Wode – Uncrossing the Keys Review

By ClarkKent

In neither of his two prior Wode reviews did El Cuervo pose the question, what is a wode, outside of being fodder for bad puns? A trip to Wiktionary tells me that it is a term related to rage, insanity, rabidness, and the like. Listening to Wode’s now four full-length albums, that definition feels right; their music does sometimes take on characteristics of frantic madness. Wode took the underground metal world by storm when they released their eponymous debut in 2016 and they have only grown their fan base since then. Though El Cuervo began to sour on them with Burn in Many Mirrors, it was a top seller for 20 Buck Spin in 2021. Four years later Wode now release the successor, Uncrossing the Keys, to anxiously excited fans. The question I pose is this: wode you like to find out if it was worth the wait?

The way it starts off, Uncrossing the Keys promises to be a rollicking good time. Following the sounds of keys unlocking an obnoxiously loud door, “Two Crossed Keys” gets things going with one hell of a catchy melodic lead. Coupled with up-tempo blast beats and great riffs, this opener is just plain fun. Follow-up “Under Lanternlight” continues the hot streak with a similarly catchy, but distinctive, melodic riff and tons of energy. This song shows off Wode’s dynamism with a more winding structure, but they make sure to return to their hooks before it’s over. One of El Cuervo’s main critiques of the preceding album was a lack of strong hooks, and right off the bat, Wode seek to remedy that. If only they had kept going this route, we’d be talking about a great album. As it stands, they move away from the melodic route and take off-ramps to many other styles. This other stuff isn’t bad, but it doesn’t reach the heights of the first two songs.

Wode sounds more complex than they seem on the surface. It’s not all aggressive black in the vein of Sarastus. They also play a fair amount of post-metal with dreamy passages, as well as some doom. The doom works pretty well, evoking Paradise Lost without reaching the quality of their most recent output (“Transmutation,” “Prisoner of the Moon”). These tracks convey a mournful melodicism but don’t stray far from Wode’s characteristic sound. On the less melodic side lies the more dynamic post-metal material. These tracks, which tend to be on the longer side, take twists and turns using tempo shifts and elaborate dual guitar riffs (“Saturn Shadow,” “Lash of the Tyrant”). Even though these songs lack the hooks of the early tracks, the reverb on the guitar and the singer’s unique vocal style provide ample atmosphere. Depending on what it is you like from your black metal, Uncrossing the Keys has a mix that’s sure to either delight or frustrate.

For my tastes, I found this a frustrating listen. Wode made a poor decision in following up their two catchiest tunes with perhaps the most meandering, least hook-y number, “Saturn Shadow,” killing the momentum. At 42 minutes, Uncrossing the Keys is not much longer than its predecessor, but it still feels too long. It doesn’t help that the longest tracks are also the least grounded, and their instrumental wandering makes it easy to feel lost. Add in some pointless musical passages, like the instrumental “Phantom,” and poorly done song intros that take too long to get to the goods (“Dashed on the Rocks”), and Uncrossing the Keys often feels like instrumentation in search of a song. Even when Wode does find killer hooks, they sometimes abandon them early on (“Dashed on the Rocks,” “Fiery End”). It’s as though this black/traditional band has an aversion towards traditional song structures.

I say all of this out of love because I really enjoy a lot of what Wode does here. “Two Crossed Keys” and “Under Lanternlight” are some of my favorite songs of the year. As a whole, Uncrossing the Keys fails to hold up on close listens, and even when listening to it in the background, you get the sense of a discernible drop in the second half. I suspect that if you admired Burn in Many Mirrors, you’ll also enjoy this. At its best, this one outshines its predecessor, but it also struggles with Wode’s inability to lock in their hooks. It’s a shame—these guys are great riffsmiths when they put their minds to it. More focused songwriting could push them to the next level.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: October 3rd, 2025

#25 #20BuckSpin #2025 #BlackMetal #DoomMetal #EnglishMetal #Oct25 #ParadiseLost #Review #Reviews #Sarastus #UncrossingTheKeys #Wode

Ritual Mass – Cascading Misery Review

By Kenstrosity

It’s difficult to enter a conversation about death doom without thinking, at least once, of Incantation. Or Autopsy. Or Asphyx. Or any number of other acts in between. But not many of them choose “Christian Mysticism” as their primary theme. Here enters Pittsburg death doom upstarts Ritual Mass, primed to unleash their debut slab of biblical horrors Cascading Misery upon this God-fearing world. One can only wonder what fresh Hell this tome holds.

Thankfully, I know what fresh hell this holds, and it is nasty. With serrated tones and a cavernous boom, Cascading Misery reeks of the same rotted death Incantation made a sensation, doomed and dour in pace and attitude. Yet, it is monstrous, bloodthirsty, and quintessentially evil at the same time, in the same way Replicant often is (“Frozen Marrow”). In six songs spread across 40 minutes, Cascading Misery portrays Ritual Mass as a capable, confident purveyor of anguish trained in the ways of olde death, twisted by the corrupted lore of hellish origin. A lack of distinct identity holds them back, though, as much of this material feels and sounds all too deeply rooted in methods and modes trademarked by the aforementioned legendary acts. Maybe this lands Ritual Mass into the worshipping class of modern revivals, but there’s much potential here for growth and distinction as they develop their sound further.

Much of this potential lies in funereal closer “Disquiet” and blistering tear “Cascading Misery.” In the former—a 14 minute epic of glacial, stripped down doom book-ended by vicious death freakouts—Ritual Mass showcase an unexpected tenderness that belies the violence of the beast that raged relentlessly for 30 minutes prior. This tenderness brings in a new voice, an unexpected dynamic that pulls me into a deep void of sorrow, a kind of sorrow that changes my entire perception of what this record seemed to be up to that point. Consequently, when it breaks in the third quarter into a desperate, screeching howl, I’m not stricken with fear and terror. I’m instead flooded with sympathy and a desire to hold close this wounded creature before me. On the opposite side of the same coin, “Cascading Misery” shreds through flesh, bone, and gristle with a maddened fervor, mercilessly terrorizing everyone and destroying everything around it. A ferocious spirit possesses that track, one that nobody on Earth or in any afterlife could ever hope to quell or heal.

This duality roiling within a single tortured entity is the core of Cascading Misery to these ears, and it’s what Ritual Mass needs to capitalize on further in order to stand out in a crowded musical space. Outside of an outstanding drum performance that routinely elevates every moment of Cascading Misery, it simply takes too long for this debut to showcase something remarkable. The first three tracks lack distinguishing characteristics, both from the cavernous genre that they occupy and within the microcosm of the record itself. Generic riffs, monotonous song structures, and relatively dull doom passages conspire to undermine those great ideas and ample substance contained inside Cascading Misery’s strongest material. This, ultimately, is an issue of consistency. In many ways, Cascading Misery is a perfectly competent, even good record based solely on what’s offered in the first half. However, in light of the presence and clever creativity that characterizes the second half, that perfect competence doesn’t feel so perfect anymore. Instead, it feels like more than just a few missed opportunities.

All things taken into account, Cascading Misery is difficult to rate. On the one hand, Ritual Mass offers a nasty slab of doomed death that deviates modestly, but still notably, away from the stereotypical subject matter. On the other, they don’t take full advantage of their creative juices, choosing to saturate the second half with killer ideas and leaving the first half a bit malnourished. The optimist in me believes wholeheartedly that this only means Ritual Mass left plenty of room for them to grow for their sophomore effort. Let us pray that this turns out to be the case!

Rating: Mixed
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Website: ritualmass.bandcamp.com/music
Releases Worldwide: September 5th, 2025

#25 #20BuckSpin #2025 #AmericanMetal #Asphyx #Autopsy #CascadingMisery #DeathDoom #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #Incantation #Replicant #Review #Reviews #RitualMass #Sep25

Bleed – Bleed Review

By Saunders

Record label dependability is a handy gauge for assessing quality in the crowded realms of the metalverse. The gauge isn’t always foolproof, but more often than not, a handful of trustier labels in the biz deliver on both quality and individuality. Pittsburgh-based record label 20 Buck Spin has championed many a fine band since its inception 20 years ago, boasting a diverse roster, currently including wide-ranging acts such as Fulci, Vastum, Slimelord, Bedsore, Tribunal, and Worm. It was a curious promotion of Texan band Bleed that piqued my interest. Even amidst the label’s solid variety and idiosyncrasies, on paper Bleed appear an unusual fit. Firstly, Bleed have no affiliation with the extreme sounds of many of their labelmates, instead leaning into a chunky and melodic alternative metal/rock sound channeling late ’90s and early ’00s vibes. Although carrying enough metallic clinks and weighty riffs, in many facets, Bleed fall into the metal adjacent category, bound to satisfy and repel this fine readership in divisive ways. With a solid 2021 EP under their belts, can Bleed add some fresh threads to an endearingly modern meets retro formula?

Nostalgia is a strong emotion in the music world, and Bleed ride those throwback feels hard across a tight and punchy collection of airy, spacey alt metal tunes. There is a deceptive versatility gushing from Bleed’s emotive songwriting. Shoegazing atmospherics, throwback nü grooves, Deftones-powered dynamics, and hints of Helmet, early Incubus, and Failure coalesce into a crunchy, riff-centric slab of moody alt metal. Bleed possess the chunky modern elements and fresh vibes to transcend mere throwback values. Furnishing fat riffs and fatter grooves with soft-loud dynamics, where dreamy, glistening melodies, subdued verses, and mellow breaks intertwine with nü flavored heavy rock and angsty alternative metal. The formula largely works to reel in the target audience, delivering a collection of compact, infectious, hooky delights.

Showing their hand from the outset, the chunky opening riffs and turntable scratching of opener “Climbing Down” deliver a retro trip. Bolstered by punchy riffs crashing over moody textures and an ethereal melodic sheen, the song plays on the band’s strengths. These recurring factors create the signature dreamy feel permeating the album, as Bleed prove talented musicians with a knack for hooky songwriting and tightly synced performances. Bleed’s formula it not overly complicated or flashy, yet they nail execution, the engaging melodies and catchy riffs creating a soothing atmosphere comfortable to get lost in. Keeping their writing on a tight leash, Bleed rigidly remain true to their formula, imbuing each song with individual character and throwing down the occasional curveball. “Shallow” dabbles in more subdued, acoustic-driven waters, featuring a chilled, almost hypnotic, psychedelic cadence, rippling with interesting melodies. The heavier vocal turns add a welcome edge to earworm nuggets on lead singles “Marathon” and “Enjoy Your Stay” (featuring Static Dress). Elsewhere, the riffs do the heavier lifting, driving the likes of “Fixate” and “Killing Time,” setting the stage for the shifting dynamics and enveloping melodies to take hold.

“Through the Cylinder” is another solid showcase of what Bleed do well, threading engaging melodies through an escalating arrangement, culminating in heavier vox and a bruising breakdown. Over the course of the album, singer/guitarist Ryan Hughes offers up deceptively earwormy, emotive vocal hooks, though his airy style may present as ‘whiny’ to some listeners, potentially being a deal breaker. The heavier backing screams and barks sporadically cutting through the mix create a pleasing counterpoint, and extra grit in the vocal department would be a welcome addition. Nevertheless, his chilled, emotive style has its charms, especially when coupled with the band’s sturdy riff foundation and floating melodic currents. Hughes and fellow guitarist Noah Boyce drive Bleed’s richly textured sound, combining subtle motifs, shoegazing vibes and cool atmospheric licks, with a memorable range of killer riffs and extra chunky grooves.

Bleed’s self-titled debut is bound to cause a buzz in the metal and rock scenes, while proving a divisive experience for many. As an impressionable youngster when the new millennium rolled around, with one foot in the extreme metal sounds and the other exploring the trends of the times, Bleed’s fresh spin on a retro sound forms a nostalgic, transportive experience with enough tricks and character to ground things in the here and now. And despite its flaws, Bleed’s endearing charms, muscular riffs, contemplative shoegazing, and subtly addictive hooks prove difficult to shake.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Website: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: May 2nd, 2025

#20BuckSpin #2025 #35 #AlternativeMetal #AlternativeRock #AmericanMetal #Bedsore #Bleed #Deftones #Fulci #Helmet #Incubus #Review #Reviews #Shoegaze #Slimelord #StaticDress #Vastum #Worm

Tribunal – In Penitence and Ruin Review

By Steel Druhm

Tribunal’s 2023 debut was one of those unheralded albums that came out of nowhere and walloped you with a warhammer, leaving you to collect thoughts and teeth in the aftermath. A brilliant take on Gothic doom, The Weight of Remembrance borrowed much from genre elders like My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, and Draconian, but somehow managed to feel fresh and fascinating. A true labor of love from Soren Mourne and Etienne Flinn, the album balanced heaviness, beauty, mood, and melody and left you wanting MOAR. Now, after much anticipation, we get more in the form of sophomore outing, In Penitence and Ruin. The dynamic duo have brought on new members to form a complete band, and In Penitence and Ruin is a bigger, more expansive record, moving from their Gothic doom base outward toward Candlemassive-esque epic doom. It’s a grand declaration of intent, but can Tribunal rule yet again?

The headline here is that In Penitence lacks some of the sheer heaviness and the sense of dread that made the debut so captivating. In the push to expand their sound, Tribunal sacrificed weight for scope and breadth, bringing them closer to the Draconian school of Goth doom. Opener “Incarnadine” is a beautiful piece of music in line with what they did last time. Piano and understated cello combine with doom riffs, and Soren’s ethereal voice pairs perfectly with Etienne’s death roars and blackened rasps. It’s a gorgeous song with peaks and valleys of emotion, but it’s a bit too light at times, letting the orchestrations overpower the riffs. “A Wound Unhealing” brings back the oppression with a plodding journey that manages to be both theatrical and heavy as fook. Soren kills it with her impassioned vocals that almost reach the operatic stage, and the presence of harpsichord and cello doesn’t disrupt the huge doom riffage that plods all over the lot. This is what I want from Tribunal, and it’s wonderful. “The Sword of the Slain” is another highlight, blending extra blackened elements into the doom stew for a dark and powerful sound. The riffs channel primitive Bathorycore as Soren flies high above and Etienne snarls and roars for all he’s worth. This one is a grim keeper.

While the front half of In Penitence is exceptional, the back half is a touch less so. “…and the Thorn-Choked Flowers” is very good, hitting that sweet spot between Draconian and Novembers Doom, and “Amoured in Shadow” is perhaps the most memorable piece present due to big vocal hooks. On the downside, “Penitence” is a nice track, but not as enthralling as its peers. Closer “Between the Sea and Stars” is quite good, even if it sounds more like Seven Spires than Tribunal, but it lacks the heavy doom oomph I crave. At 48:21, In Penitence doesn’t feel overly long, and though not every track is a showstopper, none drag or feel expendable. The top shelf stuff is similar to what we got on the debut, and the few tracks that slip a notch are still good. The downturn in overall heaviness isn’t fatal, and the more expansive soundscape opens up new worlds for them to explore in the future.

While Soren’s vocals were often understated on the debut, she’s the beating heartbeat of the Tribunal sound here. She goes all in, too, showcasing her considerable range and power. Her wide-ranging vocals propel the compositions to great heights, sometimes reminding one of Jex Thoth, and at others, Tower’s Sarabeth Linden. If you heard the debut, you’ll be surprised by the force of her delivery. She moves from angelic to mournful to outright badass as the material demands, and she impresses at every turn. Her graceful cello work adds a layer of melancholic class to the proceedings, with it getting in the way of the riffs only occasionally. Etienne impresses playing the rampaging beast to Soren’s beauty, delivering booming death roars and scathing blackened rasps. His guitar work alongside new axe Jessica Yang yields big doom riff energy and enough weepy trilling to sell the despair. They take a minimalist approach to solos, letting the cello fill in the blanks, but it works.

This was one of the year’s more anticipated releases for yours Steely, and though it doesn’t hit with the same force as The Weight of Remembrance, In Pentience and Ruin is still a very good, and nearly great Gothic doom album. Yes, there’s a general softening as they try to expand the boundaries of their sound, but this is still compelling and heavy enough to satisfy that unsightly doom itch. Tribunal continue to impress and I’m excited to see where they go next. Hear this and get depressed in a fucking classy way.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Websites: instagram.com/tribunaldoom | facebook.com/tribunaldoom
Releases Worldwide: April 18th, 2025

#20BuckSpin #2025 #35 #Apr25 #CanadianMetal #DeathMetal #DoomMetal #Draconian #GothicDoom #JexThoth #MyDyingBride #PenitenceAndRuin #Review #Reviews #TheWeightOfRemembrance #Tribunal

Texas death metal band Corpus Offal bring out their self-titled debut LP. Review at FFR, https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2025/03/19/corpus-offal-corpus-offal-20-buck-spin-2025/ #metal #heavymetal #rock #hardrock #CorpusOffal #20BuckSpin #deathmetal #Texas

Corpus Offal – Corpus Offal Review

By Tyme

Corpus Offal is the surviving core from the now-defunct underground death dealers Cerebral Rot, whose two releases, Odious Descent into Decay and Excretion of Mortality, received coverage here from AMG’s very own Ferrous Beuller. Responsible for a large portion of the Cerebral Rot sound, guitarist/vocalist Ian Schwab and guitarist Clyle Lindstrom (Fetid, Caustic Wound) have surrounded themselves with a new rhythm section and a refreshed moniker. After a promising two-song demo in 2024, Corpus Offal wasted no time sculpting a handful of other sanguineous songs to include on its 20 Buck Spin eponymous debut album. After laying eyes on Karina Monzon’s monstrous cover art, my mind first went to Autopsy‘s Severed Survival.1 This intriguing aspect of Corpus Offal‘s aesthetic excited me and had me salivating at the chance to dig into this newest vile vessel.

Corpus Offal plays fucking death metal.2 Period. Free of any thrashy overtones or proggy atmospherics, Corpus Offal arrives to offend your pedestrian sensibilities like a bucket of bloody guts splattered across a white tile floor at your feet. With the cover giving me such strong Autopsy vibes, I was happy to hear that the music on Corpus Offal is also very reminiscent of Severed Survival. Schwab and Lindstrom have hung a ton of fleshy riffs (“Gorging Gastric Decedent”) and chaotic solo work (“Spinous Forms of Mortal Abhorrence”) up on Texas chainsaw-sized meat hooks for bleeding. And while a fair amount of Cerebral Rotteness and Fetid fecundity remains in Corpus Offal‘s sound, Billy Anderson’s3 less cavernous mix and master lends an extra bite of sharp evisceration to these proceedings. Further pustulating the sores of this cadaverous corpse are Jesse Shreibman’s (Bell Witch) suppurating drums and Jason Sachs’ viscously bubbling bass work. This is moldy green ham and rotten egg death metal, so pull up a chair, Sam I Am, because Corpus Offal doesn’t give a shit whether you like it or not.

Corpus Offal‘s highlight is Ian Schwab’s vocal performance, which combines the gurgling gutturals of David Torturdød (Undergang, Phrenelith) with the bellicose burblings of Antti Boman (Demilich). Schwab spews forth like a bulbously engorged spore, leaking loads of purulent pestilence. His gravelly gurglinations douse the “Service for a Vacant Coffin”-like4 swing and swagger of “Essence of Dissolution” and the riff-filthiness of eponymous track “Corpus Offal” in globs of effluent ooze. Again, this is a nod to Billy Anderson’s great booth work, as each instrument has enough toxic air to breathe, and the poisonous fumes of Schwab’s vocals are at the forefront instead of being hidden in a haze of cavernous cacophony. Corpus Offal‘s unique brand of sewer core would have New York City rats running for cover, but even a death metal sewer starts to stink after too long.

Corpus Offal‘s debut clocks in at just under fifty minutes, and while I enjoy it just fine, some of the viscous fluids could have been allowed to drain. A case in point would be the wholly superfluous intro, “Purging Creation,” as it reminds me primarily of the equally unnecessary intro to Seep‘s “Encased in Shit,” both taking up about the same amount of time before getting down to business. No song on Corpus Offal clocks in under the six-minute mark, and two of them, “Corpus Offal” (7:44) and “Ripened Psychosis” (8:31), very well could have. The goriest offender is album closer “Secreted Effluence (Spilling).” This twelve-minute track begins with an intriguing guitar-plucked intro that, when repeated at just around the eight-and-a-half-minute mark, might have been an appropriate time to close the coffin, but instead, meanders and progressively slows to its death, having overstayed its welcome.

I spent time revisiting the Cerebral Rot catalog in preparation for this review, and I can confidently say Ferrous scored those albums appropriately. The promise imbued on Cerebral Rot‘s final release has translated into an excellent baseline for Corpus Offal to build off of. This is grotesquely fun death metal that cares not for the proclivities of an over-educated audience. These knuckles are dragging and bloody. With some editing, I believe Corpus Offal has even greater things to give, and I’ll be looking forward to their next awful excretion.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: 20 Buck Spin | Bandcamp
Website: Instagram
Releases Worldwide: March 21st, 2025

#20BuckSpin #2025 #30 #AmericanMetal #Autopsy #CerebralRot #CorpusOffal #DeathMetal #Fetid #Mar25 #Review

Bedsore – Dreaming the Strife for Love Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Fresh on the heels of other progressive death accolades in the comeback-record-sphere,1 Bedsore has staged a lesser-hyped return of their own. Four years on the books since 2020’s Hypnagogic Hallucinations, about which Ferrous Bueller proclaimed that Bedsore aimed “to be as creative as possible within the band’s preferred scope,” these Italian metal history buffs have returned not simply to their ’90s death metal-inspired roots. Trading logo-adorned garments and pit-tussled hair for amber-tinted shades and pressed, patterned shirts—buttoned enough to allow the tease of a scruffy chest—the Bedsore troupe has turned over not to expose a pustular dorsum but rather an ashen mound of patchouli and burnt flower. Though never absent of psychedelic leanings and progressive tendencies, Bedsore’s prior efforts still appeared death metal first. And now? The hippification is real.

Alas, dreams infect life with ambition. And in Bedsore’s grandest vision yet, they’ve attempted to interpret the classic Italian tale that shares a name, loosely, with this sophomore effort. Given the literary source’s mixed-language origins dating back to the 15th century, Dreaming the Strife for Love requires Bedsore’s new capital “P” prog attitude to even attempt to capture the necessary fantastical grandeur. While Hypnagogic Hallucinations foreshadowed the extended exploration of smoky room jam sessions through twangy amp tones and doom-weighted atmosphere, Dreaming unleashes the full fury of Italian drama through synths, synths, and more synths. Though not quite as horror-toned as their influential countrymen Goblin, the urge to drive with earmarked leads, fluttering segues, and occult camp holds strong in the halls that Bedsore has built with Dreaming.

All these new layers in the Bedsore identity arrive with intention, with unique timbres adding world-building motifs to what will appear, at first, a dense soundscape. In a long-standing prog tradition, Bedsore uses the drawn-out intro of “Minerva’s Obilesque” and first riff-based track “Scars of Light” both to pay homage to great works, like King Crimson’s Red or an Ennio Morricone score, and to introduce a few primary motifs that later tracks explore. And while that dedication to exposition covers a dutiful twelve-minute stretch, its worming characters, as promised, return in dramatic union (“A Colossus, an Elephant, a Winged Horse, the Dragon Rendezvous”) and vibrant swells (“Fanfare for a Heartfelt Love”). And though side A conclusion “A Colossus…” finds part of its footing in established pointers, it too finds a personification of its main players in low synth stomp (Colossus), wailing saxophone (Elephant), playful organ bursts (Winged Horse), and a Zappa-esque guitar squeal (Dragon), all of which come together in a swirling coda. It can be exhausting attenuating the onslaught of constructed sounds, but Dreaming’s colors unfold to those who can.

The total spectrum of sound through Dreaming appears lush at first and even tenth swipe, but its squashing of the mic renders one of its most dynamic elements flat. Dialed Mellotron refrains and delicate cymbal brushes remain bright and focal enough so that the hop to space or slide to calm never feel out of place—Davide Itri’s drum performance throughout shows a mastery of moody tom tumbles and malleted rolls, if a touch light in kick. But in the splendor of these bright intrusions, these marching and booming rhythms, and a lead guitar tone that just won’t quit, Jacopo Gianmaria Pepe’s blackened wail fades in and out of the mix, not for psychedelia’s sake either. As one of the few elements that keeps Bedsore’s toes in deathly waters, these shrieks and howls also can add weight to flighty ventures into Hawkwind patch overload or guitar-saxophone histrionic duels. Instead, and likely intentionally, they dissipate in the haze of instrumental experimentation.

Ever entrenched in cinema, the unique and Italian expression that Bedsore uses to build its prog poses a challenge to the extremity that persists in bursts. Yet, despite the complexity and labyrinthian storytelling that encompasses the Dreaming the Strife for Love experience, Bedsore maintains an effortless flair about every nook and cranny of this deeply planned affair. A band’s continued dive into progressive waters can often feel unnatural or clunky. But tight as the flared trousers that adorn the heroes of Bedsore’s ’70s reimagination, Dreaming in execution leaves little wonder that it could have been anything else. As a surreal tale with an eerie and open-ended conclusion, this sophomore endeavor has set the stage for Bedsore not to fester but bloom.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: 20 Buck Spin | Bandcamp
Websites: bedsoredeath.bandcamp.com | instagram.com/bedsoredeath
Releases Worldwide: November 29th, 2024

#20BuckSpin #35 #Bedsore #BloodIncantation #DreamingTheStrifeForLove #EnnioMorricone #FrankZappa #Goblin #Hawkwind #ItalianMetal #KingCrimson #Opeth #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews

Immortal Bird – Sin Querencia Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Mortality makes us human. Or, at least, it informs what we’ve become and how we’ve structured our societies—the ages at which we learn life, grow life, enter work, exit work, and the challenges of seemingly limited time to achieve each step. Yet, though we know our conscious time on this earth is finite, its flow often resembles less the smooth river and more the creek which swells and surges and ruptures and dries and dies, its turns unpredictable. Though assembled for over a decade at this juncture, Immortal Bird has seen several members blow through in the namesake of their Windy City Chicago home,1 but remains anchored in extremity by the persistence of Rae Amitay (Errant, Thrawsunblat) in finding partners in riff, rhythm, and ruckus. And though held to no defined release schedule, Immortal Bird has flocked again enough to conjure Sin Querencia.2

Always straddling the line between a blackened snarl, a deathly pummel, and a hardcore shuffle, Immortal Bird’s patchwork attack hits as equal parts curious and aloof with Sin Querencia landing no differently. As Amitay has found greater vocal expression over the years, with side ventures Errant and Wretched Blessing being closer to solo endeavors, a fuller range of techniques splatters Sin Querencia to give it fresh life against what came before. The dominant lyrical character that accompanies the dissonant and frosty pick drives (“Consanguinity,” “Contrarian Companions”), which wouldn’t sound out of place in a Gargiulo project like Artificial Brain or Dreamless Veil, remains a distorted high-range screech and lower tunneled howl, but interjections of a ghastly, cutting clean croon add layers of space and intrigue when the music recedes to a creeping crawl (“Bioluminescent Toxins,” “Contrarian Companions”). Immortal Bird remains determined to develop their already dense sound.

Yet, it’s not a labyrinthian instrumental construction that swerves the Bird about a progressive nature, but rather a keen sense of song structure and how to break it. Each piece on Sin Querencia develops its own way of wrapping around its main refrain or melody. Frequently, Immortal Bird lives on the captivating nature of their riff structures, in lieu of traditional hooky choruses or virtuosic leads, and uses contrasting discordant or otherwise exceedingly bright chord interjections to modulate, crescendo, and drive away (“Bioluminescent Toxins,” “Plastered Sainthood,” “Contrarian Companions”). Even when tracks veer toward a standard verse-chorus structure, Immortal Bird find ways to stretch a coda to its breaking point with vicious vocal punctuations (“Propagandized”) or sneak in the lone squealed-out solo (“Sin Querencia”) against an increasingly jagged bass stumble.3

Given the heavily guitar-driven stance that Immortal Bird continues to take with each of their outings thus far, it makes sense that they choose a production style that boosts that amplified presence. Whether darting about the classic Immortal riff chase (“Ocean Endless,” “Sin Querencia”) or driving pits with stenched-out hammerfests (“Plastered Sainthood,” “Propagandized”), a volume and weight of six-stringed tone lands with a practiced and cutting precision that moves every song forward effortlessly. In a similarly brash and distracting manner, Matt Korajczyk’s kit finds both welcome cymbal spread in down moments and unwelcome snare explosions during oft-occurring blast and heavy skank sections. After spending a lot of time with Sin Querencia, I’ve grown accustomed to that kind of pummel—and it’s far from the only offender in this realm in metal history. But moments like the snare roll before the second clean vocal passage in “Bioluminescent Toxins” and the general balance of the tapping close on “Propagandized” show that the kit doesn’t have to live with constant boosting to be impactful.

Immortal Bird has not made any steps in becoming a more accessible band, but that hardly matters when the music they do produce remains interesting enough to dissect repeatedly. And even if you don’t want to do that, this presentation of a modern hybrid of black, death, crust, and whatever other influence the Bird sees fit holds enough of a riff-forward attitude to moisten the earholes of a neck-whipping bystander. These tenants of metal, to riff to rollick to rumble, cannot be destroyed so long as bands continue find eclectic ways to bend and bruise them in a manner befitting of an wanting crowd—immortal in extremity. So while Sin Querencia doesn’t build a new home to house the flayed ideas of Immortal Bird, it doesn’t need to to remain enjoyable as a snappy drive through riff city.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: 20 Buck Spin | Bandcamp
Websites: immortalbird.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/immortalbirdband
Releases Worldwide: October 18th, 2024

 

#20BuckSpin #2024 #35 #AmericanMetal #ArtificialBrain #BlackMetal #CrustPunk #DeathMetal #DreamlessVeil #Errant #Hardcore #Immortal #ImmortalBird #Review #Reviews #SinQuerencia #WretchedBlessing #Yautja

Maul – In the Jaws of Bereavement Review

By Steel Druhm

2022 was a very good year for death metal, and the debut by Fargo, North Dakota natives Maul was an unexpected highlight. Scrapping the scummy leavings of Autopsy and Tomb Mold from the morgue table into a gore bucket and seasoning the offal with off-kilter slam and horror metal elements, Seraphic Punishment was a low-brow punch-fest with enough charm and individuality to stand out from the pack. It showed a band developing a unique sound within the well-established paradigm of old school death metal and it offered a lot of promise for the future. That future arrives this week with Maul’s sophomore outing, In the Jaws of Bereavement, and brother, the future ain’t what it used to be. Their 2023 EP suggested a more ambitious, proggy direction, but Maul instead opts for something that can only be described as an ill-advised homage to the worst of Chris Barnes’ widely reviled Six Feet Under project. The writing is rudimentary with riffs paired back to the most braindead chugs and grooves with vocals wandering into deathcore territory when they’re not actively trying to beat out modern-day Chris Barnes for the most unlistenable jabbering in the deathosphere. I have no idea what Maul were aiming for here, but they missed it by a country mile.

The opening title track will trigger mass head-scratching as Maul showcase their new zero-IQ sound replete with basic, go-nowhere riffs and vocals that vary from okay to “please stop making that godawful noise.” Scattered segments remind one why the debut was so much fun (the maggot stomping march at 1:17 for example), but these flecks of quality are submerged in an ocean of bad writing and unconvincing riffs that are simplistic and dull enough to trigger narcolepsy in caffeine addicts. The song is only 4:35 minutes but it feels like 6 as it pastes your brain into possum poo with generic beatdowns, and this is arguably one of the highlights. Things do not improve as In the Jaws of Bereavement shambles forward. “Blood Quantum” is a sketchy mix of screamo, deathcore, and fifth-rate Cannibal Corpse (i.e. Six Feet Under) mixed with expired Sanguisugabogg. The vocals are frightfully overdone and cringe-worthy, and the riffs are mostly disposable pablum. Song after somnolent song clomps past and nothing happens until fifth track “An Alluring Deceit,” which shifts toward a cold, moody, and very Dark Tranquillity-esque sound. It gives you hope something good might be developing, but after simmering menacingly for 2 minutes, it fades out before getting anywhere. This is life on the skids, kids.

Disappointment will be your obnoxious co-pilot as you tour bargain bin cuts like “Midwest Death” where bland, nondescript riffs and wretched Barnes-isms collide to annihilate your will to push on. Elsewhere, “Stuck Stomped and Smeared” is like a droll parody act trying to write the most stereotypical death metal song possible. It’s offensively generic, mindless, and tedious and makes you long for an icepick with which to end your ears’ suffering. Traces of the Maul we once knew resurface on the serviceable “Drawn to Drowning,” but since it’s the goddamn closing track, it’s a study in too little and WAY too late to save the album. At a thin 38-plus minutes, Jaws feels way longer and it’s a genuine chore to even reach the halfway point in one sitting. Everything I found endearing about their debut is gone and replaced with beef-brained, pig-squealing dross and it’s hard to imagine how we got here.

I’m unsure where to place the blame for this debacle. As good as Seraphic Punishment was, In the Jaws of Bereavement is a rotpit of weak writing and lackluster execution. Garrett Alvarado’s way over-the-top vocals were a big reason the debut was so much fun but here, he’s trying so hard but it sounds as if he’s been inspired by late-era Chris Barnes and wanted to approximate the former icon’s garbage disposal chic as heard on execrable releases like Nightmares of the Decomposed. Granted, Alvarado isn’t given much to work with song-wise, but he lustily undermines the subpar material nonetheless. Meanwhile, Alex Nikolas, Anthony Lamb, and new axe Josh Sanborn offer some of the most generic, derivative, and uninspired riffs you’ll hear this year. Some of the solos have teeth, but with three guitarists involved, you’d expect far more than the moldy dregs offered up here.

In the Jaws of Bereavement sounds like a confused and rushed release, phoned in, flat, and forced. They don’t make cargo shorts big enough to conceal all those problems. I love Maul’s debut, but this is a different and very unhealthy animal. One of the biggest disappointments since Massacre followed up From Beyond with Promise. I’m quite bereavered.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Websites: facebook.com/maulnd | instagram.com/mauldeath
Releases Worldwide: October 4th, 2024

#20 #20BuckSpin #2024 #AmericanMetal #DeathMetal #Deathcore #InTheJawsOfBereavement #Maul #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #SeraphicPunishment #SixFeetUnder

Skeletal Remains and Bewitcher are on the Fragmenting North America Tour with Phobophilic along for the ride, and Witch Vomit, Morgul Blade, and Torture Rack on select dates. Details at FFR, https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/09/22/tour-preview-skeletal-remains-and-bewitcher-fragmenting-north-america-tour-2024/ #Bewitcher #SkeletalRemains #Phobophilic #livemusic #heavymetal #thrash #thrashmetal #20BuckSpin #deathmetal