Instrumental metal, perhaps more so than metal with vocals, is a risky endeavor with mixed results. In addition to the risks of mediocrity (which are certainly not unique to solely instrumental performances), there’s the further risk that even when the music is excellent, it can seem to cry out for a voice (at least in the reception of listeners). You can expect to hear the unique dimensions of sound that vocals might add, and be disappointed when they remain absent.

The Detroit-based instrumental death metal band Thoren avoid these risks, not only because the music is so astonishingly good, but also because it’s impossible to imagine what vocals might add, or perhaps more to the point, how anyone could perform vocals over these bewildering sonic creations that would fit in any coherent or satisfying way. As proof, we offer “Daleb Dath“. Continue reading »

To begin, a confession: When we premiere individual songs from forthcoming albums or EPs, we usually haven’t yet listened to the entire record — not from lack of desire, but due to lack of time. In the case of today’s premiere I made a partial exception. This new DungeönHammer song turned out to be a short one, but so damned good that I felt a strong urge to find out what else they were capable of. And so I listened to the three other tracks from their debut album that had surfaced before the one we’re bringing you today, and came away even more impressed (and also surprised). I’ll get to those, but first, let’s talk about “Sworn In Blood“.

This newest track is one of eight on DungeönHammer’s full-length debut, Infernal Moon. True to the press descriptions, it hearkens back to an earlier age, a kind of proto-black-thrash, but more rocking than thrashing, and evil as hell. It’s not really speed metal mayhem, but more the kind of primal filthiness that your head and neck will respond to, from beginning to its too-soon end. Continue reading »