Bandcamp Picks - Blaze of Perdition, Aosoth, Blut Aus Nord, Imperceptum

Blaze Of Perdition have survived tragedy to become one of the most interesting and intelligent bands to come out of Poland's celebrated metal scene. Abetted by a stellar production, Conscious Darkness uses the band's knack for blasting judiciously, focusing instead on atmosphere to create songs that are nothing less than monumental. Similar to the more restrained moments of the last Behemoth album, Blaze of Perdition have pushed black and death metal past cartoonish posturing and into real auteurship. [$7.90]



Formed by members of Antaeus and Order of Apollyon, Aosoth takes a more restrained and nuanced approach than its parent bands. Impenetrable on first listen, V: The Inside Scriptures isn't afraid of injecting some groove into its monolithic assault, in addition to the occasional noise interlude. Another reason why the French black metal scene is not to be ignored. [$7.90]



Of course, you can't bring up French avant garde black metal without mentioning Blut Aus Nord. Deus Salutis Meae transposes the band's unsettling discordance into industrial territory, upping the aura of bleakness in the process. An assault by machines of loathing disgrace. [€7.77]



Mysterious one man black metal project (is there another kind?) Imperceptum has had a busy year. The fifth release since 2016, Aeons of Saturnine Desolation leaves no question as to its creator's passion for droning ambient epics. Satan's wet/dry vacs gather for attack. The album is available as a "name your price" download.

Keep'n it R'lyeh

Within the heaviest of heavy metals, there’s a sound that's becoming increasingly prominent; that favours odd time signatures, discordance, and slow lurching riffs as much as blastbeats; and throughout it all, sustains a dark and oppressive atmosphere. It crosses the boundaries of death, black, doom, and sludge, heedless of categorization (and the nerds who need it). Death metal OGs Immolation and Gorguts epitomize this sound, as do rising stars Ulcerate and Mitochondrion. The last few years has seen an explosion of new bands like Creeping, Teeth and Abyssal who started on a similar path and crafted their own take. I'm even inclined to shoehorn bands like Blaze of Perdition and Deathspell Omega, who share similar tendencies...but I already did a lot of convoluted pontificating about "avant noir", so maybe I'll leave that alone for now.

Avant Noir [Black is the new Prog]

Since the beginning of its Norwegian incarnation, black metal has challenged popular notions of what it means to be a metal band. Euronymous and Fenriz spearheaded a renewed interest in genres not in vogue at the time - roots thrash and NWOBHM being the most obvious. But the second wave of black metal, with its fixation on classical music and classic metal, as well as its rejection of what was popular at the time, soon opened itself up to the encroaching influence of progressive rock. By the end of the 90's, no subgenre of heavy music was more boldly experimental than black metal. Ironically, that meant that black metal bands wandered even further from their tenets than any of the "life metal" bands that the second wave chastised.

Bandcamp Picks: Blaze of Perdition, Abyssal, Peste Noire, Nadiwrath

Having faced their share of tragedy and trauma, Poland's Blaze of Perdition return with their off-kilter style of black metal. Near Death Revelations eschews traditional song structures and catchy riffs, creating discordance in a way that recalls Deathspell Omega as well as the similarly forward thinking Ulcerate and Mitochondrion. The decision to continue after the death of one of their bandmates couldn't have been an easy one; but it's obvious that Blaze of Perdition have a unique take on black metal, one that the sometimes stubbornly derivative genre would be poorer without. [$7]



The mysterious one man band Abyssal also presumably look to Ulcerate and Mitochondrion for inspiration. They don't have Jamie Saint Merat's arsenal of cymbals, but Antikatastaseis makes up for it with martial drums, shoegazing riffs, and eerie keyboards. Atmospheric and unsettling, this is a glimpse at the next generation of death metal. [$7.49 CAD]



Even for the weirdness that is French black metal, Peste Noire are pretty freaking out there. La Chaise-Dyable has folky rhythms, Greg Ginn-style skronk, whistling, and even an accordion; all topped by mainman Famine's bizarro Attila Csihar-ish vocals. This is an album that will test your capacity for crazy gibberish. [$7]



If all this avant-noir is leaving you discombobulated, Nadiwrath should serve as a welcome palate cleanser. Circle of Pest is straight-forward black metal with a few rawky touches that absolutely smokes recent albums by Taake and 1349 that tread a similar path. Very few things in life are making me as happy as this right now. My favourite black metal album of 2015. [€4.90]

Bandcamp Picks: Thaw, Blaze of Perdition, Erebus Enthroned, Cult of Fire

Polish black metal band Blaze of Perdition suffered a touring accident recently that resulted in the death of their bassist and the other band members seriously injured, with their vocalist left in critical condition.

In response, their countrymen Thaw released the single Afterkingdom as a benefit for Blaze of Perdition. Culled from their upcoming album, the song gives an inkling as to why the band is so highly touted by some, including Nergal (praise from Caesar is praise indeed). Not content to simply bludgeon the listener into submission, the song takes a turn into discordant Gorguts/Portal territory halfway through. In music and intent, this release makes it clear that Thaw is a band whose heads and hearts are in a laudable place. I eagerly await the full-length. [$1; but since this is a benefit release, I'm sure more would be appreciated.]




This week Pagan Records released Accession of Fire, a split between Blaze of Perdition and Sidney's Erebus Enthroned. Each band provides a track of unabashed tinder; this is music to light churches. In all likelihood, this may end up being Blaze's final release; as such, it's a fine, fiery send off. [$3.50]



Released at the end of 2012, OREMUS - Popioły marked Blaze of Perdition as a band that was reverential of black metal's second wave, with Darkthrone and Satyricon seeming to be especially big influences. This is no-nonsense black metal, brimming with malicious intent even when the band eases off the gas pedal (as on the blackened folk of the closing track). An accomplished and impressive release, made tragic by the band's circumstances. [€9]

(Note: on my PayPal receipt, payment to Blaze of Perdition went to the account of vocalist Pawel "Sonneillon" Marzec. As of this writing, I haven't been able to find out what Marzec's recovery status is, or what happens to the money that's debited into his account. But with a long and expensive road ahead for both him and his family, I doubt it would hurt.)



Western appropriation of Indian culture is a little baffling to me - but hell, I have little interest in my South Asian heritage, so anyone else who wants it is welcome to it. Cult Of Fire from the Czech Republic dive headlong into the dark side of Hinduism on their sophomore album मृत्यु का तापसी अनुध्यान ("Ascetic Meditation of Death", apparently), with a concept revolving around Kali and titles written in Devanagari. The album is often reminiscent of Agalloch's blacker moments, but with the occasional Hindu(ish) chanting and sitar playing. The Profound Lore crowd should be all over this; it's definitely the best Czech-Hindu black metal I've heard this week. [€6.66.]