The days grow short and Listurnalia grows ever more refined and thoughful. Or so you would like. See what El Cuervo and GardensTale do to the curve.
Ulthar
Vastum – Inward to Gethsemane Review
“San Francisco’s Vastum have been an interesting act to follow since they hit the scene in 2011. Employing an especially moist, slimy cavern-core sound owing much to Incantation, Autopsy, and Funebrarum, their savage attack was hard to resist on ace offerings like Patricidal Lust and Hole Below. With current and former members of Hammers of Misfortune, Acephalix, and Ulthar involved, they crafted some unsettling, evil-sounding shit and their writing felt more interesting than the average death output. 2019s Orificial Purge felt like a comedown in quality and inventiveness, though it was still an enjoyable platter of mostly mid-paced death. Now comes Inward to Gethsemane and with it, a hope for a rebound to the vile magic of their earlier days.” Is ugly enough?
Tithe – Inverse Rapture Review
“Portland, Oregon’s Tithe has been plying its trade since 2017. Starting out as a two-piece, with Matt Eiseman on guitars and vox, and Kevin Swartz behind the kit, the band released a self-titled EP that year. In 2018, bassist Alex Huddleston joined the fold and Tithe began work on their full-length debut, Penance. Despite dropping at the height of the pandemic, that record generated a little buzz around the band, with its fusion of death, black, grind and even hints of doom packed into its modest run time. Three years on and the trio is back with sophomore effort, Inverse Rapture.” Rise and Tithe.
Ulthar – Helionomicon Review
“I’ve written already about Ulthar and their ambitious attempt to overturn norms by releasing 2 separate but related albums concurrently. Anthronomicon offers a death metal tour de force, bending surprisingly sophisticated songwriting and exemplary riffs into an oppressive but imaginative album. Helionomicon, however, goes even further. It’s described on its one sheet as a “psycho-cerebral spectacle,” indicating its grand designs and contemplative approach. And all of this across just two 20-minute tracks.” A-lotonomicom.
Ulthar – Anthronomicon Review
“Ulthar represent one of the strongest ascents in death metal that I can think of. Their debut was a sloppy and unrefined affair but their sophomore was a precise, punishing powerhouse. Many modern metal bands operate on a 3-year album cycle with Ulthar’s announcement of a new record in 2023 not being particularly surprising. What was surprising, however, was that they announced two albums. Not a double album; rather, two concurrent releases following an apparent overflow of creativity during the last couple of years. While this sounds like a recipe for an uninspired disaster, their immense quality on the last record meant I withheld pre-judgment. First, Anthronomicon.” Double the pressure.
![The Ridiculous Year o’ Death Metal, Part 1 [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]](https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Morgue.jpg)
The Ridiculous Year o’ Death Metal, Part 1 [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]
“We can all agree it has been a horrific year. Fortunately for the metal community, our lexicon is inverted. Rest assured that, when I say death metal has been absolutely disgusting in 2020, it can only be a good thing. While we at Angry Metal Guy have done our best to cover as much calamity as possible, it was inevitable that some releases would go unrecognized. To that end, this round-up exists solely to shed unholy light on those atrocities that didn’t quite make the cut, but still warrant your attention.” Become death.
El Cuervo’s and Diabolus in Muzaka’s Top Ten(ish) of 2020
El Cuervo and Diabolus in Muzaka want in on this whole Top Ten(ish) thing that’s going around. Let them have a turn.
Doom_et_Al’s and Dear Hollow’s Top Ten(ish) of 2020
Doom_et_Al and Dear Hollow have their big boy lists. Did they use that great power responsibly?
Record(s) o’ the Month – June 2020
Straight from quarantine come the Record(s) o’ the Month for June 2020. Are you healthy enough to enjoy of deep quality?
Ulthar – Providence Review
“Their debut in 2018 was received poorly by the respective probationary writer, noting that it suffered from “conflating incomprehensible fury and aimless blasting with gripping riffs and relentless aggression.” While it was slightly underrated, and this at least demonstrates that not all of the probationary writers were overrating bastards (though all the ones who made the cut are), it was far from essential and hardly suggested that there were great things to come. Enter 2020 and Providence.” New year, new gear.
