Füneral Rain Press Cörps

Genre: Grindcore
Label: Give Praise Records

Jesus tap dancing Christ. This is some insane, brutal grind that just won’t let up. I love it.

The longest song clocks in at just 1:35. The riffs are fast, catchy, thrashy, and full of alcohol, with some sick sounding vocals, including some that sound like a puking frog. This isn’t my usual grind, but I’ve been listening to this pretty much non-stop for three spins alone today, plus another twelve in the past couple weeks too, so needless to say this is something I’m coming to love.

Also, bonus points for being exactly what my wife hates about metal. Want to scare your non-metalhead spouse away? Toss this little platter o’ wax on the turntable. Of course, finding it might be hard. I think it’s sold out.

8 out of 10.

Beer Corpse on MySpace.

Genre: Depressive Black Metal, Progressive Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal
Label: Hypnotic Dirge Records

It’s quite unreal the amount of quality work that is coming from Hypnotic Dirge as a record label. Skog has been signing such great bands that really are different from the standards in depressive black metal (which is HDR’s primary bread and butter along with more ambient sounds), and Funeral Fornication is not a change of his general attitude.

FF’s newest album, Pandemic Trangression, is at it’s core depressive black metal but it has so many facets to it that it almost immediately steps out from the shadow of generic one man closet DSBM. Clean guitars and pianos, true singing, and symphonics that would make Dimmu Borgir proud are brought together with a real rawness that you could only get from the mountains of British Columbia.

This is Canadian black metal like no other, and I definitely recommend it for fans of the aforementioned Dimmu Borgir, old Cradle of Filth, Spectre, and the shoegazing black metal that is seeming to be taking over the world (Alcest, An Autumn for Crippled Children, etc…).

8 out of 10.

Funeral Fornication on MySpace.

Genres: Doom, Progressive, Sludge
Label: Relapse

The first album in four years from these Arkansas gents yields a set of mixed results. And all of them are good. There is some seriously bone crushing and ear damaging music held within Rest, and with songs that breach the sixteen minute mark, you better be bringing your attention span to this headbanging contest. On the other hand though, there are some seriously mind expanding (but still ear damaging) parts to Rest. For example, “The Culling”, the sixteen-minute-plus song I mentioned, features some gorgeous acoustic/electric riffage that enables one to space out and relax before the storm renews itself. The same goes for “It Was Only A Dream”, the final track.

If you are a fan of Rwake’s other work, then this is a definite must for you to get. If you’re interested in listening to some proggy doom, then you should get your hands on this album.

8 out of 10.

Rwake on Facebook.

Genre: Black Metal
Label: Nekrogoat Heresy Productions

2010 saw the release of Prayer of the Dying’s newest fist to the face of the world. Entitled In Silence and Grief We Decay, the album sees Prayer growing in their signature sound, showing Martin’s greater assuredness to his own abilities.

The biggest showing of growth, to me, is the vocals as well as the general arrangements of the songs. Martin’s voice is much stronger on this CD, with a greater range of tonality and emotiveness. The riffs are coming together a little more fluidly as well, making the disc seem less like a patchwork riff collection and more of a planned out album.

If you’ve heard Prayer of the Dying before, and liked it, definitely check out In Silence and Grief We Decay. It’s more of what’s great for the band. If you’ve never heard them, this is a perfect place for you to begin your journey into Martin Ciappara’s vision of black metal.

8 out of 10.

Prayer of the Dying on Facebook.

Genres: Black Metal, Grindcore, Progressive Metal
Label: Candlelight Records

Get your boots on kids. We’re definitely stepping out of the comfort zone here, right into some seriously deep what the fuck?
As usual, these two Brits love to push the envelope, and there’s some pretty huge pushes with Passion. They’ve taken their black metal, made it blacker. Taken their grind, made it grinder. And the progressiveness of the album is just all over the place. Some of my favorite clean vocal performances are on this CD, with some amazing riffs that really amp up the general urgency of this music.
Wait. Urgency? In black metal? What? Yes, son. Shit just got real. If you’ve never listened to Anaal Nathrakh before, and your like your black metal TRVE and KVLT, and as boneheadedly barbaric as possible, continue not listening to Anaal Nathrakh. Because your BM world just got another album deeper into thinking man’s territory.
8 out of 10.

Anaal Nathrakh on Facebook.