Arson Cafe: 2017

Monday, December 25, 2017

Albums of the Year 2017

This blog is now five years old, plus a couple of months.

AOTY 2017: Top 10 misc albums

László Moholy-Nagy, At Coffee, c. 1920s

We're close, we're almost there! This is the final post before my main list and again I'm doing this seperation with miscellaneous albums, maybe for the last time. We'll see!

~~~

10. William Basinski - A Shadow in Time

ambient

listen

9. The Necks – Unfold

jazz, improvization

listen

8. Brad Medhlau & Chris Thile - Brad Medhlau & Chris Thile

jazz, piano, acoustic

listen

7. Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Feed the Rats

stoner rock

listen

6. Ulver – The Assassination of Julius Caesar

synthpop, experimental

listen

5. Colin Stetson – All This I Do for Glory

experimental, jazz

listen

4. Elder – Reflections of A Floating World

stoner / hard rock

listen

3. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Luciferian Towers

post-rock

listen

2. Susanne Sundfør - Music for People in Trouble

pop

listen

★ 1. Krokofant – Krokofant III ★

jazz rock

listen

Krokofant

Friday, December 22, 2017

Shuffling through releases of my favorite format, I saw new violent Svartidauði material, as well as Sinmara and finally another One Tail, One Head EP. Great new bands come around, like Abkehr, Daeva, Chevalier, Thantifaxath’s mini album appealed to me more than their full length a couple of years ago and Poison Blood was a reasonable / nice crossover. Fever Nest was the best gift of the year and close to the epitome of filth, just how it’s done. I want to change my approach to end year lists drastically in the future, but I hope this kind will stick around.

~~~

10. Poison Blood – Poison Blood

9. Chevalier – A Call to Arms

8. One Tail, One Head – Firebirds b/w Prowess

7. Oranssi Pazuzu - Kevät / Värimyrsky

6. Daeva – Pulsing Dark Absorptions

5. Svartidauði – Untitled

4. Thantifaxath - Void Masquerading As Matter

3. Abkehr – In Asche

2. Sinmara – Within the Weaves of Infinity

1. Fever Nest – Black Carrion Fowl

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

AOTY 2017: Top Greek Metal

I surely prefer the last two years over 2017 when it comes to my homeland’s releases and I wasn’t blown away by almost anything. In fact, I was kindly disappointed by bands I expected more from, even though in some other occasions, I went through pleasing listens. Apart from a top ten, below you will find one EP / demo and split of the year, just one in each case. As I’m very keen in black and death metal, most of the stuff here, if not all, are records of the two genres.

The main reason I post a list like this (almost) all the time is because I want to keep notes of Greek releases each year, not because I have stronger interest or appeal about it than music from around the world. There are great artists who deserve recognition here, we have history and a few bands have gone very popular in the underground and not only, but if you limit your listening choices to a single place, you totally miss the pace of a genre, as a whole. I have some thoughts I might expand in a different article one day.

If you look at them strictly, a couple are not metal, I know!

~~~

10. Kawir - Εξιλασμός

9. Procrastinate - Procrastinate

8. Dephosphorous – Impossible Orbits

7. Acherontas - Amarta

6. SepticFlesh – Codex Omega

5. Βρωμόστομοι - Αποστόμωση

4. Locust Leaves – A Subtler Kind of Light

3. Resurgency – No Worlds… Nor Gods Beyond

2. Hate Manifesto – To Those Who Glorified Death

1. Natvre’s – Early Cvlts

EP of the year:

Deviser - Howling Flames

Demo of the year:

Black Blood Invocation – Black Blood Invocation

Split of the year:

Diablery / Shadowcraft - Entropy

Monday, December 18, 2017

2017 Arson Awards

Hello, did you miss me? I missed me.

Before coming with more detailed lists in the following days and a grandiose post at the end of the year, here are ten bullet lists of various genres / types for you to chew on until I construct actual content. More will come.

~~~

Best thrash metal album:

5. Overkill - The Grinding Wheel

4. Iron Reagan - Crossover Ministry

3. Entrench - Through the Walls of Flesh

2. Vulture - The Guillotine

1. Condor - Unstoppable Power

Best doom metal album:

5. Morast - Ancestral Void

4. Sorcerer - The Crowning of the Fire King

3. King Woman - Created in the Image of Suffering

2. Below - Upon a Pale Horse

1. Pallbearer - Heartless

Best viking metal album:

5. Jörmungandr - Cernunnos

4. King of Asgard - :Taudr:

3. Ereb Altor - Ulfven

2. Vintersorg - Till Fjälls del II

1. Helheim - landawarijaR

Best grindcore album:

5. Sloth Herder - No Pity, No Sunrise

4. Phobia - Lifeless God

3. Leng Tch'e - Razorgrind

2. Full of Hell - Trumpeting Ecstasy

1. Chepang - Dadhelo: A Tale of Wildfire

Best brutal death metal album:

5. Hate Inclination - Disease Swept the Cosmos

4. Khazaddum - Plagues Upon Arda

3. Condemned - His Divine Shadow

2. Decrepit Birth - Axis Mundi

1. Gutslit - Amputheatre

Best sludge album:

5. Owlcrusher - Owlcrusher

4. Rosetta - Utopioid

3. Bison - You Are Not the Ocean You Are the Patient

2. Usnea - Portals Into Futility

1. Amenra - Mass VI

Best hardcore punk album:

5. Brutality Will Prevail - In Dark Places

4. Dead Cross - Dead Cross

3. Trapped Under Ice - Heatwave

2. All Pigs Must Die - Hostage Animal

1. Wolf Brigade - Run With the Hunted

Best album by long-running band:

5. Paradise Lost - Medusa

4. Morbid Angel - Kingdoms Disdained

3. Obituary - Obituary

2. Immolation - Atonement

1. Enslaved - E

Best split album:

5. Shadowcraft / Diablery

4. Siberian Hell Sounds / Convulsing

3. Chaos Invocation / Thy Darkened Shade

2. Drudkh / Paysage d'Hiver

1. Sinmara / Misþyrming

Best debut album:

5. Goatvermin – Detruire

4. Orm – Orm

3. Dumal - The Lesser God

2. Venenum - Trance of Death

1. Ungfell – Tôtbringære

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Icelandic Black Metal - Photo Collection

I share a link to a post originally in Cvlt Nation with amazing photos from Icelandic black metal bands.

Here.

Friday, July 07, 2017

Bullet Ratings #4

Decapitated – Anticult [3.5]
Fellwarden – Oathbreaker [6.0]
Gorsed Noctis - Orgy on Meridians [2.5]
Lifeless - The Occult Mastery [4.0]
Limbonic Art – Spectre Abysm [5.0]
Mitochondrion - Antinumerology (EP) [7.0]
Morke – Morke [0.5]
Ominous Throne - Ο Δρόμος Της Αποθεώσεως [5.0]
Ostots - Ezer Ezaren Araztasuna [7.0]
Tyrannosorceress - Shattering Light's Creation [7.25]
Ulvegr - Titahion Kaos Manifest [6.5]
Weapönizer – Lawless Age [6.5]
Witch Vomited – Poisoned Blood (EP) [5.5]
Woman Is the Earth – Thaw (EP) [2.5]
Zurvan – Gorge of Blood [4.0]

Monday, June 26, 2017

Bullet Ratings #3

Abkehr – In Asche (EP) [6.0]
Carach Angren - Dance and Laugh Amongst the Rotten [6.0]
Dawn of Ashes - Daemonolatry Gnosis [6.5]
Death Fortress - Triumph of the Undying [7.0]
Heresiarch - Death Ordinance [7.0]
Impetuous Ritual - Blight Upon Martyred Sentience [3.0]
Rimruna - Der Hatz Entronnen [5.0]
Slægt - Domus Mysterium [6.0]
Subjugation - Caustic Visions [5.0]
Time Lurker – Time Lurker [5.75]

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Turning ten: Peste Noire - Folkfuck Folie

Track listing:

1. L'envol du grabataire (ode à Famine)

2. Chute pour une culbute

3. La fin del secle

4. D'un vilain

5. Condamné à la pondaison (légende funèbre)

6. La césarienne

7. Maleiçon

8. Amour ne m'amoit ne je li

9. Psaume IV

10. Extrait radiophonique d'Antonin Artaud

11. Folkfuck Folie

12. Paysage mauvais

A few words:

After an exceptional debut in 2006, Peste Noire released an EP named Lorraine Rehearsal in 2007, a few months before their second record Folkfuck Folie. This is important for two reasons: first, all the tracks in that EP are awesome, and second, the tracks were also in the full length. Neige of Alcest is indeed included in the line up and the artwork has been done by no other than Fursy Teyssier (Les Discrets), known for his works in post-black and post-rock in general. And of course, Audrey Sylvain also does some backing vocals in "Amour Ne M'amoit Ne Je Li". She later was the female singer in 2009's Ballade cuntre lo Anemi francor.

I may be the only one who first got really into Folkfuck Folie and then the rest of PN's discography. It has the signature black metal execution of Famine, it's the definition of a filthy sound and in my opinion, has some of the band's classics like "Maleicon", "Chute Pour Une Culbute" and "D'un Vilain". After all, isn't the last number "Paysage mauvais" one of the fastest and most kickass Peste Noire tracks ever?

The vocals are a bit distant and under-recorded, but I think that's a problem of the shitty production and not from actual powerlessness of Famine's voice. Peste Noire display classic black metal patterns here with respect to the 90's French scene as well as Burzum, not totally alienated from their first album. The transformation truly began with Ballade... and naturally, there is always a bit of classic rock'n'roll somewhere in a Peste Noire record.

I don't want to speak very much about Famine's piss soaked lyrics. There are references to poets and writers, talks about his personal life and his love for the medieval times is apparent. Lyrics with translations can be read in Black Ivory Tower's post. Despite the constroversy Peste Noire raises, it would be dumb to deny their musical quality, as they are one of the most authentic black metal acts today. Their personal, dirty, scourging sound says a lot as well.

Highlights: Maleicon, Paysage Mauvais, Chute Pour Une Culbute

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Bullet Ratings #2

Azaxul – The Saints Impaled [6.0]
Birth Of Depravity - From Obscure Domains [6.25]
Blaze Of Sorrow – Astri [5.0]
Father Befouled – Desolate Gods [7.5]
Goatwhore - Vengeful Ascension [4.0]
Hades Rising – Hades Rising [7.0]
Maim - Ornaments of Severity [4.5]
Neige et Noirceur – Verglapolis [5.0]
Nyctophilia - Dwelling In The Fullmoon Light [5.5]
Ofermod – Sol Nox [6.25]
Rebirth of Nefast – Tabernaculum [6.5]
Solbrud – Vemod [5.5]
Svarti Loghin - Mörk Energi [4.0]
Svartsyn – In Death [8.5]
Thy Legion – World Stigmata [0.5] /fuckingshit/

Thursday, June 08, 2017

Svartsyn - In Death

The gates of hell have been opened.

Track listing:

1. Seven Headed Snake

2. Dark Prophet

3. With Death

4. Inside the White Mask

5. Wilderness of the Soul

6. Black Thrones of Death

7. Exile in Death

Sunday, June 04, 2017

Bullet Ratings #1

(Dolch) - An Den Mond (EP) [6.0]
Acherontas - Amarta (Formulas Of Reptilian Unification Part II) [6.0]
Druid - Cill Dara (EP) [6.0]
Hermóðr – Hädanfärd [3.5]
Horrid - Beyond The Dark Border [4.0]
Jordablod - Upon My Cremation Pyre [6.5]
Khashm - Asmodeus Rising [3.0]
Nargaroth – Era of Threnody [5.0]
Occvlta - Night Without End [2.5]
Sunken – Departure [7.5]
Tankard - One Foot in the Grave [5.75]
Triumvir Foul – Spiritual Bloodshed [6.5]
Unaussprechlichen Kulten - Keziah Lilith Medea [6.5]
Vallenfyre - Fear Those Who Fear Him [6.75]
Whoredom Rife – Dommedagskvad [6.0]

Friday, June 02, 2017

Regurgitate Life - Obliteration of the Self

Origin: UK

Year: 2017

Facebook

Member of the World Misleading Covers Party.

A great record with unexpected turns.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Deathhammer - Phantom Knights

Origin: Norway

Genre: Thrash Metal

Facebook

"HELLS HEADBANGERS is proud to present DEATHHAMMER's classic debut album, Phantom Knights, on vinyl LP format for the first time ever."

1. Gates of Hades

2. Blood Token

3. Devilish Dirge

4. Armoured Assassins

5. Plague Mass

6. Ready to Destroy

7. Cold Winds of Death

8.Tornado Blitzkrieg

9. Queen Death

Listen (Bandcamp)

Damage: [7.75/10]

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Carved Cross - Carved Cross

Origin: USA

Genre: Raw Black Metal

1. Untitled

2. Untitled

Listen

[6/10]

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

The Ruins of Beverast - Exuvia

Origin: Germany

Genre: Avant-garde Black / Doom Metal

2017, Ván Records

Tracklisting:

1. Exuvia

2. Surtur Barbaar Maritime

3. Maere (On A Stillbirth´s Tomb)

4. The Pythia´s Pale Wolves

5. Towards Malakia

6. Takitum Tootem (Trance)

Listen

Tuesday, May 09, 2017

Hate Forest - Nietzscheism

Origin: Ukraine

Genre: Black Metal

2005, Supernal Music

Track list:

1. Carl Orff - Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi

2. Annihilation

3. The Wood Brothers

4. Scythia

5. Shining Abyss

6. Aryosophia

7. Nietzscheism

8. Black God

9. Burning Churches

Anti-summer.

Tuesday, May 02, 2017

Refused - The Shape of Punk to Come

Origin: Sweden

Genre: Hardcore Punk

1998, Burning Heart Records

Track list:

1. Worms of the Sense / Faculties of the Skull

2. Liberation Frequency

3. The Deadly Rhythm

4. Summerholiday Vs. Punkroutine

5. Bruitist Pome #5

6. New Noise

7. The Refused Party Program

8. Protest Song '68

9. Refused Are Fuckin' Dead

10. The Shape of Punk to Come

11. Tannhäuser / Derivè

12. The Apollo Programme Was A Hoax

Thank you.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Triumvir Foul - Serpentine Seed

From the upcoming album Spiritual Bloodshed.

Thursday, April 06, 2017

Graveland - Impaler's Wolves EP

1. Impaler of Wallachia 12:01

2. In the Northern Carpathians 10:25

I'm taking a trip to Bucharest this weekend before going back home for Easter, so I'm planning to visit one of the places I have been talking about visiting for a very long time now. I hope to see the great forests and landscapes there, as well as do some sightseeing inside the city. A proper playlist could not start in any other way than this neat Graveland EP, which is right to the point and both tracks included are examples of how a good re-recording is done. Originally, they appear in the band's debut album Carpathian Wolves, which was released five years earlier than this EP, during the period of all the classic masterpieces.

Saturday, April 01, 2017

Windswept - The Great Cold Steppe

You-know-how members from Ukraine.

Track listing:

1. Black Horizon is the Gates Of a Blizzard

2. Shrouded in Pale Shining, So Sleeps Infinite Ancient Steppe

3. The Stars Are Cold and Indifferent, Sow Their Gleaming Ashes

4. The Great Shepherd Rides His Storms

5. Blinding and Bottomless Abyss is Howling

6. A Spiteful Wind Buries All the Lonely Whispers

LISTEN

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Endon - Through the Mirror

Feels like putting needles in your brain.

1. Nerve Rain

2. Your Ghost is Dead

3. Born In Limbo

4. Pensum

5. Postsex

6. Perversion Till Death

7. Through the Mirror

8. Touch Your House

Sunday, March 05, 2017

Great Albums - February 2017

Benighted (France) - Necrobreed (Season of Mist)
LISTEN

Darkest Hour (US) - Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora (Southern Lord Recordings)
LISTEN

Funeral Chant (US) - Funeral Chant (Independent)
LISTEN

Gjendød (Norway) - Nedstigning (Hellthrasher Records)
LISTEN

Immolation (US) - Atonement (Nuclear Blast Records)
LISTEN

King Woman (US) - Created in the Image of Suffering (Relapse Records)
LISTEN

Tomb Mold (Canada) - Primordial Malignity (Blood Harvest)
LISTEN

White Death (Finland) - White Death (Werewolf Records)
LISTEN

Wiegedood (Belgium) - De doden hebben het goed II (ConSouling Sounds)
LISTEN

Friday, February 24, 2017

Grammy Awards 2017 - Best Metal Performance

Exactly because of the fact that most people of the underground get sick even when hearing the words "Grammy Awards", I decided to check out and occupy myself with the metal section there this year and maybe I'll continue for the years to come. Hell, maybe I will write a post about all of the previous years if I want to.

The mechanics behind this event are very much unexplored territory to me, even though all of us have clues and notions about what's going on or not going on, I think. The nominations for "Best Metal Performance" this time were:

Periphery "The Price is Wrong"

Korn "Rotting in Vain"

Gojira "Silvera"

Megadeth "Dystopia"

Baroness "Shock Me"

And of course, I completely disagree with Megadeth winning the award after all. Thinking that Dystopia got the award for "Best Metal Performance" of the year is painful, yet let's see closer.

I would never spend time listening to a whole Periphery record for no reason, thinking about a bunch of tracks like this one above. It's not my style at all but yet, I liked the part in the end where "Beauty Disgusting Blood" is repeated. I'm not dealing with Korn either, the best thing about that track is that Tommy Flanagan appears in it.

On the other hand. "Silvera" has great vocals and production, a catchy and groovy metal rhythm and generally good musicianship. Gojira are in fact one of the highly talented and visionary bands into the more mainstream spectrum. Megadeth's "Dystopia" is a mediocre record and it's also one of the weakest he has released, but I guess the name is heavy after all these years. "Shock Me" by Baroness is clearly better and more artistic.

So, if I had to choose among these five tracks myself, the price would go to Gojira for sure. Putting the tracks in the correct order: Gojira, Baroness, Periphery, Megadeth, Korn.

Always approach the Grammies in a mocking mood, don't engage seriously. After all, I think despite our preferences, we know Vektor released the best metal album last year and that shall be a universal truth for the whole community.