Hedonist "Sepulchral Lacerations”

    Partnering with Dawnbreed Records, savage Canadian death metal maniacs, Hedonist, shall be releasing their sadistic debut demo, “Sepulchral Lacerations,” on CD format through the label. The band’s debut demo is without question a blistering release that dives deep into the abhorrent sounding abyss of soul-crushing old school death metal. 

    I think what impressed me right away about this band was their ability to deliver an utterly merciless sounding demo. The band’s sound perfectly captures the pure destructive essence similar to that of bands like Bolt Thrower, Master, Morbid Angel and Benediction. There is no nonsense when listening to their songs and the band does a great job steering away from the traps which can make some modern death metal bands end up sounding like a flaming pile of sloppy dog shit. From the monstrous guitar riffs to the purely hellacious sounding vocals, this demo is all about handing out a brutal beatdown of old school torment. 

    The demo features six gruesome offerings of fiendish sounding death metal that violently hammer out some sickening riffs. For example the opening track, “Intrepid Repulsion,” is a profoundly adrenaline pumping assault upon the ears. The band plays with such raw and fearsome focus, while also creating this thunderous sounding landscape which heightens the band’s brutal creative vision. Also, I really liked the drum parts throughout the song and thought that the recording of the drums was extremely well executed. The band’s drummer provides a truly monumental rhythmic attack from behind the kit and really serves as the solid foundation on each of the demo’s deafening tracks. Songs such as, “Lunar Bathysphere” and “Cephalic Rot,” contain these cataclysmic like sounding compositions that vividly stand out in large part due to the bludgeoning drum and guitar parts. 

    Overall, this release is a purely sinister creation that was recorded with a strong old school death metal mindset. The last two tracks, “Parodic War” and “Fatidic Dread (Thanatophobic Ritual),” do a tremendous job fueling the inhumane musical onslaught moving forward until the very end. Probably my favorite song off of the demo was, "Fatidic Dread (Thanatophobic Ritual),” which once again displays some pulverizing drum work, as well as some scorching lead guitar parts. Plus, I liked how the band ended the track by coming up with this very haunting sounding guitar riff that fades out and after it comes a brief sound bite from the movie Blade Runner to end the demo. 

    If you are fan of old school death metal and unapologetic extreme music, then I highly recommend checking out Hedonist and giving this demo a listen. Although some critics might say that the extreme metal world is becoming saturated with bands playing “old school death metal worship,” I always enjoy discovering bands that demonstrate those solid old school death metal songwriting qualities, and are also willing to put in that extra brutal effort into each recording. For a demo, I'd have to say that this release was very impressive and is a great first introduction. I cannot wait to hear what the band can come up with on future recordings, because the amount of sheer brutal energy was down right astonishing! 

Check out the full demo below : 

Hedonist Bandcamp: 

https://hedonistdeathmetal.com/releases

Dawnbreed Records:

https://www.dawnbreed.com/

Lustre "A Thirst for Summer Rain"

    In the world of atmospheric black metal and ambient music, there is one artist who has become almost synonymous when referencing this particular style of music. Lustre’s impact and influence amongst the atmospheric black metal community is truly astonishing. Nachtzeit, the musical mastermind behind Lustre, has continued to display exceptional creativity with each release. This new Lustre release titled, “A Thirst for Summer Rain,” is yet another majestic and captivating offering of atmospheric black metal, yet ascends to even greater sounding heights. 

    Ever since the early days of Lustre, people have come to respect Nachzeit’s passionate drive and brilliant work ethic. I think what makes this new album so unique and profound is due to the collaboration between Nachtzeit and Buster Odeholm. In my opinion, Buster’s mixing and mastering skills perfectly capture Nachtzeit’s vision and the arrangements flow with such mesmerizing elegance. The melodies are almost bewitching at times as the notes guide you across this monumental sounding lush musical realm. 

    Even though the album on features four tracks, one must realize that Lustre is more about quality than quantity. Also, each song averages around eight minutes, so within that amount of time you are presented with a plethora of breathtaking arrangements. On the first track, “Quiescence,” the sounds of the opening melody are very vibrant and move with a graceful synergy. Just like with past Lustre releases, the triumphant nature of the music creates an unbelievable tale without using any lyrics. Each note, each melody and each burst of distortion, all comes together to allow the listener the opportunity to let their imagination wonder amongst the epic atmospheric landscape. 

    Track number two, “Faith,” is yet another splendid sounding piece of music featuring spectacular examples of how to incorporate dynamic structures and a variety of tempos. A specific example would be the ending piano part which I felt did a great job wrapping up the track by bringing you down after the more grandiose sounding arrangements during the beginning of the song. Actually, track number three, “Thirst,” might be one of the more bombastic sounding pieces on the album, especially the way the drum and guitar parts build up this tidal wave of thunderous noise that eventually fades away to setup some more harmonious keyboard melodies. 

    On the final song off of the album, “Alleviation,” I thought Nachtzeit did very impressive job wrapping up the album, while also finding a way to bring back and tie together some of the instrumental themes heard on the pervious tracks. What stood out the most to me during the song was when I heard the sounds of rain coming down, because the way that the noises were woven into the music was perfectly executed. Lustre’s music has always drawn influence from the world of nature, which is why at times the music makes you feel as though you are traveling across a world untouched by modern construction and mass development. 

    As much as I have enjoyed past releases from Lustre, I have to admit that the approach and overall sound on this release was without question taken to an even greater level. “Wonder,” is still my favorite album from Lustre and probably one of my all-time favorite releases, however, in time I believe, “A Thirst For Summer Rain,” might be an album that fans hold in high regard as well. If you are looking for an amazing atmospheric black metal album to check out, then this album is a must listen. Just like refreshing rain after months of abysmal heat, Lustre provides us with some atmospheric black metal salvation to relax our minds and escape the harsh confines of this hectic modern world. 

Check out the full album below:

Lustre Bandcamp:

https://lustre.bandcamp.com/album/a-thirst-for-summer-rain

Nordvis Records Website:

https://www.nordvis.com/