ANNIHILATE THIS WEEK hits every Weekend (Saturday or Sunday) with the intent of covering important new releases for the upcoming week — a curated grouping of short reviews for albums, EPs and demos. These albums were overlooked for more detailed review for any number of reasons, I’m either low on time or the music itself doesn’t warrant depth of inquiry or require too-serious engagement. I do my best to cover as much of everything I receive in some form regardless of genre or representation, so, don’t hesitate to send anything/everything my way: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

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The thirtieth week of 2021 is highlighted by another bout of heavy abundance via deep underground black metal, death/doom metal, shoegazing alt-metal, hardcore groove/death metal hybridization, and pure death metal. Another week of fine extreme metal murk. If you’re not into the selection this time around, relax! This’ll be back every 7 days with more new releases from different styles, genres, etc.

The Album of the Week for my own taste is Fate’s Hand‘s ‘Fate’s Hand‘ an EP from fellowes who feature in some of my all-time favorite bands playing unforgettable, unmissable mystic traditional heavy metal. Hexorcist‘s ‘Evil Reaping Death‘ is not far behind with their blackened death/thrash metal attack. Galvanizer‘s death-grinding Finnish skull-clubber ‘Prying Sight of Imperception‘ has chopped my head clean off with its warping of old school tenets. And finally Shrieking Demons‘ ‘Diabolical Regurgitations‘ EP is a perfect example of old school death metal style, point blank. I’ve got conflicting release dates on albums from Netherbird and Arna, but I’ll cover those too either way. // Heads up folks, I’m thinking about retiring all short review columns and possibly the news column as well. Let me know if you read them (you don’t, haha!), because starting in August I will likely be switching over to a streamlined version of this column to more efficiently use my available time.

Thank you! I am eternally grateful for the support of readers and appreciate friendly and positive interactions. Think my opinions are trash and that I suck? Want to totally tell me off, bro? Click away and let’s all live more sensible lives full of meaningful interactions. Onto the reviews:

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ARTIST:	THY DARKENED SHADE / AMESTIGON / INCONCESSUS LUX LUCIS / SHAARIMOTH
TITLE:	SamaeLilith: A Conjunction of the Fireborn
RELEASE DATE:	July 30th, 2021
LABEL(S):	W.T.C. Productions
BUY/LISTEN:	Bandcamp

Though we have not heard much from W.T.C. Productions this year what they have released thus far has been staggeringly profound between vital restoration of Abigor‘s first three major releases and now this four-way split concept album which sits at 15 songs and ~95 minutes and sporting a 13 year development. I’ve found that a split release is never very well represented by journalism since a meaningful reaction tends to require knowledge of all parts and pieces, vital art is often left out of consideration, and the point of view of the fan is most important. These are all fine bands which I am a fan of, though I don’t have a reasonable enough handle on the concept itself and didn’t feel confident musing over it in a full review. That said, we have exceptional work from each band here to consider: Greek black metal artist Thy Darkened Shade are perhaps the most immediately satisfying (and first either way) encounter since it has been some time since their last release and this material is finely tailored to make a grand impression within just about twenty minutes. “Undead Lineage” is the one to stick in mind and suggest that this split is going to not only go places but that the artist has developed a strong progressive flair to his occult black metal style. Originally formed in the mid-90’s via former Abigor members, a release from Amestigon comes with a certain guarantee of quality and though they take a while to warm up as their fourth of the split begins this is for the sake of the intense, shrill atmosphere presented. “The Slant Serpent” rises to glory soon enough and the shrieking feedback of “Maelstrom Into The Lower Octave” provides key respite between pieces, the main event being “The Torturous Serpent” a nearly 13 minute piece that is arguably the most ambitious and satisfying piece of the lot.

Inconcessus Lux Lucis are something else entirely, still of course a black metal band but traditional in a different sense, leaning towards more of a black/thrash metal sound to my ear, they’ve never left a huge impression on me beyond certain parts of ‘The Crowning Quietus’. Though every song here is sharp “Liminal Terror (The Witch’s Curse)” is the major riff-center of their quarter of the split. Finally, a band we’ve not heard from in quite some time, Norwegian trio Shaarimoth close the album with a set of three raw blackened death metal pieces, each fairly long and somewhat non-traditional in their warping and blasting movement. Though this second half of the split isn’t as impressive (for my own taste) as the first half, I appreciate the four separate pieces of the concept being shaped by bands with similar beliefs/interests. As a full listen this shouldn’t be too demanding despite the 90+ minute run of it all since it does offer substantial variety among these four bands and each has a well-developed point of view beyond the norm.

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ARTIST:	CALLIOPHIS
TITLE:	Liquid Darkness
RELEASE DATE:	July 16th, 2021
LABEL(S):	Solitude Productions
LISTEN:	Bandcamp

German death/doom metal quartet Calliophis stand out right off the bat here on their third album ‘Liquid Darkness’ for their unbelievably slick crossover between melodic death/doom metal and a more classic riff-oriented style, making for an incredible blend of giant riffs and catchier, hook-filled sorrow a la October Tide. The balance of these two already integrated worlds is made most unique for their ever-humming atmospheric sound driven by ‘epic’ melodic leads and a huge rhythm guitar tone which is matched in intensity by vocalist Thomas‘ unique growl, which allows him to voice the lyrics with some clearer enunciation. The greater movement of ‘Liquid Darkness’ is steady throughout, a lumbering and growling beast presenting woes in tragedian tone, though they are at their most impressive when developing melodies, think of the heaviest parts of an early Celestial Season or Novembers Doom album where bands were figuring their way around sounding exactly like early Paradise Lost yet still integrating melody, Mourning Beloveth also do a fine approximation of this albeit with their own approach to leads. I’ve only one gripe here overall and that is the whispering section on “Rajōmon”, a song I would begin to skip after several listens due to this part. A unique annoyance on my part and a pet peeve, I’m sure but worth noting. It has taken some time but I believe Calliophis have found their knack, what makes them special and delivered a fine record within this revelation. The title track is the obvious standout here thanks to the album’s biggest lead guitar hooks, but after countless listens I’d found the jagged landscape of “The Art of Shudder” was my favorite piece overall.

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ARTIST:	BLACK MASS PERVERTOR
TITLE:	Lex Sodomiticum
RELEASE DATE:	July 30th, 2021
LABEL(S):	Self-Released
BUY/LISTEN:	Bandcamp

Alright, so “pig with a very nicely drawn human erection strangling himself” is where we’re at. I like it. Thrashing black metalpunk is what one can anticipate from Oulu, Finland-based trio Black Mass Pervertor and they’re fantastic at it after many years of grinding away at various cross-pollination of punk influenced black metal. ‘Lex Sodomiticum’ sounds like a newer, or at least more polished, recording than the previous EP which I believe pre-dated their full-length. Most of these songs could be likened to the attitude of say, Impaled Nazarene but not always the pace as they push into a sort of mid-paced Amebix sort of movement (“Blasphemous Lubrication”) and some loftier black metal guitar work (“Demonic Orgies”) along the way while still echoing their rabid-minded black/speed metal attack. I don’t want to call this music “fun” but perhaps something that is compelling for its sense of deviation and mockery from the norm, which has a filthy sense of humor (see the video for “Last of the Imperial Cult”) and offers a quick and satisfyingly indulgent use of frenzied riffing. For the folks who already know what the deal is, the slower parts here are especially good. Best song here is probably “Demonic Orgies” for my taste, best riffs for sure. This one is coming on a limited tape, and I believe a compilation of their sodomy-themed EPs will release sooner or later.

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ARTIST:	LANTLOS
TITLE:	Wildhund
RELEASE DATE:	July 30th, 2021
LABEL(S):	Prophecy Productions
BUY/LISTEN:	Bandcamp

Yes, I grew up during a certain freer, more sophisticated era of the internet so when I saw this album artwork from afar all I could think was: “Tubgirl w/flowers“. After seven years we are treated to yet another surreal transformation from German artist Markus Siegenhort and his vagrant-minded, fearlessly accessible project Lantlôs; It goes without saying that this one will be surprising, even to folks who loved the summertime depression shoegaze-doom of ‘Melting Sun’ (2014). Why? It is essentially nostalgic, sugary, sometimes on the verge of vapid alternative metal with influences from math rock, shoegaze, and beyond so, we’ve left underground metal behind entirely and now find the artist making a dreamy, feel-good sort of chunky guitar driven rock music.

The downside to this is that Siegenhort‘s taste for a certain sort of subtle melody finds itself in a new, much more competitive field of creators and this means much of Lantlôs‘ appeal depends upon fandom having grown with him rather than stumbled upon his songcraft. To be fair, yes, pick any two songs from the first half of the album and they will catch your ear with a dulcet sentimental tone and very slightly mathy power-pop buzz but get ready for about eight songs in a row centered around this sensation and tunnel vision quickly sets in. It will be an album you’ll constant circle back to the start of just because the direction it takes across 52 minutes and 12 songs loses steam and purpose quickly. For the perma-stoned, patient or slightly more openminded folks ‘Wildhund’ takes a sort of experimental turn into electronic ambient, trip-hop, post-rock conglomerate which is surely supposed to be psychedelic but “a good trip” overall. This works well on ambitious songs, such as “Dream Machine”, and it drags horribly on strugglers like closer “Dog in the Wild” a terribly redundant scoop back to the hooks of the opener with a wobbly affect infused.

In hindsight, I think Siegenhort made a fantastic personal/artistic decision to strike out on his own more with these last two records, though I personally prefer the full listen of ‘Melting Sun’ more than I do the bold, affirmed pop artist I hear today. Still, I cannot deny the enthused, cuddly resonance of this thing. Not likely to form a habit of this record on my part, though it was a pleasure.

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ARTIST:	EXPUNGED
TITLE:	Into Never Shall
RELEASE DATE:	July 30th, 2021
LABEL(S):	Hell’s Headbangers Records
BUY/LISTEN:	Bandcamp

Ottawa-based death metal trio Expunged features a couple of folks you might recognize but each arrives in rare form on the band’s debut full-length. High on HM-2 fumes and resembling the spirited sort of late 80’s suburban Swedish death resultant from the bomb-blast of ‘World Downfall’ and ‘Severed Survival’ and countless other tapes nearby, ‘Into Never Shall’ does a fine job of balancing adrenaline fueled punkish ‘old school’ death metal songs with menacing, groovin’ distortion-thickened movements. For sure the result is pretty blunt and right to the gut but this’ll probably feel just right for fans of Carnage to start and sure, a bit simple to others; W.D. of Dead Soul Alliance is a fine guitarist/songwriter and I’d say the simplicity of these pieces is the key to the whole Expunged charm, at least beyond a most belligerent Jo Capitalicide (Ice War) who brings some stellar over the top touches on vocals. Most of these songs reign it in to about 3-4 minutes and as a result ‘Into Never Shall’ feels a bit short and cluttered even if it is actually ~38 minutes long, that said I appreciated how record blazes by quick. Solid debut, great sound, definitely check this one out.

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ARTIST:	AMNESSIA ETERNA
TITLE:	Malditos
RELEASE DATE:	July 30th, 2021
LABEL(S):	Brutal Records
BUY/LISTEN:	Bandcamp

‘Malditos’ is the debut full-length from this Chilean thrash metal band whom I would describe as somewhat traditional but not ‘underground’. Their sound could be considered commercial in terms of its classic mid-to-late 80’s Bay Area feeling and always groove-driven songs that are not typically melodic. Groove is the key word alongside big riffs and wah-pedal blazing heavy rock solos so, folks who can easily spot the difference between the real classic stuff and what came after will find this album a mix of nostalgia and accessible modern takes on thrash. I found the songwriting was hit-or-miss across the board where a piece like “Initium” has plenty of ambition but then again we have “Falso” which is entirely plain. In terms of what tier of Chilean thrash we’re getting here, think of Amnessia Eterna as the sort of band that would open for Criminal rather than Nuclear, if that puts things into perspective a little bit more. The deeper cuts on the album have a sort of ‘Cowboys From Hell’ meets Extreme Aggression kind of riffing which I appreciated but by the the time the ‘thrash ballad’ shows up with “Tan Solo” I’m pretty much done listening. Great professional sound but not really my kind of thrash.

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ARTIST:	VREXIZA
TITLE:	Vrexiza
RELEASE DATE:	July 16th, 2021
LABEL(S):	Signal Rex
BUY/LISTEN:	Bandcamp

Although this tape doesn’t look like much, we could maybe assume some kind of martial or lo-fi black metal project from the cover, this Canadian trio offers much more than a notion and cheap sound design. Recorded live and in relative succession this self-titled demo is four tracks and ~22 minutes of righteous war-clad black metal with a strong melodic voice (see: “Hürtgenwald”). That is to say that they’re pretty open about taking cues from classic French, Finnish and Ukrainian influences for their sound, but they’re not overly concerned with being “pretty” but capturing a dissolving, yearning feeling which should at least vaguely recall Hate Forest, though I find this deeply melancholic via a different melodic language. In this era of easily soluble and interchangeable black metal acts Vrexiza stand out for simply carrying a tune better than most but also using the sleek gravel-toned attack of several underground black metal hosts to conjure something that is at least partially their own voice. I especially love the menacing grind of “Vanitas I” but frankly every song on here is golden and the guitar performances are intoxicating to say the least. I am probably forgetting another equally good band but, this is my favorite demo from this month.

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ARTIST:	TOMBSTONER
TITLE:	Victims of Vile Torture
RELEASE DATE:	July 30th, 2021
LABEL(S):	Redefining Darkness
BUY/LISTEN:	Bandcamp

Staten Island’s dual-band of brothers Tombstoner have managed a full-length that is still well within the momentum of their well received EP early last year, they’ve done a fine job of honing in on their strengths, which fuses death metal heaviness alongside a form of hardcore/groove metal that is entirely pit friendly. So, for my own taste I guess I’ve been listening to this type of groove/death metal style long enough that I don’t need it to come -this- full circle back to the late 90’s convergence of death metal, groove metal, and toughest-yet hardcore. It was a thing done to death (but admittedly not better) back when I was in my late teens and I’m only kinda into it. ‘Victims of Vile Torture’ will sell gangbusters for good reason, big guitar sound, death metal finesse, and chug-thrash/mosh metal heaviness without any of the funny nu metal or metalcore many would expect. They’re not yet Xibalba-sized in terms of carrying a unique sound anywhere they go, and the songs generally don’t find the “hooks” of stuff like Dying Fetus but if you like music that makes you move it’ll be hard to resist the pit-tuned, crunching sound of this record. Best track here is probably “Armageddon” just for how different it is. Much of the album drags on for me otherwise though I’ll still mark it as a very strong debut.

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If I missed your favorite album from 2020, whoa too late! If you’ve got 2021 digs to whip out E-mail me or hit me up on Instagram if you want a review, I’ll consider it.