#EdgedCircleProductions

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kryptan-violence-our-power-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kryptan – Violence, Our Power Review</a>By TymeAtmospheric black metal band Kryptan is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist and thirty-plus-year Swedish metal scene veteran Mattias Norrman. Having spent a decade (1999-2009) as the bassist for Katatonia, Norrman is now most known for his guitar work in October Tide and Moondark. Long influenced and fascinated by black metal, however, especially the Norwegian and Swedish scenes of the nineties, Kryptan represents a passion project, providing Norrman an outlet for yet another avenue of extreme exhibition. Formed in 2020 with fellow October Tide and Moondark vocalist Alexander Högbom, Kryptan released a 2021 self-titled EP with Debemur Morti Productions. Blurbily described by new label Edged Circle Productions as ‘children of the plague and enthusiasts of the sinister,’ Kryptan prepares to offer an official statement of intent with its debut album, Violence, Our Power. Having covered Moondark‘s thirty-years-in-the-making debut album,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kryptan-violence-our-power-review/#fn-210502-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> I was excited to write my first review with some connective tissue on the bone, which left me with only one question: is Kryptan any good?Kryptan‘s black metal comes draped in the heaviest of Swedish shrouds. Full of dissonantly lilting strums that float and sway among trilly leads and punk-edgy riffs (“Det är döden som krävs”), Norrman tosses in a dash of speedy Dissection (“Violence, Our Power”) here and a sprinkle of Shining (“Vägen til’ våld”) there to spice up the chalice of blood you’ll drink from during the full-on Watainic rite that is Violence, Our Power. Leave the noisome, Rabid Death’s Curse-like rawness in the basement, Kryptan wears its Sworn to the Dark heart on its sleeve, reveling in Lawless Darkness levels of sonic worship. A deftly injected dose of keyboards rounds out Kryptan‘s sonic palette, adding compelling synth-phonics without ever spilling over into complete Ihsahn-mode. And while Christian Larsson’s mix doesn’t leave much room for Norrman’s bassinations to surface,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kryptan-violence-our-power-review/#fn-210502-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a> there’s a bottom-heavy warmth to the sound on Violence, Our Power that works, allowing Victor Parri’s capable session drum work to drive the synth-infused riffastation. Mattias Norrman’s trachea-crushing grip on conjuring a swanky Swedish black metal sound means Violence, Our Power is an album full of highlights, and still, Alexander Högbom’s vocal performance elevates the package with voracious variety.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kryptan-violence-our-power-review/#fn-210502-3" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3</a> Högbom manifests his inner Erik Danielsson effectively across the entire Violence, Our Powerscape, lending extra menace to the guttural growls of the chorus from “I Hope They Die” to the Kvarforthian wailings of “Vägen til’ våld,” the pain emoted in his languished shouts and howls (“The Miracle Inside” and “Purge”) is all but undeniable. Violence, Our Power is a strong enough album that it would have held its own against anything released in the Swedish scene from 2005 to 2010. While this indicates, nearly fifteen years later, that Kryptan is not at all interested in pushing the boundaries of black metal to new heights, I give them points for executing at such a high level. From the just-enough-to-leave-me-wanting-more runtime of forty minutes to the cover art, a beautifully rendered ink illustration by German occult artist Ikosidio, Violence, Our Power is the total package and would have had me dropping cold hard cash sight unheard back in the day. My critiques, though minor, lie mainly with the unnecessary intro, “The Unheard Plea from Thousands of Broken Hands,” and the sheer derivative veneration of Watain worship on display, which could turn some listeners off.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kryptan-violence-our-power-review/#fn-210502-4" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">4</a> I was so impressed by Violence, Our Power that I wondered why it took Norrman so long to execute his black metal vision. Kryptan has not produced anything so groundbreaking as to land at the top of any year-end lists, but I’ll be damned if it’s not worth your time. Those yearning for that pre The Wild Hunt era Watain sound would be well-advised to listen to Kryptan‘s Violence, Our Power. The super catchy chorus of album closer “Let Us End This” will cling to the synapses of your brain long after the album has ended and what better way to end this review than by citing my favorite song, my eyes and ears sharply peeled for what Kryptan does next. Rating: 3.5/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://edgedcircleproductions.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Edged Circle Productions</a> | <a href="https://edgedcircleproductions.bandcamp.com/album/violence-our-power" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> Websites: <a href="https://kryptan.bandcamp.com/album/kryptan" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">kryptan.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="https://kryptan.net/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">kryptan.net</a> Releases Worldwide: February 14, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/atmospheric-black-metal/" target="_blank">#AtmosphericBlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dissection/" target="_blank">#Dissection</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/edged-circle-productions/" target="_blank">#EdgedCircleProductions</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/feb25/" target="_blank">#Feb25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/kryptan/" target="_blank">#Kryptan</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/shining/" target="_blank">#Shining</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/swedish-metal/" target="_blank">#SwedishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/violence-our-power/" target="_blank">#ViolenceOurPower</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/watain/" target="_blank">#Watain</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-november-and-december-2024s-angry-misses/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stuck in the Filter: November and December 2024’s Angry Misses</a>By KenstrositySeeing as how it’s already almost February, you must be wondering why we’re still talking about shit from 2024. Not that I have to explain myself to you, but I didn’t give my minions grueling tasks just so that I could not take the glory for their labors. That wouldn’t embody this blog’s continual aspiration of being terrible capitalists! And so, we press on, searching and rescuing worthy—but not too worthy—pledges for the barbaric, Hunger Games-esque event that is Stuck in the Filter.BEHOLD! Gaze upon these late-year candidates with the appropriate levels of awe, ye ov little consequence! Kenstrosity’s Wintry Wonders <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Caelestra86" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Caelestra</a> // Bastion [December 13th, 2024 – Self Release]Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For this sponge, I know something is beautiful when it ensnares me into otherworldly environments unlike those which mirrors terrestrial mundanity. UK post-metal one-man act Caelestra specializes in such ethereal worlds, with debut record Black Widow Nebula catching my attention under its blazing miasma of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/countless-skies-glow-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Countless Skies</a> lushness, <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/astronoid-radiant-bloom-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Astronoid</a>al optimism, and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dreadnought-the-endless-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dreadnought</a>-esque compositional vibrancy. Follow-up Bastion treads much the same path, but with an added emphasis on cathartic spells of intensity reminiscent of current <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/irreversible-mechanism-immersion-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Irreversible Mechanism</a> (“Finisterre”), <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kardashev-liminal-rite-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kardashev</a> (“Soteria”), or <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/devin-townsend-lightwork-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Devin Townsend</a> (“The Hollow Altar”). Balancing these potentially disparate references, mastermind Frank Harper’s compositions flow with an uncanny smoothness without falling into a pit of homogeny. Bastion thereby represents a varied and textured affair built upon compelling guitar leads, unexpected riffs, multifaceted vocal techniques, and athletic percussive movements (“Finisterre,” “Lightbringer,” “The Hollow Altar”). Choosing the long form as Caelestra’s primary vehicle for this musical journey only deepens the experience, as each act offers a wide spectrum of moods, a rich tapestry of characters, and a lush layering of story to enrich any listener’s journey through Bastion (“Lightbringer,” “Eos”). Yet, the whole coheres tightly into a memorable and accessible forty-eight-minute span, easily replayable and effortlessly enjoyable. That, more than anything, makes Bastion a neat little triumph worth checking out.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/EarthboundMusicUK" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Earthbound</a> // Chronos [November 26th, 2024 – Self Release]I have the honor of claiming this find all to my own—something that hasn’t occurred as often this past year as it has in those preceding. Bristol’s Earthbound offer a particular brand of melodic death metal that I want to love more often than I actually do, but they checked all my boxes here. Occupying a space somewhere between <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/amorphis-halo-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amorphis</a>, Countless Skies, and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dark-tranquillity-endtime-signals-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dark Tranquillity</a>, Earthbound’s style is simultaneously effervescent, introspective, and crushing on debut record Chronos. Boasting chunky riffs, soaring leads, classic melodeath rhythms, and buttery-smooth baritone vocals, Chronos throws blow after blow for forty-nine minutes of high-engagement material. Looking at standout tracks “A Conversation with God,” “The Architect,” “Cloudburst,” “Aperture,” and “Transmission,” Earthbound’s compelling songwriting tactics and knack for a killer hook recall underappreciated gems by modern contemporaries <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/rifftera-across-the-acheron-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rifftera</a> and <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/svavelvinter-morkrets-tid-things-you-might-have-missed-2018/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Svavelvinter</a>. Some of their most accessible moments almost, but not quite, veer into pop-levels of accessibility, further accentuating Earthbound’s infectious energy (“Change,” “Flight,” “Transmission,” “Chasing the Wind”). This works marvelously in Earthbound’s favor, not only making Chronos a joy to listen to in its own right but also impressing me with how polished and professional the band is with only one full-length under the belt. Don’t let this one fall through the cracks!<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555378127543" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Flaahgra</a> // Plant Based Anatomy [November 15th, 2024 – Self Release]WWWWOOOOOORRRRRRMMMHHHHHHOOO… wait, what? Oh, no, this is Flaahgra. But, the riffs sound like my beloved <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wormhole-almost-human-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wormhole</a>! What’s going on? Oh, well this explains it. Sanil Kumar of Wormhole fame is responsible for Plant Based Anatomy’s guitar work. Rounded out by Tim “Toothhead” Lodge (bass), Chris Kulak (drums), and Anthony Michelli (vocals), this Baltimore quartet concoct a fast-paced, riff-burdened blunderbuss of gurgling vegan slam meatier than the fattest flank this side of Texas. It may be based around plants (and Metroid), but there are enough muscular grooves, neat lead work, and boisterous percussive rhythms here to keep even the most ravenous death fiend stuffed to the stamen (“Blood Flower,” “Toxic Green Fluid,” “Solar Recharge,” “Plant Based Anatomy”). Oversaturated with killer hooks, Plant Based Anatomy feels every bit as headbangable as this group’s pedigree indicates, but their application is delightfully straightforward, allowing Sanil’s standard-setting slams to shine brightest (“Plant Based Anatomy,” “Garden Cascade,” “Venom Weed Atrocity”). At a lean twenty-five minutes, Plant Based Anatomy rips through my system as efficiently as any grease-laden, overstuffed fast-food chimichanga, leaving just as vivid an impression in its wake. If there was ever a quick and easily digestible example of what differentiates really good slam from two-buck upchuck, Plant Based Anatomy is it. FFFLLAAAAHHHHGGGRRRAAAA! Tyme’s Time Turners<a href="https://www.facebook.com/solarwimp/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Solar Wimp</a> // Trails of Light [November 15th, 2024 – Self Release]The richly dense knowledge and tastes of the commentariat here at AMG are a marvel. And despite the long hours of hard work the staff put in writing and keeping Redis at bay, not to mention the gut-wrenching task of pumping the n00b sump pit every Friday<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-november-and-december-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-209724-1" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1</a> we continue to scour tons of promo to bring you the best and the rest of all things metal(ish). Invariably, some things trickle up from our most precious readers that deserve more attention than a few rando comments and respects. Such is the case with L.A.’s Solar Wimp. It was during my <del>most recent stint in</del><a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-november-and-december-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-209724-2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a> continued n00bdom that I scoped one of our commenters pimping the Wimp‘s who released, sadly to me now, their last album, Trails of Light, in November. As my ears absorbed the immediately quirky dissonance of the opener, “Entwined with Glass,” I was reminded of how blown away I was upon hearing Jute Gyte for the first time, this more due to my un-expectations than anything else. What followed was a journey I happily embarked on through fields of saxophonic freedom (“Strand and Tether”) and forests of long-form avant-garde brilliance (“Shimmer”). The black(ish) metal vocals and tech-jazz guitar histrionics of Jeremy Kerner, combined with Justin Brown’s bassinations and Mark Kimbrell’s drums, imbue so much passion into the music on Trails of Light, it has me guessing Solar Wimp may have very well saved their best for last. While I’m sure you’re ready to move on from 2024, I’d encourage you to dip back into last year’s well for a bit and give Solar Wimp’s Trails of Light a listen or five. Thus Spoke’s Fallen Fragments<a href="https://www.facebook.com/yothiriaofficial/?locale=en_GB" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yoth Iria</a> // Blazing Inferno [November 8th, 2024 – <a href="http://www.edgedcircleproductions.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Edged Circle Productions</a>]Yoth Iria’s sophomore Blazing Inferno arrived with little fanfare, which is a shame because they’re very good at what they do. Their brand of Hellenic black metal even <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/yoth-iria-as-the-flame-withers-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">charmed a 3.5</a> out of GardensTale with their 2021 debut As the Flame Withers. The new album very much picks up where its predecessor left off, in musical content as well as the fact that Yoth Iria clearly have a thing for giant demonic figures dwarfing human civilization. In a refreshingly to-the-point format, the group<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-november-and-december-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-209724-3" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3</a> serve up some solid, groovy Satanic triumphalism that belies the relatively diminutive breadth of the songs that contain it. With thundering drums (“In the Tongue of Birds,” “We Call Upon the Elements”), spirited guitar leads (“But Fear Not,” “Mornings of the One Thousand Golds”), and a collection of classic growls, ominous whispers, and cleans, Yoth Iria craft engaging and very enjoyable compositions. Tracks manage to hold atmosphere and presence without detracting from the dopamine-producing tremolo twists and wails of drawn-out melody (title track, “Rites of Blood and Ice,” “Mornings…”) that draw it all together. This is black metal that makes you feel good about allying with the light-bringer. Not in any highbrow way, of course, just with great riffs, the right amount of tension and nuance, and convincingly massive compositions that steer away from the overwrought and cringe-inducing. It’s just plain good.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Verdant.Realm.Botanist/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Botanist</a> // <a href="https://verdant-realm-botanist.bandcamp.com/album/vii-beast-of-arpocalyx" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">VII: Beast of Arpocalyx</a> [December 6th, 2024 – Self-Release]Though recorded all the way back in 2016, the music of Beast of Arpocalyx has not seen the light until now. The seventh installment in the esoteric, botanical saga, VII: Beast of Arpocalyx focuses on plants with mythological animal associations. In comparison to last May’s Paleobotany, this is the solo work of founder Otrebor yet the heart of Botanist’s music has never been compromised. The distinctive tones of hammered dulcimer, make the black metal ring—literally and metaphorically—with playful mysticism when they engage in chirruping and cheerful refrains (“Wolfsbane,” “The Barnacle Tree”) and a weird eeriness when they stray into the dissonant (“The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary,” “Floral Onyx Chiroptera”). Nothing is substantially different here, but Botanist’s style is an enjoyably quirky one that I, at least, am always happy to indulge in. In many ways, this is not far removed from raw black metal, with the prominent chimes of (not always tuneful) melodicism wrapping snarls and rasps in an iridescent veil that makes the psychedelic turns from whimsical peace to urgent and barbed blastbeat aggression (“The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary,” “The Paw of Anigozanthos”) very compelling, pleasant even. Yeah, it’s kind of weird to hear chorals or synths under blackened rasps and clanging drums, while a dulcimer warbles along. But when the weirdness nonetheless succeeds in developing an atmosphere and inducing a desire to garner a similarly obsessive knowledge of flora, I can’t really complain. Killjoy’s Atmospheric Attractions<a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Nishaiar-100067774879707/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nishaiar</a> // Enat Meret [December 5, 2024 – Self-Release]2024 may technically be over, but there were a few releases in December that keep dragging my attention back to last year. First up is Nishaiar from Gondar, Ethiopia, whose sound resides at the unlikely intersection of traditional Ethiopian music, post-black metal, and Enya-style New Age. Coming off an arduous release schedule that yielded an EP and 5 full-lengths in only 4 years, Nishaiar took some extra time to recharge since Nahaxar in 2021. The results are readily apparent–Enat Meret features some of the punchiest material the band has written to date. “Yemelek” combines folk instruments, vibrant male chanting, and rending screams. An important element that elevates Enat Meret is the addition of a full-time female vocalist, whose moniker also happens to be Enat Meret. Her voice ranges from ethereal (“Idil”) to wistful (“Enat Midir”) to commanding (“Beheke”). There is some bloat—intro track “Semayawi” repeats itself for too long and “Awedal” through “Alem” leans too hard into atmosphere to be suitable for active listening. Even so, this is an album unlike any other you’re likely to hear anytime soon.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/@atravetosus/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Atra Vetosus</a> // Undying Splendour [December 20, 2024 – <a href="https://www.immortalfrostproductions.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Immortal Frost Productions</a>]Next up is Atra Vetosus, who came to me by way of rec-master TomazP. Undying Splendour is a captivating work of atmospheric black metal that tempers the wanderlust of Skyforest with the melodic trem-picked fury of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/mare-cognitum-solar-paroxysm-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mare Cognitum</a>. It’s stuffed with triumphant, uplifting guitar melodies that contrast compellingly with mournful, anguished shouts and screams. Like a flowing stream, the graceful orchestrations smooth out any rough edges in their path, pairing exceptionally well with the rhythm section in the intro of “Forsaking Dreaded Paths.” The brawny bass lines throughout the album add satisfying oomph and the drumming is constantly engaging with lots of fleeting tempo shifts (“This Fallow Heart”) and expansive tom rolls (“Elysian Echoes”). Atra Vetosus have perfected the difficult art of long-form atmoblack—all the proper songs on Undying Splendour are between 7 and 11 minutes long and, crucially, feel purposeful without meandering. Though atmoblack is often maligned, I’ll happily get behind Atra Vetosus as one of the new standard bearers of the genre at its very best.Skagos // Chariot Sun Blazing [December 21, 2024 – Self-Release]They say that good things come to those who wait. Skagos makes an excellent case for this expression with Chariot Sun Blazing, an appropriate title given the tremendous glow-up that the atmospheric black metal group underwent since releasing Anarchic in 2013. While their woodsy black metal has always maintained similarities with the likes of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wolves-in-the-throne-room-primordial-arcana-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wolves in the Throne Room</a> (who are also based in Olympia, Washington), this time around the music is infused with a real live string quartet and a two-horn section<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/stuck-in-the-filter-november-and-december-2024s-angry-misses/#fn-209724-4" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">4</a>. The effects of this additional instrumentation run way more than skin deep; Chariot Sun Blazing feels and flows like an actual symphony. For instance, the combination of the Wagner tuba with guitar plucking in the beginning of “Which in Turn Meet the Sea” evoke a misty morning which gradually warms up with guitar and string crescendos to thaw the leftover frost. The compositions are introspective and intimate, which is refreshing when compared with the usual grandiosity and bombast of symphonic music (metal or otherwise). While there’s nothing wrong with the raspy vocals, this is a rare instance when I would be completely okay if this were an instrumental album. This is an experience absolutely not to be missed. Dolphin Whisperer’s Late-Blooming Bustles <a href="https://www.facebook.com/alarumofficial" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alarum</a> // Recontinue [November 8th, 2024 – Self Release]So many bands in the progressive and technical lanes forget to have fun. Not long, unheralded Australian prog/thrash/jazz fusion-heads Alarum, though. Truth be told, I had forgotten this band existed sometime before their 2011 release Natural Causes all up until about September of 2024 when I caught wind of this new release, Recontinue. Their oddball, heavily <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/yer-metal-is-olde-cynic-focus/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cynic</a>-inspired 2004 opus Eventuality… had stood the test of time in my archives plenty for its wild fusion antics woven into a riff-tricky, bass-poppin’ technical platform. And here, twenty years later, little has changed at Alarum’s foundation. A few things have shifted for the better, though, namely Alarum finding a more balanced resonance in production brightness and clarity, which helps highlight the flirtatious bass play of tracks like “The Visitor” and “Footprints” come to life. Additionally, this crisp and cutting mix allows the joyous neoclassical shredding escapades to carve a blazing path toward textures and alien warbles with a Holdsworth-ian charm (“Zero Nine Thirty,” “Awaken by Fire”). But, most importantly, Alarum continues to bring an ever-shuffling thrash energy similar to early Martyr works (“Imperative,” “Unheard Words,” “Into Existing”) while continuing to remember to toss in off-the-wall detours, like the funk-wah intro of “A Lifelong Question” or the bossa nova outro of “The Visitor.” Recontinue, as a late-career release from a continual dark horse from the land down under remains a consistent joy for the ears. If you’ve never heard Alarum to this point, and you’ve always wished that a jazzy, Cynic-inspired band would come around with a more metal attitude than the current trajectory of their inspirations, get Recontinue in your ears as soon as possible. And if, like me, you’ve fallen of the righteous path, know that time can correct all sorts of silly mistakes.<a href="https://www.instagram.com/gorging_shade" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gorging Shade</a> // Inversions [November 11th, 2024 – Self Release]With a sound that is as otherwordly and looming as it is terrestrial and bass-loaded, Gorging Shade has taken a vigorous and shaking progressive death metal form. The proficiency with which every performer weaves disparate melodic lines through echoing, ghastly samples and chaotic, witchy background chatter does not come entirely as a surprise, as the entire roster consists of the members of instrumental progressive act Canvas Solaris. Mood, atmosphere and a bellowing howl, though, separate this incarnation of Georgia’s finest. But the eerie space that Inversions inhabits too has manifested as a collective of talents on display with another offshoot from this act, the dark industrial Plague Pslams (composed of bassist Gael Pirlot and drummer Hunter Ginn, who also currently plays with Agalloch). As an experience layered between the history of sounds these tech wizards have created, Inversions lands dense and challenging. At its core, a rhythmic stomp propels each of its tracks alongside percussive riffs that echo the constant motion of Cynic, the blackened scrawl of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/retro-spective-review-emperor-nightside-eclipse/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Emperor</a>, and the melancholy triumph of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/ulcerate-cutting-the-throat-of-god-review/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ulcerate</a> swells. But in a package uniquely Gorging Shade, a world emerges from each carefully constructed narrative. Sometimes energy rushes forth (“Disease of Feeling, Germed”). At others, noises creaking and crawling lay teasing grounds for careful exploration (“Ordeal of the Bitter Water,” “A Concession of Our City to Modernity”). Whatever the mode of attack, Gorging Shade delivers in a classic and meticulous wall of sound—perhaps a touch too volume-loaded on occasion—that hits first in waves of melodic intrigue, second in aftershocks of plotted and studied efforts. Its later in the year released may have kept Inversions’ treasures more hidden than I would have liked. 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