Portal - Vexovoid (2013)

Portal have been among the most peculiar black/death metal bands since their incarnation in 1998. They haven't been so busy writing material all time, putting out only three full-lengths since, and yet they've maintained their position as one of the most important bands of the last decade. Their minimal use of eight-string guitars might remind one of Meshuggah, while their approach is precisely the opposite. Portal are clearly musical primitivists, and unlike Meshuggah, do not indulge in technical sides of things, whether minimal or not. Likewise, their brand of horror remains not a sci-fi one, but one coming straight from the depth of the Lovecrafian universe. To further intensify their end, they also benefit from a semi-lo-fi production sound that is nowhere as near to the clear-cut, contemporary death metal consensus sound; blending a great deal of noise and electric murk a casual listener might not even be able to grasp the majority of the riffs in the first listen. I can say, however, that "Vexovoid" could be named as their most hi-fi effort to date, since its production is way more clearer than any of their previous releases, but nevertheless it remains, still, way off the consensus. The only disappointing point about the record is that it's a short ride, running around 35 minutes; that is considering it's their first record in four years.

Nunfuckritual - In Bondage To The Serpent (2011)

It is always fascinating to see supergroups happen in the underground scene, mostly because it won't be for money, and rather for creation. Down, Shrinebuilder, the Company Band, ... all have been fresh and genuine and among the most perfect bands ever, but in the deepest, darkest corners of the scene, we weren't able to see something like that happen till now. Nunfuckritual not only put an end to that, this unholy cult of black metallers consisting Mayhem's Teloch; Altaar's Espen T. Hangård, Brutal Truth's (also Nuclear Assault and many others) Dan Lilker; along with Tyrant's Andreas Jonsson, plus some guest appearances by Attila Csihar and 1349's Ravn, have came up with their very unique concept -- something thoroughly different from what all the members have done in the past with their own bands, and that's exactly what is all about a great supergroup. "In Bondage To The Serpent" is a collection of six songs experimenting the other side of darkness, it's not merely about nun-raping, blasphemy, and chaos; it's a second look at the darkest philosophies of the universe, something that Mayhem did, sort of with "Ordo Ad Chao" but utilizing more and more dark ambient and psychedelia, allowing the band to traverse beyond the spectrum of metal music at various points. The vocals are also not the cliche shrieking-type, and that's what I dug about this record the most. It's clear that bands like Nunfuckritual simply rescue the black metal genre from turning into another useless melodic subgenre. This record is a must-have for every single Mayhem, Darkthrone fan as for those with interest in dark experimental music (Gravetemple, Robe., ....).

Black Breath - Sentenced To Life (2012)

When it comes to metal and punk, the 80's glares like the sun itself. The amount of sonic wickedness and all the scenic frenzy that was around, those days, was nearly out of control. Lately, a lot of bands have attempted to hash over the spirit of that time, and one of the most recent and notable ones are Black Breath. Since their debut EP in 2008, "Razor To Oblivion", Black Breath have been this chapel for those sharing interests in everything old-school -- may it be crossover thrash, death n' roll, or just some d-beat. "Sentenced To Life" is, if nothing else, 33 minutes of skull-splitting metal mania.

Zombie Inc. - A Dreadful Decease (2012)

Never being interested in the subject, Ossorio's "Blind Dead" series has been my most zombie-related film favorite. Here it is now, Zombie Inc., a band fulfilled with zombie-themed lyrics and imagery. Setting aside all things zombie about Zombie Inc., musically and vocally, they offer an old-school death metal sound, in reminiscent of Entombed, Obituary, and early Brutal Truth. And yes, this is truly old-school, and that means not the Vanhelgd type.

Dragged Into Sunlight - Hatred For Mankind (2009)

Anti-everything in their own words, Dragged Into Sunlight play what could be a point where sludge metal, crust punk, and blackened death metal all sound the same. Like a bastard child of Hellhammer, Asphyx, Leviathan, His Hero Is Gone, and Noothgrush; they forge sheer sonic atrocities -- songs imploding enough to tear down the speakers if necessary. Their only full-length, released in 2009 -- "Hatred For Mankind" --  is a collection of six unholy psalms, running over fifty minutes. It's a record just as desperate and desolate as Sadistic Intent, early Rwake, and Carnivore; with samples implanted in between the tracks, and an overall lo-fi mix. Though ruthless as they might be, the DIS also subsume to their sound, soundscapes; what their colleges in Bongripper also incorporate, but with the immutable, fiendish vocals on top, they rarely stop beating the shit out of the listener. Not many bands go where DIS are headed to, and so they're in league of their own. A league from Hell itself, that is.

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Fister/The Lion's Daughter - And Their Masters Bled For Days (2011)

"And Their Masters Bled For Days" is the name of the split two underground bands, Fister and the Lion's Daughter, released earlier this month. Each band's music compliments the other's superbly, and it has been perfected with a brilliant artwork. Production wise, the album sounds like an absolute monster -- the drums sound dirty as fuck, kind of Crowbar-like, huge beats. The guitars melt and blister, and if you listen to that at maximum volume, it's going to bury the whole fucking place in just a few minutes. The level of instrumentation heard on 'Witchfucker' is nearly insane, reminiscing the Eagle Twin grand, 'And It Came To Pass That Birds Fell To Earth As Black Snakes'. This is -- one hell of a mini-release and one hell of a split, on par with all the greats from the past; e.g. "Meatjack & Damad", "Earth & KK Null", "Plutocracy & Phobia", "Hate Forest & Legion Of Doom", "Acid King / Altamont".

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Vattnet Viskar - Demo (2011)

Can't get enough of Withered? Check this demo out by Vattnet Viskar.

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