New Animal Collective EP

Animal Collective will have a new EP out on May 6th via Domino Records. It features four excellent tracks. It has leaked so check it out ad than buy it! Its excellent!

Avsolutized-Den Svarta Våndans Genealogi(2008)
Neinsphere Records
Japan
Black Metal

Walking into Aquarius Records I knew nothing about Avsolutized expect that their website praised them as strange and fucked up black metal from Japan. A formula that sounded good so I picked it up. It sounded better than I would have ever thought and I now present to you what maybe just be the best album of 2008 after only four months.

Avsolutized play strange but strongly melodic black metal that does not sound far from a mixture of Emperor and Arkha Sva. The guitars play hugely epic riffs under the over-the-top vocal lines. The guitar lines are still raw, in a good way, but it does not get contaminated with bad musicianship, which happens to be very tight here, or noisy production. The clean guitar breaks sound very similar to cheaper version of Opeth expect with the very cool opera styled falsetto singing.

The album holds its interesting quality through unique composing with strange bits and pieces here and there. The use of epic guitar breaks with break neck speed gives its breed of raw black metal a different vibe and refreshing vibe that is very rare to find in black metal. I would not tag this album as “progressive black metal” but it does show a much more experimental and full sound that you do not find in the genre much. Songs like “An Everlasting Circulation of Void” build and develop into catchy hymns of darkness that include a fair amount of super high vocals and demented weeping. A very scary song it is.

The minor key melodies play a huge part in the instrumental tracks that create a sinister atmosphere and prelude the track that follows in a proper way. Avsolutized certainly know how to write full songs and not just string riffs together, this skill is shown in “A Lament For You There” and “Utan Död...” , where powerful riffs mix with the extraordinary vocals.

There is a lacks a full album feel though. It is not a declared full-length nor does it have the intention to and it is too long to be an EP but has somehow been called compilation by the band them-self. I am not as to what is being compiled here because of the lack of much released aside for a short demo before this. Keep in mind that the album features a Setheral cover. “My Veins Are Open” sounds excellent but I have never heard the original. I will be sure do to do that soon.

While I would not call the drum machine sounds bad by any means, it does lack a fair amount of diversity and interesting patterns instead of blasting throughout the whole song. The tones do sound real, enough that I did know that they were being produced

The vocals stay sick throughout the whole record. The vocals go from super high falsetto a la Arkha Sva or Peste Noire to low growl vocals. It is perhaps the highlight of the whole record. I can consider this one of the best albums in terms of vocals to come out in the past years. The clean singing is not like much I have ever heard. It is proper classical singing with what seems like a intentional slightly off-key delivery The lyrics have not been really released so I can not comment on them but for some reason they sing in Swedish but are from Japan? Badass indeed.

For fans of: Peste Noire, Emperor, Arkha Sva, Enslaved and Dissection

The album is limited to 500 copies and can be bought through their label Neinsphere Records or Bay-Area record store Aquarius Records.

Blake Judd Interview

Hello, thank you for doing this short interview. I have been noticing that your myspace declares that you guys are NOT black metal. Do you think that Nachtmystium has the ability to move past black metal into a whole new realm of sonic capabilities?

GREETINGS! HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR INTERVIEW, ALWAYS INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING US. YES, WE FEEL THAT LABELING OURSELVES 'BLACK METAL' AT THIS POINT IS COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE AS WE DO NOT ADHERE TO ANY OF THE 'MENTALITY' THATS BEEN ABUSED BY SO MANY STUPID BANDS OUT THERE THAT HAVE DESTROYED WHAT THOSE OF US WHO'VE BEEN AROUND FOR MANY YEARS 'KNOW' WHAT BLACK METAL REALLY IS. AN INTERNET CESSPOOL OF CRAPPY BANDS AND BAD CORPSE PAINT IS NOT BLACK METAL. MASS COMMERCIALIZATION (AND OFTEN TIMES MOCKERY) WAS NEVER WHAT THIS MUSIC WAS ABOUT IN THE PAST, YET TODAY ITS TURNED INTO THIS FACADE OF ITSELF. BESIDES THIS, OUR MUSICAL DIRECTION HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED COURSE...ALTHOUGH THERE ARE STILL MANY BLACK METAL ELEMENTS MUSICALLY, OUR NEW RECORD 'ASSASSINS' (OUT IN MAY/JUNE 2008 ON CENTURY MEDIA) HAS INCORPORATED SO MANY NEW ELEMENTS COMPLETELY ALIEN TO EVEN METAL ITSELF, THAT WE'VE CHOSEN TO NOT USE ANY GENRE TO DEFINE WHAT WE DO. NACHTMYSTIUM SOUNDS LIKE NACHTMYSTIUM, BOTTOM LINE. WE DON'T NEED A STIGMA ATTACHED TO US, ESPECIALLY THAT ONE.

Do you feel that your move to Century Media will help people be able to access your music that have not been able to before and if so do you feel you might get some fans that you might not want?

YES TO BOTH OF THOSE QUESTIONS / POINTS. CENTURY MEDIA IS NOTHING MORE TO US THAN A BIGGER MEANS OF DISTRIBUTION AND EXPOSURE. WE DON'T FEEL TOO MUCH OF A CONNECTION TO ANY BANDS ON THAT LABEL, AND DON'T FEEL THAT WE FIT WITH MANY OF THE BANDS IN THAT SAME REGARD. NOT THAT WE DON'T RESPECT THESE BANDS, WE JUST DON'T FEEL THAT WE SHARE MUCH COMMON GROUND WITH THEM MUSICALLY OR IDEOLOGICALLY...SO OUR SIGNING WITH THIS LABEL IS PURELY IN SELF-INTEREST OF GREATER EXPOSURE, LARGER BUDGETS TO CREATE BETTER SOUNDING AND MORE IN-DEPTH RECORDS, TOUR FINANCING, ETC. THUS FAR, THE STAFF THERE HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO US AND THEY SEEM HAPPY TO GIVE US WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING WHAT WE WANT, AND IN TURN, WE WILL WORK HARD TO MAKE IT WORTH THEIR INVESTMENTS AND EFFORTS. WE DON'T PLAN ON SUDDENLY BECOMING INVOLVED WITH OTHER CM ARTISTS NECESSARILY THOUGH. AS FOR THE FANS, WE DON'T CARE WHO LIKES US, IF PEOPLE ARE INTO IT AND MAY NOT BE INTO WHAT WE LISTEN TO PERSONALLY, THATS FINE...EVERYONES ENTITLED TO THEIR OWN TASTES AND OPINIONS, AND IF WE CAN SATISFY THE TASTES OF A PARTICULAR LISTENER, THATS GREAT, IF NOT, THATS FINE ALSO.


Have heard through certain people, in fact it was at my local FYE, that you have worked at the local Chicago store Metal Haven. Did you indeed work there and enjoy your time there? Do you feel that stores like these need to still be around to keep the metal scene alive?

GREAT QUESTION! YES, I DID INDEED WORK AT METAL HAVEN IN CHICAGO MANY, MANY YEARS AGO. ITS BEEN ALMOST 5 YEARS SINCE I LEFT TO GO ON DOING MY OWN THING, BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND THE PERFECT JOB TO HAVE AS A TEENAGER. MARK (OWNER) WAS REALLY GOOD TO ME BY GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK THERE, AS IT REALLY HELPED ME NETWORK WITH THE OTHER METAL HEADS AND BANDS IN TOWN, AND I OWE A LOT OF MY FRIENDSHIPS / BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS HERE IN CHICAGO TO MY TIME SPENT WORKING THERE. I THINK ITS GREAT A STORE LIKE THIS IS STILL AROUND AND CAN SURVIVE IN THE AGE OF 'NO RECORD STORES'. SEEING MAJOR CHAINS FALL APART (TOWER RECORDS, ETC) REALLY WAS A SHOCK FOR THE INDUSTRY, AND SMALLER 'MOM AND POP' SHOPS FACE THE BURDEN OF THAT POTENTIAL FATE EVEN MORE THAN A CHAIN, SO TO SEE METAL HAVEN STILL KEEPING ITS DOORS OPEN FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS NOW IS TRULY A TRIUMPH AND A TESTIMONY TO THE DEDICATION OF METAL FANS. I HOPE THE STORE AND THOSE OUT THERE LIKE IT STILL HOLDING ON CAN PROSPER 'TIL THE END OF TIME!


I have read on a few of your interviews that you mention a liking for the New York Post-Punk band Interpol. I happen to be a HUGE fan of them and would like to know what you find interesting about their music. Also, they recently moved to Capitol Records, a major label, and still managed to keep a certain underground “sounds” and mindset, do you think that this could work the same way with metal music?

WOW, COOL YOU DIG INTERPOL. I LOVE THIS BAND. COULD CARE LESS WHO THEY'RE SIGNED TO OR IF THEY'RE ON MTV OR NOT, THEIR MUSIC, TO ME, IS PURE JOY DIVISION WORSHIP AND THEREFORE, I'M VERY INTO THEIR SOUND BY DEFAULT. I THINK ITS GREAT THAT A BAND LIKE THAT CAN PLAY SUCH OBVIOUSLY HONEST MUSIC AND BE NOTICED ON A MAJOR SCALE. I JUST HOPE THEIR DEAL ON CAPITOL WILL PROVE TO BE A GOOD MOVE FOR THEM! AND YES, I THINK THAT BANDS CAN MAINTAIN INTEGRITY COMPLETELY WHEN MOVING FROM A SMALL LABEL TO A BIG LABEL...ITS ALL UP TO THE BAND REALLY. IF YOU ALLOW YOUR SELF TO BECOME A WHORE FOR A MAJOR LABEL, THEN YOU EITHER SIGNED A BAD DEAL (WHICH IS ALWAYS THE BANDS FAULT...HIRE FUCKING LAWYERS PEOPLE! GET THEM TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE SIGNING, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACT 'VICTIMIZED' WHEN YOU SELL 100,000 RECORDS AND DON'T MAKE SHIT!) OR YOU'VE CHOSEN TO BECOME THE WHORE, THE SELL OUT. ITS ALL UP TO THE CREATOR IN THE END. WE REFUSE TO BE WHORES AND WILL ONLY DO AS WE PLEASE, AND WE'VE MADE THAT PERFECTLY CLEAR TO THE LABELS WE WORK WITH, AND I THINK THATS HELPED US EARN RESPECT FROM THEM IN SOME WAYS.

Where and how do you find your records right now? What stores or websites are your favorite?

HMMM...I HONESTLY HAVEN'T PURCHASED MUCH MUSIC IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. I GENERALLY ONLY BUY VINYL, AND WHEN I BUY IT, ITS GENERALLY FROM METAL HAVEN OR RECKLESS RECORDS HERE IN CHICAGO. I TRY TO ALWAYS BUY FROM A STORE AS OPPOSED TO ORDERING ONLINE, HOWEVER, THATS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE. I ORDER FROM AQUARIUS RECORDS IN SAN FRANCISCO OCCASIONALLY, AND OF COURSE USE EBAY TO FIND THINGS THAT AREN'T SO EASY TO FIND. ITS NOT OFTEN I FIND MYSELF WANTING 'NEW' MUSIC THOUGH, I TEND TO HANG AROUND THE USED VINYL SECTION OF THESE ESTABLISHMENT DIGGING UP OBSCURE 70'S PSYCH-ROCK RECORDS AND OLD 80'S METAL. YOU CAN BE SURE I'LL ALWAYS FLIP THROUGH THE USED ZZ TOP LP SECTION AS WELL, HAHA!


What are your current favorite records right now?

RIGHT NOW I'M COMPLETELY OBSESSED WITH KILLING JOKE'S ALBUM 'HOSANNAS FROM THE BASEMENTS OF HELL' ALBUM. GREAT INDUSTRIAL ROCK, NOT TOO UNLINK OLD MINISTRY, BUT WITH ITS OWN GREAT VIBE. I'M A HUGE MINISTRY FREAK, SO DISCOVERING KILLING JOKE WAS GREAT FOR THAT SIDE OF MY MUSICAL FORTE. THAT ALBUM IS AMAZING (AND YOU MY FRIEND, SHOULD GET THIS ALBUM IF YOU'RE INTO INTERPOL...THERES SOME COMMON GROUND) OTHER THAN THAT, I'VE BEEN DIGGING A LOT OF OLD EARLY 80'S METAL THAT WAS SPAWNED FROM THE WHOLE NWOBHM MOVEMENT. OUR PRODUCER CHRIS BLACK IS OBSESSED WITH THIS TYPE OF METAL AND HAS TURNED ME ONTO SOME GREAT BANDS SUCH AS AFTER DARK, BERSERKS, DANGER ZONE, ETC. SO I'VE BEEN DIGGING ON AS MUCH OF THAT AS I CAN GET MY HANDS ON. NOT TOO MUCH JUMPING OUT IN MY MIND RIGHT NOW THOUGH AS FAR AS NEW MUSIC GOES...


What was your top 5 of 2007?

1. NIFELHEIM - ENVOY OF LUCIFER
2. MANES - HOW THE WORLD CAME TO AN END
3. QUEENS OF THE STONEAGE - ERA VULGARIS
4. YEAR OF NO LIGHT - NORD
5. HIGH ON FIRE - DEATH IS THIS COMMUNION

Whats next for Battle Kommand?(In fact as I am typing this question out I reading the statement on your website.)

BATTLE KOMMAND IS HAVING AN ENTIRE NEW WEBSITE BUILT CURRENTLY AND WE'RE RECONSTRUCTING OUR SHOPPING CART FOR MORE EFFICIENT ONLINE ORDERING, ETC. THE PREVIOUS PAGE WAS SO 'CAVE MAN' IN ALL WAYS THAT IT CAUSED SHIT TO PILE UP HERE TO THE POINT THAT I COULD HARDLY HANDLE THE WORK, ESPECIALLY WORKING PRIMARILY BY MYSELF. SO, WE'RE ELIMINATING SOME THINGS, ADDING SOME NEW THINGS AND OVER ALL IT SHOULD BE A BETTER PLATFORM ALL AROUND. WE'VE GOT LOTS OF SIGNING AND NEW RECORDS TO PUT OUT THIS COMING YEAR, SO CHECK THE SITE FOR UPDATES...IT'LL BE AT LEAST MID-FEBRUARY BEFORE WE'RE OFFICIALLY BACK ONLINE.


Last question, I have noticed that in recent times black metal has been pushed into the more mainstream side of the indie world. An example is Pitchfork Media has been covering everything from Sunn 0))) to Xasthur to even Peste Noire, but not uninteresting bands like Cradle Of Filth or Dimmu Borgior. Is this interesting that these certain bands are being focused on in areas that seem out of black metal comfortable zone?

WE'RE NOT STRANGERS TO THE PITCHFORK MEDIA METAL FASCINATION. AS A MATTER OF FACT, NACHTMYSTIUM WAS THE FIRST BAND THEY EVER FEATURED IN THE 'SHOW NO MERCY' COLUMN (WHICH IS THEIR PRIMARY METAL SECTION ON THERE) I THINK ITS GREAT THAT THEY IGNORE RIDICULOUS BANDS LIKE THE ONES YOU MENTIONED...THERES VERY LITTLE 'ART' IN WHAT EITHER OF THOSE BANDS DO IN MY OPINION, AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW AND USE PITCHFORK AS A RESOURCE KNOW THAT THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY 'MUSIC SNOBS' AND THATS A GOOD THING. THEY DON'T COVER BANDS THAT MAKE MUSIC FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR T-SHIRT MARKETING AND APPEASING 14 YEAR OLD GIRLS WHEN THEY SHOP AT HOT TOPIC. I THINK ITS GREAT. THEY FOCUS ON REAL BANDS AND MUSICIANS THAT DON'T GET THE MAIN STREAM COVERAGE THEY MAY OR MAY NOT DESERVE. ITS A REALLY GREAT SOURCE. I THINK ITS ALSO A POSITIVE THING TO SEE INDIE MEDIA IN GENERAL PICKING UP ON SOME OF THE VERY CREATIVE THINGS HAPPENING THESE DAYS WITHIN THE METAL AND ROCK COMMUNITIES. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT WE, THE METAL BANDS OF THE FUTURE, KEEP THINGS INTERESTING AND FRESH ENOUGH TO WARRANT SUCH BAD ASS COVERAGE.


Thank you for doing this interview.

CHEERS MAN, THANKS FOR THE INTERVIEW!

Mission Statement

Welcome!

This first post will me somewhat of a mission statement for us, or for myself. I like music and I hope you all do also. I plan to post reviews, interviews and news on all that is music. Be it black metal, noise, forgotten classic rock gems or indie Rock, because lets face it music is music and if it is good than why should we not listen to it? I hope you can read this blog with a open mind and be open to all that is music and Obscure Art!


-Pascal