ENDTYMER is the inevitable weekly “music news blog” series I’ve been working to avoid for some time. It hits at the end of every week with the intent of covering notable new releases, sharing news of new releases, and musing over various personal listening habits. It is largely informal, has opinions, etc. so chill out a bit. I do my best to cover as much of everything I receive in some form regardless of genre or representation, don’t hesitate to send anything and everything my way: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

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FIVE BEST OF THE WEEK

This last week featured plenty of great releases depending on your taste, from my point of view it was all over the map with the return of Heavy Load, the ultra-moderne coming of Finnish group Virta, and a real fucker of an album from Gruzja. Also, it looks like Hästspark‘s vinyl version of the -brilliant- ‘Ostiarius Infernal‘ has been delayed, unfortunately. In term of the best of the best we start with [#1] SÜHNOPFER‘s latest masterpiece, the intense yet regal melodicism of ‘Nous Sommes d’Heir‘ which I might review next week if it continues to stick in mind. [#2] DOPELORD‘s fifth album ‘Songs For Satan‘ is the catchier-than-Hell defining release from the band thus far and one I’ve been in love with for the last month. [#3] THIRD STORM‘s second LP ‘The Locus Mantra‘ continues their trilogy of fantastical horrors, injustices, and plenty of Swedish black-death thrashing weirding that is all their own. [#4] RESTLESS SPIRIT‘s third LP ‘Afterimage‘ arrives with a pretty direct catharsis in hand, emphasizing both their big heavy sludge side and their direct alt-metal/heavy rock gestures at once. And finally [#5] DECAPITATED CHRIST‘s return for a fifth LP with ‘Glorious Tyrannizing of Human Rats‘ feels like a new lease on life for their own idiosyncratic form of old school death metal.

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CHEWING ON SKIN

From the screaming industrial metal groove of opener “Death Machine” to the Amebix-tinged death/doom boil of “Rotten Cacophony” Finnish death-doom/crust infused duo DEVIL’S GATEWAY create an emergent hellscape to lose one’s mind within on this second EP. Their crew includes vocalist Hanna Virranpää alongside Harri Kuokkanen (of Ride For Revenge, Hail Conjurer) playing all instruments. Loud distorted bass and dissonant stretches keep things unpredictable, grotesque in stature but always mean as each piece challenges the last. Check this one out if you missed it from the end of September, CD from BRC-30 Productions:

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“NEWS”

Hellenic black metal innovators and my personal favorite black metal band VARATHRON have unveiled the cover art and tracklisting for their much anticipated seventh studio album, ‘The Crimson Temple‘, which they have scheduled for a December 1st release through the good folks over at Agonia Records. Epic and atmospheric in their own classics-spawning way the signature sound of the band, their impact on black metal, and such could all inspire endless glowing praise from me as a longtime fan. I’ll save that for a review, at least. Production, mixing and mastering comes by way of longtime guitarist Achilleas Kalantzis‘ Suncord Audiolab and the album art comes by way of the maestro Paolo Girardi. Vocalist Stefan Necroabyssious comments: “The album consists of 10 tracks in an epic, 46 minute ride into the depths of our deranged vision. As always, we shall never forget to express our eternal gratitude for your overwhelming support all these years. We are most eager to share everything with you!” Same line-up as ‘Patriarchs of Evil’ (2018). Singles will be on their way in a matter of weeks, for now check out a studio report from about a year ago:

Finnish funereal death/doom metal duo CONVOCATION have announced their third full-length album ‘No Dawn For The Caliginous Night‘ will be released on November 24th through Everlasting Spew Records on all relevant formats. The first track shared from the album is the opener “Graveless Yet Dead” and this song features guest vocals by Natalie Koskinen from Shape of Despair and cello by Antti Poutanen from Church of the Dead. The album art is brilliant as ever and this song is huge, couldn’t be more thrilled for this record.

Polish experimental/avant-garde black metal band TOTENMESSE return after a five-year span with a new second album ‘Fiktionlust‘ which will release this coming November 3rd through the good folks over at Pagan Records. Eight songs total recorded, mixed and mastered at Impressive Art by Przemysław Nowak and with some brilliant album art in my opinion. They’ve suggested “the lyrics explore death and how the human mind perceives it.” The first single from the album is “Confrontation looks like hope”:

Hardcore/alt-rock influenced death metal band FUMING MOUTH’s second album ‘Last Day Of Sun‘ has been announced for a November 3rd release via Nuclear Blast. The five year gap between releases is largely explained by vocalist/guitarist Mark Whelan‘s fight with Leukemia. I don’t remember the band sounding this influenced by metalcore/alt-metal, it isn’t my thing but see what you think of the first preview song “The Silence Beyond Life”:

Profound Lore Records have signed Richmond, Virginia-based bestial death metal band LEFT CROSS for the November release of their second full-length album, ‘Upon Desecrated Altars‘. Figure their sound somewhere in between the moshable extrusions from 90’s Bolt Thrower and Savage Necromancy. The album will be released on LP, CD, and digitally on November 10th. Check out the first preview song “Unbinding the Covenant”:

British occult rock/doom metal band GREEN LUNG have announced their third full-length album, ‘This Heathen Land‘ will release this coming November 3rd via Nuclear Blast Records. The band suggests this is their vision best realized “a definitive soundtrack to the folk horror film in our heads.” Of course, folk horror specific to the U.K. Loved the last album, love this one too so far. The video for “Maxine” is something else:

Wisconsin-based death/doom metal legends DUSK might’ve returned back in 2015 but this year will mark their first full-length album in nearly thirty years. Intending to offer something new but not lose their old-school feeling ‘Dissolve Into Ash‘ will release December 8th this year by way of Dark Symphonies/The Crypt Vinyl both of which are distributed through Dark Descent Records. The band comments on the album: “Birthed out of the Covid pandemic, the inspiration of the material for this release was an overall sadness. The purpose of this album is to somehow musically equate the overall demise of mankind; an almost apocalyptic/end days atmosphere. The title “Dissolve into Ash” was derived from an ancient Latin funeral dirge entitled “Dies Irae. […] contains the overall feeling of being overwhelmed by this life and the mental torment that exists during these times. This is the darkest album that Dusk has ever recorded. Exploring the deepest depressive depths of the soul.” More info to follow as it becomes available:

https://www.facebook.com/duskusaofficial/

Boston-based post-metal band MORNE have signed with Metal Blade Records and announced their latest LP ‘Engraved With Pain‘ this coming November 3rd. Four chapters conveyed within forty minutes this one has an interesting bit of Jesu-esque post-industrial exaggeration to the first single. The band comments: “’Wretched Empire’ is the first song off of our new album to be published bringing the wait to its end. Barebone, stripped down riffs and a cold look at today’s reality, lyrically it’s my take on the current situation in the world: How divided everything is and how people are prone to being misled. How we forget our history; history that happened not that long ago. I never comment on my lyrics but maybe in this case it’s needed. I call humanity a ‘wretched empire.’ It’s not an optimistic song. I hope people will enjoy it and find something for themselves in this single and the whole album as well.” Hypnotic and intense song, looking forward to this one.

Portland, Oregon-based heavy/doom rock trio HIPPIE DEATH CULT have premiere their latest single “Red Giant” comes from their third studio album ‘Helichrysum’ which releases on October 20th via Heavy Psych Sounds. New bassist and vocalist Laura Phillips comments: “Lyrically a red giant star is used as a metaphorical reference to the powerful goddesses of fire and death. Exploring these transformative energies that affect the emotions and psyche in an intense but crucial way as one moves through the trials and tribulations of life, rising from the ashes stronger than before.” Been enjoying this record and found this was an interesting choice for a single, looking forward to talking about it.

Gilead Media and 7Degrees Records have announced a new full-length from Brooklyn-based black/death metal band PYROLATROUS. ‘Inveterate‘ will be available digitally on November 10th with the vinyl available to pre-order now. Pyrolatrous features members of Hull, Krallice, Anicon, Woe, etc. and focus on a melodic black/death metal sound with lyrics that deal with: “The content deals with death, grief, addiction, loss of love, an influx of right-wing nationalism throughout the world, living in a capitalist hellscape, and oppressive government regimes.” Liking the first song they’ve shared so far:

Chaos Records have announced December 1st as the release date for German death metal band BEYONDITION‘s debut album. ‘Abysmal Night‘ will release on CD and cassette tape. Borne back in 2015, demoed around 2017, and collapsed afterwards founder Matin Vasari pulled in members of Pavor and Valborg for these recordings. Check out the first preview song “The Red in the Sky”:

You might recognize the duo of Max Dameron and Sam Ford from Wizard Rifle, same guys, and I guess that band is out and they’ve hit the reset button on their sound a bit, now calling themselves PSYCHIC TRASH. Having moved to Detroit and gotten to work on a new self-titled album in the years between, it seems this new undertaking is more “mature” in its intent. The good people over at RidingEasy Records are there to carry this one on November 17th. Check out the first preview songs over on Bandcamp:

Me Saco Un Ojo Records and Headsplit Records have announced November 16th as the release date for Australian death metal band CARCINOID‘s second album, ‘Encomium to Extinction‘. Me Saco Un Ojo will release the vinyl LP version while Headsplit will handle the CD and cassette tape versions. Nasty stuff. Check out the first preview track “Led to the Worms”:

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THIS WEEK’S VIDEOS / REVIEWS

Catch up with the latest YouTube video review/features and written reviews here. New videos post each week for the most part. You can click on the link provided to read the review/article, each review has the related video embedded in the original post as well. Videos are fairly casual and meant to accompany the written review with some extra context and generalized notes. The written review and the video review are complimentary -not- interchangeable. Subscribe, share, leave a comment, etc. if you feel like it.

An Early Stream of “Through Abhorrent Dimensions” from SEPULCHRAL CURSE ‘Abhorrent Dimensions’ LP (2023) | PREMIERE

DOPELORD – Songs for Satan (2023) | REVIEW

RESTLESS SPIRIT – Afterimage (2023) | REVIEW

DECAPITATED CHRIST – Glorious Tyrannizing of Human Rats (2023) | REVIEW

SERAPHIC ENTOMBMENT – Sickness Particles Gleam (2023) | REVIEW

LUNAR TOMBFIELDS – An Arrow to the Sun (2023) | REVIEW

WELLS VALLEY – Achamoth (2023) | REVIEW

Short Reviews | October 4th, 2023

COMING UP NEXT WEEK:

Here is a tentative list of what is coming up next week in terms of reviews. The following records have been listened to extensively, a preliminary review has been drafted (or completed), and I’ve locked them in for coverage. In terms of the “Short Written Reviews + Video” column, these are more tentative, some of them may be cut if I do not have enough time to get around to everything. These choices are subject to change as the final drafts evolve and other releases might potentially take priority:

LONGFORM REVIEWS + VIDEO:

SÜHNOPFER – Nous Sommes d’Heir [October 6th, Debemur Morti Productions]
DEATHCHANT – Thrones [October 13th, RidingEasy Records]
MORTAJAS – Mortajas II [October 18th, Sun and Moon Records]
BARING TEETH – The Path Narrows [October 20th, I, Voidhanger Records]
AFTERBIRTH – In But Not Of [October 20th, Willowtip Records]
ECOCIDE – Metamorphosis [October 23rd, Memento Mori]
*MALFORMED – The Gathering of Souls [October 13th, Extremely Rotten Productions]

SHORT REVIEWS + VIDEO:

KRIEG – Ruiner [October 13th, Profound Lore Records]
SADISTIC FORCE – Midnight Assassin [October 13th, Goat Throne Records]
HAGATIZ – Cursed to the Night [October 11th, Amor Fati]
ARBORESCENCE OF WRATH – Inferno [October 13th, Transcending Obscurity Records]
LASTER – Adermans Mijne [October 12th, Prophecy Productions]
BLESSED CURSE – Pray for Armageddon [October 13th, M-Theory Audio]

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