Days of Halloween: Part Five

And the final part. It’s the 31st now. Actually Halloween. So, how are we going to cap all this off in style? There were plenty of options, but I’ve gone with Burzum and Mayhem for several reasons that don’t really need to be explained. If you’re not sure what I mean, brush up on your black metal history.

Rough footage of new song from The Universe Divide

This is a short post, but worth posting. The Universe Divide uploaded a new live clip onto their Facebook page today of a new song. At 1.45 in length the video doesn’t reveal much other than a couple of really nice sounding riffs. It’s not possible to embed Facebook videos so click HERE to check it out. Hopefully, more new stuff will be upon us soon. The EP, which came out earlier this year, Dust Settles on the Odontophobes is killer. Check that out if you haven’t already.

Days of Halloween: Part Four

You couldn’t possibly compile a collection of tunes for Halloween and not include Mercyful Fate, and it’s almost impossible to pick just one song! But best efforts are made anyway; bow down for ‘Desecration of Souls’ from the classic Don’t Break The Oath record. Yeah, you’re welcome.

Days of Halloween: Part Three

If you don’t have Deathspell Omega in your life at this stage, rectify it immediately. Their metaphysical trilogy of records, which critiques the relationships between God, Satan and Man, are wholly immense and breath-taking pieces of work. The trilogy was completed with last year’s Paracletus album from which we take this number - ‘Phosphene’. The French outfit truly brought black metal to unchartered waters and the sinister anonymity that the band maintain several years on from their first album only accentuates the impiety.

Gnaw Their Tongues is a black metal imbued noise project helmed by Frenchman Mories, and recently has enjoyed some critical acclaim in the underground, particularly with 2009’s album All The Dread Magnificence of Perversity. However, it’s his first album 2006’s Spit at Me and Wreak Havoc on My Flesh that we explore for Days of Halloween, an album that was only re-issued in recent months.

Days of Halloween: Part Two

Yesterday’s foray into wickedness brought us to Portal. To start off today we’ll slow things down greatly for Russia’s mysterious funeral doom metallers Ea. This track is from last year’s jaw-dropping Au Ellai record.

Another swerve here now for Today is the Day. No one can say that Steve Austin’s inhuman screams and squeals don’t sound utterly evil and depraved, and that malicious sound is captured perfectly on career best record, In The Eyes of God.

Lou Reed & Metallica - Lulu

Not much else to say other than this... HERE

Days of Halloween: Part one

It’s that time of year again; Halloween. If you’re here in Ireland, that doesn’t just mean dressing up, pumpkins and trick or treaters, but also little scrotes letting off illegal fireworks in the wee hours of the morning and if you’re really unfortunate, have a lit one thrown at while walking through Dublin city centre at 9pm one evening. It happens. 

But what Halloween really means is a time for all of us to explore the darker side of everything in life, from films to books to of course… music. Australia’s Portal are a band that simply sound fucking evil, as edified by 2009’s Swarth album, an absolutely devastating piece of murky, malevolent death metal. They’re a more than appropriate band to kick off Days of Halloween.

Flourishing - The Sum of All Fossils

Dissonant and uncomfortable. That's Flourishing debut record, The Sum of All Fossils. Click HERE for the full review of the album now on Drop-D.

Nasum announce reunion to say goodbye

Esteemed Swedish grindcore band Nasum, whose career came to a tragic end several years ago, have announced their reunion for 2012, with a series of shows to say a proper farewell. Rotten Sound vocalist Keijo Niinimaa will step in for the band. Read their full statement below.

If things were different, if Mieszko hadn't died, Nasum would have celebrated its 20^th anniversary in 2012, believe it or not. Therefore, and after long deliberation and scrutiny, we have decided that it's now or never: Nasum will do a handful of shows and festival gigs around the world in 2012 - to celebrate our anniversary, say a final goodbye to the fans and Mieszko.

No cheesy reunion, no new albums, no epitaph for Mieszko. We will play only a few cities and festivals in a limited number of disruptive, unruly concerts.

It will be a total blast, and we aim to go out hard. Just you wait.

When lead singer Mieszko Talarczyk disappeared and died in the devastating and tragic tsunami of 2004, Nasum instantly ceased to exist. As the band's voice, producer and one of the main songwriters, Mieszko was a vital part of Nasum's bloodline. When he passed, all plans for tours and recordings were abruptly stopped. Nasum died when Mieszko died, and the rest of the band members went their separate ways.

But in the years that passed, the feeling that everything had been left unfinished lingered with the rest of us. Suddenly seven years had passed, and we realized it was time for closure; for us, the band and for the fans. 

With our anniversary coming up it felt like a perfect time to end Nasum the way it was supposed to - exploding in a ferocious, blasting frenzy, not wither away at the mercy of tragedy. And finally we are ready, able and totally fucking charged, so expect something over the top. The shows will be a varied, intense mix of the best songs from this colossus of grind.

To handle vocal duties on the upcoming shows we have asked Keijo Niinimaa, vocalist in Finnish grind faves Rotten Sound, to join us. They were always close friends of Nasum, and while Keijo's plagued screams won't replace Mieszko, they will add a crippling viciousness to the shows. On a few occasions, we might ask a few other close friends of Nasum to do some vocal sessions. Who? Wait and see!

Note this: if you ever wanted to see Nasum blast shit to bits, this is your last and only chance.

Anders Jakobson - drums
Jesper Liveröd - bass and low vocals
Jon Lindqvist - guitars and low vocals
Urban Skytt - guitars
Keijo Niinimaa - vocals

Therapy? interview

Bassist Michael McKeegan of Therapy? has a wee chat with Drop-D about their forthcoming Ulster Hall show next week with The Answer as well as the new album. Click HERE to check it out.

Woods of Ypres album coming in January

Just a little while ago, Woods of Ypres confirmed the title of their new album as Woods 5: Grey Skies and Electric Light. It’s their first record for Earache, with the label having re-released their 2009 album Woods 4: The Green Album earlier this year. Woods 4 is an album that really took me by surprise. From what I read about the band, it sounded like it would be a decent record but it was so much more - beautifully melodic, suitably downcast and necessarily heavy. There’s plenty of Type O Negative and Katatonia vibes running throughout the album too, which is no bad thing.

Also, I had the chance to interview David Gold from the band a few months ago. Check that out HERE.

Stream new Mazzy Star track

Veteran indie shoegazers Mazzy Star will return next year with a new album, their first since 1996 but first they’re releasing a new double a-side single: Lay Myself Down / Common Burn. You can stream ‘Common Burn’ down below. The single is released on vinyl on November 8th.

  Mazzy Star - Common Burn by weallwantsome1 

(Credit: Stereogum)

Monarch - Twisted Pepper, 23/10/11

French drone/doom maestros Monarch laid waste to The Twisted Pepper last night in Dublin. Click HERE for the full live review now. Support: Wizards of Firetop Mountain, Drainland, De Novissimis, Rat's Blood, Flowers of Dissonance.

Jon Schaffer, Iced Earth interview

With new album Dystopia just released, Iced Earth’s Jon Schaffer answered some of my questions (on behalf of Molten Magazine). The audio can be heard on the Molten website by clicking HERE. Jon discusses the new album, new vocalist Stu Block and what lies ahead for Iced Earth.

Dysrhythmia guitarist releasing solo album

Dysrhythmia guitarist, Kevin Hufnagel has announced a new solo album, Transparencies, for release in January of next year. You can stream a new song – the lush, atmospheric ambience of ‘Ever Rest’ below. Dysrhythmia also released a new demo track recently, from the new record they are currently working on. ‘Running Towards the End’ was posted here on The Grind That Annoys, check it out HERE if you haven’t already.

Momentum album available for free download

Members of Light Bearer and ex-Fall of Efrafa have yet another band on the go, this time, melodic hardcore outfit Momentum. The band have uploaded their debut album, Whetting Occam’s Razor for free download ahead of the physical LP and CD release on Halo of Flies and Alerta Antifascista. Click HERE for the download and check the band’s Facebook page too. A review of the record will be online next week, keep your eyes peeled. 

New issue of Molten Magazine out now

The third issue of Molten Magazine is on sale now nationwide, featuring cover stars Machine Head. In this issue, you’ll find from yours truly a full low down on the Dublin Doom Day weekend and Primordial’s 20 anniversary show as well as record reviews of Insomnium and Vallenfyre. The magazine is available in Easons, click HERE for more info.

New Ne Obliviscaris track

Finally, it’s only taken about four years but Ne Obliviscaris are readying the release of their first full-length album, the follow-up to the 2007 demo The Aurora Veil. The Australian progressive metal band has endured a lot in that time from failed album release dates and deported guitarists. Now, the band has set Portal of I as the title of their album, due for release early next year and you can hear a new song from the record. Scroll down for a listen of ‘And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope’.

Unsurprisingly, ‘And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope’ is a lengthy track. The violins that heavily characterised The Aurora Veil are present more than ever, and the trade-off of harsh and clean vocals between Xenoyr and Tim Charles serve a delight again. Good things come to those who wait supposedly, but whether or not Portal of I will justify the wait remains to be seen, but we’re certainly off to a good start.

Portal of I tracklisting:

1) Tapestry of the Starless Abstract

2) Xenoflux

3) Of the Leper Butterflies

4) Forget Not

5) And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope      

6) As Icicles Fall

7) Of Petrichor Weaves Black Noise