Bandcamp Picks: Bliss of Flesh, Clawn, Facada, Madame Violence

France's Bliss of Flesh have been getting some attention for their latest release, and  Beati Pauperes Spiritu does a nice job of updating traditional death metal for a sound that's modern without being gimmicky. They wear their influences on their sleeves: the monstrous vocals and blackened melodicism point to Nergal casting a sizeable shadow over them (almost as if he's some kind of biblical monster or something). But that shouldn't be seen as a criticism; between this and Temple of Baal's newest album, the French really seem to have this blackened death thing down. [€8]

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm gay for Brazilian death metal (it's how I learned to love the genre after all). Clawn from São Paulo bear all the hallmarks of the countrymen: hyperblasting, Morbid Angel worshiping, Christ hating. The Great Excuse to Domination, their second album, was originally released in 2011 to little or no attention, the album has been newly issued through Bandcamp by Black Hole Productions. As Moyses from Krisiun once told me, "This is for fans of the true brutal daeth matel." [$6]



Black Hole Productions also released the newest album by Brazil's Facada. Black metal's venom meets power violence attention spans on Nadir. With 20 songs in about as many minutes, this is barely done beating you senseless by the time it's done with you. Came in handy over the holidays when I was desperate to block out my neighbour's X-mas caroling. [$6]


As evidence that both slam and terrible band names are universal, I submit Portugal's Madame Violence. Vengeance Through A Dying World is four songs of chunky death metal for pit warriors; think Dying Fetus, minus all the crazy sweep picking. Extra points for letting the bass player get his moment in the sun/mix. Still, that name: Ugh. [€4]