Part V

Hello again. This time the break was a little longer, but this absolutely does not mean that I had any problems with the selection of the materials for our column. On the contrary, there is more and more of it and I really try to choose the more interesting bits here, not just in terms of musicality or especially my preferences, but also in terms of a different approach to metal matter or matters related to ideology and ending with the quality of the recordings. I think in this episode of SoH everyone will find something interesting for themselves. And now I invite you to read more news from the national expressways. And not only…

Levi

SOULCARRION - Enthrone Death - Godz Ov War Prod.

Not so long ago, in these section, I praised the Warsaw-based SoulCarrion for their mini album of the same title. Not a few months have passed, and the guys came back with their second full album, which consists of 8 death metal bulldozers lasting a little over half an hour in total. However, this is enough, because the concentration of devil and brutality is really high. Although, as I mentioned, not much time has passed it seems, I think that compared to the previous material, the progress is clear. And it's in every way. In terms of sound, it is more juicy and brutal. Arrangement-wise definitely more interesting and less cliched, though death metal served by SoulCarrion is by design old-school, more towards USDM, without any frills or combinations. The attack however is constant and it's centered on the goal, additionally supported by very brutal, deep vocals. Młody (Stillborn, Embrional) behind the drum kit is also a guarantee that everything is clicking as it should. Death metal!

DEVORZHUM - Exigens Monumentum - Independent / Via Nocturna

Well, here we have what I wrote about a moment ago - a band with less than 2 years of experience, without much playing, demos or other materials - immediately comes out with their debut material. And I'm not saying that Exigens Monumentum is a weak album, it's just very uneven, because apart from really nice fragments, there are also some shallow ones. And if they've made it a mini one, lasting a dozen or so minutes less - it would really be much better. I have the impression that the material is recorded in the same order as subsequent songs were created and, to be honest, it only starts interesting with the third track (not counting the ambient intro) 'Splamione Oblicze Ziemi'. You can hear here some playing in the style of mid-late Satyricon, some late Christ Agony (the end of 'Czekam Widma') there is a nice atmosphere and you can hear that the band is getting more and more tight musically and puts a stronger emphasis on the atmosphere and arrangements of the songs. Despite everything, I will keep an eye on these Poznań residents.

DRUNK THRASHER - Raining Vomit - Godz Ov War Prod.

The material has been known in some circles for some time, but it will now be more officially known thanks to the release by Godz Ov War Prod. Originally, there were 4 tracks on this material, and currently it is 5, the newest 'The Poisoning' recorded at the end of last year. The music created by Instigator aka Drunk Thrasher is juicy black/thrash metal, which has been celebrating its (another) youth for some time now. Of course, it's not on the level of Sodom, Aura Noir or Usurper, but it's really fucking great to listen to. The foot is tapping, the head is bobbing, alcohol is flowing in streams so not much else is needed?! And I just hope that Drunk Thrasher's next content will be at least as good as this one.

THROAT - Blood Exaltation - Primitive Reaction / Godz Ov War Prod.

Throat consists of three musicians associated with several Krakow bands. This is their second material, the previous one - the New Flesh Nectar demo was released 4 years ago by Fallen Temple. 4 songs lasting less than 33 minutes, taking us to the atmosphere of raw, dirty and disgusting black metal in the style of old masters from Necromantia, Mortuary Drape, Baxaxaxa, the Hungarian Tormentor or native misfits from Cultes Des Ghoules. Nowadays, there are only a handful of bands that actually do manage to capture the unique atmosphere and sound of cursed catacombs and mysterious basements. While listening to Blood Exaltation, you almost constantly feel anxiety and fear of something unspecified, but painfully Evil, cold and repulsive. This is what black metal should be!!!

VURKOLAK - Visage Of A Martyred Soul - Independent

The debut album, preceded by two demos, from Vurkolak from Marki near Warsaw brings us just over 30 minutes of extremely primitive and raw black metal. I think that Verih, who fronts the project, would fit perfectly into Iron Bonehead's catalog and would be perfect for splits with Black Cilice or Pa Vesh En and several other representatives of the most disgusting and raw forms of black metal. And I must admit that Vurkolak is not noise, buzzing and senseless bullshit, these songs, despite their really dirty and raw sound, have a really total atmosphere and you can hear that Verih definitely knows what it's about and has his own vision of how this material must sound. I recommend it only to the toughest and battle-hardened players.

RAROG'G - Homo Ad Fundum - Independent

I've been waiting for a new album by this quartet for 8 years. I was really waiting, because not only have I liked their music for many years, but they are also crazy maniacs of metal and high proof spirits. Seriously. But let's get back to the music... I will tell you that it was worth the wait, because from 'Oczyszczenie', which begins the album, to 'Funus Mundi', which closes it, I felt as if I was taking part in some ritual with a lot of fire, magic, and a sublime atmosphere. Because Rarog'g's music is one big, flowing atmosphere in which black metal is only a conventional name. Even though there is some acceleration, bursts and brutality ('Poprzez Czarne Światło'), for most of the duration of Homo Ad Fundum their music flows and moves, very rhythmic, even march-like. In their music I also hear certain influences related to their origin and region, which I suspect are in their blood and they use them not so much unconsciously, but very naturally. But don't be afraid - it has nothing to do with highlander music, the unleavened, festive kind - absolutely not. I'm more interested in the atmosphere drawn from nature, Tatry mountains, and Podhale forests. Rarog'g proves that not only Norwegians can smuggle in climates related to their nature in black metal. And not on a folk note, but on an extremely metal note. This will definitely be one of my favorite domestic materials this year and I hope I won't have to wait 8 years for the next one.

TORTURED CORPSE - Necrophilic Lust - Independent

I look at the discography of this Silesian band and I am impressed with creativity and frequency of releasing new materials. Yes, I know, there are EPs or demos with only a few songs. Just like this one - two numbers and just over 7 minutes of music. Moreover, the sound is not the best, which is a pity, because if everything had more kick, more colostrum, I think that many fans of old-school death metal such as Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under or Cancer would headbang with pleasure. And this is probably a bit too careless, both for today's times and for the aesthetic requirements of the genre.

MORDHELL / MOLOCH LETALIS split - XX - Demonical Cuntfuck Beasts / Bękarty Piekieł - Werewolf Prom

Split of these two distinguished and well-known in the domestic underground hordes. Exactly 4 numbers of each. Well, it's probably fair to accept a draw in this fratricidal fight. Although I'm probably a bit closer to Moloch Letalis, who plays more in a death metal mode. Although 'Zombie Moloch' and 'Krew Za Krew', which open their set, sound like they come from the lost Terrorizer demo. Moreover, their entire part of the split sounds as if it was recorded at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. Deliciousness. But let's not say that Mordhell ​​is doing something wrong. Absolutely not. Their 4 short shots are also black metal at a very high level and I can honestly say that I consider them one of the most characteristic acts on our domestic scene. A very successful split.

THE'M.Ö.Ø.N. - ThemoondemoMMXXIIIIIIXXMMOMEDNOOMETH - Independent

This completely sick creature comes from the capital of Greater Poland, i.e. from Poznań and is created by people associated with several well-known,also hideous formations. However, here they probably out done themselves, because they created a nearly 12-minute monster in which they mixed ambient, war, black, death metal, industrial and who knows what else! A truly explosive mixture! And honestly, I have no idea how they managed to tame this chaos during the recording, especially since it was a "one take" recording. Probably after a few or more too. Honestly? It took me a few listens... But I'm really impressed. It's damn original, addictive and unique in its own way inspiring. Despite all the darkness, schizophrenic aura, dirt, moments of total cacophony – there is a method to this madness! I'm sold.

HEKATOMB - Korosta - Independent

The debut album of this band from Szczecin brings us almost an hour of music that is not easy to listen to, highly developed, advanced in terms of arrangement, in which the main emphasis is placed on creating the right atmosphere. It is very difficult to clearly categorize this album, despite the fact that there are mainly black metal elements, but there are also doom and death metal licks, and the whole thing is covered with wide bands of keyboards and even orchestration, which are associated with some kind of movie or theatrical soundtrack. Speaking of the theatricality of this album, when I listen to it, sometimes I have associations with the album by Furia "W Śnialni", which I have a big problem with. And although I like complicated, unconventional and difficult to listen to music, in this case it is not addressed to me. But I appreciate the heart put into making, composing and producing Korosta. Moreover, I introduce it here because I know that there will definitely be people willing to accept the challenge proposed by this ambitious band.

AGIMA SUN - Ultra Fiction - Deformeating Prod.

I'm not an expert in post-metal. What's more, this type of playing tires me. There are, however, a few exceptions, a few musicians who can not be boring, but play sensibly, without exaggeration. One of such musicians is K_Vass, whose projects appeal to me without any so-called criticism. His new project is called Agima Sun and brings us another dose of beautiful, trance sounds bordering not only on metal, but also industrial (a beautiful fragment in 'Illusion City'), post-rock, gothic music, new wave and music from the 4AD climate. Ultra Fiction brings us 6 beautiful songs whose class, arrangement and sound are in no way inferior to the best Blindead albums, Catatonia or Anathema. The album is enriched with a powerful and very spacious sound, which Haldor took care of in his Satanic Audio. Agima Sun seems to be not so much a continuation of K_Vass's earlier project - Moanaa, but rather its beautiful and logical extension. A wonderful album for long winter evenings, good as a break from death/black music. Amen.

PARH - Disobedience - Mythrone Prom.

After nearly 10 years of playing and releasing smaller materials, Płock's Parh finally debuted with a full album. Apparently they needed so much time to get to know each other and develop their own formula for killing with sound. And I must admit that I understand such debuts - we immediately have a full-fledged, high-octane punch that really makes an impression. There are no random sounds, although the music is definitely not simple in reception. Supposedly it's a raw, dirty death metal, with elements of doom, sludge, stoner and a few other subgenres of metal, punk and the devil knows what else. Everything was served dirty and disgusting. I wrote about them in this column several times and I always mentioned that I sensed a strange smell of Autopsy, some Swedish death metal and a few other artists. And on the debut it hasn't changed, except for the proportions, because there is definitely more of Parh's style of playing and less of the ones I mentioned. And so, before our eyes, another domestic monster has matured, one that can confidently compete with foreign competitors. It's a bit like handball in Płock…

Thanks for checking this one out. Find more bands and metal in the previous editions of South Of Heaven.
Part I - https://metalbite.com/news/18915/south-of-heaven
Part II - https://metalbite.com/news/18942/south-of-heaven
Part III - https://metalbite.com/news/18987/south-of-heaven
Part IV - https://metalbite.com/news/19047/south-of-heaven