Free Music Friday: Wizard Smoke- "The Speed of Smoke"

It's time for another weekend, which means another new album for you to study and enjoy. Today's free album comes courtesy of Atlanta-based sludgelords Wizard Smoke. If the name seems a bit ridiculous to you, then you probably shouldn't read on. While their name conjures up images of Gandalf enjoying his pipeweeds, their music is sure to bash in your skull at a slow and steady pace.

Opening this massive album is the intimidating "Dead Wood," a mid-paced jam with distant shrieks cutting through the thick and heavy layers of guitars and drums. All the harsh vocals on this album sound as though they're being screamed from across a vast chasm, or perhaps from an evil wizard calling out from another dimension. I'm a sucker for that distant reverb-heavy sound, and Wizard Smoke seem to be on the same page. Despite their love for a good groove, these guys aren't afraid to get a bit spacey and psychedelic, which is an excellent addition. There are so many solid guitar leads throughout the album, adding layers of light and contrast to the bleak cosmic doom that makes up the majority of this band's songwriting. It's the little accents that really bring out the strengths of a band like Wizard Smoke. Solid repetition can be enjoyable, but the subtle variations that may go unnoticed keep a steady groove from becoming a monotonous task. I find myself nodding my head along through the entire 45 minutes of this mammoth of an album, which is pretty awesome. My personal favorite track on the album is the psychedelic dirge, "Weakling," which features heavily processed vocals that sound alien in origin over a solid, aggressive groove, which eventually boils over and dissolves into the haunting intro for the nearly eleven minute epic, "Growing." If you want to get down to some great sludge, find it here.

Each song on this album has a sold mix of old and new ideas. Some of the riffs feel like they were pulled from the same bluesy swamps from which Black Sabbath crafted their first album, and some moments here feel like they'd be more at home sharing a stage with the ferocity of a band like Thou. It's really wonderful to have a band cover the entire progression of a genre in one album like this. I feel like I've listened to five equally relevant blues, metal, and rock albums in the time it took me to listen to this one piece of metal fury. If you're into any sort of slow and heavy music, you should give this album a listen. After all, the band themselves have it up for free download on their website. If you're like me and think you may want a physical copy of this beast after your repeated visits with this smoky stompy album, the band appear to have some copies of the cassette left in their online store for only five bucks. Doom on, and I'll see you next Friday for another freebie.

Beer Review: Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale

So here I am, the pumpkin beer skeptic posting another review of a pumpkin beer. Why? Because this one's too damn good not to share. I don't have an immense amount of details to share because it's a simple yet blissful experience. You may have noticed that I haven't posted many reviews of pumpkin beers. I tried quite a few, but felt they weren't worth reviewing. It's not really in my nature to waste anybody's time just to say "you probably shouldn't buy this," so despite my previous promise to share my favorite pumpkin beers, there just haven't been that many. Despite my aversion for the style, it's safe to say that Weyerbacher pretty much always impress me with their commitment to brewing some of the highest quality craft beers I've had the pleasure of tasting.

This partcular beer is a bit on the bitter side, but that's where I prefer my drinks anyway. The dominant flavor here is cloves rather than the sweeter cinnamon and nutmeg which overwhelm most other pumpkin inspired beers. This beauty pours a thick amber colored body, with a moderate but not extreme head. The scent is appropriately autumnal: slightly spiced and slightly sweet. Drinking this beer evokes more than just pumpkin in my mind. I remember the chilly autumn afternoons when I used to smell the fallen leaves. I smell and taste autumn as a whole in this beer. It's the summary of the smells and tastes of the season with an emphasis on the pumpkin pie that brought the whole family together. If there's any one pumpkin beer you try this year, be sure to give that honor to this delicious treat.

As this is a seasonal ale, I seriously recommend you grab yourself a bottle or a pack of it now. While the price might decrease after the month or season end, it's more likely that the stores will be out of stock before this beer's run is over. It's that good. Get it now and impress your friends with your stunningly good taste.

Music Review: Horseback/Njiqahdda/Venowl/Cara Neir split Cassette

Well, this review is quite the undertaking. Handmade Birds has produced another monstrous split cassette from four of the most daring and unique bands in extreme music today. Each of these groups has a distinctive sound, even apart from the other groups sharing this cassette, which makes this split a unique and cherished addition to any collection. Since there's a lot to review here, I'm jumping from the intro right into the details. Here we go.

Side A of this cassette features one track each from Horseback and Njiqahdda. Horseback open things up with the off-kilter track "Heathen Earth," possibly a nod to the Throbbing Gristle album of the same name. As any Horseback listener knows, they tend to keep their music unpredictable and this is no exception. The opening of this tune is as funky as anything I could imagine them doing, yet builds up in a very ceremonial fashion, as if the band has prepared to summon the very song itself. I envision walking up to a fire-lit ritual where Horseback is waiting to guide the listener into the deeper recesses the rest of the tape will explore. Layers of droning guitar and elevating feedback build over the steady pulse of drums and bass playing in unison as the song makes its way into more familiar Horseback territory, complete with intense black metal inspired vocals and the foggy atmospherics they've built their reputation upon. Even at its thickest and most intense, this song maintains a shimmering, trance-like beauty which will likely appeal to folks who aren't as well versed in music of this nature. The incredibly prolific Njiqahdda follow with the monumental "Towers Constructed to Break the Sky," which is also featured upon their recently released Towers and Tides EP. The production here is noticeably cleaner and this music is more technically slanted, yet the band manages to maintain an atmosphere of beauty and passion despite it. The drums are incredibly well played and produced, which I'm always delighted to hear. When the clean introduction caves in to the distorted guitars and faster drumming about a minute in, it feels so seamless. The bellowed vocals have the mud-covered inflection of groups far sludgier, bringing to mind Neurosis more than most progressive-leaning extreme metal groups, which is a nice touch. The song's title and musical textures work quite nicely to evoke imagery of man's constant ambition towards self-deification, which is a pleasant excursion for my mind to embark upon. The peaks and valleys of Njiqahdda's track are easy to follow and despite its great length, it's no great effort to listen and be captivated through its entirety.

The B side of this tape contains a new track from Venowl and three songs from Cara Neir, whose aggression has already graced this blog.  Venowl's contribution, simply titled "III," provides a stark contrast to the melodic tones of the prior two groups, delving into the fuzz and filth that I so often speak about throughout this blog. The pace is slow, the guitars and drums tend to attack at the same moment, making each pulse of the song painfully delightful. This feels like it was recorded in a poorly lit basement in the true fashion of classic black metal, but with a different take on the sounds of the genre. The vocals are shrill and tormented, the production is murky yet does nothing to mar the intensity here, and the band's dissonant attack on the listener provides little to soothe or relieve the tension they create. The entire song makes me feel like I'm being dragged headfirst down a stairwell into a dungeon while hearing the screams of other prisoners. I'd love to know what the lyrics are, as I have a feeling these guys have some pretty dark inspirations behind their hideous assault. Closing this split are three intense cuts from Cara Neir, starting with the pitch black fury of "Minus His Confidence." While the band certainly haven't given up their outside influences, this song is as close to pure black metal as anything I've heard from them and it absolutely shreds. Despite the absurd pace of the song, these guys still manage to fit in a break for a wild guitar solo and a few other little touches of brilliance. For a pair of young musicians, these guys are quickly carving out a niche for themselves, and hopefully other equally talented groups will begin to follow suit. The meaty punk-inspired blackness of "No Right Path" feels like another full-on assault, although it's a fraction of the length of closing masterpiece, "Seize and Exist." This seven minute tune returns to more of Cara Neir's trademark territory, opening with chaos all across the board that hones itself into a pummeling blackened attack, marching forcefully onward just long enough to surprise the listener when the song breaks down into a spacey dirge a couple of minutes in. For a band drawing from such a broad range of influences, these guys continue to impress me with their ability to meld it all together without sounding forced or pretentious.

This entire cassette impressed the hell out of me, to be honest. I figured I'd be able to pick a standout track or particular artist whose music touched me in a particular way, but each group's contribution is so unique and enjoyable that I'm just going to recommend you get a copy and that you do it quickly. Only 250 of these gems were made and I see the price escalating quickly via discogs and ebay once these sell out. Get it for only 9 bucks from Handmade Birds. It's already sold out over at EEE Recordings, but you should check out that store if you're interested in more Njiqahdda related releases, they've got a ton of great stuff.

Music Review: Kuxan Suum's self-titled LP.

Today I'm examining a new release from Fallen Empire Records, a vinyl reissue of two tracks from Black Twilight Circle artist, Kuxan Suum.As with many groups in the Black Twilight Circle, Kuxan Suum are quick to differentiate themselves from the standard pack of modern black metal artists. This whole album feels like a journey through both the vastness of space and the infinity within oneself. While the two tracks were recorded a year and a half apart (and with an additional musician on the b-side track), this is the product of a highly talented and unique black metal group whom I hope to hear from again in the future.

Side A contains the track that introduced me to Kuxan Suum, the mighty "Kinich Ahau."  Clocking in at seventeen minutes, this song is every bit the journey it should be. For a song bearing the Yucatec name of the Mayan sun god, this song is quite appropriately composed. It captures both the immensity of such a deity as well as the reverent beauty of a worshiper.  While I've heard it through my tinny computer speakers many times before, this is my first listen on a decent system and the difference is astonishing. The swelling beauty of the first few minutes of this track is so wonderfully presented on vinyl and the tense anticipation is so much more present in this format. While I always share youtube links to the albums posted here (if possible), this record makes a strong case for purchasing physical copies of an album. The crispness and intensity I'm experiencing listening to this makes it feel like I've never heard this song before.  When the vocals kick in, it's a howling and overwhelming experience of chaos and beauty. The lyrics are sung in Spanish and from what I can decipher, they're quite beautiful and inspired. (I speak Spanish, I just happen to have a hard time reading the handwritten lyrics in the sleeve for this song).

Side B presents another aural adventure for the listener with the song "Principle of Harmonic Resonance," originally released on the stellar Odour of Dust & Rot compilation from Rhinocervs. At a mere eleven minutes long, this tune is "short" by the standards Kuxan Suum have set forth with the opener. With time a little tighter here, the band jump right into a primal aggression on this excellent track. The addition of a bassist is quite apparent as well, despite the presence of some bass guitar on the other tune. With lyrics in English for this track, the deeply spiritual and transcendent nature of this band's message is more apparent to the lazy listener (and possibly lazy author). While I own the cassette this originally appeared on, it feels beefier and more fierce here, although that may also be because I'm enjoying it at maximum volume currently. Another pleasant change on this tune is the addition of keys. If that phrase makes you anxious, it shouldn't. There are no hints of symphonic cheesiness, just a beautiful addition that helps complete a fantastic piece of music. As the song ends, it's hard not to feel like you've witnessed something greater than you realized.

While many may find it strange to purchase a record with only two tracks, each of these is lengthy enough to justify a purchase. Adding in the high quality of the packaging and stellar sound, it's hard to state just how wonderful this is to finally own. Grab yourself a copy from Fallen Empire before they're out and mourn the recent closing of Crepusculo Negro in an honorable fashion. I acquired this along with a few other new Fallen Empire releases, so expect a week or two with a lot of content surrounding this worthy label.

Beer Review: Hevelius Kaper

This one's another recommendation from a friend. After posting about my beloved Zywiec Porter a little bit ago, I was encouraged to give Hevelius Kaper a try. I definitely enjoy this beer, but am slightly on the fence about its ability to challenge my beloved Zywiec. It's brewed by the same company, but is a very different kind of beer from its cousin. Where Zywiec Porter focuses on a dark, bitter flavor that removes the illusion that well-crafted beers a recent trend, Hevelius Kaper is evidence that the lighter beers of the world can still pack a high alcohol content and great flavor without compromising on smoothness.

Hevelius Kaper pours a rich amber color with a thin yet noticeable head. There's a very faint aroma of honey, it seems, but it's nothing I can taste when I drink it. This tastes like a more sophisticated, complicated version of the beers I drank when I first reached legal drinking age. As a pilsner, it makes sense. Most popular cheap American beers are variations on the traditional pilsner, which may be why I am always reluctant to consume a pilsner. Despite the negative connotations the term has in my mind, I'm finding this to be very drinkable and delicious. With a higher alcohol content, there's a bit more of a refreshing bite at the end of a sip and there's very little of the the effervescent quality that most beers of this nature carry. So instead of belching my way through a bubbly beer, I'm enjoying a nice spike of alcohol at the end of every smooth and delicious sip.

While this beer is not quite ready to make its way into my personal hall of fame, it's definitely got me eager to try more light, smooth beers. I guess this demonstrates that, like everybody else, I could seriously benefit from challenging my own perceptions more often. I'm really glad I gave this beer a chance, and I hope you'll all try it at least once as well. I can't find an official website aside from the Zywiec site, but there's little information about this beer outside of beer rating website. Should somebody responsible for the creation of this beer happen upon my blog, please link me to your website so I can direct my readers to you.

Music Review: Mütiilation- "Remains of a Ruined, Dead, Cursed Soul" LP

Keeping with the spirit of this blog's name, I proudly present what I consider to be one of black metal's most important albums. Probably the most well known project from the French LLN community, Mütiilation needs little introduction. This band is the vile child of sole member Meyhnach's twisted mind. While the project is no longer active, it enjoyed a lengthy run of quality output, my favorite of which is this phenomenal album. There have been a few prior releases of this album, but the copy I have here is the 2012 release from Dark Adversary Productions, which Meyhnach himself has officially given his seal of "cursed" approval. The packaging is minimal, mocks "a Colombian wanker's shit label" that apparently did poor business with Meyhnach in 1993 and features no insert or details. I find the bleak, minimal, and incredibly negative packaging to be the most appropriate presentation for an album so hideous and unpleasant. If the artwork and intensity of the band's apparent vision don't drive away the unprepared, putting the record on the turntable will clear a room of black metal wannabes in a heartbeat.

The album opens with the intimidating and wretched "Suffer the Gestalt," which crawls from minimal drumming with eerie groaning into violent vocals and buzzing treble-heavy guitars. The churning misery here is both appalling and fascinating. This is clearly the work of a young artist on what is likely an infinitely slim budget, yet the passion is apparent and ferocious. The guitars drop in and out wherever Meyhnach sees fit, rather than the dense walls of sound being created by his Norwegian peers around the same time. Whereas most black metal of this era was majestic and natural, this was introspective, hateful and raw. The song tapers out much the same way it wanders in. Following it is the barrage of "To the Memory of the Dark Countess." Where "Suffer the Gestalt" is ominous and sparse, this song is thick and driving. An almost punk-inspired drumbeat carries through much of the song and the guitars lean much more towards minor chords and other trademarks that often accompany "depressive" black metal. I'm no scholar, but I'll say this album (which is a compilation of Mütiilation's prior works) likely paved the way for many popular depressive black metal groups that came in later to capitalize on their own misery. Hands down, this is some of the most violent and wonderful black metal I've come across. I first heard it years ago when I was just getting into the genre, and I didn't know what to make of it then. I still have no idea how to fully digest this music, but I know it's totally addictive for me. I can't say enough how thrilling each track is on this album.

While I could continue a track by track list of this album, it should honestly be considered mandatory listening for anybody looking for a thorough understanding of black metal. Historically and musically, this album carries so much weight. It sounds like it was recorded in a filthy basement and it's far from a clean sounding recording, but this is exactly what drew me to black metal in the first place. This isn't safe. This isn't polished. This is dangerous and depressing. While metal to some may be a place to mosh and just have an all around good time, there's also a serious appeal to the tortured sounds of true misery and ugliness. Every single track on this album has memorable and filthy riffs. The vocals are pained and distant. The drums are inconsistent and raw. This is some of the meanest black metal you'll hear, and while you may not enjoy it at first, it will draw you back in. I know I couldn't stand it when I first heard it, but I kept finding small moments from this album lingering in my mind while I was going about my day. To finally own this piece of black metal history is one of my greatest joys. I hope you'll do yourself the favor of obtaining a copy however you're able. I got mine from Fallen Empire's Distro, but I'm sure there are other options out there as well.  If the two tunes I've already posted and my high praise haven't already sold you on this, please listen to my personal favorite song from the album, "Travels to Sadness, Hate, and Depression." If this masterpiece doesn't convince you that you need this album, perhaps you're just not ready for Mütiilation just yet. One day it will call you back and you'll understand its hideous appeal.

Free Music Friday: Powerviolence USA compilation

This one's been waiting to be posted for a good little while. Physical copies of this tape are no longer available, however you can purchase it for the price you see fit on the bandcamp page. First off, this thrasher has eighteen bands in less than half an hour. How can you ignore the opportunity to find a few new favorite bands in such a short period of time? I know I discovered a few new favorites of my own from this little gem.  With a name like USA Powerviolence, these are obviously short, aggressive songs, but there's more variety within this genre than an outsider may imagine. From slow and chunky with hoarse yells to blastbeats and high pitched shrieks, this collection does a good job of showcasing the diverse and intense community of underground American powerviolence, grind, and hardcore bands.

While every single band on this cassette is ferocious and ready to tear the listener's head off, there were a few that definitely stood out for me. The violent 39 seconds of noise from Necklacing are worth serious mention. It's some of the most chaotic and memorable grind I've heard in quite a while. Everything about this song sounds absolutely desperate in the best way possible. Also, the group immediately after, Gorilla Pussy, were shockingly good. I was expecting to be disappointed by a band with such a name, but this is a perfect example of grind and punk done right. They keep things fresh by changing the pace and atmosphere frequently rather than locking into one groove and sticking with it. I also have to give a nod to a pre-existing favorite (and the reason I bought this cassette initially), False Light for being as impressive as always. If you aren't already familiar with them, get on it now. Finally, I couldn't help but make mention of PxBxS. These guys are a name I'd never even heard before but their contribution to this compilation blew me away. It opens with a chilling sample that gives way to some of the most peculiar and wonderful hardcore I've heard in quite a while. Rather than simply going for the throat with speed, the two tracks from PxBxS had me on my toes and paying full attention. I'm keeping an eye out for future releases from these guys without a doubt.

As always, give it a listen and do your part to support the artists that you feel deserve it. I've got a couple new packages here at home so expect more reviews of excellent new music soon.