ENDTYMER is the inevitable weekly “music 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 a largely informal blog, 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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ALBUM OF THE WEEK

This week was split between a number of average-to-good releases but the one that’d caught my ear most often and warranted many more listens would surprisingly end up being WITCH BLADE‘s second album ‘Månsken‘, a traditional heavy metal record split between 70’s vaunting and early 80’s pub kicks. I’ll review the Omegavortex/Pious Levus split at some point and was fortunate enough to have premiered it this week so I figured I’d prop up something folks likely hadn’t seen much of here. If you’re up for a challenge I think folks will be talking about black/death metal band Galicia‘s debut LP ‘Precipice‘ as it begins to spread its infectious over the top style. Quiet news week otherwise.

• OMEGAVORTEX / PIOUS LEVUS – Split LP (Invictus/Dark Descent/Goat Throne)
• GALICIA – Precipice (Hessian Firm)
• VIGILANCE – Vigilance (Dying Victims Productions)
• WIZRD – Seasons (Karisma Records)
• WITCH BLADE – Månsken (Dying Victims Productions)

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Thank you, ahead of time, for reading. 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.

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LIQUEFIED EYES

My own label recently announced CD and Cassette Tape editions of Uppsala, Sweden-based progressive death metal duo FLOATING‘s debut full-length ‘The Waves Have Teeth‘. They have their own influences shared between classic death metal and post-punk but I think if you’re a fan of Morbus Chron, early Katatonia (or, ‘Grey Dawn‘-era October Tide), Reveal! or just the idea of blending sharpened death rhythms with post-punk influences it is well worth checking out. Grab a copy if it is your kind of thing.

https://spiritcoffinpublishing.bigcartel.com/product/floating-the-waves-have-teeth-2022-compact-disc

“NEWS”

The most damning news of the week comes from the announcement that we will soon get a new mLP from chaotic magi QRIXKUOR, ‘Zoetrope‘ consists of a single ~27 minute song titled “Zoetrope (Psychospiritual Sparagmos)” will be released on CD and tape formats on November 18th by way of Invictus Productions and Dark Descent Records. A vinyl version will follow in mid-2023. “Zoetrope is an ode to the terror of the cyclic infinite – the endless, silent scream of a mind that has wandered so far that it cannot return. The soul that burns on everlasting, each thousand-year journey the mere blink of an eye.” Of course I only need the name of the band uttered to be thrilled of the news, ‘Poison Palinopsia‘ is still just as terrifying as it was last year and this song promises to be just as, or more challenging. We get a simple but effective teaser for now:

Chaos Records have announced December 9th as the release date for DEHISCENCE‘s debut mLP, ‘Colony‘ which arrives on CD and 12″ vinyl from their hands as well as a cassette tape version from ​Seeds of Doom Records. Dehiscence is a maniac deathgrind band featuring members of Diabolic Oath and Funebrarum, expect an over the top and well burnt kind of sound, the first preview song “Animal Abuse” goes nuts:

Caligari Records have announced December 17th as the release date for a new mLP from CONGEALED PUTRESCENCE. ‘Within the Ceaseless Murk‘ will release on cassette tape of course, and if you liked Dehiscence these New Orleans based folks are likewise a filth-grinding death metal band but with some modern influences from slam and such, nasty stuff. ~12 minute tape, going for pressure on this one:

Australian “baroque funeral doom metal” project ESTRANGEMENT have announced they will release a new album ‘Disfigurementality‘ this coming November 25th by way of the good folks at Aesthetic Death. Sporting a sound which takes influence from classical music Estrangement‘s general idea isn’t too wildly avant-garde, the album is quite sound and deeply sombre based on previews, strong cello work and plenty of Romanticist gloom. The first preview track “The Light Unshown” blares on:

American dark neofolk artist CAVE DWELLER has announced their second full-length album ‘Invocations‘ will release this coming November 21st by way of Aesthetic Death. The first album was maybe a bit more singer-songwriter by their recollection and this one has been compared to groups like Current 93 and Of the Wand & the Moon for what it’s worth. I don’t have a preview track for you, but pre-orders are up:

https://www.aestheticdeath.com/releases.php?mode=singleitem&albumid=5561

Purity Through Fire has announced November 4th as the release date for U.K. black metal project HELVELLYN‘s debut album, ‘The Lore of the Cloaked Assembly‘, on CD format, the vinyl version will come out next year and the cassette tape version to be released by Worship Tapes. Expect 90’s black metal influence from these Cumbrian Black Metal sphere’d folks, spearheaded by musician P.G. (Thy Dying Light, Nefarious Dusk, Úlfarr, et al.) “Sacreligious Violations” is the first single and it comes with some kind of music video:

Hells Headbangers have announced November 18th as the release date for a new mLP from Australian death metal band ESKHATON. ‘Horracle‘ will release on CD format first and then the 12″ vinyl version will release next year. I love the description of “cyclonic death metal” for the band since they are chaotic, bestial, and blazing in style and new material comes with some anticipation. Prepare for the aptly titled “Vortexecution”:

Black Lion Records have announced Italian atmospheric doom/death metal group (ECHO)’s fourth full-length album ‘Witnesses‘ is scheduled for November 25th release on CD and digitally. This album was apparently written during the first wave of the global pandemic lockdown in 2020 and eventually finished in the following summer and autumn. They’ve suggested that this unavoidably influenced the lyrics yet this won’t be a concept album per se, one which nonetheless “reflect the distress and the overall feeling the whole band had during those strange and alienating days.” The latest single for the album “Fate Takes Its Course” follows:

German black metal label Purity Through Fire has announced December 21st as the release date for prolific black metal duo ORDER OF NOSFERAT‘s fourth full-length album in the space of two years. ‘Vampiric Wrath Unleashed‘ will arrive on CD, vinyl LP, A5 digipack, and cassette tape once it is ready. This being their second LP this year and fourth since 2021 it is hard to ignore the curiosity, as in if they’re any good, and for my taste this title track from the album is solid enough:

With the release of ‘Astral Fortress’ one week away, DARKTHRONE have released the song “Caravan Of Broken Ghosts” alongside a lyric video which was filmed by Fenriz using his smartphone and edited/created by Matthew Vickerstaff. The old, cold one suggests “There is a revisit vibe of ‘Quintessence’ at first, which is a total coincidence as it is Ted’s song and I wrote ‘Q’. The song then explodes into fiercer metal, pounding and catching there as well, with clever riff shifts. And then the classic doom ending. Thank you, Ted” In terms of the video, it is Fenriz holding his phone while we walks a few trails, suggesting the sub-genre “hiking black metal” is officially a thing outside of folk metal. Always thinking, always innovating. Eh, but really I like his comment that nature documentaries no longer just focus on nature but on the fact that people are destroying, inhabiting, and interfering with natural areas. Anyhow, the song is pretty good:

Canadian heavy rock/magick metal duo SPELL have released another music video, this time for “Fever Dream”, to promote thier impending release of ‘Tragic Magic‘ through Bad Omen Records this coming October 28th. One of many earworms on the record and another entertaining video:

Jawbreaker Records are have announced they will release Polish heavy/speed metal band RAT KING‘s debut mLP on cassette tape format this coming October 28th. ‘We Are The Rät King‘ comes from energetic metal idealists and it shows here, aiming for 80’s heavy metal with ghastly lyrics. I appreciate when a band is straight up about saying they’re aiming for vintage. They’ve got the whole thing up on the label Bandcamp, here is a store link if you’re in the EU:

Rät King – We Are The Rät King (Cassette) – Pre-Order

Helter Skelter Productions have announced December 9th as the release date for the third album from Italian fuzzed stoner doom metal band BLACK SPELL. ‘Season of the Damned‘ is coming on CD and cassette tape formats soon enough, the digital version is out November 11th and the vinyl version is slated for January 20th, 2023. Great guitar tone on this one, plenty of evil possession in their work. I think they’ve got a few songs up on Bandcamp already:

I Hate Records have announced the latest full-length album from Greek doom metal band THE TEMPLE. ‘Of Solitude Triumphant‘ has a tentative release date of December 9th. Their sombre ways have put together a concept album that traces a soul’s journey from manifestation, through rebirth, loss, and the fear of death before ending with it at peace in the Light. Alright, that sounds very churchy but these guys are great. If you’re big on Isole and While Heaven Wept this is probably your jam. Check out “A White Flame for the Fear of Death” on Bandcamp:

Canadian trio BIG|BRAVE have announced their latest full-length album ‘nature morte‘ will release this coming February 24th, 2023 by way of Thrill Jockey. This one is apparently influenced by the lessons learned and textures had during their collaboration with The Body (‘Leaving None with Small Birds‘). Listen to first single “carvers, farriers and knaves” and see if you can pick up on some of that:

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