Wayfarer - Old Souls

In Mick's spot-on review of Zhrine's Unortheta the other day, he talked about the genre descriptor "atmospheric" more often than not being applied to black metal bands.  Lo and behold, I bring to you today a review of such a band!  I'm not sure what it is that makes me go so crazy for well-done atmospheric or folk metal, but throw some acoustic guitar or ambient sound between some blast beats and snarled vocals, and I'm all in.  And with the demise of Agalloch not too long ago, I've been looking for some good ol' American folk/black ambiance with which to fill my day.  Lucky for me, Denver, Colorado's Wayfarer has stepped forward with their sophomore album Old Souls, and it's exactly what the musical doctor ordered.

Cough - Still They Pray

I get why people don't like sludge or doom or any of the other myriad metal subgenres that live in down-tempo ten minute songs; I do.  It can get tedious to listen to the same riff over and over again, and your mind starts to wander, and before you know it, you're humming whatever Taylor Swift song was on the radio at work today, and you finish it, and the song you were originally listening to is still going.  I get it.  There's a lot to think about in a given day.  For these genres to really stick, they need something to pull you in, like technical mastery of their instruments or riffs that are as catchy as they are endless.  Still They Pray, the new full-length from Richmond, VA's Cough, certainly has both of those things, but it has another thing going for it that I quite honestly did not expect to find: Still They Pray is one of the more existential metal albums I've heard, and as I listened to it, I found my mind dwelling on it and contemplating life in a way very few albums have prompted.

Podcast Episode #4: "MDF XIV Recap"

In this episode of the Brutalitopia podcast, Mick and Tom devote the entire episode to reminiscing about this year's Maryland Deathfest.

Listen in after the break!

Zhrine - Unortheta

Within the metal-sphere, the genre tag "atmospheric" is more often than not used in conjunction with "black metal". Bands as stylistically different as Alcest and Altar of Plagues have contributed to the expansion of the sub-genre's boundaries. Here to push those boundaries just a bit further, however, are Iceland's Zhrine and their debut album Unortheta. While elements of black metal are evident, Zhrine makes it clear that death metal is their calling card, making Unortheta an aural adventure that is just as devastating as it is enthralling.

Podcast Episode #3: "Festivals and Farewells"

It's with much excitement that we here at Brutalitopia are going to make our podcast more of a common occurrence. With the first episode in nearly two years, Mick and Durf discuss their anticipation for this year's Maryland Deathfest, the recent breakup of Agalloch, and their favorite album's of 2016 thus far.

Check it out after the break!

Kvelertak - Nattesferd

Kvelertak have made quite the name for themselves since releasing their self-titled album in 2010. By combining black metal with anything that isn’t also black metal or kvlt, the band, by its very definition, is divisive ; their accessibility has also expanded this divide amongst detractors. Nattesferd will not change that by any means, but Kvelertak know who’s listening by album number three. Some felt as though sophomore album Meir was a step back for the band as it had songs that have become fan favorites, but was ultimately a top-heavy affair. So what does Nattesferd offer to fans both new and old?

Brutally Short #6: Deftones, Bossk, Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas

Deftones - Gore (Reprise)
Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas - Mariner (Indie Recordings)
Bossk - Audio Noir (Deathwish)

Exclusive Interview - J.R. Hayes (Pig Destroyer)

My my, it's great to be back.  After a winter of isolation due to a multitude of mitigating factors, this past Friday I found myself returning to the world of the concerts, by way of legendary, seminal (but not legacy act!) grindcore masters Pig Destroyer.  While our Brutalitopia cohort Jack ventured toward the Decibel Music Tour that was sadly the same day, my erstwhile colleague Mick and I headed to Reggie's Rock Club for an evening of musical cocaine that was a bit outside our comfort zone; longtime readers and casual viewers alike can attest that grind is not really a Brutalitopian forte.  But sometimes a concert catches your eye and piques your interest and won't let go, and so you take that musical road less traveled.  And how lucky for Mick and I that we did, because in addition to having our neck muscles sorely tested from headbanging, we were lucky enough to snag an exclusive two on one conversation with Pig Destroyer's immensely talented lyricist and vocalist J.R. Hayes.  Check it out below to hear our conversation, during which we talk about Pig Destroyer's continuing evolution, touring and recording as a part time band, and the joys and wonders of conducting interviews under train tracks.

Brutally Short #5: Tombs, Killswitch Engage, Moon Tooth, The Algorithm

 

Tombs - All Empires Fall (Relapse)

Killswitch Engage - Incarnate (Roadrunner)

Moon Tooth - S/T (Self-Released)

The Algorithm - Brute Force (FiXT Music)

Brutally Short #4: Dream Theater, Obscura, Lycus, Steven Wilson, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Brutality

Dream Theater - The Astonishing

Obscura - Akróasis

Lycus - Chasms

Steven Wilson - 4 1/2

Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Arc

Brutality - Sea of Ignorance