Chodím kolem řeky každý den. Je špinavá, smradlavá a plná odpadků. Občas v ní pluje mrtvé tělo. Pokaždé se zastavím a sleduji vítr ve vlnách. Je pro mě každodenní jistotou, stejně jako hudba MALLEPHYR, kapely balancující na ostré hranici mezi životem a smrtí. Sleduji tuhle smečku od jejich počátků a pokaždé, když se mi dostane do rukou něco nového z jejich tvorby, jsem natolik chycený, že se mi nechce nic psát. Raději se toulám městem, raději se dívám na špinavou řeku.
Letošní album je třetí dlouhohrající a pánové se opět posunuli dál. Zpočátku je novinka více nepřehledá, složitá a náročná na poslech a představivost. Vyžaduje od vás soustředěný poslech a spoustu temné fantazie. MALLEPHYR jsou letos jako démoni, jako našeptávači, kteří se vám dostanou postupně do podvědomí. Na hladině pluje další mrtvé tělo. Nebo to je jen moje představa?
Ano, je to možná děsivý sen, ze kterého když se probudíte, tak je realita ještě horší. Psát o podobných deskách je pro mě velmi těžké. Popsat slovy všechna zákoutí, všechny ty pestré a košaté riffy, veškerý naléhavý vokál, každý úder bicích, vlastně ani nejde. Lepší je poslouchat, užívat si jednotlivé motivy, které jsou pečlivě vystavěny do morbidních obrazů. Vznešený, majestátní a atmosférický black metal je zde kombinován se zemitým smrtícím kovem. Vše je provedeno s elegancí starých mistrů v oboru. Líbí se mi, že jsou MALLEPHYR jiní, odlišní, že mají svůj jasný a zřetelný rukopis. Určitě by se nějaká přirovnání k jiným našla, ale dělat to nebudu. Tahle smečka se již dávno vymanila z běžných klišé. Naopak, každá melodie je zajímavá, něčím přitažlivá. Album obstojí nejen v jednotlivostech, ale hlavně jako celek, jako opus, ke kterému se budete rádi a často vracet. Alespoň u mě tomu tak je a určitě i bude. Potřebuji mlhu v ulicích, potřebuji chlad v kostech a potom vynikne "Ruins of Inner Composure" nejvíce. Je pro mě velmi těžké nalézt cokoliv, co bych mohl vytknout. Jsme již dlouhé roky nastaveni na stejných vlnách. Pokud preferujete tmu před světlem, pokud je vaše mysl rozřezaná do krve, potom si nové album určitě vychutnáte. Pánové jsou letos silní jak v divokých, zničujících pasážích, tak i v těch klidných, přemýšlivějších. Je to spíše pradávná mantra, jdoucí až k samotné podstatě smrti, než jen obyčejná hudba. Songy žhnou a pálí, postupně gradují, mění rytmus i směr. To vše zahalené do černé a krvavé mlhy. Chodím kolem řeky každý den. Je špinavá, smradlavá a plná odpadků. Občas v ní pluje mrtvé tělo. Pokaždé se zastavím a sleduji vítr ve vlnách. Vznešená, majestátní, temná a mrazivá black death metalová odpověď na šepot démonů! Budete rozdrásáni do krve!
Asphyx says:
I walk by the river every day. It's dirty, smelly and full of garbage. Sometimes a dead body floats in it. Every time I stop and watch the wind in the waves. It is a daily certainty for me, just like the music of MALLEPHYR, a band teetering on the sharp edge between life and death. I've been following this pack since their early days and every time I get my hands on something new from their work, I'm so caught up that I don't want to write anything. I'd rather wander the city, I'd rather look at a dirty river.
This year's album is their third full-length and the gentlemen have once again pushed themselves. Initially, the novelty is more opaque, complex and challenging to listen to and imagine. It requires focused listening and a lot of dark imagination. MALLEPHYR are like demons this year, like whisperers that gradually get into your subconscious. There's another dead body floating on the surface. Or is that just my imagination?
Yes, it may be a scary dream from which when you wake up, the reality is even worse. It's very hard for me to write about records like this. To describe in words all the nooks and crannies, all the colorful and colorful riffs, all the urgent vocals, every drum beat, it's actually impossible. It's better to listen, to enjoy the individual motifs that are carefully built into morbid images. Sublime, majestic and atmospheric black metal is combined here with earthy death metal. Everything is executed with the elegance of old masters in the field. I like that MALLEPHYR are different, distinct, that they have their own clear and distinct signature. I'm sure there would be some comparisons to others, but I won't do that. This pack has long since broken out of the common clichés. On the contrary, every melody is interesting, attractive in some way. The album stands up not only in its individual parts, but mainly as a whole, as an opus that you will be happy to return to often. At least for me it is and will be. I need the fog in the streets, I need the chill in my bones and then "Ruins of Inner Composure" stands out the most. It's very hard for me to find anything to complain about. We've been set on the same waves for years. If you prefer darkness to light, if your mind is cut to the bone, then you will definitely enjoy the new album. The gentlemen are strong this year in both the wild, devastating passages and the calmer, more thoughtful ones. It's an ancient mantra, going to the very essence of death, rather than just plain music. The songs blaze and burn, gradually graduating, changing rhythm and direction. All wrapped in a black and bloody mist. I walk by the river every day. It's dirty, smelly and full of garbage. Sometimes a dead body floats in it. Every time I stop and watch the wind in the waves. A sublime, majestic, dark and chilling black death metal answer to the whispers of demons! You will be torn to blood!
o MALLEPHYR na DEADLY STORM ZINE/ about MALLEPHYR on DEADLY STORM ZINE:
Některou špínu neumyjete. Budete jí doslova nasáklí. Budete si představovat, že před sebou neustále vidíte čerstvě otevřenou rakev. Budete mít pocit, že z ní slyšíte podivné zvuky. Nedalo vám to a podívali jste se dovnitř. Je to jako s hudbou, kterou chcete ochutnat. Před vámi se objevilo zubožené tělo ve značném stádiu rozkladu. Ihned jste věděli, že se jedná o oběť násilného, hnusného činu.
Poslouchali jste nové demo amerických tmářů CORPUS OFFAL, což jsou pohrobci CEREBRAL ROT. Obě skladby se vám ihned dostanou do žil i do děsivých nočním můr. Tohle je smrtící kov, který se hrával v pradávných katakombách. Shnijete zaživa!
Základem je smradlavý death metal, přidávány jsou potom nechutně krvavé kousky goregrindu. Vše se valí kupředu jako řeka Styx, plná nafouklých mrtvol. Na své si přijde každý fanoušek klasických, tradičních pohřbů do země. Vše je náležitě mrazivé, šílené a nasáklé krví smíchanou s nenávistí. Doporučuji nějaký plesnivý sklep. Zhasněte všechna světla. Teprve potom vynikne síla CORPUS OFFAL nejvíce. Jedná se o hudbu, která nezná slitování. Oba songy jsou napsány s jediným účelem. Vytrhnout vám všechny vnitřnosti z těla. Obal, zvuk i další formální záležitosti, jsou v nejlepším pořádku. Není si na co stěžovat. Možná jen, ocenil bych více skladeb, potřebuji totiž silnější dávku. Myslím si, že všichni staří hrobníci budou určitě spokojeni. Nahrávka musela vzniknout v nějaké staré, dávno opuštěné márnici. Kdysi tu zapomněli několik chladných těl. Je jen na vás, jestli jim dáte šanci. Za mě je vše v absolutním pořádku. Američané ale přidávají i něco navíc, jakousi morbidní přitažlivost, kterou uměly slavní maniaci z devadesátých let minulého století. "Demo 2024" je takovou ochutnávkou, malým kouskem plesnivého masa, které je podáváno, jak jinak, na víku od rakve. Pro mě je potom nejdůležitější, že cítím během poslechu až fyzickou blízkost smrti. To je pro mě jasným důkazem, že tuhle smečku budu sledovat velmi pozorně. Už teď se těším, co vydají příště. Některou špínu neumyjete. Budete jí doslova nasáklí. Budete si představovat, že před sebou neustále vidíte čerstvě otevřenou rakví. Morbidně zapáchající death metal, který je nasáklý zkaženou krví, temnotou a shnilým masem!
Asphyx says:
Some dirt you can't wash. You will literally be soaked in it. You'll imagine you're always seeing a freshly opened coffin in front of you. You'll feel like you're hearing strange noises coming from it. You couldn't help but look inside. It's like music you want to taste. Before you is a mutilated body in a considerable state of decomposition. You knew immediately that this was the victim of a violent, heinous act.
You were listening to the new demo of the American darkies CORPUS OFFAL, who are the heirs of CEREBRAL ROT. Both tracks will immediately get into your veins and into your terrifying nightmares. This is the deadly metal that used to be played in the ancient catacombs. You will rot alive!
The base is stinking death metal, then disgustingly bloody bits of goregrind are added. It all rolls forward like a river Styx, full of bloated corpses. Any fan of classic, traditional burials in the ground will find something to enjoy. Everything is appropriately chilling, insane and soaked in blood mixed with hatred. I recommend a musty basement. Turn out all the lights. Only then will the power of CORPUS OFFAL shine through the most. This is music that knows no mercy. Both songs are written with a single purpose. To rip the guts out of your body. The cover, the sound and other formal matters are all in the best order. Nothing to complain about. Maybe I would have appreciated more songs, because I need a stronger dose. I think that all old grave diggers will be satisfied. The recording must have been made in an old, long-abandoned morgue. They once left some cold bodies here. It's up to you to give them a chance. For me, everything is absolutely fine. But the Americans add something extra, a kind of morbid appeal that the famous maniacs of the 1990s were able to do. "Demo 2024" is such a taster, a small piece of moldy meat served, as it were, on a coffin lid. For me, then, the most important thing is that I feel almost the physical proximity of death while listening to it. This is a clear indication to me that I will be watching this pack very closely. I'm already looking forward to what they release next. Some dirt you can't wash. You will literally be soaked in it. You'll imagine you're constantly seeing a freshly opened coffin in front of you. Morbid smelling death metal that's soaked in corrupted blood, darkness and rotten flesh!
TRACKLIST
1. Ripened Psychosis
2. Gorging Gastric Decedent
LINE-UP
Ian Schwab - Guitar / Vocals
Clyle Lindstrom - Guitar
Jason Sachs - Bass
Jesse Shreibman - Drums
CREDITS
Mixed by Michael Foster / Corpus Offal. Mastered by Dan Lowndes. Art / Logo by Ian Schwab. Layout by Dan Fried.
Nejdříve na něm nebylo nic vidět. Stále se usmíval a všichni jej měli rádi. Začalo to děsivými sny, ve kterých se mu do vnitřností zakouslo něco zlého a ošklivého. Budil se uprostřed noci, mlátil hlavou o zeď. Bylo pro něj čím dál těžší se přetvařovat. Bál se světla, lekal se stínů. Líbil se mu pohled na krev, na utrpení. Vyhledával jenom děsivé filmy a po nějakém čase nevěděl, co je pravda a co lež. Teď tu sedí, uprostřed chladné a temné místnosti. Zavřený ve své cele se usmívá. Už dávno ví, že peklo opravdu existuje.
O kapele RED ROT jsem toho příliš nevěděl. Musím ale napsat, že moje první setkání bylo spíše obřadem, než jen obyčejným poslechem. Seděl jsem ve svém pokoji a mraky nad městem byly nízko. Blížila se bouře. Zazněl první riff, první mocný motiv a venku zahřmělo.
Tahle kapela je složená ze samých zkušených muzikantů. Ti se již podruhé sešli, aby nahráli album, které je po okraj narvané tmou, chladem, smutkem, melancholií, paranoiou, i prvky doomu, deathu a thrashe. Vše je zamíchané v jedovatém koktejlu, který když vypijete, tak budete mít šílené představy i noční můry. RED ROT jsou naléhaví, drásaví, syroví. Jejich hudba má v sobě všechny prvky, atributy i náležitosti k tomu, abych ji poslouchal ve studeném větru, v mocném dešti i ve chvílích, kdy mám pocit, že se celý svět zastavil. Je to hudba, u které musíte přemýšlet a vyžaduje od posluchače soustředění i pořádnou porci fantazie. Musíte jí dát čas, aby postupně uzrála, aby se vám dostala do krve i do hlavy. Naleznete zde surovost MORBID ANGEL, smutek PARADISE LOST, ozvěny z vesmíru jako od VOIVOD i třaskavou směs CONVERGE. Pánové rádi a často překračují běžné hranice. A dělají to velmi elegantně. A hlavně, mě baví jejich novou desku "Borders Of Mania" poslouchat. Je zkrátka jiná, progresivní, experimentální. Zároveň, a to je pro mě velmi důležité, pokaždé v ní najdu něco nového. Co se týká zvuku, obalu, celkové produkce, tak vše je v nejlepším pořádku. Můžete si tak naplno vychutnat jednotlivé ozvěny. Někdy přemýšlím o lidské mysli, o její složitosti, o jejích temných zákoutích. Kde se v nás bere nenávist a zlo? Nejdříve na něm nebylo nic vidět. Stále se usmíval a všichni jej měli rádi. Začalo to děsivými sny, ve kterých se mu do vnitřností zakouslo něco zlého a ošklivého. Budil se uprostřed noci, mlátil hlavou o zeď. Bylo pro něj čím dál těžší se přetvařovat. Bál se světla, lekal se stínů. Intenzivní, maniakální, surový extrémní metal, který se vám dostane hluboko do podvědomí!
Asphyx says:
At first, there was nothing visible on him. He was always smiling and everybody liked him. It started with terrifying dreams in which something evil and ugly bit into his insides. Waking up in the middle of the night, banging his head against the wall. It was getting harder and harder for him to disguise himself. He was afraid of the light, afraid of the shadows. He liked the sight of blood, of suffering. He sought out only scary movies, and after a while he didn't know what was true and what was false. Now he sits here, in the middle of a cold and dark room. Locked in his cell, he smiles. He's known for a long time that hell really exists.
I didn't know much about the band RED ROT. But I must write that my first encounter was more of a ceremony than a simple listening session. I was sitting in my room and the clouds were low over the city. A storm was coming. There was the first riff, the first powerful motif, and it thundered outside.
This band is made up of all experienced musicians. They have come together for the second time to record an album that is filled to the brim with darkness, coldness, sadness, melancholy, paranoia, and elements of doom, death and thrash. It's all stirred up in a toxic cocktail that, when you drink it, will give you crazy fantasies and nightmares. RED ROT are urgent, gut-wrenching, raw. Their music has all the elements, attributes and essentials to make me listen to it in the cold wind, in the mighty rain and in moments when I feel like the whole world has stopped. It's music you have to think to and it requires concentration and a good dose of imagination from the listener. You have to give it time to mature, to get into your blood and into your head. Here you will find the rawness of MORBID ANGEL, the sadness of PARADISE LOST, echoes from outer space like VOIVOD and the shattering blend of CONVERGE. The gentlemen are happy to and often do transcend normal boundaries. And they do it very elegantly. And most of all, I enjoy listening to their new album "Borders Of Mania". It's simply different, progressive, experimental. At the same time, and this is very important for me, I find something new in it every time. As far as the sound, the cover, the overall production is concerned, everything is in the best order. You can fully enjoy the individual echoes. Sometimes I think about the human mind, its complexity, its dark corners. Where does hatred and evil come from? At first, there was nothing to see in him. He was always smiling and everyone liked him. It started with terrifying dreams in which something evil and ugly bit into his insides. Waking up in the middle of the night, banging his head against the wall. It was getting harder and harder for him to disguise himself. He was afraid of the light, afraid of the shadows. Intense, manic, raw extreme metal that gets deep into your subconscious!
Odsuzujeme nevinné, o kterých nic nevíme. Neznáme jejich krutý osud, špínu a hnis, kterým museli čelit. Potkával jsem ji každý den, když jsem chodil na hřbitov. Pokládala květiny na jeden starý hrob. Představoval jsem si, že měla někoho ráda a ten zemřel. Jenže to nebyla pravda. Jednou se mi totiž podívala do očí a byla v nich nenávist. Absolutní tma a chlad. Stejně jako v hudbě německých death metalistů SUFFERSYSTEM. Kapely, v jejíchž řadách působí pánové z DEFECTED DECAY, FALSE MUTATION, SEEDS OF TORMENT.
Stejně jako se dívka v úvodu dnešního článku chodila ujišťovat, zda je ten, co jí kdysi dávno hodně ubližoval mrtvý, jsem si jistý s tím, že tahle nahrávka hoří jasným černým plamenem. Najdete na ní syrový, plesnivý death metal ze staré školy. Ostré riffy, maniakální bicí, chorobami nasáklý vokál. Jedná se o velmi dobře zahranou pomstu ze záhrobí. O krutou a reálnou smrt, které zkrátka musíte podlehnout.
Když otevřete hrob někoho, kdy byl za svého života zlý, je to něco úplně jiného. Jakoby byla mrtvola i po své smrti nasáklá černou, zkaženou krví. Jestliže za života docházelo k postupnému rozkladu osobnosti, tak teď uvidíte pouze rozkládající se tkáně. S hudbou od německých SUFFERSYSTEM je to hodně podobné. Cítím stejný nasládlý pach smrti, slyším syrové ozvěny ze záhrobí. Pánové uchopili staré postupy po svém. Inspirovali se smečkami jako MORGOTH, ASPHYX, PESTILENCE, DEATH, MORGOTH, AUTOPSY. Navíc přidali spoustu svých morbidních nápadů. Výsledkem je deska, která sice není na první poslech, ale když ji dáte čas, tak na povrch postupně vylezou motivy, které se vám doslova zadřou pod kůži. Základem jsou temné a chladné melodie. Jestli jste byli někdy přítomni exhumaci hrobů za brzkého rána, tak asi víte, o čem píšu. Tohle je hudba pro staré prašivé psy, pro hrobníky, kteří ještě nezapomněli, jak má znít pravý, nefalšovaný kov smrti. Album má velmi dobrý zvuk, který je masivní a čitelný zároveň. Líbí se mi i obal, který mi připomíná dívku, co každý den pokládá květiny k jednomu starému náhrobku. Také cítíte fyzickou přítomnost smrti? Já samozřejmě ano, jinak bych o téhle smečce ani nepsal. Jsem moc rád, že se mi jejich nové album "Disintegration of the Individual" dostalo do rukou. Strávil jsem s ním mnoho bezesných nocí. Dostalo se mi pomalu do podvědomí, jako pradávné noční můry, které se pokaždé vynoří, když poslouchám nějakou podobně dobrou muziku. Odsuzujeme nevinné, o kterých nic nevíme. Neznáme jejich krutý osud, špínu a hnis, kterým museli čelit. Starý, plesnivý death metal, který vytáhne na povrch vaše nejtemnější myšlenky! Totální rozklad těla i mysli!
Asphyx says:
We condemn innocents we know nothing about. We don't know their cruel fate, the filth and pus they had to face. I used to meet her every day when I went to the cemetery. She was laying flowers on an old grave. I imagined she loved someone and they died. But that wasn't true. She looked into my eyes once and there was hatred. Absolute darkness and coldness. Just like in the music of German death metallers SUFFERSYSTEM. The band, which includes gentlemen from DEFECTED DECAY, FALSE MUTATION, SEEDS OF TORMENT.
Just as the girl in the beginning of today's article went around making sure that the guy who hurt her a long time ago is dead, I'm sure with this record is burning with a bright black flame. You'll find raw, moldy, old school death metal on here. Sharp riffs, manic drums, disease-soaked vocals. This is a very well played revenge from beyond the grave. A cruel and real death that you simply must succumb to.
When you open the grave of someone who was evil in their lifetime, it's a different story. It's like the corpse is soaked in black, corrupted blood even after death. If in life there was a gradual decay of personality, now you see only decaying tissue. It is the same with the music of the German SUFFERSYSTEM. I smell the same sweet smell of death, I hear the raw echoes from beyond the grave. The gentlemen have taken the old methods in their own way. They took inspiration from packs like MORGOTH, ASPHYX, PESTILENCE, DEATH, MORGOTH, AUTOPSY. Plus they added a lot of their own morbid ideas. The result is a record that may not be a first listen, but if you give it time, themes will gradually surface that will literally get under your skin. Dark and cold melodies are the basis. If you've ever been present at an early morning grave exhumation, you probably know what I'm writing about. This is music for old mangy dogs, for grave diggers who haven't forgotten what true, unadulterated death metal is supposed to sound like. The album has a very good sound that is massive and clear at the same time. I also like the cover art, which reminds me of a girl who lays flowers at an old tombstone every day. Do you also feel the physical presence of death? Of course I do, otherwise I wouldn't be writing about this pack. I'm very happy that I got my hands on their new album "Disintegration of the Individual". I spent many sleepless nights with it. It slowly got into my subconscious, like an ancient nightmare that always resurfaces when I listen to some similarly good music. We condemn the innocent we know nothing about. We don't know their cruel fate, the dirt and the pus they had to face. Old, moldy death metal that brings out your darkest thoughts! Total decomposition of body and mind!
TRACKLIST 01. Feast Of Souls 02. Disintegration Of The Individual 03. Obliteration Predicted 04. Mangled Corpse 05. The Evil Within 06. Fragments (Inst.) 07. Chopped Into Pieces 08. Lobotomy 09. Suicidium 10. Hellspawn
Pokaždé, když jsem šel okolo, udělalo se mi špatně. Začala se mi motat hlava a ve vnitřnostech jsem cítil hlodající červy. Měl jsem pocit, že smrt je hrozně blízko, že na mě sahá svojí kostnatou rukou. Podivné místo, plné děsivých stínů. Jednou jsem se rozhodl, že překonám strach a usedl jsem do stínu starého stromu. Začaly se přede mnou odehrávat pradávné krvavé rituály. Byly v nich obětovány lidé bez tváře. Poznal jsem jediného. Byl jsem to já sám. Z tohoto bolestivého snu jsem se již nikdy neprobudil. Poslouchal jsem totiž debutové album amerického maniaka Alexandera Maciase, který je podepsán pod všemi nástroji i vokálem.
Jedná se o tajemný, magický a chladem nasáklý black death metal. Majestátní skladby, po okraj narvané špínou, černou magií i nahrubo nasekaným zlem. Vítejte na černé mši! Pokud máte podobnou hudbu rádi, nezbývá, než abyste poklekli.
Podivné symboly, nakreslené všude kolem. Hořící ohně, pentagram i lebky, smějící se do ticha. Muzika je jako nějaký tajemný lektvar, který když vypijete, dostanete se do jiné dimenze. Do míst, ve kterých se nachází pouze strach, beznaděj a nekonečná bolest. Pokud máte rádi kapely jako DEMONCY, SAMAEL, MYSTIFIER, BEHERIT, myslím si, že by se vám mohlo líbit i album "Geminian Arcana". Má atmosféru velmi podobnou té, jaká se nachází na místech, na kterých se kdysi prováděly krvavé rituály. Představte si dávno opuštěné sklepení, hluboko v podzemí. Také cítíte ten chlad? Obepnou vás pavučiny a ocitnete se na druhé straně, na onom světě. Stačí jen odříkat několik obrácených modliteb a poklonit se stínům. A samozřejmě poslouchat tuhle desku. Líbí se mi zvuk, obal, oceňuji jasný a zřetelný rukopis. Zanedbáno nebylo nic. Už jste se někdy dusili vlastní krví? Pokud ne, tak vám tuhle nahrávku doporučuji, zážitek to bude velmi podobný. Přiznávám, že mám pro podobné kapely/projekty slabost. Novinka musela být nahrávána někde ve starých katakombách, mezi pozůstatky padlých kněží. Je celá zahalená do studené mlhy, chladí, žhne a pálí zároveň. Opravdu doporučuji poslouchat uprostřed temné noci. Potom její síla vynikne nejvíce. Pokaždé, když jsem šel okolo, udělalo se mi špatně. Začala se mi motat hlava a ve vnitřnostech jsem cítil hlodající červy. Měl jsem pocit, že smrt je hrozně blízko, že na mě sahá svojí kostnatou rukou. Podivné místo, plné děsivých stínů. Starodávný, temný a krví nasáklý rituál té nejděsivější smrti! Tajemné black death metalové ozvěny!
Asphyx says:
Every time I walked by, I felt sick. I felt dizzy and I could feel worms gnawing in my guts. I had the feeling that death was very close, that it was reaching out its bony hand. A strange place, full of terrifying shadows. One day I decided to overcome my fear and sat down in the shade of an old tree. Ancient blood rituals began to unfold before me. Faceless people were sacrificed in them. I recognized only one. It was myself. I never woke up from that painful dream. I listened to the debut album of the American maniac Alexander Macias, who is signed to all the instruments and vocals.
This is mysterious, magical and cold-soaked black death metal. Majestic tracks, packed to the brim with filth, black magic and coarsely chopped evil. Welcome to the black mass! If you like this kind of music, you have no choice but to take a knee.
Strange symbols drawn all over the place. Burning fires, pentagrams and skulls laughing into silence. The music is like some mysterious potion that, when you drink it, takes you to another dimension. A place where there is only fear, hopelessness and endless pain. If you like bands like DEMONCY, SAMAEL, MYSTIFIER, BEHERIT, I think you might also like the album "Geminian Arcana". It has an atmosphere very similar to that of places where blood rituals were once performed. Imagine a long-abandoned dungeon, deep underground. Do you feel the chill, too? The cobwebs encircle you and you find yourself on the other side, in the other world. All you have to do is say a few inverted prayers and bow to the shadows. And of course, listen to this record. I like the sound, the cover, I appreciate the clear and distinct writing. Nothing has been neglected. Have you ever choked on your own blood? If not, I recommend this recording, the experience will be very similar. I admit I have a soft spot for bands/projects like this. The new one must have been recorded somewhere in the old catacombs, among the remains of fallen priests. It's all shrouded in a cold mist, cooling, glowing and burning at the same time. I really recommend listening to it in the middle of a dark night. That's when its power shines through the most. Every time I walked by, I felt sick. I felt dizzy and I could feel worms gnawing at my insides. I had the feeling that death was very close, that it was reaching out its bony hand. A strange place, full of terrifying shadows. An ancient, dark and blood-soaked ritual of the most terrifying death! Mysterious black death metal echoes!
WITHERING SURFACE “Denial Denial Denial” official video
For their new digital single and official video, Denmark’s melodic death metal prodigal sons WITHERING SURFACE unveil one of their most catchy and melodic songs ever. “Denial Denial Denial” gets under your skin with its straight-forward verse-bridge-chorus structure, and gets you banging your head and singing before you even hit that “Repeat” button. Vintage, lead-soaked, melodic death metal with a modern twist for a band that seems to have no problem in reinventing itself.
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“Exit Plan” is the 6th studio album from Withering Surface following the success of the 2020-comeback album “Meet You Maker”. The process of the “Exit Plan” album was long and challenging with various recording session, line-up changes, producers and on top of that all the obstacles with Covid and post-Covid. The fact that the band’s engagements with Copenhell and various other festivals in 2020 were postponed two years to 2022 could easily have killed Withering Surface that was making a comeback after 15 years in slumber. Instead, all efforts were put into the making of “Exit Plan”. An album where both songwriting and lyrical concept appear stronger than ever for the band. Topping this is the production by Soren Andersen (Medley Studio), mainly known in rock and hard rock circles for his work with artists like Thundermother, Tygers Of Pan Tang and Glenn Hughes. Soren Andersen was not the obvious choice of producer for a melodic death metal band but ended up being the perfect match for Withering Surface anno 2024 delivering a huge over-the-top sound.
Allan Tvedebrink says “Right after we dropped “Meet Your Maker” all our gigs and plans were scrapped because of the pandemic and it obviously created a huge void for us. I’m very proud of that album, but when it was finished, I felt that we could do better and, because of the wide open schedule, I immediately started working on “Exit Plan”. The new material is focused on a much more direct and intense approach and it is by far the strongest compilation of songs we have ever done to represent an album. In the process of creating “Exit Plan” we had lots of set backs. Deciding to let our new drummer go after we recorded the drums, having a new guitarist on board and losing our keyboard player took some extra time, but also made us re-visit the material and get everything right. The challenges and the decisions made in the process definitely made the album way better”.
Soren Andersen: “I was initially hired as the mixing engineer but I have ended up becoming a superfan. This is how I feel about Withering Surface and their forthcoming album “Exit Plan”. They are by far the most extreme band I have ever worked with. Musically I have no other bands to compare them with besides Faith No More and Soilwork. After a few mixes I totally fell in love with the sound of the band, and never before have I challenged myself as much as I have working upon this album. Combining brutal riffs, a powerhouse rhythm section, screaming vocals, melodic solos and imaginative songwriting, this is all I could ever ask for in a metal band”.
Singer Michael Hvolgaard Andersen adds: “Vocal wise I wanted to go back to the roots of Withering Surface. Capturing some of the spirit from the frustrated 19-year old me. Songs on the new album like “Where Dreamers Die” and “You Hurt This Child” show that. I was not sure I still had that throat capacity and aggression in me but proved myself wrong. I always had the desire to make catchy sing-a-long choruses. In the past they were on songs like “Dancing With Faries” and “Joyless Journey”. On “Exit Plan” this desire is brought to life on “Denial Denial Denial”, “Finish What You Started” and “I Finally Lost (All Faith In Humanity)”. Since the formation of Withering Surface, Allan’s songwriting felt natural for me to make vocal lines and melodies on and on “Exit Plan” I truly believe he delivered his strongest material to date which by the end of the day is the reason that made my voice sound strong and have me deliver that little extra”.
The lyrical concept
“Exit Plan” is about breaking boundaries and norms that have been set for one. To put a mental period and start over. To get complete clarity about where you are and are going and want to end = “Exit Plan”. Song titles include “Where Dreamers Die”, “Mindreader”, “You Hurt This Child” and “I Finally Lost (All Faith In Humanity)” and are all with a lyrical foundation in the aforementioned outlook on life, sex, shame, religion and a fading view of humanity.
“Exit Plan” is a lyrical extension of its predecessor “Meet Your Maker”, where a religious meeting with the higher powers made the protagonist realise that there is no help to be had from anyone but the person himself. That you stand alone. That the only one who can help you is yourself. Cold cynicism and power do not go hand in hand with charity. Forget the norm and anything that doesn’t work for you. No excuse, no blame. You are not a social experiment. The thanks you get when you’re gone are worthless and remember one of man’s greatest qualities is to repress.
“Exit Plan” will be released on LP (black vinyl), CD and digital formats on June 7th, 2024 via Mighty Music.
Lineup:
Allan Tvedebrink - guitars
Michael H. Andersen - vocals
Jesper Kvist - bass
Troels Lund-Sørensen - drums
Marco Angioni - guitars
All drums on “Exit Plan” performed by Jakob Gundel
Už je to dávno, tak dávno. Psal se myslím rok 1990, když jsem se svojí tehdejší dívkou utekl do chaty v hlubokých lesích. Sedíme u VHS přehrávače a sledujeme kopie hororů, které jsou už v tehdejší době staré. Z obrazovky k nám stékají litry krve. Sérioví vrazi, démoni, nemrtví, zombie, bojíme se vylézt ven. Potom vypadne elektrický proud a ve tmě zahlédneme pár krvavých, žhnoucích očí. Je to přelud nebo krutá realita? Netuším, co ale vím jistě je, že druhý den ráno jsem poslouchal album "Ready for Death" od NECROPHAGIA.
Měl jsem potom děsivé sny. A také jsem si přísahal, že tuhle smečku chci vidět jednou naživo. Bohužel se mi to nikdy nesplnilo. Někdy nebyl čas, jindy peníze a také, kapela nikdy netrpěla nadprodukcí. V roce 2018 nakonec zemřel zpěvák Killjoy a já se smířil s tím, že už tuhle legendu neuvidím. Zakonzervoval jsem si svoji sbírku a vracel se k ní pokaždé, když jsem měl pochmurnou náladu. Letos se kapela vrátila, aby nám představila nové album "Moribundis Grim".
Pánové vzali surové demo nahrávky, které nahráli ještě s mistrem Killjoyem a doladili je do finální verze. Na novém albu jsou tedy vokály původního zpěváka. Kapele potom vypomohli bývalí členové John McEntee z Incantation, Titta Tani (ex Goblin) a Mirai Kawashima ze Sigh. Výsledkem je materiál, který musí udělat dobře na zkažené duši každému opravdovému a věrnému fanouškovi kapely. Při poslechu si připadám, jako bych se vrátil po časové ose o spoustu let zpět. Zrovna jsme byli v kině a ohlížíme se neustále za sebe. Lekáme se každého stínu a nevěříme ani jeden druhému. Co kdyby náhodou? Skladby v sobě nesou klasický, tradiční rukopis NECROPHAGIA, přesně takový, jak jej máme rádi. Jedná se o sběratelskou záležitost, ale i o krásně morbidní vzpomínku. Mě se vždycky líbila taková ta těžko definovatelná nadsázka, kombinace surového, temného, chladného smrtícího kovu a podmanivě hnusné a mrazivé atmosféry. Doporučuji vám udělat následovné. Nejlépe o víkendu, v místnosti bez světel, si přehrajte celou diskografii téhle legendy. A potom si doplňte vzdělání i setkáním s "Moribundis Grim". Zklamání rozhodně nebudete. Jen si dejte pozor, až vylezete na světlo, na podivná znamení, která se budou objevovat všude kolem. Možná vás posedne ďábel, ale to už k tomu tak nějak patří. Jako k mrtvému dřevěná rakev. Vrátil jsem se do té staré chaty hluboko v lesích. Dokonce jsem našel i starý VHS přehrávač. Kazeta se uprostřed přetrhla a děsivý film se stal krutou realitou. Nechte si chutnat, podávány jsou zahnívající, syrové kousky masa, o jehož původu se dají vést spory. A také hudba, která se vám dostane do morku kostí. Morbidní, klasický, temný death metal s krvavou hororovou atmosférou, u kterého budete posednuti démony!
Asphyx says:
It's been a long, long time. It was 1990, I think, when I ran away with my then-girlfriend to a cabin in the deep woods. We'd sit in front of the VHS player and watch copies of horror movies that were old by then. Gallons of blood dripping from the screen towards us. Serial killers, demons, the undead, zombies, we're afraid to come out. Then the power goes out and we see a pair of gory, glowing eyes in the dark. Is it a mirage or a cruel reality? I have no idea, but what I do know is that the next morning I was listening to NECROPHAGIA's "Ready for Death" album.
I had terrifying dreams afterwards. I also swore to myself that I wanted to see this pack live one day. Sadly, I never got to do that. Sometimes there was no time, sometimes there was no money and also, the band never suffered from overproduction. Finally, in 2018, lead singer Killjoy passed away and I resigned myself to not seeing this legend again. I bookmarked my collection and returned to it whenever I was in a somber mood. This year, the band returned to present us with a new album, "Moribundis Grim".
The gentlemen took the raw demos they recorded with master Killjoy and tweaked them into the final version. The new album features the vocals of the original singer. The band was then assisted by former members John McEntee of Incantation, Titta Tani (ex-Goblin) and Mirai Kawashima of Sigh. The result is material that is bound to do good to the corrupted soul of any true and loyal fan of the band. Listening to it makes me feel like I've stepped back in time many years along the timeline. We've just been to the cinema and we're constantly looking back. We're scared of every shadow and we don't even trust each other. What if by chance? The songs carry the classic, traditional NECROPHAGIA signature, just the way we like it. It is a collector's item, but also a beautifully morbid memory. I've always liked that kind of hard-to-define hyperbole, the combination of raw, dark, cold death metal and captivatingly ugly and freezing atmosphere. I recommend you do the following. Preferably on a weekend, in a room without lights, play the entire discography of this legend. And then supplement your education by meeting "Moribundis Grim". You will not be disappointed. Just watch out when you step out into the light for the strange signs that will be popping up all around you. You might get possessed by the devil, but that's kind of part of it. Like a dead man's wooden coffin. I went back to that old cabin deep in the woods. I even found an old VHS player. The tape broke in the middle and the horrific film became a cruel reality. Taste it, served with rotting, raw pieces of meat whose origins are disputed. And also music that will get to your bones. Morbid, classic, dark death metal with a bloody horror atmosphere that will have you possessed by demons!
Ave HERESIARCH! I am listening to your new album „ Edifice“ and I have the perceptive feeling that I am at an evil black mass. You play black death metal and this is your second full length album. Can you tell us how the new recording was made and in what direction did you want to move from the great previous albums? Did you want to be even faster, darker, more evil?
We set out to write something that surpassed our previous releases. Edifice is written as the predecessor to our first album, Death Ordinance. In that album, malformed and disfigured people fight mercilessly for the scraps in the fallout and ruins of civilisation.
Given how harsh and violent that album was, Edifice needed to be crueller, more hopeless and more oppressive to lead to that conclusion. It’s the last remnants of human dignity being beaten out and trampled to get to that state.
With Edifice, we wanted to amplify everything. Darker, more violent, more dismal, more pronounced doom, with more chaotic and fast sections. Our writing expands simultaneously in opposite directions - the most primitive material we've released is coupled with the most complex and nuanced.
You know what hit me into the face? Sound of this new record, It's organic, rainy, the album has a black spark. Nowadays, between overwhelmed and compressed formats it is literally refreshing. This is what I think is true hell! Please tell me where and how did you recorded? How did you get that sound?
The album was tracked by Raj Singarajah and Cam Sinclair at Dynamic Rage and mixed by Cam using a mixture of analogue and digital equipment. Working with them was crucial to the sound of the album, as they have the knowledge, skills and equipment to facilitate our goals.
Our approach to tracking is to get the tones and sound dialled in at the source so that we can capture the raw material as honestly as possible. For example the rhythm guitars were recorded in one session with an emphasis on using single takes of tracks. It was essential for us to capture the atmosphere, violence and aggression of our music whilst maintaining clarity. There’s no point spending lengths of time writing music only for it to sound like a load of bloated and muffled shit recorded in another room. At the same time, we actively avoided an over-produced, sterile sound.
The raw tracks themselves sounded excellent, and this upfront method made the mixing process much smoother and yielded better results than compromising, dramatically changing the character of the recording or half-assing it. The mastering was completed by Luke Finlay from Primal Mastering, so from that perspective all the sound aspects were handled in New Zealand. This configuration works well for us.
I'm the kind of old school fan who approaches music by buying a CD and a T-shirt when he likes the album. I have to say that the motif on the cover of this year's album is really good. That's how I imagine real hell. Can you tell us how you chose the motif, who's signed and how it relates to music?
The cover art is done by Khaos Diktator Design who has produced some real standout art over the last few years. He's also passionate about this style of music which meant he understood the vision and intent very clearly.
It’s a statement of control, subjugation, and futility before the looming edifice. The cover signifies the lengths people will take to survive and appease those with power, a statement to both human cruelty and weakness before an uncaring monument built to their oppression.
Ultimately, it represents how people can be manipulated to commit acts that go against our morals and principles. This ties in with the lyrics and narrative of the album well, as does the inner art.
When I look at your line-up, you're a band that is made up of experienced musicians. How do you create new music? What about the process of creation new material? Do you have any problems - after all, experience is sometimes an obstacle. You know - ego etc.
The vision and objective are more important than the individual contributions, so we don't let ego be an obstacle. Nothing is ever off the table in terms of improving, saving for later or scrapping completely, the main priority is that it serves a purpose within the greater vision.
A lot of the riffs and initial musical ideas emanate in a completely natural fashion. In a way, it is as if they plucked from the unconscious. After the base material is formed, there is a calculated phase where the material is fine-tuned and structured. We do not have problems, but this process can take a long time.
We strike a balanced approach between thinking and feeling when creating new music. We’re not forcing riffs, noodling around, or jamming. Often, we will have an idea to build on or manifest something as before mentioned, we then tweak it and improve it. It's important that the music sounds like a complete body of work, with an attention to detail that doesn't affect the atmosphere or rawness of the music. We intentionally create music that is at times challenging for the listener and remains unpredictable.
As we continue to evolve, there is always a strong influence and recognition of our previous works. We are self-influenced more now than ever and will continue to explore this more in our next release.
For me, the Australian and New Zealand school of death metal has always been associated with a certain darkness. Even when I was young I used to be fascinated by references to Satanism, the kind of filth, the rottenness that could be felt in the work of your bands. How did you get into that style?
We were naturally drawn to the more violent styles of Metal and completely skipped a lot of the more watered down “extreme” bands while still retaining some influence from wider genre classics. This meant we always had less focus on hooks and conventional pop structures, this is most evident on Edifice.
While we definitely have some similarities in sound to other bands from our region, our initial influences came from Canadian, US and Finnish bands.
I wonder what it's like in New Zealand as far as music is concerned? How did you get into music and who were your role models? What about your scene, clubs, fans?
We grew up around Wellington, often running into each other at all ages shows and the occasional R18 ones. We were considerably younger than most others around at that time and were starting to make our own music independent of what others in that scene were doing. We knew each other for years before starting to work together and it has been very straightforward in terms of communication and collaboration between us.
With regards to the current scene, clubs etc we are not particularly connected or interested. Exaltation are another NZ band to look out for. Backyard Burial was one of the cornerstone bands of Wellington, and Blaps (RIP) was an exceptional frontman in particular. It's exceedingly rare to see someone with that same presence perform.
You are also very dark in your lyrics. Of course it belongs to death metal and I like it, but I'd be interested in the origin and origin of the lyrics. How did the lyrics for the new album come about? What are they about?
The narrative and story were plotted out in advance but writing the actual lyrics always comes last. As mentioned before, it ties in as a precursor to Death Ordinance and is set in the near future.
There are several coinciding storylines within a greater piece. One who perceives themselves as the warrior of overcoming, stoicism, and conquest effortlessly killed by that which they wish they were. Insights and visions of the oppressed, oppressor and a more removed 3rd person narrative of the world. The stories are collected and presented in a fragmented and unhinged retelling, similar to how we draw upon stories from the past.
Regaring literature, Nietzsche “Thus Spoke Zarathustra”, Huxley “Brave New World”, and Junger “On the Marble Cliffs” had some influence on the lyrics, along with the writings of Tacitus, our own imagination and real world events throughout history.
The present day atrocities commited are a poignant reminder that our observations of humanity are correct.
“Barbed ouroboros of eternal misery
The recurring eternal of warfare
The somatic form trampled, a mere vessel for survival”
There have been many times in the history of metal that bands have been banned because they were shocking or had different views from the mainstream society. Have you ever had problems? In this day and age of the internet, it's awfully easy to immediately condemn someone, to start a rumour, to destroy them.
The internet is the perfect tool to give otherwise unremarkable people a sense of accomplishment through minimal effort.
There's a level of controversy one can expect with art of a confrontational nature, it can manifest in many forms. There are of course many who make a hobby of creating controversy and feigned moral outrage through presenting over a decade old information as current, which is often disingenuous and counter-productive.
You can’t please and placate everyone and this is not a priority for us. If people are looking for us to promote obsolete doctrine or validate their irrelevant worldview (Nazism, Communism, religious or racial superiority) they’re looking in the wrong direction.
Have you had to change your approach to music in any way thanks to new technologies? Thanks to the internet the world is completely different, bands have to approach everything in a completely different way. How do you perceive these changes?
Technology has no impact on the way we approach our music. Obviously we utilise modern technology to an extent, but this is only a means to produce something that is ultimately primitive and organic. An over reliance on modern technology to produce any art is pathetic, but it is even worse in the case of Death Metal/Black Metal.
We will never credit a drummer for programmed drums or completely replace and quantise the human element. We’re not dependent on technology to fix our lack of ability or asking people to fund our endeavours with subscriptions and exclusive “content." There’s too much “content” demeaning the value of art today, emphasised by bands churning out vapid releases with terrible AI “art.”
What about HERESIARCH and gigs? I noticed you don't get out so often. Do you like the tour over the Europe? I could imagine you alongside such POSSESSED, DEICIDE, as they come to us quite often.
We haven’t played since 2019, touring isn’t a priority now and that will remain the case. The benefit to this is we can purely focus on composition without rushing or compromising, we're not churning out releases as a means to travel.
It would be good to get to Europe at some point as we’ve never played there. It’s most likely we will play a single show in New Zealand this year at this stage.
What does death metal, black metal mean to you? How would you define it and how do you perceive these styles as an experienced musician? I do not want you to describe the technique of playing, I would rather be interested in your gaze, feelings, transmitted energy etc. Try to be a philosopher for a while.
As a band that draws influence from both, we're not particularly caught up in the absolutes of genres. It is also difficult to qualify and quantify, given how vast the genres are and the varying levels of interest we have in them as individuals.
Too much focus on tradition can dilute the music, your attention turning from creating fulfilling art to pleasing others. If you go too far out of the bounds you can head into pointless experimentation and pretentiousness.
This music has the potential to present creation, destruction, or both simultaneously, depending on the intent of the artist. When intent is only directed to the aesthetics or promoting a message, it often musically falls short and when there is no intent there at all, there is no real purpose for it to exist. A lot of mediocre music exists due to this and the obsession with relevance and “content” as seen with bands pumping out insipid garbage or retreading the same ground. Finding the right balance is up to the bands and their vision and people have the choice to engage with it or not.
It goes beyond playing an instrument in a specific way to achieve a specific sound as you've alluded to. Something as individual and experiential can be hard to put into tangible terms, you feel it or you don't.
Thank you very much for the interview. I really appreciate you taking the time for our web-zine. I wish your whole band a lot of hell inspiration, sold out media and enthusiastic fans. Good luck in your personal life. I hope to see you live ...
Cheers Jakub, the album seems well received so far and we are working on our next release currently. It shouldn’t be 7 years between albums next time.
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