Spectre "Omen (EP)"

    Back in 2019 I went to a show at an auto repair shop of some sorts in Castro Valley, CA and watched four up and coming extreme metal bands perform. One of those bands was Spectre and that show was actually their first live performance. Overall, I thought that they played a solid set, especially considering that it was their first live show. Fast-forward to now and this Bay Area death metal act has finally released their debut EP titled, “Omen,” which in the end was well worth the wait if you ask me. 

    Spectre is a band that does not settle for that simple old school death metal worship tag, but they also do not go overboard with obnoxious technical arrangements that eventually end up sounding like a beehive of utter horse shit. Their sound reminds of old school death metal bands that thoughtfully experimented with ambient elements and atypical compositions, thus creating very haunting atmospheres to accompany the harsh death metal arrangements. If you are a fan of bands like Pestilence, Nocturnus, Morbid Angel, Death and Gorguts, then you are definitely going to find that Spectre draws influence from some of the bands I just mentioned. Also, the band’s lyrics are not painfully gimmicky to the point you start to wonder if they stole them from the back of a hipster metal cereal box which they probably sell at Hot Topic. 

    The first song on the EP is, “Assemblage,” which serves more as an introduction piece for the next track, “A Scream With Blood In Its Teeth.” I noticed when listening to the beginning of the EP that even though there is a flurry of technicality throw at you right away, the band is able to create cohesive and well structured arrangements. There is a massive amount of brutality injected into each composition, but the execution is precise and the transitions sound extremely tight. Songs like, “Trail of Wax” and “Symbiote,” feature some ferocious guitar and bass playing, as well as some punishing rhythms from the band’s drummer. Every just really comes together, so when the vocals start screaming over pestilent sounding landscape with a fearsome confidence, you just cannot tear yourself away from the band’s hellacious energy. 

    The final track on the album, “Omen,” is without question the strongest track on the release, and without a doubt my favorite. During the beginning of the track you feel this ominous presence which eventually fades away once the fiendish guitar riff comes bursting out from some inhuman abyss. About midway through the track the band decides to deviate from the monstrous death metal onslaught by exploring this very haunting celestial like sounding atmosphere. The guitar playing conjures up a breathtaking landscape that seem to guide you towards some unspeakable force hidden deep within the confines of a pitch black portal from another dimension. 

    In all, “Omen,” is definitely a great first glimpse into what Spectre is capable of creating and I think old school death metal fans will really want to check this release out. Also, I can definitely see this appealing to a wide variety of extreme metal fans, because the band's sound is very dynamic and the musicianship definitely catches your attention. My main recommendation for them is to keep pushing themselves as songwriters, which in the end will allow them to compose some even more profound pieces of music. Too many bands settle for the simplistic route and fail to really put forth the effort in their recordings, thus the metal world becomes saturated with constant copycats. 

Check out the EP below:

Spectre Bandcamp:

https://spectreovdeath.bandcamp.com/releases

Sahmaataha "Harvesting Worlds (2022 Demo)"

    Pure cataclysmic sounding devastation is what Sahmaataha conjures up from the unholy depths with the release of their debut demo, “Harvesting Worlds.” These abhorrent extreme metal musicians do not hold anything back as they unleash an unbelievably barbaric extreme metal beatdown. 

    On each of the three tracks listeners will notice instantly that this band does not wish to reinvent the extreme music world, yet they also do not set out to write regurgitated and forgettable sounding riffs. The band’s sound is a morbidly sinister blend of bone crushing old school death metal, haunting black metal and merciless sounding thrash metal. In the end, these musicians are able to combine all their extreme metal skills in order to create one gruesome sounding assault. 

    The overall sound and production creates a very raw and abrasive environment, which I felt strengthened this band’s unforgiving creative musical vision. Take for example the opening track, “Absolute Enslavement,” where instead of giving listeners a chance to be prepared for the upcoming destruction, the band decides to instantly open up the apocalyptic gates by hammering out a fearsome sounding riff. Also, the drumming provided a monumental rush of hellish aggression to push the music into an even more terrifying direction. Adding to the overwhelming malevolent aural carnage, the band’s vocalist unleashes some profound demonic like growls to compliment the pulverizing riffs. 

    Whereas I felt the band did a great job balancing a variety of extreme metals elements on the first track, I noticed that on the second track, “That Which Once Was,” you could definitely hear more old school death metal influences during the song. Actually, I thought that during this song the band did a tremendous job capturing certain aspects of 90’s death metal, especially in terms of how they went about recording the instruments. I find that too many modern death metal bands sound down right atrocious due to the fact that the recording of the instruments ends up sounding completely cheap and lacks that vicious old school edge. The third track, “Harvesting Worlds,” is another nightmarish offering upon the extreme metal altar by throwing down more sickening riffs. During this track I felt that the guitar playing started to really catch my attention, and the lead parts were perfectly woven into the arrangements. 

    For only three tracks, “Harvesting Worlds,” is a very solid sounding demo release and Sahmaataha demonstrated that they are a band not trying to throw out generic sounding recordings. On future releases I definitely want to hear this band go furthering with their dynamic blend of extreme metal, while maintaining that insidious mindset which allows them to write such decimating pieces of music. I highly recommend people check out Sahmaataha and keep an eye out for what they having coming out in the future, because if this is just their demo, then I sure as hell cannot wait to hear what they will summon forth on their debut full-length. 

Check out the full demo below:

Sahmaataha Bandcamp:

https://sahmaataha.bandcamp.com/releases

Sahmaataha Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Sahmaataha

Vanishing Amulet "Nocturnal Heritage"

    In the absence of lyrics an artist must creatively compose captivating arrangements in order to construct a vividly fascinating musical world. Dungeon synth is a style of music which I have always found to tell such amazing stories without using lyrics, especially when pertaining to how the artists are able to hook listeners with the utilization of profound sounding synth arrangements. 

    Vanishing Amulet is an upcoming dungeon synth act that I fortunately stumbled upon while checking out a channel on YouTube called, "The Dungeon Synth Archives." This one-man dungeon synth act offers up a vivid and spellbinding debut album with the release of, “Nocturnal Heritage.” The album definitely pays homage to classic dungeon synth releases from artists like Mortiis, Old Tower and Secret Stairways. However, the album also has a very unique sound that blends together a variety of different influences, thus creating a dreamy spectral ambiance. Vanishing Amulet really dives deep into the medieval and fantasy inspired sounding landscapes that take on this very cinematic like quality. Also, there is a very raw and muffled sound that gives off a very haunting, yet melancholic vibe as the album progresses. 

    Each track comes across as part of a chapter in an epic tale and the albums flows with an enchanting synergy. The opening song, “Gothic Aristocracy,” greets you with a bombastic burst of mesmerizing notes that create a very triumphant sounding piece of music. The melodies and the brilliant layering of the keyboards reminded me of material you might hear from the band Summoning. On the second track, “Lament for a Princess,” you feel as though you are drifting into a tranquil trance like state of mind and the music is extremely soothing. 

    I believe that this album can appeal to a wide range of music fans, because the attention to detail and the breath taking atmospheric elements are unbelievably remarkable. Tracks like, “Light Bleeds Through the Old Lace Curtains” and “Secrets of Her Descent,” happen to be perfect examples of how a dungeon artist can go about constructing these landscapes which sort of lull you into a calming realm of endless tranquility. Sometimes dungeon synth artists need to be careful, or else they might end up gettin stuck in a very generic sounding repetitious arrangement which can lead to people losing interest. However, listening to this entire release I can honestly say that there are no moments where you become disenchanted with the direction of the music. Until the very end, you will find yourself possessed by the ghostly synth arrangements that guide you along this pathway shrouded in mist and mystery. 

    As I said before, Dungeon synth is a style of music that requires little words and is primarily fueled by breath taking atmospheres to pull you away from the shackles of everyday life and into a realm of majestic splendor. Vanishing Amulet is an artist that definitely knows how to draw influence from past dungeon synth artists, while still creating a very refreshing musical offering that does not sound lackluster in the least bit. I highly recommend this album for anyone who is looking for a release that conveys powerful raw sounding emotion with an almost cinematic like quality. Vanishing Amulet’s music might not get used in some braindead TikTok video, however, this type of music does not seek to follow mindless trends, and instead focuses on forging compositions in an attempt to inspire the listener's imagination.  

Check out the entire album below via the Dungeon Synth Archives :

Vanishing Amulet Bandcamp:

https://vanishingamulet.bandcamp.com/releases

The Dungeon Synth Archives:

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDungeonSynthArchives

Trouble "Live in Stockholm"

    When it come to live albums, I have always noticed that the final product can either end up perfectly capturing that raw live sounding experience, or it can end up sounding like a catastrophic muddled mess. So when news came out that Hammerheart Records was going to be releasing a remastered version of Trouble’s 2002 live performances in Stockholm, Sweden on vinyl, I was instantly eager to hear how this album would end up sounding. 

    Over the years Trouble has amassed a strong cult following and is without question a band that will go down history as one of the most influential doom metal bands within the subgenre. This legendary Chicago based act has a truly impressive and exceptional discography, so when it comes down to selecting songs for a live set, they have a plethora of great material to choose from. I would say that the setlist is what stood out to me right away when I received this promo for the album, because the band definitely does a great job selecting songs from each of their classic albums. If you are a fan of albums such as Psalm 9, The Skull, Run to the Light, the 1990 self-titled album, Manic Frustration and Plastic Green Head, then you will quickly notice how each album is represented during this show. 

    For their opening song the band starts off with, “R.I.P.,” which is one of the my favorite songs from Trouble and in my opinion features some of the most fearsome sounding riffs. The band’s lead singer Eric Wagner sounds amazing and his delivery throughout the song perfectly compliments the intense and heavy arrangement. Also, the crowd noise injects this extra level of frantic energy into the overall mix, which really makes this opening track to the album hook you right away. Moving forward the band breaks out tracks like, “Come Touch the Sky,” “End of My Daze,” and “Plastic Green Head,” to appease the ravenous doom fanatics in the crowd. During the song, “End of My Daze,” Eric even gets the crowd to join in and sing along as the band hammers out that classic sounding doom riff that always seems to get stuck in my head after I listen to the song. 

    My favorite Trouble album is, “Run to the Light,” so I'm glad that the band included the title track from the album into this performance. To begin, Bruce Franklin and Rick Wartell display some exceptional guitar work at the beginning of the song and throughout the track both guitarists compliment each other extremely well. If you listen to any Trouble release for that matter, then you will instantly notice how these two guitarists have some unbelievably strong chemistry. Along with the haunting yet dynamic guitar playing and bone crushing drum parts, Eric’s delivery is without question an important part of the band’s sound. During the song, “The Skull,” I was utterly amazed by how Eric took the music to an even heavier and more profound level with his vocal performance.

    To wrap the album up, the band selects a perfect encore track, “The Tempter,” which is from their debut album, “Psalm 9.” I have always liked how this song starts off slow with Eric project his haunting vocal aura around the doomy riffs, and then all of a sudden the band kicks it into 2nd gear by unleashing a tidal wave of catchy rhythmic destruction. Again, this was a great choice for the final song to this live release, but to be honest the band could have chosen any song from their past albums to finish and bet you that the crowd would have been rocking out until the very end.  

    Unfortunately Eric Wagner passed away last year, however, I strongly believe that this live album will serve as yet another testament to his exceptional contributions when pertaining to the world of hard rock and heavy metal. I highly recommend checking out this album if you are a fan of Trouble, or simply just a fan of killer sounding doom metal. Although the band might have not received a fair amount of attention from the mainstream rock and metal music press back in the day, they sure as hell have gained a loyal fanbase over the years with younger generations of metal fans still discovering their brilliant music and keeping the spirit of doom metal alive. 

Check out the song "End of My Daze" from the album below : 

Hammerheart Records Store (Album comes out September 2nd, 2022) :

https://hammerheartstore.com/

Links to Listen to the Album: 

https://troublemetal.lnk.to/liveinstockholm

Starer "Remorse Defines Me"

    Even though this new release from Starer only features three tracks, there is still plenty to take away from the immense sounding landscapes and captivating atmospheric elements. “Remorse Defines Me,” is another strong offering from this one-man atmospheric black metal project that has continued to demonstrate a passionate drive for composing majestic and haunting sounding pieces of music. 

    Starer’s approach on this EP is very similar to previous releases with its mixture of harsh sounding black metal and mesmerizing atmospheric touches. I would say that there is a balance of heaviness and melody, which I believe allows the listener to be lulled away into this fascinating world of endless possibilities. On each track you are able to hear an artist transcending the norms of what most people have come to expect from extreme music, however the experimentation is not done in a halfhearted manner and the music has the ability to appeal to wide range of music fans. 

    The first track, “Five Minutes Before Dawn,” is a great example of how Starer blends together these melancholy atmospheric keyboard arrangements with very harsh sounding chord progressions. As the distortion rings out over the haunting landscape, the vocals provide an even darker touch of chaotic ambience that continues to evolve with such sinister grace. At times the transitions can sound a bit choppy, but for the most part you feel as if the music is very compelling and the overall sound takes on this cinematic like vibe. 

     The second song on the EP, “Coiled Around the Sun,” picks up where the first track left off, but I felt as though that the guitar parts on this track conveyed a more aggressive sounding tone. Also, the fearsome sounding arrangement towards the end of the song definitely grabbed my attention as the music continued to march onwards with a thunderous edge. The last song on the EP, “The Flickering,” is an extremely emotionally charged piece of music with a  monumental rush of raw sounding atmospheric black metal. I thought that the layering of the keyboards was executed extreme well, especially in terms of how the keyboards complimented the guitar effects used in certain riff sections. 

    Anyone who is a fan of atmospheric black metal should check out this new EP by Starer, because the quality of the compositions and the intense emotional joyride on each track is rather impressive. Listeners will discover that once you start listening to this EP, you really do not wish to tear yourself away until the very end. I have always felt that when it comes to atmospheric black, artists should never settle for subpar sounding arrangements. So many musicians fail to recognize this and end up writing forgettable material. I believe that with each new release Starer continues to explore the thresholds of extreme musical creativity, and the dedication to writing dynamic sounding compositions really makes each new release worth checking out. 

Check out the song "Five Minutes Before Dawn" : 

Album comes out September 2nd and is available through Snow Wolf Records:

https://snowwolfrecords.bandcamp.com/

Exaltation “Under Blind Reasoning”

    New Zealand based death metal horde, Exaltation, conjure up a gruesome sounding onslaught of unapologetic brutality with the release of their debut full-length album, “Under Blind Reasoning.” Taking a plethora of elements from old school death metal, the band is able to record an album that sonically divides deep into the blackened abyss of inhuman extreme sounding chaos. 

    Working with Sentient Ruin on the release of the album, Exaltation is really looking to offer listeners a punishing extreme metal release from start to finish. If you are a fan of 90’s death metal then I think this album is going to be something that catches your attention right away. Similar to bands like Morbid Angel, Immolation, Deicide and Hate Eternal, once Exaltation starts unleashing their style of decimating sounding riffs and cataclysmic blast beats, you are instantly thrown into an oblivion of unfathomable destruction. I thought the recording quality was unbelievably solid and it definitely strengthens the band’s sinister lyrical concepts. 

     Out of the eight songs on the album, you will find that selecting a favorite is extremely difficult, because each track nails down the qualities of what one would hope to hear from a merciless sounding death metal release. The guitar and drum parts on the opening track, “Iron Rebellion,” come crashing down with tremendous force, thus creating a landscape of monumental devastation. I really enjoyed the drumming on this album and the second track, “Impending Deceased,” is a crash course in how one should go about recording drums on a death metal release. The drummer provides such raw force as well as an intense blitzkrieg of blast beats to accompany the agonizing riffs. 

    The band is also very dynamic when pertaining to their compositions, especially on tracks like, “Ascension” and “Impious Massacre.” I think, “Ascension,” captures the ruthless and unforgiving nature of 90’s Morbid Angel and the song sounds like a track that one might expect to have heard on an albums such as, “Formulas Fatal to the Flesh” or “Gateways to Annihilation.” Each track on the album seems to be recorded with a great amount of effort and attention to detail. For example, “Blaspheme Mortality,” is one track that features a surge of violent and sickening aggression to conjure up a haunting sounding dominion of brutal death metal. The demonic sounding vocals perfectly compliment the bone crushing instrumental arrangements as the band drags you further down an endless road of unspeakable carnage. 

    In the end, “Under Blind Reasoning,” is a death metal release that I highly recommend checking out if you are a fan of scorching and fearsome death metal. Exaltation is not some modern death metal act that waters down their sound by coming up with mundane sounding riffs and unnecessary breakdowns. I can honestly say that this is one death metal act which stays true to the blasphemous formula by laying down some juggernaut sized riffs for fans to immerse themselves in a sea of pestilent sounding death metal. The album comes out July 29th, so make sure to go order your copy from Sentient Ruin now! 

Check out the song "Ascension" below: 

Exaltation Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/exaltationnz/

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/under-blind-reasoning

Sentient Ruin Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SentientRuin

The Lousy "Shut Up I’m Talking!!!!"

    Hardcore punk/thrash metal savages, The Lousy, simply don’t just demand your attention on their debut demo, “Shut Up I’m Talking!!!!,” they literally come charging at you with a baseball bat looking to unload an unapologetic beatdown upon your skull. 

    The Boston, MA based band’s debut demo tape sounds like the ultimate sadist and raw sounding concoction with its mixture of Motörhead, Cro-Mags, Cryptic Slaughter, Toxic Holocaust and DRI. This release instantly caught my attention and when Sentient Ruin announced that they would be releasing the demo on cassette July 15th, I right away wanted to know more about this band. From what I’ve read the members in the band seem to be very active amongst the Boston underground extreme music scene, and you can definitely tell when listening to this demo that the band has a tight overall sound and unbelievably malicious creative vision. 

    Each of the five tracks featured on this demo are recorded in such a vicious and uncompromising manner. Once the band cranks up the volume and tears into a hellacious sounding rhythm, there is no escaping the rebellious chaos that completely engulfs you. The band keeps it simple, yet very powerful when they start hammering out an arrangement like on the opening track, “Demons on Parade.” You are instantly greeted with a bombastic explosion of brain crushing distortion along with some agonizing vocals. This band’s singer really compliments the overall sound by delivering the lyrics with a tremendous amount of unforgiving and vile energy. 

    On the next two tracks, “Brain Saw” and “Murder Hammer,” the band continues to destroy all that stands in their path by dealing out more pestilent sounding hardcore punk/thrash riffs. You get this feeling that the band does not wish to deviate too far from their core sound and they seem to have this mentality where the music is all about expressing how disgusted they are with society. My favorite track off of the demo, “Live for Violence,” vividly captures the band’s destructive nature and features some savage guitar playing. I was extremely impressed by the guitarist’s tone as well as the lead parts that were thrown in at the right moments to give the music an extra boost of sadistic attitude. Also, I really liked the last song on the demo, “Shut Up I’m Talking!!!!,” because once again this group of musicians seems to just have a solid presence that does not yield, or conform to any expectations. In the end, The Lousy simply desires to turn up the volume on their amplifiers and create a decimating sounding landscape for listeners to completely lose their sanity. 

    Overall, I think that this is one of the strongest sounding demos I have heard all this year, and the band leaves me wanting more. If The Lousy plan on doing a full-length album, I can already envision them in the studio slashing through some more merciless hardcore punk/thrash compositions. In times like this when the world seems to be falling apart, you need an act like The Lousy to help you vent your frustrations by headbanging along to some ferocious sounding riffs. 

Check out the full demo below: 

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/

Sentient Ruin Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SentientRuin