Vaina - Futue Te Ipsum - Angel with Many Faces

VAINA - Futue Te Ipsum - Angel with Many Faces (AESTHETIC DEATH - CD 2022)

Every time I get something new from Aesthetic Death, it is a big uncertainty. Musically there could be anything and I already learned that it's better not to expect anything. This label can release whatever they want, even fuckin country music. Well, it's exactly the case with Finnish one-man project Vaina and the second album "Futue Te Ipsum - Angel with Many Faces". Even though you will find (on the Metal Archives' description) that it's a black metal, I can assure you that it's far from the "typical" and "orthodox" black metal - so, something perfectly suitable to Aesthetic Death roster, right? 

Well, speaking of the content of "Futue Te Ipsum - Angel with Many Faces", there's an hour of very experimental and intriguing music, which takes the listener for almost a cosmic, bizarre journey. The opening song "Oppenheimer Moment" has a bit of that Dodheimsgard or Aborym fell - if you think of industrial, avantgarde black metal and all these weird melodies, dissonant riffs, sick vocals and lots and lots of electronic background. And that would be a pretty suitable comparison, but I think that Vaina goes much, much further into the experimental territory than those two bands ever did. The second song, which is called "I1", has even less of everything stereotypical, you could forget about obvious song structures or things like that. But the real fun starts with "Yksikuisuus", where Vaina basically drops every black metal leftovers (except the shrieking screams) they had before, swapping them for something like an electronic / dark ambient, other time orchestral music (occasionally reminding me Profanum). And "About:Blank" has sort of sick, techno beat alike Diabolos Rising, if anyone remembers that old project. 

And the further you will do, the more surprising "Futue Te Ipsum - Angel with Many Faces" will be. Synthesizer plays an enormous role; guitars are rather secondary in all that madness. Plus, the drum machine, some electronic effects added here and there... Yes, the music has a very cold, inhuman feel and I just start to wonder how much will it annoy some listeners hah? And if there is a room for such projects in times, when most of the extreme music listeners tend to prefer more traditional, old school metal bands? I don't know and I am not gonna even try to guess. But the point is, Vaina didn't record an album for everyone and it is a music quite hard to comprehend and assimilate to. Which is not a mission impossible. It is an interesting album for sure, I think, a real experience. Give it a chance, don’t be afraid! 

Damn, even song titles are insanely bizarre here (my favourite is “--. .-. . . -.”, hah!). 

Verdict: 70/100  

Warfist - Teufels

WARFIST - Teufels (GODZ OV WAR - CD 2022)

Three years since "Grünberger" was released, "Teufels" is in my hands and again I am happy to listen to Warfist's raw thrash metal. Yeah, they’re one of those bands, which always puts smile on my face, because their music is just traditional metal, without lousy attempts to be innovative, sophisticated or whatever. And often I love to listen to such straight forward, reckless and ferocious metal, old school to the bone and with the FOAD attitude. 

The best thing about Warfist music is that with each next album it sounds more and more like a classic and 80's raw thrash. For me it's a pure Venom and Sodom worship. And Destroyer666 and Aura Noir from slightly newer bands. These names pop up in my mind every time I listen to Warfist and with "Teufels" this band doesn't walk away from the path they chosen years ago. I am glad that they stick to the formula they’re good at and only try to make their music sound better and better. And honestly, they really succeeded with "Teufels", because it may be my favourite album from Warfist so far. You know, “Metal to the Bone” was killer, "Grünberger" was good too, but maybe not as good as “Metal...”. And now "Teufels" brings ten insanely catchy thrash metal songs – and I am all fully content.  

Everything here sounds just as it should and Warfist ticks all the right boxes. Killer riffs, so full of energy and savagery, the production is fantastic, I love Michu’s vocals too... Then, there’s the evil, satanic aura and aggression!!! Warfist doesn’t waste time for useless bullshit, gets to the business right from the first minute and even the ending cover of famous “Fire” has its rightful place. And I like that straight forward and fierce character of this music, especially when it comes with choruses, which you could scream along while shaving or emptying another beer hah!!!! And even some full speed blasts that appear here and there. One more thing is worth noticing - I can write also that Warfist takes more and more influences from speed and heavy metal, it becomes quite important factor for their music. In the beginning, people used to call them a black / thrash metal band. Not anymore, in my opinion! It's pure metal, thrash with heavy and speed influence, old school to the bone. And I like how it sounds a lot. Especially that no longer Warfist feels like amateurish band too, it's all so damn recorded and performed. 

Standout tracks: “Rise of the Incubus”, “Angel Maker”, “Behind the Walls of Keough” 

Verdict: 85/100  

Excarnated Entity - Stillborn In Ash

EXCARNATED ENTITY - Stillborn In Ash (NUCLEAR WINTER - 12" LP 2021)

US death metal seems to have almost too many exciting new bands to offer at the moment, it's almost impossible to keep track with everything what's going on there. For example, I almost missed my chance to hear this debut recording from Excarnated Entity. That would definitely be a shame, because it's another great piece of death metal! "Stillborn In Ash" is their 2019's demo and it was first released the proper old school cassette demo way, then the CD came out. But I was eager to check the vinyl edition, which came out from Nuclear Winter.  

And well, with these four tracks, Excarnated Entity really did catch my attention. They recorded some truly crushing and beastly death / doom metal here on "Stillborn In Ash"! First of all, there's really solid riffage, I love that brute force of it, with nice combination of fast paced, ferocious parts and slower and damn heavy pieces. Obviously Excarnated Entity doesn't offer anything new, but I love what I hear, whether it sounds like some old Asphyx or Incantation or newer bands such as Mortiferum and Ossuarium. There's always something great going on in the music, the songwriting is very, very solid and with that harsh, kind of primeval - and yes, old school it is - feel, which this recording holds, I can say that "Stillborn In Ash" is an excellent example for pure, underground death / doom. I can assure you that the music will roll over you mercilessly, crushing every bone and piece of meat to pulp. Even a dark, more monumental parts appear here and there, with a bit more harmonious guitar work, which is again a fine tribute to the old school death / doom metal (the beginning of the title track immediately reminded me of the good old Paradise Lost!). I really can say that Excarnated Entity plays one of my favourite styles of extreme music, which is probably why I cannot think of anything what would disturb me about "Stillborn In Ash". Each of these four songs is a killer and I am insanely eager to hear more from these gentlemen. 

Verdict: 85/100  

Barus - Fanges

BARUS - Fanges (AESTHETIC DEATH - CD 2022)

Here is Barus from France with their new recording titled “Fanges”. I had to do quick research about this band, because I didn’t remember if I have ever heard of them before. But their name must have popped up some time ago, because their previous album “Drowned” was released on Memento Mori – and I check most of the stuff, which this Spanish label releases. I don’t have that CD in my collection though – which, after listening to “Fanges” will change soon, I am sure. Yeah, we have here another killer recording coming from the progressive death metal scene from France – almost as good as that Epitaphe’s “II”, which I was impressed so much with recently. Barus is also damn good, I really have to admit that. 

Progressive death metal may often be a real challenge for the listener, but I have to say that the listening session of “Fanges” went very smoothly. I had no problems at all with adapting to Barus musical style, their way of compositions and playing. It's never obvious if you have nearly twenty minutes long songs, you know? But Barus did capture my attention immediately and I was eager to listen to “Fanges” more and more, to discover everything this music has to offer. 

What Barus plays is sort of a combination of post rock / post metal with death metal, I think. Take the title song and you will realize that for the first (nearly) ten minutes of this monolith you listen to instrumental music, which slowly builds the tension, having all those textures typical for post metal and as well as riff style. And finally at its tenth minute a sweet, heavy and crushing riff appears together with some brilliant sounding growls, releasing a proper dose of brutality and overwhelming energy. Often the music has a hypnotizing feel, but this song is so varied that you should predict everything and nothing. There’s nothing obvious. And I think that Barus sounds simply excellent and the way they come up with song structure, all the ideas they have and arrangements are just damn unique. And damn fascinating, too. For even more extreme measures "Châssis de Chair" comes up, a song, which I think is more progressive and psychedelic, again so full of contrasts and dynamics... And it sounds more brutal and rawer too. 

As always when I write about Aesthetic Death Productions and stuff this label puts out, this is not an album for everyone. But I would be surprised if it didn’t get the attention it deserves, because Barus is a worthy band. And “Fanges” is should not be too sophisticated or difficult to even those more die hard death metal fans. And not just death metal fans, as Barus music has the potential to reach much wider number of listeners. But there are just 300 copies of this album, I would be hurry then, as it may be too late soon to get a copy. 

Verdict: 75/100  

Denial - Immense Carnage Vortex

DENIAL - Immense Carnage Vortex (BLOOD HARVEST - 7"EP 2007)

I often underline my love for Chilean death metal, but frankly speaking, Mexico is also one of the hot scenes on the death metal map, in my opinion. I will not play the “let’s list 126 killer bands” game now, but I would like to remind you one particular act, which is slightly forgotten, but which is bloody awesome, in my opinion. Denial is their name! I am not even sure if they still exist, because it’s been ages since the debut album was released and only few years less since the last EP. But recently I was reminding myself killer debut seven inch titled “Immense Carnage Vortex” and wow; this is bloody awesome recording. Hugely influenced by the classic stuff from the 90’s, you will hear equal measures of the European (mostly Swedish) and American styles in it. There's aggression and savagery in this music, there’s fast stuff, as well as some slower, crushing death metal, even a bit of melody. The sound is sweet and raw, and it gives you even bigger old school feel. Riffs are great, who cares that they’re not innovative or whatever... There’s great feeling in them, the atmosphere is dark and brutal... Denial really nailed it and came up with death metal I like to hear the most. Even the artwork and layout for this seven-inch vinyl are what I like to see on such releases, just keep it all simple and old school! Yeah, if “Immense Carnage Vortex” could have been released in 1992, everyone nowadays would call it a classic. I absolutely love this shit, with such “Remains” it has everything I want to hear. 

Verdict: 85/100  

Amaltheia - Amaltheia

AMALTHEIA - Amaltheia (GODZ OV WAR - CD 2022)

I am again impressed with a completely new band, whose debut album was recently released by the Godz ov War. This is Amaltheia with their debut self-titled CD and I have to say that it is a great piece of black metal. I have been spinning it a lot recently and it doesn't feel like I have enough of it. This album really is a fuckin winner for me!  

I haven't got much information about Amaltheia, to be honest, only that this is a band from UK. But these guys are completely anonymous to me, there's not even a band pic available... So, I won't be writing anything about the band itself. As for the album though, there's about 33 minutes of insanely good black metal on "Amaltheia". Stylistically, this is not your old, traditional black metal though. I would rather say that Amaltheia plays a sort of "modern" style of black metal, especially with all that dissonant riffage and general ambience of the music. I think that there's a lot of influence coming from the likes of Deathspell Omega and Kriegsmaschine in it, although Amaltheia's music is not as difficult to memorize nor it is as complex. But the vibe, some riffs and the profound, profane aura are quite alike. What works better for me, speaking of Amaltheia, is that their music has a more straight forward, uncompromising style and that despite some more progressive parts, it is just easier to get into. And above all, that it sounds powerful and is full of rage. I love that density of blasts, the viciousness that this music brings, but at the same time how well written it all seems, with a nice transformation from that fast-paced black metal to mid-paced stuff.  

Blasts do dominate over these 33 minutes of music, which gives a nice kick and a lot of energy, but I am not sure if I would put Amaltheia next to such Funeral Mist. But do we even “Amaltheia” need all these comparisons? All I want you to know is that there’s great music on this album, I love the riffs, vocals and that dark, eerie atmosphere surrounding it all. The production and musicianship are fantastic too (forget about unlistenable black metal primitiveness)… This album impressed me entirely. I have no idea then what else I can write other than it is a must to have. Favourite song? It may be “Dawn”, but they’re all equally good, to be honest and there’s no weak stuff on the album.  

Verdict: 85/100  

Epitaphe - II

EPITAPHE - II (AESTHETIC DEATH Productions - CD 2022)

A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Epitaphe from France for the first time, when they released their debut album “I”. It was one of those albums which definitely made a huge impression on me... but you know what? Some time ago I received “II” and I can easily say that this new material is better than the debut in every aspect. What a great album this French band just released, it’s beyond me. Really. It surpassed all my expectations, if I even had any. And honestly, this is the best thing which came out from Aesthetic Death so far - believe my words. 

The beginning of the album is surprisingly quiet, almost in the sort of Opeth – like progressive way, but these three minutes of “Sycomore“ is not what you should expect from the rest of the album. Soon “Celestial” breaks the silence and rips with some killer blasting death metal. Well, speaking about the diversity and dynamics of music, it couldn’t be better, especially that every song on “II” is very diversified and full of rhythm or style swifts. The mentioned “Celestial” has it all – blasting wall of crushing death metal ferocity, epic, slower parts with clean vocals, more technical, progressive riffs with excellent complex drumming and such riffage... but it is all combined together so well that these changes are smooth and you do not feel distracted. You won’t feel like “What the hell is going on here?”, if you know what I mean. And that is a great aspect of “II”. Generally, I think that Epitaphe made a huge step forward, speaking of the songwriting and how interesting their compositions can be, while staying close to that more progressive and complex death metal. There's so much going on in every song, there are so many ideas and “textures” in them that while listening to this CD you stay focused on these sounds, treating them as a sort of voyage and discovering something new every time you put this CD on. I could describe each song, giving you an insight on what is exactly there, but I don’t think it is necessary. It is always better to listen to them yourself, words cannot give everything especially with my narrow English.  

And you know, Epitaphe came up with three songs, each being near twenty minutes long... That can already be a challenge - not only for the musicians, but also for listeners. Musicians will have to try hard to keep the listener interested in such long and exhausting songs. Listener will need to focus on the music and keep attention to what is going on, otherwise it makes no sense to listen to an album like “II”. Epitaphe definitely succeeded here and that’s a reason why I think that “II” is an absolutely brilliant album. Obviously, I can only speak on my behalf... but I think I have played “II” nearly twenty or even more times in the past weeks (more than anything else at that time) and I don't have enough. I am almost obsessed with this music, so possessing and impossible to stop it is. Which is almost weird, because I am mostly into more archaic forms of death metal and very few “progressive” bands could capture my attention so much. But Epitaphe music is a gold, I believe. “II” will be a strong candidate for the top of 2022 best albums, for sure!  

Verdict: 90/100