triumph of death

I assume that most of the people who read this blog would be somewhat familiar with Switzerland's Hellhammer. With all of the various stories it is arguable just how solely influential these guys were on metal, and I suspect that opinions on just who was the most pioneering of that original handful of bands would differ from person to person, but you can't deny that Tom Gabriele Fischer and co. definitely left their mark on modern heavy music. This is a recent reissue of their album "Apocalyptic Raids". A Back On Black repress on clear vinyl, Noise Records originally pressed this back in 1984.

Gatefold LP, though I doubt the original came in such a package.

maggot holes

With this current resurgence of popularity that Autopsy are certainly experiencing at the moment, and aware of the fact that with these recent releases they've obviously attracted a whole new younger fanbase (myself included) to add to their strong following already, it does make sense to me that they'd unleash an album of this nature. Their latest release "All Tomorrow's Funerals" is a double gatefold LP full of a collection of old and new material all freshly re-mastered and re-packaged. Peaceville Records pressed this and my copy is on black wax. I'm unsure if it was pressed in any other variations.

What you get here is a collection of all of their previous EP's and singles and a compilation appearance all remastered with a fresh sound. They've also gone and recorded four new songs and re-recorded a track that originally appeared as part of the Decibel Flexi Series a little back. Of course all of the old stuff is fantastic music as are the new numbers. Very typical new ear Autopsy; grizzly, dirty death metal with a fresh, modern recording. Very much a similar recording to last years "Macabre Eternal".

cabin fever

I was never a fan of Melbourne's Pro Team and their brand of fast, somewhat melodic, energetic hardcore, though they managed to amass a pretty big fanbase while they were together. From what I can tell they've just reformed and plan to write some new material and at the same time Midnight Funeral has decided to put their original s/t EP "Our Wasteland" to vinyl. Craigos was kind enough to send me one recently. This is on a kind of green with smudge type wax that was released amongst a load of different, random colours. As far as I know this is pretty much sold out now, though I suspect that you'd probably be able to find some scattered around various record stores across the country.

fimbulvetr

The last time I wrote about Wayfarer from England's south was back at the end of 2010 as part of my post about their split 7" with Rot In Hell. At that point I hadn't heard anything about them before so when I was first flawed by their contribution to that record I immediately went about researching more about the band and their discography. Other than the split the only other thing they had released at that point was this 12" EP, "The Days Have Gone Down In The West" on Carry The Weight Records. At the time I sampled a few songs from this EP in the digital form but I wasn't as impressed as I had been by the split song, so I pretty much put this album on the 'to get, maybe, one day' list. Well lucky me my pal Craig included this in the recent birthday package. I sampled the remaining tracks and I will admit that I am very impressed.

Pretty solid brand of heavy hardcore that takes strong influence from Cleveland metallic stuff and the like. There's more going on here too, but I'd say that that is the strongest sound no doubt. They also implement some pretty obvious Norse themes with the artwork and song titles etc.

From what I can tell they've released one more 7" since this EP and the split, though following that it all seems to go pretty quiet with these guys. I have a feeling they may have broken up, though that's just based of the lack of information I can find online. Someone set me straight?

the push and pull

Here's a band that's copped a bit of hype this year amongst the local Australian scene; Black Coffee and their debut demo tape. Recently released by ROTP Records in an edition of 50 copies mixed amongst a few different colours, I scored a red copy.

The simplified story with this band hovers mostly around the fact that it's comprised of past members of the greats Hard Luck from Canberra and Faux Hawks from Newcastle. Some may be aware that both of those bands contributed to a split 7" around five years ago that would easily rank in the top ten of brilliant Australian hardcore records of the last ten years. Both bands were just so good. Based off these credentials, and some things I'd heard people say, I did have relatively high hopes for this tape.

And not to say that I've been massively let down, but I was expecting something along the lines of that Hard Luck sound continued. These songs have been written by the same fellows who wrote all those great HL riffs, but there's a much more streamlined, fast, thrashy punk sound going on here. I'd compare these songs sooner to Faux Hawks than HL, and that's not just because the vocals are handled by Dan, the old FH singer. Style wise it's just much more similar to FH with the fast, no frills, straight forward riffs. But even then, I wouldn't say that this will certainly please all FH fans of old. It's still a somewhat long shot from what that band was doing really. They cover the best Urban Waste song here so that may give you some kind of idea as to what they're getting at. I'd happily compare these guys to UW along with Antidote.

Insert is this big poster fold out on the over. All artwork here handled by Dan, the singer.

I'm glad to have this one in the collection, and I certainly think it's worthy of the hype that some people may be giving it. I just figure it's a sound that goes over my head a little. I just expected more 'meat' in the sound.

binned

Perth's Suffer have been a bit quiet of late. I think I read somewhere that they'll have some new stuff floating about this year. Until then, with the help of No Patience Records, they've put fourth this new tape, "Raw Violent Assault". Five new tracks plus two covers, this thing certainly lives up to it's name. Rough rough rough. Recorded live in what sounds like their practice space or something, they were selling these on a recent bunch of shows in Adelaide and Sydney. A mate of mine attended one of the shows and grabbed it for me. Based off the rough nature of the recording and the actual circulation of this cassette (80 copies total), I'm pretty sure that we can probably expect to see at least some of these songs on some of these expected upcoming releases this year.

conditioned minds

I've detailed previously how today's subject stirred up a little shit at the end of 2010, so I won't go into detail again about it. Here's the original American press of the Magrudergrind "Crusher" 10", pressed and distributed exclusively in the USA by the car manufacturer Scion. Black vinyl with the "Grind Crusher" comp rip off cover. My first post about this record concerned a subsequent Euro pressing by Bones Brigade Records. If memory serves, I've recently read that To Live A Lie Records will be producing another more widely available American edition of this album this year. Again, my good friend Craigos arranged this for me via a contact he has over there, for a very belated birthday present (16 months belated haha!).

Came with slip mat.

converge demo

There's a Converge demo currently on eBay. I remember last time this was listed (around 6 years ago maybe?) it went for some ridiculous amount like $500-$600. Three days in and it's hovering around $250 from one bid so someone's very keen. Curious to see how this goes.

CONVERGE DEMO

odens ride over nordland

My final Bathory post for now, this time about their fourth release, "Blood Fire Death". Another Black Mark Productions reissue from 2010. White wax. Original press from 1988 on Under One Flag.

I haven't paid any attention to much of the bands material that followed this album as this is where they started to wander into a slightly different direction and playing what's been labeled as 'viking metal'. Elements of that little subgenre certainly shine through here, but for the most part this is still a largely traditional Bathory record. Out of all the stuff I've posted about over the last few days too, this one possesses the cleanest recording qualities, surely a draw card for some while being a bit of a detractor for the more cvlt types.

enter the eternal fire

I missed the Bathory album that settled between their debut and this, their third release, "Under The Sign Of The Black Mark", but I hope to obtain it at some point. Originally released in 1987 by Under One Flag from the UK, to then see it's reissue on blue wax in 2010 by Black Mark Productions this album has long been touted by many prominent black metal dudes as the album that most heavily influenced that second wave Norwegian scene. I totally agree for many reasons. Probably their best album.

raise the dead

More records obtained on my recent Melbourne trip were a bunch of Bathory reissues. If you want to argue early first wave black metal bands that more or less created an entire genre of music, I'd happily settle the magnifying glass over Quorthon and the the first three or four albums that this he and his band released. Stuff that followed this first s/t LP of theirs incorporated superior recording qualities and hence helped more largely to shape black metal, but this LP is definitely where it started. Originally released in 1984 by Black Mark Productions with slightly differing artwork, it was again released in 2011 as the edition I present here. Grey vinyl. White goat.

What's to say really? Black metal was born here. The themes, the imagery, the recording style, the songs structures, the writing and playing methods. It's inarguable.

More posts about this band to follow.