Hell Awaits is a column by Kim Kelly and Andy O'Connor that shines a light on extreme and underground metal. This week, Kim recommends new releases from Vemod, Bölzer, Vinterbris, and more. Welcome to Hell.
Vemod: "Venter på stormene"
Vemod is one of those bands I never thought I’d get to see. The Trondheim duo seemingly came out of nowhere in 2012 with what was undeniably one of the year’s finest releases in Venter på stormene (Terratur Possessions). Helmed by E. Blix of Mare and Black Majesty and J. E. Åsli (One Tail One Head, Black Majesty), the project is far removed from its creators' day jobs; indeed, were it not for their Norwegian black metal credentials and ominous aesthetic, Vemod wouldn’t sound out of place onstage next to a band like Deafheaven or Altar of Plagues. It’s atmospheric, aggressive, and undeniably beautiful, and thanks to a recent trip to Norway’s Inferno Festival, I finally had the opportunity to bask in the reflected glow of this band’s truly mesmerizing black metal art. Augmented by the talents of live members E. Kalstad on bass and drummer C. Warrack (also of Sortilegia), Vemod was backed by swirling blue projections and dappled with starlight as they floated effortless through an enthralling set of atmospheric, icily melodic black metal ecstasy. The next album can’t come soon enough.
Bölzer: “Steppes”
A new song from Swiss death metal wunderkinds Bölzer is definitely cause for celebration. After taking the extreme metal universe by storm with last year’s disarmingly impressive Aura EP, the Zurich-based duo have proven themselves to be more than just a flash in the pan with a string of successful festival appearances and immediate plans for further domination. Invictus Productions snapped up the rights to their next outing, the Soma EP, and soon afterwards the hessians will ride South to frontman KzR’s native New Zealand to record their debut full-length for Iron Bonehead Productions. A new track, “Steppes,” recently surfaced, and serves up more of the band’s fiendishly clever and wholly innovative take on metal of death. Bölzer is the best thing to come out of Switzerland since Celtic Frost. Don’t believe me? Listen for yourself.
Vinterbris: “Gazing At A Fallen Sky”
Nordavind is set to release the second LP from Vinterbris on June 16, but this Nordic black metal troupe is far from grim. The Norwegian tradition may call for icy tremolo and furious gusts of blastbeatss, but like their forbears in Windir, this Bergen quintet are more interested in exploring the melodic potential and long-ago songs of their native land. Vinterbris makes time to look just beyond their borders into Finland with Moonsorrow influence held firmly in hand. This is folk black metal at its core, but a far more understated strain that what that title may suggest—there are no trolls or accordions cluttering up these clean, dynamic compositions, only technical prowess and jaunty melodies. The uptempo “Gazing At A Fallen Sky” boasts a folksy bounce beneath its black wings, tossing in a Viking chorus and rippling solos for good measure. Once the kiddies outgrow Paganfest, one can only hope they’ll reach for a record like this.
Primitive Man: “When Getting High Is Not Enough”
Halo of Flies is a label to trust; their releases are consistently awesome, and the bands they choose to support are inevitably solid. Their recent allegiance with Denver sludge bruisers Primitive Man is just one more example of the label’s canny approach. The new split 10” will feature a track apiece from Primitive Man and coal-black hardcore outfit Hexis, and will drop on May 13. Primitive Man’s crushingly heavy track, “When Getting High Is Not Enough”, is all tense, ominous sludge shot through with the same rotten black veins we’ve come to expect. Vocalist and guitarist E. McCarthy sounds like he’s gargling the bloody shreds of his own larynx, and the slow-as-congealing blood rhythm section is damn near homicidal. They make sure the last few seconds hit the hardest, too. This is very, very good.
Merkaba: “Glacial Fire”
Kentucky’s Merkaba sprang from the ashes of Fields of Fire, which was itself a product of their local branch of the Red & Anarchist Action Network. As far as so-called RABM goes, this trio are near and dear to the movement’s red beating heart, and share both values and sonic similarities with bands like Panopticon and Skagos. The music itself is meditative and clean, with a Cascadian influence that stops just past Fauna. Lengthy ambient passages build and crest into intense, cathartic swaths of oppressively atmospheric black metal crashes and howls. It makes for a stirring listen no matter where one’s politics lie. The band hasn’t released anything since 2012’s split with compatriots Wheels Within Wheels, but thanks to Pagan Flames, a limited vinyl edition of their 2011 masterwork ‘Bones of the Sacred Forest’ is now available for preorder.
Acoustic Wizard: “Funeralopolis”
Acoustic Wizard must have started as a joke, but one gets the impression that even its erstwhile creator is surprised at how much its taken off. It makes sense, though, especially given how bloody good these versions are. Covers are a dicey business to get into at the best of times, and one wonders what possessed this enterprising young man to tackle one of the most beloved stoner doom bands of all time. Luckily for him (and for all of us, too), he does a bang-up job. His voice is warm and a little rough, lending an appealingly human quality to Jus Osborn’s witchy lyrics. Deprived of their clouds of distortion, the riffs hold up, and at times feel even more bleakly ominous than the originals. Acoustic Wizard scratches an itch we didn’t know we had, but really, what could be better than a bluesy, smoky acoustic cover of classic Electric Wizard tunes? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He even thoughtfully includes the burbling bong rip on “Funeralopolis” for god’s sake! Do yourself a favor and cruise through this one-man effort’s growing discography on Bandcamp (including the nervously titled ‘Please Don’t Sue Me’ Volumes I & II). Burn ‘em if ya got ‘em.