Summer is officially here, and the chutes of our ever-overburdened filtration system once again moan and groan in need of scouring. Unfortunately, due to massive backlog, we’re still unloading chaff from one-going-on-two months ago. The staff is covered in gunk, they smell like shit, and they do nothing but complain about when they might get a break. Joke’s on them, breaks are for closers!
So, without further ado, I introduce April’s hidden gems, records that would otherwise have been lost to the world of soot and gristle, overlooked in a sea of overrated promos. You’ll thank us one day!
Kenstrosity’s Carrion
Ὁπλίτης // Τρωθησομένη [April 9th, 2023 – Self-Released]
Carcharodon had previously snagged Ὁπλίτης’s (pronounced Hoplites, apparently) previous 2023 release, Ψευδομένη (I Lied), for January’s Filter, citing it as a “destructive, dense, and dissonant sliver of black metal […] falling somewhere between the harsh relentlessness of Spectral Wound and the dissonant mayhem of Serpent Column.” Follow up Τρωθησομένη (Fed Up) is no different and yet, especially considering the short incubation time that Ὁπλίτης gave it, it seems more evolved, more desperately emotive, and more put together all at once. There’s no slow buildup before opener “Οὐλομένη” obliterates your entire body with a tight, but wacky dissonant riff that leads right into a blackened grindcore trap. It will hurt you. As will every other track here, honestly (especially mega violent bangers “Τρῶξις ” and “Θεία μανία”). But there’s also a certain magic in the songwriting held inside this Pandora’s Box of bloodthirsty terrors which makes the whole remarkably accessible, not unlike Wormrot’s Hiss. Maybe it’s the rough-hewn but clear production, bouncy and fun structures (“Ἔκτρωμα,” “Θεῖα δεσμά”), bizarrely effective use of melody (“Τετρωμένη”), or some combination thereof. Either way, this wild record proves that Ὁπλίτης made remarkable progress between releases, in a remarkably short period of time. If that growth continues, it won’t be long before Ὁπλίτης becomes a household name in the blackened grindcore community.
Maddog’s Melodic Musings
Dark Flood // Illusion of Light [April 7th, 2023 – Self-Released]
Dark Flood’s 27-year-long career has evaded my notice, but Illusion of Light’s delightfully cheesy art changed that. True to their Finnish heritage, Dark Flood resembles Children of Bodom with a thick extra layer of cheese. Speedy melodeath riffs are the main attraction, but Dark Flood uses synths throughout as both a lead instrument and embellishment. When Illusion of Light’s melodies hit, they hit hard. The back-to-back highlights “Rain Settlers” and “Stellar Rains” show Dark Flood in all their splendor, from the catchy keys on the former to the banger riffs on the latter. Dark Flood flexes their creative muscle as well, like the Insomnium doom sections of “Speed of Birds.” The cheese is a bit too much, and almost certainly not vegan. Dark Flood sometimes sounds like just another synthy melodeath band, and tracks like “Voice Breaks Illusion” blend into the background as a result. That said, Illusion of Light ends on a strong note, as “The Line of Black Cars” and closer “Where Wind Is Fire to Them” illustrate Dark Flood’s knack for seamless transitions between varied styles. Here’s hoping we don’t have to wait another nine years for their next record.
Carcharodon’s Comestibles
Lo! // The Gleaners [April 7th 2023, Pelagic Records]
Sydney, Australia’s Lo! were unknown to me, until I picked up the band’s fourth record, The Gleaners, more or less on a whim. I am very glad I did, however. Combining bass-led post-metal and Thou-esque sludge with fucking angry hardcore, Lo! also has a message, one that resonated with me a lot. As the band notes on its Bandcamp page, the act of gleaning was a medieval practice where a feudal lord would allow their lowest subjects to sift through the refuse of a newly harvested field for subsistence. We are now forced to sift through a deluge of misinformation and myths daily, “hoping to harvest sense from the muck and mire.” Lo! are pissed about this and rip through 40 minutes and change of emotionally charged, abrasive brutality. What really makes The Gleaners worth investing your time in, however, are the melodic sections of relative calm, that reminded me at times of Lathe’s Tongue of Silver (“Pareidolia”)—albeit overlaid with throat-shredding vox—and other times of Tomahawk (sections of “Deafening Bleats of Apathy”). The jarring, hard-edged guitars in the harsh sections gives the The Gleaners a propulsive, nervous edge, even as the back end of the title track descends into static-laced chaos a la early ISIS. A journey not to be missed.
Olshanoe // What a Great and Sad World it Is [April 29th, 2023 – Self-Released]
Russia’s Olshanoe did enough with that cover to get me to press play on one of my deeper-dive Bandcamp outings and it was not at all what I was expected. Blending elements of neo-folk with ambient synth work, atmo-black and languid post-metal, but set to a mix of blackened rasps and (what I expect to be divisive) DSBM-esque shrieked vocals, the closest thing I can think of is Unreqvited on Mosaic I: L’Amour et L’Ardeur. However, there’s a sad and morose distance to the sound on What a Great and Sad World it is, which has elements of Olde Throne and Nostalghia in places but also something of Koldovstvo’s feyness. Layering accordions and other traditional instruments into the likes of “Lament of Nau”, the drums are light and relatively subtle throughout, giving the record a slight lift both in mood and tempo, which prevents it from descending too far into the realms of ambient soundscapes. This happens, even as the often drone-adjacent guitar work pushes the mood out into miserable, expansive territories. At once an easy and challenging listen.
Dear Hollow’s-Core Codswallop
Portrayal of Guilt // Devil Music [April 20th, 2023 – Run for Cover Records]
At first blush, Austin, Texas trio Portrayal of Guilt does nothing different than the typical blackened hardcore/screamo act, recalling a manic fusion of City of Caterpillar and Hexis. Devil Music, in spirit an EP, treads similar territory as its incendiary predecessor Christfucker, with its blackened fuel guiding frantic drumming, spasmodic guitar attacks, and vicious shrieks in punishers like “One Last Taste of Heaven” or “When Angels Come to Die,” the grindy vitriol of “Untitled,” or the swelling dissonance of “Burning Hand” – all culminated in the surprisingly meditative “closing” title track. However, then the EP begins again. The second half of Devil Music reinterprets the same tracks through chamber music, the same notes and shrieks beheld by the grandiosity of a full orchestra. Somehow it feels even more maddening put through this wringer, a devil’s waltz guiding the slow and methodical steps – one, two, three, four, five, six – to hell. Two halves, both unique and unyieldingly sinister, of Portrayal of Guilt – constantly proving their infamy and prowess again and again.
Sleepsculptor // Divine Recalibration [April 28th, 2023 – Silent Pendulum Records]
While no, Pennsylvania’s Sleepsculptor doesn’t do much beyond what you expect mathcore to sound like, Divine Recalibration is damn good. Dancing the lines between all-out arrhythmic assaults, grind intensity, and a sprinkle of post-hardcore to round out the lineup, it is further boosted by its dynamic songwriting. Smoothing the jagged edges between intense Dillinger-inspired fretboard-frying squeals and Structures-esque downtuned chugs, Divine Calibration makes each seem like a natural progression of the other. Tracks like “Shattered Nerve,” “Rite of Agony” (featuring Chad Kapper of Frontierer), and “Plaster Saint” (featuring Cameron McBride of Methwitch) live up to their names with excruciatingly heavy chugs interspersed with squealing feedback and surreal melodies. The rhythms of Closer “A Divine Recalibration” features a passage of clean post-hardcore vocals, a proverbial light at the end of the tunnel to conclude the rampage, settling the track into a melody that aptly concludes this shellacking. The riffs of “Chrysalis” and “Pry” are infectious and memorable, while the central rhythms of “Beyond the Veil” and “Every Word Erased” slowly unfold, sticking to you like tar. An effective blend of all-out assault and slow burn is rare, but Sleepsculptor manages it with one of the least subtle styles out there.
Squid Pisser // My Tadpole Legion [April 14th, 2023 – Sweatband Records | Three One G Records]
If I’m being honest, I couldn’t tell if My Tadpole Legion was absolute dogshit or understated genius. Thus I settled in the center: it’s great if you like your ears being blasted apart by blasting absurd silliness. Featuring guests at every turn, LA’s Squid Pisser is absolute insanity, fusing grindcore and mathcore with a hint of punk for a debut as freakish as it is annoying. While unmitigated shrieks and Psyopus wankery are plenty merriment to be had, tracks like “Violence Forever” and “Marching for Trash” feature a punky power chord progression that tastefully descends into spiraling mathgrind mindfuckery seamlessly, while “Everlasting Bloat,” “My Tadpole Legion,” “Vibe Monster,” and “Fuck Your Preacher” embrace the utter silliness of their guest vocalists – offering Nekrogoblikon’s Nicky Calonne, Melt-Banana’s Yako, The Locust’s Joseph K. Karam, and Cancer Christ’s Saint Anthony respectively tossing in their absolutely apeshit vocal styles. Closer “Lord of the Frog” takes on a grating electronic presence thanks to LA-based noise artist DJ Embryonic Petit Sac. My Tadpole Legion rides a fine line and lives up to its wonky descriptors and gaggle of collaborators, and it will either be pure genius or unadulterated garbage depending on the listener – just how they like it.
Dolphin Whisperer’s Tangled Trawls
Bandit – Siege of Self [April 20th, 2023 – Mold Dominion and Holy Goat Records]
For further proof of the burgeoning punk scene in Philly, enter Bandit, who were too cool to get their release date right on Bandcamp leading some people to believe this might have come out as early as December 2022. In fact, a generous colleague of mine1 had noticed this on my wishlist and surprised me with it before that initial release date—I’ve been waiting a while for this one! Siege of Self does not disappoint for those looking for a stripped-down, spacious, yet inescapable grindcore release. Well, grindcore at times of the Pig Destroyer variety except fronted by a guy who’s celebrating the win or loss of his preferred sports team2 after a few too many drinks and not enough sleep (“Siege of Self,” “Mangled Sheep,” “Bring the War Home”). Though never quite escaping the power of their own ferocious groove into the treble-scraping tension that inhabits less death metal-touched grind, Bandit instead resembles the thick and chaotic visions of earlier Wormrot outings that lean on powerviolence as a tool but not an identity (“United in Torment,” “Hoax”). In turn, lead shriek and bark artist Gene Meyer delivers a varied performance that draws equally on feverish whimsy (“Juniata”), deranged tough guy struts (“The Hopeless Romantic”), and ill-advised caterwauls (“Reincarnation Blues,” “Mastery”). Dipping into their own stylized territory of cinema, groove, and grind (“Midnight,” “Bring the War Home,” “End of the Rainbow”), Bandit has done a very good job giving themselves a face in the sea of snappy runtime riffmongers, including opting a spacious DR9 master courtesy of Colin Marston (Krallice, Gorguts, and so many engineering credits…). Give Bandit a chance to steal time away from other bands who give you twice as much to listen to but far fewer reasons to return.
healthyliving – Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief [April 7th, 2023 – Self-Released]
Part of being a big music nerd is doing silly things like falling in love with a band and following their various side projects and offshoots. Back in July of last year, Ashenspire put out Hostile Architecture to critical acclaim, ensuring that I’d do my dive and hopefully find a few nuggets of additional enjoyment, if not the same love. healthyliving boasts not one but two members of the extended Ashenspire family in Amaya López-Carromero (Maud the Moth), who has lent her wild voice as accompaniment, and Scott McLean (Falloch), who has lent his bass and keys talents (reprised here along with boasting guitar duties). However, rather than the theatrical and progressive black metal stylings of that related effort, healthyliving cycles between gothic post-punk scurries (“Until,” “Bloom”) and languished post-metal dirges (“Galleries,” “Obey”). In a similar vein though, it’s absolutely the virtuosic and unpredictable careening and wailing of López-Carromero that sells the impact of Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief. On upbeat crowd-hoppers, she cycles through every 90s alt rock voice you could imagine (“Dream Hive,” “Bloom”), reminding me of last year’s Secret Shame output. The last leg of the album from “Back to Back” to close shifts decidedly in a downcast direction, where her pained wails against slight psychedelic reverb culminate in the industrial cry for help “Obey,” a monster closing number that revels in her piercing upper register, the same color as the darkest Årabrot outings. In a note that’s as Ashenspire as it is Julie Christmas, López-Carromero blows out the mic for the galloping and hypnotic “To the Gallows.” There’s a ton of space on this record—almost too much at its slowest points—but I’ll be damned if I’m not roped back in by whatever angle the vocal line calls. Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief has laid a fascinating foundation for this new act to flourish. With friends like these, there’s sure to be good music abound.