War Master- Pyramid of the Necropolis(2011)

War Master- Pyramid of the Necropolis

Straight up worship is pretty tricky. Most of the time, it is incredibly terrible and pointless genre fellatio that only manages to cheapen the genre as a whole. Occasionally however, a channeling occurs: a band hits the right notes, get the right attitude, and instead of merely imitating a band or sound they become an extension of it. Putrevore's Morphed From Deadbreath was Rottrevore's follow-up to Iniquitous. Codex Incubo felt like a lost Demilich release. And War Master's Pyramid of the Necropolis is the newest release from Bolt Thrower.

Hailing from Texas and featuring former members of legendary Grindcore masters Insect Warfare, War Master make no bones about their sound. If not taking the name of a Bolt Thrower album as their moniker doesn't give it away, the bands Last.fm page declares War Master succinctly as "Death Metal. Bolt Thrower worship." Clearly, this band hate surprises, which is odd, considering Pyramid of the Necropolis is such a surprisingly excellent debt. The formula is taken straight from the Bolt Thrower-textbook: brutal, low-end driven mid-paced Death Metal with tons of groove, bursts of relentless Grindcore and a no-nonsense attitude to songwriting. The hypothetical cudgel in musical form, used on your not-so-hypothetical cranium with relentless force. So ya know... Bolt Thrower.

War Master are the perfect worship band because they have the right attitude. There is not one ounce of pretentiousness or any confusion about what they are doing. War Master treat the sound and the property like it is their own, and do justice both to themselves and to Bolt Thrower with this album. Pyramid of the Necropolis is merely an open love-letter to the legends of English Death Metal, one that we all can enjoy and commit mass murder to.

Rating: 8/10

Best of 2011 Genre Awards: Black Metal

5.) Amnis Nihili- Christological Escalation

Already topping my best EP's of 2011, Christological Escalation also brings up the back end of my top Black Metal albums of 2011. This album is just a tour-de-force of dissonant, complex Black Metal. A brilliant EP, and a sign of things to come.

4.) The Best Of The Apocalypse- Henosis

Static choked and slithering to an fro like The Serpent Himself, Henosis takes the well trodden formula of mid-tempo, Doom-y Bestial Black Metal in the vein of Archgoat and Beherit and adds even more layers of inaccessible blasphemy to it, until it becomes too dense to see through. Like a thick fog, Henosis clouds your vision and dampens your senses. It engulfs you in it's misty waves of Satanic splendor.

3.) Goatpenis- Depleted Ammunition

If you judged this album based solely on it's aesthetic, you might think this is another straight-forward Blasphemy/Revenge worship band. You would be wrong. Goatpenis have put a lot of effort into making themselves stand-out in a crowded Bestial Black Metal scene through inventive songwriting. Sure, they can Blasphemy-worship as well as the next band, and sometimes do. But it's the little details that make Depleted Ammunition special. Sudden bits of melody, complex guitar interplay, sudden tempo shifts. This album takes the Bestial Black Metal formula and does something different with it, and uncommon occurrence in today's scene.

2.) Nightbringer- Hierophany of the Open Grave

Listening to these guys mature over three albums into a force of Orthodox Black Metal, and in my opinion the best Black Metal band in the US today, has been a wild and bloody ride. From the depths of the Colorado wilderness, Hierophany of the Open Grave comes crawling forth, spreading disease and sorrow in it's wake. Dissonant does not even begin to describe this album, and the guitar acrobatics on display are nothing short of astounding. Essential.

1.) Cloak of Altering- The Night Comes Illuminated With Death

Jarring. Haunting. Unhinged. Beautiful. Just a few words that fail to do justice to this masterpiece. This is the Best Metal Album of 2011, hands down. A fully realized concept in hopeful misanthropy. Metal just doesn't get better than this.

Best of 2011 Genre Awards: Death Metal

5.) Antediluvian- Through The Cervix of Haawh

No band has taken as large a step forward as Antediluvian this year. Out of nowhere, this Canadian band went from over-done and pretentious Incantation worship to full all, Occult Death Metal masters. No doubt, the move to a 4-piece was the major reason for this. Through the Cervix of Haawh is smart, dirty and demonic Death Metal at it's finest.

4.) Disma- Towards The Megalith

Mmmmmm. Finnish and New York Death Metal, extra raw and bloody. Just the way I love it.

3.) Baring Teeth- Atrophy

As dissonant and jarring as any album released this year, Atrophy is also an atmospheric force. Doom-infused, Jazzy Death Metal that proves Technical Death Metal is anything but wank. Honestly, blows the new Ulcerate out of the water.

2.) Sonne Adam- Transformation

Ritualistic bleakness without over-wrought production and static, Transformation is not only a brilliant slice of blasphemous aural destruction, but also proof positive that Death Metal can be recorded in a professional studio and sound professionally recorded while being atmospheric and heavy.

1.) Gigan- Quasi-Hallucinogenic Sonic Landscapes

A distorted, twisted vortex of sonic disasters, Quasi-Hallucinogenic Sonic Landscapes is the equivalent of standing naked in a hurricane and letting the debris lash and smash into you. Basically, if Discordance Axis were to play Death Metal, they would sound like Gigan. In a year dominated by old school worship, Gigan stand out with their blistering originality.

Best of 2011 Genre Awards: Punk/Crust/Hardcore

5.) Weekend Nachos- Worthless

Nasty and discordant Powerviolence the way it should sound. Weekend Nachos just consistently deliver feedback fueled Crust Punk every time they touch their instruments. Effectively disposes of posers like so many Uzi rounds.

4.) All Pigs Must Die- God is War

Basically the same album as Darker Handcraft. So yeah, I guess I am emotionally disturbed and prone to brutal violence. Nothing else can describe these vomitous waves of pure rage. I am off to mutilate my genitals.

3.) Trap Them- Darker Handcraft

Crusty, nasty, filthy hate sounds. That is all one should expect from Trap Them and Darker Handcraft. I mean really, how many mentally unstable and unhinged people are in this world, making and listening to this kind of hellish bowel rumbles? Are there really a legion of pissed off and slightly psychotic 17-25 year old's just jamming out to this and carving manifestos into frozen sides of beef? And most of all, what does this say about me?

2.) Defeater- Empty Days & Sleepless Nights

Few acts in Metal or Punk set out to tell a story. Defeater are one of those rare acts who seek to ditch the typical tough guy/sensitive guy aesthetic and tell a real story about real people. Doing this through chaotic, enraged and ballsy Melodic Hardcore just makes it that much better. The final four tracks are all acoustic and clean singing, which just makes this album that much more adventurous.

1.) Young And In The Way- V. Eternal Depression

Dripping with melancholy and despair, overflowing with anger and hatred, V. Eternal Depression is one of those records that opens your eyes to the potential of Punk and Metal. I can't think of any band that has endeavored to mix Depressive Black Metal with Crust Punk, but Young and In The Way did just that in the most beautiful and intense way imaginable. It's only flaw? It ends.

The Best Of 2011 Special Awards: Best Cover Art

5.) Noisear- Subvert the Dominate Paradigm

Much like the music itself, the cover art of Subvert the Dominate Paradigm is one busy piece of art. There is a lot of strange, violent and messy shit going down here, complete with skulls, mad surgeons and the fucking Illuminati imagery. Unlike the next cover, this one tells you exactly what to expect from this album: a clusterfuck of noise-blood-death.

4.) Weekend Nachos- Worthless

I know album covers that give no indication of the genre of music located on the album is a "hip" thing to do right now, as are understated and simplistic images. But this cover art is just so fucking irreverent, it is impossible not to love it. The idea of some kid wearing an Animal Collective shirt and sporting an ironic mustache buying this album in some shitty local record store because the cover art screamed "Faux-Retro Surf Rock" brings me endless, endless joy.

3.) Morbus Chron- Sleepers In The Rift

I don't know whether to love or hate this album cover. On one hand, it is all kinds of awesome: the pink and red hues are striking, and the unholy Lovecraftian abomination adorning this swirling blood mist vortex is all kinds of wicked. The whole color palette is impressive, and leagues beyond many of the futuristic, Dan Seagrave-esque Death Metal covers than dominate the scene. On the other hand, it only adds to how shitty this album is: all style, all flash, without any substance or unique ideas. Truly, this turd was painted gold and shined like the sun from a distance.

2.) Disma- Towards the Megalith

Does anyone remember the cover art for Path of the Weakening?


Well now we know where all these crazy looking old men were going. They were heading for the Ziggurat of Baal to sacrifice their first born sons in exchange for unholy powers. I cannot be the only person who saw a connection between these two cover arts.

1.) De Magia Veterum- The Divine Anthithesis

Pink is in this year when it comes to crazy hipster internet Metal, and the cover art for The Divine Antithesis fits perfectly with this growing trend. Much like any work of art, this album is a package deal, and the striking cover art depicting an inverted Reckoning perfectly enshrines the point of this album: your God is nothing but a creation of man, who is inherently evil. Or maybe Jesus was just running late and slipped coming down the Golden Escalator, and all us blasphemers are bound for a dip in the fire pits of Hades. Either way, the whole thing will be very pink.

The Best of 2011 Special Awards: Top 5 EP's

5.) Adversarial- Prophetic Plain of Abyssal Revelation

The follow up to my favorite Metal album of 2010, Prophetic Plain of Abyssal Revelation is a perfect piece of fan service. Featuring the Thralls demo, some new material(complete with better production) and some killer covers, Prophetic Plain of Abyssal Revelation is a good hold over for more material from these Canadian angel hunters.

4.) Corpsessed- The Chalice & The Dagger

If you mix New York Death Metal and Finnish Death Metal, chances are I will like your band. If you do it with passion, attitude and a smidgen of originality, I will love your band. The Chalice & The Dagger fits the latter description.

3.) Cruciamentum- Engulfed In Desolation

Crafting ridiculously sharp riffs like Vlad the Impaler's black smith, Cruciamentum escape the "Incantation clone" tag and develop a sound as inspired by Bolt Thrower and Benediction as Incantation. Engulfed in Desolation is a bit long winded, but the riffs are too delicious to ignore. Another young English Death Metal band making waves.

2.) Archgoat- Heavenly Vulva(Christ's Last Rites)

I love Archgoat, so any new material was going to be high up on my list. And sure enough, Heavenly Vulva(Christ's Last Rites) delivers the Satan in great supply. The mid-tempo crush of the riffs, the Demon Goat vocals, the cavernous bass distortion. I can literally hear the lambs of God scream out in agony amongst the Hellfire.

1.) Amnis Nihili- Christological Escalation

Equal parts scathing and haunting, Christological Escalation is a pitch perfect mix of technical, dissonant Orthodox Black Metal and atmospheric, dissonant "Blackgaze." Equal parts Aosoth and deafheaven, Amnis Nihili have the kind of caustic occult edge that screams trve grimm kvltness, but also indulge in layered, shoe-gazey compositions to lend bereavement to the frost bitten brutality. These Greek youngsters have developed a fluid synthesis of two sounds hugely popular in Black Metal right now, and done so in a very organic and way. An achievement not to be missed, and certainly the best EP I have heard this year.

The Best of 2011 Special Awards: Top 5 Demos

Here we go with Curse of the Great White Elephant's Best of 2011. We will start at the beginning for all bands: the demos.

5.) Heresiarch- Obsecrating the Global Holocaust

I actually much preferred this demo to the bands EP. The lo-fi production added a lot more dirty, visceral charm the the somewhat cleaner EP. Heresiarch are not a life-changing experience, but probably closer to a life ending one. Mix the brutality of Angelcorpse, Bolt Thrower and Path of the Weakening Deeds of Flesh, and you get the storm of fiery shit that is Heresiarch.

4.) Beyond- Relentless Abomination Vortex

The band asked me to review their demo, and I never got to it, so here is the review: this is some pretty wicked shit. Not particularly original, but the band mix Incantation, Blasphemy and various Finnish and Swedish sounds into a very solid little Old School Death Metal demo. The guitar work is particularly impressive.

3.) Angelcrust- Pet Semetary

This demo is about as Punk Rock as it gets, and the more time I have spent with it, the more I like it. The Black Metal influence is more distinctive and brutal than most, while the Punk elements are incredibly gritty and lo-fi. I look for Angelcrust to be the next big thing in Black/Crust.

2.) Artificial Brain- Artificial Brain Demo

Featuring members of Biolich and Revocation, Artificial Brain have the kind of pedigree that makes you excited. And sure enough, the bands demo is tremendous: brutal, dissonant and complex, it its all the high water marks for Technical Death Metal. The production is also as professional sounding as some major label full lengths. My expectations for this band are huge.

1.) Void Meditation Cult- Sulfurous Prayers

This demo is pure fucking Satan. There is no other way to describe this caustic, swirling mass of Doom-infused Bestial Black Metal. The Demoncy influence is strong here, and as an unabashed Demoncy fanboy, this demo is pretty much built for me. A must have demo, and a sign of things to come from this awesome American Black Metal one-piece.

Subrosa- No Help For The Mighty Ones(2011)

Subrosa- No Help For The Mighty Ones

Often, the joy of discovery is blunted by how much of what you end up discovering is recycled, carbon-copy genre worship with no new ideas and middling intensity. You search and search and search, but for all your effort come up with a few competent and enjoyable, but also pointless and forgettable, albums from bands who won't be part of your listening rotation a few weeks past their initial spins. However, from time to time, the endless search for something new, something powerful and substantial comes along that reaffirms your love for musical discovery. No Help For The Mighty Ones certainly had that effect on me. By taking the basic Doom/Sludge formula and turning it upside down while classing it up, Subrosa have created something incredibly somber, rich and emotional without ever coming off as corny or over-wrought.

Like the wails of a long lost lover roaring from the mist, No Help For The Mighty Ones immediately attacks the gut and twists it into all sorts of uncomfortable knots. The off-key, distant crooning of Rebecca Vernon and Sarah Pendleton hypnotizes you, while the shriek of electric violins jar you back into a cold, harsh reality. The guitars act in tandem with the rhythm section to create the fuzzy, ballsy and oddly warm backdrop for the violins to do their masterful work, rarely moving to the forefront. This might be a turn off for some, but Subrosa pull if off so masterfully it is hard to find any fault with it; the tracks meander on achingly from walls of symphonic noise to accessible Fuzz Rock to haunting, heart-string-tugging classical glory all in the same song. Try not to feel the pain on "Whipporwhill": emotional assaults are a very real part of No Help For The Mighty Ones.

This is an incredibly ballsy album, and considering that three-fifths of the band are quite literally without testicles, it becomes all the more impressive. It takes serious guts to have an a Capella English Folk song on your Doom/Sludge album, yet "House Carpenter" feels right at home on this album, a tale of lovelorn loss and demonic intervention that so beautifully exemplifies what makes this album such a triumph. All throughout the album, the listener comes face to face with truly fearless songwriting and powerful tones, both musical and emotional. No Help For The Mighty Ones is a once in a decade type album, one that should and hopefully will have a profound effect on the genre as a whole. These Utah sad saps have really touched on something here, something glorious, wonderful and real. Not to be missed.

Rating: 10/10

St. Vincent- Strange Mercy(2011)

St. Vincent- Strange Mercy

Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, has always been what a football scout would call a "5 tools prospect." She has it all: talent, songwriting skills, an absolutely stellar voice. She is also a total stone cold fox:


I mean Jesus H. Christ. That is the kind of girl who you fall in love with. But she wouldn't love you back. In the end, she would rip your heart right out of your chest, bite it in half and then spark up a cigarette.

Yet despite all of this incredible talent, Ms. Clark never delivered on it. Most of her musical output has been under-achieving at best. Take 2009's Actor. A handful of brilliant Pop songs mixed in with copious amounts of forced quirkiness and disingenuous artsy garbage(no doubt her time with the Shithead, aka Sufjan Stevens, had something to do with this.) The whole thing felt unnatural, and Ms. Clark seemed forced into a box too small and confining for her obvious abilities. The effort was there, but it was wasted effort on a project not worth the time. It was starting to look like Ms. Clark would never be more than a competent, but mostly inessential, Indie Pop Gurrl who would never compare to her contemporaries. But Strange Mercy finally sees Ms. Clark deliver on her talent, in about the biggest way possible.

Strange Mercy is a lean, mean Pop machine, the perfect vehicle for Ms. Clark's sultry voice, which oozes pure sex appeal while never once sounding slutty or stupid. Thankfully free of worthless ambient Noise, unappealing Freak Folk and forced quirkiness, Strange Mercy is all about the hooks, and boy are there a lot of hooks: not one single song gives you any room to breathe before you are singing along with another perfect chorus or flawless verse. Take "Cruel," a Pop fused Indie Rock tune that will get your ass moving, or the Funky and steamy "Dilettante," which has Ms. Clark winking and nodding as she sings "Your like the party I heard through a wall/Invite me." Strange Mercy has seen Ms. Clark go from fairly standard Indie Gurrl is flat out sex symbol, and it is an aesthetic that works wonders for her and her music. Ms. Clark also knows when to turn things down a bit for more somber, softer hitting moments, like the title track, a haunting Electro-Rock ballad that gives us the best pure vocal performance on the record, or the whisper quiet "Champange Year," a spaced out Electro-Pop chill out from all the Funky Indie Pop that most of the record delivers.

Indie Pop has become so ironic over the years, with more and more artists going for "Zooey Deschanel" faux-awkwardness, it is such a breath of fresh air to hear an artist this confident in her music and her lyrics. Confidence. That is the key word here. Strange Mercy is an album from a very confident woman who has finally found her voice. This is such a massive improvement from Ms. Clark's previous work, it becomes difficult to quantify. What I can easily say is this: Strange Mercy is about as massive, as gorgeous and as perfectly made as a Pop album can get. Strange Mercy has completely dominated my listening cycle since the very first note, and will continue to do so for a very long time. It doesn't get any better than this people. Strange Mercy, and Ms. Clark, will dominate your dreams with this one.

Rating: 10/10

A Quick Look Ahead: The Best of 2011

Well I have been doing this thing for the past few months, and for the most part it has been a stellar experience. I have recieved a lot of positive feedback through Last.fm and lots of anon-ative feedback on the actual blog, which as we all know is super fucking negative... and often brutally retarded. I actually got a "fake and gay," which contrary to what the anon might have thought, I loved. It is sort of an internet badge of honor to have a played out and pointless meme thrown at your shitty blog, one I wear somewhat proudly. Anyway, to those of you who have hit me up via Last.fm with positive comments, your support is greatly appreciated. And make sure to hit me up via Last.fm at anytime. I always try and get back to you.

To those of you following the blog, you might be curious as to when I plan on revealing my Best of 2011. Unlike some others, I prefer to wait until after the year is over before revealing my list, so that is the plan as of now. My cut-off date for listening to new stuff will be December 31st, when the new Wrathprayer and Disgorge(US) drop for my listening pleasure. Those will be the last two new albums from 2011 I will be reviewing, and possibly including in my top 40 of 2011.

In the mean time, I will be throwing as many reviews on here as possible, mostly for my top albums of this year so my top 40 list doesn't look so strange... I have a lot of work to do. I will also be mixing in Non-Extreme Reviews in with my shitty Incantation worship bands, so expect lots of different stuff. Be forewarned: the new St. Vincent and Kate Bush are pretty much the best shit ever.

Thanks for reading,
Sharpz