American co-headline tour:

#DarkTranquillity #Soen #Persefone #TourAlert

Link: https://metalinsider.net/touring/dark-tranquillity-and-soen-announce-spring-2026-north-american-co-headline-tour

Dark Tranquillity and Soen announce spring 2026 North American co-headline tour:

#DarkTranquillity #Soen #Persefone #TourAlert

Link: https://metalinsider.net/touring/dark-tranquillity-and-soen-announce-spring-2026-north-american-co-headline-tour

Dark Tranquillity and Soen announce co-headlining North American tour

Dark Tranquillity and Soen will be teaming up for a co-headlining North American tour this spring. Persefone will…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Music #DarkTranquillity #Entertainment #hardcore #Lambgoat #Metal #Persefone #Soen
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/420498/

Dark Tranquillity and Soen announce co-headlining North American tour

Dark Tranquillity and Soen will be teaming up for a co-headlining North American tour this spring. Persefone will…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Music #DarkTranquillity #Entertainment #hardcore #Lambgoat #Metal #Persefone #Soen
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/420498/

Asphodelus cerasiferus
Porrassa, gamó, albó, asfodel...

És una planta de la família de l'all i la ceba.
Comestible, però...
Com molts aliments silvestres, cal saber com preparar-la, perquè en ser més riques en principis actius, són més nutritives, més medicinals, però també poden ser més tòxiques que les cultivades que, com explicaré a la xerrada d'aquest dissabte a Escornalbou, han perdut nutrients i virtuts per guanyar hidrats de carboni i aigua.

La medicina popular i tradicional ha recorregut als tubercles de la porrassa per al mal d'orella, en oleat; per la tos i els problemes respiratoris i urinaris en decocció en ús intern; i pels èczemes i altres problemes cutanis, ferides, cops i morenes, en emplastre.

Com a aliment, ha sigut molt apreciat des de ben antic, però sempre remullat i/o cuit, llençant després l'aigua, o fermentat, per a eliminar amb aquests processos els tòxics asfodelina i asfodelòsid. Tant les fulles com els tubercles.

Les llavors, en canvi, es poden menjar sense aquests passos previs, tot i que se solien torrar. Tenen mucílag i es barrejaven en grans quantitats amb la massa del pa.

A l'antiga Grècia, un plat comú eren els tubercles cuits al caliu, entremig de les cendres.
També els podem fregir, després d'haver-los remullat prèviament.

Les inflorescències immadures i les fulles, també s'han menjat arreu. De fet, la purrussalda, un plat típic d'Euskadi, es feia originalment amb les parts baixes i tendres de les fulles d'Asphodelus albus, una parenta també comestible.

A Grècia, també, per un procés que no he aconseguit trobar, dels tubercles se n'extreien els sucres per fer-ne un edulcorant. Perquè en té forces, i per això en alguns llocs s'ha fet servir per fer-ne begudes alcohòliques.

A les seves parts subterrànies també se'ls han trobat aplicacions en l'artesania, com a tint groc i, seques i fetes pols, com a goma per enganxar sabates i altres treballs.

Finalment, com tantes plantes, ha tingut un lloc en l'espiritualitat mediterrània. Planta consagrada a Persèfone i Hades, els guardians de l'inframón. Es deia que entapissa els Camps Elisis, una de les zones del món dels morts, on van a descansar les deesses i déus, i les ànimes dels herois i heroïnes i tot ésser que mereixi tal glòria.
També s'hi ha recorregut com a protector i per a realitzar exorcismes.

https://www.floracatalana.cat/flora/vasculars/taxons/VTax3515
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#asphodelus #gamon #etnobotanica #remeistradicionals #remeisnaturals #remeierescatalunya #remeieria #medicinatradicional #persefone #mitologia #mitologiagriega #tintsnaturals #silvestrescomestibles #rewilding #flora #fitoterapia
#saludnatural #salutnatural

De waarde van mythen

Ergens in de zesde eeuw v.Chr. begonnen de mensen te twijfelen aan de goden. Misschien deden ze dat eerder ook, maar daarover hebben we geen geschreven bronnen. Een joodse auteur haalde uit naar “goden van zilver en goud, gemaakt door mensenhanden”, die weliswaar een mond en ogen hadden maar niet konden spreken of zien.noot Psalm 115.4-5. Een van zijn tijdgenoten, de Griek Xenofanes, constateerde dat de Ethiopische goden platte neuzen hadden en een zwarte huid, terwijl de Thraciërs zeiden dat hun goden blauwe ogen en rood haar hadden. Als dieren zouden kunnen tekenen, insinueerde Xenofanes, zagen hun goden eruit als runderen, paarden of leeuwen.noot Xenofanes, fragment 16. Een derde tijdgenoot, Pythagoras, beweerde dat de dichters Homeros en Hesiodos in de Onderwereld werden bestraft omdat ze feitenvrije verhaaltjes over het goddelijke hadden opgehangen.noot Vgl. Diogenes Laertios, Levens van de filosofen 8.21.

Rationalisering

Tja, die verhaaltjes. De mensen hielden van hun mythen, maar het was waar: die aloude vertellingen waren wel erg vreemd. De Griekse onderzoeker Herodotos van Halikarnassos toonde een manier om er desondanks mee verder te gaan: sommige mythen vielen te lezen als beschrijvingen van de natuur. Ik heb op deze blog al eens verteld dat hij een mythe over Poseidon als schepper van het Tempe-ravijn combineerde met het feit dat deze godheid “aardschokker” werd genoemd, en dat Herodotos redeneerde dat de mythe ging over een aardbeving.noot Herodotos, Historiën 7.129. Deze manier om mythen te lezen is in de achttiende eeuw in West-Europa weer opgepakt, en je hoort nog weleens beweren dat mythen dienden om de natuur te verklaren.

Allegorese was een andere manier om de oude verhalen te rationaliseren. De goden in de homerische epen volgden een gedragscode die latere generaties niet deelden, maar men wilde de poëzie niet terzijde schuiven als betekenisloos. Daarom nam men aan dat er een diepere betekenis moest zijn dan de letterlijke. De beroemde scène uit de Odyssee waarin de liefdesgodin Afrodite haar man Hefaistos bedriegt met de oorlogsgod Ares, viel dan te lezen als een verhaal over de twee tegengestelde principes die het universum zouden beheersen: aantrekking en conflict.noot Homeros, Odyssee 8.266-369. Een vroegchristelijke auteur las het joodse verbod op het eten van varkensvlees als een gebod je niet als varken te gedragen.noot Brief van Barnabas 10.3-11. Het is niet moeilijk te zien dat het sprookje van Amor en Psyche, “liefde en ziel”, is ontworpen om allegorische te lezen.

Een derde benadering was het euhemerisme waarover ik al eerder blogde. Het komt erop neer dat mythen worden uitgelegd alsof ze gaan over verdienstelijke koningen, die als weldoeners optraden voor de mensheid. Die verleende hun eerbewijzen en ging daarmee door na hun dood, en zo zou religie zijn ontstaan. In een wereld waarin men een Alexander de Grote of een Romeinse keizer goddelijke eerbewijzen toekende, was dit zo vreemd niet.

Moet je mythen wel rationaliseren?

Ik behandel deze materie in mijn eind januari te verschijnen boek over Filon van Byblos, Goden en halfgoden. En terwijl ik ermee bezig was, begon ik woorden te vinden voor een ergernis die ik al jaren voel bij de navertellingen van antieke mythen. Niet zelden zit daar een element van rationalisering in. Mijn punt is: waarom? Waarom moeten we de mythen, die nooit bedoeld zijn geweest om uitgelegd te worden, voorzien van een interpretatie?

Begrijp me niet verkeerd: elke vertaling is al uitleg. In mijn stukje over Herakles heb ik het ook gedaan. Eigenlijk is heel ons kennen interpretatie. Maar waarom zou je daar verder mee gaan en bijvoorbeeld aan het verhaal over de roof van Persefone toevoegen dat het feitelijk gaat over seizoenwisseling?

De gedachte die bij me opkwam – of beter: de woorden die ik vond voor een al eerder gevoelde ergernis – is of we zo niet het kind weggooien met het badwater. Nogal wat mythen – niet allemaal, zie Amor en Psyche – zijn helemaal niet bedoeld om te worden gerationaliseerd, noch natuurwetenschappelijk noch allegorisch noch euhemerisch noch anders. Deze verhalen zijn, om zo te zeggen, voor-rationeel. Ze documenteren een antiek proces van vrije associatie. Psychologen gebruiken dat om de denkwijzen van hun cliënten te doorgronden. En is de waarde van mythen niet dat wij, levend in een meer rationele tijd, via onuitgelegde verhalen contact maken met een vergeten, voor-rationele denkwijze?

Ik weet niet of het zo is. Maar tijdens het schrijven aan Goden en halfgoden speelde deze gedachte meer dan eens door mijn hoofd. Ik vond een manier om een oud gevoel van onbehagen te verwoorden. Wat mij betreft is het boek dus al geslaagd en ik hoop dat u dat straks ook zo zult vinden. Maar dan moet u het wel eerste lezen en dus bestellen.

Ik organiseer in het voorjaar van 2025 een reis naar de vernieuwde musea van Beieren. Door mee te gaan helpt u deze blog gratis te houden. Maar u kunt natuurlijk ook een van mijn boeken kopen (en lezen), een cursus doen, of doneren. U kunt de blog ook volgen via het Whatsapp-kanaal.

#Afrodite #allegorese #AmorEnPsyche #Ares #euhemerisme #Euhemeros #Hefaistos #HerodotosVanHalikarnassos #Hesiodos #Homeros #mythologie #Persefone #Poseidon #Pythagoras #Tempe #varken #Xenofanes

EP / Split / Single Roundup of 2024, Part 1

By Mystikus Hugebeard

In case you’re asking yourself “Where did El Cuervo go and why has he been replaced by a handsome, bearded wizard who is also ripped and buff?” rest assured that all is well with the original EP wrangler. In what could only be described as a Christmas miracle, he has passed the privilege of organizing AMG’s yearly EP post unto myself and Dolphin WhisEPerer so that he might finally have the time to catch up on reading all the comments on his Opeth review. Let it be known that we treat this gravest of responsibilities with the utmost respect.

But enough faffing about, the most important thing is this cornucopia of EP’s, splits, singles, and demos we’ve arranged for you. Shorter-form releases like these are the patron saint of hidden gems. Rarely do they fall in the same hype cycle typically reserved for LP’s, so once a year we like to pay our respects to the oft-overlooked, unsung heroes of our metal community. They provide a necessary space for both fledgling and established bands to experiment with wild ideas that might not sustain a full release, or they can be a great outlet for bands to focus on their strongest material without weaker songs diluting the overall experience. Come, rejoice! Take a well-deserved break from the exhausting bloat of boring, regular albums, and bask in the majesty of the tighter focus and accessibility of short-form release with your bearded pal, Mystikus Hugebeard!

Make sure to return for Part II so that our Dolphin may Whisper1 to you of a whole new collection of releases!

Lathe // Hillclimber – Lathe are what you get when you mix the pedal steel and blues of country music with the atmosphere, weight and build-ups of post-metal. Hillclimber is written for a new lineup, adding an additional guitarist and a bassist, and it shows in the added density of their sound. As with their previous work, Hillclimber builds as it goes. “Weave” provides an almost spacey opening with a simple, twangy guitar melody and pedal steel embellishment. By “Blood,” trem-picked pedal steel, pounding drums and big riffs trade places with amp noise. Hillclimber isn’t revolutionary, hewing close stylistically to the post-ier, less dancy or rocky side of Tongue of Silver. But the riffs are big, the melodies pretty, and the atmosphere dense, and it says promising things about the new lineup. – Sentynel

Mammoth Grinder // Undying Spectral Resonance – Ever since the early 2010s Entombedcore wave fizzled out, I’ve longed for a band to revive that sound. With Undying Spectral Resonance, Mammoth Grinder seem to have answered the call. The band’s punky take on Swedeath has long offered Power Trip drummer Chris Ulsh a brawny way to flex his guitar and vocal abilities, but I never expected him to break Mammoth Grinder’s recording silence with something this heavy. Throughout most of these 14 minutes, Ulsh offers a hoarse roar that’s monstrous, a guitar tone that could crush boulders, and riffs that are downright punishing. “Corpse of Divinant” plows forward on muscular grooves that will have your inner hardcore kiddo dripping with arousal, while “Obsessed with Death” closes out the EP with a D-beating for the ages. Plopping an atmospheric synth interlude in the middle of a five-song tracklist was an odd choice, but at least it makes the midpaced lurch of “Decrease the Peace” sound even more massive. Let’s just hope we get more from these guys sooner rather than later. – Mark Z.

Glassbone // Deaf to Suffering – Frens of the blog know that I love me some good slam. The harder it hammers, the better. And while there were several tectonic options released this year, none hit the way latecomer EP Deaf to Suffering has. Courtesy of French buzzsaw hardcore/slam brutalists Glassbone, Deaf to Suffering springs into action with the absolutely devastating “Post Mortem Declaration” and doesn’t let up for nearly twenty minutes of high-octane, hook-laden, filthy slam. Highlight “In Your Guts” sends me into a feral state with rabid riffs that are as lethal as the disease itself. “Sanctified By the Blade” transforms my body into this musclebound mass of testosterone mountainous enough to flatten entire plots of sequoia trees. The title track even brings a certain old-school death vitriol, characterized best by a classic sounding solo, that adds substantial dynamics to Glassbone’s slam-based concoction. Every song offers its own voice while still maintaining the status quo of total demolition, and yet it feels like Deaf to Suffering elevates the slamscape past the norm and into the extraordinary. –TheKenWord

Counterparts // Heaven Let Them Die – Counterparts is renowned for their confrontational and vulnerable take on melodic hardcore and notable contributions to metalcore. Heaven Let Them Die is the Canadians’ heaviest release by far, delivering the weight of its title in its clear influence from vocalist Brendan Murphy’s time in caustic hardcore act End. With crushing riffs and breakdowns ripped at vicious speed, vocals spit with vitriol and venom, there’s a distinct weight, both aurally and existentially, that gives Heaven Let Them Die its power. From its reverb-laden plods that let the haunting leads guide the blastbeat-inclusive fury (“A Martyr Left Alive,” “Praise No Artery Intact”), to all-out assaults that abuse tempos with their punishing heft (“With Loving Arms Disfigured,” “No Lamb Was Lost”), it’s hard to believe that this is the same group that released You’re Not You Anymore or A Eulogy For Those Still Here. Punishing, vitriolic, and existentially weighty, Counterparts embarks on unforeseen journeys of blasphemy and pain. Closer “Heaven Let Them Die” exemplifies this act’s strengths, tying up the common lyrical motif screamed with throat-shredding intensity, that you’ll be howling for days: “HEAVEN… LET THEM… DIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!” – Dear Hollow

夢遊病者 (Sleepwalker) // Delirium Pathomutageno Adductum2 – The last outing by Russian/Japanese/American experimental, avant-garde, blackened noise outfit 夢遊病者, Noč Na Krayu Sveta, was my favorite EP of 2021. This year’s Delirium Pathomutageno Adductum is, if anything, even more unhinged. Like stepping into one of those nightmares that you don’t initially realise is a nightmare, parts of DPA are strangely soothing and delicate, wrapping you in lullaby-like melodies. But then, sometimes without you even noticing at first, warped melodies weave their way into the mix, before distorted, blackened vocals creep in, even as half-heard blast beats start to pound in the background. Shifting through their chameleonic palette, 夢遊病者 deploy bouzouki, uke, vibraphone, church organ and more, alongside more standard instrumentation, to create soundscapes worthy of the title Delirium. Tracked across three continents, this doubtless adds to the disconcerting sense of dizzying vertigo that infuses much of the EP, furthered by contributions from various gospel, Americana, and jazz guests. If you’re looking for a really weird night in, check this out, especially the closing duo of “Telepath Transport Wing” and “Aurum Iris Loop.” – Carcharodon

Entheos // An End to Everything – As Entheos continues to move into waters with increased breaks into clean, melodic refrains as peak points—a step first taken with 2023’s Time Will Take Us All—a continued adherence to their riff-led, groove-centered brand of techy death metal remains vital to their impact. Chunky riff after chunky riff after chunky riff hits first and repeatedly allows An End to Everything to crackle as the leanest both in length and pit-stirring effect of any Entheos album since 2016’s The Infinite Nothing. But more than just offering slinky slide-to-triplet rushes (“And End to Everything”) or snaking staccato beatings (“Life in Slow Motion”), Entheos offers throat-ripping breeeees, snarls, and hissing goblin assaults via Chaney Crabb’s extreme vocal commitment. Though comparable to frequent touring mates Alluvial3 in tone and tumble, Crabb delivers the necessary differentiation, complete with melodic chorus cries that stick like anthemic ear candy to an audience who patiently awaits sweet indulgence. Fit for a fifteen-minute power set, a pre-meeting energy blitz, or simply a destructive arm-throwing about your own home, An End to Everything feels both complete as a short-form work and steadfast a promise that Entheos plans to continue on a grooving path to success. – Dolphin Whisperer

Sylvaine // Eg Er Framand – Widely maligned for their ear-splitting volume and indecipherable vertical chords, pipe organs have a softer, ethereal side that often goes overlooked. Sylvaine’s gorgeous EP pits her otherworldly voice against hypnotic, shimmering high organ registrations, a duet custom-built to melt this frozen heart. Organs are designed for the spaces they inhabit,4 ensuring their resonance melds with the architecture of their home, and the descending spiral motif that bookends “Dagsens Auga Sloknar Ut” and “Tussmørke” duplicates this integration into Sylvaine’s music. There’s something of the eternal about this EP, its vibrating vocal harmonies and sustained wind tones suspending the passage of time and evoking both dusk and dawn. My 2024 opened with a death and ended with a birth; I can think of few soundtracks more fitting than Eg Er Framand. – Iceberg

Persefone // Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 – How shall I put this? What Carcharodon is to Kanonenfieber, I consider myself to Persefone. These Andorrans have always been a masterclass of blending insanely good musicianship with effortless technicality and rousing melodic movements. After longtime vocalist Marc Pia was replaced by Eternal Storm’s Daniel R. Flys, I feared that my beloved Persefone was gone, but I’m happy to say Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 dispelled my doubts. For one, it utilizes what Persefone has always done best; the music growing in intensity at the end of “Lingua Ignota” channels the iconic escalations from “Living Waves” (Aathma) and “Spiritual Migration (Spiritual Migration). However, as always, Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 is another step in Persefone’s evolution. “One Word” is one of Persefone’s most direct songs to date, with a powerful, memorable chorus betwixt tight, technical riffage, and adds a new dimension with Flys’ clean vocals joining Miguel Espinosa’s previously solo cleans. “Abyssal Communication” closes the EP with moving ambience, which Persefone has always loved to do, but follows Metanoia’s further emphasis on synth tones and is pleasantly dynamic, working well as a standalone track instead of just a send-off. It’s all fantastic, because it’s quintessentially Persefone, only now in a bite-sized and endlessly replayable size. Compact and to the point, yet still offering a wide breadth of intoxicating riffs and solos, Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 stands strong in their discography and even brings back a consistency I felt was slightly missing from 2022’s Metanoia. – Mystikus Hugebeard

Dislimn // Esmee – You never appreciate how good Bandcamp can be until a band doesn’t have one, and it has made Dislimn tragically difficult to find. I was lucky to stumble upon them in the promo sump whereupon I made a mental note to check later, but most people lack that kind of resource. Dislimn’s Esmee is a lovely piece of shimmering doomgaze with a heavy stoner edge, and I think they deserve a fair bit more attention than they’ve received. It’s a queer mix of stoner, prog, and post that lands through Dislimn’s impeccable vibes and simple but gripping songwriting. Esmee starts off gentle; the radio-friendly post-lite opener “Anxiety” is the perfect tune to float through a depressive dreamlike haze, but as time passes, the music develops some bite. The riffs in tracks like “Esmee’s Story” and “In My Mind” are straightforward, memorable, and crunchy with just the right amount of fuzz, while vocalist Alix’s dreamlike ever-soft vocals serenely soar above. “Gullfoss” is a bit of an oddball; a rockin’ and a rollin’ riffy jaunt sandwiched between emotive, brooding doomgaze is a bit of a lurch, but it grows on you. Overall, Esmee is the sort of unassuming EP that stealthily sinks its claws into you. I’ve returned to Esmee’s dreamy gloom many a time now, and I reckon you will too. – Mystikus Hugebeard

#2024 #AnEndToEverything #Beatdown #Counterparts #DeafToSuffering #DeathMetal #DeleriumPathomutagenoAdductum #Dislimn #Entheos #Esmee #Glassbone #GothicDoom #GothicRock #Hardcore #HeavenLetThemDie #Hillclimber #Lathe #LinguaIgnotaPt1 #MammothGrinder #Metalcore #Persefone #PostMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #Slam #Sleepwalker #TechnicalDeathMetal #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed2024 #UndyingSpectralResonance #夢遊病者

EP / Split / Single Roundup of 2024, Part 1

By Mystikus Hugebeard

In case you’re asking yourself “Where did El Cuervo go and why has he been replaced by a handsome, bearded wizard who is also ripped and buff?” rest assured that all is well with the original EP wrangler. In what could only be described as a Christmas miracle, he has passed the privilege of organizing AMG’s yearly EP post unto myself and Dolphin WhisEPerer so that he might finally have the time to catch up on reading all the comments on his Opeth review. Let it be known that we treat this gravest of responsibilities with the utmost respect.

But enough faffing about, the most important thing is this cornucopia of EP’s, splits, singles, and demos we’ve arranged for you. Shorter-form releases like these are the patron saint of hidden gems. Rarely do they fall in the same hype cycle typically reserved for LP’s, so once a year we like to pay our respects to the oft-overlooked, unsung heroes of our metal community. They provide a necessary space for both fledgling and established bands to experiment with wild ideas that might not sustain a full release, or they can be a great outlet for bands to focus on their strongest material without weaker songs diluting the overall experience. Come, rejoice! Take a well-deserved break from the exhausting bloat of boring, regular albums, and bask in the majesty of the tighter focus and accessibility of short-form release with your bearded pal, Mystikus Hugebeard!

Make sure to return for Part II so that our Dolphin may Whisper1 to you of a whole new collection of releases!

Lathe // Hillclimber – Lathe are what you get when you mix the pedal steel and blues of country music with the atmosphere, weight and build-ups of post-metal. Hillclimber is written for a new lineup, adding an additional guitarist and a bassist, and it shows in the added density of their sound. As with their previous work, Hillclimber builds as it goes. “Weave” provides an almost spacey opening with a simple, twangy guitar melody and pedal steel embellishment. By “Blood,” trem-picked pedal steel, pounding drums and big riffs trade places with amp noise. Hillclimber isn’t revolutionary, hewing close stylistically to the post-ier, less dancy or rocky side of Tongue of Silver. But the riffs are big, the melodies pretty, and the atmosphere dense, and it says promising things about the new lineup. – Sentynel

Mammoth Grinder // Undying Spectral Resonance – Ever since the early 2010s Entombedcore wave fizzled out, I’ve longed for a band to revive that sound. With Undying Spectral Resonance, Mammoth Grinder seem to have answered the call. The band’s punky take on Swedeath has long offered Power Trip drummer Chris Ulsh a brawny way to flex his guitar and vocal abilities, but I never expected him to break Mammoth Grinder’s recording silence with something this heavy. Throughout most of these 14 minutes, Ulsh offers a hoarse roar that’s monstrous, a guitar tone that could crush boulders, and riffs that are downright punishing. “Corpse of Divinant” plows forward on muscular grooves that will have your inner hardcore kiddo dripping with arousal, while “Obsessed with Death” closes out the EP with a D-beating for the ages. Plopping an atmospheric synth interlude in the middle of a five-song tracklist was an odd choice, but at least it makes the midpaced lurch of “Decrease the Peace” sound even more massive. Let’s just hope we get more from these guys sooner rather than later. – Mark Z.

Glassbone // Deaf to Suffering – Frens of the blog know that I love me some good slam. The harder it hammers, the better. And while there were several tectonic options released this year, none hit the way latecomer EP Deaf to Suffering has. Courtesy of French buzzsaw hardcore/slam brutalists Glassbone, Deaf to Suffering springs into action with the absolutely devastating “Post Mortem Declaration” and doesn’t let up for nearly twenty minutes of high-octane, hook-laden, filthy slam. Highlight “In Your Guts” sends me into a feral state with rabid riffs that are as lethal as the disease itself. “Sanctified By the Blade” transforms my body into this musclebound mass of testosterone mountainous enough to flatten entire plots of sequoia trees. The title track even brings a certain old-school death vitriol, characterized best by a classic sounding solo, that adds substantial dynamics to Glassbone’s slam-based concoction. Every song offers its own voice while still maintaining the status quo of total demolition, and yet it feels like Deaf to Suffering elevates the slamscape past the norm and into the extraordinary. –TheKenWord

Counterparts // Heaven Let Them Die – Counterparts is renowned for their confrontational and vulnerable take on melodic hardcore and notable contributions to metalcore. Heaven Let Them Die is the Canadians’ heaviest release by far, delivering the weight of its title in its clear influence from vocalist Brendan Murphy’s time in caustic hardcore act End. With crushing riffs and breakdowns ripped at vicious speed, vocals spit with vitriol and venom, there’s a distinct weight, both aurally and existentially, that gives Heaven Let Them Die its power. From its reverb-laden plods that let the haunting leads guide the blastbeat-inclusive fury (“A Martyr Left Alive,” “Praise No Artery Intact”), to all-out assaults that abuse tempos with their punishing heft (“With Loving Arms Disfigured,” “No Lamb Was Lost”), it’s hard to believe that this is the same group that released You’re Not You Anymore or A Eulogy For Those Still Here. Punishing, vitriolic, and existentially weighty, Counterparts embarks on unforeseen journeys of blasphemy and pain. Closer “Heaven Let Them Die” exemplifies this act’s strengths, tying up the common lyrical motif screamed with throat-shredding intensity, that you’ll be howling for days: “HEAVEN… LET THEM… DIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!” – Dear Hollow

夢遊病者 (Sleepwalker) // Delirium Pathomutageno Adductum2 – The last outing by Russian/Japanese/American experimental, avant-garde, blackened noise outfit 夢遊病者, Noč Na Krayu Sveta, was my favorite EP of 2021. This year’s Delirium Pathomutageno Adductum is, if anything, even more unhinged. Like stepping into one of those nightmares that you don’t initially realise is a nightmare, parts of DPA are strangely soothing and delicate, wrapping you in lullaby-like melodies. But then, sometimes without you even noticing at first, warped melodies weave their way into the mix, before distorted, blackened vocals creep in, even as half-heard blast beats start to pound in the background. Shifting through their chameleonic palette, 夢遊病者 deploy bouzouki, uke, vibraphone, church organ and more, alongside more standard instrumentation, to create soundscapes worthy of the title Delirium. Tracked across three continents, this doubtless adds to the disconcerting sense of dizzying vertigo that infuses much of the EP, furthered by contributions from various gospel, Americana, and jazz guests. If you’re looking for a really weird night in, check this out, especially the closing duo of “Telepath Transport Wing” and “Aurum Iris Loop.” – Carcharodon

Entheos // An End to Everything – As Entheos continues to move into waters with increased breaks into clean, melodic refrains as peak points—a step first taken with 2023’s Time Will Take Us All—a continued adherence to their riff-led, groove-centered brand of techy death metal remains vital to their impact. Chunky riff after chunky riff after chunky riff hits first and repeatedly allows An End to Everything to crackle as the leanest both in length and pit-stirring effect of any Entheos album since 2016’s The Infinite Nothing. But more than just offering slinky slide-to-triplet rushes (“And End to Everything”) or snaking staccato beatings (“Life in Slow Motion”), Entheos offers throat-ripping breeeees, snarls, and hissing goblin assaults via Chaney Crabb’s extreme vocal commitment. Though comparable to frequent touring mates Alluvial3 in tone and tumble, Crabb delivers the necessary differentiation, complete with melodic chorus cries that stick like anthemic ear candy to an audience who patiently awaits sweet indulgence. Fit for a fifteen-minute power set, a pre-meeting energy blitz, or simply a destructive arm-throwing about your own home, An End to Everything feels both complete as a short-form work and steadfast a promise that Entheos plans to continue on a grooving path to success. – Dolphin Whisperer

Sylvaine // Eg Er Framand – Widely maligned for their ear-splitting volume and indecipherable vertical chords, pipe organs have a softer, ethereal side that often goes overlooked. Sylvaine’s gorgeous EP pits her otherworldly voice against hypnotic, shimmering high organ registrations, a duet custom-built to melt this frozen heart. Organs are designed for the spaces they inhabit,4 ensuring their resonance melds with the architecture of their home, and the descending spiral motif that bookends “Dagsens Auga Sloknar Ut” and “Tussmørke” duplicates this integration into Sylvaine’s music. There’s something of the eternal about this EP, its vibrating vocal harmonies and sustained wind tones suspending the passage of time and evoking both dusk and dawn. My 2024 opened with a death and ended with a birth; I can think of few soundtracks more fitting than Eg Er Framand. – Iceberg

Persefone // Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 – How shall I put this? What Carcharodon is to Kanonenfieber, I consider myself to Persefone. These Andorrans have always been a masterclass of blending insanely good musicianship with effortless technicality and rousing melodic movements. After longtime vocalist Marc Pia was replaced by Eternal Storm’s Daniel R. Flys, I feared that my beloved Persefone was gone, but I’m happy to say Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 dispelled my doubts. For one, it utilizes what Persefone has always done best; the music growing in intensity at the end of “Lingua Ignota” channels the iconic escalations from “Living Waves” (Aathma) and “Spiritual Migration (Spiritual Migration). However, as always, Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 is another step in Persefone’s evolution. “One Word” is one of Persefone’s most direct songs to date, with a powerful, memorable chorus betwixt tight, technical riffage, and adds a new dimension with Flys’ clean vocals joining Miguel Espinosa’s previously solo cleans. “Abyssal Communication” closes the EP with moving ambience, which Persefone has always loved to do, but follows Metanoia’s further emphasis on synth tones and is pleasantly dynamic, working well as a standalone track instead of just a send-off. It’s all fantastic, because it’s quintessentially Persefone, only now in a bite-sized and endlessly replayable size. Compact and to the point, yet still offering a wide breadth of intoxicating riffs and solos, Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 stands strong in their discography and even brings back a consistency I felt was slightly missing from 2022’s Metanoia. – Mystikus Hugebeard

Dislimn // Esmee – You never appreciate how good Bandcamp can be until a band doesn’t have one, and it has made Dislimn tragically difficult to find. I was lucky to stumble upon them in the promo sump whereupon I made a mental note to check later, but most people lack that kind of resource. Dislimn’s Esmee is a lovely piece of shimmering doomgaze with a heavy stoner edge, and I think they deserve a fair bit more attention than they’ve received. It’s a queer mix of stoner, prog, and post that lands through Dislimn’s impeccable vibes and simple but gripping songwriting. Esmee starts off gentle; the radio-friendly post-lite opener “Anxiety” is the perfect tune to float through a depressive dreamlike haze, but as time passes, the music develops some bite. The riffs in tracks like “Esmee’s Story” and “In My Mind” are straightforward, memorable, and crunchy with just the right amount of fuzz, while vocalist Alix’s dreamlike ever-soft vocals serenely soar above. “Gullfoss” is a bit of an oddball; a rockin’ and a rollin’ riffy jaunt sandwiched between emotive, brooding doomgaze is a bit of a lurch, but it grows on you. Overall, Esmee is the sort of unassuming EP that stealthily sinks its claws into you. I’ve returned to Esmee’s dreamy gloom many a time now, and I reckon you will too. – Mystikus Hugebeard

#2024 #AnEndToEverything #Beatdown #Counterparts #DeafToSuffering #DeathMetal #DeleriumPathomutagenoAdductum #Dislimn #Entheos #Esmee #Glassbone #GothicDoom #GothicRock #Hardcore #HeavenLetThemDie #Hillclimber #Lathe #LinguaIgnotaPt1 #MammothGrinder #Metalcore #Persefone #PostMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #Slam #Sleepwalker #TechnicalDeathMetal #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed2024 #UndyingSpectralResonance #夢遊病者

EP / Split / Single Roundup of 2024, Part 1

By Mystikus Hugebeard

In case you’re asking yourself “Where did El Cuervo go and why has he been replaced by a handsome, bearded wizard who is also ripped and buff?” rest assured that all is well with the original EP wrangler. In what could only be described as a Christmas miracle, he has passed the privilege of organizing AMG’s yearly EP post unto myself and Dolphin WhisEPerer so that he might finally have the time to catch up on reading all the comments on his Opeth review. Let it be known that we treat this gravest of responsibilities with the utmost respect.

But enough faffing about, the most important thing is this cornucopia of EP’s, splits, singles, and demos we’ve arranged for you. Shorter-form releases like these are the patron saint of hidden gems. Rarely do they fall in the same hype cycle typically reserved for LP’s, so once a year we like to pay our respects to the oft-overlooked, unsung heroes of our metal community. They provide a necessary space for both fledgling and established bands to experiment with wild ideas that might not sustain a full release, or they can be a great outlet for bands to focus on their strongest material without weaker songs diluting the overall experience. Come, rejoice! Take a well-deserved break from the exhausting bloat of boring, regular albums, and bask in the majesty of the tighter focus and accessibility of short-form release with your bearded pal, Mystikus Hugebeard!

Make sure to return for Part II so that our Dolphin may Whisper1 to you of a whole new collection of releases!

Lathe // Hillclimber – Lathe are what you get when you mix the pedal steel and blues of country music with the atmosphere, weight and build-ups of post-metal. Hillclimber is written for a new lineup, adding an additional guitarist and a bassist, and it shows in the added density of their sound. As with their previous work, Hillclimber builds as it goes. “Weave” provides an almost spacey opening with a simple, twangy guitar melody and pedal steel embellishment. By “Blood,” trem-picked pedal steel, pounding drums and big riffs trade places with amp noise. Hillclimber isn’t revolutionary, hewing close stylistically to the post-ier, less dancy or rocky side of Tongue of Silver. But the riffs are big, the melodies pretty, and the atmosphere dense, and it says promising things about the new lineup. – Sentynel

Mammoth Grinder // Undying Spectral Resonance – Ever since the early 2010s Entombedcore wave fizzled out, I’ve longed for a band to revive that sound. With Undying Spectral Resonance, Mammoth Grinder seem to have answered the call. The band’s punky take on Swedeath has long offered Power Trip drummer Chris Ulsh a brawny way to flex his guitar and vocal abilities, but I never expected him to break Mammoth Grinder’s recording silence with something this heavy. Throughout most of these 14 minutes, Ulsh offers a hoarse roar that’s monstrous, a guitar tone that could crush boulders, and riffs that are downright punishing. “Corpse of Divinant” plows forward on muscular grooves that will have your inner hardcore kiddo dripping with arousal, while “Obsessed with Death” closes out the EP with a D-beating for the ages. Plopping an atmospheric synth interlude in the middle of a five-song tracklist was an odd choice, but at least it makes the midpaced lurch of “Decrease the Peace” sound even more massive. Let’s just hope we get more from these guys sooner rather than later. – Mark Z.

Glassbone // Deaf to Suffering – Frens of the blog know that I love me some good slam. The harder it hammers, the better. And while there were several tectonic options released this year, none hit the way latecomer EP Deaf to Suffering has. Courtesy of French buzzsaw hardcore/slam brutalists Glassbone, Deaf to Suffering springs into action with the absolutely devastating “Post Mortem Declaration” and doesn’t let up for nearly twenty minutes of high-octane, hook-laden, filthy slam. Highlight “In Your Guts” sends me into a feral state with rabid riffs that are as lethal as the disease itself. “Sanctified By the Blade” transforms my body into this musclebound mass of testosterone mountainous enough to flatten entire plots of sequoia trees. The title track even brings a certain old-school death vitriol, characterized best by a classic sounding solo, that adds substantial dynamics to Glassbone’s slam-based concoction. Every song offers its own voice while still maintaining the status quo of total demolition, and yet it feels like Deaf to Suffering elevates the slamscape past the norm and into the extraordinary. –TheKenWord

Counterparts // Heaven Let Them Die – Counterparts is renowned for their confrontational and vulnerable take on melodic hardcore and notable contributions to metalcore. Heaven Let Them Die is the Canadians’ heaviest release by far, delivering the weight of its title in its clear influence from vocalist Brendan Murphy’s time in caustic hardcore act End. With crushing riffs and breakdowns ripped at vicious speed, vocals spit with vitriol and venom, there’s a distinct weight, both aurally and existentially, that gives Heaven Let Them Die its power. From its reverb-laden plods that let the haunting leads guide the blastbeat-inclusive fury (“A Martyr Left Alive,” “Praise No Artery Intact”), to all-out assaults that abuse tempos with their punishing heft (“With Loving Arms Disfigured,” “No Lamb Was Lost”), it’s hard to believe that this is the same group that released You’re Not You Anymore or A Eulogy For Those Still Here. Punishing, vitriolic, and existentially weighty, Counterparts embarks on unforeseen journeys of blasphemy and pain. Closer “Heaven Let Them Die” exemplifies this act’s strengths, tying up the common lyrical motif screamed with throat-shredding intensity, that you’ll be howling for days: “HEAVEN… LET THEM… DIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!” – Dear Hollow

夢遊病者 (Sleepwalker) // Delirium Pathomutageno Adductum2 – The last outing by Russian/Japanese/American experimental, avant-garde, blackened noise outfit 夢遊病者, Noč Na Krayu Sveta, was my favorite EP of 2021. This year’s Delirium Pathomutageno Adductum is, if anything, even more unhinged. Like stepping into one of those nightmares that you don’t initially realise is a nightmare, parts of DPA are strangely soothing and delicate, wrapping you in lullaby-like melodies. But then, sometimes without you even noticing at first, warped melodies weave their way into the mix, before distorted, blackened vocals creep in, even as half-heard blast beats start to pound in the background. Shifting through their chameleonic palette, 夢遊病者 deploy bouzouki, uke, vibraphone, church organ and more, alongside more standard instrumentation, to create soundscapes worthy of the title Delirium. Tracked across three continents, this doubtless adds to the disconcerting sense of dizzying vertigo that infuses much of the EP, furthered by contributions from various gospel, Americana, and jazz guests. If you’re looking for a really weird night in, check this out, especially the closing duo of “Telepath Transport Wing” and “Aurum Iris Loop.” – Carcharodon

Entheos // An End to Everything – As Entheos continues to move into waters with increased breaks into clean, melodic refrains as peak points—a step first taken with 2023’s Time Will Take Us All—a continued adherence to their riff-led, groove-centered brand of techy death metal remains vital to their impact. Chunky riff after chunky riff after chunky riff hits first and repeatedly allows An End to Everything to crackle as the leanest both in length and pit-stirring effect of any Entheos album since 2016’s The Infinite Nothing. But more than just offering slinky slide-to-triplet rushes (“And End to Everything”) or snaking staccato beatings (“Life in Slow Motion”), Entheos offers throat-ripping breeeees, snarls, and hissing goblin assaults via Chaney Crabb’s extreme vocal commitment. Though comparable to frequent touring mates Alluvial3 in tone and tumble, Crabb delivers the necessary differentiation, complete with melodic chorus cries that stick like anthemic ear candy to an audience who patiently awaits sweet indulgence. Fit for a fifteen-minute power set, a pre-meeting energy blitz, or simply a destructive arm-throwing about your own home, An End to Everything feels both complete as a short-form work and steadfast a promise that Entheos plans to continue on a grooving path to success. – Dolphin Whisperer

Sylvaine // Eg Er Framand – Widely maligned for their ear-splitting volume and indecipherable vertical chords, pipe organs have a softer, ethereal side that often goes overlooked. Sylvaine’s gorgeous EP pits her otherworldly voice against hypnotic, shimmering high organ registrations, a duet custom-built to melt this frozen heart. Organs are designed for the spaces they inhabit,4 ensuring their resonance melds with the architecture of their home, and the descending spiral motif that bookends “Dagsens Auga Sloknar Ut” and “Tussmørke” duplicates this integration into Sylvaine’s music. There’s something of the eternal about this EP, its vibrating vocal harmonies and sustained wind tones suspending the passage of time and evoking both dusk and dawn. My 2024 opened with a death and ended with a birth; I can think of few soundtracks more fitting than Eg Er Framand. – Iceberg

Persefone // Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 – How shall I put this? What Carcharodon is to Kanonenfieber, I consider myself to Persefone. These Andorrans have always been a masterclass of blending insanely good musicianship with effortless technicality and rousing melodic movements. After longtime vocalist Marc Pia was replaced by Eternal Storm’s Daniel R. Flys, I feared that my beloved Persefone was gone, but I’m happy to say Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 dispelled my doubts. For one, it utilizes what Persefone has always done best; the music growing in intensity at the end of “Lingua Ignota” channels the iconic escalations from “Living Waves” (Aathma) and “Spiritual Migration (Spiritual Migration). However, as always, Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 is another step in Persefone’s evolution. “One Word” is one of Persefone’s most direct songs to date, with a powerful, memorable chorus betwixt tight, technical riffage, and adds a new dimension with Flys’ clean vocals joining Miguel Espinosa’s previously solo cleans. “Abyssal Communication” closes the EP with moving ambience, which Persefone has always loved to do, but follows Metanoia’s further emphasis on synth tones and is pleasantly dynamic, working well as a standalone track instead of just a send-off. It’s all fantastic, because it’s quintessentially Persefone, only now in a bite-sized and endlessly replayable size. Compact and to the point, yet still offering a wide breadth of intoxicating riffs and solos, Lingua Ignota Pt. 1 stands strong in their discography and even brings back a consistency I felt was slightly missing from 2022’s Metanoia. – Mystikus Hugebeard

Dislimn // Esmee – You never appreciate how good Bandcamp can be until a band doesn’t have one, and it has made Dislimn tragically difficult to find. I was lucky to stumble upon them in the promo sump whereupon I made a mental note to check later, but most people lack that kind of resource. Dislimn’s Esmee is a lovely piece of shimmering doomgaze with a heavy stoner edge, and I think they deserve a fair bit more attention than they’ve received. It’s a queer mix of stoner, prog, and post that lands through Dislimn’s impeccable vibes and simple but gripping songwriting. Esmee starts off gentle; the radio-friendly post-lite opener “Anxiety” is the perfect tune to float through a depressive dreamlike haze, but as time passes, the music develops some bite. The riffs in tracks like “Esmee’s Story” and “In My Mind” are straightforward, memorable, and crunchy with just the right amount of fuzz, while vocalist Alix’s dreamlike ever-soft vocals serenely soar above. “Gullfoss” is a bit of an oddball; a rockin’ and a rollin’ riffy jaunt sandwiched between emotive, brooding doomgaze is a bit of a lurch, but it grows on you. Overall, Esmee is the sort of unassuming EP that stealthily sinks its claws into you. I’ve returned to Esmee’s dreamy gloom many a time now, and I reckon you will too. – Mystikus Hugebeard

#2024 #AnEndToEverything #Beatdown #Counterparts #DeafToSuffering #DeathMetal #DeleriumPathomutagenoAdductum #Dislimn #Entheos #Esmee #Glassbone #GothicDoom #GothicRock #Hardcore #HeavenLetThemDie #Hillclimber #Lathe #LinguaIgnotaPt1 #MammothGrinder #Metalcore #Persefone #PostMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #Slam #Sleepwalker #TechnicalDeathMetal #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed #ThingsYouMightHaveMissed2024 #UndyingSpectralResonance #夢遊病者

My Album Of The Year is: "Lingua Ignota Pt. 1" by Persefone.

I chose the album as my AOTY because I was eagerly awaiting the release and not a single song on the EP disappoints! Every single one picks me up and combines the familiar Persefone sound without being stingy with refreshing new elements. I attended their live concert shortly after the releases and couldn't be happier! Great band, awesome show, nice crowd! Can't wait for Pt. 2! 😍

There were 3 more candidates for my AOTY. In order of preference:

TesseracT - War of Being
DVNE - Voidkind
VOLA - Friend of a Phantom

#aoty #aoty2025 #metal #album #releases #persefone #vola #dvne #tesseract #music

New photo report online, all photography by me: #sethpicturesmusic - #sethabrikoos
> https://zwaremetalen.com/liveverslagen/fotoverslagen/prognosis-presents-prachtige-prog-met-persefone-obscura-cynic-en-meer

Bands: #Lampr3a , #StellarCircuits , #Cryptosis , #Hypno5e , #Persefone , #Obscura , #Cynic

🤘✌️

New photo report online, all photography by me: #sethpicturesmusic - #sethabrikoos
> https://zwaremetalen.com/liveverslagen/fotoverslagen/prognosis-presents-prachtige-prog-met-persefone-obscura-cynic-en-meer

Bands: #Lampr3a , #StellarCircuits , #Cryptosis , #Hypno5e , #Persefone , #Obscura , #Cynic

🤘✌️

New photo report online, all photography by me: #sethpicturesmusic - #sethabrikoos
> https://zwaremetalen.com/liveverslagen/fotoverslagen/prognosis-presents-prachtige-prog-met-persefone-obscura-cynic-en-meer

Bands: #Lampr3a , #StellarCircuits , #Cryptosis , #Hypno5e , #Persefone , #Obscura , #Cynic

🤘✌️

New photo report online, all photography by me: #sethpicturesmusic - #sethabrikoos
> https://zwaremetalen.com/liveverslagen/fotoverslagen/prognosis-presents-prachtige-prog-met-persefone-obscura-cynic-en-meer

Bands: #Lampr3a , #StellarCircuits , #Cryptosis , #Hypno5e , #Persefone , #Obscura , #Cynic

🤘✌️

The photo office for Sunday:
- #Cynic
- #Obscura
- #Persefone
- #Hypno5e
- #StellarCircuits
- #Cryptosis
- #Lamprera

📍 #Dynamo #Eindhoven

The photo office for Sunday:
- #Cynic
- #Obscura
- #Persefone
- #Hypno5e
- #StellarCircuits
- #Cryptosis
- #Lamprera

📍 #Dynamo #Eindhoven

The photo office for Sunday:
- #Cynic
- #Obscura
- #Persefone
- #Hypno5e
- #StellarCircuits
- #Cryptosis
- #Lamprera

📍 #Dynamo #Eindhoven

The photo office for Sunday:
- #Cynic
- #Obscura
- #Persefone
- #Hypno5e
- #StellarCircuits
- #Cryptosis
- #Lamprera

📍 #Dynamo #Eindhoven

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
Album Review: PERSEFONE Lingua Ignota: Part 1
"By adding traditional metal elements laced together with clever song writing, Persefone have crafted a genius, modern metal album."

https://metalinjection.net/reviews/album-review-persefone-lingua-ignota-part-1

#Persefone #LinguaIgnota #Part1 #AlbumReview #MetalInjection #Reviews #ImportantInfo