CULT SOUNDS OF 2010

DARK FORTRESS – “Ylem” German melodic black metal. Ylem is a pitch black masterpiece with invocations of the death principle; this album signifies the end of everything that exists now; slow, very heavy with insane blastbeats and orchestral darkness. V. Santura also in Triptykon plays some of the best guitar I’ve heard in years. 

HOUR OF 13 – “The Ritualist” Occult doom metal from North Carolina. This album is a true doom masterpiece that delves into themes of the macabre, darkness, satanic panic, cold atmospheres and complete bleakness.

TRIPTYKON – “Eparistera Daimones” Thomas G. Fischer legendary frontman of Celtic Frost and Hellhammer, unleashes this beautiful black/gothic/avant-garde masterpiece. It’s darker, heavier and more experimantal than anything he’s done before. V. Santura does another impressive job on guitar.

DANZIG – “Deth Red Sabaoth” The master of death blues metal is back with his best work this decade, memories of black magic rituals and satanic sacrifices.

HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS – Mr. and Mrs. Reznor create beautiful industrial/electronic noise with the help of Atticus Ross and Rob Sheridan.

SWANS – “My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky” First Swans album from Michael Gira in 14 years, different than his previous experimental/industrial rock lp’s but equally as good.

ZOROASTER – “Matador” Psychedelic/sludge/doom metal from the swamps of Atlanta, a good trip when your high.

THE FUNERAL PYRE – “Vultures At Dawn” Melodic blackened death metal from CA. One of the best extreme metal albums this year, very dark, eerie and doom laden.

KYLESA – “Spiral Shadow” Psychedelic/sludge metal from Savannah. This album is very early 90’s indie rock influenced, with two vocalists and two drummers, it gives it a unique touch.

INTERPOL – “Interpol” Creepy, morose and sinister dark indie rock with touches of post-punk and shoegaze from a great band from NYC.

FEAR FACTORY – “Mechanize” A cold, menacing mass of mechanical precision with industrialized depth, it hits harder than a truckful of tungsten. Industrial metal from L.A. their best since their 1st album.

DEFTONES – “Diamond Eyes” An album with crushing density, heavy crunchy guitars, soulful and blazing vocals, Deftones at their best.

INTRONAUT – “Valley Of Smoke” A progressive/sludge/jazz metal album, with clean vocals, fluid bass lines, long instrumental passages and excellent percussions. 

THE HIGH CONFESSIONS – “Turning Led Into Gold With…” Psychedelic/industrial rock noise from 4 great artists. Anything that Chris Conelly sings in is great.

TWILIGHT – “Monument To Time End” Blake Judd (Nachtmystium) and Aaron Turner (Isis) creating black metal, enuff said.

CIRCLE OF ANIMALS – “Destroy The Light” A dark and hypnotic industrial album brought to you by Sanford Parker (Minsk) and Bruce Lamont (Yakuza).

HIGH ON FIRE – “Snakes Of The Divine” Thunderous, abrasive roaring blasts, colossal riffs and grim metal with a brute force approach from Mike Pike and the boys.

GRINDERMAN – “Grinderman 2” Nick Cave’s psychedelic/garage rock album, hypnotic at times, it doesn’t get better.

THE TEAR GARDEN – “Have A Nice Trip” Edward Ka-Spel and Cevin Key take us through another great trip into their warp minds.

NACHTMYSTIUM – “Addicts: Black Meddle Part 2” Blake Judd creates another black metal masterpiece that is not black metal.

UNEARTHLY TRANCE – “V” The soundtrack of your soul’s descent into the pits ov hell, pure evil sludge/doom.

“BLACKEST OF THE BLACK 2010” @ THE OGDEN THEATER 11/12/10 DENVER-CO

“Lucifer chose you when you least expected, he called; the power filled you and cold chills of awakening pass through you, fire filled your heart, long have you waited; years pass and for him to return and sing again.” DANZIG – simple, primal, blues based metal. Demonic dirges that lie within, dark and haunting, solid warm sound that balances. Violent musical aggression  with power to seduce the audience to the darkside. Joining Mr. Danzig on tour: Tommy Victor (Prong) on guitar, Steve Zing (Samhain) on bass and Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative) on drums.

Also playing: Possessed – Legendary first death metal band hailing from San Francisco, with Jeff Becerra on vocals, the only original member. Marduk – Black metal from Sweden, “most blasphemous band in the world.” Toxic Holocaust – Thrash metal from Portland and Whithered – Blackened death metal from Atlanta.   

“MAY THE DARK SUN LIGHT YOUR JOURNEY.”

NEW MUSIC

DANZIG – “Deth Red Sabaoth.” The ninth album from the legendary king of death-blues metal. Danzig’s best album since the classic Danzig 4, features Tommy Victor (Prong) on guitars and Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative) on drums, playing some of the best and classic sounds to ever be recorded by Danzig. Black magic rituals and satanic sacrifices are what this songs remind me of, “Pyre Of Souls Pt. 1 & 2” are a death-blues tour de force that start out in the chambers of hell before turning into a 7 minute metal masterpiece. “Ju Ju Bone” is a satanic blues rock anthem, “Rebel Spirits” has a vintage amp sound with deeper darker tones and with old style guitar solos. “On A Wicked Night” starts with a swirling acoustic guitar theme that releases a dark satanic melodic explotion that gives way to slow ominous power chords. The album cover is also a beutiful masterpiece done by Joe Chiodo. Overall the album is a dark and haunting piece of art with violent musical aggression that takes you to the dark side, welcome back Danzig.

HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS – “How To Destroy Angels.” New electronic project from the master Trent Reznor featuring Mariqueen Reznor, Rob Sheridan and Atticus Ross. Named after one of Coil’s best songs, this band mixes noise, electronica, industrial and trip-hop to create a beautiful ethereal soundtrack.

CURRENT 93 – “Baalstorm, Sing Omega.” Cult experimental British band led by David Tibet that mixes neo-folk/dark ambient/noise/industrial to create “Apocalyptic Folk Music.”

PATHOLOGY – “Legacy Of The Ancients.” Brutal death metal from San Diego.

PRIMORDIAL – “Spirit The Earth A Flame.” Irish folk metal?

GALLOWS END – “Nemesis Divine.” True Swedish heavy metal.

ACID BATH – “Paegan Terrorism Tactics.” Reissue from this legendary New Orleans sludge/doom metal band’s 2nd album. They used to mix grindcore/goth vocals/acoustic guitar passages/sampling/spoken word to create a special kind of metal.

GRAND MAGUS – “Hammer Of The North.” Sweden’s heavy metal riff lords.

MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT – “Sinister Whisperz.” 12 remixed Kult classics from the band’s early Wax Trax! years.

ZOROASTER – “Matador.” A psychedelic trip trough the swamps of Georgia. Led by Will Fiore (guitar/vocals), Dan Scanian (drums) and Brent Anderson (bass/vocals) they create a sound that mixes experimental/metal/shoegaze with OM/trance  like vocals to put you in a beautiful state of euphoria.

THE ADICTS – “Life Goes On.” Legendary English punk band.

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT – “Age Of The Fifth Sun.” Instrumental post-rock band from Ireland.

6 FEET DOWN – “One Night In Hell.” Psychobilly metal band from France.

EARLY MAN – “Death Potion.” Thrash/punk metal from L.A.

ALLEGAEON – “Fragments Of Form & Function.” Melodic technical death metal from Fort Collins Colorado.

MOSE GIGANTICUS – “Gift Horse.” A mix of electronic/hardcore punk/metal from Pennsylvania.

NADJA & OVO – “The Life & Death Of A Wasp.” A split record from drone/doom band Nadja and noise/doom/hardcore band OVO.

WAR FROM A HARLOTS MOUTH & BURNING SKIES – Split from German mathcore band WFAHM and English deathcore band Burning Skies.

DEVIL SOLD HIS SOUL – “Blessed and Cursed.” Progressive ambient metal from England.