Füneral Rain Press Cörps

Genres: Black Metal, Death Metal
Label: Ibex Moon

Ah… Ibex Moon. Your death metal releases are like comfortable pants. You put them on, and instantly everything is better. Gravehill’s Rites of the Pentagram is no different; granted it’s not pure death to most ears, which is why I’m including black metal as a genre above. It does at times sound like black metal played death, but that is if you’re not familiar with really deep underground old death metal (think Darkthrone’s Soulside Journey for a sometimes similar sound).
This whole album is good, no filler tracks or anything, and after reading some interviews with vocalist Mike Abominator I understand why: he won’t compromise for anything. He reminds me as the kind of guy who would throw a mountain out of his way if he had to.
This is an old school American death metal album, sounding like it could have been recorded in about 1986 to ’89, and I recommend it for fans of Blasphemous, Darkthrone, Death, Carcass, Cardiac Arrest, Lifeless, and well damn near anything that Ibex Moon has put out.
My favorite tracks are “Decibel Ritual”, “Bloodsoaked”, and “The Luciferian Mark”.
8 out of 10.

Gravehill on MySpace.

Genre: Black Metal
Labels: Forces of Satan, BAARS Records

Blasphemous, a band I haven’t listened to until recently, bring an intensely evil sounding black metal to the ear that’s reminiscent of Behemoth, Marduk, Dark Funeral, and to some extent Mayhem. It’s pretty vile, with such song titles as “When the Dark Storms Surround” (the album opener, which is also a new-asshole-opener), “Genocide of the Kingdom”, “Drift into the Depths of Suicide” (a hell-fueled opus to self-annihilation), “Among the Wolves”, and my favorite song “Raped Upon the Altar”.
Death metal influences are mixed with the black metal, as is thrash. Not coincidentally, members of Blasphemous were also in death metal bands before, and R.K., the vocalist, was once in Grindshaft with Blasphemous’ ex-drummer Poltergeist.
Anyway, back to the album: It’s intense, like I said, and evil. Fast thrashy black metal with touches of death, and a fucking cool sounding vocalist. If you’re a fan of old school black and/or blackened thrash, get Blasphemous.
7 out of 10.