Terra Caput Mundi: Praeparatio Aeternum Bellum

*ATTENTION* This is the last new post that will appear on this URL. I will keep this blog address active for the sole purpose of leaving links  intact. However, all of the articles here are available on the newly activated website, and any articles from this point on will only be posted on the new website. 

Raw speed and aggression are the outstanding qualities of Terra Caput Mundi, a speed metal band from St. Louis.  With three previously released albums under their belt, Praeparatio Eternum Bellum is the latest addition to their consistently badass arsenal.  The drumming is simple but catchy, and the vocals range from raspy growls to all-out screams. The guitars play simple, angry riffs, reminiscent of early punk rock and thrash metal. Shredding guitar solos often steal the spotlight, but the rhythm sections can be repetitive. Although some songs are slower than others, the tempo remains energetic and brisk. The melodies are unpredictable yet chock full of hooks.

Praeparatio Eternum Bellum is a very solid and cohesive album, and the tracks flow into each other smoothly. That said, some songs outshine the rest of the album. The opening track, (We Are) The Tank Crew, is one hell of a party jam. Who needs sedatives when you have tasty bass lines? Iron Guard is another charismatic anthem, with addictive riffs and rhythmic percussion.

I rarely enjoy an album from start to finish, but there's not a single bad song on this record. In fact, I think it's cut off tragically short at only six tracks. This excellent album is available for pre-order on bandcamp, and you can also check out the band's own website. What's not to like? Four stars out of five.

Salt For Knives: Conglomerate Of Misery

Salt For Knives was recently formed from the remains of legendary old-school NM death metal bands. Their debut, Conglomerate Of Misery, is a fine specimen of unrefined, raw, brutal death metal (And,  being available on Bandcamp, is yours for the ludicrous price of only $5). The music is extremely cacophonous, especially for those not acquainted with the genre. Dissonance and chaos define the band. One is bombarded by a fussilade of percussion, violent guitar riffs, and low pitched growls and screams. The lyrics are the typical death metal canon of mortality, destruction, hatred, and emnity. Certain elements of frontman Frank Green's previous work in Grinkai are carried over into this new project, notably the funky guitar riffs in the closing track,  Break. However,  this album is exemplary in its own right. Some bands are doomed to be cast in the shadows of their predecessors, but Salt For Knives definitely hold their ground.

The music itself is outstanding, but I was also drawn to the creepy cool album art, which is a macabre reminder of the fleeting, ephemeral nature of life, and the looming imminence of death. Impactful and fairly straightforward, the artwork also has some subtle nuances. For example, the clashing colors are indicative of the jarring, discordant music. Those familiar with Wiccan lore may also  recognize that all five elements (earth, air, fire, water, and spirit) are represented.

This is what you listen to when you're simply pissed off at the world, or if you naturally have a fixation on the darkness. This is pure death metal undiluted by any qualifiers or subgenres. The way I usually judge a studio album is by asking myself the question: "Does it make me want to see them in concert?" In this instance, my answer is an emphatic "Fuck yeah."  Four stars out of five.

Yar: Yar

Yar is a Santa Fe based thrash metal band characterized by wicked intricate guitar licks , harsh vocals, and lightning speed drumming. The result is a tortured, angry, and cathartic flashback to the death/thrash metal of the late 80's. I do not invoke the name "Death" in vain, and I can honestly say that  Yar emulates their seminal album, Scream Bloody Gore. Obviously, Yar has an updated sound that will appeal to modern metalheads, but their musical inspiration from the likes of Chuck Shuldiner is apparent.  The sound quality of this self-titled demo is impressive.  Although distorted and caustic, the music is delivered with  crispness and  clarity. With only three tracks, each of which is superb, it's hard to play favorites. In fact, no particular song outshines the others, but each brings something different to the table while being cohesive with the rest of the album.

I can't help but assume that Urge To Brew has something to do with beer. It has a straightforward yet intoxicating rhythm, juxtaposed with low growls delivering indecipherable lyrics. If you needed an excuse to wear acid washed jeans and high  top Adidas, this is it. The instrumentation has a dark depth to it, and although Urge To Brew is brilliant in its simplicity, it also features some memorable moments of epic shredding.

Emerald Cave is an intriguing track, with it's cryptic title, rowdy guitar riffs, and frantic tempo. Personally, I have a need for speed and this song satisfies. If you ever get the pleasure of seeing Yar live, this will be the song that make you bang your head so hard that you will bruise your sternum from repeated impact with your chin. I'm speaking from experience, and I am not fucking kidding. Again, the vocals sound awesome but are nearly impossible to understand (the only words I could make out were "entrance" and "darkness"), but that does nothing to diminish the impact of this magnificently brutal track.

System Suicide, like early speed and thrash,  is clearly inspired by the aggression of punk rock but unmistakably metal in essence. Those damn catchy guitar riffs will get stuck in your head, and it's easy to lose yourself in the machine-gun style  percussion. Also, that's one hell of a solo. This is a well executed yet organic song, full of pure rage and energy.

All things considered, this release hangs together well, but each song still retains its own unique depth and texture. Most demos don't sound half this good. Feel free to give Yar some love on Bandcamp and Facebook   Four stars out of five.

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Fallen Hope / Cassovita Split

Fallen Hope was the original incarnation of the band that is known today as Cassovita. For those who missed out on golden years of Santa Fe metal, imagine the technical, intricate instrumental compositions that characterize the modern Cassovita, overlapped with deep, guttural growls. I know, it's just as delicious as I remember.

This EP includes remastered classics as well as more contemporary material. As a whole, the music is deviant and unusual. You won't hear anything like this on the radio waves. Soaring consonant soundscapes plummet into abysmal, agitated guitars and  furious percussion.   Rhythm guitars chug confidently while the leads are defined by beautiful, complex melodies. There is also ample and interesting experimentation with rhythmic patterns and tempo changes. Unlike the balls-to-the-wall aggression  into which most metal is unfortunately typecast, these lyrics are pensive and introspective.

The instruments, especially the drums,  can be somewhat choppy, but that has more to do with the production quality than the musicianship of the band. In fact, they play with surgical precision. The anatomy (or should I say architecture) It is extremely structured and technical, but also anchored by a primal, raw, emotive quality. This music reminds me of how the rigid logic of the conscious mind is ultimately guided by the id. Or, to quote Nietzsche: "The will to overcome an emotion is ultimately only the will of another emotion or several others."

The music, is in fact, a tangled matrix of conflicted feelings. Sorrow, anger, and even euphoria are all exemplefied, but the underlying cornerstone seems to be one of sadness. These songs are not the stuff of mosh pits, but they will keep you headbanging like a windmill all night long, baby.

This split, as well as other releases, are available on  Bandcamp. My verdict? Fallen Hope and Cassovita are heavy enough to satisfy purists, but beautiful enough to differentiate themselves from the crowd.  Four stars out of five.

Muknal: EP

Although modest in length, clocking in under 20 minutes, this EP released by Muknal in 2012 is a real gem for fans of underground black and death metal. The first track, Cruciation, is chock full of tremolo riffs and wicked pick sliding. These caustic musical elements, juxtaposed over  atmospheric and haunting vocals, results in an expansive and dissonant soundscape. The shifts in tempo and key are natural and flow well, but it makes it difficult to tell when one song ends and the next begins. The musical style is defined by an aura of eerie tension and unease. Although the lyrics are delivered in an indicipherable growl, the songs invoke a sense of awe, wonder, and fear of the unknown. 

The band derives their name from the Actun Tunichil Muknal caves in Belize, an ancient site rich in human remains and artifacts, suggesting a history of ritual sacrifice. The album art is clearly also inspired by these caves. I'm no artist, but I know some bitchin' contrast of positive and negative space when I see it. The soft glowing orbs in and around the cavern resemble stars, superimposing  earthly rock formations with the vastness of the celestial. The cover art reflects the music: A paradox of aesthetic sophistication with raw, primal forces of nature. 

From a technical point of view, the production quality is decent, and the musicianship rivals many other black metal bands. There are no clean vocals or sweeping orchestral arrangements to differentiate them from the rest of the blackened death metal crowd.  Weirdly enough, their lack of novelty actually IS a novelty. If you like your metal TRVE, heavy, and purely dark, this will scratch your itch. Three stars out of five. 

Strangled By Strangulation: EP

As you could probably tell from the band name, this is a tongue-in-cheek death metal band. They are very self-aware of the genre and its recurring cliches. Song titles such as "Cupcake Massacre" and "Cut, paste, copy, kill" are a testament to this fact. For better or for worse, if you listened to the music without this context, you would never know it's a parody, because indeed they sound like most death metal bands. Strangled By Strangulation hail from California, which is also home to Ghoul, masters of metal satire. Their musical style suggests influences from bands such as Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, and Deicide.

Their musicianship is spot on, characterized by breakdowns, blast beats, double kick drums, and caustic riffs. The band even acknowledges the utilization of generic gutteral growls, known amongst the metal community as cookie monster vocals.  This is brutal death metal with an influence of grind, perfect for blaring in your eardrums at 70 decibels or more.  They're worth a listen, but admittedly they can get lost in the mix of several other death metal acts.  Three stars out of five.

Carrion Kind: The Collapse Of All To Come

The Collapse Of All To Come is the first album released by Santa Fe death metal band, Carrion Kind.  More rhythmic than melodic, there is an underlying groove to the music, reminiscent of Sepultura and Pantera. Thrashy death metal riffs and raging solos overlap with the thunderous percussion. Morbid lyrics are brought to life with Jayson Grace's gutteral vocals. The subject matter revolves around dark themes such as the self-destructive nature of humanity, and mass corruption on a global scale.

From the remains of old school Santa Fe metal bands such as Fallen Hope, Grinkai, and The Seventh Circle (to name a few), the members of Carrion Kind boast years of experience in the underground music scene. The  style of The Collapse Of All To Come suggests technical proficiency and a familiarity with music theory, yet it is also defined by raw musical talent. This isn't overproduced or overly polished. It is just refined enough to showcase their technical prowess, but make no mistake that this album stems from primal rage and righteous indignation. The music itself is fittingly aggressive and brutal, appealing to the disillusioned and dejected masses.

Everything from the complex yet catchy song structures, to the nihilistic lyrics, and even the sinister album art reflects the militant mindset of Carrion Kind and the music they make. You can check out their music on Bandcamp, Reverbnation, or Carrion Kind's own website. The Collapse Of All To Come would be a great addition to any Metalhead's collection, especially fans of old school thrash and death metal. Plus, it's a steal at only $7. What's not to like? Four stars out of five.

Savage Wizdom: A New Beginning

Santa Fe based power-metal champions Savage Wizdom have finally released their highly anticapated album, A New Beginning. Before I even opened the CD case, the bitchin' cover art already had me enraptured with this album. The striking image of a snake devouring its own tail is an ancient emblem with profound symbolism, a perfect image to embody the album,  exemplefying the triumph over adversity and the cyclic nature of good vs evil.

The music opens up with The Sands Of Time, a somber instrumental, then abruptly descends into heavier territory with the title track. A New Beginning is  a favorite anthem amongst local  rockers, who often sing along and headbang in unison. Another well known track is Do Or Die, originally released as a demo, which has been rerecorded and is heavier than ever. This is a lightning-speed, hard-hitting, bombastic account of a man's confrontation with the grim reaper.  Although Savage Wizdom remains true to the archetype of power metal that fans came to know and love from their debut, their  newest album indicates more musical maturity with heavier themes. Fans of the beefy riffs and righteous shredding of No Time For Mercy will not be disappointed, yet the subject matter is no longer fantasy escapism. The lyrics delve into deeper and more human fights against evil.  More pensive than most of the other tracks (excepting the maudlin ballad Far Away), Shattered Lives is my favorite song on the album. This is a song inspired by, and dedicated to, the children who struggled to survive in a Nazi regime. The lyrics are poignant and melancholy, complimented by the sorrowful melody plummeting into furious shredding.  Even a track like The Barbarian, which invokes Manowar with its primitive rhythm and haughty riffs, shows an unpretentious authenticity and raw talent that a more polished piece might conceal.

And did I mention that Blayze freaking Bayley does guest vocals for Let It Go? Goddamn right he does. This latest offering proves that Savage Wizdom has evolved and improved from their memorable debut. Although No Time For Mercy is a great album, A New Beginning is far more refined and focused. Absolutely fantastic. Four stars out of five.

Shade Empire: Omega Arcane

Shade Empire, a symphonic black metal band from Finland,  are clearly influenced by  the likes of  Dimmu Borgir. However,  I believe Shade Empire surpasses their role models in technical prowess and emotional impact. Omega Arcane is a complicated yet cohesive album, the kind you can hear a hundred times and notice some new detail with each listen. 

Omega Arcane maintains a  precarious balance between melodic ambiance and raw heaviness. The album is simultaneously atmospheric and grotesque. The sound walls are multi-layered and complex, but the long tracks and slow tempos prevent it from being overwhelming. Intricate piano melodies emulate the baroque masters. The epic grandeur of the orchestral compositions  are complemented by acoustic guitars, bringing it all back down to earth. The drumming is inconspicuous but nevertheless provides a rhythmic backbone to the melodies.

The vocals are predominantly black metal screams, but there are occasional female cleans, notably in my favorite track, Disembodiment. The orchestral elements are at their peak in Disembodiment, which opens with suspenseful yet understated violins. The intro to this song is tantalizingly subtle, slowly blossoming into an intense black metal style. Several other songs feature atmospheric chorals in the background. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the album, although I'm used to faster tempos, faster songs, and shorter records. However, symphonic black metal is a niche  genre for those who can appreciate lengthy, nuanced, and epic music. All things considered, Shade Empire are skilled musicians and Omega Arcane is a testament to their abilities. Four stars out of five.

Mechina: Empyrean

This album exemplifies the phrase "Iron Fist in a velvet glove." The music is deceptively ambient, belying the innate heaviness and brutality. The result is an oppressively melancholy soundscape with understated blast beats and sorrowful melodies. The clean vocals are surreal and dreamlike, and some tracks even incorporate the female voice. This is no "Beauty and the beast" nonsense, however. The arrangements are tasteful and demure,  often interrupted by more intense gutteral vocals. The drastic contrast between delicate beauty and brute power is more of a blending of styles, instead of sounding disjointed or scattered. The masculine and feminine qualities of Empyrean are inexorably intertwined, like a yin yang.

 Unlike technical bands who focus on playing fast, difficult pieces, Mechina focuses on milking each note for all its worth.  They are masters of  virtuosity, and the mid-paced progressions convey their melodic prowess. Empyrean is a brilliantly executed pinnacle of ambient metal, and it speaks volumes of Mechina's talent as performers and composers. Four stars out of five.

Dark Angel: Darkness Descends

This is the epitome of thrash. All the power and fury of death metal, plus the fast-paced aggression of punk rock, results in this phenomenal album. Much heavier and faster than their contemporaries, Dark Angel are masters of their craft, and Darkness Descends was a definitive album both for the band and the genre. The bass lines maintain a subtle but pervasive groove.  The drumming, although exemplary, is often overshadowed by furious guitar hooks and Don Doty's outstanding vocals. When the drums are emphasized, however, all hell breaks loose. Gene Hoglan is a beast on the skins, considered by many to be one of the best in thrash.  

 Part of the stylistic appeal of Darkness Descends was its unpredictable nature. Headbang-worthy rhythms would shift into faster mosh riffs, and Don Doty's voice ranges from throaty growls to higher pitched screams.    The most memorable track is The Burning Of Sodom, which has the catchiest melody, most brutal instrumentation, and most subversive lyrics. Throughout the album, the subject matter ranges from religious hypocrisy, to horrors of war, and even the indignity of life-support. Nothing was sacred, and  Dark Angel left no taboo unsung.

Overall, this is an exceptional album, especially considering it was made in the aesthetic no-man's-land known as year 1986. Bands like Poison were considered metal back then. Yuck. Dark Angel broke the mold with meaner, nastier music, longer tracks, and even cooler album art. What's not to love? Five stars out of five.