Lamp of Murmuur - Heir of Ecliptical Romanticism (2020) Review

One of the problems with the modern scene is how saturated it is across all genres, but the fact that someone points it out again is in itself saturation. Stop making new bands.

Looking at a bleached black and white cover, with stapled titles in thorny fonts and a dude in corpse paint, makes me sigh instantly nowadays. Romanticism? There goes another mellow project that's into gothic rock, post-punk and no energy trying to put me to sleep. Lamp of Murmuur is none of all things. 

Their demos leading to this full length were all amazing. The music here is catchy, memorable and harsh. The Dead Can Dance cover is great. Finally, here is a project that managed to pull of the melodic / raw black metal trick properly, and this result is quite an achievement. 

Pretty epic album, with long tracks full of fantastic material for your ears and your friends. It will also help you not think of their latest release. Recommended. [4 out of 5 - Excellent]

Los Angeles, California, US | Self-released

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Track listing:

1. Of Infernal Passion and Aberrations

2. Bathing in Cascades of Caustic Hypnotism

3. Gazing Towards the Hallways of a Peaceless Mind

4. The Scent of Torture, Conquering All

5. Chalice of Oniric Perversions

6. Heir of Ecliptical Romanticism

7. The Stars Caress Me as My Flesh Becomes One With the Eternal Night

8. In The Wake Of Adversity (Dead Can Dance cover)

Total runtime | 00:47:29

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

Marduk - Nightwing (1998) Review

Marduk’s first part of the Blood Fire Death trilogy, a three album tribute to Bathory’s monumental album with the same name released in 1988, had the theme of vampirism and “blood” in general.

While already having fairly amazing albums in their catalog, the band added yet another really solid work to the mix, which I get the feeling is a bit overshadowed by other works. Still, it is essential when thinking of the first era of the band, and has all the characteristic thunderous riffing and landmark vocals from Legion, the harsh atmosphere and the overall fast paced, norsecore body of work. 

Marduk always put one or two slower tracks in every album since and these exist in Nightwing too, for the case of this album they are also highlights (unlike in others). The lyrics are great and the concept fits them a lot, maybe even more than the obsession with warlike topics and machinery. 

Nonetheless, “Bloodtide”, “Slay the Nazarene”, the self-titled and “Kaziklu Bey (The Lord Impaler)” are bangers. On the other side, “Dreams of Blood and Iron” and “Deme Quaden Thyrane” are more atmospheric and add the needed flavor. [3.5 out of 5 - Great]

Norrköping, Sweden | Osmose Productions

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Track listing:

1. Preludium

2. Bloodtide (XXX)

3. Of Hell's Fire

4. Slay the Nazarene

5. Nightwing

6. Dreams of Blood and Iron

7. Dracole Wayda

8. Kaziklu Bay (The Lord Impaler)

9. Deme Quaden Thyrane

10. Anno Domini 1476

Total runtime | 00:47:30

Pessimist - Slaughtering the Faithful (2002) Review

I would not say that I like this band’s debut that much but it’s been a while since I listened to it. However, their last album Slaughtering the Faithful from 2002 is a very decent mix of some Morbid Angel / Deicide riffing and vocals, also sharing elements of Diabolic or later mid-era Broken Hope, with strongly anti-religious lyrics and no breaks through the album except a short acoustic introduction. Drums are a bit repetitive and funnily sounding, but if you’re into aggressive, hateful death metal that pulls no punches, Slaughtering the Faithful is definitely for you. The great cover, titles and logo also help nurture the sensitive taste buds of the pure death metal fan, and Pessimist definitely succeed in being a band that you know only if you’re truly into it. I don’t think the tracks themselves are impressive, but in a way everything is consistent, even though some more memorability would work in their favor. Some great solos too (e.g. in “Stripped of Immortality”). Approved. [3.5 out of 5 - Great]

California, United States | Lost Disciple Records
Website | Listen

 

Track listing:

1. Requiem
2. Baptized in Blasphemy
3. Summoned to Suffer
4. Embodiment of Impurity
5. Slaughtering the Faithful
6. Infernal Abyss
7. Metempsychosis
8. Resurrected Torment
9. Stripped of Immortality

Total runtime | 00: 35:31

Brutal Truth - Sounds of the Animal Kingdom (1997)

It’s unfortunate to say this since this album has maybe one of my favourite grindcore related openers ever, which is a phrase that I find myself repeating in my head when I generally listen to suboptimal music: still not loud enough, still not fast enough… As much as Brutal Truth is not your typical band of the genre, and Sounds of the Animal Kingdom was definitely another bold creation, it’s a bit all over the place, with damaged production and not nearly as good as the first two masterpieces from the band. The 22-minute mayhem at the end was kinda unnecessary and numerous tracks are skippable, yet there’s a few really amazing riffs and sections around, but you have to find them. I dig the Marvel-like cover, the title and the first three tracks. Then it’s a hit or miss. [2.5 out of 5 - Average]

Release: September 23rd, 1997

Label: Relapse Records

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