Month: September 2017

Black/death dreadnoughts Vassafor premiere new track

Black/death dreadnoughts Vassafor premiere the new track “Illumination of the Sinister”

The track hails from the band’s massively anticipated second album, Malediction, set for international release on October 13th via Iron Bonehead Productions for the vinyl LP and cassette tape formats; Debemur Morti Productions will be handling the CD version.

Vassafor should need no introduction. For the past decade and a half, since the band’s reactivation with their Demo II in 2005, this New Zealand cult have patiently plied their idiosyncratic craft, pushing the boundaries of black and death metal ever further whilst driving deep into each’s collective core. Although some will argue that they reached their apotheosis with 2012’s debut album, Obsidian Complex – a true, two-disc double album – Vassafor played their most daring hand with respective split LPs with comrades Sinistrous Diabolus and Temple Nightside (both released by Iron Bonehead in 2014 and 2015, respectively). In miniature, these works amplified the simultaneously world-eating/ethereal textures that lay at the heart of the Vassafor aesthetic. Now, after an intense two years in the shadows, the band’s grandest work is about to be revealed: Malediction.

Simply put, Malediction is a statement of intent. A purely Satanic album, in the band’s eyes, and one which draws a line firmly in the sand, this is pure Southern Vassaforian Hell driven to the outer reaches of primitivism and transcendence. Here, Vassafor strip bare their most barbaric tendencies, down to their most unapologetic form, and build anew a temple of unimaginable might. The maw of chaos opens ever wide, beckoning the listener to submit and be devoured; meanwhile, tendrils of tension untether in a manner most ambient. If any of Vassafor’s earlier work achieved a sense of vertigo – and it surely has – then Malediction is the band’s most potent distillation/distortion of such yet. Across a time-evaporating/halting 50 minutes, each of the five tracks comprising Malediction work as mantra and spell simultaneously. Doom(ier) elements are largely traded for utter violence and virulence, which somehow makes the end result all the more stultifying and psychedelic in equal measure. Black Metal of Death: Southern Vassaforian HELL.

Armed with dreadnought decibels, Vassafor do the indoctrination – not the other way around. This is the Malediction you deserve. Continue the reckoning exclusively HERE, courtesy of NoCleanSinging.com. Begin the reckoning HERE at Iron Bonehead’s Soundcloud with the aptly titled new track “Emergence (of an Unconquerable One).”

Vinyl LP cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Vassafor’s Malediction
1. Devourer of a Thousand Worlds
2. Emergence (of an Unconquerable One)
3. Servitude
4. Black Winds Victoryant
5. Illumination of the Sinister

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/vassafor

ARCHGOAT – Eternal Damnation Of Christ

To celebrate their forthcoming European tour (with BÖLZER, SVARTIDAUDI and EGGS OF GOMORRH), cult Finnish blasphemers ARCHGOAT give us a small foretaste of what we can expect on their highly-anticipated next full-length album, to be released in 2018. They deliver on this occasion a new EP entitled “Eternal Damnation Of Christ”, containing two devastating, brand-new Satanic hymns.

01- Black Mass Mysticism
02- Eternal Damnation Of Christ

“Eternal Damnation Of Christ” is officially out today on 7″ EP and Digital Download. For the time being, the physical 7″ EP will be available exclusively on their live dates.

ARCHGOAT will ravage these stages right on your doorstep, don’t miss them !

29/09 – Parma (IT)
30/09 – Bülach (CH)
01/10 – Oberhausen (DE)
02/10 – Paris (FR)
03/10 – London (UK)
04/10 – Dublin (IE)
05/10 – Glasgow (UK)
06/10 – Manchester (UK)
07/10 – Antwerpen (BE)
08/10 – Arnhem (NL)
10/10 – Berlin (DE)
11/10 – Gdańsk (PL)
12/10 – Warsaw (PL)
13/10 – Wroklaw (PL)
14/10 – Weinheim (DE)

ARCHGOAT was formed under the wings of Hell in 1989 to spread the word of the Rebel Angel. The line-up consisted of Angelslayer (Growls of the Fullmoon), Ritual Butcherer (Axe of Black Mass) and Blood Desecrator (Bombardment).

First demo was unleashed in 1991, called “Jesus Spawn”. In 1992 an unholy alliance was forged between ARCHGOAT and Necropolis Records and in 1993 the MLP “Angelcunt (Tales Of Desecration)” was released. ARCHGOAT entered the studio to record a full-length release in 1993 for Necropolis Records. After a disagreement over the terms of Necropolis Records, the material was kept from the masses and in late 1993 ARCHGOAT decided to vanish from the now-so-commercial Black Metal scene.

The once-so-bright black flame was buried till 2004, when the horns raised again to continue the black crusade. Year 2004 saw the release of 1993-recorded material in the form of the “Angelslaying Black Fucking Metal” 7″ EP through Hammer Of Hate Records. The line-up was the original one with the exception of Blood Desecator being replaced by Leneth the Unholy Carnager as a session drummer. The first live Black Mass in over a decade was performed in Kouvola, Finland 1.7.2005. Having completed his services in the ranks, Leneth was replaced with a permanent drummer Sinisterror. In 2005 the black crusaders invaded Europe with BEHEXEN and HELL MILITIA on the “Tour Of The Black Moon”.

Gathering the pure black energy of the their earlier 90´s hymns, ARCHGOAT went to Temple of the Black Moon to create the debut full-length LP to cast the shadow of blasphemy over the raped Virgin Mary. “Whore Of Bethlehem” via Hammer Of Hate Records in 2006 marked the final continuity to the path of the desecration and showed that the Black Flame was as bright and strong as ever. After the CD release, ARCHGOAT decided to part ways with Hammer Of Hate Records and to continue the path with Blasphemous Underground Productions who handled the vinyl edition of the album. The new era had begun to dawn its black light…

The onward march to preach the Black hymns took form in 2007 with BLACK WITCHERY in the form of the “Desecration & Sodomy” European tour. The march over Europe stormed over 9 venues in ferocity that left no survivors and the dark spirit of this union of ARCHGOAT and BLACK WITCHERY was immortalized in black wax in 2008 by Blasphemous Underground Productions, baptised to carry the name of the tour “Desecration & Sodomy”.

ARCHGOAT started the composition work on the 2nd full-length LP. The beginning of 2009 saw the release of “The Light-Devouring Darkness” and the 1st black march over the USA and Mexico under the banner of “The Light-Devouring Black Crusade”. This is the path, this is the Worship to Lucifer. Blasphemous Underground Productions called it quits and an unholy pact till death was sealed with Debemur Morti Productions.

To celebrate two decades of devil worship an ARCHGOAT anniversary double vinyl was summoned consisting of material from all the previous releases as well as unreleased hymns to hammer the black history into one release. 2010 saw the release of this assault of ungodliness called “The Aeon Of The Angelslaying Darkness”. And the flow of Darkness surfaced again in 2011 to preach the evangelism of pure grinding desecration as the MLP titled “Heavenly Vulva (Christ’s Last Rites)” was unleashed from the Temple of Black Moon.

Black Metal changed, ARCHGOAT did not… and the march continues…

DEATH TOLL 80K set release date for new SVART album

“Oh, wow. This is good. Back when I was an avid grind listener, I would have totally listened to this and ripped it off.” – Beau Beasley, Insect Warfare

Today, Svart Records sets November 17th as the international release date for Death Toll 80K’s highly anticipated second album, Step Down.

While not quite the Chinese Democracy of underground grindcore, Death Toll 80K’s second album has been a few years in the making. Their debut album, Harsh Realities (2011), was a surprise hit in the murky world of underground grindcore, and the album has since been repressed several times and the band has toured the world extensively, playing major festivals such as Maryland Deathfest and Obscene Extreme.

Despite its exceptionally long production time, Step Down sounds anything but polished – listening to the album conjures up images of nuclear attacks and civilization downfalls. Step Down seethes with politically charged fury against the status quo, and with its reckless production values, it is the perfect antidote to modern, technical, cleaned-up grindcore.

First track premiere to be revealed shortly.

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Death Toll 80K’s Step Down
1. Panopticon
2. Walls
3. Trampled
4. Process
5. Repeating Failures
6. Abolish Fur Farms
7. Step Down
8. Statistics
9. Leeches
10. Lack of Perspective
11. Cause / Avoid
12. Hydra
13. Diminish
14. Trickle Down
15. Binary
16. Silent Approval
17. Blame the Victim

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/deathtoll80k

British doomlords Lucifer’s Chalice stream their highly anticipated debut album, The Pact,

British doomlords Lucifer’s Chalice stream the entirety of their highly anticipated debut album, The Pact. Set for international release on September 29th via Shadow Kingdom Records, hear Lucifer’s Chalice’s The Pact in its entirety here.

With members concurrently doing time in such bands as Winds of Genocide, Uncoffined, and an ex-member of new Shadow Kingdom signees Horrified, the four-piece Lucifer’s Chalice play pure ‘n’ true DOOM for total doom MANIACS! Sounding as old as time itself, the eldritch atmosphere of The Pact is brewed in the foundational NWOBHM sounds of Witchfinder General and then steeped in witchcraft across the centuries and across continents. Its heaviness is forlorn yet yearning, unrepentantly dark but searching for light, plumbing doom metal’s most abyssal recesses but equally brimming with the true metal spirit that defined the early ’80s metal scene: doom metal may be the chosen genre of Lucifer’s Chalice, but they inherently understand its total essence and the building blocks which made it in the first place, and thus span the whole panoply of metal and rock from 1977-1984. As such, across four epic-length tracks in a concise ‘n’ cutting 36 minutes, The Pact takes the listener on a moonlit journey across misty moors and through cobwebbed catacombs, from tragedy to triumph and back to tragedy again, inhabiting the subconscious of both the accuser and the accused.

Originally self-released digitally earlier this year, Shadow Kingdom now steps in to unveil The Pact to a larger audience for which there’s no returning from this covenant of TOTAL DOOM.

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Lucifer’s Chalice’s The Pact
1. Hung at the Crossroads
2. The Pact
3. Full Moon Night
4. Priestess of Death
MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/luciferschalice

Interview with Palmistry – Montreal Doom

Palmistry are an up and coming doom band based out of Montreal Quebec. I am a great believer in cities as musical scenes and yet again Montreal does not fail to produce another great band. Read the interview and learn something

* There is not really much about the history of the band online – so can you tell us how the band came about?
We had a band together from 2013-2015 called ALPHA WAVES , with K.B on vocals and members of “Warslaves” . We left the project aside because of schedules , but some tracks just stayed with us and we felt like they would be amazing for a traditional doom project .

* How did you guys decide that it was doom that you wanted to play together?
It kinda came naturally because we are huge doom fans . We wanted to get into this dark place with the story telling and the general vibe , so doom was just IT for us.

* Have either of you played in any local bands before Palmistry?
Yes, C.B is the lead vocalist and bass player in Warslaves & lead guitarist/vocal in Shezmu.

For now it’s just us writing music and telling stories we want to tell

* Since you are a husband and wife duo have you figured out how you guys are going to pull this off live? I think the days of “traditional vocals/bass/drums /guitar bands” line ups are not so limiting – I just saw Swiss group Bolzer perform Friday night and they are a two piece with a huge wall of sound and it works.
For now it’s just us writing music and telling stories we want to tell. It’s nice to create something as a couple, especially doom music since we love it so much. But it’s not definitive that we will be only 2 members and what we want to do for live shows. For now, this is our baby and we’re just having fun creating.

* Have you played many live shows to date?
No not yet. We want to be really satisfied with the album before we go live and it’s nice to keep some mystery for now.

* How do you guys go about writing songs? Do you start with a guitar riff? Lyrics? how does it work?
Usually the riffs are what comes first . We like to create a mood and then tell a story. But we both write lyrics randomly when we get inspired by something, so it depends on how we feel really

Tarotology , Palmistry, demonology and occultism in general has always been a huge part of K.B’s life

* Do you guys follow any occult paths? if so what ones and why?
Tarotology , Palmistry, demonology and occultism in general has always been a huge part of K.B’s life. It’s something she studied for years and still do.

* What’s the recording process like for Palmistry do you map everything out on a home computer first? Record everything live starting with drums? Please explain the process
Most of the songs were born on an acoustic guitar. Just jamming and composing. Then C.B records everything on his computer and we take our time to listen to it and flow with the vibe and lyrics. Then we add the vocal.

* What has the reaction been like for your demo so far?
The reaction to the demo has been great. Traditional doom fans gave us such good feedback , and people who weren’t used to the genre got into it, so it’s fucking amazing

* I see the band is based in Montreal (beautiful city) are you both born and raised there? if not where from?
K.B was born and raised in Montreal and C.B is from a small town called GENTILLY, 2 hours outside Montreal.

Montreal’s metal scene is indeed fucking amazing

* Why do you think Montreal has such a great metal scene?
Montreal’s metal scene is indeed fucking amazing. People TRULY love the music, not many posers and bullshit. The bands here just support each other SO MUCH it creates this great vibe and respect at every shows. Montreal is known to be super open minded and diverse, especially in the music scene. You can feel the love and its seriously magical at times.

* I know you guys are working on a full length album when can we expect it and what can we expect from the album?
We would love to put the album out at the end of 2017/ beginning of 2018. We’re not rushing it ! We want to get into this really dark place and just experiment with the vibe and vocals

* What goals does Palmistry have for 2018?
Writing more music, shows , maybe doing splits with other bands. Lots of partying and rituals

* Any final words?
Stay tuned and spread the love !

Blackout metalpunks Sacroscum stream their debut album Drugs & Death

Blackout metalpunks Sacroscum premiere their highly anticipated debut album, Drugs & Death, set for international release on October 28th via Unholy Prophecies.

Ever aptly titled, Drugs & Death is a scourge upon one’s sanity and sanctity, a black-hole blight that swallows you whole. Sacroscum aren’t fucking around.

Sacroscum was formed in 2015 by J. and SS. After playing music together for a long time and trying to create something unique, the duo mixed influences of Darkthrone, early Celtic Frost, Discharge, Skitsystem, Inquisition, and everything they thought would be fitting. Combined with utterly hateful lyrics and a healthy disdain for most of you, Sacroscum was born.

Thus armed, Sacroscum soon transcended musical means and become a philosophy for the two, which can be broken down thusly:

SACROSCUM can be music.
SACROSCUM can be a mirror.
SACROSCUM can be a judge.
SACROSCUM can be a knife.
SACROSCUM can be whatever you want.

But, ultimately, SACROSCUM is whatever the fuck we want it to be.

After some recording sessions in their rehearsal room, they created eight pieces of musick which were then released under the title of Stillbirth, courtesy of Unholy Prophecies in 2016, on cassette tape. Everything “do it yourself” from beginning to end, Stillbirth came from raw, primal aggression, setting down Sacroscum’s foundation for death, dedication, disgust, and what lies beyond all these. But now, with the imminent release of their debut album, Drugs & Death, Sacroscum are primed for their most bountiful ejaculation of filth and hatred – the fullness of their cumming, as it were. Recorded at the band’s rehearsal studio and mixed and mastered by Fabi Krapp at Ruins Rust Studios in southern Germany, Drugs & Death is yet another staunchly DIY affair, but this time, the band have dialed in their most destructive material to date, simply taking what once was, adding some unexpected elements and making it what once will always be: truly, DRUGS & DEATH.

Nine anti-anthems, 41 minutes of foulness, Sacroscum never stop the madness, and heartily encourage you to finally drink yourself to death but with a smile on your face. “Do it…”

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

1. Initium
2. Drugs & Death
3. Autoerotic Thanatophilia
4. Gutter.Moloch.God
5. Vermin
6. Waste, Horror & Degradation
7. Skin Canvas
8. Downwards Spiral
9. DCLXVI

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/sacroscum666

SLEEPWALKER set release date for new ANNAPURNA mini-album

On November 13th, AnnapurnA is proud to present 夢遊病者’s 5772 in remastered form on digipack CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats. Sentient Ruin is partnering with AnnapurnA for the vinyl release.

夢遊病者 (Sleepwalker) was essentially born in three places and has been in existence since 2015. The members hail from Osaka, Tver, and New York, becoming acquainted online. The mantra of the band, if any, is to take cues from the improvisational school of jazz and the cathartic nature of ritual folk music and couple it with the raw energy of bands like Voivod and GISM. Thematically and conceptually, the lyrics and much of the visuals focus on different cultural traditions and ceremonies as well as familial experiences.

Whereas the first EP, 統合失調症の飢餓, was done entirely remotely from each respective locale (much akin to an “exquisite corpse” exercise and then mixed and mastered), 5772 was tracked live in a single location. A week of time was planned to get everything down as quickly as possible, relegating to overdubs for any additions. Everything was then mixed and mastered and pressed to cassette for the first pressing. The whole of the record is focused on cultural rituals, specifically related to death. The digipack, LP, and cassette reissue versions have been remastered.

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for 夢遊病者 (Sleepwalker)’s 5772
1. Empty Urns
2. White Linen
3. Plain Wood
4. Black Ribbon
5. No Flowers
6. Only Stones

夢遊病者 (Sleepwalker):
PBV – guitars, vocals, effects
NN – bass
KJM – drums

MORE INFO:
www.vnkv.bandcamp.com

OPIUM WARLORDS set release date for new SVART album

After three wilderness years with doom gods Spiritus Mortis and Lord Vicar, electronic warriors Tähtiportti, and black metal sorcerers Azrael Rising, Sami Albert “Witchfinder” Hynninen is back in business with Opium Warlords. On November 3rd, Opium Warlords shall release Droner through Svart Records.

Droner is the fourth Opium Warlords album, and it brings Hynninen’s uncompromising musical vision to its most sparse form. It is noisy lo-fi riff music consisting only of particles unquestionably necessary, but at the same time with a musical spectrum that is very wide and open. It is experimental and avant-garde, still with roots deep in the very heart of heavy rock music. It is concrete blues, diving to the existence and the smallest molecular spheres of minimal riffs, and what seems to be an endless repetition of them. From these rather skeletal elements, it occasionally reaches neo-classical, even medieval spheres and death-romantic chambers of apocalyptic folk. Onto all of this, disturbing lyrics are chanted by unnamed, hostile protagonists.

The lyrics come entirely from outside, already existing sources: a book written by Finnish culture radical Jouko Turkka, a ritual of Ndembu people, and a letter written by scarlet woman Marjorie Cameron. The purpose here is to create a soundtrack that pictures and reflects the contents of the textual force. The result is primitive and brooding sonic landscapes of war, ritual, and death. Gone is soothing warmth of the preceding album, Taste My Sword Of Understanding. Droner is all about nuclear war and clear, post-apocalyptic primitivity of the surviving culture. It is torturing purification through purgatory, to a new world and new form of life.

First track premiere to be revealed shortly.

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Opium Warlords’ Droner
1. Year of 584 Days (20:32)
2. Samael Lilith (20:30)
3. “Closure” (18:55)

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/OpiumWarlords

Der Weg einer Freiheit kick off European tour

DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT will kick off their European headlining tour supported by French brothers in spirit, REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER at Gleis 22 in Münster, Germany tomorrow evening, September 21st.

Please find a list of all currently confirmed dates below.

On the short-term cancellation of INTER ARMA due to circumstances beyond the American band’s control, DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT commented: “We are shocked about the news as we’ve been looking forward very much to share stages with INTER ARMA, but we have no other choice than accept this and move on with the tour. We hope that you understand and we apologise to everyone who wanted to see them! We have tried everything possible to find an adequate substitute, but unfortunately it was impossible on such short notice. As a result, REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER​ will have more stage time and we want to give local acts a chance to join our shows. Interested bands should get in contact with us.”

DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT Festivals
22 Sep 17 Hamburg (DE) Hamburg Metal Dayz

DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT
+REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER
21 Sep 17 Münster (DE) Gleis 22
23 Sep 17 Köln (DE) Gebäude 9
24 Sep 17 Rotterdam (NL) Baroeg
25 Sep 17 Nijmegen (NL) Merleyn
26 Sep 17 Esch-sur-Alzette (LU) Kulturfabrik
27 Sep 17 Wiesbaden (DE) Schlachthof
28 Sep 17 Stuttgart (DE) Keller Klub
29 Sep 17 Marseille (FR) Jas Rod
30 Sep 17 Barcelona (ES) Razzmatazz 3
01 Oct 15 Madrid (ES) Sala Characol
02 Oct 17 Nantes (FR) Le Ferrailleur
03 Oct 17 Paris (FR) Le Petit Bain
04 Oct 17 Strasbourg (FR) La Laiterie
05 Oct 17 Lyon (FR) O’Totem
06 Oct 17 Zürich (CH) Werk 21
07 Oct 17 München (DE) Kranhalle
08 Oct 17 Salzburg (AT) Rockhouse
10 Oct 17 Budapest (HU) Dürer Kert
11 Oct 17 Wien (AT) Arena
12 Oct 17 Ceské Budejovice (CZ) MC Fabrika
13 Oct 17 Leipzig (DE) UT Connewitz
14 Oct 17 Berlin (DE) Lido

DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT will hit the roads in support of their brand new album, ‘Finisterre’. Please find artwork, track-list, and more information below.

1. Aufbruch (9:49)
2. Ein letzter Tanz (13:49)
3. Skepsis Part I (5:05)
4. Skepsis Part II (5:36)
5. Finisterre (11:13)

The musical puzzle that adds up to become DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT turns into something more complex – yet also clearer defined on the band’s fourth studio album, ‘Finisterre’. The original pieces are still in play: the aggressive German directness akin to ENDSTILLE and a penchant for brooding melancholy as embodied by IMPERIUM DEKADENZ. Spiralling psychedelic moments comparable to DEAFHEAVEN and WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM also find their place – as well as a knack for majestic melodies that shows parallels in Swedish black metal spearheaded by MARDUK and DARK FUNERAL.

Yet while DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT are clearly progressing along the lines laid out by their previous acclaimed effort, ‘Stellar’, the band has found a way to make these pieces fit more seamlessly. ‘Finisterre’ flows together into a coherent picture that stresses the Germans’ unique approach and sound. This album marks the point where DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT turn their various influences into a work entirely of their own expression despite never trying to cover up their roots. This impressive maturity has been reached through several stages.

Founded in 2009 by guitarist Nikita Kamprad and vocalist Tobias Jaschinsky,DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT garnered early attention with their self-released debut ‘Der Weg einer Freiheit’ (2009), which quickly sold out and was re-issued with new drum tracks a year later. Following the ‘Agonie’ EP (2011), their second album ‘Unstille’ (2012) already cored international acclaim. In the aftermath of this record, co-founding member Tobias left and main songwriter Nikita Kamprad took over his vocal duties.

The frontman was first heard on third full-length ‘Stellar’ (2015), which sawDER WEG EINER FREIHEIT gaining traction across the pond as well as expanding their European base. Having performed along such diverse acts as WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, NEAERA, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, AMENRA, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, and DOWNFALL OF GAIA as well as playing prestigious festivals such as Graspop, Hellfest, Resurrection, Roadburn, Summer Breeze, and Wacken has honed the band’s songwriting skills to razor-sharp precision.

‘Finisterre’ clearly stands at the apex (for now) of the steep climb that DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT have taken. This German star is finally shining in full black.

www.derwegeinerfreiheit.de
www.facebook.com/derwegeinerfreiheit

Current line-up
Nikita Kamprad: guitars, vocals
Tobias Schuler: drums
Nico Rausch: guitars
Nico Ziska: bass

Recording line-up
Nikita Kamprad: guitars, bass, vocals
Tobias Schuler: drums

EXPANDER stream NUCLEAR WAR NOW! debut

Today, timezapped neuropunks Expander stream the entirety of their highly anticipated debut album, Endless Computer. Now set for international release on October 15th via Nuclear War Now! Productions, hear Expander’s Endless Computer in its entirety exclusively HERE.

Although black and death varieties of metal have largely thrived in the modern era, it has been conspicuously more difficult over the past decade or more to find a thrash band that both follows in the strong traditions of its forefathers and at the same time pushes beyond established boundaries to develop a sound that is unique unto itself, rather than being a stale form of mimicry of the subgenre’s heyday. Hailing from Austin, Texas, and to this point having released two EPs, Expander has broken the mold and developed its own niche through a novel concoction and recombination of musical and thematic elements that broadly span the genres of metal and punk. Expander’s music, lyrical themes, and chosen artwork are decidedly futuristic without being gratuitously experimental. The most appropriate point of reference that one might choose in drawing a direct comparison would be to Killing Technology-era Voivod. Expander, however, is noticeably more aggressive than its Canadian predecessor in its approach and delivery, which is clearly demonstrated on Endless Computer.

The concept behind the album is that of a shapeless cosmic entity which represents the pinnacle of technological advancement and seeks autonomous control over all atomic matter in the universe. This vision is musically reflected in the myriad of oftentimes unconventional riffs and progressions that manage to tunnel their way into the inner-consciousness of the listener and subvert independent cognition, much in the same way that a digital virus infects and takes control first of a single machine and then progressively engulfs entire networks of them. Not to be underestimated with respect to its overall impact on this album is the level of mindfulness to all aspects of production on this recording. Whereas a great deal of metal, particularly that of the black/death variety, runs a high risk of overproduction, thrash metal with a futuristic focus, such as this, benefits immensely from a healthy degree of attention to clarity and precision, which is proven in this case. Also a product of the band’s diligence in capturing the best-possible recording was its decision to faithfully reproduce its live sound to the greatest extent possible. To this end, the band transported its entire backline from its home base in the heart of Texas to faraway GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts, rather than rely on the house equipment to only approximate the desired outcome. The final nod to detail is the perfectly representative cover artwork by Luca Carey, with whom the band worked very closely to ensure that the artwork reflected the lyrical themes of the music as accurately as possible.

Given the blistering pace at which humankind increasingly finds itself entangled in the web of its own creations, Endless Computer may indeed serve as a harbinger of the fate that we have sealed for ourselves.

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Expander’s Endless Computer
1. Biochron Space Suit
2. R-Type 2 Civilization
3. War Terminal: The True Front Line
4. Endless Computer
5. Authority Spire
6. Opulent Tesseract Ascension
7. Mechanized Deathcanal
8. Timezapped
9. Cold Orbit
10. Cold Orbit II: Facing Worlds

MORE INFO:
www.facebook.com/expanderlives