Double Review: Noisear- Subvert the Dominate Paradigm and Defeatist- Tyranny of Decay

Noisear- Subvert the Dominate Paradigm

Defeatist- Tyranny of Decay

Over the past few years, Grindcore had been a genre of segments: on one hand, we had the purist Grindcore inspired by it's roots: Rotten Sound, Magrudergrind, Wormrot and others were doing it they way Napalm Death used to do it back in 1989. On the other, we had the progressive elements of the genre, toying with dissonance, technicality and time signatures: Discordance Axis, Pig Destroyer, Fuck The Facts. It has become a shit tossing war of fanboy attrition, as the two sides bicker over where the genre needs to go from here.

That question has been answered with Subvert the Dominate Paradigm and Tyranny of Decay: they will be smashed, molded and melted into one. Both of these albums represent the future of Grindcore, one grounded in the genre's past while at the same time embracing it's future. New Mexico's Noisear and New York's Defeatist have both released incredibly impressive albums, mixing the purist, crusty Grindcore of Rotten Sound with the hyper technical and dissonant guitar work of Discordance Axis to create a new kind of Grindcore. And boy does it fucking rule.

Of the two albums, Subvert the Dominate Paradigm is the stronger record. In fact, Subvert the Dominate Paradigm might be the finest Grindcore album of the last five years. Each of the thirty songs(minus the last song, "Noiseurption," which is mostly Power Electronics) are perfectly crafted pieces of this new kind of Grindcore. The basic riffs, song structure and tempo are classic Grindcore: fast, brutal, crusty and reeking of Punk Rock attitude. But Noisear often break into burst of technical, hyper dissonant riffing that brings to mind Discordance Axis and Fuck the Facts at their most inhuman and enraged, and the band often toy with Jazzy and complex song structure, if only for a few fleeting seconds, before going back to the Grind with a furious vengeance. The vocal attack is also incredible: varied, pissed off an bubbling with pure shit spewing hatred, the alternating high shriek and low guttural growl is as impressive as any you will ever hear. This synthesis of two styles is incredibly fun to listen to, and kept me on my feet for the entire album, wondering what Noisear were going to throw at me next.

Tyranny of Decay does not lack for truly awesome moments. Defeatist are the more traditional of the two bands, and this 12 track LP does feel dirtier and crustier. Defeatist are not quite as technically sound as Noisear, but they heap the rage on by the truckload(and in the end, that might be the most important thing). At times very Doom-y, and occasionally bringing to mind a more primitive Immolation, Tyranny of Decay is a force of sheer destruction. Its technical moments are less pronounced, but when they hit, it often creates a sea of dissonance that would make Ulcerate proud. I also prefer the overall production of Tyranny of Decay: Subvert the Dominate Paradigm has a very even mix and a ridiculously perfect snare sound, but Tyranny of Decay feels nastier and more filthy in an early Rotten Sound kind of way. On the other hand, the fairly mono-tone, screamy vocals of Tyranny of Decay are not the album's strong suite.

If this is the future of Grindcore, then a bright future it shall be. Both of these albums, but particularly Subvert the Dominate Paradigm, represent an aesthetic synthesis that I wish other genres would at least attempt(I am looking at you, Death Metal), and continues to prove that for sheer unbridled creativity, Grindcore is the superior genre to just about any other form of Extreme Music. I love the proclamation of Subvert the Dominate Paradigm's title: Noisear(and Defeatist) have done exactly that: taken the dominate ideas in Grindcore today, undercut them, and then popped a squat and took a shit on them.

Rating: Subvert the Dominate Paradigm: 10/10
Tyranny of Decay: 8.5/10

deafheaven- Roads to Judah(2011)

deafheaven- Roads to Judah

This is not Black Metal.

I hate to break the news to deafheaven's supporters, or vindicate their detractors for that matter, but in my time with Roads to Judah one of my dominating thoughts was simply: "This is not Black Metal." Nothing about Roads to Judah fits the genre for which it is most commonly associated with, no matter how much justification their fans may try to provide. This is not about the bands appearance, their ideology or their "kvltness": from a purely musical standpoint, any Black Metal that might be found here is negligible at best. The bands over-arching sounds hems much closer to the progressive Sludge of Neurosis and the melodic intensity of Defeater(not to mention the shoegaze-y elements of bands like My Bloody Valentine) than anything Black Metal.

Which is not a bad thing: while not Black Metal, Roads to Judah is still a fantastic record. Haunting, technical and at times very beautiful, Roads to Judah is as fine a progressive Metal album as to be released this year. At times, like the absolutely gorgeous intro of "Violet," Roads to Judah is an emotional experience, one that does not evoke feelings of cold grimmness, but almost a hopeful tone. This in an of itself might be enough to disqualify deafheaven as a Black Metal band, but more likely it is the moments of obvious Melodic Hardcore influence, like on "Language Games," when the band enter a low-key section, complete with clean guitars and a drumroll that would do Defeater proud. The vocal attack is the closest thing to Black Metal here, and I actually find it a bit disappointing, considering how amazing Kerry MecCoy and George Clark were at them with Rise of Caligula, a fantastic Technical Deathgrind band you should check out post haste.

There is something about this shoegaze-ified, people-call-it-Black-Metal-for-some-reason Progressive Metal that keeps me from completely getting in to it: at times, riffs and sections run together, and I lose entire sections of songs, committing them to the Recycle Bin of my memory as soon as they enter my brain. Roads to Judah does not evoke that same feeling in me anywhere near as often as many of these other bands, which makes it such a joy to listen to. It still happens: about a 3rd of the way into "Violet" I had completely tuned the song out on pure instinct, only to be drawn back in later, but compared to say Litugry(a review is... forthcoming), deafheaven maintain a level of interest that few acts within this sub-genre can match. I should not be surprised, considering the connection to Rise of Caligula, but after reading much of the haters perspective on deafheaven, and similar bands, my expectations have been consistently skewed to the negative.

I can't really explain where the band picked up the Black Metal label: maybe it is self produced(in which case, I would recommend the band change their perspective), maybe others are forcing it on them. What I can say is this: Roads to Judah is a damn fine record. For what it is, this album is an emotional, musically complex and consistently interesting. For those looking for some progessive, thought provoking Metal, I would recommend Roads to Judah in a flash.

Rating: 8.5/10

Encoffination- O' Hell, Shine In Thy Whited Sepulchres

Encoffination- O' Hell, Shine In Thy Whited Sepulchres

Lurching from the mist, each step a belabored and murderous endeavor, O'h Hell, Shine In Thy Whited Sepulchres is in no hurry. Much like Death itself slowly creeps upon us all, so too does this album, unabashedly fearless in its sheer slowness. And if a slow and painful Death is what you seek, than Encoffination are more than happy to provide it, so long as you don't ask many questions or have a preference on how you wish to die.

By the logo alone, one can assume Encoffination are influence greatly by Incantation, and sure enough you can find those mighty New Yorker's fingerprints all over this record, mostly in the mostly tremolo picked riffing style and Ghoat's guttural vocal attack. But among Incantation's obvious influence, one also finds Thergothon and to a lesser extent disEMBOWELMENT. So if you are imagining punishingly slow Incantation worship songs with the occasional use of things like bells, organs and ritualistic chanting and moaning, you have imagined O'h Hell, Shine In Thy Whited Sepulchres.

And that is all you can expect from it as well. Each track sounds pretty much the same as the other(which would have been fine if they did not have breaks between each song), with the only distinguishing factors being the use of other sounds. If not for the occasional bells or chants, each song would be mostly indistinguishable from each other, often following similar patterns(slow intro, a slight pick up in speed near the middle, a lurching outro). The album might be slow, but it falls into a rut quickly and never bothers trying to escape: like Death, Encoffination will never stop doing what they do... slowly.

O'h Hell, Shine In Thy Whited Sepulchres is a massive step up for Encoffination, a band I have never been crazy about. The production, and the album in general, absolutely demolishes the paper thin, bedroom kvlt shit-fest of Ritual Ascension Beyond Flesh, and at times the band can evoke some truly nasty atmosphere. But riff for riff, there is just not a lot going on here, and while the bands commitment to their sound is admirable, the lack of any unique ideas makes it hard to sit through this record multiple times. Death is coming for us all, slowly and surely, but in my time here on Earth, I don't imagine I will be spending too much of it with O'Hell, Shine In They Whited Sepulchres.

Rating: 7/10

Antediluvian- Through the Cervix of Hawwah(2011)

Antediluvian- Through the Cervix of Hawwah

While much of the bands previous work left me either cold or indifferent(refer to my review of Revelations in Excrement), Antediluvian have left me in shock with Through the Cervix of Hawwah: this is a band with a lot more to offer than I first gleaned from their previous, mostly standard work. As cavernous, blasphemous and suffocating as any album released this year, Through the Cervix of Hawwah represents a massive step forward for Antediluvian. The songwriting is much more distinct, the riffs far more complex and the atmosphere is more natural and less forced then it has ever been. No longer can we call these Canadian plague-wielders mere Incantation clones lost in a sea of static, but a band with serious purpose and the chops to see their will be done.

Clearly, the move from a two piece to a four piece band has brought many needed ideas and improved musical chops to Antediluvian, as Through the Cervix of Hawwah is in many ways a style and identity shift for the band. There is a much greater sense of rhythm and tempo then before: where early releases tended to grind on at full speed, we see a desire for ideas to grow and flesh themselves out, without the forced and noisey pace. Through the Cervix is much more deliberate, and it adds a new level of polish and attitude to the bands sound. The mid-paced, head banging intensity of tracks like "Scions Of Ha Nachash (Spectre Of The Burning Valley)" and "Luminous Harvest" blew me away when I first heard them, and were not something I ever expected from this band.

The production on this album was also a big surprise: an even mix, devoid of unnecessary static to force that cavernous sound and drums that sound polished and balanced is another sign of increasing maturity as songwriters. The expanded technical chops on display are also impressive, as the band sound far less primitive. Some may see this as a bad thing, but with so many bands taking that route, it is nice to hear someone doing something a bit different. Which is not say that Through the Cervix has moved into Technical Death Metal territory, but this album has more in common with Portal or Mitochondrion than Innumerable Forms or Putrevore in terms of riffs. In fact, the comparison to Portal is a good one: imagine Portal without all the bullshit and decent production, and you have something close to Through the Cerix, though in truth this album trumps anything Portal have ever done.

I did not expect such maturity, complexity or creativity from Antediluvian, having pegged them for another in a long line of mindlessly over-wrought Incantation worship bands. But Through the Cervix of Hawwah is something to behold; a band growing up right before our eyes. A surefire contender for the top Death Metal album of 2011, anyone seeking intelligent yet blasphemous Death Metal should be on the hunt for this surprising gem of this year.

Rating: 9/10

Adversarial- Prophetic Plain of Abyssal Revelation(2011)

Adversarial- Prophetic Plain of Abyssal Revelation

For all of its faults in terms of production, Adversarial's All Idols Fall Before The Hammer was arguably my Album of the Year for 2010: the combination of bestial intensity with an undeniable creative edge made it a joy for the active listener, even if the demonic ping from the Asshole of Hell itself at times impeded the experience. I won't defend the paper thin production or abysmal snare sound, but fuck all if All Idols Fall Before the Hammer was not some of the finest fucking Death Metal released the last decade.

Prophetic Plains of Abyssal Revelation is purely fan-service: a repackaging of the bands 2009's Thralls demo, two new songs and two covers(of Incantation and Archgoat). The three Thralls demo tracks have even worse production than All Idols, and the fourth s/t track comes from the same recording. The Thralls demo is all together solid but mostly unnecessary if you have All Idol Fall. Of the three new tracks, only one, "Impending Eternal Blackness," is a new original track, and it is fantastic: Adversarial take the most brutal sounds in Death and Black Metal and mix them in a bloody grinding mess of pain and suffering. But the band have a penchant for deep, complex guitar interplay, making them one of the more fascinating bands in Death Metal today. The production on this track and the two covers is a vast improvement from All Idols Fall: Adversarial seem committed to truly low-fi recording, so a fully even mix may never come from these Canadians brutalizers, but the production is a step up regardless.

While mostly inessential in its content, Prophetic Plain of Abyssal Revelation could be the turning point for those who could not escape the snare sound of All Idols Fall. The bands talent, creativity and massive brutality are undeniable, and with the more consistent and less jarring production sound on the new tracks, Adversarial are in a position to convert the non-believers. For those of us who already believe, this EP gives us much needed satisfaction until the band feel the unholy need to bless us in blood once again.

Rating: 8/10

Review Round-Up: Gardens of Golgotha

I am back, but my time was well spent listening to many different albums. Album with different names anyway, since about half of them sounded like Incantation. And I got to thinking: how the hell am I going to write so many reviews about the same fucking sound?

Easy.

Be Lazy.

So here are a number of short reviews describing my feelings of each album, with the pre-text that they all sound a lot like Incantation


















Gorephillia- Ascend to Chaos
An album lacking any originality, charm or heart, this cleanly produced, lifeless Incantation fellatio is an insult to the listeners tolerance for blatant genre worship. There is not one thing found on this album that you cannot find anywhere else, and often other places will offer a better product. Devoid of atmosphere and energy, this EP is 5 tracks(and one predictable Intro track, which is a trend that is wearing thin on me) of pointless drivel. The final track, "Tower of Bones," provides the only juice.

Rating: 4/10




















Cryptborn- In The Grasp Of The Starving Dead

In The Grasp Of The Starving Dead is also far from original, but the little things keep it floating and delivering some decent listening. Cryptborn mix some Finnish Death/Doom into their Incantation-style songs, and the fuzzy guitar production gives everything the correct sizzle. A touch of Rippikoulu is a nice touch indeed. The production is properly low-fi and brutal, but also uneven with the vocals mostly lost in the mix. And this is still some very typical stuff, if plenty competent.

Rating: 7/10





















Grave Ritual- Euphoric Hymns From the Altar of Death

This was one of my favorites for the past few months, even though it is fairly basic Incantation worship. The main reason is the energy and atmosphere are in full supply here: each riff is played with blasphemous conviction and the muddy production elicits the feel of a cold coffin shivering with the struggles of its now active occupant. There is nothing of groundbreaking importance to be listened to, but the effort and bleakness of the album is worthy of your time.

Rating: 8/10




















Corpsessed- The Dagger And The Chalice

This EP also impressed me, for many of the same reasons that Euphoric Hymns of From the Altar of Death. The Dagger and the Chalice is filthy, mucky and evil sounding to the extreme, and this young band have fantastic confidence in their sound. The vocals are a particular delight: they are not merely imitating Craig Pillard, and instead seek to bring some uniqueness to the band. Again, nothing groundbreaking or original, but damn tasty regardless.

Rating: 8/10





















Blessed Offal- Blessed Offal

Blessed Offal offer a doomier, more Finnish sounding alternative with their standard Incantation grooves, similar to Cryptborn in a way. But Blessed Offal are clearly a more talented and inventive band. Blessed Offal is slow, suffocating and purpose driven to ruin your sunny day. A fine EP from a band clearly on the rise. The production is a bit clean for this sound, but not as sterile sounding as Ascend to Chaos by any means.

Rating: 8/10

Antichrist- Sacrament of Blood(2011)

Antichrist- Sacrament of Blood

Lost to the Sands of Time until it finally found its release this year, Antichrist's Sacrament of Blood is a blistering, demonic mass of Satan worshiping Bestial Black Metal circa 1994. For whatever reason, Sacrament of Blood remained unreleased for sixteen years. I did a little research as to why this was, but found nothing: an acquaintance of mine who has shared correspondence with members of Blasphemy said that real life got in the way at some point and the band never got around to releasing the album. And it is interesting to think about the possibilities had this album been released on time: it was recorded in during the infancy of Bestial Black Metal, and the band hailed from the same horrific crib as Blasphemy(the hellish landscape of British Columbia). Would history have looked as kindly upon this as they did upon Fallen Angel of Doom?

But what could have been means little now, and Sacrament of Blood is a slab of filthy misanthropic noise that feels right at home no matter the era of it's release. The sheer Satanic aggression on display here is truly impressive: each track is short and leaves little room for things like breathing or humanity. Antichrist are here to kick down the door of the local coven, rape the nuns and burn the fucker down, and that is exactly what they accomplish here. The riffs are the highlight: plenty of tempo changes keep things interesting, and few albums will create as many sudden explosions of head-banging this year. The vocal attack is impressive and varied, even if the reverb is a bit on the obnoxious side. It is also worth noting that the entire album was recorded live in a single day, which considering the very even mix and the nasty guitar and bass sound, is massively impressive.

There is a real Crust Punk vibe to the entire thing: it feels like one should be sucking down a beer in some basement while watching the band go through their set and after the show going out back and smoking a joint. Sacrament in Blood is not trying to suffocate you with overly done atmosphere or open portals to Hell in your kitchen. The band are trying to kick your ass and have it be as much fun as possible. In a scene that has become incredibly serious, self absorbed and frankly internet hip, Sacrament in Blood stands out aesthetically from the rest of the pack, and pretty much shits all over many of the super-serious, Occult-and-HP Lovecraft obsessed bands peddling their Blasphemy worship out there today. Only Morbosidad seem to have the same vibe, and no doubt the guys in Morbosidad would have loved this had it been released in 1994(and should be loving it now).

There are no real fault here, other than the vocal reverb and the rather corny samples that will evoke Goregrind more than Bestial Black Metal, but those are small things in the face of the overall package. My final score is not indicative enough to point out that you, as a fan of Bestial Black Metal, should be getting this album right now. Truly required listening, with an attitude and approach that hopefully a few bands will imitate in the future.

Rating: 9/10

Ritual Necromancy- Oath of the Abyss(2011)

Ritual Necromancy- Oaths of the Abyss

At this point, we may never escape the the cavernous, blasphemous miasma of Incantation. After just reviewing the most recent Dominus Xul album, I can turn right around and review the new album from Portland, Oregon newbies Ritual Necromancy. To be honest, I could spend the next week reviewing albums that sound almost exactly like the seminal New York Death Metal act. The whole thing has gone officially over the top, and Oaths of the Abyss fits right into the endless sea of imitators as neatly a coffin fits into a grave.

Oaths of the Abyss is not devoid of charm or redeemable qualities: the stiflingly thick production is particularly impressive, and the atmospheric waves of static and churning riffs creates a strong hypnotizing effect. This is the production sound Portal was shooting for with Swarth but failed to obtain, which is a major part Oaths of the Abyss appeal. The rest depends of(I am saying this again, and likely again in the very near future) how much you like Incantation and their recent sea of imitators. Do you love Vasaeleth, Antediluvian, Father Befouled, Grave Ritual, Dominus Xul, Vorum, Grave Upheaval, The Wakedead Gathering, Cemetery Urn, Ignivomous, Impetuous Ritual... ugh. Do you see where I am going here? Oath of the Abyss is perfectly competent and effective, but at this point it is hard to justify the existence of this album.

Here is the thing: Ritual Necromancy are not better than most of the bands I just mentioned, and they have few of the progressive elements that the forward thinking members of this movement have. Oaths of the Abyss is as straightforward and joyless as any album released this year: there is no spark of creativity of adventure here, but instead a methodical snuffing out of all light and hope. There is something to say for that, but it is a mission that only takes me so far. I very much enjoyed Oaths of the Abyss; this is a sound that appeals to me on a base level and one that still has not worn out it's welcome. But one cannot objectively look at this album, one that has already been written before, and consider it anything more than a chant of worship.

Rating: 7.5/10

Dominus Xul- To The Glory Of The Ancient Ones(2011)

Dominus Xul- To The Glory Of The Ancient Ones

There is something to be said for doing something first, or in the case of Dominus Xul, doing something second first. Well before every other band on the planet was worshiping Incantation, Dominus Xul released The Primigeni Xul(I Condemn My Enemies) all the way back in 1998. In many ways, they were the first Incantation worship band, so it makes perfect sense for the band to reform in 2011, the Year of Incantation, and release their first new material in 13 years with To The Glory Of The Ancient Ones. And just like their first release, To The Glory Of The Ancient Ones is a slab of rock solid, professionally played Incantation love.

To the untrained listener, it might be impossible to tell the difference between a Dominus Xul track and an Incantation track, as all the hallmarks are here: cavernous, demonic riffing, a sense of Doom-laden dread, Satanic aesthetic, and the fantastic vocal performance of Caludio Salinas, who does one of the finest and most powerful Craig Pillard impersonations I have heard in a long time. The somewhat clean and clear production is curious, and is really the only thing that stands out about this album. It really isn't too much of a hinderence to the quality of the work, it just isn't the norm right now and makes an impression. It all adds up to rock solid and well played Occult Death Metal that is all the rage right now amongst the elite of the Death Metal crowd.

Which begs the question: how much longer will this sound retain it's dominance? I hate a debate with a acquaintance of mine: I say the whole thing really kicked into gear back in 2008 with Dead Congregation's Grave of the Archangels. He said the fad started a few years earlier in 2005 with, sure enough, Dead Congregation's Purifying Consecrated Ground. Regardless, the reign of Tech and Brutal Death Metal as the choice of the elite Death Metal fan has been over for a few years, and the static choked offerings of bands like Vasaeleth, Encoffination, Father Befouled and countless other acts are what the "in" kids are listening to. But how much longer before all this worship wears thin? Before another band takes Incantation's place as the Demigod of Death Metal?

Dominus Xul are clearly cashing in now and striking while the iron is hot, and To The Glory Of The Ancient Ones feels right at home amongst the endless sea of Golgotha's. It is played with much more professionalism, experience and conceptual strength than many of the new worshipers on the block, but worship it remains. How much enjoyment you get from this will be based on how much you love Incantation, and as an unabashed fan of the might New York Masters, To The Glory Of The Ancient Ones tickles all the right nerves, if even only in the fleeting sense.

Rating: 7/10

Decrepitaph- Profane Doctrines Unburied(2011)

Decrepitaph- Profane Doctrines Unburied

Like the ash laden dust of long lost tombs getting caught in a frozen wind, Decrepitaph come crawling from the caves of the long dead, bringing with them the delights of the rotted and suffering deceased. Profane Doctrines Unburied is a suffocating miasma of lost and angry spirits hitting with the full force of the demons that terrorize their every un-living moment. Few albums this year, or ever for that matter, are so skull crushingly heavy and loaded with suffering. This California two-piece of Sinworm and Elektrokutioner(already too brutal for most people) have been summoning the undead of old school DeathDoom at a blistering rate, with three full lengths and a dozen or so demos , EPs and Splits since their horrendous creation in 2005, and all this practice has paid off with Profane Doctrines Unburied.

The production is the thing that stands out the most, in that everything sounds musty, old and decrepit. The guitar tone is incredibly thick and choked with distortion, and the stumbling pace of the bowl rumbling bass remind one of the shuffling steps of a monstrous undead abomination. The bass drum sounds like it is made of freshly butchered meat: a wet thump of a hammer coming down onto the brain cavity of a hapless victim. This attention to detail is impressive, and the songwriting takes maximum advantage of the sound of the album. Each track is written like the slow, deliberate steps of the undead: with a flesh devouring purpose. Only occasionally, like the opening flurry of "Convulse In Eternal Agony," to things speed up somewhat. But expect no blast-beats here: heavy influenced by the sounds of Finnish DeathDoom, Profane Doctrines Unburied takes its time to inflict its damage on your soul and ear drums. The solo work is also fantastic: off-kilter, sloppy and with a guitar sound as close to a wailing banshee as you have ever heard, the solos are creepy and used to brilliant effect, particularly on the song "A Suffocating Evil."

It is hard not to be massively impressed with Profane Doctrines Unbruied. While it won't win any awards for originality or inventiveness, the album is incredibly polished and focused: Decrepitaph know exactly what they want to do and implement their ideas to almost complete perfection. The occasional dragging song length or over-use of riffs is a small price to pay for the near perfection that Profane Doctrines Unburied gives the listener. If the dead rise in our lifetime, this will be the Clarion Call that leads them on their endless rampage for flesh and freedom from their pain.

Rating: 9/10