Holy hell it’s getting cold outside. Meaning you’ll be going out less, meaning you’re going to need some new stuff to listen to while you’re on the couch. Which is great because you’re in the right place.
This week I’ve got ex-black metallers Ulver continuing down its mixture of historical fascination and 1980s music, Taake being as blackened as ever, Harakiri For The Sky gazing into the blackness of blackgaze, and nothing else that fits my theme of saying the word “black” in every descriptor.
Ulver – “Echo Chamber (Room Of Tears)”
Ulver starting its House Of Mythology label is probably the best thing that has ever happened to the band. Right after the label started in 2016, Ulver released its live/studio album ATGCLVLSSCAP and the soundtrack to Riverhead. In 2017, the band dropped The Assassination Of Julius Caesar, and has now announced a new EP called Sic Transit Gloria Mundi.
While we don’t know the release date yet, Ulver has dropped a new song called “Echo Chamber (Room Of Tears)” which follows in Assassination‘s footsteps. So catchy, historical, and generally being a menace in neon sunglasses and a Members Only jacket.
Check out Ulver’s entire discography here.
Harakiri For The Sky – “Tomb Omnia”
Harakiri For The Sky has been bringing forth the blackgaze-meets-folky-black-metal for quite a few years now and never seems to falter in terms of quality. “Tomb Omnia” is more of that fantastic blackened sight into the void, though the nods toward folk metal in the song are pretty understated. Listen to the guitar melodies throughout “Tomb Omnia” and tell me they wouldn’t be right at home on an Amorphis album. Maybe on a different instrument, sure, but Harakiri For The Sky really doesn’t wear its influences on its sleeve this time around and it’s really cool.
Arson is out on February 2 and Harakiri For The Sky really needs some American distribution.
Vitriol – “Violence, A Worthy Truth”
MetalSucks recently debuted Vitriol‘s song “Violence, A Worthy Truth” and billed it as one in the same vein as Gojira and Morbid Angel. Which meant one of two things – either this song was going to be catastrophically heavy, or it’ll just be another lame-ass ripoff in a sea of lame-ass ripoffs. Fortunately it’s the former.
Vitriol‘s “Violence, A Worthy Truth” is straight up relentless. These dudes are not fucking around when it comes churning out the hateful riffs, and the dirty production makes it that much more violent. Vitriol‘s Bandcamp link doesn’t work, but their EP is out for free today. So keep up with ’em on Facebook and hopefully they’ll post a functional link.
Bloodshot Dawn – “Survival Evolved”
Between 2014’s Demons and the coming 2018 album Reanimation, Bloodshot Dawn has replaced its entire lineup aside from founding vocalist and guitarist Josh McMorran. Despite the changes, the band has returned with an aptly-titled new song “Survival Evolved,” and it’s just as killer as ever. Bloodshot Dawn retains all the melodic elements that made it who it was, and of course the music is still heavy. There’s basically no reason you shouldn’t be stoked that Bloodshot Dawn is back pretty much, revamped lineup or not.
Reanimation is out on January 12.
Sect – “Day For Night”
Sect features vocalist Chris Colohan (Cursed), guitarist James Chang (ex-Catharsis), guitarist Scott Crouse (Earth Crisis), bassist Ian Edwards (Earth Crisis), and drummer Andy Hurley (Fall Out Boy). Sect is also stupid heavy and will rip your head clean off your shoulders in under two minutes with its new song “Day For Night.” There are plenty of chunky riffs to go around, a ton of groove, and Colohan sounds as snarky and pissed off as ever.
Sect is dropping its new album No Cure For Death on November 24.
Taake – “Inntrenger”
Ørjan “Hoest” Stedjeberg has been bringing Norwegian black metal to the masses for over 20 years now under the moniker Taake, and closer to 25 years if you count his previous project Thule. Taake will be releasing its seventh full-length album in just a few weeks, and the new song “Inntrenger” does not disappoint. It’s all the frosty grim-bitterness you’d ever want out of Norway and then some because hey, this is black metal.
Look, the bottom line is this – it’s starting to get really cold outside. You needed Taake in your life whether you knew it or not. So go forth and get yourselves a copy of Kong Vinter here before everything turns to frost and ice out there.
https://soundcloud.com/dark-essence-records/taake-inntrenger
