SHORT REVIEWS Our second set of May 2022 releases finds us sticking with records released between the 13th and the 26th, any hey all of these are pretty friggin’ great this time around. I’ve done my best to grab ahold of the most interesting stuff I come across while still presenting some decent variety here, but it boils down to what sticks and never feels arbitrary. If you find something you dig in the lot of ’em, go tell the band on social media and support them with a purchase. The arts require your support and/or own contributions. If you’d like your music reviewed send promos to: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

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ARTIST:	RATOS DE PORÃO
TITLE:	Necropolítica
LABEL(S):	F.O.A.D. Records
RELEASE DATE:	May 20th, 2022

Inarguably the most recognizable and globally heralded hardcore punk band from São Paulo and Brazil as a whole with four decades of action under their belts, Ratos de Porão‘s sound evolved from anarcho-UK82 influenced hardcore in the early-to-mid 80’s to a more crossover thrash inspired sound at the start of the 90’s, more-or-less echoing the significance of D.R.I. for South American metalpunk by the time their ‘Anarkophobia‘ record released in 1991. Their story continues far beyond that with a bit of a break between the mid-2000’s and mid-2010’s but their style hasn’t changed in any too-drastic ways, reaching a different balance of metallic hardcore punk on each release and always with a different feeling to the production. The spirit and the sound of the band is still very much alive in each release since but ‘Necropolítica‘ manages an especially strong showing in its well-balanced, complimentary feature of thrash metal and hardcore punk realities. The energy is right and their signature voice is as strong as its ever been.

A great deal of the fans on the metal side of the fence likely know the band from Sepultura covering ’em back in the day, or featuring João Gordo on a few songs (probably the best part of ‘Against‘ in hindsight) whereas the hardcore punk side of things likely knows this band as a memorable classic, probably finding ’em through Alternative Tentacles issues of certain records or countless reissues of the first two albums. Which side of the fence you’re more likely to fall on might determine what you’d expect from a new Ratos de Porão album in 2022, which from my punk-attuned point of view has more in common with their late 80’s sound, a tinge of Poison Idea-esque swingin’ and a shade of mid-80’s Kreator in the riffing here and there, less to do with the sort of grinding brutality of ‘Homem Inimigo do Homem‘ (2006) overall. ‘Necropolítica‘ is much more the rabid heart of Ratos de Porão than their 2014 comeback record ‘Século Sinistro‘ was for my own taste, an even more cutting political statement with less of a focus on performative groove-focused riffs, all about the attack throughout but still making sure the lyrics hit.

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ARTIST:	TERROR
TITLE:	Pain into Power
LABEL(S):	Pure Noise Entertainment
RELEASE DATE:	May 6th, 2022

The emphatic statement popular Los Angeles, California-based hardcore crew Terror make up front on this eighth full-length album is impossible to miss as “I meant what I said, and I’m still here to back it up” and this makes sense as they’ve been on a roll since kicking up old dirt with their re-recording sessions on ‘Trapped in a World‘ (2021). Teaming up with former guitarist Todd Jones (Nails) for these recordings predictably yields one of their hardest, most straight forward albums to date almost sounding as if it were pulled from 2001-era archives if not for the amped and dynamic sound and slightly backgrounded bass guitar tone. Terror are a fantastic live band yet the big record deals they’ve landed over the years have tended to overproduce and beef-swole their sound on record, ‘Pain into Power‘ best captures the real feeling of attending one of their shows without overshadowing the presence of vocalist Scott Vogel, whom I’m been a fan of since his other band Buried Alive released the underrated ‘The Death of Your Perfect World‘ back in 1999. At ~23 minutes of pure and punching-up, no messing around hardcore this record is as essential as Terror get from my point of view and more-or-less the album I’d always wanted in place of ‘One For the Underdogs‘.

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ARTIST:	THE DARK ALAMORTÉ
TITLE:	Lunacrium Thepsis
LABEL(S):	Unique Leader Records
RELEASE DATE:	May 20th, 2022

Los Angeles-based quartet The Dark Alamorté surely have an lingering modern deathcore hand applied to their craft but this comes devoid of frantic, anxiety ridden work in mind as this cinematically charged progressive blackened death metal debut from the band makes its 85 minute-long journey one of deeply existential waves, leading with dramatic swathes of symphonic keyboard-rich movements and patient atmospheric development. If there is an argument to be made for the current generation of extreme metal not only tributing the bombast of the early 2000’s black/death oversaturation but taking it somewhere new… I’m not sure we’re a hundred percent there yet but bands like this whom avoid getting lost in the minutiae and instead provide a memorable experience in various reveal begin to sound wise beyond their years and, well, peers too on some level. Sure, fair enough there are a few brutal non-statement pieces and riffs that just kind of decide to bumble-out and cut off before the idea can resolve (“Vongrimson Burrows” ending is just, incomplete feeling in particular) but the larger listening experience is impressive for its broad range of tonal pieces and not just the exaggerated, ambitious length presented. ‘Lunacrium Thepsis‘ is about three album’s worth of material given a generous showing, a bar that is set incredibly high and an undertaking that’ll prove difficult for a certain percentage of their actual demographic. The modern progressive death metal fan, perhaps those who’d also count progressive deathcore as a favorite pastime, will find some great revelation here. For my own taste, a wealth of brilliancy revealed in debut that might need to be harnessed in a more economical, potent way in the future to really stick in mind. Standouts: “Antediluvian Revelation”, “Glasshaven”, “Fearfeeder”.

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Info:
ARTIST:	VIOLENTOR
TITLE:	Manifesto di Odio
LABEL(S):	Time to Kill Records
RELEASE DATE:	May 20th, 2022

Italian evil thrash metal trio Violentor started out playing a sort of Razor-esque speed metal on their first few record, presenting a loose-slung brand of Motörhead-feeling thrash before vocalist/guitarist Dog re-staffed the band for a much more aggressive fourth record (‘Putrid Stench‘, 2019) and here on their follow-up their sound and visual presentation reach for something true underground yet far more professional. There is a light black, thrash n’ roll to their sound on some level but most of what ‘Manifesto di Odio‘ does is intently focused on creating a unique form of ragged metalpunk-sourced and violently echoed thrash metal, think along the lines of ‘Into the Macabre‘ by way of nowadays Discharge‘s bleak and dismal delivery. The vocals are constantly ranting rather than carrying a tune, leaving an ashen punkish bitterness to their delivery that soon begins to define the listening experience. There are a few missteps here for my own taste, such as the extremely annoying interruption of “Ballad of the Free Spirits” in the middle of the album, but otherwise it is probably their best overall recording and a good step up beyond the previous album.

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ARTIST:	VAAMATAR
TITLE:	Medievalgeist
LABEL(S):	Iron Bonehead Productions
RELEASE DATE:	May 20th, 2022

The whole resurgence of “Hey, early 90’s black metal is kitsch and seems easy to make” of late hadn’t necessarily ever quit beyond the underground response to (and eventual absorption of) mid-2000’s lo-fi and atmoblack overbearances darting back to their shared arcane impetus but today it’d be hard to miss the absolute piles of shlock misremembering the ancient ways abounding, so, you’ll have to bear with me in weary approach of this seeming pandemic spawned nostalgic black metal duo originally out of Los Angeles. Well, it always comes down to taste when we begin ignoring the spin, eh? Naming their debut demo tape in a nod to Necromantia was a very good sign but ‘Evil Witching Black Metal‘ was a muddy whim that’d ultimately land as unrelated to what we find on the not-at-all raw or imposing lucidity of ‘Medievalgeist‘, a polished and depth-blown record that sets aside all abrasion for the sake of prettier indie rock beats (“Axe of Dolor”), shimmering lead guitars, and even a few mid-paced dark metal-isms (“Spit & Gravel”) serving a decidedly modern take on black metal.

At some point we’re too far from the filth of the roots to conscionably reference them at face value but eh, this is no certain crime and despite not at all reading as early second wave black metal to my ears ‘Medievalgeist‘ is yet a very good black metal record with a maudlin, emotionally driven grace to its sort of forced tonal ugliness. Scoff all you want, the title track takes just over three minutes before gleefully yanking off its frowning-cold kabuki mask in reveal of a satisfyingly down-turned rock seep, a very ‘Marrow of the Spirit‘ progression as it resolves. A warm, velveteen listen follows as the record plays out giving a bit of heavy metal refrain on “Hallowed Flesh” and a satisfyingly blasted bit of muscle on “Plundering Claws” but overall finding a somber and easily read spin overall. It wasn’t at all what I’d expected it to be based on the self-described intent but ‘Medievalgeist‘ was ultimately a good (bad) time with a strong sort of indie rock guided hand leading the guitar work.

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Info:
ARTIST:	MARY ANN HAWKINS
TITLE:	Mary Ann Hawkins
LABEL(S):	Svart Records
RELEASE DATE:	May 20th, 2022

Surf rock and guitar sound/technique is the primal ooze I am made of, the obsession that’d gotten me into music as a child via the moving tempo and flamboyant performances of it all. Though it still sustains me these days albeit in a smaller way, lately exploring the history of The Ventures‘ initial influence on Japanese surf rock traditions, it isn’t as if I get regular submissions for review. Named for a champion American surfer + stunt performer and playing high-action instrumental surf rock, of course Mary Ann Hawkins broke out to the top of my daily list from day one, promising a bit of a ‘new wave of Finnish surf rock’ leader in the notes and having a handful of entertaining music videos and a couple of 7″ releases under their belts thus far. ‘Mary Ann Hawkins‘ cuts the garage grimed space of their earlier recordings but leaves all of the necessary stink on the guitar tone itself, rattling out plenty of noise with all of the windows rolled down. They’ve left plenty of room for the drums to fill and the result is a huge sound that well-suits an overall big-yet-traditional approach to the craft, putting their own spin on saxophone and guitar voiced pieces. Though there are pretty obvious singles here that play well as introductory vignette (“Hawkinsmania”, “Snake Planet”) it was the sentimental resolve of “Helsinki 1952” on Side A and the inspired charge of “7.23 to El Paso” on Side B that’d left the biggest brain bruises on me to start. Ultimately it’d been the flipside that hit it out the park with “Day of the Dead” and “Daring Trappers” selling me on heavy, too heavy rotation. More than a step up from the usual standards trawling that is tradition in the genre anymore and an infinitely solid re-listen however you square it.

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ARTIST:	SIGN OF EVIL
TITLE:	Psychodelic Death
LABEL(S):	Edged Circle Productions
RELEASE DATE:	May 20th, 2022

This psychedelic black/speed metal side project from Chilean musician Witchfucker (Invocation Spells, Dekapited) shot out of the gates with a brilliant start on their ‘Psychodelic Horror‘ demo in 2020 keeping it short, simple yet spectacularly weird in its over the top entrance and piled-on loads of guitar effects. Now a couple years later the songs are a bit longer, the sound has been tempered of its scraggly noisome quality to some degree, and pitch-shifted vocals are now used pretty frequently in tandem with blackened sort of metalpunk shouts. It frankly didn’t work at all for me this time around due to the vocal effects used. While the choice is bold it begins to take on a sort of goregrind goofiness rather than LSD drenched metalpunk evil and I couldn’t hang for a full ~40 minutes without riffing that steps beyond punkish grinds and deathrock wriggling.

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Info:
ARTIST:	NORILISK
TITLE:	Beyond the Mountains
LABEL(S):	Hypnotic Dirge Records
RELEASE DATE:	May 13th, 2022

‘Beyond the Mountains‘ is an EP release from this Canadian atmospheric death/doom metal quartet yet it isn’t necessarily Norilisk‘s usual atmoblackened fare, it being an homage to the romanticist death/doom metal movement of the 90’s via the leading single here “Beyond the Mountains” and an previously released Officium Triste cover in “Intro Officium Triste (Pt II) / Mountains of Depressiveness” their take on the first half of said band’s debut EP ‘Mountains of Depressiveness‘ circa 1996, of which the cover art is used as influence for this EP. This song had been originally included on the Officium Triste-released 25th anniversary compilation of covers ‘Born to Lose, Doomed to Die‘ (2019) and still remains one of the better pieces of the lot. I’d appreciated that the band were likely inspired by recording that cover that it’d lead to “Beyond the Mountains” as it marks a bit more focused, heavier sound from the already pretty well-formed and stately Norilisk. The depressive side of the band is highlighted well within its patient droning climb and narrative tone, using each beat of the drum as space to progress their yarn in seeming slow motion, the effect is successfully dramatic and the greater mood of the piece pairs beautifully with the cover song. I’d really like to hear more from the band in this specific mode since it seems to come naturally.

https://hypnoticdirgerecords.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-mountains

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Info:
ARTIST:	NATTEHIMMEL
TITLE:	The Night Sky Beckons
LABEL(S):	Hammerheart Records
RELEASE DATE:	May 20th, 2022

The first demo from this progressive black/doom metal group out of Norway and the U.K. is somewhat in the style of In the Woods…, specifically their later material, and perhaps for good reason since a couple of its members had founded said group or been a bit part of those later albums prior to 2018. For this project they’re working with members of Strange New Dawn and vocalist/keyboardist J. Fogarty whom succeeds here moreso for the cadence of his vocals rather than the keyboards, which serve mixed results depending on the piece (“Astrologer” being the most fitting and bold placement). As a demo these songs feel like the early middle portion of an album and as such they lack the bookending that this type of music typically needs to set a scene, ducking right into the heft of their work without some necessary preamble for the complex language and layers presented. Though it took a few runs through I began to greatly appreciate the melodic sojourn each piece takes, some of it very literally placed in easily read statements but sure, to great effect in the right mindset. The only thing I’d want this paganistic, somewhat ice encased sound to feature more is the doomed shaping of the rhythm section as it picks up eh, despite their clear aim towards auld atmospheric black metal mysticism. Intrigued to hear how elaborate they go with the full listen.

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Info:
ARTIST:	THE GATES
TITLE:	…Of Pandemonium
LABEL(S):	Northern Silence Productions
RELEASE DATE:	May 13th, 2022

Absolutely ridiculous fist-to-chest, armour-rattling camp from Canada. Here on their debut album, which only now finds its release in Europe beyond the original release in 2021, the mysterious… the wily dagger wielding… The Gates… present an vainglorious colosseum of ear-worming over the top electro-bopping 80’s prog-heavy magick metal music that very well better be Black Magick SS else those fellowes have been aped to Hell of their gig. ‘…Of Pandemonium‘ is the brilliant technicolor exaggeration of operatic heavy rock taken to a the point of extreme metal consciousness’ divine overdose of personae, ye olde occult metal screed gone arcane pop and exuded in blinding maximal landscape, Ostrogothic in its migrations from heavy psych to cathedralesque arena rocking-about and hey, with black metal vocals alight for several songs. It is the sort of stuff only musicians with access to homebrewed LSD and a finest suite of synth could conjure and I personally love it, purely addictive muzak from far, far better dimension than ours.

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