The scythe and the harvest

Discovering old obscure releases with little or no recognition is a great past time of mine. As much as I like to boast about how much of this genre I've listened to, records always skip through the cracks, not to mention all the demos and EPs that I'm still, after all these years, clueless of. 

Furthermore, older releases also usually have that sound, you know what I'm talking about. As of today, we're looking at the first and only record by Athenian black metal band Mournblade, self-titled and originally released through Kyrck Productions & Armour in 2001. Actually, I'd like to write about that label separately one day (Wild Rags is another case of a brooding article) because of its approach and quality. 

Brodequin - Festival of Death (2001) Review

Since a new Brodequin album has been announced, which already may be one of the happiest pieces of news of the year, we gladly dive back to their back catalog of excruciatingly brutal early 00’s albums. 

While I think nothing can beat Instruments of Torture for me, as it has the catchiest and filthiest tracks, they kept ripping and banging for all their albums, including the follow-up Festival of Death in 2001. 

When I think of the peak of brutal death metal, I think of an era up to 2005, and bands like Brodequin, Disgorge, Mortician, Pyaemia and so forth. This is the stuff that is sincerely heavy, without being ridiculous or pretentious, or even abusing slams / grooves / overplayed hardcore with gutturals. 

Ugliness is the word of the day, and Festival of Death is for the ears that have the capability to acquire it. 

Definitely one of the most intense records I have ever listened to, just a thick, big, 700 kg bear mauling your face. Festival of Death straightens the soul. Hopefully the new one is as sick. Listen to their other stuff too. [4.5 out of 5 - Brilliant]

Knoxville, Tennessee, US | Unmatched Brutality Records

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Track listing:

1. Mazzatello

2. Judas Cradle

3. Trial by Ordeal

4. Torches of Nero

5. Vivum Excoriari

6. Lake of the Dead

7. Blood of the Martyr

8. Gilles De Rais

9. Flow of Maggots

10. Bronze Bowl

11. Auto De Fa

Total runtime | 00:30:53

Absu - Tara

Arguably great album, as are their previous ones and with a kickass cover as well. It was the turning point before the band stopped its activities for a while, before coming back with their self-titled album in 2009 in a bigger label, Candelight Records. 

With Tara, I have the same problem I always have with Absu, their type of raging playstyle eventually becomes repetitive for me, and gets me tired.

A few tracks here are awesome, like for example "Pillars of Mercy", "From Ancient Times" and the longer one "Stone of Destiny", which features classic King Diamond worship screams.

Still, 52 minutes of this was too much for me. Definitely good, but I could live with half of it. [3/5]

Tracklist:
1. Tara
2. Pillars of Mercy
3. A Shield with an Iron Face
4. Manannán
5. The Cognate House of Courtly Witches Lies West of County Meath
6. She Cries the Quiet Lake
7. Yrp Lluyddawc
8. From Ancient Times (Starless Skies Burn to Ash)
9. Four Crossed Wands (Spell 181)
10. Vorago (Spell 182)
11. Bron (Of the Waves)
12. Stone of Destiny (...for Magh Slecht and Ard Righ)
13. Tara (Recapitulation)

Spring 2001, Osmose Productions
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