Aug 292026
 

(written by Islander)

This happened to be a week when I paid a lot of attention to the emergence of new songs and videos. In my case, what that means is saving links and making lists instead of actually listening and watching. I don’t know why I do this. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, given that the result is just a gigantic string of band names and links staring me in the face on Saturday mornings like this one. I guess it’s further evidence that I have a bit of OCD in my makeup, though “a bit of OCD” probably isn’t a term that clinicians use; I’m wary of finding out what their actual diagnosis might be.

Anyway, the list stared at me and I stared back. A few notable names caught my eye, along with a notable piece of artwork, and so I checked those out. They were all winners, and that greatly speeded my task. I also added one of the few songs on the list that I actually listened to last week; I knew even then that it had to be here.

But I started the morning with music from the two Colombian bands you’ll find below, two bands I didn’t know about until receiving a recommendation for them a few days ago. And then the last thing I heard before finishing the selection is also the last song and video in this grouping — yet another notable name.

The word of the day, by the way, is “pandemonium”. Continue reading »

Jun 182024
 

(After a slight delay following the expiration of May, Dan Barkasi rejoins us with reviews and streams of eight selected albums released during that month.)

To begin, a brief recap of Maryland Deathfest. If you attended, we can only hope it was as close to cathartic for you as it was for yours truly.

Having attended a ton of MDF’s in the past – I’ve lost count – this was unequivocally one of my favorite editions. The variety and top-tier quality of the musical performances was profound. Sinmara, Spectral Wound, Fossilization, Altars, Spectral Voice, and Imperialist were all acts witnessed for the first time, and each left a permanent impression. Heavy hitters such as Dismember, Ahab, Agalloch, Sodom, and Primordial each brought an undeniable presence to each of their shows that were wholly different, yet left the same elated feeling.

The biggest highlight, however, is this festival representing a gathering of lifelong friends that haven’t been seen in much too long of a time period, as well as making new friends, all of which we hope to see again very soon. Continue reading »