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 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

---

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

The second week of May brought a grip of weird-ass bestial death metal, plenty of avant-garde black and death metal, a few strong stoner/sludge metal records but frankly nothing truly mind-blowing or unheard-of per the greater discographies of each notable act. The biggest release in terms of popularity is of course Cattle Decapitation‘s ‘Terrasite‘, a record I’d received for review but I’d felt too far removed from their discography since I haven’t kept up since 2006. Otherwise the quad grab of new records from Ascended Dead, Thanatomass, Impetuous Ritual, and Grave Desecrator provided a wealth of frantic bestial death and black metal all of which I’d enjoyed with ‘Hades‘ being my favorite of the four. If you are a fan of sludge metal a la Thou your album of the year could possibly arrive as ‘Obsession Destruction‘ the second LP from Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean. Two major weirdos Veriluola‘s ‘Cascade of Crimson Cruor‘ and Esoctrilihum‘s ‘Astraal Constellations of the Majickal Zodiac‘ definitely stood out in the crowd though each have their own limitations or excess. So, otherwise we have a cassette issue of Stormkeep‘s dungeon synth EP ‘Lost Relics‘ which was originally an CD extra for their debut LP if you ordered the first run, which sold out in minutes and finally, the best thing out this week is actually a discography compilation from Toronto death metal crew PERILAXE OCCLUSION who’ve basically called it quits but left a serious double LP behind in their wake. Always a big fan of their work and I was bummed they’d moved on but ‘Vapor Chamber‘ is a classy way to finish the thought.

---

YOU MISSED THESE

混乱

A general shout out to Malay hardcore/crust label Black Konflik Records who’ve more recently put out an excellent reissue of Black Uniforms‘ ‘Faces of Death‘ on CD, an old favorite of mine. Their latest releases are both from the broad-minded Japanese hardcore scene of today including the esoteric SARUSHIBAI ( 猿芝居) and grinding/beatdown heavy WITHOUT DEFEAT. Check those out, always do your best to support independent labels worldwide.

https://blacxkonflik.storenvy.com/

---

“NEWS”

I really appreciate the early 80’s horror comic feeling of the otherwise psychedelic cover art from Scottish death metal crew COFFIN MULCH‘s debut LP, who’ve commissioned the maestro Brad Moore for the look. The album in question is ‘Spectral Intercession‘ which will release by way of Spanish cult death metal label Memento Mori this coming June 30th. You’ll hear a bit of the elder classics in their sound, a bit of ‘Left Hand Path‘-era Entombed scorch on the guitars as well as elements from early Autopsy and Massacre as you chunk into the first single “Into the Blood” which can be previewed over on the label’s YouTube channel:

Norwegian black thrash/speed metal conquerors NOCTURNAL BREED where doing it when it wasn’t cool anymore and before it was cool again, the band returns with their seventh full-length record ‘Carry the Beast‘ this coming June 23rd by way of the always high-class Dark Essence Records. It sounds like they’ve taken even more inspiration from traditional heavy metal but of course without losing their rabid thrash metal attack. Check out the first preview song over on Bandcamp:

Mexican death metal group THE PIT and Personal Records have announced they will collaborate for the release of the band’s second full-length album for release this coming July 14th. ‘Of Madness and Evil Whispers‘ will release on CD format and it’ll be the first release from the group in quite some time. Their style has changed somewhat drastically since their earlier melodeath/thrash work in the late 2000’s, now playing cavernous classic death metal sound. To get a sense of what’s up, check out “Megalithic Imprisonment” over on Personal Records‘ Bandcamp:

You’ll recall I’d done a quick review of ‘Savage Blood Domain‘ the debut demo from Conjureth side-gig TUMULATION not too long ago and their heavy early 90’s doom/death influence sound is already ready for a full-length. The John Haddad recorded and Gabriele Gramaglia mixed/mastered ‘Haunted Funeral Creations‘ will release through Hammerheart Records this coming August 4th. No previews yet but you can listen to their demo in the meantime to get an idea of what they’re all about:

Nomad Snakepit Productions and Ván Records will collaborate on the latest EP from Netherlands-based blasphemic black metal project DUIVEL. ‘Heiligschennis‘ will have different colors for the vinyl per each label but the tape is exclusive to NSP and the CD is exclusive to Ván. The band is a collaboration between Nachtraaf (Urfaust) and Deportator (D.R.E.P.) in case you missed their debut a while back. All version release June 15th as far as I can tell. Eh, that cover art.

Blood Harvest Records have announced July 14th as the release date for US death metal duo DESEKRYPTOR‘s debut album. ‘Vortex Oblivion‘ will release on CD, vinyl LP, cassette and digitally. These folks put out some pretty obscure tapes thus far so I’m curious to hear how their blend of modern dissonant/bestial kicks and ‘old school’ sensibilities clash on record. The preview track “Abysmal Resurrection” is a pretty solid shocker to start:

Bent Window have announced a cassette tape and digital version of the sixth volume in RED MASS‘ collective series. The Montreal based project basically takes on extreme metal/punk experimentation in this series. ‘Vol. 6: The Evil of our Collective Mind‘ releases May 19th. The preview track supplied, “By Blood & Iron”, is a live jammed recording which starts with a sort of punkish NWOBHM inspired nod and checks into a different hotel after that. Check it out over on YouTube:

French black metal trio MIASMES and Pariasian label collective Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions have revealed the first single from the project’s debut album ‘Repugnance‘. The album will arrive on June 9th in the usual formats. The song itself “Deliverance” ends up being a pretty convincing first shot from the album as their take on black metal is influenced by a more raw punkish affect and a slight first wave cut on some level. You’ll get what I mean once you’ve sat through the track, I was entertained anyhow:

Wisconsin’s premiere stoner sludge/doom metal trio BONGZILLA have presented “King of Weed” the first single from their sixth full-length ‘Dab City‘. The new record will be available on June 2nd by way of Italian label Heavy Psych Sounds. The name of the album is an ode to weed, and the fact that great weed has come from Madison, Wisconsin’s educational focus on agriculture and such. The band suggest: “The song is about a joint that is weed and hash mixed then rolled in hash oil and finally covered in pure Keef. One of these murdered our driver making him unable to drive. All he could do is laugh!” Maybe he was just sick from all the butane he probably inhaled trying to light it?

Spanish occult drone/doom collective PYLAR will release their latest full-length, ‘Límyte‘, this coming June 23rd through labels Cavsas and Cyclic Law. This record is not only their seventh LP but also the third and final chapter of the trilogy that began with ‘Horror Cósmyco‘ (2019) and ‘Abysmos‘ (2021) two records you’ll recall I’d loved for their darker, experimental mode. The Seville, Spain-based group features members of Orthodox and Teitanblood among others and remains fueled by the occult, paganism, and the power of superstitions. Stoked for this one:

Helter Skelter Productions have announced July 28th as the release date the latest EP from Italian psychedelic doom metal band BLACK SPELL. ‘Walpurgis Night‘ will hit shelves on 12″ vinyl alongside remasters of their first two LPs. ‘Walpurgis Night‘ also be available as bonus tracks added to the CD version of ‘The Purple Skull‘ reissue. You can listen to the whole thing right now over on Bandcamp, and it smokes:

After a six year wait heralded power/heavy metal quintet JAG PANZER have returned with a new full-length album. ‘The Hallowed‘ is set for release on June 23rd through Atomic Fire Records. Spent the afternoon with this record today and had a blast with it so far, something a bit different for the band but clearly very inspired by the lore they’ve put together. It follows the conceptual storyline of the band’s comic book of the same title which came out in late 2022. Check out a short documentary clip about the creation of the album and fish around their label’s YouTube for a couple of other songs:

Get out your clappin’ hands out, spit on ’em and get ready for Finnish duo BLACK MAGIC SIX‘ fifth full-length album ‘Black Cloud Descending‘. The record will release by way of Svart Records this coming September 1st. All signs point to it being completely rad based on the album’s first single, “Blood of Babylon” a motorik garage rock song “about Sam Berkowitz’s relationship with Sam Carr’s speaking dog.” check it out now:

New Era Productions have announced the second full-length from Netherlands-based black metal act HELLERUIN. ‘Devils, Death and Dark Arts‘ will release this coming June 16th on CD, LP, Cassette and digitally. Quality stuff right here, engrossing and menacing work strikes over on “The Flame Still Burns Within Me”, check it out over on YouTube per the lyric video provided:

Caligari Records have announced June 9th as the release date for BRAHMASHIRAS‘ self-titled debut EP on cassette tape. The Vladimir, Russia-based group explain their band name: “Although our gang is called ‘Brahmashiras’ and has ‘vajra’ as its leitmotif, the lyrics and image of the team have nothing to do with Mahabharata and Buddhism. Brahmashiras (aka vajra/Raudra/Pashupati, etc.) is an uber-gun that releases ultimate energy and extinguishes the universe – this was the basis for writing this release. Destruction of the universe = chaos, chaos = birth of the universe.” which is cool too. These guys kinda rip, looking forward to sitting with the whole thing but for now, stack up “Stew” and “Thrown Stone” over on Caligari‘s Bandcamp:

Türkiye-based Iranian melodic death metal quartet CHAOS DESCENT have released “Four Horseman” a single from their upcoming third full-length ‘The Blurry End of an Era‘. They’ve hit a pretty solid modern standard for classics inspired melodeath on this track and I’m curious to hear see how the whole record pans out. Check out “Four Horseman” on YouTube:

---

THIS WEEK’S VIDEOS / REVIEWS

Catch up with the latest YouTube video review/features and written reviews here. New videos post Thursday/Friday of each week for the most part. You can click on the link provided to read the review, 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.

IMPETUOUS RITUAL – Iniquitous Barbarik Synthesis (2023) | REVIEW

THANATOMASS – Hades (2023) | REVIEW

ESOCTRILIHUM – Astraal Constellations of the Majickal Zodiac (2023) | REVIEW

PROFECI – Ub​ó​stwo (2023) | REVIEW

SPORAE AUTEM YUGGOTH – …However It Still Moves (2023) | REVIEW

BOTANIST – VIII-Selenotrope (2023) | REVIEW

Short Reviews | May 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:

TERRIFIER – Trample the Weak, Devour the Dead [May 23rd, Empire Records]
USNEA – Bathed in Light [May 26th, Translation Loss Records]
PHLEBOTOMIZED – Clouds of Confusion [May 26th, Hammerheart Records]
KOSTNATĚNÍ – Úpal [May 26th, Willowtip Records]
TEITAN – In Oculus Abyss [May 26th, Onism/Void Wanderer]
OCEANLORD – Kingdom Cold [May 26th, Magnetic Eye Records]
TOMBSTALKER – Age of Darkness [May 29th, Boris Records/Morbid Aggressor]

SHORT REVIEWS + VIDEO:

RED MASS – Vol. 6 The Evil of Our Collective Mind [May 19th, Bent Window]
GRAANDE – Gråande [May 19th, Nordvis Produktion]
BELUSHI SPEED BALL – What, Us Worry? [May 23rd, Empire Records]
JAAW – Supercluster [May 26th, Svart Records]
SARVEKAS – Woven Dark Paths [May 26th, Soulseller Records]
TRESPASS – Wolf at the Door [May 26th, From the Vaults]
CONTAMINAZIONE – Pericolo di Morte [May 26th, Helter Skelter/Regain]
VIOLENT SIN – Serpent’s Call [May 26th, Dying Victims Productions]
UNDER ATTACK – Fury of the Thunder God [May 26th, Lake of Fire]
SEVEN IMPALE – Summit [May 26th, Karisma Records]

---