A bunch of very nice digital promos has been recently sent to my email. Well, I used this opportunity to listen to some of these upcoming recordings from bands, which I like a lot. Stuff, which I will surely buy, when it's out. Man, I have to say that it's very exciting beginning of the year!
DEMONOMANCY - Poisoned Atonement (INVICTUS Productions LP 2018)
I started with the Italian commando Demonomancy, who are coming back few years after their 2013 killer debut "Throne of Demonic Proselytism". They also unleashed a 2016 split with Finnish comrades Witchcraft, but I have not had a chance to grab a copy of that, yet! Now Invictus is announcing their second full length "Poisoned Atonement" (due to be released in the end of February 2018) and I can assure you that it's a bestial record. What strikes me the most, when listening to this album, is the sheer intensity and relentless aggression that these songs deliver. It's like you've been under uncompromising, merciless attack. But it's not a constant, boring blastbeat, which is a huge advantage of this album. It's very old school stuff, where the influences can even take you back to the 80's metal and the whole stuff sounds incredibly vicious, violent and obscure, bestial, harsh and nasty!!! You could compare it to the likes of Sarcofago, Celtic Frost, Blasphemy, I can even hear an old Greek black metal influence in their music, like in "Fathomless Region of Total Eclipse", where the aura is almost ritualistic. Same on tracks like "The Day of the Lord". And the vocals range from the ghastly shriek to almost Tom Warrior-esque howl. I think that vocals can actually surprise some of you and maybe not everyone will like them. I do, they work perfectly. The production is also very, very good, especially for this sort of death / black metal, so personally I can say that I'm very pleased with "Poisoned Atonement". For me, Demonomancy are, among the likes of Embrace of Thorns, Bestial Raids or Teitanblood, my favourite band in that whole bestial death / black metal style. And just look at their amazing logo, one of the best I've ever seen!
Best songs include "Fiery Herald Unbound (The Victorious Predator)", "The Day of the Lord"
HAR - Vesitation (BLOOD HARVEST Records LP 2018)
Now Har. Not so long ago I had a chance to hear their debut EP "Baal Ha'ov", which came from Wolfsbane Records and which impressed me a lot. And now they're gathered under the Blood Harvest Records flag and another EP, called "Visitation", will be out. Well, well... "Baal Ha'ov" was awesome, but I think this new EP is even better. What a stunning riffage, what a great atmosphere has been created on this recording... I think they're one of the most vicious and dark sounding bands from that region of the world - Har are from Israel, in case you didn't know!!! But damn, just listen to these ferocious riffs played at neckbreaking speed or crushing slower parts, all combined with eerie melodies and possessed howls / chants of Ofek Saadi. With these harmonies, Har creates the bloodfreezing obscure and ritualistic atmosphere easily. Their music sound also savage and feels like it's been echoing in the darkest cavern. There are three tracks and each is a brilliant eruption of cacophonous black / death metal. My favourite is the opening anthem, "A Shadow Henosis", but I think that the whole EP is just fantastic. You need to hear it. A band from Israel, who would expect such piece of abhorrence to come from there?
Recommended song "A Shadow Henosis"
CHAOS INVOCATION - Reaping Season, Bloodshed Beyond (WTC - LP 2018)
Finally Chaos Invocation. I've been a fan of them ever since "Black Mirror Hours" and obviously I will not miss "Reaping Season, Bloodshed Beyond", when it's released. This new ritual is a good follower for sure and an album, which fits other World Terror Committee bands, such as Thy Darkened Shrine, Acrimonious, Ascension or Acherontas. There's similar approach to black metal and the concept of occult, death and chaos magic. Or whatever their invocations are channelling. I assume many people are also instantly comparing Chaos Invocation to Watain, but well... who cares. But honestly, when I listen to "Reaping Season, Bloodshed Beyond" I'm quite torn apart. There are some fantastic songs, with killer, fast and utterly vicious black metal like "Calling from Dudail" and "Luciferian Terror Chorale". Even slower songs like "Obsession Is Always the Answer" are great. The music there rips the fuckin soul! There are many great riffs, many fantastic arrangements... but at the same time too often Chaos Invocation goes into annoying, too melodic stuff, that after a while not only bores me, but sometimes even deserves immediate deletion. What the band did in "Blackmoon Prayer" is beyond my tolerance. So, it's quite uneven record, I may need to give it more listens, who knows... at the moment I cannot say that I'm very excited about it. It's good, I will be getting a copy... Will I praise it? Not sure yet.
Best songs: "Calling from Dudail" and "Luciferian Terror Chorale"
Yeah... so here they are. Three forthcoming albums, each a pure jewel and something what I am sure will get an extensive playing from me. Make sure you keep your eyes open for their arrival!
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